Joining the Neighbourhood Book Club: Reading Answers & Explanations
IELTS Reading practice test · 13 questionsGeneral Trainingeasy
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About this passage
The passage opens: “Have you ever wanted to read more widely, discover new authors and meet friendly people who share your love of reading? The Oakwood Neighbourhood Book Club has been bringing local readers together for more than ten years, and we are always happy to welcome new members.”
- Passage length: about 716 words
- Questions: 13
- Question types: True / False / Not Given, Multiple Choice, Short Answer
“Joining the Neighbourhood Book Club” is an original IELTS-style practice passage written by IELTS-Bank. It is not taken from an official IELTS or Cambridge test, so these answers only apply to our version.
Answer key at a glance
Joining the Neighbourhood Book Club answers with explanations
Questions 1–6: True / False / Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the leaflet? Write TRUE, FALSE or NOT GIVEN.
- 1
The club meets once a month in a room at the public library.
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Answer: TRUE
Why: This sentence confirms the statement, so the answer is TRUE.
Evidence · Paragraph 3 “We meet once a month, on the first Thursday of the month, in the community room at the back of the public library.”
- 2
The organiser alone decides which book the group will read next.
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Answer: FALSE
Why: This sentence directly contradicts the statement, so the answer is FALSE.
Evidence · Paragraph 3 “The choice of book is made by the group at the previous meeting, so that everyone has a say in what we read next.”
- 3
Members must buy their own copy of each month's book.
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Answer: FALSE
Why: This sentence directly contradicts the statement, so the answer is FALSE.
Evidence · Paragraph 5 “You do not need to buy the books we read. The library keeps several copies of each month's chosen title, which members can borrow free of charge.”
- 4
There is no fee to become a member of the club.
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Answer: TRUE
Why: This sentence confirms the statement, so the answer is TRUE.
Evidence · Paragraph 9 “There is no membership fee, and the club is run entirely by volunteers.”
- 5
The club has more members now than when it began.
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Answer: NOT GIVEN
Why: The statement claims the club has more members now than when it began, but the passage does not confirm or deny this, only mentioning that the club has been active for more than ten years.
Closest related text · Paragraph 1 “The Oakwood Neighbourhood Book Club has been bringing local readers together for more than ten years, and we are always happy to welcome new members.”
- 6
Guests are allowed to attend the club's special events.
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Answer: TRUE
Why: This sentence confirms the statement, so the answer is TRUE.
Evidence · Paragraph 11 “These events are a lovely way to get to know other members, and guests are welcome to come along.”
Question 7: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
- A. to borrow them as early in the month as possible
- B. to borrow them only on the day of the meeting
- C. to buy them from the library
- D. to share a single copy between members
- 7
What does the leaflet advise about borrowing the printed books?
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Answer: A — to borrow them as early in the month as possible
Why: This is the part of the passage that supports A — to borrow them as early in the month as possible.
Evidence · Paragraph 5 “Because the number of printed copies is limited, we recommend borrowing yours as early in the month as possible.”
Question 8: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
- A. they should not attend the meeting
- B. they should read it before speaking
- C. they need not worry, as such books can lead to good discussions
- D. they must lead the next discussion
- 8
What does the leaflet say about members who did not finish the book?
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Answer: C — they need not worry, as such books can lead to good discussions
Why: This is the part of the passage that supports C — they need not worry, as such books can lead to good discussions.
Evidence · Paragraph 7 “You should not worry if you did not enjoy the book, or even if you did not manage to finish it; some of our best discussions have been about books that divided opinion.”
Question 9: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
- A. pay a fee to the library
- B. just come along to a meeting
- C. sign a form in advance
- D. lead a discussion first
- 9
What is the easiest way to join the club?
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Answer: B — just come along to a meeting
Why: This is the part of the passage that supports B — just come along to a meeting.
Evidence · Paragraph 13 “Joining could not be simpler: just come along to a meeting.”
Questions 10–13: Short Answer
Answer the questions below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the leaflet for each answer.
- 10
At what time do the monthly meetings begin?(max 3 words)
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Answer: seven (also accepted: seven in the evening / 7 in the evening)
Why: The answer “seven” is taken from this sentence — copy the word(s) exactly as they appear. It fits the 3-word limit.
Evidence · Paragraph 3 “Meetings begin at seven in the evening and usually last about ninety minutes.”
- 11
What discount does the high street bookshop offer members on request?(max 3 words)
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Answer: a small discount (also accepted: small discount / a discount)
Why: The answer “a small discount” is taken from this sentence — copy the word(s) exactly as they appear. It fits the 3-word limit.
Evidence · Paragraph 5 “…the bookshop on the high street offers members of the club a small discount on request.”
- 12
What is passed round at each meeting to cover the cost of refreshments?(max 2 words)
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Answer: a collection (also accepted: collection)
Why: The answer “a collection” is taken from this sentence — copy the word(s) exactly as they appear. It fits the 2-word limit.
Evidence · Paragraph 9 “…we do, however, pass round a collection at each meeting to cover the cost of tea, coffee and biscuits.”
- 13
In which season does the club organise an outing?(max 2 words)
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Answer: summer (also accepted: the summer / in the summer)
Why: The answer “summer” is taken from this sentence — copy the word(s) exactly as they appear. It fits the 2-word limit.
Evidence · Paragraph 11 “In the summer we organise an outing, which in recent years has included visits to literary festivals.”
Estimated band score for this test
Your raw score out of 13 scaled to the 40-question IELTS Reading (General Training) conversion table. This is the same estimate the practice page shows after you submit. A single passage is a small sample, so treat it as a guide.
| Correct answers | Estimated band |
|---|---|
| 13 / 13 | 9.0 |
| 12 / 13 | 8.0 |
| 11 / 13 | 7.0 |
| 10 / 13 | 6.0 |
| 9 / 13 | 5.5 |
| 8 / 13 | 5.0 |
| 7 / 13 | 4.5 |
| 5–6 / 13 | 4.0 |
| 4 / 13 | 3.5 |
| 3 / 13 | 3.0 |
| 2 / 13 | 2.5 |
| 1 / 13 | 1.5 |
| 0 / 13 | 0.0 |
Full-test score? Use the IELTS band calculator.
Tips for the question types in this test
True / False / Not Given
- Read the statement first and underline the key idea, especially any qualifiers like "all", "only", "never", "always", "more than" or dates and numbers.
- Because the questions follow the order of the passage, scan for the paragraph that deals with the same topic rather than re-reading everything.
Common trap: Confusing "False" with "Not Given": choose False only when the passage actively contradicts the statement; if the passage is silent, it is Not Given.
Full True / False / Not Given strategyMultiple Choice
- Read the question stem carefully before the options so you know exactly what is being asked.
- Because multiple-choice questions follow passage order, locate the relevant section and read it in full — the answer usually depends on more than one sentence.
Common trap: Distractors that use exact words from the passage but distort the meaning.
Full Multiple Choice strategyShort Answer
- Read the instructions and note the exact word limit; going over it means zero marks even if the meaning is right.
- Turn each question into a set of keywords and predict what kind of answer it needs (a person, a date, a place, a noun).
Common trap: Exceeding the word limit (writing four words when only three are allowed).
Full Short Answer strategyPractise “Joining the Neighbourhood Book Club” under exam conditions
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