READING TASKS

ONCE WORKED HARD ON EVERY SKILL OF YOUR EXAM, WE ARE ABOUT TO REMIND ALL THE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES PROPOSED IN OUR READING SKILL TEST. WORK ON IN AND ASK EVERY QUESTION YOU MAY FIND. DO NOT HESISTATE!

WE NEED TO KNOW HOW TO DO A FULL READING TEST SO AS TO REINFORCE IT DURING SUMMER.

https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/Images/CER_6168_V1_APR19_Cambridge_English_First_Handbook_WEB_v3.PDF

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/cbpt/2015/fce-reading-and-uoe/index.xhtml

https://www.tsu.ge/data/file_db/sagamocdo/MA%20Sample%20Test%20B2.pdf

https://www.clgranada.com/recursos-idiomas/b2-first/reading/

https://www.lttc.ntu.edu.tw/Cambridge/MS/Handbook/FCE/en/cambridge-english-first-handbook-2015.pdf

https://www.lttc.ntu.edu.tw/Cambridge/MS/Handbook/FCE/first(s)-handbook.pdf

https://www.examenglish.com/FCE/fce_reading.htm

WRITING: ARTICLE, REVIEW AND REPORT

TAREAS:

1) REVISA LAS EXPLICACIONES Y ANOTA DUDAS

2) TRADUCE LOS EJEMPLOS DE CADA WRITING PARA VER CLARAMENTE EL EJEMPLO DE USO DE LA ESTRUCTURA.

Writing B2 First: Article

El objetivo de un artículo del FCE es hacerte escribir sobre un tema que te gusta o sobre el que eres un experto. Por este motivo, un ejemplo de tarea para un article suele ser algo así:

Writing B2 First: Review

Otro tipo de Writing B2 típico es la reseña o, en inglés, review. En este caso, se trata de una tarea similar a la del artículo, pero suele ser de algo mucho más concreto, ya que se te pide escribir una valoración sobre un objeto, una película, una serie, un programa de televisión, etc. Aquí tienes un ejemplo de enunciado:

Writing B2 First: Report

Este es uno de los tipos de Writing B2 que los candidatos soléis desconocer más. Sin embargo, desde mi punto de vista, es uno de los más sencillos. Se trata de un informe (report), que no es más que una valoración objetiva sobre una experiencia que has tenido. Por ejemplo, te pueden pedir escribir un report sobre una excursión o una visita turística, o sobre un programa de intercambio, o sobre cosas que un visitante a tu ciudad puede hacer, etc. Veamos un ejemplo de tarea un report:

Como ves, se trata de una tarea de Writing que requiere un tono formal, ya que normalmente va dirigido a algún superior. 

Ejemplo de Writing B2 Article

A continuación tienes un ejemplo de artículo sobre un tema que me interesa a mí: internet. Como puedes observar, se trata de un escrito con un tono informal/estándar, en el que me incluyo a mí mismo todo el tiempo, pues todo lo que digo es una opinión personal. Además, incluyo alguna recomendación y termino el artículo con una pregunta dirigida al lector.

The Internet: A Great Invention

The Internet has changed the way we live. It started as something that we could access only through a computer, but nowadays it is everywhere, and I love it!

One of the cool things about the world wide web is that you can look up anything you want and find out the answer straight away. Isn’t that fantastic? For example, imagine you are arguing with your friends about how to do something. Easy solution! Go online and find the answer.

However, the greatest thing about the Internet is how you can learn tons of things very cheaply or even for free! In fact, my favourite website is www.udemy.com, where people register to teach and learn about different things: music, website design, making apps, history, etc. So I totally recommend it to everyone!

In conclusion, the Internet has a lot of great things. For me, the best are finding information and learning online. What about you? What are your favourite things about it?

Ejemplo de Writing B2 Review

El siguiente ejemplo es de una review de una película. Como puedes ver, es un texto muy parecido a los artículos (el tono, la gramática, la puntuación, etc.), pero en este caso describo una película que he visto y que me gustó. En una review de una película debes hablar del argumento, de los personajes/actores y debes ofrecer una recomendación al lector.

Layer Cake

Did you know that Daniel Craig was already famous before playing James Bond? In fact, my favourite Daniel Craig movie is called “Layer Cake”, which he did a long time before becoming the most famous spy in the world.

Set in central London, “Layer Cake” tells the story of a drug dealer (played by Craig) and how he tries to give up his drug empire. However, not everything goes as planned and he gets into some serious trouble with some of his business partners.

The main characters are wonderfully played by the actors, who give an exceptional performance. However, some of the secondary roles seemed a little dull and two-dimensional.

As for the plot, it’s a real nail-biter, as you never know what is going to happen with the main characters. In fact, you will never be able to guess the ending!

If you are a fan of action movies, I completely recommend that you watch this film. I am sure you will have a great time and it will be an unforgettable movie.

Ejemplo de Writing B2 Report

En esta sección tienes un ejemplo de report. Se trata de la respuesta a la tarea planteada en la sección anterior sobre el gimnasio que está perdiendo clientela. Como se puede apreciar a simple vista, la estructura de un report es muy particular, pues aparte del título, cada párrafo o idea es en realidad un subapartado introducido por un subtítulo. Además de eso, el lenguaje es relativamente formal y muy objetivo.

Improving Our Gym

Introduction

The aim of this report is to explain the main reasons why members are leaving the gym. After interviewing some clients, we have identified some serious problems.

Limited opening hours

Some members have complained that the gym opens a little late for them. For this reason, workers cannot exercise before going to work. If the gym opened at 7 a.m., clients could exercise easily before going to work.

The changing rooms

Many of the lockers are broken so customers cannot leave their belongings in a safe place. Also, some of the showers are not working properly so members have to queue before having a shower. In order to solve this, I suggest replacing all lockers and showers immediately.

Lack of parking spaces

Some previous members have joined gyms which have a parking lot. Although we cannot build a parking lot, we can offer a parking area for bicycles. As a result, this might encourage members to use their bikes to come to the gym.

Conclusion

To sum up, I believe that if we take care of these problems, members will be happier and will decide to stay with us.

Esquema para realizar la Parte 2 del First Certificate correctamente

• ¿Quién leerá tu review? Suele estar dirigida a los lectores de una revista o periódico.
• ¿Cuál es el propósito de una review?  Informar al lector y dar tu punto de vista sobre los servicios de un restaurante/hotel/ evento o sobre el contenido de un  libro/película, etc. Sería lo equivalente a una crítica.
• ¿Qué estilo se debe usar? Debe ser similar a un artículo, debe tener la capacidad de captar la atención del lector desde la primera línea.
• ¿Qué información se tiene que incluir? Información esencial sobre el tema que tratamos, incluyendo también los aspectos negativos y una recomendación para el lector.
• ¿Es necesario escribir un título? Sí, no olvides el título, su ausencia bajará tu puntuación.
• ¿Cuántos párrafos hay que redactar? Lo recomendable es escribir mínimo cuatro párrafos.
• ¿Qué se escribe en la introducción? La introducción debe incluir el nombre del sitio o del evento y una pequeña descripción de 2 o 3 frases.
• ¿En qué debe consistir el cuerpo de la review? El segundo y tercer párrafo de la review debe ampliar los puntos positivos y negativos del lugar/evento/libro o película del que estemos hablando.
• ¿Cómo debo acabar la review? 

Expresiones de uso para un writing tipo «review»

Para empezar a introducir el tema

• This show stars
• The book was written by
• The film is about

Expresiones que indican contraste

• On the plus side,
• On the negative side,
• On the one hand,
• On the other hand,

Recomendaciones

• Overall, I´d recommend …
• All in all, the film was …
• I wouldn´t hesitate to recommend …
• I wouldn´t encourage anyone to 

How to Write an Article for FCE Writing Part 2

An article is a very common type of text nowadays. We can find all kinds of articles in newspapers, magazines, blogs, etc. For this reason, in order to know how to write an article for FCE, we must bear in mind who will be reading our article. This, as we will see later on, we will find out from the instructions the FCE Writing paper provides us with. But before we move on to that, let’s take a look at the characteristics of an article for FCE Writing Part 2:

• Purpose of an article: The aim of an article is usually to talk about a topic that we like or that we are familiar with. Besides, one of the features that articles have as opposed to other FCE Writing tasks is that an article must entertain the reader and, almos always, recommend the thing we are talking about.
• Language: In general, an article is more informal than an essay, although it will depend on where it is supposed to be published (an international magazine, a teenage magazine, a college magazine, an online blog, a newspaper, etc.). However, the most common case is that we must write a text in an informal or colloquial style. For this reason, our tone must be relaxed, making use of contractions, phrasal verbs and other colloquial expressions. Besides, it is recommended to use rhetorical questions and exclamation marks to engage the reader. You should also address the reader directly in the second person (you, your) and can make jokes if you think they are appropriate.
• Structure: Articles must always have a title. If possible, this must be catchy and witty so as to engage the reader. Then, each paragraph must address a single idea, to which you must add the introdduction and the conclusion, where you are usually expected to make a recommendation. It is also a good idea to end your article with a rhetorical question, especially if it is going to be an online article where people could (in theory) leave a comment.
• Giving your opinion: An article is almost exclusively about giving your opinion, so feel free to do so throught the whole piece of writing. As you are normally asked to write about something you like or enjoy, opinions are expected to be generally positive. Any article for FCE is usually a very personal piece of writing, so you can speak in the first person as much as you like. 😊
• Common topics: You may be asked to write articles on a variety of topics: the Internet, health and fitness, music, plays, hobbies, etc.
• Number of words: you are expected to write your article in 140 – 190 words, no more or less than any other type of FCE Writing task.

If we take a close look at this sample article for FCE, we can see the following features:

• It is visually appealing: The structure is clear, leaving space between paragraphs and defining a clear introduction and conclusion.
• Each paragraph has a clear objective, as my comments in red indicate.
  • The introduction presents the topic in a general way, but making clear what article is about: the Internet.
  • The second paragraph talks about why I like the Internet and one of the things that I like about it.
  • The third paragraph makes a recommendation of a website, explaining why I like it so much.
  • The conclusion is a summary of sorts and asks the reader for some feedback on their own preferences regarding the use of the Internet.
• The language is informal:
  • Phrasal verbs: put you up, check out.
  • Contractions: Isn’t that fantastic?
  • Colloquial phrases: one of the cool things, I totally recommend it, etc. 
  • We address the reader directly: What about you? 
  • Exclamation marks: …find the answer! 

In this example of article for FCE Writing we can appreciate many of the typical characteristics of this type of activity. However, bear in mind that I have tried to simulate a strong B2 level without necessarily reaching C1.

Useful Expressions to Write an Article for FCE Writing

If you want to know how to write an article for FCE, it is very important to have a repository of useful expressions ready to use. So here are some which can come in handy:

• Rhetorical questions:
  • Have you ever…?
  • Do you ever wonder…?
  • What do you think about…?
  • Are you a… like me?
  • Are you one of those people who…?
  • What would you say if I told you that…?
• Introducing new ideas:
  • Firstly,
  • First,
  • In the rst place,
  • To begin with,
  • The coolest thing about 
  • What attracts me most 
  • One thing to consider is
  • Another consideration is
  • Secondly,
  • As for
  • As to
  • Also, 
  • As regards
  • In addition,
  • In addition to that,
  • Moreover,
• Concluding the article:
• In conclusion,
• On the whole,
• To sum up,
• To conclude,
• All in all, 
• … you will not regret it

STRUCTURE OF THE TEXT:

A report should be concise and easy to understand. You must include a title, headings and also make sure that you answer the points in the question.

Include the following:

• Title
• introduction
• headings (the three points in the question)
• content
• recommendations
• conclusion

EXAMPLE OF AN ANSWER:

Report on the University Website

 In this report I will discuss and analyze my classmates´ opinions of the website and make some suggestions for improvements.

The usage

The site is really easy to use and all the students seem to be pleased with it. They were particularly happy with the links between sections and the fact that it was easy to find contact details for the adequate person in each teaching department.

The information

The information was of a good standard and very informative. People seemed impressed with how up to date it all was.

News section

The news section was very good and perfect for university students, just the type of thing that they like to talk about. If I have time, I will read it every day to find out about other student and new events.

How to improve it

All in all, there has been a request for more information about extra curricular activities and also where students can find discounts around the city. It would be a good idea to include a specific section for the latter.

To sum up, I would say the new site has been a hit and that everyone will be making good use of it in the future.

USEFUL PHRASES:

Making recommendations

• It would be a good idea to…
• Would it not be better to…
• Why do we not…
• What about… ?
• How about… ?
• Should we not… ?
• Let’s…
• Why not… ?

Justifying

• because…
• the reason is…
• the reason I believe that is…
• the facts suggest…
• the evidence shows…
• taking into account what I have seen…

Linking:

“Linking” refers to the way the writer relates their ideas together. It is essential to be able to form an argument and have a balanced piece of writing.

• As I have said before…
• With respect to the point on…
• Regarding…
• Like I have said…
• With regards to…
• In relation to…
• Taking into account…

SEE OUR KEY PHRASES FOR WRITING HERE

You can justify your opinion more effectively by being more specific. Try some intermediate (B2) phrases like these:

• The first reason I believe this is…
• The main reason I feel this way is…
• There are several reasons I believe this. The first is…

When you are not completely certain, you can try one of these more advanced (C1) English phrases:

•  I don’t have any special reason for believing this. It just seems right to me that…
• I could be wrong as I have no special reason for believing this. I just feel this is right as…
• I am not sure why I feel this way but I have reason to believe…

When you ARE certain, try one of these phrases:

•  There is a lot of evidence to support my point of view. For example…
• There are many facts in favour of my opinion. One such fact is…
• From my own personal experience, I am lead to believe…