2 UNIT 2 TEST | Higher B2

Listening 5 You hear two friends talking about a TV

documentary. What was wrong with the
1 UT Track 2  You will hear people talking programme according to the boy?
in five different situations. Listen and A It was difficult to understand because it was in
complete the phrases they use to agree or a foreign language.
disagree with one word in each space. Then B Although it was informative, the topic wasn’t
decide if the phrases express agreement very interesting.
(A) or disagreement (D). C The ideas were too complicated for ordinary
1 I              they’d do that. A / D viewers to follow.
2 No, I               … A/D

3 Well, I’m               A/D
4 I guess you’ve               A/D
5 Oh, I               A/D Grammar
3 Complete the text with the correct form of

the verbs in brackets.
2 UT Track 2  Listen again and choose the (1)              (ever feel) that you
best answer (A, B or C). have too much homework and not enough free
time? If you do, you’re not alone because there’s
1 You hear a girl and her father talking about
a growing movement of people who believe that
swimming lessons. How does the man feel about
children should have less homework. They argue
taking swimming lessons?
that homework (2)              (be)
A He’s pleased that there are swimming lessons always a good thing and that there’s evidence to
for middle-aged people. support their claims. For example, one primary
B He’s fairly certain he’ll learn slowly. school study showed that the amount of
C He wishes he’d learnt to swim when he was homework (3)              (not
younger. make) any difference to children’s success at
school. Another school reported that children
2 You hear two friends talking about an online
(4)              (become) even more
course. How does the boy feel about the online
successful at school when they had less
courses?
homework. There are now many schools around
A He thinks that people should be charged the world which (5)             
money to use them. (not believe) in giving homework. If this trend
B He believes universities should think of better continues, it’s likely that many children will find
ways to promote themselves. that they have more free time.
C He’s attracted by the variety of courses that are
available.
3 You hear a boy and his mother talking about a
smartphone app. How does the boy’s mother feel
about the app?
A She thinks the boy should remove it from his
phone.
B She’s not convinced that it’s useful for revision.
C She’s convinced the boy will fail the test
because of it.
4 You hear two teachers talking about a first aid
course. How does the woman feel about learning
first aid?
A First aid skills would have been useful in a
recent situation.
B It’s something that she’s wanted to do for a
long time.
C She doubts the course will qualify her to give
first aid.

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 2 UNIT 2 TEST | Higher B2

4 Complete the second sentence so it has a 5 Complete the sentences with the verbs
similar meaning to the first. Do not change in the box in the correct tense: present
the word given. Use two to five words, perfect, past simple or past perfect simple.
including the word given. There are two extra words you do not need
1 Even if I didn’t like what I was studying, I always to use.
tried to do my best at school.
break | get | go | live | manage | tell | take
WOULD
Even if I didn’t like what I was studying, 1 They              here for long.
I              to do my best at They only moved in last week.
school. 2 I couldn’t take part in the swimming lesson
2 Sophie doesn’t usually stay up so late. She’s because I              my leg.
normally in bed by nine o’clock. 3 By the time we              to my
USED grandmother’s house, she’d already finished her
dinner.
Sophie              up so late. She’s
normally in bed by nine o’clock. 4 So far I              to read about
half of The Lord of the Rings but it’s taken me a
3 When my parents were teenagers, they didn’t
long time.
have as much freedom as we do.
5 Why              you
USED
             me you couldn’t
When my parents were teenagers, they meet me? I waited for you for twenty minutes.
             have as much
freedom as we do.

4 My sports teacher was always very strict with the
students. Was your teacher like that? 6 Complete the text with one word in
BE each gap.
My sports teacher was always very strict with the Lessons from Gandhi
students. Did your teacher              Any list of the most influential people of the 20th
like that? century is sure to include Mahatma Gandhi
5 David didn’t like his uniform at first but he didn’t because there are so many important lessons we
mind wearing it in the end. can learn from him. For much of his life, he was
GOT involved in trying to solve the problems of
inequality and poverty. He’s most famous for
David didn’t like his uniform at first but he
leading the Indian independence movement but
             it in the end.
before that he (1)        spent many years
defending the rights of Indian workers in South
Africa. (2)        to that point, he had tried
to work with the British rulers to achieve change.
However, he realised that this (3)       
the best way to bring about the changes he
wanted. Instead, he organised peaceful
demonstrations and acts of non-cooperation,
which have inspired protest movements ever
(4)       . Now people (5)       
used to the idea of non-violent protest, but
Gandhi’s methods were very innovative
60 years ago.

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 2 UNIT 2 TEST | Higher B2

Reading

Critical Thinking
A Have you noticed how there’s so much talk about critical thinking skills these days? There are hundreds of
websites and books dedicated to the topic and in some countries, you can even get a secondary school qualification
in critical thinking. So, what exactly is it and why is it generating so much interest?
B Critical thinking means different things to different people. For some, it’s about answering questions without
letting your own emotions and beliefs get in the way. For others, it’s about accepting that one question might have
different answers. However, if we put these differences to one side, most people would agree that critical thinking
describes the process of analysing and evaluating a situation in order to understand the truth. For this process to
work, critical thinkers have to be self-disciplined, careful in their analysis and open to new ideas.
C Surprisingly, critical thinking is not a new concept. In fact, it originated in the teachings of the ancient Greek
philosophers more than two thousand years ago. They were concerned that ordinary citizens automatically believed
their leaders without asking themselves whether they were right or wrong. However, these philosophers thought it
was important for a society to know the truth, and that was only achievable by asking the right questions. This belief
has been held by many of the brightest thinkers ever since. Without it, we might still think that the sun orbits the
Earth or that the Earth is flat.
D Despite the importance of critical thinking in human history, the situation changed in the 19th century with the
industrial revolution. More children than ever had access to education, but they studied subjects which were useful
for industrial society, like maths and English. Although students learnt in large groups, there were few opportunities
for critical thinking. Students were generally expected to be passive learners, learning facts and taking tests. They
would sit in rows and only speak if they were spoken to by the teacher.
E This way of teaching has endured for over 150 years and is still common today. However, a growing number
of people now believe that school leavers need different skills to overcome the challenges of the 21st century.
Among them is the ability to ask the right questions to achieve a better understanding of the world around us. This
means not just accepting that what you are told is the truth. It also means being able to work on your own to find
answers and solve problems. Not only that, but students should also be able to work with others by contributing to
arguments in a constructive and meaningful way.
F As a result, teachers are now thinking about how they can promote critical thinking skills in teenagers. For
example, in many classrooms, students are no longer required to sit passively, memorising facts and figures.
Instead, they are asked to speculate, share experiences and give opinions. In fact, even the classrooms themselves
are changing. Nowadays you’re more likely to find collaborative spaces where students sit in small groups, use
tablets and work on projects. It’s an exciting time in education and it will be interesting to see how the next
generation of thinkers turns out.

7 Read the article and match paragraphs B–F with summaries 1–5.
1 Critical thinking is believed to have its roots in an ancient society.    
2 The difficulties faced in the new millennium require a new way of thinking.     
3 The skills being learnt today may be useful in solving the problems of tomorrow.     
4 Although definitions of critical thinking may vary, they do have some things in common.     
5 Critical thinking skills were seen as less important for industrial society.     

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 2 UNIT 2 TEST | Higher B2

8 Read the article again. For questions 1–5, Vocabulary

choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you
think fits best according to the text. 9 Choose the correct words.
1 Which definition of critical thinking is the most 1 Even when we weren’t playing well, our
commonly accepted? football        was always encouraging.
A Answering difficult questions in an a) lecturer b) instructor c) coach
unemotional way. 2 Most university        in the UK take
B Understanding that questions can have several three years but some of them, like medicine, take
different answers. longer.
C Attempting to get the best possible answer to a a) certificates b) degrees c) graduates
question. 3 I tend to go to the library if I have
D Criticising other people’s work and studies. to        for an exam because I can
concentrate better.
2 What point is the writer trying to make about the
ancient philosophers? a) take b) revise c) pass
A They didn’t think leaders were capable of 4 A lot of primary school teachers think they have
telling the truth. too many        in their classes.
B Their beliefs about the world were usually a) pupils b) graduates c) lecturers
mistaken. 5 A recent survey has revealed that you need a
C They were the most important thinkers in the driving        for around 20% of jobs.
history of the world. a) certificate b) qualification c) licence
D Our understanding of the world has been
improved by their ideas.
3 How does the writer feel about education in the
19th century?
10 Complete the sentences with one word in
each gap.
A Young people were not expected to participate
actively in their education. 1 My brother        up all the bread making
his sandwich and there was none left for me.
B It was a good way of encouraging students to
think critically. 2 Although Ian has missed a few weeks of class, he
can        up with the rest of the class if
C Not enough young people had the opportunity he works hard.
to go to school.
3 Would you mind        up a bit? I can’t
D There was much more discipline than there is hear a word you’re saying.
in modern schools.
4 Look! My dad’s fallen asleep in his chair.
4 What does the writer say about education in Let’s        up behind him and scare him!
recent years?
5 If the weather doesn’t improve,
A Many people still aren’t convinced about the they’ll        up cancelling the race.
value of critical thinking skills.
B There is growing support for the teaching of

critical thinking skills.
C More and more students are choosing to work
on their own.
D There are many challenges in education that
still haven’t been overcome.
5 What does the writer mean by ‘promote critical
thinking skills’ in the final paragraph?
A Give critical thinking skills more importance
than they deserve.
B Give students the opportunities to get better
jobs in the future.
C Encourage students to be more critical of their
teachers.
D Encourage the growth and development of
critical thinking skills.

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 2 UNIT 2 TEST | Higher B2

11 Complete the sentences with one word Speaking

from each box in the correct form.
13 Complete the missing words. The first
criticise | decide | experienced against | as letter is there to help you.
qualify | wrong for | in | with A: I think it would be a good idea if there was a
school science club.
1 There’s nothing              taking B: (1) A      ! That’s a great idea. We
a year off before university. In fact, it can be a could ask Mr Fenton to organise it.
very positive experience.
A: I’m not so (2) s       a       that.
2 Some parents              the I thought it would be better if we set it up
school             not allowing girls ourselves.
to wear trousers.
B: Do you (3) r       t       so? It
3 If you want to               sounds like a lot of work.
an engineer, you need to get practical work
experience as well as a degree. A: Yes, you’re (4) r       a       that
but it would be good experience.
4 Mrs Johnson has been a careers adviser for
twenty years so she is very              B: I (5) s       s      , but where
helping young people choose the best career would we start?
for them.
5 It’s a shame you             
studying law at university. I think you would be
an excellent lawyer.
14 For each of the sentences (1–5), respond
with at least two sentences giving your
reasons and/or examples.

1 I’m not sure that many students like doing work
12 Choose the correct word or phrase (a, b, c experience because you’re just working for
or d) to fill each gap. nothing.
Beating exam stress                                                      
For many (1)    , life can seem like one exam                                                      
after another. This can be extremely stressful so 2 I think a lot of young people would like online
we recommend that students are as organised courses because they’re more interactive and
as possible. Firstly, this means giving yourself as engaging than traditional courses.
much time as possible to revise – you don’t want                                                      
to (2)     up revising everything the night
                                                     
before an exam. The second thing you need to
think about is the space where you’ll be working. 3 I’d imagine that most students like going on field
It’s essential that you’re able to (3)     on trips because it gives them a chance to get out of
your revision, so make sure it’s comfortable the classroom.
and that there are no distractions. Apart from                                                      
revising your notes, we’d also recommend                                                      
that you practise (4)     old exams under
4 Students probably prefer working in groups
timed conditions. Finally, we suggest that you
because it’s really boring when you have to work
give yourself plenty of breaks. You’ll get tired
alone.
(5)     studying if you spend too long at your
desk so take a break and do something relaxing.                                                      
1 a) graduates b) undergraduates                                                      
c) degrees d) qualifications 5 Voluntary teaching is quite popular and I think
2 a) hurry b) catch it’s because students like the idea of helping
c) end d) dig younger ones.
3 a) concentrate b) interested                                                      
c) pay attention d) decide                                                      
4 a) making b) passing
c) giving d) taking
5 a) on b) of
c) in d) for

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 2 UNIT 2 TEST | Higher B2

Use of English
15 Write a form of the word in capitals in each gap to complete the text.
Forest Schools
When a friend recently told me about forest schools, I looked at him in (1)       . BELIEVE
‘What on earth is a forest school?’ I asked him.
It turns out that there are a number of forest schools around the world but they are
(2)        new in the UK. However, they are well-organised and the teachers RELATE
usually have special (3)       . They have been trained to organise safe outdoor QUALIFY
spaces and they can teach pupils a great deal about the countryside.
I recently attended an open day at a local forest school and it was very (4)        INFORM
indeed. What was interesting was how the teachers used the natural environment to teach
other subjects. For example, one of the teachers, who was a (5)       , was showing MATHS
teenagers how to use maths in order to build a tree house. It certainly looked a lot more
fun than my maths classes.

16 Complete the second sentence so it has a similar meaning to the first. Do not change the word
given. Use two to five words, including the word given.
1 Hans has taken the decision not to spend the holidays at his grandparents’ house.
AGAINST
Hans has                  the holidays at his grandparents’ house.
2 I went to London Zoo last weekend. It was my first time at a zoo.
NEVER
I went to London Zoo last weekend. I                  a zoo up to that point.
3 He’s already invented an excuse for not going to the concert.
UP
He’s already                  an excuse for not going to the concert.
4 Danny didn’t listen carefully to the teacher so he didn’t know what the homework was.
PAID
Danny didn’t know what the homework was because he                  the teacher.
5 I want to make a cup of tea but there’s no milk left.
USED
I want to make a cup of tea but someone                  the milk.

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 2 UNIT 2 TEST | Higher B2

Writing
17 Read the essay question in the box. Imagine you have written your first paragraph, introducing
your essay and stating your opinion. Now rewrite sentences 1–5 using the words and phrases
in the second box to complete paragraph 2, explaining why shorter school days would be better
for students.

Shorter school days would be better for both students and teachers. Do you agree?

because    in my view … so    I would argue that … as    such as    this is why

1 Shorter school days would be better for students. They would have more time for after-school activities.
                                                     
                                                     
2 Some after-school activities are important for teenagers’ development. Some examples of after-school
activities are volunteering and doing sports.
                                                     
                                                     
3 Students would also benefit from a shorter school day. They would not get so tired.
                                                     
                                                     
4 Many students are exhausted by the end of the day. They find it difficult to do their homework well.
                                                     
                                                     
5 Young people do not spend enough time with their families. Shorter school days would also be good for family
life.
                                                     
                                                     

18 Now write a third paragraph, explaining why shorter school days would be better for teachers.
Use your own ideas.
                                                     
                                                     
                                                     
                                                     
                                                     
                                                     
                                                     
                                                     
                                                     

Total score

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