Iii Cambridge Practice Tests for ielts

SECTION 3
I = Ilmar
D = Dawn
I:
Hi, Dawn.
D:
Oh hi, Ilmar.
I:
I’m glad I’ve bumped into you. I’ve just found a great idea for the
presentation we’ve got to do for Dr Banks next month.
D:
What, the one on everyday objects?
I:
Yes ... look at this article ... it’s really interesting.
D:
The aluminium coke can?
I:
You know ... coca cola cans, soft drink cans. Look let’s sit down here. Have
you got a minute?
D:
Sure ... I’ll just get my bag.
D:
OK, so you think we can get a presentation out of this article?
I:
I’m sure we can. First of all we can provide some interesting facts about the
aluminium cans that we drink out of every day.
D:
Like ... ?
I:
Well, here ... it says that in the US they produce 300 million aluminium
Q22
drink cans each day.
D:
Wow! 300 million!
I:
Exactly. That’s an enormous number. It says here “outstrips the production
of nails or paper clips”. And they say that the manufacturers of these cans
Q23
exercise as much attention and precision in producing them as aircraft
manufacturers do when they make the wing of an aircraft!
D:
Really! Let’s have a look.
I:
They’re trying to produce the perfect can - as thin but as strong as possible.
D:
Mmm ... this bit’s interesting ... “today”s can weighs about 0.48 ounces:
thinner than two pieces of paper ... from this magazine say.’
Q24
I:
Yeah, and yet it can take a lot of weight.
D:
More than 90 pounds of pressure per square inch — three times the pressure
of a car tyre. OK, I agree, it’s a good topic.
Q25
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I:
What I thought was that we could do a large picture of a coke can and label
it and then talk about the different parts. Look, I’ve done a rough picture
here.
D:
OK, so where shall we start?
I:
Well, the lid is complicated. Let’s start with the body first. I’ll do a line from
the centre of the can ... like this ... and label it “body “. What does it say?
D:
It”s made of aluminium, of course, and it’s thicker at the bottom.
Q26
I:
Right, so that it can take all that pressure.

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D:
And then I think you should draw another line from the body for the label.
I:
Right “label”. The aluminium is ironed out until it’s so thin that it produces
Q27
what does it say?
D:
“A reflective surface suitable for decoration.”
I:
That’s right apparently it helps advertisers, too.
D:
Yes, because it’s so attractively decorated.
I:
Good … and then there’s the base.
D:
Yes, it says the bottom of the can is shaped like a dome so that it can resist
Q28
the internal pressure.
I:
That’s interesting. I didn’t know that.
D:
Nor did I. OK, so going up to the lid … there are several things we can label
here. There’s the rim around the edge which seals the can.
I:
Got that. And there’s a funny word for the seal isn’t there?
D:
Yes, it’s a flange
Q29
I:
What does it say about it?
D:
Well, the can’s filled with coke or whatever and after that the top of the can
is trimmed and then bent over to secure the lid.
I:
That’s right, it looks like a seam. We could even do a blow-up of it like this
F-L-A-N-G-E ...
D:
Yes, that would be clearer. I think we should label the lid itself and say that
it constitutes twenty five percent of the total weight.
Q30
I:
Twenty-five percent … so it’s stronger than the body of the can.
D:
So to save money, manufacturers make it smaller than the rest of the can!
I:
Didn’t know that either ... so how do we open a can of coke?
D:
Mmm … first of all there’s the tab which we pull up to open the can and
that’s held in place by a rivet.
I:
Mmm … I think that’s too small for us to include.
D:
I agree, but we can talk about it in the presentation. We can show the
opening though
Q31
I:
That’s the bit of the can that drops down into the drink when we pull the
tab.
D:
Yeah, hopefully. Sometimes the tab just breaks off.
I:
I know.
D:
Anyway the opening is scored so that it pushes in easily but doesn’t detach
itself.
I:
OK, we can show that by drawing a shadow of it inside the can, like this I’ll
label it scored opening. Great … well, I think we’ve got the basis of a really
interesting presentation. Let’s go and photocopy the article.
D:
Fine. I’ll take it home and study it some more.

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Practice Test 4