Collins IELTS 3 Academic Reading Test 2
3 passages · 40 questions · 60 minutes
Moon base
On 16 July 1969, two American astronauts, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, made the first landing on the Moon when the Eagle lunar module touched down in the Sea of Tranquility and Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface. At that time, it seemed almost impossible that humans would not colonise the Moon in the near future but the cost of sending people to live there was just too great. Instead, individual national space agencies have been sending robots called orbiters and rovers in place of humans. These are able to bring back and transmit a huge amount of data to help us understand the Moon better and then colonise it.
Although it is difficult to take people back to the Moon, it is not impossible. We can transport people but the logistical challenge of keeping them there is a very different thing. However, we have two of the components necessary to make this work: power from the Sun and minerals on the Moon itself. Scientists and researchers are already busy in laboratories and simulation facilities on Earth, testing their ideas for a lunar base.
The most fundamental requirement for keeping people on the Moon is oxygen, a component of the air we breathe. Fortunately, the surface of the Moon is covered with rocks and lunar soil known as regolith, which is 42-45% oxygen. Harvesting the oxygen from the regolith will be very energy intensive, but the American space agency NASA has developed and tested robots capable of doing this. Oxygen is, of course, one of the components needed to produce water, the next vital requirement for sustaining life. The other component of water is hydrogen, but because hydrogen is not present on the Moon as a free chemical, there are two options. Either we take it to the Moon in liquid form or we extract it from water. In 2018 NASA confirmed that water is indeed present on the Moon in the form of ice at the lunar poles. It is estimated that there could be 10 billion tons of water there. Some of the water would be used to sustain life, but most of it would be converted into fuel by electrolysing it into its constituent parts: oxygen and hydrogen. Electrolysis, however, requires a great deal of energy and this will need to be sourced from the Sun.
A town in Norway, Rjukan, has given scientists a lead on how to do this. Rjukan used to lack sunlight for long periods of time until giant solar mirrors were positioned on high points above the town in order to reflect sunlight down into it. On the Moon, water could be obtained by reflecting sunlight onto ice within the craters from giant reflectors positioned at high points or mountains near the craters. The melted water could then be moved to a processing plant, where it would be split into hydrogen and oxygen using solar electricity. The hydrogen could then be used to fuel vehicles or fed to fuel cells to supply energy to the lunar base, and the oxygen could be used in the air supply. As well as being used to obtain water, the Sun's energy could also be used to provide power to the base. Lunar soil contains almost all the minerals necessary to build solar panels and in theory, the potential to harvest solar electricity is unlimited. However, because the lunar night lasts for 354 hours, it is important to place solar panels in regions of the Moon that receive the most sunlight. Fortunately, the Moon's poles get sunlight 75-80% of the time and this is also where ice is located, making the poles ideal places to establish the base station.
What will the Moon base be constructed from? The Moon's surface is constantly bombarded by cosmic radiation and small asteroids because it has no protecting atmosphere or magnetic field. This makes it a dangerous place to live so shelter is vital. There are three options. One would be to build a Moon base on Earth and transport it to the Moon via a spaceship in lunar orbit, but the costs of doing this would be prohibitive. A better solution would be to make bricks from the lunar soil. Architects in Vienna have already shown that such bricks can be used to form walls and domes, and it is thought that they would be strong enough to stand up to moonquakes. A third option would be to use caves and geographical features such as crater walls as shelters. Researchers in the Canary Islands are currently practising how to explore lunar caves by driving rovers into caves and tubes formed by volcanic lava.
Humans have not been on the Moon for decades, but preparations to establish a base there are now well under way, and lessons learned from a future Moon base will help us to explore even further: Mars, Europa and beyond.
Questions 1–5
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?
TRUEif the statement agrees with the information
FALSEif the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVENif there is no information on this
1. In the late 1960s it seemed likely that humans would build a city on the Moon.
2. Machines are able to send large amounts of information about the Moon back to Earth.
3. It is difficult to take people to the Moon and bring them back safely.
4. Solar power and lunar minerals make it possible to establish a base on the Moon.
5. Tests to see if a lunar base is possible are taking place on the Moon.
Questions 6–9
Complete each sentence with the correct ending, A-G, below.
6. It will not be necessary to transport supplies from Earth to build and sustain a Moon base because
A they would be cheaper to manufacture on the Moon.
B this has already been done successfully with robots.
C it is quite easy to duplicate on the Moon.
D resources found on the Moon could be used instead.
E it is composed of oxygen and hydrogen.
F they have already been tested on Earth.
G it will be needed to fuel vehicles and power a Moon base.
7. We know that we can extract oxygen from lunar rocks because
A they would be cheaper to manufacture on the Moon.
B this has already been done successfully with robots.
C it is quite easy to duplicate on the Moon.
D resources found on the Moon could be used instead.
E it is composed of oxygen and hydrogen.
F they have already been tested on Earth.
G it will be needed to fuel vehicles and power a Moon base.
8. Hydrogen will have to be extracted from ice on the Moon because
A they would be cheaper to manufacture on the Moon.
B this has already been done successfully with robots.
C it is quite easy to duplicate on the Moon.
D resources found on the Moon could be used instead.
E it is composed of oxygen and hydrogen.
F they have already been tested on Earth.
G it will be needed to fuel vehicles and power a Moon base.
9. We know that some of the techniques needed to establish a Moon base will work because
A they would be cheaper to manufacture on the Moon.
B this has already been done successfully with robots.
C it is quite easy to duplicate on the Moon.
D resources found on the Moon could be used instead.
E it is composed of oxygen and hydrogen.
F they have already been tested on Earth.
G it will be needed to fuel vehicles and power a Moon base.
Questions 10–13
Complete the summary below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from paragraph 4 for each answer.
10. New techniques, for example, the use of mirrors to light the town of Rjukan in Norway, can be applied on the Moon. Sunlight could be …………………………
11. onto the Moon's ice to melt it. The water could then be split into hydrogen and oxygen, and the hydrogen could be used as …………………………
12. . Lunar soil contains the minerals needed to make …………………………
13. to generate electricity. In order to collect sunlight during the lunar night, these would be located at the ………………………….
Question 14
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
14. Which option for shelter is NOT mentioned in paragraph 5?
A taking radiation proof shelters to the Moon
B staying on a spaceship in orbit around the Moon
C using materials found on the Moon's surface to make bricks
D finding shelter in natural features such as crater walls and lunar caves
Peer to peer banking
In 1994 Microsoft's founder, Bill Gates, said that although banking is necessary, banks are not. At a time when many traditional institutions and ways of doing things are changing, banking is changing too. There are now new ways of accessing loans and lending money. Thanks to the rise of alternative finance, people can raise and invest money outside the traditional banking system and the regulations and rules that banks have to follow. This has taken many forms, such as crowdfunding, revenue-based finance and peer to peer finance. Crowdfunding is when specific projects raise money by asking a large number of people to invest a small amount of money in return for shares. In revenue-based finance, investors provide money to a company in return for a fixed percentage of the earnings. Peer to peer (P2P) banking also bypasses traditional banks by helping individuals give direct loans to other individuals. Prior to these financial vehicles, it was difficult to invest in new companies without having a considerable amount of money.
In traditional banking, an institution usually works as a financial middleman, regulating the transactions between lenders and borrowers. The banks check the financial status and credit rating of the lender and offer security to the borrower. A credit rating is a score given to an individual that measures how risky it is to lend to that person, based on a prediction of their ability to pay back their loan. P2P banking, on the other hand, works without the traditional checks offered by the banking system. The process is relatively simple. If someone is interested in borrowing money, they complete an online application form on a P2P lending company platform. The online P2P organisation assesses the application and the credit rating of the person making the application. At this point, an interest rate at which the applicant can borrow money is assigned to them. When the application is approved, the applicant is given various options for borrowing and paying back the money and can choose among them. The interesting development here is that, depending on the platform, the investor and the lender are able to select their preferred client depending on the conditions that are on offer. The borrower then makes monthly repayments that include the added interest on the loan. The company that owns the online platform charges a fee to both borrowers and lenders for the services it provides and this is how it generates its profit - almost like a dating agency matching the suitability of the people involved.
Because P2P banks are online, they do not have to pay for a physical high street presence, which can be expensive. Nor do they need to have large teams of staff because lenders and borrowers are matched using a computer algorithm that assesses the credit status of each party. Consequently, the savings made can then be passed to their customers through better interest rates or reduced fees for their services.
Two indicators of the success of P2P banks are their wide customer base and the accuracy of their credit rating processes. P2P companies assess credit worthiness through their own artificial intelligence software, which takes hundreds or thousands of factors into account when someone applies for a loan. This process is done though analysing big data - the process of examining huge amounts of information to make decisions. The good news for P2P lenders is that so far, the number of bad debts has been relatively low. This is a key point in a process that relies on trust or the knowledge that if you lend money, you will get it back, plus more, after a period of time. This is significant because P2P banks do not have the same financial guarantees that governments require traditional banks to offer. They also do not have the same capital reserves that allow savers or investors to get their money back if the P2P bank fails.
The loan/investment model developed by P2P banks enables them to reach people who would not normally qualify for a loan from a traditional bank or who would not normally consider themselves to be an investor. For example, if a small business does not meet the narrow rules for borrowing from a traditional bank, they may be able to get a loan through P2P; and potential investors are finding the higher rates of interest attractive. Because of this, consumers now have more choice about where they invest and borrow, and traditional banks face a threat to their business.
So, what is the future for banking and P2P financial platforms? Possibly a lot will depend on the question of trust mentioned before. Big banks still have the advantages of large cash reserves, legal backing and government guarantees - all the safeguards not available to people putting their money into P2P banks. But for people with limited access to money and small businesses struggling to find financing, P2P lending is already changing the way people bank. Traditional banks will have to think about their response to competition from P2P banking, but for P2P companies the future looks full of opportunities in financial sectors such as insurance, house purchasing, loans for students, and so on.
Questions 15–17
Complete each sentence with the correct ending, A-G, below.
15. The availability of alternative finance means that people can now raise money even if they do not meet
A new companies.
B the process of making loans and investments.
C a lot of money to buy shares in safe companies.
D the traditional structures of banks.
E the requirements traditional banks ask for.
F a fixed percentage.
G companies that are too risky to invest in.
16. Alternative finance allows individuals with limited finances to invest in
A new companies.
B the process of making loans and investments.
C a lot of money to buy shares in safe companies.
D the traditional structures of banks.
E the requirements traditional banks ask for.
F a fixed percentage.
G companies that are too risky to invest in.
17. One of the roles of traditional banks is to manage and check
A new companies.
B the process of making loans and investments.
C a lot of money to buy shares in safe companies.
D the traditional structures of banks.
E the requirements traditional banks ask for.
F a fixed percentage.
G companies that are too risky to invest in.
Questions 18–22
Complete the flow-chart below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
How P2P lending works
Someone wants to borrow money.
↓
The potential borrower (18) ………………………… to the P2P bank.
↓
The P2P bank assesses the risk and (19) ………………………… of the borrower and assigns an interest rate to the amount they want to borrow.
↓
Depending on the P2P bank, the borrower and lender are able to choose a (20) ………………………… according to the options available to them.
↓
The borrower decides on an option for (21) ………………………… the amount.
↓
The P2P bank charges both the borrower and the lender a (22) ………………………….
Questions 23–24
Choose TWO letters, A-D. Which TWO advantages of P2P banks are mentioned by the writer of the text?
23. Advantage selection (lower letter)
A P2P banks save money by not having buildings on the high street.
B The number of bad debts for P2P banks has been lower than traditional banks.
C P2P banks are not in competition with traditional banks.
D P2P banks do not need a lot of staff because they use other means to assess credit risk.
24. Advantage selection (higher letter)
A P2P banks save money by not having buildings on the high street.
B The number of bad debts for P2P banks has been lower than traditional banks.
C P2P banks are not in competition with traditional banks.
D P2P banks do not need a lot of staff because they use other means to assess credit risk.
Questions 25–26
Choose TWO letters, A-D. Which TWO advantages of traditional banks are mentioned by the writer of the text?
25. Advantage selection (lower letter)
A Traditional banks have a wider customer base.
B Governments make traditional banks guarantee savings, so customers can be sure most of their money is safe.
C Traditional banks have large reserves of cash.
D Traditional banks have attractive rates of interest for borrowers and lenders.
26. Advantage selection (higher letter)
A Traditional banks have a wider customer base.
B Governments make traditional banks guarantee savings, so customers can be sure most of their money is safe.
C Traditional banks have large reserves of cash.
D Traditional banks have attractive rates of interest for borrowers and lenders.
The long-distance navigators
[A] Every year between late July and October, the Arctic tern leaves its breeding grounds in the Arctic and flies over 19,000 kilometres to the Antarctic. The bird therefore sees two summers a year, once in the northern hemisphere and then again in the southern hemisphere. The Arctic tern is by no means the only bird to undertake long journeys. It is estimated that one in five bird species migrates, a feat that requires great endurance, stamina and strength. The migration patterns of birds are not random. They are very precise and follow flight routes called flyways, which connect a bird's breeding grounds with its wintering grounds, and they include stopovers for food and rest. The Americas Flyway, for example, is the route that birds take from their North American breeding grounds to wintering places in the Caribbean and South America, and the African-Eurasian Flyway connects breeding grounds in Europe and northern Asia with wintering grounds in Africa. Migration is largely driven by the weather and the availability of food. Birds in the southern hemisphere fly north, and birds in the northern hemisphere go south, seeking food and places to mate and rear their young.
[B] Birds have a variety of methods by which they are able to find their way across these flyways year in, year out. It seems that birds employ different geopositioning strategies according to the conditions encountered during migration. They seem able to use the position of the sun and stars, the Earth's magnetic field, smells and even landmarks to find their way, depending on which is available to them during the journey.
[C] When the chicks of migrating birds are born, they imprint, or intuitively learn, the map of the sky and stars as they grow in order to orientate themselves. In one famous experiment, Stephen Emlen placed Indigo buntings in a planetarium, where patterns of stars and planets are projected onto the ceiling. When the stars were projected in different positions, the birds changed position according to the new sky map, thus showing their awareness of the position of the stars.
[D] Obviously, birds cannot use a sky map when the weather is overcast so they must have other means to guide them on their journey. One possibility is that they use the Earth's magnetic field. How they do this is a mystery because the field is so weak. However, experiments have pointed to evidence that birds use the magnetic field in two ways. Researchers have discovered receptors, or chemicals, in their retinas and it is thought that these enable birds to sense the direction of the magnetic north. When these chemicals are exposed to light, they generate electrons that are sensitive to magnetism. If this is the case, north and south could look different to migratory birds, in effect allowing them to 'see' the magnetic field. Other researchers suggest that that birds can also sense magnetism using a molecule called magnetite. Magnetite contains iron and orientates to the north like the needle on a compass. Scientists have found magnetite on the beak of some birds and nerves that carry information about the magnetic field to their brain so that the birds can in effect 'feel' the magnetism. It seems that birds are able to sense the strength of the magnetic field, which is stronger at the poles and weaker at the equator. Traces of magnetite have also been found in humans but our ability to sense magnetic currents is far less developed than in other animals.
[E] There is also some evidence that birds use their sense of smell to find their way across long distances. Researchers in the UK, Spain and Italy experimented on seabirds by temporarily blocking their sense of smell using chemicals and then tracking their paths home. The birds could find their way normally when they approached land where aromas and odours are present but were less efficient at finding their direction over the sea, suggesting that smell is very important for them in piloting their routes.
[F] Visual clues have long been thought to be a navigational tool for birds. 'Previewing' experiments, where birds were allowed or denied visual access to a familiar site before releasing them, indicated that they use a 'familiar area map'. It seems that birds may build up a visual memory of landmarks that allows them to successfully navigate around places they have already visited. Birds that migrate in daylight often follow natural features like mountains, rivers and lakes. It has even been suggested that they follow man-made features such as roads.
Questions 27–31
Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.
List of Headings:
i. Bird migration and their routes
ii. Memorising the sky for migration purposes
iii. Using the Earth's magnetic field to navigate
iv. Humans sense Earth's magnetism like birds
v. Studies show that birds get lost over the ocean
vi. Evidence shows birds use scents to guide them
vii. Ways used to navigate migration routes
viii. Familiar places guide birds across the land
ix. The navigation strategy most used by birds
27. Paragraph B:
28. Paragraph C:
29. Paragraph D:
30. Paragraph E:
31. Paragraph F:
Questions 32–40
Complete the notes below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Research and experiments
Imprinting
• Experiment took place in a (32) ………………………….
• Birds aligned themselves to the (33) ………………………… when it was changed.
Magnetic field
• Chemicals in birds' (34) ………………………… become sensitive to magnetism.
• The chemicals become sensitive to magnetism when exposed to (35) ………………………….
• As a result, north and south appear (36) ………………………… to birds.
• Magnetite found on the (37) ………………………… of birds.
• Magnetite allows birds to sense strength of magnetic field.
Smell
• Researchers blocked birds' sense of smell with (38) ………………………….
• Birds were less (39) ………………………… at navigating over the sea.
Previewing
• Preventing (40) ………………………… to familiar places showed birds use natural features to navigate.
Answers
1. Not Given
2. True
3. Not Given
4. True
5. False
6. resources found on the Moon could be used instead.
7. this has already been done successfully with robots.
8. it will be needed to fuel vehicles and power a Moon base.
9. they have already been tested on Earth.
10. reflected
11. fuel
12. solar panels
13. poles
14. staying on a spaceship in orbit around the Moon
15. the requirements traditional banks ask for.
16. new companies.
17. the process of making loans and investments.
18. applies
19. credit rating
20. client
21. paying back
22. fee
23. P2P banks save money by not having buildings on the high street.
24. P2P banks do not need a lot of staff because they use other means to assess credit risk.
25. Governments make traditional banks guarantee savings, so customers can be sure most of their money is safe.
26. Traditional banks have large reserves of cash.
27. vii
28. ii
29. iii
30. vi
31. viii
32. planetarium
33. sky map
34. retinas
35. light
36. different
37. beak
38. chemicals
39. efficient
40. visual access
Explanations
- 1. Not Given
- The passage states it seemed almost impossible that humans would not colonise the Moon (i.e. colonisation seemed likely), but it never specifically mentions building a 'city'. Paraphrase: 'Colonisation seemed probable, but the specific idea of a city is not mentioned.' Distractor analysis: True would require the passage to mention a city; False would require it to say colonisation was unlikely — neither happens.Common trap: Not Given trap — a specific detail ('city') is assumed from a broader statement about colonisation.
- 2. True
- The passage says robots (orbiters and rovers) are able to bring back and transmit a huge amount of data. Paraphrase: 'Robots can gather and send back extensive lunar data.' Distractor analysis: False would contradict the 'huge amount' statement; Not Given would apply if not mentioned, but it is stated directly.Common trap: None significant — the answer is directly stated.
- 3. Not Given
- The passage says it is difficult to take people to the Moon, but it never mentions bringing them back safely, which is a different aspect of the journey. Paraphrase: 'Transporting people there is difficult, but the return trip is not discussed.' Distractor analysis: True would require the passage to mention the return journey; False would require it to say the trip is easy.Common trap: Not Given trap — a plausible additional detail (the return journey) is never actually discussed.
- 4. True
- The passage explicitly states that we have two necessary components: power from the Sun and minerals on the Moon itself. Paraphrase: 'Sun energy and Moon minerals provide what is needed.' Distractor analysis: False would contradict this direct statement.Common trap: None significant — the answer is directly stated.
- 5. False
- The passage says scientists are testing their ideas in laboratories and simulation facilities on Earth, not on the Moon. Paraphrase: 'Testing is happening on Earth, not on the Moon itself.' Distractor analysis: True would contradict the 'on Earth' statement directly.Common trap: Location-substitution trap — the statement swaps the actual testing location (Earth) for the Moon.
- 6. resources found on the Moon could be used instead.
- The passage states that we have two of the components necessary to make this work: power from the Sun and minerals on the Moon itself. Paraphrase: 'Moon resources will replace the need for Earth supplies.' Distractor analysis: 'cheaper to manufacture' is not mentioned; 'easy to duplicate' is not stated.Common trap: None significant — the answer is directly supported.
- 7. this has already been done successfully with robots.
- NASA has developed and tested robots capable of harvesting oxygen from regolith. Paraphrase: 'Robotic tests have already proven oxygen extraction works.' Distractor analysis: 'cheaper to manufacture' is not mentioned; 'tested on Earth' is too general and not the specific reason given for this claim.Common trap: Near-match trap — 'tested on Earth' (option F) is a plausible-sounding but less specific alternative to the actual reason (robots proven it works).
- 8. it will be needed to fuel vehicles and power a Moon base.
- Hydrogen is needed to fuel vehicles and to supply energy to the lunar base via fuel cells. Paraphrase: 'Hydrogen is essential for transportation and energy generation.' Distractor analysis: 'composed of oxygen and hydrogen' (option E) actually describes water, the source, not the reason hydrogen must be extracted.Common trap: Object-vs-reason trap — option E describes water (the substance hydrogen is extracted from), not the reason for extracting it.
- 9. they have already been tested on Earth.
- Scientists and researchers are testing their ideas in laboratories and simulation facilities on Earth. Paraphrase: 'Earth-based tests have confirmed the techniques are viable.' Distractor analysis: 'done successfully with robots' (option B) refers specifically to oxygen extraction, not the general set of techniques.Common trap: Scope-confusion trap — option B is true of one specific technique (oxygen extraction), not the general claim being made here.
- 10. reflected
- Giant reflectors would reflect sunlight onto the ice within craters. Paraphrase: 'Mirrors would bounce sunlight onto the ice.' Distractor analysis: 'shone' is a plausible synonym, but the exact word used in the passage is 'reflected'.Common trap: Synonym trap — a near-synonym is tempting but not the exact passage word.
- 11. fuel
- Hydrogen would be used to fuel vehicles or supply energy through fuel cells. Paraphrase: 'Hydrogen would serve as an energy source for transport and power.' Distractor analysis: 'energy' is mentioned nearby, but the exact word required here is 'fuel'.Common trap: Near-synonym trap — 'energy' appears nearby but is not the exact word required.
- 12. solar panels
- Lunar soil contains the minerals necessary to build solar panels. Paraphrase: 'Moon dirt has what's needed to construct solar collectors.' Distractor analysis: 'panels' alone is incomplete; the exact phrase required is 'solar panels'.Common trap: Incomplete-phrase trap — the bare word 'panels' is tempting but the full two-word phrase is required.
- 13. poles
- The Moon's poles get sunlight 75-80% of the time, making them ideal locations. Paraphrase: 'The poles receive the most consistent sunlight.' Distractor analysis: 'craters' is mentioned nearby in a different context (where ice and reflectors are), but the location for solar panels specifically is the poles.Common trap: Context-confusion trap — 'craters', mentioned nearby for a different purpose, could be wrongly substituted here.
- 14. staying on a spaceship in orbit around the Moon
- The passage mentions building a base on Earth and transporting it to the Moon, making bricks from lunar soil, and using caves or crater walls — but never suggests permanently sheltering people aboard a spaceship in orbit. Paraphrase: 'The listed shelter options do not include living aboard an orbiting spacecraft.'Common trap: Role-confusion trap — the spaceship is mentioned as a transport method, not a shelter option, but could be mistaken for one.
- 15. the requirements traditional banks ask for.
- P2P banking reaches people who would not normally qualify for a loan from a traditional bank. Paraphrase: 'People can borrow even if they fail to meet traditional bank criteria.' Distractor analysis: 'companies that are too risky to invest in' (option G) is not mentioned; 'traditional structures of banks' (option D) is not the specific requirement referred to.Common trap: None significant — the answer is directly supported.
- 16. new companies.
- Previously it was difficult to invest in new companies without a considerable amount of money; alternative finance changes that. Paraphrase: 'People can now back startups with smaller sums.' Distractor analysis: 'companies too risky to invest in' (option G) is not stated; option C is essentially the opposite of the point being made.Common trap: None significant — the answer is directly supported.
- 17. the process of making loans and investments.
- Traditional banks act as financial middlemen, regulating the transactions between lenders and borrowers. Paraphrase: 'Banks oversee the lending and borrowing process.' Distractor analysis: 'new companies' (option A) relates to investment opportunities, not the bank's regulatory role; option G is not mentioned.Common trap: None significant — the answer is directly supported.
- 18. applies
- Someone interested in borrowing completes an online application on a P2P platform. Paraphrase: 'They submit an application.' Distractor analysis: 'submits' is a plausible synonym, but the exact word used in the passage is 'applies'.Common trap: Synonym trap — a near-synonym is tempting but not the exact passage word.
- 19. credit rating
- The P2P company assesses the application and the credit rating of the applicant. Paraphrase: 'They evaluate the applicant's creditworthiness.' Distractor analysis: 'credit status' is mentioned elsewhere in the passage, but the exact phrase used in this specific sentence is 'credit rating'.Common trap: Near-synonym trap — 'credit status' appears elsewhere in the passage but is not the exact phrase used here.
- 20. client
- Investors and lenders can select their preferred client based on the conditions offered. Paraphrase: 'They can pick their preferred borrower.' Distractor analysis: 'borrower' is a plausible-sounding alternative, but the exact word used in the passage is 'client'.Common trap: Near-synonym trap — 'borrower' is plausible but not the exact passage word.
- 21. paying back
- The applicant is given various options for borrowing and paying back the money. Paraphrase: 'They choose how to repay the loan.' Distractor analysis: 'repaying' is a plausible synonym, but the exact phrase used in the passage is 'paying back'.Common trap: Synonym trap — a near-synonym is tempting but not the exact passage phrase.
- 22. fee
- The platform charges a fee to both borrowers and lenders for its services. Paraphrase: 'Both sides pay a charge.' Distractor analysis: 'service charge' is a plausible paraphrase, but the exact word used in the passage is 'fee'.Common trap: Synonym trap — a near-synonym is tempting but not the exact passage word.
- 23. P2P banks save money by not having buildings on the high street.
- The passage states that because P2P banks are online, they do not have to pay for a physical high street presence, and they do not need large teams of staff because algorithms match lenders and borrowers. Paraphrase: 'P2P banks have lower overheads — no branches and fewer staff.'Common trap: Unsupported-comparison trap — option B implies a direct comparison with traditional banks that the passage never actually makes.
- 24. P2P banks do not need a lot of staff because they use other means to assess credit risk.
- See the explanation for the paired question above — this option is the higher-indexed correct answer of the pair.Common trap: Unsupported-comparison trap — option B implies a direct comparison with traditional banks that the passage never actually makes.
- 25. Governments make traditional banks guarantee savings, so customers can be sure most of their money is safe.
- The passage states that big banks have the advantages of large cash reserves, legal backing and government guarantees. Paraphrase: 'Big banks have official protection and financial buffers.'Common trap: Reversed-advantage trap — option D attributes an advantage of P2P banks (higher rates) to traditional banks instead.
- 26. Traditional banks have large reserves of cash.
- See the explanation for the paired question above — this option is the higher-indexed correct answer of the pair.Common trap: Reversed-advantage trap — option D attributes an advantage of P2P banks (higher rates) to traditional banks instead.
- 27. vii
- Section B summarises the various navigation methods: sun, stars, magnetic field, smells, and landmarks. Paraphrase: 'This section lists the different strategies birds employ.' Distractor analysis: ix (strategy most used) is not stated — no single strategy is identified as most used.Common trap: Fabricated-detail trap — ix implies a ranking of strategies that the passage never actually makes.
- 28. ii
- Section C describes how chicks imprint the sky map and the planetarium experiment. Paraphrase: 'This section is about learning the stars as a navigational guide.' Distractor analysis: iv (Humans sense magnetism) is not mentioned in this section at all.Common trap: None significant — the answer is directly supported by unique content.
- 29. iii
- Section D discusses how birds use the magnetic field, including receptors in retinas and magnetite. Paraphrase: 'This section focuses on magnetic sensing as a navigation tool.' Distractor analysis: iv (Humans sense magnetism) — humans are mentioned only briefly at the end; the main topic is birds, not humans.Common trap: Partial-information trap — iv latches onto a minor closing detail (humans) rather than the section's main topic.
- 30. vi
- Section E presents research evidence — experiments in the UK, Spain and Italy that temporarily blocked seabirds' sense of smell — showing that scent helps guide birds, especially near the coast. Paraphrase: 'Experiments confirm that smell helps birds find their way.' Distractor analysis: v ('Studies show that birds get lost over the ocean') is a tempting near-match because the section notes birds were less efficient over the sea, but the section's actual point is that smell aids navigation near land, not that birds become lost at sea.Common trap: Near-match trap — heading v describes a superficially similar detail (reduced efficiency over the sea) but misrepresents the section's actual finding about the role of scent.
- 31. viii
- Section F discusses visual clues, landmarks, and 'familiar area maps'. Paraphrase: 'This section covers how birds use known features to navigate over land.' Distractor analysis: vi (Evidence birds use scents) describes Section E, not F.Common trap: Topic-recurrence trap — vi describes the adjacent section (E) on smell, not this section on visual landmarks.
- 32. planetarium
- Emlen placed birds in a planetarium with projected stars. Paraphrase: 'The experiment was conducted in a star-projection theatre.' Distractor analysis: 'observatory' is a plausible-sounding alternative but not the exact word used.Common trap: Near-synonym trap — 'observatory' is plausible but not the exact passage word.
- 33. sky map
- When star patterns were projected differently, the birds adjusted according to the new sky map. Paraphrase: 'They reoriented based on the altered star chart.' Distractor analysis: 'stars' alone is related but the exact phrase used is 'sky map'.Common trap: Incomplete-phrase trap — 'stars' alone is tempting but the full two-word phrase is required.
- 34. retinas
- Researchers have found chemicals in birds' retinas that enable them to sense magnetic north. Paraphrase: 'The receptors are located in the eye's retina.' Distractor analysis: 'eyes' is related but the exact word used in the passage is 'retinas'.Common trap: Near-synonym trap — 'eyes' is a broader, plausible term but not the exact passage word.
- 35. light
- The chemicals generate electrons sensitive to magnetism when exposed to light. Paraphrase: 'Light triggers the magnetic sensitivity.' Distractor analysis: 'sunlight' is implied but the exact word used in the passage is 'light'.Common trap: Near-synonym trap — 'sunlight' is a plausible but overly specific alternative to the exact passage word.
- 36. different
- If the chemicals work this way, north and south could look different to migratory birds. Paraphrase: 'They may perceive the poles as visually distinct.' Distractor analysis: 'distinct' is a plausible synonym, but the exact word used in the passage is 'different'.Common trap: Synonym trap — a near-synonym is tempting but not the exact passage word.
- 37. beak
- Scientists have found magnetite on the beak of some birds. Paraphrase: 'The magnetic mineral is located on the bill.' Distractor analysis: 'mouth' is not the exact word; the passage uses 'beak'.Common trap: Near-synonym trap — 'mouth' is a plausible but incorrect substitute for the exact passage word.
- 38. chemicals
- Researchers temporarily blocked smell using chemicals. Paraphrase: 'They used substances to inhibit the birds' sense of smell.' Distractor analysis: 'odours' are what the birds smell, not the substance used to block them.Common trap: Role-confusion trap — 'odours' names what is being blocked, not the substance used to block it.
- 39. efficient
- Birds were less efficient at finding their direction over the sea when their sense of smell was blocked. Paraphrase: 'Their navigation performance dropped over open water.' Distractor analysis: 'effective' is a plausible synonym, but the exact word used in the passage is 'efficient'.Common trap: Synonym trap — a near-synonym is tempting but not the exact passage word.
- 40. visual access
- 'Previewing' experiments allowed or denied visual access to familiar sites before release. Paraphrase: 'Blocking sight of known areas demonstrated the use of landmarks.' Distractor analysis: 'access' alone is incomplete; the exact two-word phrase used in the passage is 'visual access'.Common trap: Incomplete-phrase trap — the bare word 'access' is tempting but the full two-word phrase is required.
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