IELTS Yes No Not Given Reading Practice with Tips & Techniques

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Yes, No, Not Given IELTS Reading Questions – useful techniques and practice lessons to maximise your score and help you save time in your reading test. These questions are often difficult for people to tackle so learning the right way will help you score points.

See the key tips and practice lesson below.

IELTS Yes No Not Given Reading Tips & Techniques

Are YNNG questions the same as TFFN questions?

The difference is not in the question, it is in the reading passage. When the passage is about facts and information then the question type will be TFNG because these questions are about matching statements with information in the passage. But when the passage contains a writer’s opinion or claims, then the question type is YNNG because these questions are matching statements with what the writer thinks or believes as shown in the passage. To sum up:

TFNG = factual passage = matching statements with information

YNNG = an opinion passage = matching statements with a writer’s opinion/claims

You will approach these questions in the same way.

Understanding the YNNG Instructions

IELTS Yes No Not Given Reading Questions Instructions

What do these answer options mean?

YES means that the full meaning of the question statement can be found in the passage and the meanings are the same.

NO means that the full meaning of the question statement is actually wrong and the passage shows it is wrong/incorrect/opposite/contradicted.

NOT GIVEN means that the information in the question statement isn’t found in the passage so we can’t say if it is correct or incorrect information. The passage doesn’t give enough information to choose Yes or No.

Your written answer must be YES or NO or NOT GIVEN. You can write these words in capital letters or lower case. But you can’t write True instead of Yes. If the answer is Yes, but you write True, then your answer is wrong. Always pay attention to that – don’t lose valuable points.

How to Tackle Yes No Not Given Questions

All these tips and techniques can be applied to TFNG questions as well. Click here for TFNG Reading Practice

  1. The same as TFNG questions, the YNNG answers will appear in order in the passage. This means you will find the answer to question 2 after the answer to question 1. This is useful to know because it will save you time searching through the whole passage. You will know that the answer to question 4, comes between the answer to question 3 and 5.
  2. Take time reading the question.
    1. Notice keywords in the question
      1. words that will help you locate the answer in the passage.
      2. words that might challenge the answer – words that make a subtle difference to the meaning.
  3. Think about synonyms and paraphrases that could be used to describe the information given in the question statement. Synonyms are words that have the same or similar meaning. Paraphrasing is writing the same information in a different way. Be prepared for both in the reading passage.
  4. Paraphrases and synonyms will help you locate the answer in the passage.
  5. Scan the passage and pay attention to keywords and paraphrases from the question.
  6. When you find the area that the answer is located in, read around that area. Read the sentences before and after.
  7. Remember, you can highlight words in the passage to help you. In the computer test, right click on the mouse and an option to highlight will appear. In the paper test, circle or underline the words with your pencil.
  8. After reading the area where the answer is located in the passage, go back to the question and start comparing them for meaning.
  9. Do not try to match words only. IELTS reading is about deeper meaning.
  10. Your aim isn’t to understand the whole passage, but to locate answers and then analyse the deeper meaning of those few sentences relating to the question.
  11. Be careful of comparative questions. The comparisons need to be the same in the question and passage.
  12. Be careful of quantifiers, such as “all” and “some”. ALL means 100%, SOME means it is not 100%.

Now it’s time for you to try some Yes, No, Not Given questions in the passage below.

IELTS Yes No Not Given Reading Practice

YNNG Passage 1: Richard, the Lionheart

King Richard I of England is one of the most iconic kings of England, known as the Crusader King and also as Richard the Lionheart. He spent practically all his reign outside England fighting wars in the Middle East and France to the point that England must have seemed like a foreign, distant land to him. It seems strange to us today to consider a King of England so wholly detached from the country that he represented and ruled. To pay for his wars and crusades, he taxed the English so heavily that is caused widespread discontent amongst the populace. While it can be said that he was a peerless warrior in battle, he was a poor King of England. He has often been criticised not only for his neglect of England and the welfare of the common person, but also for squandering the lives of so many of his followers as they followed him into battles far from their homeland. And yet remarkably, many English people still remember him quite fondly as a chivalrous king who was the epitome of a knight with bravery and military skill.

Questions 1-8

Do the following statements match the views of the writer in the passage? Write Yes, No or Not Given as your answer.

  1. King Richard idolised fame.
  2. While King, Richard never resided in England.
  3. King Richard looked down on the English culture.
  4. Many English people did not agree with being taxed so much.
  5. He was a fighter beyond compare.
  6. The people who followed him into battle were common people from England.
  7. King Richard did not place much consideration on the value of a human life.
  8. King Richard is considered by all English people as a courageous knight.

Answers

Click below to reveal the answers.

Answers
  1. NOT GIVEN
  2. NO
    • He spent much of his reign outside England, but not all his reign.
  3. Not Given
    • The passage shows that Richard probably didn’t connect much with the English culture because he spent so much time abroad, it doesn’t give any information about whether he lacked respect (looked down on) the English culture.
  4. YES
    • the passage shows the population of England showed “widespread discontent” with the heavy taxes. “widespread” means many thought this, but not all.
  5. YES
    • peerless = beyond compare (there were no peers who were his equal)
  6. NOT GIVEN
    • the passage show King Richard did not care about the welfare of the common people. But we do not know who his followers were precisely.
  7. YES
    •  in the passage: “squandering the lives of so many of his followers” – meaning to waste people’s lives in battle.
  8. NO
    • The challenge with this question was the word “all” in the question and “many” in the passage.
Vocab Builder
  • reign = time in power / sovereignty
  • to tax heavily = to take a lot of money in tax
  • widespread discontent = many were not happy
  • the populace = people living in a particular country
  • peerless = unequalled / unrivalled
  • warrior = fighter / soldier
  • battle = war / conflict
  • squandering = to waste something in a foolish or reckless manner
  • the epitome of = the best possible example of

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I’ll upload another YNNG reading passage soon for you. All the best, Liz

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IELTS Short Answer Questions: Reading Practice

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IELTS Reading Short Answer Questions: Essential Tips and Practice Lesson. This question type requires you to locate a word, words or numbers in the passage which are precise answers to a given question. These are not the most common form of question you can get in IELTS reading, but still well worth preparing for. Each point you win counts so make sure you are fully prepared.

IELTS Reading Short Answer Question Tips

I’ll keep the tips short for this type of question because they are very easy to understand. For matching headings and TFNG questions, you’ll find a long list of tips because they are quite unusual questions, specific to IELTS. However, these questions are simple so just a few tips will be enough for you.

  1. You must locate information in the passage which is the answer to a question.
  2. This is the type of question that most of you will be familiar with.
  3. Spend time preparing the questions.
    1. Look for keywords that can help you locate the information in the passage
    2. Note keywords that help you know what type of answer you are looking for – such as a noun.
    3. The answers for short answer questions always come in order in the passage.
  4. Your answer will be a word or words from the passage. Do not change the word – it must be as it is written in the passage.
  5. The instructions will tell you how many words/numbers you can have for your answer.
  6. Spelling counts – if you spell the word incorrectly, your answer is wrong.

IELTS Reading Short Answer Question Practice 

Please note: I am not trying to promote a religion with this topic. It is just an interesting topic about painted eggs. Like IELTS, I try to keep my work non-religious and non-political. 

Reading Passage: The History of Painted Eggs

Easter eggs, aka Paschal eggs in some parts of the world, are special eggs that are often given to celebrate Easter or springtime. The practice of decorating eggshell dates back thousands of years. Ostrich eggs with engraved IELTS Short Answer Practice Lesson: Easter Eggsdecoration that are 60,000 years old have been found in Africa. As far as historians know, the act of egg decoration did not have any religious origin and was just decorative. In Persian culture, eggs were sometimes painted by the whole family as they sat together preparing for the arrival of Spring and their New Year. And even today, people enjoy painting eggs without being at all religious.

Eventually, eggs which often symbolised Spring become connected to the celebration of Easter. In Europe, it was traditional to use dyed and painted chicken eggs at Easter, but a modern custom is to substitute chocolate eggs, or plastic eggs filled with confectionery such as jelly beans. Easter eggs are a widely popular symbol of new life in Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, and other Central European countries where they are concealed in the garden for children to find. The British Queen, Queen Victoria, was also known to enjoy egg hunts, organising them for her children inside Kensington Palace in London which brought the tradition to the UK. Eggs, in general, were a traditional symbol of fertility and rebirth. Some magic rituals, these days, often use eggs to promote fertility and restore virility (of the body and mind); and to foresee the future. The Easter Bunny is another symbol associated with Easter but the origin is unclear. Some people believe that the Easter Bunny came about because both eggs and rabbits are often seen as symbols of fertility. Others believe the Easter Bunny originated in Germany were it was a judge of how well behaved children had been by the start of the season. The naughty or nice theme for children can be seen again in the tradition of Santa Clause at Christmas. Nowadays, in many countries, the Easter bunny is responsible for bringing the children their Easter eggs.

In Russia, the incredible Peter Carl Faberge took the concept of eggs as decoration to another level. He created 50 Imperial Easter Eggs between 1885 to 1916. His remarkable eggs were made of gold, silver and other materials and were inlaid with pearls and precious gems, each egg completely unique and exquisite. Many of them have since disappeared from the world. I great loss to the world of art.

Questions 1-6  Short Answer Questions 

Answer the questions below. Choose no more than two words from the passage for each answer.

  1.  What is another name for an Easter Egg?
  2. What type of egg was used for decoration in the ancient world?
  3. What type of sweets were artificial eggs sometimes filled with?
  4. Where are egg hunts often conducted as part of a hide and seek game in some countries?
  5. By and large, what two things did eggs represent?
  6. What determined if children had been naughty or nice at the beginning of Spring.

Questions 7-11 Paraphrasing Vocabulary Practice

Find the synonym for the words below in the reading passage. Answers might not come in order.

  • 7. ceremonies
  • 8. sweets
  • 9. adorning
  • 10. originated
  • 11. carved / etched

Note: IELTS Reading does not contain specific vocabulary questions. I’ve including this as a language building exercise for paraphrasing.

ANSWERS

Click below to reveal the answers.

Answers

  1. PASCHAL (EGGS)
  2. OSTRICH (EGGS)
  3. JELLY BEANS
  4. GARDEN
    1. The use of brackets in answer keys means you can put the word in brackets in your answer or not – both options are correct. You can’t use brackets for your answers in the test, this is only in answer keys.
    2. “Kensington Palace” is not the answer because this only refers to the UK rather than some countries which means the answer actually is contained in the sentence before that.
  5. FERTILITY  REBIRTH
    1. using “and” would be wrong – just two words are needed.
    2. No punctuation is needed but would not be counted wrong if you used a comma
  6. EASTER BUNNY

Vocabulary Answers
See the list of vocabulary below to boost your paraphrasing skills.

  • 7. rituals
  • 8. confectionery
  • 9. decorating
  • 10. came about
  • 11. engraved

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IELTS Reading: Sentence Completion – Tips & Practice

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IELTS Reading Sentence Completion Practice with Essential Tips. These questions require excellent paraphrasing skills and the ability to locate information quickly. Below are two practice reading lessons with techniques for tackling the questions. Having the right approach is essential. IELTS reading is a time sensitive test – get used to the questions now so you can save time in your test.

IELTS Reading Sentence Completion Tips

These are usually a short collection of sentences which are incomplete. They have gaps in them which you need to fill with a word, words and possibly numbers.

Instructions for Sentence Completion Reading Questions

IELTS Reading Sentence Completion Question

You need to answer using No More than Three Words and/or a Number. This means you can have less that three words, three words but not more than three words (not four words). And your words can be with a number or it is possible to have a number only.

Not noticing the word limit is one reason people lose points this with type of question.

Essential Tips for Success

Many people think these types of questions are familiar and therefore not worth practicing. That is a big mistake. These questions can be very challenging. Read the tips below very carefully so that you get your mind into gear for this type of reading question.

Tip 1: Grammar

In the question, you can see there is a gap missing in the sentence. Grammar will definitely help you because the answer you add to the sentence must make the whole sentence grammatically correct. The grammar will tell you what type of answer fits in the gap. For example, if you see the word “a”. before the gap, you know you are looking for a noun.

  • We use articles (a/the) before some compound nouns, such as a book shop. Compound nouns are individual nouns made of two or more words.
  • We also use an article before an adjective with a noun, such as a white feather.
  • The article “a” also means you are looking for a countable noun, not an uncountable noun. For example, we cannot have a traffic congestion because traffic congestion is uncountable. Click here for a list of common uncountable nouns.

This with this knowledge, you can now look for a very specific word or words in the passage. Once you know what you need for your answer, return to the passage to locate the information in one of the paragraphs. Then analyse meaning of that area of the passage carefully to decide the answer.

Tip 2 – Keywords

The question will also have keywords which you need to identify. These keywords will help you locate the area of the passage where that information is located. These words can sometimes be words that have no paraphrase, in which case you can look directly for that word. For example, the word “penguin” has no equal so if it is in the question, you’ll also find it in the passage.

Other keywords might be paraphrased so prepare those paraphrases before you try to locate the answer in the passage. For example, in the image above of the example sentence completion question, one of the keywords is the word imminent and the other keyword would be water pollution. Those words will help you locate the answer.

Tip 3 – Paraphrasing

To locate the answer in the passage. This requires the use of your paraphrasing skills and this can involve synonyms. You might be looking in the passage for a single word with the same or similar meaning as in the question. Looking back at the image of the example sentence completion question, one of the keywords is imminent. What synonyms could be used to paraphrase that word in the passage? Well, possible synonyms are: impending, fast approaching, unavoidable, immediate. As you see, some of those words are perfect synonyms and others only similar in meaning depending on the context. Also, the paraphrase might not be one word matches one word, but instead it could be a phrase, for example, on the horizon or about to happen.

However, paraphrasing isn’t always about synonyms (matching words). Instead, it might be that the meaning is found scattered in various sentences. For example, water pollution might not be paraphrased with a synonym, but instead illustrated throughout three sentences:

There has been a lot contamination in various areas of the town. There have been reports of this in the central lakes around the city center which have affected trade for tourism. Furthermore, some of the rivers on the outskirts have also been hit.

Tip 4 – Read Around the Keywords 

This leads directly on from Tip 3. When you locate the sentence or sentences with the keywords in the passage, you must read around that area. Keywords are mostly about helping you locate the area of the passage that the answer is in. But deciding the correct answer might mean reading a few sentences before and after the keywords. So, you will read backwards and forwards in the passage to understand all details and context before deciding your answer. One of the biggest mistakes people make is focusing only on one sentence in the passage. Certainly, you can do that for some questions, but definitely not for all.

Tip 5 – Writing answers correctly

The answer will always be a word, words or numbers taken directly from the passage. You do not paraphrase or alter the word for your answer. You must write the precise word as it is shown in the passage. And don’t forget that spelling counts. Luckily, on the computer test, you can copy and paste words.

Tip 6 – Don’t waste time

Also note – answers will come in order in the passage. This is essential to know so that you don’t waste time reading all over the passage for an answer. If you struggle to find the answer to question 4, carry to to question 5 and then come back to question 4 after. Once you have the answer to question 5, you will know that you can find question 4 answer in the area of the passage between the answer for 3 and 5. Success in IELTS reading often relies on strategy. And strategy often relies on your knowledge of the test.

IELTS Reading Sentence Completion Practice Lessons

Below are two reading passages for you. The aim is to develop your understanding and technique to approach these types of reading questions. Enjoy!

Reading Practice Lesson 1

Neighbourhood Badgers

Badgers in gardens can be a delight. A nightly treat that householders all over the country look forward to. But for some, they are at the very least unwelcome visitors, threatening cherished pristine lawns and carefully cultivated vegetables because badgers find food where they can and have little respect for people’s efforts in gardening. Often unseen and unheard, they wander quietly into gardens at night, feeding on the earthworms, grubs, snails and slugs they find in lawns and borders before moving on. In their wake, they leave only the slightest clues, an odd small snuffle hole here and there, showing where they obviously sought out their nightly treat. If it is suspected there is a badger sett in a garden, expert advice should be sought. It’s easy to know if there is one by the many holes you’ll find which tunnel down to various living chambers in their underground sett. People should not try to interfere with them in this situation, as it is against the law. Badgers will not cause people any harm or pass on diseases so they should be left to live quietly in their residence but their presence should be reported to an expert who can rehome them if necessary.

There are some fascinating facts about badgers. Badgers are extremely clean animals and do not take food into their setts preferring to eat out in the open and retain a clean living area underground. They are remarkably suited to their purpose of digging, having powerful claws and limbs. American badgers even have a third eyelid that keeps out grains of sand and soil. Interestingly, the idiom we know as “to badger someone” comes from an old sport of Badger Baiting rather than their actual character. The idiom actually means to tell someone to do something or to question them again and again and again – incessantly without let up. No wonder badgers sometimes get such a bad rep.

Questions 1 -6: Use no more than two words and/or a number for your answer.

  1. While badgers are seen as a delight by some people, others see them as ………………IELTS Reading Sentence Completion Practice Lessson: About Badgers
  2. A ………….. is a sure way to know a badger has visited a garden.
  3. It is best  not to …………… with badgers if they have  made a home in your garden.
  4. Badgers do not transmit ………….. to humans.
  5. Badgers are built for digging and some also have a protective ……………….. .
  6. The idiom “to badger someone” is unrelated to the ……………….. of badgers.

VOCABULARY & ANSWERS

Click below for vocabulary review and answers.

Vocab Builder
  • cherished = to hold something dear to you / close to your heart
  • pristine = immaculate / unspoilt
  • lawn – garden
  • in their wake = what is left behind when someone leaves
  • grubs = larvae of insects
    • note, the word “grub” is also a very informal slang word sometimes used meaning “food”. For example, “My son loves his grub” means he loves his food.
  • snuffle = sniff / a noise made with the nose
  • badger sett = a badger home which has underground chambers connected by tunnels
  • limbs = arms and legs
ANSWERS
  1. UNWELCOME (VISITORS)
  2. SNUFFLE HOLE
  3. INTERFERE
  4. DISEASES
  5. (THIRD) EYELID
    1. In answer keys, the brackets are used to show when a word is optional in the answer.
    2. You cannot use brackets in your listening test.
  6. CHARACTER

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Reading Practice Lesson 2

Water Pollution

Clean and plentiful water provides the foundation for prosperous communities. We rely on clean water to survive, yet right now we are heading towards a water crisis. Changing climate patterns are threatening lakes and rivers, and key sources that we tap for drinking water are being overdrawn or tainted with pollution. NRDC experts are helping to secure safe and sufficient water for people and the environment by:

  • Promoting water efficiency strategies to help decrease the amount of water wasted;
  • Protecting our water from pollution by defending the Clean Water Act and advocating for solutions like green infrastructure;
  • Helping prepare cities, counties and states for water-related challenges they will face as a result of climate change; and
  • Ensuring that waterways have enough water to support vibrant aquatic ecosystems.

Dirty water is the world’s biggest health risk, and continues to threaten both quality of life and public health in the United States. When water from rain and melting snow runs off roofs and roads into our rivers, it picks up toxic chemicals, dirt, trash and disease-carrying organisms along the way. Many of our water resources also lack basic protection, making them vulnerable to pollution from factory farms, industrial plants, and activities like fracking. This can lead to drinking water contamination, habitat degradation and beach closures. NRDC is working to protect our water from pollution by:

  • Drawing on existing protections in the Clean Water Act, and working to ensure that the law’s pollution control programs apply to all important waterways, including headwater streams and wetlands, which provide drinking water for 117 million Americans;
  • Improving protections to reduce pollutants like bacteria and viruses, which threaten Americans’ health and well being; and
  • Establishing new pollution limits for top problem areas, such as sources of runoff and sewage overflows.

Questions 1-5

Complete the sentences below with the correct word(s) taken from the passage. Use no more than three words and/or a number.

  1. The keystone to any thriving society is to have …………..and ……….. water.
  2. With the increase in water pollution a ………………. is imminent.
  3. One way to help keep water clean is by the construction of …………………..
  4. Dirty water can be a ………………. as chemicals and other pollutants enter the water supply.
  5. Due to a lack of ……………….., some of our water resources are at risk of pollution.

Note: If you struggle with these questions, go back and read Tip 6 again.

Answers

Click to reveal the answers below:

Answers
  1. clean   plentiful
    1. you should not put the word “and” in your answer because it would make the sentence grammatically incorrect.
    2. you must have both words for a correct answer.
  2. (water) crisis
  3. green infrastructure
  4. health risk
  5. basic protection /protection
    1. In answer keys, optional answers are usually written like this – (basic) protection. The use of brackets shows the option or options for extra words in the answer. You cannot do this in your test. You must choose one answer only.

All reading exercises on ieltsliz.com have been written by myself to help you prepare for your IELTS test.   

Liz

Vocab Builder
  • foundation = keystone / bedrock
  • prosperous = thriving / flourishing
  • key = vital / critical / major
  • tainted = contaminated / polluted  / fouled / spoiled
  • advocating = backing / supporting
  • vibrant = alive / energetic
  • toxic = lethal / deadly / poisonous

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I hope you found the lessons useful. All the best, Liz

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IELTS Reading Tips: Strategies & Comprehension

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Let me explain about IELTS reading with regards to comprehending the passage and how to deal with long passages that are difficult to understand. The advice below is for the academic reading passages and also passage 3 of the GT paper, which is also a long passage.

I don’t have enough time to answer all questions in IELTS Reading

If you struggle with the time limit in IELTS reading, it is possible that you are not using the right strategies and approach. Many people spend too much time reading all the details in the reading passage instead of winning points by getting answers right. You need to have the right aims when you tackle a reading passage.

Do you need to remember and understanding it all?

Remembering:

How do I remember everything I have read?

The answer is – you don’t. IELTS reading is not about remembering what you have read or what each paragraph contains. First reading the question, then locate the area of the passage where the answer is found. Usually it is only a few sentences. You then check the question again to choose your answer. You don’t need to remember all the passage or even a long paragraph.

Comprehension:

How can I understand everything if the passage is long and difficult?

The answer is – you don’t. IELTS reading is not about understanding everything. It is about locating answers and winning points. Usually, as I said above, the answer is located in an area of the passage so all you need to do is understand those few sentences in the passage that relate to the question.

IELTS Reading Tips for Strategy

Skimming and Scanning Skills

Skimming

When you first get your reading passage, you should skim read it. This means you cast your eyes over the passage to get to know the general topic and content as well as to see the general layout of the passage. This should take less than 2 minutes. If you are spending more than 2 mins skim reading, it means you can’t skimming and need to review your understanding of this skill. You are not aiming to understand it, you just want to see what the passage is about before you tackle the questions. It’s like taking a quick peek before you get to the questions.

Scanning

After you skim read the passage, you go straight to the questions. Pay attention to what type of question type it is and remember your techniques and tips for that particular question type. Find a keyword or information in the question to help you locate the answer. You scan the passage by casting your eyes over the words to locate the key information from the question. This should be done with speed to spot a word or piece of information rather than understand each sentence.

Deciding your Answer

Once you locate the place in the passage that contains the answer, you read the sentences before and after to find your answer. This means you only need to understand those few sentences.  Then you move to the next question and do the same. You don’t need to understand the whole passage at all.

Time Management & Winning Points

You have only one hour for the whole reading test including putting all the answers into the computer or onto the answer sheet. You manage this time yourself. You can start where you want, jump questions and jump to different passages.

Each answer is worth only one point and your aim is to get as many points as possible. If you spend a lot of time on one answer, think about its value. Each answer is worth the same so choose how long you want to spend on different questions. And remember you can always leave a question unanswered to come back to it later.

Some questions are easier than others. For example, Matching Headings questions are notorious for taking a long time to answer. So, think about how long you want to spend on those questions.

Make sure you know how many points you need for the band score you are aiming at. Click here: IELTS Band Scores

IELTS Reading Steps

  1. skim the passage (read quickly to get general content and layout)
  2. read the questions
  3. identify the type of question
  4. remember your techniques and tips for that question type
  5. find a key word or information in the question to help you locate the answer in the passage
  6. scan the passage by passing your eyes over the paragraphs to find the key word or information from the question
  7. when you find the location, read the sentences before and after
  8. always read around the answer to check other information
  9. try to understand the few sentences around the location of the answer
  10. when you find the answer, move to the next question
  11. don’t spend too long trying to find one answer
  12. remember that each answer is only worth one point

Question Types

Have a clear strategy for each of the different question types. There are about 14 in total (it depends on how you categorise the question names). So, take a look at the list of question types and make sure you know how to deal with them: IELTS Reading Question Types: Tips and Information

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IELTS Reading: GM Foods Multiple Choice

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Below is a reading passage on GM foods which require you to answer multiple choice questions. This is a useful exercise to practise reading and build awareness of vocabulary for this topic.

Reading Passage: GM Food

Genetically modified food (GM food) is produced from plants which have had their genes tweaked in the lab. Scientists “cut and paste” a gene from another organism into a plant’s DNA to give it a new characteristic. This can be to increase yield or to allow the plant to exist in a more hostile environment than normal. Pro-GM scientists say this means cheaper more plentiful food but opponents argue we do not know the consequences of meddling with nature.

Farmers have modified their crops for thousands of years by crossing similar species. However, modern GM is controversial. Critics say the modified crops could “escape” and cross with wild plants, with unknown consequences. They also argue that more chemicals are used on some GM fields which may have a negative impact on wildlife. And while no study has found GM food to be harmful to humans, opponents say it is too soon to be sure.

A group of biotechnology experts say it is time to loosen Europe’s draconian regulations on genetically modified crops. In a report released today they argue that genetically modified crops have been used safely for decades, so no longer need to be automatically treated as unsafe. They also say that genetically modified crops should be reclaimed from multinational companies and treated as a public good.

Questions 1-5

Choose the best answer A-C to complete the sentence.

1. The genetic makeup of GM foods has been………

a) twisted.

b) altered.

c) cut.

2. By genetically engineering plants, they are……………

a) likely to increase in size.

b) able to produce more.

c) not able to exist in difficult conditions.

3. One issue with GM plants is the potential to………

a) breakout causing undetermined consequences.

b) infect wild plants with unknown results.

c) cross pollinate.

4. It is thought, by specialists in biotechnology that policies governing GM crops should be…….

a) tightened.

b) relaxed.

c) reviewed.

5. GM foods ought to be ……….

a) reclaimed for the use of multinational companies.

b) used safely.

c) no longer privatised.

ANSWERS

Click below:

Answers

  1. b
  2. b
  3. c
  4. b
  5. c

All reading exercises on ieltsliz.com have been written by myself to help you prepare for your IELTS test.   

Liz 

Vocabulary

  • tweak = adjust, modify, regular (the synonyms relate to the context)
  • cross with = reproduce with, cross pollinate
  • meddling with = interfering with
  • loosened = relaxed
  • regulations = rules / policies
  • experts = specialists
  • released = made public / issued / announced
  • draconian = strict / tough / harsh

Passage from: BBC News and New Scientist 14/03/14 

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GM Foods Topic – It is also possible to get this topic for writing task 2 or speaking part 3 in your IELTS test. Use this article to learn ideas and useful vocabulary.

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Choosing a Title IELTS Reading: Practice & Tips

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Choosing a title for IELTS reading is quite a common question type. This is a practise lesson for choosing headings in IELTS. You will be given a list of possible titles for the whole passage you must choose the one that you think most appropriate.

IELTS READING CHOOSING A TITLE QUESTION

This reading question is usually the last question you might get in a reading passage. It would come after all the other questions. Why?

The answer is because this question requires you to have insight into the whole passage, not just locate answers in part of the passage. So, by giving this question as the last question, you will have had time already to look at the passage and know the contents of the passage. So, it is given last as a way to help you.

Choosing a Title: Reading Instructions

Here is an example of what that question would look like in your test:

IELTS Reading Choosing a Title Question

You will be given a list of possible titles for the passage. You need to select the best one.

IELTS Reading Choosing a Title Question – Techniques

Read this list of tips to that you approach this type of question with the right techniques.

  1. Never try this type of question first. 
    • You need a depth of understanding of the whole passage to get the answer right so tackle it last.
  2. Read though the possible titles and pay attention to similarities and differences.
  3. Look at specific words that stand out.
    • For example, is the title referring to a city or an entire continent. Look at each word individually. 
    • Don’t skim read the possible titles. Analyse them carefully.
  4. Nearly all possible titles will seem appropriate at first because they will all relate to aspects of the passage.
  5. This question is NOT about matching an answer option to part of the passage or specific information found in the passage.
  6. This is about choosing a title that reflects the aims of the whole passage.
  7. This doesn’t mean that the title matches the start, middle and end – but that it is about the aims of the whole passage.
  8. You need to think carefully about what the role of a paragraph is to the whole passage. 
  9. Always look at the introduction sentence and concluding sentence of paragraphs to see if there is a similar message or whether the aim of the paragraph is different to the opening line.
  10. Your answer must be a letter, not the words. If you write the words, your answer will be marked wrong.

Choosing a Title Reading Passage

Note: to make this more realistic to an IELTS reading given in your test, I’ve added some Matching Paragraph Information Questions to this lesson.

A   Babies learn to see over a period of time, much like they learn to walk and talk. They are not born with all the visual abilities they need in life. The ability to focus their eyes, move them accurately, and use them together as a team must be learned. Also, they need to learn how to use the visual information the eyes send to their brain in order to understand the world around them and interact with it appropriately.

B   From birth, babies begin exploring the wonders of the world with their eyes. Even before they learn to reach and grab with their hands or crawl and sit-up, their eyes are providing information and stimulation important for their development. Healthy eyes and good vision play a critical role in how infants learn to see. This is why it is important that parents take this into consideration when preparing a new born baby’s room. Providing interesting visual stimulus is crucial for a baby’s visual development. This can include the use of colours, mobile toys and images.

C   Babies as young as two to three months have shown that they have some form of depth perception. One method researchers have used to study babies and depth perception is through using a “visual cliff”. A visual cliff consists of a glass platform that is raised a few feet off the floor. One half of the cliff has a shallow side, where there is a checkerboard pattern directly underneath glass. The “deep end” of the cliff shows the pattern several feet below, creating the impression of a drop-off. Researchers found that infants as young as two months showed changed in heart rate when lowered face down over the shallow and deep ends of the visual cliff. Specifically, the infants’ heart rates decreased when they were lowered over the deep end, and were changed when over the shallow end.  Note that this experiment does not show that infants this young are afraid of the deep side. Usually, a decrease in heart rate indicates interest, while fear leads to an increase in heart rate. The experimental differences in heart rate indicate the infants could perceive a difference between the deep and shallow ends of the visual cliff.

Questions 1- 4

Which paragraph contains the following information. Choose the right letter from the paragraphs above (A-C). Letters might be used more than once.

  1. Babies should have a room containing a lot of interesting things to look at.
  2. Infants have different physical responses to downward visual distances.
  3. Having moving visual stimulus and a range of hues is good for a baby’s vision development.
  4. Babies are not born with the visual ability of an adult.

Question 5

Which is the best title for the reading passage above? Choose the best title from the options below (A-D).

  • A   The importance of vision in babies
  • B   The role of vision to human development
  • C   The development of perception in babies
  • D   Research into visual cliffs

VOCABULARY AND ANSWER

Click below:

Vocabulary

  • grab (vb) = clutch / grasp / seize
  • crawl = move on their hands and knees
  • depth perception = able to see downward
  • shallow = thin / not deep
  • pattern = design
  • infant = child / pre-school toddler
Answer
  1. B
  2. C
  3. B
  4. A
  5.  C

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Matching Paragraph Information: IELTS Reading Exercise

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Matching paragraph information question in IELTS reading requires you to match the sentences given with information that is contained in different paragraphs. You must have strong skills of paraphrasing for this type of question. See if you can complete this practise lesson which I have written for you.

IELTS Reading Paragraph Matching Tips

There are two types of questions in IELTS reading that people confuse: Matching Headings and Matching Paragraph Information. They are not the same questions. Matching Headings requires you to choose the best heading for the paragraph. A heading is a title. Matching Paragraph Information requires you to locate specific information in one of the paragraphs.

  1. The question will be in the form of a statement containing information.
  2. The information in the statement given needs to be located in one of the paragraphs.
  3. The paragraphs in the reading passage will be labelled with letters: A, B, C etc.
  4. You need to locate the paragraph that contains the information given in the statement.
  5. Sometimes a single paragraph might contain the answer to more than one question. IELTS will always indicate this in the instructions:
    • Letters may be used more than once.
    • Always look out for that kind of instruction.
  6. Your answer will always be a letter. If you write any words, they will be marked wrong.
  7. Look for keywords in the question statement.
    • keywords are words that will help you find the same information in the passage.
  8. Keywords are often paraphrased.
    • Think about these possible paraphrases BEFORE you look at the passage to locate the answer.
  9. Answers do not come in order.
    • This means you could choose to tackle the questions in any order you want.
    • So, you could start with the easiest questions first
  10. Paragraphs usually have a central topic and that can help you decide which paragraph is likely to contain the information you are looking for.

IELTS Matching Paragraph Information Practice

Below is a reading lesson to practice Matching Paragraph Information questions.

Amundsen’s Expedition to the South Pole

A ) The first expedition to reach the geographic South Pole was led by the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. He and four others arrived at the pole on 14 December 1911, five weeks ahead of a British party led by Robert Falcon Scott as part of the Terra Nova Expedition. Amundsen and his team returned safely to their base, and later learned that Scott and his four companions had died on their return journey.

B ) Amundsen’s plans had focused on the Arctic and the conquest of the North Pole by means of an extended drift in an icebound ship. He obtained the use of Fridtjof Nansen’s polar exploration ship Fram, and undertook extensive fundraising. Preparations for this expedition were disrupted when, in 1909, the rival American explorers Frederick Cook and Robert E. Peary each claimed to have reached the North Pole. Amundsen then changed his plan and began to prepare for a conquest of the South Pole; uncertain of the extent to which the public and his backers would support him, he kept this revised objective secret. When he set out in June 1910, even most of his crew believed they were embarking on an Arctic drift.

C ) The expedition’s success was widely applauded. The story of Scott’s heroic failure overshadowed its achievement in the United Kingdom, unable to accept that a Norwegian had been the first person to set foot in the South Pole, but not in the rest of the world. Amundsen’s decision to keep his true plans secret until the last moment was criticised by some. Recent polar historians have more fully recognised the skill and courage of Amundsen’s party; the permanent scientific base at the pole bears his name, together with that of Scott. (passage from wiki)

Questions 1-6

In which paragraph (A-C) is the following information found. Letters may be used more than once.

  1. The success of Roald Amundsen was celebrated worldwide, except in one country.
  2. Amundsen only heard about the death of Scott after he had reached the South Pole.
  3. The base at the South Pole bears both Amundsen’s name and Scott’s.
  4. Amundsen had originally planned an expedition to the North Pole.
  5. When Amundsen decided to aim for the South Pole he did not reveal his intentions.
  6. The British did not celebrate Amundsen’s success as did other countries due to the death of Scott.

ANSWERS

Click below to reveal the answers.

ANSWERS

  1. C
  2. A
  3. C
  4. B
  5. B
  6. C

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IELTS Reading Question Types: Information & Tips

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A List of 14 Types of IELTS Reading Questions that can appear in your reading test with useful links and tips. In IELTS reading, you will have only one hour to read 3 passages and answer 40 questions. These questions are always divided into different types of questions which you must complete. You must know all the different types of IELTS reading questions so that you can build familiarity and develop techniques.

In order to prepare well for your test, you must make sure that you practice each type of IELTS reading question. Knowing how to tackle each type of question will save you valuable time in your reading test – can time is your worst enemy to conquer.

You’ll find links to some free practice lessons and tips below for each question type. You should also use the IELTS Cambridge test books which contain real past test papers published by IELTS.

IELTS Reading Question Types List & Tips

1. Matching Headings Questions: IELTS Reading

  • Task: Choose a heading from the list which matches a section or paragraph in the passage
  • Skills:
    • understanding the aim of a section
    • identifying the difference between a main idea and supporting points
    • understanding aims of paragraphs and sections
    • understanding general content of paragraphs or sections
  • Tips
    • read the headings before you read the passage
    • there are often more headings than you need
    • analyse the headings before trying to match them to sections or paragraphs
    • answers are often numerals (i, ii, iii, iv etc) – read instructions carefully to check
    • answers do not come in order
  • Matching Heading Practice Lesson
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2. True False Not Given / Yes No Not Given Questions: IELTS Reading

  • Task: Decide if the information or writer’s opinion in the question statements can be found in the passage
  • Skills:
    • identifying specific information in the passage
    • scanning and understanding information (T/F/NG questions)
    • understanding the opinions of the writer (Y/N/NG questions)
  • Tips
    • Understand the meaning of each answer
      • yes / true = the same information is found in the passage
      • no / false = the opposite information is found in the passage
      • not given = the information is not found in the passage
    • paraphrase the statements before trying to locate the answers
    • answers come in order
  • True, False Not Given Practice
  • Yes, No Not Given Practice
  • All FREE Reading Practice Lessons

3. Matching Paragraph Information Questions: IELTS Reading

  • Task: Matching the information given in the question with information found in one of the paragraphs in the passage.
  • Skills:
    • identifying specific information
    • scanning for information
  •  Tips:
    • paraphrase the information in the question
    • find the information in the passage
    • answers do not come in order
    • the answer is often a letter (A, D, C, D…) – read instructions carefully to check
    • not all paragraphs may be used
  • Matching Paragraph Information Practice Lessons
  • All FREE Reading Practice Lessons

4. Summary Completion Questions: IELTS Reading

  • Task: Completing a summary by filling in the gaps using words from the passage or words given in a box
  • Skills:
    • scanning for specific information in the passage
    • understanding ideas and supporting points
    • selecting appropriate words
  • Tips:
    • identify the type of word needed for each gap (noun/verb/adjective etc)
    • locate the information in the passage in order to choose the right word
    • if you choose words from the passage, check how many words can be used for each answer
    • answers usually come in order
    • the summary must be grammatically correct which can help you in choosing the right word for the gap
  • Summary Completion Practice Lesson
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5. Sentence Completion Questions: IELTS Reading

  • Task: Completing sentences by filling in the gap with words from the passage
  • Skills:
    • scanning for specific information
    • selecting appropriate words
    • understanding information in the passage
  • Tips:
    • identify the type of word needed for each gap (noun/verb/adjective etc)
    • locate the information in the passage in order to choose the right word
    • the sentences must be grammatically correct which can help you in choosing the right word for the gap
    • check how many words can be used for each answer
    • answers usually come in order
  • Sentence Completion Practice Lesson
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6. Multiple Choice Questions: IELTS Reading

  • Task: Choose the correct answer to a question or the correct ending to a sentence from usually 3 or 4 possible options.
  • Skills:
    • scanning for specific Information
    • understanding information in the passage
  • Tips:
    • paraphrase the information in the question and options
    • locate the precise information in the passage
    • answers come in order
    • answers are usually letters (A,B,C or D) – read the instructions carefully to check
  • Multiple Choice Practice Lesson
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7. List Selection: IELTS Reading

  • Task: Choose the correct option from a list of words, information or names. This differs from multiple choice because the questions all relate to only one long list of possible answers.
  • Skills:
    • scanning for information
    • understanding information in the passage
    • identifying ideas relating to others
  • Tips:
    • read through the list and prepare paraphrases
    • read through the questions and identify key words
    • locate the information in the passage
    • answers come in order
    • answers are usually letters (A-G) – read the instructions carefully to check

8. Choosing a Title: IELTS Reading

  • Task: Choosing the most appropriate title from a list for the whole passage
  • Skills:
    • identifying aims of a passage
    • distinguishing between detail and main aims
  • Tips
    • look at the differences between the possible titles
    • pay attention to the opening paragraphs and closing paragraphs of the passage
    • don’t spend too much time on this question – it is only worth one point
  • Choosing a Title Practice
  • All FREE Reading Practice Lessons

9. Classification / Categorisation Questions in IELTS Reading

  • Task: Decide which category the information in a statement belongs to from a list. IELTS call this question: Matching Features.
  • Skills:
    • locating information in the passage
    • categorising information
  • Tips:

10. Matching Sentence Endings: IELTS Reading

  • Task: Incomplete sentences with a list of possible endings. You must choose which ending is correct from the given in a list.
  • Skills:
    • locating information in the passage
    • understanding information
  • Tips:
    • read through the sentences and then read through the possible endings
    • prepare paraphrases
    • find information in the passage
    • choose the best ending to match the information in the passage
    • the completed sentence must be grammatically correct
    • sentence beginnings follow the order of information the passage
    • answers are usually letters (A-G) – read instructions carefully to check
    • there are usually more endings given than you need
  • Matching Sentence Endings Practice Lesson
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11. Table Completion: IELTS Reading

  • Task: Completing the table using the correct word from the passage.
  • Skills:
    • locating specific information in the passage
    • choosing appropriate words
    • understanding details
  • Tips:
    • read the column headings in the table
    • identify the type of word needed for each part of the table
    • scan the passage for information
    • answers are often located in a specific part of the passage
    • check how many words you can use for the answer
  • Passage Coming Soon

12. Flow Chart Completion Questions: IELTS Reading

  • Task: Completing the flow chart using the correct words from the passage.
  • Skills:
    • locating specific information in the passage
    • choosing appropriate words
    • understanding details and order of information
  • Tips:
    • identify the type of word needed for each part of the flow chart
    • scan the passage for information
    • answers do not always come in order
    • use the direction of the arrows and boxes to follow the order of information in the chart
    • select the appropriate words from the passage
    • check the number of words that can be used for each answer
  • Passage Coming Soon

13. Diagram Completion Questions: IELTS Reading

  • Task: Labelling a diagram
  • Skills:
    • locating information in the passage
    • relating the information to the diagram
    • choosing appropriate words
  • Tips
    • identify the type of word needed for the answer (noun / verb etc)
    • find the information in the passage
    • the information is usually located in one specific paragraph or two in the passage
    • check how many words you can use for the answer
    • answer do not always come in order

14. Short Answer Questions: IELTS Reading

  • Task: Answering questions regarding details in the passage.
  • Skills:
    • locating information in the passage
    • understanding detail and specific information
  • Tips:
    • identify the type of words you need for each answer (noun,verb etc)
    • paraphrase vocabulary in the questions
    • scan the passage to locate information
    • check how many words you can use for the answers
    • answers come in order
  • Short Answer Questions Practice Lesson
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