ENGLISH PLACEMENT TEST
 
 

The  English Placement Test is made up of four sections, Listening, Grammar, Reading and Writing.  It lasts for a total of two hours and a half and is available on paper.  The first three sections combine two types of questions: first, multiple-choice questions, for which you are given choices and it is left up to you to choose the right answer; second, full-sentence type of questions, to which you are expected to give answers in your own words. 

  The fourth section of the English Placement Test asks you to write an essay on one of two topics.  Your composition will be assessed on content, structure and language.

  The total score of English Placement Test is 200 points. 

  The placement into English courses is as follows:

English One

    -If you score 100 or below.

English Two

    -If you score between 101 and 140

Advanced English Skills (3 credits)

    -If you score 141 and above

 

Do not hesitate to ask for help.

 

Following is a short sample test

 

LISTENING SECTION

 
 Click on the picture to listen ( download WMP if you can't hear)

 

 

    GRAMMAR SECTION

   

I. Choose the correct answer.

  

   1. How ………………solve the economic problems?

       a. the government can                                  b. can the government

       c. is the government                                     d. should have the government

 

   2. The instructor gave us ……………………..  .

        a. a good advice                                           b. useful advice

        c. a bad advice                                             d. many advices 

 

   3. basketball team played ………………….. last night.

         a. very good                                               b. too good

         c. aggressively                                           d. very aggressive

 

 

II. Look at the picture and then complete the paragraph with suitable

     words of your choice.         

 

   

         When this picture was taken, it was 11:00 AM. The students ………………

     at for two hours, since their first class always ……… at 9:00AM. Two

     students ………………..sunglasses because it was a sunny day. If it …………

     …………….cloudy, they probably …………………. their sunglasses on. The

     girl who ……………. white shoes ……………………. at something. 

   

III. Correct the errors in the following sentences.

 

    1.She wishes she read the contract thoroughly before signning it.

     …………………………………………………………………………….

 

    2.The UN inspectors did not find any proof of the presence of mass destruction

      weapons  since they have start their mission in Iraq.

      ………………………………………………………………………………..

      ………………………………………………………………………………..

      ………………………………………………………………………………..   

   

 

Answers

   I .

      1 – b

      2 – b

      3 – c

 

II .

   Recommended answers:

 

        When this picture was taken, it was 11:00 AM. The students had been at for two hours, since their first class always starts at 9:00AM. Two student were wearing sunglasses because it was a sunny day. If it  had been cloudy, they probably would not have had  their sunglasses on. The girl who was wearing white shoes was pointing at something. 

 

III.

   1. She wishes she had read the contract thoroughly before signing  it.

                 

   2. The UN inspectors have not found any proof of the presence of mass destruction

       weapons  since they started their mission in Iraq.

 

 

 

READING SECTION

  Crime is a serious problem in big cities.  And it is getting worse every year.  This is what police departments around the country said in their reports last week.  There were more robberies and murders this year than last year.  The subways are more dangerous.  The streets are more dangerous.  You may not even be safe in your own home.

  Why is the problem so serious now?  This is not an easy question to answer.  There may not be a single answer.  Many problems together seem to make cities so dangerous.

  One of the problems is money.  To fight crime a city needs police officers, care and guns.  These cost a lot of money.  But right now cities do not have much extra money.  So there are not enough police officers, cars and guns for the cities.

  Another problem is drugs.  Crime studies show that many criminals use and sell drugs.  After they start taking drugs, they want to have more.  But drugs are very expensive.  So these people may sell drugs to other people to make money.  Or they may steal money to get more drugs.

  The laws about guns are also part of the crime problem.  It is very easy to buy a gun in the United States.  Anyone can have a gun.  That means robbers carry guns.  Many people are killed during robberies.  Anyone can have a gun at home.  So an angry husband may shoot his wife or children.  A crazy person is more dangerous with a gun.  In general, crimes are more serious because everyone has guns.

  But there is an even more important cause of crime.  Cities have rich and poor neighborhoods.  In the poor neighborhoods, the schools are often very bad.  Jobs are hard to find.  Many young people don’t have much hope for a better life.  They only know one way to make a better living for themselves.  That way is to sell drugs or steal.  So, some of these young people become criminals.

  It is not going to be easy to change these crime problems.  We must first change many of the laws about drugs and guns.  We must change the way cities spend their money.   We must also begin to make changes in the neighborhoods.  Until then, the crime problem will not go away.  And we will live our lives in fear.

 

  1. This passage is about
    1. police department reports
    2. the drug problem in big cities
    3. problems of city life
    4. the crime problem in big cities.

 

  1. People in big cities are
    1. usually safe on the streets
    2. safer this year than last year
    3. not very worried about crime
    4. afraid of crime

 

  1. In the United States
    1. only police officers have guns
    2. children have guns
    3. many people have guns
    4. only robbers have guns

 

  1. Many young people in poor neighborhoods
    1. work hard for a better life
    2. move to richer neighborhoods
    3. don’t have much hope for a better life
    4. don’t want a better life.

 

  1. Which is the topic sentence in this passage?

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

  1. Choose a word from the text in paragraph  6 which means the area in which you live.

_____________________

 

Use the word you chose to write a meaningful sentence.

 

______________________________________________________________

 

  1. Which of the following title best describes this passage?

 

      a.  Many People Own Guns in the U.S.

      b.  Drugs in America

      c.  Crime in Big Cities

      d.  Our Streets Are Becoming Dangerous.

 

  1. Which transitions are used in paragraphs 3 and 4 to show a new subject is being introduced?

      ________________                ________________

   

ANSWERS

 

1.  d     (para 1)

2.  d     (para 1)

3.  c     (para 5)

4.  c     (para 6)

5.  Crime is a serious problem in big cities     ( The first sentence in the first paragraph)

6.  neighborhood.   Sentence answers will vary

7.  Crime in Big Cities

8.  one, another

 

 

WRITING SECTION

 

 

Write an essay on one of the following topics:

  1-The effects of the Internet on people

  2-The advantages and disadvantages of living in the Twenty first                             

    Century

 

  NB: When writing, pay attention to: 

1-unity.  Make sure the composition is focused on one main point.

2-support.   Present details, examples and explanations. 

3-Coherence.  Link the different sentences and paragraphs through transitional words and sentences.                                               

4-Sentence skills.  Write in correct language.

   

GOOD LUCK

 
 
 

 
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