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90 90 minutesminutes

THE ENGLISH TESTS

READING COMPREHENSIONREADING COMPREHENSION

GRAMMAR & USAGE TESTGRAMMAR & USAGE TEST

AURAL AURAL COMPREHENSIONCOMPREHENSION

to review….

…with to help you score high !

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MCQ MCQ 1 h30 min1 h30 min

4 main sections4 main sections• Grammar

• 20 questions – 15 minutes

• Find the error

• 15 questions – 20 minutes

• Vocabulary Exercise

• 25 questions -- 15 minutes

• Reading Comprehension

• 20 questions – 40 minutes

with an answer sheet to mark your answerswith an answer sheet to mark your answers

Marking systemMarking system

There is only one right answer

Correct answer = 3 points

Incorrect answer = minus 1 point

Unanswered question = 0 point

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• Grammar

• 20 questions – 15 minutes

I …..see them every Sunday.

• a) use to

• b) was used to

• c) used to

• d) was use to

45 seconds !!! c

We will have tea when they ….

• a) are arrived.

• b) arrive.

• c) will arrive.

• d) are arriving.

45 seconds!!!b

Basic grammar

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• Grammar

They gave us ….information about the subject.

• a) little

• b) many

• c) few

• d) a few

45 seconds !!! a

This floor is very dirty. It needs …

• a) being washed.

• b) washing.

• c) to wash.

• d) to washing.

45 seconds!!!b

Less basic grammar !

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• Grammar

The earthquake killed….people.

• a) 2 millions

• b) 2 millions of

• c) 2 million

• d) 2 million of

45 seconds !!! c

I always let her….what she likes.

• a) to do

• b) do

• c) doing

• d) done45 seconds!!!b

Less basic grammar !

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•Find the error

• 15 questions – 20 minutes

Errors can be either punctuation, spelling or grammar

The company director said that a) due to the b) poor annual results, he would be c) firing employees d) rather that hiring new staff.

80 seconds !! d

The a) Turkish work force is now an b) integral part of c) the German d) economics.

d80 seconds !!

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Errors can be either punctuation, spelling or grammar

David, a) the older of the three brothers, b) was desperate to persuade his partners c) that they should sell now, before things d) got worse.

80 seconds !! a

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•Vocabulary Exercise (1)

• 25 questions -- 15 minutes

The chairman acted to stop a nasty financial crisis.

a) drastic b) disastrous c) unpleasant d) catastrophic

1. Choose the word(s) which has been/have the closest meaning to the word(s) underlined

36 seconds !!

c

The government will have to implement more social programmes.

a) fashion b) work out c) pass d) introduce

36 seconds !!

d

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•Vocabulary Exercise (2)

• 25 questions -- 15 minutes

barter

a) exchange b) borrow c) lend d) hire

2. Choose the word(s) which has a similar meaning to the word in bold type

36 seconds !!

a

shortage

a) size b) lack c) abundance d) little

36 seconds !!

b

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•Reading Comprehension

• 20 questions – 40 minutes

Newsweek, November 6th, 2000 Out in the ColdOut in the Cold (credit card

fraud)

The Economist, November 11th 2000

Talking To Each OtherTalking To Each Other

10 10 questions on each textquestions on each text

Read the questions quickly first !

You’ll know what to look for as you go through the text !

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Now,Now,

please check the questions on your hand-out for 44 minutes

Now,Now,

you’ve got 1616 minutes left to read the text and answer the questions

20 minutes per text

Stop!Stop!

Check the answers on the answer sheet

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71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80

Answers

Remember!

• 20 minutes per text to read and answer the questions

• you must switch to text n°2 after 20 minutes..so don’t forget to bring your watch!

C D B A C A D B DC

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http://www.editions-ellipses.com

ALAIN LE HOQCM d’ANGLAIS par

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THE AURAL/ORAL TEST

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The ‘IénaIéna’ format

1. A dialogue -- never more than 2 people

2. A dynamic tone – from radio interview to casual conversation

3. A variety of accents -- US/British/Irish/Australian/Canadian..

4. Male & female voices

5. Social, economic, business & political issues -- from last July up until the end of the year

6. Wider general issues for you to explore -- drawing on your general background knowledge of the country/ies

7. Preparation: 20 minutes

8. Length of recording: 3min30s (approximately)

9. Oral interview: 20 minutes

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The examiner’s expectations during those 20 minutes:

1. A structuredstructured summary (une synthèse in French):i.e. a summary organising the logical sequencelogical sequence of issues, not necessarily in the order they appear on the tape

2. An analysisanalysis followed by personal commentspersonal comments

3. Question/Answer session3. Question/Answer session with the examiner covering wider issues relating to the topic

…with eye-contact and lively interaction !!

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« le candidat doit reformuler le dialogue dans un ordre différent, le recomposer en utilisant peut-être d’autres termes, en montrant la ligne directrice et en dégageant les idées générales illustrées si besoin par des exemples » 

1°

structured summary

2°

short analysis

To show you identified the issues, the opposing arguments, the limitations of the ideas put forward

3°

your comments

Your own reaction to the ideas put forward.

More recent developments relating to the topic.

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How to manage your 20 minutes How to manage your 20 minutes preparation time efficientlypreparation time efficiently

1. Use a grid like this one:

VOICE A VOICE B

Type of dialogue Tone

Questions/Ideas Questions/Ideas

Broader Issues Broader Issues

Male/Female/Accent

Interview/Casual conversation

/Debate

Angry/friendly/etc

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RecommendationsRecommendations

• 3-Step Preparation First listening (4 mins)

Second listening – step by step

(8 mins) Building up your presentation: central ideas + comments and ideas + introductory statement (8 mins)

Focus on what is essential

Structure your comments around this

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Now

Let’s have a closer look

at some dialogues from last year’s exam

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Dialogue 1 A: Hello Mark, it’s good to see you again. How is everyone in the Toronto office?B: Everyone’s fine thanks. How about colleagues here in London?A: Not too bad, thank you for asking. I see you haven’t kicked that awful smoking habit since last year.B: Not yet, but I’m getting closer and closer every day. Between the rising price and these graphic photos printed on every pack now, I think about quitting every time I reach for a cigarette.

Casual introduction

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Dialogue 2A: Today I’ll be talking with Dr Jones, a business school professor who’s been studying effective business operations in Britain and the US. Some of his conclusions are rather surprising. But first, Dr. Jones, the advantages of modern technology. Surely with laptops, mobiles and faxes, people don’t need to meet as often as before.B: There’s no doubt that these technologies have made an enormous contribution in terms of speed and efficiency. But more and more companies are realizing that, once again, man is a social animal. Meeting face-to-face is much more productive in business than communicating from a distance with new technologies.

Interview with an expert

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Dialogue 3A: So, you’re going to buy a new cell phone. What type are you going to buy? B: I don’t know. It’s so difficult to decide. There are different tariffs, different standards, different capabilities and we know it’s all going to change in the next few months. It really is difficult to choose. What do you think?

Informal Discussion

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Dialogue 4A: And now for a special report on social responsibility in the fashion industry. Our guest is John Smith, a human rights consultant based in London. John, many people associate the fashion industry with sweatshops in Third World countries, making clothes that are then sold under designer labels in Western countries. In typical sweatshops, employees work six days a week and earn a very low hourly wage. Could you inform our listeners about the new trends in the textile industry with respect to these issues?

Long exposition

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Now we’ll listen to a complete dialogue from the

last year’s exam.

Make notes on your worksheet.

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Subject: Situation:

Speaker A: Speaker B:

• Obesity in the USA New Yorker filed lawsuit against fast food companies – blames them for obesity and health problems- CRAZY!

Informal discussion between man and a woman

• Obesity problem exploited by groups in favour of ‘nanny state’. Also activists such as animal rights, anti-capitalists etc.

• Not so crazy. Obesity real problem in US.Statistics:* 1991: 15% obese 1999: 27%* Teen obesity tripled since 1980 (now 10%)* 60% adults, 25% children obese or overweight* Obesity a factor in 300,000 deaths/year* Cost of treating cancer/heart disease: $117 billion in 2000!

• Companies spend huge amounts on advertising. Threat of litigation could make them more responsible. Brand experts advocate better labelling, smaller portions, healthier menus.

• Can’t blame fast food chains. Not addictive like tobacco. Personal choice – satisfies psychological need

Obesity in the USA

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Questions on Dialogue 13 as they appeared in the Examiner’s Examiner’s Notes.Notes.

To what extent is the government responsible for a nation’s health?

Why is obesity more of a problem in the USA than elsewhere?

What do you think about the « litigation culture » which exists in the USA?

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The End of Free File The End of Free File SharingSharing

The Green MovementThe Green MovementCloning Cloning

UK SupermarketsUK Supermarkets

Online DegreesOnline Degrees

Cell phone cameras Cell phone cameras

Working Hours in the UKWorking Hours in the UK

Changing US WorkforceChanging US Workforce

The Cosmetics MarketThe Cosmetics MarketSport as Sport as BusinessBusiness

Fair Trade CoffeeFair Trade Coffee

The ApprenticeThe Apprentice

The Latino MarketThe Latino Market

The Governor of The Governor of CaliforniaCalifornia

15 dialogues15 dialogues2 people2 people !! !! 4 minutes long4 minutes long

20 minutes preparation20 minutes preparationSocial, environmental, Social, environmental,

cultural or business issuescultural or business issues

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www.leslangues.com

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www.englishblog.com

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HOW TO PREPARE (continued)

SORRY,

OUT OF PRINT NOW

–

GO TO YOUR LOCAL LYCEE’S LIBRARY

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