File Test 1

Grammar, Vocabulary, and Pronunciation B

GRAMMAR

1 Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in brackets.
Example: How many guests has Andy got in his flat at the moment? (have got)
1 Alan and Lucia ________ married for 23 years and are very happy together.
(be)________
2 ________ your cousin ________ in Australia since she was a child? (live)
3 I________ for twenty-five minutes – I can’t believe the taxi isn’t here yet! (wait)
4 Maria________ work late again tonight? (have to)
5 Sorry, I ________ time to stop and chat now. I have a meeting in three minutes! (not
have)
6 Did my phone ring while I ________ a shower? (have)
7 We ________ our living room ________ by a professional because we haven’t had
time to do it ourselves. (decorate)
7

2 Does the bold word or phrase indicate result, reason, purpose, or contrast?
Write your answer in the gap.
Example: Despite his confusion, the professor continued on with the lecture. Contrast

1 The tennis match was cancelled due to the bad weather.

2 Chao was working on his thesis; therefore, he wasn’t able to join us at the cinema.
____________
3 I’ve joined a gym so I can get in better shape. ________________
4 Sam went to the interview despite the fact that he knew he probably wouldn’t get the
job. ____________
5 Even though I didn’t want to, I spent the weekend painting the fence.
________________
5

3 Underline the correct word(s).

Example: Ally’s bicycle was stolen this morning, so / because he had to walk to work.
1 Ramon didn’t study very much, and consequently / owing to, he didn’t pass the test.
2 I love my job. In spite of / However, I find the commute really difficult.
3 Anita sold her car because / as a result she couldn’t afford the insurance.
4 Peter had to give up cycling since / due to a knee injury.
5 I watched the entire series, therefore / yet I can’t remember much about it!
6 We had to break the news gently so that / so as not to upset Gill’s parents.
7 They took a large umbrella with them as / in case it rained.
8 The agent thinks our house will sell quickly. Nevertheless /As a result, we want to be
sure it looks as good as possible when people come to view it.
8
Grammar total 20

English File fourth edition Advanced Photocopiable © Oxford University Press 2020
 File Test 1
Grammar, Vocabulary, and Pronunciation B

VOCABULARY

4 Complete the sentences with a personality adjective. There are some words
which you do not need to use.

spontaneous reliable thorough mature

stubborn sarcastic conscientious moody
assertive loyal

Example: Dan’s always goes over every single detail–he’s so thorough!

1 My father can be very ________ sometimes; he’s always right, even when he’s wrong!
2 I’m not surprised Federica just went to the airport and bought tickets to a random
destination.
3 It’s not nice to say horrible things to make others feel bad. I don’t like ________ people.
4 Don’t worry – if Yukiko says she’ll be there, she’ll be there. She’s always very
________.
5 I’d never want to leave and work for the competition! I feel very ________ to my
company.
6 You never know with Helen. One minute she’s fine, and the next she’s not – she’s so
________!
6

5 Complete the words in the sentences.

Example: I tell people I like my new job, but deep down I miss my old colleagues.
1 I t________ to keep quiet when my mum starts complaining about the state of my
room.
2 Everyone thinks Fabian’s always fantastic – he’s always the l________ and soul of the
party!
3 Fiona drives us all crazy. She never lifts a f________ to tidy up around the flat.
4 Anton looks pretty scary but he’s actually really gentle – he wouldn’t h________ a fly!
5 My fianceé’s parents agree that we shouldn’t spend a fortune on our wedding. They’re
very down to e________.
6 The kids know that their dad’s a bit of a soft t________ and they take advantage of it!

6 Underline the correct word(s).

Example: The job is quite stressful so colleague / staff turnover is high.
1 To be honest, I’d prefer a regular job rather than having fixed-term contracts / leave.
2 Hundreds of people are going to be made redundant /hired when the factory closes
next month
3 Trust me, there will be no hope of promotion – it’s a tedious / dead-end job.
4 Alexa is a great boss because she’s good at motivating / demanding the team to
work hard.
5 The salary might not be high in this job, but the perks / skills are incredible!
6 Nina doesn’t enjoy her job because the work is quite fulfilling / monotonous.

English File fourth edition Advanced Photocopiable © Oxford University Press 2020
 File Test 1
Grammar, Vocabulary, and Pronunciation B
7 Gregor had to resign / quit his job recently for health reasons.
8 My boss has allowed me to study for some skills / qualifications while I’m working
which should help me get promotion in future.
8

Vocabulary total 20

PRONUNCIATION

7 Underline the stressed syllable.

Example: ex|tro|vert
1 sym|pa|the|tic
2 ex|tro|vert
3 ful|fill|ing
4 con|sci|en|tious
5 re|pe|ti|tive
5

8 Match the words to the same sound.

earth assertive qualifications

employee demanding relatives

Example: tedious employee

1 surface ________, ________
2 steady ________
3 repetitive ________, ________

5
Pronunciation total 10
Grammar, Vocabulary, and Pronunciation total 50

English File fourth edition Advanced Photocopiable © Oxford University Press 2020
 File Test 1
Reading and Writing B

READING

Read the article and tick () A, B, or C.

Rethinking success
What are your priorities over the next five years? Do you have grand plans to secure your
dream job, achieve a fitness goal, or buy your first home? If so, you certainly wouldn’t be
alone in your ambitions. From a young age, we’re conditioned to pursue goals in order to
achieve success: work towards an exam; win a competition; secure a place in a top
university; achieve financial success … Failure is never presented to us as an acceptable
option. But while there’s nothing specifically wrong with being conscientious and pursuing
personal success, when we invest so much effort in achieving it, we inadvertently expose
ourselves to failure and risk damaging our self-esteem in the process.

The truth is, that no matter how hard we try, we can’t control the outcome of our efforts.
Unfortunately, any failure to live up to our own, or others’, expectations can result in negative
thinking. We end up telling ourselves all sorts of things that aren’t necessarily true: ‘If only I’d
studied harder / trained more efficiently / said this or that in the interview’, and ultimately,
‘I’ve only got myself to blame’. This is probably why more of us than ever before are suffering
from anxiety and depression.

If this sounds familiar to you, don’t worry – with the help of the Stoic philosophers, you can
rethink your goals and change your life for the positive. The ancient philosophy of Stoicism
was founded in Athens in around 300 BC, and was subsequently practised by both Greek
and Roman philosophers. The Stoics believed that the key to a happy life was accepting that
we have little control over external events, and focussing instead on what we can control
such as our own thoughts, judgements, and responses to whatever happens in life. So, let’s
consider three Stoic principles that could help change your definition of success.

1. Accept what you can’t control

If you put yourself in a position where your personal success and self-worth depend on a
specific achievement, then you’re seriously risking your happiness. Although our efforts can
contribute to positive outcomes, we can never completely control the end result. For
instance, while we may perform really well in a job interview, whether we get the job or not is
another matter. It’s important to see the bigger picture in such situations. You are not the
only person involved in the process, and consequently the outcome will be determined by a
range of factors including the interviewers’ expectations, and the other candidates’
experience and performance on the day.

2. Shift your focus

The Stoics used the sport of archery as an example of how people should approach life’s
challenges. Weather conditions, your prey’s reaction, and how you feel at the time, will all
affect your ability to hit the target, thus limiting your chances of success. However, what you
can control is your expectations. So, focus less on the target, or outcome, and instead work
on mastering the techniques. Of course, this won’t guarantee success every time, but it will
increase your skills and confidence, making both happiness and success more likely.

English File fourth edition Advanced Photocopiable © Oxford University Press 2020
 File Test 1
Reading and Writing B
3. True value is internal, not external

Thinking like a Stoic means rethinking your priorities. While getting that promotion or pay rise
might sound appealing, there’s no guarantee you will be happier or more fulfilled. Those
changes could potentially even make things worse – more pressure, greater responsibility,
increased stress, less time to spend on the things that make you … you. And who’s to say
you’ll stop striving once you achieve that goal? For many, it’s just a case of taking one more
step on the ladder – a never-ending line of new goals, each replacing the one before it. It’s
all just too exhausting.

According to the Stoics, the best way to achieve well-being is through having a calm, rational
mind. So, try to forget all those external elements of life that you can’t control and focus
instead on cultivating your mental well-being. Do everything as well as you can, simply for
the satisfaction of doing it, without seeking further reward or personal gain. Now, that’s
something that’s completely within your control.

1 The writer suggests in paragraph 1 that ________.

A people fail if they are not conditioned to achieve personal goals
B society does not adequately support people who fail
C society promotes personal achievement as a measure of success

2 According to the writer in paragraph 2, ________.

A the results of our hard work are not possible to guarantee
B impressing others should be of no importance
C it is not advised to invest money in a personal goal

3 The writer believes that being unable to achieve a personal ambition could ________.
A result in poorer performance at work
B cause us to be even more determined in future
C lead to poor mental health

4 According to the Stoic philosophers, ________.

A we should not attempt to control any aspect of our lives
B you can become happier if you change your view of success
C we can only be successful if we take control of external events in our lives

5 According to the writer, what is it important to realize?

A That your chances of success are not only controlled by your actions.
B That you cannot succeed until you have experienced failure a few times.
C That your chances of success increase the harder you work towards your goal.

6 In Stoics philosophy, what are your chances of success in archery determined by?
A How much personal risk you are prepared to take.
B Your expectation levels.
C Factors which are beyond your control.

7 The writer explains that concentrating on gaining new skills can ________.

English File fourth edition Advanced Photocopiable © Oxford University Press 2020
 File Test 1
Reading and Writing B
A put greater pressure on us to be successful
B boost your levels of life satisfaction
C negatively impact future outcomes

8 According to the writer, the consequences of achieving a work-related goal could be

________.
A a reduced quality of life
B coming to the conclusion that it is no longer necessary to try hard
C that you have better job opportunities in future

9 The writer suggests that achieving personal goals can result in ________.
A reduced motivation to master new skills
B a person putting greater pressure on themself to achieve
C a more critical view of others

10 What did the Stoics believe that a person’s primary focus should be?
A To achieve financial comfort.
B To try to forget negative any experiences we have.
C To forget goals and simply enjoy whatever we are doing at the time.

Reading total 10

WRITING

Write an email to your friend telling him / her about a job you have applied for
recently.

Write approximately 250 words. Include the following information:

 say what the job is
 explain why you are interested in doing this job
 describe the qualities and personality traits you have which will make you a good
candidate.

Writing total 10

Reading and Writing total 20

English File fourth edition Advanced Photocopiable © Oxford University Press 2020
 File Test 1
Listening and Speaking B
LISTENING

1 Listen to five people talking about relatives or friends. Match the speakers
(1–5) to the characteristic each person associates their person / people with
(A–H).
Speaker 1
Speaker 2
Speaker 3
Speaker 4
Speaker 5

A being moody and sensitive

B being very resourceful
C being very bossy
D being conscientious and assertive
E being self-sufficient
F having to do things to the letter
G being patient
H being spontaneous

2 Listen to an interview with an AI expert about jobs and personality types.

Tick () A, B, or C.
1 According to Martin, getting job-seekers to complete surveys ________.
A could increase their job opportunities
B doesn’t give accurate enough results for the changing jobs market
C provides the most accurate information about their personalities

2 Martin explains that any activity people do when they are online, ________.
A practises valuable work skills
B could threaten their personal security
C reveals information about their personal characteristics

3 The study Martin mentions, showed that people who practise sports ________.
A are often effective organizers
B are good at thinking in abstract terms
C tend not to like tasks which involve repetition

4 Martin says that the Vocation Map ________.

A had completely different results from the ones they had predicted
B revealed some results that couldn’t have been predicted
C was unpredictably popular

English File fourth edition Advanced Photocopiable © Oxford University Press 2020
 File Test 1
Listening and Speaking B

5 Martin admits that ________.

A the Vocation Compass technology is not yet fully developed
B he hasn’t dared to try the Vocation Compass himself yet
C the Vocation Compass is not completely accurate
5
Listening total 10

SPEAKING

1 Ask your partner these questions.

1 Which person has inspired you the most?
2 When you argue with friends or family, what do you argue about?
3 Why is it important to do the things you enjoy regularly?
4 Which three adjectives best describe your personality?
5 What kind of work would give you job satisfaction?

2 Now answer your partner’s questions.

3 Talk about one of these statements, saying if you agree or disagree. Give
reasons.
1 ‘It’s OK to tell a white lie now and then.’
2 ‘You can easily tell someone’s personality type just by looking at their social media
profiles.’
3 ‘Your social status and wealth are the best indicators of your personal success.’

4 Now listen to your partner. Do you agree with him / her?

Speaking total 20
Listening and Speaking total 30

English File fourth edition Advanced Photocopiable © Oxford University Press 2020