3.

B1 MOCK EXAMINATION

Teachers handbook

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 B1 MOCK EXAMINATION
STUDENTS PAPER

Time allowed: 90 minutes

Section I
Choose the correct answer.

1. John . me to lend him money! Its so annoying.

a) asks always
b) always is asking
c) is always asking
d) had been always asking

2. It .. when I got up this morning, so I stayed at home.

a) was raining
b) has rained
c) has been raining
d) would rain

3. I apologise for the mess. I . time to clear up after lunch yet.

a) wasnt having
b) hadnt had
c) dont have
d) havent had

4. Where do you think in twenty years time?

a) are you going to be
b) you will be
c) you are being
d) will you be

5. He stopped . years ago.

a) to smoke
b) that he would smoke
c) smoking
d) smoke

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Section II
Choose the correct alternative to complete each sentence.

1. She knew a little Spanish so she to explain her problem to the police in Madrid.
a) can
b) could
c) was able
d) succeeded

2. Sam, wife works with me, is going to the US on business.

a) whose
b) whos
c) who
d) which

3. Mr Thompsons wallet while he was travelling on the Underground yesterday.

a) stole
b) was robbed
c) robbed
d) was stolen

4. I a new car this year if I were you.

a) wont buy
b) wouldnt buy
c) didnt buy
d) havent bought

5. He tea with milk during his stay in the UK three years ago.
a) used to drinking
b) got used to drink
c) was used to drink
d) got used to drinking

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Section III
Complete the second sentence so that the meaning remains the same as the first.

1. They made a mistake when they added up the total.

A mistake .. when they added up the total.
a) has made b) was made c) was been made d) is made

2. She was angry and put down the telephone receiver before he had finished speaking.
She was angry and .. up before he had finished speaking.
a) hung b) got c) brought d) hold

3. Thieves used force to enter the house while they were away.
Thieves .. into the house while they were away.
a) have been b) were forced c) kept d) broke

4. Where are you going to stay when you go to London? Tom asked her.
Tom asked her where .. to London.
a) was she going to stay when she went
b) did she stay when she goes
c) she was going to stay when she went
d) you are going to stay when she goes

5. OK. Ill do it for you, Sheila told him.

Sheila agreed .. for him.
a) doing it b) to do it c) that to do it d) that she is doing it

6. Im not sure this is my size. Can I put it on to see if it fits?

Im not sure this is my size. Can I try .. to see if it fits?
a) on it b) it up c) it on d) out it

7. The brochures are produced by a printer.

A printer .. the brochures.
a) produces b) is produced c) are producing d) has been produced

8. He began driving six hours ago.

He
a) has driven since six hours
b) has been driving for six hours
c) has been driving for six hours ago
d) is driving for six hours

9. The soldiers obeyed the officers orders.

The soldiers .. out the officers orders.
a) put b) carried c) got d) took

10. Although he had little money, he offered to pay for her lunch.
In spite .. little money, he offered to pay for her lunch.
a) of have b) to have c) he had d) of having

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Section IV
Complete each sentence with the correct word formed from the word in brackets.

1. He has the ... habit of interrupting other people when theyre talking.
(ANNOY)

2. So much ... isnt good for that old woman. (EXCITE)

3. When she came in late, she closed the door ... in order not to wake her
parents. (QUIET)

4. Im afraid hes .... It would be a mistake to trust him with money.

(HONEST)

5. He was ... with the results of his exam. (DISAPPOINT)

6. I know the length of the table is 1.20 metres, but whats the ...? (WIDE)

7. ... people suffer when the weather is freezing and they have nowhere to
sleep. (HOME)

8. Young people cant find ... in that mountain village. They have to move
to the town to find work. (EMPLOY)

9. The actors in that film are completely ... Ive never heard of any of them.
(KNOW)

10. Are you sitting ... or would you prefer to sit on the sofa? (COMFORT)

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Section V
Read the text and answer the questions.

Metric system causes confusion

After over twenty years of confusing both the Irish and tourists by having distances in kilometres and
speed limits in miles per hour, Ireland has just become fully metric.
However, there is some confusion over the sixty thousand new speed signs and not only on the part
of drivers. For example, one speed sign gave an 80kmh (50mph) speed limit down a dead-end street
while another had a limit of 100kph (62mph) outside a primary school.
There was a nation-wide publicity campaign, including television advertisements and brochures mailed
to all houses, before the new signs were introduced. The government believes this will be enough to
prevent drivers misunderstanding the new 120 speed limits and trying to imitate Schumacher on the
motorways. Northern Irelands transport department has also launched a campaign encouraging
drivers to be extremely careful when they cross the border.
The Irish police expect a certain amount of confusion, mistakes and high speeds. In spite of this, they
have no intention of being lenient and giving drivers a period of time in which to get used to the new
signs. Ignorance is not an excuse and any driver who exceeds the speed limits will suffer the
consequences.
Unfortunately for the police, half their instruments for measuring speed still register them in miles per
hour and they have to convert from miles to kilometres, which makes it a little complicated for them.
When Ireland first converted distances to kilometres in 1983, motorists never quite knew where they
were because any new signs were in kilometres while the old ones still reported the distance in miles.
However, schools have been teaching the metric system for thirty years and the Irish government is
ready to change to be in line with the rest of Europe.
The UK remains the only European country using the imperial system on its roads. A spokesman for
the Department of Transport stated that it was improbable that Britain would change in the near future.
Although the Irish have replaced one system for the purpose of greater European harmony, they are
still left with another British legacy they drive on the left.
(Adapted from Metric system sends drivers speeding down a dead end by T Harding The Daily
Telegraph, 20/1/05)

1. The passage is about the new speed limits they have introduced in Ireland.
True
False
Doesnt say

2. Some drivers went down a dead-end street at 80kph.

True
False
Doesnt say

3. The Irish government thinks they have adequately publicized the change and the new signs.
True
False
Doesnt say

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4. For more than twenty years
a) Ireland has converted to the metric system
b) the distances on road sign were in kilometres, while speed signs were in miles
c) people had to convert the speed limits into kilometres before they knew the distance they
travelled
d) the Irish and tourists were confused by the speed limits

5. Which is correct?
a) People were informed by various means before the speed signs were changed.
b) People should drive at 100kph outside primary schools.
c) They are going to publicize the new road signs.
d) Schumacher has misunderstood the new speed signs.

6. They
a) break the law because they imitate Schumacher
b) dont want Schumacher to race on the motorway
c) have warned drivers coming from Northern Ireland to be careful
d) will punish drivers who dont convert to kilometres

7. Some of the police

a) are still using instruments which measure speed in miles
b) are tolerant of people making mistakes because of the new signs
c) have no intention of exceeding the speed limit
d) have to convert distances into kilometres before they know the speed of a car

8. Which is correct?
a) Ireland first went metric in 1983.
b) Some children have been studying the metric system for thirty years.
c) When Ireland first converted distances into kilometres, they did not change all the road signs
immediately.
d) They have been changing road signs into kilometres for thirty years.

9. The British government

a) has stated that British drivers will not have to drive on the right in the near future
b) has no intention of changing the system used on the roads for the moment
c) will probably change the system used on the roads soon
d) thinks the imperial system is better than the metric one

10. Which is correct?

a) The Irish think the rest of Europe should change to be in harmony.
b) If you are using the metric system, you should drive on the left.
c) Irish drivers drive on the same side of the road as the British.
d) The British say the Irish cant drive on the right.

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Section VI
Complete the conversations with the words in the box. Careful, there are 5 extra words.

ankle - order form hair - reclaim favour cloud - bright temper

hair - weather good eyes firm working

Woman: Oh no! The lifts out of 1.. again!

Man: Dont lose your 2... Youre always saying you dont get enough exercise.
Look on the 3.. side - going up and down the stairs between offices will be
4.. for you.
Woman: Yes, I know it will, but Im up to my 5.. in work and I havent got time to
waste. This week is getting worse and worse.
Man: Why do you say that?
Woman: Well, I got back from a business trip to Milan last Tuesday. When I went to baggage
6.., my suitcase wasnt there!
Man: What did you do?

Woman: Well, I filled in a long 7... They said my case had probably been left in
Brussels when I had to change planes and that they would do their best to get it to me by the
end of the week. I hope they find it, I had my best suit and my notes in it. I think I caught a
cold in Milan too. Ive been feeling under the 8.. since I got back.
Man: You should stay at home if youre not well. Look, could you do me a 9..? If
youre going up to the second floor, could you give this file to Jim? I went for a walk in the
country a couple of days ago and I fell and twisted my 10... Its getting
better, but going up and down stairs wont do it any good.

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Section VII
You have just come back from holiday in Spain. On the whole you had a good holiday but you have a

few complaints about the hotel and would like some money back. Write an email (about 80 words) to

the agency which organized your holiday. Include the following points:

the room:
- had no balcony
- was noisy
- had no television
- the water was often too cold to have a shower
the hotel:
- was over half a kilometre from the beach
- prices did not include dinner as promised, only breakfast

...

...

..................

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Section I - 1 mark each

1. c 2. a 3. d 4. b 5. c

Section II - 1 mark each

1. c 2. a 3. d 4. b 5. a

Section III

1. was made 2. hung 3. broke 4. she was going to stay when she went
5. to do it for him / (that) she would do it for him 6. it on
7. printer produces 8. been driving for
9. carried 10. having / the fact that he had

Section IV 1 mark each

1. annoying 2. excitement 3. quietly 4. dishonest

5. disappointed 6. width 7. homeless 8. employment
9. unknown 10. comfortably

Section V 1 mark each

1. False 2. Doesnt say 3. True 4. b

5. a 6. c 7. a 8. c
9. b 10. c

Section VI

1. order 2. temper 3. bright 4. good

5. eyes 6. reclaim 7. form 8. weather
9. favour 10. ankle

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 LISTENING EXAM - TAPESCRIPT AND ANSWER KEY

Part A
(students hear)

Helen: Oh no!
Max: Whats wrong, Helen?
Helen: I cant get on the Internet! Thats the second time this week. How can I do my work if I cant get
on line? I need to check my emails.
Max: Why dont you call the technician? I think his names Pete.
Helen: Pete doesnt work for this company any more. He was offered a better job and left. His
replacement doesnt start work until next month. Can you have a look? It may be something simple.
You know I dont understand anything about computers.
Max: OK, let me see. . Helen! You are an idiot!
Helen: Im not! What is it?
Max: The modem wasnt plugged into the electric socket. How do you expect it to work if it hasnt got
electricity?
Helen: Well, I didnt take it out of the socket. I never do.
Max: Well, it was out. Try again and see if youve got the Internet?
Helen: Yes, Ive got it now. Thanks Max, youre an angel. You know, computers are fantastic when
they work but when they dont its a disaster!
Max: I agree. Do you remember when all the computers in the office were infected with a virus a few
months ago?
Helen: How can I forget? What a nightmare! We were lucky Pete fixed it quickly.
Max: Talking about a nightmare - I had an absolutely terrible Friday evening.
Helen: Oh? What happened. Did you have a quarrel with your girlfriend?
Max: Worse, weve split up.
Helen: Again? How many times is it now?
Max: This is the fifth and last. Its definite this time. I saw her with another man!
Helen: Oh?
Max: Yes. She told me she couldnt meet me because she had to wash her hair and then that evening
I saw her in the pub with Joe. She was furious and told me she didnt want to see me again!
Helen: Pardon? She was furious? Why? I thought she was with Joe.
Max: Yes, but I was with Sally.

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(students instructions)
Listen to the conversation, then answer the questions. You can hear the conversation twice.

1. Helen hasnt been able to get the Internet twice this week.
TRUE
FALSE

answer: TRUE

2. Pete works for the same firm as Helen and Max.

TRUE
FALSE

answer: FALSE

3. Helen and Maxs company is going to employ another technician.

TRUE
FALSE

answer: TRUE

4. Helens modem wasnt connected to the electricity supply.

TRUE
FALSE

answer: TRUE

5. They had a virus in their computers for months.

TRUE
FALSE

answer: FALSE

6. Max went out with another girl when he thought his girlfriend was at home washing her hair.
TRUE
FALSE

answer: TRUE

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Part B
(students hear)
British charities have admitted they will have difficulty in spending all the money donated by the public
to victims of the Asian tsunami disaster.
In the six weeks after the Boxing Day disaster, the public have donated more than three hundred and
sixty-five million pounds. More than eighty-five per cent of British adults have given something.
The British Red Cross has received sixty million pounds so far and is worried about spending the
money responsibly. They are considering whether they can divert some of the money to other causes.
At least two other big charities have privately said that they have the same problem. The charities
have not said anything publicly because they are afraid people will think they do not need donations in
the future.
Oxfam has suspended its tsunami appeal after admitting it has all the money it needs while Medecins
Sans Frontires has offered donors their money back after it received three times the amount it had
asked for.
The problem is caused by the fact that this money must be spent within three years according to the
law in Britain. A longer period would be better because of the difficulty of access to some of the worst
hit areas, not enough building materials, equipment and trained workers and the necessity of
consulting local people, governments and agencies.

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(students instructions)
Listen to the news item and answer the questions. You can hear the news item twice.

1. British charities

a) dont want to spend all the money donated

b) want to give back a lot of the money donated
c) wont find it easy to spend all the money donated

answer: wont find it easy to spend all the money donated

2. The British public has to victims of the Asian tsunami disaster.

a) donated over 365,000,000

b) given more than 85% of their money
a) donated more than 85 million pounds

answer: donated over 365,000,000

3. The British Red Cross

a) cant spend the money responsibly

b) thinks they will be able to use 60 million for other causes
c) may use some money for other causes

answer: may use some money for other causes

4. Which statement is correct?

a) Medecins Sans Frontires has given all the money back to donors.
b) Two big charities do not want to admit they have too much money for fear of not receiving future
donations
c) Oxfam has not collected money for the Asian tsunami disaster because it has all it needs

answer: Two big charities do not want to admit they have too much money for fear of not
receiving future donations

5. The difficulty is caused by

a) the law in Britain stops charity money being spent

b) the fact there are a lot of problems in the areas affected by the tsunami
c) the short period in which charities have to spend the money donated

answer: the short period in which charities have to spend the money donated

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Part C
(students hear)
Hello Joan, this is Alex. Whats the point of having a mobile if you never switch it on? Ill leave a
message with your answering machine and hope you get home soon. I wanted to let you know
everything is all fixed for our trip to Paris next weekend. Ive bought our return train tickets, they cost
two hundred and twenty-four pounds. They were a bit more expensive than we expected but its
Eurostar and the time is perfect. We leave London Waterloo at sixteen twelve and arrive at Paris Nord
at nineteen forty-seven, local time. Returning on Monday morning at eight thirty-four. Oh, and Ive
booked a hotel too. Nothing very luxurious, just two star, but its near the station in Paris and its
relatively cheap. Now the only thing to do is decide about how to get to London. We could go by train
or we could go by coach. The coach journey takes much longer but wed save a lot of money. A single
train journey will cost forty-four pounds while a return coach ticket costs thirty-eight. Which would you
prefer? If you ring me tonight, Ill be able to book them on-line tomorrow at work.

(students instructions)
Listen and fill in the missing information. You can hear the message twice.
1. Alex has bought . tickets to Paris.
return train

2. They leave London Waterloo at .

16.12

3. They could travel to London by .

train or coach

4. The coach is .. than the train.

much cheaper / less expensive

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 ORAL EXAM INSTRUCTIONS

Where possible, examine SS in pairs. If numbers are odd organisers should find out whether
a student would prefer to be examined with another pair or by him/herself.

Part A (approx time 3 minutes per student)

Personal details:
These are suggested questions Examiners should do their best to make SS relax,- spend more time
doing this, if necessary, with especially nervous candidates. Where possible, ask follow-up questions.
In other words, try and make it as near a chat as possible.
Hello, whats your name?
How do you spell your surname, please?
Where do you live?
Whats your town like?
Where would you prefer to live?
What do you do / study?
What do you like doing in your free time?
When do you ..?
Where are you going for your summer holidays?
Where did you go last year?
Have you ever been to .?
etc. etc.
Marks ./5 (Marks should be awarded for fluency, structures and language which would be
appropriate for this level.)

Part B (approx time 3 minutes per student)

Give candidate A one picture and ask him/her to describe it. When he/she has finished, pass it to
candidate B (and C) for their comment. Give another picture to candidate B and follow the same
procedure. (If there is a third candidate, repeat the procedure with a different picture)

Part C (approx time 4 minutes per student)

Conversation leading off from the pictures. Only intervene if the conversation is lagging or if you want
to lead the conversation in a certain direction..
Tell them they should discuss entertainment together:
a) films they have seen what kind of films they prefer / tell the plot of one / what makes a good
film, etc.

AND/OR (depending on how well they covered the previous topic)

b) TV has it destroyed conversation in families? / the type of programmes they like or love, etc.

AND/OR (depending on how well they covered the previous topic)

c) passive sports: what is the attraction of watching dangerous sports like formula 1. Which other
sports do they think fall into this category. Discussion (if theyre interested!) of hooliganism at
stadiums, why is hooliganism so closely associated with football?

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PICTURES FOR THE ORAL EXAMINATION
PICTURE A

PICTURE B

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PICTURE C

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 British Institutes Oral Examination
Oral Marking Sheet

Level: A1 A2 B1 B1+ B2 C1 C2
(Please tick the relevant level)

NAME Part A /10 Part B /10 Part C /10 __/ 30 2 =

__/ 15
F G V F G V F G V

F (Fluency) = 4 marks G (Grammar) = 3 marks V (Vocabulary) = 3 marks

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