Identifying Writer's Claims Questions - IELTS Reading Practice Test

Your job is to read the IELTS Reading passage and questions properly so you can know the main idea. In Yes/No/Not Given questions, they give you some statements and a text to check. You have to find out which one fits best.

• If it agrees with the writer, you write YES (Y).
• If it goes against what the writer says, you choose NO (N).
• If you can’t tell or the info is not in the text, pick NOT GIVEN (NG).

When you keep doing IELTS Reading practice every day, you start getting better and your IELTS band score can go higher.

Some small IELTS Reading Tips also help a lot to solve such type of question faster and more easy.

• You should learn skimming. This means reading fast to know what the passage is about. Try to skim through the passage and see the key words. Always look at small details too.
• Then comes scanning, where you read the questions first and then find the answers in the passage.
• Keep building your vocabulary and practice reading comprehension to understand the meaning better. Always focus on keywords and follow all instructions carefully.
• When you read, also practice reading for details. Manage your time well and don’t panic if you don’t know every word.
• Try to identify keywords in the questions, and also learn how to identify question types. Practice paraphrasing, it helps a lot.
• Work on your reading speed and matching headings correctly. In the end, transfer your answers carefully so you don’t lose marks.

These IELTS Reading Tips can help you solve questions easily.

1. You see, answers mostly come in same order like in the text, so you can just go step by step for each question. (Also read: IELTS Listening Tips)
2. Don’t waste time reading whole passage, just scan for keywords and mark important info that feels close to your question.
3. You will find at least one answer from each type like Yes, No, or Not Given, so don’t skip any.
4. Some tricky words like every, all, few, sometimes, always are used to confuse you. So take care when you see them in sentence.
5. Keep eyes on words like seem, suggest, believe, maybe, probably, they show possibility or doubt, and help you guess what writer wants to say.
6. Sometimes writer doesn’t say opinion straight, you have to understand the meaning from lines around it.
7. The question sentence and passage sentence not look same, so you find similar words or paraphrase to match idea.
8. Every question got one correct answer, but not all details will show. So if something not there, it’s Not Given, don’t overthink it.

DEPENDENCE ON TECHNOLOGY

Reaching the moon, multiplying two 12 digit numbers instantly, searching trillions of gigabytes of information at one go has all been made possible due to technology. It has realized possibilities that would have otherwise been considered a mammoth task to complete. Imagining a life without technological devices in the vicinity is an unpleasant thought for most people. But is the dependence desirable or does it have its downside too?

In a survey conducted in the US, people were asked if society has become dependent on technology. Out of the total responses, 77% of people believed that dependence on technology has increased at an alarming rate. According to a study, 6% of school-going teenagers in China are addicted to the internet. In South Korea, the figures are likely to reach 10%. These results are not surprising. Today, if teenagers are asked the meaning of a particular word or to state their opinion on a given issue, they will instantly reach for their mobile and the internet instead of referring to a physical dictionary or a book for information. Turning pages of physical books are relatively time-consuming, but it does not necessarily mean that the much-trusted technology will always be able to deliver better.

We have improved with technology, but we have not thought of an alternative if technology does not work. The most recent examples are the outages at the New York Stock Exchange when a break-down in the system took three-and-half hours to resolve and resume trading, halting the overall pace of Wall Street. Another such example is a minor router issue at United Airlines which grounded its planes for two hours leading to 800 flight delays. These are just a couple of the many incidents of a technical outage. While the technology in use may be state-of-the-art, having a reliable backup is equally important.

Sophisticated systems in various areas such as airlines, military, or electric grids add to the convenience. However, there are inherent risks. For example, even upgraded security systems may be vulnerable to the slightest malfunction. A minor change in readings, codes, or chips with malicious intent may harm innocent people and society at large.

Online networking, a gift of advanced technology, has become a part of our daily lives and its advantages are undeniable. However, it has changed our daily interactions and can change our social structure too. Face-to-face meetings have been replaced by chats and text messages on social media. Reduced face-to-face interaction has kept smartphone users away from real-life situations. The virtual world cannot replace real-life situations that demand communication skills, problem-solving skills, tolerance, and receptivity to coexist in society. "They don't know how to handle conflict face to face because so many things happen through some sort of technology," said Melissa Ortega, a child psychologist at New York's Child Mind Institute.

Technology has improved our way of life, but it should be used only as a tool. Relying on it to an extent where a technological detox becomes next to impossible is worrying. We must be technologically advanced and not technology dependent.

Questions 1-6

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage?

Write,

YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer
NO, if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
1.People do not like the idea of living without technology.

2.Teenagers must prefer books over the internet for information.

3.We are not yet prepared for technology failures.

4.An alternative setup is always reliable.

5.Improved systems have rare security breaches.

6.People are losing social skills due to virtual communication.

1. Yes

Explanation: Paragraph 1 -  Imagining a life without technological devices in the vicinity is an unpleasant thought for most people.

2. Not Given

Explanation: Paragraph 2 mentions that nowadays, teenagers prefer the internet over books for any information, but the writer’s view regarding what must be the teenagers’ preference is not clear.

3. Yes

Explanation: Paragraph 3 - We have improved with technology, but we have not thought of an alternative if technology does not work.

4. Not Given

Explanation: Paragraph 3 states the importance of an alternative setup. While the technology in use may be state-of-the-art, having a reliable backup is equally important. However, it is not clear whether an alternative setup is always reliable.

5. No

Explanation: Paragraph 4 - Sophisticated systems ... However, there are inherent risks. For example, even upgraded security systems may be vulnerable to the slightest malfunction. A minor change in readings, codes, or chips with malicious intent may harm innocent people and society at large.

6. Yes

Explanation: Paragraph 5 - Face-to-face meetings have been replaced by chats and text messages on social media. Reduced face-to-face.

This article will help you in gaining better marks and score higher bands in the Yes,No, Not Given questions. The IELTS Reading tips and strategies mentioned have to applied to these set of questions as these can be tricky to solve.Also watch our FREE Online IELTS Videos to boost up score by preparing in detail for IELTS Exam.