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PEIC YL Breakthrough study materials
PEIC YL Breakthrough study resources

PEIC YL Breakthrough practice questions

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Question 1Listening

A young learner hears: 'Mia has got two rabbits.' How many rabbits does Mia have?

  1. One
  2. Two Correct answer.
  3. None
  4. Three

Explanation

The number word 'two' comes directly before the noun 'rabbits', so the quantity is two. Listening for number words before nouns is a key Breakthrough listening skill.

Question 2Listening

You hear: 'The library is next to the bank.' Where is the library?

  1. Opposite the bank
  2. Behind the bank
  3. Inside the bank
  4. Beside the bank Correct answer.

Explanation

'Next to' means beside or immediately adjacent. The listener must recognise this preposition of place as a synonym for 'beside'.

Question 3Listening

A speaker says: 'I'd like a cheese sandwich, please.' What food does the speaker want?

  1. A cheese sandwich Correct answer.
  2. A chicken sandwich
  3. A cheese salad
  4. A cheese pizza

Explanation

The noun phrase after 'I'd like' tells us the order: 'a cheese sandwich'. Learners should listen for the exact noun phrase following polite request phrases.

Question 4Listening

You hear: 'Tom is taller than his brother.' Who is shorter?

  1. Tom's brother Correct answer.
  2. Tom
  3. Tom's sister
  4. They are the same height

Explanation

The comparative 'taller than' shows Tom has more height, so the brother is shorter. Understanding comparatives is essential for Breakthrough listening tasks.

Question 5Listening

A teacher says: 'Open your books at page fourteen.' Which page should students find?

  1. 40
  2. 14 Correct answer.
  3. 4
  4. 24

Explanation

'Fourteen' is the number 14, formed from 'four' plus '-teen'. Learners often confuse -teen and -ty endings, so listening carefully to stress matters.

Question 6Listening

You hear: 'Anna goes to school by bus every morning.' How does Anna travel to school?

  1. On foot
  2. By car
  3. By train
  4. By bus Correct answer.

Explanation

The phrase 'by bus' follows the verb of movement 'goes'. Listening for transport phrases after 'by' is a common Breakthrough task.

Question 7Listening

A shop assistant says: 'The shop closes at half past six.' What time does the shop close?

  1. 6:15
  2. 5:30
  3. 7:30
  4. 6:30 Correct answer.

Explanation

'Half past six' means thirty minutes after six, written 6:30. Telling the time with 'half past' is a standard Breakthrough listening target.

Question 8Listening

You hear: 'My birthday is on the third of May.' When is the birthday?

  1. 3 May Correct answer.
  2. 5 March
  3. 30 May
  4. 13 May

Explanation

Ordinal 'third' refers to day 3, and 'May' is the month. The date is therefore 3 May. Ordinal numbers are frequently tested in listening.

Question 9Listening

A boy says: 'I usually play football on Saturdays, but this Saturday I'm going swimming.' What is he doing this Saturday?

  1. Staying at home
  2. Playing football
  3. Swimming Correct answer.
  4. Watching football

Explanation

The phrase 'but this Saturday' signals a change from the usual routine, and the present continuous 'I'm going swimming' states the new plan. Contrast markers like 'but' are key listening cues.

Question 10Listening

You hear: 'The museum is closed on Mondays, so let's visit it on Tuesday.' Why do they choose Tuesday?

  1. Because Tuesday is cheaper
  2. Because Monday is a holiday
  3. Because the museum is far away
  4. Because the museum is closed on Mondays Correct answer.

Explanation

The connector 'so' links the reason (closed on Mondays) with the decision (visit on Tuesday). Listening for cause-and-effect connectors helps learners infer reasons.

Question 11Listening

A speaker says: 'Could you tell me where the post office is?' What does the speaker want?

  1. The time the post office opens
  2. A stamp from the post office
  3. Directions to the post office Correct answer.
  4. A job at the post office

Explanation

The indirect question 'where the post office is' signals a request for location information, i.e. directions. Learners must recognise polite indirect questions as requests.

Question 12Listening

You hear: 'I wanted to buy the blue jacket, but it was too expensive, so I bought the grey one.' Which jacket did the speaker buy?

  1. Both jackets
  2. The grey one Correct answer.
  3. Neither jacket
  4. The blue one

Explanation

'But' introduces a problem (too expensive) and 'so' introduces the result (bought the grey one). Tracking contrast and result connectors is essential for following short narratives.

Question 13Listening

A girl says: 'My brother is a nurse. He works at night and sleeps in the day.' When does the brother sleep?

  1. He does not sleep
  2. In the morning only
  3. During the day Correct answer.
  4. At night

Explanation

The sentence contrasts working at night with sleeping 'in the day'. Learners must map the time expression to the correct activity.

Question 14Listening

You hear: 'The train to Oxford leaves from platform two at ten fifteen.' What information is given about the train?

  1. Its arrival time in Oxford
  2. Its number of seats
  3. Its platform and departure time Correct answer.
  4. Its ticket price

Explanation

The announcement gives 'platform two' (place) and 'ten fifteen' (time). Recognising which details are stated versus not stated is a key listening skill.

Question 15Listening

A mother says: 'You can watch TV after you finish your homework.' When can the child watch TV?

  1. Instead of homework
  2. After finishing homework Correct answer.
  3. Before homework
  4. During homework

Explanation

The time conjunction 'after' sets the order of events: homework first, then TV. Understanding sequencing words like 'after' and 'before' is important in listening.

Question 16Listening

You hear: 'Sara's favourite subject is science, but she finds maths difficult.' What does Sara think about maths?

  1. It is her favourite
  2. It is easy for her
  3. She does not study it
  4. It is hard for her Correct answer.

Explanation

'Finds maths difficult' means she experiences maths as hard. The contrast 'but' separates her favourite subject from a challenging one.

Question 17Listening

A weather report says: 'It will be sunny in the morning, but it will rain in the afternoon.' What should people take if they go out after lunch?

  1. Sunglasses
  2. A coat and gloves
  3. A hat
  4. An umbrella Correct answer.

Explanation

The forecast predicts rain in the afternoon, so an umbrella is the logical item. Learners must connect the weather word to a practical implication.

Question 18Listening

You hear: 'The film starts at seven, so we should leave home at six thirty.' Why leave at six thirty?

  1. To avoid the rain
  2. To arrive in time for the seven o'clock film Correct answer.
  3. To buy tickets the day before
  4. To meet friends at six

Explanation

The 'so' clause gives the purpose: leaving at 6:30 allows arrival before the 7:00 start. Purpose and result connectors must be interpreted together.

Question 19Listening

A speaker says: 'I've lived in this city for five years.' How long has the speaker lived there?

  1. Five months
  2. Since he was five
  3. Five days
  4. Five years Correct answer.

Explanation

'For five years' expresses duration with the present perfect. Learners must distinguish 'for' (duration) from 'since' (starting point).

Question 20Listening

You hear: 'The concert was cancelled because the singer was ill.' Why was the concert cancelled?

  1. The singer was ill Correct answer.
  2. The hall was closed
  3. The tickets were sold out
  4. The weather was bad

Explanation

The conjunction 'because' introduces the reason: the singer's illness. Listening for 'because' clauses is a reliable way to catch causes.

Question 21Listening

A guide says: 'We'll meet at the entrance at nine, and the tour lasts two hours.' What time will the tour end?

  1. Nine o'clock
  2. Twelve o'clock
  3. Ten o'clock
  4. Eleven o'clock Correct answer.

Explanation

Starting at nine and lasting two hours gives an end time of eleven. This requires combining two pieces of information, a higher-level listening skill.

Question 22Listening

You hear: 'Although it was raining, we decided to walk to the park.' What did they do?

  1. They walked to the park Correct answer.
  2. They took a bus
  3. They cancelled the trip
  4. They stayed at home

Explanation

'Although' introduces a contrast, but the main clause states the decision: they walked. The main clause carries the action, not the concession.

Question 23Listening

A teacher says: 'If you finish the exercise early, you can help the others.' What can students do if they finish early?

  1. Go home
  2. Leave the classroom
  3. Start a new exercise
  4. Help other students Correct answer.

Explanation

The first conditional presents a condition and its result: finishing early leads to helping others. Learners must identify the result clause rather than the condition.

Question 24Listening

You hear: 'The bookshop is between the café and the bank, opposite the school.' Where is the bookshop?

  1. Inside the bank
  2. Behind the school
  3. Next to the school
  4. Between the café and the bank Correct answer.

Explanation

The sentence gives two location clues, but only one is offered as an option: 'between the café and the bank'. The other clue, 'opposite the school', is not in the options.

Question 25Listening

A speaker says: 'I was going to take the train, but I missed it, so I had to wait an hour for the next one.' How long did the speaker wait?

  1. One hour Correct answer.
  2. Half an hour
  3. The whole day
  4. Two hours

Explanation

The final clause states 'wait an hour for the next one', so the wait was one hour. Learners must track multiple clauses to find the answer.

Question 26Listening

You hear a boy say: 'I can't come to the party because I have to look after my little sister.' Why can't the boy go to the party?

  1. He has not been invited.
  2. He has to stay with his little sister. Correct answer.
  3. He is going to a different party.
  4. He does not like parties.

Explanation

The word 'because' introduces the reason the boy gives for not attending, and that reason is looking after his sister. Listeners must connect the excuse with the obligation, not with any dislike of parties.

Question 27Listening

A girl says: 'My grandpa is retired now, but he used to work in a bakery.' What did the grandpa do before?

  1. He made and sold bread. Correct answer.
  2. He worked in a hospital.
  3. He drove a bus.
  4. He taught at a school.

Explanation

The phrase 'used to work' refers to a job in the past, and the job named is in a bakery, where bread is made and sold. Candidates must map the place of work to the activity it involves.

Question 28Listening

You hear: 'It's my sister's birthday tomorrow, so I'm making her a card.' What is the speaker doing for the sister?

  1. Buying her a present.
  2. Writing her a letter.
  3. Making her a card. Correct answer.
  4. Taking her to a restaurant.

Explanation

The speaker states directly that they are making a card for the sister's birthday. The result clause 'so I'm making her a card' is the action, and the distractor 'letter' is a different written object.

Question 29Listening

A teacher says: 'Please put your books in your bag and line up quietly by the door.' What should the students do first?

  1. Talk to each other quietly.
  2. Leave the classroom.
  3. Put their books in their bags. Correct answer.
  4. Line up by the door.

Explanation

The instruction gives two actions in order, and the first one mentioned is putting books into bags. Sequencing words such as 'and then' or the order of clauses tell listeners which action comes first.

Question 30Listening

You hear: 'The bus is late again, so we'll have to take a taxi.' What will they do?

  1. Wait for the bus.
  2. Walk to the place.
  3. Go home.
  4. Take a taxi. Correct answer.

Explanation

The consequence introduced by 'so' is that they will take a taxi because the bus is late. The listener must follow the cause-and-effect link rather than focusing only on the delayed bus.

Question 31Listening

A shop assistant asks: 'Would you like a bag for that?' What is the assistant offering?

  1. A receipt for the payment.
  2. A bag to carry the purchase. Correct answer.
  3. A different item to buy.
  4. A discount on the price.

Explanation

The question 'Would you like a bag for that?' is a standard offer of a carrier bag at the checkout. The word 'that' refers to the item just bought, not to a new product.

Question 32Listening

You hear a girl say: 'I've got two brothers and one sister.' How many children are in the family, including the girl?

  1. Four Correct answer.
  2. Five
  3. Three
  4. Two

Explanation

The girl has two brothers and one sister, which is three siblings, and she must add herself to reach the total. Simple arithmetic on spoken numbers is part of listening for detail.

Question 33Listening

A man says: 'The weather was terrible, so we stayed inside and played cards.' What did they do because of the weather?

  1. They visited friends.
  2. They went for a walk.
  3. They played cards indoors. Correct answer.
  4. They cancelled their holiday.

Explanation

The 'so' clause states the result of the bad weather: staying inside and playing cards. Listeners should link the weather condition with the activity that followed it.

Question 34Listening

You hear: 'The library is on the first floor, but the computers are upstairs on the second floor.' Where are the computers?

  1. On the ground floor.
  2. On the second floor. Correct answer.
  3. On the first floor.
  4. In the library.

Explanation

The speaker contrasts the library on the first floor with the computers upstairs on the second floor. The contrast word 'but' signals that the two items are in different places.

Question 35Listening

A girl says: 'I don't want to go to the cinema. I'd rather stay at home and read.' What does she prefer to do?

  1. Go to the library.
  2. Stay at home and read. Correct answer.
  3. Watch a film at home.
  4. Go to the cinema with friends.

Explanation

The structure 'I'd rather' expresses a preference, and the preference given is staying at home to read. It contrasts with the activity she rejects, which is going to the cinema.

Question 36Listening

You hear: 'I was watching TV when the phone rang.' What was the speaker doing when the phone rang?

  1. Turning off the TV.
  2. Ringing a friend.
  3. Watching TV. Correct answer.
  4. Answering the phone.

Explanation

The past continuous 'was watching' describes the activity already in progress when the shorter past simple event 'rang' happened. The listener must identify the background activity, not the interruption.

Question 37Listening

A boy says: 'My mum works in a hospital, but she isn't a doctor.' What do we know about the boy's mum?

  1. She does not work at all.
  2. She works in a hospital but has a different job. Correct answer.
  3. She works in a school.
  4. She is a doctor at the hospital.

Explanation

The sentence confirms her workplace and denies one specific job, so the listener knows she works in a hospital in some other role. The negative clause is the key piece of information.

Question 38Listening

You hear a message: 'Hi, it's Tom. The football match is off because the pitch is frozen. We'll try again next week.' What is Tom telling the listener?

  1. The match was won by Tom's team.
  2. The match will start later today.
  3. The match has been cancelled for now. Correct answer.
  4. The match is at a different place.

Explanation

The phrase 'is off' is an idiom meaning cancelled, and the reason given is the frozen pitch. Tom also says they will try again next week, so the match is postponed rather than played today.

Question 39Listening

A woman says: 'I've been waiting for the bus for twenty minutes, and it still hasn't come.' How does the woman feel?

  1. Excited about the journey.
  2. Pleased with the bus service.
  3. Annoyed about the wait. Correct answer.
  4. Confused about the timetable.

Explanation

Waiting twenty minutes with the bus still not arriving, plus the word 'still', signals frustration. Tone and time expressions help listeners identify feelings that are not named directly.

Question 40Listening

You hear: 'If it's sunny tomorrow, we'll have the picnic in the park; if not, we'll eat at my house.' Where will the picnic be if it rains?

  1. It will be cancelled.
  2. At the speaker's house. Correct answer.
  3. In the park.
  4. At a restaurant.

Explanation

The second conditional clause covers the rainy case and gives the alternative location, which is the speaker's house. Listeners must match each condition with its stated result.

Question 41Listening

A guide says: 'The castle was built in 1450 and rebuilt after a fire in 1700.' What happened to the castle in 1700?

  1. It was repaired after a fire. Correct answer.
  2. It was sold to a family.
  3. It was opened to visitors.
  4. It was first built.

Explanation

The verb 'rebuilt' means built again, and the phrase 'after a fire' explains why. The two dates must be kept apart so the earlier building and the later repair are not confused.

Question 42Listening

You hear a boy say: 'I wanted to play tennis, but my racket was broken, so I borrowed one from my neighbour.' What did the boy do about his problem?

  1. He bought a new racket.
  2. He borrowed a racket. Correct answer.
  3. He cancelled the game.
  4. He played a different sport.

Explanation

The chain of events is: he wanted to play, his racket was broken, and therefore he borrowed one. The 'so' clause gives the solution to the problem, which is the key information.

Question 43Listening

A shop assistant says: 'I'm afraid we've sold out of that book, but we can order it for you.' What is the assistant offering to do?

  1. Close the shop early.
  2. Order the book for the customer. Correct answer.
  3. Give the customer a different book free.
  4. Find the book on the shelf.

Explanation

The assistant first says the book is unavailable, then offers a solution: ordering it. The contrast word 'but' introduces the helpful offer that follows the bad news.

Question 44Listening

You hear: 'Although the tickets were expensive, we decided to go anyway.' What do we learn about the tickets?

  1. They were cheap and easy to buy.
  2. They were not available.
  3. They were for a different day.
  4. They cost a lot, but the group still went. Correct answer.

Explanation

'Although' introduces a contrast: the high price did not stop the group from going. Listeners must hold both parts of the sentence together rather than treating the price as a reason not to go.

Question 45Listening

A speaker says: 'I usually take the bus to work, but today my colleague gave me a lift.' How did the speaker travel to work today?

  1. On foot.
  2. By car with a colleague. Correct answer.
  3. By bus.
  4. By train.

Explanation

'Gave me a lift' means offered a ride in a car, and 'today' marks it as different from the usual bus journey. The contrast between habit and one-off event is the point being tested.

Question 46Listening

You hear: 'The homework is due on Friday, but you can hand it in on Monday if you need more time.' What does the speaker allow?

  1. Handing in the work later, on Monday. Correct answer.
  2. Not doing the homework at all.
  3. Handing in the work earlier, on Thursday.
  4. Doing the homework in class on Friday.

Explanation

The first clause gives the deadline, and the 'but' clause offers an extension to Monday for those who need more time. The listener must separate the original deadline from the permitted exception.

Question 47Listening

A girl says: 'My cousin is coming to stay, so I've been tidying my room all morning.' Why has the girl been tidying her room?

  1. Because it is a Saturday.
  2. Because she has lost something.
  3. Because her cousin is coming to stay. Correct answer.
  4. Because her room is being painted.

Explanation

The 'so' clause gives the result of the cousin's visit, and the present perfect continuous shows the activity has been going on for a while. The reason is the visit, not the day of the week.

Question 48Listening

You hear a man say: 'I was going to buy the red car, but in the end I chose the blue one because it uses less petrol.' Why did he choose the blue car?

  1. It costs less to run. Correct answer.
  2. It was the only one available.
  3. It was cheaper to buy.
  4. It was a colour he preferred.

Explanation

Using less petrol means lower running costs, which is the reason the man gives for his final choice. The listener must interpret 'uses less petrol' as an economic reason rather than a colour preference.

Question 49Listening

A speaker says: 'The match didn't finish until nine, so I missed the last bus home.' What was the result of the late finish?

  1. The speaker took a taxi.
  2. The speaker left the match early.
  3. The speaker missed the last bus. Correct answer.
  4. The speaker stayed at a friend's house.

Explanation

The 'so' clause states the consequence of the match ending at nine: missing the last bus. 'Not ... until' means the match ended as late as nine o'clock, which caused the problem.

Question 50Listening

You hear a teacher say: 'Don't forget that the science project must be handed in on Thursday, not Friday as I said last week.' What is the teacher telling the class?

  1. The deadline for the science project has moved earlier. Correct answer.
  2. The science project will now be marked on Friday.
  3. The science project has been cancelled for this week.
  4. The class will start a new science project on Thursday.

Explanation

The teacher corrects an earlier date: the project was due Friday, but the new instruction is Thursday, so the deadline has been brought forward. Listeners must notice the contrast between 'not Friday as I said last week' and the new day given. The other options change the meaning by inventing marking, a new project, or a cancellation, none of which is mentioned.