Part 2

Reading passage 2

Read the text below and answer Questions 25-21.

The Art of Gift-Giving

A. Anticipation builds, the wrapping paper is ripped off in happy expectation… And then, our enthusiasm takes a downturn as we extricate a jokey Christmas pullover, a pair of woollen socks or a knitted tea cosy. Yes, we have all been there. However, recent scientific research on how to give the ideal gift could be set to change all that.

B. Yale researcher Novemsky claims to have singled out the factor that deter mines if a gift will be well received or not. Perceived ease of use is apparently paramount in the eyes of the recipient. A non-user-friendly gift will therefore lead to disappointment, however expensive the actual gift might have been.

C. Another tip for successful gift-giving is to avoid giving unsolicited presents. We often try to second-guess the would-be recipient’s taste, believing our personal effort will be appreciated. But this invariably results in disappointment for the recipient of the gift. Far better is a gift that has actually been explicitly requested by the recipient than one chosen by the giver, according to a study conducted by researchers Francis Flynn and Francesca Gina (Journal of Experimental and Social Psychology 2011). So, best to save fruitless hours spent trawling the internet for gifts or pounding the high streets in vain and just be direct: ask the recipient what they want, then give it to them; simple as that!

D. A further tip which flies in the face of conventional thinking with regard to present giving is to err on the side of frugality. In accordance with a 2014 study by Flynn and Gabriella Adams, the receiver’s happiness was not found to be directly proportional to the money spent on a gift. In the study, recipients were given cheaper and more expensive versions of a variety of items, ranging from an iPad to jewellery, wine and books. In all cases, the costlier gift was not valued more than the cheaper option. The thought, therefore, really does count.

E. An interesting extension to this study is that this finding holds true for one of the most expensive and status-conscious gifts: that of the engagement ring. Whilst diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, as the saying goes, they do not necessarily have to be top-of-the-range to win a girl’s heart. Cheaper alternatives are just as valued as their costlier counterparts.

F. If you have successfully negotiated the minefield of present buying, then you still aren’t home and dry yet. Another hurdle has yet to be overcome: present-wrapping. Failure to appropriately wrap a present can undo all the effort you have put into buying the gift so far. A perfectly wrapped present is always more welcome than a hastily wrapped one, unless the gift is markedly less attractive than its outward wrapping, as found by Novemsky and Yale colleague, Ravi Dhar, since this creates a dissonance between the anticipated and real worth of a gift.

G. Should all the above advice seem bewildering, then never fear. According to the 2011 study by Flynn and Francesca Gina, gift recipients are more than happy to receive cash in place of an actual gift.

Read the text below and answer Questions 22-28.

A. Those who have not entertained the idea that research into family ancestry might reveal a blue-blooded relative or historical celebrity must be few and far between. Most of us are intrigued with our origins and if genealogical research turns up a famous family member on the way, then so much the better.

B. Accordingly, there is a plethora of genealogy websites ready to be accessed on the internet to satiate the curiosity of those so inclined. Just type in the name of one of your ancestors into a search engine and you will be immediately inundated with genealogy sites. Whilst some sites may be free, others will be on a pay-as-you-go or subscription basis. Often the sheer number of websites can initially overwhelm the would-be genealogist.

C. So by what criteria do you select a website to aid your research into your family tree? Whilst free websites may seem the most attractive option, they may not adequately meet your needs. A feepaying website, however, might provide access to a wider range of resources, such as birth and death certificates, or at least indexes to the certificates, as well as census returns. Such resources and access to them are fundamental to your research.

D. When you access certificates, try to ensure that they are a digitised form of the original copy, since transcripts are usually poor substitutes for the original. Whenever possible, opt for the copies of the original thereby obviating the possibility of human error in copied or miscopied transcripts.

E. Having obtained or accessed, at least, essential documents, you can then proceed to more specialised websites providing military or employment information. Before paying for access to such sites, first establish if the site contains the records you are seeking. You shouldn’t have to pay access to the site to do so.

F. Ideally, find out if there is a contact name or address for whoever is responsible for the site. A specialist on hand to answer more detailed queries is always a bonus.

G. Finally, if websites fail to uncover the information you are seeking, you can always try good old-fashioned archives. Not all information is available on websites, so, sooner or later you will probably find yourself doing research in an archive anyway. Hopefully, a combination of websites and archives will deliver the information you require and uncover a fascinating heritage to boot.

Questions 15-21

The text on the next page has seven sections, A-G.

Choose the correct heading for each section from the list of headings below.

Write the correct number, i-x, in boxes 15-21 on your answer sheet.

15.iiiiiiivvviviiviiiixx Section A

16.iiiiiiivvviviiviiiixx Section B

17.iiiiiiivvviviiviiiixx Section C

18.iiiiiiivvviviiviiiixx Section D

19.iiiiiiivvviviiviiiixx Section E

20.iiiiiiivvviviiviiiixx Section F

21.iiiiiiivvviviiviiiixx Section G

Questions 22-23

Complete the sentences below.

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 22-23 on your answer sheet.

There is such a wealth of genealogy sites available online that at times you may feel 22 with information.

It is preferable to 23 in their original form rather than transcribed one.

Questions 24-28

Complete the summary below.

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 24-28 on your answer sheet.

Many people are curious to find out about their family tree. Follow these steps to ensure you access the information you require.

First, enter the name of a family ancestor into 24.

Next, choose a website that will 25 by providing sufficient information on your family tree.

When accessing a document from your chosen website, avoid 26 whenever possible, favouring instead the original version.

Once you have done the essential groundwork to obtain necessary documents to continue your search, you require access to more 27. This may require a financial outlay.

Finally, if your research still fails to turn up the information you require, then it is best to resort to 28 as a back-up.