CEPT Practice- Cambridge English Placement Test Demo

 CEPT Practice- Cambridge English Placement Test Demo

The Secret of answering CEPT                                     CEPT Demo 1

Question: What is the secret of answering the Reading and Listening exercises on CEPT correctly?

Answer:

The correct answer to any question must be based on something that was written in the text or heard in the audio recording. This means that it does not allow you to interpret the meaning based on the following:

·         any personal knowledge you may have of the subject

·         your personal beliefs

·         your own opinions about the subject

·         something that may sound logical but is not actually mentioned or implied

The answer must be objective, meaning that it must be based only on what you read or what you heard.

 

This only allows for two possible answer types:

1. repeating information directly from the text or audio, or

2. restating the idea through paraphrased information (restating the information or idea using different words).

 

This is the secret! Almost every single correct answer in the Reading and Listening sections of the CEPT are synonyms and paraphrased ideas and information.

 

Knowing this, it makes it easier to identify the best answer as well as eliminate the distractors, or wrong answers. In a general sense distractors are wrong because they do not restate the idea or information from the part of a passage or audio that contains the answer to the question. The distractors are constructed by the test makers with this fact in mind.

 

The four things you must learn to do are the following:

 

1.     1.  Analyze the questions, the text, and the answer choices.

2.      2. Look for paraphrases of key words from the questions of the text.

3.      3. Look for paraphrases from the text in the answer choices.

4.     4.  Eliminate the wrong answer choices to help you find the best answer.

Part 1 - LISTENING

LISTEN AND SELECT (Short listening – text answer)

For this question, choose the correct answer. Read the question first. Click play to listen. You can listen twice.

You hear a school headmaster talking about notices. What is he telling the students?

A how to produce them

B when to remove them

C where to display them

Audio script

Short listening – text answer

 M: Let me be clear about this. As you know, all students are allowed to put up notices in the school with all sorts of information which may be of interests to other students. And I must say some of you take great care to produce really artistic notices. Now, the school rule on notices is clear. They may be displayed only on notice boards provided by the school. And any notices placed anywhere else will be immediately removed.

 

LISTEN AND SELECT (Short listening – picture answer)

For this question, choose the correct answer. Read the question first. Click play to listen. You can listen twice.

Where will the man leave his car tonight?

Short listening – picture answer

 

W: So here’s your room key and I’ve got your passport details. Now what about parking?

M: My car is just outside the hotel at the moment, so I’ll have to move it. Would it be alright to leave it in the market square overnight?

W: You could do that, but I wouldn’t recommend it. We have our own garage under the hotel. It’s just 5 euros a night. We’ll park it there for you if you like.

M: Oh great. Here are the keys. I’ve already taken all my luggage out.

 

Extended listening

For these questions, choose the correct answer. Read the questions first. Click play to listen. You can listen twice.

 You will hear a woman giving a review of a digital camera, the Roxel DX15, on a radio programme.

The woman says that because the Roxel DX15 camera is cheap

A it has fewer features than other models.

B it is not good in some ways.

C it looks unattractive.

 

What does the woman dislike about the 'body' of the camera?

A It is too heavy to carry comfortably.

B It is made from weak materials.

C Its battery compartment is badly designed.

 

What is one problem with the camera controls?

A The buttons may be difficult to operate.

B The dials turn round too easily.

C The buttons and dials are in the wrong place.

 

What does the woman say about the functions that the camera offers?

A They include guidelines for composition.

B There is no face detection function.

C The functions menu is easy to use.

 

She thinks the picture quality this camera gives is

A worse than most phone cameras.

B better in colour than in black and white.

C consistently less than perfect.

 

What advice does the woman give about this camera?

A Do not choose this model.

B Spend a bit more and get a better model.

C Buy this model for generally good performance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Audio script

Long listening

 

The product I’m going to review this week is a digital camera, the Roxel DX15. It’s hard to criticize a camera you can buy for 110 dollars a real bargain for anyone. You simply can’t expect greatness in all features at that price. A low-price model will probably be fantastic in some areas and it does look stylish but other things will have to be lacking. This is certainly true with the DX15. The body of the Roxel DX15 measures 91 millimeters wide by 56 millimeters high. It’s 28 millimeters deep and weighs 128 grams so it fits easily in a pocket or a small bag. Its silver body is a combination of metal and plastic. It’s strong enough not to get damaged from being banged around in a bag. So it’s great for keeping with you in case of unexpected photo opportunities. The only problem is the design of the little door on the bottom of the camera which covers the rechargeable battery and memory card. It slides open a little too easily even sometimes while you are taking photos with the camera. It’s also very easy to put the battery in incorrectly because it’s not clear which way around it should go. All the camera control buttons and dials are on the back of the camera. The dials are small but turned easily and they don’t move when you’re pulling the camera out of your pocket. However, all the buttons are really tiny and sometimes need to be pressed more than once because of this. Let me talk about the camera functions. Finding your way around the menu system is extremely simple. It has no standard functions and the added advantage of face detection that’s where the camera finds faces in a picture and adjusts itself to the best settings for the faces and this function works quickly and accurately. But we think users will miss having guidelines for photograph composition not available on this model. Picture quality is about what we expected for this camera it’s definitely better than the cameras you get on phones but it certainly not great. In all conditions the photos it takes lacks sharpness and detail. Colors and white balance are satisfactory though it has some problems in the blues. In conclusion, the Roxel DX15 is relatively cheap and easy to use. Making it a reasonable choice for those who want something of average quality that doesn’t cost too much. However, if you can afford a little more, the Roxel D120 is a much better choice with improved picture quality and performance. Those who don’t mind a bigger camera could also take a look at the Proto P10 which costs about the same as the DX15.

 

 

 

 

  

Part 2 – Use of Language and Reading

SENTENCE COMPLETION

Click on the gap then choose the word or phrase which best completes the sentence.

 

James made a great ________ to arrive on time.

a. try                       b. struggle            c. aim                     d. effort

 

MULTIPLE-CHOICE GAP FILL

Click on each gap then choose the word or phrase which you think fits best.

Birth of the movies

Moving pictures were invented by the brothers Louis and Auguste Lumière at the end of the 19th century. Movies very ___1___ became popular all over the world. In 1907 the first studios were built in a ____2_____ of Los Angeles called Hollywood. It was the perfect place, close to many kinds of natural scenery. 

___3_____ the 1920s, Hollywood was the center of the world film _____4____. To begin with, the movies had no sound. Words ____5____ on screen from time to time to explain the story.

1              A quickly              B immediately                   C fast                     D early

2              A piece                 B site                                     C location            D district

3              A To                       B At                                        C For                      D By

4              A industry           B company                          C trade                 D firm

5              A developed      B happened                       C appeared         D displayed

 

OPEN CLOZE

For these questions, type the correct answer in each gap. Type only one word in each gap.

To: Silvio

From: Lars

 

Hi Silvio,

There's _____  to be an extra swimming competition next week and not _______ people in the team _______  free to do it. Jane _____ you to swim in six races! Is that _____  much swimming for you? What do you think?

Lars

READ AND SELECT (short reading text)

For this question, choose the correct answer.

 

From: Sarah

To: David

 

Dear David

Hi. The attached picture shows the bridge over the dry river valley I can see from my hotel room, though the hotel's actually a 20-minute walk uphill from the bridge.

Sarah

 

A Sarah's hotel looks over a river.

B Sarah's hotel is by a bridge.

C Sarah's hotel is on a hillside.

 

EXTENDED READING SECTION

Making a career in music

Are you desperate to have a music career? First off, remember this - no one really knows who's going to get to the top. All those talent scouts, those so-called star-makers, are just guessing. So go into your music career knowing that there's no mystery ingredient. What you need is confidence, an appreciation of a good tune, luck and lots of charm.

In a market where there's room for songs of every kind, you have a chance of selling your music. The trick is to present yourself as the only person with a particular style or talent. And why not be a bit boastful about it? Don't be shy about networking with all sorts of people - it's surprising who can help you. Start by playing your music to the owners of local music clubs.

Prepare for poverty - you probably won't be partying with the stars for a while. Get a job, or even several jobs. Best of all, seek out music-related work. You can play at wedding parties, give music instruction, or write songs to advertise businesses on local radio. This way, you get that added bit of musical experience to boast about at your first audition or interview.

Be professional. Take a look at your website. If it looks horrible, then it's time to rethink the design. Make it attractive, but accessible. It must be straightforward for people to find their way around the site or they'll lose interest. A record deal is no longer necessarily the first goal these days - you can build an audience online first, and then the big recording labels might take notice.

Investigate all sales options. You can sell CDs through local gift shops, bookstores or a heap of other outlets. Who knows, companies in your neighbourhood may even agree to sponsor small tours or concerts you arrange. Be inventive and try your hand at playing in streets or market places, to get your music heard.

 

Consider learning about the music business by getting a job with a music company for a while. The industry is dominated by a few major companies. Choose a record label you like and then contact the company asking if they will take you on, unpaid, for a few weeks' work experience. Ask them very nicely and be as polite as you know how. Make sure you enthuse about their music and show a deep knowledge of their artists. If they agree, that will be a step towards your goal.

 

1. The first paragraph says that anyone who wants a career in music

A is fortunate if they are discovered by talent scouts.

B must have self-assurance and an appealing personality.

C will only get to the top if they have exceptional musical skill.

 

2. How are musicians advised to market themselves?

A They should have a wide variety of songs to perform.

B They should show that they are different from other musicians.

C They should only contact people they know will be useful to them.

 

3. While musicians are waiting for their career to start, they should

A find work that will help them in their profession.

B improve their skills by having music lessons.

C learn how to make a good impression at an audition.

 

4. What advice is given to musicians concerning their websites?

A The website should be designed so it attracts music companies.

B An expert should be hired to design an attractive website.

C The website should be easy to use.

 

5. Regarding sales, the fifth paragraph suggests that musicians could

A ask local businesses to support events they organise.

B offer discounts to local shops.

C sell tickets to their concerts in streets and market places.

 

6. What does the final paragraph say about working for music companies?

A The companies do not pay much money to part-time workers.

B Musicians have to be respectful towards the companies.

C Employees have opportunities for meeting artists.

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Part 1 - LISTENING

LISTEN AND SELECT (Short listening – text answer)

For this question, choose the correct answer. Read the question first. Click play to listen. You can listen twice.

You hear a school headmaster talking about notices. What is he telling the students?

A how to produce them

B when to remove them

C where to display them

Audio script

Short listening – text answer

 M: Let me be clear about this. As you know, all students are allowed to put up notices in the school with all sorts of information which may be of interests to other students. And I must say some of you take great care to produce really artistic notices. Now, the school rule on notices is clear. They may be displayed only on notice boards provided by the school. And any notices placed anywhere else will be immediately removed.

 

LISTEN AND SELECT (Short listening – picture answer)

For this question, choose the correct answer. Read the question first. Click play to listen. You can listen twice.

Where will the man leave his car tonight?

 The answer is Picture 3. 

Short listening – picture answer

 

W: So here’s your room key and I’ve got your passport details. Now what about parking?

M: My car is just outside the hotel at the moment, so I’ll have to move it. Would it be alright to leave it in the market square overnight?

W: You could do that, but I wouldn’t recommend it. We have our own garage under the hotel. It’s just 5 euros a night. We’ll park it there for you if you like.

M: Oh great. Here are the keys. I’ve already taken all my luggage out.

 

Extended listening

For these questions, choose the correct answer. Read the questions first. Click play to listen. You can listen twice.

 You will hear a woman giving a review of a digital camera, the Roxel DX15, on a radio programme.

The woman says that because the Roxel DX15 camera is cheap

A it has fewer features than other models.

B it is not good in some ways.

C it looks unattractive.

 

What does the woman dislike about the 'body' of the camera?

A It is too heavy to carry comfortably.

B It is made from weak materials.

C Its battery compartment is badly designed.

 

What is one problem with the camera controls?

A The buttons may be difficult to operate.

B The dials turn round too easily.

C The buttons and dials are in the wrong place.

 

What does the woman say about the functions that the camera offers?

A They include guidelines for composition.

B There is no face detection function.

C The functions menu is easy to use.

 

She thinks the picture quality this camera gives is

A worse than most phone cameras.

B better in colour than in black and white.

C consistently less than perfect.

 

What advice does the woman give about this camera?

A Do not choose this model.

B Spend a bit more and get a better model.

C Buy this model for generally good performance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Audio script

Long listening

 

The product I’m going to review this week is a digital camera, the Roxel DX15. It’s hard to criticize a camera you can buy for 110 dollars a real bargain for anyone. You simply can’t expect greatness in all features at that price. A low-price model will probably be fantastic in some areas and it does look stylish but other things will have to be lacking. This is certainly true with the DX15. The body of the Roxel DX15 measures 91 millimeters wide by 56 millimeters high. It’s 28 millimeters deep and weighs 128 grams so it fits easily in a pocket or a small bag. Its silver body is a combination of metal and plastic. It’s strong enough not to get damaged from being banged around in a bag. So it’s great for keeping with you in case of unexpected photo opportunities. The only problem is the design of the little door on the bottom of the camera which covers the rechargeable battery and memory card. It slides open a little too easily even sometimes while you are taking photos with the camera. It’s also very easy to put the battery in incorrectly because it’s not clear which way around it should go. All the camera control buttons and dials are on the back of the camera. The dials are small but turned easily and they don’t move when you’re pulling the camera out of your pocket. However, all the buttons are really tiny and sometimes need to be pressed more than once because of this. Let me talk about the camera functions. Finding your way around the menu system is extremely simple. It has no standard functions and the added advantage of face detection that’s where the camera finds faces in a picture and adjusts itself to the best settings for the faces and this function works quickly and accurately. But we think users will miss having guidelines for photograph composition not available on this model. Picture quality is about what we expected for this camera it’s definitely better than the cameras you get on phones but it certainly not great. In all conditions the photos it takes lacks sharpness and detail. Colors and white balance are satisfactory though it has some problems in the blues. In conclusion, the Roxel DX15 is relatively cheap and easy to use. Making it a reasonable choice for those who want something of average quality that doesn’t cost too much. However, if you can afford a little more, the Roxel D120 is a much better choice with improved picture quality and performance. Those who don’t mind a bigger camera could also take a look at the Proto P10 which costs about the same as the DX15.

 

 

 

 

  

Part 2 – Use of Language and Reading

SENTENCE COMPLETION

Click on the gap then choose the word or phrase which best completes the sentence.

 

James made a great ________ to arrive on time.

a. try                       b. struggle            c. aim                     d. effort

 

MULTIPLE-CHOICE GAP FILL

Click on each gap then choose the word or phrase which you think fits best.

Birth of the movies

Moving pictures were invented by the brothers Louis and Auguste Lumière at the end of the 19th century. Movies very ___1___ became popular all over the world. In 1907 the first studios were built in a ____2_____ of Los Angeles called Hollywood. It was the perfect place, close to many kinds of natural scenery. 

___3_____ the 1920s, Hollywood was the center of the world film _____4____. To begin with, the movies had no sound. Words ____5____ on screen from time to time to explain the story.

1              A quickly              B immediately                   C fast                     D early

2              A piece                 B site                                     C location            D district

3              A To                       B At                                        C For                      D By

4              A industry           B company                          C trade                 D firm

5              A developed      B happened                       C appeared         D displayed

 

OPEN CLOZE

For these questions, type the correct answer in each gap. Type only one word in each gap.

To: Silvio

From: Lars

 

Hi Silvio,

There's __going___  to be an extra swimming competition next week and not ___all____ people in the team ___are____  free to do it. Jane __wants___ you to swim in six races! Is that __too___  much swimming for you? What do you think?

Lars

READ AND SELECT (short reading text)

For this question, choose the correct answer.

 

From: Sarah

To: David

 

Dear David

Hi. The attached picture shows the bridge over the dry river valley I can see from my hotel room, though the hotel's actually a 20-minute walk uphill from the bridge.

Sarah

 

A Sarah's hotel looks over a river.

B Sarah's hotel is by a bridge.

C Sarah's hotel is on a hillside.

 

EXTENDED READING SECTION

Making a career in music

Are you desperate to have a music career? First off, remember this - no one really knows who's going to get to the top. All those talent scouts, those so-called star-makers, are just guessing. So go into your music career knowing that there's no mystery ingredient. What you need is confidence, an appreciation of a good tune, luck and lots of charm.

In a market where there's room for songs of every kind, you have a chance of selling your music. The trick is to present yourself as the only person with a particular style or talent. And why not be a bit boastful about it? Don't be shy about networking with all sorts of people - it's surprising who can help you. Start by playing your music to the owners of local music clubs.

Prepare for poverty - you probably won't be partying with the stars for a while. Get a job, or even several jobs. Best of all, seek out music-related work. You can play at wedding parties, give music instruction, or write songs to advertise businesses on local radio. This way, you get that added bit of musical experience to boast about at your first audition or interview.

Be professional. Take a look at your website. If it looks horrible, then it's time to rethink the design. Make it attractive, but accessible. It must be straightforward for people to find their way around the site or they'll lose interest. A record deal is no longer necessarily the first goal these days - you can build an audience online first, and then the big recording labels might take notice.

Investigate all sales options. You can sell CDs through local gift shops, bookstores or a heap of other outlets. Who knows, companies in your neighbourhood may even agree to sponsor small tours or concerts you arrange. Be inventive and try your hand at playing in streets or market places, to get your music heard.

 

Consider learning about the music business by getting a job with a music company for a while. The industry is dominated by a few major companies. Choose a record label you like and then contact the company asking if they will take you on, unpaid, for a few weeks' work experience. Ask them very nicely and be as polite as you know how. Make sure you enthuse about their music and show a deep knowledge of their artists. If they agree, that will be a step towards your goal.

 

1. The first paragraph says that anyone who wants a career in music

A is fortunate if they are discovered by talent scouts.

B must have self-assurance and an appealing personality.

C will only get to the top if they have exceptional musical skill.

 

2. How are musicians advised to market themselves?

A They should have a wide variety of songs to perform.

B They should show that they are different from other musicians.

C They should only contact people they know will be useful to them.

 

3. While musicians are waiting for their career to start, they should

A find work that will help them in their profession.

B improve their skills by having music lessons.

C learn how to make a good impression at an audition.

 

4. What advice is given to musicians concerning their websites?

A The website should be designed so it attracts music companies.

B An expert should be hired to design an attractive website.

C The website should be easy to use.

 

5. Regarding sales, the fifth paragraph suggests that musicians could

A ask local businesses to support events they organise.

B offer discounts to local shops.

C sell tickets to their concerts in streets and market places.

 

6. What does the final paragraph say about working for music companies?

A The companies do not pay much money to part-time workers.

B Musicians have to be respectful towards the companies.

C Employees have opportunities for meeting artists.