Examination Card #16

► I. Reading

Read the text and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D) for the sentences (1-4).

Hercules

Everybody knows Hercules was a ‘strongman’. But to the ancient Greeks he was much more than that. They worshipped him as a god.

According to a legend, Hercules was the son of Zeus and Alcmene. Zeus was a Greek god and Alcmene was a princess from our earth. Zeus had a wife in heaven called Hera. She hated Hercules. While Hercules was still in his cradle, she sent two serpents to kill him, but the infant strangled them. When he grew up, Hercules married Megara, but the evil Hera caused him to be seized with a fit of madness and during the seizure, he killed his wife and children.

To make up for this terrible deed, the oracle at Delphi ordered Hercules to offer his services to King Eurystheus. The king gave him twelve labors to do. They were difficult and fearsome tasks. These twelve labors, which Hercules undertook, that make up most of the legends about him.

First, he strangled a fierce lion with his bare hands. Then he was sent to kill the dragon Hydra, a monster that had devoured many beautiful young girls. It had nine heads, eight of which were mortal and one immortal. Every time Hercules struck off a mortal head, two more grew in its place. In the end, Hercules managed to kill the Hydra.

His third labor was to kill the golden-horned stag and after that, he was to slay a wild boar. His next labor was indeed a Herculean task. King Augeas had a stable of 3000 oxen and they had not been cleaned for 30 years. Hercules was ordered to do the job. He directed the courses of two rivers into the stables and completed the task in a day. The way he handled the problem proved that not only had Hercules great strength and courage but he was also a wise man.

His sixth labor was to kill the birds of Stymphalus; his seventh to capture the Cretan bull. Naturally, the birds and the bull were no ordinary animals and it took him great effort to finally overcome them. His eighth task was to capture the wild horses of Diomedes, which were fed on human flesh. For his ninth labor, he brought back the belt of Hippolyta, the queen of the Amazons. For his tenth, he brought back the oxen of Geryon from a far- western island. On his way, he split apart a mountain to form what is known today as the Straits of Gibraltar. His eleventh labor was to secure three golden apples from Hesperides and his twelfth was to bring to King Eurystheus the watchdog of Hades.

1. Hercules was

• A an infant. B the son of a god. □ C a Greek. □ D a Greek god.

2. Hercules first showed his strength when

• A he killed two serpents. C he was seized with a fit of madness.

• B he married Megara. □ D he killed a monster.

3. In the passage, the phrase ‘a Herculean task’ means a task that is

• A very exciting. □ C rather dirty.

• B extremely difficult. □ D quite easy.

4. How many types of animals or monsters did Hercules kill throughout his labours?

• A Five □ B Nine □ C Ten □ D Eleven

5. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the text?

• A Hercules was a strong man.

• B Hercules was a courageous man.

• C Hercules was a wise man.

• D Hercules was a handsome man

1	2	3	4	5

► II. Writing

Choose the correct item to complete the sentence.

1. The island’s ______ had never seen white men before.

• A tenants □ B occupiers □ C citizens□ D inhabitants

2. The world’s most advanced spaceship is expected to ______ into space in the nextfew weeks.

• A leave □ B arrive □ C reach □ D be launched

3. You must ______ your seatbelt.

• A bind □ B close □ C tie □ D fasten

4. He had no ______of winning the race because he had no training.

• A luck □ B chance □ C time □ D probability

5. I’ve decided not to go to the restaurant. Can you ______ my reservation, please?

• A cancel □ B put off □ C postpone □ D call off

6. The officer ______ the men to shoot the enemy.

• A insisted □ B suggested □ C demanded □ D ordered

You are studying at the language courses in Great Britain. You’re going to be late today. Write a message for your roommate (not less than 50 words). Include the following information:

• where you are;

• write what your friend can have for dinner;

• remind him / her that you are both going to the Helen’s birthday party tonight.

► III. Speaking

You have just had a class discussion about GM foods. Some students are for others are against GM foods. Talk about the presented ideas, include the following:

• GM foods help to feed the world;

• GM foods improve our lives