Sample Test Intermediate
NH
I. Read the article and answer the questions
After twenty years in employment, many people don’t like going to work in the
morning. They want to be truly excited about their jobs. But it’s difficult to change jobs and
changing your career is even harder, so take time to do it right.
You’ll need to look at your skills and personal interests. Connecting work to personal
interests is the best way to find a satisfying career. What do you really enjoy doing in your
spare time? It isn’t always a good idea to make your hobbies your career because then you’ll
need to find a new hobby, but knowing why you like your hobbies is very important to
knowing which career you might enjoy.
When you know the abilities you enjoy using and have decided which field you’d like
to work in, it’s time to get practical. Find out all about it. Who are the key companies? After
finding potential employers, you can start thinking about possible jobs.
However, it’s very hard to find full-time employment in a completely different line of
work. You might need to go to evening classes for extra qualifications for your CV. But
employers prefer candidates to have a solid background in the field. You might have to start
by working part time or even for free to gain experience.
Changing careers isn’t easy. People often find that ‘the devil you know is better than the
devil you don’t’ and prefer to stay in a job they know. But I think life’s too short to spend a
single minute doing something you don’t love doing.
1. What does the author mean by ‘key companies’?
2. What does the author refer to by mentioning the phrase ‘solid background in the
field’?
3. From the author’s point of view:
a. finding full-time employment is very easy;
b. finding full-time employment is very difficult and impossible;
c. finding full-time employment is tough but not impossible;
d. finding full-time employment is no more interesting to people.
4. Who is ‘the devil you know’ and who is the ‘the devil you don’t’?
5. Would you like to change your career? Why? Why not?
10 points
II. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form. The tenses used are Present Simple,
Present Perfect, Past Simple, Past Continuous and Past Perfect.
A funny thing happened to me the other day. I /1/________________ (be) in a hurry to get to
work and I found that my car wasn’t working. I /2/ __________ (have to) rush out of the
house to catch the bus. While I /3/ ______________ (walk) along the street, I /4/
______________ (notice) a woman of about my age on the opposite side of the road. I looked
at her again and I /5/ ______ (realize) that we /6/ ________ (meet) before. She arrived at the
bus stop a couple of seconds after me. We /7/ ______________ just ________ (miss) the
previous bus and we had 15 minutes to wait before the next one. I looked at the woman
behind me again and I was sure that I /8/ _______________ (know) her.
“Excuse me, have we met before? I’m sure that I /9/ _________ (recognize) you”, I said.
She looked a bit surprised, but she /10/ ___________ (tell) me that her name was Angela
Barker.
“You /11/ ______________ (study) history at Liverpool University”, I shouted, “from 1985 to
1988!”
“That’s right!”, she replied. “And you’re Claire ….?”
“Lewis. Well, my name was Lewis but I /12/ _______________ (be) married now. What
about you? How /13/ ______________ you ____________ (be)?”, I asked.
“Well, I /14/_______________ (work) in the Central Museum and I /15/ ________ (live) in
this area for 3 years”, she replied.
“I /16/ _________ (not believe) it! We /17/ ____________ (be) neighbours for 3 years and
we /18/ _________ never _____ (see) each other!”, I said.
“ I know it’s incredible!”, she /19/ _____________ (agree), “And I’m glad that you spoke to
me because I wondered why you /20/ ______________ (look) at me all the time”.
20 points.
III. Read the following text about violence in films and fill in the gaps with the
appropriate words below.
sensitive, encouraging, expect, protect, relationships, thrilled, quality, normally, give up,
pretty
Lying
Studies about lying show that people tend to lie less to those they feel close to. In such
(1)……………….people are more likely to tell ‘kind-hearted’ lies, meant to (2)……….........
the other person’s feelings. Wives (3)……………………….. lie to their husbands about the
cost of things. Girls constantly lie to their plain-looking friends that they are
(4)…………………... . We pretend to be extremely (5)……………………….with presents
we don’t like at all because we know that a person we love would be hurt if we reacted in any
other way. Children find themselves lying to their parents about school and if they have done
their homework. Quite often it’s necessary for teachers to lie to their
(6)………………………. pupils so that they could encourage them to produce work of a
better (7) ……………………… . If a teacher says to a student ‘That’s rubbish’, they will
(8)……………………………, but by (9)……………………….them to think that the work is
excellent, the student will continue to do their best.
In short, don’t (10)……………………your best friend to tell you the truth about your
awful taste in hairstyles.
10 points
IV. Select the correct alternative
1. If I ……….born rich, I ……….to work.
a) were / haven’t need
b) were / didn’t need
c) were / wouldn’t need
2. She says that if it ……….for the operation expenses, she ……….much better off.
a) weren’t / ’ll be
b) didn’t / ’d be
c) weren’t / ’d be
3. Don’t you think that if I ………. her number, I ………. call her?
a) knew / wouldn’t
b) know / will not
c) would know / don’t
4. What ………. you ………. if a group of children ………. things at you?
a) would / do / thrown
b) will / do / throws
c) do / do / will throw
5. I didn’t want to call you fat, I just asked ………. pregnant because I wanted to congratulate
you.
a) if you did
b) if you were
c) were you
6. What ……… if you ………. this button?
a) happens / press
b) happens / will press
c) will happen / pressed
7. Peter ………. me that he loved living in this town.
a) said
b) told
c) asked
8. She told me that he ………. back in.
a) moves
b) had moved
9. A: You don’t quite like it, ……….?
B: ………., I do.
a) don’t you ………. No b) do you ……… Yes
10. He won’t say a word all day unless you ………. to him first.
a) talk
b) will talk
10 points
V. Gerund or Infinitive
Fill in the gaps with one of the verbs in either the gerund or the infinitive form
earn; pay; work; visit; save; buy; find; redecorate; overdraw; go
Jane’s a self-employed Christmas trees decorator, but she’s trying /1/ ___________ a new
job because decorating is a seasonal job, and she cannot afford /2/ _____________all her
bills. She finds it impossible to live without /3/ _____________ her bank account in the
summer months. Her flat needs /4/ ______________ and she would like /5/
_____________ a new MacBook. She managed /6/ _______________ enough last year
for a short holiday by /7/ ____________ some extra money decorating Easter eggs in
spring and this year she’s hoping /8/ __________ some friends in France. She has stopped
/9/ _____________ to the theatre which used to be one of her greatest pleasures. That is
why she’s thinking of /10/ ___________ in America, where she could earn a higher salary
in a big company for decorating.
10 points
VI. Paraphrase using a suitable modal verb changing the underlined part of the sentence
Example: Smoking is forbidden.
You are not allowed to smoke.
1. It is OK to open the window.
You ………………………………………………………………………………
2. I advise you to take more exercises.
You ………………………………………………………………………………
3. My parents made me have violin lessons when I was a child.
I ………………………………..…………………………………… …………..
4. Tourists are required to carry a passport at all times.
Tourists ………………………………………...………………………………..
5. Jane is not in class. I’m sure she has overslept.
Jane is not in class. She …………………………………………………………
5 points
VII. Write the correct passive forms of the verbs in brackets
Chocolate ____________ /introduce/ to Europe from Mexico by the Spanish in the
sixteenth century. In the next century, sugar __________ /add/, and chocolate
___________ /make/ into a hot drink. As it was very expensive at that time, it _________
/drink/ only by the rich nobility. The first chocolate factory ____________ /open/ in
Switzerland in 1819. Since then, chocolate products _____________ /produce/ by
factories all over the world, and a huge variety of chocolate products ___________
/develop/. In many countries today, chocolate ____________ /consume/ daily. In Britain,
for example, chocolate ___________ /eat/ at least once a week by 75 % of the population.
10 points
VIII. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the phrasal verbs given.
look out; put up with; look forward to; , come up with; put away; put out; put through; get on
with ; run out of; look for
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
He ____________ a wonderful idea for our holiday!
_____________ ! There’s a car coming.
I can’t find my wallet. I’ve _______________ it everywhere.
I will not ______________ this attitude a minute longer!
I’m really ______________ my holiday.
The copy machine has _______________ paper.
Please ______________ that knife _________ before you hurt somebody.
How long did it take the firemen to ______________ the fire?
Could you _____________ me ____________ to flight reservations, please?
Do you ______________ your in-laws?
10 points
IX. Writing:
Choose ONE topic and write approx. 150 words based on the instructions:
1. Write a letter to ABC English Language Centre in Newcastle, requesting information for:
the courses they offer, the accommodation they can provide, the fees. Include information
about: your current level of English, the duration and purpose of your stay, any particular
requirements you have.
2. Write about a memorable holiday. Write about where you went, describe the place where
you stayed, explain what you did, include the reason why the holiday is memorable.
15 points
PASS LEVEL - 70 points
TOTAL - 100 points