Interesting Day Courses In Your Area & Learn to Skydive - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS General Training Reading Test 2 · Part 1 · Questions 1–14
Reading Passage
Read the text below and answer Questions 1–7.
Interesting Day Courses in your Area
A Photographing Wildlife
This workshop includes an introduction in the classroom, two photography sessions with specially arranged access to the zoo enclosures so that you can take natural-looking close-ups of the most exotic species, and the opportunity to review and discuss your images as a group.
B Drawing For Fun
You will learn some basic techniques using soft pencils and charcoal. These and different types of paper are provided. Just bring yourself and a willingness to 'have a go'. This is a start-up day so people who have already attended courses should not apply.
C Find Your Voice
You may feel you can't sing or you may be an established singer who wants to improve or gain confidence. You will be shown how to sing in tune, how to breathe correctly and how to project your voice. You may attend this course more than once and each time have a wonderful experience. Everyone can sing and it's great fun.
D Focus On Landscapes
This course is designed for students who are familiar with painting in watercolours, but are having difficulty with some techniques. We will discuss choice of materials, colour mixing and any other areas that may be raised.
The day will start with a demonstration, followed by an opportunity to sketch outdoors. After a light lunch cooked in the studio, there will be a further practical session.
E Taking Happy Pictures
The main objective is to introduce you to the skills required to take good photographs of people at special events, such as parties or weddings.
We will discuss camera settings, dealing with varied light or bad weather, and how to get a good atmosphere. Lunch is provided at a nearby hotel, followed by a practical session inside the studio.
F The Music Takeaway
Get some friends, family or colleagues together for your own music course in a venue of your choice, which could be your front room, basement or workplace. We send two guitar tutors to lead a one-day session for you in the style of music you prefer, such as rock, country, funk or blues.
______________
Read the text below and answer Questions 8–14.
Learn to Skydive
Accelerated Freefall (AFF) is an intensive skydiving course and you can experience freefall on your very first jump. We offer the AFF Level 1 course as a unique introduction to the world of parachuting and skydiving. It's great as a one-off freefall experience. However, the full eight-level Accelerated Freefall course is the best way to learn to skydive and attain your licence as a qualified parachutist, which allows you to jump at skydiving centres across the world.
The AFF Level 1 course begins with an intensive day of ground training. During the day, you will learn how your parachute equipment works and how to check and fit it, how to exit the aircraft, how to maintain the correct body position in the air, monitor your altitude and deploy your parachute and how to deal with emergencies. The day will finish with a written test. The training can be both mentally and physically tiring so you should stay overnight if you wish to do your first jump the next day. For safety reasons we require you to return and jump in less than a month after your training in order to complete the Level 1 course.
When you come to do your jump you will receive refresher training before you board the aircraft. You will exit the aircraft with two AFF Level 1 instructors. They will provide in-air coaching as they fall alongside you, holding onto your harness. You will experience about one minute of freefall and deploy your own parachute, then fly and navigate for around five minutes before landing on the dropzone. Following this, you will meet your instructors to debrief the jump and collect your certificate. Shortly after you arrive home, you will receive an email link to the instructors' footage of your skydive to post online.
There are some restrictions for solo skydiving. The maximum acceptable weight is 95 kg fully clothed and a reasonable level of fitness is required. As far as age is concerned, the minimum is 16 and a parental signature of consent is required for students of 16–17 on three forms. Adults over 45 wishing to skydive must bring a completed Declaration of Fitness form signed and stamped by their doctor. Acceptance rests with the head instructor.
Questions
Questions 1–7 Matching Information
Look at the six advertisements, A–F. For which course are the following statements true?
Write the correct letter, A–F.
NB You may use any letter more than once.
Questions 8–14 True / False / Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text?
Write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | F | Get some friends, family or colleagues together for your own music course in a venue of your choice, which could be your front room, basement or workplace | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that people can have this music class in any place they want, such as their own home or their office. Answer Explanation: The answer F refers to 'The Music Takeaway' course, where students get to pick the location for their lessons. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is F because it is the only advertisement that mentions the students choosing the location. It explicitly states that the course happens at a 'venue of your choice.' Other courses listed in the passage take place in set locations like a zoo, a studio, or a hotel. |
| Q2 | C | You may feel you can't sing or you may be an established singer who wants to improve or gain confidence | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that both people who think they have no talent and people who are already professional or experienced singers can join the class to get better or feel more sure of themselves. Answer Explanation: The answer means that this singing class is open to people who have never sung before as well as people who are already very good at singing. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because the text specifically says the course is for those who feel they 'can't sing' (beginners) and also for an 'established singer' (someone with experience). This range of skills shows that different ability levels are welcome. Keywords to notice are 'can't sing' and 'established,' which describe two very different levels of skill. |
| Q3 | B | You will learn some basic techniques using soft pencils and charcoal. These and different types of paper are provided. Just bring yourself and a willingness to 'have a go' | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that the class gives you charcoal, pencils, and paper. It tells the student to just "bring yourself," which means you do not need to bring any of your own items. Answer Explanation: The answer is course B, titled "Drawing For Fun". Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because the description for this course says that the tools needed for drawing, such as pencils and paper, are given to the students. You do not need to buy or bring your own supplies. Keywords like "provided" and "bring yourself" show that all "materials" (the things you use to make art) are already there for you. |
| Q4 | A | This workshop includes an introduction in the classroom, two photography sessions with specially arranged access to the zoo enclosures so that you can take natural-looking close-ups of the most exotic species, and the opportunity to review and discuss your images as a group | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that the class includes time at the zoo with special permission to enter the animal areas. This is done so students can take very close pictures of rare animals. Answer Explanation: The answer means that people in this class will get to enter parts of the zoo that regular visitors are usually not allowed to go into. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because the description for 'Photographing Wildlife' mentions that students get 'specially arranged access' to the 'zoo enclosures.' Enclosures are the areas where the animals live. Normal visitors have to stay outside these areas, but this course lets students go inside or get closer for better photos. |
| Q5 | C | You may attend this course more than once and each time have a wonderful experience | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that you can go to this class many times and have a great time every time you go. Answer Explanation: The answer is Course C, which is named 'Find Your Voice'. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because the description for this course clearly states that students can take the class again. The phrase 'more than once' is a synonym for 'repeat.' While other courses do not mention repeating, Course B actually says that people should not apply if they have already attended. |
| Q6 | F | We send two guitar tutors to lead a one-day session for you in the style of music you prefer, such as rock, country, funk or blues | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that the teachers will teach you the specific type of music you like best and provides a list of different styles you can choose from. Answer Explanation: The answer is course F, which is titled 'The Music Takeaway.' Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is F because this course lets you choose exactly what you want to learn. While other courses have a set subject (like drawing or photography), this music course allows you to pick a 'style' from a list of options like rock, country, funk, or blues. This matches the idea of 'selecting what to study' from a 'range of options.' |
| Q7 | E | We will discuss camera settings, dealing with varied light or bad weather, and how to get a good atmosphere | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the course will teach you what to do with your camera when the light changes or when the weather is not good. Answer Explanation: The answer E refers to the course called 'Taking Happy Pictures.' Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is E because the text for this course says it will help students with 'dealing with varied light or bad weather.' These are examples of 'difficult conditions' when you are trying to take photos. By 'dealing with' these issues, students learn how to overcome the problems caused by poor lighting or rainy weather. |
| Q8 | FALSE | the full eight-level Accelerated Freefall course is the best way to learn to skydive and attain your licence as a qualified parachutist, which allows you to jump at skydiving centres across the world | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that you need to finish all eight levels of the course to get a license. This license is what allows a person to skydive at locations all over the world. Answer Explanation: The answer is FALSE because completing just the Level 1 course does not give you the permission to skydive in other countries. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the passage explains that you must complete the entire eight-level course to get a license. Only after getting this license as a 'qualified parachutist' are you allowed to jump at different skydiving centers around the world. The Level 1 course mentioned in the question is just an 'introduction' or a 'one-off' experience and is not enough to get that international license. |
| Q9 | TRUE | The AFF Level 1 course begins with an intensive day of ground training The training can be both mentally and physically tiring so you should stay overnight if you wish to do your first jump the next day. For safety reasons we require you to return and jump in less than a month after your training in order to complete the Level 1 course |
Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the course starts with an entire day of learning on the ground. It also says that to finish the course, students should jump on the next day or come back within a month. Answer Explanation: The answer 'TRUE' means that you cannot finish the Level 1 course in only one day. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the passage explains that the first day is entirely devoted to ground training and a written test. To actually finish (complete) the Level 1 course, a student must also perform a jump. The text suggests that students should jump on the following day or return within a month to do the jump. Since the training takes a full day and the jump must happen later, the process requires more than one day. |
| Q10 | TRUE | For safety reasons we require you to return and jump in less than a month after your training in order to complete the Level 1 course | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that to finish the course, a student must return to the center and do their jump within 30 days of their training. Answer Explanation: The answer is TRUE because the text says students need to do their first jump before a specific amount of time passes. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the passage mentions a safety rule. This rule says that students must come back to do their jump less than one month after they finish their training. In the question, 'a certain period' means this time limit of one month. |
| Q11 | TRUE | They will provide in-air coaching as they fall alongside you, holding onto your harness | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the teachers will fall next to you and give you advice and help while you are in the air. Answer Explanation: The answer is TRUE, which means the text confirms that students still receive help and teaching even after they have jumped out of the airplane. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the passage states that instructors give 'in-air coaching' while falling next to the student. This coaching is a form of training that happens during the actual jump. The word 'coaching' means the same thing as training or teaching in this context. |
| Q12 | FALSE | You will experience about one minute of freefall and deploy your own parachute, then fly and navigate for around five minutes before landing on the dropzone | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that during your jump, you will fall through the air for one minute and then open your own parachute. Answer Explanation: The answer is FALSE because the person learning to skydive (the student) is the one who opens the parachute, not the teacher (instructor). Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the text states that the student will 'deploy' their own parachute. In skydiving, 'deploy' means to open the parachute so it can work. Since the student does this action themselves, the statement that an instructor does it is incorrect. |
| Q13 | TRUE | Shortly after you arrive home, you will receive an email link to the instructors' footage of your skydive to post online | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that once the student is back at home, they will be sent a web link to watch a video (footage) that the teachers took of the student while they were skydiving. Answer Explanation: The answer means that teachers or trainers keep a video record of the students' first skydiving jumps. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the text mentions that students will receive a link to a video of their jump after they return home. This video is described as 'footage' belonging to the instructors, which confirms that they are the ones who recorded it during the skydive. |
| Q14 | NOT GIVEN | As far as age is concerned, the minimum is 16 and a parental signature of consent is required for students of 16–17 on three forms. Adults over 45 wishing to skydive must bring a completed Declaration of Fitness form signed and stamped by their doctor. Acceptance rests with the head instructor | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains the requirements for different ages to take the course, such as needing a parent's signature or a doctor's note, but it never talks about organizing students into groups based on their age. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the text does not say if students are placed into different groups based on how old they are. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is NOT GIVEN because the passage provides information about age limits and rules for joining (like paperwork for young or older people), but it does not mention how people are grouped during the skydiving lesson. There is no information about whether students are divided into groups by age or if they all learn together. |