Ex Poser Extensive Reading

ENGLISH TEST 8th Grade/level 4

There are two rich kids in our form. Sandra Morris and Ben Fox. They are both snobs. They think they are too good for the rest of us. Their parents have big cars and big houses. Both of them are quiet. They keep to themselves. I guess they don’t want to mix with the ruffians like me.

Ben Fox always wears expensive gym shoes and the latest fashions. He thinks he is good-looking with his blue eyes and blond hair. He is a real poser. Sandra Morris is the same. And she knows it. Blue eyes and blonde hair too. Skin like silk. Why do some kids get the best of everything? Me, I landed pimples. I’ve used everything I can on them. But still they bud and grow and burst. Just when you don’t want them to. It’s not fair. Anyway, today I have the chance to even things up. Boffin is bringing along his latest invention – a lie detector. Sandra Morris is the victim.

She agreed to try it out because everyone knows that she would never tell a lie. What she doesn’t know is that Boffin and I are going to ask her some very embarrassing questions. Boffin is a brain. His inventions always work. He is smarter than the teachers. Everyone knows that. And now he has brought a long his latest effort. A lie detector. He tapes two wires to Sandra’s arm. “It doesn’t hurt,” he says. “But it is deadly accurate. ”

He switches on the machine and a little needle swings into the middle of the dial. “Here’s a trial question,” he says. “Are you a girl? ” Sandra nods. You have to say yes or no,” he says. “Yes,” replies Sandra. The needle swings over to TRUTH. Maybe this thing really works. Boffin gives a big grin. “This time tell a lie. ” says Boffin. “Are you a girl? ” he asks again. Sandra smiles with that lovely smile of hers. “No,” she says.

A little laugh goes up but then all the kids in the room gasp. The needle points to LIE. This lie detector is a terrific invention! “OK,” says Boffin. “You only have seven questions, David. The batteries will go flat after another seven questions. ” He sits down behind his machine and twiddles the knobs.

This is going to be fun. I am going to find out a little bit about Sandra Morris and Ben Fox. It’s going to be very interesti ng. Very interesting indeed. I ask my first question. “Have you ever kissed Ben Fox? ” Sandra goes red. Ben Fox goes red. I have got them this time. I am sure they have something going between them. I will expose them. “No,” says Sandra. Everyone cranes their neck to see what the lie detector says. The needle points to TRUTH.

This is not what I expected. And I only have six questions left. I can’t let her off the hook. I am going to expose them both. Have you ever held his hand? ” Again she says, “No. ” And the needle says TRUTH. I am starting to feel guilty. Why am I doing this? I try another tack. “Are you in love? ” I ask. A red flush starts to crawl up her neck. I am feeling really mean now. Fox is blushing like a sunset. “Yes,” she says. The needle points to TRUTH I shouldn’t have let the kids talk me into doing this. I decide to put Sandra and Ben out of their agony.

I won’t actually name him. I’ll spare her that. “Is he in this room? ” I say. She looks at the red Ben Fox. “Yes,” she says. The needle points to TRUTH. “Has he got blue eyes? I ask. “No,” she says. “Brown? ” I say. “No,” she says again. I don’t know what to say next. I look at each kid in the class very carefully. Ben Fox has blue eyes.

I was sure that she loved him. “This thing doesn’t work,” I say to Boffin. “I can’t see one kid who doesn’t have either blue eyes or brown eyes. ” “We can” says Boffin. They are all looking at me. I can feel my face turning red now. I wish I could sink through the floor but I get on with my last question. “Is he an idiot? ” I ask. Sandra is very embarrassed. “Yes,” she says in a voice that is softer than a whisper. And he has green eyes. ” I – READING-COMPREHENSION A – Say if the following statements are true (T) or false (F).

Quote from the text to justify your answer.

1. Sandra and Ben Fox are upper class children. ________
2. Sandra and Ben are very talkative and extrovert kids. ________
3. Sandra has skin problems. ________
4. Boffin bought a lie detector. _______

B – Match the sentences with the words (write the numbers inside the squares) SENTENCES WORDS KEY

1. form (line 1) 1 a) direction
2. ruffians (line 3) 2 b) wide smile
3. pimples (line 7) 3 c) sound made by surprised person
4. burst (line 7) 4 d) class
5. grin (line 18) 5 e) convince me
6. Gasp (line 20) 6 f) badly behaved people
7. Tack (line 32) 7 g) explode
8. Talk me into (line 35) 8 h) spots on skin C –

Read the following statements and find synonymous expressions in the text.

1. David has an opportunity to revenge himself. _______
2. The lie detector is extremely correct. ________
3. David wants to humiliate Sandra and Ben in public. ________
4. David is certain that Sandra and Ben are having an affair. _______
5. David can’t make it easy for Sandra. ________

D – Give complete answers to these questions on the text.

1. What is David’s opinion about Ben and Sandra? ________
2. How does David describe himself? _________

3. Do you think David has a high self-esteem? Quote two sentences from the text to justify your answer. ________

4. Why did Sandra agree to try the lie detector? ________

5. “Sandra smiles with that lovely smile of hers” (line 20). Comment on this sentence. ________

6. “I wish I could sink through the floor” (line 45). How was David feeling at this point of the story? _______

II – LANGUAGE FUNCTION A – Complete with FOR or SINCE.

• ________ two years

• 2. ________ two weeks

• 5. ________ one year

• . ________ last year

• 3. ________ six months

• 6. ________ 1999

• 8. ________ yesterday

• 4. ________ August

B – Choose the correct option and write the corresponding letter in the blanks.

• 1) He _____ there when he was a child.

• 6) I _____ her since last year. a) has lived a) haven’t seen b) lived b) didn’t see

• 2) They _____ a few minutes ago.

• 7) She _____ ill since Thursday. a) Left a) Was b) b) have left b) has been

• 3) I _____ the project last night.

• 8) _____ to Rome?

a) have finished a) Did you ever go b) finished b) Have you ever been

• 4) I can’t get into my house because I _____ my keys.

• ) It stinks in here; someone _____ smoking. a) Lost a) Was b) have lost b) has been

• 5) I _____ up smoking last year.

• 10) I’ve known her since we _____ at school together. a) Gave a) Were b) have given b) have been

C – Complete with the PRESENT PERFECT or the SIMPLE PAST.

David ______

1. (have) pimples sice he was eleven and he _______

2. (try) everything he can on them, but they _______

3. (not disappear) for three years. In the past, when he ________

4. (be) younger, his skin ________

5. (not have) any pimples and it _______

6. (look) like silk.

D – Look at Barry’s plans for the weekend and form sentences about what he’s going to do. Use the expressions in the box.

• listen to music
• play chess
• go on a picnic
• clean the house
• go cycling
• cook a meal

E – Read these sentences and choose the most appropriate answer.

1. I’m so excited! I … my new dress on Friday night!
2. Poor little thing! Look at her face. She …. a) am going to wear a) are going to cry b) will wear b) is going to cry c) won’t wear c) will cry
3. You should have brought your umbrella. Look at those dark clouds! It … a) isn’t going to rain b) is going to rain c) will rain
4. -“Ben is ill”. – “Is he? I … him tonight. ”
5. My cousins … their holidays in London. I wish I could go with them! a) will spend b) won’t spend c) are going to spend
6. Tomorrow we … our old friend Michael in town. We’re so excited! a) aren’t going to meet b) are going to meet c) will meet
7. I hope Caroline likes Robert Redford. I … her to the cinema. a) are going to invite b) am going to invite c) will invite
8. I can’t walk home. I … a taxi. a) am going to call b) will call c) won’t call a) will take b) won’t take c) am going to take

F – Read the dialogue below and fill in with the correct form of the future . Bryce: What _______(you/do) today? Diana: I _____(clean) my room. It’s a mess. Bryce: Oh, but we have an exam on Monday. ________(you/not study)?

Diana: Yeah, I know… but I promised my mum. Oh dear, what shall I do? Well, I _______(try) to talk to her. Bryce: Wait! I _______(help) you clean your room and then we can study together. What do you say? Diana: ______(you/do) that for me? Bryce: Of course! What are friends for? Diana: Oh that’s really nice of you!

III – WRITTEN PRODUCTION Write a short summary of the story “Ex Poser”.