Academic/General Training Module by Adam Smith First Published in 2015

Similar Words in the Text 
a matter for disagreement 
wiped out three quarters of 
species 
colonised all continents 
establishing definitely 
catching fish over open water 
proof of this 
are known today
 
Note:
The table above comes from a General Training test, but the technique is the 
same for both general and academic tests. 
 
 
 

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 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