PRACTICE TEST FOR NEC 2021-2022 1

SECTION I. LISTENING:
Part 3: Listen to part of a National Geographic documentary. For questions 11–15, decide which statements
are TRUE or FALSE according to what you hear. Write NOT GIVEN if there is no information about the
statement. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes.
1. Steve McCurry studied journalism at college.
2. He once wanted to be a travel photographer.
3. He’s retiring after 30 years with National Geographic.
4. He’s looking for 36 shots to take on the roll of film.
5. He’s decided to shoot all the frames at Grand Central Station.
Part 2. For questions 8-14, listen to a report on a disaster in California and answer the questions. Write NO
MORE THAN THREE WORDS taken from the recording for each answer in the corresponding numbered
boxes provided.
1. What is the name of the wildfire?

2. How is the vegetation in the wildfire area described?

3. What type of terrain may affect the firefighting effort?

4. What has been dropped on the area in an attempt to control the fire?

5. What has been opened by the Red Cross to shelter people?

6. Who reported that many of his firefighters were already burned out?

7. What is considered as an essential element of being a firefighter?

Part 3: You will hear an interview with physics teacher Kieran Shaw, who has taken his students to a
Science Fair. Choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits best according to what you hear.
1. What does Kieran criticise about the previous Science Fair?
A. the number of prizes B. the standard of judging
C. the quality of the projects D. the number of projects
2. Which does Kieran believe is a problem among his students?
A. parents giving students too much help
B. more boys than girls involved in projects
C. rich students having more resources for projects
D. too much emphasis on competition rather than cooperation
3. Kieran says the most important factor in choosing a topic is whether it is likely to
A. need expensive equipment in order to do experiments.
B. keep the students interested throughout the project.
C. be sufficiently simple for students of that age group.
D. differ significantly from the topics chosen by others.
4. According to Kieran, what mistake do some students make during their presentation?
A. They don’t go into enough detail about their project.
B. They can’t remember the speech they memorised.
C. They tend to speak too slowly to the judges.
D. They use words they don’t fully understand.
5. Kieran predicts that this year’s winner will be the project about
A. the variation in people’s eyesight during the day.
B. the relative cleanliness of different objects.
C. the coolest clothes to wear in summer.
D. the best place to store fruit. 2
Part 4: Listen to some pieces of VOA news. For question 16-25, write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS
taken from the recording for each answer in the space provided. Write your answers in the corresponding
numbered boxes.
In just two weeks, China has announced and has now voted with near unanimous approval to amend
(1)___________and give the party state's powerful leader Xi Jinping a mandate to stay in office indefinitely.
On Sunday, an amendment to cancel a two-term limit on the office of the president was approved along with
(2)___________. The amendments passed smoothly in the rubber-stamp National People's Congress.
Hong Kong saw low turnout numbers for an election Sunday to replace four lawmakers disqualified over oaths
last year that the Chinese (3)___________
Fifteen candidates are running to fill the four seats that were vacated when the oaths by pro-democracy
lawmakers were declared invalid, a move that critics say was (4)___________. China on Sunday said it does
not intend to ignite a trade war with the U.S. because that would be disastrous for the entire world.
The Minister of Commerce Zhong Shan said at China's annual parliamentary session, "China does not wish to
fight a trade war, nor will China initiate a trade war, but we can handle any challenge and will resolutely defend
the interests of our country and our people.”
All 11 people aboard a private Turkish jet died Sunday after the jet crashed into a mountainside and
(5)___________during heavy rain in southern Iran.
Mattis said on Sunday that "right now" the United States is "getting reports" that Syrian President Bashar al-
Assad's forces are (6)___________in their three-week-long advance against the rebels outside the capital,
Damascus. In that advance, nearly 1,000 people have died, 200 of them children.
People in Cameroon have freed 40 of the more than 100 women arrested while trying to ask President Paul Biya
to negotiate a peaceful political transition. Biya has been in power (7)___________. They are also calling [him]
on him to solve the crisis caused by separatist groups demanding the independence of the English-speaking
from the French-speaking regions of the central African state.
Last October, secessionist groups declared the independence of the English-speaking southwest and northwest
regions of Cameroon they call Ambazonia, declaring Ayuk Tabe Julius, who was in exile in Nigeria, as their
president. Armed conflicts erupted prompting a crackdown of the military. Biya has ruled Cameroon since
November 1982. His party supporters have been calling on him to (8)___________again in elections expected
by September this year.
Thousands stood in silent respect in the southern Macedonian city of Bitola Sunday to (9)___________of the
Nazi Holocaust of Jews during World War II. All but a handful of Macedonian Jews were slaughtered by the
Nazis.
Sunday was the (10)___________of the deportation of more than 7,000 Macedonian Jews to Nazi death camps
in Poland
II. LEXICO – GRAMMAR:
Part 1. Choose the correct answer A, B, C or D to each of the following questions and write your answers
in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
1. The event is not compulsory for twelfth-graders so you may leave of your own ___________.
A. volition B. obligation C. demand D. vindication
2. England's football fans were hoping for a ___________ performance of the national team against Cameroon
in this year’s tournament
A. virtuoso B. abysmal C. lucrative D. atrocious
3. No matter how much you exercise, an unhealthy diet will ___________ the effects of training.
A. nullify B. abrogate C. disclaim D. stampede
4. Not only the government but also the citizens have the responsibility to help ___________ the epidemic.
A. ring out B. stamp out C. eke out D. beat out
5. The government is walking a difficult ___________ in wanting to control the pandemic without hampering
economic growth.
A. footpath B. fenland C. tightrope D. boulevard
6. I am a doctor so I know what to do, please mind your own business and stop ___________ on my toes.
A. stamping B. pinning C. treading D. rueing 3
7. The movie had been over two years in ___________ before it was produced and premiered.
A. formulationB. gestation C. induction D. resurrection
8. The whole journal includes stories and pictures ___________ women and children in mountainous regions
around the world.
A. strayed from B. shed from C. stalked from D. culled from
9. He wore a(n) ___________ expression for weeks following the news that he had not got the promotion.
A. latent B. exultant C. doleful D. nonchalant
10. Because Henry knows the fact that he has failed the university entrance exam will be known sooner or later,
he decides to ___________it out instead of hiding it.
A. shun B. strive C. quash D. brazen
11. Mary used to be a little country girl who liked to wear ___________ clothes before she turned into a city
dweller with a preference for dark fashion.
A. gaudy B. glossy C. noxious D. lustrous
12. The millionaire, who is also a former student of TTL, has donated a ___________ sum of money to the
school.
A. gregarious B. munificent C. egoistic D. laconic
13. There was a ___________ of reliable information on the subject so the research cannot be conducted.
A dearth B. vestige C. replica D. drought
14. By intuition, I feel that his behaviour ___________ hypocrisy, so you had better be careful with him.
A. shows off B. dallies with C. savours of D. smells out
15. He was ___________ enough not to take the job when there was the possibility of getting a better one a few
months later.
A. analytic B. shrewd C. prescient D. ludicrous
Part 2. Use the correct FORM of the word in capitals to fit each gap. Write your answer in the numbered
box:
1. In the old days, ___________ was entwined with political and social life. (MOVIE)
2 It's a ___________ prophecy : expect things to go wrong, and they probably will. (FULFIL)
3. The ___________ smell of cigarettes told her that he had been in the room. (TALE)
4. ___________ forces in the industry are preventing its progress towards greater efficiency. (ACT)
5. I hate eating out with friends because after every meal, we will be faced with the ___________ problem of
who will pay. (TICKLE)
SECTION 3: READING:
Part 1:Read the passage below and fill each of the following numbered spaces with ONE suitable word.
BICYCLE SAFETY
Having to obey rules and regulations when riding a bike is (0) __one__ of the first experiences children
have of the idea of obeying the law. However, a large number of children are left to learn the rules by trial and
(1) ______, instead of being guided by experienced (2) _______. Every year, hundreds of children visit the
doctor or the hospital casualty department (3) ______ crashing on their bikes. This could be easily prevented
by (4) _______ them the basics of bicycle safety. Ideally, children should be allowed to ride only in safe places,
such as parks and cycle tracks. When this is not possible, and they are permitted to go on the (5) ______, it is
important to teach them some basic safety principles.
First, they ought to learn and obey the rules of the road, which (6) _______ traffic signs, signals and road
markings. Second, they should always wear a helmet. Studies have shown that wearing bicycle helmets can (7)
______ head injuries by up to 85 per cent. In many places, helmets are required by law, particularly (8)
 4
_______ children. Finally, children should be made to understand (9) _______ importance of riding in areas
that are brightly lit and of wearing clothes that make (10) _______ clearly visible on the road.
Part 2: Read the following passage and do the following tasks:
Biometrics
A. The term “biometrics’ is derived from the Greek words bio (life) and metric (to measure). It refers to
technologies for measuring and analysing a person’s physiological or behavioural characteristics, such as
fingerprints, irises, voice patterns, facial patterns and hand measurements, for identification and verification
purposes. One of the earliest known examples of biometrics in practice was a form of fingerprinting used in
China in the 14th century. Chinese merchants stamped children’s palm prints and footprints on paper with ink
to distinguish the young children from one another. This method of biometrics is still being practiced today.
B. Until the late 1800s, identification largely relied upon ‘photographic memory.’ In the 1890s, an
anthropologist and police desk clerk in Paris named Alphonse Bertillon sought to fix the problem of identifying
convicted criminals and turned biometrics into a distinct field of study. He developed a method of multiple body
measurements which was named after him – Bertillonage. Bertillon based his system on the claim that the
measurement of adult bones does not change after the age of 20. He also introduced a cataloguing system,
which enabled the filing and checking of records quite quickly. His system was used by police authorities
throughout the world, until 1903, when two identical measurements were obtained for two different persons at
Fort Leavenworth prison. The prison switched to fingerprinting the following day and the rest of the world soon
followed. abandoning Bertillonage forever. After the failure of Bertillonage, the police started using
fingerprinting, which was developed by Richard Edward Henry of Scotland Yard, essentially reverting to the
same methods used by the Chinese for years.
C. In the past three decades, biometrics has moved from a single method (fingerprinting) to more than ten
different methods. Hundreds of companies are involved with this development and continue to improve their
methods as the technology available to them advances. As the industry grows, however, so does the public
concern over privacy issues. Laws and regulations continue to be drafted and standards are beginning to be
developed. While no other biometric has yet reached a wide range of use of fingerprinting, some are beginning
to be used in both legal and business areas.
D. Identification and verification have long been in practice by presenting a personal document, such as a
license, ID card or a passport. It may also require personal information such as passwords or PINs. For security
reasons, often two, or all three, of these systems are combined but as times progress, we are in constant need
for more secure and accurate measures. Authentication by biometric verification is becoming increasingly
common in corporate and public security systems, consumer electronics and point-of-sale applications. In
addition to security, the driving force behind biometric verification has been convenience. Already, many
European countries are introducing a biometric passport which will carry a paper-thin computer chip to store
the facial image and at least one additional biometric identifier. This will help to counter fraudulent efforts to
obtain duplicate passports and will verify the identity of the holder against the document.
E. Identification and verification are mainly used today in the fight against crime with the methods of
fingerprint and DNA analysis. It is also used in security for granting access rights by voice pattern recognition.
Additionally, it is used for personal comfort by identifying a person and changing personal settings
accordingly, as in setting car seats by facial recognition. Starting in early 2000, the use of biometrics in schools
has become widespread, particularly in the UK and USA. A number of justifications are given for such
practices, including combatting truancy and replacing library cards or meal cards with fingerprinting systems.
Opponents of school biometrics have raised privacy concerns against the creation of databases that would
progressively include the entire population.
F. Biometric devices consist of a reader or scanning device, software that converts the gathered information
into digital form, and a database that stores the biometric data for comparison with previous records. When
converting the biometric input, the software identifies specific points of data as match points. The match points5
are processed using an algorithm into a value that can be compared with biometric data in the database. There
are two types of biometrics: behavioural and physical. Behavioural biometrics are generally used for
verification while physical biometrics can be used for either identification or verification.
G. Iris-pattern and retina-pattern authentication methods are already employed in some bank automatic teller
machines. Voice waveform recognition, a method of verification that has been used for many years with tape
recordings in telephone wiretaps, is now being used for access to proprietary databanks in research facilities.
Facial-recognition technology has been used by law enforcement to pick out individuals in large crowds with
considerable reliability. Hand geometry is being used in the industry to provide physical access to buildings.
Earlobe geometry has been used to disprove the identity of individuals who claim to be someone they are not
(identity theft). Signature comparison is not as reliable, all by itself, like other biometric verification methods
but offers an extra layer of verification when used in conjunction with one or more other methods. No matter
what biometric methodology is used, the identification verification process remains the same. A record of a
person’s unique characteristic is captured and kept in a database. Later on, when identification verification is
required, a new record is captured and compared with the previous record in the database. If the data in the new
record matches that in the database record, the person’s identity is confirmed.
H. As technology advances and time goes on, more and more private companies and public utilities will use
biometrics for safe, accurate identification. However, these advances will raise many concerns throughout
society, where many may not be educated on the methods. Some believe this technology can cause physical
harm to an individual using it, or that instruments used are unsanitary. For example, there are concerns that
retina scanners might not always be clean. There are also concerns as to whether our personal information
taken through biometric methods can be misused, tampered with, or sold, eg. by criminals stealing, rearranging
or copying the biometric data Also, the data obtained using biometrics can be used in unauthorized ways
without the individual’s consent. Much still remains to be seen in the effectiveness of biometric verification
before we can identify it as the safest system for identification.
Write the correct letter A – H in spaces
1. possible health hazards associated with the use of biometrics
2. convicted criminals were not the first to be identified by the use of biometrics
3. the application of mathematics in assessing biometric data
4. despite its limitations, biometrics has become a commercial field of activity
5. some biometric methods are useful only in conjunction with others

Complete the sentences below.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
6. Members of the public are becoming increasingly worried about the……………….that may accompany the
use of biometrics.
7. Biometrics can be used to improve the……………….of drivers and passengers.
8. Regardless of the technology used, it has one common purpose: to find somebody’s ………………and store
it on the computer.
Write the correct letter A-L in spaces below.
Biometrics
As long ago as the 14th century, the Chinese made use of biometrics in order to tell young children apart,
but it was only in the 1890s when it was first used by the authorities as a means of 9………………………
in criminal cases. The system developed by the Frenchman Bertillon –that of measuring adult bones – was
flawed, however, and so police adopted 10 ………………………… as a more reliable way of identifying
suspects. Governments, companies and even schools employ ometric technology to ensure, for example,
that people do not enter a country illegally, gain access to certain buildings, or assume someone else’s 11. 6
…………………………. Apart from security, another important 12............................................... behind
biometric verification has been 13 …………………………. The use of biometrics, however, has its
critics, who say that the data collected could be used for different purposes without our
14………………………….
A. identification D scanning J approval K factor E fingerprinting
F identity G violation H measuring I justification B security C convenience
L apprehension
Part 3. For questions 32-41, read an extract from a novel and choose the answer A, B, C or D that fits best
according to the text. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
Piper and Buxxy
It was a great double act . Piper looking relaxed but dependable in a conservative, lightweight suit . Art Buxxy,
the showman, doing what he did well. It was a big moment for both of them. They had to secure $200 million
from their audience.
Piper warmed up the crowd. In a reasonable, persuasive voice he talked in abstract terms about the remarkable
financial opportunity that the Tahiti represented. There was talk of numbers, strategy, competitive analysis.
Enough to make us think that the Tahiti was in safe hands, not enough to bore us.Despite the outward reserve,
as he warmed up to his presentation, Piper did let some of the excitement he felt for the project show through.
Standing there, tall, tanned, elegantly but conservatively dressed, speaking in a manner that was more suited to
the Harvard Club than a casino, he gave his audience reassurance. Despite appearances, the Tahiti must be a
respectable, conservative investment, or why would someone like Irwin Piper be involved with it?
Then it was Art Buxxy's turn. Buxxy was a small man with a nut-brown face, longish blow-dried grey hair and
bundles of enthusiasm. He was hardly ever still, and when he was, it was for a melodramatic pause, to let the
full consequence of what he had just said sink in. His abrasive, rough-edged manner jolted his audience after the
smooth Piper, but within a minute his energetic charm had already bewitched us all. Selling was his calling, and
the Tahiti was the love of his life. He used all his skills . We were captivated. And I think most of us were sold.
They took us on a tour of the complex. Seen through Buxxy's eyes, the tackiness and the loneliness of a big
casino disappeared. We saw the glamour, the glitter, the amazing technological effects. He took us to see the
private rooms where the high-rollers played, wallowing in sophistication, power and money. By the time we
had returned to the conference room where he had started his pitch, I could feel the majority of the audience
would write out a cheque there and then.
'Any questions?'
Silence. No difficult questions about Piper's background. No tedious questions about percentage drop of slots
against tables, high-roller comps, or blue-collar busing costs. Even the most cynical investor was under the spell
of the greatest casino on earth. At least temporarily.
I had thought through this moment carefully. I stood up. Piper's eyebrows pulled together slightly, in the barest
trace of a frown. 'Yes?' 'I have two questions for Mr Piper.' The audience were looking at me with mild interest.
My English accent jarred in the glitzy Las Vegas surroundings. Piper was staring at me hard. 'First - has the
Nevada Gaming Commission scrutinised your previous investments?' The audience stirred a little, but not
much. Piper stiffened. 'Second - can you comment on an investment you made in a clinic for executive stress in
Britain?'
I sat down. The audience reaction was mixed. Some faces bore disapproval; I was a spoil-sport to try and take
cheap shots at these great guys and their great casino . A few sat up and took notice.
Piper rose to his feet. He was as unruffled and urbane as ever. 'I would be happy to answer those questions.
First, the Commission checks out all applicants for gambling licences very thoroughly. Second, I have a large
portfolio of investments. I believe a few years ago these included some properties in England, but I don't have
the details at my fingertips. Any other questions?' He looked around the audience quickly.
This was a dangerous moment for Piper. Until now he had had his listeners eating out of his hand. But he hadn't7
answered my questions properly. If anyone pursued him on this, then doubts might creep in. But I wasn't going
to push it any further. I had achieved my objective. He knew I knew, and he knew I would tell.
Half an hour later, I was having a cup of coffee in the atrium, when a bellboy came over to me. 'Excuse me sir,
Mr Piper would like you to join him in his suite.' That didn't take him long, I thought, as I put down my cup and
followed the bellboy to the elevators.
Piper's suite was on the top floor of the hotel. Piper was alone in the room. He beckoned me to a seat. I perched
on the flimsy-looking Georgian sofa, whilst he sat in one of the high-backed mahogany armchairs. Gone was all
the civilised politeness. Piper was angry.
"What the hell do you think you were doing out there?' he said. 'I am not some two-bit bond salesman you can
play games with. I am a powerful man in this town. I've got money, and I've got lawyers. And if you mention
Bladenham Hall one more time, or even allude to it, I will sue. I will sue you for so much that your great-
grandchildren will still be paying off your debts a hundred years from now.'
Piper, angry, was impressive. For a moment he had me on the defensive. If I had upset such a powerful man, I
had surely made a mistake. The moment passed.

1. When he addressed the audience, Irwin Piper gave the impression that
   A  it was not his primary purpose to get the audience to invest in the project.
   B   he was less comfortable talking about details than about general principles.
   C  he was not the sort of person who would normally associate himself with such a project.
   D  there were already plenty of people who were keen to invest in the project.
2  The narrator says that Art Buxxy's style of addressing the audience
   A  contained certain elements he may not have been aware of.
   B  came as something of a shock to them.
   C  involved making his most important points first.
   D  contrasted with his physical appearance.
3  When they went on a tour of the complex,
   A  it appeared that some members of the audience had never been inside a casino before.
   B  Buxxy diverted the audience's attention away from the less attractive aspects of casinos.
   C  it was clear the proj ect was at a more advanced stage than the audience had realised.
   D  Buxxy encouraged the audience to picture themselves playing there.
4  When the narrator asked his questions,
   A  he feared that the audience would not take him seriously because of his accent.
   B  Piper reacted initially as if he had been expecting the questions to be asked.
   C  he did so because he was surprised by the audience's apparent trust in the proj ect.
   D  it seemed that some of the audience considered he had no right to ask such questions.
5  When Piper stood up and answered the narrator's questions,
   A  he knew that the audience would not be convinced by his reply.
   B  he claimed that the questions concerned trivial matters.
   C  the narrator decided that he had conveyed a clear message to Piper.
   D  it was clear to the audience that he was ill at ease.
6  When the narrator went to see Piper in his suite,
   A  he had been expecting Piper to seek a confrontation with him.
   B  he briefly feared that he had been wrong to doubt Piper's honesty.
   C  what Piper first said to him was what he had expected him to say.
   D  Piper made it clear that other people had regretted underestimating him.

Part 4. In the passage below, seven paragraphs have been removed. For questions 1-7, read the passage and
choose from the paragraphs A-H the one which fits each gap. There is ONE extra paragraph which you do
not need to use. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered box provided.
 The Perils of Pizza Making 8
It looks easy but it really isn’t, says Chandos Elletson, whose efforts turned out far from perfect.
My first pizza was cremated. I hadn’t even got to the toppings, let alone the tossing stage. I was stuck on the
rolling-out bit. I fast discovered that specialist pizza chefs – pizzaioli – don’t use rolling pins, they use their
hands to shape the dough into perfect circles. Francesco Sarritzu, the pizzaiolo at The Park restaurant in
Queen’s Park, London, where I went to be trainee for the evening, took one look at my sorry effort and sighed.
1 .......
Real, or original, pizza is an art: the pizzaiolo is baker, fire stoker and cook. A wood-burning oven is an
essential part of the proceedings. However, before the pizzas get to the fire, they have to be properly shaped and
it was this procedure that was causing me all the grief.
2 .......
From here it was all hands. He pressed out the dough with his fingers, all the time working in
flour and pressing the edges out until a small round circle had emerged. He then threw it into his hands, twirling
it to shake off the excess flour. He did not toss it in the air. ‘Tossing is for show,’ he said disdainfully. ‘It is not
necessary.’ Once the flour was shaken off, he put the dough onto the steel work surface with one half of it
hanging over the edge. One hand pressed and stretched and the other pulled in the opposite direction. Before
you could say ‘pizza Margherita’ there was a perfect circle ready to be topped.
3 .......
The object is to press out the edges, not the centre, using the flour to dry out the stickiness. However, the
temptation to press everything in sight to make it stretch into a circular shape is too strong; before I knew it, I
had thick edges and a thin centre.
4 .......
Then I noticed, to my horror, that some customers were watching me. ‘Shall we watch the man make the
pizza?’ a man asked his young daughter, who he was holding in his arms.
5 .......
A hole appeared in the centre. ‘Look, Daddy. There’s a hole,’ the little girl said. I looked up
from my work, crestfallen. I was defeated. ‘It’s my first evening,’ I admitted. Francesco stepped in with the
paddle and my second pizza went where the first one had gone: on the fire. We all watched it go up in flames.
6 .......
Francesco noticed and applauded. I went to call and back the little girl and tell her: ‘I can do it! It’s like
swimming!’ My base was not perfectly round but it was not bad. It wasn’t perfectly even but it was certainly an
improvement. We decided to top it. We put on a thin smear of tomato sauce and some mozzarella.
7 .......
When I got there, Francesco showed me where to put it. There was a point in the deep oven away from the fire,
where the pizzas go when they are first put into the oven. I put the long handle deep into the oven and, feeling
the heat on my arms, brought it back sharply. The pizza slid onto the floor of the oven. My first pizza was in the
oven and not being burnt alive.

A To put those things right, I did as Francesco had done and slapped it with the palm of my hand. This made me
feel better and I slapped it again. Next, I did some twirling and the flour showered everywhere.

B Instead, Francesco quickly made one of his own to act as a comparison. When they were done and brought
from the oven, we had a tasting. The result was astonishing. Mine was tough and crunchy in places, not bad in
others. His was perfectly crispy and soft everywhere.

C Having done that, it was time to get it on to the paddle, which felt like a pole vault. With one determined
shove, the pizza went on halfway. Another shove forward got it on completely but put an ugly buckle in it. I
turned and headed for the oven.

D Francesco made it look easy. He showed me what to do again and I tried to take it in. The chilled dough balls,
pre-weighed at 1 70g, were all ready in a special fridge below the work counter. The dough was sticky and
Francesco worked fast. First it was dropped into a large pile of flour and then it was mixed with a small handful9
of polenta.

E Clearly, the stage was all mine. I had been told to concentrate on the edges using the flat edge of my hand
under my little finger. I started to work the dough and tried to stretch it. It did begin to take shape, but as soon
as I let it go it just went back again and didn't get any bigger. I felt more and more eyes on me. Then the worst
thing happened.

F That was because it wasn't so much a circle as an early map of the world. Silently, Francesco reached for his
pizza paddle, scooped it up and threw it disdainfully into the red-hot stone oven, where it burnt rapidly on top of
a funeral pyre of burning wood. I made up my mind that my future efforts would be good enough to be spared
the death sentence.

G I was baffled and embarrassed as it did so, but I thought I was onto something. On my next attempt, I quickly
got to the shaping stage with half the pizza hanging over the edge. This was where I had gone wrong. Using
only the bottom edge of my hands with my fingers working the edges, I started to do the breast stroke: fingers
together, fingers apart, working and stretching. It began to work.

H I moved nervously into position to have a go at achieving the same result myself. I scooped up a piece of
dough from its snug tray. It immediately stuck to my fingers and when I threw it at the flour, it just remained
stuck. I had to pull it off. The first bit is easy, or so it seems, but unless you follow the right procedure you sow
the seeds of later failure.

PART 5: The passage below consists of five sections marked A-E. For questions 1-10, read the passage and
do the task that follows. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. 

A Wander through Britain's Woodlands

The President of the Woodland Irust, an organisation which encourages people to enjoy the woodlands of
Britain, selects his favourite places for an autumn walk.
A. Hampstead Heath
Where better for a country walk in autumn than north London? Hampstead Heath is just a few kilometres from
the centre of town, but it is one of the capital's best-known beauty spots. And covering very nearly 325 hectares,
certainly one of the largest. It is called a heath, although it is in fact a patchwork of not just heath but also
parkland and hedgerow, laid out paths, open hillside and overgrown thickets, lakes and ponds - and plenty of
woods and trees. The City of London Corporation is now responsible for its upkeep. They fuss about the
swimming, designate cycle paths, regulate the fishing, and put up notices about all such dangerous activities.
But despite their best efforts, the Heath still feels quite wild. From one popular vantage point there is a
panoramic view of central London, where visitors stop to admire the crowded streets and skyscrapers they have
come to the Heath to get away from. It's at its best later in the year. When it's warm and sunny it can feel too
crowded with casual visitors. But frosts and mist, rain and snow deter the Heath's fair-weather friends.
B. Hainault Forest
This remnant of what was once the vast Forest of Essex is now an attractive stretch of woodland easily reached
by the London Underground. The woods around here were a royal forest, but an Act of Parliament of 1 851
authorised the cutting down and removal of its trees. And removed they were, grubbed up by all too efficient
men and machines - hectare upon hectare laid waste within weeks of the passing of the Act. The devastation
stirred the beginnings of the modern conservation movement - local people led by a politician called Edward
North Buxton saved and restored Hainault. It is now owned and managed by the Woodland Trust. Hainault is a
unique site, which features open heathland, some of which has been recently planted up with native trees by the
Woodland Trust, and the dense woodland of the ancient forest.
C. Glen Finglas
Far away from London and the South East, the Trossachs is a strikingly beautiful corner of Scotland. Among 10
the best of the Trossachs is Glen Finglas, the Woodland Trust's 4,000-hectare estate, which can truly take the
breath away, particularly during the late autumn when the frosted peaks and still, cold lochs take on an ethereal
splendour. For the enthusiastic hill walker, there is a challenging 25-kilometre trail around the hill called The
Mell, which takes you on a meander through woodland, alongside a reservoir and into the upper part of the glen,
where the remnants of an ancient royal hunting forest give way to the open hillsides of Meall Cala, reaching a
height of 600m. It's certainly not a gentle stroll, but is worth the effort as the views are spectacular. For those
after a slightly less arduous journey there are many shorter routes around the site too.
D. Ardkinglas Woodland Gardens 
For a slightly different woodland walk in the west of Scotland, head for the Ardkinglas. In addition to  native
species it features many specimens of firs and pines and other trees from overseas planted in the 1 9th century,
when plant hunting was all the rage. There is plenty of scope for a good walk around its ten hectares.
Ardkinglas 's sheltered location, high rainfall and warm temperatures all encourage spectacular tree growth, and
they claim to have the tallest tree in Britain - a Grand Fir, Abies grandis - standing at last time of measuring
64.5 metres high. If you are sceptical of such claims, bring a tape measure and a long ladder. There are many
other mighty trees that are impressive all year round but on a clear November day the views towards the loch
are fantastic. A couple of miles away on Loch Fyne itself, next to the famous oyster restaurant, Ardkinglas runs
a tree shop. So if you want to create your own forest you can buy it and plant it, tree by tree.

Of which place are the following stated?

It combines the old and the new. 1 ...... .
A piece of information about it may be open to doubt. 2 ...... .
A popular activity led to the introduction of new items . 3 ...... .
Some people are unwilling to go there all year round. 4...... .
Action taken there led to wider similar action. 5 ...... .
Its name isn't strictly accurate. 6 ...... .
It is a good place for energetic people. so 7...... .
Certain favourable conditions have enabled it to flourish. 8 ...... .
Official actions have not changed its fundamental character. 9 ...... .
It underwent rapid change over a short period. 10 ...... .