English

Test 1
Standard Format

Read the following instructions carefully:

Do not turn over the test paper until you are told to do so

The correct way to indicate your answer is either by:

writing the answer in the space provided

circling the correct option e.g. it is set in Australia

underlining the chosen word e.g. (lion, tiger, panther)

If you need to change an answer, rub out the incorrect answer and fill in the correct
answer

You may write notes on the rough paper provided if you find it helpful

You have 50 minutes to complete the test

After finishing, take a ten minute break then proceed with the Creative Writing
Section

Copyright (c) Examberry LLP 2014 V 1.1

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1988.
All rights reserved, including translation. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or
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Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims or damages.
First published in 2014 by Examberry LLP, St Andrews Centre, Mount Park Road, London W5 2RS

Choose the appropriate homophone from the box to complete the sentences below.
plane
great

heard
roar

beech
herd

grate

raw

plain

beach

1.

Have you ____________about the earthquake in Japan?

2.

Wash the carrots before you ____________ them.

3.

Her new dress was ___________ yet very elegant.

4.

The ___________ of cows chewed the cud peacefully.

5.

The family is planning a ____________ holiday in the summer.

6.

Theconstant ____________ of the traffic made conversation difficult.

7.

____________ trees are common in many European forests.

8.

The students held their teacher in ____________ regard.

9.

Our ____________ is all set to depart shortly.

10.

Some people think _____________ vegetables are good for you.

In these sentences there may be a spelling mistake in one of the sentence sections marked A, B, C
orD. Circle the letter of the sentence section that has the spelling mistake. If there are no mistakes
then circle the letter N.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

Underline the most suitable word to complete the sentences below.

16.

Its practically a volcano inside and (till/yet) George still has his jumper on.

17.

Two (loaves/loafs) of bread will be needed, declared my mother.

18.

The rumble of thunder often (echos/echoes) around the mountains.

19.

The astronomer (pared/peered) through the telescope to watch the night sky.

20.

(However/Despite) the teachers warning, Peter continued messing around.

What part of speech is the word underlined in the sentence? Choose the correct letter from the list
below.
A: Noun

B: Verb

C: Adjective

D: Adverb

21.

He is sure to win the contest this year.

22.

We were able to contact the television crew quickly.

______

23.

They had a joint account in the local bank.

______

24.

She was totally overjoyed by the examination results.

______

25.

There is something strange about her behaviour.

______

E:Pronoun

______

Match the idioms/phrases from the box to their meanings given below:
A. A piece of cake

B. Hand in glove

C. See eye to eye

D. Gather steam

E. Get your teeth into

F. Spoilt for choice

26.

To agree with someone

______

27.

Having a close relationship

______

28.

To have too many options

______

29.

Something that is easy to accomplish

______

30.

To progress at increasing speed

______

31.

Become involved with

______

Choose the correct pronoun to complete the sentence.

32.

To ________ should we hand over the parcel? (who / whom)

33.

________ are studying Latin this year.

34.

I know ________ started the argument.

35.

Uncle Sam took my sister and ________ to the circus yesterday.

36.

________ cardigan is this?

(Us/We)
(who / whose)
(me/I)

(Whose / Whos)

Underline any letter in the following sentences which should be capitalised.

37.

everybody greeted president barack obama with great love and respect.

38.

i live north of the village of keston.

39.

we ate french food at the italian restaurant.

40.

kate has a new nintendo games console.

41.

joanne is the only female member of her political party.

Write the abstract nouns corresponding to these words:

e.g.

The abstract noun corresponding to beautiful is:beauty

42.

Imagine

_______________

43.

Bitter

_______________

44.

Brave

_______________

45.

Mature

_______________

46.

Succeed

_______________

Read this passage and answer the questions below;

Adapted from the book O Pioneers by Willa Sibert Cather.
One January day, thirty years ago, the little town of Hanover, anchored on a windy Nebraska
tableland, was trying not to be blown away. A mist of fine snowflakes was curling and eddying
about the cluster of low drab buildings huddled on the grey prairie, under a grey sky. The
dwelling-houses were set about haphazard on the tough prairie sod; some of them looked as if they
had been moved in overnight and others as if they were straying off by themselves, headed straight
for the open plain. None of them had any appearance of permanence and the howling wind blew
under them as well as over them. The main street was a deeply rutted road, now frozen hard, which
ran from the squat red railway station and the grain "elevator" at the north end of the town to the
lumber yard and the horse pond at the south end. On either side of this road straggled two uneven
rows of wooden buildings; the general merchandise stores, the two banks, the drug store, the feed
store, the saloon, the post-office. The board sidewalks were grey with trampled snow, but at two
o'clock in the afternoon the shopkeepers, having come back from dinner, were keeping well behind
their frosty windows. The children were all in school, and there was nobody in the streets but a
few rough-looking countrymen in coarse overcoats, with their long caps pulled down to their
noses. Some of them had brought their wives to town, and now and then a red or a plaid shawl
flashed out of one store into the shelter of another. At the hitch-bars along the street a few heavy
work-horses, harnessed to farm wagons, shivered under their blankets. About the station
everything was quiet, for there would not be another train in until night.

On the sidewalk in front of one of the stores sat a little Swede boy, crying bitterly. He was about
five years old. His black cloth coat was much too big for him and made him look like a little old
man. His shrunken brown flannel dress had been washed many times and left a long stretch of
stocking between the hem of his skirt and the tops of his clumsy, copper-toed shoes. His cap was
pulled down over his ears; his nose and his chubby cheeks were chapped and red with cold. He
cried quietly, and the few people who hurried by did not notice him. He was afraid to stop anyone,
afraid to go into the store and ask for help, so he sat wringing his long sleeves and looking up a
telegraph pole beside him, whimpering, "My kitten, oh, my kitten! Her will fweeze!" At the top of
the pole crouched a shivering grey kitten, mewing faintly and clinging desperately to the wood
with her claws. The boy had been left at the store while his sister went to the doctor's office, and in
her absence a dog had chased his kitten up the pole. The little creature had never been so high
before, and she was too frightened to move. Her master was sunk in despair. He was a little
country boy, and this village was to him a very strange and perplexing place, where people wore
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fine clothes and had hard hearts. He always felt shy and awkward here and wanted to hide behind
things for fear someone might laugh at him. Just now, he was too unhappy to care who laughed. At
last he seemed to see a ray of hope: his sister was coming, and he got up and ran toward her in his
heavy shoes.

His sister was a tall, strong girl, and she walked rapidly and resolutely, as if she knew exactly
where she was going and what she was going to do next. She wore a man's long ulster (not as if it
were an affliction, but as if it were very comfortable and belonged to her; carried it like a young
soldier), and a round plush cap, tied down with a thick veil. She had a serious, thoughtful face, and
her clear, deep blue eyes were fixed intently on the distance, without seeming to see anything, as if
she were in trouble. She did not notice the little boy until he pulled her by the coat. Then she
stopped short and stooped down to wipe his wet face.

"Why, Emil! I told you to stay in the store and not to come out. What is the matter with you?"
"My kitten, sister, my kitten! A man put her out, and a dog chased her up there." His forefinger,
projecting from the sleeve of his coat, pointed up to the wretched little creature on the pole.
"Oh, Emil! Didn't I tell you she'd get us into trouble of some kind, if you brought her? What made
you tease me so? But there, I ought to have known better myself." She went to the foot of the pole
and held out her arms, crying, "Kitty, kitty, kitty," but the kitten only mewed and faintly waved its
tail. Alexandra turned away decidedly. No, she won't come down. Somebody will have to go up
after her. I saw the Linstrums' wagon in town. I'll go and see if I can find Carl. Maybe he can do
something. Only you must stop crying, or I won't go a step.

47.

Who are the siblings described in the above passage?

a. Carl and Alexandra
b. Carl and Emil
c. Emil and Alexandra
d. Emil and Linstrums

48.

Where is the story set?

a. Switzerland
b. A busy town
c. A little town called Hanover
d. Paris
6

49.

What season and time of daydo you think the passage is describing?
a. A hot and summery morning
b. A cold night
c. A wintry afternoon
d. A spring evening

50.

How can you describe the little boy?

a. Meek and frightened
b. Bold and outright
c. Proud and boastful
d. Pompous

51.

Which of the following is an antonym of the word stoop?

a. bend
b. rise
c. shame
d. lower

52.

Why did the boy cry?

a. He liked to cry.
b. He was scared of the shopkeeper.
c. He was scared that his kitten would freeze.
d. He was scared of dogs.

53.

How is the towns weather described in the passage?

a. The town was experiencing a snowstorm.
b. There had been a dust-storm recently.
c. There had been flash floods in the town.
d. There is no mention of the weather in the passage.

54.

Which sentence from the passage suggests that the town is not busy?
a. He always felt shy and awkward here.
b. She did not notice the little boy until he pulled her by the coat.
c. About the station everything was quiet, for there would not be another train in until
night.
d. His sister was coming, and he got up and ran toward her in his heavy shoes.

55.

Which idiom is closest in meaning to the idiom ray of hope?

a. Under the sun
b. Bring to light
c. Guiding light
d. Light at the end of the tunnel

56.

Who is the master referred to in Her master was sunk in despair.?

a. The little boy
b. The shopkeeper
c. The cat
d. The horseman

57.

What is the part of speech of the word too in She was too frightened to move.?
a. Adjective
b. Adverb
c. Pronoun
d. Noun

58.

How did the town of Hanover seem to the boy?

a. A complex and strange place
b. Asafe haven
c. A friendly place
d. A beautiful place

59.

Guess the meaning of the word ulster as used in She wore a man's long ulster.?
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a. A huge rucksack
b. A loose overcoat
c. A trickster
d. A cluster

60.

What does"My kitten, oh, my kitten! Her will fweeze!" tell us aboutthe little boy?
a. The boy was called Emil
b. He didnt like the kitten
c. His command of English was not great
d. None of the above

END OF THE MAIN TEST

NOW TURN OVER FOR THE CREATIVE WRITING SECTION

Creative Writing Section

(30 Minutes)
In this task you have been given a choice of two titles, one of which you must pick toform the
basis of a story. You should write this narrative in the first person. Aim to write between one and
two sides of A4 paper in the allotted half hour.Try to reach a natural conclusion by the end of your
story, and remember that spending about five minutes at the start of the task to plan and organise
your ideas will be key in helping you maintain good structure and progression. Good luck!
Choose one of the following titles:

Crash Landing

A Trip to the Future

Now spend time making a plan in the space provided below.

(5 Minutes)

10