PRELIMINARY ENGLISH TEST

for Schools
Reading

 Sample Test 1

Time  45 minutes

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
Do not open this question paper until you are told to do so.
Write your name, centre number and candidate number on your answer sheet if they are
not already there.
Read the instructions for each part of the paper carefully.
Answer all the questions.
Read the instructions on the answer sheet.
Write your answers on the answer sheet. Use a pencil.
You must complete the answer sheet within the time limit.
At the end of the test, hand in both this question paper and your answer sheet.

INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

Questions 1 – 32 carry one mark.
B1 Preliminary for Schools Reading Sample Test 1

Part 1

Questions 1 – 5

For each question, choose the correct answer.

1 What is Mrs Horton doing?

Don’t forget the lunchtime talk
about careers in science. A reminding students about what topics the
It’ll help you decide science talk may include
whether that’s for you –
even if you know it isn’t,
B trying to persuade as many students as
you might still find the talk
possible to attend the talk
interesting. Go if you can.
Mrs Horton
C asking students to let her know if they’ve
decided to go to the talk

2 A Find out more on this website about how

you can help your local environment.
COMPETITION
We’re looking for young B Give the website details of projects in your
people who have helped the area that are helping the environment.
environment in their local area –
and made a real difference!
If you think you deserve a prize,
C Contact the website if you’ve been
tell us what you’ve done!
successful at helping the environment in
CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS your area.

3 Why is Marta emailing Lauren?

EMAIL
A to explain the different ways they could
From: Marta
develop their story
To: Lauren

I’m attaching an old photo of my B to suggest an idea for the subject of

great-grandparents – could the story their story
we’ve got to write together focus on
their lives? You’re great at developing
ideas – what do you think? C to describe the details they should include
in their story

© Cambridge University Press and UCLES 2019 2

 B1 Preliminary for Schools Reading Sample Test 1

4 A Matthew might agree to sell you this bike for

BICYCLE FOR SALE slightly less than €50.
UNUSED SINCE LAST YEAR
SO TYRES AND BRAKES MAY B Matthew will check the bike is working
NEED REPLACING properly before he sells it to you.
OFFERS AROUND €50

MATTHEW C Matthew is selling a bike that is almost

07596331331 brand new.

5 A Mum is checking with Ella whether she’ll be

free tomorrow to attend an appointment.

Ella,
I’ve made an B Mum is asking Ella to inform her teacher about
appointment for you her appointment tomorrow.
to have your eyes
checked at 2.30
tomorrow – you’ll have C Mum is letting Ella know about the
to miss the last lesson arrangements she’s made for tomorrow’s
at school, so I’ll tell appointment.
your teacher, OK?
See you later.
Mum

Turn over
3 © Cambridge University Press and UCLES 2019
B1 Preliminary for Schools Reading Sample Test 1

Part 2

Questions 6 – 10

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to go on a family cycle ride at the weekend.
On the opposite page there are descriptions of eight cycle routes.
Decide which route would be the most suitable for the people below.

Alicia’s dad is an engineer, so on their ride, they’d like to see old

6 machines still working, and show her little brother some farm
animals. They want to have their sandwiches at a picnic area.

Kerim wants to explore old buildings, while his mum wants to take
7 photos of the sea. They’re both confident cyclists, so they’d like to
cycle along roads some of the way.

Tim’s doing a project on industries in the past, and wants to cycle

8 somewhere where he can get more information. His family want to
avoid traffic, and to stop somewhere for a swim.

Marina’s family are experienced cyclists. They want a challenging

9 ride, and the chance to meet and chat to other cyclists on the route.
Marina loves art, and wants to see some during their ride.

Alex’s family would like to include a boat trip in their cycle ride.
10 They’d also like to stop and buy souvenirs, and have a cooked meal
along the way.

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 B1 Preliminary for Schools Reading Sample Test 1

Cycle routes
A Bitton – Altrop B Carmel – Padbrooke
This route takes cyclists through You’ll see the coast on one side, and
quiet villages, with shops selling paintings fields of animals on the other! You’ll
and goods typical of the area. There are also pass two ruined castles you can
also cafés serving excellent hot food, where go inside and look around. The route’s
you’ll meet other cyclists. And why not take mainly along quiet paths, but also passes
a ferry across the bay to the nearby island? through villages, so it’s not suitable for
Its beaches are great for picnics and relaxed cyclists nervous about traffic.
family afternoons.

C Wadell – Bodiam D Tawn – Ravenscroft

This pretty route passes through quiet This off-road route takes you past safe
villages, beaches and woods, where you’ll beaches – perfect for seeing boats, and
see all sorts of wild animals and birds. doing various watersports. There’s also
There are picnic tables along the way – a museum, in a former factory where
perfect places to stop and eat. And there machines once produced expensive
are no roads or steep hills, so it’s an vases. Read about its history during your
easy ride. visit, and see what was made there – and
buy your own picnic mug, painted in the
factory’s original style!

E Marway – Perne F Spen – Greenall

On the roadside, you’ll see the famous This route has plenty of tables for cyclists
water pump that sent water around to sit and eat their own food. You’ll cycle
nearby fields 100 years ago. The machine along quiet, flat paths, past fields of sheep
still operates every weekend, for visitors! and cows, and beside the railway line,
This route’s great for confident cyclists, where steam engines from 100 years ago
but less suitable for beginners and still pull trains full of visitors. And at the
children as it includes busy roads. station, you can buy colourful railway
posters by famous artists.

G Poleam – Constine H Hengston – Burge

Load your bikes onto a boat crossing the bay, This off-road route’s beautiful, but more
and explore the island of Ranioth, with its suitable for people who’ve done lots of
fantastic beaches and great views – especially cycling, and can handle steep hills and rocky
if you cycle to the top of Island Peak! There tracks! There are sculptures along the route,
are challenging cycle tracks, but no shops, and museums showing local painters’ work.
so you’ll need to carry everything you need The café at Burge serves great cooked meals
with you. and is popular with cyclists, so you can
compare your rides!

Turn over
5 © Cambridge University Press and UCLES 2019
B1 Preliminary for Schools Reading Sample Test 1

Part 3

Questions 11 – 15

For each question, choose the correct answer.

Flying kites
Fourteen-year-old Olivia Clarkson describes her interest in kites

Some time ago, I saw people flying kites on TV, so I asked for a basic one for my birthday. However, my
parents came home with one shaped like a dragon, which cost a lot – and was absolutely huge! At first I was
keen to fly it. But it was the beginning of a long winter, and it was impossible to try it out, as it was freezing.
So I sort of forgot about the kite – apart from whenever I opened the cupboard where Mum had put it, and
saw it still in its wrapper.

Anyway, recently I decided to get Dad to take the kite out with me. He really liked the idea, although I wasn’t
convinced he knew that much about flying kites. But he insisted he’d done it loads of times when he was
younger – and actually, he was pretty good at putting all the bits of the kite together, while I could only stand
and watch.

We went somewhere near our home, called Maple Rise. It’s high on a hill, and usually very windy – although
it wasn’t that day. I began to wonder if that meant we’d have problems getting such a big kite into the air.
But Dad said when he’d gone kite flying on the beach with Grandad as a child, Grandad would throw the kite
into the air, and Dad would run along, pulling on the string. What Dad didn’t tell me was that the kite often
crashed to the ground, and sometimes even broke.

But that wasn’t our experience. The wind increased a bit, and suddenly off it went – and stayed in the air.
Fantastic!

Since then, I’ve become better at flying kites, and I’ve even made my own. I love kites that have traditional
designs painted on them but I’m not very creative, so I just build kites and I don’t mind that they’re plain.
They look great, even though they don’t always fly brilliantly. But I’m slowly learning what works and what
doesn’t. I’ve made a range of kites now, so I can pick the right one depending on the strength of the breeze.
I’ve had a few disasters, like seeing my precious kites disappearing into the distance on stormy days. But I
love kite flying – and always recommend it to my friends!

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 B1 Preliminary for Schools Reading Sample Test 1

11 Why didn’t Olivia fly her new kite as soon as she got it?

A She was disappointed it wasn’t the type she’d asked for.

B The weather wasn’t good enough for her to do it.
C The kite was put away somewhere out of sight.
D She didn’t want to damage something so expensive.

12 When Olivia suggested taking the kite out with her dad, she

A felt confident about his kite-flying experience.

B needed to give him some help to build her kite.
C realised he knew more than she’d expected.
D admits she had to persuade him to join her.

13 When they arrived at Maple Rise, Olivia was

A pleased about how windy it was.

B concerned for the safety of her new kite.
C impressed by her dad’s technique for getting the kite to fly.
D unsure about how suitable the kite was for the conditions.

14 What has Olivia learnt since her first kite-flying experiences?

A how to design different kites for different wind levels

B how to decorate her kite with designs she’s created
C how to fly her kite in very strong winds
D how to avoid losing her kite completely

15 What would Olivia’s dad say about Olivia and kite flying?

A B
I was a bit sad when I thought I was worried about flying
Olivia had lost interest in the Olivia’s kite for the first time –
kite we’d bought her – but but then I always managed to
she’s changed her attitude fly mine successfully when I
since then. was younger.

C D
I ’m glad Olivia liked the place I can see Olivia’s so confident
we went to fly her kite – it’s the about flying kites now that
same place my father used to she’s actually showing other
take me! people how to do it!

Turn over
7 © Cambridge University Press and UCLES 2019
B1 Preliminary for Schools Reading Sample Test 1

Part 4

Questions 16 – 20

Five sentences have been removed from the text below.

For each question, choose the correct answer.
There are three extra sentences which you do not need to use.

Travelling frog!
Have you ever come home from your holiday, unpacked your cases – and found something unexpected
in your luggage? That’s what happened to the Woods family from Britain – who brought home a frog in
their luggage!

The family had been staying 4,000 miles away, in Florida in the United States. When they arrived home,
they began to unpack their clothes. 16 To everyone’s surprise, the small frog jumped out of their
suitcase!

So how did the frog get there? The family think that while they were on holiday, it jumped into some
swimming shorts belonging to one of the family. 17 Then it stayed hidden while the family
packed up the shorts along with their other clothes, and began their journey home.

Luckily, once the frog had come out of the case, the family managed to catch it before it disappeared.
18 Then an officer from an animal charity came and took it to a vet, who was an expert in
creatures such as frogs, and examined the little frog carefully. 19 This was despite the fact that it
had travelled so far from its home!

Then the question was where the frog should live. Fortunately, the vet who checked it over had several
other creatures like the frog and offered to give it a home. While no-one’s worked out the frog’s species
yet, at least it’s known where the frog originally came from. 20 It’s also helped the vet to work
out what food it needs.

Even though the story of the frog seems unusual, the animal charity say they get lots of calls from
people coming back from their holidays and finding strange creatures in their bags!

© Cambridge University Press and UCLES 2019 8

 B1 Preliminary for Schools Reading Sample Test 1

A This means it’s been easier to make sure it’s kept at the right temperature.

B However, they claim it’s not an unusual event.

C It was only then that the creature was discovered.

D So the lesson is to check all luggage before travelling!

E Amazingly, it was found to be in good health.

F But it was only the size of a table tennis ball.

G It was put in a bowl of water to keep it safe.

H They were hanging outside to dry, after someone had been in the pool.

Turn over
9 © Cambridge University Press and UCLES 2019
B1 Preliminary for Schools Reading Sample Test 1

Part 5

Questions 21 – 26

For each question, choose the correct answer.

Chocolate train
What’s the biggest bar of chocolate you’ve ever eaten? It would have been much smaller than something
created by artist Andrew Farrugia and displayed in Belgium some years ago – a train made (21)  of
chocolate. The train was over 34 metres long, and took the artist over 700 hours to make!

Farrugia says he first got the (22)  of making a train because he knew he could make it whatever
length he wanted. He’d originally (23)  to make the train much smaller, but then just continued
adding more sections. Seven of the carriages are in the (24)  of modern Belgian trains, while the
others look like older models, with one even (25) a restaurant.

However, the train almost didn’t make it to the Brussels station, where it was going to be displayed, as it was
slightly (26) on its journey there. Luckily, Farrugia managed to repair it in time for it to be shown to
the public.

21 A perfectly B fully C properly D completely

22 A thought B ambition C idea D decision

23 A intended B wished C imagined D believed

24 A type B pattern C style D range

25 A consisting B holding C keeping D containing

26 A ruined B damaged C injured D destroyed

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 B1 Preliminary for Schools Reading Sample Test 1

Part 6

Questions 27 – 32

For each question, write the correct answer.

Write one word for each gap.

Basketball tournament final

Student reporter Josh Wakefield reports on the match

As you may know, last week there was an important match at our school. The final of the regional
basketball tournament (27) place in our sports centre!

The match was (28) our boys’ team and Silverstone High, who were the champions last year.
(29) was the best game I’ve seen, although definitely not an easy one for our team. Many of
the players in the Silverstone team were taller and far more experienced (30) our players,
and were also extremely fast. But all the members of our team (31) done a lot of training this
term and they managed to score over and over again. The final score was 22–20, making our team the
champions!

I’d like to thank our team coach, Mr Dandale, who has helped our basketball team make so
(32)  progress this year!

11 © Cambridge University Press and UCLES 2019