B) She ended up leaving him because she found out that he was cheating on her/ he was unfaithful to her.

A – Reading Comprehension: Read the following text carefully.                                                       

JOY AND PAIN

In 2010, when Aggie Ferguson told her boyfriend that she was pregnant, he vowed to stand by her. He wanted to stay together and have a family, he said. But his enthusiasm for fatherhood quickly faded after he learned Aggie was expecting a girl. “He brought me flowers at the ultrasound”, Aggie now 18. “But when he found out I was having a girl, he lost interest. He wanted a son. He just tossed the flowers at me and told me he’d meet me outside.” Like Aggie, most of the 820,000 teenagers who get pregnant each year in the US face motherhood frightened and alone.

“There are many young mothers working hard, struggling, and trying to do right by their children,” says Bill Albert, spokesperson for the National campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. “But the deck is dramatically stacked against them. Most 16-year-olds are simply not ready for the challenges of being a parent, emotionally and financially.”

Aggie, who’s from Quincy, Massachusetts, wasn’t ready. When she learned she was pregnant, her mind raced with questions she didn’t have the answer to. “I was devastated,” said Aggie. “I was thinking, ‘What am I going to do?’; ‘How am I going to support the baby?’; ‘How am I going to finish my education?”

At first, Aggie and her boyfriend tried to make their relationship work. She moved in with him for a month. But after she discovered he was unfaithful, she packed her bags and returned home to live with her mother.

When her daughter Mia was born in 2011, Aggie’s boyfriend didn’t bother to show up at the hospital. Now twenty months old, Mia has only seen her father a handful of times – mostly in court, where Aggie has had to go to force him pay child support. Absentee fathers are hardly uncommon. In fact, nearly 80% of fathers of children born to teen mothers do not marry the mothers. Teens moms like Aggie are often forced to take the role of both mother and father.

Aggie misses the freedom she once had to ride horses, play basketball, and go to parties with friends. Even though Aggie has family to help her, she’s reluctant to ask. “It’s not my mom’s responsibility to take care of my child,” Aggie says. “It’s mine.”

By Haren Fanning, in CHOICES, February 2013 (abridged and adapted)

1. Complete the summary of this article with only ONE word per gap. (14p)

Aggie Ferguson, aged (a) had a (b) when she was only (c). As a single mother still attending (d) she had to struggle with the stress of raising a child (e). In fact, Aggie was too (f) to become a (g).

2. TRUE or FALSE? Quote from the text to justify all your answers. (18p)

a) Aggie was full of self-doubt when she got pregnant.                                                            

b) Her boyfriend didn’t want to help her financially.                                                                   

c) Despite having a baby now, Aggie still does all the things teenagers normally do.                                                            

Choose the most suitable option according to the text. (25p)

a) At first, Aggie’s boyfriend (1) didn’t think she was pregnant. (2) …promised to be there for her and the baby. (3) …was shocked when he learned she was pregnant.

b) When he found out Aggie was expecting a baby girl he felt really (1) excited. (2) sad. (3) angry.

c) He has (1) often (2) rarely (3) never visited his daughter.

d) (1) Only a small percentage of teen fathers… (2) Half the teen fathers… (3) Most teen fathers … want to start a family.

e) Aggie feels that (1) she has no one to help her. (2) …she doesn’t need any help. (3) …it is up to her to raise her daughter.

Answer these questions on the text in complete sentences. (20p)

a) Why did Aggie’s boyfriend change his attitude about her pregnancy?

b) Although they tried to make things work, why did Aggie end up leaving her boyfriend?

Explain the following from the text in your own words. (10p)

... “his enthusiasm for fatherhood quickly faded”... (1^st paragraph)

Imagine you are a friend of Aggie’s boyfriend. Write a short message (40-50 words) telling him how you feel about his attitude and give him some advice. (12p)

B – Language Focus

PREPOSITIONAL VERBS - Choose the right preposition to complete the sentences. (12p)

a) Aggie dedicates herself entirely ... her daughter now.

(1) to                (2) at                (3) with          (4) about

b) Aggie accused her boyfriend ... not helping her.

(1) from          (2) in                (3) for              (4) of

c) Her boyfriend eventually agreed ... send her some money.

(1) about        (2) for              (3) to               (4) on

d) Children of teen mothers are more likely to suffer ... learning disabilities.

(1) for              (2) at                (3) of               (4) from

e) Why don’t you ask your mother ... help, Aggie?

(1) in                 (2) for              (3) with          (4) of

f) Aggie knew she couldn’t rely ... her boyfriend.

(1) on               (2) from          (3) in                (4) to

Fill in the blanks using either the INFINITIVE or GERUND of the verbs in brackets. (12p)

a) Aggie wasn’t used to (get) up in the middle of the night to feed her daughter.

b)She misses (go) to parties with her friends.

c)She told her boyfriend that he had better (start) helping out more.

d)Aggie had some difficulties (find) a part-time job.

e)After some time Aggie managed (look) after her child alone.

f)She begged her boyfriend (stay) more than once.

CONDITIONALS - Fill in the blanks using the verbs in brackets in the right tense or form. (15p)

a)If I were you, I (not trust) him.

b)He’ll come to his senses if your mother (talk) to him.

c)If you can’t do this alone, (try) to get some help.

d)I (be) very disappointed if my son doesn’t take full responsibility.

e)I’d never react this way if this (happen) to me.

Rephrase the following with “unless”. (4p)

She will become a good mother if she tries hard enough.

Complete the sentences using your own ideas. DO NOT REPEAT THEM. (8p)

a)If my best friend ever got pregnant, ...

b)I would be really disappointed in my parents if ...

C - Writing

Do either 1) or 2) in about 180 words. (50p)

Imagine you are Aggie and kept a diary. Write 2 or 3 diary entries expressing your feelings, concerns, fears, ambitions, etc.

Imagine you are a writer for a teen magazine. Write an article about what it is like being a teenager today. Address some of the problems teens have to face and how to overcome them. Give your article a title.

CORRECTION

A.

A) 18 (b) baby/girl/daughter (c) 16 (d) school (e) alone (f) young (g) parent/ mother

2.

a) T - “When she learned she was pregnant, her mind raced with questions she didn’t have the answer to.”

b) T - …”mostly in court, where Aggie has had to go to force him pay child support.”

c) F - “Aggie misses the freedom she once had to ride horses, play basketball, and go to parties with friends.”

A) 2 b) 3 c) 2 d) 1 e) 3

4.

A) He changed his attitude because he wanted a baby boy and Aggie was expecting a girl.

b) She ended up leaving him because she found out that he was cheating on her/ he was unfaithful to her.