WRITING TASK 1

The chart below gives information about the growth of urban population in certain parts of the world
including the prediction of the future.
The bar chart compares urban population
increase in 3 regions and in the whole world in
1950, 2000 and projected growth by 2030.
Overall, the proportion of the population
living in cities rose in 2000 compared with
1950 in all regions and in the world as a
whole. It is forecast to rise further by 2030.
In 1950, the percentage of urban dwellers in
the world stood at 30%, but by 2000 almost
half of the world’s population lived in urban centres. By 2030 the figure is expected to rise to 60%. Latin
America had the highest proportion of people living in towns and cities, rising from about 40% in 1950 to
70% in 2000, with a predicted further increase to 80% in 2030.
The figures and trends for Africa and Asia are similar. In Africa, about 11% of the population were urban
dwellers in 1950, compared with 12% in Asia. In 2000 this increased to almost 40% in both continents. By
2030, the figures are projected to reach 50% in Africa and 55% in Asia.

WRITING TASK 2
In some countries, young people have become richer, healthier, and live longer, but they are less
happy.
What are the causes? What can be done to address this situation?
It is true that, particularly in developed countries, the youth of today enjoy longer lives and better health, but
are not necessarily happier, despite all the material possessions that they have. I would argue that there is one
principal reason why they are not happier, and some steps should be taken to deal with this situation.
The influence of commercial advertising is at the root of the dissatisfaction of today’s youngsters. Young
people have become a target audience for the marketing industry, even children of 5 years old or younger.
They are swayed by advertisements to adopt the values of the consumer society, possessing more and more
things which, they are told, will bring them happiness, such as toys, electronic goods, a McDonald’s burger
or the latest fashions. TV channels and online advertising persuade young people to buy goods
impulsively. However, all this personal consumption has failed to bring happiness, and the false promises
have resulted in disillusionment among young people.
Governments could immediately address this problem. They must introduce restrictions on advertising, and
it would be even more effective to impose an official ban on all marketing. National and local authorities
should allocate resources to schools to provide opportunities for young people to participate actively in
sports or to take up a musical instrument. This will bring much more happiness and social interaction into
the lives of today’s youth, rather than being passive individual consumers of everything, from violent video
games to junk food. These two measures would certainly help efforts to bring more fulfilment and happiness
into the lives of today’s youth.
In conclusion, by taking steps to curb the activities of the marketing industry, governments could help
young people to develop into happier citizens of the future.

WRITING TASK 1
The charts show the percentage of people working in different sectors in Towns A and B in two years,
1960 and 2010.

The pie charts compare the proportion of the working

population in manufacturing, sales and services in
1960 and 2010 in two towns.
Overall, the percentage of the workforce in
manufacturing increased in both towns in
2010 compared with the 1960 figures. By
contrast, in Towns A and B, the proportion of those
working in the sales sector fell in 2010.
In 1960, the figure for workers in manufacturing was
29% in Town A, almost three times higher than the
figure in Town B. However, by 2010 the proportion
of people in manufacturing had risen in Towns A and
B to 64% and 25%, respectively.
On the other hand, the figures for the sales sector witnessed a decline. In Town A, the proportion of the
workforce in sales in 1960 was 41% and this fell by over half to 20% in 2010. In Town B, the figure
decreased from 70% in 1960 to 53% in 2010.
The percentage of workers in the services sector almost halved in Town A to 16% in 2010, whereas in Town
B it rose slightly from 20% in 1960 to 22% in 2010.

WRITING TASK 2
People are consuming more and more sugar-based drinks. Why? What can be done to reduce sugary
drink consumption?
It is true that the consumption of drinks with added sugar is increasing globally, even in less developed
countries. While a number of factors explain this trend, some countries have taken measures to reduce the
intake of sweetened drinks.
Heavy marketing is the principal reason why the consumption of sugar-based drinks has increased rapidly.
This trend is of concern to the World Health Organisation because it carries health risks, including life-
threatening conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and certain types of cancer. The soft-drinks
manufacturers advertise their products to a target audience of young children and adolescents. This strategy
encourages youngsters to form the lifetime habit of buying these drinks, as they are soon addicted to the high
sugar content. They put on weight, are prone to obesity and find it difficult to keep their teeth healthy.
There are three measures that would be effective in tackling the rise in the popularity of sugary
drinks. Firstly, governments should raise taxes on the sales of soft drinks. This has been done in France, for
example, and could be implemented by other countries, too. Secondly, vending machines must be removed
from public places, discouraging the consumption of sugary drinks in schools, bus stations, cinemas and
hospitals. Finally, health awareness campaigns on TV and the internet could help in combatting the
promotion of soft drinks by marketing agencies, including the compulsory addition of health warnings on
labels, as in the case of tobacco products.
In conclusion, although the promotion of soft drinks has resulted in increased sales, effective steps can be
taken to reverse this trend.

1. In some countries, marriages are arranged by the parents but in other cases, people choose their
own marriage partner. Discuss both systems.
The idea that a marriage should be arranged by the parents of the couple, or by other members-of the family,
is quite acceptable to some societies, yet completely out of the question for others. It all depends on your
cultural expectations.
In so-called western societies, it is very unusual for marriages to be arranged. Most young people would not
welcome the idea that their parents have the right to choose their partner for life. They feel that arranged
marriages deny them their fundamental right to choose, even if they make a bad decision.
However, if we are honest about it, we might acknowledge that some parents organise their children’s lives
in such a way that they are likely to meet and marry partners the parents approve o£ It could be said that this
is, to some extent, similar to an arranged marriage. It is always better when families support the relationship
and welcome the grandchildren.
People for whom arranged marriages are the cultural norm often argue that the likelihood of the marriage
lasting is greater when it is set up in this manner. Parents can be assured that their children are joining a
family of similar standing and cultural background, and this, in the long run, makes for a more stable society
if your parents’ marriage was arranged, and has worked well, then why should you question the custom?
The important thing to ensure is that people are never forced into a marriage which will make them unhappy
or lead to an unequal relationship where one partner is exploited by the other. This applies in all societies
and situations.
 
2. Many people believe that women make better parents than men and that this is why they have the
greater role in raising children in most societies. Others claim that men are just as good as women
at parenting. Write an essay expressing your point of view.

The view that women are better parents than men has shown itself to be true throughout history. This is not
to say that men are not of importance in child- rearing indeed, they are most necessary if children are to
appreciate fully the roles of both sexes. But women have proven themselves superior parents as a result of
their conditioning, their less aggressive natures and their generally better communication skills.
From the time they are little girls, females learn about nurturing. First with dolls and later perhaps with
younger brothers and sisters, girls are given the role of career. Girls see their mothers in the same roles and
so it is natural that they identify this as a female activity. Boys, in contrast, learn competitive roles far
removed from what it means to nurture. While boys may dream of adventures, girls’ conditioning means
they tend to see the future in terms of raising families.
Girls also appear to be less aggressive than boys. In adulthood, it is men, not women, who prove to be the
aggressors in crime and in war. Obviously, in raising children, a more patient, gentle manner is preferable to
a more aggressive one. Although there certainly exist gentlemen and aggressive women, by and large,
females are less likely to resort to violence in attempting to solve problems.
Finally, women tend to be better communicators than men. This is shown is intelligence tests, where
females, on average, do better in verbal communication than males. Of course, communication is of utmost
importance in rearing children, as children tend to learn from and adopt the communication styles of their
parents.
Thus, while it is all very well to suggest a greater role for men in raising children, let us not forget that
women are generally better suited to the parenting role.
 
3. It is generally acknowledged that families are now not as close as they used to be. Give possible
reasons and your recommendations.

There is much discussion nowadays as to whether or not the relation-ship between family members is as
close as before. Diverse contributing factors can be identified. In the following, I would like to present my
point of view.
Great changes have taken place in family life along with the development of society. One of them is that the
once-extended family tends to become smaller and smaller. Many children have to leave their parents at an
early age to study or work elsewhere. As time passes, children become emotionally estranged from their
parents.
Compared with the past, social competition is becoming increasingly fierce. People are urged to concentrate
their efforts upon work, so that they can achieve success, or at least a good standard of living. As a result,
they can’t afford to spend their leisure hours with their families. The importance of bonds of kinship is
gradually fading from their minds.
In addition, the availability of various kinds of recreational facilities also diverts people from enjoying chats
with the members of their families. Their free time is mostly occupied by watching TV, surfing the Internet
or playing video games. They come to lose interest in communicating with the other members of their
families.
In view of such alienation within families, urgent steps must be taken, in my opinion. For members of
families who live away from one another, regular contact on the phone can bring them the care that they
need. Family reunions on holidays or other important occasions can make a difference as well. For those
living together, it is a good idea to take some time off work or recreation periods to spend more time with
each other. In the final analysis, a close family relationship can surely be maintained as long as we
realize the significant role it plays in our lives and attach importance to it.

1. In some countries children have very strict rules of behaviour, in other countries they are allowed
to do almost anything they want. To what extent should children have to follow rules?

Freedom plays a mandatory role in everybody’s life. We can see in today’s modernized era nobody likes to
get some restrictions upon them, whether it would be a child or an adult. Some people think that there should
have some strict rules of behaviour for children, but I disagree with this statement.
Wherever it is a reality that sometimes more restrictions can cause more frustration in children, which leads
to many other mental diseases as well. Moreover they can be, behave like a stubborn. Sometimes they feel
themselves under pressure, which can be a main reason for their poor performance in their field. In some
cases children would be crazier to do these things from where we’ll try to keep them away.
In other words we have to look for other aspects as well, like if we usually ignore our children’s bad habits,
then they can’t be good human beings in their future life. Moreover if we never draw attention upon the
children’s main activities then they may be acquiring bad company. They can know regarding the value of
respect for their elders. They can know the importance of relationships. They can know regarding
their cultural values as well.
In a nutshell, I would like to say that children should be teach regarding the value of their customs, rituals
and respect towards their elders for their future life, but most of the extra restriction should be being avoided.
It would be better to make them good human beings in their coming future.
 
2. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Parents are the best teachers. Use specific
reasons and examples to support your answer.
Sample Answer 1
Parents shape their children from the beginning of their children’s lives. They teach their children values.
They share their interests with them. They develop close emotional ties with them. Parents can be very
important teachers in their children’s lives; however, they are not always the best teachers.
Parents may be too close to their children emotionally. For example, they may limit a child’s freedom in the
name of safety. A teacher may organize an educational trip to a big city, but a parent may think this trip is
too dangerous. A school may want to take the children camping, but a parent may be afraid of the child
getting hurt.
Another problem is that parents sometimes expect their children’s interests to be similar to their own. If the
parents love science, they may try to force their child to love science too. But what if the child prefers art? If
the parents enjoy sports, they may expect their child to participate on different teams. But what if the child
prefers to read?

Parents want to pass on their values to their children. However, things change. The children of today are
growing up in a world different from their parents’ world. Sometimes parents, especially older ones, can’t
keep up with rapid social or technological changes. A student who has friends of different races at school
may find that his parents have narrower views. A student who loves computers may find that her parents
don’t understand or value the digital revolution.
Parents are important teachers in our lives, but they aren’t always the best teachers. Fortunately, we have
many teachers in our lives. Our parents teach us, our teachers teach us, and we learn from our peers. Books
and newspapers also teach us. All of them are valuable. 

Sample Answer 2
Throughout my life, I have been lucky enough to have a very good relationship with my parents. They have
supported me, given me necessary criticism, and taught me a great deal about how to live my life. Parents
can be very important teachers in our lives; however, they are not always the best teachers.
Parents may be too close to their children emotionally. Sometimes they can only see their children though
the eyes of a protector. For example, they may limit a child’s freedom in the name of safety. A teacher might
see a trip to a big city as a valuable new experience. However, it might seem too dangerous to a parent.
Another problem is that parents may expect their children’s interests to be similar to their own. They can’t
seem to separate from their children in their mind. If they love science, they may try to force their child to
love science too. But what if their child’s true love is art, or writing, or car repair?
Parents are usually eager to pass on their value to their children. But should children always believe what
their parents do? Maybe different generations need different ways of thinking. When children are young,
they believe that their parents are always rights. But when they get older, they realize there are other views.
Sometimes parents, especially older ones, can’t keep up with rapid social or technology changes. A
student who has friends of all different races and backgrounds at school may find that her parents don’t
really understand or value the digital revolution. Sometimes kids have to find their own ways to what they
believe in.
The most important thing to realize is that we all have many teachers in our lives. Our parents teach us, our
teachers teach us, and our peers teach us. Books and newspapers and television also teach us. All of them are
valuable.
 
3. The number of overweight children in developed countries is increasing.
Some people think this is due to problems such as the growing number of fast food outlets. Others
believe that parents are to blame for not looking after their children’s health.
To what extent do you agree with these views?

There is plenty of evidence to suggest that children are overweight and the situation is getting worse,
according to the medical experts. I feel there are a number of reasons for this.
Some people blame the fact that we are surrounded by shops selling unhealthy, fatty foods such as chips and
fried chicken, at low prices. This has created a whole generation of adults who have never cooked a meal for
themselves. If there were fewer of these restaurants, then children would not be tempted to buy take-away
food.
There is another argument that blames the parents for allowing their children to become overweight. I tend to
agree with this view, because good eating habits begin early in life, long before children start to visit fast
food outlets. If children are given chips and chocolate rather than nourishing food, or are always allowed to
choose what they eat, they will go for the sweet and salty foods every time, and this will carry on throughout
their lives.
There is a third factor, however, which contributes to the situation. Children these days take very little
exercise. They do not walk to school. When they get home, they sit in front of the television or their
computers and play video games. Not only is this an unhealthy pastime, it also gives them time to eat more
junk food. What they need is to go outside and play active games or sport.
The two views discussed play an equal role in contributing to the problem, but I think we have to encourage
young people to be more active, as well as steering them away from fast food outlets and bad eating habits.
We need to have a balanced approach.
 
4. In many countries today, the eating habits and lifestyle of children are different from those of
previous generations. Some people say this has had a negative effect on their health.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

It has recently been suggested that the way children eat and live nowadays has led to a deterioration in their
health. I entirely agree with this view, and believe that this alarming situation has come about for several
reasons.
To begin with, there is the worrying increase in the amount of processed food that children are eating at
home, with little or none of the fresh fruit and vegetables that earlier generations ate every day. Secondly,
more and more young people are choosing to eat in fast-food restaurants, which may be harmless
occasionally, but not every day. What they eat there is extremely high in fat, salt and sugar, all of which can
be damaging to their health.
There is also a disturbing decline in the amount of exercise they get. Schools have become obsessed with
exams, with the shocking result that some pupils now do no sports at all. To make matters worse, few even
get any exercise on the way to and from school, as most of them go in their parents‟ cars rather than walk or
cycle. Finally, children are spending far more time at home, playing computer games, watching TV
or surfing the Internet. They no longer play outside with friends or take part in challenging outdoor
activities.
To sum up, although none of these changes could, on its own, have caused widespread harm to children’s
health, there can be little doubt that all of them together have had a devastating effect. This, in my opinion,
can only be reversed by encouraging children to return to move traditional ways of eating and living.
 
5. In many countries children are engaged in some kind of paid work. Some people regard this as
completely wrong, while others consider it as valuable work experience, important for learning
and taking responsibility. What is your opinion on this?

Nowadays, many children involved in different types of jobs to have some kind of financial assurance for
themselves. However, whether this is good for their development and personality is a much debatable issue.
I personally believe that paid works is harmful for children for several reasons.
It is said that children learn valuable experience in the work place. This may be true. However, I would
argue that children are mainly employed for jobs that require manual work and are low paid. The recent
statistic reveals the common tasks that children are assigned are washing dishes, cleaning floors or serving
food in restaurants. Meanwhile, this kind of jobs actually do not provide children with necessary and useful
skills so that they can apply in their future career.
This brings me to the second point. Defenders of child work argues that it is an effective method of learning.
The point is children should be able to apply knowledge taught to them in a real life working environment.
Although this is undoubtedly true, it also means that children may neglect the classroom study and even fail
the class. The worst thing is yet to come. They may become so occupied with the benefits ahead of them like
small salary and leave school.
Finally, supporters said that it helps them to build responsibility in the family. They will understand how it is
difficult to earn money and therefore have a compassionate view with their parents. This is true to a certain
extent, but may have a totally adverse effect on children. As children can make money at an early age, they
would feel that it is appropriate to spend on luxury things by their own money, which could be
recovered later.
In conclusion, I think that parents should take measures to restrict their child to work, otherwise it would
have a negative consequences on their futures.
6. Children should never be educated at home by their parents. Do you agree or disagree?
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for young people who decide to do this.
Nobody can say with confidence that children should be taught at home or at any children’s institutions.
There are many different children and every one demand of education suitable only for him.
But for most of children the best way of learning the life is being in the children’s institutions. Nobody
would argue that contacts between children of the same age are very important for bringing your child up.
Such a contact is very important for playing, entertaining and learning living with other people. The
harmonious living with other people, to my mind, is the first task for any man. Lack of this harmony sets
problems and troubles.
The children need space to run and make noise, to jump and cry. Do you or your neighbours allow these
actions for your child? If you live in town, it is difficult to find a safe place to play. Kindergartens give such
a possibility. They give space, a lot of toys and constructions for physical exercises. So, if you have bad
living conditions, the kindergarten is the best way for you. But if you have a large family with many
children and enough space, you may keep your child at home. You should be sure that the child feels,
dressed and comfortable. His brothers and sisters give him necessary contacts. It’s noticed long ago that
children in big families are much more easy-tempered and calm. They are located in more harmonic world
than others.
Sometimes differences in age put troubles in contacts between children in large families. Then it is better for
child to be sent to the kindergarten (school). But if quarrels don’t last for a long time, everything is all right.
In general, quarrels develop ability to cooperate with people. They develop a personal initiative and force
setting the balance. In such a way the child gets lessons of life. Addly, the quarrels often take place
in kindergartens and schools and we shouldn’t fear it.
Side by side with quarrels parents often are afraid of colds which happen in kindergartens more frequently.
Parents prefer keeping the child at home. But for a healthy child odd cold (if illness occurs, it goes its normal
course) can’t make big harm to the child. And if the child is adaptable to the conditions of public places
earlier it would be better for him in future.
In general, I am a follower of the theory of keeping children in adapted places such as good kindergartens.
But keeping children in such a place can’t replace family and home. Only together they make harmonic and
beautiful union.

7. Some people think that a sense of competition in children should be encouraged. Others believe that
children who are taught to co-operate rather than compete become more useful adults. Discuss. 
both these views and give your own opinion. 
Nowadays, purpose of education being changed in Korea. There are some People who think that competition
in children should be made, also others believe that children who are taught to co-operate as well as become
more useful adults. There are advantages and disadvantages for both of the arguments.
To begin with, what is good if a sense of competition m children is made? They could develop themselves
more and more as they learn and study a lot to win from the competition. To prove this, in Korea, it is
popular – even common now – to have a tutor who come to student’s house to teach extra pieces of study
with paying a lot of money. They learn faster than what they learn at school. Furthermore, during the
vacations, students study abroad to learn English for a month instead of revise school work. If they have
experiments such as study abroad, it is one of the greatest plus point to go to the famous well-known high-
school. Moreover, there are four big school exam and two national examinations to test students’ level of
studies. Generally, only the highest 40% can go to the good quality high schools and colleges. Children learn
as much as they can, to win the competition to obtain good quality schools.
On the other hand, as they are busy to enter the schools and study individually with their own tutors, there
are problems. They become selfish. They become careless and don’t help others alot if it is about studies.
There will be no co-operations for them. Then, why are there companies for many people to work in? Each
of them are clever, however, there are weak parts and strong parts for each person. To co-operate is
to improve this part. People talk and listen to what others thinking of and learn. That could also be a great
opportunity to learn instead of learning alone with one teacher.
In conclusion, I strongly agree with that children should be taught to co-operate rather than compete.
Nobody is perfect. People learn together, work together to develop each other. Therefore, I want parents and
teachers to educate children concentrating on cooperation, not compete and ranking them.
 
8. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Classmates are a more important influence
than parents on a child’s success in school. Use specific reasons and examples to support your
answer.
I cannot completely agree with the statement that classmates are a more important influence than parents on
a child’s success in school. In this essay I will first focus on the reasons why I agree with this statement and
then list a few points why from my opinion in some cases is not true.
From the one side, classmates have a significant influence on child’s behavior and his or her success in
school. First of all, children spend much time at school. Classmates have many things in common such as
age, interests, homework and classes after all. So, they discuss their impressions about a new teacher, solve
problems together, learn their homework, gain new knowledge and experience and even make their own
discoveries. Sharing all these makes them closer. Some of them become friends and they spend after-school
time together. In addition friends tend to copy each other’s habits and manners. For instance, my little sister
became friends with the girl who did not have good grades at school at that time. It does not mean she could
not have better grades; she just had many friends who did not care about their grades. So, when they started
to spend their time together and share their interests, girl’s grades improved. They did their homework
together, shared their dreams and exciting moments. From this point I must agree that classmates can change
child’s attitude towards school.
From the other side, parents have a great influence on children’ success in school too. For example if parents
show an interest in their child’s progress and talk to him or her about the importance of learning I think their
child will listen to them and do his or her best.
Personally, I believe that relationships between parents and a child play an essential role in child’s success in
school. If these relationships are close and wholehearted I am sure that parents should not be afraid of bad
influence from the outside.

9. It is better for children to grow up in the countryside than in a big city. Do you agree or disagree?
Use specific reasons and examples to develop your essay.
Some people believe that it is better for children to grow up in the countryside than in a big city. However,
other people think that a big city gives more opportunities and it is good for the long run. Personally, for
several reasons I think that it is better for children’s health to grow up in the country.
First of all, it is very important for a child to grow up in a healthy environment. Children need fresh air, not
polluted by the huge amount of cars and factories of the modern city. In the country they can spend more
time exercising and walking with their friends. Scientists say that now children spend the same amount of
time watching TV as they do at school. Probably, the possibility to join their friends for a play will change
this proportion. Another important aspect of this is that parents will have more time to spend with their
children as a result of eliminating traffic jams and decreasing driving time as a whole.
From the other side, children have some advantages living in a big city. For example, they have more
opportunities to choose from what they want to do. They can choose to attend ballet school, school of art,
gymnastics, etc. For the long run, it is good for them. They will be better prepared for a live in a “real world”
and they will have more chances to make a good career and succeed. Moreover, a big city usually has many
entertaining centers with movie theatres and play stations. When I was a child I liked to go to the movie
theatre with my parents to watch a premiere.

One more reason to choose a big city for a child is that a city provides better live conditions and services
such as medical, dental, etc. My friend lived in the country for a while and one time he and his family had to
drive a couple of hours to the nearest medical center when his child got a heavy cough.
To summarize, I agree with those people who want to raise their children in a city. The plenty of
opportunities offered by a city helps children to find what they really like and be the best at it. Moreover,
despite the air pollution, children get a better medical service that is good for their health.
 
10. Some people think that children should begin their formal education at a very early age and should
spend most of their time on school studies. Others believe that young children should spend most
of their time playing. Compare these two views. Which view do you agree with? Why?

People learn through their entire lives. Curiosity was always the basic characteristic of a human being. We
always want to break limits and learn more. At this point some people think that children should begin their
formal education at a very early age and spend most of their time on school studies. This will help them to
succeed in the future. However, for several reasons, which I will explain bellow, I think that children should
not study at a very early age.
Of cause, children who begin to study at a very early age have more chances to succeed in the future. They
gain more knowledge and experience which are priceless and valuable. In addition, studying more now they
will give them the opportunity to perfect their knowledge in the future and become better professionals.
However, I think that every child must have his or her childhood. Children should learn through playing and
communication with their friends and parents. I think that such basic qualities as kindness, self-confidence
and just a good sense of humor cannot be gained from studying. Children should more time spend with their
family, playing and learning with their parents. Imagine that a child instead of playing with his friends
does his homework and feel exhausted and tired. Another important aspect of this is that children at their
early ages need more exercise because at this age the development of their body is a very essential aspect.
Children first of all must be healthy.
To sum up, I think that children should have their careless childhood with no responsibilities. Moreover, I
am sure that playing helps them develop not only their bones and muscles but their ability to make decisions,
analyze things, make conclusions, which is very good for their future.

WRITING TASK 1

The two maps show how the road access to the

city hospital has changed from the year 2007 to
2010.

Overall there are many improvisations held in the

facilities over 3 years. Bus stop was converted as a
bus station, car parks of staff and public were
separated, and roundabouts were established.
 There was a ring road around the city hospital which was connected by hospital road to city road in 2007.
In 2010, there were two roundabouts installed at the junctions of the hospital road that is between the ring
road and the city road. On the two sides of the hospital road there were 6 bus stops that existed back in
2007. But, in 2010 it was replaced as a single bus station on the west side of the hospital road.

In 2007, there was a car park for both city hospital staff and public on the southeast side of Ring road.
That car park remained only for staff and a new public car park was built on the east side of the road.

WRITING TASK 1
The illustration shows the floor plans of a
public library now and after its intended
development. Overall, it’s a one-floor
building and has steps leading up to the
entrance. The main difference is that the
library will be extended to the east, roughly
doubling its size to allow for the addition of
extra facilities.
After the extension, on the east side of the
library, there will be a new entrance into a
kid’s area where the kid’s books will be
moved, and additional seating will be added.
To the south of the kid’s area will be a
computer room, and to the north will be a
store and a staff room with its own staff
entrance.

The existing library space will become the main area and will be narrower due to an internal wall
constructed from the north to the south end of the building. The male and female restrooms, original
entrance, and sections for romance and thriller will all remain unchanged within this area. However, the
seating, fantasy and mystery sections will be relocated closer to the west side of the building to
accommodate the changes.

WRITING TASK 1
The illustration shows information about how igloo is built from snow

The diagram illustrates the process that is used to build an igloo from snow.
There are five main stages in this process, starting with finding an area covered by hardpacked snow and
culminating in covering the entrance hole with snow blocks.
As can be seen from the process, after a surface of hard-packed snow is found, a snow saw is used to cut
large blocks to the appropriate size to build the base. The edges of the blocks are then smoothed with the
saw and are placed in a circle, and a hole is dug under the wall to make an entrance. Next, a slightly over-
sized block is precisely shaped and placed on the top of the igloo.
Out of the remaining steps, snow is shovelled onto the outside of the igloo and is packed into all crevices
while the internal surface of the igloo is smoothed by hand. Any excess snow is also removed from the
inside of the igloo. And finally, a hole is dug in the shape of the entrance, and is then covered with snow
blocks to complete the igloo.

WRITING TASK 2
The world of work is rapidly changing and employees cannot depend on having the same job or the
same working conditions for life. Discuss the possible causes and suggest ways to prepare people to
work in the future.
These days, people’s workplaces are constantly changing and evolving to meet the demands of modern
society. Furthermore, the roles and responsibilities of jobs are also undergoing changes to adapt to new
ways of working and living. This essay will discuss the possible reasons for these changes, and suggest
some ways that people can better prepare themselves for their future careers.
Firstly, due to the developments in hi-tech machines and artificial intelligence, millions of people all
around the world are losing their jobs and being replaced by automated processes. For example,
millions of factory workers have lost their jobs because they have been replaced by machines that
are able to do their job quicker and more effectively.  Furthermore, as a result of the ever-increasing
desire to cut expenses and increase profits, many jobs are being outsourced to countries where the
wages are lower. For instance, when a person calls a tech support help line in an English
speaking country, they will most likely be connected to someone in another country, like India or
Philippines, where the wages are lower.
However, there are a number of ways that people can prepare for changes in their workplaces in the
future. Firstly, students preparing to leave high school need to be advised about the sustainability of the
career path they are choosing. To illustrate, autonomous vehicles are predicted to replace most delivery
and taxi driver jobs in the very near future, so this is not a job that someone should expect to have for a
very long time. Furthermore, while some jobs are being replaced by technology, many jobs are simply
incorporating technology into their process, and therefore people will need to be able to keep up to
date with these changes. To help achieve this, specific courses could be designed to help educate people
on the use of modern technology in their workplaces.
In conclusion, although there are many changes in the workplace these days, educating people to carefully
choose their career and to keep up to date with modern technology, is the key to avoiding any major
problems.

WRITING TASK 1
The charts below show the proportion of people’s total spending in a particular European country
was spent on different commodities and services in 1958 and in 2008.

The pie charts detail the proportion of people’s total

expenditure on six different goods and services
(housing, clothing, entertainment, food, travel/transport,
and luxury goods), in a European country, in 1958 and
2008.
It is clear from the charts that spending in all aspects, except clothing, changed quite substantially over
the fifty year period.
In 1958, people spent the largest portion of their spending on food, at 32%. The two other categories that
took up the majority of people’s money were housing, at 22%, and clothing at 18%. Entertainment,
travel/transport and luxury goods only comprised around a quarter of all spending at 18%, 8% and &%
respectively.
50 years later spending changed quite significantly with housing now becoming the biggest expense and
taking up almost one third of total spending, at 32%. The expenditure on clothing, transport/travel and
luxury goods all increased and all took up around 16-17% of the total spending. The expenditure on food
dropped significantly to 12%, while entertainment costs were only half of that.

WRITING TASK 2
The aging population is good for business, the economy and society. Others disagree. Discuss both
views and give your opinion.
People in the modern world are experiencing a longer life expectancy, which raises questions as
to whether this is advantageous or disadvantageous to society. This essay will discuss both sides of the
argument.
On the one hand, an ageing population increases the government’s pension costs and competition for jobs.
An increase in the proportion of the elderly in the population puts greater pressure on the pension
system as it will be harder to finance their retirement. This results in the growing burden on the
Government and, therefore, taxpayers. Even more problematic is when the legal retirement age is
extended, young people will find it more challenging to seek employment. Due to this lack of young
labor, less innovation and change will take place, making organizations less dynamic and hardly able to
stay competitive.
On the other hand, the main advantage of people living longer is that there will be more volunteers in
social work. The elderly in many countries contribute free labor to community and government
projects after retirement because they are usually financially comfortable and find pleasure in giving
back to their communities and countries. Furthermore, the elderly can uphold morals and values in a
community. They can help pass on traditions and ways of life to younger generations, which is
particularly advantageous in countries like Vietnam, where cultural values are becoming less and less
significant to young people.
In my view, it is true that there are several problems associated with an ageing population; however, those
problems only do a little damage to the development of society. I personally think when people live
longer, society as a whole will be able to reap greater benefits.

WRITING TASK 1
The chart below shows a comparison of different kinds of energy production in France in 1995 and
2005.

The pie charts illustrates energy generation from five

different sources in France in two years 1995 and 2005.
It is clear that while the percentages of
energy produced from Coal, Gas, Nuclear and Other
sources increased, the reverse was true for Petrol over
the period shown. Additionally, Coal and Gas were the
two most significant means of energy production in this
country during the research period.
In 1995, Coal was the primary source of energy in France with the figure registering nearly 30%, while
Gas and Petrol were used to create 29.63% and 29.27% of the total energy respectively. In contrast, only
4.9% of the total energy was manufactured from other sources compared with 6.4% by Nuclear power.
In 2005, the proportions of energy generated from Coal and Gas rose insignificantly to 30.93% and
30.31% respectively. By contrast, much less energy was produced from Petrol as illustrated by a dramatic
fall of nearly 10% to only 19.55%. Meanwhile, there were considerable increases in the figures for
Nuclear and Other sources to 10.10% and 9.10% respectively.

WRITING TASK 2
The media should include more stories which report good news. To what extent do you agree or
disagree?
A large number of media channels these days are too focused on negative news, probably to
increase viewership. However, many people often say that they prefer more good news being covered in
the media. I personally agree with this Idea and will explain my reasoning in my essay below.

Bad news dominating the headlines is having an undesirable influence on society. Psychologically, this
type of news, unless managed properly, may keep readers in a state of stress and lead them to experience
trauma. Stories about ISIS slaughtering innocent citizens for example caused massive damage to people’s
mental states and instilled fear into their minds. Also, frequent exposure to negative news can distort
readers’ perception of reality. In Vietnam for example, it seems that members of the media do not focus
on keeping the public informed of current events anymore, both locally and globally. Instead, they are
trying to publish articles with the primary aim of attracting more viewers and therefore increasing profits.
This, unfortunately, shapes readers’ outlook on society in a negative way.
On the other hand, including good news in the media may have positive effects on the general public. It
helps restore our faith in humanity, which inspires moral courses of action to uphold ethical social
values. Media stories of good news, as opposed to bad news, can also have a positive psychological
implication. Such stories can uplift people to become more optimistic and generally improve both
physical and mental health.
In conclusion, I believe recounting more stories of good news can positively affect the moral behavior of
a group of people and therefore should receive more attention. Although negative news still has
an important place in our life, its severity should be realized so that readers can fully reap all the
benefits that the media has to offer. 

WRITING TASK 2
Large shopping malls are replacing small shops. Do you think it is a positive or negative
development?
In recent years, there has been an increasing number of shopping malls being built, leading to the
disappearance of small stores. In my opinion, this change brings about both positive and negative
impacts, though the impacts are more negative in the long term.
On the one hand, the boom in the number of shopping malls has offered customers a wide range of
benefits. First of all, people can now save time shopping thanks to the availability of many types of
stores located in the one complex. Shopping malls offer groceries, clothing, and books, along-side food
courts and entertainment facilities, all under the one roof. This provides a lot of convenience to people
who choose to shop there instead of in separate smaller stores.
Moreover, shopping malls usually offer more discounts and promotions that customers can benefit
from, when compared to small stores. Furthermore, smaller stores cannot usually provide customers with
the added advantage of large, convenient and safe parking facilities that most shopping malls offer. As a
result, more and more people are choosing to shop at large shopping malls, leading to a decrease in the
number of people purchasing goods from small shops.
There are, however, a number of benefits to people and communities that shopping in smaller stores can
bring. For example, locally-owned, family-run businesses are more likely to provide friendlier and better
customer service than larger shopping malls and chain stores. In addition, more locally owned small
businesses is better for local economies and communities in the long term, by providing more
employment, profits and income to local people.
In conclusion, the proliferation of shopping malls could have positive effects on customers but it is
likely to drive small local businesses out of business, and have a negative impact on local economies,
with most profits being taken by non-local businesses.

READING PASSAGE 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1 – 13 which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.
SLEEP
Historically, it was difficult to study sleep. Not much can be gleaned from observing recumbent persons
and questionnaires are no use, because people remember little of their experience during sleep. The
breakthrough came in the 1950’s with electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings of brain electrical activity,
when it was confirmed that sleep is anything but dormant.
We need sleep for biological restoration. It promotes cell growth, regeneration and memory consolidation.
By shutting down most of the body’s machinery, resources can be focused on repairing damage and
development. When people are deprived of sleep for any reason, there is deterioration in performance,
particularly on tasks requiring concentration, and eventually, behaviour becomes shambolic. The
individual becomes progressively incoherent and irritable and, after a few days, may experience delusions
and hallucinations. The disruptive effects of sleep deprivation have even been successfully used as a basis
of persuasion in interrogation.
A vital part of sleep is dreaming, which happens most intensively during rapid eye movement (REM)
sleep. We typically spend more than two hours each night dreaming, though this is often spread over four
or five separate periods. Infants spend up to 50 per cent of their sleep time in REM sleep, which is
understandable when one realises that REM sleep is the time used for brain development, as well as
learning, thinking, and organising information. If people are woken when REM sleep commences,
depriving them specifically of dream-sleep, the proportion of REM sleep increases once they fall asleep
again to make up what was lost. This suggests that REM sleep is an essential aspect of sleep.
Sleep and sleep-related problems play a role in a large number of human disorders and affect almost
every field of medicine. For example, problems like a stroke tend to occur more frequently during the
night and early morning, due to changes in hormones, heart rate, and other characteristics associated with
sleep. Sleep also affects some kinds of epilepsy in complex ways. REM sleep seems to help prevent
seizures that begin in one part of the brain from spreading to other brain regions, while deep sleep may
promote the spread of these seizures. Sleep deprivation can also trigger seizures in people with some
types of epilepsy.
The neurons that control sleep interact strongly with the immune system. As anyone who has had the flu
knows, infectious diseases tend to make people feel sleepy. This probably happens because cytokines,
chemicals produced while fighting an infection, are powerful sleep-inducing substances. Sleep helps the
body conserve energy that the body’s immune system needs to mount an attack.
Sleeping problems occur in almost all people with mental disorders, including those with depression and
schizophrenia. People with depression, for example, often awaken in the early hours of the morning and
find themselves unable to get back to sleep. The amount of sleep a person gets also strongly influences
the symptoms of mental disorders. Sleep deprivation is an effective therapy for people with certain types
of depression, while it can actually cause depression in other people. Extreme sleep deprivation can lead
to a seemingly psychotic state of paranoia and hallucinations in otherwise healthy people, and disrupted
sleep can trigger episodes of mania in people with manic depression.
Sleeping problems are common in many other disorders as well, including Alzheimer’s disease, stroke,
cancer, and head injury. These sleeping problems may arise from changes in the brain regions and
neurotransmitters that control sleep, or from the drugs used to control symptoms of other disorders. In
patients who are hospitalised or who receive round- the-clock care, treatment schedules or hospital
routines also may disrupt sleep. The old joke about a patient being awakened by a nurse so he could take
a sleeping pill contains a grain of truth. Once sleeping problems develop, they can add to a person’s
impairment and cause confusion, frustration, or depression. Patients who are unable to sleep also notice
pain more and may increase their requests for pain medication. Better management of sleeping problems
in people who have a variety of disorders could improve the health of these patients and their quality of
life.
Insomnia is a widespread affliction. It is linked with conditions such as depression and chronic pain, but
occurs also in otherwise healthy people. It is often due to temporary life circumstances, like trouble at
work or anticipation of an exciting event, however, some people just have difficulty sleeping regardless of
circumstances. What is interesting is that complaints of sleeplessness are often exaggerated, because
people remember more easily the times they are awake during the night than the times they are asleep.
When insomniacs are observed in a sleep lab, their EEG records often suggest that their sleep pattern is
fairly normal, even though in the morning they maintain they hardly slept a wink. Various devices for
monitoring one’s own sleep patterns are now marketed, for example mobile phone apps connected with
forehead electrodes.
The fact that a third of our life is spent in sleep would, in itself, be sufficient justification for studying it
scientifically. The discovery that it is not just a passive state, but a highly active process of profound
biological and psychological importance, has led to great efforts in recent decades to further our
understanding of it. Despite that, we are far from unravelling all of sleep’s mysteries.

Questions 1 – 7
Complete the notes below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
Sleep
 Sleep study only advanced after the electroencephalogram started to be used.
 Sleep is used to restore the body and cells, and strengthen the 1…………….
 With little sleep, people operate worse, especially when 2……………. is needed.
 The effects of sleep deprivation can be severe and have been used in interrogations.
 REM sleep is when dreaming occurs; important especially for 3……………., who need a lot of REM
sleep for their brains.
 If REM sleep is lost, the body increases the 4……………. of REM sleep in the next sleep to make it
up.
 Strokes are more common during or after sleep, and 5……………. and other seizures can both be
caused and prevented by sleep.
 Sleep is closely associated with the 6……………., as cytokines produced while the body fights
infectious disease induce sleepiness; sleeping when sick helps people save the 7……………. to fight
infections.

Questions 8-13
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text?
In boxes  8-13 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
9 A lack of sleep can both help and hinder people suffering from depression.
10 Better sleep routines can help people who suffer from Parkinson’s disease.
11 People who are sleep-deprived actually have a better tolerance to pain.
12 In spite of media reports, insomnia is not a common problem.
13 Insomniacs often sleep more than they realise.
14 Overuse of mobile phone apps can cause insomnia in some people.
READING PASSAGE 2
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26 which are based on Reading Passage 2 below. 
Comets
Comets arrive to grace our skies every year; some are new to the inner Solar System, and some are old
friends on a repeat visit, but only comparatively rarely do they reach sufficient brightness to become
apparent to the unaided eye.
Comets do not behave like any other object that we can observe in the night sky with the unaided eye.
Stars remain fixed in the pattern of their constellations, and are regular in their motion through the sky
from one night to the next, and from one month to the next. A planet follows a fairly slow but expected
path. By comparison, a comet is a totally different kind of event: it will appear unexpectedly and at any
place in the sky, it will change position from one night to the next relative to the background of stars, and
its path will be along a separate direction and path across the sky from the planets and stars. During the
few weeks or months that it is observable, it will first steadily increase in brightness from one night to the
next, may change its shape – growing bigger, longer or extra tails – and then wane to invisibility, never to
be seen again. Throughout history, comets have always signified evil, war and death, and they were
supposed to leave chaos and calamity in their wake. Indeed, plenty of past comets have been blamed by
the astrologers of their day for bringing or marking misfortune.
There have been many spectacular comets throughout history; on average we are visited by what is
termed a ‘great comet’ about three times a century. This appellation is saved for those comets that reach
exceptional brightness. The most famous of all comets is Halley’s comet; not that it is the most
spectacular, but study of its orbit by the English astronomer, Edmond Halley, was fundamental to pinning
down the real nature of comets. During the 17th century, Halley was using Newton’s new mathematics of
calculus to try to characterise the orbits of twenty-four comets from sightings recorded over the previous
four centuries. He realised that the orbital path of the bright comet recently seen in 1682 was very similar
to that followed by two other comets – one observed in 1531 and one in 1607. All moved in a retrograde
direction (i.e. opposite to the revolution of the planets round the Sun), following an elliptical orbit that
had a similar orientation to the plane of the planets’ motion. The great comet of 1456 was also known to
have travelled in a retrograde direction. Halley’s inspiration was to realise that these were four apparitions
of the same comet, following a set path around the Sun, but which only became apparent to observers on
Earth when its orbit returned the comet to the inner Solar System, after an interval of about 76 years.
Although he did not live to see the success of his prediction of the comet’s return in 1758, when the
comet was spotted on schedule, it was given his name. Subsequently, at least 23 previous appearances of
Halley’s comet have been identified from historical records, the first known being from a Chinese text
dating from 240BC.
The nucleus is the sole solid component of a comet, and the only part that is always present. It resembles
a dark-coloured iceberg; it is a frozen chunk of ice ranging between 5 to 20 km in size, and with a
somewhat irregular shape. The ice is not just water ice, but also contains the ices of frozen ammonia,
carbon dioxide, methane and carbon monoxide. The ices are blackened, as they contain small fragments
of dust embedded within them, and the whole nucleus is of a low density, suggesting it to be a partially
porous body. When travelling along the outer reaches of its orbit, far from the Sun, the nucleus remains
frozen and dormant. As soon as its path brings the icy block into the inner Solar system, it begins to warm
up and its surface becomes active. The solid ice turns directly into gas, in a process known as
‘sublimation,’ and is liberated from the surface. The process is particularly apparent on the sunward flank
of the nucleus, where the gases escape as jets, particularly through any fissures that open up in the
structure. These jets also push out the particles of solid dust that are embedded in the ice.
The closer an orbit brings a nucleus to the Sun, the warmer it becomes, and the more spectacular tails are
generated with them, sometimes being visible during the day. There are two types of comet tails: dust and
gas ion. A dust tail contains small, solid particles that are about the same size as those found in cigarette
smoke. This tail forms because sunlight pushes on these small particles, gently shoving them away from
the comet’s nucleus. Because the pressure from sunlight is relatively weak, the dust particles end up
forming a diffuse curved tail in the direction of the comet’s orbit. A gas ion tail forms when ultraviolet
sunlight rips one or more electrons from gas atoms in the coma, making them into ions. The solar wind
then carries these ions straight outward away from the Sun. As a comet heads away from the Sun, its tails
dissipate, and the matter contained in its nucleus freezes into a rock-like material.
Glossary
Constellation – a recognised pattern of bodies in the sky.
Elliptical – oval-shaped.
Sublimation – the change of a substance from solid to gas without an intermediate liquid stage.

Questions 14-18
Complete the summary using the words in the box below. Write your answers in boxes 14 – 18  on your
answer sheet.
COMETS
Comets are quite common in our solar system, but they are seldom 14…………….. Comets behave
differently to other sky objects; they are seemingly quite 15…………….. in their movements
and 16……………… Comets have often been seen as predicting 17…………….. Halley’s comet is
probably the best known ‘great comet.’ Using previous 18…………….., Edmond Halley was successfully
able to predict the comet’s next appearance, although it occurred after his death.

Observations    dangerous     visible    beautiful      naming

disaste      success        unpredictable     properties      star

Questions 19 – 23
Complete the sentences below. Write  NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text for each answer.
19 The nucleus of a comet is the only part that is known to be …………….. and to remain present
through its orbit.
20 The frozen components of a comet’s nucleus are …………….. due to the presence of dust particles.
21 The nucleus of a comet has been theorised to be porous because of its ……………..
22 When far from the sun, a comet’s nucleus is icy and ……………..
23 Gas jets eject more frequently from the …………….. side of a comet.

Questions 24 – 26
Label the diagram below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text for each answer.

READING PASSAGE 3
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27 – 40 which are based on Reading Passage 3 below.
US Shale Gas Fracking
Paragraph A
We have had widespread drilling for oil and gas deposits for more than 100 years in the United States.
Until the 1990’s, most of this recovery has occurred from conventional wells that were drilled down to
rock formations, from which hydrocarbons could be pumped to the surface. The discovery of hydraulic
fracking in the late 1940’s has long allowed companies to extract gas and oil from shale, but the
perfection of these two techniques over the past few decades has allowed the process to become cost
effective. There are numerous shale plays in the United States from which shale gas can be extracted, and
firms are busy drilling wells in many areas of the country.
Paragraph B
Shale gas is natural methane in rock formations deep underground that, before fracking, was not feasible
to extract. Its removal today depends on hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling. Hydraulic fracturing
is the use of pressure to force liquids containing proppants (often sand) into rock strata, so that
hydrocarbons are available for extraction. Current technology uses water, sand, and miscellaneous fluids,
all of which must be imported to the well site. A wellbore is drilled, and then the fracturing fluid is forced
through holes in the casing into the plays. High pressures are used to create fissures where the proppants
are deposited to hold fissures open, so that hydrocarbons can be released. Hydraulic fracturing occurs in a
number of stages and the fracturing fluid is forced into a small portion of the wellbore at each stage. After
the hydraulic fracturing is completed, some of the fracturing fluid comes back up the well. Because the
flowback and wastewater from a well can be toxic, it must be disposed of in a manner that does not create
any health, safety, or environmental problems. The underground areas from which the gas is extracted
may be left with cavities, which in turn can sometimes cause ground subsidence.
Paragraph C
The development of American shale gas deposits has been accompanied by notable benefits and a
significant impact on the American economy. Next year, it is estimated that the development of
America’s shale gas resources will employ 869,000 people. The shale gas industry will have capital
expenditures of $48 billion and pay more than $28 billion in federal and state taxes this year. Due to shale
gas, the US is using less coal and the country’s electricity costs have been lowered by about ten per cent.
Shale gas has also contributed to a decrease in imports of foreign natural gas.
Paragraph D
Yet not everything is positive. The development of shale gas resources is associated with its toxic
pollutants and environmental problems. It needs to be mentioned that the American federal and state
governments were not prepared for the problems that accompany shale gas development. A lack of
sufficient regulatory oversight in the US when the industry began allowed some unfortunate situations
and instances of damage that could have been prevented.
Paragraph E
Sites where wells are drilled for extracting shale gas often cover about two hectares and involve increased
traffic, noise, light, dangerous equipment, and toxic chemicals. The activities and conditions at a site
therefore create a potential for contamination and environmental degradation. The major risk involves
damage from the toxic chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing. The fracking fluid is approximately 99.5
per cent water and sand and 0.5 per cent additives used to enhance hydrocarbon recovery. An average of
5000 gallons of chemical additives may be used to frack a well and some of them are toxic. Since
different chemicals and different amounts are used at each well, the toxicities may vary.
Paragraph F
Under US federal law, the chemicals used at a well are exempted from full reporting requirements. Under
most state laws, the supplier or the service company of a fracturing operation must disclose information,
unless the chemicals are claimed as a trade secret. Recently, it was estimated that in approximately two-
thirds of the cases the complete chemical compositions were not reported. Chemical secrecy is a problem,
because persons working at wells and persons who come into contact with chemicals used at a well do not
have sufficient information to know whether they need medical attention. Without timely information of
the chemicals involved in a spill or release, first responders to emergencies, health professionals, and
property owners may lack key information for deciding what actions they should take.
Paragraph G
Issues are also being raised about the need for better management practices to reduce the risks that
accompany shale gas development. Hundreds of best management practices have been identified to
employ during energy development and extraction, but most of these are currently voluntary. In the
absence of mandatory management practices covering all of the stages of shale gas development, there are
not sufficient assurances that people and the environment are adequately protected against health and
safety problems. By adopting more mandatory management practices, the industry may be able to reduce
the risks and shale gas development would be beneficial overall.
Paragraph H
The American experiences can be helpful in discerning whether other countries might proceed with shale
gas development. The activities connected with developing shale gas can be assessed to learn about the
risks, dangers, and problems that need to be addressed. Then, existing laws and regulations can be
evaluated to determine their probable success in addressing the risks. Additional regulations can be
developed if they are needed and firms can be required to adopt best management practices. Governments
can require disclosure of dangerous materials and establish funding mechanisms to pay for regulatory
oversight and for collecting monies to be used to remedy future damages caused by fracking.
Glossary
Shale play – An underground formation of a type of rock containing natural gas.
Proppant – A solid material used in fracking to keep holes open during the fracking process.

Questions 27 – 34
The text above has 8 paragraphs A – H. Which paragraph contains the following information?
27 Not all chemicals used for fracking are poisonous.
28 Shale gas is found deep under the ground.
29 At present, recommended management practices for fracking companies are not compulsory.
30 The US government did not initially enforce enough control on the fracking industry.
31 Fracking techniques have been available since the 1940’s.
32 Finance should be set aside to pay for future problems that fracking might create.
33 Some companies do not publicise the chemicals that they use for fracking.
34 Using shale gas has reduced US expenditure on electricity generation.

Questions 35 – 39
Choose  FIVE  letters, A – I. Which of the following sentences below accurately describe disadvantages
to the US shale gas fracking industry? Write the correct letter,  A – I, in any order in boxes 35-39  on your
answer sheet.
A. Toxic liquid can flow up a drilling installation and potentially create pollution.
B. Underground gas explosions can be a risk to local communities.
C. The ground over the fracking areas can sometimes become unsafe.
D. Oil deposits can sometimes be lost during gas fracking.
E. Fracking installations generate additional traffic pollution.
F. Excess light can be present at fracking installations.
G. Sand used in fracking can pollute the water table.
H. Workers contaminated during fracking operations can have correct treatment delayed.
I. Tax dollars are taken out of the country by overseas extraction companies.

Question  40
Choose the correct letter, A, B,  C or D. Write the correct letter in box 40 on your answer sheet.
40   What is the writer’s purpose in Reading Passage 3?
A   To analyse the government’s role in US fracking.
B   To criticise US fracking techniques.
C   To compare US and European fracking methods.
D   To provide an overview of the benefits and risks of US fracking.