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TASK 1. Read the first text and answer the questions. For each question, mark the correct letter A, B, C and D on your separate answer sheet.

Earth Day

We celebrated Earth Day in my city last week. The idea of this special day began in the 1960s when life was very different. Few people talked, or even thought, about the environment. Most people had no idea how dirty our air and water were. This attitude bothered Gaylord Nelson, who was a senator in the US government, and he had an idea. If people around the world knew the planet was in danger, they might work harder to save it, so he just needed to get their attention. The first Earth Day was just in the USA but it led to events every year all around the world on April 22 or the nearest weekend, depending on where you are.

In my town, last Saturday afternoon lots of people rode their bicycles from the park, around the town together and back to the park, taking as much time as they possibly could, so that the cars had to wait. Then we talked to all the drivers in cars which just had one person in them, to explain how wasteful that is and how much pollution it causes. The idea was to make people think about how much they use their cars. In other places, people collected plastic bags for a week and then made a pile of them in the town squire. You can do anything as long as it makes people of all ages come together for a few hours and talk about the environment. Last year we had a big music event for young people. Some people said it was a waste of time but there was information for people to read and announcements between the bands about how to help protect the environment.

1.     What is the writer trying to do?

A.   encourage people to take part in this year’s Earth Day

B.    explain why Earth Day happens every year

C.    compare the success of different events on Earth Day

D.   offer advice to people arranging an Earth Day event

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2.     Earth Day began because

A.   people had started to worry about damage to the environment.

B.    different governments decided it was a good idea.

C.    one man wanted people to know about the planet’s problems.

D.   people were working harder to make the air and water cleaner.

3.     What happened on Earth Day this year in the writer’s city?

A.   Cars were not allowed in the city centre.

B.    People cycled slowly through the streets.

C.    There was a talk about the pollution made by cars.

D.   Cars had to have more than one person in them.

4.     What does the writer think is the most important thing about Earth Day events?

A.   that people should become involved in them

B.    that they should attract young people

C.    that there should be some music

D.   that they should last all day

5.     Which of the following sentences appeared in a newspaper article about Earth Day?

A.   Gaylord Nelson travelled around the world to persuade people to arrange events on the first Earth Day.

B.    Earth Day events are on the same day in countries around the world.

C.    Many more countries take part in Earth Day now than when it first started.

D.   The first Earth Day was a disappointment to the organisers.

TASK 2. Read THE SECOND TEXT and decide if each sentence is correct or incorrect. If it is CORRECT, mark C on your separate answer sheet. If it is INCORRECT, mark I on your separate answer sheet.

6.     ……… The Albuquerque Balloon Festival lasts over a week.

7.     ……… The first festival took place at the opening of the local radio station.

8.     ……… The pilots use hand signals to communicate with each other.

9.     ……… The ‘balloon glow’ happens before sunrise and after sunset.

10. ……… Members of the public are forbidden to enter the balloon take-off area.

11. ……… Some advertising balloons join in the festival.

12. ……… You can take a balloon ride to the top of the nearby mountains.

13. ……… You can watch a firework show every evening of the festival.

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14. ……… The geography of the area around Albuquerque makes it particularly suitable for ballooning.

15. ……… Visitors should be prepared for different temperatures.

The Albuquerque Balloon Festival

Every autumn, the sky above the desert city of Albuquerque in the south-western United States turns into a mass of bright colours. This is The Albuquerque Balloon Festival, an annual nine-day event.

The first festival was held in 1972 to celebrate the 50^th birthday of the local radio station. There were about a dozen hot-air balloons and they took off from the car park in the middle of Albuquerque. From these small beginnings, the festival has grown steadily. This year at least a thousand balloons from over one third of the countries of the world are expected at its current out-of-town site.

The pilots are in radio contact with one another and all light up the burners of their balloons at the same time. These are known as ‘balloon glows’ and are an opportunity to take fantastic photographs. However, you must arrive just after night has fallen or before 5 am to see these ‘glows’ as the balloons rise into the dark sky.

During the day, you can walk around among the balloons and chat to the pilots as they prepare for take-off. The balloons come in all sizes and colours, some in the shapes of animals or cartoon characters.

In the afternoon, why not take to the sky yourself by arranging a balloon flight over the desert with one of the many companies offering balloon rides? Another possibility is to take the cable car from the desert floor to the top of the nearby mountain and enjoy a bird's view of the festival. There are plenty of other attractions for visitors of all ages, including balloon races and firework displays on the opening evening and the last three evenings of the festival.

The Albuquerque Box is a local wind that creates perfect conditions for balloonists. The Sandia Mountains protect the balloons from strong winds, and at the same time create gentler winds at different heights. This means that by rising or going down, skillful pilots can control the direction of their balloons.

You need to buy tickets in advance to safe yourself a long wait to get into the festival. Wear several layers of thin clothing. At night and in the early morning it can be quite cool, but during the day sunglasses are essential.

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