Creating Opportunity Worldwide

Pro-ELT Teacher Training Materials Level: B1 to B2

Final Preparation – Aptis Reading Exam

1 - Refresh your memory
Read the passage quickly. Choose a heading for each numbered paragraph from the box and write it in the
space above the paragraph. There is one more heading than you need:

A) Getting things in order

B) Choosing carefully from the box
C) Skim and then read for detail
D) Read at speed
E) Organise your time
F) A gentle start

The Aptis Reading Exam

1) ___________e_____________
The Aptis reading exam consists of 4 parts. It must be completed within 30 minutes. No time guidance is given
for each part of the test. For this reason time management is key to success. If you don’t allow enough time for
the final parts, you could lose marks needlessly. The tasks get more difficult as the exam progresses.

2) ___________b______________
Part 1 is usually fairly easy. Candidates must choose one of 3 words to fit gaps in a short text. The vocabulary
choices are simple, but a good knowledge of 3 areas of vocabulary; collocations, conjunctions and prepositions
will improve your mark on this part of the exam.

3) ___________a______________
Part 2 is a little more challenging. Candidates have to order 6 lines of a text (there are 7 but the first is
completed as an example). It tests understanding of text ‘cohesion’ through the use of pronouns and adverbs.
You have to link words like ‘it’, ‘them’ and ‘there’ to words in previous paragraphs. You are required to drag the
sentences with your mouse to reorder them.

4) _________________________
Part 3 is more challenging still. Like Part 1, you must choose words to fit gaps in a text. However, the text is
longer, the vocabulary is more difficult and all the words you need are in a box below the text, along with several
distracters that often cause candidates to make errors. It tests your knowledge of collocations, rare vocabulary
meaning, grammar words and text cohesion.

5) __________________________
Part 4 is often the most challenging part. You have a long text (750 words) and several headings that you must
match to the paragraphs. Being able to read quickly is a good skill to have, but you’ll also need to read in more
detail when two paragraphs contain similar information. This part of the exam tests text comprehension and also
vocabulary knowledge.
This task was similar to
which of the 4 Aptis
The answers are at the end of this booklet. reading tasks?

2 - Do the Aptis Website Practice Reading Exam

Now go to the Aptis Reading exam and do it individually. Once you press Start Component, you’ll have only 30
minutes left. Remember to manage your time well! Here’s the website address:

http://www.britishcouncil.org/aptis-practice-tests/AptisReadingPractice/

When you’ve completed it, the website will give you a mark. Write it here: _____________%

Contributed by: Jason Anderson

© The British Council, 2013
The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)
 Creating Opportunity Worldwide

Pro-ELT Teacher Training Materials Level: B1 to B2

3 – Analysis of Answers
Your trainer will now take you through the correct answers to the exam. This is a copy of the exam online at:
http://www.britishcouncil.org/aptis-practice-tests/AptisReadingPractice/ It can be used instead of the online
exam if teachers cannot access the online exam.

Part 1

Choose from the three words below:

usual well great

saved liked tried
take give go
while and that
hear think know

Part 2

Write the order below. Use numbers

to indicate your choice:

A __1_

B ____

C ____

D ____

E ____

F ____

G ____

Contributed by: Jason Anderson

© The British Council, 2013
The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)
 Creating Opportunity Worldwide

Pro-ELT Teacher Training Materials Level: B1 to B2

Part 3

Part 4 is on the next

page!

Contributed by: Jason Anderson

© The British Council, 2013
The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)
 Creating Opportunity Worldwide

Pro-ELT Teacher Training Materials Level: B1 to B2

Part 4

Choose from these headings:

Contributed by: Jason Anderson

© The British Council, 2013
The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)
 Creating Opportunity Worldwide

Pro-ELT Teacher Training Materials Level: B1 to B2

4 - Time Management
Work in small groups. Now that you have done a complete exam and learnt from your successes and mistakes,
decide how much time you should spend on each part of the exam and complete the following table. The total
time should add up to 30 minutes:

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

5 - Our Exam Strategy Tips

Work in small groups. Imagine that you have to give advice to a colleague who was not able to attend today’s
lesson. What advice would you give him on each part of the Aptis exam? Discuss and make notes:

Advice for Part 1

E.g. Do the easy ones first, then…

Advice for Part 2

Advice for Part 3

Advice for Part 4

Any other advice?

6 - Further Practice
1) Aptis Practice Materials Booklet
There are two practice tests in the Aptis Practice Materials Booklet.

2) Online
You can improve your ability to do the Aptis Reading exam using materials for other reading exams online. Here
are the some ideas:

Parts 1 and 3
As these are similar, you can practice using Part 1 of the FCE exam, which is similar but a little more difficult.
Google the following:

Here are two examples:

http://www.examenglish.com/FCE/fce_use_of_english_part1.htm
http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/fce/students/tests/mchtst3.htm

Contributed by: Jason Anderson

© The British Council, 2013
The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)
 Creating Opportunity Worldwide

Pro-ELT Teacher Training Materials Level: B1 to B2

Part 4 – Matching Headings to Paragraphs
This is similar to one of the tasks used in the IELTS exam. So Google the following:

This website gives good advice:

http://www.ielts-exam.net/preparing/Reading_task_type_two_matching_headings_to_paragraphs/224/

There’s also a practice test to try here: http://www.ielts-exam.net/ielts_reading/701/ with the reading text
here: http://www.ielts-exam.net/docs/Reading/IELTS_Reading_Academic_20_Passage_1.htm

Contributed by: Jason Anderson

© The British Council, 2013
The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)