The Listening Paper

PART 1: MULTIPLE CHOICE
This part tests candidates’ ability to listen for gist, detail, function,
purpose, attitude, opinion, relationship, topic, place, situation, genre,
agreement, etc. in a series of unrelated short texts.
Each correct answer in Part 1 receives 1 mark.
The eight questions in this part of the paper are presented
both on the question paper and on the recording, so that
candidates are led carefully through them. The testing focus is
spelled out in each question, for example:
• What is her job?
• Where is he going?
• Who are they talking about?
• What emotion/attitude/feeling/opinion is being
expressed?
PART 2: SENTENCE COMPLETION
This part tests candidates’ ability to listen for specific words or
phrases focusing on detail, specific information and stated opinion,
from a single long text, and produce written answers by completing
gapped sentences.
Each correct answer in Part 2 receives 1 mark.
The 10 questions in this part of the paper take the form of
incomplete sentences. The questions follow the order of the
information in the listening text. Candidates need to listen to
the text and complete the sentences.
Answers will not exceed three words in length. The word,
number or phrase they require will be heard on the recording
and will not require any change. It will make sense when
fitted into the sentence on the question paper. Minor spelling
errors are not penalised, but the candidate’s intention must be
clear and unambiguous. Candidates will not be asked to spell
words which are above FCE level. However, spelling must be
correct where a word has been spelled out letter by letter, for
example where the key is a proper name.
PART 3: MULTIPLE MATCHING
In Part 3, the focus is on the skill of listening for general gist, detail,
function, purpose, attitude, opinion, relationship, topic, place,
situation, genre, agreement, etc. Candidates need to match an option
to the correct speaker.
Each correct answer in Part 3 receives 1 mark.
In this part, candidates listen to five short texts with different
speakers, which are related in some way. For example, they
may all be speaking about aspects of the same subject, such as
travel, or about similar experiences or objects, such as
journeys or vehicles. Alternatively, the link may be functional,
such as a series of different speakers asking for information,
or apologising.
PART 4: MULTIPLE CHOICE
In Part 4, the predominant focus is on testing the candidates’ ability
to listen for opinion and attitude, expressed in gist, main idea, and
specific information, and based on one long text.
Each correct answer in Part 4 receives 1 mark.
The seven questions in this part of the paper take the form of
3-option multiple-choice questions. The questions follow the
order of the speakers’ comments as expressed during the
course of the recording, and are presented in such a way that
they either rephrase, report or summarise the ideas being
expressed.