ΘΕΜΑ 1. ΚΑΤΑΝΟΗΣΗ ΓΡΑΠΤΟΥ ΛΟΓΟΥ

Read the text and choose the correct option (A, B or C) for items 1-10.

Greek law prohibits the sale of alcoholic drinks to children younger than 18 years old, or their entry to bars and clubs. Yet these laws are never followed and, even worse, a lot of these places manage to get away with selling drinks which are by far genuine and may potentially cause even death to consumers. “The harm caused by alcohol is the third biggest factor in the rise of disease and death in Europe. At the same time, it is a legal and very widely available product that is economically important to businesses and states. All of this needs to be treated in a multidimensional way, but under no circumstances should we regard alcohol as something innocent, especially when it comes to young people,” said a clinical psychologist.

“Children in Greece first taste alcohol much sooner than in other European countries and many parents actually encourage their children –wrongly, of course– to taste beer or wine at a very young age,” added the clinical psychologist. This false practice tends to be encouraged by the belief that it will take the mystique out of alcohol and make children less eager to get their hands on it. Another fact pointing to the cultural aspects of the issue, as well as the effect of having easier access, is that alcohol consumption in general tends to be higher in rural parts of the country than in Athens and other cities. “People need to realise that alcohol is not harmless. It is a substance that can cause addiction like nicotine and narcotics,” said the clinical psychologist. “The main thing is to educate children at school and in the home. Banning it is not the way to really solve the problem, especially when it comes to teens who see breaking the law as a challenge.”

(Words: 300)

1. A possible title for this text could be

1. A glass a day keeps the doctor away.
2. The dangers of alcohol consumption.
3. Underage drinking can be controlled.

2. Who would be most interested in reading this text?

1. Wine producers.
2. The general public.
3. Scientists and doctors.

3. The law on the sale of alcoholic drinks

1. sets no limits on who can buy alcohol.
2. is followed by bar and club owners.
3. is in force but nobody applies it.

4. Alcohol consumption by children younger than 18 years old can be

1. beneficial to their health.
2. harmless.
3. fatal.

5. The production and sale of alcoholic drinks

1. supports state economies.
2. is not allowed in Europe.
3. has declined in recent years.

6. According to the text, many parents in Greece

1. encourage their children to try alcohol.
2. are intolerant towards excessive alcohol use.
3. believe teens are anxious to try alcohol.

7. According to the text, alcohol consumption in Athens is

1. higher than in rural Greece.
2. lower than in rural Greece.
3. similar to that in rural Greece.

8. According to the text, people need to realise that alcohol

1. can be as harmful as other substances.
2. is not as harmful as nicotine.
3. is not as addictive as narcotics.

9. In the text, the underlined word “access” is closest in meaning to

1. entrance.
2. availability.
3. limitation.

10. The clinical psychologist suggests

1. banning alcohol at school and in the home.
2. punishing teens who break the law.
3. raising public awareness about alcohol consumption.

ΘΕΜΑ 2α. ΛΕΞΙΚΟΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΚΗ

Fill each gap in sentences 11-20 with the correct word from the box below (A-J). Use each word only once.

1. entrance
2. regardless
3. needless
4. education
5. harmful
6. psychology
7. manageable
8. realisation
9. potential
10. solution

11. If we split up into smaller groups I think the work will become ________ and we will finish everything on time.
12. During his college ________ he realised that it would be very important for his future career to speak English very well so he attended all offered courses.
13. The documentary was so boring I couldn’t wait for it to be over; ________ to say, it was a total loss of my time.
14. After the explosion, a police officer blocked the ________ to the building and asked everybody to keep a safe distance.
15. There is now a growing ________ that things cannot go on like this for much longer.
16. This group of chemicals is known to be ________ to people with asthma.
17. Teachers need to have at least some basic knowledge of ____ to help their students cope with any emotional changes they might be facing during their teens.
18. When you finish doing the crossword, you can check its ________ on the back page.
19. According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) all people should be treated equally ________ of their skin colour, race or religious beliefs.
20. A number of ________ buyers have expressed interest in the company; I hope all workers will keep their jobs no matter the result of the sale.