IELTS Recent Mock Tests Volume 6

Published on: 15 Nov 2018
Tests taken: 2,555,174

Answer Keys:

Report Mistake

Part 1: Question 1 - 10

1 equipment
2 Fred
3 6/ six days
4 Mike
5 Leo

6 C
7 A
8 C
9 B
10 C

Part 2: Question 11 - 20

11 E
12 A
13 D
14 F
15 C

16 yellow
17 garden shed
18 wildlife reserve
19 firewood
20 garden bin

Part 3: Question 21 - 30

21 Welfare State
22 too long
23 in perspective
24 oversimplifies
25 Political Theory

26 not relevant
27 C
28 S
29 P
30 P

Part 4: Question 31 - 40

31 C
32 C
33 35 B,C,E
36 participate

37 natural springs
38 local product
39 characterized/characterised
40 mature cheese(s)

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Tips for improving your ielts score

THE READING TIPS FOR IELTS

There are 40 questions in the reading module. The module consists of three passages which total about 2000-2200 words and become progressively...

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Review & Explanations:

Part 1: Questions 1-10

Questions 1-5

Complete the notes.

Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR NUMBERS for each answer.

Basic Details of Project
Example *Pre-phase*	involves selecting rooms & 1
Phase 1:	time needed: 3 days staff involved: Jenna, Marco, & 2
Phase 2:	time needed: 3 staff involved: 4 , with assistance from 5

1 Answer: equipment

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q1 must be “pre-phase” and “involves”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun.
Ella’s statement “The Pre-phrase is the simplest” can be seen as a suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
In this passage, “to decide on” means “to choose / select”.
Ella and Marcus state that “They need to select rooms and equipment for the Pre-phrase”.
Therefore, the answer for Q1 must be “equipment”.

2 Answer: Fred

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q2 must be “Phase 1” and “staff involved”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a name.
Statements “I’ve allocated a mere three days for Phase One” and “We’ll need Jenna and Marco to help us” can be seen as a suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
Ella and Marcus state that “Phase 1 will involve drawing the plans so they need Jenna, Marco and Fred to help them”.
Therefore, the answer for Q2 must be “Fred”.
Remember to capitalise the initial letter of “Fred” because it is the name of a person.

Note:

There are three other names mentioned in the conversation besides Jenna and Marco: Susan, Greg and Fred. Any misunderstanding or inattention may result in incorrect answer
Susan: Marcus wants her in the team but she is just far too busy to participate. Hence “Susan” is not the correct answer.
Greg: Marcus says Greg is more experienced than Fred but does not mention that he would be in their team. Thus, “Greg” is not the correct answer.
Fred: Ella states that “Let’s take Fred” and Marcus also agrees with it. Therefore, “Fred” is the correct answer.

3 Answer: 6/ six days

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q3 must be “Phase 2” and “time needed”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a number.
Marcus’s question “Can we do that in five days?” can be seen as a suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
In the passage, Marcus suggests doing Phase 2 in 5 days. However, Ella says they should do the job in 6 days and Marcus does not disagree with it.
Therefore, “5 days” is not the correct answer.
The answer for Q3 must be “6 (six) days”.

Note:

Remember that the answer must be in plural form.

4 Answer: Mike

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q4 must be “Phase 2” and “staff involved”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a name.
Marcus’s question “Who are the people for this phase?” can be seen as a suggestion for the answer’s appearance.

Note:

There are three other names mentioned in the conversation: Arthur, Rob and Mike. Any misunderstanding or inattention may result in incorrect answer.
Marcus suggests Arthur and Rob for the Phase 2 but Ella says that “Arthur’s got other things to do, and Rob’s on leave”. Hence “Arthur” and “Rob” are not the correct answers.

Ella decides that “Mike alone will be the main man on this part”. Therefore, the answer for Q4 must be “Mike”.
Remember to capitalise the initial letter of “Mike” because it is the name of a person.

5 Answer: Leo

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q5 must be “Phase 2” and “with assistance from”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a name.
Ella’s statement “He may need some help with the smaller tasks” can be seen as a suggestion for the answer’s appearance.

In the passage, “to chip in” means “to contribute (time,…)”
It is stated that “Marcus can arrange Leo to give help and advice some time”. It means that Mike will work with the assistance from Leo.
Therefore, the answer for Q5 must be “Leo”.

Note:

Remember to capitalise the initial letter of “Leo” because it is the name of a person.
“Peter” is another name mentioned in the conversation. However, he is not free at the moment. It means he cannot participate in Phase 2. Hence, “Peter” is not the correct answer.

Questions 6-10

Choose the correct letter, A, B, or C.

The main form of data collection will be

A questionnaires.
B Internet polling.
C face-to-face interviews.

Answer: C

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q6 must be “main form” and “data collection”.

As “information gather” has a similar meaning with “data collection”, the statement “things like information gathering” can be seen as a suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
A – Questionnaire: Marcus suggests the idea of using questionnaires. Ella does not respond to it but states her own ideas. They also don’t conclude that questionnaires will be their main form of data collection. Hence, “A” is not the correct answer.
B – Internet polling: Ella states that “She was thinking of using the Internet to ask people to give their views”. However, she also states the disadvantage of this method and does not conclude that Internet polling will be their main form of data collection. Hence, “B” is not the correct answer.
C – face to face interviews: Finally, Ella concludes that “They will ask people directly (face to face interviews) to collect data” and Marcus agrees with this idea. Therefore, the answer for Q6 must be “C”.

To finish in time, the staff will have to

A work late.
B come in early.
C take some work home.

Answer: A

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q7 must be “finish in time” and “staff will have to”.
Marcus’s statement “that will take longer” can be seen as a hint that the are going to discuss about the deadline and how to finish work in time.

C – take some work home: Marcus says that “They’ll probably even have to do some of the work at home” but Ella disagree with it. Hence, “C” is not the correct answer.
A – work late: Ella suggests working late in order to finish Phase 2 in time and Marcus agrees with it. Therefore, the answer for Q7 must be “A”.
B – come in early: Marcus says that “Working late is much better than coming in early”. Hence, “B” is not the correct answer.

The final report will contain

A three appendices.
B material from the company website.
C a supplementary booklet.

Answer: C

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q8 must be “final report” and “contain”.

As “need” has a similar meaning with “contain”, the statement “the final report will need” can be seen as a suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
A – three appendices: Marcus states that “The final report will need at least two appendices, not three”. Hence, “A” is not the correct answer.
C – supplementary booklet: Ella says that “They’ll have to attach a small booklet to the end of the final report”. Therefore, the answer for Q8 must be “C”.
B – material from the company website: It is stated that “The final report will contain relevant material from all the accessed foreign websites, not from the company website”. Hence, “B” is not the correct answer.

The final report will be handed in on the

A 5th.
B 15th.
C 25th.

Answer: B

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q9 must be “final report” and “be handed in on”.
As “submit” has a similar meaning with “hand in”, the statement “everything should be able to be submitted” can be seen as a suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
A – 5th: According to the conversation, 5th is the target finish date of Phase 1. Hence, “A” is not the correct answer.
B – 15th: Ella says that “The final report should be submitted (handed in) on the 15th”. Therefore, the answer for Q9 must be “B”.
C – 25th: 25th is the date that the Design Division gives them approval to go ahead. Hence, “C” is not the correct answer.

At the end, there will be

A an office party.
B a restaurant dinner.
C presents for all involved.

Answer: C

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q10 must be “at the end” and “there will be”.
Ella’s statement “I’m even planning the celebration when this is all over” can be seen as a suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
A – an office party: It is stated that “People don’t want a party in the office”. Hence, “A” is not the correct answer.
B – a restaurant dinner: According to the conversation, It is hard to find mutual time free for a dinner party. Hence, “B” is not the correct answer.
C – presents for all involved: Ella suggests buying some nice expensive gifts for everyone who participated and Marcus agrees with it. Therefore, the answer for Q10 must be “C”.

Part 1

Part 2: Questions 11-20

Questions 11-15

Complete the repair schedule.

Write the correct letter, A-F, for each answer.

	Problems to Fix
A	Birds in ceiling
B	Broken windows
C	Electrical fault
D	Fallen tree
E	Leaking roof
F	Staining on walls

11 Answer: E

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q11 must be “8am – noon”.
The statement “What will you be doing first? I understand you start at 8 in the morning” can be seen as a suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
According to the conversation, at first the worker intended removing the fallen tree. However, in order not to disturb students’ exams, he decides to fix the leaky roof instead.
Hence, “D” is not the correct answer.
Therefore, the answer for Q11 must be “E”.

12 Answer: A

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q12 must be “noon – 2 pm”.
The officer’s suggestion “So you’ll fix the broken window after that, from midday?” can be seen as a suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
The worker states that “They could fix the broken window from noon, but it’s logical to get rid of those birds’ nests first”
Hence, “C” is not the correct answer.
Therefore, the answer for Q12 must be “A”.

13 Answer: D

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q13 must be “2 pm – 3 pm”.
The statement “it will be finished by three o’clock” can be seen as a suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
Students need to concentrate not to miss out the answer, as the answer of Q13 comes before the keyword.
From the conversation, it is inferred that “After one hour lunch break (1 pm – 2 pm), workers will deal with blown over trees until 3 pm”.
Therefore, the answer for Q13 must be “D”.

14 Answer: F

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q14 must be “3 pm – 4 pm”.
From the conversation, it is inferred that “After dealing with blown over trees (2 pm – 3 pm), two workers will stay to paint over discoloured patch of the wall”.
In this passage, “discoloured patch” has a similar meaning with “staining”.
Therefore, the answer for Q14 must be “F”.

15 Answer: C

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q15 must be “4 pm – 5 pm”.
The phrase “in the last hour of our working day”, can be seen as a suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
It is stated that “In the last hour of working day (4 pm – 5 pm), workers will fix the problem with the wiring”.
In this passage, “wiring problem” has a similar meaning with “electrical fault”.
Therefore, the answer for Q15 must be “C”.

Questions 16-20

Complete the sentences.

Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.

Additional Details Concerning Repairs

The stained walls will be painted 16

Extra paint will be left in the 17

The baby birds will be given to a 18

The fallen tree will be used as 19

The smaller parts of the tree will be put in a 20

16 Answer: yellow

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q16 must be “stained walls” and “be painted”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be an adverb or colour.
The officer’s question about the colour of the stained wall after being painted can be seen as a suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
At first, the worker suggests painting the wall white. However, the officer wants the wall to be yellow to match the furniture and the worker agrees to do it.
Hence, “white” is not the correct answer.
Therefore, the answer for Q16 must be “yellow”.

17 Answer: garden shed

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q17 must be “extra paint” and “be left in”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun (place).
The worker’s statement “we can leave the paint can with you” can be seen as a suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
According to the passage, it is stated that “The paint will be left in the garden shed”
Therefore, the answer for Q17 must be “garden shed”.

18 Answer: wildlife reserve

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q18 must be “baby birds” and “be given to”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun.
As the keyword “baby birds” is mentioned, we can assure that the answer may appear soon.
According to the passage, the worker wants to give baby bird to a wildlife reserve. Later, the officer suggests giving them to one of his school’s teachers.
As the worker states that wildlife reserve is a better option, the answer for Q18 must be “wildlife reserve”.

19 Answer: firewood

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q19 must be “fallen trees” and “be used as”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun.
As the keyword “fallen trees” is mentioned, we can assure that the answer may appear soon.
According to the conversation, the worker states that “He will cut fallen trees into small pieces and use it as firewood”
Therefore, the answer for Q19 must be “firewood”.

20 Answer: garden bin

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q20 must be “smaller parts of the tree” and “be put in”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun.
The key phrase “the smaller items — leaves and sticks and bark” can be seen as a suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
In this conversation, “dispose” has a similar meaning with “put in”
It is stated that “They will put smaller parts of the tree in a garden bin ”
Therefore, the answer for Q20 must be “garden bin”.

Previous Next

Part 2

Part 3: Questions 21-30

Questions 21-26

Complete the table.

Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.

Subject	Textbook Used	Criticism of this book
Social History	21	It is 22
Cultural Studies	23	It 24
25	Government in Action	It is 26

21 Answer: Welfare State

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q21 must be “Social History” and “textbook used”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun (name of textbook).
As the keyword “Social History” is mentioned, we can assure that the answer may appear soon.
From the conversation, it can be inferred that “Welfare State is the text book for Social History”.
Therefore, the answer for Q21 must be “Welfare State”.

22 Answer: too long

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q22 must be “Criticism of this book”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be an adjective.
As the keyword “Welfare State” is mentioned, we can assure that the answer may appear soon.
According to the conversation, it is stated that “Welfare State is good but too long to be read”.
As “criticism” means “the act of pointing out the negative sides of something” , the answer for Q22 must be “too long”.

23 Answer: in perspective

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q23 must be “Cultural Studies” and “textbook used”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun (name of textbook).
As the keyword “Cultural Studies” is mentioned, we can assure that the answer may appear soon.
At first, Susan states that “Inner Views is the textbook for Cultural Studies”. However, David later argues that “The textbook for Cultural Studies is In Perspective, not Inner Views”
Therefore, the answer for Q23 must be “In perspective”.

24 Answer: oversimplifies

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q24 must be “Criticism of this book”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a verb.
As the keyword “In perspective” is mentioned, we can assure that the answer may appear soon.
In the conversation, David claims that “In perspective oversimplifies a very complex subject” and Steve also agrees with his opinion.
Therefore, the answer for Q24 must be “oversimplifies”.

25 Answer: Political Theory

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q25 must be “Subject” and “Government in Action”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a verb.
David’s question “‘Government in Action? Which subject...?” can be seen as a suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
It is stated that “Government in Action is the textbook for ‘Political Theory’”
Therefore, the answer for Q25 must be “Political Theory”.

26 Answer: not relevant

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q26 must be “Criticism of this book”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be an adjective.
As the keyword “Political Theory’ textbook” is mentioned, we can assure that the answer may appear soon.
In the conversation, Steve claims that “Political Theory’ textbook is not relevant to them” and David also agrees with his opinion.
Therefore, the answer for Q26 must be “not relevant”.

Questions 27-30

Choose the correct letter, S, C, or P.

NB You may use a letter more than once.

S	Social History
C	Cultural Studies
P	Political Theory

What are the speakers’ favorite subjects?

27 Steve

28 David

29 Susan

30 Olive

27 Answer: C

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q27 must be “favourite subject” and “Steve”.
While David is talking about his favourite subject, a boy chips in and states that “He likes Cultural Studies most”. From David’s question “Why do you say that, Steve?”, it can be inferred that Steve is the one whose favourite subject is Cultural Studies.
Therefore, the answer for Q27 must be “C”.

28 Answer: S

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q28 must be “favourite subject” and “David”.
Susan’s question “What’s your favourite subject, David?” can be seen as a suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
At first, David says that “He likes Political Theory”. However, he later states that “Social History is the best subject”
Therefore, the answer for Q28 must be “S”.

29 Answer: P

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q29 must be “favourite subject” and “Susan”.
David’s question “What about you, Susan?” can be seen as a suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
Susan states that “Social History is certainly very good, but she likes Political Theory most”
Therefore, the answer for Q29 must be “P”.

30 Answer: P

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q30 must be “favourite subject” and “Olive”.
David’s question “Olive! Which subject do you think is the best?” can be seen as a suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
Olive states that “She likes Cultural Studies, but Political Theory is the best subject”
Therefore, the answer for Q30 must be “P”.

Previous Next

Part 3

Part 4: Questions 31-40

Questions 31-32

Choose the correct letter, A, B, or C.

Originally, country towns

A required fewer workers.
B had lots of animals.
C were more interesting places.

Answer: C

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q31 must be “originally” and “country towns”.
As the keyword “country towns” is mentioned, we can assure that the answer may appear soon.
According to the passage, it is stated that “Small country towns are now deserted, lacking of life, whereas it used to have mercantile (trading) activity, community participation”. It means that “Originally, country towns were more interesting places”

Therefore, the answer for Q31 must be “C”.

Now, the problems there

A can be solved.
B are numerous.
C are expected.

Answer: C

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q32 must be “now” and “problems”.
As there is no hint for the answer’s appearance, students need to listen carefully to decide which option is correct.

A – can be solved: Throughout the passage, there is no information stated that the problems there can be solved. Hence, “A” is not the correct answer.
B – are numerous:
C – are numerous: It is stated that “Rural exodus has produced some fairly predictable problems”. “Fairly” has a similar meaning with “numerous”. Therefore, the answer for Q32 must be “C”.

Questions 33-35

Choose THREE answers from the list and write the correct letter, A-F, next to the questions.

Which THREE factors are typical of modern farming?

A Many overheads
B More machines
C Fewer types of products
D More frequent feeding
E Greater numbers of products
F More factories

33-35 Answer: B,C,E

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q33 - 35 must be “typical factors” and “modern farming”.
As “industrialisation of agriculture” has a similar meaning with “modern farming”, it can seen as a suggestion for the answer’s appearance.

It is stated that “industrialisation of agriculture comes in two aspects”, whereas the questions are about three factors. Hence, students need to listen carefully not to miss out correct answers.
At first, it is claimed that “A factor of modern farming is monocultural farming practices which means that each farm should have one type of product”. Therefore, the answer for Q33 must be “C”.
According to the passage, “Economies of scale, which is the second aspect of modern farming, means that farms will have more numbers of products and automatic feeding systems”. Therefore, the answer for Q34, 35 must be “B, E”.

Questions 36-40

Complete the table.

Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.

Possible Solution	Important Factor	Examples
tourism	Locals must 36	Daylesford area uses its 37
using the 38	- is 39 by its distinctive product - must market the idea effectively	Shepparton is known for its 40

36 Answer: participate

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q36 must be “tourism” “important factor” and “locals”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a verb.
As the keyword “tourism” is mentioned, we can assure that the answer may appear soon.
In this passage, “important consideration” has a similar meaning with “important factor”

It is stated that “The important factor of the tourism solution is that locals have to participate”
Therefore, the answer for Q36 must be “participate”.

37 Answer: natural springs

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q37 must be “Daylesford area” and “uses its”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun.
As the keyword “Daylesford area” is mentioned, we can assure that the answer may appear soon.

From the passage, it can be inferred that “Daylesford area uses its natural spring to developed a tourist industry.”
Therefore, the answer for Q37 must be “natural spring”.

38 Answer: local product

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q38 must be “possible solution” and “using”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun.

As the keyword “solution” and the synonym “utilise” of “use” are mentioned, we can assure that the answer may appear soon.
It is stated that “Another solution is to use the predominant local product”
Therefore, the answer for Q38 must be “local product”.

39 Answer: characterized/characterised

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q39 must be “by its distinctive product” and “market the idea effectively”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a past participle verb.

The phrase “It is important here that” can be seen as a suggestion for the answer about “important factor”

Students need to concentrate not to miss out the answer, as the answer of Q39 comes before the keyword.
It is stated that “It is important here that the country area is not only characterised by a specific product, but markets this idea well”
Therefore, the answer for Q39 must be “characterised”.

40 Answer: mature cheese(s)

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q40 must be “Shepparton” and “known for”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun.

In this passage, “be famous for” has a similar meaning with “be known for”
As “Harcourt is famous for apples” are mentioned, we can assure that the answer may appear soon.
It is stated that “Shepparton is known for mature cheeses”
Therefore, the answer for Q40 must be “mature cheeses”.

Part 4

Change Audio Sources

SECTION 1

You will hear two colleagues, Marcus and Ella, discussing a work project.

Marcus: Okay, Ella. As you know, the deadline for this project is the end of the month, so we’d better plan it well.

Ella: Yes, I’ve already been thinking along those lines, and I’ve decided we should divide this project into three phases: the Pre-phase, then Phase 1, and then Phase 2, with strict deadlines involved for each one.

Marcus: Given that we have to finish this quickly, that sounds good. Tell me more.

Ella: The Pre-phrase is the simplest. We just need to allocate a space or a place to do our planning, and this space will need to be quite big.

Marcus: Sure, and we have to decide on the equipment needed as well. Remember the last project, when we didn’t have enough projectors to present our ideas? We lost lots of time there.

Ella: Yes, that was a bad start. That’s why, after the Pre-phase is finished, I’ve allocated a mere three days for Phase One.

Marcus: That will involve drawing the plans. We’ll need Jenna to help us.

Ella: And Marco.

Marcus: Yes, but not Susan. Susan is just far too busy to participate, as much as I’d like her in the team.

Ella: Let’s just take Fred instead. He’ll do.

Marcus: Sure. Fred’s not as experienced as Greg, but I agree, he’ll do fine for this job.

Ella: Then it’s straight into Phase 2, collecting, collating, analysing, and preparing the final report.

Marcus: Can we do that in five days?

Ella: I think that’s optimistic, which is why I scheduled six.

Marcus: That’s almost a week! Do we have that much time?

Ella: We do, and with the right people, six days should see the job done.

Marcus: Who are the people for this phase? Arthur and Rob, right?

Ella: No, Arthur’s got other things to do, and Rob’s on leave, so Mike alone will be the main man on this part. He’s done it before, so it should be fine. But he may need some help with the smaller tasks. Someone who is good with detail and procedures.

Marcus: Hmmm. Peter’s not free at the moment, so I can arrange Leo to chip in some time and advice. Leo’s very useful, particularly under pressure. And that’s everything sorted! Well done Ella. This report should certainly be ready in time.

Marcus: Okay, Ella, you’ve done a good job with the basic timeframe of this project, but what about specifics?

Ella: What sort of specifics?

Marcus: Well, things like information gathering. Are we going to use questionnaires like we did last time?

Ella: I was thinking of using the Internet to ask people to give their views, but you often get such silly responses when you do that. I’m of the view that the best way to find out things is to ask people directly, so that’s what we’ll do.

Marcus: Okay, but that will take longer. We’ll probably even have to do some of the work at home.

Ella: No, I don’t think so, as long as we stay back at work for some after-hours meetings.

Marcus: Well, that’s better than coming in early. No one functions well in the morning. Also, the final report will need at least two appendices.

Ella: Not only that, we’ll have to attach a small booklet to the end, containing printouts of the relevant parts from all the foreign websites we accessed.

Marcus: That will take even more time. Are you sure we can meet this deadline?

Ella: Yep, I’ve worked it all out, and I’m confident we can do it. Phase 1 should be finished by the 5th, leaving Phase 2 to begin about the 8th or 9th. Now, there’s a public holiday on the 10th, meaning that everything should be able to be submitted on the 15th , and after that, we can relax, and celebrate on the 25th when the Design Division gives us approval to go ahead.

Marcus: Hah, you’re assuming that the Design Division will approve this, and that’s not guaranteed at all.

Ella: Oh come on Marcus, be positive. You know this should be approved—in fact, I’m even planning the celebration when this is all over.

Marcus: Oh yeah, what’s on the agenda, then?

Ella: Well, we definitely don’t want a party in the office, do we? We’ll want to get away from this place, and we’re all too busy with our own lives and families to find a mutual time free for a dinner party, so I thought we’d just buy some nice expensive gifts for everyone who participated. We can just give these to the people here in the office.

Marcus: That sounds fine to me, but make sure they’re not too expensive. The Budget Department will never approve the cost.

Ella: Don’t worry; I know how much I can get away with.

Marcus: Alright. I’ll leave that with you.

SECTION 2

You will hear a maintenance worker talking to a university officer about some recent storm damage to the main building.

Worker: Hello there. I was asked to tell you about the extent of the damage to the main building, caused by the recent storm.

Officer: Oh, that’s right. I take it that most of the damage is just to the main building?

Worker: It is indeed, since the building is so old. However, luckily, the damage is minor, and all of it can be fixed in one day, given that we have five people in our team.

Officer: What will you be doing first? I understand you start at 8 in the morning.

Worker: That’s right, and we were going to remove the fallen tree, but we’ve been told there are exams that morning, and I’m sure the sound of those saws and other heavy equipment will disturb all the students, so instead we’ll fix that leaky roof. That’s a four-hour job, since it involves substantial repair, not like fixing broken windows, which can be done quite quickly.

Officer: So you’ll fix the broken window after that, from midday?

Worker: We could do that, but since we’ll be working in the ceiling, it’s more logical to get rid of those birds’ nests there. It’s a small job but will require crawling inside the ceiling cavity, which is not an easy exercise, so that will take about an hour. But this is good, since by that time the exams should be over, and we can address that tree which has been blown over, after our one-hour lunch break of course. It will be quite noisy dealing with that, but it will be finished by three o’clock. Some of our staff will then leave to fix things on another site — an office nearby needs a new window — but two of us, including myself, will remain here to paint over that discoloured patch of wall in your office.

Officer: Oh good, it looks so horrible at the moment.

Worker: Well, we’ll certainly make it look good once again, and in the last hour of our working day, we’ll fix up that problem with the wiring. Apparently the power doesn’t go to one of the classrooms. Probably some water has gotten into the fuse box, so we’ll just change a few wires, and clean up the moisture, and it should be fine.

Officer: I certainly appreciate all the effort you and your team are taking to fix things here, but I do have one request.

Worker: And what is that?

Officer: You said you’re going to paint the back wall in my office. Will it be the same colour as before?

Worker: Yes, we’ll make it a nice white colour.

Officer: Well that’s the point. I’d prefer it to be yellow, to match the furniture. The furniture is orange, actually, but I think yellow is a nice match. Can you do that?

Worker: We can certainly do that. Yellow it is. Certainly a prettier colour than just plain white, or the blue in my kitchen at home for that matter. And we can leave the paint can with you, in case you need to do some touch-ups, or if the stain reappears. I’ll just leave it in the garden shed, the one next to the main classroom. And incidentally, about those birds in the ceiling. I was just investigating, and I heard the chirping of little baby birds in there, so there must be some young ones in a nest. I just thought you’d like to know that we can give them to a wildlife reserve. There’s one in the next suburb, so that should not be too much trouble.

Officer: Or you could give them to one of our teachers. I have a colleague who can raise them.

Worker: I would say the wildlife reserve is a better option, since the people there are used to dealing with animals, and as for that fallen tree, we’ll cut it up into small pieces and that can be firewood in my house, so that won’t be wasted either—although the smoke will cause some pollution, but I have a special licence for my fireplace, so no one can object to that. I’ve noticed also that the university has a garden bin, for the smaller items — leaves and sticks and bark, and so on, so we can dispose of material in that, also. You do have some waste piles out the back, but a proper garden bin means that the material will be recycled, and that’s better for the environment, so you can rest assured we will use that.

SECTION 3

You will hear three students, Steve, David, and Susan, discussing the different courses they attend.

Susan: Well gentlemen, we’ve almost finished our second semester at this university. What do you think of all the courses we attend?

David: On the whole, I’d say they’re quite good, apart from Social History, which I find to be a little too inexact.

Steve: Yes, the lecturer’s style is also very very dull.

Susan: I certainly agree with you there, although I would say that the textbook is more interesting. ‘Welfare State’. The subtitle says, ‘An examination of social development in the 20th century.’

David: Yes, ‘Welfare State’ is a good book, but look how many pages it has. 458!

Steve: I agree. It’s just too long to be easily read. Far too long, although it’s certainly well written in parts.

David: Yes, and if you compare it to the textbook for Cultural Studies—what’s it called?

Susan: ‘Inner Views’, I think.

David: No, that’s the book for Media Studies, and we finished that subject last semester. The book you’re thinking of is ‘In Perspective’.

Susan: Sorry, you’re right. ‘In Perspective’. And the subtitle says, ‘A comparison of social groups.’ Somewhat interesting, wouldn’t you say?

David: Well, mildly so, as is the subject, dealing as it does with such a wide variety of issues, but the book itself certainly oversimplifies a very complex subject.

Steve: I agree. I also got annoyed at its constant oversimplification. Life is more complicated than what it suggests.

Susan: Yes, but what you call ‘oversimplifying’ may well be considered ‘clarifying’. Look at this other textbook, ‘Government in Action’. Some may say that it also oversimplifies, but it must do so in order to present a coherent picture of an equally complex subject.

David: ‘Government in Action’? Which subject...?

Susan: It’s the textbook for ‘Political Theory’.

Steve: Oh, I hate politics. That’s why I don’t like the ‘Active Leadership’ subject, either. And most of the stuff in that ‘Political Theory’ textbook is based on the American system. You see, it’s written by Americans, so it’s not even relevant to us here.

David: I’d agree with you there — it’s not relevant to us at all, since our government uses the Westminster system.

Susan: Yes, I suppose that is a problem.

Susan: Well, it seems we all have certain criticisms about the textbooks we’re using, but at the same time, we all like some elements, at least, of the subjects we’re studying. What’s your favourite subject, David?

David: I’m not sure. I like Political Theory, but...

Steve: Cultural Studies is by far the best, even better than Political Theory, which I also like, but just not as much.

David: Why do you say that, Steve? I was thinking, perhaps, Social History is worth considering as best.

Steve: Social History is good, but I made my choice because the subject is relevant to this modern society.

David: But so is Social History, and I like the historical element, which the other subjects lack. Even Political Theory examines history only briefly, and in a very narrow way, so I’d say Social History is the most rewarding for me. What about you, Susan?

Susan: I think Social History is certainly very good, but Political Theory is, in fact, the best, since basically, every human system boils down to politics. So, despite a certain irrelevancy in the details, the basic message remains as relevant as ever.

David: Oh Susan, you can’t be serious. Let’s ask Olive, again. She’s over there. Olive! Which subject do you think is the best?

Olive: Ah, a difficult question. I’m very interested in culture, so Cultural Studies is certainly my cup of tea, but I’m politically active also, and hope to pursue this as a career, so Political Theory would be the one I’d pick.

David: I don’t believe it. Even with that irrelevant textbook?

Susan: Don’t listen to him, Olive; you have a right to your own opinion.

SECTION 4

You will hear a lecturer talking about the movement of population towards cities.

If you consider the farms of old — the type your father or grandfather grew up on, they were small and labour-intensive, requiring lots of workers. In addition, they often had a diversity of products, be that animal or vegetable — say, cows and sheep, or oranges and lemons, with some peaches, and a few chickens on the side, for the production of eggs. The many workers involved raised their families, who needed products and support services, such as medical clinics and schools, so the small country towns had mercantile activity, store fronts, and community participation, with all ages present and a distinct town culture.

And how it has changed! Travel to any small country town in virtually any developed country, and you will often see that these places arc now somewhat forlorn and deserted, lacking life and vigour. Many of the residents have long since moved towards the big cities, so the country areas have become depopulated, and their downtowns empty. This phenomenon is so predictable and widespread that it even has a name - rural flight, or rural exodus -and it has produced some fairly predictable problems.

As for the causes of rural exodus, the most obvious is the industrialisation of agriculture. This comes in two aspects, one of them being monocultural farming practices. What this means is that it is now more efficient to have one product, and focus on its needs almost exclusively. So, for example, animal husbandry will usually involve a single type of animal, say pigs, but with huge factory farming techniques, or, in other words, the second aspect: economies of scale. This means instead of 200 pigs, there’ll be 2000, tightly fitted into small pens or cages, with high density waste disposal and automatic feeding systems. Yet despite this huge size, it can all be controlled by just a dozen farm workers pushing the right button. You might not like it, but in a competitive market, the cheaper the overheads, the better, and one can’t argue with market economics. It’s simply the way of the modern world, and it has changed the face of rural districts, mostly for the worst.

We can talk at length about the problem of rural exodus, but what about solutions? Well, there is certainly some cause for hope, since many are now feeling the negatives of increasing urbanisation, negatives which the countryside generally does not have. Thus, tourism, for example, is certainly one avenue of revenue and revitalisation. The most important consideration here is that the local residents themselves participate in developing such initiatives and deciding what happens, since outsiders, be they state government or city-based planners, do not fully understand the local settings, the possibilities which may be on offer, or the town culture, since even small rural areas can be highly distinctive from neighbouring ones. For example, the Daylesford area has developed a tourist industry based on the natural springs there, putting forward the angle that this water is relaxing and revitalising for the health. There has been the development of spas, saunas, and small-scale accommodation within its picturesque hillsides.

And another solution is to utilise the predominant local product. This takes advantage of the fact that many city-people are developing a dislike for factory-produced and packaged foodstuffs. They are becoming interested in products that can be sold directly to them, at a cheaper price, while preserving all the freshness from the tree or animal. It is important here that the country area is not only characterised by a specific product, but markets this idea well. For example, many areas of country Victoria have developed widespread grape-growing and winemaking facilities, and encourage wine tasting tourism—now a thriving industry, with an international patronage. Similarly, Harcourt is famous for apples, Shepparton for mature cheeses, and Mildura for its citrus products. Such strategies, done well, give hope that rural areas can revitalise somewhat, and once again be lively and interesting places to live in.

IELTS Recent Mock Tests Volume 6

Part 1: Question 1 - 10

Part 2: Question 11 - 20

Part 3: Question 21 - 30

Part 4: Question 31 - 40

Tips for improving your ielts score

THE READING TIPS FOR IELTS

Questions 1-5

Basic Details of Project

Questions 6-10

Questions 11-15

Questions 16-20

Additional Details Concerning Repairs

Questions 21-26

Questions 27-30

Questions 31-32

Questions 33-35

Questions 36-40

SECTION 1

SECTION 2

SECTION 3

SECTION 4

Comments:

About us

Our mission

IELTS Recent Mock Tests Volume 6

Part 1: Question 1 - 10

Part 2: Question 11 - 20

Part 3: Question 21 - 30

Part 4: Question 31 - 40

Share your score

Tips for improving your ielts score

THE READING TIPS FOR IELTS

Questions 1-5

Basic Details of Project

Questions 6-10

Questions 11-15

Questions 16-20

Additional Details Concerning Repairs

Questions 21-26

Questions 27-30

Questions 31-32

Questions 33-35

Questions 36-40

SECTION 1

SECTION 2

SECTION 3

SECTION 4

Comments:

About us

Our mission