PROFICIENCY PASS

PROFICIENCY PASS

USE OF ENGLISH – EXPLANATIONS

2 1. TENSES Present Simple Tense PRESENT TENSES I/You/We/They + infinitive RULE Do+ I/You/We/They + infinitive? He/She/It + infinitive + -s Does+ He/She/It + infinitive? I/You/We/They + don’t + infinitive He/She/It + doesn’t + infinitive USE EXAMPLE Habits, things we generally do I wake up at 7 every day. (every day /month /year, etc.) I sometimes go to the cinema. With frequency adverbs Our classes start at 1 p.m. on Tuesdays. (always /often /sometimes /rarely /hardly ever /never) A car accident kills eight people. Timetables of cinema /theatre /bus /plane /and buses I have two books with me right now. News headlines With state (non-action) verbs Water boils at 100oC. (see /taste /smell /feel /look /think* /have* /love /like / The little girl sees a wolf in the forest. hate/enjoy /understand /know /want) that cannot be used with the present continuous tense. Things that remain true for a long time or a scientific fact Stories, instructions, explanations, live events * ‘have’ and ‘think’ are both action and state verbs MEANING have EXAMPLE Possession I have a car. Taking a shower I am having a sandwich right now. Eating something Drinking something MEANING think EXAMPLE Giving opinion What do you think of her new boyfriend? Other meanings other than giving opinion such as I am thinking about starting a business. plan and intention

3 Present Continuous Tense RULE Am/is/are/ + verb + -ing Am not/isn’t/aren’t + verb + -ing Am/Is/Are + subject + verb + -ing? USE EEXAMPLEE Events happening at the time of speaking I am studying right now. (now, right now, at the moment, at present, still) Events happening around the time of speaking I am taking an English Course this term. (nowadays, these days, this term/year/month, etc.) Changing/temporary situations It is getting warmer every year because of global warming. Making complaints (always/perpetually/repeatedly/ You are always making mistakes. continually/forever/constantly) Talking about the future arrangements She is going to France at 9 o’clock tomorrow. Talking about pictures The woman in the picture is wearing a long dress. Past Simple Tense PAST TENSES Did + subject + infinitive? Subject + verb + -ed + irregular verb RULE Subject + didn’t + infinitive USE EXAMPLE Events that happened at a specific time in the past I went to the theatre yesterday. (yesterday, last night/week/summer, half an hour/ 3 days/one week ago) She worked at the same office for 5 years. Events that took place over a specific period in the past Past habits/things we generally did in the past I always studied a lot at university. A number of events which took place one after another She took out her key, opened the door and got in the car. With state verbs The pasta tasted delicious.

4 Past Continuous Tense RULE Subject + was/were + verb + -ing Subject + wasn’t/weren’t + verb + -ing Was/Were + subject + verb + -ing? USE EXAMPLE Events that were happening at a specific moment This time last year I was teaching at a different in the past (This time last year/yesterday, etc. class. yesterday at 5 o’clock/in the morning, etc.) I was watching a movie from 9 o’clock to 11 Talking about a past event which started at a o’clock last night. specific moment and ended at a specific moment While I was cooking, my husband came home. in the past (from .. to ../ from.. until.. ) With when, while and as When/While/(Just) As RULE USE EXAMPLE When + past simple + past Past simple event interrupts with the When my dad came home, I continuous longer past continuous event was studying. When + past simple + past The first mentioned past simple event When I came to school, I saw simple happened, after that the second one my friends. happened While I was driving, a bird hit While/When/As + past Past simple event interrupts with the the car. continuous + past simple longer past continuous event While/As + past simple + Two events happened at the same While I cooked, my sister past simple time watched TV. While/As + past continuous Two events happened at the same As I was reading a book, he + past continuous time, focus is on the procedure was working. During RULE During + noun

5 USE EXAMPLE Used to say when something happens. It does • Nobody spoke during the presentation. not tell us how long it happened. • I got bored during the party. RULE Used to/Would + infinitive Didn’t use to/Wouldn’t + infinitive Did + subject + use to + infinitive/ Would + subject + infinitive? Used to/ would EXAMPLE I used to be a very hard-working student USE at high school, but I don’t study much any Used to talk about a habit or regular activity longer. or a situation which was true in the past, I would play volleyball when I was a child. but not anymore. Would can be used instead of used to. ‘Would’ is not used with state verbs. FUTURE TENSES Will/Won’t RULE Will/Won’t + subject + infinitive? Subject + will + infinitive Subject + won’t + infinitive USE EXAMPLE Predictions & expectations Instant decisions You will be rich one day. Promises Requests A: I need eggs. Offers B: Oh, I will go and get some. Future facts I will write to you soon. Will you close the door please? I will help you carry the bags. Shall I help you? The minister will come to the city tomorrow.

6 Am/is/are going to RULE Subject + be going to + infinitive Subject + be not going to + infinitive Be + subject + going to + infinitive? USE EXAMPLE It is going to snow tonight. Predictions based on evidence or knowledge We are going to go to the cinema in the evening. / Plans We are going to the cinema in the evening. Time Expressions with Future Tense Before + simple present , will/going to After As soon as Once When Until Present Perfect Simple Tense PERFECT TENSES RULE Subject + has/have + past participle Subject + hasn’t/haven’t + past participle Has/Have + subject + past participle? USE EXAMPLE Talking about a past action without any specific time/ I have read this book. experiences Events happening all life long I have known him all my life. (all my life/in his life/so far/up to now, etc.) Past events which still has an effect in the present She has just changed her hair colour. Unfinished actions (today/this morning/week, etc.) I haven’t studied this week. With lately/recently I haven’t seen him recently. With just/yet/already She has just had a coffee. With ever/never A: Have you ever been to France? B: No, I have never been there. With once/twice/three times a day/week etc. They have seen this film twice. With for/since (+state verbs or when the emphasis is I have been a teacher since 2008. not on the duration)

7 Present Perfect Continuous Tense RULE Subject + has/have + been + verb Subject + hasn’t/haven’t + been + verb Has/Have + subject + been + verb + -ing + -ing + -ing? USE EXAMPLE We have been studying for two hours. Events which started in the past and are still in progress I have been cutting onions, so my eyes are red. Events which started and ended in the past but are still affecting us I have been teaching for hours. With for/since He hasn’t been sleeping well recently. With lately/recently/so far/up to now



USE OF ENGLISH – PRACTICE

42 CLOZE EXERCISES Read the texts and choose the best answers to complete each text. 1. Digital Connections Michael Wesch is a cultural anthropology professor who explores the effects of new media on society and culture. His videos on culture, technology, education, and information have been viewed over 20 million times, ___________ (1) into over 20 languages, and are frequently featured at international film festivals and major academic conferences worldwide. Dr. Wesch ___________(2) several major awards for his work, including a Wired Magazine Rave Award, the John Culkin Award for Outstanding Praxis in Media Ecology, and he was named an Emerging Explorer by National Geographic. 1. a) transformed b) learned c) translated d) excelled 2. a) has won b) was winning c) had won d) wins ‘Technology is connecting us in ways we have___________(3) seen in human history before. How will that change our societies, our relationships, ourselves?’ That’s the question that interests Michael Wesch. Wesch argues that communication is an important part of our relationships, ___________(4) a change in the way we communicate will change those relationships. 3. a) already b) always c) just d) never 4. a) so b) on the other hand c) but d) because The last time technology had such a wide-ranging impact was 500 years ago with the invention of the printing press. ___________(5) print texts instead of writing them by hand transformed the world. It changed the way people could communicate with each other. Suddenly, multiple copies of books___________(6) quickly and easily. As more books became available, ideas spread ___________(7). Another time technology affected relationships was when television was invented. When television ___________(8) the dominant medium in the 1950s, it changed the way families interacted. Family members began to sit in front of the TV to watch rather than face each other to talk. The people on the television spoke, and the TV viewers listened. In this one-way type of communication, only the people on TV had power. Only they had a voice. But what will be the impact of digital technology, which is ___________(9) connecting tool we have ever seen? 5. a) To be able to b) Not to be able to c) Being able to d) Not being able to 6. a) were made b) made c) have been made d) have made 7. a) more rapid b) as rapidly c) as rapid d) more rapidly 8. a) became b) has become c) had become d) was becoming 9. a) more powerful b) less powerful c) the least powerful d) the most powerful

43 Today, the Internet ___________(10) our relationships again. The newest media of communication such as social networks and interactive sites are on the Internet, and number of these grows every day. Wesch and his students look at social networking and other interactive internet tools. A/an ___________(11) example of such an application is YouTube. When people create and share personal videos on YouTube, people from all around the world can watch it. Wesch says that this ___________(12) to a feeling of a sort of deep connection with the entire world for some people. But it’s not a real relationship–it’s not ___________(13) the connection you feel with a member of your family. In fact, as Wesch says, it’s a relationship without any real responsibility which you can turn off at any moment. So does it make sense to talk about a YouTube ‘community’? 10. a) is changing b) changes c) is going to change d) will change 11. a) redundant b) essential c) well-known d) compulsory 12. a) leads b) differs c) results d) causes 13. a) similarly b) the same as c) different from d) in contrast to Wesch himself experienced the impact of digital media ___________(14) he created and posted his own short video on YouTube. It attracted immediate attention and ___________(15) millions of times so far. In his video he tells us that webpages get 100 billion hits a day and that there is a new blog every half second. He asks us to think about the power of this technology and how we can use it. What could we do with it? Wesch isn’t interested ___________(16) what new media was originally designed for, but he is more eager to learn about which other ways we can use it. For example, he describes how people organise social protests via Facebook. He says that he tries to make sure his students ___________(17) in control of the technology, not vice versa. 14. a) due to b) whereas c) when d) so 15. a) was viewed b) has viewed c) has been viewed d) viewed 16. a) at b) in c) on d) by 17. a) end up b) go over c) get stuck d) run out Outside of university, in the real world, Wesch believes it’s crucial for people to be able to operate in the new environment of digital media and to use it for the greatest possible impact. ‘It’s the tragedy of our times that ___________(18) we are now more connected than in the past, we fail to see it. I want to believe that technology can help us see relationships and global connections in positive new ways. It’s pretty amazing that I have this little box sitting on my desk through which I ___________(19) talk to everyone in the world. However, do any of us really use it for all the potential that’s there?’ 18. a) despite b) if c) although d) unless 19. a) can b) have to c) should d) must

44 2. The History of Coffee Why did famous French writer and philosopher Voltaire ___________(1) drink 40 – 50 cups a day? Second only to oil, coffee is ___________(2) legally traded commodity in the world. We love it and we drink it a lot. It is estimated that 2.25 billion cups of coffee ___________(3) every day worldwide. New Yorkers drink 7 times the amount of any other U.S. city, which is why there is a Starbucks on every corner of Manhattan. Coffee is a part of the lives of millions of humans around the globe, but ___________(4) people know the story of coffee and how it is produced. Where exactly did this phenomenon begin? 1. a) used to b) was used to c) get used to d) use to c) the least valuable d) less valuable 2. a) the most valuable b) more valuable c) are consuming d) consume c) few d) many 3. a) are being consumed b) are consumed 4. a) little b) much As with most foods that ___________(5) around for centuries till now, coffee’s beginnings started with mystery and legends. There is a popular Ethiopian legend. According to this legend, coffee was discovered by a farmer named Kaldi, ___________(6) found his goats full of energy after eating the red fruit of the coffee plant. Kaldi tried the fruit and became very energetic. ___________(7) seeing this effect of coffee, a monk took some of the fruit back to other monks. They also spent the night awake and alert. Of course, it is certain that they ___________(8) awake all night because coffee has caffeine. 5. a) have been b) were c) had been d) is 6. a) which b) who c) - d) that 7. a) Despite b) After c) Although d) As 8. a) must have been b) can’t have been c) should have been d) could have been Before coffee became our morning drink, it appeared in a variety of different preparations. In its most basic form, coffee is a cherry-like fruit, which becomes red when ripe. In the past, the fruit ___________(9) with animal fat to create a snack bar which has a lot of protein. Moreover, people made a wine-like drink with coffee and some people made a ___________(10) drink by adding the cacao fruit as well. It wasn’t until the 13th century that people began to roast coffee beans, the first step in the process of making coffee as we know it today. 9. a) is mixed b) mixed c) mixes d) was mixed 10. a) same b) similar c) alike d) likewise

45 The modern version of roasted coffee ___________(11) in Arabia. During the 13th century, coffee was extremely popular with the Muslim community for its energy giving powers, which was useful during long prayer sessions. The Arabs ___________(12) control the market as they wanted because they owned all the coffee shops. In fact, there was not a single coffee plant outside of Arabia or Africa until the 1600s, when Baba Budan, an Indian pilgrim, left Mecca with coffee beans. Baba’s beans ___________(13) in a new and competitive European coffee trade. 11. a) originated b) has been originating c) had originated d) was originating 12. a) were able to b) had to c) weren’t able to d) didn’t have to 13. a) caused b) lead c) resulted d) differed In 1616, the Dutch founded the first European-owned coffee estate in Sri Lanka, then Ceylon, then Java in 1696. The French began growing coffee in the Caribbean, followed by the Spanish in Central America and the Portuguese in Brazil. Later, coffee houses ___________(14) in Italy and France, where they reached a new level of popularity. Now, Parisians have a cup of coffee and a baguette or croissant at the numerous coffee cafes throughout Paris. 14. a) were being opened b) had been opened c) have been opened d) were opened Coffee plants ___________(15) the New World during the early 18th century, even though the drink wasn’t really popular in America until the Boston Tea Party of 1773, when making the switch from tea to coffee became something of a patriotic duty. The Civil War also increased coffee consumption ___________(16) soldiers relied on the caffeine for a boost of energy. 15. a) have reached b) reaches c) reached d) had reached b) because 16. a) so c) due to d) thus By the late 1800s, coffee had become a worldwide commodity, and entrepreneurs began ___________(17) new ways to profit from the popular drink. In 1864, John and Charles Arbuckle, brothers from Pittsburgh, bought Jabez Burns’ newly invented selfemptying coffee bean roaster. The Arbuckle brothers began selling preroasted coffee in paper bags. They named their coffee “Ariosa,” and found great ___________(18) in selling it to the cowboys of the American West. Soon, James Folger followed the Arbuckle brother and began selling coffee to the gold miners of California. 17. a) looking for b) looking after c) looking out d) looking up 18. a) successful b) success c) successfully d) succeed In the 1960s, a certain awareness for specialty coffee started to grow, inspiring the opening of the first Starbucks ___________(19) Seattle in 1971. Today, the coffee movement continues to grow with the increase of small independently-owned cafes selling and making coffee using locally roasted, fair trade beans. Coffee has become an artistic trade that is valued for its complexity of flavours, much like wine. 19. a) on b) by c) in d) from



READING

70 1. Diwali 1 One of the most significant festivals in Indian culture is Diwali, the festival of lights. In the festival, which is celebrated in October and November for five days, millions of people attend firework displays, prayers and exultant celebrations in which people sing and play games. The festival is celebrated by people of different faiths such as Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. Diwali is as important to Hindus as Christmas is to Christians. Diwali is called the festival of lights because rows of lamps are lit inside and outside homes and buildings for the holiday. These lamps are called ‘deepavali’ in Sanskrit, which is where the word ‘diwali’ comes from. 2 The festival, which coincides with the Hindu New Year, celebrates new beginnings and the victory of good over evil and light over darkness. While each faith has its own reason to celebrate the festival, one of the most popular stories told is the legend of Lord Rama and his wife Sita returning to their kingdom in northern India from exile after defeating the demon king Ravanna in the 15th century BC. The festival is also celebrated in the remembrance of Lord Vishnu and goddess Lakshmi’s marriage. 3 The festival is marked by large firework displays. Those celebrating the festival also light traditional candles made of earth called ‘diyas’ and decorate their houses with colourful artworks called ‘rangoli’— patterns created on the floor using coloured rice or sand. During Diwali, families and friends share sweets and gifts, and they give foods and goods to those in need.

71 4 The food most closely associated with the festival is Indian sweets, which come in a range of colours and flavours. The celebration however features various rich savoury and sweet dishes, and while eating out is popular, families mostly prepare food at home. During the celebrations, people visit their families to exchange gifts and watch fireworks together. Unlike the traditional roast turkey at Christmas, each family celebrating Diwali will have its own favourite meal for the festival, and the food will most often be the central theme of the celebrations. 5 Card games are often played in villages and cities, as it is generally considered auspicious to play card games during Diwali. It is believed that the people who play card games at the festival would be fortunate throughout the following year. Because of this belief, card game parties are an especially popular pastime during Diwali. The parties typically start at 10 p.m. in bungalows and farmhouses and continue until 5 a.m. “People don’t mind losing —it’s part of the ambiance and people are having fun,” says Vikram Mehta, founder of Red Om Entertainment in Mumbai. “Everyone dresses up, everyone is on holiday, everyone is inviting each other to their homes, there is a lot of warmth.” 6 There are various other rituals celebrated on each of the five days. Traditionally, the first day of the festival is the shopping day, especially for gold or silver. The second day is spent decorating the home. The third day is the main day of the festival with fireworks at night, and a feast with family and friends. On the fourth day, spouses exchange gifts, while on the fifth day, brothers and sisters spend time together. A sister cooks for her brother and he presents gifts to her as a celebration of love between siblings. 7 In the villages, Diwali festival marks the end of the harvest. Villagers chant prayers and carry out prayer rituals in order to thank for the harvest. Many rural villages in India have their own particular rituals, but the most common ritual is the local singing ceremony. “This is when children go round the houses holding handmade lanterns made of sticks and twigs and they sing Marathi songs for the benefit of residents of the homes. In return, they are given oil and grain,” says Pinheiro, the managing director of Grassroutes, a company which promotes responsible village tourism, and takes urban Indians on trips to tribal villages. He says tourists want to “see a simpler way of celebrating Diwali, a less noisy place and to reconnect with the people.” The difference in how Diwali is celebrated in the villages is that it is done with more simplicity. It is one of the rare occasions when villagers buy clothes and eat nice food and this celebration comes after many months of hard work. In the cities, it is less community oriented, noisier and more about spending money and showing off.

72 For each question, choose the best answer according to the text. 1. Diwali is celebrated in remembrance of _________________. a) love between Lord Rama and Sita b) defeat of Lord Vishnu c) return of people who were sent on exile d) King Ravanna’s victory 2. During the festival, _________________. a) paintings are hung on walls b) floors are coloured with paint c) homes are cleaned d) new clothes are worn 3. During the festival, people mainly eat _________________. a) a typical meal b) Turkey like in Christmas c) mostly at restaurants d) a variety of sweet dishes 4. At the card game parties, guests _________________. a) mostly play cards in the afternoon b) do not give importance to winning c) wear casual clothes d) do not have much fun 5. On the fifth day of the festival, _________________. a) women cook for their husbands b) brothers and sisters give gifts to each other c) women celebrate their brothers’ marriage d) siblings spend time together 6. At villages, it is possible to see _________________. a) tourists ruining the simplicity of the festival b) noisier celebrations than in the cities c) villagers praying to thank for the harvest d) festival preparations which take a long time 7. ‘exultant’ in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to _________________. a) joyful b) miserable c) competitive d) ridiculous 8. ‘auspicious’ in paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to _________________. a) superstitious b) bringing good luck c) discouraging d) giving power 9. ‘they’ in paragraph 7 refers to _________________. a) residents of the homes b) hand-made lanterns c) children d) villagers