GENERAL TRAINING Practice Reading Test 5
TRANSITION CARE FOR THE ELDERLY
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SECTION 1
Write answers to questions in boxes 1-14 on your answer sheet.
Read the text below and answer Questions 1-6.
TRANSITION CARE FOR THE ELDERLY
What is transition care?
Transition care is for older people who have been receiving medical treatment, but need more help to recover, and time to make a decision about the best place for them to live in the longer term. You can only access transition care directly from the hospital.
Transition care is focused on individual goals and therapies and is given for a limited time only. It offers access to a package of services that may include:
- low-intensity therapy such as physiotherapy (exercise, mobility, strength and balance) and podiatry (foot care)
- access to a social worker
- nursing support for clinical care such as wound care
- personal care
Who provides transition care services?
Transition care is often provided by non-government organisations and is subsidised by the government. If your circumstances allow, it is expected you’ll contribute to the cost of your care.
Daily care fees are set by the organisation that provides your transition care services (your service provider). They should explain these fees to you, and the amount charged should form part of the agreement between you and the service provider. The fee is calculated on a daily basis.
Where do I receive transition care?
Transition care is provided in your own home or in a ‘live-in’ setting. This setting can be part of an existing aged-care home or health facility such as a separate wing of a hospital.\
What if I’m already receiving services through a different programme?
If you’re already receiving subsidised residential care in an aged-care home, but you need to go somewhere else for transition care, your place in the aged-care home will be held until you return.
Questions 1-6
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?
In boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet, write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
1. Only hospital patients can go on to have transition care.
2. Transition care may be long term or short term.
3. Everyone receiving transition care must contribute to the cost.
4. Transition care at home is only available for patients who live alone.
5. Transition care may be given on a hospital site.
6. You may lose your place in a care home if you have to leave it to receive transition care.
Read the text below and answer Questions 7-14.
CABIN BAGS FOR AIR TRAVEL
If you want a small bag with wheels that you can take onto the plane with you, there’s a wide choice. Here are some of the best.
A
The Flyer B3 is an ultra-lightweight cabin bag which can withstand some pretty harsh treatment, its nylon and polyester sides won’t rip or burst open if it’s dropped or thrown whilst in transit. However, the trolley handle feels quite thin and flimsy. The top carrying handle is hard and flat, and the side handle isn’t easy to grip.
B
The Lightglide has two external pockets, both of which are zipped and lockable, but the inside pocket does not zip. In tests, we found the contents remain dry when given a good soaking, even around the zips. The trolley handle has a choice of two heights and the plastic hand grip doesn’t have any sharp ridges that’ll make your hands sore. For carrying there are fabric handles at the top and side.
C
The Foxton is easy to control across most surfaces. However, the zips don’t always run smoothly especially around the corners, so you may have to give them a good tug, especially if the case is very full. This is definitely one to avoid if you’re going somewhere rainy as it lets loads of water in, and documents in the pockets will also get pretty wet unless they’re in plastic folders.
D
The Skybag has a single external zipped pocket and another located inside the lid. Your clothes are kept in place by two adjustable straps.
The zips are easy to grip and they run smoothly around the case. However, this cabin bag felt a little heavy to pull on all but smooth floors, and it was hard to steer compared with some of the other suitcases.
E
The Travelsure 35 is available in a huge range of fabric designs including leopard print or lipstick kisses. The retractable trolley handle is comfortable but can’t be adjusted to suit users of different heights. There’s no internal divider, but there are two handy zipped pockets in the lid. We test each bag by letting it fall onto a hard floor – and our results show that you’ll have to treat this bag with great care if you want it to last. The fabric tore so badly at one of the corners that it was unusable.
Questions 7-14
The above text has five paragraphs, A-E.
Which paragraph mentions the following?
Write the correct letter, A-E, in boxes 7-14 on your answer sheet.
NB. You may use any letter more than once.
7. The zips on this cabin bag may be difficult to use.
8. This cabin bag may be badly damaged if it is dropped.
9. The handles of this cabin bag have a number of different problems.
10. This cabin bag is very resistant to water.
11. There’s a good choice of patterns for the fabric of this cabin bag.
12. This cabin bag isn’t very easy to move around.
13. This cabin bag has just one internal zipped pocket.
14. The trolley handle of this cabin bag is adjustable.
Question 15-27
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 15-27, which are based on Reading Passages below.
Write answers to questions in boxes 15-27 on your answer sheet.
“Dress regulations at work” & “How to achieve a better work-life balance”
IELTS GENERAL READING PRACTICE TEST 5
Dress regulations at work
Your contract may state that you need to dress in a certain manner or wear a uniform. Your contract might also state that you need to dress ‘smartly’, rather than specifying any particular garments. As you might well have conflicting ideas of what counts as smart’, you should ask your employer for clarification. Many employers that have a strict dress code choose to provide clothing or a discount on clothing. However, this is not necessarily compulsory for the employer and is a factor you need to consider when taking a job.
Protective clothing and equipment
Your employer can tell you to put on protective clothing and equipment (such as gloves, a visor, boots, etc.). If you don’t, your employer is entitled to take disciplinary action, which can include excluding you from the workplace.
You are required to:
- co-operate with your employer on health and safety
- not interfere with or misuse anything provided for your health and safety or welfare.
- correctly use work items provided by your employer, including protective equipment, in accordance with instructions
Of course, any protective gear has to fit and be appropriate for the situation. It shouldn’t cause you pain. If it does, you should negotiate alternative equipment or arrangements. Don’t be put off. Sometimes employers can, out of caution, interpret health and safety rules unnecessarily rigidly. And of course, you shouldn’t be required to pay for any protective equipment or clothing that you need. However, if your employer buys the gear, they are entitled to keep it when you leave.
The obligation to maintain protective clothing lies with the employer. The employer is also required to provide an appropriate storage space to keep the protective equipment in when it is not being used. And finally, the employer must provide the equipment and service free of charge to the employee.
Jewellery
Banning employees from wearing jewellery and loose clothing may be justified to prevent a potential hygiene hazard if you work in areas of food production or areas which need to be kept sterile.
Likewise, your employer can judge that loose jewellery may constitute a snagging hazard if you operate machinery. If you think restrictions are not justified by health and safety concerns, talk to your workplace union rep if you have one, as they may know of solutions to the problem which other employees have used before.
Questions 15-20
IELTS GENERAL READING PRACTICE TEST 9 WITH ANSWERS
Complete the sentences below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer.Write your answers in boxes 15-20 on your answer sheet.
15. If employees are unsure what their company wishes them to wear for work, they should request …………….
16. Some companies offer their employees a ……………. when they buy items to wear for work.
17. Employees who fail to wear protective clothing when required could be subject to ……………. procedures.
18. Employees ought not to be in ……………. because of protective clothing or equipment.
19. It is the company’s responsibility to ensure that there is a suitable place for the ……………. of protective equipment.
20. Employees who work with certain types of ……………. may have to remove jewellery to avoid potential injuries.
Read the text below and answer Questions 21-27.
How to achieve a better work-life balance
IELTS GENERAL READING PRACTICE TEST 5
As more and more employees work from home full time and everyone has 24/7 access to email, balancing work and family may not seem like an easily attainable goal. So how can you juggle the demands of both worlds? To get started there are some tips to help below.
It’s easy to get sucked into habits that, make us less efficient without realizing it – like keeping your social media page open at work so you don’t miss something ‘important’. Draw up a list with all the activities that don’t enhance your life or career. Then minimize the time you spend on them.
.
It’s hard to say no’, especially to a supervisor or loved one, but sometimes that powerful little word is essential. Learn to use ‘no’ judiciously and it will become a powerful tool in balancing work and family.
Research shows that exercise helps you remain alert. Finding time to hit the gym may be hard, but it will ultimately help you get more things done because exercise really boosts energy and improves your ability to concentrate.
.
Study after study shows that significant sleep deprivation affects your health and well-being. Exposure to electronics can significantly negatively impact your sleep, so try to unplug an hour before you go to sleep.
What would you do if you had a whole day to yourself with no demands on your time? While most
people don’t have the luxury of a whole day dedicated to relaxation, constantly putting off that downtime and putting everyone’s needs before yours will wear you down. Pick a time to do something just for you. Even just a few minutes of ‘me time’ a day will help to recharge your batteries.
.
Don’t assume your family and manager are aware of your concerns. If you feel you have to adjust your schedule to discover a better work-life balance, then voice that requirement. If that means asking your boss for permission to leave a few minutes early once a week so you can hit that yoga class on the way home, do it.
All new habits require time to build, so if you find yourself sneaking your smartphone to bed, that’s okay. Leave your phone downstairs tomorrow night. Tiny steps are the key to finding that balance, so start small, and go from there. Most of all, know your limitations and what works best for you; then decide what really matters, what advice you want to follow, and prioritize.
Questions 21-27
Complete the notes below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer.
Write your answers in Boxes 21-27 on your answer sheet.
Achieving a better work-life balance
IELTS GENERAL READING PRACTICE TEST 9 WITH ANSWERS
How to begin
• Make a complete 21 ……………. of things that are not helpful and reduce involvement in them
• Refuse some requests as this can be a useful 22 ……………. in gaining a better work-life balance
Things that cars help
• Regular exercise
– can increase 23 ……………. significantly
• Sleep
– insufficient sleep can make people ill
– avoid focusing on 24 ……………. in the lead-up to bedtime
Issues that require attention
- Those who see other people’s 25 ……………. as more important than their own will suffer
- If the working day is too long, get 26 ……………. to shorten it occasionally
- • People should learn to recognise their own 27 …………….
Section 3
Question 28-40
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 28-40, which are based on Reading Passages below.
Write answers to questions in boxes 28-40 on your answer sheet.
Read the text below and answer Questions 28-40.
San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge
IELTS GENERAL READING PRACTICE TEST 5
A.
For several decades in the nineteenth century, there were calls to connect the rapidly growing metropolis of San Francisco to its neighbours across the mile-wide Golden Gate Strait, where San Francisco Bay opens onto the Pacific Ocean. Eventually, in 1919, officials asked the city engineer, Michael O’Shaughnessy, to explore the possibility of building a bridge. He began to consult engineers across the USA about the feasibility of doing so, and the cost. Most doubted whether a bridge could be built at all, or estimated that it would cost $100 million.
However, a Chicago-based engineer named Joseph Strauss believed he could complete the project for a modest $25 to $30 million. After his proposal had accepted, Strauss set about convincing the communities on the northern end of the strait that the bridge would be to their benefit, as well as to that of San Francisco. With population centres growing fast, there was severe traffic congestion at the ferry docks, and motor vehicle travel by ferry was fast exceeding capacity.
B.
The bridge could not be constructed without the agreement of the US War Department, which owned the land on each side of the Strait and had the power to prevent any harbour construction that might affect shipping traffic. In 1924, San Francisco and Marin counties applied for a permit to build a bridge, and after hearing overwhelming arguments in favour of the project, the Secretary of War agreed. Despite the economic benefits promised by its supporters, the project met fierce resistance from a number of businesses – particularly ferry companies – and civic leaders. Not only would the bridge be an obstacle to shipping and spoil the bay’s natural beauty, they argued, it wouldn’t survive the sort of earthquake that had devastated the city in 1906. Eight years of legal actions followed as opponents tried to prevent it from being built.
C.
Meanwhile, Strauss’s team scrapped their original plans in favour of a suspension span capable of moving more than two feet to each side: this would withstand strong wind far better than a rigid structure. They also planned the two towers, and decided on a paint colour they called ‘international orange’.
D.
O’Shaughnessy, Strauss and the Secretary to the Mayor of San Francisco believed a special district needs to create, with responsibility for planning, designing and financing construction. The formation of this district would enable all the counties affected by the bridge to have a say in the proceedings. This happened in 1928, when the California legislature passed an act to establish the Golden Gate Bridge and Highway District, consisting of six counties. In 1930, residents voted on the question of whether to put up their homes, their farms and their business properties as security for a $35 million bond issue to finance construction. The outcome was a large majority in favour.
However, the District struggled to find a financial backer amid the difficulties of the Great Depression, a problem made worse by years of expensive legal proceedings. Now desperate, Strauss personally sought help from the President of Bank of America, who provided a crucial boost by agreeing to buy $6 million in bonds in 1932.
E.
Construction began in January 1933, with the excavation of a vast amount of rock to establish the bridge’s two anchorages – the structures in the ground that would take the tension from the suspension cables. The crew consisted of virtually anyone capable of withstanding the physical rigours of the job, as out-of-work cab drivers, farmers and clerks lined up for the chance to earn steady wages as ironworkers and cement mixers.
The attempt to build what would be the first bridge support in the open ocean proved an immense challenge. Working from a long framework built out from the San Francisco side, divers plunged to depths of 90 feet through strong currents to blast away rock and remove the debris. The framework had damaged when it was struck by a ship in August 1933 and again during a powerful storm later in the year, setting construction back five months.
F.
The two towers had completed in June 1935, and a New Jersey-based company had appointed to handle the on-site construction of the suspension cables. Its engineers had mastered a technique in which individual steel wires had banded together in spools and carried across the length of the bridge on spinning wheels. Given a year to complete the task, they instead finished in just over six months, having spun more than 25,000 individual wires into each massive cable.
The roadway had completed in April 1937, and the bridge officially opened to pedestrians the following month. The next day, President Roosevelt announced its opening via White House telegraph.
G.
The Golden Gate has endured as a marvel of modern engineering; its main span was the longest in the world for a suspension bridge until 1981, while its towers made it the tallest bridge of any type until 1993. It withstood a destructive earthquake in 1989 and had closed to traffic only three times in its first 75 years due to weather conditions. Believed to be the most, photographed bridge in the world, this landmark had named one of the seven civil engineering wonders of the United States by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1994.
Questions 28-35
IELTS GENERAL READING PRACTICE TEST 5 WITH ANSWERS
The text above has seven sections, A-G.
Which section mentions the following?
Write the correct letter, A-G, in boxes 28-35 on your answer sheet.
NB You may use any letter more than once.
28. why it was easy to recruit workers to build the bridge
29. a change in the design of the bridge
30. opposition to building the bridge
31. why a bridge was desirable
32. problems with raising funding for the bridge
33. permission being given to build the bridge
34. which records the bridge broke
35. the idea that building a bridge might be impossible
Questions 36-40
Complete the sentences below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer
Write your answers in boxes 36-40 on your answer sheet.
36. Building the bridge required a ………………… issued by the Secretary of War.
37. One objection to building the bridge was that another ………………… would destroy it.
38. Construction had delayed when the framework had damaged by a ship and again by a …………………
39. The last part of the bridge to be constructed was the …………………
40. The bridge was first used by ………………… in May 1937.
Cambridge 14 GT Reading Test Answers
TRANSITION CARE FOR THE ELDERLY Reading Answer
SECTION 1
1. TRUE
2. FALSE
3. FALSE
4. NOT GIVEN
5. TRUE
6. FALSE
7. C
8. E
9. A
10. B
11. E
12. D
13. D
14. B
Dress regulations at work Reading Answers
SECTION 2
15. clarification
16. discount
17. disciplinary
18. pain
19. storage
20. machinery
21. list
22. tool
23. energy
24. electronics
25. needs
26. permission
27. Limitations
San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge Reading Answers
SECTION 3
28. E
29. C
30. B
31. A
32. D
33. B
34. G
35. A
36. permit
37. earthquakes
38. storm
39. roadway
40. pedestrians
