PRACTICE 2

Order the sentences so that they make a complete, coherent text.

TEXT 1

A. Fred entered his office, turned on the light and sat down at his desk.
B. He decided to buy it, and so he entered his credit card number onto the website.
C. He then read an online article about a new videogame for his console.
D. Following this, he clicked on the internet icon and navigated to his favourite website.
E. Then, he turned on his computer.
F. Once he had made the transaction, he received a purchase confirmation email.

Correct order:
A, (6) , (7) , (8) , (9) , (10) .

TEXT 2

A. In order for your flight to run smoothly, please take the following steps.
B. Next, go to departures, passing through security and showing your passport.
C. You must check in 24 hours before your flight by printing the details or an app.
D. The staff will take your luggage and check you details before sending you to security.
E. Upon arrival please go directly to the desk with your flight details and passport.
F. Now you can enjoy the shops and restaurants until your flight is called.

Correct order:
A, (11) , (12) , (13) , (14) , (15) .

To complete the task, you need to match four people's opinions (Person A-D) to seven questions.

COOKING

Four people respond in the comments section of an online magazine article about cooking.

Read their comments and answer the questions (1-7).

PERSON A
My mum showed me how to cook when I was a child, that's why I love cooking so much. She's an excellent cook and she taught me everything she knows. That's why I'm such a great chef! Everyone loves when I cook for them, and I do too, it completely relaxes me and makes me feel chilled out. On top of that, I feel great when people taste my food and compliment me, and it's an added bonus if I get to have a taste of it too.

PERSON B
I don't mind cooking, it's something I'm neither bad nor good at. I can make a few things really well, simple things like steak and chips or a roast dinner. Of course, I usually look for a recipe for this, it's the only way to make it taste right, and if you follow the instructions, it turns out perfectly! Also, you don't need to spend a lot of money on it, there are many cheap and tasty meals to make without spending a fortune.

PERSON C
I'm no master chef but someone once told me, that the key to being a good chef is all down to one thing: time management. Anyone can cook anything if they just learn how to keep track of time and pay attention. So I tried it at home, setting alarms and watching the clocks and it actually helped a lot. No more overcooked pasta for me! Of course, you need to have some idea of how to prepare a meal, a successful one for me is when it isn't burnt!

PERSON D
As a student, I learned how to make a lot of meals from absolutely nothing, which I think is a wonderful life lesson. I remember making dinner from a mixture of all types of ingredients, anything that was lying around in the fridge was cooked. It was always delicious. Nowadays, the only real difference is I have more money than back then so I can buy much better quality products. I always make a point of buying the best ingredients and I think that's what makes any meal good.

QUESTIONS

ANSWERS

(16)
(17)
(18)
(19)
(20)
(21)
(22)

To complete the task, you need to match 7 headings to the correct paragraphs in the text. Choose from the list (A-I) and match it to a paragraph (1-7). There is an extra sentence and an example given (0).

SONY PLAYSTATION

0. (EXAMPLE - E) The original console in the series was the first video game console to ship 100 million units, 9 years and 6 months after its initial launch. Its successor, the PlayStation 2, was released in 2000. The PlayStation 2 is the best-selling home console to date, having reached over 155 million units sold as of December 28, 2012. The PlayStation 3, was released in 2006 and has sold over 80 million consoles worldwide and Sony's latest console, the PlayStation 4, was released in 2013, selling 1 million consoles in its first 24 hours on sale, becoming the fastest-selling console in history.

1. The history of the PlayStation begins in 1988 as Sony and Nintendo were working together to develop the Super Disc. Nintendo was dominating computer gaming at that time and Sony had not yet entered the home video game market, but they were eager to make a move. By teaming with the market leader, they believed they had a good chance for success.

2. However, Nintendo decided to break the business deal with Sony, opting to use the electronics company Philips as a partner instead. The Super Disc was never actually introduced or used by Nintendo, but the breaking of the partnership infuriated Sony President Norio Ohio, who responded by developing the PlayStation project to compete against Nintendo's dominance.

3. Only 200 models of the first PlayStation (that could play Super Nintendo game cartridges) were ever manufactured by Sony. The original PlayStation was designed as a multi-media and multi-purpose entertainment unit. Besides being able to play Super Nintendo games, the PlayStation could play audio CDs and could read CDs with computer and video information. However, these prototypes were scrapped.

4. In 1994, the new PlayStation X (PSX) was released and was no longer compatible with Nintendo game cartridges as it only played CD-ROM based games. This was a smart move that soon made PlayStation the bestselling game console. Sony developed games in a 3D polygon graphics format which attracted new developers and partners such as Electronic Arts and Namco, who were excited about the 3D-capable, CD-ROM-based console as they were cheaper to manufacture than the old cartridges.

5. The original and iconic first console was a slim, gray unit and the PSX joy pad allowed far more control than the controllers of the Sega Saturn from Nintendo. Back in the mid-'90s, video game controllers weren't standardized as they are in today's market. There were no analogue sticks on the first PlayStation gamepad, and no vibration or rumble. The shape it took - a core component of all modern game controller design - was brand-new, and was considered a risk by the Sony leadership.

6. The PlayStation brand has a wide series of magazines, from across different continents, covering PlayStation related articles and stories. Many of these magazines work closely with Sony and thus often come with demo discs for PlayStation games. Currently there are a number of magazines still in circulation including PlayStation: The Official Magazine. However, over the years, many PlayStation magazines have spawned while a few have also become defunct.

7. In 2005, Australian newspaper The Age wrote an article about the PlayStation brand. Among the numerous interviews conducted with various people in the industry was an interview with Dr Jeffrey Brand, associate professor at Bond University who said, "PlayStation re-ignited our imagination with video games". Game designers called the brand "revolutionary — PlayStation has changed gaming, distribution, sales, image and more", while others said that "PlayStation is responsible for making playing games cool." As of 2015, PlayStation is the strongest selling console brand globally.

HEADINGS
A. Read about new games and releases
B. New format, new friends
C. A gadget with many uses
D. A profitable partnership
E. A series of best-sellers
F. Will it go down in history as the best?
G. Design risks are rewarded
H. Fondly remembered for changing the gaming world
I. From old friends to new rivals

ANSWERS

(23)
(24)
(25)
(26)
(27)
(28)
(29)