Uniwersytet Jagielloński

Jagiellońskie Centrum Językowe

Examination in English Level B2

September 20XX Time: 120min

Name & surname: ____________________________________________________
I READING 40
II USE OF ENGLISH 40
III WRITING 20
TOTAL 100

I. READING
Ex.1. You are going to read a magazine article about business lunches. For questions 1-8 below
the text, choose the answer A, B, C, or D which you think fits best according to the text.
LUNCH ON THE DOUBLE
I am not easily shocked, but I still haven’t got over a recent experience in New York.
A business contact had invited me to lunch at a trendy restaurant. I turned up on time, expecting
a gastronomic treat and a leisurely chat about matters of mutual interest. So you can imagine how
I felt when he said that, sorry, we could only share a first course because he had scheduled a
second lunch appointment. What nerve! What an insult! I vowed to never speak to him again,
until a friend of mine told me that such bad manners have become quite fashionable among
Manhattan’s most powerful and influential people. It wasn’t personal, just the trendy thing to do.
It seems that many business executives are double and triple decking their lunches like club
sandwiches, a practice known as ‘Type A feeding behaviour’. It works like this: an appetizer at
the Four Seasons, a hamburger with another client at 21, and dessert and coffee with a third
business contact at Michael’s. The whole silly business is another version of the power game, a
demonstration that you are more important than your guest and that your time is therefore more
valuable.
I don’t know what anyone hopes to gain by this kind of nonsense. It certainly didn’t work
with me; and I can well imagine the reaction of other visitors from countries which still regard
lunch as a serious matter, an opportunity to establish or nurture personal relationships, exchange
views, lay the foundations for a deal, or celebrate the successful outcome of negotiations. I have
made lasting friends and have initiated many lucrative transactions over lunch at good London
restaurants like Langan’s and Shepherd’s. I believe that mixing business with pleasure is part of
civilized behaviour, and all the more agreeable if one can do it on an expense account.
My idea of a good time is an hour-long lunch with a companion who doesn’t look at his
watch every five minutes, who has something interesting to say, and who thinks that my
opinions are worth listening to. The atmosphere should be stylishly casual, the service attentive
but not rushed and the menu as intriguing as a balance sheet. I can do without martinis, but I
prefer wine to water. I would not dream of going to the Four Seasons or Le Cirque in
Manhattan’s excellent Palace Hotel and insulting the chef as well as my guest by settling for a
bowl of soup. The simple answer is to lay down the ground rules beforehand. Make it clear how
much time you have available and ask the guest if it fits in with his own schedule. What made my
experience so shocking is that it came as a complete surprise. I hope that the insulting practice of
back-to-back lunch dates in one New York trend that will not catch on in London, Paris, Rome,
or Berlin. We Europeans have a reputation for lingering over our lunches. I gather that US cities
1
like Chicago and San Francisco are holding the line at the single lunch, which is good news. They
have great restaurants which deserve being appreciated.
I don’t mind if a host wants to show how powerful he is, it’s all part of business. However,
there is more than one way of doing this. A really important player is careful in his choice of
guests, but gives them his full attention. He demonstrates his power by not rushing off to another
restaurant or to the office.

1. What is “Type A feeding” behaviour?

A. when business executives have club sandwiches for lunch
B. when business executives have lunch at the best restaurants
C. when business executives have not scheduled their lunch in advance
D. when business executives have different courses with different guests

2. How did the writer feel about this?

A. silly
B. pleasantly shocked
C. offended
D. trendy

3. Why, according to the writer, do some business executives do this?

A. They don’t like eating with the same people.
B. They want to show they are more powerful than their guests.
C. They don’t have time.
D. They are silly and play games.

4. How does the writer view lunch?

A. as a way of making friends and doing business
B. as a way of celebrating and having fun
C. as a way of ensuring you get a nutritious meal
D. as a strict business meeting

5. According to the writer, a business lunch

A. should not be rushed.
B. should be stylish.
C. should have a balanced menu.
D. should have quick service.

6. What according to the writer is ‘the simple answer’?

A. to make your intentions clear in advance
B. to play by the rules
C. to change your schedule
D. to completely surprise your guest

7. What is implied about Chicago and San Francisco?

A. They are holding the same line as New York.
B. They deserve a patronage from New York.
C. There is some good news about restaurants.
D. They are not following New York in this fashion.
2
8. What conclusion does the writer give us?
A. It doesn’t matter how powerful a host is.
B. Do not change restaurants all the time.
C. Show your power in another way.
D. It’s all part of business.
16

Ex. 2. Refer to the text above and give words which have the following meaning. There is the
number of paragraph in which the word/s can be found.
1. fashionable ( adjective, para. 1 ) __________________________________
2. to plan ( verb, para.1 ) ___________________________________________
3. to arrive ( verb, para. 1 ) _________________________________________
4. to take care of sth, to help sth to develop ( verb, para. 2 ) ________________
5. profitable ( adjective, para. 2 ) _____________________________________
6. the final result of sth ( noun, para. 2 ) _______________________________
7. to arrange sth important, to start (verb, para. 2 ) ________________________

Ex. 3. Read the sentences taken from the article and decide what is the meaning of the word/s
underlined. Circle option A, B or C.
1. “I believe that mixing business with pleasure is part of civilized behaviour, and all the more
agreeable if one can do it on an expense account.”
A. pleasant
B. generally accepted
C. desirable
2. The simple answer is to lay down the ground rules beforehand.”
A. put down
B. officially state sth
C. obey
3. “I gather that US cities like Chicago and San Francisco are holding the line at the single lunch,
which is good news.”
A. suspect
B. collect
C. think
3

Ex.4. You are going to read an article in which people talk about money. For questions 1-14,
choose from the people A-F. Some of the people may be chosen more than once. When more than
one answer is required, these may be given in any order.

Which person or people :

3
is desperate to have more money? 1_____
have lost friends? 2_____ 3_____
does not want to owe money to anyone? 4_____
are optimistic about the future? 5_____ 6 _____
are able to save money for the future? 7_____ 8_____
gives in to pressure? 9_____
inherited some money? 10_____
say that attitudes to money have changed? 11_____ 12_____ 14
mention employment they do not enjoy? 13_____ 14_____

Money makes the world go round?

Steve Mummery talks to six different people about the importance of money in their lives.
A Reginald I don't have a credit card, I've never taken out a loan and I certainly couldn't ask my
friends to lend me money. I suppose it's a generational thing. When I was younger you had to get by
on what you'd got, watching every penny to make sure you got to the end of the month. It was
unheard of in my family to borrow money. Nowadays, people don't think twice before going into
debt to buy a new car or whatever. I have to live on the basic state pension, which isn't very much,
yet I still manage to put some money to one side each week, just in case I need it later.
B Ruth Money's a bit tight at the moment. My husband's out of work and I only work part-time,
but we're just about able to make ends meet. Of course, we've had to make a few cuts to adapt to
the circumstances. We got rid of the car last month, which has helped enormously, and we've
stopped buying new clothes and things. There's no point looking a million dollars if you can't pay
the bills. Still, things can only get better and I’m sure we'll sort our situation out, sooner or later.
C Lester A year ago I was a hard-up student, struggling to survive on a grant. Then my uncle
died and I came into quite a large sum of money. I don't have money to burn but I do have
enough to make life more comfortable. Unfortunately, one or two so-called friends of mine
thought it gave them the right to depend on me to buy them drinks all the time, and they got quite
upset when I refused. I'd rather go drinking on my own than have that type of person around me.
D Trudy I've got a job on Saturdays working in a clothes shop. It’s really dull, but I get paid
quite well, and that gives me the freedom to do things I couldn't afford to if I had to rely on
pocket money from my mum and dad. Of course, I spend some of it on going out with my
friends, but I've also opened a savings account; I'd like to have a motorbike by the time I'm 18.
E Bob I started doing the lottery five years ago, and since then I haven't missed a day. I've
only had a couple of small wins, but I feel sure my luck's going to change; the law of averages
says it must. I'd do anything to win the jackpot and give up my monotonous job. Any spare
money I have is spent on lottery tickets; I've stopped buying records and clothes, and I hardly
ever go out now. The fact is, my mates don't bother phoning me up any more, but I don't really
mind. I'm prepared to make sacrifices.
F Alison Our kids seem to think we're made of money. They always want money for this and
money for that; computer games, designer clothes, videos and CDs. I’m not saying we didn't
want things when we were kids, but at least we had same idea of the value of things. We'd never
have dreamed of asking our parents for the sort of amounts our two, and many others like them,
do. I’m sure kids these days think money grows on trees. We've tried saying 'no', but I have to
confess we don't always succeed.

4
II. USE OF ENGLISH
Ex.1. Read the text below and fill in the blanks with only one word which fits each space.
MIRRORS
You probably have several mirrors in your house, but did you know they are not a modern
invention? Most mirrors are now made from (1) __________ coating of metal on glass, but
images can be seen in any smooth, highly polished surface. Archaeologists have recently found a
mirror which is thought (2) __________be typical of the polished bronze type in early use in
Greece, Egypt and China. The Cairo museum in Egypt has one dating from 4,000 years. Other
metals (3)____________ as silver and tin were also used (4) __________ mirrors, but by the 16th
century the Venetians had discovered (5) __________ to make glass, and 'silvered' glass mirrors (6)
__________ fashionable. Through the ages, mirrors have been used not only for decoration (7)
__________ also in science. In the Middle Ages, Arab mathematicians made great contributions
to the science of reflected light. Their discovery of the use of mirrors to direct, distort and reflect
light is responsible (8) __________ many of the inventions we have today. For example, mirrors
used in cameras and telescopes enable us to see images the human eye (9) __________ not
normally be able to make out. Laser beams, (10) __________ use reflected light, help doctors to
perform medical operations. Mirrors do indeed play an important role in many aspects of our lives.
10
Ex. 2. Read the text below. Use the word given in capitals to form a word which fits in the
numbered space.
PREPARING FOR EXAMS
The most important rule of exam preparation is to start your (1)( REVISE) _________________
early – don't leave it until the last few days before the exam.

Revise regularly and use a (2) (VARY) ____________________ of methods to help you learn
and remember. Read your lesson notes (3) (CARE)_____________________ and highlight any
points which are (4) (SPECIAL) ____________________ important.
Be aware of your (5) (STRONG)_________________ and weaknesses and ask your teacher to
suggest (6) (ADDITION) ______________ practice exercises in areas of the language where you
lack (7) (CONFIDENT) _____________ .

You could ask a friend to test you (8) (OCCASION) _____________________ on your
vocabulary or on your (9) (REGULAR) ________________ verbs, for example. As the exam
approaches, you might also find it (10) (HELP) _________________ to answer some questions
under exam conditions.
10

Ex. 3. Paraphrase the following sentences using the word given. Use up to five words.
1. I won’t move this sofa without your help. UNLESS
________________________________________________________ , I won’t move this sofa.
5
2. “ Yes, that’s true I signed the document without her permission.” ADMITTED
He _______________________________________________________ without her permission.
3. The customs officer told us to open the boot of the car. MADE
The customs officer ____________________________________________ the boot of the car.
4. I regret that I didn’t stop smoking in the secondary school. WISH
___________________________________________________smoking in the secondary school.
5. It is possible that you left the wallet at work. MAY
______________________________________________________________ the wallet at work.
6. “ Did you take a photo of her?” Tom asked me. IF
Tom asked me ____________________________________________________ a photo of her.
7. They installed a new aerial on the roof of his house. HAD
He ______________________________________________________ on the roof of his house.
8. We couldn't find the house because Paul lost the address. NOT
If Paul ________________________ the address, we could _____________________ the house.

9. 'You broke the window on purpose, didn't you?’ he said. ME

He accused__________________________________________ the window on purpose.
10. The house was too expensive for us. ENOUGH
We_______________________________________________________ to buy the house.

10

Ex.4. Choose the correct form(A, B, C or D).

Can you remember the last time you had a really good laugh? If not, it could be that you are not
laughing (1)______for your own good. Laughter (2) ______ muscle tension, (3)______ nerves,
(4)______ high blood pressure, is a natural pain-killer and helps boost the immune system. So
great are its (5)______ that laughter therapy is now(6) ______ on the National Health Service.
The Laughter Clinic in Birmingham was (7)______ a year ago by Dr Robert Holden (stress
expert and consultant to the NHS). He says laughter is the most (8)______antidote to stress.
People under a lot of stress often (9)______ their worries and find it (10)______ to distance
themselves from their situation. A good laugh helps put matters in perspective.
1. A. much B. loudly C. enough D. sufficient
2. A. relaxes B. predicts C. enriches D. detests
3. A. embraces B. rescues C. cuddles D. soothes
4. A. devalues B. lowers C. stops D. despises
5. A. benefits B. profits C. gains D. accomplishments
6. A. accessible B. available C. approachable D. abandoned
7. A. set off B. set up C. set on D. set out
8. A. insistent B. persistent C. affective D. effective
9. A. indulge in B. rejoice at C. focus on D. interfere with
10. A. hard B. hardly C. rare D. rarely

10

6
 III WRITING

Your written work will be assessed according to the following criteria:

CRITERIA NUMBER OF POINTS
Task achievement and content /5
Layout and linking devices /5
Vocabulary range and spelling /5
Language correctness and accuracy /5
TOTAL / 20

Choose ONE of the topics below. Write 150-220 words.

1. You see this advertisement in an English-language magazine.

GLOBAL MUSIC SHOPS

Rock Classical Pop Jazz

We are looking for people to work in our international music shops for three months in the
summer.
 Are you interested in music?
 Do you have any useful experience?
 Is your level of English good?
Apply to the manager, Mr Elgar, saying why you think you are suitable for the job in one of our
music shops.

Write your letter of application. Do not write any postal addresses.

2. “Playing video games is a waste of time” – do you agree? Write an opinion essay on this topic.

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

7
...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

8
KEY:
I READING
Ex. 1. Ex. 2. Ex. 3.
1 D 1. trendy 1. A
2 C 2. to schedule 2. B
3 B 3. to turn up 3. C
4 A 4. to nurture
5 A 5. lucrative
6 A 6. outcome
7 D 7. to initiate
8 C

Ex.4
1. E 6. E 11. A
2. C 7. A 12. F
3. E 8. D 13. D
4. A 9. F 14. E
5. B 10. C

II USE OF ENGLISH
Ex. 1.
1. a 5. how / ways 9. would/will
2. to 6. became 10. which
3. such 7. but
4. as / for 8. for

Ex. 2.
1. Revision 5. Strengths 9. Irregular
2. Variety 6. Additional 10. Helpful
3. Carefully 7. Confidence
4. (E)specially 8. Occasionally

Ex. 3.
1. unless you help me 6. if I had taken
2. admitted (to) signing / (to) having signed the 7. had a new aerial installed
document 8. ....hadn’t lost ...., ... have found .....
3. made us open 9. me of breaking
4. I wish I had stopped 10. didn’t have enough money
5. You may have left

Ex. 4.
1. C 6. B
2. A 7. B
3. D 8. D
4. B 9. C
5. A 10. A