II.Fill in each blank with the correct word from the box. 1.English and Welsh are the two ______________languages of Wales. 2.Canada is rich in______________ such as zinc, nickel, lead and gold. 3.Australia is home to a variety of ______________animals, including the koala, kangaroo, emu, kookaburra and platypus. 4.Australia is a relatively______________ country with a high life expectancy. 5.The US is a ______________country with a multicultural society. 6.In Canada, the handshake should be firm and accompanied by direct eye contact and a ______________smile. 7.In Quebec, if you give wine, make sure it is of the highest ______________you can afford. 8.The American bald eagle was chosen as the national bird ______________of the United States in 1782. 9.Australian ______________do not vary from area to area like in many other countries. 10.In Singapore, the number of______________ speakers of English is still rising. III. READING COMPREHENSION 1. Read the text then choose the best answer. CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy in 1451. While spending most of his early years at sea, Columbus began to believe that he could find a shortcut to the Indies by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean. Unfortunately, the King of Portugal refused to finance such a trip, and Columbus was forced to present his idea to the King and Queen of Spain. In 1492, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella agreed to pay for his trip. They gave him a crew and three ships, the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria. Columbus sailed aboard the Santa Maria. The trip was long and hard. Many sailors grew restless and wanted to turn around. After two months at sea, land was finally sighted. The ships docked was on the island of Hispaniola. Columbus named the native people he saw "Indians”, because he believed he had found the shortcut he was looking for. In actuality, Columbus found North America, a brand new continent at that time. Columbus, however, couldn't be convinced. He died with the belief he had shortcut to Indies. Soon, however, other explorers and nations understood the importance of his discoveries. Columbus' discoveries set the stage for the Age of Exploration, one of the most fascinating and exciting times in world history. 1.Where was A Christopher Columbus born? A. The New World B. Portugal C. Spain D. Italy 2 Which is NOT true? A. Columbus was born in Italy. B. Columbus received three ships and a crew from the King and Queen of Spain. C. Columbus found a shortcut to the Indies. D. The journey across the Atlantic took two months. 3.Which of the following was NOT one of his ships? A. Nina B. Isabella C. Pinta D. Santa Maria 4. Why was Christopher Columbus very important? A. He believed he found a shortcut to the Indies. B. He first used the word "Indians". C. He discovered a whole new continent. D. He was one of the bravest explorers of all time. 2. Read the text again then fill in the blank with a suitable word or phrase from the text. 1.Columbus believed he could find a shortcut to the .______________ 2. The King of______________ refused to finance his trip. 3.In the year______________ , Columbus set sail. 4. What did Columbus name the native people he saw? .______________ IV. Complete the sentences with the appropriate present tense of the verbs in brackets. 1. Each of the 50 states _____________an official state flower so far. (adopt) 2. Since 1965, the maples tree with the leaves _________________themost well- known Canadian symbol. (become) 3. At present, the National Cherry Blossom Festival ______________in Washington, D.C. to celebrate spring’s arrival. (occur) 4. Maori ______________recognized as an official language of New Zealand since the Maori Language Act of 1987. (be) 5. Canada______________ made up of 10 provinces and 3 territories. (be) 6. Australia ______________a range of different landscapes, including urban areas, mountain ranges, desert and rain forests. (have) 7. Annually, the National Eisteddfod festival of Wales______________ place for eight days at the start of August. (take) 8. The Statue of Liberty______________ over 12 million immigrants entering the USA through New York Harbor since 1900. (welcome) V. Rewrite the sentences. 1.I have never read such a romantic story before. à This is ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2.We started cooking for the party four hours ago. à We have ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 3. I have never been to the ballet before. à It is …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4. John smoked cigarettes when he was a young man. à John used …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5. How long is it since they bought the house.