Part 1

Listen to the web show. Then choose all the correct answers.

1. Wanda ………………………………… on her show.

2. Louis and his roommate ……………………………… .

3. When Louis’s roommate broke his coffee cup, the roommate ……………………………………. .

4. Louis probably …………………………………………………… .

Part 2

Listen to the web show again. Then select the words in the correct categories. Not all the words will be used. 

LOUIS

LOUIS’S ROOMMATE

Part 3

Choose the answer that correctly completes each sentence.

 13. Dan ………………………………. graduate school, but he decided not to attend this year. He requested that his position be held so he could do volunteer work overseas first.

14. Juana’s ……………………….. have changed since she started her first job, so she doesn’t spend as much time with her friends.

15. Martin and Jessica are political ………………………… who attend a lot of community meetings and try to eliminate corruption in the local government.

16. Determined and positive people …………………… when things get difficult.

17. Sheila had sweaty palms and butterflies in her stomach, but she ……………………………. stepped up to the microphone and delivered a great speech.

18. Running is a good way to …………………. after a hard day at work.

19. Most people think Jonathan is ………………….. , but I don’t get his sense of humor.

Part 4

Choose the answer that correctly completes each sentence.

20. I ………………….. to Jenna about our assignment while you were wasting time.

21. Maria ………………… for a fiction writing class online when the power went out.

22. How long had you been living in France when you …………………. to relocate to Spain?

23. We’ve been working a lot of overtime …………………. , but we still haven’t met our deadline.

24. Jack and Teresa …………………………….. attending the same college because they want to specialize in different fields.

25. I’ve tried yoga ……………………. , but I’ve never been flexible enough to correctly hold any of the positions for long.

Part 5

Complete the sentences with the words from the box.

Part 6

Put the words and phrases in the correct order to make sentences.

31. you feel, / matter / it’s / the end of the world / No / how / really not

32. we’re / we go, / to try new things / No / matter / to try new things / where / always willing

33. I’m always / Mr. Rawlings says / matter / what / confused, / no

34. I text him / matter / John never / no / writes back, / when

Part 7

Choose the answer that correctly completes each sentence.

35. It was ……………… shocking news—it felt like you pulled the rug out from under me.

36. The clouds were ……………… dark that I was surprised it wasn’t raining.

37. Don is ………………….. empathetic person that people are always telling him their problems. 

38. There are so ……………….. people here that I don’t think we’ll find a place to sit.

39. We have so ………………… time—I don’t think we’ll finish the cake before the celebration.

Part 8

Match the sentence fragments in both columns to complete the sentences. Write the letter.

Part 9

Combine the sentences. Write cleft sentences using the words in parentheses.

Examples:  

Sam made a big issue out of nothing. It bothers us. (what)

Answer:    What bothers us is that Sam made a big issue out of nothing. 

It made me nervous. It was my sister’s temper. (it)

Answer: It was my sister’s temper that made me nervous. 

45. We let off some steam after work. We need to do it. (what)

46. She hit the roof when she heard the news. Her name was Liz. (it)

47. It will determine what we do tomorrow. It is your decision. (it)

48. You took it so well. It surprised us. (what)          

49. Most people will forgive you immediately if you apologize sincerely. That fascinates me. (what)

Part 10

Read the direct speech. Then choose the correct answers to complete the reported speech.

Example:  

“I’ve signed up for an economics class.”

Gina said that she ( will sign up for / had signed up for / was signing up for ) an economics class.

50. “Mark was telling a political joke.”

Judy said that Mark ……………………………. a political joke.

51. “Why can’t you repeat that joke?”

My sister asked me ……………………. repeat that joke.

52. “I’ll have the funniest costume at the party.”

Victor ……………………. he’d have the funniest costume at the party.

53. “I don’t want to leave now.”

Ahmed admitted that he didn’t want to leave ……………………… .

54. “Do they want me to explain it?”

I asked ………………………… explain it.

55. “You must think I’m hilarious.”

Jack stated that we ……………………….. he was hilarious.

Part 11

Read the article. Then answer the questions. Choose the correct answers.

Jobs witch a Twist

Everyone knows what doctors, teachers, and lawyers do. And you probably know about less typical jobs, too, such as video game designers and architects. But have you ever heard of the following jobs?

Anxiety Coach

Anxiety coaches are professionals who help people overcome their fears. Many times, they are therapists. One method therapists may use is exposure therapy. In this method, people are exposed to the fear so that they get used to it. It helps them train their brains not to fear something. Some coaches use humor to help people overcome fears. For example, they may tell a person who is afraid of public speaking to use humor at the beginning of the speech to relax. In addition to the fear of public speaking, some of the most common fears anxiety coaches help people with are the fear of heights and the fear of flying. Anxiety coaches need to have training in mental health, and they often get certified in a health-related field. Therapists who work with people to overcome fears may have similar training, but unlike anxiety coaches, they must also have a college degree. Their degrees may be in various fields, such as psychology, social work, nursing, or counseling.

Comedy Writer

Having a sense of humor can help you get through a difficult day at any job, but what if you had to be funny for your job? Comedy writers have to be funny in order to get paid! They may write for TV shows and movies, and they also can write jokes for comedians. While it’s not a requirement, it does help to have a college degree in writing or a similar field to be a comedy writer. People in this line of work often start by writing for little or no money to get some experience. What can help potential comedy writers is to practice their skills by writing funny posts on social media. Making connections and working with others in the field also benefit people who are in this profession. Many connections can also be made by taking comedy writing workshops and classes. Finally, whether it’s sarcasm or slapstick—it definitely helps to have a unique writing style.

Placement Specialist

Have you ever thought about getting a job helping people get jobs? That’s what a job or career placement specialist does. A job placement specialist often works for a company that helps match candidates with employers. A company may hire a specialist who works for a job placement organization to find people for specific jobs at the company. The placement specialist must know the details about the jobs and work with candidates to find the best matches. The specialist may do pre-interviews for the employer to find out the candidates’ skills, training, and experience. The specialist may also have to write ads to find candidates. In addition, they often advise candidates about what additional training they should consider to better help them in obtaining jobs. A job placement specialist must have at least a high school degree. Furthermore, a college degree in human resources or a related field is often wanted.

Would you consider one of these jobs? You can make a career out of just about any interest you have! And if you’re not sure what you want to do—talk to a career placement specialist for help!

56. What is the article about?

57. According to the article, what does an anxiety coach do?

58. Which is the most important skill for a comedy writer?

59. Who does a job placement specialist help?

60. Which jobs could you get without a college degree?

Writing Test

Part 1

Write a three- to four-paragraph essay about your academic or career-related strengths and weaknesses. Use the questions to plan your response.

• What skills are you good at?

• What do you think you do the best?

• What skills could you improve? How?

Part 2

Read the story. Then retell the story in your own words. Change the direct speech to reported speech in your version of the story. Write at least one paragraph.

Mistaken Identity by Julie Mason

     Last year, my brother Rahul and I were shopping at an outdoor mall on a family vacation, and we wanted to go to different stores. He said, “Meet me back at the car in an hour.” He then pointed to the rental car we were driving—a big black Lincoln Continental—and put the car keys in his pocket.

     “I’ll see you in an hour,” I said, as I ran off to browse a beautiful jewelry store.

     After looking at jewelry for 45 minutes, I finally bought a shell necklace for myself and several unique bracelets for my friends back home. I had just enough time to get an ice-cream cone before heading back to the car. It was an extremely hot day, and even though we had locked the doors, we had left the windows down. I reached in, unlocked the door, and settled into the passenger seat with my ice cream in hand and my feet on the dashboard. A minute later, an angry woman approached me. “What are you doing in my car?” she asked.

     My palms got so sweaty that my ice cream slipped out of my hands and onto the seat. “My brother and I rented this car,” I insisted.

     She unlocked the driver’s side door and put her key in the ignition. “My husband and I rented this car,” she stated.

I was so embarrassed that my face turned red. “Can I treat you to an ice cream?” I asked.

     Once she realized that I wasn’t dangerous, we laughed about the situation. While I was cleaning ice cream off her seat, my brother walked by on his way to our rental car. Of course, he’s never let me forget about that mistake!