IELTS Recent Mock Tests Volume 4

SECTION 2

Welcome to Byron National Park. 1 am Jim Carson, your tour guide for the trip. First. I’d like to give you some basic information about the park.

Covering 7,000 acres of land and spanning across 3 states, Byron National Park was established to protect the area’s most spectacular scenic values. With unique geologic features, natural history and native plant and animal life, it is an ideal destination for recreation as well as research purposes. The park has a breathtaking waterfall connecting the longest river in the country, but it is most renowned for having the largest sub-tropical rainforest worldwide. There are many layers of tall, medium and low vegetation growing with seasonal variations in the park. It is a place where the air seems green.

Ardent hikers can find an awesome array of options here. Apart from the dense green rainforest, tourists can also hike along the mountain trail. Despite the stunning view, taking photos is not advised on the way up, I’m afraid, as one might get distracted and the narrow trail by the sheer cliff is quite dangerous. When you reach the top of the mountain, there is nothing better than having a picnic under the trees with your family. Accompanied mostly by wildlife, walkers as well as cyclists may find the Bush Track a good choice for having a tranquil time to themselves. As your tour guide, I suggest that only expert hikers take the Creek Circuit, because its beautiful and inspiring scenery through the subtropical jungle is paralleled by its physical challenges.

A list of transport is available within the park. Bicycles are a popular choice as it is the most flexible way to get around. Electric trams are temporarily closed for maintenance. Boat trips down the river are an ideal way to spend a tranquil afternoon. Rest assured that transport within the park is covered in the bill.

Extreme sports is another highlight of the park. They are for adventurous grown-ups, especially those who are comfortable with having a racing heart. Scary as it may sound, it is actually safe to participate in extreme sports under strict instructions and close supervision. Abseiling is available regardless of the weather. It is a fun way to overcome fear of heights, gain new skills and get an adrenaline rush. Bungee jumping and paragliding are also available except for during the summer.

At this point, you might worry about meals here. Well, even though there is only one restaurant in the park at the moment, the variety of dishes is astonishing. There are two meals included in the price. Just get your meal ticket at the reception before dining. Also, there is no need to make reservations or worry about availability since there are plenty of tables.

During your stay here, you might want to know what there is to do. Let’s turn to the plan so I can familiarise you with the layout of the park.

Most tourists would choose to stay in our guest hcuse located in the southeast comer. It features 63 tastefully appointed guest rooms, many of which offer spectacular views of the park. You’ll find a home away from home at our guest house.

But for those who want to experience the natural beauty up-close, there is also a campsite. When you get out of the guesthouse, go straight ahead, turn right at the end of the road. To your left, there is a campsite amongst the trees where you could spend a night under the stars together with owls and chipmunks.

If you look at the top left of the plan, you will notice a picnic area. You can either bring your own food or we can deliver food to you. Barbeque is an option. The Business Centre is situated directly opposite the picnic area. It provides flexible, fully serviced offices, conferencing suites, meeting rooms and is equipped with the latest multi-media facilities. Wired as well as wireless high speed Internet is available within the entire premises. The Centre is designed to cater to both individual travellers and corporate groups.

Visitors can also go to the museum which holds a vast collection, that exhibits local history and a natural habitat. You start from the guesthouse, just turn left at the first conjunction, then walk past the teahouse, turn right. You’ll see the museum after making the 3rd right. Have you found it?...Pretty easy, right?

To spend a delightful afternoon with a book and a fresh cup of coffee, you can go to the only cafe in the park. From the guesthouse you go straight, then take the 2nd right and you’ll see the cafe right in front of you.

You might want to check out our all-season tennis court which offers instruction for all ages and skill levels. It is located right opposite the cafe...

SECTION 3

SECTION 4

Good morning everyone. Today’s lecture is about a type of adorable animal— the penguin. When you think of penguins, you may picture them surrounded by snow and ice. But not all penguins live where it’s cold—African penguins live in the southern tip of Africa. They are usually found within 40 kilometres of the shore and on a number of its surrounding islands.

African Penguins are also known as Jackass Penguins, because they make donkey-like braying sounds to communicate. African penguins can keep their body temperature at a stable level. But their land habitat can get quite warm, so there are a number of ways for them to stay cool. They limit their daylight movements on breeding sites on land to early mornings and early evenings to avoid too much sun. The pink glands above their eyes can help them cope with the temperate climates. Like other penguins, African penguins spend most of the day feeding in the ocean, which also helps keep them cool.

Being a type of small to medium sized penguin species, African penguins average about 60 centimetres tall and weigh up to 3.6 kilograms. They have a black stripe and a pattern of unique black spots on their chest. Males are larger than females and have larger beaks. Even though they are categorised as birds, African penguins aren’t able to fly because of their heavy bones. Their wings are more like flippers that make them particularly suited for life in the water. When they’re on land, their flippers and their tails help them keep their balance and walk upright.

African Penguins begin to breed at the average age of four. When a male and female pair up, they tend to breed together for the rest of their lives. Most other penguins nest and lay their eggs out in the open, but African penguins have a different approach. They dig holes under bushes out of their own excrement, called guano, so they are sheltered from the sun and predators.    

The African Penguin survives on a diet that is comprised mainly of marine organisms. They feed primarily on fish like sardines, along with the occasional squid and shellfish. But when normal food is in short supply, they eat tree roots as well. The streamlined body of the African Penguin allows it to move through the water like a rocket, capable of reaching a speed of around 20 kilometres per hour when hunting for food.

The African Penguin’s smaller size means that it has many predators both in the water and also on dry land. Their natural predators at sea include seals and sharks. The biggest threat to them on land is not just towards the adult penguins. The penguin chicks are sometimes taken by seagulls into the air and dropped from above. The seagulls could thus feed on them.         

At risk from predators, young penguins are protected for about 40 days after hatching by both parents. They will leave the colony when they are between 3 to 5 months old and will return a few years later. The entire surface of their body is densely covered with feathers, which fall off during the winter. This process is called molting and takes about three weeks to complete. During that time, they are unable to forage. Therefore prior to this, African penguins spend about five weeks laying down fat deposits. 

They generally live between 10 to 15 years, however many do not reach their full life span. Their population has drastically declined. Approximately 120,000 African penguins remain in the wild, and their population has decreased by 90% in the past 60 years. They are considered to be vulnerable and have been listed as being endangered. Two major factors have contributed to their decline. They are struggling for nesting space due to human disruption and competing for food due to overfishing and pollution.          

With the limited number of breeding pairs, survivorship becomes difficult for African penguins. This makes them especially vulnerable as environmental conditions change or an outbreak of a disease occurs. For instance, avian malaria has caused 27% of the captive-breeding penguins’ deaths annually. The more genetic diversity there is within a species, the higher the likelihood that at least some of the individuals will adapt and survive.  

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Great thanks to volunteer Hoang Huy has contributed these explanations markings.

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