- You will need a pencil and paper.
- The test consists of 13 questions with a total mark of 20 points.
- It should not take you longer than 15 minutes to complete this test.
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Water-skiing is a wonderful sport that families can do together. It is amazing to see
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children, often as young as five, skiing alongside their parents or even their
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grandparents. The family members who don’t want to waterski can participate by
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driving the boat or by acting as an observer. It is a safety requirement that every boat
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carry an extra person whose role it is to watch the skier and to tell the driver if the
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skier has fallen into the water, or wants to go back to shore. Many families take a
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picnic lunch to share on the beach and often enjoy playing a casual game of beach
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cricket or beach volleyball with other families.
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Some people may believe that waterskiing is only a summer sport, but it is not
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uncommon to observe people sliding smoothly over the surface of the water on
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bitterly cold winter days. They are usually attired in dark wetsuits covered by brightly
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coloured safety vests and they seem totally oblivious to the bone-chilling cold that
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seems to be affecting the rest of the population. Problems caused by other boats
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stirring up the water and creating waves are reduced in winter as there are fewer boats
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on the water. There aren’t as many people skiing so it is easier for the drivers because
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they don’t need to dodge other boats and skiers.
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Learning to ski is not difficult, but initially you spend quite a lot of time in the water.
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Beginners start on two skis and they lie back in the water with their skis pointed
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towards the boat. They hold on to the handles, and, when the rope is straight, the boat
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takes off and the skier is pulled through the water. It is important to try to keep your
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arms straight, not to pull on the rope and just let the boat pull you. Your legs should
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stay bent until you gain sufficient confidence to become more upright.
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Once skiers are confident on two skies they graduate to use one ski. This can be quite
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a challenge for some people, but it allows you to ski faster and to learn to turn sharply
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and eventually tackle a slalom coarse.
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Waterskiing can be quite expensive because of the high cost of the equipment and
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the fuel needed, but it is a wonderful experience and anyone with the opportunity to
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try it would be well advised to do so.