English Exercises: Final test 2008 (Okruzno takmicenje 2008)

They made their camp about four meters from the river�s edge. It took a while to get the tent sorted out. Finally it was up with the lantern hanging from the entrance pole. The sun was slipping down behind the trees by now, and Kevin was looking forward to see beyond the next bend in the river. Jim insisted they build the fireplace before leaving the camp. Kevin only pretended to grumble. He liked the way Jim was organizing things. Jim seemed more experienced out here, bringing branches and stones, talking about wind direction and stuff.

They collected a great stack of wood and built a circle of stones, then took a couple of oranges and went off downstream. They kept close to the river, and soon noticed that the beaches were always on the inside of the curves and the cliffs always on the outer edge. Kevin was throwing stick in the river. He soon noticed that the current was much stronger on the outer side of each curve.

At six o�clock by Kev�s watch they turned back, side tracking here and there into the forest. Kevin didn�t like the bush as much as the river. It seems lonely, untidy, and one part looked about the same as any other. Jim did not think so, because, despite appearances, they were not really alone there; the forest was crowded with life. So he looked out for things all the time. �Look!� he shouted, and Kev turned around, frightened. He saw a goanna. They watched the strange creature, its tongue flicking as if tasting the air. �I prefer them to snakes!� Kevin giggled nervously.

It was amazing. The wood felt dry, yet it would not burn. When all the newspaper was gone, they added leaves and twigs until their eyes watered with smoke. Then Kevin had an idea: he poured kerosene into an empty Coke can, dashed the fuel on the fire and jumped back. Instant success. They kept adding drops of kerosene, just for the fun, until Jim noticed they had used half of their supply. They piled wood on, and soon they had a fire too hot for cooking. So they opened a can of beans, ate them cold with bread, followed by fruit cake and washed down more warm coke. That was when Jim remembered the trick of putting the cans in the river to keep them cool.

Choose the most appropriate answer (a, b, c or d) which you think fits best according to the text.

What did Kevin want to see after they had managed to put up their tent?

�� the camp fire built

�� the sun setting down behind the trees

�� further along the river

�� better organization by Jim

Why did Kevin giggle nervously?

�� He was startled by the goanna.

�� He preferred goannas to snakes

�� The goanna made him laugh

�� He thought it was a snake

�

Jim could be described as

�� capable of living in the forest

�� a weak person

�� an expert on camp fires

�� less organized than Kevin

How did the boys manage to light the fire?

�� With the can of Coke

�� By pouring kerosene on it

�� By burning half of their supplies

�� By burning newspaper, leaves and twigs

�

What did Kevin notice as he was throwing sticks in the river?

�� The water current was strong all along the river

�� The beaches were always on the outer edge of each curve

�� The river had a lot of sand

�� The river was more powerful on the outer side of each curve

They ate their beans cold because

�� they had a fire too hot

�� that�s the way they like them

�� the bread was cold, too

�� the fire had died out

�

What was Jim�s opinion of the bush?

�� It was a lonely place

�� It was a lot like the river

�� No part of it looked the same

�� It was full of living things

�

�8.�� What was the purpose of this extract?

�

�� To explain how the tent is sorted out.

�� To outline Jim�s life.

�� To inform us about an adventure in the bush.

�� To describe the sunset.

�