PET B1 Reading 1

English as a Second Language (ESL)

Choose the best answer for each question.

1.

Email

Dear team, remember we've moved our weekly meeting from Monday to Wednesday for this week only. This is due to staff illness.

  1. a. The weekly meeting is cancelled this week.
  2. b. The weekly meeting will be held on both Monday and Wednesday.
  3. c. Somebody is not well.

2.

Notice

Wet Floor!

Caution: Floor is wet. Please watch your step.

  1. a. The floor is wet, please go back.
  2. b. There's a step on the wet floor that needs to be watched.
  3. c. The floor is wet and you should be careful while walking.

3.

Warning

Noise Restrictions

Loud music is not permitted after 10pm. Please respect your neighbours and keep noise levels to a minimum.

  1. a. You must use headphones to listen to music.
  2. b. You can't play loud music after 10pm.
  3. c. Loud music is only allowed before 10pm if it is played through headphones.

4.

Text Message

Hey Jake, want to join us for a hike on Sunday? The weather should be nice. We're aiming to start early in the morning. Speak soon, Mark.

  1. a. Mark is inviting Jake to a hike.
  2. b. Mark is telling Jake about a hike he missed.
  3. c. The weather probably won't be great.

5.

Competition

Win a Designer Wardrobe

Enter now to win a wardrobe makeover by a top designer worth $5000! Entry is free. Participants must be aged 16 or over. Deadline for entries: January 15th.

  1. a. There is an entry fee for the competition.
  2. b. The competition is for those who want new clothes.
  3. c. The competition is open to those who want new furniture.
  4. PART 2
  5. Below, you will find descriptions of five people who want to find a book to read. And descriptions of eight books. Decide which books would be the most suitable for the people below.

    Books

    A. 'Timeless Love': A young woman from the 19th century has to navigate societal norms while pursuing her passion and finding her true love. It portrays a beautiful and heartfelt journey, painted against a historic backdrop.

    B. 'The Enigma Code': This gripping thriller tells the tale of a group of teenagers who stumble upon an ancient secret society. It's a rollercoaster ride of suspense, mystery, and daring escapades.

    C. 'Leafy Lives': An informative account of the incredibly diverse world of plants, their complex life-cycles, and how they adapt to environmental changes. Written by a renowned botanist, it brings the plant kingdom to life in the reader's mind.

    D. 'Sands of Time': This meticulously researched novel transports readers back to the time of the ancient Egyptians. A historian's delight, it intertwines factual events with a fictional narrative.

    E. 'Raging Tides': A young marine biologist investigates the deaths of whales and dolphins in South America and uncovers a global conspiracy threatening marine life. This fast-paced novel blends scientific facts with a thrilling storyline.

    F. 'Climate Call': This book delves into the complexities of global warming and its implications on the planet. It blends scientific data with personal narratives, creating a compelling argument for immediate action.

    G. 'Silent Whispers': A gripping tale of espionage set in the beautiful city of Prague during the Cold War. A young woman must balance her personal life and secret identity while trying to navigate treacherous political terrain and those that 

    H. 'Lost in the Jungle': This adventure-filled novel recounts the story of explorers lost in the Amazon rainforest. Far from civilisation, do they have what they need to survive? It's a survival tale that balances the beauty and dangers of nature.

  6.  

     
    Readers

    1. Martin is a history professor who is fascinated by ancient civilisations.

    2. Amelia is a teenager who enjoys fast-paced stories full of mystery and adventure.

    3. Carlos is a biologist, interested in how plants adapt to changing environments.

    4. Evelyn is a fan of romantic novels, particularly those with strong female leads.

    5. James is an environmental activist who is looking for an informative yet engaging read about climate change.

    Answers:

    1. Martin ______
    2. Amelia ______
    3. Carlos ______
    4. Evelyn ______
    5. James ______

  7. PART 3
  8. Read the text and then for each question, choose which of the four possible answers is best. Think also about why the other three answers are not possible.

    Safer Driving

    David Williams, a renowned driving safety expert, shares some advice on becoming a better driver. With more than three decades of experience in the field, David has extensive knowledge about safe and efficient driving. He knows more than anyone what makes a dangerous driver and what makes a safe one!

    "Driving is an important responsibility and we should always take it seriously," begins David. "We often overlook the basics. Like, for instance, regular maintenance of your vehicle is crucial. A well-functioning vehicle can greatly reduce the risk of accidents."

    He also emphasises the importance of being aware of one's surroundings while driving. "You have to keep an eye on what's happening around you - cars, pedestrians, cyclists. And remember, the road doesn't belong to you alone. You need to be aware that everyone on the road is equally important, that driver you are getting impatient with is someone's wife, or husband, or mother or son." 

    According to David, speed is a common factor in many accidents. People are often in such a hurry and the consequences can be terrible. "Sticking to the speed limit is not just about avoiding fines. It's about safety - both yours and others. Don't let impatience drive you to make poor decisions."

    David also talks about the essential role of practice. "Experience is key. The more you practice, the more comfortable you become with handling unexpected situations. New drivers especially should gain experience in different weather conditions and at different times of the day." If you want to be a better driver, keep driving and keep driving safely!

    These days, with so many distractions available to a driver in the car, it's never been so easy to take your attention off the road. As for distractions, David has a straightforward message. "Stay away from your phone and don't multitask while driving. Your full attention should be on the road."

    For David Williams, being a better driver is not about skill alone. It's about cultivating a sense of responsibility, improving awareness, practicing regularly, and most importantly, staying safe.

    341 words

    1. According to David, why is vehicle maintenance important?

  9. It saves money in the long run.
  10. It reduces the risk of accidents.
  11. It helps the vehicle last longer.
  12. It improves the vehicle's performance.
  13. 2. Why does David advise sticking to the speed limit?
  14. To avoid fines.
  15. To make poor decisions.
  16. To handle unexpected situations.
  17. 3. According to David, what should new drivers gain experience in?
  18. Repairing their vehicles.
  19. Driving at peak traffic hours.
  20. Using their phones while driving.
  21. Driving under various conditions.
  22. 4. What would David most likely say about distractions while driving?
  23. They help improve driving skills.
  24. They are a necessary part of driving.
  25. They should be minimised.
  26. They are not a major concern.
  27. 5. What would be a good introduction to this article?
  28. David Williams, an expert in car maintenance, shares his advice on how to keep your vehicle running smoothly.
  29. In this article, David Williams offers tips on how to become a faster, better car driver.
  30. David Williams, a driving safety expert, offers invaluable advice on how to become a better, safer driver.
  31. David Williams shares his personal journey from being a new driver to an experienced one. For the safety of all.

PART 4

Five sentences have been removed from the text below. For each question, choose the correct answer. There are three extra sentences which you do not need to use.

My Journey To Music

As a child, I was always surrounded by music. My grandmother had been a famous opera singer many years before although I had never heard her singing myself. My mother was a piano teacher, and our house was filled with the sounds of piano melodies from dawn till dusk. My older sister played the violin, and my father had a beautiful baritone voice. _____1_____

Every evening, after dinner, we used to gather in the living room. My mother would sit at the piano, my sister would take up her violin, and my father would stand ready to sing. _____2_____ I would sit on the floor, watching and listening, completely enchanted.

When I was six, my mother started teaching me the piano. I was an eager student, ready to embrace the musical world that was so dear to my family. _____3_____ My progress was slow at first, but I was persistent. I practised every day, improving little by little.

By the time I reached my teenage years, I had become quite proficient at the piano. _____4_____ It was not just a hobby for me anymore, but a passion. I decided then to dedicate my life to music.

Today, I am a concert pianist, travelling the world and playing at some of the most renowned concert halls. _____5_____ I often look back on those early years with gratitude, as they laid the foundation for my musical journey.

A. It was a unique family bond that I cherished.
B. That's when I truly felt a part of my family's musical world.
C. It wasn't an easy task, but it was definitely worth it.
D. But my journey wasn't without its challenges.
E. I owe it all to those evenings in our living room and the lessons with my mother.
F. Yet, I always felt a bit out of place.
G. Each note I played seemed to bring me closer to them.
H. And this is why I couldn't do it.

Answers:

1. ______
2. ______
3. ______
4. ______
5. ______

 

PART 5

For each question, choose which of the four possible answers fits the space best. Also think about why the other three answers are not possible.

1. He prepared the dish ___________ fresh ingredients.

  1. to
  2. with
  3. of
  4. about

2. During the lessons, the teacher often writes on the ___________.

  1. desk
  2. chair
  3. window
  4. blackboard

3. My sister loves reading historical fiction ___________.

  1. leaflets
  2. movies
  3. books
  4. covers

4. The meeting ___________ longer than expected.

  1. ended
  2. taken
  3. lasted
  4. done

5. I always ___________ to music while working.

  1. sing
  2. dance
  3. play
  4. listen

6. Seeing her friend after a long time was a(n) ___________ experience.

  1. delightful
  2. negative
  3. hard
  4. slow

PART 6

For each gap, choose ONE word which you think best completes the sentence. Look carefully at the words both before and after each space.

1. The lift is ___________ of order, we have to use the stairs.

2. He borrowed my book and promised to give it ___________ by Friday.

3. It must ___________ been very challenging to climb Mount Everest.

4. Michael began his career ___________ a photographer after his photos were discovered by a magazine editor.

5. Children often imitate people ___________ TV without understanding the consequences.

6. According to the recipe, the dessert should ___________ served chilled.

Different festivals around the globe

English as a Second Language (ESL)

 

 1. Now you will watch a video about unusual festivals around the world. First, look at the words below and guess in what context speaker will use them. 

have a passion for travel                giant tomato fight                 corpses             
                                   get messy             pelt sb with
             

 

 

2. What festivals are mentioned in the video? In what countries are they celebrated?
3. Watch the video again and answer the questions. 

1. What is the name of the festival in Spain where people have a giant tomato fight?

A La Fiesta

B La Tomatina

C La Fiesta de los Tomates

D La Batalla de Tomates

 

2. Which festival in India involves throwing colored dye in the streets?

A The Monsoon Festival

B The Spring Festival

C The Holi Festival

D The Festival of Lights

 

3. Where do they have a huge buffet for thousands of hungry monkeys?

A Madagascar

B India

C Thailand

D Spain

 

4. How often is the Turning of Bones festival celebrated in Madagascar?

A Every year

B Every 2 years

C Every 5 years

D Every 7 years

 

5. What is Kat's reaction to the idea of the monkey buffet festival in Thailand?

A She is scared.

B She is bored.

C She is excited.

D She is confused.

 

 

 

4. Which festival do you want to celebrate? Which one do you find uninteresting? 
5. Can you name two festivals that are celebrated in your country? Give some details where people arrange them, what they do there and what is the meaning of the festival. Share the information with a partner. 

 

How to Become a DJ: 10 Tips to Start DJing in 2025

English as a Second Language (ESL)

How to Become a DJ: 10 Tips to Start DJing in 2025

The world of DJing has evolved far beyond simply spinning dance records at night clubs. It's now a vibrant global community for independent artists to express themselves, create unique musical experiences, and become the next big name in the electronic scene.

How to become a DJ for beginners

Before diving headfirst into the deep and diverse world of DJing, it's crucial to immerse yourself in various genres of music. Explore everything from electronica to hip-hop, techno, house, and beyond. Your unique musical taste is what's going to set you apart from everyone else and help you craft out your niche as a DJ - not to mention provide that much-needed inspiration to get you started.

How to start DJing in 2025

1. Learn the basics of DJing

Got your eye on the latest speakers or headphones? Hold your horse. It's probably better to get a decent grasp of the fundamentals of DJing before forking out on a fancy new home studio setup. Some key topics you might wanna initially brush up on include:

Beatmatching

This is all about syncing the beats of two (or more) different tracks, ensuring a smooth transition between each song.

Mixing

Mixing is the part where you'll blend these tracks seamlessly - adjusting your volume, EQ, and adding any effects.

Phrasing

Phrasing will help you recognise different song structures and create cohesive mixes.

Scratching & effects

Once you've played about with the other stuff, you can start experimenting with advanced techniques like scratching and applying extra effects. This'll help you boost your live sets.

There are loads of online courses, tutorials, and production schools that offer in-depth training on these all of these topics, so it's worth dedicating some time to practice regularly and fine-tune your skills.

2. Invest in the right equipment

Basics ticked off. Now you need to pick out the right equipment. 

While professional setups can be expensive, there are loads of budget-friendly options for beginners. Consider purchasing a DJ controller, headphones, and a laptop loaded with DJ software. It might be pricey, but quality equipment is essential for honing your skills and creating top-notch mixes.

But this doesn't necessarily mean splashing out on the most expensive options. Northern Irish Producer & DJ, The Cyclist, has these tips for starting out and developing your skills:

“Start experimenting and learning the tools. There are so many free versions of everything to get started. Try searching for ‘free VSTs’ and go from there.”

3. Build your music library

Your DJ career ultimately hinges on the quality of music you play and how well it goes down with your crowd. To cover your own back during potentially tricky sets, you’ll want to build up a diverse and extensive music library. This will include a mix of tracks that resonate with your style and also the preferences of your target audience. 

Explore electronic music platforms like Beatport, buy sample packs from stores like Splice, and consider subscribing to DJ record pools for access to a wide selection of music.

4. Define your sound

Just as bands and solo artists need to nurture their own specific sound, DJs need to carve out their particular style and decide on the sound that they're going to build their career around.

Use other artists you're a fan of as reference and start playing about with certain sounds or samples that you like. This is the start of your journey so be experimental!

“Writing loops/beats/riffs is great fun and a place to start, but you need to finish tracks. Work on arranging these into a full track format - use other tracks as reference and for ideas on improving your production and arrangement.” - The Cyclist

5. Create your brand and identity

As an independent DJ, your brand is everything. Develop a unique name, logo, and visual style that reflects your personality and musical style. Your music branding should be consistent across all your promotional materials, from social media profiles to event flyers.

Once you’ve established your brand, you’ll be able to get a better understanding of your following and lean further into producing the sounds you're becoming associated with.

 

Take Fred Again.. as an example. His brand of honest and personal social media marketing lead to him selling out global tours as well as headlining Glastonbury and Coachella in 2023. A lot of the hype built up around Fred's came from his branding, a simple '..' - which was used across his merch and discography as well as used to tease appearances online and get more people chatting about him.

A large-scale example, but good branding strategy which you can apply to your own music.

 

Modal Auxiliaries

English as a Second Language (ESL)

Fill in the blanks choosing the correct modal given within the brackets to suit the sentence.

1. They ……………………….. (can/might) be away for the weekend but I’m not sure.

2. You ……………………….. (may/might) leave now if you want to.

3. ……………………….. (Could/Might) you open the door a bit, please?

4. He ……………………….. (can/could) be a Bengali, judging by his accent.

5 ……………………….. (May/Can) you play the violin?

6. Listen, carefully, you (may not/might not) ……………………….. speak during this exam.

7. They ……………………….. (can’t/may not) still be out!

8. You ……………………….. (mustn’t/might not) smoke on the bus.

9. With luck, tomorrow ……………………….. (can/could) be a rainy day.

10. You (can/might) ……………………….. be right but I’m going back to check anyway.

11. I don’t know Hindi and so I ……………………….. (must/should) learn before I go to Delhi.

12. ……………………….. you stand upside down for a minute? No, I (can’t/could)

13. You ……………………….. leave small objects lying around. Children swallow it by mistake, (shouldn’t /may)

14. This is a public place. You ……………………….. (must/should) not smoke.

15. ……………………….. (May/Can) I ask a question?

16. He had been toiling for the past fifteen hours. He ……………………….. (must/should) be exhausted.

17. Drivers ……………………….. (must/should) stop the vehicle when they see the red signal.

18. According to the weather forecast, it ……………………….. (will/may) rain tomorrow.

19. Please try to reach the venue before me. I ……………………….. (will/may) be late.

20 ……………………….. (Could/Would) you mind lifting this box for me?

Present Simple/Present Continuous Revision

English as a Second Language (ESL)

 

 

 

PART ONE

1.Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets. Use the Present Simple.
 

1 Ross ................................................... (not want) any peas.

2 ..................................... you ..................................... (like) onions?

3 This shop ................................................... (sell) my favourite ice cream.

4 Roy ..................................... often ..................................... (not ride) his motorbike.

5 We rarely ................................................... (have) barbecues.

6 What ..................................... your friends usually ..................................... (wear) to school?

2. Write sentences with the words below. Use the Present Continuous.

 

1 the tourists / climb / the mountain / now / .

.........................................................................................................................................................

2 I / not clean up / right now / .

.........................................................................................................................................................

3 where / Mary / stay / at the moment / ?

.........................................................................................................................................................

4 she / use / the printer / right now / .

.........................................................................................................................................................

5 the students / run / now / ?

.........................................................................................................................................................

6 my brother / not play / with me / now / .

.........................................................................................................................................................

 

3. Complete the sentences with the verbs below. Use the Present Simple.

 

not drive | not believe | finish | study | ride | enjoy

1 I usually ................................................... the school concerts. They’re fun.

2 We ................................................... his story because he isn’t always honest.

3 Jane ...................................................a car. She isn’t old enough.

4 ..................................... the students ..................................... French every day?

5 Our lesson ................................................... at 12.00 on Tuesdays.

6 Greg ................................................... his bicycle to school?

4.Complete the sentences with the verbs in brackets. Use the Present Continuous.

1 We haven’t got our car. The mechanic ................................................... (fix) it now.

2 I ................................................... (not order) pizza because my friends aren’t hungry.

3 Why ..................................... you ..................................... (laugh) at me?

4 Someone ................................................... (call) for help!

5 ..................................... the detective ..................................... (examine) the evidence right now?

6 Mum and Dad ................................................... (not sit) in the garden.

 

 

5.Complete the sentences with the verbs in brackets. Use the Present Simple or Present Continuous.

1 My teacher ................................................... (give) us homework every day.

2 Andrea ................................................... (not listen) to music at the moment.

3 ..................................... Joseph ..................................... (go) to a basketball lesson every week?

4 Make-up artists ................................................... (not tell) actors what to do.

5 I can’t go out now. I ................................................... (wait) for my friend.

6 ..................................... your sisters ..................................... (perform) with the school orchestra right now?

 

 

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