Cambridge IELTS 9 · General Training · Test 2 · Section 1
The Young Person’s Railcard & Train Travel Information — IELTS Reading Answers
All 14 answers for The Young Person’s Railcard & Train Travel Information, Cambridge IELTS 9 General Training Reading Test 2 Section 1, with the passage evidence and an explanation for each.
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The Young Person’s Railcard & Train Travel Information answer key at a glance
Questions 1–14. Tap an answer to see the evidence.
What this section tests
This section is tested with Sentence Completion (Q1–7), Summary Completion (Q8–14). Each section below gives the strategy for that question type, the answers, and the sentence that proves them.
Questions 1–7: Sentence Completion
Strategy: Find the stem's keyword in the passage, then complete the sentence with the exact words the grammar requires, within the word limit.
“Alternatively, if you are a mature student over this age but in full-time education, you can also apply”
A noun phrase after 'in': mature applicants over the age limit qualify if they are 'in full-time education'.
“In order to prove your eligibility, you will need to get your headteacher, tutor, or head of department to sign the application form as well as one of your photos, the latter also needing to be officially stamped”
A past participle: the photo must be 'officially stamped' as well as signed by your tutor.
“But if you travel before 10 am Monday to Friday (except during July and August) minimum fares will apply”
A noun phrase: travelling before 10am on weekdays means 'minimum fares will apply' instead of the discount.
“In cases where a railcard does not bear the user's signature, it will be treated as invalid”
A noun: a railcard that does not bear 'the user's signature' is 'treated as invalid'.
“Neither your railcard nor any tickets bought with it may be used by anybody else”
A pronoun phrase after 'by': the card and tickets are non-transferable, not for use 'by anybody else'.
“Unless there are no purchase facilities available at the station where you began your journey, you will be required to pay the full fare if you are unable to produce a valid ticket for inspection during a journey”
A noun phrase: the excuse for having no ticket is 'no purchase facilities available at the station' where you started.
“Reduced rate tickets are not available for first-class travel or for Eurostar links to France and Belgium. Passengers will be charged the full rate if they want to use these services”
A noun phrase: reduced tickets exclude first-class and Eurostar, where passengers pay 'the full rate'.
Questions 8–14: 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.
“senior citizens”
A percentage: the summary mentions 'senior citizens', whose figure in the fares information is 25 percent.
“If you would like to charter a train, or make reservations for over 25 passengers travelling together, call the Sales Department”
A department: chartering a train or booking 'over 25 passengers travelling together' means calling 'the Sales Department'.
“Tickets may be refunded not later than 5 minutes before the departure of the train for a charge of 15% of the ticket price, or the journey may be changed to another day for a charge of 10% of the ticket price”
A percentage: refunding a ticket costs 'a charge of 15% of the ticket price' before departure.
“Tickets may be refunded not later than 5 minutes before the departure of the train for a charge of 15% of the ticket price, or the journey may be changed to another day for a charge of 10% of the ticket price”
A percentage: moving the journey 'to another day' costs '10% of the ticket price', less than a refund.
“(Not applicable to same day returns.)”
A ticket type: the refund and change charges are 'Not applicable to same day returns'.
“When you buy your ticket it is up to you to check that the dates and times of the journey on it are exactly as you requested”
A plural noun paired with 'times': buyers must check 'the dates and times of the journey' are exactly as requested.
“Ticket control and access to each train platform will be open until 2 minutes before departure of the train”
A time: platform access stays open 'until 2 minutes before departure', so boarding closes then.
Learn the question types in this section
Frequently asked questions
Where does the The Young Person’s Railcard & Train Travel Information passage come from?
It is Section 1 of Cambridge IELTS 9 General Training Reading Test 2, and it covers Questions 1–14.
What question types appear in The Young Person’s Railcard & Train Travel Information?
The section is tested with Sentence Completion, 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.