FCE Use of English and Reading Strategies

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First‌‌Certificate‌‌in‌‌English‌ ‌

Reading‌‌and‌‌Use‌‌of‌‌English‌‌Strategies‌ ‌

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Use‌‌of‌‌English‌ ‌ There‌‌are‌f‌ our‌‌‌parts‌‌to‌‌this‌‌paper.‌‌All‌‌parts‌‌except‌‌Part‌‌4‌‌are‌‌based‌‌on‌‌a‌‌short‌‌text‌‌and‌‌you‌‌

should‌‌read‌‌through‌‌each‌‌text‌‌carefully‌‌to‌‌familiarise‌‌yourself‌‌with‌‌it‌‌before‌‌answering‌‌

individual‌‌questions.‌ ‌ ● ● ● ●

Multiple‌‌Choice‌ ‌ Open‌‌Cloze‌ ‌ Word‌‌Formation‌ ‌ Key‌‌Word‌‌Transformation‌ ‌

Reading‌ ‌ There‌‌are‌t‌ hree‌‌‌parts‌‌to‌‌this‌‌paper.‌ ‌ ● ● ●

Multiple‌‌Choice‌ ‌ Gapped‌‌Text‌ ‌ Multiple‌‌Matching‌ ‌

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1‌ ‌

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FCE‌‌Use‌‌of‌‌English‌‌Strategies‌ ‌ ‌

Part‌‌1:‌‌Multiple-choice‌‌cloze‌ ‌ ‌ ● ● ●

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Read‌‌the‌‌text‌‌through‌‌first‌‌to‌‌get‌‌a‌‌good‌‌idea‌‌of‌‌what‌‌it‌‌is‌‌about.‌ ‌ Think‌‌about‌‌the‌‌meaning‌‌of‌‌the‌‌missing‌‌word.‌ ‌ Look‌‌at‌‌the‌‌words‌b ‌ efore‌‌‌and‌a ‌ fter‌‌‌the‌‌gap‌‌and‌‌think‌‌about‌‌why‌‌some‌‌of‌‌the‌‌

options‌‌will‌‌not‌‌fit‌‌the‌‌gap.‌‌You‌‌will‌‌often‌‌have‌‌to‌‌think‌‌about‌‌the‌g ‌ rammar‌‌‌of‌‌

these‌‌words.‌ ‌ Try‌‌to‌e ‌ liminate‌‌‌three‌‌of‌‌the‌‌options‌‌before‌‌choosing‌‌the‌‌correct‌‌one.‌ ‌ Read‌‌the‌‌whole‌‌text‌‌through‌‌‌after‌‌you‌‌have‌‌written‌‌your‌‌answers‌‌to‌‌make‌‌sure‌‌

they‌‌make‌‌sense.‌ ‌

‌ Part‌‌2:‌O ‌ pen‌‌cloze‌ ‌ ‌ ● ● ● ●

Look‌‌at‌‌the‌‌title‌‌and‌‌read‌‌the‌‌text‌‌through‌‌to‌‌get‌‌a‌‌good‌‌idea‌‌of‌‌what‌‌it‌‌is‌‌about.‌ ‌ Think‌‌about‌‌what‌p ‌ art‌‌of‌‌speech‌‌‌(verb,‌‌preposition,‌‌conjunction,‌‌etc)‌‌each‌‌

missing‌‌word‌‌could‌‌be.‌ ‌ Think‌‌about‌‌different‌‌words‌‌that‌‌could‌‌fit‌‌in‌‌the‌‌gap‌‌and‌‌then‌‌choose‌‌the‌‌one‌‌you‌‌

think‌‌fits‌‌best‌‌regarding‌‌the‌‌context‌‌of‌‌the‌‌sentence‌‌and‌‌the‌‌text‌‌as‌‌a‌‌whole.‌ ‌ When‌‌you‌‌have‌‌filled‌‌all‌‌the‌‌gaps,‌r‌ ead‌‌the‌‌text‌‌through‌‌‌to‌‌make‌‌sure‌‌

everything‌‌makes‌‌sense.‌ ‌

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Part‌‌3:‌ ‌Word‌‌formation‌ ‌ ‌ ● ● ● ● ● ●

Read‌‌through‌‌the‌‌whole‌‌text‌‌first‌‌to‌‌find‌‌out‌‌what‌‌it‌‌is‌‌about.‌ ‌ First,‌‌decide‌‌what‌p ‌ art‌‌of‌‌speech‌‌‌is‌‌needed‌‌in‌‌the‌‌gap.‌ ‌ When‌‌you‌‌have‌‌decided‌‌what‌‌type‌‌of‌‌word‌‌it‌‌is,‌‌e.g.:‌‌noun‌‌or‌‌verb,‌‌decide‌‌

whether‌‌you‌‌have‌‌to‌‌add‌‌a‌‌grammatical‌‌ending,‌‌e.g.:‌‌make‌‌it‌‌plural‌‌or‌‌add‌‌-ing.‌ ‌ Also,‌‌think‌‌about‌‌the‌‌meaning‌‌of‌‌the‌‌text,‌‌whether‌‌you‌‌have‌‌to‌‌add‌‌a‌p ‌ refix‌‌‌or‌‌a ‌‌ suffix‌,‌‌or‌b ‌ oth.‌ ‌ Don’t‌‌forget‌‌to‌‌consider‌‌if‌‌you‌‌have‌‌to‌‌make‌‌a‌p ‌ ositive‌w ‌ ord‌n ‌ egative‌‌‌by‌‌adding‌‌

a‌‌prefix.‌ ‌ Think‌‌carefully‌‌about‌s ‌ pelling‌‌‌and‌‌whether‌‌the‌‌spelling‌‌of‌‌the‌‌word‌‌you‌‌are‌‌

forming‌‌needs‌‌to‌‌vary‌‌from‌‌the‌‌word‌‌you‌‌are‌‌given.‌ ‌

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3‌ ‌

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‌ ‌ ‌ Part‌‌4:‌‌‘‌Key’‌‌word‌‌transformation‌ ‌ ‌ ● ● ●

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Think‌‌of‌‌the‌‌first‌‌sentence‌‌and‌‌different‌‌ways‌‌of‌‌expressing‌‌the‌‌same‌‌idea.‌ ‌ Remember‌‌your‌‌answer‌‌should‌‌include‌a ‌ t‌‌least‌‌two‌‌but‌‌no‌‌more‌‌than‌‌five‌‌

words.‌ ‌ Think‌‌about‌‌what‌‌grammar‌‌or‌‌vocabulary‌‌points‌‌are‌‌being‌‌tested,‌‌e.g.:‌‌changing‌‌

an‌‌active‌‌form‌‌to‌‌a‌‌passive‌‌form,‌‌and‌‌all‌‌the‌‌changes‌‌you‌‌will‌‌have‌‌to‌‌make‌‌in‌‌

completing‌‌the‌‌second‌‌sentence.‌ ‌ Using‌‌the‌‌“key”‌‌word‌‌will‌‌involve‌‌you‌‌in‌‌making‌‌more‌‌than‌‌one‌‌change‌‌to‌‌the‌‌

original‌‌sentence,‌‌e.g.‌‌with‌‌the‌‌“key”‌‌word‌‌“instead”,‌‌“rather‌‌than‌‌go”‌‌becomes‌‌

“instead‌‌of‌‌going”.‌ ‌

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4‌ ‌

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FCE‌‌Reading‌‌Strategies‌ ‌ ‌ Part‌‌5:‌‌Multiple‌‌matching‌ ‌ ‌ ● ● ● ● ●

Quickly‌‌familiarize‌‌yourself‌‌with‌‌the‌‌main‌‌text,‌‌the‌‌title‌‌and‌‌headings,‌‌and‌‌how‌‌the‌‌

text‌‌is‌‌divided‌‌up.‌ ‌ Read‌‌the‌‌question‌‌only‌‌and‌‌try‌‌to‌‌locate‌‌the‌‌information‌‌rather‌‌than‌‌to‌‌understand‌‌

it‌‌in‌‌detail.‌‌ ‌ Scan‌‌the‌‌text‌‌to‌‌locate‌‌where‌‌the‌‌information‌‌might‌‌be‌‌found.‌ ‌ Now,‌‌look‌‌at‌‌each‌‌question‌‌and‌‌highlight‌‌the‌k ‌ eywords‌. ‌ ‌ When‌‌you‌‌think‌‌you‌‌have‌‌located‌‌the‌‌correct‌‌information,‌‌decide‌‌if‌‌the‌‌word‌‌or‌‌

phrase‌‌is‌‌an‌‌accurate‌‌paraphrase‌‌of‌‌the‌‌word‌‌or‌‌phrase‌‌in‌‌the‌‌question.‌ ‌ ‌

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The‌‌first‌‌and‌‌the‌‌last‌‌question‌‌are‌‌often‌‌more‌‌general‌‌and‌‌ask‌‌about‌t‌ he‌‌author’s‌‌

attitude‌‌or‌‌opinion.‌‌ ‌ The‌‌other‌‌four‌‌are‌‌more‌‌specific.‌‌To‌‌find‌‌the‌‌correct‌‌answers‌‌you‌‌have‌‌to‌‌look‌‌for‌‌

more‌d ‌ etailed‌‌information‌i‌n‌‌the‌‌text.‌‌ ‌ Quite‌‌often‌‌there‌‌is‌‌even‌‌one‌‌question‌‌that‌‌asks‌‌about‌‌a‌v ‌ ery‌‌specific‌‌word‌‌or‌‌

expression‌i‌n‌‌the‌‌text.‌‌ ‌

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Be‌‌prepared‌‌to‌‌change‌‌your‌‌first‌‌answers,‌‌because‌‌you‌‌may‌‌change‌‌your‌‌mind‌‌

when‌‌you‌‌read‌‌the‌‌text‌‌further‌‌in‌‌search‌‌of‌‌another‌‌piece‌‌of‌‌information.‌ ‌ Mark‌‌the‌‌places‌‌in‌‌the‌‌text‌‌where‌‌you‌‌locate‌‌answers‌‌so‌‌that‌‌you‌‌can‌‌quickly‌‌

check‌‌at‌‌the‌‌end.‌ ‌

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‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Part‌‌6:‌‌Gapped‌‌Text‌ ‌ ‌ ● ●

First,‌‌predict‌‌from‌‌the‌‌title‌‌or‌‌headline‌‌what‌‌the‌‌text‌‌might‌‌be‌‌about‌‌and‌‌quickly‌‌

read‌‌through‌‌the‌‌text‌‌to‌‌confirm‌‌this.‌ ‌ Read‌‌the‌‌paragraphs‌‌or‌‌sentences‌‌that‌‌go‌‌in‌‌the‌‌gaps‌‌and‌‌identify‌‌what‌‌the‌‌topic‌‌

of‌‌each‌‌one‌‌is.‌‌Use‌‌this‌‌information‌‌to‌‌work‌‌out‌‌how‌‌they‌‌might‌‌logically‌‌fit‌‌into‌‌

the‌‌sequence‌‌of‌‌the‌‌text.‌ ‌ ‌

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Think‌‌about‌‌what‌‌the‌a ‌ rticles,‌‌pronouns,‌‌conjunctions,‌ ‌and‌t‌ ime‌‌

expressions‌‌‌in‌‌the‌‌paragraphs‌‌or‌‌sentences‌‌might‌‌refer‌‌to.‌ ‌ ‌

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Closely‌‌read‌‌the‌‌sentences‌‌before‌‌and‌‌after‌‌each‌‌gap,‌‌and‌‌work‌‌out‌‌what‌‌function‌‌

the‌‌missing‌‌sentence‌‌or‌‌paragraph‌‌must‌‌have.‌ ‌ Make‌‌your‌‌decisions,‌‌not‌‌necessarily‌‌in‌‌order.‌‌After‌‌filling‌‌most‌‌of‌‌the‌‌gaps‌‌you‌‌

may‌‌be‌‌able‌‌to‌‌work‌‌by‌‌a‌p ‌ rocess‌‌of‌‌elimination.‌ ‌ Finally,‌‌when‌‌you‌‌have‌‌made‌‌all‌‌your‌‌decisions,‌r‌ ead‌‌through‌‌your‌‌completed‌‌

text‌‌‌to‌‌make‌‌sure‌‌it‌‌makes‌‌sense.‌ ‌

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Look‌‌for‌‌words‌‌that‌‌link‌‌the‌‌different‌‌parts‌‌!!!‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

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‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Part‌‌7:‌‌Multiple‌‌Matching‌ ‌ ‌ ● ● ● ● ●

Read‌‌the‌‌questions‌‌and‌‌the‌‌title‌‌first‌‌to‌‌have‌‌an‌‌idea‌‌of‌‌what‌‌the‌‌text‌‌is‌‌about.‌ ‌ Underline‌‌the‌k ‌ eywords.‌ ‌ Then,‌‌read‌‌the‌‌texts‌‌carefully.‌ ‌ When‌‌answering‌‌the‌‌questions,‌‌first‌‌decide‌‌which‌‌text‌‌a‌‌question‌‌relates‌‌to.‌ ‌ When‌‌deciding‌‌which‌‌option‌‌matches‌‌each‌‌part,‌‌try‌‌to‌‌find‌‌synonyms‌‌‌that‌‌

account‌‌for‌‌your‌‌choice.‌ ‌ ‌

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When‌‌you‌‌think‌‌you‌‌have‌‌located‌‌the‌‌correct‌‌information,‌‌decide‌‌if‌‌the‌‌word‌‌or‌‌

phrase‌‌is‌‌an‌a ‌ ccurate‌‌paraphrase‌‌‌of‌‌the‌‌word‌‌or‌‌phrase‌‌in‌‌the‌‌question.‌ ‌ Be‌‌prepared‌‌to‌‌change‌‌your‌‌first‌‌answers,‌‌because‌‌you‌‌may‌‌change‌‌your‌‌mind‌‌

when‌‌you‌‌read‌‌the‌‌text‌‌further‌‌in‌‌search‌‌of‌‌another‌‌piece‌‌of‌‌information.‌ ‌ Mark‌‌the‌‌places‌‌in‌‌the‌‌text‌‌where‌‌you‌‌locate‌‌answers‌‌so‌‌that‌‌you‌‌can‌‌quickly‌‌

check‌‌at‌‌the‌‌end.‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

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7‌ ‌