Below is an article about the Cambridge BEC exams. They are exams designed specifically for people in the business world. First read the article and then try the activities that follow.
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The BEC exam
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The Cambridge Business English Certificates (BEC) are qualifications that are recognised all over the world. A BEC certificate shows employers how you are able to use English not only in your personal life, but, more importantly, in the workplace.
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The BEC exams have been designed for people who work in the business world. Whether you are just starting your career and are on the lowest rung of the employment ladder or if you are in a position of prominence within a particular company, BEC is an ideal English exam.
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There are three levels of BEC exams; Preliminary, Vantage and Higher. The levels are linked to the levels of the European Common Framework of Languages and to other officially recognised exams. The BEC Preliminary exam is for candidates with a pre-Intermediate level of English. The vantage exam is for Upper Intermediate level candidates and the Higher BEC exam is for candidates who have a more advanced level.C1.
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Each BEC exam consists of four papers: Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing. Each paper is worth 25% of the overall mark and candidates are awarded a single grade. In the Preliminary paper the Reading and Writing papers are combined but the two sections (reading and writing) provide 50% of the overall mark (25% and 25%). The timing for each paper is shown in the table below.
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If you want to register for a BEC exam you should contact an exam centre at least ten weeks before you wish to take the exam. If you contact the Cambridge ESOL exam centre (ESOL@CambridgeESOL.org) or the British Council (http://www.britishcouncil.org/) they should be able to advise you about centres where BEC exams are held and also places which run preparation courses for the exams.
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If you want to be successful in the international world of business and commerce, the BEC is a useful qualification to have. It shows employers that your English is at an appropriate level for doing business with other English-speaking partners throughout the world. It also shows that you have an active interest in the world of business. Once awarded, a BEC qualification lasts a lifetime, unlike some other ESOL qualifications. Finally, BEC is recognised by many of the major international companies such as Microsoft, Rolls-Royce, Disney, PepsiCo and Bayer.
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Comprehension - match a summary headline to each paragraph
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Vocabulary - match these work-related words to their definitions
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Vocabulary - complete the text using the vocabulary from the previous activity
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