Cambridge 16 Reading Test 3: answers and online practice
The whole test on one page: all 40 answers with a self-marker that turns your score into a band, and the 3 passages with their explanations. Haven't sat it yet? Take it online first, then come back and mark it.
3 passages · 40 questions · 60 minutes
The 3 passages in this test
Answer key and self-check
Type what you wrote and hit mark. Hide the key first if you haven't done the test yet.
| Q | Your answer | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Questions 1-5 · TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN | ||
| 1 | FALSE | |
| 2 | NOT GIVEN | |
| 3 | FALSE | |
| 4 | TRUE | |
| 5 | TRUE | |
| Questions 6-13 · Summary completion (ONE WORD ONLY) | ||
| 6 | lightweight | |
| 7 | bronze | |
| 8 | levels | |
| 9 | hull | |
| 10 | triangular | |
| 11 | music | |
| 12 | grain | |
| 13 | towboats | |
| Questions 14-19 · Matching information (sections A-H) | ||
| 14 | D | |
| 15 | C | |
| 16 | F | |
| 17 | H | |
| 18 | G | |
| 19 | B | |
| Questions 20-22 · Summary completion (ONE WORD ONLY) | ||
| 20 | microorganismsAlso accepted: micro-organisms | |
| 21 | reindeer | |
| 22 | insects | |
| Questions 23-24 · Multiple choice (choose TWO) | ||
| 23 | B and C(in either order) | |
| 24 | ||
| Questions 25-26 · Multiple choice (choose TWO) | ||
| 25 | A and C(in either order) | |
| 26 | ||
| Questions 27-32 · TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN | ||
| 27 | NOT GIVEN | |
| 28 | TRUE | |
| 29 | TRUE | |
| 30 | NOT GIVEN | |
| 31 | FALSE | |
| 32 | FALSE | |
| Questions 33-37 · Matching information (sections A-H) | ||
| 33 | H | |
| 34 | D | |
| 35 | G | |
| 36 | C | |
| 37 | A | |
| Questions 38-40 · Sentence completion (NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS) | ||
| 38 | warmAlso accepted: warm winter | |
| 39 | summer | |
| 40 | mustard plantAlso accepted: mustard plants / mustard | |
Your score out of 40 as an IELTS Reading band
| Correct answers | Band |
|---|---|
| 39-40 | 9.0 |
| 37-38 | 8.5 |
| 35-36 | 8.0 |
| 33-34 | 7.5 |
| 30-32 | 7.0 |
| 27-29 | 6.5 |
| 23-26 | 6.0 |
| 19-22 | 5.5 |
| 15-18 | 5.0 |
| 13-14 | 4.5 |
| 10-12 | 4.0 |
Academic Reading scale. Cut-offs shift slightly between tests, so read it as an estimate.
Questions people ask about this test
- Can I take Cambridge 16 Reading Test 3 online?
- Yes. Langujet has the full Cambridge IELTS 16 Test 3 reading paper: all three passages and 40 questions, timed at 60 minutes and marked the moment you finish.
- What band is 30 out of 40 in IELTS Reading?
- About Band 7.0. On the Academic Reading scale, 39-40 correct is Band 9.0, 37-38 correct is Band 8.5, 35-36 correct is Band 8.0, 33-34 correct is Band 7.5. The exact cut-offs move a little from test to test, so treat it as an estimate.
- Where are the explanations for each answer?
- Each passage has its own page: Roman shipbuilding and navigation, Climate change reveals ancient artefacts in Norway’s glaciers, Plant ‘thermometer’ triggers springtime growth by measuring night-time heat. They show the line in the passage that proves every answer and the traps in each question type.
Sit this test on Langujet, then come back
The full Cambridge 16 Test 3 reading paper: all three passages, 60 minutes, marked the second you finish with a review of every answer. Already done it? Take it again and see if the same traps still get you.
Cambridge IELTS 16, Test 3, Reading. The passages and questions belong to Cambridge University Press and are not reproduced here. The answers are published for self-marking. Get the book for the full material, or sit the test on Langujet.