The academic passage is where the top Reading bands are decided. The questions are predictable, and each type has a reliable way to find the answer.
What the task looks like
A university-style text on a topic from science, history or social studies, followed by questions. You do not need background knowledge: every answer is in the passage.
Main idea questions
Read the first and last sentence of each paragraph. The main idea is the point the whole passage keeps returning to, not the most interesting detail.
Detail questions
Find the paragraph the question points to, then reread the exact sentence. Wrong answers often mix true facts from different sentences.
Vocabulary questions
Replace the word with each option and reread the sentence. The right answer keeps the meaning of the sentence, even if it is not the most common meaning of the word.
Inference questions
Inference questions ask what the passage suggests but does not say. The answer is still supported by the text: one small step from what is written, never a big leap.
Managing your time
The shorter Reading tasks are quick. Use the time you save on them for the academic passage, and do not get stuck on one hard question: mark your best answer and move on.
Practise academic passages with instant answer explanations.
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