READING PASSAGE 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13 which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.
Cork
Cork – the thick bark of the cork oak tree (Quercus suber) – is a remarkable material. It is tough, elastic, buoyant, and fire-resistant, and suitable for a wide range of purposes. It has also been used for millennia: the ancient Egyptians sealed their sarcophagi (stone coffins) with cork, while the ancient Greeks and Romans used it for anything from beehives to sandals.
And the cork oak itself is an extraordinary tree. Its bark grows up to 20 cm in thickness, insulating the tree like a coat wrapped around the trunk and branches and keeping the inside at a constant 20oC all year round. Developed most probably as a defence against forest fires, the bark of the cork oak has a particular cellular structure – with about 40 million cells per cubic centimetre – that technology has never succeeded in replicating. The cells are filled with air, which is why cork is so buoyant. It also has an elasticity that means you can squash it and watch it spring back to its original size and shape when you release the pressure.
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Cork oaks grow in a number of Mediterranean countries, including Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece and Morocco. They flourish in warm, sunny climates where there is a minimum of 400 millimetres of rain per year, and not more than 800 millimetres. Like grape vines, the trees thrive in poor soil, putting down deep roots in search of moisture and nutrients. Southern Portugal’s Alentejo region meets all of these requirements, which explains why, by the early 20th century, this region had become the world’s largest producer of cork, and why today it accounts for roughly half of all cork production around the world.
Most cork forests are family-owned. Many of these family businesses, and indeed many of the trees themselves, are around 200 years old. Cork production is, above all, an exercise in patience. From the planting of a cork sapling to the first harvest takes 25 years, and a gap of approximately a decade must separate harvests from an individual tree. And for top-quality cork, it’s necessary to wait a further 15 or 20 years. You even have to wait for the right kind of summer’s day to harvest cork. If the bark is stripped on a day when it’s too cold – or when the air is damp – the tree will be damaged.
Cork harvesting is a very specialised profession. No mechanical means of stripping cork bark has been invented, so the job is done by teams of highly skilled workers. First, they make vertical cuts down the bark using small sharp axes, then lever it away in pieces as large as they can manage. The most skilful cork-strippers prise away a semi-circular husk that runs the length of the trunk from just above ground level to the first branches. It is then dried on the ground for about four months, before being taken to factories, where it is boiled to kill any insects that might remain in the cork. Over 60% of cork then goes on to be made into traditional bottle stoppers, with most of the remainder being used in the construction trade. Corkboard and cork tiles are ideal for thermal and acoustic insulation, while granules of cork are used in the manufacture of concrete.
Recent years have seen the end of the virtual monopoly of cork as the material for bottle stoppers, due to concerns about the effect it may have on the contents of the bottle. This is caused by a chemical compound called 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA), which forms through the interaction of plant phenols, chlorine and mould. The tiniest concentrations – as little as three or four parts to a trillion – can spoil the taste of the product contained in the bottle. The result has been a gradual yet steady move first towards plastic stoppers and, more recently, to aluminium screw caps. These substitutes are cheaper to manufacture and, in the case of screw caps, move convenient for the user.
The classic cork stopper does have several advantages, however. Firstly, its traditional image is more in keeping with that of the type of high quality goods with which it has long been associated. Secondly – and very importantly – cork is a sustainable product that can be recycled without difficulty. Moreover, cork forests are a resource which support local biodiversity, and prevent desertification in the regions where they are planted. So, given the current concerns about environmental issues, the future of this ancient material once again looks promising.
Questions 1-5
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?
In boxes 1-5 on your answer sheet, write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
1 The cork oak has the thickest bark of any living tree.
2 Scientists have developed a synthetic cork with the same cellular structures as natural cork.
3 Individual cork oak trees must be left for 25 years between the first and second harvest.
4 Cork bark should be stripped in dry atmospheric conditions.
5 The only way to remove the bark from cork oak trees is by hand.
Questions 6-13
Complete the notes bolow.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 6-13 on your answer sheet.
Comparison of aluminium screw caps and cork bottle stoppers
Advantages of aluminium screw caps
• do not affect the 6…………………………… of the bottle contents
• are 7…………………………….. to produce
• are 8……………………………… to use
Advantages of cork bottle stoppers
• suit the 9……………………………… of quality products
• made from a 10……………………………… material
• easily 11…………………………….
• cork forests aid 12…………………………………
• cork forests stop 13………………………………. happening
READING PASSAGE 2
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26 which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.
COLLECTING AS A HOBBY
Collecting must be one of the most varied of human activities, and it’s one that many of us psychologists find fascinating. Many forms of collecting have been dignified with a technical name: an archtophilist collects teddy bears, a philatelist collects postage stamps, and a deltiologist collects postcards. Amassing hundreds or even thousands of postcards, chocolate wrappers or whatever, takes time, energy and money that could surely be put to much more productive use. And yet there are millions of collectors around the world. Why do they do it?
There are the people who collect because they want to make money – this could be called an instrumental reason for collecting; that is, collecting as a means to an end. They’ll look for, say, antiques that they can buy cheaply and expect to be able to sell at a profit. But there may well be a psychological element, too – buying cheap and selling dear can give the collector a sense of triumph. And as selling online is so easy, more and more people are joining in.
Many collectors collect to develop their social life, attending meetings of a group of collectors and exchanging information on items. This is a variant on joining a bridge club or a gym, and similarly brings them into contact with like-minded people.
Another motive for collecting is the desire to find something special, or a particular example of the collected item, such as a rare early recording by a particular singer. Some may spend their whole lives in a hunt for this. Psychologically, this can give a purpose to a life that otherwise feels aimless. There is a danger, though, that if the individual is ever lucky enough to find what they’re looking for, rather than celebrating their success, they may feel empty, now that the goal that drove them on has gone.
If you think about collecting postage stamps, another potential reason for it – or, perhaps, a result of collecting – is its educational value. Stamp collecting opens a window to other countries, and to the plants, animals, or famous people shown on their stamps. Similarly, in the 19th century, many collectors amassed fossils, animals and plants from around the globe, and their collections provided a vast amount of information about the natural world. Without those collections, our understanding would be greatly inferior to what it is.
In the past – and nowadays, too, though to a lesser extent – a popular form of collecting, particularly among boys and men, was trainspotting. This might involve trying to see every locomotive of a particular type, using published data that identifies each one, and ticking off each engine as it is seen. Trainspotters exchange information, these days often by mobile phone, so they can work out where to go to, to see a particular engine. As a by-product, many practitioners of the hobby become very knowledgeable about railway operations, or the technical specifications of different engine types.
Similarly, people who collect dolls may go beyond simply enlarging their collection, and develop an interest in the way that dolls are made, or the materials that are used. These have changed over the centuries from the wood that was standard in 16th century Europe, through the wax and porcelain of later centuries, to the plastics of today’s dolls. Or collectors might be inspired to study how dolls reflect notions of what children like, or ought to like.
Not all collectors are interested in learning from their hobby, though, so what we might call a psychological reason for collecting is the need for a sense of control, perhaps as a way of dealing with insecurity. Stamps collectors, for instance, arrange their stamps in albums, usually very neatly, organising their collection according to certain commonplace principles – perhaps by country in alphabetical order, or grouping stamps by what they depict – people, birds, maps, and so on.
One reason, conscious or not, for what someone chooses to collect is to show the collector’s individualism. Someone who decides to collect something as unexpected as dos collars, for instance, may be conveying their belief that they must be interesting themselves. And believe it or not, there is at least one dog collar museum in existence, and it grew out of a personal collection.
Of course, all hobbies give pleasure, but the common factor in collecting is usually passion: pleasure is putting it far too mildly. More than most other hobbies, collecting can be totally engrossing, and can give a strong sense of personal fulfilment. To non-collectors it may appear an eccentric, if harmless, way of spending time, but potentially, collecting has a lot going for it.
Questions 14-21
Complete the sentences below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 14-21 on your answer sheet.
14 The writer mentions collecting …………………….. as an example of collecting in order to make money.
15 Collectors may get a feeling of …………………….. from buying and selling items.
16 Collectors’ clubs provide opportunities to share……………………………
17 Collectors’ clubs offer ………………………. with people who have similar interests.
18 Collecting sometimes involves a life-long………………………. for a special item.
19 Searching for something particular may prevent people from feeling their life is completely……………………….
20 Stamp collecting may be ……………………….. because it provides facts about different countries.
21 ……………………….. tends to be mostly a male hobby.
Questions 22-26
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage on pages 20 and 21?
In boxes 22-26 on your answer sheet, write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
22 The number of people buying dolls has grown over the centuries.
23 Sixteenth century European dolls were normally made of wax and porcelain.
24 Arranging a stamp collection by the size of the stamps is less common than other methods.
25 Someone who collects unusual objects may want others to think he or she is also unusual.
26 Collecting gives a feeling that other hobbies are unlikely to inspire.
READING PASSAGE 3
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27-40 which are based on Reading Passage 3 below.
What’s the purpose of gaining knowledge?
A
‘I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any subject.’ That was the founder’s motto for Cornell University, and it seems an apt characterization of the different university, also in the USA, where I currently teach philosophy. A student can prepare for a career in resort management, engineering, interior design, accounting, music, law enforcement, you name it. But what would the founders of these two institutions have thought of a course called ‘Arson for Profit’? I kid you not: we have it on the books. Any undergraduates who have met the academic requirements can sign up for the course in our program in ‘fire science’.
B
Naturally, the course is intended for prospective arson investigators, who can learn all the tricks of the trade for detecting whether a fire was deliberately set, discovering who did it, and establishing a chain of evidence for effective prosecution in a court of law. But wouldn’t this also be the perfect course for prospective arsonists to sign up for? My point is not to criticize academic programs in fire science: they are highly welcome as part of the increasing professionalization of this and many other occupations. However, it’s not unknown for a firefighter to torch a building. This example suggests how dishonest and illegal behavior, with the help of higher education, can creep into every aspect of public and business life.
C
I realized this anew when I was invited to speak before a class in marketing, which is another of our degree programs. The regular instructor is a colleague who appreciates the kind of ethical perspective. I can bring as a philosopher. There are endless ways I could have approached this assignment, but I took my cue from the title of the course: ‘Principles of Marketing’. It made me think to ask the students, ‘Is marketing principled?’ After all, a subject matter can have principles in the sense of being codified, having rules, as with football or chess, without being principled in the sense of being ethical. Many of the students immediately assumed that the answer to my question about marketing principles was obvious: no. Just look at the ways in which everything under the sun has been marketed; obviously it need to be done in a principled (=ethical) fashion.
D
Is that obvious? I made the suggestion, which may sound downright crazy in light of the evidence, that perhaps marketing is by definition principled. My inspiration for this judgement is the philosopher Immanuel Kant, who argued that any body of knowledge consists of an end (or purpose) and a means.
E
Let us apply both the terms ‘means’ and ‘end’ to marketing. The students have signed up for a course in order to learn how to market effectively. But to what end? There seem to be two main attitudes toward that question. One is that the answer is obvious: the purpose of marketing is to sell things and to make money. The other attitude is that the purpose of marketing is irrelevant: Each person comes to the program and course with his or her own plans, and these need not even concern the acquisition of marketing expertise as such. My proposal, which I believe would also be Kant’s, is that neither of these attitudes captures the significance of the end to the means for marketing. A field of knowledge or a professional endeavor is defined by both the means and the end; hence both deserve scrutiny. Students need to study both how to achieve X, and also what X is.
F
It is at this point that ‘Arson for Profit’ becomes supremely relevant. That course is presumably all about means: how to detect and prosecute criminal activity. It is therefore assumed that the end is good in an ethical sense. When I ask fire science students to articulate the end, or purpose, of their field, they eventually generalize to something like, ‘The safety and welfare of society,’ which seems right. As we have seen, someone could use the very same knowledge of means to achieve a much less noble end such as personal profit via destructive, dangerous, reckless activity. But we would not call that firefighting. We have a separate word for it: arson. Similarly, if you employed the ‘principles of marketing’ is an unprincipled way, you would not be doing marketing. We have another term for it: fraud. Kant gives the example of a doctor and a poisoner, who use the identical knowledge to achieve their divergent ends. We would say that one is practicing medicine, the other, murder.
Questions 27-32
Reading Passage 3 has six sections, A-F.
Choose the correct heading for each section from the list of headings below.
Write the correct number, i-viii, in boxes 27-32 on your answer sheet.
List of Headings
i Courses that require a high level of commitment
ii A course title with two meanings
iii The equal importance of two key issues
iv Applying a theory in an unexpected context
v The financial benefits of studying
vi A surprising course little
vii Different names for different outcomes
viii The possibility of attracting the wrong kind of student
27 Section A
28 Section B
29 Section C
30 Section D
31 Section E
32 Section F
Questions 33-36
Complete the summary below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 33-36 on your answer sheet.
The ‘Arson for Profit’ course
This is a university course intended for students who are undergraduates and who are studying 33………………………. The expectation is that they will become 34…………………………. specialising in arson. The course will help them to detect cases of arson and find 35………………………. of criminal intent, leading to successful 36………………………… in the courts.
Questions 37-40
Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in Reading Passage 3?
In boxes 37-40 on your answer sheet, write
YES if the statement agrees with the views of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the views of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
37 It is difficult to attract students onto courses that do not focus on a career.
38 The ‘Arson for Profit’ course would be useful for people intending to set fire to buildings.
39 Fire science courses are too academic to help people to be good at the job of firefighting.
40 The writer’s fire science students provided a detailed definition of the purpose of their studies.
Answer keys for Cambridge IELTS 12 Reading Test 1
Passage 1
1. NOT GIVEN
2. FALSE
3. FALSE
4. TRUE
5. TRUE
6. taste
7. cheaper
8. convenient
9. image
10. sustainable
11. recycled
12. biodiversity
13. desertification
Passage 2
14. antiques
15. triumph
16. information
17. contact/meetings
18. hunt/desire
19. aimless/empty
20. educational
21. Trainspotting
22. NOT GIVEN
23. FALSE
24. NOT GIVEN
25. TRUE
26. TRUE
Passage 3
27. vi
28. viii
29. ii
30. iv
31. iii
32. vii
33. fire science
34. investigators
35. evidence
36. prosecution
37. NOT GIVEN
38. YES
39. NO
40. NO
Answers and Detailed Explanations for Cambridge IELTS 12 Reading Test 1
1. NOT GIVEN
Question: The cork oak has the thickest bark of any living tree.
Key words: thickest bark
In paragraph 1 and paragraph 2, the author mentioned the thick bark of the cork oak tree as “a remarkable material” and “its bark grows up to 20 cm in thickness”. This information does not mean that it is “the thickest bark of any living tree”.
In addition, in True/ False/ Not given tasks, the questions follow the order of the text, so if you are not sure about your answer, you can find the answer to question 2. It is in the second sentence of paragraph 2. Therefore, you just need to pay attention to the previous parts. There is no statement showing any comparison between the cork oak’s bark with that of other living trees. We have no information about this statement.
2. FALSE
Question: Scientists have developed a synthetic cork with the same cellular structure as natural cork.
Key words: a synthetic cork, the same cellular structure, natural cork
In paragraph 2, the writer mentioned the cellular structure of the bark of the coak oak “the bark of the cork oak has a particular cellular structure – with about 40 million cells per cubic centimetre – that technology has never succeeded in replicating”. The technology can refer to the scientists here. The fact that they “never succeeded in replicating” means that they have not been able to make a copy of the natural cork, with all of the same qualities. So the answer is False.
– Develop with the same structure = replicate
3. FALSE
Question: Individual cork oak trees must be left for 25 years between the first and second harvest.
Key words: individual, 25 years, the first and second harvest
In paragraph 4, the author mentioned the harvesting of an individual cork oak tree. He/ she wrote “From the planting of a cork sapling to the first harvest takes 25 years, and a gap of approximately a decade must separate harvests from an individual tree”. Therefore, the period of 25 years is the period from the planting to the first harvest, while the gap between the first and the second harvest is about 10 years (approximately a decade).
– Between = gap
– The first and second harvest = separate harvests
4. TRUE
Question: Cork bark should be stripped in dry atmospheric conditions.
Key words: stripped, dry atmospheric conditions
We need to find information about the cork bark being stripped. Following the order of the text, we can see in the paragraph 4, the author mentioned “If the bark is stripped on a day when it’s too cold – or when the air is damp – the tree will be damaged”. Therefore, the bark should not be stripped in damp atmospheric conditions; however, in contrast, it should be stripped in dry atmospheric conditions. The answer is True.
– The air = atmospheric conditions
5. TRUE
Question: The only way to remove the bark from cork oak trees is by hand.
Key words: only way, remove, by hand
In paragraph 5, the author claimed “No mechanical means of stripping cork bark has been invented, so the job is done by teams of highly skilled workers.” In this sentence, “stripping cork bark” means “remove the bark”. Since the author stated that “no mechanical means has been invented”, we can understand that they do not use any machines in removing the bark, so it has to be done by hand (the hands of highly skilled workers). The answer is True.
– Remove = strip
– By hand = done by workers, no mechanical means
6. taste
Question: do not affect the ……… of the bottle contents
Key words: affect, bottle contents
The author mentioned “Recent years have seen the end of the virtual monopoly of cork as the material for bottle stoppers, due to concerns about the effect it may have on the contents of the bottle…..The tiniest concentrations – as little as three or four parts to a trillion – can spoil the taste of the product contained in the bottle. The result has been a gradual yet steady move first towards plastic stoppers and, more recently, to aluminium screw caps.” It means that aluminium screw caps overcame one disadvantage of cork bottle stoppers, which is that they “spoil the taste of the product contained in the bottle”. Therefore, aluminim screw caps do not affect the taste of the product inside the bottle. The answer is “taste”.
– Affect = spoil
– Bottle contents = the product contained in the bottle
7. cheaper
Question: are ……… to produce
Keyword: produce
8. convenient
Question: are ……….. to use
Key word: use
In the last sentence of paragraph 6, “These substitutes are cheaper to manufacture and, in the case of screw caps, more convenient for the user”. “These substitutes” refer to “aluminium screw caps” and “Manufacture” refers to “produce”, while “for the user” means “to use”. So they are cheaper to produce and more convenient for the user. But the question requires “one word only”, so the answer for question 8 has to be “convenient”.
– Produce = manufacture
– To use = for the user
9. image
Question: Suit the ………. of quality products
Key words: suit, quality products
We find information about quality products in this sentence: “Firstly, its (the cork bottle stopper) traditional image is more in keeping with that of the type of high quality goods with which it has long been associated”. “in keeping with” means “suit”. So the blank has to be “traditional image”, but the answer allows one word only, so it has to be “image”
– Products = goods
– In keeping with = suit
10. Sustainable
Question: made from a ………. Material
Key words: made from, material
11. recycled
Question: easily ………….…
In the next sentence, the write mentioned “Secondly – and very importantly – cork is a sustainable product that can be recycled without difficulty”. Recycling often is associated with the material. So the author is referring to its material here. The answer is “sustainable” and “recycled”
– Easily = without difficulty
12. Biodiversity
Question: cork forests aid ………..
Key words: cork forests, aid
13. desertification
Question: cork forests stop ………… happening
Key words: cork forests, stop
The last sentence mentioned the cork forests – “Moreover, cork forests are a resource which support local biodiversity, and prevent desertification in the regions where they are planted. So, given the current concerns about environmental issues, the future of this ancient material once again looks promising”. “Support” means “aid” and “prevent” is equal to “stop”. So the answers have to be “biodiversity” and “desertification”
– aid = support
– stop = prevent
14. antiques
Question: The writer mentions collecting ………… as an example of collecting in order to make money.
Key words: collecting, make money
In the first sentence of paragraph 2, the author mentioned “There are the people who collect because they want to make money – this could be called an instrumental reason for collecting; that is, collecting as a means to an end.” With this statement, he/she refered to one purpose of collecting, that is making money. We will look for the next sentence to find out its example – “They’ll look for, say, antiques that they can buy cheaply and expect to be able to sell at a profit.” He/she used antiques as an example of one object that is able to be collected to make money. Therefore, the answer is “antiques”.
– Because = in order to
15. triumph
Question: Collectors may get a feeling of ………… from buying and selling items.
Key words: collectors, feeling, buying and selling
In paragraph 2, there is a sentence mentioning buying and selling items, that is: “But there may well be a psychological element, too – buying cheap and selling dear can give the collector a sense of triumph”. “A sense of” means “a feeling of”. So the answer is triumph.
– A sense of = a feeling of
16. information
Question: Collectors’ clubs provide opportunities to share …………
Key words: collectors’ clubs, share
In the first sentence of paragraph 3, the author mentioned “a group of collectors” – “attending meetings of a group of collectors and exchanging information on items.” We can consider these groups as “collectors’ clubs”. While attending those clubs, they can exchange information on items. But the question requires one word only, so we choose the most important word – “information”.
– A group of = a club
– Exchange = share
17. contact/meetings
Question: Collectors’ clubs offer ………….. with people who have similar interests.
Key words: Collectors’ clubs, similar interests.
This question still mentions “collectors’ clubs” as in the question above, so we still pay attention to paragraph 3. In the second sentence, we see the phrase “like – minded people”. This phrase has the same meaning as “people who have similar interests”. And those clubs bring them into “contact” with other collectors, so the answer is “contact”. “Attending meetings” in clubs is one way in which collectors come into contact socially.
(Note: you can make an adjective by a combination which is Adj + N + Ed, such as Grey-haired, one-eyed, strong-minded and kind-hearted).
– Bring = offer
– People who have similar interests = like – minded people
18. hunt/desire
Question: Collecting sometimes involves a life-long ………… for a special item.
Key words: collecting, life – long, special item.
Since the questions in IELTS Reading often follow the text’s order, we just need to look at the following sentences and find the similar words to the question we are doing. In the last sentence of paragraph 3, we can see another purpose of collecting – it is “the desire to find something special” (=special item). But the author does not mention something like “life-long”, so we have to continue reading to find the accurate answer. Fortunately, in the next sentence, the author writes “Some may spend their whole lives in a hunt for this” (“the whole lives = life – long”). We can understand that the writer wants to say “Collectors sometimes have a life-long desire/ spend their whole lives in a hunt for a special item.” The answer can be “desire” or “hunt”.
– Whole lives = life- long
19. aimless/empty
Question: Searching for something particular may prevent people from feeling their life is completely ………….
Key words: searching, prevent, their life.
In paragraph 4, the author writes “Some may spend their whole lives in a hunt for this (=the special item referred to in paragraph 3). Psychologically, this can give a purpose to a life that otherwise feels aimless.” “This” means “spend their whole lives in a hunt for a special item”. We can understand “a hunt” = “searching for”. The author claims if they are not searching for a special item, they will feel “aimless”. Therefore, the answer is “aimless”. Then, we are told, if the collector finds that special item, they may then “feel empty”, because the search has ended.
– A hunt for = searching for
20. educational
Question: Stamp collecting may be …………. because it provides facts about different countries.
Key words: stamp collecting, facts, different countries.
This question mentions “stamp collecting” as the main subject, so we have to find part of the passage which contains information about this type of collecting – paragraph 5. In this paragraph, the author writes “If you think about collecting postage stamps another potential reason for it – or, perhaps, a result of collecting – is its educational value. Stamp collecting opens a window to other countries, and to the plants, animals, or famous people shown on their stamps.” He/ she mentions the educational value of stamp collecting as it “opens a window to other countries” with things shown on their stamps. The answer is “educational”.
21. trainspotting
Question: …………. tends to be mostly a male hobby.
Key words: male hobby.
We have to find the paragraph mentioning something related to “male”. In paragraph 7, the author mentions “trainspotting” as “a popular form of collecting, particularly among boys and men” (“In the past – and nowadays, too, though to a lesser extent – a popular form of collecting, particularly among boys and men, was trainspotting.”). The answer is “trainspotting”.
– Boys and men = male
22. NOT GIVEN
Question: The number of people buying dolls has grown over the centuries.
Keywords: the number of, buying dolls, grown.
We have to find every part of the text about “dolls”. The whole of paragraph 8 is about this topic. But it is about the things which interest doll collectors, but there is no information about the number of people buying dolls. Therefore, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
(Note: If you are not sure enough, you can try doing the next question. Since the questions are in order, if you find out the sentence for the answer of next question, then the following sentences will not have the answer for this question)
23. FALSE
Question: Sixteenth century European dolls were normally made of wax and porcelain.
Keywords: 16th century, made of, wax and porcelain.
In the same paragraph about dolls: “Similarly, people who collect dolls may go beyond simply enlarging their collection, and develop an interest in the way that dolls are made, or the materials that are used. These have changed over the centuries from the wood that was standard in 16th century Europe, through the wax and porcelain of later centuries, to the plastics of today’s dolls.” Therefore, in 16th century, European dolls were often made of wood. And the wax and porcelain dolls were popular in later centuries, which means the 17th century and the ones after. The answer is FALSE.
– Materials that are used = made of
24. NOT GIVEN
Question: Arranging a stamp collection by the size of the stamps is less common than other methods.
Keywords: arranging, by the size, less common.
We have to pay attention to paragraph 9, which contains information about arranging a stamp collection. In this paragraph, the author only mentions the reason why some collectors like to arrange their collection and the types of arrangement. There is no reference to what kind of arrangement is more or less popular. Therefore, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
25. TRUE
Question: Someone who collects unusual objects may want others to think he or she is also unusual.
Keywords: unusual objects, think.
In paragraph 10, the author claims “One reason, conscious or not, for what someone chooses to collect is to show the collector’s individualism”, and gives an example when someone collects something unexpected (which means unsual objects), they may be conveying their belief (which means they want others to think) that they are interesting as well. The answer is TRUE.
– Unusual = unexpected
26. TRUE
Question: Collecting gives a feeling that other hobbies are unlikely to inspire.
Keywords: other hobbies, inspire
In the last paragraph, there is a sentence that is “More than most other hobbies, collecting can be totally engrossing, and can give a strong sense of personal fulfillment.” This means collecting needs all your attention and makes you completely satisfied, while most other hobbies could not do the same (more than most other hobbies). The answer is TRUE.
– Give a sense = give a feeling
– Inspire = fulfil
27. vi
Section A
In section A, the author mentions the idea of the founding of a special institution, its possible majors and possible titles for a wide variety of courses. Therefore, we should pay attention to headings related to those contents – they are ii, vi and vii (headings about the title, there is no heading about the other contents). In section A, the author writes “But what would the founders of these two institutions have thought of a course called Arson for Profit’?”. The author adds: “I kid you not…” to explain that this course title is not a joke. We might not expect this course to exist, but it does exist. This is only one unexpected title, so it cannot be “vii” (different names) and the author does not mention anything related to its meanings, so it cannot be ii (with two meanings). The answer is vi.
28. viii
Section B
Section B is about targeting students of the course because of the opening: “the course is intended for prospective arson investigators”. Then the author asks a question: “But wouldn’t this also be the perfect course for prospective arsonists to sign up for?” in order to point out the possibility of attracting the wrong kind of student. The course might attract students interested in starting fires, not fighting fires. Therefore, the answer is viii.
29. ii
Section C
Section C tells us about the author and his story about the title of the course. There are 2 remaining headings that could be related to a title – ii and vii. Since, in this section, the author only mentions one confusing title that could be understood by his students in two different ways, because of the the two meanings of ‘principles’, therefore the answer has to be “a course title with two meanings”. The answer is ii.
30. iv
Section D
Section D is a very short paragraph. You can look at all the headings and cross out the ones you know are wrong for sure. For example, in section D the author does not mention any course or commitment, so the heading cannot be i – “Courses that require a high level of commitment”. Do the same with other headings, you can find out that only heading iv – “Applying a theory in an unexpected context” still remains. The theory referred to is the idea of the philospher Kant that any body of knowledge is principled. The author writes that this sounds “downright crazy in the light of the evidence”, which has the same meaning as “an unexpected context” when applied to an unethical practice like marketing. The answer is iv.
31. iii
Section E
In this section, the author mentions two terms in marketing, means and end, in conclusion, he supposes that “A field of knowledge or a professional endeavor is defined by both the means and the end; hence both deserve scrutiny”, which means that both terms are equally important. Therefore, the answer is “the equal importance of two key issues” (iii) “how to achieve X and what X is”.
32. vii
Section F
In this section, the author gives the example of a doctor and a murderer. Both may learn the same body of knowledge, but they apply that knowledge for different purposes/ends. We give different names: we say that the doctor is practicing medicine and we say that the other is practicing murder. The author does not mention anything related to “a high level of commitment” (heading i) and “financial benefits” (heading v). Therefore, the most accurate heading for this section is “Different names for different outcomes” (vii). The doctor and the murderer use “identical knowledge to achieve their divergent ends”.
– Different = divergent
– Outcomes = ends
33. fire science
Question: … who are studying …………….
In the last sentence of the first section, the author writes: “Any undergraduates who have met the academic requirements can sign up for the course in our program in ‘ fire science’.” Therefore, students who can sign up for the course are undergraduates and ones who are studying “fire science”. The answer is “fire science” (the question requires no more than two words so this is acceptable).
34. investigators
Question: … will become ……………
The first sentence of the second section states: “Naturally, the course is intended for prospective arson investigators”. We can see expectation = prospective, which means they are studying to be arson investigators in the future (arson as an adjective = specialising in arson – who specialize in arson). The answer is investigators.
– Expectation = prospective
35. evidence
Question: … find …………… of criminal intent
“The course will help them” means students can learn from the course, so we pay attention to this reference in section B: “who can learn all the tricks of the trade for detecting whether a fire was deliberately set, discovering who did it, and establishing a chain of evidence for effective prosecution in a court of law.” “A fire was deliberately set” can be considered as an example of criminal intent – the arsonist deliberately intended to start a fire. Then the course can help them to detect whether it is deliberate or not, who did it and find a chain of evidence. Therefore, the answer is “evidence”.
– Find = detect
36. prosecution
Question: … leading to successful …………… in the courts.
The word required is right after an adjective and in front of an adverb of place, so it has to a noun. In section B, the author mentions the court in this phrase: “establishing a chain of evidence for effective prosecution in a court of law”. We can consider “effective” as “successful”, and “in a court of law” as “in the courts”. Therefore, the answer is “prosecution”.
– Effective = successful
37. NOT GIVEN
Question: It is difficult to attract students onto courses that do not focus on a career.
If this statement is true, you have to find a sentence in the text expressing the same idea. If this statement is false, you have to point out what is wrong with it and find a sentence in the passage given to correct it. However, we cannot find any reference like that. In the passage, there is no sentence telling us about difficulties in attracting students onto such courses. Therefore, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
38. YES
Question: The ‘Arson for Profit’ course would be useful for people intending to set fire to buildings.
In section F, the author once again mentions the “Arson for Profit” course and writes: “As we have seen, someone could use the very same knowledge of means to achieve a much less noble end, such as personal profit via destructive, dangerous, reckless activity”. So à Hence, “use the very same knowledge” means they can use what they have learned from this course (= this course would be useful for them). And “destructive, dangerous, reckless activity” can include “set fire to buildings.” Therefore, the answer is YES.
39. NO
Question: Fire science courses are too academic to help people to be good at the job of firefighting.
In section B, the author relates the knowledge learned on the course to its usefulness for students who want to become firefighters. They will be qualified to do the job in a professional and expert way: “programs in fire science: they are highly welcome as part of the increasing professionalization of this and many other occupations”. The courses will help students.
– To be good at the job of = professionalization
Therefore, the answer is NO.
40. NO
Question: The writer’s fire science students provided a detailed definition of the purpose of their studies.
In section F, the author asks the students about purpose of the course, “When I ask fire science students to articulate the end, or purpose, of their field, they eventually generalize to something like, ‘The safety and welfare of society,’ which seems right.” They only “generalize”, which means “to make a general statement or form a general opinion”. Their opinion is only general, not detailed or particularly clear. Therefore, the answer is NO.
– Provide a detailed definition of = to articulate