Cambridge 20 Academic Reading Test 2

Reading Passage 1

Questions 1–6
Complete the notes below.
Choose ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.

Manatees

Appearance

  • look similar to dugongs, but with a differently shaped 1

Movement

  • have fewer neck bones than most mammals

  • need to use their 2 to help to turn their bodies around in order to look sideways

  • sense vibrations in the water by means of 3 on their skin

Feeding

  • eat mainly aquatic vegetation, such as 4

  • grasp and pull up plants with their 5

Breathing

  • come to the surface for air every 2–4 minutes when awake and every 15–20 while sleeping

  • may regulate the 6 of their bodies by using muscles of diaphragm to store air internally

Questions 7–13

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

7. West Indian manatees can be found in a variety of different aquatic habitats.

8. The Florida manatee lives in warmer waters than the Antillean manatee.

9. The African manatee’s range is limited to coastal waters between the West African countries of Mauritania and Angola.

10. The extent of the loss of Amazonian manatees in the mid-twentieth century was only revealed many years later.

11. It is predicted that West Indian manatee populations will fall in the coming decades.

12. The risk to manatees from entanglement and plastic consumption increased significantly in the period 2009–2020.

13. There is some legislation in place which aims to reduce the likelihood of boat strikes on manatees in Florida.

14. mention of false assumptions about why people procrastinate

15. reference to the realisation that others also procrastinate

16. neurological evidence of a link between procrastination and emotion

Reading Passage 2

Questions 17–22

Complete the summary below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.

What makes us procrastinate?

Many people think that procrastination is the result of 17.
Others believe it to be the result of an inability to organise time efficiently.
But scientific studies suggest that procrastination is actually due to poor mood management. The tasks we are most likely to put off are those that could damage our self-esteem or cause us to feel 18 when we think about them. Research comparing chronic procrastinators with other people even found differences in the brain regions associated with regulating emotions and identifying 19.

Emotionally loaded and difficult tasks often cause us to procrastinate. Getting ready to take 20 might be a typical example of one such task.
People who are likely to procrastinate tend to be either 21 or those with low self-esteem.
Procrastination is only a short-term measure for managing emotions. It’s often followed by a feeling of 22, which worsens our mood and leads to more procrastination.

Questions 23 and 24

Choose TWO letters, A–E.

23 - 24 Which TWO comparisons between employees who often procrastinate and those who do not are mentioned in the text?

Questions 25 and 26

Choose TWO letters, A–E.

25 - 26 Which TWO recommendations for getting out of a cycle of procrastination does the writer give?

Reading Passage 3

Questions 27–32
Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 3?
YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

27. When DeJesus first used ABS, he shared decision-making about strikes with it.

28. MLB considered it necessary to amend the size of the strike zone when criticisms were received from players.

29. MLB is keen to justify the money spent on improving the accuracy of ABS’s calculations.

30. The hundred-mile-an-hour fastball led to a more exciting style of play.

31. The differing proposals for alterations to the baseball bat led to fierce debate on Sword’s team.

32. ABS makes changes to the shape of the strike zone feasible.

Questions 33–37

Complete the summary using the list of phrases, A–H, below.

List of phrases:
A. pitch boundary
B. numerous disputes
C. team tactics
D. subjective assessment
E. widespread approval
F. former roles
G. total silence
H. perceived area

Calls by the umpire

Even after ABS was developed, MLB still wanted human umpires to shout out decisions as they had in their 33. The umpire’s job had, at one time, required a 34 about whether a ball was a strike. A ball is considered a strike when the batter does not hit it and it crosses through a 35 extending approximately from the batter’s knee to his chest.

In the past, 36 over strike calls were not uncommon, but today everyone accepts the complete ban on pushing or shoving the umpire. One difference, however, is that during the first game DeJesus used ABS, strike calls were met with 37.

Questions 38–40

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

38. What does the writer suggest about ABS in the fifth paragraph?

39. Morgan Sword says that the introduction of ABS

40. Why does the writer include the views of Noë and Russo?

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