ESOL Test Preparation 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which reading strategy involves quickly scanning a passage to find a specific fact or date?
- Skimming
- Close reading
- Scanning (Correct answer)
- Annotating
Correct answer: Scanning
Scanning means moving your eyes quickly over text to locate a specific piece of information without reading every word.
Question 2: What is the purpose of a topic sentence in a paragraph?
- To provide supporting evidence for the conclusion
- To introduce the main idea of the paragraph (Correct answer)
- To summarize the entire essay
- To transition to the next paragraph
Correct answer: To introduce the main idea of the paragraph
A topic sentence states the main idea of a paragraph and tells the reader what the paragraph will be about.
Question 3: Which word correctly completes this sentence: 'He is ____ the homework right now.'
- do
- did
- does
- doing (Correct answer)
Correct answer: doing
The present continuous tense requires 'is/am/are + verb-ing' to describe an action happening at this moment.
Question 4: On an ESOL writing test, what should your first draft focus on?
- Perfect spelling and punctuation
- Getting your ideas down clearly (Correct answer)
- Counting the exact number of words
- Using advanced vocabulary only
Correct answer: Getting your ideas down clearly
A first draft should capture your main ideas and structure; editing for mechanics comes in later revision stages.
Question 5: What does an 'inference' question on a reading test ask you to do?
- Find a word's definition in the text
- Draw a conclusion that is suggested but not directly stated (Correct answer)
- Identify the title of the passage
- Count the number of paragraphs
Correct answer: Draw a conclusion that is suggested but not directly stated
Inference questions require you to use evidence and reasoning to understand what the author implies without stating directly.
Question 6: Which article correctly completes this sentence: 'She ate ____ apple for lunch.'
- a
- an (Correct answer)
- the
- —(no article)
Correct answer: an
Use 'an' before words beginning with a vowel sound; 'apple' starts with the vowel sound /æ/.
Question 7: What is the most effective way to build vocabulary for an ESOL exam?
- Memorize a dictionary page each day without context
- Read widely and study words in sentences and context (Correct answer)
- Focus only on the most obscure English words
- Avoid reading until the day before the test
Correct answer: Read widely and study words in sentences and context
Learning vocabulary in context through wide reading helps retain meaning and understand usage more effectively than rote memorization.
ESOL Test Preparation 3
Which reading strategy involves quickly scanning a passage to find a specific fact or date?