and sciences

~ READING SKILLS EXAM PRACTICE

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Completing summaries without wordlists

1 Describe the photos and say which reflects your reading habits.

2 Answer the following questions about reading.

a How often do you read?
b What have you read today so far?
c Which types of books below do you like most? Give reasons.

Romance • Crime • War • Historical • Biography • Travel books

Sci-fi • Art books • Science

d Some people think reading books will soon be a thing of the past.
Do you agree?

3 Decide which are the best techniques from a-g to complete a Summary
task without a wordlist.
a Skim and decide whether the missing words are adverbs, adjectives,
nouns/noun phrases or verbs.
b Avoid thinking of your own words.
c Predict the meaning of the word in the blank space.
d Skim a nd ignore the blank space.
e Skim and say the word 'blank' for each missing word.
f Don't check your answers in the passage.
g Skim the summ ary first before you look at the passage.

4 Read the summary which relates to the reading passage on page 55. Using
ONE word only from the passage, complete each space in the summary.

Most people join book clubs for 1 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ reasons. The official

reason is to discuss books, but members principally enjoy interacting
with others in a 2 atmosphere. Another reason for the
popularity of book clubs is that reading is a 3 pastime
compared with cinema or theatre going. Some book clubs may
4 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ on a particular genre, or they may decide to be
5 in their choice of reading material. It all depends on
the interest of the participants. Research suggests that the popularity of
reading has remained 6 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ since 1996, and it seems likely
that the number of clubs will 7 in the future .

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 Arts and sciences

Book clubs - from strength to strength

A The proliferation of book clubs, some 50,000 in the UK alone and
who knows how many more worldwide, is quite a remarkable literary
ph enomenon. Participants of different ages and backgrounds gather on
a weekly or monthly basis ostensibly to discuss books chosen by the
5 members, but the primary attraction for most people, and the factor
beh ind the explosion in the number of groups, is not literary, but social.
Human interaction with some added mental stimulation in a relaxed
environment is integral to their success.

B The social aspect apa1t, the spread of book clubs can also be attributed to the low cost and the availability
1o of books, and the fact that compared to, say, the cinema or theatre, the clubs provide cheap entertainment.
The Internet has played its part as well. Once seen as foreshadowing the end of reading, not only does
th e Internet allow people even cheaper access to books, but it also acts as a conduit for readers hungry to
join a particular reading club. A further draw is the number of people who read for pleasure. With reading
being listed as the most popular major leisure activ ity, according to a survey carried out over a four-week
15 period in 2002 in the UK (65% constant since 1996), there is no shortage of willing participants.

C The clubs vary, ranging from cosy get-togethers in friends ' houses , with or without set rules and with or
without food and drink , to more forn1al, official set-ups in educational-cum- li terary estab lishments like
libraries, sometimes with literary functions with guest speakers. The overwhelmi ng majority are of a more
unthreatening, easy-going nature. Peop le come and go, but the cohesion of the groups seems to li ve on
20 with new ones springing up to replace those which have faded away.

D From the literary point of view, the focus of each group is different as it depends solely on the make-up
of the members and their predilections. There are reading c lubs which spec ialize in football , romance,
horror, science fiction and so on . Groups can foc us on one type or they can be ec lectic , combining
different types of fiction like romance with, for examp le, cricket. Some may even dress up in the style of
25 the characters or the time that a story took place to bring a mystery or an old c lassic to life. With such a
variety of choice, book clubs are sure to survive and expand .

5 Complete the summary below using the corrunents made by a student to help you.
Technique
Use context and your
1 ..... ... .. .......... for most people is a very relaxing 2 .................... , which own knowledge as well
as the reading passage
can, however, mean that a lot of time is spent on one's own. Yet, it does to complete summaries .
have compensations. Reading allows one to 3 .................... from the Build up your own
picture of the summary
real world, which is not a bad thing these days. There is nothing like as you skim it. This
losing yourself in a 4 .................... , whether it be a serious work like a picture building is called
'activating schemata'.
scientific article, or something like a romantic 5 ................... . .

1 I think it's an activity related to books.

2 It's a noun to do with something you do or like.
3 I am sure it's a verb here. The real world is like a prison. So?
4 This one is clear! What are we talking about?
5 This must be another word for a book.

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 Unit 7
• Completing multiple-choice questions

•
1 Look at the multiple-choice questions. Answer the hint questions next to them .

Technique
Study the structure of multiple-choice questions as you prepare for the exam.
Notice the relationship between the stem and the alternatives. Is it a cause and
effect relation ship? Is it one of action and purpose? Or do the alternatives contain
an evaluation of something?

Question 1
1 The increase in book clubs has occurred mainly because they
a Is the question
A perform a social function. about reasons or
consequences?
B fulfil an intellectual need. b Which word in the
question indicates
C cater for people from a variety of backgrounds. that you should look for
the most important
D solve the social problems of the participants. option?

Question 2
2 The number of people who read for pleasure in the UK
a Are you looking for the
A shows that the Internet has some benefits. cause or the effect of
the number of people
B means that the cost of books will be kept down. reading?
b In the passage, what
C ensures there will always be a pool of readers to supply reason is given for the
book clubs. spread of book clubs?
c Which option refers
D means that cinemas and theatres are losing money. to something not
mentioned in the text?

Question 3
3 Which of the following best describes most book groups
a What kind of words are
mentioned by the writer? options A-D?
A restrictive b Which similar words in
i
paragraph C describe
B formal the different types of
groups?
C small c Which phrase in
paragraph C indicates
D informal most of the clubs?

Question 4
4 Books for discussion in groups are
a Which options describe
A restricted to one type. who chooses the books?
b Which options describe
B dependent on member preference. the limitations on book
choice?
C limited to several different authors.
c Which option here is
D dependent on the chairperson's reading list. definitely false and
which two are not given?

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 Arts and sciences
5 The writer of the article thinks that
Question 5
a Is the question asking
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A book clubs have a certain future. about the writer's
opinion or the writer's
B book clubs will expand slowly but surely. purpose?
b Which option accurately
C book clubs may not survive. paraphrases this
opinion?
D the variety of book clubs will increase.
c Which wrong option
is the opposite of the
writer's opinion, and
2 Answer the multiple-choice questions. which two are not given'?

Analysing questions
1 To some extent, the language and structure in multiple-choice questions are predictable.
Match the lists of language 1-7 which may be found in multiple-choice stems with the
correct category from a-g.
a Choose the correct effect/outcome/consequence.
b Choose the cause or reason for something.
c Ident ify questions relating to qualifying words.
d Identify the purpose of an event or item.
e Identify the best action/tool for a particular purpose.
f Explain what general point a specific example relates to.
g Give the writer's main conclusion/purpose/opinion for the whole text.

1 mainly 5 In order to achieve/do something, ...

usually
the majority
the most
6 ... because . ..
. . . as a result of .. .
. . . is caused by .. .
2 ... leads to ...
. . . ensures that .. .
. . . means that .. .
... causes ...
7 The writer's conclusion/opinion/purpose is
... resulting in ...
best summarized as ...
The writer concludes that ...
The writer believes that ...
3 ... is used for ... The writer's main point is that ...
The main use/purpose of ... is to ...

Technique
4 The writer refers to ... to show/ illustrate ... Make a checklist of the features
... is an example of .. . of all question types in the exam
such as True/False/Not Given or
paragraph and section headings.
You can use these checklists
2 Make a checklist of the language features in True/False/Not Given for revision purposes . Update
statements, paragraph and section headings. Use exercise 1 to help you. the checklists as you notice
more features .

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 Unit 7
I Improve your IELTS word skills
1 Divide the following verbs into three groups with similar meanings.

I assess • condemn • disapprove • appraise • censure • endorse • condone

criticize • appreciate
I

2 Write the corresponding nouns for the verbs in exercise 1.

3 Choose the most suitable noun from exercise 2 to complete the sentences below.
a The team carried out a detailed of the risks involved.
b The professor has published several works of literary
c The results of the election are a clear of the government's policies.
d At the end of the opera, the audience showed their by clapping
enthusiastically.
e In his very critical article, the author expresses his strong _ _ ___ of reality TV.

4 Make a noun from each of the following verbs to complete the sentences below.

judge • perceive • believe • think • analyse • condemn • conceive • discriminate

a Public of the use of money for arts promotion was very harsh.
b He carried out an in-depth __ of the extent of progress in this area.
c There was obvious in favour of funding for science.
d We need to reserve until we are in possession of all the facts.
e The general ____ appears to be that artists are somehow superior to
scientists.
f ews about current issues barely affects the public's __ generally.
g Some artists seem to have no ____ of the way science is changing our view of
the world.

5 Contradict the verbs in italics in each sentence below. In most cases you can do this by
adding a prefix to the existing verb.
1' /'(/l//fl/r

Tlw goH'l'llllll'lll <i!'fi //(fr·<! tlw main argum('n(s alh·arn'l'Cl. (oppos\'cl)

a The government undervalu ed the contribution made by various people.

b The effects of lack of light on huma ns are unde1·stood by most people.
c The local residents strongly apprnved of the building of the arts complex. Technique
d The various publications praised the contents of the book. When you record a new
e The company judged the timing of the film's release for maximum coverage. vocabulary item, check
if you can add prefixes
f It is clear that the scientific community believed the results of the research. or suffixes to it. Write the
new item together with
any other words you can
form from it. This helps you
to create 'word families ',
e.g. approve/disapprove/
approval/ disapproval .

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 Arts and sciences
Reading Passage 7
1 You should spend 20 minutes on questions 1- 13, which are based on Reading Passage 7. •
Sciart - connections between two cultures
Sciart was originally established to fund 'visual arts projects which involved
an artist and a scientist working in collaboration to research, develop
and produce work which explored contemporary biological and medical
science'. Over time, the programme expanded to cover a wider range of
5 arts and science activity. In total, Sciart supported 118 projects with nearly
£3 million of funding to increase interest and excitement in biomedical
science among adults; to encourage collaborative creative practice between
disciplines in the arts and science; and to create a group of artists looking at
biomedical science and build capacity in this field.
1O Interview evidence from those involved in Sci art projects suggested that the
collaborations between artists and scientists had helped to raise awareness
among project participants and the wider public of connections between aspects of the arts
and of the sciences. An effect of this had been to encourage, at policy making and funding
levels, more interest to be taken and more resources to be devoted to encouraging interactions
15 between the two. As one participant who was interviewed commented:
Connecting the sensory with the conceptual is something that is fundamental
to artistic and scientific method. That awareness has got lost at a public
/eve/. And Sciart collaborations and the publicly visible outcomes help to
demonstrate those connections, which have tended to become ignored.
20 Sciart has made the similarities between science and art more evident.
Interviews with a significant number of artists and scientists who had
participated in Sciart-funded projects revealed that the process of
collaboration and of observing each other's professional practices and
cultures had led to previously unnoticed similarities between the 'two
25 cultures' being recognized. The process of recognition provided a point of
familiarity that generally seemed to encourage or reassure those concerned.
The combination of strangeness and familiarity was perceived by some as a
basis on which to engage in collaboration across disciplines.
Scientists' testimonies:
30 It has made me think more about the coming together of art and science. At the centre of
scientific and artistic thinking there are acts of creativity, and I don't think that those acts
of creativity necessarily differ, although the content may differ. In designing an experiment,
a thought will come to you that 'something is worth looking at, and I have to be able to
recognise what the value is within that'.
35 There are surprising parallels with being a scientist. You spend a lot of time getting funding
and writing reports, and only a small proportion doing the actual science. Each grant is for
time-limited funding, so like the artists we are always thinking about where the next funding is
going to come from.
Artists' testimonies:
40 I was intrigued by the radical differences between the artistic process and the scientific
method, but also by the overlaps, such as the opening up of new ideas, the creative
manipulation of materials and the process of experimentation. Both science and art require

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 Unit 7

• creative thinking in their own ways, and they both require observation of the natural world. As
an artist, as well as a scientist, you also need t o pay attention to detail. There seems to be a lot

• 45 in common but also a lot that is very different, and that seemed like a nice basis to form new
relationships on ...
The main thing is the similarities not the differences . You spend 75 per cent of your time applying
for funding, and 20 per cent writing reports, and just 5 per cent actually doing the work. That is
the same in both fields. Also there is that commercial lure in science to make money by working
50 on cures for things like obesity, which means that if you remain within the academic research you
effectively take a pay cut to do that. That is the same in the art world as well.
It was very clear from the testimonies of interviewees from both sides of the art-science divide, and
from those participating in projects as well as those observing them, that a great deal of mutual
respect between the 'two cultures' had grown up as a consequence of Sciart-funded collaborations.

55 I've seen plenty of evidence that artists and scientists now view each other's cultures differently.
There is a lot of anecdotal evidence of scientists being astonished by the level of both skill and
hard labour that goes into the creation of artwork, and similarly a degree of astonishment amongst
the artists about the ability and excitement of scientists in dealing with ideas and with imaginative
concepts. So, there was I think a process of mutual eye-opening . . . (Scientist)
60 A strength is that it has enabled people from both sides of the Sciart divide to gain access to
different ways of doing things, and that it has begun to break down some of the prejudices in the
two camps. (Arts expert)

Technique
1 Survey the whole reading passage and the questions.
2 Skim the title and predict the contents of the passage.
3 Skim the reading passage in no more than two minutes.
4 Skim the questions. Use the questions to help you improve your understanding of
the general content of the reading passage

Questions 1-6
Complete the summary.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Background to the Sciart projects

The Sciart programme was basically launched to encourage 1 .. .................. between

scientists and artists, eventually covering 118 projects that were not just involved
in art and biomedical science. When participants were interviewed about the Sciart
projects, they felt the project increased 2 .................... of the connections between the
3 .... ..... .... ....... and ... ............ ..... among themselves and the general public. The result
of this was that attempts were made to increase 4 .. .. ... .. ... ... .. ... between both cultures.
One interview comment was that Sciart had made the 5 ........... .. ... .... between science
and art 6 ......... ...... ... . .

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 Arts and sciences
Questions 7-10 Technique
Multiple-choice questions
Classify the following comments about Sciart according to whether they
1 Predict the likely location
were made by:
of the answer in the
A Scientists passage.
2 Predict answers by using
B Artists what you know from
previous questions.
C Both scientists and artists
3 Identify the relationship
7 Detail is important in both art and science. between the options and
the stem (e .g. cause and
8 The funding of projects takes up a lot of time. effect).
4 Identify scan words in the
9 Making money is attractive to both artists and scientists. stem and use them to
locate the correct section.
10 While the content may be different, the creative process isn't.
5 Read around this section
and match the meaning
in the text with the correct
Questions 11-1 3 paraphrase from the
options.
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D .
11 In both the artistic and scientific fields
A a majority of the time is devoted to work.
B only a small amount of time is spent working.
C funding applications require less time than writing reports.
D networking takes up a lot of valuable time.
12 The programmes funded by Sciart have resulted in
A a fall in respect between artists and scientists.
B government funding for similar collaborative projects.
C an increase in the divide between artists and scientists.
D an increase in respect between artists and scientists.
13 The amount of work involved in creating a piece of art
A made little impression on scientists.
B made scientists a little surprised.
C surprised scientists a lot.
D only impressed imaginative scientists.

2 Answer these questions.

a Should more arts than science subjects be taught in schools? Why/Why not?
b Do you think people should be worried about future developments in science? Should
the work of scientists be controlled and restricted by governments? Why/Why not?
c Do people have the knowledge to understand scientific developments? Why/Why not?