PRACTICE TEST 7

I. LISTENING
PART 1: Listen to part of a conversation between a student and an advisor and decide whether the
following statements are True (T), False (F), or Not Given (NG) according to what you hear. Write
your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
1. The student felt dissatisfied with the roommate he met in the chemistry class. F
2. The student doesn't like his roommate's loud music. T
3. It was impossible for students to switch roommates because it is the middle of a semester. T
4. The student agreed to study in the library because it is just across the campus. F
5. Mr. Jones recommended the student should compromise with his roommate on the schedules. F /NG

PART 2: You will hear a radio interview with someone who has been having ballet lessons. For
questions 15-20, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits best according to what you hear.

1. What does Rupert say about the fact that he is doing ballet classes?
A. Other people have ridiculed him for it.
B. He expect to be mocked for it.
C. It is not as unusual as people might think.
D. People may think it isn't really true.
2. Rupert says that before he started doing ballet lessons____
A. he had been doing routine physical fitness training.
B. his knowledge of ballet had been growing
C. ballet had taken over from football as his greatest interest.
D. he had been considering doing ballroom dancing again
3. Rupert says that when the idea of ballet lessons was suggested to him, _____
A. he thought it was a joke.
B. he was unsure exactly what would be involved
C. he began to have unrealistic expectations of what he could achieve.
D. he initially lacked the confidence to do it.
4. One of the advantages of ballet that Rupert mentions is that_____
A. it leads to fewer injuries than other physical activities.
B. it has both physical and mental effects.
C. it is particularly good for certain parts of the body.
D. it is more interesting than other forms of exercise.
5. What does Rupert say about the sessions?
A. The content of them is varied.
B. Some of the movements in them are harder than others for him.
C. All of the movements in them have to be done accurately.
D. They don't all involve basic movements.
6. What does Rupert say about his progress at ballet?
A. It has been much more rapid than he had expected.
B. It has made him consider giving up his other training.
C. It has given him greater appreciation of the skills of professionals.
D. It has led him to enroll for certain exams.
PART 3: Listen to the recording.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
According to Phil, what are the 2 problems with some renewable energy sources?
1. Less reliable
2. Expensive
List 2 things that Professor Jenkins wants to see in the students' report.
3. Critical analysis
4. Wide reading
Questions 5-7: Complete the flow chart below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Solar energy production costs forecast.
Calculate the number of hours of (5) daylight in the UK.
Estimate the number of hours of sunlight.
Determine the cost of supplying homes in the entire (6) country.
Work out the power station construction costs.
Research what customers would be (7) willing to pay.

PART 4: Listen to a woman talking about boys and girls in American schools.
Write NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS taken from the recording for each answer.
1. What did Title IX give girls in 1972?
Equal chance of education.
2. What do scientists think about the way boys and girls learn?
Differently.
3. Who might not get a chance to talk much in a class when boys and girls have been taught together?
Girls.
4. Which classes are separated beside English and math?
Science and social studies.
5. How many schools are trying separate classes?
Less than 600.

II. LEXICO-GRAMMAR
Part 1: Choose the correct answer A, B, C or D to each of the following questions. Write your
answers in the corresponding boxes provided.
1. Her father used to be a _______ professor at the university. Many students worshipped him.
A. distinguishable B. distinguished C. distinctive D. distinct
2. Such characters as fairies or witches in Walt Disney animated cartoons are purely _________
 A. imaginable B. imaginative C. imagining D. imaginary
3. The jokes Jack tells are as old as _________.
A. the hills B. the mountains C. the oceans D. the earth
4. When finding a new house, parents should _________ all the conditions for their children’s education
and entertainment.
A. keep pace with B. make room for C. get rid of D. take into account
5. I don’t mind walking long distances, because I know it does me _____.
A. good B. well C. fine D. nice
6. Josh would never forget being scolded by his parent ____no fault of his own.
A. for B. with C. by D. Through
7. I looked the word up in the dictionary to refresh my ________ of its exact meaning.
A. brain B. mind C. thoughts D. memory
8. Andrew is a very disciplined employee. He ________ great importance to coming to work in time.
A. affixes B. attaches C. admits D. Attributes
9. I think we cannot purchase this device this time as it costs _____.
A. an arm and a leg B. a life C. a head and stomach D. a destiny
10. _______luggage enables you to manage easily even when fully packed.
A. Lightweight B. light C. tiny D. Weightless
11. The revolving door remained ________ because Posey was pushing on it the wrong way.
A. station B. stationed C. stationary D. Stationery
12. She made as if ____________ but then stopped.
A. to speak B. speaking C. spoken D. speak
13. All the applicants for the post are thoroughly ________ for their suitability.
A. searched B. vetted C. investigated D. scrutinized
14. Parents are always willing to _______ a sympathetic ear to their children when they have problems.
A. have B. lend C. keep D. give
15. Ha Long Bay has attracted millions of visitors who come to enjoy its _____ views and experience
other activities.
A. unbreathable B. heartbreaking C. awe-inspiring D. unforgettable
16. Only if I had known the difference ________ the more expensive car.
A. would I bought B. would I have bought C. would I buy D. I would have bought
18. The boy was punished for playing __________ from his physics lessons.
A. truant B. runaway C. absent D. joyride
19. I really have to _____ my brains to remember the answers to even the simplest questions.
A. search B. look C. stretch D. rack
20. Don't trust him. He is just a wolf in sheep's __________.
A. clothing B. clothes C. cloth D. skin

PART 2: Write the correct form of each bracketed word in each sentence in the numbered space provided.

Very few people in the modern world obtain their food supply by hunting and
gathering in the natural environment surrounding their homes. This method of
harvesting from nature’s (1) provision is the oldest known (2) subsistence strategy PROVIDE
and has been practised for at least the last two million years. It was, indeed, the only SUBSIST
way to obtain food until rudimentary farming and the (3) domestication of wild
animals were introduced about 10,000 years ago. DOMESTIC
Because hunter-gatherers have fared poorly in comparison with their  
agricultural cousins, their numbers have dwindled, and they have been forced to live
in (4) marginal environments, such as deserts and arctic wastelands. In higher
latitudes, the shorter (5) growing seasons have restricted the availability of plant life. MARGIN
Such conditions have caused a greater dependence on hunting, and on fishing along GROW
the coasts and waterways. The (6) abundance of vegetation in the lower latitudes of
the tropics, on the other hand, has provided a greater opportunity for gathering a ABUNDANT
variety of plants. In short, the environmental differences have restricted the diet and
have limited possibilities for the development of societies.
Contemporary hunter-gatherers may help us understand our
(7) prehistoric ancestors. We know from the observation of modern hunter-gatherers
in both Africa and Alaska that a society based on hunting and gathering must be very
(8) mobile.While the entire community camps in a central location, a smaller party HISTORY
harvests the food within a reasonable distance from the camp. When the food in the
area has become exhausted, the community moves on to (9) exploit another site. We MOBILITY
also notice seasonal migration patterns (10) evolving for most hunter-gatherers, along
with a strict division of labor between the sexes. These patterns of behavior may be
similar to those practised by mankind during the Paleolithic Period. EXPLOITATION
EVOLUTION

1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10

III. READING
Part 1: Read the passage and fill each of the following numbered blanks with ONE suitable word.
Write your answer in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
Adult Learners
Adult learners have many characteristics that (1) distinguish them from school or college learners. Firstly,
they come to courses with experiences and knowledge in diverse areas. They often prefer (2) those
practical learning activities that enable them to draw on the skills and experience they have acquired. In
the main, adults have realistic aims and have valuable (3) insight into what is likely to be successful. In
addition, they are readily able to (4) relate new facts to past experiences and enjoy having their talents (5)
shown explored in leaning situations. Adults have established opinions and beliefs, (6) which have been
formed over time through their experience of families, work, community, or politics.

A majority of adults also have (7) stronger intrinsic motivation and their effort increases (8) with/
because of their desire to learn. They are also (9) learn motivated by the relevance of the material to be
addressed, and learn better when material is related to their own (10) needs and interests.

Part 2: Read the following passage and do the tasks that follow.

Cutty Sark: The Fastest Sailing Ship of All Time

The nineteenth century was a period of great technological development in Britain, and for
shipping the major changes were from wind to steam power, and from wood to iron and steel.
 The fastest commercial sailing vessels of all time were clippers, three-masted ships built to
transport goods around the world, although some also took passengers. From the 1840s until 1869, when
the Suez Canal opened and steam propulsion was replacing sail, clippers dominated world trade. Although
many were built, only one has survived more or less intact: Cutty Sark, now on display in Greenwich,
southeast London.
Cutty Sark’s unusual name comes from the poem Tam O’Shanter  by the Scottish poet Robert
Burns. Tam, a farmer, is chased by a witch called Nannie, who is wearing a ‘cutty sark’ – an old Scottish
name for a short nightdress. The witch is depicted in Cutty Sark’s figurehead – the carving of a woman
typically at the front of old sailing ships. In legend, and in Burns’s poem, witches cannot cross water, so
this was a rather strange choice of name for a ship.
Cutty Sark was built in Dumbarton, Scotland, in 1869, for a shipping company owned by John
Willis. To carry out construction, Willis chose a new shipbuilding firm, Scott & Linton, and ensured that
the contrast with them put him in a very strong position. In the end, the firm was forced out of business,
and the ship was finished by a competitor.
Willis’s company was active in the tea trade between China and Britain, where speed could bring
shipowners both profits and prestige, so Cutty Sark was designed to make the journey more quickly than
any other ship. On her maiden voyage, in 1870, she set sail from London, carrying large amounts of goods
to China. She returned laden with tea, making the journey back to London in four months. However, Cutty
Sark never lived up to the high expectations of her owner, as a result of bad winds and various
misfortunes. On one occasion, in 1872, the ship and a rival clipper, Thermopylae, left port in China on the
same day. Crossing the Indian Ocean, Cutty Sark gained a lead of over 400 miles, but then her rudder was
severely damaged in stormy seas, making her impossible to steer. The ship’s crew had the daunting task of
repairing the rudder at sea, and only succeeded at the second attempt. Cutty Sark reached London a week
after Thermopylae.
Steam ships posed a growing threat to clippers, as their speed and cargo capacity increased. In
addition, the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, the same year that Cutty Sark was launched, had a serious
impact. While steam ships could make use of the quick, direct route between the Mediterranean and the
Red Sea, the canal was of no use to sailing ships, which needed the much stronger winds of the oceans,
and so had to sail a far greater distance. Steam ships reduced the journey time between Britain and China
by approximately two months.
By 1878, tea traders weren’t interested in Cutty Sark, and instead, she took on the much less
prestigious work of carrying any cargo between any two ports in the world. In 1880, violence aboard the
ship led ultimately to the replacement of the captain with an incompetent drunkard who stole the crew’s
wages. He was suspended from service, and a new captain appointed. This marked a turnaround and the
beginning of the most successful period in Cutty Sark’s working life, transporting wool from Australia to
Britain. One such journey took just under 12 weeks, beating every other ship sailing that year by around a
month.
The ship’s next captain, Richard Woodget, was an excellent navigator, who got the best out of both
his ship and his crew. As a sailing ship, Cutty Sark depended on the strong trade winds of the southern
hemisphere, and Woodget took her further south than any previous captain, bringing her dangerously
close to icebergs off the southern tip of South America. His gamble paid off, though, and the ship was the
fastest vessel in the wool trade for ten years.
As competition from steam ships increased in the 1890s, and Cutty Sark approached the end of her
life expectancy, she became less profitable. She was sold to a Portuguese firm, which renamed
her Ferreira. For the next 25 years, she again carried miscellaneous cargoes around the world.
Badly damaged in a gale in 1922, she was put into Falmouth harbor in southwest England, for
repairs. Wilfred Dowman, a retired sea captain who owned a training vessel, recognised her and tried to
buy her, but without success. She returned to Portugal and was sold to another Portuguese company.
Dowman was determined, however, and offered a high price: this was accepted, and the ship returned to
Falmouth the following year and had her original name restored.
Dowman used Cutty Sark as a training ship, and she continued in this role after his death. When
she was no longer required, in 1954, she was transferred to dry dock at Greenwich to go on public display.
The ship suffered from fire in 2007, and again, less seriously, in 2014, but now Cutty Sark attracts a
quarter of a million visitors a year.
Questions 1-8
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?
In boxes  1-8 on your answer sheet, write
TRUE                    if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE                   if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN    if there is no information on this

1   Clippers were originally intended to be used as passenger ships. F

2   Cutty Sark was given the name of a character in a poem. F
3   The contract between John Willis and Scott & Linton favoured Willis. T
4   John Willis wanted Cutty Sark to be the fastest tea clipper travelling
between the UK and China. T
5   Despite storm damage, Cutty Sark beat Thermopylae back to London. F
6   The opening of the Suez Canal meant that steam ships could travel
between Britain and China faster than clippers. T
7   Steam ships sometimes used the ocean route to travel between
London and China. NG
8   Captain Woodget put Cutty Sark at risk of hitting an iceberg. NG T

Questions 9-13
Complete the sentences below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 9-13  on your answer sheet.

9   After 1880, Cutty Sark carried wool as its main cargo during its most successful time.
10   As a captain and navigator, Woodget was very skilled.
11   Ferreira went to Falmouth to repair damage that a gale had caused.
12   Between 1923 and 1954, Cutty Sark was used for training.
13   Cutty Sark has twice been damaged by fire in the 21st century.

Part 3: In the passage below, six paragraphs have been removed. Read the passage and choose from
paragraphs A-G the one which fits each gap. There is ONE extra paragraph which you do not need
to use.
I had a terrible stammer from about nine to 18, when I went to a speech therapist
who cured me. So there are a few hellish years in there. Because there are certain words
you stumble over, you do anything rather than hit against those words right away, so you
would invent ways of asking for things, you found little phrases which helped.
[1] C
The stammer was pretty bad. I was unable to go on buses and pay the correct fare,
because the correct fare was sixpence, which I couldn't say - at least not before I got to
my destination. And as I could say eightpence, that was easier. I'd pay eightpence.
[2] F
Anyway, I went into this shop and I was standing at the counter for ages and ages, and I
finally said. 'U-d-do you have any c-c-collar st-st-studs? And the man in the furniture
shop, which was next door to the haberdashery shop - I'd gone into the wrong shop - he
said. 'I am really sorry, but we haven't got any left, but if you pop next door they might
have one or two.'
[3] G
But of course the more you think about it the worse it gets, so by the time I actually
arrived at the shop, I was a complete jibbering wreck. When I was in junior school there
was this pressure to pass the 11-plus examination. My brother had passed it.
[4] E A
I didn't have any staying power. I couldn't concentrate on anything if things were boring.
I was under pressure to get the 11-plus and get out of there, and I guess it must have been
a bit too much. I was very good at English but when they collected the English exam, I
had turned over two pages by mistake, so there were two pages I hadn't done. The
headmaster just said, more or less, 'That's it', and I was devastated
[5] D
So I passed the exam, but I still had the stammer, and I then went to see a speech
therapist.
[6] B
If I meet somebody who stammers, I start to do it unconsciously, and if I talk about
stammering - it's building up in me now - I'll start stammering in a minute.

A. My brother was very clever, people always
wanted me to be more like my brother and do
well at school, but I was a nuisance,
chattering and mucking about and not being
serious about subjects, and I just used to love
drawing all the time.
D. But I was the only boy to get the 11-plus
out of that entire school. And when I went to
grammar school, there were lads in my class
and girls too, from schools where 95% of
everyone who took the 11-plus automatically
passed.

B. She got us all to lie down on the floor and
let our toes relax, and then consecutively
everything else, and my mother used to do it
with me in the evenings: half an hour of lying
on the floor just relaxing - and it seemed to
work.
E. You either passed the 11-plus and got out
of that school or you became one of these big
lumps who used to hang around. And if you
were fat, or if you had got a stammer, you
were bound to be bullied. Kids are cruel,
aren't they?

C. Like going into a shop for oranges: if I
wanted to buy an orange, I'd say, 'Uh, by the
way, do you happen to have any oranges?' I
couldn't just say, 'Can I have an orange
please?' And of course if you go into a shop
which is full of oranges and say 'Uh, by the
way, do you have any oranges?', of course
they've got oranges, I mean, it's completely
ridiculous, and so I spent a lot of my
childhood in this crazy atmosphere.
F. I remember once my parents told me to go
to the haberdashery shop to get a collar stud
for my dad's shirt. It was probably just a
mission to get me out of the house, looking
back on it now.
G. He was very, very nice about it. In my
panic about having to say 'collar stud' on my
way there, I'd been thinking: now when I go
into the shop I've got to be careful not to say
collar stud straightaway.
Part 4: Read the following passage and choose the answer A, B, C or D which fits best according to
the text. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
Continents and ocean basins represent the largest identifiable bodies on Earth. On the solid
portions of the planet, the second most prominent features are flat plains, elevated plateaus, and large
mountain ranges. In geography, the term “continent” refers to the surface of continuous landmasses that
together comprise about 29.2% of the planet's surface. On the other hand, another definition is prevalent in
the general use of the term that deals with extensive mainlands, such as Europe or Asia, that actually
represent one very large landmass. Although all continents are bounded by water bodies or high mountain
ranges, isolated mainlands, such as Greenland and India-Pakistan areas are called subcontinents. In some
circles, the distinction between continents and large islands lies almost exclusively in the size of particular
landmass.
The analysis of compression and tension in the earth’s crust has determined that continental
structures are composed of layers that underlie continental shelves. A great deal of disagreement among
geologists surrounds the issue of exactly how many layers underlie each landmass because of their
distinctive mineral and chemical composition. It is also quite possible that the ocean floor rests on the top
of unknown continents that have not yet been explored. The continental crust is believed to have been
formed by means of a chemical reaction when lighter materials separated from heavier ones, thus settling
at various levels within the crust. Assisted by the measurements of the specifics within crust formations by
means of monitoring earthquakes, geologists can speculate that a chemical split occurred to form the
atmosphere, sea water, and the crust before it solidified many centuries ago.
Although each continent has its special features, all consist of various combinations of components
that include shields, mountain belts, intracratonic basins, margins, volcanic plateaus, and blockvaulted
belts. The basic differences among continents lie in the proportion and the composition of these features
relative to the continent size. Climatic zones have a crucial effect on the weathering and formation of the
surface features, soil erosion, soil deposition, land formation, vegetation, and human activities.
Mountain belts are elongated narrow zones that have a characteristic folded sedimentary
organization of layers. They are typically produced during substantial crustal movements, which generate
faulting and mountain building. When continental margins collide, the rise of a marginal edge leads to the
formation of large mountain ranges, as explained by the plate tectonic theory. This process also accounts
for the occurrence of mountain belts in ocean basins and produces evidence for the ongoing continental
plate evolution.

1. What does this passage mainly discuss?

A. continental drift and division B. Various definitions of the term "continent"
C. Continental structure and crust D. Scientific analyses of continental crusts
2. According to the passage, how do scientists define continents?
A. As masses of land without divisions B. as extensive bodies of land
C. As the largest identifiable features D. As surficial compositions and ranges
3. The word "bounded" in paragraph 1 is closest in the meaning to_____
A. covered B. convened C. delimited D. dominated
4. The author of the passage implies that the disagreement among scientists is based on the fact that____
A. each continent has several planes and shelves
B. continents have various underlying layers of crust
C. continents undergo compression and experience tension
D. continents have different chemical makeup
5. The word "specifics" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to _____
A. specialties B. speculations C. exact details D. precise movements
6. The word "it" in paragraph 2 refers to______
A. a chemical split B. the crust C. the atmosphere D. sea water
7. The author of the passage implies that_____
A. it is not known exactly how the continental crust was formed
B. the geologists have neglected the exploration of the ocean floor
C. scientists have concentrated on monitoring earthquakes
D. the earth's atmosphere split into water and solids
8. According to the passage, what are the differences in the structure of continents?
A. The proportional size of continents to one another.
B. Ratios of major components and their comparative size
C. The distinctive features of their elements
D. Climatic zones and their effect on the surface features
9. The phrase "this process" in the last paragraph refers to_____
A. continental collision B. mountain ranges
C. the rise of margins D. plate tectonic theory
10. The author of the passage implies that______
A. the process of mountain has not been accounted for
B. mountain ranges on the ocean floor lead to surface mountain building
C. faulting and continental margins are parts of plate edges
D. the process of continent formation has not been completed

Part 5: Answer questions 30-48 by referring to the magazine article about hotels and health farms.
Which section(s) of the article mention(s)

A building specifically constructed for its present function? 1. E A. Henlow Grange

The cost of additional services? 2. B
B. Shrubland Hall
The ease with which a range of treatments can be booked? 3. E
The intention to expand the range of facilities? 4. A C. Careys manor
The provision of outdoor activities? 5. A 6. D
D. Cliveden
The premises attracting different kinds of people? 7. E
A particularly attractive setting for the building? 8. C 9. D E. Springs Hydro

RETREAT, RELAX, RECHARGE

Health farms and country house hotels offering spa facilities report that business is booming. We asked
five journalists to check out some of the places that are available

A. HENLOW GRANGE
I welcomed the opportunity to go to Henlow Grange for six days as I was tired and needed to relax.
My room in the main part of the huge 18th-century house was the most comfortable possible and I was
instantly soothed.
On Day One I did nothing and slept lots. But from Day Two I started going to body conditioning and
doing as many classes as I could (stretch and tone, yoga, body alignment, to name but a few). All the
instructors are highly trained. I couldn’t believe how supple I began to feel as the week progressed.
They have every possible treatment, including aromatherapy (I’ve never been so relaxed), seaweed
baths, manicures, and pedicures. The facial, which lasts for an hour, really does make you feel like a new
person.
The staff in the treatment rooms deserve a bouquet. They couldn’t have been f riendlier, nicer or more
professional. The whole atmosphere is one of vitality and enthusiasm. Henlow are planning a major
refurbishment this year, which will include a half-size Olympic swimming pool and a Light Diet Room.
[5, 6]
Bicycles are available and you can ride around the grounds. If you're not feeling energetic and the
weather’s on your side, grab a magazine or enjoy a peaceful walk in the garden.
During my stay, my mood improved and did my appetite. I left feeling wonderful and full of energy,
which lasted for ages. I’m definitely due another visit. This is the perfect break for the stressed working
woman. Save Room 5 for me!
Marcelle D'Argy Smith
B. SHRUBLAND HALL

The calm and relaxing atmosphere of this stately home was evident from the moment I climbed the vast
staircase into the reception area. The Hall has an impressively decorated library, a charming conservatory
and lots of space, so you don’t have to speak to anyone if you don’t want to.
On arrival everybody is given a medical, which includes an examination and a check on weight and
blood pressure. We were all called patients, which I found a bit disquieting as I’m in good health.
However, I was impressed that a shoulder problem discovered in the examination was immediately passed
on to the fitness instructor and we worked on it in the group workshops and also in an extra session of
individual instruction.
Each patient is given a specific diet to follow. Although I lost weight without fasting, I was still hungry
enough to develop a fierce headache on the second day. A typical daily menu for me was a breakfast of
grapefruit and honey, hot lemon and boiled water; a choice of salads for lunch; and a mixture of exotic
fruit, yoghurt and a flask of hot broth for supper. If you’re not fasting or on a light diet, then you'll eat in
the main dining hall, where the food is tasty and nicely presented, so you needn’t suffer too much! You
have a massage or water therapy on alternate days. All extra treatments are competitively priced.
Liz Gregory
C. CAREYS MANOR
Careys is not a health farm and doesn’t pretend to be. It’s a fine old manor farm with inviting log fires
and a spacious lounge. If you’re counting calories, you’ll have to miss out on the gourmet food. Rich
sauces and delightful creamy confections are conjured up by the French chef. It’s a good job the hotel has
a fully-equipped gym and soft- water pool so I could work off some of the tempting indulgences. (You can
opt for a ’health-conscious' diet if you really want to lose weight.) There is a spa bath, steam room, Swiss
shower, sauna and treatment rooms. A big attraction is the sports injury clinic. I got an expert opinion on
an old, sometimes painful, shoulder injury. The physiotherapist recommended good posture, remedial
exercises and massage. Careys manages to be comfortable and luxurious, laid-back and sedate. If you
want to break out, there is great surrounding countryside to explore.
Beverley D'Silva
D. CLIVEDEN
Cliveden is a majestic county home and is also a five-star hotel that treats its guests like royalty. It
offers health and beauty treatments, a well-equipped gym, saunas, swimming pool, tennis, horse riding,
and much more. There are stunning woodland walks and gardens around the 376-are National Trust
estate.
And there's Waldo’s, a highly-acclaimed restaurant with dishes to make you clutch your stomach. In
ecstasy. It took me half an hour to read the dinner menu; the choice was staggering. The meal was
wonderful, especially the sticky-toffee pudding with banana ice-cream. I climbed into bed a happy
woman!
Next morning I dutifully spent a few hours in the gym playing with exercise equipment to bum off a
few calories in time for my next meal. In the Pavilion I enjoyed a facial with gentle heat and essential oils.
Then I had an aromatherapy massage.
 I thought of all the other reports my fellow journalists would make, about fitness assessments,
workouts, and beauty treatments to tone and firm the body. Cliveden has all these if you want to use
them - before indulging yourself at Waldo’s.
Kay Letch
E. SPRINGS HYDRO
The best and the worst thing about Springs Hydro is the carrot cake. The best because it really is the
most delicious I’ve ever tasted. The worst, because it’s a huge slab of 360 calories, which sets you back
if you want to lose weight. You have been warned! The second best thing is the fabulous
aromatherapy massage. I chose the relaxing oils blend, dropped off to sleep twice during the massage,
floated b ack to my room and had my most refreshing night’s sleep in years. The premises are modern
and purpose- built, efficiently run, with up-to-the-minute facilities and luxurious bedrooms. There are
plenty of therapists and beauty rooms so there's little difficulty in scheduling appointments. A variety
of treatments are on offer, from manicured and pedicures to deep- cleansing factors and body
treatments. The guests are an eclectic mix - from entire football teams to mums and daughters, best
friends and singles. Ideally, I would have a break here about once a month.
Eve Cameron