TEXT A - Cities. Some cities are located by chance. A wagon breaks down, the driver spends some time in repairs, finds that he is in a congenial spot, and settles down. Later another person builds a house near his, and later someone adds an inn. Someone else starts selling farm produced there. Soon there is a little market, which grows to a town, and later to a city. Other places were destined by nature to become cities. London, for example, is on what is called the head of navigation - the point where it becomes too difficult for ocean-going ships to continue upriver, and must transfer their cargoes. As with London, the head of navigation is also the point where the river can be conveniently bridged. In fact, the location of a bridge is often the reason for the birth of a town - as Cambridge or Weybridge in England show. Again, a good harbour will generally lead to a city growing up about it. New York and San Francisco began life as ports, as did Cape Town in South Africa. Some places were created mainly for military purposes, such as Milan, and the host of English cities finishing with -cester, which is derived from castra which means camp in Latin. Chester itself, created to guard the Welsh border is a very good example. Other such military bases are Manchester, Doncaster, and of course, Newcastle. A few cities are not created by accident, but by intention. This was the case with Milton Keynes in England, but the most famous examples of such cities are capitals. Brasilia, Canberra and Washington are capitals created in modern times, but even their greatest admirers will admit that they lack a certain character. It is no coincidence that there are famous pop songs about New York, ('New York, New York') Chicago ('My kind of Town') San Francisco ('Going to San Francisco') and many other US cities, but none about the nation's capital. On the other hand, any Londoner can give you at least three songs about the place. CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER A, B OR C (3 POINTS, 0.5 EACH): 1. This article is about: a) why capital cities are created; b) places where cities might begin; c) why some city sites are chosen. 2. London owes its origin to: a) a river; b) a bridge; c) an army camp. 3. The writer feels that: a) cities are created by chance; b) planned cities lack soul; c) that no-one can tell why a city will develop. 4. Which is NOT given as a reason for a new city? a) wars; b) random events; c) trade. 5. 'Congenial' in the first paragraph means: a) on the coast; b) on a river; c) none of these. 6. The article suggests that English cities of military origin: a) can be found from their locations; b) can be found from their names; c) are more common than other cities.

2A. ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS IN NO MORE THAN 5 WORDS. (1 POINT, 0.25 EACH). a. Which are the two British cities whose origin is based on the location of a bridge? b. What is the meaning of -cester? c. Why are there no songs about Washington? d. How many songs can a Londoner give you about this place?

3A. FIND A WORD IN THE TEXT FOR EACH OF THESE DEFINITIONS. (1 POINT, 0.25 EACH). a) A large wheeled container for transporting goods or people that is pulled by a train. b) Increases in size or amount. c) Relating to or belonging to the armed forces. d) Something that you want and plan to do.

Text B - The history of zombies. Zombies are everywhere these days - on television, in movies and in books. The current image of the terrifying flesh-eating zombie comes from George Romero's 1.968 classic film Night of the Living Dead. Nowadays many people like to frighten themselves with the idea of the 'Zombie Apocalypse', and enjoy learning how to destroy zombies by decapitation or shooting them in the head. However zombies are not new. The term, from the Kongo word nzambi which means 'spirit of a dead person', has been long associated with the Vodou religion of Haiti (popularly known as Voodoo). As with West African Vodun, from which it is descended, Vodou has strong ties to the supernatural and magic practised by witch doctors called bokors. In Haitian culture zombies are not evil creatures but victims. They are said to be people who have been killed by poisoning, then reanimated and controlled by bokors with magic potions for some specific purpose, usually to work as slave labour. The bokors were widely feared and respected as they used to be in the service of the secret police. For a long time most people assumed that zombies were nothing more than mythical figures, like werewolves and vampires. However this changed in the 1980s when a man called Clairvius Narcisse claimed that he had been turned into a zombie by means of drugs and forced to work on a sugar plantation for two years before escaping. Wade Davis, a Harvard scientist, investigated the claim and obtained something called 'zombie powder' from Haitian bokors. The main active ingredient was a neurotoxin found in puffer fish which could be used to simulate death. The bokors also explained to Davis that a second poison, made from the datura plant, known as the zombie cucumber, was given to victims after they were revived from their death-like state. This kept the 'zombies' in a submissive state so that it was easy to force them to work. Davis wrote several books on the topic, including The Serpent and the Rainbow, later made into a horror film by director Wes Craven. Although the book was very popular with the public, some scientists were sceptical of Davis's claims. Despite the fact many people in Haiti still believe in zombies, there have been no publicised cases in the last few decades and Davis's theory remains controversial. 1B. CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER A, B OR C (3 POINTS, 0.5 EACH): 1. According to the text, ___. a) zombies are represented in different ways in different TV programmes, films and books; b) our current understanding of what a zombie is comes from a sixties film; c) people do not find zombies as frightening now as they did in the past. 2. 'Zombie' ___. a) is a Haitian and West African religion; b) comes from the Kongo word 'nzambi'; c) means 'victim'. 3. In Haitian culture, zombies are ___. a) living people who are kept in a death-like state by poisoning; b) dead people who have been brought back to life by witch doctors; c) witch doctors who have poisoned themselves with their own medicine. 4. Clairvius Narcisse ___. a) claimed he was a real-life zombie; b) took 'zombie powder' to appear dead in order to escape the sugar plantation where he worked; c) told a Harvard scientist that he knew how to turn people into zombies. 5. Wade Davis ___. a) experimented with different substances naturally available where Clairvius Narcisse lived; b) thought Clairvius Narcisse's condition was psychological; c) asked local witch doctors how to make a zombie. 6. The Serpent and the Rainbow ___. a) proved Narcisse's theory with rigorous scientific evidence; b) presented the case with scepticism; c) was popular with zombie fans but not scientists.

2B. ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS IN NO MORE THAN 5 WORDS. (1 POINT, 0.25 EACH). a. What are bokors? b. What are zombies in Haitian culture? c. Which ingredient was found in puffer fish and could be used to simulate death? d. How many cases of zombies have been publicised in the last few decades in Haiti?

3B. FIND A WORD IN THE TEXT FOR EACH OF THESE DEFINITIONS. (1 POINT, 0.25 EACH). a) Very frightening. b) Morally bad, cruel, or very unpleasant. c) Special connections with the supernatural. d) Do or make something that looks real but is not real.

PART 2 - USE OF ENGLISH (2 POINTS). 4. CHOOSE FOUR OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS AND REPHRASE THEM SO THAT THEIR MEANING IS AS SIMILAR TO THE ORIGINAL AS POSSIBLE (0.5 EACH). a. Other places were destined by nature to become cities. Nature... b. 'Capitals lack a certain character', the author said. The author said... c. The driver spent some time in repairs and settled down in a congenial spot. If the driver... d. New York and San Francisco began as ports. They are now two of the most important cities in the US. New York and San Francisco... e. Zombies have been considered mythical figures for a long time. Most people... f. Clairvius Narcisse claimed that he had been turned into a zombie by means of drugs. 'I have... g. 'The bokors were widely feared and respected. They used to be in the service of the secret police.' The bokors... h. Despite the fact many people in Haiti still believe in zombies, there have been no publicised cases in the last few decades. Although...

PART 3 - WRITING (3 POINTS). 5. CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TOPICS AND WRITE A 150 WORD LONG TEXT. a) Describe the most frightening situation you have experienced in your lifetime. Do not forget to mention the following aspects (what caused your frighten, when it happened, the way you faced the situation, how it ended, etc). b) Write an opinion article of 150 words about your favourite city. Do not forget to mention the reason why you like it so much, its location, landmarks, nightlife, etc.