Academic/General Training Module by Adam Smith First Published in 2015

 
Fill the gaps below with NO MORE THAN 3 WORDS from the text. 
1. In some cases, people are encouraged to park ________ of the town or city 
centre.
2. The only vehicles permitted in most pedestrian zones are those used for 
________ or ________ cleaning.
3. Certain types of road surface can be used to ________ traffic.
 
 

---

 IELTS
 JOURNAL 
 
114 
Exercise 53: IELTS Reading: true, false, not given 
Read the following paragraph about 'minority languages'.
Minority languages are occasionally marginalised within nations for a number of 
reasons. These include the small number of speakers, the decline in the number 
of speakers, and their occasional consideration as uncultured, primitive, or 
simple dialects when compared to the dominant language. Support for minority 
languages is sometimes viewed as supporting separatism. Immigrant minority 
languages are often also seen as a threat and as indicative of the non-integration 
of these communities. Both of these perceived threats are based on the notion 
of the exclusion of the majority language speakers. Often this is added to by 
political systems which do not provide support (such as education and policing) 
in these languages. 
Are the following statements true, false or not given? 
1. Minority languages sometimes disappear.
2. Minority languages are simpler to learn than majority languages.
3. Minority languages are sometimes considered to be harmful.
 
 

---

 IELTS
 JOURNAL 
 
115 
Exercise 54: Paragraph headings
Match the correct headings with the paragraphs below:
1. The causes of stress among employers and employees 
2. The increase in work-related stress 
3. The increase in visits to physicians 
4. Stress has wide-ranging effects on the body and on behaviour 
A) The number of stress-related disability claims by American employees has doubled 
according to the Employee Assistance Professionals Association in Arlington, Virginia. 
Seventy-five to ninety percent of physician visits are related to stress and, according to 
the American Institute of Stress, the cost to industry has been estimated at $200 
billion-$300 billion a year. 
B) It is clear that problems caused by stress have become a major concern to both 
employers and employees. Symptoms of stress are manifested both physiologically 
and psychologically. Persistent stress can result in cardiovascular disease, a weaker 
immune system and frequent headaches, stiff muscles, or backache. It can also result 
in poor coping skills, irritability, jumpiness, insecurity, exhaustion, and difficulty 
concentrating. Stress may also perpetuate or lead to binge eating, smoking, and 
alcohol consumption.