This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to a Reading Test 1 Reading Passage 1 titled ‘How tennis rackets have changed’. This is a targeted post for IELTS candidates who have major problems finding and understanding Reading Answers in the AC module. This post can guide you 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.

AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 1: Questions 1-13

The headline of the passage: How tennis rackets have changed

Questions 1-7: TRUE, FALSE, NOT GIVEN

[In this type of question, candidates are asked to find out whether:

The statement in the question agrees with the information in the passage – TRUE
The statement in the question contradicts the information in the passage – FALSE
If there is no information on this – NOT GIVEN

For this type of question, you can divide each statement into three independent pieces and make your way through with the answer. This question type generally follows a sequence. So, scanning skill is effective here.]

Question no. 1: People had expected Andy Murray to become the world’s top tennis player for at least five years before 2016.

Keywords for the question: People, expected, Andy Murray, become, world’s top tennis player, at least, five years, before 2016,

For this question, we have to look at the first paragraph. Here, we find a short discussion and Andy Murray’s achievement in the sport of tennis. Take a look at the final lines of this paragraph where the writer says, “ .. . .. ..  … . Yet five years previously, he had been regarded as a talented outsider who entered but never won the major tournaments.”

Here, he had been regarded as a talented outsider = people have not expected him to become a top player at that time,

So, the answer is: FALSE

Question no. 2: The change that Andy Murray made to his rackets attracted a lot of attention.

Keywords for the question: change, Andy Murray made, his rackets, attracted, a lot of attention,

In the second paragraph, in lines 3-5, the writer discusses the change Andy Murray had made to his rackets, “ .. . . .. . .. . Another change was so subtle as to pass more or less unnoticed. Like many players, Murray has long preferred a racket that consists of two types of string: one for the mains (verticals) and another for the crosses (horizontals).. . . .. .. .. .”

Here, so subtle as to pass more or less unnoticed = did NOT attract a lot of attention,

So, the answer is: FALSE

Question no. 3: Most of the world’s top players take a professional racket stringer on tour with them.

Keywords for the question: Most of the world’s top players, take, professional racket stringer, on tour,

In the third paragraph, the writer shows a point made by a professional stringer. However, we do not find any mention of world’s top players taking any professional racket stringer with them on tour.  

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN

Question no. 4: Mike and Bob Bryan use rackets that are light in comparison to the majority of rackets.

Keywords for the question: Mike and Bob Bryan, use rackets, light in comparison, majority of rackets,

In paragraph no. 3, take a close look at lines 6-11, “ … … .. Take the US professional tennis players Mike and Bob Bryan, for example: ‘We’re very particular with our racket specifications,’ they say. ‘All our rackets are sent from our manufacturer to Tampa, Florida, where our frames go through a . . . thorough customisation process.’ They explain how they have adjusted not only racket length, but even experimented with different kinds of paint. The rackets they use now weigh more than the average model and also have a denser string pattern (i.e. more crosses and mains). .. .. . .. .. .”

Here, weigh more than the average model = heavy in comparison (not light),  

So, the answer is: FALSE

Question no. 5: Werner Fischer played with a spaghetti-strung racket that he designed himself.

Keywords for the question: Werner Fischer, played with, spaghetti-strung racket, designed himself,

In the fifth paragraph, we find discussion about Werner Fischer playing with a spaghetti-strung racket. However, there is no mention of whether he had designed this himself or not.   

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN

Question no. 6: The weather can affect how professional players adjust the strings on their rackets.

Keywords for the question: weather, can affect, how, professional players, adjust, the strings, on their rackets,   

In paragraph no. 6, take a look at lines 1-5, “Modifications can be divided into two categories: those to the string bed and those to the racket frame. The former is far more common than the latter: the choice of the strings and the tension with which they are installed is something that nearly all professional players experiment with. They will continually change it depending on various factors including the court surface, climatic conditions, and game styles. . …. .. .. ”

Here, They will continually change it = professional players adjust the strings on their rackets,

climatic conditions = The weather can affect

So, the answer is: TRUE  

Question no. 7: It was believed that the change Pete Sampras made to his rackets contributed to his strong serve.

Keywords for the question: It was believed, change, Pete Sampras made, to his rackets, contributed to, strong serve,    

Lines 2-3 of paragraph no. 9 gives answer to this question, “ .. . . . . much of the serving power of US professional player Pete Sampras was attributed to the addition of four to five lead weights onto his rackets,, .. .. . . .”

Here, much of the serving power = his strong serve,

was attributed to = it was believed,

addition of four to five lead weights onto his rackets = the change Pete Sampras made to his rackets,

So, the answer is: TRUE

Questions 8-13: Completing notes: 

[In this type of question, candidates are asked to complete different notes with ONE WORD ONLY 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: The tennis racket and how it has changed

Question no. 8: Mike and Bob Bryan made changes to the types of ____________ used on their racket frames.

Keywords for the question: Mike and Bob Bryan, made changes, types of, used on, racket frames,    

In paragraph no. 3, lines 7-10 say, “ … … . … . .Take the US professional tennis players Mike and Bob Bryan, for example: ‘We’re very particular with our racket specifications,’ they say. ‘All our rackets are sent from our manufacturer to Tampa, Florida, where our frames go through a . . . thorough customisation process.’ They explain how they have adjusted not only racket length, but even experimented with different kinds of paint. . .. . .. .”

Here, they have adjusted = made changes,

different kinds of = the types of,

So, the answer is: paint

Question no. 9: Players were not allowed to use the spaghetti-strung racket because of the amount of __________ it created.

Keywords for the question: Players, not allowed to use, spaghetti-strung racket, because, amount of, it created,    

Have a look at lines 1-3 of paragraph no. 5. The writer says here, “Racket modifications mainly date back to the 1970s, when the amateur German tennis player Werner Fischer started playing with the so-called spaghetti-strung racket. It created a string bed that generated so much topspin that it was quickly banned by the International Tennis Federation. . . .. .. . .”

Here, so much = the amount of,

banned = players were not allowed,

So, the answer is: topspin

Question no. 10: Changes to rackets can be regarded as being as important as players’ diets or the ___________ they do.

Keywords for the question: Changes to rackets, can be regarded, being as important as, players’ diets, or, they do,   

Have a look at the final lines of paragraph no. 5. The writer says here, “ . . .. . However, within a decade or two, racket modification became a regularity. Today it is, in many ways, an aspect of the game that is equal in significance to nutrition or training.”

Here, equal in significance = being as important as,

nutrition = players’ diets,  

So, the answer is: training

Question no. 11: All rackets used to have natural strings made from the ________ of animals.

Keywords for the question: All rackets, used to have, natural strings, made from, of animals,

Have a look at the first few lines of paragraph no. 7. The writer says here, “At one time, all tennis rackets were strung with natural gut made from the outer layer of sheep or cow intestines. This all changed in the early 1990s with the development of synthetic strings that were cheaper and more durable. .. . .. ..”

Here, all tennis rackets were strung with = All rackets used to have,

sheep or cow = animals, 

So, the answer is: intestines/ gut  

Question no. 12: Pete Sampras had metal _________ put into the frames of his rackets.

Keywords for the question: Pete Sampras had, metal, put into, frames of his rackets,   

Lines 2-3 of paragraph no. 9 say, “ . .. . For example, much of the serving power of US professional player Pete Sampras was attributed to the addition of four to five lead weights onto his rackets, .. .. .”    

Here, lead = metal,

So, the answer is: weights   

Question no. 13: Gonçalo Oliveira changed the __________ on his racket handles.

Keywords for the question: Gonçalo Oliveira, changed, on his racket handles,  

In paragraph no. 10, the writer says in lines 3-5, “ . .. .. . .. The professional Portuguese player Gonçalo Oliveira replaced the original grips of his rackets with something thinner because they had previously felt uncomfortable to hold.”  

Here, replaced = changed,

to hold = refers to ‘handles’,

So, the answer is: grips