You are on page 1of 30

ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 1

1. Olvasott szöveg értése (Reading)

Task 1

• Read this magazine article about a man who changed


his way of life.

• Your task is to choose the best answer (A, B, C or D) that


best completes the statements (1–7).

• Write the letters in the spaces provided next to the


numbers as in the example (0).

• Only one option is correct.

IT’S ALL ABOUT SLOWING DOWN


Carl Honoré remembers the exact moment he realized he had lost control of his life. The London-based
journalist was rushing through the airport to catch a plane when he spotted an advert for a book series
containing one-minute bedtime stories. It seemed the perfect solution for the nightly struggle he was
having with his three-year-old son, Benjamin. While Benjamin always wanted to hear just one more story,
Honoré wanted to wrap up the ritual as quickly as possible and move on to other things – catching up with
emails and watching the news. ‘Rattle off six or seven stories and still finish in ten minutes – what could
be better?’ Honoré recalls thinking. ‘As I wondered how quickly the company could post me the full set,
another question occurred to me: Have I gone insane?’
Honoré spent a year and a half writing In Praise of Slowness, his book about our culture’s addiction to
‘more, better, faster’ and what people are doing to protect themselves against it. The short answer is:
‘Slow down!’ And it’s not as hard as it seems, as Honoré and others have discovered.
Honoré set out to fix what he calls his chronic ‘speedaholism’. For months he investigated how people
around the globe are fighting the 21st century urge to do more and do it faster, and how they are learning to
slow down.
In his book, Honoré describes how his search led him to the annual conference of the Society for the
Deceleration of Time in Austria, and also to a school in Tokyo where students are encouraged to learn at a
less demanding pace than their peers. He also travelled to Italy where he met members of the Slow Food
Movement, who believe that preparing a meal made from locally grown foods is a healthier, saner way to
eat than wolfing down pre-packaged fast food.
Honoré’s conclusion? ‘The secret is balance, staying calm and unflustered even when circumstances force
us to speed up.’ But how do we do it?
It all starts with rethinking our day. ‘A big part of slowing down is doing less,’ Honoré says. Instead of
working non-stop, he now takes ten-minute breaks during the day. When he feels he is doing something
too fast, he stops to consider if the quality of his work could be improved by slowing down. Reviewing
his schedule, the journalist, then aged 37, realized that even a sports fanatic like himself could cut out
tennis, but still allow himself time to play hockey. He also cut down on watching TV, which he describes
as ‘a black hole of time’. And, most importantly, he now devotes this extra time to enjoy reading leisurely
bedtime stories to his son.

PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 : Reading 1


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 1

0 When Carl Honoré saw the advert in the airport, …


A he remembered hearing about the books before.
B he thought the books would appeal to his son.
C it made him think about the way he lived.
D it initially seemed like a bad idea. C

1 When he was reading with his son, Benjamin, …


A Honoré didn’t want to spend much time doing it.
B Benjamin frequently asked him questions.
C Honoré usually checked his emails at the same time.
D Benjamin always asked for six or seven stories.

2 We are told that Honoré’s book deals with …


A how he handled a personal problem.
B whether something is really a problem or not.
C how a problem is being solved.
D whether he shares the same problem as other people.

3 Honoré’s book suggests that teaching people to slow down …


A is difficult to achieve.
B may not be culturally appropriate.
C is simpler than people might think.
D helps them get rid of their addictions.

4 While he was researching his book, Honoré found people who …


A didn’t share the same attitudes as him.
B belonged to rapidly expanding organizations.
C had been criticized for their behaviour.
D were learning how to do things at a different pace.

5 Honoré concluded that people …


A do things without considering their circumstances.
B should not get upset when they are under pressure.
C are better at speeding up than slowing down.
D put too much pressure on themselves.

6 With regard to free-time activities, Honoré has reduced …


A the number of activities that he does.
B the amount of time he spends on each one.
C the number of days he does each activity.
D the amount of effort he puts into each one.

7 While he is working, Honoré now …


A asks himself whether he is working too quickly.
B makes sure that he never works through his lunchbreak.
C takes longer breaks than he used to take.
D avoids doing other things while he is working.

2 É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 : Reading PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 1

Task 2

• Read this article about developments in the design of


clothes.

• In the sentences (8–15) that follow the text there are
some gaps.

• Your task is to fill each gap with one or two words


only from the text so that the sentences correspond
to what the text says.

• Write the words in the spaces provided as in the


example (0).

THE CLOTHES OF THE FUTURE


In the future, our clothes may owe more to military engineers than fashion designers. For example,
military research laboratories have begun to develop a fabric whose colour and pattern can change,
allowing the wearer to blend into any background and become invisible. This fabric would potentially be
made of a flexible computer screen.
Scientists in the US are developing a fabric made of hollow fibres coated on the inside with a substance
that changes colour according to shifts in the electric current flowing through it. They hope to knit
or weave it into clothes for ordinary citizens. These clothes will need reliable, portable batteries. The
fabric will also make it possible to integrate lights into clothing. Garments made from it have already
been developed for the military, but there will be spin-off applications: light-up coats could replace the
reflective jackets that cyclists wear in order to be visible at night. The technology can also make clothes
glitter more than sequins or jewels.
Dresses can now be produced from a can. The Spanish designer Manuel Torres has developed a spray-
on cotton fabric that can be applied as a light mist or a thick layer, and can be as tight as a second skin.
Swimmers of the future could spray on just enough cloth to protect their modesty; spray-on bandages
could provide instant covering for wounds.
Some of these ideas seem as unlikely as the futuristic catsuits paraded in 1960s cinema, but these new
designs may well become part of our lives. For example, one of the initial uses of the substance Teflon was
as a coating for the nose cone of a spaceship; today, shops stock school uniforms coated with it in order to
prevent stains. So perhaps one day in the future you will be able to buy your spray-on swimsuit in a can from
a local store after all!

0 Clothes people wear in the future may have first been the idea of military engineers .
8 Army researchers are working on a fabric that would make the person wearing it .
9 When a(n) passes through a special fabric, it changes its colour.
10 The colour-changing clothes require that are light enough to be portable.
11 The new coats could be used instead of the some people currently use for safety.
12 A Spanish designer came up with a fabric you can to your skin as a thin or thick layer.
13 Torres’s fabric could be used in the future to create costumes.
14 The writer compares some new ideas for clothing to the shown in old films.
15 You can currently buy which will never get any stains on them.

PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 : Reading 3


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 1

Task 3

• Read this article about how laughing can help people


who are ill.

• Some parts of sentences have been left out.

• Your task is to reconstruct the text by filling in the gaps


(16–23) from the list (A–M) below.

• There are three extra letters that you don’t need to use.

• Write the letters in the spaces provided next to the


numbers as in the example (0).

LAUGHTER CAN BE THE BEST MEDICINE


Can humour really help those who are ill? Experts increasingly think so, and there is a growing body of
evidence that they (0) . Studies have suggested that humour can relieve allergy symptoms, increase
pain tolerance and bolster the immune system. Some experts even say that laughter can help patients to
live longer, although that particular claim (16) .
In a recently published study, researchers at the University of Maryland revealed that laughing helps to
protect the heart. Around 95% of volunteers experienced improved blood flow when they watched comedy
films, while 74% had a drop in blood flow when (17) . According to Dr Michael Miller, the cardiologist
who headed the Maryland study, the benefits of laughter (18) .
Presenting his findings at the American College of Cardiology conference, Miller urged experts (19)
as a weapon in the fight against heart disease. ‘Regular, hearty laughter should be added to exercise
and a low-fat diet as a means of lowering the risk of heart disease,’ he said. ‘We should all perhaps read
something humorous or watch a funny video and (20) .’
Hospital staff in Britain are beginning to appreciate the benefits of combining conventional medical
treatments with an injection of humour. The Theodora Children’s Charity trains entertainers to become
‘clown doctors’ in hospitals around Britain. Joanie Speers, a spokeswoman for the charity, says that the
clowns help (21) in the patients’ lives. They tend to lose this when they are in hospital. ‘Children
in hospital (22) , they are also often very bored,’ Speers says. ‘Regular visits from clown doctors
(23) . We know that humour can have a positive impact on anyone’s health – laughter produces
endorphins which basically make you feel better. In the case of children, it can help make them more
responsive to treatment.’

A asked to view more serious ones 0 F


B try to stop taking ourselves too seriously 16
C to consider laughter therapy 17
D are not only vulnerable and homesick 18
E to bring benefits to patients of all ages 19
F are right about this 20
G were less likely to laugh than usual 21
H to restore some sense of normality
22
I have made a big difference to their recovery
23
K hasn’t been clearly established
L lasted for 12 to 14 hours
M introduced gradually into therapy

4 É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 : Reading PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 1

Task 4

• Read this article about plastic bags and the environment.

• Your task is to decide whether the statements (24–30) are


true or not. Write A if it is true according to the article.
Write B if it is false according to the article. Write C if there
is not enough information in the text to decide if the
sentence is true or not.

• Write the appropriate letter in the spaces provided next to


the numbers. There is an example (0) at the beginning.

THE ENEMY OF THE ENVIRONMENT?


For a growing number of environmentalists, the plastic bag has become Public Enemy Number One. They
point out that discarded bags litter our towns, kill wildlife, block drains and hang around for decades.
Now governments all over the world are joining in a common goal – to get rid of the plastic bag forever.
Meanwhile, the plastic bag industry maintains that plastic bags are nowhere near the world’s worst
environmental problem. It says the reason they are being picked on is because they are an easy target.
Focusing on plastic bags, they say, makes us feel less guilty about our generally irresponsible behaviour
with regard to the environment.
Since they were introduced in the 1970s, plastic bags have infiltrated our lives. At the turn of the
millennium, the UK was getting through somewhere between 9 billion and 17 billion plastic bags a year.
Globally, the annual amount is between 500 billion and a trillion – about 150 bags for every person on
earth or, to put it another way, a million every minute and rising, despite continuing efforts to reduce
their use.
After the bags have made their way from the supermarket checkout to the kitchen, most are destined for
landfill rubbish sites. But a proportion will make a bid for freedom somewhere along the way. They then
become highly visible, in the streets or flapping annoyingly in the branches of trees. This irritation has
earned them a variety of disapproving nicknames such as ‘white pollution’ in China and ‘the national
flower’ in South Africa.
The Danes were among the first to curb plastic bag use when they introduced a tax on all packaging in
1994. Supermarkets, not customers, had to pay up and usage dropped by 66%. In 2002, Bangladesh took
a more drastic approach, banning all sales of them and introducing on-the-spot fines for using a plastic
bag. In 2015, the European Union introduced similar measures aimed at reducing the use of plastic bags,
making supermarket customers pay for every bag they used. In 2019, a resolution was passed to eliminate
all single-use and non-degradable plastic from the EU by 2030.

0 More and more people regard plastic bags as a big threat to the environment. A
24 Manufacturers of plastic bags claim that air pollution is a bigger issue.
25 Global attempts to reduce plastic bag use have been largely successful.
26 The majority of plastic bags do not end up being buried in the ground after use.
27 Some countries have a humorous way of referring to plastic bags that litter the community.
28 Denmark has tried to solve the problem by making shoppers pay a tax for using plastic bags.
29 You are no longer allowed to buy a plastic bag in Bangladesh.
30 The European Union passed laws that proved unpopular with supermarket customers.

PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 : Reading 5


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 1

2. Nyelvhelyesség (Use of English)

Task 1

• You are going to read an article about video games. Some


words are missing from the text.

• Your task is to write the missing words on the lines (1–9)


after the text.

• Use only one word in each gap.

• There is an example (0) at the beginning.

HOW VIDEO GAMES ARE TRAINING THE BRAIN FOR VIOLENCE


Playing violent video games ‘trains’ the mind to react aggressively in real-life situations, research
suggests. (0) the first time, scientists have worked out what goes (1) in the brain when a violent
game is being played. In the process, they have discovered that players treat the situation (2) if it
was real.
When a threat emerges, the emotional centres of the brain, (3) guide acceptable behaviour, shut down,
and cognitive or rational areas take over. This tends to make players react violently and unemotionally to
the threat. Scientists say those who play such games regularly are conditioning their brains to respond in
the same (4) in real life.
Dr Klaus Mathiak, of the University of Aachen in Germany, recruited thirteen men aged 18 to 26, who
played video games for (5) average of two hours per day, for the study. He asked them to play a
violent game while having their brains scanned. When violence (6) about to happen, areas of the brain
associated with emotional and appropriate social responses were shut down. He concluded that violent
games ‘train the brain to react with this pattern’.
The research reinforces fears (7) playing violent computer games can lead to copycat behaviour in real
life, particularly among youngsters. Professor Mark Griffiths, Head of Psychology at Nottingham Trent
University, warned that children were (8) at risk of being affected by violent video games than adults
as their brains are not yet fully formed. ‘Society as a whole has become less sensitive to violence (9)
of the increase in violent images in films, on television, and in computer games,’ he added.
0 For
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

6 É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 : Use of English PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 1

Task 2

• You are going to read an article about dinosaurs.

• Some words are missing from the text.

• Your task is to choose the most appropriate word from the list
(A–N) for each gap (10–18) in the text. Write the letters of the
appropriate words in the spaces provided next to the numbers.

• You can use each word only once.

• There are three extra words that you don't need to use.

• There is an example (0) at the beginning.

DID DINOSAURS HAVE FEATHERS?


The popular image of Tyrannosaurus Rex and other killer dinosaurs may have to be (0) as a
scientific consensus emerges that many were covered with feathers.
Most prehistoric dinosaurs, such as tyrannosaurs and velociraptors, have usually been (10) in
museums, films and books as being covered with very thick brown or green skin. The impression
was of a killer stripped of adornment in the name of hunting efficiency.
Recently, (11) , a leading expert on dinosaur evolution told the British Association, the
principal conference of British scientists, that the image was wrong. As Gareth Dyke, a
palaeontologist of University College, Dublin, (12) , most creatures were coated with
a delicate feathery plumage that could even have been multicoloured. Fossil evidence that
dinosaurs were feathered is now quite persuasive.
‘The way these creatures are depicted can no (13) be considered scientifically accurate,’ he
said. ‘All the evidence is that they looked more like birds than reptiles. Tyrannosaurs might have
(14) giant chicks.’
The revelation followed a series of discoveries in fossil beds at Liaoning, in northeast China,
where a volcanic eruption buried many dinosaurs (15) . It also cut off the oxygen that would
(16) have caused them to rot, so some dinosaurs were preserved complete with their feathery
plumage.
The feathered finds included an early tyrannosaur, a likely ancestor of Tyrannosaurus Rex; two
small flying dinosaurs; and five (17) species. Feathers are thought to have evolved first to
keep dinosaurs warm and only later as an aid to flight.
Such finds are significant in linking dinosaurs to modern birds. Most palaeontologists accept
that birds are descended from dinosaurs, but there is fierce debate about how this happened.
Dyke himself suggests that dinosaurs evolved the ability to fly and that some (18) developed
all four limbs into wings.
A alive H other 0 B 14
B changed I otherwise 10 15
C even K resembled 11 16
D explained L although 12 17
E however M usual 13 18
F longer N shown
G mainly

PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 : Use of English 7


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 1

Task 3

• You are going to read an article about emotions.

• Some words are missing from the text.

• Your task is to use the words in brackets to form the words


that fit in the gaps (19–25).

• Write the appropriate form of these words on the lines after


the text.

• There might be cases when you do not have to change the


word in brackets.

• Use only one word in each gap.

• There is one example (0) at the beginning.

ARE WOMEN MORE EMOTIONAL THAN MEN?


Recent research suggests that women experience changes in mood more than men. They exhibit a much
(0) (wide) range of both positive and negative emotions. The research suggests that women experience
more of all emotions except (19) (angry).
First, it was found that women experience (20) (two) as much depression as men. Next, a team
of researchers found that women report more positive emotions than men, more frequently and more
intensely. It all points to men and women having a (21) (different) emotional make-up.
Psychologists say that men and women have different skills that are (22) (relate) to sending and
receiving emotion. Whereas women tend to be expressive, men tend to control their emotions or keep
them hidden. Women convey emotion through facial (23) (express) and communication. When men
do express emotion, they often do so through aggressive (24) (behave).
Nobody is quite sure what causes these differences. It may be that the cause is biological. Another possible
reason is the different social roles that men and women might have. Or perhaps what makes women differ
from men with regard to feelings is their (25) (willing) to talk about the emotions they experience. The
debate goes on. However, because many factors are involved, results vary depending on which emotion is
being studied, and they are also difficult to measure.

0 wider
19
20
21
22
23
24
25

8 É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 : Use of English PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 1

Task 4

• Read this article about online communication. In most


lines there is one word that should not be there. It is either
grammatically incorrect or does not fit in with the sense of
the text.

• Your task is to read the text and then copy the extra word
in the space provided after the text.

• Some lines are correct. Indicate these lines with a tick (✓).

• There are two examples (0).

ONLINE COMMUNICATION MAY BE BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH


Health advisors are warning that using emails, phone messaging or video conferencing
(0) is turning office workers into sedentary ‘screen slaves’ who no longer get any 0 ✓
(0) exercise even or by walking around the office. ‘People send messages to colleagues 0 or
(26) sitting next to them, never mind those who work on the other one side of 26
(27) the office,’ says Dorian Dugmore of Sport England, the body is responsible 27
(28) for encouraging public participation in sport. They are calling for employers 28
(29) to encourage for their staff to walk around the office to speak to co-workers 29
(30) rather than sending messages via their phones or computers. Roger Draper, 30
(31) head of Sport England, said they would like to encourage to working people 31
(32) to build more than physical activity into their daily lives. ‘We have a big task 32
(33) to make increase the number of people who are physically active, and what 33
(34) better place to focus our efforts than the workplace?’, he said so. ‘We want to 34
(35) get people at work on the move to improve up the nation’s health.’ 35
Going to see someone in person would be a step in the right direction.

PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS É R E TÉTRSEÉTGTI SBÉ2G P


IRBA
2 CPTRI A
CCE TTIECSETT1E:SUse
T 1 :ofReading
English 9
ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 1

3. Hallott szöveg értése (Listening)

2 and 3 Task 1

• In this section, you are going to hear a radio programme


about a popular type of diet.

• Your task is to choose the correct option (A or B) for each


of the statements (1–7). Circle the letter of the correct
answer in the spaces provided next to the numbers. There
is an example (0) at the beginning.

• Please note that in this task both answers may be correct.


However, there is always at least one correct answer.

• First, you will have some time to study the task, and then
we will play the whole recording in one piece.

• Then, after a short pause, you will hear the recording


again, but this time we will play the text in shorter
sections to give you enough time to write down your
answers.

0 The diet the experts are describing is based on 4 Blood type A people are advised to …
the person’s … A become farmers.
A blood type. B follow a vegetarian diet. A B
B body shape. A B 5 Blood type B people …
1 Liz says that many film stars on the diet have … A travelled from place to place.
A seen some effects. B enjoy wheat and chicken dishes. A B
B lost quite a lot of weight. A B 6 The interviewer doesn’t think …
2 Blood type 0 first appeared … A your blood type can determine how fat you are.
A many thousands of years ago. B the blood type theory is believable. A B
B among hunter-gatherer people. A B 7 Brian expects that in the long term, this diet …
3 If you are type 0, you should … A will be proved wrong by science.
A avoid eating meat. B might bring health benefits. A B
B do lots of exercise. A B

10 É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 : Listening PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 1

4 and 5 Task 2

• In this section, you will hear a radio report


about some research carried out by a group of
young people in Britain.

• Your task is to complete the sentences (8–14)


with one word in each gap using the exact
word that you hear in the recording. There is an
example (0) at the beginning.

• First, you will have time to look at the task, and


then we will play the whole recording in one
piece.

• Then, after a short pause, you will hear the


recording again, but this time we will play the
text in shorter sections with breaks between
the sections to give you enough time to write
down your answers.

0 The speaker wonders whether children are in any way similar to the way they appear in newspaper
headlines .

8 If we based our opinion of young people on the , we would consider them bad
and dangerous.

9 ‘Children’s Express’ helps young people learn skills.

10 ‘Kids These Days’ is a(n) focusing on stereotypes about children.

11 When children looked at over 400 articles, they were by what they found.

12 The ‘cute kid’ story makes you feel good and usually comes with a(n) .

13 The speaker gives the example of kids starting when they are ten.

14 In the third type of story, kids are written about when they somebody.

PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 : Listening 11


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 1

6 and 7 Task 3

• In this section, you will hear a discussion about an


educational issue in Britain.

• Your task is to choose the most appropriate answer (A–C)


for each question (15–22).

• First, you will have some time to look at the task, and then
we will play the whole recording in one piece.

• Then, after a short pause, you will hear the recording again,
but this time we will play the text in shorter sections to
give you enough time to write down your answers.

• There is an example (0) at the beginning.

0 The discussion is about …


A a new law concerning when young people can leave school.
B the number of young people choosing to stay at school longer.
C the idea of forcing young people to stay at school longer. C
15 Many boys at Doug’s school …
A have had a bad experience there.
B have little understanding of what the world is like.
C want to leave school as soon as possible.
16 Doug’s 16-year-old students …
A wouldn’t benefit from two more years of school.
B are always surprised how much they enjoy work.
C need to become more mature before they leave school.
17 In Doug’s opinion, the education system doesn’t …
A offer relevant skills for the world of work.
B allow students to think for themselves.
C provide the same opportunities for everyone.
18 Teresa says the current British system …
A suits 18-year-olds more than 16-year-olds.
B means 16-year-olds don’t have to waste their time.
C only benefits those who stay at school until they are 18.
19 In Teresa’s view, some students …
A don’t take education seriously enough.
B are more interested in fun than learning.
C should be allowed to leave school before they are 16.
20 Some of Beth’s friends …
A regret leaving school when they did.
B wish they could stay at school to do A-levels.
C are capable of deciding what is best for them.
21 Beth thinks young people in general …
A accept what they are told too easily.
B are fed up with being told what to do.
C know that they must do as they are told.
22 Doug, Teresa and Beth …
A are all against raising the school-leaving age.
B all want the school-leaving age to change.
C have all changed their minds about the school-leaving age.

12 É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 : Listening PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 1

4. Íráskészség (Writing)

Task 1

You see this advertisement for cooking classes in a local magazine, and you decide to enrol on one of
the courses.

MIDTOWN CHEF ACADEMY


Do you love food? Would you like to dazzle
your friends and family with your cooking skills?
Then come and complete a cooking course
with us at the Midtown Chef Academy, Toronto,
Ontario.

Create a full meal of several courses along with


our head chef and other guests, then enjoy
the success of your own skills in the kitchen!
Standard courses are offered to those new to
the joy of cooking, while gourmet master-classes are also available for those with more experience.

Choose from a range of standard courses on family favourites, ethnic specialities or special diets (vegetarian
and vegan courses are offered). Gourmet master-classes are also offered on holiday specials, designed to
impress and delight!

Interested? For more information, contact head chef Angela Collins at a.collins@mca-toronto.ca.

Write an email of 120–150 words to Ms Collins in which you:


• explain why you are interested in signing up for their course,
• tell her which of the courses you would be most interested in and find out whether there are still
places available,
• ask her for further information (the length of the course, dates, prices, any other requirements).

Begin your email like this:

Dear Ms Collins,

PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 : Writing 13


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 1

Task 2

You have read this post on a blog you follow:

OK, so this summer I went to Ibiza, and I thought I’d


spend a relaxing week in the sun. Sadly, that was not
to be. Why? Because I was surrounded by other Brits
on holiday!
I mean, what’s wrong with us? Why do some people feel that it’s
suddenly acceptable to be loud and rude in public, just because
they’re in a different country?

Shouldn’t we show foreigners a better example of what we’re


like? Isn’t it our responsibility to make our hosts think of us as
welcome visitors, and not as a noisy nuisance they have to put
up with every holiday season?

And don’t get me started on those people who travel all the
way to another country just to spend all their time with other
British holidaymakers; eat British food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; and go to British clubs to
party. When I travel, I do it so I can experience something that’s different, something that’s interesting.

I can see how it all changes the place, too. Ibiza is full of British restaurants because that’s what British tourists seem
to want. Everybody speaks English because a lot of us can’t be bothered to learn a word of Spanish.

OK, let’s be fair, there are many British tourists who are lovely people. They are open-minded, they do their research
about the place they’re visiting, and can even be polite in the local language. But they’re a lot harder to notice than
the annoying ones, aren’t they?

What’s your own experience?

TravelBob

Write a comment of 200–250 words to TravelBob in which you:


• say whether you agree that tourists have a responsibility to create a good impression of their country,
• give your own opinion about foreign visitors in Hungary,
• give an example of how tourism impacts where you live,
• say how you think people should change their attitudes to travelling.

Begin your comment like this:

Hi TravelBob,

14 É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 : Writing PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 1

5. Beszédkészség (Speaking)

1 Conversation

Your examiner will ask you questions about the world we live in. Answer the questions and explain
your opinion.
1 What are the most important places in your life? Why are these places meaningful to you?
2 How suitable is your town or neighbourhood for young people? What facilities are offered for your generation?
What would you change to make it more suitable for young people?
3 ‘Humanity is responsible for the well-being of all living things on our planet.’ Do you agree with this statement?
Why?/Why not?
4 Where did you grow up? Where did your parents grow up? How did the differences in your upbringing influence your
personalities? What role do you think our environment plays in shaping who we are?
5 How important do you think it is to be up-to-date about current events in the world? Why do you think so? What are the
advantages and disadvantages of following the news regularly?

2 Debate

Education is the same as anything else: if you want high quality, you have to pay for it.
▸ Work in pairs. You will have a conversation about the above statement. Give your opinion and argue for or against the
proposition. Your partner will sometimes contradict you. React to the counter-arguments of your partner, too.
▸ You have about half a minute to think your points over.
▸ You may want to consider the following aspects:
•the cost of staff, facilities and learning materials
•people who benefit most from a good education
•people’s right to improved job and career prospects

3 Individual long turn

These pictures show different uses of technology. Look at the pictures (1–2) and talk about the issues
involved.

1 2

PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 : Speaking 15


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 2

1. Olvasott szöveg értése (Reading)


Task 1

• Read this magazine article about careers fairs.

• Some parts of sentences have been left out.

• Your task is to reconstruct the text by filling in the gaps (1–8)


from the list (A–M) below.

• There are three extra letters that you don’t need to use.

• Write the letters in the space provided next to the numbers as


in the example (0).

ALL THE FUN OF THE CAREERS FAIR


There are many ways to find a job. You can do it through the Internet, classified ads, recruitment agents
and job centres, (0) . But if you are just starting out in the world of work, or if you are looking for a
change of direction, attending a careers fair is a useful way to explore what’s out there.
Careers fairs take place regularly throughout the country. They also take different forms. Some specialize
in particular industries, (1) , and others are more general for graduates or school leavers. Exhibitors
will include representatives from companies (2) new employees. They will be able to offer advice
about career opportunities and development within the industry you’re interested in.
Careers fairs give you a chance to meet people (3) . These meetings can be a valuable way to network
and get some ideas of (4) . Going to a careers fair gives you a great opportunity to ask potential future
employers any questions you have in an informal and unpressurized environment. Essentially, this is your
chance (5) . You can also make some useful contacts.
Some forward planning can help you get the best out of a careers fair. Before you go, identify which
companies you are interested in speaking to, and prepare some questions in advance, otherwise it’s easy to
find the wealth of information overwhelming, and you can find yourself leaving the fair (6) .
Whether a careers fair is the first stage in your job search, or if you have been job-hunting for some time,
it is a valuable chance to compare and research different companies. If you are a graduate or school leaver,
you might want (7) : ‘How do I get started in the industry?’ or ‘Is there any training I might need?’ If
you are considering a career change, you could ask which of the skills and experience you have gained in
your previous career will be most useful to include in an application.
If you are unsure about what to wear, do some research (8) . For example, in the legal profession, a suit
tends to be the norm, but in media and entertainment jobs, you can get away with a more casual look. But
whatever the dress code, try to look smart and be prepared.

A who actually work in that industry 0 L


B to ask some general questions like 1
C to find out what the industry standard is 2
D which offers you a range of careers to choose from
3
E without having gained very much at all
4
F such as IT or pharmaceuticals
5
G considering your next career move
6
H to get a bit of inside information
7
I to give you a head start in business
8
K whether a particular company would be right for you
L to name just a few
M looking to recruit

16 É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 : Reading PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 2

Task 2

• Read this article about the man who invented the World Wide Web.

• Your task is to decide whether the statements (9–17) are true or not.
Write A if it is true according to the article. Write B if it is false according
to the article. Write C if there is not enough information in the text to
decide if the sentence is true or not.

• Write the appropriate letter in the spaces provided next to the numbers.
There is an example (0) at the beginning.

THE FATHER OF THE WORLD WIDE WEB


Great inventions often have many creators, but the creation of the World Wide Web is generally accepted to
have been the achievement of Tim Berners-Lee alone. And yet, despite creating a computer program which
revolutionized the way we communicate with each other, how many of the millions of people browsing the
Internet today actually know a thing about this man?
A quick web search reveals some useful biographical details about the ‘Father of the Web’. Born in London
in 1955 to computer mathematician parents, as a youngster Berners-Lee liked to build computers out of
cardboard. He went on to study physics at Oxford, where he built his own computer with an old television
and spare parts.
In 1989, while working at CERN, the European particle physics laboratory in Geneva, he invented the World
Wide Web. The Internet – simply, lots of different networks combined together – had already been around
for twenty years, but was largely only used by scientists and academics. The World Wide Web – the system
we now use to access the Internet – allowed people to share information by combining their knowledge in a
web of so-called ‘hypertext’ documents. Thanks to the Web’s launch in 1991, the number of Internet users
jumped from 600,000 to 40 million in the space of five years. Did he realize the importance of his creation at
the time? ‘There was never a feeling of “we can change the world”. It was “this is exciting, it would be nice if
this happened”, combined with a constant fear that it would not work out,’ he says.
But instead of patenting his invention, Sir Tim – who has always been determined to keep the Web
from falling into private hands – made it freely available to all. Something that many people find hard to
understand is why he passed up the chance of becoming a multi-billionaire. However, he insists he never
really had a choice. Leaving aside his claim that no piece of software is ever truly original, he is convinced
the Web would never have taken off had he tried to take control and charge people to use it.

0 There is a lot of disagreement concerning who invented the World Wide Web. B

9 Tim Berners-Lee has always disliked being called the ‘Father of the Web’.

10 Berners-Lee’s parents encouraged him to take an interest in computing.

11 The computer that Berners-Lee built at Oxford worked very efficiently.

12 What we know today as the World Wide Web was created in 1989.

13 The Internet and the World Wide Web were developed at the same time.

14 At the start, Berners-Lee was both happy and very nervous about his invention.

15 Berners-Lee’s attitude towards ownership of his invention has changed over time.

16 Berners-Lee never expected his invention to make him wealthy.

17 Berners-Lee is convinced that software you pay for can never be as successful as free software.

PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 : Reading 17


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 2

Task 3

• Read this article about international cuisine.

• In the sentences (18–23) that follow the text there are
some gaps.

• Your task is to fill each gap with one word from the text
so that the sentences correspond to what the text says.

• Write the words in the spaces provided as in the


example (0).

JUST HOW ITALIAN IS SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE?


The opportunity to taste international cuisine is everywhere these days. We are now increasingly able to
explore new flavours, new cooking techniques, and new culinary experiences without having to leave our
hometowns. Restaurants serving food from countries previously never associated with fine dining have
now conquered the hearts (and stomachs) of affluent Westerners in Europe and the United States. And yet
some people still complain – but why, exactly?
Many would-be restaurant critics (and these days any blogger who writes about food considers themselves
an expert) rate their ethnic dining experiences not just by quality and value, but also most importantly by
that elusive measure they call ‘authenticity’. When they praise a dish, they often use terms such as ‘the
best goulash I’ve eaten outside Hungary’ – as if a goulash made in Hungary was automatically superior to
anything made abroad. But does ethnic really have to be authentic?
Some dishes get criticized because they are never eaten in the country they are associated with. Spaghetti
bolognese is widely considered to be an inauthentic Italian dish. And it’s true – if you visit Bologna,
the gorgeous medieval city after which the dish is named, you will not find this item on any restaurant
menu. Does this mean inhabitants of Bologna never eat bolognese? Not quite. There is a local dish called
tagliatelle al ragú (or ‘strip pasta with meat sauce’) made with ground meat, tomatoes and carrots, which
is pretty much the same as the bolognese we know and love. The fact that locals traditionally eat the sauce
with thick pasta strips instead of thin is irrelevant. After all, does it taste any less delicious if the pasta is
thinner and the name is different?
Chop suey, supposedly a traditional Chinese dish made with meat, eggs and vegetables, is hardly ever
eaten in China – if at all. Where did it come from, then? Many Chinese immigrants worked to build the
railway system in the US in the late 1800s. To feed themselves, they used the traditional Chinese cooking
technique of stir-frying whatever ingredients were locally available. Isolated from their homeland, the
dish they created represented a fusion of national identities, just as their own identities became a mix of
Chinese and American traditions. So chop suey is in fact a multi-ethnic dish, and is now a firm favourite
in American Chinese cuisine.
0 We can now eat a wide variety of ethnic dishes without having to travel anywhere.
18 Western people can enjoy dishes from countries previously for their cuisine.
19 Some people think writing reviews on the makes you a restaurant expert.
20 Restaurant critics often place the highest value on a dish’s .
21 People in Bologna use a different for what foreigners call a bolognese sauce.
22 The traditional dish in Bologna differs from its foreign equivalent in the of the pasta.
23 The original 19 century recipe for chop suey comes from
th
rather than Asia.

18 É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 : Reading PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 2

Task 4

• Read this article about alternative history, and then read


the half sentences that follow the text.

• Your task is to match the half sentences (A–L) and (24–30)


based on the information in the text.

• Write the letters in the spaces provided next to the


numbers as in the example (0).

• There are three extra letters that you don’t need to use.

WHAT IF?
People have always wondered about how certain events in history might have taken a different direction.
Fiction writers have explored this interest in the so-called ‘alt-history’ (or ‘alternative history’) genre.
Their stories are based on some historical facts, but usually include one or more key events that occur
differently. They do this to show us what would have happened if history had unfolded in a different way.
The earliest alt-history work appeared as far back as the 1st century AD, when Roman historian Titus Livius
speculated about what would have happened if Alexander the Great had tried to conquer the West rather
than the East around three hundred years earlier.
The genre gained momentum in the early 20th century and has continued to grow, with the publication of
many alt-history novels. Although not all alt-history writing follows the conventions of science fiction
(or SF), it is often considered a sub-genre of SF. One of the best-known examples is Philip K Dick’s The
Man in the High Castle, published in 1962. Dick’s book describes a world where Germany and Japan
won World War II and, surprisingly peacefully, split the United States between them. Interestingly, in the
novel, several characters are reading an alt-history book – one that takes place in a world more similar to
our own. A recent Amazon television series expands on Dick’s original idea by showing much more of the
alternative world.
Dick once said he had the idea for The Man in the High Castle after reading another alt-history novel,
Ward Moore’s Bring the Jubilee in 1953. In Moore’s novel, the main character, Hodge Backmaker, lives in
a different version of the world we know. This change has been brought about by the fact that in 1863 the
American Civil War ended with the victory of the South, not the North. Hodge, a historian, travels back
in time to the Civil War; through his actions, he unintentionally causes history to change, leading to the
outcome we are familiar with today.
By changing the past, alt-history narratives also transform the present – which in turn allows us to
imagine how they might alter the future we think lies ahead of us. Will these imagined futures have come
true by the time we live to see them? Who knows?

PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 : Reading 19


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 2

0 Alt-history fiction is based on familiar facts, but it …


24 Titus Livius’s work is about a military campaign that …
25 Alt-history is often considered a variety of science fiction, but it …
26 In the novel The Man in the High Castle, the winners of the war …
27 The Amazon TV adaptation of the novel …
28 According to Philip K Dick himself, Ward Moore’s novel …
29 The protagonist of Bring the Jubilee …
30 Thinking about a different version of history …

A focused on a different part of the world than in reality. 0 L


B doesn’t intend to transform history by doing what he does. 24
C defeat Germany and Japan, just like in reality. 25
D inspires us to consider future possibilities. 26
E is what provided the inspiration for his own story. 27
F is often unaware of historical events until after they happen. 28
G divide the country they conquered with minimal confrontation. 29
H doesn’t always remain true to the traditions of this genre. 30
I doesn’t only cover the story in the book.
K takes place 300 years into the future.
L describes the outcome of certain events differently.

20 É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 : Reading PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 2

2. Nyelvhelyesség (Use of English)

Task 1

• Read this article about young people’s ambitions. In most


lines there is one word that should not be there. It is either
grammatically incorrect or does not fit in with the sense of
the text.

• Your task is to read the text and then copy the extra word
in the space provided after the text.

• Some lines are correct. Indicate these lines with a tick (✓).

• There are two examples (0).

WHEN WILL I BE FAMOUS?


Growing numbers of young people are desperate to become
(0) famous by any means. A recent survey found that of nearly 0 ✓
(0) one thousand girls who took part, 89% are said that they 0 are
(1) wanted to be famous. This desire for the celebrity 1
(2) had replaced out more traditional marks of status. A lot of this 2
(3) has to do itself with the popularity of reality TV programmes and 3
(4) talent contests, which make up ordinary people extraordinary and 4
(5) give rise to the idea of a fast track to stardom. ‘The real change 5
(6) in recent years is that youngsters want to be famous for being 6
(7) famous’, says it public relations expert Dave Read. ‘They don’t 7
(8) feel how they need to have a skill. People used to want to be 8
(9) pop stars and footballers, and, before that, nurses and doctors. 9
(10) But now they just want them to be famous. If you ask them what 10
(11) they want to be famous for, they say they don’t care, as long as they 11
are famous.’ Fame is all that matters to them.

PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 : Use of English 21


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 2

Task 2

• You are going to read an article about the invention of


the telephone.

• Some words are missing from the text.

• Your task is to choose the most appropriate word (A–D)


for each gap (12–18) in the text. Write the letters of the
appropriate words in the spaces provided next to the
numbers.

• There is an example (0) at the beginning.

THE RACE FOR THE TELEPHONE


Of all the remarkable and revolutionary inventions the world has seen, the telephone
must (0) be one of the greatest. But not everyone was as excited and quick (12)
its potential as Alexander Graham Bell, who invented it in March 1876 and immediately
set (13) in search of a financial backer. Bell had dedicated much of his life to the
idea of transmitting speech, using electricity. From an early age, he (14) speed
mechanics. His hard work paid off. Bell came up with a circuit with one transmitter and
two receivers: the telephone.
But others had been working to invent the device and the race was on. Bell went to
the Western Union Telegraph Company, then the largest communications company
in the US, offering them the exclusive rights for only $100,000. William Orton, the
president of the company, (15) Bell, saying: ‘What use could this company make of
an electrical toy?’ It was a huge financial blunder. (16) , they quickly commissioned
the inventors Thomas Edison and Elisha Gray, who worked feverishly to create a rival
telephone.
Bell beat them, and was granted the patent, which officially recognized him as the
inventor of the device, just hours before Gray. More than 600 lawsuits ensued,
(17) one by Western Union. Bell, head of the Bell Telephone Company in Boston,
won, forcing Western Union to get out of the telephone business for (18) . Their lack
of imagination cost them dearly.

0 A possibly B mainly C usually D surely 0 D


12 A recognize B recognizing C to recognize D recognized
12
13 A up B on C out D off
13
14 A had researched B was researched C was researching D has been researching
14
15 A banned B excluded C returned D rejected
15
16 A Realized this B To realize this C Realizing this D Realize this
16
17 A consisting B including C covering D providing
17
18 A good B long C now D free
18

22 É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 : Use of English PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 2

Task 3

• You are going to read a Royal Mail leaflet about postal


services in the UK.

• Some words are missing from the text.

• Your task is to use the words in brackets to form the words


that fit in the gaps (19–25).

• Write the appropriate form of these words on the lines


after the text.

• There might be cases when you do not have to change the


word in brackets.

• Use only one word in each gap.

• There is one example (0) at the beginning.

YOUR MAIL SERVICE – ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS


Q How safe is my post?
A You can trust Royal Mail with your post: more than 99.9% gets delivered safely and quickly to the right
address. Postmen and women take the (0) (deliver) of your post very seriously. They’re dedicated,
hardworking and (19) (rely), and they all do everything possible to protect it. However, if you feel
that your post isn’t being treated (20) (care) enough, or if you have another concern, we want to
hear from you – and you can be reassured that we’ll investigate and report back.
Q What can go wrong in delivering my post?
A We can’t always deliver your post. For example, we get a million letters per week which have (21)
(complete) or wrong addresses, or even addresses which don’t exist. We even get 25,000 letters a week
which aren’t addressed at all. We strive to identify the correct address and redeliver the letter or return
it to the (22) (send), at our cost. If for any reason we can’t deliver, we get the letter back to your
(23) (local) office (often by putting it back in the post box, properly marked) so that your postal
worker can deal with it the next day.
Sometimes things do go missing or go to the wrong house. This is completely (24) (accept) to
us, so we’re improving our technology, training and (25) (secure). So far we’ve almost halved the
number of letters that get lost.

0 delivery
19
20
21
22
23
24
25

PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 : Use of English 23


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 2

Task 4

• You are going to read an article about some research into


happiness. Some words are missing from the text.

• Your task is to write the missing words on the lines (26–35) after
the text.

• Use only one word in each gap.

• There is an example (0) at the beginning.

IN SEARCH OF HAPPINESS
Studies have shown that most people believe they are happier (0) average and that they’ll be even
happier in ten years’ time. If that came (26) , it would be good news because research shows that
happier people are healthier, more successful, harder working, more caring and more socially engaged.
Misery tends (27) affect people who are self-absorbed and inactive. These are the conclusions of a
happiness industry that has published 3,000 papers, set (28) the Journal of Happiness Studies, and
created a ‘World Database of Happiness’ in the last few years.
Can scientists tell us (29) happiness is? Economists accept that if people describe (30) as happy,
then they are happy. However, psychologists differentiate (31) levels of happiness. The most immediate
type involves a feeling: pleasure or joy. But sometimes happiness is simply a judgement that life is
satisfying, and does not imply an emotional state.
Public surveys measure what (32) us happy. Marriage does, pets do, but children don’t seem to,
(33) what we might generally believe. Youth and old age are the happiest times. Money does not add
much to happiness; in Britain, incomes have trebled since 1950, but happiness has not increased (34)
all. The happiness of lottery winners returns to former levels within a year. People who have become
disabled in an accident are likely to become almost as happy as they had been before the accident.
One thing makes a striking difference. When two American psychologists studied hundreds of students
and focused on the top 10% ‘very happy’ people, they found they spent the (35) time alone and the
most time socializing. Psychologists know that increasing the number of social contacts a miserable
person has is the best way of cheering them up.

0 than
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35

24 É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 : Use of English PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 2

3. Hallott szöveg értése (Listening)

8 and 9 Task 1

• In this section, you are going to hear part of a radio


programme about an organization that supports
young people.

• Your task is to complete the sentences (1–9) with


no more than two words in each gap using the
exact words that you hear in the recording. There is
an example (0) at the beginning.

• First, you will have time to look at the task, and


then we will play the whole recording in one piece.

• Then, after a short pause, you will hear the


recording again, but this time we will play the
text in shorter sections with breaks between the
sections to give you enough time to write down
your answers.

0 Jim and Sophie work for an organization called Youth in Danger .

1 The organization was set up in .

2 The organization aims to help young people who are .

3 They also provide help for these young people live in.

4 The programme is completely for all participants.

5 One of the first questions young people are asked about is the of their lives.

6 The five-day programme also includes for participants.

7 At the five-day session they discuss the reasons for some young people’s .

8 Young people are expected to take part in quite a frightening course.

9 By pushing themselves to the limit, young people learn to be .

PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 : Listening 25


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 2

10 and 11 Task 2

• In this section, you will hear an interview about the


relationship between advertising and children’s eating habits.

• Your task is to choose the most appropriate answer (A–C) for


each question (10–16).

• First, you will have some time to look at the task, and then we
will play the whole recording in one piece.

• Then, after a short pause, you will hear the recording again,
but this time we will play the text in shorter sections to give
you enough time to write down your answers.

• There is an example (0) at the beginning.

0 At the beginning, the interviewer suggests that …


A some children don’t really like certain drinks.
B most children eat unhealthy things.
C some parents aren’t worried about their children’s diet. C
10 Wendy says that parents …
A can’t protect their children from the effect of TV commercials.
B don’t try hard enough to give their children healthy meals.
C aren’t really influenced by what they see advertised on TV.
11 The government took steps last year …
A to impose stricter rules on TV advertising for children.
B to ban adverts for a number of unhealthy food and drinks.
C to stop a politician from disrupting pre-school TV programmes.
12 The proposed regulations on advertising for children …
A weren’t supported by all the parties.
B didn’t become law in Parliament.
C were withdrawn by the government.
13 Statistics show that 20% of …
A six-year-old children have an obesity problem.
B adults in the UK are overweight.
C British grown-ups may be considered obese.
14 The advertising industry claims that …
A issues like food processing or animal care are easier to criticize.
B commercials may also have a positive effect on people’s diets.
C the problems have been exaggerated by their critics.
15 Countries that introduced restrictions on advertising unhealthy food …
A have proved a connection between obesity and advertising.
B have not yet seen any improvement in people’s weight issues.
C continue to blame television for other social problems as well.
16 In Wendy’s opinion, children’s eating habits …
A follow the habits of the important people in their lives.
B continue to get worse all the time.
C are greatly influenced by what they see on television.

26 É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 : Listening PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 2

12 and 13 Task 3

• In this section, you will hear a radio report about


left-handed people.

• Your task is to decide whether the statements


(17–25) are true or not. Write A if it is true
according to the recording. Write B if it is false
according to the recording. Write C if there is not
enough information in the recording to decide if
the sentence is true or not.

• First, you will have time to look at the task, and


then we will play the whole recording in one
piece.

• Then, after a short pause, you will hear the


recording again, but this time we will play the
text in shorter sections to give you enough time
to write down your answers.

• There is an example (0) at the beginning.

A = TRUE B = FALSE C = THE TEXT DOES NOT SAY

0 Dr Searleman’s new report has caused a lot of controversy. C

17 Dr Searleman gives an example of a word for ‘left’ in another language that has a positive meaning.

18 Negative attitudes towards left-handed people have remained unchanged in some cultures.

19 There are fewer left-handed people in sports than statistics would suggest.

20 The 1,200 participants in Dr Searleman’s research were volunteers.

21 The research began by asking people to do some simple manual tasks to decide whether they were
naturally left-handed.

22 Dr Searleman discovered that left-handed people are more likely to be highly intelligent than
right-handed people.

23 Dr Searleman himself designed the intelligence test to measure the participants’ IQ.

24 Left-handed people seem to have an advantage when it comes to problem solving.

25 Right-handed people tend to be better at decision-making than left-handed people.

PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 : Listening 27


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 2

4. Íráskészség (Writing)

Task 1

You are looking for a summer job abroad. Your British friend, Alex, has emailed you two job adverts he found
that he is interested in and he thinks would also suit you.

SUMMERLAND DEVON
We are looking for supervisors aged 16 and above for our two- DREAM ICE CREAM
week children’s summer camps.
Your responsibilities: We need summer sales assistants
• looking after a group of 16–20 children aged between 8 and 12 to work on our ice cream stands at
• supervising their regular daily activities open-air events (such as festivals
• participating in educational and sports activities and local fairs). Part-time and
Your skills and qualifications: temporary positions are available
• good level of English throughout the summer.
• some experience in looking after children
Some retail experience is
• good level of fitness
considered an advantage, but is not
Camp dates start in the last week of July and continue until the
end of August. a requirement for applications.

Write an email of 120–150 words to Alex in which you:


• tell Alex which, if any, of the two jobs you consider yourself suitable for, and why,
• explain what other kinds of work you would be interested in, or why you would prefer doing them,
• suggest some ideas for how you could meet up over the summer.

Begin your email like this:

Hi Alex,

28 É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 : Writing PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 2

Task 2

You have read the following advertisement online:

People and technology: how well


do they go together?

Love it or hate it, our lives are


changing – for better and for
worse – all because of technology.

We invite contributors to submit


their blog posts on this hot topic.
The best contributions will be
published on our website.

Write a blog post of 200–250 words in which you:


• say whether you agree that technology is changing the way we live our lives,
• say how you think people usually feel about technology,
• give examples of some positive and negative effects of technology,
• share your own experiences of how technology influences your life.

Begin your blog post like this:

When it comes to technology, I think …

PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 : Writing 29


ÉRET TSÉGI B2 PRACTICE TEST 2

5. Beszédkészség (Speaking)

1 Conversation

Your examiner will ask you questions about money. Answer the questions and explain your opinion.
1 ‘Money can’t buy you happiness.’ Do you agree with this statement? Why?/Why not? Can you think of any situations that
only money can improve?
2 How good are you at managing your money? How do you do it? How could you do it better?
3 Are you more influenced by advertising than your parents’ generation, or less influenced? Why do you think so?
4 How do you prefer to pay for things in your everyday life? Why? What are the advantages and disadvantages of these
forms of payment?
5 In what ways would the world be different if all the money was distributed equally between all people?

2 Debate

Professional athletes are overpaid.


▸ Work in pairs. You will have a conversation about the above statement. Give your opinion and argue for or against the
proposition. Your partner will sometimes contradict you. React to the counter-arguments of your partner, too.
▸ You have about half a minute to think your points over.
▸ You may want to consider the following aspects:
• the value of professional sports
• how other professions compare
• what determines how much people are paid in their profession

3 Individual long turn

These pictures show different uses of road transport. Look at the pictures (1–2) and talk about the issues
involved.

1 2

30 É R E T T S É G I B 2 P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 : Speaking PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y PRESS

You might also like