Reading 1 Ready for B1 (LanguageCert)

Reading 1 Part 1

Read the text. Choose the correct answer to complete each text.

Reading 1 Part 2

Read the text. Use the sentences to complete the text. Choose the correct sentence for each gap. There is one extra sentence you will not need.

Reading 1 Part 3

Read the four texts. Which text gives you the answer to each question? Choose the correct text (A-D) for each question.

A. Language Globe opened its third language school here last week. I think this is exactly what our town needs. The school will attract students from other countries and give people who live here the
opportunity to learn a new language. Local families will be able to offer accommodation to students while they are studying here. It will be interesting to see if the school is a success. Please write and let me have your comments.

B. Our students can choose to learn a variety of languages, such as English, Spanish, French and Italian, on full-time or part-time courses. We offer lessons for all levels, from complete beginner to advanced. Classes are small with a maximum of six students per group. Our fees include lessons, a coursebook and a final report. For more information, contact us on: 00123 45654 or write to chrissi@langglobe.com

C. I’ve just finished the best language course I’ve ever attended! It was at that new learning centre in town. As you know, I need Spanish and French for my job, so the company paid for me to do an intensive Spanish course for a month every evening after work. I improved my speaking and learned how to write reports. I’m going to try a French course next! Why don’t you come with me?

D. We are very happy to welcome you! We would like to make some important suggestions to help you while you are here. Try to speak the language you are studying with everyone in your class. Make clear notes in class and ask your teacher if you don’t understand something. Study your coursebook in class and at home to revise new language and practise by using the exercises. Most importantly, enjoy your course!

Reading 1 Part 4

Read the text and answer the questions. Use a maximum of three words for each answer.

Jane Austen

Jane Austen was a novelist. She wrote books that are mainly about the lives of people who were rich and came from a high social class. They were extremely well written and inform the readers about the way women thought and behaved at the time she was writing.

She was born on 16th December, 1775 in the south of England in a rural county called Hampshire. Her father was a priest and Jane was one of eight children. They were a very happy family. The family moved to the city of Bath in 1800 after her father retired. Sadly, her father died in 1805. Bath was a fashionable place to live because the thermal hot springs produced water that people believed was very good for their health. Although Jane only lived there for a relatively short period of time, she used the setting in many of her novels.

A year later, she went with her mother to live in a small village near to where she was born. While she was there she wrote her first novel. Her brother, Henry, helped her to find a publisher for it. The book, called Sense and Sensibility, came out in 1811. Her next novel, Pride and Prejudice, was published in January 1813. Jane was very happy with the book and later said she liked it more than any of the others. It was a huge success. The publisher wanted to make as much money as possible and very soon after brought out her third book, Mansfield Park. This was not Jane’s favourite,
but it became a best seller.

Jane continued writing and her next novel, Emma, was published by a different company called John Murray. At the same time as she was enjoying this success, Henry lost a lot of money through bad investments. The family were worried about money. Partly as a result of worrying, Jane became ill at the beginning of 1816. She continued to work but her health got worse. She died on 18th July 1817 in Winchester, a city in the same county as where she was born. Two other novels, Persuasion and Northanger Abbey, were published soon after she died. Another book, Lady Susan, was not published until 1871. Her work continues to be popular and books such as Sense and Sensibility are now successful films.