Insight Upper Unit 1

Reading

1 Read the text. Choose the correct answer :

The voyage of a lifetime

As the plane landed in Saint Lucia, I had no idea of the enormity of the challenge I had taken on. Having worked solidly for three months prior to my flight in order to raise funds, I thought I might now get the chance to take it easy for a bit. I mean, there was sun, palm trees and clear blue water. It seemed as far away from hard work as I could imagine. This thought couldn’t have been further from the truth.

I had been selected as one of twenty-one trainees to participate in a three-month transatlantic voyage from the Caribbean to the UK. Although a few were in their twenties, at only eighteen years of age and full of optimism and excitement, I was fairly typical of the kind of trainee aboard the forty-metre sail training ship. The first thing the permanent crew had to do was to demonstrate how we were going to successfully get the ship back to the UK. Those who had sailing experience had a lot to learn. Those who hadn’t, like myself, were few in number and had an even greater challenge!

With this in mind, there was no time to lose. We were immediately sent up the masts to take down the sails, which meant anyone with a fear of heights had to get over it pretty quickly. Twenty-five metres might not seem that high in the calm seas off the local beaches, but it would prove to be very different in the middle of the Atlantic, when we would have to cope with gale force winds as well. Next was taking orders from the chef. Peeling potatoes for thirty is not the most stimulating job, but it is one of the most vital. Anyone who works outdoors knows how much a good meal is appreciated. Initially we must have been a hindrance rather than a help, but day by day we learned to overcome obstacles like homesickness and fatigue, and became an efficient, supportive unit.

Naturally, living together in such a small area demands tolerance. Most trainees shared a sleeping area with a dozen others, the private cabins being reserved for permanent crew. Although privacy was an issue, the ability to sleep rarely was. We were put into teams of six and had a rota of four-hour shifts which ensured the boat kept moving towards our destination twenty-four hours a day.

Having been at sea without setting foot on dry land for a fortnight, it came as a massive blow that we would be unable to stop at Flores, an island in the middle of the Atlantic, because of a violent storm. It was simply too risky. We wouldn’t get to the neighbouring island until the following day. Everyone turned their disappointment into a single-mindedness to reach it as quickly as possible.

After three months at sea, I felt a mixture of emotions as my family rushed to greet me at Southampton. It truly had been a character-building experience and I wasn’t ready to hang up my deck shoes. It was with a heavy heart, then, that twenty years later, I learned that the boat, named Astrid, was no more. She sank off the coast of Ireland in rough seas in July 2013. Thankfully, no one was hurt, and her memory will live on in the hundreds of teenagers who had the chance to be part of her adventure.

• When the writer landed in St Lucia, she felt

  she deserved a holiday

• energized and ready to work.

• worried about what lay ahead.

• overwhelmed by the surroundings.

Reading

1 Read the text. Choose the correct answer :

The voyage of a lifetime

As the plane landed in Saint Lucia, I had no idea of the enormity of the challenge I had taken on. Having worked solidly for three months prior to my flight in order to raise funds, I thought I might now get the chance to take it easy for a bit. I mean, there was sun, palm trees and clear blue water. It seemed as far away from hard work as I could imagine. This thought couldn’t have been further from the truth.

I had been selected as one of twenty-one trainees to participate in a three-month transatlantic voyage from the Caribbean to the UK. Although a few were in their twenties, at only eighteen years of age and full of optimism and excitement, I was fairly typical of the kind of trainee aboard the forty-metre sail training ship. The first thing the permanent crew had to do was to demonstrate how we were going to successfully get the ship back to the UK. Those who had sailing experience had a lot to learn. Those who hadn’t, like myself, were few in number and had an even greater challenge!

With this in mind, there was no time to lose. We were immediately sent up the masts to take down the sails, which meant anyone with a fear of heights had to get over it pretty quickly. Twenty-five metres might not seem that high in the calm seas off the local beaches, but it would prove to be very different in the middle of the Atlantic, when we would have to cope with gale force winds as well. Next was taking orders from the chef. Peeling potatoes for thirty is not the most stimulating job, but it is one of the most vital. Anyone who works outdoors knows how much a good meal is appreciated. Initially we must have been a hindrance rather than a help, but day by day we learned to overcome obstacles like homesickness and fatigue, and became an efficient, supportive unit.

Naturally, living together in such a small area demands tolerance. Most trainees shared a sleeping area with a dozen others, the private cabins being reserved for permanent crew. Although privacy was an issue, the ability to sleep rarely was. We were put into teams of six and had a rota of four-hour shifts which ensured the boat kept moving towards our destination twenty-four hours a day.

Having been at sea without setting foot on dry land for a fortnight, it came as a massive blow that we would be unable to stop at Flores, an island in the middle of the Atlantic, because of a violent storm. It was simply too risky. We wouldn’t get to the neighbouring island until the following day. Everyone turned their disappointment into a single-mindedness to reach it as quickly as possible.

After three months at sea, I felt a mixture of emotions as my family rushed to greet me at Southampton. It truly had been a character-building experience and I wasn’t ready to hang up my deck shoes. It was with a heavy heart, then, that twenty years later, I learned that the boat, named Astrid, was no more. She sank off the coast of Ireland in rough seas in July 2013. Thankfully, no one was hurt, and her memory will live on in the hundreds of teenagers who had the chance to be part of her adventure.

Training in the Caribbean

• taught everyone the importance of team work.

• made even the most boring job seem interesting.

• meant that trainees could gradually overcome their fears.

• was difficult because of the weather conditions they experienced.

Reading

1 Read the text. Choose the correct answer :

The voyage of a lifetime

As the plane landed in Saint Lucia, I had no idea of the enormity of the challenge I had taken on. Having worked solidly for three months prior to my flight in order to raise funds, I thought I might now get the chance to take it easy for a bit. I mean, there was sun, palm trees and clear blue water. It seemed as far away from hard work as I could imagine. This thought couldn’t have been further from the truth.

I had been selected as one of twenty-one trainees to participate in a three-month transatlantic voyage from the Caribbean to the UK. Although a few were in their twenties, at only eighteen years of age and full of optimism and excitement, I was fairly typical of the kind of trainee aboard the forty-metre sail training ship. The first thing the permanent crew had to do was to demonstrate how we were going to successfully get the ship back to the UK. Those who had sailing experience had a lot to learn. Those who hadn’t, like myself, were few in number and had an even greater challenge!

With this in mind, there was no time to lose. We were immediately sent up the masts to take down the sails, which meant anyone with a fear of heights had to get over it pretty quickly. Twenty-five metres might not seem that high in the calm seas off the local beaches, but it would prove to be very different in the middle of the Atlantic, when we would have to cope with gale force winds as well. Next was taking orders from the chef. Peeling potatoes for thirty is not the most stimulating job, but it is one of the most vital. Anyone who works outdoors knows how much a good meal is appreciated. Initially we must have been a hindrance rather than a help, but day by day we learned to overcome obstacles like homesickness and fatigue, and became an efficient, supportive unit.

Naturally, living together in such a small area demands tolerance. Most trainees shared a sleeping area with a dozen others, the private cabins being reserved for permanent crew. Although privacy was an issue, the ability to sleep rarely was. We were put into teams of six and had a rota of four-hour shifts which ensured the boat kept moving towards our destination twenty-four hours a day.

Having been at sea without setting foot on dry land for a fortnight, it came as a massive blow that we would be unable to stop at Flores, an island in the middle of the Atlantic, because of a violent storm. It was simply too risky. We wouldn’t get to the neighbouring island until the following day. Everyone turned their disappointment into a single-mindedness to reach it as quickly as possible.

After three months at sea, I felt a mixture of emotions as my family rushed to greet me at Southampton. It truly had been a character-building experience and I wasn’t ready to hang up my deck shoes. It was with a heavy heart, then, that twenty years later, I learned that the boat, named Astrid, was no more. She sank off the coast of Ireland in rough seas in July 2013. Thankfully, no one was hurt, and her memory will live on in the hundreds of teenagers who had the chance to be part of her adventure.

One of the difficulties of life at sea for the trainees was

• moving from team to team.

• dealing with the lack of privacy.

• staying awake throughout the night.

• getting some sleep when they had the chance.

Reading

1 Read the text. Choose the correct answer :

The voyage of a lifetime

As the plane landed in Saint Lucia, I had no idea of the enormity of the challenge I had taken on. Having worked solidly for three months prior to my flight in order to raise funds, I thought I might now get the chance to take it easy for a bit. I mean, there was sun, palm trees and clear blue water. It seemed as far away from hard work as I could imagine. This thought couldn’t have been further from the truth.

I had been selected as one of twenty-one trainees to participate in a three-month transatlantic voyage from the Caribbean to the UK. Although a few were in their twenties, at only eighteen years of age and full of optimism and excitement, I was fairly typical of the kind of trainee aboard the forty-metre sail training ship. The first thing the permanent crew had to do was to demonstrate how we were going to successfully get the ship back to the UK. Those who had sailing experience had a lot to learn. Those who hadn’t, like myself, were few in number and had an even greater challenge!

With this in mind, there was no time to lose. We were immediately sent up the masts to take down the sails, which meant anyone with a fear of heights had to get over it pretty quickly. Twenty-five metres might not seem that high in the calm seas off the local beaches, but it would prove to be very different in the middle of the Atlantic, when we would have to cope with gale force winds as well. Next was taking orders from the chef. Peeling potatoes for thirty is not the most stimulating job, but it is one of the most vital. Anyone who works outdoors knows how much a good meal is appreciated. Initially we must have been a hindrance rather than a help, but day by day we learned to overcome obstacles like homesickness and fatigue, and became an efficient, supportive unit.

Naturally, living together in such a small area demands tolerance. Most trainees shared a sleeping area with a dozen others, the private cabins being reserved for permanent crew. Although privacy was an issue, the ability to sleep rarely was. We were put into teams of six and had a rota of four-hour shifts which ensured the boat kept moving towards our destination twenty-four hours a day.

Having been at sea without setting foot on dry land for a fortnight, it came as a massive blow that we would be unable to stop at Flores, an island in the middle of the Atlantic, because of a violent storm. It was simply too risky. We wouldn’t get to the neighbouring island until the following day. Everyone turned their disappointment into a single-mindedness to reach it as quickly as possible.

After three months at sea, I felt a mixture of emotions as my family rushed to greet me at Southampton. It truly had been a character-building experience and I wasn’t ready to hang up my deck shoes. It was with a heavy heart, then, that twenty years later, I learned that the boat, named Astrid, was no more. She sank off the coast of Ireland in rough seas in July 2013. Thankfully, no one was hurt, and her memory will live on in the hundreds of teenagers who had the chance to be part of her adventure.

The trainees were able to

• deal with having little privacy.

• choose who they worked with.

• sleep well despite the conditions

• take a rest whenever they wanted

When the Astrid sank off the coast of Ireland, the writer felt

• shocked.

• annoyed

• sad

• anxious

Complete the text with the correct words .

Chuck Close

The American portrait painter Chuck Close was five when his father ________ him an easel for Christmas. He has been painting ever since.

• was making

• made

• had made

• has made

Up until the 1980s he ________ a successful career. However, in 1988, whilst attending an award ceremony in New York, he was dealt a major blow. He collapsed, unable to move his body. A spinal illness had left him paralysed.

• was enjoying

• enjoys

• had been enjoying

• has been enjoying

Determined to ________ this obstacle, Close ________ he would continue painting by holding a brush in his mouth.

• fight

• overcome

• was deciding

• decided

This meant the technique he had been used to would have to change. Although he ________ some movement since then, he has been unable to create the photographic accuracy of his previous work.

• regained

• has been regaining

• is regaining

• has regained

He now divides his paintings into segments. This ________ technique is a clear symbol of his self-preservation and a ________ way of continuing to use his unique style

• innovative

• degenerative

• clever

• compassionate