All 50 listening and 50 reading questions from this full mock test, with the correct answer and a full explanation for each one. Writing and speaking tasks are listed below the multiple-choice sections. To take this mock under real test conditions - with the official clock, locked sections and an automatic score - open the interactive mock tests page.
In the real MET each recording plays once. Here you control the player — play, pause and replay as needed.
Woman: Are you still running the chess tournament at the community center this weekend?
Man: Yes, but I'm short on prizes. The bookstore donated vouchers, but the trophy shop raised its price again.
Woman: What if we ask the bakery on the corner to donate gift cards? They enjoy the free advertising.
Man: That is a good idea. I will call them after lunch and see what they can offer.
Q1. What does the woman suggest doing about the prizes?
Answer: A — The woman suggests asking the corner bakery for gift cards because she says the bakery enjoys the free advertising that donations bring.
Woman: I applied for the street permit for our garage sale, but the city charges twenty dollars now.
Man: Twenty dollars? Last year it was only ten.
Woman: I know. I will cover the fee, but could you bring the folding tables from your shed?
Man: Sure, and I will also put the signs up at the corner before Friday so drivers can find us.
Q2. What does the man offer to do?
Answer: D — The man agrees to bring the folding tables from his shed and to put the signs up at the corner before Friday.
Woman: Would you be free to watch Mia on Thursday afternoon? I have a job interview at the dental clinic, and my usual sitter is away that day.
Man: I can do that. Should I feed her before her nap?
Woman: Yes, her lunch is at noon, then she naps until two o'clock.
Man: Perfect. I will bring a book and keep her entertained while she is awake.
Q3. Why does the woman need someone to watch Mia?
Answer: B — The woman needs a sitter because she has a job interview at the dental clinic on Thursday afternoon and her usual sitter is unavailable.
Man: Can I pick up the prescription for my mother, Anna Reyes? The doctor sent it in this morning.
Pharmacist: Let me check... Yes, it is ready, but we need to verify your insurance card. Do you have it with you?
Man: I left it at home. I will run back and grab it before you close.
Pharmacist: Take your time. We close at six o'clock.
Q4. What will the man do about the prescription?
Answer: C — The man says he left his insurance card at home and will run back to grab it before the pharmacy closes at six.
Woman: Did you see the flyer about the puzzle swap at the corner cafe? Everyone brings a finished puzzle and trades it for a new one.
Man: I did, but I only have a thousand-piece puzzle of a lighthouse, and it is missing two pieces.
Woman: Bring it anyway. Someone at the last swap brought a half-finished box and still found a taker.
Man: Alright, I will join, but I am not expecting much.
Q5. What event are the speakers discussing?
Answer: A — The woman describes a flyer about a puzzle swap at the corner cafe where people trade finished puzzles for new ones.
Man: I called three moving companies, and your quote is the lowest. But I need to know how the price is calculated.
Woman: We charge by the hour with a three-hour minimum, plus a fuel fee when the distance is long.
Man: My new place is only six blocks away, so that should stay cheap.
Woman: Then your total should stay well under the estimate I gave you.
Q6. How is the moving price determined?
Answer: A — The woman explains that the price is calculated by the hour with a three-hour minimum plus a fuel fee for longer distances.
Man: The block party is on Saturday, and we still do not have anyone to run the music.
Woman: My cousin can lend us his speakers, but he cannot stay to manage them.
Man: What about the street permit? Did the neighbor on the corner ever sign it?
Woman: Not yet. I will knock on her door tonight and ask her to sign it.
Q7. What still needs to be arranged for the block party?
Answer: D — The woman says the neighbor on the corner has not signed the street permit yet and that she will ask her tonight.
Woman: Our book club has picked thrillers three months in a row, and I am getting tired of them.
Man: Why not suggest that memoir about a nurse who worked in the Arctic? It is not a thriller, and it is beautifully written.
Woman: That sounds refreshing. I will propose it at tonight's meeting.
Man: If they agree, we could start reading it in May.
Q8. What does the man suggest for the book club?
Answer: D — The man suggests a memoir about a nurse in the Arctic because it is not a thriller and he says it is beautifully written.
Man: Did you try the Korean tacos at the festival? The line was wrapped around two blocks.
Woman: I gave up waiting and got a grilled cheese instead. But my sister said the tacos were worth the wait.
Man: I will catch that truck next month when it parks near the university.
Woman: Good plan. Just avoid the lunch rush this time.
Q9. Why did the woman not try the Korean tacos?
Answer: A — The woman explains that she gave up waiting because the line at the taco truck was wrapped around two blocks.
Woman: There is a wine and cheese tasting at the community center on Friday night. Want to come with me?
Man: I do not drink wine, honestly, but I do love a good aged cheese.
Woman: Then you will still enjoy yourself. The cheese table is half the event.
Man: In that case, I am in. Should I bring a box of crackers?
Q10. What does the man say about the tasting?
Answer: C — The man says he does not drink wine but loves aged cheese, and after learning the cheese table is half the event he agrees to attend.
Man: I am flying to visit my sister for ten days, and my ferns need watering twice a week.
Woman: I can stop by on Mondays and Thursdays if you leave the key with the building manager.
Man: That would be a huge help. I will leave written instructions on the kitchen counter.
Woman: Perfect. I will also check that your mail is not piling up.
Q11. What does the woman agree to do?
Answer: B — The woman agrees to stop by on Mondays and Thursdays to water the ferns and says she will also check that the mail is not piling up.
Woman: The senior center needs volunteer drivers for its medical shuttle next month.
Man: I could drive the Tuesday morning route, but I only have a small car.
Woman: That is fine. We book one passenger per trip, so a small car works well.
Man: Then sign me up. I will pick up the forms on my way home tonight.
Q12. What does the man volunteer to do?
Answer: B — The man signs up to drive the Tuesday morning route of the medical shuttle, which takes seniors to their appointments.
Woman: The storm knocked a big branch onto the sidewalk in front of my house. I am worried someone will trip over it.
Man: The city is collecting yard debris on Thursday. Pile the branches at the curb before then.
Woman: Good. I will also sweep up the glass from my broken flowerpot.
Man: I will help you drag the heavy branches over after work today.
Q13. When will the fallen branches be collected?
Answer: C — The man says the city collects yard debris on Thursday and that the branches should be piled at the curb before then.
Man: I had a free home energy audit last week, and they found that my living room windows are leaking heat badly.
Woman: Did they recommend replacing the windows or just adding weather stripping?
Man: They said new insulated frames would pay for themselves within four years, so I am leaning toward replacing them.
Woman: That sounds worth doing before the cold winter arrives.
Q14. What did the home energy audit reveal?
Answer: A — The man reports that the audit found the living room windows are leaking heat and that new frames would pay for themselves in four years.
Woman: I am joining the aqua fitness class at the community pool on Saturday mornings. Come with me.
Man: I am not a strong swimmer, and I do not want to look silly in front of everyone.
Woman: You will not. The class stays in the shallow end and uses foam noodles.
Man: Okay, I will try it once, but only if nobody is taking photos.
Q15. Why is the man hesitant about the class?
Answer: C — The man says he is not a strong swimmer and worries about looking silly, so the woman reassures him the class uses the shallow end.
Man: My bicycle chain snapped two blocks from here, so I am walking it to the repair shop on Oak Street.
Woman: That shop closes at seven tonight, and they are usually fully booked.
Man: I will call them right now and ask for a quick fix.
Woman: Good idea, or you can take the bus home and fetch the bike tomorrow.
Q16. What does the woman tell the man about the repair shop?
Answer: D — The woman tells the man that the Oak Street shop closes at seven and is usually fully booked, so a quick fix may not be possible.
Woman: I would like to reserve a small meeting room for the neighborhood association on the third Tuesday of next month.
Hotel clerk: Our smallest room holds twelve people around one table and has a projector for presentations.
Woman: That works well for us. We usually get eight or nine members at our meetings.
Clerk: I will pencil you in for the evening slot at six o'clock on that date.
Q17. What is the woman arranging?
Answer: A — The woman asks to reserve a small meeting room for the neighborhood association on the third Tuesday of next month.
Clerk: With our loyalty card, you save five percent on every grocery purchase starting today.
Customer: Do I need to fill out a long form or provide any documents?
Clerk: Just your name and a phone number at the register, and the card is yours immediately.
Customer: Easy enough. I will sign up before I pay for all my items.
Q18. What does the customer need to do to get the discount?
Answer: A — The clerk says the customer only needs to give his name and phone number at the register to sign up for the loyalty card.
Man: I booked a haircut for three o'clock this afternoon, but your list shows me down for two o'clock.
Stylist: Let me check the book... I see the error now. We had two different bookings under the name Lee today.
Man: My appointment is the one at three, not the earlier one.
Stylist: You are right. I will fix the schedule and call you when the chair is free.
Q19. Why was there a mixup at the barbershop?
Answer: D — The stylist explains that the schedule was mixed up because there were two bookings listed under the same name, Lee.
Woman: The community choir is holding auditions next week, and I am terrified. I have not sung in front of anyone since school.
Man: The director said the auditions are friendly, and they mainly need strong voices for the spring concert.
Woman: I will go, but I am preparing a simple folk song.
Man: That is the smart choice. Keep it in your range.
Q20. Why is the woman nervous about the audition?
Answer: C — The woman says she is terrified because she has not sung in front of anyone since school, so the man reassures her about the auditions.
Coordinator: Thanks for coming in, Daniel. As I mentioned on the phone, the reading buddies program pairs high school volunteers with children who need extra reading practice. We run it every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon in this room, from three-thirty to five.
Daniel: What exactly would I do during a session?
Coordinator: You would sit one-on-one with a child for about thirty minutes, listen to them read aloud, and help with tricky words. After that, we do a short game or craft related to the story.
Daniel: I enjoy working with kids, but I have never tutored anyone. Will there be training?
Coordinator: Yes. We hold a two-hour orientation this Saturday at ten, where you will watch a sample session and practice with another volunteer.
Daniel: That sounds manageable. How are the children matched with us?
Coordinator: We pair volunteers by reading style and personality. A few children are quite shy, so calm volunteers do well with them.
Daniel: I am fairly patient, so that should be okay. Do I need to commit for the whole term?
Coordinator: We ask for at least one afternoon a week for the ten-week term. You can choose Tuesday or Thursday, and you would work with the same child throughout.
Daniel: I will take Thursdays. Should I bring anything to the orientation?
Coordinator: Just yourself and a pen. We will provide the handbook and the list of books we use.
Q21. What is the reading buddies program designed to do?
Answer: B — The coordinator explains that the program pairs high school volunteers with children who need extra reading practice.
Q22. When is the orientation session held?
Answer: D — The coordinator says the two-hour orientation is held this Saturday at ten, where volunteers watch a sample session and practice.
Q23. What commitment does the program ask of volunteers?
Answer: A — The coordinator asks volunteers to give at least one afternoon a week for the ten-week term, working with the same child throughout.
Employee: Hi, Ms. Porter. I submitted a request for an ergonomic chair last week, and I wanted to follow up on it.
HR: I have your form here, Kevin. The doctor's note says you have lower back strain, so the accommodation is justified. We normally order the adjustable chairs from our office supplier.
Employee: How long does the delivery usually take?
HR: About two weeks. I can also arrange a temporary seat cushion from our supply closet while you wait.
Employee: That would help a lot. I was also told I may need a document stand so I am not bending forward.
HR: Those are inexpensive, so I will add one to the same order. Is there anything about your desk height?
Employee: My desk is fixed, but the chair has enough adjustment to compensate for that.
HR: Then the chair and the stand should cover your needs. I will email the supplier today and send you the tracking number when it ships.
Employee: Thank you. Do I need to renew the accommodation every year?
HR: Your doctor's note is valid for twelve months. If your condition changes, just submit an updated note and we will review the arrangement.
Q24. Why does the employee need the ergonomic equipment?
Answer: A — The HR representative says the doctor's note documents lower back strain, which justifies the ergonomic chair accommodation.
Q25. What will the employee receive while waiting for the chair?
Answer: B — The HR representative offers a temporary seat cushion from the supply closet while the employee waits about two weeks for the chair.
Q26. How long is the doctor's note considered valid?
Answer: C — The HR representative states the doctor's note is valid for twelve months, after which a new note would be needed.
Tenant: Hi, I am Lucas Grant, the new tenant in apartment 3B. The main door's intercom is not working, and I cannot buzz visitors in.
Manager: We replaced the panels in the other wings last year, but your wing is on the waiting list. The electrician comes on the first Monday of every month.
Tenant: That is three weeks away. Is there a temporary solution?
Manager: I can lend you an entry remote for the street door until the panel is fixed. Just return it when the work is done.
Tenant: I appreciate that. I also got a notice about a move-in inspection. When would that happen?
Manager: I will come by this Friday at ten to check the unit's condition and take photos. That protects you when you move out later.
Tenant: Should I clean the apartment before you come?
Manager: No need for a deep clean. Just make sure I can reach the closets, and mark any existing damage on the checklist.
Tenant: Understood. One more thing. Is the elevator working? I saw a sign about it.
Manager: It is being serviced until Thursday afternoon. After that you can use it to move your boxes.
Q27. Why cannot visitors buzz the tenant's apartment?
Answer: D — The tenant explains that the main door's intercom is not working, and the manager says his wing is on the waiting list for replacement.
Q28. What temporary solution does the manager offer?
Answer: B — The manager offers to lend the tenant an entry remote for the street door until the electrician fixes the intercom panel.
Q29. What should the tenant do before Friday's inspection?
Answer: D — The manager says there is no need to deep clean, but the tenant should make closets reachable and mark any existing damage on the checklist.
Owner: Thanks for meeting me. I have run my bakery on Maple Avenue for three years, and I need a loan to buy a delivery van.
Officer: I reviewed your application. Your monthly sales look steady, which is good. What will the van change for you?
Owner: Right now I pay a courier service for every order, and it eats into my profit. With my own van, I can deliver to offices and caterers directly.
Officer: That makes sense. We offer small business loans up to forty thousand dollars, with terms of three to five years. How much are you requesting?
Owner: Twenty-five thousand, with the van as collateral. I would also like a line of credit for flour and packaging during busy months.
Officer: The van loan is straightforward, but the line of credit needs a separate application and a review of your cash flow.
Owner: Can I apply for both at the same time?
Officer: Yes, but the van loan will be approved faster, usually within ten business days. The line of credit may take an extra two weeks.
Owner: I will start with the van, then. What documents do you need from me?
Officer: Two years of tax returns and your supplier invoices. Bring them in by Friday and we can move quickly.
Q30. Why does the bakery owner want a delivery van?
Answer: B — The owner pays a courier service for every order, and a van would let him deliver to offices and caterers directly while cutting costs.
Q31. How much money is the owner requesting for the van?
Answer: B — The owner says he is requesting twenty-five thousand dollars for the van, offering the van as collateral for the loan.
Q32. Which part of the request will be approved more quickly?
Answer: D — The loan officer says the van loan should be approved within ten business days, while the line of credit may take two extra weeks.
Manager: Thanks for coming in, Priya. Let me tell you about the internship. We produce a morning news show and an afternoon music program, and our interns rotate through both.
Priya: I have done some podcasting at my college radio station, so I know the basics of audio editing.
Manager: Good. Our interns are mainly responsible for logging audio, scripting the news bulletin, and booking guests by phone.
Priya: How many hours a week would I work?
Manager: Ten hours, split into three shifts. The morning shift starts at six, which puts off many applicants.
Priya: I am an early riser, so that works for me. Do interns ever get to go on air?
Manager: Not in the first semester. After two months of solid work, you can produce a short segment, and occasionally a live sports update if you are reliable.
Priya: That is what I am hoping for. Is the internship paid?
Manager: It is unpaid, but we cover your public transport pass, and we give interns priority for job openings after graduation.
Priya: That sounds reasonable. When would I start?
Manager: The fall intake begins on August the first. If you accept, I will send the handbook and your shift schedule by next week.
Q33. What are interns at the station mainly responsible for?
Answer: D — The manager says interns are mainly responsible for logging audio, scripting the news bulletin, and booking guests by phone.
Q34. What can interns do after two months of good work?
Answer: C — The manager promises that after two months of solid work an intern can produce a short segment and occasionally a live sports update.
Q35. What compensation does the station offer?
Answer: B — The manager explains the internship is unpaid but the station covers a public transport pass and gives interns priority for job openings.
Coordinator: You called about the neighborhood emergency response team. Let me explain how it works. Volunteers get training to help their own street during power outages, storms, or floods until official responders arrive.
Resident: I am interested, but I travel for work sometimes. Does that matter?
Coordinator: No. We just ask that you attend the core training and two practice drills a year. Last year we held a drill in March and one in October.
Resident: What does the training cover?
Coordinator: Basic first aid, how to check on elderly neighbors, and how to use the two-way radios we lend to each street captain.
Resident: Do I need to buy any equipment?
Coordinator: Not at first. We issue a vest, a helmet, and a grab bag with gloves and a flashlight. You will receive them at the first session.
Resident: When is the next training?
Coordinator: Three Saturday sessions starting next month, on the second, the ninth, and the sixteenth. Each runs from nine to noon at the fire station.
Resident: I can make all three. Should I register online?
Coordinator: Yes, the city's recreation page has the form. After your first session, we will assign you to a street team near your home.
Q36. What is the main purpose of the emergency response team?
Answer: A — The coordinator says volunteers are trained to help their own street during power outages, storms, or floods until official responders arrive.
Q37. How often must volunteers attend practice drills?
Answer: C — The coordinator says volunteers must attend the core training plus two practice drills a year, such as the March and October drills.
Q38. What equipment are volunteers given at the first session?
Answer: A — The coordinator says volunteers receive a vest, a helmet, and a grab bag with gloves and a flashlight at the first session.
Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the Maple Ridge Historical Society. Tonight I want to tell you about the Pony Express, which delivered mail across the American West for a very short time in 1860 and 1861. Before the telegraph reached the coast, letters traveled by stagecoach and could take many weeks to arrive. The Pony Express cut the trip from Missouri to California to about ten days, using a chain of riding relays. Riders changed horses every ten to fifteen miles at stations spaced across the plains and mountains, and each rider carried a pouch holding no more than twenty pounds of mail. The original fee was five dollars per half ounce, later reduced to one dollar, which was still far beyond what most families could pay. The service was fast, but it was also expensive to operate, and it lost money from its very first months. The riders, many of them young and some still teenagers, risked harsh weather and difficult terrain for a monthly wage that was generous for the time. When the transcontinental telegraph was completed in October 1861, riders found themselves out of a job within days, and the company shut down. The entire operation lasted barely eighteen months, yet it captured the public imagination and became a lasting symbol of frontier speed and determination.
Q39. How long did the Pony Express operate?
Answer: C — The speaker says the entire operation lasted barely eighteen months, which is less than two years of service.
Q40. Why did the Pony Express close in 1861?
Answer: B — The speaker says that when the transcontinental telegraph was completed in October 1861, the company shut down within days.
Q41. What was the mail fee reduced to later?
Answer: D — The speaker states the original fee of five dollars per half ounce was later reduced to one dollar per half ounce.
Good morning, and welcome to the Riverside Aquatics Center. I have a few announcements before we open the doors. First, registration for spring swim lessons opens this Friday at nine. Classes fill quickly, especially the parent-and-toddler sessions, so we recommend registering online rather than at the front desk. Beginner classes for children run on Monday and Wednesday evenings, while adult beginners meet on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Each session lasts eight weeks and costs ninety dollars for city residents, or one hundred twenty dollars for non-residents. Second, a reminder about pool rules: children under eight must be accompanied by an adult in the water, and flotation devices are available free from the equipment counter. Families can also use the new family changing rooms near the main entrance, which stay open during all public hours. If you are unsure which level to choose, the front desk staff can help you pick the right class for your child. Third, our lap pool will close for maintenance from the third to the seventh of next month, so morning lap swimmers should use the recreation pool at the east end during that week. Thank you, and enjoy your swim.
Q42. When does registration for spring swim lessons begin?
Answer: B — The announcement states that registration for spring swim lessons opens this Friday at nine o'clock and that classes fill quickly.
Q43. How much do swim lessons cost for city residents?
Answer: C — The speaker says each eight-week session costs ninety dollars for city residents and one hundred twenty for non-residents.
Q44. What happens at the pool from the third to the seventh of next month?
Answer: A — The announcement says the lap pool closes for maintenance from the third to the seventh of next month, with swimmers redirected elsewhere.
Welcome to the Willow Creek Nature Center. I am going to explain why birds migrate and how you can watch them here. Each autumn, millions of songbirds travel south to warmer regions where insects remain available through the winter. Birds use several cues to time their departure, including the shortening days, cooler temperatures, and changes in food supply. Some species, like the ruby-throated hummingbird, cross the Gulf of Mexico in a single nonstop flight that can take eighteen to twenty hours. Others, such as ducks and geese, travel in stages, resting at wetlands along the way. At this center, the best viewing time is late September through mid-October, about an hour after sunrise, when the birds stop to feed after flying through the night. Our observation platform overlooks the marsh, and we keep a tally board listing the species counted each morning. If you would like a guide, the Friday morning walks are led by volunteer naturalists and last about ninety minutes. Binoculars are available to borrow at the front desk.
Q45. Why do songbirds travel south each autumn?
Answer: C — The speaker says songbirds travel south to warmer regions where insects remain available through the winter.
Q46. How long can a ruby-throated hummingbird's nonstop flight last?
Answer: D — The speaker says the ruby-throated hummingbird can cross the Gulf of Mexico in a single nonstop flight of eighteen to twenty hours.
Q47. When is bird watching best at the center?
Answer: B — The speaker says the best viewing time is late September through mid-October, about an hour after sunrise when birds stop to feed.
Hello, and welcome to the coral reef room. I am Dana, one of the aquarium's reef keepers. This exhibit holds about forty species of fish, along with live corals that we grow here in the building. The corals get their color from tiny algae living inside their tissues, and those algae produce food for the coral through photosynthesis. That is why the lights above the tank stay bright for ten hours a day and then dim gradually, like a natural sunset. Feeding happens behind the scenes at three o'clock, but you can still watch the fish gather at the glass. One thing we ask visitors is to avoid tapping the glass, because the vibrations stress the fish and the corals. Our conservation team also grows young corals in the nursery tanks behind you, and each year we transplant several hundred of them onto damaged reefs in the ocean. The nursery tanks hold hundreds of young corals, each one labeled with the reef site where it will eventually be planted. If you have questions after the talk, I will be at the touch tank with the sea stars until closing time.
Q48. Why do the lights above the coral tank stay bright for ten hours?
Answer: D — The keeper explains that the algae inside the corals need the bright lights for photosynthesis, which is why they stay on ten hours a day.
Q49. What happens at three o'clock each day?
Answer: C — The keeper announces that feeding happens behind the scenes at three o'clock and that visitors can watch the fish gather at the glass.
Q50. What does the conservation team do with young corals?
Answer: B — The keeper says the conservation team grows young corals and each year transplants several hundred of them onto damaged reefs in the ocean.
Q1. The courier should have ___ the parcel by noon, but heavy traffic delayed the van.
Answer: B — After the modal 'should have', use the past participle to describe an action that was expected in the past but did not happen.
Q2. If the bakery ___ its ovens before six, the morning loaves will be ready on time.
Answer: C — A first conditional uses the present simple in the if-clause and 'will' in the main clause to describe a real future possibility.
Q3. All library returns ___ through the new after-hours slot once the desk closes.
Answer: A — The passive voice with a modal ('must be placed') shows the books receive the action, and the person doing the placing is not named.
Q4. She ___ at the observatory for six hours before the telescope data finally stabilized.
Answer: D — The past perfect continuous describes an action that continued up to a later past moment, emphasizing its duration before another event.
Q5. Rachida is ___ economist who advises the finance ministry on inflation policy.
Answer: B — Use 'an' before a noun beginning with a vowel sound; 'economist' starts with the sound /i/, so 'an economist' is correct.
Q6. The safety committee is responsible ___ checking every fire extinguisher twice a year.
Answer: A — The adjective 'responsible' is followed by the preposition 'for' when it names the duty or task that someone is in charge of.
Q7. The technician told us that the alternator ___ the day before the breakdown.
Answer: C — In reported speech the tense shifts back; 'had been replaced' correctly places the replacement earlier than the breakdown in the past.
Q8. Of the two sites, the riverside plot is ___ because it already has rail access.
Answer: D — Use the comparative 'more practical' when choosing between exactly two things; superlatives such as 'most practical' are reserved for three or more.
Q9. If a driver ___ a red light, the traffic camera records the crossing automatically.
Answer: B — A zero conditional states a general truth: the present simple in the if-clause and main clause describes what always happens.
Q10. You ___ bring your own towel to the pool; the front desk lends them free of charge.
Answer: A — 'Need not' expresses a lack of obligation, meaning something is unnecessary, unlike 'must not', which forbids the action entirely.
Q11. The wooden water tower ___ into a community gallery two years ago.
Answer: C — The passive past simple ('was converted') states that the tower received the action of conversion; the agent is not named here.
Q12. The rangers warned the hikers against ___ the ridge trail after sunset.
Answer: B — After the preposition 'against', a verb must take the gerund form, so 'warned against taking' is the only grammatical structure here.
Q13. The district ___ electric buses since 2021 and now operates ninety of them.
Answer: A — The present perfect continuous ('has been converting') links a process that began in the past and continues into the present with 'since 2021'.
Q14. Lakeside, ___ the annual bird count is held, lies on the eastern shore of the reservoir.
Answer: D — 'Where' is the relative adverb used for places, introducing the clause that describes the location at which the bird count happens.
Q15. I wish I ___ the spare key with me when we left the cabin yesterday.
Answer: B — After 'wish', the past perfect expresses a past regret: the speaker did not take the key and now wishes that action had happened.
Q16. The fog was ___ dense that the ferry stayed at the dock until late morning.
Answer: A — 'So + adjective + that' expresses a result: the fog was so dense that the ferry could not sail; 'such' would require a noun phrase.
Q17. The wildlife shelter trains volunteers ___ injured birds during the winter months.
Answer: C — The verb 'train' is followed by the infinitive when naming the purpose or skill that the training develops in someone.
Q18. ___ problem is more urgent than the collapse of the city's aging water pipes.
Answer: D — The negative determiner 'no' states that nothing is more urgent than the water pipe collapse; 'any' or 'some' would contradict the meaning.
Q19. The revised safety guidelines ___ to every branch office by Friday afternoon.
Answer: B — The future passive ('will be emailed') describes an action that will happen to the guidelines, and the senders are not specified.
Q20. While the ground crew ___ the runway lights, a supply truck arrived at the hangar.
Answer: C — The past continuous ('was replacing') sets the background action in progress when a shorter past event, 'arrived', interrupted it.
Volcanoes rarely erupt without warning, and modern observatories have learned to read those warnings. Scientists watch an active volcano the way a nurse watches a patient: they measure its temperature, listen to its heartbeat, and track every subtle change. Seismometers, buried in the ground around the cone, record the small earthquakes that rumble when magma pushes upward through cracks. A sharp rise in the number of these quakes often means that fresh magma is on the move. Gas sensors tell a similar story. Instruments placed on the crater rim sample the air for sulfur dioxide, a gas that escapes from magma deep below. When levels of sulfur dioxide climb, volcanologists infer that new, gas-rich magma has risen closer to the surface. Satellites add a third layer of evidence. Radar images taken from orbit can measure swelling of the ground in centimeters, a technique known as InSAR, while GPS stations on the slopes track the mountain stretching like a balloon as pressure builds. The strength of monitoring lies in combining all three signals. No single measurement is enough: earthquakes can accompany many kinds of activity, gas can be diluted by wind, and swelling can be hard to see at night. When several signs appear together, the case for an eruption grows strong. In 2019, the Mount Tarak observatory noticed a burst of sulfur dioxide, a swarm of small quakes, and fourteen centimeters of summit inflation within one week. Acting on that combination, officials raised the alert level and closed the crater trail just two days before a violent steam eruption blasted a new vent. No one was injured. Monitoring cannot stop an eruption, and it cannot always predict one. Some volcanoes give only minutes of notice, while a few have erupted with no measurable precursors at all. But for the many volcanoes that do provide signs, early warnings buy the time needed to move people out of harm's way. The goal of a volcano observatory is not certainty; it is time.
Q21. How do rising sulfur dioxide readings help volcanologists?
Answer: A — The passage states that when sulfur dioxide levels climb, volcanologists infer that new, gas-rich magma has risen closer to the surface, which matches this option.
Q22. Which instrument records the small earthquakes caused by moving magma?
Answer: C — The passage says seismometers, buried in the ground around the cone, record the small earthquakes that rumble when magma pushes upward through cracks.
Q23. What does the passage say about InSAR?
Answer: B — The text explains that InSAR uses radar images taken from orbit to measure swelling of the ground in centimeters, a satellite-based technique.
Q24. Why does the passage say that no single measurement is enough?
Answer: D — The passage warns that quakes, gas, and swelling can each be explained away alone, so only combining evidence makes the eruption case strong.
Q25. What happened at Mount Tarak in 2019?
Answer: A — The Mount Tarak example shows that combining gas, earthquake, and inflation data let officials raise the alert and close the trail two days before the blast.
Q26. How many warning signs appeared at Mount Tarak within one week?
Answer: C — Within one week the observatory recorded a sulfur dioxide burst, an earthquake swarm, and fourteen centimeters of summit inflation, three distinct signs.
Q27. As used in the last paragraph, 'precursors' are:
Answer: B — The final paragraph uses 'precursors' for the measurable warnings before an eruption, noting that a few volcanoes erupt with no precursors at all.
Q28. What does the passage overall aim to explain about volcano monitoring?
Answer: D — The passage surveys seismometers, gas sensors, and satellites, then concludes that monitoring buys time for evacuation rather than stopping eruptions.
Public libraries were once measured by the books on their shelves; today they are measured by the services they offer beyond them. Across many cities, the library has evolved from a quiet storehouse of books into a busy community hub where residents print forms, file taxes, attend language classes, and borrow laptops along with novels. Librarians now spend as much time teaching digital skills as recommending fiction. A 2025 survey of urban library visitors found that 71 percent came for a service other than borrowing a book: free internet access, help with online job applications, resume workshops, or meeting spaces for small businesses. Even traditional lending has changed. E-book downloads now rival physical checkouts in some districts, and libraries have responded by licensing online collections rather than buying extra copies of popular titles. The shift has not been painless. Many branches face squeezed budgets, and some have cut opening hours just when demand for their computers is highest. Staff report that the people most affected are those who depend on the library as their only reliable connection to the internet. In rural areas the picture is different again: flagship services such as coding classes rarely reach small towns, where a single part-time librarian may cover everything from story time to record keeping. Supporters argue that the library's core mission has not changed at all. It still provides free access to information, tools, and trained help for anyone who walks through the door. The difference is that 'information' now includes a video call to a caseworker, a practice test for a driver's license, and a quiet room to hold a video interview. Libraries, in other words, have not abandoned their purpose; they have simply updated what it means to provide access.
Q29. According to the 2025 survey, what share of urban library visitors came for a service other than borrowing a book?
Answer: A — The passage cites the 2025 survey finding that 71 percent of urban library visitors came for a service other than borrowing a book.
Q30. How have libraries responded to the rise of e-book demand?
Answer: C — Libraries responded to rising e-book downloads by licensing online collections rather than buying extra physical copies of popular titles.
Q31. What difference does the passage describe between urban and rural libraries?
Answer: D — The passage says flagship services such as coding classes rarely reach small towns, where a part-time librarian may cover all duties, unlike urban branches.
Q32. Which group does the passage say is most affected by reduced opening hours?
Answer: B — When branches cut hours, staff report that the people most affected are those who depend on the library as their only reliable internet connection.
Q33. What does the final paragraph argue about the library's mission?
Answer: A — The final paragraph concludes that libraries still provide free access to information, tools, and help, but 'information' now includes digital-era services.
Q34. The phrase 'squeezed budgets' in the passage suggests that library funding has:
Answer: C — Branches face 'squeezed budgets', meaning funding is under pressure, which has forced some libraries to cut opening hours when computer demand peaks.
Q35. Which of the following services does the passage mention librarians providing?
Answer: B — Librarians now teach digital skills and run resume workshops, and the passage lists help with online job applications among modern library services.
Q36. What does the passage suggest may happen when libraries cut opening hours?
Answer: D — Cutting hours hits hardest the patrons who depend on the library as their only reliable internet connection, so the divide between connected and unconnected widens.
Meridian Appliances, a manufacturer of kitchen appliances, will open a fully automated assembly line at its Greenfield plant in March. The new line uses 120 robots to assemble and test blenders and mixers, a process that previously required four hundred workers. The company says output will rise by 35 percent while energy use per unit falls by a fifth. No layoffs are planned: the sixty operators whose stations are eliminated will be retrained over six months for maintenance, quality control, and robot programming roles. 'We are not replacing people so much as changing the work people do,' said the plant manager. Meridian also announced it will expand apprenticeship places for local technical colleges from forty to ninety and invite high school groups to tour the new line so students can see automated manufacturing firsthand. The retraining courses will be delivered during paid work hours, and workers who choose not to retrain may transfer to the company's distribution center. The plant expects to break even on the investment within four years through lower labor costs and fewer defective units.
When a large manufacturer retrains its workforce, it deserves recognition. The Meridian Appliances plan at Greenfield is the right way to run an automated factory: clear notice, paid retraining, and no layoffs. But the celebration should be cautious. Meridian is a profitable company with hundreds of engineers and a full year of lead time; most factories are not. A small metalworking shop that installs one robotic arm may have no budget for retraining and no other plant to transfer workers to. For those firms, automation simply ends jobs. The lesson of the twentieth century is that new machines always change work, and the burden of adjustment has usually fallen on the workers themselves. If automation is to keep its promise, governments need a standing retraining fund that any employer can draw on, paid training leave for affected staff, and early-notice rules that cover small plants too. Greenfield shows the goal; the fund is the path.
Q37. According to the press release, how many robots will the new Meridian line use?
Answer: A — The press release states that the new automated line at the Greenfield plant uses 120 robots to assemble and test blenders and mixers.
Q38. What happens to the sixty operators whose stations are eliminated?
Answer: B — Meridian plans no layoffs: the sixty operators will be retrained over six months for maintenance, quality control, and robot programming roles.
Q39. Which improvement does the press release claim for the new line?
Answer: C — The release claims output rises by 35 percent while energy use per unit falls by a fifth, the only efficiency gain stated among these options.
Q40. What is the editorial's main concern about automation?
Answer: D — The editorial worries that a small metalworking shop installing one robotic arm may lack the budget for retraining, so automation simply ends jobs there.
Q41. What does the editorial say most factories cannot match?
Answer: A — The editorial notes that Meridian is profitable, employs hundreds of engineers, and had a full year of lead time, resources most factories cannot match.
Q42. Which solution does the editorial propose for the small-plant problem?
Answer: B — The editorial proposes a standing government retraining fund, paid training leave, and early-notice rules that also cover small plants.
Q43. What do both texts agree about automation?
Answer: D — Both accept that automation transforms work: Meridian retrains staff for new roles, while the editorial warns that new machines always change work.
The National Postal Service announces that Saturday letter delivery will end on September 1. Letters posted on Friday will be delivered on the following Monday. The change affects ordinary letters only; parcel deliveries will continue six days a week, and every post office will keep its usual opening hours. The service explains that letter volumes have fallen by nearly two-thirds since they peaked in 2006, while parcel volumes have more than doubled in the same period as online shopping has grown. Ending Saturday letter rounds will save an estimated 120 million dollars a year, money the service plans to spend on automated parcel sorting and on upgrading rural delivery vans. Customers who rely on weekend letter mail, such as rural clinics sending lab samples, are encouraged to switch to the parcel network, which already operates on Saturdays.
Every new technology was supposed to kill the postal service, and every time the mail has survived by changing what it carries. In 1860, the Pony Express galloped letters from Missouri to California in ten days; when the transcontinental telegraph opened in 1861, the express closed after just eighteen months of operation. Newspapers predicted the end of written correspondence. Instead, the telegraph handled urgent news while the mail carried everything else, and letter volumes continued to grow for another century. Regular airmail began in the United States in 1918, and again the same prediction followed; once more the service adapted, adding airmail routes rather than losing letters to planes. The lesson of postal history is that the institution survives not by defending its oldest product but by finding new ones. The current shift from letters to parcels is simply the latest chapter in that long story of adaptation.
Q44. According to the NPS notice, when will letters posted on Friday be delivered?
Answer: C — The notice states that once Saturday letter delivery ends on September 1, letters posted on Friday will be delivered on the following Monday.
Q45. Which service is NOT affected by the change?
Answer: A — The notice says the change affects ordinary letters only, while parcel deliveries continue six days a week and post offices keep their usual hours.
Q46. What reason does the NPS give for ending Saturday letter delivery?
Answer: B — The NPS explains that letter volumes have fallen by nearly two-thirds since their 2006 peak, while parcel volumes have more than doubled.
Q47. How does the historical article describe the Pony Express?
Answer: C — The article says the Pony Express ran for only eighteen months and closed once the transcontinental telegraph opened in 1861.
Q48. What does the historical article say happened after the telegraph arrived?
Answer: D — After the telegraph took over urgent news, the mail carried everything else and letter volumes continued to grow for another century.
Q49. Which statement would both texts support?
Answer: B — The NPS shifts resources from letters to parcels and the article concludes that the mail survives by finding new products, so both endorse adaptation.
Q50. According to the NPS notice, what will the savings be spent on?
Answer: A — The notice says the estimated 120 million dollars saved will go to automated parcel sorting and upgrading rural delivery vans.
Answer the following questions about technology:
- How do you use technology in your daily life?
- What is the most useful device or app you own?
- Do you think people rely too much on technology?
3 short answers
Answer the following questions about music:
- What type of music do you like to listen to?
- Do you play any musical instruments?
- How does music affect your mood?
3 short answers
Give your opinion on a topic related to the picture.
Speaking time: 60 seconds
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the following situation.
Speaking time: 90 seconds
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the following situation.
Speaking time: 90 seconds
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the following situation.
Speaking time: 90 seconds
Persuade the person named below to agree with your point of view.
Speaking time: 90 seconds