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Matrix Upper-Intermediate Tests

Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 Test 4 Test 5 Achievement Test 1 Test 6 Test 7 Test 8 Test 9 Test 10 Achievement Test 2

Test 2

Reading

1 Read the article and decide whether statements 1-7 are true or false according to the text. Write T or F in each box.

Happiness

Whatever anyone says, there doesn't appear to be any universal blueprint for happiness. While it is encouraging that happy people seem to have characteristics in common, the fact remains that one person's definition of heaven might be another's idea of hell.

Thus Person A might be happiest when she is stressed at work, dealing with problems and meeting deadlines, whilst Person B prefers other activities, spending her leisure time painting and travelling. Just to add to the confusion, happiness tends to be related to a particular situation at a particular time - a career choice, relationship or even an impulse buy that makes us happy one day might make us perfectly miserable the next.

Bearing this in mind, maybe it's time to loosen our grip on the fantasy of the perfect life and start concentrating on what we want - and what we've got. Far from being the ultimate goal, happiness might simply be the product of a fulfilled, centred life. Moreover, outward achievements are often less important than we think: whilst these achievements may impress other people, they may not make you happy. At the end of the day, how we choose to be happy is how we choose to be ourselves - once you have sorted that out the rest should fall into place.

Vocabulary

2 Complete these sentences using the correct form of the word in brackets.

1 Adam always talks______________about the future. (optimist)

2 When someone criticises you, it's easy to become very ______________. (defend)

3 If I don't get enough sleep, I feel very______________ the following day. (irritate)

4 Sometimes children feel by their _____________ friends to buy clothes they don't really like. (pressurise)

5 Jim was______________by the violence in the film he saw last nigh. (horrify)

6 I know it was wrong, but I felt ___________ of my friend's success. (resent)

7 I had a big ___________ with my best friend, but we've made it up now. (argue)

8 Lucy has always had a good_____________ with her brothers, even though they used to tease her. (relation)

9 My father has always believed that a good job is the key to a______________life. (meaning)

10 A trip to the UK or the US can be a good way of increasing the______________of students learning English. (motivate)

3 Choose the best answer, a, b, c or d, to complete the gaps in the text.

Steps to feeling happier!

Start to build up a new 1 __________ of yourself. Make a list of your 2_________ attributes - words like kind, generous, attentive. Then list your skills - things like playing the piano, great cook etc. Then say them out loud to yourself. Ask your most trusted friend for some encouraging statements about yourself. Keep a journal and 3______________all the good things that happen to you and good things that people say to you. Make a 4_____________decision to rid yourself of negative thoughts and to 5______________too much self-criticism. This will help you become more 6 _____________and _________ by events, ___________, you have a positive. When you do feel 7 ___________ don't panic. If you can keep 8 __________ better chance of getting through difficult times.

Grammar

4 Put each verb in brackets in the correct form (gerund or infinitive) to complete the text.

There has been quite a lot of research into the nature of happiness, and what we need ___________(do) to achieve it. Interestingly, it seems that money doesn't buy happiness. That is, a basic standard of material possessions is necessary to be happy, but if you keep on 2______________(add) to it, it doesn't seem to make much difference. 3______________ (feel) in control of your life or your job helps. Three out of five people who say they are in control say they are happy. So, how can you help yourself 4___________(be) happy? An American psychologist has been trying 5______________ (answer) this question for 20 years. He believes the key to happiness is something called 'the flow'. This is the state you are in when you are enjoying 6______________(do) something that completely absorbs you, when you are challenged but you can handle it. He started his research by 7______________(study) artists who became totally caught up in painting, but soon started to look at other groups of people. It didn't seem to matter if they were interested in 8______________ (read), fond of 9______________ (climb) or mad about (play) football. What they had in common was that they wanted 11_______ (follow) their pursuit for its own sake, not for any material reward.

5 Complete the text with a verb from the list below in the correct form.

When I was a child, I remember 1_______ an imaginary friend. Her name was Jill. My parents tell me that they needed 2______________her when they were discussing plans with me such as where we were going on holiday. My sister used to tease me about Jill, but she was very important to me. When I changed school, I tried 3______________about her, but she remained part of my life until I was about ten. My sister now has children of her own, and says she regrets 4_____________fun of me all those years ago.

Writing

6 Write a personal account (200-250 words) entitled:
The best or worst day of my life.

Include:
• how the day started
• what happened
• how you felt about it
• what happened at the end

Speaking

Negotiating: persuading and reaching a decision

Preparation time: 1 minute. Work in pairs.
You have about 2 minutes to reach an agreement:

Student A

• Suggest a short holiday together after your English course has finished.
• Try and persuade your partner to cancel his / her previous arrangement in order to come with you.
• If your partner definitely can't cancel, suggest an alternative time.
You speak first.

Student B

• Agree to your partner's suggestion of a holiday together but explain that you cannot go at that time. Say why.
• Explain why you cannot cancel your previous arrangement.
• Accept your partner's suggestion for an alternative time and say how you feel about the suggestion.

Wait for your partner to speak first.

Test 2 Answers

1 1T 2F 3T 4F 5T 6F 7T
2 1 optimistically 2 defensive 3 irritable / irritated
4 pressurised 5 horrified 6 resentful 7 argument
8 relationship 9 meaningful 10 motivation
3 1d 2b 3b 3a 4a 5a 6c 7d 8a
4 1 to do 2 adding 3 Feeling / To feel 4 to be
5 to answer 6 doing 7 studying 8 reading
9 climbing 10 playing 11 to follow
5 1 having 2 to include 3 to forget 4 making