Welcome to our blog dedicated to Cambridge English Placement Test practice with a unique twist - daily devotions. In this blog, we combine the essential task of honing your English language skills with the nourishment of your soul through insightful and inspiring daily devotionals. By integrating these two elements, we aim to create a holistic learning experience that enriches your mind and spirit.
- Enhancing Your Language Skills
- Daily Devotions for Spiritual Nourishment
Complete the sentences with the comparative or superlative form of the word in brackets.
1. My uncle’s one of ........................ (strong) people I know.
2. That was ........................ (challenging) race I’ve ever competed in.
3. Oliver and Joe can kick the ball hard, but Dan can kick it ........................ (hard).
4. That was ........................ (exciting) match I’ve seen this year.
5. I fi nd boxing ........................ (tiring) than ice skating, but I’m quite good at both.
6. This year, my coach has arranged a ........................ (reasonable) training plan than last year. Answer 1 the strongest 2 the most challenging 3 the hardest 4 the most exciting 5 more tiring
Warm up for long listening practice 1. Match an adjective from A to the adjective from B which has a similar meaning. A annoyed awful challenging funny intelligent miserable nervous relaxed strange surprised B amazed amusing angry anxious calm clever difficult terrible unhappy unusual 2. Now complete the sentences below with the adjective(s) you think fits best. 1. I was really ....................... when Ted said he was getting married – I never expected that! 2. I find maths really ....................... . I’m not very good at it!
Choose the correct adjective, -ing or -ed, to complete the sentences. 1. I found the talk on butterflies pretty boring / bored. I nearly fell asleep! 2. I’m really confusing / confused about what to do – can you help me make a decision? 3. Toni failed her driving test again – she was so disappointing / disappointed. 4. Wow! That film was amazing / amazed! It was better than I thought it would be. 5. Do you find science interesting / interested? 6. I’m so exciting / excited – we’re going on holiday on Saturday!
You will hear an interview with a TV actress called Brittany Briers. For each question, choose the correct answer, A, B or C.
1. Brittany realised that she really enjoyed acting when A she played at being an actor at home. B she attended some acting classes. C she took part in a school play. 2. How did Brittany feel before her first theatre performance?
A worried about forgetting her lines B anxious that she would use the wrong accent C nervous about appearing in front of a large audience 3. Why did Brittany move into TV acting? A She needed to earn more. B She lost interest in theatre work. C She wanted to try something new. 4. What does Brittany still find difficult about screen acting? A having to repeat scenes B learning to speak more quietly C not having an audience 5. Brittany particularly enjoys A receiving a new part to learn. B attending special events for actors. C seeing her new films for the first time. 6. What does Brittany dislike about being an actor
A not having many holidays B being recognised in the street C starting work early in the morning
Warm up for short reading practice Write questions. Use the present simple or present continuous. 1. the sun / shine / at the moment?_____________________ 2. why / you / study / English / this year?_____________________ 3. how often / they / meet / their friends?____________________ 4. you / look / forward / to / next weekend?_________________ 5. she / like / watching / films?_________________ 6. where / your brother / live?______________________ now match questions 1–6 in 1a to answers a–f. a Yes, either at the cinema or at home. b Yes! I love Saturday and Sunday. c Because it’s fun! d No, it’s cold and wet! e Every weekend. f In London. Complete the quiz with the words below. Then answer the questions and read the results. awake buy clean go go have late
leave morning routine wake up weekend
Are you a creature of habit?
1. Do you need an alarm clock to help you ............ in the morning? a) No, I’m usually ............ before my alarm goes off.
b) Yes. Without the alarm, I would just go on sleeping. 2. Do you always ............ the same thing for breakfast? a) Yes, I don’t like making decisions in the ............ !
b) No, that would be boring! 3. Do you ever forget to ............ your teeth or brush your hair in the morning? a) No, they are part of my morning ............ , so I never forget.
b) Yes, if I’m in a hurry. 4. Do you ............ home at the same time every day for work or college? a) Yes, I don’t like being ............ . b) No, sometimes I’m early and sometimes I’m a bit late. 5. Do you ............ shopping on the same day each week? a) Yes, and I usually ............ the same things each week.
b) No, it depends what I’m doing each week. 6. Do you usually ............ to bed at the same time every night? a) Yes, during the week, but not at the ............ of course.
b) No, it depends what I’m doing each day. Mostly a: You are definitely a creature of habit. You could try relaxing a bit and doing something different for a change. Mostly b: Your habits and routines aren’t completely fixed. It’s great to have variety, but remember that routine can help
you to be organised. CEPT Short Reading Practice Look at the text in each question. What does it say? Choose the correct letter A, B or C.
Warm up for Long reading practice
Put the letters into the correct order to make words. Then match them to the definitions.
1. a room or building where people work at desks ........................
2. a small hotel that is not very expensive ........................
3. a building where people are sent if they have committed a crime ........................
4. a building where people go if they are ill ........................
5. a building where people make things, often using machines ........................
6. a small attractive house in the country ........................
Choose the correct words to complete the mini dialogues.
1. A: Excuse me, can you tell me (1) the way to / how far for the station?
B: Yes, sure. (2) Take / Turn left at the traffic lights, and you’ll see the station (3) in front / by front of you.
2. A: Excuse me, (4) is it far / can you direct to the museum?
B: No. Just go (5) straight off / straight on for about half a kilometre, and the museum is (6) on / at your right.
Long Reading
Read the text and the questions below. For each question, choose the correct letter A, B, C or D.
A hotel under the sea
Want to sleep under the sea? The company Planet Ocean
has plans for an exciting underwater hotel, which they
hope to build in locations all over the world.
The hotel won’t be large, with only 12 guest rooms,
plus a restaurant. Guests will get to the hotel in a lift
– so no diving or getting wet! The hotel will float 10
metres under the ocean, although it will be attached to
the sea bed to prevent it from moving too far. Because
it won’t be very deep under the water, the sun will shine
down and provide light. Guests will get great close-up
views of the fish and other sea creatures, which won’t
be bothered by the hotel and so won’t make any effort
to avoid it.
The hotel’s design, with walls made of clear plastic, means
that when you are in your room, you will see the sea in
front of you, behind you, above and below you. You will
almost get the feeling that you are swimming in the ocean.
The luxury rooms will have excellent facilities, including
a shower, TV and even the Internet. The restaurant will
serve high quality meals. However, Planet Ocean want to
encourage people to eat less fish, so you won’t find any
on the menu. The atmosphere will be completely silent
though, so you will have to imagine the sound of the ocean
around you.
The hotel won’t be cheap to build, and it won’t be cheap
to stay in. But the designers are especially proud of
the fact that it will be environmentally friendly. It will use
electricity, of course, but it will produce its own, and
won’t disturb ocean life at all. In fact, the designers
hope some sea creatures will build their homes on
parts of the building, which will bring real benefits to the
underwater world.
1. What is the writer doing in this text?
A advertising a new kind of luxury hotel
B warning people about environmental problems in the ocean
C giving information about an underwater hotel
D giving advice to travellers on which hotels to choose
2. What do we learn about the hotel?
A Guests will have to swim down to get to it.
B Its lights will shine into the sea so guests can see the fish.
C It will only have a small number of rooms.
D Fish and other sea creatures will be scared of it.
3. What can guests do in the hotel?
A swim out into the ocean
B watch the ocean life near the hotel
C enjoy a meal of freshly caught fish
D hear the ocean as they go to sleep
4. What is the best thing about the hotel, according to the designers?
A It won’t cost much to build.
B It won’t use much electricity.
C It won’t cause any damage to the environment.
D Fish and other sea creatures won’t come very close to it.
5. What might a guest in this hotel say? A It’s very expensive, but the facilities are quite basic and the windows are too small to see outside. B It’s great to stay in such a beautiful hotel that is also good for the planet. C Seeing the fish up close is amazing, but it’s a shame that the hotel disturbs sea life. D It’s a great idea, and I love the fact that it can move around and travel to
different locations. Warm up for Multiple choice questions Complete the reviews with the words below.
admission audience classical comedy exhibition
museum orchestra performed plays
What’s on this month?
Music in the Park A concert of (1) ...................... music by Beethoven and Bach. It is (2) ...................... in Central Park by the Berlin National (3) ...................... . Brilliant! Two’s a crowd A wonderfully funny (4) ...................... at the Royal Theatre. I saw it last night, and the (5) ...................... loved it! It’s written by James Garland, who has also written several very good, serious (6) ...................... . Animals in Art A new (7) ...................... of animal paintings, which opens at the Victoria (8) ...................... next
Friday. Well worth a visit. (9) ...................... costs £3, but is free after 4 pm. Multiple-choice test Read the text below and choose the correct word for each space. For each question, choose the correct letter A, B, C or D.
Emma Watson
The actress Emma Watson grew up near Oxford in the south of England and (1) ...................... as an actress at the Stagecoach School in Oxford. (2) ...................... she had only acted in a few school plays, in 2001 she was lucky enough to get the role of Hermione in the Harry Potter film (3) ...................... . This was the role which first (4) ...................... her famous. She appeared in (5) ...................... eight of the Harry Potter films from 2001 to 2011. After the Harry Potter films, Emma (6) ...................... to work in films, but also (7) ...................... a few years studying English Literature at university. She acted while she studied, and (8) ...................... 2012 she has continued to develop her career and has appeared in (9) ...................... very successful films. She is (10) ...................... very interested in fashion, and has worked as a fashion model for a well-known fashion magazine. 1. A trained B coached C taught D learned 2. A But B So C Although D Despite 3. A set B series C group D collection 4. A produced B made C caused D created 5. A each B most C every D all 6. A continued B kept C stayed D remained 7. A passed B spent C gave D allowed 8. A later B after C past D since 9. A several B plenty C lots D few
