Pathways Listening, Speaking, and Critical Thinking, 2e Level 4: Unit Test

Name: ________________________ Class: ___________________ Date: __________

UNIT 4: GOING GLOBAL

VOCABULARY: Lesson A
Read the text. Notice the bold words. Then choose the correct answer for each bold word.

MEMO

From: Janet Duvall

To: Mike Bradley, Devon Innis, Cathy Freeman
Re: Staff shortage

As you know, we have a serious staff shortage right now. If we cannot increase the size of our labor force
soon, our ability to serve our customers with competence and care will inevitably be affected.
I think there are two key reasons for this situation. First, we are unable to retain existing employees; and
second, we are not attracting new workers. Fortunately, I believe there is a simple solution. In our sector of the
industry, offering workers a high salary is widespread. However, we have not increased the base salary we offer
new employees for the last six years.
I would like to set up a meeting with you to discuss whether we can raise our starting salary, and, if so, by
how much. Please let me know if Thursday at 10 o’clock is convenient for you.

1. The word labor is closest in meaning to ____.

a. information or data
b. knowledge or skills
c. money or credit
d. work or workers

2. The word competence is closest in meaning to ____.

a. freedom and passion
b. power and energy
c. skill and ability
d. time and opportunity

3. The word inevitably is closest in meaning to ____.

a. certain to happen
b. difficult to say
c. necessary to have
d. unlikely to leave

4. The word retain is closest in meaning to ____.

a. agree
b. keep
c. start
d. work

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Pathways Listening, Speaking, and Critical Thinking, 2e Level 4: Unit Test

Name: ________________________

5. The word sector is closest in meaning to ____.

a. a person or group
b. a place or time
c. an area or part
d. an idea or plan

6. The word widespread is closest in meaning to ____.

a. average
b. common
c. well-known
d. likable

VOCABULARY: Lesson B
Choose the best word from the box to complete each conversation. Two of the words will not be used.

anticipate application collaborate emerging

enrich implication portable prominent

7. A: Did the programmer ________________ with anyone to make that game?

B: No, apparently she did all of the work herself: the coding, the graphics, and the music.
A: That’s pretty impressive!

8. A: Which of the ________________ markets do you think has the most potential for growth?
B: Well, although we only began selling in Kenya, a very new market, last year, sales are strong already.
A: So you think Kenya has the most growth potential? Great.

9. A: You’re working too hard. When do you ________________ going on a relaxing vacation?
B: Well, we’ll finish work on the McCluskey project next month, so perhaps sometime in early November.

10. A: Why did your company spend so much money improving its website?
B: We wanted to ________________ the online experience of our customers.
A: Do the customers feel the experience is better?
B: Yes. Surveys show that customers have had a very positive reaction to the changes.

11. A: What’s so funny?

B: Look at this picture of a ________________ phone from the 1980s. It’s huge!
A: Wow. I can’t believe people carried those around with them.

12. A: Why are you so upset about what Victor said in the meeting today? The plan didn’t sound bad to me.
B: On the surface it sounded OK, but for me, the ________________ is that if the plan is successful, some of us
are going to lose our jobs.
A: I hadn’t thought about it like that . . . but yeah, you may be right.

© 2018 National Geographic Learning, a Cengage Learning Company 2

Pathways Listening, Speaking, and Critical Thinking, 2e Level 4: Unit Test

Name: ________________________

LISTENING FOR MAIN IDEAS

Listen to the lecture and take notes on a piece of paper. Then choose the correct answer.
(U4 Track 1)

13. How does the professor begin the lecture?

a. By checking whether students have done the reading he assigned
b. By comparing a popular activity with one that fewer people enjoy
c. By finding out what proportion of students are interested in a topic
d. By reviewing the information that he covered in a previous lecture

14. What is the lecture mainly about?

a. How small companies can become global enterprises
b. The history of one company in a particular industry
c. Why the video games industry makes so much money
d. The competitive nature of the video games industry

LISTENING FOR DETAILS

Listen to part of the lecture. Read the statements. Choose True or False. (U4 Track 2)

15. For the first 75 years it was in business, Nintendo only sold playing cards.
a. True
b. False

16. Nintendo got into the hotel business after it started selling video games.
a. True
b. False

17. An engineer was able to help Nintendo develop some very popular products.
a. True
b. False

18. The video game industry experienced a crash in 1993.

a. True
b. False

19. Nintendo’s profits came from selling both hardware and software.
a. True
b. False

LISTENING SKILL: Listening for Advantages

Listen to the short talks. Then choose two correct answers.

20. What advantages of her sister’s visit does the speaker mention? (U4 Track 3)
a. Her sister can help her care for a baby.
b. Her sister can help her move abroad.
c. Her sister can help her prepare the house.
d. Her sister can help her get to the hospital.

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Pathways Listening, Speaking, and Critical Thinking, 2e Level 4: Unit Test

Name: ________________________

21. What advantages of the game does the speaker mention? (U4 Track 4)
a. The game looks and sounds amazing.
b. The game will be available in a few days.
c. As many as four people can play the game.
d. Many people are talking about the game.

22. What advantages of social media does the speaker mention? (U4 Track 5)
a. People can feel much better about things.
b. People can share details about their lives.
c. People can stay in contact with friends.
d. People enjoy doing something important.

PRONUNCIATION: Saying Parentheticals

Listen to the sentences. Choose the phrase in each sentence that is said as a parenthetical. You will hear
each sentence twice.

23. Which phrase is said as a parenthetical? (U4 Track 6)

a. the problem
b. as I see it
c. you and he
d. want different things

24. Which phrase is said as a parenthetical? (U4 Track 7)

a. next month
b. my younger sister
c. who lives abroad
d. coming to visit

25. Which phrase is said as a parenthetical? (U4 Track 8)

a. this video game
b. some people say
c. the best one
d. released this year

26. Which phrase is said as a parenthetical? (U4 Track 9)

a. social media is something
b. a lot of people
c. use every day
d. though not always happily

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Pathways Listening, Speaking, and Critical Thinking, 2e Level 4: Unit Test

Name: ________________________

GRAMMAR FOR SPEAKING: Gerund Phrases

Write the words in parentheses in the correct order to complete each sentence with a gerund phrase. Write
only the words in parentheses as shown in this example.

Example: Studies show that working too many hours (hours / many / too / working) can be bad for your health.

27. __________________________________ (games / playing / video / violent) has been linked to a number of
negative consequences.

28. Some people who enjoy __________________________________ (classical / listening / music / to) also play a
musical instrument.

29. Usually, my boss is easy to talk to, but __________________________________ (a / asking / for / her) raise was
very hard!

30. The teacher said that __________________________________ (every / night / studying) is important for my
child’s future success.

31. Something has come up and we’re going to have to postpone __________________________________ (abroad /
our / taking / trip).

SPEAKING SKILL: Defining Terms

Write the best phrase from the box to complete these excerpts from lectures. One of the phrases will not be
used.

defined as I mean the term this means

32. A: Today, I’m going to be discussing wearable devices. These can be ________________ examples of
technology that a person can wear and track information about his or her habits, activities, and health.

33. A: How many of you have heard of the Maker Movement? Well, ________________ refers to a social movement
in which people do things like making their own tools and equipment, or designing, building, and programming
their own computers.

34. A: Today, I want to focus on some of the potential downsides of using social media. By social media,
________________ smartphone and browser apps and platforms that people use, by and large, to connect with or
stay in touch with others.

© 2018 National Geographic Learning, a Cengage Learning Company 5

Pathways Listening, Speaking, and Critical Thinking, 2e Level 4: Unit Test

Name: ________________________

SPEAKING TASK
Read the question. Spend 15 seconds thinking about how to respond. Then speak for up to 45 seconds.

35. Some people think social media apps and sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, are useful tools that
improve people’s lives. Other people think that such apps and sites cause people to waste their time and feel
unhappy. What is your opinion of social media apps and sites? Support your answer with reasons, details, and
examples.

© 2018 National Geographic Learning, a Cengage Learning Company 6

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UNIT 4: GOING GLOBAL

Answer Section

1. ANS: D PTS: 2 REF: Lesson A TOP: Vocabulary

MSC: TOEFL | AWL
2. ANS: C PTS: 2 REF: Lesson A TOP: Vocabulary
MSC: TOEFL
3. ANS: A PTS: 2 REF: Lesson A TOP: Vocabulary
MSC: TOEFL | AWL
4. ANS: B PTS: 2 REF: Lesson A TOP: Vocabulary
MSC: TOEFL | AWL
5. ANS: C PTS: 2 REF: Lesson A TOP: Vocabulary
MSC: TOEFL | AWL
6. ANS: B PTS: 2 REF: Lesson A TOP: Vocabulary
MSC: TOEFL | AWL
7. ANS: collaborate

PTS: 2 REF: Lesson B TOP: Vocabulary

8. ANS: emerging

PTS: 2 REF: Lesson B TOP: Vocabulary MSC: AWL

9. ANS: anticipate

PTS: 2 REF: Lesson B TOP: Vocabulary MSC: AWL

10. ANS: enrich

PTS: 2 REF: Lesson B TOP: Vocabulary

11. ANS: portable

PTS: 2 REF: Lesson B TOP: Vocabulary

12. ANS: implication

PTS: 2 REF: Lesson B TOP: Vocabulary MSC: AWL

13. ANS: C PTS: 3 REF: Lesson A | Lesson B
TOP: Listening for Main Ideas MSC: TOEFL
14. ANS: B PTS: 3 REF: Lesson A | Lesson B
TOP: Listening for Main Ideas MSC: TOEFL
15. ANS: T PTS: 3 REF: Lesson A | Lesson B
TOP: Listening for Details
16. ANS: F PTS: 3 REF: Lesson A | Lesson B
TOP: Listening for Details
17. ANS: T PTS: 3 REF: Lesson A | Lesson B
TOP: Listening for Details
18. ANS: F PTS: 3 REF: Lesson A | Lesson B
TOP: Listening for Details
19. ANS: T PTS: 3 REF: Lesson A | Lesson B
TOP: Listening for Details

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20. ANS: A, C PTS: 3 REF: Lesson A TOP: Listening Skill

21. ANS: A, C PTS: 3 REF: Lesson A TOP: Listening Skill
22. ANS: B, C PTS: 3 REF: Lesson A TOP: Listening Skill
23. ANS: B PTS: 3 REF: Lesson B TOP: Pronunciation
24. ANS: C PTS: 3 REF: Lesson B TOP: Pronunciation
25. ANS: B PTS: 3 REF: Lesson B TOP: Pronunciation
26. ANS: D PTS: 3 REF: Lesson B TOP: Pronunciation
27. ANS:
playing violent video games
Playing violent video games

PTS: 3 REF: Lesson A TOP: Grammar

28. ANS: listening to classical music

PTS: 3 REF: Lesson A TOP: Grammar

29. ANS: asking her for a

PTS: 3 REF: Lesson A TOP: Grammar

30. ANS: studying every night

PTS: 3 REF: Lesson A TOP: Grammar

31. ANS: taking our trip abroad

PTS: 3 REF: Lesson A TOP: Grammar

32. ANS: defined as

PTS: 3 REF: Lesson A TOP: Speaking Skill

33. ANS: the term

PTS: 3 REF: Lesson A TOP: Speaking Skill

34. ANS: I mean

PTS: 3 REF: Lesson A TOP: Speaking Skill

35. ANS:
Answers will vary.

PTS: 10 REF: Lesson A | Lesson B TOP: Speaking Task: Free Speaking

MSC: TOEFL

© 2018 National Geographic Learning, a Cengage Learning Company 2