English Certificate Preparation

Part 1 · Multiple-choice cloze

For questions 1–8, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.

COOKING FOR YOURSELF For many young people, learning to cook is no longer ¹ as an essential skill. Yet being able to prepare a simple meal can have a huge ² on both your health and your wallet. Ready-made meals may seem convenient, but they often ³ large amounts of salt and sugar. By contrast, cooking ⁴ scratch gives you full control over what you eat. It also allows you to ⁵ money that would otherwise be spent in restaurants. Some people ⁶ an excuse, saying that they do not have time to cook. However, many tasty dishes can be prepared in a ⁷ of minutes. Once you get into the ⁸ of making your own food, you may find it hard to imagine living any other way.

Part 2 · Open cloze

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.

SEA GLASS Last summer, while walking along a beach in Cornwall, my brother and I came ⁹ something very unusual. At first, we had no idea ¹⁰ it was. It looked ¹¹ a large, smooth stone, but it was far too light. ¹² we picked it up, we realised that it was actually a piece of very old glass, worn ¹³ by the sea over many years. We later found ¹⁴ that objects like this are known as 'sea glass'. ¹⁵ to our surprise, some collectors are willing to pay a lot of money ¹⁶ rare colours such as red or orange.

Part 3 · Word formation

For questions 17–24, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals to form a word that fits in the same gap.

THE STORY OF CHOCOLATE Chocolate is one of the most popular treats in the world, but its ¹⁷POPULAR is nothing new. The ancient Maya valued cocoa beans so highly that they used them as money. For them, chocolate was a ¹⁸LUXURY drink, usually bitter and spicy rather than sweet. Its ¹⁹ARRIVE in Europe in the sixteenth century changed everything. Sugar was added, and it quickly became ²⁰FASHION among the wealthy. Today, the ²¹PRODUCE of chocolate is a huge global industry. ²²FORTUNATE, not everyone who grows cocoa is paid fairly. Many ²³CONSUME now look for products that are labelled as ethical. In this way, a simple ²⁴CHOOSE in the supermarket can make a real difference.

Part 4 · Key word transformations

For questions 25–30, complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first, using the word given. Do not change the word given. Use between two and five words, including the word given.

25

We arrived too late to see the beginning of the film.

TIME

We did not arrive ____ the beginning of the film.

26

If you don't hurry, you will miss the train.

UNLESS

You will miss the train ____ .

27

I couldn't finish the exam because I ran out of time.

ABLE

I ____ finish the exam because I ran out of time.

28

'Why don't we go to the cinema?' said Tom.

SUGGESTED

Tom ____ to the cinema.

29

Although it was raining, we enjoyed the trip.

SPITE

We enjoyed the trip ____ the rain.

30

The coffee was so hot that I couldn't drink it.

TOO

The coffee was ____ to drink.

Part 5 · Multiple choice

You are going to read an article in which a writer describes running her first marathon. For questions 31–36, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits best according to the text.

MY FIRST MARATHON When I told my friends I was going to run a marathon, most of them laughed. I had never been sporty at school, and the furthest I had ever run was for a bus. But after my thirtieth birthday, I decided I needed a challenge that frightened me a little. I bought a training plan online and, for the first few weeks, I followed it exactly. Every run felt like a battle. My legs ached, and twice I came close to giving up. What kept me going was not the dream of crossing the finish line, but something smaller: the satisfaction of ticking off each day's run in my notebook. Slowly, distances that had once seemed impossible became ordinary. The biggest surprise was how the training changed the rest of my life. I started sleeping better and eating more carefully, not because a book told me to, but because my body now demanded it. Friends who had laughed began asking for advice, and a few even joined me on weekend runs. On the morning of the race, I was terrified. The crowd was enormous, and everyone around me looked faster and fitter. For the first ten kilometres, I made myself slow down, repeating the advice my coach had given me: 'Start too fast and the race will punish you later.' It was hard to hold back while others raced ahead, but by the thirtieth kilometre, I began to overtake the very runners who had passed me at the start. I will not pretend the final few kilometres were enjoyable. My legs screamed, and a small, sensible voice in my head kept suggesting that walking would be perfectly acceptable. I crossed the line in four hours and twenty minutes — far from a record, but a time I am still proud of. People often ask whether I felt joy at the finish. Honestly, what I felt first was relief. The joy came later, and it has never quite gone away.

Part 6 · Gapped text

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

BEES IN THE CITY Twenty years ago, the idea of keeping bees in the middle of a city would have struck most people as strange. Today, however, hives can be found on the rooftops of offices, schools and even famous hotels. ³⁷ The reasons behind this change are not hard to find. Across the countryside, the number of wild bees has fallen sharply, partly because of modern farming methods. ³⁸ As a result, cities have unexpectedly become safer homes for bees than the fields outside. Of course, urban beekeeping is not without its challenges. New beekeepers often imagine that the insects will simply look after themselves. ³⁹ In reality, a hive needs regular attention if the colony is to stay healthy. There are also the neighbours to consider. Many people are nervous about living close to thousands of bees. ⁴⁰ Experienced keepers say that such fears are usually exaggerated, since bees that have plenty of food rarely sting. Despite these difficulties, the benefits are considerable. Bees play a vital role in pollinating the flowers and trees that make cities pleasant places to live. ⁴¹ Without them, many of these plants would slowly disappear. Perhaps the greatest reward, though, is a personal one. ⁴² For them, a few hours spent among the hives are the perfect escape from the pressures of modern life.

Removed sentences

A They assume that, once a hive has been set up, very little else needs to be done.
B In the city, by contrast, parks and gardens offer a wide variety of flowers throughout the year.
C Many keepers describe the deep sense of calm they feel while watching their bees at work.
D They worry in particular about being stung while relaxing in their own gardens.
E They also help to produce the fruit and vegetables grown in allotments and back gardens.
F This sudden popularity has surprised even the experts.
G Honey produced in the countryside is generally thought to taste better.

Part 7 · Multiple matching

You are going to read an article in which four people talk about taking up a musical instrument as an adult. For questions 43–52, choose from the people (A–D). The people may be chosen more than once.

TAKING UP MUSIC AS AN ADULT A — Daniel I'd wanted to play the guitar since I was a teenager, but I always told myself I was too old to start. When I finally bought one at forty, I was amazed by how quickly I improved in the first month. After that, though, progress slowed right down and I nearly quit. What saved me was joining an online group where people post videos of themselves playing. Knowing that strangers would watch made me practise far more carefully than I ever would have alone. B — Priya For me, the hardest part was finding the time. With two young children, the only free moment I had was late at night, so that is when I practised — quietly, with headphones, on an electric piano. I never took formal lessons because they were simply too expensive, and I taught myself entirely from free videos. My children now want to learn too, which I hadn't expected, and we often play simple duets together at the weekend. C — Marcus I took up the violin mainly because my doctor suggested I needed a hobby to help me relax after work. I'll be honest: in the beginning the noise I produced was painful to listen to, and my neighbours probably suffered more than I did. I almost gave up several times. What kept me going was a teacher who never once made me feel stupid, however many mistakes I made. I'd say finding the right teacher matters far more than any natural talent. D — Elena Everyone warned me that adults can't learn an instrument as easily as children, but I've found the opposite. As an adult, I understand exactly why I am practising a particular thing, which children rarely do. The downside is that I expect too much of myself and get frustrated quickly. I started playing the cello two years ago, and although I'll never perform in public, the sense of achievement I get from mastering a difficult piece is worth every hard hour.

Which person …

43

made better progress than they had been warned they would?

44

was advised to take up music for health reasons?

45

says being watched by others made them practise more carefully?

46

learned to play without paying for lessons?

47

believes that being an adult brings a clear advantage?

48

says their early efforts disturbed people living nearby?

49

was surprised by how fast they improved at first?

50

admits to being too demanding of themselves?

51

now shares the hobby with members of their family?

52

thinks a good teacher matters more than talent?

Reading & Use of English — Test 1

Part 1 · Multiple-choice cloze

Part 2 · Open cloze

Part 3 · Word formation

Part 4 · Key word transformations

Part 5 · Multiple choice

Part 6 · Gapped text

Part 7 · Multiple matching

Reading & Use of English — Test 1

Part 1 · Multiple-choice cloze

Part 2 · Open cloze

Part 3 · Word formation

Part 4 · Key word transformations

Part 5 · Multiple choice

Part 6 · Gapped text

Part 7 · Multiple matching