Table of Contents
BEST IELTS General Reading Test 16
GENERAL READING TEST 16
GENERAL READING TEST 16
READING PASSAGE – 1
The following text has four sections A-D. Choose the correct heading for each section from the list o f headings below. Write the correct number i—v ii on lines 1-4 on your answer sheet.
There are more headings than sections, so you will not use them all.
LIST OF HEADINGS
i. Other Uses for Your Machine
ii. Baking Bread
iii. The Science of Bread Dough
iv. Customer Assistance
v. Ingredients for Bread
vi. Caring for Your Machine
vii. Equipment Included
Questions 1-4
1. Section A
2. Section B
3. Section C
4. Section D
Presto Bread Machine
Thank you for buying a Presto Bread Machine. You and your family will enjoy delicious homemade bread for years to come.
A. Please check the contents of the box to make sure they are complete. Your Presto Bread Machine comes with a removable baking pan, a measuring cup, a measuring spoon, and a recipe booklet. You may also wish to have on hand an extra measuring cup and several other measuring spoons in different sizes. Ingredients for the bread recipes are not included.
B. Choose a recipe from the enclosed recipe booklet. Each recipe lists the ingredients in the order they are to be added to the machine. Liquid ingredients should added to the machine before dry ingredients. Place all the ingredients in the removable pan, place the pan inside the machine, and close the lid. Push the menu button and the type of bread you are making—white, whole wheat, or raisin. If you are making rolls, select dough. Push the start button. Your bread will be ready in three hours for white or raisin bread or four hours for whole wheat bread. Dough takes two hours.
C. It is important to clean the inside of the machine after each use. Small bits of dough may fall out of the pan and burn during baking. Over time this may build up and become hazardous. For cleaning, remove the bread pan from the machine and let the machine cool down. Wipe the inside of the machine with a damp sponge. To clean the bread pan, let it soak in warm, soapy water. Then wipe gently with a damp sponge. Do not use a brush or scouring pad as these may damage the stick-free coating.
D. If you have any questions or require help using your bread machine, please call our twenty-four-hour help line: 800-555-9845. A list of frequently asked questions and answers is available on the website: www.prestobread.com. Also available on the website is a variety of international bread recipes. If you are dissatisfied with your Presto Bread Machine for any reason, simply return it, in its original box, to the store where you purchased it. A complete refund will be sent to you within thirty days of purchase.
Questions 5—7
Answer the questions below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text for each answer. Write your answers on lines 5—7 on your answer sheet.
5. How long does it take to bake raisin bread?
6. How often should you clean the inside of the machine?
7. According to these instructions, where can you find bread recipes from around the world?
Read the text below and answer Questions 8-14.
Regional Share-Your-Ride
Information for Commuters
Regional Share-Your-Ride is a free service offered to all commuters in our area. We help you save costs on commuting by matching you up with other commuters who travel the same route. When you share your daily ride to work with other commuters, you save on transportation costs and help reduce traffic congestion and air pollution.
Carpool
Share your ride to work with one or more other commuters. You can choose to carpool daily or just a few days a week, whatever suits your schedule best.
Vanpool
Using your van to share your ride with four or more people will save you even more on commuting costs. Regional Share-Your-Ride is available to help you keep your van running smoothly and filled with riders. According to state law, vanpools are permitted to travel in special high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes located on highways in urban areas throughout the region.
Matching
Log on to our website at www.rsyrp.net. Type in your location, destination, and work schedule. Our system will generate a list of other commuters whose route and schedule match yours. The website also has maps of the region to help you plan the most efficient route for your commute. These are available for free download.
Contact
Contact the commuters on the list, and arrange a ride-sharing schedule and route with them. You can also discuss how you want to share the responsibility of driving. When you have arranged a carpool or vanpool group, return to our website and register your group with us.
Benefits
Registered participants in Regional Share-Your-Ride can sign up to receive daily traffic and weather reports by e-mail. As a participant, you are also eligible for the Urgent Ride service, which provides you with free transportation to your house in case you or your carpool or vanpool driver has an emergency.
Questions 8-14
Complete each sentence with the correct ending, A-M, below.
Write the correct letter, A—M, on lines 8—14 on your answer sheet.
8. Regional Share-Your-Ride provides
9. By using a carpool or vanpool, commuters can save
10. Commuters who travel by van receive
11. Commuters can get free maps by
12. Commuters should register with the program
13. After signing up for the program, participants can receive by e-mail
14. In case of emergency, program participants can get
A. money on travelling costs
B. participating in the program for one month
C. a free ride home
D a reduced-cost Regional Share-Your-Ride program membership
E. wear and tear on their cars
F. permission to use certain highway lanes
G. rentals of cars and vans for commuting purposes
H. after forming a carpool or vanpool group
I. if interested in learning more about carpools.
J. information to commuters who want to share rides.
K. daily information on road conditions
L. a trip to the hospital
M. visiting the website
READING PASSAGE – 2
You are advised to spend 20 minutes on Questions 15-27.
Read the text below and answer Questions 15-20.
Asking for a Raise
If you are thinking about asking for a raise in salary, there are several things to keep in mind. First, consider whether you deserve a higher salary. You probably do, but you should be able to explain exactly why to your boss. Sit down and make a list of your job accomplishments. Be as specific as possible. For example, think about important projects you have worked on, things you have done to improve the organization of work in your department, or how your efforts have brought more money to the company. Also include any professional development opportunities you have taken advantage of recently and be ready to explain how they have improved your performance on the job. By going through the process of listing your accomplishments, not only will you be better prepared when you meet with your boss, you will also feel more confident that you deserve what you are asking for.
Bear in mind that salary levels are based not only on performance but also on the market for your particular skills. Before you ask for a raise, you will need to do some research. You should investigate the industry standards for salaries for people in similar positions with similar levels of experience. This will help you determine what would be a reasonable amount of money to ask for. Your initial request should actually be slightly higher than the amount you want in order to leave some room for negotiation. Then, if you have to go lower than this amount, you still end up with something close to what you want.
A crucial point is the timing of your request. If you have recently been given new responsibilities, it makes sense to ask for a higher level of compensation. On the other hand, if the company is going through financial difficulties, a request for more money will probably not be met with a favorable2 response. It would be better to wait until the company is in a better financial position. Finally, there is one thing you should never do: Never give personal reasons for wanting a higher salary. Your need to pay your child’s college tuition or buy a bigger house is of no concern to your boss. Your salary level should be based on professional considerations alone, and that is where you need to keep the conversation.
Questions 15-20
Choose the correct answer. Write the correct letter, A—C, on lines 15—20 on your answer sheet.
15. Before asking for a salary increase, you should
A. send your boss a list of your accomplishments.
B. take some professional development courses.
C. write down all the reasons you deserve a raise.
16. Preparing yourself before talking with your boss will help you
A. get the highest raise possible.
B. feel more self-assured.
C. improve your job performance.
17. You should find out
A. salaries of other people in your field.
B. how much money your boss can offer you.
C. what job openings are available in your company.
18. You should ask for
A. slightly more money than you want.
B. the exact amount of money that you want.
C. a little less money than you want.
19. A good time to ask for a salary raise is
A. when your boss is in a favorable mood.
B. before discussing financial records.
C. soon after you have taken on new duties.
20. While negotiating a salary raise, it is a good idea to
A. discuss professional topics only.
B. mention your financial needs.
C. ask your boss about his or her family.
Questions 21—27
Read the text below and answer Questions 21—27.
Hanson, Inc. Employee Manual
Chapter V: Employee Benefits
Leave
All full-time employees are entitled to a minimum of two weeks of annual leave time. Employees who have completed five years at Hanson are entitled to three weeks of annual leave. After completing ten years at Hanson, employees may have four weeks of annual leave. In order to take advantage of annual leave time, the employee must complete the Request for Annual Leave Form and submit it to his or her supervisor a minimum of thirty days in advance. The supervisor has the final decision about whether to grant the leave as requested. Any annual leave days not used in a calendar year may be rolled over and added to the leave days for the following year. In addition to annual leave, all full-time employees are entitled to ten personal leave days per year. Personal leave days must be used within the calendar year, or they will be forfeited. Part-time employees are entitled to five personal leave days per year.
Health Insurance
Employees may choose to sign up for a company-sponsored health plan. Complete information on the available plans can be requested from the Human Resources Department. Health benefits are also provided for the employee’s spouse and children. The company pays 50 percent of the monthly premiums, with the other 50 percent being deducted from each paycheck. Part-time employees are also eligible for the company-sponsored health plans; the company pays 25 percent of the premiums.
Retirement
Employees may determine how much they wish to contribute to the company retirement fund, up to 5 percent of their salary. Contributions will be deducted from each paycheck. The company will contribute an equal amount to each employee’s retirement fund. This benefit is available to both full-time and part-time employees.
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text about employee benefits? On lines 21—27 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
21. All full-time employees are entitled to three weeks of annual leave.
22. Annual leave must be requested a month in advance.
23. Annual leave for part-time employees is half that of full-time employees.
24. Personal leave days not used before the end of the year will be lost.
25. The company pays half the monthly insurance charges for full-time employees.
26. Part-time employees do not receive health benefits.
27. Employees must contribute 5 percent of their salary to the retirement fund.
READING PASSAGE – 3
You are advised to spend 20 minutes on Questions 28-40 which are based on the reading passage below.
The Power of Earthquakes
Earthquakes have inspired both fear and curiosity in people throughout history. While ancient peoples used myths to explain earthquakes, modern scientists have developed the theory of plate tectonics. According to this theory, the Earth’s surface is broken into many pieces that can move against each other, causing tremors at the Earth’s surface. To better understand these events, scientists have developed sophisticated equipment to measure, record, and even begin to predict future earthquakes. While the scientists of today may understand a great deal more than our ancestors did, they also recognize that there is still much to learn about the destructive powers held deep within the Earth.
Before scientific explanations were established, many cultures explained earthquakes by attributing them to the movements of mythical creatures, such as frogs, turtles, and even flea-infested dogs. Japanese mythology tells of a great catfish guarded by the deity Kashima. When Kashima let his guard down, the catfish thrashed about, causing the Earth to tremble. In India, myths tell of the Earth being held upon the shoulders of an elephant that shook its head when tired. The Greeks believed that the shaking of the Earth was the rumbling of the god Poseidon’s horses traveling through the skies or across the Earth. Or it was caused by Poseidon pounding his trident on the ground. The number and variety of these mythological explanations for earthquakes show how important it has always been to people everywhere to understand what causes the mysterious shakings of the Earth.
Beginning in the early 1960s, many in the scientific community began espousing the theory of plate tectonics, which explains that the surface of the Earth, the crust, is broken into many pieces called tectonic plates. Some of these plates are extremely large, such as the Eurasian Plate, on which sits most of Europe and Asia. Others are smaller, such as the Caribbean Plate, which is mostly underwater in the Caribbean Sea. These plates float on the Earth’s mantle, a bed of molten rock called magma. Deeper forces inside the Earth’s core heat this magma and cause it to flow underneath the plates, pushing the plates. The tension created at the boundaries of opposing plates can often become strong enough to snap them past each other, sometimes with the violent force that we know as an earthquake.
Scientists describe the movement of the plates in relation to each other in three principal ways. First, when two plates are forced into each other, one plate slides below the other. This is known as a convergent boundary. As the lower plate goes down, the upper plate often rises, forming mountains. The Himalayas, for example, were formed by the Indian Plate crashing into the Eurasian Plate. The second type of boundary is where two plates move apart from each other. This is known as a divergent boundary. An example of this is the Mid-Atlantic Rift, found at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. At this boundary, the North American Plate and the Eurasian plate are being forced apart, at an average rate of 2.5 centimeters per year. The third type is a transform boundary, where the edges of two plates slide in opposite directions parallel to each other. When the pressure between these plates is great enough, they snap violently past each other. This type of interaction between plates is the cause of many of the earthquakes felt in California.
Seismologists, the scientists who study earthquakes, use a device called a seismograph to measure the force of earthquakes and tremors. The most sophisticated of these are capable of measuring even the slightest tremor and locating its origin. The measuring system most commonly used is called the Richter Scale. It was invented in 1935 by a seismologist named Charles F. Richter. Because the difference in power between small and large earthquakes is so great, he developed a logarithmic scale in which an increase of one on the scale represents a tenfold increase in power. This means that an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.0, which would be easily felt at the Earth’s surface, is ten times more powerful than a magnitude 3.0 quake and 100 times more powerful than a magnitude 2.0 quake, which often goes unnoticed. The data the scientists collect allow them not only to document past earthquakes, but to learn to predict future events.
While scientists today know much more about earthquakes than ever, there is still much to be learned. Seismologists have helped us understand more about how earthquakes happen and why they occur in some parts of the world but not others. All of this knowledge informs us about our Earth and protects us from some of the potential dangers. There are still, however, many forces in the Earth that we do not understand, with the potential to move, shake, and reshape the world.
Questions 28-33
Choose the correct letter, A, B, or C,
28. Modern scientists are
A. uncertain about the cause of earthquakes.
B. able to forecast some earthquakes.
C. more curious about earthquakes than their ancestors were.
29. In ancient times, people explained earthquakes by
A. telling stories.
B. developing scientific theories.
C. watching the reactions of animals.
30. Kashima was a
A. king.
B. catfish.
C. god.
31. The ancient Greeks believed that earthquakes were caused by a god’s
A. horses.
B. elephants.
C. frogs.
32. The quantity and diversity of explanations for earthquakes from ancient cultures show that
A. ancient people were not capable of understanding natural forces.
B. people have always been interested in earthquakes.
C. earthquakes were more common in ancient times.
33. The Caribbean Plate
A. sits next to a convergent boundary.
B. forms part of the Mid-Atlantic Rift.
C. lies mostly beneath the ocean.
Questions 34-40
Complete each sentence with the correct ending from the box. Write the correct letter, A-K, on lines 34-40 on your answer sheet.
34. A place where two plates slide in opposite directions is called
35. Tectonic plates lie on
36. An earthquake measuring 4.0 is ten times more powerful than
37. The Himalayas were caused by
38. The Mid-Atlantic Rift is an example of
39. A tectonic plate is
40. The machine used to measure the strength of earthquakes is known as
A. a transform boundary
B. a seismograph
C. an unnoticed tremor
D. an earthquake measuring 2.0
E. a logarithmic scale
F. a divergent boundary
G. a magnitude 3.0 earthquake
H. a layer of magma
I. a collision between two plates
J. a piece of the Earth’s crust
K. a convergent boundary
ANSWER KEY:-
1. vii
2. ii
3. vi
4. iv
5. three hours
6. after each use
7. on the website
8. J
9. A
10. F
11. M
12. H
13. K
14. C
15. C
16. B
17. A
18. A
19. C
20. A
21. FALSE
22. TRUE
23. NOT GIVEN
24. TRUE
25. TRUE
26. FALSE
27. FALSE
28. B
29. A
30. C
31. A
32. B
33. C
34. A
35. H
36. G
37. I
38. F
39. J
40. B
