General Training Reading 2023-09 Test 3 — IELTS General Training Reading Practice Test with Answers

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Reading Passage 1 — Plays Running at West End

The West End of London refers to a distinct region of Central London, in which many of the city's theatres are located. A snapshot of plays running in the West End theatres:

A. The Price: David Suchet delivers a comic tour de force as a silver-tongued 90 year old furniture dealer in Arthur Miller's masterpiece, 'The Price'. Two brothers, Victor and Walter Franz, one a New York cop and the other a successful surgeon, meet for the first time in sixteen years to sell their family furniture. Revelation follows stunning revelation as each brother realises the price they have paid for heart breaking decisions made decades earlier.

B. The Night of the Iguana: Globe-winner Clive Owen returns to the West End for the first time in 18 years to play Rev. T. Lawrence Shannon in 'The Night of the Iguana', a new production directed by James Macdonald. Set in the strange limbo of 1940, in a hot and humid Mexico, a group of travellers meet at the run-down Costa Verde Hotel, which brings them together in an epic battle between flesh and spirit, captivity and freedom, art and faith, heightened by a tropical rain-storm.

C. Admissions: Alex Kingston stars in this award-winning and bitingly funny new comedy. Sherri is the Head of Admissions at a private school, fighting to diversify the student intake and she wants you to know about it. When her son is deferred from his university of choice, and his best friend - who 'ticks more boxes' - makes it, Sherri's personal ambition collides with her progressive values. Piercing and provocative, 'Admissions' dares to question whether the race to the top is ever simply black and white.

D. The Mousetrap: Agatha Christie's legendary whodunit, The Mousetrap, is still thriving after over 60 years in the West End. The world's longest-running play, this masterpiece goes from strength to strength as a new generation of theatregoers are tricked and teased at St. Martin's Theatre. Experience this cracking yarn today - an irresistible treat for amateur sleuths everywhere!

E. Cyprus Avenue: David Ireland's black comedy Cyprus Avenue returns to West End for a limited four-week run. Eric Miller is a Belfast Loyalist. He believes his five-week old granddaughter is Gerry Adams. His family keep telling him to stop living in the past and fighting old battles that 'nobody cares about anymore' but his cultural heritage is under siege. He must act. This is the story of one man struggling with the past and terrified of the future.

F. The Toast: Following a phenomenal sell-out run at the Traverse part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival Toast now makes its West End debut. Nigel Slater's Toast is a new play based on his award-winning autobiography. Vividly recreating suburban England in the 1960s Nigel Slater's childhood is told through the tastes and smells he grew up with. From making the perfect sherry trifle, waging war over cakes through to the playground politics of sweets and the rigid rules of restaurant dining, this is a moving and evocative tale of love, loss and...toast.

G. Strange Fruits: Alvin and Errol are young, black and living in England in the 1980s, with an entire country and political system set against them. They focus firmly on their past – the sunny Caribbean and heroic father they left behind when their mother brought them to England twenty years ago. But when Alvin returns home from his grandfather's funeral a new version of their past emerges and the two brothers are caught in a desperate struggle to unearth the truth about their existence.

Questions 1–7: Identify the play from the following hints

Identify the play from the following hints:

1
This play will be staged in the West End for the first time.
- A. The Price
- B. The Night of the Iguana
- C. Admissions
- D. The Mousetrap
- E. Cyprus Avenue
- F. The Toast
- G. Strange Fruits
2
The place where the actors meet is not very well maintained.
3
This play is a mystery story.
4
One of the actors speaks very persuasively.
5
New facts come to light after a death in the family.
6
It is a story where one's personal values come into conflict with what the actor wants in real life.
7
This play looks at the funny side of things usually considered very serious.

Reading Passage 2 — Foods You Should Never Buy at the Airport

Soft pretzels

A big old soft pretzel is not a meal. Those fluffy carbs might smell enticing, but carbo-loading before a long flight will leave your tummy rumbling again by take-off. Look for something with protein and fibre that will keep you satisfied until you land, or better yet, pack a meal from home. Making a sandwich at home to save money or packing leftovers like pasta salad or grilled chicken in an old, washed plastic container, such as a cottage cheese tub, is recommended.

Guilty pleasures

Try not to lump your waiting time at the airport with the "treat mentality" of the rest of your vacation. Even though it might be the kick-off to a vacation, you want to save those calories for something unique when you arrive. Skip the specialty coffee drink and stick with plain coffee if you need a caffeine fix, or leave room for ice cream at the beach instead of gobbling a bag of cookies at the airport.

Yogurt based Dessert

You've seen yogurt touted time and time again as one of the healthiest snacks you can get, thanks to its satiating protein. But that fruit and yogurt dessert isn't the healthy and fresh choice that it seems. Yogurt has a halo over it as a healthy food, and obviously it is, but in context of what additives are in it. By the time you turn plain yogurt into a sugary flavoured yogurt topped with granola and fruit (which, unlike fresh berries, is full of added sugar), it isn't a healthy choice anymore.

Granola bars

Granola bars are often designed to look like a smart choice, but there's more than meets the eye. Granola bars can be packed with added sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, and other decidedly unhealthy ingredients, especially if they're covered in a waxy coating. That said, a shelf-stable, portable snack is convenient when you need to take the hunger off during your travels, so hunt down an option with 12 or fewer grams of sugar.

Glass of Wine

While a glass of wine as you wait for your flight won't do much harm for most people, you'll want to keep your drinking to a minimum. Not only could it dehydrate you before an already dehydrating plane ride, but alcohol isn't good for deep sleep. You might crash quickly, but the alcohol will wake you up and keep you out of deep REM sleep as your liver works it out.

Water bottles

Because hydration is important, especially when you're stuck in a dry plane cabin, we recommend sipping extra water the night and morning before your flight so you aren't dehydrated when you board. Especially if your flight is longer than a couple of hours; however, though, don't ignore your thirst in the name of avoiding the bathroom.

Anything your stomach isn't used to

When you’re about to sit in close quarters for hours on end, you’ll want to avoid foods that don’t tend to sit well with your digestive system. Steer clear of foods that normally might upset your stomach, such as certain types of fibre or greasy foods. A hamburger and French fries or fried chicken before you get on a plane might not be the best idea.

Questions 8–14: Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text?

Write: TRUE if the statement is True FALSE if the statement is false NOT GIVEN If the information is not given in the passage

8
Rather than buying a soft pretzel, buy something with protein and fibre, it is even better than your homemade sandwich.
9
When you arrive at the airport, you can have an ice cream to kick off your vacation.
10
Yogurt without additives is a healthy food.
11
If granola bars have a waxy coating they are likely to have add-ons that are not healthy.
12
Alcohol will help you to go to sleep quickly.
13
Do not avoid drinking water if you are thirsty just because it may make you go to the bathroom.
14
You can eat whatever you want as long as your stomach is used to it.

Reading Passage 2 — The Greatest Risks in Climbing Mount Everest

What are the Difficulties in Climbing Mount Everest?

Altitude Sickness:

This is the biggest risk to Mt. Everest climbers. It will affect many aspects of their health. The higher they get, the less oxygen there is in the air. Their body can slowly adapt to this but only up to a point. Even with the comparatively lengthy period required to climb this high, they are unlikely to ever feel quite themselves above base camp, and in the Death Zone above 8,000m they are beyond the limit of their ability to adapt to the altitude.

Temperature:

Air temperature drops by roughly 0.65 degrees Centigrade per 100 meters of height gained. That means at 8,800m they can expect the temperature to be about 57 degrees Centigrade less than at sea level. That's a gross simplification ignoring many other factors but you get the idea: it is cold up there. It does not help that climbers switch from lying still in the darkness at night to slogging up-hill with the heat of the sun bearing down from above and reflecting up from the snow.

Weather:

The window of opportunity for summiting will be dictated by a good weather forecast but many are the climbers who have been caught out by storms, holding out a little too long on summit day. They can't control the weather gods but they can get a good forecast, listen to their instincts and not ignore the early warning signs.

Falls:

One of the highest direct causes of death on Everest is falls. These can happen both when actually climbing, particularly on the high ridges, and also in careless moments at the higher camps. Stepping out of the tent for a wee at night onto ground covered in ice being a particular example. Maintaining vigilance with their footwork, double checking knots and karabiners, and a good amount of prior experience on snow and ice are prudent steps for reducing this risk.

Avalanche:

Twice as likely as falls to get them on the slopes of Qomolangma (Tibetan name for Everest) are avalanches. There tend to be specific areas in which the likelihood of their occurrence is higher. In addition to falling snow, falling ice and rocks are yet other hazards they can face.

Crevasses:

These are great cracks that appear in glacial ice which threaten to swallow careless or unfortunate climbers. To aid safe travel across glaciers, teams ropes between each of their members so they can drag out anyone unlucky enough to take a fall.

Summit Fever:

Easily said but near impossible to avoid entirely, the temptation to push on for "just another ten minutes" is strong in all of us. But combine it with the intoxication of so much effort and the mind-altering effects of altitude on the danger-ridden slopes of Mount Everest and you have a recipe for disaster. The practical advice is to have a set "turn-around time" at which point you head back down regardless of where you are. Something else worth doing is taking the time to go through your motivation for being on the mountain. If you keep the summit in perspective with the rest of the challenge it may help stop you from getting carried away.

Questions 15–21: Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage

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

15
The human body does not have unlimited ability to adapt itself to the adverse effects of high altitude.
16
It is not advisable to switch from lying still in the darkness at night to slog up-hill with the heat of the sun bearing down from above and reflecting up from the snow.
17
Pay attention to the weather forecast to help decide when to climb the summit.
18
One should avoid stepping out of the tent at night.
19
Avalanches are likely to cause more accidents than falls.
20
High altitudes impact your thought process.
21
In the final run, one has to push on regardless if one has to reach the summit.

Questions 22–27: Fill in the blanks below by choosing not more than two words from the text.

Fill in the blanks below by choosing not more than two words from the text.

22. You should have no doubts about the...............of your employer as regards your hours of work.

23. The time spent on travelling to your workplace and back is no longer required, so this saved time can be .............................. in different ways.

24. When you work from home, you can dress any which way you want; you do not need to stock....................... clothes.

25. Since you do not have co-workers around, there is a sense of ............... when you work from home.

26. There are many .............................. at home, so you need to impose some self-discipline.

27. When you work from home, there is a .............................. from information about what is going on in the company you work for, which means you are not up-to-date with all the details of what is happening at your work-place.

Reading Passage 3 — Why Risks Can Go Wrong: Human intuition is a bad guide to handling risk

A. People make terrible decisions about the future. The evidence is all around, from their investments in the stock markets to the way they run their businesses. In fact, people are consistently bad at dealing with uncertainty, underestimating some kinds of risk and overestimating others. Surely there must be a better way than using intuition?

B. In the 1960s a young American research psychologist, Daniel Kahneman, became interested in people's inability to make logical decisions. That launched him on a career to show just how irrationally people behave in practice. When Kahneman and his colleagues first started work, the idea of applying psychological insights to economics and business decisions was seen as rather bizarre. But in the past decade the fields of behavioural finance and behavioural economics have blossomed, and in 2002 Kahneman shared a Nobel prize in economics for his work. Today he is in demand by business organizations and international banking companies. But, he says, there are plenty of institutions that still fail to understand the roots of their poor decisions. He claims that, far from being random, these mistakes are systematic and predictable.

C. One common cause of problems in decision-making is over-optimism. Ask most people about the future, and they will see too much blue sky ahead, even if past experience suggests otherwise. Surveys have shown that people's forecasts of future stock market movements are far more optimistic than past long-term returns would justify. The same goes for their hopes of ever-rising prices for their homes or doing well in games of chance. Such optimism can be useful for managers or sportsmen, and sometimes turns into a self-fulfilling prophecy. But most of the time it results in wasted effort and dashed hopes. Kahneman's work points to three types of overconfidence. First, people tend to exaggerate their own skill and prowess; in polls, far fewer than half the respondents admit to having below-average skills in, say, driving. Second, they overestimate the amount of control they have over the future, forgetting about luck and chalking up success solely to skill. And third, in competitive pursuits such as dealing on shares, they forget that they have to judge their skills against those of the competition.

D. Another source of wrong decisions is related to the decisive effect of the initial meeting, particularly in negotiations over money. This is referred to as the 'anchor effect'. Once a figure has been mentioned, it takes a strange hold over the human mind. The asking price quoted in a house sale, for example, tends to become accepted by all parties as the 'anchor' around which negotiations take place. Much the same goes for salary negotiations or mergers and acquisitions. If nobody has much information to go on, a figure can provide comfort – even though it may lead to a terrible mistake.

E. In addition, mistakes may arise due to stubbornness. No one likes to abandon a cherished belief, and the earlier a decision has been taken, the harder it is to abandon it. Drug companies must decide early to cancel a failing research project to avoid wasting money, but may find it difficult to admit they have made a mistake. In the same way, analysts may have become wedded early to a single explanation that coloured their perception. A fresh eye always helps.

F. People also tend to put a lot of emphasis on things they have seen and experienced themselves, which may not be the best guide to decision-making. For example, somebody may buy an overvalued share because a relative has made thousands on it, only to get his fingers burned. In finance, too much emphasis on information close at hand helps to explain the tendency by most investors to invest only within the country they live in. Even though they know that diversification is good for their portfolio, a large majority of both Americans and Europeans invest far too heavily in the shares of their home countries. They would be much better off spreading their risks more widely.

G. More information is helpful in making any decision but, says Kahneman, people spend proportionally too much time on small decisions and not enough on big ones. They need to adjust the balance. During the boom years, some companies put as much effort into planning their office party as into considering strategic mergers.

H. Finally, crying over spilled milk is not just a waste of time; it also often colours people's perceptions of the future. Some stock market investors trade far too frequently because they are chasing the returns on shares they wish they had bought earlier.

I. Kahneman reckons that some types of businesses are much better than others at dealing with risk. Pharmaceutical companies, which are accustomed to many failures and a few big successes in their drug-discovery programmes, are fairly rational about their risk-taking. But banks, he says, have a long way to go. They may take big risks on a few huge loans, but are extremely cautious about their much more numerous loans to small businesses, many of which may be less risky than the big ones. And the research has implications for governments too. They face a whole range of sometimes conflicting political pressures, which means they are even more likely to take irrational decisions.

Questions 28–33: Reading Passage 3 has nine paragraphs A–I. Choose the correct heading for Paragraphs B and D–H from the list of headings below.

List of headings i. Not identifying the correct priorities ii. A solution for the long term iii. The difficulty of changing your mind iv. Why looking back is unhelpful v. Strengthening inner resources vi. A successful approach to the study of decision-making vii. The danger of trusting a global market viii. Reluctance to go beyond the familiar ix. The need for more effective risk assessment x. Underestimating the difficulties ahead xi. The power of the first number

28
Paragraph B
29
Paragraph D
30
Paragraph E
31
Paragraph F
32
Paragraph G
33
Paragraph H

Questions 34–37: Choose the correct answer A, B, C or D.

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

34
People initially found Kahneman's work unusual because he
- A. saw mistakes as following predictable patterns.
- B. was unaware of behavioural approaches.
- C. dealt with irrational types of practice.
- D. applied psychology to finance and economics.
35
The writer mentions house-owners attitudes towards the value of their homes to illustrate that
- A. past failures may destroy an optimistic attitude.
- B. people tend to exaggerate their chances of success
- C. optimism may be justified in certain circumstances.
- D. people are influenced by the success of others.
36
Stubbornness and inflexibility can cause problems when people
- A. think their financial difficulties are just due to bad luck.
- B. avoid seeking advice from experts and analysts.
- C. refuse to invest in the early stages of a project.
- D. are unwilling to give up unsuccessful activities or beliefs.
37
Why do many Americans and Europeans fail to spread their financial risks when investing?
- A. They feel safer dealing in a context which is close to home.
- B. They do not understand the benefits of diversification.
- C. They are over-influenced by the successes of their relatives.
- D. They do not have sufficient knowledge of one another's countries.

Questions 38–40: Answer the questions below, using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 38–40 on your answer sheet.

38
Which two occupations may benefit from being over-optimistic?
39
Which practical skill are many people over-confident about?
40
Which type of business has a generally good attitude to dealing with uncertainty?

Phiếu trả lời

Điền đáp án khi làm bài — kiểm tra kết quả ngay lập tức và lưu cục bộ, mọi câu sai sẽ vào nhật ký lỗi cùng bài học khắc phục.

Lưu trên thiết bị này — không cần tài khoản. Đăng nhập ở trang tiến trình nếu muốn đồng bộ sang nơi khác.

Hiện đáp án

1. F
F is correct because the passage says 'Toast now makes its West End debut,' meaning it is being staged there for the first time. Other options do not mention a first-time performance.
2. B
B is correct because it describes the Costa Verde Hotel as 'run-down,' showing it is not well maintained. Other plays do not mention the condition of the meeting place.
3. D
D is correct as it calls The Mousetrap a 'legendary whodunit,' which means it is a mystery story. The other options do not mention a mystery or detective story.
4. A
A is correct because David Suchet is described as a 'silver-tongued' dealer, meaning he speaks very persuasively. The other plays do not mention a character with persuasive speech.
5. G
G is correct because after Alvin returns from his grandfather's funeral, 'a new version of their past emerges,' meaning new facts come to light after a family death. The other plays do not mention this situation.
6. C
C is correct as Sherri's 'personal ambition collides with her progressive values,' showing a conflict between values and real-life desires. Other options do not mention this type of conflict.
7. E
E is correct because Cyprus Avenue is called a 'black comedy' about serious topics like cultural heritage and the past, showing it finds humor in serious matters. The other plays do not focus on this.
8. FALSE
FALSE is correct because the passage says packing a meal from home is better than buying airport food, not the other way around. It says, 'better yet, pack a meal from home.'
9. FALSE
FALSE is correct because the passage suggests saving treats like ice cream for your destination, not the airport: 'leave room for ice cream at the beach instead of gobbling a bag of cookies at the airport.'
10. TRUE
TRUE is correct because the passage says 'plain yogurt' is healthy, but yogurt with additives is not. It warns against sugary, flavored yogurt with toppings.
11. TRUE
TRUE is correct because granola bars with a 'waxy coating' are likely to have 'added sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, and other decidedly unhealthy ingredients.'
12. TRUE
TRUE is correct because the passage says alcohol 'might crash you quickly,' meaning it helps you fall asleep fast, but it is not good for deep sleep.
13. TRUE
TRUE is correct because the passage says 'don't ignore your thirst in the name of avoiding the bathroom,' meaning you should drink water if you are thirsty.
14. NOT GIVEN
NOT GIVEN is correct because the passage does not say you can eat anything as long as your stomach is used to it; it only warns against eating foods that upset your stomach.
15. YES
YES is correct because the passage says the body can adapt to altitude 'only up to a point' and in the Death Zone, climbers are 'beyond the limit of their ability to adapt.'
16. NOT GIVEN
NOT GIVEN is correct because the passage describes the temperature changes but does not say it is not advisable to switch from lying still to climbing in the sun.
17. YES
YES is correct because the passage says the 'window of opportunity for summiting will be dictated by a good weather forecast,' so paying attention to the forecast is important.
18. NOT GIVEN
NOT GIVEN is correct because the passage gives an example of a fall risk when stepping out at night but does not say you should avoid stepping out of the tent at night altogether.
19. YES
YES is correct because the passage says avalanches are 'twice as likely as falls' to cause accidents on Everest.
20. YES
YES is correct because the passage mentions the 'mind-altering effects of altitude,' showing high altitude affects your thinking.
21. NO
NO is correct because the passage advises to have a set 'turn-around time' and to head back down regardless of where you are, not to push on at all costs.
22. expectations
'expectations' is correct because the sentence talks about being sure of what your employer wants regarding your hours of work.
23. invested
'invested' is correct because the sentence means the saved time from not commuting can be used in different ways.
24. work-appropriate
'work-appropriate' is correct because the sentence says you do not need to stock clothes suitable for work when working from home.
25. isolation
'isolation' is correct because working from home without co-workers around can make you feel alone.
26. distractions
'distractions' is correct because the sentence says there are many things at home that can take your attention away from work.
27. disconnect
'disconnect' is correct because working from home can mean you are not up-to-date with company information, creating a gap or disconnect.
28. vi
vi is correct because Paragraph B discusses how Kahneman's work was first seen as strange but later became important, matching 'The growing importance of Kahneman’s work.'
29. ix
ix is correct because Paragraph D talks about the 'anchor effect' in negotiations, matching 'The impact of a starting point on decision-making.'
30. iii
iii is correct because Paragraph E discusses how stubbornness and not wanting to change your mind can lead to mistakes, matching 'The difficulty of changing your mind.'
31. viii
viii is correct because Paragraph F explains how people focus too much on things they have seen or experienced, matching 'The influence of personal experience.'
32. i
i is correct because Paragraph G says people spend too much time on small decisions and not enough on big ones, matching 'The need to focus on important decisions.'
33. iv
iv is correct because Paragraph H talks about how regret over past decisions can affect future choices, matching 'The effect of past losses.'
34. D
D is correct because the passage says applying psychology to economics and business was 'seen as rather bizarre' when Kahneman started, meaning people found it unusual because he used psychology in finance and economics. The other options do not match this reason.
35. B
B is correct because the passage says people are over-optimistic about house prices and stock markets, showing they exaggerate their chances of success. Option D is tempting but the example is about personal optimism, not being influenced by others.
36. D
D is correct because Paragraph E says it is hard to abandon a belief or a failing project, showing stubbornness causes problems when people do not give up unsuccessful activities or beliefs.
37. A
A is correct because Paragraph F says people invest too much in their home country because they put emphasis on what is close at hand, meaning they feel safer with familiar things. The other options are not supported.
38. managers and sportsmen
'managers and sportsmen' is correct because the passage says over-optimism 'can be useful for managers or sportsmen.'
39. driving
'driving' is correct because the passage says in polls, people rarely admit to having below-average skills in driving, showing over-confidence in this skill.
40. pharmaceutical (companies)
'pharmaceutical (companies)' is correct because the passage says pharmaceutical companies are 'fairly rational about their risk-taking,' meaning they handle uncertainty well.

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