This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Cambridge 3 Reading Test 1 Reading Passage 2 titled ‘The Risks of Cigarette Smoke’. This is a targeted post for IELTS candidates who have great problems finding out and understanding Reading Answers in the AC module. This post can guide you the best to understand every Reading answer quite easily. Finding out IELTS Reading answers is a gradual process, and this post will assist you in this respect.

IELTS Cambridge 3 Test 1: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 2: Questions 15-28

The headline of the passage: The Risks of Cigarette Smoke

Questions 15-17: 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. 15: According to information in the text, leukaemia and pneumonia –

Keywords for the question: leukaemia, pneumonia,   

In paragraph no. 2, lines 1-5 say, “In addition to being responsible for more than 85 per cent of lung cancers, smoking is associated with cancers of, amongst others, the mouth, stomach and kidneys, and is thought to cause about 14 per cent of leukemia and cervical cancers. In 1990, smoking caused more than 84,000 deaths, mainly resulting from such problems as pneumonia, bronchitis and influenza. .. ..”

Here, smoking is associated = smoking is linked,

14 per cent of leukemia, 84,000 deaths and mainly resulting from = strongly linked,

So, these lines clearly suggest that cigarette smoking is directly and strongly linked to diseases such as leukaemia and pneumonia.

So, the answer is: B (are strongly linked to cigarette smoking)

Question no. 16: According to information in the text, intake of carbon monoxide –

Keywords for the question: intake, carbon monoxide,   

Take a look at paragraph no. 7 where you can see the mention of carbon monoxide. Here, the writer says, “ . . .. . Carbon monoxide, for example, competes with oxygen in red blood cells and interferes with the blood’s ability to deliver life-giving oxygen to the heart. .. .. .”

Here, interferes = inhibits, the blood’s ability to deliver life-giving oxygen to the heart = the flow of oxygen to the heart,

So, the answer is: A (inhibits the flow of oxygen to the heart)

Question no. 17: According to information in the text, intake of nicotine encourages

Keywords for the question: intake, nicotine, encourages,   

Again, in paragraph no. 7, the writer says in lines 4-6, “ . .. . .. Nicotine and other toxins in cigarette smoke

activate small blood cells called platelets, which increases the likelihood of blood clots, thereby affecting blood circulation throughout the body.”

Here, increases the likelihood of blood clots = encourages the formation of blood clots,

So, the answer is: C (formation of blood clots)

Questions 18-21: YES, NO, NOT GIVEN

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

The statement in the question matches with the claim of the writer in the text- YES
The statement in the question contradicts with the claim of the writer in the text- NO
The statement in the question has no clear connection with the account in the text- NOT GIVEN

[TIPS: For this type of question, you can divide each statement into three independent pieces and make your way through with the answer.]

 Question no. 18: Thirty per cent of deaths in the United States are caused by smoking-related diseases.

Keywords for the question: Thirty per cent, deaths, United States, caused by, smoking-related diseases,

In paragraph no. 2, the writer says in lines 5-7, “ .. .. .. Smoking, it is believed, is responsible for 30 per cent of all deaths from cancer and clearly represents the most important preventable cause of cancer in countries like the United States today.”

Here, the lines suggest that 30% of deaths in the world (not US alone) are caused by smoking-related diseases.

So, the answer is: NO  

Question no. 19: If one partner in a marriage smokes, the other is likely to take up smoking.

Keywords for the question: if, one partner, marriage, smokes, other, likely to, take up, smoking,   

In paragraph no. 4, the writer mentions in lines 1-3, “As an illustration of the health risks, in the case of a married couple where one partner is a smoker and one a non-smoker, the latter is believed to have a 30 per cent higher risk of death from heart disease because of passive smoking. .. .. .”

Here, the lines suggest that if one partner in a marriage smokes, the other is at risk of death from heart disease because of passive-smoking. The lines don’t mention whether the other partner is likely to take up smoking.  

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN  

Question no. 20: Teenagers whose parents smoke are at risk of getting lung cancer at some time during their lives.

Keywords for the question: Teenagers, parents, smoke, at risk, getting lung cancer, some time during their lives,  

The final lines of paragraph no. 4 say, “ . .. . It has been calculated that 17 per cent of cases of lung cancer can be attributed to high levels of exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke during childhood and adolescence.”

Here, high levels of exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke during childhood and adolescence = children and teenagers whose parents smoke are at risk of getting lung cancer,

So, the answer is: YES   

Question no. 21: Opponents of smoking financed the UCSF study.

Keywords for the question: opponents, smoking, financed UCSF study,

The passage doesn’t say anything about who financed the UCSF study.

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN  

Questions 22-24: Completing/Matching sentences with correct endings:

[For this type of question, candidates need to match the beginning and ending of sentences. Candidates need to look for keywords in the sentence-beginnings and find the relative paragraphs and then sentences in the passage. Skimming and scanning, both reading skills are essential for this question-type.]

Question no. 22: Passive smoking …

Keywords for the question: passive smoking,  

The first lines of paragraph no. 5 say, “A more recent study by researchers at the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) has shown that second-hand cigarette smoke does more harm to non-smokers than to smokers. .. ..”

Here, second-hand cigarette smoke = passive smoking, does more harm to non-smokers than to smokers = is more harmful to non-smokers than to smokers,

So, the answer is: E (is more harmful to non-smokers than to smokers)

Question no. 23: Compared with a non-smoker, a smoker …

Keywords for the question: compared, non-smoker,  a smoker,     

In paragraph no. 5, the final lines say, “ . . . .. Leaving aside the philosophical question of whether anyone should have to breathe someone else’s cigarette smoke, the report suggests that the smoke experienced by many people in their daily lives is enough to produce substantial adverse effects on a person’s heart and lungs.”

Here, the lines suggest that the smoke experienced by many people (active smoking) may cause substantial adverse effects (various cancers) on person’s heart and lungs.

Here, the best match is option G. (Let me know if you think the answer can be a different one)

So, the answer is: G (is more likely to be at risk of contracting various cancers)

Question no. 24: The American Medical Association …

Keywords for the question: American Medical Association,

The answer lies in paragraph no. 6, in lines 3-4, “ . .. ..  The American Medical Association represents about half of all US doctors and is a strong opponent of smoking. .. ..”

Here, a strong opponent of smoking = opposes smoking,

Also, in the previous lines, the writer says, “The report, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (AMA), was based on the researchers’ own earlier research but also includes a review of studies over the past few years. . .. ..”

Here, The report, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association = The American Medical Association publishes research on the subject,

So, the answer is: H (opposes smoking and publishes research on the subject)

Questions 25-28: Classifying statements

[In this kind of questions, candidates are asked to classify different statements to different options and write the correct letters corresponding to the answers.]

Question no. 25: Smokers’ cardiovascular systems adapt to the intake of environmental smoke.

Keywords for the question: smokers’ cardiovascular systems, adapt to, intake, environmental smoke,  

Have a close look at these lines of paragraph no. 7, “The report, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (AMA), .. . . The study suggests that people who smoke cigarettes are continually damaging their cardiovascular system, which adapts in order to compensate for the effects of smoking. . .. .. .”

Here, The report = finding of the UCSF study (as we can find out in paragraph no. 6), people who smoke cigarettes = smokers, their cardiovascular system = smokers’ cardiovascular system, adapts in order to compensate for the effects of smoking = adapt to the intake of environmental smoke,

This is a finding of the UCSF study.

So, the answer is: A (a finding of the UCSF study)

Question no. 26: There is a philosophical question as to whether people should have to inhale others’ smoke.

Keywords for the question: philosophical question, whether, people, should have to, inhale, others’ smoke,      

The answer can be found in paragraph no. 6, in the beginning, “ . . . . A more recent study by researchers at the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) has shown that second-hand cigarette smoke does more harm to non-smokers than to smokers. Leaving aside the philosophical question of whether anyone should have to breathe someone else’s cigarette smoke, .. … .”

Here, whether anyone should have to breathe someone else’s cigarette smoke = whether people should have to inhale others’ smoke,

This is an opinion of the UCSF study.

So, the answer is: B (an opinion of the UCSF study)

Question no. 27: Smoke-free public places offer the best solution.

Keywords for the question: Smoke-free public places, offer, best solution, 

In the final para, the writer says, “ . . .. The UCSF researchers maintain that the simplest and most cost-effective action is to establish smoke-free work places, schools and public places.”

Here, The UCSF researchers maintain = an opinion of the UCSF study,

 the simplest and most cost-effective action = the best solution,

smoke-free work places, schools and public places = Smoke-free public places,

So, the answer is: B (an opinion of the UCSF study)

Question no. 28: The intake of side-stream smoke is more harmful than smoke exhaled by a smoker.

Keywords for the question: intake of side-stream smoke, more harmful, exhaled by, smoker,   

In paragraph no. 3, we learn about the EPA report. Then, at the end of paragraph no. 4, the writer provides the finding of the EPA report, “ . .. .. It has been calculated that 17 per cent of cases of lung cancer can be attributed to high levels of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke during childhood and adolescence.”

Here, It has been calculated = the finding of the EPA report,

high levels of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke = The intake of side-stream smoke,

17 per cent of cases of lung cancer = more harmful than smoke exhaled by a smoker,

So, the answer is: C (a finding of the EPA report)

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

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