1. Name Mark6 Unit Test
Optional Reading Read the text and answer the questions that follow.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
I Thor Freudenthall’s film adaptation of Jeff Kinney’s popular series of books, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, is amusing
and witty. It is not as good as the original books but it still raises important issues about what it means to be
a teenager.
II The film follows sixth-grader Greg Heffley as he starts middle school. Greg is the second-smallest kid in the class.
He has parents who don’t understand him and a teenage brother who makes fun of him. He also has a best friend,
Rowley, who has no idea of what it means to be “cool”. Greg decides that he must become popular with his
classmates. In order to achieve this, he tries to make Rowley change so that he will look cooler. While Greg thinks
of ways to make himself more popular, his friendship with Rowley suffers. Ultimately, Rowley becomes more
popular just by being himself and Greg learns an important life lesson.
III Zachary Gordon and Robert Capron are well cast as Greg and Rowley. Both actors look just like the uncool kids
they are supposed to be, while Devon Bostick is also great as Greg’s older brother.
IV Much of the success of the Wimpy Kid books comes from the fact that they are presented as diaries with blue lines
and blocky handwriting. In particular, Greg’s cartoons and drawings of his friends and classmates are an important
part of the books and helped to make them popular. Wisely, the film includes some of these drawings, which it
inserts at various points of the action. By including these graphics, the director reminds viewers, many of whom
are fans of the books, of the connection between the books and the films. In addition, the graphics help to describe
Greg’s emotions in a moving and amusing way.
V Adults watching the film may not be amused. They may find many of the comic scenes boring and unoriginal.
But the film is not aimed at them. Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a film about children, for children. And children will
love it!
1 Choose the correct answer. (2 x 3 = 6 points)
1. The reviewer believes that the film Diary of a Wimpy Kid … .
a. is better than the original books
b. does not deal with important issues
c. will not be popular with children
d. may not appeal to adults
2. According to the reviewer, the actors in the film are … .
a. bad
b. unconvincing
c. believable
d. disappointing
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2. 6 Unit Test
2 Decide if the following sentences are true (T) or false (F). Find evidence in the text to justify your answers.
(3 x 3 = 9 points)
…… 1. According to the reviewer, the film has nothing important to say.
.................................................................................................................................................
…… 2. Fans of the original books are not interested in seeing the film.
.................................................................................................................................................
…… 3. The reviewer thinks that it is not important that the film might be boring for adults.
.................................................................................................................................................
3 Complete the sentences. (2 x 3 = 6 points)
1. In the film, Greg learns that .............................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................................ .
2. The director chose to include graphics in the film so that fans of the original books .......................
........................................................................................................................................................ .
4 Find words or expressions in the text that mean: (4 x 1 = 4 points)
1. questions (paragraph I) ……………………
2. in the end (paragraph II) ……………………
3. puts in (paragraph IV) ……………………
4. directed (paragraph V) ……………………
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