This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Cambridge 3 Reading Test 4 Reading Passage 1 about ‘Air pollution’. This is a target post for IELTS candidates who have huge problems finding out and understanding Reading Answers in the AC module. This post can help you the best to comprehend every Reading answer very easily. Finding out IELTS Reading answers is a steady process, and this post will assist you in this respect.

IELTS Cambridge 3 Test 4: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 1: Questions 1-13

The passage has no title

Questions 1-5: Matching statements with the correct location

[The rules for finding answers to this sort of question are simple. Just find the keywords and read around different locations carefully. Then, give a quick look to check whether there is another statement or idea provided by the same nationality 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. 1: Manufacturers must sell cleaner cars.

Keywords for the question: manufacturers, must sell, cleaner cars,   

Lines 2-3 of paragraph B say, “ . … . In Los Angeles, state regulations are forcing manufacturers to try to sell ever cleaner cars, . .. ..”

Here, state regulations are forcing = must,

So, the answer is: Los Angeles

Question no. 2: Authorities want to have power to enforce anti-pollution laws.

Keywords for the question: authorities, power, enforce, anti-pollution laws,    

Again, in paragraph B, take a look at lines 4-5, where the author of the text writes, “ .. . Local authorities in London are campaigning to be allowed to enforce anti-pollution laws themselves; .. .. .”

Here, campaigning to be allowed = want to have power,  

So, the answer is: London

Question no. 3: Drivers will be charged according to the roads they use.

Keywords for the question: drivers, charged, roads they use,

The answer to this question can be found in paragraph F in lines 3-4, “ . .. . Singapore is advancing in this direction, with a city-wide network of transmitters to collect information and charge drivers as they pass certain points. .. ..”

Here, charge drivers = drivers will be charged, they pass certain points =  roads they use,

So, the answer is: Singapore

Question no. 4: Moving vehicles will be monitored for their exhaust emissions.

Keywords for the question: moving vehicles, monitored, exhaust emissions,

In paragraph D, the first lines say, “As part of a European Union environmental programme, a London council is resting an infra-red spectrometer from the University of Denver in Colorado. It gauges the pollution from a passing vehicle .. .. .”

Here, gauges = monitored, pollution = exhaust emissions,

So, the answer is: London

Question no. 5: Commuters are encouraged to share their vehicles with others.

Keywords for the question: commuters, encouraged, share, vehicles, others,   

Paragraph E talks about sharing vehicles with others. Here, take a look at lines 2-4, “ . .. .  Los Angeles has some of the world’s cleanest cars – far better than those of Europe – but the total number of miles those cars drive continues to grow. One solution is car-pooling, an arrangement in which a number of people who share the same destination share the use of one car. .. ..”

Here, car-pooling = share vehicles with others,

So, the answer is: Los Angeles

Question 6-10: 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. 6: According to British research, a mere twelve per cent of vehicles tested produced over fifty percent of total pollution produced by the sample group.

Keywords for the question: British research, twelve per cent, tested, produced, over fifty percent, pollution, by the sample group,   

Have a close look at the first few lines in paragraph C, “When Britain’s Royal Automobile Club monitored the exhausts of 60,000 vehicles, it found that 12 per cent of them produced more than half the total pollution .. .. .”

Here, more than half = over fifty percent,

So, the answer is: YES

Question no. 7: It is currently possible to measure the pollution coming from individual vehicles whilst they are moving.

Keywords for the question: currently, possible, measure, pollution, individual vehicles, whilst, moving,

The first half of paragraph D says, “As part of a European Union environmental programme, a London council is resting an infra-red spectrometer from the University of Denver in Colorado. It gauges the pollution from a passing vehicle – .. .. ..”

Here, passing vehicle = individual vehicles whilst they are moving, gauges the pollution = measure the pollution,

So, the answer is: YES

Question no. 8: Residents of Los Angeles are now tending to reduce the yearly distances they travel by car.

Keywords for the question: Residents, Los Angeles, now, tending, reduce, yearly distances, travel by car,

In paragraph E, lines 2-3 say, “ .. .. Los Angeles has some of the world’s cleanest cars – far better than those of Europe – but the total number of miles those cars drive continues to grow. .. ..”

Here, total number of miles those cars drive = yearly distances they travel by car, continues to grow = tending NOT to reduce,

So, the answer is: NO  

Question no. 9: Car-pooling has steadily become more popular in Los Angeles in recent years.

Keywords for the question: Car-pooling, steadily become, more popular, Los Angeles, recent years,   

Lines 3-6 of paragraph E say, “ . . .. . One solution is car-pooling, an arrangement in which a number of people who share the same destination share the use of one car. However, the average number of people in o car on the freeway in Los Angeles, which is 1.0, has been falling steadily. …”

Here, has been falling steadily = has steadily become LESS poplar,

So, the answer is: NO

Question no. 10: Charging drivers for entering certain parts of the city has been successfully done in Cambridge, England.

Keywords for the question: charging drivers, entering certain parts of the city, successfully done, Cambridge, England,   

In paragraph F, the final lines say, “ . . . ..  Singapore is advancing in this direction, with a city-wide network of transmitters to collect information and charge drivers as they pass certain points. Such road-pricing, however, can be controversial. When the local government in Cambridge, England, considered introducing Singaporean techniques, it faced vocal and ultimately successful opposition.”

Here, successful opposition = has NOT been done successfully,

So, the answer is: NO

Question 11-13: 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. 11: How many pollutants currently exceed WHO guidelines in all megacities studied?

Keywords for the question: how many, pollutants, currently exceed, WHO guidelines, all megacities, studied,

The answer can be found in Part Two, in the first paragraph. In line no. 4, the writer says, “ . . . .  -already exceeded the level the WHO deems healthy in at least one major pollutant. .. .”

Here, WHO deems healthy = WHO guidelines,

So, the answer is: A (one) 

Question no. 12: Which pollutant is currently the subject of urgent research?

Keywords for the question: pollutant, currently, subject, urgent research,   

In Part Two, the first and final lines of paragraph no. 2 say, “Of the six pollutants monitored by the WHO – carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulphur dioxide, lead and particulate matter – it is this last category that is attracting the most attention from health researchers. . .. .. . Research being conducted in two counties of Southern California is reaching similarly disturbing conclusions concerning this little- understood pollutant.

Here, attracting the most attention from health researchers = subject of urgent research,

So, the answer is: D (particulate matter) 

Question no. 13:  Which of the following groups of people are the most severely affected by intense air pollution?

Keywords for the question: groups of people, most severely affected, intense air pollution,

In Part Two, lines 3-4 of paragraph no. 3 say, “ . . ..  . . The old and ill, however, are the most vulnerable to the acute effects of heavily polluted stagnant air.

Here, most vulnerable = most severely affected, heavily polluted stagnant air = intense air pollution,

So, the answer is: C (the old and ill)  

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 3 Test 4 Reading passage 2

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 3 Test 4 Reading passage 3