English Test – Children Then and Now

1. In the 1970s, 80% of children in the UK walked to school unaccompanied. Now only 9% do. The rise of the motor car, combined with the terror of crime, has turned children into home captives. While old-fashioned images show children playing out of doors, in the streets, or in parks, these days, they are more likely to be found slouched over video games and television sets. Children today use up one-quarter fewer calories than they did in the 1930s, and experts worried about the long-term health effects of childhood inactivity are warning of a future health crisis.

2. One physiologist who checked children’s heart rates during school physical activities found that only a few ever boost their heart rates through exercise sufficiently to be of any benefit. Some researchers are now saying that an inactive lifestyle brings with it a risk factor equivalent to a packet of cigarettes a day or even that it may be a higher risk than either smoking or high blood pressure.

3. What has been the cause of this disastrous change in children’s lives? The car, the video game, and the TV have played their part, but the most important factor is the unreasonable fear of crime. Children are imprisoned by their parents’ fear. Yet the chances of a child being hurt or killed by a stranger are so small that it is a tragedy to think of all those millions of children living a confined life indoors because of the rare horror story that grips the imagination. If it weren’t for this largely imagined danger, most parents would like the idea of their children walking to school and learning independence at a suitable age. But the way crimes are reported by the popular press greatly increases fear of crime. If something horrible does happen to a child, there is an implied question, “What were the parents doing letting that child out alone?” 

4. We have to start replacing the fear of crime with a new fear for our children: physical damage through inactivity and psychological damage through an over-protective attitude that never lets them freely explore the world around them.

I. COMPREHENSION (15 points)

BASE YOUR ANSWERS ON THE TEXT 

A. CHOOSE THE APPROPRIATE ANSWER FROM THE LIST (3 PTS) 

1. A suitable title for the text would be 

1. Childhood inactivity and heart diseases. 
2. Indoors children: protected or harmed?
3. Parents fear of crime.
4. Children’s need for physical exercise.

2. The writer’s purpose is to 

1. Discourage children from getting out.
2. List the illnesses most likely to attack children today.
3. Encourage parents to be less protective towards their children. 
4. Present new statistics about children’s lifestyle in the UK today.

3. The writer seems to be

1. Anxious about children’s physical and psychological health.
2. Satisfied with parents’ ways of raising their children today.
3. Indifferent to children’s health.
4. Angry about children who play video games.

B. ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY. (4 PTS)

1. Few children walk to school in the UK today.
2. Children get plenty of physical exercise at school.
3. Parents may be accused of carelessness in case their child should be attacked.
4. Press reporting reduces fear of crime.

C. ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS (4 PTS)

1. In what ways is the lifestyle of children today different from that of children in the past?
2. What are the dangers of children leading an inactive life?

D. FIND WORDS IN THE TEXT WHICH MEAN APPROXIMATELY THE SAME AS (2 PTS)

1. Sitting in a lazy way: (1st paragraph) ………………..
2. Restricted: (3rd paragraph) ……………………

E. WHAT DO THE UNDERLINED WORDS IN THE TEXT REFER TO? (2 PTS)

1. Few: ……………………
2. Story: ……………………..

II. LANGUAGE (15 points)

A. CHOOSE THE CORRECT LINKING WORD TO COMPLETE THE SENTENCE. (2 PTS)

1. Video cameras are becoming easier to use. …………………., they are getting cheaper.

as a consequence – in addition- however

2. It was a fantastic party ……………… the terrible food.

in spite of – thanks to – due to

B. PUT THE VERBS IN BRACKETS IN THE CORRECT TENSE. (3 PTS)

1. By the end of the next week, the minister (finish) ………………. his negotiations with all the political parties to form his new government.
2. When I got to the office, Susan was not there. He (just/leave) …………………….
3. The children looked very tired. They (watch) …………………… cartoons for more than two hours.

C. REWRITE THESE SENTENCES BEGINNING WITH THE SUGGESTED WORDS. (3 PTS)

1. Many countries sent letters of indignation to the UN Secretary.

Letters to the UN Secretary ………………………………………………

2. Most people believe that the current negotiations will lead to good results for both countries.

It is …………………………………………………………………

3. They didn’t go to the party because they didn’t know the address.

If ……………………………………………………………………………..

D. ADD A PREFIX OR A SUFFIX TO THE UNDERLINED WORDS TO GET MEANINGFUL SENTENCES: (2 PTS)

Pro – pre – dis – co – mis

1. A tolerant society is one where different cultures (exist) ……………….
2. John was dismissed from his work because he (used) ………………… his authority.

E. FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH THE APPROPRIATE WORDS OR IDIOMS FROM THE LIST: (3 PTS)

Free access – a dead loss – absent-minded – improve – empower – equal opportunities

1. Education and financial independence are the key factors to ………………. women and help them live with dignity.
2. The World Wide Web offers everybody …………………….. to a formidable collection of texts, visuals, sounds, and video clips.
3. My brother is ……………….. at maths. He always needs my help.

F. RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING SITUATIONS AS SUGGESTED: (2 PTS)

A: Excuse me? I want to return this table. When it was delivered this morning, I found that it was broken.

B: (accept the complaint) ………………………

III-WRITING (10 points)

Despite the high tobacco price and the new laws against smoking in public areas, there is always a growing number of cigarette addicts, especially among young people. Write an article in your school magazine stating the dangers of smoking and offering advice for those who want to quit this bad habit.

Answers English Test – Children Then And Now

I. COMPREHENSION (15 points)

A. CHOOSE THE APPROPRIATE ANSWER FROM THE LIST (3 PTS) 

1. A suitable title for the text would be 

• Indoors children: protected or harmed?

2. The writer’s purpose is to 

• Encourage parents to be less protective towards their children.

3. The writer seems to be

• Anxious about children’s physical and psychological health.

B. ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY. (4 PTS)

1. True. Only 9% of children in the UK walk to school unaccompanied.
2. False. During school physical activities, only a few children boost their heart rates through exercise sufficiently to be of any benefit.
3. True. If something horrible happens to a child, there is an implied question of what the parents were doing, suggesting that parents may be accused of carelessness in such cases.
4. False. The text states that press reporting greatly increases fear of crime.

C. ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS (4 PTS)

1. Children today have a different lifestyle than in the past. Fewer walk to school without adult supervision due to safety concerns, and they spend more time playing video games and watching TV instead of being outside.
2. Children’s sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of health issues such as obesity and long-term health problems. Experts warn that inactivity is equivalent to smoking or high blood pressure, causing potential physical and psychological damage.

D. FIND WORDS IN THE TEXT WHICH MEAN APPROXIMATELY THE SAME AS (2 PTS)

1. Slouched
2. confined

E. WHAT DO THE UNDERLINED WORDS IN THE TEXT REFER TO? (2 PTS)

1. Children
2. A child being hurt or killed by a stranger

II. LANGUAGE (15 points)

A. CHOOSE THE CORRECT LINKING WORD TO COMPLETE THE SENTENCE. (2 PTS)

1. Video cameras are becoming easier to use. In addition, they are getting cheaper.
2. It was a fantastic party despite the terrible food.

B. PUT THE VERBS IN BRACKETS IN THE CORRECT TENSE. (3 PTS)

1. By the end of the next week, the minister will have finished his negotiations with all the political parties to form his new government.
2. When I got to the office, Susan was not there. She had just left.
3. The children looked very tired. They had been watching cartoons for more than two hours.

C. REWRITE THESE SENTENCES BEGINNING WITH THE SUGGESTED WORDS. (3 PTS)

1. Letters to the UN Secretary were sent by many countries expressing their indignation.
2. It is believed by most people that the current negotiations would lead to good results for both countries.
3. If they had known the address, they would have gone to the party.

D. ADD A PREFIX OR A SUFFIX TO THE UNDERLINED WORDS TO GET MEANINGFUL SENTENCES. (2 PTS)

1. A tolerant society is one where different cultures coexist.
2. John was dismissed from his work because he misused his authority.

E. FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH THE APPROPRIATE WORDS OR IDIOMS FROM THE LIST. (3 PTS)

1. Education and financial independence are the key factors to empower women and help them live with dignity.
2. The World Wide Web offers everybody equal opportunities to a formidable collection of texts, visuals, sounds, and video clips.
3. My brother is a dead-loss at maths. He always needs my help.

F. RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING SITUATIONS AS SUGGESTED: (2 PTS)

A: Excuse me? I want to return this table. When it was delivered this morning, I found that it was broken.
B: I apologize for the inconvenience. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We will gladly accept the return and arrange for a replacement or refund for you.

III-WRITING (10 points)

A sample paragraph:

Smoking is a dangerous habit that can have serious health consequences. It is the leading cause of preventable death. It can lead to lung cancer, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses. Despite the high price of tobacco and laws against smoking in public areas, many young people continue to take up this harmful habit. If you are a smoker and want to quit, there are many resources available to help you. You can talk to your doctor about nicotine replacement therapy or join a support group. Remember, quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health.