Read the short passages to the right and choose the best phrase to fill the blanks. You must look for clues from the grammar and the meaning. Keep looking between the choices and the blanks to see if you can spot a fit. There is no need to find the answers in numerical order. There may be an option or two which do not need to be used at all. ; reading ; Paper 1a A Mt Everest, otherwise more romantically called Chomolungma or Sagarmatha, 1.___________, is the highest mountain in the world, and, in fact, is still growing as the Indian subcontinent collides with the Asian mainland, forcing the Himalayas ever upward. As soon as it was discovered to be the world's number one mountain in 1852, 2.___________.Tibet, however, was closed to outsiders until 1921 so there was no chance to try. The first attempt we know of was made in 1924 by George Mallory (3.___________ 'because it is there') and Andrew Irvine. They climbed out of sight and were never seen again, until in 1999 Mallory's body was found 4.___________. We have no idea whether he died on the way up or after having reached the top. Choose the right phrase for the above blanks: a) it became the greatest mountaineering challenge to climb it b) both of which make the mountain a goddess c) on the side of the mountain d) he said he wanted to climb it e) they all wanted to see it for themselves Looking at the blanks: 1) Cannot be a main clause as it is between the subject and main verb - so only (b) and (c) are possible. Sense and the need for 'both' to refer to two things will give you the answer. 2) The answer must be a main clause. There are no people in the opening clause so the pronouns 'he' or 'they' seem unsuitable. 3) The answer needs to be something that can be explained by the phrase 'because it is there'. The subject of the sentence is one man. 4) An adverb phrase is most likely - where, when, how, why it was found. The same process can be carried out from the options. E.g. for (c) we need the context of a place where something was/is, and for (d) a male speaker. B Climbing Everest is difficult and dangerous. There are sudden storms, 5. ___________, strong winds and far less oxygen than we are used to. As a result, thirteen more lives were lost 6.___________, until Edmund Hillary from New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay from Nepal first reached the peak in 1953. Since that time, over two thousand people have climbed Everest. People have climbed the mountain alone, 7.___________, and even skied down it. The youngest climber so far was 15 and the oldest 64. In some ways, climbing the mountain has become a tourist activity 8.___________some quite ordinary people have reached the top. However, they were probably rather foolish to try as there are still plenty of deaths. One expert says a climber has a one in eight chance of dying on either the way up or down - 9.___________. Choose the right phrase for the above blanks: a) climbed without oxygen tanks b) and with plenty of help from local guides c) very low temperatures d) inside their tents e) not very good odds f) over the next few decades C One problem caused by the number of climbers is that they leave their waste behind and in the icy conditions it is preserved 10. ___________with tents, climbing equipment, oxygen tanks, cans of food and even, of course, the bodies of those 11.___________. Clearly, 12.___________to prevent one of Earth's great marvels from becoming a dump. Perhaps we have to get over the attitude of climbing something 'because it is there', and learn to treasure the experience of getting close enough to see and 13. ___________, admiring its beauty without wanting to 'conquer' it. Choose the right phrase for the above blanks: a) if this is allowed to continue b) who died during the attempt c) enjoy the mountain from a distance d) so the mountainside is littered e) for the first time ever f) more controls are going to be needed Choose the best title for each paragraph: 1) Getting quite crowded 2) Everest in ancient times 3) Victory for the old 4) Early climbing history 5) No longer dangerous 6) Pollution! 7) Ban mountain climbing Answers 1. b, 2. a, 3. d, 4. c, 5. c, 6. f, 7.a, 8. b, 9. e, 10. d, 11. b, 12. f, 13. c Extra question: A. 4 B. 1 C. 6
