P R A C T I C E

- TESTS-
Five tests for the new
Cambridge First Certificate
in English

MARK HARRISON ROSALIE KERR

O X F O R D . U N I V E R S I T Y P
This book contains five complete practice tests for PART 3 Gapped text The type of language you will have to use in your
the revised First Certificate in English (FCE), letter may include, for example, the language of
Cambridge Level 3. Developed by experienced You will read a text from which 7 or 8 sentences or explaining, suggest~ng,complaining, describing,
writers, the tests accurately reflect the coverage paragraphs have been removed.The missing apolog~zing,reporting, persuading and giving and
and level of the real examination. Each of the texts sentences or paragraphs will be prlnted on the ask~nofor adv~ceand information.You should write
in Papers 1 and 3 has been taken from a different opposite page and you must dec~dewhere they fit In a s$le that is appropriate for the specified
source, in order to include examples of the wide in the text.There will always be one extra sentence reader of the letter:
variety of text types that you may find in the actual or paragraph that does not fit anywhere.You will
examination. be given the first answer as an example. la formal letter -+ 14; 80
lan informal letter + 36: 58
Note: In Papers 1, 3 and 4, you have to write your missing sentences + 10-11
answers on special answer sheets. See pages missing paragraphs + 32-33
116-119 for examples of these. PART 2
The five FCE Papers are described in detail below.
Page references to a relevant example of each
PART 4 Matching The choice of questions in Part 2 should provide
you with an opportunity to write about something
particular task type are included after the You will read a text or a series of short texts and related to your own interests and experience. All
symbol + . have to answer between 13 and 15 questions.You Paper 2 tasks state a context within which you are
will be asked to do one of the following tasks: expected to write and there is a genulne purpose
for writing.You will be given information about the
lmatch a list of statements, references or
Paper 1 Reading (1 hour opinions to the sections of the text In which they
target reader and you should think about the effect
you wish your piece of writing to have on that
15 minutes) l
appear + 12-13
match a list of statements, references or
reader.
In this paper, there are four parts and 35 questions op~nionsto people or things mentioned in the Questions 2,3 and 4 may be writing tasks of the
in all. Reading texts are taken from a range of text + 34-35; 56-57 following kinds:
sources, including newspapers, magazines, lmatch a list of statements, references or
leaflets, brochures, advertisements or books. Note opinions to information given In the text + 78- an informal letter + 15; 81
that in Part 2 the text may also be taken from a 79 a letter of application + 37; 59
short story, novel, biography or autobiography. lan article + 37; 103
There may be only one correct answer to a la report + 59; 81
question. However, sometimes more than one la composition -+ 81 ; 103
answer is required and this will be indicated. la short story + 15; 59
PART 1 Matching Where this IS the case, answers may be given in
any order.You will be given the first answer as an These tasks are usually presented through the
You will read a text that is divided into 7 or 8
example. rubric, which is never more than 70 words long.
sections and be asked to do one of the following
tasks: Question 5 consists of a choice of two tasks
Occasionally, there may also be one or two
lchoose which heading is appropriate for each multiple choice questions of a general type, which related to one of five 'background reading texts'.
ask about the text as a whole. Both tasks are of a general nature, in that they
section -+ 6-7
may be related to any of the five texts.The tasks
c h o o s e which sentence best summarizes each
are of similar types to those mentioned above.The
section + 28-29
background reading texts for December 1996 are:
In either case, you will have to answer 6 or 7 Paper 2 Writing (1 hour 30
Oxford Bookworm Collections Crime Never Pays
questions and you will be given a list of possible minutes) E. M. Forster A Passage to India
answers to choose from. There will be one extra
This paper has two parts of equal importance. Part Aldous Huxley Brave New World
heading or sentence that is not the answer to any
question and is not used.You will be given the 1 is a compulsory task for all candidates. In Part 2. Daphne du Maurier Rebecca
answer for the first section as an example. you must select one task from a choice of four. For G.B. Shaw Pygmalion
each part, you will be expected to wr~tebetween
120 and 180 words. making a total of between 240
PART 2 Multiple choice and 360 words for the whole paper. MARKING INFORMATION
You will read a text and be asked to answer 7 or 8 Paper 2 is marked by trained examiners, who are
usually teachers. The answer to each part is
multiple choice questions about it. For each PART 1 assessed according to a number of criteria.
question, you must choose A, B. C or D.
For Question 1 you have to write a'transactional' including the content of the piece of writing; the
Mostot the questionswi\\ ask about the details in \ene~,that \s,a \ e m w ~ c \ m ,n Tesponse to a accuracy of vocabulary, structure, spelling and
the text. Other questions may ask about these sltuatlon and itselt giving rise to turther act~on.You punc\ua%on.\hela-e ofuocabu\a~yanh
aspects: are asked to read up to three short texts, such as structure; the organization and cohesion of the
letters, adverts, postcards and extracts from piece of writing; the appropriacy of the register
lreferences in the text, for exampleWhat does 'it' and the general effect on the target reader.
in line 18 refer to? + 8-9 diaries or articles.There are sometimes additional
particular words and phrases used in the text, visual prompts, such as drawings or photographs.
l The UCLES General Mark Scheme for Paper 2 is
for example What does the writermean by All of this material, which is never more than 250
reproduced on page 139 of the'With Answers'
Yudgemental'in the fifth paragraph? + 30-31 words long, glves you information about a ed~tion.Thoughcorrect at time of going to press, it
the text as a whole, for example What is the situation.You then have to respond by writing a
l IS llkely to be subject to revision.
purpose of the article? + 52-53 suitable letter.
Detalled descriptions of suitable answers to the
Your letter should be almost entlrely based on the
tasks In thls book are given in the Key on pages
information given to you and you are not expected
129-138 of the 'With Answers'edition.There are
to draw on your own knowledge or imagination.
also sample student answers for the Part 1 tasks
Neither are you asked to take on the character of
on pages 140-144.
another person in order to write the \etter.You are
given the situation and should respond to it as you
would In real life.
 Introduction

&per 3 Use of English

(I hour I S minutes) questhm.+ 21
Inthis paper, there arefive parts and 66 questions
in all.- tcPdr,are taken from a varkty of sources,
wudkrgnewspeperor-w*
PART 5 Word formation
k o c h u r e g , ~ ~ o r b o o l c a This part focuses on vocabtilary.You wil read a
Texts for Part 4 may also be letters,reportsor shorttextwhichcontabgapsinmostorallofl
storiesandmeyindudsthe~geof lines. Nexl to eachgepped line there will be a word
descriptknor opinion. in~~%umustknnenotherwordfrom
Paper 5 Speaking (about
You will be ghren the first answer as an ample.
14 minutes for two .
PART 1 Multiple ohoice cloze You will have to answer 10questions. +22 candidates)
Inthis part, you will be testedmainlyon
Mcabulary.Youwillreadashorttextwithgapsin This~a~ercareistsdkwmrbpndtheta$ks
it.Foreeehgap,ywwillbegivmkurwo&or &oirgMngwd~~wmrtionand
short phrases and you must choow which one fib opinkna.The usual bmw$ ls an IntervkwwHhtwo
Paper 4 Listening (about candidatesand twot#amhm pnwent Incertain
44minutas) c i r c u ~ i t m e y b e ~ k r a ~
to have an individualinterview.When this is the
lwhich wrd or phrasefits in the context of what The l i m i n g test lasts approximately 35 minutes. case, the lengthof the inWvbw la 910 minute6
buarethengbenfiverninutestotranshyour and there is only one eacambrerpmsent. In Palas 2,
lw h i word goes together with the other words answentoyourenrwe~sheet.~mbr 3and4,theaxaminertakesthepleceofthe
oroompletesaphrase pertsand90qudoninall.hwillhearesch secondcendkleteinm
lwhichwordorphraseconectlylkrkspertsofa parttwice.
Dwkrgapah.dinSonriew,oneoflhehvo
lwhkh phrasalverb fits the meaning of what is exam~Pdrranlvaeanaaraclanranddoesnot
PART 1 Short ex-
h will begiventhe firatanswerasan ePcemple You will hear 8 short. undateddeca of about 30 speelcslthe~andmanageethe
andwill havetoanswer 15questions.+ 16-17 Interview.

choiceqrjeatiolj,b r which you wiil be givei We@

PART 2 Open c k m cholces,ABorC.Eachpuestknandbchdcss PART 1
Inthispatt,youwl#beta6tedmainlyongremmar.
hwillreadatextwithgepsinit.Vbumustfill
.achofthegaps~onewrdonly.Vwwillnot
begivenanywordstoohooeefmm.Thewordthat
you write will do one of the foilonring: who is speeldng
whatthespeakehpurposeis
lcomplete the meaningofttw sentence whatuleJtopicor-ls
completea phrase e w h r t f e d i n g o r ~ i s ~
go together with other wwds l details of what is saki
rmk the meaningwithin a mntwm minute.Theothermathenbeha
complete a phrasalverb You will have to answer 8 questions. +23
briefopporhlnilyto add his or hercommanteebout
Wu will be ghrenthe first answer as an example ywr p i a m beforebdngc&-n two Wren
ndwillhavetoan6wer15questions.+18 totaHcaboutkrthesamelerrPdhoftkne.VbuwWI
PART 2 Notetaklng ~~~~~~~~~~~hytocommenton
You will hear a piece krstingepproxlrnatelythree the oPhercandida8e's dctum.ThfaRart lasts
rninutes.There will be one or more speakers.The &ut 4 minutesin CDtirl.
mestionsare preeentedin the form of notes or
s;entenoesandtestywrundentendhrgofthe
inkumetionyou hear.You w i l heve to write a word

You will have to answer 10questiohe. +24 drawlrig to h a t with &e other dldate.Ybu will
beghrenarelatedtwkandyouwillhevea
dlsuidm t0gether.W Pert lasts about 3
PART 3 Matching
Mu will hear ftve short pieces, each lasting about
308econds.Therernaybeoneortwo~in PART 4
IIbe given an example at the beginning. + eachpiece.buwillbeadredtomatd,alistof
chaicegtothefivepieces.YouwiHbeghren6 lnthisfinalDartdthe'ntewiew.vouwilldiscuss
choices in all, but one of thesechdcesdoes not variou~~~reletedtothe~iofpart3with
answer any of the questions. the other candidateand the interlocutor, sharina
your view andjustifying your opinions.~his
You will have to answer 5 questiom. +25 lasts about 4 minutes.

PART 4 Selectingfrom two or three ASSESSMENT

possible answers Inthe interview.vou will be asmsmdon vour use
Inthspert of the test you will hear one piece,
i of grammar and ~hmbulary,your pronunbetkn
which will last for about three rninutes.Therewill and vour abilHv to communicatee d f d w b in
be one, two or three speakers. The questionswill di&ssion with other people.

C
Test 2 Paper 5 Speaking
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