Cambridge 21 Reading Test 1: 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 1-7 · Note completion (ONE WORD ONLY) | ||
| 1 | mining | |
| 2 | education | |
| 3 | notes | |
| 4 | journals | |
| 5 | Venice | |
| 6 | canteen | |
| 7 | friends | |
| Questions 8-13 · TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN | ||
| 8 | TRUE | |
| 9 | NOT GIVEN | |
| 10 | FALSE | |
| 11 | NOT GIVEN | |
| 12 | TRUE | |
| 13 | TRUE | |
| Questions 14-17 · Matching information (sections A-G) | ||
| 14 | C | |
| 15 | B | |
| 16 | A | |
| 17 | G | |
| Questions 18-21 · Summary completion (ONE WORD ONLY) | ||
| 18 | breath | |
| 19 | questionnaire | |
| 20 | wellbeing | |
| 21 | depression | |
| Questions 22-26 · Matching features (people A-D, letters can repeat) | ||
| 22 | C | |
| 23 | A | |
| 24 | B | |
| 25 | D | |
| 26 | C | |
| Questions 27-30 · Multiple choice | ||
| 27 | B | |
| 28 | A | |
| 29 | C | |
| 30 | A | |
| Questions 31-36 · Summary completion (word list A-I) | ||
| 31 | H | |
| 32 | E | |
| 33 | I | |
| 34 | A | |
| 35 | G | |
| 36 | C | |
| Questions 37-40 · YES / NO / NOT GIVEN (writer's views) | ||
| 37 | YES | |
| 38 | NOT GIVEN | |
| 39 | NO | |
| 40 | YES | |
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 21 Reading Test 1 online?
- Yes. Langujet has the full Cambridge IELTS 21 Test 1 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: The Davies Sisters, Why we need silence, Book review: The World of Sugar by Ulbe Bosma. 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 21 Test 1 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 21, Test 1, 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.