Introduction
The tests have been devised to help teachers to decide whether their students are ready to enjoy the next level of Penguin Readers. There are six levels of test, corresponding to Levels 1–6 of the Readers, and two versions of the test at each level, the B test provided as follow-up for retesting in the event of the majority of a class not obtaining the requisite score of 18/30 at the first attempt. The tests have been thoroughly pretested with students at the appropriate levels. They each contain 30 structural and lexical items in a multiple-choice format selected from the structures and lexis introduced at the given level. The tests can be administered and corrected very quickly to aid a prompt decision, following the instructions given below. Within 30 minutes, including the time that it takes for the students to do a test, teachers should have sufficient information to reach a decision.
Content of the tests
Each test consists of 30 multiple-choice items. There are three choices (A, B, C) at levels 1–3, and four choices (A, B, C, D) at levels 4–6. Items testing the same structure and/or lexis are not repeated within a test but in almost every case, the Test B at a given level is based on the same items as Test A to ensure an equal level of difficulty. Items never appear, however, in the same order. This minimises the possibility of students guessing the correct answers from memory. The pass mark of 18/30 (or 60%) is valid for all levels. It is important to note that for the class as a whole to benefit from studying a Reader at a given level, it is not necessary for everyone to obtain this mark or even for the students’ average to be above 18, but only for the majority of students to score 18 or more. It must be remembered that, as is appropriate in tests devised to determine whether students are capable of following a text, these tests measure recognition of correct language, not the ability to produce it.
Question 1
The building is not safe so nobody is allowed _____ it.
The pattern is be allowed + to + verb: nobody is allowed to enter. Not entering, because allow in the passive is followed by to + verb.
Question 2
My uncle, _____ was born abroad, now lives quite near me.
We use who for people. Between commas (extra information) we cannot use that. Not which, because it is for things.
Question 3
They _____ at university and _____ close friends.
You meet someone for the first time, and you become friends: They met at university and became close friends. Not grew, because we say grew close, not grew close friends.
Question 4
If he _____ improve soon, he won’t pass the driving test.
First conditional: if + present simple, will/won't + verb. Improve is a main verb, so the negative is doesn't improve. Not won't, because we don't use will after if here.
Question 5
Would you like some more wine? There’s still _____ left.
Wine is uncountable, so we use little, not few. A little means 'some', which fits still … left. Not little, because it means 'almost none'.
Question 6
It’s a very good film so I _____ seeing it.
Enjoy + verb-ing: I enjoyed seeing it. The other verbs are not followed by -ing in this way.
Question 7
Hello! I didn’t expect to see you. _____ that you were on holiday.
The passive of tell somebody is I was told (that)…. Not I was said, because say cannot take a person as its object; we say It was said that…, not It was said me.
Question 8
She’s a lovely little girl. I think that she’s going to be _____ her mother.
To say two things are equal we use as + adjective + as: as pretty as her mother. Than is only used after comparatives like prettier.
Question 9
You’re getting fat. You _____ take more exercise.
We use should + verb to give advice: You should take more exercise. Not ought, because it needs to: ought to take.
Question 10
There was a lot of noise so I didn’t understand what he was _____.
We use say for the words someone speaks: what he was saying. Not telling, because tell needs a person (telling me); talking would need about.
Question 11
I _____ have fish than meat.
Would rather + verb + than shows preference: I would rather have fish than meat. Not prefer, because we say prefer fish to meat.
Question 12
The company have offered her a much better _____ in London.
Job is countable, so we can say a better job. Not work, because it is uncountable and cannot follow a.
Question 13
Hide this somewhere _____ the teacher sees it.
In case means 'because something might happen': hide it now because the teacher might see it. Not if, because the hiding doesn't depend on the teacher seeing it first.
Question 14
If people _____ more carefully, there wouldn’t be so many accidents.
Second conditional (imaginary situation): if + past simple, would + verb. The clue is wouldn't be. Not would drive, because we don't use would in the if part.
Question 15
I gave her _____ stockings for her birthday.
Things made of two parts, like stockings, trousers or shoes, are counted with a pair of. Not two, because that would mean two single stockings.
Question 16
Good _____! I hope you pass the examination.
Good luck! is the fixed phrase we say to wish someone success. The other words don't make this expression.
Question 17
John has asked if he can bring a friend of _____ to the party.
After a friend of we use a possessive pronoun: a friend of his (John is a man). Not him, because we need his, like mine, yours.
Question 18
I’ll leave her a message _____ she’ll know where to go.
So (that) shows purpose: I'll leave a message so she'll know where to go. Not that alone, because it doesn't express purpose in modern English.
Question 19
Some gangsters _____ all their money.
We steal things (money) and rob people or places: stole all their money. Not robbed them, because we would need robbed them of all their money.
Question 20
I was answering the phone and didn’t realise you _____ outside.
The past continuous were waiting shows an action in progress at that time in the past. Not waited, because the waiting was still going on when I didn't realise it.
Question 21
I broke a _____ while I was washing up.
A teacup is a cup for drinking tea. Not cup of tea, because that means a cup with tea in it, not the object you break.
Question 22
That’s the restaurant _____ we had dinner last week.
We use where for places when the place is not the object of the verb: the restaurant where we had dinner. Not which/that, because they would need in: the restaurant that we had dinner in.
Question 23
She’s a good neighbour. She _____ the house when we’re on holiday.
Look after means 'take care of': She looks after the house. Not takes care, because it needs of; looks for means 'tries to find'.
Question 24
The doctor has told him that he must give _____ smoking.
Give up means 'stop doing something': give up smoking. The other words don't make this phrasal verb.
Question 25
They paid a large _____ of money for the house.
A large amount of is used with uncountable nouns like money. Not number, because it is for countable nouns (a large number of houses); a lot of can't take large.
Question 26
We had a wonderful holiday. It was _____ pleasant hotel.
Before a/an + adjective + singular noun we use such a: such a pleasant hotel. Not so, because so is used with an adjective alone (so pleasant).
Question 27
My colleagues have always disliked _____.
Each other shows that each person does the action to the other: They dislike each other. There is no to in it, so the other options are wrong.
Question 28
I’m going to the library _____ a book.
We use to + verb to give a purpose, and you borrow a book from a library (you take it). Not to lend, because the library lends; you borrow.
Question 29
How much does it cost to have _____?
Have + object + past participle means someone does it for you: have a dress made. Not done, because we make clothes; the object comes before the participle.
Question 30
I’ll meet you when you _____ the airport.
After when talking about the future, we use the present simple: when you arrive. We say arrive at a building or place like an airport. Not arrive to, which is wrong.
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