Welcome to the University of Leicester EAP taster.

Are you considering coming to Leicester to do an English language course before entering the University? Try the quiz below to see what kind of academic reading skills students practise and develop on our pre-sessional courses.

Start your reading quiz:
  • The questions in this quiz have been designed to match IELTS 5.5 to 7.0.
  • Read the extract below and answer the quiz questions.
  • When you finish the quiz, check your answers by clicking on the link to watch the video on the ELTU website.
Here is a summary of the first scene of William Shakespeare’s famous play Richard III. Please read and then answer the questions.

Brother versus Brother

Richard, Duke of Gloucester, meditates on England’s happy state under his brother, the Yorkist King Edward IV, who has been victorious in battle. Richard is unhappy; he does not like sitting around doing nothing and, being born deformed, he may as well be the villain people think he is. He schemes to cause trouble between his brothers George, the Duke of Clarence, and the King. It has been prophesied that someone by the letter ‘G’ will murder Edward’s heirs, so Edward has ordered George’s arrest and imprisonment. Richard tells George the fault lies with their sister-in-law, Queen Elizabeth (Lady Grey), promising to free him but secretly plotting his death. Word comes that the king is gravely ill. Richard vows to marry Anne, widow of Edward, Lancastrian Prince of Wales, despite the fact that he killed her husband and her father.

Glossary:

To meditate on - to think about
Deformed - not having a normal body shape
Villain - a bad character
To scheme/plot - make evil plans
Imprisonment - to be put in prison

Adapted from: http://www.shakespearesglobe.com/uploads/files/2013/10/richard_iii_synopsis.pdf

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* 1. Richard, Duke of Gloucester, is…

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* 2. Why is Richard unhappy?

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* 3. What does Richard plan to do?

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* 4. What happens when the king becomes gravely ill?

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* 5. What kind of character do you think Richard will be?

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* 6. From which country are you accessing this quiz?

You have now finished the quiz questions. Watch the video where one of the ELTU tutors will discuss the correct answers and give you more information on how studying with us can help you improve your reading skills.

Click on the link to watch the video   ELTU Reading Taster 




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