English Test

CEF B2.3

Your name: _____________________ 

Class: E.....................

Date: ...........................................

READING /25

LISTENING /25

WRITING /25

SPEAKING /25

TOTAL /100
 Reading ( ___ /25M)
ALL WE NEED
An exhibition on human needs, resources and
fairness
A over. Chilean economist Manfred
It is impossible to get through a day without
reading or hearing something about the impact of
man’s profligate behaviour upon the fragile
environment of our planet. Could we really be in
part to blame for the recent spate of natural
disasters, from the devastating earthquake in
Haiti to the volcanic eruption in Iceland? Many
would have us believe that these events are a
direct result of the way we have treated, or
mistreated, planet Earth.
B F
I have always kept an open mind when it comes
to the relationship between our behaviour and
the state of our planet. It is, after all, hard to pick
your way through all the conflicting accounts to
find your own solution. I am, however, always
looking for new and challenging arguments so it
was with great interest that I bought my ticket for
an exhibition entitled All We Need at the Halle
des Soufflantes in Belval, Luxembourg.
C are juxtaposed with images of the harsh reality
As soon as I walked in I knew that this was going
to be no ordinary exhibition. I was greeted by a
huge dilapidated steelworks with bare girders
and pipes and the strange creaking noises of an
abandoned space. What better mirror could there
be of the bleakness of much of human existence?
D human statistics and provide an extraordinary
I was impressed by the exhibition’s aims and
rationale: “All We Need explores the world as a
global market through the human efforts to
dream, imagine and live a happy life. The
exhibition shows, in particular through the fair
trade example, alternatives in consumption and
life styles. It provides reflections and proposals
for action on the essential questions touching the
future of mankind: which are our fundamental
needs, and how can we satisfy them without
endangering either the survival of our planet, or
human rights?”
E
Human needs are the same the world
Max-Neef, recipient of the ‘Right Livelihood
Award’, also known as the ‘Alternative Nobel
Prize’, identified nine basic categories:
subsistence, idleness (leisure), affection,
freedom, protection, identity, understanding,
creation and participation. However, while basic
human needs might be the same wherever you
live, the disparity between those who achieve
these aims and those who do not is great
and growing.
This exhibition sets out to present a series of
alternative concepts, ideas and answers to the
eternal question of how to live a happy life and is
divided into a series of ‘spaces’, each reflecting
one of the human needs. While each space was
incredibly thought-provoking, challenging and
often upsetting, the two which hit home most
were the spaces dedicated to affection and
understanding. In the former, those traditional
tokens of love, roses, gold and diamonds,
behind these symbols: the flower plantations and
conflicts fuelled by greed. Equally thought
provoking is the understanding space. The
performance group Stan’s Café have created a
unique vision of the world by using piles of rice
whereby each grain represents one human
being. These mounds represent a wide range of
visual insight into the inequalities of this world.
G
The sheer volume of information in this multi-
media exhibition is quite overwhelming. Anyone
who is passionate about the future of the planet
owes it to themselves and to the future of the
world to include All We Need in their itinerary. I
walked out feeling so many conflicting emotions.
Coming from one of the most privileged countries
in the world, I was reminded once again just how
much there is to do to restore a sense of balance.
Reading Part One (8 marks) ___ /8

Read this review. Which paragraph mentions the following?

1) the perfection of the exhibition’s setting 

2) the widening gap between rich and poor 

3) human involvement in environmental damage 

4) the exhibits that had the greatest impact on the writer 

5) a way to attain a sustainable future 

6) a recommendation to visit the exhibition 

7) the writer’s personal thirst for knowledge 

Choose the best summary of the exhibition, according to the writer:

a) All We Need showcases the work of artists from the developing world.

b) All We Need seeks to highlight inequalities in the living conditions of peoples all around the
world.

c) All We Need focuses on the divisive issue of climate change and attempts to sort out the facts
from the rhetoric.
Reading Part Two
The best-sellers book club
Fancy being an author? We asked some of Britain's favourite best-selling
writers to share the secrets of their success.
A JOANNE HARRIS Her novels have attracted millions
of fans worldwide.
MY BIG BREAK I was a full-time
teacher and made time to
write my first novel before and
after school. It took two years.
Then 1 spent a fortune on
posting manuscripts to agents.
I found one, but he got
discouraged when my
manuscripts were rejected, so I
sacked him and wrote my next
novel, which my next agent
loved. He got me a deal for
both novels.
HOW I WORK I travel a lot, on promotional work, but
when I'm at home I work in my library, looking out onto
the garden. I don't want to do lots of research, so I stick
to subjects I know about.
MY BEST ADVICE 100,000 titles are published in the UK
every year. For each, 100 are rejected. If, knowing this,
you still want to write and you love it, you're on the
right track.
THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS I don't believe in a magic
wand. You need ability, luck and hard work.
B LAUREN CHILD She writes and illustrates children's
books for two to 10-year-olds.
MY BIG BREAK After school, I did an art course. Then
I did all sorts of jobs - making lampshades, working as
an assistant to artist Damien Hirst (I painted a lot of the
spots on his paintings). I wrote my first book in the
hope it would become an animation. I found an agent,
but didn’t get a deal for five years. I didn’t lose heart, as
so many people were positive about it. Eventually I got
a deal and was asked to do a second book.
HOW I WORK In the early days I used to work while I
answered the phones at a graphic design agency. Some
illustrations take hours, and I prefer having other
people around. Now, I’ve just bought a new house and
have a studio, but I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to
stand working by myself.
MY BEST ADVICE Read as much as you can before you
even think of writing. And you can’t please everyone -
THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS I keep stories simple, but
always add a quirky touch - children really like the more
bizarre moments in life. I also have a very honest audience
who tell me what they think.
C FREYA NORTH She writes lively, fast-paced fiction. MY
BIG BREAK I was doing a PhD in Art History and bought a
computer. The sheer joy of typing then deleting stuff was
compulsive and I started to write fiction that I actually
wanted to read. After four years of rejections, I presumed I
was doing something wrong. Then I worked for a publishing
company and realized needed an agent. I sent my
manuscript with fake reviews I'd made up myself to lots of
agents. One took me on and got me a three-book deal.
HOW I WORK I used to work at our kitchen table, but now I
go to the library. Touch-typing was the best thing I ever
learnt. I never interrupt the flow and just throw in asterisks
if I can't think of an adjective. It's as if the story and the
characters have taken me over and I have to struggle to
keep up!
MY BEST ADVICE Let your character dictate the story. It
could be the most intricate plot in the world, but if the
characters aren’t real, no one will care.
THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS I write simply and keep
chapters short so my readers can enjoy them on journeys
home at the end of a bad day. I want them to giggle.
D MANDASCOTT She has written a cult series of historical
novels.
MY B1G BREAK I was a veterinary anaesthetist. On my 30th
birthday, I was climbing a mountain and I was happy, but all
I could think about was work on Monday. I decided to
follow my 'heart and make a living from writing. I was
among the finalists in a writing competition and from that
got a deal for my first book.
HOW I WORK I have a routine: in the morning, edit
everything from, the previous day, then I walk my dogs and
write in the afternoon.
MY BEST ADVICE Read bad books and work out what makes
them bad. Read the books you love and work out why you
love them. Write what you will really, really want to read.
Always.
THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS I'm good at judging what needs
to be factual and what I can make up.
above all, your work must interest you.
Reading Part Two (15 marks) ___ /15

You are going to read a magazine article about various authors. For questions 9-23,
choose from the authors (A-D). The authors may be chosen more than once.

Which author:

9) feels that she is not completely in control when she is writing? 

10) took action in response to someone's negative view of her chances of 
getting her work accepted?

11) thinks that her current working arrangement may not be permanent? 
12) decides when information given in her books does not have to be true? 
13) did something dishonest while trying to get her work accepted? 
14) is unwilling to do a great deal of background work for her books? 
15) was offered her first contract as a result of an earlier success? 
16) makes sure that her books contain strange elements? 
17) got great pleasure from carrying out a certain process repeatedly? 
18) draws attention to the likelihood of a new author getting their work 
accepted?

19) wants people to be cheered up by her books? 

20) feels that it is an advantage that people give her their sincere views 
on her work?

21) recommends analysing various aspects of other author's books? 

22) leaves sentences incomplete while she is writing? 
23) felt that her job was taking up too much of her attention? 
Reading Part Three (2 marks) ___ /2

It's a string thing

You only have to think of the expression ‘tugging at the heart strings’ to be reminded of the way we
connect emotionally with the sound of the violin. But for years, the strings have been marginalised in the
world of pop – sidelined to the slushy world of ballads, lazily used to suggest drama or sophistication. To all
intents and purposes, strings had become the sonic equivalent of the highlighter pen. But suddenly things
have changed.

Artists like Joanna Newson and Sufjan Stevens made a breakthrough with a broader kind of orchestral pop
a few years ago, playing sell-out shows at classical venues, and the trend continues.

So what has brought on our fancy for strings? Pop’s relentless, synthesized technical evolution has made
more people start longing for a more organic sound. And, in a way, the sound of violins is revolutionary;
punk was once synonymous with electric guitars and shouting, but since it’s now the norm, it’s no longer
shocking. It’s far more innovative to use a classical instrument in a way it’s never been played before.

Will our love of strings endure? Well, given the average age of a pop musician is 25, and the average age of
a concert violin is 150 years old, maybe it’s not violins that are the craze within pop – but pop that is the
craze in the constantly evolving story of the violin.

For questions 24 & 25, circle the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the
text.

24) In the first paragraph, the writer is

A – explaining why the violin is generally unsuited to pop music.
B – describing how violins have been used until recently in pop music.
C – praising the use of the violin to give emotional power to pop music.
D – defending the way violins were used in traditional types of pop music.

25) According to the writer, the current interest in violins in pop music
A – is just a phase that will soon pass.
B – is related to changes in classical music.
C – is part of a search for something new in pop music.
D – is a result of technological improvements to the instrument.
 Listening (___ / 25M)
Listening Part One (8 marks) ___ /8
You will hear people talking in eight different situations.
For questions 1-8, choose the best answer (A, B, C).

1 You hear a man talking about a ceramics course he attended.

What aspect of the course did he find unsatisfactory?
A the level of support from the staff
B the quality of the materials
C the cost for students
2 On a radio programme, you hear some information about a future guest.
What will he be talking about?
A organising a mountain holiday
B learning mountain-climbing skills
C buying mountaineering equipment
3 You hear part of a talk about how to look fit and healthy.
What is the speaker’s advice?
A check your weight regularly
B build up your muscles
C avoid certain foods
4 You overhear two college students talking about applying for a weekend job.
What do they agree about?
A It would be an enjoyable thing to do.
B It would be useful experience for the future.
C It would help them with their college expenses.
5 You overhear two people talking about transport.
Why has the woman decided to use a bike instead of a car?
A She hopes the exercise will improve her health.
B She is concerned about the environment.
C She can no longer afford the cost.
6 On the radio, you hear a woman talking about a sport.
What is she doing?
A explaining something to us
B warning us about something
C recommending something to us
7 You hear the weather forecast on the radio.
How will the weather change tomorrow?
A It will get colder.
B It will get sunnier.
C It will get windier.
8 You hear a radio presenter talking about a theatre.
What does he say about it?
A It is offering an impressive programme.
B It will be closed down in the near future.
C It has received a grant for improvements.
Listening Part Two (10 marks) ___ /10
You will hear a radio programme about a day in the life of a television researcher. For questions 9-18,
complete the sentences.
TV researcher

The subject that Rita studied first at university was

9 …………………………………………………………….
Before getting her present job, Rita studied a subject called
10 …………………………………………………………….
On the day she tells us about, the country where Rita was working was
11 …………………………………………………………….
There were a total of 12 …………………………………………………………….
people in Rita’s team on that day.
The animal which Jamie had to photograph was a sort of
13 …………………………………………………………….
The camera crew had to film Jamie as he climbed over the edge of a
14 …………………………………………………………….
Rita’s lunch consisted ofsandwiches with
15…………………………………………………………….. inside.
Jamie had to hold a 16 …………………………………………………………….
to help him see the crocodiles as he crossed a river.
A special light which the crew was using, known as a
17 ……………………………………………………………. stopped working.
Ritas says that Jamie looks really 18 …………………………………………………………….
when you see him crossing the river on the programme.
Listening Part Three (7 marks) ___ /7

You will hear an interview with a tour leader who works for an adventure company in Africa. For
questions 19-25, choose the best answer (A, B or C).

19) Don says that most of his passengers

A are not students
B are looking for jobs 
C work in conservation

20) When Don first meets a group, he

A gives them blankets for the overnight trip
B shows them where to sit on the truck 
C checks they have the right equipment

21) Don remembers one trip when

A he failed to take enough food
B someone made a mistake with the food 
C someone complained about the food

22) Don oversees the domestic work because

A he doesn't like to lose things
B it has to be done within an hour 
C people complain if things are dirty

23) If people argue, Don says that he

A prefers not to get involved
B separates the people concerned 
C asks the group for a solution

24) Don says that he sometimes

A needs to get to sleep early
B has to camp in a noisy area 
C tells people when to go to bed

25) What does Don say about getting up?

A He ignores any complaints about the time
B He varies his schedule according to the group 
C He forces everyone to be quick about it
 Writing (___ / 25M)
Choose between option A, B or C

A) An article

Urban jungle or country retreat – which is best?

Are cities the best places to live or is life in the countryside a better option? If you could choose, where
would you prefer to settle down? Write an article of approximately 300 words outlining your preference
and giving the reasons for your choice.

B) An essay

It is important to be honest in life

Write an essay of approximately 300 words saying whether or not you agree with the statement above.

C) A review
You recently saw this notice on your language school website.
Write a review for us!

Have you visited a museum lately? If so, could you write a review of your visit for the school website?
Include information about the exhibits, the information available and the facilities, and say whether you
would recommend it to other students.

The best reviews will receive a book token as a prize.

Write a review of approximately 300 words.
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