Reading 2026-05 Test 22 — 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: The Importance of Law

The law influences all of us virtually all the time, it governs almost all aspects of our behavior, and even what happens to us when we are no longer alive. It affects us from the embryo onwards. It governs the air we breathe, the food and drink we consume, our travel, family relationships, and our property. It applies at the bottom of the ocean and in space. Each time we examine a label on a food product, engage in work as an employee or employer, travel on the roads, go to school to learn or to teach, stay in a hotel, borrow a library book, create or dissolve a commercial company, play sports, or engage the services of someone for anything from plumbing a sink to planning a city, we are in the world of law.

Law has also become much more widely recognised as the standard by which behavior needs to be judged. A very telling development in recent history is the way in which the idea of law has permeated all parts of social life. The universal standard of whether something is socially tolerated is progressively becoming whether it is legal, rather than something that has always been considered acceptable. In earlier times, most people were illiterate. Today, by contrast, a vast number of people can read, and it is becoming easier for people to take an interest in law, and for the general population to help actually shape the law in many countries. However, law is a versatile instrument that can be used equally well for the improvement or the degradation of humanity.

This, of course, puts law in a very significant position. In our rapidly developing world, all sorts of skills and knowledge are valuable. Those people, for example, with knowledge of computers, the internet, and communications technology are relied upon by the rest of us. There is now someone with IT skills or an IT help desk in every UK school, every company, every hospital, every local and central government office. Without their knowledge, many parts of commercial and social life today would seize up in minutes. But legal understanding is just as vital and as universally needed. The American comedian Jerry Seinfeld put it like this, 'We are all throwing the dice, playing the game, moving our pieces around the board, but if there is a problem, the lawyer is the only person who has read the inside of the top of the box.' In other words, the lawyer is the only person who has read and made sense of the rules.

The number of laws has never been greater. In the UK alone, about 35 new Acts of Parliament are produced every year, thereby delivering thousands of new rules. The legislative output of the British Parliament has more than doubled in recent times from 1,100 pages a year in the early 1970s, to over 2,500 pages a year today. Between 1997 and 2006, the legislature passed 365 Acts of Parliament and more than 32,000 legally binding statutory instruments. In a system with so much law, lawyers do a great deal not just to vindicate the rights of citizens and organizations but also to help develop the law through legal arguments, some of which are adapted by judges to become laws. Law courts can and do produce new law and revise old law, but they do so having heard the arguments of lawyers.

However, despite their important role in developing the rules, lawyers are not universally admired. Anti-lawyer jokes have a long history going back to the ancient Greeks. More recently the son of a famous Hollywood actor was asked at his junior school what his father did for a living, to which he replied, 'My daddy is a movie actor, and sometimes he plays the good guy, and sometimes he plays the lawyer.' For balance, though, it is worth remembering that there are and have been many heroic and revered lawyers such as the Roman philosopher and politician Cicero and Mahatma Gandhi, the Indian campaigner for independence.

People sometimes make comments that characterise lawyers as professionals whose concerns put personal reward above truth, or who gain financially from misfortune. There are undoubtedly lawyers that would fit that bill, just as there are some scientists, journalists and others in that category. But, in general, it is no more just to say that lawyers are bad because they make a living from people's problems than it is to make the same accusation in respect of nurses or IT consultants. A great many lawyers are involved in public law work, such as that involving civil liberties, housing and other issues. Such work is not lavishly remunerated and the quality of the service provided by these lawyers relies on considerable professional dedication. Moreover, much legal work has nothing to do with conflict or misfortune, but is primarily concerned with drafting documents. Another source of social disaffection for lawyers, and disaffection for the law, is a limited public understanding of how law works and how it could be changed. Greater clarity about these issues, maybe as a result of better public relations, would reduce many aspects of public dissatisfaction with the law.

1
Choose the correct heading for Paragraph A.
- i. Different areas of professional expertise
- ii. Reasons why it is unfair to criticize lawyers
- iii. The disadvantages of the legal system
- iv. The law applies throughout our lives
- v. The law has affected historical events
- vi. A negative regard for lawyers
- vii. public's increasing ability to influence the law
- viii. growth in laws
2
Choose the correct heading for Paragraph B.
3
Choose the correct heading for Paragraph C.
4
Choose the correct heading for Paragraph D.
5
Choose the correct heading for Paragraph E.
6
Choose the correct heading for Paragraph F.
7
Which TWO of the following statements does the writer make about legal skills in today's world?
- A. There should be a person with legal training in every hospital.
- B. Lawyers with experience in commercial law are the most in demand.
- C. Knowledge of the law is as important as having computer skills.
- D. Society could not function effectively without legal experts.
- E. Schools should teach students about the law.
8
People sometimes say that ______ is of little interest to lawyers, who are more concerned with making money.
9
This may well be the case with some individuals, in the same way that some ______ or scientific experts may also be driven purely by financial greed.
10
However, criticizing lawyers because their work is concerned with people's problems would be similar to attacking IT staff or ______ for the same reason.
11
In fact, many lawyers focus on questions relating, for example, to housing or civil liberties, which requires them to have ______ to their work.
12
What's more, a lot of lawyers' time is spent writing ______ rather than dealing with people's misfortunes.

Reading Passage 2: Is Graffiti Art or Crime

A The term graffiti derives from the Italian graffito meaning ‘scratching’ and can be defined as uninvited marking or writing scratched or applied to objects, built structures and natural features. It is not a new phenomenon: examples can be found on ancient structures around the world, in some cases predating the Greeks and Romans. In such circumstances it has acquired invaluable historical and archaeological significance, providing a social history of life and events at that time. Graffiti is now a problem that has become pervasive, as a result of the availability of cheap and quick means of mark-making.

B It is usually considered a priority to remove graffiti as quickly as possible after it appears. This is for several reasons. The first is to prevent ‘copy-cat’ emulation which can occur rapidly once a clean surface is defaced. It may also be of a racist or otherwise offensive nature and many companies and councils have a policy of removing this type of graffiti within an hour or two of it being reported. Also, as paints, glues and inks dry out over time they can become increasingly difficult to remove and are usually best dealt with as soon as possible after the incident. Graffiti can also lead to more serious forms of vandalism and, ultimately, the deterioration of an area, contributing to social decline.

C Although graffiti may be regarded as an eyesore, any proposal to remove it from sensitive historic surfaces should be carefully considered: techniques designed for more robust or utilitarian surfaces may result in considerable damage. In the event of graffiti incidents, it is important that the owners of buildings or other structures and their consultants are aware of the approach they should take in dealing with the problem. The police should be informed as there may be other related attacks occurring locally. An incidence pattern can identify possible culprits, as can stylised signatures or nicknames, known as ‘tags’, which may already be familiar to local police. Photographs are useful to record graffiti incidents and may assist the police in bringing a prosecution. Such images are also required for insurance claims and can be helpful in cleaning operatives, allowing them to see the problem area before arriving on site.

D There are a variety of methods that are used to remove graffiti. Broadly these divide between chemical and mechanical systems. Chemical preparations are based on dissolving the media; these solvents can range from water to potentially hazardous chemical ‘cocktails’. Mechanical systems such as wire-brushing and grit-blasting attempt to abrade or chip the media from the surface. Care should be taken to comply with health and safety legislation with regard to the protection of both passers-by and any person carrying out the cleaning. Operatives should follow product guidelines in terms of application and removal, and wear the appropriate protective equipment. Measures must be taken to ensure that run-off, aerial mists, drips and splashes do not threaten unprotected members of the public. When examining a graffiti incident it is important to assess the ability of the substrate to withstand the prescribed treatment. If there is any doubt regarding this, then small trial areas should be undertaken to assess the impact of more extensive treatment.

E A variety of preventive strategies can be adopted to combat a recurring problem of graffiti at a given site. As no two sites are the same, no one set of protection measures will be suitable for all situations. Each site must be looked at individually. Surveillance systems such as closed-circuit television may also help. In cities and towns around the country, prominently placed cameras have been shown to reduce anti-social behavior of all types including graffiti. Security patrols will also act as a deterrent to prevent recurring attacks. However, the cost of this may be too high for most situations. A physical barrier such as a wall, railings, doors or gates can be introduced to discourage unauthorized access to a vulnerable site. However, consideration has to be given to the impact measures have on the structure being protected. In the worst cases, they can be almost as damaging to the quality of the environment as the graffiti they prevent. In others, they might simply provide a new surface for graffiti.

F One of the most significant problems associated with graffiti removal is the need to remove it from surfaces that are repeatedly attacked. Under these circumstances, the repeated removal of graffiti using even the most gentle methods will ultimately cause damage to the surface material. There may be situations where the preventive strategies mentioned above do not work or are not a viable proposition at a given site. Anti-graffiti coatings are usually applied by brush or spray leaving a thin veneer that essentially serves to isolate the graffiti from the surface.

G Removal of graffiti from a surface that has been treated in this way is much easier, usually using low-pressure water which reduces the possibility of damage. Depending on the type of barrier selected it may be necessary to reapply the coating after each graffiti removal exercise.

13
14. why chemically cleaning graffiti may cause damage
14
15. the benefit of a precautionary strategy on the gentle removal
15
16. the damaging and accumulative impact of graffiti on the community
16
17. the need for different preventive measures to be taken to cope with graffiti
17
18. a legal proposal made to the owner of the building against graffiti
18
19. the reasons for removing graffiti as soon as possible.
19
Which TWO statements are true concerning the removal of graffiti?
- A. cocktail removal can be safer than water treatment
- B. small patch trial before applying a large scale of removing
- C. Chemical treatments are the most expensive way of removing
- D. there are risks for both Chemical and medication method
- E. mechanical removals are much more applicable than Chemical treatments
20
Which TWO of the following preventive measures against graffiti are mentioned effectively in the passage?
- A. organize more anti-graffiti movements in the city communities
- B. increase the police patrols on the street
- C. Build a new building with material repelling water
- D. installing more visible security cameras
- E. Provide a whole new surface with a chemical coat
21
Ancient graffiti is of significance and records the ______ of details life for that period.
22
The police can recognize newly committed incidents of graffiti by the signature which is called ______ that they are familiar with.
23
Operatives ought to comply with relevant rules during the operation, and put on the suitable ______.
24
Removal of graffiti from a new type of coating surface can be much more convenient than using ______.

Reading Passage 3: The Geography of Taste Buds

Scientists have long known that the surface of the tongue is covered with taste buds: onion-shaped bundles of cells that stand guard for the digestive system. Long before our modern world of supermarkets and restaurants, taste buds served as a crucial tool to maintain the daily existence of our ancestors. The bitter flavour of a wild almond told a prehistoric human foraging in African forests that the nut was poisonous, and they should spit it out. A sweet fruit, though, was safe to consume, and full of energy from carbohydrates. The presence of lions and other man-eating predators also added urgency to meal choices. 'If the thing didn't taste good, you might decide it's not worth it to be out in the open and at risk,' says Steve Miller, a taste researcher at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Much of what we 'taste' in everyday life is actually the work of our nose. The tongue can distinguish only five basic flavour sensations – sweet, sour, bitter, salt and umami, the 'savoury' taste of meat and cheese which indicates protein. Sour taste comes from acidic compounds, and, like bitter taste, it can be a sign to leave decomposing meat or vegetables. Unpleasant tartness in unripe fruits comes from too much citric acid. This is how a tree or shrub keeps hungry diners at bay until its seeds are mature enough to travel – via the diner's digestive system – to a new home.

Unlike animals, humans have acquired a taste for tartness. In the case of the Japanese pickle called ‘umeboshi’, the plums are harvested when still green and sour, before the tree fills them with sugar and turns them into a tantalising snack for birds and animals. Sour cream, yoghurt, lemonade, gorgonzola cheese, the German fermented cabbage ‘sauerkraut’ and other tart treats are eaten every day by millions of people.

Only a decade ago, popular myth held that separate areas of the tongue were responsible for each taste. Referred to as the ‘mouth map’, the concept probably originated with a German text mistranslated into English at the beginning of the 20th century. As recently as 1996, ‘mouth map’ diagrams still appeared in university neuroscience textbooks.

By the late 1990s, however, scientists had learned enough about molecular biology to turn their attention seriously to taste. They had discovered that thousands of taste buds cover the tongue, each containing 50 to 100 taste cells. Each cell has two poles: one end covered with taste receptors projecting from the tongue's surface, and one end inside the tongue that connects to the brain via nerves. When a person bites into a lemon, acidic molecules from the food bump into acid-sensitive taste receptors, activating a taste cell, which sends a ‘sour’ message to the brain.

The details of this process were long a matter of debate. In line with the ‘mouth map’ concept, some scientists believed that the taste buds in different areas of the tongue were filled with cells of only one type: the tip with sweet-sensing cells, the back with bitter-sensing cells, and so on. Others were not convinced and further suggested the location of cells was not an issue because each cell could sense all five tastes. However, no one had identified any of the taste receptors, so which cells responded to which tastes was unknown.

Charles Zanker, professor of biology at the University of California, San Diego, and others set out to solve this problem with a variety of biological techniques, including engineering mutant mice that lacked certain receptors and could not taste certain tastes. They eventually isolated the first taste receptors – those for bitter and sweet. Each taste cell, they found, is covered with receptors for only one taste. A sweet cell, for example, is only turned on by sweet molecules because it only has sweet receptors. This dispelled the notion that all cells could sense all tastes.

The scientists also assembled more evidence against the 'mouth map' myth when they found that each taste bud contains a full complement of taste cells. 'There are areas of emphasis,' Miller says, 'but there are not these absolutely divided areas.' Over time, the researchers identified the receptors for sweet, bitter and umami. But until recently, salt and sour receptors remained elusive. After eight years of this new wave of research into taste, a team led by Hideki Matsunami from Duke University in North Carolina, and Zanker's separate group of Californian scientists, simultaneously published that they had finally found the tongue's tart sensors. This breakthrough has answered some long-standing questions about the tongue's geography.

One surprising finding was that the sour-taste receptors on the tongue are also found in the spinal cord, where they probably monitor the acidity of cerebrospinal fluid. Similarly, sweet and bitter taste receptors have been found in the intestinal tract. Taken as a whole, the identification of various key taste receptors illuminates a link between the mouth and the brain. It also provides new targets for research. In the past, artificial flavourings were often chance discoveries, made when chemists accidentally tasted a substance, but now experts hope that knowing the identities of taste receptors will allow a more methodical approach to be taken towards developing these additives. New molecules might even be developed to cling to sour taste receptors and block the unpalatable taste of medicines. The finding may also explain how tongues, like fingerprints, are unique, making some people sensitive and others numb to certain tastes.

25
For many years it has been understood that the human tongue is covered with taste buds. These first evolved as an aid to ________.
- A. cooking
- B. sense
- C. pests
- D. consumption
- E. predators
- F. digestion
- G. enemie
- H. planting
- I. decay
- J. sight
- K. smell
- L. survival
26
They acted as a warning that a food was dangerous, or a confirmation that it was good for ________.
27
For early humans, the gathering of food was made difficult by ________.
28
Because our tongues can only taste five different flavours, a lot of what we think we 'taste' is in fact conveyed by ________.
29
Sour and bitter tastes signal that food is in ________.
30
However, over the centuries, people have come to like the process of ________, and in this ________ we are different from animals.
31
33. It is likely that the 'mouth map' myth began from an error of interpretation.
32
34. Scientists were in agreement on the location of bitter-sensing cells.
33
35. The experiment with mice proved that bitter-sensing cells have more receptors than sweet-sensing cells do.
34
36. After a lengthy period of study, two different research teams reported the same finding about taste senses at the same time.
35
37. Scientists failed to find taste receptors in other parts of the body.
36
38. What does the writer suggest about the 'mouth map' myth?
- A. It followed the discovery of taste buds.
- B. It located taste in one part of the tongue.
- C. It used to be taught and believed in academic circles.
- D. It was an idea that originated in England.
37
39. The writer refers to Zanker's experiment in order to
- A. compare several different methodologies.
- B. highlight the connection between taste and the brain.
- C. suggest that the use of animals in research can be misleading.
- D. show how a popular idea was proved wrong.
38
40. What is the main purpose of the writer of Reading Passage 3?
- A. to describe a scientific experiment
- B. to inform readers of a recent scientific discovery
- C. to narrate how taste affected the lives of ancient humans
- D. to predict how taste research will develop in the future

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1. iv
The correct heading is iv because the paragraph explains how the law is present in every part of our lives, from birth to death.
2. vii
The correct heading is vii since the paragraph talks about how the public now has more ways to influence the law, such as through voting and campaigns.
3. i
The correct heading is i because the paragraph describes different areas of legal expertise, like criminal law and commercial law.
4. viii
The correct heading is viii as the paragraph discusses how the number of laws has grown over time.
5. vi
The correct heading is vi because the paragraph mentions that lawyers are often viewed negatively by the public.
6. ii
The correct heading is ii since the paragraph argues that it is unfair to criticize lawyers, giving reasons for this view.
7. C / D
C is correct because the passage says legal knowledge is as important as computer skills; D is correct because it says society could not work well without legal experts. B is tempting but the passage does not say commercial law is the most in demand.
8. truth
The answer is 'truth' because the passage says people sometimes claim lawyers care more about money than about the truth.
9. journalists
The answer is 'journalists' because the passage compares some lawyers to journalists or scientific experts who may also be motivated by money.
10. nurses
The answer is 'nurses' because the passage says criticizing lawyers for dealing with problems is like blaming IT staff or nurses for the same thing.
11. dedication
The answer is 'dedication' because the passage says many lawyers work on issues like housing or civil rights, which requires dedication.
12. documents
The answer is 'documents' because the passage states that much of a lawyer's time is spent writing documents, not just dealing with problems.
13. D
D is correct because the paragraph explains that chemical cleaning can harm the surface, causing damage.
14. G
G is correct because the paragraph describes how using a gentle, careful approach to removing graffiti is beneficial.
15. B
B is correct because the paragraph talks about how graffiti can build up and negatively affect the community over time.
16. E
E is correct because the paragraph discusses the need for different ways to prevent graffiti, not just one method.
17. C
C is correct because the paragraph mentions a legal proposal made to building owners to help stop graffiti.
18. B
B is correct because the paragraph gives reasons why graffiti should be removed quickly, such as preventing further damage.
19. B / D
B is correct because the passage says a small patch should be tested before large-scale removal; D is correct because it mentions risks with both chemical and mechanical methods. C is tempting but the passage does not say chemicals are always the most expensive.
20. B / D
B is correct because the passage mentions increasing police patrols; D is correct because it talks about installing more visible security cameras. A is tempting but not mentioned as effective in the passage.
21. the social history
The answer is 'the social history' because the passage says ancient graffiti records details of social history from that time.
22. tag
The answer is 'tag' because the passage says police can identify new graffiti by the signature, called a tag.
23. protective equipment
The answer is 'protective equipment' because the passage says workers must wear suitable protective equipment during graffiti removal.
24. (low pressure) water
The answer is '(low pressure) water' because the passage says removing graffiti from new coatings is easier than using low pressure water.
25. L
L is correct because the passage says taste buds first evolved to help with survival.
26. D
D is correct because the passage says taste buds confirm if food is good for consumption.
27. E
E is correct because the passage says early humans had trouble gathering food because of predators.
28. K
K is correct because the passage explains that much of what we think we taste actually comes from smell.
29. I
I is correct because the passage says sour and bitter tastes warn us that food may be decaying.
30. I / B
I and B are correct because the passage says people have come to enjoy the process of decay and that this is a difference in sense from animals.
31. YES
YES is correct because the passage says the 'mouth map' myth likely started from a misunderstanding.
32. NO
NO is correct because the passage says scientists disagreed about where bitter-sensing cells are located.
33. NOT GIVEN
NOT GIVEN is correct because the passage does not say if the mouse experiment showed bitter-sensing cells have more receptors than sweet-sensing cells.
34. YES
YES is correct because the passage says two research teams reported the same findings about taste at the same time after long study.
35. NO
NO is correct because the passage says scientists did find taste receptors in other parts of the body.
36. C
C is correct because the passage says the 'mouth map' was taught and believed in academic circles.
37. D
D is correct because the writer mentions Zanker's experiment to show how a popular idea (the mouth map) was proven wrong.
38. B
B is correct because the main purpose is to inform readers about a recent scientific discovery related to taste.

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Reading Passage 1: The Importance of Law

Reading Passage 2: Is Graffiti Art or Crime

Reading Passage 3: The Geography of Taste Buds

Answer sheet

Answer key