ACADEMIC READING PRACTICE TEST 1

READING PASSAGE 1 Questions 1 -13

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1 – 13 which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.

THE BIG CATS AT THE SHARJAH BREEDING CENTRE

It is one of the few places where you will be able to and management, much like the lead role in a Jane
spot them all at the same time… the Arabian wolf, an Austen novel. The female cheetahs were initially
African cheetah, an Arabian leopard, an oryx, a intimidated by the presence of the male; however,
gazelle. These are just some of the animals, which, as they advance to oestrus, the roles are reversed
on the brink of extinction, are now getting a new and the male cheetah becomes too wary to
lease of life thanks to the exemplary work being approach during the female’s most receptive phase
done at the Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian of the cycle. It is the responsibility of the keeper
Wildlife in Sharjah. therefore to monitor each individual and to be able
to respond to any indication from the cheetahs that
Sharjah is one of the seven emirates that make up the time is right for introducing a pair. The close
the United Arab Emirates. The Breeding Centre’s bond that invariably develops between the keeper
expertise and facilities have made it a prime and the cheetahs enables the keeper to spot even
destination for illegally imported animals confiscated the most subtle signs from the animals in their care.
by UAE and Sharjah authorities. In the last four The trust between keeper and animal has also
years, more than 900 mammals and reptiles and 969 allowed the opportunity to study cellular changes in
birds have arrived at the centre, including 25 North the sexual organs of the females during the
African cheetahs, Houbara bustard and falcons, hormonal cycles that occur prior to reproduction.
lions, a baby Nile crocodile and a Burmese python
that was left in a rental car at the airport. The Breeding Centre’s cheetahs are also participants
in the European breeding programme, which aims to
The 25 cheetahs were all imported illegally into the ensure that the genetic diversity of this endangered
UAE and were intercepted at the UAE harbour and species is maintained and expanded by breeding as
airport entry points. They nearly all arrived many founder animals as possible to introduce new
malnourished, dehydrated and highly stressed after bloodlines into the captive population. In this way,
long voyages stuffed into boxes, crates and the group held at the centre plays a very important
suitcases. Now they are bright and full of energy. role in the future health of the international captive
The Centre’s efforts have also been rewarded when population, as they are potentially all new founders.
the first cheetah mating took place at the end of
2002. Playing matchmaker with these beautiful Also very important for the Sharjah Breeding Centre
creatures is no easy task – successful breeding is the leopard-breeding programme. The Arabian
requires considerable patience and intimate leopard, Panthera pardus nimr, is critically
knowledge of each animal’s personality, and it is the endangered around the world and particularly in the
result of intensive and expert management of each Arabian Peninsula, where it was once found
animal within the group as well as of the group as a throughout the coastal mountain ranges. Activities
whole. like hunting, trapping and habitat destruction has
reduced their range to a few isolated and
Because this group was still young and fragmented populations in Oman, Yemen and Saudi
inexperienced in courtship matters, the keepers had Arabia.
to make the introductions only after careful planning
In the 1980s, a captive breeding programme was C if the statement refers to both cheetahs and
established near Muscat with the capture of three leopards at the Breeding Centre.
leopards in southwestern Oman. The breeding
programme in the UAE was initiated by the Arabian D If the statement refers to neither cheetahs
Leopard Trust and started with the arrival of two nor leopards at the Breeding Centre.
mature specimens: a male Arabian leopard from
Yemen and a female on breeding loan from Oman in Example Answer
1995. The arrival of these two animals led to the These animals are endangered C
construction of the Breeding Centre in which the
leopard has played the role of flagship species. 1. These animals were smuggled into the UAE.

Today there are twelve leopards at the Breeding 2. At first these animals did not adapt to life at
centre, eight of which have been born at the centre the Sharjah Breeding Centre
since the first cub in 1998. Once more, the secret to
the centre’s success is the close relationship 3. These animals are regarded as the most
between animal and keeper. The leopard is usually important animal at the Centre.
shy and secretive with people around, but here they
react positively to the presence of their keepers, 4. Half of these animals were born at the
approaching the fence so they can be talked to or Breeding centre.
scratched behind an ear.
5. These animals can be dangerous to one
The bond is particularly important during breeding another.
season, when keepers decide to introduce pairs to
each other. Male leopards are known to have killed 6. The role of the keeper is vital in the breeding
their partners on introduction, so it is essential for programme of these animals.
the keeper to understand the leopards’ behaviour to
decide when it is safe to do so. The trust is also 7. The first of these animals at the Breeding
important if keepers need to enter dens to check on Centre were relatively young.
and monitor the cub’s growth. Leopard females have
been known to kill their cubs if the dens have been 8. It is normally difficult for humans to approach
disturbed, but the centre’s leopards are quite these animals.
comfortable with the staff handling the new
Questions 9 – 13
generation of cubs.

Questions 1- 8 Complete the summary below.

Choose your answers from the box below the

Use the information in the text to match the
statements (1 – 8) with the animals (A – D). summary and write them in boxes 9 – 12 on
your answer sheet.
Write the appropriate letter (A – D) in boxes 1 –
8 on your answer sheet. Write: NB There are more words than spaces, so you
will not use them at all.
A if the statement refers to cheetahs at the
Breeding Centre. Example
The Sharjah Breeding Centre now
B if the statement refers to leopards at the has a ______ variety______of animals including
Breeding Centre. birds,…
SUMMARY READING PASSAGE 2 Questions 14 – 27

The Sharjah Breeding Centre now has a variety You should spend about 20 minutes on
of animals including birds, mammals and Questions 14 – 27 which are based on Reading
Passage 2 on the following pages.
9. __________ As its name suggests, the Centre
is primarily involved in breeding and INSOMNIA – THE ENEMY OF SLEEP
10. __________ the numbers of the species A
housed there whilst still maintaining the
It is not unusual to have sleep troubles from time to
11. _________ of bloodlines in order to retain time. But, if you feel you do not get enough sleep or
genetic health. In spite of problems involving satisfying sleep, you may have insomnia, a sleep
the complex disorder. People with insomnia have one or more of
the following: difficulty falling asleep, waking up
12 __________ of the animals, a fair amount of often during the night and having trouble going back
to sleep, waking up too early in the morning and
13. __________ has been achieved with North unrefreshing sleep. Insomnia is not defined by the
African cheetahs and Arabian leopards. number of hours you sleep every night. The amount
of sleep a person needs varies. While most people
need between 7 and 8 hours of sleep a night, some
people do well with less, and some need more.
Reptiles variety behaviors success creating
B
Expanding difficulty diversity action habitat
Insomnia occurs most frequently in people over age
season fish change working programme 60, in people with a history of depression, and in
women, especially after menopause. Severe
emotional trauma can also cause insomnia with
divorced, widowed and separated people being the
most likely to suffer from this sleep disorder. Stress,
anxiety, illness and other sleep disorders such as
restless legs syndrome are the most common causes
of insomnia. An irregular work schedule, jet lag or
brain damage from a stroke or Alzeimer’s disease
can also cause insomnia as well as excessive use of
alcohol or illicit drugs. It can also accompany a
variety of mental illnesses.

The mechanism that induces sleep is not known.

When it becomes dark, the pineal gland in the brain
secretes a hormone called melatonin, which is
thought to induce sleep. Exactly why sleep is
necessary for good health and efficient mental
functioning is unknown. We do know that sleep
consists of two very different states: rapid eye the insomnia. Transient and intermittent insomnia
movement (REM) sleep and non-REM sleep. In REM may not require any direct action since these
sleep, dreams occur, the eyes move under the closed conditions last only a few days at a time. However, if
lids and there is an increase in oxygen consumption, insomnia interferes with a person’s daily activities,
blood flow and neural activity. REM sleep occurs something should be done. Usually the best method
four or five times during a night. Beginning periods of dealing with insomnia is by attacking the
last about ten to fifteen minutes but the periods get underlying cause. For example, people who are
longer as the night goes on. The periods of REM depressed often have insomnia and looking at this
sleep alternate with longer periods of non-REM problem may eliminate it.
sleep, when body functions slow. Non-REM sleep has
four stages. During the deepest stages (3 and 4) it is F
hard to rouse a sleeper. As the night goes on, the
Not getting enough sleep can make you less
periods of non-REM sleep become progressively
productive, irritable and unable to concentrate. Lack
lighter. Sleep in stages 1 and 2 are felt to be
of sleep can make it seem as if you “got up out of
restorative as during this time the body repairs itself
the wrong side of the bed.” Early morning headaches
utilising a hormone called somatostatin. Lack of
and waking up feeling as if you never went to sleep
stage 4 sleep is believed to be important in
can result in frustration. Stress can cause insomnia
chronically painful conditions such as fibromyalgia.
but insomnia also increases stress. Insomnia can
D make driving unsafe as well. Insomnia can result in
missed work, which can cause you to become less
Healthcare providers diagnose insomnia in several productive and miss promotions. It can leave you
ways. One way is to categorize insomnia by how feeling as if you just can’t get enough done.
often it occurs. Another way is to identify the Insomnia can also mask serious mental disorders.
insomnia by what is causing the sleep deprivation. People with insomnia may think that not getting
The two main types of insomnia have been enough sleep is their only problem, but the insomnia
described as Primary Insomnia and Secondary may actually be one symptom of a larger disorder,
Insomnia. Primary Insomnia is a chronic condition such as depression. Studies show that people with
with little apparent association with stress or a insomnia are four times more likely to be depressed
medical problem. The most common form of than people with a healthy sleeping pattern. In
primary insomnia is psychophysiological insomnia. addition, lack of sleep can tax the heart and lead to
Secondary insomnia is caused by symptoms that serious conditions like heart disease. All of these are
accompany a medical condition such as anxiety, important problems that can affect every part of
depression or pain. your life.

E G

Improving one’s sleep hygiene helps improve Establishing certain set routines can help insomniacs
insomnia in all patients. Relaxing during the hour get better sleep. Examples of these routines include:
before you go to sleep and creating a comfortable going to bed and getting up at the same time every
environment suited for sleep can be helpful. Older day, avoiding napping, avoiding caffeine, nicotine,
people who wake up earlier than normal or have alcohol and eating heavily late in the day, exercising
trouble falling asleep may need less sleep than they regularly and making your bedroom comfortable in
used to. Changing one’s sleep pattern, either by terms of the bed, noise and temperature.
going to bed later or waking up earlier, can be Insomniacs should also only use their bedroom for
effective in dealing with insomnia in older people. sleep so that their bodies associate the room with
Therapy also depends on the cause and severity of sleep. Finally, if you can’t get to sleep, don’t toss and
turn all night. Get up and read or do something that 16. Paragraph D
is not overly stimulating until you feel really sleepy
again. 17. Paragraph E

Questions 14 - 19 18. Paragraph F

The reading passage on Insomnia has 7 19. Paragraph G

paragraphs (A – G).
Questions 20 – 27
From the list of headings below choose the most
Do the following statements agree with the
suitable headings for paragraphs B – G.
views of the writer of the reading passage on
Write the appropriate number (i – xi) in boxes Insomnia?
14 – 19 on your answer sheet.
In Boxes 20 - 27 write:
NB There are more headings than paragraphs,
YES if the statement agrees with the writer
so you will not use them all.
NO if the statement doesn’t agree with the
Example Answer
writer
Paragraph A iv
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the
i The Role of Sleep
writer thinks about this
ii Insomnia Medication
20. Someone who only gets four hours of sleep
iii Habits to Promote a Good Night’s Sleep a night must be suffering from insomnia.

iv What is Insomnia 21. Travelling can cause insomnia.

v Complications for Insomniacs 22. REM sleep is felt to be the most important
for the body’s rest.
vi Government Action
23. Secondary insomnia is far more common
vii Available Treatment for Insomnia than primary insomnia.

viii The Causes of Insomnia 24. Sufferers of insomnia can attend specialist
sleep clinics.
ix Therapy Solutions
25. Many people suffering from insomnia don’t
x Types of Insomnia
realise that they suffer from it.
xi Current Research
26. There is no actual correlation linking
insomnia and depression.

14. Paragraph B 27. Sleeping during the day can make insomnia
worse.
15. Paragraph C
READING PASSAGE 3 Questions 28 - 40 farmland with powerful and toxic pesticides and to
You should spend about 20 minutes on under-use the safe and effective alternatives,”
Questions 28 – 40 which are based on Reading charged Patrick Leahy, who commissioned the
report. Green action groups disagree about the
Passage 3 below.
safety issue. “There is no way that habitual
consumption of foodstuffs grown using toxic
ALTERNATIVE FARMING METHODS
chemicals of the nature found on today’s farms can
IN OREGON be healthy for consumers,” noted Bill Bowler,
spokesman for Green Action, one of many lobbyists
Onion growers in eastern Oregon are adopting a
interested in this issue.
system that saves water and keeps topsoil in place,
while producing the highest quality “super colossal” The GAO report singles out Oregon’s apple and pear
onions. Pear growers in southern Oregon have producers who have used the new IPM techniques
reduced their use of some of the most toxic with growing success. Although Oregon is clearly
pesticides by up to two-thirds, and are still ahead of the nation, scientists at OSU are taking the
producing top-quality pears. Range managers Government Accounting Office criticisms seriously.
throughout the state have controlled the poisonous “We must continue to develop effective alternative
weed tansy ragwort with insect predators and practices that will reduce environmental hazards and
saved the Oregon livestock industry up to $4.8 produce high quality products,” said Paul Jepson, a
million a year. professor of entomology at OSU and new director of
OSU’s Integrated Plant Protection Centre (IPPC). The
These are some of the results Oregon growers have IPPC brings together scientists from OSU’s
achieved in collaboration with Oregon State Agricultural Experiment Station, OSU Extension
University (OSU) researchers as they test new service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and
farming methods including integrated pest Oregon farmers to help develop agricultural systems
management (IPM). Nationwide, however, IPM has that will save water and soil, and reduce pesticides.
not delivered results comparable to those in Oregon. In response to the GAO report, the Centre is putting
A recent U.S General Accounting Office (GAO) report even more emphasis on integrating research and
indicates that while integrated pest management farming practices to improve Oregon agriculture
can result in dramatically reduced pesticide use, the environmentally and economically.
federal government has been lacking in effectively
promoting that goal and implementing IPM. Farmers “The GAO report criticizes agencies for not clearly
also blame the government for not making the new communicating the goals of IPM,” said Jepson. “Our
options of pest management attractive. “Wholesale challenge is to greatly improve the communication
changes in the way that farmers control the pests on to and from growers, to learn what works and what
their farms is an expensive business.” Tony Brown, doesn’t. The work coming from OSU researchers
of the National Farmers Association says. “If the must be adopted in the field and not simply languish
farmers are given tax breaks to offset the in scientific journals.”
expenditure, then they would willingly accept the
new practices.” The report goes on to note that even In Oregon, growers and scientists are working
though the use of the riskiest pesticides has declined together to instigate new practices. For example, a
nationwide, they still make up more than 40 percent few years ago scientists at OSU’s Malheur
of all pesticides used today; and national pesticide Experiment Station began testing a new drip
use has risen by 40 million kilograms since 1992. irrigation system to replace old ditches that wasted
“Our food supply remains the safest and highest water and washed soil and fertilizer into streams.
quality on Earth but we continue to overdose our The new system cut water and fertilizer use by half,
kept topsoil in place and protected water quality. In
addition, the new system produced crops of very reduce all other synthetic pesticides by even more
large onions, rated “super colossal” and highly and still produce top-quality pears. These and other
valued by the restaurant industry and food studies around the state are part of the effort of the
processors. Art Pimms, one of the researchers at IPPC to find alternative farming practices that
Malheur comments: “Growers are finding that when benefit both the economy and the environment.
they adopt more environmentally benign practices,
they can have excellent results. The new practices Questions 28 – 35
benefit the environment and give the growers their
Match the views (28 – 35) with the people listed
success.”
below.
OSU researchers in Malheur next tested straw mulch
and found that it successfully held soil in place and 28. There is a double advantage to the new
kept the ground moist with less irrigation. In techniques.
addition, and unexpectedly, the scientists found that
the mulched soil created a home for beneficial 29. Expectations of end users of agricultural
beetles and spiders that prey on onion thrips – a products affect the products.
notorious pest in commercial onion fields – a
discovery that could reduce the need for pesticides.
30. The work on developing these alternative
“I would never have believed that we could replace techniques is not finished.
the artificial pest controls that we had before and
31. Eating food that has had chemicals used in
still keep our good results,” commented Steve Black,
a commercial onion farmer in Oregon, “but instead
its production is dangerous to our health.
we have actually surpassed expectations.”
32. Changing current farming methods is not a
OSU researchers throughout the state have been cheap process.
working to reduce dependence on broadspectrum
chemical sprays that are toxic to many kind of
33. Results have exceeded anticipations.
organisms, including humans. “Consumers are rightly
34. The research done should be translated into
putting more and more pressure on the industry to
practical projects.
change its reliance on chemical pesticides, but they
still want a picture-perfect product,” said Rick Hilton,
35. The U.S. produces the best food in the
entomologist at OSU’s Southern Oregon Research
world.
and Extension Centre, where researchers help pear
growers reduce the need for highly toxic pesticides.
TB Tony Brown
Picture perfect pears are an important product in
PL Patrick Leahy
Oregon and traditionally they have required lots of
BB Bill Bowler
chemicals. In recent years, the industry has faced
stiff competition from overseas producers, so any PJ Paul Jepson
new methods that growers adopt must make sense AP Art Pimms
economically as well as environmentally. Hilton is SB Steve Black
testing a growth regulator that interferes with the RH Rick Hilton
molting of codling moth larvae. Another study used
pheromone dispensers to disrupt codling moth
mating. These and other methods of integrated pest
management have allowed pear growers to reduce
their use of organophosphates by two-thirds and
Questions 36 - 40

Read the passage about alternative farming

methods in Oregon again and look at the
statements below.

In boxes 36 - 40 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 advertisement

36. Integrated Pest Management has generally

been regarded as a success in the US.

37. Oregon farmers of apples and pears have

been promoted as successful examples of
Integrated Pest Management.

38. The IPPC uses scientists from different

organisations.

39. Straw mulch experiments produced

unplanned benefits.

40. The apple industry is now facing a lot of

competition from abroad.