IELTS Recent Mock Tests Volume 4

SECTION 2

On behalf of Northfiels Sports Complex, I'd like to extend our warmest welcome to all here this evening. I'm George Dyson, founder of Northfiels Sports Complex. I'm giving this speech today to celebrate a special occasion. We started the business exactly a decade ago, and today, we have developed into a large firm with a sizable group of members. We've also been nominated the "Most Valuable Company" by Green Town at the yearly Business Awards which will be held next week. As experienced and qualified reporters, you are invited here to experience and witness this historical moment of Northfield Sports Complex together with us.

Situated within the campus of Green Town University, Northfield Sports Complex is a modem, refreshing and fully-equipped facility for sports of all kinds. As part of its commitment to the local community, Northfield Sports Complex is available not only to school children but also to local residents. It offers a wide range of facilities including a 25-metre swimming pool, paved walking and jogging paths, a well-equipped fitness gym, all-weather pitches, indoor courts for table tennis, tennis and other sports, as well as a renowned skating rink. Different age groups can all find the right sports to participate in. That’s why local residents enjoy working out here. As a result, natives here are healthier than most of the people within our nation.

The whole town is very proud of having nurtured two world champions, who were once both trained right here in our skating rink. Thus it has become the ideal venue to leam to skate and have fun. But what I take pride in most of all is the skating rink that has stirred the interest of boys and girls here in local schools to skate. Since opening, an increasing number of pupils have been paying regular visits to the skating rink.

A new yoga classroom with trainers will be open next month for mothers with babies. They can bring their own yoga mat and work out together with their babies. This will be a great way for them to get healthy and meet other moms. There will also be a brand new gym open to the pensioners in the near future. Just this month a new swimming pool is open to all fitness levels with special offers for those without a job.

Our complex is open daily from 8 am to 9 pm except on Thanksgiving and Christmas. We intend to extend our business in the coming year. A list of equipment will be put up for sale ranging from exercising equipment like cardio machines to sports recovery and injury prevention facilities.

Within our complex, we try our best to avoid injuries of any kind. We train knowledgeable staff to guide our clients through correct workout regimens.

For those who want to further ensure workout safety, they are welcome to apply to be a member of our standing committee. They are responsible for revising the safety guidelines and supervising its enforcement.

Now I would like to introduce some of our most popular sports facilities here at Northfield Sport Complex. Our 25-metre swimming pool is the centrepiece of the complex. Combining modem, bright and airy surroundings with fully up-to-date changing facilities, the pool is excellent for learning how to swim, improving techniques and, of course, competing in school competitions. It is also bookable for private functions, including pool parties, where lifeguards are available.

Next, we have the only climbing wall throughout the whole town. Many would see rock climbing as a type of extreme sport, exposing great risk to those who participate. But actually, under proper guidance and with close supervision by the coach here, it is a perfect sport for the youth to increase their flexibility and strengthen their muscles.

I have to mention our skating rink once again. As our most popular facility, it has been prominently featured in a TV commercial we’ve released recently. There is no other skating rink larger than ours within the whole nation.

Also, our state-of-the-art gym is an inspiring place to train and keep fit in relaxed and friendly surroundings. The Technogym equipment enables our clients to measure their performance. If you book a one-on-one trainer, he or she might suggest a future training plan and help you train more systematically         

SECTION 3

So what I'm going to talk about to you today is something called "aquaculture". It has been responsible for the impressive growth in the supply of fish for human consumption. There's also been a slight improvement in the state of certain fish stocks due to improved fishery management. Aquatic food production has transitioned from being primarily based on the capturing of wild fish to the culture of increasing numbers of farmed species. In recent years, a type of genetically modified salmon has been farmed in the New England region, produced by a Massachusetts based bio-tech firm. This type of fish is engineered to grow twice as fast as its conventional farm-raised counterpart. As a result, this increases the speed of the local aquaculture industry development, and thus reduces the fishing pressure on wild stock. But local residents have expressed their concerns on the potential negative effects on the ecosystem. Should those GM fish ever escape into the sea, stronger, healthier and faster growing. These fish might cannibalize others or out-compete wild-type fish for food. Local decision makers and regulators have thus pushed forward a number of measures making it impossible for most GM fish to mate. A small percentage is able to breed only within confined pools. Despite the economic boom of genetically engineered fish, culturing traditional types of fish is still mainstream among fish farmers. Most of them prefer fish with special features, such as tuna. It is a source of high quality protein with almost no fat. It also contains all essential amino acids required by the body for growth and maintenance of lean muscle tissue.  With high nutritional value, this kind of fish will always be popular in the fish market.

For the fish farming industry, incidents of fish escaping the farms has been a troubling issue over the years. Due to bad weather, nets that used to hold the fish were often destroyed. Thousands of salmon worth nearly 220 thousand euros escaped from a fish farm in the Norwegian region in July, raising fear that they would breed with wild fish stocks. Cages were thus built to withstand storms. The frames of the cages are made of PE which is dedicated to marine use. This material has trustable strength, resilience and tenacity. To further strengthen it, strong nets without knots are used to support the cylindrical frame.            

A group of small villages on the island of Zanzibar off the coast of East Africa have been trying to develop a local aquaculture industry sustainably. They use a land-based production system that is both economically and ecologically sound. Land-based recirculation can control ocean temperature and optimize growth for the fish that are used to warmer water. All organic waste from the fish is held on land with incoming water sterilized to avoid disease, which has historically plagued ocean based farms. The lack of disease means that no drugs are administered to the fish.

However, one problem facing the villagers is lack of suitable land on the coast for this system. Hotels & beaches open to tourists take up most of the coastal area. Another problem facing local fishermen is the scarcity of young fish used to breed the species. This predicament stems from overfishing during the previous decades. The local commercial fishing industry has been reduced by 50% for this reason and the aquaculture industry has yet to thrive.

The government has taken a set of initiatives to safeguard native aquaculture and the fishing industry. An open-air seafood market has been launched. Residents are encouraged to support local fish farming businesses by purchasing marine products. As it turns out, there is a public demand for access to locally produced, sustainable sources of fresh seafood. Moreover, local fish farmers are aided to market seaweed and oysters, both of which have additional economic values. Seaweed is used in various ways in cosmetics. Seaweed extract is often found on the list of ingredients, constituting creams, soaps, shampoos, powders and sprays. It is said to be useful in various ways, including the relief of rheumatic pain and the removal of cellulite. Oyster is a source of seafood popular among the local hospitality industry. Served with caviar and champagne, it is one of the world's ultimate luxury foods, appealing to gourmets with its succulent and delicate flavor. It thus appears to have the greatest potential for commercial culture. Even though the national and international market has shown demand for marine products in Zanzibar, it is still challenging to survive in the competitive modern fishing industry. The government ought to restore the business by encouraging aquaculture, recreation and shipping. First, it could utilize modern fish farming technology to supply more high-quality marine products. Tourism is an effective stimulus to boost its sales and with better shipping capability, more products can be delivered abroad.