Centre Number
Candidate Number
Candidate Name
Cambridge English: ESOL Skills for Life
ESOL Skills for Life Reading Level 2
D713
Sample Test B
Time
1 hour 30 minutes
INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
Do not open this question paper until you are told to do so.
Write your name, centre number and candidate number in the spaces at the top of this
page and on your answer sheet if they are not already there.
Read the instructions for each part of the paper carefully.
Answer all the questions.
Read the instructions on the answer sheet.
Mark your answers on the answer sheet. Use a pencil.
You must complete the answer sheet within the time limit.
At the end of the test, hand in both this question paper and your answer sheet.
INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES
There are 40 questions in this paper.
Each question carries 1 mark.
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2
Part 1
Questions 1 – 6
Look at the following three extracts and questions.
For each question, mark the correct answer A, B, C or D on your answer sheet.
The extract for questions 1 and 2 is from a magazine article.
English weather
It was the eighteenth-century English author Samuel Johnson who noted that ‘when two Englishmen
meet, their first talk is of the weather’. More than two centuries later, little has changed: weather is an
enduring English obsession. According to the UK Meteorological Office (familiarly known to all as the
Met Office), weather reports are the third most watched type of TV broadcast. And when BBC Radio 4
proposed cutting the late-night shipping forecast, which provides weather news for the seas around
the coasts of the British Isles, there were many complaints from listeners – most of whom never went
anywhere near the sea.
Despite this interest in the weather, the English are kept on their toes. A few weeks without rain and
water bans in gardens and public places are put in place; too much rain and rivers burst their banks,
submerging low-lying towns in water. Similarly, a sprinkling of snow – the amount that in Germany or
Switzerland would be brushed off without a second thought – often brings English motorways to
a standstill. The rail network is particularly susceptible to weather delay: trains have been cancelled
for everything from leaves on the track to even the wrong kind of snow.
1
The writer describes how bad weather can
A
B
C
D
2
affect media broadcasts.
flood certain areas.
cause damage to railways.
make roads more dangerous.
What is the best summary of the extract?
A
B
C
D
The weather in other countries makes the English envious.
The weather defines Englishness in a way that nothing else does.
The weather has remained the most popular topic in the English media.
The weather fascinates the English but they have difficulties coping with it.
3
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The extract for questions 3 and 4 is from a magazine article.
Science Today
In the UK alone, it is estimated that more than 1.3 million people practise science, technology or
engineering. And scientific facts are everywhere, grabbing the news headlines, it seems, with
increasing frequency. In such a climate, you might expect scientists to be celebrity icons, praised for
increasing our quality of life. After all, thanks in part to the efforts of scientists, we live longer, we can
access an ever-increasing range of new vaccines and medicines, and we are surrounded by a wealth
of high-tech gadgetry designed to make our lives easier and more enjoyable.
Of course, this is not the reality at all. Scientists are never spotted at the exclusive parties that
welcome singers, actors, musicians, dancers, writers, sportsmen and artists with open arms. This
situation reflects the way the public seems to overlook the scientific profession. As a biologist, filling
out online forms, I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve been at a loss when asked to tick a box
describing my profession. You can scroll down a lengthy list from accountant to zookeeper and not
see the term ‘scientist’ or any of its synonyms. Not for the first time, I pause to ask myself why 1.3
million people are effectively invisible. Especially when you consider, for example, that the UK police
force numbers only about 161,000 – about eight times fewer than scientists – yet still manages to be
right up there with doctors, lawyers and teachers in terms of professional visibility.
3
What does the word this in the section beginning ‘Of course…’ refer to?
A
B
C
D
4
the high status that scientists enjoy in society
the level of media coverage devoted to scientific issues
the number of people employed in scientific professions
the impact of scientists’ work on people’s everyday lives
The writer mentions the police force as an example of a profession which
A
B
C
D
deserves wide recognition.
needs more recruits to join the profession.
has a high public profile despite its size.
has much in common with doctors, lawyers and teachers.
4
The extract for questions 5 and 6 is from a magazine article.
The Business of Fashion
As part of the Edinburgh Fashion Week, a seminar was held entitled The Business of Fashion.
Leaders in industry, fashion and trend analysis were invited to talk to young designers, students and
the media on various topics.
Dion Brooke spoke about the need to make consumers loyal to a brand. Consumers have too much
information and too much choice therefore the temptation to change their minds, to sway this way
and that, is an ever present one across most aspects of their lives. To stand out from the crowd,
brands need to make themselves clearly different from their competitors, and to have a particular
character.
Lilac Osanjo spoke about Turning a Fashion Idea into an Enterprise. Her view was that an idea
was influenced by personal experiences, stories, culture and other things. The difference between
an idea and a great idea was that the latter was fresh, unique and memorable. Something you could
‘feel’ without explanation. But any idea, however good, remained just that until someone saw a
reason for it – people don’t buy products, they buy solutions. More importantly, ideas and products
were useless until there was a market for them - someone who is willing to pay for what you’re
producing at the price you’re charging.
5
According to Dion Brooke, part of the solution to customer disloyalty is for companies to
A
B
C
D
6
employ people who react well to change.
have a clear business plan and stick to it.
develop a very distinctive identity for their brands.
concentrate their efforts on a more limited range of brands.
Lilac Osanjo made the point that a fashion idea is only valuable if it
A
B
C
D
receives significant financial backing.
fulfils real needs that people have.
can be described using very few words.
can be appreciated by people of different cultures.
5
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Part 2
Questions 7 – 12
Look at the following job advertisement, job application and questions.
For each question, mark the correct answer A, B, C or D on your answer sheet.
Text A
Restaurant Supervisor
Salary: £14,500 - £15,600 per year
Job type: Full-time, permanent
Location: Woking, Surrey
Closing date: 27 June
This is a fantastic opportunity for a motivated, enthusiastic individual to work in Woking Manor, a busy
branch of the Green Views Hotel Group. The hotel restaurant is housed in a prestigious property and
offers a classic British menu for diners and business conference guests.
____________________________
As Restaurant Supervisor, you will report to the Restaurant Manager and lead the front of house
team. You will need to identify the training and development needs for each individual in your team,
along with planning work rotas and assisting with the recruitment of new staff when necessary. Using
the experience gained in a similar role working for a busy four- or five-star hotel, you will have the
freedom to demonstrate your ability and implement new ideas by leading from the front and taking
responsibility for your team.
If you are interested, please send a cover letter and CV to [email protected], quoting
reference number K1079721.
Text B
To whom it may concern,
I am applying for the post of Restaurant Supervisor, which was advertised in last week’s edition of
Jobs Newsletter. I believe that I have the requisite skills and experience to fulfil the requirements of
the job.
Currently, I am Head Waiter at Langdon’s Restaurant in Buckinghamshire, where I have been working
for the past three years. I have gained considerable experience of running all aspects of large, busy
restaurants, including taking bookings, ordering stock, supervising staff, organising their shifts and
following health and safety regulations.
I am a hardworking, confident and determined person who can work both individually and within a
team to meet targets. I have excellent communication skills, and can speak Polish and Russian in
addition to fluent English. I also have a good working knowledge of IT, which enables me to complete
all administrative duties accurately and efficiently.
Please see the attached CV for further details of my professional background. I would be happy to
attend an interview at any time of your convenience.
Yours faithfully,
Dorota Trzcinska
6
7
The main purpose of the first paragraph in Text A is to
A
B
C
D
8
What is the best subheading for the second paragraph in Text A?
A
B
C
D
9
restaurants
bookings
staff members
regulations
What is mentioned in Text B but not in Text A?
A
B
C
D
12
achieve something
decide on something
start using something
succeed in doing something
What does their in the second paragraph in Text B refer to?
A
B
C
D
11
Innovation and originality
Duties and responsibilities
Leadership and teamwork
Training and development
What does implement in the second paragraph in Text A mean?
A
B
C
D
10
describe the facilities of the hotel.
explain why tourists visit the hotel.
suggest that it is good to work at the hotel.
provide information about the Green Views Hotel Group.
knowledge acquired in a previous job
personal qualities required to do the job
certain rules that apply to the workplace
knowledge of negotiating staff contracts
In which paragraph in Text B does Dorota mention arranging to meet the recruiter?
A
B
C
D
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 4
7
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Part 3
Questions 13 – 18
Look at the following invitation letter and the questions on the opposite page.
For each question, mark the correct answer A, B, C or D on your answer sheet.
Dear students,
Wimbledon University graduation ceremony
I have the pleasure of inviting you to participate in the university graduation ceremony, which this year
will be held at the City Campus (not at the Millennium Campus as announced previously) on 16 July.
To take part in the ceremony, please complete the Booking Form overleaf, detach carefully along the
perforated line and post it back to us. Your booking form should be returned to the Graduation Office
no later than 15 June; otherwise no tickets can be guaranteed for you, your friends or your family.
Once you have been booked into the appropriate ceremony, your tickets and an information booklet
containing general details of the day will be sent to you. For updates on whether we have received
your booking form, the number of guest tickets you have been allocated and whether your information
booklet has been sent out, please visit our website and log on to the graduation pages using your
student ID number and email password. If you have any questions relating to what will happen on the
day that are not answered on the website, you can also email us at [email protected].
Please note that this invitation is sent to students who are expecting to complete their programme of
study prior to the date of the ceremony. It is not proof of graduation, or that your course has been
completed. To be eligible to graduate, you need to have satisfied the minimum requirements of your
department.
Please also note that there will be no parking provided for students or guests at the Campus on the
day, so alternative travel arrangements should be made. A number of buses stop near the Campus
and it is well-served by local taxi companies. Useful advice on possible disruptions to travel can be
found on the Transport for London website.
I hope that you will take this opportunity to attend and enjoy this happy occasion.
Professor Christopher Wood
Principal
8
13
What does the writer say about the graduation ceremony in the first paragraph?
A
B
C
D
14
The second paragraph says that students should email the university
A
B
C
D
15
give important study advice to students.
clarify the significance of the letter to students.
warn students against breaking university rules.
remind students about the documents they need.
What does it in the third paragraph refer to?
A
B
C
D
18
offered in advance
reserved for a later time
given for a specific purpose
shared among different people
The purpose of the third paragraph is to
A
B
C
D
17
to request an information booklet.
to get access to the online graduation pages.
if there is a delay in tickets arriving.
if they cannot find the information they need.
What does allocated in the second paragraph mean?
A
B
C
D
16
Tickets for it are free of charge.
There has been a change in venue.
It has been rescheduled to another day.
The number of tickets per student is limited.
invitation
programme of study
ceremony
proof of graduation
The fourth paragraph advises students to
A
B
C
D
consider using public transport.
use only recommended taxi firms.
avoid parking at the Campus if possible.
check online for the best route to the Campus.
9
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Part 4
Questions 19 – 25
Look at the following newspaper article and questions.
For each question, mark the correct answer A, B, C or D on your answer sheet.
London’s Café Oto: Britain’s coolest music venue
It's a Thursday night at Café Oto and emotions are running high. A hushed crowd has just spent two hours
listening to the legendary Robert Wyatt play tracks, mainly from his old albums. The huge windows in this
converted warehouse building are steamed up and one audience member is close to tears, having just
been telling Wyatt how much his music means to him. Wyatt receives an ecstatic cheer.
Café Oto, founded by Englishman Hamish Dunbar and his Japanese partner Keiko Yamamoto, claims to be
the only UK venue that exclusively promotes experimental music and musicians. One concert featured
Japan's Otomo Yoshihide, who performed there last year. They had to switch off the bar fridges as the
hum coming from them was louder than the show, which featured Yoshihide ‘playing’ the edge of a credit card
on a record player that wasn’t plugged in.
Having survived without funding since its opening, Café Oto has just celebrated its fourth anniversary –
and a sudden turn in its financial fortunes. Not only has Arts Council England, a government-funded
organisation, given it a £20,000 grant, it has also won a new £30,000 prize from the Genesis Foundation, a
UK-based charity, for its work in providing a platform for musicians. Café Oto has also received acclaim from
abroad, with the Italian version of Vogue Magazine recently calling it the coolest venue in Britain.
However, even though it’s situated in Dalston in east London, one of the most fashionable places to see
the latest art and hear the newest music, the crowd watching Robert Wyatt are hardly high fashion, even if
there is a pop star, singer Alexis Taylor, present. The audience is mostly made up of the kind of serious
young men you see carefully inspecting the shelves of small, independent record shops throughout the
country. Café Oto is not the sort of place where you stand around chatting while the bands play. ‘You'd have
to be socially inadequate to talk when there are 200 people all keeping totally silent,’ says Dunbar. ‘But it's
very rare that I have to tap someone on the shoulder. Everyone’s considerate to each other.’
Dunbar, 32, grew up in Devon, southwest England, listening to his father's jazz records. He met
Yamamoto at Central Saint Martins College of Art in London, where he was studying painting and she fine
art. After a short while in Tokyo, Japan, enjoying the city’s experimental music venues, the pair got the
idea of setting up something similar in London. Every bank turned them down for a loan; but, says Dunbar,
‘there was this thing in the Borough of Hackney where the council would give you loans to start a business if
you got refused by a bank.’ They were awarded £25,000, which they recently paid back.
Café Oto (the word means ‘noise’ or ‘sound’ in Japanese) opened four years ago and, for the first two years,
Dunbar and Yamamoto worked 17-hour days, seven days a week. ‘Just a couple of hours of sleep,’ says
Yamamoto. ‘Just me and Hamish from morning to night, making coffee and booking bands from a laptop
behind the counter. We didn't have any money, but at least we were doing what we wanted to do.’ The secret
of the venue’s success is its focus on what Yamamoto describes as ‘underground music’. ‘We turn down huge
amounts of stuff,’ she says. ‘If it's bland and boring and being done in other places, why do it here?’
The extra funding from the Arts Council will help the couple to cover the running costs of the venue, and
the Genesis Foundation money will be used to support five local musicians, get them onto the programmes
of European festivals, and set up collaborations with musicians from outside of Europe, where Dunbar says
experimental music is better funded. Dunbar seems unshakeably committed to his project. ‘Sometimes I think
this is too much work. But we're stubborn and that’s really important. To do something like this you have to be
determined.’
10
19
In the first paragraph, the writer says that Robert Wyatt
A
B
C
D
20
Why does the writer mention Otomo Yoshihide?
A
B
C
D
21
during a trip to Japan.
while they were at art college.
after they were given £25,000.
as they were listening to jazz music.
What does Yamamoto say about her first two years working in Café Oto?
A
B
C
D
25
tend to be awkward around other people.
are men working in the music industry.
respect the way they are expected to behave.
make every effort to be seen in the company of celebrities.
Dunbar and Yamamoto first decided to create a music venue in London
A
B
C
D
24
led to the venue being awarded further funding by another organisation.
helped overcome the difficult financial situation that the venue was in.
enabled the venue to make a profit in four years.
drew the attention of journalists at Vogue Magazine.
The writer believes that the people who go to Café Oto
A
B
C
D
23
to show how having the latest technology is unnecessary in music venues
to demonstrate how the venue contributed to his popularity in Britain
to give an example of the kind of music that the venue supports
to illustrate the superiority of experimental music
The writer says that the funding Café Oto received from Arts Council England
A
B
C
D
22
played much longer than was expected.
had the complete attention of his audience.
deliberately avoided playing his new songs.
was deeply moved by the audience’s reaction.
It was more exhausting than she had expected.
The lack of staff created some problems.
It made her appreciate her partner more.
The work she was doing made her feel content.
What does Dunbar intend to do with the money from the Genesis Foundation?
A
B
C
D
redecorate the venue
organise European festivals
create links with foreign musicians
help local musicians set up businesses
11
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Part 5
Questions 26 – 40
Look at the following questions and the magazine article about four women’s views on British cuisine.
For each question, choose from the women A – D. The women can be chosen more than once.
There is an example at the beginning (0).
Mark your answers on your answer sheet.
Which woman
mentions a wedding in another country?
0
was disappointed with the quality of a dish, considering her location?
26
mentions the fact that a dish is unavailable in her country?
27
had to live off substandard food for a while?
28
grew accustomed to an unfamiliar taste in Britain?
29
says that British people today have a greater respect for their cuisine?
30
says some people in Britain have become more adventurous when choosing food?
31
had high expectations of British food before she came to the country?
32
says the cultural mix of the British population can explain the type of food you can buy?
33
says she has a good appetite?
34
says British food is best when not too many things are added to it?
35
compares a product from her own country with a similar product from another?
36
had a negative experience of British food before she arrived in this country?
37
decided to relocate to Britain without careful planning?
38
sometimes wishes she could add flavour to a meal?
39
was struck by the contrast in the way people dined together?
40
12
A
What we think about British cuisine
Four women from different countries give their views on British cooking
A
Sri from Indonesia
I married an Englishman in Indonesia in 1962 and he had talked about his mother being an excellent
cook, so I always thought British food would be very good. I’d also read a lot of English literature and
the food described in it always sounded delicious. When I arrived, I wasn’t disappointed: for our first
three months, we stayed at my mother-in-law’s house and her cooking was wonderful. We always
had a Sunday roast and I completely fell in love with roast beef, which we don’t get in Indonesia.
There is one thing I don’t like about British food, though – I hate it when vegetables come to the table
overcooked so they have hardly any taste. It makes me long for some hot chilli sauce. But the
cooking in this country has definitely improved a lot in recent years, although I am a bit disappointed
that ordinary restaurants are still quite bad. And I wouldn’t say living here has influenced the way I
cook – I still do everything the way that I learnt, watching my grandmother.
B
Tiko from Georgia
Although I had a great job in Georgia, I got to the point when I needed to see what I was capable of
doing. This is why, despite not ever having left my country for more than two weeks, I suddenly
decided one day to pack my bags and leave for England. Luckily, I quickly made a few English
friends who invited me over for dinner and I found that everything’s so different here. People here
seemed pretty quiet. In Georgia it was like Christmas every day – there would always be 20 people
at the table and you never knew who was going to knock on your door to join the party. As for the
food itself, I love fish and chips, and even Brussels sprouts, which tasted so strange at first, seem
delicious to me now! I do miss certain things from my country, though. Whenever I go back home, I
live on traditional cornbread and a cheese called suluguni. It’s like Italian mozzarella cheese but a
bit saltier. This is the thing I miss the most.
C
Ludmilla from Latvia
I came to this country with no definite plans, just to work and get some overseas experience. I had
very limited knowledge of British food, most of which I got from an English friend, who liked
to serve up English breakfasts swimming in fat. During the first couple of months, I didn’t eat
anything better because I had very little money. I was mainly living on those horrible slices of pizza
that you can get on street corners for £1. But I was lucky because I soon got a well-paid job and
started visiting good places to eat. I think the quality of the food here has improved a million-fold,
and people's attitudes have changed. They’re more willing to try new things. And living here’s
definitely influenced my cooking style. I’ve embraced that whole fusion thing, mixing and matching
different kinds of food from all over the world. Nowhere else in the world has access to the broad
range of ingredients that you get here. I didn't really expect so much diversity, but it makes sense
when you look at the UK’s demographic.
D
Signe from Norway
I moved to Britain because I got a place to study at Sussex University. I’ve always loved my food and
can’t get enough of it so I was deeply disappointed when I found that the food in the student halls was
abysmal! And I was surprised by how hard it was to get good fish and chips, even though we
were close to the sea. It was only when I visited a restaurant called Maximillian’s a couple of years
back that I was really impressed by British food. I remember thinking, ‘This is how it should be –
really tasty, really simple and without too much embellishment.’ There's definitely more pride in good
British cuisine these days. There seems to be a real revival, not just in the skills of cooking, but also
in the production of things like cheeses, bread and pastries, and the rearing of animals. I do enjoy
British food but I miss things from Norway, particularly Arctic cloudberries, and their musky smell. As
a child I didn't like them but now they remind me of home.
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