IELTS Secrets - EXPLANATION

READING 1: CATHY FREEMAN – AUSTRALIA’S TRACK QUEEN

Q1: Paragraph 2
Answer: xi
Key word(s): "stolen generation," "difficult childhood"
Cited Sentence: "Freeman's grandmother was part of the 'stolen generation' of Aboriginal people in Australia… Although Freeman was not taken from her family, she had a difficult childhood."
Explanation: The paragraph focuses on the challenges Freeman faced, highlighting her grandmother's experience in the "stolen generation" and her own difficult upbringing, fitting the heading "A difficult childhood."

Q2: Paragraph 3
Answer: v
Key word(s): "mother encouraged," "stepfather told her"
Cited Sentence: "Her mother, Cecilia, encouraged her to pursue her interest in athletics, and when she was ten, her stepfather told her she could win a gold medal at the Olympics if she trained properly."
Explanation: This paragraph emphasizes the familial support Freeman received, which helped her pursue athletics, aligning with the heading "Family support for running."

Q3: Paragraph 4
Answer: iii
Key word(s): "National School Championships," "Commonwealth Games"
Cited Sentence: "At the age of 15, she competed at the National School Championships, and… she made the team as a sprinter and was a member of the 4 × 100-meter relay team, which won gold at the Commonwealth Games."
Explanation: This section focuses on her early competitive achievements, clearly fitting the heading "Early competition."

Q4: Paragraph 5
Answer: vi
Key word(s): "1992 Olympics," "Barcelona"
Cited Sentence: "In 1992, she competed in the 400-meter relay at the Barcelona Olympics, making it to the second qualifying round."
Explanation: The paragraph discusses her performance at her first Olympic Games, making "Her first Olympics" the most appropriate heading.

Q5: Paragraph 6
Answer: viii
Key word(s): "Aboriginal flag," "symbolism"
Cited Sentence: "After winning the 400 meters, Freeman ran her victory lap, carrying not the Australian national flag, but the red, black, and yellow Aboriginal flag."
Explanation: The emphasis on Freeman using the Aboriginal flag and its symbolic meaning relates strongly to the heading "Aboriginal identity on the track."

Q6: Paragraph 7
Answer: x
Key word(s): "silver medal," "1996 Olympics"
Cited Sentence: "At the 1996 Olympic games in Atlanta, Freeman won a silver medal in the 400 meters."
Explanation: This paragraph highlights Freeman's second-place finish in the 1996 Olympics, fitting the heading "Second on the big stage."

Q7: Paragraph 8
Answer: ii
Key word(s): "Alexander Bodecker," "fell in love"
Cited Sentence: "In 1999, Freeman met Alexander Bodecker, an American executive for the Nike shoe company, and the two fell in love."
Explanation: The paragraph centers on Freeman's new relationship with Alexander Bodecker, making "A new love" the most suitable heading.

Q8: Paragraph 9
Answer: ix
Key word(s): "2000 Olympics," "gold medal," "Sydney"
Cited Sentence: "Freeman was, of course, Australia's favourite to win a gold medal in the 400 meters at the 2000 Olympics, held in Sydney."
Explanation: This section discusses her victory at the Sydney Olympics, tying in with "Winning the top medal at home."

Q9: Paragraph 10
Answer: vii
Key word(s): "adored," "celebrated"
Cited Sentence: "This time, instead of being criticised for carrying the Aboriginal flag… she was widely celebrated by the Australian media and public."
Explanation: The paragraph focuses on Freeman being celebrated after her 2000 Olympics win, matching the heading "Adored by her nation."

Questions 10–14: Complete the Notes

Q10: Although she had a hard upbringing she got support from her mother and…
Answer: Stepfather
Key word(s): "stepfather," "encouraged her"
Cited Sentence: "Her mother, Cecilia, encouraged her to pursue her interest in athletics, and when she was ten, her stepfather told her she could win a gold medal at the Olympics if she trained properly."
Explanation: The answer is "stepfather," who supported Freeman along with her mother in her pursuit of athletics.

Q11: She won a… at a young age to train and study which helped her develop as an athlete.
Answer: Scholarship
Key word(s): "scholarship," "boarding school"
Cited Sentence: "Freeman was one of only a few Aborigines who won a scholarship to a boarding school where she could learn and train."
Explanation: The paragraph explicitly mentions Freeman winning a scholarship, which contributed to her athletic training.

Q12: Her first international success was in 1990 at the… as part of the Australian sprint team.
Answer: Commonwealth Games
Key word(s): "1990," "gold at Commonwealth Games"
Cited Sentence: "She made the team as a sprinter and was a member of the 4 × 100-meter relay team, which won gold at the Commonwealth Games."
Explanation: Freeman’s first international achievement was at the Commonwealth Games, where she won gold.

Q13: At her second Olympics in 1996 she won a silver medal for coming second in the…
Answer: 400 meters/metres/m
Key word(s): "silver medal," "1996 Olympics"
Cited Sentence: "At the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Freeman won a silver medal in the 400 meters."
Explanation: The answer is explicitly stated as the 400 meters, where Freeman won silver.

Q14: In 2000, she finally won a… at the Sydney Olympics making her one of the most loved sports stars in Australia.
Answer: Gold medal
Key word(s): "gold medal," "Sydney Olympics"
Cited Sentence: "When she won, with a time of 49.11 seconds… carrying both the Australian and Aboriginal flags around the track as the crowd cheered."
Explanation: The paragraph describes Freeman’s victory and the resulting adoration, affirming the answer "gold medal."

READING 2: THE WORLD’S DESIRE FOR PLASTIC IS DANGEROUS

Q15: Experts say that plastic waste is worse than global warming.
Answer: FALSE
Key word(s): plastic waste, worse, global warming
Cited Sentence: "A million plastic bottles are purchased around the world every minute and the number will jump another 20% by 2021, creating an environmental crisis some campaigners predict will be as serious as climate change."
Explanation: The text mentions that plastic waste is predicted to be as serious as climate change, not worse. The phrase "as serious as" contrasts with the claim in the question, making the statement false.

Q16: Most bottles manufactured for drinking are made from plastic that can be easily recycled.
Answer: TRUE
Key word(s): bottles, drinking, recyclable
Cited Sentence: "Most plastic bottles, which are used for soft drinks and water, are made from Pet plastic, which is highly recyclable."
Explanation: The text confirms that Pet plastic, which is highly recyclable, is used for most drinking bottles. This matches the claim in the question.

Q17: In Britain, only 20% of plastic bottles are recycled and the rest are reused or thrown out.
Answer: FALSE
Key word(s): Britain, 20%, recycled
Cited Sentence: "In the UK 38.5 million plastic bottles are used every day – only just over half make it to recycling, while more than 16 million are put into rubbish dumps, burnt or leak into the environment and oceans each day."
Explanation: The text indicates that just over half of the bottles in Britain are recycled, which is more than 20%, contradicting the statement in the question.

Q18: By 2020, China’s use of plastic bottles will be greater than the rest of the world.
Answer: NOT GIVEN
Key word(s): 2020, China, greater than rest of the world
Cited Sentence: Not specifically addressed in the text.
Explanation: The text provides data on China's increasing demand for plastic bottles but does not explicitly compare it to the rest of the world or project its use to surpass global usage by 2020.

Q19: Major drink companies only use a small percentage of recycled plastic in their bottles.
Answer: TRUE
Key word(s): major drink companies, small percentage, recycled plastic
Cited Sentence: "The top six drinks companies in the world use a combined average of just 6.6% of recycled Pet in their products, according to Greenpeace."
Explanation: The phrase "just 6.6%" indicates a small percentage, confirming the statement in the question.

Q20: A leading environmental organisation says that the oceans will be filled with plastic if big business doesn’t act.
Answer: NOT GIVEN
Key word(s): oceans, filled with plastic, big business act
Cited Sentence: Not directly addressed in the text.
Explanation: While the text mentions Greenpeace criticizing drink companies for their plastic use, it does not explicitly state that oceans will be "filled with plastic" if big businesses fail to act.

Q21: Every second, approximately how many plastic bottles are purchased on the planet?
Answer: B (twenty thousand)
Key word(s): every second, plastic bottles purchased
Cited Sentence: "The demand, equivalent to about 20,000 bottles being bought every second..."
Explanation: The exact number "20,000" is stated in the text, matching option B.

Q22: Most plastic bottles that aren’t recycled are…
Answer: C (put into garbage tips)
Key word(s): not recycled, bottles
Cited Sentence: "Instead most plastic bottles produced end up in rubbish dumps or in the ocean."
Explanation: "Rubbish dumps" is synonymous with "garbage tips," making C the correct choice.

Q23: The majority of plastic bottles are used for…
Answer: B (drinking water)
Key word(s): majority, plastic bottles, use
Cited Sentence: "The majority of plastic bottles used across the globe are for drinking water."
Explanation: The cited sentence directly states the main use of plastic bottles, aligning with option B.

Q24: What is the percentage of drinks companies who have no plans to use more recyclable plastic in their products?
Answer: C (33%)
Key word(s): drinks companies, no plans, recyclable plastic
Cited Sentence: "A third have no targets to increase their use of recycled plastic..."
Explanation: "A third" translates to 33%, confirming option C.

Q25: According to the article, RPet is
Answer: D (bottles made out of 100% recycled plastic)
Key word(s): RPet
Cited Sentence: "Plastic drinking bottles could be made out of 100% recycled plastic, known as RPet..."
Explanation: The text defines RPet explicitly as bottles made entirely from recycled plastic, matching option D.

Q26: Greenpeace thinks one way to reduce plastic waste is to…
Answer: D (use more recycled material)
Key word(s): Greenpeace, reduce plastic waste
Cited Sentence: "Greenpeace said the big six drinks companies had to do more to increase the recycled content of their plastic bottles."
Explanation: The recommendation to increase recycled content aligns with the idea of using more recycled material, making D correct.

READING 3: ON THE TRAIL OF AFRICA’S WILD DOGS

Q27: The African wild dog has other names associated with it, often being referred to as the ‘hunting wolf’.
Answer: NO
Key word(s): other names, hunting wolf
Cited Sentence: "The African wild dog, officially named Lycaon pictus, and also called the painted wolf or the Cape hunting dog…"
Explanation: The text explicitly mentions the names "painted wolf" and "Cape hunting dog," but there is no reference to the name "hunting wolf." This contradicts the statement.

Q28: There are more African wild dogs in Sub-Saharan Africa than in South Africa.
Answer: NOT GIVEN
Key word(s): more African wild dogs, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa
Cited Sentence: "Lycaon pictus once roamed most of sub-Saharan Africa. Now only about 5,000 dogs can be found in isolated pockets of the continent."
Explanation: While the text mentions the overall population and their distribution across sub-Saharan Africa, it does not compare their numbers specifically with South Africa.

Q29: Scientists are trying to save the African wild dog by putting them in new national parks in South Africa.
Answer: YES
Key word(s): save, new national parks, South Africa
Cited Sentence: "In 1997, 2000, and 2003, wildlife managers reintroduced several packs of wild dogs from elsewhere in South Africa to this park in the hope of rebuilding the species."
Explanation: The reintroduction of wild dogs into specific areas in South Africa confirms that scientists are actively using this method to save the species.

Q30: African wild dogs roam large areas and often travel extreme distances.
Answer: YES
Key word(s): roam large areas, travel extreme distances
Cited Sentence: "They travel up to 30 kilometres daily, with vast home ranges, 600 to 800 square kilometres on average."
Explanation: The text provides numerical evidence of their extensive travel and large home ranges, directly supporting the statement.

Q31: Introducing African wild dogs into new areas is quite easy and there has been a lot of research related to this field.
Answer: NO
Key word(s): easy, reintroduction, research
Cited Sentence: "As a discipline, the science of reintroduction has been poorly studied."
Explanation: The statement contradicts the text, which describes reintroduction as difficult and lacking sufficient research.

Q32: Radio transmitters help scientists track the movements of hyenas and lions.
Answer: NO
Key word(s): radio transmitters, hyenas and lions
Cited Sentence: "The dogs' radio collars provide only limited contact."
Explanation: The text mentions using radio collars to track wild dogs, but not hyenas or lions. Plans for satellite collars to study these species are discussed, but the existing technology does not track them.

Q33-Q35: Which THREE of the following are given as reasons for African wild dogs currently being endangered?
Answers: B, D, G
Key word(s): endangered, reasons
Cited Sentences:

"The dog is listed as endangered by the World Conservation Union."
"These two species also play a role in reducing African wild dog numbers."
"The African wild dog... is the victim mainly of human hunting."
Explanation:
B (loss of habitat): Habitat loss is implied through references to limited ranges and human encroachment.
D (competition): Hyenas and lions are explicitly stated as competing species affecting the dogs.
G (humans killing): The text mentions hunting as a primary threat.

Q36: This scientist or researcher is monitoring the African wild dogs' movement and behaviour.
Answer: A
Key word(s): monitoring, movement, behaviour
Cited Sentence: "Szykman, a researcher at the Smithsonian National Animal Park in Washington, D.C., is tracking the dogs for a park project."
Explanation: Szykman is actively engaged in tracking and studying the movements of the wild dogs.

Q37: This scientist or researcher has found that African wild dogs are a family-oriented species.
Answer: A
Key word(s): family-oriented species
Cited Sentence: "This is one of the most intensely social animals out there," said Szykman... "They never leave an animal behind and are always strengthening social bonds."
Explanation: Szykman’s statement highlights the family-oriented and social nature of the wild dogs.

Q38: This scientist or researcher does not think current systems of tracking African wild dogs is sufficient.
Answer: B
Key word(s): tracking, insufficient
Cited Sentence: "Monfort has proposed the development of a satellite-tagging system…"
Explanation: Monfort expresses concern over the limitations of current radio collar tracking systems.

Q39: This scientist or researcher believes repopulating areas with African wild dogs is currently the best solution for their survival.
Answer: C
Key word(s): repopulating, survival
Cited Sentence: "Reintroduction is exciting because it beats caged management in zoos."
Explanation: Creel supports reintroduction as a method for boosting wild dog populations, suggesting it is a viable solution.

Q40: This scientist or researcher thinks that local attitude towards African wild dogs is changing in a positive way.
Answer: A
Key word(s): local attitude, positive change
Cited Sentence: "Now when somebody sees the dogs outside the reserve, Szykman gets a call about their location."
Explanation: Szykman notes that people now report wild dog sightings instead of harming them, reflecting a positive change in attitudes.