Sleep and the Consolidation of Memory: Reading Answers & Explanations
IELTS Reading practice test · 12 questionsAcademicmedium
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About this passage
The passage opens: “For a long time sleep was regarded mainly as a period of rest, a pause during which the body recovered and the mind simply switched off. Modern research has overturned this view.”
- Passage length: about 878 words
- Questions: 12
- Question types: True / False / Not Given, Multiple Choice, Short Answer
“Sleep and the Consolidation of Memory” 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
Sleep and the Consolidation of Memory answers with explanations
Questions 1–5: True / False / Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage? Write TRUE, FALSE or NOT GIVEN.
- 1
Modern research shows that the brain is largely inactive during sleep.
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Answer: FALSE
Why: This sentence directly contradicts the statement, so the answer is FALSE.
Evidence · Paragraph 1 “Far from being idle, the sleeping brain is remarkably active, and one of its most important functions appears to be the processing and strengthening of memories formed during the day.”
- 2
The different stages of sleep are thought to serve interchangeable functions in memory.
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Answer: FALSE
Why: This sentence directly contradicts the statement, so the answer is FALSE.
Evidence · Paragraph 3 “Researchers have found that these stages are not interchangeable.”
- 3
People who sleep after learning a task often perform better than those who stay awake for a similar period.
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Answer: TRUE
Why: This sentence confirms the statement, so the answer is TRUE.
Evidence · Paragraph 5 “Those who have slept commonly perform better, even when the total amount of time that has passed is the same.”
- 4
Short daytime naps produce no measurable benefit for memory.
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Answer: FALSE
Why: This sentence directly contradicts the statement, so the answer is FALSE.
Evidence · Paragraph 5 “Naps as well as a full night's sleep can produce such improvements, which suggests that it is sleep itself, rather than merely the passing of time, that supports the consolidation of what has been learned.”
- 5
The passage states that people need exactly eight hours of sleep for memory to work properly.
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Answer: NOT GIVEN
Why: The statement claims people need exactly eight hours of sleep for memory to work properly, but the passage never confirms or denies this, only discussing the importance of sleep for memory consolidation without specifying a duration.
Closest related text · Paragraph 7 “If sleep genuinely helps to lock in what has been learned, then the way people schedule their study, their work and their rest deserves closer attention.”
Question 6: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
- A. the moment when information is first registered
- B. the slower process that makes a new memory more stable
- C. the constant stream of new input during waking hours
- D. the recovery of the body during rest
- 6
According to the passage, consolidation is best described as
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Answer: B — the slower process that makes a new memory more stable
Why: This is the part of the passage that supports B — the slower process that makes a new memory more stable.
Evidence · Paragraph 2 “…consolidation is the slower process by which a fragile new memory becomes more stable and better integrated with what we already know.”
Question 7: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
- A. consolidating facts and events that can be consciously recalled
- B. processing emotional memories
- C. learning new physical skills
- D. protecting the brain from dreaming
- 7
Deep slow-wave sleep is described as especially important for
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Answer: A — consolidating facts and events that can be consciously recalled
Why: This is the part of the passage that supports A — consolidating facts and events that can be consciously recalled.
Evidence · Paragraph 3 “Deep slow-wave sleep seems especially important for the consolidation of facts and events, the kind of memory that can be consciously recalled and put into words.”
Question 8: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
- A. erased to make room for new learning
- B. transferred from the hippocampus to more durable storage
- C. stored permanently in the hippocampus
- D. weakened each time they are reactivated
- 8
The idea of replay during deep sleep suggests that memories are
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Answer: B — transferred from the hippocampus to more durable storage
Why: This is the part of the passage that supports B — transferred from the hippocampus to more durable storage.
Evidence · Paragraph 4 “…such replay helps to transfer memories from temporary storage in a structure called the hippocampus to more durable storage distributed across the outer layer of the brain.”
Questions 9–12: Short Answer
Answer the questions below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
- 9
What is the name for the moment at which information is first registered?(max 2 words)
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Answer: encoding (also accepted: the encoding)
Why: The answer “encoding” is taken from this sentence — copy the word(s) exactly as they appear. It fits the 2-word limit.
Evidence · Paragraph 2 “Encoding is the moment at which information is first registered; consolidation is the slower process by which a fragile new memory becomes more stable and better integrated with what we already know.”
- 10
Which type of sleep has been linked more strongly to emotional memories?(max 3 words)
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Answer: REM sleep (also accepted: REM / rapid eye movement)
Why: The answer “REM sleep” is taken from this sentence — copy the word(s) exactly as they appear. It fits the 3-word limit.
Evidence · Paragraph 3 “REM sleep, by contrast, has been linked more strongly to emotional memories and to certain kinds of skill learning, although the picture is still debated.”
- 11
In which brain structure are memories thought to be stored temporarily before transfer?(max 2 words)
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Answer: hippocampus (also accepted: the hippocampus)
Why: The answer “hippocampus” is taken from this sentence — copy the word(s) exactly as they appear. It fits the 2-word limit.
Evidence · Paragraph 4 “…such replay helps to transfer memories from temporary storage in a structure called the hippocampus to more durable storage distributed across the outer layer of the brain.”
- 12
Many researchers argue that adequate sleep should be treated as an essential part of what, rather than as a luxury?(max 3 words)
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Answer: education (also accepted: part of education)
Why: The answer “education” is taken from this sentence — copy the word(s) exactly as they appear. It fits the 3-word limit.
Evidence · Paragraph 6 “This has led many researchers to argue that adequate sleep should be treated as an essential part of education rather than as an optional luxury, though translating this message into changed behaviour has proved difficult.”
Estimated band score for this test
Your raw score out of 12 scaled to the 40-question IELTS Reading (Academic) 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 |
|---|---|
| 12 / 12 | 9.0 |
| 11 / 12 | 8.5 |
| 10 / 12 | 7.5 |
| 9 / 12 | 7.0 |
| 8 / 12 | 6.5 |
| 7 / 12 | 6.0 |
| 6 / 12 | 5.5 |
| 5 / 12 | 5.0 |
| 4 / 12 | 4.5 |
| 3 / 12 | 4.0 |
| 2 / 12 | 3.0 |
| 1 / 12 | 2.0 |
| 0 / 12 | 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 “Sleep and the Consolidation of Memory” under exam conditions
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