PRUEBAS DE ACREDITACIÓN LINGÜÍSTICA CERTACLES
CURSO 2014-15
IDIOMA: INGLÉS
NIVEL: B2
CONVOCATORIA: ABRIL 2015
PART 1 – READING
DURACIÓN: 60 MINUTOS
1
Instituto de Idiomas- UCJC
Castillo de Alarcón 49
Urb. Villafranca del Castillo
Villanueva de la Cañada
28692 Madrid
PART 1
READING
Questions 1–7
You are going to read an extract about Charlie Chaplin. For questions 1–7, choose the
answer A, B, C or D you think fits best according to the text.
You can write your answer on the question paper and transfer your answers on to the answer sheet at the
end of the exam (you will have 5 minutes to do this).
A Comic Actor
His early life was a time of great hardship. Charlie Chaplin was born in a very poor part
of London, but his family were at first well off enough to afford a maid. However, while
he was still a child, his family gradually lost everything. His father was a comedian and
his mother worked as a dancer and singer. Neither of them was very successful and the
family had very little money. They were so poor that, at one time, he and his siblings had
only one pair of shoes between them and they had to take turns wearing them. His
father eventually deserted the family and later died of alcoholism. The strain caused by
this desertion affected his mother deeply. Her career fell apart and in the end she
became insane. When his mother had to go into an asylum, he was sent to an
orphanage.
The first time he himself earned any money was by dancing and singing when he was
only five years old. As a young boy he had many different jobs, but what he loved most
of all was working in the theatre. As he said in his autobiography, he felt quite ‘at home’
on the stage, in more ways than one – the stage became an escape from the pain of his
family life. When he was about fifteen, he joined a travelling theatre company and went
on trips to America. On one such tour he was offered a part in a film, so he went to
Hollywood, where eventually he became both an actor and a film director.
2
Instituto de Idiomas- UCJC
Castillo de Alarcón 49
Urb. Villafranca del Castillo
Villanueva de la Cañada
28692 Madrid
In his films we see the influence of his early life: a strong feeling of pity for the poor, a
romantic view of women (he worshipped his mother) and a love of applause. His
comedies were immediately successful. As well as making policemen look foolish, he
also often used the situation where people find themselves in a ridiculous position, but
refuse to admit they have a problem. The best example of this is the drunken man who,
though obviously drunk in the way he walks and talks, tries to pretend he has not
touched a drop. One of his most famous roles is the little tramp who tries but fails to be
a gentleman, and so makes us laugh. His films are not always comic; they are often sad
and some, like The Great Dictator, contain a strong political message.
As director he was known to be a perfectionist and sometimes made actors repeat a
scene many times until he was finally satisfied with it. Many of the people he worked
with found him mean and tyrannical, but it was probably his early experiences of poverty
that made him so anxious to be successful. He is undoubtedly the most popular
comedian of all time. He died in Switzerland in 1977 at the age of 88. There is now a
statue of him in London, the city of his birth.
1. Although the family was poor…
A.
B.
C.
D.
they got on well with each other
they quickly became famous
things had once been better
they were happy
2. His mother’s career ended when…
A.
B.
C.
D.
she began to drink too much
her husband abandoned the family
she became too old
her son was sent to an orphanage
3
Instituto de Idiomas- UCJC
Castillo de Alarcón 49
Urb. Villafranca del Castillo
Villanueva de la Cañada
28692 Madrid
3. What he liked most about the theatre was…
A.
B.
C.
D.
that it helped him to forget his problems
the money he earned
the applause of the audience
that his family worked there
4. In what way did his early life affect his work in cinema?
A.
B.
C.
D.
He wanted to make people laugh
He made a film about his mother
He showed the life of the poor
He wanted his films to make money
5. The drunken man is funny because…
A.
B.
C.
D.
he behaves seriously
he behaves as if he is sober
he talks in a drunken manner
he keeps falling down
6. His films can be described as…
A.
B.
C.
D.
just entertainment
political and romantic
love stories
serious and comic
7. What was he like as a director?
A.
B.
C.
D.
He was happy with his actors.
He was keen to please everyone.
He was anxious to finish.
He was difficult to please.
4
Instituto de Idiomas- UCJC
Castillo de Alarcón 49
Urb. Villafranca del Castillo
Villanueva de la Cañada
28692 Madrid
Questions 8–14
You are going to read an article about archaeology. Seven sentences have been removed
from the article. Choose from the sentences A-H the one which fits each gap. There is
one extra sentence which you do not need to use.
You can write your answer on the question paper and transfer your answers on to the answer sheet at the
end of the exam (you will have 5 minutes to do this).
Archaeology
Archaeology, like many academic words, comes from Greek and means, more or less,
‘the study of old things’. So, it is really a part of the study of history. However, most
historians use paper evidence, such as letters, documents, paintings and photographs,
but archaeologists learn from the objects left behind by the humans of long ago. (8)
_______.
Sometimes, archaeologists and historians work together. Take, for example, the study
of the Romans, who dominated the Mediterranean area and much of Europe two
thousand years ago. We know a lot about them from their writing, and some of their
most famous writers are still quoted in English. We also know a lot about them from
what they made, from their coins to their buildings. Archaeologists have worked on
Roman remains as far apart as Hadrian’s Wall in the north of England and Leptis Magna
in Libya.
Of course, for much of human history, there are no written documents at all. Who were
the first humans, and where did they come from? (9) _______. From this evidence, they
believe that humans first appeared in Africa and began moving to other parts of the
world about 80,000 years ago. The movement of our ancestors across the planet has
been mapped from their remains – humans went to Australia about 70,000 years ago,
but have been in South America for just 15,000 years. The evidence of archaeology has
helped to show the shared origin and history of us all.
It is very unusual to find anything more than the hard evidence of history – normally,
the bacteria in the air eat away at soft organic material, like bodies, clothes and things
made of wood. Occasionally, things are different.
5
Instituto de Idiomas- UCJC
Castillo de Alarcón 49
Urb. Villafranca del Castillo
Villanueva de la Cañada
28692 Madrid
A mind-boggling discovery. In 1984, two men made an amazing discovery while working
in a bog called Lindow Moss, near Manchester in the north of England. A bog is a very
wet area of earth, with a lot of plants growing in it. It can be like a very big and very thick
vegetable soup – walk in the wrong place and you can sink and disappear forever. (10)
_________. The men were cutting the peat when one of them saw something sticking
out – a human foot! Naturally, the men called the police, who then found the rest of the
body. Was it a case of murder? (11) _______. Despite being so old, this body had skin,
muscles, hair and internal organs – the scientists who examined him were able to look
inside the man’s stomach and find the food that he had eaten for his last meal!
Why was this man so well preserved? It was because he was in a very watery
environment, safe from the bacteria that need oxygen to live. Also, the water in the bog
was very acidic. (12) _______.
How did he die? Understandably, archaeologists and other scientists wanted to know
more about the person that they called, ‘Lindow Man’. His hands and fingernails
suggested that he hadn’t done heavy manual work in his life– he could have been a rich
man or a priest. They found that he hadn’t died by accident. The forensic examination
revealed that he had been hit on the head three times and his throat was cut with a
knife. Then a rope was tightened around his neck. As if that wasn’t enough, he was then
thrown into the bog.
So, Lindow Man was killed using three different methods, when just one would have
been sufficient. (13) _______. Each god required a different form of death. A sacrifice to
Teutates required drowning, which is why he was found in the bog. Nobody can tell the
complete story of Lindow Man. The Romans said that the Celts made sacrifices every
May to make sure that there was enough food that year. Was he a typical ‘routine’
sacrifice?
An archaeologist called Anne Ross has suggested that Lindow Man was a special case.
Why would an important man be sacrificed to three gods? Perhaps it was in response to
the Roman invasion of Britain, which started in the year AD 43, close to the time that
Lindow Man died. (14) _______. It didn’t work. The Romans stayed in Britain for four
hundred years and Lindow Man stayed in his bog for two thousand.
Say hello to Lindow Man. If you visit London, you can go and see Lindow Man at the
British Museum, where he is spending some time in the company of more famous
mummies from Egypt. Whereas the bodies of the Egyptian kings and queens were
intentionally preserved, Lindow Man is with us by accident. Whatever his origins, it is a
fascinating experience to see him face to face. I recommend it.
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Instituto de Idiomas- UCJC
Castillo de Alarcón 49
Urb. Villafranca del Castillo
Villanueva de la Cañada
28692 Madrid
A. He might have been killed to gain the help of the gods against the Romans.
B. The man was offered to the gods.
C. After hundreds of years, the dead plants can compress together and make
‘peat’, which is like soil, but is so rich in energy that it can be burned on a fire,
like coal.
D. The acid preserved the man’s skin in the way that animal skin is preserved for
leather coats and shoes.
E. Normally, these are the hard materials that don’t decompose or disappear very
quickly – things like human bones and skeletons, objects made from stone and
metal, and ceramics.
F. Possibly – but it was a death nearly two thousand years old. The two men had
found a body from the time of the Roman invasion of Celtic Britain.
G. This is a job for the archaeologists, who have found and dated the bones and
objects left behind.
H. The archaeologists believe that he was sacrificed to three different Celtic gods,
called Taranis, Esus and Teutates.
7
Instituto de Idiomas- UCJC
Castillo de Alarcón 49
Urb. Villafranca del Castillo
Villanueva de la Cañada
28692 Madrid
Questions 15–20
Look at the sentences below about the text. Read the text to decide if each sentence is
correct or incorrect.
You can write your answer on the question paper and transfer your answers on to the answer sheet at the
end of the exam (you will have 5 minutes to do this).
Negligent Mother
An Ipswich mother, who allowed her son to go on holiday during school term, has been
fined £400 after her son repeatedly refused to go to school. The 36-year-old mother,
who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared before South East Suffolk Magistrates
Court yesterday where magistrates heard her 14-year-old son was currently on holiday
in Spain.
She told that court: "He just does not like going to school. Although he is getting better
now and seems to be enjoying it."
The boy has had 145 unauthorised absences between October 15 last year and March
22 this year. His absences were blamed on a late-night life style. The mother has been
attending parenting classes voluntarily and told the court that she thought they were
helping her. Out of the last eight school sessions - there are two a day - he has attended
five.
Chairman of the bench David Coe asked her if she thought she could get her son to
school in future. “Yes I think I can with some help," she said. She told the court that he
was on holiday during the time other pupils were doing work experience because he had
not been given a place.
On sentencing Mr. Coe said: "He is not in school and then he disappears on holiday. We
would expect the local authority to bring this back to court quickly if there are further
problems." She was fined £400 and ordered to pay £50.
Yesterday's case is the second to be dealt with by south east Suffolk magistrates
recently. Last month a 37-year-old was fined £50 after her son had attended just 16 out
of 182 sessions. And the cases follow national concern after Oxfordshire mother Patricia
Amos was jailed for allowing her children to miss school. She was originally sentenced
to 60 days' jail, but this was reduced on appeal.
8
Instituto de Idiomas- UCJC
Castillo de Alarcón 49
Urb. Villafranca del Castillo
Villanueva de la Cañada
28692 Madrid
15. The boy had returned to school when his mother was in court.
A. True
B. False
16. The main reason for his absences was the fact that he went out late every night.
A. True
B. False
17. The mother has to go to parenting classes.
A. True
B. False
18. The mother may find herself in court again soon.
A. True
B. False
19. There have been other similar cases nationwide but this is the first in this area.
A. True
B. False
20. There was national support for the tough treatment of Patricia Amos.
A. True
B. False
_______________________________END OF PART 1_________________________________
9
Instituto de Idiomas- UCJC
Castillo de Alarcón 49
Urb. Villafranca del Castillo
Villanueva de la Cañada
28692 Madrid
PRUEBAS DE ACREDITACIÓN LINGÜÍSTICA CERTACLES
CURSO 2014-15
IDIOMA: INGLÉS
NIVEL: B2
CONVOCATORIA: ABRIL 2015
PART 2 – LISTENING
DURACIÓN: 25 MINUTOS
10
Instituto de Idiomas- UCJC
Castillo de Alarcón 49
Urb. Villafranca del Castillo
Villanueva de la Cañada
28692 Madrid
PART 2
LISTENING
Questions 1–6
You will hear the web-surfing expert David Garcia talking on a radio programme about
social networks.
There are six questions in this part. For each question there are three options.
You can write your answer on the question paper and transfer your answers on to the answer sheet at the
end of the exam (you will have 5 minutes to do this).
1. According to David Garcia, online communities have…
A. had a major impact on the way we communicate.
B. not influenced the way we establish our relationships.
C. been a major worry for him lately.
2. Do people know what social networking is?
A. 58% of the population know what it is.
B. The majority of the population is aware of it.
C. More than half of the population don’t know what it is.
3. Who has banned social networking?
A. Many employers.
B. A big proportion of employees.
C. All companies.
4. Are all social networks bad in David Garcia’s opinion?
A. Yes, social networks are extremely dangerous.
B. No, some are good because they enable employers to look up information about
potential candidates.
C. Although there are risks, social networks can be advantageous if used well.
11
Instituto de Idiomas- UCJC
Castillo de Alarcón 49
Urb. Villafranca del Castillo
Villanueva de la Cañada
28692 Madrid
5. The “Life Goals Support Community 43 things”…
A. is an online help-line.
B. motivates people to achieve their goals.
C. helps people who are depressed.
6. What does David Garcia say about his novel?
A. He has finished it.
B. He can discuss his ideas on the book with lots of people from the site.
C. He will have the inspiration to write it.
Questions 7–13
You will hear an interview to Dan Carter, a free runner and coach, who will talk about
the fast-growing extreme sport parkour or free running.
Complete the text filling in the missing word in the numbered space.
You can write your answer on the question paper and transfer your answers on to the answer sheet at the
end of the exam (you will have 5 minutes to do this).
Dan – Free running is a kind of ______________ (7) gymnastics. Free runners see
everything in their path as an obstacle which has to be overcome.
Interviewer – It’s more than just about getting from A to B as fast as you can, isn’t it?
Dan – Yes, it’s more like a kind of art form.
Interviewer – So you could say it’s almost more like dance than sport.
Dan – Yes, exactly. It’s like a kind of combination of dance and martial arts.
Interviewer – And how did free running first start?
12
Instituto de Idiomas- UCJC
Castillo de Alarcón 49
Urb. Villafranca del Castillo
Villanueva de la Cañada
28692 Madrid
Dan – It was started in Paris by a group of bored 15-year-olds in the late
______________ (8) who imagined everything around them as an obstacle course.
Interviewer – And what about you? What first attracted you to free running?
Dan – Well, I was first inspired after watching the Bond film Casino Royale which stars
Sébastien Foucan, one of the original ______________ (9) of parkour. Did you see it?
Interviewer – Yes I did. So, is that the kind of thing you teach? Jumping over rooftops?
Dan – Ermm, no. People often think that free running is all about doing dangerous stunts
like Spiderman but it’s not like that.
Interviewer – So what kind of things do you teach in your lessons?
Dan – We mostly ______________ (10) on the fundamental rules, such as how to land
safely, and how to roll. Once you’ve mastered these you can start to learn some of the
classic free running moves.
Interviewer – For example?
Dan – Well, there’s the Superman dive, for example.
Interviewer – Oh… people must get injured some times.
Dan – Yes, they do, regularly.
Interviewer – I’ve heard that many people have broken bones and even died.
Dan – Yes, I’m afraid that’s true. But knowing the basic techniques will help lessen your
chances of ______________ (11).
Interviewer – So is free running a male thing?
Dan – Mainly, but plenty of girls also choose to come to the classes. I give
______________ (12) at the local gym to people who range from 8 to 55.
Interviewer – I see. Do you ever take part in parkour competitions?
Dan – No, I don’t, there’s no such thing. Competition is a taboo word in parkour because
it goes against its philosophy which is all about ______________ (13) yourself whilst
keeping a sense of calm.
Interviewer – So finally, Dan, what should our listeners do?
13
Instituto de Idiomas- UCJC
Castillo de Alarcón 49
Urb. Villafranca del Castillo
Villanueva de la Cañada
28692 Madrid
Dan – Well, the Internet is a great place to start, just google “parkour” or “free running”
and you’ll find several excellent sites.
Interviewer – That’s brilliant. OK, well, thanks for coming to the studio today.
Dan – It’s my pleasure.
Questions 14–20
Look at the seven sentences for this part.
You will hear the story of how a teenage daughter encouraged her mum to fulfil her
life-long ambition of becoming a teacher.
Decide if each sentence is correct or incorrect. If it is correct, mark box A for YES. If it is
not correct, mark box B for NO.
You can write your answer on the question paper and transfer your answers on to the answer sheet at the
end of the exam (you will have 5 minutes to do this).
A
YES
B
NO
14 Terry will soon complete her teaching degree.
15 Terry has attended university as a mature student.
16 Terry works part-time in an office.
17 When Terry was young she used to be very motivated at school.
18 Terry’s daughter missed the same opportunities she had missed.
19 Terry is going to teach in a Master’s degree.
20 Terry’s daughter is very pleased and satisfied with her mum’s
achievement.
_______________________________END OF PART 2_________________________________
14
Instituto de Idiomas- UCJC
Castillo de Alarcón 49
Urb. Villafranca del Castillo
Villanueva de la Cañada
28692 Madrid
PRUEBAS DE ACREDITACIÓN LINGÜÍSTICA CERTACLES
CURSO 2014-15
IDIOMA: INGLÉS
NIVEL: B2
CONVOCATORIA: ABRIL 2015
PART 3 – WRITING
DURACIÓN: 80 MINUTOS
15
Instituto de Idiomas- UCJC
Castillo de Alarcón 49
Urb. Villafranca del Castillo
Villanueva de la Cañada
28692 Madrid
PART 3
WRITING
Question 1
You must answer this question.
You have received a letter from your friend Jonathan telling you about a job opportunity
in London. Read the letter and then write a letter of application for the position
explaining why you are interested in the job and why you think you are a suitable
candidate for this role.
Write your answer in 120-150 words in an appropriate style on the separate answer
sheet.
Hi Juan!
How you are? I hope things are going well. I have some good news for you! Do
you remember my colleague Christian, the in-house journalist in charge of press
releases? Oh well, he is moving to Wales to live with his girlfriend and we are
looking for an experienced journalist to replace him.
I think the position is perfect for you. I talked to the boss yesterday and he told
me that they are looking for someone with initiative, creative, who likes working
in a team and who can meet strict deadlines. That sounds like you! I know you
have been working as a journalist in a Spanish newspaper for three years now
and with that experience I am sure you have good prospects of getting the job.
Your working language will be English, so you will need to prove an
advanced/near native level of proficiency in order to get in, but they will also be
needing some translations of press releases into Spanish so, as I say, I think the
position is ideal for you.
Good luck and let me know how the application process goes.
Best wishes,
Jonathan
16
Instituto de Idiomas- UCJC
Castillo de Alarcón 49
Urb. Villafranca del Castillo
Villanueva de la Cañada
28692 Madrid
Questions 2, 3 or 4
You must answer one of the questions (2, 3 or 4) in this part.
Write your answer in 150-180 words in an appropriate style on the separate answer
sheet.
Question 2
You have seen this announcement in your local newspaper.
VOLUNTEER DAY
Have you ever been a volunteer? What did you do?
Tell us all about your experience.
The most interesting articles will be published in next month’s issue.
Write your article.
Question 3
Your English teacher has asked you to write a short story to be published in your
language school magazine. The story must begin with the following sentence:
That day Susan got home three hours later than normal, took off her heels, tied
her hair up and, looking worried, dialled a number on her phone.
Write your story.
Question 4
Yesterday you saw this notice in a famous book review magazine.
Book for the summer!
Do you have a favourite book you would always recommend for the summer? We are
looking for entertaining, fun and easy-to-read books.
If you have the perfect summer read, please send us a review and we will publish the
best ones next month.
Write your review.
______________________________END OF PART 3_______________________________
17
Instituto de Idiomas- UCJC
Castillo de Alarcón 49
Urb. Villafranca del Castillo
Villanueva de la Cañada
28692 Madrid
PRUEBAS DE ACREDITACIÓN LINGÜÍSTICA CERTACLES
CURSO 2014-15
IDIOMA: INGLÉS
NIVEL: B2
CONVOCATORIA: ABRIL 2015
PART 4 – USE OF ENGLISH
DURACIÓN: 30 MINUTOS
18
Instituto de Idiomas- UCJC
Castillo de Alarcón 49
Urb. Villafranca del Castillo
Villanueva de la Cañada
28692 Madrid
PART 4
USE OF ENGLISH
Questions 1–8
For questions 1–8, read the following sentences and decide which answer (A, B, C or D)
best fits each space. There is only one correct answer.
You can write your answer on the question paper and transfer your answers on to the answer sheet at the
end of the exam (you will have 5 minutes to do this).
1. The train _____ in at 22:05 last night.
A) got
B) arrived
C) landed
D) entered
2. My neighbour has a to _____ sign outside his house.
A) lend
B) rental
C) let
D) borrow
3. The floor is wet! It _____ Tom and his friends.
A) can be
B) were
C) must have been
D) may been
4. I had never come _____ that expression before.
A) up
B) across
C) out
D) with
5. He was going _____ a period of great uncertainty.
A) through
B) on
C) across
D) in
6. Some rich people give a lot of money _____.
A) in
B) across
C) around
D) away
19
Instituto de Idiomas- UCJC
Castillo de Alarcón 49
Urb. Villafranca del Castillo
Villanueva de la Cañada
28692 Madrid
7. The fire spread through the building quickly but everybody _____ escape.
A) may
B) managed
C) could
D) was able to
8. In this job you must learn to cope _____ stress.
A) against
B) with
C) up
D) over
Questions 9–14
For questions 9–14, form an appropriate word from the word given in capitals to fill each
gap.
You can write your answer on the question paper and transfer your answers on to the answer sheet at the
end of the exam (you will have 5 minutes to do this).
9. I am completely _______________ at tennis. I just can’t hit the ball.
HOPE
10. The information is biased and _______________.
RELY
11. I do the _______________ shop at Sainsbury’s every evening.
DAY
12. James had no _______________ but to trust him.
CHOOSE
20
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13. I was very _______________ with the cleanliness of the dining area. It was
disgusting!
SATISFACTION
14. My work colleague filed a health and safety _______________
COMPLAIN
Questions 15–20
For questions 15–20, complete the second sentence using between two and five words,
including the word given, so that it is similar in meaning to the first sentence.
You can write your answer on the question paper and transfer your answers on to the answer sheet at the
end of the exam (you will have 5 minutes to do this).
15. Although the weather was terrible, we played the match.
SPITE
We played the match ______________________ weather.
16. I always get up early, so I’m not tired.
USED
I ______________________ early, so I’m not tired.
21
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Castillo de Alarcón 49
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17. The last time I skied was in 1999.
SINCE
I ______________________ 1999.
18. “I didn’t eat the chocolates,” said Laura.
DENIED
Laura ______________________ the chocolates.
19. I took a taxi because it was raining.
BEEN
If it ______________________, I wouldn’t have taken a taxi.
20. My boyfriend would prefer me not to wear that skirt.
RATHER
My boyfriend ______________________ wear that skirt.
_______________________________END OF PART 4_________________________________
22
Instituto de Idiomas- UCJC
Castillo de Alarcón 49
Urb. Villafranca del Castillo
Villanueva de la Cañada
28692 Madrid