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Section One
Read the text below and answer questions 1-8.

16-25 Rail Cards

About the Card:

1/3 off rail fares and so much more...


There’s every reason to be happy if you’re aged 16 to 25, because with this Railcard
you’ll enjoy 1/3 off rail fares when you go by train. Here’s what you need to know:

 The Railcard costs just £30. So after three or four trips, the card will have paid
for itself. And over a year, you could save an average of £192.
 Your 16-25 Railcard will save you 1/3 off a wide range of tickets.

A quick check to make sure you're eligible...


16-25?
If you’re between 16 and 25 years old, you’re eligible. In this case, you can buy
your Railcard online using a valid debit or credit card, a valid UK driving license or
international passport, and a digital passport-style photo for uploading. It will then
be delivered for free within 5 working days.
A mature student?
To be eligible as a mature student and buy a 1-year Railcard, you will need:

 To be attending a recognised college or university, for over 15 hours a week,


at least 20 weeks a year (Unfortunately, Open University, distance learning
and part-time courses do not qualify).
 To have the mature student section of the 16-25 Railcard application form
completed by your College or University.
 Have an NUS card or College/University photocard as proof of identity.
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Get more for your money


If you’re between 16 and 25, and you know you’re going to be doing a lot of
travelling over the next 3 years, why not buy a 3-year Railcard instead? It costs just
£70, saving you £20 on the price of three 1-year Railcards. What’s more you can
get a 3-year 16-25 Railcard right up until the day before your 24th birthday.

Minimum Fares & Time Restrictions


A £12 minimum fare applies for journeys starting between 4.30am-10am Monday
to Friday excluding Advance Fares. This minimum fare does not apply on Public
Holidays or throughout July and August.
Journeys that commence at 10:00 will receive the Railcard discount
If you travel regularly between 04:30 and 10:00 Monday to Friday, to work or your
place of study for instance, a weekly or monthly season ticket could be the best way
for you to save money. Railcards do not give discounts on season tickets.
Remember, not every ticket type is available for every journey that you might want
to make, so it’s always best to check before booking. And be sure to read the full
terms and conditions for using your Railcard.

Questions 1 – 8 Complete the sentences below.


Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text for each answer.
1. Having a rail card will mean your fares will be reduced by …………..
2. The card should pay …………….. after several trips
3. Your debit or credit card, and UK driving license or international passport
must be …………….
4. Mature students at ……………… are not eligible for the card. 
5. A …………may be a better choice if you plan to do many trips over 3 years. 
6. At certain times of year the ………………is not applicable 
7. There is no reduction in price available for …………………
8. It is advisable  to …………….because there is no guarantee you can purchase
the type of ticket you require. 
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Read the text below and answer questions 9-14.

Buying the Rail Card:

Online
The quickest and easiest way to buy is right here online.  All you need is:
 A valid passport or UK driving licence to verify your identity
 A digital passport-style photo saved to your computer, tablet or mobile phone
 A debit or credit card

What happens next?


We aim to dispatch your Railcard within one working day of you ordering it, but
it’s probably best to allow up to five working days for your 16-25 Railcard to
arrive. It’ll be sent out free of charge by First Class post, but if you prefer, you have
the option to pay for Special Delivery.
You’ll need the physical Railcard with you to be able to get a discount on your rail
ticket, so be sure to leave enough time before your journey for the Railcard to reach
you. If you need to travel straight away, you’re better off buying a 16-25 Railcard
over the counter at your local staffed station.

At a staffed station ticket office


You can buy a 16-25 Railcard at any staffed station ticket office or National Rail-
licensed Travel Agent. The main advantage of this is that you can do it on the day
you are travelling.
If you're applying at a station for the first time you'll need to complete an
application form here (you can pick this up at the station) and bring either of the
following:
 Your birth certificate
 Passport (all nationalities accepted)
 UK driving licence
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 National identity card

You'll also need:


 A passport-size photo
 Proof of eligibility if applying as a mature student

If you're renewing your Railcard, you'll need to fill in the application form, and take
your existing Railcard and Photocard. These are automatically accepted as proof of
your age. If you are renewing an online Railcard at a station you will need proof of
age as above.
Once you've bought your Railcard at a station, you can then register it online.  This
will make it easier for you to renew or buy other cards online.

By phone
You can get your Railcard over the phone. Call our telesales service on 0345 3000
250 (0700hrs to 2200hrs every day except Christmas Day). Calls cost no more than
calls to geographic numbers (01 or 02). Please note, you’ll also need to submit your
photo via email.
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Questions 9-14
Do the following statements agree or disagree with the information given in the text?

TRUE If the statement agrees with the information


FALSE If the statement contradicts with the information
NOT GIVEN If there is no information on this

9. The travel card should not take more than 5 working days to arrive once
ordered. 
10. You can still travel and get the discount on your first trip if your railcard has
not arrived.

11. A benefit of applying at a station office is that staff can help you with the
form.

12. At least two pieces of identification are required the first time you apply. 

13. A current railcard and photocard can be used as evidence of age when
renewing a rail card. 

14. If you apply by phone you can talk to a customer sales representative. 
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Section 2

Managing the health and safety of seating in the workplace


A. Workstation design should be based on a careful assessment of all aspects of the
job to ensure that each task can be carried out safely, comfortably and as efficiently
as possible. A well-designed workstation allows the worker to be seated at a
comfortable height and position in relation to the work. 
B. Finding the best kinds of chairs for employees can involve carrying out user
trials. For example, people of different shapes and sizes could try out a sample seat
for a period. Some suppliers may be willing to supply seating on approval.
Nevertheless, it is recommended that employees and safety representatives are
consulted on any changes to be made to the workplace or workstation, and this
includes seating. 
C. To ensure that seating is safe and has a good service life, it must be treated
properly. It is bad practice to put undue pressure on the armrests by sitting on them,
or leaning too heavily over them. Rocking backwards and forwards may cause
damage or cause the seat to become unsafe. Employers need to ensure that seating
remains in a clean, safe condition, checking seating regularly for signs of damage or
excessive wear.
D. Employers need to be able to spot the signs that suggest seating is
uncomfortable. Simply asking employees if their seat is comfortable is sometimes
enough to assess whether a problem exists. It is better for employers to take the
initiative in providing suitable seating, and not wait until complaints are received or
until workers take time off with back pain. Employees also need to play their part
by telling their employers if seating is unsuitable or unsafe.
E. Employers need to ensure that work is organised to allow people to be seated
wherever possible. In some circumstances, however, sitting may not be possible, for
instance where work has to be done over a large area or where constant handling of
heavy objects cannot be avoided. In this case, employers need to ensure that
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workers take adequate rest breaks and that suitable comfortable seating is provided
during those breaks.

F. Particular arrangements or design may need to be taken into consideration for


some employees so that a disabled person is not at any substantial disadvantage
compared with a non-disabled person. For instance, workers using wheelchairs may
need to have the workstation access widened and the height of their workstation
modified and pregnant workers may require seating that can be adjusted without
requiring awkward, bent postures.
G. Employers must make sure they have assessed any dangers or possible harm in
the workplace, including seating. This involves identifying hazards and deciding
whether enough has been done to prevent harm to people. Achieving this involves
certain steps that employers can take such as looking for the hazards, deciding who
might be harmed, evaluating the dangers, and recording the findings.

Questions 15-21 The text below has seven sections, A-G.


Choose the correct heading for each section from the list of headings below the
reading.  Write the correct number i-x in the boxes below.
There are more headings than sections so you will not use them all.

15. Section A  List of Headings:

i. Prevention is better than cure


16. Section B 
ii. Dealing with complaints
17. Section C 
iii. Seating maintenance

18. Section D  iv. How to do a risk assessment

v. Adaptations for pregnant employees


19. Section E 
vi. Should people sit or stand?
20. Section F 
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vii. Planning the workstation

viii. Individuals with special needs

ix. Selection of seating

x. Taking a break

Questions 22-28 Complete the sentences below. 


Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text for each answer. 

NHS Hospital Job Interview Guidelines for Managers

Interview Process
All candidates should receive at least 7 days’ notice of the interview. Hiring
Managers should provide interview details to the Human Resources (HR)
department in a timely way so that applicants can be well prepared for interview. 
All interview panels should have at least two members to ensure objectivity. The
chair of the interview panel will normally be the Appointing Manager. Where
interviews for specialist or senior clinical positions take place, the Appointing
Manager may wish to include an outside assessor. At least one member of the
interview panel must have attended recruitment and selection training. 
The interview panel should meet at least 20 minutes prior to the interview to discuss
the structure of the interview and the questions each panel member will ask.
Depending on the seniority of the post, interviews should last between 30-60
minutes. If any other method of selection (e.g. a test) or a tour has been arranged,
candidates will be notified in the interview letter. 
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Interviews should take place in a quiet room away from ringing phones and
disruptions. Panel members should ensure other members of their
department/colleagues know they are interviewing so that they are not interrupted. 
The HR Department will circulate the interview papers to all panel members
electronically at least two working days before interviews are due to take place,
unless alternative arrangements have been made. Managers should ensure they have
checked the relevant documents such as passport, NI number, and any qualification
certificates before the candidate leaves.

Note taking
It is vital to have a written record of what took place during an interview to avoid
final assessments being subjective, to help remember candidates and to compare
candidates answers. At least one member of the panel should take notes during the
interview. Candidates should be told at the start of their interview that notes will be
taken.
Panel members will also have the Interview Report Form against which they can
determine whether or not individuals have or have not met the essential and
desirable criteria from the person specification. 
Appointment Process
Although it is recommended that the panel reach a consensus on their decision to
appoint, ultimately the decision resides with the Appointing Manager. 
The completed Interview Decision Form should be sent with all notes, selection test
information, interview questions and the application forms to the HR Department. 
Upon receipt of the documentation the HR team one working day later will issue a
conditional offer of employment, subject to employment checks to the candidate. 
22. It is important to have more than one person on the interview panel so
……………is maintained
23. If alternative selection methods are to be used, the candidate must be
…………….in advance
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24. All the interview documents should be distributed to panel members by the
………….. prior to the interviews
25. Taking notes is beneficial because it means that the panel will be able to
…………… the responses given by candidates
26. The………………. ensures members can assess whether the essential and
desirable criteria were met
27. The final appointment ……………. not with the panel but with the Appointing
Manager
28. Any offer of work will be …………… on the successful candidate passing the
employment checks

Section Three
Questions 29-35 The text below has eight paragraphs, A-H.
Which paragraph contains the information given below the text?
Write the correct letter, A–H, in boxes, 29–35.

The Growth of Pilates


A. Pilates is a physical fitness system developed in the early 20th century by Joseph
Pilates, after whom it was named. Pilates called his method "Contrology". It is
practiced worldwide, especially in Western countries such as Canada, the United
States and the United Kingdom. As of 2005, there were 11 million people practicing
the discipline regularly and 14,000 instructors in the United States. In his book
Return to Life through Contrology, Joseph Pilates presents his method as the art of
controlled movements, which should look and feel like a workout (not a therapy)
when properly manifested. If practiced with consistency, Pilates improves
flexibility, builds strength and develops control and endurance in the entire body. It
puts emphasis on alignment, breathing, developing a strong core, and improving
coordination and balance.
B. Precision is essential to correct Pilates.The focus is on doing one precise and
perfect movement, rather than many halfhearted ones. Here Pilates reflects common
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physical culture wisdom, gaining more from a few energetic efforts than from many
listless ones. The goal is for this precision to eventually become second nature and
carry over into everyday life as grace and economy of movement.
C. Joseph Pilates accompanied his method with a variety of equipment, for which
he used the term "apparatus". Each apparatus was designed to help accelerate the
process of stretching, strengthening, body alignment and increased core strength
started by the mat work. The best-known and most popular apparatus today, the
Reformer, was originally called the Universal Reformer, aptly named for
"universally reforming the body". Eventually Pilates designed other apparatus,
including the Cadillac, Wunda Chair, High "Electric" Chair, Spine Corrector,
Ladder Barrel and Pedi-Pole.

D. Pilates published two books related to his training method: Your Health: A
Corrective System of Exercising That Revolutionizes the Entire Field of Physical
Education in 1934, and Return to Life Through Contrology in 1945. A number of
versions of Pilates are taught today and the majority are based on up to nine
principles. Frank Philip Friedman and Gail Eisen, two students of Romana
Kryzanowska, published the first modern book on Pilates, The Pilates Method of
Physical and Mental Conditioning, in 1980 and in it they outlined six "principles of
Pilates". These have been widely adopted—and adapted—by the wider community.
The original six principles were concentration, control, center, flow, precision, and
breathing.
E. Breathing is important in the Pilates method. In Return to Life, Pilates devotes a
section of his introduction specifically to breathing "bodily house-cleaning with
blood circulation". He saw considerable value in increasing the intake of oxygen
and the circulation of this oxygenated blood to every part of the body. This he saw
as cleansing and invigorating. Proper full inhalation and complete exhalation were
key to this. He advised people to squeeze out the lungs as they would wring a wet
towel dry. In Pilates exercises, the practitioner breathes out with the effort and in on
the return. In order to keep the lower abdominals close to the spine; the breathing
needs to be directed laterally, into the lower rib cage. Pilates breathing is described
as a posterior lateral breathing, meaning that the practitioner is instructed to breathe
deep into the back and sides of his or her rib cage. When practitioners exhale, they
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are instructed to note the engagement of their deep abdominal and pelvic floor
muscles and maintain this engagement as they inhale. Pilates attempts to properly
coordinate this breathing practice with movement.
F. In 2015 the Australian Government's Department of Health published a meta
study which reviewed the existing literature on 17 alternative therapies including
Pilates, in order to determine if any were suitable for being covered by health
insurance. The review found that due to the small number and methodologically
limited nature of the existing studies, the effectiveness of Pilates is uncertain.
Accordingly In 2017 the Australian government named Pilates as a practice that
would not qualify for insurance subsidy, saying this step would "ensure taxpayer
funds are expended appropriately and not directed to therapies lacking evidence”.

G. For the treatment of lower back pain, low quality evidence suggests that while
Pilates is better than doing nothing, it is no more effective than other forms of
physical exercise. There is some evidence regular sessions can help with the
conditioning of the abdominal muscles of healthy people, when compared to doing
no exercise. There is no good evidence it helps improve balance in elderly people.
H. Pilates is not professionally regulated.[17]In October 2000 "Pilates" was ruled a
generic term by a U.S. federal court, making it free for unrestricted use. As a result
of the court ruling, the Pilates Method Alliance was formed as a professional
association for the Pilates community. Its purpose was to provide an international
organization to connect teachers, teacher trainers, studios, and facilities dedicated to
preserving and enhancing the legacy of Joseph Pilates and his exercise method by
establishing standards, encouraging unity, and promoting professionalism.

29. The way in which other practioners built on and developed Pilates’
methods...............
30. Reasons why people may not get compensation if they are injured doing
Pilates...................
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31. The quality of movement is more important than the quantity.............

32. Pilates benefits the whole body if practiced regularly....................

33. A legal ruling that led to Pilates establishing itself as a globally recognised
organization....................

34. The way that the learning of Pilates can be speeded up through incorporating
other devices into a workout …………………

35. Identifies the book that sets out the complex way in which Pilates is not just
about movement……………………

Questions 36-40 Complete the summary below.


Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 36–40.

Summary Completion
Breathing is seen as central to the Pilates method as it ensures the (36)………….of
blood to all parts of the body. In practicing pilates, one is advised to breath out
during the strenuous part of the move, but then breath in once one returns to
position. At the same time as inhaling it is also important to be aware of and to
maintain the (37) ………….of abdominal and pelvic floor muscles. It is the
coordination of breathing practice with movement that Pilates aims to achieve.
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However, a review of the literature on Pilates and a number of other (38) …………


found that due to the small amount of research and the methodological limitations
of the research the (39) ……….. of Pilates is questionable. This lack of evidence
meant that Pilates would not receive (40) …………. as it would not be an
appropriate use of taxpayer funds.

1. 1/3 / one third


2. For itself
3. Valid
4. Open University 
5. 3-year railcard
6. Minimum fare 
7. Season tickets 
8. Check before booking 
9. True
10.False
11.Not Given
12.False
13.True
14.Not Given
15.vii
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16.ix
17.iii
18.i
19.vi
20.viii
21.iv
22.objectivity
23.notified
24.HR department / Human Resources department
25.compare
26.Interview Report Form
27.decision resides
28.conditional

29.D
30.F
31.B
32.A
33.H
34.C
35.E
36.circulation
37.engagement
38.(alternative) therapies
39.effectiveness
40.insurance subsidy

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