Understanding a Small Business Grant Notice
About this practice test
A town council notice explains who can apply for a small-business grant, what it can fund, the required documents, the selection process, and the conditions for payment.
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
- Short answer
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.
Understanding a Small Business Grant Notice
The Riverside Town Council has opened a small grant called the Neighbourhood Boost Fund. It is for independent shops and services that help local people with everyday needs, such as a bakery, a repair shop, or a small salon. The council says the fund should support places that are useful to the town and can improve service without needing a large amount of money. In practice, this means the grant is aimed at small businesses that already serve the neighbourhood but could work more smoothly with a modest upgrade. A business can apply if it has fewer than 12 staff and has been trading for at least 18 months. The grant can pay for new equipment, a simple website update, or a counter that makes service faster, and each successful applicant can get up to £3,000. It cannot be used for wages, rent, or old debts, because the council wants the money to improve the business, not cover problems from the past. Each application begins with a one-page form, so owners do not have to prepare a long business plan. They must send the form by 5 pm on 14 June, along with the latest tax return and a bank statement from the last three months. Every section must be filled in clearly, and the answers should match the documents. If there are more than 20 applications, the council will give extra attention to businesses on Market Street and to shops that plan to open earlier in the morning, since both may help the street stay busy. Shortlisted owners will be asked to join a 15-minute online interview during the week of 1 July. At that stage, the panel wants to see how the grant will save time or bring in more customers. After the interview, the council will check receipts before it releases the money. That rule is there because the council wants to make sure public funds are spent as promised. A cafe owner named Maya said the notice sounded fair, but she hoped the process would not take too long because her bakery is busiest at lunch. The council replied that faster service is one reason the grant exists: it should help small firms cope with a hard season without making owners borrow more. In other words, the grant is meant to give practical support now, while still asking owners to show careful spending later.
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Question 1 · Short answer
Write a short answer to the question.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage. What is the name of the grant?
Return to the passage, recording or visualCheck answers and explanations
- Accepted answers
- Neighbourhood Boost Fund
The passage directly names the fund as the Neighbourhood Boost Fund. The town council is the organiser, not the grant name.
opened a small grant called the Neighbourhood Boost Fund
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Question 2 · Short answer
Write a short answer to the question.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage. How many staff must a business have fewer than to apply?
Return to the passage, recording or visualCheck answers and explanations
- Accepted answers
- 12 / twelve
The notice says a business must have fewer than 12 staff. The answer is the number in that rule; the larger phrase in the passage is not needed here.
has fewer than 12 staff
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Question 3 · Short answer
Write a short answer to the question.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage. How long must a business have been trading before it can apply?
Return to the passage, recording or visualCheck answers and explanations
- Accepted answers
- 18 months / eighteen months
The application rule says the business must have been trading for at least 18 months. A shorter period would not meet the condition.
has been trading for at least 18 months
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Question 4 · Short answer
Write a short answer to the question.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage. What is the most money a successful applicant can get?
Return to the passage, recording or visualCheck answers and explanations
- Accepted answers
- £3,000 / 3000 pounds / £3000 / three thousand pounds
The passage states the grant amount directly: up to £3,000. A smaller amount would be incomplete, and a larger amount is not supported.
each successful applicant can get up to £3,000
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Question 5 · Short answer
Write a short answer to the question.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage. Which past cost mentioned in the notice cannot the grant be used to pay?
Return to the passage, recording or visualCheck answers and explanations
- Accepted answers
- old debts
The only option that is clearly a past cost is 'old debts'. Wages and rent are also banned, but they are not described as past costs in the same way.
It cannot be used for wages, rent, or old debts
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Question 6 · Short answer
Write a short answer to the question.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage. By what time on 14 June must the form be sent?
Return to the passage, recording or visualCheck answers and explanations
- Accepted answers
- 5 pm
The deadline is given as 5 pm on 14 June. Any later time would miss the stated closing time.
must send the form by 5 pm on 14 June
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Question 7 · Short answer
Write a short answer to the question.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage. Which document from the last three months must owners send?
Return to the passage, recording or visualCheck answers and explanations
- Accepted answers
- a bank statement / bank statement
The passage says owners need a bank statement from the last three months. 'A bank statement' matches the source and is enough to identify the document.
a bank statement from the last three months
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Question 8 · Short answer
Write a short answer to the question.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage. How long is the online interview?
Return to the passage, recording or visualCheck answers and explanations
- Accepted answers
- 15 minutes / fifteen minutes
The interview lasts 15 minutes, as stated in the notice. The answer uses the noun phrase needed for a duration question.
join a 15-minute online interview
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Question 9 · Short answer
Write a short answer to the question.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage. Which street may get extra attention if there are too many applications?
Return to the passage, recording or visualCheck answers and explanations
- Accepted answers
- Market Street
The notice names Market Street as the place that may receive extra attention. A general answer like 'the main street' is not taken from the passage.
businesses on Market Street
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Question 10 · Short answer
Write a short answer to the question.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage. What will the council check before it releases the money?
Return to the passage, recording or visualCheck answers and explanations
- Accepted answers
- receipts
The council says it will check receipts before paying the grant. This shows the money is released only after spending can be confirmed.
will check receipts before it releases the money
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.