Choosing the Best Sleeping Bag and The Spread the Word Life Writing Prize – IELTS Reading Answers

With consistent practice, IELTS applicants can score highest on the Reading module of IELTS General. All you need is to be able to approach and respond to the different question types. The IELTS General Passages, Choosing the Best Sleeping Bag & The Spread the Word Life Writing Prize are part of Cambridge IELTS 18 General Training Reading Test 2 and ideally, you should not spend more than 20 minutes on both these passages.

There are 14 questions in total in passages. You must understand the subject, look up key terms, and solve accordingly. Also, start practicing timed IELTS General practice tests regularly if your goal is to become proficient in these passages and obtain a high reading band score.

The question types found in these passages are:

• Matching Information (Questions 1-8)
• True/False/Not Given (Questions 9-14)

Reading Passage 1

Choosing the Best Sleeping Bag

When choosing a sleeping bag, check what seasons it’s for, as well as how heavy it is if you’re backpacking. Also, think about the filling. Natural duck down is very warm, has a longer lifespan, and is easier to pack up, while synthetic materials are easier to clean, and they dry quicker and are cheaper.

A Vango Fuse -12

This all-year-round sleeping bag combines natural duck down and a new synthetic fibre. The result is a bag that’s warm and weighs 1.5kg. There’s a water-resistant finish to protect it from moisture.

B Outwell Campion Lux Double Sleeping Bag

This double sleeping bag — which is suitable for all seasons except winter — is soft and cosy, and there’s a handy pocket for essentials, located inside near the top. It also folds up remarkably small, given its size.

C Nordisk Oscar +10

At just 350g, this sleeping bag is remarkably light, and as it’s synthetic, it’s very easy to maintain. The pack size is just 13x20cm, which makes it ideal for backpacking. It will work perfectly for summer trekking.

D The Big Sleep 250GSM Single Cowl Sleeping

If you want a no-frills, budget sleeping bag that will last more than one summer, opt for this. It’s soft, comfy, and simple to wash. Give yourself a bit of time to fit it back in the bag, though. Use it for spring, summer, and autumn.

E Jack Wolfskin Smoozip +3

We like the extra insulation in this sleeping bag around the areas that tend to feel the cold (head, chest, and feet). And the hood is cozy enough to use as a pillow.

F Vango Starwalker Dragon

This innovative, high-quality kids’ sleeping bag enables you to undo some zips and turn it into a fun, animal-themed coat. Once your youngster is ready for bed, simply zip the bottom back on and zip up the shoulders. Suitable for between 8 and 20 degrees Celsius.

G Outwell Conqueror

This sleeping bag has an integrated down duvet and lots of space. What’s more, it packs up compactly and is easy to get back in the bag. It’s light but too big for a rucksack.

Questions 1-8

1 This sleeping bag is not very easy to pack up.
2 People can use this sleeping bag in any season.
3 This sleeping bag has been designed to ensure certain parts of the body are warm.
4 This sleeping bag contains a useful storage area.
5 People who do not want to spend much on a sleeping bag will find this one suits their needs
6 This sleeping bag can also keep the user warm during the daytime.
7 People who wish to avoid carrying heavy weights should try this sleeping bag
8 This sleeping bag contains two different types of material.

Reading Passage 2

The Spread the Word Life Writing Prize

We are delighted to announce The Spread the Word Life Writing Prize in association with Goldsmiths Writers’ Centre.

Competition Rules

Entries should be original works of life writing of no more than 5,000 words. The word count will be checked and entries longer than 5,000 words will be disqualified. There is no minimum word count.

For the purposes of the Prize, Life Writing is defined as nonfiction and should be based on a significant portion from the author’s own experience. Traditional biographies, where the piece is only about the experience of someone else, are excluded.

Writers only submit one entry each. Multiple entries by the same author will result in only the first entry being considered for the Prize and any additional entries disqualified. Writers who have previously won or been highly commended in the Life Writing Prize are excluded from entering; otherwise, previous entrants may submit.

Entries must be the original, previously unpublished work of the entrant. Graphic novel-style entries, where drawings or photographs accompany text, are welcome. Entries can be self-contained pieces of life writing or the first 5,000 words of a longer piece of work.

The Life Writing Prize is open to writers aged over 18 and residents in the UK who are emerging writers, which means they have not previously published in print a full-length work. We define a full-length work as, for example, a complete work of fiction or non-fiction over 30,000 words.

Entries that are simultaneously submitted elsewhere are welcome — but please let us know as soon as possible if a piece is to be published elsewhere or has won another prize so we can disqualify it from the Life Writing Prize.

The winner will receive £1,500, publication on Spread the Word’s website, two years’ membership of the Royal Society of Literature, and a development meeting with an editor and an agent. Two highly commended entries will receive £500 and two mentoring sessions, a development meeting With an editor and an agent, and be published on the Spread the Word website.

Questions 9-14

9 Writers can submit an entry of fewer than 5,000 words for the Life Writing Prize.
10 Writers can choose to write about the life of a person they know.
11 People who have entered an earlier Life Writing competition without achieving any success may enter again.
12 Writers who are between 19 and 25 years old and in full-time education have won the prize in previous years.
13 Only one prize is awarded at the end of the Life Writing competition.
14 Previous winners of the Life Writing Prize have gone on to become successful published writers.

Answers for Choosing the Best Sleeping Bag & The Spread the Word Life Writing Prize with an Explanation

1 Answer: D
Question type: Matching Information
Answer location: Paragraph D, Line 2-3
Answer explanation: Take a look at this line “…Give yourself a bit of time to fit it back in the bag, though…” Here, it is mentioned that this sleeping bag takes some time to pack away. Hence, the answer is ‘ D’.

2 Answer: A
Question type: Matching Information
Answer location: Paragraph A, LIne 1-2
Answer explanation: In this specified line of Paragraph A, it is mentioned that “…This all-year-round sleeping bag combines natural duck down and a new synthetic fire….”. It means that the bag is an all-year-around bag and it can be used in any season.

3 Answer: E
Question type: Matching Information
Answer location: Paragraph E, Lines 1-2
Answer explanation: Have a look at this line “….We like the extra insulation in this sleeping bag around the areas that tend to feel the cold (head, chest and feet). And the hood is cosy enough to use as a pillow….” This bag features enhanced insulation in specific areas, ensuring targeted warmth for those parts of the body. Thus, it’s designed to provide warmth precisely where it’s needed. Hence, the answer is ‘ E’.

4 Answer: B
Question type: Matching Information
Answer location: Paragraph B, Lines 2-3
Answer explanation: Look at this line from Paragraph B “… there’s a handy pocket for essentials, located inside near the top. It also folds up remarkably small, given its size…” meaning it has plenty of room inside or storage. Plus, it comes with pockets for keeping important stuff. Hence, the answer is ‘B’.

5 Answer: D
Question type: Matching Information
Answer location: Paragraph D, Line 1
Answer explanation: In this specified line of Paragraph D it is stated that “…budget sleeping bag that will last more than one summer, opt for this…..” This line suggests that the bag is an ideal budget-friendly option with a year-long lifespan. It’s designed to serve all essential needs effectively. Hence, the answer is ‘ D’.

6 Answer: F
Question type: Matching Information
Answer location: Paragraph F, Line 4
Answer explanation: Take a look at this line “… Suitable for between 8 and 20 degrees Celsius….”It means this will significantly keep the body warm, making it suitable for daytime use as well. Hence, the answer is ‘ F’.

7 Answer: C
Question type: Matching Information
Answer location: Paragraph C, Lines 2-3
Answer explanation: It is stated in this line “…At just 350g, this sleeping bag is remarkably light, and as it’s synthetic…” It is mentioned here that This bag is claimed to weigh only 350g. This makes it exceptionally lightweight, ensuring it won’t feel heavy on the shoulders.

8 Answer: A
Question type: Matching Information
Answer location: Paragraph A, Lines 1-2
Answer explanation: Take a look at this line from Paragraph A, “…This all-year-round sleeping bag combines natural duck down and a new synthetic fire….” It is stated that the sleeping bag is made of two materials: natural duck down and synthetic cloth. Hence, the answer is ‘ A’.

9 Answer: True
Question type: True/False/Not Given
Answer location: Paragraph 2, Line 1-2
Answer explanation: Take a look at this line “,…Entries should be original works of life writing of no more than 5,000 words. The word count will be checked and entries longer than 5,000 words will be disqualified….” Here, it is mentioned that the word limit is 5,000. Hence, the answer is ‘True’.

10 Answer: False
Question type: True/False/Not Given
Answer location: Paragraph 2, Lines 3-6
Answer explanation: Take a look at this line from paragraph 2, “… For the purposes of the Prize, Life Writing is defined as non-fiction and should be based on a significant portion from the author’s own experience. Traditional biographies, where the piece is only about the experience of someone else, are excluded… Here it is clearly stated that writing other’s life experiences will not be included. Hence, the answer is ‘False’.

11 Answer: True
Question type: True/False/Not Given
Answer location: Paragraph 4, Lines 1-3
Answer explanation: It is mentioned in these lines, “… Entries that are simultaneously submitted elsewhere are welcome — but please let us know as soon as possible if a piece is to be published elsewhere or has won another prize so we can disqualify it from the Life Writing Prize…’ It is clearly stated that if the writers haven’t published or won any prize they can enter. Hence, the answer is’ True’.

12 Answer: Not Given
Question type: True/False/Not Given
Answer location: N/A
Answer explanation: The information mentioned in the statement is not found in the passage.

13 Answer: False
Question type: True/False/Not Given
Answer location: Paragraph 7, Lines 3-5
Answer explanation: It is mentioned in these lines, “…Two highly commended entries will receive £500 and two mentoring sessions, a development meeting With an editor and an agent, and be published on the Spread the Word website…’ Here, it is clear that two writers will win the prize. Hence, the answer is ‘ False’.

14 Answer: Not Given
Question type: True/False/Not Given
Answer location: N/A
Answer explanation: The information mentioned in the statement is not found in the passage.

Tips to Solve the Choosing the Best Sleeping Bag & The Spread the Word Life Writing Prize Reading Answers 

Since now you know the answers to Choosing the Best Sleeping Bag & The Spread the Word Life Writing Prize Reading, let us check out some quick tips to answer the question types in IELTS Reading.

Matching Information questions 

Matching information is a type of IELTS reading question that requires you to match a list of features to the correct people, places, or things in a passage.

To answer matching information questions, you can use the following strategies:

• Before starting, ensure clarity on what needs to be matched, such as headings to paragraphs or statements to sections.
• Quickly go through the passage to grasp its content and layout, aiding in locating relevant information.
• Identify keywords or key phrases in both the question and passage, as they often lead to the correct answer.
• Mark information in the passage that matches the question, facilitating easy reference during answering.
• Be mindful of synonyms and paraphrases, as they may replace exact words from the question within the passage.

True/False/Not Given: 

True/False/Not Given questions are a type of IELTS Reading question that requires you to identify whether a statement is true, false, or not given in the passage.

To answer this type of question, you can use the following strategies:

• Before reading the material, have a look at your list of True/False/Not Given questions.
• Scan the passage for synonyms or paraphrased words of the keywords. When you have highlighted the keywords, swiftly read the text to look for paraphrases or synonyms.
• Match the highlighted words in the questions with their synonyms in the text. Once you find both sets of keywords, cross-check them to find the answer.
• If the facts match, the answer is correct so it would be yes, and in case it doesn’t match, it is No. If you are unable to find the answer or unsure of it, mark it NOT GIVEN.

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