B2 FIRST | KEY

INDEPENDENT USER
Second Test 2022
Total: 100 marks
 Listening

Please follow these steps before playing the recording:

1. Go through the instructions with students and make sure they understand what
they have to do.
2. Allow them time to read the statements before starting the activity.
3. Finally, play the recording or read the script twice.

Transcript
You will hear part of a radio programme hosted by Dan Simpson. Listen to him and
choose the best option: a, b or c. Look at the example (0).

Dan: Good evening, everybody. I hope you’re well in spite of the very cold weather! Welcome
to another edition of "Let's get to know the artist". I’m Dan Simpson and today we'll be talking
about a very talented English writer called Mary Pope Osborne. She has written more than 50
Magic Tree House books, sold 130 million copies, and I was delighted to hear that one of her
stories was turned into a film! The first book in the series, Dinosaurs Before Dark, came out in
1997. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, the famous author answered questions we got from our
listeners like you; and Mary, who is here with us today, is very kind to answer each and every
one of them. Mary, welcome!

MPO: Thank you, Dan, I’m really glad to be here. Is it true that most of the questions you got
come mainly from teenagers and young adults who are aspiring writers?

Dan: Yes, Mary, exactly! So, let’s start with the first one…we have many. What is your
favourite subject to write about?

MPO: Well, I love using my imagination, but I particularly love writing about animals.

Dan: And did you always know you wanted to be an author?

MPO: No, I didn't really figure that out until I was a grown-up. I just knew that I loved to read —
and I also loved using my imagination.

Dan: Which authors have inspired you and which ones were your favourite ones when
you were a child?

MPO: I loved Frances Hodgson Burnett, who wrote The Little Princess and The Secret Garden.
And I loved the Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Dan: Interesting! And where do you get your ideas for a story? Do you have any fan’
suggestions to help in the creative process?

Ninguna parte de esta publicación, incluidos los dibujos, puede ser reproducida, almacenada o transmitida en manera alguna ni por ningún medio, ya sea
digital, eléctrico, químico, mecánico, óptico, de grabación o de fotocopia, sin acuerdo previo con Dickens.
Page 1
MPO: I get ideas from my own personal experiences, from my imagination, from my research
and from old stories. Here's a fun suggestion: choose a familiar fairy tale, be one of the minor
characters in the tale and tell us the story from your point of view.

Dan: I see. When you do research, do you go to the place you want to write about? And
also do you interview a related person?

MPO: My main research sources are books. I purchase probably 10 to 20 books on every subject
I write about. I like to download maps and illustrations. I sometimes visit the places I write about
such as London, Venice, New Orleans, or Paris. But I mostly use my imagination to “picture”
where Jack and Annie go.

Dan: Do you have any children? If so, what are their names? Do you use your family for
characters in your book?

MPO: I don't have any kids; but yes, I do put members of my family in my books. My nephews
are in book #24, and my dog Bailey is a character in books #17-20.

Dan: Oh, I see... and how many books have you read so far?

MPO: I couldn’t say. But I know I own more than 3,000 books. I couldn’t live without books. Even
if I’m going out of town for just a couple of nights, I take five books with me.

Dan: Right, so, plenty to read ... and why was the first book of the Magic Tree House
series Dinosaurs Before Dark?

MPO: I thought it would be fun to take Jack and Annie to a place where humans have never
been. Readers would have no doubt that this was one amazing tree house.

Dan: Indeed, it was! What gave you the idea of two kids travelling through time in a tree?

MPO: Well,... you see...I spent about a year trying to write about different time machines. There
was a magic cellar, a magic artist studio, a magic museum. Then one day I came across an old
tree house in the woods of Pennsylvania…and you know the rest.

Dan: Will you write more Magic Tree House books? Please do, because I love them!

MPO: Oh, yes! I’ll write more because I love writing them and enjoy learning new things. I’m
working on one right now about the worst storm in American history: the Galveston Hurricane in
Texas in 1900. Many incredible stories about courage originated there.

Dan: What is your favourite type of writing? Mine is realistic fiction.

MPO: I like all types of writing — which is one of the reasons why I love writing children’s books.
As a children’s book writer, I’ve written picture books, realistic young adult novels, fantasy
novels, retellings of fairy tales and mythology, biographies, mysteries, and early chapter books.

Dan: What do you do other than writing books?

MPO: I love to spend time with my husband Will. I also like to walk, explore the countryside, play
with our three dogs, visit family and friends, and read, read, read.

Dan: And finally, Mary, will you come to the writing club one day and give us some
practical lessons?

Ninguna parte de esta publicación, incluidos los dibujos, puede ser reproducida, almacenada o transmitida en manera alguna ni por ningún medio, ya sea
digital, eléctrico, químico, mecánico, óptico, de grabación o de fotocopia, sin acuerdo previo con Dickens.
Page 2
MPO: I'd love to! Just talk to my agent and arrange a time I'm available and I'll be glad to be
there with you. Thanks for the interview.

Dan: Thank you very much, Mary, for your time and kindness.

MPO: My pleasure.

Dan: Well, thank you to all our listeners for being there. That was the interview with Mary Pope
Osborne. Stay tuned as we'll be right back with more after our commercial break.

Text adapted from: https://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/osborne/transcript

1) a 2) a 3) b 4) b 5) c 6) a 7) a 8) c 9) c 10) b
………………………………………………………………………………………..20 marks – 2 each

Reading

Part 1: 1-a 2-c 3-b 4-c 5-c

..……………………………………………………………………………..10 marks – 2 each

Part 2: 1-c 2-h 3-g 4-d 5-e 6-i 7-b

………………………………………………………………………………………..14 marks – 2 each

Part 3:

(A)1- INSPIRATION
2- PLAYERS
3- WONDERFUL
4- AMAZING
5- FAMILIAR
6- POPULAR
7- EXTREMELY
…………………………………………………………………………………………7 marks – 1 each

(B)1- as
2- to
3- which
4- will
5- over/around
6- they
7- where
…………………………………………………………………………………………7 marks – 1 each

Part 4

1- had already / started by

2- as soon as / she closed
3- don't know / how to
4- you make / this painting yourself
5- gave an / exceptional performance
6- is capable / of painting
………………………………………………………………………………………..12 marks – 2 each

Ninguna parte de esta publicación, incluidos los dibujos, puede ser reproducida, almacenada o transmitida en manera alguna ni por ningún medio, ya sea
digital, eléctrico, químico, mecánico, óptico, de grabación o de fotocopia, sin acuerdo previo con Dickens.
Page 3
 Writing

Assessment
Band 5: 30 – 25 marks
Band 4: 24 – 19 marks
Band 3: 18 – 13 marks
Band 2: 12 – 7 marks
Band 1: 6 – 1 marks

Taken from:
https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/Images/167791-cambridge-english-first-handbook.pdf
(Cambridge English: FIRST Handbookforteachers, page 34)

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..30 marks

Ninguna parte de esta publicación, incluidos los dibujos, puede ser reproducida, almacenada o transmitida en manera alguna ni por ningún medio, ya sea
digital, eléctrico, químico, mecánico, óptico, de grabación o de fotocopia, sin acuerdo previo con Dickens.
Page 4