Higher Education Practice English Exam

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Name:_________________________________________________ Date of Birth_____/_____/_____
Day / Month / Year

Telephone number:__________________________ E-mail:_________________________________

Sex (circle one): Male Female Ethnicity:___________________________



APPLYING TO (circle only ONE)
MHEP
Minmahaw
WH
Wide Horizons
EIP
English
Immersion
Program


TEST INSTRUCTIONS
The English language test is 60 points.
There is a reading, grammar and writing section.
Try to answer every question on the test paper.
You will have 70 MINUTES to complete this exam.
You may not leave the testing room until 70 minutes has passed




WRITTEN TEST SCORE

Reading

_______/ 20


Grammar


_______/ 20

Writing


_______/ 20

TOTAL

_______/ 60


1
READING
_____/ 20 points

Read the article. Then, CIRCLE the best answer for each question below.
1 Students at Kaplan International Colleges language school in Portland, Oregon are improving
their English skills by writing their very own newspaper.

The Kaplan Times was started as a way for students to practice their English learning by
writing articles. What started as an idea for a lesson plan at Kaplans English language school
became so popular that it was expanded into a monthly four-page newspaper featuring news
about the school, stories about Portland events and advice for new students.

Anyone can participate in The Kaplan Times and students are encouraged to write about
anything they are interested in. Some of the students are writers. They need to find
information and then they can practice their writing skills when they are preparing the story for
the newspaper. Other students are responsible for pictures, editing and printing the paper.
This improves their language and computer skills too.

The Times published a recent literature edition, which was full of student fiction. The school,
which expanded earlier this year, offers a range of courses, from test preparation and
General English courses to more specialized academic programs that are designed to
prepare students to study at a university.
2
3
4


1. In paragraph 2, the word expanded probably means: (1 point)

a) make worse b) get smaller c) make better d) get bigger


2. In paragraph 2, the word advice probably means: (1 point)

a) lessons b) information c) gifts d) documents

3. In paragraph 3, the word encouraged means: (1 point)

a) told b) avoided c) warned d) told not

4. In paragraph 4, the word preparation probably means: (1 point)

a) avoiding b) getting ready c) helping d) writing



2
5. In paragraph 4, the word designed probably means: (1 point)

a) paid b) removed c) planned d) discussed

6. What is the main idea of this passage? (1 point)
a) More people should go to international colleges
b) The students of Kaplans English language school need to improve their language skills
c) The teachers do not write enough of the newspaper
d) The newspaper is a good way for students to improve their language skills

7. The best title for this passage would be? (1 point)
a) Computers Are Not Important Anymore
b) A Creative Way to Improve Students Writing
c) Language Schools Are Too Expensive
d) The Crisis of the Education System

8. Which word best describes the students mentioned in this article? (1 point)
a) Technological
b) Inventive
c) Selfish
d) Popular

9. Which of the following topics are NOT found in the newspaper? (1 point)
a) information about the town
b) tips for new students
c) news about the school
d) lesson plans

10. According to the text, how often do the students print the newspaper?
a) 4 times each month
b) 1 time each month
c) 1 time every 4 months
d) None of the above

11. Why did the students first make the newspaper? (1 point)
a) because their teacher asked them to
b) because they were doing research
c) because they were bored
d) because there was no newspaper in that town



3
12. The literature edition of the newspaper was: (1 point)
a) a book
b) a special newspaper full of the students stories
c) a much longer newspaper
d) a badly written newspaper

13. The Kaplan International College is: (1 point)
a) a language school
b) a university
c) a hospital
d) a specialized academic program

14. The students of the Kaplan International College dont like writing the newspaper (1 point)
TRUE FALSE

15. The school offered more courses this year. (1 point)
TRUE FALSE

16. The students of Kaplan International College cannot choose what they write about. (1 point)
TRUE FALSE

17. Why is the author writing this text? (2 points)
a) To introduce a good idea to teachers and students
b) To ask for more money for the Kaplan International College
c) To claim that other students dont work hard enough
d) To claim that the information in the newspaper is not the truth

18. The best word to describe the authors feeling about the newspaper mentioned in the text would
be: (2 points)
a) useless
b) helpful
c) boring
d) generous




4
GRAMMAR
_____/ 20 points

Example: I a home very late last night.
a. a) came b) was coming c) come
1. Did you see Soe Soe yesterday? No, he was sick and ________ to school.
a) wasnt come b) hasnt come c) didnt come

2. I cant find my glasses. ________ seen them?
a) Have you b) Did you c) Do you


3. I cant believe my scholarship application ______________ .

a) was denying b) was denied c) has denied


4. The air _____________ more polluted every year due to all the traffic in the city.

a) become b) has becoming c) is becoming

5. If he stopped smoking, he ________ a lot healthier.
a) would feel b) should feel c) is feeling

Read the paragraph below and CIRCLE the best answer for each blank (7 points).
The biggest river in South East Asia is the Mekong river. It runs all the way from the Himalaya
mountains to the south of Cambodia and 6 (have / has) been the main source of food for
people on the river for thousands of years. The biggest fish living 7 (in / on) the river is the
Mekong Dolphin. In the past, people 8 (use / used) to see it 9 (played / playing) in the
water, but today fishermen say there are 10 (fewer / fewest) dolphins in the river than before.
Animal organizations say that these dolphins should be 11 (protected / protecting). If
something __12 (isnt / doesnt) change soon, the Mekong Dolphin will disappear forever.
Complete the following sentences with the correct
verb tense. Write a, b, or c in the space. (5 points)

5
Complete the conversations with the correct verb tense. (5 points)
Example: How long have you worked (you/work) for your current organization?

13. Bo: Which football team ______________________ (you / support)?
Kyin Nu: ___________________________(I / support) Manchester United since I
was 12 years old.
Bo: ___________________________ (they / win) the last game they played?
Kyin Nu: No. __________________________ (they / win) any games this year,
but Im sure ____________________________ (they / win) the next one.
14.
15.
16.
17.

Decide if the following sentence structure is correct or incorrect. If it is incorrect, please
write the sentence correctly it in the space provided. (3 points)
Example:
Because of high population. There is not enough food.

CORRECT INCORRECT
My correction: B e c a u s e o f h i g h p o p u l a t i o n , t h e r e i s n o t e n o u g h
f o o d .

18. The fans love going to football games. But they are unhappy about the ticket prices.
CORRECT INCORRECT
__________________________________________________________________________
19. If I had arrived 10 minutes earlier, I wouldnt have missed the train.
CORRECT INCORRECT
__________________________________________________________________________
20. They wont let you into the concert. If you dont have a ticket.
CORRECT INCORRECT
__________________________________________________________________________

6
SAMPLE ESSAY WRITING TOPICS
_____/ 20 points

Please write an essay about ONE of the following topics on the lined paper. You must give a
clear opinion about the topic in your response. If you do NOT write about one of these
topics, your writing will NOT be graded.

1. Family members are more important than friends. Do you agree or disagree with this
statement? Why?

2. Rich countries should be forced to give help to poorer countries. Do you agree or
disagree with this statement? Why?


3. Life lessons are more important than school lessons. Do you agree or disagree with
this statement? Why?

4. Money is more important than happiness. Do you agree or disagree with this
statement? Why?

5. Marriage should not be allowed for people younger than 18 years old. Do you agree
or disagree with this statement? Why?


_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

7
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________












8
Answer Key

READING

1. D
2. B
3. A
4. B
5. C
6. D
7. B
8. B
9. D
10. B
11. A
12. B
13. A
14. FALSE
15. TRUE
16. FALSE
17. A
18. B






GRAMMAR
1. C
2. A
3. B
4. C
5. A
6. HAS
7. IN
8. USED
9. PLAYING
10. FEWER
11. PROTECTED
12. DOESNT
13. DO YOU SUPPORT
14. I HAVE SUPPORTED
15. DID THEY WIN
16. THEY HAVENT WON
17. THEY WILL WIN
18. INCORRECT The fans love going to
football games, but they are unhappy
about the ticket prices.
19. CORRECT
20. INCORRECT - They wont let you into the
concert if you dont have ticket / If you dont
have a ticket, they wont let you into the
concert.

Writing Skill
Marking
Score
(out of 4)
Organization


Argumentation and
Support


Word Choice


Sentence structure
and mechanics

Grammar and
spelling


TOTAL