Gateway B1 Unit 3 Test Standard Reading

Read the texts about when people started learning English. Match the comments (1–6) with the people (A–D). B IgorI never learned English at school because our second language was Spanish. I think children today learn English in school here – not like when I was young. I learned English when I worked in London for a year after university. I was so worried about the language! But I found that after a few weeks I knew what people were saying and I could say quite a lot. I think you learn a language best when you really need to, not just for passing exams at school.

• 1 I think it’s important to have fun when you’re learning a new language.

• 2 My parents are different nationalities.

• 3 It’s important to have a real reason to learn a language.

• 4 I didn’t speak much English in my first English lessons at school.

Read the texts about when people started learning English. Match the comments (1–6) with the people (A–D). A EveI can’t remember when I first started learning English because it was – and still is – the language my family speaks at home. You see, my mum is English and she and my dad (who’s French) thought it was a good idea for their children to speak English at home and French at school. It worked! My sisters and I speak both languages well, and I can go from one to the other without thinking.

• 1 I think it’s important to have fun when you’re learning a new language.

• 2 My parents are different nationalities.

• 3 It’s important to have a real reason to learn a language.

• 4 I didn’t speak much English in my first English lessons at school.

Read the texts about when people started learning English. Match the comments (1–6) with the people (A–D). C AlinaMy first English lessons were when I was about seven, at school, but we didn’t do very much! I don’t remember anything from those lessons. We had one lesson every week and I forgot everything between the lessons. The only lesson that is still in my memory is when we imagined we were different fruits. I was a lemon and I walked around the room saying ‘I am a lemon!’ I thought it was very silly!

• 1 I think it’s important to have fun when you’re learning a new language.

• 2 My parents are different nationalities.

• 3 It’s important to have a real reason to learn a language.

• 4 I didn’t speak much English in my first English lessons at school.

Read the texts again and answer this question.5.  What did Manuela learn in English classes at school?A EveI can’t remember when I first started learning English because it was – and still is – the language my family speaks at home. You see, my mum is English and she and my dad (who’s French) thought it was a good idea for their children to speak English at home and French at school. It worked! My sisters and I speak both languages well, and I can go from one to the other without thinking.    B IgorI never learned English at school because our second language was Spanish. I think children today learn English in school here – not like when I was young. I learned English when I worked in London for a year after university. I was so worried about the language! But I found that after a few weeks I knew what people were saying and I could say quite a lot. I think you learn a language best when you really need to, not just for passing exams at school.    C AlinaMy first English lessons were when I was about seven, at school, but we didn’t do very much! I don’t remember anything from those lessons. We had one lesson every week and I forgot everything between the lessons. The only lesson that is still in my memory is when we imagined we were different fruits. I was a lemon and I walked around the room saying ‘I am a lemon!’ I thought it was very silly!    D ManuelaI didn’t start learning English until I was 11 and it was so difficult. There were 30 students in my class and we never said anything in English. The teacher taught us grammar rules and we learned long lists of vocabulary for tests. I didn’t understand why I was learning this strange language. The teacher didn’t show us English films or magazines and we never played any games. The lessons were boring, so I didn’t learn anything. I don’t think our teacher was very good! 

Read the texts again and answer these questions.3. When did Igor start to learn English?A EveI can’t remember when I first started learning English because it was – and still is – the language my family speaks at home. You see, my mum is English and she and my dad (who’s French) thought it was a good idea for their children to speak English at home and French at school. It worked! My sisters and I speak both languages well, and I can go from one to the other without thinking.    B IgorI never learned English at school because our second language was Spanish. I think children today learn English in school here – not like when I was young. I learned English when I worked in London for a year after university. I was so worried about the language! But I found that after a few weeks I knew what people were saying and I could say quite a lot. I think you learn a language best when you really need to, not just for passing exams at school.    C AlinaMy first English lessons were when I was about seven, at school, but we didn’t do very much! I don’t remember anything from those lessons. We had one lesson every week and I forgot everything between the lessons. The only lesson that is still in my memory is when we imagined we were different fruits. I was a lemon and I walked around the room saying ‘I am a lemon!’ I thought it was very silly!    D ManuelaI didn’t start learning English until I was 11 and it was so difficult. There were 30 students in my class and we never said anything in English. The teacher taught us grammar rules and we learned long lists of vocabulary for tests. I didn’t understand why I was learning this strange language. The teacher didn’t show us English films or magazines and we never played any games. The lessons were boring, so I didn’t learn anything. I don’t think our teacher was very good! 

Read the texts again and answer these questions.2. Where does Eve speak French?A EveI can’t remember when I first started learning English because it was – and still is – the language my family speaks at home. You see, my mum is English and she and my dad (who’s French) thought it was a good idea for their children to speak English at home and French at school. It worked! My sisters and I speak both languages well, and I can go from one to the other without thinking.    B IgorI never learned English at school because our second language was Spanish. I think children today learn English in school here – not like when I was young. I learned English when I worked in London for a year after university. I was so worried about the language! But I found that after a few weeks I knew what people were saying and I could say quite a lot. I think you learn a language best when you really need to, not just for passing exams at school.    C AlinaMy first English lessons were when I was about seven, at school, but we didn’t do very much! I don’t remember anything from those lessons. We had one lesson every week and I forgot everything between the lessons. The only lesson that is still in my memory is when we imagined we were different fruits. I was a lemon and I walked around the room saying ‘I am a lemon!’ I thought it was very silly!    D ManuelaI didn’t start learning English until I was 11 and it was so difficult. There were 30 students in my class and we never said anything in English. The teacher taught us grammar rules and we learned long lists of vocabulary for tests. I didn’t understand why I was learning this strange language. The teacher didn’t show us English films or magazines and we never played any games. The lessons were boring, so I didn’t learn anything. I don’t think our teacher was very good! 

Read the texts again and answer this question.1. Where are Eve’s parents from?A EveI can’t remember when I first started learning English because it was – and still is – the language my family speaks at home. You see, my mum is English and she and my dad (who’s French) thought it was a good idea for their children to speak English at home and French at school. It worked! My sisters and I speak both languages well, and I can go from one to the other without thinking.    B IgorI never learned English at school because our second language was Spanish. I think children today learn English in school here – not like when I was young. I learned English when I worked in London for a year after university. I was so worried about the language! But I found that after a few weeks I knew what people were saying and I could say quite a lot. I think you learn a language best when you really need to, not just for passing exams at school.    C AlinaMy first English lessons were when I was about seven, at school, but we didn’t do very much! I don’t remember anything from those lessons. We had one lesson every week and I forgot everything between the lessons. The only lesson that is still in my memory is when we imagined we were different fruits. I was a lemon and I walked around the room saying ‘I am a lemon!’ I thought it was very silly!    D ManuelaI didn’t start learning English until I was 11 and it was so difficult. There were 30 students in my class and we never said anything in English. The teacher taught us grammar rules and we learned long lists of vocabulary for tests. I didn’t understand why I was learning this strange language. The teacher didn’t show us English films or magazines and we never played any games. The lessons were boring, so I didn’t learn anything. I don’t think our teacher was very good! 

Read the texts again and answer this question.4. How much does Alina remember from her first English lessons?A EveI can’t remember when I first started learning English because it was – and still is – the language my family speaks at home. You see, my mum is English and she and my dad (who’s French) thought it was a good idea for their children to speak English at home and French at school. It worked! My sisters and I speak both languages well, and I can go from one to the other without thinking.    B IgorI never learned English at school because our second language was Spanish. I think children today learn English in school here – not like when I was young. I learned English when I worked in London for a year after university. I was so worried about the language! But I found that after a few weeks I knew what people were saying and I could say quite a lot. I think you learn a language best when you really need to, not just for passing exams at school.    C AlinaMy first English lessons were when I was about seven, at school, but we didn’t do very much! I don’t remember anything from those lessons. We had one lesson every week and I forgot everything between the lessons. The only lesson that is still in my memory is when we imagined we were different fruits. I was a lemon and I walked around the room saying ‘I am a lemon!’ I thought it was very silly!    D ManuelaI didn’t start learning English until I was 11 and it was so difficult. There were 30 students in my class and we never said anything in English. The teacher taught us grammar rules and we learned long lists of vocabulary for tests. I didn’t understand why I was learning this strange language. The teacher didn’t show us English films or magazines and we never played any games. The lessons were boring, so I didn’t learn anything. I don’t think our teacher was very good! 

Read the texts again and answer this question.6. Why didn’t Manuela like English classes at school?A EveI can’t remember when I first started learning English because it was – and still is – the language my family speaks at home. You see, my mum is English and she and my dad (who’s French) thought it was a good idea for their children to speak English at home and French at school. It worked! My sisters and I speak both languages well, and I can go from one to the other without thinking.    B IgorI never learned English at school because our second language was Spanish. I think children today learn English in school here – not like when I was young. I learned English when I worked in London for a year after university. I was so worried about the language! But I found that after a few weeks I knew what people were saying and I could say quite a lot. I think you learn a language best when you really need to, not just for passing exams at school.    C AlinaMy first English lessons were when I was about seven, at school, but we didn’t do very much! I don’t remember anything from those lessons. We had one lesson every week and I forgot everything between the lessons. The only lesson that is still in my memory is when we imagined we were different fruits. I was a lemon and I walked around the room saying ‘I am a lemon!’ I thought it was very silly!    D ManuelaI didn’t start learning English until I was 11 and it was so difficult. There were 30 students in my class and we never said anything in English. The teacher taught us grammar rules and we learned long lists of vocabulary for tests. I didn’t understand why I was learning this strange language. The teacher didn’t show us English films or magazines and we never played any games. The lessons were boring, so I didn’t learn anything. I don’t think our teacher was very good!