IELTS – Exam 1 – General Training Reading

IELTS General Training Reading Practice Test

Section 2: Reading passage 2

Read the text below and answer questions 22 – 27

Questions 22 to 27

How to excel in your job interview

Be punctual

If possible, arrive early to your interview. Interviewers are usually ready before the interview begins.

Know your interviewer’s name, pronunciation and spelling

Use the interviewer’s name during the interview. This will show that you care about the person who is taking the time to get to know you. Spelling and pronouncing his or her name correctly will show attention to detail. Moreover, be respectful to the secretary or administrator who arranged the interview for you.

Prepare a few questions

It’s wise to write a few questions to ask your interviewer. You can ask about the employer’s expectations and the job itself. This will show your genuine interest and curiosity about the job. Bring your CV and copies of references.

Don’t forget your CV

Don’t forget to bring a clean and protected copy of your CV. The interviewer may have dozens of applicants to get through, so she may not have your CV at hand. If you can provide one immediately, it will save time for your recruiter and show your professionalism.

Bring a pen and notepad

It’s not necessary to take regular notes during the interview, but having a pen and paper may come handy for writing down the details of the next interview or other important information related to the job description.

Be relaxed but alert

Try to relax before the interview. Greet your interviewer warmly and look her or him in the eye. Don’t be too nervous, but don’t be overly relaxed, either. You don’t want to appear too jittery or laid back.

Be truthful

Never lie during an interview, and be honest about weaknesses.

Avoid negative remarks

If you had some negative experiences in a past job, describe them in a positive light to show what you learned from the situation and how you have improved over time.

Don’t ask about the salary in the first interview

You can check your salary level on Glassdoor, a platform that indicates the correct salary for the job you’re applying for. Don’t ask about the salary in the first interview. The company should follow up with this information.

End the interview on a positive note.

Find out what the next step in the interview process is. Express your gratitude to the interviewer for his or her time with you and show your enthusiasm in the company and position.

Don’t assume you’ve been hired!

It’s important to remember that there are probably several candidates for the job that you’re applying for, so remain humble as you don’t know at the end of the interview whether or not you got the job.

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Questions 22 to 27

Complete the sentences below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

The IELTS General Training Reading Test: A Comprehensive Guide

The General Training IELTS is typically for those aiming to migrate to English-speaking countries and for those who need to demonstrate their English-speaking capabilities at a workplace or school. This article focuses on the General Training Reading test, providing insights into its structure, question types, scoring, and helpful tips for each type of question.

Which exam to choose: General Training or Academic

The choice between General Training and Academic IELTS depends on your objectives.

• The IELTS General Training is designed for people who want to work in an English-speaking country or want to pursue studies in vocational training or secondary education.
• The IELTS Academic is designed for people wish to study at university or college as an undergraduate or postgraduate student or join a professional institution in an English-speaking environment.

Structure and Timing

The General Training Reading test consists of 3 sections, encompassing a total of 40 questions to be completed in 60 minutes. These sections are designed to test a range of reading skills, including gist, main ideas, and details.

• Section 1: Focuses on “social survival” in an English-speaking environment, featuring several short texts related to everyday life, such as advertisements, timetables, and notices.
• Section 2: Examines “workplace survival” skills through texts taken from job descriptions, contracts, and training manuals.
• Section 3: Presents a more complex text on a topic of general interest, often extracted from books, magazines, or newspapers.

Question Types and Tips

The test includes 14 different types of questions, which assess various reading skills. Here’s a brief overview and some strategic tips for each:

1. Matching Headings – Identify the main idea of paragraphs or sections.

• Start by reading the list of headings and paragraphs’ first lines to grasp the key ideas quickly.

2. Multiple Choice – Choose the correct answer from several given options.

• Skim the text to find and verify the specific information.
• You can start by eliminating some of the choices that are considered the most inappropriate.

3. Identifying Information (True/False/Not Given) – Check if the statements are true, false or not mentioned in the text.

• Pay close attention to the facts presented in the text, and look for paraphrases—words or phrases that convey the same meaning as the statements but use different wording.

4. Matching Paragraph Information – Identify which paragraph contains the information given in each statement from a list.

• Scan for key terms and synonyms or paraphrases that match the question. Remember, some paragraphs might be the answer to more than one statement, while others may not contain any relevant information at all.

5. Matching Features – Associate given features with the correct options from the list.

• Focus on specific information to avoid re-reading entire paragraphs.
• Remember the questions may use different words to express the same as the text.
• Highlight key terms and important details to aid in matching accurately.

6. Matching Sentence Endings – Complete sentences about the text by matching the beginning of the sentence with the correct ending from a list.

• Make sure both parts of each sentence are grammatically correct and have a logical cohesion.
• The list of sentences follow the order of the information in the text.

7. Sentence Completion – Fill gaps in a sentence with words from the text.

• Scan the text to quickly locate the specific information. Keep an eye out for synonyms or paraphrases.
• Identify which type of word you will need (non, verb, adjective, etc.)

8. Summary Completion – Fill in gaps to complete a summary of the text using words from the text.

• Scan the text to quickly locate the specific information. Keep an eye out for synonyms or paraphrases.
• Identify which type of word you will need (non, verb, adjective, etc.)

9. Table Completion – Fill in the gaps in a table with words from the text.

• Read the column headings and understand the structure of the table.
• Scan the text to quickly locate the specific information. Look for synonyms or paraphrases.
• Identify which type of word you will need for each gap.

10. Diagram Completion – Label parts of a diagram using words from the text.

• Visualize what the text describes to better understand how to label the diagram.
• Determine the type of words needed for each label (such as nouns for parts of an object or verbs for actions).

11. Short-answer Questions – Respond to questions about specific details found in the text using words directly from the text.

• The questions follow the order of the information in the text.
• Scan the text to quickly locate the specific information. Look for synonyms or paraphrases that may be used instead of the exact words.
• Identify which type of word you will need for each gap.

12. List of Options – Select correct options from a list based on the text.

• Identify the key information within the list of options and scan the text to locate these details.
• Look for synonyms or paraphrases.
• The answers follow the same order as the information in the text.

13. Choose a Title – Select the most appropriate title for the passage from a list of options.

• There will be information about each option in the text, so you must distinguish the main theme or message from other secondary information in the text.
• Pay special attention to the first and last sentences of the passage, as they often contain key points that can help you select the most fitting title.

14. Flow Chart Completion – Complete the missing steps or stages in a flow chart using words from the text.

• Track the sequence and progression of ideas or processes in the text.
• Identify which type of word you will need for each gap.
• Keep in mind that the answers may not always be in the same order as the information appears in the text.

Scoring the IELTS General Training Reading Test

Each correct answer earns you one mark. The total number of correct responses is your raw score, which is then converted into the IELTS band score. It is crucial to attempt all questions as there is no penalty for wrong answers.

IELTS Reading Band Scores

The General Training Reading test scores range from Band 0 (did not attempt the test) to Band 9 (expert user). Here is a brief insight into how raw scores translate into band scores:

This scoring system highlights the importance of preparation and practice. Understanding the structure, familiarizing yourself with the types of questions, and employing effective strategies are crucial for achieving a high score on the IELTS General Training Reading test.

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