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TEST 2
READING PASSAGE 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13, which are based on
Reading Passage 1 on pages 2 and 3.

Report on a university drama project

Drama student Imogen Clare-Wood describes a collaborative theatre project
she took part in
This project was born from discussions I had with other drama students about the kind of theatre productions
we'd like to create. Although we had previously been involved in various university productions where we took
on specific roles, such as costume designer, producer, director and so on, we now wanted to take a
collaborative approach that was new to all of us. We wanted a project in which every voice would carry equal
weight and everyone would be able to contribute to every aspect of the show. We decided that the way to
achieve this feeling of collaboration would be to concentrate on the process by which the work emerged during
auditions and rehearsals. We chose a play that we felt allowed varied interpretations - Harold Pinter's The
Lover, a modern one-act play with just two characters. We decided we would use six actors cast as three
different couples, and each pair would have a turn to perform on one of the three nights that the play was to be
staged

The next step was to hold auditions in order to find six actors who felt the same way about the project as we
did. We were anxious not to create an 'us and them' feeling to the auditions, since collective ownership of the
project was crucial to our ideas. So we ran the first round of auditions as a series of workshops, which we kept
very informal and relaxed. Then we recalled fifteen actors for the second round of auditions. At this stage we
wanted the reactions and ideas to flow and be explored by the group in the form of a discussion. We were
looking for actors who could encourage other people's ideas but who were also eager to input their own
thoughts. Possibly the hardest part of the whole process was sitting down afterwards and deciding on the final
six actors who would take part in the project.

Our initial rehearsals were dedicated to creating a strong group dynamic and to exploring some of the themes
of the play without explicit reference to the script. One of the strongest tools we used for this was 'freewriting'
- an exercise in which one person would read out a list of unconnected words and the rest of the group would
clear their minds and simply write something in response to those words. We found it helped us to gain insight
into the different ways our minds work. It also meant that we got to know each other very well, very quickly!

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It was only during the next phase of rehearsals that we finally began to work with the script. We had not yet
decided on the pairings for the six actors at this point, and we had the non-actors on the team reading in
addition to the people who would be doing the final performances. The whole team finally decided on the
pairings of the actors by a vote, and miraculously it was a unanimous decision. The casting of the roles worked
well and felt more natural than it had in any other show I've worked on. I think the dynamic that we developed
over the early rehearsals was crucial in giving us three such strong onstage relationships.

Other decisions were made in much the same way. The publicity was the responsibility of one member of the
team, but she asked everyone what they thought would be effective. She then made several different versions,
and from these we chose the design we liked the most. The stage set was left more to the individual pairs of
actors, but since a large part of the later rehearsals was observing and feeding back on the individual
performances being created by each pair, everyone was able to help with set design. We initially planned that
each pair would use the same stage set. However, due to the different ways they interpreted the script, it
became important for the set to be adapted for each couple.

In the final performances, it was surprising that despite the collaborative nature of the project, a range of very
different interpretations emerged. This is, of course, partly due to the tragicomic nature of Pinter's text, which
allowed the pairs of actors to exploit these two disparate elements, tragedy and comedy, to different degrees.

The question and answer session held after the show was perhaps the most rewarding part of the project. The
questions that the audience asked were interesting and insightful, and certainly made everyone in the team
think about what we'd been doing, what we'd wanted to achieve and whether we'd achieved it. We were
asked, among other things, about how successful our collaborative ethic had been, how we'd ended up with
three such different shows, how we'd overcome the initial 'production team versus cast' divide, and how we
would continue in the future.

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Questions 1-6

Complete the flow-chart below.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each

answer. Write your answers in boxes 1-6 on your answer

sheet.

Stages in collaborative drama project

Origin of project
Ted Started with the wish for a collaborative project focusing on the
1.................. of producing a play

Auditions
first round: organised as several workshops - fifteen actors were then selected
second round: organised as a 2................... …. - the final six actors were then
selected

Preparation
In early rehearsals, 3 ..................... was found to be an effective technique
the 4 ................... was only used in later rehearsals everyone had a 5……… to decide
which actor would play each part everyone was shown different designs for the publicity
and the best one was chosen

Performances
the variety of 6 .................... was surprising

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Questions 7-13

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?

In boxes 7-13 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE if the statement agrees with the information

FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

1 The writer had been involved in other collaborative theatre productions

at university.

2 Each actor chosen for the project would play one role for three nights.

3 The early rehearsals took place at the university theatre.

4 The writer felt satisfied that all the actors were paired with the right partner.

5 Some team members discovered an unexpected talent for set design.

6 The original intention was to use a different stage set for each performance.

7 The question and answer session encouraged the team to think about their

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READING PASSAGE 2
Achieving a Work–life Balance

Research suggests that working fewer hours may be beneficial

A Anthropologists calculate that in the Stone Age, approximately one to two

million years ago, the ancestors of modern humans worked on average two or
three hours a day hunting and
gathering food. This amount of labour was all that was necessary for survival.
Today, it’s not uncommon to work 50–60 hours a week, and sometimes more. At
the same time, there is a substantial body of international research showing that
levels of work-related stress have neve been higher. However, psychologist Dr
Gina McDowell argues that the problem of stress caused by working too many
hours still doesn’t receive sufficient recognition and ought to be addressed with
greater commitment by executives, employees and academics. Dr McDowell is
one of many calling for a better work–life balance: spending an appropriate
amount of time at work, but leaving sufficient hours in the day to enjoy family,
friends and recreations.

B Perhaps leading the search for work–life balance are technology companies,
who frequently allow employees greater flexibility in everything from working
hours and dress code to office
design. Global tech giant MEdia operates what it calls the ‘20% scheme’: its
engineers are free to use 20% of their working week (one full day) in any way
they want. Ryan Schmidt, the director of human resources at MEdia, says that
‘Productivity in the economy generally has increased
significantly over the last 50 years but there’s a common perception in the
workforce that standards of living have not kept pace. Our company intends to
turn that around.’ Business analyst Carla Deng has made a study of MEdia’s 20%
scheme and says the results are
overwhelmingly positive. Says Deng, ‘Our research found that when employees
have greater individual choice and responsibility for their work time, they still
devote some of those “free” hours to fulfilling their normal working roles. And
they also feel a lot happier.’

C An alternative approach taken by some other American companies is the

four-day week. Ordinarily, Americans work eight hours a day, five days a week,
making 40 hours in total. In a four-day week, they work four 10-hour days
instead, still completing 40 hours in total but having three days off. In general,
several studies have shown benefits, including reduced stress, increased
productivity and more fulfilled employees. However, there may also be
downsides, according to Dean Hazel, a professor of economics. For example,
customers may expect a certain employee to be present five days a week and
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feel disappointed when they are not

available. ‘The truth is that such a four-day week has many attractions but it will
not be appropriate in every instance,’ says Professor Hazel. ‘It depends very
much on the company concerned, its size, internal structure and the nature of its
relationships with customers, partners and suppliers.’

D Indeed, some commentators question the very idea of work–life balance.

Faisal Hadi, a lecturer in sociology, argues that the term work–life balance
implies that the two represent distinct aspects of life that are easily
separable. But in fact, for many of us ‘work’ and ‘life’
intrude on each other all the time and trying to ‘balance’ them precisely
represents a goal that can never be achieved. ‘This term work–life balance has
become a cliché,’ says Hadi. ‘In reality, life is an intricate mix of work and leisure
and the relationship between the two has so many strands that they cannot be
neatly divided. The idea of work– life balance as it is often understood has
limited value.’

F However, a recent experiment has certainly challenged this idea. Employees

at the New Zealand company involved worked four eight-hour days a week, but
were paid for five. The experiment was conducted at Certified Life, a firm which
has sold insurance for more than six decades. At the end of experiment, 78% of
employee felt they were able to manage their work–life balance, up from 54%,
when working a standard 40-hour week. The 240 employees at Certified Life
completed surveys at the beginning and end of the experiment to provide
information for the study. The employees themselves worked out how all the
necessary tasks could be completed within deadlines while working fewer hours,
and were then responsible for implementing those decisions. Lead researcher Dr
Hannah Graham says that the experiment produced such positive results partly
because employees were given a role in decision-making throughout it.

E The New Zealand experiment also showed a 7% drop in stress levels when
working fewer hours, without any drop in productivity. The chief executive of
Certified Life, Tane Robinson, says that the four-day week boosted the firm’s
reputation and made it easier to retain staff who might otherwise have moved on.
Furthermore, cooperation between employees was seen to improve significantly
when working shorter hours and team cohesion was significantly enhanced,
according to the supervisors. Quite apart from the benefits at Certified Life, Dr
Graham also suggests that such schemes might also address the issue of
congestion in major cities by restricting the numbers going to work each day.
Roland Gillespie, workplace relations minister in the New Zealand government,
described the findings as ‘enormously encouraging’ and said that he was keen to
see businesses experiment with similar new and improved work models.
Meanwhile, Certified Life has plans to see the four-day week implemented long
term. It may become an initiative that is replicated in other companies.

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Questions 14 – 17
The text has six paragraphs (A – F). Which paragraph contains the following
information? Choose the correct paragraph (A – F).

14 The claim that one workplace initiative may not be suitable for all businesses.
15 An estimate of how much time ancient humans spent working.
16 A reference to a politician who is interested in changing the way people’s
working lives are organized.
17 The claim that today people are working harder but feel that their lives have not
improved.

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Questions 18 – 22
Choose the correct person (A – F) for each statement.

18 One expression that is commonly used today may not be helpful because it
oversimplifies a complicated situation.
19 After the experiment people had a higher opinion of the business and staff
were happy to continue working for us.
20 Evidence shows that workers who are given more personal time actually
spend some of that time on activities that benefit the company.
21 Over-working is a more significant issue than is sometimes realised and should
be taken more seriously by those involved.
22 Involving staff at every stage of organising the trial was one of the reasons for its
success.

A Dr Gina McDowell
B Carla Deng
C Ryan Schmidt
D Faisal Hadi
E Dr Hannah Graham
F Tane Robinson

Questions 23 – 26
Answer the questions. Write ONE WORD ONLY from the text in each gap.

23 What service was provided by the company in the New Zealand experiment?

24 What research method was used to gather data in the New Zealand experiment?

25 Which group of people reported that staff worked together more closely
during the New Zealand experiment?

26 According to Dr Graham, what problem outside the workplace might

be addressed by working shorter hours?

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READING PASSAGE 3

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27-40, which are based on
Reading Passage 3 on pages 10 and 11.

The New Zealand writer Margaret Mahy

In a career spanning some fifty years, Margaret Mahy has come to occupy a unique place in
New Zealand writing with innovative fiction and original characterisation. In our solidly
realist tradition, the linguistic fireworks of Mahy's children's fiction and the explorations of
human behaviour at the heart of her supernatural teenage fiction stand gloriously alone.
Mahy's clearest heir, I have always thought, is Elizabeth Knox - and maybe the true
inheritance there is sheer singularity. Just as there is no one else like Knox in New Zealand
writing, Mahy, too, has ventured into imaginative territory unknown to other local writers.
So it was with great pleasure that I visited Mahy recently at her Governor's Bay home to talk
about her new book. As with all journalists, she is generous to a fault with her time and
attention; and, as always - despite her careful consideration of questions and thoughtful
answers - I'm reminded she isn't truly comfortable making herself or her life the heart of any
conversation.

Certainly, any consideration of the style of Mahy's novels and picture books throws up
some irresistible theories. As a writer committed to supporting herself through her art, she
has seldom had the time for formal research. Rather, it has been a matter of going out and
finding inspiration from her immediate environment: the writing on the side of a bus; a
spelling mistake in a note to herself; the similarity between a cat and a fur hat. But despite
these sometimes mundane origins, the settings for her stories are delightfully varied, as
these books celebrate the dramatic plot twists and unpredictability of adventures on the
high seas or in Antarctica, and also in quite unassuming places like the library or even down
the back of a chair at home. Mahy has a lifelong affection for characters who are agents of
upheaval and disturbance. Her junior and picture books are peppered with pirates, robbers
and lions, though they appear alongside librarians, mothers and children, working against
comfortable stereotype. Her fictions often have at their heart a young adult burdened with
special powers, such as the ability to cast spells in order to transform their world in
supernatural and fantastical ways. Another common feature is that, while the conclusions
of her tales are usually predictable, they leave the reader feeling absolutely complete, the
moral questions resulting from our hero's powers having been resolved.

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Many of these themes can be found in her new novel, The Magician of Hoad. The book was
begun more than 15 years ago and envisioned as an 'entire' fantasy – one

set in a fully imagined world with detailed history and complex tribal inter- relationships, a
classical hero quest at its heart. The story ballooned at one point to 800 pages and has been
through at least two substantial rewrites. Now half its original size, it is a fascinating read - an
adventure, a romance, and a gold mine of Mahy literary preoccupations.

The other splendid Mahy publication this year is a re-issue of Bubble Trouble in a now W
illustrated edition. This tongue-twister tale first appeared in 1991, was included in 100 New
Zealand Poems (1993) and has been recited by Mahy at countless private and public
functions. Perhaps more than any other work, Bubble Trouble is the Mahy that New Zealand
children and their parents know so well, the rollicking story of a clown who serves up a
joyous torrent of word play and unexpected rhyme.

Those connections are four or five deep now. I read The Lion in the Meadow in the School
Journal in the late 1960s; my stepdaughter listened to The Boy Who Was Followed Home
over and over in the 1970s; my own children sat very still mouthing The Great White Man-
Eating Shark in the 80s and 90s; now in the 21st century, my grandchildren have heard
Down the Dragon's Tongue, A Summery Saturday Morning and Dashing D many times.

Of course, readers are important to any working writer, but Mahy's espousal of the act of
reading goes beyond that: a book is not properly finished, she has often said, until it has been
read, because a reader brings something important to the book.

So, doubtless out of need to build a market - she's not ignorant of her popularity - but
also out of genuine care for that other dynamic part of the author-reader relationship,
Mahy has, until recently, kept up a punishing schedule of public appearances.

Private conversation with Mahy has always been a wild ride - marvellous, in the true sense of
the word, the product of a hungry head and an infinite capacity to be astonished. She races
away at one stage to consult an encyclopaedia for L M Montgomery's date of death, and
speculates about the 'real' Montgomery, creator of the ever-popular Anne of Green Gables.
Although I'd come to talk about her new book, I couldn't help but be captivated by her
infectious curiosity.

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A few years ago, the writer David Hill told a funny story. Though his writing was, he oltesup
conceded, very different from Mahy's, he had been affected by her peculiarly alert way of
looking at the world, particularly the mad, slippery life of language.

Once, Hill said, in a motel room, a sign on a door caught his eye: 'This door is alarmed.' Mahy
would like that, thought Hill. She would enjoy the comedy just below the surface of the formal
warning; she would leap immediately to the possibilities for story and language play: 'Yes,
and this window is concerned, this light fitting is irritated.' His story was a wonderful
comment on Mahy's vision.

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Question 27-31

Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in Reading Passage 3?

In boxes 27-31 on your answer sheet, write

YES if the statement agrees with the views of the writer

NO if the statement contradicts the views of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about
this

27 Mahy and Knox have sometimes criticised each other's work.

28 Mahy explores the traditional themes of New Zealand literature.

29 Mahy's children's books have been more popular than her teenage books.

30 Mahy is welcoming to interviewers.

31 Mahy is at ease speaking about her experiences.

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Questions 32-35

Complete the summary using the list of words and phrases, A-l,

below. Write the correct letter, A-l, in boxes 32-35 on your answer

sheet.

Theories about Mahy's style

Mahy's determination to earn a living from writing has encouraged her to find
the ideas for her work in 32 ..................... places. The stories themselves are set
in

locations that are 33 .......................... In terms of characterisation, almost all of her

books feature unruly people, and very often an adolescent who possesses
34 ........................ abilities. Finally, the endings of the stories tend to be
35…………………

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Question 36-40

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

Write the correct letter in boxes 36-40 on your answer sheet.

36 What does the writer say about The Magician of Hoad?

A It is partly based on true history.

B It was restructured in the writing process.
C It is quite different from conventional stories.
D It does not reflect the usual themes of Mahy's work.

37 According to the writer, Bubble Trouble

A was first illustrated in 1991.

B is written in plain language.
C is an old favourite for many families.
D has not been read aloud by Mahy before.

38 The writer's purpose in the fifth paragraph is to

A show how Mahy's style has changed through generations.
B criticise Mahy's children's stories for being repetitive.
C describe how new media have changed entertainment.
D illustrate Mahy's popularity with generations of children.

39 According to the sixth paragraph, which of the following is true?

A Readers sometimes do not finish Mahy's books.

B Mahy actively encourages feedback from readers.
C Readers are necessary in order to complete a book.
D Mahy does not realise how important she is to some readers.

40 What is the writer doing in the final paragraph?

A illustrating Mahy's view of the world

B comparing Mahy with another writer
C correcting a misconception about Mahy
D suggesting reasons for Mahy's approach

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