Part 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-15, which are based on Reading

Passage 1.

What Guide Dogs Do

A Guide dogs help blind or visually impaired people get around in the world. In

most countries, they are allowed anywhere that the public is allowed, so they can help

their handlers be any place they might want to go to. To do this, a guide dog must know

how to keep on a direct route, ignoring distractions such as smells, other animals and

people, maintain a steady pace, to the left and just ahead of the handler, recognize and

avoid obstacles that the handler won't be able to fit through (narrow passages and low

overheads) and obey a number of verbal commands.

B Additionally, a guide dog must know to disobey any command that would put the

handler in danger. This skill, called selective disobedience, is perhaps the most amazing

thing about guide dogs -- that they can balance obedience with their own assessment of

the situation. This capacity is extremely important at road crossings, where the handler

and dog must work very closely together to navigate the situation safely. When the team

reaches the curb, the dog stops, signalling to the handler that they have reached a

crossing. Dogs cannot distinguish the between red, green or amber traffic lights, so the

handler must make the decision of when it is safe to proceed across the road. The

handler listens to the flow of traffic to figure out when the light has changed and then
gives the command "forward." If there is no danger, the dog proceeds across the road in

a straight line. If there are cars approaching, the dog waits until the danger is gone and

then follows the forward command.

C In a handler-guide dog team, the guide dog doesn't lead the handler and the

handler doesn't completely control the guide dog; the two work together to get from

place to place. The guide dog doesn't know where the destination is, so it must follow

the handler's instructions of how far to go and when to turn. The handler can't see where

obstructions lie, so the guide dog must make its own decisions as to how to navigate the

team's path. Each half of the team relies on the other to accomplish the tasks at hand. As

a guide dog gets more experience with its handler, it may be able to take on even more

responsibility. For example, many veteran guide dogs know all of their master's usual

destinations. All the handler has to tell them is "go to the office" or "find the coffee

shop," and the guide dog will follow the complete route!

D Most guide dog schools use golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers or German

shepherds. These three breeds are characterized by intelligence, obedience, stamina and

friendliness, and so are well suited for the job. Guide dog schools breed their dogs very

carefully, choosing parents with intelligence and special guiding ability. Even with this

attention to good breeding, many puppies don't turn out to be suited for the job.

Instructors screen puppies for guiding aptitude, and release 20 percent of them from the

program. Training is a rigorous process for both the instructors and the dogs, but it's also

a lot of fun. To make sure the dogs are up to the challenge, most schools put them
through extensive trials before beginning the training. The tests are designed to assess

the dogs' self-confidence level, since only extremely confident dogs will be able to deal

with the pressure of guiding instruction. If a dog passes the tests, it begins the training

program right away.

E Different schools have different programs, but typically training will last four to

five months. To make sure the dogs master all the complex guide skills, the instructors

have to introduce them to each idea gradually. Once they have introduced what is

expected of the dog, training is essentially a matter of rewarding correct performance

and changing incorrect performance. This works with dogs because they are pack

animals and have a natural need to please an authority figure. The instructor, and later

the handler, is simply stepping into the place of the alpha dog, the leader of the pack.

Unlike ordinary obedience training, guide dog training does not use food as a reward for

good performance. This is because a guide dog must be able to work around food

without being distracted by it. Instead, instructors use praise or other reward systems to

encourage correct performance. The standard means of correction is pulling on the dog’s

leash, so that it pulls a training collar, giving the dog a slight pinch. Using this basic

reward/ punishment system, instructors work through the necessary skills of guiding.

F Guide dogs are typically trained by highly qualified instructors, who are assisted

by a number of apprentice instructors. Procedures vary from school to school, but in

general, trainers must spend two to three years as a supervised apprentice before they

can move up to master instructor. Instructors and apprentice instructors are typically
college graduates with a good deal of prior experience dealing with both animals and

people. Because most guide dog schools are non-profit institutions, instructor pay is

relatively low for the education level required; even so, openings don't come up all that

often, and attract many hopeful applicants. Often, trainers work their way up to

apprentice instructor by working with the school on a lower level, such as raising guide

dog puppies. The job is extremely demanding intellectually, emotionally and physically.

Instructors work very hard for long hours, and they must constantly deal not only with

difficult animals but also with difficult people. It is definitely rewarding work, though.

Instructors say they get a great deal of satisfaction from helping a difficult dog master its

job, and they're certainly very happy putting together a functioning dog-and-handler

team.
Question 1-7

Reading Passage 1 has 6 paragraphs labelled A-F

Which paragraph contains the following information?

Write the letters A – F on your answer sheet, in boxes 1 to 7. NB You may use any letter

more than once.

1. The guide dog related to its owner as it would to a dominant animal.

2. There is a lot of competition for jobs as an instructor.

3. Good guide dogs have a range of skills, behaviours and knowledge.

4. Guide dog training differs from that of other dogs in that treats are not given.

5. The dogs are thoroughly vetted to evaluate their character.

6. Most dog trainers have been to university.

7. Dogs have different visual faculties from humans.

Question 8 – 15

Complete each sentence with the correct ending A – H from the box below.

Write the letters A to H on your answer sheet, in boxes 8 to 15.

8. Trained dogs are taught to disobey orders

9. Labradors are well suited to be a guide dog

10. Despite the attention to breeding and careful selection

11. In order to ensure correct behaviour

12. Training works with dogs because

13. Most trainers must serve a 3-year apprenticeship

14. Trainers are not very well paid

15. Guide dogs are trained to ensure that

A. To become a mater instructor.

B. Because they are intelligent and friendly.

C. If the result would put their handler in danger.

D. A warm tone and some physical discomforts are used.

E. About one fifth of dogs do not progress through training.

F. They ignore any unnecessary stimuli.’

G. As pack animals they like to pleasure the figure in authority.

H. As most schools do not work for profit.

 Part 2

You should spend about 20 minutes on Question 16 – 25 which are based on Reading

Passage 2.

Video Games and Children

A. Research has shown that playing video games can be beneficial for a number of

cognitive functions and may also contain social benefits. They educate, provide space for

creativity and offer healthy social interaction. One important aspect in a game is that

following directions can be crucial to success. In order to progress in games, one must

first learn to follow the guidelines, restrictions and components of them. As the player

confronts new challenges, they must use problem-solving to find solutions. This is true

for educational games, mind games, and Role-Playing Games alike. The player cannot get

through with what they already have or know and must find new combinations and

incorporate old skills with new skills to overcome obstacles such as the level or quest

(Gee, 2003). In relation to this, the player can also learn strategy and anticipation,

management of resources (simulation games), mapping, pattern recognition, how to judge

the situation and practice reading (with directions, dialogue, etc.) and quantitative

calculations (through educational games, managing finances, buying and selling.

B. But at the same time, the best examples are very addictive and gamers are tempted

to play for increasing lengths of time. Excessive behaviour in any area of life rightly

signals alarm bells for parents. However, for an emerging technology like games, it can be
hard to differentiate between excess and enthusiasm. It's difficult for parents to judge

what is a healthy time commitment if they are not game-players themselves. One

approach is to look at the available statistics. A 2012 consumer study demonstrated that a

surprisingly wide range of ages play games: 40% of the UK population in fact, of which

24% play at least weekly. This picture is brought into greater focus by last year's

government briefing. It states that in England, video games were played for two hours or

more a day by 55% of boys and 20% of girls in 2010.

C. On the more extreme end of the spectrum, the clinical physiologist Dr Jane

Hucksteth (2010) reported that 7% of teens in the UK play more than 30 hours of

computer games a week. However, the impact on their school work and social life needed

further study. "It is agreed that excessive screen time - over four hours with no break - can

be a bad thing." said Dr Hucksteth, "There is a lot of research on this. However, we

should also consider time of day, weekends versus school days and the age of the child

before we can assess the overall impact on their welfare. "Gaming is far from a

diagnosable addiction but some of the language of addiction can help parents identify

when things are getting excessive".

D. Indications include playing every day, devoting long periods of time, sacrificing

other activities, neglecting homework and moodiness. The last two may describe many of

our children, but Hucksteth suggests that where four or more of these factors exist there

may be cause for concern and a need for parents to step in. "Games should be played as

part of a healthy and balanced lifestyle," agrees Dr Jo Iwynum of KIE, the OK games
industry trade body. "Players should take regular breaks - a good guide is five minutes

rest every 45 - 60 minutes of game play." In light of this, appropriate gaming time is more

about its impact on the child's wider life than a hard and fast time limit. As children get

older, they will naturally integrate gaming among other activities (outside interests,

friendship groups and even homework) so the dividing line will become more blurred.

E. Distinguishing gaming habits from time spent on other forms of screen time is

also important. While TV and video games appear similar on the surface, the interactive

nature of the latter results in an experience more like a physical toy. Dr Twynum

highlights this misunderstanding. "I'm not sure games provide any different parameters to

other immersive activities. Would we ask 'How long should children play Lego for'?".

Video games offer distinct advantages over television, particularly the recent trend in

cross-over titles like "Skylanders' and "Disney Infinity"; these come with plastic action

figures which allow children to play away from the screen - although, of course, parents

may object to the costs involved in buying multiple characters on top of the games

themselves.

F. If parents are concerned that their child is spending excess time on gaming,

keeping game technology in shared spaces rather than bedrooms is by far the most

effective and informal solution. This does require compromise on both the part of the

child (losing their private pursuit) and the parent (having to share the living room) but has

the advantage of not only keeping games under surveillance but encouraging families to

play together - something that children are often more enthusiastic about than parents
anticipate. Using Parental Controls to restrict access to particular games is a good driver

for conversation and agreement over appropriate gaming habits in family. There are also

specific hardware features, for example a timer that pauses the action after a pre-

determined amount of daily screen time. A combination of these references’ points,

regular breaks, along with moving technology back into family spaces, ensures parents

and children maintain a healthy relationship to video games and involvement in the

family unit.
Question 16 – 21

Reading Passage 2 has six paragraphs labelled A – F. Choose the correct heading for

each paragraph, from the possible options i – ix. Write the correct number, i – ix in

boxes 16 – 21 on your answer sheet.

List of Headings

i. Comparing games with other electronic media.

ii. Types of intervention for game addicts.

iii. Video games as a learning tool.

iv. Tell-tale signs of addiction.

v. Playing time: not the only consideration.

vi. How schools should manage video-gamers.

vii. Evaluating video games usage patterns.

viii. How gaming develops technological skills.

16 Paragraph A

17 Paragraph B

18 Paragraph C

19 Paragraph D

20 Paragraph E

21 Paragraph F
Question 22 – 25

Compete the summary below using words from the text.

NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.

To reduce the risk of addiction to video games, experts agree that it is good for players to

22 from game playing. However, we should be careful not to overemphasise

the similarity between gaming and other screen-based entertainment. Gaming is less like

watching television and closer to playing with 23 In fact, some children’s

video games have characters who are also represented as 24 One way to

monitor children’s gaming habits is to locate the equipment 25