PLACEMENT TEST PROGRESS
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Welcome to the GUS Canada Colleges Online English Test

This test is designed to measure your understanding of English grammar, vocabulary, and phrasing, and give you a general idea of your English language level. Once you complete the test, you will get an email with your preliminary GCAS English level, which will be confirmed by your English Interview.

What to expect:

  • There are 50 questions.
  • Read each question carefully and choose the best answer.
  • You will have 50 minutes to finish the test.
Student Advisor/Agency

Part One

Please complete the following section of the test by choosing the correct word or phrase from the multiple choice options. Only one answer is correct.

I ___ here for five years so far.

A) worked B) have worked C) am working D) was working

The teacher told us ___ any mistakes.

A) don’t make B) not make C) not to make D) not made

Who ___?

A) for you waited B) did you wait for you C) did you wait for D) did wait for you

She told him where ___.

A) she lived B) does she live C) has she lived D) did she live

She’s ___ her lunch

A) already eaten B) still eaten C) eaten yet D) yet eaten

He’s ___ dressed quickly.

A) use getting B) use to getting C) used to get C) used to getting
8. ____ A) B) C) D) 9. ____ . A) B) C) D) 10. ____ A) B) C) D) 11. A) B) C) D) 12. A) B) C) D)

The policeman ___ that man if he doesn’t stop disturbing neighbors.

A) arrests B) will arrest C) would arrest D) had arrested

Do you mind ___ the window?

A) closing B) to close C) close C) to closing

Fresh fruit costs twice ___ canned fruit

A) more expensive than B) higher than C) much as D) as much as

___ in 1795, the house has many interesting features.

A) Later B) Built C) When it was built D) Building

A: I’ve been working a lot on my computer these days. B: Oh, really?___ you had a computer.

A) I haven’t known B) I hadn’t known C) I didn’t know D) I don’t know

A: Why haven’t you told me about your problems before? B: Well, ___ all this week.

A) I was trying to tell you all about them B) I’ve been trying to tell you all about them C) I’m trying to tell you all about them D) I tried to tell you all about them

A: I do hope we can watch TV tonight. B: Oh, yes. I’m sure ___ the serial by now.

A) they’ll put up B) they’ll have put up  C) they’d put up D) they’ll be put up

A: What was that noise? B: Oh, don’t worry; it ___ the cat.

A) How  B) can be C) must have been D) ought to be

A: Have you written to them? B: Yes, ___ twice last month.

A) I’d written to them B) I wrote to them C) I’ve written to them D) I would have written to them
Please complete all options before continuing.
CONTINUE

Part Two

Please complete the following section of the test by choosing the correct word or phrase from the multiple choice options. Only one answer is correct.

Anabel: Hi Josh! I'm so excited! I'm just going to book a holiday to Asia. Josh: Oh great. I have ___ to Asia before, so I can help you with recommendations about what to visit.

A) be B) going C) been D) went

Anabel: Oh really? Did you ___ anywhere nice?

A) go B) going C) gone D) went

Josh: Yes. I ___ to Koh Phi Phi in Thailand 5 years ago.

A) went B) gone C) go D) going

I think it is the ___ island in Thailand.

A) nicer B) more C) nicest D) nice

Also, ___ June, the weather is perfect.

A) in B) on C) at D) for

Anabel: Oh OK. ___ is my journey there?

A) How long B) How far C) How many D) How long way

Josh: I’m not sure. I’ll ___ on the internet to find out...

A) look B) to look  C) to looking  D) looking

...but I think you ___ to get a flight and then a boat, so you need about a day.

A) have B) must C) should D) can

Anabel: Wow. That's far. Anyway, I’m sure I ___ a great time.

A) will have B) have C) are having

I ___ to China in 2003 and it was amazing.

A) have been B) have went C) went

Josh: I would like to go with you, but I don’t have ___ money at the moment...

A) no B) any C) many D) some

... I am trying to ___ money to buy a car.

A) save B) waste C) spend D) lend

Anabel: Aww cool.___ excited?

A) Are you B) Have you C) Do you D) Will you

Josh: I guess. I am nervous, I'm going to ___ my driving test next week. I hope I pass Anabel.

A) go B) take C) fail D) get

I haven't done ___ practice, so wish me Good Luck Anabel.

A) many B) very C) a lot of D) a lot
Please complete all options before continuing.
CONTINUE

Part Three

Please complete the following section of the test by choosing the correct word or phrase from the multiple choice options. Only one answer is correct.

Excuse me. I’m a(n) ___ in this neighbourhood. Can you tell me what bus number will take me to the town centre, please? I want to do some shopping

A) foreigner B) customer C) tourist D) stranger E) stranger

How much must I ___ a good second-hand car?

A) buy from B) pay for C) borrow from D) own for E) lend to

It’s getting quite ___. I think it’s going to rain soon.

A) windy B) hot C) foggy D) cold E) cloudy

The ___ today is full of the news of yesterday’s concert.

A) press B) publisher C) reporter D) literature E) journalism

It’s a very ___ picture. I laugh at it all the time.

A) laughing B) smiling C) joking D) funny E) serious

Nobody gave him a hand. He did it on his ___.

A) single B) self C) alone D) own E) lonely

He received another letter from the ___ demanding more money.

A) burglar B) thief C) pickpocket D) robber E) blackmailer

“How much is the___ ?”, she asked the bus conductor.

A) fare B) price C) cost D) prize E) fee

His friends advised him to see a doctor about his headaches, but he ___ to listen to them.

A) remembered B) refused C) memorised D) requested E) mentioned

It takes a lot of patience to ___ hyperactive children because of their low level of concentration.

A) describe B) discover C) teach D) joke with E) think about

Don’t ___ to call me if you need any help.

A) dream B) hesitate C) shame D) repeat E) frighten

The concert was called ___because of the heavy rain.

A) out of B) aside C) off D) down E) out

The pirates ___ the treasure on a desert island.

A) cooked B) invented C) forgave D) grilled E) buried

They didn’t stay for supper. They weren’t___ .

A) sleepy B) early  C) thirsty D) hungry E) poor

He usually reads the reports ___ of the newspaper first.

A) section B) pictures C) chapter D) literature E) tales
Please complete all options before continuing.
CONTINUE

Part Four - READING

Have you ever wondered why thinking too much makes you tired? A new study has found out some answers to this question. Researchers from the Paris Brain Institute looked at why mental effort makes us tired. They found that when people think a lot, the brain releases a chemical called glutamate. Too much glutamate upsets the brain's functions. It means the brain tells the body it is tired and that it must rest. People who spend more than six hours working on a task that requires a lot of thought are more likely to feel tired. A period of rest allows the brain to return to normal. This explains why a power nap is good for us. A power nap can be as short as 20 minutes but can make us feel totally refreshed.

The research team looked at the behavior of 40 participants in their research. Twenty-four of these had to perform challenging tasks. These included looking at a computer screen and matching different letters that appeared. The other 16 participants did a similar, but easier task. Both teams worked for six hours and had two ten-minute breaks. The researchers scanned the brains of the participants. They found that the group who had the more difficult task had higher levels of glutamate in their brain. Study author Antonius Wiehler said: "It would be great to find out more about how glutamate levels are restored." He asked: "Is sleep helpful? How long do breaks need to be to have a positive effect?"

The chemical glutamate tells the body that it is tired and needs rest.

A) True B) False

The author of the study wants to know if sleep is helpful.

A) True B) False

How long do people usually work before feeling tired?

A) six hours B) six days C) sixteen hours D) sixty hours

What does a period of rest allow the brain to do?

A) Think B) return to normal C) dream  D) have nice thoughts

What did participants have to look at?

A) a computer screen B) books C) tests D) ants working

If you get regular headaches, you are not alone. A new report says half of us suffer from them. Researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology looked at 357 different studies on headaches from 1961 to 2020. The report was published in "The Journal of Headache and Pain". The studies were mainly from rich countries. They included information on general headaches, migraines, and headaches from tension. The researchers said that 52 per cent of people in the study suffered from some form of headache every year. The lead researcher, Lars Jacob Stovner, was surprised that the numbers were so big and that so many people got headaches.

The researchers found that women are more likely to get headaches than men. They said 17 per cent of women get migraines, compared to 9 per cent of men. Six per cent of women get headaches on 15 or more days a month, while the number is three per cent for men. Mr Stovner said: "What is clear is that overall, headache disorders are highly prevalent worldwide and can be a [great pain]." He said more people are getting headaches, saying: "The data does suggest that headaches and migraine rates may be increasing." Stovner added that more research was needed. He said it was important, "to analyze the different causes of headaches…to target prevention and treatment more effectively".

Researchers looked at 357 studies that gave them headaches.

A) True B) False

Researchers found that 52% of the study participants got headaches every year.

A) True B) False

Where were most of the studies from?

A) stressful countries B) rich countries C) poorer countries D) all over the world

What percentage of people get a headache every year?

A) 42% B) 48% C) 50% D) 52%

What two things does a researcher want to target?

A) prevention and treatment B) bows and arrows C) heads and aches D) goals and aims

Researchers have revealed what might be a highly popular new way to lose weight - eating a big breakfast. It could become the biggest diet fad ever for those wishing to shed a few kilos. Scientists in Germany conducted a study on how a hearty breakfast affected the body's metabolism in a laboratory experiment. Sixteen men ate a low-calorie breakfast and high-calorie dinner one day and reversed this with a high-calorie breakfast and low-calorie dinner the next. Eating a larger breakfast and a smaller dinner boosted a process called diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT). This is the generation of heat in the body that burns up calories. This happened even when the total calories consumed throughout the day remained the same.

Eating a big breakfast led to 2.5 times higher rates of DIT. Researcher Dr Juliane Richter spoke about the findings of her investigation. She said: "Our results show a meal eaten for breakfast, regardless of the amount of calories it contains, creates twice as high DIT as the same meal consumed for dinner. This finding is significant for all people as it underlines the value of eating enough at breakfast." She added: "Eating more at breakfast instead of dinner could prevent obesity and high blood sugar. We recommend that patients with obesity as well as healthy people eat a significant breakfast rather than a large dinner to reduce body weight and prevent metabolic diseases."

⦁ ⦁ B. ⦁ ⦁ ⦁ ⦁ ⦁ ⦁ ⦁ ⦁ ⦁ ⦁

Eating a big breakfast could be a highly popular way of losing weight.

A) True B) False

Researchers looked at how meals affected the metabolism of 160 men.

A) True B) False

How popular did the article say eating a big breakfast might be?

A) fairly popular B) highly popular C) pretty popular D) somewhat popular

What does a big breakfast produce double the rate of DIT than?

A) same sized dinners B) diet-induced thermogenesis C) high blood sugar D) vegetarian pizzas

What diseases could eating a big breakfast help to prevent? contagious diseases metabolic diseases infectious diseases viral diseases

A) gave up B) gave off C) gave away D) gave in
Please complete all options before continuing.
CONTINUE

Part Five - Listening

Researchers said people who drink lots of water get less lung disease

A) True B) False

Around 65% of people worldwide do not drink enough water.

A) True B) False

How many years of data did the researchers look at?

A) 30 B) 28 C) 25 D) 20

Who does the article say might live longer?

A) old people B) teenagers C) people who drink water D) doctors

How much water does the average adult need to drink every day?

A) 1.75 litres B) 1.6 litres C) 1.5 litres D) 2 litres

A queen's hair supposedly went white the night before she lost her head.

A) True B) False

The article says the pressures of leadership turns hair white.

A) True B) False

What happened to colour-regenerating stem cells after an injection?

A) they made the mice run faster B) they were depleted C) they revived D) they changed colour

What did researchers inject an ingredient of into test mice?

A) Pepper B) Tea C) Salt D) chili peppers

What other thing did the researcher say stress might accelerate?

A) poor eyesight B) ageing C) weight gain D) dementia

Research suggests loneliness raises the risk of an early death by 50%.

A) True B) False

The professor said a pension would help with loneliness in our old age.

A) True B) False

...___ you are sure of getting good weather.

A) if B) unless C) in case D) when

What did a professor say loneliness might be more dangerous than?

A) Socializing B) Stress C) Obesity D) Contact

Essay Writing (maximum 150 words) -- (1 essay question – Should be random – Any from the questions below)

A) University of Notre Dame B) Carnegie Mellon University C) Massachusetts Institute of Technology D) Brigham Young University
Please complete all options before continuing.
CONTINUE
CONGRATULATIONS

Part One: 12 correct out of 15
Part Two: 10 correct out of 15