Listening Part 2

You will hear a man called André Laroque talking about a luxury railway journey in Canada.

For questions 9-18, complete the sentences with a word or short phrase.

A four-night trip on the Canadian Pacific Railway

André says that the route his train took is (9) ……………………………… kilometres long.

André says that Calgary was placed first in a list of the world’s (10) ……………………………… cities.

André was particularly impressed by how (11) ……………………………… the mountains along the

route are.

André says that pictures of trains on (12) ……………………………… have made the Canadian Pacific

internationally famous.

André was pleased to find that he had his own (13) ……………………………… in his compartment on

the train.

André was surprised that there was only one (14) ……………………………… for the sixteen

passengers.

During dinner on the train, André listened to live (15) ……………………………… music.

André was disappointed not to see a (16) ……………………………… when the train stopped so

passengers could go on a walk.

As they went down a hill called Big Hill, André saw a lot of (17) ……………………………… coming from

the train.

Towards the end of his journey, André saw the biggest (18) ……………………………… of its kind in

North America.

Listening Part 3

You will hear five short extracts in which people talk about why they changed their job.

For questions 19-23, choose from the list (A-H) the main reason each person gives for their last

change of job.

A to work outdoors

B to have more responsibilities 19 Speaker 1

C to work fewer hours each week 20 Speaker 2
D to have longer holidays
21 Speaker 3
E to earn more money
22 Speaker 4
F to move to a new location
23 Speaker 5
G to improve career prospects

H to have a new challenge

Listening Part 4

You will hear a radio interview with Lily Jenkins, whose favourite sport is windsurfing.

For questions 24-30, choose the best answer (A, B or C).

24 How did Lily feel when she first tried windsurfing?

A worried that her feet would slip off the board

B glad that she had watched a training film first

C impatient to start moving quickly over the water

25 According to Lily, how long does it usually take to learn to windsurf?

A It depends on the equipment you use.

B It takes less time than you expect.

C It varies from person to person.

26 Lily believes she quickly learnt the basics of windsurfing because

A she had lessons at a windsurfing school.

B her friend was an excellent teacher.

C she was already an experienced surfer.

27 What safety advice does Lily give beginners?

A Try to make sure your sail never falls into the water.

B Tell someone on land how you can be identified at sea.

C Practise windsurfing on lakes rather than at sea.

28 Lily now thinks that as a complete beginner she should have

A used a bigger sail.

B rented a board and sail.

C bought a smaller board.

29 Nowadays, what does Lily most enjoy about windsurfing?

A learning new techniques

B developing her muscles

C forgetting everyday worries

30 Lily thinks that eventually she will

A become a windsurfing instructor.

B take part in windsurfing competitions.

C have to give up windsurfing.

Practice English Listening Test for B2– Test #67

Listening Part 1

You will hear people talking in eight different situations.

For questions 1-8, choose the best answer A, B or C.

1 You hear a film review on the radio.

What criticism does the reviewer make?

A the acting is poor

B the music is unsuitable

C the story is difficult to follow

2 You hear two students talking about a holiday abroad.

What do they agree about?

A Foreign travel is harmful to the environment.

B It is becoming more expensive to travel abroad.

C Holidays are more enjoyable if you go abroad.

3 You hear a woman talking on the radio about a place called Dolphin Bay.

Where did she first hear about Dolphin Bay?

A on the Internet

B on the radio

C on television

4 You overhear a woman talking outside the post office.

Why had she gone to the post office?

A to collect a parcel

B to buy stamps

C to send a parcel

5 You hear part of a discussion on local radio.

What is the programme about?

A building new housing

B protecting wildlife

C improving road safety

6 You hear a man talking about motorcycling.

What does he regret?

A riding his motorcycle too fast

B doing a particular journey by motorcycle

C buying a motorcycle
7 You overhear a student talking about her new college.

How does she feel about the college?

A She is finding some of the lessons difficult.

B Some of her new classmates are unfriendly.

C It is too far away from her home.

8 You overhear a driving instructor talking to a learner after the lesson has

ended.

What mistake did the learner make?

A He ignored a road sign.

B He was driving too fast.

C He failed to look in the mirror.

Listening Part 2

You will hear a student called Fiona Doyle talking about living in the countryside after growing up

in a city.

For questions 9-18, complete the sentences with a word or short phrase.

Moving to the countryside

Fiona says the lack of (9) ……………………………… in the countryside created a contrast at night.

Some rooms in the house can be rather (10) ……………………………… in winter.

At first, the (11) ……………………………… made it difficult for Fiona to sleep in the house.

Fiona finds she tends to (12) ……………………………… later in the day than when she was in the city.

In the countryside, Fiona sees (13) ……………………………… from her bedroom window.

Fiona sometimes finds the slowness of the (14) ……………………………… where she lives rather

irritating.

Out in the countryside, Fiona sometimes can’t get (15) ……………………………… from friends.

The nearest (16) ……………………………… is almost two kilometres away from where Fiona lives.

Fiona says you need to have a (17) ……………………………… in the country, but not in the city.

Fiona won’t have to travel as far to the (18) ……………………………… as she would from her old home.
Listening Part 3

You will hear five short extracts in which people are talking about difficult situations they have

been in.

For questions 19-23, choose from the list (A-H) what each speaker says they did in each situation.

Use the letters only once. There is one extra letter which you do not need to use.

A I contacted the emergency services.

19 Speaker 1
B I found it impossible to remain calm.
20 Speaker 2
C I did what I had been trained to do. 21 Speaker 3
22 Speaker 4
D I followed someone else’s advice.
23 Speaker 5
E I made a decision I later regretted.

F I helped people reach safety.

G I was tempted to ignore what had happened.

H I had an argument with someone.

Listening Part 4

You will hear an interview with travel writer Amy McCarthy about her first experience of

travelling abroad.

For questions 24-30, choose the best answer (A, B or C).

24 Why did Amy want to go abroad?

A She wanted to find a job in another country.

B Her friends had invited her to go with them.

C She felt she was good at learning languages.

25 Amy and her friends decided to go to Ibiza because

A it was cheaper than similar destinations.

B there were lots of things to do there.

C none of them had been there before.

26 When she was at the airport, Amy felt

A glad she had taken sandwiches with her.

B worried that she might miss her plane.

C annoyed that she had spent so much.

27 Amy’s friend Carla annoyed Amy because Carla

A sometimes left dirty dishes in the living room.

B often forgot her keys when she went out.

C wouldn’t do any food shopping.

28 Why didn’t Amy phone her family?

A She didn’t have enough credit left on her phone.

B She forgot that she had promised to call them.

C She didn’t want them to hear her sounding unhappy.

29 What did Amy regret doing?

A booking three weeks at the apartment

B taking the wrong items on holiday with her

C agreeing to take it in turns to cook meals

30 What were Amy’s feelings when she got home?

A She never wanted to go on holiday with friends again.

B The holiday had been a useful learning experience.

C Next summer she would look for work abroad.

B2 Use of English Test 24 – Writing the missing word in gaps

Use of English for B2

For questions 1-9, read the text below and think of the word which best fits the gap. Use

only one word in each gap.

Food preservation

Keeping food for long periods (1)…………… time was historically a huge problem. This proved

especially crucial (2)…………… times when agricultural production (3)…………… severely limited by

weather or crop failure. People commonly used ice to keep food fresh but, of (4)……………, ice

itself melts relatively quickly. In 1859 an American, John Mason, invented a glass jar with a metal

screw-on lid, creating a perfect seal and making (5)…………… possible to preserve food that would

previously not have remained edible. Mason’s jar is still (6)…………… use throughout the world.

An even (7)…………… successful method for keeping food by canning it in metal containers was

perfected between 1870 (8)…………… 1920 by Englishman Bryan Donkin. This preserved food

beautifully, though the early iron cans were expensive, heavy and difficult to open. A

breakthrough came in the 1880s with the development of lighter materials (9)…………… also

enabled mass production of cans.

B2 Use of English Test 23 – Writing the missing word in gaps

Use of English for B2

For questions 1-9, read the text below and think of the word which best fits the gap. Use

only one word in each gap.

The homing instinct

The homing instinct is what makes certain animals, birds and fish return (1)…………… the place

they consider home. Cats often have this instinct. It was particularly strong in an American cat

called Ninja, which disappeared shortly (2)…………… its owners had taken it to their new home; a

year later the cat turned up at its old home even (3)…………… this was 1,360 kilometres away

from (4)…………… its owners were now living. Other cats may not travel so far but many (5)

…………… on going back to their old home. Pilsbury, an English cat, made a 13-kilometre journey

back to its former home 40 times in spite of having to cross several busy roads to (6)…………… so.

Pigeons also have the homing instinct and, ever (7)…………… ancient times, human beings have

used them to carry messages back home. However, cat owners, (8)…………… have to keep

returning to their old address in (9)…………… to bring their cat home, tend to find the homing

instinct simply irritating rather than useful or interesting!

B2 Use of English Test 22 – Writing the missing word in gaps

Use of English for B2

For questions 1-9, read the text below and think of the word which best fits the gap. Use

only one word in each gap.

The importance of reading

Reading is good (1)…………… us. In fact, there is plenty of evidence that reading for pleasure is

more than just another leisure pursuit – it actually improves our mental and physical health.

Reading extended texts (2)…………… as novels or biographies, (3)…………… requires intense

concentration for a considerable period of time, helps to lengthen attention spans in children

and improves their ability to think clearly. However, experts say (4)…………… is essential to

acquire the habit of reading extensively (5)…………… a small child, while the brain is still

developing.

Reading can undoubtedly (6)…………… beneficial to our mental well-being. Reading not (7)

…………… helps combat feelings of loneliness, it also allows people to relax and forget their

problems for (8)…………… while. The concentration required during the act of reading seems to

ease muscle tension and slow the heart rate. Researchers have found that just six minutes of

reading can reduce stress levels by as (9)…………… as two-thirds.

B2 Use of English Test 1 – multiple choice gaps

Use of English for B2

For questions 1-9, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.

Why you should read fiction

At school, the (1)…………… majority of what we learn is factual. In history lessons we memorise

names and dates; in science we have to cope (2)…………… chemical formulas and complex

equations; in maths it’s all numbers and signs. It’s only in language lessons where we may (3)

…………… fiction. Some people would argue that there’s (4)…………… point in reading something

which is ‘made up’. If this is the (5)……………, why do language teachers encourage their students

to look at anything (6)…………… from dictionaries and reference materials?

It is because they are (7)…………… of the benefits that reading brings. It isn’t simply because

reading fiction helps us (8)…………… reality for a while and switch off from our everyday routines.

Reading fiction also teaches us to see the world through other people’s eyes. It (9)…………… us to

understand the feelings of others, making us more empathetic. Fiction, in other words, helps us

be better friends.

1 A vast B wide C far D high

2 A for B on C by D with

3 A come up B come across C come about D come over

4 A little B slight C minimal D hardly

5 A issue B matter C case D point

6 A except B apart C other D beside

7 A aware B wise C familiar D sensitive

8 A depart B miss C escape D break

9 A lets B authorises C makes D enables

B2 Use of English Test 2 – multiple choice gaps

Use of English for B2

For questions 1-9, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.

Child’s play?

Imagine a restaurant, but with a (1)…………… . The restaurant is run (2)…………… by children aged

under 11; they cook and serve the food, and then wash up. The children even bring the bill at the

end of the meal, all with a little help from the (3)…………… staff of course. There are always four

adults on hand to (4)…………… the youngsters. There’s a set menu with a main course and

dessert, and everything is made from fresh (5)…………… . The food is healthy and prices are (6)

…………… and so, not surprisingly, the restaurant is very popular. This means that a reservation is

usually necessary to be (7)…………… of getting a table. The (8)…………… idea is to help parents by

providing childcare, and to help children learn to be responsible. This is done by giving them

independence in a fun and child-friendly (9)…………… . Is this the stuff of dreams? No, it’s the new

reality of the 21st century.

1 A change B difference C variation D contrast

2 A entirely B all C substantially D thoroughly

3 A rising B increased C grown-up D expanding

4 A command B order C demand D supervise

5 A flavours B ingredients C courses D components

6 A low B small C little D minor

7 A sure B definite C truthful D known

8 A easy B elementary C introductory D basic

9 A position B neighbourhood C environment D region

B2 Use of English Test 1 – word formation

Use of English for B2

For questions 1-9, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals to form a word that fits in

the gap.

Smartphones at school

Some of the schools in my home town are really strict and students are not (1)…………… (ALLOW)

to use their smartphones at school. Mine is different – there’s a much more (2)…………… (RELAX)

policy. In break times, it’s (3)…………… (ACCEPT) to use our smartphones. But in lessons, it’s the

individual teacher’s (4)…………… (DECIDE) whether we can use them or not. For some pieces of

work, like a timed writing task, they’re completely (5)…………… (FORBID) . Of course it’s our (6)

…………… (RESPONSIBLE) to follow the rules, which we do. In some lessons, the teachers actively

encourage us to use our phones when they think it’ll be (7)…………… (BENEFIT) to us. There are

lots of really good ways to use smartphones in class, and I’m in favour of these. One example is

games, where we choose multiple-choice answers on our phones. I’m really (8)……………

(COMPETE), so love doing those. Although it can be a bit (9)…………… (SOCIAL), when everyone

just uses their phone instead of talking.

B2 Use of English Test 2 – word formation

Use of English for B2

For questions 1-9, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals to form a word that fits in

the gap.

Tetris: the most popular video game ever

There is an almost (1)…………… (LIMITED) number of video games on the market today and you

could be forgiven for being under the (2)…………… (IMPRESS) that the best ones are those packed

with special effects, requiring great techniques. Nothing could be further from the (3)……………

(TRUE). The favourite game of all time is also one of the oldest and most basic: Tetris. The player

has to fit a (4)…………… (VARY) of shapes together on the screen. When a whole row is made

without gaps between the blocks, the line vanishes. Should a line remain (5)……………

(COMPLETE), however, new blocks will build up on top of it. Once the screen’s full, the game’s

over.

Part of the (6)…………… (APPEALING) is that anyone can play Tetris. Scientists also believe that

the game’s (7)…………… (POPULAR) is due to the fact that it makes our brains work with

greater (8)…………… (EFFICIENT). The more we play, the easier it becomes, so we carry on, (9)

…………… (CONTINUE) trying to beat our last high score.

The fake hairdresser remembers – B2 English Reading Test

Reading Tests for B2

You are going to read an article about a man who appeared on a reality TV programme. For

questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.

The fake hairdresser remembers

Some years ago, a British TV company came up with an idea for a reality TV show. People with no

experience would be trained in a profession in a very short period of time, then would try and

pass themselves off as the real thing with the general public. The show was called Faking It, and

the format has since been imitated the world over. One of the first contestants was Gavin

Freeborn, a twenty-three-year-old farmer’s son, who trained with celebrity hairdresser Trevor

Sorbie in London. Gavin remembers the experience.

‘I was at university, studying for a degree in agriculture, when some friends mentioned that a TV

company had advertised for people to take part in Faking It. They were looking for someone

who’d never picked up a pair of scissors or thought of hairdressing as a career, which I certainly

hadn’t. I reckoned it would be a laugh. Having spent my school holidays shearing sheep on my

parents’ farm, I was used to the idea of haircutting, but obviously it’s harder doing it on people –

because they have an opinion about it!’

‘I’d never been to London before and it was so busy that I felt a bit overwhelmed at first. Meeting

Trevor for the first time, he seemed really strict, but once he realised I was taking the challenge

seriously we got on like a house on fire and they often had to stop filming because we couldn’t

stop giggling. Fortunately, I didn’t have to do any of the washing or sweeping floors other people

new to the business have to do. I went straight into blow-drying and cutting instead.’

‘At first I practised on a dummy’s head, which was a welcome safety net, but I did make a really

bad mistake halfway through filming when I was cutting one real man’s hair. I’d been shown how

to use clippers to get a cropped effect but hadn’t been warned to angle the comb. I ended up

shaving off a huge patch of hair! He couldn’t see what I’d done, but the camera crew couldn’t

stop laughing, so it was obvious I’d made a mistake. Luckily, I managed to rectify the situation

and told the client, who was alright about it, so I forgave them.’

‘By the day of my final test, I knew I was capable but I felt sick with nerves. I didn’t want to let

Trevor down. But even though I failed to convince the client that I was a real hairdresser, she

approved of the haircut and the judges were impressed by it, too. It didn’t worry me at the time

but, looking back now, I think it was a bit unfair that I was penalised for taking too long – and

hour-and-a-half – when I’d been taught the most important thing was to ensure your client walks

out of the salon feeling like a million dollars.’

‘After the programme, I went home for a week but I decided to come back to London because I’d

fallen in love with the buzz of the city. People in town kept stopping and staring at me as if I was

famous. I found this unnerving at first, but with time I got used to it. There were a few comments

about me being too full of myself, but I took no notice.’

‘When I agreed to do Faking It, I had no idea how much I was signing my life away, but I couldn’t

say I have any regrets. The thing is that I’ve discovered growing up on a farm doesn’t mean I can’t

work in a creative field. What’s more, I’ve now got choices I didn’t realise I had, which is brilliant.

Although I still keep in contact with everyone from Trevor’s salon, and we all go out when I’m in

London, I’m hardly a celebrity anymore.’

1 Why did Gavin first apply to be on the programme?

A He thought it would be fun.

B He liked the idea of going to London.

C His friends managed to talk him into it.

D He had some experience of hairdressing.

2 How did Gavin feel about the hairdressing mistake he made one day?

A sorry that the client was dissatisfied

B relieved that the client didn’t notice it

C pleased that he was able to find a solution

D annoyed by the reaction of the camera crew

3 How did Gavin feel on the day of his final test?

A unsure if he was good enough

B worried that he might not succeed

C unconvinced that the client was really happy

D disappointed by the feedback from the judges

4 Thinking about the final test now, Gavin feels that he

A was too slow in completing the haircut.

B didn’t take enough notice of his client’s wishes.

C was unjustly criticised for one aspect of his performance.

D should have paid some attention to things he’d been taught.

5 What does the word ‘it’ in line 33 refer to?

A people making comments about Gavin

B people looking at Gavin in the street.

C Gavin feeling proud of himself

D Gavin feeling uncomfortable

6 Looking back on the whole experience, Gavin now

 A wishes he’d thought more carefully before applying.

B realises that his life is different as a result.

C appreciates his farm upbringing more.

D accepts that it’s helped him socially.

Cycling Home from Siberia – B2 English Reading Test

Reading Tests for B2

You are going to read an extract from a book about a cycle ride from Russia to the UK. For

questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.

Cycling Home from Siberia, by Robert Lilwall

We had been flying east all night and I awoke to notice that it was already daylight. Looking out

of the window onto the empty landscape below, the dark shades of brown and green reassured

me that, although it was mid-September, it had not yet started snowing in Siberia. I could see no

sign of human life and the view rolled away in an otherworldly blend of mountains, streams and

forests to an endless horizon.

My Russian neighbour Sergei woke up and smiled at me sleepily. I had told him that I was flying

to the far-eastern Siberian city of Magadan with only a one-way ticket because it was my

intention to return home to England by bicycle. ‘But, Robert,’ he had reasoned with me, ‘there is

no road from Magadan; you cannot ride a bicycle.’ I explained that I had reason to believe that

there was a road, though not many people used it these days.

‘Alone?’ he asked, pointing at me.

‘No, I will be riding with a friend called Al.’

‘Just one friend?’

‘Yes just one,’ I nodded. Sergei still looked unconvinced and with just one word ‘Holodna’

(cold) he pointed outside. I tried to bolster my case by explaining to Sergei with (line 27) hand

gestures that I had a lot of warm clothes, though I left out the fact that, because my trip was self-

funded I was on a tight budget. Most of my clothes and equipment had been bought at slashed

prices. In reality, I was not at all sure they would be up to the job. This was especially true of my

enormous postman’s over-trousers which I had bought for £10.

My life of travel had all started in a lecture hall in Scotland several years ago. The hall that

morning was full of students slumped in their seats. Some were taking notes, without energy.

The lecturer droned on. I was thinking hard about a particular dilemma. Should I ask him or not?

‘Well, why not?’ I tore a fresh sheet from my pad and wrote, ‘Hi Al, Do you want to cycle across

the Karakorum Highway between Pakistan and China this summer? Rob.’ In the row in front of
me slouched Al, my old school friend. I tapped him on the shoulder and passed the note. He

tried to decipher my scrawl, scratched his head, wrote something and passed it back. I unfolded

it and held my breath while I read. ‘OK,’ it said.

Six years later I was going to join Al in Siberia. I had been working as a geography teacher and

although I was still far from having full control of my classes, the job did tick many important

boxes for me. It was frequently challenging, rarely boring, often fulfilling and of course there

were great long holidays in which to chase adventures. Twice since I had started teaching I had

used these holidays to go to meet Al. He had caught the adventuring bug in a big way after our

bike ride through Pakistan and so had decided to do something far more relaxing than teaching:

to cycle around the world. I was now joining him for the Siberian part of his trip.

Ever since that first ride we had taken together, Al had been setting himself greater and greater

challenges. This round-the-world by-bike trip was certainly his greatest so far. At times he

thought that the ride, or the road, would break him. Although it sounded tough, I envied him in

many ways. He was having an extraordinary adventure, finding that he could deal with each new

challenge even if it seemed impossible. He was proving wrong the sceptics who had told him he

could not do it. He was doing something that scared him nearly every day and it made him feel

alive.

1 In the opening paragraph Robert reveals that he was

A grateful that the long night was over.

B relieved that the winter weather had not yet arrived.

C surprised that the area seemed uninhabited.

D disappointed by the colours of the earth below him.

2 Robert uses the phrase ‘bolster my case’ in line 27 to show that he was trying to

A change the subject.

B end the conversation.

C reassure Sergei.

D correct Sergei.

3 Robert uses the example of the over-trousers to show that

A he had been successful in getting local people to help him.

B he had had a restricted amount of money to spend on clothes.

C he was confident that he was well prepared for the extreme cold.

D he had been able to negotiate good prices for his equipment.

4 What do we learn about Robert in the lecture hall?

A He didn’t want the lecturer to notice his lack of attention.

B He was puzzled by something the lecturer had said.

C He was unsure about what to write in the note.

D He was apprehensive about his friend’s reaction to his suggestion.

5 How can Robert’s attitude to teaching best be summarised?

A He felt it was the right career choice for him.

B The holidays were the only positive aspect of the job.

C He felt the job was getting too stressful.

D He enjoyed having the respect of his students.

6 What does Robert say about Al’s round-the-world trip?

A Al never doubted that he would be successful.

B Al tried to hide the difficulties he was facing from his friends.

C Al was pushing himself to the limit of his capabilities.

D Al was totally fearless as he enjoyed the adventure.

Four teenage business stars – B2 English Reading Test

Reading Tests for B2

You are going to read an article about four teenagers who have started their own business. For

questions 1-10, choose from the teenagers (A-D). The teenagers may be chosen more than once.

Which teenager

1 says they are highly motivated?

2 has started to feel more confident?

3 is planning to open another business?

4 says that managing time can be hard?

5 says they learn from their mistakes?

6 says that their age surprises some people?

7 tends not to tell people how old they are?

8 wanted to improve an experience for customers?

9 says their work involves something they find easy?

10 realised what they wanted to do while helping someone else?

A Rebecca Dundee, 16

I suppose it was obvious I had a head for business when I was about six. I used to make my

parents cups of tea in the morning – and charge them 20p for each one. And it was another 20p

if it needed reheating. And then about a year ago I was in a chain coffee shop waiting in line to

get my drink, and I just realised how dreadful the whole experience was – dirty tables, rubbish

Wifi and grumpy staff. And I thought ‘I bet I could do better than that’. So a friend and I launched

an app enabling people to access menus, order and interact with each other. Since then I haven’t

looked back. I was concerned that I wasn’t doing too well at school, which was a bit depressing,

but with the business going so well, it feels great to be where I am now.

B Jimbo, 15

When people ask what I do, I tell them I advise people about their brand on social media. They

can’t believe I’m doing this while I’m so young. But I love it. The tricky bit is getting everything

done that I need to; sometimes there aren’t enough hours in the day! I’ve been doing the job

about six months, and it took quite a lot of effort at the start to persuade my mum and dad that

it wasn’t just a waste of time. But now they’re confident I’m doing OK. Which is just as well,

because now that I’ve launched an online magazine, I should have several more projects on the

way, as long as I can get the money together. One’s going to be setting up a firm with my best

mate – it should start to do quite well after about a year. So watch this space!

C Sarah McFinny, 18

Using social media comes naturally to me, and it’s not something I’ve ever had to try to get my

head around. I’m in my first year at uni, and I was lending a hand to someone who wanted to

organise a social media campaign for a university sports club. I did lots of work for her, setting it

up and publicising it, and she couldn’t believe the results I got. It was amazing! So I thought, ‘You

know what – I could make some money out of doing this sort of thing’. When I’m talking to

clients, obviously I don’t shout about my age, I mean you want to be taken seriously. When I

graduate, I want to help my parents run their business, or at least do that part-time. I’m excited

about the future.

D Duncan Jackson, 15

Well, I’ve never liked spending money, even at a really young age. But now that I’ve worked out

how to make money, I’m really driven to get out of bed every morning and make as much as I

can. I basically run an online shop, and I’ve had over 100 customers so far. It’s always nice when

a customer visits the store and buys from you again – you know you’re doing something right. I

don’t always get things right though. In fact, there are lots of things I’ve got very wrong, like
setting my prices too high – or too low! But that can be useful, because when something doesn’t

go as planned, you can always adapt and hope you do it better next time.

Starting your own business – B2 English Reading Test

Reading Tests for B2
You are going to read an article about people who gave up their jobs to start their own business.

For questions 1-10, choose from the people (A-D). The people may be chosen more than once.

Which person

1 mentions how good it is being able to make your own decisions?

2 enjoys seeing employees make a success of things?

3 had to solve a technical problem before launching the business?

4 is surprised to have attracted such a wide variety of clients?

5 is happy to have received positive feedback from clients?

6 sometimes feels anxious about financial aspects of the business?

7 took time to decide what type of business to start?

8 was able to draw on experience gained in a similar working situation?

9 was keen to make use of a wide range of existing skills?

10 was keen to work on a more personal level with clients?

Starting your own business

We talked to four people who gave up working for somebody else and started their own business

A Beautician

I had to rethink my future when the multi-national company I worked for as a marketing

executive decided to move my job to the USA. My life back then, wearing designer clothes and

taking regular long-haul flights, couldn’t be more different from today. Well, I wanted a job where

I’d have the chance to interact with people more, and saw a gap in the market for a beauty salon

locally. Working for yourself is great as you can make your own mind up about things and you

aren’t driven by someone else about when and how you do that. But the flipside is that there’s

nobody to share the burden with when you wake up in the middle of the night worrying about

how you’re going to pay the rent. But I have no regrets.

B Gym owner

After seventeen years working in banking, I wanted to try something totally different. A business

that used a combination of my financial, sporting and parenting experience, but which didn’t

involve such long exhausting hours at the office appealed to me a great deal. I came across the

concept behind The Little Gym by accident when I was surfing the Internet. It’s a novel concept

that had gone down really well in the USA. It caters for children from four months to twelve

years, giving them good-quality physical instruction and a cerebral work-out at the same time.
Having control of my own life is a definite high, as is seeing my staff doing a good job. Every day

is different, so it’s never boring.

C Caterer

I worked for a big international company, but was no longer finding it rewarding. I’d completed

twenty years’ service, so I had some money saved up, but not enough to retire on. But I took six

months off and we went to stay with my wife’s family in Spain. It was a good opportunity to

ponder the question: ‘What next?’ That’s when we got the idea for Tapas in a Box. We were in a

bar eating the local Spanish food called ‘tapas’ and I thought: ‘This would be perfect for people

back home who want to have a great, relaxed time with friends, without spending ages cooking.’

The challenge was then to work out how to deliver the mix of foods all at once, because tapas

includes things like raw almonds and chilled cheeses as well as the hot things that need heating

in an oven. Once we’d cracked that, we were up and running. I can’t stress too much the thrill

you feel when a customer tells you they’ve had a great time. The sense of having gone from a

new idea to actually delivering something good is very motivating.

D Virtual PA

I’d been a secretary and personal assistant (PA) for twenty years and had begun to dread the

thought that I’d be at the same desk until I retired. When the company announced that its

European office was to close, I could’ve taken a drop in salary and found another job locally, but

decided to set up my own business instead. I got my idea because, in effect, I’d been a virtual PA

all along. My boss was usually only in the office a couple of days a month, so we’d always worked

remotely by email and phone calls. I thought I could offer a similar service to other busy people.

Now I’ve got all sorts of regular clients, including surveyors, solicitors, an advertising agency and

even an author. I never expected such a mix. I can’t wait to see what challenges lie in store for

me.
Sneakers – B2 English Reading Test

Reading Tests for B2

You are going to read an article about sports shoes. Six sentences have been removed from the

article.

Choose from the sentences A-G the one which fits each gap (1-6). There is one extra sentence

which you do not need to use.

Sneakers

Sneakers, or shoes designed mainly for sports and other outdoor activities, are worn in almost

every country in the world. Arguably they have become a symbol of globalisation itself.

Yet there are some variations, not least in what they are called. In the US, they have always been

‘sneakers’, at least ever since the Boston Journal explained it to its readers as being ‘the name

boys give to tennis shoes’ back in 1887. (1)………… However, in Britain, the word ‘trainers’ is much

more common. Other names include ‘daps’ and ‘plimsolls’, which itself dates back to the 1870s.

They are also known as ‘rubber shoes’ in the Philippines, ‘tennis’ in South Africa, ‘running shoes’

in Australia and ‘canvas shoes’ in Nigeria.

During the late 19th century, sneakers were worn by holidaymakers, as well as by sports players

on the tennis court. The main advantage of wearing these shoes was that they enabled the

wearer to move around quickly. (2)………… Later designs for sports players made this even more

effective by also adding metal spikes which would dig into the ground.

British company JW Foster and Sons produced the first shoes made specifically for running in

1895, and the spikes allowed for greater acceleration and speed. (3)………… There, runners

Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell won their 100 metre and 400 metre running races while

wearing these shoes. Doubtless Forster and Sons were delighted. The fortunes of Abrahams and

Liddell were memorably portrayed in the Oscar-winning 1981 film Chariots of Fire.

During the 1920s and 1930s, sports became associated with building moral character and raising

national pride. Demand for sneakers rose as a result, so manufacturers could afford to make the

designs more varied. (4)………… All around the world, different shoes were also being produced

for different sports. In France, a brand called Spring Court marketed the first canvas tennis shoe,

complete with eight little holes for ventilation on the side of their rubber soles.

During the 1950s, people in America and Europe began to have more free time, more leisure

opportunities, and often more money to spend. There were great changes in the attitudes and
habits of the new generation. (5)………… Previously, they had simply worn the same things as

adults, but in smaller sizes. Dress codes relaxed, and fashion items from sneakers to jeans

became more and more popular.

Many were interested in what people such as US pop singer Elvis Presley and sporting heroes

were wearing, and then wanted the same for themselves. Now it is common for sports stars to

endorse (be seen to recommend) and advertise a particular brand of sneaker: recent examples

include tennis ace Roger Federer and basketball star Lebron James. But did you know that this is

a long-standing tradition, and that perhaps the bestselling sports shoe ever, the Converse All-

Star was endorsed by basketball player Chuck Taylor as long ago as 1923?

Sneakers continued to become more and more popular. (6)………… This made sneakers the

cheaper option, which in turn made young people even more likely to buy them instead of an

alternative which seemed old-fashioned and was more expensive.

A This was one of the main problems with wearing sneakers.

B This was achieved by the use of an engraved piece of rubber on the underside of the shoe,

which improved grip.

C For example, men’s sneakers now became distinct from women’s.

D In fact, sales grew so much that they negatively affected sales of traditional leather footwear.

E For perhaps the first time, children and teenagers everywhere were choosing for themselves

what to wear.

F They became very popular with athletes, including at the 1924 Olympics.

G The term is also the standard name in Canada.

Going up in a glider – B2 English Reading Test
Reading Tests for B2
You are going to read an article about gliding. Six sentences have been removed from the article.

Choose from the sentences A-G the one which fits each gap (1-6). There is one extra sentence

which you do not need to use.

Going up in a glider

Gliders are planes without engines. We sent our reporter to find out what it’s like to fly in one.

When I arrive at the London Gliding School, Adrian, a volunteer instructor who has been gliding

for ten years, warmly greets me. He immediately takes me off to what’s clearly the centre of all

operations – the cafeteria. After a quick chat, we drive to the launch base where Dan, my

instructor for the day, begins to prepare me on all I need to know. Dan, who is twenty, did his

first solo flight at eighteen after joining the club’s cadet scheme.

Going through all the theory of how everything works and what to do once airborne seems

pretty simple. I’m not so keen, though, on the instructions about what to do in an emergency. (1)

………… At least I’m wearing a parachute!

The glider is connected by rope to a light aircraft as we’re pulled up into the air. A bumpy start

along the field and we’re off and up. ‘I like it when people scream’ were Dan’s words on the

ground. (2)………… But I am fiercely gripping my parachute straps and lots of noises are coming

from my stomach, which is doing somersaults. Once we’re up to around 1,500 feet, the rope is

detached with a clunk from the underside of the glider and we’re free.

It’s a strange feeling – there’s a sense of safety when the rope is attached to the aeroplane. (3)

………… ‘I am in control,’ Dan tells me. He’s not attempting to be heroic; this is glider talk. ‘You are

in control,’ I respond. Thankfully I’m not or I doubt we’d be swooping through the peaceful skies

so smoothly and effortlessly. Something you notice straightaway is the lack of an engine, which

results in an eerie silence.

The weather conditions aren’t ideal, as it’s an all-too-familiar grey English day. (4)………… But I’m

told that, with perfect weather conditions of a clear windy day and lots of cumulus cloud, we’d be

able to catch the thermals and rise, staying up in the air for longer. It’s possible to glide as far as

Scotland and back again with the right conditions!

In a glider both pilot and passenger have a set of controls, so either person can take control. The

passenger can also ‘follow through’ with the controls, basically lightly touching all their own

controls and feeling what the pilot is doing. (5)………… So when Dan tells me ‘You are in control’

and I repeat ‘I am in control,’ I’m glad he can’t see the terror in my face. After some jumpy
manoeuvres to keep the glider at ‘normal gliding attitude,’ where the horizon remains at a

constant level, I’m just getting into the swing of it when Dan regains control to bring us in for

landing.

Landing a glider is much calmer than other types of aircraft. (6)………… You descend and

approach the landing area, deploying the spoilers (flaps on the wings) to weaken the air flow,

and ease the glider lower until the wheels make contact and you’re gently bumping along the

field. I absolutely loved it and can’t wait to get back up in the air.

A This doesn’t make a jot of difference to the experience for me.

B Release the safety belts and jump out seems to be the only response possible.

C This has been the limit of my involvement so far.

D Once it goes, I feel I want to hold onto something in case we start falling to the ground.

E He tells me that it’s too cloudy for those acrobatics, however, and relief washes over me.

F I manage not to do this, however.

G It’s much less sudden and you notice the absence of engine roar.