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BBELS IELTS

PRE-PLACEMENT TEST

Total Pages: 9 including front page, answer sheet & writing




TOTAL TIME: 90 MINS

PART 1: READING 25 MINS /28 MARKS (2 marks each)

PART 2: USE OF ENGLISH 45 MINS /40 MARKS

PART 3: WRITING 20 MINS /20 MARKS



TOTAL MARKS /88



Please return answer sheet and writing only via email or fax


Good luck and be honest!




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Academic Reading sample task Identifying information

The Motor Car

A
There are now over 700 million motor vehicles in the world - and the number
is rising by more than 40 million each year. The average distance driven by
car users is growing too - from 8km a day per person in western Europe n
1965 to 25 km a day in 1995. This dependence on motor vehicles has
given rise to major problems, including environmental pollution, depletion of
oil resources, traffic congestion and safety.

B
While emissions from new cars are far less harmful than they used to be, city
streets and motorways are becoming more crowded than ever, often with
older trucks, buses and taxis which emit excessive levels of smoke and
fumes. This concentration of vehicles makes air quality in urban areas
unpleasant and sometimes dangerous to breathe. Even Moscow has
joined the list of capitals afflicted by congestion and traffic fumes. In
Mexico City, vehicle pollution is a major health hazard.

C
Until a hundred years ago, most journeys were in the 20km range, the
distance conveniently accessible by horse. Heavy freight could only be
carried by water or rail. Invention of the motor vehicle brought personal
mobility to the masses and made rapid freight delivery possible over a
much wider area. In the United Kingdom, about 90 per cent of inland freight
is carried by road. The world cannot revert to the horse-drawn wagon.
Can it avoid being locked into congested and polluting ways of transporting
people and goods?

D
In Europe most cities are still designed for the old modes of transport.
Adaptation to the motor car has involved adding ring roads, one-way
systems and parking lots. In the United States, more land is assigned to car
use than to housing. Urban sprawl means that life without a car is next to
impossible. Mass use of motor vehicles has also killed or injured millions of
people. Other social effects have been blamed on the car such as alienation
and aggressive human behaviour.

E
A 1993 study by the European Federation for Transport and Environment
found that car transport is seven times as costly as rail travel in terms of
the external social costs it entails -congestion, accidents, pollution, loss of
cropland and natural habitats, depletion of oil resources, and so on. Yet cars
easily surpass trains or buses as a flexible and convenient mode of personal
transport. It is unrealistic to expect people to give up private cars in favour of
mass transit Technical solutions can reduce the pollution problem and
increase the fuelled efficiency of engines. But fuel consumption and exhaust
emissions depend on which cars are preferred by customers and how
they are driven. Many people buy larger cars than they need for daily
purposes or waste fuel by driving aggressively. Besides, global car use is
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increasing at a faster rate than the improvement in emissions and fuel
efficiency which technology is now making possible.



G
Some argue that the only long-term solution is to design cities and
neighbourhoods so that car journeys are not necessary - all essential
services being located within walking distance or easily accessible by public
transport. Not only would this save energy and cut carbon dioxide
emissions, it would also enhance the quality of community life, putting the
emphasis on people instead of cars. Good local government is already
bringing this about in some places. But few democratic communities are
blessed with the vision and the capital to make such profound changes
in modern lifestyles.

H
A more likely scenario seems to be a combination of mass transit systems for
travel into and around cities, with small low emission cars for urban use
and larger hybrid or lean burn cars for use elsewhere. Electronically
tolled highways might be used to ensure that drivers pay charges geared
to actual road use. Better integration of transport systems is also highly
desirable - and made more feasible by modern computers. But these
are solutions for countries which can afford them. In most developing
countries, old cars and old technologies continue to predominate


ANSWERS:

Questions 1-6
Sample Passage has eight paragraphs labelled A-H.
Which paragraphs contains the following information?
Write the correct letter A-H in boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet.
NB You may use any letter more than once.



1 a comparison of past and present transportation methods

2 how driving habits contribute to road problems

3 the relative merits of cars and public transport

4 the writers prediction on future solutions

5 the increasing use of motor vehicles

6 the impact of the car on city development

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USE OF ENGLISH
PART 1

Read the text below and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits each
space.
There is an example at the beginning (0).

Example:

0 A belief B idea C view D thought


HOME SECURITY

Contrary to popular (0) most burglaries take (1) during the day. The
quick dash you (2) to the shops before they close or to (3) the children
from school are ideal opportunities. Burglars know about these things and
what time they are (4) to occur. The garage door which you (5) open
because you didnt have time to shut it before you drove away is as (6) as
an invitation card.

Your best protection is to make (7) that when the burglar does come to
your house, he decides it is not worth the (8) of breaking in. Your
precautions have to be good enough to put him (9) .

For most people the first (10) to better security is to frighten themselves
(11) really believing that their house could be burgled. And (12) , if it
happened, would be pretty unpleasant. Anyone who has suffered the (13)
can tell you that the shock of finding your (14) home vandalised is at least
as painful as the actual financial (15) you suffer.

1 A part B way C place D action
2 A do B take C go D make
3 A collect B pick C take D catch
4 A probable B surely C possible D likely
5 A forgot B left C let D put
6 A well B much C good D fine
7 A clear B sure C safe D care
8 A alarm B trap C risk D threat
9 A off B out C up D away
10 A lesson B point C part D step
11 A into B to C with D of
12 A which B that C what D then
13 A state B fact C knowledge D experience
14 A well-known B usual C familiar D regular
15 A price B loss C lack D cut

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USE OF ENGLISH PART 2

Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use
only one word in each space. There is an example at the beginning (0).


YOUNG SKATER

I was born and brought (0) up. just outside Bristol and (1) . the
ages of seven and fourteen, I spent far more of my walking hours on the ice
rink (2) .. I did at home.

When I was six, we went to Bournemouth on holiday and saw an ice show
and from (3) . on I was hooked. (4) . was on that same holiday
that we met a man who told us that an ice rink was (5) . built in Bristol.
As soon as it was opened, I (6) . skating lessons and I never looked
back.

Within a couple of years, I was skating (7) . three hours before school,
(8) . lunchtime and then (9) . the evening again. (10) . the
time I was nine, I was doing this at (11) . three or four times a week.

Mum and Dad used to (12) . it in turns to (13) . me up at 5 a.m.
with a cup of tea. Fortunately I wasnt the (14) . one in the family
needing all this attention because I had two elder brothers (15) . were
already doing their own thing. One was a musician and both were sportsmen.


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USE OF ENGLISH PART 3


For questions 1-10, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar
meaning to the first sentence. Use the word given and other words to
complete each sentence. You must use between two and five words. Do not
change the word given. There is an example at the beginning (0).

Example:

0 I havent enjoyed myself so much for years.
since

Its yearssince Ive enjoyedmyself so much.

1 We couldnt sleep because of the noise from the discotheque.
prevented

The noise from the discotheque............
sleeping.

2 Shes never been to the circus before.
time

Its the. to the circus.

3 The accident made it impossible for him to work.
able

Since the accident he .. work.

4 When she heard that shed won, she began to cry.
broke

When she heard that shed won, she .
tears.

5 My parents dont like me to stay out late at night.
disapprove

My parents out late at
night.

6 It was a waste of time writing that letter.
neednt

I that letter.

7 There is room for five passengers in our car.
big

Our car five
passengers.
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8 He was very lucky that he wasnt punished for what he did.
get

He was very lucky to . what he
did.

9 He was like my father in many ways.
reminded

He ..my father in many
ways.

10 He was good enough to be a professional player but he gave up
the game.
could

He .. a professional player
but he gave up the game.