This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Cambridge 2 Reading Test 3 Reading Passage 3 titled ‘THE KEYLESS SOCIETY’. This is a targeted post for IELTS candidates who are facing major issues finding out and understanding Reading Answers in the AC module. This post can guide you the best to understand every Reading answer without much trouble. Finding out IELTS Reading answers is a steady process, and this post will assist you in this respect.

IELTS Cambridge 2 Test 3: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 3: Questions 27-40

The headline of the passage: THE KEYLESS SOCIETY

Questions 27-33: List of headings

[In this question type, IELTS candidates are provided with a list of headings, usually identified with lower-case Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, etc,). A heading will refer to the main idea of the paragraph or section of the text. Candidates must find out the equivalent heading to the correct paragraphs or sections, which are marked with alphabets A, B, C and so forth. Candidates need to write the appropriate Roman numerals in the boxes on their answer sheets. There will always be two or three more headings than there are paragraphs or sections. So, some of the headings will not be used. It is also likely that some paragraphs or sections may not be included in the task. Generally, the first paragraph is an example paragraph which will be done for the candidates for their understanding of the task.

Tips to answer this question: Don’t read the list of headings first. Have a quick look at the questions, and go straight to the first question and start reading the paragraph associated with it. Skimming is the best reading technique. You need not understand every word here. Just try to gather the gist of the sentences. That’s all. Read quickly, and don’t stop until you finish each sentence.]

Question no. 27: Paragraph B

The writer says in lines 6-10 of paragraph B, “ .. .. . .. Already, more than 10,000 facilities, from prisons to day-care centres, monitor people’s fingerprints or other physical parts to ensure that they are who they claim to be. Some 60 biometric companies around the world pulled in at least $22 million last year and that grand total is expected to mushroom to at least $50 million by 1999.”  

Here, we find some figures that prove the success of biometrics.

So, the answer is: iv (The figures say it all)

Question no. 28: Paragraph C

Keywords for the question: importance, taking notes, body language,  

Paragraph C talks about how the biometric security systems work. Take a look at the first line which is the topic sentence, “Biometric security systems operate by storing a digitised record of some unique human feature. . .. ..”

Here, operate = how it works,

So, the answer is: vii (How does it work?)

Question no. 29: Paragraph D

Keywords for the question: language, influenced by, social situation,   

Lines 2-5 of paragraph D say, “ . . .. .. their growing use over the last 20 years by law-enforcement agencies. Sixteen American states now use biometric fingerprint verification systems to check that people claiming welfare payments are genuine. .. .. .. .”

Here, to check that people claiming welfare payments are genuine = fighting fraudulent claims,

So, the answer is: viii (Fighting fraud)

Question no. 30: Paragraph E

Keywords for the question: how, informants, can be helped, be less self-conscious,

Take a close look at the first lines of Paragraph E, “To date, the most widely used commercial biometric system is the handkey, a type of hand scanner . .. .. . ..”

Here, a type of hand scanner = this type, most widely used commercial biometric system = sells best in the shops,

So, the answer is: iii (This type sells best in the shops)

Question no. 31: Paragraph F

Keywords for the question: various methods, can be used, generate specific data,   

In paragraph F, lines 1-5 talks about different plans of using biometric scanners by different countries, “ . . .. .. . Malaysia, for example, is preparing to equip all of its airports with biometric face scanners to match passengers with luggage. And Japan’s largest maker of cash dispensers is developing new machines that incorporate iris scanners. .. . . .”

So, the answer is: ii (Who’s planning what)

Question no. 32: Paragraph G

In paragraph G, the author of the text says in the first lines, “Not surprisingly, biometrics raise thorny questions about privacy and the potential for abuse. .. . .. . ..”

However, biometrics raise thorny questions = common objections about the use of biometrics,

So, the answer is: i (Common objections)

Question no. 33: Paragraph H

The answer can be found in end of paragraph H. Here, the author says in lines 2-3, “ . .. . In an increasingly crowded and complicated world, biometrics may well be a technology whose time has come..”

Here, a technology whose time has come = accepting the inevitable,

So, the answer is: x (Accepting the inevitable)

Questions 34-40: Matching groups of people with list

[In this type of question, candidates need to relate groups of people with a given list. The rules for finding answers to this sort of question are simple. Just find the name of the groups and read around it carefully. Then, give a quick look to check whether there is another statement or idea for the same group in the text. If there is, check the reference carefully and decide your answer. Remember, the questions may not follow any sequential order.]

Question no. 34: sports students

Keywords for the question: sports students,       

Paragraph E talks about the use of ‘handkey’ among athletes, “  .. . .. .. the handkey received its big break when it was used to control access to the Olympic Village in Atlanta by more than 65,000 athletes, trainers and support staff.

Here, the handkey = hand scanners, athletes = sports students,

So, the answer is: B (hand scanner)

Questions no. 35: Olympic athletes

Keywords for the questions: Olympic athletes,

Again, Paragraph E talks about the use of ‘handkey’ among athletes in the Atlanta Olympics, “  .. . .. .. the handkey received its big break when it was used to control access to the Olympic Village in Atlanta by more than 65,000 athletes, trainers and support staff. .. . .”

So, the answer is: B (hand scanner)

Questions no. 36: airline passengers

Keywords for the questions: airline passengers, 

The answer is in lines 1-3 of paragraph F, “Malaysia, for example, is preparing to equip all of its airports with biometric face scanners to match passengers with luggage. .. .. .. .”

So, the answer is: E (face scanner)

Question no. 37: welfare claimants

Keywords for the question: welfare claimants,

In paragraph D, have a close look at lines 3-5, “ . .. . .. Sixteen American states now use biometric fingerprint verification systems to check that people claiming welfare payments are genuine. .. .. .”

So, the answer is: A (fingerprint scanner)

Question no. 38: business employees

Keywords for the question: business employees,

Again, in paragraph F, in lines 5-7, the writer says, “ . . .. The first commercial biometric, a hand reader used by an American firm to monitor employee attendance, was introduced in 1974. . .. .” 

Here, firm = business,

So, the answer is: B (hand scanner)

Question no. 39: home owners

Keywords for the question: home owners,        

The answer lies in paragraph A, in lines 3-5, “ … .. .. In some California housing estates, a key alone is insufficient to get someone in the door; his or her voiceprint must also be verified. .. .. .”

Here, housing estates = home owners,  

So, the answer is: D (voiceprint)

Question no. 40: bank customers

 Keywords for the question: bank customers,

Again, The answer can be found in paragraph A, in the last few lines, “ . . ..  .. And soon, customers at some Japanese banks will have to present their faces for scanning before they can enter the building and withdraw their money.”

So, the answer is: E (face scanner)

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 2 Test 3 Reading passage 1

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 2 Test 3 Reading passage 2