Upper Intermediate
Achievement Test 1
Listening
1a Listen to two colleagues talking about their new boss. Choose the correct answer (a, b or c).
Emma sees Robert for the first time ________ .
a at the meeting b in the corridor c in the office
1 Everyone at the meeting was ________ .
a friendly b arrogant c critical
2 From her phone conversation with Robert, Emma thinks he’s ________ .
a patronising b respectful c decent
3 Max thinks Robert’s ________ .
a talkative b OK c touchy
4 Max thinks Emma’s being ________ .
a rude b stupid c over-sensitive
5 Max admits that Robert was a little ________ at the meeting.
a nervous b distant c shy
6 Emma’s attitude makes Max feel ________ .
a frustrated b hungry c suspicious
1b Listen again and complete the missing information.
Everyone at the meeting was checking Robert out.
7 Emma couldn’t hear Robert clearly on the phone as it was a ________ ________ .
8 Max thinks Robert was just making ________ on the phone.
9 Emma thinks Robert ________ as cold and distant at the meeting.
10 She’s a bit sceptical because of all the recent ________ .
11 Max ________ into Robert in the corridor.
12 Max thinks Emma is a ________ .
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Reading
2 Read the email. Are the statements true (T), false (F) or not given (NG)?
Hi Carla
I hope all’s well with you. It’s been a busy time here and I’m looking forward to going on holiday next week. I really need a break now, especially after the horrendous week I’ve had. As you know, over the past few weeks I’ve sent out loads of job applications. I’ve been wanting to move on for quite a while now, and have basically been sending my CV out to any company that looks even vaguely interesting. Some have been in answer to advertisements and others just on spec as you never know. The feedback has been quite positive in general (if they bother to answer at all) but I must tell you about the last interview I had. It was my worst nightmare!
First of all, it was pouring with rain. I’d planned what I was going to wear so I could tick that off the list but in the end I had to rethink as I’d been intending to wear a white skirt. Couldn’t risk it! And then there’s always the question of what to do with your umbrella and everything is damp. Not a disaster really I know, but somehow I took it as a sign. Luckily there were plenty of buses, so I got to the offices in good time, and checked in with the receptionist – who was less than friendly. She waved me over to the waiting area and didn’t even offer me a coffee. By this point I was starting to feel a little uncomfortable. You know when your gut instinct is telling you that something’s not quite right. The general atmosphere wasn’t very welcoming, and no one seemed to have time to exchange a few words.
While I was waiting I flicked through the company’s in-house magazine looking for ideas for questions. Time seemed to stand still, but finally I was called in. They were running late so my interview started twenty minutes later than it should have done, and they didn’t even apologise. When I got into the room I was surprised to see a panel of three very serious-looking interviewers sitting in a row behind a long table. My seat was in front of them. I felt like a naughty school girl. It was awful.
By this point I knew that I didn’t want the job so I decided to see the interview as a useful experience. They asked all the usual questions, you know, about working well in a team, using initiative, being a people person, keeping calm under pressure etc. Of course I answered positively and then even asked them a few questions about the position I was applying for and the structure of the company. And guess what, a couple of days later I got a letter with the usual ‘we regret to inform you …’ but I can only say I was relieved, although it would have been good to have been able to turn them down. Hopefully by the next time we see each other I’ll have a new job. Fingers crossed!
Take care and write soon.
Love
Sandi
Sandi has had a bad week. T
1 Sandi has answered a lot of newspaper ads. ___
2 Some prospective employers don’t acknowledge applications. ___
3 Sandi had to make last minute changes to what she was wearing. ___
4 Sandi ended up dressed in white. ___
5 The receptionist was very welcoming. ___
6 No one spoke to her. ___
7 She had to wait almost an hour. ___
8 She was interviewed by three men. ___
9 She felt inferior. ___
10 She’d already decided not to take the job. ___
11 She asked about working hours and salary. ___
12 She was disappointed not to get the job. ___
13 She’s feeling quite pessimistic. ___
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Writing
Choose one of the following tasks.
3a A blog or diary entry
Write 120–180 words about what you have been doing recently.
Include the following information:
· where you were
· who you were with
· what you did
· how you felt about it
3b A competition entry
You have seen this advertisement in an English-speaking magazine. Write your entry in 120–180 words.
Win a two-week holiday in Portugal!
Write a story beginning with this sentence:
Anna had no idea what she would find when she opened the door.
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