SHORT MESSAGES

In this part, candidates have to read six short emails, notices, signs or text messages. There are three sentences next to each one. Candidates have to choose which sentence matches the meaning of the email, notice, sign or text message. 

For each question, choose the correct answer.

 

1. Jack, can you bring the bicycle you borrowed to my house today?

Thanks, Karl.

 

2. Buses to the city centre leave this bus stop every 20 minutes

 

3. Tom,

My mum forgot to get us any snacks! Can you bring some when you come to my house tonight? Jake’s bringing lots of CDs!

Harry

 

4. Ben,

I’m at the cinema – where are you? Film starts in 2 minutes.

Ciara

 

5. Billy,

Your sandwiches are in the fridge – put them in your lunchbox.

Don’t forget!

Mum

 

6. Pupils should bring money for the school trip by Friday at the latest

SHORT MESSAGES

In this part, candidates have to read six short emails, notices, signs or text messages. There are three sentences next to each one. Candidates have to choose which sentence matches the meaning of the email, notice, sign or text message. 

For each question, choose the correct answer.

 

1. Sarah,

There’s an offer at the computer game-store. If you hand in old games, you’ll get cash now or a special ticket for money off next month’s new ones.

Tom

 

2. Mum,

The tennis team’s meeting tonight, so I’m taking my tennis clothes for the photo – can’t wait to see myself in it.

Daniel

 

3. Wanted

babysitter for regular work, two evenings per week – generally Monday and Wednesday, but this could change in future. Own transport essential; call Sue to discuss duties and pay details.

 

4. Casali Restaurant

We are open downstairs while improvements are made to this area.

 

5. Due to staff holidays, shop closes early on weekdays during August; Saturdays as normal.

 

6. Ann-Marie,

Emma called. She’s got a free ticket for this evening’s concert as her boyfriend’s busy. I’ve already got one, but if you want to go, call her before 7pm.

Joe

 

7. Gym changing rooms

Place personal items in lockers. Staff will remove anything on floor.

 

8. ROOM TO RENT – UNEXPECTEDLY AVAILABLE

so only £250 per month including fuel bills

Tel: Erik on 663159

 

9. Museum Café

These tables are for costumers only. Follow signs for picnic areas.

 

10. From: Maria Gomez

To: Sarah Smith

Please forgive the delay in writing – I’ve been so busy!

I miss your English classes now I’m back in Spain, but at least I can understand everything here!

For questions 1-8, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0).

 

  0.   A heart       B key    C bottom   D focus

 

Memory

 

Memory is at the (0) ….heart…. of our sense of personal identity. If we did not have memory, we would not be (1) ……… of our relationships with other people and would have no (2) ……… that we had had any past at all. And without memory we would have no knowledge on which to (3) ……… our present and future.

 

Memory (4) ……… of three processes: registration, retention and recall. Registration happens when we consciously notice something. Retention is the next (5) ……… , when we keep something we have noticed in our minds for a certain period of time. Finally, recall occurs when we actively think about some of these things that are (6) ……… in our minds.

 

Every day we are subjected to a vast (7) ……… of information. If we remembered every (8) ……… thing we had ever seen or heard, life would be impossible. Consequently, our brains have learnt to register only what is of importance.

For questions 1-8, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0).

 

  0    A inviting B attracting    C involving   D appealing

 

New words for a dictionary

 

The editors of a new online dictionary are (0) …inviting… the public to submit words that they would like to see in the dictionary. People are already sending in words, some of which they have (1) ………… themselves – these will almost certainly not (2) ………… in the dictionary!

 

When a new word is submitted, editors check newspapers, radio, television and social networks to see how (3) …………the word is used. They also (4) ………… whether the word is likely to remain in use for more than one or two years. The evidence they collect will help them decide whether or not to put in the dictionary.

 

Editors will (5) ………… feedback on any words submitted by the public. Even words not accepted will (6) ………… to be monitored over the following year. Editors need to be (7) ………… of new words which emerge from areas such as popular culture and technology, so that their dictionary is a genuine (8) ………… of the current language.

 

For questions 1-8, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0).

 

  0   A have     B  do    C get   D take

 

Why we need to play

 

Human beings are not the only creatures that like to (0) …have… fun. Many animals play, as do some birds. However, no other creatures spend so much time enjoying themselves as human beings do. Indeed, we (1)…………….. onto our sense of fun right into adulthood.

 

So why do human beings spend so much time playing? One reason is that we have time for leisure; animals have very little time to play as most of their life is spent in sleeping and (2)…………….. food.

So, is play just an opportunity for us to (3)…………….. in enjoyable activities or does it have a more important (4)……………..? According to scientists, (5)…………….. from being fun, play has several very real (6)…………….. for us – it helps our physical, intellectual and social development. It also helps to (7)…………….. us for what we have not yet experienced. With very (8)…………….. risk, we can act out what we would do in unexpected, or even dangerous, situations.

For questions 1-8, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0).

 

 0 A predictable B steady    C respectable   D main

 

Home and abroad

 

After a short time living in a foreign country, I noticed conversations with locals assumed a (0) …predictable… pattern. There were standard answers to the usual questions. Most questions caused little (1)…………….. – it was rather like dancing, where both partners know how to avoid (2)……………..on each other’s toes.

 

But, ‘When are you going home?’ was a question I (3)……………..to answer, whenever I (4)…………….. my life and the direction it seemed to be (5)……………… . In the last ten years, I had lived in a dozen countries. And I had travelled through dozens more; usually in (6)…………….. of a purpose or a person; occasionally to see the attractions.

 

This kind of travel is not (7)…………….. wandering, but is the extensive exploration of a wide (8)…………….. of cultures. However, it doesn’t allow you to put down roots. At the back of your mind, though, is the idea of home, the place you came from.

For questions 1 – 12, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
There is an example at the beginning (0).

Holidays at home

Official figures show that the number of people (0) ..TAKING….. international flights is decreasing, and that this is (1) ……. in significant changes to holidaying habits. 

As the cost of air tickets increases, it appears that more and more familias are choosing to (2) ….. their summer holidays at home. People are also becoming more (3) ……. of the harm that flying does to the environment, and see it as a way of helping to (4) ……. the planet, too.

For many parents a summer with no airport queues or overcrowded resorts may seem attractive, but the idea might well be less (5) ……. with their teenage children, who are probably (6) ……. to flying off to the Mediterranean or Miami as soon as school breaks up. So, the question is, how can young people (7) ……. lots of fun when so much will be closed far the holidays, and so many of their friends are (8) ……. to be away?

The answer may lie at the local sports centre. Nowadays, many centres organise summer activities aimed at young people (9) ……. either on indoor or outdoor sports. These might range, far instance, from playing table tennis to (10) ……. mountain-biking. As well as being healthy and enjoyable, taking part in activities like these is also an excellent way to (11) …… new friends. Far the most popular activities, though, it is advisable to (12) ……. early far a place – perhaps two or three months in advance.

For questions 1 – 12, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
There is an example at the beginning (0).

Fingernails growing faster

People’s fingernails and toenails, (0) …according… to a recent study, are nowadays growing more quickly. Research (1) ….. out at the University of North Carolina indicates that the speed at which human nails are growing has increased by (2) ….. to 25 per cent over the last 70 years.

The results of the study show that the (3) ….. human fingernail now grows about 3.5 mm a month, (4) ….. with just 3 mm seven decades ago. Toenail growth, (5) ….. only about 2 mm per month, was also up on the figure (6) ….. in a similar survey done 70 years ago.

Researchers (7) ….. the rapid increase down to changes in lifestyle, particularly the greater (8)……. of the importance of regular exercise and a healthy diet. This, they point out, is in (9) ….. with similar trends in the height and weight of present-day adults.

nterestingly, it appears that nails (10) ….. to grow fastest in warmer conditions, with the quickest growth (11) ….. among young people, and men. The fastest-growing nail is on the middle finger, while that on the little finger is (12) ….. far the slowest, at only a fraction o ver 3 mm each month.

For questions 1 – 8, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
There is an example at the beginning (0).

Coming second: pleasure or pain?

Every ambitious athlete hopes to (0) …fulfil… their dream of winning a gold medal at the Olympics.

However, not everyone can win, and often talented athletes must accept  second place. A team of psychologists recently (1)………. some research on the emotional responses of those finishing second. For certain individuals, a silver medal may (2) ………….. their expectations and so naturally they will be delighted. They may also enjoy surprising experts and journalists who believed they had absolutely no (3) of achieving anything.

In (4)…………..  , the athlete who everyone assumed would win with ease, but then suffers a (5) ………….. defeat, may not celebrate their silver medal. This reaction differs sharply from the athlete who comes second but finished a long way behind the winner. There is a (6)…………….. in the research that shows such a person will feel significantly happier.

To a certain (7)………….. , these findings are not surprising. Silver medallists who were close to victory will almost certainly (8) ……………..on what might have happened if they had trained harder, or done things differently.

For questions 1 – 8, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
There is an example at the beginning (0).

Off the beaten track

The expression ‘getting off the beaten track’ is used to (0) ….refer……… to the experience of avoiding famous tourist attractions and choosing instead to explore less well-known places when travelling.

For many people the whole (1) …………. of travel is to visit cities such as Paris or Venice that have a great (2) …………….. as places of beauty and historic importance. Furthermore, they are not particularly (3)………… by the crowds that are usually found in such locations. But for others who have more of a (4) ………. of adventure, a good holiday must (5) ……….. unfamiliar experiences, even taking some risks.

Travelling off the beaten track may be done by some students who don’t (6)……… to a rigid plan, but make decisions about what to do depending on how they feel. Other travellers prefer to spend money on guided tours to unusual locations. Such tours are designed to (7)…………… their particular needs, and all the arrangements are made for them. However people choose to get off the beaten track, the hope is always the same: to have a special, often unique (8) …………… of a different culture.