Preliminary for Schools Reading Part 1

Activity – Notes for teachers

Description
Students look at some Part 1 notices and signs and answer gist questions about them. They then discuss
what Part 1 of the test involves. They do a Part 1 task then complete an activity which focuses on synonyms
and different ways of expressing the same information.

Time required: 45 minutes

Materials  Handout divided into Activity 1 and Activity 2
required:
 Sample paper Part 1
Aims:  to introduce Part 1
 to analyse the types of text used and to practice answering some
Part 1 questions.

Procedure
1. Ask students what they know about Part 1, then explain that Part 1 tests candidates’ understanding of
short texts such as authentic notices and signs, packaging information, notes, emails, etc.
2. Hand out Activity 1. Ask students to fill in the table below each message. They can work alone or with
a partner if they prefer.
3. Whole class check (see key)
4. Hand out the sample paper Part 1. Explain that Part 1 is always a multiple-choice task with three
options. Direct students to the instructions and check they understand that they must choose one
option (letter) and write it on the answer sheet.
5. Elicit how to approach Part 1 by asking the following questions:
- Should you read the text or the three options first? (the text)
- After choosing an answer, should you go straight on to the next question? (no, you should look at
the text again and check your answer)
- What should you do with the other two options? (these are the ‘distractors’, i.e. words or phrases
which may look like the correct answer but aren’t. You should check that they are wrong by
looking at the text again carefully.)
6. Ask students to look at the example question on the sample paper and go through the following
procedure with it:
Read the text first and think about its meaning.

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 Read the beginning of the statement and the three options and choose one.
Re-read the text and check your answer, thinking about why it is correct (almost new – bought last
month; in good condition – works perfectly).
To confirm, think about why the other two options are incorrect (B – played once, so it does work; C –
no age given, 2–4 refers to the number of players, not age).
7. Ask students to do questions 1- 5 alone, following the same procedure as above.
8. To help students work out if they have chosen the right answer, hand out Activity 2 and look at the
first exercise. Ask students to match the phrases from the texts (in column A) with the correct answer
choice for each question.
9. Explain or elicit what synonyms and paraphrasing are and tell students that these are used widely in
Preliminary for Schools papers. Ask students to identify examples of these in the paired sentences in
Activity 2.
10. Students check in pairs.
11. Whole class check of the sample paper answers, the use of synonyms and paraphrasing in the
answers and why the other two options are incorrect for each question too (see key).
12. Review the procedure for doing Part 1 by asking students to recap what they do in this section (see
step 6 above). You could put the steps in random order on the board and get students to order them
correctly.

Key to Activity 1
1.
Who is the message from? Stefan
Who is the message for? Peter
Where might you see it? On a mobile phone
What is the situation? Peter is late for their meeting at the cinema and
Stefan wants to check to see if he is still coming
and whether he should wait.

2.
Who is the message from? Natasha’s Mum
Who is the message for? Natasha, her daughter
Where might you see it? In their home, maybe stuck on the door or table
What is the situation? It is about a phone call from Lina, one of Natasha’s
classmates, who wants to borrow her school notes.

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3.
Who is the message from? Monica
Who is the message for? Ann
Where might you see it? On Anna’s book or bag or other personal
possession, or in her locker
What is the situation? Monica wants to know if Anne is going on the
camping trip.

4.
Who is the message from? The organisers of the swimming club
Who is the message for? Anyone in the swimming club or who is interested
in swimming
Where might you see it? On a notice board, maybe at the swimming pool
What is the situation? It is announcing a swimming competition

5.
Who is the message from? Zoe’s Mum
Who is the message for? Zoe, her daughter
Where might you see it? In their home
What is the situation? Zoe’s mum can’t take her to her dance class so
her friend Emily’s mum is taking her instead

Key to the sample task (incorrect answers and explanations in brackets)

1. A (B – although Peter might tell Stefan whether he will be there in time to see the film that is on now
or the next one, they don’t ask him to do this, C – no meeting place is arranged)
2. C (A – Lina doesn’t ask about Natasha’s plans to do her homework, B – she has lost her notes so she
can’t compare them)
3. A (B – there is no request for Anna to book places, C – no date for trip is given, tomorrow is
mentioned as the date when they have to decide by)
4. C (A – the length of the competition is not given, one hour refers to when you should arrive at the
pool, B – the practice session is on Saturday, not before Saturday)
5. A (B – her mum has already asked Emily’s mother, C – Emily’s mother doesn’t have her dance
things, Zoe has them at home and must get them ready before she is picked up)

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Key to Activity 2
A B
Bought last month and works perfectly 0 Is almost new and in good condition
Text if you’re going to be late 1 Let Stefan know if he is delayed
She wants to borrow your history notes 2 Lina hopes she can look at the information
Natasha has for the history homework
I wanted to know if you are going 3 To check if Anna is going on the trip
Arrive one hour before for a practice swim 4 There is an opportunity to swim before the
competition starts
Please be ready for Emily’s mum to collect 5 Get ready for the dance class before
you at 5 Emily’s mother arrives

Suggested follow-up activities

1. For homework, ask students to collect examples of English signs, notices and messages, or
examples in their own language which the teacher translates.
2. Display these in the classroom.
3. From time to time, use these texts plus any you collect as well to make similar part 1 tasks for the
students.

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Preliminary for Schools Reading Part 1
Activity 1

1. Read each of the texts below carefully and fill in the table with the correct information from the text.

Who is the message from? Tom

Who is the message for? Anyone
Where might you see it? In a local newspaper or shop window
What is the situation? Tom wants to sell his computer game

Who is the message from?

Who is the message for?
Where might you see it?
What is the situation?

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Who is the message from?
Who is the message for?
Where might you see it?
What is the situation?

Who is the message from?

Who is the message for?
Where might you see it?
What is the situation?

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Who is the message from?
Who is the message for?
Where might you see it?
What is the situation?

Who is the message from?

Who is the message for?
Where might you see it?
What is the situation?

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Activity 2

1. Match the sentences taken from the texts (in column A) to one of the answer choices for each question.
Write the answer choice in column B. Look at the example that has been done for you first.
A B
Bought last month and works perfectly 0: is almost new and in good condition (A)
Text if you’re going to be late 1:
She wants to borrow your history notes 2:
I wanted to know if you are going 3:
Arrive one hour before for a practice swim 4:
Please be ready for Emily’s mum to collect 5:
you at 5

2. For each pair of sentences in the table above, underline the paraphrasing or synonyms (words which
mean the same thing) that you can find in both sentences, e.g. in good condition and works perfectly.

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Sample paper Part 1

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use provided no charge is made. For further information see our Terms and Conditions.
© UCLES 2008. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom
use provided no charge is made. For further information see our Terms and Conditions.