{"id":47787,"date":"2021-11-10T18:01:54","date_gmt":"2021-11-10T17:01:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/?p=47787"},"modified":"2022-02-02T18:30:12","modified_gmt":"2022-02-02T17:30:12","slug":"how-to-get-top-marks-b2-first-reading-and-use-of-english-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/how-to-get-top-marks-b2-first-reading-and-use-of-english-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Get Top Marks: B2 First Reading and Use of English Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

So you\u2019ve decided to take the B2 First<\/a>! Formerly known as FCE or the First Certificate, this is by far<\/strong><\/span><\/em> Cambridge English\u2019s<\/a> most popular exam. Whether it\u2019s your dream to live in an English-speaking country, attend university or work abroad, this high-level English qualification can help you.<\/p>\n

But, first you need to pass it. And that\u2019s not as easy as it sounds. Luckily, we\u2019ve written a series of blog posts to help guide you through each section of the exam.<\/p>\n

Today we\u2019ll be looking at Reading and Use of English. This section tests you on your grammar, vocabulary and reading comprehension. And what better place to start than with Part 1?<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll tell you what to expect, how to answer the questions \u2013 we\u2019ll even give you some tips and resources to help with your revision. So, without further ado<\/strong><\/span><\/em> \u2013 let\u2019s get started!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What\u2019s in Part 1?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

So you turn over the first page of the Reading and Use of English paper, and you see something that looks like this:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

This is Reading and Use of English Part 1, also known as the multiple-choice cloze. In this section, you\u2019re given a short text, with eight gaps and eight multiple choice questions.<\/p>\n

Every question has four options A, B, C or D. It\u2019s your job to read the text and decide which option is missing from each gap.<\/p>\n

Each question is worth one mark, so that\u2019s a total of eight marks you can get! This score then contributes to your overall grade of the Reading and Use of English.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re also given an example written as (0), and a picture of how you should record your answers on the answer sheet.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What are they testing me on in Part 1?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Whereas other parts of the Reading and Use of English paper focus on grammar or reading comprehension, Part 1 tests you on vocabulary. More specifically, your knowledge of:<\/p>\n

Meaning<\/strong> \u2013 Think about the words say<\/em>, ask<\/em> and tell<\/em>. Some words are very similar, or from the same family, but they have slightly different meanings or usage.<\/p>\n

Phrasal Verbs \u2013 Get up<\/em>, get off<\/em>, get over<\/em> are all examples of phrasal verbs. A phrasal verb is normally made up of a verb and one or two particles<\/strong><\/span><\/em>.<\/p>\n

Idioms<\/strong> \u2013 Has anyone ever told you to break a leg<\/strong><\/span><\/em> or fill your boots<\/strong><\/span><\/em>? These are examples of idioms. They have a figurative meaning that\u2019s different from the literal meaning.<\/p>\n

Collocations<\/strong> \u2013 Collocations are two or more words that often appear together, for example make the bed<\/em>, make friends<\/em> or make a cake<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Fixed phrases<\/strong> \u2013 This is a series of words with a fixed order such as in a moment<\/em>, or good morning<\/em>, or have a nice day!<\/em><\/p>\n

Dependent prepositions<\/strong> \u2013 These are prepositions that are used next to specific adjectives, verbs or nouns. For example: complain about<\/em>, apply for<\/em>, think of<\/em>, dream about<\/em>, etc.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

How should I answer the questions?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

1. Read the title<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

\"How
\nThis will give you an idea of what the text is about, and help you mentally prepare for what\u2019s to come.<\/p>\n

2. Skim read the text<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

To skim read is to read quickly, to pick up the most important information. Ignore the gaps and the options, you just want to get the general gist<\/strong><\/span><\/em> of the text.<\/p>\n

3. Examine the text more closely<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Look at what comes before and after each gap \u2013 sometimes the answer depends on the words surrounding the gap. At other times, it\u2019s dependent on the whole paragraph. Circle or underline any words that might be useful.<\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

4. Look at the options<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Now it\u2019s time to choose your answers. Start with question one, look at the options, and decide which best fits in the first gap. If you\u2019re not sure, eliminate or guess.<\/p>\n

Take a look at this example. The word \u2018than\u2019<\/em> after the first gap in the main text acts as a clue<\/strong><\/span><\/em>. We know that \u2018instead\u2019<\/em> is followed by the preposition \u2018of\u2019<\/em>, \u2018except\u2019<\/em> is followed by no preposition, and \u2018sooner than\u2019<\/em> doesn\u2019t make sense in this sentence. So, the answer must be B \u2013 rather!<\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve done question one, look at the options for question two and so on<\/strong><\/span><\/em>.<\/p>\n

5.Read the text again<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

After completing all your answers, read the whole text again to check that everything makes sense. Give a second look to any options that don\u2019t sound right.<\/p>\n

Tips & Tricks<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n