READING MODULE

READING MODULE

IELTS Academic Reading

1. The reading test for IELTS Academic has 40 questions in 3 sections that need to
be completed in 60 minutes

Reading
2. Each section contains one long text.
3. Texts are authentic and are taken from books, journals, magazines and

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newspapers. They have been written for a non-specialist audience and are on
academic topics of general interest.
4. Texts are appropriate to, and accessible to, candidates entering undergraduate
or postgraduate courses or seeking professional registration.
5. Texts range from the descriptive and factual to the discursive and analytical.
Texts may contain non-verbal materials such as diagrams, graphs or illustrations.
If texts contain technical terms, then a simple glossary is provided.
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READING MODULE

SKIMMING
1. Skimming means reading a text very quickly (for gist) to get the general understanding and
to get an overall idea about the passage.
2. It helps you to skip those areas of the passage where there is least probability to find the

Reading
answer of question.
3. For successful skimming you have to first identify what you are looking for - answers.

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4. But to find an answer, you cannot find the exact sentence (as it appears in the questions) in
the passage.
5. Read the first paragraph attentively to get an idea of what will be discussed in the text.
6. Read the first (and sometimes the second) sentence of each paragraph - they give the main
idea of the paragraph. Also, read the last two sentences of each paragraph as they often
have the answers to the question asked.
7. After you have read the first and last sentences, your eyes should drop down to the end of
the paragraph, looking for important pieces of information, such as dates and names.
8. Read the last paragraph attentively as it may contain the summary.
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READING MODULE

Reading
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READING MODULE

SCANNING
1. Scanning means searching for specific phrases in the text to answer some questions.
2. Underline the important information while reading the text (dates, numbers, names

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etc.)
3. When you read the question, identify the key word and scan the text for it. This way

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you’ll find the answer more quickly.
4. Highlight names, numbers (years and dates) if any to help locate answers quickly.
5. Make sure to also take action words into consideration while looking for answers.
6. Mark the words that are repeated periodically in the passage. These words may
help you locate the right answer.
7. Note down the headings, subheadings, or other important information, if provided.
8. Identify keywords in questions that give a hint about what you need to find in
the passage.
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READING MODULE

Reading
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READING MODULE
Questions 5-10 THE WAY THE BRAIN WORKS
Do the following statements agree Supermarkets take great care over the way the goods they sell are arranged. This is because
with the information given in the they know a lot about how to persuade people to buy things.
reading passage? When yon enter a supermarket, it takes some time for the mind to get into a shopping mode.
Write This is why the area immediately inside the entrance of a supermarket is known as the
‘decompression zone’. People need to slow down and take stock of the surroundings, even if
TRUE if the statement agrees
they are regulars. Supermarkets do not expect to sell much here, so it tends to be used more

Reading
with the information for promotion. So the large items piled up here are designed to suggest that there are bargains
FALSE if the statement further inside the store, and shoppers are not necessarily expected to buy them. Walmart, the
contradicts the information world’s biggest retailer, famously employs ‘greeters’ at the entrance to its stores. A friendly


NOT GIVEN  if there is no welcome is said to cut shoplifting. It is harder to steal from nice people.
Immediately to the left in many supermarkets is a ‘chill zone’, where customers can enjoy
information on this browsing magazines, books and DVDs. This is intended to tempt unplanned purchases and
slow customers down. But people who just want to do their shopping quickly will keep walking
5. The ‘greeters’ at Walmart increase ahead, and the first thing they come to is the fresh fruit and vegetables section. However, for
sales. shoppers, this makes no sense. Fruit and vegetables can be easily damaged, so they should be
6. People feel better about their bought at the end, not the beginning, of a shopping trip. But psychology is at work
here: selecting these items makes people feel good, so they feel less guilty about reaching for
shopping if they buy fruit and less healthy food later on.
vegetables before they buy other Shoppers already know that everyday items, like milk, arc invariably placed towards the back of
food. a store to provide more opportunity to tempt customers to buy things which are not on their
7. In-store bakeries produce a wider shopping list. This is why pharmacies are also generally at the back. But supermarkets know
shoppers know this, so they use other tricks, like placing popular items halfway along a section
range of products than central
so that people have to walk all along the aisle looking for them. The idea is to boost ‘dwell
bakeries. time’: the length of time people spend in a store.
READING MODULE
READING MODULE
Questions 5-10 THE WAY THE BRAIN WORKS
Do the following statements agree Having walked to the end of the fruit-and-vegetable aisle, shoppers arrive at counters of prepared food,
with the information given in the the fishmonger, the butcher and the deli. Then there is the in-store bakery, which can be smelt before it is
seen. Even small supermarkets now use in store bakeries. Mostly these bake pre-prepared items
reading passage? and frozen ingredients which have been delivered to the supermarket previously, and their numbers have
Write increased, even though central bakeries that deliver to a number of stores are much more efficient. They
TRUE if the statement agrees do it for the smell of freshly baked bread, which arouses people’s appetites and thus encourages them to
purchase not just bread but also other food, including ready meals.

Reading
with the information Retailers and producers talk a lot about the ‘moment of truth’. This is not a philosophical idea, but the
FALSE if the statement point when people standing in the aisle decide to buy something and reach to get it. At the instant coffee
contradicts the information section, for example, branded products from the big producers are arranged at eye level while cheaper


ones are lower down, along with the supermarket’s own label products.
NOT GIVEN  if there is no But shelf positioning is fiercely fought over, not just by those trying to sell goods, but also by those
information on this arguing over how best to manipulate shoppers. While many stores reckon eye level is the top spot, some
think a little higher is better. Others think goods displayed at the end of aisles sell the most because they
have the greatest visibility. To be on the right-hand side of an eye-level selection is often considered the
8. Supermarkets find right-handed very best place, because most people are right-handed and most people’s eyes drift rightwards. Some
people easier to persuade than left- supermarkets reserve that for their most expensive own-label goods.
Scott Bearse, a retail expert with Deloitte Consulting in Boston, Massachusetts, has led projects observing
handed people. and questioning tens of thousands of customers about how they feel about shopping. People say they
9. The most frequent reason for leave shops empty- handed more often because they are ‘unable to decide’ than because prices are too
leaving shops without buying high, says Mr Bearse. Getting customers to try something is one of the best ways of getting them to buy,
adds Mr Bearse. Deloitte found that customers who use fitting rooms in order to try on clothes buy the
something is price. product they are considering at a rate of 8j% compared with 58% for those that do not do so.
10. ‘Decoy’ items are products which Often a customer struggling to decide which of two items is best ends up not buying either. In order to
the store expects customers to avoid a situation where a customer decides not to buy either product, a third ‘decoy’ item, which is not
quite as good as the other two, is placed beside them to make the choice easier and more pleasurable.
choose. Happier customers are more likely to buy.
READING MODULE
READING MODULE
Questions 5-10 THE WAY THE BRAIN WORKS
Do the following statements agree Supermarkets take great care over the way the goods they sell are arranged. This is because
with the information given in the they know a lot about how to persuade people to buy things.
reading passage? (Ans.) When yon enter a supermarket, it takes some time for the mind to get into a shopping mode.
Write This is why the area immediately inside the entrance of a supermarket is known as the
‘decompression zone’. People need to slow down and take stock of the surroundings, even if
TRUE if the statement agrees
they are regulars. Supermarkets do not expect to sell much here, so it tends to be used more

Reading
with the information for promotion. So the large items piled up here are designed to suggest that there are bargains
FALSE if the statement further inside the store, and shoppers are not necessarily expected to buy them. Walmart, the
contradicts the information world’s biggest retailer, famously employs ‘greeters’ at the entrance to its stores. A friendly


NOT GIVEN  if there is no welcome is said to cut shoplifting. It is harder to steal from nice people.
Immediately to the left in many supermarkets is a ‘chill zone’, where customers can enjoy
information on this browsing magazines, books and DVDs. This is intended to tempt unplanned purchases and
slow customers down. But people who just want to do their shopping quickly will keep walking
5. The ‘greeters’ at Walmart increase ahead, and the first thing they come to is the fresh fruit and vegetables section. However, for
sales. NOT GIVEN shoppers, this makes no sense. Fruit and vegetables can be easily damaged, so they should be
6. People feel better about their bought at the end, not the beginning, of a shopping trip. But psychology is at work
here: selecting these items makes people feel good, so they feel less guilty about reaching for
shopping if they buy fruit and less healthy food later on.
vegetables before they buy other Shoppers already know that everyday items, like milk, arc invariably placed towards the back of
food. TRUE a store to provide more opportunity to tempt customers to buy things which are not on their
7. In-store bakeries produce a wider shopping list. This is why pharmacies are also generally at the back. But supermarkets know
shoppers know this, so they use other tricks, like placing popular items halfway along a section
range of products than central
so that people have to walk all along the aisle looking for them. The idea is to boost ‘dwell
bakeries. NOT GIVEN time’: the length of time people spend in a store.
READING MODULE
READING MODULE
Questions 5-10 THE WAY THE BRAIN WORKS
Do the following statements agree Having walked to the end of the fruit-and-vegetable aisle, shoppers arrive at counters of prepared food,
with the information given in the the fishmonger, the butcher and the deli. Then there is the in-store bakery, which can be smelt before it is
seen. Even small supermarkets now use in store bakeries. Mostly these bake pre-prepared items
reading passage? (Ans.) and frozen ingredients which have been delivered to the supermarket previously, and their numbers have
Write increased, even though central bakeries that deliver to a number of stores are much more efficient. They
TRUE if the statement agrees do it for the smell of freshly baked bread, which arouses people’s appetites and thus encourages them to
purchase not just bread but also other food, including ready meals.

Reading
with the information Retailers and producers talk a lot about the ‘moment of truth’. This is not a philosophical idea, but the
FALSE if the statement point when people standing in the aisle decide to buy something and reach to get it. At the instant coffee
contradicts the information section, for example, branded products from the big producers are arranged at eye level while cheaper


ones are lower down, along with the supermarket’s own label products.
NOT GIVEN  if there is no But shelf positioning is fiercely fought over, not just by those trying to sell goods, but also by those
information on this arguing over how best to manipulate shoppers. While many stores reckon eye level is the top spot, some
think a little higher is better. Others think goods displayed at the end of aisles sell the most because they
have the greatest visibility. To be on the right-hand side of an eye-level selection is often considered the
8. Supermarkets find right-handed very best place, because most people are right-handed and most people’s eyes drift rightwards. Some
people easier to persuade than left- supermarkets reserve that for their most expensive own-label goods.
Scott Bearse, a retail expert with Deloitte Consulting in Boston, Massachusetts, has led projects observing
handed people. NOT GIVEN and questioning tens of thousands of customers about how they feel about shopping. People say they
9. The most frequent reason for leave shops empty- handed more often because they are ‘unable to decide’ than because prices are too
leaving shops without buying high, says Mr Bearse. Getting customers to try something is one of the best ways of getting them to buy,
adds Mr Bearse. Deloitte found that customers who use fitting rooms in order to try on clothes buy the
something is price. FALSE product they are considering at a rate of 8j% compared with 58% for those that do not do so.
10. ‘Decoy’ items are products which Often a customer struggling to decide which of two items is best ends up not buying either. In order to
the store expects customers to avoid a situation where a customer decides not to buy either product, a third ‘decoy’ item, which is not
quite as good as the other two, is placed beside them to make the choice easier and more pleasurable.
choose. FALSE Happier customers are more likely to buy.
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IELTS Writing Task 1 vs. IELTS Writing Task 2

IELTS Academic Writing Task 2 involves composing a formal five paragraph essay in forty 40
minutes. The first section i.e. Writing Task should take you only 20 minutes. Why spend more

Writing
time on IELTS Writing Task 2? This basic comparison offers a few reasons:
Points: Task 2 counts more towards your Writing band score

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Task 1 = 1/3rd of your score
Task 2 = 2/3rds of your score
Word count minimums: Task 2 is longer
Task 1 = 150 word minimum
Task 2 = 250 word minimum
Planning your response: Task 2 questions require more thought
Task 1 = transfer of information from a visual into writing
Task 2 = answer an open/abstract question with no clear or “correct” answer
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IELTS Writing
 The IELTS Academic Writing test is made up of two tasks, Writing Task 1 and Writing
Task 2. The questions in the Academic Writing test are different to those in the
General Training Writing test.

Writing
 In Academic Writing Task 1, you will be shown a visual representation of
information; a graph, table, chart or diagram, and you are asked to summarise,


describe or explain the information you see. Make sure you organise your response
into three main parts, the introduction, an overview and the main features supported
by figures from the diagram.
 In Academic Writing Task 2, you will be presented with a point of view, argument,
or problem. The topics can range from the environment to immigration, culture, and
even technology. You might be asked to, agree or disagree with a point of view or
argument, discuss two opposing views, write about the advantages or disadvantages
of a topic, or explain a given problem, or the cause of a problem and offer a solution.
Your response for Academic Writing Task 2 will need to be in an essay format.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 2 (Adv. & Disadv. Essay)

In this section, we will look at the overall structure of an IELTS Writing Task 2 response.

Writing
Before we get to that, however, let’s take a look at a Sample Task 2 question. Read it over
and take a moment to think: How would you respond?

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Question

Nowadays many people have access to computers and a large number of children enjoy playing
video games.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of playing video games for children?
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Sample Answer for Writing Task 2 (Adv. & Disadv. Essay)

In today's world where we all have access to the internet, more and
more children are playing computer games and their popularity is

Writing
increasing all the time. This essay will look at the positive aspects these
games can have and also the negative effects on children.

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Firstly, as education is becoming more demanding for many young
people, computer games can provide a way of relaxing and reducing
stress. Computer games can take us into different worlds where we can
escape from reality. In addition to this, computer games today are very
advanced and can help children develop their thinking skills. Instructions
need to be understood and games often include complicated problems
which need to be solved.
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Sample Answer for Writing Task 2 (Cont.)

However, there are also many problems with the increasing popularity of
computer games. Many children become addicted to them and they play for
hours, sometimes through the night. In South Korea, the government has banned

Writing
children from playing games after midnight as the problem was so great and the
effect on education was very negative. Furthermore, some children find it difficult

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to identify what is real and what is virtual. Some people argue that this has led to a
rise in crime inspired by video games. This is not proven, but it is undeniable that
games today can be very violent.
To sum up, there are both advantages and disadvantages with computer games
and it seems that parents need to exercise caution and monitor their children's
activity as some games may be more suitable than others.

(252 words)