PRACTICE TEST 2

PART I: LISTENING
Section 1. Complete the form below. Write ONE WORD AND/ OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Rented properties customer’s requirements
Name: Steven Godfrey
Example: Answer:
No. of bedrooms: Four
Preferred location: In the ……central………………..(1) area of town
Maximum monthly rent: £ …………600…………..(2)
Length of let required: …………2 years…………….(3)
Starting: September 1st
5Complete the table below. Write ONE WORD AND/ OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Address Rooms Monthly rent Problem
Oakington Avenue Living/dining room, £ 550 No ……garage………
separate kitchen (4)
Mead Street Large living room and £ 580 The ……garden………
kitchen, bathroom and a (5) is
cloakroom too large

Section 2. Choose the correct answer

LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES
1. Paul decided to get work experience in South America because he wanted A to teach English there
10 B to improve his Spanish
C to learn about Latin American life D to improve his English
2. What project work did Paul originally intend to get involved in?
A construction B agriculture C tourism D architecture
3. Why did Paul change from one project to another?
15 A his first job was not well organized B he found doing the routine work very boring C
the work was too physically demanding D his first job was boring
4. In the village community, he learnt how important it was to
A respect family life B develop trust
C use money wisely D spend time with neighbors
205. What does Paul say about his project manager?
A he let Paul do most of the work B his plans were too ambitious C
he was very supportive of Paul D he was too ambitious

Section 3. Listen to the conversation between Sasha and Jim, then complete the True/False exercise below.
25 1. Sasha is currently unemployed. T/F
2. Jim understands now why Sasha had problems in her previous apartment. T/F
3. The problem with the television is that Sasha has sometimes forgotten to turn the TV off. T / F
4. Sasha didn’t know that Jim used the lights in the apartment as an anti-crime measure. T/F
5. Sasha never realized the different cleaner was causing a problem in the shower. T/F
30
Section 4. You will hear an announcement about an evening’s program on Radio Pearl. Complete the
sentences with no more than 3 words.
- 7.30pm ‘Art Review’: Student Art Exhibition
This evening’s programme is taking place at the ……national museum……………………(1) in London. The
35exhibition is of work by students in the ………final/last…………………(2) year of their art course. At the
 exhibition, you can see things as different as curtains and …glass work/glass…..…………… (3). Some of the
works of art have been made using ……industrial…………(4) technology.
- 8.00pm Play ‘The Vanishing Lady’
In the play, a young couple on a train think they hear the sound of someone using a ………
40gun………………… (5). A ………waiter………………… (6) tells the couple about an old lady whom he has
seen. After writing this play, the author, Porten, became a writer for …………film(s)/movies………………
(7).
- 9.30pm ‘Business Scenes’: Interview with Peter Field
Peter used to work for a ………computer company………………… (8). Peter says the material he uses for his
45boats is a particular kind of ………metal………………… (9). Peter collects …………(old) maps.……………
(10) as a hobby.

PART II – VOCABULARY AND GRAMMAR

Section 1. Choose the best answer.
501. My friend eventually decided to quit her job, _______ upset me a lot
A. that B. what C. which D. who
2. Sales began the year at 30,000 units in January and increased slightly ________ 2,000 units in February.
A. by B. to C. in D. at
3. John: “Our teacher, Mr. Jones, is not very flexible. He always requires us to submit his assignments on time.”
55 Jack: “ _________. He should know that we have to learn many subjects.”
A. I can’t disagree with you more B. I can’t agree with you more : đồng ý
C. That can be true D. I am not with you here
4. _____ Mississippi River flows into _____ Gulf of Mexico in _______ state of Louisiana.
A. - / the / the B. The / the / the C. The / - / - D. - / - / - 5. You _______ then ;
60 otherwise , the policeman wouldn’t have stopped you .
A. could have been speeding B. must have been speeding
C. might have been speeding D. ought to have been speeding
6. We cannot judge a person simply on the ______ of his education.
A. theory B. condition C. basis D. principle
657. The number of learners not large; therefore, a number of headphones available to them in the lab
A. are - is B. is - are C. are - are D. is – is
8. He apologized me not having come to my birthday party
A. to – for B. Ø – for C. to - on D. with – for
9. When friends insist on ______ expensive gifts, it makes most people uncomfortable.
70 A. them to accept B. they accepting C. their accepting D. they accept 10. By the time
Brown’s daughter graduates, __________ retired.
A. he B. he has C. he’ll being D. he’ll have
11. The ________ are against her winning a fourth consecutive gold medal.
A. chances B. bets C. prospects D. odds
7512. References can have a considerable _______ on employment prospects.
A. cause B. decision C. weight D. bearing
13. Her performance in the last scene was quite ________.
A. describable B. remarkable C. notable D. noticeable
14. You should be _________ ashamed of yourself for what you have done.
80 A. thoroughly B. hopelessly C. entirely D. earnestly
15. Hardship and hard work are very much part and ________ of student life.
A. package B. section : (important) part C. province: phạm vi D. parcel :
phần(chia)
16. You’ll be glad to know that Yuki’s work is showing a ___________ improvement.
85 A. mediocre B. minimal C. prominent D. pronounced
 17. Far be it from me to _________ down the law, but I think we need to pull our socks up. LAY DOWN THE
LAW
A. put B. lay C. write D. set
18. The prospects of picking up any survivors are now __________.
90 A. thin B. narrow C. slim D. restricted
19. I think that Tolstoy should be ________ reading for anyone interested in literature.
A. necessary B. compelled C. required D. legal
20. Hopes are _______ of finding the missing boat.
A. darkening B. going C. fading D. draining
95
Section 2 - Most but not all of the following lines contain one unnecessary word. Underline the word that
is not needed.
1. Parents in Britain are required by law to see that their children receive full-time
2. education between the ages of 5 and 16. At present, there are about nine million
1003. school-children at about 40,000 schools. The number is increasing, mainly because of
4. some increase in the birth rate, and such primary school numbers are very high.
5. Although the birth-rate has now stabilized, each year more of children stay
6. on at school from beyond the minimum leaving age. There is, therefore, a
7. continuing need for more teachers and more school buildings. In England, Wales and
1058. Northern Ireland, it is usual for boys and girls to be taught all together in primary schools:
9. that is, up to the age of 11, but about half the secondary schools are for boys and girls only.
10. Although mixed schools are more common in Wales and Scotland, where all but a few city
11. schools take both boys and girls. As to a result of the reorganization of schools, and the
12. introduction of comprehensive education, much more children are attending co-educational
11013. establishments. While in the independent sector, more than half the schools are
14. co-educational; but of those that providing secondary education, the majority are either for
15. boys or girls. These independent schools does receive no grants from public funds, 16. and charge fees. They
are of two types: the preparatory schools and the public schools.

115Section 3. Complete the sentence with suitable preposition.

1. I'm tired and stressed and the kids have been acting ___up_________ all day. They don't seem to know
how to behave properly. = > If a person, especially a child, acts up, they behave badly
2. I met Harold in the supermarket. He was asking _____about_________ you and I said you were fine and
really happy about this new job you've got.
1203. I'll ask your boss ______out________ for dinner tonight if he isn't busy. It will make a good impression,
don't you think?
4. If your boss accuses you of missing yesterday's meeting on purpose, I will back you _____up_____ by
saying you had to do something for me. = HELP
5. I can hardly read this document. Go and blow it ____up____ so it is at least twice the size.
1256. These statistics are too confusing. We need to break them_____off ______ into the four different seasons
of the year for a clearer picture. = SEPERATE
7. If someone phones me while I am in the meeting, I will have to break _____up_______ for a few minutes
as I am expecting a really important call.
8. After the First World War, the Austro-Hungarian empire was broken ____out______ into several pieces. 9.
130 Sales are up 10% on this period last year. We need to build ____up______ that if we are to save this
company.
10. When I told her about her mother's illness being incurable, she broke ____into_____ tears.

Section 4. Word form

135Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to form a word that fits in the space in the
same line.
Photography has many forms and ………APPLICATIONS……….(1). Of all of them, APPLY
the
practice of taking pictures of earth from the air has had the most value for
geographers………WORLWIDE……….(2). WORL
D
Photography was still in its……INFANCY………….(3) when, in 1858, French artist INFAN
Felix Tournachon took the first aerial photograph from a hot-air balloon. From T
these crude ………BEGINNINGS……….(4), aerial photographs have been taken from BEGIN
…INCREASINGLY………….(5) higher vantage points and now cameras on satellites INCEA
can SE
capture images of earth from space.
This would have been…UNIMAGINABLE………….(6) in 1858. Today, such images IMAGINE
provide a wealth of detailed information and ………CONSEQUENTLY……….…….(7) they have
140CONSEQUENCE made an enormous contribution to our understanding of the Earth’s atmosphere
and weather patterns. They are also invaluable to
……ARCHEOLOGISTS………(8) and
ARCHAEOLOGY
those monitoring urban……EXPANSION………….(9). EXPAND
145Although aerial photographs and maps both present a bird’s eye view of the
Earth’s surface, they are valuable in different ways. In terms of
………ACCURACY……….(10)
ACCURATE
maps will always provide a more reliable representation of the surface of the Earth. However, aerial
150photography has become the more influential as a means of documenting the world’s changing landscape
and ecosystems.

PART III. READING COMPREHENSION

Section 1. Read the text below and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits each space.
155Earth is the only place we know of in the universe that can support human life. (1)_______ human activities
are making the planet less fit to live on. As the western world (2) _______ on consuming two-thirds of the
world's resources while half of the world's population do so (3) _______ to stay alive we are rapidly
destroying the (4) _______ resource we have by which all people can survive and prosper. Everywhere
fertile soil is (5) _______ built on or washed into the sea. Renewable resources are exploited so much that
160they will never be able to recover (6) _______ We discharge pollutants into the atmosphere without any
thought of the consequences. As a (7) _______ the planet's ability to support people is being (8) _______at
the very time when rising human numbers and consumption are (9) _______ increasingly heavy demands on
it. The Earth's (10) _______ resources are there for us to use. We need food, water, air, energy, medicines,
warmth, shelter and minerals to keep us fed, comfortable, healthy and active. If we are sensible in how we
165use the resources they will last indefinitely. But if we use them wastefully and excessively they will soon run
out and everyone will suffer.
1. A. Although B. Still C. Yet D. Despite
2. A. continues B. repeats C. carries D. follows
3. A. already B. just C. for D. entirely
4. A. alone B. individual C. lone D. only
5. A. sooner B. neither C. either D. rather
6. A. quite B. greatly C. utterly D.
completely
7. A. development B. result C. reaction D. product
8. A. stopped B. narrowed C. reduced D. cut
 9. A. doing B. having C. taking D. making
10. A. natural B. real C. living D. genuine

Section 2. Gap filling- Fill each blank with a suitable word

The Goulburn Valley is situated in the south-east corner of the Australian continent, in the state of Victoria.
170Because of the introduction (1) ____of______ irrigation over a century ago, primary industry flourished,
resulting in (2)______a_____multitude of orchards and market gardens. After World War II, migrants
flocked to the area in search of work on the farms, and in (3)____many_______ cases, establishing a
property of their own. Unfortunately, the region (4)_____has______taken a turn for the worse over the past
decade. The irrigation water that was (5)_____once______plentiful has now been rationed, and many
175farmers have been forced (6)_____off______the land. The main source of water (7)_____is______from the
Goulburn River, with several reservoirs located along its stretch to the mighty Murray River. Dam capacities
have fallen to dangerous levels, resulting in some farmers having an inadequate supply of irrigation water.
(8)____Despite_______ the recent hardships, some farmers have continued to eke an existence out of the
land. Many have become (9)____more_____ ingenious, devising new ways to utilize water plus finding
180special niches to service the ever-changing urban needs. Perhaps the Goulburn Valley can return to its
prosperous times (10)_____soon____.
 Section 3. Read the following passage, and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to
indicate the correct answer to each question.
185 A survey is a study, generally in the form of an interview or a questionnaire, which provides
information concerning how people think and act. In the United States, the best-known
surveys are the Gallup poll and the Harris poll. As anyone who watches the news during
campaigns presidential knows, these polls have become an important part of political life in
the United States.
190 North Americans are familiar with the many "person on the street” interviews on local
television news shows. While such interviews can be highly entertaining, they are not
necessarily an accurate indication of public opinion. First, they reflect the opinions of only
those people who appear at a certain location. Thus, such samples can be biased in favor of
commuters, middle-class shoppers, or factory workers, depending on which area the
195 newspeople select. Second, television interviews tend to attract outgoing people who are
willing to appear on the air, while they frighten away others who may feel intimidated by a
camera. A survey must be based on a precise, representative sampling if it is to genuinely
reflect a broad range of the population.
In preparing to conduct a survey, sociologists must exercise great care in the wording of
200 questions. An effective survey question must be simple and clear enough for people to
understand it. It must also be specific enough so that there are no problems in interpreting the
results. Even questions that are less structured must be carefully phrased in order to elicit the
type of information desired. Surveys can be indispensable sources of information, but only if
the sampling is done properly and the questions are worded accurately.
205 There are two main forms of surveys: the interview and the questionnaire. Each of these
forms of survey research has its advantages. An interviewer can obtain a high response rate
because people find it more difficult to turn down a personal request for an interview than to
throw away a written questionnaire. In addition, an interviewer can go beyond written
questions and probe for a subject's underlying feelings and reasons. However, questionnaires
210 have the advantage of being cheaper and more consistent.

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

A. The history of surveys in North America
B. The principles of conducting surveys
215 C. Problems associated with interpreting surveys D. The importance of polls in
American political life
2. The word "they" in line 9 refers to_______.
A. North Americans B. news shows C. interviews D. opinions
3. According to the passage, the main disadvantage of person-on-the-street interviews is that they ……
220 A. are not based on a representative sampling
B. are used only on television
C. are not carefully worded
D. reflect political opinions
4. Which of the following terms is defined in the passage?
225 A. Survey B. Public opinion C. Representative sampling D. Response rate
5. According to paragraph 3, which of the following is most important for an effective survey?
A. A high number of respondents
B. Carefully worded questions
 C. An interviewer's ability to measure respondents' feelings
230 D. A sociologist who is able to interpret the results
6. The word "exercise" in line 16 is closest in meaning to_______.
A. utilize B. consider C. design D. defend
7. The word "elicit" in line 19 is closest in meaning to_______.
A. compose B. rule out C. predict D. bring
out
 8. It can be inferred from the passage that one reason that sociologists may become frustrated
with questionnaires is that_______.
A. respondents often do not complete and return questionnaires
235 B. questionnaires are often difficult to read
C. questionnaires are expensive and difficult to distribute
D. respondents are too eager to supplement questions with their own opinions
9. According to the passage, one advantage of live interviews over questionnaires is that live
interviews_______.
240 A. cost less B. can produce more information
C. are easier to interpret D. minimize the influence of the researcher
10. The word "probe" in line 27 is closest in meaning to_______.
A. explore B. influence C. analyze D. apply

245 Section 4. Read the text carefully and then choose the correct answers.
IS TECHNOLOGY HARMING OUR CHILDREN’S HEALTH?
Technology is moving at such a breakneck speed that it is enough to make your head
spin. It can be difficult to keep up. However, with each new technological marvel come
consequences. Much of the research conducted has shown the extent of the damage being done
250 to our health by technology. It is a scary thought, and with teenagers and children being heavy
consumers and users of these gadgets, they run the risk of being harmed the most.
The digital revolution in music has enabled people to download, store and listen to songs
on a tiny, portable device called an MP3 player. The process is quick and afterwards you can
have access to a library of thousands of songs that can fit into your palm. But experts say that
255 continuously listening to loud music on these small music players can permanently damage hair
cells in the inner ear, resulting in hearing loss. For instance, old-fashioned headphones have
been replaced with smaller ones that fit neatly into the ear, instead of over them, which
intensifies the sound. In addition to that, digital music does not distort and keeps its crystal clear
sound, even on loud settings, which encourages children to crank up the volume. Combine that
260 with the fact that many children will spend hours listening to their iPods, and you have the
recipe for hearing loss. Put into further perspective, most MP3 players can reach levels of 120
decibels, which is louder than a chainsaw or lawnmover. When you consider 85 decibels is the
maximum safe decibel level set by hearing experts over the course of a working day, and that
children will listen to music at higher decibel levels than that for long periods of time, hearing
265 will invariably suffer.
Apart from hearing damage, there are other serious health risks. We are living in a
wireless age. Calls can be made and received on mobiles from anywhere and the internet can be
accessed without the need for cables. The advantages are enormous, bringing ease and
convenience to our lives. It is clear that mobiles and wireless technology are here to stay but we
270 are paying the price for the new technology? Studies have shown that the rapid expansion in the
use of wireless technology has brought with it a new form of radiation called ‘electropollution’.
Compared to two generations ago, we are exposed to 100 million times more radiation.
The human body consists of trillions of cells which use faint electromagnetic signals to
communicate with each other, so that the necessary biological and physiological changes can
275 happen. It is a delicate, natural balance. But this balance is being upset by the constant exposure
 to electromagnetic radiation (EMR) that we face in our daily lives and it is playing havoc with
our bodies. EMR can disrupt and alter the way in which our cells communicate and this can
result in abnormal cell behaviour. Some studies have shown that exposure to wireless
technology can affect our enzyme production, immune systems, nervous system and even our
280 moods and behaviour. The most dangerous part of the phone is around the antenna. This area
emits extremely potent radiation which has been shown to cause genetic damage and an
increase in the risk of cancer.
Research shows that teenagers and young adults are the largest group of mobile phone
users. According to a recent Eurobarometer survey, 70 percent of Europeans aged 12-13 own a
285 mobile phone and the number of children five to nine years old owning mobiles has greatly
increased over the years. Children are especially vulnerable because their brain and nervous
systems are not as immune to attack as adults. Sir William Stewart, chairman of the National
Radiological Protection Board, says there is mounting evidence to prove the harmful effects of
wireless technologies and that families should monitor their children’s use of them.
290 Besides the physical and biological, technology can also have serious mental
implications for children. It can be the cause of severe, addictive behaviour. In one case, two
children had to be admitted into a mental health clinic in Northern Spain because of their
addiction to mobile phones. An average of six hours a day would be spent talking, texting and
playing games on their phones. The children could not be separated from their phones and
295 showed disturbed behaviour that was making them fail at school. They regularly deceived
family members to obtain money to buy phone cards to fund their destructive habit. There have
been other cases of phone addiction like this.
Technology may also be changing our brain patterns. Professor Greenfield, a top
specialist in brain development, says that, thanks to technology, teenage minds are developing
300 differently from those of previous generations. Her main concern is over computer games. She
claims that living in a virtual world where actions are rewarded without needing to think about
the moral implications makes young people “lose awareness of who they are”. She claims that
technology brings a decline in linguistic creativity.
As technology keeps moving at a rapid pace and everyone clamours for the new must-
305 have gadget of the moment, we cannot easily perceive the long-term effects on our health.
Unfortunately, it is the most vulnerable members of our society that will be affected.
Questions 1-5. Complete the table below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS
AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.
How MP3 players can threaten health
MP3 player features Harmful results Effects
Problem A new……(smaller) headphones.… (1) fit creates intense sound damage t
inside ears hair cell
Problem B ………digital music……….……(2) is invites children to increase and los
distortion-free with clear quality sound ……….the volume …… (3) of hearing
Problem C capable of producing sound at as loud as a lawnmower or chainsaw –
……120 decibels……… (4) over recommended safe ……decibel
level…(5)
310 Questions 6-10. Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in the
passage?
Write YES if the statement agrees with the writer’s views
NO if the statement contradicts the writer’s views
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
315 6. There are considerable benefits to our wireless world. ____Y_______
7. Wireless technology is a permanent part of our lives. _____Y______
8. Exposure to EMR can lead to criminal behaviour. _____NG______
9. It is impossible to become obsessed with technology. ______Y_____
10. Using technology always helps with academic success. ______N_____
320
PART IV: WRITING
Section 1. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one
1. I took no notice of the man standing at the gate.
I didn’t pay attention to the man standing at the gate.
325 2. This hotel is inaccessible in winter.
It is impossible to reach this hotel in winter.
3. The only reason the party was a success was that a famous film star attended.
Had it not been for attendance of a famous film star, the party would not have been a success.
4. Freak weather conditions resulted in the hurricane which devastated the area.
330 The hurricane which devastated the area was caused by the freak weather conditions.
5. He discontinues his studies because he is poor.
His poverty prevent him from his studies.
Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one using
between 3 and 6 words including the word given.
335 1. Would you give us your answer as soon as possible.
CONVENIENCE
Please respond at your convenience
2. It's one thing to think there's a demand for your product and another to actually make a sale.
WORLD
340 There's a world of difference between thinking there's a demand for your product and actually
making a sale.
3. I'm so sorry, I didn't realise it was so late.
TRACK
Sorry, I lost track of the time.
345 4. The anti-smoking advertisement does not stop people from smoking
INEFFECTIVE
The anti-smoking advertisement is ineffective at stopping people from smoking.
5. There is a possibility that you may be able to get a grant
ELIGIBLE
350 We are pleased to say that you may be eligible for a grant

Section 2. Essay writing

 It has been said, "Not all learning takes place in the classroom." Compare and contrast
knowledge gained from personal experience with knowledge gained from classroom
355 instruction. In your opinion, which source is more important? Why?

Learning, in common parlance, is the act of acquiring knowledge from anywhere, anytime
possible in many ways such as practice, gathering information from many places,... Usually,
people can gain knowledge in two main ways: knowledge gained from personal experience and
360 from lessons learned in school. Even so, for me, classroom teaching broadens our range of
knowledge, but it doesn't have the lasting quality, broad and practical amount of knowledge
like real-life personal experience.

To begin with, both personal experiences and classroom lectures open up to us a variety of
365 learning methods, knowledge, and an understanding outlook on life. It is very important
for us to learn more from our personal experiences every day to understand more about the world
and the people around us. Each person's empirical experience can also teach them how to behave
and respond to common situations in life.Among the many famous and talented people, there are
very few who learn from their own success but mainly learn from their own failures. For
370 example, Edison after many attempts to make a light bulb and failed, he finally succeeded and
gave humanity a perfect and essential product in life or from a typical and smallest example that
is when a baby learns to walk, they will fall many times and only after those times will they be
able to walk.

375Similarly, teaching in the classroom also helps us to absorb many new things in life, not only
that, in school, we also learn a lot of different subjects. For example, in history class, teachers
will teach us more about the history of our country and other countries in the world. Like
experience, we also learn from our mistakes done in classroom . When we have done a mistake,
teachers will explain our mistakes and provide us with solutions. We also learn from the
380 successes and mistakes of our ancestors; we learn hierarchies about do's and don'ts. Like
experience, we also learn from our mistakes done in classroom, when we have done a mistake,
teachers will explain our mistakes and provide us with solutions. While there are many
similarities between personal experience and classroom instruction, there are also quite a few
different aspects between them. We learn in class that failure is the basis of success, but most of
385 the time we don't know how to overcome that failure but if we really experience those failures,
each time is an experience for us to learn to overcome it.

So the reason why I believe personal experience is more important than classroom instruction is
that the lessons we learn from personal experience are often lasting or in some cases eternal.
390 Although personal experience will be very bitter in this case, we will remember this lesson for
the rest of our lives and draw from it a profound experience. Actually, human usually tends to
remember what he or she gains from their personal experience. The reason behind this is that we
feel our personal experiences more real, these will remained in our memory for a longer time
than any other indirect experiences from classroom instruction.
395
 In conclusion, we both learn directly from our own experience and from class instruction. Both
ways can give us a large sight about the world, and a great amount of knowledge but real
experience will give us more enduring knowledge. So, that’s why I think that personal
experience has a better source of knowledge.
400 THE END