Museum of Local History: Visitor Information: Reading Answers & Explanations
IELTS Reading practice test · 13 questionsGeneral Trainingeasy
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About this passage
The passage opens: “Thank you for planning a visit to the Riverside Museum of Local History. Housed in a restored eighteenth-century warehouse beside the old harbour, the museum tells the story of our town and the people who have lived and worked here over the centuries.”
- Passage length: about 737 words
- Questions: 13
- Question types: True / False / Not Given, Multiple Choice, Short Answer
“Museum of Local History: Visitor Information” 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
Museum of Local History: Visitor Information answers with explanations
Questions 1–6: True / False / Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the visitor information? Write TRUE, FALSE or NOT GIVEN.
- 1
The museum is closed on Mondays except when they are public holidays.
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Answer: TRUE
Why: This sentence confirms the statement, so the answer is TRUE.
Evidence · Paragraph 3 “It is closed on Mondays, apart from public holidays, when we open as usual.”
- 2
There is a charge to enter the permanent galleries.
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Answer: FALSE
Why: This sentence directly contradicts the statement, so the answer is FALSE.
Evidence · Paragraph 3 “Admission to the permanent galleries is free of charge, though we welcome donations towards the upkeep of the collection.”
- 3
The museum has its own car park for visitors.
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Answer: FALSE
Why: This sentence directly contradicts the statement, so the answer is FALSE.
Evidence · Paragraph 5 “…as there is no car park at the museum itself. The nearest public car park is on Mill Street, a short walk away.”
- 4
The museum building was previously used as a warehouse.
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Answer: TRUE
Why: This sentence confirms the statement, so the answer is TRUE.
Evidence · Paragraph 1 “Housed in a restored eighteenth-century warehouse beside the old harbour.”
- 5
The café serves the most popular cakes in the town.
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Answer: NOT GIVEN
Why: The statement claims the café serves the most popular cakes in the town, but the passage never confirms or denies this, only mentioning that the café serves homemade cakes.
Closest related text · Paragraph 9 “A café on the ground floor serves hot drinks, light lunches and homemade cakes, and is open throughout the day.”
- 6
Visitors may take photographs for personal use as long as they do not use flash.
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Answer: TRUE
Why: This sentence confirms the statement, so the answer is TRUE.
Evidence · Paragraph 13 “…flash photography is not permitted anywhere in the museum... though visitors are welcome to take photographs without flash for personal use.”
Question 7: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
- A. four in the afternoon
- B. half past four
- C. five in the afternoon
- D. ten in the morning
- 7
At what time is the last admission to the museum?
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Answer: B — half past four
Why: This is the part of the passage that supports B — half past four.
Evidence · Paragraph 3 “Last admission is at half past four, so please allow enough time to see the galleries before we close.”
Question 8: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
- A. on the ground floor
- B. on the first floor
- C. on the second floor
- D. in the café
- 8
Where can visitors find the reconstructed shop and schoolroom?
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Answer: B — on the first floor
Why: This is the part of the passage that supports B — on the first floor.
Evidence · Paragraph 7 “The first floor is devoted to daily life in the town over the past two hundred years, including a reconstructed shop and schoolroom.”
Question 9: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
- A. pay an extra fee for entry
- B. book their visit at least two weeks in advance
- C. arrive before ten in the morning
- D. bring their own guide
- 9
What must organisers of groups of ten or more do?
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Answer: B — book their visit at least two weeks in advance
Why: This is the part of the passage that supports B — book their visit at least two weeks in advance.
Evidence · Paragraph 13 “…organisers of parties of ten or more are asked to book their visit at least two weeks in advance.”
Questions 10–13: Short Answer
Answer the questions below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text for each answer.
- 10
What is provided at the front of the building for those arriving by bicycle?(max 3 words)
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Answer: bicycle racks (also accepted: secure bicycle racks / racks)
Why: The answer “bicycle racks” is taken from this sentence — copy the word(s) exactly as they appear. It fits the 3-word limit.
Evidence · Paragraph 5 “Secure bicycle racks are provided at the front of the building.”
- 11
What serves all floors for visitors who prefer not to use the stairs?(max 2 words)
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Answer: a lift (also accepted: lift / the lift)
Why: The answer “a lift” is taken from this sentence — copy the word(s) exactly as they appear. It fits the 2-word limit.
Evidence · Paragraph 7 “A lift serves all floors for those who prefer not to use the stairs.”
- 12
What free item, available from the front desk, guides young visitors around with puzzles?(max 3 words)
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Answer: activity trails (also accepted: an activity trail / activity trail / free activity trails)
Why: The answer “activity trails” is taken from this sentence — copy the word(s) exactly as they appear. It fits the 3-word limit.
Evidence · Paragraph 11 “Free activity trails, which guide young visitors around the galleries with puzzles and things to spot, are available from the front desk.”
- 13
Who leads the guided tours that can be arranged for booked groups?(max 3 words)
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Answer: volunteers (also accepted: our volunteers / knowledgeable volunteers)
Why: The answer “volunteers” is taken from this sentence — copy the word(s) exactly as they appear. It fits the 3-word limit.
Evidence · Paragraph 13 “Guided tours led by our knowledgeable volunteers can be arranged for booked groups at no extra cost.”
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 “Museum of Local History: Visitor Information” under exam conditions
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