B2 First Reading and Use of English Sample Test 2

Part 1

For questions 1 – 8, 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 sight B viewed C seen D visual

Example: 0 D

Sign languages
People have been using sign languages for thousands of years. These (0) languages are made up of

gestures, hand signs and finger spelling, which (1) letters of the alphabet. Signs are also used to

(2) not only individual words but phrases and concepts, too.

(3) of sign language date back to around the fifth century BCE, though it has (4)

impossible to identify the ‘first’ sign language. Although early documents show only the finger spelling

systems which allowed users to transfer oral language to signing, such (5) of communication have in

fact developed naturally, with their own grammars and vocabularies.

While British and American sign languages are (6) recognised, and used not only by deaf people but

those who are unable to produce spoken language, evidence shows that there are in the (7) of 200

different languages in (8) around the world. Wherever there are deaf communities, there are sign

languages, too.

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 B2 First Reading and Use of English Sample Test 2

1 A displays B copies C represents D describes

2 A communicate B exhibit C interpret D explain

3 A Details B Registers C Cases D Records

4 A confirmed B proved C established D resulted

5 A approaches B techniques C manners D methods

6 A broadly B widely C highly D deeply

7 A region B field C zone D location

8 A life B presence C existence D reality

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B2 First Reading and Use of English Sample Test 2

Part 5

You are going to read an article about robots. For questions 31 – 36, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which
you think fits best according to the text.

Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet.

The rise and rise of robots

For a long time, people have wondered about the the future. However, humans will still be required
possibility of having a personal robot at home, in roles such as teaching and medicine, but parts
doing the chores, running errands and even, of those jobs will become automated. Machines
perhaps, providing company. Some scientists can be incredibly accurate in terms of diagnosing
predict that it will be at least 2050 before robotic disease, for example, though we’ll still need a
household assistants become a reality, while doctor to explain the diagnosis to us.
others argue that ‘smart home’ technology already
exists in the form of things like fridges which What about robots taking over the world, as
create grocery lists, or heating and lighting that several books and films have suggested? Will
can be controlled remotely. This, the latter group AI robots act against us? It’s still a hypothetical
argues, could mean that the idea of a humanoid scenario, say experts. But there is little doubt that
12 robot living in our homes may already be obsolete AI will become integrated into our daily lives the
and may never happen at all. way, say, electricity has. When was the last time
you even thought about the wonder of electricity?
Only time will tell, but what we do know is that We assume it will always work, whatever we’re
robots are already firmly established in the doing, whether that is fetching a cold drink from
workplace, particularly as part of industrial the fridge or charging our mobile phones in a
processes and manufacturing. There, they can matter of minutes. It’s simply a part of life that we
ensure the safety of human workers by performing take for granted, just as AI will be eventually, too.
19 tasks that would be dangerous to them, such as
the handling of corrosive acids or materials which Comparing AI with electricity may seem
are very hot. They can do monotonous tasks, move unremarkable. Yet electricity revolutionised our
heavy items from place to place, and are precise, lives a little over a hundred years ago and had an
consistent and efficient. enormous effect on everything we did. A lot of
the technology for robots and AI already exists,
So, is it true, as some people suggest, that ‘the so adopting AI at work and in our homes will be a
robots are taking our jobs’? Some jobs, yes, but far more rapid process than it was for electricity.
professions such as web design and vlogging didn’t At first, experts say, it will seem astonishing, just
exist until relatively recently, so new kinds of jobs as being able to read by lamplight rather than
we can’t even imagine yet are bound to arise. And candles was so exciting to people in the early part
while the robots do the dull stuff in factories, like of the twentieth century. But we will adapt, and
cutting metal or packaging products, their human before long wonder how we managed without
counterparts are freed up to carry out jobs only AI. And just as electricity extended the day, giving
a human brain is so far capable of dealing with. us additional hours for work and leisure, so too,
Undoubtedly, artificial intelligence (AI) and robots might AI and robots.
will be incorporated into more and more jobs in

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 B2 First Reading and Use of English Sample Test 2

31 What is the writer doing in the first paragraph?

A providing reasons why home robots do not yet exist
B presenting opposing arguments about home robots
C explaining why people hope to obtain a home robot
D describing how robots have already entered our homes

32 What does obsolete mean in line 12?

A overlooked
B forgotten
C pushed aside
D outdated

33 What does them refer to in line 19?

A robots in the workplace
B industrial processes and manufacturing
C human workers
D acids and hot materials

34 What point is made in the third paragraph?

A New kinds of automation will be developed for what it cannot currently do.
B There are elements of some jobs that robots will not be able to do.
C AI will eventually take over from humans in the majority of jobs.
D More jobs will be created specifically for robots to do.

35 In the fourth and fifth paragraphs, the writer compares AI to electricity in order to point out
A how quickly it will be accepted.
B how incredible the technology is.
C how much of our lives it will affect.
D how common this kind of change is.

36 In the text as a whole, the writer is

A questioning the likelihood of robots being integrated into our daily lives.
B promoting the benefits of artificial intelligence and robots to readers.
C encouraging readers to consider adopting the use of robots.
D expressing doubt about the ultimate capacity of robots.

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B2 First Reading and Use of English Sample Test 2

Part 6

You are going to read an article about climbing Mount Everest. Six sentences have been removed from the
article. Choose from the sentences A – G the one which fits each gap (37 – 42). There is one extra sentence
which you do not need to use.

Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet.

Climbing Everest
Known as Sagarmatha in Nepal and Chomolungma The first port of call is Base Camp, where climbers
in Tibet, the two land masses it sits across, Mount stay for at least several days getting used to the lower
Everest is the tallest mountain in the world, and one levels of oxygen in the air. Subsequently, climbers
many climbers aspire to ascend. move upwards and downwards between a further
four camps beyond Base Camp until they are ready to
Why do people want to climb Mount Everest? In attempt the final ascent to the peak. 40
many cases the answer is, as one of the first British Keeping a close eye on weather reports is essential,
mountaineers to attempt the climb said, ‘Because and climbers look out for an approaching period of
it’s there’. Everest is accessible, and although it’s four or five days of stable weather. This is known as
the highest, many mountaineers believe it is not the ‘the window’ and is the only time when attempts to
most challenging mountain in the world to climb. reach the summit should be made.
37 These include unpredictable weather
and the effects of altitude on the human body, There is a further drawback, however. Many
especially in the last few hundred metres to the top. expeditions set off at the same time, to ensure a safe
climb, and this can create queues. Some climbers
Although a significant number of climbers have have waited two and a half hours to continue their
failed to return from the mountain, and many never ascent! The problem with this is not just that it’s
reach the top, around 600 people do so every year. boring – and very cold – but that time is of the
38 That may not sound like many in a essence. 41 Therefore, climbers must
whole year, but the climbing season on Everest is turn around if they are unlikely to have enough to
short, taking place over a few weeks in spring, and reach the summit – and get back down safely from it.
again in autumn.
In order to deal with the problems of overcrowding
39 Each mountaineer must acquire a and accidents on Everest, the government of Nepal
climbing permit from the Nepalese government, at a is imposing new restrictions on who can make
cost of $11,000, in addition to other fees. Then, there the climb. 42 Solo climbing is now
are the obligatory guides to hire, travel and equipment prohibited and climbers must try to prove they are at
costs, and weeks of food to pay for. The entire climb peak physical fitness before setting off. Yet, despite
can take between six and eight weeks, including an all the very sensible reasons for not attempting the
acclimatization period, and there’s nowhere to stock climb, the temptation to stand at the top of the world
up if you don’t have enough supplies. is overwhelming for those who just can’t stay away.

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 B2 First Reading and Use of English Sample Test 2

A What’s more, climbing Everest is a bit of E This is around half of those who attempt to
a ‘luxury’. make it to the summit.

B Avalanches and earthquakes are amongst F Oxygen tanks, which the majority of climb-
the causes. ers use to complete the final stretch of their
journey, run out.
C However, it remains one of the most danger-
ous for several reasons. G But even when the body is as prepared as it
possibly can be, the conditions must be right.
D These rule out anyone under the age of 18,
for example.

11 © Cambridge University Press and UCLES 2021

B2 First Reading and Use of English Sample Test 2

Part 7

You are going to read four reviews of apps which are useful for learning a language. For questions 43 – 52,
choose from the people (A – D). The people may be chosen more than once.

Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet.

Which app

does not require a lot of time to complete language learning tasks? 43

allows users to communicate with each other? 44

would not be of much use to someone who has been learning a language for a long time? 45

would suit someone who is not too worried about grammatical accuracy? 46

is suited to those who enjoy a related activity? 47

is compared to another method of learning? 48

helps learners acquire useful language for holidays? 49

does not appear to be particularly sophisticated? 50

allows users to measure themselves against others? 51

has an especially relaxing feature? 52

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 B2 First Reading and Use of English Sample Test 2

Language learning apps

Here are this week’s reviews of four of the best

A Remember it C Multilingua
Remember it is a light-hearted app which will Multilingua offers the most extensive selection
help you remember tricky vocabulary. All you of languages, ranging from English and Spanish,
need to do is type in a category and a level, such to Chinese and Arabic. There’s a dictionary and
as ‘food’ and ‘beginner’, and you’ll have instant translator, as well as a wide range of word games
access to a range of fun exercises. If you’re a and other tasks to help you learn. The ‘listen
gamer then this is definitely the app for you, and repeat’ feature is a great pronunciation tool
as you’ll learn through ‘play’. There’s even a and you can even put your feet up and listen to
point scoring system, so you can compare your stories in the language you’re studying (warning:
progress with other language ‘players’. Adding the soothing voices might just send you to
a competitive element to your learning will sleep!). The app looks smart, works fast, and has
increase your motivation and improve your become popular in a short space of time, due to
memory through training. As a language learner, its appeal to teenagers and adults alike. While
you already know that repetition is the key. there is plentiful practice of words and useful
This app has a setting which will let you know phrases you need to get by when travelling,
when it’s time to revise your knowledge. The the grammar section is sadly lacking, focusing
only drawback appears to be the limited range mainly on verb tenses and parts of speech, such
of games available at a higher level, so if you’re as adjectives and adverbs. Despite this, it’s a
a more advanced language learner, you might great way to acquire natural language fast, which
want to look elsewhere. is fine for the more casual user.

B Grammarwise D Language bites

If grammar’s the thing you struggle with in Forget reading, writing and grammar for
language classes then Grammarwise could be a moment. Language bites is all about
the app for you. With a comprehensive range conversation and allows you to make contact
of grammar explanations, followed by short with expert speakers in real time, through
exercises to complete, this app covers everything voice or text. This makes for a perfect language
from sentence structure to conditionals. The exchange: spend five minutes chatting in French,
advantage is that you can learn ‘on the go’: then switch to Japanese, so you both get a
information is provided in bite-sized chunks, so chance to practise and correct each other. It’s
that you can even work on a grammar point on like a series of mini lessons but much more fun!
your way to the office! There’s always a downside, There are other features, too, such as the in-built
and with this app it’s a lack of adequate practice, correction tool and a voice translator – for when
making it more suitable for revising what you you just can’t think of a word fast enough. There’s
already know than starting from scratch. The also a vocabulary builder, which has a stack of
exercise types are a little repetitive, and the quick-to-play word games. You can time yourself,
overall look is fairly basic, but if your main focus too, which focuses your attention. Unlike the
is learning, and you aren’t worried about fancy other apps, this one is not free to download, but
graphics or highly interactive features, then you for a small fee, you’ll soon be chatting away in
won’t go too far wrong with this helpful app. your new language with your new friends – just
as an expert speaker would.

13 © Cambridge University Press and UCLES 2021