Table of Contents
BEST General Reading IELTS Test 143
General Reading IELTS 143 – Passage – 2
General Reading IELTS – 143
READING PASSAGE – 2
SM Bus Pass Information
The Last Day to Pick Up a Fall 2010 ASM Bus Pass or Fall Replacement Pass is December 23.
Spring/Summer Passes – available Starting January 10.
StudentPrint will be closing for the semester at 3 pm on December 23 and the Student Activity Center (SAC) will be closed until Sunday, January 9.
January 23 the last day to pick up a new or replacement bus pass, no exceptions. If you lose your pass between December 24 and January 10, you will not be able to obtain a replacement. However you can purchase deeply discounted ride tickets at the University Bookstore and other locations around Madison.
BEST General Reading IELTS Test 143
Spring/Summer Passes Available January 10
Spring/Summer ASM Bus Pass distribution starts at 10 am on Monday, January 10. Get your pass at Steenbock Library at the corner of Babcock and Observatory or at the Student Activity Center Main Lobby, 333 East Campus Mall 3rd floor lobby.
From January 10 to January 14 you can pick up a pass at Steenbock Library or the SAC from 10 am to 5 pm. Starting on Tuesday, January 18 through January 28 we’ll be open later, 10 am to 6 pm. Please note we will be closed for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Monday, January 17.
After the 28th, passes will be available at StudentPrint for the remainder of the semester. StudentPrint hours are 9:30 am to 6:30 pm Monday through Friday when classes are in session.
You must be registered for Spring Semester 2011 classes and present a valid WisCard or you will not be given a pass. If you have a new WisCard, you must wait overnight for your records to be updated before we can give you a pass.
BEST General Reading IELTS Test 143
Questions 15 – 21
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text?
TRUE – if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE – if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN – if there is no information on this
15. You can pick up an ASM Fall Replacement Pass before the end of the year.
16. The SAC will close at 3pm on 23rd December.
17. Replacement bus passes must be collected before 23rd January if they are lost between December 24 and January 10.
18. Spring/Summer passes can be obtained from the SAC.
19. Probably the best place to get a spring/summer pass in early January is the Steenbock Library.
20. After the 28th January, SudentPrint will be open later than usual.
21. If your WisCard is not new, you can get your spring/summer pass without waiting.
BEST General Reading IELTS Test 143
Read the text and answer Questions 22 – 27.
The Bicycle
The last decade saw some big changes in cycling in technology, culture, infrastructure, and yes, even fashion.
A. Carbon Fiber frames have gone from novelty to mainstream: Most brands of road bikes are now offered in carbon fiber and not just aluminum or steel. Bicycle companies have done the research and development to make reliable carbon frames and composite frames. Mountain bikes frames are also offered in carbon, which shows how reliable the new carbon frames are. Not only are these bikes now lighter in weight, they are also performing better than ever.
B. Maturing of full-suspension bikes: the full suspension mountain bike has been improved and refined to specifically handle different types of terrain. The suspension is also adjustable so that your body type and riding style can be optimized for you. Like everything else, full-suspension bikes have become a lot lighter, which is a blessing for all riders.
C. Another technology break-through: Disc brakes really came out and were perfected in the last decade Disc brakes (mechanical or hydraulic) are able to generate much higher clamp forces than rim brakes Disc brakes tend to perform equally well in all conditions including water, mud, and snow. Unlike most rim brake designs, disc brakes are compatible with bicycle suspensions.
BEST General Reading IELTS Test 143
D. Electronic Gear-Shifting technology has spent a long time in development and in the 2009 season, battery-powered derailleurs which makes gear changes perfect every time and even compensates for traditional crossover problems. The rechargable batteries are speced to last over 1,000 miles between charges. Campagnolo has also been working on electronic gear-shifting as well, but decided to hold off until the economy improves -presumably about 2012.
E. A better light in the dark: Bicycle lights have made some big advancements. In the last few years, they have become smaller, brighter, lightweight and less expensive. LEDs lights have taken over the “Be Seen” market with small, light-weight, multi-functioning modes including strobe modes for improved ”Be Seen” visibility. LEDs have also taken over the bright light market making night rides both on and off road not only safer, but fun. You no longer run out of road before you run out of light. In addition to increased lumens they also come with lightweight lithium Ion rechargable batteries that complement our light weight bikes.
BEST General Reading IELTS Test 143
F. Cruisers became popular again. A wave of fun and classic-styled bikes with upright seating and balloon tires spread like an ocean wave from Southern California across the USA. Cruisers were back! New manufacturers dedicated to the cruiser market brought fun, whimsical styling and beach-inspired designs to bikes in the 2000 s. Many of the major bike manufacturers now have at least one, if not an entire line of cruisers. What’s not to love?
G. Ahh! The Comfort Bicycle, an ideal bicycle for riding on smooth park trails or paved paths also became very popular over the last decade. These hybrid bikes with a soft ride typically have a modified mountain bike frame with a tall head tube to provide an upright riding position. These bikes are the perfect bikes to entice bike newbies or those who are returning to cycling with their comfort, ease of ride and a position that gives them confidence. We can never do too much to try to win more converts to cycling!
H. The Boy’s Club opened its doors. Major bicycle companies started thinking about women. In the past ten years, many companies dropped the “shrink it, and pink it” design theme for womens bikes, and actually took into consideration the geometry of womens specific fit bicycle frames and womens specific saddles for both road and mountain bikes. Trek was the first of the major bicycle manufacturers to take the lead and introduced their ‘ WSD’ (Womens Specific Design) in 2002, and Specialized brought out their Allez Dolce womens road bike in 2003.
Whether or not you think women need a road or mountain bike designed for womens geometry or not, it definitely was a marker as bicycle companies made a real effort to cater to women. By mid-decade, womens specific bikes for road, mountain or triathlons got a big upgrade in quality: lightweight composite or carbon fiber frames and premium components. It was about time!
BEST General Reading IELTS Test 143
Questions 22 – 27
The text contains eight paragraphs, A – H.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
22. an improvement for people riding at night
23. an improvement for a smoother ride on all surfaces
24. improved materials for better performance
25. the company which started to cater for both sexes
26. the return of a quirky, older fashion
27. more stopping power
ANSWERS ARE BELOW
BEST General Reading IELTS Test 143
BEST General Reading IELTS Test 143
ANSWERS
15. FALSE
16. NOT GIVEN
17. FALSE
18. TRUE
19. NOT GIVEN
20. NOT GIVEN
21. NOT GIVEN
22. E
23. B
24. A
25. H
26. F
27. C