Exam practice 6 (B2)

Reading
Read the text and decide which sentence A–G best fits the gaps 1–6. There is one sentence which you do
not need.

The changing face of libraries

A public library recently opened in San Antonio, Texas in the USA. It is stocked with 10,000 e-books, 500 e-
readers, 48 computers, and 20 iPads and laptops. (1) However, it does not contain any printed material at all.

The San Antonio library is not the first library to try doing this. In 2002, the Tucson-Pima Public Library system in
Arizona also opened a library with no books, but came up against opposition. (2) However, a lot has changed in
publishing since the start of the millennium. A recent study showed that the number of people reading e-books is
growing (23% of Americans in 2012, up from 16% in 2011), while the number of people who read traditional
books is falling (from 72% in 2011 to 67% in 2012).

So, how does an ‘e-library’ work? (3) This means an end to overdue books and fines. In fact, you don’t even have
to go to the library – you can simply borrow and return the e-book from your computer or smartphone. If you
forget to return the e-book, it will be deactivated remotely by the library.
However, buying e-books is not a simple process for libraries. The American Library Association is currently in
dispute with some of the major US publishers over the borrowing of e-books. (4) The publishers argue that, if it’s
too easy to borrow an e-book for free, people may not bother to buy them. As such, some publishers refuse to sell
any books to libraries. (5) This is something that libraries are protesting about because they claim they can’t
afford to pay such high prices. As a result, some libraries are bypassing the big publishers and are stocking
independent and self-published books instead, which they can buy at a much cheaper price.

Libraries are no longer simply places where people go to find a book they want to read. (6) As such, they still
have a very important role to play in the community. Many libraries around the USA are now creating digital
areas, which are designed to be used by Americans who don’t have access to a computer at home. It is one of
the ways that they can help unemployed people to get back to work, because so much job searching these days
relies on having access to a computer. Libraries can help in other ways too, such as running language classes
and providing advice about writing a CV. Libraries might not look the same or provide exactly the same services
as they used to, but they are still extremely valuable to local communities.

A Other publishers charge up to three times more for e-books than printed books.
B Similar to traditional libraries, you use your card to borrow one of the e-books, then you have two or three weeks
to read it before it disappears from your e-reader.
C Instead, they have become collaborative, digital spaces, which are adapting to the new technologies of the
twenty-first century.
D As fewer and fewer people visit libraries, they are at risk of being closed down due to budget cuts.
E It also has a children’s section, study rooms and a coffee shop.
F Publishers are afraid that e-reader technology could cause books to lose their value.
G Library members complained, and printed materials started to be introduced after just a few years.

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Exam practice 6 (B2)
Use of English
For questions 1–8, read the text below. Use the word given at the end of a line to form a word that fits in the
gap in the same line. There is an example at the beginning (0).

Example
0 recently

Crowdfunding is a phenomenon that has really taken off (0). But what is it recent
exactly? Crowdfunding is a way of (1) money for a project by asking a raise
large number of people to give small (2) of money to reach a final target. donate
It uses the internet to reach thousands or even millions of potential (3). It invest
began back in 1997, when American fans of a band called Marillion used
the internet to raise $60,000 so the band could afford to go on tour. The
band didn’t have any direct (4) in this crowdfunding effort, but they did involve
use similar methods to pay for the (5) of their next three albums. Since produce
then, crowdfunding has become (6) popular. Some people think that this increase
is because, in the current (7) climate, banks are reluctant to lend money economy
to small businesses, so they have to look elsewhere to raise funds.
Luckily, donors with a personal (8) will always want to help. motivate

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Exam practice 6 (B2)
Listening
1  5.04 Listen to the recording and choose the correct answer (A, B or C).
1 A man asks for directions to the nearest taxi rank. What is the taxi rank in front of?

A B C
2 There’s an announcement at the train station. What time is the next direct train to London Waterloo?

A B C
3 A waiter is talking to a customer in a restaurant. What does the customer decide to order?

A B C
4 A weather forecaster is talking about the weather for the next few days. What will the weather be like tomorrow?

A B C
5 A boy and girl are discussing what to buy their mother for her birthday. What do they decide to get?

A B C

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Exam practice 6 (B2)
Speaking
1 You have one minute to give a talk. First read the task, and decide what you want to say.
You are going to give a talk to your English class about communication.
Choose two photographs. Tell your class about the advantages and disadvantages of each method of
communication.

Face to face On the phone

On a computer By post

2  5.05 You will hear six questions. Listen to each question and then give your answer.

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Exam practice 6 (B2)
Writing
Choose one question, A or B.

A You have 25 minutes to write an essay. Write 100–160 words.

You have been discussing the topic of transport in your English class. Your teacher has asked you to write an
essay. The title of the essay is:
‘Should cars be banned from all city centres?’
Write your essay.

B You have 25 minutes to write a magazine article. Write 100–160 words.

Write for us!

In our next issue, we will be featuring an article about films

that mean a lot to our readers. What film have you seen that
was important to you? Why was it so important? Was it the
plot, the acting, the setting, or was there another reason?
The best article will be published in next month’s magazine.

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