Student Name

EMPOWER 2nd Edition

B2 READING / USE OF ENGLISH COMPETENCY TEST

Mid-Course Test

Time 30 minutes

INSTRUCTIONS TO STUDENTS
Do not open this question paper until you are told to do so.
Write your name on this question paper.
Read the instructions for each part of the paper carefully.
Answer all the questions.
Write your answers on the question paper.

INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS

There are four parts to this test.
Each question carries one mark.

© UCLES 2022
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Part 1

Questions 1 – 10

Read the text below and choose the correct answer for each gap.

Robin Knox-Johnston

It’s been over half a century since Sir Robin Knox-Johnston became the

first person to sail non-stop around the world on his own. In a few

months, he will once again be competing alone in a 3,500-mile

transatlantic race. Sir Robin talks about his feelings and experiences as

he prepares to sail again:

over how excited I am about this race. Everything’s

“I can’t get (1) …………

changed since I started out. These days, unlike when I first started,

technology means you can check how everyone else is doing in the race,

and this (2)affects

………… the choices you make. I keep a close eye on the race

and, if I see a competitor has done better than me in the last six hours, it
determined
makes me more (3) ………… to succeed. If I have done better than them,
has performance
it (4) ………… a positive effect on my attitude and my (5) .......... during
carried
the race. It’s important not to get (6) ………… away, though, because the

situation can change quickly.”

tricky
“Sailing alone is (7) .......... − it really stretches you. You have to have
manage
the strength of mind and body to (8) .......... to do everything on your

own. There’s always luck when you are racing but, in many ways, you
for
are responsible (9) ………… your own luck. With ocean racing, it’s all

about the weather: if you make a mistake with the wind patterns, for

get
example, you can soon (10) .......... into trouble.”
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1 A off B out C back D over

2 A affects B causes C results D leads

3 A stubborn B determined C ambitious D passionate

4 A has B puts C makes D does

5 A profession B training C activity D performance

6 A taken B carried C moved D lifted

7 A awkward B delicate C demanding D tricky

8 A manage B get C achieve D reach

9 A of B to C for D by

10 A find B get C lead D become

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Part 2
Questions 11 – 15

Read the text. Think of the word which best fits each gap. Write ONE word for each gap.

At peace with nature

People often ask me why I try to live an environmentally-friendly life. My

answer’s always the same: unless we change the way we live, we’ll destroy the
have
world forever. Before I changed my lifestyle, I (11) ………… never given much

thought to how everything we do impacts the world around us. Before, I

used wheather/if
(12) ………… to throw so much away. Now I stop and ask myself (13)...........I

have also made other simple

actually need something before I buy it. I (14) …………

may
changes, like using less plastic and supporting local businesses. I (15) …………

not be able to save the world on my own, but I am glad I’m doing what I can.

Why don’t you join me?

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Part 3

Questions 16 – 20

Read the text and questions below.

For each question, circle the correct letter A, B, C or D.

Butterflies: My rediscovered hobby

I spent most of my 20s working in big cities around England and had little time for wildlife.
And then, when I was in my 30s, I felt increasingly distant from nature, but anxious to return
to it. So I decided to go back to doing something I had enjoyed as a teenager − butterfly
spotting. I think butterfly spotting − looking for and recognizing different kinds of butterflies
− is a wonderful hobby, but as a sensitive teenager, butterfly spotting was a hobby that I had
kept secret from my friends − it was not exactly cool! But I love butterflies and the way they
fly. They are such beautiful insects, of so many colors and sizes and one advantage of getting
older is having the confidence to ignore what other people think and, after years living in
cities, I wanted to experience the pleasures of this simple activity once again.

It’s not such an unusual thing to do. With just 59 butterfly species in Britain it’s ideal for a
beginner, even one − like me − who set himself the challenging goal of finding and
recognizing them all. Over the following weeks, this goal guided where and when I walked,
forcing me to explore new areas.

At first, I was a little out of practice. It took me ages to identify even a common butterfly and I
was close to giving up. Soon, however, the frustration of having to explain to people what I
was doing was beaten by my happiness at just being out in the countryside.

There’s quite a community of people who share my hobby, but I found being alone out there
was far more important. Before too long, I’d found all 59 butterflies, which was very
satisfying, but the real point was that I felt so much more comfortable surrounded by nature.

After completing my daytime butterfly search, I decided to do something quite different: to

explore the countryside in the evenings and at night and watch night animals properly for the
first time. During one of my first nights out, I had a strange feeling that I was being watched.
I turned around and saw an owl staring at me with huge, bright, round eyes. It was as still as
a statue, but scary! It reminded me that, not so long ago, being aware of other creatures was
essential for our survival.

After a while, I realized that I was not really animal watching; I was watching day turn into
night, listening to the animals of the day as they were replaced by the creatures of the night,
with their strange noises and signals, which I did not understand, but could still enjoy.

Like me, people often feel nervous about nature simply because they don’t understand it. Just
like running or walking, however, it’s easy to learn by doing, without needing formal
instruction. I do wish I’d arranged a few trips with local experts just to get me started, though
− self-taught knowledge always takes a bit longer to gain!

Turn over ►
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16 The writer now believes looking for butterflies is

A embarrassing.
B sociable.
C strange.
D enjoyable.

17 At the start, the writer set himself a goal which

A made him discover different places.
B took up a lot of time.
C was impossible to achieve.
D involved a little walking.

18 The writer found butterfly spotting difficult at first, because he

A was lazy.
B wasn’t used to it.
C was stubborn.
D wasn’t motivated.

19 Watching night animals made the writer realise that people

A are still close to animals in the wild.
B needed to know that animals can be dangerous.
C are interesting to other animals.
D frightened other animals.

20 What advice would the writer give to other people who want to do this hobby?
A study a good butterfly book
B take your time
C just explore by yourself
D go out with a guide
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Part 4

Questions 21 – 30

Read the texts about five people working with animals and the questions below. For each question
choose the correct person. The people may be chosen more than once.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Which person

is pleased with their schedule at work? 21 A

says their job was a childhood ambition? 22 D

does a job in which the amount of work varies? 23 B

always looks forward to going to work? 24 D

says communication is an essential skill for their work? 25 A

is disappointed by some people’s opinion of their work? 26 E

says their job is affected by its location? 27 A

is afraid of something in their job? 28 C

prefers working with a certain kind of animal? 29 B

finds it hard to forget about their work? 30 D

Turn over ►
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Working with animals

A Veterinary surgeon – Seb Prior D Inspector – Anna Lindley

Seb sees a huge variety of creatures in his role Becoming an animal inspector was something
as a veterinary surgeon. He says, “Anything I’d always wanted – along with being a police
can come through the door; you just wouldn’t officer. At first, I had no idea what it involved,
believe it. We do general pet care and, but actually the job is better than I ever
because the clinic’s so close to a road, I spend imagined. There’s never a day when I don’t
lots of time dealing with animals who’ve been want to go to work. The job is a lot harder than
hit by cars. people realize and it can get me down at times.
Over the years I’ve had to learn to put it to the
I spend half my day in the clinic and half doing back of my mind when I leave at the end of the
operations, which is a nice mix. I like being day, but that’s easier said than done and it’s
able to get out and reach people – being able true to say that a bit of the job always comes
to talk to them and answer their questions is a home with me. It’s the nature of the job.
huge part of the job. You can be the best
surgeon in the world but if you can’t talk to the
clients, that’s a huge problem. You need
patience and understanding for the people and
the animals.”

B Wildlife assistant – Wendy Burrows E Vet nurse – Naomi Killingsworth

Wendy sees all sorts of animals, from small Naomi works with people as much as animals,
birds to tiny hedgehogs and fully-grown swans but not everyone who comes through the
and every day is different, but Wendy’s wildlife hospital doors is as grateful as you might think,
center is particularly busy during the summer as Naomi explains: “Sometimes I wish more
months. She looks after up to 500 hedgehogs people appreciated what we do. We work hard
and their young, who have to reach a certain here, but not everyone realises that. Of course,
weight before they can be let go into the wild. there are also many people who couldn’t be
Wendy says, “It’s always a beautiful moment more grateful for what we’ve done to help their
when this happens, one of the most satisfying animals – they make it all worthwhile.”
parts of the job”, but if this isn’t achieved by
September, the hedgehogs have to be kept at
the center over the winter period.”

C Animal care assistant – Justin Stubbs

Justin Stubbs cares for a wide range of

animals, from dogs and cats to birds and mice,
and it is these smaller animals that give him the
greatest satisfaction.
“Ever since I was a child, I’ve loved animals
and I hate it that we often don’t pay attention to
the small ones.”
Caring for such a range of animals provides an
interesting challenge and plenty of work. “ With
so much to do, I find myself rushing from job to
job and never quite keeping up. I love the f act
that you never know what you’re going to get,
although unfortunately that does mean I
sometimes have to deal with a snake, which I
find a bit scary!”