I’m Hiroshi Tanaka, an IELTS Reading specialist with nearly a decade of experience guiding learners through complex Cambridge passages.
Below is a complete breakdown of Cambridge 20 Reading Test 1, including every passage, question type, answer, and key strategy so you can build logic, timing, and confidence for a Band 7 + score.
Passage 1 — The Kākāpō
Q1–6 True/False/Not Given
1 FALSE
- Keywords: other parrots; flightless
- Location: Para 1 (“It is the world’s only flightless parrot.”)
- Why: “Only” excludes any other flightless parrots → statement contradicts text.
2 FALSE
- Keywords: produce chicks every year
- Location: Para 3 (“…only in years when food is plentiful.”)
- Why: Not annual; food-dependent breeding → contradicts.
3 FALSE
- Keywords: males bring food to females
- Location: Para 3 (“Males play no part in incubation or chick-rearing…”)
- Why: Explicitly says males don’t help.
4 NOT GIVEN
- Keywords: Polynesian rat a greater threat than settlers
- Location: Para 4 (settlers hunted; dogs/rats preyed)
- Why: Mentions both threats but gives no comparison of “greater.”
5 TRUE
- Keywords: moved from Rakiura; feral cats
- Location: Para 7 (“Predation by feral cats… population was evacuated to three island sanctuaries.”)
- Why: Cause (cats) → action (transfer).
6 TRUE
- Keywords: caring for struggling young birds
- Location: Para 9 (“…rescuing and hand-raising any failing chicks.”)
- Why: Part of Recovery Plan linked with population increase.
Q7–13 Notes Completion (ONE WORD/NUMBER)
7 bulbs
- Keywords: diet includes leaves, roots, bark, fern fronds and…
- Location: Para 2 (end)
- Why: List item completing diet.
8 soil
- Keywords: nests created in…
- Location: Para 3 (“The 1–4 eggs are laid in soil…”)
- Why: Direct phrase.
9 feathers
- Keywords: used to make clothes
- Location: Para 4 (“…used its feathers to make soft cloaks.”)
- Why: “Clothes” paraphrases “cloaks.”
10 deer
- Keywords: introduced animals eating food sources
- Location: Para 5 (“…species such as deer depleted the remaining forests of food.”)
- Why: Deer reduce food available to kākāpō.
11 1980
- Keywords: year females confirmed on Rakiura
- Location: Para 7 (“…in 1980 it was confirmed females were also present.”)
- Why: Exact year.
12 funding
- Keywords: Recovery Plan included an increase in…
- Location: Para 8 (“…and a higher amount of funding.”)
- Why: Direct.
13 stakeholders
- Keywords: maintain involvement of…
- Location: Final para (“…ensure stakeholders continue to be fully engaged…”)
- Why: Direct.
Full Passage & Detailed Explanations: Cambridge 20 Reading Test 1 Passage 1 – The Kākāpō Answers with Explanations
Passage 2 — To Britain
Q14–18 Matching Information (A–G)
14 C
- Keywords: few surviving large elms = research problems
- Location: Sec C (second half)
- Why: Russell notes few mature survivors, limiting opportunities to study.
15 G
- Keywords: difference of opinion on reintroduction
- Location: Sec G
- Why: Russell sees strong environmental case; Elliot is wary (hybrids/cloning risk) → disagreement.
16 B
- Keywords: how disease came to Britain
- Location: Sec B
- Why: Canadian logs with intact bark carried beetles/fungus → import route.
17 E
- Keywords: conditions for a UK location escaping disease
- Location: Sec E
- Why: Brighton’s sea winds hinder beetles → local survival.
18 C
- Keywords: stage when young elms become vulnerable
- Location: Sec C (first half)
- Why: At 10–15 cm diameter trunks become ideal for beetles/fungus.
Q19–23 Matching People
19 B (Karen Russell)
- Keywords: damage shows quickly
- Location: Sec F (inoculation test results “return in 4–6 weeks… susceptible trees show leaf loss / die”)
- Why: She explains the rapid visible effect.
20 A (Matt Elliot)
- Keywords: better to wait and see
- Location: Sec G (“Sometimes the best thing… give nature time to recover…”)
- Why: Prefers natural resistance over planting.
21 B (Karen Russell)
- Keywords: there must be reasons for survival
- Location: Sec C (“Avoidance, tolerance, resistance?… I don’t see how it can be entirely down to luck.”)
- Why: She insists on explanations.
22 C (Peter Bourne)
- Keywords: beetles not far away
- Location: Sec E (“…threat is right on our doorstep.”)
- Why: Warns of nearby risk.
23 A (Matt Elliot)
- Keywords: understand effect when seeing past prominence
- Location: Sec A (his quote about old photos showing impact)
- Why: Photos highlight how dominant elms were.
Q24–26 Summary Completion (ONE WORD)
24 oak
- Location: Sec D (first sentence)
- Why: Elm second to oak.
25 flooring
- Location: Sec D (18th-century uses)
- Why: Boxes and flooring.
26 keel
- Location: Sec D (Cutty Sark example)
- Why: Elm used for the ship’s keel.
Full Passage & Detailed Explanations: Cambridge 20 Reading Test 1 Passage 2 – To Britain Answers with Explanations
Passage 3 — How Stress Affects Our Judgement
Q27–30 Multiple Choice
27 C
- Keywords: first paragraph topic intro
- Location: Para 1
- Why: Introduces challenge everyone faces: making decisions under stress.
28 A
- Keywords: firefighters point
- Location: Para 2
- Why: Alternating relaxed vs hectic days make them ideal for studying stress effects.
29 D
- Keywords: fourth paragraph function
- Location: Para 4
- Why: Describes method: 40 adverse events, give good/bad news, re-estimate.
30 C
- Keywords: seventh paragraph mechanism
- Location: Para 7
- Why: Neural “switch” boosts learning from warning signs (fear faces) → heightened threat sensitivity.
Q31–35 Sentence Completion (choose A–G)
31 B – relaxed firefighters took little notice of bad news
- Location: Para 5 (“People are normally quite optimistic – they will ignore bad news… when relaxed.”)
32 G – when stressed they thought bad outcomes more likely
- Location: Para 5 (hyper-vigilant to bad news; altered beliefs towards higher risk)
33 F – good news → behaved similarly regardless of stress
- Location: Para 5 (“stress didn’t change how they responded to good news”)
34 E – students’ cortisol/HR changed when researchers put them in a stressful situation
- Location: Para 6 (surprise public speech → cortisol spike, HR up)
35 D – in both experiments, negative info processed better when under stress
- Location: Paras 5–6 (firefighters & students both improved processing of alarming info while stressed)
Q36–40 Yes/No/Not Given
36 YES
- Keywords: our posts reflect our feeds
- Location: Para 9 (positive feeds → uplifting posts; negative → negative posts)
37 NOT GIVEN
- Keywords: phones vs other devices
- Location: Para 10 (phone checking related to stress)
- Why: No comparison with other electronic devices.
38 NO
- Keywords: more we read → less able to take in
- Location: Para 11–12
- Why: Stress makes people more aware of alarming info, not less.
39 YES
- Keywords: unnecessary precautions
- Location: Para 12 (trips cancelled; stocks sold even when holding is best)
40 YES
- Keywords: use mood contagion positively
- Location: Para 12 (positive emotions like hope are contagious and induce solution-seeking action)
Full Passage & Detailed Explanations: Cambridge 20 Reading Test 1 Passage 3 – How Stress Affects Our Judgement Answers with Explanations
New Vocabulary
Nocturnal – active at night. Example: The Kākāpō is nocturnal and feeds after dark.
Hybrid – a mix of species. Example: Hybrid elms resist disease.
Cortisol – hormone released under stress. Example: Students’ cortisol rose before their speech.
Hyper-vigilant – overly alert. Example: Firefighters became hyper-vigilant to bad news.
Conservation – protecting nature. Example: Conservation programmes saved the Kākāpō.
Collective fear – shared public anxiety. Example: Social media can spread collective fear.
More at 👉 IELTS Vocabulary in Context
Tips for Success
- Follow cause → effect logic in scientific texts.
- Underline names and opinions for matching tasks.
- Check grammar carefully for ONE WORD ONLY answers.
- Spend ≈ 20 minutes per passage.
- Read titles and first sentences to predict content.
FAQ
Q1. What are the themes in Cambridge 20 Test 1?
Wildlife conservation (The Kākāpō), environmental science (To Britain), and psychology (Stress & Judgement).
Q2. Which IELTS skills does this test develop?
Scanning for facts, matching opinions, and analysing scientific findings.
Q3. Which passage is most challenging?
Passage 3 – “How Stress Affects Our Judgement,” because it requires logical reasoning and inference.
Q4. How to prepare for Band 8 Reading?
Practise timed tests, track keywords, and analyse why wrong options are incorrect.
External References
For official IELTS resources and updates, visit the British Council, IDP IELTS, and IELTS.org.
Enhance your skills with expert-led programmes on Course Line – IELTS Preparation Courses to build Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking mastery.
Next Reading Practice
Continue your Cambridge IELTS journey → 👉 Cambridge 20 Reading Test 2 Passage 1 – Manatees Answers with Explanations
Explore these gentle sea mammals and strengthen your scientific reading skills for Band 7–9.
