Part 2

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 15-27, which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.

Tree cutters at work

Tree surgeon Ivars Balodis describes the teamwork involved in cutting down a large tree

A

Today the tree-cutting team consists of myself, Gary and Mikael. We’re going to cut down a tall tree that is inside the boundary of a busy timber yard. It’s Saturday – not a working day for the yard – and it is far easier to remove a tree when no-one else is around.As supervisor, l first pop into our office to sort out the paperwork for the day, which includes the risk assessments.Then I look at the most up-to-date weather forecast as wind and rain make our job much more difficult. Luckily, we’ve picked a good day.

B

Next, we load up the equipment – things like petrol-driven chainsaws of varying sizes,helmets and waterproofs, spades, rakes and other tools, etc. must all go on the truck before the three of us set off. On arrival at the site, we have a quick discussion on the procedure for the day.After that, one of us – today it’s Gary – goes up the tree to quickly select his anchor point.This is the position from which he’ll cut down the tree. It must be high enough to enable access throughout the tree’s branches, but also have sufficient strength to support the climber. The first few big branches can be cut from the tree in large pieces and dropped into the yard, so we make good progress during the morning and start our wood pile there.

C

Having removed the more accessible branches, we have lunch and then set up a simple system to reach the smaller upper branches. This involves placing a pulley in the tree and using thick rope to drag the branches down.When they’re cut, these will fall further away- outside the boundary of the yard.On the other side of the perimeter fence is a wide grass verge and then a footpath, where l set up a number of signs to alert the public to our activities.Working alongside a road requires vigilance, so I monitor the movements of pedestrians,and as Gary starts work, I watch what he’s doing, so l can ensure safety. Once the branches are on the ground, I throw them back over the fence to Mikael, who cuts them up and feeds the machine that dices them into very small pieces called wood chippings.

Questions 15 – 21

Complete the flow-chart.

Write ONE WORD ONLY from the text in each gap. Write your answers in each gap.

Cutting down a big tree

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Plumbing skills

Plumbers install and repair the equipment and pipes needed to carry water, gas and waste in homes and other buildings.

A

In a residential building, such as a block of flats, underfloor jobs that involve plumbing,mechanical and electrical systems are common. They may need to take place in a narrow space that is often only about 35 centimetres deep. In addition, the floors are typically covered with a wood product, engineered to resemble solid wood, that has very strict criteria as far as drilling and cutting are concerned.The plumber cannot just go in and cut holes and lay pipes.He must first think about what he is doing, read and understand the cutting chart that accompanies each of his tools and visualise how his work will impact on other tradespeople, before proceeding.

B

Commercial plumbers working on office buildings, hotels, restaurants, etc. have the same issues and co-ordination problems as residential plumbers, but often have to install equipment that is more sophisticated. This is because it forms part of integrated systems where mechanical work and plumbing work are combined.The equipment will have specific installation instructions, so it is critical that the plumber has the cognitive ability to understand these. In addition, often the structures are complex, and the floors and walls must be X-rayed prior to drilling in order to avoid hitting key elements such as reinforcing steel.

C

Service plumbers go in where others have been and often face situations where they must troubleshoot various possible causes of a plumbing problem. In order to do this effectively, they must have complete knowledge of, say, a customer’s shower unit they are servicing, even if they did not install it! They must have the ability to translate the symptoms they can see, such as leaks and blockages, into the actual problem and then take the appropriate action to rectify the issue in a fast and cost-effective way. Often service plumbers encounter residential or commercial customers who are either facing great inconvenience or have had their operations severely disrupted because of a plumbing issue.Successful service plumbers not only need good mechanical skills, but they typically need very good people skills to provide the necessary support.

Questions 22 – 27

Complete the table.

Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text in each gap. Write your answers in each gap.