James Cook University

Placement Test
(Placement Test – External, September 2018)

Instructions:
• The time given for the test is 2 hours. The student must stop work once this
time has elapsed.
• The student is not allowed to bring in any materials to the test apart from
pens.
• Dictionaries, hand phones or any other electronic devices may not be used
during the test.
• You have two answer sheets. For questions 1 – 35, use the multiple choice
question sheet. For Questions 36 – 50, use the short answer sheet.

Name: __________________________________

Marks:
Part 1 /5
Part 2 /5
Part 3 /5 Marked by:
Part 4 /10
Part 5 /5 Recommendation:
Part 6 /10
Part 7 /5
Part 8 /5
Part 9 /10
Part 10 /10
Part 11 /20
Total /90

JCU Placement Test – External – September 2018 1

Part 1 – Match each sentence to the correct sign or notice. Write the correct answer in the
space provided. (5 marks)

1. You cannot use your phone. ( ) A

You should put things back in the right

2.
place. ( ) B

3. Go here if you have lost something. ( ) C

4. Which is NOT a true statement about the poster?

ATTENTION A. It contains the details for a party.
What: Christmas Party B. The party will be held in Conference Room A.
When: December 15, 2012, C. The party will start at 7 in the evening.
3:00p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Where: Conference Room A ( )

5. Which of the following is true?

A. Tammy would like to know if Nancy is going to do
her history homework later this evening.
B. Tammy wants to compare the notes she wrote
about the history homework with Nancy's.
C. Tammy hopes she can look at the information
Nancy has for the history homework.

JCU Placement Test – External – September 2018 2

Part 2 – Choose the correct word to complete the sentence. Write the correct answer (A, B or
C) in the space provided. (5 marks)
6. Teaching is a type of ___________. ( )
A. university
B. job
C. school
7. It only _______________ Anne five minutes to get to the clothes shop. ( )
A. takes
B. has
C. gets
8. In many countries, children have to ___________ a uniform to school. ( )
A. wear
B. use
C. put
9. Martina decided to ________ her house a spring clean. ( )
A. give
B. have
C. get
10. Accommodation at the youth hostel is in ____ with bunkbeds. ( )
A. dormitories
B. caravans
C. cottages

JCU Placement Test – External – September 2018 3

Part 3 – Read the sentences below and select the correct response. (5 marks)
11. Let’s go see a movie after class today. ( )
A. Yes, thank you.
B. Sure, why not?
C. No, I already have one.
12. I don’t like eating fish. ( )
A. Neither do I.
B. So do I.
C. So don’t I.
13. Tom has his final exams next week. ( )
A. I didn’t see him.
B. I spoke to him.
C. I’m sure he’ll do well.
14. Why don’t you exercise more? ( )
A. It’s very famous.
B. I’m too busy at work.
C. It’s too far.
15. Is this your watch? ( )
A. It’s three o’clock
B. I think it’s Dave’s.
C. I’m sorry I’m late.

JCU Placement Test – External – September 2018 4

Part 4 – Complete the text. Choose the correct answer and write it in the space provided.
(10 marks)
Being a Single Mom

My sister, Jean is a single mom and she’s just twenty one years old. She’s got a daughter

(16) _______________ Nikki. She is (17) _______________ three now. They live in a small flat

(18) _______________ the city centre. It isn't a nice place to live. It is very noisy and dirty and

there is (19) _______________ for Nikki to play.

Jean wants to move out of the city and live in the countryside. But it is very expensive to live

there. She will need to earn (20) _______________ money to buy a house. There aren't

(21) _______________ flats for sale in the small villages nearby. She will need to buy a car

(22) _______________.

Those are the main reasons why Jean has to study at college. At present, she is studying

Business. While Jean is at college, our mother looks (23) _______________ Nikki. Our mother

really likes (24) _______________ time with her. In the evening, Jean works as a cleaner. She

cleans people's houses. Nikki goes along with her. She plays (25) _______________ with her toys

while Jean works.

16. A. calls B. called C. names ( )

17. A. nearly B. quite C. yet ( )
18. A. in B. on C. at ( )
19. A. somewhere B. anywhere C. nowhere ( )
20. A. any B. this C. enough ( )
21. A. much B. lot C. many ( )
22. A. too B. in C. then ( )
23. A. for B. after C. at ( )
24. A. spending B. spend C. giving ( )
25. A. quiet B. quieter C. quietly ( )

JCU Placement Test – External – September 2018 5

Part 5 – The following sentences are incorrect. Choose the correct option A, B, or C.
(5 marks)
26. Sharon does her work so careful that she rarely makes a mistake. ( )
A. careful than
B. carefully that
C. carefully than
27. You’ve heard the news about the earthquake, did you? ( )
A. haven’t you?
B. have you?
C. hadn’t you?
28. However I studied French in school, I still couldn’t understand what ( )
people were saying when I went to Paris last year.
A. But I studied
B. Even I studied
C. Although I studied
29. I will follow the decision of the majority, although I am not agreed it. ( )
A. although I don’t agree
B. regardless of not agree
C. although I am not favouring it
30. We usually offer special dishes honours our ancestors. ( )
A. to honour
B. to honours
C. to honoured

JCU Placement Test – External – September 2018 6

Part 6 - Read the text and questions below. For each question, mark the correct letter A, B, C
or D in the brackets provided. (10 marks)
Horton
At first glance, there is little in Horton to attract people. The other nearby towns have
much more to offer: Bradfield has its river and historic buildings, while Newtown has shops and
entertainment. The buildings of Horton look dirty and unloved. For shops, there is a small
supermarket, a few bargain shops, a bakery which, strangely, does not sell bread and a florist
which has one stand of sad-looking flowers. Even so, Horton has several advantages over its
neighbouring towns.
Firstly, it has a country park. Four thousand years ago, this was an important fort. There
are no historic remains here now, but there are wonderful views over the countryside. On sunny
weekends you can often see kids out with their parents, kicking balls or flying kites.
There aren’t many job opportunities in Horton, and the roads to nearby cities aren’t really
fast, but there are excellent rail links. You can be in London in an hour and a half, and other
cities are less than an hour away. That means that parents can earn a good salary and still get
home in time to spend the evenings with their families. Houses in Horton aren’t pretty, but
they’re functional and cheap. The streets are quiet and safe, and there are plenty of parks and
playgrounds. It has a library, three primary schools and a secondary school, St. Mark’s. It’s not
as academically brilliant as other schools in the area, but it is friendly and offers a wide range of
subjects and activities to children of all abilities and backgrounds. The town also has a
swimming and a sports centre, and the community halls hold regular clubs and events for
people of all ages.
31. What is the writer’s main purpose?
A. To explain what tourists can do in Horton
B. To explain why Horton is a good place to live
C. To explain why Horton is not as pleasant as other towns
D. To describe the history of Horton
32. What type of people is Horton most suitable for?
A. wealthy professionals
B. low income families
C. elderly people
D. sport and history students

JCU Placement Test – External – September 2018 7

 33. What advantages does Horton bring to workers?
A. There are plenty of jobs available in the town.
B. You can drive to nearby cities in a short time.
C. You can get to several cities quickly by train.
D. Working conditions are better here than in other towns.
34. What part of Horton does the writer find disappointing?
A. the shops
B. the country park
C. transport links
D. the schools
35. Which of the following is the best description of Horton?
A. A quiet, country town which has a number of good leisure facilities.
B. A friendly, historic town which is a great place to live, work and take a
holiday.
C. A busy, industrial town which has good links to neighbouring cities.
D. A dirty, unpopular town which has little to offer visitors or residents.

JCU Placement Test – External – September 2018 8

Part 7 – Read the short texts below and complete the table with the correct information.
(5 marks)

VISA APPLICATION FORM

Name: Alice Silveiro

Nationality: 36)

Job: 37)

Address in Britain: 38)

Why are you visiting Britain? 39)

How long will you stay? 40)

JCU Placement Test – External – September 2018 9

Part 8 – Complete the text by writing one word in the spaces provided. (5 marks)
How to cook Rice Congee
Rice congee or porridge is a nutritious dish that can be eaten at any time of the day; on its own or
with a side dish. It is a popular dish found in many Asian countries. Here are 6 easy steps to cook
Rice Congee.
1. The first step is to wash the rice with water. Rub the rice grains using the palms of your
hands. When the water turns murky, pour the water away. Repeat the washing process
(41) ___________ the water is clear.
2. Let the rice grains soak in the water for about 15 minutes.
3. Bring the water and rice to a boil (42) ___________ lower the heat to a simmer.
4. Stir occasionally to prevent the rice (43) ____________ sticking together or to the bottom
of the pot. Stirring is important because rice grains will settle to the bottom, stick to the
pot and burn.
5. Once the grains are broken and the congee reaches the consistency you want, turn
(44) ___________ the stove.
6. Add seasonings and sesame oil to taste. Congee is classically served
(45) ___________ seasoned peanuts and pickled veggie slivers.

Part 9 - There are 5 missing words in the text. Write ONE word in each space. (10 marks)
Who should do the housework?
Research shows that mothers spend, on average, three hours a day on housework and
cooking, whereas (46) __________ spend just 45 minutes. Men still expect women to do the
housework. When men do things around the house, they act as though they are doing their
partner a (47) __________. They say things like: ‘I’ve done the washing-up for (48) __________,’
instead of regarding it as something which benefits both of them. Men give all sorts of
(49) __________ for not doing housework: ‘I work long hours and I don’t think my wife’s work is
as stressful as mine,’ or: ‘I would do more, but she’s so much better at it than me.’ But what a
man really means by this is that he feels his job is ultimately more (50) __________ than his
partner’s.

JCU Placement Test – External – September 2018 10

Part 10 - Write a paragraph of about 60 words based on the following topic:

Describe a newspaper or magazine

• How often do you read the newspaper or magazine?
• Why do you like the newspaper or magazine?
• What are the benefits of reading?

Part 11 - Write an essay of about 150 words based on the following topic:

What skills are important for a person to be successful in the world today? Choose one skill and give
reasons and examples to support your choice.

JCU Placement Test – External – September 2018 11

JCU Placement Test – External – September 2018 12
Answer Sheet – JCU Placement Test

Part 7

36
37
38
39
40

Part 8

41
42
43
44
45

Part 9 (2 marks each)

46
47
48
49
50

JCU Placement Test – External – September 2018 13

 Multiple Choice Answer Sheet
STUDENT NAME D.O.B (DDMMYYYY)

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
DIRECTIONS FOR MARKING ANSWER SHEET
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1. Use ONLY a black 2B lead pencil. DO NOT USE ink or 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
ballpoint pen.
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
2. Shade circles of your choice completely. Erase cleanly any
answer you wish to change. 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

3. Make no stray marks on this answer sheet. 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

EXAMPLES OF SHADINGS 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

CORRECT WRONG 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
l 4 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8

9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9

A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E

1 1 2 3 4 5 26 1 2 3 4 5 51 1 2 3 4 5 76 1 2 3 4 5

2 1 2 3 4 5 27 1 2 3 4 5 52 1 2 3 4 5 77 1 2 3 4 5

3 1 2 3 4 5 28 1 2 3 4 5 53 1 2 3 4 5 78 1 2 3 4 5

4 1 2 3 4 5 29 1 2 3 4 5 54 1 2 3 4 5 79 1 2 3 4 5

5 1 2 3 4 5 30 1 2 3 4 5 55 1 2 3 4 5 80 1 2 3 4 5

A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E

6 1 2 3 4 5 31 1 2 3 4 5 56 1 2 3 4 5 81 1 2 3 4 5

7 1 2 3 4 5 32 1 2 3 4 5 57 1 2 3 4 5 82 1 2 3 4 5

8 1 2 3 4 5 33 1 2 3 4 5 58 1 2 3 4 5 83 1 2 3 4 5

9 1 2 3 4 5 34 1 2 3 4 5 59 1 2 3 4 5 84 1 2 3 4 5

10 1 2 3 4 5 35 1 2 3 4 5 60 1 2 3 4 5 85 1 2 3 4 5

A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E

11 1 2 3 4 5 36 1 2 3 4 5 61 1 2 3 4 5 86 1 2 3 4 5

12 1 2 3 4 5 37 1 2 3 4 5 62 1 2 3 4 5 87 1 2 3 4 5

13 1 2 3 4 5 38 1 2 3 4 5 63 1 2 3 4 5 88 1 2 3 4 5

14 1 2 3 4 5 39 1 2 3 4 5 64 1 2 3 4 5 89 1 2 3 4 5

15 1 2 3 4 5 40 1 2 3 4 5 65 1 2 3 4 5 90 1 2 3 4 5

A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E

16 1 2 3 4 5 41 1 2 3 4 5 66 1 2 3 4 5 91 1 2 3 4 5

17 1 2 3 4 5 42 1 2 3 4 5 67 1 2 3 4 5 92 1 2 3 4 5

18 1 2 3 4 5 43 1 2 3 4 5 68 1 2 3 4 5 93 1 2 3 4 5

19 1 2 3 4 5 44 1 2 3 4 5 69 1 2 3 4 5 94 1 2 3 4 5

20 1 2 3 4 5 45 1 2 3 4 5 70 1 2 3 4 5 95 1 2 3 4 5

A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E

21 1 2 3 4 5 46 1 2 3 4 5 71 1 2 3 4 5 96 1 2 3 4 5

22 1 2 3 4 5 47 1 2 3 4 5 72 1 2 3 4 5 97 1 2 3 4 5

23 1 2 3 4 5 48 1 2 3 4 5 73 1 2 3 4 5 98 1 2 3 4 5

24 1 2 3 4 5 49 1 2 3 4 5 74 1 2 3 4 5 99 1 2 3 4 5

25 1 2 3 4 5 50 1 2 3 4 5 75 1 2 3 4 5 100 1 2 3 4 5