This General Training IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Cambridge 3 Reading Test A Section 3 that has a passage about ‘The coal industry’. This is a targeted post for GT IELTS candidates who have big 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 3 Test A: General Training Reading Module

Section 3: Question 27-40

The passage has no title

Questions 27: Multiple choice questions: Choosing the best title

[This type of question asks you to choose a suitable answer from the options using the knowledge you gained from the passage. Generally, this question is set found as the last question set in most passages so you should not worry much about it. Finding all the answers for previous questions gives you a good idea about these questions.]

Tips: Always answer this question at the end. Never answer it first in the exam.

Question 27: From the list below choose the most suitable title for the whole of the Reading Passage. Write the appropriate letter A-D in box 27 on your answer sheet.

A. Pollution control in coal mining

B. The greenhouse effect

C. The coal industry and the environment

D. Sustainable population growth

Keywords for this answer: most suitable title,

The passage mainly talks about the coal industry and its effect in the environment.

So, the answer is: C (The coal industry and the environment)

Questions 28-31: List of headings

[In this question type, IELTS candidates are provided with a list of headings, usually identified with lower-case Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, etc,). A heading will refer to the main idea of the paragraph or section of the text. Candidates must find out the equivalent heading to the correct paragraphs or sections, which are marked with alphabets A, B, C and so forth. Candidates need to write the appropriate Roman numerals in the boxes on their answer sheets. There will always be two or three more headings than there are paragraphs or sections. So, some of the headings will not be used. It is also likely that some paragraphs or sections may not be included in the task. Generally, the first paragraph is an example paragraph which will be done for the candidates for their understanding of the task.

Tips to answer this question: Don’t read the list of headings first. Have a quick look at the questions, and go straight to the first question and start reading the paragraph associated with it. Skimming is the best reading technique. You need not understand every word here. Just try to gather the gist of the sentences. That’s all. Read quickly, and don’t stop until you finish each sentence.]

Question no. 28: Section A

Section A contains two paragraphs.

First, look at the first line of the first paragraph, “Coal is expected to continue to account for almost 27 per cent of the world’s energy needs. .. …”

Then, look at the final line of the second paragraph, “ . .. .. Such measures are helping coal to maintain its status as a major supplier of the world’s energy needs.”

So, the answer is: v (Coal as an energy source)

Question no. 29: Section B

Section B contains four paragraphs and each of the paragraphs talks about ‘greenhouse effect’.

Take a look at the topic sentence, which is the very first line, “The coal industry has been targeted by its critics as a significant contributor to the greenhouse effect. .. ..”

So, the answer is: vi (Coal and the enhanced greenhouse effect)

Question no. 30: Section C

In section C, we find two paragraphs and each of them focuses on ‘research and development’. Look closely at the very first line, “The world-wide coal industry allocates extensive resources to researching and developing new technologies and ways of capturing greenhouse gases. .. ..”

So, the answer is: vii (Research and development)

Question no. 31: Section D

Section D contains four paragraphs and each of the paragraphs focuses on some measure to protect the environment.

Take a look at lines 2-5, “ … .. . By carefully pre-planning projects, implementing pollution control measures, monitoring the effects of mining and rehabilitating mined areas, the coal industry minimises the impact on the neighbouring community, the immediate environment and long-term land capability.”

Here, pollution control measures = environment protection measures,  

So, the answer is: iv (Environment protection measures)

Questions 32-36: Multiple choice questions

[This type of question asks you to choose a suitable answer from the options using the knowledge you gained from the passage. Generally, this question is set found as the last question set in most passages so you should not worry much about it. Finding all the answers for previous questions gives you a good idea about these questions.]

Question no. 32: The global increase in greenhouse gases has been attributed to –

Keywords for this question: global increase, greenhouse gases, attributed to,    

In section B, take a look at the first lines of paragraph no. 3, “Greenhouse gases arise from a wide range of sources and their increasing concentration is largely related to the compound effects of increased population, improved living standards and changes in lifestyle. .. .. .”

Here, increased population, improved living standards and changes in lifestyle = trends in population and lifestyle,

So, the answer is: D (trends in population and lifestyle)

Question no. 33: The proportion of all greenhouse gases created by coal is approximately –

Keywords for this question: proportion, all greenhouse gases, created by coal, approximately,   

Again, in section B, the final lines of paragraph no. 4 say, “ .. . . . Coal’s total contribution to greenhouse gas emissions is thought to be about 18 per cent, with about half of this coming from electricity generation.”

Here, Coal’s total contribution to greenhouse gas emissions = The proportion of all greenhouse gases created by coal,

So, the answer is: B (18 per cent/18%)

Question no. 34: Current research aims to increase the energy-producing efficiency of coal by –

Keywords for this question: current research, aims to increase, energy-producing efficiency, coal, by,   

In section C, the first paragraph says, “The world-wide coal industry allocates extensive resources to researching and developing new technologies and ways of capturing greenhouse gases. Efficiencies are likely to be improved dramatically, and hence CO2 emissions reduced, through combustion and gasification techniques which are now at pilot and demonstration stages.”

Here, now at pilot and demonstration stages = current research … . . developing,

So, the answer is: B (developing new gasification techniques)

Question no. 35: Compared with ordinary coal, new, ‘clean’ coals may generate power –

Keywords for this answer: compared, ordinary coal, new, ‘clean’ coals, generate power,   

The final paragraph of section C talks about ‘clean’ coals. Here, the writer says, “Clean coal is another avenue for improving fuel conversion efficiency. .. . .”

Here, improving fuel conversion efficiency = generate power more cleanly and more efficiently,

So, the answer is: A (more cleanly and more efficiently)

Question no. 36: To control dust at mine sites, mining companies often use –  

Keywords for this question: to control, dust, mine sites, mining companies, often use,   

In section D lines 13 of paragraph no. 2, he author of the test writes, “Dust levels are controlled by spraying roads and stockpiles, and water pollution is controlled by carefully separating clean water runoff from runoff which contains sediments or salt from mine workings. .. .. .”

So, the answer is: D (runoff water containing sediments)

Questions 37-40: YES, NO, NOT GIVEN

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

The statement in the question matches with the claim of the writer in the text- YES
The statement in the question contradicts with the claim of the writer in the text- NO
The statement in the question has no clear connection with the account in the text- NOT GIVEN

[TIPS: For this type of question, you can divide each statement into three independent pieces and make your way through with the answer.]

Question no. 37: The coal industry should be abandoned in favour of alternative energy sources because of the environmental damage it causes.

Keywords for this question: coal industry, should be abandoned, favour, alternative energy sources, because, environmental damage,    

In section A, the first paragraph talks about the importance of the coal industry and why it should not be abandoned. “Coal is expected to continue to account for almost 27 per cent of the world’s energy needs. However, with growing international awareness of pressures on the environment and the need to achieve sustainable development of energy resources, the way in which the resource is extracted, transported and used is critical.”

Here, critical = extremely important,

So, the answer is: NO

Question no. 38: The greatest threats to the environment are the gases produced by industries which support the high standard of living of a growing world population.

Keywords for this question: greatest threats, environment, gases, support, high standard, living, growing world population,       

The first paragraph in section B talks about the greatest threats to the environment which are the different greenhouse gases. “The coal industry has been targeted by its critics as a significant contributor to the greenhouse effect. However, the greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon involving the increase in global surface temperature due to the presence of greenhouse gases – water vapour, carbon dioxide, tropospheric ozone, methane and nitrous oxide – in the atmosphere. Without the greenhouse effect, the earth’s average surface temperature would be 33-35 degrees C lower, or -15 degrees C. Life on earth, as we know it today, would not be possible.”

Here, the lines clearly state that greenhouse gases support the high standard of living of the growing population on the earth.

So, the answer is: YES

Question no. 39: World population in the twenty-first century will probably exceed 8 billion.

Keywords for this question: world population, twenty-first century, will probably, exceed, 8 billion,     

In section B, in the third paragraph, take a look at lines 3-4, “ . . .. From a current base of 5 billion, the United Nations predicts that the global population may stabilise in the twenty-first century between 8 and 14 billion, .. . ..”

Here, between 8 and 14 billion = exceed 8 billion,

So, the answer is: YES

Question 40: CFC emissions have been substantially reduced in recent years.

Keywords for this question: CFC emissions, substantially reduced, recent years,

In the fourth paragraph of section B, the writer talks about CFC emissions. However, no information is given about the reduction of CFC emissions in recent years.  

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 3 GT Test A Section 1

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 3 GT Test A Section 2