New York Late-Starters String Orchestra & The 7 Best Running Watches - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From Cambridge IELTS 13 General Training Reading Test 3 · Part 1 · Questions 1–14
Reading Passage
==== Read the text below and answer Questions 1-7. ====
New York Late-Starters String Orchestra
NYLSO, the New York Late-Starters String Orchestra, is something special. It was founded in early 2007, and grew out of a concept developed by The East London Late Starters Orchestra (ELLSO), an award-winning group in England. NYLSO is an amateur orchestra for adult players of violin, viola, cello, and double bass. If you played a string instrument when you were younger and would like to start again, or if you are learning as an adult and would like the chance to play in a group of similar people, then NYLSO is for you! Our goal is to create a fun, supportive, non-competitive environment for adults 18 to 80+ who wish to participate in collective music¬making.
Participants should have basic music reading skills and a willingness to commit to the group, but are not required to audition. It is recommended that you have studied your instrument for at least one year. If you have ever been paid to play your instrument, recently graduated with a degree in performance, or have been playing continuously since elementary school, you may decide we are not the appropriate group for you.
How We Work:
We know that New Yorkers are busy people. It is fine if you miss an entire rehearsal period when an emergency arises. Ultimately, though, too many absences disrupt the function of the group and make it difficult to perform the pieces. Sessions are in six-week rehearsal cycles, with two-hour rehearsals held once a week. We work with the goal of producing one to three very informal ‘friends-and-family’ concerts per year.
Our professional tutor/facilitator serves as coach and conductor during rehearsals. Substitute conductors also join in to teach different sections, providing groups of players with valuable experience in working with different approaches and styles. Everyone is encouraged to play to their fullest potential, whatever that may be, but please recognize that while we do have a conductor, her role is not to provide one-on-one instruction during rehearsals.
NYLSO is a self-supporting collective; we do not receive any other funding. The cost is $80 for each six-week cycle. Payments are applied to the costs of rehearsal space, conductor’s fees, and photocopying music.
Materials You Will Need At Rehearsals:
You will need an instrument, a portable music stand, and any other relevant accessories. You should bring a folder to keep your music together and a soft-lead pencil with an eraser for writing in changes. Sheet music is provided.
==== Read the text below and answer Questions 8-14. ====
The 7 best running watches
Kate Hilpern advises people on the best watches to use when they go running.
A Soleus FIT 1.0
Soleus claims this has everything you need and nothing you don’t. Water- resistant to 30m and with a built-in rechargeable battery, it’s accurate at measuring speed, pace, distance and calories burnt.
B Nike+ SportWatch GPS
You’ll be hard pushed to find a running watch that finds a GPS signal quicker than this. It will keep you updated on current location, distance covered, number of laps and calories burnt.
C Garmin Forerunner
This watch, which is small enough to wear at the office, is touchscreen and is packed with impressive features, although the battery life is limited.
D Timex Run Trainer 2.0
The hi-res screen makes this a great watch for athletes at any level. The easy-to-use, upgraded menu system makes monitoring pace, speed and distance child’s play. Alerts remind you when it’s time to hydrate or top up the nutrition.
E Garmin Forerunner 10
This is a well-priced, entry-level watch that’s light as well as waterproof and available in a range of colours. Don’t expect added extras, but do expect good basic functionality.
F Nike Fuelband
Described by the Huffington Post as ‘the sports watch you never knew you needed,’ this soft-touch and lightweight watch has been lovingly designed to appear more like a piece of futuristic jewellery than a running watch. But it’s hi-tech too and synchronises with your phone to show the results.
G Suunto Ambit2 S HR
This is better suited to off-roaders rather than urban runners and although it’s quite big, it has a functional design and is compatible with the thousands of Suunto apps available.
Questions
Questions 1–7 True / False / Not Given
In boxes on your answer sheet, 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
Questions 8–14 Matching Information
For which running watch are the following statements true?
Write the correct letter, A-G, in boxes on your answer sheet NB You may use any letter more than once.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | True | grew out of a concept developed by The East London Late Starters Orchestra (ELLSO) | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that NYLSO started from ideas that came from another orchestra, which means it was inspired by that orchestra. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'True' because NYLSO was inspired by another orchestra. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'True' because the passage says that NYLSO grew out of a concept developed by the East London Late Starters Orchestra (ELLSO). This shows that NYLSO was based on another orchestra. |
| Q2 | True | Participants should have basic music reading skills and a willingness to commit to the group | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that people who want to join the group need to be able to read music a little. This is important for being part of the orchestra. Answer Explanation: The answer means that you must be able to read music. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is true because the passage says that participants should have basic music reading skills. This shows that reading music is important to join the orchestra. |
| Q3 | True | If you have ever been paid to play your instrument, recently graduated with a degree in performance, or have been playing continuously since elementary school, you may decide we are not the appropriate group for you | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that if you have played your instrument professionally or have been doing it for a long time, NYLSO may not be a good choice for you. Answer Explanation: The answer is true. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is true because the passage mentions that if you have ever been paid to play your instrument or have been playing continuously since elementary school, you might find that NYLSO is not the right group for you. This suggests that very advanced musicians would not fit well in NYLSO. |
| Q4 | Not given | We work with the goal of producing one to three very informal 'friends-and-family' concerts per year | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that they plan to have one to three informal concerts for friends and family each year. It does not say anything about how much it will cost to attend. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'Not Given'. This means that the text does not say if the concerts are free or not for the members' families and friends. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Not Given' because the passage does not provide any information about whether the concerts are free for members' families and friends. It mentions that there will be informal concerts, but it does not explain if there is a cost or if they are free. |
| Q5 | False | Everyone is encouraged to play to their fullest potential, whatever that may be, but please recognize that while we do have a conductor, her role is not to provide one-on-one instruction during rehearsals | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage means that every player should try their best during practice, but the conductor does not give personal lessons to everyone. This suggests that players may not all play together all the time. Answer Explanation: The answer is False, which means that it is not always true that the full orchestra plays together during rehearsals. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is False because the passage says that while there is a conductor and everyone is encouraged to play their best, it does not say that the full orchestra plays together at all times during rehearsals. It mentions substitute conductors teach different sections, which implies that sometimes only parts of the orchestra may be playing together instead of the whole group. |
| Q6 | False | NYLSO is a self-supporting collective; we do not receive any other funding. The cost is $80 for each six-week cycle. Payments are applied to the costs of rehearsal space, conductor's fees, and photocopying music | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that NYLSO pays for things like the conductor's work. So, the conductor does not give her help for free. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the conductor does not work for free at NYLSO. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the passage states that NYLSO is a self-supporting group and that the payments from members cover costs like the conductor's fees. This shows that the conductor is paid for her work. |
| Q7 | Not given | You will need an instrument, a portable music stand, and any other relevant accessories | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says you need to have an instrument, but it does not tell you what instrument to buy. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'Not given' because the passage does not talk about what instrument to buy. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Not given' because the passage says that participants need to have an instrument but does not give any advice on which instrument to purchase. It only mentions that you will need your own instrument for rehearsals and does not provide information about buying one. |
| Q8 | E | This is a well-priced, entry-level watch that's light as well as waterproof and available in a range of colours | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says this watch costs a reasonable amount and is a good choice for beginners. It is also light and can resist water, which are helpful features for someone just starting to run. Answer Explanation: The answer is E, which means Garmin Forerunner 10. This is a good choice for someone starting to run because it is not too expensive. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is Garmin Forerunner 10 because it is described as a 'well-priced, entry-level watch.' This means it is affordable and easy for beginners to use. The passage says it is light, waterproof, and has good basic functions, making it ideal for new runners. |
| Q9 | F | Described by the Huffington Post as 'the sports watch you never knew you needed,' this soft-touch and lightweight watch has been lovingly designed to appear more like a piece of futuristic jewellery than a running watch | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the Nike Fuelband is made to look attractive, like nice jewellery, which makes it different from other running watches. Answer Explanation: The answer is F. This means the Nike Fuelband is the running watch that looks very nice. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is F because it says the Nike Fuelband is designed to look like 'futuristic jewellery,' which means care was taken to make it attractive. |
| Q10 | D | Alerts remind you when it's time to hydrate or top up the nutrition | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the watch has alerts which help remind the runner when it is time to drink water or eat something. Answer Explanation: The answer is D, which means the Timex Run Trainer 2.0 can tell you when to drink water or eat something while you run. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is D because it mentions that the Timex Run Trainer 2.0 has alerts that remind you when it is time to hydrate or get more nutrition. This means it can help the runner know when they need to stop for refreshments. |
| Q11 | C | this watch, which is small enough to wear at the office, is touchscreen and is packed with impressive features, although the battery life is limited | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that this watch is small and touchscreen with many good features. But it also says the battery does not last long, so you have to charge it frequently. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the Garmin Forerunner watch needs to be charged often. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because the passage states that the Garmin Forerunner has impressive features but mentions that the battery life is limited. This means you will need to recharge it often. |
| Q12 | D | The hi-res screen makes this a great watch for athletes at any level | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the Timex Run Trainer 2.0 has a good quality screen, so it is very helpful for all athletes, whether they have a lot of experience or not. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'D'. This means that the Timex Run Trainer 2.0 watch is good for all kinds of runners, whether they are very experienced or just starting. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'D' because the passage says that the Timex Run Trainer 2.0 has a hi-res screen and an easy-to-use menu system, which makes it simple to monitor important information like pace and distance. This helps both experienced runners and beginners easily track their performance. |
| Q13 | A | Soleus claims this has everything you need and nothing you don't | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that Soleus FIT 1.0 has all the important features you need, which means it is very useful for runners. Answer Explanation: The answer is A, which means 'Soleus FIT 1.0' is the watch that has all the useful features for runners. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because the description states that the Soleus FIT 1.0 has 'everything you need and nothing you don't', which means it has all the important features for runners. This suggests that runners will find the features on this watch very helpful. |
| Q14 | G | This is better suited to off-roaders rather than urban runners | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage means that the Suunto Ambit2 S HR watch is made for people who run in nature, not in cities. Answer Explanation: The answer is G. This means that the Suunto Ambit2 S HR watch is not the best choice for people who run mostly in cities. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is G because it says that the Suunto Ambit2 S HR watch is better for off-road runners, not for urban runners. This means it is designed for places outside the city, like trails or mountains, so city runners might not find it suitable. |