Certificate of Proficiency in English

Transcription

1 Certificate of Proficiency in English Handbook for teachers UCLES 2008 EMC/2318/8Y12

2 CPE content and overview Part/timing Content Test focus 1 READING 1 hour 30 mins Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Three short texts with six four-option multiple-choice cloze questions on each. Four short texts with two four-option multiple-choice questions on each. Gapped text with seven questions. Assessment of candidates ability to understand the meaning of written English at word, phrase, sentence, paragraph and whole text level. Part 4 Long text with seven four-option multiple-choice questions. 2 WRITING 2 hours 3 USE OF ENGLISH 1 hour 30 mins Part 1 One compulsory question. Assessment of candidates ability to write specified Part 2 Candidates answer one question from a choice of four questions (including the set text option). text types with a range of functions. Part 1 Modified open cloze with fifteen questions. Assessment of candidates ability to demonstrate knowledge and control of the language system by Part 2 One short text with ten word formation questions. completing various tasks at text and sentence level. Part 3 Part 4 Six sets of three gapped sentences Eight key word transformations. Part 5 Two texts with four questions and a summary writing task. 4 LISTENING 40 mins (approx) Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Four short extracts with two three-option multiple-choice questions on each. One long text with nine sentence completion questions. One long text with five four-option multiplechoice questions. Assessment of candidates ability to understand the meaning of spoken English, to extract information from a text and to understand speakers attitudes and opinions. Part 4 One long text with six matching questions. 5 SPEAKING 19 mins Part 1 Interview Assessment of candidates ability to produce spoken Part 2 Collaborative task English using a range of functions in a variety of tasks. Part 3 Individual long turns and follow-up discussion.

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4 Preface This handbook is for anyone who is preparing candidates for the Cambridge ESOL Certificate of Proficiency in English examination (CPE). The introduction gives an overview of CPE and its place within Cambridge ESOL. This is followed by a focus on each paper and includes content, advice on preparation and example papers. If you require additional CDs or further copies of this booklet, please [email protected] Contents Inside front cover 2 University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations 2 Content of CPE 3 The level of CPE 3 Varieties of English 3 Recognition CPE content and overview 2 Key features of Cambridge ESOL examinations 3 Official accreditation in the UK 3 The CPE candidature 4 Marks and results 5 Special circumstances OVERVIEW OF CPE INTRODUCTION TO CAMBRIDGE ESOL EXAMINATION CONTENT AND PROCESSING 5 Course materials 5 Past papers and examination reports 5 Speaking Test Preparation Pack for CPE 5 Online support 7 General description 7 Structure and tasks 8 The four parts of the Reading paper 18 General description 18 Structure and tasks 19 The two parts of the Writing paper 20 Preparation 35 General description 35 Structure and tasks 36 The five parts of the Use of English paper 37 Preparation 40 Sample paper 50 General description 50 Structure and tasks 51 The four parts of the Listening paper 51 Preparation 62 General description 62 Structure and tasks 63 The three parts of the Speaking test 71 Glossary of terms and acronyms 6 Seminars for teachers 6 Administrative information 6 Further information 9 Preparation 12 Sample paper 17 Answer keys and answer sheet 21 Task types in the CPE Writing paper 23 Sample paper 25 Assessment 28 Sample scripts with examiner comments 44 Answer keys and mark scheme 45 Assessment of summary writing task 46 Answer Sheet 1 47 Answer Sheet 2 48 Sample scripts with examiner comments 53 Sample paper 56 Sample tapescript 60 Answer keys 61 Answer sheet 64 Preparation 66 Sample paper 69 Assessment CPE SUPPORT 1 1 READING PAPER 2 1 WRITING PAPER 3 USE OF ENGLISH PAPER 4 LISTENING PAPER 5 SPEAKING TEST GLOSSARY cpe handbook for teachers contents 1

5 Introduction to Cambridge ESOL University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL) is a part of the Cambridge Assessment Group*, which is a department of the University of Cambridge. It has a tradition of language assessment dating back to 1913, and is one of the world s largest educational assessment agencies. Cambridge ESOL offers an extensive range of examinations, certificates and diplomas for learners and teachers of English. In 2006, over 2 million people took these examinations at centres in over 130 countries. Cambridge ESOL s systems and processes for designing, developing and delivering examinations and assessment services are certified as meeting the internationally recognised ISO9001:2000 standard for quality management. Cambridge ESOL examinations are suitable for learners of all nationalities, whatever their first language and cultural background, and there are examinations suitable for learners of almost any age. Although they are designed for native speakers of languages other than English, no language related restrictions apply. The range of Cambridge ESOL examinations includes specialist examinations in Business English and English for Academic Purposes, as well as tests for young learners and a suite of certificates and diplomas for language teachers. The examinations cover all four language skills reading, writing, listening and speaking. They include a range of tasks which assess candidates ability to use English, so that in preparing for the examinations, candidates develop the skills they need to make practical use of the language in a variety of contexts. Above all, what the Cambridge ESOL examinations assess is the ability to communicate effectively in English. Cambridge ESOL is committed to providing examinations of the highest possible quality. This commitment is underpinned by an extensive programme of research and evaluation, and by continuous monitoring of the marking and grading of all Cambridge ESOL examinations. Of particular importance is the rigorous set of procedures which are used in the production and pretesting of question papers. Key features of Cambridge ESOL examinations Cambridge ESOL undertakes: to assess language skills at a range of levels, each of them having a clearly defined relevance to the needs of language learners to assess skills which are directly relevant to the range of uses for which learners will need the language they have *Cambridge Assessment is the operating name for the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES). learned, and which cover the four language skills reading, writing, listening and speaking as well as knowledge of language structure and use to provide accurate and consistent assessment of each language skill at the appropriate level to relate the examinations to the teaching curriculum in such a way that they encourage positive learning experiences, and to seek to achieve a positive impact wherever possible to endeavour to be fair to all candidates, whatever their national, ethnic and linguistic background, gender or disability. Cambridge ESOL examinations are designed around four essential qualities: validity, reliability, impact and practicality. Validity is normally taken to be the extent to which a test can be shown to produce scores which are an accurate reflection of the candidate s true level of language skills. Reliability concerns the extent to which test results are stable, consistent and accurate, and therefore the extent to which they can be depended on for making decisions about the candidate. Impact concerns the effects, beneficial or otherwise, which an examination has on the candidates and other users, whether these are educational, social, economic or political, or various combinations of these. Practicality can be defined as the extent to which an examination is practicable in terms of the resources needed to produce and administer it. All these factors underpin the development and production of Cambridge ESOL examinations. Examination content and processing The Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) was first introduced in Since that time it has been regularly revised and updated to bring it into line with current thinking in language teaching, applied linguistics and language testing theory and practice. The current version of CPE was introduced in December Content of CPE Cambridge ESOL examinations reflect a view of language proficiency in terms of a language user s overall communicative ability; at the same time, for the purposes of practical language assessment, the notion of overall ability is subdivided into different skills and subskills. This skills and components view is well established in the language research and teaching literature. Four main skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking are recognised, and each of these is assessed in a test component of the same name. Reading and listening are multidimensional skills involving the interaction of the reader/listener s mental processing capacities with their language and content knowledge; further interaction takes place between the reader/listener and the external features of 2 cpe handbook for teachers introduction to cambridge esol

6 the text and task. Purpose and context for reading/listening shape these interactions and this is reflected in the CPE Reading and Listening components through the use of different text and task types which link to a relevant target language use context beyond the test. Writing ability is also regarded as a linguistic, cognitive, social and cultural phenomenon that takes place in a specific context and for a particular purpose. Like Reading and Listening, CPE Writing involves a series of complex interactions between the task and the writers, who are required to draw on different aspects of their knowledge and experience to produce a written performance for evaluation. Like Writing, Speaking involves multiple competencies including vocabulary and grammatical knowledge, phonological control, knowledge of discourse, and pragmatic awareness, which are partially distinct from their equivalents in the written language. Since speaking generally involves reciprocal oral interaction with others, Speaking in CPE is assessed directly, through a face-to-face encounter between candidates and examiners. A fifth test component in CPE (Use of English) focuses on the language knowledge structures or system(s) that underpin a user s communicative language ability in the written medium; these are sometimes referred to as enabling (sub)skills and include knowledge of vocabulary, morphology, syntax, punctuation, and discourse structure. Each of these five test components in CPE provides a unique contribution to a profile of overall communicative language ability that defines what a candidate can do at this level. The level of CPE CPE is designed to offer a high-level qualification in the language to those wishing to use English for professional or study purposes. The CPE examination contains some tasks which are likely to be more suitable in content for candidates who have achieved a certain degree of maturity in their handling of abstract ideas and concepts. CPE is at Level C2 of the Common European Framework, and a description of this level is given below in terms of: what material learners can deal with what learners can be expected to be able to do. The type of material a CPE candidate can deal with At this level the learner is approaching the linguistic competence of an educated native speaker, and is able to use the language in a range of culturally appropriate ways. Users at this level are able to improve their use of the language by extending their vocabulary and refining their usage and command of style and register rather than by learning about new areas of grammar. Their level of competence gives them access to the press and other media, and to areas of culture such as drama, film and literature. Success in examinations at this level may be seen as proof that the learner is able to cope with high-level academic work. What a CPE candidate can do Examinations at Level C2 may be used as proof of the level of language necessary to work at a managerial or professional level or follow a course of academic study at university level. The ALTE Can Do Project The Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) has developed a framework which covers five levels of language proficiency aligned to the Council of Europe Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. (See Table 1.) Table 1 Cambridge Main Suite ALTE levels CEF levels Certificate of Proficiency in English 5 C2 Certificate in Advanced English 4 C1 First Certificate in English 3 B2 Preliminary English Test 2 B1 Key English Test 1 A2 Research carried out by ALTE has shown what language learners can typically do at each level. Table 2 (overleaf) gives some examples at CPE level of typical general ability plus ability in each of the skill areas and in a range of contexts. Varieties of English Candidates responses to tasks in the Cambridge ESOL examinations are acceptable in varieties of English which would enable candidates to function in the widest range of international contexts. Candidates are expected to use a particular variety with some degree of consistency in areas such as spelling, and not for example switch from using a British spelling of a word to an American spelling of the same word in the same written response to a given task. Recognition CPE is recognised as fulfilling English language entrance requirements by many higher education institutions and corporate bodies across the world. More information about recognition is available from centres, British Council offices, Cambridge ESOL and from Official accreditation in the UK CPE has been accredited by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), the statutory regulatory authority for external qualifications in England and its counterparts in Wales and Northern Ireland, at Level 3 in the National Qualifications Framework, under the title Cambridge ESOL Level 3 Certificate in ESOL International. The CPE candidature Information is collected about the CPE candidates at each session, when candidates fill in a Candidate Information Sheet. The candidates for CPE come from a wide range of cpe handbook for teachers examination content and processing 3

7 Table 2 Can Do summary Typical abilities Listening and Speaking Reading and Writing Overall general CAN advise on or talk about complex or sensitive issues, CAN understand documents, correspondence and reports, ability understanding colloquial references and dealing including the finer points of complex texts. confidently with hostile questions. CAN write letters on any subject and full notes of meetings or seminars with good expression and accuracy. Social & Tourist CAN talk about complex or sensitive issues CAN (for example, when looking for accommodation) without awkwardness. understand a tenancy agreement in detail, including its main implications. CAN write letters on any subject with good expression and accuracy. Work CAN advise on/handle complex, delicate or CAN understand reports and articles likely to be encountered contentious issues, such as legal or financial during his/her work, including complex ideas expressed matters, to the extent that he/she has the in complex language. necessary specialist knowledge. CAN make full and accurate notes and continue to participate in a meeting or seminar. Study CAN understand colloquial asides and cultural CAN access all sources of information quickly allusions. and reliably. CAN make accurate and complete notes during the course of a lecture, seminar or tutorial. backgrounds and take the examination for a number of different reasons. The following points summarise the characteristics of the current CPE candidature. Nationality CPE is taken by candidates throughout the world in about 90 countries, although the total number of nationalities represented in the candidature is over 170. The majority of these candidates enter for CPE in European and South American countries. Many candidates also take the examination in the UK. Age and Gender The majority of candidates are aged between 16 and 24. About 61% of the candidates are female. Education Most candidates are students, although there are considerable differences in the proportion of students in different countries. Preparation A large proportion of candidates (about 80%) undertake a preparatory course before taking the examination. Reasons for taking CPE Candidates reasons for wanting an English language qualification are roughly distributed as follows: for study (36%) for work (46%) other (18%). Marks and results A candidate s overall CPE grade is based on the total score gained by the candidate in all five papers. It is not necessary to achieve a satisfactory level in all five papers in order to pass the examination. All the papers are equally weighted, each contributing 40 marks to the examination s overall total of 200 marks. Results are reported as three passing grades (A, B and C) and two failing grades (D and E) and are set according to the following information: statistics on the candidature statistics on the overall candidate performance 4 cpe handbook for teachers examination content and processing

8 statistics on individual items, for those parts of the examination for which this is appropriate (Papers 1, 3 and 4) advice, based on the performance of candidates and recommendations of examiners, where this is relevant (Papers 2 and 5) comparison with statistics from previous years examination performance and candidature. Candidates are issued with statements of results approximately two months after the examination has been taken. These include the grades awarded, a graphical display of the candidate s performance in each paper (shown against the scale Exceptional Good Borderline Weak), and a standardised score out of 100 (which is converted from the aggregate mark of 200). This score allows candidates to see exactly how they performed. It has set values for each grade, allowing comparison across sessions of the examination: Grade A = marks Grade B = marks Grade C = marks Grade D = marks Grade E = 54 marks or below. This means that the score a candidate needs to achieve a passing grade will always be 60. Certificates are issued to candidates gaining a passing grade (A, B or C) approximately six weeks after the issue of statements of results. Certificates are not issued to candidates awarded the failing grades D and E. Special circumstances Special circumstances covers three main areas: special arrangements, special consideration and malpractice. Special arrangements: These are available for candidates with a permanent or long-term disability, such as a visual or hearing difficulty, or a temporary difficulty such as a broken hand, or ear infection affecting a candidate s ability to hear clearly. They may include extra time, separate accommodation or equipment, Braille transcription, etc. Consult the Cambridge ESOL Centre Exams Manager in your area for more details as soon as possible. Special consideration: Cambridge ESOL will give special consideration to candidates affected by adverse circumstances immediately before or during an examination. Special consideration can be given where an application is sent through the centre and is made within 10 working days of the examination date. Examples of acceptable reasons for giving special consideration are in cases of illness or other unexpected events. Malpractice: Cambridge ESOL will consider cases where candidates are suspected of copying, collusion or breaking the examination regulations in some other way. Results may be withheld because further investigation is needed or because of infringement of regulations. Centres are notified if a candidate s results have been investigated. CPE support Course materials A number of coursebooks and practice materials are available from publishers. A list of UK publishers which produce material related to the examinations is available from Cambridge ESOL Information and is on the Cambridge ESOL website. CPE requires an all-round language ability and this should be borne in mind when selecting course materials. Most coursebooks will need to be supplemented; care should be taken to ensure that coursebooks and practice materials which have been selected accurately reflect the content and format of the examination. N.B. Cambridge ESOL does not undertake to advise on textbooks or courses of study. Past papers and examination reports Cambridge ESOL produces past examination papers, which can be used for practice, and examination reports, which provide a general view of how candidates performed overall and on each paper and offer guidance on the preparation of candidates. Details of how you can order past papers and examination reports, and a downloadable order form, are available from: The sample question papers included in this handbook have been produced to reflect the format of the examination. However, candidates are strongly advised not to concentrate unduly on working through practice tests and examinations as this will not by itself make them more proficient in the different skills. Speaking Test Preparation Pack for CPE The Speaking Test Preparation Pack for CPE is a comprehensive teacher resource pack designed to help teachers who are preparing students for the CPE Speaking test. Written by experienced examiners, it provides clear explanations of what each of the three parts of the Speaking test involves. The step-by-step guidance and practical exercises help your students perform with confidence on the day of the test. See inside back cover for more information and how to buy. Online support Cambridge ESOL provides an online resource for teachers, designed to help them understand the examinations better and to prepare candidates more effectively. cpe handbook for teachers cpe support 5

9 The Teaching Resources website can be found at In some countries, a dedicated Cambridge ESOL website is available. These websites can be found at for country), e.g. (Greece) (Switzerland). Seminars for teachers Cambridge ESOL offers a wide range of seminars designed for teachers concerned with the examinations; some are also suitable as introductions for administrators, school directors, etc. Some seminars are intended to provide information and support for teachers who are familiar with the examinations, and others can be used to introduce teachers to established examinations and also to new or revised examinations. Contact Cambridge ESOL Information for further details. Administrative information The CPE examination is offered twice a year in June and December. Candidates must enter through a recognised centre. Further information General information about the examination, including details of entry procedure and current fees can be obtained from the Cambridge ESOL Centre Exams Manager in your area. Further information about this and other Cambridge ESOL examinations can be found on the Cambridge ESOL website by clicking on the appropriate examination in: Copies of the Regulations can be found in: 6 cpe handbook for teachers cpe support

10 PAPER 1 READING GENERAL DESCRIPTION STRUCTURE AND TASKS Paper format The paper contains nine texts with accompanying vocabulary and comprehension tasks. Timing 1 hour 30 minutes. No. of parts 4. No. of questions 40. Task types Lexical cloze, gapped text, multiple choice. PART 1 Task type and focus Format No. of Qs 18. Multiple-choice lexical cloze. Idioms, collocations, fixed phrases, complementation, phrasal verbs, semantic precision. Three unrelated texts from a range of sources, each with six gaps. Candidates must choose one word or phrase from a set of four to fill each gap. Text types Length of texts Answer format Marks From the following: books (fiction and non-fiction); nonspecialist articles from journals, magazines and newspapers; promotional and informational materials (e.g. advertisements, guide books, manuals). Approximately 3,000 words in total. For all parts of this paper, candidates indicate their answers by shading the correct lozenges on an answer sheet. Part 1 each correct answer receives 1 mark. Parts 2, 3 and 4 each correct answer receives 2 marks. The total score is then weighted to a maximum of 40 marks for the whole paper. PART 2 Task type and focus Format No. of Qs 8. PART 3 Task type and focus Format No. of Qs 7. Multiple choice. Detail, opinion, attitude, tone, purpose, main idea, implication, text organisation features (exemplification, comparison, reference). Four texts on one theme from a range of sources, each followed by two four-option multiple-choice questions. Gapped text. Cohesion, coherence, text structure, global meaning. A text from which paragraphs have been removed and placed in jumbled order after the text. Candidates must decide from where in the text the paragraphs have been removed. PART 4 Task type and focus Format Multiple choice. Detail, opinion, attitude, tone, purpose, main idea, implication, text organisation features (exemplification, comparison, reference). A text followed by four-option multiple-choice questions. No. of Qs 7. cpe handbook for teachers paper 1: reading 7

11 The four parts of the Reading paper PART 1 LEXICAL CLOZE This part tests the candidates control and range of vocabulary. Sample task and answer key: pages 12 and 17. Each correct answer in Part 1 receives 1 mark. This task requires candidates to select from four options the correct word or phrase to fit in each of six gaps in a text. This involves choosing the answer that correctly fits the meaning within a phrase or sentence, and candidates may also have to take into account the broader context of the previous or following sentences or the whole text. The texts are from a variety of sources and may be formal, neutral or informal in style. Each text has a title. There is no example answer. Some items focus on the meaning of individual words; this may involve choosing, e.g. leaking rather than pouring, spilling or flowing to fill the gap in: The roof of our tent was. In other cases candidates need to be aware of how the word is used in context; this may involve, e.g. choosing interested rather than keen, eager or enthusiastic to fill the gap in: You may be in applying for this job. In this example, keen is wrong not because it has the wrong meaning but because it does not fit in with the grammar of the sentence. This part of the paper also tests fixed phrases, idioms and collocations such as to pay attention to and to take no notice of as well as phrasal verbs, and linkers such as in case, as long as, even if and while. Candidates should select one option for each question and mark it in some way, e.g. by circling the letter A, B, C or D on the question paper. Once they are satisfied that they have made the appropriate selections, they should transfer their answers to the answer sheet. PART 2 MULTIPLE CHOICE (SHORT THEMED TEXTS) This part tests candidates detailed understanding of a range of texts, including the purpose, main idea and organisation of the texts and the opinions and attitudes expressed in them. Sample task and answer key: pages 13 and 17. Each correct answer in Part 2 receives 2 marks. Part 2 consists of four short texts, with two multiple-choice questions on each. Each text has a title. The texts come from a range of sources and may vary in style, but they share a broad theme which is given in the rubric at the beginning. Being aware of the thematic link between the texts should help candidates in moving from one text to the next. Two multiple-choice questions appear after the text. Some questions focus on specific sections of the text and test understanding of detail, while others may test the writer s purpose, understanding of text organisation or global understanding of the text. Questions focusing on detail are presented in the same order as the information in the text. If a text has a question with a global focus, this will be the second in the pair. The questions can be answered correctly only by referring closely to the text. Candidates should select one option for each question and mark it in some way, e.g. by circling the letter A, B, C or D on the question paper. Once they are satisfied that they have made the appropriate selections, they should transfer their answers to the answer sheet. PART 3 GAPPED TEXT This part tests candidates understanding of text structure and their ability to follow text development. Sample task and answer key: pages 15 and 17. Each correct answer in Part 3 receives 2 marks. The task requires candidates to select from eight options the correct extract to fit in each of seven gaps in a text. There is only one correct answer for each gap. There is no example answer. The task consists of a gapped text followed by the extracts from the text and one further extract which does not fit in any of the gaps. The text has a title and may also have a sub-heading. Candidates need to read the gapped text first in order to gain an overall idea of the structure and meaning of the text, noticing carefully the information and ideas before and after each gap as well as their development throughout the whole of the gapped text. They should then decide which extract fits each gap, and write the appropriate letter in each gap. They should remember that each letter may only be used once and that there is one extract that they will not need to use. When they have made their selection and checked each choice carefully, they should transfer their answers to the answer sheet. PART 4 MULTIPLE CHOICE (LONG TEXT) This part tests candidates detailed understanding of a long text, including its purpose and organisation and the opinions and attitudes expressed in it. Sample task and answer key: pages 16 and 17. Each correct answer in Part 4 receives 2 marks. Part 4 consists of one longer text followed by seven multiplechoice questions which test detailed understanding of the 8 cpe handbook for teachers paper 1: reading

12 text, including opinions and attitudes expressed in it. The text has a title and may also have a subheading. Candidates need to read the text closely in order to distinguish between, for example, apparently similar viewpoints, outcomes or reasons. The questions are presented in the same order as the information in the text and the final question may depend on interpretation of the text as a whole, e.g. the writer s purpose, attitude or opinion. Candidates should select one option for each question and mark it in some way, e.g. by circling the letter A, B, C or D on the question paper. Once they are satisfied that they have made the appropriate selections, they should transfer their answers to the answer sheet. Preparation General Exposure to, and engagement with, a substantial and varied range of written English is essential preparation for the Reading paper. The students who are most successful in CPE are likely to be those for whom reading in English is a leisure activity as well as an educational requirement. Students should be encouraged to read extensively outside the classroom. This will enable them to become familiar with a wide range of language and will also be helpful when they are working on the longer texts in Parts 3 and 4. The Reading paper includes a range of text types, so students should aim to read a variety of authentic texts including modern fiction, short stories, and articles from newspapers and magazines. The internet now provides access to news and feature articles from the press of Britain and other English-speaking countries, as well as journal articles and promotional and informational materials. Students should be able to follow their own interests while reading outside the classroom. Extensive reading can be supported by asking students to provide verbal or written feedback on their reading, or by using it as the basis for classroom discussion, as well as by encouraging students to share texts and information on good text sources between themselves. In class, students should consider the relationship between text type, purpose, organisation and language when using coursebooks and practice materials. As well as practising intensive reading skills focusing on detail, students should be encouraged to discuss the main points of longer texts, concentrating on overall understanding and progression of ideas within the argument or narrative. Students should be aware of the different reading strategies required by different types of question, and it is also useful for them to experiment with alternative ways of dealing with texts so that they can decide which ones suit them best. Regular and effective use of an advanced monolingual English dictionary is essential, not only to clarify the meaning of new words but also to extend knowledge of collocations, fixed phrases, and features of lexico-grammar such as dependent prepositions. However, students should also be aware of alternative techniques for coping with unfamiliar vocabulary, such as the use of contextual clues. It is important that students are familiar with the format of the Reading paper, including the instructions on the front page of the question paper and the rubrics for each part of the test, as well as the different task types. They should be aware of the need to allow sufficient time for each part of the paper. Students should also be familiar with the technique of indicating their answers on the separate answer sheet so that they can do this quickly and accurately. (They may write on the question paper during the examination, but their notes will not be marked.) Some students prefer to transfer their answers at the end of each task rather than wait until they have completed the whole paper. Answers must be marked by filling in lozenges on the answer sheet in pencil. This must be done within the time allowed for the Reading paper (1 1 2 hours). The answer sheets are scanned by an Optical Mark Reader. If a question is left blank, or if a candidate fills in more than one lozenge for a question, the answer sheet is rejected and checked manually. By part PART 1 Students should be aware of the different aspects of vocabulary tested in this part of the paper. They should read through each text carefully, not forgetting the title, to get a general idea of the text type and meaning before looking at the options. They could also be encouraged to think about the possible forms and meanings of the gapped words at this stage. They should be aware that the missing word(s) may form part of an idiom, fixed phrase or collocation, so they should always check the words around the gap carefully. The missing word(s) must also fit the whole context of the passage so they should also check that the completed sentence makes sense in the passage as a whole. This is particularly important in the case of linkers. For Part 1, students need to develop their knowledge of the form, meaning and use of lexical items. They should discuss different methods of recording and recycling vocabulary and be encouraged to experiment with different techniques. Effective use of a good up-to-date monolingual dictionary is essential, and dictionary work may be particularly useful to check and extend knowledge of lexis extracted from reading and listening tasks. As well as learning new words, students should refine their knowledge of familiar lexis through extending their knowledge of collocations, fixed phrases and idioms. A helpful preparation activity might be to give students a short text and ask them to find examples of the different aspects of vocabulary tested in the exam. Students could also look at completed Part 1 tasks (retyped so that there is no cpe handbook for teachers paper 1: reading 9

13 indication of which words were gapped) and suggest which words or phrases might be gapped, discussing what words might be used as distractors, then comparing this with the actual gapped task. Students could also be given a range of short texts from different sources (e.g. newspaper articles, advertising material, and fiction) and encouraged to look at the relationship between style and lexis, for example by looking at a list of words and phrases from the texts and predicting which might appear in each text. A useful pre-reading activity is for the teacher to extract a number of two-word collocations from a text and separate and jumble them. The students can then be asked to predict the original collocations before reading the text to check. Alternatively, a number of collocations, idioms and fixed phrases can be extracted from the text and written on the board with one word in each gap. Students can predict the missing words and then check with the text. PART 2 Students should always read the rubric, as this will give them information about the theme of this part of the paper. Encourage your students to read each text carefully, thinking about its overall meaning and purpose, before reading the two questions that follow it. Candidates will need to read each question very carefully, as well as the four options, all of which may appear at first to be likely answers. When answering the questions, some students find it useful to consider a possible answer by first looking only at the stem and not at the options. They may then be able to identify a possible answer in the text, which can then be compared with the options. However, they must be aware that it is also necessary to check each option against the evidence of the text. Students should not assume that an option is correct simply because it contains a word that is also in the text. They need to check carefully that the meaning is the same in the text as in the question. Ask your students to check the questions which take the form of unfinished sentences very carefully. The whole sentence has to match what is written in the text, not just the phrase in the option A, B, C or D. This part of the paper shows the greatest variety in terms of source, point of view, style and purpose. Students should therefore familiarise themselves with a wide range of registers, topics and lexical fields. They should also be aware of the different reading skills involved in Parts 2 and 4, such as understanding opinion, attitude, purpose and implication, as well as text organisation features and lexical and grammatical references and linking words. Activities which focus on recognising and evaluating attitude and opinion and which enhance students abilities to infer underlying meaning will be helpful in preparation for both Part 2 and Part 4. For example, students could look at ways in which the writer s choice of vocabulary reveals opinion and attitude, or of the effect of metaphor and simile within a text. PART 3 Encourage your students to read the main (base) text first so that they gain an overall idea of the structure and development of the theme or argument of the text, before starting to do the task. They should pay attention to the information and ideas before and after each gap as well as throughout the whole of the gapped text. Students frequently make the wrong choice by selecting options which fit the text before the gap, and neglecting to check that the text after the gap follows on smoothly. The way in which a text has been gapped may require the reader to consider large sections or even the organisation of the whole of a text, in order to reconstitute a particular part of the text. As in Part 2, it is important to discourage your students from word spotting, that is assuming that if the same word, name, date, etc. appears in the surrounding text as in one of the extracts, that is necessarily the right option to fill the gap. Students should be trained to consider the development of the text as a whole, and not to focus on each gap separately. Sometimes students will need to choose carefully between two extracts as possible answers and will need to make decisions about which is the most logical extract to fill the particular gap. They should not rule out an answer for consideration on the grounds that they have already used it, as the earlier use may be incorrect. Practice is needed in recognition of a wide range of linguistic devices which mark the logical and cohesive development of a text, e.g. words and phrases indicating sequence of events, cause and effect, premise and conclusion. In class, the task can be adapted by photocopying the text and cutting up the paragraphs, which gives students additional visual support and allows them to compare alternatives more easily. If this activity is done in pairs or groups, students will also be encouraged to justify their combinations and links to one another. Exercises which involve analysing the organisation of different types of texts and understanding how this affects meaning would also be helpful. Candidates should beware of approaching the gapped-text task as an exercise requiring them merely to identify extracts from the text and sections in the text which contain the same words. The task is designed to test understanding of the development of ideas, opinions and events rather than the superficial recognition of individual words. PART 4 Preparation for the multiple-choice task should include practice in reading a text quickly for a first overall impression, followed by close reading of the text in order to prevent any misunderstandings which may lead students to choose a wrong answer. As with Part 2, they must be aware of the need to check each option against the evidence of the text. 10 cpe handbook for teachers paper 1: reading

14 They will therefore need practice in skimming a text quickly to get a general idea of its meaning, as well as scanning to find the information needed to check options. It may be useful to discuss which aspect of reading each question is focusing on (e.g. detail, inference or organisation). As with Part 2, activities which focus on recognising and evaluating attitude and opinion and inferring underlying meaning will be helpful. Students can also be encouraged to identify similar features in texts of their own choice, and to work in groups to prepare questions (not necessarily multiplechoice) focusing on these features. Part 4 texts often contain complex ideas, and in the classroom students should be encouraged to discuss these and relate them to their own experience and world knowledge both before and after reading. cpe handbook for teachers paper 1: reading 11

15 PAPER 1: READING Part 1 (Questions 1 18) 12 cpe handbook for teachers paper 1: reading sample paper

16 PAPER 1: READING Part 2 (Questions 19 22) cpe handbook for teachers paper 1: reading sample paper 13

17 PAPER 1: READING Part 2, continued (Questions 23 26) 14 cpe handbook for teachers paper 1: reading sample paper

18 PAPER 1: READING Part 3 (Questions 27 33) cpe handbook for teachers paper 1: reading sample paper 15

19 PAPER 1: READING Part 4 (Questions 34 40) 16 cpe handbook for teachers paper 1: reading sample paper

20 PAPER 1: READING Answer keys and answer sheet PART 1 PART 2 PART 3 PART 4 1 D 19 A 27 G 34 C 2 B 20 D 28 A 35 B 3 A 21 D 29 F 36 B 4 B 22 A 30 D 37 D 5 C 23 C 31 C 38 D 6 D 24 C 32 E 39 A 7 C 25 B 33 H 40 C 8 B 26 A 9 A 10 C 11 D 12 A 13 B 14 C 15 B 16 A 17 A 18 B cpe handbook for teachers paper 1: READING answer keys and answer sheet 17

21 PAPER 2 WRITING GENERAL DESCRIPTION STRUCTURE AND TASKS Paper format Timing No. of parts 2. No. of questions Task types Answer format Marks The paper contains two parts. 2 hours. Candidates are required to complete two tasks a compulsory one in Part 1, and one from a choice of five in Part 2. A range of tasks from the following text types: articles, essays, letters, proposals, reports, reviews. Each task has a given purpose and a target reader. Candidates write their answers, within the grey lines on the appropriate page, in the question paper booklet. Answers should be written in pen. There are blank pages in the question paper booklet; these can be used for making notes or for completing the tasks if necessary. Each question on this paper carries equal marks. PART 1 Task type QUESTION 1 and focus Writing one of the following: an article an essay a letter a proposal. The task focus is discursive. Format Candidates are required to respond to input material of approximately 100 words. This may include extracts from newspapers, magazines, books, letters or advertisements, or could be based on quotations made by speakers during a discussion. The input text may be supported by visual material. No. of tasks and length PART 2 One compulsory task words Task type Either: and focus QUESTIONS 2 4 Writing one of the following: an article a letter a proposal a report a review Format No. of tasks and length Or: QUESTION 5 Writing one of the following, based on reading one from a prescribed list of two books: an article an essay a letter a report a review. Contextualised writing tasks, each specified in no more than 70 words. Five tasks from which candidates choose one words. 18 cpe handbook for teachers paper 2: writing

22 The two parts of the Writing paper Each question on the Writing paper carries equal marks. Expected text length Candidates are asked to write words for each answer, and writing approximately the right number of words is an integral part of task achievement. If significantly fewer words are written, this is likely to mean that the task has not been successfully completed, whereas overlong pieces of writing may involve irrelevance, repetition of ideas, poor organisation or have a negative effect on the target reader. PART 1 COMPULSORY TASK This part tests the candidates ability to produce a specified task type, in response to instructions and one or more texts, which may be supported by visual prompts. Sample question and scripts: pages 23 and Task type and focus In Part 1, candidates are asked to write one of the following: an article, an essay, a letter or a proposal. The questions in Part 1 always have a discursive focus. Discursive writing is a style used in academic writing and it requires the high level of language competence appropriate at CPE. Candidates may be asked, for example, to present and defend an argument, to express and then justify an opinion, to explain a problem and suggest a solution, or to evaluate ideas and make recommendations. The input which explains and defines the task will always present at least three points to be addressed, and candidates are required to cover these points in their answers and to add their own views and opinions. The input will always define the purpose for writing and will identify the target reader. Task format Candidates are required to base their answers on input material which will take the form of a short text or texts, or quotations. The texts will come from a variety of sources such as extracts from newspaper articles, magazines, books, letters or advertisements; the quotations will be from speakers heard, for example, on the radio or during a discussion. Visual material such as diagrams, simple graphs or pictures may be included to support or extend the topic. Since the task focus is on productive language, the input will be well within the reading competence of candidates at this level. PART 2 This part consists of four optional questions, one of which offers two options based on the set texts. Candidates must choose one question from this part of the paper. Task format The input for the questions in Part 2 is considerably shorter than in Part 1, and will not be more than 70 words in length. The rubric for each question will define the purpose for writing, identify the target reader and therefore indicate the appropriate format and register required in the answer. PART 2 QUESTIONS 2 5 Sample questions and scripts: pages 24 and Task types and focus In Part 2, candidates have a choice of task. The different task types are intended to provide the candidates with a clear context, topic, purpose and target reader for their writing. For questions 2 4, the task types used are article, letter, report, review and proposal. The characteristics of each are detailed on pages PART 2 QUESTIONS 5(A) AND 5(B) Question 5 consists of a choice between two tasks based on the set reading texts. Further information can be found on: cpe.html This option is included to encourage the extended reading which develops candidates linguistic competence, widens the range of language they encounter and enriches their language study. It also enables candidates to show in their writing that they have appreciated the themes, characters and relationships within the text they have read. A choice of texts is included in order to appeal to different tastes. Alternatively, or in addition, candidates may choose to watch a film version of one of the set texts. Teachers are best placed to make a judgement as to which set text on offer may be appropriate and stimulating for a particular teaching situation. Each text will normally remain on the list for two years. Task types and focus Candidates are required to write one of the following: an article, an essay, a letter, a report or a review. The characteristics of each are detailed on pages 21 and 22. Candidates are not required to produce literary analysis for question 5. cpe handbook for teachers paper 2: writing 19

23 Preparation General It is important that students are familiar with the format of the paper and the range of text types used so that in Part 2 they can make the best choice from the questions which are available. Make sure students know how important it is to read the questions very carefully and to identify, before they begin to plan their answers, what they hope to achieve through writing (the purpose of the task), to whom they are writing (the target reader) and their role as writer. Candidates need to read the question very carefully in order to perform the task set effectively. Students need practice in identifying what the task is and what needs to be addressed. The question identifies the context, the writer s role and the target reader, which helps the candidate to choose the appropriate register. It is also very important that students learn to distinguish between the various task types required by the questions. Even though a candidate may display an excellent command of the language, an answer will only achieve a high mark if all the above factors are taken into account. Candidates should get into the habit of planning their answers thoroughly before they begin to write. This will encourage an organised and coherent approach and prevent irrelevant digression. Practice in writing to time will help prepare students to answer the question under examination conditions, produce the appropriate number of words required in the time set and avoid the possibility of running out of time. The various task types which appear on the paper require the use of a range of language functions, for example the language of persuasion, description, recommendation, comparison. Students should be given guidance in identifying these, and practice in using them. Remind your students that correct spelling and punctuation are important. If spelling errors or faulty punctuation impede communication, then this will be reflected in the mark awarded. American usage and spelling are acceptable (see page 3: Varieties of English). Familiarity with the assessment criteria can be another useful part of preparation. The General Mark Scheme gives information about the linguistic aspects that examiners will consider, including range of vocabulary and expression, collocation, variety of structure, organisation and cohesion, register and format; the Task Specific Mark Schemes on pages of this handbook also show examples of what is required of specific tasks in terms of content and target reader. By part PART 1 There are always at least three content points to address in a Part 1 task, and students need to be given practice in identifying these. It is important that candidates spend some time reading the input carefully and identify the main points which need to be included. Careful reading of the question will establish important details. It is important for candidates to remember that, in Part 1, the object is not merely to restate the content points, but to develop them and integrate them into a piece of discursive writing of the appropriate task type. A successful answer may also refer to the writer s own ideas and opinions. Students need to be reminded that the Part 1 task always has a discursive focus. Part of the task, therefore, is to put forward a well-argued and logical case, making sure that this is appropriate to the particular task type letter, essay, article or proposal and that the register is suitable for the scenario outlined in the question. Candidates may, of course, use key words from the question, but must avoid lifting whole segments of the input. No credit will be given for language or ideas that have not been appropriately expanded on or integrated into their writing. Because of the discursive focus of this part of the paper, students need to be equipped to discuss a range of topics. Reading and discussing articles in English on a variety of issues will help them to develop their ideas and extend their vocabulary in order to cover the points raised in the questions. PART 2 There is considerable choice on this part of the paper: advise your students to choose task types and topics that appeal to their interests and experience. The questions in Part 2 are shorter, but just as much care is required in reading them. Candidates who do not read a question carefully enough may seize on a familiar topic and start the task before they have identified exactly what is required. It is always the case that there are at least two parts to these questions, and only candidates who produce a balanced answer dealing adequately with all parts of the question can expect to gain a mark in the higher bands. Encourage your students to use a wide variety of grammatical structures and language functions and to explore the use of a range of vocabulary and expression. 20 cpe handbook for teachers paper 2: writing

24 Task types in the CPE Writing paper Preparation AN ARTICLE is written on a particular theme in a style which makes it suitable for publication in an English-language newspaper, magazine or newsletter. The question identifies the topic for the article, and the type of publication mentioned gives the candidate guidance as to the appropriate register to be used for example how academic or lively the article should be. The purpose of an article is to convey information; it may contain some description and/or narrative, and candidates should bear in mind the need to engage the interest of their readers. Students should be reminded that a successful article interests and engages the reader, often with some description, narration and anecdote. In some cases, a personal angle will be appropriate and a catchy title will attract the reader s attention. However, remind students that there are many different types of article, and that they should check carefully to see what kind of publication they are being asked to write for. An article in an academic publication will have a very different style and choice of language from one in a student magazine. It may be appropriate to use headings for the various sections in an article; whether this is done or not, the article needs to be well planned and paragraphed. Reading and discussing a range of articles from a variety of publications will be useful preparation here. AN ESSAY is usually written for a teacher. It should be well organised, with an introduction, clear development and an appropriate conclusion. The question specifies what particular aspects of the book (development of character or significance of events) should form the content of the essay. Essays (only used for set text questions) may be united by a central idea which provides a point and purpose to the writing, so they need careful planning. Students should be encouraged to practise organising the points they wish to make and the textual references that will support these points in order to write a clearly structured essay with a suitable introduction, development and conclusion. A LETTER is written in response to the situation outlined in the question. Letters in the CPE Writing paper will require a response which is consistently appropriate for the specified target reader, and candidates can except to be asked to write letters to, for example, the editor of a newspaper or magazine, to the director of an international company, or to a school or college principal. A letter to a newspaper or magazine may well include a narrative element which details personal experience; other letters may be more concerned with giving factual information. It is important that a letter begins and ends appropriately: it may be appropriate at the beginning to explain the reason for writing, and the letter should have a suitable conclusion. Students should be encouraged to read and discuss letters in newspapers and magazines as this may help make them aware of the style of writing required. A PROPOSAL has a similar audience and format to a report. Whereas the focus of a report is on something that has already happened, a proposal is concerned with some future event or decision. A question of this type requires the candidate to put forward suggestions or make recommendations for discussion or for action. The objective or aim of the proposal will be specified in the question; the candidate s task will be to provide suggestions about how to achieve the desired outcome, and to do this in a suitably persuasive way. An example of a proposal would be a bid for funds for a project defined in the task, and would entail outlining the way the funds would be spent, the benefits which would accrue, and the way progress would be monitored and evaluated if the bid were to be successful. Proposals should be well structured with clear sections. A proposal (not used for set text questions) needs a very clear structure and should be organised in clear sections. As with a report, the purpose, the target reader and the role of the writer must be identified. Students should be given practice in using section headings and in writing clear conclusions. Students should also be given opportunities to gain experience in using the language commonly used in proposals, for example the language of describing, analysing, justifying and persuading. cpe handbook for teachers paper 2: writing 21

25 Task types in the CPE Writing paper Preparation A REPORT is written for a specified audience. This may be a superior, for example, a boss at work, or members of a peer group, colleagues or fellow class members. The question identifies the subject of the report and specifies the areas to be covered. The content of a report is mainly factual and draws on the prompt material, but there will be scope for candidates to make use of their own ideas and experience. The purpose of the report must be identified so that the correct information can be selected; establishing the identity of the target reader will ensure that a suitable style and choice of language is used. It is also important for students to read the context carefully to identify their role as writer. A report should be well organised and clearly arranged in sections. Students should be given practice in achieving this, perhaps by using section headings and they should also be given practice in writing an effective conclusion. Students should also be encouraged to develop an awareness of the language commonly used in reports, for example the language of describing, comparing, analysing and making recommendations. A REVIEW may be about a book, magazine, film, play, or concert, but it may also be about, for example, a restaurant, hotel, or perhaps an exhibition. The target reader is specified in the question, so the candidate knows not only what register is appropriate, but also has an idea about the kind of information to include. A review does not merely require a general description of, for example, an event or publication, but it specifies the particular aspects to be considered. For example, the review may employ narrative, as well as descriptive and evaluative language, and a range of vocabulary relating, for example, to literature and the media such as cinema or TV. In order to become familiar with what is required of a review, students should read and discuss a range of reviews such as can be found in various magazines and newspapers. The language appropriate to a review will include, for example, language for describing, narrating and evaluating and students should try to extend their vocabulary to include that related to literature and the media. SET TEXT questions may be articles, essays, letters, reports or reviews. Set texts may give rise to useful and stimulating classroom work and discussion. Candidates who choose these questions will be expected to have a good knowledge of the text, or the film version, and to be able to deal with the themes and ideas of the chosen text. Credit will be given for task achievement and language competence; candidates are not expected to demonstrate skill in literary analysis. They are expected, however, to read the question carefully and to address the requirements of the task while clearly referring to specific events or characters from the set text. Useful preparation for these questions may be to consider themes which run through the text and then identify events or characters that exemplify these. Students should be made aware that merely reproducing, for instance, a summary of a novel s plot or outlining its principal message will not provide a successful answer, and that their statements and opinions must be clearly supported by evidence from the text. These indications of readership and purpose are not comprehensive, but are intended to give some guidelines to the different task types. It must be stressed that specialised writing skills are not expected of candidates at this level. 22 cpe handbook for teachers paper 2: writing

26 PAPER 2: WRITING Part 1 cpe handbook for teachers paper 2: writing sample paper 23

27 PAPER 2: WRITING Part 2 24 cpe handbook for teachers paper 2: writing sample paper

28 Assessment Candidates answers are assessed with reference to two mark schemes: one based on the examiner s overall impression (the General Mark Scheme), the other on the requirements of the particular task (the Task Specific Mark Scheme). The General Mark Scheme summarises the content, organisation and cohesion, range of structures and vocabulary, register and format, and target reader indicated in the task. The Task Specific Mark Scheme focuses on criteria specific to each particular task. Examples of candidate responses, together with the Task Specific Mark Schemes, can be found on pages Candidates are penalised for dealing inadequately with the requirements of the Task Specific Mark Scheme. The accuracy of language, including spelling and punctuation, is assessed on the general impression scale for all tasks. Marking The panel of examiners is divided into small teams, each with a very experienced examiner as Team Leader. A Principal Examiner guides and monitors the marking process, beginning with a meeting of the Principal Examiner for the paper and the Team Leaders. This is held immediately after the examination and begins the process of establishing a common standard of assessment by the selection and marking of sample scripts for all the questions in the Writing paper. These are chosen to demonstrate the range of responses and different levels of competence. Examiners discuss these Task Specific and General Mark Schemes during the meeting and refer to them regularly while they are working. Paragraphing This is a function of organisation and format. The Task Specific Mark Scheme will give an indication to examiners of what is expected. Handwriting If handwriting interferes with communication without preventing it, the candidate will be penalised. Totally illegible scripts receive 0. Irrelevance The examiners first priority is to give credit for the candidates efforts at communication, but candidates are penalised for inclusion of content irrelevant to the task set. Set reading texts In question 5, the examiners are looking for evidence that candidates have read and understood a set text, or seen the film version, and are able to provide evidence of this in the form of illustrated description and discussion. Assessment is based, as for the other tasks, on control of language in fulfilling the task set, and also requires explicit reference to the chosen text. Candidates should not attempt these tasks without having prepared the texts thoroughly. During marking, each examiner is apportioned scripts chosen on a random basis from the whole entry. A rigorous process of co-ordination and checking is carried out before, during and after the marking process. The CPE General Mark Scheme is interpreted at Council of Europe Level C2. A summary of the General Mark Scheme is given on page 26. Trained examiners, who are co-ordinated prior to each examination session, work with a more detailed version, which is subject to updating. Length Writing approximately the correct length of text is an integral part of task achievement. Significantly fewer words are likely to mean that the task has not been completed, whereas overlong pieces of writing may involve irrelevance or have a negative effect on the target reader. If this is the case, overlength responses will be penalised. Spelling and punctuation These are important aspects of accuracy and are always taken into account. American spelling and usage is acceptable (see page 3 Varieties of English). cpe handbook for teachers paper 2: writing assessment 25

29 CPE General Mark Scheme BAND 5 Outstanding realisation of the task set: Sophisticated use of an extensive range of vocabulary, collocation and expression, entirely appropriate to the task set Effective use of stylistic devices; register and format wholly appropriate Impressive use of a wide range of structures Skilfully organised and coherent Excellent development of topic Minimal error Impresses the reader and has a very positive effect. BAND 4 Good realisation of the task set: Fluent and natural use of a wide range of vocabulary, collocation and expression, successfully meeting the requirements of the task set Good use of stylistic devices; register and format appropriate Competent use of a wide range of structures Well organised and coherent Good development of topic Minor and unobtrusive errors Has a positive effect on the reader. BAND 3 Satisfactory realisation of the task set: Reasonably fluent and natural use of a range of vocabulary and expression, adequate to the task set Evidence of stylistic devices; register and format generally appropriate Adequate range of structures Clearly organised and generally coherent Adequate coverage of topic Some non-impeding errors Achieves the desired effect on the reader. BAND 2 Inadequate attempt at the task set: Limited and/or inaccurate range of vocabulary and expression Little evidence of stylistic devices; some attempt at register and format Inadequate range of structures Some attempt at organisation, but lacks coherence Inadequate development of topic A number of errors, which sometimes impede communication Has a negative effect on the reader. BAND 1 Poor attempt at the task set: Severely limited and inaccurate range of vocabulary and expression No evidence of stylistic devices; little or no attempt at register and format Lack of structural range Poorly organised, leading to incoherence Little relevance to topic, and/or too short Numerous errors, which distract and often impede communication Has a very negative effect on the reader. BAND 0 Negligible or no attempt at the task set: Totally incomprehensible due to serious error Totally irrelevant Insufficient language to assess (fewer than 20% of the required number of words) Totally illegible. 26 cpe handbook for teachers paper 2: writing assessment

30 Cambridge ESOL Common Scale for Writing The Cambridge ESOL Common Scale for Writing has been developed to allow users to: interpret levels of performance in the Cambridge tests from beginner to advanced identify typical performance qualities at particular levels locate performance in one examination against performance in another. The Common Scale is designed to be useful to test candidates and other test users (e.g. admissions officers or employers). The description at each level of the Common Scale is not intended as a specification for the test content, but rather aims to provide a brief, general description of the nature of written language ability at a particular level in real-world contexts. In this way the wording offers an easily understandable description of performance which can be used, for example, in specifying requirements to language trainers, formulating job descriptions and specifying language requirements for new posts. LEVEL C2 MASTERY CERTIFICATE OF PROFICIENCY IN ENGLISH: Fully operational command of the written language Can write on a very wide range of topics. Is able to engage the reader by effectively exploiting stylistic devices such as sentence length, variety and appropriacy of vocabulary, word order, idiom and humour. Can write with only very rare inaccuracies of grammar or vocabulary. Is able to write at length organising ideas effectively. LEVEL C1 EFFECTIVE OPERATIONAL PROFICIENCY CERTIFICATE IN ADVANCED ENGLISH: Good operational command of the written language Can write on most topics. Is able to engage the reader by using stylistic devices such as sentence length, variety and appropriacy of vocabulary, word order, idiom and humour, though not always appropriately. Can communicate effectively with only occasional inaccuracies of grammar and vocabulary. Is able to construct extended stretches of discourse using accurate and mainly appropriate complex language which is organisationally sound. LEVEL B2 VANTAGE FIRST CERTIFICATE IN ENGLISH: Generally effective command of the written language Can write on familiar topics. Shows some ability to use stylistic devices such as variety and appropriacy of vocabulary and idiom, though not always appropriately. Can communicate clearly using extended stretches of discourse and some complex language despite some inaccuracies of grammar and vocabulary. Can organise extended writing which is generally coherent. LEVEL B1 THRESHOLD PRELIMINARY ENGLISH TEST: Limited but effective command of the written language Can write on most familiar and predictable topics. Can communicate clearly using longer stretches of discourse and simple language despite relatively frequent inaccuracies of grammar or vocabulary. Can organise writing to a limited extent. LEVEL A2 WAYSTAGE KEY ENGLISH TEST: Basic command of the written language Can write short basic messages on very familiar or highly predictable topics possibly using rehearsed or fixed expressions. May find it difficult to communicate the message because of frequent inaccuracies of grammar or vocabulary. cpe handbook for teachers paper 2: writing assessment 27

31 PAPER 2: WRITING Question 1 (sample script) Sample script with examiner comments QUESTION 1: CANDIDATE A Content For a Band 3 or above, the proposal must give information about: which famous person should open the centre what activities would make the event memorable how the college would benefit from the open day in the future. Organisation and cohesion Clearly organised proposal, possibly with headings. Suitable introduction and conclusion. Appropriacy of register and format Register consistently appropriate for proposal for College Principal. Range Language for: discussing evaluating recommending. Target reader Would understand what is being proposed and the benefits to the college for the future. Candidate A Examiner comments PROPOSAL To: The Principal of the college From: <name>, student of the college Subject: How the open day of the college s new centre should be organised to best promote the work of the college Date: 3 December, 2006 Introduction As requested by the college, I am submitting the following proposal on how the open day of the college s new centre, consisting of a computer room, a recreation area and a sports hall, should be organised to best promote the work of the college. So, in order to achieve this aim, it would be wise to consider which famous person to invite to open the centre or what activities to organise to make the event partticularly memorable and how the college will benefit from this open day in the future. Famous person to invite To start with, we should consider seriously the possibility of inviting to open the centre the most renowned persons in their fields: firstly, Bill Gage, who is the owner of Microsoft and the richest person in the whole world, and secondly, the best football player ever, David Beckham! Undoubtedly, it would be a great honour for our college to open officially the computer room such a guest like Bill Gage, who is the first man worldwide to create the pattent of Microsoft Windows that all people use in their computers. Also, who else could open our sports hall if not David Beckham who, because of his successful career as a football player, is admired from all people and especially youths. Activities to make the event memorable A god idea (so as) to make the event memorable is to organise a lecture in which the two special guests will talk about the world of (the) computers and football and thus stress the idea of how important it is for a college to have a computer room, a sports hall and a recreation area. Another idea would be to show from a videowall various football, basketball or even volleyball matches and of course pictures that have to do with computers, in general. We could, as well take cuttings from newspapers that show pictures pertaining to sports and multimedia. Thus, all the students of our college will remember the inportance of this day for ever. Benefit from this open day in the future Undisputably, this open day will be of benefit to the college in the future on the grounds that from this day all students can have access in computers and multimedia, in sports and they will have a recreation area, too. In this way, the college will organise sports events or other events that have to do with computers a fact that will allow it to distinguish among other colleges. Conclusion Having considered the various options, I believe that in my proposal is the best way of organising the open day of our college s new centre to best promote the work of the college and I therefore trust that you will give it due consideration. Content Excellent development of topic. Organisation and cohesion Well organised and coherent. Range A wide range. Accuracy Some non-impeding errors. Appropriacy of register and format Wholly appropriate. Target reader Positive effect. Marks awarded Band cpe handbook for teachers paper 2: writing sample scripts with examiner comments

32 PAPER 2: WRITING Question 1 (sample script) Sample script with examiner comments QUESTION 1: CANDIDATE B Content For a Band 3 or above, the proposal must give information about: which famous person should open the centre what activities would make the event memorable how the college would benefit from the open day in the future. Organisation and cohesion Clearly organised proposal, possibly with headings. Suitable introduction and conclusion. Appropriacy of register and format Register consistently appropriate for proposal for College Principal. Range Language for: discussing evaluating recommending. Target reader Would understand what is being proposed and the benefits to the college for the future. Candidate B Examiner comments When new facilities are been building is always a good oportunity to reestablish our view about the targets of education. Education is not only the way to knoledge but also to help the students to develop their own skills and abilities. That it would be the message tha we have to dispach during the opening day. For these reasons I will recomment some activities that would help us to reach our target. First of all, it would be great to invite some famous persons that have passed from college as students during the previous years. They can have speech about the differences between their times and now regarding the new infrastracture. Because of being famous they will surely make influence to the youngsters. A second proposal it would be, to held social activity in every single domain inside the new center. For example, it would be great to organise a web conferance to demonstrate the abilities of the computer room, or to held a LAN party with online games. As for the recreation area it would be nice to organise an exposition of paintings or sculptures that students draw or build. That it would be a message about the new leasure or creative activities that they wold take place from now on at the new recreation facility. As for the sports hall it would be most reasonable to establish a common game cup such as basketball umong other colleges and this cup to be held annualy, so to remind every one the days that this new center open its gates. All the activities that i mention above, of course, would be accompanied with soft drinks, food and music. It is party so that the way it should be. The college from these new buildings will raise its status, so it will bring higher level students during the years to come. Furthermore, it can be a pole for the locals people and not only for the students. Every new attempt for the benefit of the students is welcome. Content Poor attempt at task. Organisation and cohesion Attempt at organisation and cohesion but lacks appropriate introduction and conclusion. Range Limited range. Accuracy Numerous errors, which distract and often impede. Appropriacy of register and format Attempt at appropriate register and format. Target reader Very negative effect. Marks awarded Band 1. cpe handbook for teachers paper 2: writing sample scripts with examiner comments 29

33 PAPER 2: WRITING Question 2 (sample script) Sample script with examiner comments QUESTION 2: CANDIDATE C Content For a Band 3 or above, the article must: briefly describe the object narrate its interesting/unusual history. Organisation and cohesion Clear development of ideas. Appropriate use of paragraphing and linking. Appropriacy of register and format Consistently appropriate for an article in a magazine. Range Language for: describing narrating explaining. Target reader Would be informed about the writer s possession and how they came to own it. Candidate C Examiner comments I have to admit that through my life I haven t been an ardent fan of what we call destiny. I always believed that we are the ones who make our destiny, but I guess life at times proves me wrong. That s what happened several years ago, when I was still in high school. As we all know high-school kids become almost obsessed at the beginning of every school year. They always try to find the best bags and accessories that will make the drudgery of the new school year a little bit more pleasant. Like every kid, I set out with my mother on Saturday morning to discover and buy my new school bag. And just about we were ready to give up, as we had been in every single store and I still hadn t found the one, there it was. A brown leather bag, very simple, but I was sure that this would be the bag I would keep for the rest of my time at school. Of course it was very expensive and we didn t have all the money required so I would have to come back and get it on Monday noon. To my great disappointment the one and only piece was sold, when I came back on Monday, and to my greater disappointment I notices during the week that a girl from my new class was holding it. And here it is that fate enters. During the year I ended up spending very much time with that girl and before the school year ended we had become inseparable. Towards the end of the year I confessed to her that I wanted her bag desperately in the beginning. So during the summer, when it was my birthday, she gave it to me as a present, saying that our friendship was more important than the bag. Content Good development of topic. Organisation and cohesion Very well organised and coherent. Range Wide range. Accuracy Minor and unobtrusive errors. Appropriacy of register and format Entirely appropriate. Target reader Positive effect. Marks awarded Band 4. Today I still have in my life both the bag and my best friend. Of course I don t use that bag anymore, since I m not at school, but it also became a symbol of our friendship, and not just my favourite bag. 30 cpe handbook for teachers paper 2: writing sample scripts with examiner comments

34 PAPER 2: WRITING Question 3 (sample script) Sample script with examiner comments QUESTION 3: CANDIDATE D Content For a Band 3 or above, the review must: identify the novel and describe the use of local landscape, buildings and characters comment on the effectiveness of the descriptions. Organisation and cohesion Clear development of ideas. Appropriate use of linking and paragraphing. Appropriacy of register and format Consistently appropriate for a review in a newspaper. Range Language for: describing narrating evaluating. Target reader Would be informed about the novel and the writer s view of it. Candidate D Examiner comments Everybody who has lived in Athens during the past 30 years could relate to John Armstrong s new novel City Days. By means of a simple storyline, concerning the adventures of six friends growing up together in the city centre, the writer manages to show Athens evolution during the years The fact that John Armstrong is not Greek has no effect on his perception of Athens, since he has lived here for more than 20 years. All of the city centre s areas, including Syntagma, Omonoia and Plaka, are described almost exactly as they are or have been. It is obvious that he was careful not to give misleading information about them and that he has studied the city s history, including its architectural styles during the past three decades, since all of the characteristic buildings in Athens are presented, and all other buildings described do or could exist, and the changes that it has gone through. Even the landscapes look familiar to an Athens resident like me. I have often had the feeling that I knew where a place described was, even if its name was not mentioned. The novel s only weak point is the description of its characters. While the main six characters, especially George, the protagonist, are ordinary people, good examples of how Greek youth thought and felt at the time, secondary ones are not given as much attention. The writer tends to follow the clichés that have been established concerning Greeks, describing almost all of them as good-natured but lazy and not serious people. That is partially true, but during the post-dictatory years Greeks were not like that, especially the capital s residents. They used to think a lot and were no longer passive. By making this mistake the writer fails to capture that age s spirit. Content Excellent development of topic. Organisation and cohesion Skilfully organised and coherent. Range Extensive range. Accuracy Minimal error. Appropriacy of register and format Wholly appropriate. Target reader Impresses the reader and has a very positive effect. Marks awarded Band 5. Despite its disadvantages, though, the novel is totally worth reading. I was really moved while reading it, perhaps because of personal experiences and my bond to the place. To sum up, this novel accomplishes its main purpose; to show that, despite its chaos, the difficulties it poses and the problems it causes, one can t help loving Athens. I do, and the writer does, too. cpe handbook for teachers paper 2: writing sample scripts with examiner comments 31

35 PAPER 2: WRITING Question 4 (sample script) Sample script with examiner comments QUESTION 4: CANDIDATE E Content For a Band 3 or above, the letter must: identify a restaurant describe the quality of its food, service and atmosphere explain how the restaurant has attracted a wide range of customers. Organisation and cohesion Early explanation for reason for writing. Clearly organised ideas. Appropriate conclusion. Appropriacy of register and format Consistently appropriate for a letter to a newspaper. Range Language for: describing explaining recommending. Target reader Would understand why the writer thinks the restaurant should be nominated. Candidate E Examiner comments Sir or Madam I am writing this letter as an invitation from your newspaper to readers to propose a restaurant for the competition Restaurant of the year. The restaurant which I would like to proposed, called Food Company and it is in the centre of Athens. This place has been my favourite since I was a university student and I believe then when you will read my letter you will understand the reason. To being with, I would like to say that my taste in food is quite strange that is why it is difficult for me to find a restaurant which I really like. Food Company is the ideal place. For me, as it cater to all the different tastes of food. You can find traditionall greec recipes but also a great variety of Italian pasta. And the best of all is that although I am a vegeterian, it is not difficult to find interesting dishes without meat and not only boring salads as it happens in other restaurants. Don t forget to mention that the dishes are delicious as if your mother was cooking. Another factor which also it is important for me in a restaurant is the atmosphere and of course the service. Food Company is a friendly place with a lovely decoration which attract your impression from the first moment. For me and my company is the best choice for cold nights and as we enjoy having a dinner and listening to jazz, as Food Company loves this kind of music. In connection with the service you should know that the stuff is always ready to propose a dish and they are always at your disposal. Finally, as the prices are extremely low, you can meet university students but also doctors, artists and generally different types of people. This is, I believe, a great advantage of this restaurant as it creates the impression of small society in the centre of the town. To conclude, I would not hesitate to recommend Food Company as the best choice for your readers to enjoy a delicious dinner. I hope my letter will be of interest to you and I am looking forward to see it in print. Yours faithfull Content Good development of the topic. Organisation and cohesion Well organised and coherent. Range Wide range. Accuracy Some non-impeding errors. Appropriacy of register and format Appropriate. Target reader Achieves the desired effect. Marks awarded Band cpe handbook for teachers paper 2: writing sample scripts with examiner comments

36 PAPER 2: WRITING Question 5(b) (sample script) Sample script with examiner comments QUESTION 5(B): CANDIDATE F Content For a Band 3 or above, the letter must: explain and describe how human nature triumphs in a desperate situation recommend Bel Canto. Answer must be supported by reference to the text. The following are possible references: The desperate situation the kidnap attempt fails because the President is not at the party a siege situation develops the women, except Roxane, have been freed, so husbands/wives separated the Generals are intransigent, and refuse to surrender even when told none of their demands will be met. Finding joy and happiness hostages and hostage-takers all enjoy the music everyone takes pleasure in being in the garden running, playing football, gardening younger hostage-takers enjoy television Cesar is taught to sing by Roxane General Benjamin plays chess with Mr Hosokawa Ruben enjoys looking after his house and making people as comfortable as possible he gives antibiotics to General Benjamin relationships develop Mr Hosokawa and Roxane, Gen and Carmen, Ruben and Ishmael whom he plans to adopt. Organisation and cohesion Appropriate introduction and conclusion. Well-organised ideas. Effective use of paragraphs. Appropriacy of register and format Register consistently appropriate for a letter to the local librarian. Range Language for: describing narrating explaining recommending. Target reader Would understand how the characters are able to find joy and happiness in a desperate situation, and be able to judge whether the book is suitable for the reading list. Candidate F Examiner comments Dear Sir/Madam I am writing in response to your request for recommendation of books to be added to your reading list on the theme of The Triumph of the Human Spirit. Having recently read BEL CANTO by Ann Patchett I would strongly recommend this book be added to the list. BEL CANTO is the novel of great passion, where love, music and languages are main themes. Being captured in the host country (poor Latinoamerican country) the hostages build a close relationship with terrorists and the drama begins. Roxanne Coss, a soprano diva, holds everyone together with her magnificent singing, her amazing voice, and is admired by terrorists as much as by the hostages. Gen, Mr Hosokawa s translator, becomes a bridge between hostages and terrorists and the outside world. He is a great example of how people in desperation become close, form a very strong connection and find happiness in most unexpected way. Content Good realisation of the task. Organisation and cohesion Well organised and coherent. Range Wide range. Accuracy Minor and unobtrusive. Appropriacy of register and format Appropriate. Target reader Has a positive effect. Marks awarded Band 4. cpe handbook for teachers paper 2: writing sample scripts with examiner comments 33

37 PAPER 2: WRITING Question 5(b) (sample script, continued) Sample script with examiner comments QUESTION 5(B): CANDIDATE F (CONTINUED) His love for Carmen, a terrorist girl, is pure and passionate, something he never experienced in his life before. Ruben Iglesias, the Vice president of the country, now hostage in his own house, finds happiness and joy in spending time with Ishmael, the terrorist boy, and the bond between them is so strong that he is considering of adopting him once they are released. All the terrorist are killed at the end of the novel and such a strong ending breaks up the almost idyllic world of love and happiness where hostages and terrorists live together. Bel Canto has brought together the most unusual characters under one roof. I am looking forward to reading most of the books recommended by other readers and do hope that some of them will enjoy BEL CANTO as much as I did. Yours faithfully 34 cpe handbook for teachers paper 2: writing sample scripts with examiner comments

38 PAPER 3 USE OF ENGLISH GENERAL DESCRIPTION STRUCTURE AND TASKS Paper format Timing No. of parts 5. The paper contains five parts. No. of questions 44. Task types Answer format Marks 1 hour 30 minutes. Open cloze, word formation, gapped sentences, sentence transformations, comprehension questions and summary writing task. Candidates write their answers on two answer sheets. They may write on the question paper, but they must transfer answers to the separate answer sheet within the time limit. For Parts 1, 2 and 3, candidates write their answers in capital letters in the spaces provided on Answer Sheet 1. For Parts 4 and 5, candidates write on Answer Sheet 2 and capital letters are not required. Parts 1 and 2 each correct answer receives 1 mark. Part 3 each correct answer receives 2 marks. Part 4 each correct answer receives up to 2 marks. Part 5 questions 40 43, each correct answer receives 2 marks. For question 44, there are 14 marks available: up to 4 marks may be awarded for content and up to 10 marks for summary writing skills. PART 1 Task type and focus Format No. of Qs 15. PART 2 Task type and focus Format No. of Qs 10. PART 3 Task type and focus Format No. of Qs 6. PART 4 Task type and focus Format No. of Qs 8. PART 5 Task type and focus Format Open cloze. Emphasis on grammar and vocabulary. A modified cloze test containing 15 gaps. Word formation. Emphasis on vocabulary. A text containing 10 gaps. Each gap corresponds to a word. The stems of the missing words are given beside the text and must be changed to form the missing word. Gapped sentences. Emphasis on vocabulary. Questions are made up of three discrete sentences. Each sentence contains one gap. The gapped word is common to the three sentences. Candidates must write one word which is appropriate in all three sentences. Key word transformations. Emphasis on grammar and vocabulary. 8 discrete items with a lead-in sentence and a gapped response to complete in 3 8 words including a given key word. Comprehension questions and summary writing task. The focus of the questions is on awareness of the use of language (recognising and understanding the force of lexical items, rhetorical and stylistic devices and referencing). The focus of the summary is on information selection, linking and sentence construction. Two texts with two questions on each text. The summary task requires selection of relevant information from both texts. No. of Qs 4. 1 summary writing task. cpe handbook for teachers paper 3: use of english 35

39 The five parts of the Use of English paper PART 1 OPEN CLOZE In this part, the focus of the gapped words is grammatical or lexico-grammatical. Sample task and answer key: pages 40 and 44. Each correct answer in Part 1 receives 1 mark. Part 1 is a modified cloze text containing 15 gaps plus one example. Candidates are required to draw on their knowledge of the structure of the language and understanding of the text in order to fill the gaps. A single word is needed to fill each gap never a phrase or contraction. There may be more than one acceptable word for a gap, defined by the mark scheme. Candidates must write their answers in capital letters on Answer Sheet 1. PART 2 WORD FORMATION PART 4 KEY WORD TRANSFORMATIONS In this part, the focus is on grammar and vocabulary. Sample task and answer key: pages 42 and 44. Each correct answer in Part 4 receives up to 2 marks. Part 4 consists of eight key word transformations, plus one example. Each question contains three parts: a lead-in sentence, a key word and a second response sentence of which only the beginning and end are given. Candidates have to fill the gap in the second sentence so that it is similar in meaning to the lead-in sentence. Candidates are required to manipulate structures and lexical phrases in their answer, e.g. a verb in the given sentence might need to be changed to a noun. They can use between three and eight words including the given key word. The key word must not be changed in any way and candidates must write their answers on Answer Sheet 2. PART 5 COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS AND SUMMARY WRITING TASK In this part, the focus is lexical (e.g. affixation, compounding). Sample task and answer key: pages 40 and 44. Each correct answer in Part 2 receives 1 mark. Part 2 is a word-building task, consisting of a text with 10 gaps plus one gap as an example. The types of word-building involve not just the addition of affixes (e.g. honest to dishonesty or person to impersonal ), but also internal changes (e.g. strong to strengthened ) and compounding (e.g. rain to raindrop or set to outset ). Any number of changes may be made to the stem word and candidates may be required to demonstrate understanding of the text beyond sentence level. Candidates must write their answers in capital letters on Answer Sheet 1. PART 3 GAPPED SENTENCES In this part, the focus is lexical (e.g. collocation, phrasal verbs, word combinations). Sample task and answer key: pages 41 and 44. Each correct answer in Part 3 receives 2 marks. The task in Part 3 aims to test candidates knowledge of lexical patterns, e.g. collocations and phrasal verbs. Part 3 consists of six questions; each question is made up of three discrete sentences. Each sentence contains one gap and candidates must supply a single word which is common to all three sentences. Candidates must write their answers in capital letters on Answer Sheet 1. In this part, the focus of the comprehension questions is on awareness of the use of language (recognising and understanding the force of lexical items, rhetorical and stylistic devices and referencing). The focus of the summary question is on information selection, linking and sentence construction. Sample task, answer key and mark scheme: pages 43 and 44. The four comprehension questions (40 43) each receive 2 marks. 14 marks are available for the summary question (44): up to 4 marks may be awarded for content and up to 10 marks for summary writing skills. Part 5 consists of two texts from different sources which represent different treatment of the same topic. Complete sentences are not required; some questions can be answered by a short phrase or a single word. Candidates must write their answers on Answer Sheet 2. Question 44, the summary task, tests candidates ability to select appropriate information from the two texts, and to organise it into a well-constructed and grammatically accurate summary of between 50 and 70 words. The paragraph must be written in complete sentences and should be in a formal/neutral register. All the information required is found in the texts and candidates are not expected to offer their own opinion. The task focus is on productive language, so texts will be well within the reading competence of candidates at this level. Candidates must write their answer on Answer Sheet 2. Details of the assessment of the summary writing task are given on page cpe handbook for teachers paper 3: use of english

40 Preparation General For all parts of the Use of English paper, students need to analyse language at both sentence and paragraph level, and to regard texts critically in order to develop sensitivity to, for example, word combinations, collocations and idioms. They also need to increase their awareness of appropriacy in the selection of language and to be able to analyse the use of modality and tenses. Encouraging students to read a wide variety of text types will help them develop their ability to understand the language system and how this system can be manipulated. There are four texts in the Use of English paper, which are largely contemporary and taken from journalistic, academic and literary sources. There is a title to the texts in Parts 1 and 2 of the paper. This is meant to give candidates an early idea of what to expect from the text, and to help them use their predictive reading skills. Encourage candidates to read through the whole of any text in the Use of English paper to have a clear idea of what it is about before they begin to answer any of the questions. Parts 1 4 of the test have an example at the beginning of each task, and candidates should be encouraged to read these examples carefully, to help them understand what they have to do. (They should not write the answer to the example on the separate answer sheets.) The amount of language candidates are required to produce in Parts 1 5 of the Use of English paper increases progressively from one-word answers to short phrases to a paragraph. Candidates should always write complete words in their answers and not use abbreviations (e.g. sthg for something ). Candidates may think that, for certain questions, more than one answer is possible. However, they should not give more than one answer on the separate answer sheets as they may lose marks if they do. This is because, if one answer is incorrect, they will not be awarded any marks. Candidates may write on the question paper during the examination, but their notes will not be marked. Candidates must complete two separate answer sheets for the Use of English paper, which are then marked and/or scanned. Candidates can either transfer their answers to the separate answer sheets as they complete each part of the test, or transfer all their answers at the end, but they must complete the transfer of answers within the time allowed for the Use of English paper (1 1 2 hours). Candidates should practise completing the answer sheets correctly and should always check that they have written the answer next to the appropriate question number. Candidates can complete the various parts of the test in any order, but it is probably better to do them in the order of the question paper to avoid the possibility of putting answers in the wrong sections of the answer sheets. Candidates should write in a soft pencil (B or HB) on the answer sheets. If they wish to change an answer, they should rub it out using an eraser and write the correct answer instead. If candidates cross out an answer instead of rubbing it out, they should do this clearly. It is not a good idea to alter the word itself, as this will make it unclear. Candidates should not put the word in brackets, as this may appear to be an alternative answer and they may lose marks. In Parts 1, 2, 3 and 4 all spellings must be correct; spelling and punctuation are important aspects of accuracy and will be taken into account in the assessment of the candidates writing skills. In Part 5 some minor misspellings are allowed, as long as the message is communicated. Encourage candidates to try to make their handwriting clear, so that it can be easily read by the markers. Encourage candidates to plan their time carefully and not spend too long on any one part of the test. They should also make sure that they have a few minutes at the end of the test to check through their answers. By part PART 1 Remind your students to treat the open cloze as a normal text, and to read the title and the whole text before attempting to fill in any gaps. This will help them to understand what the text is about, and make it easier for them to fill in the gaps. Emphasise that they should always keep in mind the meaning of the whole text when doing the task. Remind students that they should always read the complete sentence that contains the gap before deciding on their answer, and should always check for negatives, conditionals or structures that might put the opposite point of view. They may need to look for a referent (e.g. names; places; pronouns, he/they, etc.) in another part of the sentence and, in this case, they should make sure that the word they write in the gap agrees with the subject. Encourage students to pay particular attention to the words before and after the gap, as they may form part of a collocation that is completed by the missing word. Remind students that they must only use one word to fill in each gap, and they will not be expected to use a contraction (don t = do not) when these count as two words. If they are not sure of an answer, advise them to leave it blank and go on. Then, when they check their work after doing the task, they should read the whole text through again. This may give them the clue they need to fill in the word they are not sure of. In class, encourage students to note down and learn words and expressions in context, especially grammatical patterns and collocations. It is also useful if they mark collocations in texts that they read. Work on text organisation, particularly linkers and referents, is also useful for this part. cpe handbook for teachers paper 3: use of english 37

41 PART 2 As with all texts, candidates should read the title and the whole text before attempting to fill in any gaps. Remind students to read the whole sentence before they fill in the answer, as they may need to use the plural or negative form of the base word. To prepare for this part of the paper, help students to develop flexibility in the application of affixation and word formation. Make them aware of the range of words that can be formed from the same base word including the negative forms, e.g. friend friendship friendliness friendly befriend unfriendly. Remind them that they may also have to make internal changes to a word, e.g. strong strength. There can be any number of changes to a word, e.g. relate relationships; mercy mercifully. Use activities in class that help students to manipulate word forms such as word-building games. Encourage students to note down all parts of a new word when they come across it in a reading text and not just the base form. Suggest that students use a thesaurus to help them to extend their range of vocabulary, but remind them to check all new words in a dictionary as there may be differences not only in meaning but also how they are used. Remind students that many dictionaries give collocations and phrases with words. PART 3 Remind students that there will be more than one word that can fit each individual sentence, but there is only one word which fits the gap in all three sentences. This word must be the same part of speech in each gap. Suggest that students note all the possible words for the gap at the end of each individual sentence. This will show up the one word that fits all three sentences. Exercises which increase candidates awareness of the use of vocabulary in a range of contexts and with a range of meanings would be helpful in preparation for this task, e.g. Students can write their own sets of gapped sentences for each other, using a dictionary. They can start by only writing two sentences, to make the task easier in class. In class, put students in pairs and give each pair a set of five different words. They write a sentence for each word. They then exchange their words with another pair, and write sentences for the new words. Finally the two pairs compare their sentences and discuss the differences. These two activities promote awareness of words used in different contexts. Activities that provide practice in collocations are also useful for this part of the test, e.g. matching verbs to nouns make the bed. Always encourage students to note down new words in phrases, collocations or complete sentences. PART 4 Remind students that the answer must consist of three, four, five, six, seven or eight words. If they write more than eight words they will not be awarded the marks. Remind them that, as in Part 1, contractions (don t) count as two words (do not). Each transformation is divided into two parts, each worth one mark, so a candidate may score 0, 1 or 2 marks depending on the accuracy of the response. Candidates must use the key word in their answer and they must not change it in any way. If they do not use it or if they alter it, they will not be awarded the marks. When they write their answers on the answer sheet they should only write the words that are needed to fill the gap and not the whole sentence. Remind students to pay careful attention to the frame for the answer, especially any verb in the final part of the second sentence as it may indicate whether a verb in the gap should be singular or plural. They should also take particular note of the words immediately before and after the gap. In preparing for this part of the paper, give your students practice in paraphrase use. You could ask them to rewrite sentences from texts they have read, or rewrite sentences from their own or a partner s written work. You can also use tapescripts from listening activities; give students a paraphrase of a sentence and ask them to listen and identify the original. Remember to discuss whether the paraphrase has changed the register or style of the sentence. In speaking, ask them to paraphrase by saying, In other words. These activities will back up formal exam practice, and will also help students with the summary writing in Part 5. PART 5 To help students prepare for the comprehension questions, the following may be useful: Encourage students to read as widely as possible to help extend their range of vocabulary. Provide exercises which will help students to understand textual features such as the use of different words or phrases to refer to the same object or theme. Do exercises which encourage students to recognise ways in which texts are structured and organised at whole-text and sentence level, for example reassembling jumbled text or completing gapped texts. Give students practice in describing the meaning of a specific word or phrase in context. There are two steps students need to take when writing the summary: selecting and interpreting specific and key information from two texts presenting the relevant, key information in a coherent and concise manner with appropriate use of cohesive devices. 38 cpe handbook for teachers paper 3: use of english

42 Provide frequent practice in selecting specific information from a variety of texts to help students to find relevant information. Provide regular practice in presenting four points of information in words, to develop students ability to convey information concisely. Increase students awareness of linguistic devices which mark the development of a text by working with linking words and doing exercises where students have to combine sentences. If possible, find texts on similar topics, e.g. from different newspapers or internet articles, and ask students to note down the main points from each and discuss the differences between them. Remind students to use their own words and not to rely on lifting words from the text. Paraphrasing work suggested for Part 4 will also help them with this. Encourage students to read through their summary when they have written it, to check for overall coherence and for any irrelevant information. They should also check for spelling and grammatical mistakes. cpe handbook for teachers paper 3: use of english 39

43 PAPER 3: USE OF ENGLISH Parts 1 and 2 (Questions 1 25) 40 cpe handbook for teachers paper 3: use of english sample paper

44 PAPER 3: USE OF ENGLISH Part 3 (Questions 26 31) cpe handbook for teachers paper 3: use of english sample paper 41

45 PAPER 3: USE OF ENGLISH Part 4 (Questions 32 39) 42 cpe handbook for teachers paper 3: use of english sample paper

46 PAPER 3: USE OF ENGLISH Part 5 (Questions 40 44) cpe handbook for teachers paper 3: use of english sample paper 43

47 PAPER 3: USE OF ENGLISH Answer keys and mark scheme PART 1 1 if 2 first 3 far 4 whose 5 the 6 deal 7 to 8 in 9 out 10 way(s) 11 how 12 brought 13 Although/Though/While/Whilst 14 best 15 good PART 2 16 enlightened 17 intriguing 18 dismissed 19 insignificant 20 graphic/graphical 21 conception 22 outstanding 23 input 24 geographer 25 exemplify PART 3 26 free 27 call 28 keep 29 cut 30 tips 31 safe PART 4 32 gave me ][ her word 33 been (preying) on ][ my mind 34 (before) had the city (ever) seen/witnessed ][ such a(n) large/big/huge/major/enormous/great 35 would bring ][ the matter up/up the matter 36 (going/sure/certain) to close down/closing down ][ whether we like it 37 goes ][ without saying (that) 38 the first time ][ (that) Raymond has (ever) been beaten/defeated 39 highly unlikely/improbable ][ (that) the motorway plan will be PART 5 MARK SCHEME FOR QUESTIONS we use the names of flowers and fruit/natural objects/phenomena (to describe colours) 41 definitive 42 (meaning) of all things (yellow) 43 That blue was the last of the (major/primary colours) to be defined/named (in many languages) 44 These points draw on the language used in the texts. Students should be rewarded for effective re-wording in their summaries. i. Hitherto, such colours had been regarded merely as shades of red, yet so limited was their use that people managed to talk about them quite adequately without needing to be more precise. (acceptable paraphrase: It was not considered necessary to be precise about shades of colour). ii. Today s requirements are more complex (acceptable paraphrase: we now have more need to distinguish subtle variations in colour). iii. the myriad variations of blues and greens, reds and purples that modern chemistry has produced (acceptable paraphrase: technology has produced an increasing number of distinct colours in recent times). iv. difficult to obtain from natural sources, and planters and textile dyers throughout the ages have often found themselves at the mercy of what contemporary chemical technology could offer (acceptable paraphrase: some colours are more difficult to obtain from natural sources). v. our eyes sensitivity to different colours is weakest in the blue-violet part of the visible spectrum, so that a rich blue does not strike us with the same bright impact as a strong yellow or red. (acceptable paraphrase: eyes are more sensitive to some colours than others). 44 cpe handbook for teachers paper 3: use of english answer keys and mark scheme

48 Assessment of summary writing task CPE Summary Mark Scheme For question 44, an impression mark for summary skills is awarded using the Summary Mark Scheme on the right. Content points are separately assessed; see Part 5 Mark Scheme on page 44. The 10 marks for summary writing skills are divided into five bands, as described in the mark scheme, and candidates can be awarded one of two performance levels within each band. For example, in Band 4, 4.1 represents weaker performance, while 4.2 represents stronger performance within Band 4. Length 50 to 70 words are asked for. Candidates producing very short or long summaries will be penalised, as specified in the mark scheme. Spelling and punctuation These are important aspects of accuracy and must be taken into account. American spelling and usage is acceptable (see page 3: Varieties of English). Handwriting If handwriting interferes with communication, the candidate will be penalised. Totally illegible responses receive 0. Mark scheme for the summary task Note: This mark scheme is interpreted at CPE level. A separate mark scheme is used to assess content (see page 44). BAND 5 BAND 4 BAND 3 BAND 2 Outstanding realisation of the task set: Totally relevant Concise and totally coherent Skilfully organised, with effective use of linking devices Skilfully re-worded, where appropriate Minimal non-impeding errors, probably due to ambition Clearly informs and requires no effort on the part of the reader. Good realisation of the task set: Mostly relevant Concise and mostly coherent Well organised, with good use of linking devices Competently re-worded, where appropriate Occasional non-impeding errors Informs and requires minimal or no effort on the part of the reader. Satisfactory realisation of the task set: Generally relevant, with occasional digression Some attempt at concise writing and reasonably coherent Adequately organised, with some appropriate use of linking devices Adequately re-worded, where appropriate Some errors, mostly non-impeding Adequately informs, though may require some effort on the part of the reader. Inadequate attempt at the task set: Some irrelevance Little attempt at concise writing, so likely to be overlength and incoherent in places OR too short Some attempt at organisation, but only limited use of appropriate linking devices and may use inappropriate listing or note format Inadequately re-worded and/or inappropriate lifting A number of errors, which sometimes impede communication Partially informs, though requires considerable effort on the part of the reader. BAND 1 Poor attempt at the task set: Considerable irrelevance No attempt at concise writing, so likely to be seriously over-length and seriously incoherent OR far too short Poorly organised, with little or no use of appropriate linking devices and/or relies on listing or note format Poorly re-worded and/or over-reliance on lifting Numerous errors, which distract and impede communication Fails to inform and requires excessive effort on the part of the reader. BAND 0 Negligible or no attempt at the task set: Does not demonstrate summary skills Incomprehensible due to serious error Totally irrelevant Insufficient language to assess Totally illegible cpe handbook for teachers paper 3: use of english assessment 45

49 PAPER 3: USE OF ENGLISH Answer sheet 1 46 cpe handbook for teachers paper 3: use of english answer sheet 1

50 PAPER 3: USE OF ENGLISH Answer sheet 2 cpe handbook for teachers paper 3: use of english answer sheet 2 47

51 PAPER 3: USE OF ENGLISH Sample scripts Sample script with examiner comments Candidate A Some colours have not been for a long period in English. But there are some reasons for that. Firstly, they did not need to precise an object s colour as it s use was limited and people could understand each other without identifying the colour. Moreover, people had in their minds a specific shape wanted a specific name. They wanted the correct name. Secondly, the chemical technology helped painters and textile dyers to dye with contemporary colours. The last reason is in the eye s sensitivy. Ancient people could not easily recognise the difference between two colours as it did not strike them. Examiner comments The summary includes content points 1 and 5. There is some irrelevance and there are a number of errors which impede the reader s understanding. 2.2 Sample script with examiner comments Candidate B Before 17 th century, because some colours did not be used enough, people did not need to be more accurate when they refered to these colours. Nowadays the situation is more complex. Modern chemistry has produced many colours, which take their names after nature. Moreover, back in those days the chemical technology was not so developed. In addition to all these, human eye is not so sensitive to every kind of colour in the visible spectrum and for that reason some colours do not have the same bright influence like others. Examiner comments The summary includes content points 1, 2, 3 and 5. This is a good realisation of the task. It is well organised with good use of linking devices cpe handbook for teachers paper 3: use of english sample scripts with examiner comments

52 PAPER 3: USE OF ENGLISH Sample scripts Sample script with examiner comments Candidate C The reasons that explain why some colours have only been named in English more recetly are as follows: 1) some colours were considered as shades of the primary ones because of their rarity. 2) the variety of colours depends on the technological process. 3) some colours were in rare raw materials. 4) human vision is less sensitive in some parts of the visible spectrum. So the longestablished colour names in English are the names of the primary colours depending on the use of each one of them throughout English history Examiner comments The summary covers content points 1, 4 and 5 point 3 is not adequately made. This fails to make Band 3 due to limited use of appropriate linking and the irrelevance of the final sentence. 2.2 Sample script with examiner comments Candidate D In the first text the writer says that, in the past, there were colours that were not often found in people s discutions, so there wasn t a need to name them, and if there was, they were named as shades of other colours. In the second text the writer talks about a biological reason and he says that the eye isn t very sensitive in some colours, so people weren t interested in naming them. Examiner comments The summary covers content points 1 and 5. It is generally relevant, well organised and competently re-worded. 3.2 Sample script with examiner comments Candidate E In the first place, some colours had no definition as they were primarily described as shades of others. Moreover others remained unknown until lately because they couldn t be found from natural resources. Finally certain colours were not appreciated due to our eye s insensitivity towards some colours, in a way that a striking colour has a stronger impact on our eye. Examiner comments The summary covers content points 1, 4 and 5. It is concise and well organised with occasional non-impeding errors. 4.1 cpe handbook for teachers paper 3: use of english sample scripts with examiner comments 49

53 PAPER 4 LISTENING GENERAL DESCRIPTION STRUCTURE AND TASKS Paper format Timing No. of parts 4. No. of questions 28. Task types The paper contains four parts. Each part contains a recorded text or texts and corresponding comprehension tasks. Each part is heard twice. Approximately 40 minutes. Multiple choice, sentence completion, matching. PART 1 Task type and focus Format No. of Qs 8. Three-option multiple choice. Gist, detail, function, purpose, topic, speaker, addressee, feeling, attitude, opinion, etc. Four short unrelated texts lasting approximately 1 minute each, consisting of either monologues or exchanges between interacting speakers. There are two multiple-choice questions per text, each with three options. Text types Answer format Recording information Monologues, prompted monologues or interacting speakers: interviews, discussions, conversations, radio plays, talks, speeches, lectures, commentaries, documentaries, instructions. Candidates are advised to write their answers in the spaces provided on the question paper while listening. There will be 5 minutes at the end of the test to copy the answers onto the separate answer sheet. Candidates indicate their answers by shading the correct lozenges or writing the required letter, word or short phrase in a box on the answer sheet. The instructions for each task are given in the question paper, and are also heard on the recording.these instructions include the announcement of pauses of specified lengths, during which candidates can familiarise themselves with the task. A variety of voices, styles of delivery and accents will be heard in each Listening paper to reflect the various contexts presented in the recordings, as appropriate to the international contexts of the test takers. PART 2 Task type and focus Format No. of Qs 9. PART 3 Task type and focus Sentence completion. Specific information, stated opinion. A monologue or prompted monologue lasting 3 to 4 minutes. Four-option multiple choice. Opinion, gist, detail, inference. Format A text involving interacting speakers lasting 3 to 4 minutes. No. of Qs 5. PART 4 Task type and focus Three-way multiple matching. Candidates match statements on a text to either of two speakers or to both when they express agreement. Stated and non-stated opinion, agreement and disagreement. Format A text with interacting speakers lasting 2 to 3 minutes, in which opinions are exchanged and agreement or disagreement expressed. No. of Qs 6. Marks Each correct answer receives 1 mark. 50 cpe handbook for teachers paper 4: listening

54 The four parts of the Listening paper PART 1 MULTIPLE CHOICE This part tests candidates ability to listen for a variety of focuses. Sample task, tapescript and answer key: pages 53, 56 and 60. Each correct answer in Part 1 receives 1 mark. The eight questions in this part relate to four separate texts (two questions per text). The texts may be self contained or may be extracts from longer texts. The four texts are a mixture of monologues, prompted monologues and texts with interacting speakers. Candidates should read the introductory sentence carefully as this gives information which will help to contextualise what they will hear. Each question focuses on a different aspect of each text, for example: What is the speaker s attitude to those who complain? In the speaker s opinion, what explains the team s recent lack of success? What is the programme going to be about? What should you do if you want to enter the competition? PART 2 SENTENCE COMPLETION This part tests candidates ability to listen for specific words or phrases and produce written answers in response to the sentences. Sample task, tapescript and answer key: pages 54, 57 and 60. Each correct answer in Part 2 receives 1 mark. Candidates listen to a monologue or prompted monologue of an informative nature, aimed at a non-specialist audience. The nine questions in this part take the form of incomplete sentences. The candidates show their understanding of what they have heard by completing gaps in these sentences. Answers are short, generally in the form of single words or noun groups. They must be spelled correctly and must fit into the grammatical structure of the sentence. The questions follow the order of the information in the text and candidates write down the words that are heard on the recording. PART 3 MULTIPLE CHOICE This part tests candidates ability to listen for opinion, gist, detail and inference. Sample task, tapescript and answer key: pages 54, 58 and 60. Each correct answer in Part 3 receives 1 mark. Candidates listen to a text in which opinions and attitudes are expressed, both implicitly and explicitly. The five four-option multiple-choice questions in this part focus on detailed understanding of points raised. Questions follow the order of the information found in the text, but the final question may test global understanding of the text as a whole. PART 4 THREE-WAY MULTIPLE MATCHING This part tests candidates ability to listen for stated and non-stated opinion, agreement and disagreement. Sample task, tapescript and answer key: pages 55, 59 and 60. Each correct answer in Part 4 receives 1 mark. The six questions in this part relate to one text which is usually in the form of an informal discussion in which opinions about a topic are exchanged and agreement and disagreement are expressed. There are two main speakers, one male and one female to facilitate identification, although some texts may also feature a presenter s introduction and/or questions. A series of six statements summarises the main points raised in the text and forms the basis of a three-way matching task. Candidates are asked to match each statement to the speaker who expresses that view, or to indicate where speakers are in agreement. Recording information Each text is heard twice. Recordings will contain a variety of accents corresponding to standard variants of native speaker accents, and to non-native speaker accents that approximate to the norms of native speaker accents. Background sounds may be included before speaking begins to provide contextual information. Preparation General The best preparation for the Listening paper is exposure to, and engagement with, a wide range of spoken English, including a range of voices, accents and styles of delivery. News broadcasts, documentaries and discussions can be used as suitable texts, as can light entertainment and drama broadcast in English. Classroom discussion activities also provide an invaluable source of listening practice. Candidates should familiarise themselves with the format of the paper and the task types, which are always the same. It cpe handbook for teachers paper 4: listening 51

55 is helpful to work through a sample paper before the examination takes place and to have practice in completing the answer sheets. Students should listen to a range of text types and accents regularly. Build up students confidence in listening by grading listening tasks from easy to more challenging. Make students aware of how much they themselves bring to a listening task. For example, discuss with them what they expect to hear in a particular context. Students should practise listening to and reading the rubric so that they are sure they understand what they are listening for, and what they have to do. Remind students that they should use the time allowed before each part to read through the questions carefully, so that they know what to listen out for. As students listen to texts, encourage them to concentrate on what the speakers say, and to listen for both stated and implied attitudes and opinions, especially in Parts 1, 3 and 4. Train students to follow the questions through as they listen to a text so that they can locate the answer to each question. Encourage students to confirm their answers when they listen to each text for the second time. Students should get used to answering all the questions, even if they are not sure they have probably understood more than they think. By part PART 1 Candidates should be very wary of choosing an answer just because it contains a word or phrase which they hear on the recording. They should listen to the whole text carefully and then choose the answer. Similarly, they should not answer the question too soon, and perhaps jump to the wrong conclusion. Candidates can prepare for this part by listening to a range of short extracts of speech and concentrating on the main points of what they hear, as well as predicting the purpose of the text and the attitudes and opinions expressed. Working with the transcript, marking where the correct answer is located, can help candidates gain confidence in their listening skills. This could then be followed by discussion of the reasons for the distractors being wrong. PART 2 Tasks such as gap-filling exercises which focus on retrieving facts from an informative text will prepare students for this part. Candidates need to get into the habit of reading what is before and after the gap in the sentence so that they do not attempt to repeat information which is already in the sentence, and to check that what they have written fits into the grammatical structure of the sentence. Candidates should be discouraged from attempting to write long or complicated answers, the size of the boxes on the question paper and answer sheet serving as a guide to the length of expected responses. Remind students that they should write the actual word or words they hear. Remind students that they should write their answers clearly when they copy them onto the answer sheet, using capital letters if they are not sure about their handwriting. PART 3 Classroom preparation for this part could include at first focusing on the question and not the options. This encourages students to concentrate on the focus of the question and really listen to what the speaker says about this point. Students should listen carefully to locate where the answer to the question lies. You could ask students to raise their hands when they hear the cue (the first reference) for the next question. Summarising what the speaker(s) say is valuable practise for this part. It is useful for students to work with texts where opinions are stated indirectly rather than directly and to practise listening between the lines. If the answer to a question cannot be heard during the first listening, encourage students to mentally leave that point and refocus on the next question. The second listening allows students the opportunity to finalise their answers. PART 4 Students need exposure to a range of texts containing the type of language used between peers when discussing everyday topics of common interest. In addition to what is directly stated, candidates should have practice in recognising the role of stress and intonation in supporting meaning. Analysing spoken text to recognise how people agree and disagree will help students decide on Both answers. People do not always say something as obvious as Yes, that s right. Activities which encourage students to express their opinions, and agree and disagree with others, such as debates, are very useful practice. As candidates can write their answers on the question paper before transferring their answers to the mark sheet at the end of the test, it is good practice to write the letter of each speaker, as he or she expresses the opinion stated, on the question paper because it makes it easy to confirm whether both speakers agree or not. Remind students to listen carefully to check whether the speakers agree, as this will give a Both answer. 52 cpe handbook for teachers paper 4: listening

56 PAPER 4: LISTENING Part 1 (Questions 1 8) Part 1 You will hear four different extracts. For questions 1 8, choose the answer (A, B or C) which fits best according to what you hear. There are two questions for each extract. Extract One You hear a woman talking during a public debate on transport problems in the city of Oxford. 1 The speaker s purpose is A to propose alternative solutions. B to defend people s rights. C to change residents attitudes. 2 The speaker mentions Canterbury in order to emphasise A the basic defect in the proposals for Oxford. B the value of following an existing model. C the need for improved public transport in Oxford. Extract Two You hear a woman talking about her first job. 3 An incident during the early stages of her employment made the woman realise that her boss A was trying to establish authority over her. B did not command widespread respect. C lacked the most basic office skills. 4 How did the woman feel about her status as an employee? A disappointed that she did not have a permanent contract B unhappy that she was expected to work overtime C annoyed that she was not trusted to behave responsibly Extract Three You hear a radio programme in which two artists are discussing a plan to restore a famous painting. 5 What is the man s central argument against restoring the painting? A Trying to make the artist s intentions more visible is undesirable. B Everybody will interpret the restored painting in a different way. C Recreating an unfinished original involves too much guesswork. 6 The woman claims that nowadays much of a restorer s work is taken up with A removing signs of previous restoration to reveal the original. B cleaning the original rather than repainting any lost details. C trying to judge exactly how much of the original to retain. Extract Four You hear a man talking on the radio about a type of parachuting called skydiving. 7 He says that, on your first skydive it is difficult A to remember the trainer s safety rules. B to keep calm while waiting in the plane. C to overcome the urge for self-preservation. 8 In his opinion, what explains skydiving s lasting attraction? A the sensation of being suspended B the recurring feeling of excitement C the hazardous nature of the jumps Turn over cpe handbook for teachers paper 4: listening sample paper 53

57 PAPER 4: LISTENING Parts 2 and 3 (Questions 9 22) Part 2 You will hear part of a lecture on soap and its role in society. For questions 9 17, complete the sentences with a word or short phrase. Until recently, Morrison s soap was produced in rectangular bars of 9 and detergent. Manufacturers of soap were among the earliest to make up 10 for their products. In the days before mass production, the same kind of device was used by shopkeepers to cut blocks of soap and 11 According to the speaker, any claims linking soap with longer 12 are unfounded. In the past, the same piece of soap was used to clean items of 13 and clothing, as well as for personal use. Manufacturers of household cleaning products are careful to use the word 14 when talking about the fragrance of their goods. The speaker thinks that 15 smells may soon become fashionable. Soap marketing campaigns increasingly focus on the benefits of soap for both and 16 Thanks to a new marketing strategy, some kinds of soap are now being sold, as they used to be, without 17 Part 3 You will hear an interview with Jerry Davison, the owner of a chain of mobile-phone shops called Mobile Madness. For questions 18 22, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits best according to what you hear. 18 Jerry believes that the key to his business success at school was A being able to afford to buy his initial stock. B selling goods which other students needed. C finding someone whose talents he could use. D increasing the size of his market. 19 Jerry left the electrical retailer where he first worked because A he saw little prospect of career development. B he anticipated problems with the company's sales strategy. C a friend suggested that they should start a business. D his parents offered to pay for him to start a business. 20 According to Jerry, how is Mobile Madness different from its competitors? A It has a range of bargain offers. B It only recruits well-qualified staff. C It only stocks products from selected companies. D It gives impartial advice to its customers. 21 Why did Jerry ask the company's Public Relations Officer to leave? A She gave confidential information to the press. B Her work was unsatisfactory. C They had numerous disagreements. D Her salary demands were too high. 22 What does Jerry say is his goal in the near future? A to offer up-to-date products B to move into a different retail sector C to attract buyers for the company D to acquire other companies Turn over 54 cpe handbook for teachers paper 4: listening sample paper

58 PAPER 4: LISTENING Part 4 (Questions 23 28) Part 4 You will hear part of a discussion in which two friends, Tanja and Steve, are discussing a book they have each read recently. For questions 23 28, decide whether the opinions are expressed by only one of the speakers, or whether the speakers agree. Write T for Tanja, S for Steve, or B for Both, where they agree. 23 The storyline is the novel s strength A novelist s distance from the subject should not inhibit the writing The structure of the novel reinforces the theme The end of the book came as an anticlimax I preferred the author's first book I felt misled by the publicity. 28 cpe handbook for teachers paper 4: listening sample paper 55

59 PAPER 4: LISTENING Tapescript for Part 1 This is the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English Listening test. I m going to give you the instructions for this test. I ll introduce each part of the test and give you time to look at the questions. At the start of each piece you ll hear this sound: *** You ll hear each piece twice. Remember, while you re listening, write your answers on the question paper. You ll have 5 minutes at the end of the test to copy your answers onto the separate answer sheet. There ll now be a pause. Please ask any questions now, because you must not speak during the test. PAUSE 5 SECONDS Now open your question paper and look at Part 1. PAUSE 5 SECONDS You ll hear four different extracts. For questions 1 8, choose the answer (A, B, or C) which fits best according to what you hear. There are two questions for each extract. Extract one. PAUSE 15 SECONDS *** Thank you. I d like to say that there are all kinds of reasons why people may need to use their cars to get into the centre of Oxford and there are proposals currently about to be implemented by the city council which are actually going to make it virtually impossible for people in the east of the city, which is the majority of residents, to get into the city centre using their cars. And I know from knocking on countless doors, that many people, cyclists included, whom I ve spoken to are desperately opposed to this idea. Now, I used to live just outside Canterbury, and there the city centre has been successfully pedestrianised 25 years ago because the road layout makes it possible to pedestrianise the heart of the city, whilst at the same time allowing people to get very near the city centre in their cars, or on public transport for that matter. And in some cities it s possible, but in a city such as ours, the road layout makes it impossible to do that successfully. PAUSE 5 SECONDS REPEAT EXTRACT 1 PAUSE 2 SECONDS *** I ve been a self-employed journalist for 15 years. Before that, I started my working life in a publishing house. My immediate boss delighted in writing out letters in pencil and summoning me to type them out at the drop of a hat. I m afraid my response was rather insubordinate and surly if she had the time to write them out in long hand, why on earth didn t the woman just type them out herself in the first place? I guess it was my first introduction to office politics and hierarchy, and I didn t appreciate being put in my place. I d never been one for petty bureaucracy. Having to get the green light to take an hour off work to go to the dentist or use the office phone to call my bank felt like an insult to my integrity and dignity. If I got the work done, chose to stay on late, why should I demean myself with asking another adult permission to go about my basic business? Obviously, this attitude wasn t one that was going to guarantee life-long employment. PAUSE 5 SECONDS REPEAT EXTRACT 2 PAUSE 2 SECONDS Extract three. PAUSE 15 SECONDS *** *** Man: I m more than a little concerned that this museum intends to restore The Warring Gods painting. Can you, number one, restore an unfinished painting? What does it mean to make an unfinished painting intelligible? Because that is apparently the avowed goal of the restorer. How do you make something that was never intelligible, intelligible, as it were? We re dealing here with too many unknowns. And even if you wanted to do that, who s it to be intelligible for? Woman: Look, the whole ethics thing of being a restorer is that you do not put your personal views on to a painting. Everything is very professional absolute quantifiable analysis along with academic research, including the participation of art historians. This whole idea that we restorers are the... kind of... janitors, running around with a bottle of cleaner taking off the original paint is just baloney. Anyway, a lot of what s happened is that in the past there has been vast over-restoration through hundreds of years and often what a painting s restorer does is to try and undo that work, not tamper with the original. PAUSE 5 SECONDS Extract two. PAUSE 15 SECONDS REPEAT EXTRACT 3 *** *** PAUSE 2 SECONDS 56 cpe handbook for teachers paper 4: listening sample tapescript

60 PAPER 4: LISTENING Tapescript for Parts 1 and 2 Extract four. PAUSE 15 SECONDS *** The first time you go skydiving you don t jump alone. You re attached to an instructor and he ll deploy the parachute and ensure a safe landing. Time relentlessly ticks away; and it takes a good 20 minutes for the plane to reach jump height, and then you re another 3 minutes falling and that feels like an eternity. When the plane door opens, the wind rushes in. You waddle towards the door and it becomes a roar. With your toes over the edge, your head tells you this is absurd, and orders your body to walk back inside the plane. It s unreal; the ground looks like a scale model directly below. Then you re lying prostrate in the air with nothing around you, floating. Up and above, the plane s disappearing as if someone s pulling it up with a string, and the ground s approaching, slowly then fast. After a few times, skydiving loses its initial thrill, but the camaraderie with the other jumpers and the marvellous feeling from floating above the earth remain. The view s always intriguing as the perspective you get is so rare. PAUSE 5 SECONDS *** REPEAT EXTRACT 4 PAUSE 2 SECONDS That s the end of Part 1. Now turn to Part 2. PAUSE 5 SECONDS You ll hear part of a lecture on soap and its role in society. For questions 9 17, complete the sentences with a word or short phrase. You now have 45 seconds in which to look at Part 2. PAUSE 45 SECONDS *** Hello and welcome to Liverpool College. Liverpool is a very fitting place for this lecture on the social role of soap, for, as you probably know, the last bar of soap has just dropped off the production line at the nearby Morrison s factory, signalling an end to 114 years of those little oblong blocks of fat mixed up with various kinds of detergent. But fear not, the mass-produced block is merely being discontinued in favour of liquid versions shower gels, bodywashes and liquid soap in dispensers. The soap bar, you understand, has been deemed unhygienic. Liquid soap costs more, but no matter: soap is something on which we seem happy to spend, spend, spend. So how did we ever come to fall in love with soap? Over the past 100 years, soap has reflected the development of consumer culture. Some of the earliest brand names were given to soap, and it was one of the first mass-produced goods to be machine cut into standard size and packaged. This was revolutionary stuff, the customer was reassured of quality and quantity, and there was no need for the messy business of the grocer lopping off a slice of soap with a cheese wire. Thus, mass-production set up a direct relationship between manufacturer and consumer, bypassing the grocer. Soap is in some ways the ultimate demonstration of consumer capitalism. But the supremacy of soap is not as rational as we might believe. Soap has more to do with the imagination than with the health of our bodies. It s a widely held misconception that soap is good for us; in fact, it does little, if anything, for global health. Yes, the rise in the use of soap has coincided with improving life expectancy, a fact that some soap producers have been keen to point out, but that has been due to the availability of clean water and effective sewerage rather than anything to do with soap. So what is soap all to do with then? Well, we now have a cultural obsession with smelling nice. For something to be clean, it has to smell clean. The concept of cleanliness as a smell started with soap one bar was once used to wash everything from furniture to clothes and bodies. As soap has multiplied into dozens of specific cleaning products, from shampoo to fabric softener, so have the smells. Some have developed particular associations: after lemon became a staple of household cleaners, lemon soaps went out of fashion. Every corner of the well-kept house offers a symphony of elaborately constructed smells, all purporting to be natural. Producers know this sells and are anxious to claim it in their advertising. In fact, the smells are more often complex synthetic imitations owing everything to the art of industrial chemists. Tastes in soap have fragmented into different markets. There s been a move from utility to pampering yourself. Basically, soap is a cheap treat. The fragrance has shifted from strong florals to food smells, such as fruits, which are understood in the business as reassuring, reminding the consumer of their childhood. Presently, there s a move towards watery fragrances smells such as you get at the seaside or in melons or cucumbers. And herbal fragrances are my prediction as the next big thing. Another very significant development has been prompted by the dramatic expansion of the male cosmetics market. This has entailed a shift from the marketing people who are now refocusing on hygiene in the original sense of the word a sense of wellbeing of mind and body.the soap is sold around the idea that it is physically and emotionally therapeutic. cpe handbook for teachers paper 4: listening sample tapescript 57

61 PAPER 4: LISTENING Tapescript for Parts 2 and 3 There is no sign of packaging and it is sold in bars. Manufacturers have targeted new outlets such as sports shops, and I note with interest that soap is now not only once again being sold in health food shops, but is also made on the premises.truly the wheel has come full circle... [fade] PAUSE 10 SECONDS Now you ll hear Part 2 again. *** REPEAT PART 2 PAUSE 5 SECONDS That s the end of Part 2. Now turn to Part 3. PAUSE 5 SECONDS You ll hear an interview with Jerry Davison, the owner of a chain of mobile phone shops called Mobile Madness. For questions 18 22, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits best according to what you hear. You now have 1 minute in which to look at Part 3. PAUSE 60 SECONDS *** Int: In the 12 years since opening his first shop selling mobile phones, Jerry Davison has turned Mobile Madness into a major retail chain, and he s probably one of the most successful young entrepreneurs in Britain today. Jerry, welcome to the programme. JD: Thank you. Int : Is it true that you started your first business venture at school? JD: That s right. I sold fancy goods, like sunglasses and pens, which I bought in bulk through a small ad. It didn t cost much to get going: I bought a small stock, and sold it for double, so from then on the whole thing was selffinancing. School wasn t the ideal marketplace, of course, being restricted in size, and mostly short of the readies, at that. I soon realised that selling wasn t my forte, though, so I hired a schoolmate with the gift of the gab to do it. After that, everything just seemed to fall into place. He could sell sunglasses when it was pouring with rain. Int: Did you set up Mobile Madness when you left school? JD: No, first I got a job with an electrical retailer, who put me onto selling mobile phones. Remember this was in the really early days. I soon realised that this was the best thing that had ever happened to me. The market for mobiles was just taking off, demand was outstripping supply. Int: So more a case of allocating than selling, then. JD: Exactly. But even though the company was turning more and more floor space over to mobiles, after a while I just knew I wasn t getting anywhere. I had a handful of good contacts in the industry and boundless energy. Plus I could scrape together just enough savings to open a shop. So I asked another old schoolmate to help me set up Mobile Madness, and we never looked back. I d consulted my parents, who were always supportive and helped me financially after the launch, when money was tight. I m very conscious of the debt I owe them. Int: Why do you think Mobile Madness has been so much more successful than its competitors? JD: The mobile phone market has boggled consumers with its complexity for years: different networks, changing technology. I decided at the outset that we d differentiate ourselves by providing retailing consultancy. We have quite a lot of staff in every shop, to minimise queueing, but we make sure they re well-briefed, so that they can help customers through the maze of products and prices. And we re independent of the manufacturers. We aim to sell people the cheapest product that will actually meet their requirements. But price alone isn t the decisive factor: every retailer gives special offers these days. Int: Things haven t always gone smoothly, though. You came in for quite a lot of flak when you sacked your Public Relations Officer after just six months, didn t you? JD: That left quite a nasty taste. She seemed ideal at first, and couldn t be faulted on her rapport with the media, as I found to my cost. I was very hurt that she went to the press about it after what I thought was an amicable agreement to part, saying that we clashed too often. But the bottom line is that in business you re judged by results, and she just wasn t up to it. Int: And finally, Jerry, can you see yourself selling the company and getting out? JD: I wouldn t entirely rule it out, in some hazy future. In the meantime, there s work to be done. We ve taken over several firms recently, and now we have to focus on integrating them. The way I see it panning out, developments in the technology will mean that to keep up, we need to keep on our toes with our product range, or we re finished. Int: Jerry Davison, thank you very much. JD: Thank you. PAUSE 10 SECONDS Now you ll hear Part 3 again. REPEAT PART 3 PAUSE 5 SECONDS That s the end of Part 3. *** 58 cpe handbook for teachers paper 4: listening sample tapescript

62 PAPER 4: LISTENING Tapescript for Part 4 Now turn to Part 4. PAUSE 5 SECONDS You ll hear part of a discussion in which two friends, Tanja and Steve, are discussing a book they have each read recently. For questions 23 28, decide whether the opinions are expressed by only one of the speakers, or whether the speakers agree. Write T for Tanja, S for Steve, or B for both, where they agree. You now have 30 seconds in which to look at Part 4. PAUSE 30 SECONDS *** Tanja: So, Steve, what did you think of Anna Wilson s latest novel? I was quite struck... Steve: Really? Oh, Tanja! I m afraid it just struck me as empty you know, not fleshed out. I can t get to grips with the characters at all. Tanja: But little snippets of detail about their hair, clothes, or just a gesture were embedded throughout. Then you just had to add a dash of imagination and you were there. Steve:... and if I can t get an inkling of what they look like they re just blobs on a page. They were very twodimensional. And she keeps repeating stuff about the characters that she s already told you you know like Larry was 31, or Larry was married to Donna. It s only reinforcing information which still doesn t help you get to know Larry any better. You re still seeing him through a glass. There s not enough description, but I suppose the book is redeemed by the narrative. Tanja: A cliff-hanger at the end of every chapter kept me going, I must admit. But one of the problems I had was I wasn t sure whether I liked Larry or not. Steve: Contrived and self-conscious in my view people s lives hardly divide up into chapters like that and somehow it meant that the story didn t flow, it just jumped from one rigid section to another. It was like those old silent films with titles introducing each bit. Tanja: Oh, come on in fairness, within that, she has a lovely style. Steve: Mmm... I suppose that s why I carried on reading it and there were bits which were interesting, but then these odd staccato jumps it may have had something to do with the way she kept writing in the present tense. And I thought the ending was silly. You ve waited all this time for the party, and it s not really important. It s as if she had thought of the last chapter first, and then sat down and wrote all the chapters up to that point. Tanja: And I think that s quite a common failing in novels these days. Overall, I quite enjoyed it but not as much as I thought I would. That s often a problem after a writer s brilliant debut, their next attempt can be a let down, can t it? Steve: There was certainly a lot of hype for that one. Tanja: And for this one too. But that s what the publisher has to do to get a book talked about. Steve: Yes, the blurb on the cover made it sound incredible, so I decided to save it for a long train journey and so I was really looking forward to it, but it was like ordering a meal and thinking it will be lovely and then the food arrives and it isn t really what you thought it would be. Tanja: That reminds me of when I last went... [fade] PAUSE 10 SECONDS Now you ll hear Part 4 again. Steve: Well, Larry s an oddball certainly and not very convincing. All that stuff about going to flower arranging classes and Beth is weird too. REPEAT PART 4 PAUSE 5 SECONDS *** Tanja: I wondered whether it would have been different if she d made the main character a woman. Maybe there is a kind of gulf anyway if you re a woman writing about a man. I know when the book came out she was questioned about why she d made the main character a man. Steve: But there are hundreds of writers who can write about the opposite sex without it jarring or write about things they haven t experienced personally, come to that. I think the fact that we are discussing this is because he seems unreal and distant, not because she s a woman writer. Tanja: But perhaps that s also a result of how the book is organised, you know with chapter headings and so on. It seemed to match Larry s obsession with mazes and there s something rather pleasing about its symmetry. That s the end of Part 4. There ll now be a pause of 5 minutes for you to copy your answers onto the separate answer sheet. Be sure to follow the numbering of all the questions. I ll remind you when there is 1 minute left, so that you re sure to finish in time. PAUSE 4 MINUTES You have one more minute left. PAUSE 1 MINUTE That s the end of the test. Please stop now. Your supervisor will now collect all the question papers and answer sheets. cpe handbook for teachers paper 4: listening sample tapescript 59

63 PAPER 4: LISTENING Answer keys PART 1 PART 2 PART 3 PART 4 1 B 9 fat(s) 18 C 23 B 2 A 10 (brand) names 19 A 24 S 3 A 11 cheese 20 D 25 T 4 C 12 life (expectancy)/lives 21 B 26 B 5 C 13 furniture 22 A 27 T 6 A 14 natural 28 S 7 C 15 herbal 8 A 16 mind and body 17 (any sign of) packaging/wrapping N.B. In Part 2, bracketed words do not have to appear in the answer. 60 cpe handbook for teachers paper 4: listening answer keys

64 PAPER 4: LISTENING Answer sheet cpe handbook for teachers paper 4: listening answer sheet 61

65 PAPER 5 SPEAKING GENERAL DESCRIPTION STRUCTURE AND TASKS Paper format Timing The Speaking test contains three parts. 19 minutes. PART 1 Task type and format Conversation between the interlocutor and each candidate (spoken questions). No. of parts 3. Focus General interactional and social language. Interaction pattern Task types Two candidates and two examiners. One examiner acts as both interlocutor and assessor and manages the interaction either by asking questions or setting up the tasks for candidates. The other acts as assessor and does not join in the conversation. Short exchanges with the examiner and with the other candidate; a collaborative task involving both candidates; a 2 minute long turn and followup discussion. Timing PART 2 Task type and format Focus Timing 3 minutes. A two-way conversation between the candidates. The candidates are given instructions with written and visual stimuli, which are used in a decision-making task. Sustaining an interaction; exchanging ideas, expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and/or disagreeing, suggesting, speculating, evaluating, reaching a decision through negotiation, etc. 4 minutes. Marks Candidates are assessed on their performance throughout the test. PART 3 Task type and format An individual long turn from each candidate followed by a discussion on topics related to the long turns. Each candidate in turn is given a written question to respond to. The interlocutor leads a discussion to explore further the topics of the long turns. Focus Organising a larger unit of discourse, expressing and justifying opinions, developing topics. Timing 12 minutes (2-minute long turn for each candidate and approximately 8 minutes following the long turns). 62 cpe handbook for teachers paper 5: speaking

66 The three parts of the Speaking test Format The paired format of the CPE Speaking test (two examiners and two candidates) offers candidates the opportunity to demonstrate in a controlled but friendly environment, their ability to use their spoken language skills effectively in a range of contexts. The test takes 19 minutes. One examiner, the interlocutor, conducts the test and gives a global assessment of each candidate s performance. The other, the assessor, does not take any part in the interaction but focuses solely on listening to, and making an assessment of, each candidate s oral proficiency. At the end of the Speaking test, candidates are thanked for attending, but are given no indication of the level of their achievement. The standard format is two examiners and two candidates. In cases where there is an uneven number of candidates at a centre, the last Speaking test of the session will be taken by three candidates together instead of two. The test format, test materials and procedure will remain unchanged but the timing will be longer; 28 minutes instead of 19. The Speaking test consists of three parts, each of which is assessed. Each part of the test focuses on a different type of interaction: between the interlocutor and each candidate, between the two candidates, and among all three. The patterns of discourse vary within each part of the test. PART 1 INTERVIEW PART 2 COLLABORATIVE TASK This part tests the candidates ability to engage in a discussion and to work towards a negotiated outcome of the task set. Sample tasks and assessment criteria: pages and 69. The candidates are given spoken instructions and are provided with a visual stimulus (one or several photographs/ artwork/computer graphics, etc.) to form the basis for a task which they carry out together. First, the candidates are asked a question which focuses on their reaction to aspects of one or more pictures, and they are given 1 minute to talk about this. After this, the interlocutor gives the candidates spoken instructions for a decisionmaking task. Candidates are expected to work together towards a negotiated completion of the task and are assessed on their speaking skills while doing this; there is no right or wrong answer to the task. The task gives candidates the opportunity to show their range of language (speculating, evaluating, comparing, giving opinions, eliciting, negotiating, etc.) and their ability to manage a discussion. PART 3 LONG TURN + DISCUSSION This part tests the candidates ability to develop and sustain discourse, and to engage in discussion on the topics of the long turns. Sample tasks and assessment criteria: pages 68 and 69. This part tests the candidates ability to provide information about themselves and to offer their personal opinions on a range of topics. Sample tasks and assessment criteria: pages 66 and 69. This part of the test gives candidates the opportunity to show their ability to use general interactional and social language. The interlocutor asks each candidate a series of questions by addressing one question to each candidate in turn. The questions begin by asking candidates for general information about themselves and move on to more open questions requiring speculation or an opinion. The candidates do not need to talk to each other in this part of the test, though they may if they wish. In this part of the test, each candidate is given the opportunity to speak for 2 minutes without interruption. Each candidate in turn is given a card with a question on it, and there are also some ideas on the card which the candidates can make use of if they choose. Candidates need to pay attention while their partner is speaking as they are asked to comment (for about 1 minute) after their partner has spoken; a further question on the same topic is then directed to both candidates. Candidates should be aware that they must not speak during their partner s long turn. In this part, candidates need to be able to organise their thoughts and ideas, and express themselves coherently in appropriate language in the given time. Following both candidates long turns and follow-up questions, the interlocutor leads a discussion which further explores the topics of the long turns. cpe handbook for teachers paper 5: speaking 63

67 Preparation General Classroom activities which involve students working in pairs and small groups will give them practice in skills such as sensitivity to turn-taking and responding appropriately to their partners, which is essential to success in the Speaking test. Ensure students have the opportunity to work with different partners in the class. Make sure your students are familiar with the format of each part of the test. They should be aware of the interaction patterns (in Part 1 they speak mainly to the interlocutor, in Part 2 to each other, and in Part 3 to each other and the interlocutor). It is helpful for the students to know the timings for each part. Encourage your students to speak clearly and audibly so that they can be heard by both the interlocutor and assessor, and to paraphrase when they do not know or cannot remember a word. Train your students to listen carefully to the instructions so that they know precisely what they have to talk about. In order to make a fair and accurate assessment of candidates performance, the examiners must be given a reasonable amount of language to assess. Remind students it is their responsibility to give a good account of themselves. Remind students that they can ask for clarification of instructions before they begin a task. In some centres, candidates from the same school are paired together. However, where candidates from a number of different schools are entered at the same centre, some candidates may find that they are paired with a candidate from another school. Students should check with the centre through which they are entering for the local procedure. By part PART 1 Examiners will ask candidates three questions each about their everyday life, work experience, interests, travel, etc. Candidates will also have the opportunity to express what they think in some of their answers. Encourage students to respond promptly to the questions. Discourage students from preparing rehearsed speeches, however, as these answers are likely to be overlong, unnatural and inappropriate. Give students practice with a variety of questions; some which require general information about themselves and which can be answered quite briefly and others which demand a more extended response. Encourage students to socialise with others in an Englishspeaking environment. In class, students can practise interviewing each other using questions similar to those in the sample task on page 66. PART 2 Teach your students to listen carefully to the instructions and to carry them out. Students should be aware that their response to the first 1 minute focus question that accompanies the visuals sheet needs to go beyond the level of pure description and contain a speculative element. Train your students to take notice of the title on the visuals sheet. First of all, it is very useful in helping them remember the examiner s instructions. Secondly, information given in the title about the context or audience (e.g. Library exhibition) will help students to keep their discussion focused, and to ensure that the outcome is appropriate. It is very important that the students interact with each other in this task. All classroom discussion in pairs and small groups provides excellent preparation. Students should know how to make positive contributions to move a discussion forward, and show a willingness to take turns, inviting others to speak, listening and responding, as well as initiating discussion themselves. Encourage students to be good listeners. They should be able to pick up on their partner s points. Set up classroom activities that allow students to express their reactions to and opinions about pictures. Encourage students to discuss the messages portrayed in visuals. Choose two or three thematically linked pictures from your coursebook, or cut them out of a magazine (or get students to bring some into class); ask students to talk about the aspects of the theme that the pictures illustrate. Equip students with the functional language needed to manage a discussion, i.e. how to move forward, re-direct if necessary, manage the conclusion, etc. PART 3 Remind students they can allow themselves up to 10 seconds before they need to speak. Some students find it helpful to read the question out loud as a way of getting started. Brainstorming activities in class will give students practice in getting ideas quickly. After the question on the card, there are three bulleted points; these are ideas which support the question. Remind students that they do not need to use these points if they don t want to. As a classroom activity, remove the bullet points. This focuses the students attention on the main question. 64 cpe handbook for teachers paper 5: speaking

68 Encourage students to focus on structuring extended contributions, for example by using linking, counter-argument and summing up. In order to give students practice in getting the feel of how long 2 minutes is, put students in pairs one as a speaker and one as a time-keeper. In the discussion that follows the long turns, the interlocutor will ask questions addressed to both candidates. He/she might not use the candidates names so students must be prepared to take it in turns to be the initial responder and the one who reacts to that response. In class, make sure paired students get practice in being both the first speaker to react to a question, and the second. Remind your students that this is not a test of knowledge. It is quite acceptable to admit to not knowing much about a particular topic, but this should be followed by some sort of opinion in order to provide a large enough sample of language for assessment. After your students have both done their long turns, read them the rubric that introduces the discussion phase ( Now, to finish the test, we re going to talk about in general ). Ask pairs of students to write five or six discussion questions on the topic. These sets can be exchanged within the class and discussed. cpe handbook for teachers paper 5: speaking 65

69 PAPER 5: SPEAKING Parts 1 and 2 66 cpe handbook for teachers paper 5: speaking sample paper

70 PAPER 5: SPEAKING Part 2 cpe handbook for teachers paper 5: speaking sample paper 67

71 PAPER 5: SPEAKING Part 3 68 cpe handbook for teachers paper 5: speaking sample paper

72 Assessment Throughout the test candidates are assessed on their own individual performance and not in relation to each other. The assessor awards marks according to five analytical criteria: Grammatical Resource Lexical Resource Discourse Management Pronunciation Interactive Communication. The interlocutor awards a mark for Global Achievement. Grammatical Resource This refers to the accurate application of grammatical rules and the effective arrangement of words in utterances. At CPE level a wide range of grammatical forms should be used appropriately and competently. Performance should be viewed in terms of the overall effectiveness of the language used. Lexical Resource This refers to the candidate s ability to use a wide and appropriate range of vocabulary to meet task requirements. At CPE level the tasks require candidates to express precise meanings, attitudes and opinions and to be able to convey abstract ideas. Although candidates may lack specialised vocabulary when dealing with unfamiliar topics, it should not, in general terms, be necessary to resort to simplification. Performance is viewed in terms of the overall effectiveness of the language used in spoken interaction. Discourse Management This refers to the candidate s ability to link utterances together to form coherent monologue and contributions to dialogue, without undue hesitation. The utterances should be relevant to the tasks and preceding utterances in the discourse. The discourse produced should be at a level of complexity appropriate to CPE level and the utterances should be arranged logically to develop the themes or arguments required by the tasks. The extent of the contributions should be appropriate, i.e. long or short as required at a particular point in the dynamic development of the discourse in order to achieve the task. Interactive Communication This refers to the candidate s ability to take an active part in the development of the discourse. It requires the ability to participate in the range of interactive situations in the test and to develop discussions on a range of topics by initiating and responding appropriately. It also refers to the deployment of strategies to maintain and repair interaction at an appropriate level throughout the test so that the tasks can be fulfilled. Global Achievement Scale This scale refers to the candidate s overall effectiveness in dealing with the tasks in the three separate parts of the CPE Speaking test. The global mark is an independent impression mark which reflects the assessment of the candidate s performance from the interlocutor s perspective. Marking Assessment is based on performance in the whole test, and is not related to performance in particular parts of the test. In many countries, Oral Examiners are assigned to teams, each of which is led by a Team Leader who may be responsible for approximately 15 Oral Examiners. Team Leaders give advice and support to Oral Examiners, as required. The Team Leaders are responsible to a Professional Support Leader, who is the professional representative of Cambridge ESOL for the Speaking tests. Professional Support Leaders are appointed by Cambridge ESOL and attend an annual co-ordination and development session regionally and in the UK. Team Leaders are appointed by the Professional Support Leader in consultation with the local administration. After initial training of examiners, standardisation of marking is maintained by both annual examiner co-ordination sessions and by monitoring visits to centres by Team Leaders. During co-ordination sessions, examiners watch and discuss sample Speaking tests recorded on video and then conduct practice tests with volunteer candidates in order to establish a common standard of assessment. The sample tests on video are selected to demonstrate a range of nationalities and different levels of competence, and are pre-marked by a team of experienced assessors. Pronunciation This refers to the candidate s ability to produce intelligible utterances to fulfil the task requirements. This includes stress and intonation as well as individual sounds. Examiners put themselves in the position of the non-esol specialist and assess the overall impact of the pronunciation and the degree of effort required to understand the candidate. cpe handbook for teachers paper 5: speaking assessment 69

73 Cambridge ESOL Common Scale for Speaking The Cambridge ESOL Common Scale for Speaking has been developed to help users to: interpret levels of performance in the Cambridge tests from beginner to advanced identify typical performance qualities at particular levels locate performance in one examination against performance in another. The Common Scale is designed to be useful to test candidates and other test users, e.g. admissions officers or employers. The description at each level of the Common Scale aims to provide a brief, general description of the nature of spoken language ability at a particular level in real-world contexts. In this way the wording offers an easily understandable description of performance which can be used, for example, in specifying requirements to language trainers, formulating job descriptions and specifying language requirements for new posts. LEVEL C2 MASTERY CERTIFICATE OF PROFICIENCY IN ENGLISH: Fully operational command of the spoken language Able to handle communication in most situations, including unfamiliar or unexpected ones. Able to use accurate and appropriate linguistic resources to express complex ideas and concepts and produce extended discourse that is coherent and always easy to follow. Rarely produces inaccuracies and inappropriacies. Pronunciation is easily understood and prosodic features are used effectively; many features, including pausing and hesitation, are native-like. LEVEL C1 EFFECTIVE OPERATIONAL PROFICIENCY CERTIFICATE IN ADVANCED ENGLISH: Good operational command of the spoken language Able to handle communication in most situations. Able to use accurate and appropriate linguistic resources to express ideas and produce discourse that is generally coherent. Occasionally produces inaccuracies and inappropriacies. Maintains a flow of language with only natural hesitation resulting from considerations of appropriacy or expression. L1 accent may be evident but does not affect the clarity of the message. LEVEL B2 VANTAGE FIRST CERTIFICATE IN ENGLISH: Generally effective command of the spoken language Able to handle communication in familiar situations. Able to organise extended discourse but occasionally produces utterances that lack coherence and some inaccuracies and inappropriate usage occur. Maintains a flow of language, although hesitation may occur whilst searching for language resources. Although pronunciation is easily understood, L1 features may be intrusive. Does not require major assistance or prompting by an interlocutor. LEVEL B1 THRESHOLD PRELIMINARY ENGLISH TEST: Limited but effective command of the spoken language Able to handle communication in most familiar situations. Able to construct longer utterances but is not able to use complex language except in well-rehearsed utterances. Has problems searching for language resources to express ideas and concepts resulting in pauses and hesitation. Pronunciation is generally intelligible, but L1 features may put a strain on the listener. Has some ability to compensate for communication difficulties using repair strategies but may require prompting and assistance by an interlocutor. LEVEL A2 WAYSTAGE KEY ENGLISH TEST: Basic command of the spoken language Able to convey basic meaning in very familiar or highly predictable situations. Produces utterances which tend to be very short words or phrases with frequent hesitations and pauses. Dependent on rehearsed or formulaic phrases with limited generative capacity. Only able to produce limited extended discourse. Pronunciation is heavily influenced by L1 features and may at times be difficult to understand. Requires prompting and assistance by an interlocutor to prevent communication from breaking down. 70 cpe handbook for teachers paper 5: speaking assessment

74 CPE Glossary AFFIXATION: adding prefixes or suffixes to a base word to make it fit a particular context. ANCHOR TEST: a test with known measurement characteristics, which is administered in association with another test. Performance on the anchor test provides information about the other test and about the candidates who have taken both of them. ANSWER SHEET: the form on which candidates record their responses. ASSESSOR: the Speaking test examiner who assigns a score to a candidate s performance, using analytical criteria to do so. CLOSURE TECHNIQUES: techniques used to draw a conversation to a close, e.g. That s all. CLOZE TEST: a type of gap-filling task in which whole words have been removed from a text and which candidates must replace. COHERENCE: language which is coherent is well planned and clear, and all the parts or ideas fit well so that they form a united whole. COLLABORATIVE TASK: the opportunity in the Speaking test for the candidates to engage in a discussion and work together towards a negotiated outcome of the task set. COLLOCATION: this term describes the likelihood of two words going together, e.g. a good job, a wonderful occasion. COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS: short questions testing information selection, linking and sentence construction. CONTENT POINTS: the points contained in the CPE Paper 2 Part 1 compulsory question, which must be included in the response. CONVERSATIONAL FILLERS: a word or sound filling a pause in an utterance or conversation, e.g. er, you know. DISCOURSE: written or spoken communication. DISCRETE SENTENCES: sentences not connected by context or meaning. DISTRACTOR: each incorrect option in a multiple-choice item. GAP-FILLING ITEM: any type of item which requires the candidate to insert some written material letters, numbers, single words, phrases, sentences or paragraphs into spaces in the text. The response may be supplied by the candidate or selected from a set of options. GAPPED SENTENCE: a task in CPE Paper 3 Part 3 where questions are made up of three gapped sentences, with the gapped word being common to all three sentences. GIST: the central theme or meaning of the text. IMPEDING ERROR: an error which prevents the reader from understanding the word or phrase. INPUT MATERIAL: the text and notes, sometimes supported by illustrations or diagrams, which candidates have to base their answers on in the CPE Paper 2 questions. INTERLOCUTOR: the Speaking test examiner who conducts the test and makes a global assessment of each candidate s performance. ITEM: each testing point in a test which is given a separate mark or marks, e.g. CPE Paper 1, Part 1 has 18 items. KEY: the correct answer to an item. LEXICAL: adjective from lexis, meaning or to do with vocabulary. LONG TURN: the opportunity in the Speaking test for a candidate to talk uninterrupted for a period of time, enabling them to produce an extended piece of discourse. LOZENGE: the space on the answer sheet which candidates must fill in to indicate their answer to a multiple-choice question. MULTIPLE CHOICE: a task where candidates are given a set of several possible answers of which only one is correct. MULTIPLE MATCHING: a task in which a number of questions or sentence completion items, generally based on a reading text, are set. The responses are provided in the form of a bank of words or phrases, each of which can be used an unlimited number of times. NEUTRAL STYLE: a writing style with no specific features of formality or informality. OBJECTIVE TEST: a test which can be scored by applying a mark scheme, without the need to bring expert opinion or subjective judgement to the task. OPENING AND CLOSING FORMULAE: the expressions, either formal or informal, that are usually used to open and close letters, e.g. Dear Maria With best wishes from, or Dear Mr Dakari Yours sincerely. OPTIONS: the individual words in the set of possible answers for a multiple-choice item. PARAPHRASE: to give the meaning of something using different words. PHRASAL VERB: a verb which takes on a new meaning when followed by a certain preposition or adverb (e.g. get away, take up ). PRETESTING: a stage in the development of test materials at which items are tried out with representative samples from the target population in order to determine their difficulty. PRODUCTIVE TASK: a task which provides candidates with a stimulus to which the response is a piece of written or spoken language. As well as the Writing and Speaking tasks, productive tasks are found in CPE Paper 3 and in Parts 2 and 4 of Paper 4. REFERENCING: the technique of using referents. REFERENT: a word or term that refers to another person, place, etc. REGISTER: the tone of a piece of writing. The register should be appropriate for the task and target reader, e.g. a letter of application is written in formal register. REPORT LAYOUT: the way in which a report should be presented. At CPE level a report in Paper 2 Part 2 should be clearly organised into paragraphs/sections and may include headings. RHETORICAL/STYLISTIC DEVICES: techniques used in a text to achieve a particular effect. RUBRICS: the instructions to an examination question which tell the candidate what to do when answering the question. SENTENCE TRANSFORMATIONS: a task where a lead-in sentence is followed by a prompt and a gapped sentence, which must be completed. cpe handbook for teachers cpe glossary 71

75 STEM WORD: the word at the end of each line in CPE Paper 3 Part 2 which is the basis for the word that has to be formed. STYLE: a property of a text which may be neutral, formal, informal, etc. SUMMARY TASK: a task which requires candidates to summarise in a specific number of words information from two texts. TARGET READER: the intended recipient of a piece of writing. It is important to ensure that the effect of a written task on a target reader is a positive one. TRANSACTIONAL LETTER: a letter written in response to a request for action or to initiate action, i.e. the letter will trigger some outcome or result, usually in the form of further communication. A letter of complaint is transactional, a letter giving advice is not. TRIALLING: a stage in the development of test materials at which tasks for the Writing or Speaking papers are tried out with representative samples of students to determine their suitability as test materials and whether they work as expected. Acronyms ALTE: The Association of Language Testers in Europe. CEFR: Common European Framework of Reference. EFL: English as a Foreign Language. ESOL: English for Speakers of Other Languages. UCLES: University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate. cpe handbook for teachers cpe glossary