This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Cambridge 6 Reading Test 1 Reading Passage 1 entitled ‘Australia’s sporting success’. This is a targeted post for IELTS candidates who have big 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 6 Test 1: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 1: Questions 1-13

The headline of the passage: AUSTRALIA’S SPORTING SUCCESS

Questions 1-7: Identifying information

[This question asks you to find information from the passage and write the number of the paragraph (A, B, C or D … .. ) in the answer sheet. Now, if the question is given in the very first part of the question set, I’d request you not to answer them. It’s mainly because this question will not follow any sequence, and so it will surely kill your time. Rather, you should answer all the other questions first. And just like List of Headings, only read the first two lines or last two lines of the expected paragraph initially. If you find the answers, you need not read the middle part. If you don’t find answers yet, you can skim the middle part of the paragraph. Keywords will be a useful matter here.]

Question no. 1: A reference to the exchange of expertise between different sports

Keywords for the question: exchange, expertise, between different sports,

The answer can be found in paragraph B. At the beginning the writer says in lines 1-3, “. . .. .The AIS employs more than 100 sports scientists and doctors, and collaborates with scores of others in universities and research centres. AIS scientists work across a number of sports, .. .. .”

Here, collaborates = work together, scientists and doctors = experts, a number of sports = different sports, work across = exchange,

This sentence suggests that Australian sports scientists and doctors share their expertise across different sports.

So, the answer is: B

Question no. 2: An explanation of how visual imaging is employed in investigation

Keywords for the question: how, visual imaging, employed, investigation,  

In the middle of paragraph C the writer explains how the visual imaging works to help in the investigation. Read carefully lines 6-10, “ . .. . To demonstrate how the system works, Bruce Mason at AIS shows off the prototype of a 3D analysis tool for studying swimmers. A wire-frame model of a champion swimmer slices through the water, her arms moving in slow motion. Looking side-on, Mason measures the distance between strokes. From above, he analyses how her spine swivels. When fully developed, this system will enable him to build a biomechanical profile for coaches to use to help budding swimmers.”

Here, prototype of a 3D analysis tool = visual imaging tool,

So, the answer is: C

Question no. 3: A reason for narrowing the scope of research activity

Keywords for the question: reason, narrowing, scope, research activity,

At the end of paragraph B, Peter Fricker, chief of science at AIS explains why the scope of research activity needs to be narrowed. Read lines 5-7, “ .. .. . They all focus on one aim: winning.‘ We can’t waste our time looking at ethereal scientific questions that don’t help the coach work with an athlete and improve performance,’. … .”

Here, We can’t waste our time = we must narrow the scope of research activity,

So, the answer is: B

Question no. 4: How some AIS ideas have been reproduced

Keywords for the question: how, some AIS ideas, reproduced,

Paragraph F details about some AIS ideas that had been copied in different times, “ .. . . Some years ago, the AIS unveiled coolant-lined jackets for endurance athletes. At the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996, these sliced as much as two per cent off cyclists’ and rowers’ times. Now everyone uses them. The same has happened to the ‘altitude tent’, developed by AIS to replicate the effect of altitude training at sea level.”

Here, Now everyone uses them = all other countries have copied them, replicate = copy / reproduced,

So, the answer is: F

Question no. 5: How obstacles to optimum achievement can be investigated

Keywords for the question: how, obstacles, optimum achievement, can be investigated,

The answer can be found in paragraph D where Bruce Mason at AIS explains how obstacles to highest achievement can be investigated. First, take a look at lines 1-4, “. .. . He points out the data on the swimmers in second and third place, which shows that the one who finished third actually swam faster. So why did he finish 35 hundredths of a second down? ‘His turn times were 44 hundredths of a second behind the other guy,’ says Mason. ‘If he can improve on his turns, he can do much better.’ . .. .”

Then take a look at lines 6-9, “ . .. . With the Cooperative Research Centre for Micro Technology in Melbourne, they are developing unobtrusive sensors that will be embedded in an athlete’s clothes or running shoes to monitor heart rate, sweating, heat production or any other factor that might have an impact on an athlete’s ability to run.”

These lines suggest the way of investigating the obstacles / obstructions to optimum / best achievement / result.

So, the answer is: D

Question no. 6: An overview of the funded support of athletes

Keywords for the question: overview, funded support, athletes,  

The answer is found in lines 5-7 of paragraph A, “ . .. . Another body, the Australian Sports Commission (ASC), finances programmes of excellence in a total of 96 sports for thousands of sportsmen and women.”

Here, finances = funded support,

So, the answer is: A

Question no. 7: How performance requirements are calculated before an event

Keywords for the question: how, performance requirements, calculated, before, event,

The first few lines of paragraph E give us the answer, “ . .. .. Well before a championship, sports scientists and coaches start to prepare the athlete by developing a ‘competition model’, based on what they expect will be the winning times.”

Here, Well before a championship = before an event, prepare the athlete by developing a ‘competition model’ = performance requirements are calculated,

So, the answer is: E

Questions 8-11: 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. 8: cameras

Keywords for the question: cameras,

In paragraph C lines 11-14 say, “. .. . . Mason’s contribution to sport also includes the development of the SWAN (SWimming ANalysis) system now used in Australian national competitions. It collects images from digital cameras running at 50 frames a second and breaks down each part of a swimmer’s performance into factors that can be analysed individually – . …. .”

Here, It collects images from digital cameras means cameras are currently exclusively used by Australians.  

So, the answer is: A (are currently exclusively used by Australians)

Question no. 9: sensors  

Keywords for the question: sensors,

In paragraph D lines 6-9 talk about the use of sensors in the future, “. .. . With the Cooperative Research Centre for Micro Technology in Melbourne, they are developing unobtrusive sensors that will be embedded in an athlete’s clothes or running shoes to monitor heart rate, sweating, heat production or any other factor that might have an impact on an athlete’s ability to run.”

So, the answer is: B (will be used in the future by Australians)

Question no. 10: protein tests  

Keywords for the question: protein tests,

The answer to this question can also be found in paragraph D, “ … . . After years of experimentation, AIS and the University of Newcastle in New South Wales developed a test that measures how much of the immune-system protein immunoglobulin A is present in athletes’ saliva. If IgA levels suddenly fall below a certain level, training is eased or dropped altogether. Soon, IgA levels start rising again, and the danger passes. Since the tests were introduced, AIS athletes in all sports have been remarkably successful at staying healthy.” 

This means protein tests are currently used by AIS athletes (Australians).

So, the answer is: A (are currently exclusively used by Australians)

Question no. 11: altitude tents

Keywords for the question: altitude tents,

Take a look at these lines paragraph F, “. . .. Some years ago, the AIS unveiled coolant-lined jackets for endurance athletes. At the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996, these sliced as much as two per cent off cyclists’ and rowers’ times. Now everyone uses them. The same has happened to the ‘altitude tent’, developed by AIS to replicate the effect of altitude training at sea level..”

Here, everyone uses them & The same has happened to mean that altitude tents are used by both Australians and their rivals.

So, the answer is: C (are currently used by both Australians and their rivals)

Questions 12-13: Short answer to open questions (NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER)

[In this kind of questions candidates have to answer some questions, only with some conditions like NO MORE THAN THREE/TWO WORDS and/or A NUMBER or, ONE WORD ONLY. Each question has keywords which will lead to the answer. This question type generally follows a sequence.]

Question no. 12: What is produced to help an athlete plan their performance in an event?  

Keywords for the question: produced, help, athlete, plan, performance, event,

The answer can be found at the beginning of paragraph E, “.. .. Well before a championship, sports scientists and coaches start to prepare the athlete by developing a ‘competition model’, based on what they expect will be the winning times.”

Here, prepare = start to produced, Well before a championship & what they expect will be the winning times = plan their performance in an event,

So, the answer is: (a) competition model

Question no. 13: By how much did some cyclists’ performance improve at the 1996 Olympic Games?

Keywords for the question: how much, some cyclists’ performance, improve, 1996 Olympic Games,

The KEYPHRASE ‘how much’ indicates that the answer has to be a number. Take a look at paragraph F in lines 2-3, “ .. .. At the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996, these sliced as much as two per cent off cyclists’ and rowers’ times.”

Here, sliced . . .. . off = performance improve by,

So, the answer is: (by) 2 per cent/ percent/ %

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 6 AC Test 1 Reading Passage 2

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 6 AC Test 1 Reading Passage 3