University Curling: Equipment, Players And Basic Rules - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From Collins Practice Tests For IELTS 2 General Training Reading Test 1 · Part 2 · Questions 15–26
Reading Passage
Read the information below and answer Questions 15-26.
University Curling: equipment, players and basic rules
Equipment
- All equipment will be provided, including stones. Take care of the stones. They are extremely heavy and should never be lifted. Stones (also called rocks) should not be thrown overly hard and should always be stopped using your brush, not your foot, otherwise they may injure you or knock you over. Curling stones are expensive and replacement costs exceed £800 per stone.
- Players must wear appropriate clothing – the arena can be chilly. Wear warm, loose-fitting clothing; gloves and hats are optional.
- Lockers are free of charge, but you must bring your own lock.
Club rules
- A valid student card must be brought to the game and produced on request. The sports manager will frequently check players' student cards. Failure to produce a valid card will automatically lead to a player being disqualified.
- No street shoes are permitted on the arena surface. You must wear a clean pair of shoes.
- Alcohol consumption is not permitted during games.
Sports carding system
A card system has been created to promote an enjoyable atmosphere for all participants. Officials and/or sports managers may issue either a yellow or a red card to any participant before, during or after a contest for inappropriate conduct. Team captains are responsible for making sure their team mates understand the carding system and play by the rules.
Yellow cards may be issued for:
- bad language
- arguing with officials or supervisors
- delaying the game
- failure to comply with equipment regulations
Red cards (immediate game ejection) may be issued for:
- offensive language and/or behaviour to an official or other player
- physical threats or physical violence directed at an official or other player
- fighting of any sort
Game rules
- Each team consists of 4–8 players and can include any combination of males and females. A minimum of three players is needed to start a game.
- Score cards are provided by the sports manager. Both captains must sign the score card at the end of the game.
- If there is a dispute, the sports manager will make a decision. That decision is final.
- Games last for 6 ends or rounds or 2 hours, whichever finishes first. Games start at 8:30 p.m. Please be at the sports club a quarter of an hour prior to the game starting.
- The winner of a coin toss has the option of playing first or second. The loser gets to choose the colour of stones.
- A team scores one point for each stone that slides nearer the centre circle than any stone of the opposing team.
- Players must not throw two stones towards each other or engage in any other negligent behaviour. Failure to comply with these rules will result in a team being automatically ejected from the league, and the team may be liable for any damage that occurs as a result.
Game details
- Curling stones: When you throw a stone down the ice, it will curl, or bend, one way or another depending on how the player has thrown it and how much rotation they have applied to it. How much (or little) a stone curls also depends on the conditions of the playing surface and the actions of the team players who are sweeping the ice in front of the stone.
- Sweeping: Sweeping before the stone makes it curl less and travel further. Captains don't sweep stones frequently; they are responsible for their team's strategy.
Questions
Questions 15–20 True / False / Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the information leaflet?
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
15
You should wear clothing that keeps you cool.
16
Lockers are available in three sizes.
17
You may be asked to provide your student card.
18
You can only go on the arena surface if you are wearing special curling shoes.
19
Players who behave badly will be fined.
20
Players can be sent off for hitting another person.
Questions 21–26 Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS or A NUMBER from the leaflet for each answer.
- Each game takes 21 or six rounds.
- The player who wins the 22 can choose which team starts the game.
- The direction of the stone can be curled, depending upon how it is thrown, how much 23 a player gives it, and other factors.
- Team players can make the stone travel further by 24 in front of it.
- Points are scored for getting stones near the 25 of the target.
- The captain tells team members how they should play and also decides on the team's 26
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q15 | FALSE | Players must wear appropriate clothing – the arena can be chilly. Wear warm, loose-fitting clothing; gloves and hats are optional | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the ice rink area can be quite cold, so people playing should wear clothes that provide warmth and are easy to move in. Answer Explanation: The answer is FALSE because the statement says you should wear clothes that keep you cool, but the text says you should wear clothes that keep you warm. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the text explains that the place where they play curling can be cold (chilly). Therefore, the rules say players must wear warm clothes. The statement 'keeps you cool' contradicts the advice to wear 'warm' clothing. |
| Q16 | NOT GIVEN | Lockers are free of charge, but you must bring your own lock | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that you can use lockers for no money, but you have to bring your own tool to lock them. It says nothing about how big or small the lockers are. Answer Explanation: The answer is NOT GIVEN because the text says lockers are available, but it does not say anything about their sizes. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is NOT GIVEN because while the text mentions that lockers are free to use if you provide your own lock, it does not contain any information regarding the physical dimensions or the specific number of sizes available to the players. |
| Q17 | TRUE | A valid student card must be brought to the game and produced on request | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that you must have a student card with you at the game and show it to someone if they ask to see it. Answer Explanation: The answer is TRUE because the rules say you might need to show your student identification card. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE. According to the 'Club rules' section, players are required to have a student card with them and must show it if they are asked. The instructions state that the card must be 'produced on request', which means you must be ready to provide it if an official asks for it. |
| Q18 | NOT GIVEN | No street shoes are permitted on the arena surface. You must wear a clean pair of shoes | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that players are forbidden from wearing their outdoor shoes on the ice and must use shoes that are not dirty. It does not state that these shoes must be a special type specifically made for curling. Answer Explanation: The answer is NOT GIVEN because the text tells us we need clean shoes, but it does not say if those clean shoes must be special curling shoes or just regular clean shoes. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is NOT GIVEN because the passage only mentions two things about footwear: that 'street shoes' (shoes worn outside) are not allowed and that players must wear 'clean' shoes. It never specifies types of 'special curling shoes,' so we do not know if such specific footwear is a requirement or if any clean pair of athletic shoes would be acceptable. |
| Q19 | FALSE | Officials and/or sports managers may issue either a yellow or a red card to any participant before, during or after a contest for inappropriate conduct | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that if a player behaves in a way that is not allowed, the people in charge can give them one of two things: a yellow card or a red card. Answer Explanation: The answer is FALSE because the text states that players will receive yellow or red cards for bad behavior, rather than being forced to pay money as a fine. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the passage outlines a specific "Sports carding system" to deal with "inappropriate conduct" (bad behavior). It explicitly states that officials may issue "either a yellow or a red card" for such behavior. The use of the words "either... or" implies that these are the two types of penalties used. There is no mention of a "fine"—which is a punishment requiring someone to pay money—for behaving badly. |
| Q20 | TRUE | Red cards (immediate game ejection) may be issued for physical threats or physical violence directed at an official or other player |
Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that a player will be forced to leave the game immediately (a red card) if they use violence or make physical threats against a game official or another player. Answer Explanation: The answer is TRUE because the university rules state that players can be kicked out of the game immediately if they act violently toward someone else. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the passage mentions a 'red card' system. In sports, getting a red card means an 'immediate game ejection,' which is another way of saying being 'sent off' or forced to leave the game. The text lists 'physical violence' as a reason for a red card. Hitting someone is a form of physical violence, so a player who hits another person can indeed be sent off. |
| Q21 | two hours / 2 hours | Games last for 6 ends or rounds or 2 hours, whichever finishes first | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that a game is over after six units of play (rounds) or after two hours, depending on which one finishes earlier. Answer Explanation: The answer means that a game will stop after two hours or after six rounds have been completed. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'two / 2 hours' because the text says a game can end in two ways: either six rounds happen, or two hours of time go by. It uses the phrase 'whichever finishes first' to show that both are time limits for the match. |
| Q22 | coin toss | The winner of a coin toss has the option of playing first or second | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the person who wins the coin flip gets to choose if they want to be the first or the second player to go. Answer Explanation: The answer is a coin toss. This is a way to make a decision by throwing a coin in the air to see which side lands facing up. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'coin toss' because the text explains that this action decides who starts. The person who wins the 'coin toss' is given the 'option' (choice) to play 'first or second'. This matches the sentence about choosing which team starts the game. |
| Q23 | rotation | When you throw a stone down the ice, it will curl, or bend, one way or another depending on how the player has thrown it and how much rotation they have applied to it | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that when a player throws the stone, its path will curve or bend. This change in direction happens because of two things: the way the player throws the stone and the amount of spinning speed (rotation) the player adds to the stone. Answer Explanation: The answer "rotation" refers to the spinning motion of the curling stone as it moves. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer matches the information in the 'Game details' section of the text. The sentence asks for a factor that affects how much a stone bends or 'curls' when thrown. The passage specifically mentions that how much rotation a player applies (gives to the stone) is one of the main factors influencing its direction. |
| Q24 | sweeping | Sweeping before the stone makes it curl less and travel further | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that if players rub the ice before the stone passes over it, the stone will not curve as much and will go a longer distance. Answer Explanation: The answer "sweeping" is an action where players use a brush to rub the ice in front of the moving stone. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "sweeping" because the text explains that this specific action helps the stone move a longer distance. In the text, the phrase "travel further" matches the sentence in the task, and it clearly links this result to the action of sweeping. |
| Q25 | centre circle | A team scores one point for each stone that slides nearer the centre circle than any stone of the opposing team | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that players get a point whenever one of their stones lands closer to the middle circle than their opponents' stones. Answer Explanation: The answer 'centre circle' refers to the middle part of the target area where players aim to slide their stones. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'centre circle' because the passage defines how a team earns points by sliding their stones close to a specific spot. Under the 'Game rules' section, it explains that points are granted when a stone is closer to the 'centre circle' than the stones thrown by the other team. The sentence in the question uses the word 'target' as a synonym or reference for the area where players aim, which the text specifically identifies as the 'centre circle'. |
| Q26 | strategy | they are responsible for their team's strategy | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that the captains are the ones in charge of making the plans for how their team will play. Answer Explanation: The answer 'strategy' refers to the set of plans or decisions a team makes to achieve their goal and win the game. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in the final section of the text under 'Game details'. It explains that while other players might be busy sweeping the ice, the captains have a different job. They focus on managing the game and deciding on the team's strategy, which is the plan for how the group should play. The word 'strategy' fits the sentence describing the captain's role. |