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SiMPLY Cambridge English: Advanced - 8 Practice Tests

INTRODUCTION
The SiMPLY Cambridge Advanced English (CAE) - 8 Practice Tests book provides the most extensive
and up-to-date exam preparation available, allowing students to familiarise themselves with the content
and format of the revised exam. This set of tests offers ample examination practice and is designed to help
improve students’ exam performance and increase language competence at advanced level.

The 8 Practice Tests for the Cambridge Advanced English (CAE) fully meet the requirements of the exam,
ensuring that all the test papers closely replicate the exam in both level and format.

Advanced 2015 Revised Format

Paper Time Task Types Test Focus
Paper 1 • 1 hour 30 min Part 1 - multiple-choice cloze (eight gaps) Part 1 - lexical/lexico-grammatical,
Reading & Part 2 - open cloze (eight gaps) vocabulary, collocations, idioms etc.
Use of Part 3 - word formation (eight gaps) Part 2 - grammatical/lexico-grammatical,
English • 34 questions Part 4 - key word transformations grammar with some focus on vocabulary
(six questions) Part 3 - lexical/lexico-grammatical,
• length of texts: Part 5 - text followed by six 4-option focus on vocabulary, compounding
about 550–850 multiple-choice questions Part 4 - grammatical/lexico-grammatical,
per part Part 6 - four short texts, followed by grammar, vocabulary & collocations
four cross-text multiple-matching Part 5 - detail, opinion, tone, purpose,
• word count questions main idea, implication, text organisation
3,000–3,500 Part 7 - gapped text task – paragraphs features
removed Part 6 - Understanding of opinion and
Part 8 - multiple matching - a text or attitude; comparing and contrasting of
several short texts, preceded by opinions and attitudes across texts.
10 multiple-matching questions Part 7 - text structure, cohesion & coherence
Part 8 - Detail, opinion, specific information
Part 1 - compulsory task: essay with a Part 1 – focus on evaluating, expressing
Paper 2 discursive focus (220-260 words) opinions, hypothesising, persuading
Writing • 1 hour 30 min Part 2 - Q.2-4 choice of one task from Part 2 – varying focuses according to
the following (220-260 words): task; including giving opinions, persuading,
• 2 parts • letter • proposal • report • review justifying, giving advice, comparing
Part 1 - multiple choice; three short Part 1 - feeling, attitude, opinion,
Paper 3 • Approximately unrelated extracts; 2 questions per text purpose, function, agreement, course
Listening 40 minutes Part 2 - sentence completion task with of action, general gist, detail, etc.
eight items; a monologue Part 2 - specific information, stated opinion
• 30 questions Part 3 - 6 multiple choice questions; Part 3 - attitude and opinion
conversation Part 4 - gist, attitude, main points,
Part 4 - multiple matching task - five interpreting context
short themed monologues. Two linked
tasks, requiring selection from list of
eight options - 10 multiple‑matching
questions. All texts will be heard twice.

Part 1 - conversation between the Part 1 - general interactional language

Paper 4 • 15 minutes interlocutor and each candidate
Speaking (for pairs) Part 2 - individual one-minute ‘long
turn’ for each candidate with brief
• 4 parts response from second candidate; each
candidate is given three visual stimuli,
with questions
Part 3 - two-way conversation between
the candidates (written stimuli with
spoken instructions)
Part 4 - discussion on topics related to
Part 3 (spoken questions)
Part 2 - organising a larger unit of
discourse; comparing, describing,
expressing opinions and speculating
Part 3 - sustaining an interaction;
exchanging ideas, expressing and
justifying opinions, agreeing and / or
disagreeing, suggesting, speculating,
reaching a decision through negotiation, etc.
Part 4 - expressing and justifying
opinions, agreeing and / or disagreeing

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SiMPLY Cambridge English: Advanced - 8 Practice Tests Contents

CONTENTS
Practice Test 1 Page 6

Practice Test 2 Page 20

Practice Test 3 Page 36

Practice Test 4 Page 52

Practice Test 5 Page 68

Practice Test 6 Page 84

Practice Test 7 Page 134

Practice Test 8 Page 100

Speaking section Page 116

Published by GLOBAL ELT LTD

Brighton, East Sussex, UK
www.globalelt.co.uk
Copyright © GLOBAL ELT LTD, 2015

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing of the Publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in
relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

l SiMPLY Cambridge English: Advanced - 2015 Format - 8 Practice Tests - Student’s Book - ISBN: 9781781642955
l SiMPLY Cambridge English: Advanced - 2015 Format - 8 Practice Tests - Teacher’s Book - ISBN: 9781781642962

Every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders and we apologize in advance for any unintentional omission.
We will be happy to insert the appropriate acknowledgements in any subsequent editions.

3
 Test 1 READING and USE OF ENGLISH 4
Part 1

For questions 1 - 8, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each
gap. There is an example at the beginning (0).

0 A glacial B bitter C freezing D arctic

Turn off the heating

By thrusting your hand into a (0) C cold bucket of water, you can discover how
quickly your body (1) calories. This basic experiment is the starting point for
a pioneering study into the effects of brown - or good - fat in the body.

Everyone is born with brown fat around the shoulder (2) . It is central to keeping
a baby’s body temperature on an even (3) by using up this store of fat in order to
keep babies warm. Scientists, though, have long believed that this brown fat vanishes as
babies grow out of (4) and it is no longer needed.

However, a few years ago researchers were (5) scans on adults during the winter
and realised there were areas of fat that seemed to have been (6) by the cold
weather. This discovery has encouraged scientists to (7) further research in the
hope it is the (8) gun that will help solve weight problems amongst the obese.
They have already determined that the cold, certain foods and exercise can activate this
brown fat to people’s benefit.

1 A counts B burns C holds D fits

2 A blades B joints C bones D sockets

3 A path B track C course D keel

4 A development B infancy C adolescence D childhood

5 A carrying out B taking off C turning out D dropping off

6 A developed B conducted C formed D triggered

7 A make B conduct C perform D absorb

8 A trophy B indicator C smoking D proof

4
004
4
 READING and USE OF ENGLISH
Part 2
For questions 9 - 16, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use
only one word in each space. There is an example at the beginning (0). Write your answers IN
CAPITAL LETTERS.

Example: 0 P R I M E

Henry Ford

For some people, a great idea does not mean instant success, and a (0) PRIME example of this
is Henry Ford. While Ford worked (9) the Edison Illuminating Company,
he started to experiment (10) his idea of a self-propelled vehicle. He was
(11) pleased with his work that he left his well-paid job in 1899 and founded
the Detroit Automobile Company. Unfortunately, the cars he produced were too expensive and
unreliable, and the company folded two years (12) .

Although now branded a failure, Ford did not (13) up. In November 1901, he started
(14) , this time naming his brainchild the Henry Ford Company. A year on, the
business was renamed the Cadillac Automobile Company, because Ford had left the corporation.
Impervious to yet (15) failure, Ford established the Ford Motor Company
in 1903 and succeeded in perfecting the assembly line production for the Model T. Ford brought
motoring to the masses, and (16) looked back.

5
 Test 1
Part 3
For questions 17 - 24, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some
of the lines to form a word that fits in the space in the same line. There is an example at the
beginning (0). Write your answers IN CAPITAL LETTERS.

Example: 0 U N K N O W N

Viruses

There are an (0) UNKNOWN number of viruses on Earth, but KNOW

they outnumber any other life form. If you (17) the MULTIPLY
number of stars in the universe by a million, you would have an idea of how
many viruses are thought to be on this planet.

They come in a huge variety of shapes and forms. As science begins to learn
more about them, the hope is that (18) they can EVENT
be used to humankinds’ benefit. In the future, (19) COMPARE
speaking, it might even be possible to appreciate them rather than treat them
as an enemy. Scientists have the (20) that there will EXPECT
be advanced drugs and vaccines (21) available that READY
will deal with any virus.

Looking at viruses from a (22) perspective, there will HISTORY

always be a serious virus that will cause (23) - it has DESTROY
happened too often in the past for this not to be so in the future. However,
one day there will be a drug that is (24) against any EFFECT
virus.

006
66
 READING and USE OF ENGLISH
Part 4
For questions 25 - 30, 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 three
and eight words, including the word given. Here is an example (0).
Example:
0 It was impossible for her to accept that she would never see him again.
terms
She that she would never see him again.

0 COULD NOT COME TO TERMS WITH THE FACT

Write only the missing words.

25 There has been a big rise in property taxes in the last year.
roof
Property taxes in the last year.

26 Thomas is quite open about his four marriages.

secret
Thomas makes he has been married four times.

27 George and Mary have refused to talk to each other since the argument.
terms
George and Mary since the argument.

28 The twins look exactly the same to me.

tell
I apart.

29 It’s a foregone conclusion that Adam will get any job he applies for.
goes
It any job he applies for.

30 The reporter did not want to say who had given him the information.
prepared
The reporter who had given him the information.

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 Test 1
Part 5
You are going to read an article from a magazine. For questions 31 - 36, choose the answer
(A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.

Why animals like to play

From dogs to ravens and herring gulls, animals exhibit an extraordinary desire to play. John Guiver looks into their behaviour.

‘Play’ has been described as any form of behaviour that does not serve a function or purpose. The natural world
abounds with such examples of animals playing just because they can. For instance, ravens in Alaska and Northern
Canada have been observed sliding down roofs covered in snow. They slide down and then fly or walk back to the
top of the roof to repeat the activity again and again. In some parts of America, ravens have been spotted slithering
down shallow banks of snow, often with a small stick held in their claws. When I learned this, it immediately brought
to mind when my children were young and I took them to the park. They exhibited exactly the same repetitive
behaviour, happy to do the same thing for hour upon hour on the slides.
Understanding why and how animals or birds play requires researchers spending hours watching them. They help
us to explain what is often a mystery to humans - are they really playing or is it just part of their normal instinct to
survive? Herring gulls are another example of birds that seem to play. Shellfish like clams make up their staple diet
but they need to be opened to be eaten. To get inside the shell herring gulls have to drop the calm onto a rock or
another solid object. If they drop it from the right height, the shell covering the clam will crack or break, giving them
access to the clam inside. But sometimes, instead of letting the shell hit the ground, the herring gulls swoop down
and catch them in mid-air. Other gulls have been seen to behave like this, too, so the herring gulls’ activities are not
unique.
This is where systematic research is so important. More than eighty hours of observing herring gulls has led
researchers to discover patterns - or what they term ‘rules’ of the ‘game’. They found that it is the younger, less
mature gulls that play this game the most. They also noticed that it is frequently played over soft ground rather than
hard, so they are not actually trying to break the shells. The young herring gulls also played with objects other than
clam shells. Interestingly, the researchers realised that this dropping behaviour was seen more often when there
was a strong wind. The researchers concluded that the gulls enjoyed the game more when there was an added
challenge, in this case, the wind. What researchers are still uncertain about is if the gulls are simply having fun or if
there is another explanation for their behaviour.
Both the ravens and the herring gulls play alone, but social play is common in animals, especially in dogs. Dog
owners love to take their canine friend for a walk, yet when they meet another dog, the dogs go through a ritual just
like it was stage-managed. Nose to nose, they look each other over, sniff one another and circle round the other dog.
Then, more likely than not, they will start to fight. Neither dog gets hurt, because this is just a pretend fight, not the
real thing. In other words, they are just play-fighting.
This ritual has been described as ‘specific signal patterns’. Dogs, coyotes and wolves all display the same line 29
behaviour. It begins with the bowing of heads - the ‘play bow’ - and, like other signals, seems to send the message that
they want to play. Indeed, it serves another important function, too; it prolongs playtime. This might seem bizarre,
but it prevents any confusion in other contexts, such as predatory or aggressive encounters. The psychologist, Marc
Bekoff, observed that the bow is used both before and after actions that could be misunderstood as non-playful. It
appears that all age groups of dogs use the play bow 74% of the time before and after pretend biting; young wolves
79% of the time and juvenile coyotes 92%.
One theory is that the playful interaction between dogs might possibly be a form of practice for any future
aggressive or hunting encounters. Their playtime perhaps enables dogs to be more psychologically flexible, rather
than aggressive from the moment they see a dog they have not previously met. Perhaps their playing serves no
adaptive or evolutionary function, but children also play just to have a good time. Children though, also often play
games that have a more serious purpose, as they enable them to understand their place in the social hierarchy
in which they live. It is not outside the realms of possibility that the same principle applies to animals and birds.
Perhaps they are just exploring ways of finding their niche in animal society.

88
 READING and USE OF ENGLISH

31 Why does the writer give the example of their children in the park?

A To express their wonder at bird behaviour.

B To help readers visualise what they are describing.
C To emphasise how playful birds are.
D To show how birds imitate humans.

32 According to the writer, herring gulls

A act in a way that is not exclusive to their breed.

B show a natural instinct to stay alive in the wild.
C throw clam shells to the ground from a great height.
D fail to eat any of the clams because the shells are unbreakable.

33 What has the researchers’ work revealed about herring gulls?

A They prefer to play games when the weather is calm.

B They have turned cracking clam shells into a game.
C They discovered the older gulls rarely joined in.
D They still do not know anything about them.

34 The writer says that when one dog encounters another,

A they imitate each other's movements.

B they continue walking together.
C they start to fight with each other.
D they behave in a fixed and expected way.

35 The writer refers to ‘specific signal patterns’ (line 29) to illustrate that they

A present dogs with the opportunity to fight.

B protract the predatory phase of the ritual.
C prevent dogs from misreading the situation.
D prove dogs have similar behaviour patterns.

36 What is the writer’s attitude towards animals and birds playing?

A He considers it plausible that through play they find their place in their community.
B He is uncertain how it contributes to research into why children play.
C He is convinced that there is a real reason for their behaviour.
D He doubts whether enough animal behaviour has been studied.

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SiMPLY Cambridge English: Advanced Paper 4 - Speaking

Test 8
Part 1 2 minutes (3 minutes for groups of three)

Good morning/afternoon/evening. My name is ……….. and this is my colleague ………. .

Practice Test 8

And your names are? Can I have your mark sheets, please? Thank you.
First of all, we'd like to know something about you.
Select one or two questions and ask candidates in turn, as appropriate.
• Do you prefer team sports or individual sports?
• What qualities do you need to possess in order to do well in a team sport?
• What do you think about extreme sports?
• What are the most popular sports in your country?

Select one or more questions from the following, as appropriate.

• What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of being famous?
• Who is your favourite celebrity? … (Why?)
• What would you be willing to sacrifice in order to be famous?
• Why do you think more and more young people nowadays long for fame and money?

Part 2
Task 1. Learning new skills
Task 2. Leisure activities 4 minutes (6 minutes for groups of three)

Interlocutor: In this part of the test, I’m going to give each of you three pictures. I'd like you to talk about two of
them on your own for about a minute, and also to answer a question briefly about your partner's pictures.
(Candidate A), it's your turn first. Here are your pictures. They show people learning new skills.
Look at the following page, Part 2, Task 1
I'd like you to compare two of the pictures, saying why they might be learning these new skills
and how they might be feeling.
All right?

Candidate A: (1 minute) .........................................................................................................................

Interlocutor: Thank you.

(Candidate B), which of these skills seems to be the most difficult to learn? … (Why?)

Candidate B: (approximately 30 seconds) .............................................................................................

Interlocutor: Thank you.

Now, (Candidate B), here are your pictures. They show different types of leisure activities.
Look at the following page, Part 2, Task 2
I'd like you to compare two of the pictures, saying why the people might have chosen these
leisure activities and how they might be feeling.
All right?

Candidate B: (1 minute) .........................................................................................................................

Interlocutor: Thank you.

(Candidate A), which of these leisure activities do you find the most interesting? ... (Why?)
Candidate A: (approximately 30 seconds) .............................................................................................
Interlocutor: Thank you.

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SiMPLY Cambridge English: Advanced Paper 4 - Speaking

Task 1

• Why might these people be

learning these new skills?
• How might they be feeling?

Practice Test 8
Task 2

• Why might these people have

chosen these leisure activities?
• How might they be feeling?

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SiMPLY Cambridge English: Advanced Paper 4 - Speaking

Part 3 4 minutes (6 minutes for groups of three) Making decisions

Interlocutor: Now, I’d like you to talk about something together for about two minutes.
(3 minutes for groups of three)
Here are some things that prospective buyers might need to take into consideration before
deciding which house to buy and a question for you to discuss. First you have some time to look at
Practice Test 8

the task.
Look at the box below. (You have15 seconds to look at the task)
Now, talk to each other about what a prospective house buyer might need to take into
consideration before deciding which house to buy.
Candidates 2 minutes (3 minutes for groups of three) .....................................................................
Interlocutor: Thank you. Now you have about a minute (2 minutes for groups of three) to decide which of these
things is the most important when buying a new house.
Candidates 1 minute (2 minutes for groups of three) .....................................................................
Interlocutor: Thank you.

house condition
size What might a prospective
house buyer need to take
into consideration before
deciding which house to buy?

architecture/design
location

price

Part 4 5 minutes (8 minutes for groups of three)

Interlocutor: Use the following questions, in order, as appropriate:

•Do you live in your own house or you pay rent?

•Should we own the house we live in? ... (Why?) Select any of the following
•Should government provide free housing to all homeless? ... (Why?) prompts, as appropriate:
•At what age do you think people should be able to get a mortgage • What do you think?
and buy their own house? ... (Why?) • Do you agree?
•Is it common for young people in your country to share a flat? • How about you?
... (Why?)
•What is your ideal home?

Thank you. That is the end of the test.

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