Master IELTS General Training Volume 3

Published on: 13 Feb 2019
Tests taken: 300,525

Answer Keys:

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Part 1: Question 1 - 10

1 9 and 12 / nine and twelve
2 tax
3 Fernsby
4 15(th) October / 15th of October
5 WC2D 5JB

6 879456
7 15
8 Avenue
9 the (nice) park
10 30 minutes

Part 2: Question 11 - 20

11 B
12 C
13 C
14 B
15 conversation

16 learning experience
17 responsible
18 organic
19 sick animals
20 understanding

Part 3: Question 21 - 30

21 A
22 C
23 B
24 25 C,F
26 £2400 / 2400 pounds

27 (certain) budget
28 firm offer
29 university website
30 how to apply

Part 4: Question 31 - 40

31 operated
32 1.4
33 expansion
34 6400
35 inspiration

36 Bombay
37 rail(way) systems
38 collapse
39 capital value/high
40 coaches

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Part 1: Questions 1-10

Questions 1-6

Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

Hotel Information
*Example answer:* Name of accommodation: __Carlton Hotel__ Length of stay: 3 nights Ages of children: 1 Rooms available: Two en-suites at £270 Price inclusive of: 2 Payment method: credit card Name: Michael 3 Date of birth: 4 1968 Address: 273, Stanton Court, London. Post code: 5 Telephone: 08773 6

1 Answer: 9 and 12 / nine and twelve

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q1 must be “ages of children”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a number.
The man has two children. One is 9 years old and one is 12 years old. Therefore, the answer for Q1 must be “9 and 12/nine and twelve”.

Note: Some students may mistakenly believe that the answer must be 9 and 11. In the conversation, the man wrongly tells the woman that his children are 9 and 11. He quickly realizes that he was wrong and corrects himself right away. Therefore, “9 and 11” is an incorrect answer.

2 Answer: tax

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q2 must be “price inclusive of”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun or a noun phrase.
According to the woman, the price of £270 already includes tax. Therefore, the answer for Q2 must be “tax”.

3 Answer: Fernsby

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q3 must be “name”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a name.
The man’s full name is Michael Fernsby. As the question only asks for his last name, the answer for Q3 must be “Fernsby”.

4 Answer: 15(th) October / 15th of October

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q4 must be “date of birth”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a date.
The man was born on Oct 15th, 1968. As “1968” is already written on the note, the answer for Q4 must be “15(th) October/15th of October”.

Note: Some students may mistakenly believe that the man was born on Oct 5th, 1968. In fact, the woman misheard him when he told her his date of birth. Therefore, “15(th) October/15th of October” is the correct answer.

5 Answer: WC2D 5JB

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q5 must be “post code”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a code.
According to the man, his post code is WC2D 5JB. Therefore, the answer for Q5 must be “WC2D 5JB”.

6 Answer: 879456

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q6 must be “telephone”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be numbers.
The man’s mobile number is 08773 879456. As “08773” is already written on the note, the answer for Q6 must be “879456”.

Questions 7-10

Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

Transport Options
Mode of Transport	Cost	Arrangements	Travel time to town
Taxi	Approximately £ 7	Pick up from the hotel	10 minutes
Bus	£2 per person	Walk down Oak Tree 8	15 minutes
Walking		Walk through 9	10

7 Answer: 15

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q7 must be “taxi” and “cost”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a number.
According to the woman, the taxi fare is approximately 15 pounds, not 12 pounds as the fares have increased. Therefore, the answer for Q7 must be “15”.

8 Answer: Avenue

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q8 must be “bus” and “Oak Tree”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun.
From the woman’s direction, we are fully aware that Oak Tree is an Avenue. Therefore, the answer for Q8 must be “Avenue”.

9 Answer: the (nice) park

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q9 must be “walking” and “walk through”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun or a noun phrase.
The woman suggests the man that he should walk through the nice park as it is popular with visitors to York. Therefore, the answer for Q9 must be “the (nice) park”.

10 Answer: 30 minutes

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q10 must be “walking” and “travel time to town”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a period of time.
In case the man wants to walk, it shall take him 30 minutes to reach the centre of town. Therefore, the answer for Q10 must be “30 minutes”.

Part 1

Part 2: Questions 11-20

Questions 11-14

Choose the correct letter A, B or C.

The company expanded in

A 2000
B 2007
C 2014

Answer: B

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q11 must be “company” and “expanded”.
In 2007, Time Abroad and PT Travel joined together. In other words, the company expanded in 2007. Therefore, the answer for Q11 must be “B”.

The number of permanent staff is

A 75
B 90
C 150

Answer: C

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q12 must be “number” and “permanent staff”.
According to the speaker, the company has around 150 permanent staff. Therefore, the answer for Q12 must be “C”.

Most volunteers join the program

A in Winter
B in July
C when it is best for them

Answer: C

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q13 must be “most volunteers” and “join the program”.
According to the speaker, the joining date of volunteers varies a lot. Some join in July, while some join in the winter. Overall, the majority of volunteers join when they think that it is best for them. Therefore, the answer for Q13 must be “C”.

Time Abroad receives all its income from

A partner organisations
B volunteers
C the government

Answer: B

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q14 must be “Time Abroad” and “income”.
As a matter of fact, Time Abroad receives 100% of its income from contributions of volunteers. Therefore, the answer for Q14 must be “B”.

Note: Some students may mistakenly believe that Time Abroad receives all its income from partner organizations or the government. Firstly, the speaker confirms that Time Abroad doesn’t earn any money from its partner organizations. Therefore, option A is incorrect. Secondly, Time Abroad only gets help from the government, not financial contributions. Therefore, option C is incorrect.

Questions 15-20

Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

Volunteering Opportunity	Activity	Benefits
English Teaching	Helping with English 15	Significantly improve the 16 of many children and adults
Agriculture and Farming	Promoting sustainable and 17 farming	- Promote 18 farming methods - educate local communities
Veterinary Medicine	- Helping the vet with 19 - Joining the vet on home visits	- Amazing insights into the country - See a lot of fascinating animals - Gain a greater 20 of the difficulties in the country

15 Answer: conversation

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q15 must be “English teaching” and “helping with English”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun.
As local teachers are not good at intonation or pronunciation, the volunteers shall assist them with English conversation. Therefore, the answer for Q15 must be “conversation”.

16 Answer: learning experience

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q16 must be “English teaching”, “improve” and “children and adults”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun or a noun phrase.
According to the speaker, through helping with English conversation, volunteers can improve the learning experience of children and adults. Therefore, the answer for Q16 must be “learning experience”.

17 Answer: responsible

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q17 must be “agriculture and farming”, “promote”, “sustainable” and “farming”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be an adjective.
In agriculture and farming, volunteers can work on a farm to promote sustainable local food sources and responsible farming. As “sustainable” is already written on the table, the answer for Q17 must be “responsible”.

18 Answer: organic

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q18 must be “agriculture and farming”, “promote” and “farming methods”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be an adjective.
Besides educating local communities, Time Abroad’s agriculture and farming projects also concentrate on promoting organic farming practices. Therefore, the answer for Q18 must be “organic”.

19 Answer: sick animals

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q19 must be “veterinary medicine” and “helping the vet”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun or a noun phrase.
In veterinary medicine, volunteers can help the vet with sick animals or join the vet on his/her visits to people’s houses or other places. As “joining the vet on home visits” is already written on the table, the answer for Q19 must be “sick animals”.

20 Answer: understanding

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q20 must be “veterinary medicine” and “difficulties in the country”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun or a noun phrase.
Besides the benefits stated on the table, volunteers in veterinary medicine can also develop a better understanding of the problems people are faced with in various areas of the third world. In other words, volunteers can gain a greater understanding of the difficulties in the country. Therefore, the answer for Q20 must be “understanding”.

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Part 2

Part 3: Questions 21-30

Questions 21-23

Choose the correct letter A, B or C.

How long did Louise work at a radio station?

A 2 years
B 4 years
C 6 years

Answer: A

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q21 must be “how long”, “Louise” and “work at radio station”.
Louise states that she has worked at a local radio station for 2 years. Therefore, the answer for Q21 must be “A”.

Note: Some students may mistakenly believe that option B and option C are correct answers. Firstly, Louise has worked at a TV station for 4 years, not the radio station. Therefore, option B is incorrect. In total, she has worked in media for 6 years. Thus, option C is also incorrect.

Why does Louise want to do a Masters?

A To get a promotion in her current job
B To go into TV
C Employers like post-graduate qualifications

Answer: C

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q22 must be “why”, “Louise” and “Masters”.
Louise wants to do a Masters because she thinks that employers shall prefer people with postgraduate qualifications. Therefore, the answer for Q22 must be “C”.

Note: Some students may mistakenly believe that option A and option B are correct answers. Firstly, Louise does feel that promotion opportunities are limited, but she believes that a Masters will not help with this. Therefore, option A is incorrect. Secondly, Louise states that she may go into TV. However, she never says that going into TV is the reason why she wants to do a Masters. Thus, option B is also incorrect.

How long will it take to do the Masters part-time rather than the modular route?

A 18 months
B 3 years
C 4 years

Answer: B

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q23 must be “how long”, “Masters”, “part-time” and “modular route”.
According to Mark, if Louise does the Masters part-time, it shall take her 3 years to complete the course. Therefore, the answer for Q23 must be “B”.

Questions 24-25

Choose TWO letters from A-F.

Which TWO things must Louise have to join the course?

A A bachelor's degree
B Work experience
C Either a bachelor's degree or work experience
D Research experience
E A completed thesis
F Motivation

24-25 Answer: C,F

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q24 must be “things”, “must have’ and “join the course”.
According to Mark, Louise must either hold a bachelor’s degree or work experience to join the course. Therefore, the answer for Q24 must be “C”. The answer cannot be A and B since they do not hold sufficient information.

The keywords concerned in Q25 must be “things”, “must have’ and “join the course”.
Apart from a bachelor’s degree or work experience, Louise must have motivation as the course is very demanding. Therefore, the answer for Q25 must be “F”.

Note: Option D is an incorrect answer as research experience is optional. Option E is obviously incorrect as a completed thesis is never stated as a requirement for joining the course.

Questions 26-30

Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

Fees and Funding
The fees are 26 per year to do the course part-time. The university has a 27 it can use to fund the most suitable students. You must have a 28 in place before you can get any funding. The details on funding can be found on the 29 . That will also have information on eligibility, help available, and 30 .

26 Answer: £2400 / 2400 pounds

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q26 must be “fees”, “per year” and “part-time”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a number.
If Louise does the course part-time, she has to pay £2400, not £2250 as the fees have increased this year. Therefore, the answer for Q26 must be “£2400/2400 pounds”.

27 Answer: (certain) budget

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q27 must be “university”, “fund” and “most suitable students”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun or a noun phrase.
Best and suitable students shall receive funding from the university’s certain budget. Therefore, the answer for Q27 must be “(certain) budget”.

28 Answer: firm offer

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q28 must be “must have” and “before funding”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun or a noun phrase.
According to Mark, before getting any funding, Louise shall have to have a firm offer in place. Therefore, the answer for Q28 must be “firm offer”.

29 Answer: university website

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q29 must be “funding details” and “found on”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun or a noun phrase.
Mark suggests Louise to get access to the university website to find out more about the funding. Therefore, the answer for Q29 must be “university website”.

30 Answer: how to apply

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q30 must be “eligibility” and “help available”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a phrase.
On the university website, people can find details about eligibility, available help and how to apply. Therefore, the answer for Q30 must be “how to apply”.

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Part 3

Part 4: Questions 31-40

Questions 31-35

Complete the sentences below.

Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer

Indian Railways is owned and 31 by the government of India.

There are more than 32 million people working for Indian Railways

The 33 of the railways from 1857 occurred under Robert Maitland Brereton.

The joining of the East Indian Railway with the Great Indian Peninsula Railway led to a network of 34 kilometres.

The route from Bombay to Calcutta, opened in 1870, was an 35 for the book Around the World in 80 days.

31 Answer: operated

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q31 must be “Indian Railways”, “owned” and “government of India”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a verb.
As Indian Railways is an Indian state-owned enterprise, it was owned and operated by the Government of India. Therefore, the answer for Q31 must be “operated”.

32 Answer: 1.4

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q32 must be “more than”, “million people”, “working” and “Indian Railways”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a number.
According to the speaker, Indian Railways has over 1.4 million employees. Therefore, the answer for Q32 must be “1.4”.

Note: Some students may mistakenly believe that “25 million” is the correct answer. However, 25 million is the number of daily passengers that Indian Railways transports. Therefore, “25 million” is an incorrect answer.

33 Answer: expansion

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q33 must be “railways”, “1857” and “Robert Maitland Brereton”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun or a noun phrase.
According to the speaker, the expansion of the railways from 1857 occurred under Robert Maitland Brereton. Therefore, the answer for Q33 must be “expansion”.

34 Answer: 6400

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q34 must be “joining”, “East Indian Railway”, “Great Indian Peninsula Railway”, “network” and “kilometres”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a number.
Brereton linked the East Indian Railway with the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, which resulted in a network of 6400 kilometres. Therefore, the answer for Q34 must be “6400”.

35 Answer: inspiration

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q35 must be “Bombay to Calcutta”, “1870” and “Around the World in 80 days”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun or a noun phrase.
The route from Bombay to Calcutta was officially opened in 1870 and was part of the inspiration for the book Around the World in 80 days. Therefore, the answer for Q35 must be “inspiration”.

Questions 36-40

Complete the table below.

Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer

Period	Situation
1875-1899	The network radiated inward from 36 , Madras, and Calcutta.
1900-1906	It was not long before various independent kingdoms had their own 37 .
1907-1919	When the war finished the railways were suffering from disrepair and 38 .
1920-1938	Between 1920 and 1929, the railways had a 39 of around £687 million.
1939-1946	The rolling stock that was moved to the Middle East included locomotives and 40 .

36 Answer: Bombay

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q36 must be “1875-1899”, “network radiated inward”, “Madras” and “Calcutta”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a place.
According to the speaker, by 1880, the network mostly radiated inward from Bombay, Madras and Calcutta. As “Madras” and “Calcutta” are already written on the table, the answer for Q36 must be “Bombay”.

37 Answer: rail(way) systems

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q37 must be “1900-1906”, “not long”, “various independent kingdoms” and “own”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun or a noun phrase.
According to the speaker, from 1900, the network spread to modern day states and soon many independent kingdoms began to have their own rail systems. Therefore, the answer for Q37 must be “rail(way) systems”.

38 Answer: collapse

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q38 must be “1907-1919”, “the war finished” and “disrepair”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun or a noun phrase.
After World War I, the railways were in a state of disrepair and collapse. Therefore, the answer for Q38 must be “collapse”.

39 Answer: capital value/high

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q39 must be “1920-1938”, “between 1920 and 1929”, “railways” and “around £687 million”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun or a noun phrase.
From the speech, we are aware that £687 million was the capital value of the railways. Therefore, the answer for Q39 must be “capital value”.

40 Answer: coaches

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q40 must be “1939-1946”, “rolling stock”, “Middle East” and “locomotives”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun or a noun phrase.
From 1939, 40% of the rolling stock including locomotives and coaches was moved to the Middle East. Therefore, the answer for Q40 must be “coaches”.

Part 4

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SECTION 1

MAN: Hi, good afternoon.

WOMAN: Hi, welcome to the Carlton Hotel. How can I help you?

MAN: We’ve just driven up from London and we’re going to stay here in York for a few days. We’d like to book a couple of rooms.

WOMAN: Ok, sir. So for how many nights is that?

MAN: We’ll be leaving on Monday morning. So, let me see, that’s…3 nights.

WOMAN: And you said two rooms. Who are the rooms for?

MAN: I’m here with my wife and two kids. They are 9 and 11. Sorry, 9 and 12. The eldest has just had his birthday. So we’d like one twin room for the kids and another double for my wife and I.

WOMAN: Ok, well, we’ve got two rooms available, both en-suite.

MAN: Great. How much are they per night?

WOMAN: Let me see…the twin room is…40 pounds per night, and the double room is…50 pounds per night.

MAN: Ok, that sounds reasonable. So what is the total for 3 nights for both rooms?

WOMAN: Let me check…that will be a total of 270 pounds.

MAN: And that includes everything?

WOMAN: Yes, that price includes tax.

MAN: Ok, can I pay by credit card?

WOMAN: Yes, sure. You’ll need to pay for the first night now, and you can pay for the other nights when you leave. Or you can pay for all the three nights now.

MAN: I think I’ll just pay for everything now as we’ll definitely be here till Monday.

WOMAN: Ok, that’s fine. I’ll just need to take some details from you to confirm the booking. Can you give me your full name?

MAN: Yes, it’s Michael Fernsby. That’s…F-E-R-N-S-B-Y.

WOMAN: What’s your date of birth please?

MAN: The 15th of October, 1968.

WOMAN: The 5th of October, 1968?

MAN: No, the 15th.

WOMAN: Oh, ok, sorry. And can you give me your address?

MAN: Sure. It’s 273, Stanton Court. That’s S-T-A-N-T-O-N. London, WC2D, 5JB.

WOMAN: WC2D 5JB?

MAN: Yes, that’s right.

WOMAN: And your telephone number?

MAN: My mobile number is...hold on, just let me check, I can never remember it…here it is…it’s 08773 879456.

WOMAN: Ok. Those rooms are booked for you then.

MAN: Ok, I know we’re a bit out of town here. Can you give me some information about getting into the centre of town. We’ll probably head in tomorrow.

WOMAN: Well, you could drive in, but the parking is not great in town. It’s difficult to get a space and is quite expensive if you are staying there all day.

MAN: Yes, we’re thinking of going to look around some of the shops and to look at the wall around the city, so we’ll probably be there most of the day.

WOMAN: In that case you are probably best taking a taxi or the bus.

MAN: How much is a taxi?

WOMAN: Into town it will be about 12 pounds. Actually, no I’d say it’s around 15 pounds - fares have increased recently. We can book it here for you and it will pick you up outside. It only takes about 10 minutes.

MAN: Right, I see. What about the bus? How much is that and where does it go from?

WOMAN: It’s only 2 pounds per person. It’s not far from here. You go out of here, turn right on to Oak Tree Avenue, and it’s about a five minute walk down the road. You can’t miss it. The bus ride is about 15 minutes.

MAN: Oh, ok. Maybe we could do that.

WOMAN: Or you could walk actually if you like walking. Part of the way you can walk through the nice park which is fairly popular with visitors to York. It’s about 30 minutes but it’s quite pleasant.

MAN: Right, well there’s a few options there. We’ll have a think about it. I’ll go and get my wife and kids. They are just waiting in the car.

WOMAN: Ok, no problem. Thanks for booking with us.

SECTION 2

Ok everyone, thanks for coming today and for your interest in volunteering abroad. For those that don’t know much about our company, Time Abroad, let me start by telling you a bit more.

Time Abroad is one of the largest volunteer abroad organizations in the UK. The company was founded in 2000. In 2007, the company grew by joining with another company, PT Travel, making us even larger. In 2014 we sent 10,000 people abroad on a variety of service projects and internships overseas, more than any other company. All participants receive the best support from our full-time, professional staff to ensure that the experience is safe, worthwhile and fun.

We have lots of very experienced staff working for us. We have around 150 fulltime staff members, many of whom are former volunteers themselves inspired by their own experience. Some of these people are even part of the original groups of volunteers back in the early 90s. About 75 of those staff are not located in the UK at all, and spend their whole time in another country supporting the volunteers. They are experts on the local communities you are working in, having spent their whole lives there. They have vast experience in fields such as community development or education.

The times that volunteers join the program vary a lot. Some join in July because they have just finished studying at college or university and want to do some volunteering before they move onto work or further study. The winter months are also popular because people want to escape the cold weather in the UK. But there are no set start dates and programs run continuously throughout the year, so the majority of volunteers start when it is best for them.

Time Abroad is an entirely independent organization which does not receive any funding from religious bodies, political parties, development organizations, or other sources. And of course, we don’t request money from our partner organizations in the developing world. All our work is 100% funded through your contributions as a volunteer. We do get help from the government, but that is from reduced business taxes, not financial contributions. It is this financial independence that gives us the freedom to set up projects wherever we think it may be useful and where we think that our volunteers can make a valuable contribution.

Now I’m going to tell you about some of the more popular opportunities in a bit more detail. One of the most popular volunteering choices is teaching. You’ll find a warm welcome awaits you from our students around the world. The main thing you will do is assisting with English conversation because although the local teachers are very capable of teaching the structural aspects of the English language - such as the grammar – they do not use the correct intonation or pronunciation, because they lack the confidence of a native speaker. By providing conversational English teaching, you can greatly enhance the learning experience of thousands of children and adults with whom we work in the developing world.

You can also volunteer in agriculture and farming. Access to safe and healthy food is a major concern of any society. Volunteers work on a farm with the aim of promoting sustainable local food sources and responsible farming. Using pesticides and other destructive agricultural techniques can have a long-term negative impact on the environment and threaten the future well-being of whole regions. Time Abroad’s agriculture & farming projects focus on organic farming practices and educating local communities on their benefits.

You could also volunteer in the field of veterinary medicine. If you do this you will be working alongside a vet in a local veterinary practice. You will help the vet when people bring in sick animals or join the vet on visits to people’s houses or other places. You will gain fantastic insight that would not be possible in your own country. You are likely to see many exciting types of animals like snakes, big cats or even elephants! And you will develop a better understanding of the problems people are faced with in both urban and rural areas of the third world.

So, I hope that has helped you to learn a bit more about Time Abroad. Does anybody have any questions?

SECTION 3

LOUISE: I’m looking for some advice about doing a Master’s Degree in Media Studies. Am I at the right place?

MARK: Yes, my name’s Mark, I’m head of the Media Studies course. Nice to meet you, and you are…

LOUISE: I’m Louise, nice to meet you too.

MARK: So how can I help you?

LOUISE: Well I’ve seen the prospectus for the course but I’m still a bit confused about a few things and about some of the options for studying.

MARK: What’s your situation at the moment? Are you working?

LOUISE: Yes, I’ve been working as a journalist for a local newspaper for the last 3 months. Prior to that I had two jobs in the media – at a small local radio station for about 2 years and at a TV station for about 4 years. So I’ve worked in media for about six years in total.

MARK: Ok well that’s useful if you want to do the course. What is your motivation to do further study?

LOUISE: I enjoy my job a lot at the moment but I feel the opportunities for promotion are quite limited. It’s not that I think a masters will help with this though. I’ll probably leave my job, maybe to go into TV or something, but basically I think wherever I end up going in the future, employers prefer to see someone with post-graduate qualifications these days.

MARK: And are you intending to study full-time?

LOUISE: Well I’d really like to keep working as I need an income. What are the options for me if I want to work whilst studying?

MARK: You could do certain modules over a number of years you like. It’s up to you how many you do. Basically you get credits for the ones you complete. People usually do the Masters in anything from 18 months up until 4 years. It depends on your time. If you wanted a fixed schedule and attendance and did it part time then that would be a total of 3 years.

LOUISE: So what is the admission criteria to join the course?

MARK: Well there are a few things that are useful but not essential, but there are some requirements. Usually to join a Masters people must have a bachelor’s degree, but we are prepared to overlook this if someone has enough work experience. But you must have one or the other. It’s useful if you have research experience as you have to complete a thesis but we can train you on this if not. It’s essential that you have motivation if you want to join the course as it is very demanding.

LOUISE: What about the costs for the course?

MARK: The fees for a year if you are studying part-time are £2250. No sorry, they have gone up this year – £2400. Of course you are paying for all other living costs.

LOUISE: Is there any kind of bursary or scholarship available to help with the fees?

MARK: Yes there are things available but you have to meet the criteria to get funding. Often though the university will actually contact you about funding. Universities have a certain budget available to provide funds so they will look for the best students and offer them something if they think they will be suitable. You would have to have a firm offer in place to join the course though before you’d be considered for any funding.

LOUISE: Where can I go to find out more about it?

MARK: The best place to look for information about funding is on our university website. All the details about whether you’re eligible, what help is on offer, and how to apply will be there. If you can’t find the information you’re looking for, you can always come and speak to us again and there will be a number you can ring.

LOUISE: Ok thanks for that. And is it easy to get hold of you if I need to speak to you further?

MARK: Yes, I’m here most days, but you can always phone the office first to check. It’s best to book an appointment in case I’m not around.

SECTION 4

In today’s lecture, we are going to be talking about the history of Indian railways, from when they began, up until 1945 when they had all been taken over by the government.

Indian Railways is an Indian state-owned enterprise, owned and operated by the Government of India through the Ministry of Railways. It is one of the world's largest railway networks comprising 115,000 km of track over a route of 65,000 km and there are 7,500 stations. It transports over 25 million passengers daily, which is over 9 billion on an annual basis. Indian Railways is the world's ninth largest commercial or utility employer, by number of employees, with over 1.4 million employees.

The history of rail transport in India began in the mid-nineteenth century. The core of the pressure for building railways in India came from London. In 1848, there was not a single kilometre of railway line in India. A British engineer, Robert Maitland Brereton, was responsible for the expansion of the railways from 1857 onwards. The Allahabad-Jabalpur branch line of the East Indian Railway had been opened in June 1867. Brereton was responsible for linking this with the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, resulting in a combined network of 6,400 km. Hence it became possible to travel directly from Bombay to Calcutta. This route was officially opened on 7 March 1870 and it was part of the inspiration for French writer Jules Verne's book Around the World in Eighty Days. At the opening ceremony, the Viceroy Lord Mayo concluded that, if possible, at the earliest possible moment, the whole country should be covered with a network of lines in a uniform system.

By 1875, about £95 million were invested by British companies in Indian railways. By 1880 the network had a route mileage of about 14,500 km, mostly radiating inward from the three major port cities of Bombay, Madras and Calcutta. By 1895, India had started building its own locomotives, and in 1896 sent engineers and locomotives to help build the Uganda Railways.

In 1900, the Great Indian Peninsula Railway became a government owned company. The network spread to the modern day states of Assam, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh and soon various autonomous kingdoms began to have their own rail systems. In 1905, an early Railway Board was constituted, but the powers were formally vested under Lord Curzon, the then Viceroy of India. It served under the Department of Commerce and Industry and had a government railway official serving as chairman, a railway manager from England and an agent of one of the company railways as the other two members. For the first time in its history, the Railways began to make a profit.

In 1907 almost all the rail companies were taken over by the government. The following year, the first electric locomotive made its appearance. With the arrival of World War I, the railways were used to meet the needs of the British outside India, but with the end of the war, the railways were in a state of disrepair and collapse.

In 1920, with the network having expanded to 61,220 km, a need for central management was mooted by Sir William Acworth, a British railway economist. Based on the East India Railway Committee chaired by Acworth, the government took over the management of the Railways and detached the finances of the Railways from other governmental revenues.

The period between 1920 and 1929 was a period of economic boom; there were 66,000 km of railway lines serving the country; the railways represented a capital value of some 687 million sterling; and they carried over 620 million passengers and approximately 90 million tons of goods each year. Following the Great Depression, the railways suffered economically for the next eight years and the Second World War severely crippled the railways. Starting 1939, about 40% of the rolling stock including locomotives and coaches was taken to the Middle East, the railways workshops were converted to ammunitions workshops and many railway tracks were dismantled to help the Allies in the war. By 1946 all rail systems had been taken over by the government.

NEW

Master IELTS General Training Volume 3

Part 1: Question 1 - 10

Part 2: Question 11 - 20

Part 3: Question 21 - 30

Part 4: Question 31 - 40

Questions 1-6

Hotel Information

Questions 7-10

Transport Options

Questions 11-14

Questions 15-20

Questions 21-23

Questions 24-25

Questions 26-30

Fees and Funding

Questions 31-35

Questions 36-40

SECTION 1

SECTION 2

SECTION 3

SECTION 4

Comments:

About us

Our mission

NEW

Master IELTS General Training Volume 3

Part 1: Question 1 - 10

Part 2: Question 11 - 20

Part 3: Question 21 - 30

Part 4: Question 31 - 40

Share your score

Questions 1-6

Hotel Information

Questions 7-10

Transport Options

Questions 11-14

Questions 15-20

Questions 21-23

Questions 24-25

Questions 26-30

Fees and Funding

Questions 31-35

Questions 36-40

SECTION 1

SECTION 2

SECTION 3

SECTION 4

Comments:

About us

Our mission