FCE Reading & Use of English Test 4

Part 1

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1 conducted The correct collocation is conduct research, which means to carry out a study.

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controlled You can control an experiment, but we don’t say control research.

directed You can direct a film or a person, but again, not research.

guided You guide a person or process, but not usually research itself.

 

2 exceed To exceed expectations means to do better than expected. A perfect collocation.

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overtake  You overtake a person or vehicle, not expectations.

pass  Pass expectations is not a natural expression in English.

overcome  You overcome problems, not expectations.

 

3 prospect A prospect is the possibility or chance of something happening. No prospect of success is a very common expression in English.

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outlook Often used with weather or future situations (economic outlook), not in this personal context.

view This means opinion or what you see, not chance.

estimate Used for numbers, not for chances or possibilities.

 

4 contrast In contrast is a fixed expression used to show the opposite of the previous idea.

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opposition We say in opposition to [someone], not as a general contrasting phrase.

distinction In distinction is uncommon and formal, and doesn’t fit here.

contradiction We say a contradiction, not in contradiction to start a sentence like this.

 

5 narrow  A narrow defeat means a very small loss, for example, losing by just one point or one second.

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thin We say a thin line or a thin person. Thin does not collocate with defeat.

tight A tight match is okay, but a tight defeat is not a collocation in English.

slight means small, but doesn’t collocate with defeat here.

 

6 trend A trend is a general pattern that appears in data or over time, very common in research.

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habit is something a person does regularly, not a research result.

custom This is related to cultural practices, not data.

tendency Similar to trend, but trend fits better in a research context.

 

7 extent The phrase to a certain extent means partially, a very common fixed phrase in English.

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amount is used for things you can measure, like amount of water.

range means variety or distance, not level of truth.

level could work, but extent is a stronger, more common collocation.

 

8 reflect To reflect on something means to think deeply about it, which is ideal in this context where the athlete is looking back.

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wonder You wonder about something, not reflect on. It also sounds more casual.

consider Consider is possible, but it's not followed by on.

review More formal and used for documents or performance, not personal thoughts.

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Part 2

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​9 without We compare: those with several close friends and those without.
The full version would be: those without (close friends) but we can leave that part implied.

 

10 if (also acceptable: though, when, after)  The key phrase is even if, meaning despite the possibility that and usually used to show surprise or emphasis. Other acceptable options are:  even though which emphasizes contrast; even when is also possible, focusing on time and even after, which is less common, but works too.

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11 because We’re explaining why friends know more than family so the best and more common option after this is probably is because. Since and as are grammatically possible but less direct and not as clear in this context.

 

12 another The expression is one another which means each other.

This is a fixed phrase for mutual action.

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13 among We use among to refer to things or people in a group. The meaning is similar to between but between is used for two people/things while among is for groups.
 

14 no (also acceptable: little) This is a fixed phrase: It’s no surprise that meaning it’s expected or obvious. Little surprise is possible, but no is more common and natural here.

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15 who We need a relative pronoun to introduce the clause. As it refers to friends, the right choice is who here. 

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16 same The phrase is feel the same about someone means to have equal feelings.

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Part 3

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17 depth Adjective to noun transformation. We need a noun that expresses a measurable feature. Depth is the noun form we use when talking about how deep something is (especially water).

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18 unusual Adjective to opposite adjective transformation. Famous for suggests something not normal or rare. If it were usual, it wouldn’t be famous. We need the negative form here.

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19 endangered Noun to adjective (past participle form) transformation. We’re describing animals that are in danger, that is, they are at risk of extinction. Endangered species is a fixed scientific term.

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20 establishment Verb to noun transformation. Led to the ___ of clearly asks for a noun meaning the act of creating something.

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21 unforgettable Verb to adjective transformation. The adjective describes the positive impression left by the beautiful scenery. Unforgettable means so good that you can’t forget it. Watch the spelling: double T.

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22 accessible Noun to adjective transformation. Not all are ___ to tourists means not all can be reached. Accessible means easy or possible to reach or visit.

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23 inhabitants Verb to plural noun transformation. The word missing refers to people who live on the islands, i.e. inhabitants and must be plural because of are known as the Uros people. Remember you miss the mark if you write it in singular! 

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24 surprisingly Noun to adverb transformation. This whole sentence expresses a contrast: the lake is beautiful, yet it’s often ignored. We need an adverb to describe how unexpected this is.  Make sure you don’t use surprising (adjective); this is a common mistake but we need the adverb here at the start of the sentence.

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​Part 4

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25 led schools to getting/being closed ​Led to is followed by a noun or gerund. We need to omit some to keep the answer within the 5-word limit. Both forms led schools to being closed (passive construction) and led schools to getting closed (less formal, but accepted) are correct.

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26 doesn't pay much attention Pay attention to is an idiomatic expression for noticing or focusing on something, which matches the meaning of doesn’t take notice exactly.

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27 regrets not taking Wishes he had taken expresses a past regret. Taking must be used as a gerund, so we need a verb that allows that. Regret + not + verb-ing is the correct construction expressing regret about a past action not done.

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28 with the exception of Apart from is similar to with the exception of , a fixed expression that requires the definite article the. 

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29 never had weather as bad Superlative the worst changes to as bad as structure used for comparisons and is combined with present perfect we’ve never had to refer to experience.

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30 must have been I’m sure it was becomes must have been to express a deduction about a past situation. We need to use heat as the subject because we are talking about how hot it was. The word weather would be too general here.​​

​​Part 5

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31 D He wishes she had been aware of a greater variety of job options.

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If only she had known about the jobs I’ve been researching for this article! shows regret that the advisor didn’t know about more interesting careers.

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A is wrong as That was fine for some contradicts it. It helped some pupils.

B is also wrong as he says the advice was limited, so not useful for many.

C is incorrect too as he doesn’t say the meeting was unnecessary, just disappointing.​

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32 A There is no food type that they will refuse to experiment with.

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​Every ingredient deserves consideration means they’re willing to try anything, even strange things like potatoes. 

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B is wrong as the site doesn't say they succeed with all the ingredients.

C is also wrong since travel is for inspiration, not for testing new flavours internationally.

D is incorrect as well because no claim is made about being the best in the industry.

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33 A be good at communicating with people.

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The job ad required strong written and verbal skills  that clearly refers to communication.

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B is wrong as it says willingness to travel, not previous experience.

C is also wrong because having experience in social media is not the same as having an IT qualification.

D is incorrect too as there is no mention of needing to be physically fit.​

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34 C It might not be the right job for everyone.

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Grainger warns anyone considering a job like his to be realistic about it and he also says
If you are this type of person, you’ll do the job well. This means the job isn’t suitable for everyone.

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A is wrong as he says you’ll never want to go back, not that he is leaving.

B is wrong too since it's not just about loneliness; the job is also demanding.

D is incorrect because he enjoys the lifestyle but points out it comes with challenges.

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35 A She did not deliberately choose to do the job.

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It was more of a role she fell into means she didn’t plan to do it; it just happened because of her English skills.

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B is not correct as she didn’t get the job because no one spoke English, just that her English was better.

C is wrong too because she didn’t apply; the company asked her.

D is also wrong since there’s no mention of her trying to avoid the role.​

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36 D someone who writes the messages in fortune cookies.

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The previous sentence says: people actually get paid to write the words of wisdom… Daisy Cheng… used to be one such person. So it refers clearly to a fortune cookie message writer.

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A is wrong since she's a president now, but that’s not what one such person refers to.

B is incorrect too as there's no mention of New York, she’s from Los Angeles.

C is wrong as well because one such person doesn’t mean someone unaware of this job.

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Part 6​

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37 Despite these trips involving some expense and disruption to class timetables, educators arrange them in the belief that schools exist not only to teach economically useful skills, but also to produce civilised young people who appreciate the arts and culture. E While there are parents who will take their children to cultural places and events in their free time, there are plenty of other children who will never have this kind of opportunity unless schools offer it.  So you could say that taking school students on field trips is a means of giving everyone equal access to their cultural heritage.​

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The previous sentence talks about giving students cultural education. Sentence E explains why schools are necessary for that: some families don’t provide those experiences. The connector while in the sentence While… there are parents contrasts with plenty of other children. This contrast supports the idea of equal access to culture.

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38 However, there have been increasing signs in recent years that the attitude towards field trips is changing, with the number of tours organised for school groups falling significantly in museums all around the country. Take the Field Museum in Chicago, for example. It used to have over 300,000 students each year through its doors. That number has dropped to below 200,000 more recently. G A similar pattern is emerging in many other areas of the country, and is set to continue.  A survey exploring the trend carried out by a group of school administrators found that over half the schools they asked had decided to cancel trips planned for the next academic year.

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Sentence G shows cohesion with That number has dropped in the previous sentence and expands the example of Chicago to a national trend. A similar pattern refers to the decline in student visits, and is set to continue leads perfectly into the next sentence about a survey confirming the decline.

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39 So what are the reasons for this change? The most obvious one is the issue of finance. Because there are increasing demands on their funds (computers and sports facilities aren’t cheap), schools are forced to make a difficult choice about how to spend the limited money they have. D Faced with this dilemma, field trips are an obvious thing to cut since they are seen by many as a luxury. A significant number of school heads also consider days spent away from school a waste of time, believing that the only worthwhile use of students’ time is spent preparing for exams in the classroom.

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This dilemma refers to the financial choice from the previous sentence. Field trips are non-essential compared to tech and sport, so they’re cut first. Dilemma also matches and refers to difficult choice in the previous sentence.

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40 Although school trips do still happen, the nature of these field days is also changing. Schools increasingly use trips as a treat for students who work hard, rather than as an opportunity for cultural learning. They are taken to amusement parks or sporting events instead of to museums and historical sites. A This shift to ‘reward’ field trips could have a basis in generational differences between teachers’ reasons for organising days out of school. In a recent survey, 500 Arkansas teachers were asked about the purpose of trips they organised. Older teachers were significantly more likely to believe the primary purpose of a field trip was to provide a learning experience than younger teachers, who mostly saw the main point of a trip as fun.

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Sentence A explains the cause of the trend described in the sentence before. This shift refers to the change from educational to fun trips. The next sentence describes the difference between older and younger teachers, making generational differences a key theme.

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41 But why should anybody worry if school children go on fewer trips? Those that believe this is a negative development in education would say that cultural field trips contribute to the development of students into well-educated adults who have a healthy interest in history and the arts. B However, there is little evidence to support this argument, as few studies into the effect of field trips have been done.

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The phrase this argument clearly refers to the belief in the value of field trips. The contrast word however matches the structure: belief (sentence before) vs. lack of evidence (sentence B). The next paragraph begins with One exception is so this sentence sets up that contrast.

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42 One exception is the research led by Jay P. Greene at Arkansas University. His team found that students who received a tour of an art museum significantly improved their knowledge of and ability to think critically about art. F They also displayed stronger historical empathy and were more likely to visit cultural institutions in the future. The researchers warn that if schools cut field trips or switch from ‘reward’ trips to less educational destinations, then valuable opportunities to broaden and enrich children’s learning experiences are lost.

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They also continues describing the same students mentioned in the previous sentence.  Sentence F adds further positive outcomes, reinforcing the benefits of educational field trips, which is a smooth continuation of the results from the research

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Part 7

 

43 С Paragraph C explains effort-related data collection and it warns that identifying species, like the bottlenose dolphin, is not as easy as it seems.

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Phrases like not as simple as it sounds and tricky to identify show that the work can be surprisingly difficult.

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44 D This paragraph promotes their training courses as top-quality.

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Phrases like the most experienced organisation, guarantees a very high quality of training, and expert course leaders all promise excellence.

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45 B Volunteers interested in photography are always very welcome clearly refers to a specific hobby. 

 

These volunteers help with the photo-identification catalogue, so the organisation actively wants people with this interest.

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46 A Mentions climate change, noise disturbance, chemical pollution, and overfishing i.e. a list of threats to marine mammals.

 

These are negative effects on sea life, showing why the organisation exists.

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47 E The sentence: Over the 25 years since Sea Watch was set up… is a direct reference to the organisation’s history and how long they’ve been operating.

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48 B Mentions that enthusiasm and a pair of binoculars are enough to get involved. It later adds: patience is pretty essential too! giving a list of useful traits.

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49 E Talks about controlled conservation areas and codes of conduct for boats, but says dolphins’ social structures are still being affected, meaning the measures aren’t sufficient.

The contrast connector although to highlight negative consequences as a warning.

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50 D The end of sentence D talks about identifying individual animals using markings, body size, or scars. These are distinguishing features, helping to tell similar animals apart.

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51 A  The final sentence of sentence A: passing on what our data has taught us through community group talks and school visits shows how they share findings with the public.

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52 C This section gives detailed steps for effort-related data collection: note time, every 15 minutes: log environmental data, record date/location, identify species carefully. It's a process description from beginning to end.

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