FCE Sample test: The Use of English

For questions 1-15, read the text below and decide which answer A,B,C or D best fits each space. There is an example at
the beginning (O).

Example:
0 A became C appeared B turned D succeeded

0 A B C D I

POLAR ADVENTURER

In March 1999,Amyr Klink, a Brazilian yachtsman and polar adventurer, (O) the first man to circle Antarctica while
staying south of 50 degrees latitude. He (1)___ the most dangerous sea route in the world. Klink was already (2)___
known because in 1984he had rowed across the Atlantic in a small boat. The book which he wrote, based on his (3) on
that trip, had by then (4) ___millions of copies.
For his polar adventure, Klink built his(5)___ boat. He(6)___ off in 1998trom South Georgia and he arrived back there 88
days later - although he(7) ___eleven of those days on dry land in Antarctica. He did not stop there out of(8)___ , but
because he wanted to see the Antarctic Peninsula.
Klink knew that his(9)___ would be dangerous. On the way he had to be careful to (10)___ huge floating blocks of ice.
These icebergs, as they are called, were everywhere and (11)___ one of them would have been a disaster. As Klink knew
that any rescue mission would have been impossible in the rough seas, he did not(12)___ to take a life-boat.
When he sailed into (13)___ winds 750 miles south of Tasmania, he met waves that were twenty-five metres high. This
meant staying awake most of the time. He only managed to sleep tor twenty-minute (14)___ at a stretch. But he
succeeded in the end, (15) ___all the difficulties that he had to face.

1 A went B took C had D made

2 A really B widely C broadly D thoroughly
3 A events B incidents C happenings D experiences
4 A sold B printed C bought D produced
5 A proper B individual C own D single
6 A set B put C left D got
7 A passed B lived C spent D remained
8 A necessity B demand C urgency D requirement
9 A excursion B tour C voyage D cruise
10 A expect B avoid C escape D refuse
11 A crashing B breaking C knocking D hitting
12 A consider B mind C bother D accept
13 A fast B strong C heavy D hard
14 A periods B times C occasions D lengths
15 A as far as B apart from C according to D in spite of

For Questions16-30, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only one word in each
space. There is an example at the beginning (O).

GOOD AT LANGUAGES

At school, Sarah Biggs says she was very bad (O) _at_languages. Now she speaks English, Spanish and Italian and works
(16)___ a bilingual secretary in a travel company in England.(17) ___several foreign languages at work is not easy, but
tor Sarah, and other multi-lingual secretaries(18)___ her, it is all standard practice.
Sarah comes from Spain, (19)___ time spent abroad after college (20)___ she attended school and college. But it was
encouraged her interest in languages.

In her job, Sarah has(21)___ great deal more responsibility than the title of secretary would suggest. She stresses the
importance of (22)___ fluent in Spanish because part of her job is dealing(23)___ customers from Latin America. (24)___
such clients come from abroad, she has to translate everything (25)___ say into English. She is given (26) ___time for
preparation at all, 50 this aspect of her job is one of the (27)___ difficult.

It is important for Sarah to be up-to-date with changes (28)___ her own language, 50 she reads Spanish newspapers and
books looking for new additions to (29)____ vocabulary. Sarah says she (30)___ not given up this job even if they offered
her a better salary in another company.

For questions 31-40, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word
given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given. Here is an
example (0).

0 All your lockers must be left completely empty at the end of term.

Nothing: You must _____________your lockers at the end of term.

The gap can be filled by the words 'leave nothing in' so you write:
Example: leave nothing in

Write only the missing words on the separate answer sheet.

31 'Don't touch the cake, Toby, it's still hot,' said Mrs Smith.
not: Mrs Smith_________________ the cake because it was still hot.

32 Tamsin was the only student who hadn't done her homework.
apart: All the students __________________ done their homework.

33 I expect Lucy was pleased that she'd won the prize.

been: Lucy _______________that she'd won the prize.

34 'I will only work extra hours if I get paid at a higher rate.'
unless: 'I will__________________ I get paid at a higher rate.'

35 Max offered Gaby a 11ft to the station, but she didn't accept.
turned: Gaby__________________ offer of a lift to the station.

36 Valerie doesn't object to her photograph appearing in the magazine.

objection: Valerie____________________ her photograph appearing in the magazine.

37 There is no more petrol left in the car.

run : The car__________________ petrol.

38 'If you ask me, you should buy a new coat, Tracy, 'said her mother.
advised: Tracy's mother________________ a new coat.
39 People say that the famous couple are about to get married.
said: The famous couple_____________________ about to get married.

40 You can borrow my camera, but you must be careful with it.
long: You can borrow my camera_____________________ careful with it.

For questions 41-55, read the text below and look carefully at each line. Some of the lines are correct, and some have a
word which should not be there.

If a line is correct, put a tick () by the number on the separate answer sheet. If a line has a word which should not be
there, write the word on the separate answer sheet.

There are examples at the beginning (0 and 00).

Example: 0: it If I had to say it what my hobby is, I suppose the answer would

00: have to be reading. It all started in early childhood when my

41 ___ father used to enjoy much making up stories for my brother and
42 ___ myself. This was a hugely popular every night at bedtime. As we
43 ___ grew older, we turned to books and by the time I was ten, I had
44 ___ a large collection of these children's literature. Ever since I can
45 ___ remember, I have read about a book a week and I am get through
46 ___ lots and lots of such magazines too. I especially enjoy reading in bed
47 ___ and if I am really enjoying a book, I will stay up all night to finish it. But
48 ___ I also tend to fill my spare up time with reading. You will often see
49 ___ me reading on the bus, for example, or if I am waiting from in a queue.
50 ___ I never go anywhere without have something to read. I actually
51 ___ buy magazines written in languages that I don't know them, just for
52 ___ collect magazines and I have a room at home filled with them. I even
53___ the pleasure given of looking at the pictures and seeing the way
54___ how they are designed. It will come as no great surprise, therefore,
55 ___ if I will tell you that my main ambition in life is to become an editor.

For questions 56-65, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of each line to form a word that fits
in the space in the same line. There is an example at the beginning (O).

THE TRAINING PROGRAMME

If you're (O) interested in getting fit, then what you need is a training INTEREST
programme. Although aimed at improving physical(56) , this FIT
programme can also be(57) __________ in such a way that it helps in the DESIGN
(58) __________ of particular athletic skills. There is arrange of different DEVELOP
(59)___________ to choose from and a growing amount of scientific ACTIVE
(60)___________ . to explain the effects of each one. KNOW
When you begin training, it is important to start(61)___________ , raising GENTLE
the (62) ___________of the programme in a gradual way. Although it is INTENSE
important to work sufficiently hard to make an(63) ____________ on your IMPRESS
physical condition, the activities shouldn't be(64) ____________It is PAlN
(65) _______________, therefore, to ignore warning symptoms such as sharp or WISE
persistent pain in particular muscles.

Key to the FCE Use of English

Part1: Polar Adventurer

1 B: Only 'took' collocates with 'the sea route'.

2 B:Only'widely' collocates with' known'.
3 D:'experiences' refers to everything that happened during the voyage.
4 A:The book cannot print, buy or produce copies.
5 C: 'own' is the only word that gives the idea that he built it himself.
6 A: 'set oft' means 'left'.
7 C: 'spent' collocates with 'days', the others don't in this context.
8 A: 'out of necessity 'is a set expression.
9 C:The other words cannot be used for this kind of journey.
10 B:'avoid' is the only word that means 'preventing from happening'.
11 D: 'hitting' is the only one that collocates with 'an iceberg'.
12 C:'consider', 'mind' and 'accept' do not fit grammatically or semantically.
13 B:'strang' is the only one that collocates with 'wind'.
14 A:'periods' is the only one that collocates with 'twenty-minute'.
15 D:'in spite of' means 'although he had to face difficulties'.

Part 2:Good at Languages

16 as(preposition): collocates with 'works'.

17 Using/ Speaking (verbal nouns):subject of the verb 'is'.
18 like (preposition): links a noun and a pronoun.
19 where(relative adverb):refers to 'Spain'.
20 which/ that (relative pronoun): refers to 'time spent abroad'.
21 a(indefinite article):'deal' is singular.
22 being(verb form): it needs ' ing' after the proposition 'of'.
23 with(preposition): collocates with 'dealing'.
24 When(conjunction): It introduces a subordinate clause.
25 they (pronoun): refers to 'customers from abroad'.
26 no (adjective):you need to understand the whole of the sentence.
27 most (superlative form):collocates with 'one of the'.
28 in (preposition): collocates with 'changes'.
29 her (possessive adjective):refers to Sarah's vocabulary.
30would (conditional form): 'would' +'give', used with if +Past simple.

Part 3

31 told Toby not to touch: direct to indirect speech, 'don't' becomes 'not to'.
32 apart from Tamsin had: 'from' collocates with 'apart'.
33 must have been pleased:' must have +been' means 'l' m sure she was'.
34 not work extra hours unless: 'unless' needs the negative form of the verb before it.
35 turned down Max's: 'offer' needs to be qualified by 'Max's' to make the meaning complete.
36 has no objection to: 'does not have any objection to' contains six words.
37 has run out of: you need the Present perfect to indicate what the situation is now.
38 advised her to buy: direct to indirect speech, 'advised 'is followed by 'to'.
39 are said to be: active to passive form, 'said' is followed by 'to be'.
40 as long as you are: 'as long as 'has the conditional meaning of 'if'.

Part 4:This Is My Hobby

41 much: 'enjoy making stories very much 'but not 'enjoy much making'.
42 a: there is no noun to go with this article.
43
44 these: 'children's literature 'does not need qualifying.
45 am: 'get' is in the Present simple and does not need 'am'.
46 such: there is no earlier reference to 'magazines' to which 'such' might refer.
47
48up:'up' cannot be used as an adjective here.
49 from: unnecessary preposition, 'waiting in a queue'.
50 have: 'having' would collocate, but not 'have'.
51
52 them: 'them' is not necessary because 'that' refers to Ianguages.
53 given: 'pleasure' is folIowed by 'of' and by a verb ending in -ing.
54 how: 'the way 'in the previous line means the same as 'how'.
55 will: you cannot use 'will' in the 'if clause of this conditional sentence.

Part5:TheTraining Programme

56 fitness(adjective tonoun)
57 designed(infinitiveto pastparticipie)
58 development (verbto noun)
59 activities(verbto nounpluspiuraiform)
60 knowledge (verbto noun)
61 gently(adjectiveto adverb)
62 intensity (adjectiveto noun)
63 impression(verbto noun)
64 painful(noun to adjective)
65 unwise(adjectivetonegativeformbyaddingaprefix)