Cambridge ielts 1-15 series reading answers explained

=>ANSWER: 17. M ; 18. J

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19. INCREASES IN SOME OTHER ILLNESSES MAY BE DUE TO 
CHANGES IN PERSONAL HABITS AND TO …. 
Keywords: increase, changes, personal habits 
It is clear that “changes in personal habits” and the missing words are parallel, so the former 
is a clue. 
In paragraph 5, the writer says: ” An increase in some cancers and bronchitis may reflect changing 
smoking habits and poorer air quality….” 
“changes in personal habits” refers to “changing smoking habits”. So the most suitable word to refer to 
“poorer air quality” is pollution. 
=>ANSWER: N
20. THE RESEARCH ESTABLISHES A LINK BETWEEN LEVELS OF 
……..AND LIFE EXPECTANCY. 
Keywords: link, life expectancy 
In paragraph 6, it is shown that: “One interesting correlation Manton uncovered is that better-educated 
people are likely to live longer.” So, the research establishes a link between levels of education and life 
expectancy. 
+ link = correlation 
=>ANSWER: K
21 & 22. IT ALSO SHOWS THAT THERE HAS BEEN A CONSIDERABLE 
REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF ELDERLY PEOPLE WHO 
ARE (21)…., WHICH MEANS THAT THE (22) ….INVOLVED IN SUPP
ORTING THIS SECTION OF THE POPULATION MAY BE LESS THAN 
PREVIOUSLY PREDICTED. 
Keywords: elderly, reduction, population 
The missing word in number 21 and 22 must be an adjective and a noun, respectively. 
In the seventh paragraph, the writer states that: “That represents a siginificant dropin the number of 
disabled old people in the population. …slowing the trend has saved…more than $200 billion, 
suggesting that the greying of America‟s population may prove less of a financial burden than 
expected.” 
So the missing words are “disabled” and “cost”. 
+ a considerable reduction = a significant drop 
+ elderly people = old people 
+ the number of… old people in the population = the greying of America‟s population 

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+ predicted = expected