Test 1

LISTEnIng SEcTIon 1
≤043
Questions 1–10
Questions 1–5

Complete the notes below.

Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

BORGHEIMER LANGUAGE COURSES

INFORMATION

Example Answer

Course level 03/Lower Intermediate

..................................................

Customer’s name 1 ............................................................

Maximum class size 2 ............................................................

Hours of study per day (weekdays) 3 ............................................................

Most expensive accommodation 4 ............................................................

First Berlin course begins 5 ............................................................

Questions 6 and 7 Questions 8–10

Choose TWO letters A–E. Complete the sentences below.

Which TWO things does he Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS 

need to buy for the course? AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

A computer 8 Without the student discount, the course

B computer disks costs .............................................. euros.

C dictionary 9 Payment can be made by credit card

D translation exercises or by .............................................. .

E textbooks 10 To get a free course, you need to find

.............................................. other people.

Pathway to IELTS 1
 LISTEnIng SEcTIon 2

≤044
Questions 11–20
Questions 11–15

Complete the sentences below.

Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

11 Ministers and officials put the ............................................. of the agriculture

business first.

12 Hormones make cattle ........................................, thus making meat production

more profitable.

13 The use of hormones was banned over ............................................. ago in Europe.

14 The USA and Canada asked the WTO to declare the ban ....................................... .

15 A Danish study shows that hormones are over ............................................. more

dangerous than previously thought.

Questions 16–20

Complete the summary below.

Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

LAcK oF TESTIng
The government has not been testing beef which is (16) .......................................,

much to the anger of Mr Verrall. About (17) ............................................ of the

beef which British people eat comes from abroad, some of it from Brazil, a country

which, on paper, does not allow the use of (18) .............................................. .

However, when some EU inspectors visited a Brazilian farm, they found a

(19) ........................................................... of the banned substance. This is not

the first food scandal we have had in this country. Several months ago, a well-

known chocolate company found out its sweets were contaminated with

(20) ....................................... of salmonella.

2 Pathway to IELTS
LISTEnIng SEcTIon 3

≤045
Questions 21–30
Questions 21–25

Complete the summary below.

Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

hIgh AchIEvErS
Although it is thought that people who bring homework home every night would be

top achievers, they tend to peak early and then go into (21) .................................... .

High achievers work hard, but within (22) ............................................... . It is also

important to choose (23) ............................................... you enjoy. Top achievers

spend over (24) ..................................... of their working hours doing work they

prefer. They want (25) ..............................................., not just external rewards.

Questions 26–30

Choose the correct letter A, B or C.

26 Top achievers take risks 29 Top achievers tend to be people

who
A without worrying about
the consequences. A work well with others.
B only if they are assured of B prefer to work alone.
success.
C complicate matters.
C even if they face possible failure.

30 Loners
27 Very often, perfectionists
A want to do everything
A turn out to be top achievers. themselves.
B don’t get many results. B are free of the compulsion to
be perfect.
C are not hard-working.
C take no notice of rivals.
28 When top achievers make mistakes,

A they ignore the fact.

B they get angry with themselves.

C they learn from the experience.

Pathway to IELTS 3
 LISTEnIng SEcTIon 4

≤046
Questions 31–40
Questions 31–34

Choose the correct letter A, B or C.

31 Exposure to bright lights 33 Subsyndromal SAD

A stopped production of A is more common than SAD.

melatonin in patients.
B has approximately the same
B increased the production of number of sufferers as SAD.
melatonin in many patients.
C is far less common than SAD.
C caused people to crave sweet
things.
34 You would expect the typical SAD
sufferer to be
32 Melatonin’s role in SAD is
A a 45-year-old man.
A not considered that important.
B a 16-year-old girl.
B now fully understood.
C a 25-year-old woman.
C not fully understood.

Questions 35–40

Complete the sentences below.

Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.

35 Depression probably has a ............................................., as it seems to run in

the family.

36 Many SAD sufferers have a .................................................. craving.

37 Serotonin has a ............................................ effect on the brain.

38 The serotonin system of the brain cannot regulate itself well during

........................................... .

39 Some neurotransmitters may be ........................................... in certain cases.

40 Many SAD patients put on fat in late autumn, just as ......................................... do.

4 Pathway to IELTS
rEADIng SEcTIon 1

You are advised to spend 20 minutes on questions 1–15. Read the text below and
answer questions 1–8.

How to Use a Microwave Oven

Microwave Safety

By Melanie Green

A Food will be very hot when it is removed from the oven, so use oven gloves or a tea
towel and be careful. If food is covered while it cooks, make sure that you leave a small
portion uncovered, so that steam does not build up and burn you when the covering is
removed.
B After being removed from the oven, food should stand as advised in the recipe, so that
the heat can continue to spread and dissipate. This is called ‘standing time’, but in fact,
food continues to cook.
C Microwave ovens have hot spots, and if you eat the food directly from the oven, a few
areas could be superheated and will burn. However, there can also be cold spots where
the food does not get hot enough to kill bacteria. Follow stirring and rotating instructions
carefully.
D Do not use metal containers unless the recipe specifically directs you to. Microwaves
bounce off metal, which can cause arcing and a fire inside the oven. Some recipes may
call for shielding parts of the food, especially meats, with tin foil. This is fine as long as
the directions are carefully followed.
E Use only microwave-safe utensils. Hot food melts some plastics, such as margarine tubs,
which means that package constituents can contaminate food. It is a good idea to use
glass for fatty foods, which get particularly hot, though not all glass and ceramics are
microwave-safe. Make sure any glass, plastic containers and plastic wrap you use are
labelled ‘microwave safe’. Do not use the microwave for heating baby bottles, as the
appliance does not allow adequate temperature control for safe results.
F Do not heat water or other liquids beyond the time recommended by the manufacturer or
any recipe. Superheating can occur when plain water is heated in a clean cup for an
excessive amount of time. The water will look harmless, but when moved, it can erupt
out of the cup. Do not heat the water twice, as that adds to the superheating risk. Adding
sugar or coffee granules to the water will reduce the risk of superheating.
H Do not operate the oven while it is empty, as it can cause arcing and start a fire. Never
operate a microwave if the door is damaged or doesn’t close securely. It is advisable to
stand 3–4 feet away from the microwave when it is operating to ensure that you are safe.

Now go to the next page for cooking tips.

< Previous 1 2 3 4 Next >

Pathway to IELTS 5
 For questions 1–4, match the pictures below with the appropriate section of the text.
Write the correct letter A–H in the spaces.

1 .......... 2 .......... 3 .......... 4 ..........

1 2

3 4

For questions 5–8, answer the following questions with words from the text.
Use NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.

5 What phrase is used for the period that food should be left to cool after being in
an oven?

.............................................

6 What phrase is used to describe any part of the food that is hotter than other parts?

.............................................

7 What harmful substance is destroyed when food is cooked properly?

.............................................

8 What is sometimes written on a container so that you know it can be used in a

microwave oven?

.............................................

6 Pathway to IELTS
Now read the information below about booking tickets and answer questions 9–16.

Canterbury Exchange – How to Book

Online By Telephone
Book 24 hours a day for all events with our secure The Ticket Office is open Mon–Sat, 9 a.m.–5.30 p.m.
service.There is a transaction fee of £1.50 for each Tickets may be reserved by phone and paid for within
online booking. For rock and pop events, there is also five working days.There is a £2.00 transaction fee for
a booking fee of £1.00 per ticket.Tickets can be each telephone booking. For rock and pop events,
posted to you recorded delivery for an additional there is also a booking fee of £1.50 per ticket.Tickets
£2.50 per booking. will be posted out recorded delivery for an additional
£2.50 per booking.
You can book online for any event that has a
BOOk NOw button.You can book seats for a single By Post
show or multiple events. Select an area of the Please make cheques payable to the Canterbury
auditorium, and if booking for the Concert Hall, use Exchange and send to:
the seating plan as a guide.You will always be offered Canterbury Exchange Ticket Office
the best seats, including row and seat number, and can 32 South Road
change your selection as many times as you like. Canterbury CN2 1FJ
There is a £2.00 transaction fee for each postal
You can select your own seats online for seated booking. For rock and pop events, there is also a
events in the Concert Hall. You may need to load Java booking fee of £1.50 per ticket.Tickets will be posted
software the first time you book via the seating plan. out recorded delivery for an additional £2.50 per
Events without a BOOk NOw button are either booking.
non-ticket events, or events that are fully booked.
An e-mail will be sent to you to confirm your booking In Person
details.Tickets will be posted out if booked at least There is no transaction charge for bookings made in
five working days before the performance. person. For rock and pop events, there is a ticket
booking fee of £1.50 per ticket (cheque and credit
For further details or help with how to book online,
card bookings).
e-mail our online support
[email protected], or call the
Canterbury Exchange Ticket Office on 01598 678811.
If you experience problems using the online booking
system, please click here and use the form to send an
error report to technical support. Please call the
Ticket Office on 01598 678811 for help.

Concessions are offered to students, people over 60, unemployed people and registered disabled people.
Concessions

Please show appropriate ID when claiming concessions. Examples of appropriate ID are listed below.
Concessions are not currently available online.

Students – please show NUS card.

Over 60s – please show bus pass or any other ID with date of birth.

Unemployed and Registered Disabled

Please show an official letter confirming status OR bank statement showing benefit.

You can save money when you come with your friends. There is a 10% discount for groups of 8–15 people,
Group Discounts

and a 15% discount for groups of 16 or more. This offer excludes some performances. Please call the Box
Office for details. Concession and discounts cannot be combined.

Pathway to IELTS 7
 For questions 9–13, decide if the information given below agrees with the information
given in the passage. Write (T) true, (F) false or (NG) not given.

9 The total amount you pay is more for rock and pop events. .....

10 You cannot go back to choose a different seat once you have made an online
booking. .....

11 You will need to buy a ticket for all events at the Canterbury Exchange. .....

12 Most people who pay by telephone pay for their booking a few days after they
make it. .....

13 You can save money by going to the ticket office and buying your ticket. .....

For questions 14–16, complete each of the following sentences with words from the text.
USE NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.

14 Anyone who claims a concession when buying a ticket must have an appropriate

form of .............................................. with them.

15 People over 60 who claim a concession must show something that has their

.............................................. on it.

16 Group discounts are not available for all .............................................. .

8 Pathway to IELTS
rEADIng SEcTIon 2

You are advised to spend 20 minutes on questions 17–30. Read the text below about

Why Good Employees Quit

why a company’s best employees often leave their job and answer questions 17–22.

A Hard-working, efficient employees are like gold dust, so the last thing companies
want is to lose them. When the best people leave a business, the impact is not
only financial; it has a hugely damaging effect on employee morale. Replacing
good people is often a long and difficult process, so it is important not to take
them for granted. So, why do good employers quite their jobs?
B All too often, the initial job description is the first area of conflict. What was
agreed and promised during the interview does not materialize. It becomes
clear to the new employee that the company failed to paint an accurate picture
and they feel they have been deceived.
C Nobody wants to deal with more responsibility than they can handle. When a
company becomes smaller or an employee leaves and is not replaced, managers
often feel they have no alternative but to delegate the extra duties. Long-term,
though, it might be bad policy; employees who feel they are torn between a
career and a personal life will soon be looking elsewhere.
D Very few people work for the love of the job alone, and though a lack of financial
reward may not be the direct reason for an employee leaving an organization, it is
usually an issue. When people know that they can earn 20–25% more somewhere
else, they are bound to be interested. Companies must make sure that the salaries
they offer are competitive and that their benefits package is appealing.
E It’s human nature to want to be recognized and praised for a job well done.
People don’t necessarily want their manager or supervisor checking their every
move, but they do expect appreciation for effort and success. If a company
cannot, for whatever reason, pay as well as their competitors, finding other
ways of recognizing hard work is essential.
F Ambitious people need challenge and they want to learn. They got where they
are by achieving, not by doing the same things day in day out. The most
successful employers ensure that employees grow and learn new skills, and that
they are working on motivating projects.

The passage has six paragraphs. For questions 17–22, choose the correct heading for each
paragraph from the list of headings in the box. Write the correct number i–viii as your answer.

17 Section A ..............................................
i Overworked
ii Not valued 18 Section B ..............................................
iii Don’t let them go
iv Not paid enough 19 Section C ..............................................
v Office politics 20 Section D ..............................................
vi Not totally honest
vii A lack of development 21 Section E ..............................................
viii Unclear instructions
22 Section F ..............................................

Pathway to IELTS 9
 Now read the information below about terms and conditions at work and answer
questions 23–30.

The document sets out the main particulars of the terms and conditions of your employment.

1. Parties to the Contract

Organization name and address Eurochem and Mr/Miss/Mrs/Ms R. Corbyn

2. Place of work
Your normal place of work will be: the Hardwick site
However, occasionally you may be required to work at other sites and, if work reasons demand it, to
transfer to another place of work on a temporary or permanent basis.

3. Date on which continuous employment commenced

Your employment with the organization started on: 15 / 07 / 09

4. Job title machine operator

5. Normal hours of work

Your normal hours of work are 8.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. , with 1 hour for lunch. Employees are expected to
cooperate by working outside these hours if necessary. Overtime is currently paid at $12.50 per hour .

6. Probation period
There is a probation period of 1 month for new employees. During this time you are entitled to one week's
notice. The disciplinary scheme will not apply during this period.

7. Pay
Your pay is $18,600 per annum. This is payable monthly in arrears on the last Friday of each month by
direct bank transfer. The organization is authorized to deduct any sums owed by you from your salary.

8. Holiday entitlement
Your holiday entitlement will be 25 days days per year, plus public holidays. During your first year of
employment, you will accumulate 2.8 days for each full month you work. Holidays must be agreed with
your supervisor as early as possible. Unused holiday cannot be carried over from one year to the next. On
termination of employment, holiday pay will be calculated to the nearest full month worked. If an employee
has already taken holiday which has not been worked for, any excess pay will be deducted from the final
salary.

9. Absence from work

If you are unable to come to work for any reason, you must inform your supervisor by 8.15 a.m. on the first
day of absence. All days of absence must be covered by a medical certificate. For the first week, a
doctor's certificate must be produced on the fifth day and weekly after that. The organization may require
you to undergo a medical examination. Employees will be paid sick pay in accordance with the Statutory
Sick Pay Scheme (SSP).

10. Termination of employment

If you wish to terminate your employment with the organization or should the organization decide to
terminate your employment, notice must be given as follows: Up to four years' employment = four weeks.
After that, an extra week's notice will be given for each full year of service.

11. Suspension
The employer reserves the right to suspend you from work during any investigation or during disciplinary
proceedings.

12. Health and safety at work

Employees are reminded that they have a statutory duty to observe all health and safety rules and to take
all reasonable care to promote the health and safety at work of themselves and their fellow employees.
Deliberate non-observation of the health and safety policy will result in disciplinary procedure.

Signed on behalf of the organization: ___________________________________________________

Name: ____________________ Job title: ____________________ Date: ____________________

Employee: I agree to the terms and conditions of this contract, and acknowledge that I have received
a copy.

Employee’s signature: _____________________________________ Date: ____________________

10 Pathway to IELTS
For questions 23–30, choose the correct answer A, B, C or D.

23 Employees will ... 27 Employees ...

A always work in the same place. A take holiday whenever they like.

B work in a different place every day. B can not have a complete month
as holiday.
C work in a different place every
week. C can save up holiday and take
extra days the following year.
D have to work where the
company wants them to. D may lose money from their final
pay if they leave the organization.

24 Employees will ...

28 What happens when employees are
A start work at various times. absent?
B sometimes have to work after A They can take no more than five
5.00 p.m. days off.
C finish work at 5.00 p.m. every B They have to prove that they are
day. sick.
D often work through their C They are paid less.
lunchtime.
D They will get a warning.

25 What happens during the first month

of employment? 29 If an employee wants to leave the
organization ...
A There are particular terms and
conditions. A he must work for one more week.

B Employees usually take a B he must tell the organization four

week off. weeks before leaving.

C Employees are expected to C how much notice he gives

work especially hard. depends on how long he has
worked.
D There are more likely to be
problems. C he must put it in writing.

26 The organization ... 30 Which statement about health and

safety is true?
A must pay employees before
they do work. A Employees must know all rules.

B can take money from an B Employees will be in trouble if

employee’s salary if necessary. they break rules.

C must pay employees on the last C Employees must report incidents

day of the month. to managers.

D must pay employees in cash. D Employees should help other

people if there is an accident.

Pathway to IELTS 11
 rEADIng SEcTIon 3

You are advised to spend 20 minutes on questions 31–40. Read the text below and
answer questions 31–40.

How Well Do Babies See?

People used to believe that newborn babies saw the world as a meaningless blur of
lines and colours swimming around in their field of vision. Physiologist William James
A

said in the 1800s that the newborn sees a ‘blooming, buzzing, confusion.’ We now
know that newborns are able to see a lot of the world around them.
Although their visual system has not fully developed, newborns see quite well at close
distances. You will probably notice your baby scanning your face with great interest,
B

especially when you come within a foot or so. A normal newborn can even track a
slowly moving object, and will sometimes turn his head to follow it.
However, a newborn cannot adjust his focus the way an adult can. His eye has a fixed
focus, which allows him fairly clear vision at a distance of eight to twelve inches. He
C

quickly learns to focus, or accommodate, so that by six weeks of age, he can focus at a
distance of about two feet. By the age of four months, he can see objects that are close
or far, almost as well as an adult can. By the age of six months, he will see as clearly as
he ever will.
Most babies prefer to look at complex patterns, such as your face or the face on a toy.
They prefer patterns with curved lines rather than straight. At the age of one to two
D

months, your baby will probably begin to smile while studying your face. At the age of
three to four months, he will be able to tell your face from the face of a stranger, and
he will express pleasure when he sees you.
Newborn babies do not have good depth perception. They do not have full ability to
see things in three dimensions. There are special cells that receive input from the left
E

and right eyes, which are responsible for the development of good depth perception.
The baby must also be able to coordinate his two eyes, so that they point in the same
direction. He can do this to some extent right from birth, but not perfectly well until
the age of three to five months.
Colour vision is not well developed at birth. It is surprising how unimportant colour
seems to be to babies before the age of six months. It is not completely certain whether
F

newborn babies have colour vision at all. By the age of two months, babies notice
colours of red, orange, green and yellow, and a little later are able to see blue.
It is a joy to watch your new baby develop his or her visual skills during the first few
months of life. Most babies develop excellent sight, depth perception and colour
G

vision. You should consult your doctor if you are concerned that your baby’s vision is
not developing properly. It is especially important to watch for an eye that wanders
constantly or remains turned. You should report any excessive watering of the eyes or
a noticeable discharge.
The body of a newborn may be tiny, but its eyes are only 30% smaller than those of
an adult. Part of what is so appealing about a newborn baby is the size of its eyes.
H

Modern methods of studying visual development show that they can see a lot more,
and are a lot less confused, than was once thought.

12 Pathway to IELTS
The passage has eight paragraphs, labelled A–H. For questions 31–34, say which
paragraph contains the following information. Write the appropriate letter in the spaces.

31 the action parents should take if they are worried about their baby’s eyesight .....

32 the age at which babies can show a parent that they are happy .....

33 why most people like looking at babies .....

34 newborn babies seeing the world as a flat surface .....

For questions 35–40, complete the flow chart with words from the passage. Use NO
MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.

At birth – babies have clear vision, but with a (35) .............................

At six weeks – babies can focus on objects (36) ............................. away.

At two months – babies will look at a parent’s face and (37) .............................

At three to four months – babies can recognize whose (38) .............................

they are looking at.

At four months – babies have vision similar to that of (39) .............................

At six months – babies can see everything (40) .............................

Pathway to IELTS 13
 WrITIng TASK 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You are a student at college. There has been an accident and you are in hospital.

Write a letter to the administration department of your college explaining why you will
not be able to attend college for at least a month. Ask the college for advice about the
best way to continue your studies during the time you are absent.

Write at least 150 words.

WrITIng TASK 2

You should spend 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Some people think that advertising encourages people to buy things that they do not
need, and spend money that they do not have. Other people think that advertising is
necessary because people learn about new products that can improve their lives.

What is your view of this argument?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own
knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

14 Pathway to IELTS
SPEAKIng PArT 1

The examiner asks the candidate about him/herself, his/her home, work or studies and
other familiar topics.

• What language do you speak at home? • Do you have any work experience?

• Do you speak any other languages? • What are your personal interests?

• What is your educational background? • What are your plans for the future?

PArT 2

You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think
about what you’re going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.

Describe a celebration that is important in your country.

You should say:

• when the celebration takes place

• what people do during it

• what you like or dislike about it

and explain why this celebration is important.

PArT 3

Discussion topic:

customs and traditions

• How important do you think customs and traditions are for a country?

• Do you think that a country’s customs and traditions are just as important to
younger people as older people? Why (not)?

• What different aspects of your culture does TV in your country cover?

• What influence have cultures from other countries had on your country?

• Are there any traditions in your culture that you would like to see disappear?

Pathway to IELTS 15
 Published by
Garnet Publishing Ltd
8 Southern Court
South Street
Reading RG1 4QS, UK

Copyright © 2015 Garnet Publishing Ltd.

Copyright © 2013 Andrew Betsis ELT, ‘Succeed in Cambridge IELTS – 6 Practice Tests’.
Tests 1–3, Listening and Speaking sections.
This edition is published by arrangement with Andrew Betsis ELT.

Garnet Publishing wishes to thank Doug Mackie, Synergy Total Business Solutions and the staff
of Saudi Development and Training (SDT) for their assistance in the development of this project.

Acknowledgements
The author and publisher would like to thank the following for permission to use or adapt
copyright material:

TEST 1
Page 2 Listening, Section 2 audio reproduced with kind permission of the Daily Mail.
Page 3 Listening, Section 3 audio taken from ‘Seven Secrets of Outstanding Achievers’, Mind Science
Association of Malaysia.
Page 5 Reading, Section 1 ‘How to Use a Microwave Oven: Microwave safety’, © 2013 Linda Larsen
(http://busycooks.about.com). Used with permission of About Inc., which can be found online at
www.about.com. All rights reserved.
Page 7 Reading, Section 1 text reproduced with kind permission of Brighton Dome and Festival, © Brighton
Dome and Festival.
Page 9 Reading, Section 2 text taken from Jobs DB Inc.
Page 10 Reading, Section 2, ‘Sample terms and conditions for permanent staff’ (April 2010) text reproduced
with kind permission of The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO).
Page 12 Reading, Section 3 text reproduced with kind permission of Pediatrics for Parents.

16 Pathway to IELTS