Content of this booklet

Overview of • General descriptions

CEFR • Communication skills defined for each level

• Language requirements
Pre-A1
• Sample questions

• Language requirements
A1
• Sample questions

• Language requirements
A2
• Sample questions

• Language requirements
B1
• Sample questions

• Language requirements
B2
• Sample questions

• Language requirements
C1
• Sample questions

• Language requirements
C2
• Sample questions
 Overview of Common European Framework of References

CEFR Communication skills Stage General description

• understands
• exchanges greetings • simple everyday
Pre- • shows understanding of simple instructions conversations with
A1 • gives very short answers to simple questions
support what is said
and requests
clearly, slowly and
directly
• understands short, simple questions, • communicates in
requests and statements • basic tasks
• responds with positive & negative short • simple & direct
answers exchange of information
A1 • uses memorised phrases and short
• familiar matters
statements
• uses
• uses a basic range of words and simple
• basic sentence patterns
Initial
phrases
• asks for very basic personal information • simple phrases
• groups of a few words &
formulae
• talks about
• themselves & other
• shows understanding of simple people
questions & requests
• what they do
• uses basic sentence patterns &
• places
A2-1 phrases
• exchanges basic information • possessions
• links groups of words using and, and • asks and answers
then • simple questions
A2 • about personal
information about
everyday life

• gives information about a familiar • understands main points of

topic clear speech on familiar
Elementary

A2-2 • answers questions and responds to matters

requests for more information • enters conversations about
• asks limited questions • personal opinions &
information
• familiar subjects
• responds to requests for clarification • shows sufficient range of
B1 B1-1
• gives reasons language to
 • describe experiences &
• makes the sequence of events clear events
• provides information and offers • give reasons &
B1-2 opinions explanations
• initiates and maintains the
conversation limitedly

• communicates a variety of facts, ideas

and opinions
• engages the listener in discussion
• handles interruptions by taking basic
steps
B2-1 • takes control over the interaction
• understands complex &
• maintains conversation by
extended speech in familiar
• asking for information
topics
• making comments
• communicates with
• inviting comments
spontaneity
• takes and gives up turns
• engages in extended
conversations
• gives clear descriptions
Intermediate

• expresses and explains

• communicates and explains views on general topics
B2 viewpoints • initiates, maintains and
• maintains coherence & cohesion ends conversations
• handles interruptions by using • shows sufficient range of
B2-2 recovery strategies language to
• requests for further information,
•produce discourse
clarification and explanations
•use complex sentence
• follows up on comments from the
listener forms
• does not search for words
much
• corrects most of their
mistakes
• highlights significant points
• paraphrases to maintain the discourse
• handles interruptions without undue
B2-3
effort by recapping, paraphrasing and
circumlocution
• takes, keeps, gives up and offers turns
 • initiates and engages the listener in
discussions
• uses take-turning conversations
• relates their own contributions closely
to those of the listener
• understands a range of spoken texts
and recognises implicit meaning
• uses contextual, grammatical and
lexical cues to
C1-1
• identify attitude, mood and • understands arguments,
intentions inferences, changes in
• anticipate what follows register
• uses knowledge of grammar, lexis and • understands register &
register to identify context emphasis in extended,
• offers new contributions to influence complex and sometimes
the direction of the conversation unstructured speech even
• participates without much obvious when delivered at fast
C1 searching for expressions native speaker speed
• responds to challenges made by
• expresses themselves
others spontaneously and
spontaneously, very fluently
appropriately
and precisely
• changes the direction of conversation
• differentiates finer shades
Advanced

when a particular line of questioning

dries up of meaning
• negotiates towards a logical • controls the direction of a
conclusion to the interaction conversation and maintains
C1-2 • understands inferences and picks up its flow with ease, relating
on phonological clues skillfully to the contribution
• recognises a range of idiomatic of the listener
expressions and colloquialisms • shows a comprehensive and
• anticipates and copes with topic shifts reliable mastery of a wide
• infers and extracts meaning from range of
vague or imprecise language • complex language
• evaluates and challenges arguments structures, vocabulary
made by the listener
and language functions
• initiates the discussion and actively seeks • produces speech which
ways to engage the listener rarely deviates from an
• responds to a variety of conversational internationally
gambits intelligible model
• handles in-depth questioning
• controls and sustains the discussion
C2
• directs the interaction towards a successful
conclusion
• understand spoken texts on abstract and
complex topics
• understands virtually everything heard when
delivered at natural native speaker speed
Language requirements
of CEFR levels

and

Sample Questions
 Pre-A1 language requirements

CEFR level Grammar Vocabulary Function Pronunciation

Understand o Personal o Exchanging o The correct
o Imperatives for information greetings pronunciation of
common actions, o Immediate o Giving personal common words
eg go, come, show, surroundings information, relevant to the
point, give, touch, including classroom eg name, age lexical areas listed
stand up objects o Identifying and
o Question words o Basic parts of the naming items
what? how many? face and body given in the lexical
how old? o Common animals list
o Demonstratives (domestic, farm o Leave-taking
this, that, these, and wild)
those o Cardinal numbers
up to 20
Understand and use o Colours
o The present simple o Everyday items of
Pre-A1
tense of the verb to clothing
be o Words relating to
o Common nouns in the list of language
singular and plural functions
(regular and
irregular),
eg shoe/shoes,
foot/feet
o Simple adjectives,
eg small, tall, green
o Determiners a, the,
my, your, his, her
o Pronouns I, you, he,
she, it, they
 Pre-A1 sample questions

• Hello!
• What’s your name?
• How are you?
• How old are you?

Vocabulary
Show the vocabulary wheel below to your student and point to each item.
Ask:

• What is this?
• What colour is this?
• What are these?

You can use other similar pictures that include colours, immediate surroundings such as classroom objects,
exchanging greetings, common animals (domestic, farm and wild), cardinal numbers up to 20, basic parts of
the face and body, everyday items of clothing.
Vocabulary
Show the picture below to your student.

Ask questions that begin with:

• Show me …
• Point to …
• What colour is …
• What colour are …
• How many … are there?
• What are these/those?
• What’s that/this?

You can use other similar pictures that include clothes, parts of the
body, and check these items: determiners, imperatives, and question words.

Numbers
Show the number chart below to your student.

Point to a correct number and ask:

• Is this 13?

Point to an incorrect number and ask:

• Is this 15? Point to 15.

Point to another number and ask:

• What’s this?
Colour and Size
Show some coloured pens or the picture below to your student.

Say:

• Look.

Point to the pens and ask:

• What are these?

• How many pens are there?
• Point to the green pen.

Point to an incorrect pen and ask:

• Is this the blue pen? What is it?

• Give/show me the blue pen.

Point to another pen and ask:

• Is this your pen?

• Touch the big pen.
• Give/show me the small pen.
• Show me the red pen.

Point to the other pens and ask:

• What colour are these pens?

 A1 language requirements

CEFR level Grammar Vocabulary Function Pronunciation

Understand o Rooms in the o Indicating the o The correct
o Present simple home position of people pronunciation of
tense questions o Household objects and objects words relevant to
o Question words o Family and friends o Describing people, the lexical areas
who? when? o Pets animals, objects listed
o Present continuous o Possessions and places very o Basic intonation
tense questions o Days of the week simply patterns for simple
o Determiners some, and months of the o Stating simple facts questions
any year o Informing about o Contractions,
o Cardinal numbers possessions eg I’ve, I’m, he’s
Understand and use up to 50 o Asking very simple
o Present simple o Words and questions about
tense phrases relating to personal details
o There is/are and the list of
has/have got/have language
A1 you got? Do you functions
have?
o Question words
where? how?
o Prepositions of
place in, on, under,
between, next to
o Determiners their,
its
o Possessive
pronouns mine,
yours, his, hers
o Yes/no answers to
present continuous
tense questions
 A1 sample questions
Prepositions
Use the flashcard below (or similar ones) to your student and point to each item.

Ask:

• Look at this cat. Where is it?

Point to an incorrect picture and ask:

• Is it on the box?
• Where is it?

Rooms, household objects, prepositions, present continuous

• Do you live in a house or a flat?

• How many rooms are there?
• What rooms are there in your house/flat?

Give/show your student one of the pictures below (or a similar picture).
Ask them to describe the rooms and furniture. Give them hints by asking:

• Where are the books?

• Where is the washing machine?
• Where are the windows?
• Where is the woman?
• Is she eating?
• Is she drinking?
• Is there a computer?
• Is there a bedroom in your house?
• What are there in the bedroom?
• Now ask me about my bedroom.

Present continuous
Use these flashcards. Point to a mixture of correct and incorrect
pictures and say:

• Look at these pictures.

• Is he …ing?
• Is she …ing?
• Are they …ing?
 A2 language requirements

CEFR level Grammar Vocabulary Function Pronunciation

o Present continuous o Jobs o Describing daily o The correct
tense o Places in the local routines and times pronunciation of
o Can and can’t area o Giving dates words relevant to
o Prepositions of o Place of study o Expressing ability the lexical areas
movement from, o Home life and inability listed
to, up, down, o Weather o Giving very simple o The use of
along, across o Free time directions and contractions where
o Prepositions of o Times and dates locations appropriate
time on, in, at o Ordinal numbers o Describing current o Basic stress and
o Prepositions of up to 31st for activities of real intonation patterns
place near, in front dates people or those in for words, short
of, behind, o Words and phrases pictures sentences and
opposite relating to the list o Describing states in simple questions
o Past tense of the of language the past
verb to be functions o Asking simple
o Link words and, questions about
and then everyday life

o Past simple tense o Vocabulary specific o Talking about past o The correct
of regular and to these topic events pronunciation of
common irregular areas o Talking about vocabulary specific
verbs o Holidays future plans and to the topic areas
o Going to future o Shopping intentions o Appropriate weak
o Like + gerund/ o School and o Expressing simple forms and
A2
infinitive, work comparisons intonation in
eg I like shopping, o Hobbies and o Expressing likes connected speech
I like to read books sports and dislikes o Three different
o Adverbs of o Food o Describing manner ways of
manner and o Weekend and and frequency pronouncing ‘ed’
frequency seasonal past tense endings,
o Comparatives and activities eg played, walked,
superlatives of o Adverbs of wanted
adjectives frequency, eg o Avoidance of
o Link word but sometimes, often, speech patterns of
never recitation
o Adverbial phrases
of frequency, eg
every day, once a
week
o Expressions of past
time, eg yesterday,
last night
o Phrases and
expressions
relating to the list
of language
functions
 A2 sample questions

A2-1

Places in the local area

• Tell me about your house. Is it near here?

• Walking to work from your house, what can you see? A park? Some shops?

If a window with a view is available:

• Look out of the window. What can you see?

Time, Daily routines, Free time

• Tell me about your daily routine. What time do you go to work?

• What time does work finish?
• What do you do in your free time?
• What do you do with your family/children/partner/friends?

Jobs
Show your student pictures of different jobs

• Look at these pictures. What jobs can you see?

• What’s her job?
• And his?
• Do you have a question for me?
 • Tell me about your family. What are their jobs?

Free time, Present continuous, can/can’t

Show these flashcards (or similar ones) to your student.
Point to different activities and ask:

• Look at these pictures of free time activities. What are they doing?
• What’s she doing?
• What’s he doing?
• Can you …?
• Do you have a question for me?

• Where is your brother/sister now? Is s/he at work?

• What is s/he doing?
• Can you cook?
• When did you last cook?
• What did you cook?
A2-2

• How do you usually spend your weekends?

• What did you do last weekend?
• Do you usually do that?
• What else do you usually do?
• Do you like shopping?
• What sport do you like?
• How often do you eat out?
• When was the last time you ate out?
• Can you tell me more about it?
• Where did you go?

• Do you drive?
• Are you a careful driver?
• How do you drive?
• How do you drive if you are in a hurry?
• Do you have a friend who drives carelessly?

• Do you have a favourite season?

• Why is … your favourite season?
• What do you like about it?

• Are you free this afternoon?

• Do you have any plans for tonight?
• Tell me more about it, please.
• What are you going to do after this interview?

• Do you like Iranian food?

• What is your favourite food?
• Which one is more delicious? Kebab or pizza?
 B1 language requirements

CEFR level Grammar Vocabulary Function Pronunciation

o Present perfect o Vocabulary specific to o Talking about the o The correct
tense including use these topic areas future — pronunciation of
with for, since, o Festivals informing and vocabulary
ever, never, just o Means of predicting specific to the
o Connecting clauses transport o Expressing topic areas
using because o Special occasions, preferences o The combination
o Will referring to eg birthday o Talking about of weak forms
the future for celebrations events in the and
informing and o Entertainment, eg indefinite and contractions, eg
predicting cinema, television, recent past I’ve been to…
o Adjectives and clubs o Giving reasons o Avoidance of
adverbials of o Music o Stating the speech patterns
quantity, eg a lot o Recent personal duration of events of recitation
(of), not very much, experiences o Quantifying
many o Expressions relating
o Expressions of to past and future
preference, eg I time, eg two days
prefer, I’d rather ago, in the future
o Phrases and
expressions relating
to the list of language
functions
B1
o Zero and first o Vocabulary specific to o Expressing and o The correct
conditionals, using these topic areas requesting pronunciation of
if and when o Travel opinions and vocabulary
o Present continuous o Money impressions specific to the
tense for future o Fashion o Expressing topic areas
use o Rules and intention and o Sentence stress
o Past continuous regulations purpose to clarify
tense o Health and fitness o Expressing meaning
o Modals connected o Learning a foreign obligation and o Basic intonation
to the functions language necessity and features of
listed, eg must, o Further expressions o Expressing connected
need to, might, relating to future certainty and speech at
don’t have to time, eg the day uncertainty sentence level
after tomorrow, in a o Describing past o Intonation
year’s time, in … actions over a patterns of more
years’ time period of time complex
o Common phrasal question forms
verbs o Avoidance of
o Phrases and speech patterns
expressions relating of recitation
to the list of language
functions
 B1 sample questions

B1-1

You can build up the conversation based on the responses you hear from your student. So, feel free to change
the order of the suggested questions or skip some of them accordingly.

• Have you had lunch/breakfast?

• What is your favourite meal of the day?
• Why is that?
• Do you like food of other countries?
• Have you been to other countries?
• Have you been to Turkey?
• What [other] countries have you been to?

You can ask about different countries/cities until their answer is yes.

• How many times have you been there?

• Where did you last go there?
• How long were you there for?
• How long have you lived here?
• What are the things that tourists must be careful with when they travel abroad?
• Is there anything they need to know?

• Have you ever met a celebrity?

• Have you ever been to other cities?
• Have you ever …
• Tell me more about it.
• How many times have you travelled to other cities?
• Which city do you prefer to live in? Why?

• What type of music do you prefer?

• Why do you like … music?
• Have you got any toys?
• Do you like movies?
• What is your favourite film?
• What genre do you like most?
• What about other genres? What are they?
• What is your favourite sport?
• Do you like football?
• What is your favourite football team? And your favourite player?
 • Can you think of a popular festival in your home town? Tell me more about it.
• How do you usually go to work/school?
• Do you drive?
• How often do you use the public transport?
• Do you usually throw a party on your birthday?
• How do you invite people?
• How did you spend your last weekend?

B1-2

• Do you think life will be different in future? How?

• Do you think things will be different in the New Year? How

• Where are you going on holiday?

• What are you doing next weekend?
• What do you think you might do tonight?

• What time did you have dinner last night?

• What were you doing at about 9pm last night?
• Do you travel a lot?
• Do you have a passport?
• Do you prefer to travel by plane or by train? Why?
• Do you keep your money in a wallet/purse? Why?
• How often do you buy clothes?
• Are you into fashion?
• What do you think people must/mustn’t do if they are on an airplane?
• What about in a concert/at school …?

• What happens if all people decide to use their cars on the same day?
• What if all cars suddenly stop on the roads?
• Have you ever found money or a wallet?
• What will you do if it happens (again)?
• Is it hard to learn English?
• If you have the chance to learn another language, what language will you choose? Why?
 B2 language requirements

CEFR level Grammar Vocabulary Function Pronunciation

o Second conditional o Vocabulary specific o Giving advice and o The correct
o Simple passive to these topic highlighting pronunciation of
o Used to areas advantages and vocabulary specific
o Relative clauses o Education disadvantages to the topic areas
o Modals and phrases o National o Making o Rising intonation
used to give advice customs suggestions to indicate interest
and make o Village and city o Describing past and surprise as
suggestions, eg life habits appropriate
should/ought to, o National and o Expressing o Falling intonation
could, you’d better local produce possibility and to indicate the end
o Modals and phrases and products uncertainty of a turn
used to express o Early o Eliciting further o Intonation and
possibility and memories information and features of
uncertainty, eg o Pollution and expansion of ideas connected speech
may, might, I’m not recycling and opinions beyond sentence
sure o Appropriate words o Expressing level
o Discourse and expressions to agreement and
connectors eg indicate interest disagreement
because of, due to and show
awareness of the
speaker, eg
Really? Oh dear!
Did you?
o Simple fillers to
B2 give time for
thought, eg well…,
um...
o Phrases and
expressions
relating to the list
of language
functions
o Third conditional o Vocabulary specific o Expressing feelings o The correct
o Present perfect to these topic and emotions pronunciation of
continuous tense areas o Expressing vocabulary specific
o Past perfect tense o Society and impossibility to the topic areas
o Reported speech living o Reporting the o Rising and falling
o Linking expressions, standards conversation of intonation to
eg even though, in o Personal others indicate giving up
spite of, although values and o Speculating and offering turns
ideals o Persuading and Stress, intonation
o The world of discouraging and pitch relevant
work to the language
o Unexplained functions
phenomena o Stress and
and events intonation to
o National indicate emotion
environmental
concerns
 o Public figures
past and
present
o Cohesive devices,
eg so to continue,
in other words, for
example
o Reporting verbs,
eg say, tell, ask,
report, advise,
promise
o Appropriate words
and expressions to
encourage further
participation
o Phrases and
expressions
relating to the list
of language
functions
o Mixed conditionals o Vocabulary specific o Expressing abstract o The correct
o Verbs followed by to these topic ideas pronunciation of
gerund and/or areas o Expressing regrets, vocabulary specific
infinitive, eg forget, o Dreams and wishes and hopes to the topic areas
stop, go on, nightmares o Expressing o Rising and falling
remember o Crime and assumptions intonation for
o More complex punishment o Paraphrasing keeping, giving up
forms of the passive o Technology o Evaluating options and offering turns
with modals o Habits and o Hypothesising o Stress and rhythm
o Should/must/might/ obsessions o Evaluating past to highlight and
could + perfect o Global actions or course emphasise main
infinitive environmental of events points and ideas
o Correct verb issues o Intonation and
patterns after wish o Design pitch to convey
and hope o Cohesive devices attitude
to recap and
recover, eg as I
was saying,
anyway…
o Hesitation fillers,
eg I mean, you
know
o Stock phrases to
gain time for
thought and keep
the turn, eg well,
let me think…
o Phrases and
expressions
relating to the list
of language
functions
 B2 sample questions

B2-1

As you carry on with the interview, some of the questions, especially those about your student’s personal
information, may be repetitive. Feel free to skip or modify those questions if needed.

Asking for information, making a comment and making a suggestion

• It’s my friend’s birthday soon, and I’m trying to think of a way to help her celebrate. Do you have
any suggestions for me?

In the following question, encourage your student to ask questions.

• Have you heard of T’ai Chi?

(It’s a very old Chinese exercise. It looks very similar to yoga, but it works on an inside energy.)

• What’s your job?

• What’s it like being a …?
• Do you have any questions for me regarding my job?
• Now tell me a little bit about …
• your last birthday
• how you spend your spare time
• your home
• your early memories
• Do have any questions for me regarding …?
• how I spend your spare time
• my favourite music

• If you could have a free ticket to anywhere in the world, where would you choose?
• Would you choose somewhere in Iran?
• What would you do if you could change one law only? Would you change anything?

• What sort of films do you like, … (name of your student)?

• Do you like comedies, sci-fi, or what?
• If you were a director, which of the famous actors would you pick for your film?
 • Do you like painting? Why?
• What about sculpture?
• If you could have a dinner with a famous artist, who would it be?
• What would you tell them?

• Do you like going to the mountains? Why?

• Do you think holidays in the mountains are better than holidays by the coast? Why?

Any of the questions below can initiate a conversation. Encourage your student to ask for more information
before they offer any advice or suggestions.

• My nephew’s school has just announced that all the students might have to learn three foreign
languages. I’m not sure this is a good idea. What do you think?
• My friend’s son is really good at sport. He’s thinking of giving up full-time education and
concentrating on that as a career. Do you think he is making the right decision?
• A friend of mine asked me to lend him some money recently. I understand his situation but I’m not
sure if I should do it. What do you think?
• More and more people seem to be doing most their shopping on the Internet these days. I prefer
seeing things in the shops. What about you? Am I right to be worried about online shopping?
• I want to go to China on holiday and my grandma and my best friend want to come too. Which is
okay, but my grandma doesn’t feel like flying and she want to travel overland. What do you suggest
I do?
• My neighbour often uses the train without paying for a ticket. He doesn’t see anything wrong with it
but I’m not so sure. What do you think?
• My wife/husband/parents has/have suggested that we go on a trip. S/he/they want(s) to go
somewhere really unusual, like the jungle. But I’m not sure that I want to do something like that. I
think I’d rather a nice hotel. What kind of holiday do you prefer?

• Think about someone you admire. Tell me more about them.

• How can we live a healthy life?
• How can someone be a good friend?

• My doctor told me I need to get fit, but I don’t like doing exercise. Do you have any suggestions?
B2-2

• A friend of mine has been offered a great job abroad. Her family don’t want to go and I’m not sure
how to advise her. Tell me what you think.
• Think about one person you know. Tell me five facts about them. It can be their occupation,
possessions, habits, etc. Can you think of anything unusual or funny?
• What time do you usually get to work?
• Has anyone at work ever asked you to lend them money?
• I’ve just been told I have to work every weekend this month. How do you think I should react?
• Is there something you might have done in the past you regret now?
• Tell me about something that you consider as one of your biggest mistakes.
• How did that mistake change things for you?
• Do you think things would have been different if you had not made that mistake?
• What would have happened if you had not made that mistake?
• If there had not been a pandemic because of the Covid, how would our lives have been different?
• Some people say that children should be allowed to work in factories. What is your opinion?
• Scientists say that soon we will be able to live over the age of 100. Do you think this is a good thing?
• What do you think about acting as a job?
• Do you think money is important in life?
• Should people spend less time on the Internet?
• Is change a good thing?
• Do you think the legal age for driving should be brought up to 21?

B2-3

• Tell me a bit about your family.

• Do you all still live at home?
• Are you the youngest in the family?
• What do you like doing together as a family?
• Do you do any sports together?
• Is there a restaurant or somewhere that you like going to together?
• Did you do anything interesting at the weekend?
• Do you think that the no-smoking laws are too strict?
• Are smokers being made to feel guilty for smoking?
• If you had lived in a different country, would you have a different job now?
• If it wasn’t because of your mistakes, do you think you would be as strong as you are now?
• Have you heard about 9/11? (or: the invasion of Ukraine, or any other and more recent incidents)
• Do you remember what you were doing when you heard the news?
• Do you think the world would be different now, if 9/11 had not happened? How?
 C1 language requirements

CEFR level Grammar Vocabulary Function Pronunciation

o A broad range of o Vocabulary specific o Developing an o The correct
complex structures to these topic areas argument pronunciation of
to express o Roles in the o Defending a point topic areas specific
thoughts clearly family of view vocabulary
o A high degree of o Communication o Expressing beliefs o Sounds with
grammatical o The school o Expressing minimal
accuracy, although curriculum opinions interference from
minor errors may o Youth behaviour tentatively the first language
occur when o Use of the o Summarising o A range of stress
attempting to use internet information, ideas and intonation
a combination of o Designer goods and arguments patterns, pitch and
structures across o International o Deducing volume to:
sentence events – engage and
boundaries o Equal maintain the
opportunities listener’s
o Social issues interest
o The future of the – signal the
planet provision of
o Scientific new
developments information
o Stress – indicate
C1 management discourse
o A range of idiomatic structure
expressions and
colloquialisms
o Modifying words, eg
basically, quite,
certainly
o Intensifiers, eg
absolutely,
completely, totally
o Tentative
expressions, eg I
may be wrong
but…, Don’t you
think it might be…
o Signposting words,
eg firstly, finally
o Phrases and
expressions relating
to the list of
language functions
o A broad range of o Vocabulary specific o Justifying an o The correct
complex to these topic areas argument pronunciation of
structures, used o Independence o Inferring topic and subject-
flexibly and o Ambitions o Expressing caution area specific
effectively in o Stereotypes o Expressing vocabulary
combination and o Role models empathy and o Various features of
contrast o Competitiveness sympathy pronunciation
o A high degree of o Young people’s o Challenging which only
grammatical rights arguments and occasionally
accuracy, errors o The media opinions deviate from an
are rare and o Advertising o Evaluating internationally
difficult to identify o Lifestyles different intelligible model
o The arts standpoints o A range of stress
o The rights of the o Expressing and intonation
individual reservations patterns, pitch and
o Economic issues volume to convey
o A good range of subtle shifts in
idiomatic meaning and
expressions and attitude
colloquialisms
o Signposting
expressions, eg I’d
like to begin with…,
Conversely…, To
conclude…
o Vague and imprecise
language, eg a bit
more, a hundred
people or so
o Phrases and
expressions relating
to the list of
language functions
 C1 sample questions

As most of the major structures have been covered at lower levels, from this point on, the questions focus
more on language functions than grammar points.

C1-1

“At this point, I’ll start telling you something. You’ll have to ask me questions
to find out more information and make comments. It’s your responsibility to
maintain the conversation. Are you ready?”

• At my niece’s school, homework is optional. Students only have to do it if they want to. I’ve even
heard there’s a move to get rid of it altogether.
• Many people think that we should spend more time enjoying ourselves and less time trying to make
money, but I’m not sure you can do one without the other.
• I was listening to a talk about architecture the other day and the view presented was that all
modern architecture is ugly. Do you agree with this?
• A lot of people complain about graffiti in cities these days, but I’m not sure if I agree with them.
• Recently there seems to have been a reaction against advanced technology, with some people
preferring to return to a simpler lifestyle. I think there’s something to be said for this.
• People often say that academic qualifications are the key to a child’s future success. I’m not sure I
completely agree.
• Nowadays, we are getting a lot of advice about what to eat and what not to eat. Personally, I get a
bit fed up with this. Surely people are entitled to make their own decisions.
• People these days seem absolutely obsessed with the private lives of celebrities. People may
disapprove, but I thoroughly enjoy reading magazines.
• It’s widely believed that travel broadens the mind, but I often wonder if tourism nowadays does
more harm than good.
• My local school’s going to ask a popular TV star to speak to the students about careers. I may be
wrong, but I’m not sure that this is the right choice.
 “I’m going to read you some short passages and after I’ve finished each one,
I’d like you to either suggest a suitable ending or answer a question. I’ll then
move on to the next passage. Are you ready?”

(You don’t have to read out all the passages below. You can choose only three of them.
So before carrying on, you can say the follow statement to you student.)

“These passages are incomplete. When I stop, I’d like you to tell me in just a
few words how you think the passage finishes.”

• Although we’re very close, my sister and I aren’t alike. We’ve been going on holiday together for
ages at least twice a year, and once the date’s fixed we follow the same old pattern. Well before
departure, she’s washed and ironed her clothes, bought her foreign currency and guidebook and
packed her stuff, whereas I never get ready until…

Expected response: the last minute/the night before (or equivalent).

• You can do almost anything with mobile phones nowadays. So much so that some people never
seem to take their eyes off them. I quite often see people wandering down the street or even
crossing the road, tapping away at them, completely oblivious of what’s happening around them.
I’m just surprised that this doesn’t lead to more…

Expected response: accidents/crashes/collisions (or equivalent).

• A lot of people have claimed that computer games stifle the imagination and are bad for the
development of our brains. However, new evidence shows that they help people problem-solve as
the games constantly challenge you. They also help you think creatively and you can even network
whilst playing. So in fact, computer games can actually be…

Expected response: good/beneficial for you (or equivalent).

• As an actor, I definitely respond to conceptually interesting films, especially science fiction ones,
with their escape from the life we know on Earth. Being involved in something so different, that’s
 thrilling. If I come across a script that is original, I go after it. It’s really exciting being part of a film
which creates an entirely new…

Expected response: world/universe/reality (or equivalent).

• I don’t like being told what to do. If I buy something that I need to assemble, I never look at the
instructions. When I buy electronic gadgets I just fiddle around until they start working. And when
I’m getting a meal ready I just throw all the ingredients together and rely on my taste instead of
using a…

Expected response: recipe/cook book (or equivalent).

• You people need to be reminded that starting a business is a process of small, progressive steps. Too
many think it’s all or nothing. And some are daunted by the idea you need to be something special
to be an entrepreneur, but it’s not true. Start off with a small idea, use the support available, and
just work hard. Basically, anyone…

Expected response: can do it/succeed in business, be a businessperson or entrepreneur (or

equivalent).

• When I was growing up I was hardly ever at home. Because the climate was mild, we were able to
play all sorts of games outdoors. We often used to stay out until sunset and I loved the freedom and
spontaneity of it all. If the weather had been worse, I’m sure I would have been forced to…

Expected response: play/indoors/stay, remain indoors, at home (or equivalent).

• Psychology plays an important role in supermarket layout. Customers leaving the shop only with
what they intended to buy is not the point. Expensive items are placed on eye-level shelves, while
children’s treats are lower down. Essential products are found at the back of the store, so customers
have to walk past other products. Everything’s designed to make you…

Expected response: buy/spend more (or equivalent).

• A friend of mine has just accepted a new job that pays less than her existing one. She’s always
struck me as ambitious and she certainly has a lavish lifestyle. That’s why I was rather surprised
about her decision initially. However, we met up last night and she explained that job satisfaction
does not necessarily depend on…

Expected response: being well-paid/having a high salary (or equivalent).

• It’s remarkable, the degree to which people value the views of second-rate celebrities on any subject
under the sun. I fail to understand how people think just because this or that person is famous, it
gives them a tremendous insight into any other issue at all. Frankly, I find such a belief...

Expected response: incomprehensible/hard to understand/ridiculous (or equivalent).

 “After I’ve read each passage, I’ll ask you a question about what you’ve heard.”

(You don’t have to read out all the passages below. You can choose only three of them.)

• Right everyone. You’re doing okay, but you need to start putting in a bit more effort and start
working as a team. They’re running away with it just at the moment and we can’t afford to let them
get too far ahead. You’re forgetting everything we’ve been doing in training. So, go out there and
show them what you can do.

Q: Who is the speaker?

A: A coach/trainer

• My tutor taught me the format to use. First you have to state what you’ll be writing about. Then,
you give a general background before you move on to the body of the work. For each paragraph I
make an introductory point, followed by an explanation and an example. Finally, the conclusion is
basically a summary of everything I’ve discussed in the main part.

Q: What activity is the speaker describing?

A: Writing an essay/dissertation.

• It was a bit of a challenge coming back from the coast last weekend to say the least. Because of the
freezing fog, there was almost zero visibility through the windscreen. There was ice everywhere too,
which meant we kept slipping and sliding all over the place. Some people didn’t keep their distance
either, despite all the public safety campaigns we’ve had.

Q: How does the speaker feel about the driving conditions?

A: They were dangerous/difficult (or equivalent).

• I’ve always been fascinated by looking back, so writing fiction set in the present day doesn’t appeal
to me. I love the idea of presenting life in a different time and making it vivid and authentic for
other people. Before I start on a new novel, I do a lot of research, getting to know a period well. I
hope to present the characters in a realistic way.

Q: What subject does the speaker write about?

A: History/(life) in the past (or equivalent).

• The problem with most other exercise programmes is that you don’t keep them up. They often
require special equipment or gym membership. And as soon as you change your daily routine, the
exercise stops. This doesn’t happen with our programme. All you need is yourself and enough space
to lie on the floor. Just 15 minutes a day, indoors or outdoors, and you have a healthy habit for life.

Q: What is the speaker’s purpose?

A: To advertise/promote/persuade people to use a fitness or exercise programme (or equivalent).
• Weddings are such an overrated event. All that money spent on a dress that’s only going to be worn
once, not to mention the excesses of food and drink, flowers, transport, and so on. I think that
marriage should be a private commitment between two people not public showing of wealth and
overindulgence with everyone showing off about what they can afford.

Q: What is the speaker’s attitude towards weddings?

A: Critical/disapproving (or equivalent).

• I’m completely obsessed with music, and I still go to as many concerts as I can manage. The last one
I saw was one of the best I’ve ever seen. Both as a singer and songwriter, she was truly original.
Listening to people as talented as that can drive you on and you want to reach the same heights
that they’ve achieved.

Q: What effect did the musician have on the speaker?

A: She inspired/impressed/motivated him/her (or equivalent).

• I like shopping online for lots of different reasons. Firstly, you save time as you can compare a large
number of items, which is difficult to do if you visit retailers individually. Also, it’s hassle-free as you
don’t have to travel and queue. The best thing, in my opinion though, is that the business’s running
costs are substantially lower and they pass this saving on to the customer.

Q: According to the speaker, what is the main advantage of internet shopping?

A: It’s cheaper/less expensive (or equivalent).

• I hope you’ve enjoyed the show, ladies and gentlemen. You’ve been a really wonderful audience.
But before you all disappear, could you all dig deep in your pockets and put some loose change in
the hat that’s being passed round. Don’t worry if it’s not very much. Your contributions help me to
keep on performing like this. Thanks very much.

Q: What is the speaker’s main purpose?

A: To get/collect money (or equivalent).

• Before you all go off for your summer break, I’d just like to say something about your work this year.
In all the time I’ve been here, I’ve never come across such a dedicated and motivated group of
students. I think you should all give yourselves a pat on the back. It really has been a privilege to
have taught you.

Q: What is the speaker’s main purpose?

A: To congratulate/thank/praise the students (or equivalent).
 I am reading out some statement for you. Tell me what you think or how you
feel about each of them. What’s your immediate reaction?

• Children are growing up too fast these days.

• Social media will have long-term damaging effects on kids.
• People are becoming more selfish and less society-minded.
• It’s no longer possible to look after everyone on our society because there are just too many people.
• Welfare and benefits should only be available to people for limited time.

C1-2

“Again, I’ll start telling you something. You’ll have to ask me questions again
to find out more information and make comments. Let me remind you again
that it’s your responsibility to maintain the conversation. Are you ready?”

• A lot of young people nowadays are encouraged to go travelling around the world in order to
broaden their experience of life. Personally, I think this is a complete waste of time.
• Many shoppers these days search for bargains but are surprised when the products they but don’t
last. Surely, it’s worth paying a bit more for quality.
• A lot of people say that wisdom comes with age, but it seems to me that the opposite is often true.
• Some websites help people to download music and films without paying for them. I believe this is
wrong and something should be done about it.
• The move towards equal opportunities for men and women has brought about changes to
traditional family roles. I’m doubtful whether these changes are universally welcomed.
• My friend has always believed in acting intuitively rather than thinking things through first.
Although I can see the attraction of this, I don’t feel it’s the right way to approach life.
• People are always criticising the fast-food restaurant chains you find all over the world. personally, I
can’t see what all the fuss is about.
• Some people think it’s really important to like the people you work with. I’m not sure how necessary
this is.
• I keep hearing the argument that technology is creating a stay-at-home society. I’m not totally in
agreement with this point of view.
 “OK now, I’m going to read you some short passages again and as you may
remember, after I’ve finished each one, I’d like you to either suggest a
suitable ending or answer a question. I’ll then move on to the next passage.
Are you ready?”

(You don’t have to read out all the passages below. You can choose only three of them.
So before carrying on, you can say the follow statement to you student.)

“These passages are incomplete. When I stop, I’d like you to tell me in just a
few words how you think the passage finishes.”

• We all know that if food looks good and smells good, we’re more likely to want to eat it. The smell
of freshly-baked bread is irresistible, and a beautifully-presented dish can be literally mouth-
watering. But, more surprisingly, scientists at a leading university have discovered that sound is
equally important. High-pitched tunes played on the piano make things taste sweeter and low brass
sounds make things taste bitter. Eating, it seems, is an experience which involves nearly all of our…

Expected response: senses/faculties (or equivalent).

• When you become an expert in your field, it becomes increasingly difficult to convey your message.
Particularly to those who have never come across the subject before. Because you have a vast store
of advanced knowledge, it’s challenging to put the clock back and imagine what it’s like to be
starting out. In my view, it becomes harder to teach rather than easier. With such a gap in level, it is
difficult to put yourself in the shoes of a...

Expected response: student/pupil/beginner/person with no knowledge of the subject (or equivalent).

• Nowadays, employees are increasingly expected to show creativity, but how can this be
differentiated from innovation? Well, creativity takes place in the mind, it’s simply when someone
has an idea. Anyone can put forward an idea for a new product. But it doesn’t become innovation
until that product is actually launched on the market. This is the crucial difference- creativity is a
flash of inspiration, whereas innovation is making that inspiration...

Expected response: real/a reality/come true/feasible/viable (or equivalent).

• Teenagers and adults have never seen eye to eye about bedtimes and usually parents have insisted
on early nights. But now there’s compelling evidence that teenagers’ body clocks are different from
adults’. When they want to stay up late and get up late, they aren’t just being rebellious! It seems
it’s all down to hormones and chemicals in their bodies. Some schools are taking the teenage sleep
cycle very seriously and are even considering beginning...

Expected response: school/lessons/classes/the school day later (or equivalent).

• During the restoration of this picture, it was realised that it was indeed painted by Leonardo. We
always believed that he’d painted such a picture because we’ve got two sketches. Lots of versions
have survived and it was always assumed that this was just a copy. There’s obviously been some
damage here and the restorer has substantially repainted the background. However, no Leonardo
scholar who’s seen this painting in the flesh doubts that this is the...

Expected response: original/real (painting by Leonardo) (or equivalent).

• I didn’t think I’d done very well in the interview. I was quizzed by a panel of managers who asked
me some searching questions about the posts I’d held in the past. I did have some questions about
the position up my sleeve, though, and although I was more confident when they asked why I’d
applied, I didn’t think I’d made a great impression. However, to my surprise a few days later I
received a letter telling me I’d…

Expected response: got the job/been offered the job (or equivalent).

• Researchers claim that if you struggle to get out of bed in the mornings, you should stop lying in at
the weekends. The scientists say that rather than helping people catch up on sleep, those extra few
hours in bed on Saturday and Sunday disrupt the cycle that governs sleep patterns. This makes it
harder to get to sleep on a Sunday night and leaves people even more exhausted on Monday
morning. In fact, it isn’t beneficial to…

Expected response: stay in bed (at the weekend)/have a lie in (or equivalent).

• In many video games, the storyline is almost totally unimportant and plays a secondary role to the
action. Luckily, this doesn’t apply to all games. Some have plots that can be generated by the player.
They have the benefit of open stories and the narrative can be taken in a number of directions,
without compromising the action. No two games ever follow the exact same path. Undoubtedly, the
most successful video games are when the player is able to…

Expected response: create their own story/control the story/write the story (or equivalent).
• David was becoming increasingly fed up at work. he felt that his efforts and all the overtime he did
were being ignored by his boss and that he wasn’t being paid enough. He’d decided to leave the
company if the situation didn’t change and, feeling very pessimistic, asked for an appointment with
his boss. He couldn’t believe it when his boss told him how much he appreciated his hard work and
that he was going to increase…

Expected response: his salary/pay/wages (or equivalent).

• Homework has always been seen as a vital part of the education process. But new research shows
that setting homework for schoolchildren — whatever their ability — may in fact be counter-
productive to effective learning. This applies irrespective of the nature of the homework itself, or the
mental capacities of the individual child. The reasons appear to be complex, but enforced study
outside school or college seems to have a negative impact on any student, regardless of how…

Expected response: Intelligent/bright/good at school they are (or equivalent).

“After I’ve read each passage, I’ll ask you a question about what you’ve heard.”

(You don’t have to read out all the passages below. You can choose only three of them.)

• I don’t know where I’d be if I couldn’t buy stuff over the internet, but all that added convenience
comes at a price. You’ve got to make all your purchases upfront, so you can’t rule out the possibility
of identity theft. You just have to take certain precautions. One thing you can do is just go to sites
you’ve heard of. Of course, you might be tempted by a bargain somewhere else, but you may well
be ordering counterfeit or even non-existent goods.

Q: What is the speaker’s attitude towards online shopping?

A: You have to be careful/cautious (or equivalent)

• One person on the stage attempting to entertain an audience for a whole show is bound to struggle
a bit. But his show was very slick and his timing was brilliant. He told some very amusing anecdotes
which had me in tears and some of his lines were hilarious. I thought one or two of his gags were in
bad taste, poking fun at some people. But we all came out with smiles on our faces. I’d definitely
like to see him again.

Q: Who is the speaker talking about?

A: A (stand-up) comedian/a comic.
• In developing the processing of plastics, we should be guided by nature. The amount of waste in
nature is minimal and almost everything is reused. Your unwanted belongings need not be burnt or
buried, but should be re-formed for use by industry instead. You shouldn’t just be a consumer. In
future, you will need to dispose of an object with a view to it being transformed into something else.
Hopefully, my ideas will make you reconsider what you do with objects you might otherwise discard
with household waste.

Q: What is the speaker’s purpose?

A: To persuade/encourage people to recycle (plastic) (or equivalent).

• It’s the end-of-season ones that are the hardest for us. Everyone’s out looking for bargains after the
holidays and there’s a lot of pushing and shoving in the queue when the doors are opened. The
busiest departments are always clothes, household and electrical goods -though there are crowds
everywhere and the tills never stop ringing all day. It’s a great relief when it’s finally time to close
and we can get home and put our feet up!

Q: What event is the speaker describing?

A: A sale/the sales.

• I’m just overwhelmed. I don’t know what to say. But I’m just so grateful to everyone who worked so
hard to help me win this award -my fellow cast members; all the people behind the camera; our
generous producers; our super creative director; the costume and make-up people-just everybody.
We were a fabulous team! And, of course, I couldn’t have done this without my wonderful parents
who have always backed me up and been there for me. This is our award.

Q: What is the speaker’s main purpose?

A: To thank/praise people (for an award) (or equivalent).

• I try to do it every evening. It’s something I started when I was university and I wanted to be able to
remember all those new experiences. I usually do a page or two and sometimes it’s just a few notes
— reflections on the day. I don’t let anybody else read it, it’s just for me. Sometimes, when I look
back, I can’t believe some of my reactions. I always buy small leather-bound notebooks for the
purpose, and I love good quality paper.

Q: What activity is the speaker describing?

A: Writing/keeping a diary (or equivalent).

• Okay everyone, even though you’re experienced hill-walkers, I’ll remind you of some basic advice.
It’s a clear day today, but those peaks that you can see can quickly become covered in mist or low
cloud, with visibility down to 10 metres. So everybody needs their own map, compass, a torch and a
whistle, right? A map’s no good if your friend’s got the only one. There are several good things
about maps: they don’t run on batteries and unlike global positioning systems you don’t need a
mobile signal.

Q: What is the speaker trying to prevent?

A: People/walkers getting lost (or equivalent).
• I’m sure you’re all aware of the rumours surrounding the future development of the park and
gardens in the town centre. I can confirm that we’ve been approached by a large retailer with a
significant proposal that will give a much-needed boost to employment in the town, particularly
among young people like you. But it’s your town and your future so we need your input. I can assure
you that no decisions will be made before a thorough consultation process has been concluded.

Q: What does the speaker want people to do?

A: Say what they think/get involved (or equivalent).

• Your food will be tastier and healthier as it won’t have been transported for long distances to reach
the shops. I’m sure you know that the nutritional value of food is reduced the longer it takes to
reach its destination. The reduction in the need for distribution vehicles carrying imported food will
also result in a less polluted environment. Not only that, but you will be helping the economy of your
area. Profits won’t go to large international stores, but farmers and food producers closer to home
will benefit.

Q: What is the speaker’s main purpose?

A: To persuade people to shop locally/to discourage you from buying imported food (or equivalent).

• Let’s talk about fake news these days. What do you think is meant by fake news?
• Don’t you think the impact of this kind of news is underestimated?
• Do you think it is a good thing that most news is available free of charge?
• Do you think everything that happens should be reported by the media?
 C2 language requirements

CEFR level Grammar Vocabulary Function Pronunciation

o A comprehensive o A good command o Asserting o Produce individual
and reliable of a very broad o Denying sounds so as to be
mastery of a very lexical repertoire o Softening and fully understood by
wide range of o A wide range of downplaying the listener, with
language to idiomatic propositions only a rare sound
formulate thoughts expressions and o Contradicting that deviates from
precisely, give colloquialisms o Implying an internationally
emphasis and o Phrases and o Affirming intelligible model
eliminate expressions o Stress and
ambiguity relating to the list intonation patterns
o Differing linguistic of language which are
C2
forms to functions recognisably
reformulate ideas specific to English
and convey finer without any lapses
shades of meaning in intelligibility
o Complete and
consistent
grammatical
control of highly
complex language
at all times
 C2 sample questions

“To what extent do you agree or disagree with these statements?”

• A perfect house would be high in the mountains.

• Many celebrities like to share their personal lives with their fans.
• Constant texting can affect our brains.
• About 85% of the world population now own a mobile phone.
• The benefits of doing unpaid work experience outweigh the drawbacks.

“At this point, I’ll start telling you something. You’ll have to ask me questions
to find out more information and make comments. It’s your responsibility to
maintain the conversation. Are you ready?”

• The concept of a world without borders may seem like an impossible dream, but I feel it’s one that’s
worth pursuing.
• One effect of increased globalisation is that minority languages are gradually becoming extinct.
Many people regret this but I’m not sure it’s such a bad thing.
• Some people claim that sensationalist journalism simply reflects a society and doesn’t shape it. I
wonder if this is really the case.
• Some schools encourage competitiveness in their students, while others generally discourage it. It’s
clearly a controversial issue.
• Compared to previous generations, children are materially much better off these days, but
emotionally they seem to be impoverished. Social commentators seem to think there are a number
of reasons for this.
• It seems untenable that big business should pay out enormous salaries, often unmerited, while
people in really deserving professions are forced to struggle. I’ve been trying to decide if anything
could be done about this.
• I recently read a report that said in British cities everybody is filmed on security cameras several
hundred times a day. I wonder if the benefits can ever justify this level of intrusion.
• Top sports stars receive a lot of criticism for what people see as their excessively high salaries. If
anything, I’m not so sure they don’t deserve more.
• Most people agree that if you’re ambitious, you’ll be successful in your education and career.
However, I suspect that being driven and high-achieving doesn’t lead to a happy life.
 “I’m going to read you some short passages and after I’ve finished each one,
I’d like you to either suggest a suitable ending or answer a question. I’ll then
move on to the next passage. Are you ready?”

(You don’t have to read out all the passages below. You can choose only three of them.
So before carrying on, you can say the follow statement to you student.)

“These passages are incomplete. When I stop, I’d like you to tell me in just a
few words how you think the passage finishes.”

• I made up my mind I wanted to be an astronomer when I was very young. I found the night sky and
the idea of space fascinating. I read as much as I could about it — I thought ‘this is it!’ It was mind-
blowing. But when I went to university this was turned upside-down. I couldn’t bear listening to the
lecturers droning on and on. And above all, I hated having to memorise all those facts for exams. It
put paid to my enthusiasm. Before long, all the wonder I’d felt in astronomy was…

Expected response: gone/lost/dead (or equivalent).

• Some fascinating research was carried out about the effects that birth order among brothers and
sisters has on our lives. According to statistics, the oldest child is the most conscientious, has higher
IQ and even higher earnings than his or her siblings. Whereas the youngest child supposedly ends
up having greater wit, charm and the ability to get on with people. This seems to hold true for a
number of people I know, but I suppose these sorts of statistics should always be taken with a pinch
of salt. For example, in my family it’s the youngest whose salary is…

Expected response: higher/the best/the largest (or equivalent).

• I’m concerned that we’re placing too much trust in experts. In a world where there is a deluge of
information, we believe that experts are more up to the task of assessing it than we are. We rely on
them unthinkingly, forgetting our own sense of responsibility. When we have to weigh up different
courses of action, we should abandon our over-reliance on expert advice and start making our own
decisions. The consequences of not doing this are alarming. A recent experiment showed that
people would accept the advice of experts whether or not…

Expected response: it was right/correct/good (or equivalent).

• I’d never done it before and was shaking like a leaf. I had to do this if I wanted to prove myself in
my new job. I stayed up till late making copious notes and I practiced it in front of the mirror
countless times. Despite an initial wobble in my voice, it seemed to go down pretty well. I got my
points across and managed to crack a joke at the end! There were a few laughs and applause. So I
breathed again and realised that in future, I won’t mind…

Expected response: giving a presentation/talking in public/public speaking (or equivalent).

• The press has had a field day reporting recent experiments with drugs that appear to be unravelling
the mechanisms of sleep. According to scientists, these drugs would make sleep unnecessary.
Imagine a 24-hour society, one in which people would never need to sleep. They could work all day
and party all night. Sound like a nightmare? But then nightmares would be a thing of the past.
However, a doctor from a sleep research centre argues that sleep enables the brain to store
memories and recuperate from work. He therefore believes these drugs…

Expected response: are dangerous/should be banned/are a bad idea (or equivalent).

• A new study indicates that people who think they excel at multi-tasking usually don’t. It shows that
the majority of the participants who rated themselves as above average were, in fact, worse than
average. According to researchers and psychologists, these people multi-task excessively in all areas
of their lives. This is because they are impulsive, easily distracted, and even have an inflated sense
of their own ability. In fact the participants who understand their abilities turned out of be the ones
who…

Expected response: were better/the best at multi-tasking (or equivalent).

• Many of the most remarkable advances in food production in recent years have been vilified by
both press and public. It comes as no surprise then, that the spectre of meat being artificially
manufactured in a laboratory setting, has been greeted with revulsion and cries of outrage. But this
research isn’t going to go away. And successfully lab-produced meat might be able to address two
threatening issues simultaneously. I’m referring to environmentally damaging gas emissions, and
the looming concern of overpopulation. Consequently, such research deserves…

Expected response: praise/backing/support/funding/serious consideration (or equivalent).

• Fiction fulfils many roles, sparking our imagination or providing a welcome burst of escapism. On
another level, though, it acts rather like a personal guide, leading us on a dance through a
succession of scenarios and locations we may have already visited. Whether such dances are joyful
or macabre depends on the genre concerned. In a similar vein, it can put us in touch with feelings
we once had, but perhaps scarcely remembered, until the words on the page miraculously bring
them rushing vividly back to life. Either way it serves to reconnect us with…

Expected response: our past/previous experiences/memories (or equivalent).

• We know from history books that actors and spectators ate fruit, bread or even potatoes during a
performance. Archaeologists have been engaged in some serious detective work here on site, and
they’ve identified half a dozen fruit and a variety of shellfish, including oysters, which were plentiful
and cheap then. We were amused to find that the debris after a live performance was not unlike the
abundance of plastic cups and popcorn buckets left after a modern screening of a blockbuster. But
what surprised us most about the early 17th century was the variety of foodstuffs that people
consumed while…

Expected response: watching a play (or equivalent).

• Why don’t people speak out at work when they see something isn’t working? There are several
common reasons for people’s hesitation. They could be unsure of the facts or worried about the
repercussions. Perhaps we should ask why people do act or speak out. For a start, in empowers the
whistle-blower, and also everybody in the organisation. the conspiracy of silence of broken. Instead
of creating mistrust, it builds an atmosphere of honesty and openness. When I spoke out, I didn’t
feel I was behaving disloyally. Quite the contrary. In fact, if faced with a similar situation, I…
Expected response: would do it again/act similarly/speak out again (or equivalent).

“After I’ve read each passage, I’ll ask you a question about what you’ve heard.”

(You don’t have to read out all the passages below. You can choose only three of them.)

• I keep hearing new theories which support the idea that music can help you to study more
efficiently. For example, some research claims that listening to the right kind of music when you
study can help relax your mind, cut down on other distractions and enable you to concentrate
better. Some people even say that listening to music with 60 beats per minute puts you in an alert
state of mind, which can help you focus easily. I suppose this is possible, but surely anything that
competes for your attention when you’re trying to concentrate is a distraction.

Q. What is the speaker’s attitude to the idea that listening to music helps you study?
A: Sceptical/questioning/dubious (or equivalent)

• One of the mysteries that perplexed zoologists for a long time is why zebras have stripes. The most
common theory up to now has been that the stripes make it more difficult for predators to single
out an individual zebra from the herd. But it turns out that’s not it. And they’re not for decoration
either. Like all members of the horse family, zebras are plagued by flies, which can make their lives
a misery. So experiments were devised to see whether the stripes had any effect. Results have
shown that plain black and plain white horses attract far more insects than two-tone zebras.

Q: According to the passage, why do zebras have stripes?

A: To repel/keep away flies (or equivalent).
• The hardest part of my job is at international conferences or diplomatic events when I have to do it
simultaneously. I need to make sure I represent what the speaker’s just said in the same tone and
register, so that their exact intention and meaning is conveyed to the audience quickly and
accurately. It’s not just a case of communicating their message word for word as that could result in
confusion. The mental acuity required in this profession is very challenging, but I take pride in the
fact that others are dependent on my skills.

Q: Who is the speaker?

A: An interpreter/a translator.

• Many governments strive to eradicate all risk from the lives of the people they serve. But this desire
is counterproductive. If we never encounter danger, surely, we’ll never learn to cope with it. Some
safety warnings are laughable. On the packaging of one brand of an electric iron appeared the
caveat, ‘Do not iron clothes on body’; on a child’s Superman costume it stated, ‘Wearing of this
garment does not enable you to fly’. It’s simply not possible to prevent all accidents. By definition,
an accident is something unpredictable and out of our control.

Q: What is the speaker’s attitude to government attempts to prevent accidents?

A: Critical/that they are ridiculous or pointless (or equivalent).

Our planet has always been in a state of continuous change, causing the habitats of various animal
species to be altered and modified. Such natural change to animal habitats tends to occur at a
gradual pace, usually having only a slight impact on individual species, which isn’t a major concern.
However, a greater problem is when changes occur in such a way that there is little or no time for
individual species to react and adjust to new circumstances. This can have a disastrous effect and
lead to habitat destruction, which in turn can result in some species becoming endangered.

Q: What kind of change to animal habitats is the speaker worried about?

A: Fast/rapid change (or equivalent).

• Art galleries are not just a venue for showing paintings or sculptures, they have a much more
important role. You can learn so much, not just from the subject of a work of art, but also from the
materials used and the way the gallery chooses to present the work. A chronological exhibition, for
example, helps us to understand how external factors influenced a particular artist. Or, an
exhibition of a number of contemporary artists from a given period can give you a real insight into
the social history of the times. It’s not just about aesthetics.

Q: According to the speaker, what is the purpose of art galleries?

A: Educational
• When my film came out I had no idea what the reaction would be. It was quite revolutionary at the
time. Ad often happens with original work, the reviews were very mixed. Although the characters
were familiar, the setting and the plot were so unusual that most audiences were completely taken
aback. I think it was because the world I had created was a far cry from the world they inhabited. It
wasn’t sci-fi exactly, but it looked ahead to a very challenging future society and people couldn’t
work it out. I’m thankful they eventually overcame this barrier and, as you know, the film went on
to become a classic.

Q: How did the audiences react to the film at first?

A: They didn’t understand it, they were surprised (or equivalent).

• A group of behavioral psychologists has recently been optimistically employed by the government.
This group aims to use psychology to nudge us, that is, to gently push us, towards a healthier life. An
example is fruit positioned at eye level in supermarkets to catch our attention. To me, this nudge
approach seems rather too subtle to effective. The small amount of money being spent by
advertisers who are trying to push us in the opposite direction.

Q: What effect does the speaker think the nudge approach will have on people’s health?
A: It will have a minimal effect/it is unlikely to make them healthier (or equivalent).

• The stage set was effective and there were also one or two sparks of irony in the play that the
audience were quick to pick up on. The two protagonists were charming and gad brilliant comic
timing. Although some parts of the dialogue were fast-paced and witty, in other places the writing
let the actors down. However, the performers had a wonderfully sensitive approach to their roles,
which compensated for the shortcomings of the play. But for this, it would be a box-office dissipater
because of the predictable and over-sentimental plot — not to mention the irritating sound effects.

Q: According to the speaker, what is the main strength of the play?

A: The acting/the two performers/actors (or equivalent).

• The trade in fake designer goods has become big business in recent years and is a problem of major
proportions for the customs authorities and manufacturers alike. The government’s response so far
has been somewhat mediocre. Instead of nipping it in the bud, they are yet again paying lip service
to thi9s very serious issue by setting up another body to investigate and report. By the time the
report is available the trade will have become so entrenched in our society that it will be almost
impossible to disband. Meanwhile, the fashion industry faces more financial hardship at a
particularly volatile time.

Q: What does the speaker think the government should do about this issue?
A: Stop the trade in fake designer goods (immediately)/take a firmer stance (or equivalent).