📖 Free IELTS Reading Practice Test: Academic Module (Passage 1)
Below is an authentic Passage 1 with 13 questions and a detailed answer key, designed to match real British Council & IDP exam standards.
[!NOTE]
Recommended Time: Spend approximately 15 to 20 minutes on Questions 1–13.
Passage 1: The Future of Urban Farming
The world’s population is projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, with nearly 70% living in urban areas. Feeding this population using traditional agriculture, which already consumes 70% of global freshwater and 50% of habitable land, is environmentally unsustainable. Urban farming, the practice of cultivating food within cities, is emerging as a viable complement to rural agriculture.
Vertical farms, in particular, have gained attention. These facilities grow crops in stacked layers, often inside controlled-environment buildings. By using hydroponics (growing plants in nutrient-rich water rather than soil) and aeroponics (misting roots with nutrients), vertical farms can produce up to 350 times more food per square meter than conventional farming. They also use 95% less water, as the closed-loop systems recycle moisture that would otherwise evaporate.
However, critics argue that vertical farming is energy-intensive. Artificial lighting, climate control, and water circulation require significant electricity, which, if sourced from fossil fuels, could offset the environmental benefits. Proponents counter that as renewable energy becomes cheaper and grid infrastructure improves, the carbon footprint of vertical farms will decline substantially.
In Singapore, where land scarcity is acute, the government has invested heavily in urban agriculture. The city-state aims to produce 30% of its nutritional needs locally by 2030, up from less than 10% today. Similarly, in Bangalore, India, rooftop gardens and community plots are becoming popular among middle-class households seeking pesticide-free vegetables.
Despite its promise, urban farming faces regulatory hurdles. Zoning laws in many cities prohibit agricultural activity in residential or commercial areas. Additionally, the high upfront capital costs of vertical farms, estimated at $10–$20 million for a commercial facility, deter small entrepreneurs. Until governments offer subsidies or tax incentives, urban farming may remain a niche solution rather than a mainstream agricultural strategy.
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Questions 1–5: True / False / Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information in the reading passage?
- 1. Traditional agriculture currently uses more than half of the world’s habitable land.
- 2. Vertical farms produce exactly 350 times more food per square meter than traditional farms.
- 3. The energy consumption of vertical farms is expected to decrease as renewable energy becomes more affordable.
- 4. Bangalore has more rooftop gardens than any other city in India.
- 5. Commercial vertical farms require an initial investment of at least $10 million.
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Questions 6–9: Matching Headings
Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list below.
List of Headings:
- i. The environmental cost of conventional farming
- ii. Criticisms of vertical farming technology
- iii. Government investment in city-based agriculture
- iv. The mechanics of hydroponics and aeroponics
- v. Legal and financial barriers to expansion
Match the paragraphs:
- 6. Paragraph 2
- 7. Paragraph 3
- 8. Paragraph 4
- 9. Paragraph 5
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Questions 10–13: Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences below using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage.
- 10. In vertical farms, plants are grown in stacked layers inside
__________________ buildings.
- 11. Hydroponics involves growing crops in water that contains
__________________.
- 12. Singapore currently produces less than
__________________ of its nutritional needs through local agriculture.
- 13. Until
__________________ are provided by governments, urban farming may not become widespread.
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