Cambridge IELTS 19 Reading Test 2 Passage 1 Answers with Explanation

Overview

Hi there, IELTS ZONE learners! I just finished working through Passage 1 of Cambridge IELTS 19 Reading Test 2 — “The Industrial Revolution in Britain” — and I wanted to walk you through it with me.

After more than 10 years of preparing students from all over the world for the IELTS exam, I’ve seen the same challenges pop up again and again — especially in the Reading section.

When I was studying for IELTS (yes, those long nights and practice drills!), the reading section used to stress me out the most. But over time, I started to spot patterns and tricks the examiners use — and it made a world of difference.

Let’s break this passage down together, just like I would if we were studying side by side.

I usually begin by skimming the passage for about 2 to 2.5 minutes — just like we recommend in our Complete IELTS Reading Guide. During this time, I’m not trying to understand every detail — I’m just looking for names, years, unusual terms, or repeated ideas. For this passage, words like “Newcomen,” “Watt,” “steam engine,” and “Luddites” stood out.

This quick scan gives me a mental map of the text, which makes it easier to locate answers when I start the questions. Once I’ve done that, I dive straight into the questions — now with a clear sense of where I might find the information I need. I tackled the questions in around 12–13 minutes, keeping my total time close to our official recommendation of 15 minutes for Passage 1 as outlined in our IELTS Reading Overview Page.

Description

Questions 1–7: Notes Completion

1. In Watt and Boulton’s steam engine, the movement of the ____ was linked to a gear system.
   This question refers to how energy was transferred in the upgraded steam engine. In Paragraph 2, it says: “…driven by both the forward and backward strokes of the piston, while the gear mechanism it was connected to produced rotary motion.”
   The word piston clearly fits the blank.
   Answer: piston
2. A greater supply of ____ was required to power steam engines.
   In Paragraph 3, I found: “The demand for coal…grew rapidly…as it was needed to run…factories…and…steam-powered transportation.”
   The blank refers to the energy source, and coal fits perfectly.
   Answer: coal
3. Before the Industrial Revolution, spinners and weavers worked at home and in ____.
   The answer comes from Paragraph 4: “…performed in small workshops or even homes by individual spinners, weavers and dyers.”
   The correct word here is workshops.
   Answer: workshops
4. Not as much ____ was needed to produce cloth once the spinning jenny and power loom were invented.
   In the same paragraph: “With these machines, relatively little labor was required to produce cloth…”
   The invention reduced the need for labor.
   Answer: labor
5. Smelting of iron ore with coke resulted in material that was better ____.
   Paragraph 5 says: “This method was cheaper and produced metals that were of a higher quality…”
   The keyword quality fits the sentence logically.
   Answer: quality
6. Demand for iron increased with the growth of the ____.
   Still in Paragraph 5: “…in response to demand created by the Napoleonic Wars…and the expansion of the railways from the 1830s.”
   That makes railways the correct answer.
   Answer: railways
7. The new cities were dirty, crowded and lacked sufficient ____.
   Paragraph 7 clearly states: “…cities suffered from pollution and inadequate sanitation.”
   So the missing word is sanitation.
   Answer: sanitation

🧠 Exam Tip: For Notes Completion, look for direct word matches or paraphrased cues. Avoid overthinking — most answers are single, exact words from the passage.

Questions 8–13: TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN

8. Britain’s canal network grew rapidly so that more goods could be transported around the country.
   This question suggests an expansion of the canal system, but when I looked in Paragraph 3, I found only: “…steam-powered boats and ships were widely used to carry goods along Britain’s canals…”
   It talks about usage — not growth or expansion. Since the passage doesn’t confirm this specific point, I chose NOT GIVEN.
9. Costs in the iron industry rose when the technique of smelting iron ore with coke was introduced.
   This statement suggests costs increased, but Paragraph 5 says: “This method was cheaper and produced metals that were of a higher quality…”
   So instead of rising, costs actually decreased. That’s why I confidently chose FALSE.
10. Samuel Morse’s communication system was more reliable than that developed by William Cooke and Charles Wheatstone.
    This is a comparison question — but when I checked Paragraph 6, it only says: “In the 1830s and 1840s, Samuel Morse and other inventors worked on their own versions…”
    There’s no comment on which system was more reliable, so the answer is NOT GIVEN.
11. The economic benefits of industrialization were limited to certain sectors of society.
    Paragraph 8 explains: “…improved the standard of living for the middle and upper classes, many poor people continued to struggle.”
    That clearly supports the idea that only some groups benefited, so I marked this as TRUE.
12. Some skilled weavers believed that the introduction of the new textile machines would lead to job losses.
    The answer is right in Paragraph 9: “…they feared that unskilled machine operators were robbing them of their livelihood.”
    That fear of being replaced by machines directly reflects this statement. So I selected TRUE.
13. There was some sympathy among local people for the Luddites who were arrested near Huddersfield.
    This one sounded believable, but when I double-checked the passage, there was no reference at all to public sympathy or how local people felt about the arrests.
    Since the passage doesn’t say anything about this, I went with NOT GIVEN.

🔍 Exam Tip: For TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN, verify every word in the statement. If one part is missing or different, it can flip your answer.

Examiner Traps and How to Outsmart Them

What we see in this passage is a subtle blend of factual history and technical innovation — which the examiner uses to create questions that feel obvious but often aren’t. Statements like Q8 and Q13 are classic NOT GIVEN traps: they seem reasonable based on general knowledge, but the passage never actually confirms them.

Others, like Q9 and Q12, test your ability to detect fine details — particularly changes in cost or fears about livelihoods. These often hinge on a single word like cheaper or some. If you miss these modifiers, you might misjudge the whole sentence.

Always go back to the exact sentence, and watch for absolute or vague terms — they’re a common way to mislead test-takers.

My Final Takeaway

Skimming first helped me locate ideas fast. Then, instead of jumping to answers, I always double-checked the exact sentence and asked: “Does this fully support or contradict the question?” That little habit makes all the difference.

If you’re new to IELTS Reading, don’t miss our Complete Guide to IELTS Reading to understand all the question types, scoring, and strategies.

Hope this breakdown helped you understand not just what the answers are, but why. Stay tuned for Passage 2 — and remember, mastering IELTS Reading is all about mastering the examiner’s logic. You’ve got this!

Looking for more help with TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN questions? Explore our IELTS Reading Question Types breakdown for targeted practice and tips!

👉 Ready for Passage 2? Let’s keep going and build even more confidence!