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Test your Vocabulary for FCE | |
Publisher: Pearson Educational; Penguin
Author: Rawdon Wyatt
124 pages
Price £7.00
ISBN 0-582 -45175 -2
Ever since Peter Watcyn-Jones wrote the first of his Test your Vocabulary books, Penguin publishers have brought out a whole series of books to test your vocabulary for all sorts of subjects and levels. Now, with the exam season upon us, they have produced Test your vocabulary for FCE. Should you buy it?
You should only consider this book if you are interested in doing the exam. Though a lot of the vocabulary is useful for more general purposes, much of the material is for students who want to pass the FCE, and if you just want general vocabulary books, there are plenty of others you can buy.
The book is organized into three sections. In the first section (exercises 1-18) you are tested on the general vocabulary you might need in the exam. Each exercise has a particular topic - for example 'make or do' , 'directions' or 'abstract nouns'. The second section is the longest (exercises 19-53). It deals with subjects which often come up during the FCE exam, and so it is a good idea to know the vocabulary for these subjects. For example you are given vocabulary exercises on topics such as clothes, friends, sport or education. You can read all the topics available by going to the Penguin website at www.penguinenglish.com and searching for the book using the author's name (Wyatt). Part three looks at the kind of exercises that you will have to do in the FCE exam, and tests you on some of the vocabulary you will need, as well as giving you examples of the kind of questions and answers you should expect.
Most exercises are on one or two pages, and there are 1-15 questions in each exercise. The answers are given in a key in the back of the book. There are some exercises which are more for fun, such as word-searches or crosswords, but the vocabulary is all of words which you might need to know. There are some black-and-white drawings, but these are essential for the questions, and are not there for decoration.
Little blue notes at the bottom of many pages have the title 'In the Exam'. For example; one of them says ' questions on the environment are very common and are often featured in the reading paper. In the speaking test, or in the writing test, you may be asked to give your opinion on the state of the environment and what can be done to save it.'. If you feel that you need more than the tips and vocabulary in this book, you might consider getting the companion volume, Test your grammar and usage for FCE.'
Who is this book for? Even though the book says it will teach you 'most of the vocabulary you will need for the FCE', a student would need to study other books as well if he is to have a good chance of passing. But this book certainly gives valuable help even though it is not esssential. Therefore it is perfect for students who are confident with their grammar and reading, but who want a bit more practice with their vocabulary.
Verdict: If all you need is better vocabulary to pass the FCE - then this is the book for you.
Assessment 9/10