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IELTS Intermediate

Intermediate Reading & Listening

Teacher resources for IELTS Intermediate Reading & Listening

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Intermediate Reading Lesson 1

Practice

The MIT factor: celebrating 150 years of maverick genius

  1. FALSE (Paragraph 1)

But, as you quickly realise when you step inside the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, there's precious little going on that you would normally see on a university campus.

  1. FALSE (Paragraph 3)

While Harvard stuck to the English model of a classical education, with its emphasis on Latin and Greek, MIT looked to the German system of learning based on research and hands-on experimentation.

  1. NOT GIVEN

There is no information in the passage about who suggested the school motto, Mens et manus

  1. TRUE (Paragraph 3)

This down-to-earth quality is enshrined in the school motto, Mens et manus – Mind and hand – as well as its logo, which shows a gowned scholar standing beside an ironmonger bearing a hammer and anvil.

  1. NOT GIVEN

The passage mentions, "A survey of living MIT alumni found that they have formed 25,800 companies, employing more than three million people, including about a quarter of the workforce of Silicon Valley," but it does not discuss salaries.

  1. computer science (Paragraph 4)

Take Christopher Merrill, 21, a third-year undergraduate in computer science.

  1. program (Paragraph 4)

The contest is to see which student can most effectively program a robot to build a house out of blocks in under ten minutes.

  1. adaptability (Paragraph 4)

But he wanted to try to master an area of robotics that remains unconquered – adaptability, the ability of the robot to rethink its plans as the environment around it changes, as would a human.

  1. contact lens (Paragraph 4)

He has an idea for an original version of a contact lens that would augment reality by allowing consumers to see additional visual information.

  1. a quarter (Paragraph 6)

A survey of living MIT alumni found that they have formed 25,800 companies, employing more than three million people, including about a quarter of the workforce of Silicon Valley.

  1. global warming (Paragraph 7)

It acts as a bridge for MIT's combined work across all its five schools, channelling huge resources into the search for a solution to global warming.

  1. electric cars (Paragraph 7)

It has recently developed the use of viruses to synthesise batteries that could prove crucial in the advancement of electric cars.

  1. (the) corridors (Paragraph 8)

The nice thing is that when I do walk the corridors, I bump into people who are working in other fields with their students that are fascinating, and that keeps me intellectually alive.

Practice (Authentic)

The megafires of California

  1. spread (Paragraph 1)

The wildfires themselves, experts say, are generally hotter, faster, and spread more erratically than in the past.

  1. 10/ten times (Paragraph 2)

Megafires, also called 'siege fires', are the increasingly frequent blazes that burn 500,000 acres or more - 10 times the size of the average forest fire of 20 years ago.

  1. below (Paragraph 3)

One explanation for the trend to more superhot fires is that the region, which usually has dry summers, has had significantly below normal precipitation in many recent years.

  1. fuel (Paragraph 3)

The unintentional consequence has been to halt the natural eradication of underbrush, now the primary fuel for megafires.

  1. seasons (Paragraph 4)

Second is fire seasons that on average are 78 days longer than they were 20 years ago.

  1. homes (Paragraph 4)

Third is increased construction of homes in wooded areas.

  1. TRUE (Paragraph 6)

In California, where population growth has averaged more than 600,000 a year for at least a decade, more residential housing is being built. 'What once was open space is now residential homes providing fuel to make fires burn with greater intensity,' says Terry McHale of the California Department of Forestry firefighters' union.

  1. FALSE (Paragraph 7)

That said, many experts give California high marks for making progress on preparedness in recent years, after some of the largest fires in state history scorched thousands of acres, burned thousands of homes, and killed numerous people.

  1. TRUE (Paragraph 7)

Stung in the past by criticism of bungling that allowed fires to spread when they might have been contained, personnel are meeting the peculiar challenges of neighborhood - and canyon- hopping fires better than previously, observers say.

  1. TRUE (Paragraph 8)

State promises to provide more up-to-date engines, planes, and helicopters to fight fires have been fulfilled.

  1. NOT GIVEN

The passage mentions improvements in fire equipment and funding, but there is no specific mention of the number of firefighters hired.

  1. FALSE (Paragraph 9)

In the fire sieges of earlier years, we found that other jurisdictions and states were willing to offer mutual-aid help, but we were not able to communicate adequately with them.

  1. FALSE (Paragraph 10)

'Notwithstanding all the damage that will continue to be caused by wildfires, we will no longer suffer the loss of life endured in the past because of the fire prevention and firefighting measures that have been put in place,' he says.

Homework Practice

The University of Life

  1. NOT GIVEN (Paragraph 1)

Many of these so-called 'gappers' go off travelling around the world, often supplementing their limited funds by taking on casual work.

  1. TRUE (Paragraph 2)

Increasingly, however, they are also proving a great way of reinvigorating a lapsed or flagging interest in education, offering a chance to think about why you should study, or if you need to study at all.

  1. NOT GIVEN (Paragraph 2)

According to the latest data from the British university admissions service, UCAS, 105,000 students aged 19, and 44,400 aged 20, entered higher education last year - figures that show a steady annual increase in this age group over the previous three years.

  1. FALSE (Paragraph 3)

She was also worried that, despite having all the attributes of a good student, she would find the challenges of higher education too great and would be forced to drop out.

  1. TRUE (Paragraph 3)

It dawned on her that if you don't have qualifications, or the right qualifications, you have fewer work choices.

  1. voluntary work (Paragraph D)

Christine decided to head to Mexico to do voluntary work at a children's home.

  1. confidence (Paragraph 4)

She never expected that working in Mexico would give her such a sense of confidence.

  1. education (Paragraph 4)

On returning home to the UK, she decided to make a fresh start in education by enrolling on a course in Social Sciences and Humanities.

  1. international development (Paragraph 4)

Christine is now working towards a degree in International Development at Bath University.

  1. working abroad (Paragraph 4)

And, as well as finding some direction in her career, she now speaks good Spanish - a skill she says she intends to keep up, perhaps by working abroad.

  1. (A) focus (Paragraph 5)

Agnes found the experience extremely beneficial, but says that the ICYE only really works if participants have a focus for what they want to do, see and study.

  1. young girls (Paragraph 5)

Instead, she now wants to set up her own vocational training programme for young girls in northern Uganda.

  1. goals (Paragraph 5)

Agnes says her time in the UK has helped her to set her goals for the future.

Homework Practice (Authentic)

Roman tunnels

  1. posts (Paragraph 1)

they introduced the qanat method of tunnel construction, which consisted of placing posts over a hill in a straight line, to ensure that the tunnel kept to its route

  1. canal (Paragraph 1)

Once the tunnel was completed, it allowed water to flow from the top of a hillside down towards a canal, which supplied water for human use.

  1. ventilation (Paragraph 1)

Underground, workers removed the earth from between the ends of the shafts, creating a tunnel. The excavated soil was taken up to the surface using the shafts, which also provided ventilation during the work.

  1. lid (Paragraph 2)

The shafts were equipped with handholds and footholds to help those climbing in and out of them and were covered with a wooden or stone lid.

  1. weight (Paragraph 2)

To ensure that the shafts were vertical, Romans hung a plumb line from a rod placed across the top of each shaft and made sure that the weight at the end of it hung in the center of the shaft.

  1. climbing (Paragraph 2)

The shafts were equipped with handholds and footholds to help those climbing in and out of them and were covered with a wooden or stone lid.

  1. FALSE (Paragraph 4)

By the 6th century BCE, a second method of tunnel construction appeared called the counter-excavation method, in which the tunnel was constructed from both ends.

  1. NOT GIVEN

No specific information is given about the experience of the builders using the counter-excavation method.

  1. FALSE (Paragraph 5)

An inscription written on the side of a 428-meter tunnel, built by the Romans as part of the Saldae aqueduct system in modern-day Algeria, describes how the two teams of builders missed each other in the mountain and how the later construction of a lateral link between both corridors corrected the initial error.

  1. TRUE (Paragraph 5)

An inscription written on the side of a 428-meter tunnel... describes how the two teams of builders missed each other in the mountain...

  1. gold (Paragraph 6)

Traces of such tunnels used to mine gold can still be found at the Dolaucothi mines in Wales.

  1. (the) architect ('s) (name) (Paragraph 7)

Most tunnels had inscriptions showing the names of patrons who ordered construction and sometimes the name of the architect.

  1. (the) harbor / harbour (Paragraph 8)

The 1.4-kilometer Çevlik tunnel in Turkey, built to divert the floodwater threatening the harbor of the ancient city of Seleuceia Pieria...

Intermediate Reading Lesson 2

Practice

Learning color words

Matching headings

  1. iv (Paragraph A)

For some reason, however, when it comes to learning color words, the same children perform very badly.

The passage in section A describes the difficulty children face in learning color words despite their ability to master other words, which is a curious state of affairs.

  1. i (Paragraph B)

It seems that the difficulty children have may not be caused by any unique property of color, or indeed, of the world. Rather, it may simply come down to the challenge of having to make predictions from color words to the objects they refer to...

This section discusses a hypothesis or potential explanation for why children struggle with color words — that it may be related to how these words are used in language, particularly the difficulty of linking the words to objects.

  1. iii (Paragraph C)

The pre- and post-test materials comprised six objects that were novel to the children.

Section C describes the research experiment carried out to explore the hypothesis further.

  1. vii (Paragraph D)

As predicted, when children are exposed to color adjectives in post-nominal position, they learn them rapidly (after just five training trials per color); when they are presented with them pre-nominally, as English overwhelmingly tends to do, children show no signs of learning.

Section D presents the results of the experiment, which reveal unsurprising data based on the predictions regarding the position of color adjectives and how it affects children's learning.

Sentence completion

  1. training (Paragraph A)

Even after hundreds of training trials, children as old as four may still end up being unable to accurately sort objects by color.

  1. (pre-nominal) position (Paragraph B)

While word order for color adjectives varies, they are used overwhelmingly in pre-nominal position (e.g. 'blue cup'); in other words, the adjective comes before the noun it is describing.

  1. features/cues (Paragraph B)

Chairs have features, such as arms and legs and backs, that are combined to some degree in a systematic way.

  1. meaning/concept (Paragraph B)

Rather, it may simply come down to the challenge of having to make predictions from color words to the objects they refer to, instead of being able to make predictions from the world of objects to the color words.

  1. unhelpful (Paragraph B)

This suggests that most of what children hear from adults will, in fact, be unhelpful in learning what color words refer to.

Multiple choice type 2

23-24. A & C (Paragraph C)

The pre- and post-test materials comprised six objects that were novel to the children.

The training was set up so that half the children were presented with the items one by one and heard them labelled with color words used pre-nominally, while the other half were introduced to the same items described with a post-nominal color word.

25-26. C & D (Paragraph D)

As predicted, when children are exposed to color adjectives in post-nominal position, they learn them rapidly (after just five training trials per color); when they are presented with them pre-nominally, as English overwhelmingly tends to do, children show no signs of learning. The children trained and tested with post-nominal adjectives performed significantly better than those trained pre-nominally.

Comparing the pre- and post-test scores across each condition revealed a significant decline in performance when children were both pre- and post-tested with questions that placed the color words pre-nominally.

Practice (Authentic)

The steam car

Matching headings

  1. iii (Paragraph A)

This paragraph introduces the early steam technology, its strengths (based on railroad success), and its weaknesses, thus matching the heading about the good and bad aspects.

  1. viii (Paragraph B)

This paragraph explains the rise of the internal combustion engine as a better alternative to steam cars. It fits with the heading about a better option arising.

  1. vi (Paragraph C)

The Doble brothers' steam car, Model B, is described as swift, quiet, and clean. The paragraph mentions how the Model B received attention from automobile trade magazines, aligning with positive publicity.

  1. v (Paragraph D)

This paragraph discusses how the Doble brothers' improvements led to large numbers of pre-orders for their cars, fitting with the heading about further improvements and commercial orders.

  1. vii (Paragraph E)

The paragraph discusses how customers were disappointed with the performance of the Doble cars, which were sluggish and erratic, aligning perfectly with the heading about a disappointing outcome.

  1. i (Paragraph F)

This paragraph describes how the Doble brothers' Model E was road-tested in freezing conditions, with the car performing well despite these cold temperatures, which aligns with the heading about testing in cold conditions.

  1. iv (Paragraph G)

The paragraph reflects on the Doble steam car's potential, including how modern materials and technology could overcome past issues, making it a possible solution to current automotive challenges.

Multiple choice

  1. A (Paragraph B)

But the glory days of steam cars were few. ... But in 1912 General Motors introduced the electric starter, and over the following few years steam power was gradually phased out.

  1. C (Paragraph C)

It comprised parts taken from a wrecked early steam car but reconfigured to drive an engine of their own design. Though it did not run well, the Doble brothers went on to build a second and third prototype in the following years. Though the Doble boys’ third prototype, nicknamed the Model B, still lacked the convenience of an internal combustion engine, it drew the attention of automobile trade magazines due to its numerous improvements over previous steam cars. The Model B proved to be superior to gasoline automobiles in many ways.

  1. B (Paragraph D)

The following year Abner Doble drove the Model B from Massachusetts to Detroit in order to seek investment in his automobile design, which he used to open the General Engineering Company. He and his brothers immediately began working on the Model C, which was intended to expand upon the innovations of the Model B.

Summary completion

  1. speed (Paragraph F)

As the new Doble steamer was further developed and tested, its maximum speed was pushed to over a hundred miles per hour, and it achieved about fifteen miles per gallon of kerosene with negligible emissions.

  1. fifty / 50 (Paragraph G)

By the time the company folded in 1931, fewer than fifty of the amazing Model E steam cars had been produced.

  1. strict (Paragraph G)

Astonishingly, an unmodified Doble Model E runs clean enough to pass the emissions laws in California today, and they are pretty strict.

Homework Practice

An Invention to Dye For: The Colour Purple

Matching headings

  1. vi. Standing out from the crowd (Section A)

To propel the scientist further on the way to a great fortune, the fashion of the time was for broad skirts that, happily for him, needed a lot of his revolutionary new dye.

  1. ix. An ancient manufacturing practice (Section B)

At that time, purple dye was an expensive substance produced in a complicated, foul-smelling and time-consuming process. This involved boiling thousands of molluscs in water in order to harvest their glandular juices. The technique had originally been developed by the Phoenicians over a thousand years previously, and it hadn't changed since.

  1. iii. An unexpected but fortunate side result (Section C)

Perkin repeated his experiments in an improvised laboratory in his garden shed, perfecting the process for making the substance he had called mauveine after the French mallow plant.

  1. i. From the laboratory to the High Street (Section D)

It didn't take long for the chemist, still only 18, to capitalise on his creation, patenting the product, convincing his father and brother to back it with savings, and finding a manufacturer who could help him bring it rapidly to the market.

  1. viii. Part of a larger family (Section E)

Perkins, ever the serious scientist, would have been among the first to point out that his mauve is just one of a range of colours described in everyday language as purple.

  1. iv. The healing power of purple (Section F)

In the alternative medical practice of colour therapy, which practitioners say can trace its origins back to ancient India, the 'purple range' colours of indigo and violet are vital. Julia Kubler is one of Britain's leading colour therapists and has been using colours to treat patients at her clinic at Manningtree, Essex, for 15 years.

Multiple choice type 2

20-21. C & E (Paragraph B)

At that time, purple dye was an expensive substance produced in a complicated, foul-smelling and time-consuming process.

In ancient Rome, for example, purple was such a revered colour that only the emperor was allowed to wear it.

C. It was not easy to make. E. Some purple dyes were inferior to others.

22-23. B & D (Paragraphs C & D)

It didn't take long for the chemist, still only 18, to capitalise on his creation, patenting the product, convincing his father and brother to back it with savings, and finding a manufacturer who could help him bring it rapidly to the market.

Perkin repeated his experiments in an improvised laboratory in his garden shed, perfecting the process for making the substance he had called mauveine after the French mallow plant.

B. He believed that quinine could be artificially produced. D. He quickly realised the financial benefits of his new creation.

Summary completion

  1. medical practice (Paragraph F)

The purple range of colours plays an essential role in colour therapy, a form of medical practice.

  1. (ancient) India (Paragraph F)

Colour therapy is said to have originated many years ago in ancient India and is still used by colour therapists such as Julia Kubler, who uses it to treat patients with various health issues.

  1. treat patients (Paragraph F)

Colour therapy is said to have originated many years ago in ancient India and is still used by colour therapists such as Julia Kubler, who uses it to treat patients with various health issues.

  1. combines (Paragraph F)

According to Kubler, purple 'is consistent with intuition and higher understanding, with spirituality and meditation. It combines the coolness of blue with a bit of red that makes it not just passive but active.'

Homework Practice (Authentic)

The Growth of Bike-Sharing Schemes Around the World

Matching information

  1. E

The system, however, was prone to vandalism and theft.

  1. C

Nevertheless, the council unanimously rejected the plan. ‘They said that the bicycle belongs to the past. They saw a glorious future for the car,’ says Schimmelpennink.

  1. F

‘It’s wonderful that this happened,’ he says. ‘But financially I didn’t really benefit from it, because I never filed for a patent.’

  1. C

‘I made serious calculations. It turned out that a white bicycle – per person, per kilometre – would cost the municipality only 10% of what it contributed to public transport per person per kilometre.’

  1. A

They believed the scheme, which was known as the Witte Fietsenplan, was an answer to the perceived threats of air pollution and consumerism.

Multiple choice type 2

19-20. B & D (Paragraphs D & E)

But the biggest blow came when Postbank decided to abolish the chip card, because it wasn't profitable. "That chip card was pivotal to the system," Molenaar says. "To continue the project we would have needed to set up another system, but the business partner had lost interest."

"Times had changed," he recalls. "People had become more environmentally conscious, and the Danish experiment had proved that bike-sharing was a real possibility."

21-22. D & E (Paragraph G)

People who travel on the underground don't carry their bikes around. But often they need additional transport to reach their final destination.

Along with Copenhagen, it is regarded as one of the two most cycle-friendly capitals in the world.

Summary completion

  1. activists (Paragraph A)

Provo, the organisation that came up with the idea, was a group of Dutch activists who wanted to change society.

  1. consumerism (Paragraph A)

They believed the scheme, which was known as the Witte Fietsenplan, was an answer to the perceived threats of air pollution and consumerism.

  1. leaflets (Paragraph A)

They also distributed leaflets describing the dangers of cars and inviting people to use the white bikes.

  1. police (Paragraph B)

The police were opposed to Provo's initiatives and almost as soon as the white bikes were distributed around the city, they removed them.

Intermediate Reading Lesson 3

Complete IELTS 6.5-7.5 SB Unit 5

Matching information

  1. D (Paragraph D)

Both species were strong and stockier than the average human today, but Neanderthals were particularly robust. "Their skeletons show that they had broad shoulders and thick necks," says Stringer. "Homo sapiens, on the other hand, had longer forearms, which undoubtedly enabled them to throw a spear from some distance, with less danger and using relatively little energy," explains Stringer.

  1. E (Paragraph E)

Objects such as shell beads and flint tools, discovered many miles from their source, show that our ancestors travelled over large distances, in order to barter and exchange useful materials, and share ideas and knowledge.

  1. A (Paragraph A)

Meanwhile, an unusual finger bone and tooth, discovered in Denisova cave in Siberia in 2008, have led scientists to believe that yet another human population - the Denisovans - may also have been widespread across Asia.

  1. G (Paragraph G)

Stringer thinks that the Neanderthals were just living in the wrong place at the wrong time. "They had to compete with Homo sapiens during a phase of very unstable climate across Europe. During each rapid climate fluctuation, they may have suffered greater losses of people than Homo sapiens, and thus were slowly worn down," he says.

  1. C (Paragraph C)

They eventually disappeared from the landscape around 30,000 years ago, with their last known refuge being southern Iberia, including Gibraltar.

Summary completion

  1. sediment layers (Paragraph B)

Based on careful examination of the tools and dating of the sediment layers where they were found, Petraglia and his team suggest that Homo sapiens arrived in eastern India around 78,000 years ago.

  1. ivory and bone (Paragraph D)

Archaeologists have uncovered simple needles fashioned from ivory and bone alongside Homo sapiens, dating as far back as 35,000 years ago.

  1. (new) technologies (Paragraph E)

They misdirected their energies by only gathering resources from their immediate surroundings and perhaps failing to discover new technologies outside their territory.

  1. skull shapes (Paragraph F)

By comparing skull shapes, archaeologists have shown that Homo sapiens had a more developed temporal lobe - the regions at the side of the brain, associated with listening, language and long-term memory.

Multiple choice

  1. C (Paragraph F)

We see similar kinds of injuries on male and female Neanderthal skeletons, implying there was no such division of labour,' says Spikins.

  1. B (Paragraph F)

By comparing skull shapes, archaeologists have shown that Homo sapiens had a more developed temporal lobe - the regions at the side of the brain, associated with listening, language and long-term memory.

  1. A (Paragraph B)

Whether the eruption of Toba also played a role in the extinction of the Homo erectus-like species is unclear to us.

  1. B (Paragraph C)

Neanderthal and Homo sapiens populations had to retreat to refugia (pockets of habitable land). This heightened competition between the two groups,' explains Chris Stringer.

Cam 19 Test 3

Matching information

  1. G (Paragraph G)

For sustainability, it's essential that local people are involved in wetland planning and decision making and have clear rights to use wetlands.

  1. A (Paragraph A)

But according to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWFN), half of the world's wetlands have disappeared since 1990.

  1. H (Paragraph H)

Awareness of the importance of wetlands is growing. It's true that wetland degradation still continues at a rapid pace, but my impression is that things are slowly changing.

  1. B (Paragraph B)

Throughout history, humans have gathered around wetlands, and their fertile ecosystems have played an important part in human development. Consequently, they are of considerable religious, historical and archaeological value to many communities around the world.

Summary completion

  1. carbon (Paragraph D)

When peatlands are drained for cultivation, they become net carbon emitters instead of active carbon stores.

  1. fires (Paragraph D)

The clearance of peatlands for planting also increases the risk of forest fires, which release huge amounts of CO2.

  1. biodiversity (Paragraph D)

We're seeing huge peatland forests with extremely high biodiversity value being lost for a few decades of oil palm revenues.

  1. ditches (Paragraph E)

They dig ditches to enter the peat swamps by boat and then float the logs out the same way. These are then used to drain water out of the peatlands.

  1. subsidence (Paragraph E)

Meanwhile, the remainder of the solid matter in the peat starts to move downwards, in a process known as subsidence. Peat comprises 90 per cent water, so this is one of the most alarming consequences of peatland clearances.

Matching opinions

  1. A (Matthew McCartney) (Paragraph G)

For sustainability, it's essential that local people are involved in wetland planning and decision making and have clear rights to use wetlands.

  1. C (Marcel Silvius) (Paragraph H)

Different governments have different attitudes. Some countries place a high priority on restoring wetlands, while others still deny the issue.

  1. D (Dave Tickner) (Paragraph F)

It isn't something that people generally set out to do. Quite often, the effects simply come from people trying to make a living.

  1. B (Pieter van Eijk) (Paragraph C)

It can be as simple as planting a few trees per hectare to create shade and substantially change a microclimate.

Complete IELTS 6.5-7.5 WB Unit 5

Matching information

  1. Paragraph F

While many [apes] are capable of short bursts of bipedal movement, they only choose to do it when they need to carry something. And, interestingly, the more valuable the object is to them, the more they are prepared to walk on just two legs in order to carry it.

  1. Paragraph G

A group of researchers at the University trained five chimpanzees to walk on an exercise machine while wearing masks that allowed measurement of their oxygen consumption. The chimps were measured both while walking upright and while moving on their legs and knuckles.

  1. Paragraph A

In 1974, two scientists, Donald Johanson and Tom Gray, were mapping a remote area of Ethiopia when by chance they came across some fossilised bones which appeared to be from an early human, Australopithecus afarensis.

  1. Paragraph D

Research on the new specimen revealed that advanced, human-like bipedalism occurred much earlier than previously thought.

  1. Paragraph B

Lucy's leg bones were angled relative to the condyles (knee joint surfaces), which allow bipeds to balance on one leg at a time when walking. ... Her feet, therefore, would have been used almost exclusively for getting around rather than for holding things. Finally, her backbone showed evidence of the spinal curvature necessitated by a permanent upright stance.

Summary completion

  1. small brain (Paragraph A)

Scientific research of the bones later that year showed that they were 3.2 million years old and belonged to a young female hominid who the scientists nicknamed 'Lucy.' Most remarkably, however, the research showed that while Lucy had a very small brain compared with humans today, she was also bipedal.

  1. big toes (Paragraph B)

The shape of her ankle also showed that her big toes would have aligned with her other toes, which would have sacrificed manipulative abilities for efficiency in bipedal locomotion. Her feet, therefore, would have been used almost exclusively for getting around rather than for holding things.

  1. thirty years (Paragraph C)

Lucy's discovery was exciting for two reasons. Not only was she bipedal in spite of her brain size, but she was also believed to be our oldest ancestor. However, a discovery over thirty years later changed all that.

  1. its large size (Paragraph D)

The specimen was nicknamed 'Kadanuumuu,' which means 'big man' in the Afar language and reflects its large size.

Matching opinions

  1. B (Dr Brian Richmond) (Paragraph F)

'Something as simple as carrying, an activity we engage in every day, might have, under the right conditions, led to upright walking,' says Dr Brian Richmond.

  1. D

No information shows the comparison

  1. C (David Raichlen) (Paragraph G)

'For decades now researchers have debated the role and evolution of bipedalism,' said David Raichlen.

  1. A (Professor Yohannes Haile-Selassie) (Paragraph E)

'As a result of our discovery,' said Haile-Selassie, 'we can now confidently say that Lucy and her relatives were almost as proficient walking on two legs as we are...'

Cam 18 Test 1

Matching information

  1. B (Paragraph B)

This practice, called 'high-grading', has left a legacy of 'low-use wood' in the forests.

  1. A (Paragraph A)

A tree's 'value' depends on several factors including its species, size, form, condition, quality, function, and accessibility...

  1. C (Paragraph C)

Wood can also be gasified for electrical generation and can even be made into liquid fuels like ethanol and gasoline for lorries and cars.

  1. E (Paragraph E)

The many pests and pathogens visiting forests including hemlock woolly adelgid, Asian longhorned beetle, emerald ash borer, and gypsy moth...

  1. B (Paragraph B)

Some people even call these 'junk trees', and they are abundant in Pennsylvania.

Matching headings

  1. B - A Salvage Cut (Paragraph E)

With the many pests and pathogens visiting forests including hemlock woolly adelgid, Asian longhorned beetle, emerald ash borer, and gypsy moth, it is important to remember that those working in the forests can help ease these issues through cutting procedures.

  1. C - A Shelterwood Cut (Paragraph F)

It can also be used to develop a two-tier forest so that there are two harvests and the money that comes in is spread out over a decade or more.

  1. C - A Shelterwood Cut (Paragraph F)

It then allows the forester to decide which tree species are regenerated. It leaves a young forest where all trees are at a similar point in their growth.

Summary completion

  1. fire (Paragraph G)

Thinnings and dense and dead wood removal for fire prevention also center on the production of low-use wood.

  1. nutrients (Paragraph G)

The tops of trees that have been cut down should be left on the site so that their nutrients cycle back into the soil.

  1. cavities (Paragraph G)

In addition, trees with many cavities are extremely important habitats for insect predators like woodpeckers, bats, and small mammals.

  1. hawthorn (Paragraph G)

For example, many species like hawthorn provide food for wildlife.

  1. rare (Paragraph G)

Finally, rare species of trees in a forest should also stay behind as they add to its structural diversity.

Intermediate Reading Lesson 4

Complete IELTS 6.5-7.5 SB Unit 3

Yes/No/Not Given

  1. NO (Paragraph 3)

MK-869 has not been the only much-awaited medical breakthrough to be undone in recent years by the placebo effect.

  1. YES (Paragraph 3)

In today's economy, the fate of a well-established company can hang on the outcome of a handful of tests.

  1. NOT GIVEN

The passage discusses medical conditions and the placebo effect but does not specify whether some conditions are more easily treated by a placebo than others.

  1. YES (Paragraph 10)

Not surprisingly, the health of those in the third group improved most.

  1. NO (Paragraph 11)

Studies like this open the door to hybrid treatment strategies that exploit the placebo effect to make real drugs safer and more effective. As Potter says, 'To really do the best for your patients, you want the best placebo response plus the best drug response.'

Summary completion

  1. H (competition) (Paragraph 1)

Merck, a global pharmaceutical company, was falling behind its rivals in sales. To make matters worse, patents on five blockbuster drugs were about to expire, which would allow cheaper generic products to flood the market.

  1. A (activity) (Paragraph 1)

Key to his strategy was expanding the company's reach into the anti-depressant market, where Merck had trailed behind, while competitors like Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline had created some of the best-selling drugs in the world.

  1. C (success) (Paragraph 2)

The drug tested extremely well early on, with minimal side effects.

  1. G (symptoms) (Paragraph 2)

True, many test subjects treated with the medication felt their hopelessness and anxiety lift. But so did nearly the same number who took a placebo, a look-alike pill made of milk sugar or another inert substance given to groups of volunteers in subsequent clinical trials to gauge the effectiveness of the real drug by comparison.

  1. E (tests) (Paragraph 2)

Ultimately, Merck's venture into the anti-depressant market failed. In the jargon of the industry, the trials crossed the 'futility boundary'.

Multiple choice

  1. C (Paragraph 5)

Potter combed through his company's database of published and unpublished trials including those that had been kept secret because of high placebo response.

  1. B (Paragraph 6)

Potter discovered, however, that geographic location alone could determine the outcome.

  1. A (Paragraph 7)

It was like finding out that the judges in a tight race each had a different idea about the placement of the finish line.

  1. A (Paragraph 10)

And the benefits of their 'bogus' treatment persisted for weeks afterward, contrary to the belief-widespread in the pharmaceutical industry-that the placebo response is short-lived.

Cam 19 Test 2

Summary completion

  1. D (single) (Paragraph 1)

Maryam Mirzakhani is regarded as the only woman to win the Fields Medal - the mathematical equivalent of a Nobel prize.

  1. A (appeal) (Paragraph 2)

As for maths, she did rather poorly at it for the first couple of years in her middle school, but became interested when her elder brother told her about what he'd learned.

  1. C (intrigued) (Paragraph 2)

He shared a famous maths problem from a magazine that fascinated her - and she was hooked.

  1. B (determined) (Paragraph 3)

In adult life it is clear that she was curious, excited by what she did and also resolute in the face of setbacks.

  1. J (satisfaction) (Paragraph 3)

'Of course, the most rewarding part is the "Aha" moment, the excitement of discovery and enjoyment of understanding something new...'

  1. I (innovative) (Paragraph 3)

But most of the time, doing mathematics for me is like being on a long hike with no trail and no end in sight. That trail took her to the heights of original research into mathematics.

Yes/No/Not Given

  1. YES (Paragraph 5)

Most Nobel prize winners were unexceptional in childhood.

  1. NOT GIVEN

  2. YES (Paragraph 7)

While the jury is out on giftedness being innate and other factors potentially making the difference...

  1. NOT GIVEN

  2. NO (Paragraph 10)

He once wrote: 'It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer. Most people say it is the intellect which makes a great scientist. They are wrong: it is character.'

Multiple choice

  1. C (the development of a spirit of inquiry towards their studies) (Paragraph 8)

According to my colleague Prof Deborah Eyre, the latest neuroscience and psychological research suggests most individuals can reach levels of performance associated in school with the gifted and talented. However, they must be taught the right attitudes and approaches to their learning and develop the attributes of high performers - curiosity, persistence and hard work, for example...

  1. B (Being born with a special gift is not the key factor in becoming expert) (Paragraph 9)

After research going back to 1980 into diverse achievements, from music to memory to sport, he doesn't think unique and innate talents are at the heart of performance. Deliberate practice, that stretches you every step of the way, and around 10,000 hours of it, is what produces the goods.

  1. D (the guidance of someone who recognises the benefits of learning) (Paragraph 11)

Interviews uncovered strong evidence of an adult or adults in the child's life who valued and supported education, either in the immediate or extended family or in the child's wider community.

Complete IELTS 6.5-7.5 WB Unit 3

Yes/No/Not Given

  1. YES (First paragraph)

Alarmingly, there is evidence to suggest that this lack of exercise is not only having a negative physiological effect on them, but is also adversely affecting their academic performance at school.

  1. NO (Second paragraph)

He also supports the long-held conviction that vigorous physical activity is much better than moderate activity.

  1. NO (Second paragraph)

Schools and parents should devise ways of increasing physical activity in and out of school time.

  1. YES (Third paragraph)

For those who are sceptical about this, and no doubt there are many...

  1. NOT GIVEN

Summary completion

  1. B (anxiety) (Fourth paragraph)

This increases levels of chemicals like endorphin in the brain which decrease stress and improve mood.

  1. H (possibility) (Fifth paragraph)

There is also evidence that suggests regular exercise can increase the size of crucial parts of the brain, and that children who are fit also tend to be better at multi-tasking and performing difficult mental tasks.

  1. E (exercises) (Fifth paragraph)

According to other researchers, there is also evidence that suggests regular exercise can increase the size of crucial parts of the brain, and that children who are fit also tend to be better at multi-tasking and performing difficult mental tasks than their unfit friends.

  1. C (discoveries) (Fifth paragraph)

Professor Art Kramer, director of the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois, who led the research, said their findings could have important implications for improving children's performance at school.

  1. D (elderly) (Fifth paragraph)

Professor Art Kramer... said their findings could have important implications for improving children's performance at school. He said it could also be used to help people combat memory loss and retain problem-solving skills in old age.

Multiple choice

  1. C (Sixth paragraph)

While we know that exercise can have positive effects on cardiovascular disease and diabetes, we have found it can also bring about improvements in cognition and brain function. Aerobic exercise is best for this, so by starting off doing 15 minutes a day and working up to 45 minutes to an hour of continuous exercising, we can see some real improvements in cognition after six months to a year.

One particular type of exercise is more effective than others.

  1. A (Seventh paragraph)

Professor Kramer's team did a lot of neuroimaging work alongside their studies, which provided visual evidence to show that brain networks and structures actually change with exercise. This, they say, is the reason why their aerobically-fit test subjects were found to exhibit superior cognitive control to those who were less fit.

Exercising physically alters the brain.

  1. D (Last paragraph)

Dr Mark Mattson, a neuroscientist from the National Institute of Ageing in Baltimore found that restricting people's diets to just 500 calories every other day increased production of proteins that are known to protect neurons from damage.

eating less on certain days

Cam 19 Test 4

Multiple choice

  1. C (Paragraph 1)

There has long been a general assumption that human beings are essentially selfish. We're apparently ruthless, with strong impulses to compete against each other for resources and to accumulate power and possessions. If we are kind to one another, it's usually because we have ulterior motives. If we are good, it's only because we have managed to control and transcend our innate selfishness and brutality.

describing a commonly held belief about people's behaviour

  1. C (Paragraph 2)

This bleak view of human nature is closely associated with the science writer Richard Dawkins, whose 1976 book The Selfish Gene became popular because it fitted so well with - and helped to justify - the competitive and individualistic ethos that was so prevalent in late 20th-century societies.

It presented a view that was in line with the attitudes of its time.

  1. B (Paragraph 4)

It's important to remember that in the prehistoric era, the world was very sparsely populated. According to some estimates, around 15,000 years ago, the population of Europe was only 29,000, and the population of the whole world was less than half a million.

Supplies of natural resources were probably relatively plentiful.

  1. A (Paragraph 5)

As the anthropologist Bruce Knauft has remarked, hunter-gatherers are characterised by 'extreme political and sexual egalitarianism'. Knauft has observed that individuals in such groups don't accumulate property or possessions and have an ethical obligation to share everything.

selfishness is a relatively recent development in human societies.

Summary completion

  1. egalitarianism (Paragraph 5)

As the anthropologist Bruce Knauft has remarked, hunter-gatherers are characterised by 'extreme political and sexual egalitarianism'.

  1. status (Paragraph 5)

Knauft has observed that individuals in such groups don't accumulate property or possessions and have an ethical obligation to share everything. They also have methods of preserving egalitarianism by ensuring that disparities of status don't arise.

  1. hunting (Paragraph 5)

The !Kung people of southern Africa, for example, swap arrows before going hunting and when an animal is killed, the acclaim does not go to the person who fired the arrow, but to the person the arrow belongs to.

  1. domineering (Paragraph 5)

And if a person becomes too domineering, the other members of the group ostracise them, exiling the offender from society.

  1. autonomy (Paragraph 6)

Women in hunter-gatherer groups worldwide often benefit from a high level of autonomy, being able to select their own marriage partners, decide what work they do and work whenever they choose to.

Yes/No/Not Given

  1. NOT GIVEN

The passage does not discuss whether anthropologists are mistaken about the timing of the decline of societies like the !Kung.

  1. NO (Paragraph 4)

Individuals who behaved selfishly and ruthlessly would be less likely to survive, since they would have been ostracised from their groups.

  1. YES (Paragraph 7)

It makes more sense, then, to see traits such as cooperation, egalitarianism, altruism and peacefulness as innate characteristics of human beings.

  1. NOT GIVEN

The passage discusses the effects of habitat disruption on primates and does not compare the appearance of negative traits in different modern cultures.

  1. NO (Paragraph 8)

Research has shown repeatedly that when the natural habitats of primates such as apes and gorillas are disrupted, they tend to become more violent and hierarchical.

Intermediate Reading Lesson 5

Complete IELTS 6.5-7.5 SB Unit 6

Multiple choice

  1. D (First paragraph)

Carpenter, a serious-faced ten-year-old, pauses for a second, fidgets, then clicks on 'O degrees.' The computer tells him that he's correct. 'It took a while for me to work it out,' he admits sheepishly.

  1. B (Second paragraph)

At seven to 14 minutes long, they consist of a voiceover by the site's founder, Salman Khan, chattily describing a mathematical concept or explaining how to solve a problem, while hand-scribbled formulas and diagrams appear on-screen.

  1. C (Seventh paragraph)

This involves replacing some of her lectures with Khan's videos, which students can watch at home.

  1. B (Tenth paragraph)

Schools have spent millions of dollars on sophisticated classroom technology, but the effort has been in vain.

  1. D (Fourth paragraph)

Students have pointed out that Khan is particularly good at explaining all the hidden, small steps in math problems—steps that teachers often gloss over.

Yes/No/Not Given

  1. YES (Seventh paragraph)

Initially, Thordarson thought Khan Academy would merely be a helpful supplement to her normal instruction. But it quickly became far more than that.

  1. NO (Twelfth paragraph)

Khan never intended to overhaul the school curricula and he doesn't have a consistent, comprehensive plan for doing so.

  1. NO (Eleventh paragraph)

The very concept of grade levels implies groups of students moving along together at an even pace.

  1. NOT GIVEN

Principals are mentioned, but there is nothing about them inviting Khan into their schools.

  1. NOT GIVEN

Start-ups are mentioned, but there is nothing about Khan giving advice on them.

Matching opinions

  1. B (Twelfth paragraph)

Most notable among them is Bill Gates, whose foundation has invested $1.5 million in Khan's line.

  1. D (Fourth paragraph)

"Schools have become 'joyless test-prep factories,' he says, and Khan Academy caters to this dismal trend."

  1. G (Fifth paragraph)

As Sylvia Martinez, president of an organization focusing on technology in the classroom, puts it, 'The things they're doing are really just rote.'

  1. E (Eleventh paragraph)

Khan's programmer, Ben Kamens, has heard from teachers who have seen Khan Academy presentations and loved the idea but wondered whether they could modify it 'to stop students from becoming this advanced.'

Cam 13 Test 1

Multiple choice

  1. B (First paragraph)

Classical music by an artificial composer has had audiences enraptured, and even tricked them into believing a human was behind the score.

  1. C (Second paragraph)

'It scares a lot of people. They are worried that it is taking something special away from what it means to be human.'

  1. C (Fourth paragraph)

Unlike earlier 'artists' such as Aaron, the Painting Fool only needs minimal direction and can come up with its own concepts by going online for material.

  1. D (Fourth paragraph)

Colton argues that such reactions arise from people's double standards towards software-produced and human-produced art.

  1. A (Fifth paragraph)

Some of the Painting Fool's paintings of a chair came out in black and white, thanks to a technical glitch. This gives the work an eerie, ghostlike quality.

  1. D (Fifth paragraph)

Researchers like Colton don't believe it is right to measure machine creativity directly to that of humans who 'have had millennia to develop our skills'.

Matching opinions

  1. A (Sixth paragraph)

EMI even fooled classical music experts into thinking they were hearing genuine Bach.

  1. E (Sixth paragraph)

Some, such as Wiggins, have blasted Cope's work as pseudoscience, and condemned him for his deliberately vague explanation of how the software worked.

  1. C (Sixth paragraph)

Douglas Hofstadter of Indiana University said EMI created replicas which still rely completely on the original artist's creative impulses.

  1. G (Sixth paragraph)

When audiences found out the truth they were often outraged with Cope, and one music lover even tried to punch him.

  1. B (Seventh paragraph)

The participants weren't told beforehand whether the tunes were composed by humans or computers, but were asked to guess.

Yes/No/Not Given

  1. YES (Seventh paragraph)

A study by computer scientist David Moffat of Glasgow Caledonian University provides a clue.

  1. NOT GIVEN (Seventh paragraph)

This was true even among the experts, who might have been expected to be more objective in their analyses.

  1. NO (Eighth paragraph)

Meanwhile, experiments by Justin Kruger of New York University have shown that people's enjoyment of an artwork increases if they think more time and effort was needed to create it.

Complete IELTS 6.5-7.5 WB Unit 6

Multiple choice

  1. C (First paragraph)

Not only are they planning to build a smart green city from scratch at a site in northern Portugal, but they also hope to establish their PlanIT Valley development as both a genuine European alternative to the USA's Silicon Valley, and a working model that will inspire the next generation of low carbon cities.

  1. A (Second paragraph)

To them, the technical challenges, combined with the $10 billion that the company needs to raise to see the project through from beginning to end, make Living PlanIT's plans sound more like an admirable experiment rather than a viable construction project.

  1. B (Third paragraph)

He argues that the construction industry remains the last sector of the economy to resist the IT revolution that has enhanced efficiencies across every other industry, from car manufacturing to food production. Their existing techniques are inadequate, he says, for today's technology-rich and environmentally-aware requirements.

  1. D (Fourth paragraph)

Lewis and many on the senior management team have served as senior executives with other major IT companies. This means that they not only have the right experience, but also the essential 'anything is possible' mentality that is a feature of such companies.

  1. C (Last paragraph)

Whatever the outcome, it is hard not to admire a project that will put so many theories about smart cities to the test all in one go.

Yes/No/Not Given

  1. YES (Second paragraph)

Their scepticism is not helped by the company's use of marketing language that, in order to understand it, requires a degree in Public Relations.

  1. YES (Third paragraph)

However, when you listen to chief executive Steve Lewis outline his plans for the company, it becomes possible to believe that they might just deliver on their absurdly ambitious promises.

  1. NOT GIVEN (Fourth paragraph)

Taking lessons from other manufacturing industries, including aerospace, automotive and shipbuilding, project leaders identified a number of elements that feature in modern manufacturing processes and which could be applied to modern buildings from the very start of the construction process.

  1. NO (Fifth paragraph)

Of course, such techniques are not new, but they are rarely put into practice.

  1. NOT GIVEN (Fifth paragraph)

Intelligent buildings that know to turn the air-conditioning on before you even realise you are hot may sound like something out of a science-fiction novel, but we are increasingly living in a science-fiction age.

Matching statements

  1. B (Third paragraph)

The IT industry has been complaining for a long time that the construction sector has failed to make adequate (if any) use of IT in its buildings.

  1. A (Fifth paragraph)

More importantly, however, almost all of the technology the company is planning to deploy in PlanIT Valley either already exists or is viable from a technical point of view.

  1. D (Fifth paragraph)

If Living PlanIT achieve this integration, it will hopefully be able to prove the final part of Lewis' claim. Namely, that cost concerns surrounding green developments are ill-founded.

  1. G (Last paragraph)

The PlanIT Valley project presents many problems in terms of project management and coordination, and there is a huge amount of work to be done before the first residents are able to move in.

Cam 19 Test 3

Multiple choice

  1. D (First paragraph)

Noise, Alex Waibel tells me, is one of the major challenges that artificial speech translation has to meet. A device may be able to recognise speech in a laboratory, or a meeting room, but will struggle to cope with the kind of background noise I can hear in my office surrounding Professor Waibel as he speaks to me from Kyoto station in Japan.

  1. A (Paragraph)

At Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, where he is a professor of computer science, Waibel and his colleagues already give lectures in German that their students can follow in English via an electronic translator. The system generates text that students can read on their laptops or phones, so the process is somewhat similar to subtitling.

  1. C (Paragraph)

The idea of artificial speech translation has been around for a long time. Douglas Adams' science fiction novel, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, published in 1979, featured a life form called the 'Babel fish' which, when placed in the ear, enabled a listener to understand any language in the universe. It came to represent one of those devices that technology enthusiasts dream of long before they become practically realisable...

  1. B (Paragraph)

For a conversation, both speakers need to have devices called Pilots (translator earpieces) in their ears. 'We find that there's a barrier with sharing one of the earphones with a stranger,' says Ochoa.

  1. C (Paragraph)

Waibel highlights the significance of certain Asian nations, noting that voice translation has really taken off in countries such as Japan with a range of systems. There is still a long way to go, though.

  1. E (Paragraph)

A translation system needs to be simultaneous, like the translator's voice speaking over the foreign politician being interviewed on the TV, rather than in sections that oblige speakers to pause after every few remarks and wait for the translation to be delivered.

  1. F (Paragraph)

Systems not only need to cope with physical challenges such as noise, they will also need to be socially aware by addressing people in the right way.

  1. B (Paragraph)

At the same time, they might help to preserve local customs, slowing the spread of habits associated with international English, such as its readiness to get on first-name terms.

Yes/No/Not Given

  1. NO (Paragraph)

Professionals are less inclined to be patient in a conversation, founder and CEO at Waverly Labs, Andrew Ochoa, observes.

  1. YES (Paragraph)

Whether it will help people conduct their family lives or relationships is open to question...

  1. NO (Paragraph)

...though one noteworthy possibility is that it could overcome the language barriers that often arise between generations after migration...

  1. NOT GIVEN (Paragraph)

Even if voice-morphing technology simulates the speaker's voice, their lip movements won't match, and they will look like they are in a dubbed movie.

  1. NOT GIVEN (Paragraph)

Sharing a language can promote a sense of belonging and community, as with the international scientists who use English as a lingua franca, where their predecessors used Latin.

  1. YES (Paragraph)

Though the practical need for a common language will diminish, the social value of sharing one will persist.

Intermediate Reading Lesson 6

Complete IELTS 6.5-7.5 SB Unit 8

Yes/No/Not Given

  1. YES

The community that focuses its efforts on the exploration of space has largely been different from the community focused on the study and protection of the Earth's environment, despite the fact that both fields of interest involve what might be referred to as 'scientific exploration.'

  1. NO

The reason for this dichotomous existence is chiefly historical. The exploration of the Earth has been occurring over many centuries, and the institutions created to do it are often very different from those founded in the second part of the 20th century to explore space. This separation is also caused by the fact that space exploration has attracted experts from mainly non-biological disciplines - primarily engineers and physicists - but the study of Earth and its environment is a domain heavily populated by biologists.

  1. NOT GIVEN

The text mentions governments and money, but nothing is said about how much they allocate to each type of research.

  1. NO

These perceptions can also be negative in consequence because the full potential of both communities can be realised better when they work together to solve problems. For example, those involved in space exploration can provide the satellites to monitor the Earth's fragile environments, and environmentalists can provide information on the survival of life in extreme environments.

  1. NOT GIVEN

The Foundation is mentioned, but there is nothing about the timing of its establishment.

Multiple choice

  1. C

In the past, the Foundation provided a grant to a group of expeditions that used remote sensing to plan eco-tourism routes in the forests of Guatemala, thus providing capital to the local communities through the tourist trade. This novel approach is now making the protection of the forests a sensible economic decision.

  1. A

The Foundation helped fund a large archaeology project by the Society for Syrian Archaeology at the University of California, Los Angeles, in collaboration with the Syrian government that used GPS and satellite imagery to locate mounds, or 'tels', containing artefacts and remnants of early civilisations.

  1. D

Together, they demonstrate that the programme really has no boundary in what it could eventually support, and they provide longevity for the objectives of the Foundation.

  1. B

The writer's tone is explanatory; there are no requests for support, nothing has changed about the Foundation's work, and there is no reference to any criticisms of the Foundation's work.

Matching statements

  1. B

Field research also applies the Earth's environmental and biological resources to the human exploration and settlement of space.

  1. H

In one research project, the Foundation provided a grant to an international caving expedition to study the psychology of explorers subjected to long-term isolation in caves in Mexico.

  1. A

Space-like environments on Earth help us understand how to operate in the space environment or help us characterise extraterrestrial environments for future scientific research.

  1. D

The crater, which sits in high Arctic permafrost, provides an excellent replica of the physical processes occurring on Mars, a permafrosted, impact-altered planet.

  1. G

Geologists and biologists can work at the site to help understand how impact craters shape the geological characteristics and possibly biological potential of Mars.

Cam 11 Test 2

Multiple choice

  1. C (Paragraph 2)

We certainly do have an inclination to follow the crowd. When asked to make simple perceptual decisions such as matching a shape to its rotated image, for example, people often choose a definitively wrong answer if they see others doing the same.

  1. D (Paragraph 3)

volunteers generally preferred the work of renowned artists, even when they believed it was by an animal or a child. It seems that the viewers can sense the artists' vision in paintings, even if they can't explain why.

  1. B (Paragraph 4)

It would seem that the brain sees these images as puzzles, and the harder it is to decipher the meaning, the more rewarding is the moment of recognition.

  1. A (Paragraph 5)

eye-tracking studies confirm that they (Mondrian's) works are meticulously composed, and that simply rotating a piece radically changes the way we view it.

  1. C (Paragraph 1)

The blurred imagery of Impressionist paintings seems to stimulate the brain's amygdala, for instance. Since the amygdala plays a crucial role in our feelings, that finding might explain why many people find these pieces so moving.

  1. B (Paragraph 7)

In another experiment, Alex Forsythe of the University of Liverpool analysed the visual intricacy of different pieces of art, and her results suggest that many artists use a key level of detail to please the brain.

  1. H (Paragraph 7)

What's more, appealing pieces both abstract and representational, show signs of 'fractals'-repeated motifs recurring in different scales. Fractals are common throughout nature, for example in the shapes of mountain peaks of branches of trees. It is possible that our visual system, which evolved in the great outdoors, finds it easier to process such patterns.

Yes/No/Not Given

  1. NOT GIVEN (Paragraph 7)

The writer does not mention whether her findings contradicted previous beliefs on the function of 'fractals' in art.

  1. YES (Paragraph 8)

It is also intriguing that the brain appears to process movement when we see a handwritten letter, as if we are replaying the writer's moment of creation. This has led some to wonder whether Pollock's works feel so dynamic because the brain reconstructs the energetic actions the artist used as he painted. This may be down to our brain's 'mirror neurons', which are known to mimic others' actions. The hypothesis will need to be thoroughly tested...

  1. NO (Paragraph 8)

While the fashion of the time might shape what is currently popular, works that are best adapted to our visual system may be the most likely to linger once the trends of previous generations have been forgotten.

  1. NO (Last paragraph)

It would, however, be foolish to reduce art appreciation to set a set of scientific laws.

  1. YES (Last paragraph)

We shouldn't underestimate the importance of the style of a particular artist, their place in history and the artistic environment of their time.

  1. NOT GIVEN

The writer does not mention this information.

  1. A

The writer refers to some scientific experiments, theories and knowledge of the way the brain reacts to abstract art.

Complete IELTS 6.5-7.5 WB Unit 8

Yes/No/Not Given

  1. NO (Paragraph 1)

Pictures of Mars suggest it might make a good place for people to settle.

  1. NOT GIVEN (Paragraph 1)

Modern Mars and ancient Earth looked remarkably similar.

  1. YES (Paragraph 3)

One method of terraforming could involve adapting technology that is already under development.

  1. NO (Paragraph 5)

Greenhouse gas factories would provide enough oxygen for people to breathe without special equipment.

  1. YES (Paragraph 5)

Terraforming Mars would be an extreme test of human skill and intelligence.

Multiple choice

  1. D (Paragraph 1)

It has some similarities with Earth.

  1. A (Paragraph 3)

The first step in terraforming Mars would be to make the planet warmer.

  1. C (Paragraph 5)

Special factories on Mars could be used to produce oxygen in a manner similar to plants.

  1. C (Paragraph 5)

The writer's main purpose in the passage is to consider how and why Mars might be terraformed.

Matching statements

  1. I (Paragraph 6)

One method of terraforming Mars would be to shoot asteroids at the planet.

  1. A (Paragraph 6)

Rockets attached to an enormous asteroid would propel it towards Mars, taking ten years to drive the enormous distances required.

  1. C (Paragraph 6)

The asteroid would hit the planet with incredible force.

  1. B (Paragraph 6)

The asteroid would release enough energy to increase the planet's temperature.

  1. D (Paragraph 6)

The result would be a temperate climate and lots of water from melting ice caps.

Cam 13 Test 4

Multiple choice

  1. D (Paragraph 2)

It is an astonishingly crude and simple-minded way of thinking, and for that very reason increasingly popular. Those who think in this way are oblivious to the vast philosophical literature in which the meaning and value of happiness have been explored and questioned, and write as if nothing of any importance had been thought on the subject until it came to their attention.

  1. A (Paragraph 3)

The Greek philosopher Aristotle may have identified happiness with self-realisation in the 4th century BC, and thinkers throughout the ages may have struggled to reconcile the pursuit of happiness with other human values, but for Bentham all this was mere metaphysics or fiction.

  1. B (Paragraph 4)

By associating money so closely to inner experience, Davies writes, Bentham 'set the stage for the entangling of psychological research and capitalism that would shape the business practices of the twentieth century.'

Matching statements

  1. F (communication) (Paragraph 4)

In the 1790s, he wrote to the Home Office suggesting that the departments of government be linked together through a set of 'conversation tubes.'

  1. B (security) (Paragraph 4)

He developed a new way of printing banknotes to increase security.

  1. G (preservation) (Paragraph 4)

He drew up plans for a 'frigidarium' to keep provisions such as meat, fish, fruit and vegetables fresh.

  1. E (observation) (Paragraph 4)

His celebrated design for a prison to be known as a Panopticon in which prisoners would be kept in solitary confinement while being visible at all times to the guards, was very nearly adopted.

  1. A (measurement) (Paragraph 4)

Bentham was also a pioneer of the 'science of happiness'.

Yes/No/Not Given

  1. YES (Paragraph 9)

We learn much that is interesting about how economic problems are being redefined and treated as psychological maladies.

  1. NOT GIVEN (Paragraph 8)

The tendency of thinkers such as JB Watson, the founder of behaviourism, was that human beings could be shaped, or manipulated, by policymakers and managers.

  1. NO (Paragraph 8)

When he became president of the American Psychological Association in 1915, he had never even studied a single human being: his research had been confined to experiments on white rats.

  1. NOT GIVEN

  2. YES (Paragraph 9)

Modern industrial societies appear to need the possibility of ever-increasing happiness to motivate them in their labours.

  1. NO (Paragraph 9)

But whatever its intellectual pedigree, the idea that governments should be responsible for promoting happiness is always a threat to human freedom.

Intermediate Listening Lesson 1

Practice 1

Graduate Fair Registration TGS Global

  1. Alexandrovna

OK. I'll just feed that into the computer. And what's your name?

It's Dominika Alexandrovna.

OK... Can you just spell your surname for me?

Sure. It's A-L-E-X-A-N-D-R-O-V-N-A.

  1. Russian

And where are you from, Dominika?

Well, I was born in Poland actually, and my mum's Polish, but I'm Russian because we moved to Moscow when I was very small for my father's job.

  1. Dom (D-0-M) 54

OK, well, we usually get in touch with students a bit later on... and the easiest way for us to communicate with you is by email.

Oh yes I can give you my email address.

Fine. Then we can send you any links that you need to read and attach the application forms.

Oh great... well, my email address is Dom, D-0-M 54 at qmail.com

  1. full-time

Yes, I've been doing a BA.

And is that part time?

No I'm a full-time student.

  1. 21 July / 21/7 / 7/21

So when do you finish?

Um-well, it's a 22-month course and I finish in two weeks' time.

I see. So when would you be available for an interview?

Well, I think the 21 of July.

  1. competition

but it also helps if you've done anything in your spare time that shows you have some business-related skills

Um-well, I did run a competition last year for the charity 'Save the Children'.

  1. cooking/cookery; swimming (must have both, in any order)

what do you like to do in your free time?

I'm quite good at cooking. I make sure I eat well... you know, when you're a student, it's easy to forget to eat or to eat a lot of junk food. I do things like watch some of the cookery programmes on TV and then I copy them.

Great!

I'm not very sporty, but I do go swimming at least twice a week. I like to keep in shape.

  1. children's tutor

Have you done any other work in the past that would be relevant to a marketing career?

Um, I did help my father with his business, but it wasn't really a job. I didn't get paid... But I have been a children's tutor.

  1. project manager

Well, are you ambitious? Do you want to get to the top?

I guess I'd like to get into management... you know... I'd like to work my way up the ladder and end up as a project manager.

  1. (a) friend

Can I just ask how you first heard about the fair?

Oh from a friend. She told me about it last week, and then I looked it up on the Internet.

Practice 2 (Authentic)

Car insurance

  1. 27 Bank Road

And what's your address?

27 Bank Road

  1. (a) dentist

And could I ask what your occupation is?

Dentist

  1. Sable

Could you spell the model name please?

Yes... S-A-B-L-E.

  1. Northern Star

I presume you've had a previous insurer?

Yes.

Right... we need to know the name of the company.

Yes... it was Northern Star.

  1. stolen

Yes... one in 1999.

And what was the problem?

It was stolen

  1. Paynter

And will there be any other named drivers?

Just the one...

And his name?

Simon Paynter.

Could you spell the surname please?

P-A-Y-N-T-E-R.

  1. brother-in-law

And what relationship is he to you?

He's my brother-in-law.

  1. (travel(ling/ing)) (to) work

And what will you or Mr Paynter be using the car for?

Well... mainly for social use...

Social use (murmuring). Will you be using it to travel to work?

Yes... sometimes.

...Anything else?

No. That's it...

  1. Red Flag

I'm getting a couple of quotes coming up on the computer now... and the best bet looks like being with a company called Red Flag.

  1. 450

And that comes out at $450 per year…

Homework Practice 1

Care for the Community

  1. Philippa Tailor

My name's Philippa Tailor.

F-I-L-

No, P-H-I-L-I-P-P-A..

Got that. And is it Taylor with a y?

No, an i. T-A-I-L-O-R. Like the job.

  1. Third / 3rd year

Right. And what do you do at the moment, Philippa?

I'm a student. I've just started my second, sorry, I mean, my third year at Brookfields University.

  1. Social Care Studies

Oh, right, what course are you doing?

A BA in Social Care Studies.

  1. 0878 643 9884

Sure, I'll give you my mobile. It's 0878 643 9884.

0878 643 9844.

No, that's 884 at the end, not 844.

  1. flipt14

Oh yes, your email address, if you have one.

I do. It's flipt14 at chatbox.co.uk. That's F-L-I-P-T, and the number 14, all written as one word.

  1. three evenings

OK, and when would you be available to work? Days? Evenings?

Well, days would be difficult, as I have classes then, so it would have to be evenings, I guess. I was thinking maybe a couple of evenings a week, or maybe three.

  1. (some) work experience

Right, Philippa, so could you tell me why you're interested in working for us?

Well, I'm hoping to apply for a career in social care when I graduate, and this would give me some work experience in this field.

  1. learning difficulties

Any particular area?

Yes, I'm particularly interested in helping young people, teenagers who have learning difficulties.

  1. summer camp

And have you done anything like this before?

Yes, in fact I've just spent the holiday working at a summer camp for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

  1. challenging but rewarding

Did you enjoy it?

Oh, yes. It was challenging but rewarding.

  1. communication skills

And what makes you suitable for this kind of work do you think?

Well, I have very good communication skills. That's my strongest point, I reckon. And I'm a good listener.

  1. Appointment

Hmm, right, what I'd like to do, if it's OK with you, is fix an appointment so we can meet and talk about this some more. It wouldn't be anything formal, not an interview or anything like that. Er, how are you fixed for Tuesday 9th September at 4.30?

Ah, I'm sorry, I have a tutorial then. Would Wednesday be possible?

The 10th? Yes, that would be fine. So we'll say Wednesday 10th at 4.30. Now, do you know where we are?

Homework Practice 2 (Authentic)

Accommodation Form - Student Information

  1. Bhatt

So first of all, can I take your name?

It's Anu Bhatt.

Could you spell your name please?

Yes. A-N-U... B-H-A double T.

  1. 31 March

Thanks, and could I ask your date of birth?

31st March 1972.

  1. nursing

And what will you be studying?

I'm doing a course in nursing.

  1. 2

And how long would you want to stay in hall, do you think?

Well, it'll take three years but I'd only like to stay in hall for two. I'd like to think about living outside for the third year.

  1. meat

do you have any special diet, anything we should know about?

Yes, I don't take red meat.

No red meat.

  1. bedsit

Now, thinking about the room itself, we have a number of options. You can have a single study bedroom or you can have a shared one. These are both what we call simple rooms. The other alternative is to opt for a single bedsit which actually has more space and better facilities. There's about £20 a week difference between them.

Well, actually my grant is quite generous and I think the bedsit sounds the best option.

  1. theatre/theater

I wonder if you could let us know what your interests are. This might help us get a closer match for placing you in a particular hall.

Ummm. Well, I love the theatre.

  1. mature/older

Now, what we finish with on the form is really a list from you of what your priorities are in choosing a hall and we'll do our best to take these into account.

Well, the first thing is I'd prefer a hall where there are other mature students, if possible.

Yes, we do have halls which tend to cater for slightly older students.

  1. town

Ummm and I'd prefer to be out of town.

  1. shared

Anything else?

Well, I would like somewhere with a shared area, a TV room for example, or something like that. It's a good way to socialise.

Intermediate Listening Lesson 2

Complete IELTS 6.5-7.5 SB Unit 2

Museum Tour

  1. eyeball

So to start off, there's a section simply entitled 'Seeing colour, which is, well as the title suggests about how we do just that. And it's a good starting point, because basically, you look at the museum gallery through a giant eyeball that's standing on a circular foot.

  1. lifestyle

Another section that's very interesting is called 'Colour in culture'. Here, there are a number of activities designed to illustrate the powerful links that exist between colour and certain aspects of our lifestyle.

  1. disability

This section also includes activities that give visitors some idea of what it's like to view the world with a visual disability.

  1. background

Then there's a 'Colour in nature' section, …. So you can try camouflaging yourself. This really is one for the kids dressing up in a suit and then selecting a background.

  1. mood

I'd recommend ending the trip with a visit to the 'mood room', which explores the influence of colour on the way we feel.

  1. lighting/atmosphere

Here, you can lie back and listen to music as a projector subtly alters the lighting in the room and with it, the atmosphere.

7-8. B & E

Now, while the exhibition's been running, the organisers have carried out a study of the favourite colours of their younger visitors. Over 2,600 children have responded to this, and there were lots and lots of colours to choose from, so the scores weren't high for each individual colour, even if the colours were-like blue-of average popularity. Clearly, the bold colours were the winners. Though purple, which I would have expected to be a high scorer, had just 1.73% of the votes, unlike deep pink, which came next to top. In the middle ground along with purple - which was still pretty popular compared to others was lime green - the first shade of green to be anywhere near the top. One two-year-old commented that red was the only colour she knew, which is perhaps why that was more popular with children than anything else. Needless to say, all the tans and beiges came near the bottom.

9-10. B & D

So why did the kids go for these striking colours? As adults. it's all about clothes... what we think suits us or is fashionable. But these youngsters are looking outward more and they go for colours that hit them... that they pick out over and above the rest. It's less to do with how they feel - whether it calms them down or whatever - and more about immediate impact. And, of course, there are associations with football that led a lot of both boys and girls to go for particular colours - in fact, more children seemed to comment on this than anything else, whereas adults would be more likely to go for something worn by someone they really like.

Cam 12 Test 7

BC Travel

11-12. D & E

In terms of age groups, the over-65s are an important market, and one that's increasing steadily year on year… whereas there's a noticeable growth in the number of holidays taken by the 55 to 64-year-olds.

13-14. A & C

But they do often take place outside the main tourist centres, which gives an opportunity for clients to find out more about the local people and customs…but clients often say that more than this, it's the chance to create lasting relationships with other like-minded people that's the main draw.

  1. C

We've got an excellent team of artists to lead the classes - some of them have been with us from the start, and five additional ones will be joining us this year so that we can offer a greater number of classes in each centre.

  1. B

I know a lot of agents offer holidays where clients cook recipes related to one particular country, usually the one they're staying in, but we focus on dishes from a great many different ones.

  1. A

Groups are small, no more than eight, so clients can have one-on-one tuition during the holiday.

  1. stress

clients find that they end up losing much of the stress they've built up in their daily lives.

  1. weight

In Greece, we have a two-week holiday for clients who want to do something about their weight. This has all the features you'd expect, like a personalised diet programme.

  1. families

We offer one which is tailored to the needs of families, which is particularly popular.

Complete IELTS 6.5-7.5 WB Unit 2

Book Review

  1. hunts

There's a fascinating chapter called The hidden jungle, which looks at the way an animal uses camouflage to conceal itself from predators, or make it invisible from other animals when it hunts them.

  1. photography

This was a particularly striking chapter because of its amazing photography.

  1. preferences

There's a great chapter called A question of choice. Have you ever wondered why some people like colours that others don't? Why, for example, would some people never buy an orange car while others would pay extra for one? The question of colour preferences is answered here.

  1. personality

What I liked about this chapter was a test where you see pictures of things, er, cars, mobile phones, clothes and so on, in groups of ten, identical except for their colour, and you have to grade them in the order in which you like them, based on their colour. A key then analyses your personality based on your answers.

  1. mind

This is popular psychology, of course, but the book also has some chapters devoted to serious science. One of these is called It's all in the mind.

  1. experiments

The chapter explains in some detail how this happens, and describes a few experiments you can do at home to see for yourself how it works.

7-8. B & C

Now, colours in shops usually fall into two categories: warm colours such as red and orange, which are what we could call 'exciting' colours, and calming cool colours such as blue and green. And these categories are believed to have different effects on the shopper. Warm colours not only give you more energy.. but there is evidence that they can also stimulate or bring on hunger, which is why they're used so enthusiastically by fast food companies in and outside their outlets.

9-10. A & D

Those on a restricted budget tend to respond well to light blue. However, for those on a really low income, with very little spending power, the colour where they feel most comfortable parting with their cash, appears to be pink.

Cam 14 Test 4

Tourist Activities

  1. G

One thing you have to do while you're here is go dolphin watching. On our boat trips, we pretty well guarantee you'll see dolphins - if you don't you can repeat the trip free of charge. We organise daily trips for just 35 euros. Unfortunately there aren't any places left for this afternoon's trip, but come and see me to book for later in the week.

  1. D

There'll be a stop half way, and you'll be provided with a drink and sandwiches.

  1. A

We'll take you and your bike up to the top of Mount Larna, and leave you to bike back - it's a 700-metre drop in just 20 kilometres so this isn't really for inexperienced cyclists as you'll be going pretty fast.

  1. E

On our local craft tour you can find out about the traditional activities in the island. And the best thing about this trip is that it's completely free.

  1. F

Afterwards we'll head down to Sunset Beach, where you can have a dip in the ocean if you want before we head off back to the hotel.

  1. B

Finally, there's horse riding. This is organised by the Equestrian Centre over near Playa Cortino and it's a great experience if you're a keen horseback rider, or even if you've never been on a horse before.

17-18. B & D

At the end the cast members come down from the stage, still in their stunning costumes, and you'll have a chance to chat with them. It's hugely popular, so let me know now if you're interested because it's no good leaving it until the last minute.

19-20. A & D

You're given a whole chicken each, which you eat in the medieval way, using your hands instead of cutlery…Then you can watch the dancers in the ballroom and join in as well if you want.

Intermediate Listening Lesson 3

Complete IELTS 6.5-7.5 SB Unit 3

Physiotherapy Treatments

  1. D (It is the most effective)

This treatment can hurt sometimes, but it gets results more quickly than anything else.

  1. A (It strengthens the whole body)

We improve your overall form, and that's quite good if you're tired or a bit weak.

  1. F (It is rarely used)

We tend to avoid it most of the time.

  1. B (It is the most popular)

It's what everyone asks for - it outstrips all our other services.

  1. E (It is best done in the evening)

That's why we tend to suggest that people come at the end of the day for this.

  1. existing injury

So it's not new... so you turn up with what we call an 'existing injury.'

  1. damage

So what we would do first is to assess the damage to the joint area.

  1. exercise plan

Once we know what the problem is, we select a treatment ... plus we design an exercise plan for you.

  1. movement

We make appointments - and we monitor the movement in the joint each time.

  1. personal trainer

A personal trainer does that, and they oversee the programme for at least a couple of months.

Cam 16 Test 1

Art Project Discussion

21-22. C & E

J: When they gave us all those handouts with details of books and websites to look at, I was really put off, but the more I read, the more interested I got.

T: Me too. I found I could research so many different aspects of birds in art - colour, movement, texture. So I was looking forward to the Bird Park visit.

J: What a letdown! It poured with rain and we hardly saw a single bird. Much less use than the trip to the Natural History Museum.

T: Yeah. I liked all the stuff about evolution there.

23-24. B & E

T: I haven't actually evaluated anything. So I'll have to fix that.

J: Oh, I didn't know we had to do that. I'll have to look at that too.

J: Someone told me it's best not to be too precise about your actual outcome at this stage, so you have more scope to explore your ideas later on. So I'm going to go back to my proposal to make it a bit more vague.

T: Really? OK, I'll change that too then.

  1. D

T: I chose a painting of a falcon by Landseer. I like it because the bird's standing there with his head turned to one side, but he seems to be staring straight at you. But I can't just say it's a bit scary, can I?

J: You could talk about the possible danger suggested by the bird's look.

T: Oh, OK.

  1. C

J: There's a picture of a fish hawk by Audubon I like. It's swooping over the water with a fish in its talons, and with great black wings which take up most of the picture.

T: So you could discuss it in relation to predators and food chains?

J: Well actually I think I'll concentrate on the impression of rapid motion it gives.

T: Right.

  1. A

J: Do you know that picture of a kingfisher by van Gogh - it's perching on a reed growing near a stream.

T: Yes it's got these beautiful blue and red and black shades.

J: Mm hm. I've actually chosen it because I saw a real kingfisher once when I was little, I was out walking with my grandfather, and I've never forgotten it.

T: So we can use a personal link?

J: Sure.

  1. H

There's a portrait called William Wells, I can't remember the artist but it's a middle-aged man who's just shot a bird. And his expression, and the way he's holding the bird in his hand suggests he's not sure about what he's done. To me it's about how ambiguous people are in the way they exploit the natural world.

  1. F

There's Gauguin's picture Vairumati. He did it in Tahiti. It's a woman with a white bird behind her that is eating a lizard, and what I'm interested in is what idea this bird refers to. Apparently, it's a reference to the never-ending cycle of existence.

  1. G

T: I chose a portrait of a little boy, Giovanni de Medici. He's holding a tiny bird in one fist. I like the way he's holding it carefully so he doesn't hurt it.

J: Ah right.

Complete IELTS 6.5-7.5 WB Unit 3

Pain Relief Medication

  1. B

Paracetamol is effective for pain relief, but overdosing on it can have very serious side effects, including liver failure.

  1. F

This is an anti-inflammatory, which means that unlike paracetamol, it directly targets the affected area or areas.

  1. A

Doctors and pharmacists advise that you avoid giving it to anyone under 12.

  1. E

The problem with codeine is that it can cause dependency... Once you stop taking it, you may feel a little ill for a while. Nothing serious, just weak, shaky, that kind of thing.

  1. D

It's strictly prescription-only, and even then your doctor will need to see you on a regular basis to check you're getting the right dose and to see how you're responding to it.

  1. dried leaves

In fact, we could trace its origins right back to ancient Greece, about two and a half thousand years ago..

Wow, I didn't know it went back that far.

Well, obviously it wasn't known as aspirin then, and it wasn't in pill form. People took dried willow tree leaves which they knew had an analgesic effect, and made them into tea, which they then gave to women during childbirth.

  1. active ingredient

In 1823... Italian scientists identified and extracted the active ingredient, salicin.

  1. liquid form

Then in 1853, French scientist succeeded in making a liquid form of salicin, which they called salicylic acid, but the patients they tested it on complained that it caused bad stomach pains.

  1. synthetic version

And then in 1897, the German pharmaceutical company Bayer developed a process for creating a synthetic version of this acetyl salicylic acid.

  1. clinical trials

That year, they began testing their product on patients, and two years later, when these clinical trials were complete, aspirin as we know it now was launched onto the market.

Cam 16 Test 4

Bike-sharing Schemes

21-22. B & C

J: I mean, doesn't the impact of reduced emissions on air pollution have a more significant effect on people's health?

A: Certainly, in some cities bike-sharing has made a big contribution to that. And also helped to cut the number of cars on the road significantly, which is the main point.

J: Exactly

23-24. B & C

A: But some technical things are really important- like a fully functional app-so people can make payments and book bikes easily. Places which haven't invested in that have really struggled.

J: Good point...

A: What does matter though - is having a big publicity campaign.

J: Definitely.

  1. C

A: In a way it's strange that there was such a demand for bike-sharing because you'd have thought most people would have used their own bikes.

J: And yet it's one of the best-used schemes...

  1. F

A: It must be because the public transport system's quite limited.

J: Not really-there's no underground, but there are trams and a good bus network. I'd say price has a lot to do with it. It's one of the cheapest schemes in Europe to join.

A: But the buses are really slow

  1. D

J: Basically, not enough's been spent on increasing the number of cycle lanes. Hopefully that'll change.

A: Yes

  1. E

J: Well bike-sharing schemes have taken off in places like Buenos Aires.

A: Mmm. They built a huge network of cycle lanes to support the introduction of the scheme there, didn't they? It attracted huge numbers of cyclists where previously there were hardly any.

J: An example of good planning.

A: Absolutely.

  1. B

A: New York is a good example of how not to introduce a scheme. When they launched it, it was more than ten times the price of most other schemes.

J: More than it costs to take a taxi. Crazy.

  1. A

A: Sydney would be a good example to use. I would have expected it to have grown pretty quickly here.

J: Yes. I can't quite work out why it hasn't been an instant success like some of the others. It's a shame really.

Intermediate Listening Lesson 4

Complete IELTS 6.5-7.5 SB Unit 5

Fossil Hunting Discussion

  1. B (He had to catch up on some work)

I realised I hadn't done any reading for tomorrow's history seminar.

  1. B (a chance discovery)

He found the most amazing fossil on a school visit to a national park. He showed it to us - he still has it - though he said he wasn't looking for it at the time!

  1. A (looking for fossils in the rocks)

Apparently, the kids tell everyone that's the best bit - tapping the stones to see if anything's there.

  1. C (patience leads to rewards)

The key thing they learn is that if they keep looking, they will find something.

  1. A (persuade Mr. Brand to run a fossil hunt for them)

I'll give him a call. Then, if we have enough people, we might be able to get him to do an extra one for us.

  1. muddy

And since the ocean bed's soft—well, much of it is, plus it's muddy as well—the fish gradually gets covered over and can't be seen any more.

  1. oxygen

Apparently for a fossil to begin to form, you also need conditions where the light is minimal and there's very little oxygen...so the organic matter doesn't break down too quickly.

  1. rock

...all the sand and sediment piles up into layers, and the huge pressure and weight of all the layers compacts it and you move on to Stage 2, where it gets heavier and heavier until it becomes hard rock.

  1. minerals

It can, but during that time, the bone in the skeleton is replaced by minerals.

  1. erosion

Meanwhile, the surface of the rock wears away?... Yes, another natural process called erosion wears away the rock until one day, you can see the tip of the fossil.

Cam 17 Test 1

Farm Work Experience

  1. A

T: My farm was great, but arranging the work experience was hard. One problem was it was miles away and I don't drive. And also, I'd really wanted a placement for a month, but I could only get one for two weeks.

D: I was lucky, the farmer let me stay on the farm so I didn't have to travel. But finding the right sort of farm to apply to wasn't easy.

  1. B

I was up most of one night helping a sheep deliver a lamb.

  1. B

T: So were they bred for their meat?

D: Mostly, yes. They're quite big and solid.

  1. A

My farmer said some are overpriced for what they are. And he didn't give them as a matter of routine, just at times when the chickens seemed to particularly require them.

  1. C

I got mixed up, and I poured some milk from the wrong cow in with the milk for humans, so the whole lot had to be thrown away.

  1. C

T: He said that actually some of the stuff the vets do, like minor operations, he'd be quite capable of doing himself.

D: Yeah. My farmer said the same

  1. A

I'd thought it'd be hard, but actually I found it all quite straightforward.

  1. E

Do you remember what they told us about pet food... I thought that was terrible.

  1. F

The economies of so many countries depend on these, but scientists don't know much about the diseases that affect them.

  1. C

I think the module that really impressed me was the animal disease one... I thought I might write my dissertation on something connected with that.

Complete IELTS 6.5-7.5 WB Unit 5

Archaeology Lecture

  1. B

What I like about him is that he's the complete opposite of how you imagine these archaeology types to be... He's young, funny, loads of energy. And he's so passionate about his subject.

  1. A

In the first part of the talk he explained that researchers have recently discovered when Neolithic structures were built... new carbon-dating techniques...

  1. C

The research team generally assumed that Neolithic structures were built over a period of two or three thousand years... However, they now know that most of them went up over a 75-year period.

  1. B

What was news to them was how quickly Neolithic people took to other things at the same time... Within just a few years they learnt how to make pottery...

  1. A

Ah, well, next week my class is going on a field project to look at prehistoric construction methods... I'll be using that as the basis for my dissertation.

  1. tribes

At first, people lived in nomadic tribes, and wandered throughout Europe hunting and gathering.

  1. separated

About 8,000 years ago, Britain became separated from mainland Europe when the sea covered low land between what is now England and France.

  1. permanent

Between five and six thousand years ago, they started building houses that were permanent rather than temporary.

  1. stages

Stonehenge... it was built in several different stages over many hundreds of years.

  1. sophisticated

And tools made from stone for building and farming became more sophisticated.

Cam 17 Test 3

Events Management Placement

  1. B

I decided to go for the Orion Stadium placement. The event I'll be managing is one where I'm helping to set up a sports competition for primary school children... but it's the fresh air that attracts me - organising something indoors doesn't have the same appeal, even though it might be fun.

  1. A

You'll need to inspect areas like changing rooms as well for anything someone can trip over, but your main priority will be not to lose anyone!

  1. A

I was thinking that many of them will be parents, who could help run the event. I wouldn't rely on that. They'll be more interested in filming their children than volunteering... And that's not always easy, especially when a proud parent's trying to get a snap of their child and you want them to move elsewhere.

  1. B

With sporting events there are all sorts of things that can alter the timetable - like rain, for instance - though so far, we've always been lucky with that... Yeah, and I was thinking about what to do if someone got hurt as well. I know that last year that caused a terrible delay.

  1. C

If you meet someone face-to-face and want to persuade them to be a sponsor, for example... Oh, I'll dress up for that!

  1. A

You're working in a very people-based industry and that means things won't always go to plan... You may have to make an on-the-spot change to a timetable because of a problem you hadn't anticipated.

  1. D

Yes, but it's how you respond as that deadline approaches!

I know I've got to look calm even if I'm in a panic.

Just think to yourself - no one must know I'm under pressure.

  1. B

Often your client has what we call the 'big picture' idea, but it's up to the events manager to think of all the fine points that go to making it work.

Right, so I need to listen carefully to that idea and then fill in all the gaps.

  1. F

You've got to make the ultimate choices... So, believe in what you think best.

  1. H

And the more people you impress, the better. Exactly - think ahead - remember what your ambitions are and keep them in mind.

Intermediate Listening Lesson 5

Complete IELTS 6.5-7.5 SB Unit 6

Animation History

  1. drawings

It consisted of a series of drawings and, er, he drew a number of 'funny faces' and then filmed one after the other.

  1. paper

Then a Frenchman, Émile Cohl, moved things on a bit by using scenes and figures cut out of paper instead.

  1. hand-painted / hand painted

In 1928, the first talking animated film came out that had been made using hand-painted slides known as 'cels'—these were placed one on top of the other and then quickly removed.

  1. 6.3 billion

Now it has become a Hollywood icon, with earnings of over 6.3 billion dollars and numerous film awards.

  1. (animal) fur

A later film, Monsters, Inc., which came out in 2001, added a new animation feature, which was the on-screen representation of animal fur.

  1. digital lighting

Two years after that, the award-winning film Finding Nemo...pioneered new techniques in digital lighting, which were used to create realistic-looking water.

  1. crowds

And a film called The Incredibles in 2004 brought with it credible human characters and advances in the simulation of crowds.

  1. facial movement

...the focus for producers now is on simulating more realistic human skin and more detailed facial movement.

  1. video games

Faster computers help, but work done by companies involved in the production of video games is also hoped to improve things.

  1. reality

It seems reality has been the goal for many years, but now they are also trying to break new ground and come up with other concepts.

Cam 17 Test 1

Labyrinths and Mazes

  1. puzzle

A maze is quite different as it is a kind of puzzle with an intricate network of paths.

  1. logic

Entering a maze usually involves getting lost a few times before using logic to work out the pattern and find your way to the centre and then out again.

  1. confusion

The word 'maze' is believed to come from a Scandinavian word for a state of confusion.

  1. meditation

Labyrinths are thought to encourage a feeling of calm and have been used as a meditation and prayer tool in many cultures over many centuries.

  1. stone

The earliest examples of the labyrinth spiral pattern have been found carved into stone, from Sardinia to Scandinavia, from Arizona to India to Africa.

  1. coins

In Ancient Greece, the labyrinth spiral was used on coins around four thousand years ago.

  1. tree

The largest one at Saffron Walden, England, used to have a large tree in the middle of it.

  1. breathing

Some believe that walking a labyrinth promotes healing and mindfulness, and there are those who believe in its emotional and physical benefits, which include slower breathing and a restored sense of balance and perspective.

  1. paper

In some hospitals, patients who can't walk can have a paper 'finger labyrinth' brought to their bed.

  1. anxiety

For example, one study found that walking a labyrinth provided 'short-term calming, relaxation, and relief from anxiety' for Alzheimer's patients.

Complete IELTS 6.5-7.5 WB Unit 6

Online Banking Development

  1. phone line

Early online banking access required a computer, a monitor, and a phone line.

  1. (bank) statements

Customers could only: - see their bank statements - send messages to their bank.

  1. written instructions

If you wanted to transfer money or pay a bill, you had to send written instructions to your branch.

  1. personal computers

Sharp rise in number of personal computers following establishment of Internet.

  1. (online) thefts

The initial consumer reluctance to carry out financial transactions online (online thefts occurred).

  1. security features

The first was that banks spent a lot of time and money improving security features for their websites.

  1. billion dollars

In 2001, Bank of America became the first bank to top three million online banking customers, making three million payments worth over a billion dollars.

  1. 90 percent

By 2012, as many as 90 percent of bank customers in some countries, like Sweden, were banking online.

  1. arrange loans

They can make payments, move money between accounts, arrange loans, etc.

  1. smart phones

They can access banking services using computers or smart phones.

  1. support

Customers using online banking require less support.

  1. regional

Further, regional banks can find customers elsewhere and expand beyond their usual area.

Cam 17 Test 2

Icelandic Language

  1. 321,000

In order to illustrate its effect, I'm going to focus on the Icelandic language, which is spoken by around 321,000 people.

  1. vocabulary

In fact, the vocabulary of Icelandic is continually increasing because when speakers need a new word for something, they tend to create one, rather than borrowing from another language.

  1. podcast

Then there's an Icelandic word for podcast - which is too hard to pronounce.

  1. smartphones

Think about smartphones. They didn't even exist until comparatively recently, but today young people use them all the time.

  1. bilingual

Obviously, this is a good thing in many respects because it promotes their bilingual skills, but the extent of the influence of English in the virtual world is staggering and it's all happening really fast.

  1. playground

For example, teachers have found that playground conversations in Icelandic secondary schools can be conducted entirely in English.

  1. picture

while teachers of much younger children have reported situations where their classes find it easier to say what is in a picture using English, rather than Icelandic.

  1. grammar

The other drawback of Icelandic is the grammar, which is significantly more complex than in most languages. At the moment, the tech giants are simply not interested in tackling this.

  1. identity

When you consider how much of the past is tied up in a language, will young Icelanders lose their sense of their own identity?

  1. fluent

If children are learning two languages through different routes, neither of which they are fully fluent in, will they be able to express themselves properly?

Intermediate Listening Lesson 6

Complete IELTS 6.5-7.5 SB Unit 8

Astronomy and Space Photography

  1. scientific revolution

And of course it was the Italian astronomer Galileo who started us star-gazing. He didn't come up with the world's first telescope, but he was the first scientist to add a lens to his telescope that magnified things in the sky enough to be able to study them. We tend to think of science in terms of great minds conjuring up big ideas – we think of books – but in the field of science, instruments have always been more important.

  1. (the) Earth

Until this time, scientists had been looking at objects on the Earth, but suddenly the skies held a much greater fascination for people.

  1. Moon photo(graph)

We had to wait a further nearly 200 years, until 1839, for John William Draper, a chemistry professor, to produce the first recorded Moon photograph.

  1. research data

Most professional astronomers don't care if the end result is beautiful, what they really want is research data – that's their main objective.

  1. solar eclipse

Many want nothing more than to capture a scene that will dazzle viewers. They aim to photograph things never seen before, um, like this beautiful solar eclipse that was captured in Greece.

  1. brightness

For example, they're very familiar with the sky and they know right away when something new appears or when the brightness of an object alters – increases or decreases.

  1. accurate measurement(s)

And another vital skill is that they know how to make accurate measurements. Knowing the distance of one object from another or from Earth, for example, is essential information if you want to make a valuable contribution to astrophysics.

  1. exploding star

Firstly, they are always watching space; they keep a constant eye on the skies for any new discovery, such as an exploding star that has reached the end of its life and lets off a tremendous amount of energy, or a comet – a very small object made of dust and ice orbiting the Sun.

  1. evolution

Secondly, they constantly observe the evolution of stars, planets and other celestial features.

  1. long (-) term

We're talking about observations that involve spending years of evenings on the roof or in the back garden.

Cam 17 Test 3

Bird Migration History

  1. mud

Take hibernation theory for example two thousand years ago, it was commonly believed that when birds left an area, they went underwater to hibernate in the seas and oceans. Another theory for the regular appearance and disappearance of birds was that they spent winter hidden in mud till the weather changed and food became abundant again.

  1. feathers

He observed that in the autumn, small birds called 'redstarts' began to lose their feathers.

  1. shape

These assumptions are understandable given that this pair of species are similar in shape.

  1. moon

He wrote a surprisingly well-regarded paper claiming that birds migrate to the moon and back every year.

  1. neck

This particular stork made history because of the long spear in its neck which incredibly had not killed it.

  1. evidence

It turned out to be a spear from a tribe in Central Africa. This was a truly defining moment in the history of ornithology because it was the first evidence that storks spend their winters in sub-Saharan Africa.

  1. destinations

People gradually became aware that European birds moved south in autumn and north in summer but didn't know much about their actual destinations.

  1. oceans

This idea came about because it seemed impossible that small birds weighing only a few grams could fly over vast oceans.

  1. recovery

Ringing relied upon what is known as 'recovery'—this is when ringed birds are found dead in the place they have migrated to, and recovery.

  1. atlas

In 1931, an atlas was published showing where the most common species of European birds migrated to.

Complete IELTS 6.5-7.5 WB Unit 8

Space Travel Effects on Human Body

  1. medical experiments

Among other tests, the astronauts and scientists on board take part in medical experiments on themselves to determine how human bone and tissue is affected by living in a low or zero gravity atmosphere for long periods of time.

  1. extended periods

And you probably won't be surprised to hear they've found out that space travel can affect us in several ways physiologically, especially over extended periods.

  1. blood flow

The human body is equipped with various mechanisms to oppose gravity to maintain sufficient blood flow to the brain.

  1. symptoms

Its symptoms include a blocked nose, headache and a puffy face often known as 'moon face'.

  1. half

About a half of all astronauts experience these symptoms, but they're short-term, and usually wear off after a few days.

  1. bone content

In fact, after ten days of weightlessness, the body loses about 3.2% of its bone content, and then about 2% for every subsequent month spent in zero gravity.

  1. fractures

This weakens bones, which greatly increases the risk of fractures.

  1. muscle strength

Incidentally, this also helps retain muscle strength.

  1. magnetic field

On Earth, a magnetic field shields humans, deflecting the radiation before it can penetrate to the Earth's surface.

  1. dangerous levels

In space: dangerous levels of cosmic radiation can cause serious illnesses (including cancer, cataracts, brain damage).

Cam 17 Test 4

Maple Syrup Production

  1. golden

Maple syrup is a thick, golden, sweet-tasting liquid...

  1. healthy

It provides a healthy alternative to refined sugar.

  1. climate

In these areas, the climate suits the trees perfectly.

  1. rock(s)

They boiled the liquid by placing pieces of rock that had become scorching hot from the sun into the sap.

  1. diameter

The trees cannot be used to make syrup until the trunks reach a diameter of around 25 centimetres.

  1. tube

A small hole into the trunk and inserting a tube into it that ends in a bucket.

  1. fire

The sap is poured into these, a fire is built and the pans are then heated until the sap boils.

  1. steam

The evaporation process creates large quantities of steam, and the sap becomes thicker...

  1. cloudy

'Sugar sand' is removed because it makes the syrup look cloudy.

  1. litre/liter

It takes 40 litres of sap to produce one litre of maple syrup.

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