IELTS Placement test - Reading

Read the following passage and complete the tasks.

THE EVOLUTION OF LANGUAGE

A. Language everywhere changes over time; it has to. A central reason that necessitates modification is to allow for developments in our world to be expressed. For example, the technological revolution alone has been responsible for the addition of a plethora of words to our vocabulary: hard drive, software, modern, to name just a few. The Japanese writing script katakana, which was originally introduced in the 9th century as a means by which Buddhist monks could correctly interpret Chinese pronunciations, is now most commonly used to embrace foreign words for which there is no original Japanese character; pizza or hamburger, for example. Likewise the western world’s exposure to and familiarity with foreign cultures now means that words such as sushi, naan bread and kebab, for example, are used by diners on a regular basis.

B. However, expansion of our vocabulary is just one element involved in how and why language evolves. Given the variation of dialects or regional accents present in most language systems, it is clear that an individual’s interpretation of what is actually correct and commonly used will vary quite dramatically, since this perception is based upon a combination of factors, including the age, educational level, and region of the country a person is from. As we go about our daily lives and interact with others from different backgrounds and experiences, the language we hear is often taken on board and incorporated into the way in which we communicate ourselves. Many phrases with American origins are now commonplace in British English, for example, due to the frequency with which they are heard on television and in the movies.

C. Changes in language are often driven by the young, and many such changes are commonly considered by older people to be a disintegration of standards rather than an evolution and an improvement. Let’s consider an Americanism commonly used by youngsters in all parts of the English-speaking world. Used as an alternative to “Tom said…”, it is now commonplace to hear “Tom goes, the pay rise was unacceptable.” or “Tom was all, the pay rise was unacceptable.”; much to the horror of many traditionalists. However, this modification could also be considered to be adding to and not detracting from our ability to communicate effectively. To illustrate, let’s consider the original phrase “Tom said”; it is used solely to show the listener that we are reporting the words of Tom, while the modern variation, “Tom goes” has literally the same meaning. However, if the speaker chooses instead to use the latter phrase, “Tom was all”, they are also able to convey the message that Tom had an emotional reaction to the situation they are reporting, therefore, a much more effective method of communicating information has been created, some may say. However, should the now commonly used texting abbreviations such as ‘gr8t’ (great) and ‘l8r’ (later) become permanent replacements of the original words, it is likely that even the most liberal amongst us would be horrified.

D. Variations on language are usually more readily accepted into informal language prior to them being absorbed for use in formal writing. Examples of words that we now commonly use, but were once considered incorrect, are ‘pea’ and ‘hopefully’. Let’s take pea; it derived from the word ‘pease’, which being an uncountable noun, has the same form regardless of whether one or more pease were being spoken about. However, this was commonly overlooked and misunderstood, and through error the singular form of the vegetable became ‘pea’. More recently, ‘hopefully’ was considered by many to be an inappropriate alternative to ‘I hope’; at best, only accepted in informal use. The word hopefully is now fully acceptable in both informal speech and formal writing.

E.  Some people believe that traditional usages of language are always more superior and refined than modern variations even when the reasons behind the rule were dubious in the first place. For example, it was once seriously frowned upon to split an infinitive in a sentence and even today it is considered grammatically incorrect to do so. To demonstrate, let’s consider the following sentence: ‘The examiner asked me to quietly leave the room’; this was considered incorrect as the word ‘quietly’ splits the infinitive of the verb ‘to leave’. The origins of this rule hail back to the 17th century when scholars believed that the English language should be adapted to follow the rules of Latin; then considered the perfect language. Since splitting infinitives in Latin is impossible, it was decided that splitting infinitives in English, even though possible, was not acceptable, Given that initial motivations behind the rule were questionable and the clarity of meaning of the sentence is not compromised in the ‘incorrect’ form, it could be argued that this grammar rule is a prime example of an unnecessary sanction which is likely to be abandoned in the future.

F. As language evolves, changes in grammar structures which would result in confusion of the actual meaning of the sentences are unlikely; however, the meanings of words are often modified or altered beyond recognition by different generations and can be easily misinterpreted by other social groups. Take, for example, the modern version of the word ‘bad’ meaning ‘great’ when used in contemporary slang. Many slang words remain dated in the era in which they are developed, for example, words like ‘to beef, meaning to complain (introduced in the 1920’s), are not only dated but may not even be understood in a modern context, while others, such as ‘guy’, become absorbed into mainstream language. Who knows what future generations will add to the ever-changing environment of communication?

Choose the correct heading for paragraphs B, C, E and F from the list of headings below.

Example: Paragraph A: v; Paragraph D: i

Paragraph B 1.1

Paragraph C 1.2

Paragraph E 1.3

Paragraph F 1.4

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?

If language were static, it would negatively affect our ability to incorporate other cultures into our own way of life. NOT GIVENNOYES

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?

The language we grow up knowing and that we adopt through new experiences have equal effects on the way we speak. NOT GIVENNOYES

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?

English used in Britain has changed more than American English over recent years. NOT GIVENNOYES

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?

Some older variations of language are more expressive than more modern forms. NONOT GIVENYES

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?

All modern adaptations of language are suitable for mainstream use. YESNOT GIVENNO

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?

All word usage has changed over time due to misunderstandings of meaning. YESNONOT GIVEN

Complete the summary of paragraphs E and F with the list of words A-H below. Write the letters A-H only.

Some grammar rules such as avoiding 8.1 are deeply entrenched in history and were created by academics who wished to perfect the English language.

It is likely, however, since they do not impact on the 8.2 of the sentence that such rules are likely to be 8.3 in the future. In the same way, many contemporary words in common usage today are likely to become defunct.

Read the following passage and complete the tasks.

WATER HYACINTH: BEAUTIFUL YET DESTRUCTIVE

A. Despite possessing vibrant purple flowers and being attractive to the eye, the water hyacinth has often been referred to as the most problematic aquatic plant in the world’s waters. Due to its aesthetic appeal, water hyacinth, which is native to South America, has been distributed to many different regions and now thrives in the southern states of the USA and many subtropical and tropical locations. It has also been observed to be relatively tolerant of cooler climates and is routinely sold as an ornamental plant for domestic use in a number of horticulture centres.

B. Though the hyacinth species is distinctive in appearance, another aquatic floating plant – water lettuce – is sometimes mistakenly identified as water hyacinth. Water lettuce, however, does not have the same attractive flowers, has larger leaves and is less tolerant of cooler climates. Water hyacinth has rounded waxy, green leaves which grow up to around 6 inches in width and floating leaf stems which grow up to 12 inches in length. Flowers are typically between 2 to 3 inches in width and as many as 15 flowers, each purple on the outside and containing a yellow centre, may grow from each plant.

C. Many of the problems associated with the water hyacinth are due to its incredible growth and reproduction capabilities, which have made it difficult to control and allow it to quickly dominate the environment in which it grows and spreads. Its growth patterns are characterised by a rapid formation of an impenetrable vegetation mass; botanists say that one plant can produce around 5000 seeds and in one study two plants were observed to produce 1200 plants in as little as 4 months. Following nature’s usual pattern, water hyacinth seeds are distributed outside of the immediate area by birds, fauna, wind and water currents, facilitating growth in surrounding areas previously free of the plant.

D. Domination of environments by water hyacinth populations has a number of negative implications. For humans, difficulties may be faced in getting boats through areas of rivers and lakes where the plant is present and fishing and swimming opportunities may be limited. However, the implications for the ecosystem of the immediate environment may be of even greater concern. The density of the mass of water hyacinth populations can prevent adequate amounts of sunlight and oxygen reaching the water: as a result, significant numbers of fish may die, other species of plant growing below water level are compromised and the ecosystem of the immediate area can therefore become unbalanced. Furthermore, the conditions created by the presence of water hyacinth, while detrimental to most forms of life, are perfect for encouraging growth of deadly bacteria often found in poorly oxygenated areas of water.

E. In the southern states of the USA, in Florida in particular, water hyacinth is now under maintenance control. The plant population can be limited in a number of ways: including use of herbicides, clearance equipment and bio-control insects. However, efforts to minimise the population of water hyacinth need to be continual and consistent; experts warning that unless control methods are upheld, the problem can easily reoccur. Some say inattention for as little as a twelve month period would allow numbers to quickly return to infestation level; hardly surprising given that the species is known to be able to double in as little as 12 days.

F. Water hyacinth is thought to have been introduced into Africa in the 1800s; its presence at Lake Kyoga was first identified in 1988 and at Lake Victoria in 1989. In the mid 1990s, water hyacinth was estimated to dominate 10% of the latter lake’s waters. However, by 1998, the plant was almost completely eliminated from East African waters; this being achieved predominantly by the use of bio-control insects, in this case snout beetles, a type of weevil which feeds only on the water hyacinth species of plant. Tens of thousands of the weevils were distributed throughout the lake areas of East Africa, their habit of feeding on the leaves and laying their eggs in the plants’ stalks eventually causing the plants to die and sink to the bottom of the lake. In addition, the plant population was removed using mechanical clearing equipment and by hand with the help of a machete.

G. Despite earlier success, however, negative repercussions of human activity have caused the return of water hyacinth to East African waters. Uganda’s Lake Kyoga, has recently once again experienced problems with infestation. Sewage and agricultural waste making their way into the waterways and thereby creating an excess of nutrients in the water have been the main contributing factors to the re-emergence of water hyacinth. In addition, high levels of nitrogen in rainfall, which enters the water cycle from the smoke created by wood burning cooking fires used in the region, also serves as nutrition to the increasing plant population. Restriction of human activity on lakes such as this, caused by the infestation of water hyacinth has enormous implications; villages such as Kayago, which is in close proximity to the lake, are often almost completely dependent on fishing activity for their economy and food source.

H. While the infestation of water hyacinth in Lake Victoria at the time of writing stands at 0.5%, far below the 10% level experienced in the middle of the 1990s, experts fear that growth could once again become out of control. The main concern is that, as a result of changing weather conditions, the activity of the snout beetle weevils may be less effective than in the past. The region around Lake Victoria has experienced an extended period of drought and while the water hyacinth is capable of living and reproducing both in lakes and surrounding dry land, its predator, the snout beetle can only survive on water. Plant populations growing in lakeside locations are therefore under limited threat from the insect brought in to control them and are consequently able to reproduce in relative freedom.

Which paragraph contains the following information? Write only the letters A-H.

Why the use of bio-control insects may be less successful than the first time. 9.1

The implications of reducing commitment to control of plant populations. 9.2

The problems water hyacinth causes other species of plants and animals. 9.3

How human activity has contributed to the problem. 9.4

Reasons water hyacinth is found in many parts of the world. 9.5

Write the correct letter A, B, C, or D in the blanks.

Classify the following features as characteristics of

10.1 has aesthetically pleasing purple flowers.

10.2 does not thrive well in colder temperatures.

10.3 has leaves which are on average 2-3 inches in diameter.

10.4 is commonly found in water.

10.5 produces flowers made up of more than one colour.

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?

The presence of dense water hyacinth populations can encourage the development of certain harmful forms of life. TRUENOT GIVENFALSE

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?

The current problem of dominance of water hyacinth on Lake Kyoga is less serious than in the 1980s and early 1990s. NOT GIVENFALSETRUE

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?

Sewage and waste created by farming have had more of an impact on the return of the water hyacinth population in Uganda than nitrogen- rich air. FALSENOT GIVENTRUE

Read the following passage and complete the tasks.

THE SEARCH FOR FRESH WATER

The assertion that water has always been the essence of life is nothing new. Water comes in many forms: spring water, sea and river water, rainwater, and fog and dew water. Yet water is becoming scarce and this scarcity is becoming a very real worry for governments all around the world. The reality is that one of the main obstacles to the economic development of a particular country is its lack of an adequate supply of fresh water. Current figures show that an inhabitant of a wealthy, modern town consumes 100-400 litres of water daily. In some developing countries the amount of water consumed does not exceed 20-30 litres per day. Rich or poor, annual water consumption has continued to grow, increasing fourfold over the last 50 years.

The world’s fresh water supplies are drawn from a number of sources. The largest cache of the estimated 35 million km3 fresh water reserve is located in glaciers and snow. The amount contained in these ‘storehouses’ has been estimated to be around 24 million km3. Ground water is also a big contributor to the world’s fresh water supplies amounting to an estimated 10.5 million km3. Considering that the total volume of water, salt and fresh, is estimated to be around 400 million km3 it can be clearly seen that the amount of fresh water available in the world is only the proverbial 'drop in the bucket'. Artesian wells, rivers and lakes only account for about 0.1 and 0.5 million km3 respectively, all of which include atmospheric precipitation such as rain and snow.

Since water is such an important commodity, various attempts to acquire stores of it have been tried with varying degrees of success. The question of what are the alternative water sources available to us today is not an easy one to answer but is certainly worthy of our best efforts to find one. One such area of interest has been desalination – the turning of salt water into drinkable water. As there is much more salt water on the earth than dry land, the idea of using desalinated seawater seems a logical one. However, some estimates put the annual quantity of desalinated water at only around ten cubic kilometres – a tiny amount given the amount of sea water available. In parts of Senegal, for example, the greenhouse effect has been one way to desalinate seawater whereby the salt in the water is separated from the water through a process of evaporation. As part of the process, water vapour forms on large panes of glass at outside air temperature and is transported via gravity into drums. This method yields only a few cubic meters per day of fresh water but is surprisingly energy efficient. In larger scale production however, the energy efficiency plummets. The best systems bum at least a tonne of fossil fuel to produce approximately one hundred cubic metres of fresh water. This amounts to almost $ 1 per cubic metre – a considerable cost.

Although there are several different areas from which water can be sourced, paradoxically the most extensive are the most difficult to tap. The atmosphere, for example, contains vast amounts of fresh water composed of 2% condensed water in the form of clouds and 98% water vapour. The vastness of this water source is comparable to the renewable liquid water resources of all inhabited lands. The amounts are easy to calculate, but being able and knowing how to economically obtain this water in liquid form is most challenging. One approach in drawing water from the atmosphere is fog nets. Places such as the coastal desens of West Africa and areas of Chile and Peru have favourable condensation conditions. In these areas, ocean humidity condenses in the form of fog on the mid-range mountains (over 500m). This fog composed of droplets of suspended water can be collected in nets. In the 1960s, a University in Northern Chile conducted the first major experiments with fog nets. Drawing on the knowledge gained from these experiments, further testing was done which culminated in one village using fog nets to yield a healthy daily average of 11,000 litres of water. On a smaller scale, fog-collecting nets have recently been used in the Canary Islands and Namibia.

Unfortunately, due to its need for a combination of several factors, fog is not readily available. Dew however appears far more frequently and is less subject to the constraints of climate and geography. In order for dew to form there needs to be some humidity in the air and a reasonably clear sky. Many hot areas of countries that suffer from a lack of water such as the Sahel region of Northern Africa for example, experience significant quantities of dew. When the temperature is lowered over a short space of time by ten degrees or so, the water-harvesting possibilities from the air yield an amazing ten grams of water from each cubic meter of air – significant drops in air temperature make for greater yields. Unlike fog, dew formation can occur even in a relatively dry atmosphere, such as a desert. All it takes is for the right mix of temperatures between the earth and the air to combine and dew formation occurs.

As a method of obtaining fresh water, fog _____

Complete each sentence with the correct ending A-F from the box below. Write only the letters A-F.

Turning salt water into drinking water 17.1

Large-scale fresh water production through evaporation 17.2

Water available in the atmosphere 17.3

The use of dew as a water source 17.4

The amount of water collected from dew 17.5

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?

The amount of water consumed by wealthier countries is just as much as poorer countries. FALSETRUENOT GIVEN

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?

Glaciers, rivers, artesian wells and ground water are all sources of fresh water. NOT GIVENFALSETRUE

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?

Large bodies of water, such as the sea, have yielded the most fresh water. TRUENOT GIVENFALSE

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?

The collection of water through the use of fog nets is becoming increasingly more popular around the world. FALSETRUENOT GIVEN

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?

If the sky is cloudy, dew will not form. TRUEFALSENOT GIVEN

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?

Dew and fog are major sources of water in smaller villages and isolated areas. NOT GIVENFALSETRUE