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Answer explanation - Clubs for Students & International Students House
Go to the Reading Passage: Clubs for Students & International Students House
GT Reading Test Answer Explanation:
Clubs for Students
Questions 15-21:
Look at the article 'Clubs for Students'. Which club would you contact for each of the requirements below?
Write the appropriate letter A-G in boxes 15-21 on your answer sheet. You may use each letter more than once.
15. You would like to take Spanish classes.
16. You want to join a club that has international branches.
17. You would like an opportunity to speak in public.
18. You would like to take part in amateur theatrical productions.
19. You want to visit some famous sites with a group of other students.
20. You are interested in finding out about part-time work.
21. You want to meet some English people who have started their careers.
Question 15: You would like to take Spanish classes.
Answer: E.
Explanation: For question 15, we need to find out which paragraph of the reading passage talks about conducting Spanish language classes. A quick look at the paragraph reveals that no paragraph directly talks about organising a language course except paragraph E. (i.e. YMCA London Central) which states that this club administers language courses. So if I am to take a Spanish language class, I would definitely contact this club. So the answer is 'E'.
Evidence sentence: Facilities include photography, art, drama, pottery, language courses, badminton, squash, exercise to music, circuit training, sports clinic, fitness testing and other activities.
Note: Candidates who are convinced that answers to a reading passage always come sequentially, i.e. answer to the first question could be found in paragraph 1 and then the answer to the second question in the next few lines or the next paragraph and so on, should notice that the answer to the first question of this paragraph (question 15 was hidden in paragraph E). So answers do not always come in sequence.
Question 16: You want to join a club that has international branches.
Answer: D.
Explanation: We need to be sure if a student wants to join a club that has international branches, which club he/she should contact. And while writing the answer, we will simply write the letter of the Paragraph (i.e. A-G) and NOT the club name.
We will try to be creative here by reading the paragraph title rather than reading the content of the paragraphs. Also, we have just found the answer to question 15 from paragraph 'E', so I will assume that it does not contain the answer to question 16. And we would get back to this paragraph only if all other paragraphs fail to give us the answer!
By looking at the paragraph titles, we can guess that paragraph "C. Kensington Committee of Friendship for Overseas Students", or paragraph "D. Royal Overseas League", are our possible candidates.
A cursory look at paragraph "C. Kensington Committee of Friendship for Overseas Students" does not expose the fact if this club has any international branch. So we will not look at paragraph "D. Royal Overseas League, are our possible candidates". The second line of the paragraph gives exactly what we are looking for. It says that "There are branches around the world and 57 reciprocal clubs worldwide". So we have got our answers (i.e. D) and we will look no further for this question and move to the next question.
Evidence sentence: There are branches around the world and 57 reciprocal clubs worldwide.
Question 17: You would like an opportunity to speak in public.
Answer: A.
Explanation: To find the answer to this question, we should look at paragraphs A, B, C & F. [We will exclude paragraphs D & E since we have found answers to question 15 & 16 from these two paragraphs. We will consider excluding paragraph G as well as it was given as the answer to the example question.]
Since we've found our answer to the last question (question 16) from paragraph E, let's look at paragraph F. After scanning through this paragraph, we could not find anything which can satisfactorily tell us that if someone would like an opportunity to speak in public should go to this club. So our next option should be paragraph A.
Paragraph A says that Commonwealth Trust club organise discussion meetings, learned talks, cultural events and other events. So if someone is looking for an opportunity to speak in public, this is the club she/he should be joining.
Evidence sentence: Organised discussion meetings, learned talks, cultural events, excursions to places of interest and invitations to major British diary events.
Question 18: You would like to take part in amateur theatrical productions.
Answer: E.
Explanation: This is a difficult question. So please look at the explanation closely. The question says that "you would like to take part in amateur theatrical productions", and not just enjoy a drama or theatrical performance. Three paragraphs (C, E & F) in the reading passage mention that. However, paragraph C just mentions about 'visits to the theatre'. So this is obviously not the club who is interested in taking part in amateur theatrical production would be looking for.
Next, comes the paragraph E, which says "Facilities include photography, art, drama, pottery, language courses..." All of these skills are taught in this club. So this is certainly the club someone who is interested in learning drama production or theatrical performance should be looking for. So we have picked our answer as 'E'.
Now, what about the final option - paragraph 'F'? We see that it also mentions about "drama", though other activities mentioned there makes it more like an activity and exercise club than cultural clubs, and we still cannot say whether this club teaches skills for a theatrical production or not, we would not pick it as the right answers. Though this is not our obvious choice for the answer to question 18, we would not argue with those who pick it as the answer because they would have their reasons to do so.
Evidence sentence: Facilities include photography, art, drama, pottery, language courses, badminton, squash, exercise to music, circuit training, sports clinic, fitness testing and other activities.
Note:
According to official IELTS resources, "Matching type questions" in IELTS reading tests the following skills:
• skimming/scanning for specific information
• understanding paraphrase
• making inferences
So, students who think that there is no scope for assumptions and inferences while finding answers to reading passages need to think twice!
Question 19: You want to visit some famous sites with a group of other students.
Answer: A.
Explanation: It is pretty obvious that only the Commonwealth Trust (mentioned in Paragraph A) organises group excursions to places of interest and it is open to students and visitors. "Group excursions" means visits or tours for a group of people and "places of interest" means famous places.
It is worth mentioning that, paragraph F mentions "weekends away around Britain" but it is not the right club for someone who is looking for a visit to some famous sites with a group of other students.
Note: While matching paragraphs with some given options, the same paragraph can be matched to more than one option. Here 'A' was matched with questions 17 and 19 while 'E' was matched with both 15 & 18.
Evidence sentence: Organised discussion meetings, learned talks, cultural events, excursions to places of interest and invitations to major British diary events.
Question 20: You are interested in finding out about part-time work.
Answer: B.
Explanation: This is possibly the easiest of all as only a single paragraph talks about jobs for students. Paragraph 'B' [Charles Peguy Centre] talks about work placement for students and holds a database of jobs. Members can use a fax machine, a copier and computers for CVs, which also indicates that this centre helps young students find part-time jobs.
Evidence sentence: Facilities include an information and advice service regarding education, work placement and general welfare rights. Moreover, the centre holds a database of jobs...
Question 21: You want to meet some English people who have started their careers.
Answer: F.
Explanation: Let's find out which club we should be contacting if we want to meet some English people who have started their careers. It is evident that 'F. London Inter-Varsity Club (IVC)' is a club where most members are young English professional. So if we want to meet some young English professionals (which means they are English and have started their career pretty recently) we need to acquire membership of this club.
So our answer choice for question 21 is 'F'.
Evidence sentence: Most members are young English professionals, but overseas visitors are welcome.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS HOUSE
Questions 22-29:
Read the article on International Students House and look at the statements below. In boxes 22-29 on your answer sheet write:
TRUE if the statement is true
FALSE if the statement is false
NOT GIVEN if the information is not given in the passage
The first one has been done for you as an example.
Example Answer
The club is for overseas students only. FALSE
22. The club has long-term dormitory accommodation.
23. Membership must be renewed monthly.
24. The club provides subsidised restaurant meals.
25. The club is open to non-members on Tuesday evenings.
26. STA Travel helps finance the Students Adviser.
27. The services of the Students Adviser are free to all club members.
28. You must make an appointment to see the Students Adviser.
29. There will be a surcharge for accommodation over the Christmas period.
Question 22: The club has long-term dormitory accommodation.
Answer: TRUE.
Explanation: To be sure if the answer to question 22 is TRUE, FALSE or NOT GIVEN, we need to skim through the reading passage and find out whether it offers long-term dormitory accommodation. We have a title called "Accommodation" and our answer would be there.
The text under the "Accommodation" heading reveals that the International Students House, which is a club, offers multi-bedded rooms, which essentially means dormitory rooms. It also mentions that long and short stays are welcome, which means it offers long-term accommodation. So it is evident that the answer is "TRUE".
Evidence sentence:
ACCOMMODATION
» comfortable accommodation for up to 450 people in single, twin, 3/4 bedded and multi-bedded rooms.
» 44 self-contained flats for married students and families.
» long and short stays welcomed.
Question 23: Membership must be renewed monthly.
Answer: FALSE.
Explanation: For question 23, we need to look at the text under the "Membership" title. We need to find out if the membership must be renewed monthly.
The text mentions that "You can join for as little as one month and for up to one year at a time", which means someone can pay between one to twelve months' membership fee and stay in the International Students House's accommodation centre for the entire period of membership without renewing monthly. If the person wants to stay more, he/she can renew it for any of 1 to 12 months membership again. So renewing monthly is not a must.
For example, it is allowed to pay for three months' payment and then renew it three months later for another three months. In this case, the renewal is not happening monthly. This is why the answer to question 23 is FALSE.
Evidence sentence:
MEMBERSHIP
Club membership is open to all full-time students, professional trainees, student nurses and au pairs. Membership costs are kept to an absolute minimum to enable the widest possible access. You can join for as little as one month and for up to one year at a time.
Question 24: The club provides subsidised restaurant meals.
Answer: NOT GIVEN.
Explanation: Question 24 states that "The club provides subsidised restaurant meals". Now let's search what the passage says about the restaurant meals and if the meals are subsidised (supported or financed) or not.
After scanning through the paragraphs, we can find that the only paragraph that talks about 'restaurant or meals' is the Membership paragraph. It mentions that 'membership entitles the members to use the various facilities of the House including the restaurants, student bars and coffee shop and so on. Nowhere does it mention if the meals in the restaurant are subsidised. So the answer is definitely NOT GIVEN.
Question 25: The club is open to non-members on Tuesday evenings.
Answer: TRUE.
Explanation: The answer to this question could also be found in the paragraph titled "Membership". If you read from the line "The best way to check out all we have on offer is to drop in any Tuesday evening between 7.15 pm and 8.30 pm for Open House in the Club Room. This is an opportunity for you to meet the staff and other club members, enjoy a free cup of coffee and find out all about what's going on", you will notice that non-members can visit it only on Tuesday evening (from 7.15 to 8.30 pm) and take the opportunity to meet the staff and club members, and essentially witness everything the club has to offer.
This basically means that the club is open to non-members on Tuesday evening. So the answer is 'TRUE'.
Evidence sentence: The best way to check out all we have on offer is to drop in any Tuesday evening between 7.15 pm and 8.30 pm for Open House in the Club Room. This is an opportunity for you to meet the staff and other club members, enjoy a free cup of coffee and find out all about what's going on.
Question 26: STA Travel helps finance the Students Adviser.
Answer: TRUE.
Explanation: "ADVICE SERVICE" paragraph contains texts related to 'STA travel' and 'Student Adviser' service. So we'd be looking there for the answer to this question. The very first line of this paragraph tells us that STA Travel supports the International Students Adviser provided by the International Students House. It says "Thanks to the support of STA Travel... International Students House now provides the service of an International Students Adviser."
Evidence sentence: Thanks to the support of STA Travel and in association with LCOS (the London Conference on Overseas Students) International Students House now provides the service of an International Students Adviser.
Question 27: The services of the Students Adviser are free to all club members.
Answer: NOT GIVEN.
Explanation: For the answer to question 27, we need to find out if the services of the Students Adviser are free to all club members or not, and we should be looking at the paragraph "ADVICE SERVICE" for that.
However, after reading the whole paragraph we can't find out if the Student Adviser service is offered for free or not. No doubt, this is a welfare service and it is supported by STA Travel and LCOS, and it helps students overcome any personal or practical difficulties they may be experiencing, but no information about its being free is given. So the answer is 'NOT GIVEN'.
Question 28: You must make an appointment to see the Students Adviser.
Answer: NOT GIVEN.
Explanation: Question 28 says that someone must make an appointment to see the Students Adviser. Now we will look at the last line of the "Advice Service" paragraph to find out if this is true, false or not given.
The last line says that 'one of the key features of the Advice Service is that the Adviser can be seen during the evenings until about 8 pm, Monday to Thursday.' It essentially just mentions when someone can see the Student Adviser but says nothing if someone needs an appointment to meet the adviser of not. So the answer would be 'NOT GIVEN'.
Question 29: There will be a surcharge for accommodation over the Christmas period.
Answer: FALSE.
Explanation: The answer to question 29 should be in the last paragraph titled "CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR". So we will read it to find out if there is a surcharge for accommodation over the Christmas period.
After reading the paragraph, we understand that the House will be offering reduced accommodation rates for students wishing to spend a few days in London over Christmas and have no intention of imposing an additional charge or payment. (Surcharge means an additional charge or payment). So the answer is 'FALSE'.
Evidence sentence: Even come and stay - the House will be offering reduced accommodation rates for students wishing to spend a few days in London over Christmas.
Answer Explanation by "Sam", a visitor to our website. We are adding the explanation because we think it would be helpful to some candidates.
22. The club has long-term dormitory accommodation.
Answer: TRUE, long and short stays welcomed.
23. Membership must be renewed monthly.
Answer: FALSE, you can join for as little as one month and for up to one year at a time.
24. The club provides subsidised restaurant meals.
Answer: NOT GIVEN, subsidised means - supported, financed; something like relief in payment of electricity bill or income. And the author never talks about any discount/financial support related to the meal.
25. The club is open to non-members on Tuesday evenings.
Answer: TRUE, the best way to check out all we have on offer is to drop in any Tuesday evening between 7.15 pm and 8.30 pm for Open House in the Club Room. Enjoy a free cup of coffee and find out all about what's going on.
Here the author said non-members can come and check out the services.
26. STA Travel helps finance the Students Adviser.
Answer: TRUE, Thanks to the support of STA Travel.
27. The services of the Students Adviser are free to all club members.
Answer: NOT GIVEN, this new welfare service is open to all students. It does not say if it is free or not.
28. You must make an appointment to see the Students Adviser.
The answer is NOT GIVEN: The author never talks about an appointment in ADVICE SERVICE paragraph.
29. There will be a surcharge for accommodation over the Christmas period.
The answer is 'FALSE'; because they don't raise the charge. "Surcharge" is an additional charge. Rather they offer reduced accommodation rates over the Christmas period.
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