IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test 1
This test consists of 3 sections and 40 questions. You have exactly 60 minutes to complete all questions. Your progress and estimated Band Score will be calculated at the end.
Section 1
Electroreception in Marine Life
Section 2
The Economics of Olympic Games
Section 3
The Physics of Time Travel
Full Test Details & Question Types
Format
Academic
Passages
3
Questions
40
Time Limit
60 min
Section 1 — Electroreception in Marine Life
An 8-paragraph science passage on how sharks, rays and other aquatic animals sense electrical signals to hunt, defend themselves and communicate. Question types: matching information to paragraphs (Q1–6), diagram/note completion (Q7–9), and sentence completion (Q10–13).
Section 2 — The Economics of Olympic Games
Two linked opinion texts on the financial costs and infrastructure legacy of hosting the Olympics. Question types: sentence completion with a bank of endings (Q14–18), True/False/Not Given (Q19–25), and multiple choice — select two answers (Q26–27).
Section 3 — The Physics of Time Travel
A passage on faster-than-light neutrinos and competing theories of time travel, including the grandfather paradox, Novikov's self-consistency principle, and the many-worlds interpretation. Question types: True/False/Not Given (Q28–33), table/note completion (Q34–39), and multiple choice (Q40).
Frequently Asked Questions
What topics are covered in IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test 1? +
This test features three academic passages: Section 1 covers Electroreception in Marine Life, Section 2 explores The Economics of Olympic Games, and Section 3 discusses The Physics of Time Travel.
Is this IELTS Reading test free? +
Yes. The full 40-question test, official 60-minute timer, instant scoring, and band score conversion are completely free with no signup required.
How is the IELTS Academic Reading band score calculated? +
Your raw score out of 40 is converted to an Academic band score between 3.5 and 9.0 using the official IELTS Academic reading conversion scale. Our system calculates this automatically when you submit the test.
How much time do I have for the IELTS Reading test? +
You have exactly 60 minutes to complete all 40 questions across the 3 passages. Unlike the Listening test, there is no extra transfer time at the end.
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