Listening, Reading

On the following pages you will find examples of ESOL exercises. These will be useful for lesson planning and materials production.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

We acknowledge all examples quoted from past UCLES papers (KET, PET, FCE, Cambridge Overseas “O” level), and from sample Cambridge Young Learners’ Materials. Original materials were designed and tested by J. B. Binns Listening, reading

and writing

RESOURCE PACK

for designing materials 4

3 C Letter to Teenage Magazine

I catch a train to school every morning and the station I go to is a busy one. Every day there are a lot of passengers waiting to get off the train as it arrives, and a lot waiting to get on. My parents have always taught me to be polite, so I let adults get off the train before me. However, because I am only small, the people on the platform try to push their way onto the train before I’ve had time to get off.

Only last week, as we came into the station on a particularly cold, wet morning, there was a mad hurry for the train door and a large, middle-aged man stepped on my foot and then knocked me over. I was in a lot of pain, but nobody came to help me. Everyone getting on was too interested in finding a seat and too worried about having to stand. Fortunately, one of the guards saw me and helped me off the train, although he seemed really annoyed that it was difficult for me to get down the steps onto the platform.

Adults always complain about the way children behave, but maybe they should take a look at themselves!

21 What is the writer complaining about in the letter?

A Trains are becoming more crowded.

B Train staff are never around to help you.

C Adults can be thoughtless on trains.

D Children should be more polite on trains.

22 What will the reader discover from the letter?

A Trains are often late these days.

B Trains are often cold these days.

C There are too few guards on trains.

D There are too few seats on trains.

23 What would be a good headline for the above letter?

A B Where have all the When will train nice people gone? services improve?

C D Why don’t train staff What would our listen to us? parents say?

4 D Complete the postcard. Write ONE word for each space (41 - 50). For questions 41 - 50, write your own words on the answer sheet.

Tuesday, 7 December

Dear Tom,

We arrived here (Example: in ) London two days 41 . It was very sunny 42

Sunday, but yesterday and today it has 43 cold. We 44 already visited many places and seen 45 of interesting things. Yesterday we 46 by bus to the British Museum. We couldn’t see everything in the museum in one day because

47 is very big. We are 48 to go back there tomorrow. Tonight we have tickets 49 the theatre.

I will telephone you when I return 50 week.

Lots of love,

Colette

1. Where was Mr Jones going? 2. What was he wearing? 3. Who was he travelling with? 4. How much did the ticket cost him? 5. Why did Mr Jones not want to travel on that particular day? 6. Which bus did he intend to catch?

Read the article about whales. Choose the best word (A, B or C) for each space (33 – 40) For questions 33 – 40, mark A, B or C on the answer sheet.

WHALES The whale swims and lives in the sea, but 0 is not a fish. The whale needs air and has babies which drink 33 mother’s milk.

Whales do many interesting things. Humpback whales 34 to each other; grey whales swim thousands of kilometres each year 35 Canada to Mexico to have their babies; and scientists in the United States have taught pilot whales 36 find things on the floor of the sea.

The 37 whale is the blue whale. It can 38 metres long and is very heavy, sometimes more than 135 tonnes. It needs to eat thousands of little fish 39 day. The sperm whale can go without air under water for 40 hour when it is looking for food.

EXAMPLE ANSWER

0 A it B she C they A

33 A their B her C its

34 A sing B sang C sung

35 A in B from C until

36 A for B about C to

37 A biggest B bigger C big

38 A being B be C been

39 A the B this C every

40 A an B a C some

6 G Read the descriptions (11 – 15) of things you can read What is the name (A – H) of each thing? For questions 11 – 15, mark the correct letter A – H on the answer sheet.

EXAMPLE ANSWER

0 People send you this when they are on holiday. H

11 When you have finished reading this, you must take it back. A advertisement

B bill 12 Somebody has written this to make people buy something. C dictionary

13 This tells you how much you have to pay. D envelope

E library book 14 This may arrive in the shops once a week or once a month. F magazine

15 You find words beginning with ‘A’ at the front of this G notebook

H postcard

H 1. Find 12 words or expressions to do with change hidden in the word chain. The first has been done for you.

Complete the conversation in a shop. What does Sue say to the shop assistant? For questions 21 – 25, mark the correct letter A – H on the answer sheet.

EXAMPLE ANSWER

Assistant: Hello, can I help you?

Sue: 0……………………... D

Assistant: Is it a boy or a girl?

Sue: 21……………………. A I see. I suppose I should go to a baby clothes shop. Assistant: Do you know her size? B I want to buy a present for Sue: 22……………………. my friend’s daughter.

Assistant: Well, most of these clothes C I like this pink one best. are for older children. D Yes, please. I’d like to buy Sue: 23…………………….. a sweater for a child.

Assistant: We have things for younger E Oh, good. I’ll go there then. children on the second floor. F Oh, yes. She likes looking Sue: 24……………………… at pictures.

Assistant: But have you thought about G Well, she’ll be two on getting her something else, Saturday. a book perhaps? H She’ll look nice in that. Sue: 25………………………

Assistant: If you come with me, I’ll show you what we’ve got.

8 J Exploring the Arctic

The Arctic is one of the few places in the world which is untouched by pollution and where you can see nature at its wildest and most beautiful. Join our ship, the Northern Star from 2 to 18 July, for a 17 day voyage to the Arctic. During the voyage you are able to relax and get away from it all. There are no parties or film-shows to attend, quizzes to enter or entertainers to watch. However, we do have specialists on board who are willing to answer any of your questions about the Arctic, and who will talk about the animals and birds that you see on the trip. After setting off from Scotland, we go north along the coast of Norway to Bear Island. Along the way you will see thousands of seabirds and wonderful scenery, with rivers of ice and huge cliffs. You will have the chance to see reindeer, polar bears, and other Arctic animals. Although we have a timetable, experience has shown that we may have to change our direction a little, depending on the weather and on which animals appear.

The Northern Star is a very special ship and our past voyages have been very popular. Our cabins all have the same excellent facilities, which include a private bathroom and refrigerator. Our chefs are happy to prepare any food for people on special diets. Choose just what you want to eat from the wide variety available from the dining room buffet. There is a library, shop, clinic ands plenty of space for relaxation. If you need some exercise, why not go jogging every morning around the decks, or do some swimming in the indoor pool.

Prices include economy class air travel and 16 nights on board the Northern Star, all meals and excursions and all lectures.

Day 1 Board the Northern Star.

Days 2 – 7 We sail slowly north along the coast of Norway, stopping at places of interest.

Day 8 Tromsø. You need to get up at sunrise to see the whales as we sail towards Tromsø. Visit this city to see the Arctic Museum, the cathedral and the beautiful, old wooden houses. In the evening we sail away along the west coast to Bird Island, which is excellent for bird-watching.

Days 9 – 10 Bear Island. We arrive here in the early evening and stay overnight. Bear Island once had an active fishing industry, but today little of this remains. We will explore the island, looking out for Arctic flowers.

Days 11 – 16 Spitsbergen. A place of mountains and rivers of ice, it is home to a large variety of animals.

Day 17 Leave the ship in Spitsbergen and fly into London from Tromsø.

 Look at the statements below about a journey to the Arctic on board a ship.  Read the text on the opposite page to decide if each statement is correct or incorrect.  If it is correct, mark A on your answer sheet.  If it is not correct, mark B on your answer sheet.

18 There are some examples of traditional buildings in Tromsø.

19 The ship stays overnight in Tromsø.

9 K Could you write a best seller? How many times have you finished a good book and thought, ‘I could have written that!’? But would you know where to begin? Mandy Bruce asked four experts for their tips on how to create a best seller . . .

A The Author C The Agent

Penny is the author of six best sellers. ‘I always Carol is a literary agent. Publishers, she says, wanted to write,’ she says. ‘So when I discovered prefer work to come via an agent rather than a certain publisher was looking for new writers, I directly. began trying to write a few stories. When my first ‘We’re a small company, but we still receive book was accepted I was over the moon.’ something like 50 submissions a week from new Penny continued working in her job and writers. Some people submit their entire writing in her spare time. ‘I’d write in my lunch manuscript, which isn’t a good idea. I like to hour, in the evenings, sometimes I’d stay up all receive a preliminary letter introducing the author night. I loved writing. Now, of course, I treat it and the first three chapters of the story plus a full more like a job. I aim to write 20 pages a day. Of synopsis.’ course, it doesn’t always work out like that and I Carol has written two best-selling thrillers of do feel guilty if I haven’t done those 20 pages. It’s her own. ‘I now feel I’m old enough to write,’ she hard work and a solitary job.’ says. A lot of people write before they’re ready, ‘Would-be writers should read as much as before they have anything to say. Structuring the possible. You have to form your own style, but book is important. When I’m working on a new reading helps develop ideas. I get a lot from book I have a kind of geometrical plan which I put newspapers and magazines. You read about on the kitchen wall. I work out the story and the something interesting that has happened, then mechanics. You can’t just let it happen. You, the play with it and expand it in your head. Writing is writer, always have to know what’s going to like anything else – you get out of it what you put happen next.’ in. If you do it half-heartedly, you get a half- ‘Writing is very hard work. You have to be hearted result, and the readers spot that.’ prepared to give up a lot of your social life. But the ‘It is demanding but it gives me a lot of joy. I only way to succeed is to persevere, even when still get really excited when I start a new book. If it’s not going well. You have to be strict and set you want to have a go, it’s worth a try and worth yourself deadlines. But the positive side is that the effort – you’ve got absolutely nothing to lose.’ when it’s working well, writing is the most B The Publisher wonderfulD The Bookseller experience.’ Patrick is an executive with one of Britain’s To have a best seller, you need to get your book biggest publishers. His job is deciding who and onto the shelves of the country’s main bookshops. what gets into print. Established authors do well because readers ‘Writing is not as easy as it looks,’ he says. know what they are getting. For a new author it’s ‘You can’t just have a jumble of words with no much harder. heart or soul. The authors who become best ‘New writers sell for two reasons,’ says Will sellers can tell a story – that’s their talent. But Drake. ‘Either their name is familiar or the book even the most successful ones will tell you that has had a big launch promotion. Our “Fresh they don’t find it easy. Today, readers are into Talent” scheme promotes a new author’s book in individually crafted stories which show off the the shop windows for a month at a time, but real art of storytelling, something a bit deeper, competition is fierce. You need talent, a good less formulaic.’ publisher and lots of luck.’ His company receives as many as 8,000 ‘You also need a fresh, individual voice, unsolicited manuscripts every year, so new characters that are endearing to the readers and authors must be prepared for rejection. ‘We look gripping stories. Readers should be emotionally at every manuscript we get but, out of all of interested in the characters from the first page them, probably only one will be published. and there should be some kind of tension so that Budding authors shouldn’t expect to succeed they keep reading. The biggest mistake new first time around. You can’t go into writing writers make is to think of a plot first, then try to thinking it’s an easy way to make money. It isn’t.’ create the characters. Most successful authors K begin with a character and form the plot afterwards.’ (continued)

10 Which person states the following?

If people have heard of a writer, they are more likely to buy that writer’s first book. 0 D

It is obvious if a writer was not very enthusiastic when writing a book. 22

When trying to get a book published, it is unwise to send it all off. 23

It is difficult to make a living from writing. 24

Some people try to write without sufficient experience of life. 25

Inspiration for good stories can come from real-life events. 26

Being good at writing is not enough to make someone a successful writer. 27

Successful stories always contain an element of suspense. 28

Anyone who wants to try to write a book should do so. 29

Readers judge books by the quality of the stories in them. 30

Writers have to keep trying if they are having difficulty when writing. 31

It is unwise to plan the events in a story first when starting to write a book. 32

New writers should avoid contacting publishers personally. 33

Writing may not appear to be very demanding. 34

Readers have to care about what happens to the people in a story. 35

L 1 Certificates, diplomas and degrees are all types of these (14)

11 2 Plans and aims for your future (4-4,5) 3 and 4 Possibilities for getting better jobs (9,9) 5 Written reports about you and your work from past employers (10) 6 Jobs that you’ve done in the past (10) 7 Things that you are good at (9) 8 Things that you are not good at (10) 9 A situation when people ask you questions to find out if you should get the job (9)

1 Q U A L I F I C A T I O N S 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

M Complete the table below using information from Reading Passage 3. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 29-35 on your answer sheet.

PERIOD STYLE OF BUILDING CHARACTERISTICS PERIOD MATERIALS

Before Example 18th … (29) … century traditional

1920s introduction of steel, glass and exploration of latest … (30) … concrete Technology

1930s - … (31) … geometric forms 1950s

1960s decline of pre-fabricated … (32) … Modernism sections A The idea of court cards (king, queen and E In the depths of the Major’s prince1970s – now called ‘jack’)end ofwas probably traditional drawers, however, are several … (33) … brought over by foreign soldiers in the packs that have never seen the 16th century. Modernist era light ofmaterials day since they were madeof historic buildings a century ago. 1970s Beginning of metal and glass sophisticated techniques B If that seems rather… complex, (34) … era then the F A quarterly newsletter offers paraded Major’s advice is to search for rarer up-to-date research and details N issues1980s by leadingPost-Modernism makers. of current exhibitions and sales.… (35) … C So his earliest set, which he came G Although the recent surge of across in an antique shop, is something N interest has greatly increased the (continued) of a find. value of rare early sets, there is still plenty of scope for the beginner. 12 D Among an ever-growing band of collectors H Not only did he find one for just old playing cards have found a new life. £15, he also went home with its contents – ‘precisely 263 packs of playing cards.’

You are going to read a newspaper article about collecting playing cards. Seven sentences have been removed from the article. Choose from the sentences A-H the one which fits each gap (16-21). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. There is an example at the beginning (0).

Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet.

A BIG HAND

You are going to read a newspaper article about collecting playing cards. Seven sentences have been removed from the article. Choose from the sentences A-H above the one which fits each gap (16-21). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. There is an example at the beginning (0).

Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet. A BIG HAND

When Major Donald Welsh found 263 packs of playing cards in a suitcase, a life-long interest began.

Major Donald Welsh’s search for an antique leather suitcase A tax was introduced on card packs in 1711, so proved to be the start of a life-long hobby. 0 H card playing was traditionally an expensive hobby. It was a perfect start for the major’s collection. ‘I have English kings had, in any case, restricted the lower always played a lot of card games, but in the 1950s, when I classes to playing only at Christmas. Until 1960 bought the suitcase, I was one of the few who actually (when the ancient tax was removed), all card collected playing cards.’ packets were sealed with a special wrapper to show the tax had been paid. Most wrappers were Now Major Welsh has company. 16 Two years hastily torn to extract the cards inside. 20 ago, the English Playing Card Society (which Major English ‘It would devalue them if I tore the wrappers,’ he founded) celebrated its tenth birthday. In a decade its says. membership has multiplied from a mere two to several hundred, and the Major’s own collection now extends to ‘Certain things are worth looking for,’ he explains. more than 6,500 packs spanning three centuries of design. If a card has square corners, then it was probably made before 1880, when round corners came in. 17 It is possible to start a collection with a lot less Early cards tend to have no numbers on them, full- than the £18 it costs to join the Society. figure kings and queens (rather than a double- ended portrait) and the symbols tend to face the The history of playing cards can be traced to China many same way.’ 21 centuries ago, but 18 the English form is said to have come from France. Not content with just collecting, the Major has plans to produce his own cards. ‘I’m working on a Examples from this period are rare. ‘Very few English 19 cards special set for the Society’s next anniversary,’ he made before the 1600s survive,’ says the Major. says. It datesO from 1688 and carries the symbol of England’s noble families. Like most playing cards it was made in London.For questions 56-65, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of each line to form a word that fits in the space in the same line. There is an example at the beginning (0). Write your answers on the separate answer sheet.

13 Example 0 advisable

PREPARING FOR A SPEECH

If you have to make a speech, it is (0) …………….. to do ADVICE

some (56) …… beforehand. But even if you know a great PREPARE

deal about your subject, you may get (57) …… on the day NERVE

and find that you cannot understand your notes very (58) …… EASY

To help prevent this, I always find it (59) …… to organise my USE

talks on small note-cards. I (60) …… divide my materials into GENERAL

about nine or ten main points. Then I write a list of (61) …… ADDITION

points related to each of these. It’s (62) …… to use small cards GOOD

than sheets of paper because otherwise there is a (63) … TEND

to write down too much (64) …… Make sure that each card INFORM

contains only one point as it is (65) …… to put several points HELP

on one card.

Find nine words to do with business. The first has been done for you.

M P R O D U C T I O N O R P R O D U C E M P P O L L B M E R I O L E D T R U A K I O S A R U M E S R I P L A N R C O R I K W E N C N A T N A N E U T S E I M A R K E T I N G O N A D V E R T I S E N G P I B U S I N E S S D Q

Read the following passage, and then answer the questions underneath it.

1 I recall vividly one season when the children could no longer play as they used to, and the strong bond uniting us all together as one community was badly strained. That season the rains had failed, and after a difficult

14 season the drought gave ways to floods, bringing the community to its knees One of the first people to feel the effect of the drought was Mother. She had to carry the burden of holding 5 her family together. She could not sit back and just hope that things would improve. When we saw her eyes fixed upon the parched fields we felt with her the disappointment she was going through. We knew Mother’s silent petition. We would imitate her posture almost involuntarily until the sound of her simple hoe breaking up the hard clay soil brought us back to earth in a literal sense. It was difficult to make an impression on those stubborn clay fields. Mother was making extremely slow progress and her two weeks of relentless effort 10 produced little. People waited in hope and despair, and nothing happened. Some women went in mourning to their rice-fields, but a trickle of visitors turned up at the house expecting to be lavishly hosted. The clay became tougher and tougher, the children fell ill and became worse and still the skies above refused to open and send the precious rain. 15 Thanks to Mother, the family never succumbed to a silent defeatist attitude. Mother was frantically going from place to place, giving the impression of ceaseless activity and keeping alive a remnant of hope for a break in the weather. She also exchanged greetings with other people, passed comments designed to encourage them and shared what flickering hopes remained to help another’s burden. ‘Extend my very warmest greetings to cousin So-and-so,’ she would say, knowing perfectly well that when things were normal cousin So-and-so 20 never figured much in her thoughts. She was not being insincere. No, it was merely one more bid to capture someone’s attention, thoughts of whom were associated with happier times. One night, well after supper-time, there was a strange smell of business in the air. Mother had told us what she was going to do and had gone, along with other women, to a meeting in order to work out some sort of answer to the problem of the drought. All the children sat with her, eager-eyed. 25 Suddenly the whole town was astir with urgent life. Footsteps increased in the street. Soon women were running in all directions, which created much confusion. It was believed that the race home symbolised the speed with which the rain requests were being attended to. Anyone who stood in the way ran the risk of being trampled under foot.

Two days went by. Polite and formal greetings were still exchanged between people, but hope was being 30 sapped by the erosive force of a growing food scarcity. A tense atmosphere developed and clamped itself on the community and, as people began to give in to a widespread loss of nerve, the clouds darkened over the horizon. Whether it was in answer to the rain dance or not, we had a huge downpour of torrential rain. The higher forces were not dead after all. The heavy rains, though for long awaited, had come at the wrong time. The 35 rice-fields were flooded. In a few days we were faced with a possible disaster. The river level continued to rise. The market, perched on top of a small mound near the boat crossing, was flooded. The number of homeless people increased. Houses were sliced from their foundations as the floors shifted and their props collapsed. Roofs, made of flimsy palm-leaves and reeds, leaked and caved in. Then, thankfully, the rain stopped and we set about repairing the damage and returning to our normal lives.

(Adapted from Come Hell and High Water by Lamin Sennah)

1. What was the reason for the ‘bond’ (line 31) being strained?

2. What is the meaning of the word ‘parched’ (line 6)?

3. Choose FIVE of the following words. For each give one word or short phrase (not more than 7 words) which can be used in its place without changing the original meaning: (i) community (line 3) (ii) insincere (line 20) (iii) astir (line 25) (iv) petition (line 7) (v) formal (line 29) (vi) petition (line 7)

4. Write a summary to show the effect the drought had on Mother’s feelings and state what she then did.

5. Either: Write a story in which you highlight the problems of the drought. Or: Write a letter to an aid agency begging for help for your drought-stricken village.

1 Write the letters in the correct order and match them with the pictures.

a) besatodark b) gajwis zuzepl c) droba mega d) radsc e) losdl f) petcromu mage

S Ow ning/Renting Unsuitable housing points score

2000 1 20000 2 1500 15000

1000 10000 3 500 4 5000

0 0 1 2 3 4

------Owner occupier with loan 1 – 3 points Owner occupier without loan ------Private tenant ------Government housing tenant

Substandard housing by type of occupancy 2.4% 5.6% 8.1% S 10.4% (continued)

16 Num ber of occupants per house

Num ber of bedroom s per house

VISA WAIVER Immigration

17 Type or print legibly with pen in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. USE ENGLISH.

1. Family name

2. First (given) name

3. Birth Date (day/month/year)

4. Country of Citizenship

5. Sex (male or female)

6. Passport Number

7. Airline and Flight Number

8. Country where you live

9. Country where you boarded

CERTIFICATION: I certify that I have read and understand all the questions and statements on this form. The answers I have furnished are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signature ……………………………… Date …………………

Look at the Spring United team for the game against Glad City. Read the passage and then:

1) Complete the team to play against Mill Rovers. 2) Complete the table listing players who have lost their places for the game against Mill Rovers.

18 FOOTBALL REPORT

The Spring United football team (shown below), who lost 5-2 to Glad City last week, has been changed for this week’s game against Mill Rovers. Because he has been playing poorly Summer loses his position to Trill. Love takes over Mull’s position in defence, with Mull moving to the injured McGuire’s position. Because of his bad behaviour in his last game, Keys has been banned so Taylor takes over his position. The new defender is eighteen year old Bright. The important central attacking position is this week occupied by Dale. He replaces Muckrum who was transferred during the week. Both sides of last week’s attack exchange positions. Miller’s recent operation means young Henry gets a rare start in this important game. The remaining players retain their positions from last week’s game.

POSITION

Miller Goalkeeper

Taylor Smith Keys Mull Defence

Summer Bell McGuire Midfield

Epsom Muckrum Salmon Attack

1) Spring United (against Mill Rovers)

POSITION

………… Goalkeeper

……… ……… ……… ……….. Defence

……… ……… ……… Midfield

……….. ……….. ……….. Attack U (continued)

19 Players out of team Reason for not playing

……………………………… ………………………………