This General Training IELTS Reading post highlights the solutions to IELTS Cambridge 15 Reading Test 1 Section 2 that has two texts titled ‘Safety when working on roofs’ and ‘Maternity Allowance for working women’. This post is mainly for those GT IELTS candidates who have major problems finding out and understanding Reading Answers in the GT 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 15 Test 1: GT Reading Module

Section 2: Questions 15-27

The headline of the text: Safety when working on roofs

Questions 15-22: Completing notes

[In this type of question, candidates are asked to complete different notes with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the text. 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.]

Question 15: over half of falls are from less than _________.  

Keywords for this question: investigations, over half, falls, less than,    

Take a look at lines 2-4 in paragraph no. 1 where the author says, “. . .. . Investigations by WorkSafe into falls that occur while working at height show that more than 50 per cent of falls are from under three metres, . . .. .  

Here, more than 50 per cent of falls = over half of falls, under = less than,

So, the answer is: 3/ three metres/ meters

Question 16: the majority of falls occur on __________.

Keywords for this question: majority, falls, occur on,  

In lines 6-7 of paragraph no. 1, the author says, “…. More injuries happen on residential building sites than any other workplace in the construction sector.”

Here, More injuries happen on = the majority of falls occur on,

So, the answer is: residential building sites

Question 17: ________ the hazard at the planning stage before the work begins if possible.  

Keywords for this question: controls, hazard, planning stage, before, work begins, if possible,    

In paragraph no. 3, the first line says, “The first thing to be considered is whether it is possible to eliminate this hazard completely, so that workers are not exposed to the danger of falling. This can sometimes be done at the design, construction planning, and tendering stage. . . ..”

Here, whether it is possible = if possible, design, construction planning, and tendering stage = at the planning stage,

So, the answer is: eliminate

Question 18: prevent a fall by using edge protection, e.g. scaffolding or _________.  

Keywords for this question: controls, prevent, fall, using, edge protection, scaffolding, or,      

In paragraph no. 3, lines 5-6 say, “. .. . It may be possible to use the existing scaffolding as edge protection. If this is not practicable, then temporary work platforms should be used. … ..”  

Here, If this is not practicable = or,

So, the answer is: (temporary) (work) platforms

Question 19: reduce the likelihood of injury, e.g. by using __________.  

Keywords for this question: controls, reduce, likelihood, injury, e.g. using,        

The last lines of paragraph no. 3 say, “ . .. This means considering the use of safety nets and other similar systems to make it less likely that injury will be caused if a fall does occur.”

Here, make it less likely that injury will be caused = reduce the likelihood of injury,

So, the answer is: safety nets

Question 20: these should only be used for _______ which does not take a long time.

Keywords for this question: ladders, should be used, does not take, long time,  

In the first line of the final paragraph, the writer says, “Ladders should only be employed for short-duration maintenance work such as touching up paint. .. .”

Here, Ladders = these, should only be employed = should only be used, short-duration = does not take a long time,  

So, the answer is: (maintenance) work     

Question 21: training should be provided in their ______ and use.

Keywords for this question: ladders, training, should be provided, in, use, 

The answer can be found in lines 2-3 of the final paragraph, “ . .. People using ladders should be trained and instructed in the selection and safe use of ladders. .. .”

Here, should be trained and instructed = training should be provided, safe use of ladders = use,

So, the answer is: selection

Question 22: regular _______ of ladders is required.

Keywords for this question: regular, ladders, required,

The last lines in the final paragraph says, “. .. . . There should be inspection of all ladders on a regular basis to ensure they are safe to use.”

Here, regular basis = regular, There should be = required,

So, the answer is: inspection

The headline of the text: Maternity Allowance for working women

Questions 23-27: Completing sentences

In this type of question, candidates are asked to write no more than two words and/or a number 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 23: The maximum amount of money a woman can get each week is £ _______.

Keywords for this question: maximum amount of money, can get, each week, £,  

The second paragraph has two bullet points. Here, the first bullet point says,

• £140.98 a week or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is less) for 39 weeks.

Here, £140.98 is the highest amount included in this text that a woman can get.

So, the answer is: 140.98

Question 24: Being ______ for a time does not necessarily mean that a woman will not be eligible for Maternity Allowance

Keywords for this question: being, for a time, does not necessarily mean, will not be eligible, Maternity Allowance,  

In the ‘Maternity Allowance for 39 weeks’ section, have a look at the last lines, “You may still qualify even if you’ve recently stopped working. It doesn’t matter if you had different jobs, or, periods when you were unemployed.”

Here, It doesn’t matter = does not necessarily mean,

This means being unemployed will not affect the eligibility of a woman to get Maternity Allowance.

So, the answer is: unemployed

Question 25: In order to claim, a woman must send a _______ or a Small Earnings Exemption Certificate as evidence of her income.  

Keywords for this question: In order to claim, must send, Small Earnings Exemption Certificate, evidence of her income,

In the ‘How to claim’ section, take a look at line 2-3 in the first paragraph. It says here, “You also need to provide a payslip or a Certificate of Small Earnings Exemption as proof of your income,  . .. .”

Here, proof of your income = evidence of her income,  

So, the answer is: payslip

Question 26: In order to claim, a woman may need to provide a ________ as evidence of the due date.

Keywords for this answer: In order to claim, may need to provide, evidence, due date,

In the ‘How to claim’ section, take a look at line no. 3 in the first paragraph. It says here, “ . .. .and proof of the baby’s due date, such as a doctor’s letter.” 

Here, proof of the baby’s due date = evidence of the due date,

So, the answer is: doctor’s letter

Question 27: Payment may be affected by differences in someone’s _________, such as a return to work, and the local Jobcentre Plus must be informed. 

Keywords for this answer: Payment, may be affected, differences in, such as, return to work, local Jobcentre Plus, must be informed,

In the ‘How to claim’ section, take a look at the third paragraph. It says here, “You should report any changes to your circumstances, for example, if you go back to work, to your local Jobcentre Plus as they can affect how much allowance you get.”

Here, any changes to your = differences in someone’s, go back to work return to work, can affect how much allowance you get = payments may be affected,

So, the answer is: circumstances

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 15 GT Reading Test 1 Section 1

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 15 GT Reading Test 1 Section 3