CUTTING
EDGE
PLACEMENT TEST
Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Candidate name
LISTENING TEST
Total time: 20 minutes
You will hear five short recordings (A E).
Recording B
Before each recording you will have one
Listen to an interview with a man called Bob
minute to read the questions.
Kessler. Choose the correct option (A D) for
each question (1 4). [4 marks]
You will have time after each recording to
answer the questions.
1 A Bob Kessler has a wife and daughter.
You will hear each recording only once.
B Bob Kessler has two sons.
C Bob Kessler is a bachelor.
D Bob Kessler was married before.
Recording A
2 A Bob Kessler is English.
Listen to someone speak about their
B Bob Kessler lives in West Hills
childhood in Scotland in the 1930s. Mark the
California, USA.
four statements which are correct. [4 marks]
C Bob Kessler s wife isn t American, she s
A In the 1930s, my family lived in a village
British.
in Scotland.
D Bob Kessler is American but he lives in
B We didn t have a TV but we listened to the
England.
radio every morning.
3 A Bob Kessler writes two or three books a
C The school was six miles from our house.
year.
D We walked to school every day.
B Bob Kessler writes travel books about
E When I was 14, I left school.
England and other European countries.
F I went to the cinema in our village every
C Bob Kessler s job is selling books in Italy
Saturday afternoon.
and France.
G My family left Scotland when I was 15 and
D Bob Kessler likes Italy and France more
moved to England.
than the USA.
H I often go back to the village in Scotland.
4 A Bob Kessler s wife works at a school in
England.
Mark: / 4
B Bob Kessler s daughter has many
English friends.
C Bob Kessler never drinks tea without
milk.
D Bob Kessler always drives his daughter
to school.
Mark: / 4
2
F The shop also sells kitchen equipment like
Recording C
washing machines.
Listen to a telephone conversation between
G A lot of the jewellery is made by local
two people preparing to go on a trip. Mark
artists.
the four statements which are correct. [4
H Denise would like to move somewhere else.
marks]
I Unfortunately, it s noisy because it is on a
A Neil asks Lucy to pack his black shoes. busy high street.
B They are going to do a lot of sightseeing. J Denise would like to have richer customers,
rather than the students who come into the
C Neil doesn t think it will rain.
shop.
D Lucy suggests they pack some smart
clothes. Mark: / 4
E They are planning to hire a car when they
arrive.
Recording E
F They are going to a country where
everyone speaks English.
Listen to a conversation in which a woman is
checking out of a hotel. Mark the four
G Lucy doesn t think they should pack sun
cream. statements (A J) which are correct. [4 marks]
H Neil is going to the airport now. A The receptionist asked the guest how she
was going to pay her bill.
I Lucy will phone Neil if she thinks of
anything else. B The guest took the telephone from room
603.
J They re going to meet at the airport at 5
o clock. C The guest asked about a charge for $120.
D The receptionist asked why she had used
Mark: / 4
the telephone.
E The receptionist suggested that she should
phone her husband.
Recording D
F The guest told the receptionist he was
Listen to a woman talking about her shop.
crazy.
Mark the four statements which are correct.
G The guest insisted on seeing the hotel
[4 marks]
manager at once.
A Denise has owned the shop for two years. H The receptionist explained that the hotel
manager was having his lunch.
B She lives next door to the shop.
I The receptionist invited the guest to have
C Most of the things she sells are handmade.
lunch with the hotel manager.
D She sells some ceramics imported from
J The guest agreed to meet the hotel
Greece and Portugal.
manager at two thirty.
E The interviewer likes the Japanese dresses
in the shop. Mark: / 4
3
TEST A
READING SECTION
Time: 10 minutes
4 What happened to her parents?
Part One
A Estelle s mother died two years after her
Read the text and mark the correct answer
father.
(A C) to each question (1 4).
B Her father died two years after her
mother.
Estelle Dupont was 100 years old in 2000. She
was born near Bordeaux in France, where her
C She was an only child.
father was a rich businessman. Today she
lives in an old people s home in Paris.
Mark: / 4
 My father was a rich businessman and we
lived in a chateau about ten kilometres from Part Two
Bordeaux. Our home was very comfortable.
Mark the correct word (A C) to complete
The house was very big  there were twenty
each sentence (5 8).
bedrooms, beautiful gardens and lots of
servants. But my childhood wasn t happy. I
was an only child, and my mother was 5 My sister likes Mexican food, but I don t
always ill. She died when I was eight, and my like .
father died two years later when I was ten. It
A it B them C her
was a very bad time. I was a very unhappy
child, but life is better now.
6 Does friend like classical music?
A your B you C yours
1 How old was Estelle Dupont in 1967?
7 My parents haven t got calculators, but
A She was living in Bordeaux.
have a computer at home.
B She was 67 years old.
A it B them C they
C She was a hundred years old.
8 I really like Craig David s music. My older
2 Where did she live when she was a child?
brother gave some of his CDs.
A She lived in the city of Bordeaux,
A me B them C my
France.
Mark: / 4
B She lived in an old people s home in
Paris.
C She lived in a chateau near Bordeaux.
3 Did she like the gardens at the chateau?
A Yes, she said they were beautiful.
B Yes, she said they were very big.
C No, because she had no one to play
with.
4
15 John isn t going to buy a new house
Part Three
.
Read the utterances (9  12). Mark the place
A next year
(A C) where you would hear them.
B last month
9 Look at exercise 6 on page 21.
C yesterday
A restaurant
16 Where were you at 6 o clock ?
B classroom
A tomorrow
C shopping mall
B in the summer
10 How much is an sandwich and a bottle of
C this morning
water?
A caf� 17 What time did you leave home
?
B restaurant
A tomorrow
C living room
B on Thursday
11 What time does the main film start?
C at 6 o clock
A video shop
18 There are a lot of clouds in the sky
B cinema
.
C library
A on Monday
12 Fasten your seatbelts, put the backs of B yesterday
your seats in the upright position and fold
C at the moment
away your tables.
A police station 19 Do you like going to the beach
?
B train station
A in summer
C aeroplane
B tomorrow
Mark: / 4
C last month
Part Four
20 She never drives her car .
Mark the correct word (A C) to complete
A today
each sentence (13 20).
B next day
13 We are looking for a green car C at weekends
.
Mark: / 8
A every day
B at the moment
C yesterday Recording A Mark: / 4
14 I don t usually play tennis .
A on Tuesdays
Total mark for Test A: / 24
B last week
C tomorrow
5
TEST B
READING SECTION
Time: 10 minutes
2 What did Tim study at Oxford University?
Part One
A computers
Read the text and choose the best answer
(A D) for each question (1 4). B school
C the world wide web
Tim Berners-Lee looks ordinary  he is about
D physics
45 years old and has brown hair. His life is
quite normal  he was born in England, but
3 What did he make when he was at Oxford?
his home is now in Massachusetts, USA. But,
in 1989, Tim had a very important idea. He
A a television
invented the World Wide Web.
B the first computer
Tim went to school in London. His parents
C a computer company
both worked with computers, so it isn t
surprising that he loved computers from an
D a computer
early age. When he was eighteen, he left
school and went to Oxford University, where
4 When did he invent the World Wide Web?
he studied Physics. At Oxford he became
more and more interested in computers, and
A 45 years old
he made his first computer from an old
B in Switzerland
television. He graduated in 1976 and got a job
with a computer company in Dorset, England.
C in 1989
In 1989, he went to work in Switzerland,
D in 1994
where he first had the idea of an international
information network linked by computer &
Mark: / 4
and he decided to call it the World Wide Web.
In 1994, he went to live in the United States,
where he now works. In 1995, he wrote an
Part Two
article in the New York Times where he said
Choose the correct answer (A D) for each
 The Web is a universe of information: it is for
everyone. His idea of a web, where people question (5 8).
from all over the world can exchange
information, is now real.
5 Which verb is the opposite of sell?
A cost B bid
1 Where was Tim Berners-Lee born?
C bye D buy
A in Massachusetts
B in Oxford
6 Which word means very good?
C in Dorset
A expensive B brilliant
D in England
C important D beautiful
6
7 Which word is not about family?
Part Four
A aunt B grandfather
Choose the correct word or phrase (A D) to
C wide D wife complete each sentence (13 20).
8 Which word is not a language? 13 Peter come from Dublin?
A Russian B Italian A Do B Does
C Argentina D Japanese C Is D Was
Mark: / 4 14 Do you like house over there?
A those B this
Part Three
C these D that
Choose the best answer (A D) for each
question (9  12).
15 Where did you when you were a
child?
9 Do you sell toothpaste?
A live B lived
A No, we don t. Try the pharmacy.
C lives D living
B No, we can t. It s too late.
16 it raining in Amsterdam?
C Did you go to the pharmacy?
A Do B Does
D No, it isn t.
C Is D Are
10 Excuse me, are you Mr Rogers?
17 Are you Jos� tomorrow?
A I don t know.
A see B will see
B No, he isn t there.
C seen D going to see
C No, I m not. I think he s in the
restaurant.
18 You clean your car.
D No, he s from Jordan.
A mustn t to B don t have to
11 What s the time?
C don t want D can t have to
A It s rather hot at the moment.
19 I went home my new baby.
B I ll tell you later.
A to see B for to see
C I m sorry, I don t know.
C seeing D see
D It s the 15th August.
20 This is picture of my friend.
12 Would you like a drink?
A some B any
A Thanks. I d like an apple juice.
C a D an
B Excuse me, are you drinking?
Mark: / 8
C Tea or coffee?
D I don t know. Can you ask someone
else?
Recording B Mark: / 4
Mark: / 4
Total mark for Test B: / 24
7
TEST C
READING SECTION
Time: 10 minutes
Since leaving university with a brilliant
Part One
degree, Kate has worked for Greenpeace and
other similar organisations, first as a
Read the five texts quickly and choose the
volunteer and now as a manager. She s just
correct answer (A D) for each question
had her first baby.
(1 4).
In the last ten years, Hannah has got married,
1 Who has earned the most money? and has lived in Italy, Egypt, France and
Australia. At present, she s running a bar on
A Ameet C Hannah
the Greek island of Kos with her husband,
Nikos.
B Lucy D Edward
2 Who works in a bar?
Mark: / 4
A Ameet C Hannah
Part Two
B Lucy D Edward
Choose the correct word (A D) to complete
3 Who has appeared on television?
each phrase (5 8).
A Kate C Hannah
5 I m looking to seeing my friend
B Lucy D Edward
next week.
A forward C for
4 Who worked for no money?
B about D out
A Edward C Hannah
B Lucy D Kate
6 She thinks all Spanish men look
Antonio Banderas!
During the last ten years, Ameet has had ten
A after C like
different jobs: he has worked in an import-
export business, he has been an estate agent
B about D same
and now he has just started his own company
which sells mobile phones  but he hasn t
7 Can you look Bill s address?
made a million pounds yet!
A up C out
Edward has moved to the United States,
where he now works, designing computer B forward D on
games. His most popular game, Death Rider,
has already sold over ten million copies, and
8 I m looking my coat. Have you
has made him very rich! He isn t married, in
seen it?
fact, he s never had a girlfriend, and he still
A out C for
spends most of his time playing computer
games in his bedroom.
B after D towards
Lucy is an actress and a part-time waitress. In
Mark: / 4
the last few years, she s appeared in several
plays and a couple of TV commercials  but
there has been no call from Hollywood yet!
8
14 You park your car on the
Part Three
pavement. It s not permitted.
Choose the best answer (A D) for each
A don t have to C needn t
question (9  12).
B ought to D shouldn t
9 Your letter begins  Dear Sir , what do you
write above your signature? 15 My hair is than my sister s.
A Yours faithfully A straightest C more straight
B Yours sincerely B straighter D straight
C With love
16 She s been in India 1999.
D Your obedient servant,
A for C since
10 Where exactly is New York? B in D at
A On this side of the USA.
17 How long you a soldier?
B On the right hand side of the USA.
A have/ been C did / be
C In the east coast of the USA.
B has / been D were / being
D On the east coast of the USA.
18 Yes, I ll come to the party but I
11 You walk into a shop. What does the shop arrive late.
assistant say to you?
A might C may be
A What do you want?
B perhaps D should
B Can I help you?
19 Stop lazy. Go out and dig the
C Do you want to buy something?
garden!
D What would you like to buy?
A being C be
12 Your restaurant bill says  service not B been D to be
included . What should you do?
20 She said that she never seen
A Pay by credit card.
him before.
B Get your own food.
A had C has
C Leave a tip for the waiter.
B would D haven t
D Ask for a receipt.
Mark: / 8
Mark: / 4
Part Four
Recording C Mark: / 4
Choose the correct word or phrase (A D) to
complete each sentence (13 20).
Total mark for Test C: / 24
13 The Roxy Cinema closed seven years
.
A ago C before
B yet D on
9
TEST D
READING SECTION
Time: 10 minutes
Part One Part Two
Read this text quickly and match the correct Mark the word (A C) which has the same
word (A C) with each definition in questions vowel sound as the word in CAPITAL LETTERS
1 4. in each sentence (5 8).
5 I CAN T read your handwriting.
The majority of Inuit people from Alaska are
nomads, moving from one place to another,
A sent B want C aunt
hunting and fishing to survive. They don t
tend to live in houses, preferring tents or
6 She OUGHT to stay at home and study.
houses built from ice, called  igloos . It is quite
A out B sort C tough
common for a man to have several wives.
In some parts of Kentucky and Virginia, USA,
7 I m studying LAW at university.
it is quite normal for girls of twelve or
A floor B know C flour
thirteen to get married and start a family.
Often their husbands are only sixteen or
seventeen, so young couples tend to live with 8 Have you READ Tolstoy s War and Peace?
their parents until they finish their education.
A seed B said C sighed
Many schools in these areas have crŁches to
look after their pupils babies while they are
Mark: / 4
studying.
Part Three
Choose the correct answer (A C) for each
1 People who have no permanent home, but
question (9  12).
move from place to place according to the
time of year.
9 Which is the normal way to write an
A nomads B Inuit C Alaskans
address on an envelope?
A London Road 28
2 To usually do something
HUDDERSFIELD
A prefer B tend C tent HD1 6DD
Miss Longtree Julia
3 An imprecise number, more than a few,
B HUDDERSFIELD
but not a lot.
Miss Julia Longtree
28, Road London
A normal B couple C several
HD1 6DD
4 Not more than a particular amount, C Miss Julia Longtree
number etc. 28, London Road
HUDDERSFIELD
A quite B only C often
HD1 6DD
Mark: / 4
10
10 What should Peter Thomas say when he 15 Jill s shorter than her brother.
answers the telephone? Jill s brother is not as short as Jill.
A I am Peter Thomas. A Same B Different
B Hello. Who are you?
16 I remember opening the door.
C 412 3663 Peter Thomas speaking. I remembered to open the door.
A Same B Different
11 How would you recommend that someone
should visit the Grand Canyon?
17 It was raining when I arrived.
A Why won t you go to the Grand When I arrived, it started to rain.
Canyon?
A Same B Different
B You really should go to the Grand
Canyon. 18 She taught here for 35 years.
She s taught here for 35 years.
C You could go to the Grand Canyon if
you ve nothing better to do. A Same B Different
12 You want to borrow a dictionary from a 19 I won t come to see you if the weather s
friend. What do you say? bad.
I ll come to see you if the weather s good.
A Can I borrow your dictionary, please?
A Same B Different
B Would you be so kind as to lend me
your dictionary, please?
20 They weren t allowed to enter the military
C Give me your dictionary. base.
They didn t have permission to enter the
Mark: / 4 military base.
A Same B Different
Part Four Mark: / 8
Read these pairs of sentences (13 20)
carefully. Do they have the same or different
Recording D Mark: / 4
meanings? Mark the correct answer (A or B).
13 I haven t seen her for four days.
I haven t seen her since four days ago.
Total mark for Test D: / 24
A Same B Different
14 Don t let me forget my umbrella.
Please remind me to forget my umbrella.
A Same B Different
11
TEST E
READING SECTION
Time: 10 minutes
E The city of Haichin was evacuated before
Part One
the earthquake.
Read the text. Four of the statements below
F Japanese scientists noticed an increase in
(A-J) are really true (are not just beliefs or
activity of catfish before earthquakes.
opinions). Which are the four true
G Some animals are more sensitive to
statements?
magnetic changes than human beings are.
H All scientists believe this is not a pure
Rather than investing in expensive scientific
coincidence.
equipment to predict earthquakes, perhaps
scientists should spend more time watching
I Scientists have discovered which animals
their pets. Many researchers now believe that
are affected by magnetic changes.
the behaviour of certain animals might help
J They will be able to save more lives in the
them to predict natural disasters. For
example, Chinese scientists in the 1970s future.
thought that reports of farm animals running
around in circles, and of dogs barking all
Mark: / 4
night may indicate an impending natural
disaster. They decided to evacuate the city of
Haichin, which shortly afterwards was hit by
Part Two
a huge earthquake. Thousands of lives were
probably saved as a result. Japanese scientists
Choose the correct preposition (A C) to
have also discovered that catfish become
complete each sentence (5 8).
livelier several days before moderately strong
earthquakes. Many scientists now accept that
5 The car stopped because I had run
this can t be pure coincidence; they believe
of petrol.
the explanation may be linked to slight
changes in the Earth s magnetic field.
A out B down C over
Although human beings can t perceive such
changes, it is thought that the sensitive
6 She apologised being late.
nervous systems of some animals must be
affected by them. Now scientists must A over B for C from
discover exactly which animals are affected in
this way, so that they can save many more 7 She has brought a family of five
lives in the future.
healthy children.
A about B out C up
A Scientists spend money on expensive
scientific equipment to predict earthquakes.
8 If you don t understand, ask your teacher
B Animals can predict natural disasters. to go it again with you.
C In the 1970s, Chinese scientists heard A through B into C towards
reports of animals behaving strangely near
Haichin. Mark: / 4
D The scientists knew this was a sign that an
earthquake was coming.
12
15 The criminals had escaped when the
Part Three
police arrived.
Choose the most suitable sympathetic
The criminals escaped when the police
response (A C) to each utterance (9  12) arrived.
A Same B Different
9 My son is having an operation in hospital
today.
16 More foreign cars are being sold than last
A Calm down! year.
People are buying more foreign cars than
B Oh dear, you must be really worried
last year.
about him.
A Same B Different
C Oh, that s too bad.
17 She accused me of lying.
10 That wasp is really annoying me!
She said I was lying.
A Just try to ignore it.
A Same B Different
B How awful for you!
18 His nervousness prevents him from being
C Nevermind, it s only a wasp!
a good speaker.
What prevents him from being a good
11 My girlfriend said she didn t like my
speaker, is his nervousness.
moustache!
A Same B Different
A Don t worry, she ll get used to it.
B How terrible for you! 19 The people, who shouted at the minister,
were arrested.
C I agree, you look terrible!
The people who shouted at the minister
were arrested.
12 I ve been waiting for my bus for 15
minutes! A Same B Different
A Nevermind, I m sure it will arrive soon.
20 I wish you were more helpful around the
B Try not to worry about it. house.
I wish you d be more helpful around the
C Maybe it will never come.
house.
A Same B Different
Mark: / 4
Mark: / 8
Part Four
Read these pairs of sentences (13 20)
carefully. Do they have the same or different
Recording E Mark: / 4
meanings? Mark the correct answer (A or B).
13 I ll phone you the moment I get home.
I ll phone you as soon as I get home.
Total mark for Test E: / 24
A Same B Different
14 Parking is very difficult in Cambridge.
It is very difficult to park in Cambridge.
A Same B Different
13