2) Find the words or phrases in the text which match the definitions below. The words are in the order that they appear in the text.

1. hit repeatedly with something hard

2. move around because you nothing else to do

3. drop or allow to fall

4. hidden corner

5. heavy material carried by a ship to make it steady

6. endanger

7. cloth wrapped round a corpse before burial

8. crazy

9. try to persuade by saying pleasant things which you do not mean

3) Choose the best answer.

1 According to the writer, his mother was (a) sensitive, (b) self-mocking, (c) self-conscious, (d) sensible

2 The writer implies that his mother (a) was not consistent in her behaviour, (b) behaved like a servant girl, (c) was too serious in her manner, (d) was high-handed in her treatment of others.

3 According to the writer, none of the children (a) realised at the time what their mother was trying to teach them, (b) gained anything from their mother's teaching, (c) had the patience to learn anything from their mother, (d) were taught a deep appreciation of nature by their mother.

4 On the whole, it seems as if his mother collected things because (a) she wanted to show them to the children's father, (b) they reminded her of her absent husband, (c) she was superstitious about losing things, (d) it was something she was addicted to.

5 The writer's main feeling when he remembers his mother is one of (a) bewilderment, (b) admiration, (c) irritation, (d) amusement.

4) Read the short extract and fill in the gaps with the words below. Say how mother raised Jessica.

The trouble was that Jessica had been brought up by a strong, clear-minded and independent woman and (1) ______________ with the expectation that she would be the same. This had meant that at the earliest (2) _________________she had been encouraged to fly the nest and (3) _________________her wings. At no time had she considered marriage or ever having children; the two things didn't (4) ________________ into her thinking. As a child there had been no bed-time stories of young girls being rescued by handsome princes. “Whatever you want to do,” her mother would say when kissing her goodnight, “believe you can do it and you will.” And more important than anything else, make sure you enjoy what you do. Which

might have (5) ________________ some children into becoming (6) __________________ achievers, but not Jessica.

What it did was convince her from an early age that whatever she did would be because she wanted to do it, and for no other reason.

1 A raised В grown С produced D reared

2 A occasion В possibility С opportunity D moment

3 A spread В open С flap D try

4 A come В go С move D get

5 A caused В provoked С incited D incensed

6 A great В tug С huge D high

5) Read the extract from a magazine article on the declining role of fathers in the family today and answer the questions below.

“A father is more than a male parent. Fathering a child is easy – being a father is not. Many people say that fathers no longer have a clear role in the family. They spend most of their time outside the home and never really get to know their children. Without models to follow, how can today's boys understand the concept of “being a father”? Are there no real fathers left?”

What role do you think fathers should play in a family today? Is it taking financial responsibility, feeding and clothing a child, teaching a child how to behave, or something different?