FCE Reading and Use of English

Practice Test 2 Printable

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).
Example:
A number В amount C quantity D crowd

Where to go whale watching

When asked to list the things they would most like to experience in life, a surprising 0 _____ of
people mention seeing whales in their natural habitat. It’s an ambition that can be 1 _____
surprisingly easily. It is 2 _____ that the seas around Iceland are home to over five thousand orca
whales. But their behaviour, and therefore your chances of seeing them, varies 3 _____ to the
season.
In summer, the whales have a 4 _____ to hang out near the coast and can be seen swimming up
fjords and inlets. During the winter months, however, the animals are generally to be found 5 _____
out at sea. 6 _____ season you choose for your trip, whale-watching trips are very easy to organise,
and there’s a chance you’ll get to see other whale species too.
Besides Iceland, another option is to 7 _____ for northern Norway between October and January.
Orcas arrive here at this time of year in 8 _____ of large shoals of herring, which form an important
part of their diet.
1 A answered B rewarded C honoured D fulfilled
2 A estimated B counted C guessed D totalled
3 A according B depending C relying D agreeing
4 A custom B tendency C habit D trend
5 A longer B wider C broader D further
6 A Whenever B Whoever C Whichever D However
7 A head B set C point D pick
8 A hunt B follow C pursuit D seek

Part 2
For questions 9-16, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one
word in each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0). In the exam, write your answers IN
CAPITAL LETTERS on tho separate answer sheet.
Example: WHICH
The Mini-Monet
Kieron Williamson is a very successful landscape painter. His paintings, 0 _____ mostly depict the
peaceful countryside around his home village in eastern England, sell very well. Perhaps this
shouldn’t 9 _____ as that much of a surprise. It’s a beautiful part of the world, and landscape
paintings are always popular.
The strange thing about Kieron, however, 10 _____ that he is only seven years old. At a recent
exhibition of his work, all the paintings were sold in half an hour, some for £100,000 each. Kieron
now has fans all over the world, and has gained the nickname the ‘Mini-Monet’.
What’s even 11 _____ surprising is that Kieron doesn’t come from an artistic family, and only
started painting two years 12 _____. He first got inspiration 13 _____ some boats he saw on holiday
at the seaside. Kieron asked his parents if they 14 _____ buy him a sketch pad and pencils 15 _____
that he could draw them. Only when they saw 16 _____ well he drew did they realise that he was
talented.

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). In the exam, write your answers IN CAPITAL LETTERS on the separate answer sheet.
Example: RESEARCH

Don’t catch cold

According to recent 0 _____, at least some of the advice about health that was
passed down to our grandparents by previous generations may actually contain
some 17 _____. 0.SEARCH
A good example is the 18 _____ between feeling cold and catching a cold. My 17.TRUE
grandmother was convinced that being outside when the temperature is low, or 18.RELATION
simply dressing in 19 _____ clothes for the cold weather, was a sure way of 19.SUIT
catching a cold. 20.ABSENT
Now, as we know, colds are caused by viruses. Therefore, in the 20 _____ of a 21.APPROPRI
virus, you cannot catch a cold – no matter how low the temperature or ATE
how 21 _____ your clothing. 22.SCIENCE
But 22 _____ now think that we may have viruses in our bodies already, which 23.FORTUNAT
are just waiting for the chance to turn into a cold. In cold weather, for example, E
blood vessels in the nose get smaller to stop heat escaping. 23 _____, also allows 24.EASY
the cold virus to attack the nose or throat more 24 _____. So, perhaps Granny
was right!

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 two and five words, including
the word given. Here is an example (0).
Example:
0. What type of music do you like best?
FAVOURITE
What _______________ type of music?
Example: 0. IS YOUR FAVOURITE
25. Tania hasn’t played volleyball for three years.
SINCE
It _______________ Tania last played volleyball.
26. The only thing Carl forgot to buy was a new battery for his watch.
EVERYTHING
Carl remembered to _______________ a new battery for his watch.
27. John was angry because Claire arrived late.
TIME
If Claire _______________ John would not have been angry.
28. I don’t usually wear a hat and so it feels strange.
USED
I am _______________ a hat and so it feels strange.
29. Rob said to Jennifer: ‘You broke the strap on my new camera.’
ACCUSED
Rob _______________ the strap on his new camera.
30. Mark can’t wait to use his new computer-games console.
FORWARD
Mark is _______________ his new computer games console.

Part 5
You are going to read an extract from a novel. For questions 31-36,
choose the answer (А, В, C or D) which you think fits best according to the
text.
A whole year had gone by since Tyler and I’d hung out together and I’d
grown used to people reporting bad things about him. Mostly I just sighed.
I’d accepted the fact that he was no longer the lad I once knew. He’d
chosen the wrong kind of people to hang around with and had got into
trouble. I knew these things only too well. Still, the news that he was in
hospital shook me all the same. It was Beth’s brother who told me.
‘Wait for me outside Whitechapel station, Ashe,’ Beth had said. She was
late and I kept looking at my mobile to check the time.
The odd thing was that I’d been thinking about Tyler since the previous
afternoon. I’d seen him while walking home from college. He’d got out of a
car about ten metres in front of me. It had taken me only a second to
recognise who it was and I’d darted into the doorway of a closed shop to
avoid coming face to face with him.
When eventually I’d peeked out, he was standing on the pavement
speaking on the phone. He had a long coat on over jeans and boots. His
hair was cropped and his face was pale. He wasn’t wearing his glasses and
his free hand was cutting the air as if he was making points while talking.
He was looking round but his attention was on the call. Suddenly, he
brought it to an abrupt end and slipped the mobile into a pocket. He
walked a couple of steps and then, to my dismay, he spotted me. He
smiled and headed in my direction. I kept my face towards the glass
window and studied one of the posters that had been stuck there. ‘Ashe!’
he’d called.
‘Oh, hi!’
‘What are you up to?’ he said, glancing at the poster on the shop window. I
stumbled out some words about looking for a gig to go to. I’d no idea what
my hair looked like or if I’d got a spot on my chin or if he’d noticed me
earlier watching him from the shop doorway. ‘Fancy a coffee?’ he said.
‘I’ve got to be somewhere,’ I said, stepping out of the shop doorway and
making off.
‘See you, Ashe,’ he’d called after me.
After about twenty metres, I looked round and saw that he was in exactly
the same position, staring at me. He raised his hand in a tiny wave and I
turned and went on. I didn’t look back again.
I’d thought about him on and off during the previous evening. Now, while
waiting for Beth, I thought about him again. I wondered what he was
doing. I pictured the funny brown glasses he’d worn to read with and
wondered if he still read books by George Orwell. Perhaps I should have
gone for that coffee, I might not get another chance to find out what he
was really up to these days.
Beth was very late. A couple of cars started hooting and there were some
raised voices from a group of pedestrians who were ignoring the red man
and crossing the road. I looked through the shoppers to see if I could see
Beth’s cheery face but there was no sign. I took my mobile out of my
pocket again and stared at the screen, but again drew a blank. I wondered
what to do. I was stamping my feet with the cold. Something must have
happened. Beth wouldn’t just leave me standing in the freezing cold for no
reason. Tyler came into my mind again. That’s when I saw her brother
walking towards me.
31. In the first paragraph, Ashe is surprised to discover that Tyler
A has got into trouble again.
В has made unsuitable friends.
C has been admitted to hospital.
D has been the subject of rumours.
32. How did Ashe feel when she’d first seen Tyler the previous day?
A unsure if it was him
В surprised that he was driving
C keen that he shouldn’t see her
D upset that he didn’t recognise her
33. The word ‘it’ (Paragraph Four, underlined) refers to
A a movement.
В a conversation.
C a way of looking.
D a piece of equipment.
34. When Tyler finally noticed her, Ashe felt
A relieved that he was smiling.
В sure he’d been waiting for her.
C offended by something he said.
D concerned about her appearance.
35. After meeting Tyler the previous day, Ashe had felt
A sorry that she’d been rude.
В curious about his current life.
C guilty about refusing his invitation.
D convinced that she would see him again.
36. The phrase ‘drew a blank’ (last paragraph, underlined) suggests that
A Beth had left no message.
В Ashe’s mobile wasn’t working.
C Ashe had decided to wait no longer.
D Beth was just being typically unreliable.

Part 6
You are going to read an article about jobs that involve international
travel. Six sentences have been removed from the article. Choose from
the sentences A-G the one which fits each gap (37-42). There is one extra
sentence which you do not need to use.

WANT TO JOIN THE JET SET?

You could be jetting off to exotic locations, staying in five star hotels,
eating in top-class restaurants, and it’s all paid for by your employer. Who
wouldn’t want a job that involves foreign travel? 37 __. The number of jobs
requiring international travel is growing significantly. And citing business
travel experience on your CV can bring enormous professional benefits.
But it’s not always as exciting as it sounds. There is a big difference
between travelling to Milan as a tourist and travelling there to spend a day
in the type of hotel meeting room that can be found anywhere in Europe. It
can be very exciting, but you need to keep your feet firmly on the ground.
Speak to seasoned international business travellers to get an idea of what
you will face. Flights can be delayed, things can go wrong and it’s easy to
get exhausted. Many jobs mean travelling alone, so you can be lonely.
Simply targeting any job that involves foreign travel is not the way to
start. 38 __. It’s as illogical as saying you want a job that involves wearing
smart clothes. Instead, you should consider all the usual factors, such as
qualifications and experience, and only then choose a sector or company
that offers opportunities for international travel.
The travel and hotel trades are obvious areas, but the commercial sector
also offers good prospects for travel. In the retail sector, buyers often
travel, especially if they work in fresh produce, where they have to check
the suitability of crops. 39 __. Jobs in the engineering and environment
sector can involve travel, too. Almost any career can mean international
travel, if you choose the right company and role. The number of jobs
involving travel, especially at middle-management level, is growing.
So what will help you secure a role with an international flavour? 40 __. A
second language is a good indication of how well someone will adapt. You
need to show you are flexible and willing to learn. I f your company has a
sister company in the Czech Republic, for instance, learning some Czech
will boost your chances.
Find out what the company offers as a support package. Many now
guarantee that you can return home at the weekends, or they will limit the
amount that people travel each year. 41 __. One company asked
graduates fresh out of university to move to another country over a
weekend, alone, and to find their own accommodation.
And it’s as well to remember that international travel can be stressful.
People can get burned out by international business travel. You need to be
in control of your schedule, rather than leaving it to the company. You
must ensure you get time to rest and talk to your employer all the time
about how you are coping. Don’t wait for formal appraisals or until they
ask for your views. 42 __. Most sensible companies ask people to commit
to two to three years. This increases the likelihood of success. And most
people who travel on business remember it fondly.
A On the other hand, it does bring personal benefits, and it also has a
dramatic effect on promotion prospects.
В Making travel your first requirement is not the way to choose a career.
C And realize you might not want to travel for ever.
D Employers look for candidates with an international outlook.
E And there are plenty of opportunities.
F But not all employers are like this.
G Employment in communications, banking and finance, and property
management is also worth looking at.

Part 7
You are going to read an article about fathers and sons. For questions 43-
52, choose from the people (A-D). The people may be chosen more than
once.
Which person’s father…
43. always had faith in his son’s abilities? __
44. encouraged his son not to give up in the face of disappointment? __
45. gave his son advice in a light-hearted way? __
46. made his son realise the need to try harder? __
47. may not have succeeded in passing on certain ideas to his son? __
48. never blamed his son for mistakes that he made? __
49. put no pressure on his son to follow in his footsteps? __
50. reassured his son when equipment let him down? __
51. showed his son how to perform practical tasks? __
52. was willing to listen to his son’s suggestions? __
What’s the best advice your father ever
gave you?
A Tony: Racing driver
‘Drive it like you stole it and keep it on the black stuff!’ I was quite nervous
when I first started racing, but those were my dad’s jokey words of wisdom
and they made me feel better at the time. In the beginning, I had quite a
few spins on the circuits – the very first one was particularly scary because
the car left the track, but he never said it was my fault. I used to drive a
Porsche 924 and pretty much every single race something would break,
but Dad would just say: ‘Don’t worry about the car, we can always fix it.’ I
didn’t like people behind me when I went round corners, but Dad was
always telling me not to take any notice, to focus on what I was doing. I’ve
got a long way to go, but Dad ’s really good – he’s hardly the most polite
person to have around if things don’t go well, but he’s my role model.
В David: Record producer
Because Dad and I have always been close, there was no one moment
when he imparted some big philosophical piece of advice. I think his
greatest gift has been his general unwavering belief in me. Since I was
about fourteen, he’s given me the opportunity to input ideas and have my
say about the bands we work with or the equipment we use, which is
amazing. When you’re part of a family business, it can sometimes feel as if
you have to be there, but my brother and I have done other things, and
we’re back with Dad again because we want to be. He left the decision to
us. Dad’s also been good at giving career advice because he’s done it and
he’s got the experience. He’s given me that drive and ambition to
succeed.
C Andy: Buyer for a department store
I was probably Dad’s most unruly son. He tried to teach me a lot of things
– how much I’ve taken on board is another matter. But I don’t think I’m
such a disappointment to him! He’s a very cool dad, but he’s quite
traditional in some ways. He’s always said that if you want to succeed,
then get on with it. If you’re going to do something, do it right away or at
least write it down so you don’t forget! I’m proud of my dad and how hard
he worked for us to have a lovely childhood and good lifestyle. Dad also
taught me valuable skills like how to change the oil in my car, how to play
tennis and ski – although the last time he saw me doing that he said he
feared for his life!
D Simon: Rugby player
He had this catchphrase: ‘Under-prepare, and you prepare to fail.’ I heard
it time and again. A typical teenager when things went wrong, I was
always trying to blame everything and everyone but myself. He used his
catchphrase and explained that if you don’t put sufficient effort in, you’ll
never get anything out of whatever it is you’re doing. That’s stayed with
me ever since, even now when I’m playing professionally. He’s always
given a fair amount of advice. He made me realise that if you just stick at
something, no matter how hard things get, then your time will come. It’s
the hardest thing to hear when things aren’t going well. At the beginning
of the season, I wasn’t getting picked for many matches. Then when the
chance came to play, I really took it.

Answer Keys
Part 1
1.D – fulfilled. ‘To fulfil an ambition’ is the only correct collocation here.
2.A – estimated. The only verb that can be used in passive form correctly.
3.A – according. The only word that can be used with preposition ‘to’.
‘Depending’ and ‘relying’ are used with ‘on’, ‘agreeing’ takes ‘with’.
4.B – tendency. Answers A and D do not fit contextually as they have
different meaning. Habit can’t be used because it should be followed by a
gerund: ‘be in the habit of doing something’.
5.D – further. ‘Further out’ is the only correct collocation of the four.
6.C – Whichever. The only determiner that can be used with a noun here.
7.A – head. ‘To head for’ means ‘to go in a certain direction’.
8.C – pursuit. ‘In pursuit of something’ means ‘seeking, chasing
something’. Other nouns do not fit ‘in … of something’ construction.

Part 2
9.come. ‘Come as a surprise’ is a set expression.
10.is. ‘The strange thing … is that‘.
11.more. ‘Even more’ is used for contrast.
12.ago. A time in the past is mentioned.
13.from. ‘To get inspiration from something or someone’.
14.would/could. Both modals are acceptable here – both meanings fit the
context.
15.so. ‘So that’ is the phrase that means possibility to do something.
16.how. They talk about the skill of Kieron’s drawing.

Part 3
17.truth. Adjective to noun transformation.
18.relationship. Do not pluralise the noun, otherwise it won’t be counted
as right.
19.unsuitable. Note the negative prefix suggested by the context of the
sentence.
20.absence. Adjective to noun transformation. Make sure to spell the word
with ‘c’.
21.inappropriate. Similar case to Question 19, a negative prefix is
needed.
22.scientists. Plural is required by ‘think’.
23.Unfortunately. Attacks from viruses is something undesirable, so a
negative prefix should be used.
24.easily. Adjective to adverb transformation.

Part 4
25.has been/is three years since. Both variants are acceptable.
26.buy everything except. Note how changing forgot to remembered
changes the sentence.
27.had arrived on time. Past perfect is used to show how one thing
happened after the other.
28.not used to wearing. Use gerund after ‘used to’
29.accused Jennifer of breaking. Accuse of something.
30.(really) looking forward to using. Both variants can be used here.

Part 5
31.C. …the news that he was in hospital shook me all the same. The
opposite of A, B and D is mentioned.
32.C. Last sentence of Paragraph Three: … I’d darted into the doorway of a
closed shop to avoid coming face to face with him. The opposite of A and
D is mentioned. Nothing relating to Answer B is stated.
33.B. ‘He was looking round but his attention was on the call. Suddenly, he
brought it to an abrupt end’. ‘It’ refers to the call, or the conversation as
the answer puts it.
34.D. Paragraph Six: ‘I’d no idea what my hair looked like or if I’d got a
spot on my chin‘. Answers A and C are not mentioned. Answer B shouldn’t
be chosen as Ashe is only guessing whether Tyler had noticed her earlier.
35.B. Last but one paragraph: I wondered what he was doing. I pictured
the funny brown glasses he’d worn to read with and wondered if he still
read books by George Orwell. Answer A is not mentioned. Answer C is
wrong – she felt sorry about turning down the invitation, not guilty. The
opposite of Answer D is said.
36.A. To draw a blank means to get nothing, to get no result. This refers to
Beth not calling or sending a message about her being late. Other answer
are not relevant to the phrase.

Part 6
37.E. This answers the question posed in the previous sentence.
38.B. An advice is given in the previous sentence, and then more
explanation is presented in Sentence B
39.G. A range of occupations is talked about in the paragraph, and
Sentence G presents additional examples of such spheres of work.
40.D. The question in the previous sentence asks for qualities of potential
candidates and Sentence D gives the answer – what the employer is
looking for in people they want to hire for a job involving a lot of travelling.
41.F. Sentence F contrasts the previous sentences about companies that
care about their employees and the sentence after the gap that asked
their workers to move on a very short notice.
42.C. This paragraph gives tips, including the warning in Sentence C about
not wanting to travel for the rest of your life.

Part 7
43.B. I think his greatest gift has been his general unwavering belief in
me.
44.D. He made me realise that if you just stick at something, no matter
how hard things get, then your time will come.
45.A. ‘Drive it like you stole it and keep it on the black stuff!’ … those were
my dad’s jokey words of wisdom.
46.D. He used his catchphrase and explained that if you don’t put
sufficient effort in, you’ll never get anything out of whatever it is you’re
doing.
47.C. He tried to teach me a lot of things – how much I’ve taken on board is
another matter.
48.A. … he never said it was my fault.
49.B. … but my brother and I have done other things, and we’re back with
Dad again because we want to be. He left the decision to us.
50.A. I used to drive a Porsche 924 and pretty much every single race
something would break, but Dad would just say: ‘Don’t worry about the
car, we can always fix it.’
51.C. Dad also taught me valuable skills like how to change the oil in my
car, how to play tennis and ski…
52.B. Since I was about fourteen, he’s given me the opportunity to input
ideas and have my say about the bands we work with or the equipment
we use, which is amazing.

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.
And remember — you are not given a vocabulary list(or a
dictionary) at your real exam.
Part 1
Natural habitat — the area and conditions where an animal usually
lives. This TV-show gives us a chance to see bears in their natural habitat.
Inlet (n) — a narrow strip of water that goes into the land, for example
between islands.
Shoal (n) — a group of fish swimming together. The water was crystal
clear and we could see shoals of fish at sea bottom.
Herring (n) – silver-coloured fish, usually found in large groups. This
island is most famous for its herring fishing.

Part 2
Landscape (n) — large area of land and the way it looks. Icelandic
countries are known for their rocky landscapes and cliffs.
Depict (v) — to show or present in a form of a picture or a story. In this
book the author depicts the hard life of harbour workers.
Sketchpad (n) — sheets of paper joined together used for
drawing. Sketchpad is an affordable gift for a kid who is into drawing.

Part 3
Pass down (phr) — to give something to someone who is younger or not
as important as you. This knowledge is passed down from one generation
to another.
Convince (v) — to make someone change their mind, to persuade
someone. Try to convince your boss to give you a raise – you’ve been
working in the company for two years now.
Blood vessel (v) — the tubes that carry blood in your body. If a blood
vessels comes open, you better use bandage to avoid intense bleeding.

Part 5
Lad (n) — a boy, a guy or a young man. Those lads look like trouble, don’t
spend too much time around them.
Dart (v) — move somewhere quickly and suddenly. There was a crash and
a small boy darted out of the room right after.
Peek out (phr v) — to look out of something in a secret way in order not
to be seen. I was to scared to peek out and see if they were still there.
Cropped (adj) — cut to be made shorter. His cropped hair didn’t look that
good – I liked him better the old way.
Dismay (n) — feeling lost and disappointed. To my dismay, nobody turned
up for my birthday party.
Gig (n) — a music concert, especially pop or rock. We didn’t have
anything planned so we went to a rock gig with a couple of her friends.
Fancy (v) — (v) if you fancy something, you’d like or want to have it. I
didn’t fancy going to the movies that night so instead we went to a pub.
Hoot (v) — (here) to use car’s horn signal. There was a huge traffic jam
downtown, drivers hooting impatiently at each other.
Part 6
Cite (v) — quote, bring up as an example. You could cite some well-known
scientist to make your argument sound more convincing.
Seasoned (adj) — experienced and knowledgeable. A seasoned
adventurer like you shouldn’t be afraid of spending a night in the woods.
Burn out (phr) — if you burn out, you stop liking something because
you’ve had too much of it. I’m afraid to burn out on my favourite TV-series
so I only watch one episode a week.
Appraisal (n) — examination of something to judge how good or bad it
is. They are going to appraise your professional performance tomorrow.
Fondly (adv) — in a way that you like or enjoy. I remember the moments
from my childhood fondly.
Prospects (n) — how likely something good is to happen in the
future. This company’s financial prospects are pretty good – it will
probably triple the money it has by the end of next year.
Outlook (n) — the likely situation in the future. The outlook for the
university is not so great, especially after the recent scandal!

Part 7
Light-hearted (adj) — careless, happy and not serious. Nancy’s light-
hearted attitude made her very popular at school.
Reassure (v) — to make someone less worried by telling them something
comforting. There was nobody around to reassure Stacy when the crisis
struck.
Jokey (adj) — not serious, funny. Bill is a jokey fellow, and he likes to be
known for that.
Circuit (n) — a closed road that is used for racing. Suzuka is the most
famous racing circuit in Japan.
Role model (n) — a person you respect, admire and want to be similar
too. Fathers often become role models for their sons.
Impart (v) — to share information with someone, to communicate a
message. The words of wisdom that he would sometimes impart were
going to affect my whole life.
Unwavering(n) — never stopping or becoming weaker. An unwavering
desire to make money is something every businessperson could benefit
from.
Unruly (adj) — hard to control, independent, not obeying the rules. Joshua
is an unruly employee who never follows company dress code.
Catchphrase (n) — something that is used often by a person and a
company and becomes associated with them. ‘Don’t give up, no matter
what’ came to be my footbal coach catchphrase.
Stick at smth — continue doing something hard or difficult. If you won’t
stick at it, you will never become a good actor.
n — noun; v — verb; phr v — phrasal verb; adj — adjective; adv — adverb