Near East University

English Proficiency Test for Undergraduate Programs

UNPT

ENGLISH LANGUAGE TESTING

EDUCATION UNIT

NEAR EAST UNIVERSITY

CONTENTS

I. Introduction

II. Undergraduate English Proficiency Test and the CEFR

III. Global Scale – CEFR

IV. Format of the Undergraduate English Proficiency Test

V. Example Questions

 References

 Appendices

1
 I. INTRODUCTION

English Proficiency Test for Undergraduate Students (UNPT)

English language proficiency test is aimed to assess competency in English language for
academic purposes. The exam result determines whether the candidate student’s English
proficiency is sufficient enough to study at an English-medium department.

II. The alignment between English Proficiency Test and CEFR

CEFR provides a basis for the development of English Proficiency Exam. CEFR categorizes
language proficiency in six levels, from A1 to C2, which can be grouped into three broad
levels. Basic User, Independent User, and proficient User in CEFR.
Undergraduate English Proficiency Test covers levels from A2 to C1 including questions
that are designed according to the CEFR’s global scale and measures the proficiency of the
examinees’ in different areas such as Use of English, Vocabulary and Reading
Comprehension. Structured scale for each of these areas can be found in Appendix A and
the table of grammar contents with all levels are provided in Appendix B.

2
 III. Global Scale - CEFR

Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summaries
C2 information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments
Proficient and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express him/herself spontaneously,
User very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more
complex situations.
Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognize implicit
meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much
C1 obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for
social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured,
detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organizational
patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.
Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract
topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialization. Can
Independent B2 interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction
User with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce
clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a view point on a
topic issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters
regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations
B1 likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can
produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar, or of personal
interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and
briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of
most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information,
A2 shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and
Basic User routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar
and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background,
immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.
Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases
A1 aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can introduce him/herself
and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as
where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has. Can interact in a
simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to
help.

3
 IV. FORMAT

Parts Item Types and Tasks Objectives No of

Items
*subject to
change

Use of English Part I Multiple-choice. Ability to identify the 10

appropriate grammatical
Candidates are required to choose the features for the given context
best option.

Question & Part II Multiple choice. Ability to follow the 8

Response speakers’ exchange of
Candidates are required to choose the information in a conversation
best response or the best question for
the given conversation

Closest Meaning Part III Multiple choice. Ability to rephrase 9

ideas/statements
Candidates are required to choose the
option that has the closest meaning to
the given sentence.

Situational Part IV Multiple choice. Ability to identify the 4

Response speakers’ purpose and use
Candidates are required to choose the that information to select the
best response for the given situation best response for the given
situations.

Sentence & Part V Multiple choice. Ability to recognize the 9

Paragraph relationship between the
Completion Candidates are required to choose the sentences or structures that
best option to complete the given make-up the sentences, infer
sentence/paragraph. meaning and locate the
missing ideas/statements

Vocabulary Part VI Multiple choice. Ability to identify and select

the vocabulary that is
Candidates are required to choose the relevant for the given 11
best word/phrase to complete the contexts (everyday life,
sentences. current issues…)

Reading Part VII Multiple-choice. Ability to interpret, infer and 9

summarize facts, ideas in a
2-3 reading texts. text.

Ability to elicit implicit

meanings from a complex
text.

Ability to deduce meaning of

the vocabulary used in the
texts.

* The duration of the exam is 90 minutes

*All questions in each section are levelled from A2 to C1 level.

4
 V. EXAMPLE QUESTIONS

PART I

USE OF ENGLISH

Choose the best option.

1. Apple products __________ all over the world.

a. sell
b. are sold
c. are selling
d. selling

PART II

QUESTION & RESPONSE

Choose the best question or the response.

1. Doctor: Good morning. What brings you here today?

Patient: Well, I haven’t been feeling very well recently.
Doctor: ____________________
Patient: I have been experiencing severe headaches for the past two weeks and my
eyes hurt, too.
a. Can you please describe your symptoms?
b. Have you been to an optician before?
c. How long have you had it for?
d. Did you get any medication for your headache?

PART III

CLOSEST MEANING

Choose the one that has the closest meaning to the given one.

1. I can’t afford to buy a new car at the moment.

a. If I were you, I would buy a new car.

b. I think I should buy a new car
c. I don’t want to spend my money on a new car.
d. I don’t have enough money to buy a new car.

5
PART IV

SITUATIONAL RESPONSE

Choose the best response according to the given situation.

1. You noticed that one of your best friends’ obsessive thoughts are getting worse and you think it’s about
time she got help. You say politely:

a. There is no harm in seeing a mental health specialist. I’m sure you’ll come through it.
b. It might not be a good idea to start taking medication before asking a professional.
c. Sometimes obsessions help people in a good way.
d. Go and see someone immediately or there won’t be anyone left around you.

PART V

SENTENCE COMPLETION & PARAGRAPH COMPLETION

Choose the best option to complete the sentences

1. ____________________ that can be cured today.

a. People used to die of many diseases

b. People should avoid ill- mannered people. People are used to the idea of vaccination
c. People wouldn’t have worried about catching diseases
d. People are used to the idea of vaccination

Complete the following paragraph with the most appropriate sentence so that the flow is not broken.

1. Mount Fuji is a famous mountain in Japan. It is actually a volcano but people often forget this fact
because ____________________. Now Mount Fuji is inactive, so people can climb to the top of it. More
than 250,000 people climb it each year. Most of them are Japanese but about 30 percent of the climbers
come from other countries.

a. climbing volcanoes isn’t safe.

b. it is not a popular tourist attraction.
c. the last eruption took place a long time ago.
d. volcanoes may get active in seconds.

6
PART VI

VOCABULARY

Choose the best word/phrase to complete the following sentences.

When the tickets you buy are __________, you can’t get your money back in the event of a cancellation.
a. purchasable
b. nonrefundable
c. refundable
d. insured

PART VII

READING COMPHRENSION

(Questions are based on inferring meaning, identifying main points, comparing arguments and/or
deducing meaning)

Read the text carefully.

Microsoft has invested $1 billion in the Elon Musk-founded artificial intelligence venture that plans
to mimic the human brain using computers. OpenAI said the investment would go towards its efforts of
building artificial general intelligence (AGI) that can rival and surpass the cognitive capabilities of humans.

“The creation of AGI will be the most important technological development in human history, with
the potential to shape the trajectory of humanity,” said OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. “Our mission is to ensure
that AGI technology benefits all of humanity, and we’re working with Microsoft to build the
supercomputing foundation on which we’ll build AGI.”

The two firms will jointly build AI supercomputing technologies, which OpenAI plans to
commercialise through Microsoft and its Azure cloud computing business. OpenAI was founded in 2015
with the goal of developing AGI that can learn and master several disciplines, rather than the narrow
abilities of most modern artificial intelligence systems. The startup has already achieved a number
of AI milestones, most notably beating the world’s best human players at the video game Dota 2, but hopes
its technology can one day help address climate change and other major challenges facing the planet. “An
AGI working on a problem would be able to see connections across disciplines that no human could,”
OpenAI CTO Greg Brockman wrote in a blog post announcing the investment. “We want AGI to work with
people to solve currently intractable multi-disciplinary problems, including global challenges such as
climate change, affordable and high-quality healthcare, and personalised education.”

7
OpenAI also claims its technology will ultimately provide everyone with the economic freedom to pursue
whatever they find most fulfilling, while creating “new opportunities for all our lives that are unimaginable
today”.

Since co-founding OpenAI three years ago, Mr Musk has since stepped back from the AI startup but
remains vocal about the risks artificial intelligence poses to humanity, claiming its development poses a
greater risk than nuclear weapons. In 2017, the SpaceX and Tesla CEO joined Microsoft researchers in
signing an open letter outlining principles that will ensure the development of AI that is beneficial to
humanity. “We cannot predict what we might achieve when this intelligence is magnified by the tools AI
may provide, but the eradication of diseases and poverty are not unfathomable,” the letter stated. “Because
of the great potential of AI, it is important to research how to reap its benefits while avoiding potential
pitfalls.”

Answer the following questions according to the reading above.

1. What does Elon Musk-founded artificial intelligence aim to imitate?

a. Trajectory of humanity
b. Human voice
c. Cognitive capabilities of humans
d. Mimics of humans

2. Which one of the following statements is NOT one of the main missions of OpenAI?

a. Demolishing a supercomputing foundation

b. Building AGI that can compete with the cognitive capabilities of humans
c. Developing something with the potential to shape the trajectory of humanity
d. Creating a technology which contributes to humanity

3. ______________________ has been a real success in AI’s history.

a. Working on a problem to see connections across disciplines

b. Having narrow abilities like most modern artificial systems
c. Beating the world’s best human players at DOTA 2
d. Addressing climate change and other major challenges

4. What does ‘intractable’ in paragraph 3 mean?

a. Compelling
b. Diverting
c. Unmanageable
d. Corrigible

8
5. Which one of the following statements is TRUE about AGI?

a. AGI has already paid off Microsoft’s 1 billion dollar investment.

b. What AGI will provide for humanity is still unpredictable.
c. No other technological developments can compete with the creation of AGI.
d. AGI has already contributed a lot to healthcare problems.

6. Which one of the following statements can be the reason behind Mr. Musk’s stepping

back from the AI startup?

a. Tesla’s rejection of signing the open letter.

b. Fear of nuclear weapons.
c. Not being able to set the principles of AI in favor of humanity.
d. The pitfalls underlying the development of AI.

7. What does ‘its’ in the last paragraph refer to?

a. Humanity’s
b. AI’s
c. Mr. Musk’s
d. Risks’

8. What does ‘unfathomable’ in the last paragraph mean?

a. soundable
b. liable
c. abysmal
d. indubitable

9
References
Council of Europe. (2001). Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching,
assessment-Structured overview of all CEFR scales. Retrieved fromhttps://rm.coe.int/168045b15e
Council of Europe. (2001). Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching,
assessment-The CEFR levels.Retrieved fromhttps:coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-
languages/level-descriptions

Dalton, J. & Smith, D., (1986). Examples of questions in the taxonomy. Retrieved from
http://www.mandela.ac.za/cyberhunts/bloom.htm

Table of Grammar Contents-All levels Retrieved from https://www.test-english.com/grammar-

points/contents/

10
Appendix A
(Adapted from Council of Europe, 2001)

GENERAL LINGUISTIC RANGE

Can exploit a comprehensive and reliable mastery of a very wide range of language to
formulate thoughts precisely, give emphasis, differentiate and eliminate ambiguity. No signs
C2 of having to restrict what he/she wants to say.

Can select an appropriate formulation from a broad range of language to express

C1 him/herself clearly, without having to restrict what he/she wants to say.
Can express him/herself clearly and without much sign of having to restrict what he/she
wants to say.

Has a sufficient range of language to be able to give clear descriptions, express

B2
viewpoints and develop arguments without much conspicuous searching for words,
using some complex sentence forms to do so.

Has a sufficient range of language to describe unpredictable situations, explain the main
points in an idea or problem with reasonable precision and express thoughts on abstract or
cultural topics such as music and films.
Has enough language to get by, with sufficient vocabulary to Express him/herself with some
hesitation and circum locations on topics such as family,hobbies and interests, work, travel,
B1 and current events, but lexical limitations cause repetition and even difficulty with
formulation at times.
Has a repertoire of basic language, which enables him/her to deal with everyday situations
with predictable content though he/she will generally have to compromise the message and
search for words.
Can produce brief every day expressions in order to satisfy simple needs of a concrete type:
personal details, daily routines, wants and needs, requests for information.

Can use basic sentence patterns and communicate with memorized phrases, groups of a
few words and formulae about themselves and other people, what they do, places,
possessions etc.
A2
Has a limited repertoire of short memorized phrases covering predictable survival
situations; frequent breakdowns and misunderstandings occur in non-routine situations.

11
 VOCABULARY RANGE

Has a good command of a very broad lexical repertoire including idiomatic expressions and
C2 colloquialisms; shows awareness of connotative levels of meaning.
Has a good command of a broad lexical repertoire allowing gaps to be readily overcome
with circumlocutions; little obvious searching for expressions or avoidance strategies. Good
C1 command of idiomatic expressions and colloquialisms.
Has a good range of vocabulary for matters connected to his field and most general topics?
Can vary formulation to avoid frequent repetition, but lexical gaps can still cause hesitation
B2 and circumlocation.
Has a sufficient vocabulary to express him/herself with some circumlocutions on most topics
B1 pertinent to his everyday life such as family, hobbies and interests, work, travel, and current
events.
Has sufficient vocabulary to conduct routine, everyday transactions involving familiar
situations and topics.
Has a sufficient vocabulary for the expression of basic communicative needs.
A2
Has a sufficient vocabulary for coping with simple survival needs.

GRAMMATICAL ACCURACY

Maintains consistent grammatical control of complex language, even while attention is

C2 otherwise engaged (e.g.in forward planning, in monitoring others’reactions).

C1 Consistently maintains a high degree of grammatical accuracy; errors are rare and difficult to
spot.

B2 Good grammatical control. Occasional "slips" or non-systematic errors and minor flaws in
sentence structure may still occur, but they are rare and can often be corrected in retrospect.
Shows a relatively high degree of grammatical control. Does not make mistakes which lead to
misunderstanding.
B1 Communicates with reasonable accuracy in familiar contexts; generally good control though
with noticeable mother tongue influence. Errors occur, but it is clear what he/she is trying to
express.
Uses reasonably accurately a repertoire of frequently used "routines" and patterns associated
with more predictable situations.
A2 Uses some simple structures correctly, but still systematically makes basic mistakes -for
example tends to mix up tenses and forget to mark agreement; nevertheless, it is usually clear
what he/she is trying to say.

12
 VOCABULARY CONTROL

C2 Consistently correct and appropriate use of vocabulary.

C1 Occasional minor slips, but no significant vocabulary errors.

Lexical accuracy is generally high, though some confusion and incorrect Word choice does ocur
B2 without hindering communication.
Shows good control of elementary vocabulary but major errors still occur when expressing more
B1 complex thoughts or handling unfamiliar topics and situations.
Can control a narrow repertoire dealing with concrete everyday needs.
A2

OVERALL READING COMPREHENSION

Can understand and interpret critically virtually all forms of the written language including abstract,
C2 structurally complex, or highly colloquial literary and non-literary writings.
Can understand a wide range of long and complex texts, appreciating subtle distinctions of style and implicit
as well as explicit meaning.
C1 Can understand in detail length, complex texts, whether or not they relate to his/her own area of speciality,
provided he/she can reread difficult sections.
Can read with a large degree of independence, adapting style and speed of reading to different texts and purposes,
B2 and using appropriate reference sources selectively. Has a broad active reading vocabulary, but may experience
some difficulty with low frequency idioms.
B1 Can read straight forward factual texts on subjects related to his/her field and interest with a
satisfactory level of comprehension.
Can understand short, simple texts on familiar matters of a concrete type which consist of high frequency
every day or job-related language.
A2
Can understand short, simple texts containing the highest frequency vocabulary, including proportion of shared
international vocabulary items.

13
Appendix B

A1 A2
Adjectives – comparative, – use
Adjectives: common and of
demonstrative than and definite article
Adverbs of frequency Adjectives – superlative – use of
Comparatives and superlatives definite article
Going to Adverbial phrases of time, place
How much/how many and very and frequency – including word
common uncountable nouns order
I’d like Adverbs of frequency
Imperatives (+/-) Articles – with countable and
Intensifiers - very basic uncountable nouns
Modals: Countables and Uncountables:
can/can’t/could/couldn’t much/many
Past simple of “to be” Future Time (will and going to)
Past Simple Gerunds
Possessive adjectives Going to
Possessive s Imperatives
Prepositions, common Modals – can/could
Prepositions of place Modals – have to
Prepositions of time, including Modals – should
in/on/at
Present continuous Past continuous
Present simple Past simple
Pronouns: simple, personal Phrasal verbs – common
Questions Possessives – use of ‘s, s’
There is/are Prepositional phrases (place,
To be, including time and movement)
question+negatives Prepositions of time: on/in/at
Verb + ing: like/hate/love Present continuous
Present continuous for future
Present perfect
Questions
Verb + ing/infinitive: like/
want-would like
Wh-questions in past
Zero and 1st conditional

14
B1 B2
Adverbs Adjectives and adverbs
Broader range of intensifiers Future continuous
such Future perfect
as too, enough Future perfect continuous
Comparatives and superlatives Mixed conditionals
Complex question tags Modals – can’t have, needn’t
Conditionals, 2nd and 3rd have
Connecting words expressing Modals of deduction and
cause and effect, contrast etc. speculation
Future continuous Narrative tenses
Modals - must/can’t deduction Passives
Modals – might, may, will, Past perfect
probably Past perfect continuous
Modals – should have/might Phrasal verbs, extended
have/etc Relative clauses
Modals: must/have to Reported speech
Past continuous Will and going to, for
Past perfect prediction
Past simple Wish
Past tense responses Would expressing habits, in
Phrasal verbs, extended the past
Present perfect continuous
Present perfect/past simple
Reported speech (range of
tenses)
Simple passive
Wh- questions in the past
Will and going to, for
prediction

C1
Futures (revision)
Inversion with negative
adverbials
Mixed conditionals in past,
present
and future
Modals in the past
Narrative tenses for
experience,
incl. passive
Passive forms, all
Phrasal verbs, especially
splitting
Wish/if only regrets

15