The Guardian Newspaper’s Travel & Running Headphones - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From Cambridge IELTS 13 General Training Reading Test 4 · Part 1 · Questions 1–14
Reading Passage
==== Read the text below and answer questions 1-8. ====
The Guardian Newspaper’s Travel
The photo competition is back, giving you another chance to win an incredible trip to Swedish Lapland.
Do you have a camera and love travelling? If so, our annual photography competition run by the Travel section of The Guardian is for you. It’s an opportunity for you to capture the essence of the journeys you make, whether far afield or close to home, and for us to showcase your work online. The winner of each month’s competition will also see their shot mounted and displayed in the end-of-year exhibition for the public at The Guardian’s offices in London. Once the exhibition is finished, each monthly winner will receive a framed copy of their shot to place with pride on their own wall.
There will be a different theme for each month. Members of The Guardian travel writing team, and photographer Michael Ryan of Fotovue.com will judge the monthly entries and the overall winner.
To enter you must be living in the UK from the time you submit your entry into the competition to the time you are selected as a winner. The competition is open to all photographers (both amateur and professional).
The overall winner (chosen from the 12 monthly winners) will go on an amazing four-night trip to Swedish Lapland. The host for this specialist holiday is Fredrik Broman, who has been a nature photographer for 21 years. Fredrik will assist the winner and other participants in photographing a wide variety of winter subjects. Each day has a specific focus. The trip includes winter light photography workshops, an image editing workshop, a night photography course, and an action photography workshop.
Included in the prize: return flights from the UK, four nights’ accommodation with full board, cold weather clothing for the duration of the trip – thermal overalls, winter boots, gloves, hats and woollen socks – fully qualified wilderness guides, and instructors.
The overall winner will be required to write a report of the trip, and take accompanying photographs, which will be printed in the Travel section of The Guardian at a later date. The Guardian reserves the right, however, to modify your report and photos as necessary. Your name will of course appear with the article and photos.
==== Read the text below and answer Questions 9-14. ====
Running Headphones
Listening to music on headphones makes running and even working out at the gym much more enjoyable. Here are some alternatives to choose from.
A Plantronics Backbeat Fit
These headphones are really tough so you don’t need to worry about just throwing them into your bag before or after a workout. As well as providing reasonably clear sound they will also last a remarkable eight hours on a single charge.
B Sennheiser CX685 Sports
These headphones are impressively practical. Designed to fit firmly in your ear, however energetic you are, they’re tight without being uncomfortable, and have a handy remote and a mic for phone calls. They will also resist some water being spilt on them.
C Nokia WH-510 Coloud Pop
These stylish headphones have fantastic bass, giving you a bit of extra oomph when you run. They also have a tangle-free cable which avoids any time-consuming messing about before you set off on your run.
D Sony NWZ-W273S
It’s hard to imagine using any other headphones once you’ve tried these. As well as being wireless and waterproof at a depth of 2m, they even have a built-in MP3 player that can hold up to 1,000 songs. A charge provides up to an hour of playback.
E Betron B750S
If you’re on a tight budget, it can always feel risky buying a bottom of the market pair of headphones, but with these you needn’t worry. Not only do they provide fair sound quality, they also come with a pouch to keep them in.
F Happy Plugs
The sound quality on these is decent, although you’re probably not going to be hugely impressed. They also come with a handy remote built into the cable to skip and pause songs with while you work out.
G Powerbeats 2
If money is not an issue, then these are definitely worth considering. They make everything sound so crisp and they’re so light and comfortable that it’s easy to forget that you’re even wearing them.
Questions
Questions 1–8 True / False / Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text? 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 9–14 Matching Information
Look at the seven reviews of headphones, A-G. For which headphones 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 | False | It's an opportunity for you to capture the essence of the journeys you make, whether far afield or close to home, and for us to showcase your work online. The winner of each month's competition will also see their shot mounted and displayed in the end-of-year exhibition | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says this is a chance for photographers to show their work and that there is a competition every month and an exhibition at the end of the year. This means the competition has happened before. Answer Explanation: The answer is FALSE. This means it's not true that this is the first year for the competition. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the passage says it is an 'annual photography competition,' which means it happens every year. This indicates that there were previous years of this competition, so it is not the first year. |
| Q2 | False | It's an opportunity for you to capture the essence of the journeys you make, whether far afield or close to home | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that you can take pictures from both distant places and nearby places. This means that the photos do not have to be from a trip abroad. Answer Explanation: The answer means that not all photos for the competition have to be taken in another country. They can also be taken in the UK. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is false because the passage states that you can capture the essence of your journeys, whether far away or close to home. This means you can take photos for the competition in both international locations and local places. |
| Q3 | Not given | The winner of each month's competition will also see their shot mounted and displayed in the end-of-year exhibition for the public at The Guardian's offices in London | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says the winner's photo will be shown in an exhibition that is for the public at The Guardian's offices. However, it does not say if people can come for free. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'Not given' because it does not say if people can go to the exhibition for free or if they have to pay. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Not given' because the passage does not have any information about whether the public can attend the exhibition for free or if there is an entry fee. It only says that there will be an exhibition for the public. |
| Q4 | True | Members of The Guardian travel writing team, and photographer Michael Ryan of Fotovue.com will judge the monthly entries and the overall winner | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that people who write for The Guardian and a photographer named Michael Ryan will decide the winners of the photo competition. Answer Explanation: The answer is TRUE. This means that the statement about the judges being journalists and a professional photographer is correct. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the passage states that members of The Guardian travel writing team and photographer Michael Ryan will judge the monthly entries and the overall winner. |
| Q5 | True | The overall winner (chosen from the 12 monthly winners) will go on an amazing four-night trip to Swedish Lapland | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that one overall winner will be chosen from 12 monthly winners, and this one winner will be the only person to go on the trip to Swedish Lapland. Answer Explanation: The answer means that only one person will win the trip to Swedish Lapland. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is true because the passage says, 'The overall winner (chosen from the 12 monthly winners) will go on an amazing four-night trip to Swedish Lapland.' This shows that only one overall winner will receive this trip. |
| Q6 | True | The trip includes winter light photography workshops, an image editing workshop, a night photography course, and an action photography workshop | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that there will be various special classes for taking pictures, like workshops about light, editing photos, and taking photos at night. This means the main purpose of the trip is to help people learn better photography techniques. Answer Explanation: The answer means that all the activities during the trip are intended to help people get better at taking pictures. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is true because the passage says the trip includes different types of photography workshops, like winter light photography workshops and night photography courses. This shows that every activity is designed to help participants improve their photography skills. |
| Q7 | False | Included in the prize: return flights from the UK, four nights' accommodation with full board, cold weather clothing for the duration of the trip | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage tells that the cold weather clothing is only for the trip. It does not say that you can keep it after the trip ends. Answer Explanation: The answer is False. This means the statement is not correct. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is False because the passage does not say that participants can take the cold weather clothing home. It only mentions that clothing will be provided for the trip and doesn't say what happens to it afterward. |
| Q8 | True | The Guardian reserves the right, however, to modify your report and photos as necessary | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage means that The Guardian can change your article and pictures if they need to before showing them to everyone. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the articles can be changed before they are shown to people. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is true because the passage says that The Guardian can change your report and photos as necessary before they are published. |
| Q9 | G | If money is not an issue, then these are definitely worth considering. They make everything sound so crisp and they're so light and comfortable that it's easy to forget that you're even wearing them | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that if someone has enough money, they should think about getting the Powerbeats 2 headphones. They are very high quality because they sound great and are very comfortable. Answer Explanation: The answer is G. This means that the Powerbeats 2 headphones are good for people who are willing to spend a lot of money for high quality. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is G because the description of the Powerbeats 2 mentions that they are worth considering if money is not an issue. They are described as sounding very crisp and being light and comfortable, which makes them a high-quality option for those who can afford it. |
| Q10 | A | These headphones are really tough so you don't need to worry about just throwing them into your bag before or after a workout. As well as providing reasonably clear sound they will also last a remarkable eight hours on a single charge | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the Plantronics Backbeat Fit headphones are strong and last up to eight hours with one charge. This means you can use them for a long time before needing to charge them again. Answer Explanation: The answer is A. This means that the Plantronics Backbeat Fit headphones have a long battery life. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because the passage states that these headphones will last a remarkable eight hours on a single charge. This shows that they have a long-lasting battery life. |
| Q11 | B | they're tight without being uncomfortable, and have a handy remote and a mic for phone calls | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that these headphones fit well, are comfortable, and have a remote and microphone. This means you can use them to talk to someone on the phone. Answer Explanation: The answer is B. This means that with these headphones, you can talk to others while using them. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because the Sennheiser CX685 Sports headphones have a remote and a mic for phone calls. This means you can keep in contact with other people while you are wearing them. |
| Q12 | E | If you’re on a tight budget, it can always feel risky buying a bottom of the market pair of headphones, but with these you needn’t worry. Not only do they provide fair sound quality | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that if you don't have a lot of money, you can still buy the Betron B750S headphones without being scared because they sound okay. Answer Explanation: The answer is E, which means the Betron B750S headphones are less expensive but still sound good. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is E because the passage states that the Betron B750S headphones provide 'fair sound quality', indicating that they sound good enough for their price. It also mentions that they are budget-friendly, which means they are cheaper than many other options. |
| Q13 | A | These headphones are really tough so you don't need to worry about just throwing them into your bag before or after a workout | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that these headphones are strong, so you can put them in your bag without being careful. This means they are made to last and not break easily. Answer Explanation: The answer is A. This means that the Plantronics Backbeat Fit headphones are strong and can be thrown in a bag without breaking. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because the description of the Plantronics Backbeat Fit headphones mentions that they are 'really tough' and you 'don't need to worry about just throwing them into your bag.' This shows that they can handle rough use well. |
| Q14 | F | They also come with a handy remote built into the cable to skip and pause songs with while you work out | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that Happy Plugs have a remote on the cable. This remote helps you to change songs easily when you are exercising. Answer Explanation: The answer is F. This means the headphones called Happy Plugs let you control your music while you exercise. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is F because Happy Plugs have a handy remote built into the cable. This remote helps you skip and pause songs while you work out, making it easy to move around your music playlist. |