Test. Reading. Focus 2

Read the text and decide if the sentences are ‘Right’ (A) or ‘Wrong’ (B). If there is not enough information in the text to answer ‘Right’ (A) or ‘Wrong’ (B), choose ‘Doesn’t say’ (C).

AUSTIN HAY

Have you ever wished you had your own place? That’s exactly how American teenager Austin Hay felt – before he built his own house, at the age of sixteen. Using materials which mostly came from recycling centres, he constructed his own home. It’s got everything he needs, including a kitchen, a bathroom (with shower), a bedroom and a toilet. The house, which is only about 40 square metres, is one of the world’s smallest houses. It’s unusual for another reason too – it’s built on wheels, so Austin can take it with him wherever he goes. He did most of the work himself although he had some help from his father and family friends. The whole thing took less than two years.

As soon as the house was finished, Austin held the smallest party ever. Then he moved in, and he’s lived there ever since. He likes the independence, and he likes ‘living small’, he says, because it’s cheap and green. At the moment, the house is parked in his parents’ garden. However, when he leaves school and goes to university, he won’t leave it behind. He’s going to take it with him, and live in it while he studies. Then when he gets a job, he plans to take his little house with him once more.

Austin Hay was keen to try living independently even as a teenager.

AUSTIN HAY

Have you ever wished you had your own place? That’s exactly how American teenager Austin Hay felt – before he built his own house, at the age of sixteen. Using materials which mostly came from recycling centres, he constructed his own home. It’s got everything he needs, including a kitchen, a bathroom (with shower), a bedroom and a toilet. The house, which is only about 40 square metres, is one of the world’s smallest houses. It’s unusual for another reason too – it’s built on wheels, so Austin can take it with him wherever he goes. He did most of the work himself although he had some help from his father and family friends. The whole thing took less than two years.

As soon as the house was finished, Austin held the smallest party ever. Then he moved in, and he’s lived there ever since. He likes the independence, and he likes ‘living small’, he says, because it’s cheap and green. At the moment, the house is parked in his parents’ garden. However, when he leaves school and goes to university, he won’t leave it behind. He’s going to take it with him, and live in it while he studies. Then when he gets a job, he plans to take his little house with him once more.

Austin wanted to move because he comes from a very large family.

AUSTIN HAY

Have you ever wished you had your own place? That’s exactly how American teenager Austin Hay felt – before he built his own house, at the age of sixteen. Using materials which mostly came from recycling centres, he constructed his own home. It’s got everything he needs, including a kitchen, a bathroom (with shower), a bedroom and a toilet. The house, which is only about 40 square metres, is one of the world’s smallest houses. It’s unusual for another reason too – it’s built on wheels, so Austin can take it with him wherever he goes. He did most of the work himself although he had some help from his father and family friends. The whole thing took less than two years.

As soon as the house was finished, Austin held the smallest party ever. Then he moved in, and he’s lived there ever since. He likes the independence, and he likes ‘living small’, he says, because it’s cheap and green. At the moment, the house is parked in his parents’ garden. However, when he leaves school and goes to university, he won’t leave it behind. He’s going to take it with him, and live in it while he studies. Then when he gets a job, he plans to take his little house with him once more.

Austin bought the materials he needed from stores in his town.

AUSTIN HAY

Have you ever wished you had your own place? That’s exactly how American teenager Austin Hay felt – before he built his own house, at the age of sixteen. Using materials which mostly came from recycling centres, he constructed his own home. It’s got everything he needs, including a kitchen, a bathroom (with shower), a bedroom and a toilet. The house, which is only about 40 square metres, is one of the world’s smallest houses. It’s unusual for another reason too – it’s built on wheels, so Austin can take it with him wherever he goes. He did most of the work himself although he had some help from his father and family friends. The whole thing took less than two years.

As soon as the house was finished, Austin held the smallest party ever. Then he moved in, and he’s lived there ever since. He likes the independence, and he likes ‘living small’, he says, because it’s cheap and green. At the moment, the house is parked in his parents’ garden. However, when he leaves school and goes to university, he won’t leave it behind. He’s going to take it with him, and live in it while he studies. Then when he gets a job, he plans to take his little house with him once more.

Despite its size, Austin’s home contains all he requires.

AUSTIN HAY

Have you ever wished you had your own place? That’s exactly how American teenager Austin Hay felt – before he built his own house, at the age of sixteen. Using materials which mostly came from recycling centres, he constructed his own home. It’s got everything he needs, including a kitchen, a bathroom (with shower), a bedroom and a toilet. The house, which is only about 40 square metres, is one of the world’s smallest houses. It’s unusual for another reason too – it’s built on wheels, so Austin can take it with him wherever he goes. He did most of the work himself although he had some help from his father and family friends. The whole thing took less than two years.

As soon as the house was finished, Austin held the smallest party ever. Then he moved in, and he’s lived there ever since. He likes the independence, and he likes ‘living small’, he says, because it’s cheap and green. At the moment, the house is parked in his parents’ garden. However, when he leaves school and goes to university, he won’t leave it behind. He’s going to take it with him, and live in it while he studies. Then when he gets a job, he plans to take his little house with him once more.

It’s impossible to find a house that’s any smaller than Austin’s.

AUSTIN HAY

Have you ever wished you had your own place? That’s exactly how American teenager Austin Hay felt – before he built his own house, at the age of sixteen. Using materials which mostly came from recycling centres, he constructed his own home. It’s got everything he needs, including a kitchen, a bathroom (with shower), a bedroom and a toilet. The house, which is only about 40 square metres, is one of the world’s smallest houses. It’s unusual for another reason too – it’s built on wheels, so Austin can take it with him wherever he goes. He did most of the work himself although he had some help from his father and family friends. The whole thing took less than two years.

As soon as the house was finished, Austin held the smallest party ever. Then he moved in, and he’s lived there ever since. He likes the independence, and he likes ‘living small’, he says, because it’s cheap and green. At the moment, the house is parked in his parents’ garden. However, when he leaves school and goes to university, he won’t leave it behind. He’s going to take it with him, and live in it while he studies. Then when he gets a job, he plans to take his little house with him once more.

Austin is able to move his house wherever he wishes.

Read the text and choose the correct answer, A, B or C.

John Barnett’s art

by Donna Merton

My cousin, John Barnett, is an artist. He’s about 15 years older than me, so I can remember when I was a child, his mum – my aunt – used to come to our house and tell us about all the exciting things John was doing, both at art college and after he left. I remember I was so impressed, I decided then to follow a career in something creative like art myself.

Since then, John has developed into a brilliant artist and has even had an exhibition at a big gallery in London. John is particularly interested in different ways of creating pictures, and the exhibition showed that as well as creating traditional oil paintings, John was using a tablet to experiment with different effects. There was also a display of the moving images that he takes with his video camera.

His work clearly showed his emotional connection to the countryside where he grew up – the area around my home that I know so well. The wonderful huge landscape paintings really held my attention as they showed the changing seasons, the bright greens of spring and the whiteness of winter. I really love his work, and as a family, we’re all very proud of what John has achieved.

How did Donna first learn about John’s art?

John Barnett’s art

by Donna Merton

My cousin, John Barnett, is an artist. He’s about 15 years older than me, so I can remember when I was a child, his mum – my aunt – used to come to our house and tell us about all the exciting things John was doing, both at art college and after he left. I remember I was so impressed, I decided then to follow a career in something creative like art myself.

Since then, John has developed into a brilliant artist and has even had an exhibition at a big gallery in London. John is particularly interested in different ways of creating pictures, and the exhibition showed that as well as creating traditional oil paintings, John was using a tablet to experiment with different effects. There was also a display of the moving images that he takes with his video camera.

His work clearly showed his emotional connection to the countryside where he grew up – the area around my home that I know so well. The wonderful huge landscape paintings really held my attention as they showed the changing seasons, the bright greens of spring and the whiteness of winter. I really love his work, and as a family, we’re all very proud of what John has achieved.

What does Donna say about John’s pictures in the London exhibition?

John Barnett’s art

by Donna Merton

My cousin, John Barnett, is an artist. He’s about 15 years older than me, so I can remember when I was a child, his mum – my aunt – used to come to our house and tell us about all the exciting things John was doing, both at art college and after he left. I remember I was so impressed, I decided then to follow a career in something creative like art myself.

Since then, John has developed into a brilliant artist and has even had an exhibition at a big gallery in London. John is particularly interested in different ways of creating pictures, and the exhibition showed that as well as creating traditional oil paintings, John was using a tablet to experiment with different effects. There was also a display of the moving images that he takes with his video camera.

His work clearly showed his emotional connection to the countryside where he grew up – the area around my home that I know so well. The wonderful huge landscape paintings really held my attention as they showed the changing seasons, the bright greens of spring and the whiteness of winter. I really love his work, and as a family, we’re all very proud of what John has achieved.

Donna says that the region John featured in his paintings

John Barnett’s art

by Donna Merton

My cousin, John Barnett, is an artist. He’s about 15 years older than me, so I can remember when I was a child, his mum – my aunt – used to come to our house and tell us about all the exciting things John was doing, both at art college and after he left. I remember I was so impressed, I decided then to follow a career in something creative like art myself.

Since then, John has developed into a brilliant artist and has even had an exhibition at a big gallery in London. John is particularly interested in different ways of creating pictures, and the exhibition showed that as well as creating traditional oil paintings, John was using a tablet to experiment with different effects. There was also a display of the moving images that he takes with his video camera.

His work clearly showed his emotional connection to the countryside where he grew up – the area around my home that I know so well. The wonderful huge landscape paintings really held my attention as they showed the changing seasons, the bright greens of spring and the whiteness of winter. I really love his work, and as a family, we’re all very proud of what John has achieved.

What might Donna text to a friend about the exhibition?

John Barnett’s art

by Donna Merton

My cousin, John Barnett, is an artist. He’s about 15 years older than me, so I can remember when I was a child, his mum – my aunt – used to come to our house and tell us about all the exciting things John was doing, both at art college and after he left. I remember I was so impressed, I decided then to follow a career in something creative like art myself.

Since then, John has developed into a brilliant artist and has even had an exhibition at a big gallery in London. John is particularly interested in different ways of creating pictures, and the exhibition showed that as well as creating traditional oil paintings, John was using a tablet to experiment with different effects. There was also a display of the moving images that he takes with his video camera.

His work clearly showed his emotional connection to the countryside where he grew up – the area around my home that I know so well. The wonderful huge landscape paintings really held my attention as they showed the changing seasons, the bright greens of spring and the whiteness of winter. I really love his work, and as a family, we’re all very proud of what John has achieved.

What did John most present in his pictures?

John Barnett’s art

by Donna Merton

My cousin, John Barnett, is an artist. He’s about 15 years older than me, so I can remember when I was a child, his mum – my aunt – used to come to our house and tell us about all the exciting things John was doing, both at art college and after he left. I remember I was so impressed, I decided then to follow a career in something creative like art myself.

Since then, John has developed into a brilliant artist and has even had an exhibition at a big gallery in London. John is particularly interested in different ways of creating pictures, and the exhibition showed that as well as creating traditional oil paintings, John was using a tablet to experiment with different effects. There was also a display of the moving images that he takes with his video camera.

His work clearly showed his emotional connection to the countryside where he grew up – the area around my home that I know so well. The wonderful huge landscape paintings really held my attention as they showed the changing seasons, the bright greens of spring and the whiteness of winter. I really love his work, and as a family, we’re all very proud of what John has achieved.

Why was Donna impressed by the huge landscape paintings?