B2T1: Final Exam Review (answers)

GRAMMAR
1
1 in 2 have 3 be 4 is 5 would 6 are 7 going 8 won’t 9 been 10 having
2
1 if it had 2 had been doing 3 managed to find 4 had to have 5 would sit and listen while / whilst / as 6 talking to my
boss when 39 have you been 40 will you come

VOCABULARY
1
1 failure 2 security 3 happiness 4 mo�va�on 5 responsible 6 aspira�on(s) 7 passionate 8 crea�ve 9 commited 10
influen�al

LISTENING

1 sound 2 (personal) freedom 3 supplies 4 educa�on 5 transport 6 car 7 luxuries 8 climate 9 concerts

10 Austria

LISTENING TRACK: TRANSCRIPT

Good morning, I’m Caroline Hearney and today I’m talking about quality of living. I’ll be discussing where the
best places to live in the world are, according to quality-of-living research.
Firstly, let’s think about what makes somewhere good to live. Let’s consider social environment. This means
anything that’s happening poli�cally, crime rates, and how laws are enforced. According to research, Iceland
is considered the most peaceful country in the world when considering safety and security.
A country’s economic condi�ons affect how people live. This refers to the state of the economy, which
changes over �me. If an economy is expanding, then we call it ‘sound’, and when it’s contrac�ng, it’s known
as a nega�ve economy. One of the strongest economies in the world is the USA.
A country’s socio-cultural environment concerns things like how available media is, and whether the
government controls the kinds of informa�on a popula�on has access to. It also includes our personal
freedom – whether we’re allowed to discuss opinions freely – and social tolerance towards others.
Luxembourg is rated the most highly in this regard.
Two of the most important considera�ons in how well a country’s doing in terms of quality of living are
medical and health ones. It’s crucial that there are adequate supplies for the popula�on in terms of
medica�on. How waste is disposed of, air quality and how diseases are treated are also incredibly important.
Once again, Luxembourg comes out on top for its healthcare systems.
Let’s move on to educa�on now – which I personally think is one of our most important needs. Without it, it
can be difficult to improve our lives. Of course, not only do ci�zens require good availability of schools, but
access to them, too. Amongst the world’s best systems are those in France, Canada and Australia.
We can’t live without water. Life can also be difficult without an electricity supply and other u�li�es. We also
need public services such as transport in order for life to run more smoothly. There are lots of improvements
to make in this area in many countries, but amongst the best systems in the world are those in New York,
Paris and London.
What else do we need to survive? Well, food, of course. But other consumer goods improve life, too.
One of the most desired consumer goods in the world, a�er our basic needs are met, is a car. The
country with the most worldwide appears to be San Marino in Europe, with over 1,000 per 1,000
people. Other items – such as a mobile phone, for example – are important, too.
Owning our own home is something that’s out of reach for much of the world’s popula�on, but good
availability of housing for rent – at affordable prices – is essen�al for quality of life. People can do
without luxuries, but they must have somewhere to sleep at night, with access to household
appliances, furniture and maintenance services. Some of the best places to invest in property include
Switzerland, New Zealand and Sweden.

Safety is another key element to quality of living. This doesn’t just refer to a lack of criminal ac�vity in
a country but to the environment and natural surroundings, too. Natural disasters such as
earthquakes can cause severe damage to infrastructure and homes. Climate also affects how we live
– experiencing extremes of heat or cold can make life less enjoyable. Some people believe countries
on the equator have the most pleasant condi�ons because light levels and temperatures remain the
same year-round.
Once we’ve got all the things we need, we can turn to recrea�on, which helps us relax and enjoy life
more. This includes restaurants – it’s believed that San Francisco has the most per capita – cinemas,
theatres, sports facili�es and so on. Personally, I couldn’t live without the opportunity to see
concerts. I love music!
So, which city has the best of everything? European ci�es, including some in Germany and
Switzerland are on the list, as well as Australian and Canadian ci�es. However, Vienna, in Austria
comes out in research as the number one place to live – though other places aren’t too far behind.

1. What is the main topic of Caroline Hearney's discussion? a) Quality of education b)

Quality of living c) Economic conditions d) Consumer goods Answer: b) Quality of
living
2. According to the text, which country is considered the most peaceful in terms of safety
and security? a) Luxembourg b) Iceland c) USA d) France Answer: b) Iceland
3. How is the state of an economy referred to when it's expanding? a) Negative economy
b) Declining economy c) Sound economy d) Contracting economy Answer: c) Sound
economy
4. Which country is rated the most highly for socio-cultural environment? a)
Luxembourg b) Iceland c) USA d) Australia Answer: a) Luxembourg
5. According to the text, which country comes out on top for its healthcare systems? a)
Iceland b) Luxembourg c) Canada d) USA Answer: b) Luxembourg
6. Among the world's best education systems mentioned in the text, which three
countries are included? a) Iceland, Luxembourg, France b) USA, Canada, Australia c)
France, Canada, Australia d) Germany, Switzerland, New Zealand Answer: c) France,
Canada, Australia
7. What does the text mention as one of the most desired consumer goods in the world?
a) Mobile phones b) Cars c) Houses d) Furniture Answer: b) Cars
8. Which country is mentioned as having the most cars per 1,000 people? a) Luxembourg
b) France c) San Marino d) Switzerland Answer: c) San Marino
9. What is essential for quality of life according to the text, besides owning one's own
home? a) Public transportation b) Luxuries c) Access to household appliances d)
Climate Answer: a) Public transportation
10. Which city is believed to have the most restaurants per capita? a) Vienna b) San
Francisco c) New York d) London Answer: b) San Francisco