IELTS

Academic Reading

English Language Centre

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
 Test Format and Tasks

Format, Tasks & Text types

Answers
2 examples of question types
Strategies
Further Help
References
Questions
 Test Format

Reading Module lasts 60 minutes

3 reading passages
total 2,000 – 2,750 words
40 questions
Texts and questions appear on
Question Paper.
Answers entered on Answer Sheet
 Test Format – Tasks
Multiple choice
Short-answer questions
Sentence completion
Notes/summary/diagram/flow-chart/
table completion
Choosing from a ‘heading bank’ for
identified paragraphs/ sections of text
Identification of writer’s views/claims –
yes, no or not given
Classification
Matching lists/phrases
 Test Format - Text Types
Magazines, journals, books and
newspapers
Topics of non-specialist, general interest
Interesting, appropriate and accessible to
university students
At least one text contains detailed logical
argument
One text may contain non-verbal materials
– diagrams, graphs, illustrations
Texts with technical terms will have a
glossary
 Test Format - Answers
One mark for each correct answer
Must be written on the answer sheet
No extra time allowed to transfer ans
wers
Poor spelling and grammar are penali
sed
You can write notes on the Question
Paper but you can’t take it away.
Example text extract ‘Wind Power’
Wind Power in the US
Prompted by the oil crises of the 1970s, a
wind-power industry flourished briefly in t
he United States. But then world oil prices
dropped, and funding for research into ren
ewable energy was cut. By the mid 1980s
US interest in wind energy as a large-scale
source of energy had almost disappeared.
The development of wind power at this tim
e suffered not only from badly designed eq
uipment, but also from poor long-term pla
nning, economic projections that were too
optimistic and the difficulty of finding suita
ble locations for the wind turbines…(contd)
 Example text extract – glossary
‘Wind Power’
Glossary
- fossil fuel: coal, oil and natural gas
- kilowatt: 1,000 watts; a watt is a unit of power
- kilowatt-hour: one kilowatt for a period of one
hour
- megawatt: one million watts
- wind farm: a group of wind turbines in one
location producing a large amount of electricity
- wind turbine: a machine…
 Example questions Task 1
‘Wind Power’
Questions 1 - 5
Complete the summary below.
Choose your answers from the box below
the summary and write them in boxes 1-5
on your answer sheet.
NB There are more words or phrases than
you will need to fill the gaps.
You may use any word or phrase more
than once.
Example
The failure during the late 1970s and
early 1980s of an attempt to … 
 Example questions Task 1 ‘Wind Power’

…establish a widespread wind power industry i

n the United States resulted largely from the ..
.(1) ... in oil prices during this period. The ind
ustry is now experiencing a steady ...(2)... du
e to improvements in technology and an incre
ased awareness of the potential in the power o
f wind. The wind turbines…(contd)
_________________________________
criticism success design costs
production costs failure stability operati
ng costs fall growth recognition scepti
cism decisions effects decline
results
Strategies for ‘word completion’ tasks (task 1)

Read instructions carefully & study

examples if given. You must be clear
about what you have to do.
Read the text quickly for general
understanding.
Read the questions and think about what
the missing information might be before
you look at the text again.
Check that your answer fits logically and
grammatically by studying the words
either side of the gap.
Re-read the relevant section carefully once
more to check meaning
 Example questions Task 2 ‘Wind Power’
Questions 6 - 10
Look at the following list of issues (Questions
6-10) and implications (A-C). Match each
issue with one implication. Write the
appropriate letters A-C in boxes 6-10 on your
answer sheet.
Example
- The current price of one wind-generated
kilowatt... Answer A
_________________________________
A…provides evidence against claims that
electricity produced from wind power is
relatively expensive.
 Example questions Task 2 ‘Wind Power’
6.The recent installation of systems taking
advantage of economies of scale ...7.The
potential of meeting one fifth of current US
energy requirements by wind power ...8.The level
of acceptance of current wind turbine
technology ...9.A comparison of costs between
conventional and wind power sources ...10.The
view of wind power in the European Union ...

Implications
A provides evidence against claims that
electricity produced from wind power is relatively
expensive. B supports claims that wind power is
an important source of energy. C opposes the
view that wind power technology requires further
development.
 
Strategies for ‘matching’ tasks (task 2)

Skim through the list of issues and implications to

get a quick impression of possible matches.
Scam through the text for sections that refer to
the issues in the question. Underline them
Carefully consider the implications mentioned in
the questions and underline where they are
referred to in the text.
Re-read the relevant sections quickly before you
make your choice on the answer sheet.
Don’t forget to check your answers after each
task.
General Strategies for Reading
ALL tasks require these five skills
Previewing
Interpreting instructions & questions
Scanning for specific answers
Skimming for general idea of text
Checking your answers
 Further Help - CILL
Cill – Centre for Independent Language L
earning Core A 3/F
- Help from an ELC teacher with all as
pects of your English including academic
reading
- CILL teachers can guide and assist you
with reading skills and strategies
- More information at
http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/cill/ielts/
 References
These books are useful and are
available in CILL, AG305.
Insight into IELTS – Cambridge
University Press. Progressive
development of skills and language
for the IELTS exam.
Cambridge Practice Tests for IELTS.
Books 1, 2 & 3 provide further
exposure to IELTS materials and
procedures
 Useful websites
IELTS Homepage
http://www.ielts.org/index.htm

ELC Homepage
http://elc.polyu.edu.hk

UGC Introductory Site

http://www.ugccepa.com
 Questions?
NOTE! Please don’t ask an ELC
teacher to predict what grade you
might get as this is forbidden by the
IELTS organisation.