Listening and reading

Always read the question first carefully and highlight the question word so that you know the information that you are listening for. Use any visuals to help you to predict what you might hear. Try to anticipate the answer and note down possible words to listen for. Check numbers, dates and times very carefully. In the Listening test, do not attempt to write phonetically, i.e. what you have just heard! Some candidates find this very confusing and ultimately end up writing about a completely different set of events. In the Reading examination, read the questions before you read the passage. Some words look like English words: you should try to work out their meaning. It pays to think LOGICALLY in both the reading and listening papers. Sometimes you have to use your common sense to work out the answers from the information given. Examiners will also test your knowledge of synonyms and related families of words. Susi liest gern und geht gern mit Freunden ausmay become Susi interessiert sie sich fur Lektüre. Ensure that you know synonyms and families of nouns and verbs (see, e.g. on Lesen). Make a list of synonyms and word families and learn them carefully: e.g. die Reise = die Fahrt Also make a list a of words which may look the same, but which have different meanings: e.g. die Kirche; die Küche; die Kirsche; der Kuchen; der Koch.