ISE 1 – FULL EXAM PRACTICE - 7

Student:

Student :

Task 1 – Long Reading (20 minutes)

15
Read the following text about New Year and answer the 15 questions on page 2.

Before the “talkies”

Paragraph 1

Until the 1920s, the technology to produce films with sound did not really exist. The Jazz Singer, released in 1927,
was the first truly successful sound film. Its success marked a new period in film-making and led to a huge increase in
the number of talking pictures, or “talkies” as they would become known. The popularity of silent films suffered badly
as a result and it was not long before “talkies” took over completely and silent films disappeared. Today, it is thought
that around 70% of all American silent films have been lost forever. And this is a very sad fact indeed.

Paragraph 2

You see, it is too easy to think of silent films as boring and old-fashioned, full of weak acting and bad storylines. The
truth is actually very different. Silent films were, in fact, beautiful works of art, as good as any of the talking films of
today. For a start, they were not silent at all. If you had lived at the time of silent films, a visit to the cinema would have
been a celebration of sound – or music, to be more accurate. Live music almost always formed part of silent film
shows. At small-town theatres maybe just a guitar or piano would play, but at large ones, whole orchestras often
performed.

Paragraph 3

True, the acting was very different, but different does not equal bad, The actors were far more dramatic in the way
they performed. They made big movements with their bodies and faces, which can look almost silly when compared
with today’s acting style. But actors could not use words to express meaning so they had to rely on movements. It was
a different skill; not silly, but in fact necessary to the telling of the story.

Paragraph 4

And good storytelling was at the heart of silent films. The style of storytelling was just very different from today. In the
early years of silent films, theatres would pay storytellers to narrate the stories live in the cinema. However, as films
got longer, it made more sense to use intertitles (short pieces of text that appeared on screen between scenes). You
had to concentrate hard to follow the story, but was that such a bad thing?

Paragraph 5

To compare silent films with today’s ones is not fair. They are just too different. It is still possible to enjoy silent movies
if we stop making such comparisons. They are a different art form and they are wonderful in their own right. The 2012
silent film The Artist reminded us of this and showed us that, even today, a well-made silent movie can be celenrated
and enjoyed.


Questions 1-5 (one mark per question)

The text on page 1 has five paragraphs (1-5). Choose the best title for each paragraph from A-F below and write the
letter (A-F) on the lines below. There is one title you don’t need.

1 Paragraph 1 A A live musical experience.

2 Paragraph 2 B Recognising the value of silent films.
3 Paragraph 3 C Acting without words.
4 Paragraph 4 D The end of silent films.
5 Paragraph 5 E Telling the silent story
F The best silent film.

Questions 6-10 (one mark per question)

Choose the five statements from A-H below that are TRUE according to the information give in the text on page 1.
Write the letters of the TRUE statements on the lines below (in any order)

6 A The writer thinks it is a mistake to compare silent and sound films with one another.
7 B The method of acting in silent films was often different from the method now used in sound films.
8 C The writer suggests that the acting in silent films was not of a good quality.
9 D It is believed that most American silent films have been destroyed.
10 E The Jazz Singer was the first very successful silent film.
F The story of early silent movies was often told to the audience by a live speaker.
G In small cinemas, the music for silent films was often performed by orchestras.
H Live music was usually played at screenings of silent films.

Questions 11-15 (one mark per question)

Complete sentences 11-15 with a word, phrase or number from the text (maximum three words).
Write the word, phrase or number on the lines below.

11. Before the 1920s, there wasn’t the right kind of ………………………………………. to make sound movies.
12. In small cinemas, music for silent films was usually played on ……………………………………….
13. Actors moved their ………………………………………. a lot in silent movies to express themselves without
using words.
14. Intertitles were short pieces of text that were often shown ………………………………………. In a silent film to
explain the story.
15. The writer argues that the silent film is a completely different ………………………………………. from the
sound film.

Task 2 – Multi-text reading. (20 minutes)

15
In this section there are four short texts for you to read and some questions for you to answer.

Questions 16-20 (one mark per question)

Read questions 16-20 first and then read texts A,B,C and D below the questions.

Which text

16. suggests that people who learn more than one language do better at school? …………..
17. shows that more people choose to learn a language for work rather than for pleasure? …………..
18. explains that music helps us learn? …………..
19. says that travelling can help language learners? …………..
20. says that learning a foreign language can help you learn other skills ? …………..

Foreign Languages

Text A – What is the best way to learn a foreign language?

Diego, Argentina : For me the best way is by going to language-learning websites on the Internet. Some of them are
really interesting. It’s also cheap and easy.

Kirsten, Sweden : I think watching English films with Swedish subtitles is the best. I love films, so my studying is really
enjoyable.

Yoko, Japan : Without doubt, the best way to learn any language is to use it all the time with native speakers. So you
should spend time abroad in an English-speaking country.

Text B – Language Experiment.

Student Name : Vanessa Smith – Class 4B

Yesterday my class learnt about research at the Clarkson School of Music, in Nottingham University, on the effect of
using music when learning a language. They found that using music helps people to remember what they learn.

Today in class we did an experiment to see if music helped us to learn Russian. We chose Russian because nobody
in the class could speak it at all. Our teacher, Mr Carter, divided us into three groups, A,B and C. The students in
Group A heard spoken Russian phrases on a tape. For Group B, the same phrases were set to a rhythm like a rap
and Group C heard the same phrases sung in a song. All of us tried to remember the phrases, and repeat them
fifteen minutes later. We found that Group C were able to remember far more Russian phrases than the other two
groups. We therefore concluded that learning a language sung in a song helps you to remember it better.

Text C.

Scientists have found that learning a second language increases intelligence. There have been many studies which
find that people who regularly speak more than one language are better at solving problems. Other experiments show
that students who speak a foreign language generally do better at tests than students who only speak one language.
This is particularly the case with tests in music, reading and maths.

In a recent experiment, researchers from Cambridge University studied the part of the brain which processes
information. They found that being bilingual changed this part of the brain. They compared this change to the way in
which muscles change when a person exercises a lot.


Text D

Questions 21.25 (one mark per question)

Choose the five statements from A-H below that are TRUE according to the information give in the text on the
previous pages. Write the letters of the TRUE statements on the lines below (in any order)

21 A Reading word on a TV screen is the best way to learn a language.

22 B The Internet can be used to make language interesting.
23 C It is easier to remember words if they are sung to you.
24 D The Clarkson School of Music tested how quickly people learn Russian.
25 E Speaking two languages regularly changes the brain.
F People who speak more than one language are often better at many school exams.
G The most common reason for learning a language is because it is fun.
H More people learn another language because of their studies rather than their family.

Questions 26-30 (one mark per question)

The summary notes below contain information from the texts on the previous pages. Find a word or phrase from texts
A-D to complete the missing information in gaps 26-30.
Write your answers on the lines below.

Summary Notes – Language Learning.

Good ways of learning another language include :

• television, e.g. watching subtitled films
• (26) ……………………………………….,,, so you can speak with native speakers
• listen to new words recorded as a (27) ……………………………………….,,,
Reasons to learn a second language include :
• increasing the student’s (28) ……………………………………….,,,
• it is enjoyable to learn
• getting better marks in (29) ……………………………………….,,,
• getting a better job
• the language is required in order to study for a university (30) ……………………………………….,,,




Task 3 – Reading into Writing (30 minutes)

Write an essay for your teacher (100-130 words) about why everyone should learn a foreign language. Use the
information you read in task 2 to :

• recommend ways of learning a foreign language

• explain how studying a foreign language can improve school performance
• explain why a foreign language will be useful in the future

You should plan your essay before you start writing. Think about what you want to say and make some notes to help
you in this box :

Now write your essay of 100-130 words on the lines below. Try to use your own words as far as possible – don’t just
copy sentences from the reading texts.


Teacher’s Comments: Write the Number of Words here à

Using information from texts A B C D E
Task Fulfilment A B C D E
Organisation & Structure A B C D E
Language Control A B C D E



Task 4 – Extended Writing (30 minutes)

You recently came back from holidays. Write an e-mail to your friend (100-130 words) telling him/her about your
experience

You should

• describe where you went, what you did, with whom you travelled, etc.
• say whether you enjoyed your trip or not and why.

You should plan your e-mail before you start writing. Think about what you want to say and make some notes to help
you in this box :

Now write your e-mail of 100-130 words on the lines below.



Teacher’s Comments Write the Number of

Words here à
Task Fulfilment A B C D E
Organisation & Structure A B C D E
Language Control A B C D E