Daylight Saving Time - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From Road to IELTS Academic Reading Test 5 · Part 2 · Questions 14–26
Reading Passage
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14–26, which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.
Daylight Saving Time
Each year in many countries around the world, clocks are set forward in spring and then back again in autumn in an effort to ‘save’ daylight hours. Like many modern practices, Daylight Savings Time (DST) dates back to ancient civilisations. The Romans would adjust their routines to the sun’s schedule by using different scales in their water clocks for different months of the year.
This practice fell out of favour, however, and the concept was renewed only when, in 1784, the American inventor Benjamin Franklin wrote a jocular article for The Journal of Paris exhorting the city’s residents to make more use of daylight hours in order to reduce candle use. In 1895, in a more serious effort, New Zealand entomologist George Vernon Hudson proposed a biannual two-hour shift closely resembling current forms of DST. His cause was not taken up, however, until Germany first pushed their clocks forward in April 1916 as part of a drive to save fuel in World War I.
Over the next several decades, global use of DST was sporadic and inconsistent. Countries such as the UK and USA adopted DST in World Wars I and II, but reverted to standard time after the wars ended. In the USA, the decision to use DST was determined by states and municipalities between 1945 and 1966, causing widespread confusion for transport and broadcasting schedules until Congress implemented the Uniform Time Act in 1966.
Today, DST is used in some form by over 70 countries worldwide, affecting around one sixth of the world’s population. There is still no uniform standard, however. Countries such as Egypt and Russia have adjusted their policies on multiple occasions in recent years, in some instances leading to considerable turmoil. Muslim countries often suspend DST for the month of Ramadan. The European Union finally standardised DST in 2000, while the USA’s most recent adjustments were introduced with the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
In general, the benefits of DST are considerable and well documented. Perhaps the most significant factor in terms of popular support is the chance to make better use of daylight in the evening. With extended daylight hours, office workers coming off a 9 to 5 shift can often take part in outdoor recreational activities for an hour or two. This has other positive effects, such as reducing domestic electricity consumption as more opportunities become available to use sunlight instead of artificial lighting. A further benefit is a reduction in the overall rate of automobile accidents, as DST ensures that streets are well lit at peak hours.
Many industries are supportive of DST due to the opportunities it provides for increased revenue. Extended daylight hours mean people are more likely to stay out later in the evening and spend more money in bars and restaurants, for example, so tourism and hospitality are two sectors that stand to gain a lot from more daylight. In Queensland, Australia, which elected not to implement DST due to complaints from dairy farmers over disruption to milking schedules, the annual drain on the state’s economy is estimated to be as high as $4 billion.
Some research casts doubt on the advantages of DST, however. Although the overall incidence of traffic accidents is lower, for pedestrians the risk of being hit by a car in the evening increases by as much as 186 per cent in the weeks after clocks are set back in autumn, possibly because drivers have not yet adjusted to earlier sunsets. Although this shift does in turn make streets safer in early mornings, the risk to pedestrians is not offset simply because fewer pedestrians use the streets at that time.
A further health concern involves the disruption of our body clock. Setting clocks one hour forward at night can cause many people to lose sleep, resulting in tiredness and all its well-documented effects, such as mood swings, reduced productivity and problems with overall physical well-being. In 2008, a Swedish study found that heart attack rates spike in the few days following the switch to DST for summer. Tiredness may also be a factor behind the increase in road accidents in the week after DST begins.
Finally, safety issues have arisen in parts of Latin America relating to a suspected relationship between DST and higher incidences of street crime. In 2008, Guatemala chose not to use DST because it forced office workers to leave their homes while it was still dark outside in the morning. This natural cover for criminals was thought to increase incidents of crime at this hour.
Questions
Questions 14–19 True / False / Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2?
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
Questions 20–26 Table Completion
Complete the table below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Advantages and disadvantages of Daylight Saving Time
| Advantages
More opportunities for 20 after work. People use less power in their homes because they don’t need as much lighting. Better lighting during 21 leads to fewer car crashes following the spring change to DST. Some industries, such as 22 , earn more money with DST. |
Disadvantages
Dairy farmers find that DST upsets their 23 More dangerous for 24 following re-setting of clocks in autumn. Loss of sleep can lead to 25 , inferior performance at work and poorer general health because of fatigue. Darker mornings may lead to more 26 |
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q14 | FALSE | This practice fell out of favour, however, and the concept was renewed only when, in 1784, the American inventor Benjamin Franklin wrote a jocular article for The Journal of Paris exhorting the city’s residents to make more use of daylight hours in order to reduce candle use | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that people stopped following the daylight schedule for a long time, and the idea only came back when Benjamin Franklin suggested it in 1784. Answer Explanation: The answer is FALSE because the statement claims that Daylight Saving Time has always been used without stopping since ancient times, but the text tells us that it actually stopped for a long time. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the passage states that while the Romans adjusted their schedules to the sun, the practice later 'fell out of favour,' meaning people stopped doing it. It was only 'renewed' (started again) in the year 1784. Since 'continual' means something never stops, the fact that it stopped for many centuries before starting again makes the statement incorrect. |
| Q15 | TRUE | In 1895, in a more serious effort, New Zealand entomologist George Vernon Hudson proposed a biannual two-hour shift closely resembling current forms of DST | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that in 1895, a man named George Vernon Hudson suggested changing the clocks twice a year, and this idea was very similar to how we use Daylight Saving Time now. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the way we use Daylight Saving Time (DST) now is much like the plan George Vernon Hudson created a long time ago. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the passage explicitly states that George Vernon Hudson proposed a plan that is very much like what we do today. It uses the words 'closely resembling,' which means 'very similar to,' and 'current forms of DST,' which means 'how it is today.' Even though his specific idea for a two-hour shift isn't exactly what everyone uses, the text confirms that his overall proposal is like our modern system. |
| Q16 | NOT GIVEN | Countries such as the UK and USA adopted DST in World Wars I and II, but reverted to standard time after the wars ended | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that Britain and America used DST during the two world wars, but they went back to original time once the wars were finished. It does not say if they liked the results or if the plan was a success. Answer Explanation: The answer is NOT GIVEN because there is no information in the text to tell us if people thought Daylight Saving Time (DST) worked well or not during the big wars. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is NOT GIVEN because the passage only states that countries like the UK and USA used DST during World War I and World War II and then stopped after the wars were over. It does not provide any judgment or opinion on whether the practice was 'successful' or unsuccessful during those years. To answer TRUE or FALSE, the text would need to specifically mention how effective it was. |
| Q17 | FALSE | the USA’s most recent adjustments were introduced with the Energy Policy Act of 2005 | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that the last time the United States changed its rules for Daylight Saving Time was in 2005, which means the rules were not set forever in 1966. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the statement is wrong because the United States did not finish making its Daylight Saving Time rules in 1966. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the passage mentions that the United States made more changes to its Daylight Saving Time rules in the year 2005. To 'finalise' something means to complete it or make the last version. Since the passage says there were 'adjustments' (meaning changes) as recently as 2005, the policy was not finished or finalised in 1966. |
| Q18 | FALSE | There is still no uniform standard, however | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that there is not one single way of using Daylight Saving Time that everyone around the world agrees on. Answer Explanation: The answer is FALSE because the text says that countries do not have one single rule that they all follow for Daylight Saving Time. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the passage states that there is 'no uniform standard' globally for DST. This means that different countries use it in different ways and change their rules at different times, so they do not all agree on how to use it. |
| Q19 | TRUE | Countries such as Egypt and Russia have adjusted their policies on multiple occasions in recent years, in some instances leading to considerable turmoil | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that nations like Egypt and Russia changed their rules about daylight saving time many times lately, which caused a lot of trouble. Answer Explanation: The answer means that it is correct to say that changing daylight saving time rules many times in a short period has caused trouble in some nations. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the passage mentions that countries like Egypt and Russia have changed their daylight saving time rules many times in recent years. These frequent changes led to what the text calls 'considerable turmoil', which is another way of saying big problems or confusion. |
| Q20 | outdoor recreational activities / recreational activities | With extended daylight hours, office workers coming off a 9 to 5 shift can often take part in outdoor recreational activities for an hour or two | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that when there is more sunlight in the evening, people who finish work at 5:00 PM have time to do fun activities outdoors for one or two hours. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to fun things people do outside when they are not working, such as sports, walking, or playing in the park. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is '(outdoor) recreational activities' because the passage notes that extra light in the evening gives workers finishing their jobs the chance to do fun things outside. This matches the table's note about 'more opportunities' after work. |
| Q21 | peak hours | A further benefit is a reduction in the overall rate of automobile accidents, as DST ensures that streets are well lit at peak hours | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that there are fewer car accidents because the roads have a lot of light during the times when most people are out driving. Answer Explanation: The answer 'peak hours' means the busiest times of the day when most people are driving cars or traveling on the roads. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'peak hours' because the text explains that Daylight Saving Time (DST) helps reduce car crashes by making sure there is good light when many people are on the move. In the text, the word 'reduction' matches the meaning of 'fewer' in the question, 'automobile accidents' is a synonym for 'car crashes', and 'well lit' refers to having 'better lighting'. |
| Q22 | tourism and hospitality / tourism hospitality / hospitality and tourism / hospitality tourism | tourism and hospitality are two sectors that stand to gain a lot from more daylight | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that travel businesses and service businesses (like hotels and bars) are likely to benefit or make a lot of money because of the extra light. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to businesses that deal with travel and serving people, like hotels and restaurants. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in the text which explains that more sunlight helps some businesses make more money. It mentions that 'tourism' and 'hospitality' are two sectors that earn 'increased revenue,' which means they make more profit. |
| Q23 | milking schedules | In Queensland, Australia, which elected not to implement DST due to complaints from dairy farmers over disruption to milking schedules, the annual drain on the state’s economy is estimated to be as high as $4 billion | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that in one part of Australia, people decided not to use Daylight Saving Time because dairy farmers said it broke their regular plans for when to milk their animals. Answer Explanation: The answer means the specific times of day that farmers have planned to get milk from their cows. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in the paragraph discussing economic impacts. It mentions 'dairy farmers' specifically and notes that they complained about a 'disruption' to their routines. In the question, the word 'upsets' acts as a synonym for 'disruption'. Therefore, the thing being upset or disrupted is the 'milking schedules'. |
| Q24 | pedestrians | Although the overall incidence of traffic accidents is lower, for pedestrians the risk of being hit by a car in the evening increases by as much as 186 per cent in the weeks after clocks are set back in autumn, possibly because drivers have not yet adjusted to earlier sunsets | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that when the clocks are changed in the autumn, it becomes much more dangerous for people walking because the risk of being hit by a vehicle increases by a large amount. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to people who are walking on or near a street rather than driving or being in a car. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in the section of the text discussing the downsides of Daylight Saving Time. The passage explains that even though general car crashes might decrease, the chance of a walker (pedestrian) being hit by a car goes up significantly. This happens specifically in the weeks after the 're-setting of clocks in autumn.' The text uses the word 'risk' to match the table's mention of being 'more dangerous.' |
| Q25 | mood swings | Setting clocks one hour forward at night can cause many people to lose sleep, resulting in tiredness and all its well-documented effects, such as mood swings, reduced productivity and problems with overall physical well-being | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that when the time changes in the spring, people often sleep less. This lack of sleep makes people tired and leads to several problems, including fast changes in their emotions, working less effectively, and having worse health. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to sudden and frequent changes in a person's emotional state or how they feel, such as suddenly becoming angry or sad. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in the eighth paragraph, which discusses the negative health effects of losing sleep when clocks are moved forward. The text explicitly lists 'mood swings' as one of the results of tiredness caused by this loss of sleep, alongside other issues like 'reduced productivity' (which matches 'inferior performance at work' in the table) and 'problems with overall physical well-being' (which matches 'poorer general health'). |
| Q26 | street crime / crime / street incidents of crime / incidents of crime | Finally, safety issues have arisen in parts of Latin America relating to a suspected relationship between DST and higher incidences of street crime. In 2008, Guatemala chose not to use DST because it forced office workers to leave their homes while it was still dark outside in the morning. This natural cover for criminals was thought to increase incidents of crime at this hour | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that in Guatemala, because DST made it dark in the morning when people went to work, criminals were able to hide and commit more crimes at that time. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to illegal acts that happen in public places, such as stealing or other activities that break the law. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in the final paragraph. It states that in certain regions, Daylight Saving Time (DST) makes it dark when people leave for work in the morning. This darkness gives criminals a place to hide, which leads to more 'incidents of crime' or 'street crime' during those early, dark hours. |