Answer Keys
Part 1
1 B – conducted. ‘To conduct a research’ is the only fitting collocation in the given context. Of course, you could also control a research (Answer A), but the phrase has a different meaning.
2 A – exceed. This time, it is the only collocation that works with the word ‘expectations’.
3 D – prospect. A prospect is chance or likelihood of something happening. ‘Estimate’ is more commonly used with numbers. ‘Outlook’ is a prediction, but is commonly used in a phrase like ‘outlook for/of something’.
4 B – contrast. An introductory phrase that makes a counter-point is needed here – ‘In contrast’
5 C – narrow. A narrow defeat is a defeat that was almost a victory, like in a situation where the losing athlete is only 0.01 seconds slower than the victor. Similarly, a narrow victory is one with minimal possible advantage over the second place (the runner-up).
6 B – trend. In the context of a scientific analysis, a trend is something like a general finding that is repeated through multiple trials. In other words, it is something that happens many times and therefore cannot be seen as random.
7 A – extent. ‘To some extent, to some degree’ are phrases that mean that something is partially true, but not completely so..
8 D – reflect. To reflect on something means to think about something hard, to try and analyse it. Other phrases here, if we disregard the ‘on’ that follows the gap: ‘to wonder about something’, ‘to consider/review something’. However, contextually, they do not work here.
Part 2
9 without. ‘With’ and ‘without’ here are used for added contrast. Omission of the word in the second part makes it harder to guess: “… than those without (them)”.
10 if/after. “Even if” is used to reinforce the point made in the sentence. “After” is also an acceptable answer.
11 because. ‘Because’ helps make a connection with the previous sentence and explain the points made there.
12 another. ‘One another’ is a common combination that you should be familiar with at B2.
13 among. ‘Among’ here expresses the idea ‘in a particular group of people’.
14 no. Contextually, we see that the negative form is used for emphasis – to make the sentence more expressive, that is.
15 who. In order to make the right choice here, we have to keep on reading. In this case, only the very last sentence in the paragraph provides sufficient context to answer correctly.
16 same. To feel the same about somebody means to have similar feelings towards them, either positive or negative ones. Here they talk about the idea of friendship that might not always be mutual.
Part 3
17 depth. Be careful with the spelling of this noun. Note that there is no such word as ‘deepness’ – a common wrong answer in this task.
18 unusual. Naturally, it is impossible to be famous for something usual, so we need a prefix with the opposite meaning.
19 endangered. If an animal is endangered, it means it is at risk of extinction (disappearing) because there is too few of them left. Note that ‘dangerous’ is wrong – the added context of a national reserve in the second part of the sentence hints at the fact the animal is in danger of disappearing.
20 establishment. Establishment here means ‘creation’. Again, ‘establishing’ will most likely not be considered the right answer, so avoid using gerund forms in FCE Use of English Part 3.
21 unforgettable. It is clear that we need an adjective with the meaning of ‘memorable’ here. Just make sure to spell this word correctly!
22 accessible. Available, open, free.
23 inhabitants. Two things to note here – first of all, the noun has to be plural because it is then referred to as ‘people’. Secondly, mind your spelling here, as the right word spelled the wrong way will not give you points.
24 surprisingly. The adverb has to express the idea of being surprised, because despite the beauty this place is known for, tourists don’t go there too often.
Part 4
25 led schools to getting/being closed. The verb form dictated by ‘led’ is -ing. Moreover, make sure not to use six words. In order to do that, we have to omit ‘some’: led (some) schools to getting/being closed .
26 doesn’t pay much attention. Note that ‘doesn’t’ is counted as two words – you can use both the shortened and the full form. Answering ‘doesn’t pay any. attention’ might only give you 1 of the 2 points – make sure to keep the changed sentence as close to the original one as you can.
27 regrets not taking. The reason we have to use ‘regret’ is because this is the only fitting verb that would take the -ing form of ‘take’ in the given limited number of words.
28 with the exception of. The definite article is required here as the integral part of the ‘of’ phrase.
29 never had weather as bad. ‘As … as …’ comparative structure is pretty common for FCE Use of English 4, so be ready to see it. Note that Present Perfect is used here.
30 heat must have been. A very tricky transformation, it requires the word ‘heat’. Note that ‘weather’ doesn’t fit here: if you say that the weather was unbearable, it could mean anything – hot or cold, raining or even snowing.
Part 5
31 D. The answer is in the sentence starting with ‘If only she had known…’. Answer A is wrong, as it is clearly stated that the work she suggested suited some of the pupils. The opposite of answer B is mentioned. Nothing relating to answer C is present.
32 A. ‘Every ingredient deserves consideration’ is the part that leads us to choose answer A. Nothing is mentioned about answers B and D. “B” is wrong as the travelling is done to discover new possible flavours, not to test them in different countries.
33 A. Developed ‘written and verbal skills’ are basically one’s ability to express yourself, in other words – good social skills. “B” is incorrect, as candidates need to be willing to travel, not have travelling experience. “D” is not mentioned – “strong” refers to skills, not physical strength. Experience with social media is not an IT qualification.
34 C. He says that you have to be a certain type of person to truly enjoy this job. Nothing about answer “A” is mentioned as he only warns that one has to be ready to be alone, and if they are – they will never want to go back to “the mainland”. “B” is not good as in addition to being alone, you have to take care of many things on the island. Answer D is not mentioned.
35 A. ‘… it was more of a role she fell into’ means that she did not choose it herself, but just happened to fit the position because of her language skills. Answer “B” is wrong – it only says that her language was better than others’. Answer C is incorrect – it was the company’s initiative to have her write the messages, she did not ask to do it herself. Answer D gets no mentioning.
36 D. The explanation of the person is given, followed by that ‘one such person’ phrase.
Part 6
37 E. An important point made here is that the school wants to make sure students get their fair share of access to cultural experience, because some families do not consider this important for their children.
38 G. ‘Similar patterns’ refers to those observed in the Field Museum of Chicago. Booked trips to various museums fall steadily all across the country.
39 D. The dilemma mention in ‘D’ is the difficult choice about where the funding should go – and as a result, field trips are seen as expendable, not worth spending on.
40 A. The point about ‘generational differences’ is further reinforced in the sentence after the gap. They compare how younger and older teachers perceive the trips. Older generations still see some cultural value in them, whereas younger teaching staff members believe that the fun aspect is the main focus of such trips.
41 B. Last sentence focuses on the lack of scientific proof to support the statement made in the paragraph. Next paragraph mentions a research that does actually have some reasons to think different: ‘One exception is the research…’.
42 F. Here we have to make a choice between sentence F and sentence C. We need the one that supports the idea of positive influence of such trips. This is because the research is presented as one that shows scientific proof of how beneficial these trips can be. Sentence C, on the other hand, would serve to show that such tours have ‘little impact on students’.
NOT USED: Sentence C.
Part 7
43 C. The skill required is about the so-called ‘effort-related’ aspect of volunteers’ work – recording date and location of marine life sightings.
44 D. Phrases like ‘most experienced organisation for training’, ‘provides staff training for leading organisations’ and ‘very high quality’ drive us to choose this paragraph.
45 B. The organisation is interested in people who have photography as their hobby.
46 E. The second part of the last paragraph lists potential threats to marine life, namely boat traffic.
47 E. 25 years is how long the organisation has been going.
48 B. Enthusiasm is the main characteristic mentioned at the end of the paragraph. To some extent, having a pair of binoculars could be included as a ‘characteristic’.
49 E. The measure taken is the regulation regarding motorboats and how they interact with the dolphins. According to the paragraph, these regulations are not always good enough to protect sea species.
50 C. Last sentences of this paragraph explain how to visually identify the bottlenose dolphin.
51 A. Last sentence of this paragraph mentions how they share the information through talks and school visits.
52 C.The topic in question is the previously mentioned ‘effort-related’ data and the process of gathering it.
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 at this level or it is too specific to be worth learning for the exam. 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
Emotional response – the way a person reacts to something.
Delighted (adj) – extremely happy and satisfied. We were delighted to get an invitation to their anniversary.
Assume (v) – to make a conclusion based on incomplete (or nonexistent) information Because his employment history was blank, we assumed he had never worked in his life.
Ease (n) – if you do something with ease, you do it without being challenged, easily.
Part 2
Undeniable (adj) – (here) something nobody is going to argue about because it is clearly true. The benefits of mild exercise are undeniable, even more so for people of senior age.
Tendency (n) – if somebody has a tendency to do something, they are likely to do it.
Stick together – an informal expression that means ‘to be/stay together’ used to talk about friends (not romantic partners).
Part 3, 4
Approximately (adv) – around, close to. It is used to talk about numbers that one is not certain about.
Weigh (v) – (here) to have a weight of. Note the spelling. Cars nowadays weigh almost twice as much as they used to two decades ago.
Species (n) – a particular type of living organism that can breed with one another. This fox species is prevalent in the region.
Scenery (n) – the visual part of landscape or nature. I stood on the porch, admiring the autumn forest scenery.
Take notice of smth – to pay attention to something, to notice something.
Unbearable (adj – too intense to be comfortable. The mayor’s speech ended up being unbearably long.
Part 5
Do something for a living – ‘for a living’ here means as a means to earn money. This can either be one’s profession or something one does without having proper qualifications.
Inspiration (n) – a source of new thoughts and ideas. If I want to draw a new picture, I usually take inspiration from long walks down at the shipyard.
Downside (n) – the negative aspect of something, a disadvantage. One of the downsides of this job is that you have to wake up as early as 4 AM.
Implications – (here) consequences of something that are not immediately visible or obvious. The implication of him helping me out with money was that I should be ready to return the favour at any time.
Verbal (adj) – relating to speech, the opposite of ‘written’.
Remote (adj) – located far away from everything else. Having spent a year living in a remote village, I can say that city dwellers have no idea how peaceful one’s life can be.
Applicant (n) – a person who applies for a job position.
Caretaker (n) – somebody who takes care of a building or a number of buildings. Responsibilities include fixing things that break and ensuring that everything is in good order.
Fall into (phr v) – if you fall into a role, it means you don’t choose it, but end up there for one reason or another.
Part 6
Site (n) – a place of interest. Do not confuse this with a website! Mecca is a rich cultural site and a popular tourist destination for a number of reasons.
Disruption (n) – something that prevents or ruins order and efficiency. Loud students are a common cause of disruption in class.
Appreciate (v) – to value something, to see and understand the importance of something that has value. Most people without an art degree cannot fully appreciate the beauty of this picture.
Means (n) – a way to do or achieve something. As a noun, the word ‘means’ can be both plural and singular, but always has ‘s’ at the end. We are ready to stop the process by any means possible.
Facilities (n) – (here) rooms or buildings as well as all the equipment required for operation. Catering facilities are in need of improvement, but the school currently has no money to renovate the cafeteria.
Head (n) – used figuratively here, it means somebody in position of control. Heads of the state have now gathered to discuss the issue of unemployment.
Contribute (v) – to take part in something, to help something happen. Used both positively and negatively. Smoking contributes significantly to various lung problems.
Healthy (adj) – (here) natural.
Broaden, enrich (v) – two words here that mean pretty much the same thing in this context – to add to it.
Generational (adj) – relating to generations, or the period when a person was born, like baby boomers, generation X, generation Z and the most recent one – generation Y.
Dilemma (n) – a difficult question or problem with no easy solution or answer to it. Capital punishment is one of the bigger ethical dilemmas of the legal system.
Empathy (n) – the quality of understanding how the other person might think or feel.
Part 7
Keen (adj) – very willing and enthusiastic about something. Lucy is a keen reader, so she knows lots about lots.
Certain (adj) – (here) particular. There are certain aspects of freelancing that make it so attractive, like managing your own time.
Porpoise (n) – an animal similar in appearance to a dolphin.
Monitor (v) – to watch, to observe. The experimentation process has to be closely monitored in order to be analysed later.
Pass on (phr v) – to give something like valuables or knowledge to somebody else, especially if they are younger or less experienced.
Input (v) – used about data here, to input means to make it a part of some system, like a catalogue or computer software.
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