READING COMPREHENSION

Read the article below and then answer the questions.

The IELTS Exam
Are you thinking of taking the IELTS exam? Here is some information about the ‘International English Language Test System’ (IELTS) that maybe you didn’t know before. The test was developed by the British Council and first used in 1989. Now, every year, about two million people take the test in more than 120 different countries around the world. There is not one test, but two. There is the ‘Academic’ IELTS and the ‘General Training’ IELTS. The Academic test is usually taken by people who want to enter a college or a university (either in their home country or in an Englishspeaking country, such as Canada or New Zealand). The General Training test is usually taken by people who want to move to and live in another country. More than 9,000 colleges, universities and other organizations accept the IELTS. The first three parts of both test versions last for two hours and forty-five minutes. Both the Academic and General Training IELTS test a person’s ability to listen to and understand spoken English, as well as their reading, writing and speaking ability. The different parts of the IELTS are known as ‘modules’ and, except for the Speaking Module, they are always taken on the same day. The Speaking Module is usually taken on a separate day. After a person takes the exam, he or she will receive a score, or grade, also known as a ‘band’. They are from between zero and nine, with nine being the highest possible score. Students entering a college or university usually need an IELTS band of between 5 and 6, depending on the program and the place of study.


READING COMPREHENSION

1. The article is about how to pass the IELTS exam.
(a) TRUE
(b) FALSE
(c) It doesn’t say.

2. Which country made the IELTS?
(a) Britain
(b) New Zealand
(c) Canada

3. Why wasn’t the IELTS exam used before 1989?
(a) It was too expensive.
(b) There were fewer people before that time.
(c) It was first made around that year.

4. How many people take the IELTS exam each year?
(a) 120
(b) 2 million
(c) 9,000

5. How many kinds of IELTS exams are there?
(a) two
(b) nine
(c) one

6. What do the IELTS exams test?
(a) a student’s modules
(b) a student’s speaking ability on a separate day
(c) a student’s reading, writing, listening and speaking ability

7. How many people want to move to other countries?
(a) millions of people from 120 countries
(b) more than 9,000
(c) It doesn’t say.

8. In Paragraph 2, what does ‘they’ refer to?
(a) students
(b) modules
(c) languages

9. In Paragraph 3, what does ‘they’ mean?
(a) bands
(b) colleges or universities
(c) students

10. What kind of grade do students need to enter most colleges and universities?
(a) between zero and nine
(b) between five and six
(c) the highest possible score

Complete the paragraph by circling the correct words.

Are you thinking of taking the IELTS exam? Here (1)_____ some information about the ‘International English Language Test System’ (IELTS) that maybe you (2)_____ know before. The test (3)_____ developed by the British Council and first used (4)_____ 1989. Now, every year, about two million people (5)_____ the test in more than 120 different countries around the world. There is not one test, but two. There is the ‘Academic’ IELTS and the ‘General Training’ IELTS. The Academic test is usually taken by people who want to enter a college or a university (either in their home country or in (6)_____ English-speaking country, such as Canada or New Zealand). The General Training test is usually taken by people who want to move to and live in another country. More (7)_____ 9,000 colleges, universities and other organizations accept the IELTS. The first three parts of both test versions last for two hours and forty-five minutes. Both the Academic and General Training IELTS (8)_____ a person’s ability to listen to and understand spoken English, as well as (9)_____ reading, writing and speaking ability. The different (10)_____ of the IELTS are known as ‘modules’, except for the Speaking Module, they are always taken on the same day. The Speaking Module is usually taken on a separate day. After a person takes the exam, he or she will (11)_____ a score, or grade, also known as a ‘band’. They are from between zero and nine, with nine being the (12)_____ possible score. Students entering a college or university usually need an IELTS band of between 5 and 6, depending on the program and the place of study.

1. (A) are (B) is (C) do (D) have
2. (A) not (B) don’t (C) aren’t (D) didn’t
3. (A) was (B) is (C) had (D) did
4. (A) on (B) in (C) to (D) at
5. (A) takes (B) took (C) take (D) taking
6. (A) a (B) the (C) an (D) there
7. (A) thin (B) then (C) them (D) than
8. (A) test (B) tested (C) tests (D) testing
9. (A) they (B) their (C) they’re (D) them
10. (A) parts (B) part (C) part’s (D) parts’
11. (A) received (B) receives (C) receive (D) received
12. (A) higher (B) high (C) higher than (D) highest

KEY:
Reading Comprehension 1. B 6. C 2. A 7. C 3. C 8. B 4. B 9. A 5. A 10. B 
Grammar 1. B 5. C 9. B 2. D 6. C 10. A 3. A 7. D 11. C 4. B 8. A 12. D