Cambridge IELTS 18 · Academic · Test 3 · Passage 2
The Steam Car — IELTS Reading Answers
All 13 answers for The Steam Car, Cambridge IELTS 18 Academic Reading Test 3 Passage 2, with the passage evidence and an explanation for each.
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The Steam Car 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 Headings (Q14–20), One Choice (Q21–23), Summary Completion (Q24–26). Each section below gives the strategy for that question type, the answers, and the sentence that proves them.
Questions 14–20: Matching Headings
Strategy: Read the paragraph first and summarise its main idea in five words. Choose the heading that matches the whole paragraph, not a repeated keyword.
Paragraph A
“these early cars inherited steam’s weaknesses along with its strengths.”
Paragraph A sums up that early cars 'inherited steam's weaknesses along with its strengths', a heading about steam's mixed legacy, so iii.
Paragraph B
“A new technology called the Internal Combustion Engine soon appeared,”
Paragraph B introduces the rival that ended the steam era: 'A new technology called the Internal Combustion Engine soon appeared', so viii.
Paragraph C
“it drew the attention of automobile trade magazines due to its numerous improvements over previous steam cars. The Model B proved to be superior to gasoline automobiles in many ways.”
Paragraph C says the Model B 'proved to be superior to gasoline automobiles in many ways', a heading about a steam car's advantages, so vi.
Paragraph D
“By the following April, the General Engineering Company had received 5,390 deposits for Doble Detroits, which were scheduled for delivery in early 1918.”
Paragraph D reports 5,390 deposits for Doble Detroits, which is evidence of strong demand and orders, so v.
Paragraph E
“Those buyers who received the handful of completed cars complained that the vehicles were sluggish and erratic,”
Paragraph E records buyers' complaints that completed cars were 'sluggish and erratic', the problems with the cars delivered, so vii.
Paragraph F
“After sitting overnight in freezing temperatures, the car was pushed out into the road and left to sit for over an hour in the frosty morning air.”
Paragraph F describes a cold-start test: the car sat overnight in freezing temperatures and then over an hour in frosty air, so i.
Paragraph G
“Under the current pressure to improve automotive performance and reduce emissions, it is not unthinkable that the steam car may rise again.”
Paragraph G says that under pressure to 'improve automotive performance and reduce emissions, it is not unthinkable that the steam car may rise again', so iv.
Questions 21–23: 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.
What point does the writer make about the steam car in Paragraph B?
- AIts success was short-lived.correct
- BNot enough cars were made.
- CCar companies found them hard to sell.
- DPeople found them hard to drive.
“the glory days of steam cars were few.”
The writer says 'the glory days of steam cars were few', meaning their success lasted only a short time, so A.
When building their first steam car, the Doble brothers
- Aconstructed all the parts themselves.
- Bmade written notes at each stage of the construction.
- Cneeded several attempts to achieve a competitive model.correct
- Dsought the advice of experienced people in the car industry.
“Though it did not run well, the Doble brothers went on to build a second and third prototype in the following years.”
The first prototype 'did not run well', so they 'went on to build a second and third prototype', several attempts to reach a competitive model, so C.
In order to produce the Model C, the Doble brothers
- Amoved production to a different city.
- Braised financial capital.correct
- Cemployed an additional worker.
- Dabandoned their earlier designs.
“in order to seek investment in his automobile design,”
Doble sought 'investment in his automobile design' to produce the Model C, that is, he raised financial capital, so B.
Questions 24–26: Summary Completion
Strategy: Read the summary as a paragraph first to establish the logic, then locate the missing idea in the passage. With a lettered list, confirm the grammar fits.
“its maximum speed”
The gap needs what the Model E's 'maximum speed' figure measured; 'speed' fits the summary's performance point.
“fewer than fifty of the amazing Model E steam cars had been produced.”
The gap needs the number of Model E cars produced; 'fewer than fifty' supplies the word 'fifty'.
“Astonishingly, an unmodified Doble Model E runs clean enough to pass the emissions laws in California today, and they are pretty strict.”
The gap needs a description of California's emissions laws; 'they are pretty strict' supplies 'strict'.
Learn the question types in this passage
Frequently asked questions
Where does the The Steam Car passage come from?
It is Passage 2 of Cambridge IELTS 18 Academic Reading Test 3, and it covers Questions 14–26.
What question types appear in The Steam Car?
The passage is tested with Matching Headings, One Choice, Summary Completion. 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.