IELTS
JOURNAL
20
Look for Keywords
Imagine the question asks about "longer days". If you
read the text and find
"increasing day lengths", you know you have found the answer.
In other words, the technique for finding answers in the IELTS Reading test is to look
for keywords (similar words in the questions and in the text).
Exercise 7: Match the keywords (information points) on the left with the similar
words or phrases (words with the same meaning) on the right.
Keywords in Questions
1. there is no limit …
2. depend on insects …
3. the availability of food …
4. temperatures are unpredictable
…
5. longer days …
6. there
is plenty of scientific
evidence …
7. types of birds …
8. the trigger for …
9. scientists have yet to determine
…
Similar Words in the Text
a. require
fertilisation by insects
b. increasing day lengths
c. adequate food resources
d.
never reach a maximum
e. the cue for
f. species of birds
g. temperatures
fluctuate greatly
h. the amount of experimental
evidence is considerable
i. it is not yet known
Note:
Try finding the keywords in the table above if
you have a copy of the book
Cambridge IELTS 5, page 94, to see whether they help you to get the right answer
more easily.