Cambridge IELTS 6 · Academic · Test 1 · Passage 1
Australia’s Sporting Success — IELTS Reading Answers
All 13 answers for Australia’s Sporting Success, Cambridge IELTS 6 Academic Reading Test 1 Passage 1, with the passage evidence and an explanation for each.
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Australia’s Sporting Success answer key at a glance
Questions 1–13. Tap an answer to see the evidence.
What this passage tests
This passage is tested with Matching Information (Q1–7), Matching Features (Q8–11), Short Answers (Q12–13). Each section below gives the strategy for that question type, the answers, and the sentence that proves them.
Questions 1–7: Matching Information
Strategy: Scan for the idea, not the exact words. The answer is a paragraph letter, and one paragraph may be used more than once unless the instructions say otherwise.
a reference to the exchange of expertise between different sports
“AIS scientists work across a number of sports, applying skills learned in one – such as building muscle strength in golfers – to others, such as swimming and squash”
Paragraph B describes AIS scientists 'applying skills learned in one' sport to others, such as muscle strength from golfers to swimming and squash.
an explanation of how visual imaging is employed in investigations
“To demonstrate how the system works, Bruce Mason at AIS shows off the prototype of a 3D analysis tool for studying swimmers. A wire-frame model of a champion swimmer slices through the water, her arms moving in slow motion. Looking side-on, Mason measures the distance between strokes.”
Paragraph C explains the 3D analysis tool and SWAN system, which collect camera images and break a swimmer's performance into factors that can be analysed individually.
a reason for narrowing the scope of research activity
“They all focus on one aim: winning. 'We can't waste our time looking at ethereal scientific questions that don't help the coach work with an athlete and improve performance,' says Peter Fricker, chief of science at AIS”
Paragraph B quotes Fricker rejecting 'ethereal scientific questions' that do not improve performance, explaining why research is narrowly focused on winning.
how some AIS ideas have been reproduced
“Of course, there's nothing to stop other countries copying – and many have tried. Some years ago, the AIS unveiled coolant-lined jackets for endurance athletes. At the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996, these sliced as much as two per cent off cyclists' and rowers' times. Now everyone uses them.”
Paragraph F notes coolant-lined jackets and the altitude tent were copied — 'now everyone uses them' — so AIS ideas have been reproduced elsewhere.
how obstacles to optimum achievement can be investigated
“Fricker gives the example of athletes who may be down with coughs and colds 11 or 12 times a year. After years of experimentation, AIS and the University of Newcastle in New South Wales developed a test that measures how much of the immune-system protein immunoglobulin A is present in athletes' saliva”
Paragraph D describes the saliva test measuring immunoglobulin A, developed to investigate why athletes suffer repeated coughs and colds.
an overview of the funded support of athletes
“Another body, the Australian Sports Commission (ASC), finances programmes of excellence in a total of 96 sports for thousands of sportsmen and women. Both provide intensive coaching, training facilities and nutritional advice”
Paragraph A describes the Australian Sports Commission financing 'programmes of excellence in a total of 96 sports' for thousands of athletes, plus coaching and facilities.
how performance requirements are calculated before an event
“Well before a championship, sports scientists and coaches start to prepare the athlete by developing a 'competition model', based on what they expect will be the winning times. 'You design the model to make that time,' says Mason.”
Paragraph E explains the 'competition model', built before a championship from expected winning times, setting split times, stroke rates and turn times.
Questions 8–11: Matching Features
Strategy: Match the statement to the named person or thing. Names can repeat, so check each option against what that person actually says.
Options for Questions 8–11
- Aare currently exclusively used by Australians
- Bwill be used in the future by Australians
- Care currently used by both Australians and their rivals
cameras
“Mason's contribution to sport also includes the development of the SWAN (SWimming ANalysis) system now used in Australian national competitions. It collects images from digital cameras running at 50 frames a second and breaks down each part of a swimmer's performance into factors that can be analysed individually –...”
Cameras are used in the SWAN system, which 'collects images from digital cameras running at 50 frames a second' at Australian national competitions.
sensors
“With the Cooperative Research Centre for Micro Technology in Melbourne, they are developing unobtrusive sensors that will be embedded in an athlete's clothes or running shoes to monitor heart rate, sweating, heat production or any other factor that might have an impact on an athlete's ability to run”
Sensors are still being developed: AIS is working on 'unobtrusive sensors' to embed in clothing or shoes to monitor heart rate and sweating.
protein tests
“After years of experimentation, AIS and the University of Newcastle in New South Wales developed a test that measures how much of the immune-system protein immunoglobulin A is present in athletes' saliva But Australia's success story is about more than easily copied technological fixes,”
The protein test measuring immunoglobulin A in saliva is already used, making it a technique currently employed by Australians.
altitude tents
“Now everyone uses them. The same has happened to the 'altitude tent', developed by AIS to replicate the effect of altitude training at sea level”
The altitude tent was developed by AIS but 'everyone uses' it now, so it is currently used by both Australians and their rivals.
Questions 12–13: Short Answers
Strategy: Use the question word to predict the answer type, locate the relevant sentence, and copy no more words than the limit allows.
What is produced to help an athlete plan their performance in an event?
“Well before a championship, sports scientists and coaches start to prepare the athlete by developing a 'competition model', based on what they expect will be the winning times”
The question asks what is produced to help plan performance; the passage says scientists 'develop a competition model' based on expected winning times.
By how much did some cyclists' performance improve at the 1996 Olympic Games?
“At the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996, these sliced as much as two per cent off cyclists' and rowers' times”
The coolant-lined jackets 'sliced as much as two per cent off cyclists' and rowers' times' at Atlanta in 1996, so the improvement was two percent.
Learn the question types in this passage
Frequently asked questions
Where does the Australia’s Sporting Success passage come from?
It is Passage 1 of Cambridge IELTS 6 Academic Reading Test 1, and it covers Questions 1–13.
What question types appear in Australia’s Sporting Success?
The passage is tested with Matching Information, Matching Features, Short Answers. Each type is explained on this page, alongside the answers.
Are these reading answers reliable?
Every answer is paired with the sentence that proves it, so you can check each one against the passage yourself. Use the page after a timed attempt, not instead of one.
Cambridge IELTS is published by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Band9Prep is not affiliated with Cambridge. This page is an independent study aid: it gives the answer key, the passage evidence and an explanation so you can review an attempt you have already made.