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Password Skills
Password Skills is made up of four test modules – reading, writing, listening and speaking. The test takes 3 hours and 5 minutes to complete and is run in two parts.
The first part assesses reading and writing and the second part assesses listening and speaking. Test-takers can take a break between the two parts. The test is aligned to the CEFR (A2 to C1) and delivers extremely accurate and reliable results.

For more information about the test modules, click on the tabs below. Please note that this page is best viewed on a desktop PC or laptop.

Password Reading

Password Reading consists of five sections. In each section, there is one reading task to be completed.
Test-takers have 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete the test module.

Section 1

There is one task to complete in section 1.
Test-takers put seven sentences together to show the order of events in a story.
Test-takers drag and drop each sentence into the table.
Please note the first sentence is always already in the table.

Ice Cream

1 Shirley’s children told her they wanted to eat ice cream.
2
3
4
5
6
7
They ate all the chocolate ice cream and then they ate all the strawberry ice cream.
When she got home, her children were surprised but happy.
She went to the supermarket to buy some for them.
In the end, she decided she would buy both, so they could choose.
She didn’t want to upset them by getting the wrong flavour.
When she got there, she couldn’t remember if they wanted strawberry or chocolate.
1 Shirley’s children told her they wanted to eat ice cream.
2 She went to the supermarket to buy some for them.
3 When she got there, she couldn’t remember if they wanted strawberry or chocolate.
4 She didn’t want to upset them by getting the wrong flavour.
5 In the end, she decided she would buy both, so they could choose.
6 When she got home, her children were surprised but happy.
7 They ate all the chocolate ice cream and then they ate all the strawberry ice cream.

Section 2

There is one task to complete in section 2.
Test-takers fill empty spaces with words from below the text.

Test-takers drag and drop words into appropriate spaces. There are more words than spaces.

Stress

Stress is often thought to be one of the greatest problems of the modern world. In fact , it is a natural part of our lives and you need to experience a certain level of it in order to live EXAMPLE TEXT . It happens when the human body reacts to threats or dangers. Your body begins to produce chemicals EXAMPLE TEXT cause your heart to beat faster and carry fats to your EXAMPLE TEXT to give them extra fuel. This is meant to help you to run away, fight off a predator or battle your enemies. When the threat has EXAMPLE TEXT  , or you have escaped from danger, the ‘relaxation response’ returns your system to normal.
waits                                 what                                muscles                      that
healthily                           cleanly                             result                           passed
being                                lasts                                 foods                           harmful
The test-taker has answered correctly in the example below:

Stress is often thought to be one of the greatest problems of the modern world. In fact , it is a natural part of our lives and you need to experience a certain level of it in order to live healthily . It happens when the human body reacts to threats or dangers. Your body begins to produce chemicals that cause your heart to beat faster and carry fats to your muscles to give them extra fuel. This is meant to help you to run away, fight off a predator or battle your enemies. When the threat has passed , or you have escaped from danger, the ‘relaxation response’ returns your system to normal.

Section 3

There is one task to complete in section 3.
Test-takers must read the text and then answer eight questions about it.
Please note in the example below there is just one question. In the real test there are always eight questions.

Desertification

Paragraph 1
Agriculture in all parts of the world depends on the fertility of the soil. Good quality soils develop when organic materials such as fallen leaves are transformed by fungi and microbes into essential plant nutrients such as carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous. In some ecosystems, often those in dry areas with limited rainfall, there is a natural scarcity of rich soil. Relatively small numbers of animals and people are able to survive there.
In Paragraph 1 the writer says that the farming is difficult in dry areas because…
  there is too little water for people and animals to drink
  there are too few plants to provide organic materials
  there are too few people to make farming practical
The test-taker has answered correctly in the example below:
  there is too little water for people and animals to drink
  there are too few plants to provide organic materials
  there are too few people to make farming practical

Section 4

There is one task to complete in section 4.
Test-takers read paragraphs of a text and then match headings to the paragraphs. The paragraph headings can be found just below the text.
There is one more heading than is required.
In this example there is just one paragraph. In the real test there are always seven paragraphs.

Bringing up children bilingually

Note: Bilingualism is the ability to speak two languages and multilingualism is the ability to speak many.

Publications for bilingual families

Multilingual Matters (MM) is a publishing company based in Bristol, England, that specialises in books on many aspects of multilingualism, and publishes newsletters for bilingual (and multilingual) families all around the world. It was started almost 25 years ago by British born Mike Grover and his Finnish wife, Marjukka, who were raising their two sons in Finnish and English, but were frustrated by the lack of practical advice.

THIS IS WHERE THE TITLE FOR THE BELOW PARAGRAPH GOES
Marjukka explains the decision to launch the company: “Unsound research in Wales in the 1950s led to quite negative conclusions and the suggestion that raising children with more than one language would result in them having weak language skills. It wasn’t until the 1980s that these issues were clarified by more carefully designed studies in Canada. When my children were born, I spoke to them from the beginning in my own language. Although I was certain I was doing the right thing, I wanted to learn more about the process of raising bilinguals. A lot of research has been done about this, but it had no real ‘home’. So we set up Multilingual Matters.”

How and why MM started A need to be flexible A good time to begin Mistaken ways Benefits of bilingualism Three languages better than two Cause of conflict The way forward
The test-taker has answered correctly in the example below:

Bringing up children bilingually

Note: Bilingualism is the ability to speak two languages and multilingualism is the ability to speak many.

Publications for bilingual families

Multilingual Matters (MM) is a publishing company based in Bristol, England, that specialises in books on many aspects of multilingualism, and publishes newsletters for bilingual (and multilingual) families all around the world. It was started almost 25 years ago by British born Mike Grover and his Finnish wife, Marjukka, who were raising their two sons in Finnish and English, but were frustrated by the lack of practical advice.

How and why MM started
Marjukka explains the decision to launch the company: “Unsound research in Wales in the 1950s led to quite negative conclusions and the suggestion that raising children with more than one language would result in them having weak language skills. It wasn’t until the 1980s that these issues were clarified by more carefully designed studies in Canada. When my children were born, I spoke to them from the beginning in my own language. Although I was certain I was doing the right thing, I wanted to learn more about the process of raising bilinguals. A lot of research has been done about this, but it had no real ‘home’. So we set up Multilingual Matters.”

How and why MM started A need to be flexible A good time to begin Mistaken ways Benefits of bilingualism Three languages better than two Cause of conflict The way forward

Section 5

There is one task to complete in section 5.
Test-takers read a text and then read some statements.
Test-takers put the statements in order to make a summary of the text.

The first statement is always answered.
There are two more statements than are required.
Please note in this example there are five statements. In the real test there are always eight statements.

The Ancient Gods

Early human civilisations relied heavily on the cycles of the natural world for their survival and these elements included the movement of the stars, the changing environmental conditions, as well as local flora and fauna. Over long periods of time, certain civilisations began to attach significance to these cycles of the Earth, believing that they were under the control of omnipotent beings or gods with special powers to determine the lives of human beings.

Often these beings known as gods were depicted in animal form in paintings and manuscripts and many of them became ‘sacred’, generating traditional ceremonies and rituals as illustrated by the cat in ancient Egypt. Primarily an agricultural society, rats presented serious issues for the Egyptians in terms of hygiene and food production, and it is thought that cats became revered in their culture due to their ability to keep the rat population down. Cats were considered so sacred that there were severe punishments for harming one, even if done so accidentally, which often resulted in death.

Rituals were constructed around these sacred animals, many of which were based on sacrifice, a widespread practice which involved killing and offering animals to the gods in exchange for favours. People would pray for good harvests, or to prevent bad weather or natural disasters, and in some cultures, for example the Sumerian, people believed that the thoughts of the gods could be seen by examining the internal organs of goats or sheep. They thought that by being able to predict the thoughts of the gods, it would be possible to keep them contented and in turn they would be blessed with good fortune.

The Ancient Gods
1.
2.
3.

Ancient peoples were able to predict the weather based on rituals.
Traditional rituals in Egypt killed farm animals to keep gods happy.
Ancient peoples believed that gods were responsible for the natural rhythms of the world.
Certain animals became sacred due to the importance of their natural talents.
People sacrificed animals for the gods in order to prevent harm.

The test-taker has answered correctly in the example below:
1. Ancient peoples believed that gods were responsible for the natural rhythms of the world
2. Certain animals became sacred due to the importance of their natural talents.
3. People sacrificed animals for the gods in order to prevent harm

Password Writing

Password Writing assesses a test-taker’s ability to write an essay. Test-takers are presented with a choice of two essay titles.
Test-takers are given instructions regarding length and content.
Choose topic (A) OR (B) and write an essay on ONE.

(A) “School Children should choose the subjects they study from a young age and stop doing subjects they find uninteresting.”
How much do you agree with this opinion and why? Give reasons and examples to support your answer.

(B) “Old people are an essential part of society, so they should be respected.”
How much do you agree with this opinion and why? Give reasons and examples to support your answer.

You have 30 minutes to write your answer. You should write more than 200 words; if you write less, your score will be less.

Your essay should:

  • Clearly present your ideas about the topic and be well organised.
  • Use appropriate examples or details to support your opinion.
  • Make accurate use of a suitable range of grammar and vocabulary.

Your score will be based on these aspects.

Write your answer in the box below. Do not click finish section until you have finished.

Word Count: 0
Sample Answer:

School children should choose the subjects they study from a young age and stop doing subjects they find uninteresting.

“In most education systems today, children learn a wide variety of subjects until they leave school.  At university, they begin to specialise before focussing on a specific job or career in the long term.  Some countries, however, allow students to start to choose areas of study they prefer from a much younger age and in my opinion this is not a good idea.

First of all, when a pupil is still young, they often do not realise the consequences of their choices.  By this I mean that, if they choose not to study a subject because they find it too difficult or not interesting, they may not realise that this will prevent them having many careers.  They may lose their dream job because they did not select the right subjects to study for it.  In any case, working hard to overcome difficulties is an important life lesson to learn for every young person.

Another reason for not allowing students to drop subjects too early is that they may give up studying ones they feel are not useful in terms of their academic future, forgetting that these are important for their well-being and creativity.  Art, music, drama, dance and sport are all important for our lives and can help build self-esteem.  Research shows that these positive feelings can lower stress and even improve pupil’s exam results.

Finally, in my view, the world’s best thinkers are the people with the widest knowledge.  In the future we will need creative people who can make links across many subject areas to come up with new ideas.   Computers cannot do this as well as humans can, but to be able to make new links we need a wide foundation.  In conclusion, school is the place to get the broad subject knowledge to build our future.”

Password Listening

Password Listening consists of five sections. Test-takers have 1 hour to complete the five sections. In each section there are one or more listening tasks to be completed.
Once test-takers press the play button, it is not possible to pause or restart the recording. Test-takers will hear each recording twice. The second time they hear the recording the question(s) will appear.
Notes can be made to help prepare answers.

Section 1

This section has ten short recordings of information, messages, lecture clips and so on with a single multiple choice question for each.
Each recording lasts approx. 1 minute and is repeated once.

Section 2

This section has one longer recording of a talk, such as a lecture. Test-takers decide whether eight points are correct, incorrect or not mentioned.
This recording lasts approx. 3 minutes and is repeated once.

Section 3

This section has six short recordings of information, messages, lecture clips and so on with a single multiple choice question for each.
Each recording lasts approx. 1 minute and is repeated once.

Section 4

This section has one longer recording of a talk, such as a lecture with five multiple choice questions.
This recording lasts approx. 5 minutes and is repeated once.

Section 5

This section has one longer recording of two speakers with different views on a topic. Test-takers choose four from ten points which are mentioned by each speaker.
This recording lasts approx. 3 minutes and is repeated once.

Password Speaking

Password Speaking has five sections with one or more speaking tasks (questions) in each, simply answered by speaking into the microphone.
There is about the same amount of time available to prepare answers as there is to speak. You have 20 minutes to complete the test.
Notes can be made to help prepare answers.

Section 1

In section 1 test-takers are asked to say their name and date of birth and read a short passage into the microphone.

Section 2

There are five simple questions to answer in section 2.  Test-takers have 20 seconds to answer each question.

EXAMPLE 1

Where do you live?

Answer:  I live in London next to Hyde Park.

EXAMPLE 2

What is the weather like today?

Answer It’s warm and sunny.

Section 3

There are three scenarios in section 3. Test-takers have 45 seconds to answer each question.

EXAMPLE 1

You are feeling ill. You go to the pharmacy (chemist).
You walk up to the pharmacist.

Talk to the pharmacist:

  • Ask for help.
  • Explain the problem.
  • Ask for advice.

AnswerHello, could you help me please? I’m not feeling very well. Last night I started to feel hot and I woke up this morning with a fever and a headache. What do you think I should do? Do you have any medicine for a fever?

EXAMPLE 2

You are at your friend’s birthday party.
You have forgotten to bring a present. Your friend says ‘Hello’.

What do you say?

  • Congratulate your friend.
  • Apologise.
  • Explain why.

AnswerHi Julie. Happy birthday! I’m really sorry but I’ve forgotten to bring your present. I bought a present for you, but earlier today, I went to visit my sister and I left it at her house. I’ll give it to you next week.

Section 4

In section 4, test-takers are asked to make a comparison.

EXAMPLE

Learning to play a sport or learning to play a musical instrument. Which one is more difficult?

AnswerI think that learning a musical instrument is more difficult because you have to learn and practise a lot just to play a simple song. When you start learning a sport it doesn’t take long to be able to play, even if you’re not very good. Although you need a high level of skill to play professionally, most people just want to have fun. For example, after an hour or so, most people can play football or hit a tennis ball to each other. However, if you want to play a simple song on the guitar or piano it takes longer to learn where the notes are on the instrument and how to play it. Another reason why it’s harder is that you have to learn to read music.

Section 5

There is one question in section 5. Test-takers have 2 minutes to answer the question.

EXAMPLE

Talk about the information in the graph/chart/diagram.

  • What is the situation shown in the graph/chart/diagram?
  • Why is this happening?
  • What do you think will happen in the future?

Level of education in adults over 15 in Canada (in %)

AnswerThe graph shows the different levels of education that adults over 15 years old have in Canada. The information is shown in percentages and includes different types of education, from high school diploma to university degree, as well as adults who have no high school diploma. The chart clearly shows that in Canada, the level of education has been rising over the last fifteen years. Since 1990, the percentage of adults with no high school diploma has fallen from 40% to just over 15%. In contrast, the number of adults with diplomas and degrees has increased. The largest increase has been in university degrees. The number has almost doubled from 10% in 1990 to about 18% in 2014. In my opinion, these trends will continue in the future because the education systems of many countries are constantly improving, especially in countries such as Canada. Also, more people can afford higher education and this will probably continue to be true in the future. One last reason is that technology will continue to increase the number of ways to study so there will be more courses available for students.