Mock exam 2 // Adolescents 4 // Flying Colours

Read the text carefully and answer the questions THE COMPUTER REVOLUTIONIf you get on a train or on a bus, or take the day trip across to the south west of England, you’ll come to Britain’s oldest computer-if not the oldest in the world. However, if you expect it to be in working order or to be like a modern computer, be prepared for a shock. What you will see if you look out of the bus a few miles past Salisbury is a group of large stones standing in a broken ring like elderly giants having a good gossip. Had you looked from the bus window a little earlier, you would have seen the signpost pointing to Stonehenge.It has reasonably been suggested that one of the original uses of the stones was to make calculations, probably of an astronomical nature. It’s over 4,000 years from Stonehenge to the present day, but if you want to see where the stone giants have led just think of man on the moon and modern business methods, and look at numbers in computer script on the face of a cheque or pocket calculator. It hasn’t, of course, been as direct as that. If you want the full story you’ll have to include the abacus, various attempts at adding machines, including one by the French philosopher Pascal, and more recently by an English genius called Charles Babbage.We probably wouldn’t have computers as we know them if he hadn’t invented the “Difference Engine” and the “Analytical Engine.” And if the nineteenth century- Babbage died disappointed in 1871- had been able to make the thousands of precision parts his steam driven-calculators needed, we’d probably have had serious ideas about man reaching the moon a lot earlier than we did. There was still, of course, a missing factor. If it hadn’t been for another invention in 1948 there would have been no men on the moon in 1969.By contrast with the giant monoliths, if you take instead from the earth the tiniest fragment of silicon or germanium and attach three wires to it, you have the equivalent of the older, larger and costlier radio valve. Three Americans did this in 1948, and transistors and the whole new- world of miniaturisation were born. “If you’ll give us enough of these,” American scientific knowhow said, ” we’ll put a man on the moon”-and did. According to NASA, as the astronauts walked on the moon information was being fed back to its giant computer complex at Houston at the rate of one 500-page novel every second.We haven’t yet reached total automation but you have only to look around to find the computer is everywhere, whether as giant scientific brain, business aid, or bleeping stock counter and electronic cash register. “Career-wise if you want a better job, learn to be a computer operator,” is the message from special sections of the newspapers yelling for computer operators in every branch of industry and commerce. And if you wanted a pocket calculator it would take you a month of Sundays to choose between all the different makes and offers. Stonehenge is considered the oldest computer in the world True False Stonehenge was originally used to make astronomical calculations True False What inventions made it possible for us to have modern computers? What was the missing factor? According to the text, what piece of advice can you give after reading the ads in the newspaper? Read the letter Carol sent to a friend and complete the blanks with a suitable linking word Dear Pat,I hope you get this letter; I am not sure of your address so I sent it to the factory. On Monday, I waited for ages in the restaurant you mentioned, and you didn’t turn up. I suppose I was in the right place-The Curry Queen in Hill Street. While I was sitting there, John Stubbs walked in. Do you remember him? He was not only the most handsome boy at school but also the sports star! We were all in love with him. I said hello to him in case he recognised me, but he didn’t! I was neither surprised nor sad. He had never paid any attention to me at school.Anyway, back to us. I would really love to meet you. It would be both fun and interesting to see each other after so many years. I still haven’t got my own phone which doesn’t help matters. You can leave messages at the number I gave you. However, perhaps the best thing to do would be to write a quick note, because telephone messages don’t always reach me. There are six of us in this house, and things get lost. Go on reading the letter and complete the blanks with ONE word Next week I’m going for an interview because I want to apply for a job in a new company. I would keep on working for Carsons if they updated, but they are so old-fashioned that I decided to find a better job. The systems they use are not modern enough and I really feel they should do something so as not to fall behind. Now it’s too late. I’m really looking forward to having the interview in this new place that is really full of modern computers. Maybe, I will be able to tell you more about it when we meet on the 11th. Would that be any good? I don’t know what your arrangements are; I can’t make it before that because my car broke down three days ago and I have to have it repaired during the week.I would love to see you again.Best wishes,Carol Read the answer Pat sent to Carol and put the verbs in brackets in the correct tense. When you see a + use a modal Dear Carol,I’m really sorry about last Monday! I just couldn't make (+ not make) it and I didn’t know how to contact (contact) you! You see, I was preparing (prepare) a very important presentation for the next day and I didn't realise (not realise) what time it was. My boss had just told (just tell) me I had to come (+ come) to a meeting with him on Tuesday and I couldn't say (+ say) no. Of course, that’s no excuse, but it’s the only truth. I was forced (force) to stay at the office by my boss.Of course I am meeting (meet) you on the 11th! I’m looking forward to hearing (hear) all your stories. Complete the following dialogue between the manager of a computers company and Carol Jay, who is applying for a job Manager: Please, sit down Miss Jay. Now, I see that at present you are employed by Carson Ltd. How long have you been working there for?Miss Jay: I started there when I left school. Eight years ago.Manager: And what exactly do you do?Miss Jay: I am now responsible for computer programming. And I also help in the advertising department.Manager: Have you had any other jobs?Miss Jay: No, I haven’t. Carson Ltd was the only one.Manager: Oh, I see. Why do you want to change your job?Miss Jay: Well, because I think I could do a more difficult job. It’s simply that.Manager: So you don’t feel that Carsons is the place for you, do you?Miss Jay: Mmnn, I used to feel very happy there, but I don’t any more. I feel now that the company is too old-fashioned. I want a change.Manager: Yes, I understand. Now, as you know, this job involves quite a lot of travelling...