IELTS test preparation online | IELTS General Reading Test 77

Section 1
Read the text below and answer questions 1-4.

Enrolment in the self-access centre

Who can enrol?
Any permanent or temporary migrant (anyone on a student visa is only eligible if an individual exemption is granted)

Where to enrol?
The Advance School of English 4th floor, J block, main campus, 120 portsmith road, Portsmith

How to enrol?
Ask at the ESOL enquiries counter (room 404, 4th floor, J block)

What does it cost?
$0.50 per hour for holders of concession cards
$1 per hour for permanent visas (casual)

How many hours?
You can choose how many hours per week or per month you attend. A concession card is issued to anyone on a permanent visa who wishes to pay for a minimum of 50 hours in advance (50 hours x 50c = $25). All other visitors to the SAC are charged the higher casual fee.

What does enrolment in the SAC give access to?
All books, CDs, DVDs, and CALL materials (CALL = computer assisted language training). A booking system is used with resources in high demand.

Speaking practice with conversation tutors
Monday-Thursday: 11.30 am – 1.30 pm / Friday: 12.30 – 3 pm

Word processing – a self-paced, internet-based program
Tuesday: 9 am – 3 pm
Wednesday: 1 pm – 3 pm
Thursday: 9 am – 3 pm

Who can help?
The SAC manager and SAC facilitators (who are all ESOL teachers) are on duty every day from 9 am – 3 pm.

Procedure:
First enrol as above
Register your attendance at the SAC information desk when you arrive – please note: you pay for a minimum of 2 hours each time

Questions 1-4
Complete each sentence with the correct ending A-H below.

1. Students on a student visa need special permission to be able to
2. Students who want to enrol in the SAC should
3. Only permanent migrants can
4. Temporary migrants must

A enrol in the School of English
B go to room 404 in J block
C have access to DVDs
D pay more per visit
E pay their fees at the enquiries counter
F purchase a concession card
G reserve popular materials
H use the SAC

Questions 5-9
Do the following statements agree with the information in the text? 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

5. The tutors who take conversation groups are not paid.
6. Conversation tutors are unavailable on Wednesday.
7. Students cannot access the word processing program on Wednesday morning.
8. The SAC facilitators are also teachers at the Advance School of English.
9. Students cannot use the SAC for more than two hours at a time.

Read the text below and answer questions 10-14.

Energy saving tips

Home appliances
Refrigerator
Turn the thermostat down so that your refrigerator temperature is around 3 degree Celsius and the freezer is as close to minus 16 degrees as possible. Check the door seals for a tight fit and leave the door open for no longer than absolute necessary. These appliance account for about 20% of household electricity.

Water cylinder
Turn down the thermostat to 60 degrees (or even 50 degrees is usually sufficient). This is also a much safer temperature for water – it reduces the likelihood of a household member getting scalded when using a hot tap.

Washing machine
Use cold water – around 20 degrees. Anything less than 15 degrees is too cold and won’t get your laundry clean. Only start the machine when it is full and when possible hang your laundry outside instead of using a dryer.

Dishwater
Only use it when it is full and turn off the drying cycle – allowing the contents to air dry will save 20% of the dishwater’s total energy use.

How heating and cooling
Thermostat settings
In winter, set the temperature at 20 degrees during the day and reduce it to 12 degrees before you go to bed. You can save energy by wearing an extra layer of clothing or putting another blanket on the bed. In summer, use blinds and drapes to keep the sun out and don’t set your thermostat lower than 24.

Filters
Clean air filters regularly – energy is wasted when air conditioner have to work harder to draw air through dirty filters.

A small investment
Compact fluorescent lights
These cost more initially but they use only 25% of the energy of an incandescent light bulb and they last ten times longer.

Questions 10-14
Complete the sentences below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND OR A NUMBER from the text for each answer.

10. The most energy efficient temperature for ensuring food stays frozen is……………degrees Celsius.
11. You can get your clothes clean quite economically by washing them in water no hotter than…………..degrees Celsius.
12. On a cold night you can save energy and still stay warm by setting your heater’s thermostat at……………….degrees Celsius.
13. Letting your dishes…………………saves energy.
14. Buying……………………light bulbs costs less in the long term.

Section 2
Read the text below and answer questions 15-21.

Company dress code policy

Policy Statement
Employees are representatives of the company and should dress appropriately. Ii is recognised that employees dealing with customers should dress accordingly, whereas those working in the office, laboratories or warehouses should dress in a manner consistent with the nature of their work and Health and Safety regulations.

Dress Code Requirements
An employee’s schedule of duties should largely determine his or her work attire. The company’s objective is to allow employees to work comfortably, so smart-casual attire is the standard except in the following circumstance:

• When employees me meeting with clients, community visitors of interviewing candidates, in order to project a professional image, they should dress in a conventional business like manner.
• Employees must abide by the safety procedures of their department and wear whatever protective clothing and/ or safety equipment is necessary

In the Laboratory
• Long-sleeved shirts and trousers offer the best protection. Shorts and short skirts do not give adequate protection to your legs
• Loose-fitting clothing and long hair may create a fire hazard when burners are in use: loose-fitting clothing is unacceptable but long hair can be secured with a rubber band
• Sandals and open-toed shoes are not suitable footwear
• Clothing such as ties, scarves and long jewellery which could droop in chemicals or a flame, should be removed
• Hair spray is highly flammable and should not be used before entering the lab
• Synthetic fingernails are also highly flammable and therefore not permissible

In the warehouse
Dress core for warehouse employees are also based on safety concerns; thus the requirement for steel-toes boots and durable trousers (jeans are acceptable) or overalls. Workers may wear T-shirts as long as they conform to the rules.

Inappropriate clothing
• Sport-related clothing including T-shirt’ or ties with a slogan or club insignia
• T-shirts or tops displaying offensive pictures or bad language
• Revealing clothing that exposes too much cleavage, your back, chest, feet, stomach or your underwear
• Wrinkled, torn, dirty or frayed clothing

Some common issues – piercing, tattoos, hairstyle, jewellery
• Any jewellery that could pose a safety hazard for employee’s operating machinery must be removed
• Employees wearing a business standard of dress may be asked to remove certain piercings (such as nose and eyebrow rings) and cover up tattoos
• Hairstyles should always be tidy and hair should never hang over the eyes

All employees of the company should adhere to the dress code policy at all times.

Questions 15-21
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text? 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

15. The company wants its workers to wear comfortable clothes.
16. Employees dealing with external visitors should wear smart-casual attire.
17. Lab workers must keep dwelt fingernails short.
18. Sturdy footwear is compulsory for warehouse workers.
19. Clothing should always be clean and pressed
20. Machine operators must remove all jewellery.
21. Employees who come into contact with customers must not have visible tattoos.

Read the text below and answer questions 22-27.

Customer service – tips for handling complaints

Many complaints are made by telephone. In this case, there is a simple 7-step procedure to follow. At the outset, you should make a note of the person’s phone number and explain that you have done this in case the call should be disconnected for any reason. Getting cut off is a major source of upset and distress, so demonstrating that you have guarded against this is a positive first step. This is especially important if the customer has been transferred, made to wait or if there have been previous attempts at resolving the problem.

State your name clearly because customers are tired of automated answer-phone menu systems and anonymous voices at the end of the line. You should also provide the customer with your direct line so that he feels he can make contact with you quickly and easily in the future. Establishing fast personal responsibility in this way is another positive step.

Explain to the customer that you will deal with the issue until it is resolved. Your making a personal commitment to do this lightens the pressure on a frustrated customer. Once you have done this, just listen – be sure to listen with empathy and feeling – and let the customer unload his problem. He is most likely feeling very angry and exasperated and you can help him calm down and make him feel better by listening patiently and trying to understand how he feels.

Take notes – get the facts and write them down, even if it takes time. The customer will appreciate this as it shows you are treating his problem seriously and with respect. Asking the person to focus on the facts can also help defuse an emotional situation.

If the complaint is justified and shows that our company’s product is defective or our service is to blame, then you should immediately acknowledge the problem and unreservedly apologise. Finally, quickly move on to settling the issue. However, it is a mistake to guarantee remedial action or compensation that you or the company will be unable to deliver.

Questions 22-27
Complete the flow chart below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from text for each answer.

Step 1: Write down the caller’s (22)…………….
Step 2: Give your own name and (23)……………..
Step 3: Promise to see the problem through to the end
Step 4: (24)……………..
Step 5: (25)……………..
Step 6: If the company is at fault, accept and (26)……………….
Step 7: Try to resolve the situation but don’t promise what you can’t (27)……………..

Section 3
Read the text below and answer questions 28-40.

Walking on water

The availability of groundwater has always been taken for granted by Australians. Groundwater supplies have in prior times been perceived as a resource of infinite bounds – the prevailing mindset was “out of sight out of mind”. This has all changed with the modern epoch. Persistent neglect has resulted in numerous complications for groundwater users and many interest groups have great stake in its management and allocation. Over-allocation of surface water and persistent water shortages mean that reliance of groundwater supplies is expected to swell.

The main point of concern now is whether or not a groundwater source can deliver a sustainable yield. This relies on a proper management of discharge (outflow) and recharge (inflow) rates. Discharge occurs when humans extract water as well as through vegetation and evaporation into the atmosphere. Sustainable use therefore depends on more than keeping within the recharge rate: if humans use water at precisely the recharge rate, discharge through other ways can be adversely affected.

Queensland has been one of the most active states in managing groundwater supplies. This is because the territory sits atop the Great Artesian Basin (GAB) an expansive underwater aquifer that covers nearly one-fifth of the Australian continent. This resource has long been used by indigenous people and outback communities, particularly in times of drought (when surface water could dry up for hundreds of kilometres on end). Since farmers at Kerribee pioneered the use of bores in the country, the number has spiralled beyond sustainable levels and caused water pressure and flow rates across the region to decline. Furthermore, estimates indicate that 80% of GAB outflow is wasted because of inefficient and out-dated delivery systems. Open drains used to keep livestock hydrated are a particular scourge – much water is lost due to seepage and evaporation.

A number of initiatives have been undertaken to help stem this problem. The Queensland government declared in 2005 a moratorium on issuing new licences for water extraction from GAB. A strategy group known as the Great Artesian Basin Consultative Council has also published a management plan that involved capping some bores (to prevent further declines in pressure) and rehabilitating hundreds of other bores and bore drains with troughs and polyester piping (to prevent water seeping into the earth).

It is now also apparent that corruption of groundwater supplies by humans is going to be an issue to contend with. In 2006, thousands of Sydney residents had their groundwater usage curtailed due to industrial pollution of the Botany Stands aquifer. Bore water for any domestic purposes has since been off limits due to chemical seepage from an estimated 8 industrial sites.

Nevertheless, groundwater plans continue apace. Development of a controversial desalination plant has been postponed indefinitely while the feasibility of exploiting two aquifers near Sydney is explored. Authorities intend to use the aquifers to provide up to 30 gigalitres of water a year during dry spells and then leave them alone to replenish during higher rainfall years. But the proposed scheme it riddled with difficulties: low flow rates are hampering extraction: replenishment rates are lower than expected, and salinity imbalances caused by the procedure could wreak havoc on efforts to preserve wetland flora and fauna ecosystems that rely on a plentiful, clean and steady supply of water from the aquifers.

It is not too late to turn groundwater into a sustainable resource. Groundwater is renewable through surface run off (and, a much slower rate, in organic springs where it is literally drip fed through rock on its way to aquifers). At present however, experts believe excessive amounts of groundwater are being squandered on aesthetic projects such as keeping parks, gardens and golf courses green.

Aside from more judicious use of groundwater, many experts also believe that we need to look at harnessing other potential sources in order to meet our water needs. During rainy seasons for example urban areas are inundated with storm water and flash flooding that can bring cities to a standstill. Better storm water control mechanisms could potentially capture and preserve this rainwater for use at a later date.

Questions 28-31
Choose FOUR letters A-J. Write the correct letters A-J in boxes 28-31 on your answer sheet.

The writer mentions a number of uses of groundwater in Australia.

Which FOUR of the following uses are mentioned by the writer of the text?

A maintaining recreational areas
B helping sewer systems function
C providing opportunities for underground adventure sports
D supporting wildlife habitats
E storing excess amounts of surface water in cities
F naturally removing salt content from water
G personal household use
H forming hot springs for bathing
I providing water for animals
J dumping toxic waste products

Questions 32-35
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text? 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

32. Australians have always seen groundwater as a precious resource.
33. Use of groundwater is predicted to increase.
34. Humans cannot alter the recharge rate of groundwater.
35. Using water at the recharge rate or lower will ensure sustainable use.

Questions 36-40
Complete each sentence with the correct ending A-I below.

36. Outback communities
37. Farmers at Kerribee station
38. In 2005, Queensland authorities
39. The Great Artesian Basin Consultative Committee
40. Some residents in Sydney

A took action to stop more people from being able to use groundwater.
B released a plan to improve bores and lessen wasted water.
C used groundwater to create artificial rivers.
D began a formal register to control access to groundwater.
E decreased the amount of water in movement.
F used their bore holes to dispose of waste products.
G were prevented from using ground water due to contamination.
H relied on ground water during long periods of dry weather.
I were the first to use a bore in Australia.