SAMPLE TEST (75 minutes) - Level: B1+ - Module 1

Part 1: Cloze (10 marks)

Choose the correct option.
Business organisations are usually divided into different departments where people are responsible
for specific (1) ……… of the business. I’m the Human Resources Manager and I (2) ……… directly
to the CEO. I’m in (3) ……… of finding and recruiting staff for the company. I also ensure that we
comply with all the legal obligations concerning employees. I work (4) ……… with the heads of
departments to (5) ……… sure that they have all the right staff at the right time. In addition, I
coordinate (6) ……… them to measure how people are performing and plan ways to improve
systems. My job also (7) ……… planning and arranging training programmes for the staff as well as
taking (8) ……… of annual appraisals. I (9) ……… a team of three colleagues who have the
majority of contact with employees on a day-to-day basis. I believe it’s important for employees to
have direct contact with us during working hours. The company prides itself on looking (10) ………
its staff.
1. A. regions B. zones C. areas D. sessions
2. A. charge B. coordinate C. report D. responsible
3. A. care B. charge C. direction D. responsibility
4. A. closely B. hardly C. nearly D. well
5. A. be B. look C. make D. take
6. A. by B. over C. to D. with
7. A. appoints B. contains C. involves D. lead
8. A. attention B. care C. hold D. power
9. A. aim B. follow C. guide D. lead
10. A. across B. after C. for D. into
Part 2: Multiple Choice (Vocabulary + Grammar + Functional Language) (30 marks)
Choose the word that best completes the sentence.
11. Business leaders have to ensure that different departments ……… and work together.
A. coordinate B. co-sponsor C. gather D. deploy
12. The ……… of an organisation is key to its success.
A. building B. function C. responsibility D. structure
13. We are in the middle of a very important product ……… .
A. mix B. launch C. line D. price
14. They are working together to ensure the organization runs ……… and successfully.
A. good B. quickly C. regularly D. smoothly
15. Brand stretching can sometimes go wrong and ……… a brand.
A. decrease B. disappoint C. devalue D. decline
16. Their ……… business is designing and producing fashion accessories, but now they have moved
into the clothing sector.
A. centre B. hub C. focus D. core
17. To grow our client ………, we need to make some important changes to our product lines.
A. target B. base C. core D. image
18. The marketing department decided that product ……… was the best way to strengthen the brand,
so you may see our products on TV sometimes.
A. placement B. information C. engagement D. knowledge
19. I’ve ……… a lot of experience over the last year working here.
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 A. earned B. received C. gained D. bought
20. Customers do not seem to have the same ……… to a brand that they once had. Price is more
important to them than the brand these days.
A. fairness B. loyalty C. confidence D. promise
21. My boss says that I come ……… well on the phone and that customers respond positively to me.
A. from B. across C. out D. in
22. When I was at university, I did a six-month ……… with a major retailer.
A. internship B. placing C. appointment D. assignment
23. I think that my CV will ……… out from those of other jobseekers.
A. work B. make C. present D. stand
24. The ……… markets are providing opportunities for both new and established companies to
expand their customer bases.
A. performing B. merging C. competing D. emerging
25. These companies certainly do not want to ……… these opportunities created by new
technologies.
A. miss B. take C. fail D. lose
26. Cautious companies which are not willing to ……… risks are the ones that will be left behind.
A. make B. challenge C. take D. tackle
27. Profit ……… can be high for those online businesses who do not have to invest in expensive
premises.
A. lines B. takeover C. risk D. margins
28.The successful businesses will be the ones who can ……… any problems they meet.
A. deal B. tackle C. cope D. succeed
29. The radio says there’s a terrible traffic jam in town. I ……… in time for the meeting.
A. don’t arrive B. am not going to arrive C. will arrive D. am arriving
30. Which brands are popular with your generation ……… your parents’ generation?
A. as well as B. also C. for instance D. in addition
31. Could you tell me what ……… about working in a team?
A. do you enjoy B. you enjoying C. you enjoy D. you would enjoy
32. You ……… take notes. The information is contained in your welcome pack.
A. mustn’t B. don’t have to C. should D. must
33. Have you met Miran ……… ? She works ……… a London-based international company.
A. before / with B. already / for C. yet / on D. before / for
34. If you have any questions, feel ……… to interrupt me at the end.
A. comfortable B. interesting C. free D. happy
35. Let’s begin ……… why we’re a good company to work for.
A. by B. in C. with D. 0
36. There are two ……… to answer your question.
A. ways B. methods C. approaches D. thoughts
37. Sorry, that’s not ……… .
A. how I meant B. what I meant C. why I meant D. what did I mean
38. Thanks for ……… but I’ll be fine.
A. recommending B. suggesting C. appreciating D. offering
39. This report is really complicated. - ……… like me to go through it with you?
A. Why don’t you B. Do you C. Could you D. I would
40. Do you want me to do that? I am happy to take it ……… .
A. from B. in C. to D. on
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Part 3: READING (20 marks)
Read the following passage and answer the questions below.
H&M launches new brand in effort to lift slow sales growth.
Hennes & Mauritz is launching its eighth brand and investing heavily to get its clothes faster into
shops as the Swedish fashion retailer responds to slow sales.
Arket will be launched this autumn, starting with a shop in London, and will offer more expensive
clothes than H&M for men, women and children as well as in-store cafes based on the new Nordic
cuisine.
The new brand will offer 'quality in simple, timeless and functional designs' as well as homeware but
will also sell clothes from other brands.
'The aim with it is to grow globally,' said Karl-Johan-Persson, chief executive, despite the initial store
launches being in European cities such as Copenhagen, Brussels and Munich.
H&M has been squeezed by ultra-cheap retailers such as Primark as well as online fashion sites such
as Zalando. It was overtaken several years ago by Inditex – the Spanish owner of Zara – as the
world's biggest clothing retailer. The Swedish group has responded by launching a range of new
brands, including more upmarket stores such as Cos and & Other Stories, as well as making a big
push into online sales.
Mr Persson confirmed that the retailer was working on the launch of its ninth brand – probably next
year – as well as standalone versions of its H&M Home stores next year. H&M has other, more
youth-orientated brands such as Monki, Cheap Monday and Weekday.
The new launch comes against a backdrop of weaker sales growth than expected. H&M blamed
tough market conditions in the USA and Central and Eastern Europe for the poor sales growth, which
seem set to continue.
Investors took fright at a sharp rise in stock levels but Mr Persson tried to reassure them that 'the
composition [of the stock] is good' with a 'clear majority' in classic styles. H&M's shares were down
5.1 per cent to SKr225 in afternoon trading on Thursday at their lowest level in almost four years.
Mr Persson said that H&M also needed to improve its supply chain, becoming faster to market with
its clothes. 'The world has changed a lot with people buying digitally. At the same time the H&M
group has become more complex with different markets, different needs, online sales. We see a great
opportunity and necessity to improve the supply chain to become more speedy.'

Read the article and choose the correct answer a, b or c.

1. H&M is launching its eighth brand because
a it is worried about a slow-down in sales.
b it has invested in more shops.
c Swedish customers want new styles faster.
2. The new brand, Arket,
a offers a cheaper range of clothing.
b will first appear in a London shop.
c was inspired by Nordic food.
3. Mr Persson hopes that the new brand will
a help the company develop internationally.
b be launched in every major European city.
c offer designer clothes to other companies.
4. Next year, Mr Persson plans to
a launch the first brand aimed at the youth market.
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 b sell homeware in most of its stores.
c produce another new brand.
Decide if these statements are true (T) or false (F).
5. H&M’s has previously reacted to its main rivals by opening shops selling an upmarket brand.
6. H&M said poor sales were caused by difficult conditions worldwide.
7. Investors were worried about the high levels of stock the company has.
Find words and phrases in the article which mean the same as the following.
8. able to be operated on its own without being connected to a large system
9. the general conditions in which an event takes place
10. been faster, better, or more successful
Part 6: Writing (20 marks)
Read part of an email from your HR Manager about a new employee.

Mr Nkomo Kasaba is starting work here next week as a Sales Executive.

Please organise an induction day so that he can meet everyone and learn as much about the
company and the processes as possible: design; production; marketing; customer service.
Thank you for your help.

Write an email (about 60–80 words) to Mr Kasaba:

• welcoming him to the company.(a)
• informing him when the induction day is. (b)
• outlining what is going to happen on that day. (c)
• telling him what to do if he has any questions about the day. (d)

VI. LISTENING (20 marks)

Part 1: Listen to the speakers and choose the correct response A, B or C.
1. A B C
2. A B C
3. A B C
4. A B C
5. A B C
Part 2: Listen to a man being interviewed for a job and complete the notes.
Ungar Travel – online travel company
+ starting as a traditional (6) …………… …………… , now one of the biggest online companies
+ closing last high-street branch 2 years ago  a shock for staff; persuading staff to stay but the older
& (7) …………… …………… ones didn’t want to change  losing some good people
+ making rather (8) …………… …………… : changed the structure of the organization  no longer
needed (9) …………… for each ……………  staff’s mixed reaction: some staff: delighted; but
managers: worried about losing jobs.
+ convincing staff that the company still (10) …………… their …………… , just in a different way;
offering them all training in the world of internet business, and some staff having adapted well.
This is the end of the test.