This General Training IELTS Reading post highlights the solutions to IELTS Cambridge 13 Reading Test 1 Section 2 that has two texts titled ‘BORDER CROSSING FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLES’ and ‘Appendix: Dealing with absence in the workplace’. This post is mainly for those GT IELTS candidates who have major problems finding out and understanding Reading Answers in the GT module. This post can guide you the best to understand every Reading answer without much trouble. Finding out IELTS Reading answers is a gradual process, and this post will assist you in this respect.

IELTS Cambridge 13 Test 1: GT Reading Module

Section 2: Questions 15-20

The headline of the text: BORDER CROSSING FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

Questions 15-20: Completing FLOW-CHART with NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS

In this type of question, candidates are asked to write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS to complete some notes on the given flow-chart. For this type of question, first, skim the passage to find the keywords in the paragraph concerned with the answer, and then scan to find the exact word.

[TIPS: Here, scanning technique will come in handy. Target the keywords of the questions to find the answers. Remember to focus on Proper nouns, random Capital letters, numbers, special characters of text etc.

Question 15:

Before setting off:

To speed up the border crossing, use PAPS.

For this, send your __________ details and current vehicle inspection documents.

Keywords for this question: before setting off, speed up, PAPS, send, details, current vehicle inspection documents,     

Take a look paragraph no. 2 where the author says, “Your first point of contact at the border consists of Primary Inspection. The best way to clear customs at Primary Inspection is to make sure Customs gets information about your shipment before you set off, using the Pre-Arrival Processing System (PAPS). When using this you need to provide information about your shipment, and you also need to send proof of a current annual inspection for your vehicle, tractor and trailer.”

Here, Customs gets information about = send your . .. . details,

before you set off = before setting off,

proof of a current annual inspection for your vehicle = current vehicle inspection documents,

So, the answer is: shipment

Question 16:

Before arriving at the border

Check that documents such as ___________ and birth certificate/passport are ready for inspection.

Keywords for this question: before, arriving at the border, check, documents, birth certificate/passport, ready for inspection,   

In lines 1-3 of paragraph no. 3, the writer of the text says, “Before you arrive at the border, make sure you have all your paperwork up to date and ready to present at Primary Inspection. You’ll need a photo ID in addition to your birth certificate or passport. .. … .”

Here, Before you arrive at the border = Before arriving at the border,

make sure =  check,

all your paperwork = documents,

ready to present at Primary Inspection = ready for inspection,

So, the answer is: photo ID

Question 17:

Make sure the __________ are on inside the vehicle.

Keywords for this question: before, arriving at the border, make sure, on, inside the vehicle,     

Again, in paragraph no. 3, line no. 3 says, “ . .. .. Drivers must also turn on interior cab lights . . ..”

Here, Drivers must = make sure, interior = inside,

So, the answer is: (cab) lights

Question 18:

Check that the __________ in the vehicle can be easily seen.   

Keywords for this question: before, arriving at the border, check, in the vehicle, can be easily seen,

In paragraph no. 3, lines 3-4 say, “. .. . open all interior drapes or blinds to sleeper areas for easy inspection..”  

Here, open all interior drapes or blinds = check that . . .. . . can be easily seen,

So, the answer is: sleeper areas  

Questions 19 & 20:

At the border (Primary Inspection)

This may be the only stop if paperwork is in order.

Non US/Canadian citizens must have a visa, and go to the 19_________ area to complete an I-94 card (there is a small 20 ________ for this) and to receive verbal clearance.

Keywords for this question: Primary Inspection, may be, only stop, if, paperwork, in order, Non US/Canadian citizens, must have, visa, go, area, complete, I-94 card, small, receive verbal clearance,         

In paragraph no. 4, the writer says in lines 4-7, “ .. .. .. Drivers who clear customs at Primary Inspection will be instructed to report to immigration to fill out the I-94 card and receive verbal clearance from a US official to proceed into the United States. The charge for the I-94 card is $6.”

Here, fill out = complete, $6 = small charge,

So, the answer are:

19. immigration
20. charge

The headline of the text: Appendix: Dealing with absence in the workplace

Questions 21-27: Completing notes

[In this type of question, candidates are asked to complete different notes with ONE WORD ONLY from the passage. Keywords are important to find answers correctly. Generally, this type of question maintains a sequence. However, we should not be surprised if the sequence is not maintained. Find the keywords in the passage and you are most likely to find the answers.]

Question 21:

Employees’ rights:

help with issues related to disabilities, e. g. provision of a suitable _________

Keywords for this question: Employees’ rights, help, issues related to disabilities, provision, suitable,   

The answer can be found in lines 1-5 of the second paragraph, “The organisation should be aware of the rights of employees and in particular the requirements of the Equality Act 201O when making any decisions about absences of employees who are disabled. In these cases, the employer should consider what reasonable adjustments could be made in the workplace to help the employee. This might be something as simple as supplying an appropriate chair for the use of the employee. . .. .”

Here, the rights of employees = Employees’ rights, employees who are disabled = disabilities, supplying = provision, appropriate = suitable,

So, the answer is: chair

Question 22:

provision of arrangements to deal with any work-related ___________

Keywords for this question: Employees’ rights, regular, provision of arrangements, deal with, any work-related,  

Lines 6-7 in the second paragraph says, “. .. . . In cases where an employee suffers from an allergy caused by something in the workplace, the employer should consider remedial action or a transfer to alternative work.”

Here, caused by something in the workplace = work-related,

remedial action or a transfer to alternative work = provision of arrangements,

So, the answer is: allergy

Question 23:

time off work to deal with short-term problems of ___________

Keywords for this question: Employees’ rights, time off, deal with, short-term problems,

The answer can be found in the third paragraph where the writer says in the beginning, “If the absence is because of temporary difficulties relating to dependants, the employee may be entitled to have time off under the provisions of the Employment Rights Act 1996. .. .. . .”

Here, absence = time off work, temporary difficulties = short-term problems,

So, the answer is: dependants

Question 24:

possibility of arrangements that are ________ to help with domestic responsibilities

Keywords for this question: Employees’ rights, possibility of arrangements, to help with, domestic responsibilities,

In lines 3-6 of the third paragraph, the author of the text says, “ . . … . .  In cases where the employee has difficulty managing both work and home responsibilities, employees have the right to request flexible ways of working, such as job-sharing, and employers must have a good business reason for rejecting any such application.”

Here, home responsibilities = domestic responsibilities, employees have the right to request = possibility of arrangements,

So, the answer is: flexible

Question 25:

Recommendations to employers

make it clear that absence is a possible reason for __________

Keywords for this question: Recommendations to employers, make it clear, absence, possible reason,

In the final paragraph of the text, the writer says in the beginning in lines 2-5, “ . . .. . ..  In order to show both the employee concerned and other employees that absence is regarded as a serious matter and may result in dismissal, it is very important that persistent absence is dealt with firmly and consistently. . .. . ..”

Here, it is very important that persistent absence is dealt with firmly and consistently = make it clear that absence is a possible reason,

So, the answer is: dismissal  

Question 26:

ask employees for consent before contacting their _________

Keywords for this answer: Recommendations to employers, ask employees, consent, before contacting,

In lines 7-9 of the final paragraph, the writer says, “ . . . .. . If the employer wishes to contact the employee’s doctor for more information about a medical condition, he or she must notify the employee in writing that they intend to make such an application and they must secure the employee’s consent in writing. . . . … ..”

Here, he or she must notify the employee & must secure the employee’s consent = ask employees for consent,

So, the answer is: doctor  

Question 27:

identify employees affected by ________  and provide support

Keywords for this answer: Recommendations to employers, identify, employees, affected by, provide support,  

In the final few lines of the final paragraph, the author says, “ . .. . . Consideration should be given to introducing measures to help employees, regardless of status or seniority, who may be suffering from stress. The aim should be to identify employees affected and encourage them to seek help and treatment.”

Here, suffering from = affected by, encourage them to seek help and treatment = provide support,

So, the answer is: stress

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 13 GT Test 1 Section 1

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 13 GT Test 1 Section 3