Coin collecting

One happy (0).......... I have of my childhood is of my ninth birthday. My grandparents gave me a small brown package. I can still (1).......... recall every detail of the parcel, and what was inside. It was a little blue album especially for keeping coins in, and it contained some US silver dollars. This was the beginning of a hobby that soon developed into a total  (2).......... just as it had for my grandfather.

Since then, we've spent many happy weekends together (3).......... in the gaps in my collection, or looking through penny coins in the  (4) .......... of finding something unusual. In  (5).......... I've always dreamed of (6) .......... a 1909 penny, a valuable specimen that I've never had the good fortune to acquire.

I've also got into the (7).........., of constantly checking the change in my pocket for anything rare — to make the kind of discovery that any collector would (8)........... . So far, I haven't been lucky — but you never know!

In search of aliens

If intelligent civilisations do inhabit our galaxy, how can we ever (0).......... certain of their existence? While many sightings of unidentified flying objects have been reported, so far (9)........... has been no credible evidence that aliens have ever visited Earth. Since the nearest stars are, at the very least, several light years away, the limitations (10)......... current technology mean we cannot realistically travel beyond our solar system.

Since the 1960s, astronomers have used radio telescopes to try to pick  (11)........... signals from other civilisations. Early on, one telescope detected (12).......... is now known as the ’Wow!’ signal, which did not originate from Earth. A number of searches for repeat signals were undertaken, but (13)........... was ever successful.

We cannot say (14).......... for certain about alien civilisations, and we can only guess at (15)............ advanced they might be. If they ever communicate with us, it is likely to be with light (16)........... than radio This would make sense as light travels faster than any other possible means of communication.

Rainbows  hold  a (0)............ for most of us. We love to catch (17)............. of one in the But how are rainbows formed and are the colours always the same?

A    rainbow    appears    when    there    is    sunlight    and    rain.    As   light always   consists   of   the    same   colours,   scientists   used   to  think   all rainbows were identical, but this was  (18)...........to prove. Now they have made the (19)................ that there are actually twelve types of rainbow. These vary (20).............. from  each  other. Their  distinctive (21)................ have been shown to depend on the conditions under which they occur.

A thorough analysis of photos of rainbows has revealed that the most (22)............. factor determining a rainbow's colours is the Sun's (23).............. from the horizon. When the Sun is higher in the sky, the colours are largely blue and green. When it is closer to the horizon, only the  red  and orange are  (24)................This is  because colours' wavelengths vary. Red has the longest wavelength, so is more apparent when the Sun is lower. Blue and green, with the shortest wavelengths, are most prominent when the Sun is overhead.

Reading and use of English

Part 4

For question 25—30, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given.

Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given. Here is an example (O).

Example:

0. Prizes are given out when the school year finishes.

PLACE

Prize-giving ......................... end of the school year.

The gap can be filled by the words 'takes place at the'.

25.  I'm happy to be in the school play, but not if I have to sing.

LONG

I'm happy to be in the school play as ........................................... have to sing.

26. Paula probably won't arrive at the tennis club before

UNLIKELY

Paula ................................................. at the tennis club before midday.

27. Karen realised it was Leo who was playing the old piano in the school

BEING

Karen realised the old piano in the school hall ......................................................... Leo.

28. All of his friends wanted to help Tony when he had a

WILLING

All of his friends  ....................................... a hand when he had a problem.

29. I think you should throw away all your old comics.

RID

I think you need .................................... all your old comics.

30. There may be some snow this afternoon so bring a coat. 

CASE

Bring a coat .................................. snows this afternoon.

The beat goes on

Ddisp Philipps interviews the successfuf young drummer Adrian Rouen

Every successful musician brings his or her own unique set of skills to the table - be it natural talent, formal training, unconventional technique, a love of performing live on stage - the list goes on. For Adrian Raven, there's one thing he unquestionably offers to his fellow  bandmates and countless fans: heart. Primarily self-taught, Adrian's passion for the drums has propelled him through an incredible career with the rock band, The Diamonds.

At one time, Adrian's success as a musician was far from being a certainty. ‘When I was 14, I desperately wanted to play drums, but we couldn't afford a drum set. My parents finally bought me one when I was 17.’ Adrian's determination compelled him to make up for lost time and so he hit the ground running. ‘I just went for it. If I played around with another instrument for fun, I quickly abandoned it and went back to the drums.’

After playing his newly acquired drum kit for only a year, Adrian unknowingly got the opportunity of a lifetime — an audition for a relatively obscure new band called The Diamonds. ‘They weren't an established part of the music scene, but I managed to get hold of one of their recordings and studied their sound in minute detail. When I auditioned, I claimed I'd been playing for years. I took them in completely, which I don't regret!’ Once he had been recruited as the band's new drummer, Adrian became nervous that his lack of ability and knowledge would be exposed. ‘I had so much to learn because the other guys were already competent musicians. I was just muddling along and got by mainly on pure enthusiasm,’ he laughs. ‘It took me about a year to catch up.’

Adrian admits that the band is surprised to have finally made it big. ‘The Diamonds have always had a commitment to self-criticism and constant hard work. We never thought we'd make a name for ourselves or assumed that we were something special; in fact, it didn't seem  like that was within reach. (line 45) We'd play with other bands that were far ahead of us, and that would keep our feet on the ground.’ 

Adrian believes that for musicians, drive and determination play just as important a part as formal training. ‘I've seen many technically brilliant drummers who have a lot of tricks up their sleeve, but are not necessarily able to grasp the emotional power of a song, and make it sound special.’ One of Adrian's consistent goals is to serve the music, rather than indulge his own desire to show off. ‘I often criticise myself for overplaying. Some songs don't call for anything more than a straightforward beat. But there are other songs where I've taken liberties and been more adventurous,’ he says.

Throughout his musical career, Adrian has managed to maintain a unique voice in the drumming community, though admittedly, he originally tried to emulate his drum idols. ‘When I started out, I tried to sound like a number of guys I admired. But somehow I never quite managed it,’ he says. ‘And I suspect that's probably the same for everybody. If you try to imitate someone, it might be a useful exercise initially. But ultimately, you need to express your individuality. It's best not to lose focus by being in awe of others.’

The manatees of Crystal River

In the Florida town of Crystal River people can swim with manatees, but some question whether this is a good idea

Weighing 550 kilos or more, the manatee looks something like a chubby dolphin or small whale, though it's related to neither. In fact, it shares a common ancestor with elephants. Manatees lack the layer of fat that allows whales to tolerate cold, so they are unable to survive in water below 20°C. The species found in the United States is the Florida manatee. In winter, when sea temperatures drop, they gather inland at natural springs and other sources of warm water.

The town of Crystal River, on Florida's west coast, is built around a magnificent lake called Kings Bay. Springs scattered around the lake pump out fresh water at a constant 22°C year round.  (37)………….. As a result, during winter, Crystal River residents can walk out their doors and see dozens of manatees swimming, resting, and sleeping in the city's canals and waterways.

This situation, along with other unique circumstances, has made Crystal River the manatee capital of the United States. Nowhere else have people been encouraged to enter the water and swim with manatees. Here, people have got used to approaching them, interacting with them, and even touching them. (38)………...... However, the activity has long been a popular tourist draw at Crystal River, pre-dating the Endangered Species Act and the creation of a local wildlife refuge.

Most experts agree that many of the 150,000 people who come to Crystal River each year to swim with the manatees leave with an increased appreciation of the animals. (39)………….. A few years ago, local activist Tracy Colson began making videos of examples that she witnessed and posting them online. These helped bring about stricter guidelines for interaction with manatees.

Patrick Rose, an aquatic biologist and director of the powerful Save the Manatee Club, somewhat reluctantly supports the practice of swimming with manatees, though he's determined to see changes made. He explains that most manatees prefer to stay away from humans (40)…...……… At this time, especially, they avoid all contact with people.

Rose is campaigning for stricter rules requiring swimmers to stop a body length away from the animals. (41)……..…….. Colson agrees that there should be no touching. As she says, manatees are wild animals, not pets. Rose believes that the majority of Crystal River dive shops, which arrange tours for people to watch or swim with manatees, are trying to do a good job. As long as they take their responsibilities seriously, he is happy for them to continue.

Estimates of the contribution of manatee-related tourism to the local economy range from $20 million to $30 million a year. Some dive-shop owners claim they'd lose substantial business if customers weren't able to go home and tell friends, ‘I touched a manatee.’ Aware that their livelihood could be at risk, 16 tour operators have formed an organisation to work with the wildlife refuge and the Save the Manatee Club. (42)..………….. Together, they have now voluntarily adopted rules on human-manatee interaction that are sometimes even stricter than those required by national law.

 My business start-up

Four young entrepeneurs talk about how they started their business

A. Lisa Jenkins, 16: creator of a healthy recipes website

All my life, I've been surrounded by entrepreneurs, mainly because my parents both had experience of managing a company. They taught me most of what I know about running a business, and helped guide me in deciding what to do with my income, figuring out priorities and dealing with the money side in general. For example, they always told me that it's important to know what your expenses will be, so that you can save money to pay taxes and buy new equipment. Knowing how to keep track of money has been crucial in running my business. It's taught me how to be practical and think about the future, and I think that's the sort of expertise that everyone should acquire. It's really shown me what benefits you can get from hard work, like being able to pay your way through college when the time comes.

B. RowenaGates, 16: co-creator of a footwear line

My best friend's parents gave us a lot of advice on how to run our business. Her mum has a financial and marketing background and helped with budgeting and sales forecasts, while her dad taught us a lot about presentation, planning and organisation. I didn't realise at first how vital it would be to know about other businesses, but now I read the business news daily. Next semester at school, I'm going to take business classes. They say they'll teach us about all aspects of running a company. I think it's vital to do business courses so that you can learn as much as possible. When it comes to our business, my friend and I make financial decisions on a regular basis. We have to decide on questions like: ’Should we spend money going to a trade show or do we invest in advertising?’

C. Jake Maddison, 17: creator of a sweets and children's products company

The reason I became involved in business was that I couldn't afford a new skateboard, and my mother recommended selling my old toys to get enough money to buy the one I wanted. She helped me list my toys on an auction website, while I took attractive photos of the items for sale. I was inspired to study business more systematically when I went on to sell things at a Saturday market. I found out how to grow stock with the money made from sales, and also managed to find time to get an online qualification in pricing. I actually started my company with £100 I got from my grandma one birthday, and have built the business up over the last few years. I wouldn't have understood how to do this if I hadn't been taught about using income to invest in stock.

D. Max King, 17: co-creator of an app for skiers

We never had any formal training as such. Instead, we opted to dive straight in and learn from our failures along the way. This is still a frequent occurrence, even though we brought on board a team of experts early on. With regards to money, we were pretty naive at first. We believed that navigating through the various bureaucratic things we had to deal with couldn't be that tricky. However, after a few stern warnings from the bank, we realised that this was far from the case. Ultimately, lots of problems could be avoided if there was an effective way to educate young entrepreneurs. The government is trying to address this, but their webpages are still far from being adequate. Someone I know is actually working on a brilliant new app that's being launched later this year — it's a step in the right direction and should make it easier for young entrepreneurs.