The White House: A Living Legend July 2003

UNIBERTSTATERA SARTZEKO HAUTAPROBAK. 2002/2003 UZTAILA.
PRUEBAS DE ACCESO A LA UNIVERSIDAD
JULIO. 2002/2003.

The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, is one of the world's most famous addresses. With the red, white and blue flag, it's the most recognisable symbol of the United States and an icon for democracy. It's easy to forget sometimes that this celebrated house is also a home.

Every President from John Adams to George W. Bush has lived there, raising families and coping with life in the spotlight. The house's construction required an army of workers. Scottish stonecutters, slaves from nearby plantations, and bricklayers laboured for nearly ten years to complete the mansion.

Each day, more than 6.000 people visit the White House. They tour the formal rooms such as the East Room, where the legendary portrait of George Washington hangs. Teddy Roosevelt was known to keep a wrestling pad in the East Room for frequent matches. It is also said that Thomas Jefferson would answer the front door wearing just his morning robe. Such is the history of the house; full of humorous anecdotes of everyday life.

The second and third floors are off limits to everyone but the First Family and invited guests. It's on these two floors where important events took place, the kind that shaped world history. On the second floor is a narrow space with a window where Abraham Lincoln stood to deliver news of the Civil War to people gathered below. Just around the corner is the room where Richard Nixon handed his letter of resignation to his Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, over 100 years later.

Home to 43 different families over the decades, the White House is only a temporary residence in the continuing chronicle of world affairs. In the 1920s, Calvin Coolidge was returning from a walk when a senator quipped, "I wonder who lives there?" "Nobody," the President replied. "They just come and go."

1.- IN YOUR OWN WORDS AND BASED ON THE IDEAS FROM THE TEXT, ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS (4 marks)

1.- Who can visit the whole White House without difficulties?
2.- What did Calvin Coolidge want to remark?
3.- Which kind of people were employed to build the White House?
4.- While living in the White House Teddy Roosevelt enjoyed one of his favourite pastimes. How did he manage to do that?

2.-ARE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES TRUE OR FALSE? SAY WHY.TAKE EVIDENCE, EVEN QUOTING, FROM THE TEXT TO SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER. NO MARKS ARE GIVEN IF YOU WRITE ONLY TRUE OR FALSE. (2 marks)

3.- VOCABULARY. FIND FOUR SYNONYMS IN THE TEXT THAT HAVE A SIMILAR MEANING (1 mark) (0,25 each)

4.-WRITE A COMPOSITION IN ENGLISH OF ABOUT 130 WORDS. CHOOSE ONE OF THE TOPICS. (3 marks)

1.- Write something about the influence of the USA in different areas such as pop music; film industry; sports; economy; politics or literature. You can choose one of them if it is easier for you.
2.- Would you like to be the President of the USA and live in the White House? Why?

	English Department
	BHI Orixe IES
	University Entrance English Test
	JULY 2002/2003
Double-click any word on the test to get an instant definition		PRINT TEST	HOME
UNIBERTSTATERA SARTZEKO HAUTAPROBAK. 2002/2003 UZTAILA. PRUEBAS DE ACCESO A LA UNIVERSIDAD JULIO. 2002/2003. THE WHITE HOUSE: A LIVING LEGEND By Christopher Palbicki The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, is one of the world's most famous addresses. With the red, white and blue flag, it's the most recognisable symbol of the United States and an icon for democracy. It's easy to forget sometimes that this celebrated house is also a home. Every President from John Adams to George W. Bush has lived there, raising families and coping with life in the spotlight. The house's construction required an army of workers. Scottish stonecutters, slaves from nearby plantations, and bricklayers laboured for nearly ten years to complete the mansion. Each day, more than 6.000 people visit the White House. They tour the formal rooms such as the East Room, where the legendary portrait of George Washington hangs. Teddy Roosevelt was known to keep a wrestling pad in the East Room for frequent matches. It is also said that Thomas Jefferson would answer the front door wearing just his morning robe. Such is the history of the house; full of humorous anecdotes of everyday life. The second and third floors are off limits to everyone but the First Family and invited guests. It's on these two floors where important events took place, the kind that shaped world history. On the second floor is a narrow space with a window where Abraham Lincoln stood to deliver news of the Civil War to people gathered below. Just around the corner is the room where Richard Nixon handed his letter of resignation to his Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, over 100 years later. Home to 43 different families over the decades, the White House is only a temporary residence in the continuing chronicle of world affairs. In the 1920s, Calvin Coolidge was returning from a walk when a senator quipped, "I wonder who lives there?" "Nobody," the President replied. "They just come and go." 1.- IN YOUR OWN WORDS AND BASED ON THE IDEAS FROM THE TEXT, ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS (4 marks) 1.- Who can visit the whole White House without difficulties? 2.- What did Calvin Coolidge want to remark? 3.- Which kind of people were employed to build the White House? 4.- While living in the White House Teddy Roosevelt enjoyed one of his favourite pastimes. How did he manage to do that? 2.-ARE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES TRUE OR FALSE? SAY WHY.TAKE EVIDENCE, EVEN QUOTING, FROM THE TEXT TO SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER. NO MARKS ARE GIVEN IF YOU WRITE ONLY TRUE OR FALSE. (2 marks) 1.- Abraham Lincoln informed people of the Civil War in the East Room. 2.- The army helped to build the White House. 3.- VOCABULARY. FIND FOUR SYNONYMS IN THE TEXT THAT HAVE A SIMILAR MEANING (1 mark) (0,25 each) 1.- Quitting a job. 2.- Large farming estates. 3.- Dealing with. 4.- History. 4.-WRITE A COMPOSITION IN ENGLISH OF ABOUT 130 WORDS. CHOOSE ONE OF THE TOPICS. (3 marks) 1.- Write something about the influence of the USA in different areas such as pop music; film industry; sports; economy; politics or literature. You can choose one of them if it is easier for you. 2.- Would you like to be the President of the USA and live in the White House? Why?
	Copyright © 2008 Maksero. All rights reserved. Designed by Javier Oteiza