Answers and Discussion

  1. What is the text about?
    It is about investigative due diligence and its role in the assessment of risk.

  2. Which letter is the example sentence?
    H – this is always the case.

  3. Which is the ‘extra’ sentence that is not used?
    E – once they have done the task, candidates should always check that the extra sentence doesn’t fit anywhere.

  4. Why is it important to read the gapped text before sentences A-H?
    To be familiar with the content and development of the text, and also to know what to look out for in the sentences. For example, in question 43, candidates should notice 'When companies are considering a possible business partner...' in the preceding sentence, and look for a sentence which relates to ways of going about this.

  5. Why is it important to read the sentence after gap 43, before deciding on the answer?
    The text after the gap begins, ‘Its specific goals are…’.  ‘Its’ needs to refer back to a singular noun in the gap.  Students should check that the sentence they chose fits grammatically. For example, ‘its’ after gap 43 refers to ‘process’ in A.   It is possible to eliminate some of the sentences A – H on this basis. For example, in D there is no singular noun.

  6. What linking phrase is used in sentence C?
    'As a result of' is a linking phrase signalling the effect of something such as a course of action. Cause and effect is a key area of risk assessment.


  7. What linking word is used in sentence F?
    'However'. This is an example of a linking device signalling contrast, commonly tested in Part 5. Similar phrases to do with contrast are: On the other hand, Conversely, Although, Whereas, But etc.


  8. How long should candidates spend on Part 5?
    It is difficult to specify how long candidates should spend on any one part, but they should be spending around 40-45 minutes on the final three reading tasks. Part 5 and Part 6 demand more time than Part 4, due to the nature of these tasks.