Tips for IELTS Reading Short Answer Questions

In Short Answer Questions the candidate is asked to answer the questions by choosing one to three words maximum from the reading passage. The answer must fall within the word limit given in the instructions. These are open-ended questions. The IELTS candidate cannot write the answer on his own, rather he should pick up the words from the text which requires strong skimming and scanning skills.

• Skimming and Scanning skills needed
• Scanning appropriately to find the essential data.
• Underlining the identified keywords
• Looking out for synonyms and paraphrasing.

Please follow the below mentioned IELTS ReadingTips to enhance on your IELTS score and overall bands in the IELTS exam.

1.Read the questions first and then the passage to save on the timings.

2.The answer will always follow the order of the text.

3.Keep a very strict eye on the instructions as you cannot go beyond the word limit.

4.Do not use synonyms or words by your own choice, choose the words only from the text.

5.Look out for the synonyms because most of the questions will be paraphrased.

Vancouver

Vancouver is quite different from virtually any other city in North America. Despite the fact it is a large modern cosmopolitan city, it seems to have a relaxed, small-town, close-to-nature feel about it. There is little comparison with other large Canadian cities such as Toronto or Montreal, which are more akin to the large eastern US centres like New York and Chicago. Vancouver, like all large North American cities, is a conglomerate of high-rise cubic office towers, although urban planners have kept the heights down. There are, however, some notable exceptions such as the Marine Building at the north foot of Burrard Street, once the tallest structure in the British Empire, the courthouse at Howe & Robson, and the library at Georgia & Hamilton.

Vancouver offers a wide range of attractions catering to all tastes but those with only a day to spare cannot be better advised than to take one of the many organized excursions recommended by the Vancouver Tourist Office.

Stanley Park, a 1,000-acre nature preserve, is Vancouver’s best-known landmark and a must for any visitor. It was established in 1887 and, in the opinion of many, is the most beautiful urban park in the world. Contrary to popular belief, this park was not established through the foresight of the city council of the day, but at the urging of a real estate developer called Oppenheimer. He is now considered the father of Stanley Park. All areas of the park are accessible to the public except for Dead Man’s Island, which has a small naval base.

The Eco Walk is a fun and informative way to see the park. The guide gives information on the trees, plants, birds and animals as well as on the rich aboriginal culture and legends of the park. The walking is medium paced, taking 3 hours to complete and covering 5 miles of relatively flat paved and gravelled trails over the selected seawall and forest paths. This walk is suitable for families, including active seniors.
There is also a world-class aquarium in the park and was the first to have killer whales in captivity and probably the first one to stop making them into a side-show. The aquarium feels the purpose of keeping the whales, namely re-educating the public and stopping the hunting of them, has been accomplished. In 2000, the last remaining killer whale at the aquarium was sold to Sealand in California, where it died shortly after arriving. The main threat to the park is the sheer volume of people who want to be in it. Efforts are being made to restrict the amount of automobile traffic passing through it. One of the ultimate goals is to eliminate the causeway leading to Lions Gate Bridge, but this will not likely occur until well into the 21st century.

Beaches are also a big attraction and temperatures are usually high enough to tempt most people to have a swim. However, one of the biggest days on these beaches is on New Year’s Day when the annual “Polar Bear Swim” attracts several hundred die-hard individuals out to prove that Vancouver is a year-round swimming destination.

Chinatown is North America’s third largest, in terms of area, after San Francisco and New York. It is steeped in history and is well worth walking around. It is most active on Sundays when people head to any of a wide selection of restaurants that offer dim sum. Chinatown also contains the world’s thinnest building at only 1.8 metres wide.

Questions 1-6

Answer the questions below.

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.

1. What makes Vancouver like the big cities of North America?
2. What famous building was once the highest in the British Empire?
3. What was the profession of the park’s founding father?
4. What is one of the final aims of the park?
5. What event tries to encourage people to swim?
6. What can you eat in Chinatown?
7. Answers:

1. cubic office towers

Explanation: Paragraph 1 – Vancouver, like all large North American cities, is a conglomerate of high-rise cubic office towers

2. Marine Building

Explanation: Paragraph 1 – …the Marine Building at the north foot of Burrard Street, once the tallest structure in the British Empire, the courthouse at Howe & Robson,…

3. Real estate developer

Explanation: Paragraph 3 – … at the urging of a real estate developer called Oppenheimer. He is now considered the father of Stanley Park.

4. eliminate the causeway

Explanation: Paragraph 5 – One of the ultimate goals is to eliminate the causeway leading to Lions Gate Bridge, but this will not likely occur until well into the 21st century.

5. Polar Bear Swim

Explanation: Paragraph 6 – However, one of the biggest days on these beaches is on New Year’s Day when the annual “Polar Bear Swim” attracts several hundred die-hard individuals out to prove that Vancouver is a year-round swimming destination.

6. dim sum

Explanation: Paragraph 7 – Chinatown is North America’s third largest, in terms of area, … It is most active on Sundays when people head to any of a wide selection of restaurants that offer dim sum.

This article explains in depth about the Short Answer questions and gives major essential IELTS Reading Tips and strategies to help you boost up your score and get the maximum bands in the IELTS exam.