INSTITUTO BRITÁNICO DEL OESTE

I.B.O.
FINAL WRITTEN EXAM

Name: _______________________ 5th Year

Gold Experience B1+ DECEMBER 2021

1) Read the text and do the exercises. You are going to read an article about four
people´s view on technology. For questions 1-10, choose from the people A-D.

Is new technology a good thing?

A Rajish
When we mention technology, we think immediately of
computers, smartphones and iPads and we maybe think of kids
who get addicted to them and who never go outside. But we
shouldn’t forget that technology is also things like cars, robots, printers: things that affect daily
life in many ways. Scientists in laboratories use technology all the time, for the good of humanity,
trying to find cures for diseases, trying to create crops which don’t get diseases. They look at
things under microscopes, through telescopes, and this way we can understand things better in
our world. Some older people disapprove of new technology, and I can understand their position.
It is hard if you are not familiar with using it. But when they criticise young people for using their
smartphones all the time, and blame technology, they are ignoring all the things that, for example,
help us survive disease … help them survive disease as well.

B Teresa
Education has really benefited from technology. For one thing, word
processing enables you to write much faster and more neatly, instead
of using messy handwriting. And spell-checks correct your work for
you, which is good because then it’s of a higher standard. In the
world of work, computers have made job searching much easier. You can actually apply for a job
directly on a company’s website. But with some companies, if you prefer, you also have the option
of sending in a paper CV. Going on social media gives you more ways of connecting with people
and finding your perfect friend. Before, your only option was to meet people from your area.
What else? You don’t need to leave your house to go shopping any more, and that’s good because
you free up time to do what you want. For me, that’s what it’s all about – providing you with
options.

C Courtney
It’s weird – scientists claim they’re close to finding the
secrets of the universe. Yet they still can’t find simple
solutions to small things like a cure for the common cold. So
maybe we’ve still got a lot to discover with technology in the
future. I certainly don’t believe robots, even if they do
become super-intelligent, are capable of taking over the world, as some people think. That’s pure
science fiction – after all, it’s humans who program them. I also have a general distrust about how
we collect information now: if you want to find something out you only need to ask Google and
not move from your chair. This means you don’t really need to know much anymore, since you
can always look things up. It’s the same with sat-nav technology in cars – if it doesn’t work,
people are completely lost. In the old days, people used maps, and had to know and also research
a lot more. To me, that’s the biggest single issue with technology – what back up plans do we
have in place for when it all goes wrong?
D Mikey
Technology has advanced incredibly quickly and influenced everyone’s
lives. Of course, there are both negative and positive sides, but in my
view the negatives outweigh the positives. But it all comes down to the
way a person uses technology. Technology itself isn’t making our lives
any better, but anybody can take advantage of all the many
opportunities that technology has provided and improve themselves.
Some technologies, particularly those in medicine, are still improving
our lives in a big way today. Having said that, I believe some technological improvements in
other areas have gone as far as they usefully can, and further technological advance just for its
own sake is only raising new problems rather than offering solutions. We’ve been able to
communicate instantly with anyone in the world for many years and this area has not seen much
by way of technical improvements recently.

- Which person/people:
1 likes the fact that technology gives people choices? ___________
2 suggests that experts’ knowledge of some simple things is very limited? ___________
3 mentions the amazing speed of technological change? ___________
4 reminds us that technology is a wide term used in many areas of life? ___________
5 gives an example of what can happen when technology fails? ___________
6 talks about a negative effect of electronic devices on children who use them? __________
7 tells us what people had to do before a technological invention improved things? _______
8 says that one thing people fear with a new technology is not likely to happen? _________
9 says that some people who dislike technology benefit from it themselves? ___________
10 talks about the benefits of technology from the point of view of students? ___________

Find words with a similar meaning to:

- illness: ________________ - upper: ___________________

- really: _______________ - are able of: __________________
- fast: _________________

2) Put these verbs in the correct place and tense

come across set out sort out throw away catch up

a. If you hurry, you will be able to _____________________ with the others.

b. I don´t often ____________________ with dinosaurs in my everyday life!
c. We _____________________ very early in the morning to climb Mount Fuji.
d. Chris decided to ____________________ all her old toys and give away those she
didn´t want.
e. ______________________ (not) plastic bottles! Re-use them.

3) Rewrite the sentences without changing the meaning

a. Many people eat fish all over the world. eaten

Fish _____________________________ all over the world.

b. I´m going to the doctor´s next week to check my hearing. having

I ____________________________________ at the doctor´s next week.

c. I can´t wait for Saturday, when I can go to the match. wish

I _________________________________ Saturday, so I could go to the match.

d. We missed the train because you spent half an hour having breakfast! have
If you hadn´t spent half an hour having breakfast, we _____________________ the train.

e. I have to choose between the steak or the pasta for lunch. either
I have to choose ____________________________ the pasta for lunch.

f. Scientists have said that they will use cloning to fight disease. promised
Scientists ____________________________ cloning to fight disease.

g. Students needing extra help can visit the student support desk. who
Students ________________________ extra help can visit the student support desk.

h. It was a mistake to ask her about James. ought

I ______________________ her about James.

i. It is not necessary to get there before five o´clock. need

We _________________________ there before five o´clock.

j. We decided to stay at home because of the bad weather. so

The weather ____________________________ that we decided to stay at home.

k. Some items of news aren´t as interesting as others. less

Some items of news __________________________ others.
 4) Complete the blanks with the correct form of the word at the end
How we should teach science
Recent surveys have shown that teenagers are more interested in science
than you might expect. The problem, however, is that they don’t
believe that their science classes are very effective. They argue that
lessons do little to encourage (1) ____________________. CURIOUS
What students seem to want is (2) __________________ experience PRACTICE
rather than just working from textbooks. Many students think it’s
(3) __________________ to learn about how things work without POSSIBLE
experimenting with them yourself.
We used to think that schools were there to help students develop their
(4) ________________. However, many people now believe that INTELLIGENT
schools should actually help students to become motivated learners so they want
to keep learning long after they leave school. So, it’s clearly necessary for
us to (5) __________________ the way we teach science in schools. THINK

5) Multiple choice
After-school jobs
In many countries, children (1) are under sixteen are not allowed to work until they
leave school. This is because governments worry that they will be unable to (2) with
their school work. In the UK, however, children can have a part-time job if it’s for less
than twelve hours a week. When I was a teenager I had various part-time jobs. My
parents wanted me to (3) my own money. They couldn’t (4) to buy all the things
I wanted, but if I had a part-time job, I could buy them myself. They also believed it was
good to get practical (5) of working. My first job was delivering newspapers. It
sounds easy, but there was a lot to learn. First, I had to work (6) the best route around
the houses so I didn’t waste too much time. There was also a list of houses to remember
and which newspapers they wanted. I had to pay (7) because the customers would
get annoyed if they got the wrong newspaper. I had that job for six months, but then I
started to fall (8) at school. I had to get up early every morning, which was making
me tired at school. I realised I had to (9) up my job. The money was useful, but it
was more important to finish my higher (10) so I could go to university.

1 A what B which C who D whose

2 A cope B face C manage D survive
3 A cost B earn C pay D win
4 A afford B save C spend D waste
5 A skill B level C experience D qualifications
6 A in B up C down D out
7 A attention B effort C focus D concentration
8 A away B in front C behind D ahead
9 A get B give C keep D make
10 A education B qualification C sense D school
 6) Put the verbs in the correct tense
- Last Saturday, we __________________ (go) back to Nisa´s house once the film
_________________________ (finish).
- What do you think you _____________________ (do) this time next summer?
- You should hurry up or you _______________________ (miss) the bus.
- The advertisement said that the band was due ________________ (start) at 8.
- Jo and Matilde have decided that they ____________________ (work) on an organic farm
this summer.
- How long ______________________________ (you-write) your own songs?
- The police surrounded the house and the gang ______________________ (arrest).
- They _________________________ (walk) down the street when a mad dog
______________________ (jump) out at them.
- By time next year, we ___________________ (finish) secondary school.
- Can you hurry up? The bus to the lake _______________ (leave) in ten minutes.
- It _________________ (be) unlikely to rain this afternoon, so shall we go for a picnic?
- Annual rainfall ___________________ (be) higher this year according to forecast.
- Be quiet! I ______________________ (try) ____________________ (concentrate)!
- If you want my advice, I think you ________________________ (apologise) for the delay.
- You´d better __________________ (help) your mum to clean up.
- Bees manage _____________________ (find) their way back to hive.
- We _______________________________ (arrive) to the hotel earlier if he hadn´t taken
the wrong train.

7) LISTENING: Gold Experience B1+. Progress test 5. You are going to listen to
five people talking in different situations. For questions 1–5, choose the answer
(A, B or C) which fits best according to what you hear.

1 You hear two people talking about a new restaurant. What do they agree
about?
A the quality of the food
B the standard of the service
C the range of vegetarian options

2 You hear two friends talking about an ecology project they are involved
with. What does the man think about the project?
A It takes more time than he had hoped.
B It is more complicated than he realised.
C It is more rewarding than he expected.
3 You hear a woman talking on the radio about recycling. What is she doing?
A explaining a change in the collection of recycling bins
B correcting a misunderstanding about recycling
C encouraging people to do more recycling

4 You hear two friends talking about their plans for the future. How does the
woman feel?
A unsure about what her future work will involve
B unhappy about a decision she made
C nervous about what she’ll be doing in future

5 You hear two friends talking about their local supermarket. What do they
both think is good about the supermarket?
A It has food at cheap prices.
B It sells locally-produced food.
C It supports worthwhile projects abroad.

8) WRITING: Choose one of these and write about 140-190 words.

- In your English class you have been discussing the right age for young drivers to
drive alone. Write your essay using all the notes and giving reasons for your point of
view.
Some people think that young people should only be alone to drive alone between 8
a.m. and 6 p.m. Is this a good idea?

Write about:
1 safety
2 experience
3 ………… (your own idea)

- You have received this email from your English-speaking friend. Write your email
to respond.

From: Kim
To: Ana
Hi!
Guess what? I´m thinking of visiting your country in the summer. I´d love to travel to
your area and visit interesting places there. Is summer a good time to visit?
Can you tell me what there is to see in your area? What´s the best way to get around –
train, bus or cycling? Where could I stay?
Write soon!
Kim

- You see the following announcement in an English-language magazine. Write your

article.
 Spending time in nature
Do you spend much time outdoors?
What parts of nature are you most interested in? Why do you think it´s important for
people to spend time in nature?

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