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Part 1: Question 1 - 13
- 1 E
- 2 D
- 3 B
- 4 C
- 5 A
- 6 Quitting
- 7 vague
- 8 motivation
- 9 brands
- 10 success rate
- 11 relapse
- 12 failure
- 13 realistic
Part 2: Question 14 - 26
- 14 i
- 15 iv
- 16 vii
- 17 iii
- 18 ii
- 19 D
- 20 A
- 21 D
- 22 B
- 23 B
- 24 physical and mechanical
- 25 car manufacturers self-regulate
- 26 the (German) government
Part 3: Question 27 - 40
- 27 D
- 28 B
- 29 B
- 30 A
- 31 C
- 32 C
- 33 C
- 34 B
- 35 A
- 36 A
- 37 B
- 38 YES
- 39 NOT GIVEN
- 40 NO
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How to Crack Section 3 of IELTS Listening?
IELTS Listening module consists of 4 sections viz. Section 1, Section 2, Section 3 and Section 4. Out of all these sections, Section 3...
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Questions 1-5
Look at the following smoker modes (Questions 1-5) and the list of statements below.
Match each mode with the correct statement, A-G.
Write the correct letter, A-G.
| A | You are statistically most likely to be successful in your efforts to quit smoking in the position you find yourself in now due to previous experiences. |
| B | You are contemplating whether or not you should switch to a weaker-strength cigarette and are actively trying to reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke in a day for the first time. |
| C | You have, after much deliberation over a period of time, finally succumbed to the part of you that wanted to have a cigarette. |
| D | You are not particularly content to be labelled a smoker, but you doubt whether you would be capable of removing cigarettes from your life, despite giving those around you assurances that the end of your days as a smoker is in sight. |
| E | You are aware of the negative perception of smoking that exists among the wider public, but it does not affect you in the slightest, and you are content to be labelled a smoker. |
| F | You often contemplate returning to smoking but you realise the folly of such an action. |
| G | Significant life events, such as bereavement, may impede quitting smoking. |
1 Pre-contemplation Mode
2 Contemplation Mode
3 Action Mode
4 Relapse Mode
5 Renewed-Action Mode
- 1 Answer: E
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
From Q1 to Q13, we can use a technique called skimming (quickly read the whole passage to understand its meaning, structure and the main content of each paragraph) to get the main idea of a paragraph. We start to read and answer the questions after skimming.
When skimming, you should pay attention to these details:
topic sentences
concluding sentences
how the ideas are organized
In case the question has some personal, place names or the name of a brand, a conference etc (which are capitalized), we had better use another technique called scanning to search for the information.
Q1: Pre-contemplation Mode
(Answer:
E. You are aware of the negative perception of smoking that exists among the wider public, but it does not affect you in the slightest, and you are content to be labelled a smoker.)
The first, pre-contemplation, is typically the most difficult point from which to start quitting. This person has never really thought about quitting before, nor sensed any necessity or urgency to quit. He or she is likely going to be poorly motivated and willpower is a major hurdle that may prove too much to overcome with such low motivation levels. These smokers tend only to say that they will try to quit when pressured to do so by a loved one, but really they have no desire whatsoever to give up.
Such individuals are unlikely to be affected by public health warnings and rarely listen to the negative publicity smoking receives in the media or place any importance on the wider society’s view of them and their habit. They are relatively content and the prospect of success in their quitting, in the long term, is low, unless they have some direct personal experience of the ill effects of smoking, like, for example, a close-family bereavement or a smoking-related health scare they (or someone close to them) have had, as only this sort of fright will give them the motivation to genuinely want to change their attitude and quit.
Note:
The keyword here is “Pre-contemplation Mode”. After skimming, we can find that information of Q1 should be found in paragraph 2 and 3, as the two paragraphs contain that keyword and describe its symptoms and behaviors.
After skimming the statements and scanning the 2 paragraphs, we can see the similarity between statement E and the information in the passage:
Aware of the negative perception of smoking that exists among the wider public: Paragraph 2 states that smokers do aware of the public health warnings negative publicity smoking.
It does not affect you in the slightest: We can see that in the paragraph, smokers are not affected by the warnings among the public and have not thought about giving up smoking before.
You are content to be labelled a smoker: In the paragraph, it states that smokers are relatively content with their current condition.
Considering every detail, we can conclude that the answer is E.
(New words:
Hurdle: A problem
Bereavement: the death of a close relation or friend)
- 2 Answer: D
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
Q2: Contemplation Mode
(Answer:
D. You are not particularly content to be labelled a smoker, but you doubt whether you would be capable of removing cigarettes from your life, despite giving those around you assurances that the end of your days as a smoker is in sight.)
Someone who genuinely wants to quit is in what we term “contemplation" mode. These people, the contemplators, are of a mind to quit but still lack the motivation to try. They are constantly saying that they will quit, and often set vague far-off dates for when the act of quitting is likely to occur. A husband might say to his wife, for example: 'when we have our first child, I will stop smoking'. Part of him means it, and, to even acknowledge the need to stop and the implication that smoking would have adverse effects on his children’s health is a step in the right direction. However, in reality, while the smoker knows he should quit, his motivation to do so is still not high and he seriously doubts his own willpower which is why he draws attention to a time when, as he perceives it, his willpower will have increased - such as after the birth of his firstborn.
Note:
The keyword here is “Contemplation Mode”. After skimming, we can find see the keyword in paragraph 4. The paragraph describes the conditions of Contemplation Mode. While running through the statements, we find out that statement D contains the same information in the paragraph include:
You doubt whether you would be capable of removing cigarettes from your life: The paragraph mentions that people who want to quit smoking still doubt their willpower and lack motivation to do so.
Giving those around you assurances that the end of your days as a smoker is in sight: The paragraph proves the statement by giving an example of a family. A husband assures his wife that he will quit smoking when they have their first kid.
All things considered, we can conclude that the answer is D.
- 3 Answer: B
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
Q3: Action Mode
(Answer:
B. You are contemplating whether or not you should switch to a weaker-strength cigarette and are actively trying to reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke in a day for the first time.)
People have different approaches to action mode; some change brands initially, some cut down on the amount they smoke, others wear patches or take other nicotine substitutes, and a few try to go cold turkey, a practice that does not actually have a very high success rate. The key thing that everyone in the action mode has in common is the will to try. Likely though it may be that this will be broken at some point or another, the smoker that is resolute in his determination to keep trying to quit will, statistically, succeed. For example, more than 70 percent of ex-smokers (that is, former smokers who have been off cigarettes for in excess of one year) tried and failed to give up once before they were successful. Almost one fifth of all ex-smokers fall into the tried-and-failed-between-two-and-four-times category. There is one clear message then to be got from this: keep trying!
Note
The keyword here is “Action Mode”. After skimming, we can see the keyword in paragraph 6. We can see the similarity between statement B and paragraph 6, include:
Switch to a weaker-strength cigarette: The passage states that in order to quit smoking, people wear patches or take other nicotine substitutes, which are weaker-strength cigarette. They help reduce the craving for cigarettes when smokers try to give up smoking.
Trying to reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke in a day for the first time: In the passage, they give an example of people who try to quit smoking and give up once before they were successful, which means that they start to reduce the amount of cigarette for their first time.
All thing considered, we can conclude that the answer for Q3 is B.
(New word:
Cold turkey: when you quit using drugs or smoking abruptly)
- 4 Answer: C
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
Q4: Relapse Mode
(Answer:
C. You have, after much deliberation over a period of time, finally succumbed to the part of you that wanted to have a cigarette.)
When you get to the maintenance phase, the phase in which you have stopped smoking completely, but are still within that first year of having quit, there is a tendency to assume that you are out of the woods. Sadly, this is where many people are let down by their over-confidence. Phrases such as ‘I’ll just have one - sure I don’t need them anymore’ are not uncommon at this point, and all the hard work it took to quit is undone in a moment or two of madness where one cigarette quickly becomes two, two become three and before you know it, you are a fully-fledged addict again. It is important, therefore, to be conscious of the possibility of reverting to type during the first year, and to be on your guard. That said, failure is not the end, so despair not; you have simply entered another phase - relapse.
Relapse is a return to daily smoking after a period of non-smoking. Almost three quarters of smokers will find themselves here the first time they try to quit.
Note
The keyword here is “Relapse Mode”. After skimming, we can spot the keyword in both paragraph 7 and 8. Paragraph 7 mainly discusses about reasons that lead to Relapse Mode, while paragraph 8 explains further details of Relapse Mode. After scanning the statements and the paragraph, we can see that statement C has the same idea about Relapse Mode:
After much deliberation over a period of time, finally succumbed to the part of you that wanted to have a cigarette: Paragraph 8 explains the definition of Relapse Mode, which says that it is a return to daily smoking after a period of non-smoking. Deliberation means to consider things carefully before doing something. So basically, in this state, smokers consider very carefully about taking another cigarette. However, in the end, they surrender and say to themselves ‘I’ll just have one - sure I don’t need them anymore’.
All thing considered, we can conclude that the answer for Q4 is C.
- 5 Answer: A
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
Q5: Renewed-Action Mode
(Answer:
A. You are statistically most likely to be successful in your efforts to quit smoking in the position you find yourself in now due to previous experiences.)
Pluck up the courage to try again and you will find yourself in a very familiar place to smokers: renewed-action mode. In this mode, you are as determined as ever to quit, but you have an edge - you can learn from your past mistakes and keep your expectations realistic.
Note:
The keyword for this question is “Renewed-Action Mode”. It is easy to find the similarity between the paragraph and statement A, as it ascertains the possibility of success in quitting smoking. It also states that by learning from their mistakes in the past, people can strongly determine to quit.
For that reason, the answer is A.
Questions 6-13
Complete the notes below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Remember: - 6 only likely to be a goal if the smoker is in what is termed contemplation mode (or any of the subsequent modes which result from this initial state of mind). Smokers in contemplation mode have good intentions, but their targets are often 7 distant. Their 8 is still lacking somewhat. - Action mode is the state of mind in which the smoker decides that he will make a real effort to quit. It doesn’t have to involve grand gestures. Simply switching 9 to a weaker-type of cigarette is a move in the right direction. Surprisingly though, giving up smoking completely straight away has a low 10 - Most People who try to quit will have a 11 and start smoking regularly again at some point. This is not a reason to stop trying though; most ex-smokers will have faced 12 in their efforts to quit at least once before managing to kick the habit. - The push to try to quit again is known as renewed-action mode. People in this mode set 13 targets for themselves, having learned from their past mistakes. It is the mode which is most conducive to success. |
- 6 Answer: Quitting
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
Q6: Remember:
- _____only likely to be a goal if the smoker is in what is termed contemplation mode (or any of the subsequent modes which result from this initial state of mind).
That said, quitting is possible so long as the smoker is at least in contemplation mode. There are six different modes smokers can find themselves in. The first, pre-contemplation, is typically the most difficult point from which to start quitting. This person has never really thought about quitting before, nor sensed any necessity or urgency to quit. He or she is likely going to be poorly motivated and willpower is a major hurdle that may prove too much to overcome with such low motivation levels. These smokers tend only to say that they will try to quit when pressured to do so by a loved one, but really they have no desire whatsoever to give up.
Note
The words to fill in the blank should be a noun. This noun is somehow related to a goal for smokers.
To answer this question, we will look for paragraphs with the keyword “contemplation mode”. We can see they discuss about this keyword a lot in paragraph 2. In the paragraph, we easily notice that it only talks about how people can quit smoking by setting it as a goal. Therefore, we can conclude that the answer is "Quitting".
- 7 Answer: vague
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
Q7 and Q8: Smokers in contemplation mode have good intentions, but their targets are often 7. _____distant. Their 8. _____ is still lacking somewhat.
Someone who genuinely wants to quit is in what we term “contemplation" mode. These people, the contemplators, are of a mind to quit but still lack the motivation to try. They are constantly saying that they will quit, and often set vague far-off dates for when the act of quitting is likely to occur. A husband might say to his wife, for example: 'when we have our first child, I will stop smoking'. Part of him means it, and, to even acknowledge the need to stop and the implication that smoking would have adverse effects on his children’s health is a step in the right direction. However, in reality, while the smoker knows he should quit, his motivation to do so is still not high and he seriously doubts his own willpower which is why he draws attention to a time when, as he perceives it, his willpower will have increased - such as after the birth of his firstborn.
Note:
The answers for Q7 should be an adjective and Q8 should be a noun.
The keyword here is “contemplation mode”. Although we can see that it discusses about “Contemplation Mode” a lot in paragraph 2, paragraph 4 seems to resemble to the parts that contains the gaps of Q7 and Q8.
In Q7, the word we should be looking for is in the middle of a phrase “their targets are often ____ distant”. We can see the similar phrase in the passage: “set vague far-off dates”. So, it is noticeable that the answer for Q7 is "vague”.
For Q8, we should notice the part “is still lacking somewhat” in the question. We can spot the part where they are talking about it in the end of paragraph 4. “His motivation to do so is still not high” indicates that he still lacks some motivation to quit smoking. Therefore, we can conclude that the answer for Q8 is "motivation”.
- 8 Answer: motivation
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
Q7 and Q8: Smokers in contemplation mode have good intentions, but their targets are often 7. _____distant. Their 8. _____ is still lacking somewhat.
Someone who genuinely wants to quit is in what we term “contemplation" mode. These people, the contemplators, are of a mind to quit but still lack the motivation to try. They are constantly saying that they will quit, and often set vague far-off dates for when the act of quitting is likely to occur. A husband might say to his wife, for example: 'when we have our first child, I will stop smoking'. Part of him means it, and, to even acknowledge the need to stop and the implication that smoking would have adverse effects on his children’s health is a step in the right direction. However, in reality, while the smoker knows he should quit, his motivation to do so is still not high and he seriously doubts his own willpower which is why he draws attention to a time when, as he perceives it, his willpower will have increased - such as after the birth of his firstborn.
Note:
The answers for Q7 should be an adjective and Q8 should be a noun.
The keyword here is “contemplation mode”. Although we can see that it discusses about “Contemplation Mode” a lot in paragraph 2, paragraph 4 seems to resemble to the parts that contains the gaps of Q7 and Q8.
In Q7, the word we should be looking for is in the middle of a phrase “their targets are often ____ distant”. We can see the similar phrase in the passage: “set vague far-off dates”. So, it is noticeable that the answer for Q7 is "vague”.
For Q8, we should notice the part “is still lacking somewhat” in the question. We can spot the part where they are talking about it in the end of paragraph 4. “His motivation to do so is still not high” indicates that he still lacks some motivation to quit smoking. Therefore, we can conclude that the answer for Q8 is "motivation”.
- 9 Answer: brands
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
Q9: - Action mode is the state of mind in which the smoker decides that he will make a real effort to quit.
It doesn’t have to involve grand gestures.
Simply switching _____to a weaker-type of cigarette is a move in the right direction.
People have different approaches to action mode; some change brands initially, some cut down on the amount they smoke, others wear patches or take other nicotine substitutes, and a few try to go cold turkey, a practice that does not actually have a very high success rate. The key thing that everyone in the action mode has in common is the will to try. Likely though it may be that this will be broken at some point or another, the smoker that is resolute in his determination to keep trying to quit will, statistically, succeed. For example, more than 70 percent of ex-smokers (that is, former smokers who have been off cigarettes for in excess of one year) tried and failed to give up once before they were successful. Almost one fifth of all ex-smokers fall into the tried-and-failed-between-two-and-four-times category. There is one clear message then to be got from this: keep trying!
Note
This blank should be filled with a noun, and describe a type of movement to quit smoking.
The keyword in the question is "Action mode". It is in paragraph 6 that mentions this keyword. We can see some similarities between the question and the paragraph:
The smoker decides that he will make a real effort to quit: at this stage, people will do everything to quit smoking, and with high chance that they can succeed. The paragraph specifically describes it and even gives an example statistically.
switching _____to a weaker-type of cigarette: In the beginning of the paragraph, it already mentions about how people react in action mode. They will change brands initially, some cut down on the amount they smoke, others wear patches or take other nicotine substitutes. These are weaker-type of cigarette. Since “switch” and “change” are synonyms, the answer for this question is "brands".
- 10 Answer: success rate
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
Q10: Surprisingly though, giving up smoking completely straight away has a low________.
People have different approaches to action mode; some change brands initially, some cut down on the amount they smoke, others wear patches or take other nicotine substitutes, and a few try to go cold turkey, a practice that does not actually have a very high success rate. The key thing that everyone in the action mode has in common is the will to try. Likely though it may be that this will will be broken at some point or another, the smoker that is resolute in his determination to keep trying to quit will, statistically, succeed.
Note
To answer this question, we should search for synonym of “giving up smoking completely”. We can see that in paragraph 6, they mention the word “cold turkey”. It’s a method of giving up smoking straight away. It also states that this method does not have a high success rate, which means that it has a low success rate. We can easily conclude that the answer is “success rate”.
- 11 Answer: relapse
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
Q11: - Most people who try to quit will have a ________ and start smoking regularly again at some point.
Relapse is a return to daily smoking after a period of non-smoking. Almost three quarters of smokers will find themselves here the first time they try to quit.
Note
The tip to answer this question is to scan for the part that mentions about people start smoking again at some point. We can easily see in the beginning of the last paragraph, they explain the definition of relapse mode. It is a return to daily smoking after a period of non-smoking Therefore, it is easy to find out that the answer is “relapse”.
- 12 Answer: failure
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
Q12: This is not a reason to stop trying though; most ex-smokers will have faced ______ in their efforts to quit at least once before managing to kick the habit.
When you get to the maintenance phase, the phase in which you have stopped smoking completely, but are still within that first year of having quit, there is a tendency to assume that you are out of the woods. Sadly, this is where many people are let down by their over-confidence. Phrases such as ‘I’ll just have one - sure I don’t need them anymore’ are not uncommon at this point, and all the hard work it took to quit is undone in a moment or two of madness where one cigarette quickly becomes two, two become three and before you know it, you are a fully-fledged addict again. It is important, therefore, to be conscious of the possibility of reverting to type during the first year, and to be on your guard. That said, failure is not the end, so despair not; you have simply entered another phase - relapse.
Note
To answer this question, we should look at the last 2 paragraphs, where they describe relapse mode. Take a look closer at paragraph 7, we can find the similarity between the question and the paragraph. They all mention about how people succumb and turn back to smoking habit. People will face failure but it doesn’t mean that they should stop trying, because it’s not the end. It is simply a phase that they have to overcome.
For that reason, it is obvious that the answer is “failure”.
- 13 Answer: realistic
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
Q13: - The push to try to quit again is known as renewed-action mode.
People in this mode set ________ targets for themselves, having learned from their past mistakes. It is the mode which is most conducive to success.
Relapse is a return to daily smoking after a period of non-smoking. Almost three quarters of smokers will find themselves here the first time they try to quit. There is, however, a danger of giving up on trying to give up at this stage, which is the wrong attitude to take. Failing in the quitting smoking stakes actually makes you less likely to fail the next time you try -practice really makes perfect in this game. Pluck up the courage to try again and you will find yourself in a very familiar place to smokers: renewed-action mode. In this mode, you are as determined as ever to quit, but you have an edge - you can learn from your past mistakes and keep your expectations realistic.
Note:
For this question, we should scan for keyword “renewed-action mode”. We can find the information in the last paragraph easily. After facing failure in quitting smoking, people learn from their mistakes, and try to keep their expectation more realistic. For that reason, we can conclude that the answer is realistic.
Questions 14-18
Reading Passage 2 has five paragraphs, A-E.
Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings (i-viii) below.
| i | The Fascination Explained |
| ii | Speedsters Thwarted by Manufacturers (in) A Policy Well Conceived |
| iii | A Policy Well Conceived |
| iv | Speed Limits That Are Not Speed Limits |
| v | Recklessness Rewarded |
| vi | Safety Compromised |
| vii | Safety Not Only Factor Driving Speed Regulators |
| viii | The Longest Motorways Examined |
14 Paragraph A
15 Paragraph B
16 Paragraph C
17 Paragraph D
18 Paragraph E
- 14 Answer: i
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
From Q14 to Q26, we can use a technique called skimming (quickly read the whole passage to understand its meaning, structure and the main content of each paragraph) to get the main idea of a paragraph. We start to read and answer the questions after skimming.
When skimming, you should pay attention to these details:
topic sentences
concluding sentences
how the ideas are organized
Q14: Paragraph A
Officially the Bundesautobahnen, which, when translated, means federal expressways, we know them more commonly as the autobahns - Germany's impressive system of motorways. There is nothing extraordinary about them, fine feats of engineering though they may be, so why has the term autobahn become so well known? The simple answer is that people living outside of Germany have had their curiosity more than a little tickled on account of the fact that Germany's motorways are, in one specific way, very unique indeed. They are not the longest system in the world, this plaudit going to the Interstate Highway System of America, nor are they even second or third (China and India respectively), and though they come a healthy fourth in the length stakes, this is really neither here nor there. No, indeed, what fascinates us about the autobahns has nothing to do with their technical or design features. It is though, a lot to do with how fast you can go on them. The autobahns, you see, are the only stretch of motorway in the world on which you can drive your car (provided it is not towing a trailer) at, well, any speed you like. Now that's a very attractive proposition for many boy-racers out there who would salivate at the prospect of being able to drive as fast as they wanted, and, therefore, on that rather scary point, perhaps we should consider asking the, well, obvious question: what on earth were the Germans thinking when they did this? Surely having no speed limit whatsoever is a recipe for disaster.
Note
The paragraph mainly discusses about Bundesautobahnen - Germany’s impressive system of motorways. It also explains to us fascinating truths about this system. Therefore, the correct heading for this paragraph is i.
- 15 Answer: iv
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
Q15: Paragraph B
To clarify, there is a 'recommended' speed limit of 130km/h on all stretches of German motorway, and a hard limit is imposed on some vehicles. Buses carrying standing passengers and motorbikes pulling trailers cannot go faster than 60 km/h. All other buses, as well as passenger cars and trucks with trailers, and all vehicles weighing in excess of 3.5 tonnes are not allowed to exceed 80km/h. Rare exceptions include buses that have been officially certified to travel at 100km/h and passenger cars carrying trailers that have received similar certification. Nonetheless, the fact remains that all other cars, trucks and motorbikes, while encouraged to adhere to the 'recommended' speed limit, are by no means bound to it and can, in effect, travel as fast as they please. Indeed, many of them do and it is not uncommon to see a car racing past you on the autobahn travelling in excess of 140km/h.
Note
The paragraph mainly discusses about speed limits in German motorway. We can notice that in the paragraph, despite official speed limits, drivers of all types of vehicles are free to travel as fast as they want to on German highways. Therefore, the correct heading for this paragraph is iv.
- 16 Answer: vii
Keywords in Questions
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Q16: Paragraph C
In such circumstances, it would not be at all surprising to learn that Germany has an awful record on road safety, except that it doesn't. Indeed, Germany's road safety record is comparable, and in some cases superior, to that of all other industrialised European countries. So is this just luck rewarding recklessness? Well, first of all, it's important to concede that speed limits do apply at junctions and other danger spots, such as sections under repair, and that there are even weather-related speed limits on some stretches of the autobahn (lower speed limits are used in cases of wet lanes). To fail to point this out would be to paint a picture, rather unfairly, of speed-hungry officials putting the travelling public in jeopardy on roads in order to gratify their own thrill-lust. Of course, this is not the case. Indeed, safety considerations aside, the Germans have even imposed speed limits for other purposes, such as to reduce pollution and noise on some stretches of the autobahn, so there is no crazy speed-fuelled agenda here. 'Mad' you may say, but the Germans actually seem to think this is safe.
Note
The paragraph explains how Germany keeps their traffic system safe with such high speeds on the highway. If we look closely at the paragraph, we can see that it properly outlines the factors that Germans apply to ensure safety on the autobahn. For that reason, we can conclude that the answer is vii.
- 17 Answer: iii
Keywords in Questions
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Q17:
Paragraph D
And the statistics appear to back them up though. After all, the International Traffic Safety Data and Analysis Group's research indicates that there are 2.2 road-user fatalities per billion vehicle kilometres on German autobahns each year. Using the same statistics, 4.5 fatalities occur on United States motorways each year. In fact, when you look beyond the myth of the motorway without speed limits, where drivers regularly clock up speeds in excess of 200km/h, and uncover the more sober reality, you realise that the German approach might not be so daft as it first seemed. For a start, only 2% of all traffic regularly travels on the unrestricted stretches of motorway as, despite the vast area they cover, they are strategically located in rural areas with low traffic volume. The other 98% of vehicles on the road do in fact have their speeds very strictly regulated, and these regulations are also heavily enforced. Speed cameras are everywhere and the motorways are patrolled by unmarked police cars ready to pull over speed offenders and reckless drivers. The Germans have also taken into consideration statistics which show that very few road accidents occur on motorways in low-volume traffic each year. In fact, these stretches of motorway offer up some of the safest driving conditions, statistically speaking, of all. The Germans have therefore reasoned that they don't need to regulate rural motorways a great deal, and it would seem they are right.
Note
The paragraph mainly discusses how the Germans handle their transportation infrastructure. We can see that, statistically, they are doing an excellent job of controlling their traffic system. To guarantee traffic safety, they have rigorous restrictions, place cameras everywhere, and patrol police. For that reason, we can conclude that the answer is iii.
- 18 Answer: ii
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
Q18: Paragraph E
Furthermore, the myth of limitless speed is also quite misleading. In reality, all German car manufacturers (and most international ones) keep to a gentlemen's agreement whereby they limit the top speed of their cars to around 150 km/h for safety reasons as, unless tyre pressure is optimally maintained and cars are constantly serviced (as would happen, say, in motor racing), travelling at higher speeds than that is, well, extremely risky and can lead to blowouts and other physical and mechanical failures that have the potential to cause death. Therefore, the situation is a little different than we might have assumed because while there is no official speed limit in theory, car manufacturers self-regulate so, in practice, a limit on the maximum speed vehicles can travel at has been put in place. In addition, the few vehicles which are capable of clocking speeds in excess of 150km/h seldom get the opportunity (the time and space) to build up to these speeds on the German autobahns, and, if they do, well, the way the German government sees it, they might as well be driving that fast there rather than in the suburbs, so let them do it!
Note
The paragraph discusses about how German cars manufacturers help manage traffic safety by controlling speed limits on vehicles. Looking at the headings, we see that only heading ii mentions about German cars manufacturers. “Speed Thwarts” here refers to limit speed, so the answer must be ii.
Questions 19-23
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
German road regulations state that
- A
- B
- C
- D
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q19: German road regulations state that A. all vehicles must adhere to a recommended speed limit of 130km/h. B. the speed limit for all buses is 100km/h. C. no trailer-carrying vehicle can travel at speeds in excess of 80km/h. D. passenger cars carrying trailers must not exceed a limit of 80km/h without prior approval. | B. To clarify, there is a 'recommended' speed limit of 130km/h on all stretches of German motorway, and a hard limit is imposed on some vehicles. Buses carrying standing passengers and motorbikes pulling trailers cannot go faster than 60 km/h. All other buses, as well as passenger cars and trucks with trailers, and all vehicles weighing in excess of 3.5 tonnes are not allowed to exceed 80km/h. Rare exceptions include buses that have been officially certified to travel at 100km/h and passenger cars carrying trailers that have received similar certification. Nonetheless, the fact remains that all other cars, trucks and motorbikes, while encouraged to adhere to the 'recommended' speed limit, are by no means bound to it and can, in effect, travel as fast as they please. Indeed, many of them do and it is not uncommon to see a car racing past you on the autobahn travelling in excess of 140km/h. |
Note To answer this question, we must find a paragraph that mentions about German road regulations. Although the term "regulations" is not used directly, the entire paragraph concerns speed limits on German highways, which are similar to traffic regulations. A is not the answer because the paragraph states that while vehicles encouraged to adhere to the 'recommended' speed limit, are by no means bound to it and can, in effect, travel as fast as they please. B is not the right answer since only buses that have been officially certified to run at 100km/h are permitted to do so. C is also not the correct answer because those vehicles can exceed the speed limits and can travel at 100km/h if they receive certifications. Since D has the same meaning with the paragraph, the answer for this question is D. | |
Special motorway speed limits
- A
- B
- C
- D
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q20: Special motorway speed limits A. are sometimes imposed on all vehicles in difficult driving conditions. B. never apply to cars, trucks and motorcycles, which can travel at any speed, provided they are not towing a trailer. C. like all speed limits in Germany - are only recommended maximum speeds, and are not enforceable in law. D. are only seen at junctions and on stretches of motorway which need work. | C. In such circumstances, it would not be at all surprising to learn that Germany has an awful record on road safety, except that it doesn't. Indeed, Germany's road safety record is comparable, and in some cases superior, to that of all other industrialised European countries. So is this just luck rewarding recklessness? Well, first of all, it's important to concede that speed limits do apply at junctions and other danger spots, such as sections under repair, and that there are even weather-related speed limits on some stretches of the autobahn (lower speed limits are used in cases of wet lanes). To fail to point this out would be to paint a picture, rather unfairly, of speed-hungry officials putting the travelling public in jeopardy on roads in order to gratify their own thrill-lust. Of course, this is not the case. Indeed, safety considerations aside, the Germans have even imposed speed limits for other purposes, such as to reduce pollution and noise on some stretches of the autobahn, so there is no crazy speed-fuelled agenda here. 'Mad' you may say, but the Germans actually seem to think this is safe. |
Note To answer this question, we should look for the part that contains the keyword “Special motorway speed limits”. This question contains the information from paragraph C. The paragraph addresses how to set speed restrictions for cars in high-risk areas and during bad weather conditions. A is the correct answer because we can find the exact information in the paragraph. There are speed limits to all vehicles in difficult driving conditions such as danger spots and weather-related speed limits on some stretches of the autobahn. B, C and D are not the correct answers because they don’t give the exact information we can see in the paragraph. Therefore, the answer for this question is A. | |
The section of the German motorway system which has no upper speed limit for some vehicles
- A
- B
- C
- D
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q21: The section of the German motorway system which has no upper speed limit for some vehicles A. is also that which sees the most volume of traffic. B. is not a significant part of the system as a whole, only accounting for about 2% of the country’s motorways. C. is, however, patrolled by unmarked police cars which monitor traffic flow. D. receives a comparatively small amount of the country’s overall traffic volume. | D. And the statistics appear to back them up though. After all, the International Traffic Safety Data and Analysis Group's research indicates that there are 2.2 road-user fatalities per billion vehicle kilometres on German autobahns each year. Using the same statistics, 4.5 fatalities occur on United States motorways each year. In fact, when you look beyond the myth of the motorway without speed limits, where drivers regularly clock up speeds in excess of 200km/h, and uncover the more sober reality, you realise that the German approach might not be so daft as it first seemed. For a start, only 2% of all traffic regularly travels on the unrestricted stretches of motorway as, despite the vast area they cover, they are strategically located in rural areas with low traffic volume. The other 98% of vehicles on the road do in fact have their speeds very strictly regulated, and these regulations are also heavily enforced. Speed cameras are everywhere and the motorways are patrolled by unmarked police cars ready to pull over speed offenders and reckless drivers. The Germans have also taken into consideration statistics which show that very few road accidents occur on motorways in low-volume traffic each year. In fact, these stretches of motorway offer up some of the safest driving conditions, statistically speaking, of all. The Germans have therefore reasoned that they don't need to regulate rural motorways a great deal, and it would seem they are right. |
Note After skimming, we can find that information of Q21 should be found in paragraph D. It contains the information about statistics of German autobahns – which also means German motorway system which has no upper speed limit for some vehicles. Looking at the paragraph, we can see that they compare fatality numbers between German autobahns and US highways each year. It is evident that Germany has far fewer fatalities than the United States. So we can conclude that the answer is D, because it has the same information in the paragraph. A is not the correct answer because German autobahns have low traffic volume. B is not the correct answer because German autobahns cover the vast area but only have 2% of all traffic regularly travels. C is also not the correct answer because police cars patrol the other 98% of vehicles on the road, not German autobahns. | |
German car manufacturers
- A
- B
- C
- D
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q22: German car manufacturers A. have a legal agreement to limit their vehicles’ speeds. B. self-regulate to an extent when it comes to safety considerations. C. implement an unusual practice of limiting their vehicles’ fuel consumption. D. regularly service their vehicles for safety purposes. | E. Furthermore, the myth of limitless speed is also quite misleading. In reality, all German car manufacturers (and most international ones) keep to a gentlemen's agreement whereby they limit the top speed of their cars to around 150 km/h for safety reasons as, unless tyre pressure is optimally maintained and cars are constantly serviced (as would happen, say, in motor racing), travelling at higher speeds than that is, well, extremely risky and can lead to blowouts and other physical and mechanical failures that have the potential to cause death. Therefore, the situation is a little different than we might have assumed because while there is no official speed limit in theory, car manufacturers self-regulate so, in practice, a limit on the maximum speed vehicles can travel at has been put in place. In addition, the few vehicles which are capable of clocking speeds in excess of 150km/h seldom get the opportunity (the time and space) to build up to these speeds on the German autobahns, and, if they do, well, the way the German government sees it, they might as well be driving that fast there rather than in the suburbs, so let them do it! |
Note To answer this question, we need to scan for the phrase “German car manufacturers”. We notice a similar phrase in paragraph E, and the whole paragraph discusses about German car manufacturers. A is not the correct answer because we can see that the paragraph states that there is no official speed limit in theory, implying that there is no legal agreement on speed limits. B is the correct answer because we can find the exact information in the paragraph. Car manufacturers self-regulated the top speed of their cars to around 150 km/h for safety reasons. We can’t find any information regarding answer B and C. All things considered, B is the answer. | |
What do you think is the writer’s view of the German approach to speed regulation?
- A
- B
- C
- D
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q23: What do you think is the writer’s view of the German approach to speed regulation? A. It is irresponsible and reckless. B. It initially appears baffling, but, on closer inspection, makes a lot of sense. C. It is inadequate in cities and leaves a lot to be desired in rural areas. D. It is over-reliant on self-regulation by manufacturers and even drivers themselves. | A. Now that's a very attractive proposition for many boy-racers out there who would salivate at the prospect of being able to drive as fast as they wanted, and, therefore, on that rather scary point, perhaps we should consider asking the, well, obvious question: what on earth were the Germans thinking when they did this? Surely having no speed limit whatsoever is a recipe for disaster. D. The Germans have therefore reasoned that they don't need to regulate rural motorways a great deal, and it would seem they are right. |
Note To answer this question, we have to skim the whole passage in general. We can see that the writer questions the German method to speed regulation at the end of paragraph A, but in paragraph D, the writer seems to be convinced that it is a great approach. After taking a closer look at the end of the section, the writer is completely certain that German has managed speed restrictions extremely effective. All things considered, the answer for this question is B. | |
Questions 24-26
Complete the sentences.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
For cars operating at high speeds, it is necessary to maintain optimal tyre pressure and ensure that the vehicle is serviced regularly in order to combat the heightened risk of 24 failures.
In reality, due to the practice whereby 25 , few vehicles have the capacity to travel at speeds in excess of 150km/h.
When it comes to vehicles which can and are determined to travel at very high speeds, 26 would rather they attempted to drive excessively fast on the parts of the motorway it deems safe than anywhere else.
- 24 Answer: physical and mechanical
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Q24: For cars operating at high speeds, it is necessary to maintain optimal tyre pressure and ensure that the vehicle is serviced regularly in order to combat the heightened risk of _______ failures.
E.
Furthermore, the myth of limitless speed is also quite misleading. In reality, all German car manufacturers (and most international ones) keep to a gentlemen's agreement whereby they limit the top speed of their cars to around 150 km/h for safety reasons as, unless tyre pressure is optimally maintained and cars are constantly serviced (as would happen, say, in motor racing), travelling at higher speeds than that is, well, extremely risky and can lead to blowouts and other physical and mechanical failures that have the potential to cause death. Therefore, the situation is a little different than we might have assumed because while there is no official speed limit in theory, car manufacturers self-regulate so, in practice, a limit on the maximum speed vehicles can travel at has been put in place. In addition, the few vehicles which are capable of clocking speeds in excess of 150km/h seldom get the opportunity (the time and space) to build up to these speeds on the German autobahns, and, if they do, well, the way the German government sees it, they might as well be driving that fast there rather than in the suburbs, so let them do it!
Note
This question can be answered by searching for the same idea in the passage. We can see that in paragraph E, it contains all the information in the question word by word. It is easy to find out that the answer is “physical and mechanical”.
- 25 Answer: car manufacturers self-regulate
Keywords in Questions
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Q25: In reality, due to the practice whereby _________, few vehicles have the capacity to travel at speeds in excess of 150km/h.
E.
Therefore, the situation is a little different than we might have assumed because while there is no official speed limit in theory, car manufacturers self-regulate so, in practice, a limit on the maximum speed vehicles can travel at has been put in place. In addition, the few vehicles which are capable of clocking speeds in excess of 150km/h seldom get the opportunity (the time and space) to build up to these speeds on the German autobahns, and, if they do, well, the way the German government sees it, they might as well be driving that fast there rather than in the suburbs, so let them do it!
Note
To answer this question, we should search for similar words in the passage. We can find similar information to the question in paragraph E. We can see that thanks to car manufacturers self-regulate speed limits, vehicles can be safe when travelling on German autobahns. Therefore, it is easy to guess that the answer is “car manufacturers self-regulate”.
- 26 Answer: the (German) government
Keywords in Questions
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Q26:
When it comes to vehicles which can and are determined to travel at very high speeds, ________ would rather they attempted to drive excessively fast on the parts of the motorway it deems safe than anywhere else.
E.
Therefore, the situation is a little different than we might have assumed because while there is no official speed limit in theory, car manufacturers self-regulate so, in practice, a limit on the maximum speed vehicles can travel at has been put in place. In addition, the few vehicles which are capable of clocking speeds in excess of 150km/h seldom get the opportunity (the time and space) to build up to these speeds on the German autobahns, and, if they do, well, the way the German government sees it, they might as well be driving that fast there rather than in the suburbs, so let them do it!
Note
To answer this question, we should search for the similar information from the question in the passage. We see that at the end paragraph E. it discusses about what would happen if vehicles want to clock speeds in excess of 150km/h. As we can see from the passage, the German government encourages individuals to travel at high speeds since it is safe to do so. All things considered, we can find out that the answer for this question is “the German government”.
Questions 27-32
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
Which of the following statements is accurate?
- A
- B
- C
- D
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
From Q27 to Q40, we can use a technique called skimming (quickly read the whole passage to understand its meaning, structure and the main content of each paragraph) to get the main idea of a paragraph. We start to read and answer the questions after skimming. When skimming, you should pay attention to these details:
how the ideas are organized | |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q27: Which of the following statements is accurate? A. Austria has always enjoyed a reputation as a place where the wealthy holiday in summer. B. Austria is becoming more of a seasonal holiday destination than it used to be. C. Austria has always been viewed as a good-value holiday destination. D. Austria has traditionally attracted more foreign tourists in winter. | Trips to Austria are more commonly associated with commerce or winter skiing than they are with summertime fun and entertainment, but, in the last year or so, a surprising trend has begun to develop in the British foreign holiday market. Tour operators have identified a desire among holiday-goers - even budget travellers and package-holiday devotees - to broaden their horizons somewhat beyond the traditional haunts of Spain and the Canary Islands and look towards other new, less crowded and, perhaps, more exciting destinations. Enter the Austrian package holiday - the answer to the tour operators’ prayers. You see, Austria, for all its natural beauty, has traditionally fared well in attracting tourists only during the winter ski season. |
Note For this question, the information we need is mainly in the first sentence of the first paragraph. According to this paragraph, foreign tourists are more traditionally attracted to Austrian trips in winter than summertime so D must be a correct answer. As for option A, the author doesn’t mention anything about “wealthy holiday”, in term of option B, the author says that there has been a surprising trend in the last year or so, not compare about seasons between now and before. Turning to option C, we can’t find any clue about a good-value holiday. All thing considered, the answer is D. | |
What does the writer mean when he says the package holiday has always had ‘narrow horizons’?
- A
- B
- C
- D
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q28: What does the writer mean when he says the package holiday has always had ‘narrow horizons’? A. Package holidays are only targeted at people who haven’t got much money. B. Package holidays typically offer very few and very similar choices of destination. C. Package holidays are rarely offered to far-off destinations. D. Package holidays are not typically very well planned or organised. | The ‘cheap and cheerful’ package holiday has always had narrow horizons and members of the ordinary public, traumatised by years spent holidaying on a meaningless beach somewhere in Malaga, have sand coming out of their ears at this stage. Clearly a change was needed. But who would have thought of an expensive place like Austria as the perfect alternative? After all, isn’t it the domain of that rich and privileged ski crowd? Don’t you have to pay a small fortune on flights just to get there? |
Note The clues for question 28 can be found in paragraph 2. The writer describes a typical destination which was provided by the package holidays as” meaningless” and annoying to tourists like “have sand coming out of their ears at this stage” to emphasize that they only offer very few and very similar choices of destination. As for option A, C, and D, the writer doesn’t say anything about cost, distance or organisation so they are not correct. Therefore, the correct answer is B. | |
What does the typical summer holiday package to Austria now offer?
- A
- B
- C
- D
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Q29: What does the typical summer holiday package to Austria now offer? A. luxury accommodation B. breakfast and dinner included in the price C. all meals included in the price and seven nights’ accommodation D. a standard half-board bed (and larger in some cases) for seven nights | It’s true that, in winter, Austrian mountain resorts charge a pretty penny for accommodation, but what, in snowier times, costs an arm and several legs, costs nothing in comparison come spring and summer when the snow has melted and the ‘rich kids’ have returned home. But in some ways, the Austrian Alps are even more beautiful in summer than they are in the snow-covered winter, and it was this realisation that enabled the tour operators and package holiday companies to come up with something new. Suddenly, the internet was awash with cheap summer holiday alternatives offering seven nights in the Austrian Alps in three- and four-star hotels, some with as much as full-board, and half-board typically being provided as standard. |
Note The key words for this question are “package holiday”, come up with”. We can conclude from this paragraph that package holiday companies now offer “full-board, and half-board typically being provided as standard”, full-board and half-board are used to talk about meals, not a bed so option D is incorrect. As for option A and C, the writer doesn’t mention about accommodation so they are also incorrect. Therefore, the answer for this question is B. | |
Why were hotel and restaurant owners in Austria willing to lower their prices in Summer?
- A
- B
- C
- D
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q30: Why were hotel and restaurant owners in Austria willing to lower their prices in Summer? A. Business was usually slow at that time of year so any extra custom was to be welcomed. B. The loss they would make operating during the summer would be offset by profits in winter. C. Winter trade was not at the levels it used to be and they needed a way to make more money. D. They could make more profit by charging less throughout the year. | The Austrian hoteliers and restaurateurs, having geared up for seasonal winter trade, were only too happy to satisfy this new summertime demand at reduced prices - after all, anything is better than vacant rooms and they looked on any profit to be made from this opportunity as, well, a bonus. There was no need to be too greedy or demanding with prices as that would put people off coming and, besides, their winter business was their bread and butter and it wasn’t going anywhere. |
Note The keyword concerned in this question is “lower their prices” and we have similar phrase in the paragraph “reduced prices”. According to the Austrian hoteliers and restaurateurs, anything is better than vacant rooms and they looked on any profit to be made from this opportunity as, well, a bonus. It means that they think business at that time is quite difficult, so profiting from any customer should be respected and a discount is necessary. Therefore, the answer for this question is B. | |
What can we infer about the writer’s experience of traditional package holidays?
- A
- B
- C
- D
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q31: What can we infer about the writer’s experience of traditional package holidays? A. He regards the traditional package holiday as a pleasant experience, providing good value for money. B. He is particularly fond of popular seaside holiday destinations. C. He finds traditional package holidays very unimaginative and boring. D. He dislikes the fact that traditional package holidays, like those to Austria, have only been enjoyed by the wealthy until now. | A profusion of new budget flights were also appearing, with airline companies like Ryanair flying direct to Salzburg return for little more than £50, including taxes. Suddenly, vacationers had a choice; an alternative to the same old sandy monotony. What is perhaps more surprising given how budget travellers are depicted in the media - as ignorant, undiscerning folk - is how many wanted to embrace this new opportunity. Thousands of Britons discarded their sandals and lidos and donned their hiking boots instead. Yodel-ley-he-hoo. |
Note This question asks about the writer’s experience of traditional package holidays. We can find the word “ monotony” gives the stronger sense of the keyword “ boring” in option C. Also, he (the writer) thinks they are unimaginative when he shows an example about how budget travellers are depicted in the media. As for option A, B, and D, he doesn’t say anything about money, seaside destination or wealthy so they are incorrect. Therefore, the answer is C. | |
What does the writer suggest is surprising about the fact that budget travellers welcomed the opportunity to try out a new kind of vacation in Austria?
- A
- B
- C
- D
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q32: What does the writer suggest is surprising about the fact that budget travellers welcomed the opportunity to try out a new kind of vacation in Austria? A. They were true to the stereotype of them portrayed by the media. B. They were prepared to pay more money for a better-quality holiday. C. They showed that they had good taste, which is something they are not often credited with having. D. They showed that they are very health-conscious people as a rule. | What is perhaps more surprising given how budget travellers are depicted in the media - as ignorant, undiscerning folk - is how many wanted to embrace this new opportunity. Thousands of Britons discarded their sandals and lidos and donned their hiking boots instead. |
Note The writer mentions that budget travellers are depicted in the media - as ignorant, undiscerning folk. In fact, he says that “thousands of Britons discarded their sandals and lidos and donned their hiking boots instead” which show the opposite things. Therefore, the answer is C. | |
Questions 33-37
Look at the following statements, 33-37, and the list of people below.
Match each statement to the correct person, A-C.
| A | Mark Jones |
| B | Ed Brown |
| C | Nora Korton |
You may use any letter more than once.
33 This person believes the experiences people have on holiday in Austria might encourage them to permanently alter the way in which they live.
34 The reason this person always used to go on another type of holiday was not because they liked it but because they couldn’t afford the alternatives.
35 This person enjoys relaxing by the sea but wanted to illustrate to their children that there are other types of holidays they can go on, too.
36 This person found it hard to explain how he did not feel drained despite how busy his week was.
37 This person found the weather conditions they experienced while on holiday more favourable than expected.
- 33 Answer: C
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Q33: This person believes the experiences people have on holiday in Austria might encourage them to permanently alter the way in which they live.
When guests arrive at their hotels, they are being given leaflets and brochures on all kinds of wonderful outdoor activities; hiking, hill walking, horse riding, mountain biking, fishing, boating, you name it... That people are being encouraged to try out such healthy activities is fantastic and hopefully the experience will give more people the desire to make more permanent lifestyle changes and continue to be active when they return home from their holidays.’
Note
To answer this question, we should look for the part that mentions people’s holiday experiences in Austria. Take a look closer at paragraph 6, we can find the information we need in the last 2 sentences. It contains a detailed description of how holidays in Austria inspire them to change the lifestyle forever, states by Nora Korton.
All things considered, we can conclude that the correct answer is C.
- 34 Answer: B
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Q34: The reason this person always used to go on another type of holiday was not because they liked it but because they couldn’t afford the alternatives.
An East Ender, Ed Brown, a local musician and teacher, says of his holiday experience, ‘On my salary, I could never afford to go on anything but a package trip in the past. I never envisaged ever being able to go to the Alps and take my little daughter horse riding or anything like that. We didn’t even like the beach, but those package holidays were the only thing within budget, so we used to just go on them anyway. But now look at us this year; little Anna, the wife and I have been on such an adventure. We drove to the top of Austria’s highest mountain and then hiked on a glacier. We went hill walking and brought a picnic and I couldn’t get over the weather - 29 degrees yesterday. We hired a boat and went out on the lake. Anna had always wanted to go riding, so we hired a guide to take us on horseback through the hills. We... well, it was just amazing. What a good time!’
Note
To answer this question, we can look at paragraph 7. It mentions a story of Ed Brown - a teacher who has to go on another type of holiday due to budgetary constraints. We can see the similarity between the question and the paragraph. Therefore, we can conclude that the correct answer is B.
- 35 Answer: A
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Q35
This person enjoys relaxing by the sea but wanted to illustrate to their children that there are other types of holidays they can go on, too.
Mark Jones, another holiday-goer wowed by Austria had this to say as he stepped off the plane: My children love this (pointing - towards Austria presumably). I didn’t use to mind the beach, to tell you the truth. After a long week at work, it’s nice to lounge around and relax. But I wanted to do this for the kids; to show them there was more to life than suntanning, if that’s even a word! We did so many amazing things and they loved every moment of it. But, stranger still, so did I; I have been running around all week and yet, strangely, I feel more refreshed than I ever got sitting on my sunbed. Brilliant!’
Note
Mark Jones said that at first he didn’t use to mind the beach but then he enjoyed lounging around and relax by the sea. Moreover, he wanted to show the kids there was more to life than suntanning. Therefore, the correct answer is A.
- 36 Answer: A
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Q36
This person found it hard to explain how he did not feel drained despite how busy his week was.
Mark Jones, another holiday-goer wowed by Austria had this to say as he stepped off the plane: My children love this (pointing - towards Austria presumably). I didn’t use to mind the beach, to tell you the truth. After a long week at work, it’s nice to lounge around and relax. But I wanted to do this for the kids; to show them there was more to life than suntanning, if that’s even a word! We did so many amazing things and they loved every moment of it. But, stranger still, so did I; I have been running around all week and yet, strangely, I feel more refreshed than I ever got sitting on my sunbed. Brilliant!’
Note:
At the last paragraph, Mark Jones states that although he was very busy at work, he felt more refreshed than ever after the trip. The information matches with the question. Therefore, we can conclude that the correct answer is A.
- 37 Answer: B
Keywords in Questions
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Q37
This person found the weather conditions they experienced while on holiday more favourable than expected.
An East Ender, Ed Brown, a local musician and teacher, says of his holiday experience, ‘On my salary, I could never afford to go on anything but a package trip in the past. I never envisaged ever being able to go to the Alps and take my little daughter horse riding or anything like that. We didn’t even like the beach, but those package holidays were the only thing within budget, so we used to just go on them anyway. But now look at us this year; little Anna, the wife and I have been on such an adventure. We drove to the top of Austria’s highest mountain and then hiked on a glacier. We went hill walking and brought a picnic and I couldn’t get over the weather - 29 degrees yesterday. We hired a boat and went out on the lake. Anna had always wanted to go riding, so we hired a guide to take us on horseback through the hills. We... well, it was just amazing. What a good time!’
Note:
To answer this question, we should seek for the person who said the weather was nice on his vacation. After skimming, we find out that Ed Brown described that he could not get over the weather on his vacation – meaning that the weather was very pleasant. For that reason, the correct answer is B.
Questions 38-40
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 3?
Write
| YES | if the statement agrees with the views of the writer |
| NO | if the statement contradicts the views of the writer |
| NOT GIVEN | if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this |
38 A reduction in the cost of flying to Austria played a role in making it a popular holiday destination with budget travellers.
39 Austrian package holidays have now overtaken traditional beach package holidays in terms of popularity, with thousands of Britons holidaying in Austria each year.
40 Beach package holidays tend to be less focused on drinking and other unhealthy activities and are known for providing a wider choice of holiday activities in general.
- 38 Answer: YES
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Q38
A reduction in the cost of flying to Austria played a role in making it a popular holiday destination with budget travellers.
A profusion of new budget flights was also appearing, with airline companies like Ryanair flying direct to Salzburg return for little more than £50, including taxes. Suddenly, vacationers had a choice; an alternative to the same old sandy monotony. What is perhaps more surprising given how budget travellers are depicted in the media - as ignorant, undiscerning folk - is how many wanted to embrace this new opportunity. Thousands of Britons discarded their sandals and lidos and donned their hiking boots instead. Yodel-ley-he-hoo.
Note:
To answer this question, we should search for the phrase “the cost of flying to Austria”. We can see that in paragraph 5, they mentioned about a reduction in the cost of flying from Ryanair to Salzburg. Since Salzburg is a city in Austria, paragraph is the right part we are looking for. After scanning, we can see that by decreasing the price, more travellers embrace this opportunity. So we can conclude that the answer is YES since it contains every detail in the question.
- 39 Answer: NOT GIVEN
Keywords in Questions
Q39
Austrian package holidays have now overtaken traditional beach package holidays in terms of popularity, with thousands of Britons holidaying in Austria each year.
Note
We don’t see anything about overtaking traditional beach package holidays in terms of popularity or Britons holidaying in Austria each year in this passage.
Therefore, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
- 40 Answer: NO
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
Q40
Beach package holidays tend to be less focused on drinking and other unhealthy activities and are known for providing a wider choice of holiday activities in general.
Should the popularity of Austria as a summer holiday destination for budget travellers continue to grow over the coming years, health experts claim this could be a huge turning point in the health of our nation. There is really no comparison between a drink-fuelled static beach holiday and what the Alps has to offer’, claims Nora Korton of Medicare Analysis. The Austrian holiday phenomenon is just the tonic those of us who work every day in healthcare have been hoping for. When guests arrive at their hotels, they are being given leaflets and brochures on all kinds of wonderful outdoor activities; hiking, hill walking, horse riding, mountain biking, fishing, boating, you name it...
Note
This statement contradicts the views of the writer because he mentions that “there is really no comparison between a drink-fuelled static beach holiday and what the Alps has to offer”. That mean we can’t compare these two aspects like that.
Therefore, the answer is NO.
READING PASSAGE 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13, which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.
If at first you don’t succeed...
Broadly speaking, there are two kinds of smokers - smokers who smoke for pleasure and smokers who draw when stressed. The former use cigarettes when they feel good -for stimulation and relaxation. The latter use cigarettes as a coping mechanism to deal with stress, anger, tiredness, anxiety and so on. Pleasure smokers typically smoke fewer cigarettes a day and may go for extended periods without smoking at all, only having a puff when they are in a place (the bar, for example) they associate with the habit. Smokers who use their habit as a coping mechanism tend to be far more reliant on cigarettes though, smoking regularly throughout the day, and larger quantities overall than pleasure smokers. Their overdependence on cigarettes makes the task of quitting much harder because, whereas pleasure smokers can simply look for a substitute stimulant, smokers who use their habit as a coping mechanism must solve the underlying problems that compel them to want to smoke as much as they must kick the habit itself.
That said, quitting is possible so long as the smoker is at least in contemplation mode. There are six different modes smokers can find themselves in. The first, pre-contemplation, is typically the most difficult point from which to start quitting. This person has never really thought about quitting before, nor sensed any necessity or urgency to quit. He or she is likely going to be poorly motivated and willpower is a major hurdle that may prove too much to overcome with such low motivation levels. These smokers tend only to say that they will try to quit when pressured to do so by a loved one, but really they have no desire whatsoever to give up.
Such individuals are unlikely to be affected by public health warnings and rarely listen to the negative publicity smoking receives in the media or place any importance on the wider society’s view of them and their habit. They are relatively content and the prospect of success in their quitting, in the long term, is low, unless they have some direct personal experience of the ill effects of smoking, like, for example, a close-family bereavement or a smoking-related health scare they (or someone close to them) have had, as only this sort of fright will give them the motivation to genuinely want to change their attitude and quit.
Someone who genuinely wants to quit is in what we term “contemplation" mode. These people, the contemplators, are of a mind to quit but still lack the motivation to try. They are constantly saying that they will quit, and often set vague far-off dates for when the act of quitting is likely to occur. A husband might say to his wife, for example: 'when we have our first child, I will stop smoking'. Part of him means it, and, to even acknowledge the need to stop and the implication that smoking would have adverse effects on his children’s health is a step in the right direction. However, in reality, while the smoker knows he should quit, his motivation to do so is still not high and he seriously doubts his own willpower which is why he draws attention to a time when, as he perceives it, his willpower will have increased - such as after the birth of his firstborn.
Really, the only way to ever successfully give up smoking is to just get on with it. Don’t put it off until tomorrow; the task starts now. Each time we allow ourselves another excuse to have even just one more cigarette, our willpower has folded and we have succumbed to our nicotine cravings. The action mode, then, is the one all current smokers must try to place themselves in. Here, they really are trying to quit and not just talking about it.
People have different approaches to action mode; some change brands initially, some cut down on the amount they smoke, others wear patches or take other nicotine substitutes, and a few try to go cold turkey, a practice that does not actually have a very high success rate. The key thing that everyone in the action mode has in common is the will to try. Likely though it may be that this will will be broken at some point or another, the smoker that is resolute in his determination to keep trying to quit will, statistically, succeed. For example, more than 70 percent of ex-smokers (that is, former smokers who have been off cigarettes for in excess of one year) tried and failed to give up once before they were successful. Almost one fifth of all ex-smokers fall into the tried-and-failed-between-two-and-four-times category. There is one clear message then to be got from this: keep trying!
When you get to the maintenance phase, the phase in which you have stopped smoking completely, but are still within that first year of having quit, there is a tendency to assume that you are out of the woods. Sadly, this is where many people are let down by their over-confidence. Phrases such as ‘I’ll just have one - sure I don’t need them anymore’ are not uncommon at this point, and all the hard work it took to quit is undone in a moment or two of madness where one cigarette quickly becomes two, two become three and before you know it, you are a fully fledged addict again. It is important, therefore, to be conscious of the possibility of reverting to type during the first year, and to be on your guard. That said, failure is not the end, so despair not; you have simply entered another phase - relapse.
Relapse is a return to daily smoking after a period of non-smoking. Almost three quarters of smokers will find themselves here the first time they try to quit. There is, however, a danger of giving up on trying to give up at this stage, which is the wrong attitude to take. Failing in the quitting smoking stakes actually makes you less likely to fail the next time you try -practice really makes perfect in this game. Pluck up the courage to try again and you will find yourself in a very familiar place to smokers: renewed-action mode. In this mode, you are as determined as ever to quit, but you have an edge - you can learn from your past mistakes and keep your expectations realistic.
READING PASSAGE 2
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26, which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.
UNCOVERING THE TRUTH ABOUT GERMANY'S AUTOBAHNS
A
Officially the Bundesautobahnen, which, when translated, means federal expressways, we know them more commonly as the autobahns - Germany's impressive system of motorways. There is nothing extraordinary about them, fine feats of engineering though they may be, so why has the term autobahn become so well known? The simple answer is that people living outside of Germany have had their curiosity more than a little tickled on account of the fact that Germany's motorways are, in one specific way, very unique indeed. They are not the longest system in the world, this plaudit going to the Interstate Highway System of America, nor are they even second or third (China and India respectively), and though they come a healthy fourth in the length stakes, this is really neither here nor there. No, indeed, what fascinates us about the autobahns has nothing to do with their technical or design features. It is though, a lot to do with how fast you can go on them. The autobahns, you see, are the only stretch of motorway in the world on which you can drive your car (provided it is not towing a trailer) at, well, any speed you like. Now that's a very attractive proposition for many boy-racers out there who would salivate at the prospect of being able to drive as fast as they wanted, and, therefore, on that rather scary point, perhaps we should consider asking the, well, obvious question: what on earth were the Germans thinking when they did this? Surely having no speed limit whatsoever is a recipe for disaster.
B
To clarify, there is a 'recommended' speed limit of 130km/h on all stretches of German motorway, and a hard limit is imposed on some vehicles. Buses carrying standing passengers and motorbikes pulling trailers cannot go faster than 60 km/h. All other buses, as well as passenger cars and trucks with trailers, and all vehicles weighing in excess of 3.5 tonnes are not allowed to exceed 80km/h. Rare exceptions include buses that have been officially certified to travel at 100km/h and passenger cars carrying trailers that have received similar certification. Nonetheless, the fact remains that all other cars, trucks and motorbikes, while encouraged to adhere to the 'recommended' speed limit, are by no means bound to it and can, in effect, travel as fast as they please. Indeed, many of them do and it is not uncommon to see a car racing past you on the autobahn travelling in excess of 140km/h.
In such circumstances, it would not be at all surprising to learn that Germany has an awful record on road safety, except that it doesn't. Indeed, Germany's road safety record is comparable, and in some cases superior, to that of all other industrialised European countries. So is this just luck rewarding recklessness? Well, first of all, it's important to concede that speed limits do apply at junctions and other danger spots, such as sections under repair, and that there are even weather-related speed limits on some stretches of the autobahn (lower speed limits are used in cases of wet lanes). To fail to point this out would be to paint a picture, rather unfairly, of speed-hungry officials putting the travelling public in jeopardy on roads in order to gratify their own thrill-lust. Of course, this is not the case. Indeed, safety considerations aside, the Germans have even imposed speed limits for other purposes, such as to reduce pollution and noise on some stretches of the autobahn, so there is no crazy speed-fuelled agenda here. 'Mad' you may say, but the Germans actually seem to think this is safe.
D
And the statistics appear to back them up though. After all, the International Traffic Safety Data and Analysis Group's research indicates that there are 2.2 road-user fatalities per billion vehicle kilometres on German autobahns each year. Using the same statistics, 4.5 fatalities occur on United States motorways each year. In fact, when you look beyond the myth of the motorway without speed limits, where drivers regularly clock up speeds in excess of 200km/h, and uncover the more sober reality, you realise that the German approach might not be so daft as it first seemed. For a start, only 2% of all traffic regularly travels on the unrestricted stretches of motorway as, despite the vast area they cover, they are strategically located in rural areas with low traffic volume. The other 98% of vehicles on the road do in fact have their speeds very strictly regulated, and these regulations are also heavily enforced. Speed cameras are everywhere and the motorways are patrolled by unmarked police cars ready to pull over speed offenders and reckless drivers. The Germans have also taken into consideration statistics which show that very few road accidents occur on motorways in low-volume traffic each year. In fact, these stretches of motorway offer up some of the safest driving conditions, statistically speaking, of all. The Germans have therefore reasoned that they don't need to regulate rural motorways a great deal, and it would seem they are right.
E
Furthermore, the myth of limitless speed is also quite misleading. In reality, all German car manufacturers (and most international ones) keep to a gentlemen's agreement whereby they limit the top speed of their cars to around 150 km/h for safety reasons as, unless tyre pressure is optimally maintained and cars are constantly serviced (as would happen, say, in motor racing), travelling at higher speeds than that is, well, extremely risky and can lead to blowouts and other physical and mechanical failures that have the potential to cause death. Therefore, the situation is a little different than we might have assumed because while there is no official speed limit in theory, car manufacturers self-regulate so, in practice, a limit on the maximum speed vehicles can travel at has been put in place. In addition, the few vehicles which are capable of clocking speeds in excess of 150km/h seldom get the opportunity (the time and space) to build up to these speeds on the German autobahns, and, if they do, well, the way the German government sees it, they might as well be driving that fast there rather than in the suburbs, so let them do it!
READING PASSAGE 3
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27-40, which are based on Reading Passage 3 below.
Austria: The burgeoning budget holiday attraction
Trips to Austria are more commonly associated with commerce or winter skiing than they are with summertime fun and entertainment, but, in the last year or so, a surprising trend has begun to develop in the British foreign holiday market. Tour operators have identified a desire among holiday-goers - even budget travellers and package-holiday devotees - to broaden their horizons somewhat beyond the traditional haunts of Spain and the Canary Islands and look towards other new, less crowded and, perhaps, more exciting destinations. Enter the Austrian package holiday - the answer to
the tour operators’ prayers. You see, Austria, for all its natural beauty, has traditionally fared well in attracting tourists only during the winter ski season. During the summer, however, tourists - foreign tourists especially - neglect her lush mountain meadows, fresh air and wildlife in favour of cheap beach holidays, and drench themselves in equal measures of drink and suntan for a week or so before returning home strawberry-red and with about as much of a cultural experience to tell the neighbours about as could be had from scratching well, erm, your... how do I put this politely... posterior!
The ‘cheap and cheerful’ package holiday has always had narrow horizons and members of the ordinary public, traumatised by years spent holidaying on a meaningless beach somewhere in Malaga, have sand coming out of their ears at this stage. Clearly a change was needed. But who would have thought of an expensive place like Austria as the perfect alternative? After all, isn’t it the domain of that rich and privileged ski crowd? Don’t you have to pay a small fortune on flights just to get there?
It’s true that, in winter, Austrian mountain resorts charge a pretty penny for accommodation, but what, in snowier times, costs an arm and several legs, costs nothing in comparison come spring and summer when the snow has melted and the ‘rich kids’ have returned home. But in some ways, the Austrian Alps are even more beautiful in summer than they are in the snow-covered winter, and it was this realisation that enabled the tour operators and package holiday companies to come up with something new. Suddenly, the internet was awash with cheap summer holiday alternatives offering seven nights in the Austrian Alps in three- and four-star hotels, some with as much as full-board, and half-board typically being provided as standard. The Austrian hoteliers and restaurateurs, having geared up for seasonal winter trade, were only too happy to satisfy this new summertime demand at reduced prices - after all, anything is better than vacant rooms and they looked on any profit to be made from this opportunity as, well, a bonus. There was no need to be too greedy or demanding with prices as that would put people off coming and, besides, their winter business was their bread and butter and it wasn’t going anywhere.
A profusion of new budget flights were also appearing, with airline companies like Ryanair flying direct to Salzburg return for little more than £50, including taxes. Suddenly, vacationers had a choice; an alternative to the same old sandy monotony. What is perhaps more surprising given how budget travellers are depicted in the media - as ignorant, undiscerning folk - is how many wanted to embrace this new opportunity. Thousands of Britons discarded their sandals and lidos and donned their hiking boots instead. Yodel-ley-he-hoo.
Should the popularity of Austria as a summer holiday destination for budget travellers continue to grow over the coming years, health experts claim this could be a huge turning point in the health of our nation. There is really no comparison between a drink-fuelled static beach holiday and what the Alps has to offer’, claims Nora Korton of Medicare Analysis. The Austrian holiday phenomenon is just the tonic those of us who work every day in healthcare have been hoping for. When guests arrive at their hotels they are being given leaflets and brochures on all kinds of wonderful outdoor activities; hiking, hill walking, horse riding, mountain biking, fishing, boating, you name it... That people are being encouraged to try out such healthy activities is fantastic and hopefully the experience will give more people the desire to make more permanent lifestyle changes and continue to be active when they return home from their holidays.’
An East Ender, Ed Brown, a local musician and teacher, says of his holiday experience, ‘On my salary, I could never afford to go on anything but a package trip in the past. I never envisaged ever being able to go to the Alps and take my little daughter horse riding or anything like that. We didn’t even like the beach, but those package holidays were the only thing within budget, so we used to just go on them anyway. But now look at us this year; little Anna, the wife and I have been on such an adventure. We drove to the top of Austria’s highest mountain and then hiked on a glacier. We went hill walking and brought a picnic and I couldn’t get over the weather - 29 degrees yesterday. We hired a boat and went out on the lake. Anna had always wanted to go riding, so we hired a guide to take us on horseback through the hills. We... well, it was just amazing. What a good time!’
Mark Jones, another holiday-goer wowed by Austria had this to say as he stepped off the plane: My children love this (pointing - towards Austria presumably). I didn’t use to mind the beach, to tell you the truth. After a long week at work, it’s nice to lounge around and relax. But I wanted to do this for the kids; to show them there was more to life than suntanning, if that’s even a word! We did so many amazing things and they loved every moment of it. But, stranger still, so did I; I have been running around all week and yet, strangely, I feel more refreshed than I ever got sitting on my sunbed. Brilliant!’
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