UniReady & Shawlands Literary Festival - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From Collins Practice Tests For IELTS 2 General Training Reading Test 1 · Part 1 · Questions 1–14
Reading Passage
Read the advertisement below and answer Questions 1-7.
UniReady
UniReady are specialist suppliers of student essentials. We supply a range of products, including bedding, cooking equipment, cleaning products and personal hygiene products. Orders are delivered directly to your hall of residence at very competitive prices.
Luxury Bedroom, Bathroom & Kitchen Pack (Single)
This luxury pack truly has everything. It is perfect for anyone who wants the best waiting for them on arrival. It is great value for money and you can begin settling in and making friends without having to worry about shopping for these essential items. This pack is for single beds. Items are available in a variety of colours.
Luxury Bedding Pack
- Single superior duvet
- Pillow
- Single fitted sheet
Luxury Bath Pack
- Face cloth
- Hand towel
- Bath towel
- Bathroom pack (soap, shampoo & conditioner)
- Hangers x10
Luxury Utensil Pack
- Corkscrew
- Tin opener
- Vegetable peeler
- Wooden spoon
Luxury Crockery Pack
- Knife & fork
- Dessert spoon
- Teaspoon
- Dinner plate
- Side plate
- Cereal bowl
- Mug
- Glass tumbler
Luxury Extra Pack
- Chopping board
- 6-piece wooden knife block
Essentials Pack
This pack is right for anyone in catered accommodation or for someone who is in a shared flat and just wants the basics to be there on arrival. We even give you a free bathroom pack to help you clean up before you head off to meet all your new uni mates.
Essentials Bedding Pack
- Single duvet
- Pillow
- Single fitted sheet
Essentials Bath Pack
- Soap, shampoo & conditioner
Essentials Crockery Pack
- Knife & fork
- Dessert spoon
- Teaspoon
- Dinner plate
- Side plate
- Cereal bowl
- Mug
- Glass tumbler
If you would like your items to be delivered by a recorded service, this can be done at a cost of £6.00 to an address provided by you. If you are not able to be at home to receive this delivery, it can be left at the reception desk at your halls of residence.
______________
Read the information below and answer Questions 9-14.
Shawlands Literary Festival
A Adventure thrillers
Two of our bestselling writers of adventure novels for young adults, Sophie Galliano and Robert McKenzie, talk about their writing. Galliano discusses her action-packed new novel, Second Chance, and McKenzie introduces his new thriller, Tribal Fissure. Both authors write stories full of excitement and adventure – now is your chance to hear how.
B Cold War stories
Bestselling author Jed Mack tells the story of one of the most notorious spies in US history. During the Cold War the spy, Tony Houghton, passed top secret information on to the enemy and even betrayed his closest friends and fellow agents working undercover in the USSR. Using newly released information, and with help from Houghton's former colleagues, Mack tells a story of secrecy, trust and betrayal.
C Conversations with poets
You will have the rare opportunity to hear award-winning Jamaican poet Goldy Fritzberg in conversation with fellow poet and the festival's creative writing director, Penny Worcester, about their work.
D Cartoon workshop
Make sure that you join our workshop with the brilliant artist Roger Nial. Come and learn some of his tips for creating comic characters and zany stories. Although mainly aimed at older children, there is plenty of inspirational family fun for everyone, so sign up and make your own comic creation.
E Lost Civilisation
Writer Rab Greenham explains how he learnt of the lost world of the Maya, their gods, their art and their knowledge of science. Travelling around Central America, Greenham explored the background of a culture now lost to history. In this session, you can hear about the various adventures Greenham had while he was gathering material for his book.
F How to write for the stage
Dramaturge Keith O'Reilly gives a masterclass in stage writing. The author of several award-winning stage dramas, O'Reilly explores the art of writing dialogue and plots in an unmissable session.
G Word salad
Would you like to combine two of your favourite things? Eva Katic explores the connection between our appetites and our love of words with a talk about food poetry. She also invites her audience to bring along some of their favourite recipes to help the evening along.
H Every Stone a God
Grayson Hinds has been chosen as one of the best young writers of the year. In this session she talks about her new novel, Every Stone a God, a powerful story of love and friendship during the Second World War. A young woman is living a bohemian lifestyle in Germany when a visiting professor takes her under his wing. Their friendship develops into love – and a frightening dilemma for both.
Questions
Questions 1–8 True / False / Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the advertisement?
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
For which sessions, A-H, are the following statements true?
Write the correct letter, A-H, next to Questions 9-14. Note: There are more three sessions than you will need.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | FALSE | This pack is for single beds | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that this specific package of items is designed to be used only with single beds. Answer Explanation: The answer is FALSE because the statement says the pack works for all beds, but the text says it only works for one specific size. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the advertisement specifically says the pack is for 'single beds'. A single bed is just one type of bed. Therefore, it is incorrect to say the pack is 'suitable for any kind of bed', as it would not fit a larger bed like a double bed. |
| Q2 | TRUE | Luxury Utensil Pack Corkscrew Tin opener Vegetable peeler Wooden spoon | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage lists the contents of the Luxury Utensil Pack, which contains tools like a vegetable peeler and a wooden spoon that are used to help prepare food in the kitchen. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the kit called the "Luxury Pack" contains tools that help you get food ready to cook or eat. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the Luxury Pack includes a variety of kitchen tools specifically designed for preparation. Under the "Luxury Utensil Pack" and "Luxury Extra Pack" sections, the advertisement lists items like a "Vegetable peeler," "Wooden spoon," and "Chopping board." These are items used to prepare food (getting it ready) rather than just being used for eating. |
| Q3 | NOT GIVEN | Items are available in a variety of colours | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that there are many different colors, but it does not list a specific number like four. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the advertisement does not provide information about the specific number of colors available. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is NOT GIVEN because while the advertisement mentions that the items come in "a variety of colours," it never specifies exactly how many. The word 'variety' just means 'many different kinds' or 'several,' but it does not tell the reader if there are four, five, or ten colors available to choose from. |
| Q4 | TRUE | Essentials Bedding Pack Single duvet | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage lists a single duvet as part of the items included in the Essentials Bedding Pack. A duvet is a large, soft bag filled with feathers or other warm material that you sleep under instead of blankets. Answer Explanation: The answer is TRUE because the Essentials Pack includes an item that a person uses to cover themselves while sleeping. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the passage describes the contents of the 'Essentials Pack'. Within this section, it lists an 'Essentials Bedding Pack', which includes a 'Single duvet'. A duvet is a thick, warm blanket used to sleep under. Therefore, the statement that the pack contains something to sleep under matches the information in the text. |
| Q5 | NOT GIVEN | Cereal bowl | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage mentions the 'Cereal bowl' as part of a list of items for students, but it provides no information about what material was used to make the bowl. Answer Explanation: The answer is NOT GIVEN because the advertisement does not tell us what the bowls are made of. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is NOT GIVEN because the advertisement lists a 'Cereal bowl' as something you will receive in the equipment packs, but it never says if it is made of plastic, ceramic, or any other material. Because this specific information is missing from the passage, we cannot settle whether the statement is true or false. |
| Q6 | TRUE | If you are not able to be at home to receive this delivery, it can be left at the reception desk at your halls of residence | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that if you cannot be at home when the delivery arrives, the items can be left at the reception desk for you. Answer Explanation: The answer means that your items can still be brought to you even if you are out of your house. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the text explains what happens if you cannot get the items yourself. It mentions that the delivery can be dropped off at the front desk (reception desk) of your building. This means that you do not have to be there for the delivery to happen. |
| Q7 | FALSE | Bath towel | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage lists a single bath towel as part of the items you get in the Luxury Bath Pack. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the statement is wrong because the pack only contains one bath towel, not two. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the advertisement lists the specific items found inside the 'Luxury Bath Pack' section of the 'Luxury Pack'. The list simply says 'Bath towel' without a number, which indicates there is only one. In contrast, other items like hangers are listed with a quantity ('Hangers x10') to show there is more than one. |
| Q8 | TRUE | This pack is right for anyone in catered accommodation or for someone who is in a shared flat and just wants the basics to be there on arrival | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage tells us that the Essentials Pack is suitable for someone in a 'shared flat,' which is a place where you live together with others. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the statement is correct: the Essentials Pack is designed for students who live with other people. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the advertisement says the Essentials Pack is for students living in a 'shared flat.' To 'share' a flat means to live in the same home with other people, which matches the description in the question. |
| Q9 | D | Although mainly aimed at older children, there is plenty of inspirational family fun for everyone, so sign up and make your own comic creation | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the lesson is mostly for older kids but can be fun for the whole family, and that students will get to make their own comic art. Answer Explanation: The answer is session D, which is the 'Cartoon workshop'. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is D because it describes an art-based workshop led by an artist. The session involves 'creating comic characters,' which requires drawing. The text also states that the workshop is 'mainly aimed at older children,' which is a category that includes the age range of ten to twelve years old mentioned in the question. |
| Q10 | H | Grayson Hinds has been chosen as one of the best young writers of the year. In this session she talks about her new novel, Every Stone a God, a powerful story of love and friendship during the Second World War | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that the author is discussing her new novel, which tells a story that happened a long time ago during World War II. Answer Explanation: The answer is session H because it features a writer talking about a novel based in the past. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is H because the passage describes Grayson Hinds' book as a 'novel' (a fictional or made-up story) that takes place 'during the Second World War'. Historical fiction refers to stories that are made up but take place during a real time in history. The mention of the Second World War provides the historical setting, and the word 'novel' confirms it is a work of fiction. |
| Q11 | F | F How to write for the stage Dramaturge Keith O'Reilly gives a masterclass in stage writing. The author of several award-winning stage dramas, O'Reilly explores the art of writing dialogue and plots in an unmissable session |
Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage provides the title of the session and explains that an expert will teach a class on 'stage writing.' It also mentions that he writes 'stage dramas,' confirming that the session is about writing plays for the theater. Answer Explanation: The answer F refers to the session titled 'How to write for the stage,' featuring Keith O'Reilly. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is F because this session is specifically designed for people interested in theater. The passage uses terms like 'stage writing' and 'stage dramas,' which are synonyms for writing plays. It describes a 'masterclass,' which means a lesson for learning, specifically focusing on how to create the conversations (dialogue) and stories (plots) used in plays. |
| Q12 | A | Two of our bestselling writers of adventure novels for young adults, Sophie Galliano and Robert McKenzie, talk about their writing | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that two popular authors who write exciting stories for teenagers will come to talk about their books. Answer Explanation: The answer is A, which is the session called 'Adventure thrillers'. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because it describes a session with authors who write 'adventure novels' for 'young adults'. In English, 'young adults' is a common term used to mean teenagers. The text also uses words like 'action-packed' and 'thriller,' which are words people use for action stories. |
| Q13 | E | Travelling around Central America, Greenham explored the background of a culture now lost to history. In this session, you can hear about the various adventures Greenham had while he was gathering material for his book | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that the author went to Central America to study an old culture and then wrote a book based on what he learned and experienced there. Answer Explanation: The answer is session E because it is a talk about a book that looks at the history and culture of a specific region. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is E because this session features Rab Greenham, who wrote a book about the Maya civilization. The passage mentions that he traveled around Central America, which is a particular part of the world, to gather information and material for his book. Since the book is about exploring a real historical culture (the Maya), its art, and science, it is considered a non-fiction work. |
| Q14 | C | You will have the rare opportunity to hear award-winning Jamaican poet Goldy Fritzberg in conversation with fellow poet and the festival's creative writing director, Penny Worcester, about their work | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that people can listen to two poets (who are both writers) having a talk together about what they have written. Answer Explanation: The answer is option C. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because this session is the only one that specifically describes two writers (in this case, poets) talking to one another. The phrase 'in conversation with fellow poet' implies a dialogue between two peers, which matches the idea of 'fellow writers talking to each other.' |