Cutting Edge New Edition – B – Final Exam

Teacher’s Sheet

Introductory Notes

 This exam aims at evaluating students’ performance in different aspects of

language content and skills dealt with in Cutting Edge New Edition – B.
 It is important to note that there is not an oral component in this evaluation
format. A grade should be assigned to students’ oral performance based on the
criteria underlying the continuous evaluation process.
 This written exam consists of two booklets and is to be administered in two 75-
minute sessions. During the first one, students should complete Part A (Reading
Comprehension, Vocabulary and Language Focus), and during the second, Part
B (Listening Comprehension and Writing).
 The written exam and the oral performance grades are worth 100 points each. In
order to calculate the student’s final grade on the exam, the written exam grade
should be multiplied by two and added to the oral performance grade. This
amount should then be divided by three (see scoring table).
 Also, follow the criteria below when correcting all of students’ answers
throughout the exam.

DESCRIPTION OF CORRECTION CRITERIA

1. Neatness of Presentation Are the texts neatly presented? Are they legible?
2. Task Comprehension Was the student able to understand the instructions?
Is that reflected in the texts?
3. Genre Adequacy Do the texts present the characteristics of the genre
proposed - email, letter, postcard, note, etc.?
4. Contents Do the texts contain all the information asked for in
the task instructions?
5. Accuracy Do the texts show a reasonable command of
structures, as expected for the level?
6. Vocabulary Do the texts show appropriate and varied vocabulary?
7. Textual Cohesion Are sentences well connected? e.g. Are pronouns and
linkers adequately used? Does the student use
appropriate punctuation?
8. Creativity Does the student take risks, even if he/she makes
mistakes? Do the texts seem to “take flight”?
9. Use of Language Do the texts present previously taught - not
necessarily asked for - language items?
10. Overall Impression What do you think of the student’s general
performance based on the above criteria?
PART A

Reading Comprehension

Task 1
1. c
2. f
3. d
4. a
5. g
6. e
(b is the extra answer)

Task 2
Possible answers:
1. He feels concerned/frustrated because, according to his experience and researches
he’s read, students are leaving school with poor levels of literacy, numeracy,
communication and timekeeping.
2. He thinks schools are focusing on exams and targets when they should be focusing on
teaching the soft skills that are now needed in the workplace.
3. Open answer. Use the correction criteria presented on the first page of this teacher’s
sheet to help you grade your students’ piece of writing consistently and fairly.

Vocabulary

Task 1
1. overbearing
2. fees
3. vocational
4. scholarship
5. outspoken
6. laid-back

Task 2
1. looked
2. ‘m feeling/feel
3. sound
4. feelings

Task 3
1. b. spreading
2. c. away with
3. c. white
4. b. an excuse
5. a. off
Language Focus

Task 1
1. at pretending
2. to finish
3. to living
4. of being

Task 2
I frequently/often go out for dinner with the guys in my department, and I’ve just
invited Carl to join us. Since his wife died, he is frequently/often in a bad mood, so I
thought going out for dinner might cheer him up. This was the fifth time I invited him,
and he’s finally agreed to come with us.

Task 3
1. What are you going to study next year?/ What are you studying next year?
2. Julia is bound to be late.
3. I’ll be working in New York this time next week.
4. Mike is on the verge of resigning from his job.

Scoring Table
Part A Part B
Reading Comprehension Listening Comprehension
Task 1 ------------------ 9,0 (6 x 1,5) Task 1 ------------------ 2,0
Task 2 ------------------ 6,0 (3 x 2,0) Task 2 ------------------ 19,0
1. (5 x 2,0)
2. (3 x 3,0)
Vocabulary Writing --------------- 25,0
Task 1 ------------------ 6,0 (6 x 1,0)
Task 2 ------------------ 6,0 (4 x 1,5)
Task 3 ------------------ 5,0 (5 x 1,0)

Language Focus
Task 1 ------------------ 8,0 (4 x 2,0)
Task 2 ------------------ 6,0 (4 x 1,5)
Task 3 ------------------ 8,0 (4 x 2,0)

Sub-total = 54,0 Sub-total = 46,0

TOTAL Part A + Part B = 100,0

Written Exam (A+B) x 2

Oral Performance x1
Final Grade :3
PART B

Listening Comprehension
[Audio: Cutting Edge New Edition - Teachers’ Resource Disc: Test Audio – Track
13 – Speakers 1 to 5, Speaker 6 will not be used]

Advise students to read the questions in each task before listening. Then, play the audio
and stop it to give students some time to answer the question(s). After that, go on
playing and stop once again and allow some more time for students to review their
answers. If necessary, at the end (task 2.3), play the audio again so that students can
check all their answers.

Script . Cutting Edge New Edition – B – Final Exam

Speaker 1
I’ve been sharing a flat with Alice for a year now. At first everything went really well as
we’ve got lots in common and we’re doing the same course but as time has gone on,
I’m starting to get really irritated by her untidiness. Not that I’m obsessive or anything
but she never puts things away and I’m forever looking for stuff and …

Speaker 2
My flatmate Steve is quite difficult to get along with. When we’re out he can be the life
and soul of the party but when we’re at home, I’m never quite sure how he’s going to be
and the problem is that when he’s in a mood, he just doesn’t speak. I much prefer
people to have a rant and then it all blows over but …

Speaker 3
I don’t see it myself but all our friends tell us that we’re really alike so I guess that’s
why we get on. Sarah’s certainly very passionate about things she believes in … some
would call that opinionated but she definitely wouldn’t agree! As you can imagine, we
have some very heated debates and …

Speaker 4
I’m the kind of person who likes peace and quiet. I’m not exactly a recluse but I guess I
enjoy my own company while Clare is the opposite. She just never stops talking. I don’t
know whether it’s a nervous thing. Maybe she doesn’t like silence but it can get pretty
annoying when I’m trying to read or listen to music and she’ll …

Speaker 5
We’re both very similar in that we’re pretty relaxed about stuff. Life’s too short to get
worked up about things that really don’t matter. I mean, we seem to function pretty well
and things get done but we just don’t stress. Some of our friends are real control freaks
but we’re most definitely not and we try to take each day as it comes …

Task 1

They are all talking about their roommates.

Task 2

1.
A. T
B. F
C. T
D. T
E. F

2.
Possible answers:
A. When they’re out, Steve can be the life and soul of the party, but when they’re at
home, Speaker 2 never knows how Steve’s going to be. When he’s in a mood, for
example, he just doesn’t speak.
B. She likes peace and quiet. She likes to keep herself to herself.
C. Because they’re pretty relaxed about stuff. They get things done without stressing.

Writing
Use the correction criteria presented on the first page of this teacher’s sheet to help you
grade your students’ piece of writing consistently and fairly. Go over them carefully and
decide whether each item will be worth 2.5 points. Take into consideration their
relevance to the writing task.

Scoring Table
Part A Part B
Reading Comprehension Listening Comprehension
Task 1 ------------------ 9,0 (6 x 1,5) Task 1 ------------------ 2,0
Task 2 ------------------ 6,0 (3 x 2,0) Task 2 ------------------ 19,0
1. (5 x 2,0)
2. (3 x 3,0)
Vocabulary Writing --------------- 25,0
Task 1 ------------------ 6,0 (6 x 1,0)
Task 2 ------------------ 6,0 (4 x 1,5)
Task 3 ------------------ 5,0 (5 x 1,0)

Language Focus
Task 1 ------------------ 8,0 (4 x 2,0)
Task 2 ------------------ 6,0 (4 x 1,5)
Task 3 ------------------ 8,0 (4 x 2,0)

Sub-total = 54,0 Sub-total = 46,0

TOTAL Part A + Part B = 100,0

Written Exam (A+B) x 2

Oral Performance x1
Final Grade :3