****** FIRST CERTIFICATE TRAINER PAPER 3 ******
Copyright  StudyWare/Nigel Marsh 1996/1997


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SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
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First Certificate Trainer Paper 3 will work on any computer that uses Microsoft Windows 3.1 or higher.
 
You must have a mouse.

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INSTALLING
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To install and run First Certificate Trainer Paper 3 double-click on the 'setup.exe' icon and follow the on-screen instructions.

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STARTING THE PROGRAM
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To start First Certificate Trainer Paper 3 simply double-click on the program icon.

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UNINSTALLING
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To remove First Certificate Trainer Paper 3 from your computer simply double-click on the uninstall icon.



****** THE CAMBRIDGE FIRST CERTIFICATE IN ENGLISH ******

- THE EXAMINATION -


The Cambridge First Certificate in English (FCE) is one of the world's most popular English language examinations for speakers of other languages and is taken by over 200,000 people every year. 

It is for intermediate and early advanced students of English and tests the candidate's abilities in reading, writing, grammar, listening and speaking. 

The examination was revised in December 1996 to bring it right up-to-date. The First Certificate Trainer Paper 3 uses the new format.


The First Certificate examination has five papers:

Paper 1 - Reading - 60 minutes

35 reading comprehension questions based on 4 or 5 reading texts

Paper 2 - Writing - 90 minutes

2 writing tasks from a choice of 5 (e.g. letter, article, report, composition)

Paper 3 - Use of English - 75 minutes

tests grammar & vocabulary (see more detailed information on next page)

Paper 4 - Listening - about 35 minutes

30 comprehension questions based on what you hear on a cassette

Paper 5 - Speaking - about 15 minutes

with an examiner and a second candidate, testing the accuracy and range of your grammar and vocabulary, your pronunciation, intonation, fluency and general confidence with the spoken language.

Each paper carries equal importance in the calculation of your final mark.



****** THE CAMBRIDGE FIRST CERTIFICATE IN ENGLISH ******

- PAPER 3 'USE OF ENGLISH' -


This is the paper that students seem to be most nervous about before the examination as it tests the accuracy of your grammar and vocabulary.

It contains 5 parts with a total of 65 questions

** Part 1 - Multiple choice 'cloze' test **

This is a text with 15 gaps (missing words). For each gap there is a choice of four possible answers (A, B, C, D). Only one answer is correct.

** Part 2 - Open 'cloze' test **

This is another text with 15 gaps (missing words), but this time there are no suggested answers. You must think of the missing word yourself. 

Tip: the missing words are usually 'grammar' type words (e.g. which, that, to, as, than, being, been, is, in, on, for, with, at, have, has, there, each, every, some, any, much, many, very, too, enough, so, such ...)

** Part 3 - 'Key' word transformation **

There are 10 sentences to rewrite using a given key word. 

Tip: in the real exam, the more difficult sentences carry 2 points, so you can still get 1 point if your answer has a small mistake.

** Part 4 - Error correction **

A text with 15 lines to correct where necessary. Some of the lines have an extra word which should not be there as it makes the grammar wrong. You have to identify the extra word. Some of the lines are correct.

Tip: in the real exam, there are usually 3 or 4 correct sentences - if you think 10 sentences are correct, you're probably wrong.

** Part 5 - Word formation **

A short text with 10 words to build from their root forms, e.g. to build 'friendly', 'unfriendly' or 'friendship' from the root word 'friend'.



****** TIPS AND TRICKS FOR SELF STUDY ******

 
The First Certificate Trainer Paper 3 is an excellent study aid as it's much more fun than doing exam papers in a book. It allows you to do the same exercise as many times as you like, improving your score each time until you get it perfect.

These simple tips will help you get the most out of your study time and prepare for the examination:

*** Always read the instructions. Just like in the real exam, the computer will not accept answers which are too long or too short. When it says 'do not change the given word' (part 3), then don't, or your answer will automatically be wrong.

*** Always read the whole text through before you start trying to fill in the gaps (parts1, 2 & 5) or find the errors (part 4).

*** Don't be discouraged if you make mistakes. Learn from them! And remember, you don't need 100% to pass the exam - about 60% would be a more realistic figure.

*** When you think you can do a question well, try it again with the stopwatch set for a faster time.

*** Do the same exercise again a few days later to really 'fix' any new words or structures in your mind.

*** In the examination, the same grammar points and vocabulary are tested again and again, so it's worth learning correct sentences 'by heart' if you find them difficult.

*** Half an hour a day is better than 4 hours intense study once a week.

*** Never leave a question blank, especially in the multiple choice question (part 1). Always write something - it might just be right.


****** REGISTRATION ******

To use all the exercises in First Certificate Trainer Paper 3 you must register the program. You will then receive a password which you can type into the password box in the program.

You can register in three different ways:

1 - Online - US$34 Online registration by creditcard is done by PsL, a company that specialises in taking creditcard orders for shareware products. Please go to our homepage 
http://munichonline.com/studyware for more information and access to PsL's secure server.

2 - Eurocheque - DM39,50 Eurocheque payments must be in German Marks, simply put 'DM' in the 
'currency' box next to the 'amount' box. Please click the 'Fill in Form' button on the registration window of First Certificate Trainer or use regform.txt.

3 - Direct bank transfer - DM39,50 Please click the 'Fill in Form' button on the registration window of First Certificate Trainer or use regform.txt.


****** ABOUT THE AUTHORS ******

The First Certificate Trainer Paper 3 has been designed and created by Nigel Marsh and Vanessa Clark, two professional teachers who have many years' experience of preparing candidates for the First Certificate. 

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Nigel Marsh, BA (Hons), PGCE
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Nigel Marsh is a qualified teacher of English as a Foreign Language who now teaches on a freelance basis. Computer programming started as a hobby, but in 1996 he decided to combine his teaching and programming expertise to make the First Certificate Trainer Paper 3.

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Vanessa Clark, BSc (Hons), PGCE
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Vanessa Clark is the Director of Studies at the Cambridge Institut in Munich, where she has been working since 1990. She also acts as an oral examiner for the First Certificate.

****** GETTING IN TOUCH ******

Nigel Marsh & Vanessa Clark
StudyWare
Nympenburger Str. 90
80636 Mnchen

Telephone: +49 89 1235227
e-mail: nigelm@ibm.net or studyware@munichonline.com
homepage: http://munichonline.com/studyware


