B1 PET Test #48 - Reading

10/11/2021 11:28:46 AM

Choose the correct answer that goes with this text.

  • Jack is asking Dan's opinion about whether a book is suitable for his project.
  • Jack wants Dan to let him know when a library book will be available.
  • Jack is recommending to Dan a useful library book he has recently borrowed.

Choose the correct answer that goes with this text.

  • Parking is limited to one hour.
  • Any damage should be reported to management.
  • Any lost property should be handed in.

Choose the correct answer that goes with this text.

  • The shop is closing down permanently.
  • The shop is going to a new location.
  • The shop is opening here in July.

Choose the correct answer that goes with this text.

  • Passengers are informed that they are not allowed to open train windows.
  • Train windows are to open only when the train has entered a station.
  • Passengers are prohibited from putting their heads out of the window when the train has left the station.

Choose the correct answer that goes with this text.

  • Suzie didn't enjoy the history class because she was ill.
  • Harry went to the history class but didn't take any notes.
  • Suzie is offering to lend Harry her notes.

Read the following descriptions of eight castles for people wanting to join.

Castles to visit

A. Durston Castle
Durston Castle has a valuable art collection, secret tunnels - one leading to the beach - and visitors mustn't miss the unusual rooms deep beneath the castle walls. Because the building is the Durston family's home, some parts cannot be visited - but you can sit on the grass under the trees and admire the flower beds and fountains. There's a play area for children too.

B. Castle Woodward
At Castle Woodward, you can experience what life was like at the time it was built. Staff wear clothes typical of the time and offer everyone tasty snacks made using recipes from different periods of history. Inside, the walls are covered with original paintings of the generations of people who've lived in the castle.

C. Castle Hemsworth
Castle Hemsworth's guides, dressed in historical costumes, give visitors information about the traditional castle building, towers and gardens. Wild horses live nearby. Inside, the castle looks unchanged, with old furniture and portraits of people who've lived here.

D. Castle of Marlin
Only a few parts of the ancient castle of Marlin are left, but you can still visit some underground rooms and see beautiful countryside from the high tower. The castle is in the middle of a lake and has lovely gardens. There are talks about the castle, and the bats, birds and butterflies chat have made Marlin their home.

E. Chartsmouth Castle
Chartsmouth Castle was once owned and lived in by kings. Visitors love exploring the rooms, some of which have hidden tunnels. You can see the sea from the top of the walls, and younger visitors will love the outdoor games.

F. Carston Castle
Experts at the ruins of Carston Castle will show you around and give you information, and offer you 17th-century snacks! Hear how the building was once the scene of famous battles and is now home to a variety of wildlife. And from the south side, there are fantastic sea views.

G. Rushford Castle
This is an old castle on the coast which is a popular local attraction. The Rushford Castle café in the walls serves food typical of the castle's history. Inside, there are beautiful rooms with antique tables and clocks. Outside, visitors can see a wide variety of wildlife.

H. Sawbridge Castle
This castle was built in 1712 on an island in a lake. Inside, you can still see beautifully designed beds, tables and other objects once used by families living there. Put on headphones and listen to information about the history of Sawbridge Castle. Visitors of all ages will love the toy museum in the gardens.
 

The people below all want to find a castle to visit. Decide which castles would be the most suitable for each person.


Kerim wants somewhere with a great historical atmosphere, with typical food from the past to try, and people dressed in costume. He'd also like to see art that's been in the castle for centuries.


Jake and his brother have always wanted to visit the ruins of a castle surrounded by water, with great views. Jake also wants to learn about any wildlife living in and around the castle.


Alan is keen on history and wants to visit a castle that was the site of well-known historical events. He'd like the castle to be near the coast, with tours led by a guide.


Yoshiko wants to see a castle that people are still living in. She loves visiting beautiful gardens and would like to explore interesting places in the castle.


Paulo and Maria collect antiques, so want to visit a castle that still has some of its original furniture on display, and hear about the building's history. They also want something that’s particularly suitable for young children.

Read the following passage then choose the best answer to each question.

My summer volunteering

by Tina Newbury

At the age of 14, I have already decided that I want to be a vet. So, last summer I convinced my parents to spend our summer holidays volunteering. I really wanted to deal with sea animals, so when a friend told me about Archelon, the sea turtle organization in Greece, I was really excited because I would leave the UK for the first time and go to a perfect destination, but I had no idea how amazing it would really be or how many new friends I would make. Now, I would recommend volunteering to any student who wants to get job experience or simply have fun and meet great people.

Turtles have been on our planet for millions of years, but are dying in large numbers because of fishing and pollution. This was a shock to me when I spent a few days at the Rescue Centre in Athens before leaving for my first project. There, I found out that the majority of the center's turtles had been injured on the head by humans. Some were by accident, from speedboats, but a lot were done on purpose, often by angry fishermen, as these creatures get caught in their fishing nets while trying to eat the fish which are part of their natural diet. For the fishermen, however, this has a cost, as fewer fish mean less money, so they view the turtle as their enemy, even though these turtles are a protected species. And as if this isn't enough for these unlucky creatures to deal with, they also face the problem of eating plastic bags, thinking they are jellyfish, which are a key part of their diet.

The following months were spent learning and having fun in five different locations, but the most memorable was the last project, where we camped in an old museum with no electricity or water. However, the main problem was the insects which shared the museum with us, especially those that bit. But even that could not stop me from enjoying the daily contact with the turtles and relaxing around a campfire sharing stories after sunset. Volunteering is a life experience I really recommend for any student.

(Adapted from Simply B1 Preliminary for School)

What do we learn about Tina in the first paragraph?
  • She has a job with animals.
  • She only likes sea animals.
  • She is going to be an animal doctor.
  • She finished studying a year ago.

While Tina was in Greece, _____.

  • she found out about an organization called Archelon
  • she enjoyed herself and formed new friendships
  • she volunteered for several animal organizations
  • she worked for Archelon as part of her training
What does Tina say about the fishermen?
  • Their actions make her angry.
  • She understands their actions.
  • They try to look after the turtles.
  • They try to catch the turtles.

Tina says that _____.

  • despite the difficulties she enjoyed herself
  • insects spoilt her last project
  • having no water was a big problem
  • she enjoyed the nights most
Which of the following is the best description of Tina?
  • A professional woman who is paid to look after sea turtles
  • A girl who hopes to help animals through her work in the future
  • A girl who has been volunteering abroad in her summer holidays for years
  • A girl who had wanted to help turtles all her life

Five sentences have been removed from the text below.

For each question, choose the correct answer from A-H. There are three extra sentences that you do not need to use.

A. This was easy, of course, in very cold environments.

B. It took Birdseye eight years to work out how to cool food quickly enough to stop them forming.

C. He always came top of his university class.

D. As a result, few people wanted to buy frozen food.

E. They didn't catch many fish because they couldn't keep them fresh.

F. However, he was unable to afford the teaching fees, and had to leave.

G. For example, they were taken to nearby towns.

H. As they pulled out fish, these immediately froze in the extremely cold air.

Freezing food to keep it fresh

Inventor and businessman Clarence Birdseye was born in New York, on December 9, 1886. From a young age, he was interested in animals and plants and in 1909, Birdseye enrolled at university to study biology. Instead he took a job working for the US government as a naturalist in the frozen north of Canada.

When he was working in Labrador in 1912, Birdseye watched local people fishing through holes cut in an icy lake. He noticed that they could then be kept for long periods and, when the families wanted some to eat, they could defrost them without losing any of the freshness or flavor. Birdseye realized that cooling food very quickly was the key to success when freezing it. In warmer climates, people had experimented with freezing food by cooling it slowly. When food is frozen in this way, long sharp crystals of ice, shaped like knives, start to grow inside it. These cut into the food, causing it to break up when defrosted. Then he began to wonder how this freezing method might work with fresh vegetables and other foods as well as fish and meat.

When Birdseye returned to the US, he invented a machine which pressed food between two very cold metal plates. By 1930, it was ready to go into production. However, home freezers were very rare at this time. It was another 25 years before Birdseye's invention was widely used. 

Read the text and choose the best answer to fill in the blanks.

Going to bookshops

What's the strangest location you can imagine for a bookshop? Bookshops nowadays can be found in some unusual places, such as former cinemas in city centers, which people have now into great places to buy books. In some cities, there are even bookshops on boats, sailing up and down the river! When they stop, you can the boat so that you can go inside to look at the books.

Wherever a bookshop is, though, the great thing about going there is discovering books that aren't at all to you, and amongst them, there could actually be the book for you to read! Also, if you're having trouble finding something you'd like, then ask the owners for help. They'll be pleased to a book that you'd enjoy!

For each question, write the correct answer in the gap. Write ONE word or a number, a date, a time.

If you ever visit the USA, don't miss the chance to visit the Smithsonian Institute. It's made up of 17 museums and galleries and the National Zoo in Washington D.C., as as two museums in New York City.

The Smithsonian museums feature exhibits related art, design, technology, history, and culture, and contain about 154 million objects. You can learn everything from the origins of man at the Natural History Museum to the future of space travel at the Air and Space Museum.

If you spent one minute at each exhibit, it would take than 258 years to see them all.

Best of , it's free to enter all the Smithsonian museums and galleries, so you can learn about anything in the world paying a penny!

(Adapted from B1 Preliminary EXAM TRAINER)