Ielts Test Reading Practice

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You'll find information and practice for each type of reading question you may see on your Ielts test.

As stated on the first of this series of pages related to Ielts test reading practice, there is simply no substitute to being well read. If you haven't included reading in your preparation material for the Ielts test, you would be wise to do so as soon as possible.

There are many sources to chose from but one thing is certain. Whatever Ielts test reading practice you do, be sure to plenty of it. There is no substitute to being well prepared for your Ielts test.

The following material will help you to prepare for the matching section of the Academic Reading Module. By giving you the Ielts test reading practice you need, we hope to help you get the score you deserve.

What will you need to do?

You will see a number of items such as theories, statements, names of people, places, things etc. You must match each of these items with an option from a list. The list of options will also form a set of theories, statements, names of people, things etc.

Can youchoose an item more than once?
The instructions will say when it is possible to choose an option more than once. Typically, no, but they directions may say you can. Again, read the directions carefully.

What skills are being tested?
Your ability to understand main ideas from a section or portion of the passage.

Read the items in the questions first. Notice, as you skim the passage areas that might match what you need to be looking for. Underline them or mark them with your pencil to find them more easily when you do the questions.

Do the easy questions first, then do the more difficult questions. In this part of the test there should be some answers that are obvious.

It isn't necessary to understand every word so don't waste time worrying about definitions. Think forest not trees. In other words, you're being tested on theconcept, not a specific word. The questions may or may not follow the order in which you find the information in the text.

Ielts Test Reading Practice - Matching Example

Look at the following information and the list of characteristics below.

Geography

The northern third of Luxembourg is known as the 'Oesling', and forms part of the Ardennes. It is dominated by hills and low mountains, including the Kneiff, which is the highest point, at 560 metres (1,837 ft). The region is sparsely populated, with only one town (Wiltz) with a population of more than 2,000 people.

The southern two-thirds of the country is called the 'Gutland', and is more densely populated than the Oesling. It is also more diverse, and can be divided into five geographic sub-regions. The Luxembourg plateau, in south-central Luxembourg, is a large, flat, sandstone formation, and the site of Luxembourg City. Little Switzerland, in the east of Luxembourg, has craggy terrain and thick forests. The Moselle valley is the lowest-lying region, running along the south-eastern border. The Red Lands, in the far south and southwest, are Luxembourg's industrial heartland and home to many of Luxembourg's largest towns.

Language

The linguistic situation in Luxembourg is characterised by the practice and the recognition of three official languages: French, German, and Luxembourgish, a Franconian language of the Moselle region similar to German. Apart from being one of the three official languages, Luxembourgish is also considered the national language of the Grand Duchy.

None of the three languages predominates generally, and each is used as the primary language in certain spheres. Luxembourgish is generally preferred for spoken use, but is superseded by both French and German for written purposes. French is the language in which most government business is carried out. German is the language of most media and of the church.

In addition to the three native languages, English is taught from a young age (mostly 2nd grade, i.e. at the age of 13 to 14 years), and most of the population of Luxembourg is proficient in English. Portuguese and Italian, the languages of the two largest immigrant communities, are also spoken by large parts of the population, but by relatively few from outside their respective communities.

Write the correct letter A-E in boxes 1-5 on your answer sheet.

Area or Language

_____

Oesling

_____

Luxembourg Plateau

_____

German

____

Little Switzerland

____

Luxembourgish

List of Characteristics
A	most media
B	thick forests
C	widely spoken
D	northern third
E	sandstone formation

If you want more Ielts test reading practice based on the reading comprehension section of the Ielts test, click on the preceding link.

If you would like to return to the page that has links to all of the Ielts resource pages including the Ielts Academic Reading Module, or even more Ielts test reading practice, click on the preceding link.

*** Ielts test reading practice answers = 1 D, 2 E, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C

Another Ielts test reading practice exercise to improve your score...

Ielts Test Reading Practice

Ielts Test Reading Practice - Matching Example