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Corrector

NAME: ____________________________SURNAME: ______________________________

Paper 1 “L”
SENIOR SIX FINAL EXAM Time allowed: 2 h

SECTION A: Reading Comprehension

Read the text and decide if the sentences are true or false. Circle T (true) or F (false).

Learning from penguin poop

The unique features of penguin poop have allowed scientists to make a remarkable discovery. The faeces
of Adelie penguins, which live along the Antarctic coast and its islands, have a unique colour. They are
bright pink due to the penguins’ diet, which consists largely of pink creatures called krill. They eat so much
of it that their plentiful poop stains the ground on which they live, as well as their own bodies. Moreover,
they produce so much poop that the stains can be seen from space.
This attribute has been useful for scientists studying these birds, as it has allowed them to locate colonies of
penguins using satellite images. It isn’t possible to see individual penguins in satellite photos, but the pink
stains are easy to identify. Scientists can even estimate the size of the colony from the size of the pink area.
Researchers using this method were, until recently, reasonably certain that they knew the whereabouts of
all the Adelie penguin colonies on the continent. However, a colleague at NASA then developed an
algorithm which automatically detected these stains, rather than finding them by human eye. The computer
programme identified many more pink patches that the researchers had previously overlooked, particularly
in the Danger Islands.
As the name suggests, the Danger Islands are difficult to get to and are almost always covered in sea ice.
They are so small that they don’t even appear on many maps of Antarctica. However, once the researchers
were aware of the colonies, they completed a full survey. They discovered 1.5 million penguins in this small
area, more than in the rest of Antarctica.
Although this seems a large number, research findings suggest that it is lower than previous years. By
studying satellite images from the past, which date back to 1982, the team were able to deduce that
penguin numbers peaked in the late 1990s, and have since declined by 10-20%. Krill fishing is one of the
main causes for the population decline of penguins in Antarctica, but because the Danger Islands are
normally surrounded by sea ice, there is less human activity here than in other parts of the continent. This
leads researchers to believe that the recent decline is due to other factors, such as climate change.
The scientists are now conducting research in the area to better understand the species and the long-term
health of the colonies. One team, for example, is analysing the colour and content of the poop to investigate
changes in the birds’ diet. This can show the extent to which penguins are affected by commercial fishing.
Another team is digging holes to learn more about the penguins’ past. By radiocarbon dating the bones and
eggshells found in these holes, the team have discovered that the penguins have been inhabiting these
islands since 2,800 years ago. By learning more about the penguin population of Antarctica, the team
hopes to understand more about the impact of human activity on the natural world.
Adapted from: www.test-english.com

1. It is the small amount of krill that Adelie penguins eat that give their poop a pink colour. T F
2. Penguin poop can be seen from satellite images. T F
3. Penguin poop allows researchers to estimate the number of penguins there are in a colony. T F
4. Researchers failed to find penguins in the Danger Islands because the pink poop stains were not T F
visible on previous satellite images.

5. The Danger Islands aren’t big enough to be recorded in all maps of Antarctica. T F
6. The number of penguins found in the Danger Islands is as large as the number of penguins in the T F
whole of Antarctica.
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7. Penguin numbers in the Danger Islands have declined due to human activity mainly. only
T F
8. Studying penguin poop helps researchers determine the human impact on Adelie penguins’ lifestyle. T F 1st

9. Researchers found out the age of the colony by studying remains found underground. T F
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10. The article is mostly about how climate change is affecting penguin populations. T F

3rd

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SECTION B: Language in Use
I. Read the passage below. Choose the correct option for each gap and write it in the box.
The Pulikali tiger
I’m Lucy Fleetwood and I’m travelling around India (1) ___ train. Follow my blog for the latest updates
from my trip.
There is music all around. A man (2) ___ face is covered in an elaborate tiger mask comes towards me
and roars. I am at the amazing Pulikali in Kerala.
Puli Kali (3) ___ in the south of India for over two hundred years. The September festival celebrates
bringing in the crops. On the fourth day of Pulikali, local men paint (4) ___ bodies and faces to look like
tigers and perform a dance. The locals take the dance very (5) ___ spending hours on their costumes,
especially in Thrissur, the town where I was.
There are several Pulikali events. (6) ___, the best place to see it is in Thrissur, and everyone seems
to know it. While I was on the bus to the city center, my fellow passengers were constantly checking
that I was OK in the (7) ____. The temperatures at this time of the year can reach up to three digits,
like 118 degrees Fahrenheit!
It was pure chance that I was there at all. I would have never heard about it if I (8) ___ my glasses the
previous week. As I was having my glasses (9)___, other customers in the shop were talking about the
festival. It’s just another example of the surprises that come from travelling through the (10) ___
country of India.
Adapted from Complete First for Schools test generator.

1 ___ A. with B. in C. by D. at
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2 ___ A. where B. which C. whose D. who only

3 ___ A. has held B. has been held C. has been holding D. holds 1st

4 ___ A. there B. they’re C. theirs D. their

5 ___ A. serious B. seriously C. seriousness D. unserious 2nd

6 ___ A. Although B. Despite C. However D. In spite of

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7 ___ A. hot B. hotter C. heat D. heater
8 ___ A. didn’t drop B. hadn’t dropped C. wouldn’t have dropped D. wasn’t dropping R

9 ___ A. fixed B. fix C. fixing D. fixes

10 ___ A. wondering B. wonderfully C. wonder D. wonderful

II. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form. Use modals if necessary.

When I turned nineteen…

When I turned nineteen, I decided to leave home and study abroad. I was so happy and
optimistic about my future back then. I met my ex-husband when I 1) ______________ (study) in AACI use
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Madrid. He was handsome and smart so I 2) ________________ (fall) in love immediately. By the
1st
time we both 3) _______________ (graduate), he proposed to me and I said “Yes”. We got married
and then our son 4) _______________ (bear). Pedro travelled on business all the time and we
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gradually fell apart. I didn’t want to continue that long-distance relationship and I came back to
Poland. 3rd

Now I’m a single mother and 5) ________________ (take) care of everything since we moved
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back. Pedro hasn’t stopped travelling and only helps me financially. I can’t rely on my circle of
friends. They are all married with children and always busy. If they 6) _______________ (not have)
children, I guess the story 7) ________________ (be) different. My immediate family isn’t much help
either because both my parents 8) ________________ (have) some health problems recently. Life
isn’t easy for me but I’m not going to give up. I am positive that when I 9) ______________ (be) older,
I 10) ________________ (look back) and enjoy all my achievements…
Adapted from Focus 4 Pearson
III. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence. You
must use the word given and cannot change it.

1. Sam regretted getting married. WISHED

Sam ___________________________________________________________________________.
2. “I didn’t eat your chocolate” Tom said to me. DENIED
Tom____________________________________________________________________chocolate.
3. His pet died. That’s why he was so sad at the party. HAD
If_____________________________________________________________________at the party.
4. I will lend you my computer, but you must look after it. UNLESS
I _____________________________________________________________________________it.
5. I am sure that Helen was thrilled when they installed her new computer. HAVE
Helen ___________________________________________________________________installed.
6. It´s getting easier for me to drive on the left. USED
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I ______________________________________________________________________ on the left. only

7. You shouldn't sign the contract without reading all the clauses first. BETTER 1st

You ______________________________________________________before signing the contract.

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8. A chemist’s is a shop that sells medicines. YOU
A chemist’s is a shop______________________________________________________medicines.
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9. Wearing jewelry at school is forbidden. ALLOWED
You ______________________________________________________________jewelry at school. R

10. It is two years since I last went on holiday. HAVE

I ______________________________________________________________________two years.

SECTION C: Writing

Choose ONE of the following options. You must write between 180 and 230 words.
Option A: You have decided to enter a short story competition. The rules say that the story must
begin or end with the following words:
It was a trip I’ll never forget.
Write your story.

Option B: You have had a class discussion on how people’s lives will change in the future. Now your
teacher has asked you to write an essay on the following statement:
“People’s lives will change dramatically in the next 50 years. Do you agree?”
Write your essay

Option C: You have just received an email from your English-speaking friend, Sam.

I’m really interested in hearing all about your new home. What kind of place is it? What do you like
about it? And what about the neighborhood? What’s that like? Is there anything you are not happy
about.
Best,
Sam

Write your email to Sam.

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