IELTS JOURNAL 10 finding. You can now further practice the finding technique. Make sure you answer the
questions below as quickly as possible within the time limit.
Exercise 2: Finding Keywords Now that you have a map of the passage about libraries, read again as quickly as
possible. Which sentence contains the information you need to answer the questions
below? Write the number of the sentence from the passage to each question.
Time limit: 2 minutes Libraries (1) Libraries are quite difficult to define. (2) If you ask most people to define a library,
they will probably say that it is a building with a lot of books. (3) Strictly speaking, a
library does not have to be a building: it can be a room, or indeed any area where
material is kept. (4) Equally, a library is not merely a collection of books: there are
journals, newspapers, CD-ROMs, microfilm, audio-visual materials and so on. (5) So, to
be more accurate we can say that a library is a collection of information and material.
(6) Libraries are organized in three ways. (7) Most libraries will use one or more of the
three main classification systems that have been developed to detail the material in
the collection. (8) They referred to as the Dewey Decimal System, the Universal
Decimal Classification and the Library of Congress System.
(9) Nowadays libraries are under threat for a number of reasons. (10) The primary
challenge, as never before, is funding. (11) Hardware and personnel costs increase
each time technology expands. (12) Equally there are challenges in the skills needed by
users and resource professionals.
(13) It is difficult to predict the future of libraries. (14) Our basic concept of libraries
will almost certainly, it would appear, change dramatically in that we will not think of
them (and access them) as physical places, which is the prevailing concept at the
moment. (15) But beyond that, it is difficult to predict both usage patterns and
preferred systems of data recording and retrieval.
Questions: 1. What kinds of materials does a library collect? …
2. What is the most accurate way to define ‘library’? …
3. What is the main problem that libraries are facing? …
4. What aspect of libraries is sure to change? …