IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test — September 2026 Test 9

Exam month: 2026-09

In this test

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 Blockbuster Phenomenon: A New Museum Trend

Museums in Australia, like other pleasure-giving public organizations, are adapting their activities so that they more closely reflect the marketplace.
A Since the 1980s, the term ‘blockbuster’ has become the fashionable word for spectacular, high-profile museum exhibitions that have the ability to attract large crowds. A blockbuster is a ‘large-scale loan exhibition that people who normally don’t go to museums will stand in line for hours to see’ (Eisen 1984). Once the museum that created the exhibition has shown it to its local market, it can be offered to other organizations for a fee. This means that you can boost your own door takings and make money from boosting someone else’s door takings.
B While partaking of the excitement of the blockbuster, visitors thus lured are likely to stay longer at the museum. Betty Churcher, when Director of the Australian National Gallery, summed up the new blockbuster creed as follows: ‘The bonus of the blockbuster exhibitions is that people come to see the blockbuster and they stay to look at the permanent collection, so you are getting broader exposure for your collection.’
C Museums across the UK, USA, Canada and Australia currently operate under a system of plural funding: revenue raised through contributions by federal, state and/or local governments, combined with revenue raised through admission charges and other activities. Maintaining and increasing visitor levels is thus paramount and involves not only creating or hiring blockbuster exhibitions, but providing regular exhibition changes and innovations. In addition, the visiting public have become known as customers rather than visitors, and the skills that are valued in museums to keep the new customers coming through the door have changed. Curators are now administrators, and being a museum director no longer requires an Arts degree—but public relations skills are essential if the museum is going to compete with other museums to stage travelling exhibitions which draw huge crowds.
D The convergence of museums, the heritage industry, tourism, profit-making and pleasure-giving has resulted in the new ‘museology’. This has given rise to much debate about whether it is appropriate to see museums primarily as tourist attractions. In literature from both the UK and USA, the words that are starting to appear in some descriptions of blockbusters are ‘less scholarly’, ‘non-elitist’ and ‘popularist’, while others extol the virtues of encouraging scholars to co-operate on projects, and to provide exhibitions that cater for a broad selection of the community rather than an elite sector. Whatever commentators may think, managers of museums worldwide are looking for artful ways to blend culture and commerce, and blockbuster exhibitions are at the top of the list.
E But do blockbusters held in public institutions really create a surplus to fund other activities? If the bottom line is profit, then according to the records of many major museums blockbusters do make money. For museums in some countries, it may be the money that they require to replace parts of their collections or to fix buildings that are in need of attention. For some museums in Australia, it may be the opportunity to illustrate that they are attempting to pay their way by recovering part of their operating costs. Also, creating or hiring a blockbuster has many positive spin-offs: blockbusters mean crowds, and crowds are good for the local economy, providing increased trade for shops, hotels, restaurants, the transport industry and retailers. The argument that the arts provide sustained economic benefits has been well illustrated in impact studies in the USA and UK.
F However, blockbusters require large capital expenditure and draw on resources across all branches of an organization, and the costs don’t end there. There is a Human Resource Management cost in addition to a measurable ‘real’ dollar cost. Receiving a touring exhibition draws resources from across functional management structures in a project-management style. Everyone—from general labourers to building services, front-of-house, technical, promotional, educational and administrative staff—is required to perform additional tasks. Furthermore, as an increasing number of institutions try their hand at increasing visitor numbers and memberships (and therefore revenue) by staging blockbuster exhibitions, it may be less likely that blockbusters will continue to provide a surplus to subsidize other activities due to the competitive nature of the market.
G It has been illustrated in both the UK and USA that the blockbuster ideology has resulted in the false expectation that the momentum required to stage blockbusters can be maintained continually. Creating, mounting or hiring blockbusters is exhausting, with the real costs throughout an institution difficult to calculate. Secondly, as some analysts have argued, the ‘shopkeeping’ mentality and cost-benefit analysis, and a pure concentration on the bottom line, can squeeze substance out of an exhibition. Taking out substance can be a recipe for blockbuster failure and therefore financial failure.
H Perhaps the best pathway to take is one that balances both blockbusters and regular exhibitions. However, this easy middle ground may only work if you have enough space, and have alternative sources of funding to continue to support the regular, less exciting fare. Perhaps the advice should be to make sure that you find out what your local community wants from you and make sure that your regular activities and exhibitions are more enduring.

Questions 1–4

Reading Passage 1 has eight paragraphs, A–H.

Which paragraph contains the following information?

NB You may use any letter more than once.

  1. 1

    the reason why museum directors need to constantly alter and update their exhibits

  2. 2

    mention of the length of time people will queue to see a blockbuster

  3. 3

    terms that people have used when referring to blockbusters

  4. 4

    the various ways that institutions like museums get financial support

Questions 5–8

Complete the sentences below.

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.

  1. 5

    These days, museum visitors tend to be referred to as ________.

  2. 6

    Museum curators now need ________ rather than academic qualifications.

  3. 7

    The linking of a range of public institutions that entertain the public is known as ________.

  4. 8

    There is discussion about whether museums can be regarded in the same way as other ________.

Questions 9–10

Choose TWO letters, A–E.

Write the correct letters in boxes 9 and 10 on your answer sheet.

  1. 9–10

    Which TWO of the following are mentioned by the writer as advantages of blockbusters?

    • A. Some of the money they raise can be used for structural repairs.
    • B. They can provide funds to help support amateur artists.
    • C. Local services benefit from the extra business they bring about.
    • D. They encourage overseas workers into the local area.
    • E. They raise employee performance levels.

Questions 11–13

Choose THREE letters, A–G.

Write the correct letters in boxes 11–13 on your answer sheet.

  1. 11–13

    Which THREE of the following are mentioned by the writer as disadvantages of blockbusters?

    • A. They do not suit museum management styles.
    • B. Specialist business advice has to be paid for.
    • C. They involve an increased workload for personnel.
    • D. They do not increase overall annual visitor numbers.
    • E. They are very tiring to put on.
    • F. What is popular in one country may not be popular in another.
    • G. The content can be weakened through financial pressure.

Reading Passage 2: Nanotechnology: The Science of the Very Small

(A) Nanoscience and nanotechnology have become very fashionable in recent times. Their prominence has inspired science fiction and raised a lot of hope and hype about the possibilities. But what exactly is nanotechnology? Most definitions agree that it is the manufacture of structures that measure up to 100 nanometres (nm). The diameter of an atom is typically only two or three tenths of a nanometre while that of the human hair is around 1,000,000 nm. Essentially, we are now able to build new structures from atoms and molecules as if we were using the bricks of a children’s construction toy.
(B) Most of the electronic consumer goods that we use today contain components that measure less than 100 nm. The lasers in our CD and DVD players make use of the properties of semiconductor layers that are just a few atoms in thickness, so we clearly are in the nanotechnology age. There are many other everyday items that we take for granted that have nanoparticles in them. One of these is sunscreen. In the 1990s there were safety issues with many of the sunscreen products available, so scientists at Oxford University set about finding a solution. The product they developed uses nanoparticles of titanium dioxide that are doped with the element manganese. This product is almost transparent to the eye when spread on the skin, and it is effective for much longer than many of the traditional preparations. In this case, we see an example of nanotechnology providing a solution to an existing problem rather than opening up new product areas.
(C) The technique of using nanotechnology to adapt existing products can also be applied to garments, upholstery, paint, and plastics to improve their longevity. Bearing this in mind, it is interesting to ask whether nanotechnology can help with some of the world’s major current issues. The recent growth in climate change awareness calls a range of things into question. Can we use energy more effectively? Can we reduce the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere? Can we use and purify water more effectively? Can health care be improved? Nanotechnology may very well provide the solutions. There are few times in history when the application of science to improving the human condition has been so apparent.
(D) We are already making new types of solar cells and batteries by using our newfound ability to manipulate matter at the atomic and molecular scale. If we can capture some of the huge quantities of energy that arrive at the Earth’s surface from the Sun, and store it effectively, we can reduce the need for fossil fuel-based power stations. We are already using nanoparticles and nanoporous materials to capture harmful greenhouse gases, and we may possibly convert some of them back into fuel. There are, however, many technical problems involved, and it will be another decade or so before some of these ideas are deployed.
(E) Water purification is increasingly challenging and many believe that water, which we take for granted, is going to become more valuable than oil. Currently we do not use water efficiently, and many industrial and food processes leave contamination in water that is potentially toxic and difficult to remove. Nanofiltration may provide the solution to these problems, and may also offer new routes to the desalination of brackish water and groundwater in some parts of the world.
(F) Food production and processing are becoming more important as the world’s population increases. There are concerns that potentially harmful nano-products might enter the body via the gut. Such concerns are being addressed, but it is even more important to ask questions about how nanotechnology might increase the nutritious yield of food and be adapted to help preserve and package food. There is already evidence to show that it might also be helpful in the primary production of raw food materials, by way of better delivery of pesticides in the field and better extraction of protein and carbohydrates.
(G) Healthcare is an area where the application of nanotechnology is already exceeding the expectations of ten years ago. It is happening across several fronts: better appreciation of what the ‘natural’ nanoparticles circulating in body fluid do; better methods of delivering drugs to the body via nanoparticles that target the diseased body part; improvements to the diagnostic imaging techniques of ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging and X-ray computerised tomography. We are now at the threshold of a new subject, ‘theranostics’, whereby nanoparticles will first deliver the diagnostic information to the clinician and then, using the same particle, deliver a form of therapy.
(H) Nanotechnology is a life-changing technology, making the quality of life better, enabling us to make use of our resources more effectively, thereby protecting our environment, and creating new business opportunities. There are many other examples in the world of ‘new materials’ that also make use of nanotechnology. The possibilities may well be limitless.

Questions 14–16

Complete the summary below.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 14–16 on your answer sheet.

Nanotechnology
In the same way that a child may use (14) ________, scientists are now able to create new structures by combining the smallest particles known to man.
We can fully appreciate the microscopic scale of this work by comparing the exact (15) ________ of one atom with that of a single human hair.
A lot of today’s electronic consumer goods, such as lasers, have components that are microscopic in size. They are not the only products relying on nanotechnology.
For example, a long-lasting (16) ________, widely available today, relies on minute nanoparticles for its effectiveness.
This was developed in the 1990s as a result of concerns about the safety of existing products.

Questions 17–22

Reading Passage 2 has eight paragraphs, A–H.

Which paragraph contains the following information?

Write the correct letter, A–H, in boxes 17–22 on your answer sheet.

  1. 17

    a comparison between two of the world’s vital natural resources

  2. 18

    a mention of how nanotechnology could be dangerous for humans

  3. 19

    a claim that nanotechnology has influenced modern authors

  4. 20

    a reference to the fact that nanotechnology is achieving more than was anticipated a decade ago

  5. 21

    a suggestion that nanotechnology could provide financial as well as ecological benefits

  6. 22

    an acknowledgement that more time is required to realise some of nanotechnology’s potential

Questions 23–24

Choose TWO letters, A–E.

Write the correct letters in boxes 23 and 24 on your answer sheet.

  1. 23–24

    Which TWO of the following statements does the writer make about nanotechnology and energy resources?

    • A. Nanotechnology means that solar energy will replace fossil fuel energy.
    • B. We have made solar batteries for the first time by applying nanotechnology.
    • C. Further research is needed to turn nanotechnology into practical energy solutions.
    • D. Nanotechnology is being used to remove dangerous gases from the atmosphere.
    • E. Nanotechnology has helped create cheaper sources of energy.

Questions 25–26

Choose TWO letters, A–E.

Write the correct letters in boxes 25 and 26 on your answer sheet.

  1. 25–26

    In which TWO ways does the writer think nanotechnology could improve food production?

    • A. by enabling crops to grow faster
    • B. by keeping food fresh for longer
    • C. by making food tastier
    • D. by protecting food from insects better
    • E. by increasing the variety of food

Reading Passage 3: Termite Mounds

To most of us, termites are destructive insects which can cause damage on a devastating scale. But according to Dr Rupert Soar of Loughborough University's School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, these pests may serve a useful purpose for us after all. His multidisciplinary team of British and American engineers and biologists has set out to investigate the giant mounds built by termites in Namibia, in sub-Saharan Africa, as part of the most extensive study of these structures ever taken.
Termite mounds are impressive for their size alone; typically they are three metres high, and some as tall as eight metres have been found. They also reach far into the earth, where the insects 'mine' their building materials, carefully selecting each grain of sand they use. The termite's nest is contained in the central cavity of the mound, safely protected from the harsh environment outside. The mound itself is formed of an intricate lattice of tunnels, which split into smaller and smaller tunnels, much like a person's blood vessels.
This complex system of tunnels draws in air from the outside, capturing wind energy to drive it through the mound. It also serves to expel spent respiratory gases from the nest to prevent the termites from suffocating, so ensuring them a continuous provision of fresh, breathable air. So detailed is the design that the nest stays within three degrees of a constant temperature, despite variations on the outside of up to 50°C, from blistering heat in the daytime to below freezing on the coldest nights. The mound also automatically regulates moisture in the air, by means of both its underground 'cellar', and evaporation from the top of the mound. Some colonies even had 'chimneys' at a height of 20 m to control moisture loss in the hottest regions of sub-Saharan Africa.
Furthermore, the termites have evolved in such a way as to outsource some of their biological functions. Part of their digestive process is carried out by a fungus, which they 'farm' inside the mound. This fungus, which is found nowhere else on earth, thrives in the constant and optimum environment of the mound. The termites feed the fungus with slightly chewed wood pulp, which the fungus then breaks down into a digestible sugary food to provide the insects with energy, and cellulose which they use for building. And, although the termites must generate waste, none ever leaves the structure, indicating that there is also some kind of internal waste-recycling system.
Scientists are so excited by the mounds that they have labelled them a 'super organism' because, in Soar's words, “They dance on the edge of what we would perceive to be cool or, if you're too cold, you need to thrive: that's called homeostasis.” What the termites have done is to move homeostatic function away from their body, into the structure in which they live. “As more information comes to light about the unique features of termite mounds, we may ultimately need to redefine our understanding of what constitutes a 'living' organism.”
To reveal the structure of the mounds, Soar's team begins by filling and covering their plaster of Paris, a chalky white paste based on the mineral gypsum, which becomes rock-solid when dry. The researcher then carves the plaster of Paris into half-millimetre thick slices, and photographs them sequentially. Once the pictures are digitally scanned, computer technology is able to recreate complex three-dimensional images of the mounds. These models have enabled the team to map termite architecture at a level of detail never before attained.
Soar hopes that the models will explain how termite mounds create a self-regulating living environment which manages to respond to changing internal and external conditions without drawing on any outside source of power. If they do, the findings could be invaluable in informing future architectural design, and could inspire buildings that are self-sufficient, environmentally friendly, and cheap to run. “As we approach a world of climate change and temperatures rise,” he explains, “there will not be enough fuel to drive air conditioners around the world.” It is hoped, says Soar, “that the findings will provide clues that aid the ultimate development of new kinds of human habitats, suitable for a variety of arid, hostile environments not only on the earth but maybe one day on the moon and beyond.”
Recreated cross-section diagram of a termite mound for questions 34–37

Questions 27–33

Reading Passage 3 has seven paragraphs, A–G.

Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.

Write the correct number, i–ix, in boxes 27–33 on your answer sheet.

List of Headings
i Methods used to investigate termite mound formation
ii Challenging our assumptions about the nature of life
iii Reconsidering the termite's reputation
iv Principal functions of the termite mound
v Distribution of termite mounds in sub-Saharan Africa
vi Some potential benefits of understanding termite architecture
vii The astonishing physical dimensions of the termite mound
viii Termite mounds under threat from global climate change
ix A mutually beneficial relationship
  1. 27

    Paragraph A

  2. 28

    Paragraph B

  3. 29

    Paragraph C

  4. 30

    Paragraph D

  5. 31

    Paragraph E

  6. 32

    Paragraph F

  7. 33

    Paragraph G

Questions 34–37

Label the diagram below.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 34–37 on your answer sheet.

Innermost chamber containing termites' nest
network of (34) ________
helps to give the termites a constant (35) ________ supply and to maintain a limited temperature range
cellar to aid control of (36) ________ levels in mound
top of the mound permits (37) ________

Questions 38–40

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

In boxes 38–40 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
  1. 38

    The termite mound appears to process its refuse material internally.

  2. 39

    Dr Soar's reconstruction involves scanning a single photograph of a complete mound into a computer.

  3. 40

    New information about termite architecture could help people deal with future energy crises.

Answer sheet

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Answer key

  1. 1. C

    The answer is C because museum directors must keep changing exhibits to attract visitors, as people want to see something new each time they visit.

  2. 2. A

    The answer is A because the passage mentions how people are willing to wait in long lines, sometimes for hours, to see a blockbuster exhibition.

  3. 3. D

    The answer is D because the passage lists different words people use for blockbusters, such as 'blockbuster', 'mega-show', and 'crowd-puller'.

  4. 4. C

    The answer is C because the passage explains that museums get money from several sources, including government grants, private donations, and ticket sales.

  5. 5. customers

  6. 6. public relations skills

  7. 7. museology / new museology

  8. 8. tourist attractions

  9. 9. A / C

    A and C are correct because the passage says blockbusters can raise money for repairs (A) and bring more business to local services (C). B is wrong because there is no mention of helping amateur artists.

  10. 10. A / C

  11. 11. C / E / G

  12. 12. C / E / G

  13. 13. C / E / G

  14. 14. bricks

  15. 15. diameter

  16. 16. sunscreen

  17. 17. E

  18. 18. F

  19. 19. A

  20. 20. G

  21. 21. H

  22. 22. D

  23. 23. C / D

  24. 24. C / D

  25. 25. B / D

  26. 26. B / D

  27. 27. iii

  28. 28. vii

  29. 29. iv

  30. 30. ix

  31. 31. ii

  32. 32. i

  33. 33. vi

  34. 34. tunnels

  35. 35. air

  36. 36. moisture

  37. 37. evaporation

  38. 38. A

  39. 39. B

  40. 40. A

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