C1 English Test

READING COMPREHENSION Read the following reading "Chinese New Year" carefully, and answer the questions 1 to 9. The Chinese New Year GUNG HAY FAT CHOY! This is the Chinese greeting for the New Year; it means, "Wishing you luck and prosperity." The New Year is one of the most important and festive Chinese holidays. In the United States, where more than 2.5 million people of Chinese descent live, Chinese New Year's celebrations provide an important connection to Chinese culture and heritage. Chinese immigrants brought the traditions with them when they came to America to work in gold mining camps and on the railroads in the mid-nineteenth century. The Chinese New Year falls in late January or early February according to the Chinese lunar calendar, and traditionally lasts for fifteen days, ending with the full moon. For the New Year, people decorate their homes with colorful pictures of fruit and flowers, and hang red paper squares or scrolls on which gold Chinese characters represent luck, happiness, prosperity, or health. Red is the color for Chinese New Year as it represents good luck. It also symbolizes fire, which is said to drive away bad luck and evil spirits, particularly the legendary monster, "nian." People wear red for the New Year, write poems and wishes on red paper, and give red envelopes filled with "lucky money" to children and young adults. Red firecrackers are also an essential part of Chinese New Year. From ancient times to the present, Chinese people have welcomed in the New Year and chased away the evil spirits by setting off firecrackers. Long ago people lit bamboo stalks, which crackled and sparked to scare away spirits that could bring bad luck to the year. On the night before the New Year, families and friends come together for a special meal, which includes Chinese foods that represent happiness, health, and luck. On the final night of celebration is the Feast of the Lantern, or "Yuen Sui." The lanterns are beautifully painted with animals, flowers and birds, or legendary scenes. Traditionally, the glowing lanterns were carried in a procession and hung in the temples. The Feast of the Lantern includes a dragon dance, which is performed by a huge, long dragon made of paper, silk, bamboo, or rattan. The dragon is carried by many people as it dances through the streets chasing a red "sun-ball," or a white "pearl-ball," held aloft by a parade participant. In the United States, the Feast of the Lantern is generally part of a larger parade that often occurs on the weekend closest to the New Year. Today, Chinatowns in American cities with large Chinese populations, such as New York and San Francisco, hold elaborate and lively New Year's celebrations that attract hundreds of thousands of participants and spectators. An important aspect of Chinese New Year is the animal connected with that year. For example, the New Year may be called, 'The Year of the Horse" or 'The Year of the Dog." The Chinese lunar calendar, created in 2600 BC, has a 12-year cycle, and each year is associated with one of 12 animals on the Chinese calendar. The animals are the rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. It is said that when Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on the New Year, these twelve animals came, and he named a year for each one. People born in that year are said to embody the characteristics, both good and bad, of its animal. The animal for the year is honored and featured on posters and many other items during New Year's celebrations. Link: https://www.esolcourses.com/content/reading/advanced/graded-readers/chinese-new-year.html 1. ¿What does the Chinese expression “Gun Hay Fat Choy” mean?

In what century did Chinese immigrants bring their traditions to the United States?

How do people in China decorate the houses for the new year?

What do people in China write in red paper for the new year?

Why is the red color used for the new year?

Why do people in China use firecrackers in the new year?

What does the Chinese expression “Yuen Sui” mean?

What cities in the United States contain large Chinese populations?

Which of the following pairs of animals don’t belong to the Chinese calendar?

GRAMMAR TEST Read the following reading and fill in the blanks with the following options. The Grand Canyon, A wonderful place to visit Last year, about 6.5 million people visited the United States from overseas. Most visitors entered the country through one of the (1) [blank_start]___________[blank_end] cities New York, Boston, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco. Then, having landed in a city, the newcomers simply "stayed put," not realizing that the interior of the country offered travel opportunities of unusual beauty and interest. Did you (2) [blank_start]_____________[blank_end] that between Maine and California there (3) [blank_start]_______[blank_end] 41 national parks? Some parks cover thousands of acres. Each (4) [blank_start]_______[blank_end] its own distinctive scenery and character. If you like nature study, hiking, camping, bird-watching, clean air, quiet, or just getting away (5) [blank_start]_________[blank_end] the city, you will love the national parks. On the East Coast, for example, there is Acadia NATIONAL Park, Maine. It faces the Atlantic Ocean and has a long, rocky coastline. On the West Coast, in California, there are Yosemite, with majestic mountains, forests, and rivers; and Death Valley, with desert plants and animals. In between are enough national and state parks to satisfy every taste and interest: Cape Hatteras, North Carolina; Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee; Shenandoah, Virginia. Above all, there is the Grand Canyon, Arizona, that mighty chasm carved in the earth by the Colorado River. Visiting a national park need not to be expensive for overseas visitors, but (6) [blank_start]________[blank_end] require advance information and careful planning. Link: https://en.islcollective.com/preview/201109/f/grand-canyon-a-reading-comprehension-worksheet-reading-comprehension-exercises_9641_1.jpg

LISTENING TEST Watch and listen to the following video, then answer questions 11 to 16. The questions are multiple-choice answers, so listen and read carefully to choose the correct option. Link: https://youtu.be/PSTh80Aybjs ¿When was London established?

What was the Tower of London used years ago?

What can tourists see in the Tower of London?

In which tourist place in London can people find clothing stores?

What another tourist site in London was affected by the great fire and had to be rebuilt?

What design Christopher Wren?

WRITING TEST From questions 17 to 22 write the correct expression in the blank to complete the sentence, taking into account the verb in brackets highlighted at the end of each sentence. Example: Luis hasn't been talking on his cell phone all day, he has only been talking for two hours Maria [blank_start]___________[blank_end] the language since she was little, however, she continues to study it at university. (Study)

The bus is taking too long to arrive, and I [blank_start]_________________[blank_end] for 3 hours. (Wait)

The winter has lasted a long time, it [blank_start]_______________[blank_end] for almost 6 months. (Rain)

Andrés is our most loyal customer, he [blank_start]_______________[blank_end] our services today. (Use)

I have been in the hospital since last week because lately, I [blank_start]___________[blank_end] well. (Feel)

6. I [blank_start]____________[blank_end] hard for the exam today. I hope to get a good grade. (Study)