B2 Practice Test 2

Answer key

Speaking Part 1  Page 3

1 Sample answer
My name is Cécile Blanc.
2 Sample answer
I’m from France.
3 Sample answer
At school, we have to dress quite smartly, so I usually wear a skirt, a top and tights. When it’s cold, in the
winter, I also wear a cardigan or a jumper. At the weekends, I wear more casual clothes, such as jeans or
tracksuit bottoms. Being comfortable is more important to me than fashion.
4 Sample answer
I prefer shopping for clothes in the shops in my town. My friends buy their clothes there, too. It’s easy to
try things on because they have changing rooms, and if you change your mind about something you can
take it back and get a refund. It’s convenient.
5 Sample answer
In my country there are not really any rules about what to wear to a wedding, as long as you look quite
smart. Most women wear a dress, and the men wear a suit and tie. Some women, like my mother, also like
to wear a hat to a wedding, because this is traditional.
6 Sample answer
My favourite kind of weather is rain, as long as I’m inside when it’s raining! I like to listen to the sound of
the rain on the windows. It makes me happy.
7 Sample answer
I live in the mountains, so in my region it is the snow that makes life difficult for people. In the winter there
is less public transport and you have to put special tyres on your car, which can be expensive. Also, the
snow can be dangerous for old people.
8 Sample answer
I experienced very hot temperatures last summer. It was about ten degrees hotter than it usually is at that
time of year. It made it difficult to sleep, but it was also good because we went swimming at the public
pool nearly every day.

Speaking Part 2  Page 3

Voicemail 1 sample answer
Good morning. My name is Neville Fletcher. I was invited to attend an interview for the role of Design
Manager on Monday 20 June, which I had accepted. Unfortunately, due to the fact my wife is unwell, I will not
be able to come on that date. Would it be possible to rearrange the interview for Friday 24 June, because my
mother-in-law will be with us by then to care for my wife? I would really appreciate it and apologize for any
inconvenience.

1  Oxford Test of English  B2 Practice Test 2 answer key  © Oxford University Press
 Voicemail 2 sample answer
Thank you so much for your invitation, Jo. It’s a great idea and after studying so hard we deserve a break!
There’s so much to do in London – it’s the perfect choice. It sounds like you have found a good offer online,
too. That’s good news as my budget for the holiday will be quite limited. How much do you think the total
cost for the flights and the hotel will be? I’m happy to stay in a cheap hotel. We’re not going to spend much
time in our room, after all. I’m busy this weekend, but the one after works for me if that suits you? I can’t wait!
Speak soon. Bye.

Speaking Part 3  Page 4

Sample answer
I am going to talk about two inventions – the car and the laptop. I think both of these have improved our
lives. The car has allowed us to get around quickly and comfortably, so people can visit each other and
travel to new places much more easily than in the past. It gives people a lot of independence, unlike public
transport. Cars are fast and convenient.
Laptops mean that we can work, study, and play on our computers much more easily. We don’t need to sit at
a desk anymore to do these things. We can work in an office or just as easily in a café as laptops are so light
and easy to carry. Laptops help us use our time effectively. As long as there is a Wi-Fi connection, we can
use our time commuting on the train to get some work or studying done, or we can use this time to relax by
playing games or watching TV and films.
Both cars and laptops have made our lives much easier and saved us lots of time.

Speaking Part 4  Page 4

1 Sample answer
Many inventions are useful in my life, but the one I could not do without is my racing bike – I really enjoy
cycling and cycle everywhere, so I need my bike. Without it, I wouldn’t do so much exercise and I couldn’t
get to work, so it is definitely really useful.
2 Sample answer
I think that a really good imagination is a personal quality that is vital for an inventor. Inventors need
to think of something that no one else has, so they need imagination to have original ideas that can be
turned into things we can use.
3 Sample answer
I think inventors learn from both successes and failures, but I think failures teach them more. It is really
difficult to do something right the first time. It’s important to think carefully about why something didn’t
work and how we can make it better – that is how to achieve success.
4 Sample answer
Technology, such as the internet and TV, provides people with instant access to a lot of information which
can be very useful for education. A lot of this information is free and it is available to anyone, anywhere,
anytime, so that can be really important for people who do not have a lot of money to study, or who don’t
live near a school or university or who are very busy and have to fit in study around their work.
5 Sample answer
I do agree. Overuse of technology means people spend less time outdoors. I think this is especially true
for children and teenagers. They love to stay at home and play games online or chat with their friends
through social media instead of going outside and playing sports or socializing face-to-face.
6 Sample answer
I think that technology will continue to change our lives by making communication easier and easier. I
think there will be even more social networking sites to help us meet people and exchange ideas and
opinions. Also, I think programmes that can translate languages instantly and accurately will help us
communicate with one another.

Listening Part 1  Page 5

1 C
The woman says ‘How about the historical drama then?’ and the man replies ‘I wouldn’t normally be
keen on that sort of thing, but just this once …’, meaning that on this occasion he is happy to watch the
historical drama.

2  Oxford Test of English  B2 Practice Test 2 answer key  © Oxford University Press
 2 B
The woman asks the man to get eggs and cheese: ‘… so we’ll need a few more eggs. Oh, and pick up some
cheese, too’, but the man says ‘We can’t need more already? Eggs, I mean. I bought a box the other day’
and she replies ‘My mistake, then. We’re definitely out of onions, though.’
3 A
The man has had a stomach ache and a headache recently, but says that these are now getting better.
Now, his throat is painful: ‘It’s my throat that’s playing up now’.
4 C
The man acknowledges his sister’s point that there is demand for electricians, but says ‘I see myself more
in construction.’ They joke about the man being bad at plumbing: ‘You’re never going to let me forget that
issue with the kitchen sink, are you?’ so this is not the correct choice.
5 A
The 10:25 train service has a short delay of ‘seven minutes,’ the 10:29 is ‘operating on time’ and so the
correct answer is A, because the 10:15 service ‘has been severely disrupted.’

Listening Part 2  Page 6

1 C
The manager says ‘but they’ll need to finish the sign up process online’ so we know that customers will
have to complete their application on the internet at home.
2 A
The manager says ‘the café’s going to get a complete upgrade and become a restaurant … And we’re
planning a brand new coffee shop for the ground floor.’ The café is therefore changing into a restaurant,
and the coffee shop is new.
3 B
The manager says that customers who want to use the personal shopper service will ‘have to give some
basic information regarding their size, shape, and preferred styles’. ‘Preferred styles’ is another way of
saying ‘tastes’, so B is the correct answer.
4 A
‘Until now, we’ve provided a soft furnishings service … blinds and other window dressings, bedclothes,
pillows, and so on’, means that the store already supplies curtains and cushions. However, in the future
they will ‘help the customer choose their colour scheme, furniture and floor covering.’ ‘Floor covering’
includes carpets, so A is the correct answer.
5 A
The question asks about the ‘initial’ home skills class, meaning the first one, and the manager says ‘We
wanted to start off by covering some of the basics, so the first session is on keeping ingredients safely.’ A is
therefore the correct answer.

Listening Part 3  Page 7

1 man
The woman says that the fitness room ‘had all the basic equipment, and what more does it really need?’
The man disagrees with her and says he thought they ‘could have given it more space’ and it was ‘a bit of a
let-down.’
2 both
Both the man and the woman agree that the part of the building they were staying in needed
redecorating. The woman says ‘I thought that the end of the building we were in could certainly have done
with a bit of attention’ and the man says ‘the other bit hasn’t been done up in ages … that’s for sure.’
3 woman
The woman says that the staff ‘go out of their way to make sure that everyone has what they need and
is having a good time’, but the man doesn’t agree that this makes them ‘devoted’: ‘As I see it, they’re just
doing their jobs. I wouldn’t expect anything less.’
4 woman
The woman says she has ‘no problem … blowing our budget’ except when the experience isn’t ‘worth the
expense’, but then says ‘we can hardly say that was the case on this occasion.’ The man says that he doesn’t
‘mind overspending when we’re on holiday’, but doesn’t say whether or not he thinks the holiday was
value for money.
3  Oxford Test of English  B2 Practice Test 2 answer key  © Oxford University Press
 5 both
The man suggests that they ‘go for something completely different next time round … Like one of those
apartment swap things’ and the woman agrees by saying ‘It might be just the thing for us too’.

Listening Part 4  Page 8

1 A
The woman says ‘just as long as I don’t overdo it and end up being off work for weeks. That’s the main
thing’. Her reference to ‘being off work for weeks’ suggests she is concerned about the possibility of an
injury.
2 C
The girl says ‘Can you sort it out, please?’ and goes on to say ‘let me know what they say’, indicating that
she wants her father to ‘call the internet provider’.
3 B
The woman says ‘Someone hasn’t been in the study recently!’ meaning that the bookcase has already
been built and ‘the guy who fixes those [the floorboards] is coming round next week.’ This means that she
thinks the man ‘ought to try to fix the front door’ because it ‘seems to be sticking.’
4 A
The woman says ‘I think it would be helpful for you to see the situation for yourself’, meaning that she
would like someone from the company to come to her home for ‘a personal visit’.
5 B
The man refers to ‘that piece on how lightning forms and its effects. You know … the one you read
recently.’ ‘Lightning’ is a type of weather, so B is correct.

Reading Part 1  Pages 9–10

1 C
The blog entry says ‘She is rarely given sufficient credit by the critics for her unique voice.’ ‘Unique voice’ is
a synonym for ‘unusual way of singing’, and ‘credit’ is a synonym for ‘praise’, so C is the correct answer.
2 B
The advert says that, ‘While other companies may offer an equally wide range of accommodation’ and may
‘guarantee low prices’ they ‘certainly won’t have such caring staff catering to your every need’.
3 B
The note says ‘If the problem is urgent, you can call, but you can also send messages to technicians who
will get back to you within one working day. I’d go to the website …’ This means that David can call the
company if he wants to, but it is not necessary to do so, because he can also send a message or visit their
website.
4 C
‘We are sorry …’ is a polite way of introducing an email or letter when you are unhappy with someone’s
decision – it doesn’t always indicate an apology. The gym wants to persuade Michael to renew his
membership: ‘If you wish to return in the future, our staff are ready to help. We would love to welcome you
back.’
5 C
Anna says ‘Just get what we need and don’t be tempted by non-essential things, or even little luxuries, just
because they’re cheaper than in some other supermarkets.’ ‘Just because they’re cheaper’ is another way
of saying ‘simply due to low prices’.
6 C
The reviewer says that although the cast were ‘young’ and ‘virtually unknown’, their performances were
‘unexpectedly good.’ ‘Unexpectedly’ tells us that he was surprised by how good their performances were.

4  Oxford Test of English  B2 Practice Test 2 answer key  © Oxford University Press
 Reading Part 2  Page 11
1 C
The Peak satisfies all three of Abdul’s requirements. It ‘encourages you to believe you can also achieve great
things’, has an ‘amusing, smart’ main character, and a ‘range of different locations’. The book in description
B has ‘witty dialogue’ and the one in description D is set in ‘various distant lands’, but these two books do
not satisfy all three of Abdul’s needs.
2 A
The Messenger satisfies all three of Chen’s requirements. It is ‘written in a straightforward way’, ‘the
characters are not … stereotypes’, and it ‘has won several awards’. The book in description C (‘reading is
never an effort’) and the book in description D (‘deserved the prize it was recently awarded’) satisfy some
of Chen’s requirements, but not all three of them.
3 B
Future Perfect satisfies all three of Maurizio’s requirements. It is set in a ‘weird and wonderful alien world’,
has ‘plenty of witty dialogue’, and ‘demands a lot of the reader’. The book in description C (‘covers a huge
range of different locations’, ‘The main character is amusing, smart’) meets two of Maurizio’s requirements,
but the review does not say that it is ‘challenging.’
4 D
Silver Wood satisfies all three of Jazmin’s requirements. It has a ‘heart-breaking conclusion’, ‘The heroine
becomes like a dear but annoying friend’, and it ‘successfully conveys the sights and sounds of various
distant lands’. The book in description C (‘complex relationships and emotions’, ‘huge range of different
locations’) meets two of her requirements, but does not claim to be ‘moving’.
5 A
The Messenger satisfies all three of Hitoshi’s requirements. It is a ‘detective novel’ with ‘many twists and
turns’ and moves ‘rapidly’. The other profiles all satisfy one of Hitoshi’s three requirements, but only book A
satisfies all three.
6 D
Silver Wood satisfies all three of Zeinab’s requirements. The review says that it ‘might suit someone with
time on their hands’, it is a ‘historical novel’, and it ‘will widen your horizons considerably.’ The description
of book B (‘you can pick up some interesting information’) and the description of book C (‘set in 1925’),
each satisfy one of Zeinab’s requirements, but not the other two.

Reading Part 3  Page 12

1 E
‘It is certainly the case’ answers the question ‘So, how far are we along this path?’ that comes before the
gap, and ‘medical diagnosis’ in the sentence after the gap is an example of a task that a computer is now
able to ‘undertake independently.’
2 C
In option C, ‘entire professions’ links back to ‘lawyer’ in the sentence before the gap and ‘predictable
questions’ links to ‘the answers are inappropriate’ in the sentence after the gap.
3 G
The ‘skill’ in option G is ‘human language’ which appears in the sentence before the gap. The sentences
after the gap provide explanation for why this skill ‘has proved to be extremely difficult so far.’
4 A
The sentence before this gap refers to something which is ‘increasingly likely’, so we know that it has not
yet happened. This fits with ‘possible development’ in option A. The sentences after the gap also provide
examples of ‘basic everyday tasks’ such as ‘loading a dishwasher’ or ‘taking out the dustbin’.
5 F
The sentence before the gap talks about ‘what we want our robotic companions to look like’, which links
to ‘identical’ and ‘resemble’ in option F. Option F also talks about feeling ‘more comfortable’ which is the
opposite of ‘find[ing] robots creepy’.
6 D
The final paragraph focuses on the appearance of robots and gives an example of a robot shaped like ‘a
baby seal’. Option D gives another example of a robot’s appearance, so it fits this gap.

5  Oxford Test of English  B2 Practice Test 2 answer key  © Oxford University Press
 Reading Part 4  Page 13
1 B
The line ‘… but when they go to the opposite extreme, it’s important to stop and reflect on what’s behind
this trend’, tells us that the writer is concerned about motivation. ‘Motivation’ is another way of talking
about ‘what’s behind’ someone’s decision to do something.
2 C
In the third paragraph, ‘he becomes defensive,’ is another way of saying ‘rejects any suggestion’ and someone
has ‘an obsession’ when they think ‘too much’ about something, so option C is the correct answer here.
3 B
Dr Jeff Breckon says that ‘Social media pushes people to become extremely fit because many want to
impress their peer group.’ ‘Peer group’ is another way of saying ‘friends’ but option C is not the correct
answer because Dr Breckon is not suggesting that people ‘compete’ with their friends on social media.
Instead he talks about ‘creating your online personal brand’ which is another way of saying ‘a positive
public image.’
4 C
‘This’ refers back to ‘creating your online personal brand’ and ‘impress[ing] [your] peer group’ in the
previous paragraph, so option C is the correct answer.

Writing Part 1  Page 14

Model answer
Dear Mr Bell,
Thank you for your email. I really like your idea for a new college magazine. I’m sure it will be very popular
with both students and teachers!
I would definitely be keen to write an article for the magazine. I really enjoy cycling, and I think a lot of
students would like to explore the area by bike. I could write about places to rent bicycles, with costs and so
on, and also suggest some really good cycling routes.
There will be a lot of work involved in preparing each issue of the magazine, so I think publishing it once a
month would be more suitable, as we are all so busy.
I look forward to reading the first edition!
Best wishes,
Henry
[126 words]

Writing Part 2  Page 15

Part 2 Essay model answer
In today’s society, everyone owns a mobile phone and relies on it for many things. In this essay, I will talk
about why we should not rely on phones in the classroom and whether they should be banned.
Having a mobile means you can stay in touch with everyone at all times. It also allows you to access the
internet. However, when you are at school you should be concentrating on your work. Your mobile distracts
you.
Another reason you don’t need a mobile in the classroom is because you are with your friends. You can talk to
them face-to-face during lessons or in the breaks.
Thirdly, if you need to check something you can use a computer or ask your teacher.
Nonetheless, I’m not in favour of a complete ban. Your parents might need to contact you urgently. If you
take a phone to school, you should keep it in your bag and not look at it in class.
[160 words]

6  Oxford Test of English  B2 Practice Test 2 answer key  © Oxford University Press
 Part 2 Review model answer
Review of the Fitzpatrick Museum
From the outside, the Fitzpatrick Museum looks like a magnificent temple. I was pleased to find it was free of
charge. I didn’t have a guided tour, but the staff I spoke to were all very helpful.
There are paintings from almost every period from the thirteenth to the twentieth century, and many items
from the ancient world, in particular Egypt. There are also some beautiful things from China, including glass
and porcelain. I was most impressed by the French impressionist paintings and by an interesting collection of
coins and medals.
Several of the rooms seemed rather dark and the exhibits weren’t very well lit. There was a nice café, although
the range of snacks was limited, and I’d have liked more variety. The shop has a good range of books and
souvenirs, although it was quite expensive for a student like me!
Overall, I thought it was an excellent museum and I recommend that you visit it one day!
[160 words]

7  Oxford Test of English  B2 Practice Test 2 answer key  © Oxford University Press