Reading Lesson 1:

Matching Paragraph Headings

Objective: to practice matching paragraph headings to paragraphs.

A common type of IELTS Reading question will ask you to select headings of paragraphs and match
them to the paragraphs from a text.

On this page there is a full reading text and some practice questions.

Strategies to answer the questions

1. Quickly read through the paragraph headings so you can see what they say.
2. Then look at the first paragraph.
3. Often only the topic sentence needs to be read carefully because the main idea and answer are there - you may be
able to just skim the rest.
4. Sometimes, however, the answer is not in the topic sentence and the whole paragraph needs to be read more
carefully.
5. If a match is not immediately obvious, move on to the next one.
6. If you are unsure between two answers at first, put them both in. You may be able to eliminate one answer later if
it fits another paragraph better.
7. If at the end you are still stuck between two answers for a question, pick which fits best.

Things to beware of
1. There are always more choices of paragraph headings on the list than paragraphs, so be careful when matching
them.
2. Watch out for synonyms - often words in the paragraphs and paragraph headings will not be the same; they will be
synonyms.
3. Having a noun from a heading that is in the paragraph does not guarantee they match - you still need to read it
carefully to check.

One Paragraph Practice Exercise

Before you do a full reading, we'll have a practice with one paragraph.

This is the first paragraph from the full reading you will do. There are only five choices of paragraph
headings for this first one (less than on the full reading).

Follow the procedure shown above, and click on what you think is the correct answer. The topic sentence is in
red to remind you to focus on that.

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 Yoruba Towns
A. The Yoruba people of Nigeria classify their towns in two ways. Permanent towns with their own
governments are called ilu, whereas temporary settlements, set up to support work in the country are aba.
Although ilu tend to be larger than aba, the distinction is not one of size, some aba are large, while declining ilu
can be small, but of purpose. There is no typical Yoruba town, but some features are common to most towns.

1. Match the correct heading to the paragraph.

Town facilities

Colonisation

Urban divisions

Architectural home styles

Types of settlements

Now you know some strategies and have practiced with one paragraph, you can now practice matching
paragraph headings with a full text.

Matching Paragraph Headings - Practice

Read and focus on the topic sentences in the text below and then match the paragraph headings to their
paragraphs.

One has been done for you.

[Please note that if you are on a mobile device, you have to go to 'navigation' or scroll down to the bottom of
the screen to see the questions]

The reading passage has seven paragraphs: A G.

Choose the most suitable paragraph headings B G from the list of headings on the right.

Write the appropriate numbers (i ix) in the text boxes below the headings.

NB There are more paragraph headings than paragraphs so you will not use them all.

List of paragraph headings

i. Town facilities
ii. Colonisation
iii. Urban divisions
iv. Architectural home styles
v. Types of settlements
vi. Historical foundations
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vii. Domestic arrangements
viii. City defenses
ix. The residences of the rulers
x. Government buildings

Answers
Example:

Paragraph A__

Answer: v

1. Paragraph B__

2. Paragraph C__

3. Paragraph D__

4. Paragraph E__

5. Paragraph F__

6. Paragraph G__

Yoruba Town
A. The Yoruba people of Nigeria classify their towns in two ways. Permanent towns with their own
governments are called ilu, whereas temporary settlements, set up to support work in the country
are aba. Although ilu tend to be larger than aba, the distinction is not one of size, some aba are
large, while declining ilu can be small, but of purpose. There is no typical Yoruba town, but some
features are common to most towns.

B. In the 19th century most towns were heavily fortified and the foundations of these walls are
sometimes visible. Collecting tolls to enter and exit through the walls was a major source of revenue
for the old town rulers, as were market fees. The markets were generally located centrally and in
small towns, while in large towns there were permanent stands made of corrugated iron or concrete.
The market was usually next to the local rulers palace.

C. The palaces were often very large. In the 1930s, the area of Oyos palace covered 17 acres, and
consisted of a series of courtyards surrounded by private and public rooms. After colonisation, many
of the palaces were completely or partially demolished. Often the rulers built two storey houses for
themselves using some of the palace grounds for government buildings.
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D. The town is divided into different sections. In some towns these are regular, extending out from
the center of the town like spokes on a wheel, while in others, where space is limited, they are more
random. The different areas are further divided into compounds called ile. These vary in size
considerably from single dwellings to up to thirty houses. They tend to be larger in the North. Large
areas are devoted to government administrative buildings. Newer developments such as industrial or
commercial areas or apartment housing for civil servants tends to be build on the edge of the town.

E. Houses are rectangular and either have a courtyard in the center or the rooms come off a central
corridor. Most social life occurs in the courtyard. They are usually built of hardened mud and have
roofs of corrugated iron or, in the countryside, thatch. Buildings of this material are easy to alter,
either by knocking down rooms or adding new ones. And can be improved by coating the walls with
cement. Richer people often build their houses of concrete blocks and, if they can afford to, build two
storey houses. Within compounds there can be quite a mixture of building types. Younger well-
educated people may have well furnished houses while their older relatives live in mud walled
buildings and sleep on mats on the floor.

F. The builder or the most senior man gets a room either near the entrance or, in a two storied house,
next to the balcony. He usually has more than one room. Junior men get a room each and there are
separate rooms for teenage boys and girls to sleep in. Younger children sleep with their mothers. Any
empty room are used as storage, let out or, if they face the street, used as shops.

G. Amenities vary. In some towns most of the population uses communal water taps and only the rich
have piped water, in others piped water is more normal. Some areas have toilets, but bucket toilets
are common with waste being collected by a night soil man. Access to water and electricity are key
political issues.

569 words

Paragraph Headings Answer Discussion

Paragraph B

(vi) - Historical foundations

B. In the 19th century most towns were heavily fortified and the foundations of these walls are
sometimes visible. Collecting tolls to enter and exit through the walls was a major source of revenue
for the old town rulers, as were market fees. The markets were generally located centrally and in
small towns, while in large towns there were permanent stands made of corrugated iron or concrete.
The market was usually next to the local rulers palace.

In this first question, the word 'foundation' is in the topic sentence. This does not automatically make
'vi' the correct answer. However, it is a good reason to flag this up as a possibility. The heading also
refers to 'history', so the reference to '19th century' in the topic sentence tells us the paragraph is
about the history. A quick skim of the paragraph confirms this.

Paragraph C

(ix) - The residences of the rulers

C. The palaces were often very large. In the 1930s, the area of Oyos palace covered 17 acres, and
consisted of a series of courtyards surrounded by private and public rooms. After colonization, many
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of the palaces were completely or partially demolished. Often the rulers built two storey houses for
themselves using some of the palace grounds for government buildings.

The topic setence mentions the palaces, which is where the rulers of Yaruba would likely live, and the
heading mentioned the homes (residences) of the rulers, so it is likely to be ix. Reading the rest of the
paragraph confirms that the whole paragraph talks generally about the palaces in Yoruna. Don't be
tricked by the 'colonisation' heading. This only refers to one sentence in the paragraph, not the whole
paragraph. It is therefore a supporting point rather than the main idea.

Paragraph D

(iii) - Urban divisions

D. The town is divided into different sections. In some towns these are regular, extending out from
the center of the town like spokes on a wheel, while in others, where space is limited, they are more
random. The different areas are further divided into compounds called ile. These vary in size
considerably from single dwellings to up to thirty houses. They tend to be larger in the North. Large
areas are devoted to government administrative buildings. Newer developments such as industrial or
commercial areas or apartment housing for civil servants tends to be build on the edge of the town.

The answer is first seen in the topic sentence. The word 'divided' should have flagged this up to you
as a possibility. Notice the use of the synonym 'urban' to replace 'town'. It is common to see
synonyms in paragraph headings questions and other IELTS reading questions.

Paragraph E

(iv) - Architectural home styles

E. Houses are rectangular and either have a courtyard in the center or the rooms come off a central
corridor. Most social life occurs in the courtyard. They are usually built of hardened mud and have
roofs of corrugated iron or, in the countryside, thatch. Buildings of this material are easy to alter,
either by knocking down rooms or adding new ones. And can be improved by coating the walls with
cement. Richer people often build their houses of concrete blocks and, if they can afford to, build two
storey houses. Within compounds there can be quite a mixture of building types. Younger well-
educated people may have well furnished houses while their older relatives live in mud walled
buildings and sleep on mats on the floor.

The topic sentence starts to give you a clue that 'iv' is the correct choice of the paragraph headings
as it discusses houses and their styles. This is then discussed further in the supporting sentences
that follow.

Paragraph F

(vii) - Domestic arrangements

F. The builder or the most senior man gets a room either near the entrance or, in a two storied house,
next to the balcony. He usually has more than one room. Junior men get a room each and there are
separate rooms for teenage boys and girls to sleep in. Younger children sleep with their mothers. Any
empty room are used as storage, let out or, if they face the street, used as shops.

In this context, 'domestic' means of or relating to the home, so the heading is referring to the
arrangements within the home. Again, just by reading the topic sentence you can see that this
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paragraph is discussing home arrangements and skimming through the rest of the paragraph
confirms this.

Paragraph G

(i) - Town facilities

G. Amenities vary. In some towns most of the population uses communal water taps and only the rich
have piped water, in others piped water is more normal. Some areas have toilets, but bucket toilets
are common with waste being collected by a night soil man. Access to water and electricity are key
political issues.

'Facilities' is a synonym of 'amenities' so this is the first clue that this could fit this paragraph, but you
need to read on to confirm that the paragraph is discussing the facilities of the town, which it is.

Lesson 2:
IELTS Multiple Choice Practice
Objectives:
To practice IELTS multiple choice questions
To practice scanning techniques
To look at the use of synonyms in IELTS reading questions

Strategies to answer the questions

1. Look through the questions first
2. Underline key words from the question
3. Then scan the text for those key words that you have underlined
4. The answer should be found close to that word
5. The answers will be found in the text in the same order as the questions

Things to beware of
There will be synonyms used in the reading - the words in the IELTS multiple choice questions may not be
the same as in the text

One Paragraph Practice Exercise

Before looking at a longer reading, we'll have a practice with two paragraphs. It is the first part of the
full reading you will do.

Identify the key word in the question first of all. Then scan the text to find it. When you have done
this, read the sentences around this key word and see what information best matches the three
choices you have.

1. What is dry farming?

Preserving nitrates and moisture.

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 Ploughing the land again and again.

Cultivating fallow land.

Australian Agricultural Innovations:

1850 1900
During this period, there was a wide spread expansion of agriculture in Australia. The selection
system was begun, whereby small sections of land were parceled out by lot. Particularly in New
South Wales, this led to conflicts between small holders and the emerging squatter class, whose
abuse of the system often allowed them to take vast tracts of fertile land.

There were also many positive advances in farming technology as the farmers adapted agricultural
methods to the harsh Australian conditions. One of the most important was dry farming. This was
the discovery that repeated ploughing of fallow, unproductive land could preserve nitrates and
moisture, allowing the land to eventually be cultivated. This, along with the extension of the railways
allowed the development of what are now great inland wheat lands.

To answer this question you should have highlighted the word dry farming.

You should then have been able to scan the two paragraphs to quickly find this word.

Reading the information around it more carefully would the give you the answer:

Cultivating means to improve and prepare (land) by ploughing or fertilizing, for raising crops.
So the answer was "the ploughing of fallow land...to eventually be cultivated."

Full Practice - IELTS Multiple Choice

1. What is dry farming?

Preserving nitrates and moisture.

Ploughing the land again and again.
Cultivating fallow land.

2. What did H. V. McKay do?

Export the stripper.

Improve the stripper.
Cut, collect and sort wheat.

3. What did the 'stump jump plough innovation allow farmers to do?

Cut through tree stumps.

Change the wheels for a traditional plough."
Allow farmers to cultivate land that hadnt been fully cleared.

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4. What did John Custance recommend?

Improving wheat yields.

Revitalising the industry.
Fertilizing the soil.

5. Why was William Farrers wheat better?

It was drought resistant.

It wasnt from England or South Africa.
It was drier for Australian conditions.

Australian Agricultural Innovations:

1850 1900
During this period, there was a wide spread expansion of agriculture in Australia. The selection
system was begun, whereby small sections of land were parceled out by lot. Particularly in New
South Wales, this led to conflicts between small holders and the emerging squatter class, whose
abuse of the system often allowed them to take vast tracts of fertile land.

There were also many positive advances in farming technology as the farmers adapted agricultural
methods to the harsh Australian conditions. One of the most important was dry farming. This was
the discovery that repeated ploughing of fallow, unproductive land could preserve nitrates and
moisture, allowing the land to eventually be cultivated. This, along with the extension of the railways
allowed the development of what are now great inland wheat lands.

The inland areas of Australia are less fertile than most other wheat producing countries and yields
per acre are lower. This slowed their development, but also led to the development of several labour
saving devices. In 1843 John Ridley, a South Australian farmer, invented the stripper, a basic
harvesting machine. By the 1860s its use was widespread. H. V. McKay, then only nineteen, modified
the machine so that it was a complete harvester: cutting, collecting and sorting. McKay developed
this early innovation into a large harvester manufacturing industry centred near Melbourne and
exporting worldwide. Robert Bowyer Smith invented the stump jump plough, which let a farmer
plough land which still had tree stumps on it. It did this by replacing the traditional plough shear with a
set of wheels that could go over stumps, if necessary.

The developments in farm machinery were supported by scientific research. During the late 19th
century, South Australian wheat yields were going down. An agricultural scientist at the colonys
agricultural college, John Custance, found that this was due to a lack of phosphates and advised the
use of soluble superphosphate fertilizer. The implementation of this scheme revitalised the industry.

From early days it had been obvious that English and European sheep breeds had to be adapted to
Australian conditions, but only near the end of the century was the same applied to crops. Prior to
this, English and South African strains had been use, with varying degrees of success. William
Farrer, from Cambridge University, was the first to develop new wheat varieties that were better able
to withstand dry Australian conditions. By 1914, Australia was no longer thought of as a land suitable
only for sheep, but as a wheat growing nation.

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422 words

The correct answers

1. Cultivating fallow land.
2. Improve the stripper.
3. Allow farmers to cultivate land that hadnt been fully cleared.
4. Fertilizing the soil.
5. It was drought resistant.

_______________________________________________
Lesson 3:
IELTS True False Not Given
Objectives: to practice answering IELTS True False Not Given questions.

This lesson explains how to answer True and False questions for IELTS.

You also have a Not Given option with this type of task.

Firstly, you will be presented with a list of facts.

You then have to look at the text in order to decide if the facts are true, false, or not given.

Below are some tips and strategies to help you answer this type of question.

Tips
If the fact you are given is clearly in the reading it is True
If the reading says the opposite of the fact you've been given it is False
If it is not true or false, it is Not Given

Strategies to answer the questions

The questions follow the order of the text.
Read the question carefully to make sure you fully understand what it is saying.
Scan the text to find where the answer is using key wordsfrom the question
When you find where the answer is, read the text carefully to identify if you think it is T, F or NG.
The questions will probably use synonyms rather than the words in the text.

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 Look out for controlling words such as only, all, never etc. For example, if the fact in the question says 'some'
and the fact in the text says 'all', then it is F.
Do not spend a long time looking for the answer to one question; it is probably NG, if you cannot find it.
Make sure you use the correct code; 'Yes', 'No', 'No Information' is sometimes used (these question are slightly
different and you look for opinions rather than facts).

Example
Look at this statment, taken from the first sentence in the reading below:

Chiles originate in South America and have been eaten for at least 9,500 years.
Here are some example IELTS True False Not Given statements with answers:

1. Chiles come from South America - True

2. People began eating Chiles in the last few centuries - False
3. South Americans were the first people to start eating Chiles - Not Given
Number one is clearly true. Notice the use of the synonym 'come from' used instead of 'originates'. It is
common to use different words.

Two is clearly false as it was 9,500 years ago, not a few 100 years ago.

Three is not in the text. Be careful about making assumptions then thinking it is true. It is quite probable that
South Americans began eating Chiles first as they originated there; however, you can't be sure of that and the
text does not tell you that.

IELTS True False Not Given - Practice

Now, read the following text and answer the questions to the right of the reading using the drop down menu to
choose either True, False, or Not Given.

[Please note that if you are on a mobile device the questions can be found in 'navigation' or by scrolling down
to the bottom]

An explanation of the answers is provided below.

Do the following statements agree with the information in the text? Mark them:

True if the statement agrees with the text

False if the statement does not agree with the text
Not Given if there is no information about this in the text

Questions:

1. Chilies became popular as soon as they were brought into Europe.

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2. Capsaisin causes significant damage to the mouth.

3. Chilies can be part of a birds diet.

4. All large chilies grow high off the ground.

5. People breed chilies for their heat.

Chilies
Chilies originate in South America and have been eaten for at least 9,500 years. Organised cultivation began
around 5,400 BC. Christopher Columbus was the first European to encounter chilies, when he landed on the
island of Hispaniola in 1492. He thought it was a type of pepper and called it the red pepper, a name still used
today. After their introduction to Europe they were an immediate sensation and were quickly incorporated into
the diet. From there they spread to Africa, India and East Asia.

The reason for the chilis hotness lies in a chemical called Capsaisin. Capsaisin causes temporary irritation to
the trigeminal cells, which are the pain receptors in the mouth, nose and throat. After the pain messages are
transmitted to the brain, endorphins, natural pain killers, are released and these not only kill the pain but give
the chili eater a short lived natural high. Other side effects include: an increased heart rate, a running nose and
increased salivation and sweating, which can have a cooling effect in hot climates.

The reason for the presence of Capsaisin is thought to be to deter animals from eating the fruit. Only mammals
feel the burning effects; birds feel nothing. As birds are a better method of distributing the seeds, which pass
intact through their guts, Capsaisin would seem to be a result of natural selection.

The smaller chilies tend to be the hottest. This may reflect the fact that they tend to grow closer to the ground
and are therefore more vulnerable to animals. The heat of a chili is measured on the Scoville scale. The hottest
types such as the Habenero and the Scotch Bonnet rate between 100,000 and 300,000, the world famous
Tabasco sauce rates at 15,000 to 30,000, about the same as the Thai prik khee nu, while the popular Jalapeno
is between 5,000 and 15,000. Powdered chili is 500 to 1,000 and the mild capsicins and paprikas can range
between 100 and 0.

325 wds

IELTS True False Not Given - Answers Discussion

Question 1

Chilies became popular as soon as they were brought into Europe - True
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After their introduction to Europe they were an immediate sensation and were quickly incorporated into the
diet.
There two statements are clearly saying the same thing. Notice the use of synomyms:

Became popular = sensation

As soon as = immediately
Brought into = introduced
___________________________________________________

Question 2

Capsaisin causes significant damage to the mouth. - False

Capsaisin causes temporary irritation the trigeminal cells.

This is false as the statement says 'significant damage'. This is not the same as a 'temporary irritation'.

___________________________________________________

Question 3

Chilies can be part of a birds diet - True

Only mammals feel the burning effects; birds feel nothing. As birds are a better method of distributing the
seeds, which pass intact through their guts
This is true as this section in the reading clearly tells us birds feel nothing (when they eat them) and they
distribute them around when it leaves their body. So clearly chilies are eaten by birds. In other words, they can
be a part of a birds diet.

___________________________________________________
Question 4

All large chilies grow high off the ground - Not Given

The smaller chilies tend to be the hottest. This may reflect the fact that they tend to grow closer to the
ground and are therefore more vulnerable to animals.
We are told here that small chilies grow closer to the ground. It can be assumed then that many of the large
ones are higher off the ground.

However, it says 'all large chilies'. We are not given any information to say all of them grow high off the
ground. It's possible some don't, so we don't know which means it is Not Given.

___________________________________________________
Question 5

People breed chilies for their heat - Not Given

The heat of a chili is measured on the Scoville scale.

Again, this is Not Given. We are given some information about heat in this sentence and those that follow.

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But these are just descriptions about how they are hot. We are not told specifically that this is the reason they
are breeding them.

______________________________________________________________________________

Lesson 4:
IELTS Paragraph Headings
This lesson provides you with further practice on IELTS paragraph headings matching type
questions.

Imagine you are doing a reading task which involves choosing the correct headings for paragraphs
from a list of possible headings.

It may be very tempting to cross off the headings that you have used as you go

For example, here is an example of a task that someone is halfway through after choosing four
IELTS paragraph headings.

1. A climate of fear
2. Fan violence returns
3. FIFA's response
4. Cancelling the cup
5. Legal action is taken
6. Not just the fans
7. Violence at the core of Italian football
8. Not to blame
9. Violence back in the news
10. A widespread problem
What is the possible problem with this way of doing things?

The problem with crossing off choices is that it means you no longer consider those options for any of
the remaining paragraphs.

Let's suppose that you have incorrectly chosen heading i for paragraph 1, when heading i should in
fact be used for paragraph 5. If you cross out the options as you go, it means that when you come to
do paragraph 5 you will choose a different incorrect option.

In this way, making one mistake can lead to another. Making two mistakes early on can easily lead
to five or six wrong answers!

A much better idea is just to write down a paragraph number at the end of each option as you go.
For each paragraph consider all the possible headings, and at this stage don't worry if you have more
than 1 paragraph number after each heading.

So you may, for example, have something like this as you go through the exercise:

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 Paragraph 2 - viii / iv
When you get to the end of the passage you will probably have a single paragraph number after most
of the IELTS paragraph headings. You can now cross off those options. For one or two perhaps you
will have more than one. For each of these go back to the passage and decide which of your
choices is the best; the paragraph you are left over with must need one of the other headings that
you didn't choose.

Paragraph 2 - viii / iv
We are now going to try this method. You will be reading a short article about the problem of soccer
violence from the Guardian newspaper.

Use the boxes at the side to input your answers. You can put in more than one choice as you go
along if you are not sure, but remember to delete one of them at the end before you submit your
answers.

Don't look below the reading until you have finished as there is a discussion of the answers.

List of Headings
i. A climate of fear
ii. Fan violence returns
iii. FIFA's response
iv. Cancelling the cup
v. Legal action is taken
vi. Not just the fans
vii. Violence at the core of Italian football
viii. Not to blame
ix. Violence in the news again
x. A widespread problem

Input your answers:

Don't use capitals.

1. Paragraph 1

2. Paragraph 2

3. Paragraph 3

4. Paragraph 4

5. Paragraph 5

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6. Paragraph 6

7. Paragraph 7

Soccer Violence
1. Fiorentina's exclusion from the UEFA Cup after a match official was injured by a firecracker thrown
during their second-round match with Grasshopper Zurich in Salerno brought hooliganism back in the
media.

2. The Florence club are appealing against the decision, arguing that the object was thrown by rival
Salernitana fans and the ban would set a dangerous precedent. But UEFA will have borne in mind
that Fiorentina were playing so far away from home only because they had been banned from their
own ground for crowd trouble in Europe last season.

3. Whether Fiorentina have been hard done by or not, fan violence is a major problem in the Italian
game. Fighting before Sunday's 1-1 draw between Bologna and Roma left eight people in hospital,
two with stab wounds. After the game a Roma supporters' bus was stoned and set on fire.

4. But Italy is not the only country suffering from what used to be called "the English disease". At the
weekend police in Bucharest fired tear-gas and made 20 arrests after a pitch invasion at the Steaua-
Dinamo derby, reflecting a marked growth in hooliganism in Romania. The Greek first division match
between PAOK Thessaloniki and Olympiakos Piraeus last week was abandoned after one of the
linesmen was left concussed by home fans furious at a disallowed goal, a decision which brought
10,000 people on to the streets of Salonika in protest. In neighbouring Albania, Skenderbeu Korce
were fined and docked three points last month after a brawl involving players, fans and the referee.

5. Hooliganism is taking its toll on the South American game too. An Argentinian judge suspended all
second division matches this month in an effort to combat rising violence. The same judge halted the
first division for two weeks in May for the same reason.

6. Football violence has claimed 37 lives in Argentina in the Nineties and leading clubs routinely have
to dole out free tickets and cash to their gangsterish fans, known as barras bravas, whose activities
include extortion. This is leading to a frightening atmosphere. A recent survey in Brazil found that 61
per cent of fans said they stayed away from matches because they were too scared to attend..

7. FIFA is considering the postponement of the Confederations Cup, scheduled for January, which
may persuade the world champions France to take part, a FIFA spokesman said yesterday.

IELTS Paragraph Headings - Answers Discussion

1. You might have chosen heading ii but this is wrong because we don't know that violence ever
disappeared (it may have been there all the time but just nobody was talking about it). It has to be
heading ix because it's back in the public eye - i.e. in 'the news' / 'the media' again

2. This should be viii because Fiorentina are claiming that it was not their fault i.e. they are not to blame.

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 3. The paragraph describes the major problem in Italy, which means it is at the core of the game. So it is
heading vii.

4. This paragraph describes the situation in a number of European countries, so the answer must be
heading x.

5. You might have wanted to choose heading x here, as it does introduce the problems in another part of the
world. But, you need this heading for the previous paragraph, and this paragraph talks about the actions
of a judge. The answer should be heading v.

6. This paragraph discusses how people are frightened and scared. so you should choose i.

7. Paragraph 7 discusses what action FIFA is considering, in other words, its response. So iii is the correct
answer. You should not choose iv. The paragraph does talk about postponing the cup, but not cancelling
it.
____________________________________________________________________________

Lesson 5:
IELTS Sentence Completion
Objectives: to practice how to answer IELTS sentence completion tasks and to examine
paraphrase and synonyms.

Often in the reading the test requires the candidate to complete a sentence.

In this type of task, you are given a sentences from the reading with a gap in it. You have to fill it with
words taken directly from the reading.

Check if the question tells you to use the exact words from the reading - some do not.

When doing this, various factors are important to keep in mind:

Make sure the answer does not exceed the stated word limit - articles and unneeded adjectives can
sometimes be left out to achieve this.
Make sure the answer fits into the statement grammatically.
Be aware that the statement will not use the same words as the text.
As the statement you are given in IELTS sentence completion tasks will not be taken exactly from the
reading, you need to be aware of paraphrasing and synonyms.

These will both be used in the questions. This is what they mean:

Paraphrase: to repeat something written or spoken using different words

16
Synonym: a word or phrase which has the same or nearly the same meaning as another word or
phrase in the same language
So when you look at the question, you will need to find a paraphrase of that sentence and probably
some synomyms in the reading in order to find the right one, and then work out the answer.

Practice
Let's have a short IELTS sentence completion practice before completing the task.

Firstly, before you click to show the answer, see if you can find the sentence in the reading below.

You will need to find paraphrases / synonyms of the words in bold in order to identify it:

Britain decided to send people to live and govern Australia due to a

_________________ factors.

Show/Hide the Answer

You should have identified it as this first sentence in paragraph 2:

A number of reasons contributed to Britain's decision to colonise Australia.

And these were the paraphrases / synomyms:

reasons = factors
Colonise = send people to live and govern
So you should then be able to work out that the correct answer to put in the gap is "number of".

Now, using this technique and the tips at the top, read the full passage and do the IELTS sentence
completion exercise below (the reading is shorter than a real IELTS reading).

Now, using this technique and the tips at the top, read the full passage and do the IELTS sentence
completion exercise below (the reading is shorter than a real IELTS reading).

IELTS Sentence Completion Practice Exercise

European Settlement of Australia
European settlement of Australia began in 1788 when a British penal colony was established on the
east coast. From this starting point Australia grew rapidly and continually, expanding across the
entire continent.

17
A number of reasons contributed to Britain's decision to colonise Australia. The most important factor
was Britain's need to relieve its overcrowded prisons. Several violent incidents at overcrowded
prisons convinced the British government of the need to separate unruly elements from the rest of the
prison populace.

Additionally, Australia was of strategic importance to Britain, and it provided a base for the Royal
Navy in the eastern sea. Also, Australia could be used as an entry point to the economic
opportunities of the surrounding region. All these points figured in the decision by Lord Sydney,
secretary of state of home affairs, to authorise the colonisation.

To this affect, on May 13, 1787, Captain Arthur Phillip, commanding eleven ships full of convicts, left
Britain for Australia. He successfully landed a full fleet at Botany Bay on January 18, 1788. However,
they left the bay eight days later because of its openness and poor soil, and settled instead at Port
Jackson, a few kilometres north. The ships landed 1,373 people, including 732 convicts, and the
settlement became Sydney. Australia Day is now celebrated on 26 January each year, to
commemorate this first fleet landing.

224 words

Questions 1-5
Complete the following statements using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS.

(put your choice into the gaps - use small letters and don't put any spaces after your last word)

1. Australia was originally founded as a .

2. The major consideration in colonizing Australia was Britains .

3. It was thought that could be gained in that part of the world due to the access
provided via Australia.
4. Lord Sydney took every factor into account when he gave official permission for
the of Australia.
5. Botany Bay was abandoned by the settlers due to the lack of cover and

Correct answers:
1. british penal colony

2. overcrowded prisons

3. economic opportunities

4. colonisation

5. poor soil

18
Paraphrases and Synonyms
These are the paraphrases and synonyms that you would have needed to identify in order to
successfully find the answers:

Original word from the Synonym / paraphrase from the

reading question

Question 1 began founded

Question 2 most important factor major consideration

entry point access

Question 3
region part of the world

all these points figured took every factor into account

Question 4
authorise official permission

left abandoned
Question 5
openess lack of cover

*Note that "penal colony" would be an acceptable answer for question 1 and "colonization" (with a 'z'
i.e. American spelling) for question 4.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Lesson 6:
IELTS Reading Multiple Choice
Objective: IELTS reading multiple choice and skimming and scanning practice.

You won't have time in the reading test to carefully read the whole passage all of the way through, so
you need to find the answers in the text quickly.

This lesson shows you how skimming and scanning can help with this.

Identifying the question type

Before you start any reading pasage, you should firstly take a look at the question stems to get an
idea of what you may need to look out for.

So now look at the IELTS reading multiple choice questions below this reading.

19
If you look at the question stems, you will see that names are often mentioned e.g.James Alan Fox,
John J. DiIulio, Michael Tonry. So this immediately tells you it is a good idea to underline 'names' as
you read the text.

You will then be able to quickly scan the text later to find where the answers are.

Looking at the question stems first also gives you an idea of what the reading is about.

Underline / highlight key words

As you read the text, you should get into the habit of highlighting words that you think may be
important and will help you find answers later.

These are often nouns like names, dates, numbers or any other key words that stand out as a key
topic of that paragraph.

Looking at the IELTS reading multiple choice questions quickly first may help with this.

IELTS Reading Multiple Choice Questions

This type of question follows the order of the text. So when you have found one answer, you know
that the next one will be below, and probably not too far away.

When you start looking at the questions, you should underline key words in the question stem to help
you find the answers in the text.

Look at the IELTS reading multiple choice questions again - as you will see, key words have been
highlighted. You can use these to help you scan the text to find the answers more quickly.

Reading in detail
When you read the text for the first time, you should focus on the topic sentences, and skim the rest
of the paragraph.

But once you start answering the IELTS reading multiple choice questions and you have found where
the answer is, you will need to read the text carefully in order to identify the correct choice.

Tip: Do not think that just because you have found some words in the multiple choices (a, b or c)
that match the words in the text that this must be the right answer.

It's usually not that simple so you must read the section where you think the answer is carefully.

20
IELTS Reading Multiple Choice - Practice

21
22
IELTS Reading Multiple Choice Questions
1. Young children are making criminologists nervous because

(a) they are committing too much crime.

(b) they are impulsive and immature.
(c) they may grow up to be criminals.

2. The general crime rate in the US is

(a) increasing
(b) decreasing
(c) not changing

3. The age group which commits the highest rate of crime is

(a) 14 - 17.
(b) 18 - 24.
(c) 24 +.

4. James Fox believes that the improvement in crime figures could

(a) make us complacent in the fight against crime.

(b) result in an increase in teenage violence.
(c) result in a decrease in teenage violence.

5. According to paragraph 3, the government

(a) is doing everything it can to solve the problem.

(b) is not interested in solving the problem.
(c) is not doing enough to solve the problem.

6. In comparison with James Fox, Michael Tonry is

(a) more pessimistic.

(b) less pessimistic.
(c) equally pessimistic.

7. Jonathan Kozol believes that

(a) there is no solution to the problem.

(b) employment and education are not the answer.
(c) employment and education can improve the situation.

23
8. Professor DiIulio thinks that spending on social programs

(a) should continue as it is

(b) should be decreased.
(c) is irrelevant to crime rates.

The correct answers are:

1. they may grow up to be criminals.
2. decreasing
3. 14 - 17.
4. make us complacent in the fight against crime.
5. is not doing enough to solve the problem.
6. less pessimistic.
7. employment and education can improve the situation.
8. should continue as it is
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Reading Lesson 7:
Guessing meaning from context
Guessing meaning from context in the IELTS exam is an important technique that will improve your
reading skills and the speed with which you can read.

Obviously you do not have a dictionary in the exam so there are likely to be a lot of words from the
reading text that you do not understand and you cannot check.

If you come across a word you do not understand, then you cannot spend a lot of time working out its
meaning because you only have 20 minutes for each reading.

Therefore, guessing meaning from context is necessary.

This means work out what it means (or have a good guess at least) from the words that are around it
and from the topic of the paragraph.

Take a look at this example:

It had been raining hard through the night so the ground was saturated.
What does 'saturated' mean?

You may already know, but if you do not, you should be able to have a good guess from the rest of
the sentence.
24
It had been raining which means the ground must be wet. It was raining 'hard' so this means the
ground is probably very wet.

saturated = completely wet

By doing this you are guessing meaning from context and you should try and use this technique
for words you do not know.

It may not always be clear from the actual sentence and you may have to look at other sentences
around the word.

However, only do this for words that seem important for an understanding of the text. If it looks
like they are not, then leave it and move on with the reading. You probably won't have time to do it
with every word, especially if you are at a lower reading level.

Guessing meaning from context - Practice

Look at the reading below. Some of the words are in italics and bold. They are quite difficult words so
you may not know them.

Try to guess their meaning from the sentence it is in, or sentences around it, and from the topic of the
paragraph.

When you think you have guessed, choose from the words below the reading.

Thai Museum Catalogues Opium Dreams and Nightmares

CHIANG SAEN, Thailand, Wednesday December 04 (Reuters).

1) First reactions to Thailand's giant new opium museum in the Golden Triangle are confused:
pleasant surprise at cool air after the intense tropical heat, but then disorientation, shock, even fear.
Visitors enter the 100-acre complex through a long, dark, mist-filled tunnel, which winds into the base
of a hill past bas-reliefs of distorted human figures before emerging suddenly into bright sunlight in
front of a field of poppies. "This is the mystery, the contradiction of opium," says Charles Mehl, head
of research for the Mae Fah Luang Foundation, which has just completed the $10 million museum.
"Opium is one of the very best drugs we have for treating chronic pain and bringing relief from
suffering. But it can also be one of the worst, destroying lives if it is used for recreation or exploited
for commercial gain."

2) Built into a hillside by the Mekong River on the northern tip of Thailand, the museum lies at the
heart of the Golden Triangle. Chiang Saen town is about 470 miles north of Bangkok, overlooking the
junction of the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. The Golden
Triangle is a largely lawless region that last year produced more opium and heroin than Afghanistan
and more synthetic stimulant pills than all the rest of the laboratories in Southeast Asia put together,
drugs agencies say.

3) Western backpackers and busloads of other day-trippers pour daily into the picturesque Chiang
Saen district, in Chiang Rai province, to buy souvenirs on the Mekong's banks. Some try illicit puffs
on opium pipes in nearby villages. The museum, which will open officially early next year, aims to
25
exploit this tourist business, luring the curious with the promise of entertainment and impressive
audio-visual displays in English and Thai. But as visitors progress down the labyrinthine corridors that
stretch across three floors, the warnings against narcotic abuse gradually become more powerful.
"People think at first they know what they will see -- a quaint presentation about hill tribes growing
opium. But that's only a small part of the story," said Mehl.

4) Mae Fah Luang has fought a 15-year battle against drug-taking and addiction in Chiang Rai
province, establishing what the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) says is probably
the best anti-drugs crop-substitution program in Asia. Lessons from that program, which has
succeeded in the nearby Thai mountains of Doi Tung in part by offering farmers of opium poppies a
better income from alternative crops such as coffee and macadamia nuts, are built into the museum.
But it also offers a thorough lesson in the history of opium, its derivatives such as heroin and
laudanum, and explains how the drugs trade has helped change the world for hundreds of years.

Tragedy and Trauma

5) Thought to have been used first along the coast of the Mediterranean, archaeologists say the
earliest evidence of opium was found in Switzerland dating from the Neolithic period. It was a popular
sedative in ancient Egypt and Greece before spreading to northern Europe and Asia and becoming a
key commodity that was exchanged for Chinese tea and other spices by the British and Dutch. With
360-degree special effects, the museum traces the 19th century opium wars between Britain and
China before looking at prohibition in the 20th century and official efforts, often spectacularly
unsuccessful, to stop the use of illegal drugs.

6) The museum asks visitors to themselves decide what could be the best approach to narcotics --
prohibition, drug eradication schemes, decriminalisation or legalisation -- but it pulls no punches on
the tragedy and trauma inflicted by drugs on abusers. A final, heart-wrenching gallery recounts the
powerful true stories of victims of drug abuse around the world through intimate video testimonies by
their families.

7) "The feelings which develop through a visit to the museum change toward the very end when there
is evidence of the death and suffering that drug abuse produces," said Antonio Maria Costa,
executive director of the Vienna-based UNODC. "The end message is very strong, namely that use
of drugs should be fought. Society has to use all its instruments, which means law enforcement for
sure, but not only law enforcement. Prevention and treatment are equally important."

By guessing meaning from context, choose the answer that has the closest meaning to the
word:

1. The word "disorientation" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to:

2. The word "distorted" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to:

3. The word "poppies" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to:

4. The word "contradiction" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to:

5. The word "exploited" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to:

26
 6. The word "synthetic" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to:

7. The word "illicit" in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to:

8. The word "curious" in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to:

9. The word "narcotic" in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to:

10. The word "addiction" in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to:

11. The word "alternative" in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to:

12. The word "prohibition" in paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to:

13. The word "eradication" in paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to:

14. The word "tragedy" in paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to:

Correct Answers
1. total confusion; nothing being clear
2. bent; twisted; strange shape
3. flowers
4. opposite of something else
5. used unfairly; developed in a bad way
6. artificial
7. unlawful; not allowed
8. interested; eager to know;
9. drug
10. hooked; unable to stop
11. different
12. banning; stopping; making illegal

27
13. removing completely; getting rid of
14. great sadness and pain
____________________________________________________________________________________

Lesson 8:
IELTS True False Not Given Reading Questions
This lesson provides further practice on IELTS true false not given reading questions.

Before looking at the questions for the reading, you should take a quick look at the reading passage
and get an idea of what it is about.

This will help you tackle the questions.

Look at the title - what is the reading about?

Look at the topic sentences - what topics does the reading discuss?

What is the difference between False and Not Given?

Follow this link for some general strategies on IELTS true false not given reading questions.

A particular problem, though, for students is spotting the difference between something that is 'False'
and 'Not Given'.

Firstly see if the statement agrees with what is in the reading. If it does it is true. If not, it is obviously
false or not given.

The important point is that if you can say 100% from what you are given in the text that the statement
you have been given is not true, then it is 'false'.

If the evidence is not there to say that it is false, that means that it could be true or false but
you don't know - you cannot know from the information you have been given.

IELTS true false not given reading questions: Practice

Using these strategies, look at this reading and answer the questions that follow.

UN warns over impact of rapidly ageing populations

The world needs to do more to prepare for the impact of a rapidly ageing population, the UN has
warned - particularly in developing countries. Within 10 years the number of people aged over 60 will
pass one billion, a report by the UN Population Fund said. The demographic shift will present huge
challenges to countries' welfare, pension and healthcare systems. The UN agency also said more
had to be done to tackle "abuse, neglect and violence against older persons".

The number of older people worldwide is growing faster than any other age group. The report,

28
Ageing in the 21st Century: A Celebration and a Challenge, estimates that one in nine people around
the world are older than 60. The elderly population is expected to swell by 200 million in the next
decade to surpass one billion, and reach two billion by 2050. This rising proportion of older people is
a consequence of success - improved nutrition, sanitation, healthcare, education and economic well-
being are contributing factors, the report says.

But the UN and a charity that also contributed to the report, HelpAge International, say the ageing
population is being widely mismanaged. "In many developing countries with large populations of
young people, the challenge is that governments have not put policies and practices in place to
support their current older populations or made enough preparations for 2050," the agencies said in a
joint statement.

The report warns that the skills and experience of older people are being wasted, with many under-
employed and vulnerable to discrimination. HelpAge said more countries needed to introduce
pension schemes to ensure economic independence and reduce poverty in old age. It stressed that it
was not enough to simply pass legislation - the new schemes needed to be funded properly.

The UN report used India as an example, saying it needed to take urgent steps in this area. Almost
two-thirds of India's population is under 30. But it also has 100 million elderly people - a figure that is
expected to increase threefold by 2050. Traditionally, people in India live in large, extended families
and elderly people have been well looked after. But the trend now is to have smaller, nuclear families
and many of the country's elderly are finding themselves cast out, says the BBC's Sanjoy Majumder
in Delhi.

There are more and more cases of physical and mental abuse, including neglect, suffered by the
elderly at the hands of their families. It is slowly becoming a widespread social problem, particularly in
urban areas, one which India still has not got to grips with, our correspondent says.

By contrast, the UN report cited the case of Bolivia as an example of good practice in the developing
world. All Bolivians over the age of 60 get a pension that is the equivalent of about $30 (19) a
month. Bolivia suffers from frequent flooding and landslides, and older people there have been
organised into "Brigadas Blancas" - White Haired Brigades. They help with preparations for
emergencies, and accessing humanitarian aid.

Source: BBC News Website

Questions 1-7
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading?

Mark:

TRUE - if the statement agrees with the information

FALSE - if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN - if there is no information on this
1. The growth of the elderly population is going to make it extremely difficult to provide adequate social service
provision

29
 True
False
Not Given

2. Approximately thirty per cent of the population are over 60 years old

True
False
Not Given

3. Developed countries are much better prepared than developing countries for 2050

True
False
Not Given

4. More financing is necessary to ensure new pension schemes are successful

True
False
Not Given

5. Elderly people in India are not always being looked after as well as they were in the past

True
False
Not GIven

6. India is starting to deal with the neglect of its elderly population

True
False
Not Given

7. Bolivian Families tend to look after their elderly relatives better then many other countries

True
False
Not Given

30
The correct answers
1. True
2. False
3. Not Given
4. True
5. True
6. False
7. Not Given
____________________________________________________________________________________

Lesson 9:
IELTS Reading Strategies
The aim of this exercise is to develop your IELTS reading strategies in order to find the answers to
questions such as 'short answer' as quickly as possible.

The key to doing this quickly is to recognize the section of the text which relates to the question.

However, it is usual to find that the question stem will include words that are synonyms of the words
rather than the words from the actual text, or if it is not synonyms there will be phrases that have the
same meaning as a phrase in the text.

If they did not do this it would be too easy to find the answers.

This text is shorter than the texts you will get in the test, but it is just an activity to introduce you to the
idea of using the question to help you find the answer and to provide you with some IELTS reading
strategies that you can put to use in the test.

You won't have questions like this in the actual test.

IELTS Reading Strategies Exercise

Hong Kong takes steps to improve English

a) The Hong Kong government today published proposals to introduce basic English language
competency assessments for primary, secondary and university students as well as some
professionals. The goal is to bolster written English and Chinese as well as spoken English and
Mandarin in the former British colony.

31
b) The government said it wanted to push students to improve their English, but officials
acknowledged Hong Kong had little chance of competing with rival trading centre Singapore.

c) English is an official language in both Hong Kong and Singapore, but many more Singaporeans
are fluent in it because it is taught as a first language in schools.

d) "People always compare Singapore's English with our English," said Michael Tien, a businessman
who also serves as chairman of Hong Kong's standing committee on language education and
research.

e) "Don't forget English in Singapore is their first language," he told reporters. "I don't think it's a fair
comparison. With reading and writing Chinese, they are way behind us."

f) Hong Kong's dominant language is the Cantonese dialect of Chinese. Mr Tien said the territory is
also pushing ahead to lift standards of Mandarin, the main dialect in mainland China. Although Hong
Kong was a British colony until 1997 and many residents speak impeccable English, many more do
not. Some critics believe this to be an economic hindrance because English is the international
language of business.

g) Many students in Hong Kong are taught in Cantonese because few teachers are proficient enough
in English. Mr Tien said raising the standard would be a "tall order."

h) "English is challenging," he said. "I don't think we can expect 100% of our people to be fluent in
English, so I'm shooting for university graduates to start with."

Tips
Look at question (1) and compare it with paragraph (a). Which words help you identify the answer?

Example:

(1) How does the Hong Kong government intend to measure the level of spoken English?

The Hong Kong government indicates that we are looking at the correct paragraph but we need to
find how they intend to measure.

The word proposals is used as a noun in the text, but to propose is a verb that means intend, so
we can say that the Hong Kong government intends to introduce basic English Language
competency assessments.

To assess means to measure the level of something, and in this case we know that they want to
measure peoples Basic English Language, so we can answer:

Answer To introduce competency assessments.

Paragraph Indicator The Hong Kong Government.

Words that help to identify proposals and assessments.

So you can use these IELTS reading strategies to help you find answers to questions quickly.

32
Practice
Now it is your turn to have a practice. It is important to note though that if you choose a different
paragrah indicator, this does not matter as long as it was correct in helping you to find the right
paragraph and answer.

Answer the questions below using NO MORE THAN 4 WORDS

(1) How is English learnt in Singaporean schools?

Answer __________________________

Paragraph Indicator _____________________________

Words that help to identify ______________________________

(2) It what areas are the Hong Kong people ahead of those in Singapore?

Answer ___________________________

Paragraph Indicator ______________________________

Words that help to identify _______________________________

(3) What other areas of language does the chairman want to improve?

Answer ___________________________

Paragraph Indicator ______________________________

Words that help to identify ______________________________

(4) What do a number of people think the poor quality of English is?

Answer ___________________________

Paragraph Indicator ______________________________

Words that help to identify ______________________________

33
(5) What does the chairman consider to be very difficult due to the lack skilled instructors?

Answer ___________________________

Paragraph Indicator ______________________________

Words that help to identify ______________________________

IELTS Reading Strategies - Answers

(1) How is English learnt in Singaporean schools?

Answer As a first language

Paragraph Indicator Singapore/schools

Words that help to identify taught

(2) It what areas are the Hong Kong people ahead of those in Singapore?

Answer Reading and writing Chinese

Paragraph Indicator compare Singapores English

Words that help to identify behind

(3) What other areas of language does the chairman want to improve?

Answer standards of Mandarin

Paragraph Indicator Mr. Tien/ dominant language is Cantonese

Words that help to identify pushing ahead to lift standards

(4) What do a number of people think the poor quality of English is?

Answer an economic hindrance

Paragraph Indicator many do not speak impeccable English

Words that help to identify some critics believe

34
(5) What does the chairman consider to be very difficult due to the lack skilled instructors?

Answer raising the standard

Paragraph Indicator Mr. Tien/ lack of skilled instructors

Words that help to identify tall order/very difficult

____________________________________________________________________________________

Lesson 10
IELTS Short Answer Questions
This lesson provides advice on IELTS short answer questions and further practice on True, False,
Not Given questions.

What can you predict from the title?

Skim read the first paragraph. What is the topic?
What are the aspects of the topic?
What type of language do you expect to be in this passage?
Does the writing include any examples? If so, what are they examples of?

Education Industry Revving Up

1. A recent newspaper investigation into the growing number of foreign fee-paying students raises
some issues for timely reflection. To be blunt, we need to prepare ourselves for a sudden and major
increase in population. This new population will not be permanent but it will continue to increase in
numbers and make itself at home in New Zealand for the main purpose of intellectual advancement.
It will, in effect, be a rotating population but one that produces an increase in the total population at
any one time.

2. If you think, as even some Asian students do, that Auckland is already too Asian (one in eight
Aucklanders is now Asian), be prepared for it becoming too European or too South American. Our
booming education industry still catches some locals by surprise and, depending on your point of
view about racial diversity, it may or may not be of comfort to know that it has only just begun.

3. The only limitations to its growth will be the decisions and behaviour of organizations serving these
students from overseas who want to study here - whether it is English language or IT skills. And I do
not mean just the education function itself: it includes health, transport, property and entertainment.
The list increases into all aspects of society as more students arrive from the major continents.

4. My own company has grown 500 per cent in the past four years and our board is anticipating an
even higher rate over the next five years. I see no reason we should consider industry growth
expectations below this. Early next month we will open a new international language school in Queen
St designed to give students internationally accredited English language skills so they can stay
longer and study IT courses. Some will go on to our universities.

5. This one new school alone will inject an extra $60 million-odd annually into Auckland's economy.
What does this industry growth mean? It could mean a $10 billion (contribution to gross domestic
product) industry by the end of this decade, employing 100,000 New Zealanders directly and many
more indirectly.
35
6. The conditions which have created this opportunity are many, but underlying them all are the
standards which shape education in this country. Some will argue that whimsical circumstances, such
as a favourable exchange rate or our distance from the troubled areas of the world, have caused it
all. But without the right internationally recognised education standards we would have no such
booming industry.

7. Make no mistake, this is our trump card. As long as we are known for quality education we can
develop what we have started regardless of almost any other change of circumstance. Undoubtedly,
there are financial benefits for society. But we would be blind not to acknowledge and address the
many other implications which the newspaper article began to identify.

8. The growth opportunity is so good that we must effectively evolve as an industry and fast, too. We
must eliminate the clumsy, experimental mistake-ridden phase of youth. Fundamentally we must leap
from childhood to maturity.

9. But how? Experiences in my company lead me to suggest three main areas to address - total
service, performance regulation and long-term planning. By total service I mean accepting some
responsibility for students inside and outside of campus. Within two years, my company expects at
least 1000 overseas students to be studying at all our six campuses. We must take some
responsibility for this size of customer base, as any normal company would.

10. This means we must attract other suppliers as dedicated partners with us - property, insurance,
healthcare, transport, social support, the list goes on. Education New Zealand has a valuable role
here.

11. This type of care begins in the students' countries of origin, ensuring they have correct
information about our country and how different it will be in many small and large ways. Our
company, intent on achieving this, is introducing marketing programmes in three continents.
Performance regulation will be vital in our leap to adulthood. We cannot leave it up to the
Government; it will mean a private sector-Government partnership.

12. I am also not surprised to hear calls for the Government to introduce an industry levy - frankly,
just another tax - to "protect" standards. We should keep in mind that foreign students are happy to
come here because of our stable Government, virtually non-existent corruption, and education
standards. For the Government to come to our support with an extra levy imposition reminds me of
an old saying: When a sufficient number of management layers are superimposed on top of each
other, it can be assured that disaster is not left to chance.

13. Long-term planning usually begins with a vision agreed by the industry and I will support any
immediate efforts in this area. We now have an industry that is arguably our country's third largest
export earner. We need to know where we can take this industry, how it fits with society and its place
in an increasingly systemic world where people move more freely and technology drives a global
economy.

Tips
Remember with True, False, Not Given questions, you should first see if the statement given agrees
with the information in the reading.

If it does it is true. Otherwise, it must be false or not given.

36
If the evidence is not there to say that it is false, that means that it could be true or false but you don't
know - you cannot know from the information you have been given.

Section 1
1. The new residents will stay in New Zealand forever?

2. The main reason these people are in New Zealand is to progress academically.

3. There are many Vietnamese people living in New Zealand.

4. The success of the education industry has been happening for many years.

5. People from Auckland are surprised at the number of Asian students there are.

6. All students want to study English and IT.

7. The writers company has increased in size over the last few years.

8. The countrys financial situation will benefit from overseas students.

9. There will be less jobs for native speakers in the future.

10. According to the writer, New Zealand's exchange rate and location underpin the opportunities
available.

IELTS Short Answer Questions Tips

Read the instructions carefully - these tell you how many words you can use (a maximum of three in this
case).
In IELTS short answer questions you should use words from the text rather than your own, and don't
change the words.
37
 Quickly read through all of the questions so you can get an idea of what information you will have to find in
the text.
Use key words from the question to help you skim the text quickly to find the information. For example, in
the first one, you need to look for "type of care".
Remember though that synomys will also be used in the text, so you must be careful when you look for the
information.
Read the section of the text where you know the answer is carefully to see which words will answer the
question.
Your answer must make sense grammatically to be correct.
Using the above tips and advice, try to answer the following IELTS short answer questions.

You can write your answer in the text box below each question. You can the click at the end to reveal
the answers.

Section 2
Answer the following questions in no more than three words:

11 Where should the type of care the writer discusses initially come from?

12 What will be very important in the education sector's rise to maturity?

13 What does the government want to bring in?

14 Give one reason why students are content to study in New Zealand?

15 What does the ongoing preparation usually start with?

16 How big an export industry is English language teaching?

Show / hide answers

11. The students countries

12. Performance regulation

13. An industry levy/tax
38
14. A (or 'The') stable government/ virtually non-existent corruption / education standards
15. A vision
16. The third largest

Answers Discussion for Section 1

1. The new residents will stay in New Zealand forever? F

This new population may not be permanentbut...(para. 1)

2. The main reason these people are in New Zealand is to progress academically. T

New Zealand for the main purpose of intellectual advancement. (para. 1)

3. There are many Vietnamese people living in New Zealand. NG

Auckland is already too Asian (one in eight Aucklanders is now Asian), (para. 2) - we are told
Asians are in Auckland but we don't know what country they are from.
4. The success of the education industry has been happening for many years. F

Our booming education industry...to know that it has only just begun. (para. 2)
5. People from Auckland are surprised at the number of Asian students there are. NG

Our booming education industry still catches some locals by surprise.(para 2) - the word
'surprise' is mentioned here but it is nothing to do with surprise at the number of Asian
students. People could be surprised but we don't know. This information is not given in the
text.
6. All students want to study English and IT. NG

...these students from overseas who want to study here - whether it is English language or IT
skills. (para. 3) - It is possible that ALL students want to study English and IT, but we are not
told whether this is true or not. There could be other subjects as well.
7. The writers company has increased in size over the last few years. T

My own company has grown 500 per cent in the past four years. (para. 4)
8. The countrys financial situation will benefit from overseas students. T

will inject an extra $60 million-odd annually into Auckland's economy. (para. 5)
9. There will be less jobs for native speakers in the future. F

employing 100,000 New Zealanders directly and many more indirectly. (para. 5)
10. According to the writer, New Zealand's exchange rate and location underpin the opportunities
available..F

...without the right internationally recognised education standards we would have no such
booming industry.(para. 6)
39
___________________________________________________________________________________

Lesson 11:
Reading Gap Fill
A reading gap fill is one task you may get in the IELTS test.

You have to fill in the gaps of a summary of part of the text using words from a box.

There may be more words than you need to use so you need to find the part of the reading that
refers to the summary and make sure that you work out which word will fit.

You also need to think about the grammar as the word you put in the reading gap fill must fit
grammatically as well. Here are some general strategies

Strategies for Reading Gap Fill Tasks

Looking at question 1, these are the strategies you can try following:

1. Read through the summary carefully to make sure you understand it.
2. Work out which section of the reading the summary comes from (in this example, the whole of the text is
summarized but in the real test you'll need to look through the reading to find the right paragraphs).
3. Carefully read the sentence with the first gap and think about what form will fit i.e. should it be an
adjective, noun, infinitive, present participle etc? And what type of word is needed i.e. is it an amount, a
change, an action?
4. You should have worked out that for questions 1 you are looking for a noun because 'an' comes before it.
5. Then look at the words that are in the box - which ones have the right form to fit and the right type? There
are several nouns.
6. Look at the correct part of the full reading that refers to the reading gap fill section you are looking at and
decide what happened for the first time to do with air rage in the 1940s?
7. Use this information to help you choose the correct word for the reading gap fill..

Reading Gap Fill Practice

Air Rage
The first recorded case of an airline passenger turning seriously violent during a flight, a
phenomenon now widely known as air rage, happened in 1947 on a flight from Havana to Miami. A
drunk man assaulted another passenger and bit a flight attendant. However, the man escaped
punishment because it was not then clear under whose legal control a crime committed on plane
was, the country where the plane was registered or the country where the crime was committed. In
1963, at the Tokyo convention, it was decided that the laws of the country where the plane is
registered take precedence.

40
The frequency of air rage has expanded out of proportion to the growth of air travel. Until recently few
statistic were gathered about air rage, but those that have been indicate that passengers are
increasingly likely to cause trouble or engage in violent acts. For example, in 1998 there were 266 air
rage incidents out of approximately four million passengers, a 400% increase from 1995. In the same
period American Airlines showed a 200% rise. Air travel is predicted to rise by 5% internationally by
2010 leading to increased airport congestion. This, coupled with the flying publics increased
aggression, means that air rage may become a major issue in coming years.

Aside from discomfort and disruption, air rage poses some very real dangers to flying. The most
extreme of these is when out of control passengers enter the cockpit. This has actually happened on
a number of occasions, the worst of which have resulted in the death and injury of pilots or the
intruder taking control of the plane, almost resulting in crashes. In addition, berserk passengers
sometimes attempt to open the emergency doors while in flight, putting the whole aircraft in danger.
These are extreme examples and cases of air rage more commonly result in physical assaults on
fellow passengers and crew such as throwing objects, punching, stabbing or scalding with hot coffee.

Look at the words in the table and decide which word will fit in the reading gap fill summary. Type the
word into the gap (when you have completed it you can click below to reveal and check your
answers).

predicted rose incident passenger found assault

established occurring hoped increased injury passengers

Summary

The first time that an (1) of air rage was recorded was in the 1940s, but the passenger
was never actually charged for an offence because there were no clear rules in place to specify
where to prosecute. It was later (2) that it would be the country where the plane is
registered. Air rage has (3) significantly since this time, growing by a staggering 400%
from 1995 to 1998. Air rage is (4) to be a major problem in the future as air travel
increases, as do levels of aggression. Angry (5) can put everyone in danger including
the pilots, the crew and the other passengers, with some form of (6) being the most
common consequence.

Reading Gap Fill Answers

Show / hide answers

The first time that an incident of air rage was recorded was in the 1940s, but the passenger was never
actually charged for an offence because there were no clear rules in place to specify where to prosecute. It
was later established that it would be the country where the plane is registered. Air rage
41
has increased significantly since this time, growing by a staggering 400% from 1995 to 1998. Air rage
is predicted to be a major problem in the future as air travel increases, as do levels of aggression.
Angry passengers can put everyone in danger including the pilots, the crew and the other passengers, with
some form of assault being the most common consequence.

Reading Gap Fill Answer Discussion

(1) Incident

You should have worked out the this is a synonym for 'case'. The other nouns in the box would not fit
here.

(2) Established

'Establish' can mean to set up something up such as a system of rules. So this word fits here. You
may have thought it was 'found', but this means to discover something. The new legislation wasn't
'discovered'.

(3) Increased

If you refer to the reading you can see that this is the trend referred to. 'Rose' does not fit
grammatically.

(4) Predicted

The reading and the summary show that the future is being discussed, so this word fits.

(5) Passengers

It must be the plural as it is being used as a general noun. For the singular, an article would need to
have been used.

(6) Assault

If you put 'injury' this is wrong as the reading does not say people are commonly injured, but it does
refer to assaults. You can get assaulted without getting injured

_____________________________________________________________________________________

ELTS Academic Reading Sample 1

On these pages you will find IELTS reading sample questions and passages.

Further sample readings are available by clicking on the links on the right or following the link at the
end of each page.IELTS Reading Sample - Passage 1

In this first reading example you have:

Matching headings to paragraphs

True, False, or Not Given

42
 Air Rage
(A) The first recorded case of an airline passenger turning seriously violent during a flight, a
phenomenon now widely known as air rage, happened in 1947 on a flight from Havana to Miami. A
drunk man assaulted another passenger and bit a flight attendant. However, the man escaped
punishment because it was not then clear under whose legal control a crime committed on plane
was, the country where the plane was registered or the country where the crime was committed. In
1963, at the Tokyo convention, it was decided that the laws of the country where the plane is
registered take precedence.

(B) The frequency of air rage has expanded out of proportion to the growth of air travel. Until recently
few statistics were gathered about air rage, but those that have been indicate that passengers are
increasingly likely to cause trouble or engage in violent acts. For example, in 1998 there were 266 air
rage incidents out of approximately four million passengers, a 400% increase from 1995. In the same
period American Airlines showed a 200% rise. Air travel is predicted to rise by 5% internationally by
2010 leading to increased airport congestion. This, coupled with the flying publics increased
aggression, means that air rage may become a major issue in coming years.

(C) Aside from discomfort and disruption, air rage poses some very real dangers to flying. The most
extreme of these is when out of control passengers enter the cockpit. This has actually happened on
a number of occasions, the worst of which have resulted in the death and injury of pilots or the
intruder taking control of the plane, almost resulting in crashes. In addition, berserk passengers
sometimes attempt to open the emergency doors while in flight, putting the whole aircraft in danger.
These are extreme examples and cases of air rage more commonly result in physical assaults on
fellow passengers and crew such as throwing objects, punching, stabbing or scalding with hot coffee.

(D) The causes of air rage are not known for certain, but it is generally thought that factors include:
passenger behavior and personality, the physical environment and changes in society. A recent
study has identified the issues that start the incidents to be as follows.

Alcohol 25%

Seating 16%

Smoking 10%

Carry on luggage 9%

Flight attendants 8%

Food 5%

(E) One of the major causes seems to be the passengers behavior or their personality. Fear of flying
and the feeling of powerlessness associated with flying can lead to irritable or aggressive
passengers. Also, alcohol consumed on a plane pressurized to 8000ft affects the drinker more
quickly and the effects are stronger. Many people do not take account of this and drinking may
increase any negative reaction to the flying environment they have, which, combined with the
lowering of their inhibitions, may cause air rage. Smoking withdrawal, which some liken in severity to
43
opiate withdrawal, is another major cause of air rage incidents. Passengers caught smoking in the
toilets occasionally assault flight attendants and have been known to start fires. When conflicts occur
in these conditions, they can escalate into major incidents if the passenger has a violent personality
or a fear of flying and because of the enclosed nature of a plane offers no option of retreat as would
be natural in a fight or flight reaction.

(F) Some people feel that the physical environment of a plane can lead to air rage. Seats on most
airlines have become smaller in recent years as airlines try to increase profits. This leads to
uncomfortable and irritated passengers. Also, space for carry on luggage is often very small.
Because up to 8% of checked in luggage is lost, misdirected or stolen, passengers have been trying
to fit larger carry on items into these small storage areas and this can lead to disputes that can
escalate into air rage. Airlines could also be to blame by raising passengers expectations too high
with their marketing and advertising. Many air rage incidents start when disappointed passengers
demand to be reseated. Finally, there is some evidence to show that low oxygen levels can raise
aggression level and make people feel more desperate. Airlines have lowered oxygen levels to save
money. Now the level of oxygen in the air that the pilots breathe is ten times higher than in cabin
class.

(G) Another reason that has been suggested is that society is getting ruder and less patient. The
increased congestion at airports, longer queues and increased delays have only added to this. In
addition, some air rage incidents have been linked to the demanding nature of high achieving
business people, who do not like people telling them what to do and resent the power that the cabin
staff have over them. For them, a flight attendant is a waiter or waitress who should do what the
passenger wants.

(H) The strongest calls for action to control air rage have come from pilots and aircrew. The
International Transport Workers Federation argues that there are too many loopholes that let people
escape punishment and that the penalties are too light. They want to notify all passengers of the
penalties for air rage before taking off, rather than after the passenger begins to cause serious
problems, when it may be too late. The Civil Aviation Organisation has been organizing international
cooperation and penalties have increased in recent years. The most severe punishment so far has
been a 51 month jail sentence, a fine to pay for the jet fuel used and 200 hours community service for
a man who attempted to enter the cockpit and to open the emergency door of a domestic US flight.

(I) Various other measures are being used to control air rage. Air crew are getting training on how to
calm passengers and how to predict where incidents might result in air rage and take action to
prevent this. Other measures include, strengthening doors to stop people entering the cockpit,
training crew in the use of plastic restraints to tie down unruly passengers and having pilots divert
their planes if passengers cause problems. Banning passengers who are guilty of air rage from flying
has also been tried to a lesser extent

IELTS Reading Sample: Questions 1 8

The IELTS reading sample passage has nine paragraphs A I.

From the list below choose the most suitable headings for B I.

Write the appropriate number (i xiv) beside in boxes 1 8 on your answer sheet.

NB There are more headings than paragraphs, so you do not have to use them all.

44
 List of headings

i. A decline in the tolerance of passengers.

ii. Disproportionate growth.
iii. Pilots and aircrew cooperate.
iv. Additional action.
v. Smaller seats are the norm.
vi. Laying the blame with the airlines
vii. Origins.
viii. A major threat to travel.
ix. Demands for change.
x. Business people fly more.
xi. New research pinpoints the causes.
xii. The pace of life.
xiii. Passenger at the root of the problems.
xiv. Personal experience.
Example:

Paragraph A Answer: vii

1. Paragraph B
2. Paragraph C
3. Paragraph D
4. Paragraph E
5. Paragraph F
6. Paragraph G
7. Paragraph H
8. Paragraph I

IELTS Reading Sample: Questions 9 14

Do the following statements agree with the information in the IELTS reading sample text? Mark them as
follows.

TRUE - if the statement agrees with the information in the text.

FALSE - if the statement does not agree with the information in the text.
NOT GIVEN - if there is no information on this in the text.

9.
In the first case of air rage, one of the reasons the man was not punished was because the plane was not
registered.

10. The statistics on air rage were collected by private monitoring groups.

11. The second most common catalyst for incidents is problems with seating.

45
12. The environment in a plane makes disagreements more likely to become serious problems.

13. Airlines have been encouraging passengers to bring more items onboard as carry-on luggage.

14. There have been no attempts to ban passengers with a history of air rage.

IELTS Reading Sample Answers:

1. Paragraph B______ii
2. Paragraph C______viii
3. Paragraph D______xi
4. Paragraph E______xiii
5. Paragraph F______vi
6. Paragraph G______i
7. Paragraph H______ix
8. Paragraph I______iv

9. In the first case of air rage, one of the reasons the man was not punished was because the plane was not
registered. F (Para. A: The plane was registered, but it was not clear where is was registered)

10. The statistics on air rage were collected by private monitoring groups. NG (Para. B: It doesn't say who
collected them)

11. The second most common catalyst for incidents is problems with seating. T (Para. D: This is given in the
table)

12. The environment in a plane makes disagreements more likely to become serious problems.T (Para F: The
'physical environment' makes things worse)

13. Airlines have been encouraging passengers to bring more items onboard as carry-on luggage. NG (It
doesn't mention this)

46
 14. There have been no attempts to ban passengers with a history of air rage. F (Para. I: They have tried to
ban passengers who have been involved in air rage before)
_____________________________________________________________________________________

IELTS Sample Reading 2

In this IELTS sample reading you have:

multiple choice questions

summary completion
matching statements

Wind Power
The power of the wind has been used for centuries to directly drive various machines to perform such
tasks as grinding wheat or pumping water. Recently, however, the wind has joined other natural
forces such as water and steam as a viable method of generating electricity.

Traditional means of electricity generation using coal or oil-fueled plants have two major drawbacks;
they pollute the environment and the fuels they use are inefficient and non-renewable. In response to
growing environmental awareness there have been calls for a greener alternative. Nuclear power,
while more efficient and less polluting, is seen by many people as unacceptable, because of the
danger of accidents such as those that happened at Chernobyl or Three Mile Island. Wind power,
however, is clean, renewable and, with modern advances, surprisingly efficient.

In the 1970s Britain was in the forefront of research into wind power. The interest in wind diminished
in the 1980s due to cheap North Sea oil, a strong pro-nuclear lobby and pricing structures that made
it uneconomical to set up wind farms. Britain, the windiest country in Europe, had to wait until 1991
for its first wind farm. Located at Delabole in Cornwall, the farm was originally the idea of locals who
opposed the construction of a nuclear power plant nearby and decided to set up a private company
to generate power for the area using the wind. They had to fight opposition from local government
and other local residents, who thought the turbines would be noisy and might interfere with television
signals, but eventually, after showing local officials working wind farms in Denmark, they won and
now there are 10 huge white wind turbines on the Delabole hills.

It is in Germany and Denmark that the greatest advances in wind power have come. Germany alone
produces half of the wind generated electricity in Europe. Every year Germany adds 400 Megawatts
(Mw) of capacity. In 2000 alone capacity expanded by 1669 Mw. Denmark now produces 30% of its
electricity from wind power and this is predicted to rise to 50% by 2010. Both countries have
encouraged this growth by fixed feed tariffs which guarantee a good price for private wind power
operators.

Britain is catching up and the government has set a target 10% of all electricity to come from
renewable sources by 2010, half of this to be from wind power. The 900 wind turbines in operation
generate 400Mw of electricity and to meet the target roughly 400Mw will need to be added each year.
With the advances in technology this is technically possible. Each turbine can now produce 400
Kilowatts (KW) compared to only 70 KW at the start of the 1980s. It will, however, need help from the
government. This is being done by offering financial support and giving private power companies
targets to meet.

47
Because many people feel wind farms spoil the view and, also, because the wind is stronger at sea,
many wind farms are now being built offshore. They are usually built a few kilometres off the coast in
shallow water. The construction and maintenance costs are higher, but electricity output is higher.
The first in Britain was built in 2000 at Blyth, north of Newcastle, and was the largest in the world until
May 2001, when a 20 turbine farm was opened at Middelgruden off Copenhagen. There are plans to
construct up to 18 more in the UK by 2010. Together they will produce 800 Mw of electricity annually.

The use of wind power is far less advanced in the USA. Only 5% of Americas power comes from the
wind, although it is estimated that this could be increased to as high as 12% with no changes to the
power grid. However, there is an increased interest in wind power. There are plans to build a huge
offshore wind farm off the coast of Cape Cod on the North East seaboard. The farm will take up over
25 square miles, have 170 turbines and produce 420Mw at a cost of $600m. If constructed, it will be
the worlds second biggest wind farm, after the 520Mw farm planned in Ireland.

IELTS Sample Reading: Questions 1 2

Choose the best answer to the questions below.

1. People do not like coal and oil powered power production because

A. it damages the environment.

B. it is wasteful.
C. they cannot be replaced once consumed.
D. all of the above.
2. Wind power

A. has only been used recently.

B. promotes environmental awareness.
C. cleans the environment.
D. is not wasteful.

IELTS Sample Reading: Questions 3 7

Complete the following summary of the third paragraph from the IELTS sample reading using ONE
OR TWO WORDS from the reading texts.

British Wind Power

While there was a great deal of interest in wind power in the 1970s, it (3) _______________ in the
1980s. This was mainly due to intense support for (4) _______________ power and little help in
making wind power affordable. So, even though Britain has some of the best winds in Europe, the
first wind farm was only built in 1991. The farm at Delabole came out of opposition
by (5) _______________ to a nuclear power plant. Initially, they were opposed by local officials due
to fears about noise and possible obstruction to (6) ________________ . This opposition was
eventually overcome only after they were shown successful examples from (7) _______________.

48
IELTS Sample Reading: Questions 8 13
Match the country below or mark none to the statements taken from the IELTS sample reading.

Note: Some countries may not be used and countries can be used more than once.

BR_____ Britain
G______ Germany
D______ Denmark
US_____The United States
IRE_____Ireland
N______ None of the countries

8. Plans to produce 5% of its power using wind power.

9. Produces 50% of its power from wind.
10. Produces very little of its power using wind.
11. Will have the worlds largest wind farm.
12. Used to have the world's biggest off-shore wind farm.
13. Is the biggest producer of wind power in Europe

IELTS Sample Reading Answers:

1. D

2. D

3. diminished

4. nuclear

5. locals

6. television signals

7. Danish Farm / Denmark

8. BR

(Para. 5: It has a target of 10%, of which half - 5% - will be wind power)

9. N

49
 (Para. 4: Although Denmark is predicted to produce 50% wind power, none of the countries
currently do. Don't put "G" - Germany produces 50% of the wind power in Europe, but we are not
given the percentage in Germany itself)
10. US

(Para. 7: It is much less advanced in the USA, with only 5% from wind)
11. IRE

(Para. 7: Ireland will have the largest, then the US)

12. BR

(Para. 6: It had the largest until the one at Middelgruden surpassed it)
13. G

(Para. 3: "Germany alone produces half of the wind generated electricity in Europe")
_____________________________________________________________________________________

IELTS Reading Example 3

This IELTS reading example focuses on the following IELTS reading question types:

Multiple Choice
Sentence Completion
Cause and Effect table completion

The Container Trade

The shipping container is one of the mainstays of international trade. The globalised modern
economy depends on the rapid and efficient movement of goods that containerisation allows. In
many ways it was the advent of the container that allowed this globalised economy to develop.

Invented during World War two as an efficient method of moving equipment to the front lines, there
are now at any one time up to 15 million containers being used to transport goods on land and sea or
waiting to be filled at factories and ports. They are vital in the supply chain and have allowed the
added efficiency of "just in time" inventory management, where companies no longer keep large
warehouses of stock or parts, but rely on the ability to quickly order what they want from their
suppliers. It is estimated that since the 1980s the ratio of inventory to GDP in American business' has
fallen from 25% to 15%. Altogether total business inventory in the US is estimated at $1.5 trillion,
without "just in time" management methods this might be as much as $2.5 trillion.

This means that companies rely more and more on the prompt delivery of parts from their suppliers to
fulfill orders. This is particularly true of industries such as computer manufacture, which no longer
make all the parts of the products that bear their names, but instead out source, often to suppliers
half way around the world. American computer manufacturers are, for example, increasingly
dependent on Asian microchip manufacturers in countries such as Taiwan and Thailand. An example
of the kind of problems any disruption to the supply chain causes came after the September 11
attacks in the US when the Canadian border was shut for just two days causing chaos in the Detroit
car industry, which relies on a regular flow of parts from Canada.

50
There are three main flows of sea borne cargo: trans-Pacific, trans-Atlantic and Europe-Far East. The
trans-Pacific route is by far the largest flow. At 11 million TEU ("twenty foot equivalent units") a year,
it is almost twice the volume of Europe-Far East trade and three times the size of trans-Atlantic traffic.
During the 1990s, during America's boom years, the trade of all the routes grew enormously and this
led to more and larger ships being built. The container fleet grew by 12% in 2001. Until then, a
container ship commonly carried 600 TEU, during the 1990s ships were being build that could carry
up to 8000 TEU. However after the 1990s there was a dramatic fall off in trade. Trans-Pacific trade,
for example, fell to 50% of its 1990s high.

This down turn is being handled by the shipping alliances which manage the global trade. These
large organizations are responsible for maintaining the fleets and seeing that the flow of goods is
uninterrupted. This is a job that governments feel that the regular and reliable flow of trade is so
important that in many cases the shipping alliances are exempt from anti-trust and monopoly laws.
Their response has been to cut services, rest some of the older ships and share the burden amongst
themselves.

At first, containers reduced theft as it was more difficult for casual thieves to get into the containers.
However, criminal gangs soon saw the potential for taking whole containers. This became a profitable
crime as the average value of a container grew to $500,000 by the 1980s. Criminals also benefited
from the convenience of containers when using them to transport drugs, illegal immigrants or other
illegal goods. Measures to combat this, including stronger locks and preference schemes for shippers
who have anti-theft programmes, have had some success, but crime is a constant menace to the
container trade.

Increasingly, the huge number of containers and their self-contained and enclosed nature has been
raising worries about their possible use by terrorists. In fact, possible terrorists have already been
found hiding in containers. This is particularly worrying considering that only 2% of containers are
inspected. Containers are also extremely difficult to track and monitor. This is because they pass
through so many countries and jurisdictions and because they can travel on both land and sea. Each
transaction involving a container can involve as many as 25 different parties and generate between
30 and 40 documents. For a ship carrying 600 TEU this would result in approximately 4000
documents. The sheer scale of the information involved makes tracking containers a daunting task.
Screening them to determine the contents is another solution that would take a great deal of effort
because of the large numbers of containers. Additionally, it might cause delays in delivery that would
disrupt international trade and industry out of proportion to the good the searches do.

For the foreseeable future, there would seem to be no alternative to containers and their use is
bound to grow. They are one of the cornerstones of global trade, but many yet cause problems their
inventors never envisaged.

840 words

IELTS Reading Example: Questions 1 6

Choose the best TWO alternatives to complete the sentences.

Questions 1 and 2

Circle TWO letters A E.

The invention of containers

51
A resulted from the efficient movement of goods.
B led to more global trade.
C was initially for military purposes.
D came just in time for many managers.
E relied on the ability to receive orders quickly.
Questions 3 and 4

Circle TWO letters A E.

Containers are important because they
A prevent the need for companies to hold large amounts of stock.
B increase the amount of business inventory.
C make trade between countries on different sides of the world easier.
D regularly supply manufactures in Canada.
E reduce the amount of out sourcing needed by companies.
Questions 5 and 6

Circle TWO letters A E.

The Trans-Pacific trade route
A has nearly double the amount of trade as that of the Europe-Far East trade route.
B had its container fleet increase by 12%.
C sparked the boom years of the 1990s.
D usually carried around 600 TEU.
E has witnessed a substantial decrease in container trade.

IELTS Reading Example: Questions 7 10

Complete the table below.

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

Write your answers in boxes 7-10 on your answer sheet.

CAUSE EFFECT

a sharp fall in container trade shipping alliances(7) old ships

originally difficult to get into containers A drop in (8)

vast numbers of containers, which are relatively Concerns over (9)

secure

Containers must pass through many countries Containers are (10)

and involve a vast amount of paperwork.

52
 IELTS Reading Example: Questions 11 12
Complete the sentences below using words taken from the reading passage.

Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS fore each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 11 12 on your answer sheet.

11. The benefits of searching containers would be outweighed by the negative impacts on worldwide
trade and industry due to the

12. The inventors must never have imagined that containers would ..

IELTS Reading Example - ANSWERS

1. B - led to more global trade.

The globalised modern economy depends on the rapid and efficient movement of goods that
containerisation allows. In many ways it was the advent of the container that allowed this
globalised economy to develop.
2. C - was initially for military purposes.

Invented during World War two as an efficient method ofmoving equipment to the front lines
"front lines" = a military line formed by the most advanced tactical combat units
3. A - prevent the need for companies to hold large amounts of stock.

companies no longer keep large warehouses of stock or parts

4. C - make trade between countries on different sides of the world easier.

This means that companies rely more and more on the prompt delivery of parts from their suppliers
to fulfill orders. This is particularly true of industries such as computer manufacture, which no
longer make all the parts of the products that bear their names, but instead out source, often
to suppliers half way around the world.
5. A - has nearly double the amount of trade as that of the Europe-Far East trade route..

At 11 million TEU...a year, it is almost twice the volume of Europe-Far East trade and three
times the size of trans-Atlantic traffic..
6. E - has witnessed a substantial decrease in container trade.

However after the 1990s there was a dramatic fall off in trade. Trans-Pacific trade, for
example, fell to 50% of its 1990s high.
(It's not B, C or D, as they refer to all the routes, not just the Trans-Pacific)

7. rest some

Their response has been to cut services, rest some of the older ships and share the burden
amongst themselves.

53
8. theft

At first, containers reduced theft as it was more difficult for casual thieves to get into the
containers.
9. use by terrorists

Increasingly, the huge number of containers and their self-contained and enclosed nature has
been raising worries about their possible use by terrorists.
10. difficult to track

Containers are also extremely difficult to track and monitor. This is because they pass through so
many countries and jurisdictions and because they can travel on both land and sea.
11. delays in delivery

Additionally, it might cause delays in delivery that would disrupt international trade and industry
out of proportion to the good the searches do.
12. cause problems

They are one of the cornerstones of global trade, but many yet cause problems their inventors
never envisaged.
_____________________________________________________________________________________

IELTS Reading Passages - Sample 4

Practicing with these IELTS reading passages will help you to improve your reading skills for IELTS
and speed up your reading.

This reading passage will provide you practice with the following:

Short Sentence Completion

Yes, No, Not Given

Australia and the Great War, 1914 1918

Australias role in the First World War, or the Great War as it was known until 1939, is central to the
development of modern Australias vision of itself in the world. In many ways it has served to create
what is in some ways a second founding of the nation in the Gallipoli campaign and on the
battlefields of France and Belgium. The influence of the war experience in the First, and Second,
World War is evident in the way in which ANZAC day is, perhaps even more than Australia day, the
countrys national day.

When the war broke out in 1914, it was a certainty that, because of longstanding economic, family
and defense ties, Australia, along with New Zealand, would stand alongside Britain. The then Prime
Minister Andrew Fisher was quick to pledge the countrys support to the last man, the last shilling.
This was no idle promise and Australia paid a high price for their loyalty to their colonizers. From a
pre-war population of 5m, 417,000 enlisted in the armed forces, of which 324,000 served abroad. By
the end of the war, Australia had lost 60,000 dead and 155,000 men had been wounded. The
economic price was also high. The national debt, which had stood at 6m in 1914, was 325m by the
end of the war.
54
It is possible that the first shot of the war was fired in Australia, when a shot was fired across the bow
of the German merchant ship Pfalz as it tried to escape from Port Arthur only a few hour after the
declaration of war. In late 1914 the light cruiser HMAS Sydney sank the German warship Emden off
the west coast of the country. Also early in the war, Australian troops captured the German radio
transmitters in Rabaul and Nauru and conquered all of German New Guinea.

At first the Australian forces were intended only to defend Australia, but in 1915 the Australia New
Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) departed for Europe. Their first stop was Egypt and it was because
they were so close that they were chosen to take part in the campaign to capture the Gallipoli
peninsula, the key to shipping into the Black Sea, from the Turks. The plan was for British, French
and Anzac forces to land on the peninsular at night at weak points in the Turkish defense. However,
strong winds blew the troops off course to better defended spots and in the advantage was lost. What
followed was months of bitter fighting in which 20,000 British and 7,000 ANZAC soldiers were killed
and which ended in a successful withdrawal, but no gain for the Allies. It was at this moment of
history that Australia was propelled on to the world stage. From this moment onward Australia began
to think of itself as a country in its own right; as being separate to Britain and no longer a colony.

Most of the ANZAC force was sent to Europe, but the Australian Light Horse remained to fight
Turkish forces in Palestine and Syria. They defended the Suez Canal and advanced through
Palestine and Syria. They also took part in what was one of the worlds last great cavalry charges at
Beersheba.

The main ANZAC force arrived in Europe in 1916. The ANZAC experience was similar to that of the
other participants in the war; a high death toll and little gain to be shown for it. Australian forces were
present at all the major battles of the war and sustained some terrible casualties. For example, in 24
hours near Pozieres the 5th Division suffered 5,000 casualties. At the battle of Bullecort, of the 3,000
men who advanced, 2339 were killed, wounded or captured.

By 1917 most of the officers were not professional soldiers. The most prominent example was
General Sir John Monash, who was an engineer by training. He commanded the allied forces at the
battle of Hamel so well that the general staff published the battle reports as a model. In August 1918,
he commanded 200,000 troops on what way called Ludendorffs black day, a turning point in the
war. Monash was probably Australias greatest military figure.

Unlike in other armies in the war, the Australian soldiers were all volunteers. They were also more
individualistic and showed less respect for the rulebook than other soldiers. The relationship between
ranks was more democratic and officer had to win the respect of their troops. All in all, they paid a
high price for fighting in the war. Of the 324,000 soldiers who served overseas in the war 215,000
were killed or wounded. This was the highest proportion of any of the countries in the war and was
probably due to the Australians fighting qualities, which meant that they were often used on the
frontline of the fighting.

At home, the war had a significant effect on the economy. Negative effects included the end of British
investment, the closure of many shipping lanes and the stockpiling of Australias main export, wool.
However, the isolation that resulted from the war meant that Australia had to make some things that
had previously been imported. This led to the development of new industries. In addition, the BHP
smelting company, which is now a major Australian company, saw a great increase in demand for
iron and steel. The needs of the war were stimulus for the beginning of full industrialization in
Australia.

55
At the signing of the treaty of Versailles, which marked the end of the war, Australia signed as a
separate country. This reflected the fact that, at the cost of 60,000 dead, Australia had finally
emerged from the shadow of Britain. The Great War was, perhaps, the beginning of modern
Australian history.

961 words

IELTS Reading Passages: Questions 1 7

Complete the sentences below (1 7) with words taken from the passage.

Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.

Write your numbers in boxes 1 7 on your answer sheet.

1. According to the passage Australias view of itself is directly related to its involvement in the

2. Soon after the war had begun, Australias Prime Minister offered the .
3. Australia had an early involvement in the war and it is even possible that they were responsible for the
..
4. When combating the Turkish defense, the British, French and Anzac forces ended up attacking stronger
points than they had originally intended because of
5. The outcome of the bitter fight with the Turks was significant for Australia because it enabled them to take
their place on the
6. John Monash commanded the battle of Hamel so well that reports of the battle were published in order to
be used
7. The Great War marked the beginning of modern Australia. They had emerged as a separate country and
would no longer have to live under the

IELTS Reading Passages: Questions 8 12

Classify the following statements as representing

YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer

NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer

NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to know what the writer thinks

about this

Write the appropriate letters in boxes 8 12 on your answer sheet.

8. Australias national debt increased greatly as a result of the Great War.

9. Australia made a great contribution to the successful outcome of the First World War.
10. The British forces suffered a greater number of casualties than the Anzac forces during the months of
fighting with the Turkish.
11. Overall, the British had a higher proportion of soldiers killed or injured than Australia.
12. Australian soldiers were never disrespectful to their superiors.

56
IELTS Reading Passages - ANSWERS
1. First World War / Great War
2. countrys support
3. first shot
4. strong winds
5. world stage
6. as a model
7. shadow of Britain
8. Yes
9. Not Given
10. Yes
11. No
12. No

IELTS Reading Passages: In-Text Answers

Australia and the Great War, 1914 1918

Australias role in the (1) First World War , or the (1) Great War as it was known until 1939, is
central to the development of modern Australias vision of itself in the world. In many ways it has
served to create what is in some ways a second founding of the nation in the Gallipoli campaign and
on the battlefields of France and Belgium. The influence of the war experience in the First, and
Second, World War is evident in the way in which ANZAC day is, perhaps even more than Australia
day, the countrys national day.

When the war broke out in 1914, it was a certainty that, because of longstanding economic, family
and defense ties, Australia, along with New Zealand, would stand alongside Britain. The then Prime
Minister Andrew Fisher was quick to pledge the (2) countrys support to the last man, the last
shilling. This was no idle promise and Australia paid a high price for their loyalty to their colonizers.
From a pre-war population of 5m, 417,000 enlisted in the armed forces, of which 324,000 served
abroad. By the end of the war, Australia had lost 60,000 dead and 155,000 men had been wounded.
The economic price was also high. (8) The national debt, which had stood at 6m in 1914, was
325m by the end of the war.

It is possible that the (3) first shot of the war was fired in Australia, when a shot was fired across the
bow of the German merchant ship Pfalz as it tried to escape from Port Arthur only a few hour after
the declaration of war. In late 1914 the light cruiser HMAS Sydney sank the German warship Emden
off the west coast of the country. Also early in the war, Australian troops captured the German radio
transmitters in Rabaul and Nauru and conquered all of German New Guinea.

At first the Australian forces were intended only to defend Australia, but in 1915 the Australia New
Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) departed for Europe. Their first stop was Egypt and it was because
they were so close that they were chosen to take part in the campaign to capture the Gallipoli
peninsula, the key to shipping into the Black Sea, from the Turks. The plan was for British, French
and Anzac forces to land on the peninsular at night at weak points in the Turkish defense.
However, (4) strong winds blew the troops off course to better defended spots and in the advantage
was lost. What followed was months (10) of bitter fighting in which 20,000 British and 7,000
57
ANZAC soldiers were killed and which ended in a successful withdrawal, but no gain for the Allies.
It was at this moment of history that Australia was propelled on to the (5) world stage. From this
moment onward Australia began to think of itself as a country in its own right; as being separate to
Britain and no longer a colony.

Most of the ANZAC force was sent to Europe, but the Australian Light Horse remained to fight
Turkish forces in Palestine and Syria. They defended the Suez Canal and advanced through
Palestine and Syria. They also took part in what was one of the worlds last great cavalry charges at
Beersheba.

The main ANZAC force arrived in Europe in 1916. The ANZAC experience was similar to that of the
other participants in the war; a high death toll and little gain to be shown for it. Australian forces were
present at all the major battles of the war and sustained some terrible casualties. For example, in 24
hours near Pozieres the 5th Division suffered 5,000 casualties. At the battle of Bullecort, of the 3,000
men who advanced, 2339 were killed, wounded or captured.

By 1917 most of the officers were not professional soldiers. The most prominent example was
General Sir John Monash, who was an engineer by training. He commanded the allied forces at the
battle of Hamel so well that the general staff published the battle reports (6) as a model. In August
1918, he commanded 200,000 troops on what way called Ludendorffs black day, a turning point in
the war. Monash was probably Australias greatest military figure.

Unlike in other armies in the war, the Australian soldiers were all volunteers. (12) They were also
more individualistic and showed less respect for the rulebook than other soldiers. The
relationship between ranks was more democratic and officer had to win the respect of their
troops. All in all, they paid a high price for fighting in the war. (11) Of the 324,000 soldiers who
served overseas in the war 215,000 were killed or wounded. This was the highest proportion
of any of the countries in the war and was probably due to the Australians fighting
qualities, which meant that they were often used on the frontline of the fighting.

At home, the war had a significant effect on the economy. Negative effects included the end of British
investment, the closure of many shipping lanes and the stockpiling of Australias main export, wool.
However, the isolation that resulted from the war meant that Australia had to make some things that
had previously been imported. This led to the development of new industries. In addition, the BHP
smelting company, which is now a major Australian company, saw a great increase in demand for
iron and steel. The needs of the war were stimulus for the beginning of full industrialization in
Australia.

At the signing of the treaty of Versailles, which marked the end of the war, Australia signed as a
separate country. This reflected the fact that, at the cost of 60,000 dead, Australia had finally
emerged from the (7) shadow of Britain. The Great War was, perhaps, the beginning of modern
Australian history.

____________________________________________________________________________________

IELTS Reading Passage - Sample 5

Objectives: to practice answering multiple-choice and short answer questions

In this IELTS reading passage, you practice:

58
 Multiple-Choice
Short Answers

Indian Marriages
Marriage is one of the oldest human institutions and this is as true in Indian culture as anywhere else.
In India marriage, called Kanyadana" or donating a virgin, is thought of as the greatest sacrifice
that a father can make and for the groom as an obligation to perpetuate his bloodline. Many people
believe that a marriage is still binding after death.

In early times girls were thought to be ready for marriage after puberty and later even children could
be married. Divorce and remarriage were not always possible. By Medieval times Marriage was
compulsory for girls, who very often married between the ages of eight and nine. Among those able
to afford it, polygamy was common and rulers would often have one wife from their own region and
other minor wives from other areas. Now, divorce and remarriage is possible and non-Muslim Indian
men can only have one wife.

Although are many regional variations, some features of the Indian wedding ceremony are similar
throughout the country. In general weddings are very complicated events and involve long
negotiations about dowry payments prior to the event. After this has been decided a day is chosen by
asking an astrologer to find a lucky day. Preparations begin early because a marriage is not only one
of the highlights a persons life, but a large and complex social gathering to organize.

The night before, the bride, her friends and female relatives gather together for a party called a
mehendi, where they paint each others hands and feet with Henna and dance and listen to music.
Her guests often give the bride advice about married life and tease her about her future husband.
Weddings are traditionally held at the brides home or in a temple, but parks, hotels and marriage
halls are becoming increasingly popular. On the day a wedding altar or mandapa is built and
covered in flowers. All of the wedding ceremony will be held in the altar.

The clothing a couple wear on their wedding day varies between regions and ethnic groups. Women
most commonly wear a sari. The bride wears a lot of jewelry as this symbolizes the prosperity she will
bring to her new family. In the South wearing flowers is common. The groom wears traditional
costume or a suit. Turbans are also popular headgear.

The ceremony begins with a mixture of tumeric, sandlewood paste and oils being applied to the
couples face and arms. In the past this was done to the whole body, but now it is only symbolic, with
only a little being rubbed on. Then they are showered in flowers. After this they perform the rituals
that will make them man and wife. First they garland each other and then take seven symbolic steps
together representing seven gifts and seven promises.

Finally they say the vows and then they are legally married. The brides father or guardian takes her
hands and puts them in her husbands giving her to him. Now she is no longer a member of her
fathers family, but a member of her husbands. They then touch the feet of their elders for luck.

After the wedding ceremony, the couple go to the grooms house. The bride should be careful to
enter the house right foot first for luck. In the evening and late into the night the families and their
guests celebrate with dancing, music and food.

568 words

59
 IELTS Reading Passage - Questions:
Circle the correct answers A D.

1. In India weddings are

A a duty for the man to continue his family.

B thought to end at death.
C a duty for the father.
D seen asa benefit for the father.

2. Divorce and remarriage

A are only possible for non-Muslims.

B were sometimes not possible in the past.
C have always been possible.
D have only become possible in modern times.

3. Indian weddings

A are straightforward and brief.

B are thought to be lucky
C are intricate and time consuming.
D involve only the immediate family.

Complete the statements below. Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS.

4. The evening prior to the wedding, the wife-to-be is given recommendations about
____________________.

5. The wedding ceremony is conducted in a special ____________________.

6. The gold and jewels the bride wears represent ____________________ .

7. These days, the materials applied to the face and arms at the start of the ceremony are just
____________________..

8. After the wedding, the bride has left ____________________ and belongs to her husbands.

9. It is important that the new bride goes into the new house with her _____________________.

60
IELTS Reading Passage - Answers

1. A
2. B
3. C
4. married life
5. (wedding) alter / mandapa
6. prosperity
7. symbolic
8. her father's family
9. right foot first

1. In India weddings are

A a duty for the man to continue his family.

B thought to end at death.
C a duty for the father.
D seen asa benefit for the father.

2. Divorce and remarriage

A are only possible for non-Muslims.

B were sometimes not possible in the past.
C have always been possible.
D have only become possible in modern times.

3. Indian weddings

A are straightforward and brief.

B are thought to be lucky
C are intricate and time consuming.
D involve only the immediate family.

4 The evening prior to the wedding, the wife-to-be is given recommendations about married life.

5 The wedding ceremony is conducted in a special (wedding) altar / mandapa.

6 The gold and jewels the bride wears represent prosperity.

7 These days the materials applied prior to the ceremony are only symbolic.

8 After the wedding, the bride has left her fathers family and belongs to her husbands.

9 It is important that the new bride goes into the new house with her right foot first.

61
Finding the Answers
Indian Marriages

Marriage is one of the oldest human institutions and this is as true in Indian culture as anywhere else. In India
marriage, called Kanyadana or donating a virgin, is thought of as the greatest sacrifice that a father can
make (1) and for the groom as an obligation to perpetuate his bloodline. Many people believe that a
marriage is still binding after death.

In early times girls were thought to be ready for marriage after puberty and later even children could
be married. (2) Divorce and remarriage were not always possible. By Medieval times Marriage
was compulsory for girls, who very often married between the ages of eight and nine. Among those
able to afford it, polygamy was common and rulers would often have one wife from their own region
and other minor wives from other areas. Now, divorce and remarriage is possible and non-Muslim
Indian men can only have one wife.

Although are many regional variations, some features of the Indian wedding ceremony are similar
throughout the country. (3) In general weddings are very complicated events and involve long
negotiations about dowry payments prior to the event. After this has been decided a day is chosen
by asking an astrologer to find a lucky day. Preparations begin early because a marriage is not only
one of the highlights a persons life, but a large and complex social gathering to organize.

The night before, the bride, her friends and female relatives gather together for a party called a
mehendi, where they paint each others hands and feet with Henna and dance and listen to music.
Her guests often give the bride advice (4) about married life and tease her about her future
husband.

Weddings are traditionally held at the brides home or in a temple, but parks, hotels and marriage
halls are becoming increasingly popular. On the day a wedding altar or (5) mandapa is built and
covered in flowers. All of the wedding ceremony will be held in the altar.

The clothing a couple wear on their wedding day varies between regions and ethnic groups. Women
most commonly wear a sari. The bride wears a lot of jewelry as this symbolizes the (6)
prosperity she will bring to her new family. In the South wearing flowers is common. The groom
wears traditional costume or a suit. Turbans are also popular headgear.

The ceremony begins with a mixture of turmeric, sandalwood paste and oils being applied to the
couples face and arms. In the past this was done to the whole body, but now it is only (7) symbolic,
with only a little being rubbed on. Then they are showered in flowers. After this they perform the
rituals that will make them man and wife. First they garland each other and then take seven symbolic
steps together representing seven gifts and seven promises.

Finally they say the vows and then they are legally married. The brides father or guardian takes her
hands and puts them in her husbands giving her to him. Now she is no longer a member of (8) her
fathers family, but a member of her husbands. They then touch the feet of their elders for luck.
After the wedding ceremony, the couple go to the grooms house. The bride should be careful to
enter the house (9) right foot first for luck. In the evening and late into the night the families and
their guests celebrate with dancing, music and food.

62
________________________________________________________________________________

IELTS Reading Diagram Completion

Objectives: to practice answering sentence completion, diagram completion, and multiple-choice

El Nino
The weather phenomenon called El Nino was first recorded in the 1500s when fishermen in South
America noticed that near Christmas some years the water was noticeably warmer than others. They
named this El Nino, or the infant, as it happened near the celebration of the birth of Christ.

Only in recent years has there been any serious investigations into the causes and results of El Nino.
The 1997 1998 El Nino was the first to be studied extensively. Scientists from France, Japan,
Korea and Taiwan combined the various readings they had from satellite and surface measurements
of wind speeds and water temperatures to make the Tropical Atmosphere Ocean Array. This
combined information allowed them to see the overall patterns of an El Nino and helped them predict
when one was starting.

Weather pattern rely heavily on the operation of the planetary heat engine. Essentially, this means
that because the sun is closest to the equator the seawater in that region is the warmest. The warm
water evaporates and forms clouds, which move toward the poles powered by their heat. These
atmospheric loops, which move heat from the tropics to the poles, are called connective cells.
Without this process the equatorial regions would be hotter than they are and the north and south
would be much colder.

The wind in the central Pacific tends to blow from the east. This pushes water from South America
towards Australia and Indonesia. As a result, sea levels have been found to be up to 60 centimetres
higher in the west. The water that is pushed westward from the South American coast is replaced by
colder water, which has a high nutrient level that consequently attracts fish. This makes the waters off
Peru and Ecuador good fishing grounds.

An El Nino happens when the winds weaken and sea levels drop. The warmer water moves east and
less water evaporates to form clouds. The results of this are twofold. The warmer water in the east
reduces the number of fish and the lack of rain causes droughts. This can cause problems such as
the forest fires that have plagued Indonesia and Australia in recent years. Additionally, El Nino is
thought to be one of the causes of hurricanes that have devastated Central and North West America.

As the population has increased the effects of changing weather have had a greater impact. People
are living in places, often in areas more likely to be affected by adverse weather, than they ever did
before and in increased densities. This means that natural disasters affect more people. Natural
resources are being used closer to their limits, so small changes in their availability can cause
disruption. For example, in the past, South American fishermen could make a profit even during an
EL Nino, but modern industrial fishing needs larger fish stocks to be profitable.

Knowing when an El Nino is developing allows people to make plans to lessen its negative effects.
The system of buoys and satellites monitoring the Pacific allows scientists to predict the start of the
12 to 18 month El Nino cycle. As a result people can prepare. For example, in North East Brazil
during the 1987 El Nino, farmers only got 15% of their normal grain harvest, but in 1992, when the
government advised them to plant fast maturing plants, they got 82%.

63
The question of whether El Nino has been strengthened by global warming is unanswered. The
National Centre for Atmospheric research believes that El Nino could be responsible for the
increased temperatures in North America by changing the jet stream. Global warming may not be the
direct cause. However, global warming may cause the local warming changes that cause El Nino and
change atmospheric circulation. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration suggests that
global warming may increase El Nino effects by increasing temperatures and increasing water
evaporation over land leading to floods.

El Nino is only one factor in the complex inter-relations that cause weather patterns, but it appears to
be a major factor. By monitoring the phenomenon, we can limit its effects and avoid disasters and
droughts.

687 words

Reading Passage Questions

Questions 1 2
Complete each of the following statements with words or phrases taken from the text.

Use NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS.

1. The first extensive study of the El Nino phenomenon took place from _______________.
2. The system used to track variations in weather conditions is called _______________.

Questions 3 6
Label the diagram showing the Planetary Heat engine.

USE NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS

Questions 7 9
Which THREE of the following are effects of El Nino?

A There are more clouds.

B The level of the sea goes down.
C There is a lack of rain.

64
D Fewer fish for fishermen to catch.
E There are plagues in Australia and Indonesia.
F There are more strong storms.

Questions 10 12
Choose the appropriate answer to each question.

10. Why is El Nino more noticeable now than in previous times?

A There are small changes in natural resources.

B Industrial fishing.
C People are now living in more dangerous areas than those of the past.
D South American fishermen cannot make a profit during an El Nino.
11. What is the benefit of monitoring the weather in the Pacific?

A Scientists can prevent El Ninos.

B The length of an El Nino is reduced by six months.
C Farmers will harvest more grain.
D Provisions can be taken in advance against the El Nino.
12. In what way is there a definite link between El Nino and global warming?

A It increases Northern American temperatures by affecting the jet stream.

B By inducing local warming changes.
C Increasing rain and causing floods.
D None of the above.
____________________________________________________

Answers

1. 1997 1998
2. Tropical Atmosphere Ocean Array
3. evaporates
4. the poles
5. pushes
6. colder water / nutrient level
7. C
8. D
9. F (7-9 can be in any order)
10. C
11. D
12. D

65
Questions 1 2
1. The first extensive study of the El Nino phenomenon took place from 1997 1998.

2. The system used to track variations in weather conditions is called Tropical Atmosphere Ocean
Array.

Questions 3 6

*question 6 could also be 'nutrient level' ('nutrient' does not fit grammatically)

Questions 7 9
Which THREE of the following are effects of El Nino?

A There are more clouds.

B The level of the sea goes down.
C There is a lack of rain.
D Fewer fish for fishermen to catch.
E There are plagues in Australia and Indonesia.
F There are more strong storms.

Questions 10 12
Choose the appropriate answer to each question.

10. Why is El Nino more noticeable now than in previous times?

A There are small changes in natural resources.

B Industrial fishing.
C People are now living in more dangerous areas than those of the past.
D South American fishermen cannot make a profit during an El Nino.

11. What is the benefit of monitoring the weather in the Pacific?

A Scientists can prevent El Ninos.

B The length of an El Nino is reduced by six months.
C Farmers will harvest more grain.
D Provisions can be taken in advance against the El Nino.

12. In what way is there a definite link between El Nino and global warming?

66
A It increases Northern American temperatures by affecting the jet stream.
B By inducing local warming changes.
C Increasing rain and causing floods.
D None of the above.

In-Text Answers
El Nino
The weather phenomenon called El Nino was first recorded in the 1500s when fishermen in South
America noticed that near Christmas some years the water was noticeably warmer than others. They
named this El Nino, or the infant, as it happened near the celebration of the birth of Christ.

Only in recent years has there been any serious investigations into the causes and results of El
Nino. (1) The 1997 1998 El Nino was the first to be studied extensively. Scientists from France,
Japan, Korea and Taiwan combined the various readings they had from satellite and surface
measurements of wind speeds and water temperatures to make the (2) Tropical Atmosphere
Ocean Array. This combined information allowed them to see the overall patterns of an El Nino and
helped them predict when one was starting.

Weather pattern rely heavily on the operation of the planetary heat engine. Essentially, this means
that because the sun is closest to the equator the seawater in that region is the warmest. The warm
water (3) evaporates and forms clouds, which move toward the poles powered by their heat. These
atmospheric loops, which move heat from the tropics (4) to the poles, are called connective cells.
Without this process the equatorial regions would be hotter than they are and the north and south
would be much colder.

The (5) wind in the central Pacific tends to blow from the east. This pushes water from South
America towards Australia and Indonesia. As a result, sea levels have been found to be up to 60
centimetres higher in the west. The water that is pushed westward from the South American coast is
replaced by (6) colder water, which has a high nutrient level that consequently attracts fish. This
makes the waters off Peru and Ecuador good fishing grounds.

An El Nino happens when the winds weaken and sea levels drop. The warmer water moves east and
less water evaporates to form clouds. The results of this are twofold. The warmer water in the east
reduces the (7) number of fish and (8) the lack of rain causes droughts. This can cause problems
such as the forest fires that have plagued Indonesia and Australia in recent years. Additionally, El
Nino is thought to be one of (9) the causes of hurricanes that have devastated Central and North
West America.

As the population has increased the effects of changing weather have had a greater
impact.(10) People are living in places, often in areas more likely to be affected by adverse
weather, than they ever did before and in increased densities. This means that natural disasters
affect more people. Natural resources are being used closer to their limits, so small changes in their

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availability can cause disruption. For example, in the past, South American fishermen could make a
profit even during an EL Nino, but modern industrial fishing needs larger fish stocks to be profitable.

(11) Knowing when an El Nino is developing allows people to make plans to lessen its
negative effects. The system of buoys and satellites monitoring the Pacific allows scientists to
predict the start of the 12 to 18 month El Nino cycle. As a result people can prepare. For example, in
North East Brazil during the 1987 El Nino, farmers only got 15% of their normal grain harvest, but in
1992, when the government advised them to plant fast maturing plants, they got 82%.

(12) The question of whether El Nino has been strengthened by global warming is
unanswered. The National Centre for Atmospheric research believes that El Nino could be
responsible for the increased temperatures in North America by changing the jet stream. Global
warming may not be the direct cause. However, global warming may cause the local warming
changes that cause El Nino and change atmospheric circulation. The National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration suggests that global warming may increase El Nino effects by increasing
temperatures and increasing water evaporation over land leading to floods.

El Nino is only one factor in the complex inter-relations that cause weather patterns, but it appears to
be a major factor. By monitoring the phenomenon, we can limit its effects and avoid disasters and
droughts.

687wds

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