You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-14 which are based on the text below.
GT Reading: Your guide to Renting Accommodation in Stonington & Blossom Child Care
Read the text below and answer Questions 1-8.
Your guide to Renting Accommodation in Stonington
This leaflet has been developed by the Stonington City Council to assist migrant and students who have arrived in Stonington and are looking to rent long-term accommodation. The city of Stonington has 5 suburbs and in terms of accommodation, the suburbs vary significantly.
A Richmond
Richmond is the busiest and most expensive suburb in Stonington. Richmond Business Park hosts a total of 56 industries that employ approximately 5500 people which creates a steady demand for accommodation in this area. From 2 to 20 stories, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartment-style living is the most common type of accommodation in Richmond. Depending upon the number of bedrooms, rental prices range from $1600 – $2500 per month. Richmond is well-known for its cosmopolitan environment.
B Crane Hills
This suburb is located in the southern hills of Stonington. The suburb offers a brilliant outlook over the city. Accommodation is mostly duplex houses and bungalows. Rent ranges from $2000 to $3000 a month. The largest park in Stonington is located here, along with a golf course, jogging track and children’s playground. The government has undertaken to expand the residential area through the western section of the hill and this development will be completed by next year. It is anticipated that the building of around 500 new houses will commence early in the new year.
C Blackburn
Although Blackburn is the smallest suburb in Stonington it has the most dwellings. A suburb of mostly independent houses, rental prices for 1, 2 and 3-bedroom houses range from $1500 to $2000 per month. Most homes are spacious with large backyards, however, rental accommodation in the area is not readily available and what becomes available is quickly snapped up! Most tenants of rental homes commit to a minimum 3-year lease. There is one primary school, a train station and a shopping centre in the area.
D Malvern
Famous for its racecourse, Stonington’s oldest suburb is Malvern. Most of the houses in this suburb are renovated – rent for a two and three bedroom home runs at around $800 and $1200 respectively. Homes built in Malvern typically do not have any yards. Facilities include one supermarket, two shopping centres and the Stonington Community Hospital. At the moment, there is no school although the state government is reviewing a proposal to build one.
E Caulfield
Closest to the city centre and with most government department offices, is Caulfield. A variety of mixed accommodation options from apartments to houses are available in Caulfield. Caulfield does not have a train station, but its bus system is comprehensive. Caulfield is very much in a growth phase so a large portion of available accommodation is newly-completed and modern. A spacious 3 bedroom house will cost around $1500 a month while a 3 bedroom apartment averages around $1200 per month. Caulfield has 2 schools and 3 supermarkets, and accommodation in the suburb is typically good value for money.
Questions 1-8
Look at the five descriptions (A-E) of five suburbs in Stonington.
For which suburb are the following statements true?
Write the correct letter, A-E, in boxes 1-8 on your answer sheet.
NB You may use any letter more than once.
1. This suburb is expecting new buildings in the near future.
2. This suburb is the most popular rental area in Stonington.
3. This suburb has mostly new places to live in.
4. This suburb offers great views.
5. This suburb offers a variety of different housing options.
6. The accommodation in this suburb has limited outdoor living areas.
7. This suburb is influenced by many different countries.
8. This suburb has the lowest level of housing availability.
Read the following text and answer Questions 9-14.
Blossom Child Care
Service information and fees
Blossom Child Care (BCC) is a privately owned child care centre which has been operating in five locations in Wales for the past 10 years. Our services cater for children aged from 1 to 6 years old. We have a range of childcare service to suit the needs of working parents. As an associate member of the National Child Care Institute, all our employees are highly qualified.
We offer three levels of childcare:
I. Pre-Kindergarten
Children under two are in the Pre-Kindergarten group. BCC’s Teddy, Kinda and Koala rooms have been allocated for this age group where we accommodate 15 children per room. We provide special care and make sure that one of our highly qualified senior supervisors, in addition to three general staff, are always available in each room. Please ensure your child has at least 4 nappies and 2 additional sets of clothes every day.
Food: In addition to cow’s milk, if your child is on solid food, we provide a nutritional blend of fruits and vegetables. If your child is on formula, please inform us.
Toys: All Pre-Kindergarten rooms have toilet training toys which, along with other general toys, are always maintained at the strictest hygiene standards.
Fees: Our Pre-Kindergarten service fee is $300 per week with a one-off registration fee of $30. Fees are payable weekly.
II. Kindergarten
Children aged two to four are in the Kindergarten group. BCC has four allocated rooms for this group each accommodates 20 children. Two staff are on duty in each room and one senior supervisor is in charge of all four rooms.
Food: Children are provided with three full meals a day. All meals are cooked on the premises by a child food specialist and the menus are rotated so that your child gets the right nutritional balance. If your child is allergic to any food, please inform us by filling in the Food Allergy Form.
Toys: Our Kindergarten rooms are decorated with educational posters and are full of learning games and puzzles. We discourage children bringing their own toys from home as they are often a source of contention and argument.
Fees: The Kindergarten service fee is $250 per week with a one-off registration fee of $40. Fees are payable weekly.
III. Post-Kindergarten
Children aged four to six are in the Post-Kindergarten group. We have two dedicated rooms for this group all decorated with artwork designed to stimulate learning. Each room accommodates 20 children and is serviced solely by one general staff member. BCC arranges one excursion session for this group every four weeks. The venues are generally parks, playgrounds, picnic-spots and the local zoo. As a legal requirement, parents must fill in an Excursion Declaration Form before each trip which authorises the Centre to take their children from the premises.
Food: Children in the Post-Kindergarten program get three meals a day – mostly meals with rice, vegetables and chicken. Please speak to your child’s supervisor if you have any special dietary requirements.
Toys: There are four life-sized cartoon toys in each room along with a large variety of books.
Fees: The Post-Kindergarten service fee is $200 per week with a one-off registration fee of $40. Fees are payable weekly.
Questions 9-14
Classify each of the descriptions 9-14 as belonging to either A, B, C or D below.
Write your answers in boxes 9-14 on your answer sheet.
Groups
A Pre-Kindergarten
B Kindergarten
C Post-Kindergarten
D Does not belong to any group
9. A variety of prepared food is offered.
10. If needed, additional clothing is provided.
11. An outing is arranged once a month.
12. Children can see live animals.
13. A student report is included.
14. Any problems with diet should be dealt with in writing.
Answer:
1. B
2. C
3. E
4. B
5. E
6. D
7. A
8. C
9. B
10. D
11. C
12. C
13. D
14. B