IELTS General Training Reading Practice Test 2: Answers & Explanations

All 40 answers below, each with the exact line of the passage that proves it and the reason the tempting wrong option was tempting. If you have not sat the test yet, do that first — a key read before the attempt teaches nothing.

Passage 1: Northgate Library — Services and Rules

13 marks

Answer key and explanations for passage 1
Q	Answer	Evidence in the passage	Why, and the trap
1	FALSE	“no more than four may be DVDs”	Twelve is the total limit; DVDs are capped separately at four.Trap: Partial Truth
2	TRUE	“a third renewal must be made in person”	Two renewals may be made online or by telephone; the third must be in person.
3	TRUE	“they may continue to use the computers and the reading room”	Borrowing is suspended, but computer and reading room access continues.
4	FALSE	“paid at the desk rather than at the machine”	The notice states the opposite explicitly.Trap: Opposite Meaning
5	NOT GIVEN	“Twelve public computers are available and may be booked up to two days ahead”	The current number is given. No plan, intention or future change is mentioned.Trap: Outside Text
6	Section D	“what happens to a booked space that nobody uses”	Section D: a room empty for more than fifteen minutes "is released to anyone waiting".
7	Section E	“how members are informed about an unexpected closure”	Section E: members "are notified by text if they have supplied a mobile number".
8	Section F	“how to return items when the building is shut”	Section F: the outdoor drop box may be used at any time.
9	Section B	“the cost of replacing a lost membership card”	Section B: "A replacement card costs two pounds."
10	Section C	“an item members are expected to provide themselves”	Section C: "Members must bring their own headphones."
11	two days (also accepted: two days ahead, 2 days)	“may be booked up to two days ahead”	Two words, or three with "ahead".
12	five pounds (also accepted: £5)	“to a maximum of five pounds per item”	The maximum, not the daily rate of ten pence.
13	4pm (also accepted: 4 pm, at 4pm)	“During the summer holidays the Saturday closing time moves to 4pm”	The seasonal time, not the usual 5pm.

Passage 2: Ferndale Care Group — New Starter Information

13 marks

Answer key and explanations for passage 2
Q	Answer	Evidence in the passage	Why, and the trap
Paragraph A	i — Training before you work on your own	“Every new member of staff completes three induction days.”	Three induction days, what each covers, and the exemption route — training before working unsupervised.
Paragraph B	ii — What you wear and what is provided	“Two tunics are issued free and further sets are charged at cost.”	Tunics, jewellery limits and equipment supplied or not reimbursed.
Paragraph C	iii — How shifts are planned and altered	“Rotas are published four weeks ahead.”	Publication of rotas, availability deadlines, weekend rostering and cover.
Paragraph D	iv — Writing up care and keeping it confidential	“Care notes must be completed before the end of the shift.”	When notes must be written, who owns them, and the rule on discussing residents.
Paragraph E	v — Regular meetings and raising problems	“Formal supervision takes place every eight weeks.”	Eight-weekly supervision and the route for raising a concern.
19	three (also accepted: 3, three days)	“completes three induction days before working unsupervised”	A number counts as one word.
20	the certificate (also accepted: certificate)	“may apply for exemption from the first day only, and must supply the certificate”	Two words at most, taken from the end of section A.
21	one in three	“Every member of staff works one weekend in three”	Three words; "one weekend in three" is four and would exceed the limit.
22	the regional director (also accepted: regional director)	“with the regional director, whose contact details are displayed in every staff room”	Three words including the article.
23	four	“Rotas are published four weeks ahead”	One word; "three weeks" refers to weekend excusal requests instead.
24	tenth	“Staff give their availability by the tenth of the preceding month”	One word, written as an ordinal in the text.
25	advance	“must never be written in advance of the task”	One word, lifted unchanged.
26	eight	“Formal supervision takes place every eight weeks”	One word; the appraisal is annual and separate.

Passage 3: The Trouble With Recycling Symbols

14 marks

Answer key and explanations for passage 3
Q	Answer	Evidence in the passage	Why, and the trap
27	NO	“It is not, and has never been, a statement that the item will be recycled.”	The symbol identifies the resin type; the passage denies the recycling claim outright.Trap: Opposite Meaning
28	YES	“is among their largest single costs”	Contamination from well-meaning but unprocessable items is reported as a major cost.
29	NO	“the difference is economic rather than technical”	Almost any plastic is technically recyclable; whether anyone will pay is the constraint.Trap: Opposite Meaning
30	NO	“Labelling schemes designed to fix the problem have mostly added to it.”	Parallel systems on one packet make the shopper's task impossible rather than easier.Trap: Opposite Meaning
31	YES	“recycling occupies more attention than its position in the hierarchy warrants”	Reduction and reuse sit above it and attract far less discussion.
32	YES	“the strength of that opposition is a reasonable measure of how well the schemes work”	The writer reads opposition from those bearing the cost as a signal of effectiveness.
33	may legally be printed by anyone on anything.	“The chasing-arrows symbol”	Paragraph A: it "was never trademarked, which means anyone may print it on anything".
34	to exactly the same piece of material.	“Two neighbouring towns can apply opposite rules”	Paragraph C: a household moving between towns "can find the rules reversed with no change in the material".
35	they give the material a monetary value.	“Deposit return schemes succeed because”	Paragraph F: "they work by making the material worth money".
36	need neither new technology nor changed attitudes.	“The measures the writer recommends”	Paragraph G: "None of these requires a new technology or a change in public attitudes."
37	resin	“that number identifies the type of resin the item is made from”	One word, lifted unchanged.
38	design	“it rises when packaging design changes rather than when public interest falls”	One word; public interest is the alternative the passage rules out.
39	ninety-five	“recover containers at rates between eighty and ninety-five per cent”	One hyphenated number.
40	do	“a single label saying what to do rather than what the item is made of”	One very short word — easy to overlook because it is not a technical term.

Convert your score out of 40

Count your correct answers across all three passages. There is no penalty for a wrong answer, so an unanswered question and a wrong guess score the same.

IELTS General Training Reading raw score to band score
Band	Correct (of 40)
9.0	40
8.5	39
8.0	37–38
7.5	36
7.0	34–35
6.5	32–33
6.0	30–31
5.5	27–29
5.0	23–26
4.5	19–22
4.0	15–18
3.5	0–14

General Training conversion, which is stricter than Academic because the texts are easier — band 7 needs 34 correct here against 30 on the Academic paper. Both tables are on the Reading band calculator.

IELTS General Training Reading Practice Test 2: Answers & Explanations

Passage 1: Northgate Library — Services and Rules

Passage 2: Ferndale Care Group — New Starter Information

Passage 3: The Trouble With Recycling Symbols

Convert your score out of 40

Turn the wrong answers into a band