Reading - LanguageCert B1 Achiever
Reading is a 50-minute paper in the LanguageCert B1 Achiever written exam. It has four parts and uses everyday texts such as notices, emails, adverts, articles and short reports. Questions ask for gist, specific detail, opinion, purpose and meaning in context. You need to move between skimming for the main idea and scanning for a precise word, phrase or number.
Core rules
- Read the question first, then locate the relevant part of the text; do not read every text in the same way.
- Underline the evidence phrase in the text. Your answer must be supported by the text, not by general knowledge.
- Treat matching items as paraphrase exercises: the correct option usually rewrites the text.
- In gap-fill or short-answer items, check grammar and the word limit after choosing the word.
Worked example
Text: ‘THE CITY MUSEUM IS CLOSED FOR REFURBISHMENT UNTIL 3 MARCH. MEMBERS ARE INVITED TO A PREVIEW ON 2 MARCH, 6–8 P.M.’ Question: When can museum members visit the museum? Options: A 2 March B 3 March C after 8 p.m. Reasoning: 3 March is when the museum reopens to the general public; members have a preview on 2 March, 6–8 p.m. The answer is A. B is a trap because it is the reopening date, not the member date; C is outside the stated preview time.
Traps that cost marks
- Choosing an option because it repeats words from the text; the meaning may still be wrong.
- Selecting a true statement that does not answer the question.
- Ignoring ‘NOT’, ‘EXCEPT’ or ‘only’ in the question.
- Writing too many words in a gap-fill answer, which scores zero even if the idea is right.