Reading Purpose Tone

Respuesta correcta: A) To inform residents about planned water interruptions and how to prepare for them.

• A) To inform residents about planned water interruptions and how to prepare for them.Correct. The notice gives dates, times and a practical request, which is the content of a service announcement.
• B) To announce a rise in the water tariff to fund the repairs.Wrong. No tariff change is mentioned anywhere in the notice.
• C) To explain why the old pipes failed and which company supplied them.Wrong. Nothing is said about the cause of the failure or the supplier.
• D) To persuade residents that the council should replace private pipes at their own cost.Wrong. No cost is mentioned and the notice does not attempt to persuade anyone.

Respuesta correcta: B) Sceptical and ironic, because the writer praises the report's clarity while pointing out that it avoids the crucial question.

• A) Neutral and informative, because the paragraph reports what the report contains.Wrong. The tone is evaluative and pointed, not a neutral inventory of contents.
• B) Sceptical and ironic, because the writer praises the report's clarity while pointing out that it avoids the crucial question.Correct. The praise for clarity sets up the irony of that clarity being useless on the central issue.
• C) Indignant, because the writer believes the report is deliberately hiding evidence.Wrong. The writer is critical but not accusatory about deliberate concealment.
• D) Enthusiastic, because the writer praises the report as admirably clear.Wrong. The praise is ironic rather than genuine, which rules out an enthusiastic reading.

Respuesta correcta: C) Quietly emotional, since the details convey the significance of the moment without stating it directly.

• A) Frustrated, because the long wait is described at length.Wrong. The waiting is mentioned briefly and is not the focus of the complaint.
• B) Cheerful, because the group walked in and the waiting is presented lightly.Wrong. The paragraph conveys weight rather than lightness.
• C) Quietly emotional, since the details convey the significance of the moment without stating it directly.Correct. The restrained details and the silence carry the emotion without any direct statement of it.
• D) Formal and factual, because no feelings are stated in the paragraph.Wrong. Although no feelings are named, the tone is clearly personal and emotional, not factual.

Respuesta correcta: D) To promote a cheap water-saving measure while acknowledging the barrier that is limiting its uptake.

• A) To warn residents that their water supply will be restricted in the future.Wrong. No restriction on the supply is mentioned.
• B) To describe the household water consumption of the district in statistical detail.Wrong. The figures illustrate a saving, but the paragraph is not a statistical survey.
• C) To argue that the council has failed in its duty to provide free fittings.Wrong. The writer asks for the council to cover the cost rather than condemning it outright.
• D) To promote a cheap water-saving measure while acknowledging the barrier that is limiting its uptake.Correct. The paragraph presents the benefit of a measure and then names the cost barrier that is preventing adoption.

Respuesta correcta: A) The document presents both positions, so a reader can weigh the scheme on its merits.

• A) The document presents both positions, so a reader can weigh the scheme on its merits.Correct. Describing both positions in full indicates a document whose purpose is to inform rather than to persuade.
• B) The document takes no position, because it presents no evidence at all.Wrong. The passage refers to arguments being presented in full, which is evidence, not its absence.
• C) The document favours the trees, since the opposition is given more space.Wrong. Neither side is allocated more space in the passage as presented.
• D) The document favours the scheme, since the benefits are listed before the objections.Wrong. The order of presentation alone does not establish a bias, and the objections are given in full.

Respuesta correcta: B) Dryly humorous, since the criticism is delivered as understated praise.

• A) Furious, because the production is described as not good enough.Wrong. The register is controlled and amused rather than angry.
• B) Dryly humorous, since the criticism is delivered as understated praise.Correct. The joke rests on presenting a faint compliment as if it were high praise, which is dry humour.
• C) Indifferent, because the writer does not express any preference.Wrong. Strong judgements such as a considerable achievement show the writer has a clear view.
• D) Warmly appreciative, because the writer praises the length of the interval.Wrong. The remark about the interval is a criticism, not praise.

Respuesta correcta: C) Cautious and precise, since the language acknowledges a limitation rather than asserting a conclusion.

• A) Argumentative, since the author defends a hypothesis against a competing explanation.Wrong. No defence of a hypothesis appears; the author offers two possible explanations.
• B) Confident, because the trials were repeated and produced a measurable effect.Wrong. The passage explicitly declines to draw a firm conclusion.
• C) Cautious and precise, since the language acknowledges a limitation rather than asserting a conclusion.Correct. The hedging and the explicit acknowledgement of what cannot be concluded mark a cautious scientific register.
• D) Descriptive, because the passage only sets out what was measured.Wrong. The passage goes beyond description by discussing what cannot be inferred.

Respuesta correcta: D) Practical and advisory, giving specific guidance without enthusiasm or criticism.

• A) Formal and academic, presenting evidence about trading conditions.Wrong. The style is direct and informal rather than academic.
• B) Critical of the market, warning readers that it is disappointing.Wrong. There is no negative judgement of the market itself, only practical warnings.
• C) Enthusiastic, encouraging readers to visit a wonderful market.Wrong. It warns about arriving late rather than praising the market enthusiastically.
• D) Practical and advisory, giving specific guidance without enthusiasm or criticism.Correct. The paragraph gives actionable timings and customs, which is the register of practical advice.

Respuesta correcta: A) Measured and factual, using attributed statements and avoiding speculation.

• A) Measured and factual, using attributed statements and avoiding speculation.Correct. Attribution to officials, explicit statements that no injuries occurred and the refusal to speculate all mark a measured register.
• B) Emotional, because the report focuses on the aftermath of a dangerous event.Wrong. Nothing in the passage is emotive; the language is deliberately plain.
• C) Accusatory, because the mention of wrongdoing hints at a suspected cause.Wrong. The mention of wrongdoing is explicitly denied, not hinted at.
• D) Urgent, because the report describes a fire that lasted through the night.Wrong. The report gives no indication of urgency in its language.

Respuesta correcta: B) Critical and reflective, since the writer criticises a system while analysing how it came about.

• A) Neutral, because the paragraph simply describes how examinations work.Wrong. The final sentence is an evaluative judgement, not a neutral description.
• B) Critical and reflective, since the writer criticises a system while analysing how it came about.Correct. The paragraph combines criticism of a practice with an analysis of how that practice became normalised.
• C) Humorous, because the paragraph exaggerates for comic effect.Wrong. The register is serious and argumentative rather than comic.
• D) Sentimental, because the writer appeals to the reader's sympathy for students.Wrong. There is no appeal to emotion or to the reader's sympathy.

Respuesta correcta: C) A courteous rejection that acknowledges the candidate's ability and encourages a future application.

• A) A complaint about the length of the application submitted by the candidate.Wrong. The letter contains no complaint about the application.
• B) A formal notification that the candidate has been hired for the post.Wrong. The position has already been filled, so this is not a hiring notification.
• C) A courteous rejection that acknowledges the candidate's ability and encourages a future application.Correct. This names the purpose of the letter and its conciliatory tone, which is exactly what the passage does.
• D) A request for further information about the candidate's qualifications.Wrong. No further information is requested; the letter closes the application process.

Respuesta correcta: D) Understated and factual, using specific claims and a modest final line to avoid superlatives.

• A) Aggressive, dismissing the reader's likely objections.Wrong. The final line is a statement of preference, not an attack on the reader.
• B) Sceptical, casting doubt on competing products without naming any.Wrong. No competitor is mentioned and no doubt is cast on anything.
• C) Enthusiastic, using superlatives to present the product as the best available.Wrong. The passage contains no superlatives at all.
• D) Understated and factual, using specific claims and a modest final line to avoid superlatives.Correct. Specific measurable claims and the refusal to boast are what produce the understated tone described.

Respuesta correcta: A) Dry and sceptical, since the final conditional undercuts the confident opening.

• A) Dry and sceptical, since the final conditional undercuts the confident opening.Correct. The conditional 'if it answers it at all' drains the closing of any confidence, which is the dry scepticism the writer intends.
• B) Hopeful, since the objections will certainly be answered in due course.Wrong. 'If it answers it at all' explicitly withholds any expectation of an answer.
• C) Indignant, since the objections were disregarded by the committee.Wrong. The passage says the objections were not ignored.
• D) Confident, since the passage ends by stating that the objections were heard.Wrong. The final sentence works against confidence rather than supporting it.

Respuesta correcta: B) To give beginners practical advice that will keep them in the sport by managing expectations and costs.

• A) To promote a particular bicycle brand among new riders.Wrong. No brand is mentioned anywhere in the passage.
• B) To give beginners practical advice that will keep them in the sport by managing expectations and costs.Correct. The advice addresses beginners directly and explains why cost leads people to give up.
• C) To persuade experienced riders to upgrade their equipment.Wrong. The address is to newcomers, not to experienced riders.
• D) To discourage readers from taking up the sport at all.Wrong. The passage encourages taking up the sport with sensible precautions.

Respuesta correcta: C) Dismissive of the objections rather than of the proposal, since the writer sets objections aside without endorsing the proposal.

• A) Hostile to the proposal, since the writer lists so many objections to it.Wrong. The objections are what the writer declines to enumerate, and hostility is not expressed.
• B) Enthusiastic about the proposal, since dismissing objections clears the way for it.Wrong. The final clause makes clear that the proposal is not endorsed.
• C) Dismissive of the objections rather than of the proposal, since the writer sets objections aside without endorsing the proposal.Correct. The writer sets aside the objections for practical reasons while explicitly withholding endorsement of the proposal.
• D) Neutral, since the writer takes no position on the proposal.Wrong. 'Not a good idea' is a clear position, however qualified.

Respuesta correcta: D) Reassuringly calm, acknowledging the problem and giving a practical instruction without exaggeration.

• A) Neutral, because it reports the delay without offering any advice.Wrong. Passengers are given a specific instruction, which goes beyond neutral reporting.
• B) Apologetic, because it repeatedly expresses regret for the disruption.Wrong. There is no repeated expression of regret or apology in the text.
• C) Defensive, because it attributes the delays to external factors.Wrong. No external cause is offered; the delays are simply acknowledged.
• D) Reassuringly calm, acknowledging the problem and giving a practical instruction without exaggeration.Correct. The paragraph states the problem, the response and a practical instruction in a steady register.

Respuesta correcta: A) Sceptical, since the repeated past tense and the final sentence signal a belief that the contrary was true.

• A) Sceptical, since the repeated past tense and the final sentence signal a belief that the contrary was true.Correct. The piling up of past tense verbs culminates in a quote that plainly contradicts the preceding praise, which is a sceptical construction.
• B) Indignant, since the funding was withdrawn without notice.Wrong. Nothing in the passage suggests a withdrawal without notice.
• C) Neutral, since every claim in the paragraph is factual.Wrong. The final line is openly sceptical rather than neutral.
• D) Enthusiastic, since the scheme ran for five successful years.Wrong. The final sentence undercuts the earlier suggestion of success.

Respuesta correcta: B) Urgent and appeals to shared responsibility, shifting the discussion towards the human stakes.

• A) Cautious, since the speaker postpones a decision and avoids committing to one.Wrong. The speaker commits to deciding rather than postponing, and the closing is directive.
• B) Urgent and appeals to shared responsibility, shifting the discussion towards the human stakes.Correct. The appeal to specific families and the request to decide responsibly establish an urgent, responsibility-focused register.
• C) Neutral, since the speaker reports both the debate and the hardship without comment.Wrong. The final sentence is a directive, not a neutral report.
• D) Dismissive, since the speaker treats the disagreement as a distraction from the real issue.Wrong. The disagreement is set aside in favour of the stakes, which is an appeal rather than a dismissal.

Respuesta correcta: C) Friendly and helpful, offering practical information in a conversational register.

• A) Commercial, because the main aim is to sell more tickets.Wrong. The leaflet mentions concessions and facilities rather than promoting sales.
• B) Formal and legalistic, since the prices are stated in full.Wrong. Stating prices plainly does not make the register legalistic, and the tone is plainly conversational.
• C) Friendly and helpful, offering practical information in a conversational register.Correct. The direct address and the practical tip about the cafe establish a conversational, helpful register.
• D) Indifferent, because the leaflet simply lists the prices.Wrong. The closing tip about the cafe is designed to help the reader plan a visit.

Respuesta correcta: D) Ironic, since the sentence praising the plan is immediately undercut by the missing reasoning.

• A) Enthusiastic, since the writer praises the authors in the opening clause.Wrong. The praise is not sustained, and the closing clause reverses the effect of the opening.
• B) Apologetic, since the writer regrets the absence of the reasoning.Wrong. The writer is critical of the omission rather than apologetic about it.
• C) Sincere, because the closing clause strengthens the request for support.Wrong. The final clause damages the case rather than supporting it.
• D) Ironic, since the sentence praising the plan is immediately undercut by the missing reasoning.Correct. The parallel praise is a setup that the final clause overturns, which is the structure of irony.