Author: Admin

SECTION 1 

Read the text and answer Questions 1-7

LOST DAMAGED OR DELAYED INLAND MAIL CLAIM FORM

Before completing this claim form for lost, damaged or delayed mail you should visit www.royalmail.com to find out all you need to know about our policies. Alternatively you can get the details from our ” Mail Made easy ” booklet, available at any local post office branch. When you fill in the form, make sure you complete it in full, using the checklist that we have provided to help you. If you find that you do not have the evidence required to make a claim but world like us to investigate an issue with your mail service, the easiest way to do this is by visiting our website.

LOST ITEMS
If you wish to claim compensation for items that have been damaged, you should send us original proof of posting, e.g. a Post office receipt. If claiming for the contents of a package, you also need to provide proof of value, e.g. till item reference number, receipt, bank statement etc.

DAMAGED ITEMS
When claiming compensation for lost items that have been damaged, you should send us the items themselves, if possible. However, if these are very large or unsafe to post, you may instead provide photographs as evidence of the damage. Please retain the original packaging (and damaged items, if not sent to us) as we may need to inspect them.

TIME RESTRICTIONS
We allow up to 15 working days for items to arrive, so cannot accept a claim for loss unless 15 working days or more have passed since the items was posted. Claims for lost or damaged items must be made within 12 months of the postal date. Claims for delayed item must be submitted within 3 months of the date they were posted if the claim is made by the sender, or within 1 month of receipt if the claim is made by the recipient of the item.

Questions 1-7

Complete the notes below.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND /OR A NUMBER from the text for each answer.

Write your answer in boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet

Claiming compensation from the Royal Mail for lost, damaged or delayed mail

Before filling the form
. go online to learn about their policies or get the (1) ……………………………… that contains the relevant information.
When filling in the form
. refer to the (2) ………………….. to ensure all the relevant sections are completed
(you can use their (3) …………………………. to request action if you don’t have enough proof to make a claim)
when claiming compensation for a lost item
. include proof that you have posted the item
. in the case of a package include something ( e.g. bank statement ) to prove its (4)……………………..
When claiming for the cost of a damaged item, include
. either the actual item or (5)………………………. showing the damage to the item ( you should keep the (6)……………. that was used when the item was originally sent:)
When to claim
. Lost or damaged items: within 12 months of posting the claim

Delayed items: if you are the (7)………………… , you must claim within three months of posting the package

Read the text below and answer Questions 8-14

DAYS OUT FOR THE FAMILY

A. Carrickfergus castle
Considered to be Northern Ireland’s oldest castle, Carrickfergus has seen more than 800 years of military occupation since its foundations were laid, During summer, traditional feasts are served, and fairs and craft markets provide an extra attraction. The history of the castle is explained and brought to life with exhibits and guided tours.

B. Glamis Castle
Shakespeare used Glamis as the background when he wrote one of his best-known plays, Macbeth and the Queen Mother Grew up here. It is also rumoured to have a secret chamber in the castle. There are many ghost tales associated with this castle, which will capture the imagination of younger visitors.

C Tintagel Castle
High up on the cliff tops, Tintagel Castle is the legendary home of king Arthur. The visitors guide on sale at the reception is well worth of the money, as it can help you to visualise what it would have been like hundreds of years ago. you can park in the village car park and walk the half mile to the castle , or take the shuttle bus.

D Pickering Castle
Built by William the conqueror, this is a great castle for children to run around in. There are lots of special events too, including a chance to come along and see some plays which are put on during the summer months. Nearby Helmsley Castle is also worth a visit.

E Stokesay Castle
A range of workshops, including music and combat are held here during the summer, children of all ages will enjoy learning at these and there is a guided tour which has been especially designed with younger visitors in mind, some of them may find the dungeon quit scary though.

F Warwick Castle
This castle is over 1,000 years old and has towers and a moat, and is just as you might imagine a castle to be. children can even get to try on armour to see how heavy it is, At Christmas, a special market id held here – a great opportunity to look for presents and Christmas treats

Questions 8-14

Look at the description of six castles A-F.

For which castle are the following statements true?

Write the correct letter A-F , in boxes 8-14 on your answer sheet.

NB you may use any letter more than once

8. At certain times of the year you can eat special meals here.
9. Children can get dressed up here
10. There is another castle in the same area.
11. A lot of stories are told about this place.
12. Parts of the castle may be frightening for some children.
13. Play are performed here during part of the year.
14. A guided tour is offered which is particularly suitable for children.

SECTION 2 

Read the text below and answer Questions 15-20.

North Sydney Council

North Sydney Council recognises the importance of balancing the demands of your work with the demands of your personal life.

The standard working Week for Full—time council employees is 35 hours For ‘Indoor Staff’ and 38 hours for ‘Outdoor Staff’, worked over 5 days. Indoor staff are able to access the benefit of flexi time. A number of these occasionally work from home where appropriate – an example of an initiative that can provide flexibility at certain stages of an employee’s career.

Staff are entitled to 3 weeks per annum sick or carer’s leave. In addition to the normal parental leave/maternity leave provisions, women who have completed 12 months of continuous service can access a total of 9 Weeks’ maternity leave that can be taken either as 9 weeks at full pay or as 18 weeks at half pay.

The annual entitlement to paid holidays is 20 days, pro-rata for part-time. After 5 years of continuous service, employees are entitled to 6.5 weeks Long Service Leave (LSL).

Our Financial Advice Program is conducted in partnership with FuturePlus Financial Services. We provide the services of advisors specialising in pensions, and all our employees are given the opportunity to meet them as part of the induction process.

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a counselling service provided at no charge to all employees and their families. The service is available by phone or face to face. The EAP provides registered psychologists for employees wishing to discuss work or non-work matters confidentially. Employees can also access information, such as articles and self assessments, online via eapdirect.

Questions 15-20

Answer the questions below.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the text for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 15-20 on your answer sheet.

15. Which employees may choose not to work regular hours?
16. How much time off each year is an employee able to take to look after a relative?
17. What kind of leave involves a choice between two alternative periods of time?
18. How long must employees have worked without a break before being entitled to additional holidays?
19. What does the Financial Advice Program advise staff about?
20. What kind of professional people can employees see if they want to talk about their job in private?

Read the text below and answer Questions 21-27.

Registering As An Apprentice

If you are keen to acquire new skills and learn best through ‘hands-on’ experiences, then registered apprenticeship is a good option for you. These programmes always involve work experience as well as classroom instruction and produce Workers skilled in the occupation. There is a written contract to be signed by the apprentice and the employer, which acknowledges their joint commitment to the training process. This contract is approved and registered by the New York State Department of Labor.

How Do I Qualify?
First of all you must meet the employer’s minimum qualifications. This could be a high school diploma or the equivalent. However, some employers will ask for specific high school courses, prior experience, or occupationally related courses.

What Is My Training Like?
Training for each apprenticeable occupation is conducted according to a training outline that has been standardized for the occupation. This assures that apprentices across the state have the same sets of basic competencies and skills. At the successful completion of each registered apprenticeship, the Department of Labor awards the apprentice a ‘Certificate of Completion’, which is a nationally recognized credential.

The length of time it takes you to learn the skills of the occupation depends upon two things: the standard training outline and your aptitude. Each trade has a definite term of training, listed in years As a registered apprentice, you may progress according to that established training term, or you may become skilled more quickly or more slowly. It may even be that you start your apprenticeship with credit toward the goal. Your employer may choose to award you this for previous working experience in the occupation, or for prior coursework related to the occupation.

As an apprentice, you are part of the employer’s workforce. You work full-time for the employer. A registered apprentice works under the guidance of more experienced craft workers called journey workers. From them, you learn the skills of die trade. As you master each skill, you become a more productive employee.

At the same time as you are working, you are also required to attend classes (usually in the evenings). The location and times of these are set up by the local education agent in consultation with the employer. Your progress is tracked by you, your employer and your education provider.

Successful completion of all requirements results in your certificate.

Questions 21-27

Complete the sentences below

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 21-27 on your answer sheet.

21. You and your employer will need to sign a …………………………………….before training starts.
22. Employers may have different minimum requirements regarding applicants’……………………………and experience.
23. Each industry has its own standardised …………………………………………. of training.
24. You may be given credit for work experience or if you have done relevant……………………………………….
25. You will be considered as a member of the ……………………………………… during the apprenticeship.
26. While at work, apprentices are supervised by what are known as…………………………………………
27. Employers are consulted when deciding the……………………………….. and schedule for lessons.

SECTION 3 

Read the text below and answer Questions 28-34.

Crossing the Humber estuary

A For thousands of years, the Humber — an estuary formed where two major rivers, the Trent and the Ouse, meet – has been an obstacle to communications along the east coast of England, between the counties of Yorkshire to the north and Lincolnshire to the south. Before the arrival of the railways in the 19th century, water transportation was the most efficient means of moving heavy or bulk freight, and the Humber, situated at the heart of the waterway system associated with the two major rivers, was one of the chief highways of England. its traffic brought prosperity to the settlements on its banks, particularly the city of Hull on its north bank, but the river itself tended to cut them off from some of their closest neighbours, as well as obstructing the progress of travellers moving north or south.

B To cater for these local and, as time progressed, wider needs, ferries were provided across many of the streams flowing into the Humber, and in 1315, a ferry was established across the Humber itself between Hull and Lincolnshire. By 1800, this ferry had become fully integrated into the overland transport system, but the changes associated with the industrial revolution were soon to threaten its position. Increased traffic encouraged speculators to establish rival ferries between Hull and Lincolnshire, notably a service between Hull and New Holland which opened in 1826. This crossing was considerably shorter than on the existing Hull to Barton service, which closed in 1851, unable to cope with the increased competition from the rival service.

The New Holland ferry service then grew into a major link between the north and south banks of the Humber, carrying passengers, and cattle and goods bound for Hull Market. In 1968, there was briefly a ferry service from Grimsby to Hull involving hovercrafts. This did not last long as the hovercrafts could not cope with the demands of the River Humber. The ferry service between Hull and New Holland ended with the opening of the Humber Bridge in 1981.

C The bridge was the outcome of over 100 years of campaigning by local interests for the construction of a bridge or tunnel across the estuary. The first major crossing proposal was a tunnel scheme in 1872. This scheme was promoted by Hull merchants and businesses dissatisfied with the serviice provided by the New Holland ferry crossing. Over the next 100 years, a variety of proposals were put forward in an effort to bridge the Humber. In 1928, a plan was drawn up by Hull City Council to build a multi-span bridge four miles west of Hull. However, the scheme was dropped after being hit by the financial woes of the Great Depression of the late 1920s and early 1930s.

D Government approval for the construction of a suspension bridge was finally granted in 1959, although it was not until 1973 that work finally began. The reasons why a suspension bridge was chosen were twofold. Firstly, the Humber has a shitting bed, and the navigable channel along which a craft can travel is always changing; a suspension bridge with no support piers in mid-stream would not obstruct the estuary. Secondly, because of the geology and topography of the area, the cost of constructing a tunnel would have been excessive.

E Work on the construction proceeded for eight years, during which time many thousands of tonnes of steel and concrete were used and upwards of one thousand workers and staff were employed at times of peak activity. The designers had been responsible for two other major suspension bridges in Britain but, with a total span of 2,220 m, or almost a mile and a half, the Humber was going to be the longest suspension bridge in the world. Nowadays designers have computers, but back then everything was done with slide rules and calculators. The towers were concrete rather than the usual steel, since concrete was cheaper and would blend in better with the setting. The bridge was designed to stand for 120 years.

F Malcolm Stockwell, the bridgemaster, recalls that when the bridge first opened, there wasn’t a great deal of interest in it. Then children started visiting, and he remembers their astonishment at seeing the control room and all the lights. People who lived in towns on opposite banks a mile apart started crossing the river — a journey that previously might as well have been to the moon. The bridge brought them together. .

G The bridge opened up, both socially and economically, two previously remote and insular areas of England, and the improvement in communication enabled the area to realise its potential in commercial, industrial and tourist development. The bridge has saved many millions of vehicle miles and many valuable hours of drivers’ and passengers’ time – an important factor not only for the drivers and operators of commercial vehicles, but also for tourists and holidaymakers who would have had to travel around the estuary to reach destinations in the region. ln the words of Malcolm Stockwell, ‘Although it can’t beat the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco for setting, it far outstrips it for sheer elegance and as a piece of engineering.’

Questions 28-34

The text on pages 46-47 has seven sections, A-G.

Choose the correct heading for each section from the list of headings below.

Write the correct number i-x, in boxes 28-34 on your answer sheet.

List of Headings

1. Why the ferry crossing has always been difficult
2. Building the bridge
3. An advantage of the design for the bridge
4. The growing popularity of the bridge
5. Opposition to building a bridge
6. Benefits and disadvantages the Humber has brought
7. Proposed alternatives to ferry services
8. How the bridge has contributed to the region’s growth
9. Rising demand for river transport

28. Section A
29. Section B
30. Section C
31. Section D
32. Section E
33. Section F
34. Section G

Questions 35-40

Complete the summary below.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 35-40 on your answer sheet.

Crossing the Humber

The first ferry across the Humber started operating in 1315, and by 1800, this service had been (35)…………………with other forms of transport. The mid-19th century saw greater (36)…………………………… in the provision of services. in 1968, an attempt to establish a service across the river using (37)……………………… failed.

The Humber Bridge is a suspension bridge because the channel that ships travel along moves, and (38)………………supporting a bridge would obstruct it. A bridge rather than a (39)………………….was chosen on the grounds of cost. This was also one reason why (40) ……………… was used for the towers.

Cambridge IELTS 12 General Reading Test 2 section 1 DAYS OUT FOR THE FAMILY answers

1. Booklet
2. Checklist
3. Website
4. Value
5. (provide) photograph(s)/ photos
6. (original) packaging
7. Sender

Cambridge IELTS 12 General Reading Test 2 section 1 LOST DAMAGED OR DELAYED INLAND MAIL CLAIM FORM answers

8. A
9. F
10. D
11. B
12. E
13. D
14. E

Cambridge IELTS 12 General Reading Test 2 section 2 North Sydney Council answers

15. Indoor (staff/employee)
16. 3 weeks
17. Maternity (leave)
18. 5 years
19. Pension(s)
20. (registered) psychologist
21. (written) contract

Cambridge IELTS 12 General Reading Test 2 section 2 Registering As An Apprentice answers

22. Qualifications/ courses
23. Outline/ term
24. (prior) coursework
25. (employer’s) workforce
26. Journey workers
27. Location

Cambridge IELTS 12 General Reading Test 2 section 3 Crossing the Humber estuary answers

28. Vi
29. Ix
30. Vii
31. Iii
32. Ii
33. Iv
34. Viii
35. Integrated
36. Competition
37. Hovercraft(s)
38. Piers
39. tunnel
40. concrete

SECTION 1 

Read the text below and answer Questions 1-7

Evening Courses

A Cooking for today
These are classes for those of you who can already make basic meal by keeping strictly to a simple recipe, but who would now like to use your imagination as well. We ‘ll learn how to make great family meals , discovering how to develop basic recipes into personal creations, with a few tricks and tips to help you become more confident.

B Entertaining the easy way
This course has plenty of ideas and tips for special occasions that you can enjoy preparing, love eating and be proud to provide. The recipes are adaptable to needs and lifestyle, building on your current skills and aimed at developing your own cooking style.

C Cooking for the family
Keen to make better food for your kids? This course is for parents who want to learn how to make fun food with the aim of showing their kids how to cook later at home. We’ll learn plenty of tasty tips for snacks and picnics, family favourites, and dishes with fresh fruit and vegetables so that you and your family can get really fit and well and enjoy your food.

D Jewellery making
This course aims enable students to create silver jewellery. You first project will be make a silver ring and then you will have an opportunity to create another piece of your design. This is an introductory course. Base metals are supplied free. Please wear suitable workshop clothing and bring a notebook and pen.

E Photography
This course will allow you to take full advantage of your digital camera. Covering portrait, landscape and still-life photography, the classes will include effective use of lenses and lighting. To really benefit from the course, learners should have time to read ahead between sessions.

F Creative writing
Come and learn how to have fun with stories and other kinds of creative writing We will try out some new ideas and techniques for improving style and waking up the imagination , Writers who have not taken the foundation class will also be able to join , Provided they already have some experience of the subject.

Questions 1-7

Look at the six advertisements for evening courses, A-F.

For which evening course are the following statements true?

Write the correct letter, A-F, in boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet.

NB You may use letter more than once.

1. After taking this course, participants will be able to teach their skill to others.
2. Participants will be expected to prepare at home for each class.
3. Certain materials will be included in the course fee.
4. This course aims to teach people to prepare meals for guests.
5. This course will help participants to make the best use of a certain item.
6. This course is for people who want to do more than follow instructions.
7. Following this course should improve participants health.

Read the text and answer Questions 8-14.

The Bike Foundry

The Bike Foundry aims to promote cycling, and to make an environmentally-friendly means of transport and leisure available to as many people as we can.

Our Bikes
All our bikes are hand-restored by our team and come with a three month’s guarantee. We stock bikes to suit different needs, at affordable prices. We gratefully accept donations of unwanted bikes.

Training
We offer maintenance and cycle training to schools and small groups on their own premises. Additionally we provide training to individuals and groups in our workshops.

Maintenance Training
Bike Basics
This is a three-hour course which will teach you everything you need to know to keep on top of simple maintenance issues like looking after brakes and gears and how to repair a puncture. By the end of the course you’ll know how to take good care of your bike.

Home Mechanics
This twelve-hour course consists of teaching you how to use specialist tools and how to fit compatible replacement parts. It’s aimed at those who have completed Bike Basics or have some prior knowledge.

Courses are run regularly for groups of up to four trainees. We use professional mechanics’ tools and employ experienced staff. Most importantly, we have tea- and coffee-making facilities and a fridge where participants can keep their sandwiches, etc. Unfortunately our training room is up a flight of stairs.

For £10 a year you can join our Tool Club. Membership gives you access to our workshop for one evening a week. If you want to repair your bike and know how to fix it, but lack specialist tools, then join our club. There’s a range of reference manuals available and a mechanic to offer advice.

Cycling Training
Our qualified instructors can teach you how to ride your bike, whether you have had prior experience or not. If you’re already riding and would like to build your confidence, we can teach you safe techniques to negotiate traffic.

Booking Information
To book a place, email training@bikefoundry.org
We ask for a 50% deposit to confirm your place, refundable up to seven days before the course.

Questions 8-14

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text?

In boxes 8-14 on your answer sheet, write:

TRUE                            if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE                          if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN               if there is no information on this

8. The Bike Foundry sells only second-hand bicycles.
9. All the training sessions are held at the Bike Foundry.
10. The Bike Basics course is aimed at new cyclists.
11. Snacks are provided for participants on the maintenance training courses.
12. Members of the Tool Club have access to cycle reference books.
13. Most of the participants on the Cycling Training courses are beginners.
14. People can cancel their place on a training course one week before it begins and still get their money back.

SECTION 2

Read the text below and answer Questions 15-21.

Benefits for staff of Hamberton Hospital

Our attractive benefits package is one of the ways we acknowledge the contribution they all make in the provision of high quality patient care. Our package is extensive and varied.

As a Hamberton employee you’ll enjoy both National Health Service (NHS) and locally developed schemes, providing you with a range of benefits. These include:

Financial Benefits
• opportunity to contribute to the NHS Pension Scheme – highly regarded by the independent pensions and insurance sector
• Injury Benefits Scheme
• excellent occupational sick pay and maternity leave and pay entitlements
• loans to assist with the purchase of housing for employees in the health service

Work-Life Balance
Here at Hamberton we are committed to helping all employees balance their work and home life commitments. We believe by helping people make this balance we are able to recruit, retain and motivate the most valuable asset of the NHS – our employees. We are committed to making this balance work for all employees equally, not just parents.

Over 50% of our staff work part-time in a range of flexible working options, which include:

• job sharing
• term-time-only working
• part-time working
• individually-tailored working patterns

We also support employees further through our caring and special leave arrangements.

Health
• our own occupational health department, providing a totally confidential service open to all staff during normal working hours
• a round-the-clock free and confidential counselling service
• policies supporting phased returns to work after long illnesses or injuries

Other Benefits
On-site facilities include:
• excellent food provided in our restaurant
• ample parking
• retail outlets

NHS Discounts

All NHS employees can access the NHS Discounts scheme. This allows members of staff free access to a number of discounted products and services. For example, discounts are available at many high street shops and elsewhere, including savings on toys, utility bills, days out, and much more.

Red Guava

This is a further discount benefit, which is available to employees of Hamberton. Red Guava provides discounts on holidays, for example, and can save you money in many other ways too.

Questions 15-21

Complete the sentences below.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 15-21 on your answer sheet.

15. The hospital provides benefits to show its recognition of the…………………………………………….. of staff to its work.
16. Financial benefits include pay for staff who are…………………………………or on maternity leave.
17. ……………………………….are available for staff who wish to buy a home.
18. Helping staff with their work-life balance is not restricted to……………………………….
19. The hospital has……………………………………that are designed to help staff return to work after a long absence.
20. The facilities on hospital premises include a large area for……………………………….
21. The cost of………………………………is reduced by using the Red Guava scheme.

Read the text on below page and answer Questions 22-27.

Performance-related pay

There are a number of reasons why your employer might introduce this type of pay scheme. They may:
• be keen to retain current staff
• want to compete for new talent
• be seeking a fairer way of distributing wages.

In order for performance-related schemes to work they should be based on clear, measurable targets agreed by both employer and employee. You will normally find out about these targets from your contract of employment and the performance appraisal meetings you have with your manager.

Short-term schemes
Short-term schemes usually offer bonus payments, or, depending on the type of work, commission on sales achieved. Payments vary and these schemes are normally used just to encourage staff to improve their own performance.

Long-term schemes
Long-term schemes offer rewards like share options, and can help to encourage loyalty to the organisation and its aims. Such schemes tend to be used as a way of retaining senior staff.

What to do if you have problems
If you don’t receive bonus or commission payments which you believe you are owed, check your contract of employment or staff handbook to see how your bonus is paid.
Ask your employer if you need more information.

If you think a mistake has been made, you should:
• speak to your employer to see if there has been a misunderstanding
• ask your employer to set out in writing how they have calculated your pay
• keep copies of any letters and notes of any meetings.

There are three ways that the law might cover a case of unpaid bonuses:
• breach of contract
• unlawful deductions from wages
• unlawful discrimination.

Deductions from wages / breach of contract
Any right to a bonus will normally be included in your contract of employment. It may not always be written down. It can be verbally agreed or understood to be there due to normal practice in your particular area of business.
Failure to pay a bonus or commission that you are entitled to could amount to an unlawful deduction of wages.

Discrimination
Your employer must not discriminate against particular groups of people – for example, by giving smaller bonuses to women. Ideally your employer should have some guidelines setting out the normal range of bonuses to give, and these must be followed without discriminating against any specific group.

Questions 22-27

Complete the notes below.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 22-27 on your answer sheet.

Performance-related pay

One of the reasons for introducing performance-related pay is in order to (22)……………………………………………existing employees
Employer and employee should agree on some (23)…………………………………that can be measured
Short-term schemes: bonus or the payment of a (24)…………………………….related to sales
Long-term reward schemes: generally offered to employees at a (25)………………………….level
Details of bonus payments: may be included in a contract or a handbook for staff

If you think there has been a mistake with your pay:
• discuss the issue with your employer
• keep records of any relevant (26)…………………………………
It is illegal for employers to discriminate against any specific group, e.g. by giving less money to (27)…………………………….

SECTION 3 – Questions 28-40

Read the text on below pages and answer Questions 28-40.

Marine Ecosystems

A For some time now, the world’s oceans and the people who fish them have been a constant source of bad environmental news: cod is effectively an endangered species of fish in some places now; every year thousands of dolphins are injured by fishing vessels, huge tuna farms are ruining the Mediterranean Sea.

What is more, marine biologists recently warned that our seafood is in terminal decline. According to research published in Science last November, stocks of all the fish and shellfish that we currently eat will collapse before 2050. Or at least that’s how the media reported it.

B However the scientist who led the study has said that the main conclusion of his research has been buried beneath the headlines. While the danger to our seafood supply is real enough, says Boris Worm, assistant professor of marine conservation biology at Dalhousie University, Canada, there is a more serious point: that the way in which we manage the oceans is not only threatening the survival of individual species, it’s upsetting the delicate balance of marine communities and thus causing the collapse of entire ecosystems. Research has shown that the number of ecosystems where all higher forms of life are extinct, so-called dead zones is increasing.

The point that many reports failed to highlight, says Worm, is that we have to revolutionise the way our marine resources are run, changing the focus from stocks and quotas to biodiversity and ecosystem protection. And to do that, we must change the way the debate about our marine resources is conducted in the public domain.

C Around 7,500 years ago, shrinking glaciers and the resulting higher water levels led to the development of what’s called the Wadden Sea, a 13,500-square-kilometre area of the North Sea. During the first 5,000 years or so, the sea pulsated with life. There was a high level of biodiversity on the seabed too, and the salt marshes and mud flats on the coast supported millions of birds. This continued until around 2,000 years ago, when human pressure began to affect it. Research has shown that some of the larger creatures disappeared more than 500 years ago. And by the late 19th century, populations of most of the other mammals and fish were severely reduced, leading to the collapse of several traditional fisheries.

D What’s interesting is that overfishing isn’t the main agent of the decline, as we might assume. It’s due to an ongoing combination of exploitation, habitat destruction and pollution. Coastal development, for example, destroys large areas of wetlands that support a range of species. Pollution fuels a process known as eutrophication, which kills certain seagrasses. Nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus contained in human and industrial waste promote the growth of tiny phytoplankton. This over-enrichment of the sea can ultimately lead to the collapse of the entire system through oxygen starvation.

Most marine ecosystems have an in-built capacity to deal with a certain amount of pollution because shellfish can absorb phytoplankton. But in many cases, these have been largely removed by fishing, so the effect of any nutrient-rich pollutants entering the system is increased. In a healthy system, coastal wetlands also act as filters, so their destruction causes even more pollution. These processes have been fairly well understood for a number of years.

E.What the Science paper has demonstrated, however, is that the decline in the health of ecosystems is greater where the number of different species is low. The population of marbled rock cod around the South Atlantic island of South Georgia, for example, still hasn’t recovered after the fishing industry caused its collapse during the 1970s. By contrast, North Sea cod has withstood very heavy fishing for hundreds of years, says Worm, and although it has declined substantially, it hasn’t yet collapsed completely. Worm believes that, ‘to have a greater number of species makes an ecosystem more robust’. His theory is backed up by evidence from experiments into how ecosystems react to change.

F And some positive news came from the study. Worm and his colleagues were able to show that it’s possible to reverse such damage as long as there are enough species. A survey of 44 protected areas revealed increases in biodiversity and fish catches close to the reserves. Worm says, ‘We should be focusing our attention on protecting all of our marine resources at the ecosystem level, and managing levels of fishing, pollution and habitat disturbance to ensure that crucial services that maintain the health of the ecosystem continue to function.’ To anyone who knows anything about ecology, it would appear that Worm is just stating the obvious. And many protected areas on land are now managed in this way.

G However, there has long been a tendency to view our oceans as a limitless resource, combined with a widespread failure to make an emotional connection with most marine wildlife. True, we have created a small number of marine protected areas. ‘We seem to have understood the value of protecting ecosystems in areas such as the Australian Great Barrier Reef that we consider to be particularly beautiful/ says John Shepherd, Professor of Marine Sciences at Southampton University in the UK. ‘Human nature will always draw us towards those species or habitats that are more aesthetically pleasing. That’s why there will always be support for protecting pandas and very little for worms, even though nematodes play a vital role in maintaining the health of an ecosystem.’

Questions 28-34

The text on below page has seven sections, A-G.

Choose the correct heading for each section from the list of headings below.

Write the correct number, i-viii, in boxes 28-34 on your answer sheet.

List of Headings

1. Plans for more marine protected areas
2. A historical overview of one specific area
3. Why more has not been done to save marine creatures
4. What the press has missed
5. Where biodiversity has been shown to help
6. Who is currently being blamed
7. A reason for some optimism
8. Various factors other than fishing

28. Section A
29. Section B
30. Section C
31. Section D
32. Section E
33. Section F
34. Section G

Questions 35-37

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

Write the correct letter in boxes 35-37 on your answer sheet.

35. Boris Worm’s main concern is that
    1. marine ecosystems will completely break down.
    2. insufficient attention is being paid to fish numbers.
    3. there will no longer be enough seafood for people to eat.
    4. politicians will be unwilling to discuss marine resources.
36. What point does John Shepherd make?
    1. Marine conservation areas are not high on the list of visitor attractions.
    2. People know very little about how different species actually live.
    3. The public are much less likely to help unattractive creatures.
    4. The marine environment was better understood in the past.
37. Which of the following best summarises the text as a whole?
    1. Scientists disagree about the state of the world’s oceans.
    2. A radical review of marine resource management is needed.
    3. The fishing industry is mainly responsible for today’s problems.
    4. The natural systems of our seas will not be able to repair themselves.

Questions 38-40

Complete the summary below.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 38-40 on your answer sheet.

The Wadden Sea

The Wadden Sea was created when the sea rose as a consequence of (38)…………….……slowly contracting. The waters were full of different species of marine creatures, and there were large numbers of (39)…………………living on the wetlands along the shore. This continued until species began to decline 2,000 years ago. Overfishing was partly responsible for the changing circumstances, and so was pollution. At the same time there has been an increase in some nutrients in the Wadden Sea which can also destroy marine creatures and vegetation by depriving them of (40)……………………which is essential for their survival.

Cambridge IELTS 12 General Reading Test 3 section 1 Evening Courses answers

1. C
2. E
3. D
4. B
5. E
6. A
7. C

Cambridge IELTS 12 General Reading Test 3 section 1 The Bike Foundry answers

8. TRUE
9. FALSE
10. NOT GIVEN
11. NOT GIVEN
12. TRUE
13. NOT GIVEN
14. TRUE

Cambridge IELTS 12 General Reading Test 3 section 2 Benefits for staff of Hamberton Hospital answers

15. Contribution
16. Sick
17. Loans
18. Parents
19. Policies/Schemes
20. Parking
21. Holidays

Cambridge IELTS 12 General Reading Test 3 section 2 Performance-related pay answers

22. Retain
23. Targets
24. Commission
25. Senior
26. Meetings/letters
27. Women

Cambridge IELTS 12 General Reading Test 3 section 3 Marine Ecosystems answers

28. vi
29. iv
30. ii
31. viii
32. v
33. vii
34. iii
35. A
36. C
37. B
38. Glaciers
39. Birds
40. Oxygen

SECTION 1 – Questions 1-14

Read the text below and answer Questions 1-6.

Sustainable School Travel Strategy

Over the last 20 years, the number of children being driven to school in England has doubled. National data suggests that one in five cars on the road at 8.50 am is engaged in the school run. Children are subject to up to 3.9 times more pollution in a car that is standing in traffic than when walking or cycling to school. Reducing cars around schools makes them safer places, and walking and cycling are better for health and the environment. It has been noted by teachers that children engaging in active travel arrive at school more alert and ready to learn.

The County Council has a strong commitment to supporting and promoting sustainable school travel. We collect data annually about how pupils get to school, and our report on the Sustainable School Travel Strategy sets out in detail what we have achieved so far and what we intend to do in the future. Different parts of the County Council are working together to address the actions identified in the strategy, and we are proud that we have been able to reduce the number of cars on the daily school run by an average of 1% in each of the last three years, which is equivalent to taking approximately 175 cars off the road annually, despite an increase in pupil numbers.

All schools have a School Travel Plan, which sets out how the school and the Council can collaborate to help reduce travel to school by car and encourage the use of public transport. Contact your school to find out what they are doing as part of their School Travel Plan to help you get your child to school in a sustainable, safe way.

Questions 1-6

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the previous passage?

In boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet, write:

• TRUE                    if the statement agrees with the information
• FALSE                  if the statement contradicts the information
• NOT GIVEN       if there is no information on this

1. More children are injured when walking or cycling to school than when travelling by car.
2. Children who are driven to school are more ready to learn than those who walk or cycle.
3. Every year the Council gathers information about travel to schools.
4. The Council is disappointed with the small reduction in the number of cars taking children to school.
5. The number of children in schools has risen in recent years.
6. Parents can get help with paying for their children to travel to school by public transport.

Read the text below and answer Question 7-14

Flu: the facts

A Flu (influenza) is an acute viral respiratory infection. It spreads easily from person to person: at home, at school, at work, at the supermarket or on the train.

B It gets passed on when someone who already has flu coughs or sneezes and is transmitted through the air by droplets, or it can be spread by hands infected by the virus.

C Symptoms can include fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, extreme fatigue, a dry cough, sore throat and stuffy nose. Most people will recover within a week but flu can cause severe illness or even death in people at high risk. It is estimated that 18,500-24,800 deaths in England and Wales are attributable to influenza infections annually.

D Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent infection. Although anyone can catch flu, certain people are at greater risk from the implications of flu, as their bodies may not be able to fight the virus. If you are over 65 years old, or suffer from asthma, diabetes, or certain other conditions, you are considered at greater risk from flu and the implications can be serious. If you fall into one of these ‘at-risk’ groups, are pregnant or a carer, you are eligible for a free flu vaccination.

E If you are not eligible for a free flu vaccination, you can still protect yourself and those around you from flu by getting a flu vaccination at a local pharmacy.

F About seven to ten days after vaccination, your body makes antibodies that help to protect you against any similar viruses that may infect you. This protection lasts about a year.

G A flu vaccination contains inactivated, killed virus strains so it can’t give you the flu. However, a flu vaccination can take up to two weeks to begin working, so it is possible to catch flu in this period.

H A flu vaccination is designed to protect you against the most common and potent strains of flu circulating so there is a small chance you could catch a strain of flu not contained in the flu vaccine.

I The influenza virus is constantly changing and vaccines are developed to protect against the predicted strains each year so it is important to get vaccinated against the latest strains.

Speak to your GP or nurse today to book your flu vaccination.

Questions 7-14

The previous text has nine sections, A-I.

Which sections contain the following information?

Write the correct letter, A-H, in boxes 7-14 on your answer sheet.

NB You may use any answer more than once.

7. examples of people who are likely to be particularly badly affected by flu
8. how to get a vaccination if you choose to pay for it
9. why new vaccines become available
10. how long a vaccine remains effective
11. reference to the possibility of catching a different type of flu from the ones in the vaccine
12. categories of people who do not have to pay for vaccination
13. information about what a vaccine consists of
14. signs that you might have flu

SECTION 2 – Questions 15-27

Read the text below and answer Questions 15-22.

Tips for giving an effective business presentation

Preparation
Get someone else to evaluate your performance and highlight your best skills. For example, go through your presentation in front of a colleague or relative. Think about who your audience is and what you want them to get out of the presentation. Think about content and style.

Go into the presentation room and try out any moves you may have to make, e.g. getting up from your chair and moving to the podium. Errors in the first 20 seconds can be very disorientating.

Familiarise yourself with the electronic equipment before the presentation and also have a backup plan in mind, should there be an unexpected problem like a power cut.

Dealing with presentation nervousness
A certain amount of nervousness is vital for a good presentation. The added adrenaline will keep your faculties sharp and give your presentation skills extra force. This can, however, result in tension in the upper chest. Concentrate on your breathing. Slow it right down and this will relax you. Strangely, having something to pick up and put down tends to help you do this.

It may seem an odd idea, but we seem to feel calmer when we engage in what’s referred to as a displacement activity, like clicking a pen or fiddling with jewellery. A limited amount of this will not be too obvious and can make you feel more secure at the start.

Interacting with your audience
Think of your presentation as a conversation with your audience. They may not actually say anything, but make them feel consulted, questioned, challenged, then they will stay awake and attentive.

Engage with your present audience, not the one you have prepared for. Keep looking for reactions to your ideas and respond to them. If your audience doesn’t appear to be following you, find another way to get your ideas across. If you don’t interact, you might as well send a video recording of your presentation instead!

Structuring effective presentations
Effective presentations arc full of examples. These help your listeners to see more clearly what you mean. It’s quicker and more colourful. Stick to the point using three or four main ideas. For any subsidiary information that you cannot present in 20 minutes, try another medium, such as handouts.

End as if your presentation has gone well. Do this even if you feel you’ve presented badly. And anyway a good finish will get you some applause — and you deserve it!

Questions 15-22

Complete the sentences below.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 15-22 on your answer sheet.

15. Practising your presentation on a………… or a family member is helpful.
16. Be prepared for a problem such as a…………..
17. One way to overcome pre-presentation nerves is to make your……. less rapid.
18. It is acceptable to do something called a ……….at the start of the presentation to reassure you.
19. Your presentation should be like a………….. with the people who have come to hear you.
20. Check constantly for…………….to the points you are making.
21. Make sure you use plenty of……………….. to communicate your message effectively.
22. To keep the presentation short, use things like…………………. to provide extra details.

Read the text below and answer Questions 23-27.

How to get a job in journalism

You can get a good qualification in journalism, but what employers actually want is practical, rather than theoretical, knowledge. There’s no substitute for creating real stories that have to be handed in by strict deadlines. So write for your school magazine, then maybe try your hand at editing. Once you’ve done that for a while, start requesting internships in newspapers in the area. These are generally short-term and unpaid, but they’re definitely worthwhile, since, instead of providing you with money, they’ll teach you the skills that every twenty-first century journalist has to have, like laying out articles, creating web pages, taking good digital pictures and so on.

Most reporters keep a copy of every story they’ve had published, from secondary school onwards. They’re called cuttings, and you need them to get a job — indeed a few impressive ones can be the deciding factor in whether you’re appointed or not. So start creating a portfolio now that will show off your developing talent.

It seems obvious — research is an important part of an effective job hunt. But it’s surprising how many would-be journalists do little or none. If you’re thorough, it can help you decide whether the job you’re thinking about applying for is right for you. And nothing impresses an editor more than an applicant who knows a lot about the paper.
There are two more elements to an application —your covering letter and curriculum vitae. However, your CV is the thing that will attract an editor’s attention first, so get it right. The key words arc brevity, (no more than one page) accuracy (absolutely no spelling or typing errors) and clarity (it should be easy to follow).

In journalism, good writing skills are essential, so Ws critical that the style of your letter is appropriate. And, make sure it conveys your love of journalism and your eagerness to do the work.

Questions 23-27

Complete the flow chart below.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 23-27 on your answer sheet.

Getting a job in journalism
– Gain relevant experience e.g. writing article to meet specific deadlines
– Apply for temporary (23)…………….…. with local papers and acquire extra (24)……………. you will need
– Build up a set of (25)……………….. in a portfolio displaying how your writing ability has progressed over time
– Take time to do detailed (26)…………..… first before applying for a post with a paper
– Once you decide to apply make sure your CV is short, makes sense and is without (27)………….….. of any kind
– Write your covering letter paying particular attention to style

SECTION 3 – Questions 28-40

What is it like to run a large supermarket?
Jill Insley finds out

A You can’t beat really good service. I’ve been shopping in the Thamesmead branch of supermarket chain Morrisons, in south-east London, and I’ve experienced at first hand, the store’s latest maxim for improving the shopping experience — help, offer, thank. This involves identifying customers who might need help, greeting them, asking what they need, providing it, thanking them and leaving them in peace. If they don’t look like they want help, they’ll be left alone. But if they’re standing looking lost and perplexed, a member of staff will approach them. Staff are expected to be friendly to everyone. My checkout assistant has certainly said something to amuse the woman in front of me, she’s smiling as she leaves. Adrian Perriss, manager of the branch, has discussed the approach with each of his 387 staff. He says it’s about recognising that someone needs help, not being a nuisance to them. When he’s in another store, he’s irritated by someone saying, ‘Can I help you?’ when he’s only just walked in to have a quick look at the products.

B How anyone can be friendly and enthusiastic when they start work at dawn beats me. The store opens at 7 am, Monday to Saturday, meaning that some staff, including Perriss, have to be here at 6 am to make sure it’s clean, safe and stocked up for the morning rush. Sometimes he walks in at 6 am and thinks they’re never going to be ready on time — but they always are. There’s so much going on overnight — 20 people working on unloading three enormous trailers full of groceries.

C Perriss has worked in supermarkets since 1982, when he became a trolley boy on a weekly salary of £76. ‘It was less money than my previous job, but I loved it. It was different and diverse. I was doing trolleys, portering, bread, cakes, dairy and general maintenance.’ After a period in the produce department, looking after the fruit and vegetables, he was made produce manager, then assistant store manager, before reaching the top job in 1998. This involved intensive training and assessment through the company’s future store manager programme, learning how to analyse and prioritise sales. wastage, recruitment and many other issues. Perriss’ first stop as store manager was at a store which was closed soon afterwards — though he was not to blame.

D Despite the disappointing start, his career went from strength to strength and he was put in charge of launching new stores and heading up a ‘concept’ store, where the then new ideas of preparing and cooking pizzas in store, and having a proper florist, and fruit and vegetable ‘markets’ were Mailed. All Morrisons’ managers from the whole country spent three days there to see the new concept. ‘That was hard work,’ he says, ‘long days, seven days a week, for about a year.’

E Although he oversees a store with a large turnover, there is a strongly practical aspect to Perriss’s job. As we walk around, he chats to all the staff while checking the layout of their counters and the quality of the produce. He examines the baking potato shelf and rejects three, one that has split virtually in half and two that are beginning to go green. He then pulls out a lemon that looks fine to me. When I ask why, he picks up a second lemon and says: ‘Close your eyes and just feel and tell me which you would keep.’ I do and realise that while one is firm and hard, the other is going a bit squashy.

F Despite eagle-eyed Perriss pulling out fruit and veg that most of us would buy without a second thought, the wastage each week is tiny: produce worth £4,200 is marked down for a quick sale, and only £400-worth is scrapped. This, he explains, is down to Morrisons’ method of ordering, still done manually rather than by computer. Department heads know exactly how much they’ve sold that day and how much they’re likely to sell the next, based on sales records and allowing for influences such as the weather.

G Perriss is in charge of 1,000 man-hours a week across the store. To help him, he has a key team of four, who each have direct responsibility for different departments. He is keen to hear what staff think. He recently held a ‘talent’ day, inviting employees interested in moving to a new job within the store to come and talk to him about why they thought they should be promoted, and discuss how to go about it. ‘We had twenty-three people come through the door, people wanting to talk about progression,’ he says. ‘What do they need to do to become a supervisor? Twenty-three people will be better members of staff as a result of that talk.’

H His favourite department is fish, which has a 4 m-long counter run by Debbie and Angela, who are busy having a discussion about how to cook a particular fish with a customer. But it is one of just 20 or so departments around the store and Perriss admits the pressure of making sure he knows what’s happening on them all can be intense. ‘You have to do so much and there could be something wrong with every single one, every day,’ he says. ‘You’ve got to minimise those things and shrink them into perspective. You’ve got to love the job.’ And Perriss certainly does.

Questions 28-35

The text on pages 50 and 51 has eight sections. A-H.

Choose the correct heading for each section from the list of headings below.

Write the correct number i-x, in boxes 28-35 on your answer sheet.

List of Headings

1. Why Perriss chose a career in supermarkets
2. Preparing for customers to arrive
3. Helping staff to develop
4. Demonstrating a different way of organising a store
5. The benefit of accurate forecasting
6. Keeping everything running as smoothly as possible
7. Making sure the items on sale are good enough
8. Noticing when customers need assistance
9. How do staff feel about Perriss?
10. Perriss’s early career

28. Section A
29. Section B
30. Section C
31. Section D
32. Section E
33. Section F
34. Section G
35. Section H

Questions 36-40

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the previous passage?

In boxes 36-40 on your answer sheet, write

• TRUE                      if the statement agrees with the information
• FALSE                    if the statement contradicts the information
• NOT GIVEN         if there is no information on this

36. Perriss encourages staff to offer help to all customers.
37. Perriss is sometimes worried that customers will arrive before the store is ready for them.
38. When Perriss first became a store manager, he knew the store was going to close.
39. On average, produce worth £4,200 is thrown away every week.
40. Perriss was surprised how many staff asked about promotion on the ‘talent’ day.

Cambridge IELTS 11 General Reading Test 2 section 1 Sustainable School Travel Strategy answers

1. NOT GIVEN
2. FALSE
3. TRUE
4. FALSE
5. TRUE
6. NOT GIVEN

Cambridge IELTS 11 General Reading Test 2 section 1 Flu: the facts answers

7. D
8. E
9. I
10. F
11. H
12. D
13. G
14. C

Cambridge IELTS 11 General Reading Test 2 section 2 Tips for giving an effective business presentation answers

15. colleague
16. power cut
17. breathing
18. displacement activity
19. conversation
20. reactions
21. examples
22. handouts

Cambridge IELTS 11 General Reading Test 2 section 2 How to get a job in journalism answers

23. internships
24. skills
25. cuttings
26. research
27. errors

Cambridge IELTS 11 General Reading Test 2 section 3 What is it like to run a large supermarket? answers

28. viii
29. ii
30. x
31. iv
32. vii
33. v
34. iii
35. vi
36. FALSE
37. TRUE
38. NOT GIVEN
39. FALSE
40. NOT GIVEN

SECTION 1 – Questions 1-14

Read the text below and answer Questions 1-7.

Visitor attractions in southern England

A Blackthorn Castle
This famous, historically accurate, reconstructed castle and village enables visitors to travel back in time. Explore the grounds and experience the atmosphere of an ancient lifestyle. In the fields you can see the type of sheep that the original inhabitants of the castle probably kept. Homemade snacks are on sale.

B Withney Wetland Centre
Visitors will enjoy a visit to Withney whatever the season. In winter, for example, they can watch from the centrally heated observatory as thousands of swans feed on the water. Trained wardens give informative talks or lead guided walks round the site. The visitors’ centre may also be hired for private or corporate events.

C Headley Hall
Headley Hall is a large seventeenth-century country house, preserved as it was when it was built. Take time to admire the various works of art displayed, and visit the huge kitchen complete with period equipment – demonstrations are given at weekends. In the park there is space for the younger visitors to run around, and picnic tables are available.

D Lewis House
Lewis House is the birthplace of Frank Lewis, a renowned painter of the eighteenth century. More of his works are on display here than anywhere else in the world. Visitors can see Lewis’s studio and some of the articles he used on a daily basis.

E Canford Wildlife Centre
At Canford we have a new walk-through exhibit called Island Magic. Here visitors can observe many species from the tropical island of Madagascar and read about some of the urgent conservation projects that are taking place there to save endangered species from extinction

F Oakwell Museum
This is an ideal venue for families. They can visit the childhood gallery with its large playroom, and listen to stories told by actors dressed in the costumes of a hundred years ago. They can also enjoy the popular games and wooden animals of that period

Questions 1-7

Look at the six visitor attractions in southern England, A-F, in the above passage.

For which visitor attraction am the following statements true?

Write the correct letter, A-F, in boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet.

NB You may use any letter more than once.

1. Visitors can look at animals from another part of the world.
2. People can hold a business conference in this place.
3. Visitors can find out what toys were used in the last century.
4. Activities are available all year round here.
5. You can buy light meals here.
6. Visitors can see how food was prepared in the past.
7. You can visit modem imitations of old buildings here.

Read the text below and answer Questions 8-14.

Paragliding in Australia

What is paragliding?
Paragliding is a kind of flying, but instead of the wing being made of metal, wood or plastic, it is made of nylon or polyester. The wing (known as a canopy) is attached to a harness by lines, not dissimilar to a parachute. The harness is where the pilots sit —and they report that it outperforms a parachute in terms of comfort.

Is it safe?
Like sailing and deep-sea diving, paragliding is as safe as the person doing it. The big advantage is that it’s probably the slowest form of aviation, so if you do crash you’ll hit the ground quite gently!

Where do I learn?
There are lots of schools, mainly based inland by appropriate hills or mountains, and there are also schools on the coast near spectacular cliffs. These are very attractive, though the prospect of landing in the sea seems to dissuade beginners! All schools will show you within a couple of days how to inflate the canopy, launch and land. They use radio instruction, tandem flying practice and schoolroom theory sessions to help you get the most from paragliding. It takes about seven days to get your basic license; then you’re free to fly independently at sites across Australia.

What do I need?
Pilots normally wear warm clothes, in case they get very high up, and a helmet in case they stumble on landing. In terms of gear, schools supply basic training, canopies, harnesses, etc. However, you’ll probably want to buy your own more sophisticated equipment, which you’ll be able to choose much better once you’ve tried some out on your course.

Who can do it?
There’s no upper age limit provided your instructor deems you capable, but the youngest anybody can paraglide is 14. Anybody with good eyesight and good balance is a potential paraglider pilot. It’s a very relaxed sport as you’re mostly sitting down. You’ll probably experience pain in some muscles you didn’t know you had whilst learning, but many of those will be due to the walk up the training hill to launch. Flying a paraglider is a great sport. We hope to see you in the air with us this season!

Questions 8-14

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the previous text?

In boxes 8-14 on your answer sheet, write

• TRUE                         if the statement agrees with the information
• FALSE                       if the statement contradicts the information
• NOT GIVEN            if there is no information on this

8. A paraglider is more comfortable than a parachute.
9. Most paragliding schools are situated by the sea.
10. Learners must pass a theory test in order to get their license.
11. Learners are able to paraglide unaccompanied after a week’s course.
12. It is advisable to purchase some equipment before you do your training.
13. Fit people of any age can take up paragliding.
14. The preliminary uphill walk may strain some of your muscle.

SECTION 2 

Read the text below and answer Questions 15-21.

How to prepare for an interview

Why prepare?
There are three main reasons.
One: Although you can’t guess every question you might be asked, if you are prepared you can tailor your answers to fit.
Two: If you’re well prepared, you will have more confidence and this will affect the way you come across.
Three: Attitude matters. Prospective employers will choose a not-quite-perfect but willing candidate over a brilliant one who obviously isn’t bothered.

What to prepare?
Find out about the organisation
• Visit the website and read any materials that you have been sent. If nothing has been sent. phone the company to ask for any reading matter they may have.
• Talk to anyone you know who works there already.

Find out about the job
• Ask for a job description or specification. This will tell you the duties that go with the job.
• Talk to anyone you know who is familiar with the work you may be doing.

Find out what the employer is looking for
• Make a list of the skills specified in the job advertisement.
• Think of examples to back up claims that you have these skills.
You can then answer most of the questions that will come up, such as ‘Tell me more about how you work in a team’.
Add in a few ‘lessons learned’ — what you did and how you might have done it better. You can also outline any voluntary work you have done for a charity, or any experience of paid work in an unrelated sector.

Preparing for other kinds of questions
Interviewers are also looking for someone who is likely to stay with the organisation and progress within it. Prepare to answer questions about your ambitions for the future.
You may also be asked to account for gaps in your career history, if you have any. Be positive and accentuate the learning or experience you gained during these periods.
Preparing your own questions
• Do ask technical questions about software, systems and structures and how things are done.
• Do ask about possibilities for training.
• Don’t ask about salary unless you have been offered the job.
When you’ve prepared as much as this, you’ve got a good chance of success.
Good luck!

Questions 15-21

Complete the sentences below.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 15-21 on your answer sheet.

15. By preparing for your interview, you will gain……….which will help you present yourself well.
16. Read through any documents you have received about the company and also go to their…………
17. Check the job description to find out what………..are involved in the post you have applied for.
18. Interviewers may be interested to hear about any unpaid help you have given to a………………..
19. Be ready to talk about your……………. for the development of your career.
20. Explain any………… that there are in your work record and clarify how you used the time to improve your skills.
21. Questions about………… should be delayed until a later stage.

Read the text below and answer Questions 22-27.

Setting up your own business

Here are some ideas about how you should start:

Know your market
So you know what you want to sell — the most important thing is that it should be something that people want to buy. Start by thinking about who your target customers are. Arc they people who live locally? Are they a particular group of people?

Now look at your competitors. What is different about what you will be doing and how will you persuade people to come to you instead of going to someone who is already established?

How will you reach the customers?
Will you promote your product by phoning people, or visiting local traders, or advertising in magazines or online? Will your delivery system be direct or through shops?

How will your business work?
Now think about what your business needs to succeed. Do you need to look for premises or can you work from home? Do you need to invest in manufacturing equipment to start with?
Is the business something that you can do on your own, or if you get more work will you be looking to recruit staff? If so, what skills would they need?
Whether you’re a sole operator or are looking to recruit a team, effective management is essential.
The law regulates how companies are run and you need to set aside the time to ace that this is done properly, in relation to issues like accounting, insurance and tax.

The money!
As you are working out the prices for your products, you need to make sure you build in all your costs. Remember you will probably need help from an accountant at least once a year, so build that in too, and do a forecast of how much money you think will flow in and out of the business. Look at what you expect to happen over the next three years — and work out what you need to do to break even, as well as the turnover that you hope to achieve to give you a profit. If you think you will need to find some funding to help get the business off the ground, how much will you need and who will you approach to get it?

Your business plan
Now write it all up and call it a business plan

Questions 22-27

Complete the sentences below.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 22-27 on your answer sheet.

Step 1:
Decide who you are going to sell to and compare yourself with the (22)………… you are going to have.
Step 2:
Consider how you will market your product and your method of (23)…………
Step 3:
Decide if you will have to find (24) ………………… to work in, or buy equipment.
Step 4:
Think whether you will need to take on staff as your business grows.
Step 5:
Make sure you deal with the accounts and other essentials in accordance with the (25)………………….
Step 6:
Calculate all the (26)……………… involved in your business when deciding how much to charge.
Step 7:
Calculate the turnover you are aiming for in order to make a profit in the first three years.
Step 8:
Consider if you require any (27)……………….. to start your business, and where to find it.

SECTION 3 – Questions 28-40

Understanding hares

With its wild stare, swift speed and secretive nature, the UK’s brown hare is the rabbit’s mysterious cousin. Even in these days of agricultural intensification, the hare is still to be seen in open countryside, but its numbers are falling.

A Like many herbivores, brown hares spend a relatively large amount of their time feeding. They prefer to do this in the dark, but when nights are short, their activities do spill into daylight hours. Wherever they live, hares appear to have a fondness for fields with a variety of vegetation, for example short as well as longer clumps of grasses. Studies have demonstrated that they benefit from uncultivated land and other unploughed areas on farms, such as field margins. Therefore, if farmers provided patches of woodland in areas of pasture as well as assorted crops in arable areas, there would be year-round shelter and food, and this could be the key to turning round the current decline in hare populations.

B Brown hares have a number of physical adaptations that enable them to survive in open countryside. They have exceptionally large ears that move independently, so that a range of sounds can be pinpointed accurately. Positioned high up on their heads, the hares’ large golden eyes give them 360° vision, making it hard to take a hare by surprise. Compared to mammals of a similar size, hares have a greatly enlarged heart and a higher volume of blood in their bodies, and this allows for superior speed and stamina. In addition, their legs are longer than those of a rabbit, enabling hares to run more like a dog and reach speeds of up to 70 kph.

C Brown hares have unusual lifestyles for their large size, breeding from a young age and producing many leverets (babies). There are about three litters of up to four leverets every year. Both males and females are able to breed at about seven months old, but they have to be quick because they seldom live for more than two years. The breeding season runs from January to October, and by late February most females are pregnant or giving birth to their first litter of the year. So it seems strange, therefore, that it is in March, when the breeding season is already underway, that hares seemingly go mad: boxing, dancing, running and fighting. This has given rise to the age-old reference to ‘mad March hares’. In fact, boxing occurs throughout the breeding season, but people tend to see this behaviour more often in March. This is because in the succeeding months, dusk – the time when hares are most active – is later, when fewer people are about. Crops and vegetation are also taller, hiding the hares from view. Though it is often thought that they are males fighting over females, boxing hares are usually females fighting off males. Hares are mostly solitary, but a female fights off a series of males until she is ready to mate. This occurs several times through the breeding season because, as soon as the female has given birth, she will be ready to mate again.

D But how can females manage to do this while simultaneously feeding themselves and rearing their young? The reason is that hares have evolved such self-sufficient young. Unlike baby rabbits, leverets are born furry and mobile. They weigh about 100 g at birth and are immediately left to their own devices by their mothers. A few days later, the members of the litter creep away to create their own individual resting places, known as ‘forms’. Incredibly, their mother visits them only once every 24 hours and, even then, she only suckles them for a maximum of five minutes each. This lack of family contact may seem harsh to us, but it is a strategy that draws less attention from predators. At the tender age of two weeks, leverets start to feed themselves, while still drinking their mother’s milk. They grow swiftly and are fully weaned at four weeks, reaching adult weight at about six months.

E Research has shown that hares’ milk is extremely rich and fatty, so a little goes a long way. In order to produce such nutritious milk, females need a high-quality, high-calorie diet. Hares are selective feeders at the best of times: unlike many herbivores, they can’t sit around waiting to digest low-quality food — they need high-energy herbs and other leaves in order to sprint. This causes them problems when faced with the smallest alterations in food availability and abundance. So, as well as reductions in the diversity of farmland habitat, the decline in the range of food plants is injurious to hares.

F The rapid turnaround in the breeding cycle suggests that hares should, in principle, be able to increase their populations quickly to exploit new habitats. They certainly used to: studies show that hares evolved on the open plains and spread rapidly westward from the Black Sea after the last ice age (though they were probably introduced to Britain as a species to be hunted for the pot by the Romans). But today’s hares are thwarted by the lack of rich farmland habitat. When the delicate herbs and other plants they rely on are ploughed up or poisoned by herbicides, these wonderful, agile runners disappear too, taking with them some of the wildness from our lives.

Questions 28-33

The previous text has six sections, A-F.

Choose the correct heading for each section from the list of headings below.

Write the correct number, i-ix, in boxes 28-33 on your answer sheet.

List of Headings

1. The need for population reduction
2. The problem with being a fussy eater
3. Reproductive patterns
4. The need for further research
5. A possible solution to falling numbers
6. The fastest runners
7. A rather lonely beginning
8. A comparison between past and present survival rates
9. Useful physical features

28. Paragraph A
29. Paragraph B
30. Paragraph C
31. Paragraph D
32. Paragraph E
33. Paragraph F

Questions 34-36

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

Write the correct letter in boxes 34-36 on your answer sheet.

34. According to the writer, what is the ideal habitat for hares?
    1. open grassland which they can run across
    2. densely wooded areas to breed in
    3. areas which include a range of vegetation
    4. land that has been farmed intensively for years
35. When leverets are living alone they are not visited often by their mother because
    1. this helps to protect them from being eaten by other animals.
    2. the ‘forms’ are so far apart.
    3. they are very energetic from a surprisingly early age.
    4. they know how to find their own food from birth.
36. What does the writer suggest about the adult hares’ diet?
    1. They need some plants with a high fat content.
    2. They need time to digest the plants that they eat.
    3. It is difficult for them to adapt to changes in vegetation.
    4. It is vital for them to have a supply of one particular herb.

Questions 37-40

Complete the summary below.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 37-40 on your answer sheet.

Brown hares

The brown hare is well known for its ability to run fast, at speeds of up to 70 kph, largely due to the length of its legs as well as the unusual size of its heart. An increased amount of blood also gives it the necessary (37)………………… to continue running fast for some time. A running hare resembles the (38)………………… more closely than its relative, the rabbit.
The hare has some other characteristics that help it to avoid capture. The first is its excellent all-round (39)…………………… This means that predators cannot easily creep up behind it. Another feature is its ability to position its massive (40)…………… separately, to sense the slightest indication of danger.

Cambridge IELTS 11 General Reading Test 4 section 1 Visitor attractions in southern England answers

1. E
2. B
3. F
4. B
5. A
6. C
7. A

Cambridge IELTS 11 General Reading Test 4 section 1 Paragliding in Australia answers

8. TRUE
9. FALSE
10. NOT GIVEN
11. TRUE
12. FALSE
13. FALSE
14. TRUE

Cambridge IELTS 11 General Reading Test 4 section 2 How to prepare for an interview answers

15. confidence
16. websites
17. duties
18. charity
19. ambitions
20. gaps
21. salary

Cambridge IELTS 11 General Reading Test 4 section 2 Setting up your own business answers

22. competitors
23. delivery
24. premises
25. law
26. costs
27. funding

Cambridge IELTS 11 General Reading Test 4 section 3 Understanding hares answers

28. v
29. ix
30. iii
31. vii
32. ii
33. viii
34. C
35. A
36. C
37. stamina/energy
38. dog
39. vision
40. ears