PRACTICE IELTS READING TEST 4 WITH ANSWERS
READING PASSAGE 1
You
should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-12 , which
are based on Reading Passage 1 below.
THE NATURE OF ADDICTION
B. To try
to define the subject of addiction (and in many cases
the subsequent course of treatment to best combat
it), psychologists now commonly referred to
three distinct categories. The first is related to those forms of
addictions that are perhaps not life-threatening or particularly dangerous, and
are often labelled in an almost tongue-in-cheek manner, such as
the consumption of chocolate possibly leading to the creation of a
‘chocoholic’. This categoryis referred to as soft addiction and is
generally related only to a potential loss
of productivity; in the workplace, an employee who is addicted to social
networking sites is likely to be a less useful member of staff.
C. Substance
addiction, however, is a completely different category, and focuses ‘
on ingestion of a drug (either natural or synthetic)
to temporarily alter the chemical constitution of the
brain. It is a combination of physical and psychological dependency
on substances that have known health dangers, and the knock-on problem that
users in an addicted state will often go to great lengths
to acquire these substances, hence leading to the very
strong connection between drug abuse and crime.
D. Finally
there is behavioural addiction, which is regarded as ‘a compulsion to
engage in some specific activity, despite harmful
consequences’ and is a relatively recent entrant to the field. This
is where the ‘soft’ addictions taken go beyond a safe limit and can become
dangerous. Overeating, especially on sweetened foods, is one of the more
common behavioural addictions, potentially leading
to morbid obesity and associated health risks. Also included in
this grouping are concerns like excessive gambling, and for many the
combination of the availability and anonymity of the internet, as well as a
plethora of online gambling sites, has led to a vast increase in this
form of addiction.
E. However,
the point at which a soft addiction becomes a behavioural addiction
is both hard to define and cause
for significant controversy. A child who comes home after school
and plays on the internet for three hours is considered by some to be suffering
from a behaviouraladdiction; to others, this is just a modern form of
leisure time and just as valid as reading a book or playing outside.
Another point of friction among people involved in studying and
treating sufferers is that some of the issues covered by the umbrella term
‘addiction’ are actually mislabelled, and they belong more to a
different category altogether and should be referred to as ‘Impulse
control disorders’.
F. The
correct course of action when attempting to overcome an addiction varies
greatly between the type of addiction it is, but also varies considerably among
the medical community.Take substance addiction, for example. The
traditional approach has been
to remove the source – that is, remove the availability
of the drug – but this is now no longer concerned the best long
term approach. The old idea of incarcerating the addict away from any
drugs proved faulty as this did not prevent relapses when back in society.
There is now an increasing tendency to consider not only the mechanical
nature of addiction, but the psychological source. Often, extreme
addictions – both substance based and behavioural – stem front a
psychological root such as stress, guilt, depression and rejection,
and it is for this reason that counselling and open discussion are having more
successful long-term results.
G. For
non-professionals with people in their lives who are suffering from some form
of addiction, the importance now is in focussing on supporting their recovery,
not enabling their dependence. Judgemental attitudes or helping to conceal
addiction have been shown not only to perpetuate the problem, but in many cases
actually exacerbate it.
Questions 1 - 6
Reading Passage 1 has seven
paragraphs A-G.
Choose the correct heading for
paragraphs B to G from the list of headings below.
Write the correct number i-x in boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet.
List of Headings
i. A change in methods
ii. The falling level of addiction
iii. Biological changes and associated
risks
iv. The long term damage of addiction
v. Disagreements about definition
vi. Advice for those involved
vii. The changing nature of addiction
in children
viii. The lack of clarity in modem
interpretations of addiction
ix. Modern label for taking addiction
to extremes
x. Not all addictions are cause for concern
Example: Paragraph A; Answer: viii
1 .
Paragraph B
2 . Paragraph C
3 . Paragraph D
4 . Paragraph E
5 . Paragraph F
6 . Paragraph G
2 . Paragraph C
3 . Paragraph D
4 . Paragraph E
5 . Paragraph F
6 . Paragraph G
Questions 7 -12
Answer the questions below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 7-12 on your
answer sheet.
It is increasingly difficult to
differentiate between an addiction and what? 7
What can soft addictions can lead to a
decline in? 8
Addictions that involve consumption of a
drug and have a clear connection with what? 9
What specific addiction has increased
considerably over recent years? 10
In some cases, addictions should
actually be labelled as what? 11
Extreme addictions often have what kind
of root cause? 12
READING PASSAGE 2
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 13-26 which are based on Beading Passage
2 below.
POISONOUS ANIMALS
·
Often benign and
beautiful, there are so many potential dangers,
often lethal, hidden in the natural world that our continued existence on the planet is actually quite astounding.
Earthquakes, tsunami and volcanoes are some of natures more cataclysmic risks,
but fade in comparison to the dangers presented by the more aggressive flora
and fauna around the world.
·
There are two
classes of creature that use chemicals in either attack or defence, but it is
important to draw a distinction between those that are considered poisonous and
those that are venomous. A poisonous creature is one that has a chemical componentto
dissuade potential predators; they usually
secrete toxins through their skin so that their attacker is poisoned. A
venomous creature, on the other hand, is not so passive –
they use toxins not in defence but in attack. This differentiation is often
seen in the colouring of the creatures in question – those with poisonous
toxins are often brightly coloured as a warning to potential predators, whereas those classed as venomous are often camouflaged
to blend in with their surroundings, making them more efficient hunters.
·
One of the most
poisonous animals know to man is the poison arrow frog, native to Central and
South America. Secreting poison through its skin, a single touch is enough to
kill a fully grown human (in fact, the frog earned its name from the practice
of putting tiny amounts of this poison onto blow darts used by the native
population mainly for hunting and, historically at
least, also for battle). It is interesting to note, however, that when bred in
captivity, the dart frog is not actually poisonous – it generates its
protection from its diet of poisonous ants, centipedes and mites.
·
Another poisonous
creature is the puffer fish, which is actually served as a delicacy in Japan.
Although not aggressive or externally dangerous, its extremely high
levels of toxicity cause rapid paralysis and death when ingested, and there is
at this point no known antidote, hence preparation
of puffer fish (called ‘fugu’ in Japan) is restrictedonly
to licensed chefs, In the last ten years, it has been estimated that over 40
people have been killed by fugu poisoning due to incorrect preparation of the
fish.
·
Although there are
many hundreds, even thousands of poisonous fauna, the number of venomous
animals on the planet far exceeds their number, perhaps the most well-known of
which are snakes and spiders. In the snake world, the most lethal is the Inland
Taipan. Able to kill up to 100 humans with the intensity of the toxin in one
bite, it can cause death in as little as 45 minutes. Fortunately, they are not
only very shy when it comes to human contact, there
is also a known antivenin (cure), although this needs to be administered
quickly. In the arachnid world, the spider that has been identified as being
the most venomous is the Brazilian wandering spider. It is responsible for the most number of human deaths of any
spider, but perhaps more alarmingly it is true to its name, hiding during
daytime in populated areas, such as inside houses, clothes, footwear and cars.
·
When scientifically
calculating the most venomous, there are two points which are considered: how
many people can be killed with one ounce of the toxin, and how long it takes
for death to occur. Without doubt, the overall winner in this category is
the box jellyfish. Found mainly in waters in the Indo-Pacific area, they are
notorious in Australia and have even been seen as far south as New Zealand. The
box jellyfish has tentacles that can be as long as 10 feet (hence their other name ‘Fire Medusae’ after Medusa, a
mythological character who had snakes for hair). Each tentacle has billions of
stinging cells, which, when they come into contact with
others, can shoot a poisonous barb from each cell. These barbs inject toxins
which attack the nervous system, heart and skin cells, the intense pain of which can cause human victims to go in
shock, drown or die of heart failure before even reaching shore.
· Questions 13-15
·
According to the information in the passage, classify the
following information as relating to:
·
A Poisonous
creatures
·
B Venomous
creatures
·
C Both
poisonous and venomous creatures
·
·
Write the correct letter, A, B or C in
boxes 13-15 on your answer sheet
·
13 are
protected by secretions on their skin.
·
14 are
often colored to match the environment.
·
15 aggressively
use toxins.
· Questions 16 – 22
·
Do the following statements agree with the information given in
Reading Passage 2?
·
In boxes 16-22 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
·
16 .
There is a common misunderstanding of the difference between poisonous and
venomous
17 . Significant environmental disasters are more damaging than animals
18 . The poison dart frog obtains its poison from its environment
19 . Touching a puffer fish can cause paralysis
20 . The Brazilian Wandering spider kills more people every year than any other venomous creature.
21 . The box jellyfish can cause death by drowning
22 . The tentacles on a box jellyfish are used for movement
17 . Significant environmental disasters are more damaging than animals
18 . The poison dart frog obtains its poison from its environment
19 . Touching a puffer fish can cause paralysis
20 . The Brazilian Wandering spider kills more people every year than any other venomous creature.
21 . The box jellyfish can cause death by drowning
22 . The tentacles on a box jellyfish are used for movement
·
· Questions 23 – 26
·
Answer the questions below.
·
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the
passage for each answer.
·
Write your answers in boxes 23-26 on your
answer sheet.
·
What do the people of South and Central America principally use
poisoned blow darts for these days? 23
·
The venom of which creature can be neutralised if medical
intervention is swift? 24
·
Where does the Brazilian Wandering spider often sleep? 25
·
After whom does the box jellyfish have its other name? 26
READING PASSAGE 3
You
should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27 – 40 which
are based on Reading Passage 3.
PROBLEM SOLVING AND DECISION MAKING
·
In the business world, much as in life in general, there are
challenges that need to be faced, problems that need solutions and decisions
that need to be made and acted upon. Over recent years,
the psychology behind problem solving and decision making in a
business context has been analysed and taught at a tertiary level.
·
Marie Scrive, senior lecturer at Carling University, argues that
poor management skills can be identified in many arenas, but few are perhaps as
illustrative as the ability to make accurate judgements about a
course of action to overcome an obstacle. She argues that there is
a tendency for decisions to be made quickly, leading to only short
term solutions and a recurrence of the problem at a later date. Pressure from
other managers, senior staff or even employees can cause those in middle
management to make decisions based quickly, reacting at speed to a problem that
would have been better solved by a calmer, more inclusive style of
management, However, Martin Hewings, author of Strategic Thinking,
believes that the root of the issue is not in the speed at which a
response is required but in a flawed way of looking at the problem from the
outset. His argument is that most repetitive problems are actually not
permanently resolved because of a lack of focus as to the true nature
of the problem. He advocates a system whereby the problem must be
clearly defined before the appropriate course of action can be
decided upon, and this is achieved by applying questions to the problem itself:
why is this happening? When is this happening? With whom is this happening?
·
Garen Filke, Managing Director of a large paper supply company,
has put Hewings’ steps to the test, and although he referred to the results as
‘potentially encouraging’, there remains the feeling that
the focus on who is causing the problem, and this in itself is the
main reason for any implemented solution to falter if not fail. With over 30
years of management experience, Filke holds that looking at the problem as an
organic entity in itself, without reference to who may be at fault,
or at least exacerbating the issue, is the only way to find a lasting
solution. Finger-pointing and blaming leads to an uncomfortable
work environment where problems grow, and ultimately have
a detrimental effect on the productivity of the workplace.
·
Anne Wicks believes that our problem solving abilities are first
run through five distinctfilters, and that good managers are those that
can negotiate these filters to arrive at an unbiased, logical and clear
solution. Wicks has built the filters into a ladder through which all decisions
have the potential to be coloured, the first step being programming –
from the day we are born, there is an amount of conditioning that means we
accept or reject certain points of view almost a reflex action.
Programming will of course vary from person to person, but is often
more marked when comparing nationalities. Our programming is the base of our
character, but this is then built on by our beliefs, remembering that for someone
to believe something does not necessarily mean it is true. So having built from
programming to belief, Wicks argues that next on the ladder are our feelings –
how we personally react to an issue will skew how we look
at solving it. If you feel that someone involved is being unfair or
unreasonable, then a solution could over-compensate for this, which of course
would not be effective in the long run. This has
the potential to impact on the next step – our attitudes.
This involves not only those attitudes that are resistant to change, but also
the daily modifications in how we feel – our mood. A combination of all these
steps on the ladder culminate in our actions – what we choose to do or not do –
and this is the step that most directly controls the success or failure of the
decision making process.
·
For some, however, the more
psycho-analytical approach to problem solving has little place in a
business decision – a point of view held by John Tate, former CEO of Allied
Enterprise and Shipping, who believes the secret behind a solid decision is
more mechanical. Tate argues that a decision should be made after a
consideration of all alternatives, and
a hierarchical structure that then takes responsibility for the
decision and, most importantly, follows that decision through to verify whether
the problem has indeed been resolved. From his point of view, a flawed decision
is not one that did not work, but one that was decided on by too many people
leaving no single person with sufficient accountability to ensure its
success.
Questions 27 – 33
Match each statement with the correct
person.
Write the correct answer A-D in boxes 27-33 on your answer sheet.
List of People
A. Marie Scrive
B. Martin Hewings
C. Garen Filke
D. Anne Wicks
E. John Tate
27 .
A successful solution can only be found when there is a clear corporate
structure for decision making.
28 . Decisions made without full consideration of the details are a potential by-product of pressure.
29 . Decision making that does not look into motives for the issue is the primary reason for continued problems.
30 . Poor decision making is the most easily identified form of weak managerial ability.
31 . Seeking a staff member on whom responsibility can be placed can have negative effects.
32 . Decision making abilities are at least partly formulated long before they have any business application.
33 . Long term solutions can only be found by asking the right questions.
28 . Decisions made without full consideration of the details are a potential by-product of pressure.
29 . Decision making that does not look into motives for the issue is the primary reason for continued problems.
30 . Poor decision making is the most easily identified form of weak managerial ability.
31 . Seeking a staff member on whom responsibility can be placed can have negative effects.
32 . Decision making abilities are at least partly formulated long before they have any business application.
33 . Long term solutions can only be found by asking the right questions.
Questions 34-37
Complete the flowchart below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 34 to 37 on
your answer sheet.
ACTIONS
what we opt
to either do or not do
|
↑
|
APTITUDES
can be short term and relate to 37 at
a particular time
|
↑
|
36
could lead
to complications when reacting to others
|
↑
|
BELIEFS
possibly only personally held beliefs, not
necessarily universally 35
|
↑
|
34
conditioned
to react; often influenced by place of birth
|
Questions 38 – 40
Do the following statements agree with
the views given in Reading Passage 3?
In boxes 38-40 on your answer sheet
write
YES
if
the statement agrees with the views given
NO
if
the statement contradicts the views given
NOT GIVEN
if it is impossible to say
38 .
It is only in recent years that the mental processes behind decision making
have been studied.
39 . Garen Filke completely disagrees with the conclusion drawn by Martin Hewings.
40 . John Tate believes that successful decision making is not related to psychology.
39 . Garen Filke completely disagrees with the conclusion drawn by Martin Hewings.
40 . John Tate believes that successful decision making is not related to psychology.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
ANSWERS
1. x
|
21. TRUE
|
2. iii
|
22. NOT
GIVEN
|
3. ix
|
23. Hunting
|
4. v
|
24. Inland
Taipan
|
5. i
|
25. Populated
areas
|
6. vi
|
26. Medusa
|
7. (An)
interest
|
27. E
|
8. Productivity
|
28. A
|
9. Crime
|
29. B
|
10. Gambling
|
30. A
|
11. Impulse
control disorders
|
31. C
|
12. Psychological
|
32. D
|
13. A
|
33. B
|
14. B
|
34. Programming
|
15. B
|
35. True
|
16. NOT
GIVEN
|
36. Feelings
|
17. FALSE
|
37. Mood
|
18. TRUE
|
38. NOT
GIVEN
|
19. FALSE
|
39. NO
|
20. NOT
GIVEN
|
40. YES
|
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