E test 5

THE CORPORATION FOR FINANCING AND
PROMOTING TECHNOLOGY
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E N G L I S H T E S T
Time allowed: 60 minutes
50 questions
PART 1
Read the letter below and choose the opinion A, B, C or D which best fits each gap.
Dear Mr. Hill,
With (1)_____ to your advertisement in the Educational Gazette I would like to (2)_____ for one of
the scholarships your Trust is offering to students who wish to continue their (3)_____ at a British
university.
I am 22 years old and have just (4)_____ in English Philology from the Complutense University in
Madrid, Spain. I am very interested in doing a Master’s degree in English Literature. My (5)_____
interest is the English playwright Arnold Wesker. However, it is almost impossible for me to study
Wesker here in Spain, as he is not very well-known. I would really need to come to Britain.
Unfortunately, the (6)_____ cost of university fees in your country makes that almost impossible. I
would be leaving away from home. My parents could contribute something towards my keep but
that’s all.
My (7)_____ of English is good. I passed the Cambridge First Certificate examination last year
with grade A. I hope you will (8)_____ my application.
Yours sincerely,
Carmen Moreno
1. A connection B reference C relation D concern
2. A demand B request C inquire D apply
3. A career B studies C interests D subjects
4. A completed B finished C graduated D studied
5. A peculiar B general C individual D particular
6. A big B extremely C high D expensive
7. A level B proficiency C grade D stage
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8. A pass B consider C agree D regard
PART 2
Read the text below and fill each gap with one suitable word. An example is given.
THE FOUR-YEAR-OLD UNDERGRADUATE
A child prodigy of four is receiving computer lessons at Brunel University, in London. Nicholas
MacMahon (0)__is__ studying at university because he is (9)_____ clever for school. A senior
lecturer at the university, Valso Koshy, said (10)_____ boy was remarkably intelligent.
Nicholas spoke fluently before he was one and (11)_____ the time he was 18 months old he was
taking telephone messages. This (12)_____ soon followed by conversational French. These are the
trademarks of a highly-gifted child, unusual (13)_____ not unique. The strange thing (14)_____
Nicholas is his reading- he taught (15)_____ to read before he could speak. Ms Koshy, (16)_____
expert on gifted children, says Nicholas is quite exceptional. Yet ‘exceptional’ understates his
amazing ability (17)_____ read, almost from birth. ‘He was talking when he was one (18)_____ we
realized from the start he (19)_____ read,’ his father said. ‘Soon after, he was correcting my
spelling, words like caterpillar. Now he identifies insects by (20)_____ Latin names’.
The list (21)_____ achievements is impressive, but frightening. A four-year-old who (22)_____ tell
a Boeing 747 from a DC10, devours encyclopaedias, reads The Daily Telegraph and is well on the
way to becoming a violin virtuoso is (23)_____ normal.
PART 3
Complete this summary of Marisol’s trip. Fill each gap with a word or expression to do with
airports and traveling by air from the box below. An example is given.
duty-free took off immigration departure lounge gate runway
stewardess check-in passengers excess baggage landed customs
scheduled charter baggage claim boarding card crew aisle
Last autumn, Marisol went to England for a holiday. She took a (0)__charter___ flight rather than
a (24)_____ one because it was much cheaper. She arrived at the airport and went straight to the
(25)_____ desk where the ground steward gave her a (26)_____ with her seat number on it. She
had too much luggage and she was almost charged for (27)_____ . Unfortunately, she was too late
for a window seat and had to sit by the (28)_____ . Afterwards, she went to the (29)_____ and

waited for her flight to be called. Eventually, after a short delay, she was told to go to (30)_____
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number 19 and boarded the plane. The captain welcomed the (31)_____ aboard on behalf of
himself and the rest of the (32)_____ . The plane (33)_____ from the (34)_____ and the flight went
smoothly. After she had had a meal, the air (35)_____ came round offering (36)_____ goods.
Marisol bought some perfume and cigarettes. As soon as the plane had (37)_____ at London
Airport, she went to the (38)_____ area to pick up her luggage. At first, she thought she had lost it
and gave a description to a clerk. Fortunately, just as she was about to leave the airport, the luggage
turned up. Half an hour later, she passed through (39)_____ and (40)_____ and met her friend and
her parents who had been waiting for her.
PART 4
Read the passage and answer questions 41-50.
HOW TO WRITE A WINNING RESUME
The main purpose of a resume is to convince an employer to grant you an interview. There are two
kinds. One is the familiar “tombstone” that lists where you went to school and where you’ve
worked in chronological order. The other is what I call the “functional” resume- descriptive, fun to
read, unique to you and much more likely to land you an interview.
It’s handy to have a “tombstone” for certain occasions. But prospective employers throw away
most of those unrequested “tombstone” lists, preferring to interview the quick rather than the dead.
What follows are tips on writing a functional resume that will get read- a resume that makes you
come alive and look interesting to employers.
Put yourself first: In order to write a resume others will read with enthusiasm, you have to feel
important about yourself.
Sell what you can do, not who you are: Practice translating your personality traits, character,
accomplishments and achievements into skill areas. There are at least five thousand skill areas in
the world of work.
Toot your own horn! Many people clutch when asked to think about their abilities. Some think
they have none at all! But everyone does, and one of yours may just be the ticket an employer
would be glad to punch- if only you show it.

Be specific, be concrete and be brief!
Turn bad news into good: Everybody has had disappointments in work. If you had to mention
yours, look for the positive side.
Never apologize: If you’re returning to the work force after fifteen years as a parent, simply write
a short paragraph (summary of background) in place of a chronology of experience. Don’t
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apologize for working at being a mother; It’s the hardest job of all. If you have no special training
or higher education, just don’t mention education.
How to psych yourself up: The secret is to think about the self before you start writing about
yourself. Take four or five hours off, not necessarily consecutive, and simply write down your
every accomplishment in your life, on or off the job, that made you feel effective. Don’t worry at
first about what it all means. Study the list and try to spot patterns. As you study your list, you will
come closer to the meaning: identifying your marketable skills. Once you discover patterns, give
names to your cluster of accomplishments (leadership skills, budget management skills, child
development skills etc.) Try to list at least three accomplishments under the same skills heading.
Now start writing your resume as if you mattered. It may take four drafts or more, and several
weeks, before you’re ready to show it to a stranger (friends are usually too kind) for a reaction.
When you’re satisfied, send it to a printer; a printed resume is far superior to photocopies. It shows
an employer that you regard job hunting as serious work, worth doing right.
Isn’t that the kind of person you’d want working for you?
41. The author calls one type of resume a ‘tombstone’ (line 2) because:
A it lists your achievements in chronological order.
B it lists what you’ve done in the past rather than what you can do in the future.
42. ‘Quick’ (line 6) means:
A fast.
B efficient.
C alive.
43. ‘Toot your own horn!’ (line 15) means:
A don’t be modest.

B tell the employer what you’ve done in the past.
44. ‘Many people clutch when asked to…’ (line 15) means:
A many people panic.
B many people underestimate themselves.
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45. ‘One of yours may be just the ticket an employer would be glad to punch…’ (line 16-17)
A a good indication of your abilities.
B something an employer might find interesting.
C exactly what is required.
46. ‘How to psych yourself up…’ (line 25) means:
A make a list of your abilities before you write your resume.
B how to prepare yourself mentally before writing your resume.
C what to do.
47. Two kinds of resume are
A chronological and descriptive resumes.
B tombstone and functional resumes.
48. Which kind of resume should you send to an employer
A a printed resume.
B a photocopied resume.
C a handwritten resume.
49. What should you practice translating into skill areas
A personality traits.
B character.
C accomplishments and achievements.
D all the above.
50. How many skill areas are there in the world of work
A at least 4000
B at least 4500
C at least 5000

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