Reading 2026-02 Test 2 — IELTS Reading Actual Test with Answers

สร้างจากความทรงจำของผู้เข้าสอบ — ไม่ใช่ข้อสอบ IELTS อย่างเป็นทางการ เสียงและบทอ่านเป็นการจำลองเพื่อฝึกฝน

Reading Passage 1 - A Disaster of Titanic Proportions

A. At 11:39 p.m. on the evening of Sunday, 14 April 1912, lookouts Frederick Fleet and Reginald Lee on the forward mast of the Titanic sighted an eerie, black mass coming into view directly in front of the ship. Fleet picked up the phone to the helm, waited for Sixth Officer Moody to answer, and yelled: 'Iceberg, right ahead!' The greatest disaster in maritime history was about to be set in motion. B. Thirty-seven seconds later, despite the efforts of officers in the bridge and engine room to steer around the iceberg, the Titanic struck a piece of submerged ice, bursting rivets in the ship's hull and flooding the first five watertight compartments. The ship's designer, Thomas Andrews, carried out visual inspection of the ship's damage and informed Captain Smith at midnight that the ship would sink in less than two hours. By 12:30 a.m., the lifeboats were being filled with women and children, after Smith had given the command for them to be uncovered and swung out 15 minutes earlier. The first lifeboat was successfully lowered 15 minutes later, with only 28 of its 65 seats occupied. By 1:15 a.m., the waterline was beginning to reach the Titanic's name on the ship's bow, and over the next hour, every lifeboat would be released as officers struggled to maintain order amongst the growing panic on board. C. The closing moments of the Titanic's sinking began shortly after 2 a.m., as the last lifeboat was lowered and the ship's propellers lifted out of the water, leaving the 1,500 passengers still on board to surge towards the stern. At 2:17 a.m., Harold Bride and Jack Philips tapped out their last wireless message after being relieved of duty as the ship's wireless operators, and the ship's band stopped playing. Less than a minute later, occupants of the lifeboats witnessed the ship's lights flash once, then go black, and a huge roar signaled the Titanic's contents plunging towards the bow, causing the front half of the ship to break off and go under. The Titanic's stern bobbed up momentarily, and at 2:20 a.m., the ship finally disappeared beneath the frigid waters. D. What or who was responsible for the scale of this catastrophe? Explanations abound, some that focus on very small details. Due to a last-minute change in the ship's officer line-up, iceberg lookouts Frederick Fleet and Reginald Lee were making do without a pair of binoculars that an officer transferred off the ship in Southampton had left in a cupboard onboard, unbeknownst to any of the ship's crew. Fleet, who survived the sinking, insisted at a subsequent inquiry that he could have identified the iceberg in time to avert disaster if he had owned the binoculars. E. Less than an hour before the Titanic struck the iceberg, wireless operator Cyril Evans on California, located just 20 miles to the north, tried to contact operator Jack Philips on the Titanic to warn him of pack ice in the area. 'Shut up, shut up, you're jamming my signal,' Philips replied. 'I'm busy.' The Titanic's wireless system had broken down for several hours earlier that day, and Philips was clearing a backlog of personal messages that passengers had requested to be sent to family and friends in the USA. Nevertheless, Captain Smith had maintained the ship's speed of 22 knots despite multiple earlier warnings of ice ahead. It has been suggested that Smith was under pressure to make headlines by arriving early in New York, but maritime historians such as Richard Howell have countered this perception, noting that Smith was simply following common procedure at the time, and not behaving recklessly. F. One of the strongest explanations for the severe loss of life has been the fact that the Titanic did not carry enough lifeboats for everyone on board. Maritime regulations at the time tied lifeboat capacity to the ship size, not to the number of passengers on board. This meant that the Titanic, with room for 1,178 of its 2,222 passengers, actually surpassed the Board of Trade's requirement that it carry lifeboats for 1,060 of its passengers. Nevertheless, with lifeboats being lowered less than half full in many cases, and only 712 passengers surviving despite a two-and-a-half-hour window of opportunity, more lifeboats would not have guaranteed more survivors in the absence of better training and preparation. Many passengers were confused about where to go after the order to launch lifeboats was given; a lifeboat drill scheduled for earlier on the same day that the Titanic struck the iceberg was cancelled by Captain Smith to allow passengers to attend church.

Questions 1-6: Table Completion

Time Person's Position Action 11:39 p.m 1 _________ 2 _________ A reported sighting of the iceberg 3 _________ Ship's Andrews designer Reported how long the Titanic could stay afloat 12:15 a.m Smith Ordered 4 _________ Captain to be released 2:17 a.m Bride & Philips 5 _________ Relayed final 6 _________

1
11:39 p.m 1 _________ 2 _________ A reported sighting of the iceberg
2
11:39 p.m 1 _________ 2 _________ A reported sighting of the iceberg
3
3 _________ Ship's Andrews designer Reported how long the Titanic could stay afloat
4
12:15 a.m Smith Ordered 4 _________ Captain to be released
5
2:17 a.m Bride & Philips 5 _________ Relayed final 6 _________
6
2:17 a.m Bride & Philips 5 _________ Relayed final 6 _________

Questions 7-13: True/False/Not Given

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1? TRUE - if the statement agrees with the information FALSE - if the statement contradicts with the information NOT GIVEN - if there is no information on this

7
The binoculars for the men on watch had been left in a crew locker in Southampton.
8
The missing binoculars were the major factor leading to the collision with the iceberg.
9
Philips missed notification about the ice from Evans because the Titanic's wireless system was not functioning at the time.
10
Captain Smith knew there was ice in the area.
11
Howell believed the captain's failure to reduce speed was an irresponsible action.
12
The Titanic was able to seat more passengers in lifeboats than the Board of Trade required.
13
A lifeboat drill would have saved more lives.

Reading Passage 2 - Can We Believe Our Own Eyes?

A. An optical illusion refers to a visually perceived image that is deceptive or misleading in that information transmitted from the eye to the brain is processed in a way that the related assumption or deduction does not represent the true physical reality. Our perceptions of what we think we see can be influenced by a number of external factors; 'illusions' can be classified into two main categories these being 'physiological illusions' and 'cognitive' illusions, the latter category can then be divided again into four sub-types. B. Physiological illusions occur as a result of excessive stimulation of the eyes and brain which leads to a temporary state of confusion and mixed messages. For example, after exposure to extremely vivid lights, the eyes may need time to adapt and immediately after the stimulus, we may see things that would not be the norm. In the same way, a contingent perceptual after-effect may be experienced after staring at a particular colour and the receptors in the brain may process subsequent colors inaccurately until overload has passed. C. Cognitive illusions, on the other hand, are said to arise not as a result of neuron activity as with the aforementioned category. But due to assumptions we may consciously make based on our knowledge and experience of the world. The four categories of cognitive illusion are 'ambiguous' illusions, 'distorting' illusions 'paradox' illusions, and 'fictional' illusions. The inclusion of 'fictional' illusions into the cognitive group is somewhat misleading; however, as this type of illusion is unique in that only an individual can see in a given situation and exists in no tangible form. A fictional illusion is, in reality, a hallucination that arises as a result of drug use or a brain condition such as schizophrenia. D. Ambiguous illusions are pictures or objects which are structured in such a way that alternative perceptions of their structure are possible. Different individuals may instantly perceive the object or picture in a different way than another and, in fact, the same individual is often able to see and interpret the image or object in more than one form. A classic example of an ambiguous illusion is the Necker cube. This cube is a standard line drawing which our visual senses generally interpret as a three-dimensional box. When the lines of the box cross, the picture intentionally does not define which is in front and which is behind. However, when individuals view the box, it is the automatic response of the mind to interpret what is seen. Generally, our thought process patterns work in the way that we view objects from above; for this reason, when most people look at the Necker Cube they will interpret the lower left face as being the front of the box, the base of the front face being parallel to the floor as their thought processes convert the image to three dimensions. However, it is also possible to interpret the image differently in that the front of the box could also be seen to be in a different position. E. The Necker Cube made contributions to researchers' understanding of the human visual system, providing evidence that the brain is a neural network with two distinct and interchangeable states. It has also been used in epistemology - the study of knowledge - as evidence to disprove the theory upheld by 'direct realism' that the way the human mind perceives the world is the way the world actually is. To illustrate, with the Necker cube we are generally able to see one or both versions of a three-dimensional cube, when in fact only a two-dimensional drawing comprised of 12 lines exists. F. Distorting illusions affect an individual's ability to judge size, length, or curvature; the Muller-Lyer illusion which consists of three lines with arrow-like endings is a prime example. In this illusion, the middle arrow has both arrows ends pointing out, while the line above it has arrow ends pointing in and the third and final line possesses one inward-pointing and one outward pointing arrow end. Most respondents from certain backgrounds generally respond that the middle arrow is the longest (though all are in fact the same). However, cultural backgrounds affect perceptions related to this illusion; international research has shown that non-Western subjects, particularly those generally not exposed to rectangular-shaped buildings and door frames in their day to day life, are less likely to misinterpret the true length of the three drawings. G. Paradox illusions encourage the mind to believe that we are seeing something we know to be impossible. The Penrose Stairs and the Penrose Triangle, developed by Lionel Penrose are examples of models created to illustrate this phenomenon. Many naturally occurring optical illusions also exist. Throughout the world there a number of locations where objects can be perceived to roll uphill; our cognitive and pre-learned knowledge informs us that this is impossible; however, information received by the visual senses of observers creates conflict. These areas are often known as 'gravity hills or 'magnetic' hills and are often popular with tourists; the mystical properties of the area often promoted vigorously to add mystique or claimed to arise as a result of the special properties and magnetic influence of the area's land. H. The scientific explanation for such a phenomenon is that such areas are set on slightly sloping ground without a visible horizon against which to establish perspective. In addition, surrounding points of reference we would generally expect to be perpendicular, such as trees, are in fact on a slope. The interpretation of what observers believe they are experiencing is therefore confused, downward slopes may be perceived to be horizontal or tilting upwards and cars with hand brakes released on such ground appear to roll upwards when in fact they are rolling, as gravity dictates, in a downhill direction. While our innate sense of balance under normal situations helps us determine the inclination of the ground, interference from the visual stimuli as outlined above and lack of references from points on the horizon can override this ability in such situations, especially if the gradient is gentle.

Questions 14-15: Short Answer

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

14
Which two factors influence the way we process the information on a cognitive level?
15
Which theory holds that individuals see only the true reality of a situation?

Questions 16-20: Matching

According to the information in Reading Passage 2, classify the following as relating to A. Fictional illusions B. Paradox illusions C. Distorting illusions D. Ambiguous illusions Write the correct letter A-D in boxes 16-20 on your answer sheet.

16
Maybe perceived differently by individuals of diverse ethnic origin
17
May override our natural ability to make a rational judgement
18
May be interpreted differently even by the same subject
19
May result due to chemical stimulation
20
Has been used to question the validity of arguments in a different field

Questions 21-26: Multiple Choice

21
Fictional illusions A. May eventually lead to schizophrenia. B. Are the only type which are completely subjective. C. Are very similar to paradox illusions. D. Are typical of cognitive illusions.
- A. May eventually lead to schizophrenia.
- B. Are the only type which are completely subjective.
- C. Are very similar to paradox illusions.
- D. Are typical of cognitive illusions.
22
According to ambiguous illusion theory, which faces of the Necker Cube is interpreted to be the front of the box due to the general tendency to view objects from above?
- A. Lower left face
- B. Upper right face
- C. Upper left face
- D. Lower right face
23
Which diagram represents the Muller-Lyer illusion?
- A. Diagram A
- B. Diagram B
- C. Diagram C
- D. Diagram D
24
The Penrose Stairs are an example of a model which A. Can persuade the viewer they are seeing something infeasible. B. Has disproven established theories on knowledge. C. Is a naturally occurring paradox illusion. D. Can be seen in a number of international locations.
- A. Can persuade the viewer they are seeing something infeasible.
- B. Has disproven established theories on knowledge.
- C. Is a naturally occurring paradox illusion.
- D. Can be seen in a number of international locations.
25
Occurrences on 'gravity' or 'magnetic' hills result due to A. The mineral content of the soil in the area. B. Factors currently unexplained from a scientific perspective. C. Misleading natural points of reference. D. Rising slopes being misinterpreted as on a decline.
- A. The mineral content of the soil in the area.
- B. Factors currently unexplained from a scientific perspective.
- C. Misleading natural points of reference.
- D. Rising slopes being misinterpreted as on a decline.
26
According to the passage, physiological illusions are caused by A. the brain's dependence on prior knowledge B. a temporary overload affecting the eyes and brain C. an inability to distinguish fiction from reality D. a misunderstanding of perspective in line drawings
- A. the brain's dependence on prior knowledge
- B. a temporary overload affecting the eyes and brain
- C. an inability to distinguish fiction from reality
- D. a misunderstanding of perspective in line drawings

Reading Passage 3 - Cleaning up the Thames

The River Thames, which was biologically 'dead' as recently as the 1960s, is now the cleanest metropolitan river in the world, according to the Thames Water Company. The company says that thanks to major investment in better sewage treatment in London and the Thames Valley, the river that flows through the United Kingdom capital and the Thames Estuary into the North Sea is cleaner now than it has been for 130 years. The Fisheries Department, who are responsible for monitoring fish levels in the River Thames, has reported that the river has again become the home to 115 species of fish including sea bass, flounder, salmon, smelt, and shad. Recently, a porpoise was spotted cavorting in the river near central London. But things were not always so rosy. In the 1950s, sewer outflows and industrial effluent had killed the river. It had starved of oxygen and could no longer support aquatic life. Until the early 1970s, if you fell into the Thames you would have had to be rushed to the hospital to get your stomach pumped. A clean-up operation began in the 1960s. Several Parliamentary Committees and Royal Commissions were set up, and, over time, legislation has been introduced that put the onus on polluters-effluent-producing premises and businesses to dispose of waste responsibly. In 1964 the Greater London Council (GLC) began work on greatly enlarged sewage works, which had completed in 1974. The Thames clean up is not over, though. It is still going on, and it involves many disparate arms of government and a wide range of non-government stakeholder groups, all representing a necessary aspect of the task. In London's case, the urban and non-urban London boroughs that flank the river's course each has its own reasons for keeping 'their' river nice. And if their own reasons do not hold out a sufficiently attractive carrot, the government also wields a compelling stick. The 2000 Local Government Act requires each local borough to 'prepare a community strategy for promoting or improving the economic, social and environmental well-being of their area.' And if your area includes a stretch of river, that means a sustainable river development strategy. Further legislation aimed at improving and sustaining the river's viability has been proposed. There is now legislation that protects the River Thames, either specifically or as part of a general environmental clause, in the Local Government Act, the London Acts, and the law that created the post of the mayor of London. And these are only the tip of an iceberg that includes industrial, public health and environmental protection regulations. The result is a wide range of bodies officially charged, in one way or another, with maintaining the Thames as a public amenity. For example, Transport for London - the agency responsible for transport in the capital - plays a role in regulating river use and river users. They now are responsible for controlling the effluents and rubbish coming from craft using the Thames. This is done by officers on official vessels regularly inspecting craft and doing spot checks. Another example is how Thames Water (TW) has now been charged to reduce the amount of litter that finds its way into the tidal river and its tributaries. TW's environment and quality manager, Dr. Peter Spillett, said: 'This project will build on our investment which has dramatically improved the water quality of the river. London should not be spoiled by litter which belongs in the bin not the river.' Thousands of tons of rubbish end up in the river each year, from badly stored waste, people throwing litter off boats, and rubbish in the street being blown or washed into the river. Once litter hits the water it becomes too heavy to be blown away again and therefore the rivers act as a sink in the system. While the Port of London already collects up to 3,000 tons of solid waste from the tideway every year, Thames Water now plans to introduce a new device to capture more rubbish floating down the river. It consists of a huge cage that sits in the flow of water and gathers the passing rubbish. Moored just offshore in front of the Royal Naval College at Greenwich, south-east London, the device is expected to capture up to 20 tons of floating litter each year. If washed out to sea, this rubbish can kill marine mammals, fish, and birds. This machine, known as the Rubbish Muncher, is hoped to be the first of many, as the TW is now looking for sponsors to pay for more cages elsewhere along the Thames. Monitoring of the cleanliness of the River Thames in the past was the responsibility of a welter of agencies - British Waterways, Port of London Authority, the Environment Agency, the Health and Safety Commission, Thames Water - as well as academic departments and national and local environment groups. If something was not right, someone had bound to call foul and hold somebody to account, whether it was the local authority, an individual polluter, or any of the many public and private sector bodies that bore a share of the responsibility for maintaining the River Thames as a public amenity. Although they will all still have their part to play, there is now a central department in the Environment Agency, which has the remit of monitoring the Thames. This centralization of accountability will, it is hoped, lead to more efficient control and enforcement.

Questions 27-32: Matching

Actions to clean up the River Thames A. Operating the Rubbish Muncher B. Creating Community Strategies C. Monitoring the Cleanliness of the River Thames D. Monitoring Fish Levels E. Collecting Solid Waste from the Tideway F. Creating Enlarged Sewage Works G. Controlling the River Thames' Traffic

27
The Environment Agency
28
Transport for London
29
The Greater London Council
30
Thames Water
31
Port of London
32
Local Boroughs

Questions 33-40: Yes/No/Not Given

Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer of the reading passage on Cleaning up the Thames? YES if the statement agrees with the writer NO if the statement doesn't agree with the writer NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

33
The Thames is now cleaner than it was in 1900.
34
Swimming in the Thames now poses no health hazards.
35
It is now mainly the responsibility of those who pollute the Thames to clean their waste up.
36
All local London boroughs are now partly responsible for keeping the Thames clean.
37
Transport for London now employs a type of River Police to enforce control of their regulations.
38
Rubbish Munchers are now situated at various locations on the Thames.
39
Previously no one department had overall responsibility or control for monitoring the cleanliness of the Thames.
40
British Waterways will no longer have any part in keeping the Thames clean.

แสดงคำตอบ

1. fleet
The correct answer is 'fleet' because Frederick Fleet was one of the lookouts who reported seeing the iceberg at 11:39 p.m. ('lookouts Frederick Fleet and Reginald Lee...sighted an eerie, black mass...').
2. lookout
The correct answer is 'lookout' because the passage says the iceberg was seen by the lookouts, referring to Fleet and Lee, at that time.
3. midnight / 12.00 am
'Midnight / 12.00 am' is correct because Thomas Andrews told Captain Smith at midnight how long the Titanic could stay afloat ('informed Captain Smith at midnight that the ship would sink in less than two hours').
4. lifeboats
'Lifeboats' is correct because Captain Smith ordered the lifeboats to be uncovered and swung out at 12:15 a.m. ('after Smith had given the command for them to be uncovered and swung out 15 minutes earlier').
5. wireless operators
'Wireless operators' is correct because Bride and Philips were the ship's wireless operators who sent the final message at 2:17 a.m. ('Harold Bride and Jack Philips tapped out their last wireless message after being relieved of duty as the ship's wireless operators').
6. (wireless) message
'Message' is correct because they relayed their final wireless message at 2:17 a.m. ('tapped out their last wireless message').
7. FALSE
FALSE is correct because the binoculars were left on the ship, not in Southampton ('an officer transferred off the ship in Southampton had left [them] in a cupboard onboard').
8. NOT GIVEN
NOT GIVEN is correct because the passage says Fleet believed binoculars could have helped, but does not say they were the major factor in the collision.
9. FALSE
FALSE is correct because Philips missed the warning from Evans not because the system was down, but because he was busy sending messages ('Shut up, shut up, you're jamming my signal,' Philips replied. 'I'm busy.').
10. TRUE
TRUE is correct because Captain Smith had received multiple warnings about ice ahead ('despite multiple earlier warnings of ice ahead').
11. FALSE
FALSE is correct because Howell said Smith was following common procedure and was not behaving recklessly ('maritime historians such as Richard Howell have countered this perception, noting that Smith was simply following common procedure at the time, and not behaving recklessly').
12. TRUE
TRUE is correct because the Titanic had lifeboat space for 1,178 people, more than the Board of Trade's requirement of 1,060 ('the Titanic...actually surpassed the Board of Trade's requirement').
13. NOT GIVEN
NOT GIVEN is correct because the passage mentions the drill was cancelled but does not say a drill would have saved more lives.
14. knowledge and experience
'Knowledge and experience' is correct because cognitive illusions are based on assumptions we make from our knowledge and experience ('due to assumptions we may consciously make based on our knowledge and experience of the world').
15. direct realism
'Direct realism' is correct because the passage says this theory claims the way the mind perceives the world is the way it actually is ('the theory upheld by 'direct realism' that the way the human mind perceives the world is the way the world actually is').
16. C
C is correct because the Muller-Lyer illusion is perceived differently by people from different cultural backgrounds ('international research has shown that non-Western subjects...are less likely to misinterpret the true length').
17. B
B is correct because misleading visual cues can override our natural sense of balance and judgment ('interference from the visual stimuli...can override this ability').
18. D
D is correct because ambiguous illusions can be interpreted differently even by the same person ('the same individual is often able to see and interpret the image or object in more than one form').
19. A
A is correct because fictional illusions are hallucinations caused by drug use or brain conditions ('a hallucination that arises as a result of drug use or a brain condition such as schizophrenia').
20. D
D is correct because the Necker Cube has been used in epistemology to question arguments in another field ('used in epistemology...as evidence to disprove the theory upheld by 'direct realism'').
21. B
B is correct because fictional illusions are unique in being only seen by one person and not existing in tangible form ('only an individual can see in a given situation and exists in no tangible form').
22. A
A is correct because most people see the lower left face as the front due to the tendency to view objects from above ('when most people look at the Necker Cube they will interpret the lower left face as being the front of the box').
23. B
B is correct because the Muller-Lyer illusion is described as three lines with different arrow-like endings, matching diagram B.
24. A
A is correct because paradox illusions like the Penrose Stairs make people believe they see something impossible ('encourage the mind to believe that we are seeing something we know to be impossible').
25. C
C is correct because misleading natural points of reference cause the illusion on gravity hills ('surrounding points of reference...are in fact on a slope. The interpretation...is therefore confused').
26. B
B is correct because physiological illusions are caused by excessive stimulation leading to temporary confusion ('result of excessive stimulation of the eyes and brain which leads to a temporary state of confusion').
27. C
C is correct because the Environment Agency now has the main responsibility for monitoring the Thames ('there is now a central department in the Environment Agency, which has the remit of monitoring the Thames').
28. G
G is correct because Transport for London regulates river use and inspects craft on the Thames ('plays a role in regulating river use and river users...officers on official vessels regularly inspecting craft').
29. F
F is correct because the Greater London Council began work on sewage works in 1964 ('the Greater London Council (GLC) began work on greatly enlarged sewage works').
30. A
A is correct because Thames Water is responsible for reducing litter in the river ('Thames Water...has now been charged to reduce the amount of litter').
31. E
E is correct because the Port of London collects solid waste from the river ('the Port of London already collects up to 3,000 tons of solid waste from the tideway every year').
32. B
B is correct because local boroughs are required to have a strategy for their area, including the river ('each local borough to 'prepare a community strategy...').
33. YES
YES is correct because the passage says the Thames is cleaner now than it has been for 130 years ('cleaner now than it has been for 130 years').
34. NOT GIVEN
NOT GIVEN is correct because the passage does not say whether swimming in the Thames is now completely safe.
35. NO
NO is correct because many bodies, not just polluters, are responsible for cleaning the Thames ('a wide range of bodies officially charged...with maintaining the Thames').
36. YES
YES is correct because all local boroughs are required to have a strategy for the river ('each local borough to 'prepare a community strategy...').
37. YES
YES is correct because Transport for London has officers who inspect and check river craft ('officers on official vessels regularly inspecting craft and doing spot checks').
38. NO
NO is correct because only one Rubbish Muncher is currently in place and more are planned ('the device is expected to capture up to 20 tons...TW is now looking for sponsors to pay for more cages').
39. YES
YES is correct because previously many agencies shared responsibility, but now it is centralized ('Monitoring...was the responsibility of a welter of agencies...there is now a central department').
40. NO
NO is correct because British Waterways and others will still have a part to play, even though there is now a central agency ('Although they will all still have their part to play...').