How Do You Clean a Baby Boy's Willy

25 questions from the British Council LearnEnglish online English level test Options
Previous Topic · Next Topic A cooperator
Posted: Thursday, June 11, 2020 8:58:37 PM

Rank: Advanced Member

Joined: 10/27/2011
Posts: 3,863
Neurons: 14,993
Location: Seiyun, Hadramawt, Yemen

Hi Everyone!
These are 25 questions from the test at learnenglish.britishcouncil.org
But I was scored with 94% and intermediate level although I selected in each choice with "certain" on the answering of the question "Are you sure? Not sure. Fairly sure. Certain."

1.
Choose the best word to complete the sentence.
The baby boy saw ... in the mirror and started to cry.
a. itself
b. herself
c. himself

2.
Choose the best word or phrase to complete the sentence.
A lot of trains ... late today due to the heavy storms.
a. are run
b. run
c. are running

3.
Choose the best word or phrase to complete the sentence.
... was a strong wind last night.
a. There
b. Here
c. This

4.
Choose the best word or phrase to complete the sentence.
Firstly, I want to congratulate you all. Secondly, I would like to wish you good luck and ... I hope you have enjoyed the course.
a. in the end
b. at last
c. finally

5.
Choose the best word or phrase to complete the sentence.
You ... clean your teeth twice a day to avoid having problems.

a. can
b. should
c. will

6.
Choose the best word or phrase to complete the sentence.
The children thought they were ... when they saw the bull.
a. in a danger
b. in danger
c. in the danger

7.
Choose the best word or phrase to complete the dialogue.
Jack: I think it's going to rain.
Jill: I ... , the clouds are clearing.
Jack: We'll soon see.

a. disagree
b. complain
c. argue

8.
Choose the best word or phrase to complete the sentence.
I really don't like this meal. ... money in the world wouldn't get me to eat it.

a. Whatever
b. Enough
c. All the

9.
Choose the best word or phrase to complete the sentence.
Last year, Joanna bought two ... coats in New York.

a. long, black, leather
b. black, long, leather
c. leather, black, long

10.
Choose the best word or phrase to complete the sentence.
I must report to the meeting that Cyrus completed his first piece of work well ahead of schedule. ..., however, his work has been handed in late.

a. Sequentially
b. Subsequently
c. Consequently

11.
Choose the best word or phrase to complete the sentence.
That's very good of you but you ... have paid me back until tomorrow.

a. needn't
b. wouldn't
c. couldn't

12.
Choose the best word or phrase to complete the sentence.
I ... intending to stop smoking even before I got this bad cough.

a. would have been
b. had been
c. have been

13.
Choose the best word or phrase to complete the dialogue.
Anne: Oh! I watched the new TV show last night.
Jo: Was it any good?
Anne: Yes. ... the TV set is so old I could see very little.

a. Mind you
b. Still
c. By the way

14.
Choose the word or phrase which has a similar meaning to:
consider

a. think about
b. seem well
c. go for

You removed a message

15.
Choose the word or phrase which has a similar meaning to:
talk

a. stroll
b. point out
c. converse

16.
Choose the word or phrase which has a similar meaning to:
complete

a. finish
b. go through
c. full

17.
Choose the word or phrase which has a similar meaning to:
return

a. account
b. go back
c. reverse

18.
Choose the word or phrase which has a similar meaning to:
report

a. go after
b. account
c. respect

19.
Choose the best word to complete the sentence.
She hit her ... while she was playing football.

a. motor
b. tail
c. shoulder

20.
Choose the best word to complete the sentence.
The ... went to the police.

a. crime
b. solicitor
c. shoulder

21.
Choose the best word to complete the sentence.
It was bad but it was not a ... .

a. gate
b. magazine
c. crime

22.
Some words are often used together, e.g. smelly + socks. Choose a word which is often used with:
concrete

a. builder
b. thrill
c. proposal

23.
Some words are often used together, e.g. smelly + socks. Choose a word which is often used with:
tender

a. diet
b. words
c. beast

24.
Some words are often used together, e.g. smelly + socks. Choose a word which is often used with:
sophisticated

a. dress
b. purse
c. ship

25.
Some words are often used together, e.g. smelly + socks. Choose a word which is often used with:
blunt

a. movement
b. proposition
c. instrument

Back to top FounDit
Posted: Thursday, June 11, 2020 9:45:08 PM

Rank: Advanced Member

Joined: 9/19/2011
Posts: 16,820
Neurons: 81,494

The only one I would question is #12

12.
Choose the best word or phrase to complete the sentence.
I ... intending to stop smoking even before I got this bad cough.

a. would have been
b. had been
c. have been

I would have chosen C. "have been". It could be argued that using "had been" gives the impression you gave up the intention before getting the bad cough. Using "have been" conveys an intention that was on-going when you got the cough.

I don't know why you scored 94, however. With 25 questions, each should be worth 4 points each, so you should have scored a 96.

Back to top tautophile
Posted: Thursday, June 11, 2020 11:29:05 PM
Rank: Advanced Member

Joined: 3/14/2018
Posts: 2,102
Neurons: 54,045

Very interesting. I pretty much agree with all the choices marked as correct.

But I have some commments:
--In #4, the words should be "First" and "Second", not "Firstly" and "Secondly". But "finally," is the correct choice.
--In #9, in my opinion the choice "long, black, leather coats"--though better than the other two choices--isn't really good. It ought to be "long black leather coats" without the commas.
--In #12, unlike FounDit, I prefer "had been intending..." to "have been intending...". To me, "had been intending" does not mean you ceased intending to stop smoking.
--In #13, I have to say I wouldn't used the phrase "Mind you"--I would prefer "However--but "However" that wasn't one of the choices, and "Mind you" is better than the other two.
--And in #22, "concrete proposal" seems a better matched pair than "concrete builder" in most contexts. In the absence of a context for the sentence, "concrete builder" is an acceptable answer.

Back to top Sarrriesfan
Posted: Friday, June 12, 2020 2:18:33 AM

Rank: Advanced Member

Joined: 3/30/2016
Posts: 3,111
Neurons: 19,922
Location: Luton, England, United Kingdom

tautophile wrote:

Very interesting. I pretty much agree with all the choices marked as correct.

But I have some commments:
--In #4, the words should be "First" and "Second", not "Firstly" and "Secondly". But "finally," is the correct choice.
--In #9, in my opinion the choice "long, black, leather coats"--though better than the other two choices--isn't really good. It ought to be "long black leather coats" without the commas.
--In #12, unlike FounDit, I prefer "had been intending..." to "have been intending...". To me, "had been intending" does not mean you ceased intending to stop smoking.
--In #13, I have to say I wouldn't used the phrase "Mind you"--I would prefer "However--but "However" that wasn't one of the choices, and "Mind you" is better than the other two.
--And in #22, "concrete proposal" seems a better matched pair than "concrete builder" in most contexts. In the absence of a context for the sentence, "concrete builder" is an acceptable answer.

#4 Firstly and secondly are commonly used in British English.
I agree with FounDit for #12 I prefer "have been", it's how most British people would use that phrase.
#13 Mind you is the phrase that an ordinary British person would use.
#22 is a question of association it is not about forming an actual pairing builder and concrete go together in the same way bread and baker or bat and cricketer do.
Remember the British Council is trying to teach people to speak English as it is used in Britain today, on behalf of the British Government, some of its usages won't match American English.

Back to top Drag0nspeaker
Posted: Friday, June 12, 2020 6:57:30 AM

Rank: Advanced Member

Joined: 9/12/2011
Posts: 35,734
Neurons: 250,669
Location: Livingston, Scotland, United Kingdom

The ones I saw were #12 and #22.

In #12, I could see circumstances in which all three choices could be the "best choice".
Personally, I'd use "has been" or "was" in most circumstances.

In #22, "concrete proposal" is a common phrase. "Concrete builder" isn't.
A builder may use concrete occasionally, but there's no such job as "concrete builder".

Yes, I'd commonly use "mind you".
Mind you, it is a little "archaic"

in form

, in that the verb "mind" meaning "pay attention" is not now used intransitively; AND imperatives don't nowadays have that form with the 'person' after the verb. "Mind you" = "(You) take notice!" = "but I'm mentioning so that you can take notice"

Back to top tautophile
Posted: Saturday, June 13, 2020 3:15:06 AM
Rank: Advanced Member

Joined: 3/14/2018
Posts: 2,102
Neurons: 54,045

My "native speech" is AmE, but I lived in England for 4 years and have many British friends, so I'm very familiar with BrE. My first wife grew up in Gateshead and later in Banbury, so I know both Geordie and Thames Valley speech--so much so that when I saw the movie "Billy Eliot" [2000]--set mostly in Tyneside and full of Geordie accents--in the theater here in Illinois, I was the only person in the audience who understood all of what was being said.

I know, for example, about "mind you"--which is the best choice of the three put forward in #13. It's a well-known BrE phrase, and is not unknown in AmE. Of the three choices given, it's the one I would choose.

But

, if one of the choices for #13 were "However", that is the one I would pick. It's perfectly good BrE and AmE.

I have seen both American and British usage guides that prefer "first" and "second" to "firstly" and "secondly". Most usage guides agree, though, that the "-ly" forms are acceptable, and more formal.

Back to top Drag0nspeaker
Posted: Saturday, June 13, 2020 8:38:31 AM

Rank: Advanced Member

Joined: 9/12/2011
Posts: 35,734
Neurons: 250,669
Location: Livingston, Scotland, United Kingdom

Gateshead to Banbury - couldn't be much different, dialectically, and stay in England!

Like FounDit, I'm curious how 25 questions can give a score of

94%

.
That means one question wrong and one "half-right".

Most of the questions (being multiple choice) can't be 'half-right'.

Back to top A cooperator
Posted: Sunday, June 14, 2020 9:54:59 PM

Rank: Advanced Member

Joined: 10/27/2011
Posts: 3,863
Neurons: 14,993
Location: Seiyun, Hadramawt, Yemen

Hi Everyone!
Thank you all very much indeed,

But, do you not think we must have a comma after "mind you"?
There is no comma in the original question question. So, I excluded the 'a' and 'c' since both must have a following comma if they initiated a phrase.
Anne: Oh! I watched the new TV show last night.
Jo: Was it any good?
Anne: Yes. Mind you the TV set is so old I could see very little.


I read Guide for Mixed Tense Exercises:

Quote:

Time word: Before:
Time clause tense: Simple present, Simple past
Main clause tense: Simple future

Before Karen leaves for work, she will roller-skate around her house three times.

Time word: Before
Time clause tense: simple past
Main clause tense: Simple past or past perfect

Before Karen left for work, she (had) roller-skated around her house three times.

So, in no #12, the speaker is talking about two actions, "I got cough", and "the "intend to stop smoking". "Intend to stop smoking" happened before "I got cough". So, I think that the past perfect progressive must be used in the main clause tense(I had been intending to stop smoking) and the past simple in the time clause tense(before I got this bad cough).

I had been intending to stop smoking(main clause tense) even before I got this bad cough(time clause tense).
a. would have been
b. had been
c. have been

Back to top A cooperator
Posted: Tuesday, June 16, 2020 5:31:35 PM

Rank: Advanced Member

Joined: 10/27/2011
Posts: 3,863
Neurons: 14,993
Location: Seiyun, Hadramawt, Yemen

PS. FounDit , along with Dragonspeaker , I am sorry I was wrong that I said I scored 94%. I scored 96%, really.
Yes, each question of the 25 questions can give a score of 4%.
So, 4% X 25 = 4/100 X 25/100 = 100/100 = 100%.

For the 12th question, when I selected "have been", my score decreased by 4%. However, when selecting 'had been', I scored 96%. That means another question wrong.

Back to top Drag0nspeaker
Posted: Wednesday, June 17, 2020 12:57:39 AM

Rank: Advanced Member

Joined: 9/12/2011
Posts: 35,734
Neurons: 250,669
Location: Livingston, Scotland, United Kingdom

You're right on #12 - the most "grammatically correct" is the past perfect (plus the simple past), when looked at logically (sorting out WHEN each thing happened).

The one you had wrong is #22 - concrete proposal.

Take a look at the n-gram graph here.
It's probably just a phrase you've never come across - it's mostly a business or legal-type idea.

con•crete adj.
1. constituting an actual thing or instance; real; perceptible; substantial: concrete proof.
2. pertaining to or concerned with realities or actual instances rather than abstractions; particular as opposed to general: concrete proposals.

Still, I'd say 96 is a

good

score. Well done.

Back to top FounDit
Posted: Wednesday, June 17, 2020 10:37:14 AM

Rank: Advanced Member

Joined: 9/19/2011
Posts: 16,820
Neurons: 81,494

Drag0nspeaker wrote:

You're right on #12 - the most "grammatically correct" is the past perfect (plus the simple past), when looked at logically (sorting out WHEN each thing happened).

The one you had wrong is #22 - concrete proposal.

Take a look at the n-gram graph here.
It's probably just a phrase you've never come across - it's mostly a business or legal-type idea.

con•crete adj.
1. constituting an actual thing or instance; real; perceptible; substantial: concrete proof.
2. pertaining to or concerned with realities or actual instances rather than abstractions; particular as opposed to general: concrete proposals.

Still, I'd say 96 is a

good

score. Well done.

I wondered when I read the score of 94 if two points had been taken off for the "builder/concrete/proposal" question. But since there was no mention of that, I assumed either answer would be given credit, since "builder" and either "concrete" or "proposal" fits. That was really a poor question. But 96 is an excellent score. Well done.

Back to top Babouri Salim
Posted: Thursday, January 7, 2021 2:23:53 PM

Rank: Newbie

Joined: 1/7/2021
Posts: 1
Neurons: 3

CONCRETE / Proposal is the correct answer

Back to top francescoalzetta88
Posted: Tuesday, April 20, 2021 10:49:21 AM
Rank: Newbie

Joined: 4/20/2021
Posts: 1
Neurons: 5

Babouri Salim wrote:

CONCRETE / Proposal is the correct answer

Yes, exactly: all the answers by A cooperator are right except 22c: "concrete proposal".

Not that "concrete builder" per se is wrong, it's just that they wanted us to choose the most frequent lexical collocation, which is "concrete proposal".

Just stick to all the answers given by A cooperator - except for 22 - and you'll score 100%!

Back to top tautophile
Posted: Tuesday, April 20, 2021 12:30:49 PM
Rank: Advanced Member

Joined: 3/14/2018
Posts: 2,102
Neurons: 54,045

By the way, the phrase "Mind you" in #13 should have been followed by a comma: "Mind you, the TV set is so old...." rather than "Mind you the TV set is so old...".

Back to top Wilmar (USA) 1M
Posted: Tuesday, April 20, 2021 4:35:54 PM

Rank: Advanced Member

Joined: 6/4/2015
Posts: 6,447
Neurons: 1,388,916
Location: Lisbon, Iowa, United States

Does everyone realize this post is from June 2020?

Back to top Users browsing this topic Guest

How Do You Clean a Baby Boy's Willy

Source: https://forum.thefreedictionary.com/postst200670_25-questions-from-the-British-Council-LearnEnglish-online-English-level-test.aspx

0 Response to "How Do You Clean a Baby Boy's Willy"

Enregistrer un commentaire

Iklan Atas Artikel

Iklan Tengah Artikel 1

Iklan Tengah Artikel 2

Iklan Bawah Artikel