1. PRUEBA NACIONAL DE INGLÉS DE ADELANTO 2do BD
PERÍODO - MARZO 2009
Liceo Nº: MARKS
Group: WRITTEN TEST: / 60
Name: ORAL EXAM:
Date: FINAL MARK:
LISTENING COMPREHENSION
1) Fill in the blanks with the words you hear.
“You __________in amazing times, when anything is possible with all the _________ watching you. From country to
country, coast to coast in an event so big you can even see it from space. One man has delivered magical moments
__________over 80 years. It´s Oscar, the biggest movie event of the year ____________ by Hugh Jackman. Watch
the Oscars _________ Sunday Feb. 22nd at 8 ET (Eastern time) or 5 PT (Pacific time) on ABC”
/ 5 ( 1 each)
2) Listen to the second part and write T (True) or F (False)
1. Sid Ganis is the maximum authority of the Academy .
2. The nominations are announced in a ceremony at night.
3. Mr. Ganis is going to announce the nominees for best films alone.
/ 3 ( 1 each)
~1~

2. READING COMPREHENSION:
Read the following digital article and do the exercises that follow.
(Taken from BBC NEWS World Edition – News Front Page)
The Oscars´ chequered history
Part 1)
The Oscars are the pinnacle of the film awards season, pushing actors and film-makers´ profiles skywards as they
bask in the media spotlight.The star-studded ceremony is a glamour-
magnet, attracting the glitterati of the film world in droves as part of the
part of the spectacle.
But the awards are more than just a pat on the back for the film industry
- they are also a marketing dream, with the publicity they generate
boosting box offices sales and actors´ fees.
What we see now, however, is the evolution of a much more lowly affair
which began nearly eighty years ago.
Sam Mendes' “American Beauty” triumphed in 2000
3. Tick ( ) the best choice to answer these questions
1. What is the article about?
a) The history of the Oscars. b) 2009 Oscar ceremony. c) Biographies of Oscar winners.
2. What kind of ceremony is described in the passage?
a) A simple one. b) A spectacular one c) A not very elaborate one.
3. When did “American Beauty” win the Oscar to best film?
a) Ten years ago. b) Eight years ago. c) Nine years ago
4. How long have the Oscars been awarded in the film world?
a) Over a hundred years. b) Less than a hundred years. c) A hundred years.
5. Has the event changed along the years?
a) Yes . b) No. c) It doesn´t say.
6. Which industry or industries profit from the event?
a) The film industry. b) The film and the media industries. c) The media industry.
/ 6 (1 each)
4. As you continue reading the second part of the article number these paragraphs in the right
order. The first one has been done for you.
Part 2)
______The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was set up in 1927 in California as a
non-profit corporation, boasting 36 members chosen from film industry notables. Its aims included advancing the
arts and sciences of motion pictures, and fostering educational activities between the professional community and
the public.
_____ Over a decade later, they were broadcast on TV nationally in the US, with comedian and actor Bob Hope as
master of ceremonies, and in 1966 they were first shown in colour. Things have not always gone as planned,
however, with outside events occasionally leading to the big event being rescheduled.
_____ By 1940, the guests arriving for the ceremony could find out who had won and what by simply buying the
~2~

3. 8.45pm edition of the Los Angeles Times.
_____ Since then, the awards have always had broadcast coverage. There was little suspense over who had won,
however, as the winners were already known, newspapers were able to publish the results at 11pm on the night of
the awards.
_____ The first ceremony in 1929, gave out just fifteen statuettes. The ceremony was attended by two hundred and
fifty people who paid ten dollars a ticket. But it did not go under the full glare of the media until the following year
when a Los Angeles radio station did a live, one-hour broadcast.
/ 4 ( 1 each)
VOCABULARY
5. Read PART 1 of the article again. Then, circle the word in each trio below which is NOT related to the
other two in meaning.
1- a) Oscars b) profiles c) awards
2- a) glamour b) spectacle c) ceremony
3- a) pat b) marketing c) sales
4- a) now b) ago c) more
5- a) actors b) box offices c) film-makers
/ 5 (1 each)
6. These definitions correspond to words which appear in PART 2 of the text. Find these words
and write them on the corresponding line.
1- To create or start something like a business. --------------------------
2- Without the aim of making extra-money --------------------------
3- Encouraging something to develop. --------------------------
4- Changed the time at which something had been arranged to happen. ------------------------
5- The reporting of news and sports in newspapers and on the radio and TV.---------------------
6- With continuous attention from newspapers and television. ---------------------------
/ 6 (1 each)
LANGUAGE
7. Use the verb in brackets in the correct form to complete this part of the article.
The first ceremony..................................(TAKE) place eighty years ago, two years after the
Academy .................................(SET UP) in California. Since then, among many nominated people, Walt
Disney ......................................(WIN) the most Oscars so far and “Ben Hur”(1959) and
“Titanic”(1997) .........................................(RECEIVE) the most awards in only one year.
Every year lots of people all over the world .........................................(ENJOY) this amazing ceremony and hopefully
this success ......................................(CONTINUE) forever.
~3~

4. / 6 (1 each)
8. Finish the sentences with your own ideas about the topic.
As soon as winners are known, the media ....................................................................
1-
2- The Academy Awards Ceremony is one of......................................................................
3- Meryl Streep has been one of the most nominated actresses, ............................................?
4- If an actor is nominated, ........................................................................................
5- From this year´s nominated candidates and films, I .......................................................
/ 10 (2 each)
WRITING
9.Choose one of the following options to write about using between 80 and 120 words.
a) You have recently gone to the cinema to see one of the awarded films in the Oscars´ history. Write a
composition considering the following points:
• Brief description of the plot
• Description of the principal actors and their roles in the film
• Opinion on the film
• Whether you recommend the film or not
• Further comments
b) Uruguay has also a tradition of giving awards in different artistic areas, being carnival one of them. Write an
e-mail to a friend telling him/her about Carnival. Use the following points to guide your writing.
• Carnival as a festival
• How long it lasts, when it takes place
• Characters / people involved
• Prizes given and to whom
• Personal feelings towards carnival
• Further comments
~4~

5. / 15
~5~