Basic IELTS Reading

Unit 5 Reading Practice (2)

Reading Passage One

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 Unit 5 -Reading Practice

Read the Hotel Directory of Services and answer the questions that follow.
ATM CASH MACHINE--------------------------------1880 LAUNDROMAT
Lobby Level A coin-operated laundry facility is located on the 15th floor
near the ice and soda machines. Laundry supplies are available
CASHIER/FRONT DESK--------------------------------1884 in the Laundromat. See Front Desk for key.
For information about your account, check cashing and credit.
MESSAGES--------------------------------89
CATERING--------------------------------1840 A voice-messaging system is installed in the hotel for your
CHECK-OUT TIME (at 12 noon) convenience and privacy. When the message light is on, you
may retrieve your messages by dialling 89.
CROWNE PLAZA CLUB LEVEL
Located on 16, this unique floor with its own private lounge NEWSSTAND--------------------------------1887
features special amenities and services. Contact our Concierge Lobby Level 7 a.m. - II p.m.
at 1884 for more information, or a tour of the floor.
PARKING--------------------------------1889
DRY CLEANING & LAUNDRY------------------------------1884 Valet service is available for a fee at the front entrance of the
Same day dry cleaning and laundry service available Monday hotel. Our self-parking facility is located adjacent to the hotel.
through Saturday. Articles given to Bellmen by 9:30a.m. will Contact the Front Desk for an in/out pass. (hotel guests only)
be returned by 6:30p.m .. In addition, we provide overnight dry
cleaning and laundry service. Articles left at Bell Desk II p.m. CROWNE PLAZA PREFERRED LEVEL BUSINESS
returned 7 a.m. next day, Monday through Friday only. Call for FLOORS
information or pick up. Located on 15, 14, 12, II and 10, these private access floors
feature special amenities for the business traveller. Contact
DIALLING PROCEDURES our Manager on Duty (extension 1888), or Hotel Operator for
Local Calls--------------------------------9+Number more information, or a tour of these floors.
Only several nearby communities are considered local calls. If RESTAURANTS
9+Number results in a busy signal, call 9+ I +Number. Pascaline's - Fine Dining
Long Distance----------------------------9+ I +Area Code+Number Lobby Level. Our Fine Dining Room offers California Cuisine
Credit Card or Collect and superb service. Dinner 6 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. Monday -
--------------------9+0+Area Code+Number Saturday
International Strings Lounge
--------------------9+011 +Country Code+Number+ "#" Enjoy your favourite beverage and sporting events. II a.m.
Local Information--------------------9+41! - I a.m. daily.
Long Distance Information SAFE DEPOSIT BOXES--------------------------------1880
--------------------9+ !+Area Code+555-1212 Safe deposit boxes are provided at the Front Desk at no charge.
Room to Room, Floors 3 - 9----7+Room Number Please do not leave valuables in your room. We cannot assume
Room to Room, Floors !0 - 15----Room Number responsibility for losses, unless valuables are secured in safe
deposit boxes.
Our phone system will automatically connect you to your
call destination once you have completed the proper dialling SECURITY --------------------------------187 4
procedures (an Operator will not intercept). Due to our computer For your safety, please:
system real-time billing, you will be charged the prevailing rate
- Double lock your door
should your call ring more than 30 seconds.
- Use the viewpoint
EMERGENCY--------------------------------1999 - Use safety latch
Fire - Police - Medical - Utilise safe deposit boxes at Front Desk
EXERCISE ROOM--------------------------------1882 - Notify security if assistance is needed
2nd floor 5 a.m. - II p.m. SHOESHINE--------------------------------1875
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Lobby Level Moo - Fri
FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE
THEATRE I CONCERTS--------------------------------1884
During business hours, available for selected currencies at
For information and tickets assistance, contact our Concierge.
prevailing exchange rate.
FORGET SOMETHING? --------------------------------1884 VOICEMAIL
Contact our Bell Desk if you have forgotten any essential toiletries. From Inside Your Room:
Several complimentary items are available and will be delivered - Lift the handset- Touch 89- Listen to your messages
to your door. From Outside Your Room:
HOUSEKEEPING--------------------------------1806 - Inside the hotel, touch 0- Outside the hotel (310)645-7500.
Our Housekeeping Department will assist you with extra room The Operator will connect you to voicemail.
supplies, or special needs such as a bedboard. Once message is played:
- Touch 5 to save message
ICE MACHINES - Touch 7 to replay message
Ice and soda machines are located on floors 3 - 16 near the - Touch 3 to delete message
elevators.

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Basic IELTS Reading

Match the following words with the definitions.

I. laundry A. necessary
2.lounge B. a public room for waiting
3. essential C. to recover or regain
4. p~evailing D. something that is worth a lot of money
5. valuable E. most common or general
6. retrieve F. a place where clothes are washed and ironed

Short-Answer Questions

Refer to the Hotel Directory of Seroices and write down the telephone numbers you can dial
for the following services in the hotel.
7. If you want to call Room 408, Floor 4

8. If you are interested in concerts

9. If you detect a fire in the corridor

10. If you need an extra pillow

11. If you wish to have a tour of the 11th and 121h floors

Yes/No/Not Given Questions

Read the Hotel Directory of Seroices and look at the following statements. Write

12. You can go to the Lobby Level when you want to read newspapers.
13. Overnight laundry service is provided every day in the hotel.
14. You have to pay if the call you make rings more than half a minute.
15. The hotel is responsible for losses only if you inform the Front Desk that you have valu-
ables in your room.
16. There is a parking lot outside the hotel with space for more than 30 cars.
17. If your friend comes at 10:35 p.m. on Saturday, you will still be able to take him to Pascaline's
for a meal.
18. When you hear a busy tone after you dial a local number, you may try dialling again by
adding 1 between 9 and the number.

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 Unit 5 -Reading Practice

19. From outside the hotel you can leave a message on the voicemail by dialling 89.
20. It is suggested that you should notify the guards when leaving the hotel.

access /'reksesl n. latch llretfl n.

adjacent la'd3eisantl adj. laundromat /'b:ndramretl n.
amenity la'mi:niti/ n. laundry /'b:ndri/ n.
article /'a:tikll n. lobby /'lobi/ n.
assume la'sju:ml v. lounge llaund3l n.
automatically l,0:ta'mretiklil adv. park lpa:kl v.
available la'veilabl/ adj. prevailing I pri'veilitJI adj.
beverage /'bevarid3l n. retrieve lri'tri:vI v.
coin-operated /'bin,opareitidl adj. superb lsju:'p3:bl adj.
complimentary l,kompli'mentari/ adj. toiletries /'tJilitrizl n.
destination l,desti'neifanl n. unique lju'ni:kl adj.
essential li'senfal/ adj. utiliselju:tilaizl v.
extension lik'stenfanl n. valet /'vrelitl n.
feature /'fi:tfal v. valuable /'vreljuabl/ n.
install lin'st0:l/ v. viewpoint /'vju:pJintl n.

Reading Passage Two

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Basic IELTS Reading

What Is Happening to Our Planet?

Sometimes humans kill animals indirectly. Few places on the planet are untouched by humans.
The ever-increasing human population needs more space. Industries use more and more of the
Earth's natural resources. The result: in less than one hundred years, as many as two hundred
known species of birds and mammals have vanished.

How? Many natural habitats are disappearing. The Earth's rainforests are being destroyed,
along with their inhabitants. Toxic wastes, air pollution, and radiation take terrible tolls on
wildlife. Changes in the planet's ozone layer and in its climate threaten all animals, including
humans.

In 1977, President Jimmy Carter asked for an official study of the environment. What, he
asked, would our planet be like in the year 2000 if present trends continue? This study was
done by several U.S. government departments at the direction of Dr. Gerald Barney. Published
in 1980, the Global 2000 Report to the President provided startling warnings and predictions
about the fate of the Earth if we do not make changes in the way we treat it.

The report predicted, among other things, that "between half a million and 2 million species
- 15 to 20 percent of all species on earth- could be extinguished by the year 2000." It warned of
more hardship for the Earth's human inhabitants as well- more starvation, for example.

This report strongly urged the government to take immediate action. It gave recommenda-
tions for change. But by the time the study was completed, Ronald Reagan had been elected
president and his administration ignored the report.

The 1980s were not a good decade for the environment. It is likely that a global report now
would be even bleaker than the one published after the 1970s. Many environmentalists wonder
if we can stop the destruction of our planet before it is too late. When, they ask, will humans
realise that they are not meant to be masters of the Earth, only one of its guests?

Decide which of the following choices is closest in meaning to the underlined word in the
sentence and write down the corresponding letter.
1. The result: in less than one hundred years, as many as two hundred known species of birds
and mammals have vanished.
A. changed B. disappeared C. decreased

2. The Earth's rainforests are being destroyed, along with their inhabitants.
A. animals which live in a particular place
B. animals which are being destroyed
C. animals which move to other places

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 Unit 5 - Reading Practice

3. Published in 1980, the Global 2000 Report to the President provided startling warnings
and predictions about the fate of the Earth if we do not make changes in the way we treat
it.
A. shocking B. serious C. terrible

4. This report strongly urged the government to take immediate action.

A. forced B. supported C. encouraged

S. It is likely that a global report now would be even bleaker than the one published after
the 1970s.
A. more discouraging B. more shocking C. more encouraging

Refer to the passage Mat Is Happening to Our Planet? and choose from the passage NO
MORE THAN THREE WORDS to complete the following sentences.
6. Humans kill animals indirectly because industries need more and more of the
on the Earth.
7. The changes in the Earth's as well as its climate are harmful to all
animals.
8. The official study of the environment in 1977 was directed by
9. One of the difficulties which humans were warned of by the report is

Read the passage headed Mat Is Happening to Our Planet? and look at the following
statements. Write

TRUE if the statement is hue;

FALSE if the statement is false;
NOT GIVEN if the jnformation is not given in the passage.
-i ~ i.L "'·-!11 ' l· ' • t

10. The increase ofhuman population and the needs of industries result in the death of lots of
birds and mammals.
11. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter believed that the present trends would continue.
12. According to the report, more than 2 million species on earth would disappear by 2000.
13. Ronald Reagan was elected president after the study was completed.
14. Ronald Reagan's administration didn't think that the report was necessary.
15. It is possible that it will be too late when we stop the destruction of the Earth.
16. The environmentalists don't think that humans are masters of the Earth .

................ h ........ + ... : •• :..-..+ . . . ,... .........

Basic IELTS Reading

administration /ad,mini'streljan/ n. official /a'fiJal/ adj.

bleak /bli:k/ adj. ozone layer /'auzaun 'leia/ n.
decade /'dekeid/ n. predict /pri'dikt/ u.
destruction /di'strAkJan/ n. resource /ri'so:s/ n.
environmentalist /in,vaiaran'mentalist/ n. startling /' sta:tliD/ adj.
extinguish /ik'stiDgwU'/ u. starvation /sta:'veljan/ n.
global /'glaubal/ adj. toll /taul/ n.
hardship /'ha:djip/ n. toxic /'toksik/ adj.
ignore /ig'm:/ u. trend /trend/ n.
inhabitant /in'hrebitant/ n. urge /3:d3/ u.
vanish /'vrenU'/ u.

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 Unit 6- Reading Practice

Unit 6 Reading Practice (3)

Reading Passage One

r----------------------------------------------------- -- - - ------------------------,
'

What Is Stress?
Most people would say they know what stress is. But for scientists who study stress, it has
been surprisingly hard to define. This is because there are so many ways of looking at stress.

Some researchers have studied how our bodies react to stress. You know how your heart
beats faster, you perspire more heavily, and your words do not come out right when you are
placed in a stressful situation. But knowing how we feel when we experience stress does not
explain it; nor does it tell us what causes it.
Other scientists have looked at stressors: events or situations that produce stress. A dead-
line, a poor test performance, or bothersome noises all may be thought of as stressors. Even
~ pleasant events can be stressors. Planning a party or starting a new job can be just as stressful '
as being called to the principal's office.

Stress, then, can be caused by both negative and positive events, or stressors. Of course,
whether an event is thought of as positive or negative is, in some ways, a matter of personal choice.
In sum, it is the way people interpret an event that makes it stressful or not stressful.
: This process of interpretation is called appraisal. Depending on how people appraise, or judge,
circumstances, they may or may not consider them stressful.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Basic IELTS Reading

What, specifically, causes people to appraise a situation as stressful? The answer depends
on how much of a threat or challenge it appears to be. Circumstances that bring a threat
or challenge to a person's sense of well-being produce stress. Those that do not threaten or
challenge us are not stressful.

Looking at stress this way gives us a general definition of the concept of stress: Stress is a
response to circumstances that seem threatening or challenging.

The circumstances that cause stress vary from one person to another. It all depends on
how we appraise circumstances. In addition, the things that cause us stress today may not
cause us stress at another time. And the opposite is true: things that once caused no stress
may now be stressful.
' .. - - - -- - - -- - - - - • - - - - - -- - - - -- - --- - - - - - -- - - - - ~- - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - I,

Decide which of the following choices is closest in meaning to the underlined word in the
sentence and write down the corresponding letter.

1. Planning a party or starting a new job can be just as stressful as being called to the
principal's office.
A. teacher B. headmaster C. assistant

2. A deadline, a poor test performance, or bothersome noises all may be thought of as stressors.
A. annoying B. surprising C. continuous

3. Depending on how people appraise, or judge, circumstances, they may or may not consider
them stressful.
A. feel about B. judge C. adapt to

4. The circumstances that cause stress ~ from one person to another.

A. differ B. move C. start

Complete the summary below by choosing NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage
Mat Is Stress? for each answer.
It is hard for the scientists to define the word 5. because there are many
ways of looking at it. Your body reacts to stress with a fast-beating heart, heavy perspiration and
so on when you are in 6. . 7. refer to events or situations
that produce stress and they may even include 8. such as 9.
and starting a new job. In general, stress can be caused by both negative and positive events.

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 Unit 6- Reading Practice

Exercise 3

Read the passage Ulhat Is Stress? and look at the following statements. Write

TRUE if the statement is true;

FALSE if the statement is false;
NOT GIVEN if the information is not given in the passage.
' .
10. Knowing our feelings about stress can explain what causes the stress.
11. Bothersome noises are more likely to cause stress than a poor test performance.
12. Negative events cause more stress than positive ones do.
13. Sometimes whether an event is negative or not is based on a personal decision.
14. Whether an event is considered stressful may be determined by the way people interpret it.
15. Sometimes those circumstances that are not threatening to us are also stressful.
16. An event or situation may not always be a stressor.

Vocab ulary
appraise la'preizl v. negative /'negativI adj.
bothersome /'booasaml adj. perspire lpa'spaial v.
challenge /'tJrelind3l v., n. positive /'pozativl adj.
circumstance /'s3:kamstansl n. principal /'prins<:Jpl/ n.
concept /'konseptl n. react lri'rektl v.
deadline /' dedlainl n. stress I stresl n.
define ldi'fainl v. stressor /'stresal n.
interpretation lin,t3:pri'teiJanl n. vary /'veari/ v.

Reading Passage Two

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Basic IELTS Reading

3. Look at the different types of questions after the passage to get a general idea about the
range of questions and about the kinds of information you need to look for in the passage.

4. In which paragraphs of the passage will you probably find infonn'!tion about
A. temperatures?
B. strategiS~,,~o tt~e?
Sc •·.:·/·"'~'- ., .. :.i;,;,·.~M~wtl.'\.~·~~~~~~~~:r_t,,,;~~'.ii'Jfl;j:~.or,-:~-l .,.,, ·•~·_., ..:,:_;:k;,;:'l;t;'li'~~ ·'·.-----~~tli.~'-'

Hot Days, Hot Nights

Paragraph A
Here is what global warming could do in a few years: in Dallas, a doubled level of carbon
dioxide would increase the number of days a year with temperatures above 100 degrees from
nineteen to seventy-eight. On sixty-eight days, as opposed to the current four, the temperature
wouldn't fall below 80 degrees at night. One hundred and sixty-two days a year, the temperature
would top 90 degrees.

ParagraphB
Although most scientists agree that increasing levels of carbon dioxide and other.greenhouse
gases will inevitably lead to global warming, no one is certain how fast and how much tempera-
tures will rise and what the effects will be in any geographical areas. This gives policymakers an
excuse for delaying action. Some experts predict that within two centuries glaciers in the North
and South Poles will melt, ocean levels will rise, and much of what is now the coast of the United
States will be under water. They also predict great droughts and hurricanes, as a result of climate
changes.

Paragraph C
Other scientists think the changes will be much more gradual, even beneficial. After all,
Canada would not complain if the productive corn-growing lands - now located in the U.S.
Midwest - were shifted north across the border.

ParagraphD
While many nations could end up with milder climates, the change - perhaps 100 times
faster than at any time in human history- could be so drastic that many of the benefits would be
lost. There could be crowds of environmental refugees, as well, making the tragedy of the Dust
Bowl era seem mild in comparison.

ParagraphE
What can we do? Humanity's contribution to the greenhouse effect comes from so many
basic activities that we can't hope to eliminate it completely. Some steps have already been taken.
Since the 1970s, the use of CFCs as aerosol-can propellants has been banned in the United
States.

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 Unit 6- Reading Practice

Paragraph F
Another strategy is to burn as much methane as possible. This adds C0 2 to the air, but since
methane traps twenty times as much heat as C0 2, the net result is worthwhile. The gas in many
garbage landfills is already being used in a number of places around the United States. It is being
used to heat thousands of homes.

aerosol n. methane n.
carbon dioxide n. propellant n.

Exercise 1 Word Use

Please match the following words with the defmitions.

1. delay A. gentle; soft
2. shift B. move from one place to another
3. mild C. strong, sudden and often violent
4. drastic D. put off
5. ban E. forbid
6. eliminate F. get rid of

Exercise 2 Matching the Headings

The reading passage Hot Days, Hot Nights has 6 paragraphs A-F. Choose the most suitable
heading for each paragraph A-F from the list of headings below. Write the appropriate
numbers (I-VIII). Please note that there are more headings than you can use.

7. Paragraph A 10. Paragraph D

8. Paragraph B 11. Paragraph E
9. Paragraph C 12. Paragraph F

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Basic IELTS Reading

Read the passage Hot Days, Hot Nights and look at the following statements. Write

YES if the statement agrees with the writer;

NO if the statement does not agree with the writer;
NOT GIVEN , " if there is no information about this in the passage.
, u>,LL 'll:.~:v:..k~ t,,.(""'N~~~.s- '"-~ 1 t"~' *""'""~~ ~ a.. "' ~~-k:'!o~.

13. The number of days in Dallas with temperatures above 100 degrees would increase.
14. Currently in Dallas, there are only four days when the temperature falls below 80 degrees
at night.
15. Some scientists are sure how fast the temperature will rise due to global warming.
16. Policymakers are not at all interested in taking any action to solve the environmental
problem.
17. Some scientists think that the climate changes may even bring benefits.
18. Humans contribute to the greenhouse effect through many basic activities.
19. Burning too much methane worsens the problem of greenhouse effect.
20. In the United States, people prefer to bum methane gas for heating the homes.

ban /bren/ u. greenhouse effect /'gri:nhaus i,fekt/

beneficial /,beni'fifal/ adj. humanity /hju:'mreniti/ n.
benefit /'benifit/ n. hurricane /'hArikan/ n.
border /'bJ:da/ n. inevitably /in'evatabli/ adu.
carbon dioxide /'ka:ban dai'oksaid/ n. landfill /'lrendfil/ n.
comparison /kam'prerisn/ n. methane /'me8ein/ n.
complain /kam'plein/ v. mild /maild/ adj.
delay I di'lei/ u. net result /'net ri,zAlt/
drastic /'drrestik/ adj. policymaker /'polisi,meika/ n.
drought / draut/ n. refugee /,refju'd3i:/ n.
eliminate /i'limineit/ u. shift /Sift/ u.
era /'iCJrCJ/ n. top /top/ u.
geographical /,d3i:<J'grrefibl/ adj. tragedy /'trred3idi/ n.
glacier /'glresia/ n. trap /trrep/ u.
greenhouse /'gri:nhaus/ n. worthwhile /,w3:8'wail/ adj.
• • • • • • • • • • ._..._... -._•• •~• • • • • • e :e .eoe • • .-e e o. • .._.._ • • -• • • • • • ....._. • • • .._._. • • • • • • .,...,• ._ -=• • • ._. • • • • • ....,.,.~~ • ._. • • • • • •• ._. • e ..-::.:.,..._.... • • •• • .-.. ._. • • • - .._. • • • • • • • • ....,.. • :

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