This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Cambridge 6 Reading Test 2 Reading Passage 2 entitled ‘Greying population stays in the pink’. 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 2: Questions 14-26

The headline of the passage: GREYING POPULATION STAYS IN THE PINK

Questions 14-22: Completing summary with list of words:

[In this type of question, candidates are asked to complete a summary with a list of words taken from the passage. Candidates must write the correct letter (not the words) as the answers. Keywords and synonyms are important to find answers correctly. Generally, this type of question maintains a sequence. Find the keywords in the passage and you are most likely to find the answers.]

Question no. 14 & 15: Research carried out by scientists in the United States has shown that the proportion of people over 65 suffering from the most common age-related medical problems is 14. _________ and that the speed of this change is 15. ________.

Keywords for the question: research, United States, proportion, people over 65, suffering from, most common age-related medical problems, speed, change,  

In paragraph no. 2 the author states in lines 1-6, “In the last 14 years, the National Long-term Health Care Survey has gathered data on the health and lifestyles of more than 20,000 men and women over 65. Researchers, now analysing the results of data gathered in 1994, say arthritis, high blood pressure and circulation problems – the major medical complaints in this age group – are troubling a smaller proportion every year. And the data confirms that the rate at which these diseases are declining continues to accelerate… . . .”

Here, men and women over 65 = people over 65, the major medical complaints in this age group = the most common age-related medical problems, the rate = the proportion,

are declining = falling (B), to accelerate =  the speed is increasing (I)

So, the answers are:

14. B (falling)
15. I (increasing)

Question no. 16: It also seems that these diseases are affecting people _________ in life than they did in the past.

Keywords for the question: seems, these diseases, affecting people, in life, than, in the past,   

For this question’s answer, we have to look at paragraph no. 3. Here, in lines 2-3, the writer says, “ . . .. He says the problems doctors accepted as normal in a 65-year-old in 1982 are often not appearing until people are 70 or 75.”

Here, the problems = these diseases, often not appearing until people are 70 or 75 = often affecting people later in life (70 or 75).

So, the answer is: F (later)

Question no. 17 & 18: This is largely due to developments in 17. ________ but other factors such as improved 18. _________  may also be playing a part.

Keywords for the question: largely, due to, developments, but, other factors such as, improved, may be, playing a part,

The answer can be found in paragraph no. 4. Here, the writer says in lines 1-4, “Clearly, certain diseases are beating a retreat in the face of medical advances. But there may be other contributing factors. Improvements in childhood nutrition in the first quarter of the twentieth century, for example, gave today’s elderly people a better start in life than their predecessors.”

Here, in the face of medical advances = developments in medicine, other contributing factors = other factors, Improvements in childhood nutrition = improved nutrition,

So, the answers are:

17. M (medicine)
18. J (nutrition)

Question no. 19: Increases in some other illnesses may be due to changes in personal habits and to ________.

Keywords for the question: increases, some other illnesses, may be, due to, changes, personal habits,  

The answer can be found in paragraph no. 5. The author says here in lines 1-3, “On the downside, the data also reveals failures in public health that have caused surges in some illnesses. An increase in some cancers and bronchitis may reflect changing smoking habits and poorer air quality, say the researchers. . .. .”

Here, An increase in some cancers and bronchitis = Increases in some other illnesses, smoking habits = personal habits, poorer air quality = pollution,

So, the answer is: N (pollution)

Question no. 20: The research establishes a link between levels of _________ and life expectancy.

Keywords for the question: research, establishes, link between, levels of, life expectancy,  

In paragraph no. 6 the author writes in the beginning, “One interesting correlation Manton uncovered is that better-educated people are likely to live longer. .. .. .”

Here, correlation = link, likely to live longer = life expectancy,

better-educated people = education,

So, the answer is: K (education)

Question no. 21 & 22: It also shows that there has been a considerable reduction in the number of elderly people who are 21. _________ which means that the 22. _________ involved in supporting this section of the population may be less than previously predicted.

Keywords for the question: considerable reduction, number of elderly people, who are, means, involved in, supporting, this section of population, may be, less than, previously predicted,

In paragraph no. 7, the writer says in lines 4-9, “.. .. . That represents a significant drop in the number of disabled old people in the population. If the trends apparent in the United States 14 years ago had continued, researchers calculate there would be an additional one million disabled elderly people in today’s population. According to Manton, slowing the trend has saved the United States government’s Medicare system more than $200 billion, suggesting that the greying of America’s population may prove less of a financial burden than expected.”

Here, significant drop = considerable reduction, disabled old people = elderly people who are disabled (G), may prove less = may be less, financial burden = cost (A),

So, the answers are:

21. G (disabled)
22. A (cost)

Questions 23-26: 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. 23: Home medical aids

Keywords for the question: home medical aids,   

The answer can be found in paragraph no. 8. The writer says here, “The increasing self-reliance of many elderly people is probably linked to a massive increase in the use of simple home medical aids. .. . . .”

Here, increasing self-reliance of many elderly people = old people to be more independent,

So, the answer is: G (allow old people to be more independent.)

Question no. 24: Regular amounts of exercise

Keywords for the question: regular amounts of exercise,

The answer can be found in paragraph no. 9. In this paragraph, the writer says, “Maintaining a level of daily physical activity may help mental functioning, says Carl Cotman, a neuroscientist at the University of California at Irvine. He found that rats that exercise on a treadmill have raised levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor coursing through their brains. Cotman believes this hormone, which keeps neurons functioning, may prevent the brains of active humans from deteriorating.”

Here, Maintaining a level of daily physical activity = Regular amounts of exercise, may prevent the brains of active humans from deteriorating = help prevent mental decline,

So, the answer is: E (may help prevent mental decline.)

Question no. 25: Feelings of control over life

Keywords for the question: feelings, control over life,

Here, bulk cargo means heavy or large goods transported from one place to other.

The author says in paragraph no. 10, “ . .. . found a connection between self-esteem and stress in people over 70. In laboratory simulations of challenging activities such as driving, those who felt in control of their lives pumped out lower levels of stress hormones such as cortisol.”

Here, felt in control of their lives = feelings of control over life, lower levels of stress hormones = reduce stress in difficult situations,

So, the answer is: H (can reduce stress in difficult situations.)

Question no. 26: Feelings of loneliness

Keywords for the question: feelings of loneliness,    

The answer can be found in paragraph no. 11 in lines 1-2, “ . .. . Seeman found that elderly people who felt emotionally isolated maintained higher levels of stress hormones even when asleep. … . .”

Here, felt emotionally isolated = feelings of loneliness, maintained higher levels of stress hormones = cause rise in levels of stress hormones,

So, the answer is: C (may cause rises in levels of stress hormones.)

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

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 6 AC Test 2 Reading Passage 3