Name Class

Expert PTEA Testmaster B1

Quick placement test
1 Read the sentences below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
1 I ____ in a hall of residence at the moment, but I would prefer to share a flat with some other students.

A live B ’m living C lived D was living

2 She ____ English quite well, but her listening and speaking skills aren’t very good.

A write B is writing C wrote D writes

3 Some university ____ are finding that a Bachelor’s degree is no longer enough to get the kind of job
that they want, and they need to do a Master’s.

A people B graduates C learners D bachelors

4 My friend is studying in the USA at the moment. She says the course and the people are great, but she
____ the weather or the food.

A not like B isn’t liking C doesn’t like D don’t like

5 The university ____ a variety of online study courses at the moment and hopes to launch them next
year.

A is developing B develops C develop D developed

6 That’s the student ____ sister I share a house with.

A who’s B which C whose D who

7 We invited eleven other students, but we don’t know ____ coming yet.

A who B whose C which D who’s

8 In a study of the ____ of rats under stress, 80 percent responded positively to being played classical
music.

A behaving B behaviour C behave D behaves

9 It can be particularly difficult to get your first job since employers are often looking for people with at
least some ____ .

A qualifications B skills C experience D expectation

10 Children need a secure home ____ in order to develop their potential.

A living B surrounding C environment D inside

11 This afternoon, I ____ an appointment with my tutor to talk about my exam results.

A ’m making B make C made D ’m going to make

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12 Economists predict that the current crisis ____ to lift in the second half of next year.

A will start B is starting C starts D started

13 Some engineers ____ to update the system at three thirty this afternoon.

A will come B are coming C come D came

14 The city has suffered a number of natural ____ in recent years, including tsunamis and a hurricane,
which destroyed many of the historic buildings in the old town.

A disasters B problems C events D happenings

15 An increase in carbon emissions, particularly from cars and aircraft, is one of the causes of
global ____ .

A heat B warmth C warming D warm

16 Three years ago, scientists ____ a new form of the virus which was resistant to antibiotics.

A discovered B discover C were discovering D have discovered

17 He ____ the effects of the drug on the function of the liver when he noticed that it also appeared to
improve memory.

A researched B has researched C is researching D was researching

18 When I was a student, I ____ to stay up all night studying, but I can’t do that now.

A can B used to be able C could D able

19 We would be much healthier if we ____ more exercise.

A take B takes C took D were taking

20 The ____ on foot across the Himalayas from Tibet into India was long and exhausting.

A travel B voyage C walking D journey

21 We don’t have ____ information about this ancient civilisation.

A a lot B many C much D some

22 So far, there is very ____ evidence to support this theory.

A few B small C a bit D little

23 The terrible storm which hit the country last night was the ____ since records began.

A bad B worst C worse D baddest

24 The ____ showed their appreciation of the performance by clapping and cheering.

A people B watchers C audience D lookers

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25 Television is still the most popular form of ____ in most countries in the world, but the popularity of
social media sites is rising.

A fun B activity C hobby D entertainment

26 Arctic researchers sometimes go for months without speaking to another human being: it ____ be a
lonely life.
A can B should C must D might
27 It’s a real possibility that if the population of the world continues to grow at the rate it is doing now,
we ____ be obliged to change to a vegetarian diet.

A might B can C can’t D should

28 It’s very difficult to find inexpensive student ____ in the city: student halls of residence are the best
solution for most people.

A place B living C accommodation D roof

29 As oil and gas supplies start to run out, the government’s biggest challenge is to find new sources of
____ .

A petrol B coal C heating D energy

30 There are lots of exciting ____ for computer programmers in educational technology start-ups.

A chances B opportunities C occasions D times

31 The vegetables ____ with low doses of radiation to kill bacteria.

A treat B treated C treat D are treated

32 A few years ago, margarine ____ to be a low-fat and healthy alternative to butter.

A considered B was considered C were considered D have considered

33 The three most commonly grown food ____ in the world are rice, maize and wheat.

A vegetables B production C crops D diet

34 The ____ of meat and meat products is rising in developing countries with a strong economy.

A consumption B consumed C consuming D consume

35 As the population grows older, more and more people will be obliged to work beyond ____ age.

A retiring B retired C retire D retirement

36 He lives a long way from the university and ____ get up at 6.00 every morning to arrive at lectures on
time.

A have to B can C has to D must to

37 You ____ decide now if you want to come on the trip, you can tell me tomorrow.

A mustn’t B can’t C couldn’t D don’t have to

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38 If you want to lose weight, you ____ snack between meals.

A couldn’t B don’t have to C mustn’t D must

39 As yet there is no ____ for cancer, but there are treatments available that can be effective.

A pills B cure C drugs D medicines

40 Anorexia is a form of mental ____ which is most common in adolescent females.

A sick B unwell C illness D ill

41 Fair trade projects can help ____ farmers in poor countries to get a better price for their produce.

A some B– C the D any

42 One of ____ benefits of regular exercise is that it helps improve your circulation.

A the Ba C those D–
43 Businesses can only remain ____ if they stay in touch with their customers’ needs.

A competition B competing C compete D competitive

44 We don’t yet have the technology to travel at the ____ of light.

A fast B quick C speed D quickness

45 Despite working 10 or 12 hours a day, he finds it difficult to ____ enough money to support his
family.

A earn B produce C spend D save

46 I ____ to America, but I hope to go there one day.

A never went B never go C have never been D am never going

47 He ____ for the company ever since he graduated.

A has worked B worked C is working D works

48 The company said they ____ that the products were tested on animals.

A doesn’t know B isn’t knowing C haven’t know D hadn’t known

49 We are going to need to spend a lot on ____ next year because we’re putting a lot of new products on
the market.

A selling B showing C advertising D informing

50 McDonald’s is probably one of the best-known restaurant ____ in the world.

A makes B lines C labels D brands

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TOTAL/50

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