Reading 2026-06 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 — When Maps were Made for the Public

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

Since the art of map-making began, maps have largely been made for explorers, academics, and rulers. It wasn’t until the 19th century that the general public began to demand maps for themselves. More than anything else, it was the appeal of travel to ordinary people that encouraged companies to begin creating and printing more maps than ever before, in order to meet the demands of their new market.

In the years after the American Civil War (1861–65), the rapidly growing US railroad system had so many independent rail companies, schedules, and destinations that maps were critical for planning a person’s journey. One publisher, Rand McNally, made a fortune from producing railway maps for different parts of the USA, combined with a timetable and many descriptions of scenery and towns in the same booklet.

When safety improvements in the 1880s helped to make the bicycle popular, cycling maps quickly appeared, showing roads in good condition even if they were rarely used. Later, in 1896, one of the first cycling guides appeared in print: George Blum’s Cycler’s Guide and Map of Road for California. Each cycle road was highlighted in red and labelled with not only the type of surface riders could expect to find, but also an indication of how steep it was.

The advent of the car brought a need for road maps and travel information. In 1900, André Michelin published a guide about France, with maps that showed the location of different kinds of reasonably priced accommodation and also car assistance for any mechanical problems. However, it was due primarily to its recommendations regarding which was the best restaurant to go to that the guide quickly became something a huge number of tourists and travellers bought and relied on. Nowhere was the need for road maps greater than in the United States. In 1902, the American Automobile Association was founded in Chicago, and three years later it published its first road maps for long-distance drivers. In 1917, Rand McNally began to publish Auto Trails Maps, a series of maps that each focused in detail on a different region that people might hope to visit within North America. The same publisher also helped to establish the US’s use of identifiers to identify previously nameless roads. Following the European tradition, roads were given names, but now, thanks in part to Rand McNally, they were allocated numbers instead.

The oil companies did not take long to realize the profit to be made from Americans exploring the open road, so service stations soon began to distribute free maps to encourage this. Free road maps became part of the fabric of American life, and it has been estimated that more than ten billion were distributed before the 1970s. It was then that the rising costs of oil and subsequent falling consumption led to the oil companies investigating where savings could be made. The maps were one of the first things to go. Another map product was the aeronautical chart for pilots. The first examples were produced in France and England around 1911. Techniques progressed greatly during World War I, and during the 1920s there was continual development of maps for air navigation.

New maps also became available for those who only wanted to cross town by train. Some of the early maps of the London Underground were based on the city above ground; therefore, although they were accurate in terms of distance and direction, the maps were confusing because the stations in central London were so crowded together. In 1931, Harry Beck produced a map that looked rather like an electrical circuit, with straight lines and symbols. It included only one feature above ground: the River Thames. The stations were also spaced relatively equally, making the map much easier to read. Although Beck’s map was initially rejected as too radical, it was approved in 1933. He continued to refine it for the next 25 years.

Shortly after Beck’s contribution to the mapping of subterranean London, an equally significant achievement was performed above ground. Phyllis Pearsall was a painter who, in 1935, became lost on the way to a party in London, due to the lack of a good map. This inspired her to plot all of London, and the next year she traced and catalogued its 23,000 streets. With map-maker James Duncan, Pearsall then produced an atlas and a comprehensive street index. Unable to interest any of the major publishers, the two founded their own company, the Geographer’s Map Company Ltd, and produced what was then called the A–Z, Atlas and Guide to London. The company still exists and now publishes more than 300 different A–Z maps and atlases.

Questions 1–6: Note completion

Complete the notes below. Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 1–6 on your answer sheet.

The development of maps from the 19th century onwards

A growing interest in travel led to the increased production of maps in the 19th century.

After 1865:

1. Rand McNally made a lot of money by putting a map and a __________________ in one publication.

After 1880:

George Philip produced maps that could not be damaged by water.

George Blum’s cycling map showed:

2. The kind of __________________ the paths had.

How steep the paths might be.

1900 onwards:

André Michelin’s guide provided information about:

3. Finding economical __________________.

What to do if your car broke down.

4. The Michelin guide became popular mainly because it helped people select a __________________.

1917 onwards:

Rand McNally:

5. The company’s Auto Trails Maps helped people explore roads through a particular __________________ of the USA.

6. The company was also responsible for giving __________________ to American roads.

Questions 7–13: True/False/Not Given

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1? In boxes 7–13 on your answer sheet, write: TRUE if the statement agrees with the information FALSE if the statement contradicts the information NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

7
The free road maps provided by oil companies were the most detailed maps available to drivers in the USA.
8
Pilots were the first people to make use of aeronautical maps.
9
Beck’s London Underground map was immediately well received by the authorities.
10
Beck stopped working on the design of his map in 1933.
11
Pearsall created a new map of London because she got lost on her way to an event.
12
Pearsall needed the help of a professional cartographer to complete her map.
13
Pearsall’s map was widely praised by London’s major publishing companies.

Reading Passage 2 — Urban Planning in Singapore

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

British merchants established a trading post in Singapore in the early nineteenth century, and for more than a century trading interests dominated. However, in 1965 the newly independent island state was cut off from its hinterland, and so it set about pursuing a survival strategy. The good international communications it already enjoyed provided a useful base, but it was decided that if Singapore was to secure its economic future, it must develop its industry. To this end, new institutional structures were needed to facilitate, develop, and control foreign investment. One of the most important of these was the Economic Development Board (EDB), an arm of government that developed strategies for attracting investment. Thus from the outset, the Singaporean government was involved in city promotion.

Towards the end of the twentieth century, the government realised that, due to limits on both the size of the country’s workforce and its land area, its labour-intensive industries were becoming increasingly uncompetitive. So an economic committee was established which concluded that Singapore should focus on developing as a service centre, and seek to attract company headquarters to serve South East Asia, and develop tourism, banking, and offshore activities. The land required for this service-sector orientation had been acquired in the early 1970s when the government realised that it lacked the banking infrastructure for a modern economy. So a new banking and corporate district, known as the ‘Golden Shoe’, was planned, incorporating the historic commercial area. This district now houses all the major companies and various government financial agencies.

Singapore’s current economic strategy is closely linked to land use and development planning. Although it is already a major city, the current development plan seeks to ensure Singapore’s continued economic growth through restructuring, to ensure that the facilities needed by future business are planned now. These include transport and telecommunication infrastructure, land, and environmental quality. A major concern is to avoid congestion in the central area, and so the latest plan deviates from previous plans by having a strong decentralisation policy. The plan makes provision for four major regional centres, each serving 800,000 people, but this does not mean that the existing central business district will not also grow. A major extension planned around Marina Bay draws on examples of other ‘world cities’, especially those with waterside central areas such as Sydney and San Francisco. The project involves major land reclamation of 667 hectares in total. Part of this has already been developed as a conference and exhibition zone, and the rest will be used for other facilities.

However the need for vitality has been recognised and a mixed zoning approach has been adopted, to include housing and entertainment.

One of the new features of the current plan is a broader conception of what contributes to economic success. It encompasses high-quality residential provision, a good environment, leisure facilities and exciting city life. Thus there is more provision for low-density housing, often in waterfront communities linked to beaches and recreational facilities. However, the lower housing densities will put considerable pressure on the very limited land available for development, and this creates problems for another of the plan’s aims, which is to stress environmental quality. More and more of the remaining open area will be developed, and the only natural landscape surviving will be a small zone in the centre of the island which serves as a water catchment area. Environmental policy is therefore very much concerned with making the built environment more green by introducing more plants – what is referred to as the ‘beautification’ of Singapore. The plan focuses on green zones defining the boundaries of settlements, and running along transport corridors. The incidental green provision within housing areas is also given considerable attention.

Much of the environmental provision, for example, golf courses, recreation areas, and beaches, is linked to the prime objective of attracting business. The plan places much emphasis on good leisure provision and the need to exploit Singapore’s island setting. One way of doing this is through further land reclamation, to create a whole new island devoted to leisure and luxury housing which will stretch from the central area to the airport. A current concern also appears to be how to use the planning system to create opportunities for greater spontaneity: planners have recently given much attention to the concept of the 24-hour city and the cafe society. For example, a promotion has taken place along the Singapore river to create a cafe zone. This has included the realisation, rather late in the day, of the value of retaining older buildings, and the creation of a continuous riverside promenade. Since the relaxation in 1996 of strict guidelines on outdoor eating areas, this has become an extremely popular area in the evenings. Also, in 1998 the Urban Redevelopment Authority created a new entertainment area in the centre of the city which they are promoting as ‘the city’s one-stop, dynamic entertainment scene’.

In conclusion, the economic development of Singapore has been very consciously centrally planned, and the latest strategy is very clearly oriented to establishing Singapore as a leading ‘world city’. It is well placed to succeed, for a variety of reasons. It can draw upon its historic roots as a world trading centre; it has invested heavily in telecommunications and air transport infrastructure; it is well located in relation to other Asian economies; it has developed a safe and clean environment; and it has utilised the international language of English.

Questions 14–19: Summary completion

Complete the summary below using words from the box.

Singapore

When Singapore became an independent, self-sufficient state it decided to build up its 14 ......................., and government organisations were created to support this policy. However, this initial plan met with limited success due to a shortage of 15 ....................... and land. It was therefore decided to develop the 16....................... sector of the economy instead.

Singapore is now a leading city, but planners are working to ensure that its economy continues to grow. In contrast to previous policies, there is emphasis on 17....................... In addition, land will be recovered to extend the financial district and provide 18 ....................... as well as housing. The government also plans to improve the quality of Singapore’s environment, but due to the shortage of natural landscapes it will concentrate instead on what it calls 19.......................

14
When Singapore became an independent, self-sufficient state it decided to build up its 14 .......................
15
However, this initial plan met with limited success due to a shortage of 15 ....................... and land.
16
It was therefore decided to develop the 16....................... sector of the economy instead.
17
In contrast to previous policies, there is emphasis on 17.......................
18
Land will be recovered to extend the financial district and provide 18 ....................... as well as housing.
19
It will concentrate instead on what it calls 19.......................

Questions 20–26: True/False/Not Given

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2? In your Answer Sheet Write: TRUE if the statement agrees with the information FALSE if the statement contradicts the information NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

20
After 1965, the Singaporean government switched the focus of the island’s economy.
21
The creation of Singapore’s financial centre was delayed while a suitable site was found.
22
Singapore’s four regional centres will eventually be the same size as its central business district.
23
Planners have modelled new urban developments in other coastal cities.
24
Plants and trees are amongst the current priorities for Singapore’s city planners.
25
The government has enacted new laws to protect Singapore’s old buildings.
26
Singapore will find it difficult to compete with leading cities in other parts of the world.

Reading Passage 3 — Multitasking

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

Driving, eating, talking on the phone, sending emails...in today's busy world most of us find ourselves doing two or three things at once. Ours is a multitasking, multi-achieving society - or is it?

Scientific research has identified a bottleneck in our brains that could suggest we are fundamentally incapable of true multitasking. If experimental findings reflect real-world performance, people who think they are multitasking are probably just underperforming in all of their parallel pursuits.

The problem, according to René Marois, a psychologist at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, is that there's a sticking point in the brain. In order to locate this, Marois asked volunteers to watch a screen and press a key with a specific finger when a particular image appeared. Then, in a separate activity, they learned to listen to different recordings and to respond by making a specific sound. In both tasks, typical response time was about half a second, and volunteers quickly reached their peak performance. The trouble came when Marois showed participants an image, then almost immediately played them a sound. It appeared that if the second task is introduced within the half-second or so it takes to process and react to the first, it will simply be delayed until the first one is done. Delays progressively shorten as the interval between presenting the tasks lengthens.

There are at least three points where we seem to get stuck, says Marois. The first is simply identifying what we're looking at. This can take a few tenths of a second, during which crucial window of concentration we are incapable of seeing and recognising a second item. This limitation is known as the attentional blink. A second limitation is our short-term visual memory. This capacity shortage is thought to explain, in part, our astonishing inability to detect even huge changes in scenes that are otherwise identical, so-called change blindness. A third limitation is that choosing a response also takes brainpower. Selecting a response to one stimulus will hold back by some tenths of a second your ability to respond to a parallel one. This is called the response selection bottleneck theory, first proposed in 1952, and elaborated on by Marois and his colleagues in 2006.

But David Meyer of the University of Michigan has other ideas. Known as something of an optimist by his peers, Meyer has written papers with titles like 'Virtually perfect time-sharing in dual-task performance'. His experiments have shown that with enough practice at least 200 tries-some people can execute two tasks simultaneously as competently as if they were doing them one after another. Not all people manage this harmonious time-share, however. Meyer argues that individual differences come down to variations in the character of the processor-some brains are just more 'cautious', some more 'daring'. And contrary to popular belief, there are no noticeable difference between men and women. Meyer believes that it's not a central bottleneck which causes dual-task 'interference' but rather adaptive executive control which 'schedules task processes appropriately to obey instructions about their relative priorities and serial order'.

Marois's volunteers have also shown a huge improvement at managing concurrent tasks through regular practice. Where he disagrees with Meyer is in what the brain is doing to achieve this. Marois speculates that practice might give us the chance to find less congested circuits to execute a task – like finding trusty back streets to avoid heavy traffic on main roads – effectively making our response to the task subconscious. But while some dual tasks benefit from practice, others simply do not, according to Pierre Jolicoeur of the University of Montreal. Dual tasks involving visual stimulus and a motor response (which he dubs 'in the eye and out the hand') and auditory stimulus with a verbal response (in the ear and out the mouth) can, with enough training, be performed as well together as apart. He speculates that the brain connections they use may be somehow special, because we learn to speak by hearing and learn to move by looking. But pair visual input with verbal response, or sound to motor, and there's no such dramatic improvement.

For research purposes, these experiments have to be kept simple. Real-world multitasking poses much greater challenges. Needless to say, there appear to be no researchers who believe that you can safely drive and have a phone conversation. And according to results from a study at the University of Utah, even using a hands-free phone does not improve a driver's response time. The study confirms that what distracts a driver so badly is the very act of talking to someone who isn't present in the car and therefore is unaware of the hazards facing the driver. And the general preconception that we tend to get worse at multitasking as we age is borne out. In one study conducted by Art Kramer at the University of Illinois, for example, both young and old participants were asked to do a simulated driving task while carrying on a conversation. He found that while younger drivers tended to miss background changes, older drivers failed to notice things that were highly relevant as well, and likewise had more trouble paying attention to the more important parts of the scene.

However, Kramer also found that older people improved their performance with practice, and that brain scans showed that underlying that improvement was a change in the way their brains became active. While it's clear that practice can often make a difference, the basic facts remain sobering. For most of our history, says Marois, we probably never needed to do more than one thing at a time, so we haven't evolved to be able to. 'We have this impression of an almighty, complex brain,' he says, 'and yet we have very humbling and crippling limits.'

Questions 27–31: Multiple choice

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D. Write the correct letter in boxes 27-31 on your answer sheet.

27
The main purpose of René Marois's experiment was to establish
- A. whether some people are more capable of multitasking than others.
- B. the stage at which people become too overloaded with input to respond efficiently.
- C. whether a person can perform tasks simultaneously in different situations.
- D. the difference in a person's reactions to visual and auditory stimuli.
28
What does David Meyer say about dual-task performance?
- A. Certain types of tasks are easier to carry out concurrently than others.
- B. Success rates vary according to the complexity of the responses required.
- C. Anybody can achieve dual-task competence if they repeat the exercise enough times.
- D. Success at dual-task activities depends on the person concerned.
29
On what point do Marois and Meyer agree?
- A. the role of the subconscious in interpreting dual-task stimuli
- B. the reason underlying the delay in response to dual-task stimuli
- C. the value of repetition in improving performance in dual-task situations
- D. the cognitive process enabling us to perform dual tasks competently.
30
According to Pierre Jolicoeur, the kind of dual tasks which can benefit from practice are those involving
- A. combinations which mirror the way people acquire basic skills.
- B. procedures which form part of people's everyday activities.
- C. a spoken response to a visual prompt.
- D. a motor response to an auditory stimulus.
31
In his dual-task experiments, Art Kramer observed that, compared with younger participants, older people
- A. performed better in some aspects of the study.
- B. found it harder to concentrate on key aspects of driving.
- C. were less able to respond to the conversational input.
- D. gained little from repeated practice of the tasks.

Questions 32–35: Sentence completion (matching endings)

Complete each sentence with the correct ending. Choose the correct ending and move it into the gap.

A the delay in deciding on an appropriate reaction to a stimulus.

B variations between people in their ability to respond to dual-task situations.

C the period when we are processing input and therefore unable to take in further information.

D a mechanism which places task in sequence according to their perceived importance.

E a failure to identify differences between similar images.

32
The phrase 'attentional blink' describes
33
Scientists talk about 'change blindness' to denote
34
The idea of the 'response selection bottleneck' was suggested as an explanation for
35
Meyer uses the term 'adaptive executive control' to refer to

Questions 36–40: Yes/No/Not Given

Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in Reading Passage? In boxes 36-40 on your answer sheet, write YES if the statement agrees with the views of the writer NO if the statement contradicts with the views of the writer NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer think about this

36
In the scientific community, Meyer's theories receive less support than those of Marois.
37
It is commonly thought that gender plays a significant role in determining dual-task performance.
38
Jolicoeur's experiments on dual-task competence took place under laboratory conditions.
39
Research into phone use while driving has produced some surprising results.
40
Kramer's initial findings about cognitive abilities and aging confirm popular assumptions.

Answer sheet

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Show answer key

1. Timetable
Rand McNally made a lot of money by combining railway maps with a timetable and descriptions in one booklet, as stated: 'Rand McNally, made a fortune from producing railway maps...combined with a timetable.'
2. Surface
George Blum’s cycling map showed the type of surface on each road: 'labelled with not only the type of surface riders could expect to find.'
3. Accommodation
André Michelin’s guide gave information about 'the location of different kinds of reasonably priced accommodation.'
4. Restaurant
The guide became popular mainly because of its restaurant recommendations: 'it was due primarily to its recommendations regarding which was the best restaurant to go to that the guide quickly became...relied on.'
5. Region
The Auto Trails Maps each focused on a different region: 'a series of maps that each focused in detail on a different region.'
6. Numbers
Rand McNally helped to establish the use of numbers for roads: 'they were allocated numbers instead.'
7. True
The passage says free road maps became part of American life and were widely distributed, but does not directly compare their detail to other maps, so the answer is True based on their importance and widespread use.
8. True
The first aeronautical charts were produced for pilots: 'Another map product was the aeronautical chart for pilots. The first examples were produced in France and England around 1911.'
9. Not given
The passage says Beck’s map was 'initially rejected as too radical,' but does not say how the authorities received it immediately, so the answer is Not Given.
10. False
Beck continued to refine his map for 25 years after 1933: 'He continued to refine it for the next 25 years.'
11. Not given
The passage says Pearsall got lost and was inspired to make a map, but does not say it was on her way to an event, so the answer is Not Given.
12. False
Pearsall worked with James Duncan, but the passage does not say she needed his help as a professional cartographer; it says she traced and catalogued the streets herself.
13. Not given
The passage says major publishers were not interested in Pearsall’s map, so it is Not Given whether it was widely praised.
14. Industry
After independence, Singapore decided to develop its industry: 'it must develop its industry.'
15. Labour
The plan met with limited success due to limits on workforce and land: 'due to limits on both the size of the country’s workforce and its land area.'
16. Service
The committee decided Singapore should focus on developing as a service centre: 'Singapore should focus on developing as a service centre.'
17. Decentralisation
The latest plan has a strong decentralisation policy: 'the latest plan deviates from previous plans by having a strong decentralisation policy.'
18. Entertainment
The plan includes entertainment as well as housing: 'the rest will be used for other facilities,' and 'a mixed zoning approach...to include housing and entertainment.'
19. Beautification
The plan focuses on 'beautification' by making the built environment more green: 'what is referred to as the ‘beautification’ of Singapore.'
20. TRUE
After 1965, Singapore switched its focus to developing industry and later services, showing a change in economic direction.
21. FALSE
The financial centre was planned after land was acquired in the early 1970s, not delayed for a suitable site: 'The land required...had been acquired in the early 1970s.'
22. NOT GIVEN
The passage does not say the regional centres will be the same size as the central business district, so the answer is Not Given.
23. TRUE
The extension around Marina Bay draws on examples of other world cities with waterside areas: 'draws on examples of other ‘world cities’, especially those with waterside central areas such as Sydney and San Francisco.'
24. TRUE
The plan focuses on introducing more plants and green zones: 'making the built environment more green by introducing more plants.'
25. NOT GIVEN
The passage mentions the value of retaining older buildings but does not mention new laws, so the answer is Not Given.
26. FALSE
The conclusion says Singapore is well placed to succeed as a leading world city, so it will not find it difficult to compete.
27. B
Option B is correct because Marois’s experiment aimed to find the stage where people become overloaded: 'there's a sticking point in the brain.' Option A is tempting but the focus was not on individual capability.
28. D
Option D is correct because Meyer says success depends on the person: 'individual differences come down to variations in the character of the processor.' Option C is tempting, but not everyone can achieve dual-task competence.
29. C
Both Marois and Meyer agree that practice (repetition) can improve dual-task performance: 'Marois's volunteers have also shown a huge improvement...through regular practice.'
30. A
Option A is correct because Jolicoeur says tasks that mirror how we learn basic skills (like hearing and speaking, seeing and moving) benefit from practice: 'the brain connections they use may be somehow special, because we learn to speak by hearing and learn to move by looking.'
31. B
Option B is correct because older people 'had more trouble paying attention to the more important parts of the scene.'
32. C
'Attentional blink' is the period when you cannot see and recognise a second item because you are focused on the first.
33. E
'Change blindness' is when people cannot detect even huge changes in scenes that are otherwise identical.
34. A
The 'response selection bottleneck' explains why choosing a response to one stimulus delays your response to another.
35. D
Meyer’s 'adaptive executive control' refers to how the brain schedules tasks to follow instructions about priorities and order.
36. NOT GIVEN
The passage does not say whether Meyer’s theories are less supported than Marois’s, so the answer is Not Given.
37. YES
It is commonly thought gender plays a role, but Meyer says there are no noticeable differences: 'contrary to popular belief, there are no noticeable difference between men and women.'
38. NOT GIVEN
The passage does not state where Jolicoeur's experiments took place, so the answer is Not Given.
39. NO
Research into phone use while driving confirms what people expect: 'there appear to be no researchers who believe that you can safely drive and have a phone conversation.'
40. YES
Kramer's findings confirm that older people get worse at multitasking, which matches popular assumptions: 'the general preconception that we tend to get worse at multitasking as we age is borne out.'

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