[IELTS 5.] Unit 10.2 - Reading & Listening

Listen to the talk and complete the notes. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.

1. In Britain, people start to decorate their houses a 1.1 before 25th December.

2. In Christmas time, the most important activity is the 1.2.

3. The British people put their gifts 1.3 of the Christmas tree.

4. The British open their Christmas presents on 1.4.

5. Children leave a long sock or stocking at the 1.5 their bed on Christmas Eve, hoping that Father Christmas will bring small presents from 1.6.

6. The British family have a 1.7 and Christmas pudding for the dinner on Christmas Day.

7. The Queen 1.8 her traditional Christmas message to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth later in the afternoon.

8. On Boxing Day, people usually visit friends and relatives or 1.9.

Listen to the news and write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS in the blanks.

A strong earthquake hit Seattle at 2.1 a.m on Wednesday. According to the National Earthquake Information Centre in Golden, the magnitude 2.2 quake was centred 125 kilometers 2.3 of Victorias and 56 kilometers southwest of Seattle. About 2.4 people were reported injured in Seattle and Olympia, at least three of them are in 2.5 condition. In Victoria, the earthquake caused 2.6 to sway and shook 2.7 off walls but damage was 2.8.

Russian officials gave the 2.9 to California millionaire Dennis Tito to become the first tourist in space. Tito is 2.10 years old. He took his 2.11. Tito will reportedly pay 2.12 U.S dollars for the flight. He will spend about 2.13 on the station.

Listen to the talk and fill in the missing information in the notes below.

Belfast is one of the 3.1 capital cities in the world and it has grown very fast. Today the city has a population of 3.2, nearly a third of the entire population of Northern Ireland, but in the 17th century, it was only a 3.3. Then, during the 19th century, the development of industries like linen, rope-making, 3.4, tobacco and sea trade doubled the town's size every ten years. The city is well known for 3.5. It was here that the "Titanic" was built and set out on her 3.6 maiden voyage.

Plan for the trip to Belfast

Listen to the talk and complete the notes below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each blank.

There are two main broadcasting companies in Britain. One is 4.1, the other is 4.2.

National radio is controlled by the 4.3. There are four stations.

The BBC has 4.9 TV channels. 4.10 has more serious programmes and news features.

The IBA is responsible for looking after 4.11 independent TV companies.

There is a break for advertisements about every 4.12-20 minutes.

Channel 4 is an independent channel. It has more 4.13 programmes than the main channels.

Many people think the programmes on British TV have a 4.14 standard, but some people 4.15 the amount of violence on TV.

Reading the following passage.

Our Exploding Population: Problems and Solutions

Almost everyone thinks about the future. We try to imagine life in thirty, forty, or fifty years. What will life on the earth be like? According to many people, it will not be very pleasant. These people are very worried about the future. One of the main problems which worries them is overpopulation. In 1975 there were about four billion people in the world, and the population was increasing by about 2% every year. At the end of the twentieth century, the population of the world reached six billion people. 

Why is this increase in population a problem? First, a large part of the growth is taking place in countries that do not always have enough food for their present population. Without a great deal of money, food, and medical assistance from other nations, these countries will not be able to support their growing population. Many of their people, perhaps millions of them, will die of starvation or disease. But overpopulation is not only a problem for developing countries. It is also a serious problem for the countries of the world which do not usually have food problems. In wealthy, industrial nations, large increases in the population will have negative effects on life. We will have to heat and cool more houses, apartment buildings, schools and hospitals. We will have to transport more people to and from work. For all this, we will have to use more of the world's natural resources. Perhaps the world will not have enough oil, water, coal, and wood for all our needs.

One solution which many people suggest is to limit the number of children who are born. There are now a number of safe, modern methods of birth control. A married couple who use birth control can choose the size of their family. A number of countries with large populations have government programmes for birth control. India, for example, advertises birth control on the radio and television. Teams of workers go out into the countryside and teach the people about the benefits of family planning. In China, couples who only have one child or no child get apartments before couples with three children or more. In many other countries, birth control is a subject that school students study in special classes. 

But how successful are these birth control programmes? Some are very successful. In countries like Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland and Great Britain, families are quite small, and the population is increasing very slowly; in some of these countries, it is not growing at all. But these are wealthy, developed countries, which can feed their people without difficulty. In developing countries, many of the birth control programmes are not successful.

There are a number of possible reasons for the failure of birth control programmes in developing countries. One reason is religion. Many people belong to religions which do not accept modern method of birth control. For them, birth control is wrong, and they naturally refuse to listen to family planning workers. Another reason for the failure of birth control programmes is economics. Often a large number of children are necessary for very poor families in developing countries. Children can work and help support the family. Also, without a welfare system, people have to depend on their children for food, clothing, and shelter in their old age. In these countries, people just cannot see any reason for small families.

For other people, birth control is definitely not the solution the world needs for the problem of overpopulation. In their opinion, government should not decide family size. It is not right. The solution which these people suggest is to increase world food production. They draw our attention to the progress that agricultural scientists are making. With irrigation, for example, we can now produce food in many parts of the world which did not produce anything fifteen or twenty years ago. We can even grow plants in water without soil. Scientists are also doing research into plants which grow quickly and into new farming techniques. The governments of rich countries will have to help the poor countries. Without economic assistance from the wealthy nations, poor countries will not be able to use the new products and farming techniques that scientists are developing.

Birth control and an increase in food production are two possible solutions to the problem of overpopulation. Perhaps there are other solutions. Almost certainly there is no one easy answer to the problem: we will have to use a number of solutions. Then perhaps we will be able to solve the problem of the population explosion.

Adapted from Basic IELTS Reading

Fill in the blanks with words or phrases taken from the passage. Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.

5. 5.1

6. 5.2

7. 5.3

8. 5.4

9. 5.5    

10. 5.6

11. 5.7

12. 5.8

13. 5.9

14. 5.10