B1 Preliminary Exam Guide: Multiple Matching
Reading Paper
Contents
Overview
Context: This is the second part of the B1 Preliminary Reading paper, emphasising detailed comprehension of texts.
Task: Candidates are given five short descriptions of people and must match these to five of eight short texts on a particular topic.
Objective: To demonstrate detailed comprehension and the ability to match specific descriptions to relevant texts.
Scoring & Marks: The five questions are worth five points, so one point for each. There are 32 points available for the whole Reading paper.
How to Approach
- Read Descriptions: Start by reading the five descriptions of the people.
- Analyse Texts: Read all eight texts, underlining or noting any potential matches with the descriptions.
- Match Carefully: Compare each description with the texts again, ensuring that all aspects of the description are matched.
- Focus on Meaning: Avoid choosing answers based solely on identical words (word-spotting); consider the overall meaning of the text.
Example Question
C. 'Brighton Bungalow': This spacious family house is located in a quiet Brighton neighbourhood. It features a lovely garden for outdoor family activities and a garage suitable for parking a car. Local schools and parks are nearby, making it an ideal home for a family.
Matches With
3. The Browns are a family of four seeking a house with a garden in the peaceful town of Brighton. They also need a garage to park their family car.
Assessment Focus
This part tests the candidate's ability to comprehend texts in detail and to match descriptions accurately to texts.
Tips
- Practise identifying key information in short descriptions and texts.
- Develop skills in distinguishing between similar texts to find the most accurate match.
- Work on understanding the overall context and detailed content of each text.
- Practise summarising texts in your own words and then matching them to given descriptions. This helps in understanding the essence of the texts.
How It Looks
Student Suggestion
"I practised by drawing lines on practice exercises, connecting important phrases in the people descriptions and the texts. I got better and better like this." - Amira El-Sayed
Practice Exercises
We have a page on the site to practise: B1 Preliminary: Multiple Matching Reading Exercises
