Contributors: Linda Lethem, Steve Baxter, Maria Windsor, Marianna Georgopoulou and Varvara Vallianatou
While Trinity College London seeks reasonably to ensure that an approved publication is accurate and suitable for exam preparation, Trinity cannot accept any liability for its content.
Every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders and we apologise in advance for any unintentional omission. We will be happy to insert the appropriate acknowledgements in any subsequent editions. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing of the Publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
l Preparing for TRINITY ISE I (CEFR B1) Reading - Writing - Speaking - Listening - Student’s Book - ISBN: 9781781643174
l Preparing for TRINITY ISE I (CEFR B1) Reading - Writing - Speaking - Listening - Overprinted Edition with answers - ISBN: 9781781643181
Reading
The
format of the Trinity
ISE I Reading & Writing Module
Task 1 is called the Long reading task. You have to read one long text (about 400 words) and answer 15 questions related to it. Task 2 is called the Multi-text reading task. You have to read 4 short texts and answer 15 related questions. The four texts have a connected theme.
Writing
Task 3 is called the Reading into writing task. You have to write an answer to a question related to the theme in Reading task 2. You use the information in Reading task 2’s four texts to help you to prepare your answer. Task 4 is called the Extended writing task. You have to write an answer to a question using your own ideas. The question will give you key prompts that you must write about.
Time: 2 hours
Task 1
Task 2
Task 3
Task 4
ISE I Reading & Writing Exam
Parts: 4 (Tasks 1-4)
CEFR Level: B1
Long reading • 400 words • 15 questions
Spend about 20 minutes on this task.
Multi-text reading • 400 words • 15 questions
Spend about 20 minutes on this task.
Reading into writing • write 100-130 words
Spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Extended writing • write 100-130 words
Spend about 40 minutes on this task.
How is this book going to help me?
In this book, you will look at each of the four tasks one by one, starting with Task 1. A simple step-by-step approach is used to show you how to do each task and the skills you will need to use to manage your time and do well in the exam. How can I practise and improve my reading and writing exam skills?
First, read this guide to the exam and do the exercises in it. Follow the guide step-by-step. This will help you understand more about the format of the exam, exam skills and what you need to do in each task.
Next, do the exam practice tests that are also supplied in this book. Try to complete them in exam conditions – this means only allow yourself the amount of time you have in the real exam.
But you can also do more. The reading and writing skills you will learn here are not just for the exam. They are useful skills you will need to use throughout your education. You can apply and practise many of these skills in other subjects, when you have to do reading comprehension and answer related questions and when you have to produce written answers.
And you can also get extra practice and make your English-language learning more interesting by reading and writing about things you enjoy in your free time. Here are some examples of what we mean by this:
• Reading practice Read English-language magazines, newspapers or online articles, or online posts about things you are interested in (e.g. rock bands or celebrities). Then think about what you’ve read and try to put the information in your own words. For example, when you read an article, think of your own title for it and your own headings for the paragraphs. Write summaries of the paragraphs in your own words. Highlight the really important or interesting sentences. Use your dictionary to help you understand new words and build your vocabulary.
• Writing practice After you read these English-language articles, write about them. Maybe there is interesting information you want to share with other people. Write a blog post summarising what you’ve read. You have your own opinions. If the author gives an opinion, think: do I agree with what the author said? Write a blog post sharing your thoughts on the subject. Or, if the article is from a newspaper or magazine and the topic is important to you, write a letter to the editor expressing your views. If you have a friend who you think would like to know about what you read, write them an email. Use these opportunities to make practice a normal part of your routine. Hopefully, it will feel more natural and fun then. It may even be easier because you are interested in what you are reading and writing about. And the great thing is you are still practising exam skills.
• Writing practice When you watch a good (or bad) film, when you read a book, or when you go to a restaurant for a meal, blog about your experience. Write a review of the film, book or place. Describe it and think about why you liked or didn’t like it. Or share your experience with a friend. Write an email telling them why they should or shouldn’t watch the film, read the book or go to the place.
• Writing practice Keep a diary. Write letters to yourself about your experiences that day, week or month. Write about what happened at school. Write about your weekend activities. Write about your holidays. Or, if keeping a diary is too old-fashioned, blog about all your experiences. But be careful not to share private information on the internet.
The point is, you can practise all the skills that you will learn in this book in a way that is more natural, meaningful and interesting for you. Try it! Your English will improve and hopefully you will enjoy the learning experience more because it will feel more real and relevant.
Then, as you come closer to the exam, you may want to think about reading and writing about exam-specific topics. If you do want to do that, here are some topics you should focus on: Travel; Money; Fashion; Rules and regulations; Health and fitness; Learning a foreign language; Festivals; Means of transport; Special occasions; Entertainment; Music.
Preparation
for TRINITY
Integrated Skills in English I Reading & Writing Module
Task 1 Long reading
What do I have to do?
What kind of text?
How long and hard will the text be?
What about the 15 questions?
Read 1 long text and answer 15 questions.
The text will be factual or descriptive. It will be about one of the following subjects:
• Travel
• Money
• Fashion
• Rules and regulations
• Health and fitness
• Learning a foreign language
• Festivals
• Means of transport
• Special occasions
• Entertainment
• Music
• Recent personal experiences
The text will be about 400 words. There will always be 5 paragraphs. There may be some words you don’t know but the text will be aimed at level B1, which means you should recognise most of the words.
The 15 questions are divided into three sections.
Section 1
Questions 1-5 (Title matching)
You have to choose the best title for each of the 5 paragraphs. There are 6 titles to choose from, so there is an extra one you won’t need.
Section 2
Questions 6-10 (Selecting the true statements)
You are given 8 statements and you have to pick 5 that are true. You can choose your answers in any order. As 5 statements are true, 3 are false or not stated.
Section 3
Questions 11-15 (Completing sentences)
You will have to write a word or phrase (up to three words) from the text in a gap to complete each sentence. You must use an exact word or phrase from the original text – you can’t use your own words.
How long should I spend on this task? Spend about 20 minutes on Task 1.
SECTION 1: Questions 1-5 (Title matching)
Soon we’re going to look at our first long reading text. The text is about snowboarding. The topic comes under the general exam theme of Health and Fitness. First let’s think about what we already know about the subject. Look at the pictures and answer the questions (1-5). Write notes for your answers. Then discuss them with a partner if you can.
1. How many snow or winter sports do you know? List them. Do you like snow sports? Why?/Why not?
2. Which of the snow sports are more traditional and which are more modern?
3. Where do you think the idea for snowboarding came from?
4. Do you think snow sports are dangerous? What do athletes do to protect themselves?
5. What do you think slopestyle snowboarding is? Slopestyle snowboarding is shown in one of the pictures above.
Exercise 1
1. A. Now let’s read the text. When you are reading a text, always have a reason or purpose for reading. That way, you will focus better. Here is your purpose for reading this time: Read the text about slopestyle snowboarding and choose the correct topic, A, B or C, for each paragraph.
Here, you are obviously not expected to know all these snowboarding terms and a number of other words and phrases in the text. You should ignore unfamiliar vocabulary and just go for the general meaning (gist).
Slopestyle Snowboarding
Paragraph 1 Many people thought it was impossible, but Billy Morgan just proved them wrong. He’s become the first slopestyle snowboarder to perform a trick called the 1800 quadruple cork. Basically, he went head over heels four times in the air before landing his snowboard on the ground again without falling over. The video of his amazing achievement has been viewed thousands of times on the internet. And now, suddenly, everyone wants to know what exactly slopestyle is.
A What slopestyle snowboarding is
B How to do the 1800 quadruple cork
C A special achievement in slopestyle snowboarding
Paragraph 2 Well, it’s a type of snowboarding that involves the boarder following a course down a hill with different features on it, like rails and jumps. The boarder has to do tricks on these features. The better the tricks, the more points the boarder scores, and the boarder with the most points at the end wins. The four main kinds of trick are spins, grabs, grinds and flips. Boarders have to perform a variety of these tricks on the course.
A How to do slopestyle tricks
B What slopestyle snowboarding involves
C How to judge slopestyle tricks
Test 1
Task 1 – Long reading
Read the following text about a method of foreign language learning and answer the 15 questions on the next page.
Learning a foreign language
Paragraph 1
Tandem language learning is a new and exciting method of language learning. It involves two partners who are, most preferably, native speakers of different languages. Both speakers want to learna foreign language and will do so by helping each other. The word ‘tandem’ itself means a bicycle with two bicycle seats for two people to sit on, one behind the other. Therefore, one can easily understand how the method got its name.
Paragraph 2
Tandem learning can vary. The language-partners can meet either in person or learn by e-mail, phone or other media. Learning can be supported by various materials and methods: worksheets, textbooks or simply informal conversation. The classic style in Tandem learning, though, is that half the time is given to one partner, the other half to the other partner.For example, a Greek and an English speaker usually can talk half an hour in Greek and afterwards half an hour in English.
Paragraph 3
The "language learning by exchange" approach first appeared in 19th century England,in what was called the "mutual system", where pupils were helping each other in order to help the teacher with his or her work.The Tandem method, though, appeared much later on, in 1971, in connection with the "audio-visual method" and since then has developed up to the present day, taking different forms as time went by.
Paragraph 4
Tandem learning is an approach suitable for every age group, from children to senior citizens. It can beused at all levels of education; that is to say, preschool, elementary school,secondary school and even university. Research has also shown that it is one of the most successful methods of language learning for adults, particularly in companies.
Paragraph 5
At first, many people questioned this method’s success when compared to traditional language learning methods. However, research over the years has shown that this method greatly helps to improve listening and speaking skills. The reason why, is that the two language partners speak, as well as listen to each other much more than they would in a traditional class. Another benefit gained through the Tandem method is cultural understanding, as speakers get to learn about the culture of othercountries through conversation. Some speakers have even noticed that they seem to understand their native language more after Tandem sessions, as they start to think more about it.
Questions 1-5 (one mark per question)
The text on the previous page has five paragraphs (1-5). Choose the best title for each paragraph from A-F below and write the letter (A-F) on the lines below. There is one title you don’t need.
1. Paragraph 1
2. Paragraph 2
3. Paragraph 3
4. Paragraph 4
5. Paragraph 5 …………………………
A Definition of the method
B Suitable candidates for the method
C Origins and history of the method
D Advantages of the method
E Disadvantages of the method
F General background information on the method
Questions 6-10 (one mark per question)
Choose the five statements from A-H below that are TRUE according to the information given in the text on the previouspage. Write the letters of the TRUE statements on the lines below (in any order).
A Tandem learning was first used in the 19th century.
C/D/E/F/H
C/D/E/F/H
C/D/E/F/H
C/D/E/F/H
C/D/E/F/H
B Tandem learning was immediatelyaccepted when first used.
C The two partners don’t need to be face to face in order to learn.
D The two partners can practise languages in which they are not native speakers.
E It is possible to gain more inside knowledge of how one’s own language works though Tandem language learning.
F Employees may successfully use Tandem language learning.
G Tandem language learning can also help with reading and writing.
H Partners should participate in equal turns when learning.
Questions 11-15 (one mark per question)
Complete sentences 11-15 with a word, phrase or number from the text (maximum three words). Write the word, phrase or number in the space provided.
11. The main idea behind Tandem language learning is that two speakers are ……………………………………………........…...…… to learn a foreign language.
12. Speakers may choose to simply have a talk, or this may ……………………………………………….....…… by extra work.
13. Tandem language learning has not remained the same over years; it …….....……………………………………………… .
14. Learning by Tandem is ….....………………………………………………… anyone; there are no age restrictions.
15. By getting to know the other speaker and where he/she comes from, one gains …………………………………………….....……… . helping each other cultural understanding suitable for has developed be supported
ISE I Speaking & Listening Exam Overview
A fresh approach that’s a little different.
This exam has a different format from other exams that you may be familiar with. For that reason, it’s very important to know the format in advance and prepare. Trinity ISE I is student-centred and the aim is to allow you to give the best account of yourself that you can in a natural communicative environment. Put simply, it gives you the opportunity to show that you can use English in conversation, just as you might at college or at work.
How is it different?
ISE I Speaking & Listening is one single exam, all done face-to-face with the examiner.
What about the details?
Let’s have a look: Task
1. Speaking Task 1: Topic Task
ISE I is a B1-level exam. It lasts about 14 minutes and there are four different tasks to complete.
You prepare a topic in advance. Then, in the exam, you will have a discussion about your topic with the examiner, showing that you can use the language functions of the level.
2. Speaking Task 2: Conversation Task
You will have a discussion about a subject area chosen by the examiner from the list of subject areas for the Conversation phase. You will need to respond to the examiner's questions/ideas and express your own ideas/ask them questions. 2minutes
3. Independent Listening Task 1
You listen twice to a short talk and make notes. Then the examiner asks you six questions and you answer each question in just a few words.
4. Independent Listening Task 2
You listen once to a short talk and tell the examiner what it is generally about. You then listen to the talk a second time and make notes. You thentell the examiner six facts or important pieces of information from the talk. Finally, the examiner asks you four questions about the talk and you answer.
Total time: (This includes about 1 minute extra examiner administration time.) 14 minutes
ISE rating scale
All tasks in each ISE level are linked to a particular CEFR level. The rating scales are based on CEFR level descriptors.
Tips and Advice
General DOs and DON’Ts
3 Don’t be passive In this exam, students are encouraged to play an active role in conversation That means that in the Speaking tasks you shouldn’t be afraid to ask the examiner questions and keep the conversation going yourself. Don’t just wait to be told when to speak For example, in Speaking Task 2, the Conversation Task, when you give your opinion on the topic, invite the examiner to respond – ask him/her what he/she thinks.
3 Don’t give long rehearsed monologues (speeches). You will not get a high grade if you look and sound very unnatural and say things that are simply learned by heart Make an effort to be spontaneous (react in the moment) This may seem difficult at first, but that is where practice comes in. Practise spoken conversation at every opportunity. It’s true – practice makes perfect!
3 Try to speak clearly and fluently Avoid long, unnatural pauses, if possible Don’t wait for the right word to come into your head; say whatever you ’ re trying to say in another way instead.
3 Be polite at all times. Practise the art of turn-taking and disagreeing politely. Avoid rudeness, extreme language and sarcasm at all costs
3 Always try to explain/develop/exemplify the points you make For example, it’s not enough to say: I don’t think people could survive today without mobile phones. You have to explain yourself: I don’t think people could survive today without mobile phones A fter all, we need them to communicate, for directions, for entertainment and even to do business on the move We use them all the time
3 Take notes in the Listening tasks when given the opportunity to by the examiner
3 Prepare well for Speaking Task 1: the Topic Task. Spend time on your topic at home and in class and practise talking about your topic as much as you can. Even discussing it in your own language with family at home will give you more ideas for what to talk about on exam day. Most importantly, choose a topic you love – you want this to be interesting, not boring!
Integrated Skills
The Speaking & Listening exam is an integrated skills test. This means that, just like every day in real life, you’ll need to use both your speaking and listening skills at the same time. For example, you don’t read the instructions for any part of the exam. The examiner tells you what to do, so you have to listen carefully at all times to what he/she says. In the Speaking sections, you can’t give one long speech. The examiner will interrupt you and ask you questions. You have to listen carefully to what he/she says in order to reply in a suitable way and get a good grade in the Speaking tasks. In the Listening section, after you listen to the recordings, you have to tell the examiner your answers. It's not just about listening – it’s listening and then speaking in the same task.
3 Always listen very carefully when the examiner is speaking There are no written-down instructions for this exam – you have to be a good listener!
3 If, for some reason, you don’t quite hear or understand what the examiner says the first time, don’t worry! Just ask him/her to say it again Take the initiative
Part 1 Independent Listening Listening
Exercise 1
First, let’s see what you already know about the Independent Listening.
Answer the questions below. If you don’t know the answer, have a guess!
1. The Independent Listening section of the exam lasts about 7 minutes.
2. There is ONE task in the Independent Listening section.
q
3. Independent Listening Task 1 is the start of the test of your listening skills. q q
4. You are not allowed to take notes while you listen.
5. You listen to two different recordings.
6. You write your answers down so that the examiner can correct them.
7. You only hear each recording once.
8. During the Listening section of the exam, you are in a large room with other students.
q
q
q
Exercise 2 (Track 1)
Note!
First of all, the answer to Question 3 of Exercise 1 is important. Independent Listening Task 1 is NOT the start of the test of your listening skills. In fact, your listening skills are tested from the moment you begin the exam – in the Speaking section. You have to listen carefully to the examiner’s instructions and responses. So don’t look at any part of the exam as a test of only one particular skill. As we shall see later, there is speaking and listening involved in all sections.
A. Now, check your answers to the other questions in Exercise 1 by listening to the recording of an example of the Listening section of the exam.
B. Now choose the correct answers to complete the summary table below.
Independent Listening
Total time (1.) seven / ten minutes
• Listen (2.) once / twice to some basic information in a (3.) talk / dialogue
• Then respond to (4.) four / six questionswith short answers.
Task 1
Task 2
• The questions are (5.) asked by the examiner / written down
• The task lasts about 3 ¼ minutes.
• Each correct answer carries one mark.
• Listen (6.) once / twice to a factual recording – a (7.) talk / dialogue
• The first time, listen and tell the examiner (8.) what the recording is generally about / specific information in the recording
• The second time, listen carefully for (9.) details and facts / general information and take notes.
• Report back (10.) six / eight facts to the examiner.
• Answer (11.) two / four questions the examiner asks you.
• The task lasts about 3 ¾ minutes.
Did you get all the answers? If not, or if you want to check your answers, listen again.
Part 1 Speaking
Part 1 - Be Polite!
To start this lesson, listen to the recording It’s got a special message for you (Track 18)
That is an extreme example of rudeness You might even think it's funny, but being rude is not acceptable It's important to make sure that you always sound polite in the exam
Exercise 1
You’re going to listen to some recordings of situations which have something in common.
Listen and match each recording (1-6) to the correct picture(A-F). (Track 19)
Recording 1 (Track 20) 1 Picture .......
Recording 2 (Track 21) 1 Picture
Recording 3 (Track 22) 1 Picture .......
Recording 4 (Track 23) 1 Picture
Recording 5 (Track 24) 1 Picture
Recording 6 (Track 25) 1 Picture .......
Chat
Now work in pairs or groups. Discuss these questions.
1. What do all the situations have in common?
2. Which situation do you think was the worst example of rudeness?
3. Can you think of any other rude behaviour? Make a list.
4. When someone is rude to a person, how does it make the person feel?
5. How often are people rude to you? How often are you rude to other people?
6. Why should we respect and be kind to the elderly?
Exercise 2
Of course, being rude to people is not just impolite; it’s also disrespectful. The problem is, sometimes when we’re nervous or using a second language we can be rude by accident. You don’t want this to happen in the exam when you speak to the examiner, so let’s think about how to sound polite in English.
Speaking Task 2: the Conversation Task
Actually, we shouldn’t call this just a Speaking task. It’s a conversation, so it involves both speaking and listening. It’s another example of the integrated nature of the tasks in this exam.
Remember, this is a two-minute conversation. The examiner will introduce a subject and then ask you some questions about it. You will have to say what you think. You can and should also invite the examiner to respond to your comments.
The conversation subjects are:
• Travel • Rules and regulations
• Money • Health and fitness
• Fashion • Learning a foreign language
A. The examiner and the student are talking about money. Listen to and read a section of the transcript below. (Track 26)
Examiner: Now we’ll move on to the conversationtask. Let’s talk about money. Do you think money’s important?
Student: Um … uh … Yes, I do. I think without money you cannot live. Tell me what you think.
Examiner: Yes, of course, money is important, but I think I’d prefer to be happy than to be rich.
Student: You are wrong. It’s … uh … only possible to be happy when you have money. If you don’t have enough money, this makes you stressed. Therefore, the richer you are, the happier you are. I am right.
Examiner: But not all celebrities look happy and they have lots of money. There are stories in the newspapers every day about their problems. Isn’t that true?
Student: Yes. OK. OK. You have a point. So what? It’s still better to have money than to be poor.
Polite conversation
5 Don’t give orders, e.g. Tell me what you think. Ask, don’t tell. It’s rude to order people around. Use polite questions.
5 Don’t be too direct, e.g. You are wrong. In English, it’s not good to be too direct with people. Show understanding and respect their point of view.
5 Don’t be a bad loser! e.g. Yes. OK. OK. You have a point. So what?
When someone makes a good point, give them credit. It’s not a competition you have to win; it’s a discussion.
5 Don’t raise your voice! e.g. YOUAREWRONG
Your tone of voice should always be calm, relaxed and soft. Never suddenly talk very loudly or shout! People think this is aggressive and rude.
B. Listen to the recording again. Then work in pairs. Take turns to role-play the parts. Student 1, be the examiner. Student 2, be the student. Then swap.
Examiner, you must be very polite. Student, you must be very rude!
C. Now listen to the same two speakers again. Only, this time, they are BOTH polite. (Track 27)
Write down the new phrases you hear under the original phrases in italics.
Examiner: Now we’ll move on to the conversation task. Let’s talk about money. Do you think money’s important? Student: Um … uh … Yes, I do. I think without money you cannot live. Tell me what you think.
(1)
What do you think?
Examiner: Yes, of course, money is important, but I think I’d prefer to be happy than to be rich.
I’m afraid I disagree.
Student: You are wrong. (2)________________________ It’s … uh … only possible to be happy when you have money. If you don’t have enough money, this makes you stressed. Therefore, the richer you are, the happier you are. I am right. (3)
Wouldn’t you agree?
Examiner: OK, but not all celebrities look happy and they have lots of money. There are stories in the newspapers every day about their problems. Isn’t that true?
I see your point, but
Student: Yes. OK. OK. You have a point. So what? (4)___________________________ it’s still better to have money than to be poor.
D. Now listen again. Then work in pairs. Take turns to role-play the parts. Student 1, be the examiner. Student 2, be the student. Then swap. Examiner, you must be very polite. Student, you must be very polite too!
