Sample test Reading Secretaries/administrative

English Language Assessment Paper 1: Reading Time: 1 hour

Secretarial Staff Administrative Staff

Assessment Paper 1 Reading

Part 1 Questions 1 - 8
For questions 1 8, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C, or D) best fits each space. The exercise begins with an example (0). Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet Voor vraag 1 t/m 8 lees de onderstaande tekst en kies het het juiste antwoord (A, B, C of D) uit de gegeven mogelijkheden. Let op: de oefening begint met een voorbeeld (0). Vul uw antwoorden in op het aparte antwoordblad.

THE NEED FOR BIGGER PLANES

The big issue for plane-makers planning for the future is size, not (0) ...... . With the skies already full of air traffic, and with worse to (1) ...... , the important questions for the designers are how many passengers they can (2) ...... into the new super-planes and who will be (3) ...... to build them first. (4) ...... yourself ten years from now in a packed airport departure lounge. Eight hundred passengers are waiting with you for their first flight on one of a remarkable range of superplanes, and the check-in time (5) ...... have been as much as four hours before take-off to (6) ...... for the extra people. Impossible? Far from it. Designs for these planes are already (7) ...... on computer at the worlds top aircraft manufacturers, waiting to be turned (8) ...... reality.
Example/Voorbeeld: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 A A A A A A A A A speed go contain possible Consider can watch supplied as B B B B B B B B B pace happen fit able Suppose need allow given by C rate C come C hold C proper C Imagine C ought C look C stored C into 1 D rhythm D arrive D sit D capable D Regard D may D permit D carried D for

Questions 9 - 17
For questions 9 - 17, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C, or D) best fits each space. Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet. Voor vraag 9 t/m 17 lees de onderstaande tekst en kies het het juiste antwoord (A, B, C of D) uit de gegeven mogelijkheden. Vul uw antwooden in op het aparte antwoordblad.

FRIDAY THE THIRTEENTH

Police are hunting for a hit-and-run driver who knocked a teenage cyclist off her bike in East Street. Sarah Tucker, 17, had a lucky (0) ...... on Friday, 13th May, when she was sent reeling by a black Volvo on her way home from work. She bruised her thigh and shoulder and her bicycle was (9) ...... . The driver stopped for a moment but the drove off without (10) ...... a name or address and before Sarah could get his number. I tried to (11) ...... out of his way, but I couldnt, she said. Everyone at work kept (12) ...... on about it being Friday 13th. Im not a bit (13) ...... and wouldnt change any of my plans just because Friday 13th is supposed to be unlucky, I dont usually take any (14) ...... of that sort of thing but I will now. I think Ill stay in bed. The accident (15) ...... at the (16) ...... with Westwood Road at about 6.30pm as Sarah was making her (17) ...... home to the Harley Estate.
Example/Voorbeeld: 0 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 A A A A A A A A A A break crashed leaving go chatting irrational notice took place junction route B B B B B B B B B B escape harmed presenting get running prejudiced consideration came about joining course C escapade C devastated C noting C be C going C unreasonable C note C finished up C roundabout C way D incident D damaged D suggesting D stay D rambling D superstitious D care D turned up\ D crossing D path

Part 2 Questions 18 - 25
You are going to read an extract from a novel. For questions 18 - 25, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text. Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet. U krijgt een gedeelte van een roman te lezen. Voor vragen 18 - 25 kies het antwoord (A, B, C of D) dat volgens u het beste past volgens de tekst. Vul uw antwoorden in op het aparte antwoordblad.

THE SHELL ARTIST

At the age of 83 Peter Cooke has become a master of his art.
There are still many things that Peter Cooke would like to try his hand at paper-making and feather-work are on his list. For the moment though, he will stick to the skill that he has been delighted to perfect over the past ten years: making delicate and unusual objects out of shells. 'Tell me if I am boring you,' he says, as he leads me round his apartment showing me his work. There is a fine line between being a bore and being an enthusiast, but Cooke need not worry: he fits into the latter category, helped both by his charm and by the beauty of the things he makes. He points to a pair of shell-covered ornaments above a fireplace. 'I shan't be at all bothered if people don't buy them because I have got so used to them, and to me they're adorable. I never meant to sell my work commercially. Some friends came to see me about five years ago and said, "You must have an exhibition people ought to see these. We'll talk to a man who owns an art gallery".' The result was an exhibition in London, at which 70 per cent of the objects were sold. His second exhibition opened at the gallery yesterday. Considering the enormous prices the pieces command around 2,000 for the ornaments an empty space above the 25 fireplace would seem a small sacrifice for Cooke to make. There are 86 pieces in the exhibition, with prices starting at 225 for a shell-flower in a crystal vase. Cooke insists that he has nothing to do with the prices and is cheerily open about their level: he claims there is nobody else in the world who produces work like his, and, as the gallery-owner told him, 'Well, you're going to stop one day and everybody will want your pieces because there won't be any more.' 'I do wish, though,' says Cooke, 'that I'd taken this up a lot earlier, because then I would have been able to produce really wonderful things at least the potential would have been there. Although the ideas are still there and I'm doing the best I can now, I'm more limited physically than I was when I started.' Still, the work that he has managed to produce is a long way from the common shell constructions that can be found in seaside shops. 'I have a miniature mind,' he says, and this has resulted in boxes covered in thousands of tiny shells, little shaded pictures made from shells and baskets of astonishingly realistic flowers. Cooke has created his own method and uses materials as and when he finds them. He uses the cardboard sent back with laundered shirts for his flower bases, a nameless glue bought in bulk from a sail-maker ('If it runs out, I don't know what I will do!') and washing-up liquid to wash the shells. 'I have an idea of what I want to do, and it just does itself,' he says of his working method, yet the attention to detail, colour gradations and symmetry he achieves look far from accidental. Cooke's quest for beautiful, and especially tiny, shells has taken him further than his Norfolk shore: to France, Thailand, Mexico, South Africa and the Philippines, to name but a few of the beaches where he has lain on his stomach and looked for beauties to bring home. He is insistent that he only collects dead shells and defends himself against people who write him letters accusing him of stripping the world's beaches. 'When I am collecting shells, I hear people's great fat feet crunching them up far faster than I can collect them; and the ones that are left, the sea breaks up. I would not dream of collecting shells with living creatures in them or diving for them, but once their occupants have left, why should I not collect them?' If one bases this argument on the amount of luggage that can be carried home by one man, the sum beauty of whose work is

often greater than its natural parts, it becomes

very convincing indeed.

18.

What does the reader learn about Peter Cooke in the first paragraph? A. He has produced hand-made object in different materials. B. He was praised for his shell objects many years ago. C. He hopes to work with other materials in the future. D. He has written about his love of making shell objects. When looking round his apartment, the writer A. is attracted by Cookes personality. B. senses that Cooke wants his products to be admired. C. realises he finds Cookes work boring. D. feels uncertain about giving Cooke his opinion. The small sacrifice in line 25 refers to A. the loss of Cookes ornaments. B. the display of Cookes ornaments. C. the cost of keeping Cookes ornaments. D. the space required to store Cookes ornaments. When the writer enquires about the cost of his shell objects, Cooke A. cleverly changes the subject. B. defends the prices charged for his work. C. says he has no idea why the level is so high. D. notes that his work will not always be so popular. What does Cooke regret about his work? A. He is not as famous as he should have been. B. He makes less money than he should make. C. He is less imaginative than he used to be. D. He is not as skilful as he used to be. When talking about the artists working method, the writer suspects that Cooke A. accepts that he sometimes makes mistakes. B. is unaware of the unique quality his work has. C. underrates his creative contribution. D. undervalues the materials that he uses. What does the reader learn about Cookes shell-collecting activities? A. Not everyone approves of what he does. B. Other methods might make his work easier. C. Other tourists get in the way of his collecting. D. Not all shells are the right size and shape for his work. What does it in line 72 refer to? A. Cookes luggage B. Cookes argument C. the beauty of Cookes work D. the reason for Cookes trips

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Part 3 Questions 26 - 43
Read the text below and answer questions 26 - 43. Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet. Lees de volgende tekst en beantwoord vragen 26 t/m 43. Vul uw antwoorden in op het aparte antwoordblad.

Fame and Fortune

Imogen Edwards-Jones interviews some of the new British talent, from poet to pop star, heading for the top
(A) Nick Grosso, in his early 30s, is the author of three critically acclaimed plays. He is currently adapting his first play, Peaches, into a screenplay. 'It's low budget but we don't know how low,' he explains. 'lt certainly won't be over 30 million, but then it could be 30 quid.' Although obviously gifted, the most extraordinary thing about Nick is that before he wrote Peaches he had never been to or read a play in his life. 'When I wrote the play, I never even imagined it would get put on,' he says. 'It's set in a car. I probably wouldn't do that now because I know the logistical problems. I knew absolutely nothing then.' He left school at 16, only to return a year later. After A-levels, he enrolled at the Young People's Theatre. 'l realised I wanted to write for actors. I wanted my writing to be heard rather than read because of the rhythm and rhyme,' he says. 'Suddenly I was surrounded by like-minded people. It was the first time I'd been in an educational environment and actually enjoyed myself. It was very stimulating.' university,' remembers Simon. 'It made me realise I didn't want to be a straight actor and that I'd always been more interested in comedy. People think that comedy is the hardest job in the world and it really isn't. If you've got the courage and you've got good material, it's a wonderful thing to make people laugh.' He has performed with the comic team Funny Business, but it is his relationship with Steve Coogan that has proved the most fruitful. 'He saw my show and, as I was a huge fan of his, he could probably see me mimicking him,' admits Simon. 'It was terrifying the first time I met him but we've become good mates. We have a great rapport. We make each other laugh and it's a really creative atmosphere.'

(B) Comedian Simon Pegg, 28, has come a long way in his career since studying drama at Bristol University. He is currently writing a television comedy series, and has just finished a punishing tour around the country with comedy star Steve Coogan. He's always worked hard. Even as far back as Bristol, he was honing his art in comedy clubs. 'It was very theoretical at
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(C) Ciaran McMenamin, 24, came to the public's attention when he disco-danced into their living rooms as the lead in the series The Young Person's Guide To Becoming A Rock Star. The critical reaction was extremely positive and his subsequent rise has been meteoric. 'It's been a really good showcase for me,' he says with a smile. 'i'm now in a situation where I can pick and choose what I do, which is what I've always wanted.' It is an unusually comfortable position to be in, especially when you consider that he has only just graduated. But glance at Ciaran's early career, and it's obvious such recognition was always on the cards. Encouraged by his mother, he went from playing lead roles at school to the Ulster Youth Theatre, where he stayed for four

years, "Basically I was using acting as an excuse not to do homework,' laughs Ciaran. "But I suddenly decided I wanted to make a go of it because I had a knack for it and a passion for it,' Now he is more or less sitting back and waiting for the plaudits to roll in - but ask him what he thinks of the fame game and he suddenly becomes pensive, 'When you're 18, you think you'll love the photos and the interviews but you soon realise it's not what you're acting for. It's not about that. It's about getting respect for doing good work,'

at a better time. "There were times when I was thoroughly depressed - and I've been in some atrocious bands. But hopefully it will have been worth it.

(D) Neil Taylor, 25, is the lead singer in the pop band Matrix, which has just signed a three-album deal with Domino Records, Neil and the other half of Matrix, Rick Brown, are already tipped to be huge when their single, Chimera is released shortly. "The record company's idea of good sales is very different to mine,' he says. 'They're talking smash hit, but I've no idea. For me, if two people buy it, I'll be happy.' Unlike so many new pop sensations, Neil has actually worked very hard for his success. He left school at 16 and has been trying to break into the music business ever since, 'It's funny how things happen,' he says. I'd been slogging away doing student gigs for eight years and I was starting to get a bit jaded, I was just about to give up when this happened.' By 'this' he means meeting Rick Brown, who already had contacts at Domino, and forming Matrix. It couldn't have happened

(E) Poet and author Stephen Richards is 27 years old and has won more prizes, awards and academic honours than anyone twice his age. He is already well known on the poetry circuit, where he has been touring and giving several readings a week for the past six years. Now his first novel, Hidden, will be published in March, "It's a story of obsessive love. It was a very strong idea that I couldn't do as a poem.' Stephen was a huge fan of creative wr i ti ng at sc ho ol , b ut becam e disenchanted with education later on. "I decided not to go to university but it wasn't until I became very bored with stuffing envelopes at a theatre that I decided I should.' After university, he published his first work, a children's book, in 1992, "I don't think my parents expected me to be a writer - they always thought I'd be a reader because that's all I did as a child.' With his poetry receiving such critical acclaim, his move into novels is indeed brave, "There's a framework with my poetry and less scope for me to do something hideously wrong,' he explains. "Because a novel can be any length of words, there are more words that could be bad words, My main ambition is not to get into a pattern where I'm just churning stuff out without worrying about the quality.'

Questions 26 - 44
Look at the five articles in which various women are interviewed about their jobs, A-E, on the previous page. For which women are the following statements true? Write the correct letter A-E in boxes 26 - 44 on your answer sheet. Lees de vijf artikelen waarin vrouwen worden genterviewd over hun banen, A-E op de vorige pagina. Voor welke beschrijvingen kloppen de volgende beweringen? Kies de juiste letter A-E en vul deze in op uw antwoordblad. A. B. C. NICK GROSSO SIMON PEGG CIARAN McMENAMIN D. E. NEIL TAYLOR STEPHEN RICHARDS

Which person 26. ............. says he is keen to avoid producing uninspired work? 27. ............. admits to making technical errors in his work that he is unlikely to repeat? 28. ............. disagrees with a commonly held view about the kind of work he does? 29. ............. surprised the interviewer by his lack of relevant experience at the start of his career? 30. ............. had been trying for a long time to achieve recognition? 31. ............. admits that he is no longer motivated by the same things as when he was younger? 32. ............. continued with his education after becoming disillusioned with the work he was doing? 33. ............. mentions the respect he has for a fellow performer? 34. ............. is uncertain about the funding he will get for his current job? 35. ............. says he only became committed to his work when he recognised his own talents? 36. ............. was about to abandon his career ambitions at one point? 37. ............. is praised by the interviewer for risking a change of direction in his work? 38. ............. describes how he would be satisfied with a low level of commercial success? 39. ............. describes the benefits of a particular working relationship? 40. ............. talks about the difficulties he might encounter with a new form of work? 41. ............. became well-known as a result of a television appearance? 42. ............. describes how he felt when he started to work with others who shared his views? 43. ............. is optimistic that his recent success will make up for past disappointments? 44. ............. has a career history that prompts the interviewer to say his success was inevitable?

The End
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Key Sample Test Reading for Secretaries and Administrative Staff

Part 1 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. Part 2 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. Part 3 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. E A B A D C E B A C D E D B E C A D C C A A B D C A A C B B C D B C C D A B C D A A A C