Mid-Year Test Name: Date: Mark:
Units -
/ 60 marks
Read�ng Read the article about crystal caves.
Mexico’s Crystal Caves A The Mexican geologist, Juan Manuel García-Ruiz, is a very lucky man. He and his team of researchers visit some of the most beautiful areas on earth. They are specialists in exploring caves such as Mexico’s Cueva de los Cristales (Cave of Crystals). Part of their job is to understand and explain how these crystals became so large. Buried 300 metres below the ground in the Chi huahuan Desert, the cave was discovered by two miners who were digging a new tunnel in 2000. B The cave cave contains contains some of the largest natural crystals ever found. They are made of gypsum, which is a soft mineral, and some of them measure up to 11 metres in length and weigh up to 55 tons. ‘They are a natural marvel,’ said García-Ruiz. To To learn how the crystals grew to such huge sizes, García-Ruiz studied tiny pockets of liquid trapped inside them. The crystals, he said, became so large because they were covered by mineral-rich water at a constant temperature range — around 58oC. At this temperature the mineral anhydrite, which was present in the water, water, became gypsum which then took the form of the crystals found in the cave. C The area area around around the crystal cave contains contains some of the largest deposits of silver, silver, zinc and lead found anywhere in the world. In 1910, miners discovered another spectacular cave in the area. Its walls were covered in crystals that look like swords. Therefore, it was called The Cave of Swords . This cave is closer to the surface, at a depth of about 120 metres. While there are more crystals in the Cave
of Swords, they are quite small. On average they are about a metre long. D The Cave Cave of Crystals has a horseshoe-shape. It is about 10 metres wide and 30 metres long, which is about the size of a basketball court. Its floor and walls are covered in the most beautiful crystals. ‘There is no other place on the planet where the mineral world reveals itself in such beauty,’ García-Ruiz said. E ‘There is no limit to the size a crystal crystal can reach,’ García-Ruiz said. But, he said, for the Cave of Crystals to have grown such large crystals, it must have been kept just below below 58oC for many hundreds of thousands of years. In the Cave of Swords, by contrast, this temperature may have fallen much more rapidly, resulting in the formation of smaller crystals. F Today scientists and the mine’s mine’s owners are facing a very important question. If future generations are to enjoy the crystals, the mining company has to continue to pump water out of the caves. If they don’t, the crystals will again be underwater and will continue to grow.
Read the article again to find the following information. In which paragraph do you read... about the group of miners who discovered the crystal caves? about the weight of the crystals? that the mining company may stop pumping water out of the cave? why some crystals are smaller than others? about García-Ruiz talking about the crystals? about how the caves are different? about the size of the Cave of Crystals?
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7 9 (___ / 10 marks)
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Close-Up B1 Teacher’s Resource Pack Mid-Year Test
Use yo�r Engl�sh A Complete the second sentences so that they have a similar meaning to the first
sentences, using the words given. You must use between two and five words.
1 My parents and I don’t often stay at home for the summer holidays. RARELY My parents and I for the summer holidays. 2 Claire is planning to complete her studies in three years’ time. COMPLETED Claire her studies in three years’ time. 3 Paul played with toys when he was a small boy. TO Paul with toys, but he doesn’t any more. 4 I think Peter is very annoying because he is always interrupting me. STOP I wish Peter me. 5 I will do my homework and then I’ll go for a walk. AFTER I’ll go for a walk my homework. 6 When we first moved to Egypt we found it very difficult to live there. USED We could in Egypt when we first moved there. 7 Lyn Ryan’s new book about unexplained mysteries is a best-seller. IS Lyn Ryan’s new book, , is about unexplained mysteries. 8 Susan has an appointment with the manager on Friday. SEEING Susan the manager on Friday. 9 Sally Smith won the song competition in 2005 and 2009. WON Sally Smith the song competition twice so far. 10 We didn’t ask questions in class so we didn’t understand the lesson. HAVE If we had asked questions in class, we the lesson.
(___ / 20 marks) Copyright © New Editions. Permission granted to photocopy for classroom use.
Close-Up B1 Teacher’s Resource Pack Mid-Year Test
Use yo�r Engl�sh B Choose the correct answers.
My Grandma Although I was born in a big city, I was brought up in my grandma’s house in the country. I loved the peace and quiet there and so did my brothers and sisters. My grandmother loved us a lot and we always(1) ____ to her for advice. One really good thing about her was that she knew how to (2) ____ a secret. She never told our parents about anything we talked about. When I was twelve, I even felt comfortable telling her when I (3) ____ in love with David. Of course, I also told her about Alex the next year and Jimmy the year after that. However now, as I’m getting older Grandma and I have began to grow (4) ____. We don’t always see eye to eye (5) ____ everything. In many ways she has been able to (6) ____ with the times, but there are some things she just can’t get used to. For example, I love loud music, but she can’t(7) ____ it. She says it hurts her ears. We also have different opinions on things like the environment. When we disagree, I sometimes feel like I’m letting her (8) ____. I really want to agree with her, but I have to think for myself. Yesterday I was on the verge(9) ____ starting an argument with her, but I decided to keep my mouth closed. In the end, we agree to disagree about some things. One nice thing though, I can almost always (10) ____ in making her laugh.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
a a a a a a a a a a
tried keep got up on move live down for find
b b b b b b b b b b
thought make fell down about go want around and succeed
c c c c c c c c c c
asked have came apart for think like out of end
d d d d d d d d d d
turned remember went away with make stand up to result (___ / 10 marks)
C Complete the sentences with the correct form of the words. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
That movie wasn’t interesting at all. It was really . BORE Our teacher is always telling us to . CONCENTRATION I don’t know what to do. I just can’t make a . DECIDE Most brides wear a white wedding dress. TRADITION My mum would love to get a new car. Her first would be a sports car. CHOOSE I don’t feel sorry for her. In fact, I don’t with her at all. SYMPATHY The new bakery is very popular. It has lots of . CUSTOM Snow leopards are on the list of species. DANGER Everybody should have the to express themselves. FREE What does ‘naturopath’ mean? Can you give me a ? DEFINE (___ / 10 marks)
Copyright © New Editions. Permission granted to photocopy for classroom use.
Close-Up B1 Teacher’s Resource Pack Mid-Year Test
Writ�ng Write an article for your school magazine about how to lead a healthy lifestyle and keep in shape. (120-180 words)
(___ / 10 marks) Copyright © New Editions. Permission granted to photocopy for classroom use.
Close-Up B1 Teacher’s Resource Pack Mid-Year Test
