Part 6

You are going to read an article about a national vote for people’s favourite tree. Six sentences have been removed from the article. Choose from the sentences A-G the one which fits each gap (37-42). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 

Tree of the Year

The aim of the national Tree of the Year competition is to promote and celebrate the most interesting trees around the country. Images and descriptions of a shortlist of 28 trees are put online and the public are asked to vote for their favourite.

The four trees that gain the most votes before 5 p.m. on 5th October will be given a grant of £1,000. In addition, all trees that receive 1,000 or more votes will get a grant of £500. The grants may be spent on a tree health check or advice from a tree expert, or an educational event, for example. 37 __.

Among the 28 shortlisted trees there are a wide range of tree species, each with its own unique, fascinating story. For example, the ‘Ding Dong’ tree is a copper beech tree growing in a primary school playground. It was named the ‘Ding Dong’ tree because of a game pupils invented in which they race to touch its trunk, shouting ‘Ding Dong!’ The protective space underneath the 50-year-old tree is used as a magical outdoor classroom, while the indoor classroom displays pictures of the tree through each season of the year. 38 __.

Many of the other trees in the competition are remarkable for their age alone. The Craigends Yew, for example, is thought to be up to 700 years old, making it one of the oldest in Scotland. It is an amazing sight as many of its branches have layered. 39 __. As a result of these extra growths, the total size when measured around the tree’s crown (the main body of its leaves and branches) is a massive 100 metres.

Another very old tree, the Holm Oak in Kilbroney Park, Northern Ireland, is much loved by local people. It measures 3.6 metres around the trunk, and its beautiful bark looks like the skin of a snake. 40 __. The advantage of this lack of uprightness is that young children can climb safely and easily on it. Kilbroney Park is home to many remarkable trees, but this tree was chosen as the favourite by community members.

A 500-year-old veteran oak tree stands in the ancient woodland pasture at Carngafallt in Wales. One of the interesting things about this twisted, hollow tree is that it has several ‘air trees’ growing out of it. An ‘air tree’ is one growing without its roots touching the ground. 41 __. It extends its roots down inside the oak’s hollow trunk.

The original Bramley apple tree in Nottinghamshire is younger than many in this competition, but is the famous parent of all modern Bramley apple trees. 42 __. Many years later, Matthew Bramley, the new owner of the tree, was carrying some of his fruit when he met a gardener called Henry Merryweather. Henry asked if he could take some cuttings from Matthew’s trees to grow his own trees. Mr Bramley agreed, provided they were named ‘Bramley’s Seedling’.

A. This means that they are touching the ground and have taken root.
B. These roots have become enormous with age and have now emerged above the ground. Children love to jump over them like horses in a race.
C. But the most distinctive thing about this tree is that its main trunk is leaning towards the ground at an angle of 45 degrees.
D. The best example of this on the big old tree is another species of tree called a rowan.
E. Alternatively, they could be used to hold a community event in honour of the tree.
F. It was planted from a seed in 1809 by a woman called Ann Brailsford.
G. Children hang bird feeders from its branches and it is used as the focus of many of the educational activities going on around it.

Part 7

You are going to read an article in which four people describe going to see an unusual annual event. For questions 43 – 52, choose from the sections (A – D). The people may be chosen more than once.

Which person mentions …

43. the possibility of people at the event having their belongings stolen? __
44. regretting being without an item of protective equipment? __
45. the bravery of the people who took part? __
46. a warning about organising a trip to the event? __
47. an injury caused during the event? __
48. how hard it was to get a good position to view the event? __
49. products that were available to buy during the event? __
50. experiencing two strongly contrasting emotions? __
51. people with a particular interest who would like the event? __
52. the reason why the event originally began? __

The world’s strangest annual events?

A Sadie Grossman
Last year, I was one of 30,000 people who took part in La Tomatina, an annual festival held in Buñol, Spain, during which townspeople and visitors fill the streets and take part in a tomato fight. I’ve neither laughed so hard nor feared for my life as much as I did on that day. Trucks of tomatoes were dumped in the streets, and I soon found myself picking up handfuls of squashed fruit and throwing them at whoever happened to be closest. Most people participating were considerate, but a few were not. I was thankful that I’d left my phone back at the hotel and worn clothes I didn’t mind getting ruined. I did wish I’d invested in a pair of goggles though, as being hit in the eye by a tomato meant I couldn’t see out of it very well for a couple of days. It was definitely an experience I’ll never forget, but one I have no desire to repeat!

B Joe Haythorpe
I went with friends to the mud festival held in Boryeong, South Korea because several of them had been before, loved it and wanted to go again. The two-week event is centred on an area of Boryeong beach set up with water slides and pools to play in while covered in huge quantities of the mineral-rich mud that’s taken from the shore near the city. It’s great fun for the entire family as well as groups of friends. Apart from playing in the mud, we also attended some great concerts and shopped for mud-based skin creams. Although it’s only been going since 1998, it already attracts millions of Koreans and Western tourists annually. But if you’re considering going, book your accommodation early as room rates triple closer to the event. All in all, this festival was by far the most fun one I’ve ever been to.

C Charlie Traynor
Cheese Rolling on Cooper’s Hill in Gloucestershire, England is the ideal activity for fans of extreme sports whether as spectators or as participants, and is definitely one of the craziest traditions I’ve ever witnessed. I watched in amazement as madly courageous men and women threw themselves down a steep hill, tumbling head over heels, while chasing a large round cheese. The cheese always gets to the bottom of the hill first, but for each race there is a prize (a cheese worth a lot of money) for the first person to do so. Thankfully, that day everyone survived without seriously hurting themselves. The event is free, but because of the large crowds, I struggled to find a place from which I could actually see much of the action or use my camera. There were also four uphill races, but they were a lot less exciting.

D Louisa Darke
During the Monkey Buffet Festival in Lopburi, Thailand, cakes, fruit and vegetables are piled up on tables in the streets for 3000 local monkeys to enjoy. The festival was established to boost tourism in the area, and it’s worked: huge crowds now travel there from all over the world, many dressed in monkey costumes.There is traditional music, dance and sculpture, all with a monkey theme, and the monkeys themselves roam free. They have no fear of people, and we were warned that they might try to grab our phones, hats or even jewellery and run off with them. I’m glad to say they didn’t, but at one point a young monkey jumped up onto my shoulder, making me very uncomfortable. We were given sticks to protect ourselves from the boldest monkeys, but I didn’t want to use one. I was glad when the monkey climbed down. However, it was very entertaining to watch the animals from a distance, happily playing and eating.

Click to download this FCE Reading and Use of English worksheet in PDF