Cambridge IELTS 10 · Academic · Test 3 · Passage 2
Autumn Leaves — IELTS Reading Answers
All 13 answers for Autumn Leaves, Cambridge IELTS 10 Academic Reading Test 3 Passage 2, with the passage evidence and an explanation for each.
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Autumn Leaves answer key at a glance
Questions 14–26. Tap an answer to see the evidence.
What this passage tests
This passage is tested with Matching Information (Q14–18), Note Completion (Q19–22), True / False / Not Given (Q23–25), One Choice (Q26–26). Each section below gives the strategy for that question type, the answers, and the sentence that proves them.
Questions 14–18: 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 description of the substance responsible for the red colouration of leaves
“The source of the red is widely known: it is created by anthocyanins, water-soluble plant pigments reflecting the red to blue range of the visible spectrum.”
Paragraph C names anthocyanins as the water-soluble pigments that create the red, so it contains the description of the colouring substance.
the reason why trees drop their leaves in autumn
“For many trees – evergreen conifers being an exception – the best strategy is to abandon photosynthesis* until the spring. So rather than maintaining the now redundant leaves throughout the winter, the tree saves its precious resources and discards them.”
Paragraph B explains that the tree abandons photosynthesis and discards leaves to save precious resources over winter, which is why leaves drop.
some evidence to confirm a theory about the purpose of the red leaves
“Even if you had never suspected that this is what was going on when leaves turn red, there are clues out there.”
Paragraph H turns to the clues out there that support the idea about red leaves, matching evidence used to confirm a theory.
an explanation of the function of chlorophyll
“Summer leaves are green because they are full of chlorophyll, the molecule that captures sunlight and converts that energy into new building materials for the tree.”
Paragraph B defines chlorophyll as the molecule that captures sunlight and converts that energy into new building materials, explaining its function.
a suggestion that the red colouration in leaves could serve as a warning signal
“It has also been proposed that trees may produce vivid red colours to convince herbivorous insects that they are healthy and robust and would be easily able to mount chemical defences against infestation.”
Paragraph E suggests vivid red colours convince herbivorous insects that the tree is healthy and able to mount chemical defences, which is a warning signal.
Questions 19–22: Note Completion
Strategy: Predict the word class from the note, find the paraphrase of the note's keyword in the passage, then copy the answer exactly within the word limit.
“One is straightforward: on many trees, the leaves that are the reddest are those on the side of the tree which gets most sun”
The gap needs what the reddest side of a tree receives most of; the passage says those leaves are on the side which gets most sun.
“Not only that, but the red is brighter on the upper side of the leaf.”
The gap is the side of the leaf where red is brighter; the text specifies the upper side, contrasting it with the underside.
“It has also been recognised for decades that the best conditions for intense red colours are dry, sunny days and cool nights”
The note lists conditions for intense red, and the passage pairs dry, sunny days with cool nights, so dry completes the trio.
“And finally, trees such as maples usually get much redder the more north you travel in the northern hemisphere.”
The gap is a direction of travel; maples get much redder the more north you travel in the northern hemisphere.
Questions 23–25: True / False / Not Given
Strategy: Judge the whole statement against the text. FALSE contradicts the passage; NOT GIVEN means the passage never addresses that specific claim.
It is likely that the red pigments help to protect the leaf from freezing temperatures.
“or increase a leaf's tolerance to freezing. However there are problems with each of these theories”
Freezing tolerance is only one of the proposed theories, and the passage immediately says there are problems with each of them, so it is not accepted as likely.
The ‘light screen’ hypothesis would initially seem to contradict what is known about chlorophyll.
“It sounds paradoxical”
The passage calls the light-screen idea paradoxical because shading leaves seems to work against chlorophyll's job of capturing light, matching the question's initial contradiction.
Leaves which turn colours other than red are more likely to be damaged by sunlight.
“What is still not fully understood, however, is why some trees resort to producing red pigments while others don’t bother, and simply reveal their orange or yellow hues.”
The text admits it is not fully understood why some trees reveal orange or yellow hues instead of red, but never compares their vulnerability to sunlight damage.
Questions 26–26: One Choice
Strategy: Read the question stem and predict the answer before looking at the options. Wrong options often repeat passage words while the correct one paraphrases them.
For which of the following questions does the writer offer an explanation?
- Awhy conifers remain green in winter
- Bhow leaves turn orange and yellow in autumncorrect
- Chow herbivorous insects choose which trees to lay their eggs in
- Dwhy anthocyanins are restricted to certain trees
“As chlorophyll is depleted, other colours that have been dominated by it throughout the summer begin to be revealed.”
Option B is answered: as chlorophyll is depleted, the other colours it dominated begin to be revealed, explaining the orange and yellow display.
Learn the question types in this passage
Frequently asked questions
Where does the Autumn Leaves passage come from?
It is Passage 2 of Cambridge IELTS 10 Academic Reading Test 3, and it covers Questions 14–26.
What question types appear in Autumn Leaves?
The passage is tested with Matching Information, Note Completion, True / False / Not Given, One Choice. 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.