Gateway B2 Unit 6 Reading And Use Of English
- 1.Questions 1-12.Read the article about stress. Six sentences have been removed from the article. Choose from the sentences A–G the one which fits each gap. There is one extra sentence.
- 2.Stress: a modern illness? The twenty-first century seems to have brought with it a whole range of new medical problems. Many of these are related to our increased use of technology. For example, there are now several problems connected with using computers and mobile phones.Certain parts of our body ache because they are overused, like thumbs from too much texting, eyes from peering at small screens repeatedly and our ears from the increased volume of music we listen to on MP3 players and at clubs. (1) ……………………… . The list goes on and on. However, one of the biggest dangers to health today is not a direct result of technology but it is related to it. That is stress.
- A.
Obviously, it is not possible to stop studying for exams or going to work, but we can reduce stress if we approach these things in the right way.
- B.
They are under pressure to take and pass more and more exams.
- C.
But experts say that stress levels, and health problems caused by stress, have gone up alarmingly in recent years.
- D.
And people don’t take as many holidays as they used to.
- E.
We are also getting more ear infections because we share headphones.
- F.
This has the advantage of improving our general fitness as well so try to fit in some sport or gym time.
- G.
It also affects the heart and can cause problems related to blood pressure.
- 3.Stress has always been with us. The feeling of being overwhelmed and unable to control aspects of our lives seems to have been part of the human condition forever. (2) ……………………… One reason for this is that technology has speeded up our lives dramatically. Everything can happen instantly: communication, travel, accessing information and so on. This means that, whereas we used to have thinking time between communications both at work and in our personal lives, today that’s gone. People don’t have enough time to do nothing and sometimes our brains need that.
- A.
Obviously, it is not possible to stop studying for exams or going to work, but we can reduce stress if we approach these things in the right way.
- B.
They are under pressure to take and pass more and more exams.
- C.
But experts say that stress levels, and health problems caused by stress, have gone up alarmingly in recent years.
- D.
And people don’t take as many holidays as they used to.
- E.
We are also getting more ear infections because we share headphones.
- F.
This has the advantage of improving our general fitness as well so try to fit in some sport or gym time.
- G.
It also affects the heart and can cause problems related to blood pressure.
- 4.Commuting to work used to be a time to relax and prepare for the day ahead or to wind down after a busy day. Now it’s the opposite. If you’re driving, the rush hour is usually one long traffic jam and if you’re on the train, you’ll probably be on your mobile phone or onyour laptop continuing the day’s work. Students don’t escape either. (3) ……………………… . So, the stress factor can start at an early age.
- A.
Obviously, it is not possible to stop studying for exams or going to work, but we can reduce stress if we approach these things in the right way.
- B.
They are under pressure to take and pass more and more exams.
- C.
But experts say that stress levels, and health problems caused by stress, have gone up alarmingly in recent years.
- D.
And people don’t take as many holidays as they used to.
- E.
We are also getting more ear infections because we share headphones.
- F.
This has the advantage of improving our general fitness as well so try to fit in some sport or gym time.
- G.
It also affects the heart and can cause problems related to blood pressure.
- 5.So, how can we best deal with our stressful lives? It is important that we try, as stress causes not only mental problems but physical ones, too. People under a lot of stress can become nervous and moody, and even suffer from severe depression. (4) …………………… It can affect our sleeping patterns, and when we don’t get enough sleep that leads to other problems, too.
- A.
Obviously, it is not possible to stop studying for exams or going to work, but we can reduce stress if we approach these things in the right way.
- B.
They are under pressure to take and pass more and more exams.
- C.
But experts say that stress levels, and health problems caused by stress, have gone up alarmingly in recent years.
- D.
And people don’t take as many holidays as they used to.
- E.
We are also getting more ear infections because we share headphones.
- F.
This has the advantage of improving our general fitness as well so try to fit in some sport or gym time.
- G.
It also affects the heart and can cause problems related to blood pressure.
- 6.According to the experts, we need to try to cut out some of the things that cause us most stress in our daily lives. (5) ……………………… Of course, stress affects different people in different ways, but one answer is to write down a list of things that you find stressful and find ways round them. If you are stressed because you tend to leave revising for tests to the last minute, the answer would be to spread the revision over a longer period.
- A.
Obviously, it is not possible to stop studying for exams or going to work, but we can reduce stress if we approach these things in the right way.
- B.
They are under pressure to take and pass more and more exams.
- C.
But experts say that stress levels, and health problems caused by stress, have gone up alarmingly in recent years.
- D.
And people don’t take as many holidays as they used to.
- E.
We are also getting more ear infections because we share headphones.
- F.
This has the advantage of improving our general fitness as well so try to fit in some sport or gym time.
- G.
It also affects the heart and can cause problems related to blood pressure.
- 7.If driving in the rush hour stresses you out, try putting on some calming music to distract you from the situation. If it’s possible, switch off your phone on the train and read a book! We all need time to relax, a time when we can do something we enjoy, such as reading or watching a film. Another excellent way to fight stress is to do some form of exercise.(6) ……………………… It is inevitable that the pace of life is going to speed up even further, and we shall have to deal with it. But as long as we allocate ourselves some down time, we’ll stay healthy. So, switch off that laptop and chill out.
- A.
Obviously, it is not possible to stop studying for exams or going to work, but we can reduce stress if we approach these things in the right way.
- B.
They are under pressure to take and pass more and more exams.
- C.
But experts say that stress levels, and health problems caused by stress, have gone up alarmingly in recent years.
- D.
And people don’t take as many holidays as they used to.
- E.
We are also getting more ear infections because we share headphones.
- F.
This has the advantage of improving our general fitness as well so try to fit in some sport or gym time.
- G.
It also affects the heart and can cause problems related to blood pressure.
- 8.Read the article again. Are these statements True, False or is the information Not Mentioned? Technology has contributed to new types of medical problems.
- A.
True
- B.
False
- C.
Not mentioned
- 9.Stress is a new type of illness.
- A.
True
- B.
False
- C.
Not mentioned
- 10.Students suffer more from stress than old people.
- A.
True
- B.
False
- C.
Not mentioned
- 11.People should change the way they handle things that are stressful.
- A.
True
- B.
False
- C.
Not mentioned
- 12.Finding time to relax is not that important.
- A.
True
- B.
False
- C.
Not mentioned
- 13.Experts suggest doing exercise can help reduce stress.
- A.
True
- B.
False
- C.
Not mentioned
- 14.Questions 13-20. Complete the text with the correct form of the words given.
- 15.Once considered a symbol of wealth, (1) ………………………(obese) is now known to be a danger to health. Although in some places being thin is still seen as a sign of illness, inmost parts of the world, being overweight is now viewed negatively. And with good reason. It increases the risk of heart disease, promotes high blood pressure and can lead to other serious health problems.
- 16.In extreme cases, it is possible to have an (2) ……………………… (operate) to reducethe size of the stomach and prevent overeating, but most experts agree that it would be better to get to the root of the problem.
- 17.The most likely causes are environmental and can be linked to poverty. One of the problems is that traditional diets of grains and vegetables are giving way to a greater (3) ……………………… (take) of products that are high in fat and sugar because these foods are cheaper.
- 18.Wealthy people, who have better access to nutrition (4) ………………………(educate), healthy foods and exercise facilities, tend to be slimmer. However, the problem is not just about eating the wrong things and lack of exercise.
- 19.Although (5) ……………………… (fat) foods are a major part of the problem, it is sugar that is currently seen as the main culprit.
- 20.And much of the sugar consumed today is hidden in (6) ……………………… (process) foods, such as ketchup, soft drinks, biscuits and even some breakfast cereals which arepromoted as a healthy option.
- 21.And excessive sugar consumption can lead to people becoming (7) ……………………… (addict) to sugar.
- 22.Some experts argue that if governments (8) ………………………(do) more to prevent the problem, there would be significant economic benefits in terms of reducing spendingon health care. However, this is a complex issue with no easy solutions.
Questions: 32 | Attempts: 665 | Last updated: Feb 28, 2017
-
Sample QuestionChoose the correct alternatives to complete theemail.Hi Carol,How’s your new school? Hope you’re still enjoying it.I've had a lot of exams recently so I've spent most of my timerevising. I (1) ’m allowed/mustn’t to use the computers atschool to revise during breaks so that helps.
Questions: 31 | Attempts: 1170 | Last updated: Feb 28, 2017
-
Sample QuestionChoose the best answer (A, B or C) to complete the text.We all went to watch my brother play football last week –even my big sister came. She got really excited becausealthough they were losing, it was very close. When the ballcame towards her, she tried to kick it. Well, she fell overand hurt her (1) ……………… .
Questions: 9 | Attempts: 426 | Last updated: Nov 16, 2017
Back to top