Sustainable School Travel Strategy & Flu: The Facts - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From Cambridge IELTS 11 General Training Reading Test 2 · Part 1 · Questions 1–14
Reading Passage
==== Read the text below and answer Questions 1-6. ====
Sustainable School Travel Strategy
Over the last 20 years, the number of children being driven to school in England has doubled. National data suggests that one in five cars on the road at 8.50 am is engaged in the school run. Children are subject to up to 3.9 times more pollution in a car that is standing in traffic than when walking or cycling to school. Reducing cars around schools makes them safer places, and walking and cycling are better for health and the environment. It has been noted by teachers that children engaging in active travel arrive at school more alert and ready to learn.
The County Council has a strong commitment to supporting and promoting sustainable school travel. We collect data annually about how pupils get to school, and our report on the Sustainable School Travel Strategy sets out in detail what we have achieved so far and what we intend to do in the future. Different parts of the County Council are working together to address the actions identified in the strategy, and we are proud that we have been able to reduce the number of cars on the daily school run by an average of 1% in each of the last three years, which is equivalent to taking approximately 175 cars off the road annually, despite an increase in pupil numbers.
All schools have a School Travel Plan, which sets out how the school and the Council can collaborate to help reduce travel to school by car and encourage the use of public transport. Contact your school to find out what they are doing as part of their School Travel Plan to help you get your child to school in a sustainable, safe way.
==== Read the text below and answer Question 7-14 ====
Flu: the facts
A Flu (influenza) is an acute viral respiratory infection. It spreads easily from person to person: at home, at school, at work, at the supermarket or on the train.
B It gets passed on when someone who already has flu coughs or sneezes and is transmitted through the air by droplets, or it can be spread by hands infected by the virus.
C Symptoms can include fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, extreme fatigue, a dry cough, sore throat and stuffy nose. Most people will recover within a week but flu can cause severe illness or even death in people at high risk. It is estimated that 18,500-24,800 deaths in England and Wales are attributable to influenza infections annually.
D Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent infection. Although anyone can catch flu, certain people are at greater risk from the implications of flu, as their bodies may not be able to fight the virus. If you are over 65 years old, or suffer from asthma, diabetes, or certain other conditions, you are considered at greater risk from flu and the implications can be serious. If you fall into one of these ‘at-risk’ groups, are pregnant or a carer, you are eligible for a free flu vaccination.
E If you are not eligible for a free flu vaccination, you can still protect yourself and those around you from flu by getting a flu vaccination at a local pharmacy.
F About seven to ten days after vaccination, your body makes antibodies that help to protect you against any similar viruses that may infect you. This protection lasts about a year.
G A flu vaccination contains inactivated, killed virus strains so it can’t give you the flu. However, a flu vaccination can take up to two weeks to begin working, so it is possible to catch flu in this period.
H A flu vaccination is designed to protect you against the most common and potent strains of flu circulating so there is a small chance you could catch a strain of flu not contained in the flu vaccine.
I The influenza virus is constantly changing and vaccines are developed to protect against the predicted strains each year so it is important to get vaccinated against the latest strains.
Speak to your GP or nurse today to book your flu vaccination.
Questions
Questions 1–6 True / False / Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text?
In boxes on your answer sheet, write
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 7–14 Matching Information
The text has nine sections, A-I. Which sections contain the following information?
Write the correct letter, A-I, in boxes on your answer sheet.
NB You may use any answer more than once.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | NOT GIVEN | Reducing cars around schools makes them safer places, and walking and cycling are better for health and the environment | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that having less cars near schools makes them safer. Walking and riding bikes are also good for health and the environment, but it does not say if those ways of traveling cause more injuries. Answer Explanation: The answer is NOT GIVEN. This means we don't know if more children get hurt when they walk or ride bikes to school compared to when they go by car. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is NOT GIVEN because the passage talks about how reducing cars makes schools safer and that walking and cycling are better for health and the environment, but it does not provide any specific information about injuries when walking or cycling versus traveling by car. Therefore, we cannot tell if more children are injured when they walk or cycle to school. |
| Q2 | FALSE | it has been noted by teachers that children engaging in active travel arrive at school more alert and ready to learn | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that teachers have observed that children who walk or ride bikes to school are more awake and prepared to learn than those who come by car. Answer Explanation: The answer means that children who go to school by car are not more ready to learn than those who walk or ride a bike. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the passage states that children who engage in active travel, like walking or cycling, arrive at school more alert and ready to learn. This shows that walking or cycling makes them more ready to learn, not being driven. |
| Q3 | TRUE | We collect data annually about how pupils get to school | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the Council gathers information every year about how students travel to their schools. Answer Explanation: The answer means that every year the Council collects information about how children travel to school. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the passage states that the County Council collects data annually about how pupils get to school. This shows that each year they gather information on this topic. |
| Q4 | FALSE | we are proud that we have been able to reduce the number of cars on the daily school run by an average of 1% in each of the last three years | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says the Council feels happy and proud because they reduced the number of cars going to school, even if it is by a little bit each year. Answer Explanation: The answer is FALSE. This means the Council is not disappointed. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the passage says the County Council is proud of reducing the number of cars on the school run, even if it's just a small 1% each year. They highlight this achievement and show positive feelings about it, which means they are not disappointed. |
| Q5 | TRUE | despite an increase in pupil numbers | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says there are now more children in schools than before, which means the number of children has gone up. Answer Explanation: The answer means that more children are now attending schools compared to before. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the passage states that even though the County Council has been able to reduce cars on the school run, this was done despite an increase in pupil numbers. This shows that there are more children in schools now. |
| Q6 | NOT GIVEN | Contact your school to find out what they are doing as part of their School Travel Plan to help you get your child to school in a sustainable, safe way | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says you can ask your school about their School Travel Plan. However, it does not explain whether parents can receive financial help for public transport. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'NOT GIVEN' because the text does not say anything about parents getting help to pay for public transport. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'NOT GIVEN' because the passage only talks about what schools and councils are doing to reduce car travel and promote walking or cycling. It does not mention anything about financial help for parents using public transport. |
| Q7 | D | If you are over 65 years old, or suffer from asthma, diabetes, or certain other conditions, you are considered at greater risk from flu and the implications can be serious | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that older people and those with specific health problems are more likely to get very sick from the flu. This means they need more protection from the virus. Answer Explanation: The answer is D. This means that section D talks about people who are at higher risk of becoming very sick from flu. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is D because this section explains that people over 65 years old, and those with conditions like asthma or diabetes, are more likely to get very sick from the flu. It mentions that these groups of people are considered 'at-risk' and that their health can be seriously affected by flu. |
| Q8 | E | If you are not eligible for a free flu vaccination, you can still protect yourself and those around you from flu by getting a flu vaccination at a local pharmacy | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that if you cannot get a free vaccination, you can still get a vaccination by visiting a pharmacy and paying for it. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'E'. This means if you want to pay for a vaccination, you can go to a local pharmacy. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'E' because it says that if you are not eligible for a free flu vaccination, you can still get vaccinated by going to a local pharmacy. This tells you how to get a vaccination by paying for it. |
| Q9 | I | The influenza virus is constantly changing and vaccines are developed to protect against the predicted strains each year so it is important to get vaccinated against the latest strains | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the flu virus changes all the time. New vaccines are made each year to help protect against these changes. That's why it is important to get the latest vaccines. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'I.' This means that new vaccines come out because the influenza virus keeps changing. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'I' because this section explains that the influenza virus is always changing. To protect people, new vaccines are made each year that target the most common strains. This means we need new vaccines to stay safe from these changed viruses. |
| Q10 | F | About seven to ten days after vaccination, your body makes antibodies that help to protect you against any similar viruses that may infect you. This protection lasts about a year | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that after you get the vaccine, your body creates special things called antibodies in about one week. These antibodies help you stay safe from similar viruses for one year. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'F', which means that a vaccine helps your body for about a year. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'F' because it explains that after getting vaccinated, your body makes protection that lasts for about a year. This is important information about how long the vaccine works. |
| Q11 | H | A flu vaccination is designed to protect you against the most common and potent strains of flu circulating so there is a small chance you could catch a strain of flu not contained in the flu vaccine | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the flu vaccine protects you from the main types of flu, but you might get another type of flu that is not in the vaccine. Answer Explanation: The answer is H. This means that there is a chance you can get a different kind of flu than the ones in the vaccine. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is H because it explains that the flu vaccine is designed to protect against specific types of flu, but there is still a small chance of catching a different strain of flu not included in the vaccine. The passage mentions the 'most common and potent strains of flu' and acknowledges the possibility of other strains. |
| Q12 | D | If you are over 65 years old, or suffer from asthma, diabetes, or certain other conditions, you are considered at greater risk from flu and the implications can be serious. If you fall into one of these 'at-risk' groups, are pregnant or a carer, you are eligible for a free flu vaccination | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that people who are older, who have asthma, diabetes, or are pregnant, do not have to pay for the flu vaccination. This is important because they might get very sick from the flu. Answer Explanation: The answer is D. This means that section D talks about people who can get the flu vaccine for free. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is D because this section explains that some people, like those over 65 years old or with certain health problems, can get a flu vaccination for free. It mentions groups of people who are considered at greater risk from flu and can get the vaccination without paying. |
| Q13 | G | A flu vaccination contains inactivated, killed virus strains so it can't give you the flu | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that a flu vaccine has virus parts that are dead. This means it cannot make you sick with the flu. Answer Explanation: The answer is G. This means that section G talks about what is in a flu vaccine. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is G because it explains that a flu vaccination contains inactivated or killed virus strains. This means the vaccine cannot give you the flu. This information tells us what a vaccine consists of. |
| Q14 | C | Symptoms can include fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, extreme fatigue, a dry cough, sore throat and stuffy nose | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the signs of flu can be fever, chills, pain in muscles, very tired, a dry cough, sore throat, and a nose that feels blocked. These are things that people feel when they have flu. Answer Explanation: The answer is C. This means that section C talks about the signs or symptoms of flu. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because section C lists the symptoms of flu, such as fever, chills, headache, and sore throat. These are the signs that show someone might have flu. |