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  • B2 First Reading

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    Reading and Use of English (B2 First / FCE) – Overview

    The Reading and Use of English paper is the first and most heavily weighted section of the Cambridge English: First (B2 First) exam. It tests a candidate’s ability to understand different types of texts and their mastery of grammar and vocabulary at the B2 level.

    Here are the essential facts about this paper:

    • Duration: 1 hour and 15 minutes.
    • Format: 7 parts with a total of 52 questions.
    • Word Count: The reading texts amount to about 2,200 words in total.

    Structure of the Paper

    The paper is roughly divided into two main focuses: Use of English (grammar and vocabulary) and Reading Comprehension.

    Use of English (Parts 1–4)

    Part 1: Multiple-choice cloze (8 questions). Students read a short text with eight gaps and choose the correct word from four options (A, B, C, or D). Focus: vocabulary, collocations, idioms, and phrasal verbs.

    Part 2: Open cloze (8 questions). Students read a short text with eight gaps and must think of the correct word to fill each gap without any given options. Focus: grammar and structural words (prepositions, pronouns, articles, conjunctions).

    Part 3: Word formation (8 questions). A text containing eight gaps. Students are given a root word at the end of each line and must change its form (e.g., noun to adjective, adding negative prefixes) to fit the sentence. Focus: vocabulary and affixation.

    Part 4: Key word transformation (6 questions). Students are given a sentence, a „key word”, and a second sentence with a gap. They must complete the second sentence using 2 to 5 words, including the key word, so it means the same as the first. Focus: grammar, vocabulary, and paraphrasing.

    Reading Comprehension (Parts 5–7)

    Part 5: Multiple choice (6 questions). A long text followed by six 4-option multiple-choice questions. Focus: understanding detail, opinion, tone, purpose, and main idea.

    Part 6: Gapped text (6 questions). A text with six sentences removed and placed in jumbled order. Students must choose the correct sentence for each gap. Focus: understanding text structure, cohesion, and logical flow.

    Part 7: Multiple matching (10 questions). A series of short texts (or one text divided into sections) and 10 prompts. Students must match each prompt to the correct text or section. Focus: scanning for specific information and detail.

    Scoring

    Parts 1, 2, 3, and 7 are worth 1 mark per correct answer.
    Part 4 is worth up to 2 marks per correct answer (partial credit is given).
    Parts 5 and 6 are worth 2 marks per correct answer.