For this exercise about the zookeeper, you read the text and choose the correct answer to each of the five questions. It provides practice for this reading section of the Cambridge English B1 Preliminary exam.
The Zookeeper
My name's Mark Porter. I've been interested in the natural world since I was very young. I used to keep insects, and I spent a lot of time drawing them. After I finished school, I went to work in a pet shop - that was great fun, but I knew I had to go to college if I wanted a better job. So I went to university to study Biology and then got a job in Florida working at a sea-life centre, looking after the dolphins.
While I was working there, I saw an advertisement for my current job - a keeper for the fish department at a zoo in California - and applied. Although it was for the same money, I was pleased when they immediately offered me the job because there are lots of different activities I'm involved in here. As part of my job, I get to do research, and I manage an education centre where I tell people of all ages about what they can do to protect fish and animals.
People think that my job is exciting because I go diving as part of my research work on sharks. However, I work long hours, and I worry if I have to call a medical specialist to come and look after a sick fish. Conditions at work can be uncomfortable too, as a lot of the fish I look after bite, so I have to be careful. Then there are the visitors. Some are OK, but some try to touch the fish or put sweet wrappers in the water - that makes me angry. However, my job is very rewarding, and I hope that you'll think about working with animals, too.
Here are new words and phrases from this exercise for the B1 Preliminary Part 3 reading section of the test:
- biology
- college
- department
- dolphins
- education centre
- natural world
- medical specialist
- pet shop
- protect
- research
- sea-life centre
- sweet wrappers
- university
- visitors
- zookeeper
Part 1 - Read five real-world notices, messages and other short texts for the main message.
- Notices and Messages How to Video
- Notices and Messages Set 1
- Notices and Messages Set 2
- Notices and Messages Set 3
- Notices and Messages Set 4
- Notices and Messages Set 5
- Notices and Messages Set 6
- Notices and Messages Set 7
- Notices and Messages Set 8
Part 2 - Match five descriptions of people to eight short texts on a particular topic, showing detailed comprehension.
Part 3 - Read a longer text for detailed comprehension, gist, inference and global meaning, as well as writer’s attitude and opinion.
Part 4 - Read a longer text from which five sentences have been removed. Show understanding of how a coherent and well-structured text is formed.
Part 5 - Read a shorter text and choose the correct vocabulary items to complete gaps.
- Bagpipes
- Book Recommendation
- Mountain Climbing
- Playing Computer Games
- Popular Website
- Saving a Tree
- Single or Mixed-gender Schools
- Work of Art
Part 6 - Read a shorter text and complete six gaps using one word for each gap.
Write about 100 words, answering the email and notes provided.
Write about 100 words, either an article or story.
Articles
Short Stories
Part 3 - Gap-Filled Exercise
Part 4 - Multiple Choice Exercise
The B1 Preliminary Speaking test has four parts and you take it together with another candidate. There are two examiners. One of the examiners talks to you and the other examiner listens.
- Air Travel Crossword
- Computer Crossword
- Crime Crossword
- Entertainment Crossword
- Financial Language Crossword
- Food Crossword
- Health Crossword
- Home Crossword
- Language Crossword
- Leisure Crossword
- Money Crossword
- Natural World Crossword
- Places Crossword
- Shopping Crossword
- Sports Crossword
- Technology Crossword
- Texting Crossword
- Time Crossword
- Transport Crossword
- Travel Crossword
- Work and Jobs Crossword
- Adjectives with -ing Word Search
- Art Word Search
- Bonfire Night Word Search
- Buildings Word Search
- Classical Music Word Search
- Countryside Word Search
- Drama Word Search
- Education Word Search
- Entertainment Word Search
- Fast Food Word Search
- Feelings Word Search
- Food and Drink Word Search
- Football Word Search
- Gambling Word Search
- Haunted House Word Search
- Health Word Search
- Home Word Search
- Internet Word Search
- Language Word Search
- Leisure Word Search
- Natural World Word Search
- Shopping Word Search
- Sports Facilities Word Search
- Sports Word Search
- Sushi Word Search
- Technology Word Search
- Time Word Search
- Town and City Word Search
- Travel Word Search
- Weather Word Search
- Work Word Search
- Clothes Word Puzzle
- Color Word Puzzle
- Communication Word Puzzle
- Easter Word Puzzle
- Education Word Puzzle
- Entertainment Word Puzzle
- Environment Word Puzzle
- Food Word Puzzle
- Health Word Puzzle
- Hobbies Word Puzzle
- Language Word Puzzle
- Medicine Word Puzzle
- Natural World Word Puzzle
- Technology Word Puzzle
- Time Word Puzzle
- Weather Word Puzzle
- Air Travel Exercises
- Animals and Pets
- British and American English
- Chinese New Year
- Christmas
- Clothing
- Computer Exercises
- Easter (A2 – B1 Levels)
- Education
- Entertainment
- Environment
- Environmental Issues
- Finance Exercises
- Food and Drink
- Leisure and Hobbies
- Money Exercises
- Phoning and Texting Exercises
- Places and Buildings
- Relationships
- Transport and Travel
- Work and Jobs
- Movie Review – Ted
- Email – Visiting a relative
- Article – Being Famous
- Email – Favourite Film
- Short Story – Art Competition
- Article – The Cardboard Bike
- Email – Holiday Plans
- Short Story – Computer Problems
- Email – Computer Games
- Report – Eating out in Berlin
- Email – School Holidays
- Short Story – In Free Fall
- Email – Summer School
- Email – Holiday in Thailand
- Report – Features of Glaciers
- News Report – Bank Robbery
- Email – Party Invitation
- Email – Saving Energy
- Book Review – The Call
- Blog Post – A New Life in Japan
- Email – New School
- Article – Work of Art
- Email – Barbecue Invitation
- Email – Subject Choices
- Article – Schools for Boys and Girls
- Letter – Most Important Time
- Email – about University
- Article – The Countryside
- Short Story – Talent Contest
- Email – Borrowing
- Speech – Course Introduction
- Short Story – The Angel
Cambridge English exams are designed for learners at all levels from the pre-intermediate level Cambridge English: Key (KET) to the very advanced level Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE). These exams give candidates proof of their ability to use English in a wide variety of contexts, relevant to work, study and leisure activities.