SOFL FLAIC Moscow

2023

Reading Flow-chart- and table

completion
Paraphrasing for the sentence completion
questions
 2

Key reminder of strategies to use on the Reading IELTS exam, for the completion
tasks in particular:
Tip 1
Exam information: Completion tasks
Completion tasks test your ability to find and understand detailed or specific information in a text.
You will be told how many words you should use (e.g. no more than two words, one word only, no more than two words and a number). Numbers can be written in
numbers (e.g. 5) or words (e.g. five). Hyphenated words count as one word (e.g. state-of-the-art counts as one word).

Tip 2
Skimming
Skim reading a text before you look at the questions not only helps you with tasks that require you to identify the general idea of paragraphs, but also with more
detailed reading tasks. This is because your skim read can help you to form a ‘mental map’ of the text, which will help you identify the correct areas to look for
answers in.

Tip 3
Exam tip: When you are looking for specific information (e.g. places, names, phrases), move your eyes down the text, looking only for words and phrases related to
the information you want. Do not read word for word, do not stop if there are words you do not know, and ignore any information you do not need. This technique is
called ‘scanning’. You can also use the text style or formatting to help you. Sometimes, numbers, uppercase letters, italics, bold print, quotation marks and other visual
information within a text can help you locate the information you want.
 3

Key reminder of strategies to use on the Reading IELTS exam, for the completion
tasks in particular:
Tips 4-7
Read all instructions carefully. Especially for questions which require you to answer in NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS OR A NUMBER.

Search for and underline the ‘keywords’. Usually, some of the words in the questions have the same meaning to words in the passage. For example, if the passage
includes the words ‘towns and cities’, ‘elderly people’, the question might use the words ‘urban’, and ‘senior citizens’.

When you look for details, circle transitional words and phrases such as ‘in contrast’, ‘however’ in order to ensure that these words and phrases work as a sign
that important information may appear before or after them.

IELTS distinguishes itself by using paraphrasing widely, that is a range of different language for the same meaning. When you look at questions or statements, think
about possible paraphrases

Tip 8
While reading pay attention to how words relate to each other.

Understanding how words relate to each other, within the structure of a text, will help you identify meaning and decide which words are important. You may
understand the overall meaning of a sentence or a text, but not specific words or examples of what is being discussed or vice versa.

Words can be divided into the following categories: content words and grammar words.
Content words are words that give information. They may be nouns (for example, dog, concept), verbs (to act, to go), adjectives (awake, considerable) or adverbs
(very, unusually). Content words may form a group of words.

Grammar words are words that show grammatical structure and indicate how other words in a sentence relate to one other. They can be helpful for understanding
meaning, but they do not directly give information themselves. They may include prepositions (for example, up, under), pronouns (he, her), determiners and articles
(some, many, few, the, a, an) or auxiliary verbs (is/are, have).
 4

Look at two versions of a sentence with different words blanked out and decide
which version you should be focusing on when you skim read? Give reasons.
Version 1.
It is /_______/ to /_______/ how /_______/ has /_______/, given that the /_______/ in the /_______/its /_______/ a mere /_______/.

Version 2.
/_______/ astonishing /_______/ contemplate /_______/ popular junk food /_______/ become, /_______/ first fast-food restaurant /_______/ US only opened
/_______/ doors /_______/ century ago.
 5
Without reading a full sentence in any of the paragraphs, skim read the text below. Try to notice the key meaning-carrying words in each one. Then match the main ideas/functions (1-6) with each paragraph .
1. Provides an explanation for the 2. Makes a 3. Outlines a growing phenomenon 4. Describe process 5. Contrast opposing viewpoints 6. Relates a problem to a
way people act prediction specific group of people
THE UNSTOPPABLE RISE OF BURGERS AND FRIES
A. It is astonishing to contemplate how popular junk food has become, given that the first fast food restaurant in the US only opened its doors a mere century ago. Since then, high-calorie processed meals have
taken over the world, with multinational restaurant chains aggressively chasing levels of growth that show no sign of slowing down. Much of this expansion is currently taking place in less developed parts of the
world, where potential for customer loyalty is seen as easier to develop, but it is not just in these areas where such growth is visible. Indeed, a recent study from the University of Cambridge found that the
number of takeaways in the United Kingdom rose by 45 per cent between 1997 and 2015. This explosion in the takeaway trade is not an inevitable outcome of what we call ‘progress’. On the contrary, it comes
in the face of an increasing body of evidence that we are heading for dietary disaster.
B. Yet, despite nutrition experts’ best efforts to educate people about the dangers of a diet filled with processed food, it appears that the world doesn’t want to listen. Medical specialists point out that, although
eating too much unhealthy food is likely to be as dangerous in the long-term as smoking, regular consumption of high-calorie food has somehow become more socially acceptable than ever. While local
authorities in some towns and cities have taken measures to combat the rise in this trend by limiting the number of fast food outlets permitted to be open simultaneously, critics argue that people have every right
to make their own decisions about what they eat and how they choose to live. However, the way in which we have come to binge on takeaways isn’t only a personal issue of weight gain, or of buying larger
clothes. The consequence of mass overconsumption should strike fear into the hearts of everyone.
C. Research suggests that there is an evolutionary reason as to why people compulsively overeat – it is simply part of our innate behaviour. When humans evolved, we did not have the abundant supply of food
that we enjoy today, and so eating was more about survival than pleasure. We became more likely to opt for high-calorie foods, with high fat content, that could sustain us through cold winters when the supply
of nourishment became sparse. This explains why a 600-calorie burger seems so attractive: it awakens our primal side, makes us feel well fed, inspires contentment. Processed food stimulates the reward
response in our brains, so we feel compelled to overeat, and not necessarily in a healthy way. Junk food acts as a trigger for chemicals such as the ‘feel-good’ dopamine to flood through the brain and induce a
sensation of happiness. Meanwhile, high amounts of sugar and sodium (one of the chemicals in salt and other in other ingredients of fast food) cause a huge surge in blood sugar, pushing it to unnatural levels.
D. This occurs within the first few moments of eating a high-calorie meal. From there, routinely processing such high levels of sodium is impossible, and the body’s organs are pushed beyond their natural
working capacity in trying to do so. The kidneys cannot remove all the excess salt from the blood, and thus an overdose of sodium causes the heart to pump faster while transporting blood though the veins.
There are multiple dangers of high blood pressure, especially for the elderly and in the long-term. Sodium taken on in such quantities can lead to dehydration, a condition whose symptoms are extremely similar
to hunger, and this leads to a painful truth: as soon as you have finished your junk food meal, you immediately start to crave another. Thereafter, the body starts to digest the food. Usually, this takes between four
and twelve hours, but with fast food, where the fat content is so much higher, the same process lasts at least three days.
E. A number of studies have shown how young people can become even more addicted to junk food than adults. When a child eats a burger, the same neurological processes occur as in their parents: their brain’s
reward system is awoken, dopamine is released, a spontaneous feeling of excitement results, their blood sugar rockets, and so on. An adult can apply their maturity to understand that this thrill is not entirely
without drawbacks, and that they need to control their urge to eat more. However, a child cannot necessarily see any negative consequences to this urge and the potential effects to their lack of self- control, so
they find it far more difficult to exercise restraint and moderate their food consumption.
F. It is common to read or to hear criticism of the junk food industry that does so much to promote the overconsumption of its products. But it does not appear that any of this criticism is changing widespread
dietary habits in any substantial way. What is more, the humble burger has been elevated to such a point that many people no longer see it as simple, on-the-go food. It has arguably become a stylish and
aspirational part of one’s daily diet. Consider, for example, how some television companies recently made several series of programmes encouraging unnecessary overeating, in which the host devours dish after
dish of unhealthy, fatty meals until they are full – and then far, far beyond. While such glamorization exists, it is difficult to see how our collective march towards a global obesity crisis can ever be halted.
 6
Without reading a full sentence in any of the paragraphs, skim read the text below. Try to notice the key meaning-carrying words in each one. Then match the main ideas/functions (1-6) with each paragraph .
1. Provides an explanation for the 2. Makes a 3. Outlines a growing phenomenon 4. Describe process 5. Contrast opposing viewpoints 6. Relates a problem to a
way people act C prediction specific group of people
THE UNSTOPPABLE RISE OF BURGERS AND FRIES
A. It is astonishing to contemplate how popular junk food has become, given that the first fast food restaurant in the US only opened its doors a mere century ago. Since then, high-calorie processed meals have
taken over the world, with multinational restaurant chains aggressively chasing levels of growth that show no sign of slowing down. Much of this expansion is currently taking place in less developed parts of the
world, where potential for customer loyalty is seen as easier to develop, but it is not just in these areas where such growth is visible. Indeed, a recent study from the University of Cambridge found that the
number of takeaways in the United Kingdom rose by 45 per cent between 1997 and 2015. This explosion in the takeaway trade is not an inevitable outcome of what we call ‘progress’. On the contrary, it comes
in the face of an increasing body of evidence that we are heading for dietary disaster.
B. Yet, despite nutrition experts’ best efforts to educate people about the dangers of a diet filled with processed food, it appears that the world doesn’t want to listen. Medical specialists point out that, although
eating too much unhealthy food is likely to be as dangerous in the long-term as smoking, regular consumption of high-calorie food has somehow become more socially acceptable than ever. While local
authorities in some towns and cities have taken measures to combat the rise in this trend by limiting the number of fast food outlets permitted to be open simultaneously, critics argue that people have every right
to make their own decisions about what they eat and how they choose to live. However, the way in which we have come to binge on takeaways isn’t only a personal issue of weight gain, or of buying larger
clothes. The consequence of mass overconsumption should strike fear into the hearts of everyone.
C. Research suggests that there is an evolutionary reason as to why people compulsively overeat – it is simply part of our innate behaviour. When humans evolved, we did not have the abundant supply of food
that we enjoy today, and so eating was more about survival than pleasure. We became more likely to opt for high-calorie foods, with high fat content, that could sustain us through cold winters when the supply
of nourishment became sparse. This explains why a 600-calorie burger seems so attractive: it awakens our primal side, makes us feel well fed, inspires contentment. Processed food stimulates the reward
response in our brains, so we feel compelled to overeat, and not necessarily in a healthy way. Junk food acts as a trigger for chemicals such as the ‘feel-good’ dopamine to flood through the brain and induce a
sensation of happiness. Meanwhile, high amounts of sugar and sodium (one of the chemicals in salt and other in other ingredients of fast food) cause a huge surge in blood sugar, pushing it to unnatural levels.
D. This occurs within the first few moments of eating a high-calorie meal. From there, routinely processing such high levels of sodium is impossible, and the body’s organs are pushed beyond their natural
working capacity in trying to do so. The kidneys cannot remove all the excess salt from the blood, and thus an overdose of sodium causes the heart to pump faster while transporting blood though the veins.
There are multiple dangers of high blood pressure, especially for the elderly and in the long-term. Sodium taken on in such quantities can lead to dehydration, a condition whose symptoms are extremely similar
to hunger, and this leads to a painful truth: as soon as you have finished your junk food meal, you immediately start to crave another. Thereafter, the body starts to digest the food. Usually, this takes between four
and twelve hours, but with fast food, where the fat content is so much higher, the same process lasts at least three days.
E. A number of studies have shown how young people can become even more addicted to junk food than adults. When a child eats a burger, the same neurological processes occur as in their parents: their brain’s
reward system is awoken, dopamine is released, a spontaneous feeling of excitement results, their blood sugar rockets, and so on. An adult can apply their maturity to understand that this thrill is not entirely
without drawbacks, and that they need to control their urge to eat more. However, a child cannot necessarily see any negative consequences to this urge and the potential effects to their lack of self- control, so
they find it far more difficult to exercise restraint and moderate their food consumption.
F. It is common to read or to hear criticism of the junk food industry that does so much to promote the overconsumption of its products. But it does not appear that any of this criticism is changing widespread
dietary habits in any substantial way. What is more, the humble burger has been elevated to such a point that many people no longer see it as simple, on-the-go food. It has arguably become a stylish and
aspirational part of one’s daily diet. Consider, for example, how some television companies recently made several series of programmes encouraging unnecessary overeating, in which the host devours dish after
dish of unhealthy, fatty meals until they are full – and then far, far beyond. While such glamorization exists, it is difficult to see how our collective march towards a global obesity crisis can ever be halted.
 7
Without reading a full sentence in any of the paragraphs, skim read the text below. Try to notice the key meaning-carrying words in each one. Then match the main ideas/functions (1-6) with each paragraph .
1. Provides an explanation for the 2. Makes a 3. Outlines a growing phenomenon 4. Describe process 5. Contrast opposing viewpoints 6. Relates a problem to a
way people act C prediction F specific group of people
THE UNSTOPPABLE RISE OF BURGERS AND FRIES
A. It is astonishing to contemplate how popular junk food has become, given that the first fast food restaurant in the US only opened its doors a mere century ago. Since then, high-calorie processed meals have
taken over the world, with multinational restaurant chains aggressively chasing levels of growth that show no sign of slowing down. Much of this expansion is currently taking place in less developed parts of the
world, where potential for customer loyalty is seen as easier to develop, but it is not just in these areas where such growth is visible. Indeed, a recent study from the University of Cambridge found that the
number of takeaways in the United Kingdom rose by 45 per cent between 1997 and 2015. This explosion in the takeaway trade is not an inevitable outcome of what we call ‘progress’. On the contrary, it comes
in the face of an increasing body of evidence that we are heading for dietary disaster.
B. Yet, despite nutrition experts’ best efforts to educate people about the dangers of a diet filled with processed food, it appears that the world doesn’t want to listen. Medical specialists point out that, although
eating too much unhealthy food is likely to be as dangerous in the long-term as smoking, regular consumption of high-calorie food has somehow become more socially acceptable than ever. While local
authorities in some towns and cities have taken measures to combat the rise in this trend by limiting the number of fast food outlets permitted to be open simultaneously, critics argue that people have every right
to make their own decisions about what they eat and how they choose to live. However, the way in which we have come to binge on takeaways isn’t only a personal issue of weight gain, or of buying larger
clothes. The consequence of mass overconsumption should strike fear into the hearts of everyone.
C. Research suggests that there is an evolutionary reason as to why people compulsively overeat – it is simply part of our innate behaviour. When humans evolved, we did not have the abundant supply of food
that we enjoy today, and so eating was more about survival than pleasure. We became more likely to opt for high-calorie foods, with high fat content, that could sustain us through cold winters when the supply
of nourishment became sparse. This explains why a 600-calorie burger seems so attractive: it awakens our primal side, makes us feel well fed, inspires contentment. Processed food stimulates the reward
response in our brains, so we feel compelled to overeat, and not necessarily in a healthy way. Junk food acts as a trigger for chemicals such as the ‘feel-good’ dopamine to flood through the brain and induce a
sensation of happiness. Meanwhile, high amounts of sugar and sodium (one of the chemicals in salt and other in other ingredients of fast food) cause a huge surge in blood sugar, pushing it to unnatural levels.
D. This occurs within the first few moments of eating a high-calorie meal. From there, routinely processing such high levels of sodium is impossible, and the body’s organs are pushed beyond their natural
working capacity in trying to do so. The kidneys cannot remove all the excess salt from the blood, and thus an overdose of sodium causes the heart to pump faster while transporting blood though the veins.
There are multiple dangers of high blood pressure, especially for the elderly and in the long-term. Sodium taken on in such quantities can lead to dehydration, a condition whose symptoms are extremely similar
to hunger, and this leads to a painful truth: as soon as you have finished your junk food meal, you immediately start to crave another. Thereafter, the body starts to digest the food. Usually, this takes between four
and twelve hours, but with fast food, where the fat content is so much higher, the same process lasts at least three days.
E. A number of studies have shown how young people can become even more addicted to junk food than adults. When a child eats a burger, the same neurological processes occur as in their parents: their brain’s
reward system is awoken, dopamine is released, a spontaneous feeling of excitement results, their blood sugar rockets, and so on. An adult can apply their maturity to understand that this thrill is not entirely
without drawbacks, and that they need to control their urge to eat more. However, a child cannot necessarily see any negative consequences to this urge and the potential effects to their lack of self- control, so
they find it far more difficult to exercise restraint and moderate their food consumption.
F. It is common to read or to hear criticism of the junk food industry that does so much to promote the overconsumption of its products. But it does not appear that any of this criticism is changing widespread
dietary habits in any substantial way. What is more, the humble burger has been elevated to such a point that many people no longer see it as simple, on-the-go food. It has arguably become a stylish and
aspirational part of one’s daily diet. Consider, for example, how some television companies recently made several series of programmes encouraging unnecessary overeating, in which the host devours dish after
dish of unhealthy, fatty meals until they are full – and then far, far beyond. While such glamorization exists, it is difficult to see how our collective march towards a global obesity crisis can ever be halted.
 8
Without reading a full sentence in any of the paragraphs, skim read the text below. Try to notice the key meaning-carrying words in each one. Then match the main ideas/functions (1-6) with each paragraph .
1. Provides an explanation for the 2. Makes a 3. Outlines a growing phenomenon 4. Describe process 5. Contrast opposing viewpoints 6. Relates a problem to a
way people act C prediction F A specific group of people
THE UNSTOPPABLE RISE OF BURGERS AND FRIES
A. It is astonishing to contemplate how popular junk food has become, given that the first fast food restaurant in the US only opened its doors a mere century ago. Since then, high-calorie processed meals have
taken over the world, with multinational restaurant chains aggressively chasing levels of growth that show no sign of slowing down. Much of this expansion is currently taking place in less developed parts of the
world, where potential for customer loyalty is seen as easier to develop, but it is not just in these areas where such growth is visible. Indeed, a recent study from the University of Cambridge found that the
number of takeaways in the United Kingdom rose by 45 per cent between 1997 and 2015. This explosion in the takeaway trade is not an inevitable outcome of what we call ‘progress’. On the contrary, it comes
in the face of an increasing body of evidence that we are heading for dietary disaster.
B. Yet, despite nutrition experts’ best efforts to educate people about the dangers of a diet filled with processed food, it appears that the world doesn’t want to listen. Medical specialists point out that, although
eating too much unhealthy food is likely to be as dangerous in the long-term as smoking, regular consumption of high-calorie food has somehow become more socially acceptable than ever. While local
authorities in some towns and cities have taken measures to combat the rise in this trend by limiting the number of fast food outlets permitted to be open simultaneously, critics argue that people have every right
to make their own decisions about what they eat and how they choose to live. However, the way in which we have come to binge on takeaways isn’t only a personal issue of weight gain, or of buying larger
clothes. The consequence of mass overconsumption should strike fear into the hearts of everyone.
C. Research suggests that there is an evolutionary reason as to why people compulsively overeat – it is simply part of our innate behaviour. When humans evolved, we did not have the abundant supply of food
that we enjoy today, and so eating was more about survival than pleasure. We became more likely to opt for high-calorie foods, with high fat content, that could sustain us through cold winters when the supply
of nourishment became sparse. This explains why a 600-calorie burger seems so attractive: it awakens our primal side, makes us feel well fed, inspires contentment. Processed food stimulates the reward
response in our brains, so we feel compelled to overeat, and not necessarily in a healthy way. Junk food acts as a trigger for chemicals such as the ‘feel-good’ dopamine to flood through the brain and induce a
sensation of happiness. Meanwhile, high amounts of sugar and sodium (one of the chemicals in salt and other in other ingredients of fast food) cause a huge surge in blood sugar, pushing it to unnatural levels.
D. This occurs within the first few moments of eating a high-calorie meal. From there, routinely processing such high levels of sodium is impossible, and the body’s organs are pushed beyond their natural
working capacity in trying to do so. The kidneys cannot remove all the excess salt from the blood, and thus an overdose of sodium causes the heart to pump faster while transporting blood though the veins.
There are multiple dangers of high blood pressure, especially for the elderly and in the long-term. Sodium taken on in such quantities can lead to dehydration, a condition whose symptoms are extremely similar
to hunger, and this leads to a painful truth: as soon as you have finished your junk food meal, you immediately start to crave another. Thereafter, the body starts to digest the food. Usually, this takes between four
and twelve hours, but with fast food, where the fat content is so much higher, the same process lasts at least three days.
E. A number of studies have shown how young people can become even more addicted to junk food than adults. When a child eats a burger, the same neurological processes occur as in their parents: their brain’s
reward system is awoken, dopamine is released, a spontaneous feeling of excitement results, their blood sugar rockets, and so on. An adult can apply their maturity to understand that this thrill is not entirely
without drawbacks, and that they need to control their urge to eat more. However, a child cannot necessarily see any negative consequences to this urge and the potential effects to their lack of self- control, so
they find it far more difficult to exercise restraint and moderate their food consumption.
F. It is common to read or to hear criticism of the junk food industry that does so much to promote the overconsumption of its products. But it does not appear that any of this criticism is changing widespread
dietary habits in any substantial way. What is more, the humble burger has been elevated to such a point that many people no longer see it as simple, on-the-go food. It has arguably become a stylish and
aspirational part of one’s daily diet. Consider, for example, how some television companies recently made several series of programmes encouraging unnecessary overeating, in which the host devours dish after
dish of unhealthy, fatty meals until they are full – and then far, far beyond. While such glamorization exists, it is difficult to see how our collective march towards a global obesity crisis can ever be halted.
 9
Without reading a full sentence in any of the paragraphs, skim read the text below. Try to notice the key meaning-carrying words in each one. Then match the main ideas/functions (1-6) with each paragraph .
1. Provides an explanation for the 2. Makes a 3. Outlines a growing phenomenon 4. Describe process 5. Contrast opposing viewpoints 6. Relates a problem to a
way people act C prediction F A D specific group of people
THE UNSTOPPABLE RISE OF BURGERS AND FRIES
A. It is astonishing to contemplate how popular junk food has become, given that the first fast food restaurant in the US only opened its doors a mere century ago. Since then, high-calorie processed meals have
taken over the world, with multinational restaurant chains aggressively chasing levels of growth that show no sign of slowing down. Much of this expansion is currently taking place in less developed parts of the
world, where potential for customer loyalty is seen as easier to develop, but it is not just in these areas where such growth is visible. Indeed, a recent study from the University of Cambridge found that the
number of takeaways in the United Kingdom rose by 45 per cent between 1997 and 2015. This explosion in the takeaway trade is not an inevitable outcome of what we call ‘progress’. On the contrary, it comes
in the face of an increasing body of evidence that we are heading for dietary disaster.
B. Yet, despite nutrition experts’ best efforts to educate people about the dangers of a diet filled with processed food, it appears that the world doesn’t want to listen. Medical specialists point out that, although
eating too much unhealthy food is likely to be as dangerous in the long-term as smoking, regular consumption of high-calorie food has somehow become more socially acceptable than ever. While local
authorities in some towns and cities have taken measures to combat the rise in this trend by limiting the number of fast food outlets permitted to be open simultaneously, critics argue that people have every right
to make their own decisions about what they eat and how they choose to live. However, the way in which we have come to binge on takeaways isn’t only a personal issue of weight gain, or of buying larger
clothes. The consequence of mass overconsumption should strike fear into the hearts of everyone.
C. Research suggests that there is an evolutionary reason as to why people compulsively overeat – it is simply part of our innate behaviour. When humans evolved, we did not have the abundant supply of food
that we enjoy today, and so eating was more about survival than pleasure. We became more likely to opt for high-calorie foods, with high fat content, that could sustain us through cold winters when the supply
of nourishment became sparse. This explains why a 600-calorie burger seems so attractive: it awakens our primal side, makes us feel well fed, inspires contentment. Processed food stimulates the reward
response in our brains, so we feel compelled to overeat, and not necessarily in a healthy way. Junk food acts as a trigger for chemicals such as the ‘feel-good’ dopamine to flood through the brain and induce a
sensation of happiness. Meanwhile, high amounts of sugar and sodium (one of the chemicals in salt and other in other ingredients of fast food) cause a huge surge in blood sugar, pushing it to unnatural levels.
D. This occurs within the first few moments of eating a high-calorie meal. From there, routinely processing such high levels of sodium is impossible, and the body’s organs are pushed beyond their natural
working capacity in trying to do so. The kidneys cannot remove all the excess salt from the blood, and thus an overdose of sodium causes the heart to pump faster while transporting blood though the veins.
There are multiple dangers of high blood pressure, especially for the elderly and in the long-term. Sodium taken on in such quantities can lead to dehydration, a condition whose symptoms are extremely similar
to hunger, and this leads to a painful truth: as soon as you have finished your junk food meal, you immediately start to crave another. Thereafter, the body starts to digest the food. Usually, this takes between four
and twelve hours, but with fast food, where the fat content is so much higher, the same process lasts at least three days.
E. A number of studies have shown how young people can become even more addicted to junk food than adults. When a child eats a burger, the same neurological processes occur as in their parents: their brain’s
reward system is awoken, dopamine is released, a spontaneous feeling of excitement results, their blood sugar rockets, and so on. An adult can apply their maturity to understand that this thrill is not entirely
without drawbacks, and that they need to control their urge to eat more. However, a child cannot necessarily see any negative consequences to this urge and the potential effects to their lack of self- control, so
they find it far more difficult to exercise restraint and moderate their food consumption.
F. It is common to read or to hear criticism of the junk food industry that does so much to promote the overconsumption of its products. But it does not appear that any of this criticism is changing widespread
dietary habits in any substantial way. What is more, the humble burger has been elevated to such a point that many people no longer see it as simple, on-the-go food. It has arguably become a stylish and
aspirational part of one’s daily diet. Consider, for example, how some television companies recently made several series of programmes encouraging unnecessary overeating, in which the host devours dish after
dish of unhealthy, fatty meals until they are full – and then far, far beyond. While such glamorization exists, it is difficult to see how our collective march towards a global obesity crisis can ever be halted.
 10
Without reading a full sentence in any of the paragraphs, skim read the text below. Try to notice the key meaning-carrying words in each one. Then match the main ideas/functions (1-6) with each paragraph .
1. Provides an explanation for the 2. Makes a 3. Outlines a growing phenomenon 4. Describe process 5. Contrast opposing viewpoints 6. Relates a problem to a
way people act C prediction F A D B specific group of people
THE UNSTOPPABLE RISE OF BURGERS AND FRIES
A. It is astonishing to contemplate how popular junk food has become, given that the first fast food restaurant in the US only opened its doors a mere century ago. Since then, high-calorie processed meals have
taken over the world, with multinational restaurant chains aggressively chasing levels of growth that show no sign of slowing down. Much of this expansion is currently taking place in less developed parts of the
world, where potential for customer loyalty is seen as easier to develop, but it is not just in these areas where such growth is visible. Indeed, a recent study from the University of Cambridge found that the
number of takeaways in the United Kingdom rose by 45 per cent between 1997 and 2015. This explosion in the takeaway trade is not an inevitable outcome of what we call ‘progress’. On the contrary, it comes
in the face of an increasing body of evidence that we are heading for dietary disaster.
B. Yet, despite nutrition experts’ best efforts to educate people about the dangers of a diet filled with processed food, it appears that the world doesn’t want to listen. Medical specialists point out that, although
eating too much unhealthy food is likely to be as dangerous in the long-term as smoking, regular consumption of high-calorie food has somehow become more socially acceptable than ever. While local
authorities in some towns and cities have taken measures to combat the rise in this trend by limiting the number of fast food outlets permitted to be open simultaneously, critics argue that people have every right
to make their own decisions about what they eat and how they choose to live. However, the way in which we have come to binge on takeaways isn’t only a personal issue of weight gain, or of buying larger
clothes. The consequence of mass overconsumption should strike fear into the hearts of everyone.
C. Research suggests that there is an evolutionary reason as to why people compulsively overeat – it is simply part of our innate behaviour. When humans evolved, we did not have the abundant supply of food
that we enjoy today, and so eating was more about survival than pleasure. We became more likely to opt for high-calorie foods, with high fat content, that could sustain us through cold winters when the supply
of nourishment became sparse. This explains why a 600-calorie burger seems so attractive: it awakens our primal side, makes us feel well fed, inspires contentment. Processed food stimulates the reward
response in our brains, so we feel compelled to overeat, and not necessarily in a healthy way. Junk food acts as a trigger for chemicals such as the ‘feel-good’ dopamine to flood through the brain and induce a
sensation of happiness. Meanwhile, high amounts of sugar and sodium (one of the chemicals in salt and other in other ingredients of fast food) cause a huge surge in blood sugar, pushing it to unnatural levels.
D. This occurs within the first few moments of eating a high-calorie meal. From there, routinely processing such high levels of sodium is impossible, and the body’s organs are pushed beyond their natural
working capacity in trying to do so. The kidneys cannot remove all the excess salt from the blood, and thus an overdose of sodium causes the heart to pump faster while transporting blood though the veins.
There are multiple dangers of high blood pressure, especially for the elderly and in the long-term. Sodium taken on in such quantities can lead to dehydration, a condition whose symptoms are extremely similar
to hunger, and this leads to a painful truth: as soon as you have finished your junk food meal, you immediately start to crave another. Thereafter, the body starts to digest the food. Usually, this takes between four
and twelve hours, but with fast food, where the fat content is so much higher, the same process lasts at least three days.
E. A number of studies have shown how young people can become even more addicted to junk food than adults. When a child eats a burger, the same neurological processes occur as in their parents: their brain’s
reward system is awoken, dopamine is released, a spontaneous feeling of excitement results, their blood sugar rockets, and so on. An adult can apply their maturity to understand that this thrill is not entirely
without drawbacks, and that they need to control their urge to eat more. However, a child cannot necessarily see any negative consequences to this urge and the potential effects to their lack of self- control, so
they find it far more difficult to exercise restraint and moderate their food consumption.
F. It is common to read or to hear criticism of the junk food industry that does so much to promote the overconsumption of its products. But it does not appear that any of this criticism is changing widespread
dietary habits in any substantial way. What is more, the humble burger has been elevated to such a point that many people no longer see it as simple, on-the-go food. It has arguably become a stylish and
aspirational part of one’s daily diet. Consider, for example, how some television companies recently made several series of programmes encouraging unnecessary overeating, in which the host devours dish after
dish of unhealthy, fatty meals until they are full – and then far, far beyond. While such glamorization exists, it is difficult to see how our collective march towards a global obesity crisis can ever be halted.
 11
Without reading a full sentence in any of the paragraphs, skim read the text below. Try to notice the key meaning-carrying words in each one. Then match the main ideas/functions (1-6) with each paragraph .
1. Provides an explanation for the 2. Makes a 3. Outlines a growing phenomenon 4. Describe process 5. Contrast opposing viewpoints 6. Relates a problem to a
way people act C prediction F A D B specific group of people E
THE UNSTOPPABLE RISE OF BURGERS AND FRIES
A. It is astonishing to contemplate how popular junk food has become, given that the first fast food restaurant in the US only opened its doors a mere century ago. Since then, high-calorie processed meals have
taken over the world, with multinational restaurant chains aggressively chasing levels of growth that show no sign of slowing down. Much of this expansion is currently taking place in less developed parts of the
world, where potential for customer loyalty is seen as easier to develop, but it is not just in these areas where such growth is visible. Indeed, a recent study from the University of Cambridge found that the
number of takeaways in the United Kingdom rose by 45 per cent between 1997 and 2015. This explosion in the takeaway trade is not an inevitable outcome of what we call ‘progress’. On the contrary, it comes
in the face of an increasing body of evidence that we are heading for dietary disaster.
B. Yet, despite nutrition experts’ best efforts to educate people about the dangers of a diet filled with processed food, it appears that the world doesn’t want to listen. Medical specialists point out that, although
eating too much unhealthy food is likely to be as dangerous in the long-term as smoking, regular consumption of high-calorie food has somehow become more socially acceptable than ever. While local
authorities in some towns and cities have taken measures to combat the rise in this trend by limiting the number of fast food outlets permitted to be open simultaneously, critics argue that people have every right
to make their own decisions about what they eat and how they choose to live. However, the way in which we have come to binge on takeaways isn’t only a personal issue of weight gain, or of buying larger
clothes. The consequence of mass overconsumption should strike fear into the hearts of everyone.
C. Research suggests that there is an evolutionary reason as to why people compulsively overeat – it is simply part of our innate behaviour. When humans evolved, we did not have the abundant supply of food
that we enjoy today, and so eating was more about survival than pleasure. We became more likely to opt for high-calorie foods, with high fat content, that could sustain us through cold winters when the supply
of nourishment became sparse. This explains why a 600-calorie burger seems so attractive: it awakens our primal side, makes us feel well fed, inspires contentment. Processed food stimulates the reward
response in our brains, so we feel compelled to overeat, and not necessarily in a healthy way. Junk food acts as a trigger for chemicals such as the ‘feel-good’ dopamine to flood through the brain and induce a
sensation of happiness. Meanwhile, high amounts of sugar and sodium (one of the chemicals in salt and other in other ingredients of fast food) cause a huge surge in blood sugar, pushing it to unnatural levels.
D. This occurs within the first few moments of eating a high-calorie meal. From there, routinely processing such high levels of sodium is impossible, and the body’s organs are pushed beyond their natural
working capacity in trying to do so. The kidneys cannot remove all the excess salt from the blood, and thus an overdose of sodium causes the heart to pump faster while transporting blood though the veins.
There are multiple dangers of high blood pressure, especially for the elderly and in the long-term. Sodium taken on in such quantities can lead to dehydration, a condition whose symptoms are extremely similar
to hunger, and this leads to a painful truth: as soon as you have finished your junk food meal, you immediately start to crave another. Thereafter, the body starts to digest the food. Usually, this takes between four
and twelve hours, but with fast food, where the fat content is so much higher, the same process lasts at least three days.
E. A number of studies have shown how young people can become even more addicted to junk food than adults. When a child eats a burger, the same neurological processes occur as in their parents: their brain’s
reward system is awoken, dopamine is released, a spontaneous feeling of excitement results, their blood sugar rockets, and so on. An adult can apply their maturity to understand that this thrill is not entirely
without drawbacks, and that they need to control their urge to eat more. However, a child cannot necessarily see any negative consequences to this urge and the potential effects to their lack of self- control, so
they find it far more difficult to exercise restraint and moderate their food consumption.
F. It is common to read or to hear criticism of the junk food industry that does so much to promote the overconsumption of its products. But it does not appear that any of this criticism is changing widespread
dietary habits in any substantial way. What is more, the humble burger has been elevated to such a point that many people no longer see it as simple, on-the-go food. It has arguably become a stylish and
aspirational part of one’s daily diet. Consider, for example, how some television companies recently made several series of programmes encouraging unnecessary overeating, in which the host devours dish after
dish of unhealthy, fatty meals until they are full – and then far, far beyond. While such glamorization exists, it is difficult to see how our collective march towards a global obesity crisis can ever be halted.
 12

Now scan the passage and find paragraphs containing the following information:

• The name of two chemicals

• A proportional increase

• A unit of measurement

• Five parts of human body

 13

Now scan the passage and find paragraphs containing the following information:

• The name of two chemicals Dopamine – paragraphs C and E; sodium – paragraphs C and D

• A proportional increase

• A unit of measurement

• Five parts of human body

 14

Now scan the passage and find paragraphs containing the following information:

• The name of two chemicals Dopamine – paragraphs C and E; sodium – paragraphs C and D

• A proportional increase Rose by 45 per cent – paragraph A

• A unit of measurement

• Five parts of human body

 15

Now scan the passage and find paragraphs containing the following information:

• The name of two chemicals Dopamine – paragraphs C and E; sodium – paragraphs C and D

• A proportional increase Rose by 45 per cent – paragraph A

• A unit of measurement Calorie (as in 600-calorie burger) – paragraph C

• Five parts of human body

 16

Now scan the passage and find paragraphs containing the following information:

• The name of two chemicals Dopamine – paragraphs C and E; sodium – paragraphs C and D

• A proportional increase Rose by 45 per cent – paragraph A

• A unit of measurement Calorie (as in 600-calorie burger) – paragraph C

• Five parts of human body Brain – paragraphs C and E; blood – paragraphs C-D; kidneys – paragraph D; veins – paragraph D; heart – paragraph D
 17

Flow-chart and table completion tasks require you to use specified number of words. Usually answers are
located in one part of the text however sometimes you will need to look at the text as a whole. The
words you need are in the text and in the same form.
Look at the flow-chart below and using its heading and the phrases decide in which paragraphs answers
can be found:
THE EFFECTS OF FAST FOOD ON THE BODY

Reward response activated by (1) /_______/

↓
Huge quantities of dopamine produced in (2) /_______/

Blood sugar (3) /_______/

↓
(4) /_______/ fail to remove unneeded sodium from the blood
↓
Presents particular risks for (5) /_______/
↓
Dehydration (signs of this resemble) (6) /_______/
↓
Food broken down slowly (minimum (7) /_______/)

TIP Once your have identified the parts of the text where the answers will be found, predict what kind of information is missing in each gap (name, numerical
information, adjective, etc). Then read in detail to find it.
 18

Flow-chart and table completion tasks require you to use specified number of words. Usually answers are
located in one part of the text however sometimes you will need to look at the text as a whole. The
words you need are in the text and in the same form.
Now fill in the gaps in the chart choosing NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the
text.
THE EFFECTS OF FAST FOOD ON THE BODY

Reward response activated by (1) /_______/

↓
Huge quantities of dopamine produced in (2) /_______/

Blood sugar (3) /_______/

↓
(4) /_______/ fail to remove unneeded sodium from the blood
↓
Presents particular risks for (5) /_______/
↓
Dehydration (signs of this resemble) (6) /_______/
↓
Food broken down slowly (minimum (7) /_______/)

TIP Once your have identified the parts of the text where the answers will be found, predict what kind of information is missing in each gap (name, numerical
information, adjective, etc). Then read in detail to find it.
 19

Flow-chart and table completion tasks require you to use specified number of words. Usually answers are
located in one part of the text however sometimes you will need to look at the text as a whole. The
words you need are in the text and in the same form.
Now fill in the gaps in the chart choosing NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the
text.
THE EFFECTS OF FAST FOOD ON THE BODY

Reward response activated by (1) processed food

↓
Huge quantities of dopamine produced in (2) /_______/

Blood sugar (3) /_______/

↓
(4) /_______/ fail to remove unneeded sodium from the blood
↓
Presents particular risks for (5) /_______/
↓
Dehydration (signs of this resemble) (6) /_______/
↓
Food broken down slowly (minimum (7) /_______/)

TIP Once your have identified the parts of the text where the answers will be found, predict what kind of information is missing in each gap (name, numerical
information, adjective, etc). Then read in detail to find it.
 20

Flow-chart and table completion tasks require you to use specified number of words. Usually answers are
located in one part of the text however sometimes you will need to look at the text as a whole. The
words you need are in the text and in the same form.
Now fill in the gaps in the chart choosing NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the
text.
THE EFFECTS OF FAST FOOD ON THE BODY

Reward response activated by (1) processed food

↓
Huge quantities of dopamine produced in (2) the brain

Blood sugar (3) /_______/

↓
(4) /_______/ fail to remove unneeded sodium from the blood
↓
Presents particular risks for (5) /_______/
↓
Dehydration (signs of this resemble) (6) /_______/
↓
Food broken down slowly (minimum (7) /_______/)

TIP Once your have identified the parts of the text where the answers will be found, predict what kind of information is missing in each gap (name, numerical
information, adjective, etc). Then read in detail to find it.
 21

Flow-chart and table completion tasks require you to use specified number of words. Usually answers are
located in one part of the text however sometimes you will need to look at the text as a whole. The
words you need are in the text and in the same form.
Now fill in the gaps in the chart choosing NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the
text.
THE EFFECTS OF FAST FOOD ON THE BODY

Reward response activated by (1) processed food

↓
Huge quantities of dopamine produced in (2) the brain

Blood sugar (3) surge

↓
(4) /_______/ fail to remove unneeded sodium from the blood
↓
Presents particular risks for (5) /_______/
↓
Dehydration (signs of this resemble) (6) /_______/
↓
Food broken down slowly (minimum (7) /_______/)

TIP Once your have identified the parts of the text where the answers will be found, predict what kind of information is missing in each gap (name, numerical
information, adjective, etc). Then read in detail to find it.
 22

Flow-chart and table completion tasks require you to use specified number of words. Usually answers are
located in one part of the text however sometimes you will need to look at the text as a whole. The
words you need are in the text and in the same form.
Now fill in the gaps in the chart choosing NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the
text.
THE EFFECTS OF FAST FOOD ON THE BODY

Reward response activated by (1) processed food

↓
Huge quantities of dopamine produced in (2) the brain

Blood sugar (3) surge

↓
(4) The kidneys fail to remove unneeded sodium from the blood
↓
Presents particular risks for (5) /_______/
↓
Dehydration (signs of this resemble) (6) /_______/
↓
Food broken down slowly (minimum (7) /_______/)

TIP Once your have identified the parts of the text where the answers will be found, predict what kind of information is missing in each gap (name, numerical
information, adjective, etc). Then read in detail to find it.
 23

Flow-chart and table completion tasks require you to use specified number of words. Usually answers are
located in one part of the text however sometimes you will need to look at the text as a whole. The
words you need are in the text and in the same form.
Now fill in the gaps in the chart choosing NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the
text.
THE EFFECTS OF FAST FOOD ON THE BODY

Reward response activated by (1) processed food

↓
Huge quantities of dopamine produced in (2) the brain

Blood sugar (3) surge

↓
(4) The kidneys fail to remove unneeded sodium from the blood
↓
Presents particular risks for (5) the elderly
↓
Dehydration (signs of this resemble) (6) /_______/
↓
Food broken down slowly (minimum (7) /_______/)

TIP Once your have identified the parts of the text where the answers will be found, predict what kind of information is missing in each gap (name, numerical
information, adjective, etc). Then read in detail to find it.
 24

Flow-chart and table completion tasks require you to use specified number of words. Usually answers are
located in one part of the text however sometimes you will need to look at the text as a whole. The
words you need are in the text and in the same form.
Now fill in the gaps in the chart choosing NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the
text.
THE EFFECTS OF FAST FOOD ON THE BODY

Reward response activated by (1) processed food

↓
Huge quantities of dopamine produced in (2) the brain

Blood sugar (3) surge

↓
(4) The kidneys fail to remove unneeded sodium from the blood
↓
Presents particular risks for (5) the elderly
↓
Dehydration (signs of this resemble) (6) hunger
↓
Food broken down slowly (minimum (7) /_______/)

TIP Once your have identified the parts of the text where the answers will be found, predict what kind of information is missing in each gap (name, numerical
information, adjective, etc). Then read in detail to find it.
 25

Flow-chart and table completion tasks require you to use specified number of words. Usually answers are
located in one part of the text however sometimes you will need to look at the text as a whole. The
words you need are in the text and in the same form.
Now fill in the gaps in the chart choosing NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the
text.
THE EFFECTS OF FAST FOOD ON THE BODY

Reward response activated by (1) processed food

↓
Huge quantities of dopamine produced in (2) the brain

Blood sugar (3) surge

↓
(4) The kidneys fail to remove unneeded sodium from the blood
↓
Presents particular risks for (5) the elderly
↓
Dehydration (signs of this resemble) (6) hunger
↓
Food broken down slowly (minimum (7) 3 days)

TIP Once your have identified the parts of the text where the answers will be found, predict what kind of information is missing in each gap (name, numerical
information, adjective, etc). Then read in detail to find it.
 26

Look at the table below, read its heading and decide where in the text the answers are
located? Fill in the table choosing ONE WORD ONLY from the text.

Differences in adult and child reactions to eating processed food

Adult Child
Eats – dopamine released Eats – dopamine released
Reward system activated Reward system activated
Can understand negative consequences Cannot understand negative
Rationalises excitement by relying on 8 consequences
______________ Unable to resist the 9 ______________
to consume more food
Can hold back cravings Does not show 10 ______________
Stops eating Continues to eat
 27

Look at the table below, read its heading and decide where in the text the answers are
located? Fill in the table choosing ONE WORD ONLY from the text.

Differences in adult and child reactions to eating processed food

Adult Child
Eats – dopamine released Eats – dopamine released
Reward system activated Reward system activated
Can understand negative consequences Cannot understand negative
Rationalises excitement by relying on 8 consequences
______________ Unable to resist the 9 ______________
to consume more food
Can hold back cravings Does not show 10 ______________
Stops eating Continues to eat

Paragraph E focuses on the different effects on adults and children.

 28

Look at the table below, read its heading and decide where in the text the answers are
located? Fill in the table choosing ONE WORD ONLY from the text.

Differences in adult and child reactions to eating processed food

Adult Child
Eats – dopamine released Eats – dopamine released
Reward system activated Reward system activated
Can understand negative consequences Cannot understand negative
Rationalises excitement by relying on 8 consequences
maturity Unable to resist the 9 ______________
to consume more food
Can hold back cravings Does not show 10 ______________
Stops eating Continues to eat

Paragraph E focuses on the different effects on adults and children.

 29

Look at the table below, read its heading and decide where in the text the answers are
located? Fill in the table choosing ONE WORD ONLY from the text.

Differences in adult and child reactions to eating processed food

Adult Child
Eats – dopamine released Eats – dopamine released
Reward system activated Reward system activated
Can understand negative consequences Cannot understand negative
Rationalises excitement by relying on 8 consequences
maturity Unable to resist the 9 urge to consume
more food
Can hold back cravings Does not show 10 ______________
Stops eating Continues to eat

Paragraph E focuses on the different effects on adults and children.

 30

Look at the table below, read its heading and decide where in the text the answers are
located? Fill in the table choosing ONE WORD ONLY from the text.

Differences in adult and child reactions to eating processed food

Adult Child
Eats – dopamine released Eats – dopamine released
Reward system activated Reward system activated
Can understand negative consequences Cannot understand negative
Rationalises excitement by relying on 8 consequences
maturity Unable to resist the 9 urge to consume
more food
Can hold back cravings Does not show 10 restraint
Stops eating Continues to eat

Paragraph E focuses on the different effects on adults and children.

 31

When it comes to the sentence completion tasks, paraphrasing becomes the

case. Look back at the paragraph A in the text and underline paraphrases for

1. Pursuing
2. A large part of the growth in the fast food industry
3. Huge success of the fast food industry
4. Growing proof

It is astonishing to contemplate how popular junk food has become, given that the first fast food restaurant in the US only opened its doors a mere century ago. Since
then, high-calorie processed meals have taken over the world, with multinational restaurant chains aggressively chasing levels of growth that show no sign of slowing
down. Much of this expansion is currently taking place in less developed parts of the world, where potential for customer loyalty is seen as easier to develop, but it is
not just in these areas where such growth is visible. Indeed, a recent study from the University of Cambridge found that the number of takeaways in the United
Kingdom rose by 45 per cent between 1997 and 2015. This explosion in the takeaway trade is not an inevitable outcome of what we call ‘progress’. On the contrary, it
comes in the face of an increasing body of evidence that we are heading for dietary disaster.
 32

When it comes to the sentence completion tasks, paraphrasing becomes the

case. Look back at the paragraph A in the text and underline paraphrases for

1. Pursuing – chasing
2. A large part of the growth in the fast food industry
3. Huge success of the fast food industry
4. Growing proof

It is astonishing to contemplate how popular junk food has become, given that the first fast food restaurant in the US only opened its doors a mere century ago. Since
then, high-calorie processed meals have taken over the world, with multinational restaurant chains aggressively chasing levels of growth that show no sign of slowing
down. Much of this expansion is currently taking place in less developed parts of the world, where potential for customer loyalty is seen as easier to develop, but it is
not just in these areas where such growth is visible. Indeed, a recent study from the University of Cambridge found that the number of takeaways in the United
Kingdom rose by 45 per cent between 1997 and 2015. This explosion in the takeaway trade is not an inevitable outcome of what we call ‘progress’. On the contrary, it
comes in the face of an increasing body of evidence that we are heading for dietary disaster.
 33

When it comes to the sentence completion tasks, paraphrasing becomes the

case. Look back at the paragraph A in the text and underline paraphrases for

1. Pursuing – chasing
2. A large part of the growth in the fast food industry – much of this expansion
3. Huge success of the fast food industry
4. Growing proof

It is astonishing to contemplate how popular junk food has become, given that the first fast food restaurant in the US only opened its doors a mere century ago. Since
then, high-calorie processed meals have taken over the world, with multinational restaurant chains aggressively chasing levels of growth that show no sign of slowing
down. Much of this expansion is currently taking place in less developed parts of the world, where potential for customer loyalty is seen as easier to develop, but it is
not just in these areas where such growth is visible. Indeed, a recent study from the University of Cambridge found that the number of takeaways in the United
Kingdom rose by 45 per cent between 1997 and 2015. This explosion in the takeaway trade is not an inevitable outcome of what we call ‘progress’. On the contrary, it
comes in the face of an increasing body of evidence that we are heading for dietary disaster.
 34

When it comes to the sentence completion tasks, paraphrasing becomes the

case. Look back at the paragraph A in the text and underline paraphrases for

1. Pursuing – chasing
2. A large part of the growth in the fast food industry – much of this expansion
3. Huge success of the fast food industry – explosion in the takeaway trade
4. Growing proof

It is astonishing to contemplate how popular junk food has become, given that the first fast food restaurant in the US only opened its doors a mere century ago. Since
then, high-calorie processed meals have taken over the world, with multinational restaurant chains aggressively chasing levels of growth that show no sign of slowing
down. Much of this expansion is currently taking place in less developed parts of the world, where potential for customer loyalty is seen as easier to develop, but it is
not just in these areas where such growth is visible. Indeed, a recent study from the University of Cambridge found that the number of takeaways in the United
Kingdom rose by 45 per cent between 1997 and 2015. This explosion in the takeaway trade is not an inevitable outcome of what we call ‘progress’. On the contrary, it
comes in the face of an increasing body of evidence that we are heading for dietary disaster.
 35

When it comes to the sentence completion tasks, paraphrasing becomes the

case. Look back at the paragraph A in the text and underline paraphrases for

1. Pursuing – chasing
2. A large part of the growth in the fast food industry – much of this expansion
3. Huge success of the fast food industry – explosion in the takeaway trade
4. Growing proof – increasing body of evidence

It is astonishing to contemplate how popular junk food has become, given that the first fast food restaurant in the US only opened its doors a mere century ago. Since
then, high-calorie processed meals have taken over the world, with multinational restaurant chains aggressively chasing levels of growth that show no sign of slowing
down. Much of this expansion is currently taking place in less developed parts of the world, where potential for customer loyalty is seen as easier to develop, but it is
not just in these areas where such growth is visible. Indeed, a recent study from the University of Cambridge found that the number of takeaways in the United
Kingdom rose by 45 per cent between 1997 and 2015. This explosion in the takeaway trade is not an inevitable outcome of what we call ‘progress’. On the contrary, it
comes in the face of an increasing body of evidence that we are heading for dietary disaster.
 36

When it comes to the sentence completion tasks, paraphrasing becomes the

case. Look back at the paragraph A in the text and underline paraphrases for

1. Pursuing – chasing
2. A large part of the growth in the fast food industry – much of this expansion
3. Huge success of the fast food industry – explosion in the takeaway trade
4. Growing proof – increasing body of evidence

It is astonishing to contemplate how popular junk food has become, given that the first fast food restaurant in the US only opened its doors a mere century ago. Since
then, high-calorie processed meals have taken over the world, with multinational restaurant chains aggressively chasing levels of growth that show no sign of slowing
down. Much of this expansion is currently taking place in less developed parts of the world, where potential for customer loyalty is seen as easier to develop, but it is
not just in these areas where such growth is visible. Indeed, a recent study from the University of Cambridge found that the number of takeaways in the United
Kingdom rose by 45 per cent between 1997 and 2015. This explosion in the takeaway trade is not an inevitable outcome of what we call ‘progress’. On the contrary, it
comes in the face of an increasing body of evidence that we are heading for dietary disaster.

Now complete the sentences below choosing NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text:
1. Global food corporations are fiercely pursing ways in which to increase their (5) /_______/.
2. The fast food industry is particularly building its presence in areas that are (6) /_______/.
3. Despite more and more proof of its negative effects, the huge success of the fast food industry is leading us into (7) /_______/.
 37

When it comes to the sentence completion tasks, paraphrasing becomes the

case. Look back at the paragraph A in the text and underline paraphrases for

1. Pursuing – chasing
2. A large part of the growth in the fast food industry – much of this expansion
3. Huge success of the fast food industry – explosion in the takeaway trade
4. Growing proof – increasing body of evidence

It is astonishing to contemplate how popular junk food has become, given that the first fast food restaurant in the US only opened its doors a mere century ago. Since
then, high-calorie processed meals have taken over the world, with multinational restaurant chains aggressively chasing levels of growth that show no sign of slowing
down. Much of this expansion is currently taking place in less developed parts of the world, where potential for customer loyalty is seen as easier to develop, but it is
not just in these areas where such growth is visible. Indeed, a recent study from the University of Cambridge found that the number of takeaways in the United
Kingdom rose by 45 per cent between 1997 and 2015. This explosion in the takeaway trade is not an inevitable outcome of what we call ‘progress’. On the contrary, it
comes in the face of an increasing body of evidence that we are heading for dietary disaster.

Now complete the sentences below choosing NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text:
1. Global food corporations are fiercely pursing ways in which to increase their (5) growth.
2. The fast food industry is particularly building its presence in areas that are (6) /_______/.
3. Despite more and more proof of its negative effects, the huge success of the fast food industry is leading us into (7) /_______/.
 38

When it comes to the sentence completion tasks, paraphrasing becomes the

case. Look back at the paragraph A in the text and underline paraphrases for

1. Pursuing – chasing
2. A large part of the growth in the fast food industry – much of this expansion
3. Huge success of the fast food industry – explosion in the takeaway trade
4. Growing proof – increasing body of evidence

It is astonishing to contemplate how popular junk food has become, given that the first fast food restaurant in the US only opened its doors a mere century ago. Since
then, high-calorie processed meals have taken over the world, with multinational restaurant chains aggressively chasing levels of growth that show no sign of slowing
down. Much of this expansion is currently taking place in less developed parts of the world, where potential for customer loyalty is seen as easier to develop, but it is
not just in these areas where such growth is visible. Indeed, a recent study from the University of Cambridge found that the number of takeaways in the United
Kingdom rose by 45 per cent between 1997 and 2015. This explosion in the takeaway trade is not an inevitable outcome of what we call ‘progress’. On the contrary, it
comes in the face of an increasing body of evidence that we are heading for dietary disaster.

Now complete the sentences below choosing NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text:
1. Global food corporations are fiercely pursing ways in which to increase their (5) growth.
2. The fast food industry is particularly building its presence in areas that are (6) less developed.
3. Despite more and more proof of its negative effects, the huge success of the fast food industry is leading us into (7) /_______/.
 39

When it comes to the sentence completion tasks, paraphrasing becomes the

case. Look back at the paragraph A in the text and underline paraphrases for

1. Pursuing – chasing
2. A large part of the growth in the fast food industry – much of this expansion
3. Huge success of the fast food industry – explosion in the takeaway trade
4. Growing proof – increasing body of evidence

It is astonishing to contemplate how popular junk food has become, given that the first fast food restaurant in the US only opened its doors a mere century ago. Since
then, high-calorie processed meals have taken over the world, with multinational restaurant chains aggressively chasing levels of growth that show no sign of slowing
down. Much of this expansion is currently taking place in less developed parts of the world, where potential for customer loyalty is seen as easier to develop, but it is
not just in these areas where such growth is visible. Indeed, a recent study from the University of Cambridge found that the number of takeaways in the United
Kingdom rose by 45 per cent between 1997 and 2015. This explosion in the takeaway trade is not an inevitable outcome of what we call ‘progress’. On the contrary, it
comes in the face of an increasing body of evidence that we are heading for dietary disaster.

Now complete the sentences below choosing NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text:
1. Global food corporations are fiercely pursing ways in which to increase their (5) growth.
2. The fast food industry is particularly building its presence in areas that are (6) less developed.
3. Despite more and more proof of its negative effects, the huge success of the fast food industry is leading us into (7) dietary disaster.
 40

Quantifiers
Read the sentences below and decide whether they are correct.
If there are errors, locate them and explain the reasons.

Sentences Comments
1. Much of public seems unconvinced that .... They will A. The subject is actually plural and therefore the verb
become ill. doesn’t agree.
2. Many of the urban councils have developed B. The noun which follows the determiner is
initiatives..... uncountable and must be preceded by ‘of the’.
C. When we talk about a noun in general terms, we use
3. A number of scientists believes that an instinctive most, much or many. Including ‘of the’ means we are
characteristic..... referring to one of a specific group, which is not the
case here.
 41

Quantifiers
Read the sentences below and decide whether they are correct.
If there are errors, locate them and explain the reasons.

Sentences Comments
1. Much of public seems unconvinced that .... They will A. The subject is actually plural and therefore the verb
become ill. doesn’t agree.
2. Many of the urban councils have developed B. The noun which follows the determiner is
initiatives..... uncountable and must be preceded by ‘of the’.
C. When we talk about a noun in general terms, we use
3. A number of scientists believes that an instinctive most, much or many. Including ‘of the’ means we are
characteristic..... referring to one of a specific group, which is not the
case here.
 42

Quantifiers
Read the sentences below and decide whether they are correct.
If there are errors, locate them and explain the reasons.

Sentences Comments
1. Much of public seems unconvinced that .... They will A. The subject is actually plural and therefore the verb
become ill. doesn’t agree.
2. Many of the urban councils have developed B. The noun which follows the determiner is
initiatives..... uncountable and must be preceded by ‘of the’.
C. When we talk about a noun in general terms, we use
3. A number of scientists believes that an instinctive most, much or many. Including ‘of the’ means we are
characteristic..... referring to one of a specific group, which is not the
case here.
 43

Quantifiers
Read the sentences below and decide whether they are correct.
If there are errors, locate them and explain the reasons.

Sentences Comments
1. Much of public seems unconvinced that .... They will A. The subject is actually plural and therefore the verb
become ill. doesn’t agree.
2. Many of the urban councils have developed B. The noun which follows the determiner is
initiatives..... uncountable and must be preceded by ‘of the’.
C. When we talk about a noun in general terms, we use
3. A number of scientists believes that an instinctive most, much or many. Including ‘of the’ means we are
characteristic..... referring to one of a specific group, which is not the
case here.
 44

Quantifiers
Read the sentences below and decide whether they are correct.
If there are errors, locate them and explain the reasons.

Sentences Comments
1. Much of public seems unconvinced that .... They will A. The subject is actually plural and therefore the verb
become ill. doesn’t agree.
2. Many of the urban councils have developed B. The noun which follows the determiner is
initiatives..... uncountable and must be preceded by ‘of the’.
C. When we talk about a noun in general terms, we use
3. A number of scientists believes that an instinctive most, much or many. Including ‘of the’ means we are
characteristic..... referring to one of a specific group, which is not the
case here.
 45

Quantifiers
Read the sentences below and decide whether they are correct.
If there are errors, locate them and explain the reasons.

Sentences Comments
1. Much of public seems unconvinced that .... They will A. The subject is actually plural and therefore the verb
become ill. doesn’t agree.
2. Many of the urban councils have developed B. The noun which follows the determiner is
initiatives..... uncountable and must be preceded by ‘of the’.
C. When we talk about a noun in general terms, we use
3. A number of scientists believes that an instinctive most, much or many. Including ‘of the’ means we are
characteristic..... referring to one of a specific group, which is not the
case here.
 46

Quantifiers
Read the sentences below and decide whether they are correct.
If there are errors, locate them and explain the reasons.

Sentences Comments
1. Much of public seems unconvinced that .... They will A. The subject is actually plural and therefore the verb
become ill. doesn’t agree.
2. Many of the urban councils have developed B. The noun which follows the determiner is
initiatives..... uncountable and must be preceded by ‘of the’.
C. When we talk about a noun in general terms, we use
3. A number of scientists believes that an instinctive most, much or many. Including ‘of the’ means we are
characteristic..... referring to one of a specific group, which is not the
case here.
 47

Homework
Flow chart completion: Read the text and complete the flow chart below:
-> Paper money: January 1, 2002 saw the biggest ever introduction of new banknotes on a History of paper money
single day. It went smoothly but the history of paper money is littered with warnings.
In the last few months of 2001, 14 billion brand new banknotes, ranging in value from 500
euros down to 5 euros, were printed by the 12 countries that adopted Europe’s single
currency. Old money continued to circulate for four to eight weeks afterwards, depending on
the country, but department stores and supermarkets quickly made the change to the euro.
The search for a means of exchange is almost as old as mankind. Among the commodities Ancient forms of money: e.g. chocolate, (1) /_______/ and /_______/
that have been tried are chocolate (the Aztecs), shells (Pacific Islanders), butter and salt ↓
(from which the word ‘salary’ was derived). In Europe after the Second World War cigarettes First banknotes printed by (2) /_______/ (10 th century)
were used, and in Italy it was common as late as the 1970s to use sweets as a small change. ↓
The idea of using paper as money is almost as old as paper itself. The first people to do it Over production of paper money
were the Chinese, who made the earliest banknotes over 1000 years ago. However, they ↓
soon grew so fond of their invention that they printed far too much and this led to inflation. 13th century – most famous producer of banknotes: (3) /_______/
The most famous issuer of paper money was Kublai Khan, the Mongol who ruled the ↓
Chinese empire in the 13th century. Kublai Khan also confiscated all gold and silver, even if First European banknotes issued in (4) /_______/
it was brought in through foreign trade.
↓
In Europe, the first issuer of paper money was Sweden. In 1661, Johan Palmstruch’s
1694 – bank accounts set by the (5) /_______/
Stockholm Banco introduced the first banknotes. Other European countries soon followed
the Swedish lead. One reason for establishing the Bank of England in 1694 was to print
↓
Most recent form of currency (6) /_______/
paper money so that the balance could be kept in a bank account. The bank is now the
longest continuous issuer of banknotes in the world. In France, the Banque Royale was set
up in 1718. It was very successful at first, but when people realized that it had issued twice
as much paper money as France’s total supply of gold and silver, confidence went and the
bank collapsed. Nowadays, national banks realise that the quantity of paper money they
issued has to be regulated.
Complete the notes using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the reading
passage.
 48

Homework
Table completion: Read the text and complete the table below
-> The advantages for a workplace adopting the new technologies are considerable, not least Bluetooth capability to a device costs only about £50. To set up a WiFi hotspots can cost
the impact on productivity from £120 to £500, but an individual network card allowing users access at existing hotspots
Mobile devices will probably never entirely replace the wired systems that define our costs between £40 and £60.
workplaces, but they will offer a range of new working possibilities allowing people the
freedom to work in ways better suited to their needs.
In situations where secure short-range connections between devices such as personal Complete the table below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR
computers and mobile phones are required, Bluetooth technology provides an ideal cost- NUMBER
effective service. Bluetooth which typically has a range of about ten metres, works well in
small office space and provides flexibility for businesses where mobile employees come into
an office to download information from their laptop computers or access databases. The Technology Range Data Cost Best for
main disadvantage of Bluetooth is that data transfer is relatively slow at 1 MB per second. If transfer per
speed of data transfer is important, then WiFi, short for Wireless Fidelity, is vastly superior second
to Bluetooth. Although it works over a relatively short ranger, it can transmit data at up to 54 Bluetooth (1) /______/ 1 MB (4) /______/ Secure
MB per second. It is most useful for individuals who need to work remotely, for instance, for an short- range
while travelling. To do this, users have to locate a ‘hotspot’ near to where they happen to be, adapter connections
for example in a café or public library. Hotspots operate over a range of 100 metres and
allow access by 256 users at any one time. WiFi (2) /______/ (3) /______/ (5) /______/ People who
GPRS, General Packet Radio Service, is a technology related to mobile phones which allows
for a need to
transmission of e-mails and small amounts of data as well as high-speed access to the
network work while
Internet. It is ideal for reliable communication as well as Internet browsing, but is not
card (6) /______/
suitable for full mobile working in the way that WiFi is, because of the restricted amounts of GPRS No limit Value-for- (7) /______/
data that can be transmitted at any one time. money and Internet
Two other important aspects of the new technologies which need to be considered are packages Browsing
security and cost. Currently, because it works within a limited environment, Bluetooth is
more secure than WiFi or GPRS, but in terms of cost, GPRS is relatively cheap with mobile
phone networks offering a range of value-for-money packages. Bluetooth technology is built
into the latest versions of mobile phones and other devices but an adapter which adds
 49

Homework
Sentence completion: Read the text and complete the sentences below:
-> The history of guitar. The word ‘guitar’ was brought into English as an adaptation of the Although Rickenbacker began producing electric guitars in the late 1930s, this brand
Spanish word ‘guitarra’, which was, in turn, derived from the Greek ‘kithara’. Tracing the received most of its fame in the 1960s, when John
roots of the word further back into linguistic history, it seems to have been a combination of Lennon used a Rickenbacker guitar for the Beatles’ debut performance on the Ed Sullivan
the Indo-European stem ‘guit--’, meaning music, and the root ‘---tar’, meaning chord or show in 1964. George Harrison later bought a Rickenbacker guitar of his own, and the
string. The root ‘---tar’ is actually common to a number of languages, and can also be found company later gave him one of their earliest 12-string eleсtric guitars. Paul McCartney also
in the word ‘sitar’ also a stringed musical instrument. Although the spelling and used a Rickenbacker bass guitar for recording.
pronunciation differ between languages, these key elements have been present in most words
for ‘guitar’ throughout history.
While the guitar may have gained most of its popularity as a musical instrument during the Complete the sentences below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from
modern era, guitar-like instruments have been in existence in numerous cultures throughout the passage for each answer.
the world for more than 5,000 years. The earliest instruments that the modern eye and ear
would recognize as a ‘normal’ acoustic guitar date from 500 years ago. Prior to this time, 1. Despite differences in __________ ‘guit—' and ‘--tar’ appear in the word for
stringed instruments were in use throughout the world, but these early instruments are ‘guitar’ in many languages.
known primarily from visual depiction, not from the continued existence of music written
for them. The majority of these depictions show simple stringed instruments often lacking 2. Instruments that we would call acoustic guitars have been made and played for
some of the parts that define a modern guitar. A number of these instruments have more in approximately _______
common with the lute than the guitar. 3. No one knows the ________ when the first six-string guitar was made.
There is some uncertainty about the exact date of the earliest six-string guitar. The oldest one 4. The _____ of acoustic guitars have not changed much in 200 years.
still in existence, which was made by Gaetano Vinaccia, is dated 1779. However, the
authenticity of six-string guitars alleged to have been made prior to 1790 is often suspect, as 5. A ______ for an electric guitar was issued in the mid-1930s.
many fakes have been discovered dating to this era. The early nineteen century is generally
accepted as the time period during which six- string guitars began taking on their modern
shape and dimensions. Thus, for nearly two hundred years, luthiers, or guitar makers, have
been producing versions of the modern acoustic guitar.
The first electric guitar was not developed until the early twentieth century. George
Beauchamp received the first patent for an electric guitar in 1936, and Beauchamp went on
to co-found Rickenbacker, originally known as the Electro String Instrument Company.
 50
Homework
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow afterwards:
Is it really true that human adults are less able to learn as they grow older? Traditionally, the brain was posterior hippocampi. The hippocampus plays a major role in short-term memory and spatial navigation,
thought to be ‘completed’ at the latest by the start of adulthood. During adulthood the brain was viewed as both of which are very important to the work of taxi drivers, and London taxi drivers in particular. To
relatively stable until at last the aging brain started to decline. We have around 86 million neurons at birth become a taxi driver in London, you need to learn ‘the Knowledge’ – a detailed understanding of the streets
and that’s it. in central London as well as tourist spots and other places of interest. Gaining ‘the Knowledge’ takes on
Or is it? Until two decades ago, it was thought the new neurons – the cells that carry messages between the average three or four years, at the end of which taxi drivers have to take a test that only fifty per cent of
brain and other parts of the body – did not grow in adults. Moreover, it was believed that functions in the candidates pass.
brain were fixed or localized in distinct areas, one common assumption being that language functions At the start of the study, the taxi drivers had similar sized hippocampi but after four years of intensive
resided solely in the left hemisphere of the brain. The functions were fixed in childhood and did not spatial and memory training, Dr Maguire found that the taxi drivers who successfully passed their tests had
change. more developed hippocampi than those who failed. This was confirmed by a series of memory tests and
But this is not strictly true. Research has shown that adult brains are not fixed, and nor are they MRI images which showed that certain parts of their brains had developed over time. Furthermore, other
degenerating or dying as we grow older. In fact, the opposite seems to be the case: neurons are dying and experimental studies over the last few decades have shown that the adult brain can change its structure and
being regenerated all the time and new experiences create new connections between neurons. Furthermore, function massively. In a 1982 study carried out by Jon Kaas at the Vanderbilt University, changes in brain
when the brain suffers damage, it has the ability to shift brain functions to other unscathed parts of the patterns were noted in people whose limbs had been amputated or who suffered nerve damage. Since then,
brain. it has become clear that the living brain is constantly changing depending on external experiences. As
The first evidence that refuted the idea that the brain was a stable organ was produced over 30 years ago. Boston University neurobiologist Howard Eichenbaum (commenting on Dr Maguire’s research) stated: ‘...
Fernando Nottebohm’s study of male songbirds at the Rockefeller University showed that new neurons you can produce profound changes in the brain with training. That’s a big deal’.
would grow when a bird learnt a new song. And more recently, evidence from studies done at the Wayne
State University has shown that physical exercise or lack of it is a factor in remodeling the brain. Two
regions of the brain are capable of producing new neurons: the hippocampus and the olfactory cortex. In Complete the sentences below.
particular, the hippocampus is extremely important in turning short-term memories into long-term Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS or a NUMBER from the passage for each answer:
memories. It appears that new neurons regularly grow and move into the hippocampus. Conversely, the 1. Humans are born with about /_______/ neurons.
loss of brain tissue, most often associated with brain damage or illness can also have a positive function. 2. It used to be believed that neurons /_______/ in humans after a certain age.
We know that most of the neurons that die off in children and adults are the ones that are not effective or 3. If the brain is damaged, it can /_______/ to other areas within the brain.
needed. In short, the brain needs to operate at maximum efficiency and neurons which become unused are 4. The hippocampus, which plays a role in creating /_______/ from short-term memories, has been
discarded. So, far from being a stable organ, the brain is constantly changing, losing what is not needed and identified as being one of the parts of the brain that can grow neurons.
developing what is necessary. 5. The hippocampus also plays an important part in /_______/ - a key skill for the taxi drivers in
A landmark study by neuroscientist Dr Eleanor Maguire and her colleagues at the University College London.
London confirmed findings from the other studies which reveal that when humans spend time repeating a 6. The taxi drivers who successfully passed ‘the Knowledge’ had /_______/ hippocampi than those who
particular skill, the area of the brain associated with that skill becomes better developed. For four years, Dr did not pass.
Maguire and her team followed a group of 79 London taxi drivers who shared certain characteristics
including age, gender and educations. They used magnetic resonance imaging to map changes to their