The Findings of a Student Travel Survey
About this practice test
A report on a student travel survey covering preferred destinations, transport, advice sources, and the qualities of worthwhile trips.
What you’ll practice
Finding detail
Locate specific information and evidence.
Interpreting ideas
Connect main points and inferences.
Evaluating arguments
Assess claims, evidence, and limitations.
What to expect:
10 questions with explanations to review after submission.
Study the questions and tasks
Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.
- Practice level
- B1. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.
- Question formats
- Fill in the blank (text)
How to approach this practice
Read the passage for its main idea, then return to the relevant sentence or paragraph for each question. Base answers on the passage.
The Findings of a Student Travel Survey
The student travel survey was carried out by the school travel club at Northgate College. The club asked 120 students about trips they had taken in the last year and what made a trip feel worthwhile. Most students said they preferred short journeys, not long holidays. Many had gone away after exams, when they wanted a break but did not have much money. A smaller group travelled to visit relatives, while a few went because they had won a cheap coach ticket. The club was surprised that so many students cared more about value than about distance. When the answers were sorted, the bus was the most popular way to travel. Students said it was cheaper than the train and easier when they travelled with friends. Those who chose buses often booked early to get low fares, and several said they liked stopping in town centres on the way. The train came next, mainly for students who wanted to read, sleep, or arrive quickly. Only a small group flew, usually for longer visits to seaside towns or another city. Most students still wanted places within three hours, so very few chose faraway destinations. The survey also showed where students got ideas. The most trusted advice came from older friends, then online reviews, and then family members. Some students packed light and used a map app, but one student said a paper map was useful when a phone battery died. At the end, the club members decided that student travel was practical rather than fancy. They wrote that the best trips were simple, affordable, and social, because people enjoyed the journey more when it was easy to plan. The club plans to put these findings on a noticeboard so other students can choose better trips.
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Question 1 · Fill in the blank (text)
Complete each blank with the missing word or phrase.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage. The survey was carried out by the ___ at Northgate College.
Return to the passage, recording or visualCheck answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- school travel club
The passage says the survey was carried out by the school travel club. No other group is given as the organiser, so that is the correct completion.
The student travel survey was carried out by the school travel club at Northgate College
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Question 2 · Fill in the blank (text)
Complete each blank with the missing word or phrase.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage. Many students went away after ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualCheck answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- exams
The passage states that many students travelled after exams. Other times of year are not mentioned here, so 'exams' is the only correct answer.
Many had gone away after exams, when they wanted a break but did not have much money
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Question 3 · Fill in the blank (text)
Complete each blank with the missing word or phrase.
Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage. The most popular way to travel was the ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualCheck answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- bus
The passage says the bus was the most popular way to travel. The train and flying are mentioned later, but they were less popular.
When the answers were sorted, the bus was the most popular way to travel
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Question 4 · Fill in the blank (text)
Complete each blank with the missing word or phrase.
Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage. The club was surprised that so many students cared more about ___ than about distance.
Return to the passage, recording or visualCheck answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- value
The passage contrasts value with distance, so 'value' completes the sentence. 'Money' or 'cheapness' would change the meaning and are not the word used in the text.
The club was surprised that so many students cared more about value than about distance
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Question 5 · Fill in the blank (text)
Complete each blank with the missing word or phrase.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage. Bus travellers often booked early to get ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualCheck answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- low fares
The text says they booked early to get low fares. 'Cheap tickets' is close in meaning, but it is not the phrase used in the passage.
Those who chose buses often booked early to get low fares
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Question 6 · Fill in the blank (text)
Complete each blank with the missing word or phrase.
Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage. The train came next, mainly for students who wanted to ___, sleep, or arrive quickly.
Return to the passage, recording or visualCheck answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- read
The passage lists 'read, sleep, or arrive quickly' as the reasons. 'Study' or 'rest' are not the words used, so they are not correct here.
The train came next, mainly for students who wanted to read, sleep, or arrive quickly
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Question 7 · Fill in the blank (text)
Complete each blank with the missing word or phrase.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage. Only a small group flew, usually for ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualCheck answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- longer visits
The passage says flying was usually for longer visits. 'Seaside towns' is part of the detail, but the short phrase that fits the blank is 'longer visits'.
Only a small group flew, usually for longer visits to seaside towns or another city
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Question 8 · Fill in the blank (text)
Complete each blank with the missing word or phrase.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage. Most students still wanted places within ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualCheck answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- three hours / 3 hours
The passage gives the travel distance as 'three hours'. That is the exact time limit students preferred, so it completes the sentence correctly.
Most students still wanted places within three hours
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Question 9 · Fill in the blank (text)
Complete each blank with the missing word or phrase.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage. The most trusted advice came from ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualCheck answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- older friends
The passage says older friends were the most trusted source of advice. Online reviews and family members came after that, so they are not correct for this blank.
The most trusted advice came from older friends, then online reviews, and then family members
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Question 10 · Fill in the blank (text)
Complete each blank with the missing word or phrase.
Write NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage. The club said the best trips were ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualCheck answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- simple, affordable, and social
The club described the best trips as simple, affordable, and social. Other adjectives in the passage, such as practical or fancy, describe travel in general, not the best trips in this sentence.
They wrote that the best trips were simple, affordable, and social
What to review next
Find the words that support each answer. For a mistake, compare the question with the evidence and identify the detail or inference you missed.
A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.
Before you practise: a worked example
Look for evidence in the text. Separate what the writer says from what you already know about the topic.
The library normally closes at six, but on Fridays it stays open until eight. When does it close on Friday?
The answer is eight. But introduces an exception to the normal closing time, so the first time mentioned is not the answer.
This teaching example is separate from the scored questions. After your test, compare any mistakes with the explanation and revisit the topic before trying again.