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IELTS® General Reading Practice 24

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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.

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Section 3How animals keep fitAnyone planning to run a marathon would expect to train seriously beforehand. Even with careful preparation, however, covering 45 kilometres without stopping is still likely to be painful.The barnacle goose presents a very different example. Each year it migrates for 301...
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Questions 28-30
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

Write your answers in boxes 28-30 on your answer sheet.

28. The writer discusses marathon runners and barnacle geese to introduce the idea that

29. The writer says that human muscles

30. The writer says that in order to survive, early humans developed the ability to

(A) is incorrect. Choice A says "marathon runners may be using ineffective training methods.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "Each year it migrates for 3015 kilometres, yet its preparation does not involve months of steadily increasing exercise.". Because Choice A does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.

(B) is incorrect. Choice B says "the importance of diet in achieving fitness has been underestimated.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "Each year it migrates for 3015 kilometres, yet its preparation does not involve months of steadily increasing exercise.". Because Choice B does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.

(C) is incorrect. Choice C says "barnacle geese spend much more time preparing to face a challenge.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "Each year it migrates for 3015 kilometres, yet its preparation does not involve months of steadily increasing exercise.". Because Choice C does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.

(D) is correct. Choice D matches the question because "serious training is not always needed for physical achievement." is the idea supported by the passage evidence: "Each year it migrates for 3015 kilometres, yet its preparation does not involve months of steadily increasing exercise.". The wording may be paraphrased, but it points to the same meaning.

Associated Text:
Each year it migrates for 3015 kilometres, yet its preparation does not involve months of steadily increasing exercise.

(A) is correct. Choice A matches the question because "consume a lot of energy even when resting." is the idea supported by the passage evidence: "Most people use about 23 percent of their basic energy budget simply maintaining muscle mass.". The wording may be paraphrased, but it points to the same meaning.

(B) is incorrect. Choice B says "weigh more than other types of body tissue.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "Most people use about 23 percent of their basic energy budget simply maintaining muscle mass.". Because Choice B does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.

(C) is incorrect. Choice C says "were used more efficiently by our ancestors.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "Most people use about 23 percent of their basic energy budget simply maintaining muscle mass.". Because Choice C does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.

(D) is incorrect. Choice D says "have grown weaker than they were in the past.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "Most people use about 23 percent of their basic energy budget simply maintaining muscle mass.". Because Choice D does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.

Associated Text:
Most people use about 23 percent of their basic energy budget simply maintaining muscle mass.

(A) is incorrect. Choice A says "conceal themselves from their prey.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "Humans, by contrast, had to become adapted to running more slowly but over longer distances..". Because Choice A does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.

(B) is correct. Choice B matches the question because "run over long distances." is the idea supported by the passage evidence: "Humans, by contrast, had to become adapted to running more slowly but over longer distances..". The wording may be paraphrased, but it points to the same meaning.

(C) is incorrect. Choice C says "adjust their speeds to different situations.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "Humans, by contrast, had to become adapted to running more slowly but over longer distances..". Because Choice C does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.

(D) is incorrect. Choice D says "anticipate different types of animal movements.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "Humans, by contrast, had to become adapted to running more slowly but over longer distances..". Because Choice D does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.

Associated Text:
Humans, by contrast, had to become adapted to running more slowly but over longer distances..

Questions 31-35
Complete the summary below.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage from the passage for each answer.

Write your answers in 31-35 on your answer sheet.

What is the key to physical fitness?

In biological terms, when an animal is physically fit, its body has adapted to become stronger and more (31).. For bears, this change may begin when the weather is colder or there is not enough (32), which during (33).. leads to protective compounds entering their (34) and moving around the body. These compounds appear to prevent muscle loss. In the case of barnacle geese, the change may be a response to an environmental change in (35)..

Use "Efficient" because fitness means changes that make the body stronger and more efficient.

Associated Text:
The body has changed in ways that make it stronger and more efficient.

Use "Food" because insufficient food may trigger the change in bears.

Associated Text:
Signals such as lower temperatures or insufficient food are present.

Use "Hibernation" because bears preserve muscle during hibernation.

Associated Text:
After several months of hibernation, they emerge with their muscle mass preserved.

Use "Blood" because compounds are transported through the blood.

Associated Text:
Transported through the blood to the muscles.

Use "Temperature" because barnacle geese may respond to temperature.

Associated Text:
Barnacle geese may react to an environmental shift, such as temperature.

Questions 36-40
Look at the following Statements (Questions 36-40) and List of Researchers below.

Look at the following statements (Questions 36-40) and the list of researchers below.

Write the correct number A-D in boxes Questions 36-40 on your answer sheet.

NB You may use any letter more than once.
List of Researchers
  1. Lewis Halsey
  2. Chris Guglielmo
  3. Daniel Lieberman
  4. Ross Tucker

36. One belief concerning how animals stay fit is possibly untrue.

37. It might not be possible to train all animals to improve their speed.

38. One type of bird has demonstrated fitness at the time that exposed to a stimulus in experimental conditions.

39. Human energy use developed in a various way from that of animals.

40. One type of bird might develop more strength when the weather becomes warmer or cooler.

Choose A because the passage connects this feature or person with the information in the question. The supporting evidence is: "Halsey argues that the picture may be less simple.". This evidence identifies the correct match and rules out choices that are not linked to this detail.

Associated Text:
Halsey argues that the picture may be less simple.

Choose D because the passage connects this feature or person with the information in the question. The supporting evidence is: "It is still unclear whether training would enhance their ability.". This evidence identifies the correct match and rules out choices that are not linked to this detail.

Associated Text:
It is still unclear whether training would enhance their ability.

Choose B because the passage connects this feature or person with the information in the question. The supporting evidence is: "He explains that the birds do not have to be trained for a 9- or 13-hour flight: if exposed to the correct daylight cycle, they can be taken from the cage, placed in a wind tunnel and fly for 13 hours..". This evidence identifies the correct match and rules out choices that are not linked to this detail.

Associated Text:
He explains that the birds do not have to be trained for a 9- or 13-hour flight: if exposed to the correct daylight cycle, they can be taken from the cage, placed in a wind tunnel and fly for 13 hours..

Choose C because the passage connects this feature or person with the information in the question. The supporting evidence is: "Lieberman says this makes humans evolutionarily different from most animals.". This evidence identifies the correct match and rules out choices that are not linked to this detail.

Associated Text:
Lieberman says this makes humans evolutionarily different from most animals.

Choose A because the passage connects this feature or person with the information in the question. The supporting evidence is: "Barnacle geese may react to an environmental shift, such as temperature.". This evidence identifies the correct match and rules out choices that are not linked to this detail.

Associated Text:
Barnacle geese may react to an environmental shift, such as temperature.

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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