Académique Documents
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Preliminary
SAMPLE TEST 1
INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
Do not open this question paper until you are told to do so.
Write your name, centre number and candidate number on your answer sheets if they
are not already there.
Read the instructions for each part of the paper carefully.
Answer all the questions.
Read the instructions on the answer sheets.
Write your answers on the answer sheets. Use a pencil.
You must complete the answer sheets within the time limit.
At the end of the test, hand in both this question paper and your answer sheets.
* 500/2428/0
© UCLES 2015 Cambridge English Entry Level Certificate in ESOL International (Business English) (Entry 3)
READING
2 SPORTMASTER
QUESTIONS 1 – 45
Pakistan-based manufacturer of sports items wishing to do
PART ONE business in Europe is looking for importers
Questions 1 – 5
T EL : 92 555 4321
• Look at questions 1 – 5.
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2 3
Page 13
B E C P R E L I M I N A RY
B E C P R E L I M I N A RY
Page 14
PART TWO 6 Margaret Williams needs help in choosing the business loan with the most competitive terms.
Questions 6 – 10
7 Ibrahim Shah wants to be sure that there will be enough demand for his product.
• Look at the advertisement below. It shows services offered by a business consultancy.
• For questions 6 – 10, decide which service (A – H) would be suitable for each person. 8 Maria Fernandez would like some advice about where to advertise a new line of goods.
• For each question, mark one letter (A – H) on your Answer Sheet.
9 Kim Seng wants to research new laws on constructing buildings.
• Do not use any letter more than once.
10 Peder Andersen needs to know whether his existing funds are enough to set up his business.
T H I N K I N G O F S TA R T I N G A B U S I N E S S ?
A Market Research
B Constructing a schedule
C Calculating costs
E Obtaining finance
Turn Over
4 5
PART THREE 11 In this month, total expenditure, like income, showed a fall, while spending on advertising
Questions 11 – 15 demonstrated the opposite trend.
• Look at the chart below. It shows a restaurant’s income, total expenditure and advertising costs 12 Total expenditure rose slightly in this month, while advertising costs reached their peak, leading
during an eight-month period. to a higher income in the following month.
• Which month does each sentence (11 – 15) on the opposite page describe?
• For each sentence, mark one letter (A – H) on your Answer Sheet. 13 Despite a decline in advertising costs in this month, expenditure as a whole rose.
£ 15 While this month saw a low point in the restaurant’s income, expenditure continued to fall.
8000
7000
6000
5000
4000 Income
Total expenditure
3000
Advertising
2000
1000
0
A B C D E F G H
Month
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6 7
Page 15
B E C P R E L I M I N A RY
B E C P R E L I M I N A RY
Page 16
PART FOUR 16 With a QVM machine, companies can avoid having a canteen altogether.
Questions 16 – 22
A Right B Wrong C Doesn’t say
• Read the advertisement below for a hot drinks machine.
• Are sentences 16 – 22 on the opposite page ‘Right’ or ‘Wrong’? If there is not enough
information to answer ‘Right’ or ‘Wrong’, choose ‘Doesn’t Say’. 17 The QVM machine provides enough hot drinks for up to fifteen people.
• For each sentence 16 – 22, mark one letter (A, B or C) on your Answer Sheet.
A Right B Wrong C Doesn’t say
18 Most customers prefer to rent the QVM machine over sixty months.
ADVERTISING FEATURE
A Right B Wrong C Doesn’t say
22 During the trial period, the customer pays a reduced amount to rent the machine.
Turn Over
8 9
PART FIVE 23 The reviewer suggests that one advantage of the book is that
Questions 23 – 28
A it is better value than other management books.
• Read the following review of a book called The Bosses Speak. B it does not need to be read right through.
• For each question 23 – 28 on the opposite page, choose the correct answer. C it is about well-known people.
24 The book concentrates on the fact that the twenty executives who are interviewed
Turn Over
10 11
Page 17
B E C P R E L I M I N A RY
B E C P R E L I M I N A RY
Page 18
PART SIX 29 A calling B calls C called
Questions 29 – 40
30 A such B like C so
• Read the article below about team-building.
• Choose the correct word to fill each gap, from A, B or C on the opposite page. 31 A at B for C in
• For each question 29 – 40, mark one letter (A, B or C) on your Answer Sheet.
32 A who B which C what
33 A and B but C or
The park is situated just a few kilometres outside the city centre (33) ...... it provides
events that (34) ...... entertain as well as train. 40 A made B had C done
Clients can try outdoor attractions such as sailing or climbing, (35) ...... availability
clearly depends entirely (36) ...... the weather. Activities of (37) ...... kind are perfect
team-building exercises.
‘I’d (38) ...... been to an activity park before,’ explained James Black, a company
manager. ‘Before we came, I didn’t think we (39) ...... enjoy ourselves so much and I
didn’t expect the huge difference that Fast-track’s programme has (40) ...... to my
team. Now we work better together than we did before.’
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12 13
PART SEVEN
Questions 41 – 45 Insurance Claim
• Read the memo and note below.
NAME OF POLICY HOLDER: (41) ........................................................................…..
• Complete the claim form on the opposite page.
I T E M ( S ) TO B E R E P L AC E D : (42) ..............................................................................
MEMO
L O C AT I O N O F I T E M ( S ) : (43) ..............................................................................
TO: Barbara Sinclair
Could you deal with this? It’s our insurance claim, for the damage at the weekend. The
insurance policy is in my name, and we bought the carpet for £300, although it will cost at DAT E O F DA M AG E : Sunday 19 May
least £500 to replace. Luckily our office carpets seem fine.
Thanks
with compliments
Martin Morris
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14 15
Page 19
B E C P R E L I M I N A RY
B E C P R E L I M I N A RY
PART TWO
Page 20
Question 47
WRITING
QUESTIONS 46 and 47 • Read this part of a letter from Mary Bennett applying for a job.
PART ONE
Question 46
With reference to your advertisement in The Times, I am writing to apply for the post of
• You are going to attend an engineering exhibition in Frankfurt soon.
training assistant.
• Write a memo to your assistant:
I am moving to your country next month with my husband. As you will see from the enclosed
• explaining why you will be away CV, I have had a lot of experience in training and I feel that I have much to offer your company.
• letting her know the dates you will be away If I am selected for interview, please could you give me information about how to reach your
offices by public transport?
• saying what work she should do while you are away.
• Write 30 – 40 words.
17
16
B E C P R E L I M I N A RY
Page 26
Part 3 Part 4 Part 5
P R E L I M I N A RY 11 A B C D E F G H 16 A B C 23 A B C
12 A B C D E F G H 17 A B C 24 A B C
Candidate Name Centre No.
If not already printed, write name
in CAPITALS and complete the A B C D E F G H A B C A B C
Candidate No. grid (in pencil). 13 18 25
Candidate’s Signature Candidate No.
0 0 0 0 14 A B C D E F G H 19 A B C 26 A B C
1 1 1 1
Examination Title Examination
2 2 2 2 A B C D E F G H A B C A B C
Details 15 20 27
3 3 3 3
Centre
4 4 4 4
5 5 5 5 21 A B C 28 A B C
Supervisor: 6 6 6 6
If the candidate is ABSENT or has WITHDRAWN shade here 7 7 7 7 A B C
8 8 8 8
22
9 9 9 9
For Parts 1 to 6: 31 A B C 35 A B C 39 A B C
Mark one box for each answer.
32 A B C 36 A B C 40 A B C
For example:
If you think C is the right answer to the question, mark your answer sheet like this:
0 A B C Part 7
For Part 7:
Write your answer clearly in CAPITAL LETTERS.
Write one letter or number in each box.
41
If the answer has more than one word, leave one box empty between words. 1 41 0
For example:
0
42
1 42 0
Part 1 Part 2
1 A B C 6 A B C D E F G H 43
A B C A B C D E F G H 1 43 0
2 7
3 A B C 8 A B C D E F G H
44
4 A B C 9 A B C D E F G H 1 44 0
5 A B C 10 A B C D E F G H
45
1 45 0
Turn over for Parts 3 - 7
BEC P - R DP453/353
Part 2: Write your answer in the box below.
P R E L I M I N A RY
Candidate Name Centre No.
If not already printed, write name
in CAPITALS and complete the
Candidate No. grid (in pencil).
This section for use by Examiner only
Part 2 0 1.1 1.2 2.1 2.2 3.1 3.2 4.1 4.2 5.1 5.2
Examiner Number
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
BEC P - W DP454/354
Page 27
B E C P R E L I M I N A RY
BEC PRELIMINARY READING
Sample paper answer key
PART ONE PART TWO PART THREE PART FOUR
1 B 6 E 11 B 16 B
2 A 7 A 12 F 17 A
3 C 8 H 13 G 18 C
4 A 9 D 14 H 19 B
5 C 10 C 15 E 20 C
21 A
22 B
23 B 29 C 41 PETER ROGERS
24 A 30 A 42 (A/THE/ONE) CARPET
25 C 31 C 43 PHOTOCOPY ROOM
26 B 32 B 44 £300
27 A 33 A 45 FLOOD/FLOODING
28 C 34 B
35 B
36 A
37 C
38 C
39 B
40 A
b e c h a n d b o o k | p r e l i m i n a r y – r e a d i n g | a ns w e r k e y 21
Assessment of Writing BEC Preliminary Summary of General Mark Scheme
Trained examiners award a mark to each piece of writing, Part 2
using two mark schemes – the General Mark Scheme and the
BAND All four content points achieved.
5
Task-Specific Mark Scheme. The General Mark Scheme
• Good range of structure and vocabulary.
summarises performance with reference to content,
• Confident control of language; a few non-impeding errors
organisation and cohesion, range and accuracy of vocabulary, may be present.
range and accuracy of grammatical structures and effect on • Effectively organised, with appropriate cohesion.
the target reader across five bands. The Task-Specific Mark • Register and format consistently appropriate.
Scheme focuses on criteria specific to each task. Full realisation of the task set.
Very positive effect on the reader.
Candidates are penalised for dealing inadequately with the
requirements of the Task-Specific Mark Scheme. The accuracy BAND Three or four content points achieved.
of language, including spelling and punctuation, is assessed 4 • More than adequate range of structure and vocabulary.
• Some errors, mostly non-impeding.
on the General scale for all tasks.
• Generally well-organised, with attention paid to cohesion.
• Register and format on the whole appropriate.
Marking Good realisation of the task set.
Positive effect on the reader.
A mark is awarded to each piece of writing.
Expert examiners mark candidates’ written answers, BAND Likely maximum for scripts of 25–50 words.
supported by a very experienced examiner as Team Leader. A 3 Three or four content points achieved.
• Adequate range of structure and vocabulary.
Principal Examiner guides and monitors the marking process.
• A number of errors may be present, several of which may be
Examiners discuss the Task-Specific and General Mark
impeding.
Schemes and refer to them regularly while they are working. • Organisation and cohesion is satisfactory, on the whole.
• Register and format reasonable, although not entirely
During marking, each examiner marks a random selection of
successful.
scripts in order to ensure that there is no concentration of Reasonable achievement of the task set.
good or weak scripts or of one large centre or one country in Satisfactory effect on the reader.
the allocation of any one examiner.
BAND Maximum for scripts of fewer than 25 words.
The BEC Preliminary General Mark Scheme is interpreted at
Council of Europe Level B1.
2 Two or three content points achieved.
• Limited range of structure and vocabulary.
• Numerous errors, several of which impede communication.
A summary of the General Mark Scheme is given below.
• Content is not clearly organised or linked, causing some
Examiners work with a more detailed version, which is subject confusion.
to updating. • Inappropriate register and format.
Inadequate attempt at task/task possibly misunderstood/
response considerably irrelevant.
Negative effect on the reader.
BEC Preliminary Summary of General Mark Scheme
Part 1
BAND Task misunderstood/response largely irrelevant.
22 b e c h a n d b o o k | p r e l i m i n a r y – w r i t i n g | a s se s sm e nt o f w r i t i n g
Handwriting EXAMINER COMMENTS
EXAMINER COMMENTS
Script C
Band 5
I must go attend an engineering exhibition in
All the content points have been achieved and the candidate
Frankfurt from 15 March to 18 March. Can you tell Mr has demonstrated confident control throughout most of the
Meier to ask him confirmation for the fly on Monday letter, although there are a few non-impeding errors and a
and finish to made the travel documents for departure slightly abrupt register.
in April?
Yours sincerely
b e c h a n d b o o k | p r e l i m i n a r y – w r i t i n g | sa m p l e sc r i p ts a n d com m e nta r i e s 23
Script F EXAMINER COMMENTS
Thank you for your curriculum vitae and for the Only the first two content points have been achieved, which
Kind regards
EXAMINER COMMENTS
Band 4
Script G
EXAMINER COMMENTS
Band 3
All the content points have been achieved and the candidate
has used an adequate range of structure and vocabulary.
However, there is an impeding error (traning substance) and
this together with the lack of punctuation and the fact that
the script is slightly short, holds the mark awarded at Band 3.
Script H
To Mrs Bennett
24 b e c h a n d b o o k | p r e l i m i n a r y – w r i t i n g | sa m p l e sc r i p ts a n d com m e nta r i e s