This reading practice lesson is based on IELTS Yes, No, NG Questions. The approach is the same as the TFNG questions. The only difference is that this is about the writer’s opinions. You need to think what the writer is implying and what the writer is trying to say.

Tips:

1. Skim reading the passage paying attention to keywords, and the opening and closing lines of each paragraph.
2. Then read the questions.
3. Do not look for the answers until you have thoroughly analysed the questions. You must know what a YES answer is, what a NO answer is and what a NG is before you look for the answer.
4. Scan the passage looking for keywords to locate the information in the passage.
5. Read around that location. Sometimes answers are based on more than one sentence.

Passage: The History of Sugar

It is thought that cane sugar was first used by man in Polynesia from where it spread to India. In 510 BC the Emperor Darius of what was then Persia invaded India where he found “the reed which gives honey without bees”.  The first sugar was recorded in England in 1099. The subsequent centuries saw a major expansion of western European trade with the East, including the importation of sugar. Sugar was expensive and only used as a luxury item by those who could afford it. Columbus sailed to the Americas, the “New World” and in in 1493 he took sugar cane plants to grow in the Caribbean. The climate there was so advantageous for the growth of the cane that an industry was quickly established.

This food, which nobody needed, but everyone craved, drove the formation of the modern of the world. There was a huge demand for labour to cultivate the massive sugar plantations in Brazil and the Caribbean. This need was met by a transatlantic slave trade, which resulted in around 12,570,000 human beings being shipped from Africa to the Americas between 1501 and 1867.

In many ways, the story of sugar and tobacco are closely aligned. Both products were initially produced through slave labour, and were originally seen to be beneficial to health. And although both sugar and tobacco have ancient origins, it was their sudden, mass consumption from the mid-17th century onwards that created the health risks we associate with them today. But in the 21st century, the grip of sugar is stronger than comparable scourges like tobacco, or even alcohol. Sugar is not only ubiquitous – it is potentially responsible for approximately 20% of the caloric content of modern diets – but also central to the world’s economy and cultural heritage.

The effect sugar has on our health is considerable. A high intake of sugar causes our blood sugar levels to shoot up, giving us that feel-good ‘high’ followed by a crashing slump that leaves us tired, irritable and craving more sugary foods. It’s a vicious cycle that may be contributing to our weight problems as well as health conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

Source: An adaptation of three sources: BBCGoodFood, Sucrose.com, and iflscience.com

Questions 1-7: YES / NO/ NOT GIVEN

1. The Emperor Darius invaded India to find sugar cane.
2. Sugar was a common food item for people in western Europe after it was introduced in England in 1099.
3. The weather in the Caribbean was conducive to the growth of sugar cane.
4. The slave trade was fuelled by the sugar industry.
5. In ancient times, both sugar and tobacco were considered a health risk.
6. 20% of all people are addicted to sugar these days.
7. The “high” people get from sugar can be compared to alcohol.

Answers

Click below to open the answers.

Answers

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I hope you found this lesson useful 🙂

All the best

Liz

This reading lesson is based on Sentence Completion questions that are very common in IELTS reading, both GT and Academic.

Reading Exercise: Procrastination

Procrastination refers to the voluntary postponement of an unpleasant task, often against one’s better judgement (Steel, 2007). There are a few reasons for procrastination. One reason is the lack of imposed direction that’s become common in the workplace. People tend to dawdle in completing a task when they are not given set deadlines and goals. The most significant predictor of procrastination is a task that’s considered unpleasant, boring, or uninteresting. The less people are interested in their task, the less effort they put into completing it. Furthermore, avoidance is a well-known form of coping with anxiety. Procrastinators may postpone getting started because of their doubts and a fear of failure. Finally, when difficulties arise, people with weak self-confidence easily develop doubts about their ability to accomplish the task at hand, while those with strong beliefs are more likely to continue their efforts. When low self-confidence causes people to avoid activities, they miss opportunities to acquire new knowledge and skills. All these reasons are typical of procrastination. However, there is one other reason not mentioned so far and that is passive aggressive behaviour. These people use avoidance tactics to express their anger in a non-confrontational way by purposely not completing their task which they know might cause problems for others.

Source: Adapted  from psychologytoday.com. Parts of this passage have been altered from the original to suit the lesson.

Questions 1-5: Complete the sentences using no more than two words and/or a number.

1. People may procrastinate if they are not given clear aims and …………………
2. Without an interest in what they are doing, people might not put enough …………. into it.
3. People may delay beginning their task because of a ………..of …………
4. Some people avoid learning new skills due to  ………………
5. Passive aggressive people procrastinate to convey ………..

Answers

Click below to reveal the answers:

Answers

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I hope you enjoyed the topic. Procrastination is a common problem for many people – don’t let that happen with your IELTS preparation 🙂

All the best

Liz