Level Test - Test 3 (C1-C2)

Reaction time in an emergency involves many different physical factors such as the production of the nerve impulse, perception of the signal, (1)___ of response and transmission to the muscles. Some of these (2)___ more than others with age, but the overall effect increases the time it takes to respond for more elderly drivers. Part of the ageing process, however, does include the storage of experience, often in the subconscious, which triggers earlier danger warnings than in younger drivers who have not experienced similar situations. This (3)___ of judgement heightens the perception of risk and often (4)___ older drivers to avoid a situation which might then (5)___ them to the test.

I don´t want to alarm you. There is still enough sand left in the world to satisfy most holidaymakers but in many parts of the world, beaches are literally being (6)___ away and have to be regularly replaced. First, much of the sand for beaches comes from cliffs, which crumble away as they are pounded by the waves. To (7)___ them, sea walls are often erected. With cliffs no (8)___ crumbling, the beaches are robbed of the material which would (9)___ feed them.

Beaches are also supplied with sand and gravel by rivers which bring it down the mountains and hills. In some places rivers are being dammed and (10)___ built to retain water. They trap more of the sediment so the rivers take less sand and gravel to the sea. This is happening in California, for example, and in Scotland. In Egypt the (11)___ of the Aswan Dam has (12)___ the Nile silt, so much less silt is being fed towards coastal areas. That has meant the delta is now eroding instead of growing as before. Thirdly, to improve access to the beach, many holiday resorts build a promenade along the sea front. Like some of the fortifications of cliff faces, this usually has a flat vertical surface off which the waves bounce. This helps wash the sand away down the beach and most of it is lost.

The role of the translator in enabling literature to pass beyond its natural frontiers is receiving growing recognition. In view of the general increase in this (13)___ , it is not surprising that many people with literary interests and a knowledge of languages should think of adopting translating as a full- or part-time (14)___ . Some advice may usefully be (15)___ to such would-be translators. The first difficulty the beginner will (16)___ is the unwillingness of publishers to entrust a translation to anyone who has not already established a reputation for sound work.

The least publishers will (17)___ before commissioning a translation is fairly lengthy specimen of the applicant´s work, even if unpublished. Perhaps the best way the would-be translator can begin is to select some book of the type which he or she feels competent and (18)___ to translate, translate a (19)___ section of the book and then submit the book and the translation to a suitable publisher.

If he or she is extremely lucky, this may (20)___ in a commission to translate the book. More probably, however, publishers will (21)___ the book as such but if they are favourably (22)___ by the translation, they may very possibly commission some other book of a similar nature which they already have in mind.

Crime, as we are all (23)___, has been a growing problem all over the world in the last thirty years. But we are not (24)___ against crime. Much is being done - and more can be done - to reverse the trend. You can play a part in it. The first step towards preventing crime is understanding its (25)___. Most crime is against property, not the public, and most crime is not carried out by professionals; nor is it carefully planned. Property crimes (26)___ on the easy opportunity. They are often committed by adolescents and young men, the majority of whom stop offending as they grow older.