Answer key practice tests grammar SPECIMEN TEST HP3

However, those days are gone, even in Hong Kong, and nowadays graduates often face strong competition in the search for jobs.. Most careers organizations highlight three stages for gradu

University of Economics, HCMC Paper Code: HP3 - SPECIMEN TEST English Language Division

Exam in English for Business Communication (75 minutes)

Read the instruction carefully RECORD your answers on your answer sheets.

Section 1: Language knowledge (40 marks)

I Select and fill in each blank in the passage below with ONE suitable word

Thank you for sending me a copy (1) _ your latest ceramics catalog You have been (2) _ us your catalog here at the museum for several years now, (3) I always look forward to reading it I (4) _ was yet again at the variety and creativity (5) _ you have displayed in your work! (6) _ ladybug bowls are quite exquisite They look so (7) _ ! They really (8) _ resemble the plants and animals they are modeled (9) I would like to order 50 of the ladybug bowls If they are popular, I will consider (10) _ more

II Choose the best answer

11 Those who will sign any contract are advised to

review the terms of the

A production C consideration

B agreement D newsletter

12 Great interpersonal skills and untiring perseverance

are the key _ of an excellent sales

executive

A acquisitions C characteristics

B boundaries D enterprises

13 There are _ a small number of job

openings in the sales positions

A quickly C currently

B highly D originally

14 If we are not able to this contract,

we will face serious financial problems

A decline C renew

B consider D remodel

15 It will be very helpful if you thoroughly _

the background of the applicants

A refer C exchange

B check D advertise

16 If you do not file a tax return before October 23rd,

you will have to pay a fine of $ 200 This

will be automatically deducted from your future earnings

by the Inland Revenue Service

A service C receipt

B product D charge

17 We offer a free delivery service, and we can give buyers discounts for purchases

A bulk C urgent

B infrequent D nearby

18 Nowadays, in order to stay competitive in the market, many retailers are trying _ their online and offline operations

A to deal C to integrate

B to bargain D to check

19 We _ about safety procedures when the fire alarm went off

20 Ms Luxton and her team of specialists _ a new marketing strategy since the beginning of the year

A are developing

B were being developed

C have been developing

D would develop

21 The factory manager reports that currently all the machinery at full capacity

A will have been operated C had operated

B was operating D is operating

22 The report _ by pointing out the need for further investment if the group is to continue its expansion policy

B concluded D will conclude

23 Ford to corner 10% of car sales in the

Asia- Pacific region within the next 10 years

24 We carefully checked all the figures; ,

our supervisor found a number of mistakes

25 Meetings were postponed unexpected

power cut

B as a result of D nevertheless

26 _ the Marsdsen Literary Society was

founded last year, it already has over 200 registered

members

27 The personnel manager has decided to hire the

candidate with the degree in engineering

he interviewed last week

28 Applicants can express their interest in the role

simply _ filling out the attached form

and returning it to Ms Claire Jones

29 The Port Wells Teater asks the audience to remain

seated at all times _ the performers are on

stage

30 You need to pay the parking ticket in full

the next 20 days, or you will face further

penalties

31 The vice president has the _ office

on this floor

B more spacious D as spacious

32 The rate of salary increases was higher, compared to just 3% last year

33 The manager said that there would be special year-end bonuses for who surpass their annual sales targets

34 The hotel provides travelers with

convenient options in order to attract tourists

35 He wants to quit his present job because he cannot stand working _ hours anymore

36 That IT shop has been acquiring more and more customers since it offered _ credit last month

A free-interest C interest rate

B interest-free D interested

37 Any charity or non-governmental organization within the area can _ for funding from the Sanstead Community Trust

38 more customer service specialists

is the top priority for Personnel at the moment

39 The new management board has come up with a much more _ way to increase staff productivity

40 The company’s sales have

improved since last month thanks to the staff’s efforts

B significantly D significant

Section 2: Language use (60 marks)

I Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow

Not so long ago almost any student who successfully completed a university degree or diploma course could find a good career quite easily Companies toured the academic institutions, competing with each other to recruit graduates However,

those days are gone, even in Hong Kong, and nowadays graduates often face strong competition in the search for jobs

Most careers organizations highlight three stages for graduates to follow in the process of securing a suitable career: recognizing abilities, matching these to available vacancies and presenting them well to prospective employers

Job seekers have to make a careful assessment of their own abilities One area of assessment should be of their academic qualifications, which would include special skills within their subject area Graduates should also consider their own personal values and attitudes, or the relative importance to themselves of such matters as money, security, leadership and

caring for others An honest assessment of personal interests and abilities such as creative or scientific skills, or skills acquired from work experience, should also be given careful thought

The second stage is to study the opportunities available for employment and to think about how the general employment

situation is likely to develop in the future To do this, graduates can study job vacancies and information in newspapers or

they can visit a careers office, write to possible employers for information or contact friends or relatives who may already be involved in a particular profession After studying all the various options, they should be in a position to make informed comparisons between various careers

Good personal presentation is essential in the search for a good career Job application forms and letters should, of course,

be filled in carefully and correctly, without grammar or spelling errors Where additional information is asked for, job seekers should describe their abilities and work experience in more depth, with examples if possible They should try to balance their own abilities with the employer's needs, explain why they are interested in a career with the particular company and try to show that they already know something about the company and its activities

When graduates are asked to attend for interview, they should prepare properly by finding out all they can about the prospective employer Dressing suitably and arriving for the interview on time are also obviously important Interviewees should try to give positive and helpful answers and should not be afraid to ask questions about anything they are unsure

about This is much better than pretending to understand a question and giving an unsuitable answer

There will always be good career opportunities for people with ability, skills and determination; the secret to securing a good job is to be one of them

Choose the best answer

1 In paragraph 1, 'those days are gone, even in Hong Kong', suggests that:

A in the past, finding a good career was easier in Hong Kong than elsewhere

B nowadays, everyone in Hong Kong has an equal chance of finding a good career

C it used to be harder to find a good job in Hong Kong than in other countries

D even in Hong Kong companies tour the universities trying to recruit graduates

2 According to paragraph 4, graduates should:

A find a good position and then compare it with other careers

B ask friends or relatives to secure them a good job

C get information about a number of careers before making comparisons

D find out as much as possible and inform employers of the comparisons they want

3 According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?

A until recently it was quite easy for graduates to get good jobs in Hong Kong

B job seekers should consider as many as possible of the factors involved

C businesses used to visit the universities in Hong Kong to recruit graduates

D graduates sometimes have to take part in competitions to secure a good career

What does each of the following underlined words/ phrases refer to?

4 To do this, graduates can study job vacancies and information in newspapers or they can visit a careers office

………….(paragraph 4)

5 This is much better than pretending to understand a question and giving an unsuitable answer (paragraph 6)

Which words / phrases in the passage mean the following?

6 possible, potential

7 to obtain, to get

8 available position

Fill in the blank with ONE suitable word from the passage Put it in its correct form or tense if necessary.

9 He ……… to have no knowledge of her whereabouts

10 Continuous………….is made of all students’ work

II Complete the email from a recruitment officer of the HR department to job applicants Write about three main job responsibilities and outline three essential qualifications a job applicant must have Use the suggestions provided in the box below and the prompts in the bracket in the email Add a transition to connect the sentences if necessary.

Position: Phone designer

Job duties: Act on one’s own initiative as part of the dynamic team; come up with design

solutions for advanced range of mobile phones; solve problems Essential abilities and

requirements:

Artistic skills; ability to work independently and in a team environment; BA degree in Engineering Design and 5 years of working in related fields

Dear prospective applicants,

Scirocco, a world leader in mobile phone technology, (Name the vacant position) _ _ _ (Describe three main responsibilities) _ _ (Add three essential abilities and requirements) _ _ _

We hope you will be interested in the vacancy, and look forward to hearing from you

Yours sincerely,

Cheryl Segal

Head Assistant, HR

III Listen and do the tasks as directed.

PART ONE: Listen to the conversations twice and choose the appropriate answer to each question

Conversation1: Questions 1 – 2

1 When will the meeting be held?

2 Where does the woman want to have the meeting?

Conversation2: Questions 3 – 5

3 When is the man leaving for his vacation?

4 Where will he spend his vacation?

5 How often does he take a vacation?

PART TWO: Listen to an advertisement twice and complete the notes

 Andre’s Warehouse is offering a (6) _ holiday sale, ending Friday, midnight;

 Buy desks, chairs and computer tables to get (7) _ off;

 Purchases (8) _ are delivered without charge; charges applied for delivery outside

the region;

 Free delivery only applies for (9) _;

 Any questions about delivery, just ask the on-site (10) _

THE END