Reading 2026-08 Test 11 — 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: A Brief History of Canned Food

In 1795, the French government had a problem: they faced the fact that it is not easy to win battles abroad when your soldiers are hungry and malnourished. That year they established a 12,000-franc prize for whoever could find a way to preserve food – from milk and meat to fruits and vegetables. French chef Nicolas Appert took more than a decade to develop a process that involved cooking food in glass jars and then using seals made of cork to make them airtight. In 1810, he published a book whose title translates as "The art of preserving all animal and vegetable substances for several years", and collected his prize money. Appert's achievement didn't escape the notice of British merchant and inventor Peter Durand, who applied for a British patent later that year. Durand used techniques similar to Appert's, although he adapted the model to include the use of tin vessels as well as glass jars.

Following these discoveries, canned food was initially produced for soldiers and explorers. But even after people became aware of the existence of bacteria in the late 19th century, canning companies couldn't work out exactly why some of their turned bad. And even into the 20th century, newspapers were full of accounts not only of food poisoning but also of cases of the fatal disease botulism resulting from people eating canned food. For that reason, many continued to look upon canned food with suspicion and fear.

The US food manufacturer, The Heinz Company, realized bad cans were bad for business. From the 1890s to 1920s, the company insisted on weekly manicures for its canning-factory workers to ensure that any bacteria beneath employees' fingernails stayed out of the food. Heinz employees were required to shower and change their clothing regularly. In an era when food-factory hygiene was not universally adopted, what might have been considered a nuisance by workers was at least good for consumers.

Some canning companies killed bacteria with chemical additives such as sodium benzoate, which is still used today in canned food, and formaldehydes, which are now known to cause cancer. Some of the larger canning companies, such as Heinz, Libby, and Campbell's, installed expensive steam-retort technology developed in the 1870s. Steam retorts worked like steam engines, using pressure to raise canning temperatures high enough to make food safe. Yet some batches of cans, even when made with this advanced technique, would explode after months on the shelf, while the contents of other cans might mysteriously sour.

Smaller canning manufacturers relied on the open kettle method* and they had even less consistent results.

US canning companies eventually banded together to discover the scientific principles affecting the canning process. In 1913, they launched the Research Laboratory of the National Canners Association in order to look into the elusive bacteriology responsible for all manner of spoiled canned food. The research done by the laboratory in the decades that followed helped resolve the problem of spoiled food and led to improved flavor, color, nutritional value, and texture.

Before this time, canning companies had discovered through trial and error that the best way to avoid bad cans was to cook food at high temperatures for long periods, an approach that sacrificed flavor. 'Food safety and palatability were often at cross-purposes,' remarks food historian Gabriella Petrick. For string beans, for instance, long cooking times in hot water leach out the green color, creating an unattractive grayish-toned bean. The addition of salt was one technique employed in the early 20th century to prevent this happening, thereby maintaining the visual appeal of the product and restoring a certain amount of taste.

One of the major canning innovations of the 20th century was the development of aseptic processing. This technique, which involves sterilizing the container separately from the food, was invented in Switzerland in the 1960s for processing milk, but is now used widely for canned tomatoes and many juices. Small volumes of food are heated to a precise temperature and for a precise time in order to avoid overcooking and preserve color and nutrients, explains food scientist Philip Nelson, who won the 2007 World Food Prize in recognition of his research on making aseptic processing workable on a large industrial scale.

Today, despite all the modern alternatives, Appert's technology still reigns supreme for long-term storage. More than two centuries on, the simple can is still the best solution for the safe and effective preservation of a wide range of foodstuffs worldwide.

open kettle method: food is cooked in a covered container and then poured while hot into sterile jars.

1
French government needs supply of preserved food to feed the nation's ______
2
Appert preserves food in glass jars – using ______
3
Durand adapts Appert's process for containers made of ______
4
Development of steam-retort technology in which ______ helps achieve high temperature
5
Heinz company introduces regulations to reduce risk of ______ entering the product
6
Companies from across the US set up organisation for the purpose of ______ into bacteriology
7
Technology developed for use with ______ is adapted for the sterilisation of cans
8
______ was used in 20th century to avoid loss of colour during cooking process
9
Peter Durand based his food preservation methods on a process that had recently won a cash prize from the French government.
- A. TRUE
- B. FALSE
- C. NOT GIVEN
10
The first canned food products were aimed at the general public.
11
Canned food producers often denied responsibility for cases of food poisoning.
12
The Heinz Company's regulations regarding employees' personal hygiene led to an increase in sales of their products.
13
The use of chemical additives was abandoned following the adoption of steam techniques.

Reading Passage 2: Coral Reefs

Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups.

A 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. Deep water 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 release from the Amazon and Ganges Rivers, respectively.

B 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.

C 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 was US$2 billion in 2000 with US$625 million spent directly on diving on reefs. Further, reef tourism is 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.

D 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.

E 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 ground water, 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.

F 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.

G 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 spear fishing. The result is both the biomass and individual fish sizes are significantly larger than in places where fishing is unrestricted.

14
Geographical location of world’s coral reef
15
How does coral reef benefit economy locally
16
The statistics of coral reefs economic significance
17
The listed reasons for declining number of coral reef
18
Physical approach to coral reef by people
19
Unsustainable fishing methods are applied in regions of the world
20
Coral reefs provide habitat to variety of marine life.
- TRUE. TRUE
- FALSE. FALSE
- NOT GIVEN. NOT GIVEN
21
Coral reef distribute around the ocean disproportionally.
22
Coral reef is increasingly important for scientific purpose.
23
Coral reefs are greatly exchanged among and exported to other counties.
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
26
What is the main purpose of the this passage
- A. Demonstrate how coral reef grow 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 coral reef in Australia

Reading Passage 3: Life on Mars?

When scientists began observing Mars with their first primitive telescopes, they assumed from the start that the planet was peopled. The 18th-century astronomer William Herschel, noting the seasons and atmosphere of Mars, declared that ‘its inhabitants enjoy a situation similar to our own’. A century later, astronomers asserted that they could detect canals running across the Martian landscape. These canals, argued US scientist Percival Lowell, had been built by technologically advanced Martians to transport water from the poles to the equator of their drying world. ‘Martian folk are possessed of inventions of which we have not dreamed,’ he argued.

The vision of an advanced culture trapped on a drying world was taken up by the British writer H. G. Wells in 1898 in his masterpiece The War of the Worlds, in which Earth is subjected to a pitiless invasion from Mars of hideous Martians armed with poison gas and heat rays. Martians became synonymous with grotesque monsters, at least as far as the public was concerned. Scientists were more restrained, but still suspected the red planet might support relatively complex life forms.

Then, in the late 1960s, rocket science changed our image of Mars forever. The US Mariner probes swept past Mars and sent back pictures not of a world covered in vegetation, as many scientists still expected, but of vistas of cratered, arid deserts. Finally, in 1976, two huge US probes settled on the Martian surface and began a series of experiments aimed at pinpointing, once and for all, the existence of air-breathing organisms. None were found, for the Viking probes landed in areas as dead as the Sahara Desert. All that was sent back were images of a bleak, boulder-strewn terrain. Mars was declared officially dead – for a while.

Since that time, two critical pieces of evidence have been found on Earth which support the idea that Mars has life. The first is known as ALH84001, a meteorite that was blasted into space when a large body struck Mars 15 million years ago and which spiralled across the solar system to crash into the Antarctic. Analysis carried out by NASA scientist Imre Friedmann showed that the meteorite contained elements identical to those found on Mars by the Viking probes, and revealed chains of crystals similar to those created by earthbound bacteria. Friedmann believes that these could only have been created by living organisms. Others, however, argue that the crystals could have been laid down by simple chemical processes. A second area of support for the idea that living organisms could survive Mars’s harshness has been provided by the study of extremophiles, bacteria that have been found in increasingly hostile landscapes on Earth – acid lakes, for example, and volcanoes.

In the past few years, astronomers have become convinced that the Martian surface, although hostile and arid today, was once lush and welcoming. Images sent back by recent probes such as the Mars Global Surveyor have revealed dried-up riverbeds and old estuaries. Rivers poured into ancient seas, it appears, and rain swept the sodden terrain. Then catastrophe struck. ‘Mars lost its magnetic field several billion years ago,’ explains British astronomer Paul Murdin. ‘Earth retained one, and it protects our atmosphere. Without that protection, Mars’s gases and water boiled off.’ That is why they are so different today.

The discovery of signs of water on Mars has changed everything. Some researchers believe that water from underground reservoirs still gushes through Martian valleys as occasional flash floods bubble to the surface. In the 1990s, the Mars Odyssey probe began to map the chemical make-up of the Mars soil, and discovered that much of the ground in the southern hemisphere of Mars is mixed with large quantities of ice, and where there is ice there is likely to be liquid water, probably underneath. ‘There are huge underground reservoirs on Mars,’ says Marco Coradini, head of planetary exploration for the European Space Agency. ‘I am now convinced of that.’

Current projects are hoping to clarify the question of the presence of water once and for all. These are aimed at conducting experiments to detect the presence of a substance called carbon-13 in soil and rock samples on Mars; this would be, according to some researchers, an unequivocal indicator of the presence of living organisms, past or present.

But would the presence of a few Martian organisms alter our world view in any significant way? Professor Juan Pérez Mercader of Madrid’s Centre for Astrobiology in Spain believes that it would. ‘For a start, we will be able to find out if Martian organisms have DNA, the golden molecule that controls the replication of earthly creatures.’ If there is no DNA, that would show that Martian biology is quite unlike Earth’s, and that on two planets, side by side in the same solar system, life evolved independently. If DNA is located, it would mean that life on Mars and on Earth may spring from the same source. ‘If organisms can pop up that easily, our chances of finding intelligent versions elsewhere in the universe will look extremely good,’ Pérez Mercader states. The discovery of any evidence of living organisms on Mars would also mean renewed purpose for manned space flight projects.

27
evidence that a rock found on Earth originated on Mars
28
a plan to analyse material on Mars
29
the reason Mars is no longer similar to Earth
30
an observation suggesting that there is currently water on Mars
31
a claim that construction had taken place on Mars
32
a possibility that humans and Martians could share the same origins
33
The 18th-century astronomer William Herschel believed that
- A. the Martians were physically similar to humans.
- B. the Martian environment resembled that of Earth.
- C. members of the Martian race were extremely primitive.
- D. the climatic conditions on Mars were very dry.
34
Public views about Martians changed because of
- A. scientific research.
- B. media reports.
- C. a literature work.
- D. visual evidence.
35
What does the writer say happened in the 1960s?
- A. The appearance of some regions of Mars changed.
- B. Evidence of organisms was found on Mars.
- C. The Martian atmosphere was tested scientifically.
- D. Earlier beliefs about Mars were disproven.
36
The study of extremophiles suggests that
- A. organisms can survive on Mars.
- B. organisms on Earth are like those found on Mars.
- C. Martian conditions resemble those in Earth’s volcanoes.
- D. Martian crystals can survive acid conditions.
37
H. G. Wells believed Martian technology was more advanced than human technology.
38
Information gained from Viking probes remains unchallenged.
39
There is evidence that there has been significant climate change on Mars.
40
Spanish scientists plan to launch space probes if DNA is found on Mars.

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1. soldiers
The passage says the French government needed preserved food to feed its 'soldiers,' making this the correct answer.
2. cork
It is stated that Appert used glass jars sealed with 'cork' to preserve food.
3. tin
Durand adapted the process to use containers made of 'tin,' as mentioned in the passage.
4. pressure
The passage explains that 'pressure' in steam-retort technology helps achieve high temperatures needed for sterilisation.
5. bacteria
Heinz introduced regulations to reduce the risk of 'bacteria' entering their products, as stated in the passage.
6. looking
Companies set up an organisation for 'looking' into bacteriology, meaning they wanted to investigate or research it.
7. milk
The technology first developed for 'milk' was later adapted for sterilising cans.
8. salt
'Salt' was used in the 20th century to prevent loss of colour during cooking, according to the passage.
9. TRUE
TRUE. The passage says Durand based his method on a process that had just won a cash prize from the French government.
10. FALSE
FALSE. The first canned foods were made for the army, not the general public.
11. NOT GIVEN
NOT GIVEN. There is no information about canned food producers denying responsibility for food poisoning.
12. NOT GIVEN
NOT GIVEN. The passage does not mention if Heinz's hygiene regulations led to increased sales.
13. FALSE
FALSE. The passage says chemical additives continued to be used even after steam techniques were adopted.
14. A
A is correct because the passage section describes the geographical location of the world's coral reefs.
15. C
C is correct as the passage explains how coral reefs benefit the local economy.
16. C
C is correct because statistics about the economic significance of coral reefs are given in this part.
17. D
D is correct as the passage lists reasons for the decline in coral reefs.
18. E
E is correct because this part discusses how people physically approach or interact with coral reefs.
19. D
D is correct as it describes regions where unsustainable fishing methods are used.
20. TRUE
TRUE. The passage says coral reefs provide habitat for a variety of marine life.
21. TRUE
TRUE. The passage mentions that coral reefs are not evenly distributed around the ocean.
22. NOT GIVEN
NOT GIVEN. There is no information about the increasing importance of coral reefs for science.
23. NOT GIVEN
NOT GIVEN. The passage does not say coral reefs are greatly exchanged or exported to other countries.
24. TRUE
TRUE. The passage states that reef tourism is important for the economy of some poor people.
25. NOT GIVEN
NOT GIVEN. There is no information about whether coral fishery is suitable for women and children.
26. C
C is correct because the passage presents both the general benefits and the alarming situation of coral reefs.
27. D
D is correct because this section gives evidence that a rock found on Earth came from Mars.
28. G
G is correct as it describes a plan to analyse material directly on Mars.
29. E
E is correct because it explains why Mars is no longer similar to Earth.
30. F
F is correct as it mentions an observation suggesting there is currently water on Mars.
31. A
A is correct because this section claims that construction had taken place on Mars.
32. H
H is correct as it discusses the possibility that humans and Martians could have the same origins.
33. B
B is correct because Herschel believed the Martian environment resembled Earth's.
34. C
C is correct as public views changed because of a work of literature, not scientific research or media reports.
35. D
D is correct because the 1960s saw earlier beliefs about Mars being disproven.
36. A
A is correct as the study of extremophiles suggests organisms can survive on Mars.
37. NOT GIVEN
NOT GIVEN. The passage does not say what H. G. Wells believed about Martian technology.
38. FALSE
FALSE. The passage says information from Viking probes has been challenged by later findings.
39. TRUE
TRUE. The passage gives evidence of significant climate change on Mars.
40. FALSE
FALSE. The passage does not say Spanish scientists plan to launch probes if DNA is found on Mars.

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Reading Passage 1: A Brief History of Canned Food

Reading Passage 2: Coral Reefs

Reading Passage 3: Life on Mars?

Answer sheet

Answer key