Oxford test practice, Exámenes de Inglés

¡Descarga Oxford test practice y más Exámenes en PDF de Inglés solo en Docsity!

PRACTICE TEST 2

C

Contents

• Test
• Speaking module
• Listening module
• Reading module
• Writing module

Part 4 Debate

1.04 (^) You are going to take part in a debate. First read and listen to the task, then decide what you want to say. You have two minutes to speak. Start speaking when you hear the tone.

Your tutor has asked you to take part in a class debate. You are going to put a case for or against the following statement:

‘Countries should import less food.’

Prepare your case for the debate. You should:

• use two OR three of the ideas below to argue your case
• provide support for the ideas you choose
• give a conclusion.

You now have 45 seconds to prepare. You can make notes if you wish.

Countries should import less food.

effect on the environment

people’s preferences for certain foods

needing to feed large populations

the importance of international trade

supporting the local economy

Part 5 Follow-up questions

1.05 (^) You are going to answer four questions on the topic of your debate. You have 40 seconds to answer

each question. Start speaking when you hear the tone.

Listening

Part 1

2.01 (^) Listen and choose the correct answer.

1 A luxury-soap maker is talking about opening a shop. She has decided to open a shop now because …

A finding experienced staff is straightforward. B interest in handmade products is increasing. C running costs and expenses are relatively low.

2 Listen to a radio discussion about moving to the countryside. What aspect of her new life did the woman struggle with?

A the attitude of her neighbours B the slower pace of life C the lack of an established routine

3 A professor is giving an interview about a writing challenge. How does he feel about the challenge?

A He applauds its main objective. B He is impressed by those who complete it. C He welcomes this way of finding new authors.

4 A man is talking to university students about career choices. What is the key piece of advice the man gives?

A Remember the value of having a clear career path. B Let go of any prejudices you have. C Apply for jobs that suit your personal qualities.

5 A scientist is telling her students about a research study. Which aspect of the study does she have doubts about?

A the contribution it makes to scientific understanding B the conditions under which it was carried out C the conclusion its authors came to

Part 3

2.03 (^) Listen to two company owners discussing the introduction of flexible working in their organizations. Match the people (the woman, the man, or both) to the opinions below.

You now have 30 seconds to look at the task.

1 Introducing flexible working has benefitted the company from a financial point of view.

2 Offering opportunities for flexible working has made the process of recruiting new employees more straightforward.

3 Allowing employees to work flexibly has improved staff attitudes towards the workplace.

4 Flexible working patterns create problems with regard to collaboration.

5 Attitudes to taking sick leave are changing as a result of flexible schedules.

6 Some customers have expressed dissatisfaction as a result of the introduction of flexible working.

Woman Man Both

Part 4

2.04 (^) Listen and choose the correct answer.

1 A student is asking her professor about an essay. What does the professor particularly want her to do?

A Avoid giving the essay a conventional focus. B Ensure that the essay is supported by references. C Concentrate on forming a clear structure in the essay.

2 An author is talking about book reviews. She tends to ignore reviews of her novels because …

A they distract her from her work. B any inaccuracies in them annoy her. C she finds negative comments discouraging.

3 Two students are discussing a documentary about fast fashion. What criticism of the documentary does the woman make?

A The topic of the programme lacked relevance. B The choice of interviewees was inappropriate. C There was too much focus on the presenter.

4 An archaeology professor is talking to his students. Why is the professor talking about an archaeological site?

A to encourage them to volunteer there B to suggest it as a possible focus for project work C to illustrate a problem they may face in the profession

5 A professor of fashion is talking to some students. Why is he talking to the students?

A to challenge them to make an original jacket if they want B to discourage them from making a jacket until a later date C to help them identify potential problems when making a jacket

3 Read the extract from a letter and choose the correct answer.

Dear Mr Edwards, I am writing to express concern over noise coming from 91 Ford Street, which I understand you own and let to tenants. I live in the house next door. I have been unsure whether to bring this problem to your attention, but the situation has now become intolerable, with loud music being played until past 2 a.m. on numerous occasions. As a professional writer working from home, this is proving extremely disruptive for me. I would respectfully request that you communicate my complaint to those currently in residence, as all direct approaches have been ignored. Going forward, I have no wish to make the situation a matter of official record unless forced to do so.

The writer previously avoided contacting Mr Edwards because she was …

A reluctant to trigger a legal dispute with him. B doubtful about the way he would respond to the situation. C hopeful of resolving the issue without his involvement.

4 Read the extract from a novel and choose the correct answer.

I lived at West Egg, the less fashionable of two oval-shaped peninsulas. My house was squeezed between two huge places that rented for 15,000 dollars a season. The one on my right was massive, with a tower on one side, a marble swimming pool and 40 acres of garden. It was Gatsby’s mansion. Or rather, as I didn’t know Mr Gatsby, it was a mansion inhabited by a gentleman of that name. My own house was rather hideous, but it had been overlooked, giving me a view of the water, a partial view of my neighbour’s lawn, and the comforting presence of millionaires – all for 80 dollars a month. Across the bay, the white palaces of East Egg shone.

Adapted and abridged from an authentic source, acknowledged at the end of the test.

This extract suggests that the narrator has …

A a fondness for a particular type of architecture. B a lifestyle that he struggled to afford. C a keen awareness of social status.

5 Read the extract from a medical journal and choose the correct answer.

Although numerous studies have analyzed the health effects of coffee, the contradictory nature of their conclusions has made the exact determination of the extent of its impact impossible. Before undertaking our study, we therefore analyzed potential causes of this inconsistency. Until recently, it was assumed that using non-drinkers of coffee as a control group, against which different categories of coffee drinker could be compared, was ideal. Logically speaking, this would identify correlations between health issues and relative coffee intake. However, information has come to light which demonstrates that non-drinkers of coffee significantly experience more health issues unrelated to coffee consumption than those who drink coffee. The group which consumes one cup per day was thus set as our control.

Why does the researcher refer to previous studies into the health effects of drinking coffee?

A to highlight the number of variables that were taken into account B to explain the alterations made to the methodology used C to challenge the accuracy of the data obtained from them

TEST 2 MODULE SPEAKING LISTENING READING WRITING PART 1 2 3 4

6 Read the blog entry and choose the correct answer.

Our team’s recent run of poor results – five defeats and two draws – has predictably triggered a torrent of complaints from fans on social media and football podcasts. In a way, it’s entertaining to observe comments tending to skate over the obvious – the toll that the gruelling fixture schedule inevitably takes on even the best-prepared athletes – and focusing on issues that always infuriate supporters. How can we possibly compete with our rivals when they buy all the most talented footballers? Why won’t the club’s owners loosen the purse strings and strengthen the side? Also, some memes target the footballers themselves by saying that many of them don’t care enough about the club or the fans to give 110% on the pitch.

The blogger attributes the recent poor performances of the football team he supports to …

A the quality of their opposition. B the attitude of certain players. C the number of games they play.

Part 3

Six sentences are missing from this text. Insert the correct sentence ( A–G ) into each gap ( 1–6 ). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. You have 11 minutes to complete this task.

Branding

Are brands a positive or a negative aspect of daily life?

Branding is a marketing concept that helps people identify a company or its products. To keep their brands fresh, companies constantly develop new products and services and new ways of promoting them. Without this activity, it would be hard to identify the specific things we’re looking for. For example, if we want to quench our thirst, or paint our house, branding helps us get what we want. Brands make life more predictable, and without them, we wouldn’t know what level of quality to expect from a product or which ones to trust. For instance, when it is late at night and you are feeling tired and hungry in a strange city, it can be comforting for us to come across a familiar burger restaurant or hotel chain.^1 It could also be argued that it’s the reassuring power of branding that gives us the confidence to try out new products and experiences. For example, the implied security provided by trusted travel brands encourages us to try new countries and new cultures. Brands can make people feel better about themselves. (^2) Not only do brands give products and services extra meaning, they help us to show off to others, or to raise self-esteem and boost our egos. They may also give us a sense of identity and belonging, often in the form of brand communities, and they get us to participate in the process of creating meaning and value. Some branding even encourages this: it’s through the power of brands attached to certain online auction websites that we’re able to sell things to the world. Branding can be good not just for consumers, but also for employees. Working for a good brand makes the job seem more worthwhile and can lead to employees feeling a stronger sense of belonging and believing that their work

has more than just monetary value, particularly when it’s for a business with a strong ethical brand.^3 It can mean, for example, that workers receive clear guidance on what to do and how to do it – like one UK supermarket’s mantra: ‘to serve Britain’s shoppers a little better every day’. Nevertheless, there’s a negative side to almost all these arguments. For consumers, branding can create homogeneity; however, while at one level we’ve never had more goods and services to choose from, at another there are fewer.^4 And in the online world, where brands help generate network effects, the result tends to be domination by just a few tech giants. The other big question mark over brands is whether they deceive us into buying things which are surplus to our requirements.^5 Their primary function is to create desire, to get us to pay more than we need to; to consume things we don’t need or that are bad for us, such as sugary drinks. Yet although branding creates desire, it doesn’t necessarily lead to satisfaction, and as some argue, could create permanently unfulfilled desires. So, what conclusions can we draw? The downsides are true, and while it would be a mistake to minimize them, the fact is that the most effective branding is ethical, in that it’s the projection of a truth; branding that lies tends not to last. Overall, the effect of branding is to force things into the open.^6 People tend to be very aware of branding and how it works, even while obeying its iron law. This knowledge has been amplified by the rise of Internet culture – as has people’s power to question it. Through social media, consumers have gained the means to call businesses to account, and in recent years have boycotted numerous companies that have incurred their displeasure.

Adapted and abridged from an authentic source, acknowledged at the end of the test.

A By operating under brand names, by using these powerful labels, companies are highly visible and central to people’s lives, and therefore natural objects of scrutiny. B What you want to stand for, especially if it’s highly principled, benefits all parties as it makes for better decision-making and practice. C Brands, therefore, both unite and divide us by making it clear to any observer what our tastes are, how wealthy we are, and perhaps even what we think. D It could be said, though, that what this apparent criticism represents is in fact the essence of brands and branding. E Being a consumer is often worrying, with a constant risk of making bad buying decisions, and one of the main psychological benefits of branding is to reduce that anxiety. F Global corporations drive out local, unbranded businesses, so that every city in the world now offers a seemingly identical range of shops, hotels, and even restaurants. G Rightly or wrongly, we are encouraged to believe we’ve made the smart choice, or that we’re the kind of people we’ve always wanted to be.

Part 4

Read the passage about folk music. For questions 1–5, choose the correct answer. You have 8 minutes to complete this task.

World music and folk music

The term ‘world music’ is used to describe music influenced by traditional cultures, usually from outside North America and the UK. Coined by the music industry in the West during the 1980s, this catch-all label lumps together such distinct genres as Tibetan chants and Cuban dance music, Bulgarian folk song and African drumming, spiritual music from Pakistan and desert blues from the Sahara. Over time, the concept of world music has changed. Elements of western pop and jazz music were often added to traditional folk styles to make them more palatable in lucrative markets, resulting in commercial triumphs for the new hybrid music. As this happened, critics pointed to a sameness in the music, a loss of regional distinctions, and the demise of traditional, local ways of making music. Many saw the rise of world music as a threat, with folk music being the victim of the very forces to which it had so richly contributed.

Polka, however, tells a different story. Its complexity as a folk dance of global proportions blurs the distinctions between folk and world music and belies attempts to classify it. Polka is found just about anywhere in the world that Western music has penetrated. With its original geographical epicentre in the northern part of today’s Czech Republic, the dance spread across Europe in the 19th^ century and was passed on by emigrants and travelling musicians to the rest of the world. Wherever polka travelled, musicians domesticated the dance, adapting it to local social functions, ensemble structures, and aesthetic parameters. Wherever it was played, polka became local, again donning the trappings of folk music.

No single explanation accounts for polka’s remarkable adaptability. Two general perspectives, however, prevail. We might regard the first perspective as top-down, a result

of polka’s inclusivity as multi-ethnic, multicultural music. According to this perspective, polka is not so much a style arising from a dance form, as a sound aesthetic that stretches as an umbrella over music expressing a collective identity. In contrast, bottom-up perspectives focus on the centre of polka style, identifying certain traits that allow anyone and everyone to participate in performance, whether as a musician, dancer, listener, or generally as an aficionado. Polka is the music of the folk, and as such it expresses collective consciousness. Both perspectives shed light on the geographical formation known as the ‘Polka Belt’ in North America, a cultural region defined by polka music stretching from the Midwest in the USA and the prairie provinces of Canada to the urban centres of the US east coast. The Polka Belt is a region of considerable girth, where cultural and ethnic diversity is the norm. Musical styles move fluidly along the Polka Belt, from notch to notch, and they combine to express the unique character of polka at a given notch. The ‘push style’ was developed in Chicago under the dominance of Polish American musicians such as Eddie Blazonczyk, while further east, Cleveland was home to Frankie Yankovic’s accordion-heavy Slovenian style. The popularity that polka has had across time and space depends in part on extensive intervention. Publishers of band parts and sheet music, local and national recording companies, and radio stations produce and reproduce polka music, distributing it widely. The media have remained effective because of their ability to parallel the globalized mediation of popular music, for example by influencing the people behind the annual Grammy Awards to create a category for polka music.

1 What point does the writer make in the first paragraph?

A Something valuable in music was ultimately damaged by the genre it helped to create. B Certain genres of music were overlooked to make the resulting mix more appealing. C Such a diversity of musical genres collected under one umbrella led to some becoming extinct.

2 What is the writer doing in the second paragraph?

A challenging conventional characterizations of polka B highlighting polka’s immunity to international borders C showing how polka has changed beyond all recognition

Adapted and abridged from an authentic source, acknowledged at the end of the test.

TEST 2 MODULE MODULE SPEAKINGSPEAKING LISTENINGLISTENING READINGREADING WRITINGWRITING PART 1 2

Writing

Part 1 Essay

You have 30 minutes to write an essay. Write 220–280 words.

You have been discussing the topic of museums in your class. Your tutor has asked you to write an essay on the following:

Items of cultural significance are often displayed in museums far from their place of origin.

Is this a good or a bad thing?

Your essay must include at least two of the following ideas:

• importance of diversity in collections
• importance of historical context
• importance of transferring knowledge.

Organize your essay clearly, introducing the topic, providing support for the points you make, and giving a conclusion.

Write your essay.

TEST 2 MODULE MODULE SPEAKINGSPEAKING LISTENINGLISTENING READINGREADING WRITINGWRITING PART 1 2

Part 2 Summary

You have 20 minutes to write a summary. Write 80–100 words.

You have been learning about an aspect of biology for a college course. You have read a textbook extract and attended a lecture and now your tutor has asked you to write a summary of the main ideas for your classmates to read.

Write one paragraph, combining information from the textbook extract and the lecture transcript to summarize the main ideas. Your summary should provide the reader with enough information to understand the main ideas from both texts.

Write full sentences, using your own words where possible. Do NOT write more than 100 words.

Textbook extract One of the biggest threats to survival for most animals is the threat of being eaten by another animal. Stick insects, for example, have a number of adaptations that allow them to avoid their predators. Firstly, as their name suggests, they look just like sticks in colour and shape, which means they have very effective camouflage in their natural habitat of trees and plants. Not only does the physical appearance of stick insects make them hard to see, but so does the way they act. They tend to stay perfectly still, especially during the day, and when they do move they sometimes sway as if being blown by the wind. This means that few predators will see a stick insect, even when it is right in front of them. If a bird or other predator does manage to spot it, the stick insect may have one further trick. Some stick insects can produce nasty substances that smell terrible and prevent their predators from trying to eat them.

Lecture transcript ‘So far we have looked at behavioural and structural adaptations, but there is one further way in which living things are adapted to their environment, and these are physiological adaptations. A physiological adaptation is basically a function or process inside the body that allows an organism to compete and survive. For example, the nettle is a plant that’s known for its painful sting. The sting is caused by a poison that the plant produces, and this is a physiological adaptation which prevents animals eating its green leaves. Remember – don’t confuse physiological with structural, which is an adaptation related to the actual appearance and shape of the organism. Behavioural adaptations are easy as it’s just about how something behaves. Every plant and animal will have examples of each of these different types of adaptations.’

Glossary habitat the place where a particular plant or animal normally lives organism a living thing predator an animal that eats other animals

Write your summary.