Entry Level 2: Speaking, Listening & Reading

A team leader tells new staff: 'Before you leave the stockroom, switch off the lights and lock the side door.' What must staff do before leaving the stockroom?

• ASwitch off the lights and lock the side door✓
• BSign the visitor book at reception
• CCount the boxes on the storage shelves
• DCollect their pay slip from the office

Answer: Listening for the main information means picking out the exact actions a speaker names. The team leader names two actions: switching off the lights and locking the side door. Counting boxes, signing a visitor book and collecting a pay slip are not mentioned in the instruction at all.

A nurse explains to a patient: 'Take one tablet in the morning and one at night, always with food.' What has the nurse told the patient to do?

• ATake one tablet each hour throughout the whole day and night
• BTake two tablets before breakfast only
• CTake one tablet in the morning and one at night with food✓
• DTake one tablet in the morning and one at night on an empty stomach

Answer: A clear explanation gives a specific dose and timing, and a listener needs to repeat those details back accurately. The nurse said one tablet twice a day, with food, so that is the correct summary. Two tablets before breakfast, hourly tablets and an empty stomach all contradict what was actually said.

In a discussion about the office recycling scheme, colleagues talk for several minutes about bins, dates and who empties them. Which sentence best follows the gist of what they are discussing?

• AThey are discussing how the office recycling scheme works✓
• BThey are discussing the price of new office furniture this year
• CThey are discussing where staff should park their company cars
• DThey are discussing the dates for next year's staff holidays

Answer: Following the gist of a discussion means recognising its overall topic, even without catching every detail. Bins, dates and who empties them all relate to how the recycling scheme is run. Parking, furniture prices and holiday dates are unconnected topics that were never mentioned.

A visitor at a community centre wants to know when the English class starts. Which is the clearest way to ask?

• ACould you tell me if the class was any good?
• BCould you tell me how much the English class costs?
• CCould you tell me what time the English class starts?✓
• DCould you tell me where the car park is?

Answer: A clear question names exactly the information the speaker needs. Asking what time the class starts directly matches what the visitor wants to know. Asking about cost, the car park or the quality of the class are all clear questions, but none of them get the visitor the answer they actually need.

In a job interview, the interviewer asks: 'What days are you available to work?' Which is the most appropriate response?

• AI used to work in a completely different type of shop
• BI am available Monday to Friday mornings only✓
• CI think the weather has been quite nice again this week
• DI really like working with people

Answer: Responding appropriately means answering the question that was actually asked. The interviewer asked about availability, so stating specific days and times is the appropriate answer. Talking about liking people, the weather or a past job all avoid the question that was asked.

At the doctor's, the receptionist asks: 'Have you visited this surgery before?' Which is an appropriate response?

• AI would quite like a coffee please
• BI moved to this area only last year
• CI noticed the bus was quite late this morning
• DThis is my first time visiting this surgery✓

Answer: An appropriate response answers the exact question a speaker asks, even when the wording could be more direct. Saying it is a first visit directly answers whether the person has been to the surgery before. Moving to the area, the bus and wanting a coffee are all unrelated remarks that do not answer the receptionist's question.

Two neighbours talk for a while about missed collections, wrong bins and a new schedule from the council. Which sentence best sums up what they are discussing?

• AThey are discussing a new neighbour who has only just moved in next door
• BThey are discussing plans for next month's very big street party
• CThey are discussing the steadily rising cost of a weekly train ticket
• DThey are discussing problems with the bin collection service✓

Answer: Following the gist of a conversation means spotting the common thread running through it. Missed collections, wrong bins and a new schedule are all about the bin collection service. A new neighbour, a street party and a train ticket are not mentioned anywhere in the conversation.

A learner wants to tell their tutor they are finding the course useful but a bit fast-paced. Which sentence expresses this clearly?

• AI find the course useful, but it moves quite fast for me✓
• BI think the classroom is far too cold
• CI think the course is a waste of time
• DI do not like the tutor, if I am honest

Answer: Expressing an opinion clearly means saying exactly what you feel, including both a positive and a negative point where that is true. This sentence names the course as useful and mentions the pace, matching what the learner wants to say. Comments about the tutor, the classroom or the course being a waste of time do not reflect the learner's actual feelings.

At a residents' meeting about a new bus stop, someone asks for other views. Which is an appropriate way to contribute?

• AI think meetings like this are always too long
• BI think a bus stop nearer the shops would help older residents✓
• CI think nobody on the council ever really listens to residents
• DI was not even planning on coming to this residents meeting today

Answer: A useful contribution to a group discussion adds a relevant idea on the topic being discussed. Suggesting where the bus stop should go directly responds to the subject of the meeting. Complaining about the meeting's length, saying you almost did not attend, or claiming nobody listens all fail to add anything relevant to the discussion.

A sign at a community centre reads: 'Entrance at rear of building.' What does 'rear' mean here?

• AThe back✓
• BThe front
• CThe top
• DThe side

Answer: Working out a word's meaning from its context is a key reading strategy at this level. An entrance described as being at the 'rear' of a building is at the back of it, away from the main road-facing side. The front, the side and the top are all different locations and do not match the meaning of 'rear'.

Read the notice: 'The library will close early on Thursday for staff training. Normal opening hours resume on Friday.' What is the main point of this notice?

• AThe library is closing early one day for training✓
• BThe library has recently changed its postal address
• CThe library is closed completely for the whole week
• DThe library is currently hiring extra part-time staff

Answer: Understanding the main point of a short text means picking out its central message rather than a small detail. This notice is telling readers about one early closure for staff training. It does not say the library is closed all week, has moved, or is hiring, so those options are not supported by the text.

A leaflet has the bold heading 'Opening Times' followed by a list of days and hours. Where would you look to find out when a shop opens on Sunday?

• AUnder the heading 'Opening Times'✓
• BUnder the heading 'Our History'
• CUnder the heading 'Contact Us'
• DUnder the heading 'Special Offers'

Answer: Headings organise a text so a reader can find information quickly without reading every word. Opening days and hours would be listed under a heading that names that exact subject. 'Contact Us', 'Our History' and 'Special Offers' are headings for different information and would not contain opening times.

A form uses bullet points to list what to bring to an appointment: ID, proof of address, and a pen. What is the purpose of these bullet points?

• ATo give the address of the building
• BTo list separate items clearly, one at a time✓
• CTo show the price of the appointment
• DTo explain, in one long sentence, why the form exists

Answer: Bullet points are an organisational marker used to break information into short, separate items that are easy to scan. Here they list the things a person needs to bring, item by item. Bullet points are not used to show a price, explain a form's purpose in one sentence, or give an address.

A learner sees the word 'fragile' on a parcel and is not sure what it means. What is the best way to find out?

• AIgnore the word completely and carry on
• BThrow the whole parcel straight in the bin
• CLook up the word in a dictionary or ask someone✓
• DGuess the meaning without checking at all

Answer: An effective strategy for an unfamiliar word is to check its meaning rather than leave it unclear. A dictionary or another person can confirm exactly what 'fragile' means. Ignoring the word, guessing without checking, or throwing the parcel away do not help the learner understand what it says.

A learner is not sure if they have spelled 'address' correctly on a form. What is a good way to check?

• AWrite the word in capital letters and hope it is right
• BLook the word up in a dictionary or spellchecker✓
• CLeave the word out completely and finish the rest of the form
• DCopy the spelling from a different word

Answer: Checking spelling is a specific reading and writing strategy, and a dictionary or spellchecker gives a reliable answer. This directly resolves the learner's doubt about the correct spelling. Copying a different word, leaving it out, or writing in capitals does nothing to confirm whether 'address' is spelled correctly.

Read this sentence: 'Because the bus was late, Maria missed the start of her shift.' Why did Maria miss the start of her shift?

• ABecause she forgot her pass
• BBecause she overslept
• CBecause the bus was late✓
• DBecause her shift was cancelled

Answer: A sentence with more than one clause often gives a reason in one clause and a result in the other. The first clause here gives the reason: the bus was late. Oversleeping, a cancelled shift and a forgotten pass are not mentioned anywhere in the sentence.

A recipe card has a photo of a finished meal with a caption reading 'Serves 4'. What does this caption tell the reader?

• AHow much the ingredients usually cost
• BHow long the meal usually takes to cook
• CWhere the meal was first ever made
• DHow many people the meal serves✓

Answer: Captions under images give a short piece of information directly linked to that picture. 'Serves 4' tells the reader how many people the finished meal is meant to feed. The caption does not mention cooking time, cost or where the meal originated, so none of those are shown.

A workplace notice reads: 'Staff who work more than six hours are entitled to a break.' Which staff are entitled to a break, according to the notice?

• AStaff who work in the stockroom
• BStaff who have worked there over a year
• CStaff who arrive before nine o'clock
• DStaff who work more than six hours✓

Answer: Reading a sentence with more than one clause carefully shows exactly who a rule applies to. This notice states the rule applies to staff working more than six hours. Arrival time, working location and length of service are not mentioned as conditions in the notice.