Test section – Reading

Dealing with Matching Features questions

Activities
1. Matching information
2. Surveying a text
3. Skimming a text
4. Scanning for key words
5. Ordering – a strategy for Matching Features questions
6. Test practice

Aims
• To review key reading skills: surveying, skimming and scanning
• To help students develop a strategy for dealing with Matching Features questions

Learning outcomes
• Students will have reviewed and practised key reading skills.
• Students will have analysed a strategy for Matching Features questions.
• Students will have practised Matching Features questions.

Information about this section of IELTS

In the Reading test there are 40 questions, designed to test a wide range of reading skills.
These include reading for gist, reading for main ideas, reading for detail, skimming,
understanding logical argument and recognising writers' opinions, attitudes and purpose. The
test takes 60 minutes.
The IELTS Academic Reading Test includes three long texts which range from the descriptive
and factual to the discursive and analytical. These are taken from books, journals, magazines
and newspapers. They have been selected for a non-specialist audience but are appropriate
for people entering university courses or seeking professional registration.
The IELTS General Training Reading Test has three sections. Section 1 may contain two or
three short texts or several shorter texts. Section 2 comprises two texts. In Section 3, there is
one long text. These texts include extract from books, magazines, newspapers, notices,
advertisements, company handbooks and guidelines. These are materials you are likely to
encounter on a daily basis in an English-speaking environment.

Time 45-60 minutes

Level B1+
Class Suitable for groups / large classes,
F2F / Online
Interaction Individual / pair work
Materials Worksheet (attached)

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Extra information

Matching Features questions

Students are required to match a set of statements or pieces of information to a list
of options. The options are presented as a group of features from the text with each
one identified by letters. For example, they may be required to match different
research findings to a list of researchers, events to historical periods, etc. It is
possible that some options will not be used, and that others may be used more than
once. The instructions will say if the options can be used more than once.

Matching features will assess students’ ability to recognise relationships and

connections between facts in the text and their ability to recognise opinions and
theories. It may be used both with factual information, as well as opinion-based
discursive texts. Students will need to be able to skim and scan the text in order to
locate the required information and then to read for detail to match the correct
feature.

NB The answers are NOT in the same order as the text.

Material: Worksheet
Time: 45-60 minutes
Procedure:
• introduce the focus of the lesson – dealing with Matching Features questions in
the IELTS Reading Test.
• explain that these questions require test takers to match features/characteristic
to the options given.
• tell students to look at worksheet, Exercise 1. (This is just to give an idea).
• students work in pairs and match the characteristics to the 3 items: liquids,
gases and solids.

Answers
1 Liquids: a, c 2 Gases: d, f 3 Solids: b, e

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Exercise 2
• elicit from students what they remember/understand by surveying a text (quickly
looking at a text to establish extent, if there are titles, pictures, glossaries etc.
• tell students they have 20 seconds to survey the text.
• tell students to close or turn over their worksheets: Ask the following questions:

How long is the text? (about 2 pages)

Does it have a title? (Yes: The Triune Brain)
Does it have any sub-titles/headings? (No)
Does it have any pictures or diagrams? (Yes)
Does it have a glossary? (Yes)

Exercise 3
• elicit from students what they remember/understand by skimming a text (reading
first/topic sentences and final sentences to get an idea of gist and text
organisation).
• tell students they have 60 seconds to skim the text and underline the topic
sentences.
• get class feedback. (Note that in paragraphs 2 & 3, the topic sentence is the
third sentence. The first two sentences just provide a contrast or a link with what
has gone before.)

1) The first of our three brains to evolve is what scientists call the reptilian cortex.
This brain sustains the elementary activities of animal survival such as respiration,
adequate rest and a beating heart (Q15). We are not required to consciously “think”
about these activities. The reptilian cortex also houses the “startle centre”, a
mechanism that facilitates swift reactions to unexpected occurrences in our
surroundings. (Q22) That panicked lurch you experience when a door slams shut
somewhere in the house, or the heightened awareness you feel when a twig cracks
in a nearby bush while out on an evening stroll are both examples of the reptilian
cortex at work. When it comes to our interaction with others, the reptilian brain
offers up only the most basic impulses: aggression, mating, and territorial defence.
There is no great difference, in this sense, between a crocodile defending its spot
along the river and a turf war between two urban gangs.

2) Although the lizard may stake a claim to its habitat, it exerts total indifference
toward the well-being of its young. Listen to the anguished squeal of a dolphin
separated from its pod or witness the sight of elephants mourning their dead, (Q16)
however, and it is clear that a new development is at play. Scientists have identified

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 this as the limbic cortex. Unique to mammals, the limbic cortex impels creatures to
nurture their offspring (Q21) by delivering feelings of tenderness and warmth to the
parent when children are nearby. These same sensations also cause mammals to
develop various types of social relations and kinship networks. (Q17) When we are
with others of “our kind” – be it at soccer practice, church, school or a nightclub –
we experience positive sensations of togetherness, solidarity and comfort. If we
spend too long away from these networks, then loneliness sets in and encourages
us to seek companionship.

3) Only human capabilities extend far beyond the scope of these two cortexes.
Humans eat, sleep and play, but we also speak, plot, rationalise and debate finer
points of morality. Our unique abilities are the result of an expansive third brain –
the neocortex – which engages with logic, reason and ideas. The power of the
neocortex comes from its ability to think beyond the present, concrete moment.
While other mammals are mainly restricted to impulsive actions (although some,
such as apes, can learn and remember simple lessons), humans can think about
the “big picture”. We can string together simple lessons (for example, an apple
drops downwards from a tree; hurting others causes unhappiness) to develop
complex theories of physical or social phenomena (Q20) (such as the laws of
gravity and a concern for human rights).

4) The neocortex is also responsible for the process by which we decide on and
commit to particular courses of action. (Q18) Strung together over time, these
choices can accumulate into feats of progress unknown to other animals.
Anticipating a better grade on the following morning’s exam, a student can ignore
the limbic urge to socialise and go to sleep early instead. (Q14) Over three years,
this ongoing sacrifice translates into a first-class degree and a scholarship to
graduate school; over a lifetime, it can mean ground-breaking contributions to
human knowledge and development. The ability to sacrifice our drive for immediate
satisfaction in order to benefit later is a product of the neocortex.

5) Understanding the triune brain can help us appreciate the different natures of
brain damage and psychological disorders. The most devastating form of brain
damage, for example, is a condition in which someone is understood to be brain
dead. In this state a person appears merely unconscious – sleeping, perhaps – but
this is illusory. Here, the reptilian brain is functioning on autopilot despite the
permanent loss of other cortexes.

6) Disturbances to the limbic cortex are registered in a different manner. Pups with
limbic damage can move around and feed themselves well enough but do not
register the presence of their littermates. Scientists have observed how, after a
limbic lobotomy2, “one impaired monkey stepped on his outraged peers as if

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 treading on a log or a rock”. In our own species, limbic damage is closely related to
sociopathic behaviour. Sociopaths in possession of fully-functioning neocortexes
are often shrewd and emotionally intelligent people but lack any ability to relate to,
empathise with or express concern for others.

7) One of the neurological wonders of history occurred when a railway worker

named Phineas Gage survived an incident during which a metal rod skewered his
skull, taking a considerable amount of his neocortex with it. Though Gage continued
to live and work as before, his fellow employees observed a shift in the equilibrium
of his personality. Gage’s animal propensities were now sharply pronounced while
his intellectual abilities suffered; garrulous or obscene jokes replaced his once quick
wit. New findings suggest, however, that Gage managed to soften these abrupt
changes over time and rediscover an appropriate social manner. This would
indicate that reparative therapy has the potential to help patients with advanced
brain trauma to gain an improved quality of life.
Glossary
1 Triune = three-in-one
2 Lobotomy = surgical cutting of brain nerves

Exercise 4
• put students into pairs to do Exercise 4.
• get class feedback.

Answers

a particular example of brain damage 7

damage to the brain 5
damage to the limbic brain 6
the limbic brain 2
the neocortex 3, 4
the reptilian brain 1

Exercise 5
• students work in pairs and put the sentences into the correct order to form a
strategy for dealing with Matching Features questions.
• get class feedback.

Answers
Correct order: b, c, e, d, a

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Exercise 6
• work through the example given on the worksheet with your students.
• ask: which paragraph would you read for information on reptilian brain? (1)
• tell students to look at Question 19. Elicit synonyms or other ways of expressing
the highlighted key words. (Possible answers: protecting / territory/ground)
• tell students to look at paragraph 1 of the text where the synonyms of the key
words are highlighted.
• students read the relevant sentences to check that ‘guarding areas of land’ is a
feature of the reptilian brain. So, the answer is A.

You may wish to work through other examples, this time getting the students to identify
the key words in the questions, thinking of synonyms, and scanning for them in the
relevant parts of the text.
Give students 10-15 minutes to answer the questions.

Answers

14 giving up short-term happiness for future gains C

15 maintaining the bodily functions necessary for life A
16 experiencing the pain of losing another B
17 forming communities and social groups B
18 making a decision and carrying it out C
19 guarding areas of land Example of key words Answer = A
20 developing explanations for things C
21 looking after one’s young B
22 responding quickly to sudden movement and noise A

The relevant sentences are highlighted in the teacher’s text.

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 Reading Skills – Matching Features

Worksheet

1 Work with a partner. Match the items with two of their characteristics. The
options a-f can only be used once.

1 Liquids a can flow.

b cannot flow.
2 Gases c have a surface.
d do not have a surface.
3 Solids e have a rigid shape.
f do not have a definite volume.

2 Survey the following reading passage.

The Triune1 Brain

1) The first of our three brains to evolve is what scientists call the reptilian cortex. This
brain sustains the elementary activities of animal survival such as respiration, adequate
rest and a beating heart. We are not required to consciously “think” about these
activities. The reptilian cortex also houses the “startle centre”, a mechanism that
facilitates swift reactions to unexpected occurrences in our surroundings. That
panicked lurch you experience when a door slams shut somewhere in the house, or
the heightened awareness you feel when a twig cracks in a nearby bush while out on
an evening stroll are both examples of the reptilian cortex at work. When it comes to
our interaction with others, the reptilian brain offers up only the most basic impulses:
aggression, mating, and territorial defence. There is no great difference, in this sense,
between a crocodile defending its spot along the river and a turf war between two
urban gangs.

2) Although the lizard may stake a claim to its habitat, it exerts total indifference
toward the well-being of its young. Listen to the anguished squeal of a dolphin

British Council is a proud co-owner of IELTS 7 takeielts.org

separated from its pod or witness the sight of elephants mourning their dead, however,
and it is clear that a new development is at play. Scientists have identified this as the
limbic cortex. Unique to mammals, the limbic cortex impels creatures to nurture their
offspring by delivering feelings of tenderness and warmth to the parent when children
are nearby. These same sensations also cause mammals to develop various types of
social relations and kinship networks. When we are with others of “our kind” – be it at
soccer practice, church, school or a nightclub – we experience positive sensations of
togetherness, solidarity and comfort. If we spend too long away from these networks,
then loneliness sets in and encourages us to seek companionship.

3) Only human capabilities extend far beyond the scope of these two cortexes.
Humans eat, sleep and play, but we also speak, plot, rationalise and debate finer
points of morality. Our unique abilities are the result of an expansive third brain – the
neocortex – which engages with logic, reason and ideas. The power of the neocortex
comes from its ability to think beyond the present, concrete moment. While other
mammals are mainly restricted to impulsive actions (although some, such as apes, can
learn and remember simple lessons), humans can think about the “big picture”. We can
string together simple lessons (for example, an apple drops downwards from a tree;
hurting others causes unhappiness) to develop complex theories of physical or social
phenomena (such as the laws of gravity and a concern for human rights).

4) The neocortex is also responsible for the process by which we decide on and
commit to particular courses of action. Strung together over time, these choices can
accumulate into feats of progress unknown to other animals. Anticipating a better
grade on the following morning’s exam, a student can ignore the limbic urge to
socialise and go to sleep early instead. Over three years, this ongoing sacrifice
translates into a first-class degree and a scholarship to graduate school; over a
lifetime, it can mean ground-breaking contributions to human knowledge and
development. The ability to sacrifice our drive for immediate satisfaction in order to
benefit later is a product of the neocortex.

5) Understanding the triune brain can help us appreciate the different natures of brain
damage and psychological disorders. The most devastating form of brain damage, for
example, is a condition in which someone is understood to be brain dead. In this state
a person appears merely unconscious – sleeping, perhaps – but this is illusory. Here,
the reptilian brain is functioning on autopilot despite the permanent loss of other
cortexes.

British Council is a proud co-owner of IELTS 8 takeielts.org

6) Disturbances to the limbic cortex are registered in a different manner. Pups with
limbic damage can move around and feed themselves well enough but do not register
the presence of their littermates. Scientists have observed how, after a limbic
lobotomy2, “one impaired monkey stepped on his outraged peers as if treading on a log
or a rock”. In our own species, limbic damage is closely related to sociopathic
behaviour. Sociopaths in possession of fully-functioning neocortexes are often shrewd
and emotionally intelligent people but lack any ability to relate to, empathise with or
express concern for others.

7) One of the neurological wonders of history occurred when a railway worker named
Phineas Gage survived an incident during which a metal rod skewered his skull, taking
a considerable amount of his neocortex with it. Though Gage continued to live and
work as before, his fellow employees observed a shift in the equilibrium of his
personality. Gage’s animal propensities were now sharply pronounced while his
intellectual abilities suffered; garrulous or obscene jokes replaced his once quick wit.
New findings suggest, however, that Gage managed to soften these abrupt changes
over time and rediscover an appropriate social manner. This would indicate that
reparative therapy has the potential to help patients with advanced brain trauma to gain
an improved quality of life.
Glossary
1 Triune = three-in-one
2 Lobotomy = surgical cutting of brain nerves

3 Skim the text. You have 60 seconds. Underline the topic sentences and the final
sentences in each paragraph.

4 Work in pairs. Only looking at the topic and final sentences, decide in which
paragraph you would look for answers on questions about the following:

a particular example of brain damage …………….

damage to the brain …………….
damage to the limbic brain …………….
the limbic brain …………….
the neocortex …………….
the reptilian brain …………….
5 Put the following into the correct order to give you a strategy for dealing with
Matching Features questions.

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a) Close read around those words to find the answer.
…….

b) From your skimming, note down which paragraphs/parts of the text

are relevant to the items A-C listed.
…….

c) Read the questions and underline/highlight key words. Key words are
those words that you will try and find in the text.
…….

d) Scan the relevant parts of the text and underline key words or
synonyms from the questions.
…….

e) Think of synonyms of these or other ways they may be expressed.

…….

Questions 14–22

Classify the following as typical of

A the reptilian cortex Example: paragraph 1
B the limbic cortex
C the neocortex

Write the correct letter, A, B or C, in boxes 14–22 on your answer sheet.

14 giving up short-term happiness for future gains

15 maintaining the bodily functions necessary for life
16 experiencing the pain of losing another
17 forming communities and social groups
18 making a decision and carrying it out
19 guarding areas of land Example of key words Answer = A
20 developing explanations for things
21 looking after one’s young
22 responding quickly to sudden movement and noise

6 Use the strategy to answer questions 14-18 and 20-22.

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