IELTS Academic Reading: Student Sample & Our Feedback

EXAM

Academic Reading - Section 1 Practice Test

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1–13, which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.

The Hidden Sense: Electroreception

A – When you open your eyes in the ocean, it’s challenging to see beyond a blurry green haze. Similarly, sounds are muddled and hard to interpret. Humans would be unable to navigate these underwater environments without specialized tools. Yet, fish appear to move effortlessly in such surroundings. This is largely due to a natural ability called electroreception – a sensory mechanism that allows them to detect and respond to electrical signals. This phenomenon is exclusive to aquatic and amphibious species because water conducts electricity effectively.

B – Electroreception comes in two forms. While all animals, including humans, produce electrical signals due to nervous system activity, some creatures possess a skill known as passive electroreception. This ability lets them sense and interpret electrical signals from other animals, helping them determine the location of these signals' sources.

C – Some animals take this a step further. Those with active electroreception have specific organs that generate electric signals as needed. These signals can serve purposes like communication during mating, marking territory, or finding objects in the water. Active electroreceptors can distinguish between different resistances encountered by their electrical currents, enabling them to identify whether a nearby creature is prey, a threat, or something to ignore. The effective range of active electroreception is usually around the length of the animal's body, providing just enough time to decide whether to escape or attack.

D – A remarkable example of active electroreception is a behavior called the Jamming Avoidance Response, observed in weakly electric fish. When two such fish encounter each other using the same signal frequency, they adjust their frequencies so that each emits a distinct one. This adjustment prevents interference between their electroreceptive abilities. Long before humans faced overlapping frequencies in radio communication, these fish had already developed a peaceful and efficient way to resolve such conflicts.

E – Electroreception also plays a vital role in self-defense for some species. For instance, ray embryos develop inside protective egg cases attached to the ocean floor. To breathe, they continuously move their tails, pumping water through the case. However, if their electroreceptors detect a predator nearby, the embryo stops moving, halting its electrical signals to avoid detection. Over time, these embryos have evolved to react specifically to the signals produced by predators like sharks, ignoring less threatening marine life.

F – Many people are hesitant to swim in the ocean because of sharks, and their concerns are somewhat valid. Humans lack effective electroreceptive defenses, whereas sharks have an exceptional ability to hunt using this sense. Sharks initially locate prey through their powerful sense of smell, which takes up a significant portion of their brainpower. As they close in, they rely on electrical signals to ensure precise attacks. This ability is so advanced that sharks can even hunt while blind, retracting their eyes to protect them during a strike.

G – When humans are bitten by sharks, it’s often a case of mistaken identity. Sharks cannot use electroreception to determine if their prey is suitable, so they rely on a "test bite" strategy, taking a bite or two to assess whether the catch is worth eating. Since human muscle is less appealing than the fatty flesh of seals, sharks often lose interest. However, if a human starts bleeding, the increased electrical activity from salt in the blood can trigger further attacks, potentially leading to a feeding frenzy. In areas prone to shark attacks, scientists are investigating artificial electroreceptors to confuse and repel sharks, enhancing swimmer safety.

H – Despite significant discoveries, much about electroreception remains unknown. While researchers have observed how this ability influences hunting, defense, and communication, the neurological processes behind these behaviors are not yet fully understood. Additionally, scientists are examining how electroreception may aid navigation. One theory suggests that salt water and the Earth's magnetic fields create electrical currents that some species, like sharks, might use to guide their long migrations.

Questions

1. Which paragraph (A-H) contains the following information: How might electroreception assist fish in reproduction?
2. Which paragraph (A-H) contains the following information: A potential way electroreception could be used to aid humans?
3. Which paragraph (A-H) contains the following information: The name for the ability to detect but not generate electrical signals?
4. Which paragraph (A-H) contains the following information: Why do only aquatic or amphibious animals possess electroreceptive abilities?
5. Which paragraph (A-H) contains the following information: How might electroreception help animals navigate across vast distances?
6. Which paragraph (A-H) contains the following information: An explanation of how certain fish avoid interfering with each other’s electric signals?

True/False/Not Given

Respond with T for True, F for False, or N for Not Given:

• Fish can see clearly underwater without relying on electroreception.
• All aquatic species use electroreception to communicate and hunt.
• Weakly electric fish alter their frequency to avoid signal interference.
• Sharks use both their sense of smell and electroreception when hunting prey.
• Electroreception helps ray embryos detect non-threatening marine creatures.

Sentence Completion

Complete the sentence below using one word only:

Sharks rely on electroreception for a precise strike when they are close to their ________.

Scientists are researching whether electroreception might play a role in animal ________.

Student's Answers

C, G, B, A, D, H

T, F, F, N, T

mouth, life

Band Score Feedback

Your Band Score: 3

Supplementary Feedback via Our Tool

Here’s an analysis of the student’s IELTS Academic Reading performance, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and providing actionable feedback for improvement:

Performance Summary

• Correct Answers: 6/13
• Incorrect Answers: 7/13
• Accuracy Rate: 46%

Strengths

• Good Understanding of Key Concepts
  • The student correctly identified answers related to passive electroreception (B), human applications of electroreception (G), and why aquatic/amphibious animals have this ability (A).
  • Their understanding of how certain fish avoid signal interference (D) was accurate.
• Effective Skimming and Scanning Skills (to an extent)
  • The student successfully located and extracted information for some paragraph-matching questions, indicating they can identify specific details in the text.
• Some Success in True/False/Not Given Questions
  • The student correctly identified that weakly electric fish alter their frequency (T).
  • The question on whether electroreception helps ray embryos detect non-threatening marine creatures (F) was also answered correctly.

Areas for Improvement & Recommendations

1. Paragraph Matching Errors (Questions 5 & 6)

• Mistakes:
  • Q5: The student chose D instead of H when asked about navigation.
  • Q6: The student correctly answered D about frequency adjustments in fish.
• Issue: The student needs to focus on locating where broader concepts like migration/navigation are discussed. Paragraph H explicitly mentions the possibility of sharks using electroreception for navigation, but the student missed this.
• Solution:
  • ✅ Use Keywords Strategically
  • When faced with a question about "navigation," scan the passage for words like "migrate," "travel," or "move long distances."
  • Practice underlining key topic words in passages before answering.

2. True/False/Not Given Mistakes (Questions 7, 8, & 10)

• Mistakes:
  • Q7: The student answered T (True), but the correct answer is F (False). The passage states that humans struggle with vision underwater, meaning fish likely rely on other senses.
  • Q8: The student answered F (False), but the correct answer is N (Not Given). The passage does not say all aquatic species use electroreception.
  • Q10: The student answered N (Not Given), but the correct answer is T (True). The passage explicitly states that sharks use both smell and electroreception when hunting.
• Issue:
  • The student assumed information that wasn’t clearly stated in the passage.
  • They struggled with distinguishing between False (contradicted) and Not Given (no information provided).
• Solution:
  • ✅ Differentiate "False" vs. "Not Given"
  • False (F): The passage contradicts the statement.
  • Not Given (N): The passage does not mention the statement.
  • If unsure, do not assume information that is not directly stated in the text.

3. Sentence Completion Mistakes (Questions 12 & 13)

• Mistakes:
  • Q12: The student wrote "mouth," but the correct word is "prey."
  • Q13: The student wrote "life," but the correct word is "navigation."
• Issue: The student selected words that are related to the passage but not the exact words needed to complete the sentence logically.
• Solution:
  • ✅ Use Grammar & Context Clues
  • Q12: The phrase "Sharks rely on electroreception for a precise strike when they are close to their…" The logical answer should be "prey" (what they strike), not "mouth."
  • Q13: The phrase "Scientists are researching whether electroreception might play a role in animal…" The passage talks about long migrations, so the best fit is "navigation," not "life."
  • Tip: If stuck, read the sentence aloud and try replacing the blank with different words from the passage to see what makes sense.

Final Recommendations for Improvement

• Enhance Keyword Matching Skills
  • Practice identifying synonyms in the passage. IELTS often rephrases keywords.
  • Example:
  • Passage: Sharks rely on electroreception to locate food.
  • Question: Sharks rely on electroreception for a precise strike when they are close to their prey.
• Master True/False/Not Given Questions
  • If a statement contradicts the passage, choose False.
  • If a statement is missing from the passage, choose Not Given.
• Develop Better Sentence Completion Strategies
  • Focus on grammatical accuracy when selecting a word.
  • Read the entire sentence before choosing a word.
• Take Timed Practice Tests
  • The student might have struggled due to time pressure. Practicing under timed conditions will improve efficiency.

Final Thoughts

The student has a solid foundational understanding of the passage but struggles with question interpretation and precision in answer selection. By practicing keyword matching, refining their approach to True/False/Not Given questions, and improving sentence completion strategies, they can significantly boost their IELTS Reading score.

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