This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Cambridge 3 Reading Test 1 Reading Passage 1 which is titled ‘THE ROCKET – FROM EAST TO WEST’. 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 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 3 Test 1: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 1: Questions 1-14

Title of the passage: THE ROCKET – FROM EAST TO WEST

Questions 1-4: 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 that 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. 1: Paragraph B 

The answer can be found in lines 1-5 of paragraph B. The writer says here, “The concept of the rocket, or rather the mechanism behind the idea of propelling an object into the air, has been around for well over two thousand years. However, it wasn’t until the discovery of the reaction principle, which was the key to space travel and so represents one of the great milestones in the history of scientific thought, that rocket technology was able to develop. . .. .”

Here, the bold lines suggest that until the discovery of the reaction principle, the two thousand year old concept of rocket remained undeveloped.

So, the answer is: iv (Undeveloped of centuries)

Question no. 2: Paragraph C

The answer can be found in the first half of paragraph C, “A simple analogy can help us to understand how a rocket operates. It is much like a machine gun mounted on the rear of a boat. In reaction to the backward discharge of bullets, the gun, and hence the boat, move forwards. A rocket motor’s ‘bullets’ are minute, high-speed particles produced by burning propellants in a suitable chamber. The reaction to the ejection of these small particles causes the rocket to move forwards.. .. . .”

Here, the lines clearly explain the reaction principle.   

So, the answer is: i (How the reaction principle works)

Question no. 3: Paragraph D

The very first lines of paragraph D give us the answer. The writer says here, “The invention of rockets is linked inextricably with the invention of ‘black powder’. Most historians of technology credit the Chinese with its discovery. . .. ..”

Here, Most historians of technology credit the Chinese with its discovery = the first rockets were built by the Chinese,

So, the answer is: v (The first rockets)

Question no. 4: Paragraph E  

In the first lines of paragraph E, the writer says, “It was not until the eighteenth century that Europe became seriously interested in the possibilities of using the rocket itself as a weapon of war . .. ..” 

Here, as a weapon of war = military use,

Then, in lines 5-6, the writer says again, “ . ..  but from far-away India, whose leaders had built up a corps of rocketeers and used rockets successfully against the British in the late eighteenth century. .. ..”

Here, used rockets successfully against the British = rockets for military use,

So, the answer is: vii (Rockets for military use)

Questions 5-6: Multiple choice questions

[This type of question asks you to choose a suitable answer from the options using the knowledge you gained from the passage. Generally, this question is set found as the last question set in most passages so you should not worry much about it. Finding all the answers for previous questions gives you a good idea about these questions.]

Question no. 5: The greatest outcome of the discovery of the reaction principle was that –  

Keywords for the question: greatest outcome, discovery, reaction principle,    

The answer can be found in paragraph A. Here, in lines 2-3, the writer says, “ . .. . However, it wasn’t until the discovery of the reaction principle, which was the key to space travel. .. ..”

Here, the key = greatest outcome/ became a reality,   

So, the answer is: B (space travel became a reality)

Question no. 6: According to the text, the greatest progress in rocket technology was made –

Keywords for the question: greatest progress, rocket technology,

The answer can be located in paragraph F. Before that, in paragraph E, we find information about the progress made in rocket technology until mid-nineteenth century.

Then, in paragraph F, the first lines say, “Since then, there have been huge developments in rocket technology, . . . .”  

Here, Since then = from the late nineteenth century,

And, then, look at the final lines of the paragraph, “ . .. .  Who knows what it will be like in the future?

Here, what it will be like in the future indicates to the present and future development,

So, the answer is: D (from the late nineteenth century to the present day)

Questions 7-10: Classifying groups

[This type of question asks candidates to classify information from the given reading text. Candidates are given some groups from the text, and a list of options, which are listed as A, B, C etc. They must match the correct groups with the correct options.

N.B.: This question doesn’t follow any sequence. So, they should be answered after all other questions in the passage.]

Question no. 7: black powder   

Keywords for the question: black powder, first invented by,    

In paragraph D, the writer says in the beginning, “The invention of rockets is linked inextricably with the invention of ‘black powder’. Most historians of technology credit the Chinese with its discovery. . .. ..”

So, the answer is: A (the Chinese)

Question no. 8: rocket-propelled arrows for fighting

Keywords for the question: rocket-propelled arrows, first invented by,  

In paragraph D, lines 7-9 say, “. . .. . By the thirteenth century, powder propelled fire arrows had become rather common. The Chinese relied on this type of technological development to produce incendiary projectiles of many sorts, … .. .”

Here, powder propelled fire arrows .. . .. projectiles = rocket-propelled arrows,

So, the answer is: A (the Chinese)

Question no. 9: rockets as war weapons

Keywords for the question: rockets, war weapons, first invented by, 

In paragraph E, lines 4-6 say, “ . .. . The incentive for the more aggressive use of rockets came not from within the European continent but from far-away India, whose leaders had built up a corps of rocketeers and used rockets successfully against the British in the late eighteenth century. . .. .”

Here, used rockets successfully against the British = rockets as war weapons,

So, the answer is: B (the Indians)

Question no. 10: the rocket launcher

Keywords for the question: rocket launcher, first invented by,   

In paragraph E, lines 14-15 say, “ . . .. . The Americans developed a rocket, complete with its own launcher, to use against the Mexicans in the mid-nineteenth century. .. ..”

Here, rocket, complete with its own launcher = the rocket launcher,

So, the answer is: E (the Americans)

Questions 11-14: Matching drawings with names

[This type of question asks candidates to classify names from the given reading text with some drawings. Candidates are given some names from the text, and a list of drawings, which are listed as A, B, C etc. They must match the correct names with the correct drawings.

N.B.: This question doesn’t follow any sequence. So, they should be answered after all other questions in the passage.]

Here are the drawings:

Question no. 11: The Chinese ‘basket of fire’

Keywords for the question: Chinese, basket of fire,  

Let’s have a look at paragraph D. The writer says here in lines 10-13, “ .. .. . One such weapon was the ‘basket of fire’ or, as directly translated from Chinese, the ‘arrows like flying leopards’. The 0.7 metre-long arrows, each with a long tube of gunpowder attached near the point of each arrow, could be fired from a long, octagonal-shaped basket at the same time. .. . . .”

Here, picture B matches with 0.7 metre-long arrows and long, octagonal-shaped basket.

So, the answer is: B

Question no. 12: The Arab ‘egg which moves and burns’   

Keywords for the question: Arab, egg, moves and burns,   

Take a look at the end of paragraph D. The writer says here, “ . … … .. At a similar time, the Arabs had developed the ‘egg which moves and burns’. This ‘egg’ was apparently full of gunpowder and stabilised by a 1.5m tail. It was fired using two rockets attached to either side of this tail.”

Here, picture E matches with a 1.5m tail and two rockets attached to either side of this tail.

So, the answer is: E

Question no. 13: The Indian rocket

Keywords for the question: Indian rocket,  

In paragraph E, the author of the text says in lines 7-9, “ .. .. . The Indian rockets used against the British were described by a British Captain serving in India as ‘an iron envelope about 200 millimetres long and 40 millimetres in diameter with sharp points at the top and a 3m-long bamboo guiding stick’.. .. . .”

Here, picture F matches with sharp points at the top and a 3m-long bamboo guiding stick’.

So, the answer is: F

Question no. 14: The British barrage rocket

Keywords for the question: British barrage rocket,

Again, in paragraph E, lines 9-14 say, “ .. .. . In the early nineteenth century the British began to experiment with incendiary barrage rockets. The British rocket differed from the Indian version in that it was completely encased in a stout, iron cylinder, terminating in a conical head, measuring one metre in diameter and having a stick almost five metres long and constructed in such a way that it could be firmly attached to the body of the rocket.. .. . .”

Here, picture G matches with encased in a stout, iron cylinder, one metre in diameter and a stick almost five metres long.

So, the answer is: G

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

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