BEST IELTS ACADEMIC Reading Test 30

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BEST IELTS ACADEMIC Reading Test 30

ACADEMIC READING TEST 30 – PASSAGE – 2

ACADEMIC READING TEST 30

READING PASSAGE 2

You should spend about 20 minutes on Question 14- 26, which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.

What’s the best smartphone on the market?

The new HTC 4Gis, for now at least, restricted from showing us its true potential since, as Australia’s forst 4G phone ,it is ahead of its time and must wait for the 4G infrastructure to be put in place before it can really be appreciated. As things stand, and limited to used as a 3G hand set, the HTC stack up well against its competitors though. There is a very generous screen size of 4.3 inches, and the graphics and screen resolution are very sharp. This is perhaps both the phone’s greatest strength and its greatest weakness because, for all the good of having a large, sharp screen image, this comes at a cost; that being that the HTC is a bulkier, weightier model than most of its peers. Size issue aside however, you cannot help but admire the sheer range of features on this handset. An 8-megapixel camera, and a front-side 1.2 megapixel voice calls, and high-definition image quality should you switch to recording mode make the need to carry any casual photographic or recording equipment around with you almost redundant. Perhaps no more than a blip, as company engineers and programmer assure us a fix will be issued shortly, but it must be said that the battery life is slightly disappointing; a regular daily charge is simply a necessity as any longer would leave you, well flat!

The nexus employs energy-efficient screen technology, making it an instant hit for the many who have been thus far frustrated by the lack of battery longevity smartphones have offered up. Design isn’t compromised either and this hand set s light and compact (the practicalities covered then) not to mention sleek and funky. The 5 megapixel rear-facing camera is handy to have in an emergency, but can hardly be relied upon to produce the sort of imagery we have come to expect from such products. Autofocus and an inbuilt flash do help to enhance image quality, but this device falls just a few too many pixels short and so trails behind its rivals in the multimedia department; and not by a neck, but several lengths at least.

The iPhone series have been market leading devices ever since Apple entered the smartphone sector, and seldom is there more excitement in techie circle than when a new iPhone model is released. Cue fierce applause and much gasping then, for Apple’s latest offering in now on sale in a store near you! The new iPhone has the sharpest and clearest display of any smartphone on the market, and, quite simply, in almost every aspect of design, it is king. In fact, the quality of kit gone into the phone almost beggars belief and gives the handset the feel of being indestructible, which, given the quality of manufacture, is not too far wide of the mark. There are, of course, the trademark front and rear-display cameras on the new iPhone, and, though at 8 megapixels the main camera is, well, hardly earth-shatteringly impressive, don’t be too quick to write off the iPhone’s multimedia credentials. Remember

To start with , that the screen and recording devices operate in High Definition, and let’s not overlook the vast number of complementary media app – Apple is in a league of its own in the apps market, and this is perhaps one of the main reasons it has so many diehard fans. Another factor which is crucial to this device’s popularity is the fact that you can leave home confident there will be no need to beg for a charger from someone I the office halfway through the day. Battery life on this handset is not market- leading, but the iPhone certainly outperforms its nearest rivals in that department. A genuine contender for best buy.

The new Motorola should not be thought of so much as a smartphone, as a mini-computer, such is the manner in which this device performs. With massive processing and memory capabilities,

Motorola users can download video, Image and music files without giving a second thought to whether or not there is enough unused space, and, with 16GB internet memory and scope to add on another 32GB via an external memory card, why would you? The main camera though, given how high-spec everything else about this device seems to be, it somewhat of a disappointment. At only 5 megapixels, you do wonder what the designers were thinking; after all, had they even matched their rivals at HTC in this area, the Motorola would have been a standout handset that left its competitors trailing in its wake. As things stand, the Motorola is a definite player and will appeal to those for whom the smartphone is primarily a work-related device, as its unrivalled processing capability with most office software make it the perfect travel companion for every busy businessman and businesswoman out there. However, Motorola have misses a trick or two in failing to target the many smartphone buyers more interested in entertainment features like high-megapixel cameras. Had the combined their download power with a better ‘picture snapper’ they could have cornered the entire market; this is an opportunity lost you feel.

Questions 14 – 20

Look at the following statement, questions 14-20, and decide which smartphone model, A-D, the statement relate to. Write the correct letter, A-D.

14 This phone will be not able to showcase all of its strengths until the country’s communication system has been upgraded. ………………………………….

15 This phone is a very practical device that can process information quickly and has very high storage capacity. …………………………………..

16 This phone’s greatest asset is also a liability which make it more burdensome to carry around. ……………………………………

17 This phone would stand up to a lot of abuse; such is the quality of manufacture gone into it. ……………………………………

18 This phone could have threatened to dominate the smartphone market had it not overlooked an important entertainment feature. ………………………………….

19 This phone provides access to a lot more of something than any of the rival phone models can. …………………………………..

20 This phone employs special technology designed to conserve energy and enhance battery life. ………………………………….

A HTC 4G
B NEXUS
C iphone
D Motoroal

Questions 21- 23

Complete each sentence with the correct ending, A-F,Below.

Write the correct letter, A-E.

21 The HTC EVO 4G has such a high-quality camera ……………………………..

22 The failing of the Nexus S Camera are such ……………………………..

23 The functionality of the Motorola Atrix Can be likened to …………………………….

A that of a small computer, Except in the memory and processing stakes where it comes up short.

B that the excellent flash and focus functions are still not enough to compensate.

C that of devices specifically designed to execute far more complex tasks than a phone is supposed to.

D that it is no longer necessary to carry extra camera and recording equipment unless you are looking
for professional results.

E that professional and amateur photographer alike will find that is satisfies all their need.

Questions 24-26

Do the following statement agree with the views of the writer in Reading Passage 2?

YES if the statement agrees with the views of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the views of the writes
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

24 In order to produce an energy-efficient phone, the Nexus S manufacturer
Have compromised on certain design features. ………………………

25 The iPhone is superior to its rivals in many design aspects. ……………………….

26 The Motorola Atrix is unlikely to be a huge success since there are more
Smartphone users who use their phones for entertainment than for work
Purposes. ……………………….