IELTS READING – MS.

HA TIEN

SUMMARY COMPLETION
About the task
The Summary Completion task tests your ability to locate and record specific information from a reading
passage. It's often used to test your understanding of a factual passage about a specific subject. You usually read
facts about a subject, and you may be asked to write words or numbers. On the question paper, you see a short
summary on the same subject as the reading passage. The summary usually includes the main points of
information from one section of the passage. Your job is to use information from the passage to complete the
gaps in the summary.
Here are the basic rules for the Summary Completion task:
• The summary reports the main ideas from the passage, but the information may not be presented in the
same order.
 The instructions tell you how many words to write in each gap.
 The wording of the summary isn't exactly the same as the wording in the passage, but it contains the
same information.
 When you read the passage, you see the words that you need to write.
 You write the words in the same form as you see them in the passage (e.g. singular/plural) - you don't
need to change them in any way.
 You write the missing words or numbers on the answer sheet.
• Spelling counts! The words you write must be spelled correctly.
NOTE
• The information in the summary always comes in the same order as the information in the passage.
• You have to only write one word in each gap.
• You should copy the words that you find in the passage exactly.
• Some of the answers could be numbers.
• Minor spelling mistakes are ignored.

TIPS AND TACTICS

1. Before you read the passage, look at the sentences and think about what you're going to read.
2. Think about the type of information that's missing in each sentence. For example, are you looking for a
name, a number, a specific term or something else?
3. Look for clues in the sentence that tell you the type of information you're looking for, e.g. 'in the field of
...' and 'working as a ... '.
4. Sometimes the sentence tells you what to look for .e.g.'intheyear...',but you may see a number of years in
the passage. Read carefully to find out which is correct.
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5. Most of the missing information is facts about the topic, so the words that you need to write are mostly
nouns. Check if the word is singular or plural in the passage.
6. Read the passage quickly. Remember that the sentences follow the order of information in the passage.
7. Then go through the sentences one by one. Read the relevant section of the passage again and find the
words to complete the sentences.
8. Remember, the word(s) you need to write are in the passage. Don't put the information you read into
your own words.
9. Don't just write down the first word you find that fits the gap - keep reading and keep thinking about the
meaning.
10. Remernber, the instructions tell you how many words to write - if you write more, your answer will be
marked wrong. Most answers are single nouns, e.g. 'clerk'. or compound nouns that include two words,
e.g. 'wood engravings'.
11. Write numbers as figures, e.g. '104' - not as words, e.g. 'one hundred and four'.
12. If you aren't sure, always write something. No marks are taken off for wrong answers.

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SAMPLE QUESTIONS

GOLD BUGS

Medieval alchemists found, in the end, that they could not create gold. Modern geochemists have a similar
problem. They find it hard to understand how natural gold deposits from. There is much handwaving about
gold-rich fluids from deep in the earth, and chemical precipitation, but the physics does not add up. The
answer may be that what is happening is not geochemical at all, but biochemical. And a casual experiment
conducted by a bacteriologist may hold the key.

Derek Lovley, of the University of Massachusetts, has been studying “metal-eating” bacteria for two decades.
These bacteria make their living by converting the dissolved ions of metallic elements from one electrical
state to another. This reduction releases energy, which the bacteria extract for their own purposes.

Unsurprisingly, such bacteria tend to prefer common metals such as iron and manganese for lunch, though
some species are able to subsist on such exotica as uranium. Dr Lovley decided to put some of his bacteria
into a solution of gold chloride. He was fully prepared for nothing to happen, as gold compounds are
generally toxic to bacteria. Instead, the test tube containing the solution turned a beautiful shade of purple, the
colour of metallic gold when it is dispersed very finely in water.

Complete the summary below with words taken from the reading passage. Choose ONE OR TWO WORDS
AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

CREATING GOLD

Even today, scientists are unable to work out how gold is made. Recently, however, they have considered that
the process may be (1)_biochemical__________. An experiment was carried out using bacteria that create their
own (2) _energy__________ using metal. The types of metal these organisms usually feed on are either (3)
_iron__________or_manganese__________. However, when the bacteria were added to a test tube of (4) gold
chloride___________ solution, it changed (5) _colour__________, indicating the presence of gold compounds.

PRACTICE TEST 1

THE EFFECT OF THE FULL MOON ON SLEEP

There has long been a popular belief that human sleep patterns are affected by the moon. People complain,
for example, that they sleep badly, or that their sleep is disturbed, when there is a full moon. Some people put
this down to the bright glow that is created in the sky when the moon is full, whilst others look for an
explanation in the gravitational pull of the Earth's closest neighbour. A recent study at the University of Basel
in Switzerland put these theories to the test.

Christian Cajochen and his colleagues were discussing these beliefs when they suddenly realised they already
had data that might give them the answer. In an earlier, unrelated study, conducted between 2000 and 2003,
researchers in Basel had collected detailed observations of some thirty men and women of various ages who
had slept for three days at various times of the month in the university's sleep lab. The amount of light in this
lab is artificially controlled to ensure that anyone sleeping there cannot perceive the changes in light that
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occur at different times of the night and day.

Cajochen decided to revisit the data collected during the study to see what it might reveal about the effects of
the phases of the moon on sleeping patterns. What he found was that when the moon was full, there was a
reduction in brain activity related to deep sleep of around thirty per cent. He also found that people were
taking five minutes longer to drop off to sleep, and that the overall time spent asleep fell by twenty minutes. It
is also recorded that participants reported feeling that they'd slept less well at the time. What's more, they
seemed to have reduced levels of melatonin, a hormone known to regulate sleep. It was the first time that a
link had been established between lunar cycles and human sleep patterns. The lunar cycle seems to influence
human sleep, even when the moon itself cannot be observed.

While conceding that the findings may not be replicated by larger-scale studies, Cajochen says it would be
interesting to investigate the idea that there might be what he calls a circalunar clock in the brain, and whether
the moon also has power over other aspects of human behaviour, such as cognitive performance and mood.

Questions 1-8
Complete the summary below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.

For a long time it has been commonly believed that people sleep less well when there is a full moon, either
because of the light it creates or because of the 1 _gravitational pull__________ influence that the moon has
over the Earth. Christian Cajochen of Basel University has shown that human sleep is affected by the lunar
cycle, even when the moon itself cannot be seen. To do this, he studied existing data collected in the university's
2 _sleep lab__________ where subjects were kept in 3 _ artificially controlled conditions so that they had no
idea if it was light or dark outside. Cajochen knew that certain types of 4 _ brain activity __________are
associated with deep sleep, and discovered that this fell by around 5_20 minutes__________ when the moon
was full. He also found that the onset of sleep was delayed by as much as 6 __lunar cycle_________ and that
there was a fall in the amount of a hormone called melatonin which is understood to 7_ regulate __________
sleep patterns in the body. Cajochen is now keen to see if there is such a thing as a 8 _ circalunar clock
__________ in the brain and whether the moon affects other aspects of human behaviour.

PRACTICE TEST 2

Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER in each gap.

Around 50,000 years ago, Australia was inhabited by as many as 1__dominated_________different giant
animal species, which included both mammals and 2 _flightless birds__________ . For many years, scientists
have linked their extinction to the arrival of humans on the continent, who may have started
3 __bush fire_________and also hunted the animals for food. But recent research suggests that climate change
is a more likely explanation. Evidence suggests that Australia's climate gradually changed into the type known
as 4 _cold-dry__________ , and a process of 5 _warm-dry__________followed as a result.This process
destroyed the natural habitat of the giant animals whose diet consisted mostly of 6_plant
matter__________Evidence for this change in climate has come from research carried out in 7
_Antarctica__________ as well as in Australia itself. It is thought that as 8 _water surface__________ became
less abundant, so did the animals' source of food and these species became increasingly confined to an area in 9

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_eastern__________Australia. As few as 10 __inland lakes_________of these species are thought to have been
in existence by the time the first humans arrived.

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PRACTICE TEST 3

IN PURSUIT OF THE PERFECT TOMATO

For supermarket shoppers, the tomato symbolises what has been lost in terms of taste and texture, in
exchange for being able to buy cheap vegetables and fruit all year round. But a fight-back for flavour is under
way - and its scientific champion is Harry Klee, horticulture professor at the University of Florida in the
USA. 'The big problem with the modern commercial tomato is that growers are not paid for flavour, they're
paid for yield and extended shelf life; says Klee. He thinks that the answer is to 'put together an integrated
system that starts with the consumer and what they want. We have come up with a recipe to breed a really
great tomato, but a lot of work will be needed to get it into the commercial system, which has other priorities.'

Klee's research started with what are sometimes called heritage tomatoes, which date back to the period
before mass commercialisation, and compared these with modern varieties. He found that. in general, the loss
of flavour coincided with the intensive breeding that began in the second half of the twentieth century. 'Since
flavour started going down, yields of tomatoes have gone up by three hundred per cent,' says Klee.

Biochemical analysis of the best-flavoured varieties - with input from many tasting panels - identified sixty
eight flavour-associated compounds. Most important are 'volatiles', many of which also contribute strongly.
Some chemicals, such as cis-3-hexanal, which scientists had previously thought important for taste were to
the enticing smell of freshly-picked tomatoes not, while others such as geranial, which had been regarded as
marginal contributors, were actually key.

At the same time, scientists are discovering the genetics of tomato flavour, appearance and durability. One
particular mutation, favoured because it gives ripe tomatoes a beautifully even scarlet surface, turns out to
reduce the biosynthesis of flavouring compounds. Now the Florida researchers have bred a tomato which
is half-way between the great-tasting tomatoes of the past and modern commercial lines. 'People love the
taste of this hybrid and it is easier to grow; Klee says. 'I'd say we have a hundred per cent of the flavour of old
varieties and eighty per cent of the performance of modern ones - but we need a hundred per cent of the
performance before commercial growers will take them up.'

Although Klee worked for a large chemical company until 1995, developing genetically modified (GM)
crops, he does not see a role for GM technology in breeding better tomatoes, because of public resistance and
because it would be too costly and time-consuming to obtain regulatory approval. 'We can do it through
conventional breeding, using modern genetics and flavour chemistry,' he says.

Questions 1-8
Complete the summary below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

Summary

Professor Harry Klee of the University of Florida recognises that today's mass-produced tomatoes, although
cheap and available throughout the year, are lacking in both flavour and 1 _texture__________. He identifies

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the reason for this as the fact that growers are encouraged to grow tomatoes that have a high yield and will have
a long 2__shelf life in the supermarket. His solution to this problem is a new approach to tomato growing that
has 3 __ integrated system _________preferences as its starting point. Klee compared modern tomatoes with
so-called 4 ___modern________ varieties and found the latter more flavoursome. He put the blame for the loss
of flavour on intensive breeding techniques.

Klee found that compounds known as volatiles gave tomatoes a distinctive 5_smell__________ as well as a
good flavour and that a chemical called 6__geranial_________ , was more important in this respect than had
been previously thought. Klee's team have now produced what he calls a 7__half-way_________tomato that
combines the qualities of old and new varieties. It tastes good but cannot yet compete on yield. Klee thinks that
8_GM technology__________tomatoes are unlikely to be developed, however, predicting that traditional
breeding techniques will eventually produce a tomato that is both tasty and commercially viable.

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SAMPLE QUESTIONS

KEY CONSIDERATIONS

Research shows that, when choosing a home, most people are keen to find somewhere that is in the right place:
that is close to work or study or has easy access to public transport. Property consultants agree that cost aside,
aspects such as the number or size of the rooms, or the furniture (if the property is furnished), play a secondary
role.

In the same way, the medical care in hospitals and the hospital record on this are far more important to patients
than things like whether the latest drugs are being used or whether the number of nurses and doctors is
considered exemplary.

Read the passage. Complete the summary using the list of words, A-I, below.

A way B features C contents D staffing

E movement F location G principle H prices I pieces

Studies indicate that people generally focus on the (1) _location________ of housing, rather than on the
physical (2) features_________ or the (3) contents_________. This general (4) principle_________ also applies
to medical treatment. Patients note quality of care, rather than focusing on the level of (5) _staffing________ at
the hospital.

PRACTICE TEST 4

BIOPHILIA IN THE CITY

Biophilia, as defined by evolutionary biologist E.O. Wilson, is 'the human bond with other species', and the
idea was elaborated in his work Biophilia, published in 1 984, in which he argues that our very existence
depends on this close relationship with the natural world. The concept of biophilia with reference to whole
cities is, however, a 21 st-century phenomenon, as evidenced by the communique released at the end of the
Copenhagen Climate Summit in 2009 which stated: 'the future of our globe will be won or lost in the cities of
the world.'

Climate change has probably been the single greatest influence on this debate. This idea has been further
fuelled by the United Nations identifying cities as the source of 75% of greenhouse gas emissions, which
have an environmental impact around the world. Cities are also the consumers of 75% of the world's natural
resources, the extraction of which affects many habitats across the globe.

Since 2009, work has been going on around Europe and beyond to encourage city leaders to adapt their
policies to the reality of climate change in a concerted manner. One group of cities has gone a step further
and formed the Biophilic Cities Network, which recognises people's need to access and respond to nature as
part of their daily lives.

Any city joining the network is asked to commit to the following aims:

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 Work diligently to protect and restore nature within their boundaries and to forge new links with the
natural world wherever possible.
 Share information and insights about tools, techniques, programmes and projects which have been
successfully applied in the city.
 Assist other cities outside the group, which are also striving to become more biophilic, offering help
in data collection and analysis, sharing technical expertise and knowledge, and other forms of
professional support for the expansion of urban nature.
 Meet periodically as a group to share experiences and insights and provide mutual support and
guidance in advancing the practice of biophilic urbanism.

Questions 1-6
Complete the summary using the list of words, A-K, below.
Write the correct letter, A-K.
BIOPHILIA CITIES NETWORK

Biophilia is the idea that human existence relies on maintaining a close relationship with the natural world, and
it has recently been acknowledged that cities play a key part in this. The United Nations identified that cities are
responsible for creating 75% of greenhouse gas emissions whilst at the same time consuming around the same
1 _proportion__________ of the world's natural resources.

This led to the 2 _formation__________ of the Biophilic Cities Network, a group of city governments that has
made a 3 __commitment_________to work together in addressing not only the issue of climate change, but also
the need for their citizens to have access to nature as part of their everyday lives.

Each city in the group will work towards the 4 __protection_________ of its own natural environment, as well
as restoring nature wherever possible. Through co-operation with the other members, cities will share
information about 5 _intiatives__________ which have worked.They will also help non-members to achieve the
same goals through the sharing of both skills and 6__expertise_________. Regular meetings of the group will
help to further these aims.

A initiatives B formation C commitment D impact

E protection F management G non-members H expertise
I proportion J insights K collection

PRACTICE TEST 5

Read the summary and think about the type of information that is needed to complete each gap. Which
gaps are likely to need:
A. a verb form? B. a singular noun? C. a plural noun? D. an adjective?

Summary

The Ancient Romans used large 1 ___________jars called amphorae to 2 ___________liquid goods such as
olive oil from one part of their empire to another. The cone-shaped amphorae were not 3 ___________,

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however, and most ended up in rubbish heaps. In Rome, for example, there is a hill, fifty metres in height, that
is composed almost entirely of 4 ___________amphorae, whereas in the port city of Aries in what is now
southern France, they tended to end up in the River Rhone.

Two thousand years ago, Aries was an important port where goods were 5 ___________ from ocean-going
vessels to river boats before continuing their journey inland. Little is left of the Roman port today, however,
although it is still possible to identify a 6 ___________under the water that indicates where the Roman rubbish
dump used to be. In 2004, a diver spotted an interesting wooden 7 ___________, which turned out to be part of
a thirty-metre barge that was largely still 8 ___________. Archaeologists later discovered the boat's final
9 ___________as well as some of the crew's personal 10 ___________

Look at the gaps (1-5) in the summary and choose the best word to complete them.

1. clay ship olive oil

2. make transport barge
3. re-used drained opened
4. re-used tossed broken
5. transported transferred reloaded

Complete the rest of the summary (6-10) using the list of words, A-K, below.

A intact B layers C rubbish D shadow

E financed F possessions G object H cargo
I sheltered J boat K excavations

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