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TRANSCRIPT
Institut National des Langues Luxembourg
Business English Test CEF B2.1
Your name: .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Class: E .....................................................
Date: ............................................................................................................
READING /25
LISTENING /25
WRITING /25
SPEAKING /25
TOTAL /100
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READING (___ /25M) PART 1: (10 Marks) ___ /10
Read the article below about customer care and answer the questions. Write A, B or C in the box next to question.
1) In order to maintain market share a company must try to do more than just satisfy the customer.
a) True b) False c) Doesn’t say
2) If a customer is satisfied with service the company can gain more than just that one customer.
a) True b) False c) Doesn’t say
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3) How many customers could a company lose through poor customer service?
a) 12 b) 20 c) 80
4) Despite massive investment and training, “phone rage” is still the biggest reason for companies
losing customers.
a) True b) False c) Doesn’t say
5) Staff in some banks use customers’ personal details to;
a) to put them at ease b) to have a chat with them c) to write a report on them
6) One of the recommended ways of satisfying regular customers is to give them a present.
a) True b) False c) Doesn’t say
7) According to the writer what is the problem with techniques like “under-promising and over-
delivering”?
a) the company wastes a lot of time apologizing b) the company sometimes has to go to court c) the company cannot always keep the promise
8) Airlines have improved their customer care;
a) because flights are often delayed b) because of tough competition in the industry c) because luggage is often lost
9) British Airways (BA) has concentrated most on improving:
a) their flight times b) their customer database c) their staffs’ telephone technique.
10) Staff at BA treat their internal customers as well as their external ones.
a) True b) False c) Doesn’t say
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PART TWO (10 Marks) ___ /10
Below are four pieces of advice about giving presentations. Read the statements (1 – 10) and decide which paragraph (A, B, C or D) they refer to. Write A, B, C or D on the line next to the statement. 1. Practise in order to reduce nervousness. ……… 2. Use basic language. ……… 3. Improve the way you speak by filming yourself. ……… 4. Look directly at your listeners when speaking. ……… 5. Prioritise subjects in a presentation. ……… 6. Do a course on presentation skills. ……… 7. Prepare for possible questions. ……… 8. Use photocopies for anything too long and complex. ……… 9. Try to improve on your weaknesses. ……… 10. Put figures into visual diagrams if possible. ………
Making the most of presentations
A The fear of speaking is considered by many business people as their number-one fear. They may even avoid speaking opportunities that could advance their career. While there are many effective methods of relaxation that can help reduce the fear
of speaking, for most people it is not something they can simply get up and do effectively without having at least some basic training. Rehearsing the presentation will greatly reduce anxiety. The more
familiar the material, the more credible the speaker will sound.
B The first step in making a really effective presentation is to prepare.
As the saying goes, “failing to prepare is preparing to fail”. You will
need to spend some time thinking about the material you want to
cover, brainstorming all the things it might be possible to include,
and then ranking them according to which topics you must include,
which topics it might be nice to include if time allows, and which
things it is worth knowing about in case anybody asks you about it.
C Nothing will improve your presentation more than seeing yourself on screen. You will notice mannerisms that you never noticed before. And you will instantly begin to make changes. Recording and listening to yourself is another tool to use when you rehearse your presentations. You'll immediately know if you are speaking clearly or if some words are difficult to understand. You will hear mistakes in grammar and inappropriate 'ums' and 'ahs'.
D Enthusiasm is essential. Try to smile, and make eye contact with members of the
audience as often as possible.
Remember to speak slowly and clearly. Pause regularly to allow the audience to digest what you have said.
Short words and simple sentences will have more impact than long and complicated sentences. Avoid technical language, too.
If you are worried about drying up, then use notes. These should be prompts only - don't read straight from your notes.
Convert statistics into charts and graphs wherever possible, and put any lengthy detail
into a handout which people can read at their leisure.
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LISTENING (___ /25M)
LISTENING PART 1: (10 Marks) ___ /10
You will hear part of a radio interview in which a careers adviser is giving advice on how to write CVs. For questions 1-9, complete the notes. You will hear the recording twice.
1. Nowadays, competition for jobs is ___________________________.
2. Graduates should not lie on their CV or ___________________________ their experience.
3. Graduates' CVs often don't contain enough interesting or ___________________________ information.
4. Because they have no work experience, graduates need to focus on their ___________________________
and skills.
5. This could include being a member of a club or ___________________________.
6. CVs shouldn't be too long or written ___________________________.
7. Your CV gives a potential employer their ___________________________.
8. Graduates with general degrees need to show they are ___________________________ and
___________________________.
9. Graduates who took a holiday after university must show this time was ___________________________.
LISTENING PART 2: (10 Marks) ___ /10
You are going to hear some people giving their opinions about the advantages and disadvantages of introducing flexible working hours. As you listen complete the table below. Decide what job each person does and what benefit or problem they mention. Write the corresponding letter in the table. Note! There are more possibilities than answers. You will hear the recording twice.
Job Benefit / Problem
1) Linda
2) Brian
3) Olga
4) Dan
5) Martin
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Jobs Benefits / Problems A Production manager I Higher Productivity
B Human Resources director J Better work-life balance
C Director’s PA K Lower staff turnover
D Accounts Manager L Lower costs
E Shopfloor worker M An opportunity to do other things
F Maintenance engineer N Less stress
G Team leader O More motivated staff
H Delivery Driver P Lower Absenteeism
LISTENING PART 3: (5 Marks) ___ /5
Espresso Ltd is a company which provides digital educational resources for schools. Listen to Lewis Bronze talking about how he set up his company and choose the best answer for each question. Circle A, B or C.
1) Where did the idea for “Espresso” come from?
A It was Lewis’s idea. B A friend suggested the idea. C Schools asked him to develop the idea.
2) What market research did Lewis initially do?
A He didn’t do any market research. B He asked schools what they needed. C He employed a market-research company.
3) How did he first get funds to start the business?
A From investors in London. B From a bank. C From an international organization.
4) Why has the business been successful?
A They followed conventional business advice. B They were fortunate. C They followed the example of other companies.
5) According to Lewis, how can you reduce the risks or starting a new business?
A By employing good staff. B By renting good office space. C By limiting your overheads.
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WRITING (___ /25M)
___ /25
Choose ONE of the following tasks and write a well-structured answer of at least 150 words. A You are due to start a new job next week but you will not be able to because you have some
problems. Write a letter to your new employer. In your letter
explain your situation
describe your problems
tell him/her when you think you can start. B In some countries, it can be very difficult for people over the age of 50 to get good jobs, despite their
experience. What do you think are the causes of this problem, and what measures could be taken to
solve it? C The chart below shows the amount of leisure time enjoyed by men and women of different
employment status. Write a report describing the information shown below.
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