Gatehouse Awards IESOL Assessment Reading RQF Level: Level 1 (CEFR Level: B2) Candidate Booklet - Reading SAMPLE VERSION The following details must be completed: Candidate Name: Candidate Date of Birth: DD / MM / YYYY Centre Name: Examination Date & Time: DD / MM / YYYY HH:MM Invigilator Name: Invigilator Signature: INSTRUCTIONS FOR CANDIDATES: Do NOT turn over the page to start the exam until instructed to do so This examination is made up of 3 TASKS. Answer all of the questions If you change your mind about an answer, you should initial any corrections You must complete this examination paper in black or blue PEN Dictionaries are NOT permitted in any part of this examination
Reading 50 minutes Reading Task 1 Read the article about children education in the UK. Circle the correct option to complete it a, b, or c. An example has been done for you. UK Children Reading Too Early Children 0) too young to learn to read when they first start school in the UK, an academic claims. Pushing young pupils too hard could put them off for life, especially boys, says Professor Lilian Smith. She believes government plans to teach children to read even earlier, at pre-school, are 1). Dr Smith, a professor of education at the University of Michigan, thinks policy makers are 2) children too hard too early. Most youngsters in the UK start learning to read and write when they start primary school often before their fifth birthday. In Scandinavian countries, formal teaching begins much later, 3) when children are six or seven. Dr Smith said there was a danger that the British model could put children off reading for life if pupils were forced to learn 4) they were ready. She said: "The evidence we have, so far, is that, if you start formal teaching of reading very early, the children do well in tests but, when you follow them on to the age of 11 or 12, they don t do any better than 5) who had a more informal approach. She suggests a more informal 6) tuned in to children's "natural curiosity" is much better and cites the example of children going to visit a local bakery and then writing down what they have seen and experienced. Dr Smith also emphasises that English is a very difficult language to learn. "Some people think that because English is so difficult you need to start early but that's wrong. If it is so difficult, wait until they're older and do it in a natural context - where they see things and write them down. Children should be 7) to the alphabet at the age of about five-and-a-half in an ideal world, said Dr Smith. Her comments come as 8) grow over young people's reading skills. In England, a quarter of all 14-year-olds fail to reach national standards and boys are falling even further behind. GA IESOL Level 1/B2 Candidate Booklet Reading SAMPLE 04/15 Page 2
Example 0. a) is b) are c) be 1. a) a good idea b) a mistake c) a correction 2. a) teaching b) pushing c) functioning 3. a) not b) never c) usually 4. a) after b) before c) provided 5. a) those b) who c) which 6. a) intention b) standard c) approach 7. a) introduced b) welcomed c) greeted 8. a) disturbances b) concerns c) studies (8 marks) GA IESOL Level 1/B2 Candidate Booklet Reading SAMPLE 04/15 Page 3
Reading Task 2 Read the letter and answer the questions below. Circle the correct option, a, b, or c. An example has been done for you. FAO Administrative Staff at Reedington Solutions Ltd It has come to our attention that a number of employees have reported health problems to the Occupational Health Officer. Neck pain and backache have been the most commonly reported problems and it is our duty as your employer to ensure you have the correct advice and equipment to minimise the risk of injury or discomfort at work. In an environment like ours, where we spend a lot of time sitting in an office chair using computers, poor posture and not moving around enough can lead to painful and, in some instances, serious spinal damage. The information below is intended to give you some advice about how you can protect yourself from injury. It s easy to make some small changes to your working day, even if you are used to sitting down all day. General advice: Try to keep your back straight when sitting or standing for long periods of time Identify the warning signs slight discomfort can lead to intense pain if you don t recognise what your body is telling you. Whilst sitting at your desk: Make sure that you have the chair at the right height and adjust it if it s not quite right. Office chairs can be adjusted for the back and seat height. If you re using a computer or laptop screen, make sure there s no glare from the sun or office lights shining onto the screen, so you don t strain your eyes. Always put the keyboard away from the edge of the desk, so your elbows rest comfortably Use a foot rest under the desk to elevate your feet if necessary Don t lean to one side or slouch down, try to keep your back straight Have regular breaks from the screen we recommend 10 minutes every hour If you have any specific concerns or want to discuss your health in general, you are invited to come and see Oliver Smith, our Occupational Health Officer. Oliver is on-site every Monday and Friday and if you want to make an appointment, please see Catherine in the HR department. Thank you, Keith Ramsden Lead Administration Section.
Example: The letter has been written by: a) Keith Ramsden b) Oliver Smith c) Katherine from HR. 1. The aim of the letter is to: a) Persuade staff to buy special equipment b) Give advice to the company s administrators c) Inform management that there is a problem 2. Two commonly reported problems are: a) eyesight problems and back ache b) backaches and neck pain c) discomfort in the legs and neck pain 3. The organisation is not responsible for: a) giving correct advice b) providing suitable equipment c) ensuring employee s move around during their breaks. 4. Employees should look out for: a) other colleagues health issues b) signs of physical discomfort c) using chairs that are too small 5. Keith advises the staff to do the following two things: a) adjust the chair and avoid the glare from the sun b) avoid using laptops and take regular breaks c) adjust the position of the keyboard and stand for long periods of time. 6. If staff have a problem, they should: a) make an appointment with Oliver b) discuss their concerns with Keith c) write to their manager to make a complaint (6 marks) GA IESOL Level 1/B2 Candidate Booklet Reading SAMPLE 04/15 Page 5
Reading Task 3 Read the article below about Sally s challenge. You need to match the titles to the paragraphs. An example has been done for you. Sally Globe decided to undertake an unusual challenge on her 50th birthday to swim 1 mile a day for 50 days. She has told us about the first week of her experience. Paragraph 1 OK the first day of my challenge arrived! I was ever so excited about my first swim that I arrived at the pool almost an hour before the session started and ended up worrying about whether or not I will actually be able to swim a mile! Just before the swimming pool opened, I had almost managed to talk myself out of the challenge altogether! Paragraph 2 At 6pm on Monday, after a hard day s work, I needed some motivation badly. I threw a tantrum like a small child. I did not want to go swimming, I just wanted to curl up on the sofa. That s exactly what I would have done, had I not committed to this challenge. Instead I went home, made a peanut butter sandwich, and headed to the pool. It was a small pool, in a forsaken part of the city. However once in the pool and swimming, I started to unwind and enjoy myself and get into a rhythm. Paragraph 3 I d got home at 10pm from swimming but had to force myself to get up again eight hours later and pack my bag for an early morning swim at Highbury Pool the only time that day I had time for a swim. I am constantly amazed at how many people are in the pool so early what on earth are they doing there at that time in the morning? Paragraph 4 Excuse me, madam. Wait a minute. What is that banana-shaped box? the lifeguard asked me sternly. It s a banana box, I replied with a grin. Does it have goggles inside it? he asked. Me, baffled: No, it has a banana inside it; it s a banana box. The lifeguard had already told me that I couldn t take my kit bag to the poolside, and banned me from using fins (although hand paddles were deemed safe enough)! Paragraph 5 My lovely supportive boyfriend had joined me for a swim on his day off. He told me a story of an advertising agency he worked with in the 1990s that had an office that overlooked this pool. I knew I was meant to laugh at the story, but I was feeling a bit irritable. I was unimpressed by the dirt in the pool. How can it be hard to keep clean? Maybe I was just tired now, my lengths and long days catching up with me
Paragraph 6 Patrick Smith, a man I d never met, but a fellow long-distance swimmer, messaged me on Facebook and said he would really like to swim with me for my 50-swim challenge. He was visiting London for work on Friday and so I suggested we meet in Swiss Cottage pool at 7am. I arrived at the poolside and was greeted warmly by Patrick, who was already swimming. We chatted for five minutes before I plopped into the water into the lane beside him and we swam, happily, for my mile. Paragraph 7 Thank goodness for the weekend and a more leisurely approach. I was joined by an old friend from Glasgow. We had planned it weeks before, and I was really excited to see her. The pool was bright and beautifully restored, but packed and chaotic and too hot for my liking. Mandy my friend who I have known for more than 20 years loved that it was warm and really enjoyed the swim. Paragraph title Paragraph no Example: A) Can t please everybody 7 B) Busy before breakfast C) An early test of strong will D) One rule too many! E) Can too much enthusiasm be a bad thing? F) I might be getting a bit exhausted G) A surprise via social media (6 marks) GA IESOL Level 1/B2 Candidate Booklet Reading SAMPLE 04/15 Page 7
END OF READING ASSESSMENT Candidate Declaration: I confirm that the work contained in this booklet is my own and I had no prior knowledge of the content of this examination. I declare that I will not divulge to any person any information about the questions and/or tasks. Signed: Dated: DD / MM / YYYY GA IESOL Level 1/B2 Candidate Booklet Reading SAMPLE 04/15 Page 8