IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test 18 with Answers

This IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test consists of three reading passages. Passage 1 is titled "Air Rage"; Passage 2 covers "   Wind Power"; and Passage 3 focuses on "The Container Trade". The test includes a variety of question types, such as True/False/Not Given, Table Completion, Sentence Completion, Summary Completion, Matching Features, Matching Headings, Multiple Choice, Match the Following and Matching Headings. You have 60 minutes to complete the entire test.

Passage 1 {Q1–Q14}

Air Rage { Q1-14}
IELTSMatching Headings (Q1–Q8)
IELTS True / False / Not Given (Q9–Q14)

Passage 2 {Q15–Q27}

Wind Power
IELTS Multiple Choice Question ( Q15–Q16)
IELTS Summary Completion ( Q17–Q21)
IELTS Matching Features (Q22–Q27)

Passage 3 {Q28–Q40}

The Container Trade
Multiple Choice Question (Q28–Q33)
Table Completion (Q34–Q37)
Sentence Completion (Q38–Q40)

READING ACADEMIC: TEST PAPER 18

Passage 1

Air Rage

A. The first recorded case of an airline passenger turning seriously violent during a flight, now commonly referred to as “air rage,” occurred in 1947 on a flight from Havana to Miami. A drunk man assaulted another passenger and bit a flight attendant. However, he escaped punishment because it was unclear under whose legal jurisdiction a crime committed on a plane fell—the country where the plane was registered or the country where the crime occurred. In 1963, the Tokyo Convention clarified that the laws of the country where the plane is registered take precedence.

B. The frequency of air rage has grown disproportionately compared to the overall growth of air travel. Until recently, few statistics were collected, but the available data indicate that passengers are increasingly likely to cause trouble or engage in violent acts. For instance, in 1998, there were 266 air rage incidents among roughly four million passengers, a 400% increase from 1995. In the same period, American Airlines reported a 200% rise. With international air travel expected to grow by 5% by 2010, combined with greater passenger aggression, air rage may become an even more serious issue.

C. Beyond discomfort and disruption, air rage presents serious dangers to flights. In extreme cases, out-of-control passengers have entered cockpits, sometimes resulting in injuries or deaths of pilots, and nearly causing crashes. Passengers have also attempted to open emergency doors mid-flight, endangering the entire aircraft. More commonly, incidents involve assaults on fellow passengers or crew, such as throwing objects, punching, stabbing, or scalding with hot liquids.

D. The causes of air rage are not definitively known, but factors are generally thought to include passenger behaviour and personality, the physical environment, and societal changes. A recent study identified the triggers of incidents as follows:

• Alcohol – 25%

• Seating – 16%

• Smoking – 10%

• Carry-on luggage – 9%

• Flight attendants – 8%

• Food – 5%

E. Passenger behaviour and personality appear to be major causes. Fear of flying and the sense of powerlessness can make individuals irritable or aggressive. Alcohol, which has stronger effects at a cabin pressure of 8,000 feet, often exacerbates negative reactions. Smoking withdrawal, sometimes compared to opiate withdrawal, can also trigger violence; passengers caught smoking may assault flight attendants or start fires. Conflicts can escalate when these factors combine with a violent personality or fear of flying, particularly because the enclosed plane environment offers no option for retreat.

F. The physical environment of the plane can also contribute to air rage. Airline seats have become smaller to increase profits, leading to discomfort. Limited space for carry-on luggage can cause disputes, particularly as up to 8% of checked luggage is lost, misdirected, or stolen. High passenger expectations, often raised by airline marketing, can also lead to incidents when these expectations are unmet. Additionally, low oxygen levels in cabins, reduced to save costs, may increase aggression, while pilots’ oxygen levels remain ten times higher.

G. Societal factors also play a role. People today are reportedly less patient and more aggressive. Increased airport congestion, long queues, and delays add to this frustration. Some incidents involve demanding business passengers who resent cabin crew authority and expect to be treated as they wish.

H. Pilots and aircrew have been the strongest advocates for controlling air rage. The International Transport Workers’ Federation argues that loopholes allow offenders to escape punishment, and penalties are often too light. They recommend informing passengers of penalties before take-off. The Civil Aviation Organisation has coordinated international efforts, and penalties have increased. The harshest sentence so far was 51 months in jail, payment for jet fuel, and 200 hours of community service for a man who attempted to enter the cockpit and open an emergency door on a domestic US flight.

I. Additional measures have also been implemented. Aircrew receive training to calm passengers and predict potential incidents. Cockpit doors have been strengthened, and crew are trained to use plastic restraints. Pilots may divert flights if necessary, and some passengers guilty of air rage have been banned from flying, although this is less common.

Questions 1 – 8

The passage has nine paragraphs, A–I.

From the list below, choose the most suitable headings for paragraphs B–I.

List of Headings:

i. A decline in the tolerance of passengers

ii. Disproportionate growth

iii. Pilots and aircrew cooperate

iv. Additional action

v. Smaller seats are the norm

vi. Laying the blame on the airlines

vii. Origins

viii. A major threat to travel

ix. Demands for change

x. Business people fly more

xi. New research pinpoints the causes

xii. The pace of life

xiii. Passenger at the root of the problems

xiv. Personal experience

Example:

Paragraph A – vii. Origins

Paragraph B – ______

Paragraph C – ______

Paragraph D – ______

Paragraph E – ______

Paragraph F – ______

Paragraph G – ______

Paragraph H – ______

Paragraph I – ______

Questions 9 – 14

Do the following statements agree with the information in the passage?

Mark them as follows:

9. In the first recorded case of air rage, one reason the passenger was not punished was that the plane was not registered.

10. The statistics on air rage were collected by private monitoring groups.

11. The second most common cause of air rage incidents is seating problems.

12. The physical environment in a plane increases the likelihood of disputes escalating.

13. Airlines have encouraged passengers to bring more carry-on luggage.

14. No attempts have been made to ban passengers with a history of air rage.

Passage 2

Wind Power

The power of the wind has been used for centuries to directly drive various machines to perform such tasks as grinding wheat or pumping water. Recently, however, the wind has joined other natural forces, such as water and steam, as a viable method of generating electricity.

Traditional means of electricity generation using coal or oil-fueled plants have two major drawbacks: they pollute the environment, and the fuels they use are inefficient and non-renewable. In response to growing environmental awareness, there have been calls for a greener alternative. Nuclear power, while more efficient and less polluting, is seen by many people as unacceptable because of the danger of accidents such as those that happened at Chornobyl or Three Mile Island. Wind power, however, is clean, renewable and, with modern advances, surprisingly efficient.

In the 1970s, Britain was at the forefront of research into wind power. The interest in wind diminished in the 1980s due to cheap North Sea oil, a strong pro-nuclear lobby and pricing structures that made it uneconomical to set up wind farms. Britain, the windiest country in Europe, had to wait until 1991 for its first wind farm. Located at Delabole in Cornwall, the farm was originally the idea of locals who opposed the construction of a nuclear power plant nearby and decided to set up a private company to generate power for the area using wind. They had to fight opposition from local government and other local residents, who thought the turbines would be noisy and might interfere with television signals, but eventually, after showing local officials working wind farms in Denmark, they won, and now there are 10 huge white wind turbines on the Delabole hills.

It is in Germany and Denmark that the greatest advances in wind power have come. Germany alone produces half of the wind-generated electricity in Europe. Every year, Germany adds 400 Megawatts (MW) of capacity. In 2000 alone, capacity expanded by 1,669 MW. Denmark now produces 30% of its electricity from wind power, and this is predicted to rise to 50% by 2010. Both countries have encouraged this growth by “fixed feed tariffs” which guarantee a good price for private wind power operators.

Britain is catching up, and the government has set a target of 10% of all electricity to come from renewable sources by 2010, half of this to be from wind power. The 900 wind turbines in operation generate 400 MW of electricity, and to meet the target, roughly 400 MW will need to be added each year. With the advances in technology, this is technically possible. Each turbine can now produce 400 Kilowatts (KW) compared to only 70 KW at the start of the 1980s. It will, however, need help from the government. This is being done by offering financial support and giving private power companies targets to meet.

Because many people feel wind farms spoil the view and also because the wind is stronger at sea, many wind farms are now being built offshore. They are usually built a few kilometres off the coast in shallow water. The construction and maintenance costs are higher, but the electricity output is higher. The first in Britain was built in 2000 at Blyth, north of Newcastle, and was the largest in the world until May 2001, when a 20-turbine farm was opened at Middelgrunden off Copenhagen. There are plans to construct up to 18 more in the UK by 2010. Together, they will produce 800 MW of electricity annually.

The use of wind power is far less advanced in the USA. Only 5% of America’s power comes from the wind, although it is estimated that this could be increased to as high as 12% with no changes to the power grid. However, there is increased interest in wind power. There are plans to build a huge offshore wind farm off the coast of Cape Cod on the Northeast seaboard. The farm will take up over 25 square miles, have 170 turbines, and produce 420 MW at a cost of $600 million. If constructed, it will be the world’s second biggest wind farm, after the 520 MW farm planned in Ireland.

Questions 15-16

Choose the best answer for each question.

15. People do not like coal- and oil-powered electricity generation because

A. It damages the environment

B. It is wasteful

C. The fuels cannot be replaced once consumed

D. All of the above

16. Wind power

A. Has only been used recently

B. Promotes environmental awareness

C. Prevented accidents like Chornobyl and Three Mile Island

D. Is not depleted when used

Questions 17 – 21

Complete the summary of the third paragraph using No More Than Two Words from the passage.

British Wind Power

While there was significant interest in wind power in the 1970s, it 17. ______ in the 1980s. This was mainly due to intense support for 18. ______ power and little help in making wind power affordable. Even though Britain has some of the best winds in Europe, the first wind farm was only built in 1991. The farm at Delabole was initiated by opposition from 19. ______ to a nuclear power plant. Initially, local officials opposed the project due to fears about noise and possible interference with 20. ______. This opposition was eventually overcome after successful examples from 21. ______ were shown.

Questions 22 – 27

Match the country to the statement. Some countries may not be used. Countries can be used more than once. 

Write A-F next to the questions 22-27

Codes:

A. – Britain

B. – Germany

C. – Denmark

D. – The United States

E. – Ireland

F. – None

22. Plans to produce 5% of its power using wind power – ______

23. Produces 50% of its power from wind – ______

24. Produces very little of its power using wind – ______

25. Will have the world’s largest offshore wind farm – ______

26. Used to have the world’s biggest offshore wind farm – ______

27. Is the biggest producer of wind power in Europe – ______

Passage 3

The Container Trade

The shipping container is one of the mainstays of international trade. The globalised modern economy depends on the rapid and efficient movement of goods that containerisation allows. In many ways, it was the advent of the container that allowed this globalised economy to develop.

Invented during World War two as an efficient method of moving equipment to the front lines, there are now at any one time up to 15 million containers being used to transport goods on land and sea or waiting to be filled at factories and ports. They are vital in the supply chain and have allowed the added efficiency of "just in time" inventory management, where companies no longer keep large warehouses of stock or parts, but rely on the ability to quickly order what they want from their suppliers. It is estimated that since the 1980s, the ratio of inventory to GDP in American business has fallen from 25% to 15%. Altogether, total business inventory in the US is estimated at $1.5 trillion; without "just in time" management methods, this might be as much as $2.5 trillion.

This means that companies rely more and more on the prompt delivery of parts from their suppliers to fulfil orders. This is particularly true of industries such as computer manufacturing, which no longer make all the parts of the products that bear their names, but instead source, often to suppliers halfway around the world. American computer manufacturers are, for example, increasingly dependent on Asian microchip manufacturers in countries such as Taiwan and Thailand. An example of the kind of problems any disruption to the supply chain causes came after the September 11 attacks in the US, when the Canadian border was shut for just two days, causing chaos in the Detroit car industry, which relies on a regular flow of parts from Canada.

There are three main flows of sea-borne cargo: trans-Pacific, trans-Atlantic and Europe-Far East. The trans-Pacific route is by far the largest flow. At 11 million TEU ("twenty foot equivalent units") a year, it is almost twice the volume of Europe-Far East trade and three times the size of trans-Atlantic traffic. During the 1990s, during America's boom years, the trade on all the routes grew enormously, and this led to more and larger ships being built. The container fleet grew by 12% in 2001. Until then, a container ship commonly carried 600 TEU. During the 1990s, ships were being built that could carry up to 8000 TEU. However, after the 1990s, there was a dramatic fall-off in trade. Trans-Pacific trade, for example, fell to 50% of its 1990s high.

This downturn is being handled by the shipping alliances which manage global trade. These large organisations are responsible for maintaining the fleets and ensuring that the flow of goods is uninterrupted. This is a job where governments feel that the regular and reliable flow of trade is so important that, in many cases, the shipping alliances are exempt from antitrust and monopoly laws. Their response has been to cut services, rest some of the older ships and share the burden amongst themselves.

At first, containers reduced theft as it was more difficult for casual thieves to get into the containers. However, criminal gangs soon saw the potential for taking whole containers. This became a profitable crime as the average value of a container grew to $500,000 by the 1980s. Criminals also benefited from the convenience of containers when using them to transport drugs, illegal immigrants or other illegal goods. Measures to combat this, including stronger locks and preference schemes for shippers who have anti-theft programmes, have had some success, but crime is a constant menace to the container trade.

Increasingly, the huge number of containers and their self-contained and enclosed nature have raised worries about their possible use by terrorists. In fact, possible terrorists have already been found hiding in containers. This is particularly worrying considering that only 2% of containers are inspected. Containers are also extremely difficult to track and monitor. This is because they pass through so many countries and jurisdictions and because they can travel on both land and sea. Each transaction involving a container can involve as many as 25 different parties and generate between 30 and 40 documents. For a ship carrying 600 TEU, this would result in approximately 4000 documents. The sheer scale of the information involved makes tracking containers a daunting task. Screening them to determine the contents is another solution that would take a great deal of effort because of the large number of containers. Additionally, it might cause delays in delivery that would disrupt international trade and industry out of proportion to the goods searches.

For the foreseeable future, there would seem to be no alternative to containers, and their use is bound to grow. They are one of the cornerstones of global trade, but many still cause problems their inventors never envisaged.

Questions 28 – 33

Choose the best TWO alternatives to complete the sentences. They can be in any order.

Questions 28 and 29
Choose TWO letters A – E.

The invention of containers…

A. resulted from the efficient movement of goods.

B. led to more global trade.

C. was initially for military purposes.

D. came just in time for many managers.

E. relied on the ability to receive orders quickly.

Questions 30 and 31
Choose TWO letters A – E.

Containers are important because they…

1. Prevent the need for companies to hold large amounts of stock.

2. Increase the amount of business inventory.

3. Make trade between countries on different sides of the world easier.

4. Regularly supply manufacturers in Canada.

5. Reduce the amount of outsourcing needed by companies.

Questions 32 and 33
Choose TWO letters A – E.

The Trans-Pacific trade route…

A. has nearly double the amount of trade as that of the Europe-Far East trade route.

B. had its container fleet increase by 12%.

C. sparked the boom years of the 1990s.

D. usually carried around 600 TEU.

E. has witnessed a substantial decrease in container trade.

Questions 34 – 37

Complete the table below.

Write your answers in the boxes.

Questions 38 – 40

Complete the sentences below using words taken from the reading passage.

38. The benefits of searching containers would be outweighed by the negative impacts on worldwide trade and industry due to the …………….

39. The inventors must never have imagined that containers would ………………….

40. One problem caused by containers that the inventors did not anticipate is ………………….

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