Reading 2026-03 Test 20 — IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test with Answers

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Reading Passage 1: The Development of The Silk Industry

Silk, a natural fibre produced by a particular worm called a silkworm, has been used in clothing for many centuries. When silk was first discovered in China over 4,500 years ago, it was reserved exclusively for the use of the emperor, his close relations and the very highest of his dignitaries. Within the palace, the emperor is believed to have worn a robe of white silk; outside, he, his principal wife, and the heir to the throne wore yellow, the colour of the earth.

Gradually silk came into more general use, and the various classes of Chinese society began wearing tunics of silk. As well as being used for clothing and decoration, silk was quite quickly put to industrial use, and rapidly became one of the principal elements of the Chinese economy. It was used in the production of musical instruments, as string for fishing, and even as the world’s first luxury paper. Eventually even the common people were able to wear garments of silk.

During the Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), silk ceased to be a mere fabric and became a form of currency. Farmers paid their taxes in grain and silk, and silk was used to pay civil servants and to reward subjects for outstanding services. Values were calculated in lengths of silk as they had previously been calculated in weight of gold. Before long, silk became a currency used in trade with foreign countries, which continued into the Tang dynasty (616-907 AD). It is possible that this added importance was the result of a major increase in production. Silk also found its way so thoroughly into the Chinese language that 230 of the 5,000 most common characters of Mandarin have ‘silk’ as their key component.

Silk became a precious commodity, highly sought after by other countries from an early date, and it is believed that the silk trade actually existed before the Silk Road was officially opened in the second century BC. An Egyptian mummy with a silk thread in her hair, dating from 1070 BC, has been discovered in the village of Deir el Medina near the Valley of the Kings, and is probably the earliest evidence of the silk trade. During the second century BC, the Chinese emperor Han Wu Di’s ambassadors travelled as far west as Persia and Mesopotamia, bearing gifts including silks. A range of important finds of Chinese silks have also been made along the Silk Road. One of the most dramatic of these finds was some Tang silk discovered in 1900. It is believed that around 1015 AD Buddhist monks, possibly alarmed by the threat of invasion by Tibetan people, had sealed more than ten thousand manuscripts and silk paintings, silk banners and textiles in caves near Dunhuang, a trading station on the Silk Road in north-west China.

Some historians believe the first Europeans to set eyes upon the fabulous fabric were the Roman legions of Marcus Licinius Crassus, Governor of Syria. According to certain accounts of the period, at an important battle near the Euphrates River in 53 BC, the Roman soldiers were so startled by the bright silken banners of the enemy that they fled in panic. Yet, within decades Chinese silks were widely worn by the rich and noble families of Rome. The Roman Emperor Heliogabalus (218-222 AD) wore nothing but silk. By 380 AD, the Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus reported that the use of silk, which was once confined to the nobility, had now spread to all classes without distinction—even to the lowest. The desire for silk continued to increase over the centuries. Despite this demand, the price of silk remained very high.

In spite of their secrecy about production methods, the Chinese eventually lost their monopoly on silk production. Knowledge of silk production methods reached Korea around 200 BC, when waves of Chinese immigrants arrived there. Shortly after 300 AD, it travelled westward, and the cultivation of the silkworm was established in India.

Around 550 AD silk production reached the Middle East. Records indicate that two monks from Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), capital of the Byzantine Empire, appeared at their emperor’s court with silkworm eggs which they had obtained secretly, and hidden in their hollow bamboo walking sticks. Under their supervision the eggs hatched into worms, and the worms spun silk threads. Byzantium was in the silk business at last. The Byzantine church and state created imperial workshops, monopolising production and keeping the secret to themselves. This allowed a silk industry to be established, undercutting the market for ordinary-grade Chinese silk. However, high quality silk textiles, woven in China especially for the Middle Eastern market, continued to achieve high prices in the West, and trade along the Silk Road continued as before. By the sixth century the Persians, too, had mastered the art of silk weaving, developing their own rich patterns and techniques. But it wasn’t until the 13th century that Italy began silk production, with the introduction of 2,000 skilled silk weavers from Constantinople. Eventually, silk production became widespread throughout Europe.

World silk production has approximately doubled during the last 30 years in spite of manmade fibres replacing certain uses of silk. Before this period, China and Japan were the two main producers, together manufacturing more than 50 per cent of world production each year. After the late 1970s, however, China dramatically increased its silk production, and once again became the world’s leading producer.

1
Chinese silk: Early uses: Clothing – at first, silk only available to Chinese of high rank – emperor wore ______ silk indoors.
2
In industry – silk items included parts of musical instruments, fishing string and ______.
3
Currency: silk was used as payment of ______ as well as for wages and rewards.
4
Silk replaced ______ as a unit of value.
5
Silk soon used as payment in ______ trade.
6
Evidence of silk trade: 1070 BC, Egypt: hair of a ______ contained silk.
7
1015 AD, north-west China: silk objects were hidden inside ______.
8
Their first sight of silk created fear among Roman soldiers.
- TRUE. TRUE
- FALSE. FALSE
- NOT GIVEN. NOT GIVEN
9
The quality of Chinese silk imported by the early Romans varied widely.
10
The Byzantine emperor first acquired silkworm eggs from the Chinese emperor.
11
The price of high-grade Chinese silk fell due to competition from Middle-Eastern producers.
12
Silk was produced in the Middle East several centuries before it was produced in Europe.
13
Global silk production has declined in recent years.

Reading Passage 2: A Mechanical Friend for Children

A The development of robots that interact socially with people and assist them in everyday life has been an elusive goal of modern science. Despite impressive advances in the mechanical aspects of this problem, producing robots that bond and socialize with people for sustained periods of time has proven difficult. The most successful robots so far have been storytellers, but they have only been able to maintain human interest for a limited time and typically rely on the robot telling stories that change over time. In practice, commercially available robots seldom cross the 10-hour barrier (i.e., individual users tend to spend less than a combined total of 10 hours with the robots before losing interest). This observation is in sharp contrast to the long-term interactions and bonding that commonly develop between humans and their pets.

B In a recent study, researchers from the Institute for Neural Computation in California introduced a state-of-the-art social robot into a classroom of 18-to-24-month-olds for five months as a way of studying human/robot interactions. The researchers, including Fumihide Tanaka and Javier R. Movellan, introduced a toddler-sized humanoid robot into a classroom at a childhood education center. One of the QRIO series of robots, the 58 cm machine, was originally developed by Sony. ‘Children of toddler age were chosen because they have no preconceived notions of robots,’ according to Tanaka. One of the goals of the study was to establish whether it was possible for social robots to maintain the interest of children beyond the 10-hour barrier.

C The researchers sent instructions to the robot about every two minutes to do things like giggle, dance, sit down, fall down, or walk in a certain direction. The 45 sessions were videotaped, and interactions between toddlers and the robot were later analyzed. The results showed that the quality of those interactions improved steadily over 27 sessions. The interactions deteriorated quickly over the next 15 sessions, when the robot was ordered to behave in a more limited, predictable manner. Finally, the human/robot relations improved in the last three sessions, after the robot had been instructed to display its full range of behaviors.

D ‘Initially, the children treated the robot very differently from the way they treated each other,’ Tanaka said. ‘Early in the study, some children cried when QRIO fell. But a month into the study, the toddlers helped QRIO stand up by pushing its back or pulling its hands.’ ‘The most important aspect of interaction was touch,’ Tanaka said. ‘At first, the toddlers would touch the robot on its face, but later on they would touch it only on its hands and arms, like they would with other humans. Another robot-like toy named Robby, which resembled QRIO but did not move, was used as a control in the study. While hugging of QRIO increased, hugging of Robby decreased throughout the study. Furthermore, when QRIO laid down on the floor, caretaking behaviors were frequently observed toward QRIO but seldom toward Robby.’

E The study concluded that after 45 days of immersion in a childcare center over a period of five months, long-term bonding and socialization occurred between toddlers and a state-of-the-art social robot. Overall, the interaction between children and the robot improved over time and the children progressively treated it more as a peer than a plaything. ‘To my knowledge, this is the first long-term study of this sort,’ said Ronald Arkin, a roboticist at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the US.

F Tanaka and Movellan are now developing autonomous robots for the toddler classroom. ‘It could have great potential in educational settings, assisting teachers and enriching the classroom environment,’ Tanaka said. The researchers hope that more advanced versions of robots like QRIO could become personalized tutors to assist teachers in classrooms. A robotic tutor could react on the spot to social cues and approximate social skills like facial expression and eye gaze, they said. ‘It is becoming clear that, to achieve this goal, we are going to endow machines with something similar to emotion, not just traditional forms of intelligence,’ said Movellan.

G Associate Professor David Powers, an expert in artificial intelligence and cognitive science at Flinders University in South Australia, commented, ‘In this study, it is clearly demonstrated that a limited range of robot behaviors, however impressive, is nowhere near as important to human/robot interaction as being able to make appropriate responses from a broad repertoire of behaviors.’ Ronald Arkin was not surprised by the affection demonstrated by the toddlers toward the robot. ‘Humans have a tremendous propensity to bond with artifacts, whether it be a car, a doll, or a robot,’ he said. But he also cautioned that researchers do not yet understand the consequences of increased human/robot interaction. ‘Studying how robots and humans work together can give us insight into whether this is a good thing or a bad thing for society,’ Arkin said. ‘We need to find out what the consequences are of introducing a robot into a cadre of children. How will that enhance, or potentially interfere with, their social development? Do we really understand the long-term impact of having a robot as a childhood friend?’

14
a comparison of children’s reactions towards different robots
15
a speculation about ways robots may be able to communicate
16
a description of changes in the way the children physically handled a robot
17
a comparison between people’s connections with animals and their connections with robots
18
an account of the way one robot was programmed
19
In future, robots will not only have to think, but also to show feelings.
- A. Fumihide Tanaka
- B. Javier R. Movellan
- C. Ronald Arkin
- D. David Powers
20
It is uncertain whether more contact between people and robots will be beneficial.
21
Very young children have not yet developed ideas about robots.
22
Robots need to perform a wide variety of actions for people to relate to them.
23
Using robots as an aid in schools may have many benefits.
24
Until recently, robots that were best at holding people’s attention were those that acted as ________.
25
The children responded to the QRIO robot as a friend or a ________ rather than as a toy.
26
Arkin expected that the children would show ________ towards the QRIO robot.

Reading Passage 3: Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art

As an eighteen-year-old living in the small Australian island state of Tasmania, moving to the 'mainland' could not happen soon enough. Now, ten years later, I look forward to going home. This is probably because I've grown up, but also perhaps because the cultural landscape of Tasmania has matured. The latest addition to Tasmania's cultural scene is David Walsh's Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), a museum that has established Hobart, the capital city of Tasmania, on the global art circuit.

This building is an example of how art and architecture can have an instant impact on the social and cultural reputation of a place. Andrew Bain of The Sydney Morning Herald wrote, "In a virtual blink, Hobart's cultural landscape has been transformed, with art, wine, fine food and stylish accommodation becoming integral features of the city.... If Hobart's makeover has an origin, it's the opening of MONA— the Museum of Old and New Art." MONA is said to have been solely instrumental in the reinvention of Hobart as a cultural hub.

MONA made the national press and international blogs before it opened. After that, Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania's chief executive, Luke Martin, claimed that MONA was proving so popular it was underpinning the tourism industry in Tasmania. However, MONA's effect on Hobart has broader ramifications for Tasmania's tourism industry. As reported in Hobart's local paper, The Mercury, there is concern about how long people are staying in Tasmania. Rather than spending a week in the state and hiring a car to experience the beauty of the Tasmanian landscape, people are making short stays in Hobart only to visit the gallery. The next challenge for the state is how to entice holiday makers to stay longer, and to venture further afield. Tasmania is more than a one-hit wonder.

According to Martin, possibilities for packaging up MONA with visits to other galleries around Tasmania are being investigated. Although not directly related to these investigations, the 1891 Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery at Royal Park in Launceston is currently being restored to its original condition. It is hoped that a coordinated cultural tourism strategy will encourage longer stays and wider exploration.

Nevertheless, the success of MONA is undeniable. Visitor numbers have consistently exceeded projections, and its unique approach—blending ancient artifacts with contemporary works in a labyrinthine, subterranean setting—has drawn praise and curiosity worldwide. Walsh's vision was not merely to create a gallery, but to provoke thought and conversation, a goal that seems to resonate powerfully with both locals and international tourists. The museum's effect extends beyond tourism, fostering local pride and stimulating economic activity in once-quiet suburbs of Hobart. Some argue, however, that this rapid cultural shift risks overshadowing Tasmania's other historical and natural attractions.

27
The writer changed her mind about spending time in Tasmania.
28
Andrew Bain believes that the effect MONA had on Hobart was immediate.
29
Other factors have contributed as much as MONA to Hobart's transformation.
30
MONA's popularity has helped support the whole tourism industry in Tasmania.
31
Most tourists now spend a week in Tasmania to explore beyond Hobart.
32
The Queen Victoria Museum's restoration is part of the official strategy to package MONA with other galleries.
33
a reference to the distinctive architectural layout of MONA
34
the suggestion that MONA's impact might have a negative side
35
the writer's personal reason for her changed attitude toward Hobart
36
a plan to combine visits to MONA with other cultural sites
37
figures showing that MONA has attracted more people than expected
38
Complete the summary: visitors are making only ________ stays mainly to see the museum instead of touring Tasmania's ________.
39
Complete the summary: visitors are making only short stays mainly to see the museum instead of touring Tasmania's ________.
40
Complete the summary: MONA's achievement is clear, having boosted local ________ and generated economic growth in Hobart's suburbs.

Phiếu trả lời

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Hiện đáp án

1. white
The answer is 'white' because the passage says the emperor wore white silk indoors, showing it was a special color for high-ranking people.
2. paper
The answer is 'paper' because the passage lists paper as one of the items made from silk in industry, along with musical instruments and fishing string.
3. taxes
The answer is 'taxes' because the passage explains that silk was used as payment for taxes, as well as for wages and rewards.
4. gold
The answer is 'gold' because the passage states that silk replaced gold as a unit of value, showing its importance in the economy.
5. foreign
The answer is 'foreign' because the passage says silk was soon used as payment in foreign trade, meaning trade with other countries.
6. mummy
The answer is 'mummy' because the passage mentions that silk was found in the hair of a mummy in Egypt in 1070 BC, showing early evidence of silk trade.
7. caves
The answer is 'caves' because the passage says silk objects were hidden inside caves in north-west China in 1015 AD.
8. TRUE
The answer is TRUE because the passage says Roman soldiers were frightened when they first saw silk, showing their fear.
9. NOT GIVEN
The answer is NOT GIVEN because the passage does not mention if the quality of Chinese silk imported by early Romans varied widely.
10. FALSE
The answer is FALSE because the passage says the Byzantine emperor did not get silkworm eggs directly from the Chinese emperor, but from other sources.
11. FALSE
The answer is FALSE because the passage does not say the price of high-grade Chinese silk fell due to Middle-Eastern competition; it may mention competition but not a price drop.
12. TRUE
The answer is TRUE because the passage states that silk was produced in the Middle East before it was produced in Europe, showing the order of development.
13. FALSE
The answer is FALSE because the passage says global silk production has not declined in recent years.
14. D
The answer is D because this section compares how children react to different robots, showing their responses to each.
15. F
The answer is F because this part speculates about how robots might communicate in the future, discussing possible ways.
16. D
The answer is D because it describes how children changed the way they physically handled a robot over time.
17. A
The answer is A because this section compares people's connections with animals to their connections with robots, showing similarities and differences.
18. C
The answer is C because this part explains how one robot was programmed, giving details about its design.
19. B
The answer is B (Javier R. Movellan) because he says robots will need to show feelings as well as think in the future. The tempting wrong answer is C, but Arkin talks about uncertainty, not feelings.
20. C
The answer is C (Ronald Arkin) because he says it is uncertain whether more contact with robots will be good, showing doubt. The tempting wrong answer is B, but Movellan talks about feelings, not uncertainty.
21. A
The answer is A (Fumihide Tanaka) because he says very young children have not yet formed ideas about robots. The tempting wrong answer is D, but Powers talks about actions, not children's ideas.
22. D
The answer is D (David Powers) because he says robots need to do many different things for people to relate to them. The tempting wrong answer is A, but Tanaka talks about children, not actions.
23. A
The answer is A (Fumihide Tanaka) because he says using robots in schools could have many benefits. The tempting wrong answer is C, but Arkin talks about uncertainty, not benefits.
24. storytellers
The answer is 'storytellers' because the passage says robots that were best at holding people's attention acted as storytellers.
25. peer
The answer is 'peer' because the passage says children saw the QRIO robot as a friend or peer, not just a toy.
26. affection
The answer is 'affection' because Arkin expected children to show affection towards the QRIO robot, as stated in the passage.
27. YES
The answer is YES because the writer says she changed her mind about spending time in Tasmania after her experience.
28. YES
The answer is YES because Andrew Bain believes MONA had an immediate effect on Hobart, as mentioned in the passage.
29. NOT GIVEN
The answer is NOT GIVEN because the passage does not say if other factors contributed as much as MONA to Hobart's transformation.
30. YES
The answer is YES because the passage says MONA's popularity helped support the whole tourism industry in Tasmania.
31. NOT GIVEN
The answer is NOT GIVEN because the passage does not say if most tourists now spend a week in Tasmania to explore beyond Hobart.
32. NO
The answer is NO because the passage says the Queen Victoria Museum's restoration is not part of the official strategy to package MONA with other galleries.
33. E
The answer is E because this section refers to MONA's unique architectural layout, describing its special design.
34. E
The answer is E because this section suggests MONA's impact might have a negative side, mentioning possible problems.
35. A
The answer is A because the writer gives her personal reason for changing her attitude toward Hobart in this section.
36. D
The answer is D because this section talks about a plan to combine visits to MONA with other cultural sites.
37. E
The answer is E because this section gives figures showing MONA has attracted more people than expected.
38. short
The answer is 'short' because the summary says visitors are making only short stays, mainly to see the museum.
39. attractions
The answer is 'attractions' because the summary says visitors are not touring Tasmania's attractions, just visiting the museum.
40. pride
The answer is 'pride' because the summary says MONA has boosted local pride and helped economic growth in Hobart's suburbs.

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Reading Passage 1: The Development of The Silk Industry

Reading Passage 2: A Mechanical Friend for Children

Reading Passage 3: Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art

Phiếu trả lời

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