Reading 2026-10 Test 6 — IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test with Answers

About this set: compiled and lightly cleaned up from real test material that test-takers recalled. IELTS draws from a global question pool, so this material circulates worldwide. To give you a complete, sittable test, material reported around the same period is assembled together — so a set may combine content from several exam dates, not one single sitting. Any audio is a recreation for practice. Organized for study convenience. Based on test-taker recalls — not official IELTS material.

Reading Passage 1: Conquering The South Pole

Roald Amundsen, the Norwegian explorer celebrated for navigating the Arctic’s Northwest Passage in 1906, turned his sights southward in 1911 to claim the ultimate exploratory prize--the South Pole. Although meticulously planned, his expedition pivoted on chance when he learned of Robert Peary’s disputed claim to the North Pole. To secure fame and funding, Amundsen secretly redirected his goal. Competing against Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s British team in a race to the Pole, he endured extreme cold, frostbite, and setbacks but demonstrated calm leadership and precise planning. On December 14, 1911, Amundsen and his team reached the South Pole, leaving behind letters for King Haakon VII and Scott. His success, founded on dog-pulled sleds, discipline, and scientific precision, contrasted with Scott’s tragic failure. Amundsen’s triumph symbolised a new era in exploration--where mastery of detail, efficiency, and foresight replaced romantic endurance as the mark of true achievement.

Amundsen’s preparations were exhaustive. He meticulously studied the methods of indigenous Arctic peoples and polar veterans, choosing dog sleds over ponies and motor sledges, which Scott relied on. Amundsen’s team consisted of experienced skiers and dog handlers, and his route was carefully mapped using previous expeditions’ data. He established a series of supply depots along the route to the Pole, marked by tall black flags to ensure safe return. This logistical foresight proved crucial, as it allowed his team to travel lighter and faster on the final push.

In contrast, Scott’s expedition, though brave and well-intentioned, was plagued by poor planning and misfortune. Scott’s reliance on motorised sledges, which broke down, and ponies, which could not withstand the extreme cold, slowed his progress. His team man-hauled their sledges for much of the journey, exhausting themselves. Despite reaching the Pole on January 17, 1912, they discovered Amundsen’s tent and Norwegian flag already planted there. Disheartened and weakened, Scott and his four companions perished on the return journey, just 11 miles from a supply depot.

The legacy of the two expeditions highlights a shift in exploration philosophy. Amundsen approached the challenge as a technical problem to be solved with careful preparation and respect for the environment. Scott, in the tradition of British heroic exploration, emphasized perseverance and moral courage but underestimated the Antarctic’s harsh realities. Amundsen’s success was not merely a geographical conquest but a demonstration of modern, systematic exploration. His methods influenced future polar and scientific expeditions, embedding the principle that survival and success depend as much on planning and adaptability as on bravery.

Questions 1–5

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage?

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
Amundsen originally planned to explore the North Pole before changing his destination.
- A. TRUE
- B. FALSE
- C. NOT GIVEN
2
Robert Peary’s claim to the North Pole was universally accepted.
3
Amundsen’s team used ponies as their primary means of transport.
4
Scott’s team reached the South Pole after Amundsen’s team.
5
Amundsen left letters at the Pole for both the King of Norway and Robert Falcon Scott.

Questions 6–9

Complete the summary below.

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

Amundsen’s success was due to careful (6) ________

and the use of (7) ________ pulled by dogs.

He set up (8) ________ along the route to ensure a safe return.

In contrast, Scott’s team suffered from poor planning and (9) ________ their sledges for much of the journey.

Questions 10–13

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

10
Why did Amundsen change his expedition’s goal to the South Pole?
- A. Because he lost funding for the Arctic.
- B. To compete with Scott from the beginning.
- C. After learning someone else had claimed the North Pole.
- D. Due to advice from the King of Norway.
11
What was a major difference between Amundsen’s and Scott’s transport choices?
- A. Amundsen used motor sledges; Scott used dogs.
- B. Amundsen relied on skis; Scott used only foot travel.
- C. Amundsen used dog sleds; Scott used ponies and motor sledges.
- D. Amundsen used helicopters; Scott used traditional methods.
12
How far was Scott’s team from a supply depot when they died?
- A. 11 miles
- B. 14 miles
- C. 100 miles
- D. Not mentioned
13
What does the writer suggest was the key factor in Amundsen’s success?
- A. Luck and good weather
- B. Romantic endurance and courage
- C. Systematic planning and efficiency
- D. Support from the British government

Reading Passage 2: Coral Reefs

Coral reefs are estimated to cover 284,300 km²—just under 0.1% of the oceans’ surface area, about half the area of France. The Indo-Pacific region accounts for 91.9% of this total area. Southeast Asia accounts for 32.3% of that figure, while the Pacific including Australia accounts for 40.8%. Atlantic and Caribbean coral reefs account for 7.6%. Yet often called "rainforests of the sea", coral reefs form some of the most diverse ecosystems on Earth. They provide a home for 25% of all marine species, including fish, mollusks, worms, crustaceans, echinoderms, sponges, tunicates and other cnidarians. Paradoxically, coral reefs flourish even though they are surrounded by ocean waters that provide few nutrients. They are most commonly found at shallow depths in tropical waters, but deep water and cold water corals also exist on smaller scales in other areas. Although corals exist both in temperate and tropical waters, shallow-water reefs form only in a zone extending from 30°N to 30°S of the equator. Deepwater coral can exist at greater depths and colder temperatures at much higher latitudes, as far north as Norway. Coral reefs are rare along the American and African west coasts. This is due primarily to upwelling and strong cold coastal currents that reduce water temperatures in these areas (respectively the Peru, Benguela and Canary streams). Corals are seldom found along the coastline of South Asia from the eastern tip of India (Madras) to the Bangladesh and Myanmar borders. They are also rare along the coast around northeastern South America and Bangladesh due to the freshwater released from the Amazon and Ganges Rivers, respectively.

Coral reefs deliver ecosystem services to tourism, fisheries and coastline protection. The global economic value of coral reefs has been estimated at as much as $US375 billion per year. Coral reefs protect shorelines by absorbing wave energy, and many small islands would not exist without their reef to protect them.

The value of reefs in biodiverse regions can be even higher. In parts of Indonesia and the Caribbean where tourism is the main use, reefs are estimated to be worth US$1 million per square kilometer, based on the cost of maintaining sandy beaches and the value of attracting snorkelers and scuba divers. Meanwhile, a recent study of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia found that the reef is worth more to the country as an intact ecosystem than an extractive reserve for fishing. Each year more than 1.8 million tourists visit the reef, spending an estimated AU$4.3 billion (Australian dollars) on reef-related industries from diving to boat rental to posh island resort stays. In the Caribbean, says UNEP, the net annual benefits from diver tourism were US$2 billion in 2000 with US$625 million spent directly on diving on reefs. Further, reef tourism is an important source of employment, especially for some of the world’s poorest people. UNEP says that of the estimated 30 million small-scale fishers in the developing world, most are dependent to a greater or lesser extent on coral reefs. In the Philippines, for example, more than one million small-scale fishers depend directly on coral reefs for their livelihoods. The report estimates that reef fisheries were worth between $15,000 and $150,000 per square kilometer a year, while fish caught for aquariums were worth $500 a kilogram against $6 for fish caught as food. The aquarium fish export industry supports around 50,000 people and generates some US$5.5 million a year in Sri Lanka alone.

Unfortunately, coral reefs are dying around the world. In particular, coral mining, agricultural and urban runoff, pollution (organic and inorganic), disease, and the digging of canals and access into islands and bays are localized threats to coral ecosystems. Broader threats are sea temperature rise, sea-level rise and pH changes from ocean acidification, all associated with greenhouse gas emissions. Some current fishing practices are destructive and unsustainable. These include cyanide fishing, overfishing and blast fishing. Although cyanide fishing supplies live reef fish for the tropical aquarium market, most fish caught using this method are sold in restaurants, primarily in Asia, where live fish are prized for their freshness. To catch fish with cyanide, fishers dive down to the reef and squirt cyanide in coral crevices and on the fast-moving fish, to stun the fish making them easy to catch. Overfishing is another leading cause for coral reef degradation. Often, too many fish are taken from one reef to sustain a population in that area. Poor fishing practices, such as banging on the reef with sticks (muro-ami), destroy coral formations that normally function as fish habitat. In some instances, people fish with explosives (blast fishing), which blast apart the surrounding coral.

Tourist resorts that empty their sewage directly into the water surrounding coral reefs contribute to coral reef degradation. Wastes kept in poorly maintained septic tanks can also leak into surrounding groundwater, eventually seeping out to the reefs. Careless boating, diving, snorkeling and fishing can also damage coral reefs. Whenever people grab, kick, and walk on, or stir up sediment in the reefs, they contribute to coral reef destruction. Corals are also harmed or killed when people drop anchors on them or when people collect coral.

To find answers for these problems, scientists and researchers study the various factors that impact reefs. The list includes the ocean’s role as a carbon dioxide sink, atmospheric changes, ultraviolet light, ocean acidification, viruses, impacts of dust storms carrying agents to far-flung reefs, pollutants, algal blooms and others. Reefs are threatened well beyond coastal areas. General estimates show approximately 10% of the world’s coral reefs are dead. About 60% of the world’s reefs are at risk due to destructive, human-related activities. The threat to the health of reefs is particularly strong in Southeast Asia, where 80% of reefs are endangered.

In Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and is the subject of much legislation, including a biodiversity action plan. Inhabitants of Ahus Island, Manus Province, Papua New Guinea, have followed a generations-old practice of restricting fishing in six areas of their reef lagoon. Their cultural traditions allow line fishing, but not net or spearfishing. The result is both the biomass and individual fish sizes are significantly larger in these areas than in places where fishing is unrestricted.

Questions 14–19

Reading Passage 2 has seven paragraphs, A–G.

Which paragraph contains the following information?

Write the correct letter, A–G, in boxes 14–19 on your answer sheet.

NB You may use any letter more than once.

14
Geographical location of the world’s coral reef
15
How coral reef benefits the local economy
16
The statistics of coral reef’s economic significance
17
The listed reasons for the declining number of coral reef
18
Physical approach to the coral reef by people
19
Unsustainable fishing methods are applied in regions of the world

Questions 20–25

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2?

In boxes 20–25 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

20
Coral reefs provide habitat to a variety of marine life.
- A. TRUE
- B. FALSE
- C. NOT GIVEN
21
Coral reef distributes around the ocean disproportionally.
22
Coral reef is increasingly important for scientific purpose.
23
Coral reefs are greatly exchanged among and exported to other countries.
24
Reef tourism is of economic essence generally for some poor people.
25
As with other fishing business, coral fishery is not suitable to women and children.

Question 26

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

Write the correct letter in box 26 on your answer sheet.

26
What is the main purpose of this passage?
- A. Demonstrate how coral reef grows in the ocean
- B. To tell that coral reef is widely used as a scientific project
- C. Present the general benefits and an alarming situation of coral reef
- D. To show the vital efforts made to protect the coral reef in Australia

Reading Passage 3: Inside the mind of a fan

A At about the same time that the poet Homer invented the epic there, the ancient Greeks started a festival in which men competed in a single race, about 200 metres long. The winner received a branch of wild olives. The Greeks called this celebration the Olympics. Though the ancient sprint remains, today the Olympics are far more than that. Indeed, the Games seem to celebrate the dream of progress as embodied in the human form. That the Games are intoxicating to watch is beyond question. During the Athens Olympics in 2004, 3.4 billion people, half the world, watched them on television. Certainly, being a spectator is a thrilling experience—but why?

B In 1996, three Italian neuroscientists, Giacomo Rizzolatti, Leonardo Fogassi and Vittorio Gallese, examined the premotor cortex of monkeys. They discovered that inside these primate brains there were groups of cells that 'store vocabularies of motor actions', just as there are grammars of movement. These networks of cells are the bodily 'sentences' we use every day, the ones our brain has chosen to retain and refine. Think, for example, about a golf swing. To those who have only watched the Masters Tournament on TV, golfing seems easy. To the novice, however, the skill of casting a smooth arc with a lopsided metal stick is virtually impossible. This is because most novices swing with their consciousness, using an area of the brain next to the premotor cortex. To the expert, on the other hand, a perfectly balanced stroke is second nature. For him, the motor action has become memorized, and the movements are embedded in the neurons of his premotor cortex. He hits the ball with the tranquility of his perfected autopilot.

C These neurons in the premotor cortex, besides explaining why certain athletes seem to possess almost unbelievable levels of skill, have an even more amazing characteristic, one that caused Rizzolatti, Fogassi and Gallese to give them the lofty title 'mirror neurons'. They note that 'the main functional characteristic of mirror neurons is that they become active both when the monkey performs a particular action (for example, grasping an object or holding it) and, astonishingly, when it sees another individual performing a similar action'. Humans have an even more elaborate mirror neuron system. These peculiar cells mirror, inside the brain, the outside world: they enable us to internalize the actions of another. In order to be activated, though, these cells require what the scientists call 'goal-orientated movements'. If we are staring at a photograph, a fixed image of a runner mid-stride, our mirror neurons are totally silent. They only fire when the runner is active: running, moving or sprinting.

D What these electrophysiological studies indicate is that when we watch a golfer or a runner in action, the mirror neurons in our own premotor cortex light up as if we were the ones competing. This phenomenon of neural mirroring was first discovered in 1954, when two French physiologists, Gastaut and Bert, found that the brains of humans vibrate with two distinct wavelengths, alpha and mu. The mu system is involved in neural mirroring. It is active when our bodies are still, and disappears whenever we do something active, like playing a sport or changing the TV channel. The surprising fact is that the mu signal is also quiet when we watch someone else being active, as on TV. These results are the effect of mirror neurons.

E Rizzolatti, Fogassi and Gallese call the idea of mirror neurons the 'direct matching hypothesis'. They believe that we only understand the movement of sports stars when we 'map the visual representation of the observed action onto our motor representation of the same action'. According to this theory, watching an Olympic athlete 'causes the motor system of the observer to resonate. The 'motor knowledge' of the observer is used to understand the observed action.' But mirror neurons are more than just the neural basis for our attitude to sport. It turns out that watching a great golfer makes us better golfers, and watching a great sprinter actually makes us run faster. This ability to learn by watching is a crucial skill. From the acquisition of language as infants to learning facial expressions, mimesis (copying) is an essential part of being conscious. The best athletes are those with a premotor cortex capable of imagining the movements of victory, together with the physical properties to make those movements real.

F But how many of us regularly watch sports in order to be a better athlete? Rather, we watch sport for the feeling, the human drama. This feeling also derives from mirror neurons. By letting spectators share in the motions of victory, they also allow us to share in its feelings. This is because they are directly connected to the amygdala, one of the main brain regions involved in emotion. During the Olympics, the mirror neurons of whole nations will be electrically identical, their athletes causing spectators to feel, just for a second or two, the same thing. Watching sports brings people together. Most of us will never run a mile in under four minutes, or hit a home run. Our consolation comes in watching. When we gather around the TV, we all feel, just for a moment, what it is to do something perfectly.

Questions 27–32

Reading Passage 3 has six paragraphs, A–F.

Which paragraph contains the following information?

Write the correct letter, A–F, in boxes 27–32 on your answer sheet.

NB You may use any letter more than once.

27
an explanation of why watching sport may be emotionally satisfying
28
an explanation of why beginners find sporting tasks difficult
29
a factor that needs to combine with mirroring to attain sporting excellence
30
a comparison of human and animal mirror neurons
31
the first discovery of brain activity related to mirror neurons
32
a claim linking observation to improvement in performance

Questions 33–35

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

Write the correct letter in boxes 33–35 on your answer sheet.

33
The writer uses the term 'grammar of movement' to mean
- A. a level of sporting skill
- B. a system of words about movement
- C. a pattern of connected cells
- D. a type of golf swing
34
The writer states that expert players perform their actions
- A. without conscious thought
- B. by planning each phase of movement
- C. without regular practice
- D. by thinking about the actions of others
35
The writer states that the most common motive for watching sport is to
- A. improve personal performance
- B. feel linked with people of different nationalities
- C. experience strong positive emotions
- D. realize what skill consists of

Questions 36–40

Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 3?

In boxes 36–40 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

36
Inexpert sports players are too aware of what they are doing.
- A. YES
- B. NO
- C. NOT GIVEN
37
Monkeys have a more complex mirror neuron system than humans.
38
Looking at a photograph can activate mirror neurons.
39
Gastaut and Bert were both researchers and sports players.
40
The mu system is at rest when we are engaged in an activity.

Answer sheet

Fill in as you go — checking is instant and local, and every miss lands in your mistake log with the lesson that fixes it.

Saved on this device — no account needed. Sign in on your progress page if you want it synced elsewhere.

Show answer key

1. A
The answer is TRUE because the passage says Amundsen 'turned his sights southward in 1911' after first being known for exploring the Arctic, showing he originally planned to explore the North Pole.
2. B
The answer is FALSE because the passage describes Robert Peary’s claim to the North Pole as 'disputed,' meaning it was not universally accepted.
3. B
The answer is FALSE because the passage says Amundsen 'chose dog sleds over ponies and motor sledges,' so ponies were not his primary means of transport.
4. A
The answer is TRUE because the passage states Scott’s team reached the Pole on January 17, 1912, after Amundsen’s team arrived on December 14, 1911.
5. A
The answer is TRUE because the passage says Amundsen left behind letters for 'King Haakon VII and Scott' at the South Pole.
6. preparations
7. sleds
8. supply depots
9. man-hauled
10. C
The answer is C because the passage says Amundsen changed his goal 'when he learned of Robert Peary’s disputed claim to the North Pole,' so he went to the South Pole after learning someone else had claimed the North Pole. Option B is tempting but wrong because Amundsen did not compete with Scott from the beginning; he changed his plan after hearing about Peary.
11. C
The answer is C because the passage says Amundsen 'chose dog sleds over ponies and motor sledges, which Scott relied on,' showing the main difference was Amundsen used dog sleds and Scott used ponies and motor sledges. Option A is wrong because Amundsen did not use motor sledges.
12. A
The answer is A because the passage says Scott and his companions died 'just 11 miles from a supply depot.'
13. C
The answer is C because the passage says Amundsen’s triumph 'symbolised a new era in exploration--where mastery of detail, efficiency, and foresight replaced romantic endurance as the mark of true achievement,' showing systematic planning and efficiency were key. Option B is tempting but wrong because the passage says romantic endurance was replaced by planning.
14. A
15. C
16. B
17. D
18. E
19. D
20. A
21. A
22. C
23. C
24. A
25. C
26. C
The answer is C because the passage presents both the benefits of coral reefs and the alarming situation of their decline, as shown in paragraphs about their value and threats.
27. F
28. B
29. E
30. C
31. D
32. E
33. C
The answer is C because the writer says there are 'grammars of movement' and describes them as 'networks of cells,' meaning a pattern of connected cells.
34. A
The answer is A because the passage says expert players perform actions 'with the tranquility of his perfected autopilot,' meaning without conscious thought.
35. C
The answer is C because the passage says 'we watch sport for the feeling, the human drama,' showing the main motive is to experience strong positive emotions.
36. A
The answer is YES because the passage says novices swing 'with their consciousness,' meaning they are too aware of what they are doing.
37. B
The answer is NO because the passage says humans have an 'even more elaborate mirror neuron system' than monkeys, so monkeys do not have a more complex system.
38. B
The answer is NO because the passage says mirror neurons 'only fire when the runner is active,' not when looking at a photograph.
39. C
The answer is NOT GIVEN because the passage only says Gastaut and Bert were physiologists, not whether they were sports players.
40. A
The answer is YES because the passage says the mu system 'is active when our bodies are still, and disappears whenever we do something active,' so it is at rest when we are engaged in an activity.

Want the full timed experience? Try the free full mock exam — real recalled questions, in the real exam interface.

Start mock exam →

Reading Passage 1: Conquering The South Pole

Reading Passage 2: Coral Reefs

Reading Passage 3: Inside the mind of a fan

Answer sheet

Answer key