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FINAL TEST
LEVEL: Intermediate

PART 1 – LISTENING (10 marks)

A. You will hear five people talking about telephoning. For each recording,
match each speaker to the piece of advice (a–h) that he/she gives. You will
hear the recording twice. There are two pieces of advice you WILL NOT
need.

1 Speaker 1 a) Explain the purpose of your call

2 Speaker 2 b) Don’t interrupt the other person
3 Speaker 3 c) Be careful when transferring calls
4 Speaker 4 d) Control any feelings of frustration
5 Speaker 5 e) Prepare your call before
dialling f) Be friendly and
professional
g) Clarify anything you don’t understand
h) Take notes during the call

Master your English! 1

B. Listen to the radio report and choose the correct option.

6 Over the last year, Matthews has seen

a) overall profits fall by over fifty percent.
b) its turnover more than double.
c) clothing sales decrease by about a third.

7 Which statement is true of the smaller clothing retailers?

a) Six have sold their businesses to bigger retailers.
b) Three went bankrupt over the summer.
c) Two hope to merge their operations soon.

8 According to Jane, Beanelys

a) is the most popular retailer in the area.
b) is changing the way the company is organised.
c) plans to expand the chain.

9 Which statement does Jane make about the clothing industry?

a) There have been relatively few changes in customer demand.
b) Small businesses can’t afford the rates on their premises.
c) There is a large number of competitors.

10 What reason is given for problems in the clothing industry?

a) Companies are failing to diversify.
b) There has been an increase in customers shopping online.
c) Large companies can demand better deals from suppliers.
PART 2 – READING (12 marks)
A. You are going to read a magazine article about a radio presenter. For questions 11
– 16, choose the best answer - a), b), c) or d) – according to the information in the
text.
A New Voice on the Radio
Margherita Taylor talks to Sarah Edhill about what it’s like being at Capitol Radio.
Margherita Taylor is the only female presenter at
Margherita says that her own musical tastes are
Capital Radio, one of London’s top music radio
varied. But she doesn’t pick her own music for
stations. She got into radio while she was a
her shows. The Capital computer selects the
student in Birmingham. Along with hundreds of
records in advance from a list approved by the
other hopefuls, she and a friend queued for hours
station managers. ‘The station has a certain
in the rain to take part in a ‘Search Star’
sound, and if we all picked our own music, it
competition held by a local radio station, BRMB.
wouldn’t sound like Capital,’ she says. ‘But for
‘I had to read a travel script and a weather script
someone who likes music, this is a dream job. I
talk about myself for a minute, then introduce a
get to go to concerts and meet bands you can
record. After that, they sent me back out into the
hear on my show. It’s great to hear the “behind
rain,’ she says. But within days the phone call
the scenes” gossip.’
came to say that her voice had earned her a
Most people would expect that a presenter’s
regular show on BRMB. Truly the stuff dreams
most important qualities are a nice voice and
are made of. After working there for eighteen
huge amounts of confidence, but Margherita says
months, she was offered a job with Capital.
that basic maths is handy as well. ‘You have to
Margherita is a London girl and arriving at
make sure that you’ve got an eye on everything
Capital was like coming home. ‘I grew up
that’s going on in the studio, but you’ve got to be
listening to Capital Radio,’ she says. ‘People say,
able to add and subtract and think in minutes and
“Wasn’t it frightening, joining such well-known
seconds,’ she says. You’re dealing with timed
presenters?” But everyone here is so down to
records, and with announcements and
earth. It would be off-putting if the others had
commercials that are also timed precisely, and
people doing their make-up, or star signs on their
you have to be ready to switch to the news at
office doors. But there’s none of that- Mick
exactly the right second. If you’re going over to
Brown, for instance, finishes his show and
a live event, you need to be ready for that on
wanders off to get the bus home with everyone
time, not a second earlier or later.’
else.’
This isn’t the sort of girl to let the rock’n’ roll
Margherita claims never to get nervous before
lifestyle go to her head. Even if she did, her
a show – nerves are for the weak. ‘You can’t get
family would bring her down to earth. ‘When I
nervous because then you make mistakes,’ she
started at Capital the only thing my brothers
says. Of course, there has been the odd disaster.
asked was whether they’d get free records,’ she
‘For instance, when I did my first live concert
remembers. ‘And my mum couldn’t even find
show at BRMB, I’d only done one programme.
the station on her radio.’
In front of a crowd of 50,000, I went on stage to
Margherita Taylor is very nice and very easy-
introduce a certain well-known singer. I said:
going, but very much in control. She is so much
“Please welcome our next performer. You know
a ‘Capitol Radio girl’ that you might think she is
her best for hits like…” Then I just went blank.
just doing a good job for the station’s publicity
There was this silence from the crowd, and for
department, although you know what she’s
the life of me I couldn’t think what she’d sung.
saying really comes from the heart. She smiles a
That’s one occasion that will stay with me
lot, laughs a lot and is generally a great advert
forever.’
for Capital.
11. What do we learn about Margherita in the first paragraph?
a) She became a radio presenter by chance.
b) She expected to win the competition.
c) She was keen to become a radio presenter.
d) She practised before the competition.

12. What do we learn about Margherita’s first live concert show?

a) It is the only time she has made a serious mistake.
b) Being nervous was not the cause of the problem.
c) People often remind her of what happened then.
d) She had not expected to have the problem she had.

13. One point Margherita makes about her job is that she
a) has changed her attitude to music.
b) is unhappy that the records she plays are chosen for her.
c) likes most of the music that she plays on her show.
d) enjoys talking to the people whose records she plays.

14. What does Margherita say about presenting a show?

a) It is essential to keep in mind what is going to happen next.
b) It is more complicated than she had previously thought.
c) The ability to add and subtract is the most important requirement.
d) The content of a show is sometimes changed suddenly.

15. How have Margherita’s family reacted to her success?

a) with caution
b) with interest
c) with surprise
d) without excitement

16. In the final paragraph, the writer says that Margherita

a) was different from what she had expected.
b) genuinely believes that Capital is a good radio station.
c) feels it necessary to talk about Capital Radio all the time.
d) has already changed her job at Capital Radio.
PART 3 – SKILLS (10 marks)
Complete the short dialogues below with a response (a–j).
17 A: Thank you for listening. Does
anyone have any questions?
B:
18 A: It’s nice to see you again,
Sue! B:
19 A: Can we come back to that later?
Dave, over to you now.
B:
20 A: Are you saying that we’ll have to
postpone the meeting?
B:
21 A: I propose that we develop a
prototype.
B:
22 A: In your opinion, when shall we
publish the annual report, in
December?
B:
23 A: Let’s look at the issue from a
different angle. Is there a way we
could save money, for example?
B:
24 A: So, have we covered everything?
B:
25 A: Right, let’s get started, shall we?
B:
26 A: Would you find out what
happened to my plane tickets? They
haven’t arrived yet.
B:
Responses:
a) You too. How are you?
b) Yes, can you tell us the reasons for
the low sales figures?
c) Thanks, I’d like to focus on the
problems we’re having with outsourcing.
d) I agree with you.
e) I think a month earlier would be
better.
f) Hold on a moment, Michelle isn’t here
yet.
g) No, just that we should start a bit
later.
h) Sure, I’ll look into things
straightaway.
i) Yes, I think so. Joe, do you agree?
j) Do you mean by reducing salaries?
PART 4 – USE OF ENGLISH (48 marks)
A. Complete the sentences with the correct alternatives.
27 All the staff were asked to to Spain.
a) outsource b) invest c) relocate d) reorganise
28 There’s a problem with the machinery so the quality of the goods hasn’t
reached its usual
a) fault b) flaw c) standard d) design
29 B-Voy Bank is looking for three new bank officers to work in its new high street

a) branch b) factory c) plant d) store

30 It’s important that we get a for our product soon so that no
one can copy our ideas.
a) breakthrough b) discovery c) brainwave d) patent
31 This organisation is too There are four forms for everything!
a) bureaucratic b) hierarchical c) flexible d) progressive
32 Bed-Lux has recently its main rival Duvet-Delights.
a) merged b) taken over c) reorganised d) outsourced
33 I am writing to invite you to your research findings at the
ECR conference.
a) network b) socialise c) present d) talk
34 I want my new sofa to look good but it’s more important that it’s
I don’t want to have to replace it for years!
a) time-saving b) stylish c) durable d) space-saving
35 I’m 63 now, so I’ve only got two years to go until I reach age.
a) redundancy b) appointment c) retirement d) promotion
36 Pre-tax profits have to an all time low of $1.2m.
a) plummeted b) skyrocketed c) soared d) risen

B. For questions 37-48, read the text below and think of the word which best
fits each space. Use only ONE word in each gap. There is an example at the
beginning (0).

The birth of YouTube

In 2005, Chad Hurley and Steve Chen, two software designers from Silicon Valley
in California, (0) were invited to a dinner party. Several people had brought
their camcorders to the party and these people were complaining about (37)
difficult it was to share home videos online. That was when Chad and Steve came
up (38) the idea of YouTube, the site which makes (39)
easy to upload home videos onto the Internet. They formed a company, borrowed
some money and (40) up a business.

It turned (41) that millions of people already had short home

video clips that they thought it (42) be fun to share with other
enthusiasts around the world. Launched in December 2005, YouTube soon
contained more (43) a million short video clips. People were uploading 8000
clips a day, and watching three million a day. They had mostly heard about the site
through word (44) mouth, email and hyperlink, and eighty percent of
the clips had (45) made by amateurs.

So why was YouTube such an immediate success? Researchers found that,

(46) average, people were spending fifteen minutes on the site during
each visit, (47) was enough time to view several short funny clips. In
(48) words, they were using YouTube to give them a little break from
their work or study.
C. For questions 49-54, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar
meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the
word given! You must use between TWO and FIVE words, including the word
given. Here is an example (0):

0. What type of music do you like best?

FAVOURITE
What is your favourite
type of music?

49. How much does a new laptop computer cost?

PRICE
What of a new laptop computer?

50. They are opening a new branch of that bookshop in our town.
BEING
A new branch of that bookshop in our town.

51. Patrick can’t wait to see the team’s next home game.
FORWARD
Patrick is really the team’s next home game.

52. A very friendly taxi driver drove us into town.

DRIVEN
We a very friendly taxi driver.

53. Which of the places you visited interested you most?

THE
 Which was that you visited?

54. Sally arrived late at the conference because her flight was delayed.
TIME
If Sally’s she wouldn’t have arrived late at the
conference.
D. In most of the lines (55-62) in the article there is an extra word. Find
these words. If a line of correct, put a tick in the space next to that line.

55 Use of video or web conferencing by US companies instead of these face- to-face

56 meetings has more than doubled in two years. A survey by the country’s
57 National Business Travel Association found it that business travellers used
58 it an average of five times last year, compared by with twice in 2002. But travel
59 managers remain evenly divided on whether the technology will be retain its
60 popularity in the future. Meanwhile, the association does forecasts that travel
61 costs for US companies will rise by seven percent next year. The amount
62 spent out on air travel and car hire will rise by five percent and the cost of
eating out will go up by three percent.

From the Financial Times

E. Complete the article using the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
63
Fast-growing paper manufacturer GRED (said / has said)
64
yesterday that it (creates / is going to create) seven hundred and sixty jobs
65
over the next six years as part of an expansion plan.The firm
66
(has been announced / has announced) that it (plans / will plan) to build
67
a major extension to its headquarters. This decision (will result /
68
is resulting) in new jobs throughout the region. The extension
(will complete / will be completed) in October and should expand the plant by a
69
third.GRED also says it (will help / helps) the business double sales over the
next
 70
five years. The investment (will also provide / is providing)
extra production capacity, and a better goods despatch area. The investment comes after a
71
record year for the company. Since March GRED (saw / has seen) a
huge rise in sales and last week a company spokesman predicted that profits
72
(could reach / is reaching) £1.7
million for the past twelve months. This would mean profits were up twelve
73
percent on the previous year. GRED (has planned / has been planned) to
spend £40 million this year, opening forty-five shops and refurbishing existing premises.
74
Two factories (were also opened /
have opened) by the company in Belgium recently.

PART 5 – WRITING (20 marks)

You work for a stationery company and you received and order five weeks
ago for 25 printer cartridges from a client, Mr Scott. You are dispatching the
order today. Write an email (120 to 140 words) to the client.

Remember to include the following points:

 Thank him for the order

 Apologise for not dealing with it sooner
 Give a reason for the delay
 Give a new delivery date and time
 Offer a discount
S1 = Satisfactory/Excellent (80-100 marks)

S2 = Satisfactory/Good (65-79 marks)

 S3 = Satisfactory/Pass (50-64 marks)

N = Not (yet) Satisfactory (< 50 marks)