Module 8

Language test
#1 Complete the sentences with the correct passive form of the verb in brackets
0They were required (require) to be present fifteen minutes before the exam started.
1 Right now different studies ___ (carry out) to discover how the virus is
transmitted.
2 The road was closed because it ______ (repair), so we had to go another way,
which took us ages.
3 They appreciated ______ (allow) to leave school early. They had time to do their
homework before dinner.
4 We will arrange for you ______ (pick) up at 8 a.m. That should give you plenty of
time to get to the station.
5 She can’t stand _____ (criticise) by her younger sister. She’s very sensitive.
6 I don’t fancy _____ (monitor) by my own computer. It makes me feel uneas
7 We asked ______ (wake up) at 4 a.m. as we had to be at the airport by 6.
8 In my opinion, dogs should ______ (not / allow) in this building.
9 I really hate ______ (tell) what to do, I’m not a child!
10 We slept at our grandparents house every night last week because our
house _____ (paint).

#2 Change the sentences into passive report structure(!!!use 2 patterns)

Police have reported that it was Peter who caused the accident.  It has been
reported that it was Peter who caused the accident.  Peter has been reported to
have caused the accident.
1 IT companies have claimed that the number of glitches in new laptops is gradually
going down.
2 People believe that the number of self-driving cars on the roads rose sharply last
year.
3 People say the new app provides a safe learning platform
4 Some people think that everyone will use smart pillows soon to help them sleep!
5 People believe that hundreds of flights were cancelled last month
6 Everyone knows that scientists around the world are developing a new vaccine.

#3 Choose the correct option a–d to complete the text

In recent years, the number of small, high-street shops has been falling. As a result
of this, thousands of jobs are known 0 ___. In the beginning, the many big shopping
centres that 1 ___ towards the end of the twentieth century were blamed, as shoppers
preferred their convenience and cheaper prices. However, nowadays 2 ___ is
reported that even some of these centres are being forced to close their doors. Just
like traditional shops, they simply cannot compete with online stores, whose
numbers have gone up 3 ___, from one moment to the next. It is 4 ___ that this sharp
upward trend will continue. One way both high street shops and stores in shopping
centres are fighting back is to go online themselves, enabling goods 5 ___ purchased
online as well as in the shop. The digital age is here to stay!

0 a to be lost b have been lost c to have been lost d to have lost

1 a were being built b be built c were going to be built d had been built
2 a sometimes b it c there d he
3 a dramatically b slowly c steadily d completely
4 a revealed b told c talked d estimated
5 a to have been b be c to be d will be

#4 Complete the text with one word in each gap

The number of companies reporting cyber attacks is increasing all the time. Over
five hundred firms 0 are reported have been affected in the last month! Not only
does the problem affect smaller firms, but big multi-national companies with
sophisticated security systems are 1 _______ attacked too. Universities and banks are
also 2 _____ up against this problem. Criminals who do this aim to steal data such as
credit card details, which they are reported 3 ______be selling on the black market
for large amounts of money. Government authorities have warned organisations to
be aware of the growing danger of attack. They explain that even apparently small
problems shouldn’t 4 ______ ignored as they could be a sign of criminal activity.
Even small glitches should be investigated immediately so the organisation doesn’t
end 5 _______ having to shut their computer system down.

#5 Read the article and choose the correct answer a, b, c or d.

Care, share and repair?
The first time that I realised there was a problem with my laptop was when it began
to overheat. After I had made an unsuccessful attempt to back up my files, I decided
to take it to the shop where I’d purchased it over four years ago. I was immediately
told that nothing could be done as it was no longer under guarantee. Unfortunately,
it couldn’t be upgraded as there was a problem with compatibility. The enthusiastic,
eager-to-please assistant didn’t seem to understand that I didn’t want to splash out
on an expensive new piece of state-of-the-art technology. The expression on his face
showed he had no idea why anyone could possibly want a computer that was almost
five years old to be repaired.
Advertisements are forever convincing all of us, whatever our means, to buy new
clothes so we don’t look old-fashioned, to ‘invest’ in a new smartphone which has
new functionality we may never use and to buy a new car with all the latest tech
gadgets. Engineers and marketing professionals argue that these objects improve our
quality of life and are developed as a result of consumer demand. At least in the
Western world, a visit to any shopping centre will confirm our sometimes obsessive
interest in spending money on new gadgets. It is true that the number of people who
can afford what would have been considered luxury items even 20 years ago has
risen sharply.
This rise in consumer demand has stimulated the economy, reducing prices and
creating many job opportunities. However, the gap with less developed countries has
also been widened.
Interestingly, a number of people feel that some manufacturers deliberately make
their products so they will become obsolete after a short time. Take the story of the
electric light bulb. The Centennial Light is a light bulb which was first turned on in
1901 in the Livermore fire station in California. Incredibly, it’s still working, thanks
to the type of carbon technology used at that time. When light bulbs became mass-
produced, the technology used to produce cheaper ones changed so they had
a shorter life. In 1925, the Phoebus cartel, a group of lightbulb manufacturers,
agreed to establish a maximum life of 1,000 hours for their lightbulbs. Sales
increased sharply after that. More modern examples of this phenomenon can be seen
in your house. Have you ever tried to take a lamp apart and found you can’t?
Manufacturers argue this is connected to safety or design, although others argue it is
a deliberate strategy to make us buy a new one.
Whereas it is argued by some that paying for a device to be repaired isn’t worth it,
the number of people complaining about our throwaway mentality has been
increasing gradually. Although they don’t question the need for sophisticated
electronic products, they believe that if we have a technological problem with one,
we should repair it rather than get rid of it. Firstly, they argue that the process of
manufacturing contributes to global warming. Did you know that approximately 7%
of a smartphone’s carbon footprint comes from its manufacture rather than from its
use, not to mention the carbon emissions associated with its transport? What’s more,
it’s clear that some high-tech products depend upon certain precious metals and
natural resources such as lithium, which can be dangerous to mine.
Let’s return to my computer problem. Now, I am no computer geek and would
describe myself as an average user. However, if you are like me, all is not lost!
Plenty of help is at hand on the Internet or, if your problem is more difficult to
resolve, through community organisations such as repair cafés. These are non-
commercial events held around the world where you can meet someone who will be
able to help fix your problem, and you might even make new friends there, too. You
can also attend workshops to improve your practical DIY skills like I do. I now do
this regularly. Nowadays I only pay a service agent to repair something if I don’t
have the material I need or if I have no time. Doing it yourself is miles more
satisfying, much cheaper and far more environmentally friendly.
1 In the first paragraph, the writer says
a people have different attitudes towards repairing gadgets.
b it’s important to have a long guarantee when buying a laptop.
c laptops tend to have glitches.
d people working in shops should be diplomatic.
2 Which statement is true according to the second paragraph?
a Advertisements persuade the wealthy to acquire high-status goods.
b Sometimes advertisements don’t tell the truth.
c Sales of costly devices have been increasing gradually.
d People love spending money on modern devices.
3 In the third paragraph, the writer uses the example of the electric light bulb to show
a technology was more advanced in the past than we think.
b items produced in large quantities cost less.
c there was a significant upwards trend in lightbulb sales in the early 1920s.
d manufacturers can shorten a product’s life on purpose.
4 Some people believe we should repair devices that stop working because
a it’s hard to find raw materials to make new ones.
b new ones are more costly.
c making new ones is bad for the environment.
d we don’t need new ones.
5 According to the fifth paragraph, which statement is false?
a Repair cafés can help you solve tricky issues.
b Repair cafés can be expensive.
c The writer’s DIY skills have improved.
d You might lack the resources to do DIY.