This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to an IELTS Reading Test 1 Reading Passage 1 titled ‘Urban farming’. This is a targeted post for IELTS candidates who have major problems finding out and understanding Reading Answers in the AC module. This post can guide you to 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 Reading Test 1: Academic Reading Module

Reading Passage 1: Questions 1-13

The headline of the passage: Urban farming

Questions 1-3: Completing sentences with NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER

In this type of question, candidates are asked to write a maximum two words and/or a number to complete sentences on the given topic. For this type of question, first, skim the passage to find the keywords in the paragraph concerned with the answer, and then scan to find the exact word.

[TIPS: Here scanning technique will come in handy. Target the keywords of the questions to find the answers. Remember to focus on Proper nouns, random Capital letters, numbers, special characters of text etc.]

Question no. 1: Vertical tubes are used to grow strawberries, ____________ and herbs.

Keywords for the question: Vertical tubes, used, grow, strawberries, herbs,

For this question, we have to look at the first paragraph. Here, in lines 3-6 the writer says, “ .. . .. ..  … . Peer inside and you see the tubes are completely hollow, the roots of dozens of strawberry plants dangling down inside them. From identical vertical tubes nearby burst row upon row of lettuces; near those are aromatic herbs, such as basil, sage and peppermint. . … .. …”

Here, identical vertical tubes = Vertical tubes,

aromatic herbs, such as basil, sage and peppermint = herbs,

So, the answer is: lettuces

Question no. 2: There will eventually be a daily harvest of as much as _____________ in weight of fruit and vegetables.

Keywords for the question: will eventually be, daily harvest, as much as, in weight of, fruit and vegetables,

Lines 6-8 of paragraph no. 2 say, “ .. . . .. . .. . When the remaining two-thirds of the vast open area are in production, 20 staff will harvest up to 1,000 kg of perhaps 35 different varieties of fruit and vegetables, every day. . . .. .. .. .”

Here, every day = daily, up to = as much as,

So, the answer is: 1,000 kg

Question no. 3: It may be possible that the farm’s produce will account for as much as 10% of the city’s _____________ overall.

Keywords for the question: may be possible, farm’s produce, will account for, as much as, 10%, city’s, overall,

In the final few lines of paragraph no. 2, the writer says, “ . .. . . … .. But if enough unused space can be developed like this, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t eventually target maybe between 5% and 10% of consumption.’”

Here, eventually target maybe = It may be possible that the farm’s produce will account for,

between 5% and 10% = as much as 10%,

So, the answer is: (food) consumption

Questions 4-13: Completing table with ONE WORD ONLY

[In this type of question candidates need to fill in the gaps in a table. For this type of question, the scanning technique will come in handy. It works just like completing sentences.]

Title of the table: Intensive farming versus aeroponic urban farming

Question no. 4:

Intensive farming: Growth

• wide range of ________________ used
• techniques pollute air

Keywords for the question: intensive farming, growth, wide range of, used, techniques, pollute air,

In paragraph no. 3, take a close look at lines 4-7, “ … … .. ‘First, I don’t much like the fact that most of the fruit and vegetables we eat have been treated with something like 17 different pesticides, or that the intensive farming techniques that produced them are such huge generators of greenhouse gases. .. . .. .. .”

Here, 17 different = wide range of,

intensive farming techniques = techniques,

such huge generators of greenhouse gases = pollute air,

So, the answer is: pesticides

Question no. 5:

Intensive farming: Selection

• quality not good
• varieties of fruit and vegetables chosen that can survive long ____________

Keywords for the question: intensive farming, selection, quality, not good, varieties of fruits and vegetables, chosen, can survive long,  

Again, in paragraph no. 3, take a close look at lines 7-9, “ … … .. I don’t much like the fact, either, that they’ve travelled an average of 2,000 refrigerated kilometres to my plate, that their quality is so poor, because the varieties are selected for their capacity to withstand such substantial journeys, . . .. .. .”

Here, quality is so poor = quality not good,

varieties are selected for their capacity to withstand such substantial journeys = varieties of fruit and vegetables chosen that can survive long journeys,

So, the answer is: journeys

Question no. 6:

Intensive farming: Sale

• ____________ receive very little of overall income

Keywords for the question: receive, very little, overall income,

In paragraph no. 3, take a look at the final lines, “ . . … .. that 80% of the price I pay goes to wholesalers and transport companies, not the producers.”

Here, 80% of the price I pay goes to wholesalers and transport companies, not the producers = producers receive very little of overall income,

So, the answer is: producers  

Question no. 7:

Aeroponic farming: Selection

• produce chosen because of its ___________

Keywords for the question: Aeroponic farming, selection, produce chosen, because of, its,   

The first 4 lines of paragraph no. 4 give an answer to this question, as the author of the text says here, “Produce grown using this soil-free method, on the other hand – which relies solely on a small quantity of water, enriched with organic nutrients, pumped around a closed circuit of pipes, towers, and trays – is ‘produced up here, and sold locally, just down there. It barely travels at all,’ Hardy says. ‘You can select crop varieties for their flavour, .. .. . . .”

Here, Produce grown using this soil-free method = Aeroponic farming,

You can select crop varieties for their flavour = produce chosen because of its flavour,

So, the answer is: flavour/ flavor

Questions 8-13: TRUE, FALSE, NOT GIVEN

[In this type of question, candidates are asked to find out whether:

The statement in the question agrees with the information in the passage – TRUE
The statement in the question contradicts the information in the passage – FALSE
If there is no information on this – NOT GIVEN

For this type of question, you can divide each statement into three independent pieces and make your way through with the answer. This question type generally follows a sequence. So, scanning skill is effective here.]

Question no. 8: Urban farming can take place above or below ground.

Keywords for the question: Urban farming, can take place, above or below ground,   

In paragraph no. 5, lines 1-3 say, “Urban farming is not, of course, a new phenomenon. Inner-city agriculture is booming from Shanghai to Detroit and Tokyo to Bangkok. Strawberries are being grown in disused shipping containers, mushrooms in underground carparks. .. . .. .”

Here, disused shipping containers = above, underground carparks = below,

So, the information in the question matches with the question.

So, the answer is: TRUE

Question no. 9: Some of the equipment used in aeroponic farming can be made by hand.

Keywords for the question: Some of the equipment, used in aeroponic farming, can be made by hand,  

Have a look at lines 3-5 of paragraph no. 5. The writer says here, “ . . .. . Aeroponic farming, he says, is ‘virtuous’. The equipment weighs little, can be installed on almost any flat surface and is cheap to buy: roughly 100 to 150 per square metre. . .. .. . .”

Here, the writer does not mention how the equipment can be made. The information is missing.

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN

Question no. 10: Urban farming relies more on electricity than some other types of farming.

Keywords for the question: Urban farming, relies more on electricity, than some other types of farming,

Have a look at the final lines of paragraph no. 5. The writer says here, “ . . .. . It is cheap to run, too, consuming a tiny fraction of the electricity used by some techniques.”

Here, It = Urban farming,

consuming a tiny fraction of the electricity = relies less on electricity,

The information in the passage contradicts the question.

So, the answer is: FALSE

Question no. 11: Fruit and vegetables grown on an aeroponic urban farm are cheaper than traditionally grown organic produce.

Keywords for the question: Fruit and vegetables, grown on, aeroponic urban farm, cheaper than, traditionally grown organic produce,     

Have a look at the first few lines of paragraph no. 6. The writer says here, “Produce grown this way typically sells at prices that, while generally higher than those of classic intensive agriculture, are lower than soil-based organic growers. . .. . .. . .”

To find an answer to this question, first, let’s have a look at this clause ‘while generally higher than those of classic intensive agriculture,’.

When you see a subordinate clause inside a sentence, just try to erase it from your mind for a while. It is given as a ‘distractor’ to confuse you.

So, our main clause is ‘Produce grown this way typically sells at prices that are lower than soil-based organic growers.’

Now, see if this sentence matches with the question.

Here, Produce grown this way = Fruit and vegetables grown on an aeroponic urban farm,

prices that are lower than soil-based organic growers = cheaper than traditionally grown organic produce,

So, the answer is: TRUE  

Question no. 12: Most produce can be grown on an aeroponic urban farm at any time of the year.

Keywords for the question: Most produce, can be grown on, aeroponic urban farm, any time of the year,  

Lines 2-3 of paragraph no. 6 say, “ . .. . .. . There are limits to what farmers can grow this way, of course, and much of the produce is suited to the summer months. .. .. .”    

Here, this way = aeroponic urban farm,

much of the produce is suited to the summer months = Most produce can be grown at summer times only, NOT at any time of the year,

So, the answer is: FALSE   

Question no. 13: Beans take longer to grow on an urban farm than other vegetables.

Keywords for the question: beans, take longer, to grow, on an urban farm, than other vegetables,  

In paragraph no. 6, the writer mentions ‘beans taking lots of space for low produce’ in lines 6-7. However, there is NO MENTION of beans taking long time to grow compared to other vegetables.

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN

Click here for solutions to Academic Test 1 Passage 2: Stadiums: past, present and future

Click here for solutions to Academic Test 1 Passage 3: To catch a king