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IELTS® General Reading Practice 27

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

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If someone told us to picture a “perfect caterpillar”, chances are we would all think of a very similar type of insect. Interestingly enough, based on a survey given to botanists in the United Kingdom, more than 90% of participants who were asked this question came up with the same distinct im...
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Questions 28-34
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage? In boxes 28-34 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

28. Most people come up with the same idea of a monarch caterpillar due to educational standards in the UK.

29. The butterflies take a truly remarkable journey only once a year.

30. The annual journey is bittersweet due to changing climates.

31. Both male and female butterflies will die after mating due to a rare chemical trait.

32. It is not easy for this type of butterfly to live in current conditions.

33. For the most part, the human population is helping to alleviate the harsh conditions placed on monarch butterflies.

34. People can help the existence of threatened monarchs if they become responsible for their actions.

The answer is NOT GIVEN. The passage states, "Interestingly enough, based on a survey given to botanists in the United Kingdom, more than 90% of participants who were asked this question came up with the same distinct image of the monarch caterpillar in its larvae form." However, it does not mention educational standards in the UK or attribute this similarity to education. Therefore, there is not enough information to determine what the writer thinks about this specific aspect.

Associated Text:
"Interestingly enough, based on a survey given to botanists in the United Kingdom, more than 90% of participants who were asked this question came up with the same distinct image of the monarch caterpillar in its larvae form."

The answer is YES. In the first paragraph, the passage says, "What most find to be an amazing aspect of these creatures' lives is the annual flight that is taken once the caterpillars develop into their final forms as butterflies. The most noteworthy fact is that this popular flight does not occur year-round, but rather, only during a certain period." This makes it clear that the butterflies take a remarkable journey only once each year.

Associated Text:
"What most find to be an amazing aspect of these creatures' lives is the annual flight that is taken once the caterpillars develop into their final forms as butterflies. The most noteworthy fact is that this popular flight does not occur year-round, but rather, only during a certain period."

The answer is NO. The passage does not state that the annual journey is bittersweet due to changing climates. Instead, it says, "It is somewhat of a bittersweet ritual, however, as most of the male monarchs die soon after the mating process takes place," indicating that the reason is related to dying after mating, not climate change.

Associated Text:
"It is somewhat of a bittersweet ritual, however, as most of the male monarchs die soon after the mating process takes place."

The answer is NOT GIVEN. The passage discusses that both male and female butterflies will die after mating, but it does not mention that this is due to a rare chemical trait. Therefore, there is not enough information in the passage to support or contradict this statement.

Associated Text:
"It is somewhat of a bittersweet ritual, however, as most of the male monarchs die soon after the mating process takes place. Although their female counterparts will travel back to the northern area, they will also die on the way."

The answer is YES. The passage states in the fifth paragraph, "Unfortunately, this rather prominent insect group is currently dealing with various threats to its existence. Specifically, these factors are directly related to actions taken by the human population, mostly related to climate change and pollution." This indicates that it is not easy for these butterflies to live in current conditions.

Associated Text:
"Unfortunately, this rather prominent insect group is currently dealing with various threats to its existence. Specifically, these factors are directly related to actions taken by the human population, mostly related to climate change and pollution."

The answer is NO. The passage clearly states that the human population is creating, not alleviating, harsh conditions for monarch butterflies. In paragraph five it says, "these factors are directly related to actions taken by the human population, mostly related to climate change and pollution." and also describes illegal deforestation and habitat loss.

Associated Text:
"these factors are directly related to actions taken by the human population, mostly related to climate change and pollution." "illegal deforestation that is taking place in Australia, resulting in habitat loss for insects and animals alike."

The answer is YES. In the last paragraph, the passage states, "We can only hope that human beings will realize the results of their actions and take responsibility sooner than later." This implies that becoming responsible can help the existence of threatened monarchs.

Associated Text:
"We can only hope that human beings will realize the results of their actions and take responsibility sooner than later."

Questions 35-40
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

Write your answers in boxes 35-40 on your answer sheet.

35. For the most part, monarch caterpillars are usually thought of as

36. Animals understand the distinct color of the caterpillars to be

37. The milkweed plant is

38. The 1700s signifies

39. Butterflies will find their mates

40. Butterfly eggs will hatch

The answer is C. In the first paragraph, the passage says, "Monarch caterpillars have a distinct yellow, brown, and green coloring and are considered to be one of the most ordinary insects in the world." This directly supports that (C) ordinary insects is the correct answer.

Associated Text:
"Monarch caterpillars have a distinct yellow, brown, and green coloring and are considered to be one of the most ordinary insects in the world."

The answer is D. The first paragraph states, "In fact, animals see this mix as a warning sign that the insect could act as a potentially poisonous creature, possibly leading to death." This encompasses all of the choices, making (D) All of the above correct.

Associated Text:
"In fact, animals see this mix as a warning sign that the insect could act as a potentially poisonous creature, possibly leading to death."

The answer is B. In the second paragraph, the passage states, "In their larvae form, monarch caterpillars ingest the milkweed plant, which is a critical part in guaranteeing their survival in rainforests and tropical climates." This makes option (B) the correct answer.

Associated Text:
"In their larvae form, monarch caterpillars ingest the milkweed plant, which is a critical part in guaranteeing their survival in rainforests and tropical climates."

The answer is A. The third paragraph says, "As a sort of ritual, these insects migrate to the same forests each year, and have never journeyed to a different area as a group. This process dates as far back as the 1700s, when it was first marked by zoologists." Thus, (A) the first noted migration of the butterflies is correct.

Associated Text:
"This process dates as far back as the 1700s, when it was first marked by zoologists."

The answer is A. The fourth paragraph states, "When it comes time to find a partner, these butterflies will find a perfect mate during the winter months, rather than during the autumn months, during which they prepare for their voyage." Therefore, option (A) in the winter is correct.

Associated Text:
"When it comes time to find a partner, these butterflies will find a perfect mate during the winter months, rather than during the autumn months, during which they prepare for their voyage."

The answer is C. In the fourth paragraph, it reads, "Perhaps the “consolation prize” is the fact that the eggs hatch along the way, where they have been dropped off during the journey." So, (C) in the places they were dropped off is correct.

Associated Text:
"Perhaps the “consolation prize” is the fact that the eggs hatch along the way, where they have been dropped off during the journey."

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
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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
 
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