level 2

Sample Exam Items

The MTELP Series is designed to measure both learner achievement and
progress. It is suitable for adult or young adult language learners and can be
used appropriately in a range of institutions. The MTELP Series is available at
three levels of proficiency: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Test forms
at each level have different item types and unique content.
The following pages contain samples of MTELP Series Level 2 items.

MTELP Series
Level 2 Sample Items
Listening Comprehension
In each form of the Level 2 test, 25 items assess
listening comprehension. There are two types of
listening comprehension items.
Part 1: In the first type, test takers hear a short
conversation between two speakers. After the
conversation, test takers must answer a question
about the conversation, selecting the correct answer
from the three options provided.
Click here to play Part 1 audio.
To play audio, you may need to download the PDF and open it in
Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat.

[Audio Only: Number 2

M: Professor Jones, I have a quick question about
the first homework assignment.
W: Yes Jeff, how can I help you?
M: Well, I am wondering, do you want us to submit
the hard copy directly to you, or do you prefer
an electronic copy?
W: I think you should print it out and give it to
me in class.]
2. How will he submit his assignment?
a. put it in the professors office
b. give a hard copy to the professor
c. email it to the professor

Listening, Part 1 samples

[Audio Only: Number 1
M: Did you get my email?
W: About revising the content on some of the slides
for tomorrows presentation? Yeah, I was about
to send you a reply.
M: Good. So, do you think you can do that by the
end of today?
W: Sure, no problem.]
1. What does the woman need to do before she
leaves work?
a. prepare copies of the slides
b. change some of the presentation content
c. reschedule the mans presentation

[Audio Only: Number 3

M: I hate to say this, but looking at the numbers
from last quarter, its clear that we are going to
have to lay a few people off.
W: Dont rush to conclusions now. Remember
we have several employees retiring soon, and
its possible that we will get that new contract
next month.]
3. What does the woman recommend?
a. They should avoid laying off employees.
b. They should review the numbers again.
c. They should change their plans to retire.

MTELP Series level 2 Sample Test Items1

Listening Comprehension, Part 2: In the second

type, test takers hear a short talk from a single
speaker. The talk is followed by a series of questions
about the talk. The test taker must select the correct
answer to each question from the three options
provided.
Click here to play Part 2 audio.
To play audio, you may need to download the PDF and open it in
Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat.

Listening, Part 2 samples

[Audio Only: Listen to a teacher in a history class
talking to her students.
W: Hi everyone. Before we get started with the
Myers and Simpson reading for today, I wanted
to go over your next assignment. As you know,
in addition to your homework and the final
exam, your course grade will be based on a
group project.

For this project, Id like each group to choose a

period in time that weve studiedit can be any
period that weve discussed so far. Choose the
time period that most interests you. Then what
Id like you to do is make something as it would
have been made during that period. So you
could write a story in the style of the time, or
create some artwork; anything at all, as long as
its done in the style of that period.

Youll need to split up into groups of three. Ill

leave a sign-up sheet for you at the front of the
class. When you know your group members,
please come fill it out and write a description of
the project youre hoping to work on. If you see
somebody has already chosen a project on a
similar topic, youll need to choose another one.
If youre having trouble deciding on a group or
topic, let me know and I can help arrange one
for you.

Okay, if you have any questions, come see

me after class. Now, lets turn to Myers and
Simpson. I think their work gives us a lot to talk
about today.]

4. What is the teacher mainly talking about?

a. the final examination
b. an upcoming assignment
c. a historical period

5. When can students sign up?

a. after they have finished the exam
b. when they have chosen their group
members
c. when they finish their reading

6. What does the speaker mean when she says:

[Audio Only: Now, lets turn to Myers and Simpson.]
a. The class will discuss a reading assignment.
b. Students should turn in their papers.
c. Students should find their partners now.

MTELP Series level 2 Sample Test Items2

 Grammar
Following the listening comprehension section are
10 grammar items. Each grammar item represents a
printed statement or a short conversational exchange
between two speakers. Part of the statement or
exchange has been omitted and test takers must
select, from the four answer choices, the word or
phrase that correctly completes the statement or
exchange.
Grammar samples
7. Why doesnt Dr. Jones like the new
laboratory?
He said _______ good enough.
a. the equipment wasnt
b. those equipments werent
c. an equipment didnt
d. equipment doesnt

8. I would rather _______ wait until the last minute

to revise your essay.
a. dont you
b. you didnt
c. you not to
d. not you

9. Please have your reports ready by 2 p.m.,

_______ time the manager will come around to
collect them.
a. in
b. on the
c. from what
d. at which

Vocabulary
Next are 10 vocabulary items. In each item, test takers
must select the word, from four answer options, that
correctly completes a sentence that has had one
word removed. All words selected for inclusion in the
vocabulary section have been carefully sourced from
a range of corpora that provide detailed information
on word frequencies. The word frequencies selected
for the MTELP Series vocabulary section are
representative of the proficiency levels at which the
three levels are targeted.
Vocabulary samples
10. The Internet is the best place to find good
_______ on book prices.
a. funds
b. budgets
c. deals
d. resources

11. Michelle was so nervous about meeting the

singer, her heart was _______.
a. racing
b. charging
c. speeding
d. hurrying

12. Before investing in a project, experienced

businesspeople always _______ its costs
against its benefits.
a. compete
b. differ
c. balance
d. arrange

MTELP Series level 2 Sample Test Items3

 Reading Comprehension
Finally, there are 15 reading comprehension items. Test takers are presented with three reading passages. Each
passage is followed by several items that tap a range of reading skills. Test takers must select the correct answer from
four options.
Reading Comprehension sample
This passage is about the moon.
In 1975, William Hartmann and Donald Davis first
suggested that late in Earths formation, after its
molten iron had drained into its core, an object the
size of Mars hit Earth, blowing out a large amount
of iron-depleted rocky debris from Earths mantle.
Some of the debris got pulled into orbit around
Earth and formed the moon. This idea, based
partially on evidence from the lunar landing in 1969,
is called the collision theory.
One theory that had been popular before the
analysis of the lunar rocks was that Earth and
its moon formed simultaneously from the same
material. However, this theory failed to explain why
iron is less common on the moon. Partly because of
this, the moons density is less than that of Earth.
An idea that circulated after the 1969 expedition
was that the moon formed somewhere in the solar
system where there was little iron and later moved
into orbit around Earth. This theory failed when
analysis of lunar rocks showed that the moon has
the same oxygen isotope composition as Earth.
Rocks and meteorites from most other parts of
the solar system have different oxygen isotope
compositions.

13. What is the authors main purpose?

a. to show that the moon is not very old
b. to show how important iron is on Earth
c. to compare theories of how the moon formed
d. to indicate the importance of the 1969
moon landing
14. According to Hartmann and Daviss theory, what
can be inferred about Earth early in its formation?
a. It cooled off relatively quickly.
b. It was larger than it currently is.
c. It was formed from the same material as Mars.
d. It was closer to the moon than it currently is.
15. In the last sentence of paragraph 2, what does
this refer to?
a. the analysis of lunar rocks
b. the failed theory
c. the density of the moon
d. the lower presence of iron on the moon
16. What did scientists conclude after the analysis of
oxygen isotopes?
a. The moon is significantly younger than Earth.
b. The moon originated in the vicinity of Earth.
c. The moon once contained greater amounts of
iron than it does now.
d. The moon was similar in composition to other
rocks and meteorites.

Another theory suggested after the expedition was

that Earth was spinning around so rapidly that part
of it broke off and began to orbit. Although this
process would have produced a moon similar in
composition to Earths mantle, scientists analyzed
the angular momentum and energy levels that
would have been involved and found that the
numbers did not add up. Thus, as the competing
theories were discredited, the collision theory
gained wide acceptance.

MTELP Series Level 2 Sample Key

1. B
2. B
3. A
4. B

5. B
6. A
7. A
8. B

9. D
10. C
11. A
12. C

13. C
14. B
15. D
16. B
MTELP Series level 2 Sample Test Items4

How to purchase
The MTELP Series is available for purchase. Visit
www.CambridgeMichigan.org/mtelp, where youll
find a link for ordering.
You can also order the MTELP Series by phone.
Call 1 866.696.3522.

About CaMLA
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MTELP Series level 2 Sample Test Items5

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