B2 Name:

Class:
2ND EDITION First for
Schools

UNIT 9: SKILLS TEST A

DICTATION 3 What did Sylvia particularly like in the gallery?

A sculptures of birds
You are going to listen to a recording about someone’s B artwork using unusual materials
attitude to fashion. Listen to the whole recording once. C photographs of normal people
Then you will hear the recording again with pauses for you 4 What does Sylvia say was the most useful thing she learned
to write down what you hear. Make sure you spell the words from her time in the gallery?
correctly.
A the way to write well
 B the importance of getting the press interested in events
 C the need to get administrative tasks done on time
5 How does Sylvia feel about some unusual things she was
 asked to do?
 A pleased she was able to learn from them
B happy that they were so enjoyable

C relieved that they weren’t very difficult
 6 For Sylvia, meeting famous people at the gallery
A gave her insights into their lifestyle.

B was an exciting part of the job.
 C was less satisfying than she expected.
 7 What does Sylvia feel is the main advantage of work
experience?
 A the chance to find out about unexpected abilities
 B the opportunity to make important contacts
C the possibility of earning a salary

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10 Task 2
For questions 8–10, choose the answer (A, B or C) which fits
best according to what you heard in Task 1.

LISTENING
You are going to listen to a radio interview with a student
who spent the summer working at an art gallery.
8 What is the best summary of how Sylvia benefited from her
job?
A She gained experience of the business side of art.
B She discovered the value of recycled materials.

Task 1 C She had an opportunity to improve her communication

For questions 1–7, choose the answer (A, B or C) which fits
best according to what you hear.
1 How did Sylvia feel about working in a gallery?
A surprised she had the chance to try different things
B annoyed that she couldn’t make any money
C pleased she could confirm her choice of a future career
2 Sylvia thinks that she was offered the job because
A she is capable of dealing with digital media.
B she is good at interpreting customer needs.
C she had previous experience of selling things.
skills.
9 Which is the best description of Sylvia?
A She loves parties and celebrities.
B She doesn’t like being told what to do.
C She enjoys conversations about art.
10 What is the best description of Sylvia’s boss?
A She was obsessed with making money.
B She corrected Sylvia’s writing.
C She gave Sylvia some positive feedback.
6

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 B2 Name:
Class:
2ND EDITION First for
Schools

UNIT 9: SKILLS TEST A

READING
Task 1
Read the article. Choose from the sentences (A–H) the one which fits each gap (11–17). There is one extra sentence
which you do not need to use.
A And this should include a qualification in something that can pay your bills when your music can’t.
B And that decision will affect the courses, and even careers, that will be open to them after leaving school.
C Financial considerations can play a part here.
D However, what will help us is to do a lot of research around the subject
E For this reason, it’s encouraging that even a big decision like that one doesn’t lead to a consequence that can’t be altered.
F On the positive side, though, every decision we make, good or bad, helps us to grow up.
G Sleep on it and see if you still feel positive about your decision.
H This method is good for less important decisions too.

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Task 2
Read the article again and answer the questions in your own words.
18 What things should young people consider when choosing a college/university course? Use information from the text.
19 What two pieces of practical advice would you give someone to help them find out about a course and make a decision on
which college/university to apply for? Base your advice on information given in the text. Do not repeat information you have
already given.

Total: 50

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 B2
2ND EDITION First for
Schools
UNIT 9: SKILLS TEST A
Decisions, decisions!
Life is full of decisions, and we have to start making
some of the big, scary ones when we are not yet adults.
In many countries, including the UK, sixteen-year-
olds have to decide which subjects to specialise in for
their last two years of secondary school. (11) So,
if, let’s say, at sixteen you chose to study three modern
languages, art and maths for your last two years of
secondary education, you wouldn’t find it easy to get
a place at medical, dentistry or veterinary schools. The
reason is that all of them require you to have studied
maths and two or three science subjects.
Having said that, if you were really determined to be a
doctor, dentist or vet, you would, of course, be able to
spend an additional year or two after leaving school
catching up with the science you had missed out on.
(12)
Choosing the right college or university takes a lot of
evaluation, too. Young people can be torn between
the quality of a course offered at a particular university
nowhere near where they live, and the attraction of a
university conveniently close to their home, but where
the course might not be as interesting. (13) For
many students, renting a flat rather than staying in free
accommodation at home is not an option.
Selecting a course, whatever the college’s location,
is not always easy either. How do we know we are
going to enjoy a course in media studies, for example,
when we’ve never even tried the subject? We don’t,
unfortunately! (14) For example, we can read about
the courses that we’re interested in, consult other
Name:
Class:
students who have experience of the college we are
proposing to go to, and go to open days. They’re the
best way of evaluating a course. And they give us the
chance to speak to students currently on the course
we’re interested in, and to ask questions.
It’s probably a good idea to consider the career
prospects and the amount we could earn after taking
a particular course. After all, however much we love
our subject, only a minority of us study purely for
the sake of study. It’s true that some of us want to be
artists, actors, musicians, sportsmen and sportswomen
– careers that don’t guarantee decent incomes,
unfortunately. But we should think hard about the risks
involved and try to be practical. So if you’re planning to
be a rock star, you need a plan B too! (15)
Let’s say you have done all your homework. You’ve
researched the university, the campus, the course, its
career prospects, the fees, the student facilities and free-
time activities and you still can’t make up your mind.
What do you do? Make a list of the pros and cons of the
university or course, and come to a sensible decision
based on that. (16) Use it when you can’t make up
your mind about which club to join, which project to
do, even which trainers to buy!
The tough truth is that making decisions is difficult.
And we can’t know if we’ve made a correct one until we
experience the consequences of our choice. (17)
And in any case, as a twelfth-century philosopher said,
‘The risk of a wrong decision is preferable to the terror
of indecision’.
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