What is an ASBO Reading Answers

Sayantani Barman

Mar 4, 2022

What is an ASBO Reading Answers is an academic passage. IELTS Reading is the second task of the IELTS exam. IELTS reading contains four reading passages and a total of 40 questions, each of 1 mark. The 40 questions of IELTS reading need to be answered in 60 minutes. The raw score is converted to a band score on a scale of 0-9.

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What is an ASBO Reading Answers discusses anti-social behaviour that is politically incorrect and the steps taken by the US government to control crimes and contains three types of questions:

  • Find the statements from the passage
  • Choose the correct answer
  • Fill in the blanks

The IELTS reading passage topics are versatile and include subjects like environmental science, animal science, psychology, commerce, etc.

Section 1 

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

What is an ASBO Reading Answers

Ask somebody to make a list of crimes and they will probably come up with the usual suspects that you or I would: murder, robbery, assault burglary and so on. They might even include acts which are merely’ against the law’ like parking on a double yellow line. But if you ask them to make a list of anti-social behaviours, you are getting into an area where there is going to be considerable disagreement. This didn’t stop the UK government which introduced Anti-Social Behaviour Orders, or ASBOs, in 1998 as part of the Crime and Disorder Act – legislation designed to deal with practically all aspects of criminal activity and disorderly behaviour.

A subjective definition of anti-social behaviour permits you to cast your net wide and include anything you find personally disagreeable; the legal definition is also widely inclusive. To quote the Crime and Disorder Act it is behaviour which ’causes or is likely to cause harassment alarm or distress to one or more people who are not in the same household as the perpetrator’ .This includes, among many other things, foul and abusive language, threatening behaviour, shouting, disorderly conduct, vandalism, intimidation, behaviour as the result of drug or alcohol misuse, graffiti and noise which is excessive, particularly at night.

The idea is that ASBOs are sanctions designed to deal with issues that affect everyone in the community and as such are civil sanctions, not criminal ones, and need the cooperation of the community to be effective. For example, a private individual cannot apply for an ASBO; he or she must make a complaint to the police or local authority, who will then work together to gather more information and build up evidence. This involves getting witnesses, among whom will no doubt be neighbours and acquaintances, to make statements to the authorities. When the authorities are satisfied that they have enough evidence, the local council applies to the magistrate’s court to have an ASBO imposed.

We still haven’t decided what constitutes anti-social behaviour. It doesn’t have to be physical violence, of course, but is far easier to identify and deal with if it is. What about threatening behaviour? We’re not talking here about direct threats such as ‘if you come round here again, I’ll beat you up!’, but situations perceived as threatening. Let’s say a pensioner or a person of timid disposition is on their way home and they run into a group of young people who are shouting, swearing and kicking a ball about and who happen to make a few unkind remarks as the person passes. Let’s say the person is alarmed or feels threatened by the situation. Does it merit getting the ASBO process going?

In fact, young people merely hanging out in public places, however boisterous their behaviour might seem to be to some people, are not considered to be indulging in anti-social behaviour. However, there is a proviso. Such behaviour in its own right is not considered anti-social unless it is thought it is being done with other, more serious, behavioural attitudes involved. This, of course, can be very subjective. A person faced with an ASBO can argue in their defence that their behaviour was reasonable and unthreatening. This too is subjective, and both sides’ claims are open to wide interpretation. Something else that has to be taken into account here is that ASBOs are made on an individual basis even if that person is part of a group of people committing anti-social behaviour. If a case reaches the magistrate’s court, witnesses can be called to provide further evidence for or against the defendant. However, the magistrate, as well as considering the complaints made against the defendant, will take into account his or her family situation, welfare issues, and whether or not he or she has been victimised or discriminated against It is worth bearing in mind, though, that witnesses can be intimidated or otherwise persuaded not to appear in court and give evidence.

When the Crime and Disorder Act came into force, ASBOs were generally intended to be a measure to deal with adult anti-social behaviour, yet within the Act, it states that an order can be applied for against any individual over the age of ten years old. It is a striking fact that the majority of ASBOs imposed since the law was enacted have been handed out to young people and children. The question is, have they been effective? The government, naturally, claims that they have brought about a real improvement in the quality of life in communities around the country. Nay-sayers, such as civil rights campaigners, claim the measures are far too open to abuse. Some say they go too far and some that they don’t go far enough and lack bite. However, a genuine impediment to their effectiveness is that to impose an ASBO takes a lot of time and paperwork, involving the cooperation of community, police and local council, and they are very expensive to implement- One estimate is that an ASBO can cost in excess of £20,000. What all this means is that ASBOs are being used very rarely in many parts of the country. So the jury is still out as to how effective they really are.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation
Question 1-3
Choose THREE letters A-H.
NB: Your answers may be given in any order.
Which THREE of the following statements are true of ASBOs, according to the text?

  1. They were introduced to deal with specific crimes.
  2. Parking on a double yellow line could get you served with an ASBO.
  3. Swearing is one of the offences referred to in the Crime and Disorder Act.
  4. As a private householder, you can apply for an ASBO against a noisy neighbour.
  5. It is not illegal for young people to gather in groups in public places.
  6. An ASBO cannot be served on a group of people behaving in a disorderly manner.
  7. A large proportion of those served with ASBOs are over the age of 21.
  8. Most people agree that ASBOs have been effective all over the country.

Answer 1: C. Swearing is one of the offences referred to in the Crime and Disorder Act.

Explanation: As mentioned in the passage, swearing or use of foul and abusive language is an offense in the Crime and Disorder Act. To quote the Crime and Disorder Act it is behavior that causes harassment or distress to one or more people who are not in the same household as the perpetrator. This includes, among many other things, foul and abusive language, threatening behavior, etc.

Supporting sentence: This includes, among many other things, foul and abusive language, threatening behaviour, shouting, disorderly conduct, vandalism, intimidation, behaviour as the result of drug or alcohol misuse, graffiti and noise which is excessive, particularly at night.

Keywords: threatening behaviour, shouting, disorderly conduct, vandalism, intimidation, behaviour

Location in the passage: Paragraph B

Read More IELTS Reading Related Samples

Answer 2: E. It is not illegal for young people to gather in groups in public places.

Explanation: The passage clearly expresses that young people hanging out in groups in public places are not considered as a part of illegal activity. In the reading passage, it is mentioned that young people sometimes go to hang out in public places, but their boisterous behavior may not appear to be anti-social behavior to some people.

Supporting sentence: Young people merely hanging out in public places, however boisterous their behaviour might seem to be to some people, are not considered to be indulging in anti-social behaviour

Keywords: public places, boisterous their behaviour, not considered to be indulging in anti-social behaviour

Location in the passage: Paragraph E

Answer 3: F. An ASBO cannot be served on a group of people behaving in a disorderly manner.

Explanation: ASBOs are served on an individual basis. There is a clear mention that ASBOs are made on an individual basis in case the person is a part of the group where people are engaged in anti-social behavior and activities. Therefore, this statement agrees with the content of the passage.

Supporting sentence: ASBOs are made on an individual basis even if that person is part of a group of people committing anti-social behaviour.

Keywords: committing anti-social behaviour, individual basis

Location in the passage: Paragraph E

Questions 4-6

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

  1. The writer suggests that
  1. anti-social behaviour should be seen as a crime.
  2. few people agree on how to define a crime.
  3. anti-social behaviour is difficult to define.
  4. the legal definition of crime is too exclusive.

Answer: C. anti-social behaviour is difficult to define.

Explanation: The writer suggests that anti-social behavior is difficult to define. The writer clearly suggests that anti-social behavior is a broad term and it is difficult to define. In case, people ask them to prepare a list of anti-social behaviors and activities, it will be seen that we are getting towards an area with considerable disagreement.

Supporting sentence: You ask them to make a list of anti-social behaviours, you are getting into an area where there is going to be considerable disagreement.

Keywords: considerable disagreement

Location in the passage: Paragraph A

  1. What surprised the writer about the imposition of ASBOs?
  1. the number of ten-year-old’s that had been given one
  2. that very few adults had been served with ASBOs
  3. that most of those served with ASBOs were youngsters
  4. how few ASBOs have been imposed since 1998?

Answer: C. that most of those served with ASBOs were youngsters

Explanation: Most of those served with ASBOs were youngsters and this surprised the writer about the imposition of ASBOs. Paragraph F clearly explains that the majority of the ASBOs were imposed on youngsters. The reason behind this can be different but youngsters are much proline to these anti-social behaviors compared to the elders.

Supporting sentence: It is a striking fact that the majority of ASBOs imposed since the law was enacted have been handed out to young people and children

Keywords: majority of ASBOs, young people and children

Location in the passage: Paragraph F

  1. In the writer’s opinion, how effective have ASBOs been?
  1. There isn’t enough evidence to decide.
  2. They are too expensive to be effective.
  3. They are ineffective because they are not strict enough.
  4. Being open to abuse renders them ineffective.

Answer: A. There isn’t enough evidence to decide.

Explanation: In the writer’s opinion, ASBOs have not seemed to be effective or ineffective. Actually, there isn’t enough evidence to decide. Since ASBOs are used very rarely, there isn’t enough evidence to support their effectiveness. More research and facts are needed to draw a conclusion on the effectiveness of ASBOs.

Supporting sentence: What all this means is that ASBOs are being used very rarely in many parts of the country. So the jury is still out as to how effective they really are.

Keywords: used very rarely, parts of the country, how effective they really are

Location in the passage: Paragraph F

Question 7-13

Complete the sentences.

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.

  1. The official__________________________ says that anti-social behaviour is behaviour which can cause alarm or distress.

Answer: Definition

Explanation: The official definition says that anti-social behavior is behavior that can cause alarm or distress. According to the passage, the Crime and Disorder Act says that it is the behavior that causes or is can cause harassment alarm or distress to others who are not in the same household as the perpetrator. This keyword clearly represents the official definition of anti-social behavior.

Supporting sentence: To quote the Crime and Disorder Act it is behaviour which ’causes or is likely to cause harassment alarm or distress to one or more people who are not in the same household as the perpetrator’

Keywords: cause harassment alarm, same household as the perpetrator

Location in the passage: Paragraph B

  1. Along with swearing and destruction of public or private property, making _________________ noise is considered anti-social behaviour.

Answer: Excessive

Explanation: Along with swearing and destruction of public or private property, making excessive noise is considered anti-social behavior. It includes all those things which are considered anti-social, for example, foul and abusive language, threatening behavior, shouting, disorderly conduct, vandalism, intimidation, behavior as the result of drug or alcohol misuse, graffiti, and noise.

Supporting sentence: It includes foul and abusive language, threatening behaviour, shouting, disorderly conduct, vandalism, intimidation, behaviour as the result of drug or alcohol misuse, graffiti and noise which is excessive, particularly at night

Keywords: foul and abusive language, threatening behaviour, shouting, disorderly conduct, vandalism, intimidation, behaviour as the result of drug or alcohol misuse, graffiti and noise

Location in the passage: Paragraph B

  1. ASBOs are considered to be part of__________________________ law rather than criminal law.

Answer: Civil

Explanation: ASBOs are considered to be part of Civil law rather than criminal law. In the paragraph, it is clearly mentioned that ASBOs are a part of civil law rather than criminal law. The ASBOs are designed in a way that they can deal with the issues that affect everyone present in the community. It includes civil sanctions, not criminal ones.

Supporting sentence: The idea is that ASBOs are sanctions designed to deal with issues that affect everyone in the community and as such are civil sanctions, not criminal ones.

Keywords: civil sanctions, not criminal ones

Location in the passage: Paragraph C

  1. Citizens have to__________________________ to either the local council or the police before any action can be taken.

Answer: Make a complaint

Explanation: Citizens have to make a complaint to either the local council or the police before any action can be taken. Any individual needs to file a complaint either to the police or to the local authority before any action is taken. Here, a private individual is unable to apply for an ASBO. That individual must make a complaint to the police or local authority about it.

Supporting sentence: A private individual cannot apply for an ASBO; he or she must make a complaint to the police or local authority

Keywords: he or she must make a complaint to the police or local authority

Location in the passage: Paragraph C

  1. In their efforts to collect evidence the authorities may call ____________________to get more information.

Answer: Witness/neighbour/ acquaintance

Explanation: In their efforts to collect evidence the authorities may call witnesses to get more information. In the passage, the information in support of this is given. In order to collect information, the authorities will look out for witnesses which can be neighbors or acquaintances. It involves that the person needs to get witnesses that include neighbors and acquaintances. It will be required to make statements.

Supporting sentence: This involves getting witnesses, among whom will no doubt be neighbours and acquaintances, to make statements to the authorities.

Keywords: get witnesses, neighbours and acquaintances

Location in the passage: Paragraph C

  1. ASBOs are issued at a_________________________

Answer: Magistrate

Explanation: ASBOs are issued at a Magistrate. Towards the end of Paragraph C, it is mentioned that The keyword explains that ASBOs are issued by the Magistrate court. It affirms the answer given here. First, the local council needs to apply to magistrate court. It is the magistrate court that has the authority to impose the ASBOs.

Supporting sentence: The local council applies to the magistrate’s court to have an ASBO imposed.

Keywords: magistrate’s court, ASBO imposed

  1. ________________________ is the most straightforward form of anti-social behaviour to determine.

Answer: Physical violence

Explanation: Physical violence is the most straightforward form of anti-social behavior to determine. This reading passage explains that physical violence is one of the easiest recognizable anti-social behavior. It may not always be physical violence, however, physical violence makes it easier to identify the problem. Also finding ways of dealing with these will be easier.

Supporting sentence: It doesn’t have to be physical violence, of course, but is far easier to identify and deal with if it is.

Keywords: Physical violence, far easier, identify and deal with

Location in the passage: Paragraph D

*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.

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