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USE OF ENGLISH - PART 1 - ANSWER KEY SAMPLE # 1

Answer key  - SAMPLE # 1

Use of English      Part 1

1   A  wondered     B  doubted    C  imagined    D   realize 

2   A  take              B  gain          C  serve          D  make

Make use of something / Take advantage of

3   A  consist         B contain      C  include        D  conclude

Consist of

4   A  appropriate   B adequate   C convenient   D  capable

An before a vowel, so appropriate and adequate are NOT correct.

5   A  lead              B reach         C  ride             D  join

Lead into / Lead out of / Lead to     reach/join + noun

6   A  knowledge    B  belief        C  experience   D  viewpoint

From a viewpoint

7   A  contrast        B difference   C opposite        D  exception

8   A into                B  in               C  up                D  out

turn into = become    turn in = go to bed   turn up = arrive   turn out = result

9   A  arrange        B  inviting       C  paying         D  give

Insist on + verb in gerund   paying me is NOT correct in this context

10  A  asked          B  ordered      C  demanded   D  fixed

Ask + for    order a drink or food    demand is too strong     fixed = repaired or prepared

11  A  hoped          B  sent           C  wished         D  expected

Wish + object + verb infinitive    hope + object + verb (I hope you enjoy your holiday)

12  A  put               B  pass          C  stay              D  keep

Put someone up = give s.o. a place to stay    stay up = not go to sleep

pass up = miss an opportunity    keep up = continue

USE OF ENGLISH - PART 1- Multiple Choice- Cloze Test - SAMPLE # 1

Part  1  Multiple-choice cloze test  

SAMPLE  #1

For questions 1-12 read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0).

Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet.

Example:

0        A   take              B   sail            C   take off            D   pick

0	A        B        C        D

My Dutch holiday

It was the first time I had ever been to Holland before and when I set off to (0) …..the ferry in early September, I never (1) …..  what adventures lay ahead of me.

In order to (2) …… the most of my time, I had carefully planned a route to (3) ….. a number of small islands as well as some pretty countryside. I reached Wijkam See, a (4) ….. starting point for cyclists where a local tourist office gave out information. I headed off along one of Holland’s many cycle tracks which (5) ….. out of town and made my way to Holtheim, where I had planned to spend my first night.

From personal (6) ….., when you are travelling on your own unexpected and often pleasant surprises tend to crop up and this trip was no (7) ….. . I popped into a local bar in the outskirts of Amsterdam for a coffee and ended up chatting with a really friendly man who turned (8)…..  to be the owner of the only restaurant in the village. He insisted on (9)….. me for lunch. Not only that, but he (10)….. two enormous glasses of beer to celebrate!

After a delicious lunch, Johann (11) …..  me luck on the rest of my cycling trip and gave me the address of a friend in Amsterdam who would (12) ….. me up for the night. Not a bad start to my first day in the Netherlands.

1   A  wondered     B  doubted    C  imagined    D   realized

2   A  take              B  gain          C  serve          D  make

3   A  consist         B contain      C  include        D  conclude

4   A  appropriate   B adequate   C convenient   D  capable

5   A  lead              B reach         C  ride             D  join

6   A  knowledge    B  belief        C  experience   D  viewpoint

7   A  contrast        B difference   C opposite        D  exception

8   A into                B  in               C  up                D  out

9   A  arrange        B  inviting       C  paying         D  give

10  A  asked          B  ordered      C  demanded   D  fixed

11  A  hoped          B  sent           C  wished         D  expected

12  A  put               B  pass          C  stay              D  keep

INFORMAL LETTER or e -mail - SAMPLE # 1

Your English friend, Steve, is thinking of visiting you next month with his girlfriend. Read his email and the notes you have made. Then, use all your notes to write a letter to Steve (Notes are included in the text in bold)

Email

From:  Steve

Sent:  16th April

Subject:  Visit

I’ll be coming to visit you in May with Linda, my girlfriend, and it’s the first time I’ve ever been to your town, so it would be great if we could meet again. (brilliant!)

 I was hoping you could suggest a few nice places to visit (give details) and you’ll be able to show us around if you’ve got time.

We haven’t decided where to stay yet, so maybe you could find somewhere cheap, but comfortable for 2 nights. (no problem)

One more thing. Can you tell me how to get from the railway station to your house? I haven’t got a GPS and we might get lost!(will meet you there)

See you next month,

Steve

 SAMPLE ANSWER -

Dear Steve,

How’s it going in Liverpool? I’m really glad you’re coming to visit me and I’m looking forward to meeting Linda.

You said you were thinking of staying for a couple of days, so I’ve made a little plan of places to visit when you get here. If you’re going to stay for two nights it might be better to book a room at the youth hostel.

Do you fancy going for lunch at Mario’s pizzeria? The pizzas are absolutely delicious, the desserts are brilliant and the waiters are friendly. We could spend the first morning visiting the market and maybe some second-hand bookshops as well. There are loads in the town!

Anyway Steve, It’ll be great to see you again. I’m sure you’ll enjoy yourselves. Keep in touch and don’t worry- I’ll pick you up at the station when you arrive.

See you soon,

Pete

FORMAL Letter or e-mail SAMPLE #2

Some American people are coming to your area and you have been asked to help organize the group’s visit. Read the email you have received from Mrs Lucas, the group leader, and the notes you have made (your notes are included in the text in bold letters). 

Email from: Melanie Lucas

Sent: 15 May

Subject: American visitors

Dear Peter,

The group will arrive on 3 August and will leave August 8. Do you think these dates are suitable? (Perfect. Coincides with local festival) There will be 10 teenagers and 6 adults in the group. Somebody recommended the Swan hotel. Could you give me some more information about it? (Give info to Mrs Lucas)

The adults would like to go shopping. Could you suggest some interesting shops to visit? (Suggest some shops). The teenagers are keen on sports. Are there any good sports facilities in the area? (Give some sports info)

Everybody is looking forward to visiting your town. Thank you for all your help.

Melanie Lucas

SAMPLE ANSWER

Dear Mrs Lucas,

I am delighted you are coming to visit  our country in August and I can confirm that this is the ideal time to come as the town is holding its yearly festival and I am sure you will enjoy it.

As for the hotel, I would definitely recommend the Swan. It is comfortable, the staff are friendly and the price is very reasonable. I will send you some more information in my next email if required.

There is a busy shopping mall in the town centre with a wide variety of shops. There is something for everyone, ranging from video games and fashionable clothes stores to second-hand book shops.

Finally, as regards the sports fans, there is a leisure centre. I think that it might be fun for your group to take part in the sports events in the festival.

I look forward to hearing from you soon,

Sincerely

Peter Lawson

ESSAY - SAMPLE #3

Every country in the world has problems with pollution and damage to the environment. Do you think these problems can be solved?

Notes
Write about:

1. transport
2. rivers and seas
3.........................(your own ideas)

What follows is an example layout of the Essay in 4 paragraphs. I only included the starting sentences ...

Introduction: (General statement)

Pollution and damage to the environment are worldwide issues that are very difficult to solve. 

Paragraph 1: 

For example, if we take a look at transport we will see that it mainly relies on very polutting fossil fuel..

Paragraph 2

Something similar happens with the rivers and the seas. .

Paragraph 3: (your own idea)

I would say that it is possible to slowly reduce the amounts of gases released to the environment...

Conclusion:

In my opinion if governments and industries do not get more involved...

FORMAL LETTER - SAMPLE #1

Formal email/letter - Model #1

You see this advertisement in a student newspaper.

Lifeguard assistants wanted 

We are looking for someone in August to assist our lifeguards, provide supervision during beach activities and observe swimmers.

Write to the Lifeguard Manager, saying what your experience and qualifications are and stating the reasons why you are suitable for the job.

Write your email in 140-190 words in an appropriate style.

Formal email/letter  - Sample Answer  #1 Dear Sir or Madam,

I am looking for outdoor work during the summer holidays and I would like to apply for the position of lifeguard assistant, which I saw advertised in my university's student newspaper.

I am 20 years old and at present I am studying Physical Education. I am a strong swimmer and have recently had first aid training. I very much enjoy working with people and for the last two summers I have benn working as an assitant ranger in a National Park, where I had to provide information to the public about using the park and provide emergency assistance to park users. Now I am looking for something different.

I think I would be a suitable candidate for the position because I have been described as calm in a crisis and someone who works well with others.

I am available for the whole of August and would be happy to attend an interview at any time. I look forward to hearing from you at any time in the near future.

Yours faithfully,

Ivan Ivienen
 

FORMAL LETTERS - Introduction

Formal letter or email

Formal letters may be written to an individual or to an organization. The purpose may be, for example,
to apply for part-time or vacation work (application letter)
to apply for study or scholarship opportunity (application letter)
to complain about something (complaint letter)
to make suggestions about something
to request information (enquiry letter)

Structure

1-Salutation or Greeting
(A) If you know the name of the person you are writing to use the title (Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms) and the surname only. If you are writing to a woman and you do not know if she uses Mrs or Miss, you can use Ms, which is for married and single women.
Examples: "Dear Mr Simpson," / "Dear Mrs Flanders," / "Dear Miss Skinner," / "Dear Ms Van Houten,"
(B) If you do not know the name of the recipient of the letter begin with "Dear Sir," / "Dear Madam," (if you know you are writing to a man or a woman) or "Dear Sir or Madam," (if you do not know the sex of the person you are writing to).

2 - Body

2.1 Opening

The first paragraph states the reason(s) for writing and, if needed, what you are responding to (an advert, a prospectus...). In addition, an opening paragraph is needed to make reference to previous correspondence.

Useful phrases for the opening

• I would like to apply for one of the scholarships I saw advertised in your prospectus. (applying for a scholarship)
• I am looking for an outdoor work during the summer holidays and I would like to apply for the position of hotel lifguard assistant which I say advertised in my university's student newspaper. (applying for a job)
• I have seen your advertisement for the post / vacancy / job of… advertised in the local newspaper on 16 June. I am writing because I would like to apply for the job. (applying for a job)
• I am the secretary of my college Science Club. I saw your advertisement for the exhibition "The Next 100 Years" and I am interested in organizing a group visit. I was wondering if I could ask you some questions about it. (requesting information)
• I am writing (in order) to complain about the advertisement for your new game. Having just played the game, I realize that the advertisement is misleading. (complaint letter)
• I am writing with regard to ... I am writing with reference to... I am writing in response to...
• Thank you for /your letter of 9 May... /for your letter regarding...
• In reply tor your letter of 8 May, ...

2.2 Main content

The rest of the body will be organized in paragraphs, grouping ideas logically (covering two points or questions in one paragraph, two other points or questions in another paragraph...). You should aim for three to five paragraphs

Other useful phrases

Asking politely

• Could you please tell me... ?
• I would be grateful if you could ...
• I would be interested in having more details about...
• I would like to know if/when/when/...
• I would like information on...

Complaining

• I would like to complain about + noun or -ing
• ... is not what I expected / was expecting
• I am not satisfied with...
• I would be grateful if my money was refunded / if you could give me a refund

3- Closing

The end of your letter is as important as the beginning. You usually state what you would like the recipient to do, make a reference to a future event, offer to help...

• I look forward to hearing from you soon / I look forward to receiving your reply
• I look forward to receiving a full refund (in a complaint letter)
• I would like to know what you are going to do about this situation (in a complaint letter)
• I would like to thank you in advance for this information (in a enquiry letter -requesting information)
• If you require/Should you need further information, please do not hesitate to contact me/feel free to contact me.

4- Final salutation

Depending on how you started your letter , you will end your letter with

• Yours sincerely, 
• Yours faithfully, 

5-  Sign your full name

Moe Szyslak

ESSAY - SAMPLE # 2

Science is very important in the 21st century. How do you think it could be made more appealing to young people?

Notes

Write about:
1. television programmes
2. interactive museums
3. ________ (your own idea)

Write your essay in 140-190 words in an appropriate style.

SAMPLE Answer

Although young people love gadgets and technology, some see science as uninteresting and 'uncool'. Over time, the number of young people, particularly girls, pursuing science and technology studies and careers has dropped.

One way in which science could be made more attractive would be to have lively television programmes presented by celebrities, with subjects which were relevant to the experience of the young. We live in a celebrity culture and children identify with well-known young people.

Another idea would be to set up interactive science museums in every town, where parents could take their children. It is much better to teach children the principles of science through hands-on experiments than to lecture them in a classroom.

Of course, there would be more incentives if the average scientit were better paid and young people were made aware of the range of jobs available. A lot of people are put off a scientific career because they think it means working in a badly paid job in a boring laboratory.

Whichever way we choose, it is vital that more young people are attracted to science, since society's prosperity depends largely on continuous scientific progress.

ESSAY - SAMPLE # 1

In your English class, you have recently had a discussion about relationships.

Write an essay using all the notes and give reasons for your point of view.

Is it better to live alone or with someone else?

Notes
Write about:
1. independence
2. money
3. ________ (your own idea)

Write your essay in 140-190 words in an appropriate style.

SAMPLE Answer

Nowadays more people are deciding to live by themselves. Some people claim this is more enjoyable and in young people it develops a sense of responsibility, whereas others disagree.

The main advantage of living alone is that there is nobody to tell you what to do, so you can live your life in your own way. What is more, you can organize or decorate your house as you want. There is no one else to disagree with.

On the other hand, it can be quite lonely for some people. By nature, we are social animals. Secondly, it is more expensive because you have to pay all the rent and bills yourself, so you have less money to enjoy yourself. Last but not least, it can be quite hard to find a nice flat for one person, so you might not be able to live in the best area.

To sum up, there are strong arguments on both sides. In conclusion, I believe that living alone is better for older people who have more money and like privacy but not for young people who need to share the costs.

ESSAY: Introduction

HOW TO WRITE AN ESSAY  

INTRODUCTION 
In the introduction, state the topic clearly, give a brief outline of the issue, saying why it is important or why people have different opinions about it.
- DO NOT express you opinion at the beginning of your essay (develop you essay in such a way that it guides the reader to the conclusion).

PARAGRAPHS
- Structure your argument. - Each new paragraph has one main idea, stated in a topic sentence.
- Include relevant details to support the main idea: these might include examples, rhetorical questions, controversial or surprising statements. 

CONCLUSION
- State your point of view or personal opinion and remember that your conclusion should be connected with the ideas stated in the Introduction 

GENERAL
- DO NOT use contractions or direct questions
- DO use a relatively formal language and an objective tone. Do not be too emotional.
- Remember to use linking words/phrases to organize your ideas and to make it easy for the reader to follow your argument.
- In the exam, allow yourself time to check your grammar, spelling and punctuation thoroughly.
- Use connectors to link your ideas

To express personal opinions: In my opinion, I believe (that) / I feel (that) / it seems to me / in my view /as I see it / I think / personally
To show purpose: to / in order to / so as to / so that
To list ideas: Firstly / secondly / finally / In the first place / Lastly
To contrast ideas: However / although / in contrast / whereas / but / nevertheless / in spite of / despite
To describe a cause: Because / since / as / due to
To show a sequence: First of all / then / after that / eventually / in the end / finally
To add information: In addition / moreover / what is more / besides / too / furthermore / and
To describe a consequence: Consequently / as a result / therefore / so / thus / for this reason / that is why
To conclude the topic: In conclusion / to sum up / in short / all in all/ To conclude

Hi Girls,

I´ve created this Blog for our practice in Writing and Use of English Papers for FCE.
I´ll post several examples of the different types of writings that we are going to see in class. Even though it is not compulsory, you can have a look at the Blog whenever you want.
Here you will find examples of Essays, Letters (formal and Informal), Reports and Reviews.
I hope you may find this useful !