IELTS Academic · practice (vocabulary, grammar, reading): free online simulation

5 sample questions with answers and explanations

1. 1. Read the paragraph and choose the most suitable heading. "Although tourism brings income to island nations, it can strain fragile resources. Hotels consume large quantities of fresh water, and waste disposal often exceeds local capacity. Some governments have therefore introduced visitor caps and environmental taxes to protect their ecosystems." Which heading best fits the paragraph?

   1. A. Managing the environmental cost of island tourism
   2. B. Luxury hotels and their architecture
   3. C. Why islands have small populations
   4. D. Airline fuel taxes and ticket prices
   Correct answer: A

   The paragraph discusses environmental pressures from tourism and policy responses. The other options are irrelevant details or unmentioned topics.

2. 2. Choose the correct form: Participants were asked to respond as _____ as possible to the questions.

   1. A. honest
   2. B. honestly
   3. C. honesty
   4. D. honestness
   Correct answer: B

   The structure 'as ... as possible' with the verb 'respond' takes an adverb: 'honestly'. 'Honest' is an adjective and 'honesty' is a noun.

3. 3. Which expression is the best replacement for "a growing number of" in: "A growing number of people work remotely"?

   1. A. An increasing number of
   2. B. A limited number of
   3. C. A fixed number of
   4. D. A declining number of
   Correct answer: A

   "Growing" and "increasing" are synonymous. The other options express limited, constant or decreasing quantity.

4. 4. Read the paragraph and choose the most suitable heading. "Antibiotic resistance arises when bacteria evolve mechanisms to survive drugs designed to kill them. Overprescription and incomplete courses of treatment accelerate this process. The World Health Organization has warned that common infections may become untreatable unless new drugs are developed and existing ones used more responsibly." Which heading best fits the paragraph?

   1. A. The discovery of penicillin
   2. B. Vaccination campaigns in schools
   3. C. How viruses mutate in winter
   4. D. Causes and dangers of antibiotic resistance
   Correct answer: D

   The paragraph explains how resistance develops and its threat. Penicillin history and viruses are not discussed.

5. 5. Read: "The company's profits fluctuated throughout the decade, peaking in 2015." Which paraphrase is correct?

   1. A. The firm's earnings went up and down over ten years, reaching their highest point in 2015.
   2. B. The firm's earnings rose steadily until 2015.
   3. C. The firm's earnings were lowest in 2015 after a decade of growth.
   4. D. The firm's earnings stayed constant for ten years.
   Correct answer: A

   "Fluctuated" = went up and down; "peaking" = reaching the highest point. The others contradict these ideas.