Which of the following tasks is NOT part of the Reading and Use of English section?

The task that is not part of the Reading and Use of English section is essay writing. The Reading and Use of English section is designed to assess a candidate's ability to understand and manipulate English language structures and vocabulary through various formats.

Key word transformation, open cloze, and text completion are all exercises focused on evaluating how well a candidate can use English in context, either by rephrasing sentences, filling in gaps, or completing text passages using appropriate vocabulary and grammatical structures. These tasks are integral to the section as they challenge the test-takers' knowledge of language mechanics and comprehension skills.

In contrast, essay writing requires a different skill set focused on organizing thoughts, presenting arguments, and creating coherent written discourse, which falls within a different assessment component of the exam rather than the Reading and Use of English section. This distinction helps ensure that the assessment accurately reflects the range of language use required in everyday communication and academic writing.