Table of Contents
BEST IELTS General Reading Test 411
IELTS GENERAL READING TEST 411 – PASSAGE – 2
IELTS GENERAL READING TEST – 411
READING PASSAGE – 2
Part-time jobs: how to balance
Work and play
A. Whether you’re currently a student looking to take on a part-time job to cover your living costs or a graduate needing cash to tide you over while you get on the career ladder, getting part-time work can be essential to keeping your finances in order. However, you mustn’t burn yourself out and become ineffective. It’s easy to take on too much and suddenly find there’s no time for fun.
B. And stretch …
We all need to stretch ourselves to reach our potential, and that includes funding our way through university and after university. This is also something that future employers wish to see. By getting a part-time job you’re learning important transferable skills that you can make the most of later. You’ll also earn yourself a bit of extra cash.
IELTS General Reading Test
C … But be realistic
While stretching to reach your full potential, make sure you’re realistic about what you can physically manage and what other commitments you have. Remember that the National Association of Student Employment Services suggests a sensible work limit of no more than 15 hours per week. If you’re still at university, write a priorities list with how many hours you need to spend in lectures, how many you need to spend on coursework and how many you realistically need for yourself.
Whatever’s left over can be put to good use in a part-time job – it’s certainly more productive than watching day-time TV. If you’re job hunting for your graduate career then you need to put time aside to actively look for work and this can be very time-consuming. Don’t lose sight of your end goal and become so engrossed in your day-to-day part-time job that you forget what you’re doing it all for!
IELTS General Reading Test
D. Money, money, money
Once you have a part-time job and your hours are set, it can be very easy to think only about the money if you’re offered extra shifts. While a little more cash might be welcome – and good for your bank account – make sure you don’t take on more than you can handle. The last thing you want is to spoil your work-life balance or miss out on a proper full-time graduate job because you couldn’t say no to another £30.
E. Paying tax
Taxes can get very complicated as a student or part-time worker and you need to stay on top of things to get the most out of your part-time job. If you’re a student and working in your holidays, you won’t need to pay tax – you just have to ask for a P38S Student Employees form from your employer to prove you’re exempt.
IELTS General Reading Test
However, if you’re working during term time or are a graduate trying to earn some extra cash while job-hunting, you will have to pay tax, but only if you earn more than your Personal Allowance. Read our guide to taxes if you’re unsure – being aware of the laws surrounding your own taxes could save you a lot of money.
F. Time to relax
The most important thing about working part-time is to ensure there’s still at least some relaxation. If you’re studying or looking for work all day and then having to go straight into a long evening shift, you’ll quickly resent the fact that you’ve got no free time. If you’re desperate for the cash, see if budgeting better can help to reduce overheads and free up some time. Remember those priorities!
IELTS General Reading Test
Questions 15-19
Read the online information about student part-time jobs on the side page.
The reading passage has six sections, A-F.
Which section contains the fallowing information? Write the correct letter A-F on your answer sheet.
NB You may use any letter more than once.
15. A warning about the temptation of getting distracted for short-term financial gain
16. Advice about remembering a fundamental objective
17. An explanation of rules that apply to some students and not others
18. A warning about the possibility of exhaustion
19. A suggestion that working while you are a student will improve your chances of employment in the future
IELTS General Reading Test
Questions 20-22
Write NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS OR A NUMBER ONLY from the text for each answer.
20. Which phrase in section B means abilities that can be used in more than one situation?
21. What is recommended as a reasonable amount of time to dedicate to a part-time job?
22. What name is given to the amount you must exceed before you start paying tax?
IELTS General Reading Test
Read the text below and answer questions 23-29.
Top five best-paying jobs without a degree
While most people now aspire to go to university after high school, not everyone can. There are all sorts of reasons why young people choose to get into the job market sooner rather than later, and some of them are earning very healthy salaries. We’ve put together a list of the top five most popular careers that offer high income opportunities without you having to have letters after your name.
1. Estate agent
Annual salary – anything between £20,000 and £100,000
Being an estate agent requires a license but anyone interested needs only a few formal qualifications. During the property boom of the late nineties, many people became licensed estate agents and the market became very competitive. If you’re dedicated, however, you can make a very good living. The downside is that you’ll be permanently on call, you’ll work weekends, and you’ll probably have to survive periods with little or no income.
IELTS General Reading Test
2. Firefighter
Annual starting salary – £20,000 / annual salary for trained firefighter -£30,000
The attraction is the sense of reward and the fact that you’ll be seen as a hero. You’ll be out there saving lives and property and, what’s more, you’ll stay in great shape. Most firefighters have a reasonable set of exam results but a degree is not required. If you stay with a battalion, you can soon work through the ranks and take on a leadership role. However, bear in mind work can be physically draining and the risk factor is extremely high.
3. Air Traffic Controller
Annual salary – upwards of £80,000
You don’t need a degree to apply, but, if initially accepted, you’ll have to take classes and pass stringent tests. Both your medical history and social background will be rigorously checked. Pay can be very generous but being responsible for the safety of thousands of people every day is immensely stressful.
IELTS General Reading Test
4. Salesperson
Annual salary – anyone’s guess!
You don’t need a post-school education to be a salesperson – just an iron will and a very thick skin. The appeal is that you earn what you’re worth and there are no limits. The drawback is the lack of stability, together with constant rejection and occasional disapproval of what you do for a living.
5. Electrician
Annual salary: £20,000 – £36,000
The great thing about learning a trade is that even those who failed dismally at school get a second bite at the cherry. Of course, you need basic intelligence to learn complex, potentially dangerous skills but the process of becoming an electrician is fairly painless. Not surprisingly, the queue to work with high voltage isn’t long so there’s usually plenty of work around for those willing.
IELTS General Reading Test
Questions 23-29
Read the article about top paying jobs on the side page. Choose the correct job for each statement from the list of jobs below. Write your answers in boxes 23-29 on your answer sheet.
List of jobs
A. estate agent
B. firefighter
C. air traffic controller
D. salesman
E. electrician
23. People will ask questions about your past.
24. The work keeps you fit.
25. Not many people want such a dangerous job.
26. Some people feel the job is not respectable.
27. The profession was especially popular at a certain time.
28. People with low educational attainment get a second chance.
29. Quick promotion is a possibility.
IELTS General Reading Test
IELTS General Reading Test
ANSWERS
15. D
16. C
17. E
18. A
19. B
20. TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
21. 15 HOURS PER WEEK
22. PERSONAL ALLOWANCE
23. C
24. B
25. E
26. D
27. A
28. E
29. B
IELTS General Reading Test