IELTS Academic Reading: Cambridge Official Guide to IELTS Test 1 Reading passage 2; The changing role of airports; with best solutions and best explanations

May 2, 2020May 9, 2023

This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Cambridge Official Guide to IELTS Test 1 Reading Passage 2 which is titled ‘The changing role of airports’. 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.

Cambridge Official Guide to IELTS Test 1: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 2: Questions 14-26

The headline of the passage: The changing role of airports

Questions 14-18: 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. 14: evidence that a significant number of airports provide meeting facilities

Keywords for the question: evidence, significant number of airports, provide, meeting facilities,

Lines 4-5 of paragraph E say, “ . .. . In total, there were responses from staff at 154 airports and 68% of these answered ‘yes’ to the question: Does your airport own and have meetings facilities available for hire? .. . .”

Here, 68% = a significant number of airports, answered ‘yes’ to the question = evidence that .. . .. airports provide meeting facilities,

So, the answer is: E

Question no. 15: a statement regarding the fact that no further developments are possible in some areas of airport trade

Keywords for the question: no further developments, possible, some areas, airport trade,

Take a look at the first few lines of paragraph B, “Some of the more obvious solutions to growing commercial revenues, such as extending the merchandising space or expanding the variety of shopping opportunities, have already been tried to their limit at many airports. . … .”

Here, merchandising space & variety of shopping opportunities = some areas of airport trade, have already been tried to their limit = no further developments are possible,

So, the answer is: B

Question no. 16: reference to the low level of income that meeting facilities produce for airports

Keywords for the question: low level of income, meeting facilities, produce,

In lines 2-5 of paragraph G, the writer says, “ .. . . Average revenue per airport was just $12,959. Meeting facilities are effectively a non-aeronautical source of airport revenue. Only 1% of respondents generated more than 20% non-aeronautical revenue from their meetings facilities; none generated more than 40%. . ..”

Here, Average revenue per airport was just $12,959 & none generated more than 40% = low level of income that meeting facilities produce for airports,

So, the answer is: G

Question no. 17: mention of the impact of budget airlines on airport income

Keywords for the question: impact, budget airlines, airport income,

Read the last few lines of paragraph A, “ . .. .. This has meant that the share .. .. .. subsequently declined slightly. Meanwhile, the pressures to control the level of aeronautical revenues are as strong as ever due to the poor financial health of many airlines and the rapid rise of the low-cost carrier sector.

Here, subsequently declined slightly = the impact, control the level of aeronautical revenues = budget airlines on airport income,

So, the answer is: A

Question no. 18: examples of airport premises that might be used for business purposes

Keywords for the question: airport premises, might be used, business purposes,

The first few lines of paragraph C says, “At the same time, airports have been developing and expanding the range of services that they provide specifically for the business traveller in the terminal. This includes offering business centres that supply support services, meeting or conference rooms and other space for special events. .. .. ..”

Here, the terminal = airport premises,

So, the answer is: C

Questions 19-22: Completing sentences with NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS

In this type of question, candidates are asked to write maximum two words to complete sentences on the given topic. For this type of question, first, skim the passage to find the keywords in the paragraph concerned with the answer, and then scan to find the exact word.

[TIPS: Here scanning technique will come in handy. Target the keywords of the questions to find the answers. Remember to focus on Proper nouns, random Capital letters, numbers, special characters of text etc.]

Question no. 19: The length of time passengers spend shopping at airports has been affected by updated _________.

Keywords for the question: length of time, passengers spend, shopping at airports, affected by, updated,

The answer lies in paragraph A. The author says in lines 3-4, “ . .. .. and new security procedures that have had an impact on the dwell time of passengers.. .. .. .”

Here, have had an impact = has been affected, the dwell time of passengers = The length of time passengers spend,

So, the answer is: security procedures

Question no. 20: Airports with a wide range of recreational facilities can become a ________ for people rather than a means to travel.

Keywords for the question: airports, wide range of recreational facilities, can become, rather than, means of travel,

The last lines of paragraph B say, “ . .. .. At this stage of facilities provision, the airport also has the possibility of taking on the role of the final destination rather than merely a facilitator of access.”

Here, has the possibility of taking on the role = can become, rather than merely a facilitator of access = rather than a means to travel,

So, the answer is: final destination

Question no. 21: Both passengers and _________ may feel encouraged to use and develop a sense of loyalty towards airports that market their business services.

Keywords for the question: both, passengers, may feel, encouraged to use, develop, sense of loyalty, airports, market, business services,

The answer can be found in the first lines of paragraph D as the author writes, “When an airport location can be promoted as a business venue, this may increase the overall appeal of the airport and help it become more competitive in both attracting and retaining airlines and their passengers. .. .”

Here, can be promoted as a business venue = market their business services, may increase the overall appeal of the airport = according to a rule,

So, the answer is: airlines

Question no. 22: Airports that supply meeting facilities may need to develop a _________ over other venues.

Keywords for the question: airports, supply, meeting facilities, mat need to develop, over, other venues,

In lines 5-7 of paragraph D, the author says, “ . .. . This enhanced attractiveness itself may help to improve the airport operator’s financial position and future prospects, but clearly, this will be dependent on the competitive advantage that the airport is able to achieve in comparison with other venues.”

Here, this will be dependent on = may need to develop, in comparison with other venues = over other venues,

So, the answer is: competitive advantage

Questions 23-26: Summary completion

[In this kind of question candidates are given a summary for one, two, or three paragraphs with some fill in the blanks questions. Candidates need to find out the related paragraphs by correctly studying the keywords form the questions. Then, they should follow the steps of finding answers to fill in the gaps.]

Title of the summary: Survey Findings

Question no. 23: Despite financial constraints due to the _________, a significant percentage of airport provide and wish to further support business meeting facilities.

Keywords for the question: Despite, financial constraints, due to, significant percentage, airport, provide, wish to further support, business meeting facilities,

In paragraph A, the writer says in lines 4-10, “ . .. Moreover, the global economic downturn has caused a reduction in passenger numbers while those that are travelling generally have less money to spend. This has meant that the share subsequently declined slightly. Meanwhile, the pressures to control the level of aeronautical revenues are as strong as ever due to the poor financial health of many airlines and the rapid rise of the low-cost carrier sector., . .. . .”

Here, meanwhile = despite, the pressures to control the level of aeronautical revenues = airport provide and wish to further support business meeting facilities, as strong as ever = a significant percentage,

The answer can also be taken from paragraph E. Here, the writer says in the last few lines, “ . . . The survey also asked to what extent respondents agreed or disagreed with a number of statements about asked the meeting facilities at their airport. 49% of respondents agreed that they would invest more in the immediate future. These are fairly high proportions considering the recent economic climate.”

Here, fairly high proportions = a significant percentage, 49% of respondents agreed that they would invest more in the immediate future = a significant percentage of airport provide and wish to further support business meeting facilities,

So, the answer is: economic downturn/climate

Question no. 24: Also, just under 30% of the airports surveyed plan to provide these facilities within __________.

Keywords for the question: Also, just under 30%, airports, surveyed, plan, provide, these facilities within,

In paragraph E, take a look at lines 6-8, “ .. . In addition, 28% of respondents that did not have meeting facilities stared that they were likely to invest in them during the next five years. .. …”

Here, 28% of respondents = just under 30% of the airports surveyed, they were likely to invest = during the next = within,

So, the answer is: five years

Question no. 25 and 26: However, the main users of the facilities are 25. _________ and as many as 16% of respondents to the survey stated that their users did not take any 26. _________ at the airport.

Keywords for the question: however, main users, facilities, 16% of respondents, survey, stated, their users, did not take, any, at the airport,

The answers to these questions can be found in paragraph F. Here, the writer says, “ . .. . 63% of respondents estimated that over 60% of users are from the local area. . .. . .. .. 16% of respondents estimated that none of the users of their meeting facilities uses flights when travelling to or from them, . .. ..”

Here, over 60% of users = the main users of the facilities, none of the users of their meeting facilities uses = their users did not take any,

So, the answers are: