IELTS Academic Reading Test: Preparation Tips with Academic Reading Score

For preparing the IELTS Academic Reading section, taking an IELTS reading mock test can be very beneficial. But, before we get into that, let's understand what IELTS actually is.

The IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is an internationally accepted English language test for non-native English-speakers to study, migrate, and work in English-speaking countries. The test has two modules: IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. IELTS Academic is taken by students who plan to study in English-speaking countries. The test consists of four sections: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The IELTS Academic Reading section is a vital and compulsory section of the IELTS Academic test. 

The ‘Reading’ test assesses English skills including the student’s ability to read passages and recognize the writer’s opinion, attitude, reasoning, and argument. The 60-minute-long examination tests the proficiency of students in understanding the important ideas, opinions, and details in a passage. It has 3 sections and 40 questions related to the passage. The passage topics are not of general interest but are academic in nature.

Understanding IELTS Reading Section

The IELTS Reading section tests your ability to comprehend and interpret written texts. The IELTS reading section is part of both the IELTS Academic test and the IELTS General Training tests.

IELTS Academic:

• Content: Includes three long texts from books, journals, or newspapers.
• Purpose: Assesses academic reading skills necessary for higher education.

IELTS General Training:

• Content: Consists of three sections, with texts taken from notices, advertisements, or workplace documents.
• Purpose: Evaluates practical reading skills needed in everyday life and workplace environments.

IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test

Students should keep the following points in mind when taking the Academic Reading Practice test:

• The Academic Reading test takes 60 minutes to complete. 
• There will be three sections, each with a long text ranging from 2,150 to 2,750 words.
• The exam questions are based on journal, newspaper, and magazine articles and these topics will be of general interest.
• Non-verbal resources such as graphs, tables, and diagrams may be included in the text.
• If there is any jargon in the text, a separate vocabulary is provided for it.
• Multiple-choice, matching information, matching sentences, flow chart completion, table completion, and other question types are available depending on the content provided. 
• There will be a total of 40 questions with one mark for each correct answer. Scores out of 40 are converted to nine bands, which are given in full or half band format.

Types of Questions in IELTS Academic Reading Test

• Short answer type questions
• Multiple-choice questions
• Sentence/note completion questions
• Complete the table type questions
• Label the diagram type of questions

Matching type questions, which include matching the sentence endings, matching the features type questions, matching the heading type questions, completing the summary type questions, and True/False/Not Given or Yes/No/Not Given type questions.

Computer-Delivered IELTS Academic Reading Test

The computer-delivered IELTS test has no difference in terms of content, format, difficulty level, or scoring. As a result, the type of Academic Reading questions asked are the same as in the paper-based test. This consistency is crucial for those aiming to study abroad, ensuring that both test formats accurately reflect the skills needed for academic success in international education.

Free Online IELTS Reading Practice Tests

The official IELTS website offers a range of free online IELTS Reading practice tests to help candidates prepare effectively for the exam. These practice tests provide a realistic experience of the actual test format, including a variety of question types such as multiple choice, true/false/not given, matching headings, and more. Each practice test is designed to enhance comprehension skills and familiarize test-takers with the time constraints and structure of the IELTS Reading section.

The official site also provides answer keys and explanations for each practice test, enabling candidates to assess their performance and identify areas for improvement. Utilizing these resources can significantly boost confidence and proficiency, ensuring better performance on the actual test day. 

Instructions for Academic IELTS Reading Test

• Students are not allowed to open the question paper until they are told to do so.
• Students are required to write their names and candidate numbers in the spaces at the top of the page.
• Students are required to read all the instructions for each part of the paper very carefully.
• All the questions need to be answered.
• Students must complete the answer sheet within the time limit.

At the end of the test, students will be asked to hand over both the question paper and the answer sheet.

Important Resources to Read About IELTS:

IELTS Writing Task 1 Academic	IELTS Last Minute Tips	Collocation for IELTS
IELTS Speaking Test format	How IELTS Exam is Conducted	Indian Education System Essay
IELTS Academic Writing Task 1	Study in UK Without IELTS	IELTS General Writing Tips Task 2
MBA in Germany Without IELTS	How to Improve IELTS Score from 6.5 to 7	IELTS Speaking Tips

IELTS Reading Test Format

The IELTS Reading Test has distinct formats for the Academic and General Training versions, each designed to assess different reading skills.

Component	Details
Sections	3
Total Text Length	2,150-2,750 words
Number of Questions	40
Duration	60 minutes
Question Types	Multiple choice, True/False/Not Given, Yes/No/Not Given, Etc,.

IELTS Academic and General Training Question Types

The IELTS Reading section includes different question types for both the Academic and General Training tests. Here's an overview.

IELTS Academic Reading Question Types

Question Type	Description
Multiple Choice	Select the correct answer from the four options.
Identifying Information (True/False/Not Given)	Determine if statements are true, false, or not given based on the text.
Identifying Writer’s Views/Claims (Yes/No/Not Given)	Identify if statements agree with the writer’s views or claims.
Matching Information	Match information to paragraphs or sections in the text.
Matching Headings	Match headings to paragraphs or sections.
Matching Features	Match features to items in the text (e.g., names to statements).
Matching Sentence Endings	Complete sentences by choosing the correct ending.
Sentence Completion	Fill in gaps in sentences with words from the text.
Summary, Note, Table, Flow-Chart Completion	Complete summaries, notes, tables, or flow-charts using words from the text.
Diagram Label Completion	Label diagrams with information from the text.
Short-Answer Questions	Answer questions with short responses based on the text.

IELTS General Training Reading Question Types

Question Type	Description
Multiple Choice	Choose the correct answer from the four options.
Identifying Information (True/False/Not Given)	Assess if statements are true, false, or not given.
Identifying Writer’s Views/Claims (Yes/No/Not Given)	Determine if the statements reflect the writer’s views or claims.
Matching Information	Match information to sections of text.
Matching Headings	Connect headings with paragraphs or sections.
Matching Features	Link features to items in the text.
Matching Sentence Endings	Complete sentences by matching the endings.
Sentence Completion	Fill in the gaps with words from the text.
Summary, Note, Table, Flow-Chart Completion	Complete various formats using text information.
Diagram Label Completion	Label diagrams based on text.
Short-Answer Questions	Provide short answers from the text.

IELTS Academic Reading Sample 1 

Questions 1-12 are based on Reading Passage 1 below and should take about 20 minutes to complete.

Population Viability Analysis

Part A

To make political decisions regarding the extent and type of forestry in a region, it is critical to comprehend the aftermath of those decisions. Population viability analysis (PVA) is one approach for measuring the influence of forestry on the ecosystem. It is a tool for forecasting the likelihood of a species becoming extinct in a given region over a certain time period. In the United States, utilising population viability to aid wildlife management has been a big success, and there is now huge potential for using population viability to enhance wildlife management in Australia's forests. When the last individual of a species dies, it becomes extinct. This concept, which emphasises the role of luck and chance in the extinction process, is a suitable starting point for any discussion of extinction. To create an extinction forecast, we must first understand the processes that can contribute to it, which can be divided into four broad categories which are discussed below. 

Part B

A) Early attempts to forecast population viability were based on demographic uncertainty, which means that whether or not an individual survives from one year to the next is essentially a question of luck. Some partners may have multiple children in a single year, while others may have none at all. Because of the random nature of death and birth, small populations will fluctuate greatly, and these chance variations might result in species extinctions, even if the population number should increase on average. Extinction is improbable if the number of individuals in a population is greater than 50 and the population is rising, even if the ability to reproduce is questionable.

B) A certain amount of inbreeding is unavoidable in small populations. This is especially true if there are only a few people of one gender. If a species has just 20 individuals and only one of them is a male, all future members of the species must be descended from that one male. Individuals of this type are less likely to live and reproduce in most animal species. Inbreeding raises the likelihood of extinction.

C)  Natural selection acts on the raw material of variation within a species. A species that lack genetic variety is unable to evolve and adapt to changes in its environment, as well as new predators and diseases. The loss of genetic diversity caused by population size reductions will increase the chance of extinction.

D)  Other aspects, according to a recent study, must be considered. The ecology in Australia changes dramatically from year to year. Many species' existence becomes even more precarious as a result of these oscillations. Natural disasters such as fires, floods, droughts, and epidemics can lower population sizes to a fraction of their normal levels. When these two additional aspects of uncertainty are taken into account, the population size required to be confident of persistence over a few hundred years may rise to several thousand.

Part C
Aside from these mechanisms, we must consider a population's dispersal. A species found in five isolated locations, each with 20 individuals, will not have the same chance of extinction as a species found in a single location with 100 individuals. Forest-dependent organisms will be compelled to flee areas where logging (the cutting down of forests for wood) happens. Ground-dwelling herbivores could reappear in the next decade. However, arboreal marsupials (animals that dwell in trees) may take a century or more to restore to pre-logging levels. Animal population sizes will continue to shrink as more forests are logged. Regardless of which theory or model we employ, a decline in population size reduces a population's genetic diversity and raises the risk of extinction due to any or all of the mechanisms outlined above. As a result, it is a scientific fact that increasing the amount of land that is loaded in any location increases the likelihood of forest-dependent creatures becoming extinct.

Questions 1 - 4

Do the following statements given below agree with the views of the writer in Part A of Reading Passage 1?

In boxes 1-4 on the answer sheet, write:

YES              whether the statement agrees with the writer
NO               whether the statement contradicts the writer
NOT GIVEN   if it is not possible to say what the writer thinks about the statement

1. Scientists want to know how forestry affects native creatures.

2. For many years, PVA has been used in Australia.

3. When only one individual of a species remains, it is said to be extinct.

4. Extinction is a naturally occurring phenomenon.

Questions 5-8
These questions are based on Reading Passage 1 Part B.

The author describes four processes that may contribute to the extinction of a species in paragraphs A to D.

You are required to match the list of processes (i-vi) to the paragraphs.
Fill in boxes 5-8 on the answer sheet with the appropriate number (i-vi).

NB. There are more processes than in the paragraphs given below, so you are not required to use all of them.

Paragraphs	Processes
5. Paragraph A 6. Paragraph B 7. Paragraph C 8. Paragraph D	i) Loss of ability to adapt ii) Natural disasters iii) An imbalance of the sexes iv) Human disasters v) Evolution vi) The haphazard nature of reproduction

Questions 9-11
Based on the reading of Part C, complete the following sentences below:

EACH ANSWER SHOULD BE LIMITED TO THREE WORDS.

While a species' population may be increasing, there is always the possibility that small isolated groups ......... (9).....… The survival of a species is contingent on a balance between the size of a population and its .......... (10) ......... The likelihood of forest-dwelling animals becoming extinct is raised when........... (11)...........

Question 12:
Fill in box 12 on the answer sheet with the appropriate letter A-D.

The passage could also be titled

A. The conservation of native flora and fauna

B.  Influential elements in determining survival probability

C.  An economic argument for forest logging

D. Efforts to prevent the extinction of a species

Answers: 

1. Yes
2. No
3. No
4. Not given
5. vi
6. iii
7. i
8. ii
9. will(/may) not survive, [or, will (/ may/ could) become extinct]
10. locality/ distribution
11. logging takes place/ logging occurs
12. B

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IELTS Academic Reading Sample 2

Questions 1–13 are based on the reading passage below and should take about 20 minutes to complete.

The Dover Bronze-Age Boat

A wonderfully preserved boat, discovered by chance in a muddy hole some 3,000 years ago, has had a significant impact on the archaeological study.

It was the year 1992. In England, workers were constructing a new road through the centre of Dover to connect the old port with the Channel Tunnel, which would be the first land link between Britain and Europe in over 10,000 years when it opened just two years later. The Canterbury Archaeological Trust (CAT) sent a small crew to work alongside the workers, noting fresh finds made possible by the machinery.

A wooden structure was discovered at the bottom of the deep hole, six metres beneath the present streets. Archaeologists discovered the true nature of the site after cleaning away the waterlogged site that covered the timbers. They had discovered a prehistoric boat that had been preserved by the type of sediment it had been buried in. Dover Bronze-Age Boat was given the name after that.

About nine metres of the boat's length were recovered; one end had to be left behind because it was beyond the excavation. There were just four beautifully carved wood planks left: two on the bottom, united along a central seam by a difficult system of wedges and sewn to the others; and two on the top, joined along a central seam by a complicated system of wedges and stitched to the others. Moss pads were used to seal the seams, which were then secured with wedges and yew threads.

When the boat was abandoned in antiquity, the timbers that closed the retrieved end were removed, but much about its original design may be deduced. Missing top sideboards were also discovered. The boat had been purposefully discarded, deconstructed, and damaged, rather than being a wreck. Like other Bronze-Age items, it may have been "ritually slain" at the end of its existence.

In retrospect, the fact that the boat was discovered and researched by orthodox archaeologists, who naturally focused on its cultural setting, was crucial. Ancient boats were frequently only examined from a narrow technological standpoint at the time, but the Dover boat reached a wide audience. The Dover Bronze-Age Boat Trust convened a symposium in 2002 to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the discovery, where this convergence of different cultures was evident. 

Other speakers discussed the boat's social and economic circumstances, as well as religious perspectives of boats in Bronze-Age communities, in addition to technical studies regarding the boat. Many speakers came from other countries, reigniting the discussion regarding cultural ties.

The Dover boat had been restored and presented within seven years after its excavation, but it was clear that there were concerns that could not be remedied just by analysing the old wood. The solution appeared to be experimental archaeology: a half-scale or full-scale boat reconstruction would allow testing of various ideas about the boat's construction and the missing end.

Returning to Dover to look for an unexcavated northern end of a boat was considered, but practical and financial obstacles proved insurmountable—and there was no guarantee that the timbers had survived the preceding decade in the changing climate.

In 2004, detailed plans to rebuild the yacht were drawn up. Archaeological evidence was beginning to point to a Bronze-Age community straddling the Channel, united rather than divided by the water. Archaeologists had a responsibility to enlighten the general public about their shared cultural past in a region presently divided by languages and boundaries.

The boat project started in England, but it was always intended to be a European partnership. Reconstruction was just one component of a larger plan that included a big exhibition as well as a comprehensive educational and outreach programme. Early in 2005, discussions with archaeological groups, universities, and heritage organisations on both sides of the Channel began. There was a lot of interest and support, and the initiative was officially launched during an international symposium in France in 2007. In 2008, financial assistance was assured, and the project, then known as BOAT 1550BC, began in June 2011.

At the beginning of 2012, a small group of people began building the boat on the Roman Lawn outside the Dover Museum. In 1996, a full-scale recreation of a mid-section was built, largely to test the performance of Bronze-Age replica tools. However, because the hull shape was the focus of the project in 2012, modern power tools were utilised to carve the oak planks before switching to archaic equipment for polishing. Because of worries regarding scaling and a tight timeline, the replica haft-scale was chosen. Stitching was done with any synthetic material.

Meanwhile, the show was being prepared for its debut in July 2012 at Boulogne-sur-Castle Mer's Museum. 'Beyond the Horizon: Societies of the Channel & North Sea 3,500 Years Ago' brings together for the first time a spectacular collection of Bronze-Age objects, including several new commercial archaeological findings and some of the past's great riches. 

The recreated boat served as the centrepiece, serving as a symbol of the maritime ties that linked the communities on both sides of the Channel.

Questions 1-5

Complete the chart below.
For each response, choose only ONE WORD from the text.
Write the answers in boxes 1-5 on the answer sheet.

Key Events

1. The boat was discovered during the construction of a 1……………
   2002-an international 2…………… was held to gather information.
   2004- 3……………. for the reconstruction were produced.
   2007- the 4…………… Of BOAT 1550BC took place.
   2012- the Bronze-Age 5…………… featured the boat and other objects.

Questions 6-9

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text?
On your answer sheet in the boxes 6-9, write
TRUE      if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE      if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN     if there is no information regarding this

1. Archaeologists realized that the boat had been damaged on purpose.
2. Initially, only the technological aspects of the boat were examined.
3. Archaeologists went back to the site to try and find the missing northern.
4. Evidence found in 2004 suggested that the Bronze-Age Boat had been used for trade.

Questions 10-13

Answer the questions below.

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the text for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 10-13 on the answer sheet.

10. How far under the ground was the boat found?
11. What natural material had been secured to the boat to prevent water from entering?
12.  What aspect of the boat was the focus of the 2012 reconstruction?
13. Which two factors influenced the decision not to make a full-scale reconstruction of the boat?

Answers:

1. Road
2. Conference
3. Proposals
4. Launch
5. Exhibition
6. True
7. False
8. False
9. Not given
10. 6/six meters/meters/m
11. (pads of) moss
12. (the) hull (shape)
13. cost and time

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IELTS Academic Reading Sample 3

Questions 1-12 are based on Reading Passage 1 below and should take about 20 minutes to complete.

The Origins of Agriculture

Part A

The transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture was one of the most significant changes in human history. This shift, known as the Neolithic Revolution, began around 10,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent, an area in the Middle East that includes parts of modern-day Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. Early farmers cultivated crops like wheat and barley and domesticated animals such as sheep and goats.

Part B

A) The primary reason for the shift to agriculture was the increasing unpredictability of wild food resources. Climate changes at the end of the last Ice Age made hunting and gathering less reliable, encouraging humans to explore new food production methods.

B) Another contributing factor was population growth. As human populations grew, the demand for food increased. Agriculture provided a more stable and abundant food supply than hunting and gathering.

C) The development of agriculture also led to social changes. With the ability to produce surplus food, not everyone needs to be involved in food production. This allowed for the development of different social roles and professions.

D) Despite the advantages, the adoption of agriculture had its drawbacks. Early agricultural societies experienced poorer health and shorter lifespans compared to their hunter-gatherer predecessors. This was due to a less varied diet and the spread of diseases from domesticated animals.

Part C

The spread of agriculture was a gradual process. As farming techniques improved, they spread from the Fertile Crescent to other parts of the world. This diffusion was not uniform; different regions adopted agriculture at different times and rates. In some areas, agriculture was adopted independently. For instance, rice cultivation began in China around 8,000 years ago, and maize farming started in Mesoamerica approximately 7,000 years ago. These agricultural practices profoundly impacted the development of human civilizations.

Questions 1 - 4

Do the following statements given below agree with the views of the writer in Part A of Reading Passage 1?

In boxes 1-4 on the answer sheet, write:

YES              whether the statement agrees with the writer

NO               whether the statement contradicts the writer

NOT GIVEN   if it is not possible to say what the writer thinks about the statement.

1. The Neolithic Revolution occurred simultaneously across the world.

2. The Fertile Crescent is part of modern-day Egypt.

3. Domestication of animals was a key part of early agriculture.

4. Early farmers only cultivated wheat.

Questions 5-8

These questions are based on Reading Passage 1 Part B. The author describes four reasons for the adoption of agriculture in paragraphs A to D. Match the reasons (i-vi) to the paragraphs.

Paragraphs

Processes

5. Paragraph A

6. Paragraph B

7. Paragraph C

8. Paragraph D

i) Population pressure

ii) Social diversification

iii) Climate instability

iv) Technological innovation

v) Health deterioration

vi) Economic necessity

Questions 9-11

Based on the reading of Part C, complete the following sentences below:

EACH ANSWER SHOULD BE LIMITED TO THREE WORDS.

9. Agriculture spread gradually due to improvements in ________.

10. Rice cultivation began in China approximately ________ years ago.

11. The development of agriculture had a profound impact on ________.

Question 12:

Fill in box 12 on the answer sheet with the appropriate letter A-D.

The passage could also be titled

A. The Impact of Climate Change on Early Societies

B. The Evolution of Early Agricultural Techniques

C. The Global Spread of Agricultural Practices

D. The Neolithic Revolution and its Consequences

Answers:

1. NO

2. NO

3. YES

4. NO

5. iii

6. i

7. ii

8. v

9. farming techniques

10. 8,000

11. human civilizations

12. D

IELTS Academic Reading Sample 4

Questions 1-13 are based on the reading passage below and should take about 20 minutes to complete.

The History of the Internet

The internet, a global network of interconnected computers, has revolutionized communication and information sharing. Its history dates back to the 1960s, with the development of ARPANET, a project funded by the U.S. Department of Defense. ARPANET was initially created to enable researchers to share information quickly and reliably. Over time, the network expanded and evolved, leading to the modern internet.

In the 1970s, the invention of TCP/IP protocols laid the foundation for internet communication, allowing different networks to connect and communicate. The 1980s saw the establishment of domain names and the creation of the first email programs. In 1989, Tim Berners-Lee proposed the World Wide Web, a system for sharing information using hypertext links. This innovation made the internet more accessible and user-friendly.

The 1990s marked the commercialization of the internet. Companies like Netscape developed web browsers, making it easier for people to navigate the web. Online services like Amazon and eBay transformed commerce, while search engines like Google revolutionized how we find information. The rise of social media platforms in the 2000s further changed how we communicate and share content.

Today, the internet is an integral part of daily life, enabling everything from online banking to remote work. It continues to evolve, with advancements in technologies like artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), and 5G networks promising to further transform how we live and work.

Questions 1-5

Complete the chart below.

For each response, choose only ONE WORD from the text.

Write the answers in boxes 1-5 on the answer sheet.

Key Events

• 1960s: Development of ARPANET by the U.S. 1. __________
• 1970s: Invention of 2. __________ protocols
• 1980s: Establishment of 3. __________ names
• 1989: Proposal of the 4. __________ by Tim Berners-Lee
• 1990s: Commercialization with the development of web 5. __________

Questions 6-9

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text?

On your answer sheet, in boxes 6-9, write

TRUE   if the statement agrees with the information

FALSE   if the statement contradicts the information

NOT GIVEN  if there is no information regarding this

6. ARPANET was developed to facilitate military communication.

7. The World Wide Web was invented in the 1980s.

8. Amazon was one of the first online services in the 1990s.

9. The rise of social media began in the late 1990s.

Questions 10-13

Answer the questions below.

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the text for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 10-13 on the answer sheet.

10. What types of protocols were developed in the 1970s for internet communication?

11. Who proposed the World Wide Web in 1989?

12. What company developed one of the first web browsers in the 1990s?

13. Which technology promises to transform how we live and work in the future?

Answers:

1. Defense

2. TCP/IP

3. domain

4. World Wide Web

5. browsers

6. FALSE

7. TRUE

8. TRUE

9. NOT GIVEN

10. TCP/IP

11. Tim Berners-Lee

12. Netscape

13. 5G networks

IELTS Reading Band Scores 

Here's a detailed table for the IELTS Academic Reading band scores, including the meaning of each band:

Band Score

Raw Score (Approx)

Description

9

>35

Expert user: Fully operational command of the language: appropriate, accurate, fluent with complete understanding.

8

35

Very good user: Fully operational command of the language with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies. Handles complex detailed argumentation well.

7

30

Good user: Operational command of the language, though with occasional inaccuracies and misunderstandings. Generally handles complex language well.

6

23

Competent user: Generally effective command of the language despite some inaccuracies, misunderstandings, and inappropriate usage. Can use and understand fairly complex language.

5

15

Modest user: Partial command of the language, coping with overall meaning in most situations, though likely to make many mistakes. Should be able to handle basic communication.

4

12-14

Limited user: Basic competence is limited to familiar situations. Frequent problems in understanding and expression. Unable to use complex language.

3

9-12

Extremely limited user: Conveys and understands only general meaning in very familiar situations. Frequent breakdowns in communication occur.

2

6-9

Intermittent user: No real communication is possible except for the most basic information using isolated words or short formulae in familiar situations. Has great difficulty understanding spoken and written English.

1

4-5

Non-user: Essentially has no ability to use the language beyond possibly a few isolated words.

0

0

Did not attempt the test.

Tips to Prepare for IELTS Reading Section 

The IELTS Academic Reading section consists of three long passages, and the difficulty increases as one proceeds in the test. The test is designed to test the English language proficiency of students entering college or university. An IELTS reading score of 8 means that an applicant is proficient in the English language. Here are some of the most important tips to get an 8 band in the IELTS Academic Reading section: 

• Read the three long passages by investing two to three minutes in each passage. Students need to go through the entire passage to gain an understanding of the concept, format, and information in it. The key is, quick skimming helps students answer at least 50% of the questions in one go. 
• Scan and locate the correct answers and information relevant to the passage. Students need to practice quick scanning of the provided passage. The quicker they are, the better it is. IELTS Reading has a strict time limit. So, students unable to manage the task within the stipulated time have to submit an incomplete test. 
• Use the keywords. Keywords are given in the question paper. They help the students locate the right answers in the long passage. 
• Students need to have an excellent vocabulary. If they are unable to understand the meaning of a particular word, they should try to understand the meaning of the sentence or the words around to find a cue. 
• Answers should be grammatically correct.

Conclusion

Preparing for the IELTS Academic Reading section effectively requires a strategic approach that includes familiarizing oneself with the test format, practicing with mock tests, and utilizing available resources. Understanding the specific requirements and question types, whether through paper-based or computer-delivered tests, is crucial.

By incorporating these strategies into your study plan, you can improve your reading skills, boost your confidence, and enhance your chances of achieving a high score on the test.

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