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BEC Exam - BEC Speaking Test Sample Questions with Answers Do you want to pass the C1 Business (BEC) Higher speaking test? Test your Business English vocabulary and improve it with these sample questions and answers. These are examples of common Business English speaking test questions. The best way to prepare for the C1 Business Higher exam is to take as many practice tests as possible, but the examples below will give you an idea of what’s on the test. You can also use these examples when preparing for interviews or presentations at work. These are all real-world situations that people encounter daily in business, so they should be easy enough to understand even if you don’t know some of the words yet. C1 Business Higher Speaking Test Part 1 In this section of the C1 Business Higher speaking test, you will take turns with the other candidate(s) answering questions from the interlocutor. You will have to provide some personal information about yourself and you will...

Quick Links | Sample Answers Quality Control Information Management Financial Planning B2 Business Vantage Part 2 Sample Answers Cambridge Business English Certificate - B2 Business Vantage Speaking Test (Long Turn) - 1 minute Topic A: Quality Control The importance to a company of monitoring the quality of its goods and services Topic B: Information Management How to ensure that information is managed effectively within a company Topic C: Financial Planning The factors involved in deciding on appropriate pricing strategies. Source: Cambridge BEC 4 BEC Exam Questions & Answers 1 Minute Talk Topic A: Quality Control The quality of goods and service delivered by a company is critical to its success. Consumers are much more aware now than ever before and better informed through social media and the internet about brands, products and services. A company delivering less than satisfactory services or products that disappoint wi...

Learning English Collocations One of the biggest difficulties for many English learners is knowing which words are commonly used together in the English language – collocations – by native English speakers. Like grammar and vocabulary, collocations can be learned by studying and exposure to ‘real English’. Collocations Does a person... do a mistake or is it more normal to make a mistake? Do students give a test or do they take a test? “Please, make a photo of us” or “Please, take a photo of us”? Do you admit a friend or relative in hospital or to hospital? English learners often have difficulty when they are faced with collocations. An oral examiner for the Cambridge Business English Certificate exams recently examined over forty candidate pairs over a period of two days. He observed that “many of the candidates exhibited inadequate competence with regard to using collocations.” BEC speaking is assessed using criteria which include grammar and vocabulary,...

BEC Vantage Writing Test | How to Write a report sample You work as an assistant in the Press and Information Office of a large multinational corporation. You and your boss are part of a team working on drafting the company’s initial ethics code. You are due to present a report to the department heads regarding the progress of the project. Read through the memo and the list of things to do given below. Then, use all the notes to write your report. Write 120-140 words. Memo From: Tom Richardson, Press and Information Officer To: You Subject: Company code of ethics I have to attend an urgent meeting. Can you please write the progress report for the heads of department, please? Tell them everything we have already done and what we plan to do next, and don’t forget to include the suggestion for the sales department and buyers. You will see I have included some notes on the list of things to do. Thanks Tom LIST Things To Do Circulation...

Quick Tips for the BEC Vantage Reading Test How to Ace the B2 BEC Vantage Reading Test The B2 Vantage Reading Test is a challenging exam, but don't worry! We're here to help. In this blog post, we'll give you our top tips for how to succeed on the test. 1. Underline key words/phrases To help you identify the correct answers, underline vocabulary or sections of the text while reading. 2. Don’t get stuck on a question you think is difficult. Move on to the next question and come back and look at it again when you have completed all the questions you can, and if you have time left at the end. 3. Don’t leave any questions not answered Even if you just guess, you have a chance of getting the answer correct! That’s better than leaving a blank space on the answer sheet. 4. Write only one answer on the answer sheet Don’t write two alternative answers on the answer sheet if you are not sure about your first choice. They will both be marked wrong, e...

Key rules for using comparative adjectives 1 . For short adjectives with one syllable, add –er The month end financial report is taking long er than I thought to finish. Our B2B sales are always strong er in the second quarter of the year. 2 . For adjectives with two syllables, add –ier , when the adjective ends in –y . For other adjectives, use more or less in front of the adjective. Emailing reports to the team is eas ier than distributing paper documents. Our production department needs to be more careful with quality issues. 3 . For adjective with three or more syllables, we use more or less The CEO has a private jet, it’s more comfortable than and quicker than flying commercial. Our latest products are more interesting and less expensive for our customers than the previous range. 4 . Use as ... as for similarity and not as ... as for difference Our main competitors are as good as we are at marketing, but their products are not as good as ...

BEC Vantage Report Writing Sample As part of a project to redesign the office space at your company’s head office, you have carried out a survey of staff attitudes to the current workspace. You now have to write a report summarizing the main findings and recommending changes that need to be incorporated in the new design. Look at the results of the survey below, on which you have already made some handwritten notes. Write your report using the notes in 120-140 words. What people most want to change about their workplace How information is stored NOTES: Storage problem: lack of personal space likely to get worse as company grows Recommend: more storage for personal items, more meeting rooms/places Too much information printed out: mention figure, will probably get worse Recommend: training course in electronic data storage An Informal Report Making Proposals New Office Design Proposals Background As part of the office redesign proje...

Cambridge BEC Vantage Speaking Test - Part 1 You will normally participate with another candidate in the BEC Vantage Speaking test. Before the test you should practice speaking with a partner to develop certain speaking and listening skills such as taking turns, listening carefully to what your speaking partner says and agreeing or disagreeing with the points he/she makes. In BEC speaking Part 1 of the BEC Vantage Speaking test you and the other speaking candidate will take turns to respond to some general and more specific business related questions the interlocutor will ask you. You will be tested on your ability to speak briefly about yourself, to give concise information about your home, personal interests and job, and to demonstrate your ability to use certain language functions for example, expressing agreement, disagreement, and talking about preferences. BEC Vantage Speaking Test Preparation BEC vantage speaking topics Make sure you are familiar with the ...

Cambridge BEC (Business English Certificate) Speaking Test Part 2 Sample Questions & Answers Topic 1: Talk about the meetings you have to attend in your company. You should say: how often you go to the meetings what sort of meetings you have to attend how effective the meetings are How could the time spent in meetings be improved in your company? source: Cambridge BEC Business Benchmark BEC Speaking Test Part 2 Sample Answers (Advanced) BEC Speaking Sample Answer 1 I have only two different kinds of meeting on a regular basis. The most important one is a weekly progress meeting with other team members which we have every Wednesday in the morning. There are about eight of us who attend it, and we sit and discuss the progress on current projects, any problems that have arisen and suggest possible solutions to help each other. It’s usually an informal affair and lasts a maximum of an hour and a half. The meeting is organized by m...

BEC Vantage Grammar Read the following paragraph which recommends how a new restaurant should be promoted. Choose a word to fill in each blank space to complete the paragraph. The restaurant should have a website, 1.__________ that potential customers can see the menu and the installations before they come here. 2.__________ would also be a good idea to advertise in local and regional newspapers in 3._________ to make our name known to people in the area. We should also invite some journailists to eat here, 4.________ that if they like the restaurant, they can write articles about it. Finally, it’s important to give really excellent food and service 5._________ get people talking about the restaurant, 6.__________ word-of-mouth publicity is by far the cheapest and most effective of marketing. [+] [-]   Answers so It order so to because / as / since Learn more about BEC Vantage test

The main purpose of writing business memos is to facilitate communication of information to various different employees within the same organization or members of other organizations. A memo, especially for internal business communication, is normally used instead of the more traditional letter. BEC Writing - Business Memo Memos have a wide range of purposes. They can be used to transmit information about policy and strategy changes, internal staff promotions and other changes in personnel, provide an update on a project, or inform about new product offerings. They are also commonly used to inform employees regarding meetings they should attend or changes in work procedures, or they might focus on a problem, for example, employees arriving late or being absent, or give useful feedback about a specific product or program. There are some key points to consider when you are preparing to draft your business memo. You should think about your audience (the people who will ...

The Cambridge BEC Higher Business English Certificate is recognized by many international companies, educational institutions and government departments around the world as proof of proficiency in professional English. Cambridge English - Business English cetificate (BEC) Higher - Authentic Practice Tests BEC 3 Cambridge practice tests contains four authentic BEC Higher past exam papers. These BEC 3 Higher practice tests give candidates the best possible opportunity to learn about the format of the BEC exam, practice, and evaluate their BEC exam skills. The BEC 3 Higher student book with answers comes complete with audo CD containing the listening sections for the four BEC Higher practice tests. It allows candidates to check progress with the answer key and audio transcripts provided with the book. The BEC 3 Higher student book with answers also provides a full overview of each section of the BEC exam so that candidates can really understand the exam structure. BEC 3 Cambri...

BEC Exam BEC Preliminary Writing Part Two Question Read part of a letter below from Andrew Tellis inviting you to a business reception at which your company will receive an award. Cambridge Business English Certificate Writing Task Write a letter to Mr Tellis: Thanking him for the award Suggesting a topic for the talk Saying what equipment you will need Asking whether some members of staff can also attend Write 60-80 words on your Answer Sheet. Do not include any postal addresses. BEC Preliminary Writing Task Part Two Sample Answer Dear Mr Tellis I would like to thank you on behalf of everyone at Acme Technology for this award. I will be happy to attend the ceremony. Would it be possible for some of our staff to also attend? Regarding a short talk, I would be happy to oblige and suggest the theme of creative entrepreneurs, the foundation concept of our business. If you could provide a projector suitable for connection to a laptop for...

BEC Vantage Writing Part 1 In Part 1 of the Cambridge BEC Vantage writing test you have to write a short communication, typically 40-50 words. here is an example of a BEC Vantage writing questions which asks you to write a memo about a training course. BEC Vantage Writing Part 1 Question Your company has introduced new SAGA accounting software and you think you need training in its use. Write a memo to your line manager: saying what you need describing a suitable course asking for permission to attend Write 40-50 words. BEC Vantage Writing Sample Answer Memo To: Line Manager From: Date: 8th June Subject: new SAGA accounting software I need training in how to use our new SAGA accounting software. The local business college is offering a course next month which deals with SAGA. The cost of the course is very reasonable and it won't interfere with my work. Can you please give me authorization to attend? [49 words]

Business English Certificate (BEC) Speaking Topics In this section of the BEC speaking test, you have to choose one topic from three choices and give a short talk, typically on a business topic. You are expected to talk for around one minute. the interlocutor/examiner will tell you when the time is finished. You are given one minute to think about your answer and prepare your talk. Sample Part 2 BEC Vantage Speaking Topics Topic A What is important when interviewing someone for a job deciding what qualifications are needed deciding what questions to ask Topic B What is important when arrangiing a meeting deciding who needs to be there sending out important papers Topic C What is important when giving a presentation preparing materials carefully keeping calm When you have finished your mini-presentation, your BEC speaking partner will ask you some additional questions based on your talk. Examples of BEC speaking questions your speaking partner may ask you: Wh...

Examples of BEC Vantage speaking topics What is important when deciding to visit a trade fair? Types of product displayed Number of exhibitors What is important when entertaining clients? being creative variety of entertainment. clear timetable of free-time activities. Specialise staff. What is important when preparing for a job interview? an up-to-date resume/CV research the company ask relevant questions examples of abilities, achievements identify your strengths and weaknesses reason why you waqnt to leave your job dress appropriately turn off your cell phone be natural and relaxed answer briefly, unless you are asked for more detail What is important when looking for finance for a start up business examine different finance options projection of financial statements comprehensive business plan be clear about needs and requirements to satisfy consult a financial specialist What is important when planning corporate hospitality? organize guest list dec...

Example of BEC Vantage Writing Task - an email Dear Mr Markham, Late payment I regret to say that we have not yet received payment for the goods that we delivered to you in march, although the agreement was that you would pay in 30 days. This is causing us severe cashflow problems, and unless you pay us immediately, we will have to stop supplying you with the goods you require. However, I would also like to warn you that if you do not pay promptly, we will be unable to offer you our usual discounts in the future. I look forward to receiving your payment shortly. Yours sincerely, Georgina Chandler Accounts manager BEC Vantage Writing Question Cambridge Business English Certificate Writing Tasks You received the above letter this morning. Write an email to your assistant telling him to: Investigate the cause of the problem Pay the invoice Apologize and explain to Ms Chandler You should write about 40-50 words. BEC Vantage sample email answer Dear Mike, Plea...

BEC Higher Speaking Test Part 3 For two candidates: Team Building The company you work for is about to take over another company and is keen to encourage staff from both companies to work together effectively. You have been asked to prepare a proposal for team building. Discuss and decide together: what kinds of work projects and leisure activities would be suitable to encourage teamwork what benefits effective teamwork could bring to the company what arrangements should be made before new colleagues start working together* [for three candidates] BEC Higher Speaking Test Part 3 Sample Answers A I think it's important to review the workload of both groups of employees and look for duplication and areas or projects that could be combined. This will make for better efficiency and reduce any duplicate effort. B Yes, that's a good idea, and by learning more about what each group of workers is doing we'll be able to get a better idea of how to integrate them. A...

Business English Vocabuary Essential Business English Vocabulary Use the business-related nouns below to complete the short paragraph, selecting the most appropriate word for each blank space. You can check your answers by clicking on ‘answers’ at the end of the quiz. Business English Vocabulary | Nouns apology advantage authorization advice agenda advertisement Many corporations seek to establish a competitive (1) _____ over their competitors in a specific market sector and build their brand by creative (2) _____ campaigns. For consumers, the corporate social responsibility (3) _____ of many organizations is becoming increasingly important in terms of purchasing decision-making, and so (4) _____ from public relations experts urges corporations to prioritize this as part of their brand building strategies. Tesco is just one example of a previously highly successful retail organization plagued by corporate image problems following an accounting scandal, and more recently, i...

You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars/pounds, etc. to get yourself a business education. There are a growing number of colleges, universities and other organizations which are offering free online business courses. Here are some examples of such courses and what you can expect to learn from them. Free Online Business Courses There are many free online business courses which allow you to learn about different areas of business. You don’t need to register and there are no tuition fees. For example, there are courses on: Business Management Marketing Information Systems Masters in Business Administration However, most of these free online business courses do not equate to college credits. If you want to obtain credits for taking online business courses then you should consider accessing online business resources that are fee-based. Providers of this type of online business course typically offer online learning through a range of video lessons which are quick and inform...