IELTS Reading

Overview & Strategies

Emil Mudigdo
IALF Jakarta
IELTS Reading Test
Introduction

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 What is the reading test like?
Time Questions Sections
60 minutes 40 3

Types of reading passage

Academic Module:
Each section has one long text on an academic topic of general interest.

General Training Module:

Section 1 has 2 or 3 short factual texts relevant to daily life
Section 2 has 2 short factual texts relevant to work-related issues
Section 3 has 1 longer, more complex text on a topic of general interest.

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 What does it look like?
Question booklet Answer sheet

4
 Reading Question Types

The Academic and General Training modules

contain similar types of question.

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Reading Question Types
Using suitable word(s)
• complete the gaps in:
• a set of notes

• a table

• a flow chart

• a summary

• a sentence

• or answer a question
• or label a diagram.

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 Reading Question Types
Notes / Table / Flowchart Completion

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Reading Question Types
Summary Completion

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 Reading Question Types
Sentence Completion
Questions 1-5
Complete the sentences below

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each
answer
1. Ray and Willughby's book featured a type of illustration which are known as
__________ .
2. Ray and Willughby’s book was regarded as important in the field of __________ .
3. The Royal Society was nearly __________ as a result of publishing Ray and Willughby's
book.
4. At the time the books were published, Halley was working as a __________ at the
Royal Society.
5. Newton's greatest work was eventually published in the year __________ .

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 Reading Question Types
Short Answers
Answer the questions below.

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
1. What term describes the situation in which a single land mass exists on Earth?
2. How long has it been since the last single land mass existed?
3. What is the size of the area affected by the new subduction zone?
4. What happened to make scientists think that the new subduction zone existed?
5. What name is used for the type of image Duarte produced of the regions seabed?
6. Which word does Duarte use to indicate the new subduction zone's stage of development?
7. According to Duarte, which section of the Eurasian plate is likely to moves
8. According to researchers, what might disappear as a result of the new subduction zone?

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Reading Question Types
Diagram Labelling

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 Reading Question Types
Matching

You have to match..

• headings with paragraphs
• information with paragraphs
• information with categories or features
• sentence beginnings with endings

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 Reading Question Types
Matching Headings
Questions 1-5
The Reading Passage has five paragraphs, A-E.
Choose the correct heading for paragraphs A-E from the list of headings below.
Write the correct number, i-viii, next to questions 1-5.
i. A wrong assumption regarding the qualities of medical gloves
ii. Comparison of the qualities of rival brands of medical gloves
iii. Main reasons why medical gloves are necessary
iv. Health problems arising from the wearing of medical gloves
v. Events leading to the development of medical gloves
vi. Varieties of medical gloves for specific purposes
vii. Evidence for the effectiveness of medical gloves
viii. Resistance to a policy promoting the use of medical gloves
Paragraph A __________
Paragraph B __________
Paragraph C __________
Paragraph D __________
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Paragraph E __________
 Reading Question Types
Matching Information
Questions 1-7
The Reading Passage has six paragraphs, A-F.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter, A-F, next to each statement.
NB You may use any letter more than once.

1. examples of situations in which different animal species produce a kind of laughter

2. mention of the point in human development when the ability to laugh develops
3. a description of the method used to capture certain noises
4. a reference to earlier research conducted by the author of the new study
5. the idea that humans were not the first species to develop laughter
6. the realisation that one species has a particularly sensitive region of its body
7. the idea that people and animals may share a range of emotional responses
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 Reading Question Types
Matching Categories / Features
Questions 1-6
Look at the following statements (Questions 1-6) and the list of railway systems below.
Match each statement with the correct railway system, A, B or C.
Write the correct letter, A, B or C, next to each question.

NB You may use any letter more than once.

1. Construction of tunnels in the city was delayed by unexpected discoveries.
2. The city authorities were pioneers in the development of these railway systems.
3. The city is taking advantage of available technology to update its system.
4. An impressive claim is made regarding the ease of access to the city's system.
5. This system has to deal with the problem of tunnelling in difficult soil conditions.
6. Safety of the workforce was an issue during the initial construction of this system.

List of Railway Systems

A Paris Metro
B NewYork City Subway
C London Underground 15
 Reading Question Types
Matching Sentence Endings
Questions 1-5
Complete each sentence with the correct ending, A-G, below.
Write the correct letter, A-G.

1. It is widely predicted that plant species all over the world could
2. Research in North Carolina has established that Ioblolly pine trees would
3. Previous research had established that herbaceous plant species would
4. Danielle Way makes the point that trees like the Ioblolly pine could
5. James Clark concedes that the Ioblolly pine trees could

A. produce greater quantities of good seeds if CO2 levels were higher.

B. benefit from rising CO2 levels at the expense of other similar species.
C. be untypical in the way they respond to higher CO2 levels.
D. eventually have a competitive advantage over other plant species.
E. face uniformly high levels of CO2 by 2050.
F. be adversely affected by rising CO2 levels in unforeseen ways.
G. produce poorer quality seeds if CO2 levels were higher. 16
 Reading Question Types
Multiple Choice

There are two types of multiple choice question:

• choose ONE answer from a list
• choose MORE THAN ONE answer from a list.
READ THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY!

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 Reading Question Types
Multiple Choice (Choose one!)
Questions 1-6

Choose the correct letter A, B, C or D.

1. The hidden danger referred to in line 4 is
A. changing growing conditions.
B. local variations reducing crop yields.
C. crops being more at risk from disease.
D.poor selection of original genetic material.
2. What does the Cavendish banana cultivar serve as an example of?
A. a cultivar that is preferred by consumers
B. a cultivar that is resistant to fungal infection
C. a cultivar that was previously facing extinction
D.a cultivar that offers good flavour but low yield 18
 Reading Question Types
Multiple Choice (Choose more than one!)

Questions 1 and 2
The list below gives some effects of light pollution.

Which TWO of these are mentioned by the writer?

A. Light pollution has a negative effect on fishing activities.
B. Light pollution obscures people's view of man-made objects in the night sky.
C. What is called 'skyglow' now affects all parts of the world to some extent.
D. Light pollution has affected the reproductive success of certain bird species.
E. There is growing evidence to suggest light pollution affects human health.
1 ______
2 ______

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 Reading Question Types
True/False/Not given
Yes/No/Not given
Compare..
..the meaning of a statement
with..
..information or views expressed in the reading passage.

True/False/Not Given is usually about factual information.

Yes/No/Not Given is usually about views/claims.

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 Reading Question Types
True/False/Not given
Questions 1-6
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage? Next to each
question, 1-6, write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information about it

1. NCAR accepts the need for more precise methods of measuring snowfall.

2. Researchers have found ultrasonic sensors more reliable than laser sensors.

3. The device that uses motor-vehicle antifreeze measures the amount of snow both before and after
it melts.

4. Using GPS technology would be more expensive than using the alternative devices being tried out.

5. GPS technology could allow snowfall to be measured across a wider range of landscapes.

6. The use of a snow board is particularly effective in areas with high winds.
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 Reading Question Types
Questions 1-6
Yes/No/Not given
Do the following statements agree with the information in the Reading Passage?
Next to each statement, write..

YES if the statement agrees with the views/claims of the writer

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

1. Rosen has demonstrated a connection between overuse of technology and certain

psychological conditions.
2. Rosen provides evidence that the conditions he describes are becoming more
common.
3. Keen's previous book has been very influential.
4. Keen is right to warn about the threat to privacy posed by the Internet.
5. An international body is concerned that social networking might be addictive.
6. There may be people who are over-dependent on electronic devices. 22
 IELTS Reading - Recap

1 hour – NO EXTRA TIME TO TRANSFER ANSWERS

3 sections = 20 minutes for each section

(3 passages for academic candidates)

40 questions

1 point for each question

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 Computer-delivered IELTS
• 60 minutes
• Clock at top of screen
• Same question types as the paper-based test
• Answer by clicking, dragging or typing
• Answer questions in any order
• Go back to previous sections
• Test-takers can highlight parts of the question
and make on-screen notes
Highlight text
Make notes
 Reading Section
Academic General Training
Journals Notices
Books Advertisement
Magazine Leaflets
Newspaper Manuals
Books
Magazine
Newspaper
3 Sections: 3 Sections:
General interest text (+) Factual Information (I), Work Context (II),
At least 1 logical detailed argument and Descriptive/Instructive text (III)
IELTS Reading - Strategies

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IELTS Reading - Strategies

1. What am I reading?
2. Why am I reading it?
3. How am I going to read it?

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 IELTS Reading - Strategies
Skimming
1. Skim
Don’t start by reading the whole text!
Read the title, introduction, topic sentences, last sentence.
Why?
Skimming is a fast and effective way to read for the general idea of the
information in the passage. IELTS reading questions often require you to
have a general idea of the passage in order to answer the questions
correctly.

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 Canvas: Skimming
Libraries

Skim the passage on Libraries and underline the

sentence that gives the main point of each
paragraph.

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 Canvas: Skimming
(1) Libraries are quite difficult to define.(2) If you ask most people to define
a library, they will probably say that it is a building with a lot of books. (3)
Strictly speaking, a library does not have to be a building: it can be a room,
or indeed any area where material is kept. (4) Equally, a library is not merely
a collection of books: there are journals, newspapers, CD-ROMs, microfilm,
audio-visual materials and so on. (5) So, to be more accurate we can say that
a library is a collection of information or material.
(6) Libraries are organised in three ways. (7) Most libraries will use one or
more of the three main classification systems that have been developed to
detail the material in the collection. (8) They are referred to as the Dewey
Decimal System, the Universal Decimal Classification and the Library of
Congress System.
(9) Nowadays libraries are under threat for a number of reasons. (10) The
primary challenge, as never before, is funding. (11) Hardware and personnel
costs increase each time technology expands. (12) Equally, there are
challenges in the skills needed by users and resource professionals.
(13) It is difficult to predict the future of libraries. (14) Our basic concept of
libraries will almost certainly, it would appear, change dramatically in that
we will not think of them (and access them) as physical places, which is the
prevailing concept at the moment. (15) But beyond that, it is difficult to
predict both usage patterns and preferred systems of data recording and
retrieval.
 IELTS Reading - Strategies
Scanning

2. Scan
This means you must read the passage to find the
specific information you need to answer a
question.

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 IELTS Reading - Strategies
Scanning

You are flying to Jakarta.

Your flight is SQ968. What time does it leave?
(what is the specific information in the question that
will give you the correct answer?)

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 Canvas: Scanning
Libraries

Read the question and find the relevant section in

the text by identifying key words, phrases or
numbers.

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 Canvas: Scanning
(1) Libraries are quite difficult to define. (2) If you ask most people to define
a library, they will probably say that it is a building with a lot of books. (3)
Strictly speaking, a library does not have to be a building: it can be a room,
1 or indeed any area where material is kept. (4) Equally, a library is not
merely a collection of books: there are journals, newspapers, CD-ROMs,
2 microfilm, audio-visual materials and so on. (5) So, to be more accurate we
can say that a library is a collection of information or material.

(6) Libraries are organised in three ways. (7) Most libraries will use one or
more of the three main classification systems that have been developed to
detail the material in the collection. (8) They are referred to as the Dewey
Decimal System, the Universal Decimal Classification and the Library of
Congress System.
3 (9) Nowadays libraries are under threat for a number of reasons. (10) The
primary challenge, as never before, is funding. (11) Hardware and personnel
costs increase each time technology expands. (12) Equally, there are
challenges in the skills needed by users and resource professionals.
(13) It is difficult to predict the future of libraries. (14) Our basic concept of
4 libraries will almost certainly, it would appear, change dramatically in that we
will not think of them (and access them) as physical places, which is the
prevailing concept at the moment. (15) But beyond that, it is difficult to
predict both usage patterns and preferred systems of data recording and
retrieval.
Canvas: Reading Intensively 1
Reading Intensively

Read carefully to answer the question.

Look for synonyms.
Read around the answer to check.

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 Canvas: Reading Intensively 1
Libraries
Scan the passage about libraries to locate the sentences that contain the
answers.

1. What is ONE type of material that libraries collect, beside books?

(one of these) journals, newspapers, CD-ROMs, microfilm, audio-
visual materials

2. How many types of classification systems are there?

Three

3. What kinds of costs increase when technologies expand?

Hardware and personnel
4. How do most people conceptualise libraries?
Physical places

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 Canvas: Reading Intensively 2
Esperanto
Use NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS in
each answer.
1. Who created Esperanto? 5. In which country is Esperanto taught
Ludwig Zamenhof at universities?
China
2. When was Esperanto created?
1887 6. Does Esperanto vocabulary come
from eastern or western languages?
3. How many people use Western
Esperanto?
about one million 7. What kinds of words end in -a in
Esperanto?
4. Name TWO countries where Adjectives
Esperanto is used.
Brazil // Japan // China
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 Canvas: Reading Intensively 3
Rice
Are the statements below True, False or Not given according to
the passage?
1. Rice has been eaten since 5. Rice feeds more people than
ancient times. T wheat. T
2. Rice is a member of the 6. Most rice is traded
grass family. T internationally. F
3. Rice can only be grown in 7. Thailand is a major exporter
tropical climates. F of rice. NG
4. Some people eat rice three 8. Rice breeding programs are
times a day. NG concentrated in one country
F 42
 IELTS Reading - Remember

• Timing – 20 minutes per reading section

• No extra time to transfer your answers to the answer
sheet – write your answers directly on the answer
sheet (or type/click/drag on the screen)
• Answer ALL questions - leave nothing blank
• If you don’t know the answer, guess and move on
• There is 1 mark for each question
• You do not lose marks for wrong answers

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 IELTS Reading - Practice

Now you are going to do a practice reading test.

You will need to:
• Understand the instructions
• Understand the question
• Understand the reading passage
• Find the correct answer in the reading passage
• Write the correct answer on your answer sheet

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 IELTS Reading - Practice
True/False/Not given
You will see some statements.
The statements follow the order of information in the passage.
The wording of the statements is different from the wording in the passage.
Some words and names are the same in both the statements and the passage.
(Use these to help you locate the information in the passage. )
There are three possible answers:
TRUE if the statement AGREES with the information in the passage
FALSE if the statement CONTRADICTS information in the passage
NOT GIVEN if the information in the statement is NOT MENTIONED in the
passage or if there is not enough information in the passage to know whether
the statement is correct or not.

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 IELTS Reading - Practice
True/False/Not given
Now look at questions 1-5 on the Practice Test.
Read the statements and underline the key words, names,
technical terms.
Read the passage; locate the information related to statement 1.
Compare the MEANING of the statement and the information in
the passage.
If the meaning is the same, write TRUE
If the meaning is contradictory, write FALSE
If the information in the statement is not mentioned in the
passage, write NOT GIVEN
Then do the same for the other statements.

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 IELTS Reading - Practice
True/False/Not given

Statement 1
The earliest domestic clocks were developed to provide routine
for householders.

The domestic clock was not exactly

Falseinvented; it was probably a
spin-off from the scientific activities of churchmen, astrologers
and mechanics of the Middle Ages interested in increasing their
knowledge of the stars or improving discipline in religious
communities. Perhaps some 13th-century king or bishop first had
a clock in his house as a symbol of prestige or wealth, or perhaps
from interest, or to call him to prayer. Certainly, the church
assistant needed to know when to warn the watchman to ring the
bell in the watchtower to warn the local people about some
communal activity ….
So perhaps it was the watchman’s clock on the wall that became 47
the domestic iron clock of the medieval household.
 IELTS Reading - Practice
True/False/Not given

Statement 2

Medieval clocks remained on the property when the owners sold

their home.

… the domestic iron clock of the medieval household. It was a

valuable possession, and when the family moved it went with
them …

False

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 IELTS Reading - Practice
True/False/Not given

Statement 3

Pulling the weights on wall-mounted clocks required precise skill.

…Iron clocks and lantern clocks, hanging on the wall from a hook, were
the first general domestic clocks. The weights that powered them hung
below them and generally had to be pulled up twice a day.

Not given

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 IELTS Reading - Practice
True/False/Not given

Statement 4

It is the spring inside that allows a watch to be moved around.

The use of a coiled spring instead of a weight to provide power

made possible first the portable clock and subsequently the
smaller, personal clock, which was later called a watch.

True

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 IELTS Reading - Practice
True/False/Not given
Statement 5
The first spring-driven clocks had difficulty keeping the correct
time.

…The changeover …. to spring-driven clocks did not prove so

simple, however, because …. the coiled spring did not provide a
constant source of power. When wound up, the spring gave a
force that was very strong but only for a short time. The force
then decreased unevenly for some
Truehours before slowing rapidly.
…. Early coiled springs also suffered from the fact that they
could not be made very evenly or smoothly and did not coil
accurately. When this happened, the power was released in
uneven bursts. The means adopted to overcome these
disadvantages, which directly affected timekeeping accuracy,
were twofold.
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 IELTS Reading - Practice
Gapfill
The instructions tell you how many words you can write in each gap.
The gaps usually follow the order of information in the passage.
The wording in the question is different from the wording in the passage.
However, technical words and names are the same in both.
(Use these to help you locate the information in the passage. )

The words for the answers are in the passage.

The word(s) must fit in the gap grammatically and logically.
Write ONLY the missing words on the answer sheet.
The words MUST be spelt correctly.

Read through the notes.

Try to predict what kind of information will go in each gap.
Copy the word(s) carefully – do NOT change them.
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IELTS Reading - Practice
Gapfill - notes

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 IELTS Reading - Practice
Short answer questions

The instructions tell you how many words you can write for each answer.
The questions usually follow the order of information in the passage.
The wording in the questions is different from the wording in the passage.
However, some words and names are the same in both.
(Use these to help you locate the information in the passage. )

The words for the answers are in the passage.

The word(s) must answer the question grammatically and logically.
The words MUST be spelt correctly.
Copy the word(s) carefully – do NOT change them.

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IELTS Reading - Practice
Matching Headings

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 IELTS Reading - Practice
Matching Headings

The list of headings in the box is in random order.

There are more headings than paragraphs.
Each heading can be used once only.

The correct heading summarises the main idea in the paragraph, but the
words may be different.
Read the paragraph.
• Decide which heading best summarises the main idea of the
paragraph.
• Write the correct Roman numeral (ii, iii, iv, etc) on your answer sheet.

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IELTS Reading - Practice
Matching Headings

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 IELTS Reading - Practice
Matching Headings

A 14 iv A typical householder’s present action

B 15 iii The uncertainty of trash destination
C 16 vii A way to trace what happens to rubbish
D 17 v Formulating the ultimate rubbish solution
E 18 i A lack of information about what is in trash
F 19 ix Variations in the effect of waste on the
surrounding area
G 20 viii Details of how the research will be done
H 21 x Future sources of useful materials

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 IELTS Reading - Practice
Multiple Choice (more than one!)
There is a question and a set of statements (A-E).
The instructions tell you how many statements you must choose.
The statements follow the order of information in the passage.
The wording of the correct statements is different from the wording in
the passage.
However, technical words and names are the same in both.
(Use these to help you locate the information in the passage.)
• Read the question carefully.
• Underline key words.
• Read the statements.
• Read the passage to find out which statements answer the question.
• Write the correct letters (A, B, C, D, E) on your answer sheet.
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IELTS Reading - Practice
Multiple Choice (more than one!)

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IELTS Reading - Practice
Multiple Choice (more than one!)

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 IELTS Reading - Practice
Matching information

The reading passage is divided into paragraphs or sections.

The paragraphs/sections are labelled A B C D etc.
The question contains a list of statements in random order.
The statements refer to the information in the passage but the wording
may be different.
Some paragraphs might be used more than once.
Some paragraphs might not be used at all.

Read the statements.

Read the passage and locate the relevant paragraphs.
Write the appropriate letters on your answer sheet.

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IELTS Reading - Practice
Matching information

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 IELTS Reading - Practice
Matching information (Choose one!)

The questions follow the order of information in the passage.

The wording of the options (A, B, C, D) is different from the wording in
the passage.
However, technical words and names are the same in both.

(Use these to help you locate the information in the passage. )

Read the question carefully.
Underline key words.
Read the options.
Read the passage to find out which option answers the question.
Write the correct letter (A, B, C, D) on your answer sheet.

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 IELTS Reading - Practice
Matching information (Choose one!)

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 IELTS Reading - Practice
Yes / No / Not given
You will see some statements.
The statements follow the order of information in the passage.
The wording of the statements is different from the wording in the
passage.
Some words and names are the same in both the statements and the
passage.
(Use these to help you locate the information in the passage.)

There are three possible answers:

• YES if the statement AGREES with the view of the writer

• NO if the statement CONTRADICTS the view of the writer

• NOT GIVEN if the writer’s view is NOT MENTIONED in the passage, or if there is
not enough information in the passage to know what the writer’s view is.
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IELTS Reading - Practice

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