 The test contains 50 items, but you must solve maximum 40, at your choice.

 If you answered more than 40 items, only the first 40 will be considered for
assessment.
 Each correct answer is worth 1 point. You lose 0.25 points for an incorrect
answer.
 However, by ticking "Sure", you get 1.25 points if your answer is correct, but
you lose 0.70 points if your answer is wrong.
 The actual working time is 60 minutes since the moment of receiving the test.

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I. Read the text. For each question (1-5), choose the correct answer.
Netf lix the day away
While the meaning of the phrase Netflix the day away is relatively easy to work out, the popular choice
is somehow more difficult to explain. Why Netflix and not Amazon, for example? Netflix is indeed a
video-streaming giant but then again, it is not the only one in the game. There are several possible reasons
to explain why Netflix is by far the most popular provider internationally.
Netflix was founded in 1997 but it wasn’t until 2007 that it started offering streaming TV shows and
films online. For the first five years or so, Netflix offered its subscribers a choice of series and movies
produced by famous TV companies and film studios. Since 2013, though, Netflix has been offering
original programmes and viewers have been able to watch entire series or at least entire seasons of TV
series at once. The company has been investing billions of dollars in order to make quality programmes
and, despite strong competition, Netflix is still able to reign supreme in the business.
The “You may also like” section is another reason why viewers are so fond of using Netflix. What this
means is that Netflix keeps track of the type of programmes that a viewer takes pleasure in watching and
provides a list of similar shows that the same viewer is very likely to find appealing. In the same way that
a shop assistant knows exactly what clothing item to recommend based on your history as a shopper there
and on their intuition which comes as a result of their “getting you”, Netflix gets you, too, and their
predictive analysis is second to none. The main reason to explain its popularity could therefore be that it
really understands what its viewers like and what they do not.
While it is true that Netflix does not come for free, the amount a user has to pay monthly is roughly
similar to what cable companies charge and it is what it offers that makes it more popular amongst users,
young users in particular. Studies recently carried out reveal that viewers are happy that they do not have
to watch advertisements in the middle of a movie or an episode of their favourite series. They also pointed
out that what they truly like is the fact that they can begin watching a Netflix programme in the evening on
their smart TV, then pause it and watch the remaining part on their smart phones on their way to work.
On the other hand, there are still people who are willing to pay for both cable and Netflix since the
latter mainly provides entertainment and some documentaries. It is the former that one needs in order to
watch news reports and live sport games and competitions. This is something that Netflix has yet to cover.
This aspect can be easily overlooked by those people who find Netflix one of the “coolest” things around
and start conversations based on a series which is available exclusively on Netflix. There is always that
one person who feels a bit left out because they do not have Netflix yet. A problem they might be willing
to “solve” since they also wish to join the “cool” club.
It would be therefore fair to conclude that it is actually the convenience and ease of use that make
Netflix so popular and not necessarily the content itself. What is certain is that rough numbers do reveal
that Netflix will continue to grow in popularity, which makes the future of television in general very
difficult to predict. In the meantime, let us just Netflix the day away…

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1. Netflix is
A) the sole video-streaming platform in the business today.
B) a video-streaming platform whose popularity is impossible to explain.
C) a video-streaming platform whose popularity exceeds that of all other platforms in the business.
2. In the years prior to 2013, Netflix users were able to
A) enjoy television programmes which were not produced by Netflix.
B) enjoy a variety of original Netflix programmes.
C) binge-watch entire series or seasons.
3. Why does the writer compare the “You may also like” section to a shopping experience?
A) To explain why the list of TV programmes you may like provided by Netflix is very likely to be
accurate.
B) To explain why coming up with a list of TV programmes a user may like, based on their ‘watched
programmes’ is almost impossible.
C) To highlight the flaws of the video-streaming platform.
4. Access to Netflix
A) is always free of charge. B) requires paying a monthly fee.
C) costs more than what the average cable provider charges.
5. One of the shortcomings of Netflix that the text mentions is that
A) it fails to broadcast live sport events. B) it covers too many sport events.
C) the news it usually covers is devoid of accuracy.

II. Read the first sentence. For the second sentence, choose the best answer for each gap (6-10) so that
the meaning stays the same.
6. Wendy regrets not speaking to her mother about the matter.
Wendy wishes .......... to her mother about it.
A) she would have spoken B) she had spoken C) she should speak
7. I have used Netflix only once before.
This is .......... I have ever used Netflix.
A) only the second time B) the first time C) my very first time
8. No one has ever broken into my car.
I have .......... into.
A) to have my car broken B) never had my car broken
C) just got my car broken
9. Excuse me, could I borrow your pen?
Excuse me, .......... your pen?
A) would you mind if I borrowed B) would you mind if I lent
C) would you mind if I borrow
10. There are a lot fewer people in this film club than there were last year.
There .......... people in this film club as there were last year.
A) are less B) are not nearly as many C) are just as many

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 III. Read the text. For each question (11-20), choose the best answer.

Llandaff – A Most Welcoming Place

Llandaff, a city (11) .......... a city, is located just north-west of Cardiff city centre and it can be easily reached
(12).......... foot following a path through the park which leads to the Cathedral. Llandaff Cathedral sits below the
rest of the small city, between the hill and the river. After being independent for centuries, the city of Cardiff
pushed its (13) .......... to include Llandaff, which offered the Welsh capital the one thing it was (14) .......... of – an
impressive cathedral. The city of Llandaff is also home (15) .......... a public school which is famous for many
things, one of which being the fact that it was the school Roald Dahl went to for a number of years. The creator of
the Chocolate Factory was seven years old (16) .......... he started at Llandaff Cathedral School after his mother
decided he had to go to an all-boys school. In the immediate proximity of the school (17) .........., one can now
admire a plaque which was unveiled in Dahl’s honour. The plaque is to be found at the site of his favourite sweet
shop, which the author wrote about in his memoirs. Dahl wrote about this humorous incident that is closely related
to the shop – the incident is known (18).......... The Great Mouse Plot. It is all about a dead mouse Dahl and some of
his classmates found in their classroom. Apparently it was the writer himself who suggested they place the dead
animal in a sweet jar in the shop, (19) .......... they did. The incident caused a series of chain reactions – the way the
shop owner saw the deed and how fast the „mighty” can fall. Any avid Dahl reader will immediately recognize
these things in the writer’s stories. If the Roald Dahl story is not (20) .......... enough for you to visit the place, there
are so many other equally interesting stories attached to it. It is most certainly a must when you are in Cardiff.

11. A) without B) within C) between D) among

12. A) on B) of C) in D) at

13. A) boundaries B) lines C) ends D) land

14. A) lack B) little C) rid D) short

15. A) at B) off C) to D) in

16. A) when B) lack C) where D) what

17. A) premises B) promises C) prospects D) precincts

18. A) by B) as C) in D) to

19. A) that B) what C) which D) though

20. A) wrong B) soon C) why D) reason

IV. For questions 21-50, read and choose the correct answer.
21. Thanks to the hard work of our staff, the magazine .......... more than 300, 000 copies this month.
A) sell B) is selling C) has sold D) has been sold E) was sold
22. If you crumple up your shirt, what will happen to it?
A) It will be clean the next day. B) It will be hanging in your closet.
C) It will have a rip in it. D) It will be wrinkled. E) It won’t need ironing.

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23. In 1991, Barbara Cartland, the well-known writer of many romantic novels, was awarded the title ..........
Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elisabeth II.
A) Lady B) Mistress C) Woman D) Dame E) Dowager

24. This was the best conference room that I could find .......... such short notice.
A) at B) for C) in D) by E) to

25. Match the halves of the proverbs.

1. Actions a. is in the eye of the beholder.
2. A picture b. don’t make a right.
3. Beggars c. is an island.
4. Beauty d. can’t be choosers.
5. No man e. is worth a thousand words.
6. Two wrongs f. speak louder than words.
A) 1b/ 2e/ 3a/ 4d/ 5c/ 6f B) 1a/ 2c/ 3d/ 4f/ 5e/ 6b C) 1f/ 2e/ 3d/ 4a/ 5c/ 6b
D) 1c/ 2e/ 3d/ 4b/ 5f/ 6a E) 1f/ 2e/ 3d/ 4c/ 5a/ 6b

26. What chemical element is diamond made of?

A) selenium B) lead C) carbon D) cobalt E) neon

27. I couldn’t .......... up with the noise in the city, so we moved to the countryside.
A) let B) put C) live D) set E) take

28. The plane .......... we flew in was really old.

A) that B) who C) in which D) where E) whose

29. The British Isles consist of .......... main islands and over six thousand smaller ones.
A) two B) three C) four D) five E) six

30. Christopher has a very active imagination, not to mention an .........ability to guess what people are
thinking.
A) uncanny B) careless C) sparkling D) luxury E) glowing

31. Put the labels in the correct order to form a sentence.

A) 9/ 5/ 7/ 10/ 4/ 3/ 1/ 2/8/ 6 B) 2/ 8/ 6/ 9/ 5/ 7/ 10/ 4/ 3/ 1 C) 2/ 8/ 6/ 7/ 5/ 9/ 10/ 4/ 3/ 1

D) 2/ 8/ 6/ 5/ 9/ 7/ 10/ 4/ 3/ 1 E) 9/ 5/ 7/ 10/ 3/ 4/ 1/ 2/8/ 6

32. Where was the limerick created?

A) In Norway. B) In Japan. C) In England.
D) In the USA. E) In Russia.

33. Which phrasal verb goes with memories?

A) bring about B) bring down C) bring round D) bring up E) bring back
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34. I’m afraid your car .......... repaired before next week.
A) can’t be B) wasn’t C) hasn’t been D) should be E) wouldn’t be

35. What flightless bird went extinct in the 1660s and has a reputation for stupidity?
A) the dodo B) the platypus C) the Labrador duck
D) the laughing owl E) the passenger pigeon
36. If someone is described as “phlegmatic”, what kind of person are they?
A) coolheaded B) self-conscious C) straightforward
D) quick-tempered E) narrow-minded
37. Choose the sentence which is closest in meaning to the one in italics.
I’d have never learnt to ski if it hadn’t been for Ruth.
A) I showed Ruth how to ski. B) I learnt how to ski, in spite of Ruth.
C) Ruth taught me how to ski. D) I never learnt to ski because of Ruth.
E) If Ruth had helped me, I’d have learned to ski.

38. I’d rather we .......... the boys to join us.

A) ask B) would ask C) hadn’t asked
D) will ask E) have asked

39. This city is noisy, overcrowded and dirty. .........., it’s a horrible place to live.
A) On a nutshell B) From a nutshell
C) In a nutshell D) Like a nutshell E) With all nuts

40. Which American town was famous for its witch trials?
A) Nashville, Tennessee B) Charleston, South Carolina
C) Salem, Massachusetts D) Portland, Oregon
E) Boston, Massachusetts

41. Which word does not collocate with the noun damage?
A) assess B) take C) cause D) repair E) sustain

42. Only .......... people turned up for the opening of the art gallery. It was very disappointing.
A) few B) any C) a little D) many E) less

43. We worked .......... to finish our project on time.

A) hardly B) roughly C) hardy D) strongly E) hard

44. What is the Taj Mahal?

A) a royal palace B) a large business center C) a mausoleum
D) a theatre building E) a sports centre

45. Many city .......... come here for the weekend because it’s only a two-hour drive from the capital.
A) traditions B) dwellers C) communities
D) proposals E) transients

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46. In 1936, .......... unexpectedly abdicated the throne to marry an American divorcée named Wallis
Simpson.
A) Prince Harry B) King Henry VI C) King Edward VIII
D) King George V E) King William IV

47. Match the two halves of the sentences.

1. Please accept our apologies for a. from receipt of your written order.
2. The goods will be ready for shipment 3 to 5 days b. my order was placed successfully.
3. I was quite sure that c. payment of your invoice hasn’t been received.
4. I’m not at all satisfied d. the delay in dispatching your order.
5. According to our records, e. with the reasons for the delay.
A) 1d/ 2a/ 3b/ 4e/ 5c B) 1d/ 2e/ 3b/ 4c/ 5a
C) 1a/ 2e/ 3c/ 4b/ 5d D) 1b/ 2d/ 3a/ 4c/ 5e E) 1c/ 2a/ 3b/ 4e/ 5d

48. Which word is not connected with cars?

A) boot B) tyres C) windscreen D) bonnet E) handlebars

49. The largest island in the world is Greenland. It is an integral part of .......... .
A) Norway B) Canada C) the USA D) Denmark E) Iceland
50. Parking restrictions in the town centre came into .......... last month.
A) action B) power C) vigour D) view E) force