Helping Students to

Prepare for the Érettségi N

by Themselves THE LONGMA
From time to time students may ask your advice about how include CD ROMs which have

TSÉ GI H AN DBOOK
to prepare for the érettségi exams at home, at the week-
end or in the holidays. Well perhaps one of the best things
students could do by themselves is read in English. Who
Interactive Exercises which can be
used for exam preparation, and
Video Clips! What’s more there is
ÉRET
knows, they may even end up enjoying it. Extensive reading an extensive Test Yourself Section

GL ISH TEA CHERS

FOR EN
will improve students’ writing, enrich their vocabulary and which has tests for FCE prepara-
grammar, as well as make them more effective readers. tion, General Knowledge as well as
Dictations and Anagrams.
Penguin Readers provide students
with excellent reading opportunities You might even be able to per-
in an accessible way. With over 400 suade your students to do some
titles to choose from there is grammar at home! An excellent
something for everyone. grammar book is Grammar Express
Readers are divided into 7 levels which is especially for teenagers. It is
from zero beginner (200 words) to pitched at B1 – B2 according to the
advanced (3000 words). For stu- Common European Reference
dents preparing for the középszintû Framework for Languages. Grammar
exam Penguin Readers levels 3 or Express contains 4-page units – 2
4 are most suitable, whilst for presentation pages and 2 practice
emeltszintû we recommend level pages covering all the essential
5. Students can choose from clas- grammar for the new érettségi.
sics like 1984 and A Room with a View, or contemporary There is also a CD ROM available
titles such as Schindler’s List, Johnny English or Braveheart. with sentence and paragraph-level
error correction as well as self-tests.
And if students are doing lots of
reading they will need a good dic- Talking of tests, as the heat is
tionary. Longman can offer a selec- turned up and Exam Day approach-
tion of dictionaries for different lev- es, students may simply want exam
els of students. WordWise practice in the shape of sample Page
Dictionary is the perfect dictionary exam papers. Longman has an
Contents 2
for students at középszintû as the excellent collection called Practice ettségi exams
definitions are easy to understand Test Plus providing tons of practice Level of the new Ér 2
exams
and it highlights the most frequent but also help on strategy and Tip Format of the new 3
2000 words of English. The Strips on how to do the exam. PET a new exam?
Why do we need ettsé gi 4
Longman Active Study Dictionary Practice Test Plus are at the right
in the new ér
on the other hand is more suitable level for középszintû and FCE Focus on speaking 5
ks for the exam
for the advanced level exam as it’s 3000 active Words Practice Test Plus for emeltszintû.
Making speaking tas cc es s 6/7
cover all the vocabulary students need. Both dictionaries Enjoy! t Tips for exam su
Strategies and Ho ségi 8
cus on read ing in the new érett 9
Fo
the new érettségi
Focus on writing in ett ségi 10
glish in the new ér
Focus on Use of En gi 11
in the new érettsé
Ordering Longman materials. Focus on listening ms elv es 12
epare by the
Helping students pr
ary
on Education Hung
You can order Longman publications at most bookshops but if you do have any prob- Produced by Pears apay M ár ta, KÁOKSZI
áné Gy
lems finding materials then feel free to contact our main distributors: Consultant : Szálk re, Budapest.
velopment Cent
Examination De
Libra Könyvesbolt LibroTrade
1085 Budapest 1173 Budapest
Kölcsey u. 2 Pesti út 237
Tel : 1 483 0660 Tel : 1 257 0254
Fax : 1 267 5777 Fax : 1 257 7472
www.librabooks.hu
LEVEL OF THE EXAM
Council of Europe
C2 Mastery
C1 Proficiency
B2 Vantage
Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete
and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field
of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spon-
taneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite
possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear,
detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint
on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of vari-
ous options.
B1 Threshold
Can understand the main points of clear standard input on famil-
iar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure etc.
Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an
area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connect-
ed text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can
describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions
and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
New „Érettségi” UCLES Focus on Listening in the
Cambridge Exams
Emelt Közép
New Érettségi
szintû szintû
CPE
CAE Listening is a skill that most Hungarian students find very Note the brief time that students are given to prepare and
challenging, especially under examination circumstances. The finalise their answers. Moreover some of the task types are
new érettségi exams will contain a variety of listening text quite new for students. Students having effective strategies to
FCE types and tasks. At középszintû students will listen to 3 texts cope with these new tasks will ensure exam success. Here is
and have 3 tasks to complete. The listening test will last one example from Opportunities Intermediate page 50:
about 5-8 minutes and contain roughly 20 to 25 items.
Typical tasks might include the following: LISTENING STRATEGIES:
Listening for specific information

30 seconds to study the sentences then listen to a spoken
text twice. While listening complete the sentences with a
Before you listen, read the questions. Try to
guess possible answers (e.g. dates, places, names,
maximum of 3 words. Then 30 seconds to finalise
numbers, objects, actions, reasons).
answers.

30 seconds to study questions then listen to a spoken
While you are listening, listen for words from the
questions or synonyms of them (e.g. star/celebri-
text twice. While listening answer the questions with a
maximum of 4 words. Then 30 seconds to finalise ty)
PET answers.
Don’t worry if you don’t understand everything.

30 seconds to study the summary text then listen to a Concentrate on the important words.
spoken text twice. While listening complete the gaps in
Write down your answers in note form. Don’t
the summary text with a maximum of 3 words. Then 30 use full sentences.
seconds to finalise answers.

A2 Waystage
All levels of Opportunities have separate Test Books with
Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions relat- cassettes so that teachers can prepare students even for the
ed to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic person- listening tasks in the exam. The Test Books can be used to
al and family information, shopping, geography, employment). KET
give students practice in listening under exam conditions.
Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple
and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine mat-
ters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background,
immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.

A1 Breakthrough

Time Weighting Points

Középszint (mins) (%)
Written Exam Reading Comprehension 60 22 33 Format of
Use of English
(grammar and vocabulary) 30 12 18
the Exam
BREAK
Listening Comprehension 30 22 33
Writing Skills 60 22 33
Spoken Exam Speaking Skills 15 22 33
Total 100 150
Time Weighting Points
Emeltszint (mins) (%)
Written Exam Reading Comprehension 70 20 30
Use of English
(grammar and vocabulary) 50 20 30
BREAK
Listening Comprehension 30 20 30
Writing Skills 90 20 30
Spoken Exam Speaking Skills 20 20 30 11
Total 100 150
 Focus on the
Use of English
in the New Érettségi
Range and control of grammar and vocabulary will be essen-
tial for the successful candidate in the new exams. However
it is worth bearing in mind that this part of the exam will be
worth only 12% of the total marks at középszintû (listening,
speaking, reading and writing will be worth 22% each!), and
20% of marks at emeltszintû . This is not to underestimate
the importance of thorough preparation for this section of
the exam.
Another aspect of the Use of English paper which will be dif-
ferent is that language will be tested at text level rather than
sentence level. In other words candidates can expect to find
tasks built around text of between 500-700 words with
roughly 25 to 30 items contained in the 3 or 4 tasks.
However the text used for grammar and vocabulary assess-
ment will be easier than those used to test reading. They will
be about everyday topics which are interesting to this age
group.
Typical Use of English task types will include:

Read a text and indicate the unnecessary words in each
line. Some lines are cor-
rect and must be indicated
with a tick.
10

Read the text with missing words. Fill the gaps with words
from a list. There are 2 extra words in the list.

Read the text with missing words. Fill the gaps with words
from 4 multiple-choice options (A-D).

Read the text with missing words. Use the words in
brackets to form the words
Teachers can help their students to prepare for these tasks
by not only giving them regular practise tests, but by also dis-
cussing a plan of action for tackling these tasks. For example
when students are asked to indicate the unnecessary words
in each line of a text they will need to read the whole sen-
tence not just the line. This may seem obvious to the teacher
but is worth pointing out to the students.
Longman has an excellent Longman Exam Skills series
including First Certificate Use of English which could help in
exam preparation for emeltszintû. Each volume contains not
just practice tests but tips on how to complete the tasks.
Why Does Hungary Need
a New „Érettségi” Exam?
Introduction
The English language plays a prominent part in the hopes,
dream and ambitions of many young Hungarians today.
Often this is mirrored by students' enthusiasm for language
examinations as proof of achievement and proficiency. The
new „érettségi” examinations to be introduced in Hungary in
May 2005 will provide young Hungarians with the opportuni-
ty to participate, for the first time, in language examinations
that are both reliable and valid, but moreover they are
exams provided by the state free of charge.
The new Hungarian „érettségi” exams will be a real depar-
ture from subjective, structure-based exams. It is also hoped
that consequently the examination itself will carry more
weight (for example as an entrance qualification to universi-
ty). Nowadays language curricula are often based on compe-
tencies. These curricular often use a skills-based approach to
instruction which helps equip students with a working lan-
guage resource. This must be reflected in the examination
system.
What was wrong with the old „érettségi”?
Old structure-based exams emphasised what students didn’t
know and marks were taken away for mistakes rather than
given for achievements. Often exams based on grammar
concentrated on exceptions to the rules rather than regular
patterns. Language was seen as a system which had to be
mastered rather than a way of getting things done with lan-
guage. The old exams relied on translation as a test of lan-
guage use which is very unreliable and invalid as it demands
skills far beyond grammatical accuracy. Often students could
pass the spoken part of the exam by simply regurgitating a
memorised text. However despite these many flaws in the
content and administration of the old exams, the main prob-
lem was that they did not provide reliable proof of proficien-
cy. Neither institutions of higher education and training, nor
employers could depend on a young person’s ability to oper-
ate in English for study or work.
What will the new exams be like?
The new skills-based exams emphasis what students can do
and provide a chance for students to show what they are
capable of. The new érettségi gives a space for structured
performance of language tasks. It is meant to be the end of a
culminative process of language equipping where language is
seen as a resource for getting things done. Students will be
expected to show awareness not of just grammatical accura-
cy, but appropriateness and interactive strategy. Students will
have to show that they are capable of handling language in
different situations. A modern exam emphasises appropriate
spontaneity and improvisation, confidence and interaction.
Success will be judged according to a student’s ability to use
language – a successful candidate will be able to handle a
variety of listening, speaking, reading and writing tasks which
show his/her ability to function in English.
The Longman Érettségi Handbook for English Teachers
No examination system is perfect. There will always be con-
troversy over validity and reliability of any examination.
However, students must be well-prepared for the exam so
that they can concentrate on giving the best possible per-
formance on the day. At Longman we hope that this hand-
book will make a real contribution to this developmental
approach to exam preparation. This handbook suggests that
students cannot cram for a language exam but must be
meticulously prepared so that they are flexible, rounded and
both accurate and fluent in their use of English. The hand-
book also contains tips on how to prepare students for tasks
they might be asked to do using English in the real world,
including exam tasks.
Give your stu-
dents a voice in
Europe!
3
 Focus on Speaking Making Speaking Tasks
in the New Érettségi for Középszintû Érettségi
„Task accomplishment by an individual involves the strategic • Exchanging personal information (interview) Whilst the Ministry of Education will provide all the oral tasks dents with the confidence and skills to tackle similar tasks in
activation of specific competencies in order to carry out a set • Situational role-play or debate (interactive communication) for emeltszintû érettségi each year, individual schools will the exam.
of purposeful actions in a particular domain with a clearly • Extended speaking using visual or written material (long-turn) produce tasks for the középszintû exam locally. However
defined goal and a specific outcome” these tasks must follow the specifications outlined by the As for the emeltszintû speaking exam, please refer to
The Common European Framework of Reference Candidates will not be given any time to prepare for the first ministry and be assessed according to the rating scales pro- Opportunities Upper Intermediate which contains several
for Languages, page 157 interview task, but about 30 seconds thinking time will be vided. lessons which practise the competences in a deeper way, and
given before the start of the second and third tasks. All tasks also include debating skills such as problem-solving strategies
One of the most challenging aspects of the new érettségi will be appropriate to the age and experience of Hungarian Below are listed some examples from Opportunities of the (p. 92-93), giving presentations (p. 60-62) and discussing
exam will be the task-based nature of the new speaking teenagers. Students will not for example be asked to play a task-types and competencies which need to be practised global issues (p. 87)
exam. Candidates will be expected to actively participate in 3 role such as shop owner, pilot or police officer. This role before the középszintû exam. These lessons will provide stu-
tasks which will measure his/her ability to be effective in dif- would be given to the examiner interacting with the student.
ferent communicative situations. These tasks will involve stu- The content of the spoken exam will always connect with Érettségi Tasks Competencies Lesson Examples from
dents in not only producing appropriate language but also the 9 topics and situations outlined by the Ministry of
interacting with the examiner and therefore responding Education. Evaluation of a student’s performance will be Opportunities
appropriately will be important too. The 3 tasks are as fol- made according to a rating scale on which points will be
lows: given for communicative ability, grammar and coherence, 1. Interview
vocabulary and pronunciation (for similar rating scales see (közép- and emeltszintû) — responding to questions: — Int. p. 12 Extreme Sports
Opportunities Test Booklet p. 4/5) giving personal information — Pre-Int p. 10-11 Relaxing
— expanding on responses: — Int p. 22-23 Films
Topics for both “közép- and emeltszint” expressing opinions, likes and dislikes — Pre-Int p. 34-35 Childhood Memories
Topics Where to find the topic in Opportunities — describing past achievements/present — Int p. 28-29 Telling a Story
1. About me, family Stories Intermediate Module 2 pp 19-30 circumstances/plans for the future — Int p. 85 Personal Ambitions
Identity Upper Intermediate Module 1 pp 5-14
Soft Machine Upper Intermediate Module 6 pp 63-75 2. Situational Role-play
2. People and society Heroes Pre-Intermediate Module 2 pp 19-30
(középszintû) — turn-taking: appropriate initiation — Int p. 54-55 Interacting in Discussions
People Intermediate Module 5 pp 59-70
Laughter Upper Intermediate Module 2 pp 15-27 and response
Society Upper Intermediate Module 9 pp 101-110 — negotiating — Int p. 42 Preparation
3. Our environment The Sea Pre-Intermediate Module 6 pp 71- 82 — exchanging info and opinions — Pre-int p. 48-49 The Right Price
Global Issues Upper Intermediate Module 8 pp 87-99 — expressing and justifying opinions — Pre-int p. 69 Planning a Holiday Resort
Conflict Upper Intermediate Module 10 pp 111-121 — agreeing/disagreeing — Int p. 42 Discussing Suggestions
4. School Learning Intermediate Module 6 pp 71-82 — suggesting
Beauty Upper Intermediate Module 4 pp 39-51 — speculating — Int p. 68 Describing and Speculating
Learning to Learn Pre-Intermediate and Intermediate pp 4-6
5. The world of work Money Pre-Intermediate Module 4 pp 45-56
The Media Intermediate Module 4 pp 45-56 3. Individual long turn
Careers Intermediate Module 7 pp 85-96 (közép- and emeltszintû)
6. Lifestyles Lifestyles Pre-Intermediate Module 1 pp7-18 — sustaining a long turn — Int p. 94-95 A Short Speech
Celebration Pre-Intermediate Module 3 pp 33-44 — managing discourse: coherence, — Pre- int p. 52-53 Describing Gadgets
7. Free time, arts and hobbies Rhythm Pre-Intermediate Module 7 pp 85- 96 organisation of ideas and language, — Int p. 68-69 Communicating Effectively
Design Pre-Intermediate Module 8 pp 97- 108 appropriacy of vocabulary, clarity — Int p. 66-67 Monologues
Style Upper Intermediate Module 3 pp 29-38 of message
8. Travel, tourism Adventure Intermediate Module 1 pp7-18
— giving information — Int p. 68-69 Describing a Photograph
Culture Shock Intermediate Module 8 pp 97-108
Journeys Upper Intermediate Module 7 pp 77-86 — expressing opinions: comparing
9. Science and technology Cyberspace Pre-Intermediate Module 5 pp 59-70 and contrasting — Int p. 54 Contrasting Ideas
Wheels Intermediate Module 3 pp 33-44
New Frontiers Upper Intermediate Module 5 pp 53-62 Pre-int = Pre-intermediate Opportunities, Int = Intermediate Opportunities, p. = page

Opportunities, the 5-level course

for secondary school students,
provides excellent preparation for For advice, consultations or support materials about the
the speaking part of modern lan- new exam contact us.
guage exams. Each level contains
Communication Workshops Douglas Allan, teacher trainer 06 30 2296470 douglas.allan@pearson.com
which not only give step by step Magnucz Zsolt, 06 20 9328410 longman@axelero.hu
preparation for the speaking task,
Senior ELT Representative
but also tells students the kind of
Fáy Réka, ELT Representative 06 20 3153170 reka.fay@chello.hu
language which is appropriate in
Function Files, plus gives them
advise on how to complete the Our postal address: Pearson Education (Longman) 3545 Miskolc, Pf. 565
task in Strategies Boxes Tel/Fax.: 46 584 323

4 5
 Longman’s Strategies and Hot Tips for Érettségi Success
Strategies
Listening • You will have 30 seconds before the listening exam starts. Make
good use of the time by reading the instructions and questions care-
fully.
• Underline key words in questions and instructions before you listen.
• Note only key words and phrases when you listen the first time.
Don’t worry about spelling.
• Listen for clues about what people are talking about, how they feel
about what they are saying and the relationship between people.
Speaking • The examiner is your partner in the speaking exam. Don’t treat
him/her like a teacher.
• If you don’t know the word for something in a picture, paraphrase.
Say things like, ‘it’s a thing you use for…’ or ‘It’s a kind of…’
• For the interview part make sure you know how to talk about why
you are learning English, free time activities, your family, where you
live and plans for the future.
• If you don’t understand what you have to do, say something like ‘I’m
sorry, could you repeat that’.
• Make sure you can use modals of deduction to talk about pictures
e.g. ‘It could be ….’
Reading • If you have to match headings to paragraphs, read the text quickly
to get a general idea. Then study the headings. Next read the text
again and underline relevant information. Match the paragraphs and
the headings.
• If you have to answer multiple-choice questions, read the text quick-
ly. Read it again. Answer the questions without looking at the
answers. Find an alternative that is like your answer.
• Learn to recognise the structure of a text. This will help you find
summary sentences.
Writing • For the first writing task, always read the instructions carefully. Is the
piece formal or informal?
• If you have to write a story in the second task, ask yourself ques-
tions like, when/where/how did it happen? What happened first?
What happened next?
• If you have to argue a point of view and can’t think of arguments,
ask yourself what your mum would think about it or your friends.
Use Of English • If you have to fill in gaps in a text, always read the whole text all the
way through BEFORE you begin to fill the gaps.
• Some tasks could be about word formation. Before you fill the gap,
decide whether the missing word is an adjective, an adverb, a noun,
or verb.
• Always look at the words before and after the gap carefully.
• In key word transformation exercises, NEVER change the word
given.
• Some tasks involve error correction. Check that articles, auxiliaries,
prepositions, pronouns and the word ‘more’ are really needed.
6

Feel free to photocopy this for your students.
Hot Tips!
• Don’t write more than 3 or 4 words if the instructions tell you not
to!
• Remember you don’t always have to write full sentences!
• Don’t put your final answers on the answer sheet while you are still
listening!
• Check your answers at the end!
• Remember you have to ask questions as well as answer them.
• Don’t make a speech
• Don’t say things like ‘That’s all. I don’t know what else to say’.
• There is no right or wrong answer in the interactive tasks.
• You get better marks if you give a personal reaction to the pictures.
• Relax and enjoy!
Perfect for
Emeltszintû
Érettségi
Perfect for • If you don’t know which is the right answer, NEVER leave a question
Középszintû unanswered!
Érettségi • Don’t spend too long reading. Time yourself!
• Spend time at home reading in English!
• Not worry if you don’t know all the words!
• Make a list of mistakes you often make in writing. Stop making them!
• Don’t waste time counting words. Most people write about 12
words on a line. Count the lines!
• Make sure your answer is appropriate for the instructions and covers
all the points mentioned.
• Spend enough time reading!
• Check your use of third person singular in the present simple.
• Don’t just read individual lines in a text!
The Gold Exam Maximisers provide excellent practice for all parts • Before you complete sentences try to work if they test grammar,
of the new éresttségi exams. They are packed with advice and tips vocab or phrasal verbs.
on how to complete the different task types in the exam and how • If you get stuck, move on!
to get the best marks.
All these examples are taken from the Gold PET or FCE Exam
Maximisers.

7
 Focus on Reading in the
New Érettségi
What is expected of students in the reading paper of the
new érettségi? Well according to the Common European
Framework of Reference for Languages, students should be
able to do the following:
Középszintû (B1 level)

Understand texts that consist of mainly high frequency
everyday or job-related language.

Understand the description of events, feelings and wishes
in personal writing
Emeltszintû (B2 level)

Read articles concerned with contemporary problems in
which the writers adopt particular attitudes or viewpoints

Understand contemporary literary prose
The example given here from Opportunities Upper
Intermediate Language Powerbook (page 40) shows the type
of reading task students may have to complete. In this exam-
ple students are asked to give a suitable heading to each of
the paragraphs they have read. A good strategy for this task
would be to practice speed reading with students in the
class. Tell students to quickly read the text to get the idea of
what it is about. Then they should re-read more slowly, then
look at the headings that are offered before trying to match
them to the correct paragraph.
Opportunities Upper Intermediate is perfect for the emelt-
szintû érettségi. The Language Powerbook has Exam Zone
sections giving students practise in the typical modern exam
tasks and topics.
Focus on Writing in the
New Érettségi
The new writing paper may give students and teachers a few
surprises. Candidates will have to complete 2 writing tasks.
At középszintû the first will be a shorter transactional piece
of writing such as a letter, invitation or postcard. This piece
should be about 50 to 100 words. The second task at this
level will be longer and involve opinion giving and will be
supported by given points in the task
instructions. This piece will be about 100
to 150 words. Tasks here might include
writing a short article for a student mag-
azine for example. Students will be
allowed to use dictionaries for these
tasks. Longman suggests The Longman
Essential Activator for this task as it is a
production dictionary helping students
to enrich their use of vocabulary.
The tasks for emeltszintû will be similar in that there will be
the same 2 tasks but students will have to produce more
writing (100 to 150 words for the transactional piece, and
200 to 250 words for the opinion piece). Candidates at this
level will be expected to produce writing of greater com-
plexity, richer in grammar and vocabulary as well as deal with
less concrete topics and issues.
Evaluation of writing will be done according to rating scales
which contain criteria for communicative accomplishment,
grammartical structures, vocabulary and sentence- and text-
level coherence. An example of such a rating scale for evalu-
ation writing can be found in the Opportunities Testing
Booklets page 6.

The reading exam will be

made up of 3 or 4 texts
with 3 or 4 accompanying
tasks. The combined length
of the different texts will
be between 1100 and
1300 words with approxi-
mately 25-30 items in the
tasks.

As preperation for the

exam Hungarian students
will need help particularly
in the structuring of writ-
ing. Paragraphing for exam-
ple which many students
find difficult. Help is given
in both Longman’s courses
for secondary schools,
New Snapshot and
Opportunities. This exam-
ple, taken from New
Snapshot Pre-intermediate
Language Booster, shows
the special pages called
Boost Your Writing which
are devoted to writing
skills development.

8 9