Updated on Jul 02, 2024, 11:57
The IELTS Reading section is a critical component of the International English Language Testing System, evaluating your ability to comprehend and analyse written English texts. This section is designed to assess your reading skills across various genres and styles, preparing you for academic and professional environments where English is used as a medium of communication.
It plays a crucial role in determining your overall proficiency in English, influencing opportunities for study, work, and migration in English-speaking countries. Additionally, by honing your reading skills through IELTS preparation, you enhance your capacity for critical thinking, information retention, and effective communication, essential qualities in today's globalised world.
Key highlights of the Reading section:
- Assess comprehension of texts sourced from books, newspapers, magazines, and online resources.
- Encounter passages that range from descriptive and factual to analytical and discursive.
- Tasks include identifying main ideas, understanding opinions, and following the development of ideas.
- Test your ability to deduce meaning from context and recognise writers’ attitudes and opinions.
- Practice with diverse question types such as matching information, classifying information, and making inferences.
1.
Highs and Lows Reading Passage
General Information
- Read Instructions: Understand each question before answering.
- Manage Time: Spend about 20 minutes per passage.
- Skim and Scan: Quickly get the main idea and find specific information.
- Highlight Key Info: Underline essential words or phrases.
- Answer All Questions: Attempt every question; no penalty for wrong answers.
- Stay Focused: Avoid distractions and keep your attention on the task.
- Check Spelling: Ensure correct spelling and grammar.
- Transfer Answers Clearly: Write answers neatly on the answer sheet.
- Don’t Dwell: Move on if stuck and return later.
- Review: If time allows, review your answers.
Highs and Lows Reading Passage
Paragraph A:
The weather influences our hormone levels and, consequently, our moods. Depression is caused by gloomy weather conditions; however, it seems that sunshine cheers people up. For example, in Britain, the somber weather of winter decreases the amount of sunlight that is experienced tremendously, and this has a significant impact on a few people. They fall into depression and become lazy, which affects not only their social life but their career too. This syndrome is referred to as SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Those suffering from SAD can fight back by increasing their exposure to winter sunshine and spending some time each day under full-spectrum lamps. Compared to standard fluorescent and tungsten lights, these generate more ultraviolet and blue-green light. According to some Russian experts, children who are exposed to ultraviolet rays learn more efficiently.
Paragraph B:
In hot countries, work hours are regularly planned so that employees can take a break or even a nap during the hottest time of the day. Scientists are trying to figure out how the weather affects people's behavior and performance. It's often believed that hot, humid weather causes people to lose their temper. Without a doubt, "crimes against the person" increase in the summer when it becomes hot outside and decrease in the winter when it's cooler. According to research carried out in the United States, there is a link between temperature and street riots. The occurrence of riots rises as the temperature goes up, reaching a point between 27 and 30 °C. But is this outcome a result of the heat changing our mood?
Paragraph C:
The impact of cold weather on performance has also been studied by psychologists. Researchers compared divers who worked in water as cold as 5 °C to those who worked in water as warm as 20 °C (about swimming pool temperature). The divers' performance in simple maths and other mental activities declined as a result of the cold water. However, their performance was considerably hampered as soon as they were immersed in cold water, without their bodies having the chance to cool down. This indicates that the feeling of cold diverted the swimmers from their activities instead of the low temperature, which slows down mental functioning.
Paragraph D:
Psychologists have done research that suggests that when the weather is sunny, people are less doubtful and more optimistic. Yet, it appears that this is not determined by temperature. An American psychologist analyzed diners in a temperature-controlled environment. While the temperature in the restaurant remained the same, they left big tips when the sun was out and smaller tips when it was not. The fact that there is a link between behavior and the duration of daylight hours makes it more likely that there is a relationship between weather and mood. This in turn may relate to the quantity of melatonin, a hormone secreted by the pineal gland within the brain. The level of melatonin decreases as contact with sunlight increases.
Paragraph E:
According to research, certain animals' seasonal behavior is significantly influenced by melatonin. For example, stags' food consumption increases during the winter and peaks in February and March. It decreases once again, hitting a lower limit in May, then rises to a maximum in September before falling once more, reaching a minimum in November. The fluctuating levels of melatonin appear to be the cause of these changes. In the laboratory, hamsters gain weight when the nights become short and their melatonin levels drop. But if melatonin injections are given, they will completely stop eating. It appears that the changing durations of day and night serve as time cues, causing changes in animal behavior that are required to adjust to the seasonal cycle.
Paragraph F:
Several individuals say that the air seems "heavy" and that they feel angry, irritable, and on edge when a thunderstorm is coming. They could be responding to the fact that air can become moderately positively charged when huge thunderclouds are producing strong electrical fields that trigger lightning flashes. The positive charge raises serotonin levels (a chemical involved in sending signals in the nervous system). Serotonin levels in specific parts of the nervous system are increased, making people more energetic, reactive, and possibly aggressive. Some winds, such as the Fohn in southern Germany and the Mistral in southern France, can influence mood and increase the risk of traffic accidents. The number of positively charged particles in these winds may be higher than usual. Every year, 400,000 ionizers are sold in the United Kingdom. These tiny devices increase the number of negative ions in the air inside a room. Several people claim to be happier when they are in negatively charged air.
2.
Highs and Lows Reading Question & Answers
Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about Highs and Lows
Questions and Answers 1-3
- Choose the appropriate letters A-D and write them in boxes 1 - 3 on your answer sheet.
1. The irritation among humans may be affected by
- the number of ions produced by machinery.
- how anxious and violent people are.
- people’s attitude toward thunderstorms.
- response towards certain weather conditions.
2. Why did the divers' performance decrease in colder situations?
- their body temperature dropped too fast.
- the cold had an instant effect on their brain functions.
- their concentration ability had decreased.
- they were familiar with the settings of a swimming pool.
3. The number of hours of daylight
- affects animal eating patterns.
- prepares people for having more leisure time.
- increases the activity of animals like hamsters.
- influences the performance of restaurant employees.
Highs and Lows Reading Answers with Explanations 1-3
Type of Question: Multiple Choice Questions
These types of questions in IELTS reading involve identifying the right choice from the given optionsusing the given paragraph.
How to best answer:
- Identify keywords or key phrases in the sentence that can help you predict the type of word needed.
- Eliminate obviously incorrect options first to narrow down your choices.
- Ensure your chosen answer fits grammatically and logically within the sentence or passage.
- Quickly review your answer choices to ensure you haven't missed any clues or made careless mistakes.
1. D
Reference:
From Paragraph F,"Several individuals say that the air seems 'heavy' and that they feel angry, irritable, and on edge when a thunderstorm is coming."
Explanation: The passage discusses how people feel angry, irritable, and on edge during thunderstorms, potentially due to changes in air ions caused by electrical fields from thunderclouds, affecting serotonin levels and mood.
2. C
Reference:
From Paragraph C,"The divers' performance in simple maths and other mental activities declined as a result of the cold water."
Explanation: The passage states that divers' performance declines when working in cold water (5 °C) compared to warmer water (20 °C), indicating that cold water affects their mental activities and concentration.
3. A
Reference:
From Paragraph D,"The level of melatonin decreases as contact with sunlight increases."
Explanation: The passage explains that melatonin levels decrease with increased sunlight exposure, influencing animals' seasonal behavior, suggesting a link between daylight hours and biological rhythms.
Questions and Answers 4-9
Do the following statements agree with the information in Reading Passage?
In boxes 4-9 on your answer sheet write
- TRUE if the statement is true according to the passage
- FALSE if the statement is false according to the passage
- NOT GIVEN if the information is not given in the passage
4. 'Happy associations with weather' are related to human mood, according to scientific evidence.
5. During certain periods of the year, melatonin levels increase.
6. A connection has been established between depression and the time of the year.
7. Human aggressiveness is fundamentally caused by serotonin.
8. Eating patterns can be influenced by positively charged ions.
9. In Russia, seasonal affective disorder is interfering with children's education.
Highs and Lows Reading Answers with Explanations 4-9
Type of Question: True/False/Not Given
These types of questions in IELTS reading involve identifying whether the sentence is True, False, or Not Givenusing the given paragraph.
How to best answer:
- Read the statements and paragraphs carefully to understand the context and meaning.
- Identify keywords or key phrases in both the statements and paragraphs.
- Look for direct matches between the statements and the content of the paragraphs.
- Pay attention to synonyms or paraphrases that convey similar meanings.
- Choose the paragraph that best aligns with the statement based on the information provided in the passage.
4. False
Reference:
From Paragraph D, "The fact that there is a link between behavior and the duration of daylight hours makes it more likely that there is a relationship between weather and mood."
Explanation: The passage discusses a link between weather conditions, daylight hours, and mood, but does not specifically mention "happy associations with weather" as a factor influencing human mood.
5. STrue
Reference:
From Paragraph E,"According to research, certain animals' seasonal behavior is significantly influenced by melatonin."
Explanation: The passage states that melatonin levels fluctuate seasonally, influencing animals' behavior, which implies that during certain periods of the year, melatonin levels indeed increase.
6. True
Reference:
From Paragraph A,"The assumption that rain and gloomy weather make people feel sad, however, is supported by a Belgian study."
Explanation: The passage supports the connection between depression and seasonal weather changes, specifically mentioning the impact of rain and gloomy weather on mood.
7. False
Reference:
From Paragraph F, "Serotonin levels in specific parts of the nervous system are increased, making people more energetic, reactive, and possibly aggressive."
Explanation: The passage states that increased serotonin levels may contribute to energetic and possibly aggressive behavior, but it does not suggest that serotonin is the fundamental cause of human aggressiveness.
8. Not Given
Reference:
Reference: Not Given
Explanation: There is no information in the passage regarding the influence of positively charged
ions on eating patterns, so the answer is 'Not Given'.
9. Not Given
Reference:
Not Given
Explanation: There is no information in the passage about Seasonal Affective Disorder affecting children's education in Russia, so the answer is 'Not Given'.
Questions and Answers 10-12
- Complete each of the following statements with the best ending from the box below.
- Write the appropriate letters A - G in boxes 10-12 on your answer sheet.
- melatonin
- impaired performance
- hot weather
- daylight
- time cues
- moderate temperatures
- poor coordination
10. According to research, a hamster's body weight rises in proportion to its exposure to _______.
11. Animals adapt to shifting weather and food availability as they are influenced by ______.
12. It has been proven that social hostilities in the United States increase drastically during _______.
Highs and Lows Reading Answers with Explanations 10-12
Type of Question: Sentence Endings
These questions in IELTS reading involve analysing the context and meaning of the preceding sentences in the passage to determine the most appropriate concluding statement that logically fits the content and tone.
How to best answer:
- Ensure you understand the context of the preceding sentences to accurately predict the appropriate ending.
- Look for keywords or phrases in the preceding sentences that hint at the direction or content of the ending.
- Pay attention to the grammatical structure and syntax of the preceding sentences to choose an ending that fits naturally.
- Eliminate options that are obviously incorrect or do not match the tone or content of the passage.
- Review your chosen ending to verify that it logically completes the sentence and maintains coherence with the passage.
10. D
Reference:
From Paragraph E, "In the laboratory, hamsters gain weight when the nights become short and their melatonin levels drop."
Explanation: The passage explains that hamsters gain weight when exposed to shorter nights and longer daylight, indicating a correlation between increased daylight (daytime) and weight gain.
11. E
Reference:
From Paragraph E, "It appears that the changing durations of day and night serve as time cues, causing changes in animal behaviour that are required to adjust to the seasonal cycle."
Explanation: The passage states that animals adjust their behaviour in response to changing day and night lengths, which act as time cues influencing their adaptation to seasonal changes in weather and food availability.
12. C
Reference:
From Paragraph B, "According to research carried out in the United States, there is a link between temperature and street riots."
Explanation: The passage discusses how street riots increase significantly during hot weather conditions, particularly between 27 and 30 °C, indicating a correlation between hot weather and increased social hostilities.
Questions and Answers 13-15
- According to the text which THREE of the conditions have been scientifically proven to have a psychological effect on humans?
- Choose THREE in boxes A - G and write them in boxes 13 - 15 on your answer sheet.
- high serotonin levels
- freedom from worry
- rainy weather
- sunny weather
- food consumption
- lack of counselling facilities
- lack of negative ions
Highs and Lows Reading Answers with Explanations 13-15
Type of Question: Multiple Choice Questions
These types of questions in IELTS reading involve identifying the right choice from the given optionsusing the given paragraph.
How to best answer:
- Understand what the question is asking and identify keywords or phrases.
- Quickly scan the relevant part of the passage to gather information.
- Eliminate options that are clearly wrong to narrow down your choices.
- Choose the option that best fits the context and tone of the passage.
- Double-check your answer to ensure it makes sense grammatically and logically within the passage.
13. A
Reference:
From Paragraph F,"The positive charge raises serotonin levels (a chemical involved in sending signals in the nervous system)."
Explanation:This statement indicates that high serotonin levels have a psychological effect on humans by increasing energy and possibly aggressiveness.
14. C
Reference:
From Paragraph E, "The assumption that rain and gloomy weather make people feel sad, however, is supported by a Belgian study that found a telephone counselling service receives more calls from people with suicidal thoughts when it rains."
Explanation: Rainy weather has been scientifically proven to have a psychological effect on humans by contributing to feelings of sadness and depression.
15. D
Reference:
From Paragraph D, "Psychologists have done research that suggests that when the weather is sunny, people are less doubtful and more optimistic."
Explanation: Sunny weather has a psychological effect on humans by boosting optimism and reducing doubt, as supported by psychological research.
