Matura Solutions Upper-Intermediate Tests



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Reading



Read the text.

2

Complete the sentences with the correct person
A–D.

1

has some clients that do not take his

advice.

2

is a teacher.

3

thinks his subject is not straightforward.

4

doesn’t always do what his clients

expect.

5

doesn’t work office hours.

Mark

/10

Vocabulary

3

Choose the correct answers.

1 If you started a sandwich shop at school,

you’d

make / do a killing.

2 Plasma TVs cost / make a fortune.
3 We splashed out / down on a new car.
4 I don’t mind spending money but I hate being

ripped

up / off!

5 Pete spent / paid through the nose for his new

bike.

Mark

/5

4

Complete the sentences with the words in the box.

precious well-off worthless
dirt cheap priceless

1 Jewellers make rings with

stones.

2 This old painting is

but it

means a lot to me.

3 A new play by Shakespeare would be

.

4 Sometimes things that are

stop working quite quickly.

5 Only

people can stay at that

hotel!

Mark

/5

JOBS IN FINANCE

A THE FINANCIAL ADVISOR
In my job people either come to me or I go to them.
This is because most of my clients are working full
time and only have the evenings or weekends free.
We usually spend a few hours going through money
matters and then I work out with the client how best
their money can be invested and how to plan for their
retirement. I give advice on anything from pension
funds to taking equity out of property. In short, what
I’m doing is advising people how to make their money
work for them and provide them with a secure future.

B THE DEBT COUNSELLOR
The people who usually consult me are often desperate
to find a way out of a very difficult and traumatic
situation. These days I’m seeing more and more people
who have overreached themselves and been tempted
by easy credit. They can’t see a way forward and that’s
where I come in. My job often involves reassuring
people that there are ways out of their problems.
However, in the course of my work I also encounter
people whose lives revolve around spending money that
they haven’t got and who are neither willing nor able to
change their ways.

C THE ACCOUNTANT
I work in partnership with two other people and we
are always extremely busy! We mainly deal with small
businesses or individuals who need help with their
taxes. We calculate their profits (or losses) and advise
on what expenses they can claim for. Some forms they
have to complete look quite complex but for people
with our experience they’re really quite straightforward.
Some of our clients think we should be able to save
them enormous amounts of money but we’re certainly
not miracle workers!

D THE ECONOMIST
In my opinion the economy is a fascinating subject
and I try to pass this on to my students. It’s such a
wide subject. There are so many influences you have to
consider and a successful economist must be familiar
with all the markets and current trends. As we’ve
seen recently with unstable stock markets world wide,
predicting how an economy is going to do is almost
impossible because of all the contributory factors.
Friends often ask for advice on what shares to buy or
sell but unfortunately there are no guarantees in my
business and it’s always a big risk!

progress test

B

Unit 2

Matura Solutions Upper-Intermediate Tests

2

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progress test

A

Unit

5

Choose the correct answers.

1 We usually buy four

of milk a week.

A pints B pounds C feet
2 Our bathroom is three

wide.

A pints B yards C miles

3 I’ve been in

since I was a teenager.

A debt B profit C bargain

4

the storms we completed the journey

very quickly.

A Much as B Nevertheless C Despite

5

my dad worked very hard, he never

made much money.

A Whereas B However C Although

Mark

/5

Grammar

6

Complete the sentences with determiners.

1

of the band members has spoken to

the newspapers. I don’t know where the
information came from.

2 You should check your bank account

week.

3 Are there

good reasons for buying

your own house?

4 I’m afraid there’s

I can do to help you.

5

breakfast we had at the hotel this

morning was excellent.

Mark

/5

7

Choose the correct answers.

1 We considered going / go to Scotland for a

week’s break, but the weather is too cold at
the moment.

2 I expect hearing / to hear from Lucy in the next

few days.

3 The teacher made Gemma going / go home

because she wasn’t feeling well.

4 I can’t imagine enjoying / to enjoy a

backpacking holiday. I like my home comforts.

5 Did you manage contacting / to contact Mr

Barton about the meeting?

6 I’m having my hair cutting / cut this afternoon.
7 He wouldn’t let me pay / to pay for my share of

the meal.

8 I can’t risk missing / to miss the train so I’ll

book a taxi for 7.15.

9 Are you going to get the car fixing / fixed while

Jack’s at work?

10 Dan justified buying / to buy a new car by

saying he needed it for work!

Mark

/10

Listening

8

≤

4.02

Listen to two people talking about a

friend’s promotion. Choose the correct answers.

1 Lucy will be earning

A £10,000 a year.
B more than £10,000 a year.
C under £10,000 a year.

2 The new job will mean Lucy has

A to spend longer commuting.
B extra holiday.
C more departments to look after.

3 The speakers think that

A different things are important for different

people.

B everyone would like a job like that.
C only people with no family could do that job.

4 Which is true about the female speaker?

A She doesn’t use a laptop.
B She likes travelling by train.
C She enjoys relaxing when travelling.

5 Where are the speakers?

A On the train
B Having a meal
C At work

Mark

/10

Unit 2

B

progress test

A

Unit

Writing

9

Write an essay with the title:

You can never have

too much money. Use the writing guide to help you.
Paragraph 1:

introduction and what you

understand by the statement

Paragraph 2:

points that agree with the statement

Paragraph 3:

points against

Paragraph 4:

your own conclusion

Mark

/10

Total

/60

Matura Solutions Upper-Intermediate Tests

3

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Unit 2

B