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IELTS Trek

IELTS Reading⁠

Find answers fast with skimming, scanning and paraphrase spotting.

Duration
60 minutes
Questions
40 (1 mark each)
Texts
3 sections
Target pace
About 20 min per passage

How it works

Academic

Three long passages on academic topics, from descriptive and factual to discursive and analytical. Some include diagrams or a glossary.

General Training, Section 1

Two or three short factual texts (adverts, timetables, notices) about everyday life in an English-speaking country.

General Training, Section 2

Two short work-related texts, such as job descriptions, contracts or staff training materials.

General Training, Section 3

One longer, more complex text on a topic of general interest.

Practise one question type at a time

Multiple choice True / False / Not Given Yes / No / Not Given Matching headings Matching information Matching features Matching sentence endings Sentence completion Summary, note and table completion Diagram labelling Short answer questions

Question types

  • True / False / Not Given
  • Yes / No / Not Given
  • Matching headings
  • Matching information and features
  • Matching sentence endings
  • Multiple choice
  • Sentence, summary, note and table completion
  • Diagram labelling and short-answer questions

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Reading every word slowly and running out of time
  • Answering from general knowledge instead of the passage
  • Leaving blanks: there is no penalty for a wrong answer

Strategies that work

  1. 1

    Skim before you answer

    Spend two minutes reading the title, first lines of paragraphs and any diagrams to build a map of the passage.

  2. 2

    Hunt for paraphrases

    Questions rarely copy the passage word for word. "Rose sharply" in a question may be "increased dramatically" in the text.

  3. 3

    Know FALSE vs NOT GIVEN

    FALSE means the passage contradicts the statement; NOT GIVEN means the passage says nothing about it either way.

  4. 4

    Use question order

    Most question types follow the order of the passage: matching headings and matching information are the main exceptions.

Reading courses

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Intermediate Band 6 to 7 ৳1,800 Reading

Academic Reading: Speed & Accuracy

Skim, scan and find answers fast, and finally master True/False/Not Given.

8 lessons 5 hours

Tanvir Ahmed View course

Mock tests

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Reading Academic Premium

Academic Reading Practice Test 1

A full 60-minute Academic Reading test with three passages: urban bees, the revival of jute, and the science of forgetting.

Questions
40 questions
Time
60 minutes
Level
Medium
Not tried yet Start
Reading Academic Free

Academic Reading Practice Test 2

Three passages: the painted rickshaws of Dhaka, how cities can stay cool, and the debate about handwriting in education.

Questions
40 questions
Time
60 minutes
Level
Medium
Not tried yet Start
Reading Academic Free

Reading Practice: The Floating Farms of Bangladesh

One Academic passage with 13 questions: True/False/Not Given, multiple choice and sentence completion. Ideal for a 20-minute session.

Questions
13 questions
Time
20 minutes
Level
Easy
Not tried yet Start
Reading General Training Free

General Training Reading: Everyday Notices

General Training Section 1 practice with a course brochure and a council notice. 10 questions, 15 minutes.

Questions
10 questions
Time
15 minutes
Level
Easy
Not tried yet Start

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