Tespis Trainer
Anastassova Snezhanka, Bauer Jacob, Cihová Jarmila, Dugovičová Štefánia, Frengova Vessela, Kordíková Barbara, Zeller Walter
TESPIS TRAINER - FIVE PRACTICE TESTS WITH ANSWERS [.pdf]
Comenius University in Bratislava
2018
© Anastassova Snezhanka, M. A.
Bauer Jacob, PhD.
PhDr. Cihová Jarmila, PhD.
PhDr. Dugovičová Štefánia, PhD.
Frengova Vessela, M. A.
Kordíková Barbara, M. A.
Zeller Walter, M. A.
ISBN 978-80-223-4511-8
CONTENTS
Introduction 7
The TESPiS examination 11
Introduction
What is “Testing English for Specific Purposes in Science” (TESPiS)?
It is a Leonardo da Vinci project that started in 2009 with 9 partners subsidised by the European Union as part of the Lifelong Learning Program. The level of the testing materials - B2/C1 - is based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
TESPiS examines the language used in chemistry and related subject areas. It is a test of language ability of candidates who need to study or work in an environment where English is the language of communication.
Who is the TESPiS TRAINER for?
The TESPiS TRAINER is an e-book suitable for anyone who is preparing to take the TESPiS examination on B2 or C1 level. Its purpose is to equip scientists with a good set of English skills. The certificate, obtained after successfully passing the examination, can provide better employment possibilities for studying and living abroad.
This e-book contains five practice tests for TESPiS examination, each covering the four skills: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.
The TESPiS examination
The main purpose of the TESPiS examination is to see how well you can communicate and understand scientific English.
The examination covers various situations a scientist might encounter in the job.
A candidate will be asked:
- to read texts for specific information,
- to write an e-mail, a report or an article,
- to listen to instructions and other information,
- to give information about a scientific problem or to discuss it with a partner.
The examination is taken in two parts:
- Oral examination
- Written examination
Test 1
Listening
Glenn Seaborg: The Transuranium Elements – Present Status 12
Mercury, a radio interview with Dr. Jane Quicksilver 14
Reading
Scientific Advances, course descriptions 16
Trans fats 19
How metathesis was discovered 22
Writing
Read all the following information (Scientific Advances) and then write an email 26
A brief summary of the current state of knowledge 29
Test 2
Listening
Catalysts 31
Water intoxication 33
Reading
Extracts taken from conference announcements 35
Recycling plastics 37
Putting on a Good Face – the Chemistry of Cosmetics 40
Writing
Choose one of the conferences that is of interest to you and write an email to the conference organisers using all your notes. 43
Choose one of the questions 1-3 and write your answer in 200-250 words 45
Test 3
3_1_Green_fluorescent_protein.wav
Listening
Green fluorescent protein (GFP), Nobel lecture 47
Exobiology, interview with Dr. Andrea Smith 49
Reading
Extracts taken from the job descriptions, (DuPont) 51
Green Chemistry 54
Nobel chemists change chemical partners, metathesis 57
Writing
A covering letter (DuPont...) 60
Choose one topic from the following five topics provided 62
Test 4
4_1_Computing_in_Chemistry.wav
Listening
High Performance Computing in Chemistry 65
A radio interview with Dr. Theresa Smith (Methane) 67
Reading
Extracts taken from the job descriptions 69
Collagen 72
Clinical excimer laser refractive surgery 76
Writing
Cover letter, University of Michigan 79
Choose one of the questions 1-3 and write your answer in 200-250 words (“How to save money while saving the environment?”) 81
Test 5
5_2_Arsenic_in_drinking_water.mp3
Listening
Egyptian cosmetics - “How Egyptian lead-based make-up treated eye disease”. 83
Arsenic in drinking water 84
Reading
Turning CFCs into Salt 86
Drugs on Tap 89
Extracting Phosphorus 93
Writing
The letter to a company responsible for an oil spill in the sea. 95
Are “Science Shows” a possible means to motivate more young people to study chemistry and science? 96
Speaking 97
Transcripts 107
Answer key 128