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
We had the first snow of the winter _____ days _____.
A few means 'a small number', which fits here. Few without a means 'not many', with a negative feeling. Ago counts back from now to a finished moment, used with the past simple: a few days ago. Not since, which needs a starting point (since Monday) and usually the present perfect.
Question 2
He _____ getting into trouble by refusing to be involved.
Avoid + -ing means to keep away from something or stop it happening to you: He avoids getting into trouble. Not prevents, which needs an object and from (prevent someone from doing).
Question 3
I’m sorry. I _____ you about the change in the dates but I forgot.
Should have + past participle expresses regret about something you didn't do in the past. The clue is but I forgot. Not must have told, which is a deduction (I'm sure I told you), not a regret.
Question 4
I knew she was married because she was _____ a wedding ring.
We wear clothes, jewellery and rings: She was wearing a wedding ring. Not carrying, which means holding something or having it in a bag.
Question 5
Your wife rang _____ you that you’re meeting her after work.
The infinitive of purpose (to + verb) explains why she rang. Remind someone means to make them remember something: to remind you that…. Not to remember: you remember something yourself, you don't remember another person about it.
Question 6
So far no one has _____ for the job of chief of police.
Apply for a job means to formally ask to be given it: No one has applied for the job. Not appointed, which is what the employer does (appoint someone to a post), and it needs an object.
Question 7
He wasn’t elected, _____ the efforts of his team.
Despite is a preposition, so it is followed by a noun phrase: despite the efforts of his team. Not although, which needs a full clause with a verb (although his team tried hard). Nevertheless and however are adverbs and cannot link a noun phrase this way.
Question 8
_____ when there is ice on the roads _____ very dangerous.
A gerund (Riding) can be the subject of a sentence, with no article: Riding … is very dangerous. Not it is: the subject is already Riding, so adding it repeats the subject.
Question 9
The method sounds old-fashioned but it works _____ well as _____.
The fixed comparison is as well as ever, meaning 'as well as it always has'. In positive comparisons we use as … as, not so … as. Not never: as well as never has no meaning.
Question 10
When you’ve been playing as long as I have, one game is very like _____.
Another here is a pronoun meaning 'any other one': one game is very like another. Not other, which cannot stand alone in the singular. Not each other, which shows that two people or things do something to one another.
Question 11
She seems very keen on discipline but I wonder _____ in class.
What is someone like? asks about character or behaviour. In an indirect question (I wonder…) the word order is the same as in a statement: what she is like. Not what is she like, which keeps question word order. Not how she is like, because like is used with what, not how.
Question 12
That’s the third time this week that the machine has been out of _____.
Out of order means a machine is not working: The lift is out of order. Not out of work, which describes a person who has no job.
Question 13
She’s still very beautiful. I wish I _____ her when she was young.
Wish + past perfect expresses regret about the past: I wish I had known her when she was young. Not knew, because wish + past simple is about the present (I wish I knew her now).
Question 14
By the time they change the law, the damage _____ been done.
The future perfect (will have been done) describes an action that will be complete before a future time. The clue is By the time they change the law. Not shall have, which is used mainly with I/we, not with a subject like the damage.
Question 15
I don’t want to stop in the forest but _____ be a village quite near.
There may be means 'perhaps there is'. There introduces the existence of something (a village). Not there can be, because can is not used for a possibility in one specific situation. Not it may, because it cannot introduce something that exists.
Question 16
It’s a dangerous occupation. I don’t do it for the _____ of my health.
Not for the sake of my health is an ironic idiom meaning 'not because I enjoy it or it's good for me'. Here it means the speaker does the job for another reason, such as money. For the sake of = for the benefit of. The other nouns don't form this phrase.
Question 17
She _____ the cloth and put it away in the drawer.
To fold cloth or paper means to bend it over on itself so it is flatter and smaller: She folded the towel. Not bent, which is used for hard things like metal or your arm.
Question 18
I _____ expecting a storm like this _____ several days now.
The present perfect continuous (have been expecting) describes something that started in the past and continues now. The clue is now. For + a period of time shows how long: for several days. Not during, which means 'at some point within' a period, not its length.
Question 19
We’ve appealed for witnesses but _____ has come forward.
No-one (= nobody) refers to people. Come forward means to offer information, usually to the police. Not anyone, which needs a negative verb (hasn't). Not nothing, which is for things, not people.
Question 20
He _____ to me for the mistake.
The pattern is apologise to someone for something: He apologised to me for the mistake. Not excused, forgave or pardoned, which take a direct object (forgave me) and describe what the other person does.
Question 21
If he’d worked as hard as we have, he _____ tired.
This is a mixed conditional: an unreal past condition (If he'd worked) with a present result (he would feel tired now). Not had felt, because the main clause of a conditional needs would.
Question 22
I can’t find my glasses. I _____ them at the office.
Must have + past participle expresses a confident deduction about the past: I must have left them at the office. Not can have left, because positive deductions use must. Can't have is used only in negative deductions.
Question 23
You’ve had a lot to drink so you _____ better let me drive.
Had better + infinitive without to gives strong advice: You'd better let me drive. Not should or ought: they don't combine with better in this pattern (ought would also need to).
Question 24
They aren’t going to raise taxes – at _____, that is what they promised.
At least can add a limitation or correction to what was just said: they aren't going to raise taxes – at least, that's what they promised (it may not be true). Not at last, which means 'finally, after a long wait'.
Question 25
Come on! I don’t want _____ the start of the match.
Want is followed by a to-infinitive, not a that-clause: I don't want to miss…. We miss an event when we are not there for it. Not lose: you lose a game or your keys, not the start of a match.
Question 26
My neighbours are a bit _____. They believe in ghosts and magic.
Weird means very strange or unusual: He has some weird ideas. Not wicked, which means evil or morally bad.
Question 27
If you don’t do what the boss tells you, you’ll be _____ from the firm.
To be sacked (informal, British) means to lose your job because your employer dismisses you. Not resigned or retired, which describe leaving a job yourself and are not used in the passive this way.
Question 28
Those boys climbed up the _____ tower last night.
When one noun describes another, we use it like an adjective, in the singular and without an apostrophe: the church tower, the school gate. Not churches' or churchs', which are plural possessive forms or misspellings.
Question 29
They made a serious mistake and their opponents took _____ of it.
Take advantage of something means to use a situation to help yourself: Their opponents took advantage of the mistake. Not profit or benefit: these nouns don't go with take … of. We say profit from or benefit from a mistake.
Question 30
She _____ at me and then went on reading.
To glance at someone means to look at them quickly: She glanced at the clock. The clue is and then went on reading. Not viewed or regarded, which take a direct object without at.
Print this test
Free worksheets for class or home