IELTS Recent Mock Tests Volume 3

Published on: 31 Jan 2018
Tests taken: 1,144,949

Answer Keys:

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Part 1: Question 1 - 10

1 receptionist
2 (quality) customer
3 early mornings
4 training
5 driver

6 flexible
7 grocery shopping
8 weekends
9 cinema
10 bookings

Part 2: Question 11 - 20

11 C
12 B
13 A
14 A
15 registration office

16 (own) records
17 identity
18 acknowledgement
19 interview
20 decision

Part 3: Question 21 - 30

21 A
22 C
23 B
24 B
25 C

26 A
27 C
28 B
29 A
30 C

Part 4: Question 31 - 40

31 commercial
32 knowledge
33 lines
34 Photography
35 advertise

36 foot
37 objects
38 newspapers
39 packaging
40 mathematics/math/maths

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Review & Explanations:

Part 1: Questions 1-10

Questions 1-10

Complete the notes below.

Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.

JOB ENOUIRY
*Example*	Answer
•Type of job required:	part-time
Position Available	Details
1	Duty: to provide 2 service Working hours: 3 Requirement: receive 4 without pay Day off: one day a week (request in advance)
5	Requirements: clean and valid license six-year experience Working hours: 6 Duty: to take employers to and from work to collect the 7 to pick up the children Day off: 8
Cashier in a 9	Working hours: 17.30-22.30 Duty: to sell and dispense tickets to provide refreshments to take 10 Day off: Mondays

1 Answer: receptionist

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

Note:

the words which lead you to the answer are underlined.
the word/number you must write for the answer is marked.
words which you might wrongly think could be the answer are in italics.

The keyword concerned in Q1 must be “position available”
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun.
The manager’s statement “We have three vacancies at the moment, all involving quite different roles” and Lauren’s question “What are they?” can be seen as a suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
The manager says that “The first one is for a post as a receptionist”. Therefore, the answer for Q1 must be “receptionist”.

2 Answer: (quality) customer

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q2 must be “duty”, “provide” and “service”
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun
As the keywords “provide” and “service” are heard, we can be sure that the answer must be around here.
Since the manager says that “The job will be to mainly provide quality customer service both over the phone and in person”, the answer for Q2 must be “customer”.

Note: In the audio, the manager also claims that “When customers are waiting you will be expected to provide them with refreshments” and the keyword “provide” can be heard in this statement. However, Q2 is about service. For that reason, refreshments is an incorrect answer.

3 Answer: early mornings

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q3 must be “working hours”
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a number or a frequency phrase
Lauren’s question “Do you have any information about the hours involved?” can be seen as a suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
The manager replies that “It says here that you will be expected to work several early mornings, 4 days a week.” Therefore, the answer for Q3 must be “early morning”.

Note: “4 days a week” is another frequency phrase mentioned in the manager’s reply. However NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS are allowed in each question and there is no way of shortening this phrase. Hence, “4 days a week” is not the correct answer.

4 Answer: training

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q4 must be “requirement”, “receive” and “without paid”
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun
As Lauren’s question “Any other requirements?” and parallel expressions “go through”, “unpaid” of keywords “receive”, “without paid” are heard, we can infer that the answer will soon appear.
The manager claims that “Yeah, you’ll have to go through a couple of weeks of unpaid training before qualifying for the post.” Therefore, the answer for Q4 must be “training”.

5 Answer: driver

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q5 must be “position available”
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun
Lauren’s question “Are there any other roles beginning later in the day?” can be seen as the suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
The manager claims that “Yes, there’s an advertisement here for a driver” Therefore, the answer for Q5 must be “driver”.

6 Answer: flexible

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q6 must be “working hours”
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a number, a frequency phrase or an adjective.
As the keyword “working hours” is heard, we can infer that the answer will soon appear.
In the passage, it is stated that “Yep, it says here that working hours are flexible” Therefore, the answer for Q6 must be “flexible”.

Note

Another three frequency phrases mentioned in the passage are “mornings 5 days per week”, “evenings 5 days per week” and “three full working days per week”. However, NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS are allowed in each question and there is no way of shortening these phrases. Moreover, if one of these phrase is filled in the blank, the answer is not completed. Therefore, “flexible” is the more suitable answer.

7 Answer: grocery shopping

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q7 must be “collect”
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun.
Students should use other keywords about driver’s duties in the table “to take employers”, “to and from work” and “to pick up the children” to keep up with the listening and locate the answer correctly
The manager claims that “As well as driving the employers to and from work, they will ask you to perform various duties on their behalf, such as collecting the grocery shopping, and picking their children up from school.” Therefore, the answer for Q7 must be “grocery shopping”.

8 Answer: weekends

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q8 must be “day-off”
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun or a frequency phrase.
Lauren’s question “Do they need me to work a day on the weekend as well?” can be seen as the suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
As the manager replies that “No, it says here that they only require you to work on weekdays, not weekends.” We can infer that Lauren will have day-off on weekends if she takes the driver job. Therefore, the answer for Q8 must be “weekends”.

Note:

Remember that the answer must be in plural form

Weekdays is another frequency phrase mentioned here. However, it is stated that the driver position has to work on weekdays and Q8 is about day-off. Hence “weekdays” is not a correct answer.

9 Answer: cinema

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q9 must be “cashier”
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun or a name of place.
The manager’s statement “there’s only one more left, another customer service-related post.” and the keyword “cashier” can be seen as the suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
The manager states that “it’s a post for a cashier in a cinema in the centre of town.” Therefore, the answer for Q9 must be “cinema”.

10 Answer: bookings

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q10 must be “to take”
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun.
Students should use other keywords about cashier’s duties in the table “to sell and dispense tickets” and “to provide refreshments” to keep up with the listening and locate the answer correctly
The manager claims that “It says that you’ll be required to sell and dispense tickets, and provide refreshments. Also, they ask that you be quick on the computers since you’ll also need to take bookings over the phone,” Therefore, the answer for Q10 must be “bookings”.

Note: Remember that the answer must be in plural form.

Part 1

Part 2: Questions 11-20

Questions 11-14

Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.

The host families will

A earn a big money.
B receive no pay.
C receive stable pay.

Answer: C

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q11 must be “the host families”
Since three options A, B, C of Q11 are all related to the income of the host families, students should listen carefully and concentrate on the host families’ income part in the passage to find out the correct answer.
From the passage, it is inferred that “homestays provide host families with a steady income”. Therefore, the answer for Q11 must be option C.

What is the guest expected to overcome when suffering from culture shock?

A loneliness
B difficulty to make friends
C language barriers

Answer: B

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q12 must be “guests”, “expected to overcome” and “suffering from culture shock”
The keyphrase “suffering from culture shock” can be seen as the suggestion of the answer’s appearance.
In the passage, it is stated that “Connection’s advice for those suffering from culture shock, is to go out and make as many friends as possible, no matter how difficult you may find it.” From this statement, we can infer that the guests should overcome the difficulty of making friends when suffering from the culture shock. Therefore, the answer for Q12 must be option B.

What can the guests do if they want to become familiar with host families?

A talk about personal interests
B clean their rooms
C cook together

Answer: A

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q13 must be “guests” and “become familiar with host families”
As the parallel expression “develop a very close and almost familiar relationship” of the keyphrase “become familiar with host families” is heard, we can infer that the answer will soon appear.
From the passage, it is infer that the guests should discuss their hobbies and other interests with their host families to become familiar with them and overcome any barriers. Therefore, the answer for Q13 must be option A.
Since option B and C are not mentioned in the passage, they are not correct answers.

What’s likely to happen to the guests in the long run?

A They will enhance cultural understanding.
B They will gain overseas experience.
C They will know more people from different countries.

Answer: A

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q14 must be “likely to happen”, “guests” and “long run”
From the passage, it is infer that After the first few weeks, guests will enhance their cultural understanding quickly. Therefore, the answer for Q14 must be option A.

Questions 15-20

Complete the flow-chart below.

Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.

HOW TO APPLY FOR A HOMESTAY

Visit the website and contact the advisor

ↆ

Keep in touch with the 15

ↆ

Provide two photos, one for the host family, and the other for 16

ↆ

Send in some documents to confirm your 17

ↆ

Receive 18 within 7 working days

ↆ

Have a(n) 19 in London

ↆ

Pay the extra fee for a fast-track service

ↆ

Receive a written 20

15 Answer: registration office

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q15 must be “keep in touch”.
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun.
As the parallel expression “remain in close contact with” of the keyphrase “keep in touch” is heard, we can infer that the answer will soon appear.
From the passage, it is inferred that to apply for a homestay, after visiting Connection’s website and contacting advisors, the applicants should remain in close contact with the registration office. Therefore, the answer for Q15 must be registration office.

Note: Students should use the stages of the flowchart to help keep up with the listening and locate the answer correctly.

16 Answer: (own) records

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q16 must be “provide two photos”, “host family” and “other”
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun.
In the passage, it is stated that “Connection will ask applicants to provide two photos, one for the host family, and the other for our own records.” Therefore, the answer for Q16 must be records.

Note: Remember that the answer must be in plural form

17 Answer: identity

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q17 must be “send”, “documents” and “confirm”
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun.
The keyword “send” and “confirm” can be seen as the answer’s appearance
In the passage, it is stated that “after providing two photos, applicants have to send in photocopies of their documents including passport, birth certificate, and a bank statement as confirmation of their identity”. Therefore, the answer for Q17 must be identity.

18 Answer: acknowledgement

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q18 must be “receive” and “7 working days”
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun.
From the passage, it is inferred that “after sending documents, applicants will receive acknowledgement confirming receipt of these documents within 7 working days”. Therefore, the answer for Q18 must be acknowledgement.

19 Answer: interview

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q19 must be “have” and “in London”
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun.
As the synonym “undergo” of the keyword “have” and “in London” are heard, we can infer that the answer is around here.
In the passage, it is stated that “all applicants will undergo an interview in our head office in London”. Therefore, the answer for Q19 must be interview.

20 Answer: decision

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q20 must be “receive” and “written”
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun.
From the passage, it is inferred that “the final step in the process is receiving a decision in the post”. Therefore, the answer for Q20 must be decision.

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Part 2

Part 3: Questions 21-30

Questions 21-26

Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.

What kind of research method does the professor recommend?

A interview
B observation
C questionnaire

Answer: A

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q21 must be “research method” and “professor recommend”
Douglas’s statement “We haven’t yet covered how to undertake this sort of research in much depth” can be seen as the suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
When Douglas asks whether the professor wants them to design and distribute a questionnaire, professor replies that they can do that way, however he does not recommend that method because it is difficult and not effective. For that reason, option C is not correct.
Later, the professor claims that “he would like them to form one or two focus groups, and interview them”. Therefore, the answer for Q21 must be option A.
Throughout the passage, the professor and his students do not mention anything about observation method. Hence, Option B is an incorrect answer.

What is the project based on?

A a study they did before in Australia
B a similar angle someone has done before
C an Australian study

Answer: C

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q22 must be “poject” and “base on”
Jane’s question “You haven’t told us what our project is about. Do we get to choose our own topic based on the previous study?” can be seen as the suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
When Jane asks whether they get to choose their own topic based on the previous study?, professor says no. For that reason, option B is not correct.
The professor claims that “the project will be a strictly Australian study”. Therefore, the answer for Q22 must be option C.

What does the professor advise Douglas to do about the formation of the focus groups?

A streng then the group in size
B reduce the number of children in each group
C build more than 3 groups

Answer: B

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q23 must be “professor advise”, “formation”,” and “focus group”
Douglas’s question “Do you think we’ll need to include that many participants in a focus group?” can be seen as the suggestion for the answer’s appearance.
The professor answers Douglas’s question that “he doesn’t need that many for the study he is going to undertake” Therefore, the answer for Q23 must be option B.
The professor aslo claims that “I’d say you need no more than five children per group, and no more than three groups”. Hence, option C is not correct.
From the passage, it is inferred that focus group should be in the small size in order to generate meaningful dialogue. For that reason, option A is not correct

To do the project best, the professor suggests the students

A interview various people or sectors.
B not be too ambitious.
C work hard enough.

Answer: B

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q24 must be “do the project best” and “suggest”.
The professor advises that “don’t be too ambitious”. Therefore, the answer for Q24 must be option B.
Another advice of the professor is that “try to gather data included as much information about various people or sectors” not try to interview various people or sectors. For that reason, option A is not correct.

To gather data, the professor asks Jane

A to replace other people’s advice.
B to simplify the textbook.
C to practice using the date table.

Answer: C

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q25 must be “gather data” and “ask Jane”.
Q25 is about suggestion of the professor to Jane about gathering data. As Jane’s question “For those who haven’t ever collected original data before, what do you suggest we do?” is heard, we can infer that the answer will soon appear.
The professor suggests that Jane should read other’s advice. For that reason, option A is not correct.
The professor also advise that Jane should read Chapter Eight in the course textbook. Hence, option B is not correct.
Another suggestion of professor is that Jane should try to practice using the data table provided in your course handbook. Therefore, the answer for Q25 must be option C.

The reason why Douglas hasn’t read enough reference books is that

A he doesn’t have enough time.
B he thinks there are too many books to read.
C he hasn’t spent time in the library.

Answer: A

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q26 must be “reason”, “Douglas” and “hasn’t read”
As Douglas’s statement “I’m having trouble reading the books.” is heard, we can infer that the answer will soon appear.
From the passage, it is inferred that Douglas is having trouble reading the books because he has been spending all his time on the another course’s assigment. Therefore, the answer for Q26 must be option A.

Questions 27-30

What do the students decide about the following parts of the project?

Write the correct letter, A, B or C, next to questions 27-30.

A	Jane will do
B	Douglas will do
C	They will do together

27 final report

28 sheet preparation

29 letter

30 transcript

27 Answer: C

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q27 must be “final report”
As the keyword “final report” is heard, we can infer that the answer will soon appear.
From the passage, it is inferred that Jane and Douglas will work together on the final report. Therefore, the answer for Q27 must be option C.

28 Answer: B

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q28 must be “sheet preparation”
As the keyword “sheet preparation” is heard, we can infer that the answer will soon appear.
Douglas states that he should be able to prepare some sheets and Jane agrees with that idea. Therefore, the answer for Q28 must be option B.

29 Answer: A

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q29 must be “letter”
As the keyword “letter” is heard, we can infer that the answer will soon appear.
When Douglas talking about the writing letters part, Jane says that she will take that part. Therefore, the answer for Q28 must be option A.

30 Answer: C

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keyword concerned in Q30 must be “transcript”
As the keyword “transcript” is heard, we can infer that the answer will soon appear.
From the passage, it is inferred that Jane and Douglas decide to do half of the transcript each. Therefore, the answer for Q28 must be option C.

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Part 3

Part 4: Questions 31-40

Questions 31-36

Complete the notes below.

Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.

GRAPHICAL SYMBOL

‘Graphical symbol’

• includes the logographs in Egyptian hieroglyphic writing and ancient Chinese pictograms

• found in Africa, the Americas, and Oceania

• still has something to do with 31 use today

Ancient graphic writing systems

• Researchers obtain a wide range of 32 about past civilisations.

- Rosetta Stone was found in 1799 when members of Napoleon’s expedition got to Egypt.

- Frenchman Jean-François Champollion determined the phonetic values of the symbols in 1822.

• In those symbols, 33 are used to depict various meanings.

Camera obscura

• 34 helps people understand history better.

• Some charities will 35 many endangered species.

• A camera was tied to one 36 of a bird.

31 Answer: commercial

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q31 must be “graphical symbol”, “something to do” and “use today”
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be an adjective
As the parallel expressions “pictographs”, “remain in common” of keywords “graphical symbol” and “something to do” are heard, we can infer that the answer will soon appear.
From the passage, it is inferred that “Pictographs remain in common commercial use today as signs, instructions, or statistical diagrams.”Therefore, the answer for Q31 must be commercial.

32 Answer: knowledge

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q32 must be “ancient graphic writing systems”, “researchers”, “obtain” and “past civilisations”
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun
Keywords “ancient graphic writing systems”, “researchers” can be seen as the suggestion of the answer’s appearance.
From the passage, it is inferred that “Researchers are provided with a wealth of knowledge about past civilisations by ancient graphic writing systems”. Therefore, the answer for Q32 must be knowledge.

33 Answer: lines

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q33 must be “symbols” and “depict various meanings”
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun
As the keyword “symbols” and the parallel expression “portray a multitude of meanings” of “depict various meanings” are heard, it is inferred that the answer is somewhere around here.
In the passage, it is stated that “In many of these symbols, lines are used to portray a multitude of meanings,”. Therefore, the answer for Q33 must be line.

34 Answer: Photography

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q34 must be “helps” and “understand history better”
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun
As the keyword “better understand history” and the synonym “enables” of “helps” are heard, it is inferred that the answer is somewhere around here.
From the passage, it is inferred that photography helps researchers piece together and better understand history. Therefore, the answer for Q34 must be photography.

35 Answer: advertise

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q35 must be “charities” and “endangered species”
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a verb
As the keyword “charitites” and the parallel expression “animals that are at high risk of endangerment.” of “endangered species” are heard, it is inferred that the answer is somewhere around here.
From the passage, it is inferred that animal welfare charities are increasingly using photography to advertise endangered species. Therefore, the answer for Q35 must be advertise.

36 Answer: foot

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q36 must be “camera”, “tied to” and “bird”
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun
As the keyword “camera”, “bird” and the parallel expression “attach” of “tied to” are heard, it is inferred that the answer is somewhere around here.
From the passage, it is inferred that “One recent high profile campaign was undertaken by attaching a camera to the foot of a bird”. Therefore, the answer for Q36 must be foot.

Questions 37-40

Complete the sentences below.

Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.

More 37 will be included in the future with the development of photography.

Companies would like to invest a lot to advertise in 38 .

Designing appealing 39 is used as a way of effective branding.

Graphic writing systems are of great importance in the subject of 40

37 Answer: objects

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q37 must be “be included”, “future” and “development of photography”
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun
As the keyword “be included”, “future” and the parallel expression “expanding the horizon of photography ever further” of “development of photography” are heard, it is inferred that the answer is somewhere around here.
From the passage, it is inferred that “we should expect more and more objects to be included in the future with development of photography”. Therefore, the answer for Q37 must be objects.

Note: Remember that the answer must be in plural form

38 Answer: newspapers

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q38 must be “companies”, “invest” and “advertise in”
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun
As the keyword “companies”, “advertising” and the parallel expression “devote a large portion of their budgets to” of “invest” are heard, it is inferred that the answer is somewhere around here.
From the passage, it is inferred that “companies are now willing to invest a lot to advertise in newspapers”. Therefore, the answer for Q38 must be newspapers.

Note: Remember that the answer must be in plural form.

39 Answer: packaging

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q39 must be “designing”, “appealing” and “effective branding”
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun
As the keyword “designing”, “effective branding” and the synonym “attractive” of “appealing” are heard, it is inferred that the answer is somewhere around here.
From the passage, it is inferred that “attractive packaging is playing a large role in the development of effective branding”. Therefore, the answer for Q39 must be packaging

40 Answer: mathematics/math/maths

Listen from here Locate Explain Report

The keywords concerned in Q40 must be “graphic writing systems”, “importance” and “subject”
From the question, we can assume that the answer must be a noun
As the keyword “graphic writing systems” and the parallel expression “fundamental role” of “importance” are heard, it is inferred that the answer is somewhere around here.
From the passage, it is inferred that “graphic writing systems have played a fundamental role in mathematics”. Therefore, the answer for Q40 must be mathematics. Math or maths are also acceptable.

Part 4

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SECTION 1

Manager: Hi there, welcome to the Job Centre. How can I help?

Lauren: Good morning, I’m here to enquire as to whether you have any jobs available at the moment?

Manager: Yes, we have several available. What kind of job is it that you’re looking for?

Lauren: Well, um, I’ll take any part-time jobs I can get. I’m really strapped for cash at the moment.

Manager: Okay, bear with me while I have a browse on our system. [Pause] Here we are. We have three vacancies at the moment, all involving quite different roles.

Lauren: That sounds promising. What are they?

Manager: The first one is for a post as a receptionist. It says here that experience in reception or general administration is preferred, but not essential. Have you worked on a reception desk previously?

Lauren: No, I haven’t. I had a baby quite young, and so I have very little work experience. Could you tell me a few more details?

Manager: Yes, of course. The job will be to mainly provide quality customer service both over the phone and in person. When customers are waiting you will be expected to provide them with refreshments and ensure they have a first-rate experience.

Lauren: I think I could manage that, and I’m a very friendly person!

Manager: That’s great.

Lauren: Do you have any information about the hours involved?

Manager: It says here that you will be expected to work several early mornings, 4 days a week.

Lauren: Any other requirements?

Manager: Yeah, you’ll have to go through a couple of weeks of unpaid training before qualifying for the post.

Lauren: Hmm, I don’t know if I would be able to fully commit to that. Did you say it’s 4 days per week?

Manager: Yeah, it says here 4 days a week, with another day off per week when requested in advance. It also explicitly states that at least one of your working days must fall on a weekend.

Lauren: I’ll have to think about that and talk to my babysitter.

Lauren: Are there any other roles beginning later in the day?

Manager: Yes, there’s an advertisement here for a driver. It says you’ll need a clean and valid UK driver’s license, with absolutely no exception.

Lauren: No problems there. I passed my test first time and have never received any points.

Manager: It also explicitly states that you must be over twenty-five and have been driving for at least six years.

Lauren: That sounds quite exciting. Is there any more information?

Manager: Yep, it says here that working hours are flexible, and the employers are happy to work within your personal schedule since they employ multiple drivers.

Lauren: That’s great.

Manager: The employers ask for a commitment to either mornings 5 days per week, evenings 5 days per week, or three full working days per week.

Lauren: I’m sure I can handle all that without a problem.

Manager: As well as driving the employers to and from work, they will ask you to perform various duties on their behalf, such as collecting the grocery shopping, and picking their children up from school.

Lauren: Do they need me to work a day on the weekend as well?

Manager: No, it says here that they only require you to work on weekdays, not weekends.

Lauren: That sounds interesting.

Manager: Okay, there’s only one more left, another customer service-related post. It looks like it requires you to work short hours, quite late at night, so it might not be suitable for you. Do you want to hear about it anyway?

Lauren: Yeah, can’t do any harm.

Manager: Okay, so it’s a post for a cashier in a cinema in the centre of town. I’m sure you’ve been to the cinema a few times, so you can guess what kind of role it would be. They’re quite short and late shifts, between 17.30 and 22.30 most nights, with slightly longer shifts on Friday and Saturday nights.

Lauren: Mmm, can you tell me what the job involves?

Manager: Yes, sure. It says that you’ll be required to sell and dispense tickets, and provide refreshments. Also, they ask that you be quick on the computers since you’ll also need to take bookings over the phone, but you’ll receive basic training for that.

Lauren: Do they need me to work weekdays as well?

Manager: Well, it says here that if you request at least a fortnight in advance, they will grant you a day off on Mondays, but never on a weekend.

Lauren: Mmm. I’ll think it over and let you know later. Thanks for all your help.

SECTION 2

Thank you all for coming to my talk this evening. It’s nice to see so many people in the audience. For those of you who don’t know very much about

‘Connection’, let me start by giving you some background information about it.

‘Connection’ is a British organisation that facilitates homestays all over the globe. This organisation prides itself on matching tens of thousands of host families with guests every single year, allowing travellers to discover a country’s culture in a way like no other. Homestays are ideal for both travellers and homeowners, enabling inter-cultural exchanges and the development of life-long friendships, while providing travellers with often discounted accommodation costs, and host families with a steady income from the comfort of their own homes. The homestay experience is particularly popular with university exchange students looking for a more genuine insight into their country of choice, and an unrivalled opportunity to develop their language skills. The homestay experience is truly unique and once-in-a-lifetime, and one that you will likely remember for the rest of your lives. It is important to note, however, that some people will find it difficult to adapt to the new country, with many enduring what is known as ‘culture shock’. Connection’s advice for those suffering from culture shock, is to go out and make as many friends as possible, no matter how difficult you may find it. Friends are guaranteed to help you feel more integrated as part of the local society, and show you some great places to hang out. At first, it might seem extremely challenging to overcome the language barrier between you and your host family; however, you will find that you quickly overcome this and develop a very close and almost familial relationship. Many of our travellers have suggested that they have found discussing their hobbies and other interests with their host families is the best way to overcome any barriers, since you are more than likely to find something you share in common. For example, you might find that you are both passionate about football, and end up playing in the local field every week. One of our guests undertaking a homestay in a rural area of the UK told us that she and her host now take a Tai Chi class together upon a hilltop at sunrise, calling the experience ‘absolutely breathtaking’. After the first few weeks, you will find your understanding of the people around you and their culture deepens by leaps and bounds, and you will soon become one of the locals. Our hosts, in over 140 countries, turn a location into a culture, time into experience and strangers into friends.

So how can you find out about applying for a homestay? The best way would be to visit Connection’s website, www.connection.com, and contact one of their friendly advisors for more information. Once you have confirmed your interest in the service, we would strongly advise that you remain in close contact with the registration office, which will send you several emails keeping you up-to-date with potential matches in your country of choice. Once registered, Connection will require you to send various documents, and will act as an intermediary between you and the host family prior to final confirmation and payment. During this stage, Connection will ask you to provide two photos, one for the host family, and the other for our own records. Please ensure that you sign the back of each photo. Due to the nature of the service Connection provides, security is an absolute must, and they will ask you to send in photocopies of your passport, birth certificate, and a bank statement as confirmation of your identity. On receipt of these documents, the official process will begin and your bank account will be debited for the initial deposit of £200. If you haven’t received any acknowledgement confirming receipt of these documents from us within seven working days, please contact the main office. As I mentioned before, due to the nature of the organisation, Connection operates a meticulous screening process, and all applicants will undergo an interview in our head office in London, with exceptions made in extreme circumstances. After your interview, it may take us several weeks to carry out the decision process, so please be patient with us. If you would like a fast-track service, please indicate this on your application and we will notify you of the additional charges. Finally, once we have come to a result about your application, you will receive a decision in the post. If you do not receive an offer of placement, we will refund your deposit within 7 working days.

SECTION 3

Professor: For next week, I’d like you to undertake a piece of research in preparation for writing your final essay. In order to gain top marks, you must include a range of primary, secondary, and tertiary sources. Are there any questions?

Douglas: Yes, Professor, I have a question. We haven’t yet covered how to undertake this sort of research in much depth, and I’m a little unsure of what you want us to do. In telling us to include primary sources, do you mean you want us to design and distribute a questionnaire, analysing the results?

Professor: You could design a questionnaire, but you’ll soon find that distributing a questionnaire on such a large scale is somewhat troublesome. We couldn’t possibly expect you to do it effectively as an individual university student without the necessary resources. No, ideally I would like you to form one or two focus groups, and interview them. This will provide you with a more qualitative approach. If your strengths lie in mathematics, please by all means take a more quantitative approach, but this will be more strenuous and time consuming, and isn’t entirely necessary for the purpose of this study.

Jane: Professor, you haven’t told us what our project is about. Do we get to choose our own topic based on the previous study?

Professor: No, I’m afraid not. This will be a strictly Australian study; however, you can choose which angle you’d like to take, so long as it remains within the realm of anthropology. Does anyone have any questions specifically about the formation of the focus groups? I’ve had several emails about this, and I’d like to address it now.

Douglas: My study is related to growing up in Australia, and the question of nature versus nurture. I’ve gathered more than two hundred school children who would be happy to participate in a focus group. Do you think we’ll need to include that many participants in a focus group?

Professor: Blimey, Douglas, well done for finding that many willing children, but you definitely don’t need that many for the study you’re going to undertake. I’d say you need no more than five children per group, and no more than three groups, so fifteen children altogether. You definitely need to control the group size in order to generate a meaningful dialogue.

Douglas: OK, if it’s useful, I’ll try and do it...

Professor: I appreciate your enthusiasm for the project, but there are plenty of different ways to gather data, and I’m sure that if you look hard enough, you’ll find someone who has conducted almost the exact same research in the past. My advice for you is don’t be too ambitious, and try to include as much information about various people or sectors.

Jane: For those who haven’t ever collected original data before, what do you suggest we do?

Professor: I would suggest that you read accounts from other people who have undertaken such research to see what advice they can give. I would also encourage you to read Chapter Eight in the course textbook, which should give you a good introduction to collecting data. Moreover, you should try to practice using the data table provided in your course handbook. By now you should have read at least six or seven books giving quite detailed instruction on how to go about collecting data.

Douglas: Professor, I don’t know about everyone else, but I m having trouble reading the books. I had a really big assignment for another course and I’ve been spending all my time on that. Jane, have you read all the books the professor mentioned?

Jane: Well, my trouble is getting hold of the books. I’ve been to the library several times, but all the books are out.

Professor: Sounds like you should have started borrowing books a bit earlier.

Jane: Yes, I should have. But I got several ones from my friend a couple of days ago. I just skimmed through them, and don’t remember a lot of the information.

Jane: But now let’s look at these things. We’ll need to start thinking about which ones we’ll definitely want to do for the project.

Douglas: Okay. The first one here is the final report.

Jane: If you like, we can work together on the research and data-collection side of the project, and doing the final write-up?

Douglas: Cool. That sounds good. I’m not sure how much I’d be able to contribute considering I haven’t had a chance to read the course material. But I should be able to prepare some sheets and a list of questions that can be used during the focus group sessions.

Jane: That sounds appropriate. I think so too.

Douglas: Do you think we’ll need to write a letter to send to the participants, telling them the time and place for the interviews?

Jane: Positive. I can take care of that.

Douglas: Well, that’s great.

Jane: I should also include a document for them to sign saying that they’re happy to be voice-recorded.

Douglas: Oh yes, of course. I forgot about the transcript. That’ll likely be a big job, so let’s do half each, I’ll do one of the groups and you can do the other. Okay?

Jane: Sounds like a plan!

SECTION 4

Good morning everyone! Today I’m going to talk about the graphical symbol. A graphic symbol is a written symbol that is used to represent speech, such as those used in the Greek alphabet. The term ‘graphic symbol’ encompasses anything from the logographs used in Egyptian hieroglyphic writing, to ancient Chinese pictograms. Early symbols were based on pictographs and ideograms before they were developed into logographic writing systems. These systems are still in use in some non-literate cultures in Africa, the Americas, and Oceania. Indeed, elements of pictography are still found in modern Chinese characters, and it is often an interesting exercise to trace the origins of some Chinese characters. Pictographs remain in common commercial use today as signs, instructions, or statistical diagrams. Road signs and public toilet signs, and even flat-pack assembly instructions utilising pictures are considered pictographic.

Ancient graphic writing systems provide researchers with a wealth of knowledge about past civilisations. In 1799, one of the most important historical discoveries was made by accident when members of Napoleon’s expedition to Egypt found a stone in Rosetta that exhibited three different scripts. The stone, now known as the Rosetta Stone, was studied in significant depth by scholars, and was first deciphered by Frenchman Jean-François Champollion in 1822. He was able to correctly determine the phonetic values of the symbols, and later research has confirmed his findings. In many of these symbols, lines are used to portray a multitude of meanings, and knowledge and understanding of these lines holds the key to comprehension of graphic writing systems.

A key moment in the history of communication was the invention of the camera obscura, or camera. Although the concept can be traced back to the fifth century

B.C. Chinese philosopher Mo Ti, the first photographic image was ultimately created in 1826 by Joseph Nicephore Niepce. Photography, as it was later known, enables researchers to piece together and better understand history. Today, photography forms a huge part of everyday life and most publications contain a vast number of photographs. Photography is used in advertising, and is now becoming a way to increase awareness of existing world issues. For example, animal welfare charities are increasingly using photography to advertise animals that are at high risk of endangerment. Charity workers are sometimes flown to far-flung locations to document the suffering endured by high-risk animals in an attempt to raise human awareness of their consumption activities, and how they impact others. One recent high profile campaign was undertaken by attaching a camera to the foot of a bird, in order to obtain photographs of the animals in their natural habitats, and understand how often they come into contact with human waste. A soon-to-be-released documentary about the suffering of animals on Midway Island shows the full extent to which human consumption is harming animals thousands of miles away from us.

As photography continues to progress, with the use of drones now becoming somewhat commonplace, we should expect more and more objects to be included in the future, expanding the horizon of photography ever further. Indeed, the downward pressure on traditional media prices means that media companies are being forced to get creative on how to make a profit. Many have found that the answer to this lies in advertising, and companies are now willing to devote a large portion of their budgets to advertising in newspapers. By the same token, marketing has become an essential part of a company’s business model, often meaning the success or failure of a company. As a result, much time and money has been pumped into the development of effective branding, with attractive packaging playing a large role in this. However, many governments are now seen to be cracking down on marketing and packaging in an attempt to protect consumers from being misled. In particular, tobacco companies are now subject to ever increasing regulation. For example, in the United Kingdom, legislation is soon to pass preventing any form of branding or differentiation on cigarette packaging in efforts to curb the harmful effects of smoking.

Finally, one must not forget the fundamental role that graphic writing systems have had to play in mathematics. Graphs, icons, and diagrams often form the very basis of these branches of academia. Indeed, one needs to look no further than chemistry’s periodic table to see a perfect example of graphic writing systems in use today.

NEW

IELTS Recent Mock Tests Volume 3

Part 1: Question 1 - 10

Part 2: Question 11 - 20

Part 3: Question 21 - 30

Part 4: Question 31 - 40

Questions 1-10

JOB ENOUIRY

Questions 11-14

Questions 15-20

Questions 21-26

Questions 27-30

Questions 31-36

GRAPHICAL SYMBOL

Questions 37-40

SECTION 1

SECTION 2

SECTION 3

SECTION 4

Comments:

About us

Our mission

IELTS Recent Mock Tests 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 1-10

JOB ENOUIRY

Questions 11-14

Questions 15-20

Questions 21-26

Questions 27-30

Questions 31-36

GRAPHICAL SYMBOL

Questions 37-40

SECTION 1

SECTION 2

SECTION 3

SECTION 4

Comments:

About us

Our mission