Exam Practice

Answers:
Unit 4
The Distance Delta

Paper 1 Tasks 3 and Paper 2 Task 3

©️ International House London and The British Council 2021 Version

Paper 1 Tasks 3 and Paper 2 Task 3
Adapted from Cambridge English Examination Report June 2011 (updated to current specifications)

Paper 1 Task 3
1. Discourse structure (discussing alternatives and making a joint decision)
Example initiate – negotiate – check general consensus – come to an agreement – check
decision (3 needed for example to be credited)

2. Turn-taking /inviting people to speak / Interrupting politely / asking if someone has

something more to say; Organising the discussion - formulaic phrases for opening and
closing / moving the discussion along / summarising
Example Who’d like to start? Can I just say something? Does anyone else have anything to
say? OK, let’s move on. So I think we all agree that that’s a bad idea. So it looks as if we all
think that the restaurant will work. Let’s write a list.

3. Making suggestions / responding to suggestions / adjacency pairs (suggestion + response)

Example Let’s/We could set up a takeaway. Why don’t we set up a fast food restaurant?
How/what about starting a coffee shop?
That’s a great idea. I’m not sure about that. Well, I suppose we could.

4. Asking for / Giving / Justifying opinions / Agreeing / Disagreeing / Negotiating / Hedging

Example What do you think? That would be better, wouldn’t it? I think/I’ve got no doubt
that this would be the best location. You could be right. The reason why I think that’s better is
that it’s near the pub. That’s a fair point, but it could be too noisy. I see what you mean but
there’s too much competition from other food shops.

5. Using conditionals / modals / cause and effect language

Example Second conditional If we rented this shop, we could / would make more money;
First conditional If we rent this shop, we can make more money; modals We might / could /
may get more customers in that location.

6. Describing location / Prepositions of place

Example The one on the corner just opposite the restaurant.

7. Lexis related to businesses / shops

Example late-night opening, refurbish / re-decorate the facilities, office space

©️ International House London and The British Council The Distance Delta - Unit 4
Paper 2
Task 3

a: Beliefs about second language learning underlying text reconstruction

1. Exposure to language above the learners’ level Learners should be exposed to language just
above their level (Krashen i + 1) as this will encourage them to learn new language
2. Interactive processing It is important to encourage top down and bottom up processing of
text / learners should be shown that they can understand a text without understanding every
word before they focus on it in more detail
3. Language in context Learners should be exposed to whole pieces of language / whole texts
rather than isolated words /it’s beneficial to take a holistic approach
4. Importance of meaning Producing language that conveys the same meaning as the original
text is more important than accurately reproducing the original text / It is important to focus
on meaning first before focus on form
5. Focus on form / accuracy A (conscious) focus on form / accuracy is important for language
learning/prevents fossilisation / learners need to focus on accuracy in order to improve their
output
6. Language production Learning occurs when students produce language / it is important for
learners to have the opportunity to produce language
7. Receptive before productive Listening / Receptive recognition should precede production of
language
8. Memory Importance of memory in language learning / learners remember better if they
hear language
9. Natural speed Learners need to hear speech at natural / normal speed in order to be better
able to deal with real language use
10. Integrating skills and language Importance of integrating different skills / integrating skills
and language work, which mirrors outside world
11. Cognitive challenge / Engagement Struggling with language / negotiating the text helps
learners process the language at a deeper cognitive level and so promotes learning
12. Listening There is value in listening to a text for detailed understanding / for key words
13. Noticing language Reconstructing the text encourages learners to notice language, which is
a precondition for learning / input to become intake (Cognitive learning theory)
14. Noticing the gap Noticing the gap between their output and the original text helps trigger
restructuring of learners’ interlanguage / learners need to be aware of gaps in their own
knowledge if their language is to develop
15. Development of lexical to grammatical mode Mirrors the way learners’ mental grammar
develops over time from a mainly lexical mode to a more fully grammaticised one
16. Deep end approach / Learner linguistic resources Learners initially use the linguistic
resources they have available and are presented with language data later
17. Differentiation It is important to allow for differences in learners / differentiation/ allows for
learners at different stages of development in their interlanguage to notice different
language features
18. Talking about language This is a valuable part of the learning process (declarative vs.
procedural knowledge)

©️ International House London and The British Council The Distance Delta - Unit 4
 19. Teacher control over language input The teacher should retain some control over language
input, i.e. she / he chooses the text and can deliberately target structures learners don’t
know
20. Teacher as facilitator / Learner autonomy At times the teacher should take a back seat / act
as facilitator / encourage learners to be independent
21. Collaboration Learners learn from each other / importance of collaborative learning

b: Purposes for a more traditional dictation technique

1. Spelling To test spelling / to develop learners’ awareness of sound / spelling relationship in

English
2. Connected speech To raise learners’ awareness of features of connected speech (weak
forms, contractions, elision, linking etc)
3. Phonological chunking To raise learners’ awareness of phonological chunking / sense groups
4. Mechanics of writing To raise awareness of punctuation and its relation to spoken language
/ to practise writing
5. As an integrative test Dictation tests a range of skills, e.g. recognition of individual sounds
and words, grouping them into grammatically correct sentences
6. Diagnostic tool As an intensive listening text, it gives the teacher evidence of each learner’s
success and difficulties
7. Calming activity / Discipline To calm learners and help maintain discipline i.e. teacher
control of topic, activity and pace
8. Confidence Gives learners confidence i.e. they can get a lot right
9. Listening The learners decode the input through attention to content words and activated
background knowledge / to give listening practice
10. Task familiarity Students in many cultures are accustomed to traditional dictation /
acknowledging learner expectations can motivate them
11. Models of (target) language Dictation is useful to provide models of target language
12. Learner engagement / Style To engage learners cognitively / some learners respond well to
the puzzle-like quality of traditional dictation
13. Prediction To encourage learners to predict text that follows an utterance / to develop
lexical priming
14. Review / Test Dictation is useful to revise language previously taught
15. Accuracy It helps to focus students’ attention on accuracy

©️ International House London and The British Council The Distance Delta - Unit 4