You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

You will hear a part of a radio discussion about marriage in Britain. Decide if the following statements (1-5) are TRUE or FALSE.

1. According to Julie, she and Peter got married because they both felt pressured to do so by their parents.

2. Julie says that Peter’s initial attitude towards the wedding was his concerning about the expense.

3. Bryan and Chrissie both felt that their relationship could become stronger with time.

4. Julie noticed that she argue with Peter more than before and they can’t forgive each other for a long time.

5. According to Brayan, most problems he has in his current marriage are because of his three children.

[5]

Criterion B (Reading)

You are going to read a newspaper article containing book reviews. For questions 1-5, choose the reviews (A-D).

In which review are the following mentioned?

6. a subject whose fascination never fades

7. an accidental transgression

8. an adult who helps a child

9. a powerful evocation of a particular time and place

10. children who lack self-confidence

[5]

Books for children

Reviews of the best children’s books published this year

A. Not in Timeby Laura Rose

Ages 8-11

Child psychologist tell us that round about the age of six or seven most children are gripped by an interest in the phenomenon of time, though the extent to which they articulate this naturally varies. Books and films for older children (and adults) that deal with time travel indicate just how, well, timeless, that interest is. Laura Rose’s third book once again features her popular protagonist Heather Hornet who discovers an old garden that is portal to a world for the future. As Heather ventures backwards and forwards in time, she learns fascinating details about life in different epochs, each of which is entirely plausible and very real. The writer also dares to address the thorny but fascinating philosophical question of whether a visitor from the future who changes the past could thereby nullify his own existence. To discover what conclusion Rose comes to, you will have to buy the book!

B. Colour My Worldby Ashton Lyle

Ages 2-5

My three-year –old niece loved this book, though I can’t promise that every three- year-old will feel the same way. This is the story of Viji, the little boy who absolutely refuses to paint pictures in his nursery class. In a clever touch we see how the pictures themselves feel (neglected, since you ask) when Viji only paints them under extreme pressure. But a new teacher at nursery school brings out the artist in Viji by helping make his pictures come to life for him, showing him what they think and feel. So the moral here that even though grown-ups want you to do something that you yourself have no desire to do, you might still enjoy it if you give it a go. A useful message for every child who is unwilling to try something new because of doubts about his or her ability.

C. The ghost at Number 54by Fred Wilmot

Ages 8-11

This marvelous tale manages to make England in the 1950s seem like an interesting place – and someone who was growing up there at the time, I can only say this is a huge tribute to the writer’s skills! Wilmot captures brilliantly the drabness and grey uniformity, but also the quaint quality of life in that decade. Against this backdrop he tells the story of Alice and John as it slowly dawns on them that their house, number 54 Mafeking Place, is haunted. One striking quality in this work is Wilmot’s ability to demonstrate what is going on in the minds of the adults in the story – without talking down to his young readers, as so many writers do. I won’t reveal how the tale ends, except to remark that we were very fond of happy endings in the 1950s.

D. The Enchanted Treeby Samantha Carson

Ages 11+

The tree in this story is not just enchanted in the figurative sense of the word: Haball the wizard has actually cast spell over it, and this means that nobody must look at the old oak. Everyone in the village knows this, for such matters are common in this medieval world of witches, wizard and spells. Everyone except Arthur, that is, for Arthur is the son of travelling musician who is passing through the village. We learn what happens to Arthur when he looks at the tree, and as in her first novel, Carson depicts brilliantly the isolation of childhood, the sensation that everyone except you knows the rules of the game. A gripping read that will be popular with boys and girls alike.

Criterion C (Writing)

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

A magazine for young people has invited you to write a review of the last film you saw or the book you read. Give your opinion on the story, the characters and actors, and whether you would recommend the film/ book to a friend.

Write a review. You should write at least 120-180 words.

[7]

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Date: 2015-12-17; view: 1875