Reading and Writing Part 3 is the exercise with the first long passage that candidates will encounter in the A1 Movers English test. How can you handle this exercise quickly? Let’s take a look at the detailed guide on how to “untangle” the exercise in the sample test below!
The Reading and Writing Part 3 exercise below is taken from the Cambridge A1 Movers Vol.1 2018 sample test (pages 46 & 47).
Here are the steps you need to follow to complete this exercise accurately and quickly:
1. Read the first 1-2 sentences of the passage
Before you begin, read the first 1 or 2 sentences of the passage to understand the context of the text and be able to answer the following two questions:
- Who is the passage about?
- What is the passage’s topic?
In this case:
- The passage is about Jane, with the characteristic “loves reading about different animals.”
- The passage’s topic: Jane’s teacher told the class to find pictures of animals.
2. Read the entire passage but don’t rush to fill in the missing words
Even if the sentences lack words, you can still understand the main idea of the passage. However, do not rush through it. There are 5 blanks to fill, but the exercise provides up to 9 words to choose from. So, think carefully before deciding which word to put in each blank.
3. Look at the illustrations
The pictures help you guess the meanings of the words to fill in. Pay attention to the part of speech (noun, verb, adjective, etc.) of these words.
Since “library” is already filled in as an example, it won’t be used in the exercise. Cross out this word on the illustration page.
4. Analyze each blank
Now, let’s go back to the passage and analyze each blank one by one. After filling in a word, remember to quickly cross it out on the illustration page to narrow down your choices gradually.
- Blank 1:
“Look on the… I told you about yesterday.”
“The ” indicates that the missing word will be a noun or a superlative adjective. However, the superlative adjective should modify some noun which is not present here.
The noun “website” is the appropriate word to fill in.
- Blank 2:
“talk about your different…”
It is clear that it requires a noun after “your.” In this context, there are two nouns, “address” and “ideas.” It should be followed by a plural noun to make sense. Therefore, “ideas” is the suitable choice.
- Blank 3:
“People are (3) …….. of those.”
After “are,” you need to use an adjective. Currently, you have three adjectives: “frightened,” “surprised,” and “cleverest.”
“Cleverest” is a superlative adjective, but it requires “the” before it. In this sentence, there is no “the,” so “cleverest” should be eliminated.
“Surprised about/that…” does not fit here either. Therefore, “frightened” is the only appropriate choice.
- Blank 4:
“It’s their tails that make them really good at (4) ……. Their back legs are the strongest too.”
The structure here requires “good at something/doing something.”
“Address” and “hopping” are both grammatically valid choices, but the meaning doesn’t make sense with “good at address.”
So, the correct choice here is “hopping.”
- Blank 4:
“You’re the (5) …… girl in the class.”
The options left are “address,” “surprised,” “cleverest,” and “bounce.”
It’s clear that “cleverest” is the appropriate word because it’s in the superlative form and the sentence requires “the” before it.
Therefore, it should be “You’re the cleverest girl in the class.”
5. Don’t forget question 6
This is a crucial part because many candidates unintentionally forget this question. Question 6 appears after the picture illustrations. This question asks you to choose the most suitable name for the story, “the best name for the story.”
Once you’ve filled in all the blanks, you’ll understand the meaning of the story. “Bears” is mentioned in Paul’s speech. Jane’s teacher is also mentioned in the story but only once.
However, this question asks for the content of the entire story, not just a part of it. Therefore, the answer is “A lesson about animals.” Put a checkmark in the box next to this answer to indicate that you have completed Reading and Writing Part 3 of the Movers Cambridge test.
SO, TO DO WELL IN THIS EXERCISE, REMEMBER THESE 5 KEY POINTS:
1: Read the first 1-2 sentences of the passage to understand the context.
2: Continue reading the passage to find the main content. Don’t fill in the missing words right away.
3: Look at the illustrative pictures.
4: Analyze each question from 1-5 and answer them.
5: Complete question number 6.
