Past papers CPE listening exam.

Question

HelloDoes anyone know where I can find past papers of CPE listening parts? I am willing to pay for them, but so far, I haven't been able to find what I was looking for.PS I'm aware that there's a complete CPE exam available on the CPE website, but I want to have more than one so that I can practise.  Thank you in advance.Dokterjokkebrok

Tanit · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Have you tried searching on Amazon?

Cambridge Uni has released a series titled "Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English Student's Book with Answers: Examination Papers from University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations". Each book contains four or five complete papers (so, it's not only the listening paper) and comes with a CD.

To the best of my knowledge, http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cambridge-Certificate-Proficiency-English-Students/dp/0521672759/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b is the most recent one, but the others might come in handy, too.

Dokterjokkebrok · Answer

Hi Tanit

Okay. So they come with the listening part as well. You see, I didn't know that.

Thank you very much for that one!

A second question for you: could you please provide me with some tips on how to prepare sufficiently for a CPE test? That is, I've done several CPE tests now (practice exams), and in most instances I got a pass. But could you perhaps give me some specific advice for the listening part, and in particular strategies to increase efficiency during the test?

Thanks again.

Kind regards

Tanit · Answer

Hi,

I don't think I'm qualified to answer your second question. I've taken (and passed with flying colours

) the test, but I am a learner myself ... Your written English and understanding of grammar is far better than mine, so what could I suggest to you (practising aside)?

How long have you been preparing for the test? Are you studying on your own or attending a class? Is there a part you find more difficult than the others?

To me, the easiest one was part 2, the one where you have to complete the sentences, and the hardest was the part 4, the one where you have to decide whether certain opinions are expressed by only one of the speakers or they agree. How about you?

Dokterjokkebrok · Answer

Hi

Doesn't have to do with being qualified or not in my opinion.

Your advice can be just as valuable, if not, even more valuable than that of a qualified teacher.

I agree with you on part 4 being the more difficult part. I always find it very hard to come up
with a good strategy. It's very difficult to bear in mind what their thoughts are on every single issue,
if they're opinions are divided, or not. And, for me, it's this part where I seem to trip up and repeatedly make most of my errors. Last time, I had a total of only 2 mistakes in part 1,2,3 combined, but unfortunately, in part 4, I made 3 more,

which brought it to 5. Still not bad of course, as it's still a pass. But it's a bit disappointing because I could have done better, if it had not been for part 4.

Thank you for the website by the way. I still have to explore it a bit more, but everything seems very promising.

Any further advice on how to tackle part 4 will be very appreciated. Thank you in advance!

Regards

Anonymous · Answer

Hi,

Here my tips on what you could do to tackle part 4:

1) During the first listening round: Focus your listening on which person clearly agrees or disagrees with the statement/opinion put on your paper. Most of the time he or she gives first his or her opinion and the other one reacts on it.

2) During the second listening round you can focus on the reaction of the other person on the statements or opinions given. What helps me is to focus on the contrasting words 'but', 'however', etc. If I hear one of such words I then see it as a DISAGREEMENT and if I don't hear this I see it as an AGREEMENT.

It works for me as I rarely have a misstake in part 4!

I have to do my CPE next week!

Good luck!

Kind regards,
Ruben

Dokterjokkebrok · Answer

Thank you very much Ruben for your advice and I'm glad to say I got a pass -- I took the test 3 years ago. ;-)

Good luck on your test!

- DJB -

Past papers CPE listening exam.

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