This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Cambridge Official Guide to IELTS Test 7 Reading Passage 2 which is titled ‘Fatal Attraction’. This is a targeted post for IELTS candidates who have big problems finding and understanding Reading Answers in the AC module. This post can guide you to 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 7: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 2: Questions 14-26

The headline of the passage: Fatal Attraction

Questions 14-18: Completing notes

[In this type of question, candidates are asked to complete different notes with NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage. Keywords are important to find answers correctly. Generally, this type of question maintains a sequence. However, we should not be surprised if the sequence is not maintained. Find the keywords in the passage and you are most likely to find the answers.]

Title of the notes: How a Venus flytrap traps an insect

Question no. 14: insect touches __________ on leaf of plant  

Keywords for the question: insect touches, on leaf,

In paragraph A, let’s have a close look at lines the first few lines, “The leaves of the Venus flytrap plant are covered in hairs. When an insect brushes against them,. . . . … .”

Here, The leaves of the Venus flytrap plant = leaf of plant,

an insect brushes against them = insect touches the hairs,  

So, the answer is: (the) hairs

Question no. 15: small _________ passes through leaf

Keywords for the question: small, passes through, leaf,   

Again, in paragraph A, have a look at lines 1-2, “ … … … . When an insect brushes against them, this triggers a tiny electric charge, which travels down tunnels in the leaf. . .. . . .”

Here, tiny = small, travels down tunnels in the leaf = passes through leaf,

So, the answer is: (electric) charge

Question no. 16: _____________ in cell membrane open

Keywords for the question: in, cell membrane, open,   

The answer can be found in paragraph A, where the writer says in line no. 3, “ . . .. .. . and opens up pores in the leaf’s cell membranes. . .. .. . .”

So, the answer is: pores

Question no. 17: outside cells of leaves fill with __________

Keywords for the question: outside cells of leaves, fill with,

In paragraph A, let’s have a close look at lines 3-4, “ .. . .. … . Water surges from the cells on the inside of the leaf to those on the outside, . . . . … .”

Here, surges from the cells on the inside of the leaf = increases/ fills,  

So, the answer is: water

Question no. 18: leaves change so that they have a _________ shape and snap shut

Keywords for the question: leaves change, so that, have a, shape, snap shut,   

In paragraph A, the writer says in lines 4-6, “ .. . .. . . causing the leaf to rapidly flip in shape from convex to concave, like a soft contact lens. As the leaves flip, they snap together, trapping the insect in their sharp-toothed jaws. . . .. .. .. .”

Here, causing the leaf to rapidly flip = leaves changes their shape, they snap together, trapping the insect in their sharp-toothed jaws = snap shut,

So, the answer is: concave

Questions 19-22: Matching names of things with their ideas or statements

[The rules for finding answers to this sort of question are simple. Just find the name of the things and read around it carefully. Then, give a quick look to check whether there is another statement or idea provided by the same person in the text. If there is, check the reference carefully and decide your answer. Remember, the questions will not follow any sequential order. Do the reverse method when the statements are in question.]

Question no. 19: It uses other creatures to help it digest insects.

Keywords for the question: uses, other creatures, help it digest, insects,  

The answers to these two questions are found in paragraphs B and C.

First, take a look at paragraph C. Here, the writer mentions in lines 2-7, “ . . .. . … .. . . the purple pitcher plant, which lives in bogs and infertile sandy soils in North America, enlists other organisms to process its food. It is home to an intricate food web of mosquito larvae, midges and bacteria, many of which can survive only in this unique habitat. These animals shred the prey that fall into the pitcher, and the smaller organisms feed on the debris. Finally, the plant absorbs the nutrients released. . … . .. . . ”

Here, enlists other organisms to process its food = uses other creatures to help it digest insects,

mosquito larvae, midges and bacteria = other creatures,

So, the answer is: E (purple pitcher plant)

Question no. 20: It produces a slippery substance to make insects fall inside it.

Keywords for the question: produces, slippery substance, make insects fall inside,  

The answers to these two questions are found in paragraphs B and C.

Take a look at paragraph B. Here, the writer says in the final lines, “ . . .. . … .. .. Raffles’ pitcher plant, from the jungles of Borneo, produces nectar that both lures insects and forms a slick surface on which they can’t get a grip. Insects that land on the rim of the pitcher slide on the liquid and tumble in.”

Here, produces nectar . . . ..  . forms a slick surface on which they can’t get a grip = produces a slippery substance,

Insects that land on the rim . . .. . . slide on the liquid and tumble in = insects fall inside it,

So, the answer is: D (Raffles’ pitcher plant)

Question no. 21: It creates an empty space into which insects are sucked.

Keywords for the question: creates, empty space, insects are sucked, 

The answers to these two questions are found in paragraphs B and C.

Take a look at paragraph B. Here, the writer says in lines 1-5, “The bladderwort has an equally sophisticated way of setting its underwater trap. It pumps water out of tiny bag-like bladders, making a vacuum inside. When small creatures swim past, they bend the hairs on the bladder, causing a flap to open. The low pressure sucks water in, carrying the animal along with it. In one five-hundredth of a second, the door swings shut again.. … . .. . . ”

Here, making a vacuum inside = creates an empty space,

The low pressure sucks water in, carrying the animal along with it = into which insects are sucked,

So, the answer is: B (bladderwort)

Question no. 22: It produces a sticky substance which traps insects on its surface.

Keywords for the question: produces, sticky substance, traps insects, on, surface,   

The answers to these two questions are found in paragraphs B and C.

Again, take a look at paragraph B. Here, the writer says in lines 5-7, “ . . .. . … .. .. The Drosera sundew, meanwhile, has a thick, sweet liquid oozing from its leaves, which first attracts insects, then holds them fast before the leaves snap shut.. … . .. . . ”

Here, has a thick, sweet liquid oozing from its leaves = produces a sticky substance,

first attracts insects, then holds them fast before the leaves snap shut = traps insects on its surface,

So, the answer is: C (Drosera sundew)

Questions 23-26: 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. 23: a mention of a disadvantage of the leaf shape of some carnivorous plants

Keywords for the question: a disadvantage, leaf shape, some carnivorous plants,

We can find the answer in paragraph E. Take a look at lines 1-5 of this paragraph, “Carnivorous plants are, in fact, very inefficient at converting sunlight into tissue. This is because of all the energy they expend to make the equipment to catch animals – the enzymes, the pumps, and so on. A pitcher or a flytrap cannot carry out much photosynthesis because, unlike plants with ordinary leaves, they do not have flat solar panels that can grab lots of sunlight. .. .. . ..”

Here, Carnivorous plants are, in fact, very inefficient = a disadvantage,

unlike plants with ordinary leaves, they do not have flat solar panels that can grab lots of sunlight = disadvantage of the leaf shape of some carnivorous plants,

So, the answer is: E

Question no. 24: an example of an effort made to protect carnivorous plants

Keywords for the question: an effort, to protect, carnivorous plants,  

In paragraph I, we find an effort of botanists to protect carnivorous plants. Take a look at line 1-3, “ . .. . . . The black market trade in exotic carnivorous plants is so vigorous now that botanists are keeping the location of some rare species a secret. . . .. ..”

Here, botanists are keeping the location of some rare species a secret = an effort made to protect carnivorous plants by botanists,

So, the answer is: I

Question no. 25: unexpected information about the origins of certain carnivorous plants

Keywords for the question: unexpected information, origins, certain carnivorous plants,

Paragraph F talks about the surprising origins of two carnivorous plants as in lines 4-7, the writer says, “. . . . .. The two kinds of pitcher plants – the tropical genus Nepenthes and the North American Sarracenia – have, surprisingly, evolved from different ancestors, although both grow deep pitcher-shaped leaves and employ the same strategy for capturing prey.”

Here, surprisingly, evolved from different ancestors = unexpected information about the origins of certain carnivorous plants,

So, the answer is: F

Question no. 26: an example of environmental changes that shorten the life cycles of carnivorous plants

Keywords for the question: environmental changes, shorten, life cycles, carnivorous plants,

Paragraph H talks about the environmental changes that affects the life cycles of carnivorous plants. Here, in lines 2-5, the writer says, “. . . . .. Agricultural run-off and pollution from power plants are adding extra nitrogen to many bogs in North America. Carnivorous plants are so finely tuned to low levels of nitrogen that this extra fertilizer is overloading their systems, and they eventually burn themselves out and die.”

Here, Agricultural run-off and pollution from power plants are adding extra nitrogen to many bogs in North America = environmental changes,

this extra fertilizer is overloading their systems, and they eventually burn themselves out and die = shorten the life cycles of carnivorous plants,

So, the answer is: H

© All the texts with inverted commas used in this post are taken from Cambridge Official Guide to IELTS Test 7

Click here for solutions to Cambridge Official Guide to IELTS Test 7 Reading Passage 1

Click here for solutions to Cambridge Official Guide to IELTS Test 7 Reading Passage 3