ESCUELA SUPERIOR POLITECNICA DEL LITORAL
Centro de Lenguas Extranjeras
CELEX – ESPOL
Basic English A Exam v2
I. Reading Section (30 marks)
Read about the life of the actor Richard Burton.
1. B__________________________________________________
Richard Jenkins was born on 10th November 1925 and died on 5th August 1984. He was a British actor,
born in Wales. When he was a young man, he changed his name to Richard Burton. Burton was the
surname of his acting teacher, who was also like a father to him.
2. E___________________________________________________
Burton´s family was very poor and he had twelve brothers and sisters. His mother died when he was two
years old and he lived with his older sister and her husband. His father was an alcoholic and he didn´t see
him often.
3. A____________________________________________________
Burton started acting and singing at school. He was also very good at sports. He had some small jobs to
make money. For example, he delivered messages and newspapers.
4. D_____________________________________________________
Burton left school when he was 16 years old and had some different jobs. He started acting in the 1940s in
theatres, on the radio and in British films. He made his first film in 1947. He was in many famous plays and
films.
5. C_____________________________________________________
Burton was famous for his talent and his marriages to actress, Elizabeth Taylor. He married her twice! They
married for the first time in 1964 and got divorced in 1974. Then, they got married again in 1975 and got
divorced in 1976. They also made eleven films together.
Match the headings (A-E) to the paragraphs (1-5). (2.5 marks)
A. His school years
D. His working life
B. His identity
E. The people around him
C. His famous wife
Choose the best answers to the questions. (5 marks)
6. How old was Richard Burton when he died?
A. 56 years old
B. 58 years old
C. 60 years old
7. What was his father´s problem?
A. He took drugs.
C. He drank too much alcohol.
D. 62 years old
B. He died young.
D. He liked acting.
8. Where didn´t Burton act?
A. on TV
B. on the radio
C. in films
9. How long was he married to Elizabeth Taylor in total?
A. nine years
B. eleven years
C. thirteen years
10. Which is the correct description of Richard Burton?
A. an American actor with a drink problem
B. a famous actor from a poor family
C. a child actor who made eleven films
D. a man with many jobs
1
D. in theatres
D. fifteen years
Read about Charlotte and her family.
My name´s Charlotte and I live with my family in Rainham, England. We´re a typical British family.
There´s me, my younger sister, Karen, and my parents – Dave and Gloria.
Let me tell you about myself. I´m eighteen years old and still at school. I´m in my final year. I´m
studying French, English Literature and History. Next year, I want to go to university to study
languages. I´ve got a job. I work on Saturday and Sunday afternoons at the local supermarket. In
the evenings, I like to go out with my friends.
Karen is fifteen years old and she goes to the same school as me. We are very different, though.
She likes studying maths and biology, and she wants to be a doctor. I think she´s crazy. I hate
science!
My mum is a teacher and my dad is the manager of a shop. I don´t see my dad very often
because he works very hard. My mum only works three days a week so she has more free time for
us.
We live in a modern three-bedroomed house with a big living room, nice kitchen and small garden.
We´ve got a dog called Fred and two black and white cats called Gizmo and Bilberry. Karen takes
Fred for a walk every day, but I don´t. I don´t like dogs. I prefer cats. I like living with my family and
they´re very important to me, but I´d like my own house and family in the future – and I don´t want
to live in Rainham. It´s very boring!
Are the sentences true or false? (9 marks)
Example: Charlotte is from England.
A. True
B. False
11. There are five people is Charlotte´s family.
A. True
B. False
12. Charlotte is older than Karen.
A. True
B. False
13. Charlotte is a school student.
A. True
B. False
14. Karen is a doctor.
A. True
B. False
15. Charlotte and Karen spend a lot of time with their father.
A. True
B. False
16. Their mother doesn´t work every day.
A. True
B. False
17. Their house has only got three rooms.
A. True
B. False
18. Karen and Charlotte like the same things.
A. True
B. False
19. Charlotte wouldn´t like to live in Rainham when she is older.
A. True
B. False
Read about two famous places in Peru.
Machu Picchu
The Colca Canyon
Machu Picchu is in the mountains near Cusco in
Peru. It is known as “the lost city of the Incas”
and many experts think the Incas built it
between 1400 and 1472.
The Colca Canyon is a natural tourist
attraction in the south of Peru near
the town of Arequipa.
Tourists go to the canyon to see the
Andean condors. It is a good idea to
go in the early morning or late
afternoon. You can go for walks and
take photos.
Thousands of tourists visit the city every year. You
can´t stay in the city, but you can get a train to
Aguas Calientes near Machu Picchu and stay in
a hotel or bed and breakfast there. There are
also lots of restaurants and shops. Buses leave
Aguas Calientes to go to Machu Picchu
regularly.
Tourists often stay in Chivay – the
biggest town in the Canyon. There are
restaurants, hotels and swimming
pools with thermal waters.
In 2007, people voted Machu Picchu one of the
New Seven Wonders of the World.
Maximum temperature: 22°c
Maximum temperature: 30°c
Minimum temperature: -5°c
Minimum temperature: 11°c
2
Choose the correct answers (A, B, C or D). (6 marks)
20. Machu Picchu is …
A. … hotter than Colca Canyon
B. … hotter than Aguas Calientes
C. … colder than Colca Canyon
D. … colder than Aguas Calientes
23. People …………………….. Machu Picchu.
A. don´t like
B. don´t know about
C. hardly ever visit
D. like
21. There aren´t any hotels in …
A. Aguas Calientes
B. Colca Canyon
C. Machu Picchu
D. Chivay
24. In Chivay, you can go swimming in …
A. … the river
B. … a lake
C. … the sea
D. … pools with naturally hot water
22. People visit ……………. to see the animals
and nature.
A. Aguas Calientes
B. Colca Canyon
C. Machu Picchu
D. Chivay
25. From Aguas Calientes, you can´t …
A. … fly
B. … walk
C. … go by bus
D. … go by train
Read the news story and choose the correct missing words. (7 marks)
An Illinois man found $150,000 in his garden on Monday. Wayne Sabaj (49) went to get some vegetables
from his garden and (26)____________ a bag full of cash.
“I walked in, showed my dad and (27)_____________ “Now we´ve got problems!””, Sabaj, an
(28)_____________ carpenter, told the Northwest Herald newspaper. “It (29)______________ my money.
What am I going to do? I don´t know where it came from. Maybe it came (30)______________ a bank
robbery*.”
Sabaj hasn´t (31)___________________ any money in the bank and he says he spent his last $10 on
cigarettes. Police don´t know if Sabaj can have (32)______________ money or not.
*robbery = robo
Adapted from a true story on www.msnbc.msn.com
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
A. found
A. knew
A. young
A. wasn´t
A. of
A. like
A. a
B. did
B. had
B. real
B. weren´t
B. about
B. poor
B. an
C. gave
C. said
C. lost
C. didn´t
C. from
C. keep
C. of
33. Choose the best title for the story (A, B, C, D or E) (0.5 marks)
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Carpenter finds vegetables in his garden
Rich man loses his job over garden problem
Poor man robs a bank
$150,000 lost in a garden centre
Unemployed man finds money in his garden
3
D. drank
D. saw
D. unemployed
D. doesn´t
D. by
D. got
D. the
II. Listening Section (30 marks)
Listen to the conversation and choose the best answer. (5 marks)
34. The couple moved to the neighborhood ____
a. two years ago
b. six years ago
c. recently
35. They are moving from ____ .
a. Japan
b. Vietnam
c. America
36. Jim ____ mathematics at Will Springs Community College.
a. studies
b. plays soccer
c. drives
37. Lan is a ____ at Whitfield County Hospital.
a. doctor
b. nurse
c. surgeon
38. Jim has to go to his ____ class.
a. morning
b. afternoon
c. evening
Listen to a man at a rental office. Are the statements true or false? (7 marks)
39. The man wants to rent a house with two rooms.
a. True
40. Anne Smith is the agent who helps Bill.
c. True
41. Bill does not want to pay more than $450 a month.
e. True
42. Bill wants to live near the university.
g. True
43. Bill doesn’t need a balcony.
i. True
44. Anne shows Bill a power point with the houses.
k. True
45. He only wants to see the house on Broadway Avenue.
m. True
d. last week
d. Kuala Lumpur
d. teaches
d. nurse’s assistant
d. night
b.
d.
f.
h.
j.
l.
n.
False
False
False
False
False
False
False
Listen to a college student in the library and choose the best answer. (8 marks)
46. What book does the woman want?
a. Sociology age.
b. Psychology in the Modern Age.
c. The Modern Age of the Sociology.
d. Sociology and the Modern Age.
47. Where did she put her syllabus?
a. In the front of her Sociology notebook.
b. In the back of her Sociology notebook.
c. In the middle of her Sociology notebook.
d. In her book bag with her other notebooks.
48. Why can’t the woman find the book on the shelves of the library?
a. Because her professor reserved the book.
b. Because someone stole the book.
c. Because she can’t look for a book.
d. Because her professor took the book.
49. Where is the reserve room?
a. Straight ahead on the right.
b. Down the hall on the left.
c. Up the hall and take a right.
d. Down the hall on the right.
50. What does her professor want?
a. Everybody to read Harry Potter.
b. Everybody to go a party.
c. Everybody to read the chapter.
d. Everybody to read the newspaper.
51. What happens if one of the students takes the book from the library?
a. No one will care.
b. No one can read it.
c. No one will miss it.
d. No one will say anything.
52. How long can a student have a book that is on reserve ?
a. For a complete day.
b. For a few days.
c. For a few hours.
d. For a few weeks.
53. Where does the woman say she is going at the end of the conversation?
a. To reserve a room.
b. To the reserve room.
4
c. To the rest room.
d. To the reservation book room.
Listen to Jenny asking Mark about school holiday activities. Choose the best answer (a, b or c).
(5 marks)
54. Who is Sarah?
a. Jenny’s sister
b. Jenny’s cousin
c. Jenny’s daughter
55. What time does the children’s show start?
a. 13.15
b.14.00
c.15.30
56. How much is a child’s ticket?
a. 75p
b. £1.50
c. 25p
57. What other holiday activity do they talk about?
a. a visit to a library b. a reading course c. a singing course
58. What don’t children usually get on the course?
a. a pen
b. a book
c. a diary
Listen to five conversations. Answer the questions. (5 marks)
One
59. When did Gary start his new job?
a. March
Two
b. April
60. What time does the film start?
a. 16.30 and 19.00
Three
c. 16.30 and 19.30
b. sunny
c. windy
62. Which motorway would the man like to take?
a. M1
Five
b. 16.00 and 19.30
61. What was the weather like on Saturday?
a. rainy
Four
c. May
b. M62
c. M6
63. Which book does Lorna want?
a. the book on the sofa
b. the book under the chair c. the book on the chair
III. Use of English Section (40 marks)
Choose the correct word(s) to complete the sentences. (10 marks)
64.
Luke:
Johanna:
Luke:
Johanna:
A. hello
Hi I´m Luke!
I´m Johanna.
Nice to _________ you.
You too!
B. greet
C. meet
D. later
E. how
65.
What´s _________ nationality?
He´s Brazilian.
B. she
C. her
D. him
E. his
D. in
E. of
A. he
Julissa:
Pancho:
66. I´m _____________ teacher.
A. good
B. English
C. a
5
67. Your ____________ is your mother´s sister.
A. uncle
B. cousin
C. niece
D. aunt
E. grandma
68. A _______________ is a type of animal.
A. fridge
B. sausage
C. guinea pig
D. notebook
E. maid
69. After December comes ________________________
A. November
B. September
C. August
D. March
E. January
Livingston: What´s the time?
Washington: It´s _____________ to six.
A. half
B. quarter
C. forty-five
D. fifty-five
E. o´clock
71. I go ____________ at 6pm.
A. home
B. house
D. to house
E. to the home
72. We never have coffee ___________ friends.
A. to
B. have
C. for
D. with
E. by
73. Abigail ____________ want to go to the Green bar.
A. don´t
B. doesn´t
C. no
D. isn´t
E. not
74. I like listening ____________ the radio.
A. of
B. to
C. with
D. at
E. music
70.
C. to home
75. ____________________ often use lots of new technology and are about the future.
A. Sci-fi films
B. Action films
C. Comedies
D. Horror films
E. Love stories
76. Do you like _____________ the newspaper?
A. read
B. reader
C. readen
D reading
E. redding
77. Halloween is ________ 31st October.
A. in
B. on
D. of
E. a
78. You take a shower in the ________________.
a. bedroom
B. bathroom
C. kitchen
D. living room
E. balcony
79. You sail by ________________________.
A. boat
B. train
C. plane
D. car
E. bicycle
80. She _______________ out at the weekend.
A. go
B. goed
C. goes
D. gone
E going
C. at
81. She likes seeing different tourist attractions so she is going ________________ today.
A. sightseeing
B. fishing
C. skiing
D. swimming
E. dancing
82. Brad Pitt is _____________________ than Robert De Niro
A. younger
B. more young
C. youngier
D. most young
E. young
83. At the moment, they´re ____________ TV.
A. watch
B. watched
C. watching
D. watches
E. watchen
6
Read the conversation. Put the phrases in the correct gaps. (5 marks)
A. Anything else?
B. How much is that?
D. Can I have
E. Here´s your change and receipt.
SHOP ASSISTANT:
CUSTOMER:
SHOP ASSISTANT:
CUSTOMER:
SHOP ASSISTANT:
CUSTOMER:
SHOP ASSISTANT:
CUSTOMER:
SHOP ASSISTANT:
CUSTOMER:
SHOP ASSISTANT:
C. can I help you?
Hello, (84)C_____________________
Yes, have you got any bottles of water?
No, we haven’t. But we’ve got some orange juice.
OK.(85) D________________ two bottles of juice, please?
Sure. Here you are. (86)A___________________
Yes. I’ll have some chocolate, please.
OK.
(87)B_________________________
That’s $2.10, please.
Here you are.
Thank you. (88)E________________________________
Choose the correct subject pronoun, object pronoun or possessive adjective for the underlined words.
(5 marks)
Example: That´s Greg and Brenda´s house.
A. they
B. your
C. them
D. his
E. their
89. I bought my mother a t-shirt.
A. he
B. she
C. his
D. him
E. her
90. My dog won a competition.
A. he
B. she
C. his
D. him
E. it
91. That is Robert´s book.
A. her
B. his
C. its
D. him
E. it
92. My brother and I work in a green grocer´s.
A. our
B. us
C. they
D. them
E. we
93. I gave my son a TV for his birthday.
A. her
B. he
D. him
E. it
C. his
PLEASE USE THE SEPARATE ANSWERSHEET
Are the sentences correct () or incorrect (X)? If they are incorrect, write the correct sentence.
(10 marks)
Examples:
I love going to the cinema.

He listen to music every day.
X He listens to music every day.
94. This exam is easy.
95. She´s got a cat white.
96. I´m late for class never.
97. I´m twenty years old.
98. She studying French.
99. I can swimming.
100. She´s got three brothers.
101. Tom doed his homework last night.
102. Bob travelled to Salinas last week.

X She´s got a white cat.
X I´m never late for class.

X She´s studying French. /She studies French.
X I can swim./I go swimming./ I´m swimming.

X Tom did his homework last night.

7
103. I like writing emails.
Answer these questions. (5 marks)
Example: What´s your name?
104. Where are you from?
105. What do you do in your free time?
106. What can a tourist do in Guayaquil?
107. Do you like rap?
108. What are you doing now?

My name´s Jemima.
Respuestas posibles:
I´m from Ecuador.
I go to the cinema.
He/She can visit the Historic Park.
Yes, I do./No, I don´t.
I´m doing an exam.
Write the questions for these answers. (5 marks)
Example: My name´s Jemima
What´s your name?
109. It´s emmadickson@hotmail.com
110. I went shopping yesterday.
111. Yes, I did. I had a great time.
112. They are studying English.
113. I get up at 6am.
What´s your email address?
What did you do yesterday?/When did you go shopping?
Did you have a good time?
What are they doing?/What are they studying?
What time do you get up?/What do you do at 6am?
8
ESCUELA SUPERIOR POLITECNICA DEL LITORAL
Centro de Lenguas Extranjeras
CELEX – ESPOL
Basic English A Exam v2 - September 2011
WRITING ANSWERSHEET
Name: __________________________________________________________________________________
Registration number: ___________________
ID number: _________________________________
94. ______________________________________________________________________________________
95. ______________________________________________________________________________________
96. ______________________________________________________________________________________
97. ______________________________________________________________________________________
98. ______________________________________________________________________________________
99. ______________________________________________________________________________________
100. ______________________________________________________________________________________
101. ______________________________________________________________________________________
102. ______________________________________________________________________________________
103. ______________________________________________________________________________________
104. ______________________________________________________________________________________
105. ______________________________________________________________________________________
106. ______________________________________________________________________________________
107. ______________________________________________________________________________________
108. ______________________________________________________________________________________
109. ______________________________________________________________________________________
110. ______________________________________________________________________________________
111. ______________________________________________________________________________________
112. ______________________________________________________________________________________
113. ______________________________________________________________________________________
9