Optimal Reading Task 1 PDF

## READING **Task 1 (8 points)** Four people have shared their experiences with attending gyms. Read the texts and answer the questions below. For questions 1-8, choose one of the texts (A - D). Write one appropriate letter (A, B, C or D) next to the question (1-8). Each text can be chosen more tha...

## READING **Task 1 (8 points)** Four people have shared their experiences with attending gyms. Read the texts and answer the questions below. For questions 1-8, choose one of the texts (A - D). Write one appropriate letter (A, B, C or D) next to the question (1-8). Each text can be chosen more than once. **ATTENDING A GYM** **A** I look forward to hitting this gym after work every day. The staff members are exceptionally friendly, so the gym is equivalent to a party to which everyone is invited. I want to give a special shout-out to Phil, the trainer, who is not only friendly but also highly knowledgeable. He has helped me to improve my fitness goals in just a few short weeks. At one point, I was on the verge of giving up and quitting the gym, but Phil really helped me get back on track. Moreover, it is clean and spacious, providing a very motivating environment. There is plenty of equipment, which is kept in good condition, catering to various needs. The additional perks like hydro massage, massage chairs and red-light therapy are the cherry on top! It’s true that there is a cheaper gym nearby, but it’s worth paying more if you are serious about working out. I wish I had joined it sooner! **B** I have recently joined a gym, and so far, I am really enjoying improving my fitness. The cleanliness in the gym is impeccable with at least one person keeping it continually sanitized. This place truly is a judgement-free zone and I don’t have the constant feeling of being under scrutiny by others. Everyone is friendly and the staff have gone over and beyond to make me feel welcome, answering all my questions and explaining how to use the equipment. I particularly like the 30-minute workout circuit. Recently I have noticed that there is one machine that is always occupied, while another one is hardly ever used. From my point of view, it would make sense to have two of the popular machines and remove the less used one. What is more, the running machines are really ancient and it might be a good idea to consider an upgrade, which could also attract more customers. However, the gym has flexible membership plans to accommodate various budgets. Overall, my expectations are being met and I am generally satisfied with the experience. **C** In September I went to cancel my gym membership as I was moving to a different part of the city. Yet, now I am receiving letters from a debt collector claiming that I have unpaid bills to the gym for three months plus interest and fees. Why should I pay the price for the system or employees not doing their job correctly in cancelling my membership? When I went to talk to the staff at the gym, they were absolutely unhelpful and would not take the obvious course of action to remedy the situation quickly. They were very polite, though, and seemed to be following orders, so it must be the gym’s management policy. It is actually a pity since I really liked the equipment and their sauna. For now, all I can say is that you should stay far away from this gym, which uses shady and greedy tactics to squeeze the maximum amount of money from people. Recently, I have switched to another gym, which was a great choice for me personally as it seems more focused on serious fitness-minded individuals. **D** I have been using the gym since it opened. The gym itself is really good and clean, maintaining their equipment in good condition. There are plenty of machines, which have recently been modernized, and great technology choices with their cardio equipment. However, the gym is starting to get too busy. As a result, the last time I was there, I had to abandon my training after only 20 minutes. It might happen sometimes, but unfortunately, it is becoming a regular occurrence. More benches and hand weights would really help them run things smoothly during peak hours. I also wish the gym offered some of the amenities that other gyms have, for example, a bottle filling station. If it continues like this in the future, I will have to cancel my subscription and look for an alternative, which would be really disappointing since the gym is close to where I live and is open 24/7.