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Name/Class:

Entry Test

Entry Test

You will hear Donna Fisher, a company trainer, giving the introduction to an

in-company training seminar. Listen and complete the information below (1–12).

For questions 8–11, change the details according to what you hear. You will hear

the recording twice.

S

ONDHEIM

P

HARMACEUTICALS

Training Programme for

Accounts Office personnel in

…………

1

Trainer: Donna Fisher from …

………

2

Reason for training: A new ……

……

3

is being introduced.

Timescale for the project: ……

……

4

months.

Part 1: Introduction, Septembe

r 5th to …………

5

Part 2: …………

6

course, …………

7

10th to 11th

Daily timetable:

8

Finish: 5.00 p.m.

9

Start: 8.30 a.m.

10

Lunch break: one hour

11

Number of course participants

: 12

Grammar

Listening

Vocabulary

Use of English

Reading

Functions

Reading

Writing

Speaking

Choose a word from list A and a word from list B to make a two-word

partnership that fits each definition (13–20).

A

B

delivery

release

niche

mall

contingency

benefit

buying

purchase

hire

plan

press

charge

fringe

habits

shopping

marketing

13

An official statement making information publicly available.

. . . . . . . . . . .

14 Customer preferences as shown by an analysis of the way they shop.

. . . . . . . . . . .

15

An additional advantage that is offered with a job other than salary.

. . . . . . . . . . .

16 A system of paying for expensive goods by instalments.

. . . . . . . . . . .

A

Grammar

Listening

Vocabulary

Use of English

Reading

Functions

Reading

Writing

Skills

Language

I think Anders Petersson should

attend the training seminar as

he will …………

12

17

A large covered area, prohibited to vehicles, where there are a lot of retail

outlets.

. . . . . . . . . . .

18 The amount suppliers add to the invoice to cover the cost of transport to

the buyer.

. . . . . . . . . . .

19 Back-up arrangement prepared in case things go wrong.

. . . . . . . . . . .

20 Buying and selling an unusual product or service, often at a high

price.

. . . . . . . . . . .

Complete each of the expressions (21–27) with the name of a colour, then

match it to its definition (a–g).

21

. . . . . . . . . . .

tape

a) unofficial trading that avoids payment of tax

22

. . . . . . . . . . .

handshake

b) area used for building where there was already

some building or industrial activity before

23

. . . . . . . . . . .

shoots

c) well known, successful company whose shares

are considered to be very safe

24

. . . . . . . . . . .

-chip

d) official rules that seem complicated and

unnecessary

25

. . . . . . . . . . .

economy

e) someone who buys shares in a company to

prevent another company taking it over

26

. . . . . . . . . . .

-field site

f ) the first signs of economic improvement after a

recession

27

. . . . . . . . . . .

knight

g) generous payment to a senior employee who

leaves the company

Choose a verb from the box to complete each of the sentences below (28–37).

28 This point is irrelevant – let’s not

. . . . . . . . . . .

any more time on it.

29 The company will

. . . . . . . . . . .

a number of difficulties following the recent

rise in interest rates.

30 We have appointed two new customer services staff to

. . . . . . . . . . .

complaints.

31

We need to develop a broad investment portfolio if we want to

. . . . . . . . . . .

the risk.

32 I asked for more information, but the legal department was unwilling to

. . . . . . . . . . .

any details.

33 We have to assess the full cost of the new equipment before we can

. . . . . . . . . . .

funds.

34 We need to

. . . . . . . . . . .

the performance of everyone in the team to see how

efficiently they are working.

35 It is important to

. . . . . . . . . . .

a rapport with your negotiating partner before

starting to discuss terms.

36 The year-end figures are disappointing – they will

. . . . . . . . . . .

investor

confidence.

37

It is the project manager’s job to

. . . . . . . . . . .

roles and responsibilities to

each member of the team.

allocate

assign

damage

disclose

establish

face

handle

monitor

spread

waste

C

B

3

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4

Entry Test

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MARKET LEADER ADVANCED TEST FILE

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Name/Class:

In the short article below, there is one language mistake in each line.

Underline each mistake and write the correct word or words on the lines on

the right (38–52).

A

Complete the expressions in these dialogues (53–60). Write one word in

each gap.

53 Introducing someone

A:

John, I’d

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

meet Carla Mendez, our new

marketing manager.

B:

Pleased to meet you, Carla.

54 Replying to an invitation

A:

Would you like to join us for dinner tonight?

B:

That’s

. . . . . . . . . . .

kind

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

, but I’m afraid I already

have a dinner engagement.

55 Asking a group for opinions

A:

OK, let’s have a look at the photos for the brochure. Does

. . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . .

any opinions about these?

B:

I’m not very happy with the front-cover photo …

56 Emphasising a point

A:

I’d

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

stress the importance of this issue for our

future marketing plans.

B:

I agree. We need to think about this carefully.

57

Making a suggestion

A:

I just don’t see how we’re going to solve this problem.

B:

I think we

. . . . . . . . . . .

all

. . . . . . . . . . .

about it and meet again tomorrow.

58 Checking understanding

A:

We might be able to offer some flexibility on the price.

B:

So what

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

is you could maybe offer us a

discount?

59 Summarising

A:

I think we should take a break.

B:

OK.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

just sum

. . . . . . . . . . .

what we’ve agreed so far.

60 Ending a conversation

A:

Please

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. I really have to leave.

B:

OK. Well, it’s been nice meeting you.

B

mmar

tions

ading

riting

aking

Skills

Language

To stay in bad hotels affects your ability to do your job.

38

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I spend a night at Hotel ‘S’ while on a business trip to London recently.

39

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

My booking has got lost, and the receptionist failed to make any apology

40

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

for it. Despite a room was found for me, my relief soon disappeared

41

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

when I saw how it was small. It was also poorly lit and not very clean.

42

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The sleep was impossible, as noise from other guests penetrated the

43

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

thin walls. In the morning, I was annoyed at finding there was no hot

44

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

water for a shower. The result was that I spent the day to feel tired,

45

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

dirty and incapable to concentrate. So my manager’s desire to save money

46

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

for the hotel was misjudged: it resulted only in my poor performance.

47

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Some bosses seem to think employees should be grateful at being given

48

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

the opportunity to staying in new places. But for most people like myself,

49

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

the travelling for work is a lonely, bleak experience. It would be better if

50

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

employers pay just a little more to ensure the accommodation was

51

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

more comfortable. That would be all the difference.

52

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5

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Read the article and answer the questions (61–66).

A

Grammar

Use of English

Reading

Functions

Reading

Writing

Speaking

The importance of liking people is the subject of
an article in the latest Harvard Business Review,
which has carried out an experiment to find out
who we’d rather work with: nice colleagues or
competent ones. Hardly surprisingly, the people
we want most as our workmates are both:
brilliant at their jobs and delightful human
beings. And the people we want least are both
unpleasant and useless.

More interestingly, the authors found that,

given the choice between working with lovable
fools and competent jerks

*

, we overwhelmingly

choose the former. We might claim that
competence matters more, but our behaviour
shows we cling to the people we like, sharing
information with them, making the most of their
meagre skills and so on.

What companies should therefore do is get

people to like each other more.

The trick here is apparently to make sure staff

come across each other as often as possible
during the day, to make them more familiar with
one another. They also should be sent on
bonding courses and so on to encourage
friendliness and break down hostility.

In other words,

more outdoor-activity

weekends and communal coffee machines.
Which inspires no confidence at all.

The reality is that people either like each other

or they don’t. You can’t force it. Possibly you can
make offices more friendly by tolerating a lot of
chat, but there is a productivity cost to that.

In my experience, the question of lovable fool

versus competent jerk may not be the right one.

The two are interrelated: we tend not to like our
workmates when they are completely hopeless. I
was once quite friendly with a woman whom I
subsequently worked with. I found her to be so
outstandingly bad at her job (though she
thought she was good) that I lost respect for her
and ended up not really liking her at all.

And the people I enjoy working with aren’t

necessarily the people I like most. My best
working relationships are with people whom I
find hilariously entertaining. I also like to work
with those who know all the gossip, and run the
risk that what they are saying about me when my
back is turned may not be that nice.

However, if one does accept that the HBR is

broadly right, then is there anything that
companies should be doing about it?

By far the most effective strategy would be to

hire people who are all pretty much the same,
given that similarity is one of

the main

determinants of whether we like each other.

I think this is a pretty good idea, but no one

dares recommend this any more without
offending the diversity lobby. There is only one
acceptable view on this subject: teams of similar
people are bad because they stifle creativity.
Which may be true, though I have never seen any
conclusive proof of it.

Not only do we like similar people, we like

people who like us. So if companies want to
foster more liking, they should encourage a
culture where we are all nice to each other. The
trouble is that this needs to be done with some
skill.

5

10

15

20

25

30

40

35

45

50

55

60

65

61

Which statement best reflects the author’s opinion of the research?

a)

The results are rather obvious.

b)

The results are unexpected.

c)

The results should have a big impact on the way companies are run.

62

According to the Harvard Business Review research, which combination

of characteristics would most people choose for their colleagues at

work?

a)

competent, unlikeable

b)

nice, unintelligent

c)

proficient, unattractive

Camaraderie over competence

by Lucy Kellaway

*Slang word used, in this article, to mean someone with no social skills

63 The research suggests that companies should do more to encourage

workmates to like each other. How could they do this? (Tick the three

methods mentioned in the article.)

a) organise team-building activities outside the office

b) encourage people to socialise outside office hours

c) arrange the workplace so that people meet frequently and talk

d) set coffee breaks at fixed times

e) develop a friendly working environment

f ) recruit staff who are all attractive

64 What kind of people does the author like to work with? (Tick three

descriptions that reflect what she writes in the article.)

a) close friends

b) amusing, fun to be with

c) respectable

d) have interesting things to tell about other colleagues

e) don’t talk too much

f ) not completely incompetent

65 What is the main disadvantage of employing teams of similar people?

a) They talk more and work less.

b) They are more likely to argue.

c) They generate fewer new ideas.

66 Does the author believe that companies can succeed in making colleagues

like each other? Is she …

a) generally positive?

b) generally negative?

c) neutral?

Match these words from the article (67–72) with the word or phrase of the

same meaning (a–f ).

67 brilliant

a) charming

68 delightful

b) outstandingly bad at their job

69 unpleasant

c) clever

70 useless

d) proficient

71

hostile

e) on bad terms

72 competent

f ) disagreeable

Answer these questions (73–75).

73 Which word means the same as meagre (line 17)?

a) inadequate

b) superior

c) expert

74 Which phrase means the same as tolerating a lot of chat (lines 31–32)?

a) encouraging humour

b) relaxing the rules

c) allowing informal conversation

75

What does the diversity lobby promote (line 58)?

a) recruiting staff from different cultures and backgrounds

b) extending the company’s product range

c) more variety of working styles and practices

C

B

6

Entry Test

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Name/Class:

You are the Communications Manager of a medium-sized firm. You were hoping to

launch a company newsletter as part of a drive to improve internal

communications within the firm. You advertised the job of newsletter editor and

selected Jan Goodman as the ideal person for the job – someone with excellent

qualifications and experience. You made a job offer to Jan (conditional on

approval from the Board of Directors), but the Board has not given their approval

due to budget cutbacks. You now have to write an apologetic letter to Jan to let

her know. Tell her that the situation may change in the next few months, but you

can’t make any promises. Wish her success with her job search and career.

You should write 100–150 words.

You are going to have a speaking test that will last ten to 15 minutes.

The examiner will ask you to spend five minutes preparing a short presentation.

Choose one of the topics below. You may make notes if you wish. After your

presentation, the examiner will ask you to elaborate some of your ideas.

7

Entry Test

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Grammar

Reading

Functions

Reading

Writing

Speaking

Skills

Language

Reading

Writing

Speaking

Topics

• A project you have worked on

• The value of working abroad

• What companies could do to encourage more women to reach top jobs