Ultimate IELTS Academic Practice Tests

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Contents
Practice tests .............................................................................................................................. 3
Speaking tests......................................................................................................................... 4
Speaking test 1 ................................................................................................................... 4
Speaking test 1 model answers .......................................................................................... 6
Speaking test 2 ................................................................................................................. 12
Speaking test 2 model answers ........................................................................................ 14
Speaking test 3 ................................................................................................................. 21
Speaking test 3 model answers ........................................................................................ 23
Listening tests....................................................................................................................... 30
Listening test 1 ................................................................................................................. 30
Listening test 1 answers ................................................................................................... 36
Listening test 1 transcripts: .............................................................................................. 38
Listening test 2 ................................................................................................................. 43
Listening test 3 ................................................................................................................. 52
Academic Module Reading tests .......................................................................................... 60
Reading test 1 ................................................................................................................... 60
Reading test 1 answers ..................................................................................................... 74
Reading test 2 ................................................................................................................... 75
Reading test 2 answers ..................................................................................................... 88
Reading test 3 ................................................................................................................... 89
Reading test 3 answers ................................................................................................... 101
Writing tests ....................................................................................................................... 104
Writing test answer 1 ..................................................................................................... 104
Model answers test 1 ...................................................................................................... 106
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Practice tests
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Speaking tests
Speaking test 1
Part 1:
• "Do you enjoy cooking?"

• "Do you prefer home cooked meals or fast food?"
• "What would you typically eat for lunch? "
• "Let's talk about photographs. Do you take many photographs?"
• "Do you enjoy looking at photographs?"
• "Do you enjoy looking at photographs?"
• "When do you mostly take photographs?"
• "Now let's talk about transport. Do you often use public transport?"
• "Do you often walk anywhere?"
• "Have you ever been on a long journey?"
• "Do you prefer to travel alone or with other people?"
Part 2:
Talk about a business you would like to start.

You should say
• what it would be
• where it would be
• who your customers would be
You should also say why you would like to start this business.
Part 3:
• "What are the advantages and disadvantages of running your own business? "
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• "What makes a successful business person?"
• "Do you think technology will affect the way we do business?"
• "What makes a good employer?"
• "Do you think life would be better if we all worked less?"
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Speaking test 1 model answers
"Do you enjoy cooking?"
"Well, no, not really - I've never been very good at it. I don't really have the patience for all
the preparation that needs to be done, and I really don't like the cleaning up afterwards.
Occasionally, if I have friends coming over, I might make a few simple dishes, but it seems to
take me much longer than it does for other people. Most of my friends are much better in
the kitchen, so I normally buy the ingredients and they do the cooking!"
"Do you prefer home cooked meals or fast food?"
Hmm...that really depends on what mood I am in. If I have to get dinner, I often choose fast
food, but I really enjoy eating a home cooked meal with vegetables. It's much healthier, and
you can easily get bored of fast food. There aren't many different take away options near
where I live, so after pizza, burgers or chips, the only other choice is home cooked food. I
suppose one the main reasons I prefer food cooked at home is that it's the only way to have
the kind of traditional food I grew up with as a child.
"What would you typically eat for lunch? "
Well, if I'm at work, I don't have a lot of time so I might only have something quick like a
sandwich or some noodles. Some days I might not even have anything for lunch - I know
that's not good for you, but there isn't always the opportunity to sit down and have a break
and something to eat. Weekends are different though - I like to have a large lunch and a
smaller dinner, so I might go out and meet friends in a restaurant or get a take away. The
only problem is that after eating a large lunch I often get tired in the afternoon and end up
falling asleep!
"Let's talk about photographs. Do you take many photographs?"
I used to have my camera with me most of the time, talking all kinds of photographs of the
garden. the house - even the dog. But recently I haven't really bothered. In fact, I can't
remember the last time I took a photograph since I came back from holiday. I went to New
Zealand for two weeks and took so many photographs! I like to keep all my pictures
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together in an album; it helps me remember what I did and where I was. I even have a
photograph album I started when I was 12, although cameras have improved a lot since
then!
"Do you enjoy looking at photographs?"

Oh, yes - as I mentioned, I used to take a lot of photos to remind of places I'd been or things
I'd seen, and it's nice to look back through them every now and again. The only problem is I
get bored looking at other people's photographs. A friend of mine recently returned from a
long holiday in Europe and brought back over one thousand photographs he had taken!
Well, it took over an hour to look through them as he spent about five minutes on each one
explaining where it was and who he was with. I was very interested in the beginning, but
after about 20 minutes I wasn't really concentrating. I think photographs are very personal
and I don't show anyone mine because they mean more to the person who took them than
to anyone looking at them.
"Do you prefer photographs of people or places?"
Ermm... I suppose that depends on who is in the photos. If it's people I know, then I don't
mind looking at photographs of people, but I'm not that interested in seeing pictures of
people I've never met. Generally, though, I'm much more interested in landscapes. They
don't have to be recognisable or historic places - just so long as they are a little artistic.
Unfortunately, I'm not very good at taking any kind of photo, but a friend of mine takes
excellent pictures of places. She took photographs of her grandmother's house - it's a small
cottage in the country - and the angles she took the pictures from, as well as the sunlight
and shadows, made the pictures really interesting. She's actually entered a competition with
those pictures, so I guess they must be good.
"When do you mostly take photographs?"

Well...I..I used to take photos all the time, but as I said, I don't take as many these days. I
suppose the two occasions where I still take pictures would be my holidays and special
events, like my brother's birthday party. A few months ago, a friend of mine got married and
I must have spent half the day taking pictures of the bride and groom as well as the venue. I
am planning to put the pictures into an album to give them for their first wedding
anniversary.
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"Now let's talk about transport. Do you often use public transport?"
Very rarely - I live a little way out of the main routes to the city, so the public transport
system isn't really very convenient for me. The local council have a scheme where you drive
to a large car park and the bus will take you the rest of the way into town - I think it's called
the 'Park and Ride' - but I haven't used it yet. But it's not only that public transport doesn't
really get near my home, it's also so expensive. I know running your own car is not cheap,
but for me to get to work and back using the bus would cost almost as much as using my
own car, but without the convenience.
"Do you often walk anywhere?"
Actually, I have recently started to walk a lot more than I used to. My nearest shop - it's only
a local convenience store but that's where I do my basic shopping - is only about one
kilometre away. I used to drive, but now I walk whenever it's not raining just so I get some
exercise. I have a dog, so he comes with me for the exercise too - I think it does both of us
some good! Like most people, though, I could do with walking even more - perhaps as far as
the town, although that's over 5 kilometres.
"Have you ever been on a long journey?"
Err...yes, I have. I suppose my longest journey would be travelling to England to visit
relatives last year. It's a 14 hour flight from here, and it was the longest I have ever been on
an aeroplane. The journey out was fine - I thought it would be quite boring, but it was one
of the newer aircraft with a movies, television and computer games available, so there was
lots to do. The return trip wasn't so good though – there was a young child sitting in the row
in front of me, and for most of the flight he was crying and screaming. I don't suppose he
was much older than three. So that wasn't so good for me, although I did feel sorry for the
parents – they look so tired by the time we landed!
"Do you prefer to travel alone or with other people?"
Well, there are benefits to both travelling with others and travelling solo. With other people
around, the trip can be more fun, and you get to share experiences and talk about them
with people that have seen and done what you have. On the other hand, I like the
independence of travelling by myself. I choose when I stop, where I eat, where I go - and
this is often better than having to get your travel companions to agree before you do
anything. I guess the ideal way to travel would be with someone else who also likes to be
independent sometimes, so you can travel together but also spend some time alone.
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Part Two
Talk about a business you would like to start.

You should say
• what it would be
• where it would be
• who your customers would be
You should also say why you would like to start this business.
"Well, I've never really thought about becoming self employed, but if I did run my own
company I think it would be something in the healthcare industry. I think it could be
rewarding to run a retirement home for the elderly. I'm a nurse, so it would be a good way
for me to continue using my training. Ideally, it would be somewhere in the country - I don't
really like big cities, and a relaxed rural atmosphere would be good for the residents, I think.
It would have to be quite near some facilities though - shops, a swimming pool, things like
that. Oh, and there would have to some type of public transport nearby.
Um... of course, the people using the home would be elderly, at least 65 years old, but they
wouldn't have to be rich. I'd like to make the home profitable, but not be exploiting the
residents and charging so much that only rich people can come.
As I mentioned, my experience as a nurse would be valuable, but I'd also be interested in

this because the elderly are very often overlooked here. In my culture, most families look
after older relatives and retirement homes are very rare, although they are increasing. So if I
was to run this kind of business I would try and make it as homely as possible so that people
enjoy living there."
Part 3
"What are the advantages and disadvantages of running your own business? "
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Well, one of the main advantages would be the freedom that comes with being self
employed. Choosing your own hours of work and the areas you will focus on would clearly
have a great appeal to some. But then, of course, this has to be balanced with the
consideration that you are never far from work when you are your own boss. The
expectations are likely to be higher, and people often spend considerably more time on
their business when they are self employed. The pressures are also different; an advantage
of running your own business is that you are not pressured by peers or bosses to perform.
This, of course, can also become a negative point if that means you are not driven to keep
working.
"What makes a successful business person?"
Hmm, that's an interesting question. If you were to look at some of the world most
successful business people - people like Richard Branson for example - I think there are a
number of key elements that can be identified. They are entrepreneurial but also have the
courage to follow an idea through, no matter how strange it may first seem. Of course,
there is also the ability to make money, but successful can also be other means, not just the
financial profit. Bill Gates, though apparently ruthless in business, is very generous in
charity. Richard Branson has regular parties for all his staff and welcomes them personally
to his mansion. To my mind, this is what makes success.
"Do you think technology will affect the way we do business?"
Oh definitely. In fact, I think technology has been affecting the way we interact in business
for quite some time. Consider the use of video phones in conference calls and emails for
communication and placing orders. As another example, courier companies can send a
package from one continent to another and see not only the exact moment it was delivered,
but also who signed for the package. Technology will continue to affect the way we do
business as confidence increases with regards purchasing online. Over recent years, secure
payments made on a website have allowed business to be transacted not only in the volume
of sales and business done, but also in the markets now reached. Technology has made it
cost effective to sell a single product to a customer thousands of miles away. Technology
has also allowed us to present our product more visually - in the days of print media only, a
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black and white photograph was the most common method of promoting goods and
services , but now we have websites, flash media, social networking sites likes Facebook and
Youtube and many other platforms for people to promote their business.
"What makes a good employer?"
I think one of the fundamental aspects of being a good employee would be the ability to
motivate people, to get the best out of those that work for you. I think a large part of that
would be recruiting the right kind of employee, choosing people that you think will fit well in
the team but also be able to use their own initiative. In my experience, one of the worst
kinds of employer are those that micromanage - they can't leave you alone to complete a
task without looking over your shoulder This leads to people not being able to take pride in
what they do, and in many cases leads to a high staff turnover.
"Do you think life would be better if we all worked less?"
Oh yes, definitely. I mean, although many people may enjoy their work, I think it is
important to maintain perspective - that you work to live, not live to work. You are lucky if
you find and can keep a job you enjoy doing; but even so, it should not interfere with the
more important aspects in life - family, relationships, friendships. If the working week was
reduced from 5 days down to say, three, or even four days, people would find time to do
more of the things they often think about doing but don't get round to. I think most people -
well, certainly me - would get out more if I could have three days away from work rather
than just the weekend. Look how excited most people get when we have a long weekend
because of a holiday on Friday or Monday, for example.
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Speaking test 2
Part 1:
• "Do you often go shopping for clothes?"

• "Do you think it's important to dress well?"
• "Do you have particular national dress in your country?"
• "I’d like to talk about the news now. Do you often read newspapers?"
• "Where do you go to get news?"
• "Do you listen to news broadcasts on the radio?"
• "Let’s move on to talk about holidays. Did you often go on holiday when you were a
child?"
• "Would you prefer to travel overseas for a holiday?"
• "Do you have plans for a holiday in the future?"
Part 2:
Describe a place you’d like to live in the future

You should say:
• Where it would be
• What it would be like
• Who you would live with
You should also say why you would like to live there.
Part 3:
• "What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a rural area?"

• "Has the standard of living changed much in your country over the last ten years?"
• "Do you think more people will choose to leave their native country and live abroad
in the future?"
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• "Do you think students should be encouraged to study overseas? "
• Do you think that increased mobility has had a negative effect on communities?
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Part 1
"Do you often go shopping for clothes?"
"Well, I like to dress well but I don’t really enjoy going out to buy clothes. It can take such a
long time to find something that I like, and then I have to go to the changing rooms to try it
on and make sure it’s a good fit, and even then sometimes when I get home I find that they
are not as comfortable as I thought. I much prefer to go shopping for electronic goods – I
can spend hours looking at things like laptop computers or iPods."
"Do you think it's important to dress well?"
I think that really depends on what you intend to do that day. As I mentioned, I like to look
smart, but if it's a weekend or in the evening, it's much more important to dress
comfortably. I wear smart clothes to work, of course, and many of my colleagues wear ties
or dark business dresses. Our company has a policy that on Fridays it's OK to wear more
casual clothes, so I might go into work wearing jeans but I would always wear a clean,
ironed shirt – never just a t-shirt.
"Do you have particular national dress in your country?"
“Well, yes, we do. On certain days of the year, then men would wear black trousers and a
white shirt, often with a thin red scarf. The women wear a black dress and a white shirt, but
have a scarf that is more orange in colour. The clothing is a lot more elaborate that normal
though, with a lot of embroidery and designs. Many people also have the shirts or blouses
made of silk too, so they can look very striking."
"I’d like to talk about the news now. Do you often read newspapers?"
Well, not very often. There is a free local newspaper that gets delivered every week and I
have a quick look through that, but I rarely buy a newspaper. If I do, it would be one of the
national papers. I sometime read The Tribune when I’m at work, in my coffee breaks, but
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mostly just the headlines. I don’t really have a lot of free time to sit and relax with a paper. If
I do have time, I prefer to listen to music or watch television.
"Where do you go to get news?"
Hmmm... a lot of the time I would just find that out when I’m surfing the internet, or
sometimes I watch the news on the television. I’m more interested in local news, so I can
get some information from the free local paper. I think that sometimes newspapers and the
television will sometimes sensationalise the pieces that they present and very often have a
bias when they are reporting events, especially if they are political. A lot of what I know
about the news actually comes from talking with my colleagues at work – they seem much
more informed about events than me!
"Do you listen to news broadcasts on the radio?"
No, not really. Sometimes when I’m driving I might listen to the short news broadcasts that
comes on every hour, but only because the radio is on. I wouldn’t make a special effort to
tune in just for the news. The problem with the news on the radio is that it is much less
informative because it doesn’t have any images to show what is happening. For instance,
the recent tsunami was being described on the radio just a few days ago, and they were
discussing the amount of damage caused, but it was only when I saw the images on the
television that I really got a feel for the amount of destruction that had been caused.
"Let’s move on to talk about holidays. Did you often go on holiday when you were a child?"
I wouldn’t say often, as both my parents worked, but I do remember some family holidays
we took together. They were always fun, even if the weather wasn’t so good. We would go
to the beach with a little caravan and spend about a week there – we always went to the
same place. Sometimes it would be warm enough to go swimming in the sea, but if not, we
would play games as a family, or go into the town to the cinema and somewhere nice to eat.
The thing I remember most is that it was when we all got to spend the most time together,
and everyone had fun.
"Would you prefer to travel overseas for a holiday?"
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No, not particularly. Of course, it’s always interesting to see other places and experience
other cultures, but I think you can have a perfectly good holiday in your country. I guess it
also depends on whether or not you have children to think about. Taking a family of four to
another country, especially if that means flying, can be very expensive and can take a day or
two off your holiday just travelling. Having said that, though, I think it’s always good to be in
warm country when you’re on holiday and sometimes that does mean travelling abroad.
"Do you have plans for a holiday in the future?"
Yes, definitely! As soon as I have taken my IELTS test and got the results I need, I am going
to France to visit by brother and his family. They moved over there a few years ago and I
haven’t been yet so I am going to treat myself to a 10 day break. I’m really looking forward
to it, and it’ll be nice to get away after having studied for this test for the last few months.
After that holiday, though, I will be looking for a new job so probably won’t have much time
off for a while, so I’m going to make the most of my trip to Paris.
"Have you ever been on a long journey?"
Err...yes, I have. I suppose my longest journey would be travelling to England to visit

relatives last year. It's a 14 hour flight from here, and it was the longest I have ever been on
an aeroplane. The journey out was fine - I thought it would be quite boring, but it was one
of the newer aircraft with a movies, television and computer games available, so there was
lots to do. The return trip wasn't so good though – there was a young child sitting in the row
in front of me, and for most of the flight he was crying and screaming. I don't suppose he
was much older than three. So that wasn't so good for me, although I did feel sorry for the
parents – they look so tired by the time we landed!
"Do you prefer to travel alone or with other people?"
Well, there are benefits to both travelling with others and travelling solo. With other people
around, the trip can be more fun, and you get to share experiences and talk about them
with people that have seen and done what you have. On the other hand, I like the
independence of travelling by myself. I choose when I stop, where I eat, where I go - and
this is often better than having to get your travel companions to agree before you do
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anything. I guess the ideal way to travel would be with someone else who also likes to be
independent sometimes, so you can travel together but also spend some time alone.
Part Two
Describe a place you’d like to live in the future

You should say:
• Where it would be
• What it would be like
• Who you would live with
You should also say why you would like to live there.
"Well, I’d really like to live somewhere that has a comfortable temperature, not too hot or
too cold. I think New Zealand has the perfect climate for me – although there are 4 different
seasons, it can still reach temperatures of over 25 degrees in the summer, and in some
places it doesn’t freeze in the winter, even overnight, so that would be good for me. I have
heard that it’s also a beautiful country – I’ve seen some photographs of the national parks
and they look amazing. I think they have even used the landscapes in a lot of movies like
Lord of the Rings.
Of course I would take my family with me, which is another reason to think New Zealand
would be a good place to live – it has a reputation of being such a safe country, so would be
perfect as I have two young children who are about to start school. My wife is a nurse, and
like most countries, New Zealand is also in desperate need of more people with a medical
background in the workforce, so I think it would be easier for her to get a job in a hospital.
In addition to everything I have already mentioned, I have also heard that New Zealand has
a relatively small population – I think there are about 5 million people – and they are a very
welcoming and friendly nation. In my country, most people live in the city and it is often
overcrowded, so moving to a country that has some open spaces would be perfect.
I would like to live somewhere near one of the larger cities. Maybe not right in the middle of
the city, but close so that it’s accessible if I need to go. But regardless of all of these positive
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aspects of living in New Zealand, I don’t think we would every actually move there. We have
a wide circle of friends here, and our parents both live nearby, so we see them quite often. I
think perhaps the ideal situation would be to live somewhere for a few months of the year,
but not permanently. That wouldn’t really work for the children though, as that would
interrupt their school schedule a little too much."
Part 3
"What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a rural area?"
Hmmm.... There are a number of clear advantages when considering health implications.
City life tends to be much more hurried, leading to greater degrees of stress and tension, so
a clear advantage of living in the countryside is that people tend to live much more stress-
free lives. They don’t have to contend with traffic jams, queues and the sheer number of
people. There is also the environmental factor. The air quality in the city I live in is
particularly bad – a combination of exhaust fumes, industrial pollution and a number of
other factors. In the countryside, the environment is cleaner and this has obvious health
benefits. However, there are issues about living in the countryside that I would find a
problem. Shopping, for example – I like the fact that I can get almost anything I need
without travelling too far, but living in more rural areas you wouldn’t have access to the
array of shops you have in the city.
"Has the standard of living changed much in your country over the last ten years?"
Well, there are still significant differences between rich and poor people, with some people
continuing to live well below the poverty line, but in general I think there has been a
significant change. There has been an increase in tourism over recent years which has
brought money into the country, and that has improved most people living conditions.
There has also been a much greater focus on education, with an increasing number of
children attending school, which of course will have a significantly positive effect on the
standard of living here in the future. However, there has been only minimal progress with
regards healthcare, so I would say the standards there haven’t really improved very much.
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"Do you think more people will choose to leave their native country and live abroad in the
future?"
Well, I think that a greater number of people may choose to travel to other countries, and
may find a location they would prefer to live in than their home country. However, many
people are not emigrating permanently, and may choose to return to their country of birth.
In the future, I think that this migration is probably going to continue, but the main
difference will be that travel becomes more affordable so even lower income families will
have the option to relocate overseas, so the numbers will increase. Of course, it’s likely that
some of the countries that are currently so heavily favoured, such as the USA or the UK, will
be less popular destinations in the future, so an increasing number of people may choose to
live in countries that at the moment we don’t really think about for immigration.
"Do you think students should be encouraged to study overseas? "
That would very much depend on their course of study. I would say that the benefits of
studying science related subjects overseas are limited. Although you may get to see how
other countries conduct research or experimentation, the basic rules and operating
procedures in science will not vary between countries. However, I would say that there
would be substantial advantages for students on courses involving people or language. For
example, if studying the English language, it can be extremely beneficial to spend some time
living in an English speaking country. Also, for a student studying design related subjects, it
could be extremely advantageous to see other countries to absorb other perspectives and
influences. Having said that, however, studying overseas should only be encouraged if it
could be offered equally to all students, not just to those whose families could afford the
costs.
Do you think that increased mobility has had a negative effect on communities?
Hmmm...that’s not something I’ve ever really thought about, but...I suppose there are
changes to local communities when people leave and new people arrive, but I wouldn’t
agree that they were necessarily negative. New arrivals into a community may be able to
offer new things that would definitely benefit the local people, but then there is also the
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lack of long term bonds that can often be a significant part of smaller communities. Living in
a city, there is less of a community feeling and that does have an effect on social behaviour,
I think. We have problems with vandalism and graffiti that I imagine would be much less
common in a community where everyone knows each other and people are easily
recognised. However, I would say that on the whole an increase in people’s ability to move
to other communities is a positive thing.
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Speaking test 3
Part 1:
• "Do you live in a house or a flat?"

• "What kind of facilities do you have in the surrounding area?"
• "Would you recommend this area to a friend?"
• "I’d like to move on to talk about music now. Do you often listen to music?"
• "Do you use music for certain events in your country?"
• "Can you play any musical instruments?"
• "Do you often have visitors to your house?"
• "Do you prefer entertaining at home or going out?"
• "What type of food would you serve to guests in your home?"
Part 2:
Talk about something you do to relax

You should say:
• What it is
• How often you do it
• Where you do it
You should also say if you would recommend it.
Part 3:
• "Are our lives becoming more stressful?"

• "Do you think that people take enough time to relax each day?"
• "Do you think technology will allow us to lead more relaxing lives in the future?"
• "How has what people do for relaxation in your country changed in the last ten
years?"
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• "Do you think that there will be changes in the age of retirement?"
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Part 1
"Do you live in a house or a flat?"
At the moment I am sharing a house with two other people. I've only been living there for a
few months - I used to have a flat of my own, but I needed to save some money whilst I was
studying so I moved in with them. It's a good sized house though, with plenty of room for
three of us, and it's near the centre of town so it suits me well.
"What kind of facilities do you have in the surrounding area?"
Well, there’s a park right opposite the house, which is lovely this time of year as we can sit
out there for lunch or to play a game of football. There are also plenty of shops, so it’s easy
to get most things we need without having to travel too far. There is a small library in the
area, but it’s not very well stocked so sometimes we have to go to the larger library in the
centre of town.
"Would you recommend this area to a friend?"
Oh yes, definitely. It’s quite quiet even though it’s near town, and it’s a very safe
neighbourhood. As I mentioned, it has all the facilities needed so you don’t need to go very
far. The neighbours and friendly and there are one or two good places to eat within easy
walking distance. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone with young children though, as it’s
quite a distance from the nearest school. Our neighbour has to drive his children to and
from school each day and it takes about half an hour in the mornings and the same in the
afternoons.
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"I’d like to move on to talk about music now. Do you often listen to music?"
Yes, I do. I like classical music and I listen to that a lot. I go to a lot of classical concerts too. I
don’t really like rock music, although the people I live with often have it on so I don’t have
much choice. I usually listen to the radio when I’m in the car, too, so I hear a lot of different
kinds of music there. The one type of music I really can’t listen to is Jazz – I find it quite
annoying, although I have some close friends that love it!
"Do you use music for certain events in your country?"
Well, I suppose so... let me think. Hmm... we have music for weddings, of course – I think
most countries and cultures have that. We also have a specific kind of music for funerals.
Also, a lot of people use guitars and sing when we have a party. And then we have the
national anthem, which I guess is played in the same places as most other countries - before
sports matches, for example.
"Can you play any musical instruments?"
No, not really. I used to be able to play the guitar a little, but I haven’t tried for many years
now so I have probably forgotten how to play. My brother is very musical though – he can
pick up almost any instrument and play it. He had piano lessons as a child and took to it very
well, but since then has taught himself the guitar and the violin, but only as a hobby. I do
have a friend that plays the guitar professionally though – he’s very talented!
"Do you often have visitors to your house?"
Oh yes, definitely. In our culture it is very common to invite people over to your house for a
meal or to celebrate a special occasion. Most times guests will arrive early in the evening
and stay until about 11 o’clock at night, although that’s different for younger people – I
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think their parties carry on much later into the night. Sometimes we have friends over for
the weekend, but that’s only if they have had to travel a long way to get to see us.
"Do you prefer entertaining at home or going out?"
Well, to be honest I would prefer to go out! There is always such a lot of preparation if
people come over to your house. It’s considered polite in my culture to provide a meal for
any guest, so there’s often a lot of cooking and then there’s the cleaning up afterwards. It is
becoming increasingly common, however, for people to arrange to meet in a restaurant,
and then the person who invites the others will generally pay the bill. I guess it’s because
people are busier these days and don’t always have time to prepare.
"What type of food would you serve to guests in your home?"
Oh... that’s a difficult question because it depends on a lot of things. If the guest if a close
friend, we may have something casual, sometimes even a takeaway meal, but if it’s a little
more formal – for example, parents-in-law, we would have to make something more
traditional. I’m not a very good cook so that’s always a little hard for me! Another point is
the age of the guests – if it’s younger people, we could settle for something relatively simple
like a pasta dish. However, if the guests are a little older we generally try to cook something
more traditional, and sit down at the table to eat rather than sitting more comfortably in
the living room.
Part Two
Talk about something you do to relax

You should say:
• What it is
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• How often you do it
• Where you do it
You should also say if you would recommend it.
Well, when I have time there are a couple of things I like to do to relax. Perhaps my
favourite would be to read a good book, particularly thrillers. I like novels about crime, but
I’m not very fond of science fiction. I try to read as many books as I can in English, because
it’s a great way to improve my reading speed and pick up new vocabulary, although
sometimes I can get bored of reading in English and would prefer a book written in my own
language.
With work and my studies, however, I don’t really get a lot of time to read – sometimes it
can take me more than a month to finish one book. That doesn’t mean that I don’t spend a
lot of time reading – I have a lot to read for my work – but I don’t have a lot of time for
reading books for relaxation. The most common place to read for pleasure for me would be
in bed, although most of the time I start reading and after a few pages I can’t keep my eyes
open – I quite often fall asleep with a book still in my hands! I think I have read the same
pages of the book I’m on now quite a few times because I keep losing my place.
Apart from that, I guess I would read the most when I am on holiday. If I go away for a few
days just to relax, I can easily sit on the beach or in the park and spend all day reading,
sometimes getting through a book a day! If I have been really busy at work and I don’t have
any other plans, I might also spend half a day during the weekend just reading and relaxing
– I might sometimes not get out of bed until after midday if I am engrossed in a good book! I
would definitely recommend reading for relaxation for a number of reasons, perhaps the
strongest being that it allows you to ‘escape’ for a while into a fictional world. Although you
can also do this watching a good film, for me a book is better because you have to visualise
the characters and locations, so it's a far more personal interpretation. Even in a good film
you are still shown what the characters look like and where they are, so a lot less is left to
the imagination. Another reason I would recommend it, even though this may not be so
relaxing, is that it is a great way to expand your vocabulary, especially if you are reading in
English. There are many times when I might need to use a dictionary just to understand a
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single page, and as soon as I learn a new word I suddenly seem to hear the word being used
in other situations a lot more.
Part Three
"Are our lives becoming more stressful?"
I would say that there are many parts of our lives that we need to be careful to avoid
becoming overly stressful. For example, in my job I am often offered overtime and although
I could always use the extra money, I think it’s important to sometimes say no and keep
some free time to unwind, otherwise life could become stressful. I think that there are also
increased pressures on people these days that perhaps weren’t so bad in the past. We are
constantly advised by television and media reports, as well as health professionals, that
certain foods are bad and should be avoided, that we should take regularly exercise and
always look our best.
Although that is important, it is also important to be able to relax now and again. An
example might be that although I generally eat well, have at least three meals a day and eat
plenty of fruit and vegetables, it is important not to stress too much about the occasions
where I might choose to have some fast food like a burger, or some take away food that
might not be very healthy. I think that if we balance such things carefully, there’s no real
need to be more stressed these days.
"Do you think that people take enough time to relax each day?"
No, definitely not. As I mentioned, people worry a little too much about what they eat, but
apart from that many people work too hard and don’t take some time out of each day to do
something they enjoy. I think it’s very important to have some kind of hobby or interest that
you can spend some time doing to relax, but many people work long hours and even bring
work home at the weekend. This is commonly the case when people are studying for a
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specific purpose; when they do take a break they often feel a little guilty, with the thought
that they shouldn’t really be taking this time off when they have work to do. In reality, of
course, there is always work to do, but it has been proven that working long hours without a
break is actually less productive than people who spend a little time every couple of hours
doing something they enjoy, even if it’s only doing a crossword for a few minutes.
"Do you think technology will allow us to lead more relaxing lives in the future?"
Hmm... in theory, yes, but I think in practice that doesn’t quite work. It is very common to
find employees checking emails or answering their mobile phones at weekends or in the
evenings when they should be relaxing. This kind of technology has meant that we are often
always available, and people have become impatient with delays. For example, if a customer
orders a product on a Saturday, they often expect that order to be processed and sent that
same day, meaning that someone needs to be working. On the other side, however, mobile
phones and laptop computers have meant that we don’t necessarily need to be in the office
every day, with an increasing number of people now being able to work from home. This
means that rather than getting up very early to get through the morning rush hour traffic,
some people are able to get up later and then be at work almost immediately without
wasting time in traffic jams.
"How has what people do for relaxation in your country changed in the last ten years?"
In many ways there haven’t been any significant changes. People still read books, listen to
music or exercise, as well as spending time with friends and family. I think what has changed
is the way in which people are able to do these things. For example, there are those who
have always enjoyed reading, but now buy audio books and listen to them being read.
In a similar way, iPods and iPhones have changed the way most people listen to music. We
can put headphones on and listen to hours of music all stored in a single device – there’s no
need to change discs or anything like that. Spending time with friends has in many ways not
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changed, although it is possible to speak to people over the internet using video chat so you
can see and hear other people without necessarily being physically near each other.
"Do you think that there will be changes in the age of retirement?"
Well... that’s a good question. I think with the increasing number of older people, combined
with better medical treatment, people are still able to work much later in life that they used
to be able to. In my country, the age of retirement is still about 65 years old, but many
people are still able and willing to work until well into their seventies.
The problem, of course, is that with people working later in life, there are possibly fewer
opportunities for younger people trying to get started in a career, and often the employer is
paying higher wages to the more senior staff members. Then there is also the situation for
self employed people. My father intended to retire a few years ago when he turned 60, but
has continued working because the pension he would get from the government is not
actually sufficient to support him. The chances are that he will continue to work long after
the current retirement age.
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Listening tests
Note: all of the question types, timings and pauses between recordings in this free online
IELTS listening test are EXACTLY what you can expect in the IELTS test. Our free online
material has been designed to emulate the IELTS test as accurately as possible in every
aspect.
Listening test 1
Play Listening test 1 audio file #1
SECTION 1
Questions 1-10
Questions 1-5
Complete the form below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Northern Rental Bookings
Name: William (1) ……………..

Contact number: (2) 07 ……………..
Address: 10 (3) …………….. Nelson
Payment by credit card type: (4) …………….. card.
Card No. 4550 1392 8309 3221
Card expiry date: July 20XX
Rental period: (5) …………….. days
Questions 6 to 10
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Answer the following questions USING NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS OR A NUMBER
6. How much is the car per day?

7. What does the price include?
8. Who will he be visiting?
9. What kind of car does the agent recommend?
10. What does he need to collect the car?
SECTION 2
Questions 11-20
Questions 11-15
Complete the tables below. If there is no information given, write X.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Overlander
Distance / km (11) ………..
Highlight 3 volcanoes
Time / hours 11
Transalpine
Distance / km 223
Highlight (12) 16 ……….
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Time / hours (13) ………..
Transcoastal
Distance / km (14) ………..
Highlight (15) ………..
Time / hours 5
Questions 16 to 20
Complete the summary below USING NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS OR A NUMBER.
Taking three days to complete, the (16) ……….. is one of the world’s longest train journeys.
The Ghan is shorter, passing through towns built by the (17) ………... There is also a
sculpture designed to mark the laying of the (18) ……….. concrete sleeper. The Overland
was the first train to travel between the capital cities in two (19) ……….. and it is also the
oldest journey of its kind on (20) ………... .
SECTION 3
Questions 21-30
Questions 21-25
Circle the correct letter A–C.
21 Lyn is having difficulty completing her project because

A she doesn’t have enough information.
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B she can’t organise her presentation.
C she doesn’t have enough time.
22 Her presentation is going to focus on

A solar power in America.
B solar-powered water heaters.
C alternative energy technology.
23 Why does Lyn think we should be looking for alternative sources of energy?
A Fossil fuels are expensive.
B Fossil fuels have an impact on the environment.
C Fossil fuels are limited.
24 Solar power is a good form of alternative energy because

A it can be harnessed with simple technology
B it is infinite
C it can be applied equally well in any country.
25 Which graph best indicates what Lyn is describing?
Questions 26 to 30
Label the following diagram USING NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND / OR A NUMBER
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26. …………………..
27. …………………..
28. …………………..
29. …………………..
30. …………………..
SECTION 4
Complete the sentences below using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS OR A NUMBER
Questions 31-40
Lecture on (31) …………….
Examples: tourism and (32) …………….
Common misconception is that marketing points to (33) ……………. in what is being

provided.
Marketing is actually essential in maintaining (34) …………….
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Selling a product is easier because it is (35) ……………. and customers do not have such
different (36) …………….
Aim: offer service beyond hopes of (37) …………….
Important to: (a) keep informed & (b) (38) …………….
One way to achieve this: (39) …………….
(40) ……………. must always be available for any queries or problems.
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Listening test 1 answers
1. WADDELL (EXACT SPELLING 14. X (NOTE THAT THE INSTRUCTIONS

REQUIRED FOR THIS POINT) STATED THAT ‘IF THERE IS NO
2. 263 8666 (IF YOU HAVE THIS INFORMATION GIVEN, WRITE X.’
NUMBER IN A DIFFERENT 15. WHALE WATCHING
FORMAT, FOR EXAMPLE WITH 16. INDIAN PACIFIC
DIFFERENT SPACING, IT WOULD 17. EARLIER / EARLY SETTLERS
STILL BE MARKED CORRECT) 18. MILLIONTH
3. ROBYN PLACE (EXACT SPELLING 19. STATES
REQUIRED FOR THIS POINT) 20. THE CONTINENT
4. VISA ('CREDIT' IS NOT ENOUGH TO 21. B
GET THIS MARKED AS CORRECT) 22. B
5. 10 ('DAYS' IS NOT REQUIRED AS 23. C
THIS IS INCLUDED IN THE 24. A
QUESTION) 25. A
6. $35 26. 40 LITRES (OR LITERS)
7. UNLIMITED KILOMETRES 27. SOLAR COIL
8. RELATIVES 28. 20
9. (AN) AUTOMATIC 29. 65
10. DRIVING LICENSE ('A DRIVING 30. RIGID FOAM
LICENCE' WOULD BE INCORRECT 31. SERVICES MARKETING
AS THIS IS THREE WORDS WHEN 32. LEGAL ADVICE
THE INSTRUCTIONS STATE 'NO 33. WEAKNESS
MORE THAN TWO WORDS') 34. CUSTOMER NUMBERS
11. 681 35. TANGIBLE
12. TUNNELS 36. EXPECTATIONS
13. 5 37. CLIENTS
38. CONSTANTLY IMPROVE
39. (CONDUCT) SURVEYS
Page 36 of 115
40. A REPRESENTATIVE
Page 37 of 115
Listening test 1 transcripts:
Listening test 1 Section 1
Receptionist Good morning, Sir. How can I help you?
William Hello. ls this Southern Rental Car?
Receptionist Yes. it is.
William I wonder if you could help me. I’m ringing from Nelson, but I’m coming over
to Auckland for 12 days and I’d like to hire a car
Receptionist Okay, I’ll fill in a booking for you now. First, can l take your name?
William Yes, it’s William Waddell.
Receptionist Sorry, could you spell your surname?
William Yes, it’s W A D D E L L
Receptionist Thanks. Now, can I have an address and a phone number?
William Sure. I live at 10 Robyn Place. That’s R O B Y N Place.
Receptionist And that’s Nelson, isn’t it?
William That’s right. Do you want my home number or my mobile?
Receptionist Home number will be fine.
Page 38 of 115
William OK, it’s
Receptionist Great. Now, can I also have a credit card number?
William Do I have to pay by credit card?
Receptionist Well, we need to credit card number as a guarantee. It’s a standard policy
for car rentals.
William OK, well I’ll pay by Visa then. The card number is 4550…1392…8309…3221
Receptionist And the expiry date?
William Sorry?
Receptionist Your card – when does it expire?
William Oh, next July.
Receptionist Right. Now, how long did you want the car for? Twelve days did you say?
William No, I only need the car for 10 days, from the 2nd to the 11th of next month.
Receptionist Now, what type of car are you looking to hire?
William Well, I’m not too worried about the model of the car but I understand that
you have rental cars from just $25 a day. Is that correct?
Receptionist We do sometimes have the $25 deals, but only in the low season. For the
period you are looking at, the cheapest we have is $35. However, that price
includes unlimited kilometres.
Page 39 of 115
William Sorry, did you say unlimited kilometres? What does that mean exactly?
Receptionist That means that no matter how far you go, the cost is the same. Some
companies charge for rental and then charge again for every kilometre you
actually drive.
William Well l am going to be travelling quite long distances – I’m visiting relatives
and they live quite far apart from each other, so unlimited kilometres are
probably a good idea.
Receptionist If you’re travelling long distances, you would be better off with an
automatic. Changing gears in a manual can make it more expensive for
petrol.
William OK, I’ll take an automatic then.
Receptionist Right, so that’s an automatic car for 10 days from the 2nd to the 11th. That’s
all booked. Is there anything else I can help you with?
William No that’s fine. Oh, sorry – what do I need to bring with me when I pick up
the car?
Receptionist All you need is your driving licence.
William Right, well thanks very much. Bye.
Listening test 1 Section 2

When thinking about beautiful countryside or stunning views, it has long been accepted that
Australia and New Zealand have few equals. What is perhaps slightly less well known is what
Page 40 of 115
these countries can offer to the avid train enthusiast. Both countries have railways which
pass through breathtaking scenery in the utmost of comfort.
In New Zealand you can travel from the country’s biggest city, Auckland, to where a third of
the population lives, its capital, Wellginton, on the longest passenger rail service in the
country – the Overlander. Crossing 681 kilometres, the train winds through the lush farmland
of the Waikato and up the Rarimu Spiral onto an amazing ‘volcanic plateau’ surrounded by
native bush. On a clear day you will be able to see three of New Zealand’s most famous
volcanoes — Mount Ruapehu, Mount Ngauruhoe and Mount Tongariro. The whole journey
can be completed in 11 hours, but for those keen to see a little more of the country, the trip
can be extended over three or four days. This gives travellers the opportunity of seeing the
famous Waitomo caves, relaxing in the mud pools of Rotorua, or skydiving over Lake Taupo.
Moving on to the South Island, you can take the Transai£i1ne through the Southem Alps,
travelling from the South Pacific Ocean to the Ta an Sea. Climbing from Christchurch right into
the alps, this 223 km trip is particularly impressive as the train passes through 16 tunnels
before descending to Greymouth at the end of the line. Taking only five hours, this is a
relatively short trip, but it is worth noting that this journey has been listed as the sixth most
scenic rail route in the world. For those that are not so keen on mountains, the South Island
has a second option —the Transcoastal. With the sea on one side and the mountains on the
other, it again shows some of the best scenery New Zealand has to offer. Also taking five
hours, one of the highlights of this journey is the opportunities for whale watching. The
fortunate few that see whales are well rewarded, but there are more common sights which
are just as enjoyable, such as penguins and seals.
Although these three train journeys are undeniably breathtaking, some travellers prefer the
longer journeys on offer in Australia. The Indian Pacific, for example, which travels from
Sydney through to Perth and has been dubbed ‘the adventure that spans Australia’. With
three nights on board, the train takes in the Blue Mountains and the Nullarbor Plains, and, as
Page 41 of 115
the name implies, the Indian Pacific shows you two oceans. This train journey holds two
world records: covering 4352 km, it is one of the world’s longest train journeys. it also travels
the world’s longest straight stretch of railway track (478 km). For those who find these
distances a little daunting, passengers can stretch their legs at a number of different stops
such as Kalgoorlie, famous for gold, and Broken Hill, first founded as a silver mine.
If three days on board a train seems a little excessive, there are alternatives. The Ghan, for
example, which travels from Adelaide in the south to Alice Springs in the centre of the
continent, taking 20 hours. Passing through Crystal Brook, Port Augusta and Woomera, this
journey gives an indication of what life was like for the earlier settlers as the discovered the
country. Along the way. you can also see the Iron Man sculpture, F which was constructed by
railway workers to commemorate the one millionth concrete sleeper laid during construction
of the line.
Finally, just a quick word about the Overland, which runs between Melbourne and Adelaide.
As the first train to travel between the capitals of two states, it is a historic as well as relaxing
way to travel, and is famous for being the oldest long-distance train journey on the continent.
With so many memorable journeys to choose from, the only problem you will have is
knowing which one to do first.
Page 42 of 115
Listening test 2
SECTION 1
Example:
The customer went to South Africa
1. last month
2. last week
3. last year. C
Questions 1-10
Questions 1 and 2
Choose the correct letter A–C.
1 The travel agent:
• thinks Europe is a good destination

• can personally recommend Vancouver
• does not think America is a good choice.
2 The customer:
• is going to Europe next year

• knows people living in Canada
• wants to go to the warmest place.
Questions 3 to 6
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Complete the form using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS OR A NUMBER.
The Travel Depot flight reservations
Customer’s name: Jim (3) ……………………
Address 10 Allen Road, Oldham
Destination Vancouver, Canada
Contact number: 0151 (4) …………………… (home number)
Flight number (5) ……………………
Length of stay (nights): (6) ……………………
Questions 7 to 10
Complete the sentences below USING NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS OR A NUMBER
1. The travel agent recommends some form of (7) …………………… cover for peace of mind.
2. There are two types of cover, but the best cover is offered with the
(8) …………………… Star policy.
3. The client can see a play at the theatre for $ (9) …………………….
4. The flight and the insurance together costs £ (10) …………………….
SECTION 2
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Questions 11-20
Questions 11-15
Select the correct answers A-C.
11. Who is the speaker addressing?
A. Property agents
B. People selling houses
C. People in the countryside
D. People buying second homes
12. Rental property in the city…
A. is very easy to find

B. is becoming more difficult to find
C. is an investment opportunity
D. is often the only option
13. Lisa Brown believes…
A. most people will own their own home at some time

B. there is a psychological factor involved in owning your own home
C. fewer people are interested in owning a house
D. most young people need a deposit before they can buy a house.
14. Property in the countryside is becoming more popular because…
A. people want to get away from the city

B. some parts of the city are becoming overcrowded
C. the concept of the home office means that some people don’t need to go into work
D. public transport is beginning to serve outlying areas.
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15. What kind of properties does the speaker specialise in?
A. Commercial
B. Investment
C. First homes
D. Rural
Questions 16 to 20
Answer the following questions USING NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS OR A NUMBER
16. What end of the market are the properties?
17. What does the speaker compare buying houses with?
18. What kind of equity can be the result of buying a property when the market is high?
19. How does she describe the feeling of successful property investment?
20. How can you ask the speaker a question?
SECTION 3
Questions 21-30
Questions 21 to 24
Answer the following questions USING NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND / OR A NUMBER
21. How long is the radio show?
22. What is the general focus of the programme?
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23. Where is Professor Ripley from?
24. According to Professor Ripley, what animals do people most associate with the African
bush?
Questions 25 to 28
Complete the table below using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS OR A NUMBER.
Threats Natural habitat Population
Estimated to be
African lions bush
(25) ……………..
Tigers (26) …………….. forests and plains fewer than (27) ……………..
Snow Expansion of (28) high-altitude

leopards …………….. pastures
Questions 29 and 30
Circle the appropriate letter A–D.
29. Where is the WWF currently funding projects to help the snow leopard?
A Nepal, Pakistan and Bhutan

B Nepal and Pakistan
C Bhutan and Nepal
D Pakistan and Bhutan
30. Listeners should telephone
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A immediately if they want to put forward an opinion
B during the commercial break
C in 10 minutes if they have anything they want to ask the professor
D if they have any information regarding pumas or jaguars.
SECTION 4
Questions 31-40
Question 31
Circle the correct answer A–C.
31 The students were expecting
1. to hear a lecture on overpopulation

2. Mr Mackenzie
3. a guest speaker
Questions 32 to 36
Complete the table below using TWO WORDS OR A NUMBER.
42 million adults (32) ………………

50 million adults have the reading ability of a (33) ……………… year-old.
Increasing by around (34) ……………… and a quarter million per year.
Unemployment Unrealised earnings Literacy programmes
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cost (in billions of US dollars) (35)$ ……………… 237 (36)$ ………………
Question 37
Circle the appropriate letter A–D.
37. Illiteracy is increasing because many young learners are
• not being taught how to break words into sounds

• given word lists which are too long
• not challenged enough in the classroom.
Questions 38 to 40
Complete the summary below USING NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS.
English is made up of 26 letters, with 44 (38) ……………… and 70 ways of (39) ……………… .
Unsuccessful teaching practices persist, however, because reading is (40) ……………… .
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1. B
2. B
3. JACKSON
4. 433 398
5. VN217
6. 20 OR TWENTY
7. (TRAVEL) INSURANCE
8. GOLD
9. 54 OR FIFTY FOUR (THE CURRENCY SYMBOL IS NOT NEEDED AS IT IS IN THE QUESTION)
10. 433 (THE CURRENCY SYMBOL IS NOT NEEDED AS IT IS IN THE QUESTION)
11. D
12. B
13. B
14. C
15. B
16. (THE) CHEAPER (END)
17. (HAVING A) PENSION(S)
18. NEGATIVE
19. (ENORMOUSLY) SATISFYING
20. RAISE (YOUR / A) HAND
21. 1 HOUR [‘WEEKLY’ IS INCORRECT AS THIS IS HOW OFTEN, NOT HOW LONG]
22. CONSERVATION (ISSUES)
23. (THE) US
24. (PRIDES OF) LIONS
25. 50,000
26. HUNTERS/ HUNTING
27. 6000
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28. AGRICULTURE
29. B
30. C
31. C – THE SPEAKER TOLD THE CLASS ON MONDAY THAT THE LECTURE ON OVERPOPULATION
WAS CANCELLED AS THEY HAVE A GUEST SPEAKER.
32. CANNOT READ
33. 10
34. 2
35. 6
36. 10
37. A
38. SOUNDS
39. SPELLING
40. BIG BUSINESS (BOTH WORDS NEEDED TO GET THE CORRECT ANSWER)
Page 51 of 115
Listening test 3
SECTION 1
Example:
She wants to study an MBA
Questions 1-10
Questions 1-5. Complete the form below with the applicant’s personal details using NO MORE
THAN THREE WORDS OR A NUMBER.
Applicant information form:

Name: Ann (1) ………………
D.O.B.: (2) ……………… , 1991
Address: (3) ……………… Simon Street, Brighton
Contact number: (4) (01903) ………………
Mobile: (5) ………………
Questions 6 to 10
Answer the following questions using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS.
6. What is the applicant’s current job?
7. What university course has she already completed?
8. Why might the student not get on the MBA course?
9. What is her second choice?
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10. Which department will contact the applicant?
SECTION 2
Questions 11- 15. Answer the questions using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS.
11. Whose lifestyle is the speaker talking about?
12. Which two examples of goods have now become thought of as necessities?
13. In addition to work, what have these goods given us more time for?
14. What do richer societies become?
15. What does the ‘race of acquisition’ encourage us to buy?
Questions 16 to 20
Answer the following questions by selecting the correct letter A to C.
• Who is mostly responsible for creating the demand for new products?
A. Wealthy, older people
B. Professionals
C. Models
• Why should we be concerned with the increasing number of unnecessary appliances?

A. The cost
B. The environment
C. The pace of technology
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• What other risk does the speaker refer to?
A. A loss of traditional skills
B. Health factors of pre-packaged food
C. A negative impact on careers
• Active buying behaviour

A. will cause an increase in manufactured goods
B. causes stress within families
C. is a purely positive aspect of consumer behaviour
• What does the speaker recommend for the future?

A. Buy what is available
B. Educating companies about sustainable production
C. Purchase in moderation
SECTION 3
Question 21.
Choose the correct letter A–C.
21. Helen became a vegetarian

A. sixteen years ago.
B. because of family influences.
C. for personal reasons.
Questions 22-24.
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Answer the following questions using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS.
According to Helen,
22. what is the most important food source for vegetarians?
23. what do most countries do to vegetables?
24. it is a misconception people have that vegetarians are what?
Questions 25-26
Complete the table below using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS OR A NUMBER
World Europe America
Beef consumption per head

(25) (26)
(in kilogrammes per year) less than 11
…………….. ……………..
Questions 27-30.
Label the following diagram using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS.
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27. ……………..
28. ……………..
29. ……………..
30. ……………..
SECTION 4
Questions 31 and 32. Complete the following sentence using ONE WORD.
31. East feels ………….. therapy is a better word than ‘alternative’.
32.Osteopathy involves the manipulation of ………….. in order to remove stresses and strains.
Questions 33-36. Answer the following questions using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS.
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According to Matthew East,
33. ….what must be considered when treating a patient?
34. …what was the original cause of the baby’s discomfort?
35. How does East describe the use of drugs and operations?
36. According to East, what is the percentage cost of natural remedies compared to western
medicine?
Questions 37-38. Circle the correct letter A-C
37. East believes western medicine

A. is not suitable for the young
B. has not had sufficient trials
C. is overly influenced by pharmaceutical companies
38. Natural remedies

A. are sometimes used indiscriminately
B. can be used with patients of any age
C. do not affect diet or lifestyle
Questions 39-40. Answer the following questions using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS
39. What examples does East give for the benefits of western medicine?
40. Who is next week’s guest?
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1. HAWBERRY
2. 22ND MAY
3. 26
4. 714721
5. NO MOBILE PHONE
6. SECRETARY
7. BUSINESS
8. GETS FULL QUICKLY / FILLS QUICKLY / IT FILLS QUICKLY
9. INTERNATIONAL MARKETING
10. ADMISSION(S) (DEPARTMENT)
11. WOMEN / WOMEN’S
12. DISHWASHERS AND MICROWAVES (AGAIN, BOTH WORDS ARE NEEDED FOR THE
CORRECT ANSWER)
13. LEISURE PURSUITS
14. (MORE) DEMANDING
15. UNNECESSARY GOODS
16. B
17. B
18. A
19. A
20. C
21. C
22. SOYA OR SOYA BEAN OR SOYBEAN
23. OVERCOOK THEM
24. UNHEALTHY
25. 21
26. 24
27. CEREALS
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28. DAIRY
29. WHITE MEAT
30. RED MEAT
31. NATURAL
32. MUSCLES
33. (THE) WHOLE BODY
34. A DIFFICULT BIRTH
35. INVASIVE
36. 10%
37. C
38. B
39. EMERGENCY SURGERY
40. DR MOORE
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Academic Module Reading tests
Reading test 1
Section 1:
These days, time is everything. We worry about being late, we rush to get things done or to be
somewhere and our daily schedules are often planned down to the minute. Of course, none of
this would have been possible without the humble clock. The internationally accepted division
of time into regular, predictable units has become an essential aspect of almost all modern
societies yet the history of time keeping is almost as old as civilisation itself. Nearly 3000 years
ago, societies were using the stars in order to keep track of time to indicate agricultural cycles.
Then came the sundial, an Egyptian invention in which the shadow cast by the sun was used to
measure the time not of the seasons but of the day.
The first manufactured clock, believed to have come from Persia, was a system which recreated
the movements of the stars. All the celestial bodies which had been used to tell the time of year
were plotted onto an intricate system in which the planets rotated around each other. Not
being dependent on either sunlight or a clear night, this was one of the earliest systems to
divide a complete day. Although ingenious for its time, this method suffered from incorrect
astrological assumptions of the period, in which it was believed that the Earth was the centre of
the universe.
The Greeks were next to develop a more accurate clock using water to power a mechanism that
counted out the divisions of the day. The simplest water clock consisted of a large urn that had
a small hole located near the base, and a graduated stick attached to a floating base. The hole
would be plugged while the urn was being filled with water, and then the stick would be
inserted into the urn. The stick would float perpendicular to the surface of the water, and when
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the hole at the base of the urn was unplugged, the passage of time was measured as the stick
descended farther into the urn.
Then, for nearly one thousand years, there was little in the way of progress in time keeping
until the European invention of spring-powered clocks in the late fourteenth century.
Unreliable and inaccurate, the early models of these clocks were useful in that they gave
direction to new advances. In 1656 Christiaan Huygens, a Dutch scientist, made the first
pendulum clock, which had an error of less than one minute a day, the first time such accuracy
had been achieved. His later refinements reduced his clock’s error to less than 10 seconds a
day. Some years later, Huygens abandoned the pendulum for a balance wheel and spring
assembly which allowed for a whole new generation of time piece – the wristwatch. Still found
in some of today’s wristwatches, this improvement allowed portable seventeenth-century
watches to keep time to 10 minutes a day.
While clock making and musical chime clocks became increasingly popular, it was the invention
of the cuckoo clock, designed and made by Franz Anton Ketterer, which really caught people’s
imagination. The design was not particularly complex. The clock was mounted on a headboard,
normally a very elaborate carving reflecting the tastes of the artist. Many of the original cuckoo
clocks are still kept today because of the artwork on the headboard. Using the traditional
circular pendulum design, the clock could run accurately for up to a week, using a weight to
keep the pendulum in motion. Again, the weight was often carved with a design making it as
much an art form as a timepiece. The most innovative feature of these cuckoo clocks, as the
name implies, is that a small carved cuckoo came out of the clock to chime the hour.
Particularly ingenious was the placement of bellows inside the clock, which were designed to
recreate the sound made by the bird, although later models included a lever on the bottom of
the clock which could be used to stop this hourly chime.
Refinements to this original pendulum concept meant that by 1721 the pendulum clock
remained accurate to within one second per day by compensating for changes in the
pendulum’s length due to temperature variations. Over the next century, further refinements
reduced this to a hundredth of a second a day. In the 1920s, a new era of clock making began
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which is still popular today – the quartz clock. When under pressure, quartz generates an
electric field of relatively constant frequency, and it was discovered that this electric signal was
sufficient to power a clock. Quartz crystal clocks were better because they had fewer moving
parts to disturb their regular frequency. Even so, they still rely on a mechanical vibration and
this depends on the size of the crystal, and as no two crystals can be exactly alike, there is a
degree of difference in every quartz watch.
Comparing performance to price, it is understandable that quartz clocks still dominate the
market. Yet they are no longer the most accurate. Scientists had long realised that each
chemical element in the universe absorbs and emits electromagnetic radiation at its own
specific frequencies. These resonances are inherently stable, thus forming the basis for a
reliable system of time measurement, all the more so because no moving parts are needed to
record these resonances. Yet the cost of these atomic clocks mean that such timekeeping
precision is a long way from becoming common.
Questions 1 – 15
Questions 1 – 8
Match a type of clock to a description. Write a letter A – H in boxes 1 to 8 on your answer

sheet.
A Relied on basic scientific principles

B was the first to replace the pendulum
C Is the most common method of timekeeping
D Is the most accurate clock
E Is the earliest known method of measuring time during the day
F Was inaccurate because of misconceptions of the age
G Was often highly ornamental
H Had only a 10-second margin of error per day
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1. Quartz clock …………………………
2. Cuckoo clock …………………………
3. Sundial …………………………
4. Persian clock …………………………
5. Wristwatch …………………………
6. Pendulum …………………………
7. Atomic clock …………………………
8. Water clock …………………………
Questions 9 – 12
Label the diagram below using words from the text. Use NO MORE THAN ONE WORD.
9. …………………………
10. …………………………
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11. …………………………
12. …………………………
Questions 13 – 15
Complete the following summary using words from the box below. Write A-F in boxes 13 to 15.
A: Cheaper B: the least accurate C: Accurate
D: More expensive D: Precision F: exactly the same
G: H: Mechanical vibration I: Moving parts
Although quartz clocks are (13) ………………………… , the atomic clock is the most
(14) ………………………… as it does not rely on any (15) ………………………… .
Section 2:
A. The holiday season has always been a cause for celebration around the world. The
opportunity to take a break from work, be frivolous, go on holiday, meet family and friends – all
good reasons to look forward to the holidays with enthusiasm and anticipation. Or at least that
is what we are led to believe.
B. Research carried out in America suggests that these feelings of euphoria may be somewhat
misplaced. A study recently carried out by New York University Child Study Centre has
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concluded that one in three people of varying ages suffer ‘holiday blues’ to varying extents,
from a mild feeling of sadness to severe, sometimes even suicidal, depression. The effects can
manifest themselves in many ways, such as an inability to sleep or sleeping too much,
overeating or undereating, headaches or drinking too much. The report also concluded that not
only are there a number of complex causes that can trigger such depression (psychological and
biological), there are an equal number of opinions as to the best solution.
C. According to Dr Frank Pittman, a leading family psychiatrist, the most significant cause for
holiday depression actually stems from our concerns about our family. During the holiday
season, families meet, often for the first time since the last holiday season, and try to make
these reunions ‘perfect’. In fact, says Pittman, we count on the holidays to compensate for the
rest of the year. He himself comments that ‘I wanted to make up to the family for not having
been a good enough father and uncle all year’. However, such good intentions are often
thwarted by old family arguments, feelings of not being appreciated or being used, all of which
result in holiday stress. It seems that the idyllic picture of our family we wish to build in our
minds cannot be sustained in reality.
D. Although Pittman holds family to be the source of much of the problem, others point to a
more general social context. Gift shopping, for example, does not help reduce tensions –
crowded shops, long queues, the pressure of choosing just the right present – all of these things
contribute to a feeling of stress and anxiety. On the other end of the scale, there are those
without family who experience a sense of extreme loneliness and isolation throughout this
period, often spending the long holidays alone. Any feelings of inadequacy they may harbour
throughout the year can often become unbearable at a time when friends are unavailable and
enjoying an apparently cosy break with their loved ones. In fact, such is the extreme nature of
this isolation that many organisations have been established to offer some help and support to
those who feel most alone over what should be the ‘festive’ season.
E. Others, however, argue that more scientific explanations carry an equal weight in explaining
holiday blues. Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD as it is more commonly known, is also held
responsible for winter depression. A natural reaction to falling levels of sunlight, the pineal
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gland secretes the hormone melatonin, which has the effect of slowing the body down. When
days get shorter, more of the hormone is released causing sufferers to become lethargic and
miserable. From being industrious people with plenty of energy, SAD sufferers find themselves
increasingly weary and unable to sustain any prolonged activity, a situation which often leads to
depression. In addition, for many people this has a major impact not only on their personal life
but also on their professional life, as employers often see this lack of productivity in terms of
laziness or unwillingness to work. As a result, SAD has been linked directly to the high rate of
suicide in a number of Scandinavian countries during winter months, when there are often a
few hours of sunlight a day.
F. The good news for SAD sufferers is that there is a cure, and as far as many medical cures go
this is relatively simple. As the cause is lack of bright light, the treatment is to be in bright light
every day. This can obviously be achieved by staying in a brightly lit climate, explaining why
skiing holidays are so popular as they allow people to get plenty of sunlight as well as providing
a stimulating activity. Another method is by using light therapy, in which patients sit in front of
a lamp which acts in the same way as sunlight. To be more specific, the light should be about as
bright as early morning sunshine, and the user should allow the light to reach the eyes for
anything up to one hour a day in order to alleviate the symptoms. There are a number of
companies currently manufacturing these lights as a health aid and they are even being
prescribed by some doctors. In addition, they can be bought at considerably less than the cost
of a holiday.
G. Whatever fundamental reason underpins holiday depression, it seems reasonable to argue

that the phenomenon does indeed exist. Voluntary support services, offering counseling
services to those who need the unbiased and friendly voice of a stranger to help them work
through their unhappiness report a significant increased demand for their services during
holiday periods such as Christmas and the New Year
Questions 16 – 26
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Questions 16 – 17
Circle the correct answer A – C
16. Research has shown that

A we become more depressed during the holidays
B poor diet can lead to depression
C simple things can lead us to feel varying degrees of depression.
17. Dr Pittman believes holiday depression comes from

A feelings of inadequacy
B being alone
C over-compensation.
Questions 18 – 21
Answer the following questions using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text.
1. What is the chemical that can cause for lethargy in SAD sufferers?
2. Which area is identified as having a problem with the connection between suicide and
reduced sunlight?
3. What daily treatment can SAD sufferers benefit from?
4. For whom are the holiday periods the busiest time?
Questions 22 – 26
Choose the most suitable headings for sections B–F from the list below. Use each heading once
only.
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I. Family cures
II. Addressing the problem
III. Impact of personality
IV. Psychological factors
V. Biological factors
VI. Avoiding stress
VII. Manifestations of depression
VIII. Depression in children
IX. Pressures of the holiday period
4. Section B
5. Section C
6. Section D
7. Section E
8. Section F
Section 3:
A. By attempting to fit in as much as possible, the school day is continually being added to. In
many ways, this would appear to be a good idea, as our knowledge and understanding of the
world is always growing and it would seem logical to incorporate this into schools. The reality,
however, has some decided drawbacks. There is a growing feeling amongst many that the
modern school curriculum, in an effort to teach as many varied subjects as possible, is actually
teaching students less. It seems that by constantly adding to what should be taught in the
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classroom, the classes are less focused, not offering the deeper learning that institutions
perhaps should.
B. With classes sometimes only 30 minutes long, the overwhelming amount of information
teachers are required to present often only gives students time to learn facts, not to think in
any great detail about what they are being presented with. The problem is that students are
not getting the opportunity to absorb what they are being taught as the curriculum expands in
order to keep what has already been taught and supplement it with everything new that comes
along. The weaknesses of such a system are clear – well informed though such students may
be, there is the risk of an increasing number of graduates who have no real creative or
intellectual ability. By denying students the opportunity to sit and think their way through
problems, or even consider their own opinion, some schools are not always providing a truly
educational atmosphere. There are, of course, certain aspects of education which need to be
taught by simply inputting the information. Basic mathematics, for example. But there are
many other subjects which could be best learned by having an opportunity to think and discuss
what is being taught. Literature, writing and the social sciences are good examples of subjects
which cannot be considered as ‘covered’ by a mass of information without the opportunity to
discuss, debate or consider meaning or implications. There are also important social skills to be
learned during such periods of open discussion, skills which are not addressed by an endless
flow of teacher-centred information.
C. Teachers themselves have also voiced concerns about the amount of information they are
required to impress upon their students. There is a feeling in many educational establishments
that students are no longer being educated, but taught how to pass tests. In a world where
academic success is too often measured by examination results, this is a serious concern. If
there is too much information to simply be memorised and not enough time to truly assimilate
it, what happens to students who fail to meet the grade? By current standards, they are
failures, yet they may have great potential in areas not covered by the test and there are many
students who, despite clear intellectual ability, simply do not perform well in tests. Again, the
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problem is one of focus, as education authorities are looking at the outcome of schooling rather
than the content presented in the class.
D. It is here that many teachers feel the situation could be addressed at a local level. By giving
more discretion to teachers, school courses could be tailored to suit the students rather than
tailoring students to meet ever-expanding course requirements. In addition, by running a
curriculum that gives options rather than defines an entire course, considerably more freedom
would be possible. As it is, progression through most primary and secondary schools is
regimented, and there is little room for students to identify and develop their own skills and
strengths. If material could be chosen on the basis of its merits rather than simply because it
has been put in the curriculum, then what is selected may be taught to a depth that would
serve some purpose. There is, of course, a counter-argument, which claims that such open
guidelines could lead to vast differences in standards between schools. What one teacher may
see as essential for a student’s education, another may see as irrelevant, and this will result in
students with widely different educational strengths.
E. With such a high-pressure learning environment, there are also a number of social aspects to
schooling which need to be considered. The increased student workload cannot be covered in
the classroom alone for the simple reason that there is not enough time in the average school
week, and much of this extra workload has been pushed into the realm of homework. At its
best, homework should be the opportunity to look in greater detail at what has been studied. In
other words, to actually think about it and its relevance. The reality, however, is often very
different. Concerned parents and overextended students are finding that homework is taking
an increasingly large part of a student’s evening, cutting into time many feel should be spent as
part of a child’s social education. Other social pressures have compounded the situation, as
many of the areas of educating a young child which should be the responsibility of the parents
have ill-advisedly become the school’s responsibility. Drug awareness and health issues, for
example, are occupying an increasingly large part of the school day.
F. Many people believe that we should be teaching less, but teaching it better, and it is here
that they think a solution can be found. Yet the process of rewriting a curriculum to incorporate
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only that which is essential but can be well learned would take far longer than most educational
authorities have, and would be considered by many to be a ‘regressive’ step. Changes in the
curriculum have largely been motivated by changes in the nature of employment, as job
mobility demands that people know something about considerably more areas than were
traditionally necessary. A little about a lot allows for the job mobility which has become so
common. No matter what the final verdict may be, one thing is for sure – change will be slow,
and not always for the best.
Questions 27 – 40
Questions 27 – 32
Choose the most suitable headings for sections A–F from the list below. Use each heading once
only.
• A question of time
• Lack of teacher training
• Student success
• The argument for flexibility
• Importance of teaching experience
• Extra-curricular pressures
• The benefits of a varied curriculum
• Imbalanced focus
• Over-reliance on examinations
• Quality of quantity?
• Section A
• Section B
• Section C
• Section D
• Section E
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• Section F
Questions 33 – 37
Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer?
In boxes 33 -37 on your answer sheet write
Write YES if the statement agrees with the writer

NO if the statement does not agree with the writer
NOT GIVEN if there is no information about this in the passage
5. Classes are often too short. …………………………

6. No subjects can be comprehensively learned without time to discuss and debate the
facts. …………………………
7. Tests are a fair measure of ability. …………………………
8. Schools are trying to be responsible for too many aspects of a child’s education.
…………………………
9. Future changes in the curriculum will improve the situation. …………………………
Questions 38 – 40
Complete the summary below using words from the box from the text. Write the correct letter
A-I in the boxes provided.
A. more discretion B. in detail C. differences in standards
D. the extra workload E. job mobility F. shorter classes
G. facts H. a regimented progression I. a weaker system
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Too much emphasis is placed on learning (38) ………………………… . The modern school curriculum
is largely a response to increased (39) ………………………… for which graduates are expected to
have a much broader general knowledge. One potential solution to this could be to give
individual schools (40) ………………………… regarding what is taught.
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Reading test 1 answers
1. C 21. VOLUNTARY SUPPORT SERVICES

2. G 22. VII
3. E 23. IV
4. F 24. IX
5. B 25. V
6. H 26. II
7. D 27. X
8. A 28. VIII
9. HEADBOARD 29. IX
10. WEIGHT 30. IV
11. PENDULUM 31. VI
12. BELLOWS 32. I
13. CHEAPER 33. NOT GIVEN
14. ACCURATE 34. NO
15. MOVING PARTS 35. NO
16. A 36. YES
17. C 37. NO
18. MELATONIN 38. G (FACTS)
19. SCANDINAVIA OR SCANDINAVIAN 39. E (JOB MOBILITY)
COUNTRIES 40. A (MORE DISCRETION)
20. LIGHT THERAPY
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Reading test 2
Section 1:
A running controversy
In 1988, Canadian athlete Ben Johnson set a new world record for the 100 metres sprint and set
the Seoul Olympics alight. Just a few days later, he was stripped of his medal and banned from
competing after having failed a drug test, highlighting what has since become an international
problem – drug use in sport.
Those involved in sports face enormous pressure to excel in competition, all the more so as
their careers are relatively short. By the time most sportspeople are in their forties, they are
already considered to be past their prime, and as a result they need to earn their money as
quickly as possible. In such a high-pressure environment, success has to come quickly and
increasingly often drugs are playing a prominent role.
There are a number of specific effects that sportspeople are aiming to achieve by taking
performance-enhancing drugs. Caffeine and cocaine are commonly used as stimulants, getting
the body ready for the mass expenditure of energy required. In addition, there are those who
are looking to build their body strength and turn to the use of anabolic steroids. Having worked
so hard and needing to unwind, sportspeople may misuse other drugs as a relaxant in that is
can help them cope with stress or boost their own confidence. Alcohol is commonly used for
this purpose, but for sportspeople something more direct is often required, and this has led to
an increase in the use of beta-blockers specifically to steady nerves.
Increasingly accurate drug testing is leading companies and suppliers to ever-more creative
ways of avoiding detection, and there are a range of banned substances that are still taken by
sportspeople in order to disguise the use of other, more potent drugs. Diuretics is a good
example of this: in addition to allowing the body to lose excess weight, they are used to hide
other substances.
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Drugs or not, the working life of the average sportsperson is hard and often painful. Either
through training or on the field, injuries are common and can lead to the use of narcotics simply
to mask the pain. There are examples of champion motorcyclists taking local anaesthetics to
hide the pain of a crash that should have seen them taken straight to hospital, and though this
is not directly banned, use is carefully monitored.
Drug testing has since become an accepted feature of most major sporting events, and as soon
as a new drug is detected and the user is banned from competitive sport, then a new drug is
developed which evades detection. Inevitably, this makes testing for such banned substances
even more stringent, and has in recent years highlighted a new and disturbing problem – the
unreliability of drug tests.
Recent allegations of drug use have seen sportspeople in court attempt to overthrow decisions
against them, claiming that they were unaware they had taken anything on the banned list. A
test recently carried out saw three non-athletes given dietary substances that were not on the
banned list, and the two who didn’t take exercise tested negative. However, the third person,
who exercised regularly, tested positive. This, of course, has left the testing of sportspeople in a
very difficult position. Careers can be prematurely ended by false allegations of drug abuse, yet
by not punishing those who test positive, the door would be open for anyone who wanted to
take drugs.
The issue is becoming increasingly clouded as different schools of opinion are making
themselves heard. There are some that argue that if the substance is not directly dangerous to
the user, then it should not be banned, claiming that it is just another part of training and can
be compared to eating the correct diet. Ron Clarke, a supporter of limited drug use in sport,
commented that some drugs should be accepted as ‘they just level the playing field’. He
defended his opinion by pointing out that some competitors have a natural advantage. Athletes
born high above sea level or who work out in high altitudes actually produce more red blood
cells, a condition which other athletes can only achieve by drug taking.
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Others claim that drug use shouldn’t be allowed because it contravenes the whole idea of fairly
competing in a sporting event, adding that the drugs available to a wealthy American athlete,
for example, would be far superior to those available to a struggling Nigerian competitor.
Governing bodies of the myriad of sporting worlds are trying to set some standards for
competitors, but as drug companies become more adept at disguising illegal substances, the
procedure is an endless race with no winner. In the face of an overwhelming drug and
supplement market, one thing is certain – drugs will probably be a significant factor for a long
time to come.
Questions 1 – 10
Questions 1 – 4
Label the diagram below using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS.
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1. …………….
2. …………….
3. …………….
4. …………….
Questions 5 – 8 Answer the following questions using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the
text.
• Why are sportspeople under such pressure to succeed quickly? …………….

• What has subsequently become necessary in a number of sports? …………….
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• What does Ron Clarke claim drugs can balance? …………….
• What are drug companies becoming more able to do to avoid detection? …………….
Questions 9 and 10
Complete the summary using words from the text. USE NO MORE THAN ONE WORD.
Despite being increasingly more accurate in some respects, tests for drugs can be flawed as
those creating and supplying the drugs are also getting better at avoiding (9) ……………. in the
face of creative drug companies. (10) ……………. of drug use have serious side effects on
sportspeople even if they are subsequently proved wrong.
In almost every kind of waiting room you can imagine, be it a dentist’s or a car showroom, you
will find them. No matter how much of a minority sport, interest or hobby you may have or
take part in, you will almost certainly find one devoted to it. Over the past 20 years, magazines
have become so popular that they are now outselling most newspapers.
The forerunners of magazines were nothing like the glossy, colourful affairs they are now. They
were small printed pages announcing forthcoming events and providing a little local
information. They became popular during the seventeenth century, when the idea was
exported around Europe. Magazines became thicker, and were not only informative but also
entertaining. In addition, literary magazines began to publish short literary works. Indeed, many
classic authors of the period first published their material in magazines such as The Tatler and
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Gentleman’s Magazine. However, they remained more of a hobby than a business, generating
only enough income to cover production costs.
The American Magazine, first published in 1741, was the aptly named first magazine to be
available in America. Launched in Philadelphia, it was available for only a few short months, and
was soon replaced by more popular (although In the early nineteenth century, the nature of
magazines changed as illustrated magazines and children’s magazines made their appearance.
The illustrations were immediately popular, and within a few years every magazine was
brightening its pages with them.
The Industrial Revolution that hit Europe around this time also had a great impact. With the
advent of better quality printing processes, paper and colour printing techniques, magazines
became lucrative as local businesses began to pay previously unimaginable prices for
advertising space. This heralded a new era within the industry as magazines now represented a
significant source of income for publishers.
Towards the end of the nineteenth century, better standards of education were resulting in a
higher degree of literacy, and this of course meant that there was an increasing number of
markets to be exploited, and with better transportation, the means developed with which to
reach these markets. The most conclusive factor, however, in the rise of magazines came about
with the rise of national advertising. Previously, advertising in magazines had remained
relatively local, but with the birth of the concept of national markets, where goods could be
delivered to almost any destination and at previously unheard-of speeds, advertisers were
willing to pay for as wide a coverage as possible in as many magazines as they thought would
usefully promote their products.
Competition inevitably increased and this led to the development of new magazines. In the
following years, magazines became more specialised, significantly rivalling newspapers as the
dominant form of media and paving the way for the wealth of choices available today.
It was at this point that magazine owners and editors found another area which would
guarantee a wider circulation. Attributed to Samuel S. McClure, editor of the American
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magazine McClure’s, the early 1900s saw the advent of the gossip column, in which the private
lives of prominent political or social figures was investigated by those who became known as
‘muckraking journalists’. They would invade the privacy of anyone they thought would interest
the public, exposing secrets or even fabricating stories in order to raise the circulation of their
magazine.
As the circulation of magazines increased, they began at first to reflect, then to influence,
popular opinion. This led to them being heavily used by both sides during World War I and
World War II as propaganda, inspiring people to join and fight against the enemy. Most people
have, at some time in their life, seen the ubiquitous picture of the British General Kitchener
pointing out of the poster with the slogan ‘Your Country Needs You!’ printed below, exhorting
people to join the army during World War I. It was in magazines that this picture had such wide
coverage.
In the 1950s, magazines took a heavy blow at the hands of the new medium of advertising –
television. With sound and pictures now on offer, many magazines lost business and faced
collapse as advertisers took their business to television studios. Magazines became even more
specialised, hoping to still find new markets, and that is why today we find so many obscure
titles on the shelves. There is no doubt that the magazine has come a long way from its humble
beginnings, but when you can buy magazines devoted to the art of Body Painting or informing
us of the latest Caravan Accessories, or read about the latest gossip from another Hollywood
star, you have to wonder if magazines have actually come a long way in the right direction.
Questions 11 – 22
Questions 11 – 14
Choose the correct answer A–D
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11. The earliest magazines
E had a number of similarities with modern magazines

F were intended for women
G focused on hobbies
H were very different from magazines today.
12. Magazines became a highly profitable business when
4. they were exported around Europe

5. they began including illustrations
6. advertisers began paying more for space
7. they included short stories.
13. How have magazines retained their popularity despite increased competition?
• By influencing popular opinion.

• By specialising.
• Because of the war.
• Through cooperation with television.
14. McClure’s magazine
• was a respected political and social publication

• was the first publication to specialise in invasive journalism
• was the most popular American publication of 1900
• had the highest circulation of any magazine.
Questions 15 – 18
Look at the following statements and decide if they are right or wrong according to the
information given.
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Write:
TRUE if the statement is true

FALSE if the statement is false
NOT GIVEN if there is no information about this in the passage.
A. Lady’s Book was written by women.

B. After the Industrial Revolution, magazines sold more copies than newspapers.
C. Better education supported the rise of magazines.
D. Magazines began to influence popular opinion.
Questions 19 – 22
Answer the following questions using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text
1. With what form of journalism did Samuel McClure guarantee more sales of his
magazine?
2. What allowed the exploitation of new markets in the late 1800s?
3. Whose picture was in many magazines during World War I?
4. What stopped the increasing rise of magazines?
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In every society, culturally unique ways of thinking about the world unite people in their
behaviour. Anthropologists often refer to the body of ideas that people share as ideology.
Ideology can be broken down into at least three specific categories: beliefs, values and ideals.
People’s beliefs give them an understanding of how the world works and how they should
respond to the actions of others and their environments. Particular beliefs often tie in closely
with the daily concerns of domestic life, such as making a living, health and sickness, happiness
and sadness, interpersonal relationships, and death. People’s values tell them the differences
between right and wrong or good and bad. Ideals serve as models for what people hope to
achieve in life.
There are two accepted systems of belief. Some rely on religion, even the supernatural (things
beyond the natural world), to shape their values and ideals and to influence their behaviour.
Others base their beliefs on observations of the natural world, a practice anthropologists
commonly refer to as secularism.
Religion in its more extreme form allows people to know about and ‘communicate’ with
supernatural beings, such as animal spirits, gods, and spirits of the dead. Small tribal societies
believe that plants and animals, as well as people, can have souls or spirits that can take on
different forms to help or harm people. Anthropologists refer to this kind of religious belief as
animism, with believers often led by shamans. As religious specialists, shamans have special
access to the spirit world, and are said to be able to receive stories from supernatural beings
and later recite them to others or act them out in dramatic rituals.
In larger, agricultural societies, religion has long been a means of asking for bountiful harvests,
a source of power for rulers, or an inspiration to go to war. In early civilised societies, religious
visionaries became leaders because people believed those leaders could communicate with the
supernatural to control the fate of a civilization. This became their greatest source of power,
and people often regarded leaders as actual gods. For example, in the great civilisation of the
Aztec, which flourished in what is now Mexico in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, rulers
claimed privileged association with a powerful god that was said to require human blood to
ensure that the sun would rise and set each day. Aztec rulers thus inspired great awe by
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regularly conducting human sacrifices. They also conspicuously displayed their vast power as
wealth in luxury goods, such as fine jewels, clothing and palaces. Rulers obtained their wealth
from the great numbers of craftspeople, traders and warriors under their control.
During the period in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Europe known as the Age of
Enlightenment, science and logic became new sources of belief for many people living in
civilised societies. Scientific studies of the natural world and rational philosophies led people to
believe that they could explain natural and social phenomena without believing in gods or
spirits. Religion remained an influential system of belief, and together both religion and science
drove the development of capitalism, the economic system of commerce-driven market
exchange. Capitalism itself influences people’s beliefs, values and ideals in many present-day,
large, civilised societies. In these societies, such as in the United States, many people view the
world and shape their behaviour based on a belief that they can understand and control their
environment and that work, commerce and the accumulation of wealth serve an ultimate good.
The governments of most large societies today also assert that human well-being derives from
the growth of economies and the development of technology.
Rapid changes in technology in the last several decades have changed the nature of culture and
cultural exchange. People around the world can make economic transactions and transmit
information to each other almost instantaneously through the use of computers and satellite
communications. Governments and corporations have gained vast amounts of political power
through military might and economic influence. Corporations have also created a form of global
culture based on worldwide commercial markets. As a result, local culture and social structure
are now shaped by large and powerful commercial interests in ways that earlier anthropologists
could not have imagined. Early anthropologists thought of societies and their cultures as fully
independent systems, but today, many nations are multicultural societies, composed of
numerous smaller subcultures. Cultures also cross national boundaries. For instance, people
around the world now know a variety of English words and have contact with American cultural
exports such as brand-name clothing and technological products, films and music, and mass-
produced foods.
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In addition, many people have come to believe in the fundamental nature of human rights and
free will. These beliefs grew out of people’s increasing ability to control the natural world
through science and rationalism, and though religious beliefs continue to change to affirm or
accommodate these other dominant beliefs, sometimes the two are at odds with each other.
For instance, many religious people have difficulty reconciling their belief in a supreme spiritual
force with the theory of natural evolution, which requires no belief in the supernatural. As a
result, societies in which many people do not practice any religion, such as China, may be
known as secular societies. However, no society is entirely secular.
Questions 23 – 40
Questions 23 – 29
Do the following statements agree with the opinion of the writer? Write
YES if the statement agrees with the writer
NO if the statement does not agree with the writer
NOT GIVEN if there is no information about this in the passage.
1. People from all around the world are united by the way they think about
culture. …………….
2. Our ‘values’ are the most important aspect of ideology. …………….
3. Secularism is the most widely accepted system of beliefs, values and ideals. …………….
4. Shamans act as intermediaries between spirits and the living. ……………. Agricultural
societies benefited from religion. …………….
5. In Aztec civilisation, fighters, craftspeople and traders demanded blood sacrifices from
the rich. …………….
6. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, European people began turning towards
science. …………….
Questions 30 – 34
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Complete the summary of the reading text using words from the box.
belief latter religion faith ascendancy
former rational decline secular shaman
There are two main (30) ……………. systems which can contribute to our ideology – animism
and secularism. The (31) ……………. can be said to dominate older civilisations and tribal
societies, whereas larger, more contemporary societies have gone in a more (32)
……………. and scientific direction. One reason that explains the (33) ……………. of more secular
beliefs is the importance given to other factors, such as free will and capitalism. Nonetheless,
(34) ……………. remains at least to some degree even in the most secular of societies.
Questions 35 – 40
Answer the questions below using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS.
• What are beliefs, values and ideals specific categories of?

• What was said to be necessary for the continuation of sunrise and sunset in ancient
Mexico?
• In Europe, what title was given to the advance of science and logic?
• What two things influenced the development of capitalism?
• Before modern advances in technology, what did anthropologists consider societies to
be?
• What theory is symbolic of the tensions between religion and science?
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1. Cocaine 23. No
2. Anabolic steroids 24. Not Given
3. Relaxants 25. Not Given
4. Mask pain 26. Yes
5. Short careers / careers are short 27. Not Given
6. Drug testing 28. No (it was the wealthy and
7. Natural advantage privileged that called for sacrifice,
8. Disguise illegal substances not the fighters, craftspeople and
9. Detection traders).
10. Allegations 29. Yes
11. D 30. Belief
12. C 31. Former
13. B 32. Rational
14. B 33. Ascendancy
15. not given 34. Religion
16. Not given 35. Ideology
17. true 36. Human sacrifice OR human blood
18. TRUE 37. Age of Enlightenment
19. Muckraking journalism 38. Religion and science
20. Better transportation (better 39. Fully independent systems
education created new markets but 40. Natural evolution
it was better transportation that
allowed for their exploitation)
21. (General) Kitchener
22. Television
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Reading test 3
Section 1:
• A relatively small island with a population of less than a quarter of that of Tokyo,
New Zealand has a huge overseas student population. With over half a million fee-
paying foreign students, an ever-increasing range of academic, professional and
vocational courses and English language services are being created or expanded. But
why do so many people come from overseas to study in New Zealand? Primarily,
there is the fact that it has an excellent education system, especially in English
language teaching. With its many British connections as well as the adoption of
language from America, New Zealand offers a very international language. Language
students are also enticed to New Zealand as they can fully immerse themselves in
the language. This is only possible in a country where English is the spoken language.
• There are also strict government controls and standards on the quality of education
offered. The government controls the education system, and it has appointed the
New Zealand Qualifications Authority, a Ministry of Education and an Education
Review Office, to license and control schools. These government bodies ensure that
standards are as high in New Zealand as anywhere in the world. In addition, they
decide whether or not language schools have the credentials and quality to operate.
This allows students to have some peace of mind when choosing a school, but there
are other reasons to choose New Zealand first. Independent reports have proven
New Zealand to be the most cost-effective country in the western world for study
fees, accommodation, cost of living, and recreation. It also has a reputation for
safety and security, perhaps the best amongst western countries. Auckland City
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offers a multicultural and cosmopolitan place to shop, eat and be entertained. Less
than an hour out of the city and you find yourself on beaches or mountains famous
for their cleanliness and lack of pollution.
• Although a majority of international students spend some time in a language school,
for those aged 13 to 18 New Zealand secondary schools provide a broad education.
Other students take advantage of one of the many tertiary education institutions
which form the New Zealand polytechnic system. These institutions are state-funded
and provide education and training at many levels, from introductory studies to full
degree programmes. University education was established in New Zealand in 1870
and has a similar tradition to the British university system. There are eight state-
funded universities in New Zealand, all of them internationally respected for their
academic and research performance. In addition to a centrally coordinated system of
quality assurance audits at both institution and programme level, each university
undertakes internal quality checks.
• All New Zealand universities offer a broad range of subjects in arts, commerce and
science, but they have also specialised in narrower fields of study such as computer
studies, medicine or environmental studies. Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctorate
degrees are offered by all New Zealand universities. A range of undergraduate and
postgraduate diplomas are also available, along with Honours programmes (usually
requiring an additional year of study). The first degree a student is able to gain in
New Zealand is, as elsewhere, a Bachelor’s degree. With a completed Bachelor’s
degree, a graduate may be able to go on to a number of other options. There are
Postgraduate Diploma courses, Master’s degrees, Doctorates and even research
positions available.
• The Postgraduate Diploma course takes one year on a full-time programme and is
designed for graduates building on the academic field of their previous degree. The
Master’s degree, like the Postgraduate Diploma, builds on a Bachelor’s degree but
can take up to two years, by which time a thesis must be completed. The Master’s is
the conventional pathway to the next level of education – the Doctorate. For this
course, graduates are required to produce a research-based thesis as part of a
course that takes a minimum of two years, and is by far the most challenging.
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• Finally there is the possibility of research in New Zealand universities. Research is the
main characteristic that distinguishes a university as opposed to a polytechnic or
other tertiary education institution. New Zealand remains justifiably proud of the
quality of its research as a large number of awards are presented to researchers
from New Zealand universities.
Questions 1-15
Questions 1-5
Choose the most suitable headings for sections A and C –F from the list below.
List of headings
i. Why New Zealand?

ii. Course requirements
iii. Government funding
iv. Cost of further education
v. Further education options
vi. Overseeing authorities
vii. Specialisation
viii. Prestigious contribution
ix. Postgraduate choices
1. Section A
Example Section B vi
2. Section C
3. Section D
4. Section E
5. Section F
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Questions 6 – 8
Complete the following sentences using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS.
1. The field of study in which New Zealand excels is ………..…
2. Full immersion learning can only happen in an ………..…
3. Educational standards are monitored by three ………..…
Questions 9-11
Look at the following statements and decide if they are right or wrong according to the
information given.
Write
TRUE if the statement is true

FALSE if the statement is false
NOT GIVEN if the information is not given in the passage
Write the correct answer TRUE, FALSE or NOT GIVEN in boxes 9-11 on your answer sheet.
1. Most international students start their studies in a secondary school. ………..…

2. Postgraduate students undertaking a diploma course extend what they have learned
during their Bachelor’s degree. ………..…
3. All quality control at a tertiary level is done by the universities themselves. ……..…
Questions 12-15
Complete the flow chart below using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text.
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4. ………..…
5. ………..…
6. ………..…
7. ………..…
• Culture is defined as the ‘socially transmitted behaviour patterns, arts, beliefs, and
institutions that are the expression of a particular class, community or period’
(www.dictionary.com). To most people, this is seen in terms of books, paintings,
rituals and ceremonies, but recently there has been a new entrant in the field of
what is considered to be ‘culture’ – the Internet.
• On the Internet, science and art, media and mind combine to create a modern
culture which is far more widespread than any of its predecessors. Not referring to
the casual user who has no particular interest in the Internet, active supporters of
the Internet as a culture have given themselves nomenclature to reflect their cultural
aspirations – they are the new cyberpoets. A cyberpoet can be defined as ‘one who
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makes frequent trips to the edge of technology, society and traditional culture and
strives to be artful in their use of virtual space’.
• Supporter or opponent of this new culture, there is little doubt that the Internet
offers a lot to our traditional view of culture. In just a few minutes in front of a
keyboard, we can read almost anything that has ever been written, yet no paper had
to be made, no library had to stay open and thus the cost remains minimal. All of this
encourages even the casual surfer to explore further than he or she otherwise would
have. The same effect can be observed with works of art. Previously available to be
viewed only in museums if they were not in the hands of private collectors, all but a
few famous works are now replicated on the Internet.
• Yet the Internet is not merely a mirror of traditional culture – it is also a new culture
in its own right. The medium of the Net allows for wider distribution and new
platforms for most forms of art. ‘Kinetic art’ and other such computerised art forms
occur with increasing regularity, both motivated by and generating an upsurge in
popular and computer-mediated art.
• In addition, if culture is said to be ‘socially transmitted’, then the Internet is
remarkable in its ability to share, on an almost global scale, all the factors that
constitute culture. We have only to hear the influence of jargon as we visit dub-dub-
dub dot sites and surf the web to see how international the Internet has become to
the majority.
• Very few people would disagree that the cyberpoets are increasingly asserting
themselves into popular culture. What is not so certain is how far this will go, as the
Internet continues to assimilate more and more forms of culture, rising to a point
where it is not inconceivable that our entire perception of culture will soon become
cyber-focused.
• There is also a significant increase in transient imagery from photographs, videos and
other media uploaded to many social networking sites. The rise of the term ‘selfie’,
referring to a photograph taken by the person in the picture, is just one example –
there are also applications for smartphones and tablet devices that allow instant
video uploads, meaning that ‘looped’ videos lasting just a few seconds can be
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created to great effect. The problem, of course, is wading through the many millions
of hours of footage that cannot be classified as having any cultural significance.
• Reliance on the internet itself has inherent risks, as the authorship of online content
is now far less moderated. It is possible to set up a website in as little as an hour,
populated with content which may be presented as accurate, impartial information
but is in reality an ill considered, poorly researched collection of opinions and
incorrect facts. Even established websites which allow users to contribute content
can quickly become unreliable sources. Not only is there wider room for error, there
is now a heightened concern that web pages and social media can reduce popular
culture into a series of illogical and often abusive arguments, which do not need to
be supported with facts or even ascribed to a specific purpose. The anonymous
nature of a large percentage of internet interactions means that even the most
bigoted point of view can find a forum, even if reactions to it are negative.
Questions 16-27
Questions 16 -21
Do the following statements agree with the information given in reading passage 2?
TRUE If the statement agrees with the information

FALSE If the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN If there is no information on this
Write the correct answer TRUE, FALSE or NOT GIVEN in boxes 24-26 on your answer sheet.
• The majority of people consider ‘culture’ to be represented by traditional forms of

art and media. ………..…
• The internet as a culture is not extensive. ………..…
• Through the Internet, every written word can be accessed. ………..…
• The Internet provides a stage for all forms of art. ………..…
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• An insignificant number remain unaffected by the international nature of the
Internet. ………..…
• Only a few people believe that ‘cyberpoets’ are becoming part of our popular
culture. ………..…
Questions 22 – 27
Which paragraph contains the following information. Write A – H for answers 22 to 27
• The range of resources available online has allowed more people to see versions of
most artworks. ………..…
• Lack of clarity regarding the person responsible has an effect on cultural value of
some web based resources………..…
• Providing the ability to cross boundaries and be available worldwide………..…
• The emergence of new forms of culture thanks to digital possibilities ……….…
• The wealth of online resources can mean difficulties in identifying areas of cultural
significance ……….…
• The self proclaimed title of supporters of internet culture ……….…
• In 1913 an American industrialist named Henry Ford employed an innovative system

in his factory that changed the nature of American industry forever – the production
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line. Instead of a group of workers constructing a complete product, Ford’s
production-line techniques relied on machine parts being moved around the factory
on a conveyor belt, passing each employee who had a single task to perform before
the component moved down the line. This saved time in that employees were not
required to move around, collect materials or change tools; they simply stood in one
place and repeated the same procedure over and over again until the end of their
shift. In this way, Ford was able to mass produce the now famous Model-T car for
only 10% of traditional labour costs.
• Working on a production line was monotonous work, undoubtedly, but it was not in
the production line alone that Ford was something of a pioneer. In 1913 the average
hourly rate for unskilled labour was under $2.50 and for such low wages and
repetitive work, the labour turnover in Ford’s factory was high, with many
employees lasting less than a month. In order to combat this problem, he took a step
that was condemned by other industrialists of the time, fearful that they would lose
their own workforce – he raised wages to $5 an hour. The benefits were twofold.
Not only did Ford now have a stable and eager workforce, he also had potential
customers. It was his intention ‘to build a motorcar for the great multitude’, and the
Model-T car was one of the cheapest cars on the market at the time. At $5 an hour,
many of his employees now found themselves in a position to feasibly afford a car of
their own. Ford’s production practices meant that production time was reduced
from 14 hours to a mere 93 minutes. In 1914 company profits were $30 million, yet
just two years later this figure had doubled. Until 1927 when the last Model-T rolled
off the production line, the company produced and sold about 15 million cars.
• Although Ford was without doubt successful, times changed and the company began
losing its edge. One problem came from the labour force. Ford was a demanding
employer who insisted that the majority of his staff remained on their feet during
their shift. One error meant that the whole production line was often kept waiting,
and Ford felt that workers were more attentive standing than sitting. Yet the 1930s
saw some radical changes in the relationships between employer and employee, as
an increasing number of industries were forming Labour Unions. Ford flatly refused
to get involved, employing spies in the workplace to sabotage any plans for a union
within his factories. Eventually a strike in the early 1940s forced Ford to deal with
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unions. Another example of Ford being unable to adapt came from his unwillingness
to branch out. Ford’s competitors began operating the same systems and practices,
but also introduced the variety Ford was lacking. The Model-T had remained
essentially the same, even down to the colour, and by the time he realised his error,
he had already lost his pre-eminence in the industry. Subsequent involvement in
aeroplane manufacturing, politics and publishing was a failure. Leaving the company
to his grandson in 1945, he died two years later leaving an inheritance estimated at
$700 million.
• Yet the legacy of Fordism lives on. The development of mass production transformed
the organisation of work in a number of important ways. Tasks were minutely
subdivided and performed by unskilled workers, or at least semiskilled workers,
since much of the skill was built into the machine. Second, manufacturing concerns
grew to such a size that a large hierarchy of supervisors and managers became
necessary. Third, the increasing complexity of operations required employment of a
large management staff of accountants, engineers, chemists, and, later, social
psychologists, in addition to a large distribution and sales force. Mass production
also heightened the trend towards an international division of labour. The huge new
factories often needed raw materials from abroad, while saturation of national
markets led to a search for customers overseas. Thus, some countries became
exporters of raw materials and importers of finished goods, while others did the
reverse.
• In the 1970s and ’80s some countries, particularly in Asia and South America, that
had hitherto been largely agricultural and that had imported manufactured goods,
began industrialising. The skills needed by workers on assembly-line tasks required
little training, and standards of living in these developing countries were so low that
wages could be kept below those of the already industrialised nations. Many large
manufacturers in the United States and elsewhere therefore began ‘outsourcing’ –
that is, having parts made or whole products assembled in developing nations.
Consequently, those countries are rapidly becoming integrated into the world
economic community
Questions 28-40
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Questions 28 -32
Choose the most suitable headings for Paragraphs A-E from the list below. Use each heading
once only.
List of headings
• Effect on modern industry

• New payment procedures
• Labour problems
• The Model-T
• Creating a market
• Revolutionary production techniques
• The Ford family today
• Impact on the global economy
• Overseas competition
A. Paragraph A ………..…
B. Paragraph B ………..…
C. Paragraph C ………..…
D. Paragraph D ………..…
E. Paragraph E ………..…
Questions 33 -37
Answer the following questions using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS.
• What was the main saving of production line techniques? ………..…

• What level did Ford cut production costs down to compared with more traditional
methods of the time? ………..…
• When was the last Model-T Ford produced? ………..…
• What did Ford unsuccessfully oppose the organisation of? ………..…
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• What is the name given to the principles of mass production and associated
practices? ………..…
Questions 38 – 40
Complete the following summary using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS FROM THE TEXT.
One of the long-term effects of Ford’s business practices was that many developing
countries became industrialised as a result of (38) ………..… some work to other countries.
For those working in the factory, the skills for (39) ………..… were easily acquired and (40)
………..… was minimal.
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1. I
2. III
3. V
4. IX
5. VIII
6. English language teaching
7. English speaking country
8. Government bodies
9. Not given
10. True
11. False
12. Postgraduate diploma
13. Masters degree
14. Doctorate
15. Research
16. True – Paragraph A states “To most people, this is seen in terms of books, paintings,
rituals and ceremonies”
17. False – Paragraph B states ‘On the Internet, science and art, media and mind
combine to create a modern culture which is far more widespread than any of its
predecessors’. This is further supported later in Paragraph D, ‘The medium of the
Net allows for wider distribution and new platforms for most forms of art’.
18. False – the key here was to identify the qualifying word ‘every’ – Paragraph C states
‘In just a few minutes in front of a keyboard, we can read almost anything that has
ever been written’ – almost is not a synonym for every.
19. False – as with question 18, the key is in the qualifying word – the question says ‘all
forms of art’, but Paragraph D states ‘most forms of art’
20. Not given – Paragraph E refers to the international nature of the internet, but we are
not given specifics on numbers that are affected.
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21. False – the text states ‘Very few people would disagree’ (Paragraph F) – very few
would disagree means most would agree, which contradicts ‘Only a few people
believe’ in the question.
22. C (‘ Previously available to be viewed only in museums if they were not in the hands
of private collectors, all but a few famous works are now replicated on the Internet.’)
23. H (‘The anonymous nature of a large percentage of internet interactions means that
even the most bigoted point of view can find a forum’)
24. E (‘We have only to hear the influence of jargon as we visit dub-dub-dub dot sites
and surf the web to see how international the Internet has become to the majority.’)
25. D (‘Kinetic art’ and other such computerised art forms occur with increasing
regularity, both motivated by and generating an upsurge in popular and computer-
mediated art’)
26. G (‘The problem, of course, is wading through the many millions of hours of footage
that cannot be classified as having any cultural significance.’)
27. B (‘active supporters of the Internet as a culture have given themselves
nomenclature to reflect their cultural aspirations – they are the new cyberpoets’)
28. VI
29. V
30. III
31. I
32. VIII
33. Time
34. 10% / TEN PERCENT / TEN PER CENT / 10 PER CENT 10 PERCENT
35. 1927
36. Labour Unions
37. Fordism
38. Outsourcing
39. Assembly line tasks
40. Training
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Page 103 of 115
Writing tests
Writing test answer 1
IELTS Academic Task 1 Writing model answer 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The table gives information about the average hours spent on the Internet by
European people of different age groups.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and
make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
Write about the following topic:
In many countries, people do not recycle their rubbish as much as they could.
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Why do you think this is? What can be done to change this?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your
own knowledge or experience.
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Model answers test 1
The table shows the median number of weekly hours various age groups in Europe spend on
the internet.
The most striking point to note is that Internet usage is at its highest for those aged
between 16 and 20, with the figure for males being 19 hours and females just one hour less.
These figures represent an increase of treble the previous age category for women and over
two times more for males.
From 21 onwards, the hours spent reduced dramatically. By the ages of 26 to 30, males and
females spend the same amount of time online with 4 hours each, after which females
reportedly spend slightly longer online than males for the remaining two categories, falling
to only 3 hours for men and 4 hours for women for those aged 51 or older.
Overall, it can be seen that the highest period of internet usage for both male and female
was the age range of 16 to 20.
(160 words)
With an increasing world population and subsequent environmental concerns, it is

important to dispose of trash in an eco-friendly manner, yet there are a significant number
of places around the world that fail to do so.
There are a number of reasons that mean that recycling is not done as effectively as it could,
the primary problem being the attitude of the general public. Lethargy or lack of knowledge
leads people to throw all of their rubbish into one place, meaning that material that could
have been sorted and reused is buried in landfills. In the UK, for example, over 20 million
tonnes of waste is buried whilst less than 1 per cent of that amount is actively recycled.
There is also the matter of availability, as there are situations in which recycling facilities are
either extremely limited or non-existent.
In order to combat these issues, the first step would be educating the general public about
the facts of waste disposal and recycling, perhaps even enforcing participation by levying a
Page 106 of 115

fine against those who do not separate their rubbish into different types. Hand in hand with
this, making recycling centres more available would also help, or perhaps adopting a system
used in some Asian countries where households are given a number of different containers
into which to sort their rubbish for collection.
Overall, it seems that a change of attitude is needed as well as more resources to manage
different recyclable materials. This can be achieved through a combination of education and
penalties, as well as ensuring better access to facilities.
(261 words)
Page 107 of 115

The bar chart shows the typical weekday for students in three different
countries.
Smoking can cause serious illnesses and should be made illegal.
To what extent do you agree?
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Page 109 of 115

The bar chart illustrates the breakdown of a typical 24 hour period on a school day for
students in 3 different countries, namely the UK, Japan and Germany.
Most notable is the amount of hours spent studying by Japanese children. At just over 13
hours a day, this is over 5 hours longer than in the UK and 4 hours above the average
number for Germany.
With regards sleeping, UK schoolchildren spend the most time in bed, with approximately
8.5 hours a day. Germany is not far behind at about 8 hours, but students in Japan average
at least one hour less sleep at 7 hours.
The UK and Germany share an equal 7 hours a day on relaxing or other pursuits, whereas
Japanese schoolchildren have only 4 hours.
In total, it is clear that despite a few minor differences, Germany and the UK have similar
statistics, whereas Japan focuses much more on studying.
(154 words)
There are clear arguments for banning smoking, based largely on health, but there is
perhaps a stronger case to be made for maintaining the current situation, as will now be
explained.
The most important factor for keeping smoking legal is that the decision to smoke is not
something that should be controlled by the government, but by the individual. If a person
decides to smoke, they do so of their own free will and this should be respected, as it is the
government’s role to advise against harmful practices, but ultimately not to make decisions
for its citizens.
The other reason for allowing smoking is that by making laws against it is more likely to
result in the sale of tobacco moving to the black market, and consequently increasing the
level of associated crime. There will still be people who cannot overcome their addiction,
Page 110 of 115

and will search for any means available to access cigarettes. A clear example of this reaction
can be seen in the illegal sale of other drugs such as cocaine and marijuana.
Of course, there is the fact that smoking is known to have adverse health effects on both
the smoker and those around them who are affected by passive smoking. Yet there are
other lifestyle choices that also have a negative impact, such as fast food and alcohol, and
banning these items would restrict the choice available to the consumer.
In conclusion, the decision to ban smoking, although having some advantages, would be
more likely to have an overall negative effect. It would therefore be better for the
government to continue campaigns that educate people about the potential dangers of the
habit.
(276 words)
Page 111 of 115

The line graph shows the number of first time visitors and returning visitors
who visited Caryl Island from 2000 to 2008.
We no longer need to have animals kept in zoos, so zoos should be closed.
Do you agree or disagree?
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Page 113 of 115

The line graph depicts the number of people who visited Caryl Island over an 8-year period
from 2000, with data given in two yearly increments.
In 2000, the number of people who visited the destination for the first time was
approximately 8,000 per annum, compared with only about 3,000 returning visitors.
However, by 2002, this trend had reversed, with slightly more than 4,000 new visitors
compared to nearly 10,000 returning visitors.
From 2002 to 2006, both returning and first time visitor numbers increased dramatically
rising to a combined total of well over 24,000 visitors.
While the combined number of people visiting the island remained high in 2008, the
variation between first time and returning visitors narrowed as the number of people on
their first visit continued to increase while those coming back for additional visits fell.
In total, it is evident that the number of people visiting Caryl island increased significantly
over the period given.
(155 words)
There has long been an argument against maintaining zoos in which animals are kept away
from their natural habitat, and there is strong evidence to suggest that technology has
developed to a point where such institutions are no longer needed, as will now be argued.
Traditionally, the principal argument voiced by those who wish to retain zoos was that it
allowed children and adults to see animals which they more than likely would not have had
a chance to do if this had required visiting the creature’s natural environment. Yet there are
now online videos and websites where these animals can be seen in high definition,
therefore no longer needing to go to enclosures to see the animals. This is clearly evident by
the declining number of visitors in recent years.
Page 114 of 115

In addition, there are many cases in which animals held in captivity are not well cared for
and are used solely to exploit them for profit. In some rare cases, the animals can suffer
from neglect or malnutrition, and rather than being kept healthy are simply replaced when
they are no longer of any value.
Granted, there are situations in which endangered species are protected and their numbers
allowed to rebuild by housing them in the security of a zoo. However, in most cases the
same effect is better achieved by using more open plan wildlife parks rather than traditional
caged enclosures.
In sum, the factors which first led to the creation of zoos have been reduced by the ability of
technology, so unless there is some advantage for the species itself, then the use of zoos
should no longer be supported.
(273 words)
Page 115 of 115

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Page 1 of 115

• "Do you enjoy cooking?"

Talk about a business you would like to start.

"Do you prefer home cooked meals or fast food?"

"What would you typically eat for lunch? "

"Let's talk about photographs. Do you take many photographs?"

"Do you enjoy looking at photographs?"

"When do you mostly take photographs?"

Talk about a business you would like to start.

As I mentioned, my experience as a nurse would be valuable, but I'd also be interested in

"What makes a successful business person?"

"Do you think technology will affect the way we do business?"

"What makes a good employer?"

"Do you think life would be better if we all worked less?"

• "Do you often go shopping for clothes?"

Describe a place you’d like to live in the future

• "What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a rural area?"

"Do you often go shopping for clothes?"

"Do you think it's important to dress well?"

"Do you have particular national dress in your country?"

"Where do you go to get news?"

"Do you listen to news broadcasts on the radio?"

"Would you prefer to travel overseas for a holiday?"

"Do you have plans for a holiday in the future?"

"Have you ever been on a long journey?"

Err...yes, I have. I suppose my longest journey would be travelling to England to visit

"Do you prefer to travel alone or with other people?"

Describe a place you’d like to live in the future

"What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a rural area?"

"Do you think students should be encouraged to study overseas? "

• "Do you live in a house or a flat?"

Talk about something you do to relax

You should also say if you would recommend it.

• "Are our lives becoming more stressful?"

"Do you live in a house or a flat?"

"What kind of facilities do you have in the surrounding area?"

"Would you recommend this area to a friend?"

"Do you use music for certain events in your country?"

"Can you play any musical instruments?"

"Do you often have visitors to your house?"

"Do you prefer entertaining at home or going out?"

"What type of food would you serve to guests in your home?"

Talk about something you do to relax

You should also say if you would recommend it.

"Are our lives becoming more stressful?"

Play Listening test 1 audio file #1

Complete the form below.

Northern Rental Bookings

Name: William (1) ……………..

6. How much is the car per day?

Play Listening test 1 audio file #2

Distance / km (11) ………..

Highlight (12) 16 ……….

Distance / km (14) ………..

Highlight (15) ………..

Play Listening test 1 audio file #3

21 Lyn is having difficulty completing her project because

22 Her presentation is going to focus on

24 Solar power is a good form of alternative energy because