Answer Keys
Part 1
1 A. Oscar says he is making pasta and lists what he needs by saying ‘Can you grab some cheese? I’ve got everything else.’ This tells us cheese is the only missing ingredient. Option B misses the point because Oscar does not ask for advice on cheese type. Option C is incorrect because Oscar is happy to cook alone; he just needs an ingredient brought home.
2 B. Alice says she has ‘booked a table,’ which means she has already made a reservation. Option A misses the deadline of 6 p.m. that Alice gives; she needs to know by then, not by the meal time itself. Option C is incorrect because Alice has already chosen the restaurant and does not ask for other suggestions.
3 A. The sign states that breakfast is available until 10:30 a.m. at weekends, which is an hour later than on weekdays. This means guests can eat later on Saturdays and Sundays. Option B contradicts the first line. Option C is the opposite of the final instruction not to remove food.
4 B. The email says to contact them at least 24 hours before to rearrange, and that a charge ‘may apply for late cancellations.’ This implies that cancelling with more than 24 hours’ notice is free. Option A is not necessarily true; a charge ‘may’ apply, but it is not certain. Option C is incorrect because the email is a reminder, not a request for confirmation.
5 C. The label says to keep the biscuits in an airtight container after opening, which is a sealed container. Option A is incorrect because the fridge is not mentioned. Option B is incorrect because ‘best before’ is about quality, not safety, and does not mean they cannot be eaten after September.
Part 2
6 G. Michael needs a family film for a Saturday afternoon that is fast-moving and entertaining for children aged 9 and 12, with a positive message. Chase the Horizon is an animated adventure with a quick pace, humour for both adults and children, and a message about believing in yourself. It screens at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays. Option D is also for families and has a positive tone, but it is aimed at very young children and screens only on Saturday mornings, not afternoons. Its simple story would not hold the attention of a twelve-year-old.
7 H. Leila wants an old film, particularly from the 1960s or 1970s, and she enjoys foreign cinema with subtitles. Midnight in Paris is a restored classic from 1964, it is French with English subtitles, and it screens on weekday evenings. The student ticket price of £5.50 suits her budget. Option A is also a foreign language film with a student discount, but it is a modern drama set in the 1950s, not a film made in the period Leila loves.
8 E. Dev wants a funny film on Friday night with clever dialogue, not silly jokes. Talk of the Town is a witty comedy about rival journalists with fast, sharp dialogue. The cinema is wheelchair accessible, which is essential because one of Dev’s friends uses a wheelchair. It also shares a building with a pizza restaurant, so they can eat afterwards without travelling far. Option H is also a comedy and screens on weekdays, but it is a French film from the 1960s with visual jokes rather than clever dialogue. The film only screens Monday to Thursday, so it is not available on Friday night.
9 C. Ana needs a film connected to World War II or the Cold War for a GCSE history class. The Long Walk Home is about the Berlin airlift of 1948, which is a Cold War topic. It is rated 12A, so it is suitable for fifteen-year-olds, and it offers special school screenings at 10:30 a.m. on weekdays. Option A is set in the 1950s but is not connected to the history curriculum in the same way. No other film offers a school-hours screening or a direct curriculum link.
10 A. Hassan wants a film on Sunday evening that makes him think and features realistic characters. The Last Letter is a powerful drama about memory and forgiveness with subtle, thoughtful storytelling. It screens at 8 p.m. on Sundays. Option F is also a thoughtful, slow-paced drama that deals with deep themes, and it screens at 7 p.m. However, its story about an elderly couple is not as likely to stay with a viewer in the way Hassan describes; he wants something that makes him think deeply, and the family secret at the heart of The Last Letter fits that description more closely.
Part 3
11 C. The text says the letter ‘sat unread on kitchen tables across the neighbourhood,’ which means most people ignored it. Answer A — most people ignored it, not misunderstood it. Answer B is wrong as no deadline of any kind is mentioned. Answer D is incorrect — there was no vote, the council simply announced their intention to replace the lights.
12 B. Anna had spent three years paying close attention to her neighbourhood. This close observation is what made the lamps matter more to her. Answer A — even though she is a photographer, but her interest was personal, not professional. Answer C is not mentioned. Finally, the council did not approach her with any offers.
13 A. After Anna began photographing the lamps, neighbours approached her with stories, including one whose grandfather had helped install the lights and another who had got engaged under one of them. Option B is incorrect because the council did not ask her to stop. Option C is incorrect because the newspaper only became involved later, and there is no mention of payment. Option D is incorrect because neighbours were happy to share, not unhappy.
14 C. There was no plan to make money, Anna ‘simply wanted people to have a record of something that was about to vanish.’ This matches the idea of remembering what was lost. Answer A is incorrect — even though it is said that the book sold out quickly, there is no information about how much money (if any) it made. The council didn’t fund the book; a local printer helped. Answer D — the newspaper ran a positive story about the book, not a critical one.
15 D. The whole story shows how Anna’s quiet attention to the streetlamps uncovered their deeper meaning to the community, and the final line reinforces this idea. Answer A is too narrow and focuses on the business side, which was not Anna’s goal. Answer B misses the point, as the story values old things rather than arguing for replacement. Answer C is incorrect because the council eventually agreed to keep two lamps, which suggests they did listen in the end.
Part 4
16 G. The text explains that the writer was only given simple tasks at first. Sentence G fits because it adds the specific detail that the till was not introduced until the third week. The following sentence confirms the writer was grateful for this gradual approach.
17 C. The paragraph describes a quiet, problem-free period while the writer is alone. Sentence C captures the shift perfectly: the writer was starting to feel confident, and then the difficult customer arrived. The words ‘and then the door opened’ lead directly into the next sentence introducing the man in expensive clothing.
18 B. The writer examines the book and notes the torn cover and folded pages. Sentence B continues this observation by suggesting the damage looked deliberate. The following sentence explains the writer’s response, which is to explain the returns policy.
19 D. The author makes an offer to order a new copy, and the next sentence describes the man as surprised. Sentence D bridges this change in his reaction: he paused and his expression softened, which explains the shift from anger to surprise.
20 E. ‘He was right, and I knew it even then’ connects naturally to the sentence before, where Mr Brennan shares his wisdom about difficult customers. The phrase ‘those words’ in the final sentence refers back to both Mr Brennan’s advice and the writer’s immediate recognition that it was true. Option E was the previous distractor but has been removed from the set, as its reference to the offer did not fit the reflective tone of the ending.
Part 5
21 B. ‘Running late’ is a fixed expression used for trains, buses and other forms of transport when they are delayed. ‘Running behind’ is much less frequently used in this meaning, mostly in informal speech. ‘Running back’ means returning to a place. ‘Running slow’ is not a collocation you would use for transportation that is too slow for its scheduled arrival.
22 D. The verb ‘find’ means to locate or obtain something you need, and it fits naturally in the phrase ‘went to find a bus or a taxi.’ ‘Search’ and ‘look’ both typically requires a preposition such as ‘search/look for something’ . ‘Discover’ suggests finding something by chance or uncovering something unknown, which does not fit the practical context of looking for transport.
23 C. ‘Grow’ here is used in the meaning of change. The phrase ‘grow quieter’ means the noise slowly reduced, which fits the scene of the writer becoming absorbed in a book. ‘To turn/fall queiter’ are not correct collocations. ‘To become quieter’ is grammatically possible but less natural than ‘grow quieter’ in descriptive writing.
24 C. ‘Offered’ is the only option here that shows a polite way to suggest something. The writer volunteered to check the train times for the elderly woman. The verb ‘suggest’ itself doesn’t work here, as the structure would have to be ‘suggested going to check.’ To request means to ask for something, not to volunteer. ‘Demanded’ is too forceful for this helpful, kind situation.
25 B. We use ‘because’ to introduce a reason. The delay had not felt so bad because she had someone to talk to. This explains why she felt better. ‘Athough’ introduces contrast that we do not need here. ‘Unless’ means ‘if not’, which, again, does not fit. ‘While’ can mean during the time that, but it does not express reason in the way the sentence requires.
26 B. The phrase ‘go wrong’ means to develop problems or not work out as planned. A very common expression that fits the idea that good moments can happen when plans fail. Option A is incorrect because ‘go missing’ means to disappear, which is too narrow for this context. ‘Go lost’ is not a natural collocation. Finally, ‘go off’ can mean to explode, to leave, or to start disliking something, so it does not fit here.
Part 6
27 too. The structure ‘too + adjective + to + verb’ means that something is more than enough to prevent an action. In this sentence, the opportunity was so good that missing it was not an option. The word ‘so’ would be incorrect here because ‘so good to miss’ is an invalid expression. ‘Very’ is incorrect for the same reason; it does not work with ‘to miss’ in this pattern.
28 each/one. Ethan and the writer have known each other since primary school. Please note that ‘each other’ is much more common than ‘one another’.
29 so. Here we use ‘so many + plural noun’ to highlight just how many new people they got to meet. The word ‘such’ wouldn’t work here as ‘such’ is used with nouns without ‘many,’ as in ‘such nice people.’
30 to/onto. We normally use ‘to’ to mention destination. ‘Onto’ is also common, although more challenging grammatically – it is often used to talk about flat surfaces (like the stage in this example).
31 when. This word introduces a relative clause describing ‘those rare moments.’ It tells us that during these moments, something unexpected makes an experience unforgettable.
32 ones. This pronoun replaces ‘things’ to help avoid repetition. ‘The ones you remember the longest’ means the things that stay in your memory the longest. The word ‘things’ would be a repetition error, and ‘ones’ is the correct substitute.
Vocabulary
The vocabulary below is meant to help you with the more difficult words. If the word isn’t on the list then you are either supposed to know it or it is too specific to be worth learning and you don’t have to know it to answer the question. Symbols in brackets mean part of speech(see bottom of the list). Sentences in italics give examples of usage for some more complex words and phrases.
And remember — you are not given a vocabulary list (or a dictionary) at your real exam.
Part 1
Ingredients (n) — the different foods you need to cook a particular dish. Before you start baking, check that you have all the ingredients, like flour, sugar, and eggs.
Fancy (v) — (informal) to want or desire something. Do you fancy going to the cinema tonight?
Book a table (phrase) — reserve a table at a restaurant in advance. I have booked a table for four at 7 p.m. for my birthday dinner.
Cancel (v) — to say that something that was planned will not happen. The train was cancelled due to bad weather, so we had to wait for the next one.
Appointment (n) — an arrangement to see someone at a particular time, such as a doctor or dentist. I have a dentist appointment at 10 a.m. on Friday.
Suitable (adj) — right or appropriate for a particular purpose or person. This film is not suitable for young children because it contains scary scenes.
Rearrange (v) — to change the time or date of an event. I need to rearrange my meeting because something urgent has come up.
Charge (n) — an amount of money that you have to pay for a service. There is a small charge for using the swimming pool if you are not a member.
Late cancellation (n) — stopping an appointment or event too close to the time it was supposed to happen, often resulting in a fee. The hotel charges a fee for late cancellation if you cancel less than 24 hours before your booking.
Airtight container (n) — a box or jar that does not let air in or out, keeping food fresh. Store the cookies in an airtight container so they do not go soft.
Best before (phrase) — a date printed on food packaging to show when it is at its best quality. The yoghurt is still safe to eat after the best before date, but it might not taste as good.
Part 2
Fast-moving (adj) — (of a film or story) full of action and events that happen quickly. The children enjoyed the fast-moving adventure film because they never felt bored.
Positive message (n) — a good or encouraging idea that a story or film teaches. The film has a positive message about friendship and helping others.
Subtitles (n) — the words shown at the bottom of a screen that translate what people are saying in a foreign language. I watch Korean dramas with English subtitles so I can understand the dialogue.
Limited budget (n) — only a small amount of money available to spend. We have a limited budget for the school trip, so we need to find cheap activities.
Wheelchair (n) — a chair with wheels used by people who cannot walk easily. The library has a ramp so that people in wheelchairs can enter without help.
GCSE (n) — a qualification taken by students in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland at around age 16. She studied hard for her GCSE exams and passed all of them.
Connect to (phr v) — to be related to or associated with something. The teacher asked us to find news articles that connect to topics we learned in class.
Cold War (n) — a period of political tension between the United States and the Soviet Union after World War II. The Cold War lasted from the late 1940s until the early 1990s.
Screening (n) — a showing of a film or television programme. The cinema has a special screening of the old black-and-white movie at 2 p.m.
During school hours (phrase) — while school is open and classes are happening. The dental appointment was during school hours, so I had to miss one lesson.
Stay with somebody (phr v) — (here) to continue to be remembered or felt for a long time. The ending of that film really stayed with me, and I thought about it for days afterwards.
Think deeply (phrase) — to think carefully and seriously about something. The philosophy class asked us to think deeply about questions like ‘What is happiness?’
Slow storytelling (n) — a way of telling a story that develops slowly and quietly, without much action. Some people find slow storytelling boring, but others enjoy the peaceful atmosphere.
Characters (n) — the people or animals in a story, film, or play. The main character in the novel is a young girl who moves to a new city.
Part 3
Cast-iron (adj) — made of a hard type of metal. The old cast-iron bridge has stood there for over two hundred years.
Announce (v) — say something publicly or officially. The school announced that Friday would be a holiday because of the storm.
Residents (n) — people who live in a particular place. The residents of the street complained about the noisy construction work.
Pressing (adj) — urgent and needing attention immediately. I have a pressing deadline at work, so I cannot take a break right now.
Document (v) — record information about something, often with photographs or video. The filmmaker spent a year documenting the lives of the firefighters.
Cracked (adj) — broken or having lines on the surface but not completely destroyed. The old vase is cracked, but it still holds water.
Paving stone (n) — a flat piece of stone or concrete used to cover a path or road. The children jumped from one paving stone to another to avoid touching the cracks.
Faded (adj) — less bright or clear than before because of age or sunlight. The photograph was faded, but we could still see my grandmother’s face.
Character (n) — (here) the quality that makes a place interesting or special. The old town has a lot of character with its narrow streets and historic buildings.
Efficient (adj) — working well without wasting time, money, or energy. The new washing machine is more efficient than the old one and uses less water.
Sensible (adj) — based on good judgement and practical thinking. It is sensible to carry an umbrella when the sky looks cloudy.
Reasonably (adv) — in a fair and logical way. You cannot reasonably expect to learn a language in one week.
Sense of loss (n) — a feeling of sadness when something is gone or will soon be gone. She felt a deep sense of loss when her favourite coffee shop closed down.
Dusk (n) — the time of day when the sun has just gone down and it is becoming dark. The park closes at dusk, so visitors must leave before it gets fully dark.
Word spread (phrase) — news or information began to be told to more and more people. Word spread quickly that the famous singer was in town, and a crowd gathered.
Install (v) — to put equipment or a system in place so it is ready to be used. The plumber will install the new dishwasher tomorrow morning.
Engaged (adj) — having formally agreed to marry someone. My brother got engaged last month, and the wedding is next summer.
Postbox (n) — a metal box in a public place where you put letters to be sent by post. I dropped the birthday card in the postbox on the corner of the street.
Vanish (v) — to disappear suddenly or completely. The rabbit vanished into the hat, and the audience clapped.
Printing (n) — the production of books, newspapers, or other documents. The printing of the local newspaper happens overnight so it is ready in the morning.
Sold out (phr v) — (of tickets or products) all bought so none are left. The concert sold out within ten minutes, so we could not get tickets.
Set out (phr v) — begin a journey or set yourself a goal. She set out to climb the mountain, not knowing how difficult it would be.
Pay attention (phrase) — to watch or listen to something carefully. If you had paid attention in class, you would know the answer to that question.
Part 4
Tidying (v) — making a place look neat by putting things in their correct positions. She spent the morning tidying her room before her guests arrived.
Pricing (v) — putting a price on something, especially goods in a shop. The shop assistant was pricing the new winter coats when I walked in.
Terrified (adj) — extremely frightened. The little boy was terrified of the dark and slept with a night light.
Till (n) — the cash drawer or machine where money is kept in a shop. The cashier opened the till to give the customer his change.
Go smoothly (phrase) — to happen without problems or difficulties. The job interview went smoothly, and I felt confident afterwards.
Briefcase (n) — a flat, rectangular case used for carrying documents or papers. The lawyer arrived at court carrying a leather briefcase.
Thud (n) — the sound of something heavy hitting a surface. The book hit the floor with a loud thud, and everyone turned to look.
Torn (adj) — ripped or separated into pieces. Her favourite jeans were torn at the knee, so she threw them away.
Folded back (phrase) — bent or creased in the opposite direction. The pages of the old book were folded back, and the spine was broken.
Returns policy (n) — the rules that a shop has about giving money back for returned items. The store’s returns policy says you can get a refund within thirty days if you keep the receipt.
Memorised (v) — learned something so well that you can remember it perfectly. The actor memorised all his lines before the first rehearsal.
Raised his voice (phrase) — spoke more loudly, often because of anger. The teacher asked the student not to raise his voice during the discussion.
Racing (adj) — (of a heart) beating very quickly because of fear or excitement. Her heart was racing as she waited for the exam results.
Nod (n) — a small movement of the head up and down to say yes or to show agreement. He gave a nod of approval when he tasted the soup.
Carried those words with me (phrase) — remembered someone’s advice for a long time. My grandfather told me to always be honest, and I have carried those words with me ever since.
Part 5
Departure board (n) — a large screen or sign at a station or airport showing the times and destinations of departing services. The departure board showed that our flight was delayed by two hours.
Settled down (phr v) — sat comfortably and prepared to stay somewhere. She settled down on the sofa with a blanket and a good book.
Urgent (adj) — needing immediate attention or action. She received an urgent message from her boss and called back straight away.
Absorbed (adj) — very interested in something so you do not notice anything else. The children were so absorbed in the video game that they did not hear their mother call them for dinner.
Connecting train (n) — a train that you take after getting off another one to continue your journey. We missed our connecting train by five minutes and had to wait an hour for the next one.
Keeping her company (phrase) — staying with someone so they are not alone. I stayed home with my little sister, keeping her company while our parents went out.
Delay (n) — a period when something is late or slower than planned. That delay at the airport meant we missed the start of the concert.
Frustrating (adj) — making you feel annoyed and upset because you cannot do what you want. It is frustrating when the internet stops working in the middle of a video call.
Part 6
Lineup (n) — the list of performers, bands, or activities at an event. The festival lineup includes three famous bands and several local singers.
Opportunity (n) — a chance to do something that you want to do. This job is a great opportunity to learn new skills and meet interesting people.
Highlight (n) — the best or most enjoyable part of an event or period of time. The highlight of our trip to London was seeing the musical at the theatre.
Guest performer (n) — an artist who is invited to perform at an event in addition to the main performers. The concert had a surprise guest performer who sang two songs with the band.
Unforgettable (adj) — so good or so bad that you will never forget it. The view from the mountain top was unforgettable, and I took many photos.
Turn out to be (phr v) — to finally be something, often unexpectedly. The rainy day turned out to be the best day of our holiday because we explored a museum we would have missed.
