Prepare for the IELTS test online with our free practice tests for the IELTS General Reading Section. Below you will find access to practice tests and exercises to help you practice and score higher on your exam.
Feel free to check out our free online IELTS Practice Tests page as well!
Free IELTS General Training Reading Practice Tests
IELTS General Training Reading Section 1
IELTS General Training Reading Section 2
IELTS General Training Reading Section 3
Free IELTS Academic Reading Practice Tests
IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test
IELTS Academic Reading Section 1
IELTS Academic Reading Section 2
IELTS Academic Reading Section 3
IELTS General Reading Samples For Task 1
The first text of the IELTS General Reading task is generally the easiest and looks at a common situation you could come across when living in a country, for example, information about buying a travel card for the train, information about joining a sports club or staying in a hotel. The goal of this part is to assess whether you could survive in an everyday situation.
Choose the best answer from four alternatives (A, B, C or D), or the best two answers from five alternatives (A, B, C, D or E), or the best three answers from seven alternatives (A, B, C, D, E, F or G).
Volunteers Wanted.
Teaching children in a village in Tanzania. Must be willing to relocate for at least one year. Free accommodation and basic allowance provided. Due to visa restrictions only under 40’s may apply. No experience necessary but applicants must be comfortable with small kids.Forum Moderator Needed Urgently.
Online Company (Part-time – Wed/Fri/Sat 5-8:00pm) Experience in Social Media essential with good computer skills. Graduate preferred. On the job training provided with experienced professionals. Promotion prospects. Send CV (with photo) to – Urban Wave, 45 Watford Down, Tynemouth.Opening for Customer Assistant.
NEW BEATS MUSIC (Full-time / Part-time) Previous service experience essential. Must have passion for music. Career development programme for those looking to get into the music industry. Salary according to experience. Call 0209-24713 for interview and inquiry.Babysitter Required.
To care for one child (four years old) on weekends 9am-3pm. No pay but meals provided. Love of children essential. Experience useful but not necessary. Ideal for someone living in the local area. Please send CV with photo attached to – [email protected]Personal Trainer at FitForm.
Fully-paid four week training course leading into full-time contract. Must be willing to work nights. No experience required except ambition. Great opportunity for secondary school leavers. Ask for more information in one of our gyms.Workshop Presenters.
Are you a published author? Keen to share your experience with others? Responsible and positive attitude. Will run creative writing workshops during the day for local residents. Classes are 30-45 minutes in length. Own transport essential. Contact – Bay Street Library between 5pm – 8pm and ask for Yvonne.Cleaning Positions Available.
SAFECOM – Security firm seeks two cleaners for its branch. Night shift five days a week. Must be able to work unsupervised, to a time limit. At least a year previous experience. No transport provided. Apply via the website.
IELTS General Reading Practice Test Sample: Task 2
The second text (IELTS General Reading) usually focuses more on surviving in the workplace. Typical subjects could include: studying evening courses, applying for a travel visa or asking for social assistance. The language is usually more formal than the language you’ll see in Task 1 and will be slightly more difficult.
The text above has seven sections.
Which one contains the following information?
Choose the correct letter (A to G) to answer.
Pros & Cons of Working from Home
A) The fact that a person can work from home means he/she can complete work at any given time or place, thus increasing productivity and optimizing time. With intensive and sometimes stressful commutes out of the equation, a telecommuter not only adds a couple of hours of productive time to their day but also avoids the chances of unforeseen traffic problems that may lead to tardiness or even missing work altogether.
B) The issue of cost-effectiveness should not be taken lightly. When fewer people are in the office it means that less space is needed, there is less electricity consumption and the company can save on paper, ink, water, coffee, and snacks as well. Some employees pay their fuel with a company credit card. Not having to drive to work will result in additional savings.
C) It is no secret that regular work at the office is often interrupted by normal interaction with co-workers, phone calls, breaks, and meetings. Although most of these interruptions are involuntary, an employee cannot manage them. The responsible worker will deal with home-interruptions and distractions by scheduling or organizing them. Those who are willing to work hard can get more work done probably even in less time than at the office.
D) This may be one of the most misunderstood of all the aspects regarding telecommuting due to the fact that many managers tend to view interruptions or distractions at home as serious obstacles for productivity. But the truth is that responsible employees will know how to organize their lives around said events whereas an impromptu meeting or responding to a boss’s summons are impossible to anticipate or work into a schedule.
E) So self-discipline is of the utmost importance. Without it, a few negative things may occur that will endanger not only performance but life/work balance as a whole. Boundaries must be set in various aspects: space limits in order to create a professional atmosphere and establish clear work environments as opposed to places for leisure and rest. Sticking to normal working hours is also essential. Being available 24/7 is detrimental to the much-needed life-work balance. Some people may over-work themselves to ensure their superiors that they are being productive.
F) The loss of interaction with colleagues and the bonds that stem from those relations is a big drawback. Everyday contact builds collaboration, trust, and support. You lose this when working from home. Sometimes random conversations at the water-cooler or coffee room will spark new or innovative ideas out of the blue. There are fewer chances of this happening when you are home alone.
G) A much-overlooked issue is that employees will be accessing a company’s network remotely with inadequate equipment and or software. Breaches in privacy and security may lead to harmful situations with costly results.
IELTS General Reading Practice Test: Task 3
IELTS General Reading Task 3 is generally about a specific article or factual information. The language and the grammar will be more challenging. You need to make sure you have at least 20 minutes to spend on Task 3.
Select the letters of the correct paragraphs/sections for each question.
Simple Ways to Tackle Working from Home
About 1.5 million work from home in the UK alone, and it’s becoming more and more popular all the time. Whilst there are some perks to working from home, such as not having the morning commute – feeling stress, anxiety and uncertainty is also completely normal.
A) Without steady schedules, the distinction between work and personal time can get blurred and be stressful to get right. Try to follow your normal sleep and work patterns where you can and stay consistent. Get up at the same time, eat breakfast, and get out of your pyjamas. Most importantly, when your workday stops, stop working. Shut down, stop checking emails and focus on your home life. And at the end of the day, try to get to bed at your usual time. Like any other way of working consistency is key.
B) When we live and work in the same environment, it can create anxiety and stop us from focusing. If you can, find a cosy area away from other people and distractions like the TV. Then, get everything you need in one place, before you start work and shut the door. Even in a small or shared space, try to designate an area as your personal areas. Lastly, get comfortable. While it might be tempting to sit on the sofa, it’s much better to sit at a desk or table. If you do not have office furniture like an adjustable chair, try using cushions to support you in your chair.
C) Although it may seem like a convenient time to catch up on chores around the house, you may end up getting distracted. Now’s not the time to start a load of laundry or do the dishes as these prevent you from being productive. You would not be doing them if you were at work so don’t do them now. The same goes for everything else. If you prepare lunch the night before work do the same at home so you don’t get distracted in the kitchen.
D) Of course, sometimes working at home can make us feel like we have to be available for work at our desks all the time. Making time for breaks is important to help manage feelings of stress. Try to take regular breaks from the computer screen so you feel more focused when you return. Even just 5 to 10 minutes of short breaks each hour can help make you more productive.
E) Working from home also means you might be spending a lot more time without moving your body which can lead to a build-up of stress and anxiety. You can invest in a standing desk if you prefer to work on your feet, but otherwise make sure to stand up regularly to stretch or move around. If you’ve gained an extra hour or two from not commuting, take the opportunity to exercise by working out at home.
F) Remote working also leads many of us to spend more time inside than we normally do. But this shouldn’t mean you stay cooped up indoors all day. While you might not miss your daily commute, it does guarantee that you leave the house at least once during the day. If possible, take time to go for a walk or run in the park. A different perspective will also help undo mental blocks and give you a fresh pair of eyes for any tasks you’re struggling with.
G) Feeling isolated is completely natural for most people when working from home. But there are lots of ways to stay in touch with those who matter. Schedule video calls and pick up the phone instead of emailing. If you’re struggling with working at home then speak to your colleagues or manager about your concerns. Ask how they’re doing and whether there are ways you can support each other.
H) If you are a parent, it can be difficult to get work done with your children at home. Still, it’s not impossible if you plan ahead and have some flexibility. If you have someone that can help out like a family member, you’ll be able to get the most amount of work done. If your partner also works from home, you both can take turns between watching the kids and working.
I) However, setting boundaries with other members of your household is key to mental wellbeing while working at home. It’s a good idea to have a discussion about your needs, especially with your children. Remind them that you still have work to do and need quiet time to do it and share your schedule. Similarly, set boundaries with work. It’s easier to answer work emails late into the night when your home is your office but try to switch off from work when your regular day finishes and remember it’s your home.
Prepare for the IELTS Reading Test Online With GlobalExam
GlobalExam is an online plateforme which is devoted 100% to language test preparation. We have lots of resources which are designed to make sure you’re as ready as possible the day of the test! After all, the secret to a good test result is targeted preparation. You have practice exercises with answer sheets not only for the Reading section, but for all parts of the test. You can even add the date of your test and your target score, and we’ll provide you with a study programme to help you get the result you’re after.
We have vocabulary and grammar files, complete practice tests, and helpful videos to help you prepare. You can even follow your progress with our useful statistics section which shows you how long you’ve studied and on what parts of the test. Learning english language is not an easy task but necessary if you wish to work or study in an english speaking country.
By using the tools provided, becoming familiar with the test and doing some practice tests, your target score will be much easier to reach. Now that you have practiced the IELTS General Reading, you can start training for all sections with practice tests as for all sections of the IELTS General Training.
