Read the text below. For questions (23–32) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

Sugababes

The story of the Sugababes starts with two self-confident eight-year-old friends from London who (23) ______ a hatred of maths but loved singing (24) ______ to the radio. Mutya and Keisha then met Siobhan who joined their “gang”. They (25) ______ writing and singing and at fourteen the group (26) ______ their first record deal. Just two years later, when their classmates were studying for their exams, the girls (27) ______ their first album, the incredibly cool One Touch. But it wasn’t as easy as it (28) ______ . The album didn’t get publicity and Siobhan decided to leave the group. Keisha and Mutya advertised for another girl but did not want to (29) ______ the group name. “We wanted someone who could sing and had her own ideas,” they said. That was Heidi. Heidi used to be in the girlband Atomic Kitten but she left because she never quite (30) ______ in. Heidi was desperate to sing live in concerts and do her own writing — and she soon realised that she would never be able to do this in a “manufactured” band. Her love of urban music (31) ______ her the perfect Sugababe. The three became friends as soon as they met and (32) ______ to write and record the huge Angels with Dirty Faces album.

The story of the Sugababes starts with two self-confident eight-year-old friends from London who (23) ______ a hatred of maths ...

Read the text below. Choose from (A–H) the one which best fits each space (17–22). There are two choices you do not need to use.

Why are Zebras Striped?

When zebras stick together in a herd, the pattern of their stripes blend together with the stripes of the zebras around them. This is confusing to a lion! All it can see is a large, moving, striped mass. The lion has trouble picking out individual zebras and it’s harder still for the lion to recognize (17) ______ ! Each zebra pattern is unique like a fingerprint. Like a fingerprint (18) ______ and no two zebras are exactly alike. What is truly amazing is (19) ______ from their body stripe! There are several species classified according to variations in stripe patterns. The mountain zebra has silver-white stripes with black markings (20) ______ except for the stomach and the inner thighs. Plains zebras are pale yellow with broad black stripes. Do you know that people of Africa think of zebras as black animals with white stripes (21) ______ as white animals with black stripes! Black stripes or white, the fact remains (22) ______ and are among the fastest and most graceful of runners in the African bush land.

Black stripes or white, the fact remains (22) ______ and are among the fastest and most graceful of runners in the African bush land.

Read the text below. Choose from (A–H) the one which best fits each space (17–22). There are two choices you do not need to use.

Why are Zebras Striped?

When zebras stick together in a herd, the pattern of their stripes blend together with the stripes of the zebras around them. This is confusing to a lion! All it can see is a large, moving, striped mass. The lion has trouble picking out individual zebras and it’s harder still for the lion to recognize (17) ______ ! Each zebra pattern is unique like a fingerprint. Like a fingerprint (18) ______ and no two zebras are exactly alike. What is truly amazing is (19) ______ from their body stripe! There are several species classified according to variations in stripe patterns. The mountain zebra has silver-white stripes with black markings (20) ______ except for the stomach and the inner thighs. Plains zebras are pale yellow with broad black stripes. Do you know that people of Africa think of zebras as black animals with white stripes (21) ______ as white animals with black stripes! Black stripes or white, the fact remains (22) ______ and are among the fastest and most graceful of runners in the African bush land.

Do you know that people of Africa think of zebras as black animals with white stripes (21) ______ as white animals with black stripes!

Read the text below. Choose from (A–H) the one which best fits each space (17–22). There are two choices you do not need to use.

Why are Zebras Striped?

When zebras stick together in a herd, the pattern of their stripes blend together with the stripes of the zebras around them. This is confusing to a lion! All it can see is a large, moving, striped mass. The lion has trouble picking out individual zebras and it’s harder still for the lion to recognize (17) ______ ! Each zebra pattern is unique like a fingerprint. Like a fingerprint (18) ______ and no two zebras are exactly alike. What is truly amazing is (19) ______ from their body stripe! There are several species classified according to variations in stripe patterns. The mountain zebra has silver-white stripes with black markings (20) ______ except for the stomach and the inner thighs. Plains zebras are pale yellow with broad black stripes. Do you know that people of Africa think of zebras as black animals with white stripes (21) ______ as white animals with black stripes! Black stripes or white, the fact remains (22) ______ and are among the fastest and most graceful of runners in the African bush land.

The mountain zebra has silver-white stripes with black markings (20) ______ except for the stomach and the inner thighs.

Read the text below. Choose from (A–H) the one which best fits each space (17–22). There are two choices you do not need to use.

Why are Zebras Striped?

When zebras stick together in a herd, the pattern of their stripes blend together with the stripes of the zebras around them. This is confusing to a lion! All it can see is a large, moving, striped mass. The lion has trouble picking out individual zebras and it’s harder still for the lion to recognize (17) ______ ! Each zebra pattern is unique like a fingerprint. Like a fingerprint (18) ______ and no two zebras are exactly alike. What is truly amazing is (19) ______ from their body stripe! There are several species classified according to variations in stripe patterns. The mountain zebra has silver-white stripes with black markings (20) ______ except for the stomach and the inner thighs. Plains zebras are pale yellow with broad black stripes. Do you know that people of Africa think of zebras as black animals with white stripes (21) ______ as white animals with black stripes! Black stripes or white, the fact remains (22) ______ and are among the fastest and most graceful of runners in the African bush land.

What is truly amazing is (19) ______ from their body stripe!

Read the text below. Choose from (A–H) the one which best fits each space (17–22). There are two choices you do not need to use.

Why are Zebras Striped?

When zebras stick together in a herd, the pattern of their stripes blend together with the stripes of the zebras around them. This is confusing to a lion! All it can see is a large, moving, striped mass. The lion has trouble picking out individual zebras and it’s harder still for the lion to recognize (17) ______ ! Each zebra pattern is unique like a fingerprint. Like a fingerprint (18) ______ and no two zebras are exactly alike. What is truly amazing is (19) ______ from their body stripe! There are several species classified according to variations in stripe patterns. The mountain zebra has silver-white stripes with black markings (20) ______ except for the stomach and the inner thighs. Plains zebras are pale yellow with broad black stripes. Do you know that people of Africa think of zebras as black animals with white stripes (21) ______ as white animals with black stripes! Black stripes or white, the fact remains (22) ______ and are among the fastest and most graceful of runners in the African bush land.

Each zebra pattern is unique like a fingerprint. Like a fingerprint (18) ______and no two zebras are exactly alike.

Read the text below. Choose from (A–H) the one which best fits each space (17–22). There are two choices you do not need to use.

Why are Zebras Striped?

When zebras stick together in a herd, the pattern of their stripes blend together with the stripes of the zebras around them. This is confusing to a lion! All it can see is a large, moving, striped mass. The lion has trouble picking out individual zebras and it’s harder still for the lion to recognize (17) ______ ! Each zebra pattern is unique like a fingerprint. Like a fingerprint (18) ______ and no two zebras are exactly alike. What is truly amazing is (19) ______ from their body stripe! There are several species classified according to variations in stripe patterns. The mountain zebra has silver-white stripes with black markings (20) ______ except for the stomach and the inner thighs. Plains zebras are pale yellow with broad black stripes. Do you know that people of Africa think of zebras as black animals with white stripes (21) ______ as white animals with black stripes! Black stripes or white, the fact remains (22) ______ and are among the fastest and most graceful of runners in the African bush land.

The lion has trouble picking out individual zebras and it’s harder still for the lion to recognize (17) ______ !

Read the texts below. Match choices (A–H) to (11–16). There are two choices you do not need to use.

Which of the winter celebrations is associated with _____________ ?

Winter Celebrations

Three Kings Day

At the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas comes a day called the Epiphany, or Three Kings Day. This holiday is celebrated as the day the three wise men first saw baby Jesus and brought him gifts. On this day in Spain, many children get their Christmas presents. In Puerto Rico, before children go to sleep on January 5, they leave a box with hay under their beds so the kings will leave good presents. In France, a delicious King cake is baked. Bakers will hide a coin, jewel or little toy inside it.

Read the texts below. Match choices (A–H) to (11–16). There are two choices you do not need to use.

Which of the winter celebrations is associated with _____________ ?

Winter Celebrations

New Year’s Day

New Year’s Day, on January 1, is the first day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are often fireworks at midnight to celebrate the New Year. Commonly served in the southern part of the United States, peas are thought to bring luck for the New Year, and vegetables bring wealth.