Cambridge IELTS 6 · General Training · Test 1 · Section 3
The Water Crisis — IELTS Reading Answers
All 13 answers for The Water Crisis, Cambridge IELTS 6 General Training Reading Test 1 Section 3, with the passage evidence and an explanation for each.
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The Water Crisis answer key at a glance
Questions 28–40. Tap an answer to see the evidence.
What this section tests
This section is tested with Matching Headings (Q28–34), Summary Completion (Q35–40). Each section below gives the strategy for that question type, the answers, and the sentence that proves them.
Questions 28–34: 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
“As countries industrialise and their citizens become more prosperous, their individual water usage increases rapidly”
Heading ix fits Paragraph A, where growing prosperity means 'their individual water usage increases rapidly', i.e. rising demand.
Paragraph B
“Agriculture consumes about 70% of the world's fresh water After agriculture, industry is the second biggest user of water”
Heading vi fits Paragraph B, which ranks users: 'Agriculture consumes about 70%' and industry is 'the second biggest user of water'.
Paragraph C
“In the USA, industrial production has risen fourfold since 1950, while water consumption has fallen by more than a third. Japan and Germany have similarly improved their use of water in manufacturing processes”
Heading iv fits Paragraph C, where US production rose fourfold while 'water consumption has fallen by more than a third'.
Paragraph D
“Many experts believe that the best way to counter this trend is to impose water charges based on the real cost of supplies”
Heading ii fits Paragraph D, where experts urge 'water charges based on the real cost of supplies', pricing water realistically.
Paragraph E
“One way to cut back on water consumption is simply to prevent leaks The modern approach, however, is to see used water as a resource which can be put to good use – either in irrigation or, after careful treatment, as recycled domestic water”
Heading vii fits Paragraph E, which covers preventing leaks and treating used water as 'a resource' for irrigation or recycling.
Paragraph F
“Another way of conserving water resources involves better management of the environment generally. Interference with the ecosystem can have a severe effect on both local rainfall patterns and water run-off”
Heading viii fits Paragraph F, which recommends 'better management of the environment generally' because ecosystem interference affects rainfall and run-off.
Paragraph G
“Global warming is bound to affect rainfall patterns, though there is considerable disagreement about its precise effects. But it is likely that, as sea levels rise, countries in low-lying coastal areas will be hit by seawater penetration of ground water.”
Heading iii fits Paragraph G, where global warming shifts rainfall zones northwards, 'adding to the water deficit in Africa'.
Questions 35–40: 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.
“As countries industrialise and their citizens become more prosperous, their individual water usage increases rapidly”
The gap needs an adjective for richer citizens; as people 'become more prosperous' their individual water usage rises quickly.
“In the 21st century, the world's limited supply of renewable fresh water is having to meet demands of both larger total population and increased per capita consumption”
The gap needs a noun for the growing number of people; the text cites 'larger total population' plus higher per capita consumption.
“In rich countries, water consumption has gradually been slowed down by price increases and the use of modern technology and recycling”
The gap needs what slowed consumption in rich countries: 'price increases and the use of modern technology and recycling'.
“It is estimated that in some of the biggest cities of the Third World, more than half of the water entering the system is lost through leaks in pipes, dripping taps and broken installations”
The gap needs the source of lost water; over half is 'lost through leaks in pipes, dripping taps and broken installations'.
“Another way of conserving water resources involves better management of the environment generally”
The gap needs a noun after 'better'; conserving water also means 'better management of the environment generally'.
“In broad terms, it is thought that rainfall zones will shift northwards, adding to the water deficit in Africa, the Middle East and the Mediterranean – a grim prospect indeed”
The gap needs the problem rainfall shifts worsen; northward movement is 'adding to the water deficit in Africa, the Middle East and the Mediterranean'.
Learn the question types in this section
Frequently asked questions
Where does the The Water Crisis passage come from?
It is Section 3 of Cambridge IELTS 6 General Training Reading Test 1, and it covers Questions 28–40.
What question types appear in The Water Crisis?
The section is tested with Matching Headings, 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.