SCREENING TEST

Screening Test

Distributed by the
Hellenic American Union.
FREE OF CHARGE

This publication is not endorsed or approved by CaMLA.

 SCREENING TEST
copyright © Hellenic American Union and copyright © Hellenic American University

The test questions and any other testing information were developed in their entirety by the Hellenic American University Office for Language
Assessment upon commission by the Hellenic American Union. No endorsement of this publication by CaMLA should be inferred.
The ECPE Screening Test has been designed to function as a useful tool for teachers who would like to have an
indication of the level of their students and of how well they may perform on the ECPE. It is expected that the Screening
Test would be administered approximately four to six months before the ECPE examination.

The Test comprises a Listening Section and a Grammar, Cloze, Vocabulary & Reading (GCVR) Section. The items in
these sections have been carefully chosen to test a variety of levels of difficulty appropriate for students at this level and
so provide information on the potential success of ECPE candidates, based on their performance at this stage of their
studies.

Procedure
A panel of twelve judges was selected based on their qualifications and experience in language teaching. The judges
rated both individually and in groups, assigning a code to each item according to their evaluation of its place on a scale
directly related to the CEFR levels. The median of these codes was calculated for each item and the results were then
assigned to three categories: easier items; items expected to be approximately at the level of potential candidates at this
stage of their studies; and a range of more difficult items above the expected level.

Results
The largest category of items included in the Screening Test are those the judges evaluated as being at the expected
level of a student in the process of preparing for the ECPE, with fifty percent of the items in each section at this level
(Table 1). The proportion of easier and more difficult items included in the test are mostly balanced across the Sections,
but with a higher proportion of more difficult items in the Listening sections and a higher proportion of easier items in the
Grammar section. Note that percentages have been rounded.

The number of items per Section is shown in Table 2. Ten of the items in the Listening section are those judged as easier
than the expected level, with fifteen judged as more difficult, while thirteen of the grammar items are those judged as
easier and only seven as more difficult. The number of easier and more difficult items is evenly balanced in the other
sections. Table 1: Percentage of items per category (rounded figures)
% of easier items % of medium items % of more difficult Total % of Items
PART
items
LISTENING 20 50 30 100
GRAMMAR 33 50 18 100
CLOZE 25 50 25 100
VOCABULARY 25 50 25 100
READING 25 50 25 100
TOTAL GCVR 28 50 23 100
Table 2: Number of items per category
No. of easier items No. of medium No. of more difficult Total number of
PART
items items items
LISTENING 10 25 15 50
GRAMMAR 13 20 7 40
 Introduction
CLOZE 5 10 5 20
VOCABULARY 10 20 10 40
READING 5 10 5 20
TOTAL GCVR 33 60 27 120

ECPE Screening Test 2017 3

 Introduction
Using the ECPE Screening Test Grid (Table 3)
Teachers can use the Screening Test to identify the level of students who are intending to sit a C2-level examination.
Students should sit the Screening Test under examination conditions, with care taken to ensure that they do not copy or
exchange answers during the test.

The ECPE Screening Test Grid in Table 3 can be printed or photocopied.

• Each part of the Grid represents a section of the ECPE Screening Test.
• T he numbers on the Grid represent the item number of the Screening Test: for example, items 1, 2 and 3 are found
in the first three rows of Listening Part 1; item 111 is in the first row of the Vocabulary Section; and item 170 in the
last row of the Reading Section.
• T he item numbers of each section are arranged in three columns according to their estimated level of difficulty:
Easier, Medium, and Harder.

Once students have finished the Test, the numbers of all the questions the student answered correctly should be marked
on the Grid, for example by using a tick or a circle.

The Grid provides the teacher with an at-a-glance assessment of each student’s level. It is important to think of each
student’s answers in terms of a pattern, since this is what gives the best indication of the student’s level.
• S tudents approaching the level expected at the ECPE should show a pattern of answers for each Section
demonstrating that they correctly answered almost all the easier items, many of the medium range items, but few of
the more difficult items.
• M ore advanced students will show a pattern whereby they correctly answered almost all the easier items, most of the
medium range items, and many of the more difficult items.
• T eachers should be aware that students with a noticeably random pattern of correct answers may have been
employing a certain amount of guesswork.

Predicting Success in the ECPE

Students with more than 25 answers correct in the Listening Section of the Screening Test and more than 60 answers
correct in the GCVR are expected to be in a favorable position to improve their English to a level which would gain a
Pass at ECPE, provided they continue diligently with their studies during the school year. It is hoped the Screening Test
will also help teachers identify which Sections of the ECPE require extra study on the part of their students.
 Introduction

4 ECPE Screening Test 2017

ECPE Screening Test 2017 5

 Introduction
This page intentionally left blank.

ECPE Screening Test 2017 7

Listening Listening Listening

Screening Test

ECPE Screening Test 2017 8

Listening Listening Listening
This page intentionally left blank.

ECPE Screening Test 2017 9

 LISTENING SECTION INSTRUCTIONS
This section of the examination tests your understanding of spoken English. The listening section has three parts. There are
50 questions. Mark all your answers on the separate answer sheet. Do not make any stray marks on the answer sheet. If you
change your mind about an answer, erase your first answer completely. Part 1
In this part, you will hear short conversations. From the three answer choices given, choose the answer which means about
the same thing as what you hear, or that is true based upon what you hear. For example, listen to the conversation:
Example (listen): A. to arrange an appointment
B. to request more time to finish an assignment
C. to inform her about his mother’s health
The correct answer is B.
For problems 1 through 15, mark your answers on the separate answer sheet. No problems can be repeated. Please listen
carefully. Do you have any questions?

1. . A The students can choose their own type of B. The students must write about the same news
assignment. event.
 Listening Listening Listening
C. The students have to compare two news articles. 5. A. The woman does not like the new director.
B. T he new director lacks knowledge about the job.
2. A. She thinks traffic conditions will improve. B. C. The new director is good at team work.
H e is having trouble biking downtown.
C. She thinks there are too many cyclists. 6. A. She disagrees with his view that Professor Jones is
helpful.
3. A. He is more likely to get promoted at the distribution B. P rofessor Jones does not provide written material
company. for his lectures.
B. H e has decided to leave his job at the distribution C. He dislikes the handouts that Professor Jones gives
company. out in lectures.
C. His starting salary will be higher at the distribution
company. 7. A. She thinks the coach hasn’t done a good job.
B. H e believes the coach should become a team
4. A. She is complaining about her order being late. director.
B. S he has already found the textbook she needs. C. The current coach will probably leave the team.
C. She is asking about returning a book. 8 A. S he will give the professor her assignment tomorrow.

ECPE Screening Test 2017 11

B. I t is important that she arrive on time for tomorrow’s 11. A. S he had accidentally switched off her phone.
class. B. S he is late because she didn’t set her
C. The professor will assign a book report in the next alarm.
lesson. C. She did not hear her phone alarm go off.

9. A. S he will have to pay the full price for both tickets. 12. A. Her roommate has finished college and is moving
B. S he needs to show documentation from the college. out. B. S he will share a room with a group of friends.
C. She will buy one ticket and get the other one free. C. She was fortunate to find a good place to live.

10. A. S he and her partner are organizing a leaving party . 13. A. He would like to see a written account of her idea .
B. S he and her partner haven’t moved into their new B. H e thinks her idea is unlikely to meet with success.
home. C. He has a better business idea to propose to her.
C. She wants to invite him to see their new residence.
14. A. Mary has a friendly relationship with colleagues.
B. M ary always seems relaxed when doing business.
C. Mary tends to get angry when at work.
 Listening Listening Listening
15. A. He has always been sure about his choice of career.
B. H e works in a number of different writing
genres.
C. He recently decided to follow a different career path.

ECPE Screening Test 2017 13

 Listening Listening Listening
Part 2
In this part, you will hear a question. From the three answer choices given, choose the one which best answers the
question. For example, listen to the question:
Example (listen): A. Sorry, I still haven’t had time.
B. You’ll need to tell me the route.
C. Sure. Send it to me tomorrow.
The correct answer is A.
For problems 16 through 35, mark your answers on the separate answer sheet. No problems can be repeated. Please
listen carefully. Do you have any questions?

16. A. Yes. It’s really spacious and 24. A. It turned out to be rather boring, to be
comfortable. honest. B. Some of the
B. The former tenants left earlier than planned. paintings were very highly priced.
C. I’d prefer to be nearer to work, that’s all. C. Actually, even more people showed up.

17. A. I’m the eldest by three-and-a-half 25. A. We’ll probably hire a professional to
years. B. My brother and I are do them. B. There’s just some re-
both pretty tall. painting still to do.
C. I thought it could have been a lot better. C. You bet! I wouldn’t miss it for the world!
26 A. We arrived somewhat later, due to a delay.
18. A. Don’t let me bother you, in that case. B. Tickets are cheaper the earlier you get them.
B. Great! I’m looking for a good story to read. C. I’d have preferred to travel early in the morning.
C. I’ll lend it to you after I’ve finished it.
27. A. I’m sure her bosses will recognize her
19. A. I’d like to know whether we can make talents. B. She should speak to
our own travel arrangements. him as soon as possible.
B. Personally, I found it very interesting and I C. I was surprised, considering how good she is.
look forward to the next one.
C. Would it be possible to do this test after the 28. A. No problem. I can wait another week.
lecture, instead of before? B. Great! I haven’t seen them for
ages.
20. A. It’ll be tough, but I certainly hope so. C. Of course! It was a fantastic experience.
B. Gina can be too outspoken at
times. 29. A. I’m afraid I can’t make it on that day.
C. Yes, they work really well together. B. Thanks! These will be really
helpful.
21. A. We got them at a discount price. C. Sure! I’ll scan them and send you the file.
B. I have to accept some of the blame.
C. An electrician is coming tomorrow. 30. A. Sorry, but I think you’re wrong about
that.
22. A. I got my money back, in full. B. I don’t know why he asked me, of all people.
B. I’ll leave it. It’s kinda warm out. C. I’m already busy enough as it is, I’m afraid .
C. I like it. It really suits you.
31. A. Sure. I’ve got your cell phone number.
23. A. Yeah, I reckon that’s a reasonable B. Not at all. Everything went
price. B. Only if it has to be smoothly.
delivered overseas. C. You’re new to the job, so it’s understandable.
C. We can deliver it to your home or work
address. 32. A. Yes. I told everyone in the office.
B. I should have finished before midday.

14 ECPE Screening Test 2017

 Listening Listening Listening
C. I think I put them in the top drawer. 34. A. T here have to be rules against copying
assignments.
33. A. I think they were John’s idea, originally.
B. Because more space was needed for more students.
B. I agree. Then we could share
C. I think people should wear whatever they want.
ideas.
C. That’s right. Emails are more convenient. 35. A. It’ll make up 40% of your overall mark.
B. I think I deserved a much better grade.
C. You’d have done better if you’d studied.
Part 3
In this part, you will hear three short segments from a radio program. The program is called “Learning from the
Experts.” You will hear what different radio guests have to say about three different topics. Each talk lasts about three
minutes. As you listen, you may want to take notes to help you remember information given in the talk. Write your
notes in this test booklet. After each talk, you will be asked some questions about what was said. From the three
answer choices given, you should choose the one which best answers the question according to the information you
heard.
Remember, no problems can be repeated. For problems 36 through 50, mark all your answers on the separate answer
sheet. Do you have any questions?

ECPE Screening Test 2017 15

 Listening Listening Listening
Segment 1 Write notes here.
Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet.

36. W hat does the Svalbard Global Seed Vault contain?

A. biological information stored on computer
files
B. the seeds of plants that grow in hot countries
C. plant seeds that are preserved in low
temperatures

37. W hy did ICARDA move to a base in a new area?

A. The Aleppo base had been destroyed in the war.
B. ICARDA staff were at risk because of the fighting.
C. The seed collection had become too large to
house.

38. W hat did ICARDA do with the seeds sent from the
Svalbard Vault?
A. It grew new plants.
B. It put the seeds into storage.
C. It shared the seeds.

39. W hat had the Svalbard scientists not expected?

A. that the seeds could be used to grow new
plants
B. that a loan of seeds could be so successful
C. that the seed vault would have to be used so
soon

40. W hy are the events reported in this passage

described as “encouraging”?
A. They show that the Svalbard Vault will not
need to be used.
B. They prove the effectiveness of a method of
plant preservation.
C. They suggest that destructive events are
unlikely to damage plants.

Segment 2Write notes here.

Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet.

41. W hat is one of the factors that could make food shortages even worse?
A. Fish is becoming increasingly popular as a source of available food.
B. Areas with the least food will experience the most population growth.
C. The number of people employed in the

16 ECPE Screening Test 2017

 Listening Listening Listening
agricultural sector will decline.

42. W hat are the ‘factory foods’ mentioned by Dr. Bates?

A. man-made foods produced in laboratories
B. foods that require a lot of water to produce
C. luxury foods that are consumed by the rich

43. W hat is one of the causes of ‘post-harvest loss’ (PHL)?

A. Food is not kept refrigerated.
B. Supermarkets discard food.
C. Customers refuse to buy food.

44. W hy does Dr. Bates mention cereal grains?

A. to suggest that this food should be produced instead of fruit
B. to explain how non-perishable foods can also be spoiled
C. to give an example of a type of food that cannot be ruined

45. A ccording to Dr. Bates, what is the most effective way to prevent future food shortages?
A. by increasing agricultural production to meet demand
B. by encouraging producers to improve food quality
C. by reducing the amount of food that is wasted
Segment 3Write notes here.
Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet.

46. W hat did participants in the experiment not know? A. that the second response was largely
the same as their own
B. that someone else’s views were described in the
second response
C. that the topic of the second response had been
changed

47. W hat is ‘myside bias’?

A. people’s tendency to take pride in being objective and logical
B. people’s tendency to defend their own views and reject opposite views
C. people’s tendency to believe opinions that are strongly expressed

48. A ccording to the woman, how might myside bias have been a danger?
A. It might have made it more difficult to hunt for food.
B. It might have stopped hunter-gatherers living in groups.
C. It might have caused our ancestors to ignore warnings.

49. A ccording to the speaker, how did myside bias help our ancestors survive?
A. They could convince other people to stay in the cave .
B. They could defend themselves against physical attack.
C. They could avoid being taken advantage of.

ECPE Screening Test 2017 17

 Listening Listening Listening
50. W hat may be true about myside bias in the modern world?
A. It is essential to survival.
B. It prevents proper dialogue.
C. It has all but disappeared.

18 ECPE Screening Test 2017

 Grammar Grammar Grammar

51. L iam just texted me to say he’d rather 57. C ritics have varying opinions genre
on Tuesday instead. category this novel belongs to.
A. meet A. which
B. to meet B. to which C. as which
C. met D. as to which
D. will meet 58. W hich university courses if they don’t have
a recent high-school graduation certificate?
52. W e can always ask our tutor to extend the deadline A. can apply to someone
. B. someone can apply
A. even if we need C. can apply for someone
B. if need be D. can someone apply for
C. if needs
D. even if is needed 59. I know John quite well, as we together
for the past five years.
53. the rest of the city, this neighborhood A. have been working
has clean air and low noise levels. B. had worked C. work
A. Contrast D. are working
B. In contrast to
C. The contrast 60. he had almost no previous experience,
D. As a contrast Carl learned very quickly on the job.
A. D espite
54. T he problems in this country are comparable B. Although
of other countries in the region. C. In spite
A. the ones D. Even so
B. as them
C. to those 61. P aul enjoys studying literature, but he seems to
D. as they have no interest in math.
A. a s ever
55. J ane always goes to the gym after work, B. whichever
she feels energetic or not. C. however
A. whether D. whatsoever
B. even if
C. no matter 62. B rian is a good leader, as he excels his team.
D. either A. t o motivate
B. with motivation
56. T he students are fully aware what C. at motivating
they need to know to pass the exam. D. have motivated
A. that
B. in 63. You needn’t - the exam is going to be
C. of very easy.
D. for A. t o worry
B. worry
C. worried

ECPE Screening Test 2017 19

 Grammar Grammar Grammar

D. being worried 70. B ecause of his excellent research work, Professor

Samson is by his colleagues.
64. I ’m still not convinced all this extra detail A. high regard
in your résumé will help you get the job. B. regarding highly
A. t o include C. highly regarded
B. that including D. regarding high
C. by including
D. if you can include 71. I have many difficult responsibilities in my job, but
65. Y ou can help kids become responsible by allowing duties is dealing with unsatisfied clients.
them certain things by themselves. A. the one most challenged
A. do B. most challenged one
B. to do C. one mostly challenging
C. doing D. one of the most challenging
D. are doing 72. his mistake, he immediately made efforts
to apologize.
66. “ So what do you think about Patricia’s promotion to A. S ince realizing
Manager?” B. By realizing
“That’s the first of it.” C. Realizing
A. to hear D. Had he realized
B. I’m hearing
C. I’ve heard 73. W hen interviewing candidates, interviewers are
D. to have heard interested in how far answering complex
questions.
67. A ssignments without a signed and dated A. they are capable of
submission form will not be accepted. B. are they capable of
A. they are handed in C. are they capable
B. handed in D. they are capable
C. that are handing in
D. which have handed in 74. T he university web site ought by now,
to include details about new faculty members.
68. T o get the job you want, you have to have A. h ave changed
confidence in your abilities. B. to have been changed
A. a great deal of C. to change
B. the greatest deal D. to be a change
C. greater deal
D. to a great deal 75. I an must be quite sure to believe he can
get a promotion after only a year at the company.
69. this matter is, we must discuss the other A. h imself
items on the agenda first. B. to him
A. Even though important C. of himself
B. As important D. that he
C. Although important
D. Important as 76. T he new computer’s memory capability is three
times the previous model’s.
A. much larger than

20 ECPE Screening Test 2017

 Grammar Grammar Grammar

B. as large as 83. S ince repairs on the phone network, we have

C. larger been unable to contact clients.
D. as large A. have been started
B. are starting
77. O ur philosophy teacher always told us there is C. have to start
as a stupid question. D. started
A. n o thing
B. not any thing 84. G eorgia has written seven assignments this
C. nothing semester, was awarded a top grade.
D. no such thing
A. which each
78. S ince Owen started his new job, not once B. each of them
on time. C. which each of them
D. each of which
A. has he arrived
B. he does arrive C. he arrives
D. he has arrived 85. “ I called Jane but there was no reply.”
79. T he car manufacturers recommend that the tires “She her lunch break at the moment.”
regularly, at least every ten years. A. might be taking
A. replacement B. could take
B. to replace C. should have taken
C. be replaced D. may be taken
D. are to replace 86. traffic is heavy at this time, the subway
seems like the best option.

80. A fter Alex missed so many classes, no one expected A. H aving given
so quickly. B. Giving that
C. Given that
A. to catch him up
D. To give
B. him to catch up C. him caught up
D. catching him up
87. O ne thing I definitely won’t miss about university
are the long hours and all the exams.
81. S ome people still prefer writing down notes by hand
them on a device. A. in studying privately
B. to study privately
A. to type
C. to studying private
B. typing
D. of private study
C. than type
D. to typing
88. I sent in my job application last month, but the
company send me a reply.
82. S usan well on her own, but she is also a
good team member. A. h asn’t yet
B. has yet to
A. only works
C. isn’t as yet
B. doesn’t work
D. hadn’t as yet
C. not only works
D. doesn’t work only
89. S andra is very proud that a relative of
once worked with Albert Einstein.

ECPE Screening Test 2017 21

 Grammar Grammar Grammar

A. h erself
B. hers
C. her
D. she

90. H opefully, conventional car engines will soon be

replaced by fossil fuels.
A. those are not run
B. those ran on
C. ones not run on
D. ones that didn’t run

22 ECPE Screening Test 2017

 Cloze Cloze Cloze
This passage is about sandstone rocks in an area of Montana, 99. A. a route C. an approach
USA. B. a prospect D. a means
Sandstone rock formations are the result of natural
processes occurring over millions of years. In areas where 100. A. draw up C. see to
prehistoric rivers flowed slower or remained stagnant, grains B. count on D. make out This passage is
of sand suspended in the water gradually sank to the about hummingbirds.

(91) and accumulated. (92) time, the weight of overlying The way hummingbirds fly is truly remarkable.
sand layers compressed the lower layers, (93) them into solid Their wings beat around 50 times (101) second, fast
stone. The rivers (94) dried up, and the exposed rock was enough to (102) in a continuous, audible hum –
shaped by wind erosion. hence the (103) . This rapid wing flapping, combined
with the birds’ light body weight, allows them to
At Medicine Rocks, in Montana, stunning sandstone rock
hover in a stationary position in midair and position
formations, (95) as ‘sandstone pillars’, dot the landscape,
(104) alongside flowers while drawing off nectar,
(96) heights of up to 80 feet. These were used by Native
their principal food source, (105) their beaks.
Americans as look-out points for hunting bison. In (97) to
their practical value, the pillars also took on metaphysical In windy conditions, hummingbirds instinctively
significance for the tribes, probably on account of their alter the angle of their wings, broaden their wing
strokes, and spread out their tail feathers. In this way,
distinctive color and dramatic shapes.
the birds resist the force of the wind and remain in a
Because sandstone is soft enough to carve, (98) strong (106) position next to the flower from which they are
enough to retain its shape, it has long been favored by feeding, without being blown away by sudden (107) .
sculptors. At Medicine Rocks, the tribespeople were no less
Hummingbirds can also pull off complex aerial
creative in using the sandstone pillars as (99) of artistic
expression. You can still (100) thousands of petroglyphs that maneuvers in mid-flight, such as swooping and
were engraved into the stone, including names, line drawings, revolving in mid-air. Males perform these impressive
and odes commemorating historic battles and events. stunts in (108) to attract females. (109) to the high
91. A. side C. top energy expended in doing so, males tend to be
B. surface D. bottom
smaller than females. This means their overall
metabolic needs are lower, and they can therefore
92. A. On C. Over
B. During D. At (110) more frequently in the energetic courtship
displays. 101. A. per C. the
93. A. turning C. switching B. in D. over
B. producing D. increasing
102. A. make C. result
94. A. deliberately C. accordingly B. lead D. give
B. respectively D. eventually
103. A. birds C. sound B. speed D. name
95. A. referred C. branded
B. known D. called 104. A. it C. itself
B. them D. themselves
96. A. gaining C. reaching
B. touching D. completing 105. A. on C. through
B. at D. by
97. A. addition C. spite
B. consideration D. preference 106. A. steady C. changeable
B. mobile D. stuck
98. A. yet C. so
B. as D. despite 107. A. strikes C. gusts

ECPE Screening Test 2017 23

 B. air D. actions C. explain
D. illuminate
108. A. hopes C. effort
B. order D. purpose 117. A ssignments must be to your
subject tutor by the deadline specified.
109. A. Considering C. Resulting A. attributed
B. Owing D. Providing
B. submitted
C. allocated
110. A. enroll C. engage
D. distributed
B. apply D. involve
118. A s far as writing fiction is concerned, Jack is
111. P lants are at the bottom of the food chain, as they
still , but his work is improving.
directly the sun’s energy into food.
A. a novice
A. trade
B. a pioneer
B. convert
C. a veteran
C. exchange
D. an originator
D. regulate

119. People Charlotte at first, but she

112. T he lack of clarity in your essay shows you haven’t soon proved what a superb competitor she
some of the key concepts of this topic. really is.
A. merited A. d iscontinued
B. grasped B. inferred
C. possessed C. underestimated
D. seized D. miscalculated

113. C omprising only a few changes, the company’s new 120. “ What I’m about to say is extremely
logo is similar to the old one. important. Do I have your attention?”
A. hardly “I’m all ears.”
B. exactly A. p artial
C. barely B. undivided
D. closely C. intact
D. virtual
114. M ost students said they would be in of
moving the seminar to a later time. 121. I t’s no wonder Jeff and Nina get along, as
A. favor they have so much in .
B. bias A. likeness
C. preference B. parallel
D. agreement C. common
D. relation
115. I ’ve seen her before, but I’m afraid I don’t her
name. 122. “ I hope I’m not you.”
A. remind “Of course not. Please come in and have a seat.”
B. renew A. d etermining
C. recall B. disturbing
D. refer C. disrupting
D. deferring
116. H ow do you for this unexpected change in
the opinion polls? 123. T he airline cannot refund tickets when
A. account customers cancel their flight plans at short .
B. clarify A. n otice

24 ECPE Screening Test 2017

 Vocabulary Vocabulary Vocabulary

B. warning
C. announcement
D. authorization

124. H eavy fines are on companies that break

environmental protection laws.
A. i ncurred
B. granted
C. observed
D. imposed

ECPE Screening Test 2017 25

 Vocabulary Vocabulary Vocabulary

125. T he current political situation is nothing new, when C. overcome

viewed from a historical . D. boost
A. perspective B. indicator 132. “ I bet you’re looking forward to the end of the
C. supervision semester.”
D. oversight “Actually, I’m the Final Test!”
A. d reading
126. I always try to reply as as possible to work B. dismissing
emails, even if they aren’t urgent. C. diverting
A. currently D. distorting
B. promptly
C. potentially 133. T he Writing Team meet daily to ideas for
D. formerly each episode of the TV series.
A. make up for
127. S ome economists that income B. come up with
inequality motivates people to work hard. C. put down to
A. assure D. stand in for
B. back
C. preserve 134. P rofits are falling as a of heavy
D. maintain competition in the market.
A. c onsequence
128. I f you suspect someone else is using your password, B. concern
you should it immediately. C. condition
D. context
A. recite
B. retain
C. reset 135. T he hackers broke into the government computer
D. resume system and secret information.
A. o btained
129. U nless something is done to improve safety B. consented
conditions at the factory, an accident is . C. awarded
D. deprived
A. inevitable
B. intelligible
C. invaluable D. invariable 136. T he team will need to win the next game to a
place in next year’s competition.

130. W hen choosing a new college, most students take A. e nforce

into how many leisure facilities there are. B. reinforce
C. vindicate
A. factor
D. secure
B. decision
C. effect
D. account 137. The event to be a lot more successful
than we had expected.

131. T here are several ways to pre-examination A. c ame across

anxiety and remain calm and focused. B. turned out
C. fell through
A. enhance
D. took on
B. deal
26 ECPE Screening Test 2017
 Vocabulary Vocabulary Vocabulary

138. P aul may lack formal qualifications, but he has C. transpired

experience in the field. D. arose
A. c onsiderable
B. widespread 145. You must sign each page of the contract for it to be
C. commonplace legally .
D. excessive A. vibrant
139. Y ou need at least a high school certificate to B. valid
the entry requirements for this college. C. innovative
A. attend D. prominent
B. replenish 146. F or this job position, successful applicants are
C. correspond required to be with advanced computing.
D. fulfill A. s pecialized
B. knowing
140. N ewer computer program designs are not C. apparent
better than the old versions. D. familiar
A. imminently
B. necessarily 147. T he project must be finished by tomorrow, so we
C. utterly can’t to waste any more time.
D. shortly A. a fford
B. permit
141. T here are many jobs that communicating C. approve
regularly in English. D. condone
A. entail
B. consist 148. of the stricter anti-pollution proposals
C. order claim they will vastly improve public health.
D. represent A. A dversaries
B. Rivals
142. E veryone seemed to hold a different C. Advocates
of view on the matter. D. Detractors
A. opinion
B. attitude 149. I accidentally deleted the file, so I had to start
C. point writing the assignment again from .
D. stance A. m atch
B. batch
143. R eusing paper helps to reduce the of waste. C. patch
A. constraint D. scratch
B. appeal
C. volume 150. T he college is still some way from its goal of
D. intensity increasing exam pass rates by 50%.
A. a rising
144. It to me that there was a better way to B. receiving
go about my work. C. preceding
A. struck D. accomplishing
B. occurred This passage is about ocean cartography.
ECPE Screening Test 2017 27
 Reading Reading Reading
Sea and ocean floors are invisible, since deep water B. Its signals concentrate on a narrow strip of land.
absorbs light waves. The first attempts to put together C. It increases the area that can be mapped.
images of these vast areas therefore involved using another D. It can prevent ships from losing their cargo.
form of wave: that of sound. Decades ago, ocean
cartographers used sonar equipment mounted on ships to 154. What does ‘altimetry’ measure?
gather data about the topography of sea and ocean floors.
A. the strength of radio waves passing through water
This data was incomplete, however, and sometimes
B. how far radio waves travel beneath the ocean
unreliable. The ships could only survey the ocean surface
C. how deep a body of water is
one thin strip at a time. Furthermore, large deep-sea shoals
D. the height of the ocean surface
of fish often interfered with the sonar signals, the fish’s
massed bodies blocking the sound waves. Nevertheless,
these early investigations furthered our understanding of 155. W hat can be inferred about altimetry?
plate tectonics, revealing the huge cracks in the ocean floor A. It may lead to discoveries in the field of environmental
that connect with those on land to form the edges of studies.
tectonic plates. B. It allows researchers to construct images of ocean floors
and continents.
The 1980s saw the arrival of more advanced sonar
C. It offers a more effective alternative to sonar
technologies, including “multi-beam” sonar. This allows ships
technology.
to map not just a narrow strip of sea floor directly beneath,
D. It has so far only been used to study a small area.
but the expanses to either side as well. This technology led
to another remarkable discovery: the millions of sunken
ships scattered across the sea and ocean floors, many of
whose cargoes were still intact and were duly salvaged.

The latest breakthrough in mapping sea and ocean floors

is ‘altimetry’, a technique used to calculate the height of the
ocean surface. Satellites positioned at a specific height
bounce radio waves off the ocean surface and measure the
distance they travel. Areas where the surface is slightly
raised indicate the presence of submerged mountains called
‘seamounts’. The 10,000 seamounts so far discovered
together represent an ecologically interesting habitat – one
that adds up to an area about the size of Europe! – that has
so far remained largely unexplored.
151. What is the main topic of this passage?
A. the different kinds of wave scientists use to make maps
B. research into what lies at the bottom of seas and oceans
C. the development of new navigational technology for
ships
D. scientists’ attempts to work out the surface area of the
ocean

152. W hat caused early cartography equipment to give

inaccurate information?
A. The equipment used light instead of sound waves.
B. The sound waves did not pass through water.
C. Groups of fish got in the way of the signal.
D. There were too many cracks in the ocean floor.

153. W hat is the advantage of “multi-beam” sonar?

A. It specifically focuses on areas below the ship.
28 ECPE Screening Test 2017
 Reading Reading Reading
This passage is about illegal fraud. 157. W hat is the disadvantage of a trusting society?
Humans are naturally inclined to trust one another, a A. It is easier for a minority of people to deceive others.
trait which appears to encourage cooperation. Countries B. People take unnecessary risks in their professional lives.
whose citizens are trusting therefore boast higher levels of C. People totally ignore emotion in favor of logic.
economic growth, and their public institutions are more D. Less money is spent on consumer products.
efficient. Trust also seems to inspire individuals to embark
on ambitious new careers and business ventures. 158. W hy does the writer mention flattery?
The downside is that a trusting society is more A. to suggest why people use fraud to make money
susceptible to liars, cheats, and fraudsters. The predominant B. to show one way that fraud can be highly effective
tendency towards trust may make the majority of people C. to indicate how most people recognize a con-
more honest, but it also allows a small number of swindlers artist
to turn deception into a fine art. One of the techniques they D. to highlight one of the drawbacks of using fraud
use is to make up stories. A good narrative can appeal to
emotion rather than logic, distracting us from things that 159. W hich word is closest in meaning to ‘lapses’ (in
might ordinarily raise suspicion. Thus, when trying to sell paragraph 3)?
phony or defective products, con-artists will often draw a A. ‘ patterns’
victim’s attention towards the supposed ‘bigger picture’, B. ‘habits’
such as how the product could enrich the buyer’s life. C. ‘powers’
Another common strategy involves flattery. Everyone wants D. ‘errors’
to be complimented and told how special they are, and we
readily lend an ear to anyone who does this. Techniques
160. W hat can we infer about the crime figures relating
such as these are so effective that an estimated ten percent
to fraud?
of Americans have fallen prey to some fraudulent scheme or
other, whether it be a phony investment opportunity or the A. The actual numbers are probably higher.
selling of counterfeit products. B. They have shown a huge increase in recent years.
C. They are based on reliable data.
The true extent of fraud-related crime is unknown, D. They are disputed by most people.
however. Victims rarely go to the police, mainly because This passage is about biometric sensors.
they don’t want to admit that someone has fooled them.
They are even reluctant to admit this to themselves. Our There are already a range of wearable sensors that can
propensity to believe other people’s lies is as great as our provide continuous data about aspects of the wearer’s
propensity to believe the lies we tell ourselves. Thus, instead body, such as heart rate, temperature, and blood sugar
of facing up to our own regrettable lapses of judgement, we concentration. These ‘biometric’ devices are available to
blame bad luck and circumstances, and leave the matter health-conscious consumers, but their main application is in
there. the field of medicine, as they allow doctors to closely
156. W hat is the main subject of paragraph 1? monitor patients’ sensitive biological states. Most sensors fit
onto the surface of the skin, but newer designs can actually
A. the way that trust is related to personal ambition
be implanted underneath it. Shaped like thin lengths of
B. the benefits of people’s natural tendency to be trusting
thread, these implantable sensors can be sewn into muscle
C. methods countries can use to encourage greater trust
tissue, using the same straightforward techniques surgeons
between people
already use to stitch up open wounds. The thread-like
D. the reasons why most people prefer to trust others
sensors are also highly flexible, meaning they bend with the

ECPE Screening Test 2017 29

 Reading Reading Reading
patient’s movement, instead of restricting it, and do not 162. W hat happens if a patient is in danger of damaging
become dislodged. a part of his or her body?

Some sensors are coated in an electrically conductive A. The sensor becomes dislodged.
substance. The flow of electricity along the thread rises or B. The sensor’s power reading increases.
falls depending on various factors. For example, physical C. Less electricity flows through the sensor.
pressure can cause the flow of electricity to become D. Movement in that area is restricted by the sensor.
restricted. A low power reading can therefore indicate that
too much strain is being placed on the part of the body 163. W hich word is closest in meaning to ‘tender’ (in
where the sensor is located. This can be vital in protecting paragraph 2)
victims of recent skin and tissue damage. The patient can be A. ‘ medical’
alerted the instant some movement or posture risks tearing B. ‘delicate’ C. ‘internal’
the tender new tissue growing over a wound that has yet to D. ‘tough’
heal fully.

Other threads can siphon internal fluid samples into 164. H ow do sensors assist in biochemical analysis?
containers outside the body, so that these samples can be A. They can be incorporated into medical
used for biochemical analysis. Compared to traditional syringes.
methods of collecting fluid samples (e.g. using a syringe), B. They introduce key chemical substances into the body.
not only is this new technique much more effective, but it C. They perform chemical tests inside the body.
also involves more convenience for the practitioner, not to D. They remove small amounts of fluid for testing.
mention less discomfort for the patient.
161. W hat is different about the new type of biometric
165. W hat can we infer about the new design of sensor?
sensor?
A. It is popular with medical professionals
A. They can be positioned inside a patient’s body.
and those they treat.
B. They can be used to surgically repair open wounds.
B. It has led to a reduction in the number of people who
C. They are appealing to consumers as well as doctors.
suffer injuries.
D. They can be used by ordinary people, without a doctor.
C. It can only be used to measure one aspect of a person’s
biological state.
D. It is difficult for doctors to use effectively.

Reading Reading Reading

This passage is about languages in the field of science. 166. What does the writer mainly describe in paragraph
1? A. the disadvantages of multiple languages in
Scientists have traditionally published their work in
science
one specific language, and for good reason. For centuries,
B. the unique features of English as a scientific
language
all scientific discoveries were written up in Latin, allowing scholars from
C. the long history of scientists using a common
all over Europe to share their knowledge. Later on, it was German that
language
served this purpose; today, it is English. A shared language has always
D. important scientific discoveries that are
been crucial for reported in Latin

30 ECPE Screening Test 2017

cooperation among scientists. With the relentless global spread of
English, however, it is becoming increasingly evident that
monolingualism and the exclusion of other 167. languages can be
counterproductive. W hy does the writer mention research on the
Now that English is predominant, other languages have H5N1 virus?
taken a back seat, with potentially disastrous results. In A. to suggest the dangers of ignoring scientific
work that is not in English
2004, at the height of the deadly H5N1 flu virus outbreak, B. to congratulate scientists battling infectious
key research received scant attention from the scientific diseases
C. to criticize the quality of research conducted
community, simply because it was reported in Chinese.
atthat time
The only foreign-language science papers published D. to illustrate the importance of scientific work
in mainstream scientific journals are those that are accompanied by published in English
an English translation, but this hardly represents a comprehensive
sample of all the science that 168. matters. A ccording to the passage, what is true about
papers in popular scientific journals?
It may be that the time has come to promote A. Their biggest readership is in non-English
multilingualism in the field of science. Besides ensuring speaking countries.
that important scientific work does not go unheeded, this B. They must be translated if not originally written
in English.
could also bring many other benefits. Using a second
C. They include research on every single
language has been shown to encourage more deliberate scientificsubject.
and systematic thinking, while working in a native language D. They do not receive much attention from
can encourage greater flexibility and creativity. Scientists working in professional scientists.
a multi-lingual setting could therefore have the best of both worlds.
Furthermore, a greater emphasis 169. on language variety might A ccording to the writer, what is one benefit of
multilingualism for scientists?
ensure that non-Anglophone scientists do not neglect their own
A. They can combine creative and logical modes of
languages. It would be
thinking.
a great shame if these languages did not keep up with new B. They can share their ideas and discoveries.
specialist terminology constantly being coined in English, C. They can be more flexible in their work
schedules.
thus losing their relevance in the scientific field.
D. They can draw greater public attention to their
work.

ECPE Screening Test 2017 31

 Reading Reading Reading
170. W hat does the writer imply about languages that
are not used by scientists?
A. They are ruined by constant change.
B. They are better used for other purposes.
C. They become outdated in the field.
D. They quickly become irrelevant and die out.

32 ECPE Screening Test 2017