Im not sure, but it seems to me those test are being caried out on different manners and levels of competece here in Brazil. For what i can say, as I did the test it was exactly in the way discribed by the document refering to it. But i have heard, especially when it comes to tests done by the companies there might be some discreptancies of the normal. One former check person from Variglog is supposed to get caught "selling" the tests (~2 years ago). From what I heard now, people have to pay to take the test, so its getting a business and in order to keep that people get a 4 even with just broken knowledge, then are expected to repeat the test periodically like a medical...
I know guys with ICAO 4 and 5 whose English is miserable, on the other hand tam seems to hv problems to find enough skippers proficient enough to get the birds over the pond. I just hope ANAC get this into its gripp by time before we all get discredited.
Funny, on my license it states that i have ICAO Portuguese 6 although i have never taken a test for that...