This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Cambridge 3 Reading Test 3 Reading Passage 3 titled ‘HIGHS & LOWS’. 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 3 Test 3: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 3: Questions 26-40

The headline of the passage: HIGHS & LOWS

Questions 26-28: 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.]

Questions no. 26: Why did the divers perform less well in colder conditions?

Keywords for the question: why, divers, perform, less well, colder conditions,  

In paragraph no. 3, first take a look at lines 2-5, “Researchers compared divers working in icy cold water at 5°C with others in water at 20°C (about swimming pool temperature). .. .. .”

Then, have a look at the last few lines in the same paragraph, “ . . … This suggests that the low temperature did not slow down mental functioning directly, but the feeling of cold distracted the divers from their tasks.”

Here, feeling of cold distracted the divers from their tasks = they were less able to concentrate, 

So, the answer is: A (They were less able to concentrate)

Question no. 27: The number of daylight hours –

Keywords for the question: number, daylight hours,       

Then in lines 18-26 f paragraph no. 4, the writer says, “ . .. . Research shows that melatonin plays an important part in the seasonal behaviour of certain animals. For example, food consumption of stags increases during the winter, reaching a peak in February/ March. It falls again to a low point in May, then rises to a peak in September, before dropping to another minimum in November. .. . .”  

Here, food consumption = feeding habits, stags = animals,

So, the answer is: B (influences animal feeding habits)

Question no. 28: Human irritability may be influenced by –

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

The last few lines of paragraph no. 5 give answer to this question. The writer says here, “ .. . . However, the belief that rain and murky weather make people more unhappy is borne out by a study in Belgium, which showed that a telephone counselling service gets more telephone calls from people with suicidal feelings when it rains.”

Here, rain and murky weather = certain weather phenomena, suicidal feelings = human irritability,

So, the answer is: B (reaction to certain weather phenomena)

Questions 29- 34: 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 with 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.]

Question no. 29: Seasonal Affective Disorder is disrupting children’s education in Russia.

Keywords for the question: Seasonal Affective Disorder, disrupting, children’s education, Russia,   

We find about ‘Seasonal Affective Disorder’ and ‘Russian scientists’ in paragraph no. 1. However, there is NO information about disruption of children’s education due to Seasonal Affective Disorder in this passage.

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN

Question no. 30: Serotonin is an essential cause of human aggression.

Keywords for the question: Serotonin, essential cause, human aggression,  

In paragraph no. 6, lines 8-15 say, “ . . . . positive charge increases the levels of serotonin (a chemical involved in sending signals in the nervous system). High levels of serotonin in certain areas of the nervous system make people more active and reactive and, possibly, more aggressive. . . .”  

Here, the word ‘possibly’ suggests that serotonin is a possible cause, NOT an essential cause, of human aggression.

So, the answer is: FALSE

Question no. 31: Scientific evidence links ‘happy associations with weather’ to human mood.

Keywords for the question: Scientific evidence, links, ‘happy associations with weather’, human mood,

Take a close look at paragraph no. 4. Here, in lines 11-15 say, “ . . . . temperature in the restaurant was the same. A link between weather and mood is made believable by the evidence for a connection between behaviour and the length of the daylight hours. .. .. .”

The lines suggest that scientific evidence links ‘happy or sad associations with weather’ to human mood.  

So, the answer is: FALSE

Question no. 32: A link between depression and the time of year has been established.

Keywords for the question: link between, depression, time of year, established,  

In paragraph no. 5, the author of the text says in lines 11-20, “ . .. . People’s moods too, have been shown to react to the length of the day- light hours. Sceptics might say that longer exposure to sunshine puts people in a better mood because they associate it with the happy feelings of holidays and freedom from responsibility. However, the belief that rain and murky weather make people more unhappy is borne out by a study in Belgium, which showed  .. . ..”

However, rain and murky weather = the time of year, make people more unhappy = depression, borne out by a study = has been established,

So, the answer is: TRUE

Question no. 33: Melatonin levels increase at certain times of the year.

Keywords for the question: Melatonin levels, increase, certain times,

The answer can be found in end of paragraph no. 4. Here, the author says in lines 18-19, “ . .. . The amount of melatonin falls with greater exposure to daylight. . .. .”

Here, The amount of melatonin = Melatonin levels, falls with greater exposure to daylight = increases with shorter exposure to daylight,

Here, the answer is given in a reverse meaning.

So, the answer is: TRUE

Question no. 34: Positively charged ions can influence eating habits.

Keywords for the question: positively charged ions, influence, eating habits,       

There is NO information about the influence of positively charged ions on eating habits.  

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN

Questions 35-37: Choosing from list of factors

[In this question type, IELTS candidates are provided with a list of factors with a question. Candidates must find out three/four or five factors that match the questions. Most of the time, the answers can be found in one or two paragraphs.

TIPS: Both skimming and scanning are needed for this kind of question. You need to skim the passage to find out the paragraph where the answers can be found. Then you can scan it to find all the answers. The answers can be written in any order.]

Questions no. 35-37: According to the text which THREE of the following conditions have been scientifically proved to have a psychological effect on humans?

Keywords for the questions: THREE, conditions, scientifically proved, have, psychological effect, humans,

In paragraph no. 4, the writer says in the first 4 lines, “Psychologists have conducted studies showing that people become less sceptical and more optimistic when the weather is sunny. However, this apparently does not .. .. .”

Here, Psychologists have conducted studies = scientifically proved, people become less sceptical and more optimistic = psychological effect on humans, the weather is sunny = sunny weather,

So, this is a match with option E.

Then, in paragraph no. 5, lines 17-20 say, “ … .. . freedom from responsibility. However, the belief that rain and murky weather make people more unhappy is borne out by a study in Belgium, which showed that . .. .”

Here, rain and murky weather = rainy weather, make people more unhappy = psychological effect on humans, borne out by a study = scientifically proved,

So, this is a match with option B.

Also, in paragraph no. 6, lines 9-15 say, “ .. . .. positive charge increases the levels of serotonin (a chemical involved in sending signals in the nervous system). High levels of serotonin in certain areas of the nervous system make people more active and reactive and, possibly, more aggressive. When certain winds are .. . ..”

Here, High levels of serotonin = high serotonin levels, make people more active and reactive .. . . more aggressive = psychological effect on humans,

So, this is a match with option D.

So, the answers are: (in any order)

B (rainy weather)

D (high serotonin levels)

E (sunny weather)

Questions 38-40: 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. 38: It has been established that social tension increases significantly in the United States during ________.

Keywords for the question: established, social tension, increases, significantly, United States, during,

Take a look at paragraph no. 2, lines 6-10, where the writer says, “ .. .. . when the weather is colder. Research in the United States has shown a relation- ship between temperature and street riots. The frequency of riots rises dramatically as the weather gets warmer, .. … .”

Here, The frequency of riots = social tension, rises dramatically = increases significantly, weather gets warmer = hot weather,

So, the answer is: B (hot weather)

Question no. 39: Research has shown that a hamster’s bodyweight increases according to its exposure to ­­­_________.

Keywords for the question: research, hamster’s bodyweight, increases, according to, exposure to,         

In paragraph no. 5, the first 6 lines say, “In the laboratory, hamsters put on more weight when the nights are getting shorter and their melatonin levels are falling. On the other hand, if they are given injections of melatonin, they will stop eating altogether. . . .. ..”

Here, put on more weight = bodyweight increases, nights are getting shorter = daylight,

So, the answer is: A (daylight)

Question no. 40: Animals cope with changing weather and food availability because they are influenced by _________.

 Keywords for the question: animals, cope with, changing weather, food availability, because, influenced by,

In paragraph no. 5, lines 6-11 say, “ .. . . It seems that time cues provided by the changing lengths of day and night trigger changes in animals’ behaviour – changes that are needed to cope with the cycle of the seasons. .. ..”

Here, cycle of the seasons = changing weather,

So, the answer is: F (time cues)  

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 3 AC Test 3 Reading Passage 1 

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 3 AC Test 3 Reading Passage 2