| Trap | Example from this passage | Strategy | |-------|--------------------------|----------| | Overgeneralization | The passage says “most dieters” – a statement saying “all dieters” would be False. | Look for quantifiers (all, most, some, none). | | Opposite meaning | Passage: “metabolism decreases” → Statement: “increases” → False. | Pay attention to verbs of change (rise, fall, inhibit, promote). | | Unverified comparison | Passage mentions both adult and childhood obesity, but doesn’t compare them → Not Given. | If no comparative word (better, more effective, worse), be cautious. |
The passage says “metabolic rate declines” – the statement says “can increase” → False. IELTS loves to flip cause-effect or increase/decrease.
| Feature | Found in free keys? | |---------|---------------------| | Correct answers verified from official book | ❌ Rarely | | Location of answer (paragraph & line) | ✅ Sometimes | | Synonym/phrase matching | ❌ Usually no | | Explanation for True/False/Not Given | ✅ Occasionally | | Vocabulary list from passage | ❌ No | A Weighty Issue Ielts Reading Answers
| Word | Meaning | Example from passage | |-------|---------|----------------------| | Set point | Biologically defended weight range | “The set point can drift upward but resists downward change.” | | Ghrelin | Hunger-stimulating hormone | “Ghrelin spikes before meals and after weight loss.” | | Thrifty gene | Hypothetical gene that promotes fat storage | “The thrifty gene theory explains population susceptibility to obesity.” | | Homeostasis | Maintenance of stable internal conditions | “Weight homeostasis is as powerful as temperature regulation.” | | Adaptive | Evolutionarily beneficial | “Fat storage was adaptive in ancestral environments.” |
A: The passage topic may appear in both, but the texts differ in complexity. Academic passages are denser, with more data and abstract concepts. General Training passages are more practical (e.g., a magazine article on healthy eating). Always check which test you are taking. | Trap | Example from this passage |
Before you scan for answers, know what you are hunting:
Statements:
Correct Answers & Explanations:
| Q | Answer | Explanation (with line references from typical passage) | |---|--------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | 1 | False | The passage states that “the vast majority of dieters regain lost weight within 2-5 years.” This directly contradicts the statement. | | 2 | False | The text says: “After weight reduction, the body lowers its resting metabolic rate to conserve energy.” It decreases, not increases. | | 3 | False | “Ghrelin levels rise significantly after weight loss, stimulating hunger.” So it increases appetite, not suppresses it. (Leptin suppresses appetite.) | | 4 | True | “This ‘thrifty gene’ hypothesis suggests that our ancestors’ ability to store fat during feast periods was evolutionarily advantageous.” | | 5 | Not Given | While the passage ends with “intervening in childhood may yield greater benefits,” it does not explicitly compare the effectiveness of prevention vs. treatment – only suggests it. | The passage says “metabolic rate declines” – the
The passage might say "a marked increase in adiposity" while the question says "significant weight gain." They are the same. Learn to recognize: