IELTS Academic Practice Test 32

Reading Passage 1

Sleep and the Consolidation of Memory

For much of the twentieth century, sleep was widely regarded by scientists as a largely passive state during which the brain simply rested from the demands of waking activity. Contemporary neuroscience has overturned this view almost entirely, revealing sleep to be an active period during which the brain performs essential processing tasks, particularly the consolidation of memories formed during the preceding waking hours. Memory consolidation refers to the process by which newly formed, initially fragile memories become stabilised into more durable, long-term storage. Research using both animal models and human participants has demonstrated that this process relies heavily on specific stages of sleep, particularly slow-wave sleep and rapid eye movement sleep, each apparently contributing differently to consolidating different types of memory. Slow-wave sleep, characterised by large, synchronised brain waves, appears particularly important for consolidating declarative memories, the conscious recollection of facts and events. Studies have shown that disrupting slow-wave sleep specifically, without otherwise depriving participants of overall sleep, measurably impairs subsequent recall of information learned before sleep, providing strong evidence for this stage's specific role in memory processing. Rapid eye movement sleep, by contrast, appears more closely associated with consolidating procedural memories, the type involved in learned physical and cognitive skills, alongside playing some role in emotional processing of memories formed during waking hours. Some researchers propose that the vivid, often bizarre dreams characteristic of this sleep stage may reflect the brain's process of integrating new experiences with existing memory networks, though this remains a genuinely contested area of ongoing research. These findings carry practical implications extending well beyond academic interest. Educational researchers increasingly emphasise that adequate sleep, particularly the specific sleep stages implicated in memory consolidation, may be as important for learning as the initial studying or practice itself. This has prompted growing interest in scheduling considerations for students, particularly given evidence that adolescents' natural sleep-wake cycles shift later than those of younger children and adults, creating a potential mismatch with conventional early school start times that some researchers argue may meaningfully impair learning outcomes.

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

1. How was sleep widely regarded for much of the twentieth century?

A) As an active period of memory processing B) As a largely passive state of rest C) As unnecessary for healthy functioning D) As identical to relaxed wakefulness

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage? Write TRUE if the statement agrees with the information, FALSE if the statement contradicts the information, or NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

2. Memory consolidation is the process of stabilising newly formed memories into long-term storage.

TRUE FALSE NOT GIVEN

Complete the sentence below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.

3. Slow-wave sleep is characterised by large, __________ brain waves.

Answer •••

Answer the question below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage.

4. What type of memory is slow-wave sleep particularly important for consolidating?

Answer •••

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage? Write TRUE if the statement agrees with the information, FALSE if the statement contradicts the information, or NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

5. Disrupting slow-wave sleep specifically has been shown to impair recall of previously learned information.

TRUE FALSE NOT GIVEN

Do the following statements agree with the writer's claims? Write YES if the statement agrees with the writer's claims, NO if the statement contradicts the writer's claims, or NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks.

6. The role of dreams in memory integration is a settled scientific question.

YES NO NOT GIVEN

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

7. What is REM sleep more closely associated with, according to the passage?

A) Declarative memory only B) Procedural memory and emotional processing C) No memory function at all D) Only long-term factual recall

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage? Write TRUE if the statement agrees with the information, FALSE if the statement contradicts the information, or NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

8. Adolescents' natural sleep-wake cycles shift earlier than those of younger children.

TRUE FALSE NOT GIVEN

Answer the question below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage.

9. What mismatch do some researchers argue may impair adolescent learning outcomes?

Answer •••

Do the following statements agree with the writer's claims? Write YES if the statement agrees with the writer's claims, NO if the statement contradicts the writer's claims, or NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks.

10. Adequate sleep may be as important for learning as studying itself.

YES NO NOT GIVEN

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

11. What did contemporary neuroscience overturn regarding sleep?

A) The idea that sleep is essential B) The view that sleep is a largely passive state C) The existence of REM sleep D) The importance of dreaming

Reading Passage 2

The Evolution of Currency

Long before the invention of coins or paper money, human societies relied on various forms of barter and commodity exchange to trade goods and services. Items such as cattle, grain, salt, and shells served as early mediums of exchange in different cultures, valued for their relative scarcity, durability, or universal desirability within a given community. The earliest known coins are generally traced to the kingdom of Lydia, in present-day Turkey, around the seventh century BCE, made from a naturally occurring alloy of gold and silver called electrum. These early coins were stamped with official symbols to guarantee their weight and purity, addressing a fundamental problem of commodity exchange: the difficulty of verifying value without a trusted, standardised system. The adoption of coinage spread relatively quickly across the ancient Mediterranean world, facilitating trade across increasingly large distances by providing a portable, durable, and widely recognised store of value. Paper money emerged considerably later, first appearing in China during the Tang dynasty, initially as a convenient certificate representing coins deposited with a trusted merchant, only gradually evolving into currency backed directly by government authority rather than physical deposits. The most significant transformation in currency history arguably occurred during the twentieth century, when major economies progressively abandoned the gold standard, a system in which paper currency could theoretically be exchanged for a fixed quantity of gold. Under fiat currency systems, which now dominate globally, money holds value primarily through government decree and public confidence in economic institutions, rather than being backed by any physical commodity. The most recent chapter in this evolution involves the emergence of digital and cryptocurrencies, which dispense with physical form entirely, existing purely as verified digital records. Whether these represent a fundamental continuation of currency's historical evolution towards increasingly abstract, trust-based systems, or a genuinely novel departure from previous monetary history, remains a subject of considerable debate among economists and historians alike.

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

12. What did early societies use before coins or paper money?

A) Digital records B) Barter and commodity exchange C) Government-issued certificates D) Bank loans

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage? Write TRUE if the statement agrees with the information, FALSE if the statement contradicts the information, or NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

13. The earliest known coins were made from electrum, an alloy of gold and silver.

TRUE FALSE NOT GIVEN

Complete the sentence below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.

14. Early coins were stamped with official symbols to guarantee their weight and __________.

Answer •••

Answer the question below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage.

15. Where did paper money first appear?

Answer •••

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage? Write TRUE if the statement agrees with the information, FALSE if the statement contradicts the information, or NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

16. Paper money in China was initially backed directly by government authority.

TRUE FALSE NOT GIVEN

Do the following statements agree with the writer's claims? Write YES if the statement agrees with the writer's claims, NO if the statement contradicts the writer's claims, or NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks.

17. The abandonment of the gold standard was the most significant transformation in currency history.

YES NO NOT GIVEN

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

18. What gives fiat currency its value, according to the passage?

A) A fixed quantity of gold B) Government decree and public confidence C) Its physical material D) International trade agreements

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage? Write TRUE if the statement agrees with the information, FALSE if the statement contradicts the information, or NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

19. Cryptocurrencies exist purely as verified digital records.

TRUE FALSE NOT GIVEN

Answer the question below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage.

20. In what present-day country was the kingdom of Lydia located?

Answer •••

Do the following statements agree with the writer's claims? Write YES if the statement agrees with the writer's claims, NO if the statement contradicts the writer's claims, or NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks.

21. There is complete agreement among economists about how to interpret cryptocurrency's place in monetary history.

YES NO NOT GIVEN

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

22. What problem did stamped coins address?

A) The difficulty of transporting goods B) The difficulty of verifying value without a trusted system C) The lack of gold in circulation D) Disagreements between governments

Reading Passage 3

Urban Heat Islands

Cities across the world consistently register higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas, a phenomenon known as the urban heat island effect. This temperature difference, which can exceed several degrees Celsius during certain conditions, particularly clear, calm nights, results from the combined effects of dense construction materials, reduced vegetation, and concentrated human activity within urban environments. Dark, impermeable surfaces such as asphalt roads and dark rooftops absorb substantially more solar radiation during the day than natural surfaces like grass or soil, subsequently releasing this stored heat slowly throughout the night. This delayed heat release largely explains why the urban heat island effect is often most pronounced after sunset, when rural areas cool relatively quickly while cities remain noticeably warmer. Reduced vegetation compounds this effect considerably, since plants cool their surrounding environment through a process called evapotranspiration, releasing water vapour that absorbs heat from the surrounding air as it evaporates. Urban areas, with their extensive paved surfaces and comparatively limited green space, largely lack this natural cooling mechanism that helps regulate temperatures in more vegetated environments. The consequences of urban heat islands extend well beyond simple discomfort. Elevated urban temperatures increase energy demand for air conditioning, straining electricity grids particularly during heatwaves when demand peaks simultaneously across densely populated areas. More seriously, excessive heat poses genuine health risks, particularly for elderly residents and those with pre-existing health conditions, with heat-related illness and mortality rates measurably higher in urban areas during extreme heat events compared with surrounding rural regions experiencing identical broader weather conditions. Urban planners have increasingly explored mitigation strategies, including increasing urban tree coverage, installing reflective or light-coloured roofing materials that absorb less solar radiation, and creating additional green spaces such as parks and rooftop gardens. Some cities have implemented comprehensive urban forestry programmes specifically targeting the most heat-vulnerable neighbourhoods, which research has shown are often disproportionately affected due to historical patterns of reduced tree planting and green space investment in lower-income areas.

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

23. What causes the urban heat island effect, according to the passage?

A) Only human activity B) Dense construction materials, reduced vegetation, and human activity combined C) Only reduced vegetation D) Ocean currents

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage? Write TRUE if the statement agrees with the information, FALSE if the statement contradicts the information, or NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

24. The urban heat island effect is often most pronounced after sunset.

TRUE FALSE NOT GIVEN

Complete the sentence below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.

25. Plants cool their environment through a process called __________.

Answer •••

Answer the question below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage.

26. What increases due to elevated urban temperatures, straining electricity grids?

Answer •••

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage? Write TRUE if the statement agrees with the information, FALSE if the statement contradicts the information, or NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

27. Heat-related illness rates are measurably higher in urban areas during extreme heat events.

TRUE FALSE NOT GIVEN

Do the following statements agree with the writer's claims? Write YES if the statement agrees with the writer's claims, NO if the statement contradicts the writer's claims, or NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks.

28. Lower-income neighbourhoods are often disproportionately affected by urban heat.

YES NO NOT GIVEN

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

29. Which mitigation strategy is mentioned in the passage?

A) Banning air conditioning B) Increasing urban tree coverage and reflective roofing C) Reducing city populations D) Building taller buildings

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage? Write TRUE if the statement agrees with the information, FALSE if the statement contradicts the information, or NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

30. Dark, impermeable surfaces absorb less solar radiation than natural surfaces.

TRUE FALSE NOT GIVEN

Answer the question below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage.

31. What kind of programmes have some cities implemented targeting heat-vulnerable neighbourhoods?

Answer •••

Do the following statements agree with the writer's claims? Write YES if the statement agrees with the writer's claims, NO if the statement contradicts the writer's claims, or NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks.

32. Elderly residents face particular health risks from urban heat.

YES NO NOT GIVEN

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

33. Why is the heat island effect often most pronounced at night?

A) Cities produce more light at night B) Stored heat in dark surfaces is released slowly overnight C) Rural areas warm up at night D) There is no difference at night

Writing Task 1

TokyoPhoenixLondonLagos

The table below shows average nighttime temperature differences (in degrees Celsius) between city centres and surrounding rural areas in four cities during summer. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words. | City | 2000 | 2010 | 2020 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Tokyo | 2.1 | 2.8 | 3.4 | | Phoenix | 3.5 | 4.2 | 5.1 | | London | 1.8 | 2.2 | 2.6 | | Lagos | 1.2 | 1.9 | 2.5 |

Writing Task 2

Many cities are becoming increasingly hot due to urban development and climate change. Some people believe city governments should be responsible for addressing this, while others believe individual residents and businesses should take action themselves. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words.