SAYING GOODBYE AFTER 30 MONTHS?
Forget the
traditional Valentine card message; love is not forever. In fact, for most
people, it lasts no more than 30 months. After that, according to research on
the nature of romance, couples have to choose between breaking up and deciding
that they are easy enough with each other to stay together. The conclusions of
Professor Cindy Hazan, Cornell University, based on 5,000 interviews across 37
cultures and medical tests on couples challenge the romantic ideal, suggesting
instead that men and women are biologically and mentally predisposed to be “in
love” for only 18-30 months. That is just long enough for a couple to meet,
mate, and produce a child.
There is evidence
that what we call love is created by a chemical cocktail in the brain. Some chemicals
are registered together only during the initial stages of a relationship. But
even the most ardent lovers develop a tolerance to the effects of these
chemicals, as a drunk person becomes immune to a single glass of alcohol. Love
becomes a habit, especially if there are children. The study also indicates that
most men fall in love more quickly and easily than women and most relationships
are terminated by women. This suggests that women are less addicted to the
cocktail of love.
(A) COMPREHENSION
(3 points)
a) CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER (0.5 points per answer)
1) Professor Hazan’s conclusions were
based on…
a.
Interviews b. Surveys c. Medical tests d. A and C are correct
2) Love is created by….
a. a habit b. a romance in our hearts c. a chemical cocktail in our brains d. alcohol
b) ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE?
JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS WITH PHRASES FROM THE TEXT. (0.5 points per answer)
3) All couples break up after 30
months.
4) Men and women always decide when to
fall in love.
5) The cocktail of love is more
effective if there are children.
6) Women fall in love more slowly than
men.
(B) USE OF ENGLISH
(4 points)
7) Find in the text the word which has
the following definition: (0.25 points)
“that cannot be affected by a
particular illness” (adjective)
8) Find in the text one opposite for
COLD (adjective). (0.25 points)
9) Which word is not an ADVERB? (0.25
points)
QUICKLY FAST LONELY EASILY
10) Give an adjective with the same
root as FORGET (verb) (line 1). (0.25 points)
11) Turn the following sentence into
reported speech: (0.5 points)
The film star said: “I fell in love
last summer.”
12) Turn the following sentence into
the passive voice: (0.5 points)
Many adults are reading Harry Potter’s
books.
13) Complete the following conditional
sentence. (0.5 points)
If I had studied psychology …
14) Join the following sentences using
a relative pronoun. Make changes if necessary. (0.5 points)
Van Gogh only sold one painting during
his lifetime. His works are worth millions.
15) The homeless man had ___________ to sleep
(somewhere / nowhere / anywhere) (0.25 points)
16) She refused to say _____________ to
the police (nothing / something / anything) (0.25 points)
17) Make a question: Jenny waits for me
at the bus stop every morning (0.5
points)
(C) PRODUCTION (3 points)
WRITE A COMPOSITION (80-100 WORDS).
CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS.
SPECIFY YOUR OPTION.
a) Different attitudes of men and women
towards love.
b) Do you think your love will last longer than 30
months? Why?
PASSIVE VOICE.- Change the following sentences:
a.
They add sugar to
fruit in order to make jam.
b.
The tour guide
showed us around the city.
c.
She paid the
workers three months´salary when she closed down her business.
d.
The boss has
offered him a rise for his hard work.
e.
Did you take the
car to the garage yesterday?
f.
We will call you
when your turn comes.
g.
My parents may
give my brother the car for the first time tonight.
h.
Everyone in our
school knows her well.
i.
They are going to
redecorate the room.
j.
She didn´t tell
anyone about the phone call.
Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning
(conditionals):
a.
The runner twisted
his ankle because he fell.
b.
Diana is always
late for work because she wakes up late.
c.
We didn’t buy the
house we wanted because it was too far from the city.
d.
Brenda doesn’t
pass her driving because she’s always so nervous.
e.
We didn’t move to
Paris last year and so I didn’t learn French.
Write the verbs in
the correct tense:
A.
I closed the door quietly because
he(try)...................................to sleep.
B.
How many times(she-call)....................................since
he came to N.Y.?
C.
The children are filthy. Where (they-be).......................................?
D.
I’m going to bed.
I(work)..........................................for hours and I am tired.
E.
Mary was cleaning the windscreen when she
(notice)...................... a
crack in the glass.
F.
I couldn’t open the office door because
someone (lock).................it.
G.
I agree: I (not
think)......................................you should apologize.
H.
When I phoned her she(do).........................................her
homework.
I.
When I shouted they (jump)...........off
the roof and (run)..........away.
J.
Don´t phone her just now. She
(talk)................................to her boss.
