Free CAE Use of English Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In a proposal, your suggestions ought to be _____.
- give a succinct overview of the issue.
- arrive last
- describe a few actions to take.
- These are all accurate responses. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: These are all accurate responses.
Effective proposals require suggestions that are well-structured and comprehensive. This includes providing a succinct overview of the issue to set the context, describing specific actions to be taken for clarity and feasibility, and typically placing the suggestions towards the end of the proposal after presenting the problem and analysis. Therefore, all listed options contribute to a strong proposal.
Question 2: Which of the following could be regarded as a source of doubt?
- A text for reference
- Peer-reviewed publication
- An official document
- A webpage with a.com (Correct answer)
Correct answer: A webpage with a.com
While not all .com websites are unreliable, the .com domain is primarily for commercial entities and lacks the inherent academic, governmental, or institutional vetting often associated with .edu, .gov, or peer-reviewed publications. Therefore, information from a generic .com webpage should be approached with more skepticism and cross-referenced, making it a potential source of doubt regarding its credibility and accuracy.
Question 3: Which part of a friendly letter are examples of Yours Truly, Best Regards, and Warmly?
- heading
- closing (Correct answer)
- greeting
- signature
Correct answer: closing
'Yours Truly,' 'Best Regards,' and 'Warmly' are all common valedictions or complimentary closings used to end a letter, particularly a friendly or semi-formal one. They precede the sender's signature and serve to convey a polite farewell, marking the conclusion of the written communication.
Question 4: Emails are fast and can be casual in some situations, but when sending a business email, it's crucial to keep the tone _____________.
- Happy
- Playful
- Professional (Correct answer)
- Kind
Correct answer: Professional
When sending a business email, maintaining a professional tone is crucial. This ensures that your message is taken seriously, conveys respect, and reflects positively on your credibility and that of your organization. A professional tone helps avoid misunderstandings and fosters clear, effective communication in a formal context.
Question 5: What is the primary objective of the key word transformation questions on the CAE Reading section?
- to get rid of terms that aren't needed.
- to write phrases that have opposing meanings.
- to demonstrate how different verb tenses differ.
- to finish a sentence that is synonymous with another sentence. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: to finish a sentence that is synonymous with another sentence.
The primary objective of CAE Keyword Transformation questions is to assess your ability to rephrase a given sentence while preserving its original meaning, using a specific keyword. This task tests your grammatical range, vocabulary, and understanding of various sentence structures. You must demonstrate that you can express the same idea in a different, grammatically correct way.
Question 6: Select the term that best summarizes this open-ended statement: _____________ trampolines ease pressure on the knee joints, they are excellent for low-impact exercise.
- because (Correct answer)
- and
- but
- or
Correct answer: because
The sentence establishes a cause-and-effect relationship: trampolines ease pressure on knee joints, which is the reason they are excellent for low-impact exercise. The conjunction 'because' correctly introduces the cause or reason for the subsequent statement. It logically connects the benefit of easing pressure to their suitability for a specific type of exercise.
Question 7: What should you do next in a gapped text question on the CAE after finishing the passage?
- Go over the paragraphs that were cut out of the passage. (Correct answer)
- After reading the passage once more, consider what is lacking.
- Determine what goes in the first gap by starting there.
- Determine which is the hardest first. The easiest things should always be saved for last!
Correct answer: Go over the paragraphs that were cut out of the passage.
After reading the main passage in a CAE Gapped Text question, the next essential step is to carefully read the paragraphs that were cut out. This allows you to understand the content, main ideas, and specific details of each missing piece. By doing so, you can then effectively look for linguistic and thematic connections between these paragraphs and the gaps in the main text to reconstruct the original flow.
Question 8: Fill in this sentence-based CAE key word transformation question.<br> 1. It was impossible to finish the drive to the hotel in a single day. Key phrase: brief sentence <br> 2: It _________________ to make the trip to the hotel in a single day.<br>
- was suitably brief
- wasn't short enough (Correct answer)
- was overly brief
- was longer than it should have been
Correct answer: wasn't short enough
The original sentence states it was 'impossible to finish the drive to the hotel in a single day,' implying the journey was too long. To rephrase this using 'brief sentence' while maintaining the meaning, we need to convey that the duration was insufficient. 'It wasn't short enough' accurately captures this, meaning the trip required more time than a single day allowed.
Question 9: Which of the following key phrases DO NOT make it easier for you to discern where agreement and disagreement lie in the conversation? <br> Brian: The new email system is great. <br> Yes, it's a lot simpler to use, Patrick. <br> Brian: It also functions considerably better on my tablet. But since you don't have one, I suppose that's not too big of a deal for you. <br> Patrick: Indeed, I've never been a tablet user. <br> Brian: Without one, I have no idea how you manage to get everything done! I think it's absolutely essential. <br> Patrick: However, you got along just great without a tablet. They aren't necessary, even though they might be lovely.<br>
- However...
- I doubt it.
- Indeed.
- how you get... (Correct answer)
Correct answer: how you get...
Phrases like 'However...', 'Indeed.', and 'I doubt it.' explicitly signal disagreement or agreement within a conversation. In contrast, 'how you get...' is part of a question ('Without one, I have no idea how you manage to get everything done!') which expresses Brian's surprise or disbelief. While it reacts to Patrick's statement, it does not directly indicate agreement or disagreement with the statement itself.
Question 10: Which of the following can assist you in keeping track of who is going to do what when you listen for a plan of action in a spoken English passage?
- disregarding the remainder of the passage and simply paying attention to statements like "I will"
- keeping an ear out for "course of action"
- Creating a flowchart or timeline (Correct answer)
- These items are all useless while considering a path of action.
Correct answer: Creating a flowchart or timeline
Creating a flowchart or timeline is an effective strategy for tracking a plan of action in a spoken English passage. This visual organization helps you map out the sequence of events, assigned tasks, and responsible individuals. By structuring the information, you can more easily follow complex plans and recall specific details about who is doing what and when.
Question 11: Will there be a change in the sound of the following two sentences read aloud in English? First sentence: His scarf was left at home. Sentence 2: Did he forget to bring his scarf?
- Yes, since the second sentence is a question at the end, it will fall in pitch.
- Indeed, since the second sentence is a question at the end, its pitch will raise. (Correct answer)
- Yes, since the first line is a statement, it will end in pitch.
- No, things are the same.
Correct answer: Indeed, since the second sentence is a question at the end, its pitch will raise.
In English, yes/no questions typically have a rising intonation at the end, signaling that a response is expected from the listener. Conversely, declarative statements usually end with a falling intonation. Therefore, the question 'Did he forget to bring his scarf?' will have a noticeably raised pitch at the end compared to the statement 'His scarf was left at home.'
Free CAE Use of English Questions and Answers
In a proposal, your suggestions ought to be _____.