Staying Safe in the Summer Sun: Reading Answers & Explanations
IELTS Reading practice test · 10 questionsGeneral Trainingeasy
Haven't taken this test yet?
Looking at the answers first spoils the practice — you only get one honest first attempt at a passage. Take the test with the 20-minute timer, get an instant score and estimated band, then come back here to study every answer.
About this passage
The passage opens: “Warm, sunny days are one of the great pleasures of summer, but the same sunshine that lifts our mood can also harm our skin if we are not careful. Sunlight contains ultraviolet rays, often shortened to UV, which we cannot see or feel directly.”
- Passage length: about 495 words
- Questions: 10
- Question types: True / False / Not Given, Short Answer
“Staying Safe in the Summer Sun” 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
Staying Safe in the Summer Sun answers with explanations
Questions 1–6: True / False / Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage? Write TRUE if the statement agrees, FALSE if it contradicts, or NOT GIVEN if there is no information.
- 1
Ultraviolet rays can be seen and felt directly.
Show answerHide answer
Answer: FALSE
Why: This sentence directly contradicts the statement, so the answer is FALSE.
Evidence · Paragraph 1 “Sunlight contains ultraviolet rays, often shortened to UV, which we cannot see or feel directly.”
- 2
The sun is usually strongest in the middle of the day.
Show answerHide answer
Answer: TRUE
Why: This sentence confirms the statement, so the answer is TRUE.
Evidence · Paragraph 2 “It is usually at its most powerful in the middle of the day, roughly between eleven in the morning and three in the afternoon.”
- 3
Sunglasses protect the eyes from UV rays.
Show answerHide answer
Answer: TRUE
Why: This sentence confirms the statement, so the answer is TRUE.
Evidence · Paragraph 3 “Sunglasses matter too, because UV rays can harm the eyes as well as the skin”
- 4
Sunscreen alone provides complete protection from the sun.
Show answerHide answer
Answer: FALSE
Why: This sentence directly contradicts the statement, so the answer is FALSE.
Evidence · Paragraph 4 “No sunscreen blocks the sun completely, so it should be combined with shade and clothing rather than relied on alone.”
- 5
Expensive sunscreen works better than cheaper brands.
Show answerHide answer
Answer: NOT GIVEN
Why: The statement claims expensive sunscreen works better than cheaper brands, but the passage never confirms or denies this, only emphasizing the importance of applying sunscreen generously and reapplying it regularly.
- 6
Babies under six months old should be kept out of direct sunlight.
Show answerHide answer
Answer: TRUE
Why: This sentence confirms the statement, so the answer is TRUE.
Evidence · Paragraph 5 “Babies under six months old should be kept out of direct sunlight altogether.”
Questions 7–10: Short Answer
Answer the questions below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
- 7
What are the invisible rays in sunlight that cause sunburn commonly called?(max 2 words)
Show answerHide answer
Answer: ultraviolet rays (also accepted: UV / UV rays)
Why: The answer “ultraviolet rays” is taken from this sentence — copy the word(s) exactly as they appear. It fits the 2-word limit.
Evidence · Paragraph 1 “Sunlight contains ultraviolet rays, often shortened to UV, which we cannot see or feel directly.”
- 8
What type of hat is recommended to shade the face, ears and neck?(max 3 words)
Show answerHide answer
Answer: a wide-brimmed hat (also accepted: wide-brimmed hat / wide-brimmed)
Why: The answer “a wide-brimmed hat” is taken from this sentence — copy the word(s) exactly as they appear. It fits the 3-word limit.
Evidence · Paragraph 3 “A wide-brimmed hat shades the face, ears and neck, which are areas that people often forget.”
- 9
What two things does the passage say rub sunscreen away?(max 3 words)
Show answerHide answer
Answer: water and towelling (also accepted: water, towelling)
Why: The answer “water and towelling” is taken from this sentence — copy the word(s) exactly as they appear. It fits the 3-word limit.
Evidence · Paragraph 4 “…because water and towelling rub it away.”
- 10
What does the body lose through sweat on hot days?(max 1 word)
Show answerHide answer
Answer: water
Why: The answer “water” is taken from this sentence — copy the word(s) exactly as they appear. It fits the 1-word limit.
Evidence · Paragraph 6 “On hot days the body loses water through sweat, and it is easy to become dehydrated without noticing.”
Estimated band score for this test
Your raw score out of 10 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 |
|---|---|
| 10 / 10 | 9.0 |
| 9 / 10 | 7.5 |
| 8 / 10 | 6.5 |
| 7 / 10 | 5.5 |
| 6 / 10 | 5.0 |
| 5 / 10 | 4.5 |
| 4 / 10 | 4.0 |
| 3 / 10 | 3.5 |
| 2 / 10 | 2.5 |
| 1 / 10 | 2.0 |
| 0 / 10 | 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 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 “Staying Safe in the Summer Sun” under exam conditions
Free, auto-marked, with the 20-minute timer and an instant band estimate.
Take this test first (timed)More IELTS Reading tests with answers
A Brief History of Money
medium
A History of the World in Board Games
medium
A Short History of Tea
medium
Ancient Water Engineering
medium
Behavioural Economics and Decision Making
medium
Bioluminescence in the Deep Ocean
medium