IELTS Academic
IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test 1
Reading Module • Time allowed: 60 minutes
Total: 40 questions • 3 Passages
Instructions:
Read each passage carefully and answer all questions.
Write your answers in the spaces provided.
For True/False/Not Given questions, write T, F, or NG.
For multiple-choice questions, write the letter of your chosen answer.
For short-answer questions, use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS.
For exam practice only. Not affiliated with British Council, IDP or Cambridge.
, PASSAGE 1
The Rise of Urban Farming
Urban farming — the practice of cultivating, processing and distributing food in or around urban areas —
has grown rapidly in recent decades. Once dismissed as a hobby for enthusiasts with rooftop gardens, it
is now recognised as a serious contributor to food security, environmental sustainability and community
wellbeing in cities across the world.
The origins of urban agriculture are not as modern as many people assume. During the two World
Wars, governments in the United Kingdom and the United States actively encouraged citizens to grow
food in any available space. These "Victory Gardens" supplied a significant proportion of vegetables
consumed domestically, demonstrating that cities could, under pressure, become meaningful food
producers. After the wars ended, industrialised agriculture and global supply chains rendered such
initiatives largely unnecessary — until recently.
The renewed interest in urban farming has been driven by several converging factors. Rapid
urbanisation means that more than half the world's population now lives in cities, a figure projected to
reach two-thirds by 2050. As cities expand, concerns about the resilience of food supply chains have
intensified, particularly following disruptions caused by climate events and, more recently, global
pandemics. Simultaneously, consumers in wealthy countries have become more conscious of the
environmental footprint of their food — the kilometres it travels, the chemicals used to grow it and the
conditions in which it was produced.
Technological innovation has also played a decisive role. Vertical farming — in which crops are grown in
stacked layers under artificial lighting — has moved from science fiction to commercial reality.
Companies in Japan, the Netherlands and the United States operate vast indoor facilities where lettuce,
herbs and strawberries are produced year-round without soil, using hydroponic or aeroponic systems
that deliver nutrients directly to plant roots. These farms use up to 95 per cent less water than
conventional agriculture and can be located in repurposed warehouses or even underground car parks.
Critics, however, argue that the enthusiasm for urban farming is disproportionate to its actual impact.
The amount of food that can be produced within city limits — even with the most advanced technology
— represents a tiny fraction of what urban populations require. A study conducted by researchers at the
University of Michigan estimated that urban agriculture currently supplies less than one per cent of
global caloric needs. Moreover, the energy costs of indoor vertical farming are substantial: artificial
lighting and climate control systems can consume enormous quantities of electricity, potentially
undermining the environmental benefits if that power comes from fossil fuel sources.
Proponents counter that the value of urban farming extends well beyond calories produced. Community
gardens have been shown to improve mental health, foster social cohesion and provide educational
opportunities for urban children who might otherwise have little connection to food production. In many
cities, urban farms have taken root in deprived neighbourhoods where fresh produce is otherwise
expensive or inaccessible — areas sometimes described as "food deserts". By bringing food production
closer to the point of consumption, urban farms can also reduce transportation-related emissions.
Policy frameworks are slowly catching up with practice. Several major cities — including Singapore,
Amsterdam and Detroit — have incorporated urban agriculture into their official planning strategies.
Singapore, where land is extremely scarce, has set a target of producing 30 per cent of its nutritional
needs domestically by 2030, a goal that relies heavily on high-tech urban farming. Detroit, by contrast,
has pursued low-tech community gardening on the many vacant lots left by the city's industrial decline,
creating a patchwork of green spaces that serve social as well as agricultural purposes.
IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test 1
Reading Module • Time allowed: 60 minutes
Total: 40 questions • 3 Passages
Instructions:
Read each passage carefully and answer all questions.
Write your answers in the spaces provided.
For True/False/Not Given questions, write T, F, or NG.
For multiple-choice questions, write the letter of your chosen answer.
For short-answer questions, use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS.
For exam practice only. Not affiliated with British Council, IDP or Cambridge.
, PASSAGE 1
The Rise of Urban Farming
Urban farming — the practice of cultivating, processing and distributing food in or around urban areas —
has grown rapidly in recent decades. Once dismissed as a hobby for enthusiasts with rooftop gardens, it
is now recognised as a serious contributor to food security, environmental sustainability and community
wellbeing in cities across the world.
The origins of urban agriculture are not as modern as many people assume. During the two World
Wars, governments in the United Kingdom and the United States actively encouraged citizens to grow
food in any available space. These "Victory Gardens" supplied a significant proportion of vegetables
consumed domestically, demonstrating that cities could, under pressure, become meaningful food
producers. After the wars ended, industrialised agriculture and global supply chains rendered such
initiatives largely unnecessary — until recently.
The renewed interest in urban farming has been driven by several converging factors. Rapid
urbanisation means that more than half the world's population now lives in cities, a figure projected to
reach two-thirds by 2050. As cities expand, concerns about the resilience of food supply chains have
intensified, particularly following disruptions caused by climate events and, more recently, global
pandemics. Simultaneously, consumers in wealthy countries have become more conscious of the
environmental footprint of their food — the kilometres it travels, the chemicals used to grow it and the
conditions in which it was produced.
Technological innovation has also played a decisive role. Vertical farming — in which crops are grown in
stacked layers under artificial lighting — has moved from science fiction to commercial reality.
Companies in Japan, the Netherlands and the United States operate vast indoor facilities where lettuce,
herbs and strawberries are produced year-round without soil, using hydroponic or aeroponic systems
that deliver nutrients directly to plant roots. These farms use up to 95 per cent less water than
conventional agriculture and can be located in repurposed warehouses or even underground car parks.
Critics, however, argue that the enthusiasm for urban farming is disproportionate to its actual impact.
The amount of food that can be produced within city limits — even with the most advanced technology
— represents a tiny fraction of what urban populations require. A study conducted by researchers at the
University of Michigan estimated that urban agriculture currently supplies less than one per cent of
global caloric needs. Moreover, the energy costs of indoor vertical farming are substantial: artificial
lighting and climate control systems can consume enormous quantities of electricity, potentially
undermining the environmental benefits if that power comes from fossil fuel sources.
Proponents counter that the value of urban farming extends well beyond calories produced. Community
gardens have been shown to improve mental health, foster social cohesion and provide educational
opportunities for urban children who might otherwise have little connection to food production. In many
cities, urban farms have taken root in deprived neighbourhoods where fresh produce is otherwise
expensive or inaccessible — areas sometimes described as "food deserts". By bringing food production
closer to the point of consumption, urban farms can also reduce transportation-related emissions.
Policy frameworks are slowly catching up with practice. Several major cities — including Singapore,
Amsterdam and Detroit — have incorporated urban agriculture into their official planning strategies.
Singapore, where land is extremely scarce, has set a target of producing 30 per cent of its nutritional
needs domestically by 2030, a goal that relies heavily on high-tech urban farming. Detroit, by contrast,
has pursued low-tech community gardening on the many vacant lots left by the city's industrial decline,
creating a patchwork of green spaces that serve social as well as agricultural purposes.
