B2+ PRACTICE TEST 13

SKILL: GRAMMAR & VOCABULARY

TASK 1. Choose the correct answer A, B, C or D to each of the following questions.
1 The hotel room was ________ furnished with only a bed, a wardrobe and an ancient armchair.
A. thinly B. sparsely C. lightly D. sketchily
2 The main disadvantage to our house is that the only ________ to the garden is through a bedroom.
A. passage B. doorway C. access D. communication
3 I’ve had my car examined three times now but no mechanic has been able to ________ the problem.
A. pinpoint B. focus C. specify D. highlight
4 Our hosts had prepared a ________ meal with seven courses to celebrate our arrival.
A. generous B. profuse C. lavish
D. spendthrift(sb use money extravagantly)
5 Don’t thank me for helping in the garden. It was ________ pleasure to be working out of doors.
A. plain B. mere C. simple D. sheer
6 She had ________ mind which kept her alert and well-informed even in old age.
A. an examining B. a demanding C. an enquiring( asking) D. a querying
A querying mind: a mind intéted in learning
7 The police decided to ________ the department store after they had received a bomb warning.
A. abandon B. evacuate C. evict(use law to expel sb from a property) D. expel
8 The company was declared bankrupt when it had ________ more debts than it could hope to repay.
A. inflicted B. incurred(bring upon oneself) C. entailed(necessitate) D. evolved
9 After months of bitter arguing the couple had to accept that they were ________.
A. incongruous(out of place) B. incompatible C. dissident(dissenter) D. disaffected
10 The BBC has ________ a young composer to write a piece of music for the Corporation’s centenary.
A. ordered B. consulted(seek information,advice) C. commissioned(art: made according to order)
D. decided
11 You ________ wonderful! Is that a new perfume you’re wearing?
A. are smelling B. smell C. will smell D. have been smelling
12 It gets on my nerves that way that Carol ________ about her job.
A. forever boasts B. is forever boasting C. never boasts D. is never boasting
13 We ________ to the new Harry Potter film on Saturday. If we can get tickets, would you like to come too?
A. were going to go B. were thinking of going C. had planned to go D. had been meaning to go
14 Given the chance, many children ________ TV uninterruptedly for hours.
A. are watching B. will have watched C. will be watching D. will watch
15 ________ nocturnal creature(s).
A. Owl is a B. An owl is a C. The owl is a D. The owls are
16 The engagement ring he gave her ________ been more beautiful.
A. couldn’t have B. might have C. shouldn’t have D. must have
17 That was ________ party last night – I haven’t had so much fun for years!
A. any B. some C. one D. no
18 I would normally have been on that train that was derailed yesterday, but ________ told me I should take my car to work
instead.
A. anything B. everything C. something D. nothing
19 I wish you ________ when I’m telling you something important.
A. won’t interrupt B. wouldn’t interrupt C. didn’t interrupt D. hadn’t interrupted
20 Oh no! It looks like my rucksack ________ behind in the scramble to get on the bus.
A. has left B. has got left C. had left D. had been left
21 Since smokers appear to be unable to act in a socially responsible way by voluntarily refraining ________ smoking in public, it
seems there must be a law.
A. from B. into C. off D. behind
22 He’s a little confused and a little ________ balance, but he knows his routine and heads to his car.
A. under B. against C. off D. in
23 My client accepts the formal apology ________ prejudice to any further legal action she may decide to take.
A. without B. onto C. in(like/dislike without reasonD. for
24 If you get goods ________ the cheap, you get them for a low price, often from someone you know who works in the company
or business that produces them.
A. on B. for C. at D. within
25 A pay rise is not ________ the realms of possibility, I’m afraid.
A. behind B. under C. within D. against
26 Although the others ________ him, and his lies, Kirk persists in keeping the pretence going.
A. see through B. turn up C. look back on(melancholy pensive) D. come across
27 He failed to recover from a leg injury and ________ on a trip to Barcelona.
A. missed out B. came up C. turned down D. made up
28 Next year we intend to ________ several new products but at the moment we’re still testing them.
A. bring out B. cut back C. take over D. go ahead
29 This heat has made me ________ an itchy red rash.
A. come out in B. take up C. tone up D. put on
30 When we discussed how much our wedding was going to cost, it ________ over two thousand pounds!
A. added up to B. moved on to C. sent away for(to request via mail)
D. went over to(to change)
31 Mr Simkins is the big ________ in the company as he has just been promoted to the position of Managing Director.
A. bread B. apple(big apple=NY) C. cheese(=fat cat) D. meat
32 This is a good hair dye but the colour gradually ________ after a few weeks.
A. fades B. vanishes C. disappears D. pales
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33 Breaking his leg dealt a ________ to his chances of becoming a professional footballer.
A. thump B. strike C. hit D. blow
34 The judge’s ruling ________ a wave of protest campaigns across the country.
A. provoked B. instigated(initiate an event) C. launched
D. commenced(get da ball rollin’, begin, start)
35 Despite her poor exam results, Alice put a ________ face on the situation.
A. tough B. brave C. courageous D. bold
36 My grandmother was a lovely person who ________ pleasure from helping others.
A. gathered B. derived C. deduced D. collected
37 For busy people in today’s society, lifestyle management is gaining ________.
A. points B. speed C. ground D. terrain
38 Once at the skating rink, Ivan was allowed to skate to his heart’s ________.(as long one like)
A. happiness B. content C. contentment D. delight
39 Benjamin Britten, the composer, is probably most ________ for his opera "Peter Grimes."
A. famous B. conspicuous(attracting notice)
C. remarkable D. distinguished
TASK 2. Use the correct FORM of the word in capitals to fit each gap.
1 They are composed of algae and fungi which _____unify______ to satisfy the needs of the lichens. (UNITY)
2 His behaviour in his father's presence caused his ____disinheritance_______ and his sister ended up inheriting the whole family
fortune. (INHERIT)
3 The _____survivability______ of any manned mission to the planets will be increased if a secure fuel supply can be found
beforehand. (SURVIVAL)
4 There was a heavy ___downpour_____ yesterday afternoon which completely ruined the church Garden Party. (POUR)
5 A strong Scots background and thirty years at Carlyle Rural School had made her an expert ___ disciplinarian________.
(DISCIPLINE)
6 There was a distinct danger that the second day of the trail was going to be a/an ___ unmitigated(unsolvable)_____ disaster.
(MITIGATE)=alleviate
7 When going trekking, I tend to stagger along in silence, ____conservation_______ of energy being my main priority.
(CONSERVE)
8 When we finally reached our camp, I was overcome by relief and ___unadulterated________ joy. I might have missed a lot, but I
had reached my destination. (ADULTERATE)
9 I was well-aware of the ______absurdity_____ of my eyes-to-the-ground climbing technique. (ABSURD)
10 His visit to De Gaulle may or may not lay _____groundwork (=base)______ for a Franco-American rapprochement. (GROUND)
11 Deal with multinomial(đa thức) choice when you, when can making a decision, do not spend time to await again
_____shallowness__________, should play decisive, make optimal choice, create better new life. (SHALL)
12 The regulation of human action, on the other hand (except on occasions of special difficulty, for which omens and oracles
might be ____vouchsafed___________), they had left to human reason. (SAFE)
13 She was full of ______righteous_________ indignation after finding out the truth. (RIGHT)
14 The tourists admired the _______grandiose________ of the snow-covered mountains. (GRAND)
15 I realize that the thoughts I have penned above contain no great _____profoundation__________. (PROFOUND)
16 She ______artfully_________ deceived everybody present by being all smiles. (ART)
17 It can be a condition for some people to have a ______presentiment(foreboding)_________ of events which may take place later
in their lives. (SENTIMENT)
18 In this competitive age it is very important for a person to appear _______presentable:(able to be seen in public)________.
(PRESENT)
19 The argument sounds romantic, but it is in fact ______nonsensical_________. (SENSE)
20 Everyone expected the government’s ______negation(denial,contradiction)_________ of responsibility for the long war.
(NEGATE)
21 When my favorite team lost the big game, I was _____bemused(surprised)__________ and did not leave my seat for an hour.
(MUSE)
22 For users, they are still expensive _______add-on________ features and come with their own set of
integration(amalgamation=combining) problems. (ADD)
23 This proposal was ____analogous___________ to the one we discussed at the last meeting. (ANALOGY)
24 The opposing counsel had a last opportunity to __cross-examine(question by opposing side)______ the witness to address the
facts brought out in redirect examination. (EXAMINE)
25 The government announced that more than a million dollars will be ___earmarked(designate fund for sth)_____ for COVID-19
vaccine research. (EAR)
26 The president of this company is merely a __figurehead(leader in the name only)______ the Chief Executive is the one who is
truly in control. (HEAD)
27 Barack Obama is the first President of the United States with ____multi-racial_______ background. (RACE)
28 This statue _____commemorates______ the soldiers who died in the war. (MEMORY)
29 The chairman of this company is merely a ______figurehead_____, the Chief Executive is the one who is truly in control. (HEAD)
30 The headmaster decided to expel the rough boy from our school. His behaviour was really ______ objectionable_________.
(OBJECT)
TASK 3. Fill in each blank with the appropriate preposition(s).
1 I was always being ticked __off( criticize)____ for messy work.
2 They’re tearing __down____ these old houses to build a new office block.
3 The novelist draws heavily __on____ her personal experiences. (base on)
4 The hotel’s restaurant facilities are second ___to___ none.(unrivaled)
5 How did you come ___by___ these tickets? I’ve been trying to get some for ages.
6 Jean didn’t expect to come up ___against___ such difficulties.
7 He’s sometimes bad-tempered but he’s a good fellow ___at___ heart.
8 The boy froze in horror as the dog advanced ____towards__ him.
9 The teacher sat down and glared ____at__ the class.
10 Hard work usually pays off ___in___ the long run.
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11 Security firms are being deployed to try to track _______down________ internet hackers.
12 I was awfully tired. However, I made up my mind to apply myself _________to______ the tedious task once again.
13 She had a problem with her finances, but they talked it ________over_______ and now it’s fine.
14 I’ve lost my confidence ______in_________ him since he mentioned something about an illegal passport.
15 The buses are usually quite punctual _________to______ the minute but this can vary with the weather conditions so it is
recommended that guests take an earlier bus where possible.
16 When they decided to get married in secret, they went ________against_______ the wishes of their parents.
17 The teacher has obliged Tom to take _____back__________ the offensive remarks he made to Jerry.
18 I was completely bowled ______over_(surprise)________ when I heard I’d passed the entrance exam into the most prestigious
high school.
19 Why don’t we have a night out? It would take your mind _______off________ your work.
20 Before they open the new factory, a lot of the young people round here were _______ on________ the dole, and often felt bored
and frustrated.
21 I really like oceanography. I think I’m going to read ___up_(swot, bone up on, study)__ on that subject more in the future in
order to get more knowledgeable about it. Maybe I’ll get a degree in that area one day.
22 Everyone approved for the scheme, but when we asked for volunteers they all hung __back____.
23 They greyed __up(disable)____ the print button to stop people using it because expenses for paper have gone up recently.
24 After my symptoms disappeared, the doctor tapered me ___off(reduce)___ the medication.
25 I don’t like to make friends with the person who always runs ___down___ his old friends.
26 This is serious matter, so you have to level __with(honest)___ me this time. Don’t try to hide anything,’ said his partner.
27 We’d been spending years pegging ___away(work hard)___ at our job of running the shop before the business really took off.
28 It cost Rick a huge amount of money to put three children ____through__ college.
29 After the king had been ___in___ exile(exclude) for donkey’s years, he returned to Britain.
30 Please don’t talk about that day – I want to put it all __behind____ me.
SKILL: READING
TASK 1. Read the passage below and fill each of the blanks with ONE suitable word.
CLOZE TEST 1
AN EQUAL SHARE OF HOUSEWORK MAKES A HAPPY RELATIONSHIP
A recent study shows that an unequal share of household chores is still the norm in many households, despite the fact that many
more women now have jobs. In a survey of 1,256 people (1) ___FROM_____ between 18 and 65, men said they contributed an
average of 37 per cent of the total housework, while the women estimated their share to be nearly double that, at 70 per cent.
This ratio was not (2) ___DECIDED_____ by whether the woman was working or not.
When they were asked what they thought was a (3) ___BALANCED_____ division of labour, women with jobs felt that housework
should be shared equally between male and female partners. Women who did not work outside the home were satisfied to
perform 80 per cent - the (4) ___MOST_____ of the household work - if their husbands did the remainder. Research has shown
that, if levels increase (5) ___ABOVE_____ these percentages, women become unhappy and anxious, and feel they are
unimportant.
After marriage, a woman is reported to increase her household workload by 14 hours per week, but for men the (6)
____AMOUNT____ is just 90 minutes. So the division of labour becomes unbalanced, as the man’s share increases (7) ___FAR_____
less than the woman’s. It is the inequality and (8) ____LACK____ of respect, not the actual number of hours, which leads to anxiety
and depression. The research (9) ____REFER____ housework as thankless and unfulfilling. Activities included in the study were
cooking, cleaning, shopping, doing laundry, washing-up and childcare. Women who have jobs report that they feel overworked by
these chores in (10) ____COMPARISION____ to their professional duties. In contrast, full-time homemakers frequently anticipate
going back to work when the children grow up. Distress for this group is caused by losing the teamwork in the marriage.
CLOZE TEST 2
Chewing gum, until now considered the ultimate junk food and the national dish of the gormless, turns out to have a positive
effect on cognitive performance. In the first intellectual victory for supporters of progressive education in many years, it seems
that the teacher telling the child at the back of the class to "spit it out" has (1) ___GOTTEN_____ it all wrong. The Human Cognitive
Neuro-Science Unit at the University of Northumbria has tested the thinking and memory of those who chew gum. The results
show that gum-chewers (2) ____ARE____ far better in cognitive tests than those who did not partake.
This new information makes many things clear that were (3) ____BEFORE____ shrouded in mystery. It was said of Gerald Ford that
he could not walk and chew gum at the same time. That he proved so bad at walking and was constantly falling over was seen as
a (4) ____REASON____ that he was not up to the job. Now it is apparent that faced with the choice between walking and
masticating he picked wisely. Even though he fell down the steps of many aircraft, his performance when he reached the ground
was (5) ____GREATLY____ enhanced.
Certain mysteries of literature and language are (6) ____CLEARED____ up, too. Shakespeare has Brutus tell Cassius to "chew on
this" when he wants him to think about something. Chew on what? Now all is clear. Difficult problems which (7) ____REQUIRE____
cogitation are confusingly called "sticky". Be confused no longer.
The beneficial effects of gum may (8) ___CAME_____ as a surprise to some, but chewers themselves, being intellectually superior
to everyone else, of course, have been (9) ____TAKING____ of gum’s advantages for years.
Sadly, some politicians want to tax gum to pay for the (10) ____misaction____ of scraping discarded pieces from the street. It can
confidently be predicted that such small-mindedness among non-chewers will leave the mouths of gum consumers everywhere
gaping open.
TASK 2. Read the passage below and decide which answer A, B, C, or D best fits each gap.
CLOZE TEST 1
THE TRUTH BEHIND A SMILE
People smile a great deal, and we seem to know instinctively that some smiles are more genuine than others. But is there any
scientific (1) ________ for this? Recent research suggests that a mechanism in the brain can help us (2) ________ whether a smile is
really heartfelt – or whether it is just being (3) ________ on for show.
According to various long-held traditions, a genuine smile involves the eyes as well as the mouth. In the nineteenth century, a
French anatomist (4) ________ to prove this. He used electrodes to stimulate the facial muscles of volunteers, (5) ________ creating

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false smiles. He found that real smiles were always (6) ________ with the contraction of a muscle around the eye, but that his
artificially induced ones were not.
During more recent research, volunteers were shown a variety of human facial (7) ________ and their reactions to these were
monitored. When they were shown a happy face, 35% of the volunteers immediately started looking at the eye area, checking for
tell-tale crinkles that would (8) ________ that the smile was genuine; but when shown a sad or neutral face, they did not. So why
did the human brain evolve to distinguish between real and false smiles? It could be that this ability to (9) ________ a quick
assessment of a smile has an important role to play in successful communication. A genuine smile (10) ________ as a gesture of
conciliation in conflict, and it’s important to know whether we are really being offered a truce or not.
1 A. sign B. basis C. root D. fact
2 A. recollect B. accept C. admit D. recognize
3 A. put B. brought C. created D. stuck
4 A. got down B. set out C. went off D. carried out
5 A. despite B. thereby C. however D. nonetheless
6 A. associated B. mixed C. joined D. accompanied
7 A. exhibitions B. resemblances C. appearances D. expressions
8 A. assure B. confirm C. justify D. approve
9 A. make B. earn C. do D. hold
10 A. aims B. serves C. portrays D. applies
CLOZE TEST 2
HOW TO CONCENTRATE
Concentration is good in exams, bad in orange juice. Concentration happens when you manage to focus on one thing to the (1)
________ of all others, and concentrating on that one thing (2) ________ you to stop worrying about a lot of other things. Sometimes,
of course, your mind concentrates when you don’t want it to. Maybe you can’t get something out of your head, such as a problem
you have to (3) ________ up to, or an embarrassing situation you’ve been in. That’s why collecting things as a hobby is popular; it
(4) ________ your mind off other things, indeed, some people seem to prefer looking after and cataloguing(claasify) their
collections to actually doing anything with them, because this is when the (5) ________, single-minded concentration happens.
The natural span for concentration is 45 minutes. That’s why half an hour for a television programme seems too short whilst an
hour seems too long. But many people’s lives are (6) ________ of concentration. Modern culture is served up in small, (7) ________
digestible chunks that require only a short (8) ________ span – although young people can concentrate on computer games for
days at a (9) ________.
Sticking out the tongue can aid concentration. This is because you can’t (10) ________ yourself with talking at the same time and
other people won’t dare to interrupt your thoughts, because you look like an idiot!
1 A. removal B. exclusion(intentional) C. omission(oversight) D. rejection
2 A. lets B. means C. makes D. allows
3 A. face B. confront C. tackle D. meet
4 A. brings B. puts C. holds D. takes
5 A. arresting B. gripping C. absorbing D. enthralling
6 A. absent B. devoid C. lacking D. deficient
7 A. gently B. plainly C. surely D. easily
8 A. attention B. application C. consideration D. contemplation
9 A. length B. stroke C. time D. sequence
10 A. sidestep B. distract C. sidetrack D. disturb
TASK 3. Read the passage and choose the correct answer A, B, C, or D.
Meet the Amazing Watkins Family
The sons are composers and prize-winning musicians, while Dad makes the instruments. Matthew Rye reports.
Whole families of musicians are not exactly rare. However, it is unusual to come across one that includes not only writers and
performers of music, but also an instrument maker.
When South Wales schoolteachers John and Hetty Watkins needed to get their ten-year-old son, Paul, a cello to suit his
blossoming talents, they baulked at the costs involved. “We had a look at various dealers and it was obvious it was going to be
very expensive,” John says. “So I wondered if I could actually make one. I discovered that the Welsh School of Instrument Making
was not far from where I lived, and I went along for evening classes once a week for about three years.”
“After probably three or four goes with violins and violas, he had a crack at his first cello,” Paul, now 28, adds. “It turned out really
well. He made me another one a bit later, when he’d got the hang of it. And that’s the one I used right up until a few months ago.”
John has since retired as a teacher to work as a full-time craftsman, and makes up to a dozen violins a year – selling one to the
esteemed American player Jaime Laredo was “the icing on the cake.”
Both Paul and his younger brother, Huw, were encouraged to play music from an early age. The piano came first: “As soon as I
was big enough to climb up and bang the keys, that’s what I did,” Paul remembers. But it wasn’t long before the cello beckoned.
“My folks were really quite keen for me to take up the violin, because Dad, who played the viola, used to play chamber music with
his mates and they needed another violin to make up a string trio. I learned it for about six weeks but didn’t take to it. But I really
took to the character who played the cello in Dad’s group. I thought he was a very cool guy when I was six or seven. So he said
he’d give me some lessons, and that really started it all off. Later, they suggested that my brother play the violin too, but he would
have none of it.”
“My parents were both supportive and relaxed,” Huw says. “I don’t think I would have responded very well to being pushed. And,
rather than feeling threatened by Paul’s success, I found that I had something to aspire to.” Now 22, he is beginning to make his
own mark as a pianist and composer.
Meanwhile, John Watkins’ cello has done his elder son proud. With it, Paul won the string final of the BBC Young Musician of the
Year competition. Then, at the remarkably youthful age of 20, he was appointed principal cellist of the BBC Symphony Orchestra,
a position he held, still playing his father’s instrument, until last year. Now, however, he has acquired a Francesco Rugeri cello, on
loan from the Royal Academy of Music. “Dad’s not said anything about me moving on, though recently he had the chance to run a
bow across the strings of each in turn and had to admit that my new one is quite nice! I think the only thing Dad doesn’t have –
and may acquire after about 50–100 years – is the power to project right to the back of large concert halls. It will get richer with
age, like my Rugeri, which is already 304 years old.”
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Soon he will be seen on television playing the Rugeri as the soloist in Elgar’s Cello Concerto, which forms the heart of the second
programme in the new series, Masterworks. “The well-known performance history doesn’t affect the way I play the work,” he
says. “I’m always going to do it my way.” But Paul won’t be able to watch himself on television – the same night he is playing at the
Cheltenham Festival. Nor will Huw, whose String Quartet is receiving its London premiere at the Wigmore Hall the same evening.
John and Hetty will have to be diplomatic – and energetic – if they are to keep track of all their sons’ musical activities over the
coming weeks.
2 Why did John Watkins decide to make a cello?
A. He wanted to encourage his son Paul to take up the instrument.
B. He was keen to do a course at the nearby school.
C. He felt that dealers were giving him false information.
D. He wanted to avoid having to pay for one.
3 What is meant by ‘crack’ in line 17?
A. attempt
B. plan
C. shock
D. period
4 What do we learn in the third paragraph about the instruments John has made?
A. He considers the one used by Jaime Laredo to be the best.
B. He is particularly pleased about what happened to one of them.
C. His violins have turned out to be better than his cellos.
D. It took him longer to learn how to make cellos than violins.
5 Paul first became interested in playing the cello because
A. he admired someone his father played music with.
B. he wanted to play in his father’s group.
C. he was not very good at playing the piano.
D. he did not want to do what his parents wanted.
6 What do we learn about Huw’s musical development?
A. His parents’ attitude has played little part in it.
B. It was slow because he lacked determination.
C. His brother’s achievements gave him an aim.
D. He wanted it to be different from his brother’s.
7 What does Paul say about the Rugeri cello?
A. His father’s reaction to it worried him.
B. The cello his father made may become as good as it.
C. It has qualities that he had not expected.
D. He was not keen to tell his father that he was using it.
8 What does Paul say about his performance of Elgar’s Cello Concerto?
A. It is less traditional than other performances he has given.
B. Some viewers are likely to have a low opinion of it.
C. He considers it to be one of his best performances.
D. It is typical of his approach to everything he plays.
9 What will require some effort from John and Hetty Watkins?
A. preventing their sons from taking on too much work
B. being aware of everything their sons are involved in
C. reminding their sons what they have arranged to do
D. advising their sons on what they should do next
TASK 1. Choose from the options (A – G) what fits best in each gap. There is an extra option.
The kingfisher
Wildlife photographer Charlie James is an expert on the kingfisher: a beautiful blue-green bird that lives near streams and rivers,
feeding on fish.
Old trees overhang the stream, half shading shallow water. Soft greens, mud browns and the many different yellows of sunlight
are the main colours, as soft as the sounds of water in the breeze. The bird cuts like a laser through the scene, straight and fast, a
slice of light and motion so striking you almost feel it. It has gone in a split second, but a trace of the image lingers, its power out
of proportion to its size.
Charlie James fell in love with kingfishers at an early age. [1] ________ After all, it is the stuff of legend. Greek myth makes the
kingfisher a moon goddess who turned into a bird. Another tale tells how the kingfisher flew so high that its upper body took on
the blue of the sky, while its underparts were scorched by the sun.
[2] ________ For despite the many different blues that appear in their coats, kingfishers have no blue pigment at all in their
feathers. Rather, the structure of their upper feathers scatters light and strongly reflects blue.
[3] ________ It’s small wonder that some wildlife photographers get so enthusiastic about them. Couple the colours with the fact
that kingfishers, though shy of direct human approach, can be easy to watch from a hideout, and you have a recipe for a lifelong
passion.
Charlie James’s first hideout was an old blanket which he put over his head while he waited near a kingfisher’s favourite spot. [4]
________ But it took another four years, he reckons, before he got his first decent picture. In the meantime, the European kingfisher
had begun to dominate his life. He spent all the time he could by a kingfisher-rich woodland stream.
The trouble was, school cut the time available to be with the birds. So he missed lessons, becoming what he describes as an
‘academic failure.’ [5] ________
At 16, he was hired as an advisor for a nature magazine. Work as an assistant to the editor followed, then a gradual move to life as
a freelance wildlife film cameraman. What he’d really like to do now is make the ultimate kingfisher film. [14] ________ "I’m attracted
to the simple approach. I like to photograph parts of kingfisher wings ..."

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The sentence trails off to nothing. He’s thinking of those colours of the bird he’s spent more than half his life getting close to, yet
which still excites interest. [6] ________ But, as Charlie knows, there’s so much more to his relationship with the kingfisher than his
work can ever show.
Missing information
A This is why a kingfisher may appear to change from bright blue to rich emerald green with only a slight change in the angle at
which light falls on it.
B But his interest in this, the world’s most widespread kingfisher and the only member of its cosmopolitan family to breed in
Europe, was getting noticed.
C A sure sign of his depth of feeling for this little bird is his inability to identify just what it is that draws him to it.
D The movement sends a highly visible signal to rivals, both males and females, as it defends its stretch of water against
neighbours.
E The bird came back within minutes and sat only a metre away.
F The photographs succeed in communicating something of his feelings.
G "No speech, just beautiful images which say it all," he says.
H There is some scientific truth in that story.
TASK 2. Read the passage and choose from the options (A – E). The options may be chosen more than once.
My line of work
Four people talk about their jobs.
A. Lisa – Exhibition Programmes Organiser, Science Museum
I’m responsible for putting temporary exhibitions together. This includes planning and designing the exhibition and promoting it. I
have to read up about the subject of the exhibition beforehand and then talk to important people in the area so that I can
establish the main themes and aims of the exhibition, and plan what objects and pictures should be displayed. I have to make sure
the public can understand the thinking behind the exhibition, which means planning interactive displays, workshops and theatre. I
also have to bring in engineers and electricians to make sure the final display is not dangerous to visitors. Before the exhibition
opens, I help design and write the brochures and leaflets that we’ll use to tell people about it.
B. Janet – Teacher of London Taxi Drivers
The first thing I do when I get here at 7.30 a.m. is check the accounts. Then I see what new maps and documents need to be
produced in order to learn the ‘runs’ or routes necessary to pass the London taxi-driver test. By midday, about 50 students are in
school, working out how to make the journeys. They work out the most direct route, using the correct one-way streets, and right-
and left-hand turns. I get involved when there’s a difference of opinion – like whether you can do a right turn at a particular
junction. When they’re close to the test, I’ll give them a simple route and no matter what way they say they’ll go, I’ll tell them they
have to use another route because the road is closed. The next student will have to find a third route and again I’ll come up with a
reason why they can’t go that way. It’s just to make them think.
C. Sarah – Marine Conservationist
I live by the coast and work from home. This involves responding to telephone enquiries, producing educational resources and
setting up training courses. Occasionally, I go into our main office but generally I am on the coast. I also work with schools and
study centres and run courses for coastal managers and those involved in making decisions about the fate of the sea. I do things
like take them out to sea in a boat in an attempt to make them think more about the life underneath them. This often changes
their views as it’s very different from making decisions using a computer screen. I am extremely lucky because conservation is my
hobby, so the job has many highs for me. The downside of the job is that I work for a charity, so there is a constant need for more
money. This means I’m always looking for more resources and I’m not able to achieve everything I want.
D. Chris – Map and Atlas Publisher
My work is pretty varied. I have to make sure that the publishing programme matches market requirements, and ensure that we
keep stocks of 300 or so of the books that we publish. We have very high standards of information and content. We receive many
letters from readers on issues such as the representation of international boundaries and these in particular require a careful
response. I discuss future projects and current sales with co-publishers. I work as part of an enthusiastic group which makes the
job that much more enjoyable. The negative side, as with many jobs, is that there is far too much administration to deal with,
which leaves less time to work on the more interesting tasks such as product development and design.
Which person says their job involves:
1 large amounts of paperwork?
2 training high-level staff in their area of work?
3 taking measures to protect public safety?
4 accepting certain financial limitations?
5 encouraging visitor participation?
6 listening to disagreements?
7 doing considerable background research?
8 introducing problems that require solutions?
9 balancing supply and demand?
10 producing advertising literature?
11 organising trips designed to increase people’s awareness?
12 constant updating of their own materials?
13 corresponding with the public?
14 working in an area that has personal meaning for them?
15 working with a team of colleagues?
SKILL: WRITING
TASK 1. Complete the second sentence in such a way that it means exactly the same as the sentence printed before it. (10
points)
1. Absolute secrecy was crucial to the success of the mission.
→ Without ____________________________
2. The two sides never looked likely to reach an agreement.
→ At no time was ____________________________
Teacher: Nguyễn Tuấn Hưng – 241808 Tele: 0967 406 548 Social: facebook.com/hungnguyen24699 Practice Test 6
3. He is a complete hypocrite; in public he condemns smokers, yet he smokes a packet a day himself.
→ So ____________________________
4. Ruth never asks anyone for a loan as she doesn’t like to admit she has financial problems.
→ Ruth is ____________________________
5. He loses his temper at all things, even the slightest one.
→ He flies ____________________________
6. Initially, losing one’s job can seem awful; afterwards it can work out well, for some people. BLESSING
→ Losing one’s job has proved ____________________________
7. He’s a pleasant man socially, but he’s a tough businessman. BARGAIN
→ He’s a pleasant man ____________________________
8. As a champion swimmer, she will never be better than she is now. PRIME
→ ____________________________
9. A summary cannot bring out the high quality of this book. JUSTICE
→ ____________________________
10. The inspector showed us four potential health hazards. DREW
→ ____________________________

Teacher: Nguyễn Tuấn Hưng – 241808 Tele: 0967 406 548 Social: facebook.com/hungnguyen24699 Practice Test 7