Nothing Ages Here

The wrinkled hand and that stranger face.
They haunt me. I begrudge that
Fleeting look at the unkind mirror of time.

More real are memories.
That do not age.
Doris Jean, long red curls
the first day at school.
Miss Kayland, long, long gone,
But she lives for me.
Crippled but beautiful to my memory’s eyes.
My first kiss – Gordon,
O so handsome Escort.
Red corsage on white knit –
Dark hair
And dancing feet.
Youth and the newness of
One’s breath.
Nothing ages here.
Nothing has wrinkles here.
Juliet, with gold crocheted capulet
And brocade gown – charade of gauze and lace
A drama that lives on and on.
I was she and Romeo wore blue –
Ah me!
Long gone are the way they were;
Nothing has wrinkles here.
Miss Bowers in Latin Class,
Jean Ann and I playing in her
Upstairs room.
Tom and his chartreuse Ford convertible
Ronnie with his flare for debate,
Barbara with her long blonde hair.
Mrs. Walton – big and broad and kind.
Irma whose man was in the Pacific
Eddie – the gorgeous neighbor boy
And the Millards – neighbors, friends, and family.
All are there – living on in memory
As they were then.

Goodbye Mirror – Memories
Never fading – never aging.
If memories do not fade
Do we?

I have trained myself to look beneath the eyelids of those I pass. The physical presence is more than the sum of the life. I resent my blindness when I see someone only as they now appear: old, fragile, crippled, alone --ah! yes, I have learned so much of life from those who appear all used up. Watch! They have the most to tell!

Sue Petrovski

KET Reading 6

KET Reading 6

Read the article about crocodiles.

Choose the best word (A, B or C) for each space.

For questions 28-35, mark A, B or C on your answer sheet.

CROCODILES

We can find crocodiles in tropical parts of (0) …………………….. world, for example Africa and Northern Australia.

They spend most of the time (28) …………………….. slow-moving water but they (29) …………………….. move fast through the water and on land.

You often see crocodiles together in large groups. They (30) …………………….. everything they catch, (31) …………………….. fish, birds and small animals. And sometimes they make a meal of large animals or even people.

There are (32) …………………….. than ten types of crocodiles. They all have very sharp teeth. They often lose (33) teeth, but soon get new ones.

Crocodiles are usually about 3.5 metres long, but some are much (34) …………………….. . crocodiles live (35) …………………….. a long time. The oldest one kept in a zoo was 66 years old.

28. A. in B. on C. at
29. A. are B. can C. have
30. A. eats B. eat C. ate
31. A. by B. like C. to
32. A. more B. most C. many
33. A. this B. that C. these
34. A. bigger B. big C. biggest
35. A. for B. since C. during

KET Reading 5

Read the article about Bill Bryson, a writer.

Are sentences 21-27 ‘right’ (A) or “Wrong’ (B)? If there is not enough information to answer ‘Right” (A) or ‘Wrong’ (B), choose ‘Doesn’t say’ (C).

For questions 21-27, mark A, B or C on your answer sheet.

Bill Bryson

I was born in the United States but I have written several travel books about England. I lived there with my wife and four children for 20 years, but for the last three years we have lived in the United States. Our children are now learning about life in the United States. I’m sure they will be happier because they have lived in two countries. I like Britain and I want to return, but my daughter, Felicity, is going to start college here soon, so it won’t be for another four years.

I have just been to England for six weeks to work on a radio programme about the English language and also to talk about the book I’ve just written. Most writers don’t like doing this; they don’t like traveling around the country, selling their book. I don’t mind it. I like visiting new places and meeting lots of people. It’s very different from the life I have in the United States when I’m writing. In England, people drove me around in big cars and I stayed in expensive hotels. It was good because I didn’t have to pay any bills. Everyone was kind to me and it was fun.

Example:

0. Bill has written about a country he has visited.

A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say. The answer is: A

21. Bill returned to the United States after living in England for a long time.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say.

22. Bill thinks it will be good for his children to live in more than one country.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say.

23 Bill’s daughter didn’t want to go to college in England.
A. Right. B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say.

24. Bill has just visited England to finish writing his new book.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say

25. Bill is happy with the things he has to do te sell his books.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say

26. Bill has traveled to many different places in the United States.
A. Right B. wrong C. doesn’t say

27. It cost Bill a lot of money to travel around England for six weeks.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say

KET Reading 4

KET Reading:

Receptionist: I’m afraid all our single rooms are full. How long do you want to stay?

Tom: 16. …………………………………………………..

Receptionist: I have a double room for 60 pounds.

Tom: 17. …………………………………………………..

Receptionist: I’m sure they’re full too. There are a lot of tourists in town at the moment.

Tom: 18. …………………………………………………..

Receptionist: I’m afraid the restaurant is closed. Breakfast starts at 7 tomorrow.

Tom: 19. …………………………………………………..

Receptionist: Your room must be empty by 12 o’clock. But you can put your luggage in reception.

Tom: 20. …………………………………………………..

Receptionist: Would you write your name in the book, please?

a. I see. Can I get something to eat in this hotel?
b. Would you show me the room?
c. I’m looking for a single room.
d. What time does it finish?
e. If I stay here, can I leave my suitcase in my room tomorrow afternoon?
f. That’s rather expensive. Are there any other hotels near here?
g. Just for one night.
h. OK. I’ll take the room.

Hi,

It's a good blog and its name is very beautiful.
This blog is very useful for me, specially KET readings. I want to solve them and read other readings in this.

These days, my lessons become very hard because in my course(computer hardware), we must imagine what happen in a computer and in computer-base world every thing is 0 and 1, and we must convert to 0 and 1 anything that we want to tell it.
I'm in the third year of university, next year I will finish university and I must give a project to my professor, if he accepts it I will get BA.

I hope that I can improve my english in this year because I need it a lot.
Thank you for interesting and useful blog. I thank Sue too because of her helps.

Faranak

KET Reading 3

complete the five conversations.
For questions 11-15, mark A, B or C on your answer sheet.

11. Are you sure the match starts at two?

a. It started well.
b. It’s all right.
c. I think so.

12. I saw the new Spielberg film last night.

a. Did I go?
b. Has he come?
c. Was it good?

13. How did the accident happen?

a. I can’t go there.
b. I didn’t see it.
c. I don’t know how to.

14. Hello, I’d like to speak to Mr. Green, - please.

a. Sorry, can you say that again?
b. I’m sorry, I’ll call again later.
c. I’m afraid I don’t know.

15. May I leave now?

a. When we’ve finished.
b. Until tomorrow.
c. I don’t agree.

KET Reading 2

Read the sentences about cooking a meal.
Choose the best word (A, B or C) for each space.
For questions 6-10, mark A, B or C on your answer sheet.

Example:

0. Last week, Louise ............... some friends at her new school.
a. made b. started c. played. The correct answer is: a

6. She ............... all of them to dinner at her house on Saturday evening.
a. phoned b. invited c. said

7. Loise wrote the things she needed to buy for the meal on a ............... of paper.
a. piece b. slice c. part

8. She was ............... on Saturday morning so she went shopping in the afternoon.
a. full b. busy c. difficult

9. Loise ............... two hours cooking the meal.
a. waited b. spent c. passed

10. When the meal was ............... , everyone sat down to eat.
a. right b. sure c. ready

KET Reading 1

Reading
Part 1

Which notice (A-H) says this (1-5)?

1. These cost less than usual.
2. This is a bad time to be ill.
3. Be careful where you put this.
4. You will need to take a heavy sweater or jacket with you.
5. You willnot be able to wash yourself here for a few days.

a. Keep this medicine away from children.
b. Check your holiday insurance now – before you go away.
c. Sorry! No shower in the sports center this week.
d. Dr. Jenkins is on holiday until Friday.
e. Today: Day trip to the mountains wear something warm!
f. Car Wash – 4 pounds: We’ll make it look like new.
g. All our winter holidays – 25% cheaper
h. We buy and sell second-hand clothes.

Learning through poetry

For me the the most wonderful part of learning English has always been the delightful journey I have taken through the English and American literatures. Poets, in my view, have written the best books for learning any new language. The following poem is from the great American poet Rober Frost. Do we have to know a lot of English to immerse our hearts in the immense beauty of the following poem and learn from it?


Judge for yourself:

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

CPE Listening, Page 28, Part 2

text to be added later