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Reading Passage 1 — Great Cycling Trails
Why not take the bike and try one of these wonderful cycling routes next weekend?
A. Bo'ness to Blackness Castle, Edinburgh
If you like cycling on flat ground and enjoy having interesting things to look at, this is one of the best trails in Scotland. Among its plus points, there are fantastic views of three of the bridges across the river Forth. Simply return by the same path or continue on to South Queensferry for a longer day out.
B. The Montgomery Canal cycle path, Wales
Dragonflies, swans, buzzards, fish and other creatures can be spotted as you cycle alongside the canal. The path is in good condition and broad enough for a family to ride safely. A day out cycling in the area can also include a visit to the nearby thirteenth-century Powis Castle and its beautiful gardens.
C. A walking and cycling path in Birmingham, West Midlands
The busy city of Birmingham has several well-known bike trails, including a quiet route along the Bourne Brook to Woodgate Valley country park. One hump-backed bridge is best walked across, but the rest of the route is flat and suitable for a range of bikes. It then takes you to the Woodgate Valley, which is perfect for picnics, has a family-friendly visitor attraction especially known for its sheep, and offers a break from cycling.
D. The Cycle Trail in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire
The path is on a former railway route from the time when the area was involved in coal mining. Cyclists can visit sites from this period on the way, but those just along for the views won't be disappointed. Stop for lunch at one of the numerous picnic spots along the way. The route is circular, fully marked and suitable for the whole family, including the dog.
E. The Wirral Trail, Liverpool
The trail is safe, flat and with plenty of cafés on the way. Take in the views of North Wales, have a rest on the beach at Caldy or Thurstaston, then cross the border into Cheshire and on towards Chester. Both West Kirby and Chester have regular direct trains back to Liverpool.
Questions 1–7: Matching cycle trails to statements
Look at the five descriptions of cycle trails, A–E. For which cycle trail are the following statements true? Write the correct letter, A-E. NB You may use any letter more than once.
- 1
People who like finding out about industrial history may find this cycle trail interesting.
- 2
Cyclists might find it advisable to get off their bikes on this trail and go a short distance on foot.
- 3
It is possible to buy something to eat when cycling along this trail.
- 4
People can stop on this trail and see some farm animals.
- 5
Cyclists can stop for a while on this trail and sit by the sea.
- 6
A very old building is close to this trail and is open to the public.
- 7
Riders can extend the distance they cycle if they take this trail.
Reading Passage 2 — Cycling in Plymouth
Cycling in the city is relatively stress free. As well as providing a growing number of cycle paths that are traffic free, local government has also added dedicated cycle lanes to many routes. A journey in the city by bike is generally quicker than the same journey by car – especially at peak times, and you can travel door to door, which saves additional time. A further benefit of cycling is that it's cheaper than running a car – even if you include the cost of an occasional taxi, it's also good for you: you'll need to cycle for a recommended minimum of twenty minutes a day if you want to improve your overall fitness.
If you've only recently decided to take up cycling, summer is a good time to start. However, the weather is rarely so bad in Plymouth that it will stop you cycling. To get started, you can hire a bike – various apps are available where you are charged by the hour. If you want to buy a bike, you should think first about the size you'll need and what you plan to use it for – commuting, shopping or recreation. When selecting your bike, it's helpful to remember that ones with lighter frames and good gears make cycling easier, but are more expensive. Although most train companies allow bikes on their trains, there are peak-time restrictions. Therefore, if you want to take a bike on a local train at peak times, you will need one that folds up. Even outside peak times, most trains have limited space for bikes of any kind, so a reservation in advance of your journey is essential.
If you plan to maintain your bike, you'll also need to buy certain equipment: a pump, a spare inner tube, and tyre levers for mending punctures. If you get a puncture, see if you can find out the cause, such as a piece of broken glass, and remove it. If you need to replace an inner tube, its size is usually shown on the tyre.
Questions 8–14: True/False/Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text? TRUE - if the statement is true; FALSE - if the statement is false; NOT GIVEN - if the information is not given in the text.
- 8
The number of traffic free cycle paths is increasing in the city.
- 9
You are likely to reach your destination faster if you drive than you cycle.
- 10
There are numerous days in the winter when weather prevents you cycling.
- 11
You will have to pay a higher price to buy a bike that is light.
- 12
Only folding bikes can be taken on local trains at any time.
- 13
If you are repairing a puncture, you will need a piece of equipment called tyre lever.
- 14
Broken glass is the most common cause of tyre puncture.
Reading Passage 3 — Learning to conduct difficult conversations in workplace
Many of us struggle to say what we need to at work. Whether it's asking for a pay rise, or confronting a co-worker over unsatisfactory behaviour, these conversations can be difficult to have without appearing offensive.
There are several reasons why we don't raise difficult topics at work. Perhaps we've learned not to rock the boat, we fear being responsible for conflict, or we think that nothing will change even if we do pluck up the courage to speak out. So we stay quiet.
Here are some tips on how to tackle your next difficult conversation: First, you need to plan what you're going to say. Think about how long you need for the conversation and where to have it. The right environment is key – you don't want somewhere too formal that will intimidate your colleague, or somewhere too casual where you may be overheard.
The second thing you need to do is write down the key messages you want to get across in the conversation. Practise saying them out loud (I like to record them on my phone and play them back). You are not preparing a script, but this preparation helps you to be brief and clear. If you are particularly nervous, rehearse what you plan to say in front of a friend so you know you are coming across as you wish to.
The language you use is also important. Consider the difference between these two phrases: "Steve, we're very close to deadline date and you told me you're a bit behind. I'd like to support you and agree a way to meet the deadline." and "Steve, you're behind again. This has got to stop."
If you use the first example, you come across as looking for solutions together. That creates trust and openness. The second example is less likely to get a successful outcome. Finally, put yourself in the other person's shoes – however frustrating that person might be. The useless boss who never gives you feedback is simply struggling with her own extremely heavy workload. The team member who only has negative comments to make in the team meeting simply doesn't have the skills to ask for what he wants directly.
To manage your emotions during a difficult conversation, it helps to calm things down by taking some long breaths. And finally, if you feel under pressure, remember to respond slowly rather than reacting quickly.
Questions 15–21: Sentence completion
Complete the sentences below. Choose ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.
15. A lot of people find it hard to challenge colleagues about their poor _________.
16. People are often afraid of causing _________ with colleagues if they raise tricky issues.
17. It is important to select the most suitable _________ for a difficult talk.
18. It may help to consult a _________ for feedback on how you are communicating the main points.
19. It often works best if the speaker sounds as if they want to find _________ to the problem under discussion.
20. A line manager that fails to communicate may have an excessive _________.
21. If colleagues never have anything good to say, they may lack the appropriate _________ to make requests appropriately.
- 15
A lot of people find it hard to challenge colleagues about their poor _________.
- 16
People are often afraid of causing _________ with colleagues if they raise tricky issues.
- 17
It is important to select the most suitable _________ for a difficult talk.
- 18
It may help to consult a _________ for feedback on how you are communicating the main points.
- 19
It often works best if the speaker sounds as if they want to find _________ to the problem under discussion.
- 20
A line manager that fails to communicate may have an excessive _________.
- 21
If colleagues never have anything good to say, they may lack the appropriate _________ to make requests appropriately.
Reading Passage 4 — Making a success out of a new business
Running your own business can be very rewarding, but success is not always guaranteed. Half of small businesses fail in the first couple of years, according to official reports, but there are certain steps you can take to give your business the best chance.
First, does your business have a clear mission, yearly goals and a long-term business plan? Ensure your goals are specific, measurable and achievable. Introduce regular reviews of these goals and set new ones when appropriate. Most importantly, communicate your mission and goals to your employees. Their livelihoods are tied to the success of your business, so make sure they know what they need to do to keep your business healthy. A shortage of cash is generally what sinks small businesses, so learning to monitor your cash flow is critical. Check the dates of major outgoing, such as tax and payments for rent and rates, to ensure that you have enough cash for when these need to be paid.
If you're setting up a partnership, choosing the right person is vital. Once you have made your choice, put in place an agreement which sets out the rights and responsibilities of each partner in the business. The agreement should also deal with what happens when difficulties arise, for example, does one partner have the ability to buy the other out? Or should the business simply be closed down – which could result in the end of a successful business?
Knowing your market and accurately assessing the potential demand for a product is the key to any succeeding enterprise. If your product has a very limited market, you won't be able to sell enough to create a successful business. You should take time to understand who your competitors are and identify what distinguishes your business from theirs. Perhaps you can provide a better service or compete on price. It all boils down to understanding why customers would rather buy from you than from a competitor in the field.
There is a lot to think about when starting your own business, but avoiding these common pitfalls will give your business a good chance of success.
Questions 22–27: Note completion
Complete the notes below. Choose ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.
Creating a successful business
Statistically, out of all new business ventures, 22 _________ will not survive two years.
To avoid this possibility:
• set clear targets and
o arrange frequent 23 _________ to ensure these goals are still practicable
o make sure all 24 _________ are fully aware of them
• ensure the projected cashflow will be adequate to get through the year by
o noting 25 _________ for paying tax and other outgoings
• select business partners carefully and draw up a document stating
o their 26 _________ and what they are responsible for doing in the business
o the procedure to follow if the business faces difficulties
• research the market:
o find out how your product differs from what 27 _________ offer
o consider if the price of the product could be lowered
- 22
Statistically, out of all new business ventures, 22 _________ will not survive two years.
- 23
arrange frequent 23 _________ to ensure these goals are still practicable
- 24
make sure all 24 _________ are fully aware of them
- 25
noting 25 _________ for paying tax and other outgoings
- 26
draw up a document stating their 26 _________ and what they are responsible for doing in the business
- 27
find out how your product differs from what 27 _________ offer
Reading Passage 5 — The nursery that took all the children's toys away
Do toys stifle children's creativity? One Munich nursery decided to find out. Sarah Jewell reports
Children are ready consumers, particularly of toys. Their toy chests may be bursting but they are still desperate for the latest doll or train set. Depriving children of their toys seems unkind, yet a growing number of nurseries in Germany do just this. For three months of the year they put away their toys and all that is left to play with are the tables, chairs and a few blankets.
The project is called Der Spielzeugfreie Kindergarten (the nursery without toys) and was founded by Renate Stich and Elke Schubert, public health officers who worked with adults suffering from various forms of addiction. They were concerned about the addictive habits that start early in childhood and wanted to show that children can play happily and creatively when they are not being 'subsidised' by their toys.
One of the nurseries that has been following this project for the past two years is the Munich-Engels-Bogen nursery in Munich. Gisela Marti, a teacher there, says: "In these three months we offer the children space and time to get to know themselves. The aim is to make the children self-confident, able to bear conflict and frustration, able to say 'yes' as well as 'no' and also aware of their weaknesses and strengths." According to Gisela Marti, the children's day is deliberately unstructured as one of the basic beliefs of the project is that children spend too much time being rushed around from one activity to another and they end up with a reduced space for life. The children are encouraged to do things their own way.
A video taken of the children during the three-month toy-free period shows them on the first day staring at each other hesitantly and looking apprehensively around the big, empty classroom. One of the nursery teachers, Gudrun Huber, says: "We felt them alone, even if they were bored, because sometimes things in life are boring and you have to learn to cope." On the second day the children are filmed playing with the chairs and blankets. They make a den by draping the blankets over the tables and weighing them down with shoes, and then they start running around the room chatting and laughing excitedly. Gudrun Huber explains how this put them in an entirely different mood: "Once the children realised they could do what they liked and they were in control, they got a bit boisterous and excited, climbing all over the furniture." Initially it was difficult for the staff, not just because it was unusually noisy, but because, as Gudrun Huber says, "it was difficult to hold back and let the children be."
Like Gudrun Huber, Gisela Marti found it hard to re-evaluate the rules she was used to. They weren't allowed to do anything really dangerous, but they were allowed to jump on the chairs and tables, and that is not something they would normally be allowed to do. As a teacher you do have to have confidence in the children. But she adds: "Everyone has to work within their own boundaries and some teachers will allow more dangerous and active play than others."
Gisela Marti found that once the children settled down to the new regime, they invented games. They loved acting and putting on a show, or pretending to be in a circus or on a train, but most importantly, all the time they were playing they were learning to socialise. Two weeks before the end of the project the teachers and children had a group discussion about which toys they would like brought back. The children were happy to get their toys back, but they were also aware that they had fun without them. As one little boy in Gudrun Huber's class said: "I like having no toys because then you can use your imagination instead."
At the end of the project, Elke Schubert thought there were definite benefits. "We find that children on the project concentrate better when they work, integrate better into groups and communicate better than children who didn't take part."
The parents were also positive about how the time without toys affected their children. Some parents have even copied the nursery's example. As one father said: "Klaus used to get out all his toys and spread them all over the room and then got in such a mess that he wasn't playing properly with any of them. So we put all the toys away in the cellar and now we only get out what he actually wants to play with and he gets much less frustrated." Elsa Davies is Director of the National Playing Fields Association. She says the most natural and durable learning happens through play and often play which is freely chosen by the child. Teachers often underestimate the power of that learning.
Questions 28–30: Multiple choice
Choose the correct letter A, B, C or D.
- 28
What does Gisela Marti criticise about nurseries in the third paragraph?
- A. the length of time children spend there
- B. the number of arguments children have there
- C. the lack of physical space for children's play there
- D. the amount of organisation children are exposed to there
- 29
When talking about danger, Gisela Marti suggests that teachers may have to
- A. learn how to reduce it.
- B. adjust their response to it.
- C. explore what causes it.
- D. agree when to avoid it.
- 30
How did the children feel about getting their toys back?
- A. They were impatient to get them back.
- B. They had not expected to get them back.
- C. They had lost interest in getting them back.
- D. They had mixed feelings about getting them back.
Questions 31–35: Matching statements to people
Look at the statements and list of people below. Match each statement with correct person. Write correct letter A-E.
A. Gisela Marti
B. Gudrun Huber
C. Elke Schubert
D. Klaus's father
E. Elsa Davies
- 31
Those children who are not part of the project have poorer social skills than those who are.
- 32
A goal of the project is to enable children to express both agreement and disagreement.
- 33
An excess of toys can lead to irritation in a child.
- 34
People working in education may fail to appreciate the importance of children deciding themselves how to fill their time.
- 35
At first, the employees at the nursery found it hard to allow the children to do whatever they wanted to do.
Questions 36–40: Summary completion
Complete the summary below. Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer.
The 'nursery without toys' project
On the first day of the project, a video shows that the children at the nursery did not know what to do in the 36 _________ because it contained no toys. The next day, they used tables, blankets and 37 _________ to build a den. The excitement of doing this changed their mood and resulted in a lot of noise and activity. According to Gisela Marti, once they had adapted to the new approach, they began to make up 38 _________ and do shows. They might have imagined they were in the 39 _________, for example, or travelling on a train. All these activities taught them how to 40 _________.
- 36
On the first day of the project, a video shows that the children at the nursery did not know what to do in the 36 _________ because it contained no toys.
- 37
The next day, they used tables, blankets and 37 _________ to build a den.
- 38
According to Gisela Marti, once they had adapted to the new approach, they began to make up 38 _________ and do shows.
- 39
They might have imagined they were in the 39 _________, for example, or travelling on a train.
- 40
All these activities taught them how to 40 _________.
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