BestMyLingo BestMyTest
keyboard_return Exit
keyboard_arrow_left

IELTS® Academic Reading Practice 66

settings  Settings
App Settings
close
close
BestMyTest IELTS courses are developed by certified instructors from around the world. If you have questions about your lessons or English, our team is happy to help you here.

Get 5 ask questions free today

 
schedule20:00

This reading practice simulates one part of the IELTS General Reading test. You should spend about twenty minutes on it. Read the passage and answer questions 28-40.

Subscribe to take the test

lock_open Start free trial
Similarly to endangered animals such as tigers, the world’s languages are gradually going extinct all around us. Languages die out when their last native speaker passes away. The same is true for the native language of the Native American Navajo nation, an area spanning across four south-western ...
Subscribe to unlock all academic-reading content

lock_open Start free trial
Questions 28-34
Look at the following Statements (Questions 28-34) and List of people below.

Match each statement with the correct person

Write the correct number A-E in boxes Questions 28-34 on your answer sheet.

NB You may use any letter more than once.
List of people
  1. Michael Krauss
  2. Salikoko Mufwene
  3. Doug Whalen
  4. Mark Pagel
  5. Nicholas Ostler

28. The way we see the world may be affected by which language we speak

29. A change of language may mean a loss of traditional culture.

30. Members of younger generations may not feel connected to their native languages.

31. People who work in business have no option but to use English.

32. Endangered languages cannot be saved unless people learn to speak more than one language.

33. Preventing a language from dying is different to keeping it in its natural form.

34. A language with numerous younger speakers is unlikely to become extinct.

The answer is D. This is supported in the passage where Mark Pagel is quoted: “The patterns and connections we make among various concepts may be structured by the linguistic habits of our community.” (Paragraph 7) This suggests that the way we see or perceive the world may be affected by our language, directly matching statement 1.

Associated Text:
“The patterns and connections we make among various concepts may be structured by the linguistic habits of our community.”

The answer is B. In the passage, Salikoko Mufwene says, "If a person shifts from Navajo to English, they lose something," indicating that changing language can lead to a loss in traditional culture. This appears in paragraph 6 and directly supports the statement.

Associated Text:
‘If a person shifts from Navajo to English, they lose something,’ Mufwene says.

The answer is E. Nicholas Ostler is referenced in paragraph 5 where it is written: “When the next generation reaches their teens, they might not want to be induced into the old traditions.” This indicates that members of younger generations may not feel connected to their native languages, supporting statement 3.

Associated Text:
“When the next generation reaches their teens, they might not want to be induced into the old traditions.”

The answer is B. Salikoko Mufwene is quoted in paragraph 6 as saying: “They cannot refuse to speak English if most commercial activity is in English.” This means that people working in business must use English and do not have an option, which matches statement 4.

Associated Text:
“They cannot refuse to speak English if most commercial activity is in English.”

The answer is C. Doug Whalen is quoted in paragraph 8: “Most of these languages will not survive without a large degree of bilingualism.” This shows that endangered languages cannot be saved unless people learn to speak more than one language, directly answering statement 5.

Associated Text:
“Most of these languages will not survive without a large degree of bilingualism,”

The answer is B. In paragraph 8, Mufwene is quoted as saying: “Preserving a language is more like preserving fruits in a jar.” This supports the idea that preventing a language from dying is different from keeping it in its natural form.

Associated Text:
“Preserving a language is more like preserving fruits in a jar,” he says.

The answer is A. In paragraph 4, Krauss is quoted: “Languages with many young speakers are considered safe, while languages with very few young speakers are at risk.” This directly relates to the idea that a language with numerous younger speakers is unlikely to become extinct.

Associated Text:
languages with many young speakers are considered safe, while languages with very few young speakers are at risk

Questions 35-40
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage? In boxes 35-40 on your answer sheet, write

YES   if the statement reflects the claims of the writer
NO   if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN   if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

35. The Navajo language will have died out by the next century.

36. There aren’t enough speakers of Navajo, so the language will go extinct.

37. The average age of a language’s speakers does not affect its ability to survive

38. When a language is lost there is a subsequent loss of a culture.

39. The loss of linguistic diversity is inevitable.

40. The Maori language is the second language of New Zealand.

The answer is YES. The statement “linguists estimate that the Navajo language will be lost within the next hundred years” in paragraph 1 matches the claim that the Navajo language will have died out by the next century.

Associated Text:
linguists estimate that the Navajo language will be lost within the next hundred years

The answer is NO. In paragraph 3, it is stated that Navajo has approximately 150,000 speakers but is still considered endangered not due to the number of speakers, but because the average age of speakers is high. This contradicts the claim that the language will go extinct due to insufficient numbers.

Associated Text:
Navajo, with its approximately 150,000 speakers, is still considered endangered. How could this be? In fact, linguists determine which languages are endangered not by the number of speakers that they have, but by the average age of the speakers.

The answer is NO. Paragraph 3 says that linguists determine which languages are endangered “not by the number of speakers that they have, but by the average age of the speakers.” Defining the threat level by age, not just number, shows the average age does affect survival.

Associated Text:
In fact, linguists determine which languages are endangered not by the number of speakers that they have, but by the average age of the speakers.

The answer is YES. Paragraph 6 connects language and culture closely: “Language and culture are intertwined in a way that’s difficult to separate; it is often impossible to fully understand one without the context the other provides.” This shows that when a language is lost, there is also a cultural loss.

Associated Text:
Language and culture are intertwined in a way that’s difficult to separate; it is often impossible to fully understand one without the context the other provides.

The answer is YES. In paragraph 2, Mark Pagel states, “At the moment, we are heading for about three or four languages dominating the world.” Combined with the statement, “there is little hope for many of the languages which will likely be lost within the century” in paragraph 9, this shows that linguistic diversity loss is seen as inevitable.

Associated Text:
At the moment, we are heading for about three or four languages dominating the world...In spite of the efforts undertaken by linguists and others, there is little hope for many of the languages which will likely be lost within the century.

The answer is NOT GIVEN. The passage mentions the revival of Maori and public classes leading to increased interest, but it does not state if Maori is the second language of New Zealand, so the writer's view is not given.

Associated Text:
In some cases, such as with the Maori language in New Zealand, interest the language has risen through the introduction of classes in public schools.

Answer Sheet
1
N/A
2
N/A
3
N/A
4
N/A
5
N/A
6
N/A
7
N/A
8
N/A
9
N/A
10
N/A
11
N/A
12
N/A
13
N/A
14
N/A
15
N/A
16
N/A
17
N/A
18
N/A
19
N/A
20
N/A
21
N/A
22
N/A
23
N/A
24
N/A
25
N/A
26
N/A
27
N/A
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
Score Summary
0 / 1
Multiple Choice
Matching Sentence Endings
Note Completion
Table Completion
Flow Chart Completion
Summary Completion
Multiple Selection
Short Answer
Matching Headings
Matching Features
Matching Information
Identifying Information
Identifying Viewer Claims
Sentence Completion
Diagram Labelling
Hello!   :)

Submit your academic reading answers to auto generate this report.
Keywords In The Practice
Related Words
No Vocabulary Linked To Practice
IELTS reading LessonsCompleted: 0 / 73
play_circle_outlineWelcome to IELTS Tutor
play_circle_outlinePresent, Past, Future Simple, and Future in the Past Tense
Tips to improve your reading speed
To get a high score on the IELTS reading section, you need to have a fast reading speed. To have a fast reading speed, you need to improve your vocabulary and practice dissecting sentences. One strategy to dissect a sentence is to look for the subject and verb of the sentence. Finding the subject and verb will help you better understand the main idea of said sentence. Keep in mind, a common feature of a IELTS reading passage is to join strings of ideas to form long compound sentences. This produces large chunks that students have a hard time absorbing. Do not get overwhelmed by its length, just look for the subject and verb, the rest of the ideas will flow.

Keep in mind, having a slow reading speed makes skimming or scanning a reading passage more difficult. The process of quickly skimming through a reading passage for specific keywords or main ideas is a requirement for you to employ successful reading strategies to improve your IELTS reading score. In other words, skimming and scanning are critical skills to ensure you complete all questions in the allotted time frame.
IELTS Reading Strategies
Once you can read and comprehend a passage with a rate of, at least, 220 words per minute, you'll be ready to start implementing our strategies. All too often, students spend too much time reading the passages and not enough time answering the questions. Here is a step by step guide for tackling the reading section.

  1. Step 1: Read questions first

    One of the most common mistakes that candidates make when approaching the reading exam is reading every single word of the passages. Although you can practice for the exam by reading for pleasure, "reading blindly" (reading without any sense of what the questions will ask) will not do you any favors in the exam. Instead, it will hurt your chances for effectively managing your time and getting the best score.

    The main reason to read the questions first is because the type of question may determine what you read in the passage or how you read it. For example, some question types will call for the "skimming" technique, while others may call for the "scanning" technique.

    It is important to answer a set of questions that are of the same question type. You'll need to determine which question type you want to tackle first. A good strategy would be to start with the easier question type and move on to more difficult question types later. The Easiest question types are the ones where you spend less time reading. For example, the Matching Heading question type is an easier one because you only need to find the heading that best describes the main idea of a paragraph. An example of a difficult question type would be Identifying Information. For this question type, you'll need to read each paragraph to find out if each statement is TRUE, FALSE, or NOT GIVEN according to the passage.

    Here is a table that lists the difficulty levels for each question type. Use this table as a reference when choosing which question type you want to tackle first.

    Difficulty level Question Type
    Easy Sentence Completion
    Short answer
    Medium Matching Features
    Multiple choice
    Matching Headings
    Summary, Table, Flow-Chart Completion
    Difficult Matching Sentence Endings
    Matching Information
    Identifying Information (TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN)
    Identifying Viewer's claims (YES/NO/NOT GIVEN)

  2. Step 2: Read for an objective

    After you've read the questions for the passage, you will be able to read for an objective. What does this mean? For example, if you come across a question that includes the year "1896", you can make a note of when this year comes up in the text, using it to answer the question later on. There are two reading techniques that will help you stay on track with reading for an objective. The first one, skimming, is best defined as reading fast in order to get the "gist", or general idea, or a passage. With this technique, you are not stopping for any unfamiliar words or looking for specific details. The second technique, scanning, is best defined as reading for specific information. With this technique, you are not reading for the overall gist, but rather, specific information. Notice how each of these techniques has a specific objective in mind. This will help you find information more quickly.

  3. Step 3: Take notes

    As you're reading for an objective, you should also be making notes on the margins of the passage, placing stars next to key information, or underlining things that you believe will help you answer the various questions. This will make it easier for you to check back when you are asked certain things in the questions. Choose whichever note-taking system is right for you - just make sure you do it!

  4. Step 4: Answer wisely

    After you've read the questions, read the passage, and have taken any appropriate notes, you you should have located the part of the text where you where you need to read carefully. Then just read carefully and think critically to determine the correct answer.

IELTS Reading Question Types

The IELTS reading test contains many different question types:

Matching HeadingsIELTS Reading Lesson: Matching Headings
Matching InformationIELTS Reading Lesson: Matching Information
Matching FeaturesIELTS Reading Lesson: Matching Features
Summary CompletionIELTS Reading Lesson: Summary Completion
Identifying InformationIELTS Reading Lesson: Identifying Information
Identifying Writer's claimsIELTS Reading Lesson: Identifying Writer's claims
Multiple ChoiceIELTS Reading Lesson: Multiple Choice
Short AnswerIELTS Reading Lesson: Short Answer
Match Sentence EndingIELTS Reading Lesson: Match Sentence Ending
Sentence CompletionIELTS Reading Lesson: Sentence Completion
Table CompletionIELTS Reading Lesson: Table Completion
 
star_border
close
close
Review Packages

Total: $160 USD
Package: Review Package Ultimate
Total: $80 USD
Package: Review Package Superior
Total: $40 USD
Package: Review Package Premium
Total: $20 USD
Package: Review Package Basic

Total: $96 USD
Package: Review Package Ultimate Speaking
Total: $48 USD
Package: Review Package Superior Speaking
Total: $24 USD
Package: Review Package Premium Speaking
Total: $12 USD
Package: Review Package Basic Speaking

Total: $72 USD
Package: Review Package Ultimate Writing
Total: $36 USD
Package: Review Package Superior Writing
Total: $18 USD
Package: Review Package Premium Writing
Total: $9 USD
Package: Review Package Basic Writing

Only premium members can use reviews.

Become premium member