You work as the Personal Assistant to a senior manager of a local company that produces educational toys. The manager, Mr Peter Chan, is going to Europe next month to promote the company's products, and he has asked you to make the necessary arrangements. You have already booked flights and hotels and made some appointments for him. However, you need to find a suitable venue in Central London where Mr Chan can give a presentation and a demonstration of the company's latest products.

Unfortunately, you do not know London as you have never been there, and neither has Mr Chan.
However, you have done some research on the Internet and talked to some friends and colleagues who know London quite well. As a result you have in mind the Park Lane Hotel, which appears to be very centrally located and has the facilities that Mr Chan will require. However, it is important that you check this information carefully before you make a booking.

Mr Chan will invite fifty people to the presentation and demonstration and most of these are expected to attend. The presentation should take place in the morning from 10 a.m.. - 1 p.m. on either Monday 14 June or Tuesday 15 June - it doesn't matter which. The venue must be sufficiently large to comfortably seat this number plus perhaps 10 more who may come at short notice.
It is essential that the room is equipped with a computer connected to a projector and a large screen. The computer must have a broadband connection and PowerPoint. The lights should be dimmable and there should be a technician on hand should any problems arise with the equipment. Pens and notepads should also be available. You will arrange for your own pens bearing the company logo to be supplied from London.

You will also need another room - or possibly a part of the presentation room if it is large enough - to display a selection of your latest products. There should be sufficient room for the guests to move around and examine the products. You have estimated three large tables measuring around 1m by 4 metres each should be sufficient to display the products.

As for refreshments, tea, coffee and biscuits should be provided at the start of the presentation at 10 a.m. and you would like a light cold buffet lunch for your guests afterwards. This can either be in the presentation room or in another function room. Seating is not necessary and it is essential that there is plenty of room for the guests to move around and talk to each other. The food should be of an international type with a wide variety of light cold dishes to satisfy all tastes. The guests will be of different nationalities and from various cultural backgrounds so for this reason pork, and beef should be avoided and alcoholic drinks will not be necessary. There should be a good selection of mineral water and fruit juices.

The products you are presenting are your latest models and the guests will be getting a preview as some of these have not yet been released. Security is, therefore, a consideration and you want to make sure that only invited guests attend. All guests will be sent a special card bearing their name and a security number. There should be a member of staff who will politely check these. A guest list along with the security numbers will of course be sent in due course.

Finally, it is possible that one or two or your guests may be disabled and you would like to check that there is wheelchair access to the function room. Also you want to confirm that there will be adequate parking in or near the hotel.

In addition to confirming all of this information, you would like to know the exact cost and whether the dates you mentioned are possible. You would like to see a copy of the buffet lunch menu and some photographs or video footage of the conference room and a precise list of the presentation equipment in order to get Mr Chan's approval and to familiarize him with the environment beforehand.

Advanced Certificate in General English

Mock Listening and Writing Examination 

Students' Answer Sheet

Instructions

Your tutor is going to read a passage out loud. Listen to this passage and answer the questions in the Comprehension section given below. You will hear the passage twice. Before the passage is read, you have two minutes to look at the questions. After the first reading, you have five minutes to write your answers (in full sentences unless short answers are more appropriate). The passage will then be read a final time to let you check your answers.

Comprehension - 15 marks in total (one mark for each question, except where shown)

1.	What is your present job?
	
2.	What sort of company do you work for?
	
3.	What is Mr Peter Chan going to do next month?
	
4.	What are you looking for in London?
	
5.	How many people have been invited?
	
6.	When do you require the venues?
	
7.	How many rooms do you need?
	
8.	What equipment do you need?
	
9.	What refreshments will you need before the presentation?
	
10.	What will you need after the presentation?
	
11	Why don't you want pork or beef?
	
12.	Why is security an issue?	
13.	How will the security issue be dealt with?
	
14.	What other special requirements are there?
	
15.	What three things would you like the hotel to send in reply?
	
Writing Task

Now write a suitable email to the Park Lane Hotel in London. Use the information from the listening comprehension task to explain your situation and make all the points that need making. 
Start at the salutation – i.e. Dear…

11	Why don't you want pork or beef?
	
12.	Why is security an issue?	
13.	How will the security issue be dealt with?
	
14.	What other special requirements are there?
	
15.	What three things would you like the hotel to send in reply?
	
Writing Task

Now write a suitable email to the Park Lane Hotel in London. Use the information from the listening comprehension task to explain your situation and make all the points that need making. 
Start at the salutation – i.e. Dear…

Possible answers	

1.	What is your present job?

Personal assistant	
2.	What sort of company do you work for?

An educational toy company / a company that produces educational toys	
3.	What is Mr Peter Chan going to do next month?

He is going to Europe to promote the company’s products	
4.	What are you looking for in London?

A suitable venue for a presentation and product demonstration	
5.	How many people have been invited?

Fifty	
6.	When do you require the venues?

Monday 14 June or Tuesday 15 June, 10.00 a.m. – 1 p.m.	
7.	How many rooms do you need?

One, if it is large enough, or two	
8.	What equipment do you need?

A computer with broadband and PowerPoint, a projector and large screen, and dimmable lights	
9.	What refreshments will you need before the presentation?

Tea, coffee and biscuits	
10.	What will you need after the presentation?

A light buffet lunch	
11	Why don't you want pork or beef?

Because the guests will be from different cultural backgrounds.	
12.	Why is security an issue?

Because the guests will be getting a preview of products that have not yet been released	
13.	How will the security issue be dealt with?

Each guest will be given a card with his or her name and a security number	
14.	What other special requirements are there?

There should be wheelchair access and adequate parking nearby	
15.	What three things would you like the hotel to send in reply?

A buffet lunch menu, photos or video of the conference room and a list of equipment.