C2 Proficiency (CPE) Listening Practice Tests

Listening Part 1 — Multiple choice

You will hear three different extracts. For each question choose the answer (A, B or C) which fits best. You hear each extract twice.

1. How did the woman feel about the lecture? (A) relieved that it was shorter than she had feared (B) surprised by how absorbing she found it (C) irritated by the speaker's manner throughout
2. According to the woman, what did the lecturer argue about medieval maps? (A) They were more accurate than is generally believed. (B) They were designed to convey beliefs rather than guide travellers. (C) They reveal how little people at the time had travelled.
3. What is the woman's attitude towards the committee? (A) She suspects its members have a personal interest in the outcome. (B) She is exasperated by its reluctance to reach a decision. (C) She thinks it has been given too little information.
4. What does the man propose? (A) appealing to someone with more authority (B) presenting the evidence in a more concise form (C) postponing the trial until the next funding round
5. What does the woman suggest about the critic? (A) He was more moved by the film than he admits. (B) He set out to provoke a public reaction. (C) He has a grudge against the director.
6. What point does the man make about the review? (A) It has had the opposite effect to the one it appeared to aim at. (B) It is likely to damage the critic's reputation. (C) It is less balanced than the critic's usual work.

Listening Part 2 — Sentence completion

You will hear a typographer giving a talk about his work. Complete the sentences with a word or short phrase. You hear the recording twice.

1. Listen and write: The speaker's interest in typography began in his grandfather's ___ .
2. Listen and write: According to the speaker, amateurs typically give themselves away by using too many ___ .
3. Listen and write: He quotes his teacher's comparison of a good typeface to a ___ .
4. Listen and write: The space between lines of type is known to printers as ___ .
5. Listen and write: Tests showed that the typefaces people found easiest to read on screen were ___ .
6. Listen and write: For long texts, he advises choosing a typeface that will not ___ the reader's eye.
7. Listen and write: He says every typeface has a ___ that readers respond to before reading a word.
8. Listen and write: He considers the move from paper to the ___ the biggest change in his career.
9. Listen and write: His advice to people starting out is to keep their designs ___ .

Listening Part 3 — Multiple choice

You will hear an interview with a science journalist, Dr Tom Hale. Choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits best. You hear the recording twice.

1. How does Dr Hale feel about the change in his readers? (A) He resents having to justify his claims more often. (B) He welcomes it, despite the extra effort it demands. (C) He worries that people are becoming too distrustful of science. (D) He believes it has forced him to simplify his writing.
2. According to Dr Hale, misinformation about science spread easily because (A) social-media companies deliberately promoted it. (B) scientists had been unwilling to engage with the public. (C) journalists were too quick to repeat false claims. (D) the public lacked basic scientific knowledge.
3. What does Dr Hale find most difficult to communicate? (A) the meaning of statistical data (B) the provisional nature of scientific findings (C) his own opinion on controversial issues (D) the historical background to discoveries
4. What does he most want his readers to develop? (A) a store of reliable scientific facts (B) a readiness to question expert opinion (C) the ability to live calmly with unanswered questions (D) an interest in how research is carried out
5. What does Dr Hale regret most about his early work? (A) He exaggerated the importance of some findings. (B) He was condescending towards his readers. (C) He avoided writing about complex subjects. (D) He paid too little attention to readers' letters.

Listening Part 4 — Multiple matching

You will hear five people talking about a creative project they completed. You hear the recording twice. While you listen, complete BOTH tasks.