Mira-Units 7&8 (B2)
Student name
Group/Class
Date Score
GRAMMAR
1 Choose the correct alternatives to complete the text.
I have been trying to learn Spanish because I want to travel in South America during my gap year and my friend Simon
suggested (1) to watch/watching Spanish T V. I found a channel that allows you to download programmes for free, so I’ve
been doing that once a week and it really helps. My mum offered (2) buying/to buy me a subscription to a Spanish
newspaper as well, but I (3) said/told her that I can read it online just as easily. I try to do that for about half an hour every
day. My friend’s brother went to Chile last year, so I asked him if we (4) would/could meet up to talk about what he did
there. We were supposed to meet up last week, but he cancelled at the last minute. He apologised for (5) let/letting me
down and we’re going to try again this week because my departure date is getting closer and I need to make some proper
plans now.
Score: /5
2 Correct the mistakes in the sentences.
1 T he news of the earthquake is reported on the six o’clock news programme yesterday.
2 Rescue workers from the UK are being sent to help the people look for survivors. T hey should be arrived later this
evening.
3 Many people have evacuated from their houses in the last few hours because of the flooding.
4 T he forest fire is spread very quickly at the moment.
5 T he need for more money to develop sea defences would be discussed at the council meeting tomorrow.
Score: /5
VOCABULARY
3 Complete the text with the correct f orm of these words.
back out load perform write
My friend Katy is a really good singer and (1) . She writes all her own music and lyrics. Last weekend she
had her first gig and we got a group of friends together to go and support her. T here was a really good
(2) and the place was packed. We could tell that she was nervous at first, but after a while she relaxed
and gave a great (3) . T he only (4) was that the venue was quite small and uncomfortable.
She’s going to record an album soon and it will be available to (5) from her website.
Score: /5
4 Complete the text with the correct f orm of the words given.
Following the unexpected (1) (erupt) of the Pacific island volcano last T uesday, more people living close
by have been forced to move because of (2) (land) that are threatening to cut off several local towns and
villages. Hundreds of (3) (survive) of the original disaster are still living in temporary shelters and it is
expected to be some time before experts will be able to properly assess the (4) (destroy) in the area.
Meanwhile, flights are being diverted because of a cloud of (5) (volcano) ash that is making it difficult for
pilots to navigate in the region.
Score: /5
SPEAKING
5 Work with a partner. Discuss this statement.
Improvements in technology mean that more people watch films at home and this will inevitably lead to the end of
cinema.
Score: / 12
READING
Flooding: the new danger
Areas in certain parts of the world have recently been hit by disastrous floods and others by a sequence of
earthquakes. (1) Away from earthquake zones, one worrying problem these days is flooding and it is predicted that as
a result of the changes in climate, this type of disaster will occur with greater frequency in the future, affecting
millions of people.
T here are many victims of flooding. (2) Every time it rains for longer than a day or two, they ask, ‘Will it be us this
time? Will it be our house that is flooded?’ After the fear, comes the reality; tons of water spilling over the river banks,
into roads, houses and over fields. People become trapped in their own homes when the road becomes a river and
need to be rescued by ill-prepared rescue services. And people die in floods. (3) T hen we have the emotional and
financial cost of flooding. Lifelong possessions are lost, security disappears and there is the worry over restoration.
How will we pay for it? Some insurance companies refuse to cover properties in certain areas because of the high risk
of flooding. (4)
Rescue services regularly carry out flood simulation emergency practice where they get vital, realistic practice of
what to do if the real thing should happen. (5) However, this is like a doctor treating the symptoms and not the cause
of a problem. We need to prevent the flooding in the first place. It is accepted that we cannot reverse climate change,
but we can certainly spend money on strengthening sea and river walls. (6) T he problem is that, as always, these
things cost a lot of money. However, surely it is worth investing this money now, if it will prevent even greater
monetary loss later. It is something that the government needs to take seriously because it’s a problem that is not
going to go away.
Indeed, if anything, the situation is likely to get worse. Many experts believe that those responsible will need to look at
a range of measures, not just flood defences, but also land management schemes and even how we design our homes
so that floods do less damage to property when they do occur and houses can be lived in again soon after the waters
recede. It seems that our approach to flooding needs a complete rethink.
6 Read the article about f looding. Six sentences have been removed f rom the article. Choose f rom the sentences
A–G the one which f its each gap. T here is one extra sentence.
1
2
3
4
5
6
A T hey drown, trapped in cars or swept away by fast-moving rivers.
B T here are also many ways in which people can improve defences to their own homes.
C Unscrupulous builders develop low-lying land that is in great danger of flooding.
D Firstly, there are those (one in five people in Britain) who live in constant fear of heavy rainfall.
E T his is welcome and will no doubt mean that they will be able to evacuate and save more people in the event of a
massive flood.
F Most of us know someone who has been caught up in the devastation caused by these events.
G T herefore, some people may not have sufficient insurance to carry out the repairs to their flood damaged houses;
others may have none.
Score: /6
WRITING
7 At school, you have been talking about natural disasters. Now your English teacher has asked you to write an
essay. Look at the notes and write your essay.
What can be done to help people affected by natural disasters?
Write about:
1 governments
2 charities
3 (your own idea)
You should:
introduce the topic and state your opinion.
give your first and most important opinion, with reasons.
give two further opinions, with reasons.
summarise your argument in a conclusion.
Use some of these linkers:
As far as I’m concerned, … / In my opinion, …
T his is because … / T he reason is that … / For example, …
However, … / Although … / Even though …
On the one hand, … On the other hand, …
In addition, … / What’s more, …
All things considered … / T o sum up, …
Write 190–220 words.
Score: / 10
