Smoke Alarms in the Home & Sydney Opera House Tours – IELTS Reading Answers

With consistent practise, IELTS applicants can score highest on the Reading module of IELTS General as it is comparatively easier than IELTS Reading Academic. All you need is to be able to approach and respond to the different question types, such as those in Reading Answers of Smoke Alarms in the Home and Sydney Opera House Tours, in order to perform well.

The IELTS General Passages, Smoke Alarms in the Home and Sydney Opera House Tours are part of an IELTS General reading test and ideally, you should not spend more than 20 minutes on both these passages.

There are 14 questions in total in Smoke Alarms in the Home and Sydney Opera House Tours reading passages. You must understand the subject, look up key terms in the IELTS reading passages, and then respond in line with the instructions.

The question types found in these passages are:

• True/False/Not Given (Q. 1-7)
• Matching Information (Q. 8-14)

Reading Passage 1

Smoke Alarms in the Home 

Smoke alarms are now a standard feature in Australian homes and are required by the National Building Code in any recently built properties. They are installed to detect the presence of smoke and emit a clear sound to alert you in the event of fire to give you time to escape.

There are two principal types of smoke alarms. Ionization alarms are the cheapest and most readily available smoke alarms. They are also very sensitive to ‘flaming fires’ – fires that burn fiercely – and will detect them before the smoke gets too thick. However, photoelectric alarms are more effective at detecting slow-burning fires. They are less likely to go off accidentally and so are best for homes with one floor. For the best protection, you should install one of each.

Most battery-powered smoke alarms can be installed by the home owner and do not require professional installation. For the installation of hard-wired smoke alarms, powered from the mains electricity supply, however, you will need the services of a licensed professional. Smoke alarms are usually most effective when located on the ceiling, near or in the middle of the room or hall.

Photoelectric smoke alarms in any quantity may be disposed of in domestic waste. If you have fewer than ten ionization alarms to get rid of, you may put them in your domestic waste. If you have more than ten to dispose of, you should contact your local council.

Your battery-powered smoke alarm will produce a short beep every 60 seconds to alert you when the battery is running out and needs replacing. Nevertheless, it should be tested every month to ensure that the battery and the alarm sounder are working. Note that the sensitivity in all smoke alarms will reduce over time.

Questions 1-7

1 All new houses in Australia must have smoke alarms.

2 Photoelectric smoke alarms cost less than ionization smoke alarms.

3 It takes a short time to fit most smoke alarms.

4 Any hard-wired smoke alarm must be fitted by a specialist technician.

5 You should get in touch with your local council before placing any ionization smoke alarms in household rubbish.

6 Smoke alarms give a warning sound to indicate that battery power is low.

7 Old smoke alarms need to be checked more than once a month.

Check Out – General Reading Tips And Tricks

Reading Passage 2

Sydney Opera House Tours

We offer three different tours of this iconic building.

A The Essential Tour brings to life the story behind the design and construction of one of the world’s most famous landmarks. Using interactive audio-visual technology, your guide will take you on a memorable journey inside the youngest building ever to be World Heritage listed.

B  Afterwards, why not stay around and eat at the Studio Café, with its modern Australian menu? Not only can you enjoy the best views in Sydney, you can claim a 20% reduction on the total cost of your meal. (Don’t forget to show your ticket in order to claim your discount.)

C Languages: English, French, German

• Takes place: Daily between 9 am and 5 pm
• Prices: Adults $35 / Online $29.75
• Concessions: Australian seniors and pensioners; students and children of 16 and under $24.50.
• Prior bookings are not essential.

D The Backstage Tour gives you backstage access to the Sydney Opera House. It is a unique opportunity to experience the real-life dramas behind the stage! You might even get to stand on the concert hall stage, take up a conductor’s baton in the orchestra pit and imagine you are leading the performance. You will also get to see inside the stars’ dressing rooms. The tour concludes with a complimentary breakfast in the Green Room, the private dining area of performers past and present.

E Takes place: Daily at 7 am

•  Prices: $155. No concessions.
• To purchase: Bookings are essential.

– Limited to 8 people per tour.

•  Online sales expire at 4.30 pm two days prior.
• Notes:

The tour includes up to 300 steps. Flat, rubber-soled shoes must be worn. For safety reasons, children of 12 years old and under are not permitted.

F Opera High Tea consists of a tour where you will walk in the footsteps of world-class singers, dancers and musicians, followed by fine food and music in the spectacular surroundings of the Bennelong Dining Room. What could be better than a treat of delicious light snacks and soft drinks followed by a live recital by a leading Australian singer? An unforgettable treat for young and old!

G Takes place: Every second Wednesday, 2 pm

•  Duration: 1.5 hours
• Prices: $145 per person

Book online or visit the Guided Tours Desk.

Questions 8-14

8 discounts available to younger visitors.

9 the need for suitable footwear.

10 the opportunity to pretend you are taking part in a concert.

11 a restriction on the number of participants.

12 a reduction that applies to purchases using the internet.

13 the need to book your ticket in advance.

14 the length of one of the tours.

Answers for Smoke Alarms in the Home and Sydney Opera House Tours IELTS Reading Answers with Location and Explanation

1 Answer: True

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 1, Line 1

Answer explanation: The introductory lines of the first paragraph tell us, “Smoke alarms are now a standard feature in Australian homes and are required by the National Building Code in any recently built properties.”. So, it can be concluded that it has been made compulsory by the National Building Code to have a fire alarm in all houses in Australia. As the statement agrees with the information, the answer is True.

2 Answer: False

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 2, Line 2

Answer explanation: In the specified line, it is stated that “Ionization alarms are the cheapest and most readily available smoke alarms.”. This shows that photoelectric alarms are not cheaper than ionization alarms, as the latter is the cheapest. As the statement contradicts the information, the answer is False.

3 Answer: Not Given

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: N.A.

Answer explanation: Since there is no information on whether it takes a short time to fit most smoke alarms, the answer is NOT GIVEN.

4 Answer: True

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 3, Line 2

Answer explanation: The third paragraph mentions that “For the installation of hard-wired smoke alarms, powered from the mains electricity supply, however, you will need the services of a licensed professional.”. It points out that a hard-wired smoke alarm must be fitted by a specialist technician (licensed professional). As the statement agrees with the information, the answer is True.

5 Answer: False

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 4, Line 2 – Line 3

Answer explanation: In the above-mentioned paragraph, it is stated, “If you have fewer than ten ionization alarms to get rid of, you may put them in your domestic waste. If you have more than ten to dispose of, you should contact your local council.”. It can be pointed out that only when one needs to dispose of more than ten ionization alarms, they need to inform the local council. Otherwise, it is not required. As the statement contradicts the text, the answer is FALSE.

6 Answer: True

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 5, Line 1

Answer explanation: In the specified location, it is stated that “Your battery-powered smoke alarm will produce a short beep every 60 seconds to alert you when the battery is running out and needs replacing.”. From this line, it can be deduced that smoke alarms should have a warning sound (a short beep every 60 seconds) to indicate that the battery is low. As the statement agrees with the information, the answer is True.

7 Answer: Not Given

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: N.A.

Answer explanation: As there is no information on whether old smoke alarms need to be checked more than once a month, the answer is NOT GIVEN.

8 Answer: C

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph C, Point 3

Answer explanation: In the provided location, it is said that “Concessions: Australian seniors and pensioners; students and children of 16 and under $24.50.”. This implies that discounts (concessions) are available for students and children under 16 (young visitors). Hence, the answer is C.

9 Answer: E

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph E

Answer explanation: In the cited location, it is stated that “Flat, rubber-soled shoes must be worn.”. From this line, it can be deduced that there is a need to wear suitable footwear (flat, rubber-soled shoes) for the tour. Hence, the answer is E.

Tips to Solve the Question Types in Smoke Alarms in the Home and Sydney Opera House Tours IELTS Reading Answers

You might know the solutions to the questions in the passages, Smoke Alarms in the Home and Sydney Opera House Tours, but that might not be enough when you want to give your hundred percent on the IELTS exam. So, let us have a quick revision of tips on how to solve the questions types in Smoke Alarms in the Home and Sydney Opera House Tours.

True/False/Not Given

In IELTS Reading, ‘True, False, Not Given’ questions are based on facts. Several factual statements will be provided to you, and it is up to you to determine whether or not they are accurate by reading the text.

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

• Read the question and identify the keywords – Before reading the material, have a look at your list of True, False, and 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.
• Identify the answer – If the facts match, the answer is TRUE, and in case it doesn’t match, it is FALSE. If you are unable to find the answer or unsure of it, mark it NOT GIVEN.

Matching Information: 

You will be given a list of three to six statements in this type of question, and you will need to match the information in each statement to the corresponding information in a paragraph in the reading passage.

• Read the instructions followed by the list of statements – You will get an idea of the main idea of each statement. Also, figure out the keywords from each statement.
• Scan and skim through the passage – Use these reading techniques to go through the text and find out which paragraph or section contains the relevant information of the statements.
• One paragraph will contain information given in a statement – While one statement corresponds to one passage, some passages may not have any answer. Remember this to avoid repetition or wasting your time.
• Identify the answer – Once you identify the keywords and find out the corresponding paragraph that contains the information, follow this process for the others.

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