VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY – HO CHI MINH CITY Candidate’s Full Name:

UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES Candidate’s ID:

CENTER OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

B1 TEST
PAPER 1: LISTENING
Time allocated: 35 minutes

* Time allowed: When the audio track ends (approximately 30 minutes), add
5 (five) minutes for candidates to transfer their answers (altogether
approximately 35 minutes) to their answer sheet.

The listening section, consisting of conversations and short talks, tests your English listening
skills.
There are FOUR PARTS in this Listening test. The test lasts approximately 30 minutes. At the
end of the test, the candidates have NO EXTRA TIME to transfer their answers onto the answer
sheet. The time for reading the questions and transferring the answers onto the answer sheet is
included in the recording.
Each part will be played TWICE. Circle your answers on your answer sheet.
You may take notes while you listen and use your notes to answer the questions.

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Part 1
Questions 1 - 10
Directions: In Part 1, you will hear ten short conversations between two people. You will hear a
question before each conversation. After the second listening of each conversation, you will
select the best answer to the question and circle the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet.

1. What will the man and woman do on Sunday?

A. Go to the beach B. Clean the flat C. Read newspapers D. Watch DVDs

2. Which part of the man’s body hurts him at the moment?

A. His legs B. His shoulder C. His back D. His neck

3. Where is the bicycle?

A. Next to a car on the B. By a tree on the C. By the streetlight on D. By the tree on the
pavement other side of the road the other side of the road pavement
4. How did the woman spend her holiday?

A. She read a book at B. She sit and C. She climbed a D. She went
a hotel. watched TV at home. mountain. swimming.
5. How much will the girl’s ticket cost?

A. £12.65 B. £12.45 C. £10.65 D. £10.45

6. Which vehicle does Steve intend to buy?

A. A sports car B. A four-door car C. A three-door car D. A van

7. What time is the woman’s hair appointment?

A. 10:00, Friday B. 11:30, Friday C. 9:30, Saturday D. 12:00, Saturday

8. What has the man had a problem with?

A. The keyboard B. The mouse C. The screen D. The webcam

9. What is broken?

A. The table B. A plate C. The phone D. A new lamp

10. How did the woman cook the onions?

A. She grilled them. B. She fried them. C. She boiled them. D. She put them in
the oven.

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Part 2
Questions 11 - 15
Directions: In Part 2, you will hear a long conversation. After the second listening, there are
FIVE questions. Select the best answer to each question and circle the letter A, B, C or D on your
answer sheet.

11. What does Britta say about living in Berlin?

A. She can’t sleep at night because of the traffic noise.
B. She misses the museums and theatres in Bonn.
C. She likes living in a big, busy city.
D. She doesn’t like the busy atmosphere.
12. The area of Berlin where Britta lives is ____
A. a rather expensive place to live. B. a good place to eat out.
C. a long way from the city centre. D. the new part of the city.
13. How does Britta usually travel around in Berlin?
A. She walks. B. She uses her bicycle.
C. She uses the tram. D. She uses the bus.
14. Britta says that her nephew, Philippe, likes ____
A. going to the park with her. B. going to the shops with his parents.
C. going to a gallery with her. D. going shopping with her.
15. Britta has lots of friends who ___
A. live near her. B. work with her.
C. are still in England. D. like meeting her.

Part 3
Questions 16 - 20
Directions: In Part 3, you will hear a short talk. After the second listening, you will select
ONLY ONE WORD of the four given to complete each blank in the given summary. Select the
best answer to each blank and circle the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet.

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The program gives some information about an exciting magazine called Good Living. The aim
of the magazine is to show people how to eat in a healthy way. In the first issue of the magazine,
the will be recipes for (16) ______ and a special free gift – a DVD about making (17) ______ for
summer. In the second issue, you can find an interesting article about the history and many kinds
of tea. It also has special recipes with rice for children and wonderful recipes for (18) ______.
The first issue of the magazine will be on sale at (19) ______. You can buy it in (20) ______ and
newsagents on Monday.

16. A. fish B. chicken C. beef D. pork

17. A. juice B. vegetables C. salads D. fruit

18. A. dinners B. parties C. meals D. breakfasts

19. A. £2.49 B. £1.50 C. £3.99 D. £2.99

20. A. food courts B. libraries C. bookstores D. supermarkets

Part 4
Questions 21 - 25
Directions: In Part 4, you will hear a long talk. After the second listening, you will decide
whether each of the given statements TRUE or FALSE. Select the best answer to each question
and circle the letter A for TRUE statements, and the letter B for FALSE statements on your
answer sheet.

21. The music course took place at Brownstoke College, which is to the North of London.
22. Lena is an opera singer and still appears on the stage.
23. Every music class begins with warm-up exercises to improve the quality of the voice.
24. Students learn different styles of music such as classical and modern songs.
25. The next course begins on the 26th of September.

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 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY – HO CHI MINH CITY Candidate’s Full Name:
UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES Candidate’s ID:
CENTER OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

B1 TEST
PAPER 2 READING & WRITING
Time allocated: 60 minutes
READING SECTION

The Reading section tests your English reading skills. This section includes FIVE PARTS and
THIRTY FIVE questions. Select the best answer choice and blacken your choice on your answer
sheet. You have SIXTY minutes to complete this section of the test.
You may take notes and use your notes to answer the questions.

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Part 1
Questions 1 - 10
 You will see a sentence with a missing word.
 Four possible answers follow the sentence.
 Choose the best answer to the question and circle the correct letter A, B, C, or D on your
answer sheet.

1. The department needs three more computers in order to work most ____________.

A. effect B. effective C. effectiveness D. effectively

2. We believe that the song "Silent Night" is easy ___________ for a child to play.

A. very B. more C. much D. enough

3. At one time, the Empire State building in New York was ___________ building in the world.

A. taller B. tallest C. the tallest D. the more tall

4. A: Pass me that CD, ___________?

B: Here you are.

A. don’t you B. will you C. shall we D. could we

5. Here's your money – if I were you, I ___________ it in the bank right now.

A. put B. will put C. would put D. would have put

6. He is injured and ____________ will not play in Saturday's game.

A. therefore B. however C. moreover D. likewise

7. When you got lost in the forest, you ____________ very frightened.

A. must have been B. should have been C. could be D. might be

8. We will have to depart at 11.00 because the plane ___________ at 12.30.

A. leaves B. will leave C. is leaving D. is going to leave

9. She left London ten years ago, and I ____________ her since.

A. don’t see B. didn’t see C. haven’t seen D. hadn’t seen

10. These houses ____________ in the 1880s by Edward Barnes.

A. designed B. were designed C. design D. are designed

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Part 2
Questions 11 - 15
 Look at the List of descriptions of eight jobs.
 Which job (letters A-H) would you recommend for the people below (numbers 11-15)?
 For each of these numbers, circle the correct letter on your answer sheet.

11. Sandra is doing a four-year degree in hair and beauty and wants to
work as a volunteer for her third-year work experience. She likes to
be part of a team and would enjoy dealing with customers.

12. Manuela is from Spain and is looking for work to support herself
financially while she studies English at a local college. She can only
work on Saturdays and Sundays and some evenings.

13. Stella is looking for work during the holidays. She's studying
business at college and would love somewhere she can gain
experience in a business environment and put her IT skills into
practice.

14. John is looking for a job where he can work with customers. He
recently completed a course in this area of work and is keen to find a
job that would offer support in developing skills in managing staff.

15. Simon has a job but wants to work with teenagers during the
weekend. He is planning a career change and is happy to work
without pay in order to gain experience.

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 Jobs Available
A ABC Computer Specialists
Do you have customer service skills? ABC Computer Specialists are looking for sales advisers to
join our growing customer service team. This is a full-time post, 37 hours a week, with great
opportunities for the right person.
B Mansion House Hotel
An exciting opportunity for students wanting work experience in the Mansion House Hotel on a
part-time basis. You will be dealing with international customers and a second language would
be an advantage. Hours of work can be agreed to suit your needs though you would be required
to work some weekends.
C Susie's Hairdressing
We are a new hairdresser's and we want a young, hard-working volunteer to manage our
reception desk. You will take calls, make bookings and help build a relationship with our
customers. Suitable candidates will be offered a one-year contract.
D The Daily News
Our business is growing and we need an assistant for our customer service team. The successful
person will assist in managing our sales staff and be responsible for reporting on sales. The
successful person will receive training.
E Amega
Would you like to work in a modern office environment, building relationships with customers,
and working with our excellent team? If you've recently completed your studies at university and
are looking for a career in the beauty industry, then please get in contact.
F Peterfield Forum
We are looking for keen volunteers to help run our summer school. You will have experience in
working with young people and be prepared to accompany them on trips. The school is open
from Monday to Friday and we need volunteers for at least two of these days.
G Hall Green Community Centre
This is a great opportunity to gain experience in youth work. We are looking for a volunteer with
work experience to support our young people as they begin to enter employment. You would be
expected to work on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with occasional Sunday sessions.
H Lucas Media
Are you a student looking for work from Monday to Friday over the vacation period? We are
offering a short-term contract to a keen young person to work with our sales team. You will get

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an idea of how a modern company operates, deal with customer enquiries and have the chance to
help develop our website.

Part 3
Questions 16 - 20
 Look at the statements about ocean research.
 Read through the text below and decide whether each of these statements is true or false.
 If it is true, circle the letter A on your answer sheet.
 If it is false, circle the letter B on your answer sheet.

Ocean Research
Tessa Watt's biology teacher was delighted when Tessa told him she was joining a special
project she'd seen on a biology website. The project offered young people the chance to take part
in sea-life research in a specially protected area around an island in the Indian Ocean for a month
during the summer.
The place was known for its beauty, but the work was challenging. However, part of it involved
going diving daily, so though Tessa's parents had to pay a lot for her flight there, it still wasn't as
much as a week's holiday in any diving resort. To join, a diving certificate was essential, and
although Tessa already had one, she hadn't done any diving for a while, so had to spend time in
the water before her adventure.
The project she joined was solving a real problem. The level of ocean coral - a hard pink or white
structure made up of millions of tiny sea creatures - had reduced by up to 90%, following
unusual weather in previous years, possibly caused by global warming. The project's divers had
to discover how many different coral types were present in the sea and how healthy they looked.
This information was sent to international scientists to help them learn about the effects of rising
temperatures on these creatures.
Tessa's home for the month was an old camp now used by the project's professional staff, and
people who, like Tessa, were working there as students rather than employees, Tessa and other
group members quickly learnt the camp routine, which, in addition to tasks like putting
information onto the computer and checking the boats, included housework. Several people tried
to avoid this, complaining that they were just there to help with research, but the organisers soon
explained what was expected. There was also studying to do with everyone needing to prove
they could identify different corals before being allowed out to sea without a staff member.
It wasn't all work though: Tessa's group explored parts of the jungle with experts, and made
visits to a nearby school where they were taught more about the island by the children

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themselves. Trips further out were limited to weekends, and although Tessa and her friend
occasionally hired cars to enjoy the island's beaches, they generally caught crowded local buses
into the island's capital, as there was little time to do more.
A lot of work was needed to keep the camp running and everyone was supplied with meals. They
had very simple ingredients, and preparation wasn't helped by having a basic kitchen. For Tessa,
however, the whole experience was incredible. She learnt that she could do more than she
thought possible, and made many new friends.
16. Tessa found out about the ocean wildlife project from her biology teacher at school.
17. Tessa's trip cost considerably more than a holiday in a diving resort.
18. Tessa had to collect information that would help researchers studying climate change.
19. Some group members were unhappy about certain activities that they were asked to do.
20. Tessa found it difficult to deal with the limited range of food available at the camp.

Part 4
Questions 21 – 25
 Read the passage and questions below.
 For each question, choose the correct answer and circle the letter A, B, C or D on your
answer sheet.

At home in Venice by Francesco da Mosto

I was born in Venice, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Italy, and studied
architecture at university here. Though I have also spent time away, I have always come back
because it's my home.
In Venice, there are no roads, only canals, so you have to get around on foot or by boat. I live on
a canal in the Rialto area in a house that was built in 1588 for the Muti family, who were
merchants in the silk trade. In the mid-eighteenth century, it was home to the Vezzi family, who
made things like plates and bowls in fine china and became rich sending these around the world.
These merchants' houses in Venice are like palaces. Their owners had to have space to show off
their goods, but the building also had to be an office, a factory, a store and a home. My house
came into our family in 1919, when it was bought by my grandfather. He died before I was born
but he was the director of a museum where I often do research on old documents. On some of
these, I've seen notes in his handwriting, so, in a strange way, I met him through these
documents.
Sadly, the population of Venice has dropped from 120,000 in the 1950s to about 60,000 now.
This doesn't include the thousands of tourists who come to visit. I welcome the tourists but
unless something is done to stop everyday shops like bakeries and chemists from disappearing,

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the city will die. I want people who love the city to come here to live and work and give Venice
back a life that is not just about tourism.
21. What is the writer's main reason for writing this text?
A. to persuade more tourists to visit his city
B. to give readers the history of his home town
C. to say what he feels about his birthplace
D. to describe some important moments in his life
22. The family who first owned the writer's home _____________.
A. used to buy and sell silk
B. produced plates and bowls
C. were skilled architects
D. helped to build the canals
23. What does the writer say about his grandfather?
A. His grandfather taught him how to study documents.
B. He didn't find his grandfather's handwriting easy to read.
C. He wasn't able to get to know his grandfather personally.
D. His grandfather turned his home into a museum.
24. What is the writer's attitude to Venice today?
A. He hopes tourists will stop visiting the city.
B. He would like people to get jobs working with tourists.
C. He believes the city would benefit from having fewer inhabitants.
D. He thinks local businesses should be encouraged to stay.
25. What might the writer say about his house?
A. I have never lived anywhere else apart from in my home in the Rialto area of Venice.
B. My house is on a canal in Venice and my family, starting with my grandfather, have lived
there since 1919.
C. We don't know who lived in the house before 1588 but it was owned by merchants from
then until the eighteenth century.
D. The house was made bigger in the mid-eighteenth century because the owner wanted it to
look like a palace.

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Part 5
Question 26 - 35
 Read the passage below and choose the correct word for each gap.
 For each question, choose the correct answer and circle the letter A, B, C or D on your
answer sheet.
Rice
Rice has been an important food in Asia and Africa for over 3,000 years. Farmers can
(26) ............ several crops of rice in a single year, and rice is quite cheap to grow. (27) ............
days, rice is grown in many different countries.

It is a basic (28) ........... of the diet of billions of people on earth. Poor people may have rice
(29) ............ for their meal, while others may eat it with vegetables, fish or meat. You can
(30) ............ uncooked rice for a long time, (31) ............ it's useful for people who don't have
fridges.

Rice is usually (32) ............ in water. Everyone has a special (33) ........ of cooking it. Some
people (34) ............ the rice while they cook it, for example, and others say you mustn't
(35) ............ it when it is cooking.

26. A. produce B. design C. invent D. discover

27. A. Some B. These C. Most D. Those

28. A. step B. row C. point D. part

29. A. just B. separately C. alone D. exactly

30. A. continue B. stay C. keep D. put

31. A. since B. so C. because D. as

32. A. grilled B. boiled C. roast D. baked

33. A. way B. kind C. type D. sort

34. A. push B. knock C. rock D. stir

35. A. place B. contact C. touch D. stick

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13
 WRITING SECTION
There are two writing tasks for you to complete in this paper: Task 1 and Task 2.

TASK 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
Read this email from your English-speaking friend Sarah.
This is her email.

From: Sarah

Subject: Shopping trip

Hi,

I'm excited about our shopping trip on Saturday! Where shall we meet?

There's a new café in town. Would you like to go there for lunch, or
would you prefer to have a picnic by the river?

Let me know what else you want to do in town!

Write soon!

Sarah

Write an email responding to Sarah.

You should write about 40-50 words.
You must not include your name or your address.
Please write your answers on the Answer Sheet provided.

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TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Read the following notes about working from home.

1. Cost savings 2. No traffic jams

WORKING FROM HOME
(benefits)
3. Increased productivity 4. (your own ideas)

Write a short paragraph discussing the benefits of working from home.

The following prompts might help

 How working from home helps save money
 How working from home reduces the stress of commuting to work
 Why productivity is increased when people work from home

You should write about 100-120 words.

Please write your answers on the Answer Sheet provided.

THE END OF THE WRITING TEST

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 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY – HO CHI MINH CITY
UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES
CENTER OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

B1 TEST

SPEAKING

Duration: 8 - 12 minutes

There are two parts in the speaking test.

PART 1 EVERYDAY CONVERSATIONS (3-5’) (3 marks)
You will be asked a number of questions of daily conversation. You should speak for about 20
seconds for each question.
(Examinees will be answering questions from any TWO topics that follow. They will have no
time to prepare. They will have 20-30 seconds for each answer
Examiners will read the questions from the lists, making it clear that students will have 20-30
seconds for each answer. Examiners might want to ask short questions for clarification,
making sure that the total duration (of speaking) is within five minutes.)

EXAMINER’S QUESTIONS (Use TWO lists of questions per candidate.)

HOMETOWN
Where is your hometown?
What do you like about your hometown?
How could your hometown be improved?
(alternative question) Why do many people decide to leave their hometown?

BIRTHDAY
Do you usually celebrate your birthday?
Do you remember a birthday you enjoyed as a child?
What present would you like for your next birthday?
(alternative question) Are birthday celebrations necessary?

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YOUR FAMILY
Tell me something about your family.
What do you like doing most with your family?
In what way is your family important to you?
(alternative question) How often do your family get together?

CLOTHES
What kind of clothes do you usually wear?
Where do you usually buy your clothes?
Is it a good idea for students to wear uniforms at school?
(alternative question) Do you try to follow fashion trends?

COMPUTERS
How often do you use a computer?
Do you prefer desktops or laptops?
Is it important to learn how to use a computer?
(alternative question) Do computers make your life easier?

NEIGHBORS
Do you like your neighbors?
How often do you talk to your neighbors?
Do you think it is important to have a good relationship with your neighbors?
(alternative question) What kinds of problems can people have with their neighbors?

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PART 2 EXTENDED TALK (5-7’) (7 marks)
(Examinees will be answering questions from any ONE of the situations that follow. They will
have one minute to prepare and five minutes to present their answers.)

SITUATION You are telling a freshman about different modes of learning at university. The
three choices are listed below. Compare the three options (e.g. place, time, cost).

MODES OF LEARING
Learning online
Learning at school
Blended learning (both online and at school)

SITUATION You are telling a new colleague about different means of transport to get to the
office. The three choices are listed below. Compare the options (e.g. time, cost and comfort).

MEANS OF TRANSPORT
Driving a car
Riding your motorbike
Taking a bus/ a taxi

SITUATION You are helping a new neighbor decide where to shop. The three choices are
listed below. Discuss how each option might be convenient or inconvenient for your friend.

WHERE TO SHOP
At a traditional market nearby
At a large shopping mall
At a new convenience store

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