The Scottish Curling School Why Not Try The Olympic Sport Of Curling? & Outdoor Places to Visit - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From Cambridge IELTS 21 General Training Reading Test 4 · Part 1 · Questions 1–14
Reading Passage
Read the text below and answer questions 1-7.
The Scottish Curling School Why not try the Olympic sport of curling?
Curling is a challenging sport based around a very simple idea. Slide a stone down a sheet of ice and have it stop as near as possible to the centre of a set of rings, called the house. The opposing team will do everything tactically to stop you from achieving this goal, so the game contains elements of great skill, strategy, finesse and effort. The impression given in the media that curling is a relaxed game is far from the truth.
Curling is one of the few sports which is accessible to all. Many start curling as children and continue to play well into retirement. Britain even has its own wheelchair squad of curlers. Curling is also very social: you could easily find yourself playing a match against a team of international champions and sitting down to a coffee together afterwards.
If you are interested in taking up the sport but have never dared to try, why not come on our three-day initial familiarisation course?
Day 1 is designed to get you onto the ice safely and to get you delivering a curling stone, with a basic understanding of the rules.
Day 2 focuses on working with the coaches to better your skills and includes an opportunity to have a short game.
Day 3 allows you to put your knowledge into practice in a full game.
At the end of the course, details of clubs looking for new members will be provided, along with information on joining our Beginner Curling Club, where you can continue to work on your skills before joining a mainstream curling club.
Clothing
You need warmth and ease of movement, so we recommend:
• layers of clothing, which you can remove as you warm up.
• loose-fitting trousers e.g. jogging bottoms rather than jeans.
• fabrics which won’t drop fibres onto the ice surface.
• gloves, if your hands get cold, and warm socks.
Footwear
• Choose warm, soft-rubber-soled shoes.
• If you plan to wear trainers instead, check that the soles are rubber; synthetic ones are very slippery on ice.
• Check that the soles of your shoes are totally clean. Even tiny pieces of dirt can spoil the ice surface.
______________
Read the text below and answer Questions 8-14.
Outdoor places to visit
A Balloch Castle Country Park
The park commands impressive views over a large lake and includes walled gardens, nature trails and guided walks. The ruined castle, built by John Buchanan in the nineteenth century, was once the main visitor centre. Since the early 1990s, the park has hosted several major pop gigs, which have attracted thousands of people.
B Thurrock Thameside Nature Park
In the centre of the park is an exciting new visitor centre built on the site of a former waste disposal site, with superb views over the River Thames. There are footpaths and cycleways in 120 acres of nature park, which will soon expand to 845 acres. Visitors can experience great birdwatching – and boat watching too.
C Turner’s Wood
The wood, originally part of the estate of Edward Turner, consists mainly of oak trees, and there is a beautiful display of wildflowers in the spring. Because the wood is quite small, it is not always open to visitors. We do make it available for pupils to visit on nature observation trips, and are keen for people living nearby to get involved in looking after the reserve.
D Moseley Reserve
The reserve supports a variety of plants, animals and insects. Especially fascinating are the twisted old trees, the childhood inspiration of the author JRR Tolkien, who often passed through as he lived nearby. The site also has great historical interest, since remains of an old mill and some nineteenth-century greenhouses have been found here.
E Druridge Park
The park contains a beautiful bay and sand dunes, plus a large freshwater lake surrounded by woods and meadows. This is available for launching windsurfers (by permit). You can also take a pleasant walk around the lake, or enjoy a picnic overlooking it.
F Abbotsbury
Visitors to Abbotsbury can enjoy the unusual experience of walking through the heart of a colony of nesting swans. Close to the beautiful Dorset coast, this unique natural wildlife habitat is also popular with film makers, and has been used as a location for a number of recent blockbusters.
Questions
Questions 1–7 True / False / Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text?
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 six advertisements for outdoor places to visit, A-F. For which place are the following statements true?
NB You may use any letter more than once.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | FALSE | The impression given in the media that curling is a relaxed game is far from the truth | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that TV or news might make curling look like a calm, slow, and restful sport, but that idea is completely wrong. Answer Explanation: The answer is FALSE because the statement claims that curling is played at a slow, gentle pace, but the text says it is not a relaxed game. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the text directly rejects the idea that curling is an easy or calm sport. While some people or media might think it is a "relaxed game" (meaning slow, gentle, or restful), the text clearly states this idea is "far from the truth" and notes that the game actually requires great "effort" and "skill". |
| Q2 | TRUE | Many start curling as children and continue to play well into retirement | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that people often begin playing curling as young children and still play when they are old and retired. Answer Explanation: The answer "TRUE" means that people can play curling whether they are very young or very old. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "TRUE" because the text explains that people can begin curling when they are "children" (young) and keep playing "well into retirement" (old). Therefore, people can take part in the sport at any stage of life. |
| Q3 | NOT GIVEN | Curling is also very social: you could easily find yourself playing a match against a team of international champions and sitting down to a coffee together afterwards | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that curling is a friendly sport where you might play a game opposite a team of world-class champions and chat over coffee later. It does not state whether a team itself can consist of both amateurs and professionals. Answer Explanation: The answer "NOT GIVEN" means that the text does not say whether a single curling team can have both professional and amateur players together. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is NOT GIVEN because the passage never mentions whether professional and amateur players are allowed to be on the same curling team. The text only mentions that you might play a match "against a team of international champions" and have coffee together afterwards. Since the text does not talk about mixing professionals and amateurs in one team, we cannot know if the statement is true or false. |
| Q4 | FALSE | If you are interested in taking up the sport but have never dared to try, why not come on our three-day initial familiarisation course | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that this three-day course is created for people who want to start the sport but have never tried it before. Answer Explanation: The answer "FALSE" means that the statement is incorrect according to the text. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because you do not need any past experience to join the course. The text specifically invites people who "have never dared to try" the sport to join the "three-day initial familiarisation course." Furthermore, Day 1 starts with the absolute basics, such as getting onto the ice safely and learning the basic rules. |
| Q5 | TRUE | we recommend:• layers of clothing, which you can remove as you warm up | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says it is a good idea to wear layers of clothes so that you can take some off when your body gets warmer during the activity. Answer Explanation: The answer TRUE means the passage agrees that it is a good idea to wear more than one top when you begin curling. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the text advises wearing multiple pieces of clothing over one another. Under the 'Clothing' section, it states that players need warmth and recommends 'layers of clothing, which you can remove as you warm up.' In this context, 'we recommend' matches 'it is best', 'layers of clothing' matches 'several tops', and taking them off 'as you warm up' means you should wear them at the beginning of the session. |
| Q6 | TRUE | fabrics which won’t drop fibres onto the ice surface | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that you should wear materials that do not drop small bits of thread or fluff onto the ice, which means you should avoid clothes made from materials that do. Answer Explanation: The answer "TRUE" means the passage confirms that people should not wear clothes made from specific types of fabrics or materials. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the text advises participants to choose clothing made of "fabrics which won’t drop fibres onto the ice surface." This means curlers must avoid materials that shed or drop threads onto the ice, confirming the statement. |
| Q7 | FALSE | If you plan to wear trainers instead, check that the soles are rubber; synthetic ones are very slippery on ice | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that trainers must have rubber bottoms, because synthetic bottoms slip easily on ice, showing that some trainers are not safe or suitable. Answer Explanation: The answer FALSE means that the statement is wrong according to the text. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because not all types of trainers are suitable. The text says that if you wear trainers, you must "check that the soles are rubber" because "synthetic ones are very slippery on ice." Therefore, you cannot wear just "any type of trainers." |
| Q8 | C | We do make it available for pupils to visit on nature observation trips, and are keen for people living nearby to get involved in looking after the reserve | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that school students can visit the area for study trips, and the managers really want local residents to take part in caring for the nature reserve. Answer Explanation: The answer 'C' means that Turner’s Wood is the location where the people running it would like local people to help take care of the area. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because the text for Turner’s Wood explains that the managers want local people to help maintain the area without being paid (volunteers). The passage states that they are 'keen for people living nearby to get involved in looking after the reserve'. In this context, being 'keen' means they welcome it, and 'people living nearby to get involved in looking after' means local volunteers helping out. |
| Q9 | D | the childhood inspiration of the author JRR Tolkien, who often passed through as he lived nearby | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that the famous writer (author) JRR Tolkien regularly visited and walked through this place because his home was close by. Answer Explanation: The answer 'D' means that Moseley Reserve is the location that an author or writer used to go to in the past. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is D because the paragraph about Moseley Reserve mentions that the author JRR Tolkien often walked through this area when he was young because he lived close to it. In English, an 'author' means a 'writer', and 'passed through' means he used to visit or go through this place. |
| Q10 | B | There are footpaths and cycleways in 120 acres of nature park, which will soon expand to 845 acres | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that the park now covers 120 acres of land, but it will grow much bigger to 845 acres soon. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Thurrock Thameside Nature Park (option B) is currently smaller than it is planned to be in the future. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because the text for Thurrock Thameside Nature Park states that the park is currently 120 acres, but it "will soon expand to 845 acres." The verb "expand" means to become larger or grow, which shows that the park has not reached its planned or intended size yet. |
| Q11 | E | This is available for launching windsurfers (by permit) | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that people can go windsurfing on the lake if they have an official permit. Answer Explanation: The answer "E" means that Druridge Park is the location where people can do a water sport if they have permission. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is E because section E states that the lake can be used for "launching windsurfers (by permit)". Windsurfing is a water sport, and requiring a "permit" means it is allowed under certain conditions, which matches "sometimes possible". |
| Q12 | B | In the centre of the park is an exciting new visitor centre built on the site of a former waste disposal site, with superb views over the River Thames | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the middle of this park has a new building standing where trash used to be thrown away in the past. Answer Explanation: The answer B means Thurrock Thameside Nature Park. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because the text mentions that the visitor centre at Thurrock Thameside Nature Park is built on a "former waste disposal site". The word "former" means "once" or in the past, and "waste disposal" means a place used to throw away or get rid of trash and rubbish. |
| Q13 | C | We do make it available for pupils to visit on nature observation trips | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that school students (pupils) are allowed to visit this place to observe and learn about nature. Answer Explanation: The answer "C" refers to Turner’s Wood. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because the text states that Turner’s Wood is opened for "pupils to visit on nature observation trips." The word "pupils" means school students or learners, and "nature observation trips" are learning activities. Therefore, these trips serve "educational purposes." |
| Q14 | A | The ruined castle, built by John Buchanan in the nineteenth century, was once the main visitor centre | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that the broken-down castle from the 1800s used to be the main building where guests went to receive information. Answer Explanation: The answer "A" means that Balloch Castle Country Park is the place where an old building was used in the past to give information to visitors. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because section A explains that the castle at Balloch Castle Country Park used to be a visitor centre. In this text, "The ruined castle, built by John Buchanan in the nineteenth century" represents "an old building", the phrase "was once" means "in the past", and "visitor centre" means a place that "was used to provide information to people". |