IELTS Reading: multiple choice
Read the following text, and chose the best answer to the questions below.
A study of Danish general practitioners found that 48% had prescribed a placebo at least 10 times in the past year. The most frequently prescribed placebos were antibiotics for viral infections, and vitamins for fatigue. Specialists and hospital-based physicians reported much lower rates of placebo use.
1. The placebo effect refers to
A) a simulated medical treatment
B) an improvement in a patient’s health as a result of a simulated medical treatment
C) a common medical phenomenon
2. According to a study, placebos were prescribed in Denmark
A) mainly by doctors working in hospitals
B) instead of antibiotics
C) for fatigued patients or those suffering with viruses
The Placebo Effect
A placebo is a sham or simulated medical intervention. Sometimes
patients given a placebo treatment will have a perceived or actual
improvement in a medical condition, a phenomenon commonly called the
placebo effect.A study of Danish general practitioners found that 48% had prescribed a placebo at least 10 times in the past year. The most frequently prescribed placebos were antibiotics for viral infections, and vitamins for fatigue. Specialists and hospital-based physicians reported much lower rates of placebo use.
1. The placebo effect refers to
A) a simulated medical treatment
B) an improvement in a patient’s health as a result of a simulated medical treatment
C) a common medical phenomenon
2. According to a study, placebos were prescribed in Denmark
A) mainly by doctors working in hospitals
B) instead of antibiotics
C) for fatigued patients or those suffering with viruses
IELTS Reading: more vocabulary
IELTS Reading: choose the heading
Choose the best heading for the following paragraph from the list below.
“Big data” is a term being used more and more by politicians. It refers to the concept that any problem – from underperforming pupils to failing hospitals – can be solved by collecting some tightly focused data, crunching it and making tweaks, such as moving pupils or changing nurses’ shifts, rather than dealing with bigger issues, such as poverty or spending cuts. This is an approach that focuses narrowly on “what works” without ever troubling to ask: “works for whom?” Its watchword is “smart”, which can easily be appreciated, rather than “right”, which can’t. Putting trust in highly educated technocrats, it is naturally less interested in public debate.
A) How data can be used to improve society.
B) Big data: a smart approach to politics that works for everyone.
C) A sceptical perspective on “big data”.
D) Why the public trusts technocrats more than politicians.
IELTS Reading: more keywords
My students and I did test 1, passage 1 in Cambridge IELTS book
4. The table below shows some of the keywords that helped us to find the
correct answers:
This table shows how important it is to look for similar words in the reading test. It also shows that IELTS reading is a test of your vocabulary knowledge. For example, do you know the difference between 'yes/no questions' and 'open-form questions'? Do you know what 'coverage' and 'misconceptions' mean?
This table shows how important it is to look for similar words in the reading test. It also shows that IELTS reading is a test of your vocabulary knowledge. For example, do you know the difference between 'yes/no questions' and 'open-form questions'? Do you know what 'coverage' and 'misconceptions' mean?
IELTS Reading: multiple choice
Read the following text and answer the questions below.
The ethos of the aristocracy, as exemplified in the English public schools, greatly influenced Pierre de Coubertin. The public schools subscribed to the belief that sport formed an important part of education, an attitude summed up in the saying 'mens sana in corpore sano', a sound mind in a sound body. In this ethos, a gentleman was one who became an all-rounder, not the best at one specific thing. There was also a prevailing concept of fairness, in which practising or training was considered tantamount to cheating.
1. De Coubertin agreed with the idea that:
A) sport is an activity for gentlemen.
B) schooling should promote both physical and mental health.
C) sport is the most important part of a child's education.
2. In De Coubertin's view:
A) it is easier to be good at many sports, rather than the best at one sport.
B) training is necessary if you want to be an all-rounder.
C) training gives the athlete an unfair advantage.
The ethos of the aristocracy, as exemplified in the English public schools, greatly influenced Pierre de Coubertin. The public schools subscribed to the belief that sport formed an important part of education, an attitude summed up in the saying 'mens sana in corpore sano', a sound mind in a sound body. In this ethos, a gentleman was one who became an all-rounder, not the best at one specific thing. There was also a prevailing concept of fairness, in which practising or training was considered tantamount to cheating.
1. De Coubertin agreed with the idea that:
A) sport is an activity for gentlemen.
B) schooling should promote both physical and mental health.
C) sport is the most important part of a child's education.
2. In De Coubertin's view:
A) it is easier to be good at many sports, rather than the best at one sport.
B) training is necessary if you want to be an all-rounder.
C) training gives the athlete an unfair advantage.
IELTS Reading: underline key words
Hopefully you do this already, but it’s worth pointing out why
underlining is so important when you’re doing an IELTS reading test. I
tell my students to underline the main words in the question, then
underline any similar words that they find as they read the passage.
There are 3 reasons why underlining is useful:
There are 3 reasons why underlining is useful:
- It encourages you to use the keyword technique to find the answers.
- You don't lose your place in the passage when you're turning pages to check between the question and the text.
- The same information may be relevant for a later question (e.g. when you do a 'paragraph headings' section last).
IELTS Reading: choose the title
Read the following passage and choose the best title from the list below.
Future Shock is a book written by the futurist Alvin Toffler in 1970. In the book, Toffler defines the term "future shock" as a certain psychological state of individuals and entire societies. His shortest definition for the term is a personal perception of "too much change in too short a period of time". The book became an international bestseller, selling over 6 million copies, and has been widely translated.
Toffler argued that society is undergoing an enormous structural change, a revolution from an industrial society to a "super-industrial society". This change overwhelms people, he believed, the accelerated rate of technological and social change leaving people disconnected and suffering from "shattering stress and disorientation" - future shocked. Toffler stated that the majority of social problems are symptoms of future shock. In his discussion of the components of such shock he popularized the term "information overload."
A) A shocking vision of the future.
B) What is “future shock”?
C) The career of the futurist Alvin Toffler.
D) A changing society.
Future Shock is a book written by the futurist Alvin Toffler in 1970. In the book, Toffler defines the term "future shock" as a certain psychological state of individuals and entire societies. His shortest definition for the term is a personal perception of "too much change in too short a period of time". The book became an international bestseller, selling over 6 million copies, and has been widely translated.
Toffler argued that society is undergoing an enormous structural change, a revolution from an industrial society to a "super-industrial society". This change overwhelms people, he believed, the accelerated rate of technological and social change leaving people disconnected and suffering from "shattering stress and disorientation" - future shocked. Toffler stated that the majority of social problems are symptoms of future shock. In his discussion of the components of such shock he popularized the term "information overload."
A) A shocking vision of the future.
B) What is “future shock”?
C) The career of the futurist Alvin Toffler.
D) A changing society.
IELTS Reading: gap-fill
Read the following text about pedestrian zones in cities.
A large number of European towns and cities have made part of their centres car-free since the early 1960s. These are often accompanied by car parks on the edge of the pedestrianised zone, and, in the larger cases, park and ride schemes. Central Copenhagen is one of the largest and oldest examples: the auto-free zone is centred on Strøget, a pedestrian shopping street, which is in fact not a single street but a series of interconnected avenues which create a very large auto-free zone, although it is crossed in places by streets with vehicular traffic. Most of these zones allow delivery trucks to service the businesses located there during the early morning, and street-cleaning vehicles will usually go through these streets after most shops have closed for the night.
In North America, where a more commonly used term is pedestrian mall, such areas are still in their infancy. Few cities have pedestrian zones, but some have pedestrianised single streets. Many pedestrian streets are surfaced with cobblestones, or pavement bricks, which discourage any kind of wheeled traffic, including wheelchairs. They are rarely completely free of motor vehicles.
Fill the gaps below with NO MORE THAN 3 WORDS from the text.
A large number of European towns and cities have made part of their centres car-free since the early 1960s. These are often accompanied by car parks on the edge of the pedestrianised zone, and, in the larger cases, park and ride schemes. Central Copenhagen is one of the largest and oldest examples: the auto-free zone is centred on Strøget, a pedestrian shopping street, which is in fact not a single street but a series of interconnected avenues which create a very large auto-free zone, although it is crossed in places by streets with vehicular traffic. Most of these zones allow delivery trucks to service the businesses located there during the early morning, and street-cleaning vehicles will usually go through these streets after most shops have closed for the night.
In North America, where a more commonly used term is pedestrian mall, such areas are still in their infancy. Few cities have pedestrian zones, but some have pedestrianised single streets. Many pedestrian streets are surfaced with cobblestones, or pavement bricks, which discourage any kind of wheeled traffic, including wheelchairs. They are rarely completely free of motor vehicles.
Fill the gaps below with NO MORE THAN 3 WORDS from the text.
- In some cases, people are encouraged to park ________ of the town or city centre.
- The only vehicles permitted in most pedestrian zones are those used for ________ or ________ cleaning.
- Certain types of road surface can be used to ________ traffic.
IELTS Reading: when to 'skim' or 'scan'
Many IELTS books talk about 'skimming' and 'scanning' to find
answers in the reading test. But the danger is that students focus more
on these techniques than on the passage that they are reading, with the
result that they often miss the answers by skimming or scanning past
them!
Here's some simple advice:
Skimming basically means 'reading very quickly'. Only skim if you are looking for a distinctive word that doesn't have any synonyms e.g. "Manchester".
Scanning basically means 'looking for something without reading'. Only scan if you're searching for a number e.g. "1999".
For all other questions, forget about skimming and scanning; just read the passage carefully at normal speed.
Here's some simple advice:
Skimming basically means 'reading very quickly'. Only skim if you are looking for a distinctive word that doesn't have any synonyms e.g. "Manchester".
Scanning basically means 'looking for something without reading'. Only scan if you're searching for a number e.g. "1999".
For all other questions, forget about skimming and scanning; just read the passage carefully at normal speed.
IELTS Reading: paragraph headings
Read the following passage about a chess-playing computer.
A) On February 10, 1996, Deep Blue became the first machine to win a chess game against a reigning world champion (Garry Kasparov) under regular time controls. However, Kasparov won three and drew two of the following five games, beating Deep Blue by a score of 4–2. Deep Blue was then heavily upgraded and played Kasparov again in May 1997, winning the six-game rematch 3½–2½. Deep Blue won the deciding game six, becoming the first computer system to defeat a reigning world champion in a match under standard chess tournament time controls.
B) After the loss, Kasparov said that he sometimes saw deep intelligence and creativity in the machine's moves, suggesting that during the second game, human chess players had intervened on behalf of the machine, which would be a violation of the rules. IBM denied that it cheated, saying the only human intervention occurred between games. The rules provided for the developers to modify the program between games, an opportunity they said they used to shore up weaknesses in the computer's play that were revealed during the course of the match. This allowed the computer to avoid a trap in the final game that it had fallen for twice before. Kasparov demanded a rematch, but IBM refused and dismantled Deep Blue.
Choose the best heading for paragraphs A and B from the list below.
A) On February 10, 1996, Deep Blue became the first machine to win a chess game against a reigning world champion (Garry Kasparov) under regular time controls. However, Kasparov won three and drew two of the following five games, beating Deep Blue by a score of 4–2. Deep Blue was then heavily upgraded and played Kasparov again in May 1997, winning the six-game rematch 3½–2½. Deep Blue won the deciding game six, becoming the first computer system to defeat a reigning world champion in a match under standard chess tournament time controls.
B) After the loss, Kasparov said that he sometimes saw deep intelligence and creativity in the machine's moves, suggesting that during the second game, human chess players had intervened on behalf of the machine, which would be a violation of the rules. IBM denied that it cheated, saying the only human intervention occurred between games. The rules provided for the developers to modify the program between games, an opportunity they said they used to shore up weaknesses in the computer's play that were revealed during the course of the match. This allowed the computer to avoid a trap in the final game that it had fallen for twice before. Kasparov demanded a rematch, but IBM refused and dismantled Deep Blue.
Choose the best heading for paragraphs A and B from the list below.
- The first chess-playing computer
- Developers’ intervention is questioned
- Chess champion accepts defeat
- Program developers caught cheating
- A victory for artificial intelligence
IELTS Reading: more keywords
IELTS Reading: easy keywords
IELTS Reading: true, false, not given
Read the following passage about a method for music teaching.
The Suzuki method is a method of teaching music conceived and executed by Japanese violinist Shin'ichi Suzuki (born 1898, died 1998), dating from the mid-20th century. The central belief of Suzuki is that all people are capable of learning from their environment. The essential components of his method spring from the desire to create the "right environment" for learning music. He also believed that this positive environment would also help to foster character in students.
As a skilled violinist but a beginner at the German language who struggled to learn it, Suzuki noticed that children pick up their native language quickly, and even dialects adults consider "difficult" to learn are spoken with ease by 5-year-olds. He reasoned that if children have the skill to acquire their mother tongue, then they have the necessary ability to become proficient on a musical instrument. He pioneered the idea that pre-school age children could learn to play the violin if learning steps were small enough and if the instrument was scaled down to fit their body.
Decide whether the following statements are true, false or not given.
The Suzuki method is a method of teaching music conceived and executed by Japanese violinist Shin'ichi Suzuki (born 1898, died 1998), dating from the mid-20th century. The central belief of Suzuki is that all people are capable of learning from their environment. The essential components of his method spring from the desire to create the "right environment" for learning music. He also believed that this positive environment would also help to foster character in students.
As a skilled violinist but a beginner at the German language who struggled to learn it, Suzuki noticed that children pick up their native language quickly, and even dialects adults consider "difficult" to learn are spoken with ease by 5-year-olds. He reasoned that if children have the skill to acquire their mother tongue, then they have the necessary ability to become proficient on a musical instrument. He pioneered the idea that pre-school age children could learn to play the violin if learning steps were small enough and if the instrument was scaled down to fit their body.
Decide whether the following statements are true, false or not given.
- Suzuki believed that environment is crucial for anyone learning a musical instrument.
- His method helped him to learn German.
- Suzuki compared language learning with learning to play an instrument.
- He introduced new ideas about teaching music to infants.
IELTS Reading: my advice
Here is my list of advice and techniques for IELTS reading:
- Don't read the whole text; you haven't got enough time. Just go straight to the questions.
- 'Paragraph' questions are much easier if you do them last. Do other sections first.
- The answers to most questions should be in the correct order in the text, so you don't need to go back to the beginning to start looking for the next answer.
- Read all instructions carefully.
- Look for 'keywords'. There are usually words in the questions that are similar to words you need to find in the text. For example, if the text contains the word "global", the question might use the word "international". If you find the similar words, you have probably found the answer.
- You must get to the end and answer every question. If you don't finish, you might miss some easy points.
- Some questions are difficult because their aim is to separate band 8 and band 9. Don't waste time on difficult questions. Miss them, finish the exam, and return to them at the end.
IELTS Reading: fill the gaps
The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, were two American
brothers, inventors, and aviation pioneers who were credited with
inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making
the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human
flight, on December 17, 1903. In the two years afterward, the brothers
developed their flying machine into the first practical fixed-wing
aircraft.
The brothers' fundamental breakthrough was their invention of three-axis control, which enabled the pilot to steer the aircraft effectively and to maintain its equilibrium. This method became standard and remains standard on fixed-wing aircraft of all kinds. From the beginning of their aeronautical work, the Wright brothers focused on developing a reliable method of pilot control as the key to solving "the flying problem". This approach differed significantly from other experimenters of the time who put more emphasis on developing powerful engines. Using a small homebuilt wind tunnel, the Wrights also collected more accurate data than anyone had before, enabling them to design and build wings and propellers that were more efficient than rival models.
They gained the mechanical skills essential for their success by working for years in their shop with printing presses, bicycles, motors, and other machinery. Their work with bicycles in particular influenced their belief that an unstable vehicle like a flying machine could be controlled and balanced with practice.
Fill each gap in the summary below with a maximum of 2 words.
In 1903, the Wright brothers completed development of the first airplane that was capable of sustaining controlled ______. The key to their success was a system that gave the pilot the means to control and ______ the airplane. This set them apart from other inventors who had focused on building ______. The brothers had previous experience with a wide variety of ______, but it was their work with ______ that had the greatest influence on their ideas.
The brothers' fundamental breakthrough was their invention of three-axis control, which enabled the pilot to steer the aircraft effectively and to maintain its equilibrium. This method became standard and remains standard on fixed-wing aircraft of all kinds. From the beginning of their aeronautical work, the Wright brothers focused on developing a reliable method of pilot control as the key to solving "the flying problem". This approach differed significantly from other experimenters of the time who put more emphasis on developing powerful engines. Using a small homebuilt wind tunnel, the Wrights also collected more accurate data than anyone had before, enabling them to design and build wings and propellers that were more efficient than rival models.
They gained the mechanical skills essential for their success by working for years in their shop with printing presses, bicycles, motors, and other machinery. Their work with bicycles in particular influenced their belief that an unstable vehicle like a flying machine could be controlled and balanced with practice.
Fill each gap in the summary below with a maximum of 2 words.
In 1903, the Wright brothers completed development of the first airplane that was capable of sustaining controlled ______. The key to their success was a system that gave the pilot the means to control and ______ the airplane. This set them apart from other inventors who had focused on building ______. The brothers had previous experience with a wide variety of ______, but it was their work with ______ that had the greatest influence on their ideas.
IELTS Reading: some suggestions
People often ask me for advice about how to improve their reading. Here are some suggestions:
- If you want to improve your reading, the first thing to do is read a lot. There are no shortcuts or secret techniques; you will only improve with time and practice.
- Anything you read in English is good practice, so read about subjects that interest you. Try to enjoy reading in English.
- English is the most used language on the web. Whenever you search for information on the Internet, try searching in English first.
- Remember that "understanding is not the same as using". Keep a notebook with useful words and phrases that you find when you're reading, and try using them in your own sentences.
- Apart from reading things that interest you, you also need to read lots of IELTS passages. If you've done all of the tests in the Cambridge books, read the passages again without doing the questions. Use a dictionary, take notes, and try to fully understand each passage.
- Another way to use the Cambridge tests is to look at the correct answers to each question first. Your task is to find out why those answers are correct by analysing the passage carefully and finding the 'keywords'.
IELTS Reading: keywords
Here's my keyword table for last week's true, false, not given exercise:
Notice how the questions almost always paraphrase parts of the passage, using synonyms or words with a similar meaning (e.g. regard - refer to, foremost - best, famous - eminent). If you do enough practice, you'll get used to finding and recognising these similar words, and your scores should improve!
Notice how the questions almost always paraphrase parts of the passage, using synonyms or words with a similar meaning (e.g. regard - refer to, foremost - best, famous - eminent). If you do enough practice, you'll get used to finding and recognising these similar words, and your scores should improve!
IELTS Reading: true, false, not given
Read the following passage about the scientist Michael Faraday.
Michael Faraday, (1791 - 1867) was an English scientist who contributed to the fields of electromagnetism and electrochemistry. Although Faraday received little formal education he was one of the most influential scientists in history, and historians of science refer to him as having been the best experimentalist in the history of science.
The young Michael Faraday, who was the third of four children, having only the most basic school education, had to educate himself. At fourteen he became the apprentice to George Riebau, a local bookbinder and bookseller. During his seven-year apprenticeship he read many books, including Isaac Watts' The Improvement of the Mind, and he enthusiastically implemented the principles and suggestions contained therein.
In 1812, at the age of twenty, and at the end of his apprenticeship, Faraday attended lectures by the eminent English chemist Humphry Davy. Faraday subsequently sent Davy a three-hundred-page book based on notes that he had taken during these lectures. Davy's reply was immediate, kind, and favourable. When one of the Royal Institution's assistants was sacked, Davy was asked to find a replacement, and appointed Faraday as Chemical Assistant at the Royal Institution.
Are the following statements true, false or not given?
Michael Faraday, (1791 - 1867) was an English scientist who contributed to the fields of electromagnetism and electrochemistry. Although Faraday received little formal education he was one of the most influential scientists in history, and historians of science refer to him as having been the best experimentalist in the history of science.
The young Michael Faraday, who was the third of four children, having only the most basic school education, had to educate himself. At fourteen he became the apprentice to George Riebau, a local bookbinder and bookseller. During his seven-year apprenticeship he read many books, including Isaac Watts' The Improvement of the Mind, and he enthusiastically implemented the principles and suggestions contained therein.
In 1812, at the age of twenty, and at the end of his apprenticeship, Faraday attended lectures by the eminent English chemist Humphry Davy. Faraday subsequently sent Davy a three-hundred-page book based on notes that he had taken during these lectures. Davy's reply was immediate, kind, and favourable. When one of the Royal Institution's assistants was sacked, Davy was asked to find a replacement, and appointed Faraday as Chemical Assistant at the Royal Institution.
Are the following statements true, false or not given?
- Many experts regard Faraday as the foremost experimentalist of all time.
- Faraday educated himself by reading books that were recommended to him by George Riebau.
- Faraday came to the attention of a famous chemist after he wrote a book based on the chemist's lectures.
IELTS Reading: 2 questions about exam technique
1. Should you read the whole passage before looking at the questions?
2. Should you go to the questions first, then skim/scan to find the answers?
My answer to question 1 is no. You don't have time to read the whole passage unless your English is almost 'native speaker' level.
My answer to question 2 is yes and no.
Yes - go to the questions first.
No - don't skim or scan unless the question contains a name or number.
My advice is to do the questions one by one. Instead of skimming or scanning, read the passage carefully. The answers to most question sections will be in order in the passage, so you will gradually read the whole passage as you find the answers.
2. Should you go to the questions first, then skim/scan to find the answers?
My answer to question 1 is no. You don't have time to read the whole passage unless your English is almost 'native speaker' level.
My answer to question 2 is yes and no.
Yes - go to the questions first.
No - don't skim or scan unless the question contains a name or number.
My advice is to do the questions one by one. Instead of skimming or scanning, read the passage carefully. The answers to most question sections will be in order in the passage, so you will gradually read the whole passage as you find the answers.
IELTS Reading: match the phrases
The phrases below come from Cambridge IELTS 5 (test 3, passage
1). Match the similar phrases from the two lists, and look up any new
vocabulary in a dictionary.
1) a cross-section of socio-economic status
2) positive outcomes
3) supplied support and training
4) insufficient funding
5) scored highly in listening and speaking
6) bore little or no relationship to
A) too little money was invested
B) had nothing to do with
C) a variety of poor and wealthy families
D) the results were phenomenal
E) guidance was provided
F) were more advanced in language development
1) a cross-section of socio-economic status
2) positive outcomes
3) supplied support and training
4) insufficient funding
5) scored highly in listening and speaking
6) bore little or no relationship to
A) too little money was invested
B) had nothing to do with
C) a variety of poor and wealthy families
D) the results were phenomenal
E) guidance was provided
F) were more advanced in language development
IELTS Reading: more vocabulary!
My students and I did test 2, passage 2 in Cambridge IELTS book 8
('The Little Ice Age'). This is quite a tricky test because one or two
of the questions are not in order in the passage. Here are some of the
keywords that helped us to get the correct answers:
Note: 'far from' can be used to mean 'the opposite of' e.g. "I am far from happy" means "I am not happy at all".
Note: 'far from' can be used to mean 'the opposite of' e.g. "I am far from happy" means "I am not happy at all".
IELTS Reading: gap-fill summary
Read the following passage about the discovery of penicillin.
Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin by ______ on September 28, 1928. He found that the growth of bacteria on a petri dish was ______ by a blue-green mould that had contaminated the culture. He realised that the mould was producing a substance that was responsible for ______ bacterial growth.
The discovery of penicillin is attributed
to Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming. Fleming recounted that the
date of his breakthrough was on the morning of September 28, 1928. It
was a lucky accident: in his laboratory in the basement of St. Mary's
Hospital in London, Fleming noticed a petri dish containing
Staphylococcus culture that he had mistakenly left open. The culture had
become contaminated by blue-green mould, and there was a halo of
inhibited bacterial growth around the mould. Fleming concluded that the
mould was releasing a substance that was repressing the growth of the
bacteria. He grew a pure culture and discovered that it was a
Penicillium mould, now known to be Penicillium notatum. Fleming coined
the term "penicillin" to describe the filtrate of a broth culture of the
Penicillium mould.
Fill the gaps in the summary below using words from the passage.Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin by ______ on September 28, 1928. He found that the growth of bacteria on a petri dish was ______ by a blue-green mould that had contaminated the culture. He realised that the mould was producing a substance that was responsible for ______ bacterial growth.
IELTS Reading: more key vocabulary
IELTS Reading: multiple choice
Read the passage and choose the correct answers to the questions below.
A new ‘super-Earth’ has been discovered that could have a life-supporting climate and water. The planet, given the catchy name HD 40307g, was discovered in a multi-world solar system 42 light years from the Sun and lies at exactly the right distance from its star to allow liquid surface water. It orbits well within the star's “habitable” or “Goldilocks” zone - the region where temperatures are neither too hot nor too cold to sustain life.
Professor Hugh Jones, from the University of Hertfordshire said: “The longer orbit of the new planet means that its climate and atmosphere may be just right to support life. Just as Goldilocks liked her porridge to be neither too hot nor too cold but just right, this planet or indeed any moons that is has lie in an orbit comparable to Earth, increasing the probability of it being habitable.” The ‘super earth’ is one of six planets believed to circle the dwarf star HD 40307 in the constellation Pictor. All the others are located outside the habitable zone, too close to their parent star to support liquid water.
1. Why is it thought that the planet may be able to support life?
A) It has been shown to have water.
B) It is 42 light years from the Sun.
C) It orbits its own star at the perfect distance.
D) It has several moons.
2. Which statement is true of the “Goldilocks” zone?
A) It is the region of a planet which has a habitable climate.
B) It refers to a zone which is too close to the parent star.
C) It refers to a planet with several moons and a long orbit.
D) It is an orbit region which is comparable to the Earth’s.
A new ‘super-Earth’ has been discovered that could have a life-supporting climate and water. The planet, given the catchy name HD 40307g, was discovered in a multi-world solar system 42 light years from the Sun and lies at exactly the right distance from its star to allow liquid surface water. It orbits well within the star's “habitable” or “Goldilocks” zone - the region where temperatures are neither too hot nor too cold to sustain life.
Professor Hugh Jones, from the University of Hertfordshire said: “The longer orbit of the new planet means that its climate and atmosphere may be just right to support life. Just as Goldilocks liked her porridge to be neither too hot nor too cold but just right, this planet or indeed any moons that is has lie in an orbit comparable to Earth, increasing the probability of it being habitable.” The ‘super earth’ is one of six planets believed to circle the dwarf star HD 40307 in the constellation Pictor. All the others are located outside the habitable zone, too close to their parent star to support liquid water.
1. Why is it thought that the planet may be able to support life?
A) It has been shown to have water.
B) It is 42 light years from the Sun.
C) It orbits its own star at the perfect distance.
D) It has several moons.
2. Which statement is true of the “Goldilocks” zone?
A) It is the region of a planet which has a habitable climate.
B) It refers to a zone which is too close to the parent star.
C) It refers to a planet with several moons and a long orbit.
D) It is an orbit region which is comparable to the Earth’s.
IELTS Reading: matching similar words
To find answers in the reading test, look for words or phrases in the passage that are similar to words in the questions.
In the test mentioned below, you need to know that 'exaggerate' is similar to 'overstate', or that 'urgent' is similar to 'pressing'.
The table below shows similar words/phrases for the test on page 24 of Cambridge IELTS book 5.
In the test mentioned below, you need to know that 'exaggerate' is similar to 'overstate', or that 'urgent' is similar to 'pressing'.
The table below shows similar words/phrases for the test on page 24 of Cambridge IELTS book 5.
IELTS Reading: multiple choice
Read the following text and choose the best answer for each question.
The term "IQ" comes from German "Intelligenz-Quotient", coined by the German psychologist William Stern in 1912, who proposed a method of scoring children's intelligence tests. Since the early 20th century, scores on IQ tests have increased in most parts of the world. The phenomenon of rising score performance means that if test-takers are scored by a constant standard scoring rule, IQ test scores have been rising at an average rate of around three IQ points per decade. This phenomenon was named the Flynn effect in the book The Bell Curve after James R. Flynn, the author who did the most to bring this phenomenon to the attention of psychologists.
1. “IQ” refers to
A) a type of intelligence test for children
B) a means of rating intelligence tests
C) an area of psychology
2. Flynn noticed that
A) IQ scores were constant around the world
B) IQ was a global phenomenon
C) intelligence scores had gradually risen over several decades
The term "IQ" comes from German "Intelligenz-Quotient", coined by the German psychologist William Stern in 1912, who proposed a method of scoring children's intelligence tests. Since the early 20th century, scores on IQ tests have increased in most parts of the world. The phenomenon of rising score performance means that if test-takers are scored by a constant standard scoring rule, IQ test scores have been rising at an average rate of around three IQ points per decade. This phenomenon was named the Flynn effect in the book The Bell Curve after James R. Flynn, the author who did the most to bring this phenomenon to the attention of psychologists.
1. “IQ” refers to
A) a type of intelligence test for children
B) a means of rating intelligence tests
C) an area of psychology
2. Flynn noticed that
A) IQ scores were constant around the world
B) IQ was a global phenomenon
C) intelligence scores had gradually risen over several decades
IELTS Reading: multiple choice
Look at the following question (from Cambridge IELTS 5) and the
section of text that contains the answer. I've underlined the key words.
Question:
The writer suggests that newspapers print items that are intended to
A) educate readers
B) meet their readers' expectations
C) encourage feedback from readers
D) mislead readers
Passage:
A third source of confusion is the attitude of the media. People are clearly more curious about bad news than good. Newspapers and broadcasters are there to provide what the public wants. That, however, can lead to significant distortions of perception.
Task:
Which keywords in the passage match the keywords in the question? What is the correct answer? Why?
Question:
The writer suggests that newspapers print items that are intended to
A) educate readers
B) meet their readers' expectations
C) encourage feedback from readers
D) mislead readers
Passage:
A third source of confusion is the attitude of the media. People are clearly more curious about bad news than good. Newspapers and broadcasters are there to provide what the public wants. That, however, can lead to significant distortions of perception.
Task:
Which keywords in the passage match the keywords in the question? What is the correct answer? Why?
IELTS Reading: vocabulary
IELTS Reading: gap-fill
Read the following passage about creative writing.
New research, prompted by the relatively high number of literary families, shows that there may be an inherited element to writing good fiction. Researchers from Yale in the US and Moscow State University in Russia launched the study to see whether there was a scientific reason why well-known writers have produced other writers.
The study analysed the creative writing of 511 children aged eight to 17 and 489 of their mothers and 326 fathers. All the participants wrote stories on particular themes. The stories were then scored and rated for originality and novelty, plot development and quality, and sophistication and creative use of prior knowledge. The researchers also carried out detailed intelligence tests and analysed how families functioned in the Russian households.
Taking into account intelligence and family background, the researchers then calculated the inherited and the environmental elements of creative writing. They found what they describe as a modest heritability element to creative writing.
Fill each gap in the summary below using a maximum of 2 words.
Creative writing ability may be ______ from parents, according to a new study. Researchers compared ______ written by children and their parents, looking at elements such as originality and use of ______. After conducting intelligence tests and allowing for ______, they concluded that there is a ______ link between genetics and creative writing.
New research, prompted by the relatively high number of literary families, shows that there may be an inherited element to writing good fiction. Researchers from Yale in the US and Moscow State University in Russia launched the study to see whether there was a scientific reason why well-known writers have produced other writers.
The study analysed the creative writing of 511 children aged eight to 17 and 489 of their mothers and 326 fathers. All the participants wrote stories on particular themes. The stories were then scored and rated for originality and novelty, plot development and quality, and sophistication and creative use of prior knowledge. The researchers also carried out detailed intelligence tests and analysed how families functioned in the Russian households.
Taking into account intelligence and family background, the researchers then calculated the inherited and the environmental elements of creative writing. They found what they describe as a modest heritability element to creative writing.
Fill each gap in the summary below using a maximum of 2 words.
Creative writing ability may be ______ from parents, according to a new study. Researchers compared ______ written by children and their parents, looking at elements such as originality and use of ______. After conducting intelligence tests and allowing for ______, they concluded that there is a ______ link between genetics and creative writing.
IELTS Reading: finding and understanding
IELTS reading is really a test of 2 things:
You need to be able to find the right part of the text quickly. I practise this a lot with my students: we decide which words in the question we need to search for, then we try to locate those words (or words with the same meaning) in the text.
Understanding
When you have found where the answer is, you need to read that part of the text carefully. Read the sentences before and after the keywords that you found. Then it becomes a test of your vocabulary knowledge: if you don't understand the words that you are reading, it will be difficult to get the right answer.
- Can you find the part of the text that contains the answer?
- Do you understand that part of the text?
You need to be able to find the right part of the text quickly. I practise this a lot with my students: we decide which words in the question we need to search for, then we try to locate those words (or words with the same meaning) in the text.
Understanding
When you have found where the answer is, you need to read that part of the text carefully. Read the sentences before and after the keywords that you found. Then it becomes a test of your vocabulary knowledge: if you don't understand the words that you are reading, it will be difficult to get the right answer.
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