IELTS General Reading Test 1.

Section 1

READING PASSAGE 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1–13, which are based on Reading
Passage 1 below.

The Earth

(A) The Earth is the third planet from the Sun and it is the only planet known
to have life on it. The Earth formed around 4.5 billion years ago. It is one of
four rocky planets on the inside of the Solar System. The other three are
Mercury, Venus, and Mars.

(B) The large mass of the Sun makes the Earth move around it, just as the
mass of the Earth makes the Moon move around it. The Earth also turns
round in space, so different parts face the Sun at different times. The Earth
goes around the Sun once (one "year") for every 365¼ times it turns all the
way around (one "day").

(C) The Moon goes around the Earth about every 27⅓ days, and reflects light
from the Sun. As the Earth goes round the Sun at the same time, the
changing light of the Moon takes about 29½ days to go from dark to bright to
dark again. That is where the idea of "month" came from. However, now most
months have 30 or 31 days so they fit into one year.

(D) The Earth is the only planet in our Solar System that has a large amount
of liquid water. About 71% of the surface of the Earth is covered by oceans.
Because of this, it is sometimes called the "Blue Planet".

(E) Because of its water, the Earth is home to millions of species of plants and
animals. The things that live on Earth have changed its surface greatly. For
example, early cyanobacteria changed the air and gave it oxygen. The living
part of the Earth's surface is called the "biosphere".

(F) The Earth is part of the eight planets and many thousands of small bodies
that move around the Sun as its Solar System. The Solar System is moving
through the Orion Arm of the Milky Way Galaxy now, and will be for about the
next 10,000 years.
(G) The Earth is generally 150,000,000 kilometers or 93,000,000 miles away
from the Sun (this distance is named an "Astronomical Unit"). The Earth
moves along its way at an average speed of about 30 km or 19 mi a second.
The Earth turns all the way around about 365¼ times in the time it takes for
the Earth to go all the way around the Sun. To make up this extra bit of a day
every year, an additional day is used every four years. This is named a "leap
year".

(H) The Moon goes around the Earth at an average distance of 400,000

kilometers (250,000 mi). It is locked to Earth, so that it always has the same
half facing the Earth; the other half is called the "dark side of the Moon". It
takes about 27⅓ days for the Moon to go all the way around the Earth but,
because the Earth is moving around the Sun at the same time, it takes about
29½ days for the Moon to go from dark to bright to dark again. This is where
the word "month" came from, even though most months now have 30 or 31
days.

Questions 1–8

Reading Passage 1 has eight paragraphs A-H. Which paragraph contains the following

information?  Write the correct letter, A–H, in boxes 1–8 on your answer sheet.

1. Earth’s natural satellite 

2. Distance between Earth and Sun 

3. General information about Earth 

4. The Solar System 

5. Length of most moths 

6. Another name for Earth 

7. The living part of the Earth's surface 

8. The movements of Earth around the Sun 

Questions 9-13

Complete the sentences below.

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 9-13 on your answer sheet.

9. Apart from Earth, other rocky planets in our Solar Systems are Venus, Mars

and  .

10. Moon   from the Sun on Earth.

11. There are millions of   of plants and animals that inhabit Earth.

12. Now the Solar System is travelling through   .

13. The dark side of the Moon is the side, which   faces Earth.

IELTS General Reading Test 1.
Section 2

READING PASSAGE 2

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-28. Read the texts below and
answer the following questions

1. The Vitamin Shoppe: 1,946 part-time openings. 

The Vitamin Shoppe is a New Jersey-based retailer of nutritional
supplements. They also operate stores in Canada under the name "VitaPath".
The company provides approximately 8,000 different SKU's of supplements
through its retail stores and over 20,000 different SKU's of supplements
through its online retail websites.

Employee Review: "Good growth opportunities and stores opening all over

the US all year 'round. Company based out of NJ, so more progressive
policies on employment and benefits. Good vacation, health, and dental
benefits. Payment is above average. Good policies on customer service
interaction as well. Focus on Customer service vs. pushing products."

2. Chipotle: 1,553 part-time openings.

Chipotle is known for its use of organic meats throughout its more than 1,500
restaurants, which are located in 45 states. Since having been founded in
1993, the chain has since exploded and now counts some 37,000 employees.
It is a pioneer in the "fast casual" dining movement.

Employee Review: "The people I work with are awesome and the food is
good. It pays my bills and makes me laugh. The schedule is super flexible but
it's a lot of work. If you're looking for something easy and laid back, keep
looking."

3. Advantage Sales & Marketing: 1,742 part-time openings. 

Advantage Sales & Marketing provides outsourced sales, merchandising, and
marketing services to consumer goods and food product manufacturers and
suppliers. Owning more than 65 offices in the US and Canada, ASM does
merchandising for 1,200 clients -- including Johnson & Johnson, Mars,
Unilever, Energizer.

Employee Review: "Long lasting business, able to adapt to changes in

market. Well-thought out schedule, and flexible time off for both vacation and
illness."

4. Universal Protection Service: 1,219 part-time openings. 

Universal Protection Service is one of the largest providers of security
services in the U.S. They offer an expansive range of security solutions for
airports, healthcare facilities, office buildings, and more.

Employee Review: "Good pay depending on where you work. Room for

advancement based on availability. Better company than any other I have
worked for in security."

5. PSA Healthcare: 1,295 part-time openings 

PSA Healthcare, also known as Pediatric Services of America, provides
comprehensive home health services through a branch of office across the
United States. The company is headquartered in Atlanta, Ga.

Employee Review: "I love working one-on-one with the pediatric patient and
their families. You have the time needed to give great compassionate care!
Office staff and supervisors are very good with both employees and clients.
There is a lot of flexibility with staffing. I never received grief for requesting a
day off."

Questions 14-22
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

Write the correct letter in boxes 14–22 on your answer sheet.

14. Which offer has the most part-time openings?

      A   Chipotle

      B   PSA Healthcare

      C   The Vitamin Shoppe

      D   Advantage Sales & Marketing

15. Which of these companies operate both in USA and Canada?

      A   The Vitamin Shoppe and Advantage Sales & Marketing

      B   PSA Healthcare and Advantage Sales & Marketing

      C   Chipotle and PSA Healthcare

      D   PSA Healthcare and The Vitamin Shoppe

16. Review of which company says that it is the best security company he/she worked for?

      A   Chipotle

      B   The Vitamin Shoppe

      C   Universal Protection Service

      D   PSA Healthcare

17. Which company was founded in 1993?

      A   The Vitamin Shoppe

      B   Universal Protection Service

      C   PSA Healthcare

      D   Chipotle

18. Main office of which company is situated in Atlanta?

      A   The Vitamin Shoppe

      B   PSA Healthcare

      C   Chipotle

      D   Advantage Sales & Marketing

19. VitaPath is the other name of which company?

      A   PSA Healthcare

      B   Universal Protection Service

      C   The Vitamin Shoppe

      D   Advantage Sales & Marketing

20. Which review doesn’t mention a comfortable timetable?

      A   Chipotle

      B   Advantage Sales & Marketing

      C   The Vitamin Shoppe

      D   PSA Healthcare

21. Which company is described as a long lasting business?

      A   PSA Healthcare

      B   Advantage Sales & Marketing

      C   Universal Protection Service

      D   Chipotle

22. Organic meat is used by what company?

      A   Chipotle

      B   The Vitamin Shoppe

      C   Advantage Sales & Marketing

      D   None of them

Questions 23-28

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Section 2?

In boxes 23–28 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE                       if the statement agrees with the information

FALSE                      if the statement contradicts the information

NOT GIVEN             if there is no information on this

23. The Vitamin Shoppe has an above average salary, according to the review.                   

24. Reviewer of the company Chipotle says that working there is both fun and earns

enough money.                                                   

25. Advantage Sales & Marketing owns 65 offices all over the world.                                   

26. Universal Protection Service offers various security services in the USA.                         
27. Reviewer of the PSA Healthcare praises its high wages.                                                 

28. None of the offers included an approximate salary in the description.                             

ELTS General Reading Test 1.

Section 3

READING PASSAGE 3

Read the text below and answer Questions 29–40.

What to do in a fire?

Fire drills are a big part of being safe in school: They prepare you for what you
need to do in case of a fire. But what if there was a fire where you
live? Would you know what to do?Talking about fires can be scary because
no one likes to think about people getting hurt or their things getting burned.
But you can feel less worried if you are prepared.

It's a good idea for families to talk about what they would do to escape a fire.
Different families will have different strategies. Some kids live in one-story
houses and other kids live in tall buildings. You'll want to talk about escape
plans and escape routes, so let's start there.

Know Your Way Out

An escape plan can help every member of a family get out of a burning house.
The idea is to get outside quickly and safely. Smoke from a fire can make it
hard to see where things are, so it's important to learn and remember the
different ways out of your home. How many exits are there? How do you get
to them from your room? It's a good idea to have your family draw a map of
the escape plan.
It's possible one way out could be blocked by fire or smoke, so you'll want to
know where other ones are. And if you live in an apartment building, you'll
want to know the best way to the stairwell or other emergency exits.
Safety Steps

If you're in a room with the door closed when the fire breaks out, you need to
take a few extra steps:

 Check to see if there's heat or smoke coming in the cracks around the
door. (You're checking to see if there's fire on the other side.)
 If you see smoke coming under the door — don't open the door!
 If you don't see smoke — touch the door. If the door is hot or very warm
— don't open the door!
 If you don't see smoke — and the door is not hot — then use your
fingers to lightly touch the doorknob. If the doorknob is hot or very
warm — don't open the door!

If the doorknob feels cool, and you can't see any smoke around the door, you
can open the door very carefully and slowly. When you open the door, if you
feel a burst of heat or smoke pours into the room, quickly shut the door and
make sure it is really closed. If there's no smoke or heat when you open the
door, go toward your escape route exit.

Questions 29-34

Complete the sentences below.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 29-34 on your answer sheet.

29. While some might live in a tall buildings, others might live in a   .

30. Important thing is to talk with your kids about escape   and   .

31. Making a   is a good idea, it can help you escape.

32. If you live in an apartment, you have to know the way to the staircase or
other   .

33. You can only open the door if the   is not hot and you can’t see smoke around
the door.

34. You should immediately close the door, if smoke   into the room

 
Questions 35–39

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Section 3?

In boxes 35–39 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE                       if the statement agrees with the information

FALSE                      if the statement contradicts the information

NOT GIVEN             if there is no information on this

35. It is important to have a strategy before escaping the fire.                                                 

36. You should mark different ways out of your home on the map.                                         

37. If you’re stuck in a room, and see smoke coming from the other room, you should open
the door and ran to the exit.                                                  

38. Hot door means you shouldn’t open it to escape.                                                 

39. If you open the door and everything seems fine, go straight to the exit.                         

Question 40

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

Write the correct letter in box 40 on your answer sheet.

40. This article is mainly aimed at helping:

      A   Children

      B   Children and their parents

      C   Only parents

      D   Teachers at schools

READING PASSAGE 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1–16, which are based on Reading
Passage 1 below.

Sea monsters are the stuff of legend - lurking not just in the depths of
the oceans, but also the darker corners of our minds. What is it that
draws us to these creatures?

  "This inhuman place makes human monsters," wrote Stephen King in his
novel The Shining. Many academics agree that monsters lurk in the deepest
recesses, they prowl through our ancestral minds appearing in the half-light,
under the bed - or at the bottom of the sea.

  "They don't really exist, but they play a huge role in our mindscapes, in our
dreams, stories, nightmares, myths and so on," says Matthias Classen,
assistant professor of literature and media at Aarhus University in Denmark,
who studies monsters in literature. "Monsters say something about human
psychology, not the world."

  One Norse legend talks of the Kraken, a deep sea creature that was the
curse of fishermen. If sailors found a place with many fish, most likely it was
the monster that was driving them to the surface. If it saw the ship it would
pluck the hapless sailors from the boat and drag them to a watery grave.

  This terrifying legend occupied the mind and pen of the poet Alfred Lord
Tennyson too. In his short 1830 poem The Kraken he wrote: "Below the
thunders of the upper deep, / Far far beneath in the abysmal sea, / His
ancient, dreamless, uninvaded sleep / The Kraken sleepeth."

  The deeper we travel into the ocean, the deeper we delve into our own
psyche. And when we can go no further - there lurks the Kraken.

  Most likely the Kraken is based on a real creature - the giant squid. The
huge mollusc takes pride of place as the personification of the terrors of the
deep sea. Sailors would have encountered it at the surface, dying, and
probably thrashing about. It would have made a weird sight, "about the most
alien thing you can imagine," says Edith Widder, CEO at the Ocean Research
and Conservation Association.

  "It has eight lashing arms and two slashing tentacles growing straight out of
its head and it's got serrated suckers that can latch on to the slimiest of prey
and it's got a parrot beak that can rip flesh. It's got an eye the size of your
head, it's got a jet propulsion system and three hearts that pump blue blood."
  The giant squid continued to dominate stories of sea monsters with the
famous 1870 novel, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, by Jules
Verne. Verne's submarine fantasy is a classic story of puny man against a
gigantic squid.

  The monster needed no embellishment - this creature was scary enough,

and Verne incorporated as much fact as possible into the story, says Emily
Alder from Edinburgh Napier University. "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under
the Sea and another contemporaneous book, Victor Hugo's Toilers of the
Sea, both tried to represent the giant squid as they might have been actual
zoological animals, much more taking the squid as a biological creature than a
mythical creature." It was a given that the squid was vicious and would readily
attack humans given the chance.

  That myth wasn't busted until 2012, when Edith Widder and her colleagues
were the first people to successfully film giant squid under water and see first-
hand the true character of the monster of the deep. They realised previous
attempts to film squid had failed because the bright lights and noisy thrusters
on submersibles had frightened them away.

  By quietening down the engines and using bioluminescence to attract it,

they managed to see this most extraordinary animal in its natural habitat. It
serenely glided into view, its body rippled with metallic colours of bronze and
silver. Its huge, intelligent eye watched the submarine warily as it delicately
picked at the bait with its beak. It was balletic and mesmeric. It could not have
been further from the gnashing, human-destroying creature of myth and
literature. In reality this is a gentle giant that is easily scared and pecks at its
food.

  Another giant squid lies peacefully in the Natural History Museum in

London, in the Spirit Room, where it is preserved in a huge glass case. In
2004 it was caught in a fishing net off the Falkland Islands and died at the
surface. The crew immediately froze its body and it was sent to be preserved
in the museum by the Curator of Molluscs, Jon Ablett. It is called Archie, an
affectionate short version of its Latin name Architeuthis dux. It is the longest
preserved specimen of a giant squid in the world.

  "It really has brought science to life for many people," says Ablett.
"Sometimes I feel a bit overshadowed by Archie, most of my work is on slugs
and snails but unfortunately most people don't want to talk about that!"

  And so today we can watch Archie's graceful relative on film and stare
Archie herself (she is a female) eye-to-eye in a museum. But have we finally
slain the monster of the deep? Now we know there is nothing to be afraid of,
can the Kraken finally be laid to rest? Probably not says Classen. "We
humans are afraid of the strangest things. They don't need to be realistic.
There's no indication that enlightenment and scientific progress has banished
the monsters from the shadows of our imaginations. We will continue to be
afraid of very strange things, including probably sea monsters."

  Indeed we are. The Kraken made a fearsome appearance in the

blockbuster series Pirates of the Caribbean. It forced Captain Jack Sparrow to
face his demons in a terrifying face-to-face encounter. Pirates needed the
monstrous Kraken, nothing else would do. Or, as the German film director
Werner Herzog put it, "What would an ocean be without a monster lurking in
the dark? It would be like sleep without dreams."

Questions 1–7

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?

In boxes 1–7 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE                          if the statement agrees with the information

FALSE                        if the statement contradicts the information

NOT GIVEN                if there is no information on this

1. Matthias Classen is unsure about the possibility of monster's existence.                     

2. Kraken is probably based on an imaginary animal.                              

3. Previous attempts on filming the squid had failed due to the fact that the creature

was scared.                                
4. Giant squid was caught alive in 2004 and brought to the museum.                              

5. Jon Ablett admits that he likes Archie.                                

6. According to Classen, people can be scared both by imaginary and real monsters.    
 7. Werner Herzog suggests that Kraken is essential to the ocean.                              

Questions 8–12

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

Write the correct letter in boxes 8–12 on your answer sheet.

8. Who wrote a novel about a giant squid?

A.  Emily Alder

B.  Stephen King

C.  Alfred Lord Tennyson

D.  Jules Verne

9. What, of the featuring body parts, mollusc DOESN'T have?

A.  two tentacles

B.  serrated suckers

C.  beak

D.  smooth suckers

10. Which of the following applies to the bookish Kraken?

A.  notorious

B.  scary
 C.  weird

D.  harmless

11.  Where can we see a giant squid?

A.  at the museum

B.  at a seaside

C.  on TV

D.  in supermarkets

12. The main purpose of the text is to:

A.  help us to understand more about both mythical and biological creatures

of the deep<strong< li=""></strong<>

B.  illustrate the difference between Kraken and squid

C.  shed the light on the mythical creatures of the ocean

D.  compare Kraken to its real relative

Questions 13–16

Complete the sentences below.

Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 13–16 on your answer sheet.

 
13. According to the Victor Hugo's novel, the squid would   if he had such
opportunity.

14. The real squid appeared to be   and  .

15. Archie must be the   of its kind on Earth.

16. We are able to encounter the Kraken's   in a movie franchise.

ead Section 1 and answer Questions 1–14

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

Revised July 2011

This applies to all persons on the school campus

In cases of emergency (e.g. fire), find the nearest teacher who will: send a
messenger at full speed to the Office OR inform the Office via phone ext. 99.

PROCEDURE FOR EVACUATION

1. Warning of an emergency evacuation will be marked by a number of short

bell rings. (In the event of a power failure, this may be a hand-held bell or
siren.)

2. All class work will cease immediately.

3. Students will leave their bags, books and other possessions where they
are.
4. Teachers will take the class rolls.

5. Classes will vacate the premises using the nearest staircase. If these stairs
are inaccessible, use the nearest alternative staircase. Do not use the lifts. Do
not run.

6. Each class, under the teacher’s supervision, will move in a brisk, orderly
fashion to the paved quadrangle area adjacent to the car park.

7. All support staff will do the same.

8. The Marshalling Supervisor, Ms Randall, will be wearing a red cap and she
will be waiting there with the master timetable and staff list in her possession.

9. Students assemble in the quad with their teacher at the time of evacuation.
The teacher will do a head count and check the roll.

10. Each teacher sends a student to the Supervisor to report whether all
students have been accounted for. After checking, students will sit down (in
the event of rain or wet pavement they may remain standing).

11. The Supervisor will inform the Office when all staff and students have
been accounted for.

12. All students, teaching staff and support personnel remain in the
evacuation area until the All Clear signal is given.

13. The All Clear will be a long bell ring or three blasts on the siren.

14. Students will return to class in an orderly manner under teacher guidance.

15. In the event of an emergency occurring during lunch or breaks, students

are to assemble in their home-room groups in the quad and await their home-
room teacher.

Questions 1-8

Complete the sentences below.

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 1–8 on your answer sheet.

1. In an emergency, a teacher will either phone the office or  .

2. The signal for evacuation will normally be several  .

3. If possible, students should leave the building by the  .

4. They then walk quickly to the  .

5.   will join the teachers and students in the quad.

6. Each class teacher will count up his or her students and mark  .

7. After the   , everyone may return to class.

8. If there is an emergency at lunchtime, students gather in the quad in   and wait
for their teacher.

Read the texts below and answer Questions 9–14

Community Education

SHORT COURSES: BUSINESS

Business Basics 
Gain foundation knowledge for employment in an accounts position with
bookkeeping and business basics through to intermediate level; suitable for
anyone requiring knowledge from the ground up. 
Code B/ED011 
16th or 24th April 9am–4pm 
Cost $420
Bookkeeping 
This course will provide students with a comprehensive understanding of
bookkeeping and a great deal of hands-on experience. 
Code B/ED020 
19th April 9am–2.30pm (one session only so advance bookings essential) 
Cost $250

New Enterprise Module 

Understand company structures, tax rates, deductions, employer obligations,
profit and loss statements, GST and budgeting for tax. 
Code B/ED030 
15th or 27th May 6pm–9pm 
Cost $105

Social Networking – the Latest Marketing Tool 

This broad overview gives you the opportunity to analyse what web
technologies are available and how they can benefit your organisation. 
Code B/ED033 
1st or 8th or 15th June 6pm–9pm 
Cost $95

Communication 
Take the fear out of talking to large gatherings of people. Gain the public-
speaking experience that will empower you with better communication skills
and confidence. 
Code B/ED401 
12th or 13th or 14th
July 6pm–9pm 
Cost $90

Questions 9–14

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text? 
In boxes 9–14 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE                       if the statement agrees with the information

FALSE                      if the statement contradicts the information

NOT GIVEN             if there is no information on this

9. Business Basics is appropriate for beginners.                                                 

10. Bookkeeping has no practical component.                                                 

11. Bookkeeping is intended for advanced students only.                                                 

12. The New Enterprise Module can help your business become more profitable.                

13. Social Networking focuses on a specific website to help your business succeed.            

14. The Communication class involves speaking in front of an audience.                             

IELTS General Reading Test 2.

Section 2
Read Section 2 and answer Questions 15–28
 BENEFICIAL WORK PRACTICES FOR THE KEYBOARD
OPERATOR

(A) Sensible work practices are an important factor in the prevention of

muscular fatigue; discomfort or pain in the arms, neck, hands or back; or eye
strain which can be associated with constant or regular work at a keyboard
and visual display unit (VDU).

(B) It is vital that the employer pays attention to the physical setting such as
workplace design, the office environment, and placement of monitors as well
as the organisation of the work and individual work habits. Operators must be
able to recognise work-related health problems and be given the opportunity
to participate in the management of these. Operators should take note of and
follow the preventive measures outlined below.

(C) The typist must be comfortably accommodated in a chair that is adjustable

for height with a back rest that is also easily adjustable both for angle and
height. The back rest and sitting ledge (with a curved edge) should preferably
be cloth-covered to avoid excessive perspiration.

(D) When the keyboard operator is working from a paper file or manuscript, it

should be at the same distance from the eyes as the screen. The most
convenient position can be found by using some sort of holder. Individual
arrangement will vary according to whether the operator spends more time
looking at the VDU or the paper – whichever the eyes are focused on for the
majority of time should be put directly in front of the operator.

(E) While keying, it is advisable to have frequent but short pauses of around

thirty to sixty seconds to proofread. When doing this, relax your hands. After
you have been keying for sixty minutes, you should have a ten minute change
of activity. During this spell it is important that you do not remain seated but
stand up or walk around. This period could be profitably used to do filing or
collect and deliver documents.

(F) Generally, the best position for a VDU is at right angles to the window. If
this is not possible then glare from the window can be controlled by blinds,
curtains or movable screens. Keep the face of the VDU vertical to avoid glare
from overhead lighting.

(G) Unsatisfactory work practices or working conditions may result in aches or

pain. 
Symptoms should be reported to your supervisor early on so that the cause of
the trouble can be corrected and the operator should seek medical attention.

Questions 15–21
The text on the next page has seven sections, A–G.

Choose the correct heading for each section from the list of headings below. 
Write the correct number, i–x, in boxes 15–21 on your answer sheet.

List of Headings

i. How can reflection problems be avoided?

ii. How long should I work without a break?
iii. What if I experience any problems?
iv. When is the best time to do filing chores?
v. What makes a good seat?
vi. What are the common health problems?
vii. What is the best kind of lighting to have?
viii. What are the roles of management and workers?
ix. Why does a VDU create eye fatigue?
x. Where should I place the documents?

15. Section A 

16. Section B 

17. Section C 

18. Section D 

19. Section E 

20. Section F 

21. Section G 

 
 Workplace dismissals

Before the dismissal

If an employer wants to dismiss an employee, there is a process to be

followed. 
Instances of minor misconduct and poor performance must first be addressed
through some preliminary steps. 
Firstly, you should be given an improvement note. This will explain the
problem, outline any necessary changes and offer some assistance in
correcting the situation. Then, if your employer does not think your
performance has improved, you may be given a written warning. The last step
is called a final written warning which will inform you that you will be dismissed
unless there are improvements in performance. If there is no improvement,
your employer can begin the dismissal procedure. 
The dismissal procedure begins with a letter from the employer setting out the
charges made against the employee. The employee will be invited to a
meeting to discuss these accusations. If the employee denies the charges, he
is given the opportunity to appear at a formal appeal hearing in front of a
different manager. After this, a decision is made as to whether the employee
will be let go or not.

Dismissals

Of the various types of dismissal, a fair dismissal is the best kind if an

employer wants an employee out of the workplace. A fair dismissal is legally
and contractually strong and it means all the necessary procedures have been
correctly followed. In cases where an employee’s misconduct has been very
serious, however, an employer may not have to follow all of these procedures.
If the employer can prove that the employee’s behaviour was illegal,
dangerous or severely wrong, the employee can be dismissed immediately: a
procedure known as summary dismissal. 
Sometimes a dismissal is not considered to have taken place fairly. One of
these types is wrongful dismissal and involves a breach of contract by the
employer. This could involve dismissing an employee without notice or without
following proper disciplinary and dismissal procedures. Another type, unfair
dismissal, is when an employee is sacked without good cause. 
There is another kind of dismissal, known as constructive dismissal, which is
slightly peculiar because the employee is not actually openly dismissed by the
employer. In this case the employee is forced into resigning by an employer
who tries to make significant changes to the original contract. This could
mean an employee might have to work night shifts after originally signing on
for day work, or he could be made to work in dangerous conditions.

Questions 22 and 23
Complete the sentences below.

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 22–23 on your answer sheet.

22. If an employee receives a   , this means he will lose his job if his work does
not get better.

23. If an employee does not accept the reasons for his dismissal, a   can be
arranged.

Questions 24–28

Look at the following descriptions (Questions 24–28) and the list of terms in the box below.

Match each description with the correct term A–E.

Write the appropriate letter A–E in boxes 24–28 on your answer sheet.

24. An employee is asked to leave work straight away because he has done something

really bad.

25. An employee is pressured to leave his job unless he accepts conditions that are very

different from those agreed to in the beginning.

26. An employer gets rid of an employee without keeping to conditions in the contract.

27. The reason for an employee’s dismissal is not considered good enough.

28. The reasons for an employee’s dismissal are acceptable by law and the terms of the

employment contract.

A Fair dismissal

B Summary dismissal
C Unfair dismissal

D Wrongful dismissal

E Constructive dismissal

Camberwell College Swimming Pools

Camberwell College has one 50m (Olympic sized) pool with a constant
depth of 2m throughout, and one 25m pool with a 1m shallow end and
a 4m deep end.  Both pools may be used by the general public at
certain times.

50m Pool

The pool is often used for classes, but the general public may use two
lanes for lane swimming at the following times.
Monday:        0630 -1130 and 1900 - 2100
Tuesday:        0630 -1130 and 1800 - 2100
Wednesday:   0630 -1330 and 1730 - 2130
Thursday:       0630 -1330
Friday:           0630 -1330
Weekends:     0900 - 1700

Children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult.

Please note that during College holidays, these times will vary. 
Contact the swimming pool on 04837 393560 for up-to-date
information.  

25m Pool

The 25 metre pool is available for recreational (non-lane) swimming

from 0700-0900 and 1230-1330 on weekdays, and 1000 – 1600 on
Saturdays.

Children aged 12 and under must be accompanied.  

We regret that the 25m pool will be closed for refurbishment between
21st July and 18th August.  The men's changing rooms will be closed
for the week beginning 18th August, and the women's changing rooms
will be closed the following week.  Alternative changing facilities will
be made available.  We apologise for any disruption this may cause.
For questions 1-5 select:
True if the statement is true
False if the statement is false
Not Given if the information is not given in the passage
1. The general public can only use the 50m pool for lane
swimming. 
2. The general public cannot use the 50m pool on Sundays.

3. Men will be able to use the 25m pool on the 18th August.

4. The whole of the 25m pool is available to the public during

recreational swimming hours.
5. The 50m pool is open during college holidays.

Camberwell College Swimming Classes

It’s an essential life skill, it can make you fit and it provides fun for all
the family.  Camberwell College’s offers swimming classes whatever
for your needs, whether you want to swim competitively, you are
trying to stay healthy or you want to learn. 
We offer separate classes for adults and children, following the
National Plan for Teaching Swimming (NPTS).  We will guide you from
your first splash and help you develop your confidence in the water.

Swim-A-Long
This class is suitable for parents with children aged up to the age of
1.5 years.  This class allows very young children to gain confidence in
the water, by way of songs and music.

Tadpole to Frog Classes

This series of classes is suitable for children aged 1.5 upwards. 
There are six levels in the series.  The first level is suitable for non-
swimmers and teaches basic techniques and safety, using aids and
floats.  By the time students reach the sixth level, they will be able to
swim independently and will be eligible to join the Swim Star classes.

Swim Star
An opportunity for able swimmers to earn the Bronze, Silver and Gold
swimming awards.  These classes teach children the ability to swim
for prolonged periods of time, and teach skills such as diving, turning
and different strokes.  Children who successfully complete the Swim
Star programme will be invited to join the Youth Squad and learn
competitive swimming techniques.

Swim School
The swim school offers classes for adults.  There are three levels,
beginner, intermediate and advanced.   The beginner’s class is
suitable for people who are new to swimming; the intermediate level is
designed for swimmers who want to brush up on their swimming style,
and the advanced level offers in-depth advice on stamina, breathing
and technique.

Aqua Health
We offer a range of levels of fitness classes for able swimmers who
wish to keep fit, socialise and have fun to music.  Aqua-Light offers
gentle exercise and is suitable for the elderly.  Aqua-Pump is a high
energy class which builds your strength and tones your body.
Questions 6-13 
Select a suitable swimming class for the people below.

6. A 5 year-old who is unable to swim

7. A mother who wants to introduce her baby to the water

8. A middle-aged person who can swim quite well but wants to

improve his techniques
9. A teenager who is interested in swimming in competitions

10. An old man who wants to keep fit and meet people

11. A child who wants to be able to swim longer

distances 
12. A strong adult swimmer who wishes to learn complex
skills 
13. A woman who wants to learn to swim by using
music 
ELTS General Reading Test 2.
Section 3

Read Section 3 and answer Questions 29–40

CALISTHENICS

The world’s oldest form of resistance training

(A) From the very first caveman to scale a tree or hang from a cliff face, to the
mighty armies of the Greco-Roman empires and the gymnasiums of modern
American high schools, calisthenics has endured and thrived because of its
simplicity and utility. Unlike strength training which involves weights, machines
or resistance bands, calisthenics uses only the body’s own weight for physical
development.

(B) Calisthenics enters the historical record at around 480 B.C., with

Herodotus’ account of the Battle of Thermopolylae. Herodotus reported that,
prior to the battle, the god-king Xerxes sent a scout party to spy on his
Spartan enemies. The scouts informed Xerxes that the Spartans, under the
leadership of King Leonidas, were practicing some kind of bizarre,
synchronised movements akin to a tribal dance. Xerxes was greatly amused.
His own army was comprised of over 120,000 men, while the Spartans had
just 
300. Leonidas was informed that he must retreat or face annihilation. The
Spartans did not retreat, however, and in the ensuing battle they managed to
hold Xerxes’ enormous army at bay for some time until reinforcements
arrived. It turns out their tribal dance was not a superstitious ritual but a form
of calisthenics by which they were building awe-inspiring physical strength
and endurance.

(C) The Greeks took calisthenics seriously not only as a form of military

discipline and strength, but also as an artistic expression of movement and an
aesthetically ideal physique. Indeed, the term calisthenics itself is derived from
the Greek words for beauty and strength. We know from historical records and
images from pottery, mosaics and sculptures of the period that the ancient
Olympians took calisthenics training seriously. 
They were greatly admired – and still are, today – for their combination of
athleticism and physical beauty. You may have heard a friend whimsically
sigh and mention that someone ‘has the body of a Greek god’. This
expression has travelled through centuries 
and continents, and the source of this envy and admiration is the calisthenics
method.

(D) Calisthenics experienced its second golden age in the 1800s. This century
saw the birth of gymnastics, an organised sport that uses a range of bars,
rings, vaulting horses and balancing beams to display physical prowess. This
period is also when the phenomena of strongmen developed. These were
people of astounding physical strength and development who forged nomadic
careers by demonstrating outlandish feats of strength to stunned populations.
Most of these men trained using hand balancing and horizontal bars, as
modern weight machines had not yet been invented.

(E) In the 1950s, Angelo Siciliano – who went by the stage name Charles
Atlas – was crowned “The World’s Most Perfectly Developed Man”. Atlas’s
own approach stemmed from traditional calisthenics, and through a series of
mail order comic books he taught these methods to hundreds of thousands of
children and young adults through the 1960s and 1970s. But Atlas was the
last of a dying breed. The tides were turning, fitness methods were drifting
away from calisthenics, and no widely-regarded proponent of the method
would ever succeed him.   

(F) In the 1960s and 1970s calisthenics and the goal of functional strength
combined with physical beauty was replaced by an emphasis on huge
muscles at any cost. This became the sport of body building. Although body
building’s pioneers were drawn from the calisthenics tradition, the sole goal
soon became an increase in muscle size. Body building icons, people such as
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sergio Oliva, were called mass monsters
because of their imposing physiques. Physical development of this nature was
only attainable through the use of anabolic steroids, synthetic hormones which
boosted muscle development while harming overall health. These body
builders also relied on free weights and machines, which allowed them to
target and bloat the size of individual muscles rather than develop a naturally
proportioned body. 
Calisthenics, with its emphasis on physical beauty and a balance in
proportions, had little to offer the mass monsters.

(G) In this “bigger is better” climate, calisthenics was relegated to groups

perceived to be vulnerable, such as women, people recuperating from injuries
and school students. 
Although some of the strongest and most physically developed human beings
ever to have lived acquired their abilities through the use of sophisticated
calisthenics, a great deal of this knowledge was discarded and the method
was reduced to nothing more than an easily accessible and readily available
activity. Those who mastered the rudimentary skills of calisthenics could
expect to graduate to weight training rather than advanced calisthenics.
(H) In recent years, however, fitness trends have been shifting back toward
the use of calisthenics. Bodybuilding approaches that promote excessive
muscle development frequently lead to joint pain, injuries, unbalanced
physiques and weak cardiovascular health. As a result, many of the newest
and most popular gyms and programmes emphasize calisthenics-based
methods instead. Modern practices often combine elements from a number of
related traditions such as yoga, Pilates, kettle-ball training, gymnastics and
traditional Greco-Roman calisthenics. Many people are keen to recover the
original Greek vision of physical beauty and strength and harmony of the
mind-body connection.

Questions 29-35

The text has eight paragraphs, A–H.

Which paragraph contains the following information? 

Write the correct letter, A–H, in boxes, 29–35 on your answer sheet.

29. The origin of the word ‘calisthenics’. 

30. The last popular supporter of calisthenics. 

31. The first use of calisthenics as a training method. 

32. A multidisciplinary approach to all-round health and strength. 

33. Reasons for the survival of calisthenics throughout the ages. 

34. The use of a medical substance to increase muscle mass and strength. 

35. A reference to travelling showmen who displayed their strength for

audiences. 

QUESTIONS 36–40

Complete the summary below.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 36–40 on your answer sheet.

During the sixties and seventies, attaining huge muscles became more important

than (36)   or having an attractive-looking body. The first people to take up this
new sport of body building had a background in calisthenics but the most famous

practitioners became known as (37)   on account of the impressive size of their
muscles. Drugs and mechanical devices were used to develop individual muscles to a
monstrous size. Calisthenics then became the domain of ‘weaker’ people: females, children

and those recovering from (38)  . Much of the advanced knowledge about

calisthenics was lost and the method was subsequently downgraded to the status of a
simple, user-friendly activity. Once a person became skilled at this, he would progress

to (39)  . Currently a revival of calisthenics is under way as extreme muscle

building can harm the body leaving it sore, out of balance, and in poor (40)  .

TRUE, FALSE, NOT GIVEN - IELTS

Reading
Exercise 1

Read the text and answer the questions below.

The largest thing in the universe

  More than ten years ago, while taking the temperature of the universe,
astronomers found something odd. They discovered that a patch of sky,
spanning the width of 20 moons, was unusually cold.

  The astronomers were measuring the thermal radiation that bathes the
entire universe, a glowing relic of the big bang. To gaze at this cosmic
microwave background, or CMB, is to glimpse the primordial1 universe, a time
when it was less than 400,000 years old.

  The CMB blankets the sky, and looks pretty much the same everywhere,
existing at a feebly cold temperature of 2.725 kelvins - just a couple degrees
warmer than absolute zero. But armed with the newly launched WMAP
satellite, the astronomers had set out to probe temperature variations as tiny
as one part in 100,000. Born from the quantum froth that was the universe a
half-moment after the big bang, those random fluctuations help scientists
understand what the cosmos is made of and how it all came to be.
  And standing out amidst those fluctuations was a cold spot. Over the years,
astronomers have come up with all sorts of ideas to explain it, ranging from
instrumental error to parallel universes. But now, they're homing in on a prime
suspect: an enormous cavern of emptiness called a cosmic supervoid, so big
that it might be the largest structure in the universe.

  According to theory, such a vast void, in which nary a star or galaxy exists,
can leave a frigid imprint on the CMB. The answer to the mystery, then, might
simply be a whole lot of nothing. Yet puzzles remain, and the case is far from
closed.

Primordial1 - ancient, existing a very long time.

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading

Passage?

In boxes 1–5, chose

TRUE                          if the statement agrees with the information

FALSE                        if the statement contradicts the information

NOT GIVEN                if there is no information on this

 
1. Astronomers often find something odd on the sky.                              

 Show hint

2. The CMB is the thermal radiation across the entire universe.                  

 Show hint

3. The CMB varies from extremely low to very high temperatures.               

 Show hint
 4. Investigation of fluctuations of temperature in the space help scientists to
understand what the cosmos is made of.                              

 Show hint

5. The cosmic supervoid is the largest structure in the universe.                  

 Show hint

IELTS General Writing Task 1

In this task you will be presented with a situation and asked to write a letter
requesting information or explaining the situation. You can write the
letter in a personal, semi-formal or formal style.

How to answer IELTS General Task 1?

Think about the given situation. The situation is imaginary and you often have
to make up explanations and inquiries for your letter.

Once you have thought out your answer, you should write a letter with the
following structure:

First Briefly give reasons for

paragraph writing a letter.

Issue 1
Write about each issue
Middle Issue 2 you were given in a
task.
Issue 3

Write a polite letter

Last paragraph
closing.

Use special vocabulary to write letters and linking structures.

Also use words from academic wordlist. 

Vocabulary to write letters

Letter structure
How to start and end the letter?

A. Formal letter

When you don't know the recipient’s name:

o Dear Sir … Yours faithfully

o Dear Madam … Yours faithfully
o Dear Sir or Madam … Yours faithfully

When the recipient’s name is known:

o Dear Mr Green … Yours sincerely

o Dear Mrs Green … Yours sincerely
o Dear Miss Green … Yours sincerely
o Dear Ms Green … Yours sincerely

B. Semi-formal letter

When you are writing to a good friend or colleague:

o Dear Jonh … Best wishes/ Best regards

o Dear Jonh ... Many thanks

C. Informal letter

When you are writing to a good friend or colleague:

o Hello Jonh … Best wishes/ Best

o Hi Jonh … See you/ Missing you/ Love

When you are writing to someone you love:

o Dear Mary … Yours always/ Lots of love

Letter openings
The letter's first paragraph is letter opening. In your first paragraph you should:

1. introduce yourself
2. state the purpose of the letter.
Examples of formal letter openings:

 I am writing to enquire about … .

 I am writing to request ... .
 I am writing to explain why ... .
 I am writing to express interest in ... .
 I am writing to inform you that/about… .
 I am writing to complain about (the fact that I)… .
 After having seen your advertisement in … , I would like to… .
 After having received your address from … , I … .
 Thank you for your letter regarding/about … .
 In reply to your letter of 18 June, … .

Examples of informal letter openings:

 Hi! My name is Noah and I've been assigned your drama coach… .
 Hello, My name is Julia and I'm volunteer conducting student excursions…
.
 Hi there, I hope you're enjoying your holidays/ trip/ college year/
honeymoon… .
 Hello, thanks very much for asking me to visit you  ... .

Letter closings
You may need a letter closing to express gratitude, to repeat an apology, to
offer help etc.

Examples of formal letter closings:

 If you require any further information, feel free to contact me.

 I look forward to your reply.
 I look forward to hearing from you.
 Once again, I apologise for any inconvenience.
 I would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter.
 I would deeply appreciate it if you could  ...  .
 Thank you in advance!
 Thanking you for your assistance in advance, I look forward to hearing
from you.

Examples of informal letter closings:

 Anyway, I‛ve got to go now. Write again if you need any more
information.
 Well, let me finish here. I am eagerly waiting for your reply to this letter.
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You are a current student of Loren Brusque University, studying Business

Administration. You want to apply for the post of Quality Assurance Manager you
have recently seen on the university's notice board. 

Write a letter to Mr. Walker, and

 Give your reason for writing

 Tell about your education
 Describe your work experience and explain why you would be suitable
for the job.

Write at least 150 words.

How to answer this task?

1. Introduce yourself and state your reason for writing.

Start letter in a formal style (it's a job application letter!) and dedicate
first paragraph to the letter opening.

2. Write body paragraphs.

Tell about your education and work experience in separate paragraphs.

Make some details if you need and use linking structures.

3. Write a polite letter closing.

Thank your future employer for his consideration and mention that you
are ready for the interview.

IELTS General Writing Task 1.

Sample 2

You should spend about 20 mintues on this task.

You are an alumnus (alumna) of a Bluegill University, registered in a volunteer

program to conduct informal interviews with prospective students. Recently, an
entrant has been assigned to you to have an interview.

Write a letter to the entrant. In your letter:

 state your reason for writing

  briefly describe the interview and inform the entrant of a possibilty to
cancel it
 propose a convenient time for an interview

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Write at least 150 words.

How to answer this task?

Use vocabulary to write letters.

1. Start a letter in a semi-formal or an informal style.

It is written in the task that you're conducting infomal interviews, so the

letter should maintain the same style.

2. Introduce yourself and state the reason for writing.

3. Make up the details and write about each stated in the task issue.

It is an imaginary letter, so don't be afraid of inventing interview

description, convenient time and other details.

4. Write a polite letter closing.

IELTS Writing task 2 - Essay

Here you can find all the essential information about IELTS Writing essay.

IELTS Writing task 2 (or IELTS essay) is the same task for Academic and
General IELTS. You will be presented with a specific topic and asked to write an
250-word essay about it. You should normally spend 40 minutes on IELTS
Writing task 2.

On this page you will see:

 IELTS Writing task 2 question sample

 Types of IELTS essay questions
 How to answer these questions
 More IELTS Writing task 2 questions and answers
IELTS Writing task 2 question sample
You can get a lot of different topics for your IELTS Writing task 2. You can be
asked to give your opinion, to state solutions to some problem, to describe
advantages and disadvantages of something and so on.

Here's an example of how your IELTS Writing task 2 may look like:

Immigration has a major impact on the society.

What are the main reasons of immigration? To what consequences can it lead?

Write at least 250 words.

You can find the band-9 answer here >

More IELTS Writing task 2 questions & topics >

How to write IELTS Essay?

1) Determine your opinion on the topic

Usually, IELTS essay is one of the following types:

 Giving your opinion

 Agree/disagree
 Suggesting a solution
 Pros and cons

Depending on the topic, decide what is your opinion on it and why. Have a clear
position, don't hesitate between two opinions! Then find examples you will use
for this task. You should spend a few minutes on planning.

2) Write an answer using the following structure:

Introductio Paraphrase the topic and

n briefly give your opinion.

Body Develop your point, giving

reasons and supporting
them with appropriate
examples. Write at least 2
and no more than 5
 paragraphs.

Sum up what you have

written and give your final
Conclusion thoughts on the problem.
They should not differ from
those in the introduction.

Note that this description is very general. To learn more specific answering
strategies, look at the different question types.

3) Style your essay

Use various words and structures, linking devices and avoid repetition.

Use some words from academic word list .

Do not use informal style and avoid irrelevant information, you will receive less
points for your work.

Also, don't forget to write at least 250 words, writing less will affect your mark
negatively. You should aim at 260-280 words. You won’t get more points for a
longer essay.

Other things that might affect your mark:

a. Fluency: if your handwriting is not illegible for the examiner and he/she
can’t read it properly, you are likely to lose points.
b. Unoriginal answer: if you learnt a topic by heart and wrote it, you
might get a low score for your essay. IELTS examiner assesses only your
own thoughts and opinions.
c. Limited answer: if you only answer half of the question and don’t
expand your opinion, you will not get more than a band score 5 for the
task.

IELTS Speaking Tips

A lot of candidates who take IELTS Speaking test find this section the hardest
one because it involves face-to-face communication. But in fact, IELTS Speaking
is the easiest section of IELTS to improve your score. You may think, “But how?
Interviews are so spontaneous! I just won’t have enough time to plan a good
answer. Moreover, I’ll be worrying…”.

It’s true, speaking interviews are spontaneous. But all test-takers are worrying
and don’t have much time to plan their answers. And examiners are used to
that, so they don’t expect you to speak like an orator. They don’t even expect
you to give very logical and structured answers! You’re only tested on your
ability to:

 speak fluently and without hesitation,

 use various vocabulary,
 avoid grammar mistakes,
 pronounce words well.

You can learn more about how IELTS Speaking is scored.

So you can band 8 and more on IELTS Speaking by practising and learning

vocabulary.

But you can also increase your score by following these simple IELTS
Speaking tips and tricks. Here we’ve gathered top 10 IELTS Speaking
tips to increase your IELTS Speaking score:

1. Be fluent and liberated

Speak fluently and spontaneously. You will gain more points. Don't worry
too much about using clever vocabulary, it's more important to be fluent.
But also don't speak too quick and mind your grammar. You should find a
"healthy balance" between speaking too quickly and making long pauses.

2. Practise answering sample questions

Typically, you will be asked about everyday topics, such as work, studies,
sport, family and so on. So you should try answering IELTS Speaking
questions before the exam. You will be surprised how simple they are!
You just need to learn appropriate vocabulary and understand what
answers you will give.

3. Ask the question again if you need to

Don't be shy, if you want to clarify something. You will not lose points for
asking the examiner.

4. Be emotional!
 Speak with emotions. Nothing separates the experienced speaker from
beginners as tone of the speech. Express your feelings like you would do
using your native language.

5. Extend your speech

Try to speak at least more than the examiner. If you are asked a question
using one sentence, respond with two or more. And never give short,
uncommunicative replies:

Examiner: Do you do any sport?

You: No, I don't like sports... [Don't stop there!] I'm not a very active
person and I've never liked P.E. in school. But I like playing intellectual
games instead. For example, I find chess very interesting.

6. Be coherent
Use linking words and structures. Words and phrases
like however, nevertheless, all in all, moreover will enrich your speech.

7. Give yourself time to think

If you are unsure how to answer the question, you can give yourself a bit
more time to think by using this tip. First of all, you can say: "That's a
tricky question...", "I've never thought about that before..." or "That's an
interesting question...". This way you'll have some extra time to plan your
answer.

You can also reformulate the question:

Examiner: What was your favourite book in the childhood?

You: What book did I like as a child? Let me see...
 8. Made a mistake? Don't panic!
If you made a mistake - don't panic! Try to correct yourself as smoothly
as possible. And if you can't - just continue speaking, you won't lose
many points for a few mistakes.

9. Make a good first impression

Look good, smell good and feel good. Be confident. Although it may not
seem very important, a strong first impression will go a long way.

10. Don't learn answers by heart

Examiners are able to determine whether you speak freely or you
memorized the answer before your interview. Learning full scripts is a bad
idea. Instead, it is much better to learn separate words and
collocations and adopt them in your speech.

IELTS grammar. Lesson 9:

Prepositions (part 2).

Hide theory 

In this part you'll be able to learn all the necessary prepositions that you might
need.

The next table gives use verbs with prepositions that you should know. Note
that some verbs can be used with different preposition. But the meaning may or
may not change, too!

Verbs with specified prepositions

about against at for in from off on
agree  decide  laugh stand believe keep bite carry 
care  warn rejoice  vote call  stop call depend
complain  turn  smile call keep suffer  get go
forget hold  look wait fall refrain keep keep
talk  go frown apologize jump protect pass move
 think protest aim  care break recover put base
worry react work  apply put save work
dream insure run prepare stay distract
boast fight jump ask dress differ
protest keep fight

Verbs with specified prepositions

to of after out between over with
hope  approve look balance choose look agree
wish die be named ask distinguish glance argue
refer accuse make  come get deal
respond remind go carry provide
consist chase fight
compare
charge
share

While some phrases with preposition are very common (I  agree with  you.
We  talked about  this yesterday), others are much rarer (All the
water  drained out  of the container. We need to  carry out  the instruction
carefully).

Be careful when you use a verb that can be used with multiple different

prepositions. The meaning will sometimes be different as well. For example, we
use laugh at  when we're talking about someone  BUT we use laugh about when
we're referring to something.

The best way to learn all preposition and their correct usage is to listen to
native English speakers/read English literature and practise a lot. Only then
you'll be able understand all the differences in the use and be able to use
prepositions properly.

Practice. Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D in each sentence:

1. I was suffering ___ this cold for several weeks.

A.  on

B.  from

C.  out
 D.  in

2. You shouldn't depend ___ him too much.

A.  on

B.  in

C.  at

D.  of

3. My dog died ___ cancer last year.

A.  over

B.  of

C.  at

D.  off

4. You should believe ___ yourself no matter what.

A.  in

B.  on

C.  at

D.  over

5. I don't know how to deal ___ all the stress.

 A.  about

B.  from

C.  with

D.  for

6. This book consists ___ 190 pages.

A.  about

B.  on

C.  of

D.  in

7. My parents do not approve ___ my behaviour later.

A.  at

B.  in

C.  about

D.  of

8. We thought for a long time and finally decided ___ this purchase.

A.  of

B.  against
 C.  to

D.  on

9. My neighbour was very loud last night. I am going to talk to him today and
complain ___ it.

A.  about

B.  for

C.  off

D.  on

10. You should be ___ when I'll come home. I have a present for you.

A.  at

B.  on

C.  in

D.  around

11. This song reminds me ___ you.

A.  off

B.  of

C.  on

D.  over
12. My friends insist ___ going to the cinema tomorrow.

A.  at

B.  about

C.  of

D.  on

13. You shouldn't worry ___ your exam. Im sure you'll get an A.

A.  at

B.  about

C.  on

D.  of

14. If the rain continues, we'll have to call ___ the game.

A.  of

B.  on

C.  off

D.  in

15. You grandma is sick, you'll need to look ___ her.

A.  at
 B.  on

C.  about

D.  after

16. I have an important information that I would like to discuss ___ you.

A.  to

B.  with

C.  on

D.  at

17. Do you care ___ playing football? Yes, I like football very much.

A.  about

B.  after

C.  over

D.  for

18. It is dangerous here, you should keep ___ .

A.  off

B.  of

C.  around
 D.  from

19. He picked up my notebook and glanced ___ it.

A.  it

B.  over

C.  on

D.  from

20. Don't hold anger ___ Jim. He is a good guy, you should forgive him.

A.  at

B.  against

C.  about

D.  over

Now take a look at the following example:

The lost giants of Australian fauna

(A) Australia's wildlife is unique. The vast majority of the animals that live
there are not found anywhere else – and things were no different 1 million
years ago during the Pleistocene: the age of the super-sized mammal. Before
humanity became Earth's undisputed superpower, giant beasts of all shapes
and sizes dominated every continent, but the Pleistocene mammals of
Australia were different. Some of them could grow to the size of small cars, or
possessed teeth longer than knife blades.

(B) None of these animals survive today – although exactly why that's the
case is a mystery. Humans, with their advanced hunting techniques and use
of fire to modify the landscape, may have played a central role in the
megafauna's disappearance, but this idea is still a matter of heated debate.
(C) Even if we cannot be sure that the arrival of Australian Aboriginals on the
continent had catastrophic effects on its native animals, it seems that the
animals had a rather spiritual effect on the humans. The Aboriginal
mythological "Dreamtime" includes a cast of monstrous creatures, many of
which bear a close resemblance to some of the real-life monsters that once
stalked Australia's plains. Are the myths based in fact? Perhaps: after all,
these creatures are far stranger than anything dreamed up by humans.

(D) For instance, the two-tonnes weighting Diprotodon comfortably holds the

title of largest marsupial ever. In size and appearance it looked superficially
like a modern rhinoceros, but the Diprotodon seems to have had a social
lifestyle more like that of an elephant, another mammal with which it shares
anatomical similarities. What the Diprotodon most resembles, however, is
exactly what it is: an enormous wombat.

(E) Another record breaker, this time a world champion; Varanus priscus,

commonly known by its antiquated genus name Megalania – was the largest
terrestrial lizard the world has ever known. Megalania was a goanna lizard, a
relative of today's infamous Komodo dragon, and conservative estimates have
predicted that it was at least 5.5m long.

(F) These monster marsupials were not the only giants. Their numbers were
swelled by half-tonne birds and dinosaur-like tortoises. Although this biological
assemblage was truly nightmarish for humans, it greatly enriched the
Australia’s fauna and contributed to the world’s biological diversity.
Unfortunately, all of these species are extinct nowadays. This fact shows us
that even strong, monstrous creatures can easily die out. So we need to care
about animals that surround us today and don’t let them disappear as it
happened to their distant ancestors.

Matching paragraphs questions:

Which paragraph contains the following information? Write the correct letter, A-
F, in boxes 1-8 on your answer sheet

1. Extinction of monstrous creatures 

2. The largest mammal 

3. Myths and reality 

4. Incredible creatures of Pleistocene Australia 

 5. Importance of animal protection 

6. Giant lizards 

7. Arrival of Australian Aboriginals 

8. Mystery the giants' disappearance 

Vocabulary to describe graphs

Introducing the graph

The graph/table/pie chart/bar chart/diagram ...

 gives information about/on ...

 provides information about/on ...
 shows ...
 illustrates ...
 compares ...
 explains why ...
 describes ...
 draws the conclusion of (a survey) ...

Example: The pie charts provide information on the proportion of males and
females working in agricultural sector.

Types of changes
 

Nouns

a rise (of)

an increase (of)

a growth (of)

a peak (of)
a surge (of)

Example: a rise of prices

a fall (in)

a decrease (in)

a decline (in)

a dip (in)

Example: a fall in prices

a fluctuation (of)

a variation (in)

Example: a fluctuation of prices

Verbs

to rise

to increase

to surge

to grow

to peak

Large rises:

to rocket

to soar

to leap (->leapt)

to fall

to decrease

to decline
to dip

to dive

to plunge

Large falls:

to plummet

to fluctuate

to vary

Description of changes

Adverbs
sharply

suddenly

rapidly

abruptly

dramatically

significantly

considerably

markedly

wildly

Example: the prices rose sharply

slightly

gently

gradually

steadily

modestly

marginally

Example: the prices increased modestly

Adjectives

sharp

sudden

rapid

abrupt

dramatic

steep

significant
considerable

marked

substantial

spectacular

Example: there was a considerable growth

slight

gentle

gradual

steady

consistent

modest

marginal

Example: there was a gradual decline

Useful phrases
a small fraction, a small number, a small minority

a large portion, a significant majority

nearly a fifth, almost 10%, in region of 40%, more than a half, over a quarter,
around two thirds, more or less three quarters, exactly one in ten,
approximately a third