B2 SAMPLE TEST FOR MAGISTRATE STUDENTS

The Test consists of two parts.

Part one is for reading part with three texts.

Second part is Use of English. It consists of four tasks.

TOTAL SCORE------------100

WISH YOU GOOD LUCK!

PART I

READING 1

You are going to read a newspaper article about a politician who made a film about climate
change.
Seven sentences have been removed from the article. Choose from the sentences A-H the one
which fits
each gap (1-7). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.

The Accidental Movie Star

Former Vice President of the U.S.A. Al Gore has made a film he hopes will help to change the way
we view climate change. Al Gore has been concerned with climate change, or 'climate crisis' as he
calls it, for the majority of his political career. As the years passed and he became more passionate
about this issue, he started travelling the world in order to educate people about the effects of global
warming using computer slideshows. Free of charge, he explained to his audiences that the world is
facing a 'planetary emergency' and that it isn't too late to stop it if appropriate action is taken now.
It was during this time of touring and giving lectures that Gore was spotted by Hollywood producer
Laurie David, who asked him to turn his slideshow into a documentary which he would play the
starring role. {1 ________} Eventually, though, David managed to persuade him. The result was a
fascinating documentary combining references to Gore's own life story with horrifying predictions
about the future of our planet.
Little did Gore know that just one year later he would be walking along the red carpet at the Cannes
Film Festival and later collecting an Oscar for 'Best Documentary'. {2 _______ } Advertised as 'the
scariest movie you'll ever see,' it concentrates on the potentially terrifying consequences of climate
change.
'An Inconvenient Truth' certainly gives us much to consider. For example, is there a link between the
frequency of strong hurricanes and global warming? Why was 2005 the hottest year ever recorded?
Could whole cities such as San Francisco one day be submerged in water due to rising sea levels?
{3_______ } As the title of the film suggests, however, it may be inconvenient for us to have to think
about the future of the planet, but think we must.
Published at the same time as the release of the film, Gore's book of the same title contains
additional information and scientific analysis to further support his claims. {4 _______} Gore is
delighted that some schools are even using the DVD to help them teach awareness of
environmental issues to their students.
As pessimistic as the film may seem, it ends on a positive note. {5______} If Gore was going to
present a problem, he wanted to offer a potential solution, too. His main hope is that people accept
the reality of the crisis and then turn that knowledge into action.

Gore leads by example. {6________ } He realises, however, that most people need a little more
help when it comes to changing their habits. For this reason, he has also been working hard to
encourage large shops to sell more environmentally friendly products.
So can this one man's efforts really make a difference? {7 ________ } It may not seem as if the
decisions of individuals can achieve very much, but put them all together and they may add up to
something that will, literally, change the world.

A. The movie owes its success to its ability to hold our attention.
B. He insists on using biodiesel vehicles and has decided to become carbon neutral, which means
that he reduces the amount of carbon dioxide he produces every day.
C. Well, according to Gore, if we are clear about what the problem is, then we are more likely to
introduce changes into our daily lives, such as choosing the 'greenest' light bulbs or cars.
D. Whilst both the film and the book have largely been well received by critics, they have been
criticised by some as being 'exaggerated' and 'over-the-top'.
E. The aim of the film certainly seems to be to 'shock' people into action, which may or may not be
the best way to tackle the issue of global warming.
F. The profits from both the film and the book are now funding other campaigns to spread the
message about global warming.
G. As Gore himself says, "It's not too late to solve this crisis, and solving it means avoiding the worst
of the consequences and reversing this trend towards catastrophe."
H. At first, Gore was reluctant, as he has always been a very private person, despite being used to
being in the public eye.

SCORE-----------------14

READING 2

You are going to read an article . For questions 1-5 choose the relevant A-C.

Some years ago, my husband and I went to stay with our friend, John, at a ‘pousada’ (guest house) he had
opened in Paraty, a small town in Brazil. John was going to have his 30th birthday after we left and to
celebrate this event, we told him we would like to take him out somewhere special for a meal. He said he
knew just the place and duly made all the arrangements.
On the date set, we parked and suddenly Senhor Roberto, the owner of the restaurant, appeared out of the
darkness clutching a candle in a jam jar. He led us up the hillside into the darkness along a well lit, but steep,
winding path which seemed to fall away.We had no idea where we were going and held each others’
hands.We suddenly realized the restaurant was above us and as we arrived, we were introduced to Senhor
Roberto’s wife and daughter, who stood shyly in the makeshift kitchen waiting to serve the food.
The restaurant itself was no less magical than the trip up, with two small tables set with banana leaves for
place mats and an arrangement of fabulous tropical flowers. It quickly became apparent that we were the
only guests and would be served dishes from food bought fresh at market and selected by the family, so
after chatting briefly, Senhor Roberto served the first course, which was some kind of Brazilian river fish
served with fried banana. More delights followed and the main course and high point of the meal was ‘Bobo
de camarao’, a dish of prawns served inside a baked pumpkin.
It was a remarkable meal, and what I remember was how Senhor Roberto and his family had served and
prepared the meal with a love of their local produce.

1 Why did the writer want to take John out for a meal?

A. To celebrate his birthday?

B. To commemorate a special event in the town
C. To celebrate seeing each other again

2 How does the writer describe the pathway to the restaurant?

A. Difficult
B. Surprising
C. busy

3 How was the table decorated?

A. With natural decorations

B. Like a normal restaurant
C. With family objects

4. Who chose the food?

A.John
B the writer, her husband and john
C Senhor Roberto, his wife and daughter

5. How do you think the writer would describe the meal?

A. Unique
B. Expensive
C. unremarkable

SCORE-----------------10
Reading text 3
You are going to read an article in which four people comment on a book they have read
recently. For questions 1-12, choose from the people A-D. the people may be chosen more than
once.

Sundance by Teresa Wilson

Kerry:

I really don't know why this book is so popular. I mean, I suppose it is going to appeal to young girls who
want danger and romance, but I found this book really tedious. For a start, the characters were really
unconvincing. The author went out of her way to add lots of details about the characters, but I found these
details really pointless. I thought that some of the facts she presented about the main characters would
become significant in some way later in the novel, but they didn't. They were just worthless bits of
information. I also was disappointed that, although this book is meant to be about kids at high school, the
writer seems to have no recollection at all about what it's like to be 17. The main character thought and
acted like a 32-year old. It just wasn't believable. I'm not saying Teresa Wilson is a bad writer. She can
obviously string words together and come up with a story that is appealing to a large number of people, but
she lacks anything original. There is no flair. It just uses the same sort of language as you can see in many
other mediocre novels.

Wild Ways by Margery Emerson

Liz:

I have to say that I won't forget this book for a long time. I was hooked from the very first chapter. The
devastating story affected me so much that I don't know if I'll ever feel the same again. I was close to tears
on several occasions. I've got images in my brain now that I don't think will ever leave me. It's incredibly
well-researched and, although it is fiction, is based on shocking real-life events. I learned an awful lot about
things that went on that I never knew before. Margaret Emerson has a brilliant way with words and I really
felt real empathy towards the characters, although I was sometimes irritated by the choices they made.
However, the parallel story, the part that is set in the present, is not quite so good. I found myself just
flicking through that part so that I could get back to 1940s Paris.

Orchid by Henry Rathbone

Imogen:

This is a delightful novel full of wonderful imagery, a paints a remarkable picture of life in a distant time and
a far-away place. If you're looking to learn about Eastern culture in great detail, then this is probably not the
book for you, as the writer skims over most of the more complicated aspects of the country's etiquette. The
historical aspects are also not covered in much depth. However, I wonder whether this was the writer's
intention. By doing this, he symbolise the superficiality of the girl's life. She, like the book, is beautiful and
eager to please, but remains too distant from us, the readers, to teach us much. Although I loved the book
and read it in one sitting, the ending was a bit of a disappointment. A story which involves so much turmoil,
in a place where the future is uncertain, should not have a happy-ever-after fairy-tale ending.

High Hills by Mary Holland

Hannah:

I read this book for a literature class. I know it's a classic, and I did try to like it, but I just didn't get into it. I
kept persevering, hoping that I'd start to enjoy it, but no such luck. The famous scene out on the moors was
definitely the best bit of the book, but even that I found ridiculous when it is clearly supposed to be
passionate. As I approached the end of the book, I figured there must be some kind of moral to the story,
something that I would learn from the experience of trudging through seven hundred long pages, but there
was nothing worthwhile. I don't know why the literary world sees this book as such a masterpiece. The
characters are portrayed as being intelligent, but they do such stupid things! And as for it being a love story
- marrying someone you don't love and then being abused by them - that doesn't spell love to me.

Which person read a book which……………..

1. was set in an Oriental country

2. finished in an unrealistic way

3. had characters that the reader could sympathise with

4. is well-known and was written a long time ago

5. contained two stories

6. was not set in the past

7. was historically accurate

8. made the reader cry

9. contained insignificant details

10. has a well-known scene

11. is written for teenagers

12. had unbelievable characters

SCORE----------------- 12
PART II

You have 50 minutes to finish this part

USE OF ENGLISH

TASK 1

Read the text below and for question 1-8 decide which answer from A-D best fits each gap.

The story of gold is an adventure involving kings, queens, pirates, explorers, conquerors, and the native
peoples they conquered. Throughout history, gold has woven a magic spell over those it touched. Gold is
beautiful and rare; a soft shiny metal that can be moulded into many (1) ... . It has been used for money,
jewellery, and to decorate special buildings such (2) ... palaces and places of worship. (3) ... the precious
metal was discovered, prospectors rushed to mine it, starting new cities and countries as they went. Gold
and the people who love it have helped shape the world we live (4) ... today. Gold is one of many elements,
or substances that cannot be changed by normal chemical means, that are found in the Earth's crust. Gold
has a warm, sunny colour and (5) ... it does not react (6) ... air, water, and most chemicals, its shine never
fades. In its natural (7) ... , gold is soft and easily shaped. When heated to 1,062 Celsius it melts and can be
poured into moulds to form coins, gold bars, and other objects. Stories have been told, movies (8) ... and
legends born about the discovery of the world's great gold deposits. It is a saga of dreams, greed, ambition
and exploration.

1.A. formats b. outlines c .shapes d. lines

2.a. as b. like c. many d. to
3. A. Whoever b. However c. forever d. wherever
4. A. at b. in c. for d. on
5. A. yet b. despite c. because d. so
6. A. with b. in c. of d. at
7. A. estate b. stage c. state d. position
8. A. done b. made c. composed d. built

CORE--------------------16
TASK 2

Read the text below .Use the word given in the capitals at the end of some of the lines to form a word
that fits the gap in the same line. There is an example at the beginning.

About Fish and Aquariums

There are more than 200,000 species of fish…..(0) inhabit- inhabiting many (1)
differ ... waters. New species of fish are discovered every year. From the deepest part
of the seas thousands of feet down in total (2) dark..., to the beautiful aqua-blue waters
of the coral reefs, to the streams, lakes, and ponds of freshwater found throughout the
world, fish have adapted an incredible variety of life-forms, styles, and (3 behave) ... .
The group of aquatic animals we call fishes has evolved for over 400 million years to be
the most (4)number ... and diverse of the major vertebrate groups. Forty-one percent
of the world's fish species inhabit only fresh water. This is pretty (5)amaze ...
considering that fresh water covers only 1 percent of the world's surface. As you
probably already know salt water covers 70 percent of the earth's surface. So the
number and (6)vary ... of fresh water species to marine or saltwater species is all the
more mind-boggling. While they inhabit the smallest amount of water, they have, in fact,
adapted to a much (7)wide ... range of habitats and to a greater variety of water
conditions. Let's take a closer look at the unique adaptations of fish that have allowed
them to live so (8)success ... in the medium we call water.

SCORE--------------------------16
 TASK 3

Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word for each gap.
There is an example at the beginning

Cats
Cats of (0)…all.. kinds are present in the legends, religion, mythology, and history of (1) ...
different cultures. Cave paintings created by early humans display different types of
wild cats (2) ... are now extinct, or no longer around. Many of these great beasts saw
humans as food, but were hunted by humans in return. Cats similar (3) ... the ones kept
as pets today started showing up in artwork thousands of years ago. For example, the
ancient Egyptians believed cats were the sacred, or special, animal of a goddess
named Bast. They believed that Bast often appeared as a cat, so many ancient
Egyptians respected and honoured cats and kittens. (4) ..., other cultures feared cats or
thought that they brought illnesses and bad luck. Today, with millions kept as pets in
homes around the world, cats have become important members of many families. No
one knows for sure when or (5) ... cats became very popular household pets. It's
possible that people noticed how cats hunted mice and rats, (6) ... they set food and
milk out to keep the cats near their homes. This helped to prevent (7) ... many of these
rodents (8) ... coming into homes and eating people's food or spreading sickness.

SCORE------------------------16
 TASK 4

Read the text below .Use the word given in the capitals at the end of some of the lines to form a
word that fits the gap in the same line. There is an example at the beginning.

0 What type of music do you like best?

Favorite

What is your favorite type of music?

1. I expected ice-skating to be more difficult than it actually was.

NOT

Ice-skating--------------------------------------as I had expected.

2. ‘Leon, I think you should tell your mother the truth’, said Maite.

ADVICED

Maite ------------------------------------- his mother the truth .

3. Not many people went to see that live concert in the park.

NUMBER

Only ------------------------------went to see that live concert in the park.

4. Noami hasn’t seen any of her cousins for years.

SAW

It’s------------------------------ any of her cousins

5. How many competitors went in for the race?

PART

How many competitors---------------------------------- the race?

6. You can borrow my new bicycle, but you must be careful with it.

LONG

You can borrow my new bicycle----------------------------- careful with it.

7. Melanie regretted choosing such an expensive jacket.

WISHED

Melanie---------------------------------- a less expensive jacket.

8. Recycling old newspapers seems pointless to me.

POINT

I can’t ------------------------------old newspapers.

SCORE------------------------16
Key for sample test (Magistrate)

PART I

READING 1

1. H 2. A 3. E 4. F 5. G 6. B 7. C

READING 2

1. A 2. B 3. A 4. C 5. A

READING 3

1. C 2. C 3.b 4. D 5. b 6.a 7. b 8. b 9. a 10. d 11. a 12. a

PART I

TASK 1

1. Shapes 2. A 3. D 4. B 5. C 6. A 7. C 8. B

TASK 2

1. Different 2. Darkness 3.behaviours 4. Numerous 5. Amazing 6. Variety 7.wider 8. Successfull

TASK 3

1.many 2. Which 3. Similar to 4. However 5. How 6. So 7. Too many 8. From

TASK 4

1. Was not as difficult

2. Advised Leon to tell
3. A small number of people
4. Years since Naomi saw
5. Took part in
6. As long as you are
7. She had chosen
8. See the point in/of recycling