IELTS Short Answer Questions: Reading Practice

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

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AnswersVocabulary Answers

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IELTS Listening: Section 4 Practice

IELTS Listening Section 4 is an educational lecture below are tips and a practice lesson to help you prepare. All candidates take the same listening test so this is the same for Academic and GT candidates. This is the most difficult section of the listening test. The listening exercise below is based on section 4 and it focuses on short answer questions. It is possible to get any question type in section 4.

IELTS Listening Section 4 Tips

  1. Section 4 is an academic talk by one speaker, a lecture.
    • Please note, for candidates taking the General Training IELTS Test, you will be taking the same listening test and the same speaking test as the Academic candidates.
  2. Academic lectures are usually structured:
    • Introduction – what the talk main points will be
    • Middle
      • Main Points with Detailed and Examples
    • Conclusion – a summary
    • This logical organisation of information will help you.
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  3. Signposts:
    • As the speaker moves from one point to another, they will say things like:
      • Looking at X
      • Moving on to Y
      • Another interesting point is …
    • You need to pay attention to these words.
  4. Linking words
    • Talks will also use linking words to add information, give an opposite point or give an example. All these words will help you understand the information and follow the points. Example words:
      • Firstly, Secondly, Thirdly
      • Also, in addition, moreover, furthermore
      • by contrast, conversely, on the other hand
      • for example, such as, like, namely
    • You can find a list of common linking words on this page: Linking WordsAlthough the page is for writing task 2, they are formal linking words used for formal talks as well.
  5. Academic talks contain vocabulary relevant to the topic. Such vocabulary often isn’t paraphrased, which can be very useful in navigating the recording.
  6. Don’t try to understand everything. Focus on listening for answers only
  7. Predict the type of answer you need to listen for.
  8. Listen out for paraphrases of common words.
  9. For the listening practice below, answers will come in order
  10. Section 4 usually has 10 questions. The lesson below is a practice lesson rather than a test. The aim is for you to get used to the language and layout of listening section 4.

When you finish your listening practice, listening again and read the transcript at the same time. Answers are given below.

Practice for IELTS Listening Section 4

Section 4 Practice Lesson

Dolphin Intelligence

Questions 1-6: Write no more than three words and/or a number.

1. The lecture will concentrate on tools, communication, sonar and what other aspect of dolphin intelligence?
2. How big is the brain of the bottle-nosed dolphin?
3. What other species use tools?
4. What can dolphins copy from other species?
5. Can dolphins see out of the water?
6. What does a dolphin hear through?

RECORDING:

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TRANSCRIPT & ANSWERS

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TranscriptAnswersVocabulary

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Short Answer Questions: IELTS Listening Practice

IELTS Listening Practice: Short Answer Questions. These questions can appear in any section of the IELTS listening test. You are required to listen to the recording and spot the answer to the question given.

Read through the questions before you listen to the audio. Predict the type of answer you need to listen for and underline any key words that might help you find the answer. Also prepare paraphrases as this is the key to IELTS.

IELTS Listening Short Answer Question Tips

  1. Check the title of the listening because they will tell you the type of language you are likely to hear.
  2. Note keywords in the question that:
    • tell you the type of word you need to listening for, such as a noun, verb, adjective or number
    • indicates the answer is coming in the recording
  3. Words given in the question are likely to be paraphrased.
  4. Pay attention to the word count for the answer.
  5. Get the answer from the recording – you need the precise word or words.
  6. The answers come in order.

IELTS Listening Short Answer Questions Practice

Listening Practice 1

Dashwood Sports Center

Questions 1-5: Write no more than two words and/or a number.

1. What time does the center open?
2. What kind of sports equipment does it sell?
3. How long do you have to return faulty items?
4. Who can give advice?
5. What time does it close on Tuesdays?

RECORDING:

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TRANSCRIPT & ANSWERS

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Transcript

Answers

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Listening Practice 2

Superbugs 

Questions 1-8: Answers should be no more than two words and/or a number.

  1. Which mammals are often considered to be the strongest?
  2. How much weight in comparison to their body’s weight can a leaf-cutter ant pull?
  3. What animal was present on Earth when ants emerged?
  4. What are ant societies called?
  5. How much of the Earth’s biomass do ants make up?
  6. A dung beetle can pull the equivalent to what as a human being?
  7. What type of sound do dung beetles mostly use as communication?
  8. How much cattle dung are dung beetles thought to bury in some areas of Texas?

RECORDING:

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Vocabulary Focus Questions

Questions 9-13

Listening again to spot the paraphrases in the recording for the following words. Your answer should be one word only. These types of questions do NOT come in IELTS listening, but they are a great practice exercise for you.

  • 9. impressive
  • 10. pieces
  • 11. lorry
  • 12. audial
  • 13. waste

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TRANSCRIPT & ANSWERS

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IELTS Listening: Short Answer Questions

Prepare the questions below by underlining keywords and paraphrasing before you listen to the recording.

Reading City Travel Information

Questions 1-3

Answer using no more than two words and/or a number.

1. How long is the journey from Heathrow to Reading by express bus?
2. On the intercity from Paddington, which stop is Reading?
3. How long is the train journey from London to Reading?

Recording

Answers

Transcript

 

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