B1 Preliminary (PET) Practice Paper 2

Listening

Listen first, then answer. B1 Preliminary Listening Practice – Coffee Break Chat

1. What time is George's presentation scheduled?

A) Seven o'clock B) Nine o'clock C) Eleven o'clock D) Five o'clock

2. How many times has George worked with this client before?

A) This is his first time B) Once before, last year C) Multiple times over several years D) He has never worked with them

3. What has George been doing to prepare for the presentation?

A) Reading books about the company B) Practicing his speech for about a week and making notes C) Watching videos online D) Only reviewing slides this morning

4. What does Alice suggest George should do before the presentation?

A) Drink more coffee B) Practice one more time C) Eat something before going to the presentation D) Call his manager for advice

5. Where are George and Alice planning to go?

A) To the office kitchen B) To the café downstairs C) To the presentation room D) To their manager's office

Show transcript

alice: Hi George, how was your morning so far? You look a bit tired. george: Oh, you know, I had to come in early today because we've got that big client presentation at eleven. I've been preparing slides since seven o'clock, and I think I've already had three cups of coffee. I'm definitely going to need a break soon. alice: Three cups already? That's a lot! Well, at least you're ready for the presentation. Is this your first time presenting to this client, or have you worked with them before? george: It's actually the second time. Last year, my manager did most of the talking, but this time I'll be leading the whole thing. I'm a bit nervous, to be honest. I've been practicing my speech for about a week now, and I've got notes on my phone as backup. alice: That's great that you're so prepared! I'm sure you'll do really well. By the way, have you eaten anything this morning? All that coffee on an empty stomach won't help with the nerves. george: You're right, I haven't actually. I grabbed a banana earlier, but that was it. Maybe I should grab a sandwich from the café downstairs before eleven. Do you want to join me? We could go in five minutes if you're free. alice: That sounds perfect. I need a break anyway. And George, seriously, you're going to be amazing today. Everyone knows you're really good at explaining complicated ideas clearly, so don't worry. george: Thanks, Alice. I really appreciate that. Come on, let's go before the café gets too busy.

Reading

Sophie started working at Rivera Events three months ago as an assistant event planner. Her first project was organizing a corporate lunch for 150 people, which went surprisingly well. Last week, she successfully managed a wedding reception, and her boss has just offered her a promotion to senior planner. However, Sophie is worried about the increase in responsibility. The new role involves meeting clients, managing larger budgets, and handling more complex logistics. She has already attended two training sessions, but feels she needs more experience before taking on such a demanding position. Sophie's colleague Marcus, who has worked at the company for five years, offered to mentor her. He suggested they should work together on the next three projects so she could learn while managing them. Sophie appreciated the offer, though she was nervous about making mistakes in front of experienced staff members. After thinking carefully, Sophie decided to accept the promotion. She realized that learning happens through taking on challenges, not by waiting until everything feels comfortable. She is planning to start her new role next month.

1. How long has Sophie been working at Rivera Events?

A) Less than one month B) About three months C) Six months D) Over a year

2. What did Sophie's boss offer her after the wedding reception?

A) A pay increase B) A promotion to senior planner C) Extra training sessions D) A different department

3. Why was Sophie hesitant about the new role?

A) She wanted to stay in her current position B) She was worried about increased responsibility C) She didn't like her boss D) She preferred working alone

4. What did Marcus suggest as a solution?

A) Sophie should refuse the promotion B) Sophie should wait another year C) He would mentor her on the next three projects D) She should find a different job

5. What was Sophie's final decision?

A) She asked for more training before accepting B) She accepted the promotion and will start next month C) She rejected the offer D) She asked to work with Marcus permanently

Real-life notices

Read each notice. Which sentence (A, B or C) is closest in meaning?

CAR PARK FULL — TRY STREET PARKING

A) There is no more space in the car park. B) The car park is closed for repairs. C) Street parking is not allowed today.

PLEASE TAKE A TICKET AND WAIT TO BE CALLED

A) You will be served in the order you arrived. B) You should go straight to the front. C) Tickets cost extra money here.

PLEASE QUEUE HERE

A) You should stand in line at this spot. B) This area is closed to the public. C) You can sit down here while you wait.

NO ENTRY — STAFF ONLY

A) Everyone can come in here. B) Only workers can go in here. C) This door is always locked.

FRAGILE — HANDLE WITH CARE

A) This item breaks easily, so be gentle with it. B) This item is very heavy. C) This item cannot be moved.

Use of English

My name is Tom, and I work as a customer service representative at a tech company. I ___1___ this job for two years now, and I really enjoy helping customers solve problems. When I started, I was quite nervous because I ___2___ never worked in customer service before. Our team is quite small, so everyone ___3___ to do several different tasks. My manager, Linda, is always patient and supportive. She has taught me ___4___ difficult situations calmly and professionally. Last month, our whole team ___5___ a new computer system. At first, everyone was confused, but after some training, we adapted quickly. Now ___6___ find it much easier to manage customer records. The best part of my job is when customers call back to thank me for ___7___ their issue. It makes me feel proud and motivated. I'm planning to stay here because there are good opportunities for ___8___ in this company.

1. Gap 1: Which verb form is correct?

A) have been doing B) am doing C) will do D) was doing

2. Gap 2: Which verb form is correct?

A) have B) was C) had D) am having

3. Gap 3: Which verb form is correct?

A) have B) has C) is having D) are

4. Gap 4: Which phrase is correct?

A) how handle B) how to handle C) how handling D) how I handle

5. Gap 5: Which verb form is correct?

A) introduced B) were introducing C) had introduced D) would introduce

6. Gap 6: Which pronoun/phrase is correct?

A) you B) we C) they D) he

7. Gap 7: Which verb form is correct?

A) solving B) to solve C) solved D) solve

8. Gap 8: Which noun form is correct?

A) develop B) developing C) development D) developed

Writing

You recently changed jobs and want to tell your English friend about your new workplace. Write an email (120–150 words) describing: your new position, what the workplace is like, your colleagues, and how you feel about the change. Use appropriate greetings and closings.