Green Wave Washes Over Mainstream Shopping – IELTS Reading Answers
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Practice answering 13 questions within 20 minutes by diving into the IELTS Reading passage, ‘Green Wave Washes Over Mainstream Shopping’. Find tips to practice, answers, explanations, and more to elevate your IELTS preparation for scoring a band 8+.
Table of Contents
- Types of Questions in IELTS Reading Passage ‘Green Wave Washes Over Mainstream Shopping’
- Tips to Practice with the IELTS Reading Passage ‘Green Wave Washes Over Mainstream Shopping’
- IELTS Reading Passage on ‘Green Wave Washes Over Mainstream Shopping’
- Answers with Explanation for ‘Green Wave Washes Over Mainstream Shopping’
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The IELTS Academic Reading passage, ‘Green Wave Washes over Mainstream Shopping’, would help you to gain the skill of linking keywords, spotting paraphrased information, and getting familiar with the logical flow of arguments. Such topics would sharpen your analytical thinking while improving the area of your vocabulary recognition. With this IELTS Reading section, your ability to understand both the explicit and the implicit information would be enhanced. Remember that you must always try to answer the questions on your own before you move on to the correct answers with explanations. With diligent practice sessions with the timer on, you would build confidence and enhance your reading skills for scoring a band 8+.
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Types of Questions in IELTS Reading Passage ‘Green Wave Washes Over Mainstream Shopping’
By knowing the question types, you would have a strategic advantage when reading the passage. This will help you to get clarification on what is important, which keywords to follow, and what techniques to use. Using such specific strategies will make your reading process remain focused and quick. Following are the types of questions which you would need to answer in the passage ‘Green Wave Washes Over Mainstream Shopping’.
- IELTS Reading Yes, No, Not Given [Q.1-Q.6]
- IELTS Reading Multiple Choice Questions [Q.7-Q.9]
- IELTS Reading Summary Completion[Q.10-Q.13]
Tips to Practice with the IELTS Reading Passage ‘Green Wave Washes Over Mainstream Shopping’
The passage on ‘Green Wave Washes Over Mainstream Shopping’ will guide you to elevate your ability to understand descriptive academic texts while following the progression of ideas and comprehending the paraphrased information. By practising with such passages, you get an opportunity to refine your skimming and scanning techniques which will help you to achieve a higher IELTS Band Score. The table below provides a few tips which will showcase how you can use this passage for practising the IELTS Reading section.
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Skill |
Strategy |
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Understand the main Ideas through Skimming |
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Get familiar with details through Scanning |
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Understanding Paraphrasing |
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Vocabulary in Context |
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Develop Time Management Skills |
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IELTS Reading Passage on ‘Green Wave Washes Over Mainstream Shopping’
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13 which are based on the Reading Passage below.
Green Wave Washes Over Mainstream Shopping
A Research in Britain has shown that green consumers' continue to flourish as a significant group amongst shoppers. This suggests that politicians who claim environmentalism is yesterday's issue may be seriously misjudging the public mood.
B A report from Mintel, the market research organisation, says that despite the recession and financial pressures, more people than ever want to buy environmentally friendly products and a 'green wave' has swept through consumerism, taking in people previously untouched by environmental concerns. The recently published report also predicts that the process will repeat itself with 'ethical' concerns, involving issues such as fair trade with the Third World and the social record of businesses. Companies will have to be more honest and open in response to this mood.
C Mintel's survey, based on nearly 1,000 consumers, found that the proportion who look for green products and are prepared to pay more for them has climbed from 53 percent in 1990 to around 60 per cent in 1994. On average, they will pay 13 percent more for such products, although this percentage is higher among women, managerial and professional groups and those aged 35 to 44.
D Between 1990 and 1994 the proportion of consumers claiming to be unaware of or unconcerned about green issues fell from 18 to 10 percent but the number of green spenders among older people and manual workers has risen substantially. Regions such as Scotland have also caught up with the south of England in their environmental concerns. According to Mintel, the image of green consumerism as associated in the past with the more eccentric members of society has virtually disappeared. The consumer research manager for Mintel, Angela Hughes, said it had become firmly established as a mainstream market. She explained that as far as the average person is concerned environmentalism has not gone off the boil'. In fact, it has spread across a much wider range of consumer groups, ages and occupations.
E Mintel's 1994 survey found that 13 percent of consumers are 'very dark green', nearly always buying environmentally friendly products, 28 per cent are 'dark green', trying 'as far as possible' to buy such products, and 21 percent are 'pale green' - tending to buy green products if they see them. Another 26 per cent are 'armchair greens'; they said they care about environmental issues but their concern does not affect their spending habits. Only 10 percent say they do not care about green issues.
F Four in ten people are 'ethical spenders', buying goods which do not, for example, involve dealings with oppressive regimes. This figure is the same as in 1990, although the number of 'armchair ethicals' has risen from 28 to 35 percent and only 22 percent say they are unconcerned now, against 30 per cent in 1990. Hughes claims that in the twenty-first century, consumers will be encouraged to think more about the entire history of the products and services they buy, including the policies of the companies that provide them and that this will require a greater degree of honesty with consumers.
G Among green consumers, animal testing is the top issue - 48 percent said they would be deterred from buying a product it if had been tested on animals -followed by concerns regarding irresponsible selling, the ozone layer, river and sea pollution, forest destruction, recycling and factory farming. However, concern for specific issues is lower than in 1990, suggesting that many consumers feel that Government and business have taken on the environmental agenda.
Questions 1-6
Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer of Reading Passage 40?
In boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet write
YES - if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN - if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
1 The research findings report commercial rather than political trends.
2 Being financially better off has made shoppers more sensitive to buying 'green'.
3 The majority of shoppers are prepared to pay more for the benefit of the environment according to the research findings.
4 Consumers' green shopping habits are influenced by Mintel's findings.
5 Mintel have limited their investigation to professional and managerial groups.
6 Mintel undertakes market surveys on an annual basis.
Questions 7-9
Choose the appropriate letters A-D and write them in boxes 7-9 on your answer sheet.
7 Politicians may have 'misjudged the public mood' because
- they are pre-occupied with the recession and financial problems.
- there is more widespread interest in the environment agenda than they anticipated.
- consumer spending has increased significantly as a result of 'green' pressure.
- shoppers are displeased with government policies on a range of issues.
8 What is Mintel?
- an environmentalist group
- a business survey organisation
- an academic research team
- a political organisation
9 A consumer expressing concern for environmental issues without actively supporting such principles is
- an 'ethical spender'.
- a 'very dark green' spender.
- an 'armchair green'.
- a 'pale green' spender.
Questions 10-13
Complete the summary using words from the box below.
Write your answers in boxes 10-13 on your answer sheet.
NB There are more answers than spaces, so you will not use them all.
The Mintel report suggests that in future companies will be forced to practise greater 10……………………………….. in their dealings because of the increased awareness amongst 11……………………………….. of ethical issues. This prediction is supported by the growth in the number of 12……………………………….. identified in the most recent survey published. As a consequence, it is felt that companies will have to think more carefully about their 13………………………………..
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environmental research |
armchair ethicals |
honesty and openness |
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environmentalists ethical spenders |
consumers |
politicians |
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political beliefs |
social awareness financial constraints |
social record |
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Answers with Explanation for ‘Green Wave Washes Over Mainstream Shopping’
Now that you have completed answering the questions for ‘Green Wave Washes Over Mainstream Shopping, the next step is to compare your answers with those that are correct. Carefully look at the explanations and the location of keywords provided in the passage. The table below showcases the answers with thorough explanation which will help you to note the errors and areas of improvement.
Unlock Answers
| Question Number | Answers | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Yes | Paragraph B states that the ‘recently published report’ also predicts that the process will repeat itself with ‘ethical’ concerns, involving issues such as ‘fair trade’ with the Third World and the ‘social record of businesses’. From the highlighted phrases, we can conclude that the research findings are focused on commercial trends rather than political ones. As the statement agrees with the claims of the writer, the answer is ‘YES’. |
| 2. | No | Paragraph B mentions that a report from Mintel, the market research organisation, says that ‘despite recession and financial pressures, more people want to buy environmentally friendly products’ and a ‘green wave’ has swept through consumerism, taking in people previously untouched by environmental concerns. So, financial status is not the reason why people are choosing green. As the statement contradicts the claims of the writer, the answer is ‘NO’. |
| 3. | Yes | Paragraph C informs that Mintel’s survey (research findings), based on nearly 1,000 consumers, found that the proportion of people, who are ‘prepared to pay more’ for green products (for the benefit of the environment), has ‘climbed from 53 per cent in 1990 to around 60 per cent in 1994’ (increased number of people, or majority of shoppers). As the statement agrees with the claims of the writer, the answer is ‘YES’. |
| 4. | Not Given | In paragraph D, it is provided that the consumer research manager for Mintel, Angela Hughes, said green consumerism had become firmly established as a mainstream market. She explained that as far as the average person is concerned environmentalism has not gone off the boil’. In fact, it has spread across a much wider range of consumer groups, ages and occupations. Neither the author nor Angela Hughes did not mention the reason behind the spread of green consumerism as a mainstream market or relate it with Mintel’s findings. Hence, the answer is ‘NOT GIVEN’. |
| 5. | No | Paragraph C points out Mintel’s survey was based on nearly 1,000 consumers. On average, they will pay 13 per cent more for green products, although this percentage is ‘higher among women, managerial and professional groups’ and those aged 35 to 44. So, this proves that the investigation conducted showed that the percentage of green products users were high among women, Managerial and professional groups.The research was not specifically conducted on these groups. As the statement contradicts the claims of the writer, the answer is ‘NO’. |
| 6. | Not Given | In paragraph E, it is given that Mintel’s 1994 survey found that 13 per cent of consumers are ‘very dark green’, nearly always buying environmentally friendly products, 28 per cent are ‘dark green’, trying ‘as far as possible’ to buy such products, and 21 per cent are ‘pale green’ – tending to buy green products if they see them. There is no reference if Mintel’s market survey is undertaken on an annual basis. Hence, the answer is ‘NOT GIVEN’. |
| 7. | B | Paragraph A puts forward the fact that research in Britain has shown that ‘green consumers’ continue to flourish as a significant group amongst shoppers’ (more widespread interest in the environment agenda). This suggests that ‘politicians’ who claim environmentalism is yesterday’s issue may be ‘seriously misjudging the public mood’. Hence, the answer is B (there is more widespread interest in the environment agenda than they anticipated). |
| 8. | B | Paragraph B brings out that a report from ‘Mintel’ , which is a ‘market research’ (business survey) organisation, says that despite recession and financial pressures, more people than ever want to buy environmentally friendly products.
Hence, the answer is B (a business survey organisation). |
| 9. | C | Paragraph E presents that another 26 per cent are ‘armchair greens’; they said they ‘care about environmental issues’ (expressing concern for environmental issues) but their ‘concern does not affect their spending habits’ (their concern does not include actively supporting principles like buying green products). Hence, the answer is C (an ‘armchair green’). |
| 10. | Honesty and Openness | Paragraph B claims that the recently published report predicts that the process of green consumerism will repeat itself with ‘ethical’ concerns, involving issues such as fair trade with the Third World and the social record of businesses. As a result, companies will ‘have to be more’ (forced to practice greater) ‘honest and open’ (honesty and openness) in response to this mood (related to ethical concern). Hence, the answer is ‘honesty and openness’. |
| 11. | Consumers | In paragraph B, the author writes that the recently published report from Mintel predicts that the process of green consumerism will repeat itself ‘with ‘ethical’ concerns’, while paragraph C relates that the Mintel’s survey, based on ‘nearly 1,000 consumers’, found that the proportion of these consumers are prepared to pay more for green products has increased. From this we can deduce that increased awareness among the consumers will make the companies careful about the ethical issues. Hence, the answer is ‘consumers’. |
| 12. | Armchair ethicals | Paragraph F indicates that four in ten people are ‘ethical spenders‘, buying goods which do not involve dealing with oppressive regimes. This is supported by the findings of the recent survey that ‘the number of ‘armchair ethicals’ has risen’ (growth in the number) from 28 to 35 per cent against 30 per cent in 1990. Hence, the answer is ‘armchair ethicals’. |
| 13. | Social record | In paragraph B, it is already noted that the recently published report also predicts that the process of green consumerism will repeat itself with ‘ethical’ concerns, involving issues like ‘fair trade’ with the Third World and the ‘social record of businesses’. Therefore, in paragraph F Hughes claims that in the twenty-first century, ‘consumers will be encouraged to think more’, as they have become more conscious, about the ‘entire history of the products and services they buy, including the policies of the companies’, all of which should be included in the social record of the businesses, and this will require a greater degree of honesty with consumers. Hence, the answer is ‘social record’. |
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Every practice session would make you become more familiar with different question types and improve your strategic thinking. However, remember to practice with a timer, use specific strategies or techniques, and critically analyse the answer explanations in detail. This will help you to note down your mistakes and enhance your learning journey. With practice, getting a band score of 8+ will become both realistic and inspiring.
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