Task 1: You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You are planning to visit your friend Robin in Canada. Robin has written to you. Read
Robin’s letter.
My friends and I are going to a sports camp in the mountains in July. We’d love you to
join US there. We can play tennis, hockey, football, basketball and other sports. We can
stay in rooms or sleep in tents. Which would you prefer? We’ll cook together in the
evenings. Is there something special from your county that you could cook?
You could fly over to Canada a few days before the sports camp and stay with me here in
the city. What would you like to do before we go to the camp?
Write soon.
Robin
Write an email responding to Robin. You should write at least 120 words. You
are not allowed to include your name.
Task 2: You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Read the following text from an educational magazine.
Compulsory attendance in university has always been a highly debated subject. Professors view;
class attendance as an individual student responsibility. However, many students want to be given the
freedom to decide which classes to attend. Due to the difficulty of regulating a schoolwide attendance
policy, most colleges and universities give professors the authority to set their own attendance rules.
Some people believe that university students should be required to attend classes. Others believe
that going to classes should be optional for students.
Write an essay to an educated reader to tell which point of view you
agree with. Include specific reasons and any relevant examples to support
your answer. You should write at least 250 words.

Test 2

Task 1: You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You have received the following letter from your English-speaking friend, Natalie.
Thanks for inviting me to stay with you when I visit your country next month. I’m not sure
how to get to your apartment from the airport. Could you write back giving me some
simple directions? What’s the cheapest means of transport? What will the weather be like
when I get there? What kind of clothes should I take?
Write an email responding to Natalie. You should write at least 120 words. You
are not allowed to include your name.
Task 2: You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Read the following text from a business magazine.
Success is the aspiration of everyone. Success comes in all shapes and colors. You can
be successful in your job and career but you can equally be successful in your marriage, at sports or
a hobby. However, success is not easy to achieve. The road leading to the achievement has
obstacles that are to be crossed over. Some people believe that success in life comes from taking
risks or chances. Others believe that success results from careful planning.
Write an essay to an educated reader to tell what you think success comes
from. Include specific reasons and any relevant examples to support your
answer. You should write at least 250 words.

Test 3

Task 1: You are helping to organize a visit to an English Language Academy in

Manchester. You have received a letter from John Webster, the director of the
Academy. Read the letter.
I am very glad to see that you are coming to our academy in July. I am sure you will all
have a very enjoyable time and that you will learn a lot of English.
You can either stay all together in a youth hostel, or individually with local families.
Please tell me which you would prefer.
Tell me something about your group so that I can organize interesting spare time
activities. What sort of things do they like doing?
Please ask if you need any further information.
Yours sincerely,
John Webster
Write an email responding to John Webster. You should write at least 120
words. You are not allowed to include your name.
Task 2: You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Read the following text from a business magazine.
Success is the aspiration of everyone. Success comes in all shapes and colors. You can
be successful in your job and career but you can equally be successful in your marriage, at sports or
a hobby. However, success is not easy to achieve. The road leading to the achievement has
obstacles that are to be crossed over. Some people believe that success in life comes from taking
risks or chances. Others believe that success results from careful planning.

Test 4

Task 1: You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

Your Scottish friend, Maggie, has sent you an email asking you to help her organize a
special surprise birthday party for her brother Rupert. Read Maggie’s email.
We must make sure that Rupert doesn’t know we are planning this surprise. I’m not sure
how many people to invite but our house is definitely too small. Do you think we should
book the Royal hotel for the evening and have the party there? I’ve also been wondering
what we could all buy as a present. What do you think?
Could you come the day before the party to help with preparations? There’s a lot to plan
so I’d really like your help. Can you suggest something else that will really make the
party special?
All for now, best wishes,
Maggie
Write an email responding to Maggie. You should write at least 120 words. You
are not allowed to include your name.
Task 2: You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Read the following text from an education magazine.
While compulsory education in some countries such as England begins at the age of five (with many
children actually starting at four), in countries such as Sweden, Denmark and Finland, school does not
begin until the age of seven.

Test 5

Task 1: You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You recently helped organize a college ski trip and you have received an email from Ms.
Janet, a parent of one of the students. Read part of her email below:
I understand you were one of the organizers of our son’s ski trip. I have to say my
husband and I were extremely dissatisfied with the arrangements. You know my son and
his classmates were eager to join the trip at first. But when he came home, my son
informed US that the lessons were fewer than promised and the accommodation was
inadequate. Can you please give us a satisfactory explanation?
Write an email responding to Ms. Janet. You should write at least 120 words.
You do not need to include your name or addresses
Task 2: You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Read the following text from an article about the Internet
In some countries, people are increasingly doing their shopping on the Internet instead of going to
stores. Some people, especially those with a limited time budget, regard online shopping as a
positive development since they can buy products at home or office without having to go to stores
or shopping [Link], there are those who argue that making online transactions can be
advantageous to them in several ways.
Now, write an essay to an educated reader to discuss your opinions about the
positive and negative aspects of online shopping.
Include reasons and any relevant examples to support your answer. You
should write at least 250 words.

Test 6

Task 1: You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You received an email from your English friend, Jane. She asked you for some
information about the way to keep fit. Read part of her email below.
I enjoy my job but I often sit at a computer all day. I don’t get much exercise so I often
feel tired. I consider going to the gym but I often work very late. Could you recommend
something else I should do to keep fit? Do I really need an instructor or can I do it by
myself? Also, do I need to buy any equipment to do exercise? Does it cost much to buy
them?
I look forward to your reply.
Write an email responding to Jane. You should write at least 120 words. You
mustn’t include your name or addresses.
Task 2: You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Read the following text from an article about computer games
Access to computers has increased significantly over the past decades and the number of children
playing games on computers has been correspondingly on the rise. As regards to positive effects,
playing computers provides children with various skills that may not be taught at school. However,
concerns have been raised about the negative sides of computer games by children, much of
this related to the violence.
Now, write an essay to an educated reader to discuss the effects of computer
games on children’s behaviour and what can be done to minimize the
bad effects. Include reasons and any relevant examples to support your
answer. You should write at least 250 words.

Test 7

Task 1: You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You received an email from your English friend, Lily. She asked you for some information
about traditional festivals in your country. Read part of her email below.
I have just watched such a fantastic program about traditional festivals in the world.
There are not many festivals like these in my country. Are there many traditional
festivals in your country? Which is the most popular one? Could you tell me about it? In
what time of the year does it happen? What do people often do on this occasion? Is it
widely known by international tourists? Do young people in your country still enjoy it?
I look forward to your reply.
Write an email responding to Lily. You should write at least 120 words. You do
not need to include your name or addresses.
Task 2: You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You received an email from your English pen friend, Paul. He asked you about your TV in
your country. Read part of his email below.
One of my hobbies is watching TV. There are many fantastic programs for me to watch. Sometimes I
can spend my whole day watching TV. Could you tell me about TV in your country? Are
the programs interesting to you? What is your favourite TV program? What is that program about?
How much TV do you watch every day? Do people in your country watch too much TV these days?
I’m looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Test 8

Write an email responding to Paul. You should write at least 120 words. You
do not need to include your name or addresses.
Task 1: You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You received an email from your English pen friend, Paul. He asked you about your TV in
your country. Read part of his email below.
One of my hobbies is watching TV. There are many fantastic programs for me to watch.
Sometimes I can spend my whole day watching TV. Could you tell me about TV in your
country? Are the programs interesting to you? What is your favourite TV program? What
is that program about? How much TV do you watch every day? Do people in your country
watch too much TV these days?
I’m looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Write an email responding to Paul. You should write at least 120 words. You do
not need to include your name or addresses.
Task 2: You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Read the following text from an article about smoking.
Medical studies have shown that smoking not only leads to health problems for the smoker, but also
for people close by. For this reason, smoking should not be allowed in public places. Opponents
argue that the prohibition of smoking would possibly affect the freedom of choice or lead to the
closure of many bars and pubs. However, supporters of this ban place people’s health problems at
the top of the scale.
Now, write an essay to an educated reader to discuss your
opinions about whether public smoking should be banned or not.
Include reasons and any relevant examples to support your answer. You
should write at least 250 words.

Test 9

Task 1: You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You have recently applied for a job at a summer camp for children. You have just
received a letter from Ms. Johnston asking you for more information to support your
application. Read part of the letter from her below.
Your application has made a positive impression on the US, but we need more
information in order to fully evaluate you as a candidate.
First of all, how old are you? Secondly, we would like to know what, you think, makes you
the ideal candidate for this job. Finally, we have two positions open, one at Pebble Beach,
and another at Spruce Mountain. Pebble Beach is our busiest, most popular location,
while Spruce Mountain is a beautiful wild area near a national park. Which would you
prefer?
Please send US this information as soon as possible, and feel free to ask if you have any
further questions.
Write a letter responding to Ms. Johnston. You should write at least 120 words.
You are not allowed to include your name.
Task 2: You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Read the following text from an article about mass media.
While most of the US make use of some form of the media on a daily basis, we may not
think about the functions or purposes the media serves in our society. One important function is
entertainment. On television, in particular, the variety of entertainment programs is extensive, ranging
from soap operas, to comedy, to talk shows, to sports.
Now, write an essay to an educated reader to discuss your
opinions about the purposes of mass media.
Include reasons and any relevant examples to support your answer. You
should write at least 250 words.

Test 10

Task 1: You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You have applied for a job helping out at a summer camp for children, and you have just
received a letter from Mr. Jones asking you to come for an interview. Read part of the
letter from him below.
… Your application made a very good impression on us, and we would like to invite you
to come for an interview. We will be holding the interviews on the first and second
weekends in May. Are you available for either of these weekends?
As you know, we are located in the Cairngorm Mountains. We will hold the interviews
there, and although we realize that this is a long journey for interviewees, we think it is
important for you to see our location and facilities first hand. Of course, we will pay for
your travel expenses.
Finally, we would like to know when you would be available to start work.
We look forward to meeting you, and please let the US know if you have any questions.
Write a letter responding to Mr. Jones. You should write at least 120 words.
You are not allowed to include your name.
Task 2: You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Read the following text from an article about rumors on the Internet.
The Internet is the source of many rumors, or unverified stories. Rumors are generally spread from
one person to another by word of mouth, and the story evolves or changes in the process. But the
Internet has allowed rumors to spread much further and faster than ever before.
Now, write an essay to an educated reader to discuss your
opinions about the consequences of rumors on the Internet and what can be
done to solve this problem. Include reasons and any relevant examples to
support your answer. You should write at least 250 words.

Test 11

Task 1: You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You have received an email from a friend from an English-speaking country, Max, who
recently stayed with you. During his visit, he met your friends. Read part of the letter
from him below:
I really enjoyed my time with you and it was great to meet all your friends. I’d love to
hear some news about them. How are Tim and Eddie? Have they still got their band? I
thought they were really good. Have they played anywhere since I was there? And what
about Ruth? Did she get the job in the museum? I know she really wanted it. What are
Richard and Anna doing? Have they gone travelling? I think they said they were planning
to do that. I often think about you all and what a great time I had. Please keep me up to
date with everyone.
Write a letter responding to Max. You should write at least 120 words. You are
not allowed to include your name.
Task 2: You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Read the following text from an article about famous people.
Famous people of various kinds, including movie stars and royalty, are often closely followed by the
press. There have been stories of journalists digging through garbage bins to find little bits
of information on the private lives of the rich and famous. Some press photographers try to take
photographs of famous people in their most private moments to sell to the world’s media.
Now, write an essay to an educated reader to discuss your opinions about the
challenges of being famous. Include reasons and any relevant examples to
support your answer. You should write at least 250 words

Test 12

Task 1: You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You have received an email from a friend from an English-speaking country, Patrick, who
wants to find a summer job in your country. Read part of the letter from him below:
I’d love to spend the summer working in your country. I think I could learn a lot! Do you
think it would help me improve my knowledge of your language? I have some experience
of summer jobs in supermarkets and last year, I worked in a restaurant all summer. What
summer jobs might be available in your area? I would not expect to earn a lot of money,
of course, but do you think I’d earn enough to pay for my expenses?
Finally, if I get a job, would it be possible to stay in your house?
Please write to me soon.
Task 2: Write a letter responding to Patrick. You should write at least 120
words. You are not allowed to include your name.
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Read the following text from an article about Internet addiction.
One of the growing areas of concern is that of Internet addiction. An Internet addict is someone who is
unable to control his or her own use of the Internet and whose behaviour threatens to overwhelm his
or her normal life. Internet addiction can result in many problems including a lack of sleep, lateness for
appointments, neglect of work responsibilities, and the disintegration of marriages and families.
Now, write an essay to an educated reader to discuss your
opinions about solutions to Internet addiction.
Include reasons and any relevant examples to support your answer. You
should write at least 250 words.

Test 13

Task 1: You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You are helping to organize a concert at your college. The local English language
newspaper is sending a reporter, Jane Nolan, to the concert. You have received a letter
from Jane Nolan. Read part of the letter from her below:
I am pleased to say that I am able to come to your college concert on 6th July. Our
readers are always interested in events like these. I would be grateful if you could give
me a little more information about the concert. What kind of music will be performed? I
will need to take some photos, so could you tell me when I will have the best opportunity
to do this?
Also could you let me know who I should interview and why?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Write a letter responding to Mrs. Nolan. You should write at least 120 words.
You are not allowed to include your name.
Task 2: You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Read the following text from an article about television addiction.
If you watch more than 30 hours of television a week, some psychologists would consider you to be a
television addict. Television addicts may show some of the following symptoms. They may not be
selective in what they watch; in other words, they will watch anything. They may feel a loss
of control when viewing. They may feel angry with themselves for watching so much, but are
not able to stop watching, and they may feel miserable when they are stopped from watching.
Now, write an essay to an educated reader to discuss your
opinions about the consequences of television addiction.
Include reasons and any relevant examples to support your answer.

Test 14

Task 1:
Guess what? My parents have given me some money for passing my exam, so I can
splash out on something really special. I can’t choose between buying a new computer or
saving up a bit more and getting new clothes. Which do you think would be better? And
can you suggest what exactly I should get?
Write a letter responding to him. You should write at least 120 words. You are
not allowed to include your name.
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Task 2: You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Read the following extract from a book chapter.
Young people have the highest rates of arrest for reported crime. Almost half of all people arrested
are under the age of 25. Young people are more likely to be involved in crime because they have
fewer relationships that encourage them to follow conventional behavior.
Now, write an essay to an educated reader to discuss your
opinions about the reasons for violent crime among youngsters.
Include reasons and any relevant examples to support your answer. You
should write at least 250 words.

Test 15

Task 1: You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

Your English friend, Tom, came to visit you recently and he has sent you a letter and
some photographs. Read part of his letter.
I really enjoyed staying with you. Here are the photos I took. Which one do you like best?
When I got home, I realized I’d left my watch behind. It’s green and gold. You haven’t
found it, have you? I think we’ll have a great time together when you come here in
September. We could either spend the whole time in my family’s flat in the city or stay
on my uncle’s farm in the countryside. Which would you like to do?
Write a letter responding to him. You should write at least 120 words. You are
not allowed to include your name.
Task 2: You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Read the following extract from a book chapter.
Many American believe that the death penalty is effective in deterring people from committing murder.
However, others disagree, and many sociologists argue that the evidence does not support this view.
Now, write an essay to an educated reader to tell which point of view you
agree with. Include reasons and any relevant examples to support your
answer. You should write at least 250 words.