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978-0-521-73932-0 – Cambridge First Certificate in English 3 for Updated Exam

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Test 1

PAPER 1 READING (1 hour)

Part 1

You are going to read a magazine article about an artist who paints flowers. For questions 1– 8,
choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.

Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet.

An eye for detail

Artist Susan Shepherd is best known for tulips, for example, ‘you bring them in and
her flower paintings, and the large garden put them in water, then leave them for
that surrounds her house is the source of perhaps a day and they each form
many of her subjects. It is full of her themselves into different shapes. They
favourite flowers, most especially varieties open out and are fantastic. When you first
of tulips and poppies. Some of the plants put them in a vase, you think they are
are unruly and seed themselves all over boring, but they change all the time with
the garden. There is a harmony of colour, twists and turns.’
shape and structure in the two long flower
Susan has always been interested in
borders that line the paved path which
plants: ‘I did botany at school and used to
crosses the garden from east to west.
collect wild flowers from all around the
line 12 Much of this is due to the previous owners
countryside,’ she says. ‘I wasn’t parti-
who were keen gardeners, and who left
cularly interested in gardening then; in
plants that appealed to Susan. She also
fact, I didn’t like garden flowers, I thought
inherited the gardener, Danny. ‘In fact, it
they looked like the ones made of silk or
was really his garden,’ she says. ‘We got on
plastic that were sold in some florists’
very well. At first he would say, “Oh, it’s not
shops – to me, the only real ones were
worth it” to some of the things I wanted to
wild. I was intrigued by the way they
put in, but when I said I wanted to paint
managed to flower in really awkward
them, he recognised what I had in mind.’
places, like cracks in rocks or on cliff
Susan prefers to focus on detailed tops.’ Nowadays, the garden owes much
studies of individual plants rather than on to plants that originated in far-off lands,
the garden as a whole, though she will though they seem as much at home in her
occasionally paint a group of plants where garden as they did in China or the
they are. More usually, she picks them Himalayas. She has a come-what-may
and then takes them up to her studio. ‘I attitude to the garden, rather like an
don’t set the whole thing up at once,’ she affectionate aunt who is quite happy for
says. ‘I take one flower out and paint it, children to run about undisciplined as
which might take a few days, and then I long as they don’t do any serious damage.
bring in another one and build up the
With two forthcoming exhibitions to
painting that way. Sometimes it takes a
prepare for, and a ready supply of subject
couple of years to finish.’
material at her back door, finding time to
Her busiest time of year is spring and work in the garden has been difficult
early summer, when the tulips are out, recently. She now employs an extra
followed by the poppies. ‘They all come gardener but, despite the need to paint,
out together, and you’re so busy,’ she she knows that, to maintain her
says. But the gradual decaying process is connection with her subject matter, ‘you
also part of the fascination for her. With have to get your hands dirty’.

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Paper 1 Reading

1 In the first paragraph, the writer describes Susan’s garden as

A having caused problems for the previous owners.
B having a path lined with flowers.
C needing a lot of work to keep it looking attractive.
D being only partly finished.
2 What does ‘this’ in line 12 refer to?
A the position of the path
B the number of wild plants
C the position of the garden
D the harmony of the planting
3 What does Susan say about Danny?
A He felt she was interfering in his work.
B He immediately understood her feelings.
C He was recommended by the previous owners.
D He was slow to see the point of some of her ideas.
4 What is Susan’s approach to painting?
A She will wait until a flower is ready to be picked before painting it.
B She likes to do research on a plant before she paints it.
C She spends all day painting an individual flower.
D She creates her paintings in several stages.
5 Susan thinks that tulips
A are more colourful and better shaped than other flowers.
B are not easy to paint because they change so quickly.
C look best some time after they have been cut.
D should be kept in the house for as long as possible.
6 Why did Susan enjoy studying wild flowers at school?
A She found the way they adapted to their surroundings fascinating.
B She used the lessons as a good excuse to get out of school.
C She was attracted by their different colours and shapes.
D She wanted to learn how to make copies of them in material.
7 How does the writer describe Susan’s attitude to her garden?
A She thinks children should be allowed to enjoy it.
B She prefers planting flowers from overseas.
C She likes a certain amount of disorder.
D She dislikes criticism of her planting methods.
8 What point is Susan making in the final paragraph?
A It’s essential to find the time to paint even if there is gardening to be done.
B It’s important not to leave the gardening entirely to other people.
C It’s good to have expert help when you grow plants.
D It’s hard to do exhibitions if there are not enough plants ready in the garden.

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Test 1

Part 2

You are going to read a magazine article about letter writing. Seven sentences have been removed
from the article. Choose from the sentences A–H the one which fits each gap (9 –15). There is one
extra sentence which you do not need to use.

Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet.

Drop me a line!

In our fast world of phones, emails and computers, when it’s an airmail envelope with beautiful stamps.
the old-fashioned art of letter writing is at risk My overseas letters arrive from Mangala in Sri
of disappearing altogether. Yet, to me, there is Lanka, from someone I trained with over 20 years
something about receiving a letter that cannot be ago, and I have a penfriend in Australia and another
matched by any other form of communication. in Vancouver.
There is the excitement of its arrival, the pleasure of
Then there’s the lady who writes to me from
seeing who it is from and, finally, the enjoyment of
France. If we hadn’t started talking in a restaurant
the contents.
on the way home from holiday, if my husband hadn’t
Letter writing has been part of my life for as long taken her photo and if I hadn’t asked her for her
as I can remember. It probably began with the little address, I would never have been able to write to
notes I would write to my mother. My mother, also, her. 13 As it is, we now have a regular
always insisted I write my own thank-you letters for correspondence. I can improve my French (she
Christmas and birthday presents. 9 speaks no English); we have stayed at her home
twice and she has stayed with us.
When I left home at 18 to train as a doctor in
London, I would write once a week, and so would my My biggest letter-writing success, however, came
mother. Occasionally my father would write and it this summer, when my family and I stayed with my
was always a joy to receive his long, amusing letters. American penfriend in Texas. 14
10 Of course, we also made phone calls Everyone was amazed that a correspondence could
but it is the letters I remember most. last so long. The local press even considered the
correspondence worth reporting on the front page.
There were also letters from my boyfriends. In my
youth I seemed to attract people who had to work I am pleased that my children are carrying on the
or study away at some time and I was only able to tradition. Like my mother before me, I insist they
stay in touch by correspondence. 11 I write their own thank-you letters. My daughter
found that I could often express myself more easily writes me little letters, just as I did to my mother.
in writing than by talking. 15 However convenient communicating
by email may appear to be, I strongly urge readers
I love the letters that come with birthday or
not to allow letter writing to become another ‘lost
Christmas cards. 12 And it’s even nicer
art’.

10

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Paper 1 Reading

A Most of the letters from home contained just E Poor handwriting can spoil your enjoyment
everyday events concerning my parents and of a letter.
their friends.
F But instead of harming the relationships,
B We had been corresponding for 29 years but letter writing seemed to improve them.
had never met.
G She and my son have penfriends of their own
C It didn’t matter how short or untidy they in Texas, organised by my penfriend.
were as long as they were letters.
H More important, if she hadn’t replied, we
D Notes are appreciated, but how much better would be the poorer for it.
to have a year’s supply of news!

11

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Test 1

Part 3

You are going to read a magazine article in which five people talk about railway journeys. For
questions 16 – 30, choose from the people (A–E). The people may be chosen more than once. When
more than one answer is required, these may be given in any order.

Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet.

Which person or people

found on returning years later that nothing had changed? 16

was unsure of the number of passengers on the train? 17

enjoyed the company of fellow passengers? 18

found the views from the train dramatic? 19 20

welcomed a chance to relax on the trip? 21

was never disappointed by the journey? 22

has a reason for feeling grateful to one special train? 23

travelled on a railway which is no longer in regular service? 24

regretted not going on a particular train trip? 25

used to travel on the railway whenever possible? 26

learnt an interesting piece of information on a train journey? 27

took a train which travelled from one country to another? 28

says that the railway had been looked after by unpaid helpers? 29

was once considered not old enough to travel by train? 30

12

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Paper 1 Reading

On the rails
Five celebrities tell Andrew Morgan their favourite memories of railway journeys.

remember about the journey itself, however, is

A Andrea Thompson – Newsreader how lovely it was to travel through France and
then by boat up the Nile to Luxor. It was, without
I fell in love with the south of France a long time a doubt, the perfect way to wind down after all
ago and try to get back there as often as I can. the wedding preparations.
There’s a local train from Cannes along the coast
which crosses the border with Italy. It takes you D Martin Brown – Journalist
past some of the most amazing seascapes. It never
matters what the weather is like, or what time of We were working on a series of articles based on
the year it is, it is always enchanting. Out of the a round-the-world trip and had to cross a desert
other window are some of the best back gardens in an African country. There wasn’t a road, so the
and residences in the whole of France. You feel only way we could continue our journey was to
like someone peeping into the property of the rich take what was affectionately known as the
and famous. The travellers themselves are always Desert Express. The timetable was unreliable –
lively because there is an interesting mix of tourists we were just given a day. We also heard that, in
and locals, all with different itineraries but all any case, the driver would often wait for days to
admirers of the breathtaking journey. depart if he knew there were people still on their
way. When it appeared, there was a sudden
B Raj Patel – Explorer charge of what seemed like hundreds of people
climbing into and onto the carriages – people
I have enjoyed so many rail journeys through the were even allowed to travel on the roof free.
years, but if I had to pick a favourite it would be During the night, the train crossed some of the
the Nile Valley Express, which runs across the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen. It was
desert of northern Sudan. The one misfortune in like a dream, like travelling across the moon.
my youth, growing up in South Africa, was
missing out on a family train journey from Cape E Arisu Mezuki – Actress
Town to the Kruger National Park. I was regarded
as being too young and troublesome and was I imagine most people’s favourite impressions of
sent off to an aunt. When I came to live in trains and railways are formed when they are
England as a teenager, I still hadn’t travelled by young children, but that’s not my case. I was
train. London Waterloo was the first real station I brought up in Singapore and Cyprus, where I saw
ever saw and its great glass dome filled me with very few trains, let alone travelled on them. It
wonder. wasn’t until I was a teenager that trains began to
dominate my life. I made a film which featured a
C Betty Cooper – Novelist railway in Yorkshire. Most of the filming took
place on an old, disused stretch of the line which
I am indebted to one train in particular: the Blue had been lovingly maintained by volunteers.
Train, which took my husband and me on our That’s where my passion for steam trains began.
honeymoon across France to catch a boat to When we weren’t filming, we took every
Egypt. It was on the train that my husband gave opportunity to have a ride on the train, and,
me a pink dress, which I thought was absolutely when I went back last year, it was as if time had
wonderful. Someone happened to mention that stood still. Everything was still in place, even the
pink was good for the brain, and I’ve never gas lights on the station platform!
stopped wearing the colour since. What I

13

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Test 1

PAPER 2 WRITING (1 hour 20 minutes)

Part 1

You must answer this question. Write your answer in 120 –150 words in an appropriate style.

1 Your English friend Bill is a travel writer. He has written a chapter for a guidebook about a
town you know well and you have just read it. Read Bill’s letter and your notes. Then write a
letter to Bill using all your notes.

Thanks for agreeing to check the chapter that I’ve written. Could you let me know what you liked
about it? Also, if any of the information is inaccurate, please give me the correct information! And
do you think there’s anything else I should include?

Once again, thanks a lot for reading the chapter.

Bill

Notes for letter to Bill

• Tell Bill what I liked about his chapter –
places to visit, …
• Give Bill correct information about
• – parking in city centre
• – museum opening times

• Suggest Bill includes information about nightlife –

give him details

Write your letter. You must use grammatically correct sentences with accurate spelling and
punctuation in a style appropriate for the situation.
Do not write any postal addresses.

14

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Paper 2 Writing

Part 2

Write an answer to one of the questions 2 – 5 in this part. Write your answer in 120 –180 words in
an appropriate style.

2 You recently saw this notice in an English language computer magazine.

Reviews needed!
Do you play computer games? Write us a review of a computer game that you enjoy.
Describe the game’s good and bad points and say how easy or difficult it is to play.
Also say what age group it is suitable for.
A free game for the best review!

Write your review.

3 Your teacher has asked you to write a story for the college English language magazine.
The story must begin with the following words:
It was only a small mistake but it changed my life for ever.
Write your story.
4 You have seen the following notice in an international magazine.

COMPETITION
Is it better to live in a flat, a modern house or an old house?
Write us an article giving your opinions.
The best article will be published and the writer will receive £500.

Write your article.

5 Answer one of the following two questions based on one of the titles below.
(a) Officially Dead by Richard Prescott
This is part of a letter from your friend Matthew.

In the book ‘Officially Dead’, Colin Fenton doesn’t behave very well, does he? Do you
have any sympathy for him or not?
Write and tell me what you think. Matthew

Write your letter to Matthew. Do not write any postal addresses.

(b) Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Your English teacher has given you this essay for homework.
Compare the characters of Mr and Mrs Bennett and say whether you think they
have a good marriage or not.
Write your essay.
15

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Test 1

PAPER 3 USE OF ENGLISH (45 minutes)

Part 1

For questions 1–12, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
There is an example at the beginning (0).

Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet.

Example:
0 A joined B held C were D took

0 A B C D
   

Thomas Edison

On the night of 21 October 1931, millions of Americans (0) ….. part in a coast-to-coast ceremony
to commemorate the passing of a great man. Lights (1) ….. in homes and offices from New York to
California. The ceremony (2) ….. the death of arguably the most important inventor of (3) ….. time:
Thomas Alva Edison.

Few inventors have (4) ….. such an impact on everyday life, and many of his inventions played a
crucial (5) ….. in the development of modern technology. One should never (6) ….. how
revolutionary some of Edison’s inventions were.

In many ways, Edison is the perfect example of an inventor – that is, not just someone who (7) …..
up clever gadgets, but someone whose products transform the lives of millions. He possessed the
key characteristics that an inventor needs to (8) ….. a success of inventions, notably sheer
determination. Edison famously tried thousands of materials while working on a new type of
battery, reacting to failure by cheerfully (9) ….. to his colleagues: ‘Well, (10) ….. we know 8,000
things that don’t work.’ Knowing when to take no (11) ….. of experts is also important. Edison’s
proposal for electric lighting circuitry was (12) ….. with total disbelief by eminent scientists, until he
lit up whole streets with his lights.

16

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Paper 3 Use of English

1 A turned out B came off C went out D put off

2 A marked B distinguished C noted D indicated

3 A whole B full C entire D all

4 A put B had C served D set

5 A effect B place C role D share

6 A underestimate B lower C decrease D mislead

7 A creates B shapes C dreams D forms

8 A gain B make C achieve D get

9 A announcing B informing C instructing D notifying

10 A by far B at least C even though D for all

11 A notice B regard C attention D view

12 A gathered B caught C drawn D received

17

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