Reading 2026-08 Test 3 — 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 — Fungi: A New Sustainable Alternative

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

Innovators are turning to fungi to replace less environmentally friendly materials. Fungi are peculiar organisms. Neither plant nor animal, they have their own kingdom, and play an important role in the decomposition of organic matter. There is a widespread perception that fungi, such as mildews, yeasts and mushrooms, are dangerous but some scientists and innovators are trying to change this perception by using fungi to create everyday objects. Not only are fungi readily available in nature but they're also sustainable and have the potential to replace less environmentally friendly materials, such as plastic. Is fungus the material of the future?

Designer Maurizio Montalti asked himself this very question during his studies at the Design Academy Eindhoven in the Netherlands. 'It became apparent that fungi are the great recyclers of the natural world,' says Montalti. As a student, he developed an interest in ways of producing materials from alternative sources. Realizing fungi's hidden potential, but not having a background in biology, he contacted Han Wosten, a professor of microbiology at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. In the years since, they have developed a method of growing fungi in a controlled environment that makes it a sustainable alternative to materials like plastic, rubber, woodland leather. With a goal of sharing their work with the public, they decided to stage an exhibition that included an array of everyday objects created from fungi, including chairs, lampshades and slippers. By allowing visitors to interact with each piece by picking it up and discovering that it was both firm and light, their hope was that people would walk away with a better understanding of fungi's potential as a sustainable material.

In order to understand exactly how Montalti and Wosten use fungi to create these objects, it is necessary to understand the composition of these organisms. The vegetative part of fungi is called mycelium, and it consists of multiple long, thread-like fibers. The mycelium is what Montalti and Wosten use to make their sustainable items. An important part of the ecosystem, mycelium breaks down organic matter along with toxic substances, such as pesticides, and also filters water. In a laboratory process, Montalti and Wosten let fungi degrade farm waste such as straw. This results in mycelium that is similar in strength to plastic. Once enough mycelium has formed, Montalti and Wosten take the mass and put it into a mold which retains humidity and forces it to take on a specific shape. Once the mycelium fills out the mold — a process that typically takes several weeks, depending on the size of the mold — the formed object is fired in an oven, which kills the fungi and stops it getting any bigger. In their work, Montalti and Wosten often use oyster mushrooms, which not only thrive on dead plant materials but are non-toxic, unlike some other mushrooms.

Montalti first learned about mycelium after attending a workshop led by Eben Bayer, co-founder and CEO of Ecovative, a company in Albany, New York that develops and produces sustainable packaging and building materials using mycelium. Bayer began working with mycelium in order to find a replacement for the harmful adhesive used in building manufacturing. In 2006, he and his business partner, Gavin McIntyre, applied for a patent and eventually began commercializing their product. In the time since, they've introduced dozens of designers and artists around the world to mycelium and its potential as a sustainable material, even going so far as to market grow-it-yourself kits that consumers can use at home. 'There are about 30 or 40 different designers and artists around the world who are doing projects with mycelium,' Bayer says.

Due to fungi's natural qualities, mycelium-based objects aren't meant to last forever, an issue that Montalti and Wosten are in the process of trying to resolve. 'Mycelium is still an experimental material and by definition it is susceptible to degradation,' Montalti says. He points out, however, that this doesn't mean that items made with mycelium are subject to quick decay, 'unless the conditions for such degradation to occur are created,' such as a shift in humidity or an increase or decrease in temperature.

To make mycelium more resistant to these shifts, Montalti and Wosten are trying to find a coating that can be applied to objects near the end of production. In addition to household products, they're focusing on producing architectural materials such as panels and ceilings using their developed method. 'For the future, our aim is that, 20 years from now, you can buy anything you need for a construction project using fungus,' Wosten says. He adds that materials made of mycelium 'would replace things like plastic, stones, and bricks'. Perhaps fungus really is the material of the future.

Questions 1–5: True/False/Not Given

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1? In boxes 1–5 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.

1
Fungi are a member of the plant kingdom.
2
Mushrooms are the most dangerous of all fungi.
3
One benefit of fungi is that they are easy to find.
4
Montalti and Wosten exhibited objects made of fungi to sell to visitors.
5
The visiting public had a chance to find out about the useful qualities of fungi.

Questions 6–13: Note Completion

Complete the notes below. Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 6–13 on your answer sheet.

Using mycelium to create materials

6. mycelium: a collection of thin, plant-like _______ in fungi

mycelium benefits the ecosystem by:

7. o decomposing organic and _______ materials

o filtering water

the process:

8. o fungi decompose agricultural waste, producing mycelium about as strong as _______

o mycelium is placed in a mould to give it a shape

o the material is later placed in an oven to prevent further growth

the company Ecovative:

9. o used mycelium to make _______ as well as products for construction

10. o developed an alternative to a dangerous _______

o introduced mycelium to designers and artists

11. o created _______ for home use

12. an issue: changes in _______ and humidity can shorten the lifespan of mycelium-based products

13. a possible solution: using a _______ on mycelium-based products

goal: to make all construction materials from mycelium.

Reading Passage 2 — Skyscraper Farming

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

A Today’s environmental scientists are in no doubt that the world’s resources of fertile soil are rapidly deteriorating, and that new land for agriculture is becoming ever more sparse. Intensive farming, urbanisation, desertification and sea-level rises are all putting growing pressure on the planet’s agricultural land and therefore on food supplies. Currently 24 per cent of the world’s 11.5 billion hectares of cultivated land has already undergone human-induced soil degradation, particularly through erosion, according to a recent study by the UK Government Office for Science.

B The global population is expected to exceed nine billion by 2050 — up a third from today’s level — and studies suggest that food production will have to go up by 70 per cent if we are to feed all of those new mouths. This means that scientists will have to develop new ways of growing crops if we are to avoid a humanitarian crisis. Indeed, UN Food and Agriculture Organization figures suggest that the number of under-nourished people is already growing, and with escalating climate change, crop yields in many areas have been projected to decline.

C With this in mind, some scientists and agricultural experts are advocating an innovative alternative to traditional farming whereby skyscrapers packed with shelf-based systems for growing vegetables on each storey — known as ‘vertical farms’ — could hold the key to revolutionising agriculture. Columbia University professor Dickson Despommier claims that vertical farming could boost crop yields many times over. A single 20-storey vertical farm could theoretically feed 50,000 people. And if the theory translates into reality as proposed, 160 skyscraper-sized vertical farms could feed the entire population of New York City, while 180 would be needed for London, 289 for Cairo and 302 for Kolkata.

D It’s a compelling vision, and one that has already been put into practice in Asia — albeit on a smaller scale. ‘But there are problems, such as initial investment and operating costs that are too great,’ says a spokesman for Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Nevertheless, Tokyo-based mushroom producer Hokuto Corporation is a model example of how a vertical farm can be profitable. With 28 vertical mushroom farms operating across the country, it produces some 68,000 tonnes of mushrooms annually. ‘Vertical mushroom farms have more advantages than ground-level farms,’ says Hokuto’s Ted Yamanoko, who highlights the relative cost-effectiveness of his organisation’s farming practices together with reduced emissions of greenhouse gases.

E And the impact of vertical farms could extend beyond feeding established urban populations. Despommier sees them as being capable of helping centres of displaced persons — such as refugee camps — in much the same way that Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) units are deployed in emergencies. ‘Developing an emergency-response system for crop production inside specially constructed modular and highly transportable greenhouses would allow for humanitarian interventions,’ he says. ‘If you have three or four storeys of food already growing someplace, they could become mobile units that could be picked up by helicopters and dropped into the middle of a crisis zone.’

F But it isn’t only about increasing food production. Despommier is concerned about the harm that farming has done to the world’s landscape over a relatively short time span, particularly the elimination of hardwood forests. ‘Farming is only 12,000 years old,’ he points out. ‘Vertical farming could allow us for the first time to feed everyone on Earth and still return land to its original ecological function.’ Natalie Jeremijenko of New York University agrees. Reducing the land needed for food production could enrich biodiversity, which in turn can raise the productivity of conventional farms. Furthermore, vertical farming could dramatically cut fossil-fuel use and reduce geopolitical tensions in regions where poor farming conditions drive conflict and malnutrition.

Questions 14–19: Matching Headings

Reading Passage 2 has six paragraphs, A–F. Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below. Write the correct number, i–ix, in boxes 14–19 on your answer sheet.

List of Headings

i. Potential production capabilities of vertical farms

ii. Opposition to new ideas about food production

iii. A successful application of vertical-farming technology

iv. The potential to provide urgent relief

v. The original inspiration for vertical farming

vi. Various environmental benefits of vertical farming

vii. An increasing problem for farmers worldwide

viii. A return to traditional farming methods

ix. A rising demand for food

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

Questions 20–22: Sentence Completion

Complete the sentences below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 20–22 on your answer sheet.

20
A UK Government study found that __________ is a significant factor contributing to worldwide levels of soil degradation.
21
Disadvantages of vertical-farming projects include the expense of setting them up, as well as their high __________.
22
__________ could potentially be used to take vertical-farming facilities to areas where there is a critical food shortage.

Questions 23–26: Matching Statements to People

Look at the following statements (Questions 23–26) and the list of people below. Match each statement with the correct person, A, B or C. Write the correct letter, A, B or C, in boxes 23–26 on your answer sheet. List of People A Dickson Despommier B Ted Yamanoko C Natalie Jeremijenko

23
Vertical farming can have financial benefits.
- A. Dickson Despommier
- B. Ted Yamanoko
- C. Natalie Jeremijenko
24
Traditional farming has had a negative effect on the natural world.
25
Vertical farming could dramatically increase world food production.
26
Traditional farms may benefit from wider use of vertical farming.

Reading Passage 3 — Creating a Better Grapefruit

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

By blocking the right taste receptors, biotech researchers turn bitter into sweet.

A There is a reason why grapefruit juice is served in little glasses. Most people don’t want to drink more than a few ounces at a time. This is because a natural chemical compound found in grapefruit, naringin, has a bitter taste. Some people like that bitterness in small doses and believe it enhances the general flavour, but others would rather avoid it altogether. So juice packagers often select grapefruit with low naringin content, even though the compound has antioxidant properties that some nutritionists contend may help prevent many serious diseases.

B It is possible, however, to get the goodness of grapefruit without the bitter taste. In a test conducted by a biotechnology company, sets of two miniature white paper cups, labelled 304 and 305, were placed before five people seated around a conference table. Each person drank from one cup and then the other, cleansing their palates between tastes with water and a cracker. Even the smallest sip of 304 had grapefruit’s unmistakeable bite. But 305 was smoother; there was the sour taste of citrus but none of the bitterness of naringin. This juice had been treated with AMP, a compound that blocks the bitterness in foods without making them less nutritious.

C Taste research is a booming business these days, with scientists delving into all five basics: sweet, bitter, sour, salty, and umami (the savory taste of protein). However, bitterness is of special interest to the food industry because it is present in so many different types of food. There are thousands of bitter-tasting compounds in nature. They defend plants by warning animals away and protect animals by letting them know when a plant may be poisonous. But the system isn’t foolproof. Grapefruit and bitter green vegetables like Brussels sprouts and kale are nutritious despite – and sometimes because of – their bitter-tasting components.

D “Humans are the only species that enjoys a bitter taste,” says Charles Zuker, a neuroscientist at the University of California School of Medicine at San Diego. “Every other species is averse to bitter because it means bad news. But we have learned to enjoy it. We drink coffee, which is bitter, and quinine (in tonic water) too. We enjoy having that spice in our lives.” Because bitterness can be pleasant in small quantities but repellent when intense, bitter blockers like AMP could make a whole range of foods, drinks and medicines more palatable.

E People have varying capacities for tasting bitterness and the differences appear to be genetic. About 75% of people are sensitive to the taste of some well-identified bitter compounds. Those who are sensitive seem to be less likely than others to eat bitter vegetables, according to Stephen Wooding, a geneticist at the University of Utah. Some people who have an unusually high number of taste buds, and are known as “supertasters”, are especially sensitive to these compounds. Supertasters tend to shun all kinds of bitter-tasting things, including vegetables, coffee, and dark chocolate.

F The tongue is covered with taste buds. Under the microscope each one looks like an onion, consisting of 50 to 100 elongated cells running from the top of the taste buds to the bottom. At the top is a group of receptors that captures the taste molecules, known as tastants, in food and drink. The receptors function much like those for sight and smell. Once a bitter signal has been received, it is relayed via proteins known as G proteins. The G protein involved in the perception of bitterness, sweetness and umami was identified in the early 1990s by Robert Margolskee, at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. The protein triggers a cascade of chemical reactions that lead to ion concentrations within the cell. Ultimately, this delivers a signal to the brain that registers as bitter.

G Once they understood the taste mechanism, scientists began to think of ways to interfere with it. They tried AMP, an organic compound found in breast milk and other substances, that is created as cells break down food. AMP has no bitterness of its own, but when put in foods, as Margolskee and his colleagues discovered, it attaches to bitter-taste receptors. As effective as it is, AMP may not be able to dampen every type of bitter taste because it probably doesn’t attach to all 30 bitter-taste receptors.

H Some taste researchers believe that, in time, compounds like AMP will help make processed foods less unhealthy. Consider, for example, that a single cup of canned chicken noodle soup contains 850 milligrams of sodium chloride, or table salt – more than a third of the recommended daily allowance. The salt masks the bitterness created by the high temperatures used in the canning process, which cause sugars and amino acids to react. Part of the table salt could be replaced by another type of salt, potassium chloride, which tends to be scarce in some people’s diets because of its bitter taste. But that bitter taste could be eliminated with a dose of AMP. Bitter blockers could also be used in place of sugary cherry and grape flavourings in children’s cough syrups, and they could dampen the bitterness of drugs like antihistamines, antibiotics and other similar products.

I A number of foodmakers have already begun to experiment with AMP in their products, and other bitter blockers are being developed. In a few years, perhaps, after food companies have taken the bitterness from canned soup and improved the taste of medicines, they can set their sights on something more useful: a bitter blocker in a bottle that any of us can sprinkle on our Brussels sprouts or stir into our grapefruit juice.

Questions 27–33: Paragraph Information Matching

Reading Passage 3 has nine paragraphs, A–I. Which paragraph contains the following information? Choose the correct letter, A–I. N.B You may use any letter more than once.

27
details of an experiment in taste comparison
- A. A
- B. B
- C. C
- D. D
- E. E
- F. F
- G. G
- H. H
- I. I
28
examples of medications that could be improved using compounds that remove bitterness
29
a biological reason why some people don’t like bitter-tasting foods
30
an explanation of how the taste process works
31
why bitterness is more interesting commercially than other tastes
32
an example of how compounds that remove bitterness could indirectly benefit health
33
a reason why people have different taste preferences from animals

Questions 34–38: Sentence Completion

Complete the sentences below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

34
The grapefruit used to make drinks is chosen because it contains a smaller amount of a substance called ________________.
35
Animals associate a bitter taste with ________________ plants.
36
Our varying degree of sensitivity to bitter tastes is thought to be ________________.
37
People who are extremely aware of bitter tastes are called ________________.
38
Receptors inside the ________________ on the tongue detect the taste of food and drink.

Questions 39–40: Multiple Choice

Choose the correct answer.

39
The G protein identified by Robert Margolskee
- A. is responsible for transmitting bitter tastes.
- B. causes dangerous reactions in the cells of the tongue.
- C. has a similar function to sight and smell receptors.
- D. can be found only in sweetness and umami.
40
AMP is an organic compound which is
- A. found only in breast milk.
- B. bitter-tasting when added to food.
- C. able to reduce some bitter tastes.
- D. found in bitter taste receptors.

Answer sheet

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1. FALSE
This is FALSE because the passage says fungi are 'neither plant nor animal, they have their own kingdom,' so they are not part of the plant kingdom.
2. NOT GIVEN
NOT GIVEN is correct because the passage mentions that there is a perception that fungi like mushrooms are dangerous, but it does not say mushrooms are the most dangerous of all fungi.
3. TRUE
TRUE is correct because the passage states that fungi are 'readily available in nature,' meaning they are easy to find.
4. FALSE
This is FALSE because the passage says the exhibition was to help people understand fungi's potential, not to sell the objects.
5. TRUE
TRUE is correct because the passage says visitors could pick up the objects and discover their qualities, helping them understand fungi's potential as a material.
6. fibers
The answer is 'fibers' because the passage describes mycelium as consisting of 'multiple long, thread-like fibers.'
7. toxic
The answer is 'toxic' because the passage says mycelium breaks down organic matter 'along with toxic substances, such as pesticides.'
8. plastic
The answer is 'plastic' because the passage says the resulting mycelium is 'similar in strength to plastic.'
9. packaging
The answer is 'packaging' because the passage mentions Ecovative produces 'sustainable packaging and building materials using mycelium.'
10. adhesive
The answer is 'adhesive' because Bayer began working with mycelium to find a replacement for 'the harmful adhesive used in building manufacturing.'
11. kits
The answer is 'kits' because the passage says Ecovative markets 'grow-it-yourself kits that consumers can use at home.'
12. temperature
The answer is 'temperature' because the passage says mycelium products decay if there is 'a shift in humidity or an increase or decrease in temperature.'
13. coating
The answer is 'coating' because Montalti and Wosten are trying to find 'a coating that can be applied to objects' to make them more resistant.
14. vii
The answer is vii because Paragraph A discusses the loss of fertile soil and pressure on agricultural land, matching 'The loss of fertile soil.'
15. ix
The answer is ix because Paragraph B talks about the growing world population and the need to increase food production, matching 'The challenge of feeding a growing population.'
16. i
The answer is i because Paragraph C introduces the idea of vertical farms as a new way to grow food, matching 'A new approach to farming.'
17. iii
The answer is iii because Paragraph D discusses the practical problems and an example of a successful vertical farm, matching 'A successful example of vertical farming.'
18. iv
The answer is iv because Paragraph E describes how vertical farms could be used in emergencies, matching 'A possible emergency use for vertical farms.'
19. vi
The answer is vi because Paragraph F talks about the environmental benefits of vertical farming, matching 'Environmental benefits of vertical farming.'
20. erosion
The answer is 'erosion' because the passage says soil degradation is caused 'particularly through erosion.'
21. operating costs
The answer is 'operating costs' because the passage says 'initial investment and operating costs that are too great' are problems for vertical farms.
22. helicopters
The answer is 'helicopters' because the passage says mobile vertical farms 'could be picked up by helicopters and dropped into the middle of a crisis zone.'
23. B
B (Ted Yamanoko) is correct because he says vertical mushroom farms have 'more advantages than ground-level farms,' including cost-effectiveness. A is wrong because Despommier focuses on food production, not financial benefits.
24. A
A (Dickson Despommier) is correct because he says farming has harmed the landscape, especially forests. B is wrong because Yamanoko talks about cost, not environmental effects.
25. A
A (Dickson Despommier) is correct because he claims vertical farming could 'boost crop yields many times over.' B is wrong because Yamanoko discusses mushrooms, not world food production.
26. C
C (Natalie Jeremijenko) is correct because she says reducing land for food production could 'enrich biodiversity, which in turn can raise the productivity of conventional farms.' A is wrong because Despommier focuses on feeding people, not helping traditional farms.
27. B
B is correct because Paragraph B describes an experiment where people taste two cups of grapefruit juice to compare bitterness.
28. H
H is correct because Paragraph H gives examples like cough syrups and drugs that could be improved by removing bitterness. F is wrong because it explains taste buds, not medications.
29. E
E is correct because Paragraph E explains that sensitivity to bitterness is genetic and affects food choices.
30. F
F is correct because Paragraph F explains how taste buds and receptors work to detect taste.
31. C
C is correct because Paragraph C says bitterness is important commercially because it is present in many foods and affects their taste.
32. H
H is correct because Paragraph H explains that using bitter blockers could allow healthier salts to replace table salt, benefiting health.
33. D
D is correct because Paragraph D says humans enjoy bitter tastes, unlike animals, who avoid them because bitterness usually means danger.
34. naringin
The answer is 'naringin' because the passage says juice packagers select grapefruit with low naringin content.
35. poisonous
The answer is 'poisonous' because the passage says bitterness warns animals when a plant may be poisonous.
36. genetic
The answer is 'genetic' because the passage says differences in tasting bitterness 'appear to be genetic.'
37. supertasters
The answer is 'supertasters' because the passage says people with many taste buds are called 'supertasters.'
38. taste buds
The answer is 'taste buds' because the passage says receptors inside taste buds detect taste.
39. A
A is correct because the passage says the G protein is involved in the perception of bitterness, sweetness, and umami. C is wrong because the G protein does not have the same function as sight and smell receptors.
40. C
C is correct because the passage says AMP 'attaches to bitter-taste receptors' and 'may not be able to dampen every type of bitter taste,' so it can reduce some bitter tastes. A is wrong because AMP is found in breast milk and other substances, not only breast milk.

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