Basic IELTS Reading

Unit 13 Reading Practice (10)

Reading Passage One

More Cavities Needed

Bluebirds live in cavities, but they can't make their own cavities. Like woodpeckers, bluebirds
prefer trees in open areas. The best habitat for bluebirds is an open area with scattered trees such
as an old garden. By clearing sections of forest to create more fields, early settlers happened to
improve bluebird habitat. Bluebirds feed on insects on the ground, and insects were abundant
in the fields.

In the early 1900s, eastern bluebirds were one of the most common songbirds, but by 1969
fewer than 100 bluebirds nested in Minnesota. Other states also reported severe declines in the
populations of all three bluebird species.

Why did the populations decline? One factor may have been the widespread use of insecti-
cides, but the most important factor was probably the loss of habitat. At first, fences were built
with wooden posts, and wooden posts develop cavities. While bluebirds like fence posts with
cavities, farmers do not. Cavities make the fence posts weak, and cattle escape through weak
fences. After World War II, most farmers replaced wooden posts with new posts made of steel.

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With less suitable habitat, the bluebirds were forced to compete with other birds for the few
remaining nesting sites. More aggressive birds such as the tree swallow and the house wren often
drive the bluebirds from their nests. Starlings and house sparrows- both introduced to this country
from Europe - also compete with the bluebirds for nesting sites.

All three bluebird populations- eastern, western, and mountain- declined nearly 90 percent
between 1935 and 1985. The North American Bluebird Society and others are working to increase
the number of bluebirds. The most successful method is to improve the habitat by providing
the bluebirds with boxes as living places. Thousands of boxes are placed and being managed by
individuals interested in helping the little bird.

If placed in the right environment, the boxes do attract bluebirds. Bluebirds prefer boxes
placed next to open areas. If placed near a brushy area, the boxes are more likely to attract house
wrens. Tree swallows would compete for isolated sites in open areas. Competition from tree
swallows will decrease if the boxes are placed in pairs, less than three feet apart. Boxes for moun-
tain and western bluebirds must have slightly larger holes than those for eastern bluebirds, but
if the holes are too large, starlings will take the boxes.

,...
Another cavity programme helped the wood duck population. When seeking for houses, the
female wood duck looks for a cavity in a tree that is in or near the water. Often she chooses a
cavity with a hole too small for a raccoon to enter. Human activities -logging mature trees and
hunting- threaten the wood duck population. In 1918, the United States and Canadian govern-
ments banned the hunting of this species. Groups of citizens and conservation organisations built
living boxes and placed them on poles or in trees that are in or near the water. Today the wood
duck population is greater than one million, and hunting is once again permitted.

bluebird n. starling n.
raccoon n. swallow n.
sparrow n. wren n.

Decide which of the following choices is closest in meaning to the underlined word in the
sentence and write down the corresponding letter.
1. The best habitat for bluebirds is an open area with scattered trees such as an old garden.
A. closely planted
B. carefully trimmed
C. widely separated

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2. Why did the populations decline? One factor may have been the widespread use of
insecticides.
A. chemical substances m;;tde to kill insects
B. chemical substances made to help insects
C. chemical substances made to strengthen insects

3. More aggressive birds such as the tree swallow and the house wren often drive the blue-
birds from their nests.
A. always ready to escape
B. always ready to sing
C. always ready to attack

4. Boxes for mountain and western bluebirds must have slightly larger holes than those for
eastern bluebirds, but if the holes are too large, starlings will take the boxes.
A. a few B. a bit C. a lot

5. In 1918, the United States and Canadian governments banned the hunting of this species.
A. controlled B. forbade C. encouraged

Short-Answer Questions

Refer to the passage More Cavities Needed and answer the following questions with NO
MORE THAN THREE WORDS taken from the passage.
6. What place is given as an example of the best habitat for bluebirds?

7. According to the passage, who accidentally helped with improving bluebird habitat?

8. How many species do bluebirds have?

9. What is the most important reason for the severe decline in the population of bluebirds?

10. Which material do most farmers prefer when they made fences?

11. Among the bluebirds species, which one prefers boxes with smaller holes than the other
bluebirds do?

Look at the following list of nesting sites for birds and use the information in the reading
passage More Cavities Needed to answer the questions. Write
A. if they are likely to attract bluebirds;
B. if they are likely to attract tree swallows;
C. if they are likely to attract starlings;
D. if they are likely to attract wood ducks.

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 Unit 13- Reading Practice

12. boxes with very large holes

13. boxes on poles by the river
14. fence posts with holes
15. boxes next to an open area
16. trees with cavities in the pond
17. a single box in an open area

isolate /'aisaleit/ u.
aggressive /a'gresiv /adj. log /log/ u.
brushy /'brAJi/ adj. nest /nest/ n., u.
cattle /'kretl/ n. nesting site /'nestiry ,sait/
cavity /'kreviti/ n. post /paust/ n.
clear /klia/ u. scatter /'skreta/ u.
conservation /,konsa'veiJ::m/ n. settler /'set! a/ n.
decline /di'klain/ u., n. slightly /'slaitli/ adu.
insecticide /in'sektisaid/ n.

Reading Passage Two

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 Basic IELTS Reading

t
......... .... • e-..---. • .,... re .-.-. • • • • • • • • • • • .-.--. re • .--. • ... .-. • • • .-.-. • ...,. • • • • • ..-. e-. • • • • .-.-. • •
••
•lo• Our Exploding Population: Problems and Solutions
, •••
...•
• Section I •
•
•

!
Almost everyone thinks about the future. We try to imagine life in thirty, forty, or fifty •
What will life on the earth be like? According to many people, it will not be very ••
pleasant. These people are very worried about the future. One of the main problems which
worries them is overpopulation. In 1975 there were about four billion people in the world,
and the population was increasing by about 2% every year. At the end of the twentieth
.•••
••

I
century, the population of the world reached six billion people.
•
t
Section II •••
Why is this increase in population a problem? First, a large part of the growth is taking
place in countries that do not always have enough food for their present population. With- ••
out a great deal of money, food, and medical assistance from other nations, these countries
will not be able to support their growing population. Many of their people, perhaps mil-
. •
e •
e lions of them, will die of starvation or disease. But overpopulation is not only a problem
for developing countries. It is also a serious problem for the countries of the world which
• do not usually have food· problems. In wealthy, industrial nations, large increases in the
•• population will have negative effects on life. We will have to heat and cool more houses, ••
••• apartment buildings, schools and hospitals. We will have to transport more people to and
• •
•• •••
•
•••
from work. For all this, we will have to use more of the world's natural resources. Perhaps
the world will not have enough oil, water, coal, and wood for all our needs .
..••
••• ••
• Section III • ,
e One solution which many people suggest is to limit the number of children who are .•
••
born. There are now a number of safe, modern methods of birth control. A married couple •••
who use birth control can choose the size of their family. A number of countries with large z

! populations have government programmes for birth control. India, for example, advertises
birth control on the radio and television. Teams of workers go out into the countryside
lo and teach the people about the benefits of family planning. In China, couples who only
•
•
e
•• have one child or no child get apartments before couples with three children or more. In ••
many other countries, birth control is a subject that school students study in special classes. •
•
Section IV •••
• But how successful are these birth control programmes? Some are very successful. In
•
• countries like Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland and Great Britain, families are
t quite small, and the population is increasing very slowly; in some of these countries, it is •
not growing at all. But these are wealthy, developed countries, which can feed their people
•
without difficulty. In developing countries, many of the birth control programmes are not •
= successful. ..•

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 Unit 13- Reading Practice

• ••
; Section V
i•
•
i There are a number of possible reasons for the failure of birth control programmes in

.
:
•
developing countries. One reason is religion. Many people belong to religions which do
not accept modern method of birth control. For them, birth control is wrong, and they
•
:
e• naturally refuse to listen to family planning workers. Another reason for the failure of birth
•
C control programmes is economics. Often a large number of children are necessary for very :
poor families in developing countries. Children can work and help support the family. z
• Also, without a welfare system, people have to depend on their children for food, clothing,
and shelter in their old age. In these countries, people just cannot see any reason for small
= families.

Section VI
For other people, birth control is definitely not the solution the world needs for the
problem of overpopulation. In their opinion, government should not decide family size.
It is not right. The solution which these people suggest is to increase world food produc-
: tion. They draw our attention to the progress that agricultural scientists are making. With
irrigation, for example, we can now produce food in many parts of the world which did not
• produce anything fifteen or twenty years ago. We can even grow plants in water without :
• soil. Scientists are also doing research into plants which grow quickly and into new farm- ;
ing techniques. The governments of rich countries will have to help the poor countries.
Without economic assistance from the wealthy nations, poor countries will not be able to
"'' the now pmduct' and fuming tcchniquos that 'cicnt"<< ace dcvdoping. j
Section VII
• Birth control and an increase in food production are two possible solutions to the
problem of overpopulation. Perhaps there are other solutions. Almost certainly there is no •
: one easy answer to the problem: we will have to use a number of solutions. Then perhaps
t we will be able to solve the problem of the population explosion.
•

Decide which of the following choices is closest in meaning to the underlined word in the
sentence and write down the corresponding letter.

1. Many of their people, perhaps millions of them, will die of starvation or disease.
A. death from lack of food
B. suffering from a natural disaster
C. death from overwork

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Basic IELTS Reading

2. In wealthy, industrial nations, large increases in the population will have negative effects
on life.
A. without helpful changes
B. without careful planning
C. without active qualities

3. Teams of workers go out into the countryside and teach the people about the benefits of
family planning.
A. advantages
B. weaknesses
C. satisfactions

4. With irrigation, for example, we can now produce food in many parts of the world which
did not produce anything fifteen or twenty years ago.
A. providing with chemical substances
B. supplying water to dry land
C. making full use of the land

Refer to the passage Our Exploding Population: Problems and Solutions and fill in the blanks
with words or phrases taken from the passage. Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each
answer.

Negative effects on life include

, many people the exhaustive usage of the
world's 7. _ _ _ __

Some countries have government Birth control programmes in some

8. programmes. For countries are very 10.
example, in India, people are . With 11. _ _ __
taught to benefit from 9. families, the population is
increasing very slowly.

12. _ _ _ __

13. _ _ _ __

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 Unit 13 - Reading Practice

The problem of overpopulation

may be solved by an increase in
14. _ _ _ __

The reading passage Our Exploding Population: Problems and Solutions has 7 sections
numbered I-VII. Choose the most suitable heading from the list of headings below for each
section. There are more headings than sections, so you will not use them all. The heading
of Section V has been given as an example.

15. Section I
16. Section II
17. Section III
18. Section IV
E xample: Section V E
19. Section VI
20. Section VII

advertise /'redvataiz/ u. irrigation /,iri'geifan/ n.

agricultural /,regri'kAltfaral/ adj. overpopulation /'auva,popju'leifan/ n.
disease /di'zi:z/ n. religion /ri'lid3an/ n.
economic /,i:ka'nomik/ adj. solution /sa'luJan/ n.
increase /'i:tJkri:s/ n. transport /trren'spo:t/ v.
/in'kri:s/ v. welfare /'welfea/ n.

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Basic IEL TS Reading

Unit 14 Reading Practice (11)

Reading Passage One

Read the following information on Victoria Explore.

Victoria Explore

Be an Explorer
The charm of the Victoria region holds many different and unique landscapes. The farmlands
of the Saanich Peninsula complement the old English setting of Oak Bay Village. The marine
viewpoints of Esquimalt Harbour together with the dramatic scenery of the Sooke Hills embrace
the city of Victoria.

Get onboard our comfortable buses, enjoy the sights and neighbourhoods and let our bus
drivers - the best in the west - show you around.

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 Unit 14- Reading Practice

Victoria Regional Transit

The Victoria by Bus guidebook lists many attractions which are served by our buses - but there
is lots more within walking distance of the bus routes. Buses run seven days a week, usually from
6 a.m. until midnight. Many of our suburban routes cannot offer the high frequency as some of
our busier urban routes. The transit system serves all ferry terminals (Sidney, Swartz Bay, Odgen
Point and downtown).

Accessible Transit
Getting around Victoria on public transit has never been easier for people with a disability.
Low-floor accessible buses feature the absence of steps making it easier for everyone to use, espe-
cially people using wheelchairs, walkers or pushing baby strollers.

The entry level of the bus can be lowered to within four inches of a standard sidewalk so that
a ramp can be used for people in wheelchairs.

Customer Information
For complete information on fares, routes and schedules, pick up a Victoria Rider's Guide,
available on board the red, white and blue regional transit buses.

Busline, our 24-hour automated transit information system will help with route and sched-
uling planning. For personal service, you can reach our friendly customer information agents
through Busline, Monday through Saturday; 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and Sunday or holidays from
8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m ..

Bus Stops
While exploring the area by bus, you will see two different types of bus stop signs. The long
skinny ones identifY a bus stop served by one route only. The rectangular signs indicate all the
bus routes which will pick up or drop off at that bus stop.

When catching the bus, note that the route number and name are displayed on the front and
both the left and right side panels of the bus; the route number appears in the bus's rear window
too. This is important as sometimes the name changes when the bus changes direction, e.g. 14
University and 14 Craigflower.

Many downtown bus stops have information tubes which list the schedule of bus routes serv-
ing that bus stop.

Transfer Tips
When paying cash or using tickets, if you need to travel on more than one bus to complete
your trip, ask your driver for a "transfer" when you get on the bus.

Transfers are free and are good for one-way travel only, unlike some other transit systems.
The transfer you receive will only be valid for the first connecting bus.

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Basic IELTS Reading

Fare Zones
The transit service area is divided into two fare zones. The fare you pay is based on the
number of zones you are travelling through. When making trips crossing a zone boundary,
passengers pay a two-zone fare when using cash or tickets. Day passes are valid region wide.

Onboard our buses, you may pay your fare in cash (exact coin fare only please, drivers do not
carry change), or by ticket, by showing your pass or a valid transfer when you board.

Save Money
If you plan to make several trips, consider a day pass and save money. The day pass can be used
as many times as you wish in one day. These prepaid fares are sold in advance at convenience
stores, Tourism Victoria and many other places through the area.

Reduced fares are available for children 5-14, for persons 65+ with proof of age, and for
students 15-20 (to grade 12) who carry a valid GoCard. All others must pay the adult fare, includ-
ing students who do not live in British Columbia.

Busline- 383-6161
Transit service for the Greater Victoria area is provided by the Victoria Regional Transit
System in partnership with BC Transit. The Transit System is responsible for planning routes,
setting fare levels, administering local funding and operating the system.

Decide which of the following choices is closest in meaning to the underlined word in the
sentence and write down the corresponding letter.
1. Low-floor accessible buses feature the absence of steps making it easier for everyone to
use, especially people using wheelchairs, walkers or pushing baby strollers.
A. easily used B. easily paid . C. easily made

2. The transfer you receive will only be valid for the first connecting bus.
A. legal B. cheap C. necessary

3. When making trips crossing a zone boundary, passengers pay a two-zone fare when using
cash or tickets.
A. something that indicates standards
B. something that indicates limits
C. something that indicates levels

4. The Transit System is responsible for planning routes, setting fare levels, administering
local funding and operating the system.
A. managing B. distributing C. collecting

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 Unit 14 - Reading Practice

The following is a summary of part of the passage. Fill in the gaps by choosing from the
words or phrases listed in the box below the summary. Remember that there are more
choices than you can use.
The charm of the Victoria region holds many different and unique landscapes, such as Saanich
Peninsula, Oak Bay Village, Esquimalt Harbour and the Sooke Hills. In the Victoria by Bus guide-
book, you will find lots of 5. which can be reached by buses and with regional
buses, you can also get to all 6. like Sidney and Swartz Bay. 7.
buses enable people on wheelchairs and people with 8. to travel easily. For
complete bus information, you can either pick up a Victoria Rider's Guide on the bus or call our
busline for more information. While travelling by bus, you may find two types of bus stop signs.
The 9. one indicates a one-route bus stop while the 10.
one identifies all the bus routes 11. there at that stop. And at many bus stops
downtown, you can find the bus routes schedule on the 12. . You may pay
cash or use the tickets when you board and with a 13. from the driver" you can
get on the first 14. bus for free .

Exercise 3 True / False / Not Given Questions

Read the passage Victoria Explore and look at the following statements. Write

TRUE if the statement is true;

FALSE ifthe statement is false;
NOT GIVEN if the information is not given in the passage.

15. Buses normally run after midnight on Sundays.

16. Suburban buses offer the same frequency as all the other buses do.
17. The entry level of the bus can be changed to help people with a disability.
18. The route number is displayed in four places on the bus.
19. The names of the buses will always remain the same.
20. You can ask for another transfer when you get on the second connecting bus.
21. The fare will be doubled when you are travelling through two zones.
22. A day pass is recommended when you plan to take several buses.
23. Discount fares are available to all students who are between 15 and 20.

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Basic IELTS Reading

-=- ••••• .._.- ......... •.•• ........... _,. •••• ..,............. '"-'- '""- ..... ._..... •••••••••• .._.......... · -···---·- ••••••_. ......... ......_._.:

accessible /rek'sesabl/ adj. identify /ai'dentifai/ u.

administer /ad'minista/ u. marine /ma'ri:n/ adj.
automate /'o:tameit/ u. panel /'prenl/ n.
boundary /'baundari/ n. partnership /'pa:tnaJip/ n.
charm /tJa:m/ n. prepay /,pri:'pei/ u.
complement /'kompliment/ u. ramp /rremp/ n.
convenience /kan'vi:nians/ n. rear /ria/ adj.
dramatic /dra'mretik/ adj. skinny /'skini/ adj.
embrace /im'breis/ u. stroller /'straula/ n.
explorer /ik'spb:ra/ n. terminal /'t3:minl/ n.

l
ferry /'feri/ n.
frequency /'fri:kwansi/ n.
barbour /'ha:ba/ n.
transfer /'trrensfa/ n.
transit /'trrensit/ n.
tube /tju:b/ n.
I!
I

• •• o• - u ••• •• ••• •• ••

Reading Passage Two

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 Unit 14- Reading Practice

U.S. Public Schools: What's Wrong with Them

Paragraph 1
There are many people in the U.S. today who are not satisfied with the education that their
children are receiving in the public schools. They are very worried about a number of develop-
ments that are taking place in the schools. However, not all of these people are worried about the
same things. In fact, they often do not agree about the problem in public education.

Paragraph 2
One group of people is concerned about the quality of the education which young people
are receiving. According to these parents, their children are not learning enough in school, and
some researchers agree with them. For example, according to recent studies, the number of high
school students who cannot read is increasing, not decreasing. Also the number of high school
students who have difficulty with simple mathematics is increasing. Even students who graduate
from high school and go to college show a depressing lack of knowledge. In a geography class at a
large university, 40% of the students could not find London on a map and almost 9% could not
find the city where they were attending college.

Paragraph 3
There are a number of possible reasons for the increase in the number of students who are not
receiving a good basic education. First, classes are sometimes too large. In some city schools, for
example, there are often between forty and fifty students in a class. Second, there are many teach-
ers who do not know enough about the subjects that they are teaching. The college programmes
which train future teachers are not always good and do not always attract the top students. But the
problems are not always the fault of the teachers or the education system. Often students who do
not want to learn behave badly and disturb classes. Finally, according to some people, television
is also to blame for the lack of success of the public schools. Young people do not take time for
their homework. They grow to depend on television for entertainment and information, and
therefore, they cannot see any reason for reading in this modern world.

Paragraph 4
Clearly there are a number of different reasons for the poor quality of education that some
students are receiving in U.S. public schools. Any solutions to this problem will have to answer
at least four questions. How can we bring down the number of students in a class? How can we
improve the quality of teachers and teacher training? How can we solve the problem of students
who disturb classes? How can we fight against the negative influence of television? However,
we do not have a great deal of time to find the answers to these questions. Already, as a result
of their dissatisfaction with the schools, some conce.rned parents are taking their children out
of public schools.

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 Basic IELTS Reading

Paragraph 5

A second group of people is dissatisfied with the public schools for very different reasons.
These people usually have very conservative beliefs about life. They do not like the changes
which they see every day in American society, and they disagree with many of the ideas which
their children hear and read about in school. For example, they object to the sex education classes
that some schools give. For them, sex education is not a suitable subject for schools. They also
object to schoolbooks that describe the lives of mothers who work outside the home or of parents
who are divorced. They do not like history books which criticise the U.S. for mistakes which the
U.S. made in the past.

Paragraph 6
These people have a solution to the problems of unsuitable books and classes. Their solution
is not to take their children out of the public schools. They put pressure on the people on the
local school boards. They also elect to the school boards people who share their ideas. Then the
school boards will stop sex education and the use of schoolbooks that do not agree with their
ideas about life.

Paragraph 7
There are, however, many other people who completely disagree with the actions of these
conservatives. Thus, in the U.S. today there is a lot of discussion about very important questions
in education. Who will decide school programmes and books? Does the government have the
right to decide? Can teachers decide? Do only parents have the right to decide the things that
their children learn in school? Watch the television and read news magazine; you will hear a lot
of different answers to these questions.

Please decide which of the following choices is closest in meaning to the underlined word
in the sentence and write down the corresponding letter.

1. For example, according to recent studies, the number of high school students who cannot
read is increasing, not decreasing.
A. getting more in size or number
B. becoming less in quantity
C. getting worse in quality

2. Even students who graduate from high school and go to college show a depressing lack
of knowledge.
A. exciting B. shocking C. discouraging

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 Unit 14- Reading Practice

3. Often students who do not want to learn behave badly and disturb classes.
A. change the usual order of
B. leave without permission
C. argue with the teachers of

4. Finally, according to some people, television is also to blame for the lack of success of the
public schools.
A. be avoided
B. be careful about
C. be held responsible

The reading passage U.S. Public Schools: What's Wrong with Them has 7 paragraphs (1-7).
Choose the most suitable heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.
There is one extra heading which you do not have to use.

5. Paragraph 1 9. Paragraph 5
6. Paragraph 2 10. Paragraph 6
7. Paragraph 3 11. Paragraph 7
8. Paragraph 4

There are four choices for each question. Refer to the passage U.S. Public Schools: What's
Wrong with Them and choose the correct answer by writing down the corresponding letter.
12. According to the passage, the first group of critics is worried that
A. high school students are not learning enough.
B. there are not enough high schools.
C. teachers do not give enough homework.
D. there are not enough teachers in schools.

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 Basic IEL TS Reading

13. Recent studies show that

A. more students cannot read.
B. more students prefer math.
C. more students get worse scores.
D. fewer students can read maps.

14. What doesn't the writer give as a reason why students in public schools do not learn
enough?
A. Teachers C. Students
B. Books D. Television

15. What does the second group of people criticise about the public schools?
A. The textbooks are too difficult to understand.
B. The teachers are not strict enough with the students:
C. The children are reading about ideas which these people don't like.
D. There are not enough suitable subjects to learn in schools.

16. How does the second group of critics solve its dissatisfaction with the public schools?
A. Try to change the regulations of the school boards.
B. Take children out of the public schools.
C. Argue with people on the local school boards.
D. Appoint people they like to the school boards.

Refer to ·the reading passage again and choose the correct answer by writing dowri the
corresponding letters.

17. Which FOUR of the following reasons can explain why students do not learn enough in
public schools?
A. There are too many students in one class.
B. Public schools are too small.
C. Many teachers are not qualified.
D. There are not enough training programmes.
E. Some students are not well disciplined in class.
F. Students do not spend time on homework.
G. TV programmes are not good enough.

Voc a bulary • ..,.,."«..." _,.... _ ___,•• .,. __....,. ••••• .,_••.•••• • ••••• · - •• - •• '"'-• · - ...-...-........ •••• ._••••••• .,_ . ··· - ·--- · •...-.:.- · .._. .1

! behave /bi'heiv/ v. depress /di'pres/ v. !

:

i
j
blame /bleim/ v.
board /bo:d/ n.
disturb /di'st3:b/ v.
divorce /di'vo:s/ v.
! criticise /'kritisaiz/ v. object /ab'd3ekt/ v.

t. ........................................... .. ········.. .. ·······.. -1

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