Academic Reading Mock Test – Set K

Reading Passage 01
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1–13, which are based on the reading passage
below.

How consumers decide comparatively little effort, and involves looking

at - and thinking about - only a small amount
Professor John Maule from the University of of the product information and packaging. One
Leeds describes new research into the way can do this with little or no conscious thought.
that consumers choose a product.

Understanding consumers On the other hand, 'systematic processing'

Consumers are creatures of habit: they buy involves much deeper levels of thought. When
the same products time and time again, and people choose goods in this way, they engage
such is their familiarity with big brands and the in quite detailed analytical thinking - taking
colours and logos that represent them, that account of the product information, including
they can register a brand they like with barely its price, its perceived quality and so on. This
any conscious thought process. The form of thinking, which is both analytical and
packaging of consumer products is, therefore, conscious, involves much more mental effort.
a crucial vehicle for delivering the brand and
the product into our shopping baskets. The role of packaging is likely to be very
different for each of these types of decision
Having said this, understanding how making. Under heuristic processing, for
consumers make decisions, and the crucial example, consumers may simply need to be
role of packaging in this process has been a able to distinguish the pack from those of
neglected area of research so far. This is competitors since they are choosing on the
surprising given that organisations invest huge basis of what they usually do. Under these
amounts of money in developing packaging circumstances, the simple perceptual features
that they believe is effective - especially at the of the pack may be critical - so that we can
retail level. Our Centre for Decision Research quickly discriminate what we choose from the
at Leeds University's Business School, in other products on offer. Under systematic
collaboration with Faraday Packaging, is now processing, however, product-related
undertaking work in this area. It has already information may be more important, so the
led to some important findings that challenge pack has to provide this in an easily
the ways in which organisations think about identifiable form.
consumer choice.
Comparing competition
The research has focused on two fundamental Consumers will want to be able to compare
types of thinking. On the one hand, there's the product with its competitors, so that they
'heuristic processing', which involves very can determine which option is better for them.
shallow thought and is based on very simple A crucial role of packaging in this situation is
rules: 1) buy what you recognize, 2) choose to communicate the characteristics of the
what you did last time, or 3) choose what a product, highlighting its advantages over
trusted source suggests. This requires possible competitors.

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 Academic Reading Mock Test – Set K
So, when are people likely to use a particular Effectiveness varies
type of thinking? First, we know that people This work has an important impact on
are cognitive misers; in other words, they are packaging in that what makes packaging
economical with their thinking because it effective is likely to vary according to the type
requires some effort from them. Essentially, of processing strategy that consumers use
people only engage in effort-demanding when choosing between products. You need
systematic processing when the situation to understand how consumers are selecting
justifies it, for example when they are not tired your products if you are to develop packaging
or distracted and when the purchase is that is relevant. Furthermore, testing the
important to them. effectiveness of your packaging can be
ineffective if the methods you are employing
Second, people have an upper limit to the concern one form of thinking (e.g. a focus
amount of information they can absorb. If we group involving analytical thinking) but your
present too much, therefore, they will become consumers are purchasing in the other mode
confused. This, in turn, is likely to lead them to (i.e. the heuristic, shallow form of thinking).
disengage and choose something else.
For the packaging industry, it is important that
retailers identify their key goals. Sustaining a
Third, people often lack the knowledge or
consumer's commitment to a product may
experience needed, so will not be able to deal
involve packaging that is distinctive at the
with things they do not already understand,
heuristic level (if the consumers can recognize
such as the ingredients of food products, for
the product they will buy it) but without
example.
encouraging consumers to engage in
systematic processing (prompting deeper level
And fourth, people vary in the extent to which
thinking that would include making
they enjoy thinking. Our research has
comparisons with other products).
differentiated between people with a high need
for thinking - who routinely engage in
Conversely, getting consumers to change
analytical thinking - and those low in the need
brands may involve developing packaging that
for cognition, who prefer to use very simple
includes information that does stimulate
forms of thinking.
systematic processing and thus encourages
consumers to challenge their usual choice of
product. Our work is investigating these
issues, and the implications they have for
developing effective packaging.

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 Academic Reading Mock Test – Set K
Questions 1-6
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage?
Write answers in your answer sheet.

Write,
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

1 Little research has been done on the link between packaging and consumers choosing a product.
2 A person who buys what another person recommends is using heuristic thinking.
3 Heuristic processing requires more energy than systematic processing.
4 The concept of heuristic processing was thought up by Dr Maule's team.
5 A consumer who considers how much a product costs is using systematic processing.
6 For heuristic processing, packaging must be similar to other products.

Questions 7-8
Choose the correct answer A, B, C or D and write the answers in your answer sheet.

7 When trying to determine how effective packaging is, testing can be made 'ineffective' if
A. you rely upon a very narrow focus group.
B. your consumers use only heuristic thinking.
C. the chosen consumers use only shallow thinking.
D. your tests do not match the consumers' thinking type.

8 If a retailer wants consumers to change brands their packaging needs to be

A. informative.
B. distinctive.
C. familiar.
D. colourful.

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 Academic Reading Mock Test – Set K
Questions 9-13
Complete the summary below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 9-13 on your answer sheet

Comparing competition

For consumers who want to compare products, it is important that your packaging stresses the
9 __________ of your product.

We know that people only use systematic processing if the 10 __________. makes it necessary or
desirable. We also know that too much 11 __________ could make consumers choose another
product. Furthermore, consumers may not fully understand details such as the 12 __________ of
a product. While some people like using systematic processing, others like to think in a
13 __________ way.

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 Academic Reading Mock Test – Set K
Reading Passage 02
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14–26, which are based on the reading passage
below.
Jumping Spiders
Peter Aldhons examines how Portia spiders catch their prey

A For a stalking predator, the element of surprise is crucial. And for jumping spiders that sneak onto
other spiders' webs to prey on their owners, it can be the difference between having lunch and
becoming it. Now zoologists have discovered the secret of these spiders' tactics: creeping forward
when their prey's web is vibrating.

B The fifteen known species of Portia jumping spiders are relatively small, with adults being about
two centimetres long (that's smaller than the cap on most pens). They habitually stay in the webs of
other spiders, and in an area of these webs that is as out-of-the-way as possible. Portia spiders live
mostly in tropical forests, where the climate is hot and humid. They hunt a range of other spiders,
some of which could easily turn the tables on them. 'They will attack something about twice their own
size if they are really hungry,' says Stimson Wilcox of Binghamton University in New York State.
Wilcox and his colleague, Kristen Gentile of the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New
Zealand, wanted to find out how Portia spiders keep the upper hand.

C All jumping spiders have large eyes that look like binocular lenses, and they function pretty much
the same way. Most jumping spiders locate their prey visually, and then jump and capture from one
centimetre to over ten centimetres away. Only a few species of jumping spiders invade the webs of
other spiders, and the Portia spider is among them. Jumping spiders, including Portia spiders, prey
on insects and other arthropods by stalking. Sometimes the spiders lure their victims by vibrating the
web to mimic the struggles of a trapped insect. But many web-weaving spiders appear to be wise to
these tricks, so stalking is often a better strategy. Sometimes, the researchers found, Portia spiders
take advantage of the vibrations created in the web by a gentle breeze. But, if necessary, they will
make their own vibrations.

D The researchers allowed various prey spiders to spin webs in the laboratory and then introduced
Portia spiders. To simulate the shaking effect of a breeze the zoologists used either a model aircraft
propeller or attached a tiny magnet to the centre of the web which could be vibrated by applying a
varying electrical field. The researchers noticed that the stalking Portia spiders moved more when the
webs were shaking than when they were stilt and they were more likely to capture their prey during
tests in which the webs were periodically shaken than in those where the webs were undisturbed. If
the spiders were placed onto unoccupied webs, they would make no attempt to change their
movements.

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 Academic Reading Mock Test – Set K
E It is the Portia spider's tactic of making its victims' webs shake that has most intrigued the
researchers. They noticed that the spiders would sometimes shake their quarry's web violently, then
creep forwards up to five millimetres before the vibrations died down. 'They'd make a big pluck with
one of their hind legs,' says Wilcox. These twangs were much more powerful than the gentler
vibrations Portia spiders use to mimic a trapped insect, and the researchers were initially surprised
that the prey spiders did not respond to them in any way. But they have since discovered that the
violent twanging produces a pattern of vibrations that match those caused by a twig falling onto the
web.

F Other predators make use of natural 'smokescreens' or disguise to hide from their prey: lions
hunting at night, for example, move in on their prey when clouds obscure the moon. 'But this is the
first example of an animal making its own smokescreen that we know of,' says Wilcox. 'Portia spiders
are clearly intelligent and they often learn from their prey as they are trying to capture it. They do this
by making different signals on the web of their prey until the prey spider makes a movement. In
general, Portia spiders adjust their stalking strategy according to their prey and what the prey is doing.
Thus, Portia spiders use trial-and-error learning in stalking. Sometimes they will even take an indirect
route to reach a prey spider they can see from a distance. This can sometimes take one to two hours
following a predetermined route. When it does this, the Portia spider is actually solving problems and
thinking ahead about its actions.'

Questions 14-22
The Reading Passage has six paragraphs labelled A-F.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter A-F in your answer sheet.

NB You may use any letter more than once.

14. the reaction of the Portia spider's prey to strong web vibrations
15. a description of how the researchers set up their experiment
16. a comparison between Portia spiders and another animal species
17. an explanation of how the researchers mimicked natural conditions
18. a comparison between Portia spiders and their prey
19. the reason why concealment is important to Portia spiders
20. a description of the Portia spider's habitat
21. the number of species of Portia spiders
22. an example of the Portia spider's cleverness
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 Academic Reading Mock Test – Set K

Questions 23-26
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D and write in your answer sheet.

23. In their laboratory experiments, the researchers found that the Portia spiders moved
most when the web was
A vibrating.
B motionless.
C undisturbed.
D unoccupied.

24. What discovery did the researchers make about Portia spiders?
A They make very strong vibrations with one leg.
B They move 5 mm at a time on a still web.
C They move slowly when vibrations stop.
D They use energetic vibrations to mimic a trapped insect.

25. Portia spiders are the only known animal to

A use the weather to disguise themselves.
B mimic other prey-eating animals.
C create their own smokescreen.
D stalk using 'trial and error'.

26. The Portia spider demonstrates 'thinking ahead' when it

A chooses prey that is a short distance away.
B takes a longer route to reach its prey.
C reaches its prey in a short time.
D solves the problem of locating its prey.

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 Academic Reading Mock Test – Set K
Reading Passage 03
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27–40, which are based on the reading passage
below.

Dressed to Dazzle
As high-tech materials invade high-street fashion, prepare for clothes that are cooler than silk and
warmer than wool, keep insects at arm's length, and emit many pinpricks of coloured light.

The convergence of fashion and high technology is leading to new kinds of fibres, fabrics and coatings
that are imbuing clothing with equally wondrous powers. Corpe Nove, an Italian fashion company, has
made a prototype shirt that shortens its sleeves when room temperature rises and can be ironed with
a hairdryer. And at Nexia Biotechnologies, a Canadian firm, scientists have caused a stir by
manufacturing spider silk from the milk of genetically engineered goats. Not surprisingly, some
industry analysts think high-tech materials may soon influence fashion more profoundly than any
individual designer.

A big impact is already being made at the molecular level. Nano-Tex, a subsidiary of American textiles
maker Burlington, markets a portfolio of nanotechnologies that can make fabrics more durable,
comfortable, wrinkle-free and stain-resistant. The notion of this technology posing a threat to the future
of the clothing industry clearly does not worry popular fashion outlets such as Gap, Levi Strauss and
Lands' End, all of which employ Nano-Tex's products. Meanwhile, Schoeller Textil in Germany, whose
clients include famous designers Donna Karan and Polo Ralph Lauren, uses nanotechnology to
create fabrics that can store or release heat.

Sensory Perception Technologies (SPT) embodies an entirely different application of nanotechnology.

Created in 2003 by Quest International, a flavour and fragrance company, and Woolmark, a wool
textile organisation, SPT is a new technique of embedding chemicals into fabric. Though not the first
of this type, SPT's durability (evidently the microcapsule containing the chemicals can survive up to
30 washes) suggests an interesting future. Designers could incorporate signature scents into their
collections. Sportswear could be impregnated with anti-perspirant. Hayfever sufferers might find relief
by pulling on a T-shirt, and so on.

The loudest buzz now surrounds polylactic acid (PLA) fibres - and, in particular, one brand-named
Ingeo. Developed by Cargill Dow, it is the first man-made fibre derived from a 100% annually
renewable resource. This is currently maize (corn), though in theory any fermentable plant material,
even potato peelings, can be used. In performance terms, the attraction for the 30-plus clothes makers
signed up to use Ingeo lies in its superiority over polyester (which it was designed to replace).

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 Academic Reading Mock Test – Set K
As Philippa Watkins, a textiles specialist, notes, Ingeo is not a visual trend. Unlike nanotechnology,
which promises to 'transform what clothes can do, Ingeo's impact on fashion will derive instead from
its emphasis on using natural sustainable resources. Could wearing synthetic fabrics made from
polluting and non-renewable fossil fuels become as uncool as slipping on a coat made from animal
fur? Consumers should expect a much wider choice of 'green' fabrics. Alongside PLA fibres, firms are
investigating plants such as bamboo, seaweed, nettles and banana stalks as raw materials for textiles.
Soya bean fibre is also gaining ground. Harvested in China and spun in Europe, the fabric is a better
absorber and ventilator than silk and retains heat better than wool.

Elsewhere, fashion houses - among them Ermenegildo Zegna, Paul Smith and DKNY - are combining
fashion with electronics. Clunky earlier attempts Involved attaching electronic components to the
fabrics after the normal weaving process. But companies such as SOFT switch have developed
electro-conductive fabrics that behave in similar ways to conventional textiles.

Could electronic garments one day change colour or pattern? A hint of what could be achieved is
offered by Luminex, a joint venture between Stabio Textile and Caen. Made of woven optical fibres
and powered by a small battery, Luminex fabric emits thousands of pinpricks of light, the colour of
which can be varied. Costumes made of the fabric wowed audiences at a production of the opera
Aida in Washington, DC, last year.

Yet this ultimate of ambitions has remained elusive in daily fashion, largely because electronic textiles
capable of such wizardry are still too fragile to wear. Margaret Orth, whose firm International Fashion
Machines makes a colour-changing fabric, believes the capability is a decade or two away.
Accessories with this chameleon-like capacity - for instance, a handbag that alters its colour - are
more likely to appear first.

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 Academic Reading Mock Test – Set K
Questions 27-32
Look at the following list of companies (27-32) and the list of new materials below. Match each
company with the correct material.
Write the correct letter A-H next to the companies 27-32.
NB You may use any answer more than once.

27 Corpe Nove
28 Nexia Biotechnologies
29 Nano-Tex
30 Schoeller Textil
31 Quest International and Wool mark
32 Cargill Dow

New materials
A material that can make you warmer or cooler
B clothing with perfume or medication added
C material that rarely needs washing
D clothes that can change according to external heat levels E material made from banana stalks
F material that is environmentally-friendly
G fibres similar to those found in nature
H clothes that can light up in the dark

Questions 33-40
Complete the summary below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the Reading Passage for each answer.

Major changes in fabrics

Using plants
Nanotechnology will bring changes we can see, while the brand called 33 _____________will help
the environment. Fibre made from the 34 ___________plant has better qualities than silk and wool.
Electronics
In first attempts to use electronics, companies started with a material made by a
standard 35 ____________method and then they fixed 36 ______________to the material.
Luminex fabric
• needs a 37 ___________to make it work.
• has already been used to make stage 38 _________________________ .
• is not suitable for everyday wear because it is too 39 ______________________.
The first products that can change colour are likely to be 40 _____________________

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