These are the official Cambridge IELTS 18 General Training Reading Test 3 answers, with all 40 questions solved and the hardest items explained in plain language. The test is taken from Cambridge IELTS 18, General Training Test 3 (all 40 questions, Sections 1–3), and this page puts the texts, the tasks, the complete answer key and the explanations together in one place.

General Training Reading moves from the everyday to the long-form. Section 1 serves up short practical texts — here a guide to the beaches of Manly and a water company’s billing advice. Section 2 stays in the workplace with a company car parking policy and an office safety guide. Section 3 is a single long passage, Roman Roads, tested through matching, multiple choice and diagram labelling. Complete the paper in one timed hour before scrolling to the key, then let our free IELTS reading course turn your mistakes into a plan.

Section 1

Read the text below and answer questions 1-7

Manly Beaches

Next time you visit Manly, 30 minutes by ferry from the centre of Australia’s biggest city, Sydney, try some of these less famous beaches

A Fairy Bower

Located in a marine protection area, the water is perfect for paddling, snorkelling or even scuba diving. There is a small gift shop for unusual souvenirs, and a kiosk that rents stand-up paddleboards. Buses do not stop nearby so a walk is necessary.

B North Steyne

This popular beach is a little further from the ferry than the main beach and it always feels less crowded. North Steyne has professional lifeguards on duty, but the surf can be hazardous so check conditions if swimming with young ones. If you want to try surfing for the first time, Manly Surf School operates out of the surf club located on the beach. Please note that boards are reserved for students and are not available for rent.

C Delwood

Delwood’s secluded cove is a scenic walk from the ferry along the harbour walkway. There are no shops, so bring a picnic and have a peaceful swim off the rocks. You’ll probably have the beach to yourself.

D Little Manly

This popular harbour beach has a net that encloses the swimming area. It is a good option for families as the protected area makes it easy to keep an eye on kids playing in the water. There is also a large playground, a public barbecue that anyone can use and toilet facilities, which make this a great spot for a family day out.

E East Esplanade

Located next to Manly Wharf, East Esplanade is a popular spot all day. There is no beach closer to the ferry or buses than this one. Kayakers meet for a paddle here as the sun rises, and daytrippers sit on the sand during the day. People get together on the grass after work, and bring drinks, snacks and music to watch the sun go down.

F Shelly Beach

This is the best spot if you don’t like big waves. Rent a beach chair or head straight to the Boathouse Cafe, the perfect place for breakfast or lunch. Please note that Shelly Beach gets overly crowded at times, so avoid it on a sunny weekend afternoon.

Sydney Water: advice for customers paying a bill

About your bill

Sydney Water services over five million people in greater Sydney, and if you own a property, you’ll get a bill from us. Generally, this is just for your water and wastewater services, but there could be other charges. We send most bills quarterly, after we’ve read the meter. If your property has no meter, we send the bill at the start of each quarter.

When do we send the bill?

If you’d like monthly bills, simply ask us to read your meter monthly. It costs $32.52 a quarter to be billed this way and this additional fee will appear on the first bill each quarter. To arrange it, just call us on 13 20 92.

What if you can’t pay the bill?

We understand that it might be hard to pay your bill. If you’re having difficulties, we have a range of options to help. If you receive a pension, we may give you a reduction on your bill, but you must own and live in your home to qualify for this.

How can you get your billing history?

• Register for eBill . When you register for Sydney Water’s online billing facility, eBill, you’ll be able to see your past bills at any time. Once you’re registered, you’ll stop getting paper bills and start getting electronic ones.

• Still want paper bills? Simply cancel your registration after you have saved the electronic bills you need. Then you’ll go back to paper bills, but you won’t have access to the online bills after you cancel.

• Contact us . Simply contact us and we’ll give you a statement that shows the amounts we charged you and the payments we received on your last five bills.

• Need more history? If you need information that’s older than your last five bills, you need to pay $28.04 for a ‘billing record search statement’.

How do you stop a charge on a bill?

We’ll stop a fixed charge on your bill if a licensed plumber cuts off your water or wastewater service. Your plumber must apply for this disconnection and follow Sydney Water’s standard procedures.

Questions 1–7

Look at the six beach descriptions, A-F. For which beaches are the following statements true?

1. You can buy food at this beach.

2. You can learn to do a sport at this beach.

3. This beach can be uncomfortably busy.

4. Adults can supervise their children without much difficulty at this beach.

5. This beach is nearest to public transport.

6. People are employed to supervise swimmers at this beach.

7. You can hire sports equipment at this beach.

Questions 8–14

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text? In boxes on your answer sheet, write

TRUE if the statement agrees with the information

FALSE if the statement contradicts the information

NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

8. All property owners receive Sydney Water bills. TRUE FALSE NOT GIVEN

9. Customers who don’t have a water meter must pay an extra charge. TRUE FALSE NOT GIVEN

10. Customers who choose to receive a bill every month pay extra. TRUE FALSE NOT GIVEN

11. Pensioners who live in rented accommodation might get a discount. TRUE FALSE NOT GIVEN

12. Customers registered for eBill receive both paper and electronic bills. TRUE FALSE NOT GIVEN

13. Customers who request information from the period before their last five bills must pay a fee. TRUE FALSE NOT GIVEN

14. A fixed charge can be avoided when the water supply is disconnected by a licensed plumber. TRUE FALSE NOT GIVEN

• A — TRUE
• B — FALSE
• C — NOT GIVEN

Section 2

Read the text below and answer Questions 15-20

Company car parking policy

DG Contracts recognises that many people working in the organisation require a vehicle for business purposes and aims to provide parking facilities for as many individuals as possible. However, car parking provision is limited. DG Contracts therefore actively encourages staff to reduce their carbon footprint by using public transport, walking or cycling, or by organising ways of sharing the use of cars.

The car parking policy aims to allocate parking on a fair and equitable basis with spaces being given first to those employees who claim above a certain mileage of travel for business purposes. Individuals who are allocated a parking space will be issued with a parking permit and a number which corresponds to a car parking space. If there are any non-allocated car parking spaces, these can be utilised by employees on a first-come, first-served basis. In some cases, designated parking areas are required for company vehicles, which must be parked securely at night. However, employees may park in these areas in the daytime.

If any individual leaves the company prior to the expiry of their parking permit, this will be handed on to the member of staff who acts as their replacement, assuming that this person requires it. If any individual who has been issued a parking permit takes maternity leave or is signed off work for a lengthy period, their parking permit will be reallocated to the staff member appointed as cover for this individual during their absence.

Employees who park their cars in a DG company car park do so at their own risk and must follow the rules laid down in the parking policy. If you have any complaints concerning any aspect of car parking at DG company car parks, please address them to the HR Manager.

Ensuring safety in the office

It’s fairly obvious that safety and health hazards can exist on worksites filled with heavy machinery and equipment. However, a surprising number of hazards can also be present in the office.

The most common types of injuries are slips, trips and falls. Boxes, files and other items piled in walkways can create a tripping hazard. Be certain that all materials are safely stored in their proper location to prevent build-up of clutter. Further, in addition to posing an electrical hazard, stretching wires across walkways creates a tripping hazard, so ensure they are properly secured and covered.

Standing on rolling office chairs is a significant fall hazard. Workers who need to reach something at an elevated height should use a stepladder, which must be fully opened and placed on level ground.

Workers can collide when making turns in the hallways and around blind corners. This can be prevented by installing mirrors in these places so workers can see who is coming. Floors may also present a hazard. Marble or tile can become very slippery, particularly when wet. The use of carpets can help to reduce falls and can be especially helpful at main doors, where workers are likely to be coming in with wet shoes.

Another type of injury comes from workers being struck by an object. Filing cabinets may be in danger of tipping over if drawers are left open, and filing cabinets and desks may also create a tripping hazard if they are not properly closed. High piles of materials and equipment can cause major injuries if they are knocked over. Heavy objects should always be stored close to the ground, and the load capacity of shelves should never be exceeded.

Because office workers spend most of their day seated at a desk, they are prone to strains and other injuries related to posture and repetitive movement. Desks, seating, monitor stands, etc. should all be adjustable in order to accommodate the widest possible range of employees. Typing from hard copy can lead to neck strain if a worker is forced to look down repeatedly to the desk at the document being copied and back to the computer screen. This can be prevented by providing holders, which help to prevent muscle imbalance by positioning the document at the same level as the screen. Another cause of neck injuries is incorrect placement of the computer mouse – this should always be kept beside the keyboard, and at the same level.

Questions 15–20

Complete the sentences below. Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer.

• Parking is limited, so the use of alternative methods of transport and the 15 ………… of cars is encouraged.
• Staff with the highest 16 ………… are given parking spaces first.
• Some parking spaces are reserved for company vehicles during the 17 ………… but may be used by staff at other times.
• If an employee leaves the company permanently, their parking space will normally be given to their 18 …………
• If an employee takes extended leave, their parking space will be given to the person who provides 19 ………… for the absent employee.
• All 20 ………… about car parking should be sent to the HR Manager.

Questions 21–27

Complete the notes below. Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer.

Making sure offices are safe

To prevent slips, trips, falls and collisions, ensure that

• boxes, files, etc. are correctly stored

To prevent injuries caused by objects, ensure that

• objects which are heavy are kept near the floor

To prevent injuries due to posture and repetitive movement ensure that

• the mouse is placed next to the computer keyboard

• • items such as 21 ………… do not create a tripping hazard
• • workers do not use 22 ………… to reach high object
• • 23 ………… are fixed at corners
• • floors are covered by 24 ………… especially at entrances
• • 25 ………… in office furniture are kept closed
• • office furniture is 26 …………
• • 27 ………… are provided for documents

Section 3

Read the text below and answer questions 28-40

Roman Roads

A The long straight roads built by the Romans have in many cases become just as famous in history as their greatest emperors and generals. Building upon more ancient routes and creating a huge number of new ones Roman engineers were fearless in their plans to join one point to another in as straight line as possible whatever the difficulties in geography and the costs in manpower. Consequently roads required bridges tunnels, viaducts and many other architectural and engineering features to create a series of breathtaking but highly useful monuments which spread from Europe to eastern parts of the Roman Empire.

B The Romans did not invent roads, but as in so many other areas, they took an idea which went back as far as the Bronze Age and extended that concept daring to squeeze from it the fullest possible potential. The first and most famous great Roman road was the Via Appia or Appian Way. Constructed from 312 BCE and covering 196 kilometers it linked Rome to ancient Capua in Italy in as straight a line as possible and was appropriately known to the Romans as the Regina Viarum or ‘Queen of Roads’. Much like a modern highway it bypassed small towns along the way and it largely ignored geographical obstacles. The road would later be extended to 569 kilometers in length.

C The network of public Roman roads covered over 120,000 kilometers. Besides permitting the rapid deployment of troops and more importantly the wheeled vehicles which supplied them with food and equipment, Roman roads allowed for an increase in trade and cultural exchange. Roads were also one of the ways Rome could demonstrate its authority. For this reason, many roads began and ended in a triumphal arch, and the imperial prestige associated with a road project was demonstrated in the fact that roads were very often named after the officials who funded them; for example, the Via Appia takes its name from the Roman magistrate Appius Claudius Caecus.

D To achieve the objective of constructing the shortest routes possible between two points, all manner of engineering difficulties had to be overcome. Once extensive surveying had been carried out, to ensure the proposed route was actually straight and to determine what various engineering methods were needed, marshes had to be drained, forests cut through, creeks diverted, bedrock channelled, mountainsides cut into rivers crossed with bridges, valleys traversed with viaducts and tunnels built through mountains. When all that was done, roads had to be levelled, reinforced with support walls or terracing and then, of course, maintained which they were for over 800 years.

E Major roads were around a standard 4.2 metres wide, which was enough space for two vehicles to pass each other. First a trench was dug in the earth, and a layer of large stones was used to form the foundation. This was followed by a substantial deposit of smaller broken materials – often crushed brick was used for this purpose, and on top of this, a layer of fine gravel was added. This upper section of the road was referred to as the nucleus and was then surfaced with blocks or slabs. Mountain roads might also have ridges running across the surface of the slabs, to give animals better grip, and have ruts cut into the stone to guide wheeled vehicles.

Roads were purposely inclined slightly from the centre down to the kerb to allow rainwater to run off along the sides. Many also had parallel ditches that collected the runoff and formed a drainage canal on each side of the road. A path of packed gravel for pedestrians typically ran along each side of the road, varying in width from 1 to 3 metres. Separating the path from the road were the kerb stones, which were regular upright slabs. Busier stretches of main roads had areas where vehicles could pull over, and some of these had services for travellers and their animals. Milestones were also set up at regular intervals along the road and these often recorded who was responsible for the upkeep of that stretch of the road and what repairs had been made.

F Lasting symbols of the imagination of Roman engineers are the many arched bridges and viaducts still standing today that helped achieve the engineers’ straight-line goal. The Romans built to last, and the piers of bridges which crossed rivers, for example, were often built with a resistant prow-shape and used massive durable blocks of stone, while the upper parts might be built of stone blocks strengthened with iron clamps. Perhaps the most impressive bridge was at Narni; 180 metres long, 8 metres wide and as high as 33 metres, it had 4 massive semicircular arches, one of which, stretching 32.1 metres, ranks as one of the longest block-arch spans in the ancient world. Recently hit by earthquakes, it is now having to undergo restoration work to repair the effects.

Such was the engineering and surveying skill of the Romans that many of their roads have provided the basis for hundreds of today’s routes across Europe and the Middle East. Many roads in Italy still use the original Roman name for certain stretches, and some bridges, such as at Tre Ponti in Venice, still carry road traffic today.

Questions 28–33

The text has six sections, A-F. Which section mentions the following?

28. the various functions of Roman roads

29. reference to some current remains of Roman road building

30. a description of preparations for building a road

31. the period in history when road building began

32. the consequence of damage caused by a natural disaster

33. the total distance once crossed by Roman roads

Questions 34–37

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

34. Which aspect of Roman road building does the writer mention in Section A? the strength and permanence of the roads the magnificence and practicality of the roads the number of people involved in building the powerful people who financed the roads

35. The writer compares the Appian Way to a modern highway because it was lengthened over time. it took a long time to construct. It was used by a large number of travellers. it was designed to avoid certain areas.

36. According to the writer, the purpose of the triumphal arches was to display the power of Rome. celebrate the opening of a road. show the name of important roads. provide access for important officials.

37. What common use of a milestone is mentioned in Section E? indicating to travellers the total length of the road highlighting areas of the road that needed repair noting details regarding the maintenance of the road marking rest places along the road for travellers and their animals

• A — the strength and permanence of the roads
• B — the magnificence and practicality of the roads
• C — the number of people involved in building
• D — the powerful people who financed the roads

Questions 38–40

Label the diagram below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text for each answer.

38.

39.

40.

Cambridge IELTS 18 General Training Reading Test 3 Answers

Questions and Answers

Detailed Explanations by Section

Section 1

2. B — Learning a sport means a class, and only North Steyne offers one: “Manly Surf School operates out of the surf club” on that beach. Note the trap in the same paragraph — school boards are reserved for students and cannot be rented, which is why B answers Question 2 but never Question 7.

7. A — Hiring sports equipment points to Fairy Bower, where “a kiosk that rents stand-up paddleboards” sits beside the marine protection area. The verb rents is the direct match for hire in the question.

5. E — East Esplanade wins on transport links. Its description states there is “no beach closer to the ferry or buses than this one”, a superlative phrased as a negative — exactly the kind of sentence test writers love.

9. NOT GIVEN — The billing text says unmetered properties are sent their bill at the start of each quarter, but it never mentions any extra charge for them. The $32.52 fee belongs to monthly billing, a different arrangement, so the statement is not covered.

11. FALSE — The pensioner discount has two conditions joined by and: you “must own and live in your home to qualify”. Renting fails the first condition, so pensioners in rented accommodation cannot get the reduction.

12. FALSE — eBill replaces paper, it does not add to it. The billing history section says that once registered “you’ll stop getting paper bills and start getting electronic ones”, which rules out receiving both formats.

Section 2

15. sharing — The gap needs a noun built from a verb. The policy’s opening paragraph urges staff to share lifts — “ways of sharing the use of cars” — and the ONE WORD ONLY rule means the gerund sharing, not car sharing, fills the space.

18. replacement — Question 18 concerns staff who leave permanently. The second paragraph says the permit passes to whoever “acts as their replacement”, so the noun replacement is lifted straight from the sentence.

19. cover — For maternity leave or long sickness the permit goes to temporary staff. The text says it is reallocated to the person “appointed as cover for this individual during their absence” — cover used as a noun, which is the whole trick of this item.

22. chairs — The office safety text bans a specific climbing habit: “Standing on rolling office chairs is a significant fall hazard”, with a stepladder prescribed instead, so chairs completes the note about not reaching high objects.

25. drawers — The furniture parts that must stay closed belong to filing cabinets. According to the fourth paragraph, cabinets are “in danger of tipping over if drawers are left open”, and the notes’ gap about office furniture takes the plural drawers.

26. adjustable — The final note is about posture injuries. The closing paragraph recommends that “Desks, seating, monitor stands, etc. should all be adjustable” so every employee can work comfortably — an adjective, not a verb, is required.

Section 3

31. B — The origin of road building sits in Section B, which says the Romans took an existing idea that “went back as far as the Bronze Age” — the earliest period mentioned anywhere in the passage.

32. F — A natural disaster appears only in the bridge paragraph at Narni: “Recently hit by earthquakes”, the great structure is undergoing restoration — damage caused by nature, matching the consequence the question asks for.

35. D — The comparison with a modern highway is about route design. Section B explains that much like a modern highway “it bypassed small towns along the way” and ignored geographical obstacles — the road deliberately avoided certain areas, option D.

37. C — Milestones recorded maintenance details. The last part of Section E notes that milestones “often recorded who was responsible for the upkeep” of each stretch and what repairs had been made — option C in different words.

38. (fine) gravel — The diagram’s upper layer label comes from Section E’s construction sequence: after crushed brick, “a layer of fine gravel was added” beneath the surfaced blocks. Fine gravel is the full answer, and gravel alone is accepted.

40. (crushed) brick — The layer below the gravel is the broken material described in the same paragraph, where “often crushed brick was used for this purpose”. Crushed brick is the official answer, with brick also accepted on its own.

Key Vocabulary from Roman Roads

Study Tips

Section 1 of this test warns you not to assume each letter is used once. Question 2 and Question 7 both tempt you toward surfing equipment, but the surf school teaches while the kiosk rents — and the letters in Questions 1–7 may repeat, so never cross a paragraph off your list after using it once. Skim each beach description for its one distinguishing feature (a net, a cafe, lifeguards) before you match a single question.

Questions 8–14 are decided by conditions and small print. Underline every qualifier as you read Sydney Water’s advice — ‘must own and live’, ‘stop getting paper bills’, ‘$28.04’ — because each TRUE statement here rests on an exact phrase, and each FALSE one breaks a condition. The True/False/Not Given strategy page gives you a fixed routine for the three-way choice.

Section 2 demands the right word class: sharing, replacement and cover are all nouns lifted from verb phrases, so decide grammatically what fits each gap before you scan. In Section 3, read the diagram first and predict layers, grip features and drainage before hunting in Section E; the answers appear there in construction order. Budget the hour with the reading time management guide and score the result with the reading band score calculator.

Start with the General Training reading structure lesson to master the Section 1–3 format, then work through the General Training reading archive for extra timed practice.

Practice More Cambridge Tests

Every answer here follows the official Cambridge key, and Simply IELTS turns that standard into training: start the free IELTS reading course next, and use the reading time management guide to keep all three sections inside the hour. You are closer to your band than you think.