CAE Reading and Use of English Test 20

CAE Reading and Use of English Part 1

For questions 1-8, read the text below and decide which answer (А, В, C or D) best fits each gap. There is an
example at the beginning (0).

Technological gadgets and knowledge

Does having the Internet mean we never need to 0 __________ anything to memory ever again?
The generation who have grown up with technology hope this is the 1 __________, not to mention everyone else
who feels the need to 2 __________ their habitual attachment to the latest technological devices.
Some educationalists fear that access to information on the Internet reduces the importance of remembering facts.
However, research shows that this is 3 __________ important. When we think, we use working memory and long-
term memory. 4 __________ our long-term memory can be described as vast, our working memory is limited to
very few items and is easily 5 __________. By transferring facts to our long-term memory we free up precious
space in our working memory, enabling us to manipulate and combine those facts with new ones. 6 __________,
memorising some things aids understanding, as it creates a framework of known facts, needed to be able to 7
__________ what we find on the Internet.
Consequently, while technology may appear to 8 __________ the necessity to remember facts, unfortunately, the
world we live in is far more complex.

0 A place B convey C commit D bring

1 A case В issue C matter D instance
2 A confirm В approve C assert D justify
3 A vitally В completely C largely D totally
4 A Although В Despite C Owing D Since
5 A overrated В overloaded C overdone D overrun
6 A Nevertheless В Thereby C Therefore D Provided
7 A obtain В consume C digest D acquire
8 A cancel В remove C delete D take

CAE Reading and Use of English Part 2

For questions 9-16, read the text below and think o f the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each
gap. There is an example at the beginning (0).
Write your answers IN CAPITAL LETTERS on the separate answer sheet
Example: (0) NOT

Beekeeping at school
When a swarm of bees descended on a primary school one day, 0 __________ surprisingly there was panic among
the teachers. 9 __________, most of the children watched fascinated as a bee catcher rounded 10 __________ the

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CAE Reading and Use of English Test 20

uninvited visitors. This unexpected event led to the school getting its own bee hive a year later and integrating
beekeeping into the curriculum, all of 11 __________ has resulted in notable benefits.
The children study the dance that the bees do to communicate where nectar 12 __________ to be found and use
honey in cooking lessons. They have even opened a school shop selling honey, with the pupils responsible for
collecting and pricing it, as well as every other step of production.
Interestingly, nobody anticipated the most significant benefit of 13 __________ of this: the effect bees seem to 14
__________ had on the pupils' behaviour. 15 __________ getting children to think of their responsibility to others
can often 16 __________ a challenge, making bees the focus has brought about this behaviour effortlessly.

CAE Reading and Use of English Part 3

For questions 17-24, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to form a
word that fits in the gap in the same line. There is an example at the beginning (0).
Write your answers IN CAPITAL LETTERS on the separate answer sheet.
Example: (0) INCREASINGLY

Dance stress away

Often considered the domain of just a few, ballet is 0 __________ finding its way into 0.INCREASE
our daily lives. People from all walks of life are now appreciating just how 17 17.WORTH
__________ ballet can be. 18.NOTICE
19.EMPLOY
The benefits of ballet have not gone 18 __________ in the business world, with some 20.FREQUENT
companies offering ballet classes to their 19 __________. It may not, at first, seem to be 21.GRACE
an obvious combination, but the techniques used in classical ballet are regarded by some 22.ACTIVITY
as the perfect antidote to a stressful working environment. 23.ACCURATE
24.DRAMA
In today's corporate world, unhealthy posture resulting from being hunched over a
laptop, is not uncommon. This, added to stress from dealing with tense situations, can
increase the 20 __________ of headaches and back pain. However, the 21 __________,
fluid movements of ballet will counteract the physical 22 __________ of office workers
as they stretch and evaluate their posture.

Regular ballet also has a myriad of mental benefits as its themed exercises enhance
memory and co-ordination. The overall result is: a reduction in stress levels, enhanced 23
__________, determination and focus, not to mention a 24 __________ improved sense
of well-being.

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CAE Reading and Use of English Test 20

CAE Reading and Use of English Part 4

For questions 25-30, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the
word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between three and six words, including the word given.
Here is an example (0).
0 The workings of the brain were puzzling for scientists for a long time until research helped them understand it.
HAD
How _____________________ scientists for a long time until research helped them understand it.
Answer: THE BRAIN WORKED HAD PUZZLED
25 According to the film director, it was the quality of the photography that was most important.
MORE
For the film director, _____________________ than the quality of the photography.
26 The instructor told me that I would be evaluated in half an hour's time.
TAKE
The instructor told me that my _____________________ in half an hour's time.
27 Even though Sarah started badly, she went on to win the race.
WINNING
Sarah ended _____________ of having started badly.
28 Hannah was surprised to be offered a pay rise by the company.
SURPRISE
Much ____________________ her a pay rise.
29 Harry didn't realise how late it had got and missed his bus.
TRACK
Harry didn't _____________________ and missed his bus.
30 Alec went out of his way to introduce himself to his new neighbours.
POINT
Alec _____________________ himself to his new neighbours.

CAE Reading and Use of English Part 5

You are going to read an article about a writer called Matthew Crawford, who has just written a book about coping
with modern life. For questions 31-36 choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the
text.

Living in the modern world

When Matthew Crawford is not thinking and writing about how we ought to live, he works as a motorcycle
mechanic. His first book was about the benefits of the manual trades. His most recent one is a kind of philosophical
treatise on how to cope with modernity. He was inspired to write it when he noticed that advertisements popped up
on the credit card machine during a short delay while he entered his pin number.

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CAE Reading and Use of English Test 20

Crawford says he realised that these demands on our attention from the advertising industry were becoming
increasingly difficult to avoid. What we want to be at the forefront of our mind at any particular moment is a very
personal matter, and we are being prevented from deciding this for ourselves by something which we are, in the
main, unaware of. It is becoming more and more difficult to think, or spend time remembering conversations we've
had. And because everyone is trying to protect themselves from the irritation of constantly being interrupted, we
close ourselves off and no longer want to do simple things like chat to strangers. 'We increasingly encounter the
world through these representations that are addressed to us: video games, apps on your phone,' says Crawford.
They reflect our desires and end up taking over.
Everyone knows that office worker who complains about emails all day and then spends their free time emailing.
Studies have shown that our attention wanders if a phone is merely visible on the table. There's no scientific
evidence yet on whether our attention spans have been affected - there have been fears of this kind since the
telegraph was invented in 1837. But it's indisputable that we are more conscious of other things we might be doing.
It's tempting to see the advent of this crisis as technological, but for Crawford it's more that the technology has
created the perfect vehicles for our self-obsession. A world of constant choice means that our powers of self-control
are heavily taxed, and this has a social impact.
We'd rather send a text message to a friend, free from the risk of having a conversation. By only engaging with
representations of people rather than people themselves, Crawford argues, we risk losing something fundamental in
our society. And screens are only part of the problem. He gives his gym as an example. There used to be a single
music player in the middle of the room. People didn't all like the same music and that could lead to tension. Now
people tend to listen to their own music. 'The gym used to be a social place and it has lost that character. Genuine
connection to other people tends to happen in the context of conflict' he says.
Crawford's proposed solution has two parts. First, we need regulation of noise and distraction in public space.
More importantly, though, Crawford advocates skilled practices as a way of engaging with the world in a more
satisfying way. He gives the examples of an ice-hockey player and a motorbike racer as people whose roles force
them to deal with material reality. No representation can replicate the feel of the hockey puck on ice, or gravel
under your tyres at high speed. Each relies on their good judgment of a complicated subject and the ability to
manage the presence of others in the same space.
'When you engage with the world this way, manufactured experiences are revealed as pale substitutes for the kind
of involvement you have with real things,' he says. 'They lose some of their grip.' It is important to find a way to
use your judgment. Constantly resisting distractions can be exhausting and makes you less able to focus on what
matters. The practice of paying attention to one thing, by contrast, makes it easier to pay attention to others.
31 What does Crawford suggest about the advertising industry in the second paragraph?
A It attempts to invade every aspect of people's lives.
B It damages people's communication skills.
C It endeavours to distort people's memories.
D It forces people to be mindful of their surroundings.
32 What concern is expressed in the third paragraph?
A Too little research has been conducted into people's ability to concentrate.
B People's tendency to focus too much on themselves is being facilitated.
C It is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between work and leisure.
D There is a lack of awareness of the impact of technology on social life.

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CAE Reading and Use of English Test 20

33 In the fourth paragraph, Crawford regrets that

A people increasingly have disagreements.
B people are reluctant to make decisions.
C people's instincts have changed over time.
D people no longer need to negotiate.
34 What does 'each' refer to in paragraph 5 (underlined)?
A each element of the solution Crawford proposes
B each professional Crawford mentions
C each real-life issue to be dealt with
D each sensation described
35 In the final paragraph, Crawford is
A expanding on the merits of his approach.
B dismissing potential criticism of his ideas.
C contradicting a point made previously.
D emphasising his role in a key debate.
36 In the article as a whole, what is Crawford's attitude towards other people?
A He avoids engaging in conversations with people he does not know.
B He wishes more people shared his vision of a better society.
C He admires people's determination to resist the attractions of modern technology.
D He appreciates how hard it is for people to ignore the temptations that surround them.

CAE Reading and Use of English Part 6

You are going to read four extracts by academics about photography For questions 37-40, choose from the
academics A-D. The academics may be chosen more than once.

Is photography art?
A
In my view, when a photograph is produced, this is not the result of genuinely creative camera work. A scientific
technique is being applied, and with a good camera, even an amateur photographer with no artistic ability can
reliably produce acceptable images. Compare this to the likelihood of someone with no idea how to paint or carve
ever creating a decent watercolour or statue. Clearly, the creative quality of photography is far removed from that
of such genuinely artistic endeavours. And yet there are those who persist in claiming that photography is the most
significant contemporary art form. Perhaps I should qualify the extent to which I disagree: admittedly, when a
photographer captures a moment of reality, it is done deliberately. It is perhaps this deliberateness that contains the
germ of what might be called art.
B
Photography belongs both to the realms of reality and imagination: although it sometimes favours one over the
other, it never quite relinquishes its hold on either. Little does it matter that a photograph can be printed out a
thousand times, thus depriving the 'original' of its unique status. For me, it is sufficient that no two photographers
are likely to create an identical image, and it is this which sets photography on par with more established artistic
disciplines such as sculpture or painting when it comes to inventiveness and originality. And now, although the idea

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CAE Reading and Use of English Test 20

that photography could be art at one time appeared absurd to many people, it is without a doubt our foremost and
most immediately accessible means of artistic expression. In no way is it undermined by the fact that everyone has
a camera these days and can take excellent photos without formal instruction.
C
To draw comparisons between painting and photography as art forms is to miss the point; they are so very
different. Moreover, photographs capture reality, and therefore can often have a far greater impact on the viewer.
There are those who insist that unlike painting, which can take years of practice to master, photography is easy:
anyone can pick up a camera and take a reasonable picture. However, I would contend that it is unlikely ever to
match the creativity of one taken by a professional photographer, and if it does, its success is unlikely to be
replicated. These issues have been debated by art critics for over a century, and yet, arguably, photography is not
only one of the newest types of art, it is the ultimate form of modern art.
D
There are many thousands of important early art photographs in public and private collections worldwide and yet
the majority were not made with the art exhibition in mind. Some were intended as demonstrations of what the new
medium could do; others began life as documents, records or illustrations; only later were they seen as art objects.
The central role photography currently plays in the international artistic realm would once have been unimaginable.
There are still those who judge photography not to be a true art. One reason given is that it can be duplicated again
and again. I would remind them that bronze sculpture, which no-one denies is an art form, can involve casting and
recasting a large number of copies. Surely a photographer's art, like that of a painter, is the ability to capture a
moment of reality and turn it into an image of interest and beauty - a true measure of creativity.
Which academic ...
37 shares an opinion with B on whether the fact that photographs can be reproduced devalues them as art?
38 has a different opinion from A on whether taking consistently good photographs requires professional training?
39 has a similar opinion to D about whether most photographs were originally regarded as works of art?
40 has a different view from all the others on the importance of photography in today's art world?

CAE Reading and Use of English Part 7

You are going to read an article about sugar and its alternatives. Choose from the paragraphs A - G the one which
fits each gap (41-46). There is one extra paragraph which you do not need to use.

Finding an alternative to sugar

So much for the decades in which fats and oils were public enemy number one on our dinner plates
There is more and more evidence that sugar - or more precisely, carbohydrate - is behind our increasing rates of
obesity and heart disease. Even if it is still not completely clear how it is bad for us, there are endless calls for
reducing the quantity of sugar in the foods we eat.
41 ...
Replacing the sweetness of sugar in foods is actually relatively straightforward. The first synthetic sweetener,
saccharine, was discovered accidentally by a young Russian chemist named Constantin Fahlberg in 1879. While
studying coal-tar derivatives, he unwittingly got some on his hands and then licked his fingers. Saccharine became

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CAE Reading and Use of English Test 20

widely used around World War I, when natural sugar was often in short supply. In the 1960s, scientists discovered
several more sweeteners in similarly serendipitous ways, including aspartame and acesulfame K.
42 ...
Yet while we have plenty of options for sweetness, there are several difficulties associated with using sugar
substitutes in our diet. There have been various health scares over the years, which have negatively affected stevia,
saccharine and aspartame, among others.
43 ...
And there are other issues, aside from health scares and labelling problems. Sugar's bad press puts the food
industry in a difficult position because sugars have chemical functions in foods that make them difficult to replace.
Sugar solutions freeze at a lower temperature than pure water, for instance. In products like ice cream, this is
critical to maintaining a soft texture at freezer temperatures. Sugars also play an important role in giving products
like bread and cakes their darker colour, through what chemists call non-enzymatic browning reactions.
Unfortunately, artificial sweeteners are not good at reproducing either of these functions.
44 ...
All in all, although non-sugar sweeteners are a huge industry, these drawbacks help to explain why they have come
nowhere near eclipsing sugar. However, things are looking up for natural sweeteners. The evidence of health risks
associated with them has turned out to be less convincing than first thought. Stevia's years in the wilderness were
apparently the result of an anonymous complaint about the risks to the U.S. authorities, which is not commonly
thought to have come from a rival producer of an alternative sweetener.
45 ...
As for the problem of taste, manufacturers have sought to overcome the aftertaste issue by combining a number of
different sweeteners. We perceive the aftertaste of different sweeteners over differing timescales, so one sweetener
can be used to mask the aftertaste of another.
46 ...
In the absence of a perfect sugar replacement, such ploys could be as good as it gets for the foreseeable future. No
wonder governments are instead beginning to intervene by employing measures such as higher taxes on products
containing excessive sugar to save us from our sweet tooth.
A Scientists have also been playing their part in this rehabilitation. When it comes to texture, for instance, protein
texturisers can be added instead - soy, for example. And for other substances which have a similar effect as sugar
on the freezing properties of water, scientists have discovered that erythritol is one option.
B Public suspicions are further fueled by the fact that many governments classify all non-sugar sweeteners as
additives - even those which occur naturally in plants. As consumers have become increasingly wary of anything
containing additives, manufacturers have been moving towards products which are free of them, thus putting these
sweeteners at a disadvantage.
C An additional, increasingly common practice is to mix sugar and non-sugar sweeteners together. This helps
explain why the use of non-sugar sweeteners in new product launches has risen significantly in recent years.

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CAE Reading and Use of English Test 20

D But while sweeteners have this particular advantage, it remains a problem that they adhere more strongly to our
sweetness receptors and have a different and longer-lasting taste profile to sugar, and so are perceived as tasting
different by consumers.
E Had we ever come up with a viable alternative to sugar, of course, we wouldn't be facing such seemingly
insurmountable problems now. In our sweetness-addicted era, finding a healthier substitute for sugar is one of
science's greatest challenges. The question is, why has a solution eluded us for so long?
F Then there is the problem of the bitter aftertaste of artificial sweeteners experienced by some consumers, which
arises from the mechanism by which sweetness is detected in the taste buds. One problem is that the structural
features of a sweet molecule which allow it to bind to the sweetness receptors on the tongue are similar to those
which bind to our bitterness receptors.
G As well as these substances, there are naturally occurring sweeteners that we have actually known about for
much longer. For example, the Guarani peoples of modern-day Brazil and Paraguay have been using the leaves of
the stevia plant to sweeten foods for about 1,500 years. Also well known is the West African katemfe fruit, the
seeds of which contain a sweet chemical called thaumatin.

CAE Reading and Use of English Part 8

You are going to read an article about dolphin intelligence. For questions 47-56, choose from the sections (A-D).
The sections may be chosen more than once. When more than one answer is required, these may be given in any
order.
In which section are the following mentioned?
47 a frustration expressed by some __
48 a comparison between dolphins and unknown entities __
49 a fundamental flaw in the way dolphins are studied __
50 an example of dolphins' parental behaviour __
51 evidence of changeable dolphin behaviour __
52 a turning point in technological advances __
53 features dolphins once shared with other animals __
54 an analogy used to convey one of two possible outcomes __
55 a combination of movements used to communicate __
56 an innate understanding of animal behaviour __

Dolphin intelligence
Unlocking the mysteries of dolphin communication
A The acrobatic acts of dolphins have fascinated humans, but scientists are now more interested in how dolphins
think than in what they can do. When the head researcher presses her palms together over her head, the signal to
innovate, and then puts her fists together, the sign for tandem, she has instructed a pair of dolphins to show her a
behaviour and to do it in unison. As they disappear below the surface, another researcher carrying a large
underwater video camera with hydrophones sinks with them. He records several seconds of audible chirping
between them, then his camera captures them both slowly rolling over in unison and flapping their tails
simultaneously. There are two possible explanations of this remarkable behaviour. Either one dolphin is mimicking

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CAE Reading and Use of English Test 20

the other so quickly and precisely that the apparent coordination is only an illusion. Or when they whistle back and
forth beneath the surface, they're literally discussing a plan.
B When a chimpanzee gazes at a piece of fruit or a silverback gorilla beats his chest to warn off an approaching
male, it's hard not to see a bit of ourselves in those behaviours and even to imagine what the animals might be
thinking. We are, after all, great apes like them, and their intelligence often feels like a familiar version of our own.
But dolphins are something truly different. They 'see' using sonar and do so with such phenomenal precision that
they can tell from a hundred feet away what something is made of. Their eyes operate independently of each other.
They're a kind of alien intelligence sharing our planet - watching them may be the closest we'll come to
encountering an extra-terrestrial.
C Dolphins are extraordinarily garrulous. Not only do they whistle and click, but they also emit loud broadband
packets of sound called burst pulses to discipline their young and chase away sharks. Scientists listening to these
sounds have long wondered what they might mean. Yet despite a half century of research, we are none the wiser.
Virtually no evidence supports the existence of anything resembling a dolphin language, and scientists have been
known to voice exasperation at the continued quixotic search. However, other researchers see circumstantial
evidence that the problem simply hasn't yet been looked at with the right set of tools. Only recently have high-
frequency underwater audio recorders been able to capture the full spectrum of dolphin sounds. In the past couple
of years, new data-mining algorithms have made possible a meaningful analysis of those recordings. Ultimately
dolphin vocalisation is either one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of science or one of its greatest blind alleys.
D Why did dolphins, of all the creatures roaming land and sea, acquire such large brains? To answer that question,
we must look at the fossil record. About 34 million years ago the ancestors of modern dolphins were large creatures
with wolflike teeth. Around that time, it's theorised, a period of significant oceanic cooling shifted food supplies
and created a new ecological niche, which offered dolphins opportunities and changed how they hunted. Dolphins
became more communicative, more social - and probably more intelligent. Researchers have identified three levels
of alliances within their large, open social network and found that two dolphins can be friends one day and foes the
next. All these behaviours have the mark of intelligence. But what is intelligence really? When pressed, we often
have to admit that we're measuring how similar a species is to us. The question is not how smart are dolphins, but
how are dolphins smart?

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CAE Reading and Use of English Test 20

Answer Keys
Part 1
1 A — case. When something is the case, it means that this is the objective reality, e.g. 'we hoped the problem with
the car was drained battery, but that wasn't the case'. The meaning of the sentence is that the problem was
something else, not the battery.
2 D — justify. Justifying something means trying to find an excuse or a valid reason for some action. In this case,
people are trying to justify not remembering something by the fact that it is always easily reachable on the Internet,
therefore there is little point keeping it in your head.
3 A — vitally. To be vitally important means to be of great importance. The remaining three adverbs do not form
proper collocation.
4 A — Although. The only conjunction here that can work at the beginning of the sentence to introduce contrast
between two facts: the large capacity of our long-term memory and the very limited one of the so-called 'working
memory'.
5 B — overloaded. Referring to memory, overload means trying to memorize too much, which leads to partial or
complete memory failure. In other words, if we try to keep track of too many things at once, we will inevitably
forget one or more of them.
6 C — Therefore. 'Therefore' is an introductory word that connects the statement from the previous sentence and
the one that follows it. We have more information in our long-term memory, and this creates a better system of
understanding, enabling us to process and analyze new data more effectively. 'Thereby' has a meaning of 'in this
way', 'as a result of' e.g. 'My professional license was taken from me, thereby leaving me with no way to find a job'.
7 C — digest. Digesting here is used figuratively, and regarding to information it means to process or analyze it, to
have a deeper understanding of it.
8 B — remove. 'Remove' is the only verb that collocates well with 'necessity'. Collocations in general are a big part
of Use of English C1.

Part 2
9 Contrastingly/however. We want to draw contrast between the frightened school staff and the children who were
genuinely interested in the event.
10 up. To round somebody/something up is a phrasal verb that means 'to gather in one group' - obviously referring
to the effort of catching all the bees here.
11 which. 'All if which' refers to getting the bee hive, organizing the related classes and learning about the whole
thing. Here we have a case of so-called non-restrictive case, or simply put, one that comes after a comma here.
12 is. We can see a case of passive voice here. Note that nectar is uncountable and therefore grammatically it is
singular as far as subject-verb agreement goes.
13 all. Probably the easiest gap in the sentence with no obvious difficulties or caveats.
14 have. Present Perfect shows the effect that took place in the past and is still evident in the present.
15 Although/though/while/whilst. A common challenge is to contrast one part of the sentence with the other - in
this case the seemingly difficult idea of making children more responsible proved to be an easy task. Notably, in
this text we have two instances where contrast is needed - this is unusual and is normally not the case.
16 be/present. 'To present a challenge' is another well-known collocation for any C1-C2 speaker of English. The
much easier variant with 'to be' is also acceptable.

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CAE Reading and Use of English Test 20

Part 3
17 worthwhile. Worth doing, considering, taking seriously, and so on. Another option you might consider is
'worthy' with a slightly different, but similarly positive meaning. The catch is that it needs 'of' to work, e.g.: 'This
idea is worthy of your attention'.
18 unnoticed. If something doesn't go unnoticed, it catches public attention. Mind the spelling with double 'n' here.
19 employees. Make sure to use the plural form and, once again, be careful spelling the word.
20 frequency. We are clearly looking for a noun, judging by the context. This particular gap should pose no
difficulty.
21 graceful. Another case of context being of help here; we need an adjective with a positive meaning.
22 inactivity. To counteract is to neutralize something by acting against it. The movement counteracts something
that is the opposite of it - the inactivity that comes with an office job.
23 accuracy. We have to connect the adjective 'enhanced' right before the gap to a noun. Keep your spelling on the
right side of things!
24 dramatically. This time we require an adverb to modify the adjective after the gap. Remember that the ending
is '-ally', not '-lly'.

Part 4
25 nothing was/there was nothing more important. 'More' as the key word can be confusing here - it is a
comparative adjective, but the original sentence doesn't really have two things to compare. Therefore, we use
'nothing' and the negative form to make the comparison work.
26 evaluation/test would take place. 'To take place' is a common set phrase with the meaning 'to happen'. We get
some freedom to phrase the changed sentence. Do not try to change 'would' in the original sentence to 'will',
otherwise you will either be deducted one point or get no points at all.
27 up winning the race despite. To end up doing something means to do something that you didn't plan to do, or
in this case, didn't hope to. 'Despite' is an important part of the sentence. A similar structure 'in spite of' cannot
work here because then the phrase exceeds the limit of six words.
28 to Hanna's surprise the/her company offered. When something happens to your surprise, you don't expect it
to happen. Here the phrase is slightly altered: 'Much to Hanna's surprise' - meaning she didn't expect it at all. Note
that after 'surprise' we would normally put a comma, but you are not expected to add any punctuation marks in
CAE Reading and Use of English, so don't bother.
29 keep track of (the) time. Yet another set phrase, to keep track of something is to keep count of it. The opposite
is 'to lose track of something'.
30 made a point of introducing. To make a point of doing something is to try your best or make considerable
effort to do it. Probably the most difficult transformation in this batch.

Part 5
31 A. Crawford says that people want to be aware and in command of what they think about and pay attention to,
and this is getting increasingly difficult as they see ads everywhere. Examples of videogames and phone apps are in
the text. Advertising doesn't damage our skills to communicate - instead, we simply choose not to communicate
with strangers to start with. It doesn't make us forget things either - there is just a minor example of not
remembering some particular conversations.
32 B. The answer lies here: '... but for Crawford it’s more that the technology has created the perfect vehicles for
our self-obsession.' To facilitate means to make something easier, to assist in something - in this particular case, to

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CAE Reading and Use of English Test 20

make us focus on ourselves. This comes at the cost of decreased awareness of what is outside - the world. Answer
A is not good - the research is there, but there hasn't been much scientific proof to show for it. The opposite of
answer D can be seen - people have been concerned about our attention spans shortening since the invention of the
telegraph.
33 D. The gym music example shows how people used to have to engage in (potentially dangerous) social
situations, which is no longer the case. It doesn't mean that the author supports arguing or violence, but instead he
is concerned about the increased social isolation that has been on the rise recently.
34 B. Probably the easiest question in this part, 'each' refers to the two people engaged in different extreme
activities.
35 A. Crawford encourages once again to interact with the world and be attentive. Do something yourself rather
than watch somebody else do it expecting to receive similar experience through that person. 'Expanding on the
merits' basically means giving more information about the benefits of his method of experiencing things first-hand.
The second thing is to try to stay focused on one thing. Both of these advices are in the previous paragraph, so he
just reiterates the usefulness of them both, trying to reinforce his previous points.
36 D. The confusing here might be the meaning of the word 'appreciates'. Here, the idea is that he acknowledges
the fact that the temptation to be distracted is too big, so one shouldn't feel surprised when they unknowingly drift
away from the matter at hand. The 'general idea' type of questions have no cut-and-dry approach or shortcuts of any
kind to help you pick the right answer quickly - you have to take the text as a whole and elicit the idea from it.

Part 6
37 D. Speaker B believes that even though a photo can be reprinted multiple times, it does not take away from its
artistic merit. Speaker D concurs, giving an analogy of the more traditional form of art - sculpting. A bronze statue
can be recast and reproduced industrially on a large scale, while still retaining the noble status of art.
38 C. The original speaker believes that decent equipment allows a non-professional to take good shots despite
their lack of expertise. In defence of professional photographers, Speaker C says that even if a beginner manages to
take a decent shot, such success is unlikely to happen again, let alone consistently.
39 B. The very first sentence of speaker D states that at the time of their creation, many photographs that are
considered art today were simply pictures of things. Speaker B voices a similar idea, but about the genre of
photography itself rather than any photo in particular: '... although the idea that photography could be art at one
time appeared absurd to many people...'. Therefore, both acknowledge that photography didn't enjoy being
acknowledged as an art form from its inception.
40 A. The only speaker here who is openly sceptical about the artistic qualities of photography. They are critical of
people who claim that photography should be considered art and say, that the only thing that connects it to art is the
fact that pictures are taken deliberately - probably referring to the fact that art is artificial, manmade, rather than
natural.

Part 7
41 E. The 'seemingly insurmountable problems' mentioned in paragraph E is what helps us make the choice here.
The problems refer to soaring numbers of people with heart problems and obesity. The end of this paragraph poses
a question - why couldn't we come up with a solution earlier? The answer then follows in the next paragraph.
42 G. 'As well as these substances' refers to aspartame and acesulfame K that come at the very end of the previous
paragraph. Then paragraph G introduces a new idea of natural sweeteners - one that connects well with the
paragraph that comes later and mentions the problems associated with sugar replacements.

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CAE Reading and Use of English Test 20

43 B. 'Health scares' and 'suspicions' connect well here to expand on the idea of how the general public perceives
additives. Moreover, 'labeling problems' mentioned at the beginning of the paragraph after the gap refers to
producers' initiative to make foods without artificial sweeteners, so they wouldn't have to list them on the label.
That is because consumers have been growing increasingly aware of the bad effects sweeteners might have on
them.
44 F. The previous as well as this paragraph focus on the downsides of artificial sweeteners.
45 A. 'Things are looking up' from the paragraph before the gap points at the fact that sugar substitutes are going to
be more successful in the future. Paragraph A then mentions 'rehabilitation' and the role of scientists in that - in
other words, how scientists helped prove that these substitutes are not as bad as they might seem.
46 C. 'Such ploys' from the last paragraph refers to the practice of mixing different sugar substitutes together. A
ploy is a cunning plan aimed at achieving a certain goal, especially if it means turning an unfavourable situation
around.

Part 8
47 C. Scientists 'voice their exasperation' at the fact that they couldn't find any conclusive evidence regarding
dolphin's so-called 'language' despite all their efforts.
48 B. They are compared to the 'extra terrestrials' - aliens from different world, something we have no knowledge
of, hence the unknown entity. Giving paragraph D as the answer because of the 'wolflike teeth' is wrong, as it is a
part of some other animal to what it is compared, not the entity itself.
49 D. The last two sentences of the paragraph contain the answer - we are measuring the wrong thing and asking
the wrong question.
50 C. Dolphins use certain sound frequencies to 'discipline their young' - that is, to make sure their offspring
behave in the way they should.
51 D. The example of how dolphins can change from being friendly to hostile to one another is the key to the
answer.
52 C. High-frequency underwater recorders were the technological turning point, allowing deeper insight into the
'language' of dolphins.
53 D. The teeth that dolphins used to have many years ago, as suggested by the way they are described, were
similar to what wolves have.
54 C. First of all, we have to understand what an analogy is. It is a comparison made between two things for the
purpose of explaining something or making it more clear. Last sentence of paragraph C has it - more relatable, real
life analogies make the extent of the problem easier to understand for a non-professional. The examples in the last
two sentences of paragraph A do not fit the answer.
55 A. Acts of rolling over and flapping their flippers are the communicative actions that we are looking for.
56 B. The first two sentences show that the actions of animals are not that difficult to understand, possibly because
we can relate to that, being nothing more than just more developed ape species.

Vocabulary
The vocabulary below is meant to help you with the more difficult words. If the word isn't on the list then you are
either supposed to know it or it is too specific to be worth learning and you don't have to know it to answer the
question. Symbols in brackets mean part of speech (see bottom of the list). Sentences in italics give examples of
usage for some more complex words and phrases.

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CAE Reading and Use of English Test 20

And remember — you are not given a vocabulary list (or a dictionary) at your real exam.

Part 1
Commit something to memory - to make sure you keep something in mind and don't forget it. He was growing
tired of commiting everybody's birthday to memory, so instead he would write the dates down.
Habitual (adj) - something habitual is what you are used to. Playing table tennis was Jennifer's favourite Sunday
habitual activity.
Vast (adj) - huge in size or number.
Framework (n) - an established, organized system with its own rules and regulations. The company worked hard
and over the years came up with a framework of how new projects should be developed.

Part 2
Swarm (n) - a large group of insects such as mosquitoes, bees, ants and so on. A swarm of termites damaged the
foundation of the house and it had to have some extensive repairs done to it.
Bee hive (n) - a structure made by bees where they live, hatch and produce honey.
Nectar (n) - a natural substance secreted by flowers that attracts bees so that they could transfer pollen between
different flowers in search of nectar, pollinating the flowers in the process.
Bring something about (phr v) - be a reason of some event, make something happen. The new chief manager
brought about a number of changes to the company.

Part 3, 4
Domain (n) - something one is interested in. Computers and the Internet have largely been a very niche domain
for young males until early 2000.
People of all walks of life - people of different social or cultural backgrounds. Love for football unites people of
all walks of life.
Antidote to something (n) - (used figuratively here) something that prevents a certain negative or undesirable
effect. Jogging is the perfect antidote to ageing, taking care of both mental and physical exercise.
Posture (n) - the position of your back in relation to the rest of your body. Bad posture is more often than not
caused by spending too much time in front of computer screens.
Hunch over (phr v) - a type of posture when your head and neck are unnaturally extended forward in relation to
your body. Usually this is caused by poor eyesight, forcing you to move closer to the screen.
Tense (adj) - characterised by a high amount of tension; nervous. The more tense moments you have in your life,
the better you learn to handle them.
Counteract (v) - to act against something else in order to lower or even completely negate its effect.
Evaluate (v) - to analyse or judge something in order to see how great, important, effective it is. We evaluate the
performance of every employee twice a year to ensure high standards of service.
Myriad of (n) - a very large number or quantity of something. Legal system has a myriad of loopholes and rules
that are unknown too complex for a non-professional.
Enhance (v) - to improve, to make better. Nowadays you can enhance old photos digitally with the help of the AI.
Go out of your way to do something - to do your best or make a special effort to do it.

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CAE Reading and Use of English Test 20

Part 5
Manual trades - occupations where you have to work with your hands rather than working on the computer or
with people.
Treatise (n) - a formal piece of writing dedicated to one particular topic.
Pop up (phr v) - to appear out of nowhere. A pop-up ad is one that usually appears on the screen and blocks the
view, forcing you to close it before you can continue.
Forefront (n) - in the most noticeable position. If something is at the front of your mind, then it the most important
thing you are currently thinking about.
In the main - generally, as a whole. In the main, Walter was one of the best professionals in the industry.
Take over (phr v) - to become in control, especially if you take or inherit this control from somebody else. His
survival instincts took over and he ran for the exit.
Wander (v) - to move aimlessly, without a purpose. If your mind wanders, it means you are not focused, you do
not think about anything in particular.
Attention span (n) - the amount of time you can remain attentive and focused on something. People with a short
attention span tend to have more difficulties studying and learning something new in general.
Tempting (adj) - something that you really want to do. It's tempting to quit your job and try starting your own
business, but the associated risks is what stop most of us.
Advent (n) - a particular notable event, or a reason for that event. The advent of affordable, high-speed access to
the Internet is probably the biggest social phenomenon in recorded human history.
Vehicle (n) - something that enables us to achieve or express something. Social media turns out to be the perfect
vehicle to attract attention and seek validation from complete strangers.
Tempting (adj) - if something is tempting, then you want to do or have it for a certain reason. A tempting offer to
go on a year-long trip across South-East Asia.
Taxing (adj) - demanding, requiring too much. Having two daily jobs is too taxing on your energy and mental
well-being, so I would advise against that.
Argue (v) - to present or advocate a point, especially one that others might not agree with.
Genuine (adj) - real, not imitated. Used positively. Joshua was genuinely surprised to find out that he passed the
entry exams.
Manufactured (adj) - (here) fabricated, not real. Used negatively.
Pale (adj) - bleak, not bright. Can be used literally to talk about colours, or figuratively to mean 'weak, lacking in
strength or energy'
Substitute (n) - a replacement for something or someone. This young woman is going to be a substitute for our
chemistry teacher for the rest of the year.
Reluctant (adj) - not willing to do something.

Part 6
Amateur (adj) - non-professional. Amateur athletes are usually much healthier than the professional ones,
because they don't have to constantly push their bodies beyond limits.
Carve (v) - to use a knife or any other sharp tool to create shapes out of material such as wood, stone and others.
Endeavour (n) - an attempt to do something. My first business endeavours didn't have much success.
Persist (v) - to persist to do something (or in doing something) means to keep doing it, especially despite failure or
difficulty.
Contemporary (adj) - happening or existing in the same time period or era, or relating to the current time.

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CAE Reading and Use of English Test 20

Extent (n) - the amount of degree of something. The extent of your involvement in the project is directly
proportional to how much money you will earn.
Deliberate (adj) - on purpose, with a certain idea in mind. The police believe that the traffic accident you caused
was deliberate.
Germ of something (n) - a small amount of something, that later becomes something bigger or more significant.
Realm (n) - a figurative area of something; a sphere. The realm of mathematics is difficult to understand and even
more difficult to appreciate for a non-professional.
Relinquish (v) - to stop holding something, especially unwillingly. Our boss had to relinquish his position after
almost twenty years with the firm.
Deprive (v) - to take something away from someone, especially if they need it. Big companies often deprive their
employees of many benefits, exploiting their corporate illiteracy.
On par with something - as good as the other thing; of equal quality. Few companies are on par with Apple as far
as quality and sheer innovation are concerned.
Undermine (n) - (about rule or authority) to make less powerful or meaningful. Bribes and corruption are the
biggest factors undermining the judicial system.
Miss the point - fail to understand the main idea of something.
Contend (v) - to argue, to have and voice a different opinion on the subject. I usually contend that a high school
diploma is more valuable than hands-on experience in the industry.
Undermine (v) - (about rule or authority) to make less powerful or meaningful. Bribes and corruption are the
biggest factors undermining the judicial system.
Casting (n) - a way to mass-produce something using a special form in which the material is put and then, through
pressure, given a certain shape.
Devalue (v) - to lower the value of something.

Part 7
So much for - a phrase that means something hasn't been successful, or that (in this case) something has come to
an end.
Obesity (n) - the state of being overweight, having excessive weight. Not in every single case can obesity be
overcome through exercising.
Foods (n, pl) - note how the commonly uncountable word 'food' is in plural here, indicating various kinds of food.
Derivative (n) - something that is not original, but comes as an altered part of something else.
Unwittingly (adv) - not knowing or willing to, not on purpose. Unwittingly, I had to be a part of their family
drama.
In short supply - when something is in short supply, there is not enough of it for everybody. Experienced
specialists in the field of physics have been in short supply for some years now.
Serendipitous (adj) - accidental, in a happy or positive way. Our serendipitous meeting marked the beginning of
the happiest period in my life.
Labelling (n) - labels are pieces of paper that contain the name of the product, its contents, how to use and
similarly useful information.
Bad press (n) - when something has bad press, it has a bad reputation, and this fact is widely known to many
people.
Solution (n) - a mixture, especially a chemical one.
Eclipse (v) - please note the verb form. When one thing or person eclipses another, the first becomes much more

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CAE Reading and Use of English Test 20

prominent, noticeable or successful than the second one.

Things are looking up for somebody - somebody's future looks bright. After two years of trying to break even in
my business things are finally looking up and I am starting to see my profits rise.
Years in the wilderness - an extended period of having bad reputation or lack of power.
Perceive (v) - to have a belief or opinion about something. It is no secret that we perceive the same events
differently and form our opinions about them based on many factors relating to our backgrounds and cultural
frameworks.
Intervene (v) - to become actively involved in something, especially if you are not supposed to be a part of that
particular action or event.
Sweet tooth - a person with a sweet tooth has unusual fondness for all things sweet.
Rehabilitation (n) - the process of recovering after an illness, used figuratively here to talk about improving
somebody's poor reputation.
Fueled by - to make something stronger. I often have to feel my creativity with energy drinks and sob stories of
people who dread their daytime jobs.
Wary (adj) - aware of something undesirable or dangerous. People nowadays are much more wary of scamming
schemes.
Adhere to something - to follow a rule or a requirement.
Insurmountable (adj) - extremely large or difficult; usually refers to problems or other negative aspects.
Elude (v) - when something eludes you, you are unsuccessful in getting it. The solution to this particular
challenge has eluded me for several years.
Taste buds - taste receptors located at the base of tongue.

Part 8
Entity (n) - a general collective term for a thing, either animate or inanimate. Our business entity has been quite
successful this financial year.
Flaw (n) - a weakness or an imperfection.
Outcome (n) - a result, an effect of something. The outcome of negotiations is still unclear.
Innate (adj) - if something is innate, it means it is an integral part of something. Increasing number of teachers
now believe that the ability to learn new information is innate and varies from one person to another.
Tandem (n) - when two things work together towards one result. Tandem swimming is a real joy to look at.
Chirping (n) - high-pitched sound produced chiefly by birds. Even though it was only 5 in the morning, the sun
was already out and the birds were chirping away.
Simultaneously (adv) - taking place at the same time.
Warn off (phr v) - to warn somebody that they shouldn't approach you. Many wild creatures warn intruders off
before openly confronting them.
Garrulous (adj) - unusually (and excessively) talkative. It takes a certain type of person to appreciate a garrulous
guest in a group of new friends.
Exasperation (n) - annoyance of not being able to overcome some problem.
Quixotic (adj) - extravagant and unusual ideas that are not likely to find practical application. The word is derived
from Don Quixote and his unusual adventures.
Circumstantial evidence - an evidence that is not conclusive, based on a limited amount of information.
Roam (v) - to travel around with no particular purpose in mind. After graduation, I roamed the country for several
months, doing a bit of soul searching, trying to figure out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.

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CAE Reading and Use of English Test 20

n — noun; v — verb; phr v — phrasal verb; adj — adjective; adv — adverb

Click to download this CAE Reading and Use of English worksheet in PDF

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