cambridge: use of English

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 5

Cambridge: Exam information

Saturday 17 June 2023

9.00 - 10.15            Reading and Use of English

10.40 - 12.00         Writing

12.50 - 13.30         Listening

14.00 - 14.16          Speaking

Check the place/room of your examination! 

Important information

- Bring this Confirmation of Entry to the exam with your proof of identity ( valid passport, ID- card)

- During the exams you need to have: a pencil - a pen - an eraser - a sharpener.

- Make sure that you know the dates, times and place of your examination. You should arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the start of your examination.

Metal bottles aren't allowed because these still introduce a level of risk to the security of the exams. They are difficult to check for unauthorised items, such as notes or hidden electronic devices.

Glass bottles also aren't allowed because there is a risk these might break if dropped, causing possible injury and disruption.

 Verder is het heel belangrijk dat de leerlingen stoppen met schrijven als het examen stopt. "Even mijn zin afmaken "is uit den boze en geldt als "malpractice"

Wij krijgen elk jaar inspecties vanuit de universiteit van Cambridge (tijdens de pandemie veel minder) dus is het belangrijk dat jullie leerlingen van de vorige 2 regels op de hoogte zijn.

- It is important to stop writing when the exam ends. "Just finish my sentence" is an absolute 'no go' and concidered as  "malpractise" 

- This will be supervised by the University of Cambridge

Cambridge B2 first exam

Today's focus: 

Reading and Use of English (1 hour 15 minutes)

Students need to be able to understand a range of texts, including how they are organised and the opinions and attitudes expressed in them. The texts will be from sources familiar to school-aged learners, such as magazines, articles, fiction and advertisements, but targeted at the interests of students.

Students’ use of English will be tested by tasks which show how well they can control their grammar and vocabulary.

Reading and Use of English

Consists out of 7 parts (total of 52 questions); each part will be practised during these classes. 

Part 1: Multiple-choice cloze 

Part 2: Open cloze

Part 3: Word formation

Part 4: Key word transformations

Part 5: Multiple choice

Part 6: Gapped text

Part 7: Multiple matching

Reading and Use of English

Part 1: Multiple-choice cloze 

What is it?
A text in which there are some missing words or phrases (gaps). After the text there are four possible answers for each gap and students have to choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

What do you have to practise? 
Vocabulary – words with similar meanings, collocations, linking phrases, phrasal verbs, etc.

• 8 questions
• 1 mark for each correct answer

Part 1: page 46: 'How to eat Sushi'

- Read the whole text before you look at the options.

- The options will be similar in meaning, but only one will fit correctly into the gap.

- Look at the words before and after the gap and check that the word you have chosen fits with them. Sometimes one of the options has the right meaning, but does not fit the grammar of the sentence.

keys: 'How to eat Sushi'

1 C               5 A

2 D              6 C

3 B              7 D

4 B              8 D

How did you do?

Reading and Use of English

Part 2: Open cloze 

What is it?
There are some missing words (gaps). Students have to think of the correct word for each gap.

What do you have to practise? 

Grammar and vocabulary.

• 8 questions
• 1 mark for each correct answer

Part 2: page 13: 

'How do you manage your money?'

- Read the text quickly.

- Think of the word which best fits each gap.

- Use only one word in each gap.

- Make sure that you spell the word correctly

Keys:'How do you mangage your money?'

1. where                5. to

2. from                  6. for

3 do                        7. as

4. them                 8. their

How did you do?

Reading and Use of English

Part 3: Word formation 

What is it?
A text containing eight gaps. Each gap represents a word. At the end of the line is a ‘prompt’ word which the student has to change in some way to make the correct missing word and complete the sentence correctly.

What do you have to practise? 

Vocabulary – word-building - collocations 

• 8 questions
• 1 mark for each correct answer

Part 3: page 123: 'Afraid of the dentist?' 

- Read the text.

- Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to form a word that fits in the gape in the same line.

- Before you decide on the word, think about what type of word you need (adjective, noun, etc.)

- Also check wether you need a negative of plural form.

Keys: 'Afraid of the dentist?'

1.  examination               5. appearance

2. anxiety                          6. dislike

3. minority                        7. helpless

4. appointment              8. uneasy

How did you do?

Reading and Use of English

Part 4: Key word transformations

What is it?                                                

A sentence followed by a key word and a second sentence which has a gap in it. Students have to use the key word to complete the second sentence so that it is similar in meaning to the first sentence.

What do you have to practise?             

Grammar and vocabulary – rewriting sentences with different words so that they mean the same thing.

• 6 questions
• up to 2 marks for each correct answer

Reading and Use of English

Part 4: Key word transformations

Example

She climbed the mountain without difficulty

EASY

She found ...... the mountain.

Reading and Use of English

Part 4: Key word transformations

How to act? 

Step 1: read both sentences; make sure you know their meaning and their grammatical tense.

Example

Joan was in favour of visiting the museum.

IDEA

Joan thought it would be ... to the museum. 

Reading and Use of English

Part 4: Key word transformations

How to act? 

Step 2: analyse what information you can already find in both sentences. 

Example

Joan was in favour of visiting the museum.

IDEA

Joan thought it would be ... to the museum. 

Reading and Use of English

Part 4: Key word transformations

How to act? 

Step 3: fill in the missing words. Remember! You have to use 2 - 5 words. Less or more will cost you points. Collocations like 'don't' or 'I'm' will count as two words. You have to use the word 'idea'. 

What does it mean when you are 'in favour of something'? It means that you would prefer to do something, or that you think it is a good idea to do something. 

Use that to form your sentence: 

Joan thought it would be a good idea to go to the museum. 

She climbed the mountain without difficulty
EASY
She found ...... the mountain.

Part 4: page 121: Exercise 3

- Complete the second sentence so 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.

Keys: exercise 3 page 121

1. keep following

2. hurt far more than / was more painful than

3. succeeded in making

4. it is / it is unlikely (that)

5. led to the patient being

6. wears glasses apart from

How did you do?

Prepare!!

- Online: B2 first for school

- Book: Check 'Map of the units' page 4-5. It shows you all the exam exercises you can work on.