Reliable and accurate assessment tools created by experts

Task 1

This is a listening comprehension task with multiple-choice questions. Although the recording contains some difficult vocabulary, the questions focus on A2 level language. This task helps elementary learners to understand that they can pick out key information from more challenging texts or recordings. The photos help the learners get a good sense of what the recording is about. In this example, the questions all focus on detail, but this task type can also be used to test whether a test taker can identify the speaker's purpose, their attitude or opinion, or the gist of what is said, among other things. For this sample task, we have given you the answers immediately after the question. In an actual exam, the answers would not be visible.

Listening: dropdown

Listen to a tour guide talking about four buildings in Cambridge. Look at the photos and select the right information about each one. 

Round Church

Location: corner of

Built in about: 

Number of round churches in England:

St Bene't's Church

Age of tower:

Location: near to

School of Pythagoras

Built in: 

Originally:

Currently part of:

Leper Chapel

Built around: 

Location:

Last leper admitted to hospital:

Task 2

In this Listening task, a video is used to illustrate the recording script, which helps the test taker to understand the topic of what they are listening to. The true/false questions test listening comprehension, but they can also be used for testing reading comprehension of a text. As in the previous task, a variety of testing focuses can be assessed using true/false questions.

Listening: true/false

Look at the video about punting (going on a special type of boat) in Cambridge. Are the statements true or false?

Reading: open-answer questions

Read the text and answer the questions about it. Answer with one word or a short phrase.

To what extent are the cultures of the two ancient English universities, Oxford and Cambridge, the same? It has often been pointed out that Oxford has a tradition of loyalty whereas Cambridge favours dissent. Oxford has produced all but four of the 16 prime ministers since 1945 while Cambridge is better-known for turning out spies. Famous Cambridge graduates include Bertrand Russell, a philosopher who was put on trial in 1916 for producing a pamphlet advocating pacifism, Oliver Cromwell, the 17th-century politician who made England briefly into a Republic and Charles Darwin the natural scientist whose theory of evolution caused anger in the Church.