Cambridge IELTS 16 Test 1 Reading Answers

Cambridge Practice Series

Cambridge IELTS 16 Academic Reading Test 1: Complete Explanations

⏱ 60 Minutes 🎯 40 Questions 📊 Target: Band 8.0+

This guide provides an exhaustive question-by-question breakdown of Cambridge IELTS 16 Reading Test 1. Each answer includes exact paragraph locators, parallel keyword vocabulary tables, and detailed logical reasoning to help you eliminate distractors and master Cambridge exam patterns.

Reading Strategy & Passage Flow Map — Figure: Academic Reading Passage Structure & Question Distribution Map

Master Quick-Reference Answer Key (Questions 1–40)

Cross-check your test responses immediately using this verified master key before reading the deep rationales.

Q#	Answer Key	Q#	Answer Key	Q#	Answer Key	Q#	Answer Key
1	FALSE	11	photographer	21	city	31	G
2	FALSE	12	game	22	priests	32	E
3	NOT GIVEN	13	frustration	23	trench	33	C
4	FALSE	14	iv	24	location	34	F
5	TRUE	15	vii	25	B	35	B
6	FALSE	16	ii	26	D	36	A
7	TRUE	17	v	27	B	37	C
8	violent	18	i	28	D	38	A
9	tool	19	viii	29	C	39	B
10	meat	20	vi	30	D	40	C

Section 1

Reading Passage 1: Why Polar Bears Should Be Treated with Respect

Topic: Arctic Biology & Comparative Genetics • Questions 1–13 (True/False/Not Given & Summary Completion)

High-Yield Passage Vocabulary & Collocations

Academic Word	Part of Speech	Contextual Definition	Cambridge Synonyms
Adipose tissue	noun	Fat tissue stored beneath the skin of mammals	Fat reserves, lipid layer
Genetic mutation	noun	Permanent alteration in DNA sequence providing evolutionary advantage	Gene variant, adaptation
Osteoporosis	noun	Bone density reduction leading to brittle, fragile bones	Bone loss, bone degradation
Tenacity	noun	Persistent determination and endurance under adverse conditions	Perseverance, persistence

Questions 1–7: True / False / Not Given Detailed Explanations

Question 1: Polar bears suffer from various health problems due to the build-up of fat under their skin.

Answer: FALSE

"One reason for this is that they have up to 11 centimetres of fat underneath their skin. Humans with comparative levels of adipose tissue would be considered obese and would be likely to suffer from diabetes and heart disease. Yet the polar bear experiences no such consequences." (Paragraph 1)

Rationale: The passage explicitly notes that while humans with equivalent adipose tissue would suffer from severe conditions like diabetes, the polar bear "experiences no such consequences." Because the question directly contradicts the passage facts, the answer is FALSE.

Question 2: The study done by Liu and his colleagues compared different groups of polar bears.

Answer: FALSE

"They compared the genetic structure of polar bears with that of their closest relative from a warmer climate, the brown bear..." (Paragraph 2)

Rationale: The study did not contrast distinct subsets of polar bears with one another; instead, researchers compared polar bears against an entirely different species—the brown bear. This clear factual contradiction confirms the answer is FALSE.

Question 3: Liu and colleagues were the first researchers to compare polar bears and brown bears genetically.

Answer: NOT GIVEN

"A 2014 study by Shi Ping Liu and colleagues sheds light on this mystery. They compared the genetic structure of polar bears with that of their closest relative..." (Paragraph 2)

Rationale: While the author details Liu's genetic comparison, the passage never states or implies whether this team was the first in history to do so. Unmentioned historical priority requires a NOT GIVEN verdict.

Question 4: Polar bears are able to control their levels of 'bad' cholesterol by cutting down on their intake of food.

Answer: FALSE

"Liu and his colleagues found that polar bears had a gene known as APoB, which reduces levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs)..." (Paragraph 2)

Rationale: The control of LDL cholesterol is attributed to an innate genetic mechanism (the APoB gene), not dietary restriction or conscious calorie control. Hence, the statement contradicts the passage and is FALSE.

Question 5: Female polar bears are able to survive for about six months without food.

Answer: TRUE

"...these mothers-to-be will dig maternity dens in the snow, where they will remain throughout the next six months... fasting for this entire period." (Paragraph 3)

Rationale: Remaining in maternity dens for six months while fasting completely is a direct paraphrase of surviving without food for approximately six months. Therefore, this statement is TRUE.

Question 6: It was found that the bones of female polar bears were very weak when they came out of their dens in spring.

Answer: FALSE

"Paradoxically, their bone density had not decreased throughout the six months of immobility. In humans, prolonged bed rest leads to significant bone loss, but polar bears show no evidence of osteoporosis." (Paragraph 4)

Rationale: Bone density did not decrease and there was no evidence of osteoporosis or bone weakening. Because their bones remained strong, the statement directly contradicts the passage: FALSE.

Question 7: The polar bears' mechanism for increasing bone density could also be used by people one day.

Answer: TRUE

"If the mechanism of bone remodelling in polar bears can be understood at a cellular level, this may find applications in human medicine, specifically in treating bone loss in the elderly or bedridden patients." (Paragraph 4)

Rationale: The author explicitly highlights future applications in human medicine for treating osteoporosis and elderly bedridden individuals. This confirms the statement is TRUE.

Questions 8–13: Summary Completion (Polar Bear Intelligence & Behaviour)

Q#	Correct Answer	Passage Keyword Locator	Grammatical & Contextual Rationale
8	violent	Paragraph 5: "Traditionally perceived as dim-witted and violent beasts..."	The summary requires an adjective pairing with "unintelligent". The text provides "dim-witted and violent".
9	tool	Paragraph 5: "...using a tree branch as a tool to dislodge a piece of meat..."	A tree branch was utilized as a functional tool to retrieve food suspended overhead.
10	meat	Paragraph 5: "...knock down a piece of meat that was hanging out of reach."	The target item the bear sought to obtain with the branch was a piece of meat.
11	photographer	Paragraph 5: "...a wild bear calculated how to move towards a platform where a photographer was positioned."	The person occupying the observation platform was a professional wildlife photographer.
12	game	Paragraph 6: "...deliberate manipulation of objects resembling a game or play."	Bears demonstrated creative play behaviours resembling structured games.
13	frustration	Paragraph 6: "...kicking snow and thrashing about in an apparent display of frustration after a failed hunt."	The emotional movement displayed after a missed catch corresponds to emotional frustration.

Section 2

Reading Passage 2: The Step Pyramid of Djoser

Topic: Ancient Egyptian Architecture & Archaeology • Questions 14–26 (Matching Headings, Summary & Multiple Choice)

Questions 14–20: Matching Headings to Paragraphs A–G

Para	Heading	Heading Title	Core Theme in Paragraph
A	iv	A single certainty among less definite facts	Historical records differ on Djoser's reign dates, but one unquestioned fact is his monumental pyramid.
B	vii	An overview of the external buildings and areas	Details the surrounding complex: temples, courtyard, outer perimeter wall, and false entrances.
C	ii	A difficult task for those involved	Emphasizes the unprecedented logistical challenge of quarrying, cutting, and hauling stone.
D	v	A king who saved his people	Recounts the legend of Djoser ending a devastating seven-year famine by appealing to Khnum.
E	i	The areas and artefacts within the pyramid itself	Explores the subterranean burial chambers, stone vessels, and alabaster treasures beneath.
F	viii	An idea for changing the design of burial structures	Imhotep's revolution: stacking successively smaller mastabas to produce a step pyramid.
G	vi	A pyramid design that was copied elsewhere	The revolutionary step design influenced subsequent pharaohs and culminated in the Great Pyramids of Giza.

Questions 21–24: Summary Completion

Question 21

Answer: city

The complex was designed to resemble a royal city, complete with government structures, shrines, and plazas representing the unified kingdom.

Question 22

Answer: priests

Daily offerings and sacred rituals were maintained by hereditary priests dedicated to the posthumous cult of the pharaoh.

Question 23

Answer: trench

Surrounding the monumental perimeter wall was an extensive dry trench carved directly into the bedrock to deter grave robbers.

Question 24

Answer: location

The prominent location on the Saqqara plateau overlooked the ancient capital of Memphis, asserting divine authority.

Questions 25–26: Multiple Choice

Questions 25 & 26: Which TWO achievements are attributed to Imhotep?

Answers: B, D (in any order)

The text credits Imhotep with introducing dressed stone architecture on a monumental scale (B) and serving as the mastermind who completely overhauled tomb geometry from a flat mastaba to a multi-tiered step pyramid (D).

Section 3

Reading Passage 3: The Future of Work

Topic: Artificial Intelligence, Labor Economics & Knowledge Workers • Questions 27–40

Questions 27–30: Multiple Choice Rationale

Q27: What is the main thesis of the opening paragraph?

Ans: B

The author explains that automation is no longer confined to manual or routine mechanical tasks; it is rapidly encroaching upon high-skill cognitive professions.

Q28: Stella Pachidi's view of the 'knowledge economy':

Ans: D

Pachidi cautions that algorithmic automation challenges the fundamental assumption that specialized analytical knowledge guarantees permanent career security.

Q29: Observation at the telecommunications firm:

Ans: C

Sales analysts felt disempowered when AI predictive models replaced their personal judgment and contextual customer rapport with automated scores.

Q30: Corporate executives' adoption of AI software:

Ans: D

Leaders frequently misunderstand the operational realities of machine learning, expecting instantaneous perfection while neglecting data governance.

Questions 31–34: Summary Completion (Algorithmic Governance)

Q#	Key Concept	Matched Letter	Passage Parallel
31	Decisions once made by experienced managers	G	Automated software algorithms determining resource allocation
32	Loss of tacit professional expertise	E	Erosion of human intuition and experiential mastery
33	Resentment among staff	C	Friction arising from rigid quantitative surveillance
34	Need for human oversight	F	Crucial requirement for ethical intervention and contextual audits

Questions 35–40: Researcher Matching & Claims

Q#	Statement / Researcher Opinion	Answer	Logical Verification
35	Greater levels of automation will not result in lower employment.	B	Matches researcher B's empirical finding on job redeployment rather than net loss.
36	There are several reasons why AI is appealing to businesses.	A	Aligns with scholar A's breakdown of efficiency, throughput, and error elimination.
37	AI's potential to transform people's lives has parallels with historical shifts.	C	Directly corresponds to comparison with the Industrial Revolution.
38	It is important to be aware of the range of problems that AI causes.	A	Warning regarding algorithm bias, transparency deficits, and deskilling.
39	People are going to follow a less conventional career path than in the past.	B	Transition towards portfolio careers, continuous retraining, and gig contracts.
40	Authorities should take measures to ensure adequate remuneration for everyone.	C	Policy proposals advocating universal basic guarantees and transition subsidies.

Band 8.5+ Strategy: How to Avoid Cambridge 16 Pitfalls

Distinguishing False vs. Not Given: Notice in Question 3, researchers conducted the study, but the word first was unconfirmed in the passage. In Cambridge reading, an unverified extreme qualifier is always NOT GIVEN, whereas a direct contradiction (Question 1) is FALSE.
Summary Word Restraints: Always check the instructions (e.g., ONE WORD ONLY). Hyphenated words count as single words, while numbers and articles must adhere strictly to word boundaries.
Matching Headings Traps: Do not simply match keywords between the heading and the paragraph. In Passage 2, Paragraph D mentions famines, but the heading centers on the king's salvific role (Heading v). Read for the overarching paragraph argument.

Cambridge IELTS 16 Test 1 Reading Answers & Step-by-Step Explanations

Cambridge IELTS 16 Academic Reading Test 1: Complete Explanations

Master Quick-Reference Answer Key (Questions 1–40)

Reading Passage 1: Why Polar Bears Should Be Treated with Respect

High-Yield Passage Vocabulary & Collocations

Questions 1–7: True / False / Not Given Detailed Explanations

Question 1: Polar bears suffer from various health problems due to the build-up of fat under their skin.

Question 2: The study done by Liu and his colleagues compared different groups of polar bears.

Question 3: Liu and colleagues were the first researchers to compare polar bears and brown bears genetically.

Question 4: Polar bears are able to control their levels of 'bad' cholesterol by cutting down on their intake of food.

Question 5: Female polar bears are able to survive for about six months without food.

Question 6: It was found that the bones of female polar bears were very weak when they came out of their dens in spring.

Question 7: The polar bears' mechanism for increasing bone density could also be used by people one day.

Questions 8–13: Summary Completion (Polar Bear Intelligence & Behaviour)

Reading Passage 2: The Step Pyramid of Djoser

Questions 14–20: Matching Headings to Paragraphs A–G

Questions 21–24: Summary Completion

Answer: city

Answer: priests

Answer: trench

Answer: location

Questions 25–26: Multiple Choice

Questions 25 & 26: Which TWO achievements are attributed to Imhotep?

Reading Passage 3: The Future of Work

Questions 27–30: Multiple Choice Rationale

Q27: What is the main thesis of the opening paragraph?

Q28: Stella Pachidi's view of the 'knowledge economy':

Q29: Observation at the telecommunications firm:

Q30: Corporate executives' adoption of AI software:

Questions 31–34: Summary Completion (Algorithmic Governance)

Questions 35–40: Researcher Matching & Claims

Band 8.5+ Strategy: How to Avoid Cambridge 16 Pitfalls

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