MATCHING HEADINGS – one of the most difficult

This question type requires you to match the heading in the question to the correct paragraph or
reading section in the text. There will always be more headings than paragraphs or sections so that
some headings will not be used. It is also possible that some of the text may not be included in the
task. This task type is used with texts that contain paragraphs that have clearly defined themes or
topics – main idea. It tests your ability to recognise the main idea in the paragraph and to identify
supporting ideas.
The question type can be tricky because of the following reasons:
• It takes a little more time than other questions to complete.
• Often, there are more headings than paragraphs.
• Some paragraphs don't need headings.
• There are some similarities between headings.
• Headings that only include specific details rather than the main idea may mislead you.
• Some headings have the same words that are in a paragraph but don't match.
Paragraphs: typical: topic sentence. Supporting sentences.

A. The bittern, a British waterbird, does not have a good record as far as survival is concerned. By 1886, habitat destruction
and other pressures had pushed it close to extinction. Fortunately, it recovered a few decades later, and in 1950 the
numbers of nature male bitterns rose to a peak of about 70. By the 1980s, however, it was clear that the bird was in
trouble again. The bittern needs extensive wet reed beds to survive, and long periods of drainage, pollution and lack of
management had destroyed most of its habitat. By 1997, it again faced imminent extinction. To prevent this, the British
government set up a plan for the bittern, aiming to establish a population of 50 males by 2010. However, this target was
reached six years early, a rate of recovery faster than anyone had dared hope for. We at the Royal Society for the
Protection of Birds (RSPB) now claim the bittern as one of Britain's greatest wildlife success stories, since figures reveal
that the number of these rare birds has increased fivefold in just seven years. ii

B. The success of the habitat prescriptions developed from this research has been spectacular. For instance, at Minsmere,
male bittern numbers gradually increased from one to ten following reed bed lowering, a management technique
designed to halt the drying out process. After a low point of 11 mature males in 1997, bittern numbers in Britain responded
to all the habitat management work and started to increase for the first time since 1950. i

i. Impressive results of initial intervention (can thiệp)

ii. Fluctuations in bittern numbers over time.

Logic/ connection of ideas

A. The following year Abner Doble drove the Model B from Massachusetts to Detroit in order to seek investment in his
automobile design, which he used to open the General Engineering Company. He and his brothers immediately
began working on the Model C, which was intended to expand upon the innovations of the Model B. The brothers
added features such as a key-based ignition in the cabin, eliminating the need for the operator to manually ignite
the boiler. With these enhancements, the Dobles' new car company promised a steam vehicle which would provide
all of the convenience of a gasoline car, but with much greater speed, much simpler driving controls, and a virtually
silent powerplant. By the following April, the General Engineering Company had received 5,390 deposits for Doble
Detroits, which were scheduled for delivery in early 1918. i

i. Further improvements lead to commercial orders

ii. Their attempt to attract investment

However, therefore, moreover, first, second, this/that/these/those

A. This, of course, puts law in a very significant position. In our rapidly developing world, all sorts of skills and
knowledge are valuable. Those people, for example, with knowledge of computers, the internet, and
communications technology are relied upon by the rest of us. There is now someone with IT skills or an IT help
desk in every UK school, every company, every hospital, every local and central government office. Without their
knowledge, many parts of commercial and social life today would seize up in minutes. But legal understanding is
just as vital and as universally needed. The American comedian Jerry Seinfeld put it like this, 'We are all throwing
the dice, playing the game, moving our pieces around the board, but if there is a problem, the lawyer is the only
person who has read the inside of the top of the box.' In other words, the lawyer is the only person who has read
and made sense of the rules. i

i. Different areas of professional expertise

ii. The law applies throughout our lives

A. The costumes are intentionally frightening. Several people walk around the square of the small town wearing masks. The
faces are red, with small eyes and large pointed teeth. Then, there are the horns. In some of the costumes, they look like
goat’s horns. Other masks have bull’s horns. The people wear huge cloaks made of sheep skin, which makes them look
bigger than they really are. With the sticks and rattles they carry to make noise with, they look like monsters.

B. This carnival has been a tradition in southern Hungary, for several centuries. The town of Mohács was the site of a
famous battle between the Hungarians and the Ottoman Empire 500 years ago. The Turkish army was far superior at the
time and would eventually overrun most of Hungary. However, the small town of Mohács managed to repel the invaders,
albeit briefly. Legend has it that the townspeople dressed up as monsters and managed to drive away the Turks.

C. The carnival is a celebration of continued life and combines historical events with ancient traditions of chasing away the
winter darkness. It is held at the end of each winter and, as in many other winter festivals around Europe, a man-like
figure is constructed from straw. On the final night of the carnival, the man is paraded through the town and set on fire.
People from the town hold hands and dance around the burning man until dawn.
1. Which paragraph mostly uses the past form of verbs? B
2. Which paragraph uses the present simple and describes things as if the writer is actually there? A
3. Which paragraph uses the present simple to talk about things that regularly happen? C
A. The costumes are intentionally frightening. Several people walk around the square of the small town wearing masks. The
faces are red, with small eyes and large pointed teeth. Then, there are the horns. In some of the costumes, they look like
goat’s horns. Other masks have bull’s horns. The people wear huge cloaks made of sheep skin, which makes them look
bigger than they really are. With the sticks and rattles they carry to make noise with, they look like monsters.

B. This carnival has been a tradition in southern Hungary, for several centuries. The town of Mohács was the site of a
famous battle between the Hungarians and the Ottoman Empire 500 years ago. The Turkish army was far superior at the
time and would eventually overrun most of Hungary. However, the small town of Mohács managed to repel the invaders,
albeit briefly. Legend has it that the townspeople dressed up as monsters and managed to drive away the Turks.

C. The carnival is a celebration of continued life and combines historical events with ancient traditions of chasing away the
winter darkness. It is held at the end of each winter and, as in many other winter festivals around Europe, a man-like
figure is constructed from straw. On the final night of the carnival, the man is paraded through the town and set on fire.
People from the town hold hands and dance around the burning man until dawn.
i. Rituals that have continued to the present day (Rituals – nghi lễ) C
ii. A connection between the carnival and historic events B
iii. The effect of the things people wear during the carnival A
Read all the headings → find which ones are similar (talking about the same topic) or opposite. →
which heading is more general.
, more general Specific in4
Read the paragraph (topic sentence??? / connections/ think how you would summarise the para
→
List of headings
i. The future of urban planning in America
ii. Conflicting ideas through the history of urban planning
iii. Urban planning has a long and varied history
iv. Financial problems helped spread an urban planning concept
v. The background to one particular planned community
vi. Political change obstructs progress in urban planning
vii. An urban plan to reduce traffic
Read Paragraph A and choose the best summary:
A. Past, present and future examples of urban planning
B. The history of urban planning
C. Problems associated with urban planning
List of headings
i. The future of urban planning in America.
ii. Conflicting ideas through the history of urban planning
iii. Urban planning has a long and varied history. A
iv. Financial problems helped spread an urban planning concept
v. The background to one particular planned community
vi. Political change obstructs progress in urban planning
vii. An urban plan to reduce traffic
List of headings
i. The future of urban planning in America.
ii. Conflicting ideas though the history of urban planning
iii. Urban planning has a long and varied history A
iv. Financial problems helped spread an urban planning concept
v. The background to one particular planned community B
vi. Political change obstructs progress in urban planning
vii. An urban plan to reduce traffic
List of headings
i. The future of urban planning in America.
ii. Conflicting ideas though the history of urban planning
iii. Urban planning has a long and varied history
iv. Financial problems helped spread an urban planning concept
v. The background to one particular planned community
vi. Political change obstructs progress in urban planning
vii. An urban plan to reduce traffic C
List of headings
i. The future of urban planning in America.
ii. Conflicting ideas though the history of urban planning
iii. Urban planning has a long and varied history
iv. Financial problems helped spread an urban planning concept D
v. The background to one particular planned community
vi. Political change obstructs progress in urban planning
vii. An urban plan to reduce traffic
MATCHING FEATURES
Matching features is a common task in the Reading test and is used with texts which contain opinions,
theories or facts about different people. This type of question requires the student to match an opinion, theory
or fact with a person or people. Although matching features tasks are often about a person, they can also be
about a place, year or thing.
LIST OF PEOPLE (paraphrases)
Look for the names/ things in the paragraphs
Underline/ circle all the names/ things (proper names, he/she/it/ this person/ that person) Joel Gateman → Mr.
Gateman
Read in detail, paraphrases
 In the IELTS Reading test, you might be asked to identify opinions and theories in a passage.
These are people’s beliefs, or attempts to explain something, and are not the same as facts.
Facts are things that are known to be true.

TASK 1 Read the information. Then decide whether the statements are Opinion or Fact. Choose the
correct answers.
1. According to a recent survey, 65% of young people would like to study in a foreign country. Fact
2. Approximately one in three people who take part in voluntary activities say that it has made them feel
better about themselves. Fact
3. Professor Mark Thompson believes that people from wealthy backgrounds tend to volunteer more than
people from poorer ones. Opinion
4. It has been proven that the main reason people volunteer is to help other people, although some people
also do it in order to try a new experience. Fact
5. ‘Instead of making people busier and more tired, taking part in voluntary activities may actually help
decrease people’s stress levels,’ comments Clara Coleman, a researcher at Princeford University. Op
6. ‘Employers don’t appreciate people who do volunteer work alongside their normal jobs,’ suggests Joel
Gateman. Opinion report
 Reading passages often report the opinions of other people. Look out for reporting verbs such as say,
think and believe. It is important to understand that what a person says, thinks or writes is not
always a fact, even if the person is an expert, and believes what they say to be true.

TASK 2 Read the information. Then find the reporting verbs in the statements.
1. Professor Mark Thompson believes that people from wealthy backgrounds volunteer more than people
from poorer ones.
2. ‘Instead of making people busier and more tired, taking part in voluntary activities may actually help
decrease people’s stress levels,’ comments Clare Coleman, a researcher at Princeford University.
3. ‘Employers don’t appreciate people who do volunteer work alongside their normal jobs,’ suggests Joel
Gateman.
4. Rachel Jones, who volunteered with refugees for three months, thinks that her experience was
challenging but rewarding.
5. Paula Orman, the organiser of the survey, claims that more people should consider voluntary work.
 Understanding someone’s attitude means identifying how someone
thinks or feels about something. For example, they might have a
positive or a negative attitude towards something.

TASK 3 Read the information. Then decide whether the people’s opinions are Positive or Negative.
1. Rachel Jones, a young volunteer, says, ‘It’s terrible that the government isn’t doing enough to help
refugees.’ Positive/ Negative
2. Volunteering can have a beneficial effect on people. Clare Coleman agrees: ‘It can make people feel less
depressed.’ Positive/ Negative
3. Some people are not optimistic. Joel Gateman predicts that people will have less time to volunteer in
years to come because they will be working longer hours. Positive/ Negative
4. ‘Far from being a waste of time, most people find voluntary work increases their job prospects,’ claims
Professor Mark Thompson. Positive/ Negative
5. Paula Orman believes that more people are viewing voluntary work as a valuable activity, which helps
society in general. Positive/ Negative
 In the IELTS Reading test, you might be asked to find someone’s
opinion in a passage. You will be given statements, paraphrasing that
person’s opinion, which will be written in a shorter, different way.
TASK 4 Read the information. Then look at the opinions with the key words underlined. Read the
paraphrased statements and match the people with their opinions.
• Rachel Jones, a young volunteer, says, ‘It’s terrible that the government isn’t doing enough to help
refugees.’
• Volunteering can have a beneficial effect on people. Clare Coleman agrees: ‘It can make people feel less
depressed.’
• Some people are not optimistic. Joel Gateman speculates that people will have less time to volunteer in
years to come because they will be working longer hours.
• ‘Far from being a waste of time, most people find voluntary work increases their job prospects,’ claims
Professor Mark Thompson.
• Paula Orman believes that more people are viewing voluntary work as a valuable activity which helps
society in general.

Clare Coleman Joel Gateman Mark Thompson Paula Orman Rachel Jones
 ❖ Rachel Jones, a young volunteer, says, ‘It’s terrible that the government isn’t doing enough to help
refugees.’
❖ Volunteering can have a beneficial effect on people. Clare Coleman agrees: ‘It can make people feel less
depressed.’
❖ Some people are not optimistic. Joel Gateman speculates that people will have less time to volunteer in
years to come because they will be working longer hours.
❖ ‘Far from being a waste of time, most people find voluntary work increases their job prospects,’ claims
Professor Mark Thompson.
❖ Paula Orman believes that more people are viewing voluntary work as a valuable activity which helps
society in general.
A. Clare Coleman B. Joel Gateman C. Mark Thompson D. Paula Orman E. Rachel Jones

1. If a person takes part in voluntary activities, it is good for the larger area in which they live. D
2. The people who are officially in charge of the country should do more to help people. E
3. People will not have much free time in the future to spend helping others. B
4. Volunteering can improve someone’s chances of finding paid work. C
5. People who do voluntary work feel more positive about life. A