TASK 59

"Is Your Child at School Today?"​ ​&​ "Holiday Apartment To

Let"

Read the text below and answer ​Questions 1–5​.

Is Your Child at School Today?

School Attendance Information for Parents/Carers Introduction

Receiving a good full-time education will give your child the best possible start in life.
Attending school regularly and punctually is essential if children are to make the
most of the opportunities available to them. The law says that parents must ensure
that their child regularly attends the school where he/she is registered.

What you can do to help

• Make sure your child arrives at school on time. This encourages habits of
good timekeeping and lessens any possible classroom disruption. If your child
arrives after the register has closed without a good reason, this will be recorded as
an ‘unauthorised’ absence for that session.

• If your child has to miss school it is vital that you let the school know why,
preferably on the first morning of absence. (Your child’s school will have an
attendance policy explaining how this should be done.)

• If you know or think that your child is having difficulties attending the school
you should contact the school. It is better to do this sooner rather than later, as most
problems can be dealt with very quickly.

Authorised and Unauthorised Absence

If your child is absent and the school either does not receive an explanation from
you, or considers the explanation unsatisfactory, it will record your child’s absence
as ‘unauthorised’, that is, as truancy.
Most absences for acceptable reasons will be authorised by your child’s school:

• Sickness

• Unavoidable medical or dental appointments (if possible, arrange these for

after school or during school holidays)

• An interview with a prospective employer or college

• Exceptional family circumstances, such as bereavement

• Days of religious observance.

Your child’s school will not authorise absence for the following reasons:

• Shopping during school hours

• Day trips

• Holidays which have not been agreed

• Birthdays

• Looking after brothers or sisters or ill relatives.

Questions 1–5

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text above?

​ -5​ on your answer sheet, write:

In boxes 1

​TRUE​ if the statement is true

​FALSE​ if the statement is false

​ NOT GIVEN​ if the information is not given in the passage

1.​ Children must go to the school where they are registered.

2.​ All arrivals after the register has closed are recorded as ‘unauthorised’ absences.
3.​ If your child is absent from school, you must send the school a letter to explain
why.

4.​ Staff who think a child is having difficulties at school will contact the parents.

5.​ Schools will contact other authorities about children who take frequent
unauthorised absences.

​ uestions 8-14​.
Read the text below and answers Q

HOLIDAY APARTMENTS TO LET

A: Sleeps 2-3.​ One-bedroom apartment with uninterrupted sea views. This is a small
first-floor apartment in a well-established apartment complex containing a range of
leisure facilities and a supermarket for residents. On the edge of the town but close
to cafes and restaurants. On-street parking is generally available.

B: Sleeps 2-4.​ Spacious one-bedroom apartment in a complex that has only just
opened, five minutes’ walk from the sea. Private parking in front of the building. It is
located in a quiet, unspoilt village with a local market, banks, cafes and restaurants.
There are some fabulous championship golf courses within easy walking distance.

C: Sleeps 2+child.​ One-bedroom cottage (child’s bed can also be provided), large
terrace with uninterrupted views of the river and mountains. A truly peaceful location
in a picturesque village, but less than ten minutes’ drive from the coast and all the
amenities of a town. Owners live nearby and are happy to help in any way they can.

D: Sleeps 2-5.​ Two-bedroom apartment in a complex with its own pool and beautiful
views of the national park. A peaceful location just 3 km from the town centre, where
there are plenty of shops and excellent sports facilities. Superb local golf courses
within easy reach.

E: Sleeps 2-4.​ Modern one-bedroom first-floor apartment in the house, owners

resident on the ground floor. This great location offers easy access to all that this
fantastic town has to offer, a few minutes’ drive from its supermarket, bank, cafes,
restaurants. The ferry to the island beach leaves from 100 m away. Ten minutes
walk from the new shopping centre, which has many shops, food hall, cinema and
multi-storey car park.

F: Sleeps 2.​ One-bedroom first-floor apartment. Beautifully furnished, offering a high

standard of comfort. Situated in a peaceful location on the edge of an inland village,
with attractive views of the golf course. Many restaurants, bars, shops etc. are within
easy walking distance. Garage available by arrangement with the owners.

G: Sleeps 2-4.​ Two-bedroom apartment in central location in the busy street with
shops, restaurants etc. not far from the beach. The town has ideal facilities for
holidays all year round, including swimming pool, tennis courts and golf course.

Questions 6-14
The text has seven sections, ​A-G​. For which apartment are the following statements
true?

Write the correct letter, ​A-G​, in boxes ​6-14​ on your answer sheet.

NB​ You may use any letter more than once.

6.​ It overlooks a golf course.

7.​ It has its own parking space.

8.​ It is in the centre of a town.

9.​ The sea can be seen from it.

10.​ There is a swimming pool for residents of the apartment complex.

11.​ It is in a new apartment complex.

12.​ It is part of an apartment complex with its own supermarket.

13.​ It has a private outdoor area where you can sit.

14.​ The owners will organise parking on request

"GZJ TRAVEL – Recruitment Info"​ ​&​ "Hilton Laboratory"

Read the text below and answer ​Questions 15–21​.

GZJ TRAVEL – Recruitment Info

We’re looking for keen and effective people who are passionate about travel to work
as Travel Sales Consultants in our rapidly-growing team. Our recruitment process
has five stages. Here’s how it works:

The first stage is to use our online application form to apply for a current vacancy.

This is your chance to tell us about yourself, and the qualities and experience you
have that make you the ideal person for the job. For the Travel Sales Consultant
role, you’ll need to provide us with evidence that you have extensive experience in a
marketing environment, as well as a solid academic background. If you’re interested
in a career as a Corporate Travel Consultant, you’ll need at least one year’s
experience as a Travel Consultant.

If you reach Stage Two, we’ll arrange a telephone discussion, where you can find out
more about us, including the rewards on offer. For instance, once a year we like to
acknowledge outstanding efforts and celebrate successes with our co-workers, and
we have prize-giving ceremonies designed to do just this.

In Stage Three we’ll be able to give you more information about GZJ Travel and find
out more about you, at an interview which you’ll attend with a small group of other
applicants. We’ll be asking you about your ambitions and of course your sales ability,
the most vital quality for our business. You’ll also be required to complete a
psychometric test so we can find out more about your working style and
characteristics. We’ll also tell you about some of the perks – for example, as a Flight
Center employee you can take advantage of the free consultations conducted by our
in-house health and wellbeing team, Healthwise.

Next, in Stage Four, you’ll be introduced to the Area Leader and you’ll also visit one
of our shops, where you’ll meet the team and find out more about the sort of work
that’s involved. If you successfully pass Stage Four, you’ve reached the final stage of
the process and we’ll be in touch with a job offer! And if you accept, we’ll book you
into our Learning Center to get your training underway as soon as possible.
Careerwise, the department responsible for the training, will then organise individual
coaching to assist in setting goals for your career path.

Questions 15–21

Complete the process below.

Choose ​NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS​ from the text for each answer.

​ 5-21​ on your answer sheet.

Write your answers in boxes 1
GZJ Travel – Recruitment Process
Stage One – Application form

• Go online and apply for jobs advertised.

• Give proof of achievement so far both in education and in a ​15

……………… .

(Note: additional requirements for applicants interested in the role of ​16

…………………​)

Stage Two – Telephone discussion

• More information is given about company and the ​17 ………………​ you
could receive.

• Information about the annual event, where the prizes are given to those who
have made ​18 ………………………

Stage Three – Group interview

• Chance to tell us about how good you are at selling, and also about the ​19
………………​ you have.

• Take part in a ​20 ………………​ (used to learn about your way of working)

• Information given on benefits (e.g. health consultations)

Stage Four – Individual interview

• Meet a manager, and the ​21 ………………​ working in a particular store.

Stage Five – Job offer

 • Job offer sent out to successful applicants.

​ uestions 22-27​.
Read the text below and answers Q

Hilton Laboratory
Health and safety in the workplace
Personal safety

You must be familiar with the emergency procedures in your building so that you
know what to do in the event of fire, spillages or other accidents. Do not enter
restricted areas without authorisation, and at all times observe the warnings given.
Do not wedge open fire doors or tamper with door closures, and do not block
doorways, corridors or stairs, as ob​structions may affect access in the event of a fire.
Avoid leaving drawers and doors open unnecessarily and do not trail cables or flexes
across the floor.

How to dispose of rubbish safely

We aim to protect the environment by saving and recycling glass, waste paper, and
an increasing range of other materials. It is important to check materials carefully for
con​tamination before placing them in recycling containers. Never put sharp objects
such as razor blades or broken glass into waste bins without having wrapped the
items carefully to protect those emptying the bins. Other waste procedures may vary
– contact your Building Manager or Divisional Safety Officer for advice with regard to
your particular department.

How to handle heavy objects

Make sure that shelves are not overloaded and that glass and heavy objects are
stored at working height where they will be easier to reach. Use steps or ladders to
reach items at height; never climb on benches, tables or chairs. Never move
anything that is beyond your capability. Wherever possible you should use the
trolleys provided in the workplace to do the job for you. If repetitive manual
operations are routine in your work, your department will ensure you receive
appropriate instruction on safe working practices and posture.

Staying alert

If you become mentally or physically tired during the working day, and find that
you’re feeling drowsy or not concentrating properly, you could be at risk of causing
an accident or making a mistake that could harm you or your colleagues. To prevent
this, make sure that you take regular breaks when necessary.
Questions 22-27

Complete the sentences below.

Choose ​NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS​ from the text for each answer.

​ 2-27​ on your answer sheet.

Write your answers in boxes 2

22. ​ There are certain places in the building that staff should avoid unless they have
………….……

23. ​ To ensure people can get out easily, it is important that there are no
…….………… to exits.

24. ​ Items which could cause injury must be ……….……… before they are disposed
of.

25.​ Not all departments have the same system for dealing with ……….……… so
you need to check before throwing things away.

26.​ ………….……are available to make tasks, which require moving objects easier.

27. ​ You should have ………….…… while you are working.

"The Zebras’ long walk across Africa"

Read the text below and answer ​Questions 28–40​.

The Zebras’ long walk across Africa

James Gifford investigates some interesting new research into migration
patterns of zebras living in Botswana in southern Africa.

A.

For any animal to travel over 270 km in Botswana partly across the sand and low
bush terrain of the Kalahari Desert is a remarkable achievement. But to do so in 11
days and without any obvious motivation, as this zebra population does, is quite
extraordinary. On average their journey involves an exhausting round-trip of 588 km
– between the Makgadikgadi salt pan area and the Okavango river – making it
second only to the great trek undertaken by the zebra herds in the Serengeti
National Park. However, what is even more incredible still in my view is that until
recently it was completely unheard of.
B.

Hattie Bartlam, a researcher, discovered this migration while she was tracking zebra
groups, officially known as harems, by the Okavango River for her PhD, Each harem
consists of a stallion and his seven or eight mares with juvenile foals. There is no
loyalty between zebras beyond this social group, though harems often gather
together into so-called herds. For her study, Hattie had planned to compare the
small-scale movement patterns of 11 different zebra herds in the area.

C.

In December, when the annual rains had transformed the roads into rivers, Hattie
was, therefore, more than a little surprised when she checked the data sent by the
radio collars she fits to the zebras she is tracking to find that six of the harems were
270 km away on the edge of the Makgadikgadi, a huge mineral-rich area where salt
has collected over the years as water evaporates in the heat. Then, when the last of
the moisture from the rains had disappeared in May the following year, five of those
harems came wearily back to the Okavango. This raised the question: why, despite a
plentiful supply of food and water, were the zebras being drawn eastwards to the salt
pans? Even more difficult to understand was what made six of the groups travel so
far, while the other five remained by the Okavango.

D.

This discovery created quite a buzz in the research community. I decided to visit
Hattie and she explained that a century ago the large number of Botswana’s zebra
and wildebeest herds and the resulting competition for grass made migration
essential. One of the migration tracks went from the Okavango to Makgadikgadi. But
in the late 1960s, giant fences were put up to stop foot and mouth and other
diseases spreading between wildlife and domestic cattle. One of these went across
the migration track. Though the animals could get round the obstacle, each leg of
their journey would now be 200 km longer – an impossible distance given the lack of
permanent water on the extended route. Even today, with the fence gone (it was
taken down in 2004), there is dangerously little drinking water to support the zebras
on the return journey to the Okavango.

E.

As a zebra can live up to 20 years, the migration must have skipped at least one
generation during the 40 or so years that the fences were up. This prompts another
question: it has always been assumed that the young of social herbivores like zebras
learn migratory behaviour from their parents, so how did the latest generation learn
when and where to go? Not from their parents, who were prevented from migrating.
Did they follow another species, such as elephants? We may never know.
F.

Hattie’s data points to the conclusion that there are several zebra populations
adopting different behaviour. The first, like the vast majority of the Okavango zebras,
take it easy, spending the entire year by the river. The second group, 15,000-20,000
strong, work a bit harder. They divide their time between the Makgadikgadi salt pans
and the Boteti River, which is reasonably nearby. They sometimes struggle to find
water in the Boteti area during the dry season, often moving 30 km in search of fresh
grazing. Their reward: the juicy grass around the Makgadikgadi after the rains. The
final group of zebras, whose numbers are more modest (though as yet unknown),
must surely be considered as among the animal kingdom’s most remarkable
athletes. By moving between the Okavango and the salt pans, they enjoy the best of
both worlds. But the price they pay is an extraordinary journey across Botswana.

G.

Endangered species naturally tend to grab the headlines, so it’s refreshing for a
relatively abundant animal like the zebra to be the centre of attention for once.
Zebras are a vital part of the food chain: understanding their migration, in turn, helps
us to interpret the movements of their predators, and Hattie’s research has shed light
on the impact of fences on migratory animals. So what triggered her interest in
zebras? She explains that it is easier to get funding to study exciting animals like
lions. Crucial as that undoubtedly is, she believes that herbivores like zebras are key
to understanding any ecosystem. The scientific community is fortunate that people
like Hattie are willing to take the hard option.

Questions 28-34

The reading passage has seven sections, ​A-G​.

Choose the correct heading for each section from the list of headings below.

Write the correct number ​i-x​, in boxes ​28-34​ on your answer sheet.

i. A decrease in the zebra population

ii. An obstruction on the traditional route

iii. An unknown species

iv. Some confusing information

v. Staying permanently in the Makgadikgadi

vi. Nearly a record in the zebra world

vii. Three different ways of living

viii. The original aim of the work

ix. How was the information passed on?

x. Why it is important to study zebras

Questions 35-37

Complete the summary below.

Choose ​ONE WORD ONLY​ from the text for each answer.

​ 5-37​ on your answer sheet.

Write your answers in boxes 3
Social behaviour in zebras

Zebras tend to live together in small units, which experts call ​35 ​…………….. . Here,
a male zebra has charge of a number of adult ​36 ​…………….. and their young.
These units sometimes assemble in bigger groupings or ​37​ …………….., but it is still
clear that the zebras’ loyalty only extends to the small unit they live in.

Questions 38-40

Choose the correct letter, ​A, B, C​ or ​D​.

Write the correct letter in boxes ​38-40​ on your answer sheet.

38. How did Hattie feel when she heard some of the zebras had travelled so
far?

A. annoyed because she would have to follow them to Makgadikgadi

B. disappointed that not all of them made it back to Okavango

C. frustrated as the rains had made the roads unusable

D. unsure as to their real motivation for going

39. When describing the different Botswana zebra populations, the writer
indicates
 A. his admiration for the ones who migrate the furthest distance.

B. his sympathy for the ones who stay by the Okavango River.

C. his disbelief that those by the Boteti have difficulty finding food.

D. his anxiety that their migration patterns may not be able to continue.

40. What does the writer suggest in the final paragraph?

A. Too much time has been wasted on research into the predators like lions.

B. it is sometimes necessary to go against the trend in research matters.

C. Research will result in a ban on fences in areas where zebras live.

D. Research into animals which are not endangered will increase.