New Bulgarian University ENGLISH B2 FINAL/EXAM TEST FORMAT, CONTENT and PROCEDURES © Angel Rundaliev, NBU, Sofia, Bulgaria

TEST FORMAT The test is paper-based and has three main parts: - Listening comprehension - Reading comprehension and Use of English - Writing Time to do the test - 3 hours Exam times - 9h – 12h am / 2h – 5h pm

PART ONE: LISTENING On a sheet of paper you read statements and questions with answers – 15 altogether. You hear two recorded texts. You listen to each recording twice. Listening to the first one you must decide if the (7/8) statements, based on it, are true or false and then mark your answers on your answer sheet. e.g. Listening to the second one you must choose the best (a-c) answer to each of the (7/8) multiple-choice questions and then mark them on your answer sheet. e.g. 1 – c; 2 – a; 3 – b, etc. 1TF

PART ONE: LISTENING Before each recording you are given 40 seconds to read - the 7/8 true/false statements, and - the 7/8 multiple-choice questions and the answers which go with them. After each recording you are given a minute to mark your answers on your answer sheet. Each correct answer is awarded 1 point.

PART TWO: READING COMPREHENSION & USE OF ENGLISH This is the main part of the test. There are five tasks. The fifth task has three subtasks. Task 1: Reading comprehension Task 2: Use of English - vocabulary Task 3: Use of English – grammar Task 4: Use of English – word forms Task 5: Mixed 5.1 Reading comprehension 5.2 Reading comprehension 5.3 Use of English

TASK 1. READING COMPREHENSION There is a text of seven numbered paragraphs: to 6. Your task is to match each of paragraphs with a suitable heading from a list of 8 headings (A-H) and mark your answers on the answer sheet, e.g. 1 – F, 2 – A, etc. There is an example at the beginning - paragraph ‘0’: it always matches with heading ‘H’. In the remaining seven (A-F) headings there is one extra heading, which you do not need. Each correct answer is awarded 2 points.

TASK 2. USE OF ENGLISH - VOCABULARY There is a text with ten blank spaces (1-10), that is, ten missing words. Below the text there are 10 sets of 4 words (a-d), only one of which is the right missing word. Your task is: judging from the context you must choose the right word for each of the gaps and mark the answers on your answer sheet, e.g. 1 – c, 2 – a, 3 – d, etc. There is an example at the beginning, e.g. ‘0 – b’ Each correct answer is awarded 1 point.

TASK 3. USE OF ENGLISH - GRAMMAR There is a text with ten blank spaces (1-10), that is, ten missing words. Your task is: judging from the context, you must guess the right missing word, only one, for each of the gaps and write it in the space provided on your answer sheet. e.g. 1 – who, 2 – by, 3 – than, etc. There is an example at the beginning, e.g. ‘0 – been’. Each correct answer is awarded 1 point.

TASK 4. USE OF ENGLISH - WORD FORMS There is a text with ten blank spaces (1-10), that is, ten missing words. Each blank space is situated on a separate line. On the right hand side of the text, opposite each gap, there is a word, which can be a noun, a verb or an adjective. Your task is: judging from the context, you must think of the right form of this word to complete the sentence so that it is grammatically correct and makes sense. There is an example at the beginning, e.g. 0 - freedom [ Personal __0__ is essential for the ….. free ] You must write the right forms of these words in the spaces provided on your answer sheet. Each correct answer is awarded 1 point.

TASK 5. MIXED There is a text divided into paragraphs. The paragraphs are numbered. Task 5 contains three subtasks. Task 5.1 Reading comprehension - multiple-choice questions There are three questions, each followed by four answers, only one of which is the right answer. Your task is: judging from the context you must choose the right answer to each question and mark it on your answer sheet, e.g. 1 – c, 2 – a, 3 – d. There is an example at the beginning, e.g. 0 - b. Each correct answer is awarded 1 point.

TASK 5. MIXED Task 5.2 Reading comprehension and writing There are two open questions based on the text. Your task is: you must identify the part of the text the questions are related to and write your answers to the questions in the spaces provided on the answer sheet. You must write whole sentences, not just words or expressions. You may use your own words or words from the text. There is an example at the beginning, e.g. 0 - (…a sentence…) Each complete correct answer is awarded 2 points. Each correct but not complete answer is awarded 1 point.

TASK 5. MIXED Task 5.3 Use of English – vocabulary: word recognition (finding words in the text) You are given - six definitions of words which are in the text, - the part of speech/the class of words/ they belong to, e.g. noun, verb, adjective or adverb, and - the numbers of the paragraphs in which they can be found. Your task is: you must find the right words in the right paragraphs and write them in the spaces provided on your answer sheet. Each correct answer is awarded 1 point.

PART THREE: WRITING There are two topics: one which requires writing an essay on comparing and/or contrasting advantages and disadvantages, and another one – on expressing opinion. Your task is: you must choose one of the two topics and write your essay on a separate sheet of paper. You must write 150 – 200 words. You must write your name and faculty number at the top of the page. Depending on the number of points you are awarded for meeting the criteria for writing a level B2 essay in English (see them in your score may range from 0 to 15 points.

GRADE SCALE See below the grade scale for turning your total test score into grades/marks: You can use it when you do B2 practice tests to measure your progress. Total score from …to …Grade (in Bg) 5053Среден Среден Добър Добър Добър Добър Мн. добър Мн. добър Мн. Добър Мн. Добър Отличен Отличен Отличен 6.00