Notice Of Public Meeting: The M32 Development & Concorde Festival - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From IELTS Trainer 2 General Training Reading Test 4 · Part 1 · Questions 1–14
Reading Passage
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-14, which are based on Reading Passage 1. Read the text below and answer Questions 1-7.
Notice of public meeting: The M32 development
The Fortescue Neighbourhood Action Group is urging residents to attend a public meeting to hear the concerns of local residents and families of pupils from Fortescue Primary School about the approval of the final stage of the M32 motorway.
On 17 April, the Government approved Stage 3 of the M32 motorway development, which will affect the Fortescue area. It was not until ten days later that this approval was finally announced.
Date: May 5
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Jarrah Community Hall, corner of Fortescue Road and Huxley Parade, Fortescue.
Speakers: Ann Banks (Local council)
Marcin Kowalski (Parents Association, Fortescue Primary)
Louise Chang (President, Conservation Volunteers)
45 minutes will be reserved for questions and public comment.
Community organisations successfully lobbied for more dedicated parks and for noise restrictions in Zone 1. The developers, BD Construction, acted on this due to objections from the community.
We have to keep up the pressure!
Points of concern
- In the first stage of the development, the majority of wildlife and birds in the area moved (or were moved by conservation groups) from Zone 1 to Zone 2. Now that Zone 2 is to be developed, no policy exists to assist these animals; they have little chance of finding an appropriate habitat nearby.
- It is unclear how the motorway will improve traffic on Packers Road.
- There has been no announcement about how to manage the traffic bottleneck in Bradford Street that will result from roadworks.
- Traffic jams / gridlock are anticipated on the arterial roads surrounding the entry point to the new section of motorway.
- The Environmental Impact Statement put out by BD Construction for Stage 3 does not specifically address the issue of noise and pollution in Hyde's Reserve.
- With Fortescue Primary School just 50 metres from the main construction site, school students will be subjected to years of dust and noise, and then by unfiltered emissions from vehicle exhaust pipes.
Come along and have your say!
______________
Read the text below and answer Questions 8-14.
Concorde festival
Concorde Festival has always been a family affair and this year is no exception!
A
10:00-17:00 (all day)
Beats and bites
Hamperdown Avenue will be transformed into an outdoor eatery. Come and sample delicacies from nearby restaurants including Georgio's Pizza, Al Basha Kebab House and Texas Fry-Up. Lively bands, including international act Firehouse will entertain throughout the day.
Pedestrian zone, Hamperdown Ave
B
10:00-11:30
Little farmers
Home Gardening for Kids
Presented by East City Farms
Located in the Eco Village (south-west corner of Hamperdown Park)
7th Heaven hip-hop troupe
Come and see students from East Concorde Middle School show you their moves!
Main Stage
C
10:30-16:00
Hamperdown brew zone
If the excitement of the festival becomes too much, have a break in the chill-out zone. We have set up bean-bags, picnic blankets and a drinks stand run by local coffee house, Hamperdown Brew, under the trees along the eastern side of Hamperdown Park. Vocal acts, such as Joss and Bill, along with other graduates from the Concorde School of Music, will entertain throughout the day. Pets welcome.
D
11:00-12:00
Poster making
Celebrating the things we love about Concorde!
Unleash your creativity and maybe win book vouchers, (ages 5-10)
Located in the Kids Workshop Area
Presented by Hamperdown Library
E
12:00-13:00
Make it yourself
Alex Mastroianni & Sabine Deleflie, Authors of Make it yourself, present Salads & Pickles Talk and Demonstration. Learn to make your own pickles with what's in your fridge or garden.
Sanderson Stage
F
13:00-14:00
Hamperdown hounds
The annual dog parade and 'dress-up-the-dog' contest has become a much-awaited event.
Doggie treats will be awarded to winners.
Northern perimeter of Hamperdown Park.
G
14:00-15:30
Cartooning and colouring-in activities for kids
Located in the Kids Workshop Area
Presented and guided by cartoonist and illustrator Charlotte Mantel
Questions
Questions 1–7 True / False / Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?
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
Look at the seven descriptions of events A-G.
For which events are the following statements true?
NB You may use any letter more than once.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | FALSE | On 17 April, the Government approved Stage 3 of the M32 motorway development, which will affect the Fortescue area. It was not until ten days later that this approval was finally announced | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that even though the government approved the work on April 17, they waited ten days before telling the public about it. Answer Explanation: The answer means the information about the building project was not shared with the public immediately after it was decided. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the passage states the government gave the 'okay' for the motorway on April 17, but the news was not shared until ten days after that date. This shows a delay, which makes the statement that it was public 'as soon as' it was approved incorrect. |
| Q2 | TRUE | Community organisations successfully lobbied for more dedicated parks and for noise restrictions in Zone 1. The developers, BD Construction, acted on this due to objections from the community | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that people asked for more parks and less noise in Zone 1. Then, it says the building company (the developers) did something about it because the people complained (objections). Answer Explanation: The answer is TRUE because the text clearly says that the building company did things to fix the problems that people in the community complained about regarding Zone 1. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the passage mentions that community groups asked for more parks and less noise in Zone 1. It then says that the developer, BD Construction, 'acted on this due to objections from the community.' In this context, to 'act on' something means to respond or do something about it, and 'objections' means complaints. |
| Q3 | NOT GIVEN | Speakers: Ann Banks (Local council)Marcin Kowalski (Parents Association, Fortescue Primary)Louise Chang (President, Conservation Volunteers) | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage lists three people who will speak at the meeting. One of them, Marcin Kowalski, is from the Parents Association, but the list only identifies him as a speaker, not as the leader of the meeting. Answer Explanation: The answer "NOT GIVEN" means the text does not say whether a person from the Parents Association will lead the meeting or not. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "NOT GIVEN" because while the passage mentions that Marcin Kowalski from the Parents Association is one of the speakers, it does not state who will be leading or running the meeting. A speaker is someone who gives a talk, which is different from a leader or chairperson who manages the entire event. |
| Q4 | FALSE | Now that Zone 2 is to be developed, no policy exists to assist these animals; they have little chance of finding an appropriate habitat nearby | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that since Zone 2 will be built on, there are no plans to help the animals move, so they probably won't find a new place to live. Answer Explanation: The answer is FALSE because the text says there is no official plan or rule to help the animals in Zone 2. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the passage expresses a concern that "no policy exists" to help the animals specifically in Zone 2. In this context, a "policy" is like a plan or a set of rules. The statement says there is a plan, but the text says there is not one, which makes the statement false. |
| Q5 | NOT GIVEN | It is unclear how the motorway will improve traffic on Packers Road There has been no announcement about how to manage the traffic bottleneck in Bradford Street that will result from roadworks |
Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage lists traffic-related worries for both streets—one regarding improvements and the other regarding future problems from work on the road—but it does not say which street has more problems currently. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the text does not provide enough information to know if Packers Road currently has more traffic problems than Bradford Street. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is NOT GIVEN because, although the passage mentions both Packers Road and Bradford Street in its list of concerns, it never compares them. The text notes that it is 'unclear' how the road will help Packers Road and that construction will cause a 'bottleneck' (a traffic jam) on Bradford Street in the future. However, there is no data or statement regarding which of these two roads is worse right now. |
| Q6 | TRUE | The Environmental Impact Statement put out by BD Construction for Stage 3 does not specifically address the issue of noise and pollution in Hyde's Reserve | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that the construction company (the developers) released a report called an Environmental Impact Statement for the third part of the project. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the company building the road made a report about how the project would affect the environment and nature. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the passage mentions an 'Environmental Impact Statement' created by 'BD Construction'. In the text, BD Construction is identified as 'the developers'. An 'Environmental Impact Statement' is a formal document that looks at how a project will impact the natural world (nature). |
| Q7 | TRUE | With Fortescue Primary School just 50 metres from the main construction site, school students will be subjected to years of dust and noise, and then by unfiltered emissions from vehicle exhaust pipes | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that because the school is very close to the building area, the children who go there will have to experience a lot of noise and dirty air for many years. Answer Explanation: The answer 'TRUE' means that the information in the text agrees with the statement that kids will be impacted or bothered by the building work. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'TRUE' because the text explains that a school is located very close to where the building work (construction site) will be. As a result, the students, who are children, will have to deal with 'dust and noise' for a long time. This shows that the building work will definitely affect them. |
| Q8 | E | Alex Mastroianni & Sabine Deleflie, Authors of Make it yourself, present Salads & Pickles Talk and Demonstration. Learn to make your own pickles with what's in your fridge or garden | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that some authors will give a talk and show how to make salads and pickles using items from a fridge or garden. Answer Explanation: The answer is Event E because it features a session where people learn how to make specific types of food. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is E because the text for this event explicitly mentions a 'Talk and Demonstration' about 'Salads & Pickles.' It explains that participants can 'Learn to make' their own pickles, which is another way of saying they can see a presentation about preparing food. The words 'Demonstration' and 'Learn to make' are key synonyms for seeing a presentation on how to prepare something. |
| Q9 | B | 7th Heaven hip-hop troupeCome and see students from East Concorde Middle School show you their moves | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that students from East Concorde Middle School are part of a hip-hop group and will perform their dance moves for the audience. Answer Explanation: The answer is event B, which includes a performance by a group of school students who dance. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because section B describes an event with the '7th Heaven hip-hop troupe'. In this context, a 'troupe' means a group of performers, and 'hip-hop' is a well-known style of dance. The text mentions that 'students' (young people) will 'show you their moves', which is a common phrase used to describe dancing. |
| Q10 | G | G14:00-15:30Cartooning and colouring-in activities for kidsLocated in the Kids Workshop AreaPresented and guided by cartoonist and illustrator Charlotte Mantel | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that event G is a drawing and coloring session for children that is led by a professional cartoonist and illustrator. Answer Explanation: The answer G describes an activity where children can practice drawing with help from a professional artist. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is G because this event involves 'Cartooning' (a form of drawing) and is specifically 'for kids' (children). Furthermore, the passage states the activity is 'guided by' Charlotte Mantel, who is identified as a 'cartoonist and illustrator,' which means she is an expert in the field of drawing. Key words include 'kids' for children, 'Cartooning' for drawing, and 'illustrator' for expert. |
| Q11 | C | Vocal acts, such as Joss and Bill, along with other graduates from the Concorde School of Music, will entertain throughout the day | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that singers (vocal acts) from the local music school will perform for the visitors during the event. Answer Explanation: The answer is Event C, which is called the 'Hamperdown brew zone'. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because the text for this event mentions that 'Vocal acts' will provide entertainment. In English, 'vocal acts' refers to singers. The description also specifies that these performers are 'graduates from the Concorde School of Music,' which implies they are local to the area where the festival is held. |
| Q12 | D | Unleash your creativity and maybe win book vouchers, (ages 5-10) | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that people who are 5 to 10 years old (children) can try to win gift cards for books by making something creative. Answer Explanation: The answer is Event D (Poster making), which is a creative activity where children can win prizes. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is D because the text for this event explicitly mentions that children between the ages of 5 and 10 have the opportunity to win prizes in the form of book vouchers. The words 'win' and 'book vouchers' indicate that a prize is available for the participants in that specific age group. |
| Q13 | F | The annual dog parade and 'dress-up-the-dog' contest has become a much-awaited event.Doggie treats will be awarded to winners | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage mentions that there is a parade for dogs and a special game where people dress their dogs in different clothes. It also says that those who win these games will get treats for their pets. Answer Explanation: The answer is event F, which is titled 'Hamperdown hounds' and features events for dogs. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is F because it describes specific activities where pets (in this case, dogs) are the participants. It mentions a dog parade and a 'dress-up-the-dog' contest. These activities conclude with rewards like 'doggie treats' for the winners, confirming that the events are designed for pets to enjoy. |
| Q14 | C | If the excitement of the festival becomes too much, have a break in the chill-out zone. We have set up bean-bags, picnic blankets and a drinks stand run by local coffee house, Hamperdown Brew, under the trees along the eastern side of Hamperdown Park | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that there is a special area called a chill-out zone where people can take a break and use soft chairs (bean-bags) or blankets to rest while enjoying a drink. Answer Explanation: The answer C means that event C, called the Hamperdown brew zone, is the event where people can go to relax and sit down. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because the text for this event specifically describes a 'chill-out zone' for people who need to 'have a break' from the festival. It mentions comfortable items like 'bean-bags' and 'picnic blankets' placed under trees, which are things people use to rest. |