Answer Keys
Part 1
1 B. The notice says the library will close at 5 p.m. on Friday because of a staff meeting. The box beside the entrance can still be used to return books after closing. Answer A is incorrect because books can still be returned using the box. Answer C doesn’t fit – the library is only closing early, not for the whole day.
2 C. Tom has an extra ticket from Emma, her brother cannot come. He invites Sam to come with him. Tim didn’t buy 2 tickets, so answer A is wrong. Answer B is wrong because it wasn’t Emma who decided not to go, it was her brother.
3 A. The café offers a free bottle of water when customers buy a sandwich between noon and 2 p.m., Monday to Friday. Answer B is incorrect because the free drink must be water. C reverses the offer: customers must buy a sandwich to receive the free water, not the other way around.
4 B. The pool will be unavailable in the morning because of repairs and is expected to reopen at 1 p.m. A is incorrect because the notice only refers to a temporary closure. Answer C is incorrect too – students are asked to speak to their teachers about changing their lesson times, not going to another school.
5 B. Answer A is tempting because Lucy will meet the person at school, but the message says she will be waiting at the school gate, not that she wants to collect the jacket at an unspecified time. C is incorrect because she specifically asks the person not to leave the jacket in the classroom.
Part 2
6 A. Emma wants a queit place where she can talk to her friend, eat a proper meal and visit on Saturday afternoon. Pasta House offers proper meals at lunch and has a range of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes. It mentions that you won’t overpay and the atmosphere is relaxed.
7 B. Daniel has only 30 minutes for lunch, so quick service is essential. Station Bites prepares most meals within ten minutes and is directly opposite the railway station. Its menu includes meat dishes and salads. H also serves food quickly and offers salads, but it can become busy at lunchtime and is near the town centre rather than the station. F serves meat dishes, but doesn’t say if its service is fast enough for Daniel’s short lunch break.
8 G. Vegetarian food for Sofia, meat and fish dishes for her parents, and desserts after the meal. World Table offers all these options and serves dinner on Friday evenings. C fits Sofia, but not her parents. D fits, but World Table is the stronger match for the family’s interest in trying different kinds of food.
9 E. Jack and his classmate need to work for two or three hours, use free Wi-Fi and connect their laptops. The Old Bookshop Café specifically allows customers to stay for a long time and provides sockets for laptops. H is designed for quick meals and can be busy at lunchtime. B offers free Wi-Fi, but, like H, is for in-and-out meals.
10 A. Mrs Green wants a relaxed restaurant with simple children’s meals and somewhere to eat outside. The Corner Kitchen has a children’s menu, a relaxed atmosphere and garden tables. F has an outdoor terrace but focuses on steaks, burgers and other main meals rather than offering a children’s menu. D has a varied menu, but neither a children’s menu nor an outdoor eating area is mentioned.
Part 3
11 C. Joshua had wanted a car like this since childhood. The low price was an added attraction, but not the main reason he wanted this particular car. The previous owner had not looked after it well, and Joshua only discovered its high running costs later.
12 A. The author enjoyed driving the car to work and liked the attention it attracted, although mechanical problems soon began to appear. His colleagues’ opinions are mentioned, but the text doesn’t say how he felt about them.
13 B. Joshua was surprised by how expensive it was to maintain the car. Although he had bought it cheaply, repairs and fuel made it costly to keep on the road. Answer A is mentioned in the text, as some parts were difficult to find, but this was only one reason why repairs were expensive. Even though Answer C is true – the car used much more fuel than his previous one – this was just one part of the overall running costs. Finally, option D is plausible because the car had several problems, but the text doesn’t suggest that the frequency of breakdowns was the biggest surprise.
14 C. The car’s problems made Joshua worry about breaking down or arriving late at work. He therefore needed something more dependable for his daily journey. Although running costs were high, the text doesn’t explicitly say that saving money was his reason for replacing it.
15 A. The author still enjoys driving the sports car, but doesn’t consider it suitable as his only vehicle. He prefers having a reliable modern car for everyday journeys and keeping the sports car for occasional enjoyable drives. There is no information about him planning to get rid of it.
Part 4
16 E. The view from the top makes a strong impression on Daniel and helps explain why he becomes interested in the lighthouse as a possible home. This connects his initial curiosity with his growing interest in the building. Don’t use Sentence C: The text says Daniel wasn’t looking for a new home, but it doesn’t establish that he planned to repair the building or stay there temporarily. The next paragraph describes the condition of the lighthouse and the work needed, but doesn’t refer back to a temporary stay. Option E provides a much clearer explanation of why he became interested in the place.
17 H. The island has no road connection, so building materials have to be transported by boat. This explains why even ordinary repairs take longer than Daniel expected. Option B might seem interesting, however ‘this meant that even ordinary jobs could take much longer…’, refers to the difficulty of transporting materials to the island, not to Daniel’s doubts about the building’s comfort. This sentence doesn’t provide a logical explanation for that sentence.
18 D. Daniel discovers that bad weather affects more than just his ability to travel. It can also prevent boats from reaching the island, making it important to plan ahead.
19 A. Although Daniel initially dislikes the tourists’ interest in his home, he eventually sees an opportunity to benefit from it. The following sentence explains how he turns this interest into a source of income.
20 F. Despite missing some conveniences of city life, Daniel has no intention of moving back. This reinforces the idea that he has become comfortable with his unusual lifestyle. Answer G could work, but the next sentence goes: ‘For him, the building is no longer simply an unusual place to live…’ – it explains how the lighthouse has become important to both his work and his personal life. G focuses on responsibility, an idea that isn’t developed further. Answer F also creates a much stronger contrast with the previous sentence about missing city conveniences.
Part 5
21 A. The correct expression is ‘easy to care for’, meaning easy to look after. ‘Look’ would need the word ‘after’, while ‘attend’ and ‘watch’ don’t fit this structure.
22 A. ‘Make sure’ means to check or ensure that something happens. The other verbs cannot be used in this expression.
23 B. The correct collocation is ‘make a hole in something’. Do a hole, cause a hole and break a hole are not natural expressions here.
24 B. If you are interested in something, then you find it enjoyable or attractive. ‘Keen’ would also work with ‘on’, but it isn’t one of the options; ‘excited’ and ‘fond’ don’t fit the structure as naturally.
25 C. Managing to do something means succeeding in doing it. ‘Succeed’ would require ‘in getting’, while ‘could’ and ‘achieved’ don’t fit the sentence structure.
26 A. ‘Have a better idea of something’ means to understand it more clearly. ‘Knowledge’ is possible in other contexts, but ‘a better idea of how much work…’ is the natural expression here.
Part 6
27 whom. ‘Some of whom’ is a relative structure referring to people. It connects the two parts of the sentence: ‘six friends’ and ‘I hadn’t seen for years’. Do not use ‘them’ as it would make the sentence having two subjects.
28 to. The correct structure is ‘agree to do something’. The infinitive ‘to meet’ follows the verb ‘agreed’. ‘On’ would work with a gerund, e.g. ‘agreed on meeting’.
29 into. ‘Be into something’ is an informal expression meaning to be interested in or enjoy something. The sentence refers to people who don’t particularly enjoy board games – they are not into (playing) them.
30 as. If something doesn’t go as planned, it means it doesn’t go the way you hoped or expected it to. ‘To go like planned’ is not a correct structure.
31 than. The structure ‘more … than’ is used to compare how much fun the evening was with what the writer had expected.
32 themselves. ‘Not the games themselves, but the people…’ emphasises that the games are not the most important part of the evening. The reflexive pronoun refers back to ‘the games’ – note the plural form.
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
Unavailable (adj) — not able to be used or accessed at a particular time. The swimming pool will be unavailable while repairs are being carried out.
Repair (n) — work done to fix something that is broken or damaged. The school will be closed for a day while workers carry out some repairs.
Reopen (v) — open again after being closed. The museum will reopen next Monday after the renovation work.
Extra (adj) — more than the usual amount or number. We had an extra room so Suzy spent the night there.
Stadium (n) — a large sports ground where people watch games and competitions. Thousands of fans arrived at the stadium to watch the football match.
Staff meeting (n) — a meeting attended by people who work at the same place. The shop will close early today because of a staff meeting.
Include (v) — have something as part of a group, price or offer. The price includes breakfast and free Internet access.
Part 2
Reasonable (adj) — fair and not too expensive or extreme. We found a nice restaurant where the food was good and the prices were reasonable.
Exotic (adj) — unusual or interesting because it comes from a distant country or culture. The restaurant serves exotic dishes from several Asian countries.
Vegan (adj) — containing no food or products that come from animals. This café offers vegan meals made entirely from vegetables and other plant-based ingredients.
Homemade (adj) — made at home rather than bought ready-made in a shop. They serve homemade cakes and fresh bread every morning.
Terrace (n) — an outdoor area next to a building where people can sit or eat. We had lunch on the restaurant’s terrace overlooking the sea.
Signature dish (n) — a special dish that a restaurant or cook is particularly famous for. Their signature dish is a steak served with homemade chips.
Overpay (v) — pay more money for something than it is worth or than you need to. I think we overpaid for the meal because the food wasn’t particularly good.
Socket (n) — a place in a wall where you connect electrical equipment to the electricity supply. I couldn’t charge my laptop because there wasn’t a free socket near the table.
Counter (n) — a long, flat surface in a shop or restaurant where customers are served. You need to order your food at the counter before finding a table.
Wireless Internet (n) — a system that allows computers and other devices to connect to the Internet without cables; Wi-Fi. The hotel provides free wireless Internet in all its rooms.
Part 3
Afford (v) — have enough money to pay for something. I can’t afford to buy a new car at the moment.
Previous (adj) — happening or existing before the present one. My previous car was much smaller and used less fuel.
Traffic lights (n) — lights at a road crossing that control when vehicles can move or must stop. We had to wait at the traffic lights for several minutes.
Cooling system (n) — the parts of a machine or vehicle that prevent it from becoming too hot. The mechanic discovered a problem with the car’s cooling system.
Mechanic (n) — a person whose job is to repair vehicles and machines. I took my car to a mechanic because the engine was making a strange noise.
Fuel (n) — a substance such as petrol or diesel that provides energy to make an engine work. This car uses less fuel than my old one.
Break down (phrasal v) — (of a vehicle or machine) stop working because of a problem. Our bus broke down on the way to the airport, so we had to wait for another one.
Keep something on the road (phrase) — continue using a vehicle by keeping it in working condition. The car is quite old, and it costs a lot of money to keep it on the road.
Running costs (n) — the regular costs of using and maintaining something, especially a vehicle. The running costs of this sports car are much higher than I expected.
Dependable (adj) — reliable; able to be trusted to work well or do what is expected. A dependable person is what they needed to fill in this position.
Repair bill (n) — the amount of money you have to pay for something to be repaired. I received a huge repair bill after my car broke down.
Regret (n) — a feeling of sadness or disappointment about something you have done or decided. She has no regrets about moving to another country.
Part 4
Lighthouse (n) — a tall building near the sea with a powerful light that helps ships find their way. We could see the lighthouse from the boat as we approached the island.
Curious (adj) — interested in finding out more about something. I was curious about the old building and decided to go inside.
In poor condition (phrase) — damaged or not well maintained.
Mainland (n) — the main part of a country or region, not including nearby islands. The island is only a short boat journey from the mainland.
Building materials (n) — things used to construct or repair buildings, such as wood, bricks and metal.
Workshop (n) — a room or building where people make or repair things, often using tools. He spends most of his time in his workshop making wooden furniture.
In advance (phrase) — before something happens or before a particular time. You should book your tickets in advance because the museum gets very busy this time of year.
Look around (phrasal v) — visit or examine a place without a particular plan. We arrived early and had some time to look around the town.
Tour (n) — a visit to a place during which someone shows you around and explains interesting things about it. The guide gave us a tour of the old castle.
Convenience (n) — something that makes life easier or more comfortable. Living in the city has many conveniences, such as shops and public transport nearby.
Unexpectedly (adv) — in a way that was not expected or planned. The weather changed unexpectedly, and we had to cancel our trip.
Matter at hand (phrase) — the subject or problem that you are dealing with at the moment. Let’s stop talking about other things and concentrate on the matter at hand.
Part 5
Without thinking twice (phrase) — immediately, without spending time considering whether to do something. When my friend asked me for help, I agreed without thinking twice.
Lead (n) — a long piece of material attached to a dog’s collar that allows its owner to control it while walking. You should always keep your dog on a lead in this park.
Bark (v) — (of a dog) make a loud, short sound. The dog started barking when someone knocked on the door.
Chew (v) — bite something repeatedly with your teeth, often to break it into smaller pieces. The puppy likes to chew shoes and other things it finds around the house.
Fetch (n/v) — a game in which a dog runs to get an object that someone has thrown and brings it back. We played fetch in the garden, throwing a ball for the dog to bring back.
Distract (v) — take someone’s attention away from what they are doing or thinking about. I tried to distract the child with a toy to stop him crying.
Exhausted (adj) — extremely tired and without much energy. After walking for six hours, we were completely exhausted.
Refuse (v) — say that you are not willing to do something or accept something. He refused to help, even though we’ve always been kind to him.
Nearby (adv/adj) — not far away; close to a particular place. Fortunately, there was a supermarket nearby, so we didn’t have to walk far.
Hand something back (phrase) — return something to the person it belongs to. I borrowed my friend’s camera and handed it back the following day.
Routine (n) — the usual way of doing things or the activities you regularly follow. Starting a new job can be difficult because you have to get used to a different routine.
Relieved (adj) — feeling happy because something unpleasant or worrying has ended or did not happen. I was relieved when the doctor told me there was nothing seriously wrong.
Part 6
Look forward to (phrasal v) — feel happy and excited about something that is going to happen. I’m really looking forward to our trip to Ibiza this summer.
Prepare (v) — make something ready for use or for a particular event. We spent the whole afternoon preparing food for the party.
Rather than (phrase) — instead of; used to show that one thing is chosen or preferred over another. I decided to walk rather than take the bus.
Go as planned (phrase) — happen in the way that was expected or intended. Unfortunately, the party didn’t go as planned because it started raining and so we had to move inside.
Turn out (phrasal v) — happen or develop in a particular way, especially when the result is different from what was expected. The journey turned out to be much longer.
Engaged (adj) — interested and involved in an activity. The children were so engaged in the game that they didn’t notice it was dark and they could hardly see the ball.
A round (n) — one complete part of a game or activity, after which it can begin again. Me and John went for another round of cards before going home.
Nearly (adv) — almost, but not completely. It was nearly midnight when we finally finished our work.
