Reading test ( 8 grade )

For each question, choose the correct answer.

Beth Jones was only eight years old when she first tried playing the drums. This was during a lunchtime music club at school, which she only went to because it was cold and rainy. Also her friends were in the playground playing hockey – a sport that Beth hated. Of all the musical instruments that the teacher had in the music room, the drums were the most interesting to Beth. She thought it was cool that there were many different shapes and sizes of drums, and she wanted to hit them, to see what they sounded like.

Now Beth is thirteen and gives concerts around the country. She also has her own YouTube channel and gets over a million hits a year. What’s amazing is that Beth hasn’t ever been to a drum lesson. ‘You can learn anything on the internet, so I’ve never felt it was important for me to take classes,’ explains Beth.

Giving concerts wasn’t easy for Beth at the beginning because usually she only played drums alone in her bedroom when she came home from school. At her first concert, she played in a band with adults. She could feel hundreds of pairs of eyes looking at her, and that made her feel frightened.

So, does Beth enjoy being famous now? ‘I didn’t plan to be famous,’ she says. ‘All I want is to show others what I love. I don’t think I’m someone special. I just want everyone to have a great time at my concerts.’

1. Why did Beth go to the music club at her school?

Beth Jones was only eight years old when she first tried playing the drums. This was during a lunchtime music club at school, which she only went to because it was cold and rainy. Also her friends were in the playground playing hockey – a sport that Beth hated. Of all the musical instruments that the teacher had in the music room, the drums were the most interesting to Beth. She thought it was cool that there were many different shapes and sizes of drums, and she wanted to hit them, to see what they sounded like.

Now Beth is thirteen and gives concerts around the country. She also has her own YouTube channel and gets over a million hits a year. What’s amazing is that Beth hasn’t ever been to a drum lesson. ‘You can learn anything on the internet, so I’ve never felt it was important for me to take classes,’ explains Beth.

Giving concerts wasn’t easy for Beth at the beginning because usually she only played drums alone in her bedroom when she came home from school. At her first concert, she played in a band with adults. She could feel hundreds of pairs of eyes looking at her, and that made her feel frightened.

So, does Beth enjoy being famous now? ‘I didn’t plan to be famous,’ she says. ‘All I want is to show others what I love. I don’t think I’m someone special. I just want everyone to have a great time at my concerts.’

2. What is the writer explaining in the first paragraph?

Beth Jones was only eight years old when she first tried playing the drums. This was during a lunchtime music club at school, which she only went to because it was cold and rainy. Also her friends were in the playground playing hockey – a sport that Beth hated. Of all the musical instruments that the teacher had in the music room, the drums were the most interesting to Beth. She thought it was cool that there were many different shapes and sizes of drums, and she wanted to hit them, to see what they sounded like.

Now Beth is thirteen and gives concerts around the country. She also has her own YouTube channel and gets over a million hits a year. What’s amazing is that Beth hasn’t ever been to a drum lesson. ‘You can learn anything on the internet, so I’ve never felt it was important for me to take classes,’ explains Beth.

Giving concerts wasn’t easy for Beth at the beginning because usually she only played drums alone in her bedroom when she came home from school. At her first concert, she played in a band with adults. She could feel hundreds of pairs of eyes looking at her, and that made her feel frightened.

So, does Beth enjoy being famous now? ‘I didn’t plan to be famous,’ she says. ‘All I want is to show others what I love. I don’t think I’m someone special. I just want everyone to have a great time at my concerts.’

3. What does Beth say about drum lessons?

Beth Jones was only eight years old when she first tried playing the drums. This was during a lunchtime music club at school, which she only went to because it was cold and rainy. Also her friends were in the playground playing hockey – a sport that Beth hated. Of all the musical instruments that the teacher had in the music room, the drums were the most interesting to Beth. She thought it was cool that there were many different shapes and sizes of drums, and she wanted to hit them, to see what they sounded like.

Now Beth is thirteen and gives concerts around the country. She also has her own YouTube channel and gets over a million hits a year. What’s amazing is that Beth hasn’t ever been to a drum lesson. ‘You can learn anything on the internet, so I’ve never felt it was important for me to take classes,’ explains Beth.

Giving concerts wasn’t easy for Beth at the beginning because usually she only played drums alone in her bedroom when she came home from school. At her first concert, she played in a band with adults. She could feel hundreds of pairs of eyes looking at her, and that made her feel frightened.

So, does Beth enjoy being famous now? ‘I didn’t plan to be famous,’ she says. ‘All I want is to show others what I love. I don’t think I’m someone special. I just want everyone to have a great time at my concerts.’

4. What do we learn about Beth’s first concert?

Beth Jones was only eight years old when she first tried playing the drums. This was during a lunchtime music club at school, which she only went to because it was cold and rainy. Also her friends were in the playground playing hockey – a sport that Beth hated. Of all the musical instruments that the teacher had in the music room, the drums were the most interesting to Beth. She thought it was cool that there were many different shapes and sizes of drums, and she wanted to hit them, to see what they sounded like.

Now Beth is thirteen and gives concerts around the country. She also has her own YouTube channel and gets over a million hits a year. What’s amazing is that Beth hasn’t ever been to a drum lesson. ‘You can learn anything on the internet, so I’ve never felt it was important for me to take classes,’ explains Beth.

Giving concerts wasn’t easy for Beth at the beginning because usually she only played drums alone in her bedroom when she came home from school. At her first concert, she played in a band with adults. She could feel hundreds of pairs of eyes looking at her, and that made her feel frightened.

So, does Beth enjoy being famous now? ‘I didn’t plan to be famous,’ she says. ‘All I want is to show others what I love. I don’t think I’m someone special. I just want everyone to have a great time at my concerts.’

5 What do we learn about Beth in the final paragraph?

Read the text and the statements to it. Write if the statements are true or false.

Most of Britain’s most popular newspapers are tabloids. These include The Sun, The Mirror, The Express and The Daily Mail. Although some tabloids are serious newspapers and the broadsheets also have tabloid editions, many people talk about tabloid journalism or the tabloid press to refer to a type of a newspaper that contains many articles about music, sport and famous people, and less serious news, and is often insulting to women and people from other countries. The word «tabloid» is less widely used in the USA, where most of the important national newspapers are of a regular size. The best-known US tabloid, which uses short articles and large photographs, is the New York Daily News. Serious tabloids include the Chicago Sun-Times.

Tabloids are rather popular in Britain.

Most of Britain’s most popular newspapers are tabloids. These include The Sun, The Mirror, The Express and The Daily Mail. Although some tabloids are serious newspapers and the broadsheets also have tabloid editions, many people talk about tabloid journalism or the tabloid press to refer to a type of a newspaper that contains many articles about music, sport and famous people, and less serious news, and is often insulting to women and people from other countries. The word «tabloid» is less widely used in the USA, where most of the important national newspapers are of a regular size. The best-known US tabloid, which uses short articles and large photographs, is the New York Daily News. Serious tabloids include the Chicago Sun-Times.

All the tabloids are serious newspapers.

Most of Britain’s most popular newspapers are tabloids. These include The Sun, The Mirror, The Express and The Daily Mail. Although some tabloids are serious newspapers and the broadsheets also have tabloid editions, many people talk about tabloid journalism or the tabloid press to refer to a type of a newspaper that contains many articles about music, sport and famous people, and less serious news, and is often insulting to women and people from other countries. The word «tabloid» is less widely used in the USA, where most of the important national newspapers are of a regular size. The best-known US tabloid, which uses short articles and large photographs, is the New York Daily News. Serious tabloids include the Chicago Sun-Times.

Most people believe that there is very little serious news in tabloids.

Most of Britain’s most popular newspapers are tabloids. These include The Sun, The Mirror, The Express and The Daily Mail. Although some tabloids are serious newspapers and the broadsheets also have tabloid editions, many people talk about tabloid journalism or the tabloid press to refer to a type of a newspaper that contains many articles about music, sport and famous people, and less serious news, and is often insulting to women and people from other countries. The word «tabloid» is less widely used in the USA, where most of the important national newspapers are of a regular size. The best-known US tabloid, which uses short articles and large photographs, is the New York Daily News. Serious tabloids include the Chicago Sun-Times.

Tabloids concentrate on such topics as political and economic events.

Most of Britain’s most popular newspapers are tabloids. These include The Sun, The Mirror, The Express and The Daily Mail. Although some tabloids are serious newspapers and the broadsheets also have tabloid editions, many people talk about tabloid journalism or the tabloid press to refer to a type of a newspaper that contains many articles about music, sport and famous people, and less serious news, and is often insulting to women and people from other countries. The word «tabloid» is less widely used in the USA, where most of the important national newspapers are of a regular size. The best-known US tabloid, which uses short articles and large photographs, is the New York Daily News. Serious tabloids include the Chicago Sun-Times.

The New Yourk Daily News is issued the UK.

Most of Britain’s most popular newspapers are tabloids. These include The Sun, The Mirror, The Express and The Daily Mail. Although some tabloids are serious newspapers and the broadsheets also have tabloid editions, many people talk about tabloid journalism or the tabloid press to refer to a type of a newspaper that contains many articles about music, sport and famous people, and less serious news, and is often insulting to women and people from other countries. The word «tabloid» is less widely used in the USA, where most of the important national newspapers are of a regular size. The best-known US tabloid, which uses short articles and large photographs, is the New York Daily News. Serious tabloids include the Chicago Sun-Times.

The Chicago Sun-Times is a serious tabloid.