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IELTS® General Reading Practice 30

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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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Section AIn the immediate aftermath of Black Tuesday, Hoover sought to reassure Americans of the strong financial future of their country. In 1929 he was quoted as saying, “Any lack of confidence in the economic future or the strength of business in the United States is foolish.” Then, in 1931,...
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Questions 28-34
The reading passage has seven sections, A-G.

Choose the correct heading for sections A-G from the list of headings below.

Write the correct number i-x in boxes 28-34 on your answer sheet.

List of Headings
  1. Early Life and Experiences
  2. Predictions of the Crash
  3. Response in Crisis
  4. Fallacy in Words
  5. Financial Know-How
  6. Burdens on Eastern Europeans
  7. The Later Years
  8. Principles Guiding Action
  9. Controversial Legacy
  10. Contradictions in Aid Relief

28. Section A

29. Section B

30. Section C

31. Section D

32. Section E

33. Section F

34. Section G

The answer is iv. Section A discusses criticisms of Hoover's rhetoric and reactions, specifically noting: "Some historians find fault with this president's selection of words and reactions when solving the great financial crisis during his presidency. While it is easy to criticize one's choice of words, a more balanced take on his rhetoric and personal ideals is necessary to truly understand Hoover's leadership approach." This matches the heading 'Fallacy in Words' as it focuses on critique and interpretation of Hoover's words. The explanation is from Section A.

Associated Text:
Some historians find fault with this president's selection of words and reactions when solving the great financial crisis during his presidency. While it is easy to criticize one's choice of words, a more balanced take on his rhetoric and personal ideals is necessary to truly understand Hoover's leadership approach.

The answer is i. Section B centers on Hoover's early life and personal experiences: "Hoover was born into a poor family, put himself through college at a leading American university, and became an engineer." This section further touches on how his upbringing and experiences shaped his beliefs, fitting the heading 'Early Life and Experiences.' The explanation is from Section B.

Associated Text:
Hoover was born into a poor family, put himself through college at a leading American university, and became an engineer. These experiences, in addition to his extensive world travels in Europe and Asia, shaped his ideas regarding The American Dream.

The answer is x. Section C highlights the differences in Hoover's aid approach between Europe and the United States, especially after World War I: "When Europeans needed assistance, such as in Belgium after World War I, Hoover jumped at the chance to provide hunger relief programs...When it came to his home country, rather, he was known to believe that Americans would benefit from a different type of aid--one that would enable them to contribute directly to the efforts rather than solely 'receiving' assistance, as was the case in Europe." Hence, 'Contradictions in Aid Relief' is the correct heading. The explanation is taken from Section C.

Associated Text:
When Europeans needed assistance, such as in Belgium after World War I, Hoover jumped at the chance to provide hunger relief programs, which sought to alleviate the burden of food shopping with meager earnings. When it came to his home country, rather, he was known to believe that Americans would benefit from a different type of aid--one that would enable them to contribute directly to the efforts rather than solely “receiving” assistance, as was the case in Europe.

The answer is ii. Section D presents Hoover's warnings before the crash, notably: "During his time as Secretary of Commerce, Hoover had warned the previous president, Calvin Coolidge, of the potential risks, but these supposedly fell on deaf ears." This content directly matches the heading 'Predictions of the Crash.' The explanation is from Section D.

Associated Text:
During his time as Secretary of Commerce, Hoover had warned the previous president, Calvin Coolidge, of the potential risks, but these supposedly fell on deaf ears.

The answer is viii. Section E recounts an incident demonstrating Hoover's strong character when he bought back shares he'd previously recommended, seen as a sign of honesty and guilt: "When the crash came about, however, Hoover settled these business affairs by buying back all of the shares that he urged his acquaintances to purchase. Acclaimed by present-day historians as an example of Hoover's honest character, this anecdote is used to portray Hoover's somewhat inconsolable feelings of guilt, coupled with his veraciousness." This aligns with 'Principles Guiding Action.' The explanation is from Section E.

Associated Text:
When the crash came about, however, Hoover settled these business affairs by buying back all of the shares that he urged his acquaintances to purchase. Acclaimed by present-day historians as an example of Hoover's honest character, this anecdote is used to portray Hoover's somewhat inconsolable feelings of guilt, coupled with his veraciousness.

The answer is iii. Section F deals with Hoover's response to the financial crisis through advocating hard work and retaining employees, echoing "The American Dream": "He asked each and every American to work twice as hard as they already had, and pleaded businesses to keep workers on, despite the dwindling economy." This fits the heading 'Response in Crisis.' The explanation is from Section F.

Associated Text:
He asked each and every American to work twice as hard as they already had, and pleaded businesses to keep workers on, despite the dwindling economy.

The answer is v. Section G focuses on Hoover's financial expertise and his ability to pass a significant tax cut: "Hoover was able to pass a $160 million tax cut in order to bolster the American economy. For this reason, Hoover is known to be a calming force (with strong financial and negotiating skills) in a turbulent time in American history." Thus, 'Financial Know-How' is the best heading. The explanation is from Section G.

Associated Text:
Hoover was able to pass a $160 million tax cut in order to bolster the American economy. For this reason, Hoover is known to be a calming force (with strong financial and negotiating skills) in a turbulent time in American history.

Questions 35-40
Complete the summary using the list of words, A-H, below.
  1. strategy
  2. forecast
  3. collapse
  4. era
  5. industry
  6. lie
  7. guidance
  8. labourers

Even though the of Hoover and other politicians regarding government regulations was incorrect, Hoover also believed that he had given untrustworthy about stocks. After the of the stock market, Hoover bought shares from a friend out of guilt for having steered him in the wrong direction. In times of difficulty, Hoover urged businesses to keep at hand, despite the lackluster economy. Thanks to a convincing  , a $160 million tax cut was passed, and Hoover is respected for his strength in a difficult .

The answer is B. The sentence in Section E says: "Despite his predictions, neither Hoover, nor any other politician for that matter, had given serious thought to the government's exaggerated power when it came to regulating the stock market." The word 'forecast' directly matches 'predictions,' supporting answer (B).

Associated Text:
Despite his predictions, neither Hoover, nor any other politician for that matter, had given serious thought to the government's exaggerated power when it came to regulating the stock market.

The answer is G. Section E states: "Hoover often complained of having provided poor advice regarding stocks to business acquaintances, without realizing the true consequences of the counsel." The word 'guidance' is synonymous with 'advice,' supporting answer (G).

Associated Text:
Hoover often complained of having provided poor advice regarding stocks to business acquaintances, without realizing the true consequences of the counsel.

The answer is C. The phrase in Section E: "When the crash came about, however, Hoover settled these business affairs by buying back all of the shares that he urged his acquaintances to purchase," shows that the correct word is 'collapse' for the financial event after which he acted. Thus, answer (C).

Associated Text:
When the crash came about, however, Hoover settled these business affairs by buying back all of the shares that he urged his acquaintances to purchase.

The answer is H. Section F says: "He asked each and every American to work twice as hard as they already had, and pleaded businesses to keep workers on, despite the dwindling economy." Thus, the word 'labourers' fits for 'keep _______ at hand.' Answer (H).

Associated Text:
He asked each and every American to work twice as hard as they already had, and pleaded businesses to keep workers on, despite the dwindling economy.

The answer is A. In Section G: "Due to his persuasive tactics, Hoover was able to pass a $160 million tax cut in order to bolster the American economy." The word 'strategy' fits with 'convincing _______.' Answer (A).

Associated Text:
Due to his persuasive tactics, Hoover was able to pass a $160 million tax cut in order to bolster the American economy.

The answer is D. The last sentence of Section G states: "Hoover is known to be a calming force (with strong financial and negotiating skills) in a turbulent time in American history." Hence, 'era' fits for 'a difficult _______.' Answer (D).

Associated Text:
Hoover is known to be a calming force (with strong financial and negotiating skills) in a turbulent time in American history.

Answer Sheet
1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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8
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9
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10
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11
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12
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13
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14
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15
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16
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17
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18
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19
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20
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21
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22
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23
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24
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25
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26
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27
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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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