Table of Contents
BEST IELTS Academic Reading Test 456
IELTS ACADEMIC READING TEST 456 – PASSAGE – 1
IELTS ACADEMIC READING TEST – 456
READING PASSAGE – 1
SNOOKER
Snooker is a cue sport that is classically played on a table covered with a green cloth or baize, with pockets positioned in each of the four corners and a further two, commonly referred to as the middle, or side pockets, that sit in the middle of each of the long side cushions. The (baize) cloth on a snooker table has a directional nap in succession from the baulk end of the table towards the end with the (black ball) spot. This affects how a ball rolls depending on which direction it is hit or shot.
A regular (full-size) table measures 11 ft 8 in x 5 ft 10 in (3569 mm x 1778 mm), commonly referred to as 12 x 6 ft. It is played using a cue and 22 snooker balls: one white cue ball, 15 red balls value one point each, and six balls of diverse colours: yellow (2 points), green (3), brown (4), blue (5), pink (6) and black (7). A player (or team) wins a frame (individual game) of snooker by scoring more points than the opponent(s), using the cue ball to pot the red and coloured balls.
A player receives additional points if the opponent commends a foul. If the scores are equal when all the balls have been potted, the black is placed back on its spot as a tiebreaker. A player triumphs a match when a predetermined number of frames have been won.
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The object of the game is to score more points than the antagonist by potting object balls in the correct order. At the start of a frame, the balls are positioned and the players take turns to hit a shot in a single strike from the tip of the cue, their aim being to pot one of the red balls and score a point. Whenever the striker pots a red ball, he or she may try to pot one of the colours. If thriving, the value of the color potted is scored, and it is returned to its correct position on the table.
This process continues until the striker fails to pot the desired ball, at which point the opponent comes back to the table to play the next shot. The game continues in this manner until all the reds are potted and only the 6 colours are left on the table; at that point the colours must be potted in the order from least to most valued ball – that is, yellow first (because smallest value of 2 points), then green (3 points), brown (4 points), blue (5 points), pink (6 points) and finally black (7 points), the balls not being returned to play.
When the final ball is potted, the player with more points wins. A player may also concede a frame while on strike if he or she thinks there are not enough points accessible on the table to beat the opponent’s score.
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In professional snooker this is a common happening. Points may also be scored in a game when a player’s opponent fouls. A foul can occur for numerous reasons, such as hitting a color first when the player was attempting to hit a red, potting the cue ball, or failing to escape from “a snooker” (a situation where the previous player left the cue ball where no legal ball can be struck at either edge without obstruction by an illegal ball). Points achieved from a foul vary from a minimum of 4 to a maximum of 7 if the black ball is involved.
One game, from the balls in their preliminary position until the last ball is potted, is called a frame. A match generally consists of a predetermined number of frames and the player who wins the most frames wins the match. Most professional matches require a player to win five frames, and are called “Best of Nine” as that is the utmost possible number of frames. Tournament finals are usually best of 17 or best of 19, while the World Championship uses longer matches ranging from best of 19 in the qualifiers and the first round proper, up to 35 frames in length (first to 18), and is played over two days, extended if necessary until a winner is determined.
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Professional and competitive amateur matches are officiated by a referee who is the sole judge of fair play. The referee also reinstates the colours on the table when necessary and calls out how many points the player has scored during a break. Professional players usually play the game in a sporting manner, declaring fouls the referee has missed, acknowledging good shots from their antagonist, or holding up a hand to apologise for fortunate shots, also known as “flukes”. A comprehensive spider, which can be used to bridge over balls obstructing a shot that is too far away to be bridged by hand
Other terminology used in snooker includes a player’s break, which refers to the total number of consecutive points a player has amassed (excluding fouls) when at one visit to the table. A player attaining a break of 15, for example, could have accomplished it by potting a red then a black, then a red then a pink, before failing to pot the next red. The traditional maximum break in snooker is to pot all reds with blacks then all colours, which would yield 147 points.
IELTS Academic Reading Test
Questions 1-8
Write YES, NO OR NOT GIVEN for the following statements in boxes 1-8 on your answer sheet, wri
YES – if the statement agrees with the information
NO – if the statement contradicts the given information
NOT GIVEN – if there is no information on this at all
1. Snooker is an indoor amusement played on a board.
2. The undulating of the ball is influenced by the cloth in succession on the table.
3. It’s a game of collecting point if a proponent commits foul, the player gets point.
4. If both the players score same points, both become conquerors and share the victory.
5. Only affluent people can play this game.
6. Potting object balls in correct order is compulsory to score more points than challenger to prevail the game.
7. The cue sport is actually well-liked in all countries on the planet.
8. There are eight color balls and black has uppermost points and white is a prompt ball.
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Questions 9-14
Answer the following questions by choosing the correct responses A-H from the table below. Write the correct letter, in boxes 9-14 on your answer sheet.
9. Solitary arbitrator of a fair play
10. Playing one game from the initial position balls until the last ball potted
11. A player be triumphant of five games
12. At one visit to the table, total number of successive points a player has accumulated.
13. Used to bridge over balls barricading a shot that is too far away.
14. Confiscate up a hand to express regret for fortunate shots.
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A. Referee
B. Break
C. Bridge
D. Frame
E. Flukes
F. Match
G. Best of nine
H. Spider
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IELTS Academic Reading Test
ANSWERS
1. YES
2. YES
3. NO
4. NO
5. NOT GIVEN
6. YES
7. NOT GIVEN
8. YES
9. A
10. D
11. G
12. B
13. H
14. E
IELTS Academic Reading Test