Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET)

You see this sign on a shop door: 'CLOSED FOR STAFF TRAINING. We reopen tomorrow at 9 a.m.' What does the sign tell customers?

• ACustomers can shop after 9 a.m. today
• BThe shop is open but training is taking place inside
• CThe shop has closed down permanently
• DThe shop will not open again until the next day

A text message reads: 'Hi Sam, I can't make the cinema at 7. Can we meet at 8 instead? Let me know if that's a problem. Jo.' Why has Jo sent the message?

• ATo tell Sam the cinema is closed
• BTo ask Sam to change the time they meet
• CTo invite Sam to the cinema for the first time
• DTo cancel their plans completely

A notice in a library says: 'Please switch phones to silent. You may take calls in the entrance hall only.' What must visitors do?

• AAnswer phone calls in the entrance hall, not in the library
• BTurn their phones off completely before entering
• CLeave their phones with staff at the desk
• DMake calls anywhere as long as they speak quietly

An email from a sports centre says: 'Your booking for Court 2 on Friday is confirmed. Arrive 10 minutes early to collect your key.' What should the reader do?

• ABring their own key for Court 2
• BPhone to confirm the booking again
• CPay for the court when they arrive
• DCome early on Friday to pick up a key

A sign at a swimming pool reads: 'Showers must be used BEFORE entering the pool.' What does this mean?

• AShowers are only for people who have finished swimming
• BYou can shower after swimming if you want
• CYou have to shower before you get into the water
• DShowering before swimming is not allowed

A note left in a kitchen reads: 'Tom, I've used the last of the milk. I'll buy more on my way home tonight. Don't worry about it. Mum.' What is Mum doing in this note?

• AAsking Tom to go and buy milk now
• BTelling Tom she will replace the milk later
• CComplaining that Tom finished the milk
• DReminding Tom to drink his milk

A notice in a museum café says: 'Outside food and drink may not be consumed in this area.' What are visitors NOT allowed to do?

• ATake photographs of the museum
• BBuy food from the café counter
• CEat or drink things they have brought from elsewhere
• DSit at the café tables to rest

A message on a noticeboard reads: 'Lost: small grey cat near Oak Street. Friendly but shy. Reward offered. Please call if seen.' Why did the writer put up this message?

• ATo give away a cat to a new home
• BTo warn people about a dangerous animal
• CTo get help finding a missing pet
• DTo sell a pet for a good price

A sign by a footpath reads: 'Path closed due to flooding. Please use the alternative route signposted to your right.' What should walkers do?

• AWait until the water goes down
• BFollow the signs to take a different path
• CWalk carefully along the flooded path
• DTurn back and go home

Maya wants a Saturday photography course for complete beginners. She needs to borrow a camera. Which course suits her best?

• AFirst Photos: Saturday mornings; no experience needed; cameras available
• BCity Views: Sunday afternoons; bring your own camera; intermediate level
• CStudio Skills: Saturday evenings; experienced photographers; equipment extra
• DPhone Photography: weekday lunchtimes; beginners use their own phones

Ethan wants a quiet campsite beside a lake. He needs to hire a tent and will arrive by bus. Which campsite suits him best?

• AForest Base: lively evening events; own tents required; free station shuttle
• BHilltop Camp: peaceful pitches; tents for hire; access by car only
• CRiverside Club: quiet beside the river; caravans only; near a bus route
• DLake Rest: quiet lakeside pitches; tents for hire; bus stop at the entrance

Priya wants an online evening course with a live teacher twice a week. She does not want recorded lessons. Which course suits her best?

• AStudy Anytime: recorded lessons available all week; monthly tutor email
• BMorning English: live online class every weekday from 9 to 10 a.m.
• CEnglish Live: teacher-led video classes on Tuesday and Thursday evenings
• DWeekend Review: one Saturday video class followed by recorded exercises

Luis needs an inexpensive restaurant after a show ending at 10 p.m. His friend eats only vegan food. Which restaurant suits them best?

• AGreen Table: all dishes vegan; set menus from £28; closes at 9.30 p.m.
• BNight Grill: open until midnight; low-cost meat dishes; one vegetarian salad
• CTheatre Café: snacks under £10; closes when the evening performance begins
• DMoon Kitchen: vegan meals under £15; serves food until 11.30 p.m.

Hana wants a weekend job where she can meet customers. She has no driving licence. Which job suits her best?

• AStock assistant: Saturday warehouse shift; work independently behind the scenes
• BMuseum café helper: serve visitors on Saturdays and Sundays; training given
• CMeal delivery driver: weekend hours; own car and clean licence required
• DOffice cleaner: weekday evenings after staff and customers have left

Tom is taking his eight-year-old niece to a museum on Sunday. He wants free entry and hands-on activities. Which museum suits them best?

• ADiscovery Hall: free daily; children can operate models and try experiments
• BCity Gallery: free on weekdays; Sunday tickets £8; paintings only
• CHistory House: open Sunday; free entry; guided talks for adults
• DScience Dome: interactive exhibits for children; closed every Sunday

Aisha needs a two-bedroom holiday cottage that accepts her dog and is within walking distance of a train station. Which cottage suits her best?

• APine Cottage: two bedrooms; pets welcome; visitors need a car to reach it
• BStation View: two bedrooms; dogs welcome; five-minute walk from trains
• CBeach Hut: one bedroom; beside the station; no animals permitted
• DGarden House: three bedrooms; ten minutes from trains; cats only

Read the text: 'When I first moved to the city, I felt lonely and missed my old friends. But after I joined a running club, everything changed. Within weeks I had people to talk to, and now I look forward to every session.' How did the writer feel after joining the running club?

• ADisappointed that the club was too busy
• BEven more lonely than before
• CMuch happier and more connected to others
• DEager to move back to her old town

Read the text: 'The cookery course was harder than I expected. I burnt my first three dishes and almost gave up. My teacher told me that everyone makes mistakes at the start, and that advice kept me going.' Why does the writer mention the teacher's advice?

• ATo explain why she did not quit the course
• BTo complain that the teacher was unkind
• CTo show the course was too easy for her
• DTo say the teacher gave her a prize

Read the text: 'People often think writing a novel is glamorous, but the truth is that it takes years of sitting alone, deleting more than you keep. Still, when a reader tells me my book helped them, every difficult hour feels worthwhile.' What is the writer's main point?

• AThe hard work of writing is worth it because of readers' reactions
• BWriting novels is an easy and exciting job
• CShe plans to stop writing because it is too lonely
• DReaders rarely give writers any feedback

Read the text: 'I had always wanted to visit the mountains, so when my brother suggested a hiking trip, I said yes immediately. The weather was awful and my boots leaked, yet I would do it all again tomorrow.' What does the writer suggest about the trip?

• AShe enjoyed it despite the problems
• BShe regrets agreeing to go
• CThe weather was perfect throughout
• DHer brother forced her to come along

Read the text: 'My grandmother taught me to bake when I was eight. She never used a recipe, measuring everything by hand. I still cannot match her cakes, but every time I bake I remember her kitchen.' What does baking mean to the writer now?

• AIt is something he learned only last year
• BIt is a job he finds boring and difficult
• CIt reminds him of happy times with his grandmother
• DIt is a skill he has now completely forgotten

Read the text: 'The new sports hall was supposed to open in spring, but builders found a problem with the roof. Now it will not be ready until the autumn. Local teams are frustrated, though most agree safety must come first.' Why is the sports hall opening late?

• AA building problem with the roof had to be fixed
• BToo few local teams wanted to use it
• CThe council ran out of money for it
• DThe weather in spring was too cold

Read the text: 'Reviewers had praised the film for weeks, so I expected something special. Sadly, the story was slow and I checked my watch twice. The acting was good, but it could not save the film for me.' What is the writer's opinion of the film?

• AShe thought the acting was terrible
• BIt was the best film she had ever seen
• CIt was disappointing despite the good acting
• DShe left before the film finished

Read the text: 'At first I thought volunteering at the animal shelter would just look good on my CV. But after a month, I realised I cared far more about the animals than about my CV. I now go every weekend.' How did the writer's attitude change?

• AShe decided volunteering was a waste of her time
• BShe came to care about the animals more than career benefits
• CShe stopped going to the shelter after one month
• DShe only ever volunteered to help her career

Read the text: 'Everyone warned me that learning the guitar would be slow, and they were right. For months I made horrible sounds. Then one evening I played a whole song without stopping, and I knew all the practice had been worth it.' What does the writer mean by 'all the practice had been worth it'?

• AThe hard practice finally produced a good result
• BShe wished she had never started the guitar
• CLearning the guitar was easy from the start
• DShe gave up the guitar after a few months

In a gapped text about a new park, choose the sentence that best fills the gap: 'The park opened last month and has quickly become popular. ____ As a result, families now spend whole afternoons there.'

• AMost shops in the town centre open at nine
• BTickets for the concert sold out within hours
• CThe library will close for repairs next week
• DIt includes a large playground and a quiet picnic area

Choose the sentence that fits the gap: 'I was nervous about my first day at the new school. ____ By lunchtime, though, I had already made two friends.'

• AThe science lab was being painted that week
• BI worried that nobody would talk to me
• CMy old school was much closer to home
• DThe bus arrived exactly on time every day

Choose the sentence that fits the gap: 'We planned to walk to the top of the hill. ____ So instead, we found a café and waited for the rain to stop.'

• AMy sister had climbed the hill many times before
• BThe view from the summit is famous worldwide
• CWe had brought sandwiches and a flask of tea
• DHowever, dark clouds appeared and it began to pour

Choose the sentence that fits the gap: 'The recipe looked simple enough. ____ In the end, my cake came out flat and burnt on top.'

• AMy kitchen had recently been decorated in blue
• BUnfortunately, I had never used an oven before
• CThe shop down the road sells fresh eggs daily
• DBaking is a popular hobby across the country

Choose the sentence that fits the gap: 'Our team had lost every match that season. ____ For the first time, the players celebrated together on the pitch.'

• AOur coach had played professionally for years
• BThe stadium was being rebuilt over the summer
• CFootball is the most watched sport in the area
• DThen, in the final game, we finally won

Choose the sentence that fits the gap: 'The museum was bigger than I had imagined. ____ By the time we reached the last room, my feet were aching.'

• AWe spent over four hours walking through it
• BThe entrance ticket cost very little money
• CPhotography was not allowed inside the building
• DA new café had opened near the main door

Choose the sentence that fits the gap: 'I had revised hard for the exam, but I still felt anxious. ____ When the results came, I was delighted to see I had passed.'

• AThe exam hall was a short bus ride away
• BThe classroom had large windows and bright lights
• COur teacher set us homework every single night
• DMy hands were shaking as I opened the paper

Choose the sentence that fits the gap: 'Buying a second-hand bike saved me a lot of money. ____ Now I cycle to work every day and feel much healthier.'

• AAfter a quick repair, it worked perfectly well
• BPetrol prices have risen sharply this year
• CThe shop assistant was friendly and helpful
• DMy old car had broken down twice last month

Ben wants a beginners' exercise class after 6 p.m. on a weekday. He prefers to pay for each class instead of joining a club. Which class suits him best?

• AFit Club: advanced training at 7 p.m.; annual membership required
• BWeekend Steps: beginners welcome; Saturday morning; pay per class
• CStart Moving: beginners; Wednesdays at 6.30 p.m.; pay each visit
• DEarly Energy: weekday classes at 7 a.m.; first month free with membership

Choose the best word for the gap: 'She was very ____ in history, so she visited every museum in the city.'

• Ainteresting
• Binterested
• Cinterest
• Dinterestingly

Choose the best word for the gap: 'We arrived early ____ to get good seats at the concert.'

• Aso
• Btoo
• Cvery
• Denough

Sofia wants an in-person book club that meets one weekend a month and discusses recent novels. Which club suits her best?

• AClassic Readers: weekly online meetings about nineteenth-century fiction
• BNew Books Online: recent novels discussed by video call every second Sunday
• CSaturday Stories: monthly library meetings about contemporary fiction
• DPoetry Circle: face-to-face meetings on Tuesday evenings twice a month

Choose the best word for the gap: 'I am really looking ____ to seeing my cousins next weekend.'

• Afront
• Bahead
• Cforward
• Dover

Choose the best word for the gap: 'He ran fast, but he still ____ the bus by a few seconds.'

• Aescaped
• Blost
• Cfailed
• Dmissed

Choose the best word for the gap: 'Could you ____ me a favour and post this letter on your way out?'

• Agive
• Bmake
• Cdo
• Dtake

Choose the best word for the gap: 'The film was based ____ a true story about two explorers.'

• Aon
• Bin
• Cat
• Dof

Choose the sentence that fits the gap: 'Marta joined the community garden last spring. ____ By midsummer, however, she was confidently advising new members.'

• AThe garden sells some vegetables to a nearby café at weekends.
• BAt first, she needed help to recognise even the most common plants.
• CSeveral members bring their children to the garden after school.
• DThe oldest fruit trees were planted before Marta moved to the town.

The guide says: 'Please meet at the north entrance, not the main doors, at quarter to ten.' Complete the note: 'Meeting point: ____ entrance'

• Anorth
• Bmain
• Cten
• Dguide

Choose the best word for the gap: 'Although the hotel was open, every room had already been ____, so we had to stay somewhere else.'

• Acleaned
• Bprepared
• Cbooked
• Drepaired

The tutor says: 'Classes take place on Wednesday and Friday evenings, and each one lasts ninety minutes.' Complete the note: 'Class days: ____ and Friday'

• AMonday
• BWednesday
• CThursday
• Dninety

Choose the best word for the gap: 'The shop offers a full ____ if you are not happy with your purchase.'

• Amoney
• Breturn
• Crepay
• Drefund

The organiser says: 'Your ticket includes the return coach and the afternoon boat trip. It doesn't cover lunch or the museum visit, and the guided walk has been cancelled.' Complete the note: 'Ticket includes coach travel and the ____'

• Aguided walk
• Blunch
• Cmuseum visit
• Dboat trip

Choose the best word for the gap: 'Nina checked the train times carefully to ____ missing the last service home.'

• Arisk
• Bavoid
• Csuggest
• Dconsider