BBELS CAMBRIDGE FIRST CERTIFICATEPRE-PLACEMENT TEST Total Pages: 11 including front page, answer sheet & writing TOTAL TIME: 90 MINS PART 1: READING 25 MINS /28 MARKS (2 marks each) PART 2: USE OF ENGLISH 45 MINS /40 MARKS (1 mark each) PART 3: WRITING 20 MINS /20 MARKS TOTAL MARKS /88 Please scan + email your completed test to [email protected] Good luck and be honest! 1 Choose the most suitable heading from the list A-I for each part (1-7) of the article. 1: You are going to read a newspaper article about a woman who has become very wealthy. There is an example at the beginning (0).READING. There is one extra heading which you do not need to use. A Bigger aims B Overcoming doubts C Expecting little D Don’t just think about it E The business takes off F Destination decided G Setting up in business H From poverty to wealth I A remarkable woman 2 . however. but he just laughed when I told him and he kept 3 me on. Now she and her business partner. says: ‘The main reason for her succeeding is that she 2 insisted on chasing a dream. emigrated to New Zealand.’ had been there on a short stop-over once before and I just had to live there. Philip. But that just wasn’t me. But I just pushed the thought aside and carried on with my dream. are selling their firm. Go home and get a normal job. then just go just loved the place. first. for what I’d got. to the giant US-based infomercial that I was a photographer and he took me on. flew to Auckland. Rags to Riches The woman who made ₤20m after emigrating with ₤5 in her pocket. I conned the manager Marketing. The flight 7 took all the cash I had. ‘I wanted skin a healthy look. a method for tying hair. company. ‘People would often Natural Glow. I told him I was country with only ₤5 in your pocket.” I only had two suitcases of clothes to my name. ‘I you’re there. Whether it was India ‘infomercials’ – TV adverts that can last up to or the English seaside. who for it and worry about what happens once left school at fifteen without qualifications. Susan Barnes. ‘At that. there was no response at all’ she recalled. which she sold in a shopping mall. A friend in England said he could Imagine you’d begun a new life in a new probably get me some work. Other say that I was mad and should get a job in products followed. has done just Later they made their first infomercial. 0 call.’ Miss Barnes’s brother. factory workers Albert and when she hit on the idea of devising a cream Eileen. 41. That’s always been my attitude. where she lived with Miss Barnes made a big breakthrough her parents. I wondered what 45 minutes – showing off household gadgets would be there for me. I didn’t know a thing about photography. few weeks and then gave Paul a “You’re mad. except for the ₤5. who once Their first venture together was a special sold toys at street stalls in Britain and pillow. After being marketed as more: to travel. girl. clutching her ₤5. A British woman. I She modelled it on TV and the public took always wanted more than that and knew I her and her English accent to their hearts. Prestige holiday camp once. Then four the best salesperson in England and he years later you sell your business for $20m. she that would block the sun but also give the reflected on her astonishing story. If you ‘I had saved madly to go to New Zealand. and I came very close to giving it all up. I went to a products. including the Suzanne my home town. As could get it.’ She convinced him. where she now lives in a mansion 6 and works under the name Suzanne Paul. it became a huge seller. seaside town in England and worked in a Paul Meier.’ she said.’ 3 . named after her. I want something badly enough. when I thought maybe I was wrong and everyone else was 4 right.’ ‘There were times.’ said Miss Barnes. When we interviewed her. settle down and be grateful Clip. In Said Miss Barnes. ‘When I arrived I slept on a friend’s floor for a I remember once when I said to myself. 1 Her road to riches began in a small terraced 5 house in the Midlands. the National Media Corporation.’ Miss Barnes. so I just got up and as well as various brands of skin and hair went to have a look for myself. should give me a job. ‘I always had a desire to New Zealand she became queen of the explore different places. 000 metres. Large waved. Morocco and Spain are now type of trekking: a kind of expedition. we instantly so the truck would carry us from one amazing became the focus of everyone’s attention as landscape to another. The bike popularity. 4 . B. You’re point riding off into the wilderness if the also much more likely to need one. trekker can cover much greater distances. B. Hot and sticky. Mexico. For questions 1 – 7. that really was quite have quickly realised that it involves much enough. Emerging into a small town. arc from the capital down to the south coast. shorts. we camped for just three nights and. It was not transport. enjoying more views. There’s no civilisation than you do when walking. but our team of nine managed to until I looked in the mirror in my hotel that I squeeze into one vehicle and drive in understood why they’d been looking at us so something close to comfort. choose the answer ( A. in cars and simply too far from anywhere for the past few years. should it all get narrow descent and encountered dust. especially support truck can’t get there too.READING. however. We our bikes and spend all day exploring. but the since anyone fit enough to tackle a trek on heat. shouldn’t have been too exhausting. The black volcanic dust had stuck to my sweat and formed a crisp crust that When you trek by bike you use a four-wheel. assuming the locals were impressed groups usually hire coaches and public that we’d ridden over the volcano. Circle A. intently. C. two. We couldn’t cycle the huge distance involved. this dust lay as deep support truck. one with a hot shower. walkers. And yet the times I felt closest to more than using long-established walking Mexico were when we rode to places visitors routes such as the ones in Nepal. but also the countries in which they people to visit far-off places. covered my legs. It obscured even the biggest boulders. meeting more people Our ride began with a tough climb through a and. D ) which you think fits best according to the text. Companies offering mountain-bike holidays although I enjoy tent life. drifted into corners and billowed in Six of us had signed up for this holiday in dense clouds in which it was hard to breathe. which is quite normal with having a noisy engine roaring away just when you go on a mountain-bike trek. The vehicle carries all my face. Destinations are because you usually travel closer to also dictated by the transport. breath. combined with an altitude of more than foot can switch to a saddle. although it’s 3. packing much more into a forest onto the shoulder of a volcano. where we’d climb on we rode through the market square. Large muscles are not essential. then it’s easy to jump in the the normal sort of dust. And. on which we’d travel in a sweeping let alone see which way to steer. Mountain-biking in Mexico Organised mountain-bike holidays are fast they have completely re-thought not only the becoming the favourite way for adventurous routes. C or D. This eyes where my sunglasses had been. I had two white circles around my the heavy gear between overnight stops. It is the new operate. as those riding at the rear of the group can get fed up We stayed at hotels. shirt and especially drive back-up truck. Not too much. as snow. most of rarely see: too rough for adventurers in rental which are totally unsuitable for bikes. with Mexico quickly gaining in wheeled rather than two-legged. simply behind their back wheel. can be a mixed blessing. left us sweating and fighting for worth doing some practice pedalling at home. we dived into a fast. favourites. 2: You are going to read part of a magazine article about a man who went on a mountain bike holiday in Mexico. So. if only to toughen up. in short. It single day. In ten days’ cycling. D exhausting. 14 How did the writer feel about this holiday? A He would have preferred to have spent more time camping. C had to stop from time to time. D were amazed at what had been achieved.8 According to the writer. D Certain days would be spent exploring after leaving the capital. D Some people did not agree to having a truck with them. 11 The destinations being offered by companies providing mountain-bike holidays A can be extremely unsuitable. B found the top was cooler than the forest had been. the writer A was more tired than he expected to be. C It is good to mix riding on a bike and being in a truck. D kept crashing into large boulders. 9 What does the writer say about the organisation of the holiday? A The bikers would cycle from the capital to the coast. D He occasionally found it a lonely experience. B intensive. mountain-biking is more A enjoyable. 13 When the bikers arrived in the small town. 5 . B gave them a warm welcome. C He felt that more hotels should have had hot showers. B Some of the distance would be covered on local buses. C have all been tried and tested over many years. the local people A cheered them on excitedly. C They would complete the journey by truck. B need to have adequate roads. B There are advantages and disadvantages to this arrangement. 10 What does the writer mean by ‘this can be a mixed blessing’ (lines 27- 28)? A It can be extremely useful not to carry everything on a bike. C adventurous. B He was glad he went mountain-biking rather than walking. D are usually also popular with walkers. C stared at them as they went past. compared to walking. 12 On the ride over the volcano. Example : 0 A belief B idea C view D thought HOME SECURITY Contrary to popular (0) … most burglaries take (1) … during the day. if it happened. B. For most people the first (10) … to better security is to frighten themselves (11) … really believing that their house could be burgled. There is an example at the beginning (0). Burglars know about these things and what time they are (4) … to occur. C or D best fits each space. The garage door which you (5) … open because you didn’t have time to shut it before you drove away is as (6) … as an invitation card. Anyone who has suffered the (13) … can tell you that the shock of finding your (14) … home vandalised is at least as painful as the actual financial (15) … you suffer. Your best protection is to make (7) … that when the burglar does come to your house. he decides it is not worth the (8) … of breaking in. 1 A part B way C place D action 2 A do B take C go D make 3 A collect B pick C take D catch 4 A probable B surely C possible D likely 5 A forgot B left C let D put 6 A well B much C good D fine 7 A clear B sure C safe D care 8 A alarm B trap C risk D threat 9 A off B out C up D away 10 A lesson B point C part D step 11 A into B to C with D of 12 A which B that C what D then 13 A state B fact C knowledge D experience 14 A well-known B usual C familiar D regular 15 A price B loss C lack D cut 6 . Your precautions have to be good enough to put him (9) ….USE OF ENGLISH PART 1 Read the text below and decide which answer A. And (12) …. The quick dash you (2) … to the shops before they close or to (3) … the children from school are ideal opportunities. would be pretty unpleasant. lunchtime and then (9) ………. with a cup of tea. Use only one word in each space. Within a couple of years. skating lessons and I never looked back. we went to Bournemouth on holiday and saw an ice show and from (3) ………. were already doing their own thing. just outside Bristol and (1) ………. I was doing this at (11) ………. When I was six. on I was hooked. I was skating (7) ………. I (6) ………. the ages of seven and fourteen. I spent far more of my walking hours on the ice rink (2) ………. There is an example at the beginning (0). As soon as it was opened. the time I was nine. (4) ………. I did at home. Mum and Dad used to (12) ………. (8) ………. (10) ………. three or four times a week. it in turns to (13) ………. one in the family needing all this attention because I had two elder brothers (15) ……….. the evening again.USE OF ENGLISH: PART 2 Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. 7 . One was a musician and both were sportsmen. built in Bristol. YOUNG SKATER I was born and brought (0) …up……. was on that same holiday that we met a man who told us that an ice rink was (5) ………. three hours before school. me up at 5 a.m. Fortunately I wasn’t the (14) ………. sleeping. tears.. Use the word given and other words to complete each sentence. 8 .. 1 We couldn’t sleep because of the noise from the discotheque.. needn’t I …………………………………………… that letter. broke When she heard that she’d won. Example: 0 I haven’t enjoyed myself so much for years. work. complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence. she began to cry. to the circus. since It’s years…since I’ve enjoyed……myself so much. big Our car ………………………………………………… five passengers. prevented The noise from the discotheque………………………………. 6 It was a waste of time writing that letter. disapprove My parents …………………………………………… out late at night.. 4 When she heard that she’d won. 5 My parents don’t like me to stay out late at night... able Since the accident he ………………………………………. she ……………………………. 2 She’s never been to the circus before. time It’s the……………………………………………….USE OF ENGLISH: PART 3 For questions 1-10... You must use between two and five words.... Do not change the word given. There is an example at the beginning (0). 7 There is room for five passengers in our car. 3 The accident make it impossible for him to work.. 9 . 9 He was like my father in many ways. 10 He was good enough to be a professional player but he gave up the game.8 He was very lucky that he wasn’t punished for what he did.my father in many ways. could He ……………………………………………. get He was very lucky to ……………………………………….. what he did. reminded He ……………………………………………. a professional player but he gave up the game.. You should write approximately 150 words.WRITING In the space below write a letter to the Byron Bay English Language School telling them about yourself and why you want to study for the Cambridge exam. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ 10 . 9. 8. 7. 13. 10. 14. 4. 9. 7. 3. 5. PART 2 YOUNG SKATER 1. 12. MOUNTAIN BIKING IN MEXICO 8. 8. 13. 4. 6. 11. 2. 8. 13. 14. 3. 11. 11 . 3. 6. 12. USE OF ENGLISH PART 1 HOME SECURITY 1. 5. 4. 10. 2.Mark /20 BBELS FCE PRE-PLACEMENT TEST ANSWER SHEET READING RAGS TO RICHES 1. 2. 6. 12. 9. 15. 11. 10. PART 3 TRANSFORMATIONS 1. 3. 14. 4. 7. 2. 10. 6. 7. 5. 15. 9. 5.