Copyright 1996

READING PASSAGE 1 
A different taste a things of come 
The French are turning their noses up at wine
because, surprisingly enough, the birth rates in
and rejecting their croissant in favour of
Catholic countries such as Spain and Italy are
breakfast cereal, the English are turning from
falling
tea to mineral water and the Spanish are
Another factor is the rise of the one-person
turning to pizza at an alarming rate In short.
household, frequently misinterpreted to mean
we are beginning to see the evolution of the
harbouring an unmarried or divorced man or
Euro consumer That seems to be the message
woman living alone Statistically, one-person
from research conducted by Europanel, an
households include single-parent households,
association of research companies across 23
the numbers of which are shooting up The
countries which monitor buying patterns using
phenomenon is growing Forty per cent of
consumer panels
Swedish homes are now one-person
Social and demographic factors and the
households, compared with 29% ten years
marketing strategies of multinational food and
earlier In western Germany the figure is 35%
drink companies are combining to make the
(30% ten years ago), in the Netherlands 29%
lifestyles of different European nations more
(16%), and in Ireland 21% (17%)
alike Thi main demographic factors leading to
In Spam, the one-adult household was so rare a 
this increasing uniformity across the continent
decade ago it did not register statistically, now
are falling birth rates and easier divorce.
the figure is 10% Hence the growth in demand
according to one member of Europanel He
for convenience foods In Spain, the annual
said 'The result is smaller households, which
grow th rate for pizza sales between 1986 and
rely more on things such as microwaves and
1992 was 34% while growth last year slowed a 
convenience foods, whatever the nationality'
little to 16% Other factors affect consumer
Even the French, who are proud of their
habits For instance. Piper says that the wider
cuisine, are turning to the microwave Latest
prevalence of central heating in chilly Britain is
Europanel figures show that 38% of French
the chief cause of the decline in the popularity
kitchens house a microwave, just under the
not just of tea, but of all hot drinks Another
figure of -10'!., in western Germany In Britain
major factor is aggressive multinational
the figure is 57%
marketing After all, the French cannot indulge
Tlu French are also becoming less French as
a craving for sliced bread if all that is on offer is
they continue- to shy away from wine Wine
a baguette The products have to be on the
consumption in France fell by an average of 6%
supermarket shelves In fact, there have to be
.a year between 1986 and 1992 By contrast, the
supermarket shelves There must be enough
British are drinking more
space to put new choices on offer
A key demographic factor is average
Once a major manufacturer has won a
household size, measured by the number of
dominant share in a mature market, it will look 
adult residents Already the spread between
abroad for pastures new Breakfast cereals are
nations is quite narrow Western Germany has
one such product With growth opportunities
the lowest figure in western Europe at 2 2
in the mature British market slowing,
adults, and Spam the highest at 3 2, followed
manufacturers crossed the Channel
by Italy at 2 8 The gap will narrow still further

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As .1 result, cereal sales in France grew by 18%
How far the process will go is anybody's guess.
a year between 1986 and 1992, and continued 
Increased choice is all very well, but the 
lo grow by 10% last year. Similarly, tomato 
prospect of every kitchen in Europe serving up
ketchup sales have boomed in such unlikely 
milk-sodden cereal in the morning and 
places as Spain and France, with growth rates 
microwaved pizza in the evening is surely a 
of 28% and 18% respectively.
depressing one.
Questions 1-4 
Complete the following statements with not more than FOUR WORDS TAKEN 
FROM THE TEXT. Write your answers in the spaces numbered l-A on the 
answer 
sheet. An example has been done for you. 
The association responsible for the research in this passage is 
Example: 
known as ... 
Europanel
Answer:
The eating habits of some European nations are becoming less diverse 
because of two groups of factors, namely, 
1........ and 
2. 
. . .
3. 
Until recently, it was wrongly believed that the one-person household 
consisted of... 
4. As soon as it has become successful in an established market, a large 
company... 

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Questions 5-9 
Below are listed some of the lifestyle changes affecting various European nations. 
Match each change with the country in which it is said to occur by writing the 
appropriate letter A-F in the spaces numbered 5-9 on the answer sheet. One has 
been done for you as an example. 
There are more countries than you need but you may use some countries more 
than once. 
Example : 
Answer:
eating more pizza 
A
5. 
eating more cereals 
6. 
drinking less wine 
7. 
using more central heating 
8. 
drinking less tea 
9. 
having fewer children 
List of Countries 
A Spain 
D Germany
B Italy 
E Britain
C France 
F Sweden
Questions 10-14 
Which of the following changes are the result of smaller households according to 
the reading passage? Write Y for Yes or N for No in the spaces numbered 10-14 
on the answer sheet. 
10. increased use of microwaves 
1 1 . increasing popularity of breakfast cereals 
12. decrease in popularity of hot drinks 
13 incri.MM.'d demand for convenience foods 
14 growth in sales of tomato ketchup 

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QUESTIONS 15-27 
Yon are advised to spend about 20 minutes on Questions 15-27 which refer to 
Reading 
Passage 2 below 
READING PASSAGE 2