cambridge english: first for schools practice test...

Cambridge English: First for SchoolsPractice Test A

Practice Test X6 BOOK.indb 1 06/10/2014 15:31

2

ContentsPaper 1 Reading and Use of English 3

Paper 2 Writing 13

Paper 3 Listening 15

Paper 4 Speaking 20

Answer key and recording script 27

Acknowledgements 32


3 CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: FIRST FOR SCHOOLS | TEST A This page may be photocopied © Cambridge University Press 2014

Reading and Use of English • Part 1

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).

Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet.

Example:0 A ideally B perfectly C suitably D appropriately

0 A B C D

Kites

Kites are flown all around the world. Apart from a kite, all you need is some wind and (0) a hill or

a beach where you can stand. Kiting is an interest that (1) back thousands of years. The first kites

were flown in Asia and by the year 1000 they played a significant (2) in many different cultures. For

instance, they were sometimes flown over a house to (3) the arrival of a new baby. In some places

people even thought kite-flying could encourage the winds to blow away the rain clouds and (4)

the crops from flooding. Eventually, however, scientists and inventors began to be (5) of the full

potential of kites. (6) then, large kites have been developed which can pull people and vehicles and lift

equipment up into the air. But kite-flying (7) a sport which can be enjoyed by people of all ages and it

doesn’t (8) a fortune.

1 A gets B goes C stands D comes

2 A purpose B function C position D role

3 A announce B tell C advise D inform

4 A maintain B prevent C support D avoid

5 A attentive B sensitive C familiar D aware

6 A After B Following C Since D Later

7 A remains B stays C continues D keeps

8 A charge B spend C pay D cost


4 cambridge english: first for schools | test a This page may be photocopied © Cambridge University Press 2014


For questions 9–16, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0).

Write your answers IN CAPITAL LETTERS on the separate answer sheet.

Example: 0 T O

The London Mini Marathon

Children aged between 11 and 17 come from all over Great Britain (0) take part in a mini marathon in

London every year. It is such (9) popular event that they have to be selected; Great Britain is divided

into regions, and team managers choose (10) children will represent each region. After (11)

selected, the children are expected to attend training sessions. Teams consist (12) runners from three

different age groups and each age group has a slightly different start time (13) that they are not all

running at the same time. There is one thing about the London Mini Marathon that makes (14) unique

compared to other ‘mini’ races for kids. It is (15) only run on the same day as the main London Marathon

race for adults but it is also run on part of the same course. This is (16) makes it especially exciting for

the participants.



For questions 17–24, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to form a word that fits in the gap in the same line. There is an example at the beginning (0).

Write your answers IN CAPITAL LETTERS on the separate answer sheet.

Example: 0 F A M O U S

One man and his robotsWu Yulu, who lives on the outskirts of Beijing, is (0) for

the robots he builds. In his (17) people are used to seeing

him being pulled along in a cart by a robot which also has the

(18) to jump, paint and drink, among other things.

Wu Yulu’s (19) with robots began when he was a child.

He made his first robot when he was 11 but, (20) , it

was unable to move. He continued to experiment, increasing his

technical (21) , until he finally managed to make one with

arms and legs.

Since then, he has made over 40 robots and has been recognised

worldwide for these (22) . His aim is to make robots

which can be of (23) to humans with all the many

(24) tasks they need to perform in their daily lives, like

chopping vegetables. His robots are like children to him and he gives

each one his family name.

FAME

NEIGHBOUR

ABLE

OBSESS

FORTUNE

KNOW

INVENT

ASSIST

PRACTICE




For questions 25–30, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given. Here is an example (0).

Example:

0 There was such a big crowd waiting outside the stadium that I couldn’t find my friends.

SO

There people waiting outside the stadium that I couldn’t find my friends.

The gap can be filled by the words ‘were so many’, so you write:

Example: 0 WERE SO MANY

Write only the missing words IN CAPITAL LETTERS on the separate answer sheet.

25 Despite having plenty of money, Josh decided not to buy the football boots.

EVEN

Josh decided not to buy the football boots plenty of money.

26 The dance class was cancelled because of a lack of interest among the students.

ENOUGH

The dance class was cancelled because not interested.

27 I know I didn’t leave my bag at school because I took my phone out on the bus.

CAN’T

I took my phone out on the bus, so my bag at school.

28 My grandfather was 70 when he started running.

TAKE

My grandfather until he was 70.

29 We need to walk faster or the shops will be closed when we get there.

UNLESS

The shops will be closed when we get there faster.

30 Everyone will get a free drink at the beginning of the race.

GIVEN

Free drinks everyone at the beginning of the race.




You are going to read an extract from a book about how people succeed in sport. For questions 31–36, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.


Path to the top

Matthew Syed talks about how he became a table tennis star At the age of 24, I became the British number-one table tennis player for the very first time. Table tennis is a pretty big sport in the UK, with 2.4 million participants, thousands of teams, and serious riches for those who do well. But what made me special? What had marked me out for sporting greatness? I came up with a number of factors: speed, determination, mental strength, adaptability, agility and reflexes. I had no particular advantages, having been born into a family in an ordinary suburb of an ordinary town. Mine was a triumph of individuality; a personal journey of success against the odds. This, of course, is the way that many who have reached the top in sport, or indeed in any other field, choose to tell their stories. Many of us live in a culture that encourages this kind of individualism. The film world of Hollywood is full of such narratives, often sugar-coated with emotion. But while these stories are inspirational, and compulsively entertaining, are they true? Here is my story in table tennis.

When I was eight years old my parents, for reasons they are still unable to explain (neither of them plays table tennis), decided to buy a table tennis table and to put it in our large garage. I don’t know the exact percentage, but you can imagine that there were not many youngsters of my age in my home town who possessed a full-size, tournament-specification table. Fewer still had a garage in which it could be housed full-time. This was my first bit of good fortune.

My second piece of good fortune was having an older brother called Andrew who came to love table tennis as much as I did. We would play for hours in

the garage after school: duelling, battling, testing each other’s reflexes, experimenting with new spins, investigating new bats, inviting over friends who, although often more able in other sports, were surprised to see just how far we had advanced in table tennis. Without knowing it, we were happily acquiring thousands of hours of practice.

Mr Charters was a teacher at the local primary school, Aldryngton. He was the coach of almost all the after-school sporting clubs, the manager of the school football team, the caretaker of the badminton equipment and the organiser of school sports day. But Charters cared about one thing above all: table tennis. He was the nation’s top coach and a senior figure in the English Table Tennis Association. The other sports were just a front, an opportunity to search out sporting talent wherever it emerged so he could focus it – determinedly and exclusively – upon table tennis.

For a period, the streets around Silverdale Road, where the school was situated, produced more outstanding table tennis players than the rest of the nation combined. It seemed to go against explanation or belief. Had something spread genetically throughout the local neighbourhood without touching the surrounding roads or villages? Of course not: the success of Silverdale Road was about the coming together of factors of a similar kind to those that have, from time to time, happened in other parts of the world. In particular, all of the sporting talent was focused entirely on table tennis, and all of the potential players were encouraged by an outstanding coach. And as for me, with a table in the garage and a brother as passionate about table tennis as myself, I had a head start before I even got to Aldryngton School.

line 49

line 50


31 Why does the writer compare his story to those told in films?

A to illustrate the interest in stories of people succeeding through their own talents

B to suggest that the stories of real people can be made into good films

C to complain that film-makers are not so interested in the stories of sports people

D to show the importance of realising that everybody has a unique story to tell

32 The writer refers to the purchase of the table tennis table as ‘good fortune’ because

A his parents only bought it because they recognised his talents.

B it was not a logical item for his parents to spend their money on.

C the garage was only just big enough for it to fit in.

D it was an unusual hobby for a boy to have at the time.

33 Why did the brothers spend so much time playing table tennis together?

A They knew by practising a lot they would do well later.

B They wanted to show their friends how good they were.

C They knew they weren’t good at other sports.

D They were inspired to compete against each other.

34 What is meant by ‘the other sports were just a front’ in lines 49–50?

A The children didn’t appreciate Mr Charters’ efforts to improve their table tennis.

B Mr Charters got annoyed that he had to spend time on sports other than table tennis.

C Mr Charters used other sports to find children who might be good at table tennis.

D Other sports Mr Charters taught were less popular with the children than table tennis.

35 What point is the writer making in the last paragraph?

A The fact that Silverdale Road produced so many table tennis players can be explained.

B Similar circumstances in other parts of the world have not had the same results.

C It became clear that the success of Silverdale Road could only continue for a short time.

D The people in surrounding villages wished they had the same sporting facilities.

36 What do we find out about the writer in this text?

A He wishes he had had the chance to try other sports too.

B He is grateful for the opportunities which came his way by chance.

C He is aware that success can take some of the pleasure out of a sport.

D He realises the importance of not getting emotional about a sport.



You are going to read an article about dinosaurs. Six sentences have been removed from the article. Choose from the sentences A–G the one which fits each gap (37–42). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.


How much do we really know about dinosaurs?

appearance, revealing for the first time a set of animals that were to become familiar from movies and museum displays, including Stegosaurus, Allosaurus and Diplodocus. It became clear that dinosaurs possessed an amazing variety of body shapes and sizes, from flexible, two-legged meat-eaters to long-necked grass-eating herbivores. 40 From this time, dinosaurs were therefore no longer reconstructed as giant lizards. However, the biology of the ‘new’ dinosaurs was still compared to that of known living reptiles, and they were still reconstructed as large clumsy beasts.

For much of the 20th century, this impression dominated scientific and public imaginations and they were viewed as the ultimate example of a failed species which became extinct. But we now know that they were in fact highly successful social beings and we now have fossils showing that dinosaurs were the first creatures to have feathers. These discoveries come from the work of palaeontologists in the 1970s, which brought about a revolution in our understanding of dinosaurs.These advances mean that we can now work out how well some dinosaurs could hear or smell. 41 Because of all this extra knowledge, mammals and birds are now viewed as more appropriate models for dinosaur biology, which offers many new insights into their evolution and behaviour.

42 How exactly did they die out? Why did some of them thrive while others were short-lived? What were the functions of certain bizarre features? And which factors led to their runaway evolutionary success? There are still plenty of things we know nothing about – and scientists shouldn’t be afraid to say so.

Palaeontologists study fossils, the remains of animals that lived in prehistoric times. Fossils can be between several thousand and hundreds of millions of years old and new technology enables researchers to discover more and more about them. Recently, palaeontologists from Manchester University have found that dinosaurs, usually shown as enormous, earth-shaking monsters, may have been much lighter than previously thought.

Dinosaurs have fascinated people in Britain since the first fragments of their bones emerged from the stone quarries of southern England in the early 1800s, but the scientists working on their remains at the time were faced with a difficult task. 37 And of course there were no obvious living equivalents.

Nearly 200 years after these initial discoveries, palaeontologists are still trying to resolve the issue of what dinosaurs really looked like. 38 This is due to new finds and technologies beyond the wildest imaginings of those early scholars who, working by candlelight, eagerly chipped away at their latest discoveries with hammer and chisel.

Initially, dinosaurs were considered to be iguanas (a kind of lizard) on a much larger scale. Nineteenth-century scientists worked out that if dinosaurs had the same proportions as iguanas, then monsters over 60 metres long once existed in Britain. 39 Nonetheless, this point of view remained popular until the first complete dinosaur skeletons were found, first in Europe and then in huge quantities in the American west.

The discoveries of whole skeletons during the second half of the nineteenth century had a lasting effect on all subsequent impressions of dinosaur


A But none of these resembled the massive, nightmarish visions imagined only a few years earlier.

B Some things have become much easier, however.

C In addition, we even have an idea of what some of the original colours of dinosaurs might have been.

D They based their calculations on individual bones alone, so they were extremely inaccurate.

E We are still in the dark, however, when it comes to some aspects of dinosaur life.

F Because of this, they were able to analyse old bones in much greater detail than ever before.

G It was not clear to them how to reconstruct the appearance and behaviour of animals that had been dead for hundreds of millions of years.




You are going to read some magazine reviews of video games. For questions 43–52, choose from the reviews (A–D). The reviews may be chosen more than once.


Which reviewer says

there is a need for the user to be patient at certain points in the game? 43

the game has a storyline which is adequate rather than outstanding? 44

the faults in the way the game sometimes worked have been fixed? 45

the game has similarities to some films with a particular actor in them? 46

their expectations of the game were too pessimistic? 47

the game might not attract more users despite better graphics? 48

the poor quality of the graphics in some circumstances is understandable? 49

some of the game’s fans have recently been lost to competing games? 50

a vital part is played by the graphics in maintaining the users’ interest during the game? 51

the game will provide new competition for best-selling games? 52



C Dragon reviewed by Kurt, aged 15The plot isn’t what you would call prize-winning, but it gets you involved immediately and finishes off without any loose ends. A month ago I was afraid that what we might get was another disappointing addition to the series, but after playing on this new version I can’t wait to see what will come next. The graphics in the game take your breath away. It’s a good thing too, since you spend a lot of time travelling in the game and it would be tiring to have a dull background which was repeated all the time. The music is almost too good as it distracts you from what you’re doing. The characters’ movements are smooth and the controls are so easy to use.

D White City reviewed by Georgia, aged 14The game’s main downside is its graphics. They aren’t awful, but they’re certainly not the best I’ve seen. However, the reduced detail isn’t surprising due to the fact that at times you can be looking at an entire town from thousands of metres in the air, and then you are immediately down on the ground. The characters are well done, though – they all have unique qualities and you feel as if you can actually talk to them. There is one thing gamers will not enjoy. After completing a level, the home screen appears. These dull moments might ruin your concentration, but you just need to put up with them as they only last about a minute, although they feel much longer.

A Baseball X2 reviewed by Liam, aged 14I always thought Baseball X1 was the coolest sports simulation game that I had ever come across. This version, Baseball X2, is an update and has taken everything that I adored and made it even better! It has also put right some of the little things that went wrong during the game. Sports games that have got a much larger share of the market had better look out because this game is going to be big! The graphics were fairly advanced on the earlier version except it was difficult to tell some of the players apart and they looked a bit like aliens, but now they are so realistic you know immediately who they are.

B Speedy Track 008 reviewed by Leila, aged 16Speedy Track was a very successful racing game when the first version came out. However, the last version was pretty poor quality, and serious gamers have been moving over to the Big Prize and Monaco series instead. So will this new version bring them back? Well, the graphics have improved – the roads and scenery are now more detailed. But Big Prize and Monaco have perfectly good graphics themselves, so the debate is open as to which game will appeal most. The game concentrates on a race through the mountains that is filled with crashes and explosions. The idea of this kind of cross-country race is very interesting and has never been properly explored in a video game before, as far as I know. Tom Sapori appeared in an advertising trailer for this game and I can see why. The game has the same kind of action that is in most of his movies. Something about the craziness just draws you in.

Reviews of the latest video games by our teenage readers


Writing • Part 1

You must answer this question. Write your answer in 140–190 words in an appropriate style on the separate answer sheet.

1 In your English class you have been talking about the importance of sport. Now your English teacher has asked you to write an essay for homework.

Write your essay using all the notes and giving reasons for your point of view.

NotesWrite about:

1. getting fit 2. having fun 3. ………………… (your own idea)

Is it a good idea for all young people to do sport?



Writing • Part 2

Write an answer to one of the questions 2–5 in this part. Write your answer in 140–190 words in an appropriate style on the separate answer sheet. Put the question number in the box at the top of the answer sheet.

2 You have seen this announcement in an English-language magazine for schools.

Write your story.

3 You have received this email from your English friend, Alex.

Write your email.

4 You have seen this announcement on an international website.

Write your review.

5 Answer the following question based on the title below.

Touching the Void by Joe Simpson

Your English class has had a discussion about what happens in Touching the Void. Now your teacher has given you this essay for homework:

How did Joe Simpson manage to survive in Touching the Void?

Write your essay.

Stories wanted

We are looking for stories to appear in our magazine. Your story must begin with this sentence:As soon as Joanna saw the woman at the back of the room, she realized her life was about to change.

Your story must include:• somenews• ajourney

The Best TV Series Ever!Do you have a favourite TV series that you watch regularly?

Write us a review telling us what it is about, why you like it and whether other young people would enjoy watching it.

The best reviews will be posted on the website next week.

Reviews wanted

Guess what! I’m coming to your town on an exchange visit next year with my class. Can you tell me about your local town? Could you tell me what’s special about it, what there is for young people to do there, and whether you think I’ll like it?

Thanks, Alex



Listening • Part 1

Questions 1–8

01 You will hear people talking in eight different situations. For questions 1–8, choose the best answer (A, B or C).

1 You hear two students discussing a TV programme they have just watched.

What did they both like about the programme?

A the main character

B the unusual plot

C the background music

2 You hear a boy telling a friend about a sailing course he has just done.

What is the boy’s opinion of the course?

A It was more difficult than he expected.

B It was badly affected by the weather conditions.

C It was designed for very young students.

3 You hear a teacher telling her students about a project they are going to do.

What does she warn them about?

A using internet material

B making spelling mistakes

C writing too much

4 You hear a girl talking on the radio about her favourite band.

She is attracted to their songs because

A they sing about familiar things.

B they play unusual instruments.

C they come from her area.



5 You hear two students talking about what happened in an art class at school.

What problem did the boy have in his class?

A He chose the wrong person to draw.

B He selected an unsuitable paint colour.

C He spilled something on his drawing.

6 You hear a girl talking on the phone about a shopping trip.

What pleased her about the trip?

A She bought a dress for a special occasion.

B She got a bargain in the sales.

C She found a new shop she liked.

7 You hear two students talking about a castle in Scotland.

The boy thinks the castle would be a good setting for

A a ghost film.

B a documentary.

C a children’s story.

8 You hear a sports presenter talking about a running race.

What does he say about the winner of the race?

A She shouldn’t have competed yesterday.

B She has just recovered from injury.

C She was ahead of the others from the start.




Questions 9–18

02 You will hear a young chef called Tom Neilson talking about the cookery competition he has just won. For questions 9–18, complete the sentences with a word or short phrase.

Young Chef Competition

The competition, which is arranged by a group of (9) ,

began ten years ago.

Tom says that teenagers compare top chefs with (10) .

Competitors only have to cook a (11)

for the first stage of the competition.

Tom thinks that calculating the precise (12)

of the meal you make in the local final is difficult.

In the local final you are also tested on various things such as (13)

in the kitchen.

A professional chef gives (14) to the people who reach the regional finals.

In the regional final, the (15)

you do for the meal is considered very important.

Tom feels that competing in the national final is challenging because the

(16) you have to work with are chosen for you.

In the national final you are assessed on the (17)

of your food as well as your cooking skills.

Tom knows he will receive some (18) as a reward for reaching the final.




Questions 19–23

03 You will hear five short extracts in which people are talking about school visits to places of interest. For questions 19–23, choose from the list (A–H) what each speaker says. Use the letters only once. There are three extra letters which you do not need to use.

A It helped me to decide on a career.

B I enjoyed doing a team-based activity.

C It enabled me to learn a new skill.

D It was good being shown around by a guide.

E It made me change my opinion of a subject.

F There were some really unusual exhibits.

G I was surprised it was so interactive.

H I appreciated listening to an expert.

Speaker 1 19

Speaker 2 20

Speaker 3 21

Speaker 4 22

Speaker 5 23




Questions 24–30

04 You will hear an interview with an American girl who sings in a choir. For questions 24–30, choose the best answer (A, B or C).

24 What does Gina say about the members of her choir?

A They come from schools specialising in music.

B They have previous experience of singing.

C They have formal qualifications in music.

25 What has belonging to a choir enabled Gina to do?

A change the way she sings

B become more self-critical

C gain confidence in herself

26 Gina feels that through mixing with people in the choir, she has learnt

A how to understand different cultures.

B how to make new friends.

C how to get people to agree.

27 What is Gina’s attitude to the music she sings?

A She would like to perform a wider range of songs.

B She is looking forward to leaning some jazz songs.

C She appreciates being able to suggest songs for the choir.

28 What does Gina say about expressing emotion through music?

A It is something everyone in the choir manages to do.

B It is easier to express happiness than sadness.

C It is hard to convey emotion to other people.

29 How does Gina feel about performing in public?

A a little frightened

B slightly stressed

C ready to be criticised

30 According to Gina, what is the choir director’s main strength?

A his personality

B his musical ability

C his conducting skills



Speaking

About the Speaking testThe Speaking test lasts for about 14 minutes. You take the test with another candidate (called your ‘partner’). There are two examiners – one will speak to you and your partner, the other will only listen. Both examiners will award marks. The listening examiner gives five different marks: grammar and vocabulary, discourse management, pronunciation and interactive communication. The speaking examiner awards one mark for overall performance.

Part 1 (2 minutes)The examiner will ask you and your partner questions about yourselves. You may be asked questions about everyday topics such as your family, how you spend your free time and your career plans.

Part 2 (4 minutes: a 1-minute ‘long turn’ for each candidate and 30 seconds for a response from the second candidate)In this part of the Speaking test, the examiner will show you two photographs and will ask you to talk about them for one minute. Your partner will then be asked a question about your photographs.

Then the examiner will show your partner two different photographs. Your partner will talk about these photographs for one minute. This time the examiner will ask you a question about your partner’s photographs.

Part 3 (4 minutes)Now the examiner will ask you and your partner to talk together. The examiner will give you a piece of paper with a question written on it and some ideas to help you. You and your partner talk together about the question, listening and responding to each other’s ideas, agreeing and disagreeing. You should both take turns so that you speak for the same amount of time. The examiner will then ask a further question to encourage you to summarise your discussion.

Part 4 (4 minutes)The examiner will ask some further questions related to the Part 3 topic. The idea is to have a discussion in a little more depth about the topic. The examiner may ask you to answer questions on your own, or may encourage you to discuss questions with your partner.



Speaking • Part 1

2 minutes (3 minutes for groups of three)

The interlocutor introduces him/herself and asks you and your partner your names as below:

Good morning/afternoon/evening. My name is and this is my colleague .

And your names are?

Can I have your mark sheets, please?

Thank you.

• Whereareyoufrom,(Candidate A)?

• Andyou,(Candidate B)?

The examiner will ask each of you questions about everyday life. Here are some example topics and questions:

First we’d like to know something about you.

Everyday life

• Doyouliveneartheschool? (How do you get to school?)

• Whendoyouusuallydoyourhomework? (Why?)

• Whatthingsdoyouenjoydoingathomeintheevening?

• Doesyourfamilyhaveamealtogetherintheevening? (What do you like to eat?)

• Whatareyougoingtodothisweekend?

School

• Whatisyourfavouritesubject?(Whydoyoulikeit?)

• Whatisthebestthingaboutyourschool?(Why?)

• Tellusaboutoneofyourschoolfriends.

• Whatwouldyouliketodowhenyoufinishschool?(Why?)



Speaking • Part 2

1 Getting exercise2 Holidays


In this part of the test, I’m going to give each of you two photographs. I’d like you to talk about your photographs on your own for about a minute, and also to answer a question about your partner’s photographs.

(Candidate A), it’s your turn first. Here are your photographs (page 23). They show young people doing different kinds of exercise.I’d like you to compare the photographs, and say what the benefits of doing these kinds of exercise are.

When Student A has finished, the examiner asks Student B a question.

(Candidate B), how do you keep fit? ... (Why?)

Now, (Candidate B), here are your photographs (page 24). They show different kinds of holidays.I’d like you to compare the photographs and say what you think the young people are enjoying about these different types of holiday.

When Student B has finished, the examiner asks Student A a question.

(Candidate A), what kind of holiday do you enjoy most? ... (Why?)



What are the benefits of doing these kinds of exercise? 1

A

B



What are the people enjoying about these different types of holiday?

A

B

2



Speaking • Part 3


Now, I’d like you to talk about something together for two minutes.

I’d like you to imagine that a secondary school has some money to spend on improving the facilities. Here are some things your school could spend some money on and a question for you to discuss. First you have some time to look at the task.[15 seconds]

Now, talk to each other about why these things might be useful for most students.

The examiner then asks you to decide something together.

Thank you. Now you have about a minute to decide which two things you would not spend the money on.

Speaking • Part 4


The examiner asks you some questions related to the activity in Part 3.

Here are some examples of questions you might have:

• Somepeoplesaystudentsspendtoomuchtimestudyingandnotenoughtimedoingotherthings.What do you think?

• Shouldschoolsprovidesportsfacilitiesorshouldchildrendosportoutsideschool?

• Doyouthinkschoolsshouldhaveanorchestra?Why?/Whynot?

• Whichactivitiesdoyoudooutsideschool?Whichdoyouenjoythemost?

• Doyouthinkdramaisanimportantsubjecttoincludeatschool?Why?/Whynot?

• Somepeoplesaythatpracticalsubjectslikedesignandtechnologyandartareasimportantasacademic subjects. What do you think?



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Test A key and recording script

Cambridge English: First for Schools

PRACTICE TEST KEY AND RECORDING SCRIPT

Reading and Use of EnglishPart 11 B 2 D 3 A 4 B 5 D 6 C 7 A 8 D

Part 29 a 10 which 11 being 12 of 13 so 14 it 15 not 16 what

Part 317 neighbourhood 18 ability 19 obsession 20 unfortunately 21 knowledge 22 inventions 23 assistance 24 practical

Part 425 even though he had26 enough (of the) students were27 I can’t have left28 didn’t take up running29 unless we walk30 will be given to

Part 531 A 32 B 33 D 34 C 35 A 36 B

Part 637 G 38 B 39 D 40 A 41 C 42 E

Part 743 D 44 C 45 A 46 B 47 C 48 B 49 D 50 B 51 C 52 A

WritingPart 1 Answer guidelines1

Style

The essay is always written for the teacher so it needs to be written in a formal style; without contractions, for example. In your answer you need to show that you can give your opinion, with reasons. For this task you are free to agree or disagree with the idea that it is good for all young people to do sport. To do this well you will need to be able to communicate your ideas clearly, give examples and present advantages and disadvantages.

Content

You need to answer to the essay question by writing about both of the content points given on the question paper, and by providing one content point of your own. Whether you agree or disagree with the essay question, it is important that you argue from your own point of view. You many feel there are a number of disadvantages to doing sport, or that not all sports are equally suitable for young people because they are too aggressive or dangerous.

Organisation

Plan your essay before you begin to write in order to present your ideas in a logical way. You will need to decide what each paragraph is about. In the first paragraph, you

might want to mention the advantage of getting fit but balance it with the disadvantage of getting injured. If you do this kind of advantages/disadvantages essay you will need to balance the second and third point. For example, to address the second point you could say that you can have fun doing sport with your friends but if it is too competitive you might get anxious or worried. The third paragraph needs to be your own idea, for example: how doing sport is a good way to make friends and get a social life. Your final paragraph could then be your conclusion: whether overall you think it is a good idea for young people to do sport or not.

Part 2 Answer guidelines2

Style

The story should be neutral or formal in style as it is for publication in an English-language magazine. In this case it should be written in the third person (Joanna/she). To tell the story well you will need to use a range of narrative tenses, including the past simple, past continuous and past perfect. By adding direct speech and some suspense or fast action you can make your story more interesting.

Content

You need to continue the story from the given sentence. In this case during the course of the story you will need to make it clear what kind of room Joanna was in (for example, a classroom, a restaurant, a doctor’s waiting room, etc.), who the woman was and whether Joanna’s life was going to change in a good or bad way. The story also has to include the two points given – some news and a journey. They should be included as important elements of your story and not just incidental details.

Organisation

Before you start to write, you will need to plan your story and think about how you are going to include the two points and how the story is going to end. You might also want to give your story a title. Linking words will help you to show the sequence of events in your story and cause and effect. You will also need to be able to use the correct punctuation for direct speech.

3

Style

The email should be informal as it is to a friend; however, you will need to use a range of structures and vocabulary to describe your town and to give suggestions for what young people might like to do there.

Content

The content of the email needs to be relevant to Alex’s request for information about your town and the things you can do there. Do not change the topic of the letter and start writing about your recent holiday or family news! Offering to meet up with Alex when he visits and suggesting that you show him around your town would be acceptable additions to your letter as they are related to the topic.


28 PRACTICE TEST KEY AND RECORDING SCRIPT

Organisation

Plan what you want to say in each paragraph of your email. You might want to start by showing excitement at Alex’s visit (‘That’s fantastic news!’). Your first paragraph could give factual details about the town (size, location and so on) then the second paragraph could focus on the town’s special qualities: is it relaxing, friendly, busy, etc.? You might want to deal with the last two questions together (what young people can do and whether Alex would like it) as it would be natural to do so. The final paragraph could then be an offer to show Alex around.

4

Style

The review should be neutral but to keep the reader interested you will need to use lively language and full sentences when you describe your favourite TV series. Do not use bullet points or subheadings. Remember, you want the reader to choose your review to be put on the website next week.

Content

Think of a TV series you want to write about – you might want to use that as the title of your review. You will need to give the reader a summary of the storyline of the series and descriptions of the main characters. You should use a range of narrative tenses, including present and past. Explain clearly why you like the series: is it the quality of the dialogue, the relationships between the characters or perhaps how funny or dramatic it is? Is there a particular episode that you can talk about that highlights the things you like about the series? Although this is your favourite TV series you are reviewing, it is fine if you want to include a couple of things that you don’t like so much or that you hope improve as you continue to watch. End by recommending the series. If you think that not all young people would like it, only those with a particular interest, then that would be good to include.

Organisation

Before you start to write, plan what each paragraph of your review is going to be about. Each of your paragraphs should answer the separate questions asked in the task (what it is about / why you like it / whether other young people would enjoy watching it). Avoid just writing a list of all the things you like about the show. Instead, focus on the two or three main things that you like and write fully about them.

5

Style

The essay should be neutral or formal as you are writing it for your teacher to read. You will need to use a range of past tenses to explain what happened in the story and how Joe managed to survive.

Content

You will need to present the main parts of the story that lead to Joe’s survival. You might also want to talk about his personality, as his courage and mental strength also helped him to survive. You will need to have a good knowledge of the main details of the story to answer this question.

Organisation

You will need to plan what you want to write and think about what the focus of each paragraph is going to be. For example, in your first paragraph you could start with a brief description of Joe as an individual, his strengths and qualities. Each of the following paragraphs could then focus on an event in his journey down the mountain and you could relate the decisions he made and the way he coped with problems to the personal qualities you mentioned in the first paragraph.

ListeningPart 11 B 2 A 3 B 4 A 5 A 6 C 7 C 8 B

Part 29 hotels

10 pop stars

11 main course

12 cost

13 safety

14 advice

15 timetable

16 ingredients

17 presentation

18 (kitchen) knives

Part 319 E 20 C 21 A 22 H 23 G

Part 424 B 25 C 26 C 27 C 28 A 29 B 30 A

Recording scriptPart 1You will hear people talking in eight different situations. For questions 1–8, choose the best answer, A, B or C.

Question 1. You hear two students discussing a TV programme they have just watched.

Girl: Didyouseethatnewdetectiveshowyesterday? I loved the female police officer who starred in it, she was really cool …

Boy: Yeah, well I really liked, it too. I wasn’t so keen on her, I thought she was a bit too good to be true. I thought the music in the background really added to the atmosphere though … nice tracks … And the twists and turns in the storyline were amazing, weren’t they. You had to concentrate to keep up. I haven’t seen anything quite like that before …

Girl: Me neither, that was the best bit. I didn’t find the music that good actually, but I’ll watch it again …

Boy: Me too.

Question 2. You hear a boy telling a friend about a sailing course he has just done.

Girl: Ohhi,Adam.Didyouenjoythesailingcourse you did at the weekend?



Boy: I did. We were really lucky, ’cos there was sunshine and a good breeze The forecast said there’d be storms, but there weren’t … I was one of the youngest students there but that didn’t worry me. I’d enrolled on an advanced course, and I didn’t think there’d be many other people with as much experience as me … but there certainly were. I wasn’t prepared for the fact that I found it hard to keep up with the others. Some of them were much bigger and stronger. But I learnt a lot.

Girl: Great.

Question 3. You hear a teacher telling her students about a project they are going to do.

Teacher: OK everyone, for your project on a writer, choose someone who wrote in English from any country you like. The word length is 1,200 words, although you can go above that slightly if you have to. I’ll help you with grammar if necessary; it’s your responsibility to check how complicated words are spelled though. Remember you’ll get marked down if there are lots of errors. Write a short biography of the writer, and then talk about their ideas. You’ll have to find some information to start with, so try the Internet – I’m sure you know how to avoid inaccurate sources – or books in the school library … Now, any questions …?

Question 4. You hear a girl talking on the radio about her favourite band.

Girl: Yeah well, I love this band called One Mind. I’ve bought all the albums they’ve made. They come from the same part of the city as me, just a few blocks down from where I live, not that I’ve ever met any of them! I can really identify with their songs because they sing about being young, growing up and so on. And their guitar playing is great, and the keyboard player manages to make some really interesting sounds … yeah, I’m really keen on them … and I’d love to play the drums like Tim does …

Question 5. You hear two students talking about what happened in an art class at school.

Girl: Howdidyougetoninarttoday,Daniel?

Boy: Well, first of all Christopher tipped some water over the paper I was working on … it was a complete accident, but it wasn’t a good start. And then I didn’t realise we were supposed to be doing a sketch of someone else in the class … I brought in a photo of my little brother to work from …

Girl: Yeah, I drew Hannah as I always sit next to her …

Boy: Once I started to work with paints though, I did better … I’m pleased with the colours I chose … and I think I’ve done something Mr Jones will like …

Girl: Great!

Question 6. You hear a girl talking on the phone about a shopping trip.

Girl: Success! Yeah, I got exactly what I wanted Mum, … not in the sales … there were some great reductions though … Yeah, it was new stock, just in. I had enough money for some shoes the same colour as the top … so they’ll look great with my new white trousers … Yeah, yeah, that’s what I’m wearing to the wedding … I’m really glad I went to that new store you suggested. It’s a nice place, I hadn’t been there before and I’ll certainly go there again. I couldn’t find anything in the shop in the centre I usually go to … . OK, see you soon, bye.

Question 7. You hear two students talking about a castle in Scotland.

Girl: It was a great trip, wasn’t it, Peter? I thought the Scottish countryside was magic – all those mountains and misty mornings.

Boy: Yeah it was, and as for the castle we went to yesterday, there was so much mist about … it was the perfect place for a fairy tale, you know, princess and dragon stuff …

Girl: Mmm, little kids would love it, wouldn’t they? That place certainly had a fantastic atmosphere – I think you could make a ghost story there, too.

Boy: Mmm, not sure about that. Somebody said they’re going to make a documentary series there though, about the history of Scottish families. It might be a bit dull. There won’t be any battles and swords and stuff.

Girl: Right.

Question 8. You hear a sports presenter talking about a running race.

Presenter: … and I have to say that Julie Barker put in the performance of her life yesterday in the 400 metres. She was competing in her first race since she recently sprained her ankle badly, and had to take several weeks off. And yet she was in fantastic form, and although she didn’t start well, she quickly pulled out in front and seemed to just fly across the finishing line … it certainly wasn’t too soon for a big race, though her coach said it wasn’t wise. If she maintains this standard throughout the season, I’m sure she’ll be considered for the Olympics soon. She’s a great competitor.

Part 2You will hear a young chef called Tom Neilson talking about the cookery competition he has just won. For questions 9–18, complete the sentences with a word or short phrase.

Well, I’m going to talk about a cookery competition I’ve been taking part in called Young Chef, and actually I’m really pleased, ’cos I’ve got a place in the national final!

So, Young Chef is a competition for students aged 14–16 who are studying catering. I actually found quite a few competitions you can enter, and they’re usually run by the food industry. This one is different though, it’s organised by a chain of (9) hotels. It was first started about ten years ago, and I discovered it was because they wanted to attract more young people into working for them as chefs. Apparently some research had shown that very few teenagers considered a career as a chef, even though they admired the top chefs like Jim Marsh in the same way they do famous (10) pop stars. That really surprised me!



Now, about the competition itself. There are four stages and you start with a competition at the school you attend. For the first stage you just have to cook a (11) main course, there’s no need to cook a dessert. The food is judged by teachers at the school, and the three winning pupils go on to represent their school in the second stage, which is called the local final.

In that, you have to work out the exact (12) cost of the two-course meal you cook, which can be quite hard if you’re using just a small quantity of certain stuff like herbs and spices! The local final is held at a college, and judged by professional chefs, who also test you on a range of things about working in a kitchen, like (13) safety. They expect you to know the names of well-known French and Italian dishes too, but you don’t get a formal test on that. The winner then goes on to participate in one of the twelve regional finals, and before you take part in those, you get (14) advice from a professional chef. Jane Spelling, the chef who helped me, was great. I learnt so much from her.

At the regional final, you have to cook a meal to a fixed budget, and the most important thing that’s tested is the (15) timetable you draw up for your meal. You have to list every step of your food preparation and how long it will take to do. And once you’ve done that, you have to stick to it! Believe me, that’s really tough. I had to practise a lot before I got it right. And if you survive all that and get through to the national final as I have, then the pressure is really on …

Why? Well, you have to plan and cook a meal for four people within two hours, and the trickiest thing is that they give you the (16) ingredients, so you have to work out what to make with them. Everyone gets the same, and you’re not allowed to look at any recipes at all. That means you have to have good basic cookery knowledge. And you’re judged not just on your cooking skills, but on the (17) presentation of your dishes. I know that the standard is very high, so I’ll be tryingalotofthingsoutbeforetheBigDay!

And if I win? Well, there are some really awesome prizes. The first prize is a chance to spend two weeks working in a restaurant belonging to a top chef, which is fantastic. The second prize is also good though, because you get some top quality stainless steel cooking pans and I’d really love those too. And there’s actually a set of (18) kitchen knives for everyone who gets as far as the national final, so I’m certain to get those! I’ll be taking part in the National Final on 30th March, so wish me luck. It’s not long now …

Part 3You will hear five short extracts in which people are talking about school visits to places of interest. For questions 19–23, choose from the list (A–H) what each speaker says. Use the letters only once. There are three extra letters which you do not need to use.

Speaker 1

I went on a visit to London this year with my school, and this time we went to the British Museum. Our teacher said there’d be lots of hands-on stuff and there was. And really, I had the best time ever. We had a worksheet to fill in in some of the galleries, and you could learn a lot doing that. The visit made history feel – well, alive to me. I used to think it was really dull. Not any more though. What I really loved was that everything was bright and colourful in the exhibits we went to.

Speaker 2

Our school visit was to an outdoor activity centre this year. I wasn’t keen on the idea at first. I was hoping for a trip to the science museum, like last year. They said it was going to be all team challenges and climbing trees and mud and stuff, which didn’t sound like my scene at all. When we got there, though, the activity leader let us choose which activities we did. I decided to try rock climbing, so I spent a morning being taught the basics, and then doing an easy climb. I’d never done anything like it before, and it was great!

Speaker 3

WewenttoaplacecalledDinosaurIslandlastmonthonaschool visit. At the visitor centre we did a lot of interactive stuff like weighing fossils. It was fascinating. I’ve always loved that kind of stuff, and I decided while I was there that I’m going to work in science when I finish school. I really enjoyed going on a walk along the beach too, to collect fossils. Our teacher thought we’d have an expert guide with us but in the end there was just us and it was more fun really. He’s really nice and he didn’t give us any worksheets or anything …

Speaker 4

We went on a school visit to the Eden Project as part of our biology course on the environment. It’s a huge place! I couldn’t believe my eyes when I got there. We spent a day learning about the rainforest and had a talk from someone who’s spent his whole career studying it. It was so inspiring to hear about his experiences. We found out about the links between the UK and the rainforest too, you know, through things like the plants we get medicines from. And at the end of the day we went into the souvenir shop, which had some fantastic stuff.

Speaker 5

I’m doing media studies this year, and we got a great visit to a film studio as part of our course. I couldn’t believe how hands on it was! I knew we were going on a sort of ‘behind the scenes’ walking tour, and I thought we’d just have a guide to show us round and talk to us. But we walked round the sets, tried on costumes, and were shown how to do special make-up. And the best thing of all was the special effects show at the end. I loved it! I’d recommend the visit to anyone …

Part 4You will hear an interview with an American girl who sings in a choir. For questions 24–30, choose the best answer (A, B or C).

Interviewer: And today in the studio we welcome Gina Genoza, who’s 14 and in grade 8 at High School. She’s going to talk to us about her experience of singing in a choir. Welcome, Gina.

Gina: Hi …

Interviewer: Tell us a bit about the choir you sing in.

Gina: Well, I started off in my school choir. But for the last two years I’ve been singing in a youth choir, which takes young people from schools all over the county and encourages them to perform in front of an audience whenever possible. You have to be really keen, and (24) you have to be at a high standard before you join, so that means you’ve put in a lot of time and effort already and you have to keep right on doing that …

Interviewer: I see. And the choir is important to you?

Gina: Oh yes!

Interviewer: Why is that?

Gina: Well, the choir is a place where no-one judges you. A lot of different people are accepted into the choir, and singing unites a wide range of musical styles into something real special. And if someone messes up, no one worries about it … you just move on … (25) it gives you belief in yourself, makes you willing to try things.



Interviewer: So is one of the reasons you enjoy the choir that you mix with other people?

Gina: Absolutely. Every choir rehearsal is a social event, I expected to make a lot of new friends and I have! Everyone there is a friend now. (26) You also find out how to persuade people to reach agreement by talking things through and asking the right questions … That’s something I didn’t really get before … I do now though … And of course, I’ve met people from different backgrounds too, Hispanic, Chinese …

Interviewer: And how do you feel about the music you sing?

Gina: Well, we do a variety, mostly modern pop songs ’n’ stuff, but also classical. And I think we may try some jazz arrangements soon, although I’m not sure I’ll like those so much. (27) As a choir we always get to select a lot of our own music, though, which I really like. And as our director shows us things we would never have come up with on our own, the range of music we sing is broad …

Interviewer: Is singing a good way for people to express themselves?

Gina: It certainly is. Being in the choir means learning how to express yourself musically of course, and through the songs you get to express emotions. (28) Even people who are normally quite shy and quiet really get into it. And you can pass things onto other people too. You can show them how much joy you feel in the music, or how sad the lyrics of a certain song make you feel. That’s cool.

Interviewer: I know your choir performs a lot for the public. How do you find that?

Gina: Well, the first two or three performances with an audience were a bit scary for me, but I was allowed to stand at the back. And it’s fine now. We’re all there together, our families are usually in the audience and they all really want to see what we can do. They’re normally on our side, rather than being there to criticise. (29) Some people still feel under pressure, but I don’t really. Well, not much anyway!

Interviewer: And finally, the choir has a musical director, John Greenbaum. What does he contribute?

Gina: Oh gosh, well of course he has a fairly nice voice himself, so he can demonstrate what he wants, and as a good conductor, he’s clear. And when we’re performing, if we start to go wrong, he can sort of pull us through with the (30) force of his enthusiasm! That’s vital, his best quality in fact. He’s a very dynamic person. He holds us together …

Interviewer: That’s wonderful. Gina, thanks for talking to us today.

Gina: Thank you.


32

Acknowledgements

PRACTICE TEST KEY AND RECORDING SCRIPT

The authors and publishers acknowledge the following sources of copyright material and are grateful for the permissions granted. While every effort has been made, it has not always been possible to identify the sources of all the material used, or to trace all copyright holders. If any omissions are brought to our notice, we will be happy to include the appropriate acknowledgements on reprinting.

Photos

Key: T=Top; B=Below

p.23T: © Mark Herreid / Shutterstock; p.23B: © Nik Taylor / Alamy; p.24T: © bikeriderlondon / Shutterstock; p.24B: © franckreporter pxcm / Getty.


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