Institut National Des Langues Luxembourg

Institut National Des Langues Luxembourg

Institut National des Langues
Luxembourg

English Test

CEF B1 W&L

Intermediate (Level 5)

Your name: ...... 

Class: E......

Date: ......

READING / /25
LISTENING / /25
WRITING / /25
SPEAKING / /25
TOTAL / /100

1

READING (25M)

PART 1: (10 Marks) ___ /10

We interviewed three people about how family and friends have affected their personalities.

1

MARIA STANOVICH

I've always had a strong relationship with my family. An important influence on my personality was my grandmother, Hannah. She was born in 1930 into a poor family with seven children - they had to take very good care of each other in order to survive. Growing up in such difficult conditions had a positive effect on her, teaching her to share everything, be honest, helpful, hard-working, and affectionate. My grandmother taught me all these things, making me realize that family is more important than material possessions.

KATIE DUPONT

The people around you have the greatest influence on your life - they affect the way you behave and think. As soon as Rob and I met, we connected. When Rob was young, his father died in a motorcycle accident. Being brought up as an only child by a single parent made him independent and ambitious. He left home at 16, and since then has lived in different places and had various jobs. He's taught me that it's important to find time for friends and family and to do what makes you happy. He always has fun, trying new things, keeping his mind and body healthy, and he still works hard to achieve his goals. I greatly admire Rob and I hope that one day I can look at life in the way that he does.

JED MITCHELL

I spent many hours as a child listening to my uncle Wilson's stories. He was the youngest of 11 children whose family lived in a fishing town in Scotland. Life was hard and with so many mouths to feed, the children began working from an early age. At just 14, my uncle began his first job as a fisherman. That was the beginning of his adventures - he travelled and worked in Alaska, South-East Asia, India, and Africa. He educated himself, learnt to be a chef, an engineer, a farmer, and a photographer. Uncle Wilson taught me that life is special and that you should take every opportunity that you can to fill it with adventure.

  1. Maria has a close relationship with her family.
/ A True 
B False
C Doesn’t say
  1. Maria's grandmother had seven children.
/ A True 
B False
C Doesn’t say
  1. Maria's grandmother taught her to tell the truth.
/ A True 
B False
C Doesn’t say
  1. Growing up in a big family made Maria's grandmother less selfish.
/ A True 
B False
C Doesn’t say
  1. Katie met Rob at work.
/ A True 
B False
C Doesn’t say
  1. Katie knew she and Rob would be good friends because they immediately got on well.
/ A True 
B False
C Doesn’t say
  1. Katie thinks Rob lives his life in a positive way.
/ A True 
B False
C Doesn’t say
  1. Jed's uncle's first job was as a chef.
/ A True 
B False
C Doesn’t say
  1. Jed thinks people shouldn't waste any chances in life.
/ A True 
B False
C Doesn’t say
  1. Jed would like to travel like his uncle did.
/ A True 
B False
C Doesn’t say

1

1

PART 2: (10 marks) ___ /10

Read the article and tick (√) A, B, or C.

HOW GREEN IS YOUR HOUSE?

As the UK's cities expand rapidly, problems are being caused for councils who have to meet the demand for housing. In addition to this, energy prices and pollution levels continue to increase.

(Note: a council = a group of people who are elected to govern a city, for example)

A solution bas been developed by the Peabody Trust who have worked with environmental experts to build the Beddington Zero Energy housing development (BedZED) in Sutton, England.

This unique development is an environmentally-friendly community of a hundred homes including gardens, offices, and childcare facilities with plenty of surrounding green areas. BedZED's designers have created an attractive, affordable, urban village whose unique features benefit instead of harm the local community and environment. BedZED is a 'zero energy' development - no fossil fuels (coal and gas) are used and homes do not waste energy. Building materials are mostly natural, renewable or recycled. Houses face the south so that they get plenty of sunlight and their roofs are also fitted with solar panels, which change the sun's energy into electricity. The windows consist of three layers of glass to stop heat from escaping. The homes are also fitted with the most modern energy-saving appliances. It is estimated that families' electricity bills could be reduced by up to 60% whilst heating bills could be reduced by as much as 90%.

Developers hope to achieve a 50% reduction in fossil-fuel use by residents' cars over the next decade by reducing the need to travel. Some residents will have the opportunity to work within walking distance of their homes. The Peabody Trust also aim to set up Internet shopping so that food can be delivered by local supermarkets.

As the need for environmentally friendly, low-energy housing increases, BedZED may change from being a unique model to a model for all future houses.

Example: Cities in the UK ___ / A are getting expensive
B are getting larger very quickly
C have too many politicians
Councils are having problems because ___ / A there are too many houses
B there aren't enough houses
C houses cost too much to build
The Peabody Trust _____ an answer to the housing problem.. / A have found
B may have found
C have to find
The Bed ZED development consists of ____. / A 100 homes. 
B houses and public buildings
C houses, public buildings and parks
The designers have created houses which are ____. / A quite expensive 
B reasonably priced
C overpriced
The homes ___ / A don't use any energy
B don't use more energy than they need
C use more energy than they need
___ of the materials used in the buildings are environmentally friendly. / A Some 
B All
C Nearly all
Specially designed ____ keep heat inside the houses. / A appliances
B solar panels
C windows
____ bills could be cut by as much as 60%. / A Heating
B Electricity
C Fossil-fuel
In the next decade some residents will be able to ___ / A work at home
B take the bus to work
C walk to work
Developers are hoping that BedZED will ____ / A remain unique
B change
C be a model for future housing development

PART 3: (5 Marks)___ /5

Look at the text in each question What does it say?
Tick (√) the correct letter A, B, or C.

Example: / A You may not leave your rubbish here.
B Picnic food is provided in this place.
C Picnics are not allowed in this area.
1.
/ A There are three changing rooms in this shop.
B You cannot change any items bought in this shop.
C You can try on a maximum of three things at a time.
2.
/ A If necessary, ring the bell for attention.
B There is no one working here at the moment.
C Please ring the bell when you arrive at the desk.
3.
/ A This post office does not accept large parcels.
B Large parcels can only be sent from some windows.
C You must take all parcels to windows 9, 10 and 11.
4.
/ What is Sam going to do?
A go to the cinema at the weekend
B call Harry on Saturday
C make a new arrangement
5.
/ A Non-swimmers need a pass to enter this pool.
B If you can't swim, you mustn't use all of the pool.
C Wait at this point if you are having swimming lessons.

1

LISTENING (25M)

PART 1 (5 Marks) ___ /5

Listen and tick (√) A, B, or C.

1.Where's the girl's mobile? / AIn the café.
BIn her pocket.
CIn her bag.
2.How late are their friends? / ALess than 15 minutes.
B15 minutes.
CMore than 15 minutes.
3.Who looks good in their passport photo? / AThe woman.
BThe man.
CNeither of them.
4.The girl's new boyfriend is ... / Atall with long dark hair.
Btall with short dark hair.
Cshort with short dark hair.
5.How many times has the woman failed her driving test? / AOne.
BTwo.
CThree.

PART 2 (6 Marks) ___ /6

Look at the six sentences for this part. You will hear a conversation between a woman, Lisa, and a man, Mike, about sport. Decide if each sentence is correct or incorrect. If it is correct, tick (√) the box under YES. If it is not correct, tick (√) the box under NO.

YES / NO
  1. Lisa has missed most of her aerobic classes.
/  / 
  1. Lisa paid in advance for her aerobic classes.
/  / 
  1. Mike suggests that Lisa should start another course of aerobics.
/  / 
  1. Lisa thinks she would be able to go jogging before work.
/  / 
  1. Mike really likes exercising with other people.
/  / 
  1. Mike is happy to try a game of tennis.
/  / 

PART 3 (5 Marks) ___ /5

You are going to listen to an automated telephone message for a sightseeing tour of New York. Listen carefully and answer the following questions.

  1. How many stops are there? ______
  2. Are there guides on the buses?______
  3. Are there any tours in Spanish and French?______
  4. Where do tours start from?______
  5. How much does an adult have to pay for a ticket for the bus and the harbour cruise?______

PART 4 (5 Marks) ___ /5

You will hear a young Indian woman called Indira talk about her marriage plans for the future. Decide if each sentence is correct or incorrect. If it is correct, tick (√) the box under YES. If it is not correct, tick (√) the box under NO.

YES / NO
  1. Indira thinks most people don’t understand what a narranged marriage is..
/  / 
  1. Indira must marry the first man her parents choose for her.
/  / 
  1. Indira feels her parents don’t really understand her..
/  / 
  1. Indira doesn’t think it is a good idea to rely on luck when looking for the right partner.
/  / 
  1. Indira expects to have a happy marriage.
/  / 

PART 5 (4 Marks) ___ /4

You will hear a conversation between a bank manager and a customer. Answer the following questions.

How much money does Mrs Stevens want?______

What is the interest rate? ______

How much does she have to pay each month?______

When will she start paying back the loan?______

WRITING (25M)

PART 1 (10 Marks) ___ /10

Imagine you’re going to study at a language school in the UK for three weeks. You receive an email from your home-stay family asking some questions about your lifestyle. Reply to their email and include the following information.
Write about 80 words.

  • thank them for their email
  • your age, family, work / study
  • what you usually eat / your likes and dislikes
  • sports you do / interests you have

______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______

PART 2 (15 Marks) ___ /15

Choose ONE of these tasks:

  1. A newspaper is running a story-writing competition. Write about a nightmare holiday you’ve had, or a difficult situation you’ve been in (or invent one), to send to the newspaper. Answer the following questions. Write about 150 words.
  • When and where did it happen?
  • Who were you with? Why?
  • What went wrong? What happened?
  • What happened in the end?

OR

  1. Write the story of your worst holiday in about 150 words.
  • When was it?
  • Where was it
  • Why was it bad?
  • What happened in the end?
  • What did you do?

______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______

1