Answer Keys
Part 1
1 D – coming. ‘To come up with something’ means to think of something new, to invent something, to have a new idea. Another phrase from the list and a similar meaning is ‘to think of something’.
2 A – check. If you check something out, you have a look at it to see if you like it or if it is any good. ‘To figure out’ means to solve some problem or to understand something. ‘To make out’ usually means to manage to see something that is not clear, e.g. to make out something in the distance.
3 B – focus. Something that is the focus of your time is what you dedicate all of your attention to because it is the most important thing.
4 A – work. To work on something is to put your effort into it. You can work on many things, such as a book, a diploma paper, a car, renovating your flat, and so on.
5 D – surrounded. Probably the easiest choice in this exercise, if you are surrounded by somebody or something, then there is too much of it next to you.
6 C – background. Background here refers to what is happening behind the main focus of the camera. If there is something happening there, it might take over the viewers’ attention.
7 C – impression. ‘The impression of depth’ is a visual effect that makes the image look more three-dimensional, more ‘real’. The author is talking about how light and shadows should work together to achieve such an effect.
8 D – succeed. To achieve success. Note that ‘accomplish’ cannot be used here as it requires a direct object without preposition: ‘to accomplish something’, but ‘to succeed IN something’.
Part 2
9 taking. To take place means to happen, to occur. Note the continuous form of the verb – as dictated by the context: “It’s an event which has been…”.
10 is. Another case of Present Continuous, this time we need to use the auxiliary ‘to be’ in the right form.
11 on. When we talk about using a surface, whether it is a table, the floor, or somebody’s face – we normally use ‘on’. Do not use ‘onto’ as it indicates movement towards something, e.g. “The players stepped onto the court for the final match”.
12 to. “To add to something” means to make something more complete, to complement it. If something adds to the fun, it means that it makes it more enjoyable.
13 give. ‘Create’ is not good enough here, as we usually say “to create AN impression”. The difference is minor in meaning, but the usage of article plays a crucial role here.
14 are. We need a verb in this sentence, so the auxiliary ‘to be’ in the plural form is required in the gap.
15 have. If you have a tendency to do something, it means that you are likely to do it. The meaning is similar to the verb ‘tend to’, from which the noun is derived.
16 ever. The test-taker might be tempted to answer ‘already’, but the second part of the sentence expresses the idea of experience better. It is more common to see a structure with ‘ever’ to talk about something you have experienced in the past.
Part 3
17 romantic. As we are looking for an adjective to modify the word ‘atmosphere’ that comes right after the gap, we find ourselves stuck choosing between ‘romantic’ and ‘romantical’. The fact is, ‘romantical’ is used way less often and is pretty much deprecated nowadays.
18 attractions. It is easy to understand that we need a noun here. However, the more tricky part is to realise that we are looking for a plural form – the hint is the structure ‘one of…’, which introduces plurality.
19 impressive. The only confusion here can be caused by the commas surrounding the clause. Be careful to get the spelling of the word right.
20 explanation. The word ‘one’ is a clear giveaway that we need to be picking a singular form this time.
21 hospitality. Hospitality is the quality of being open and welcoming to guests.
22 simply. An adverb that suggests a more likely explanation of the curious colour chosen for local architecture.
23 internationally. It is only by reading the next sentence that we get the idea for the word in the gap. Since people from other countries are drawn to the city, it means that its fame is international.
24 originality. Originality means that the thing in question is unique, rather than a copy or an imitation of something else.
Part 4
25 if I knew when. ‘If’ is used to report so-called yes/no questions, otherwise known as closed questions. Keep in mind that when reporting somebody’s speech, we normally take the verb one step back in tense, e.g. Present Simple becomes Past Simple in its reported form.
26 had set off/out. We are forced to rephrase ‘leave’ through a phrasal verb with some choice – both ‘set off’ and ‘set out’ work fine here.
27 told me not to bother. If you are told not to bother doing something, they mean that there is no use trying to do it for one reason or another.
28 not to mess (it) up. Yet another case of substituting with a phrasal verb, to mess something up means to do something badly or to fail to do it altogether.
29 she had been participating in. We are changing Preset Perfect in the direct speech to Past Perfect in the reported sentence. Another change is using the dictated ‘to participate in something’ structure.
30 if I had come across. ‘To come across something’ means to find or see something, especially if you didn’t mean to or it was not your original intention.
Part 5
31 C. In the first sentence, the author hints at the fact that it feels good to get back to drawing again. Answer A is incorrect – she can hear the children ‘squabbling’ (arguing, see vocabulary notes). Answer B is not mentioned as she just mentions having been to the hospital. The opposite of ‘D’ is said – the author is ‘in her element’.
32 B. The lady will have realised soon that this place is too noisy because of the kids playing behind her. This point is reinforced in the first sentence of paragraph three: “And then it kicks off” (in other word, it begins – it being the noise and the arguing of the author’s children). Nothing about answer A is mentioned other than the fact that the lady is wearing white. Nothing is said about the lady being angry at the kids and their noises. It is not said whether she looks old or young for her age – merely the fact that it’s hard to tell how old she is because of the dark glasses she is wearing.
33 B. The glitter of the ring brings back memories of the author’s troubled times at school. Nothing is said about the author’s opinion of the ring itself – whether she finds it beautiful or fitting the lady’s fingers.
34 D. ‘It’ refers to how easily the author would blush in the past at the slightest fact of discomfort or embarrassment. We shall discover further down in the text that even today she still tends to get blushy rather easily. You might consider choosing C as the answer, but logically it doesn’t work – they can’t play at laughing at the writer’s discomfort.
35 B. It is mentioned that the old lady’s eyes ‘drop very briefly to the sketchbook’ – this is part, and the subsequent negative comment, that allow us to choose answer B. She does not regret being mean to the author back at school – this is clear from her angry reaction to the picture. Nothing is said about whether she has time for art nowadays.
36 A. She feels content with the fact that one of the chocolate wrappers stained the old lady’s white dress, and the subsequent reaction of others in the park that follows her child remarking how ‘the lady’s got a dirty skirt’. The opposite of answer C is said – her cheeks are ‘on fire’ again after severe criticism from her former art teacher. She isn’t proud of her drawing – it is just one of her children commenting positively on it.
Part 6
37 D. The sentence before the gap talks about ‘many different reasons’, and sentence D goes on to give examples of such reasons. Similarly, the ‘things’ mentioned in the sentence after the gap are all the different effects and impressions that wearing black clothing can achieve.
38 B. ‘Wore, and still wear’ is the hint that makes us choose this as the immediate context highlights the significance of black clothing in different periods of time (as well as different parts of the world). Sentence E does not fit stylistically – we do not want to mention Masha from the Seagull so soon again, it would sound redundant. Other sentences seem to clash with the immediate context.
39 G. This sentence naturally fits the main focus of the paragraph – people of all walks of life who chose black clothing for their own reasons, to send their own message to society. Whereas sentence E fits the general mood of the paragraph, it doesn’t work great with the last sentence, because it comes back to giving examples of people choosing to wear black. Be careful not to put sentence B here – people wear it to many different occasions, not just funerals.
40 A. The sentence here adds to the list of advantages the Little Black Dress has. Note the word flattering here – it means that it made the woman look slimmer than she was, as black colour tends to have that visual effect. In comparison, white clothing makes people seem slightly bigger.
41 F. The sentence before the gap mentions it (the LBD) continuing its domination of the market and fashion trends. The gap takes sentence F then to expand on the idea – black items, not just dresses, are witnessing increased demand.
42 E. Finally, we get to use the sentence to go back to the previously mentioned Masha from Chekhov’s play. A good finalizing sentence that sums up the idea of black clothes – how they can serve many different purposes and fit well in anybody’s selection of clothing.
Part 7
43 D. The family member here is the speaker’s wife. The memorable moment is when they were finally able to leave the hospital with their newborn.
44 A. The change here is the “freedom and independence” that the speaker got with the car, and how with a car they can go anywhere they want.
45 C. In the second sentence, the author mentions having been passionate about writing since they were six. The long-awaited achievement here is having their very first book published.
46 D. Sentence one has the speaker stating that most typical examples of red letter days are one’s wedding or when one’s child is born.
47 B. The speaker confesses to having ‘hated every minute of it’. In other words, they make it obvious that they did not enjoy the experience at all.
48 C. ‘Sensory’ refers to senses, in other words, it is about seeing, touching or tasting something. The sensory experience here is holding the long-awaited books that the author had published. They also mention the weight and the smell of the freshly-printed books – more proof of the sensory experience part.
49 D. The speaker admits not remembering much about their wedding because of how nervous they felt back then.
50 B. This one is a bit tricky. The speaker dressed for the exam as to celebrate it afterwards, and they didn’t consider the idea of ‘resitting’ the exam. To resit an exam means to take it again because you have failed it. In other words, they refused to consider the possibility that they might not pass the exam and will have to take it again in the future.
51 A. The problems mentioned in the question are the car breaking down all the time. Author’s joy for their car was not spoiled by the fact that they had to go through a lot of trouble with the car, which was prone to malfunctioning.
52 B. The speaker mentions still having the calendar with the marked exam day.
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
Script (n) – a text that contains detailed instructions and descriptions of what should take place in a film, a play, a musical, and so on. The director distributed copies of the script among all the filming staff.
Venue (n) – a location where an event (in this case, filming) takes place. It took us a while to find a suitable event for the wedding ceremony.
Stare (v) – to look intently at something in shock, disbelief, or utter surprise. I couldn’t help but stare at the scene that was unfolding in front of me.
Feedback (n) – (here) comments and constructive criticism on something. In other words, it is the opinion of other people about something you have made. I could really use some feedback on the last chapter of my diploma, but unfortunately, the professor is nowhere to be found.
Part 2
Signal (v) – used as a verb here, it means to mark, to signify, or to suggest that something is about to happen. This symptom signals that the illness is progressing.
Awash (adj) – if something it awash with something, it means it is covered in it or full of it. The local flea market is awash with all kinds of souvenirs and used goods, but it takes effort to find something of real value.
Bonfire (n) – an improvised fire that is made to keep warm, cook food, or simply for recreation. We saw a bonfire in the middle of the field and headed straight to it.
Affair (n) – (here) a situation or an event. Managerial meetings are usually a rather boring affair where nothing gets done and people just talk for hours.
Part 3, 4
Superb (adj) – extremely good, much better than the rest, of very high quality. The sound quality is superb, which unfortunately is not true about the vocals.
Prominent (adj) – standing out, worthy of attention. A prominent scientist of his era, Edison is credited with having invented many things we use to this day.
Stunning (adj) – (here) shockingly impressive. If you look down the cliff, the stunning view will stay in your memory for a long while.
Sandstone (n) – a type of natural material, a sand-coloured stone, hence the name.
Uniform (adj) – looking similar or the same, stylistically even. Used positively. A uniform approach to city planning ensures there is no architectural clash between buildings of various types.
To be drawn by something – to be attracted by it.
Enquire (v) – to ask a question. Pretty much a more formal variant of ‘ask’.
Part 5
Blank (adj) – empty, without any contents. My mind suddenly went blank when the official asked about my date of birth.
Content (adj) – happy and satisfied.
In my element – if you are in your element, it means you feel comfortable and in your place, like you belong there. Working alone in an empty, spacious room is when I really feel in my element.
Squabble (v) – to fight or argue about unimportant things. The office squabbles can get on your nerves after a while.
Tremble (v) – to shake very slightly. I could feel the ground tremble – it was Mike approaching in his car, blasting music at full volume.
Distracted (adj) – having one’s attention taken away, not focused on something important. It is easy to get distracted when you are trying to study, especially if you are studying for an exam or any other important event.
Erect (adj) – (here) straight, with perfect posture.
Assess (v) – to judge something based on its qualities. When I assess my students, I try my best to note even the slightest nuances of their answers.
Sketch (v) – to draw general shapes of something, without paying much attention to detail. It was a rough but tasteful sketch of a man in raincoat, sitting on a park bench.
Kick off (phr v) – to begin. Used especially for something that starts suddenly and with great energy.
Curl (v) – (here) to close on something – in this case, the lady closes her fingers on the handbag she has lying in her lap.
Humiliate (v) – to disrespect somebody, to make somebody lose their self-respect by saying or doing something. The coach humiliated me by forcing me to play for the opponent’s team.
Trial (n) – (here) a challenge, something that tests your character. One of the many trials of college for me was having to constantly meet new people.
Blush (v) – to have one’s cheeks turn red out of embarrassment.
Set off (phr v) – to start or initiate something. This chemical is supposed to set the reaction off.
Play on something (phr v) – to take advantage of something, to abuse it.
Pale (adj) – (here, about skin) light in colour as a result of an illness or spending too much time indoors.
Nasty (adj) – unpleasant or unkind. She said some nasty things that were not true, just to hurt me.
Can’t help it – if you can’t help something, you do something even though you know you shouldn’t, because you have no control over it. I can’t help crying at the end of Titanic every time.
Rip out (phr v) – if you rip something out, such as a page, you tear it from where it was. I was so nervous, I was literally ripping my hairs out one by one.
Wrapper (n) – the piece of paper that is used to wrap candies, chocolates and other sweets.
Part 6
Obsession (n) – unhealthy, extreme interest or fascination with something. Her obsession with Ringo Star was really puzzling to me.
Rebellious (adj) – having a tendency to openly go against the rules, to uprise and show your disregard for the accepted order. Lara’s rebellious nature made her popular with her classmates, but many teachers found her hard to deal with.
Mourn (v) – to feel down, to abstain from any entertainment to honour somebody’s death. We mourn your loss and are ready to help if you need anything.
Grief (n) – the meaning very similar to the verb ‘to mourn’, but in the form of a noun.
Sorrow (n) – the reason or cause for one’s sadness.
Widow (n) – a woman whose husband has died and who has chosen not to remarry another man.
Injustice (n) – an act or practice of treating somebody unfairly or against the law. The injustices experienced by the minorities of this country.
Go-to (adj) – something that is the usual choice in a particular situation. My go-to method of studying is to put headphones on so that nobody bothers me.
Timelessness (n) – the quality of being timeless – relevant and fashionable in any time period.
Sophistication (n) – having good taste and manners. Sophistication is what separates old money from the nouveau riche.
Flattering (adj) – making something appear better than it really is. The flattering comments made her feel very special.
Dye (n) – a substance used to give colour to things.
Part 7
Clarify (v) – to make something less confusing, easier to understand. The shopkeeper clarified that this purchase cannot be refunded because the packaging has been opened.
Sensory (adj) – relating to senses, such as the sense of smell, taste, touch, hearing and others.
Recall (v) – to remember something. I don’t recall seeing you yesterday.
Overshadow (v) – to make something seem less important in comparison. My good performance at university was overshadowed by my older brother’s achievements in running our family business.
Empowering (adj) – giving you a sense of power and confidence. They say that having a pepper spray in your pocket feels really empowering.
Anticlimax (n) – a situation when you expect something to be much more than it turns out to be. For example, you really look forward to a celebration, and when it comes, it is actually nothing special, so you feel underwhelmed and disappointed.
Cost a fortune – to cost a lot of money.
Underestimate (v) – not to give enough importance to something. I underestimated the cost of running your own business and went bankrupt within the first year.
Blur (v) – if something blurs, it looks out of focus. The letters blurred in front of my eyes as I didn’t have my reading glasses on.
Rejection (n) – (here) when you get turned down by a publisher – in other words, when they refuse to publish your book because they don’t believe it will make any money.
Final draft – the final version of some written work, such as a book or an essay, with all the corrections and alterations.
Bold (adj) – (about letters and symbols) written in thicker lines, like this.
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