GT Reading — Test 13

Reading passage

TEXT A — Notice: Riverbend Common — Rules for Visitors Welcome to Riverbend Common. To keep the grounds pleasant for everyone, please read the points below before you settle in. The gates are unlocked at 7 a.m. and secured again half an hour after sunset. Exact closing times are posted weekly on the board beside the main entrance. Cycling is welcome on the tarmac loop only; the grassed picnic meadows and the woodland trails are reserved for those on foot. Dogs may run without a lead in the fenced enclosure north of the boating lake. Everywhere else they must be kept on a short lead, and owners are asked to clear up after their animals using the bins provided. Barbecues and any open flame are not allowed at any time, as the dry heath catches fire easily. Portable stoves are equally forbidden. If you wish to hold a gathering of more than twenty guests, you must apply to the warden's office at least ten working days beforehand; a small refundable deposit is required. Amplified music is never permitted without that written consent. Please take any rubbish home if the bins are full, and report damaged equipment by calling the number displayed on each noticeboard. ———————————— TEXT B — Advertisement: Summer at Marlow Gardens Marlow Gardens invites families to a season of open-air fun this July and August. Our restored Victorian glasshouse now shelters rare ferns from three continents, and admission to it is included with any day ticket. Every Saturday morning, our head gardener leads a free planting workshop for children aged six and over. Places are limited to fifteen, so booking ahead through our website is strongly advised; turning up on the day rarely secures a spot. Younger visitors can instead enjoy the supervised sandpit near the tea pavilion at no charge. The boating jetty reopens at the end of June following repairs. Rowing boats cost 8 pounds for forty minutes, and life jackets are handed out free of charge; children under twelve must be accompanied by an adult in the boat. Our licensed cafe serves hot lunches until 3 p.m., after which only cakes and drinks are available. Please note that the far meadow is closed for hay cutting until mid-July. Season passes, which pay for themselves after four visits, may be purchased at the kiosk by the car park or online. Dogs are welcome on a lead in the arboretum but not inside the glasshouse or the play area, and water bowls are set out near each entrance during warm spells. ———————————— TEXT C — Information Leaflet: Hazel Wood Nature Reserve Hazel Wood is managed by the county trust as a haven for wildlife, and a few simple habits help protect it. Stay on the marked paths. The bluebell banks and the pond margins are fragile, and straying off route crushes seedlings that take years to recover. Foraging, including the picking of flowers, berries or fungi, is not permitted; everything you see is left for the birds and insects that depend on it. The reserve has no litter bins by design, since bins attract vermin. Whatever you carry in, please carry out again. Drones are banned throughout the year because they disturb nesting birds, particularly the herons on the island. Guided dawn walks run on the first Sunday of each month between April and September. They begin at the timber hide at 6 a.m. and last roughly two hours; sturdy footwear is essential as the ground is often muddy. There is no fee, but a donation towards path maintenance is gratefully received. Numbers on each walk are capped at twelve, so it is wise to reserve a place by telephoning the trust office during the week. The car park closes at dusk, and vehicles left overnight may be clamped.