Let’s start with some A2 – Elementary Level questions. 👶📚

Listening

Part 1. (Track 1)

Listen to a woman talk about herself and her mother. Choose the correct answers.

 1. The woman says that she and her mother look very different.

 2. The woman says that both she and her mother worry about things and are shy.

 3. The woman says that both she and her mother love playing sports like baseball.

4. The woman does not like cooking, but she does enjoy eating the food her mother cooks.

 5. The woman eats food from other countries more often than her mother does.

The next questions are testing B1 – Pre-intermediate Level

Part 2 (Track 2)

Listen to a man talk about running marathons. Choose the correct answers.

1. How many marathons did the man decide to run?

2. What does the man say about his first race?

3. What caused a problem in the man’s most difficult marathon?

4. What surprised the man in Korea?

5. Where did the man run his first and last marathons?

Almost there! The next questions are at B1+ – Intermediate Level

Part 3 (Track 3)

Listen to four short conversations and answer these questions.

1. Based on what the speakers say, which statement is true?

2. Based on what the speakers say, which statement about Monterrey, Mexico is true?

3. Based on what the speakers say, which statement about the book The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe is true

We’ve got some more questions at B2 – Upper Intermediate Level for you. Give it a try?

Part 4 (Track 4)

Listen to the talk and answer questions 1 and 2.

1. Why does Robert Wood talk about bees?

2. What conclusion can be drawn about Robert Wood?

4. Based on what the speakers say, which statement about space tourism is true?

Part 5 (Track 5)

Listen to the talk and answer questions 1, 2, and 3.

1. What can be inferred about the Challenger disaster in 1986?

2. What does the speaker imply about the Challenger space program?

3. What can be concluded about whistle-blowers like Roger Boisjoly?

You’ve done an amazing job so far! 🌟 You’ve successfully completed the B2 Upper-intermediate questions, and now you’re ready for the final part – the C1 – Advanced level Level  questions.

Don’t worry; you’ve got this! 💪

Part 6 (Track 6)

Listen to a talk and answer questions 1–3.

1. Which is the best description of Hipcycle?

2. What does the speaker say about the drinking glasses she bought?

3. Why does the speaker mention old vinyl records and bicycle parts?

Part 7 (Track 7)

Listen to the talk and answer questions 1 and 2.

1. Which is the best description of Boxcycle?

2. What does the speaker say about Boxcycle?

Speaking

Read each speaker’s statement or question and choose the best response.

1. “How often do you go shopping?”

2. “Are you good at making decisions?”

3. “I’m feeling really homesick.”

4. “Are you looking forward to your vacation?”

5. “Why don’t you buy a bike?”

Speaking

Read each speaker’s statement or question and choose the best response.

1. “What are your plans for the weekend?”

2. “What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?”

3. “What kind of book are you reading?”

4. “How do you like living in New York?”

5. “Have you ever been camping?”

Speaking

Read each speaker’s statement or question and choose the best response.

1. “Do you think driverless cars will ever become common?”

2. “I can’t log in to Facebook.”

3. “That guy just cut in line. Unbelievable!”

4. “What do you think makes a good leader?”

5. “What would you do with your free time if you didn’t need to work?”

Speaking

Read each speaker’s statement or question and choose the best response.

1. “How do you deal with stress?”

2. “Do you think superheroes are good role models?”

3. “Would you describe yourself as a liar?”

4. “Are you good at multi-tasking?”

5. “Why did this project go so badly?”

Speaking

Read each speaker’s statement or question and choose the best response.

1. “We can’t have this meeting without John. Shall we postpone it?”

2. “It’s been suggested that we reassess our marketing strategy. What’s your take on that, Kami?”

3. “Have you got a minute?”

4. “Can you see yourself ever moving abroad?”

5. “I’ve got a confession to make.”

Grammar

Choose the best option to complete each sentence.

1. Mariela ___ swimming and tennis, but she doesn’t like running or soccer.

2. Although Diego speaks English fairly well, Carla speaks English ___ .

3. I ___ eat out at restaurants because I prefer to eat at home.

4. I love exercising, but I don’t have ___ time to do it these days.

5. My girlfriend ___ my parents.

6. The restaurant ___ than we expected.

Grammar

Choose the best option to complete each sentence.

1. Tomoko is excited about the weekend because she ___ several old friends.

2. Karim ___ a YouTube video when he remembered he was supposed to be at work.

3. I’m excited because next month I’m going to visit the country ___ my parents grew up.

4. I just learned that my friend’s house is located right ___ the soccer stadium downtown.

5. ___ what you’re going to study at university yet?

6. My friend gave me a really ___.

Grammar

Choose the best option to complete each sentence.

1. Sofia ___ in Spain for the last 10 years, but visits her home country once or twice a year.

2. Dmitri will help his brother move into a new apartment if he ___ enough time.

3. After all the delays, I could hardly believe that the construction project ___ on time.

4. My father said that he was busy and ___ be able to take me shopping as we had planned.

5. Unfortunately, they had to cancel their trip because of ___. 

6. The invitations ___ by express mail yesterday.

Grammar

Choose the best option to complete each sentence.

1. After she finished speaking, Soo Young asked the people ___ her presentation if they had any questions.

2. Mohammed said that if ___ what was going to happen, he would not have agreed to do it.

3. If no delays happen, I am confident that I ___ the project by this time next week.

4. Unless I send the gift by express mail, I ___ reach my friend in time for her birthday.

5. The woman living next door to us said ___ her house next summer.

6. Marcus received ______ emails that it took him hours to reply to them all.

Grammar

Choose the best option to complete each sentence.

1. Astrid couldn’t ___ to her by email because the size of the file was too large.

2. The barking dog was scaring the child, but I was able to calm it down after speaking to it ___ .

3. During the meeting, several employees ___ to the company’s proposal.

4. No sooner ___ one project than his boss asked him if he could take on another.

5. Although I like the house itself, its convenient location ___ persuaded me to purchase.

6. One of my cat’s bad habits is that ___ scratching the furniture.

Vocabulary

Part 1

Choose the best meaning of the word in ALL CAPS.

1. Tom did not buy the camera because it was EXPENSIVE.

2. Sandy decided to eat more fruits and vegetables to improve her HEALTH.

 Part 2

Choose the best answer to complete each sentence:

1. A survey on spending habits shows that the average student in the U.S. loves ________ for clothes.

2. The results even suggest that many students spend more money on clothes than they do on food, which may ________ some parents!

Vocabulary

Part 1

Choose the best meaning of the word in ALL CAPS

1. The event was so POPULAR that tickets sold out online in just a few minutes.

2. The parents ENCOURAGED their child to take his first steps.

Part 2

Choose the best answer to complete each sentence:

3. According to a ________ report, climate change has started to affect farmers around the world.

Vocabulary

Part 1

Choose the best meaning of the word in ALL CAPS.

1. Gulay got in trouble because she did not ask for PERMISSION before taking a cookie.

2. Although they got the answer wrong, the teacher praised the APPROACH that the students took to solving the problem.

Part 2

Choose the best answer to complete each sentence:

3. Although some crops will definitely grow better in a warmer world, others may not do so well. For instance, almonds need a long ________ of cool weather each year. Without this, the trees will not flower.

4. We live in an age of information overload. Research shows that each day the average social media user receives about 300 pieces of content with a total number of words roughly ________ to the length of a typical novel.

Vocabulary

Part 1

Choose the best meaning of the word in ALL CAPS.

1. Kate’s friends listened SYMPATHETICALLY as she described the unfortunate events that had taken place during her first week of work.

2. Although the evidence against him looked extremely damaging, Benjy ASSERTED his innocence.

3. With so much content available, people have less time to spend on any one piece of information, so data must be ________ quickly and effectively to get their attention.

Vocabulary

Part 1

Choose the best meaning of the word in ALL CAPS

1. Alan was sure his plan for reducing pollution was FEASIBLE, but he found it hard to raise the capital he needed to begin the venture.

2. Many of the people in the audience found the whining noise from the air conditioning system to be very OFF-PUTTING.

Part 2

Choose the best answer to complete each sentence:

3. Many of us dream of ________ great wealth, but the most satisfying thing that Bill and Melinda Gates, who are among the richest people in the world, have done is to give their money away.

3. Their mission is not only to practice ________ with their own money, but to encourage others among the wealthy to do the same so as to help make the world a more just place.

Reading

Part 1

Read the article and answer the questions below.

Body image—the way people feel about their appearance—is a big issue for many young people today. According to two different studies, more than half the teenage girls in the United States think they should be on a diet, and almost one in five teenage boys are worried about their bodies and their weight.

But what’s the cause? Many blame the media. Turn on the TV, and you’ll likely see beautiful models, handsome actors, and fit sports stars. Open a magazine or newspaper, browse the internet, and it’s unlikely to be any different.

Many young people feel pressure to look like these “perfect” people. But for most, this is just not possible. In the United States, for example, the average woman is 163 centimeters tall and weighs 64 kilograms. The average model is 180 centimeters tall and weighs 53 kilograms.

When people don’t match up to these standards, many develop low self-esteem. Some stop eating properly in order to lose weight. Others lose so much confidence that they start to withdraw from classroom activities at school.

Body image issues do not disappear as we get older, either. In the United Kingdom, for example, women over 50 spend more money on cosmetics than any other age group. Older men spend large amounts of money trying to avoid hair loss.

1. The main idea of the article is that too many teenagers are eating unhealthy food.

2. When people think their body is not perfect, they may try to lose weight.

3. It is unusual for older people to experience issues with their body image.

4. One study shows that fifty percent of boys in the United States worry about their weight.

5. In the United States, the average model is taller than the average woman.

Part 2

Read the article and answer the questions below.

In 2010, a huge earthquake hit Haiti, causing the deaths of over a hundred thousand people and millions of dollars’ worth of damage. The international community jumped into action to provide aid. On this occasion, funds were raised with amazing speed—within a week of the quake, the American Red Cross had raised $22 million. The reason? People were donating via their mobile phones.

Technological advances have changed how charities work. Gone are the days when someone knocked on your front door and politely asked you to make a donation. In today’s world of computers, smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches, charities can now reach more people than ever before.

Social media in particular has had a great impact on charity. News of disasters spreads quickly around the world. This enables charities to raise money extremely quickly, as in Haiti. And the quicker aid can be delivered, the more lives can be saved. Individual fundraising has also benefited. Most people are now so well-connected through sites like Facebook that asking people to contribute to your chosen cause is easier than ever. In the future, it’s likely that we’ll all be giving to our favorite causes more easily and more often.

1. This passage mainly discusses _____.

2. The passage states that the earthquake in Haiti caused ______ .

3. After learning about the disaster, people ______ .

4. In the past, charities got donations by ______ .

5. According to the passage, social media has made it easier for ______ .

Part 3

Read the article and answer the questions below.

A. For a long time, Facebook had a tool that allowed people to report photos as spam or abuse. But of the cases reported, only a small percentage of the photos were actually offensive. One of the designers on the team felt there probably was a reason for this, so he studied the cases carefully. He found that in most cases users just didn’t like the photos of themselves their friends had posted, and wanted them taken down. To enable people to report cases like these, the Facebook team added a new feature. This feature allowed people to message their friends to ask them to take the photo down. But only 20 percent of people used the function.

B. The team worked on the case further—it spoke to communications experts and studied rules of polite language. It discovered that users didn’t just want to tell their friends to take the photo down—they wanted to tell their friends how the photo made them feel. So the team made a small change. People could select a message to explain why they didn’t like it, such as, “It’s embarrassing.” This small change had a huge impact—60 percent of people who reported photos used the function. Surveys showed that people on both sides of the conversation felt better as a result.

C. While data about how people are using a product can help designers make decisions, it isn’t always as simple as following the numbers. Other factors such as intuition, research, and testing of design are equally important. As design expert Margaret Gould Stewart points out, “Data can help you make a good design great, but it will never make a bad design good.”

D. At one time, YouTube was looking for ways to encourage more people to rate videos. When Gould Stewart and her team looked into the data, they found that most people were only using either the highest rating (five stars) or the lowest rating (one star). Almost no one was using two, three, or four stars. So the team decided to simplify the rating—it gave users a choice between good or bad: thumbs up or thumbs down.

E. YouTube tried to prepare people for this change by sharing data about how the five-star rating system wasn’t being used as intended. It announced that it was going to change the system to match user behavior. When the change was made, it was still frustrating for some users as they had become attached to the old design. However, because of the preparatory steps taken earlier, it was easier for YouTube to get users to accept the change.

1. Which statement is true according to the information in paragraph A?

2. Which statement is true according to the information in paragraph A?

3. Which statement would Margaret Gould Stewart most agree with?

4. Which statement is true according to the information in paragraph D?

5. Which is the best summary of the information in paragraph E?

Part 4

Read five paragraphs and answer the questions below each one.

Paragraph 1

Many college students experience stress. Being away from home for the first time is one major cause; the pressure of exams is also a factor. Since feeling stress is common to college life, counselors often recommend that students find ways to cope with it. There are many techniques for reducing stress. Physical exercise is one. Listening to music is another. In addition, talking to people—especially friends and family back home—can be an excellent way to relieve stress. Even though it is a fact of college life, having ways to handle stress can help give students a sense of control over their lives.

1. What conclusion can be drawn from this passage? 

Paragraph 2

There never seems to be enough time to do everything. As a result, many of us feel a need to rush through life. We now have faster cars, faster Internet, even “fast food.” In response to the rush of modern life, a growing number of people have embraced the “Slow Movement.” This began in 1986, when Carlo Petrini founded Slow Food to protest against the opening of the first McDonald’s in Italy. He wanted to restore an appreciation for local food cultures and traditions, and promote quality over convenience. The Slow Movement encourages us to do things like eating and exercising in a more leisurely way, and to be more aware of our surroundings. This way, we can develop more meaningful ties with other people.

2. What can be inferred about people who support the Slow Movement? 

Paragraph 3

Household savings rates can be very different across different countries. Global Finance magazine researched how much families around the world save, and discovered that while richer countries generally have higher savings rates, not all wealthy countries save a lot. In 2015, the best savers in the world were the Swiss, who saved over 17 percent of their household income. However, Denmark’s household savings in 2015 was very low, at about – 4 percent. This could be due to the Danes’ confidence in the economy, Denmark’s welldeveloped social security system, and other factors that create more equal distribution of incomes in the country.

3. What does this article imply?

Paragraph 4

How often have you clicked “Like” on Facebook, not because you actually like the picture of your friend’s lunch or the cat video your cousin posted, but because you want to show your support? Psychology professor Larry Rosen says that we do this to show our friends that we have good intentions. This white lie is an example of a pro-social lie. According to Rosen, it’s similar to saying “Yes” when someone asks, “Do you like my new shoes?” You’re lying not to hide a secret or to protect yourself, but to avoid hurting someone’s feelings. But when people tell lies on social networks to make their own lives seem more exciting, or to make others jealous, this is antisocial lying. It doesn’t bring friends closer, but instead creates negative feelings.

4. What is the best title for this article? 

Paragraph 5

Earl Miller is a famous scientist and an expert on multitasking and the brain. He says that multitasking can be addictive because every time we complete a small task—like sending an email or answering a text message—the brain releases the pleasure chemical dopamine. Over time, however, this constant task-switching leads to anxiety and stress. In fact, multitasking has been found to increase production of the stress hormone cortisol in the brain, which can lead to health problems like diabetes, heart disease, and even depression.

5. Where does this passage most likely come from? 

Part 5

Read two passages and answer the questions below each one.

Passage 1

A little over a quarter of identity crime—twenty seven percent—involves government documents or benefits. This is fraud where someone pretends to be someone else in order to illegally receive money such as healthcare payments or a pension from the government. About half as many cases—fourteen percent—are credit card fraud. In these instances, the identify thief usually uses stolen documents to obtain a credit card in someone else’s name. The theft is usually caught when the first bill arrives, but the money is already spent and, usually, the thief simply disappears. Phone or utilities fraud occurs at about the same rate as credit card fraud—thirteen percent. Employment fraud accounts for about nine percent of identity theft. The rate is similar for bank fraud. A small minority of instances involve loan fraud—taking a bank loan in another person’s name and then vanishing. Finally, a sizeable portion of ID thefts—26 percent—are in the ‘other’ category. This includes social media identity theft, sending email from another person’s address, and pretending to be someone else on the phone.

1. What was the author’s purpose in writing this text?

2. What can be concluded from this text?

Passage 2

When you suddenly realize you have been daydreaming—especially when you are working on a difficult problem—the usual response is to snap out of it and try to get back to work. But what scientists now understand is that while we are daydreaming, we are often solving problems at the same time. Albert Einstein’s story is a case in point. He had been thinking about his special theory of relativity for about seven years when he finally had a breakthrough. In 1904, he had been working for months on complex mathematical exercises when he decided to take a break. As he rested, he began to daydream. His mind had been wandering for several minutes when the image of a train formed in his brain—a train being struck by lightning. At that moment, it all fell into place. Because he had not been trying to think about it, Einstein was able to produce a completely new description of the universe.

So daydreaming is actually one way the mind has of getting work done, and scientists in Canada have been studying the brain in the hope of understanding more about what happens when we daydream. In one recent experiment, researchers monitored the brain activity of test subjects while they were performing a simple routine task—pushing a button when numbers appeared on a screen. After the subjects had been performing the task for several minutes, they began daydreaming—and parts of their brain associated with problem-solving began lighting up on the brain scanner. The research is altering scientists’ perception of daydreaming, because it shows that when we daydream, our brains are more active than when we focus on a routine task.

One conclusion of the study is that when people are struggling to solve complex problems, it might be more productive to switch to a simpler task and let their mind wander. Psychologists interested in creativity and imagination will be watching developments in this area closely as our understanding of the mind and its workings deepens, and we will certainly see more research into the power and workings of the imagination. It is less likely, however, that we will soon be seeing teachers encouraging students to stare out the window and daydream instead of doing their lessons.

3. What does the author state or imply about daydreaming?

4. Why does the author mention Einstein?

5. What does the author say about research into daydreams?

4. Dad: Where are you going?

Mum: To the …………….. I need to buy some boots.

 5. Anthony likes to paint ____________ and ____________.

4. My father always …… a bike ride on Sunday morning.