IELTS Reading: practice test

Today I'm attaching an IELTS Reading test. It's one passage, so you'd have about 20 minutes in the exam. However, you can learn a lot by doing the questions slowly and trying to get every answer right. If you only test yourself, you will not improve.

The question sections are "paragraph headings" and "true, false, not given". Remember the techniques we've used:

1. Do the T, F, NG section first. These questions will be in the correct order in the text. Look for words in the text that are similar to words in the questions.
2. Do the paragraph headings section last. It should be easier when you are already familiar with the text. Start with the shorter paragraphs or paragraphs that you have already studied for the T, F, NG section.

I recommend printing the test. Feel free to use the "comments" area to share your answers. Download Reading Test

Comments

[Felora]

Hi,
1. iii
2. iv
3. viii
4. ix
5. v
6. i
7. ii
8. F
9. T
10. T
11. T
12. T
13. NG

[Alfiya]

Hi Simon, my answers:
1. iii
2. iv
3.viii
4.ix
5.v
6.i
7.ii
8.F
9.T
10.NG
11.T
12.F
13.NG
Thanks

[nirma]

1.iii
2.iv
3.viii
4.ix
5.v
6.i
7.ii
8. NG
9.T
10.NG
11.NO
12.T
13.NG

[Sachin]

Answers:

1.iii
2.iv
3.viii
4.ix
5.v
6.vii
7.ii

8.true
9.true
10.false
11.true
12.true
13.not given.

[Felora]

Dear Simon,

I have noticed that in listening section, sometimes the answer is comprised of two words (such as viewing shelter. In this circumstances if I write just shelter would it be count as a correct answer? If not, this can be the reason that I did not get my expected score last time.

[Vineeth]

1. iii
2. iV
3. viii
4. ix
5. v
6. i
7. ii
8. NG
9. T
10. T
11. T
12. T
13. NG

[nirma]

hi simon,
The reading passage that you have posted is of great help. Along with the answers that you give, it would be more helpful if justification along with answer is given.as it will help us to know where we missed to look.
Thanks

[SImon]

CORRECT ANSWERS:

1. iii
2. iv
3. viii
4. ix
5. v
6. i
7. ii
8. False
9. True
10. Not Given
11. True
12. True
13. Not Given

As Nirma says, we also need to know WHY the answers are correct. Look through the correct answers, check your mistakes, and if you are confused about any of them, just ask me.

PS. Felora:

Yes, sometimes it is necessary to write 2 words. "Viewing shelter" has a different meaning from just "shelter", so you would need to write both words.

Regards

Simon

[Sachin]

Hi Simon,

Is it possible to give explanation for questions- 8th and 10th.?

Thanks

[Simon]

Can anyone help Sachin by explaining 8 and 10?

Simon

[Sachin]

Thanks Simon. I manage to figure out.

[Simon]

Hi Sachin,

Just to confirm, here are the reasons:

8. Paragraph C: The text says the opposite to the question - deserts were created by taking water away from fertile areas:

"In the process of obtaining water from distant locales, cities often transformed them, making deserts where there had been fertile agricultural areas."

10. Paragraph E: "Reducing air and water pollution in the early 20th century" is mentioned, but there is nothing about it being expensive. The word "cost" is mentioned, but in this case it is not a financial cost - it's talking about the cost in terms of pollution etc:

"The movements demanding clean air, however, and reduction of waterway pollution were largely unsuccessful."

"the cost of improvement often was the exploitation of urban hinterlands for water supplies, increased downstream water pollution, and growing automobile congestion and pollution."

[Sachin]

Many thanks Simon. Much appreciated!

[Simon]

No problem Sachin.

[lafuer]

Hi,Simon
I have a couple of questions here about the following paragraph...

Many people believe that ,in a civilized society, good healthcare should be available to everyone for free. In this way, every resident of the country can have access to the same quality of care and treatment regardless of what social position he or she holds or how much wealth they may possess.

1.In linking the two sentences, shall I use" ,meaning that" or" in this way"? Which usage is more logical?

2.Should I use every resident of the country or every redient of a country? Which is better from a native speaker's point of view?

3.When I use the phrase" regardless of" in this situation, shall I say "regardless of
what social positions he or she holds" or "regardless of...they hold" or" one holds"?
If you were to write this sentence"regardless of A and B", How would you present it in a better way?

Many thanks.

[Simon]

Hi Lafuer,

I sent a response to your email. Good questions by the way!

Simon

[Sally]

Hi Simon, i am really appreciated about this website, thank you very much! My text is on 9th Oct.

[Sally]

I have one request, i dont know if it is appropriate or not. Could you highlight the correct answer, so i can find it easily from the comments. Thanks

[Simon]

No problem Sally, I'm glad you like the website.

I'm afraid I can't highlight comments, but I always write CORRECT ANSWERS, and you should look for comments that say "posted by Simon" at the bottom of the comment.

All the best

Simon

[naureen]

HI Simon, I used T,F and NG for true, false and not given respectively in my ielts reading exam. will my answers be accepted?

[Simon]

Yes, I think that will be fine.

[naureen]

thank you simon :) u made my day :)

[hathanh]

Can you explain question number 1, 12 and 13? And I don't really understand question number 8 that you already explained above.

[Simon]

Hi Hathanh,

1.
new = recently
area of academic interest = historians have begun to consider

12.
suburban...fail to...environmental protection = suburban layouts ignored environmental considerations (paragraph G)

13.
There is no information about governments stopping the development of suburbs = Not Given

8.
Paragraph C: The text says the opposite to the question - deserts were created by taking water AWAY, not bringing water INTO them.

"In the process of obtaining water from distant locales, cities often transformed them, MAKING deserts where there had been fertile agricultural areas."

This means that they took water away from the land, they didn't bring water to the desert.

[Gokce]

Hi Simon,
I confused in question 12 because of the description "suburban lifestyles in MANY WESTERN NATION" but actually in the paragraph G, western world is mentioned but at the end of the paragraph so I thought that it is not for the question or should i think that whole reading is talking about the western nation??
And for the question 11, does "suburban out-migration" mean increasing in suburban inhabitant?
Thank you,
Gokce

[Simon]

Hi Gokce,

It says "without better planning for land use and environmental protection" at the end of the paragraph (after the western world was mentioned).

Yes, "suburban out-migration" means "more people going to live in the suburbs".

[AMAR]

Hi Simon
In spite of my best efforts i cannot understand the answer for question 6. In para i could not find where the writer has written about legislation. Could you please explain
Amar

[Simon]

Hi Amar,

The answer is in this sentence:

Cleaner fuels and smoke control laws largely freed cities during the 1940s and 1950s of the dense smoke that they had previously suffered from.

"Laws" are the same as "legislation".

[Sam]

Hi Simon,
Relating to question 9, why the answer is true? I think the para E, it compares Women with men. Therefore, why women is the strongest.

[Simon]

Hi Sam,

Paragraph E:

women were the strongest campaigners = women's groups often took the lead... showing a greater concern than men

[Mohit]

Hi Simon,

Ragrding question 9, it can be argued that although they took the lead, it does not make them strongest. hence the answer should be not given.

Can you please help.

Thanks

[chhu]

Dear Simon,
Could you please explain paragraph C:
"In the process of obtaining water from distant locales, cities often transformed them, making deserts where there have been agricultural areas."

What does the word "them" refer to??

Thank you
BR,

[John]

Hello, chhu, 'Them' refers to water

[Mazi]

I did it with 3 wrong answers (6-7-8)in 20 minutes
I guess it wasn't good enough :( but it was hard for me especially in its HEADINGS

[larry]

Dear Simon,

Thanks for your post. But here I am still confused with question 8. Because of the words "in the nineteenth century," at the beginning of the statement, which I think is not mentioned in this paragraph. Which is to say, according to the article, we don't know whether the water was brought to dester at nineteenth century or not.
what's your opinion?

Many thanks,
Larry

[Naveen]

Hello Simon
I still feel that answer of question 8 is NG, as what explanation you have given , it was in twentieth century and not in nineteenth century. I joined your site few days back . please explain.

[Preethaa]

Dear Simon,

I thought that the answer for question number: 2 is (vi). Can you please explain me the answer for question number:2?
Thank you.

Regards,
Preethaa

[Tony]

1. iii
2. iv
3. viii
4. ix
5. v
6. I
7. ii
8. F
9. T
10. T
11. F
12. NG
13. NG

[Ran]

Hi Simon, may i have a question about question 8:
8. Paragraph C: The text says the opposite to the question - deserts were created by taking water away from fertile areas:
I think the answer should be NG, because they are asking what happened in 19th, not 20th.

[Vic]

Hi Ran,
Simon asked the question 8 above, you can see it

[Hana]

hi simon can you explain number 11? \thanks a lot

[Thelma]

Hi Simon
pls explain number 11

Thanks

[Thelma]

and number 2 also
thanks

[Reiko]

Hi, 2,4 and 5
I didn't understand why these answer is made a correct.
Could you explain about each questions? Thank you so much .

[Christy]

Hi Simon,

question 9: it seems that the women are the best campaigners in terms of quality of life and health related issues. I do not understand why it means they are the best campaigners with regard to environment reform. Is it kind of paraphrasing? I could not see any similarity between those words.

Thanks for your time.

[Rabea Rashid]

cant get the answer from Simon....it just a crying need for me..

[Abdullah]

Hi Simon can u explain the aanswer paragraph E.

[Abdullah]

also paragraph F;

[Fateme]

In question No 8, it is about 19th century but the answer is in twentieth century

considering the date of the question, the correct answer is Not Given

[duanxhui]

I am not good at paragraph questions and I got 2 answers wrong for paragraphs of this passages. It's always my weak point. I'll attend ielts test next Saturday. I felt a little bit nervous now