[IELTS 5.] Unit 8.1 - Reading & Listening

Listen and choose the correct answer.

Which three pieces of furniture are in the room?

What does the desk look like?

Listen again and fill in the gaps in the advertisement. Write no more than ONE word or a number for each answer.

Accommodation for rent

Small, furnished room, available. Sunny with a nice view of the garden. Good location close to two types of 3.1. Rent £3.2 per 3.3. Rent includes 3.4 and all other bills.

Listen to the self-introductions and complete the information about each person. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS OR/AND A NUMBER for each blank.

5.
Name: Rita
What does she do? 4.1
Where is she from? Bristol
What does she like to do after work? 4.2

6.
Name: Chris
What does he do? 4.3
Where is he from? 4.4
What does he like? 4.5
How many children does he have? 4.6

7.
Name: Sue
What does she do? 4.7
Where is she from? Manchester
Where does she work? 4.8
What does she like? 4.9
What's her favorite one? 4.10

8.
Name: Richard Lee
Where is he from? Birmingham
What does he do? 4.11
Where does he work? 4.12
What does he like? 4.13
What kind of sport does he like? 4.14
How often? 4.15

Listen to the conversations and complete the information about each person.

Listen to the conversations and fill in the forms below.

1.
Ms. Hee
First name: 6.1
Country: 6.2
Nationality: 6.3

2.
Mr. Smith
First name: 6.4
Country: 6.5
Nationality: 6.6

Read the following passage and decide if statements are YES, NO or NOT GIVEN.

Breaking the habit

We all think we can break our bad habits - but they can stay with us for life

What is a bad habit? The most common definition is that it is something that we do regularly, almost without thinking about it, and which has some sort of negative consequence. This consequence could affect those around us, or it could affect us personally. Those who deny having bad habits are probably lying. Bad habits are part of what makes us human.

Many early habits, like sucking our thumb, are broken when we are very young. We are either told to stop doing it by our parents, or we consciously or subconsciously observe that others do not have the same habit, and we gradually grow out of it. It is when we intentionally or unintentionally pick up new habits in our later childhood or early adulthood that it becomes a problem. Unless we can break that habit early on, it becomes a part of our life and becomes "programmed" into our brain.

A recent study of human memory suggests that no matter how hard we try to change our habits, it is the old ways that tend to win, especially in situations where we are rushed, stressed or overworked. Habits that we thought we had got rid of can suddenly come back. During the study programme, the researchers showed a group of volunteers several pictures and gave them words to associate with them (for example, see a picture of tea, and associate it with "breakfast"). They then showed the volunteers the same pictures again and gave them new words to associate with them (see a picture of tea and say "afternoon").

A few days later, the volunteers were given a test. The researchers showed them the pictures and told them to respond with one of the words they had been given for each one. It came as no surprise that their answers were split between the first set of words and the second. Two weeks later, they were given the same test again. This time, most of them only gave the first set of words. They appeared to have completely forgotten the second set.

The study confirms that the responses we learn first are those that remain strongest over time. We may try to change our ways, but after a while, the response that comes to mind first is usually the first one we learned. The more that response is used, the more automatic it becomes and the harder it becomes to respond in any other way.

The study, therefore, suggests that over time, our bad habits also become automatic, learned behavior. This is not good news for people who picked up bad habits early in life and now want to change or break them. Even when we try to put new, good intentions into practice, those previously learned habits remain stronger in more automatic, unconscious forms of memory.

Adapted from Complete IELTS Band 4-5 WB

We can only break bad habits if people tell us to do so.

Bad habits may return when we are under pressure.

Researchers were surprised by the answers that the volunteers gave in the first test.

People find it more difficult to remember things they learnt when they were young.

If we develop bad habits early in life, they are harder to get rid of.

Read the following passage.

Fighting fear using virtual reality

Computers are not just for entertainment, shopping or research purposes - as one woman found out when she tried to cure her fears

Most people have at least one thing they are afraid of. A fear of things like snakes, spiders, dogs, heights or open spaces affects over 90% of the population. In extreme cases, a fear can develop into a phobia, where the fear of something is so powerful it can affect the way the sufferer lives their life. About 10% of people suffer from a phobia. Most sufferers never seek treatment, because the most common type of cure - "exposure therapy" - involves them being exposed to the object of their fear, and this is the last thing many of them are prepared to do.

There is now a new cure for phobias, using something called virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET). The concept is simple. The person with the phobia wears a virtual reality headset. A computer, controlled by a therapist, then simulates a variety of situations in which the sufferer is gradually exposed to the object of their fear, which they view on the headset's screen. At the same time, the therapist explains why they should not be afraid of it. The technique is surprisingly successful, as this case demonstrates.

Sara Considine had a serious spider phobia and had developed several spider-related behavior patterns. Before going to bed, for example, she would check her room for spiders, then seal the windows with tape so none could get in. She had frightening dreams about spiders every night. Eventually, she decided to get treatment.

During twelve one-hour virtual reality sessions over a three-month period, Ms. Considine started very slowly. First, she stood a long way from the virtual spider and just looked at it. Slowly, she moved a little closer. The therapist controlling the computer programme then made the virtual spider move. After just two sessions, Ms. Considine reported that although she still saw spiders in her dreams, they were no longer frightening, and she had even managed to have an amusing "conversation" with one of them. A few sessions later, the therapist encouraged her to hold the virtual spider in her virtual hand and put it in places where the presence of a real spider would cause her fear. The next stage was to introduce touch. A large toy spider was placed next to her. Ms. Considine then reached out to touch the virtual spider she could see on the screen, and at the same time, her real hand touched the toy spider.

After her sessions were over, Sara Considine was able to stop her spider-related behavior. She even took up camping, something she would never have considered before therapy. More recently she has appeared on a television nature programme, where for the first time she was able to hold a real spider in her hands.

Adapted from Complete IELTS Band 4-5 WB

Drag the correct word(s) for each blank with suitable definitions.

1. 14.1: to do or make something which behaves or looks like something real, but which is not real

2. 14.2: the work of treating mental or physical illness without surgery

3. 14.3: using computer images and sounds that make you think an imagined situation or object is real

4. 14.4: to make someone experience something or be affected by it

5. 14.5: an extreme fear of something

6. 14.6: someone whose job is to treat a particular type of mental or physical illness

Complete the summary using the list of words below.

Treating a phobia using VRET

Sara Considine's programme of treatments lasted for 15.1 months. At first, the sessions did not move very 15.2, as she just 15.3 the virtual spider through her headset. It only took two sessions for her to stop being 15.4 the spiders in her dreams. After a while, she could hold the virtual spider in her virtual hand, and the next stage involved making physical 15.5 with a toy spider.