Reading 2026-04 Test 5 — IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test with Answers

Rebuilt from test-taker recalls — not official IELTS material. Audio and passages are recreations for practice.

Reading Passage 1 — Sand Dunes

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1–13, which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.

A One of the main problems posed by sand dunes is their encroachment on human habitats. Sand dunes move by different means, all of them aided by the wind. Sand dunes threaten buildings and crops in Africa, the Middle East, and China. Preventing sand dunes from overwhelming cities and agricultural areas has become a priority for the United Nations Environment Program. On the other hand, dune habitats provide niches for highly specialized plants and animals, including numerous rare and endangered species.

B Sand is usually composed of hard minerals such as quartz that cannot be broken down into silt or clay. Yellow, brown and reddish shades of sand indicate their presence of iron compounds. Red sand is composed of quartz coated by a layer of iron oxide. White sands are nearly pure gypsum. Sand with a high percentage of silicate can be used in glassmaking. Sandstone is created by sand, mixed with lime, chalk or some other material that acts as a binding agent, that is deposited in layers at the bottom of a sea or other area and pressed together into rock by the great pressure of sediments that are deposited on top of it over thousands or millions of years.

C The most common dune form on Earth and on Mars is crescentic. Crescent-shaped mounds are generally wider than they are long. The slipfaces are on the concave sides of the dunes. These dunes form under winds that blow consistently from one direction, and they also are known as barchans or transverse dunes. Some types of crescentic dunes move more quickly over desert surfaces than any other type of dune. A group of dunes moved more than 100 metres per year between 1954 and 1959 the China’s Ningxia Province, and similar speeds have been recorded in the Western Desert of Egypt. The largest crescentic dunes on Earth, with mean crest-to-crest widths of more than 3 kilometres, are in China’s Taklamakan Desert.

D Radially symmetrical, star dunes are pyramidal sand mounds with slipfaces on there or more arms that radiate from the high center of the mound. They tend to accumulate in areas with multidirectional wind regimes. Star dunes grow upward rather than laterally. They dominate the Grand Erg Oriental of the Sahara. In other deserts, they occur around the margins of the sand seas, particularly near topographic barriers. In the southeast Badain Jaran Desert of China, the star dunes are up to 500 metres tall and may be the tallest dunes on Earth. Straight or slightly sinuous sand ridges typically much longer than they are wide are known as linear dunes. They may be more than 160 kilometres (99 mi) long. Some linear dunes merge to form Y-shaped compound dunes. Many forms in bidirectional wind regimes. The long axes of these dunes extend in the resultant direction of sand movement. Linear loess hills known as pahas are superficially similar.

E Once sand begins to pile up, ripples and dunes can form. Wind continues to move sand up to the top of the pile until the pile is so steep that it collapses under its own weight. The collapsing sand comes to rest when it reaches just the right steepness to keep the dune stable. This angle, usually about 30-34°, is called the angle of repose. Every pile of loose particles has a unique angle of repose, depending upon the properties of the material it’s made of, such as the grain size and roundness. Ripples grow into dunes with the increase of wind and sand input.

F The repeating cycle of sand inching up the windward side to the dune crest, then slipping down the dune’s slip face allows the dune to inch forward, migrating in the direction the wind blows. As you might guess, all of this climbing then slipping leaves its mark on the internal structure of the dune. The image on the right shows fossil sand dune structure preserved in the Merced Formation at Fort Funston, Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The sloping lines or laminations you see are the preserved slip faces of a migrating sand dune. This structure is called cross-bedding and can be the result of either wind or water currents. The larger the cross-bedded structure, however, the more likely it is to be formed by wind, rather than water.

G Sand dunes can “sing” at a level up to 115 decibels and generate sounds in different notes. The dunes at Sand Mountain in Nevada usually sing in a low C but can also sing in B and C sharp. The La Mar de Dunas in Chile hum in F while those at the Ghord Lahmar in Morocco howl in G sharp. The sounds are produced by avalanches of sand generated by blowing winds. For a while, it was thought that the avalanches caused the entire dune to resonate like a flute or violin but if that were true then different size dunes would produce different notes. In the mid 2000s, American, French and Moroccan scientists visiting sand dunes in Morocco, Chile, China and Oman published a paper in the Physical Review Letters that determined the sounds were produced by collisions between grains of sand that caused the motions of the grains to become synchronized, causing the outer layer of a dune to vibrate like the cone of a loudspeaker, producing sound. The tone of the sounds depended primarily on the size of the grains.

H Scientists performed a computer simulation on patterns and dynamics of desert dunes in laboratory. Dune patterns observed in deserts were reproduced. From the initial random state, stars and linear dunes are produced, depending on the variability of the wind direction. The efficiency in sand transport is calculated through the course of development. Scientists found that the sand transport is the most efficient in the linear transverse dune. The efficiency in sand transport always increased through the evolution, and the way it increases was stepwise. They also found that the shadow zone, the region where the sand wastes the chance to move, shrinks through the course of evolution, which greatly helps them build a model to simulate a sand move.

Questions 1–8: Matching headings

Choose the correct heading for paragraphs A–H from the list below. Write the correct number, i–x, in boxes 1–8 on your answer sheet. List of Headings i. potential threat to buildings and crops despite of benefit ii. the cycle of sand moving forward with wind iii. protection method in various countries iv. scientists simulate sand move and build model in lab v. sand composition explanation vi. singing sand dunes vii. other types of sand dunes viii. the personal opinion on related issues ix. reasons why sand dunes form x. the most common sand type

1
Paragraph A ...................
2
Paragraph B ...................
3
Paragraph C ...................
4
Paragraph D ...................
5
Paragraph E ...................
6
Paragraph F ...................
7
Paragraph G ...................
8
Paragraph H ...................

Questions 9–10: Multiple choice

Answer the questions 9–10 and choose correct letter A, B, C or D.

9
What is the main composition of white sand made of according to the passage?
- A. Quartz
- B. Gypsum
- C. Lime
- D. Iron
10
Which one is not mentioned as a sand type in this passage?
- A. Linear
- B. Crescentic
- C. Overlap
- D. Star

Questions 11–13: Summary completion

Complete the summary using the list of words, A–J below. Write the correct letter, A–J in boxes 11–13 on your answer sheet. A. quartz B. shape C. pressure D. tone E. protection F. category G. minerals H. sing I. lab J. direction

Crescentic is an ordinary 11 _________ on both Earth and Mars, apart from which, there are also other types of sand dunes. Different color of the sand reflects different components, some of them are rich in 12 _________ that can not be easily broken into clay. Sand dunes can “sing” at a level up to 115 decibels and generate sounds in different notes. Sand dunes can be able to 13 _________ at a certain level of sound intensity, and the different size of grains creates different tone of the sounds.

Reading Passage 2 — Intelligent Behaviour in Birds

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14–26, which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.

Many people are aware of the intelligence of chimpanzees and other mammals. However, birds also demonstrate intelligent behaviour

A For centuries, many scholars maintained that humans were the only intelligent organism on Earth. Many traits were considered to be exclusively human examples of acumen – for example, language, tool use, deception, awareness of self and others. However, exciting new research on a number of animals, particularly birds, has called into question the uniqueness of these traits, forcing us to reconsider this opinion. In 1964, people were amazed when naturalist Jane Goodall first discovered chimpanzees making and using tools. But ornithologists, people who study birds, were not overly surprised. Almost 20 years earlier, a renowned ornithologist had shown that tool use was commonplace in populations of woodpecker finches residing on the Galápagos Islands. These tiny birds routinely used twigs to extract grubs from under bark.

B Since then, the catalogue of tool-using animals has grown. At least three Australian bird species make tools similar to those of the woodpecker finch, and when white-winged choughs come across shellfish they have been known to use rocks as hammers to crack open the recalcitrant shells. Other birds show a more sophisticated level of insight. For example, black kites have been reported dropping bait into lakes to bring fish to the surface of the water, thereby making them easier to catch. A kite may also pick up a smouldering stick from an area recently burned by a bushfire and drop the stick on a patch of unburned grass. The bird then feasts on the small animals that flee from the subsequent fire.

C Most tool-using behaviours are a means of extracting food, which may provide a clue as to how the mental abilities needed for tool use evolved. The predominant explanation is based on the proverb that 'necessity is the mother of invention'. Essentially, brain tissue is energetically expensive, so animals should have evolved only the necessary intellectual capabilities required to overcome the challenges they face in their environment. Consider a hypothetical duck grazing on a seemingly endless supply of grass. Being particularly intelligent will not help the duck eat more grass. In contrast, other species, such as birds of prey, live in a more challenging environment, where food may be distributed erratically, hidden from view or highly mobile. The food itself may be quite intelligent. So, if there are not enough resources to feed all individuals, then only the smartest in each generation will live and reproduce.

D New Caledonian crows boast many different tools in their tool kit. They use a hooked tool made by removing all but one of the side branches from a twig. They fashion serrated rakes (using their beaks as scissors) from stiff, leathery pandanus leaves. They also make probes by modifying their own moulted feathers. Each tool is used in slightly different ways to pull grubs from deep within tree trunks. The crows carry their favourite tool from one foraging site to the next. They also store their tools for later re-use in a secure place on their perch. Problem-solving abilities have traditionally been thought to be beyond the reach of animals. Nevertheless, birds are coming up with innovative solutions all the time. Recently, New Caledonian crows were observed moulding a piece of wire, something they had never seen before, into a hook and then using it to retrieve food.

E Literally hundreds of such reports have accumulated in back copies of scientific journals. Recently, a team of biologists from McGill University in Canada collated them and compared the frequency and size of innovations with the size of the birds' forebrain (the brain area responsible for higher-order information processing) relative to the hindbrain. The team uncovered a clear relationship: birds with relatively large forebrains are able to invent fresh solutions to ecological challenges, and to exploit the discoveries and inventions of others, more often than birds with relatively small forebrains.

F Intelligence in birds may also arise as a result of selection to overcome the dynamic challenges of communal living. Since this involves competition between group members, to be successful, a social animal may need to be able to reflect on its own intentions, as well as those of others. The consequence of being part of a community may be the evolution of a distinctly 'political' brain.

G What better way to exercise a political brain than to be deceitful! Perhaps the best example of deception among birds comes from the white-winged choughs. Choughs are cooperative breeders - that is, they form a communal group consisting of one breeding-pair and up to 15 non-breeding 'helpers'. However, because young choughs have so little enthusiasm for foraging, or gathering food, they are often too hungry to help. And because it is socially unacceptable to be part of a group and provide little help, young choughs often act deceptively. For example, when an adult is watching, a young chough will place some food in the mouth of a hungry chick – but it does not release the food. Instead, it waits until the adult departs and then eats it. A chough can also help the group by preening the chicks. Interestingly, it is more likely to preen the chicks if another bird can see it do so. A chough that has been sitting totally still on the nest while the rest of the group is foraging out of sight will comically spring up and frantically start to preen the chicks as soon as some of its group members come into view. It is likely that these young choughs are only motivated to help when others are watching because they are concerned about their social status. Choughs need other choughs to like them, as they cannot breed without them.

Questions 14–20: Matching headings

Reading Passage has seven paragraphs, A–G. Choose the correct heading for each paragraph and move it into the gap.

i. the theory linking capacity for tool use in birds and survival

ii. the influence of humans on tool use

iii. the theory linking cognitive ability and living in a society

iv. reviewing long-held beliefs

v. intelligence helps birds to remember

vi. how some birds trick each other

vii. physiological evidence of birds' intelligence

viii. several examples of birds who use tools

ix. one species' multiple tool-using techniques

14
Paragraph A ................
15
Paragraph B ................
16
Paragraph C ................
17
Paragraph D ................
18
Paragraph E ................
19
Paragraph F ................
20
Paragraph G ................

Questions 21–26: Matching

Choose the correct bird, (A–C), for each characteristic. You may choose any correct bird more than once. List of Birds A. white-winged choughs B. black kites C. new caledonian crows

21
keeping tools that they like to use
22
drawing out their prey by frightening it
23
the use of tools to remove the outer covering from food
24
using food to attract their prey
25
the use of unfamiliar materials to make tools
26
engaging in certain activities for the benefit of observers

Reading Passage 3 — Rebranding art museums

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27–40, which are based on Reading Passage 3 below.

A study of the reopened National Gallery of Victoria

As anyone with even a passing interest in cultural institutions will know, art museums are adapting to keep up with changes in society. Do any of these newly developed spaces indicate a fundamental shift in the ways we engage with art at the beginning of the twenty-first century? The answer is a qualified Yes and also, it must be said, No. A clear sense of this can be gained by considering the 2003 redevelopment of the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne, Australia's second largest city, in the light of the aspirations embodied in the original building that served as its home.

The first building was considered a thoroughly modern museum when it opened to the public in 1968. We should not forget that it was also bold, entrepreneurial and innovative in ways that have done great credit to the vision and foresight of the architect, Roy Grounds. For one thing, the 1968 building signalled a strong sense of engagement with Asian and Pacific cultures, both in its architecture and through the layout of its collections. Its entrance lobby was designed to facilitate the rapid and efficient circulation of visitors. It also contained a series of greatly expanded temporary exhibition galleries and a vast Great Hall, which represented an unprecedented emphasis on the ancillary roles of corporate functions and public performances in the contemporary museum.

This last feature might have seemed excessive to some, yet how wise it has proven over the years as museums have come to place increasing emphasis on corporate sponsorship, and on the need to generate additional funds via room hire. Furthermore, the Great Hall has for forty years provided an area for children to roam at large before being escorted through the much less spatially accommodating galleries themselves. As an unintimidating introduction to the lifelong rigours of visiting art museums, its impact on attendance cannot be underestimated.

At the same time, other aspects of the 1968 NGV have not withstood the test of time so well. Foremost among these are the huge expanse of the exterior's windowless wall and the surrounding moat, which creates a rather unwelcoming expression of the museum as a temple of culture set apart from the everyday world. Over time, this idea has been questioned, and has been superseded by the growing impetus towards the alternative model of the museum as a more open-ended and visitor-friendly forum that engages the public more actively.

With these considerations in mind, Mario Bellini's redeveloped NGV opened in 2003 and his design reflects what the new, improved, twenty-first century global museum feels it should be emphasising to its visitors. Here the institution's energies are focused, not so much on the technical subtleties of how to design the galleries themselves, as on presenting to the public a spectacular image of the museum itself as a welcoming yet efficient facilitator of social interaction, popular entertainment and public knowledge. All of this is certainly impressive, but where has the art gone? We are not allowed to see the exhibitions until we have completed the necessary inductions. We are greeted by a hugely expanded cloakroom screening off our vision to the right, followed by a large visitor information office leading to the ticket booths. Above us is the cafe and to our left we cannot escape the NGV shop set alongside the entrance.

And what of the redesigned galleries themselves? In fact, they represent a wonderfully elegant reframing of the permanent collections in ways that should offer first-time visitors and seasoned members alike many new avenues for engagement in the years to come. But herein lies the conundrum posed by the NGV renovation and by the global sweep of new museum projects more generally. The mainstay elements of a permanent collection can become all too easily lost in the increased prominence that these rebranding exercises tend to place on the more glamorously spectacular aspects of the institution itself. At its most extreme, this results in the construction of new buildings that supplant the artworks inside them to become the major attractions in their own right.

These challenges are most keenly felt in the area of the temporary exhibition. Entrance to the NGV permanent collection is now free, so the NGV needs something to keep the paying public coming back. The answer lies in the international 'blockbuster' exhibition. The Impressionists, for example, netted a total of 380,000 visitors, making it one of the most popular exhibitions in Australian history. There has also, it needs to be said, a commendable attempt to leaven the international masterpieces with selected highlights from the permanent collection. Overall, though, the prevalence of these 'rental' blockbusters cannot but help introduce a certain 'off the rack' feeling to the institution's exhibition programme. More importantly perhaps, they clearly narrow the options for other worthy but less glamorous projects, and they take energy away from the curators' potential to do further work on and around the permanent collection.

Yet the show must go on, and shows can't exist without the public. Even the most adroit organisation, as the NGV assuredly is, needs to be able to juggle numerous, often conflicting priorities: the need to advance scholarship, on the one hand, versus the imperative of access on the other; the need to introduce audiences to new areas, versus the necessity of luring them in with instant brand recognition. Nobody said it was going to be easy, and the effect of too much innovation in museums can be

Questions 27–30: Multiple choice

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D. Write the correct letter in boxes 27–30 on your answer sheet.

27
What is the writer doing in the first paragraph?
- A. comparing the old NGV with the new NGV
- B. describing the role of art museums in Australian culture
- C. considering the influence of gallery design on art appreciation
- D. suggesting there has been little recent change in gallery design
28
The writer criticises the old NGV because
- A. the permanent collection was poorly displayed
- B. the building tended to make art seem remote
- C. Asian and Pacific art was neglected
- D. the foyer resembled a railway station
29
What does the writer notice about the new NGV?
- A. He thinks the ticket booths are well positioned
- B. He is upset that he is made to move so quickly
- C. He is frustrated because the art is obscured by the entrance
- D. He thinks the redevelopment fails to keep up with international trends
30
The writer argues that rental 'blockbuster' exhibitions
- A. should be cheaper
- B. are a financial necessity
- C. should be increased in number
- D. allow the museum to present an original view of art history

Questions 31–35: Yes/No/Not Given

Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 3? In boxes 31–35 on your answer sheet, write YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer, NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer, NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this.

31
Roy Grounds's design failed to recognise the importance of functions and performances in museums.
32
Mario Bellini's new NGV rejects international museum design trends.
33
Mario Bellini's work on subsequent museum projects has been less successful than that on the NGV.
34
The NGV monitors the number of first-time visitors to permanent exhibitions.
35
Too much change may have negative impacts on museums.

Questions 36–40: Sentence completion (matching endings)

Complete each sentence with the correct ending, A–G. Write the correct letter, A–G, in boxes 36–40 on your answer sheet. A. the museum programme will lose its individuality. B. the museum will lose credibility. C. the art loses its importance. D. it will have to balance opposing demands. E. this will encourage museum visitors in the future. F. it will have the capability of increasing revenue. G. the architect's reputation might suffer.

36
If a large space is available in the museum, ____
37
If children are allowed to move freely in parts of the gallery, ____
38
If too much emphasis is placed on the museum building itself, ____
39
If there is an over-reliance on 'blockbuster' exhibitions, ____
40
If the NGV wants to continue to be successful, ____

Answer sheet

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Show answer key

1. i
Paragraph A is best matched with heading i because it discusses the problems and benefits of sand dunes, showing 'the two sides of sand dunes' as it mentions both their threat to humans and their ecological value.
2. v
Paragraph B matches heading v as it describes 'the composition of sand and sandstone,' explaining what minerals sand is made of and how sandstone forms.
3. x
Paragraph C fits heading x because it details 'the most common sand dune form,' describing crescentic dunes and their features.
4. vii
Paragraph D matches heading vii as it explains 'different types of dunes,' such as star and linear dunes, and how they form.
5. ix
Paragraph E is best matched with heading ix because it describes 'how dunes are formed,' explaining the process of sand piling up and forming dunes.
6. ii
Paragraph F fits heading ii as it discusses 'the internal structure of dunes,' mentioning cross-bedding and how it forms inside dunes.
7. vi
Paragraph G matches heading vi because it talks about 'the sounds made by sand dunes,' describing how dunes can 'sing' and what causes the sounds.
8. iv
Paragraph H fits heading iv as it discusses 'scientific research on sand dunes,' describing computer simulations and findings about dune patterns and sand transport.
9. B
White sand is mainly made of gypsum, as the passage says, 'White sands are nearly pure gypsum.'
10. C
The passage does not mention 'Overlap' as a sand type, while it describes linear, crescentic, and star dunes.
11. B
Crescentic is an ordinary 'dune' on both Earth and Mars, as the passage says, 'The most common dune form on Earth and on Mars is crescentic.'
12. G
Different colors of sand reflect different components, and some sands are rich in 'quartz that cannot be broken down into silt or clay,' as stated in the passage.
13. H
Sand dunes can 'sing' at a certain level of sound intensity, and the passage explains that 'the tone of the sounds depended primarily on the size of the grains.'
14. iv
Paragraph A is best matched with heading iv because it discusses how birds show intelligent behavior, challenging the idea that only humans are intelligent.
15. viii
Paragraph B fits heading viii as it gives 'examples of tool use by birds,' describing how different birds use tools to get food.
16. i
Paragraph C matches heading i because it explains 'why tool use evolved,' saying that intelligence develops to solve environmental challenges.
17. ix
Paragraph D fits heading ix as it describes 'the intelligence of New Caledonian crows,' giving examples of their tool use and problem-solving.
18. vii
Paragraph E matches heading vii because it discusses 'the link between brain size and innovation,' saying birds with larger forebrains invent more solutions.
19. iii
Paragraph F fits heading iii as it explains 'the role of social living in bird intelligence,' saying that living in groups may lead to a 'political' brain.
20. vi
Paragraph G matches heading vi because it gives 'examples of deception in birds,' describing how young choughs act differently when watched.
21. C
The passage says New Caledonian crows 'carry their favourite tool from one foraging site to the next' and 'store their tools for later re-use,' so the answer is C.
22. B
Black kites drop burning sticks to start fires and eat animals that flee, which is 'drawing out their prey by frightening it,' so the answer is B.
23. A
Woodpecker finches use twigs to extract grubs from under bark, which is 'the use of tools to remove the outer covering from food,' so the answer is A.
24. B
Black kites drop bait into lakes to bring fish to the surface, which is 'using food to attract their prey,' so the answer is B.
25. C
New Caledonian crows were seen 'moulding a piece of wire... into a hook,' showing 'the use of unfamiliar materials to make tools,' so the answer is C.
26. A
Young choughs are 'more likely to preen the chicks if another bird can see it do so,' meaning they engage in certain activities for the benefit of observers, so the answer is A.
27. C
The writer is 'considering the influence of gallery design on art appreciation,' as the paragraph asks if new spaces show a shift in how we engage with art.
28. B
The writer criticises the old NGV because 'the huge expanse of the exterior's windowless wall and the surrounding moat... creates a rather unwelcoming expression of the museum as a temple of culture set apart from the everyday world,' so the answer is B.
29. C
The writer is frustrated because 'we are not allowed to see the exhibitions until we have completed the necessary inductions,' and the entrance area blocks the view of the art, so the answer is C.
30. B
The writer argues that rental 'blockbuster' exhibitions are 'a financial necessity,' as the NGV needs something to keep the paying public coming back, so the answer is B.
31. NO
NO is correct because the passage says the Great Hall was 'an unprecedented emphasis on the ancillary roles of corporate functions and public performances,' showing Roy Grounds did recognise their importance.
32. NO
NO is correct because the passage says Bellini's design 'reflects what the new, improved, twenty-first century global museum feels it should be emphasising,' so he follows international trends.
33. NOT GIVEN
NOT GIVEN is correct because the passage does not mention Mario Bellini's work on other museum projects.
34. NOT GIVEN
NOT GIVEN is correct because the passage does not say if the NGV monitors the number of first-time visitors to permanent exhibitions.
35. YES
YES is correct because the passage says 'the effect of too much innovation in museums can be...' showing that too much change may have negative impacts.
36. F
If a large space is available in the museum, 'it can be used for functions and performances,' as the passage says the Great Hall was used for these purposes.
37. E
If children are allowed to move freely in parts of the gallery, 'they will feel more comfortable visiting art museums,' as the Great Hall provided an unintimidating introduction for children.
38. C
If too much emphasis is placed on the museum building itself, 'the artworks may become less important,' as the passage says new buildings can become the main attraction instead of the art.
39. A
If there is an over-reliance on 'blockbuster' exhibitions, 'other projects may be neglected,' as the passage says these exhibitions narrow options for other projects.
40. D
If the NGV wants to continue to be successful, 'it must balance different priorities,' as the passage says the NGV needs to juggle conflicting needs like access and scholarship.

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