Correct Answer: an elder sister
Passage Reference: I enjoyed reading it, and this particular copy is special to me because my elder sister gave it to me on my fourteenth birthday.
Why this is correct: Reith's elder sister gave the book to Reith. It was a special fourteenth-birthday gift.
Tips: Identify who gave this particular copy, rather than who borrowed it.
Why the other options are wrong:
- a former colleague: The copy came from a family member, not a colleague.
- a younger sister: Reith specifically says the gift came from an elder sister.
- a close friend: The giver was Reith’s sister, not a friend.
Correct Answer: project manager at a telecommunications company
Passage Reference: I recently joined a large telecommunications company in Brisbane as a project manager, and I am enjoying the job.
Why this is correct: Reith now works as a project manager at a telecommunications company. The new job is based in Brisbane.
Tips: Check both the job title and the employer’s industry.
Why the other options are wrong:
- project assistant at a telecommunications company: Reith's title at the telecommunications company is project manager, not project assistant.
- customer manager at a telecommunications company: The title is project manager, not customer manager.
- project manager at a publishing company: The employer is a telecommunications company, not a publisher.
Correct Answer: reading books
Passage Reference: I have always admired your enthusiasm for books.
Why this is correct: Reith admires Sandy's enthusiasm for reading books. The letter asks whether Sandy still reads as much as before.
Tips: Reith asks about two hobbies. Find the one Reith says he admires, and ignore the one he only asks about.
Why the other options are wrong:
- attending yoga classes: Reith asks about yoga but specifically admires Sandy’s enthusiasm for books.
- writing about novels: Sandy is described as a reader, not someone who writes about novels.
- collecting special editions: Reith never mentions collecting special editions of books.
Correct Answer: about a year ago
Passage Reference: Have you finished Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, which you borrowed from me about a year ago?
Why this is correct: Reith lent the book to Sandy about a year ago. Reith states this time directly when asking whether it is finished.
Tips: Separate the book’s original gift date from its loan date.
Why the other options are wrong:
- during the last school term: The passage gives about a year, not a school term.
- on Reith’s fourteenth birthday: The fourteenth birthday was when Reith received the gift, not when Sandy borrowed it.
- about a month ago: Sandy borrowed it about a year ago, not a month.
Correct Answer: ask for a borrowed book back
Passage Reference: I would appreciate it if you could return the book by post when convenient. If you have not finished it, please send it after you have read it.
Why this is correct: After some friendly news, the letter comes to its real request. Reith wants the copy of Pride and Prejudice that Sandy borrowed a year ago. Reith explains why the copy is special and offers two ways to send it back: by post or during a summer visit.
Tips: To find why someone is writing, look past the friendly news. Find the request the letter builds up to.
Why the other options are wrong:
- apologize for losing a borrowed book: Reith lent the book to Sandy and has not lost anything. The letter asks for the book back, not for forgiveness.
- recommend a novel by Jane Austen: Reith lent the novel and enjoyed it, but the letter is not recommending it. It asks for this copy back.
- cancel a planned summer visit: Reith welcomes the summer visit. Bringing the book then is offered as one way to return it.
Correct Answer: it is a reminder of a loved family member
Passage Reference: She was someone I looked up to as a teenager, so the book reminds me of her as well as the story.
Why this is correct: The book reminds Reith of a loved elder sister. Its family history makes this particular copy personally important.
Tips: Explain the value of this copy through its connection with Reith’s sister.
Why the other options are wrong:
- it was the first novel Reith bought: Reith received the novel as a gift rather than buying it.
- it contains a personal message from the author: The book's value comes from Reith's sister, not a message from its author.
- it is needed for Reith’s new job: Its importance is family history, not a work requirement.
Correct Answer: your new project-management job
Passage Reference: I recently joined a large telecommunications company in Brisbane as a project manager, and I am enjoying the job.
Why this is correct: Sandy congratulates Reith on the new project-management job. It is the recent good news in Reith's letter.
Tips: Match the congratulations to the new job announced in Reith’s letter.
Why the other options are wrong:
- promotion within your former company: Reith joined another company. No promotion in the old company is described.
- return to your previous position: Reith describes a new position, not a return to a previous one.
- move into a new publishing role: The new employer works in telecommunications, not publishing.
Correct Answer: your sister gave it to you
Passage Reference: I enjoyed reading it, and this particular copy is special to me because my elder sister gave it to me on my fourteenth birthday.
Why this is correct: The copy is important because Reith's sister gave it as a birthday present. Sandy understands that the same copy carries a personal memory.
Tips: Track the direction of the present. Ask who handed it over and who received it.
Why the other options are wrong:
- you borrowed it from your sister: The sister gave the book as a birthday present. It was not a loan.
- your sister helped you choose it: The sister gave the copy, rather than merely helping choose it.
- you bought it for your sister: The gift went from the sister to Reith, not the other way round.
Correct Answer: send the book back immediately
Passage Reference: I placed it on the empty seat beside me and forgot to pick it up when I got off. I only noticed it was missing after reaching home.
Why this is correct: Sandy cannot send the book back immediately because it was left on a train. Sandy no longer has the copy to post or bring.
Tips: Think about what Sandy no longer has after the train trip. Which action needs that item in hand?
Why the other options are wrong:
- describe the cover to the railway office: Sandy already supplied a cover description despite losing the book.
- order another copy from a bookseller: Sandy can enquire about another copy and has spoken to a bookseller.
- confirm the train details for the report: Sandy already provided the train number and date.
Correct Answer: contact me
Passage Reference: They have recorded my contact details and said they will {4} if someone hands it in.
Why this is correct: The lost-property office has recorded Sandy’s contact details. If the book is handed in, the office can use those details to contact Sandy.
Tips: Ask why an office would record a person's details. Think about how it would use them if the item turns up.
Why the other options are wrong:
- send a replacement copy: Lost property can report a recovered item, not supply a replacement book.
- deliver it directly to you: The office has Sandy’s contact details. Nothing says it will be delivered straight to Reith.
- refund the cost of the book: No payment or refund by the railway is offered.
Correct Answer: continue following up with the lost-property office
Passage Reference: I have reported the loss to the railway's lost-property office and supplied the train number, date and a description of the cover.
Why this is correct: Sandy will continue following up with the lost-property office. The report is active, and Sandy is still waiting for news.
Tips: Ask what Sandy has already started doing to find the item. The next step usually keeps that effort going.
Why the other options are wrong:
- buy a replacement without checking further: Sandy is still pursuing the original copy because of its personal history.
- ask the bookseller to contact the railway: The bookseller is not asked to manage the lost-property enquiry.
- wait for you to report the loss: Sandy has already reported the loss. Reith does not need to start that process.
