The Innovation of Grocery Stores - IELTS Reading Answers

The IELTS Academic Reading passage, ‘The Innovation of Grocery Stores’, is a good resource for anyone preparing for the Reading Module. With diligent practice, the IELTS Reading Module can be the top-scoring category for IELTS Aspirants. To score well, you must understand how to approach and answer the different question types in the Reading Module. With practice, you would be able to do well in IELTS Reading and achieve a higher band score!

By solving and reviewing Sample Reading Questions from past IELTS reading practice test papers like ‘The Innovation of Grocery Stores’ IELTS Reading Answer, you can ensure that your Reading skills are up to the mark. The question types in this IELTS Reading Passage include:

• IELTS Reading Matching Information (Q. 1-5)
• IELTS Reading Sentence Completion (Q. 6-10)
• IELTS Reading Multiple Choice Questions (Q. 11-13)

Reading Passage

The Innovation of Grocery Stores

At the beginning of the 20th century, grocery stores in the United States were full-service. A customer would ask a clerk behind the counter for specific items and the clerk would package the items, which were limited to dry goods. If they want to save some time, they have to ask a delivery boy or themselves to send the note of what they want to buy to the grocery store first and then go to pay for the goods later. These grocery stores usually carried only one brand of each good. There were early chain stores, such as the A&P Stores, but these were all entirely full-service and very time-consuming.

In 1885, a Virginia boy named Clarence Saunders began working part-time as a clerk in a grocery store when he was 14 years old, and quit school when the shopkeeper offered him full-time work with room and board. Later he worked in an Alabama coke plant and in a Tennessee sawmill before he returned to the grocery business. By 1900, when he was nineteen years old, he was earning $30 a month as a salesman for a wholesale grocer. During his years working in grocery stores, he found that it was very inconvenient and inefficient for people to buy things because more than a century ago, long before there were computers, shopping was done quite differently than it is today. Entering a store, the customer would approach the counter (or wait for a clerk to become available) and place an order, either verbally or, as was often the case for boys running errands, in the form of a note or list. While the customer waited, the clerk would move behind the counter and throughout the store, select the items on the list – some form shelves so high that a long-handled grasping device had to be used – and bring them back to the counter to be tallied and bagged or boxed. The process might be expedited by the customer calling or sending in the order beforehand, or by the order being handled by a delivery boy on a bike, but otherwise, it did not vary greatly. Saunders, a flamboyant and innovative man, noticed that this method resulted in wasted time and expense, so he came up with an unheard-of solution that would revolutionize the entire grocery industry: he developed a way for shoppers to serve themselves.

So in 1902, he moved to Memphis where he developed his concept to form a grocery wholesale cooperative and a full-service grocery store. For his new “cafeteria grocery”, Saunders divided his grocery into three distinct areas: 1) A front “lobby” forming an entrance and exit and checkouts at the front. 2) A sales department, which was specially designed to allow customers to roam the aisles and select their own groceries. Removing unnecessary clerks, creating elaborate aisle displays, and rearranging the store to force customers to view all of the merchandise and over the shelving and cabinets units of sales department were “galleries” where supervisors were allowed to keep an eye on the customers while not disturbing them. 3) And another section of his store is the room only allowed for the clerks which were called the “stockroom” or “storage room” where large refrigerators were situated to keep fresh products from being perishable. The new format allowed multiple customers to shop at the same time and led to the previously unknown phenomenon of impulse shopping. Though this format of grocery market was drastically different from its competitors, the style became the standard for the modern grocery store and later supermarket.

On September 6, 1916, Saunders launched the self-service revolution in the USA by opening the first self-service Piggly Wiggly store, at 79 Jefferson Street in Memphis, Tennessee, with its characteristic turnstile at the entrance. Customers paid cash and selected their own goods from the shelves. It was unlike any other grocery store of that time. Inside a Piggly Wiggly, shoppers were not at the mercy of shop clerks. They were free to roam the store, check out the merchandise and get what they needed with their own two hands and feet. Prices on items at Piggly Wiggly were clearly marked. No one pressured customers to buy milk or pickles. And the biggest benefit at the Piggly Wiggly was that shoppers saved money. Self-service was positive all around. “It’s good for both the consumer and retailer because it cuts costs,” noted George T. Haley, a professor at the University of New Haven and director of the Center for International Industry Competitiveness. “If you looked at the way grocery stores were run previous to Piggly Wiggly and Alpha Beta, what you find is that there was a tremendous amount of labor involved, and labor is a major expense.” Piggly Wiggly cut the fat.

Piggly Wiggly and the self-service concept took off. Saunders opened nine stores in the Memphis area within the first year of business. Consumers embraced the efficiency, the simplicity and most of all the lower food prices. Saunders soon patented his self-service concept and began franchising Piggly Wiggly stores. Thanks to the benefits of self-service and franchising, Piggly Wiggly ballooned to nearly 1,300 stores by 1923. Piggly Wiggle sold $100 million – worth $1.3 billion today – in groceries, making it the third-biggest grocery retailer in the nation. The company’s stock was even listed on the New York Stock Exchange, doubling from late 1922 to march 1923. Saunders had his hands all over Piggly Wiggly. He was instrumental in the design and layout of his stores. He even invented the turnstile.

However, Saunders was forced into bankruptcy in 1923 after a dramatic spat which the New York Stock Exchange and he went on to create the “Clarence Saunders sole-owner-of-my-name” chain, which went into bankruptcy.

Until the time of his death in October 1953, Saunders was developing plans for another automatic store system called the Foodelectric. But the store, which was to be located two blocks from the first Piggly Wiggly store, never opened. But his name was well-remembered along with the name Piggly Wiggly.

Questions 1-5

1 How Clarence Saunders’ new idea had been carried out.

2 Introducing the modes and patterns of groceries before his age.

3 Clarence Saunders declared bankruptcy a few years later.

4 Descriptions of Clarence Saunders’ new conception.

5 The booming development of his business.

Questions 6-10

6 When Clarence Saunders was an adolescent, he took a job as a _________ In a grocery store.

7 In the new innovation of the grocery store, most of the clerks’ work before was done by _________

8 In Saunders’ new grocery store, the section where customers finish the payment was called _________

9 Another area in his store behind the public area was called the _________ Where only internal staff could access.

10 At _________ where customers were under surveillance.

Questions 11-13

11 Why did Clarence Saunders want to propel the innovation of grocery stores at his age?

A Because he was an enthusiastic and creative man.

B Because his boss wanted to reform the grocery industry.

C Because he wanted to develop its efficiency and make a great profit as well.

D Because he worried about the future competition from the industry.

12 What happened to Clarence Saunders’ first store of Piggly Wiggly?

A Customers complained about its impracticality and inconvenience.

B It enjoyed a great business and was updated in the first twelve months.

C It expanded to more than a thousand franchised stores during the first year.

D Saunders was required to have his new idea patented and open stores.

13 What was left to Clarence Saunders after his death in 1953?

A A fully automatic store system opened soon near his first store.

B The name of his store, the Piggly Wiggly, was very popular at that time.

C His name was usually connected with his famous shop the Piggly Wiggly in the following several years.

D His name was painted together with the name of his famous store.

Answer For The Innovation of Grocery Stores – IELTS Reading Answers with Location and Explanation

Compare your answers for The Innovation of Grocery Store IELTS Reading Answers with the answer key below and prepare strategies to achieve an IELTS band score 9.

1 Answer: D

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph D

Answer explanation: The initial lines of paragraph D states that on September 6, 1916, Saunders launched the self-service revolution in the USA by opening the first self-service Piggly Wiggly store, at 79 Jefferson Street in Memphis, Tennessee, with its characteristic turnstile at the entrance. Customers paid cash and selected their own goods from the shelves. It was unlike any other grocery store of that time. We can deduce from these lines that in 1916, Saunders launched the first self-service Piggly Wiggly store, where the customers were allowed to wander around the store, choose their own products, check the price and pay the cash. This store was unlike any other grocery store in that period. Thus, we find a reference for the statement in paragraph D, so, the answer is D.

2 Answer: A

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph A

Answer explanation: In paragraph A, it is mentioned that at the beginning of the 20th century, grocery stores in the United States were full-service. A customer would ask a clerk behind the counter for specific items and the clerk would package the items, which were limited to dry goods. If they want to save some time, they have to ask a delivery boy or themselves to send a note of what they want to buy to the grocery store. first and then go to pay for the goods later. These lines suggest that before Piggly Wiggly stores started offering full-time self-service, a customer would have to ask the clerk behind the counter for particular products, who would then pack the items, which were limited to dry goods. If the customers want to save time, they’ve to ask the delivery boy to send the note of what they want to buy to the grocery store first and then go to pay for the goods later. Thus, we find a reference for the statement in Paragraph A, so, the answer is A.

3 Answer: F

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph F

Answer explanation: Paragraph F states that however, Saunders was forced into bankruptcy in 1923 after a dramatic spat which the New York Stock Exchange and he went on to create the “Clarence Saunders sole- the owner of- my- name” chain, which went into bankruptcy. These lines indicate that Saunders was forced into bankruptcy after a dramatic spat with the New York Stock Exchange in 1923. Thus, the answer is F.

4 Answer: C

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph C

Answer explanation: Paragraph C states, “For his new “cafeteria grocery”, Saunders divided his grocery into three distinct areas: 1) A front “lobby” forming an entrance and exit and checkouts at the front. 2) A sales department, which was specially designed to allow customers to roam the aisles and select their own groceries. Removing unnecessary clerks, creating elaborate aisle displays, and rearranging the store to force customers to view all of the merchandise and over the shelving and cabinets units of the sales department were “galleries” where supervisors were allowed to keep an eye on the customers while not disturbing them. 3) And another section of his store is the room only allowed for the clerks which was called the “stockroom” or “storage room” where large refrigerators were situated to keep fresh products from being perishable.” We can deduce from these highlighted lines that the author has mentioned the description of Saunders’ new store in points 1- 3. The Piggly Wiggly store has a lobby for entrance, exit, and checkout, aisles for customers to roam around freely, minimal clerks, and many other distinctive features, unlike the store’s competitors. Thus, the statement can be found in Paragraph C, so, the answer is C.

5 Answer: E

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph E

Answer explanation: In the 3rd line of Paragraph E, it is stated that Piggly Wiggly ballooned to nearly 1,300 stores by 1923. Piggly Wiggly sold $100 million – worth $1.3 billion today – in groceries, making it the third-biggest grocery retailer in the nation. These lines suggest that Piggly Wiggly had reached nearly 1,300 stores by 1923. It is worth $1.3 billion today, making it the third-biggest grocery retailer in the USA. Thus, the answer is E.

6 Answer: Clerk

Question type: Sentence Completion

Answer location: Paragraph B

Answer explanation: The initial lines of paragraph B states that in 1885, a Virginia boy named Clarence Saunders began working part-time as a clerk in a grocery store when he was 14 years old, and quit school when the shopkeeper offered him full-time work with room and board. These lines indicate that Saunders started working part-time as a clerk in a grocery store when he was just 14 years old. Therefore, when Saunders was an adolescent, he took a job as a clerk in a grocery store. Thus, the answer is clerk.

7 Answer: customers/ shoppers

Question type: Sentence Completion

Answer location: Paragraph D, line 3

Answer explanation: The 3rd line of paragraph D illustrates that Customers paid cash and selected their own goods from the shelves. It was unlike any other grocery store of that time. Inside a Piggly Wiggly, shoppers were not at the mercy of shop clerks. They were free to roam the store, check out the merchandise and get what they needed with their own two hands and feet. We can understand from these lines that with the introduction of the grocery store, shoppers could roam around the store, check out the merchandise, select their goods, check the prices, and buy the products as per their requirements. It was unlike any other grocery store of that time before the shop clerks used to do all the jobs. Thus, the new innovation of the grocery store, most of the clerks’ work before was done by customers. Hence, the answer is customers/ shoppers.

8 Answer: lobby

Question type: Sentence Completion

Answer location: Paragraph C

Answer explanation: In paragraph C, it is mentioned that for his new “cafeteria grocery”, Saunders divided his grocery into three distinct areas 1) A front “lobby” forming an entrance and exit and checkouts at the front. These lines suggest that Saunders divided it into three distinct areas for his Piggly Wiggly store. He designed a lobby section for entrance payment and exit process. Thus, the answer is Lobby.

9 Answer: stockroom

Question type: Sentence Completion

Answer location: Paragraph C

Answer explanation: In Paragraph C, it is mentioned, “And another section of his store is the room only allowed for the clerks which were called the “stockroom” or “storage room” where large refrigerators were situated to keep fresh products from being perishable.” These lines suggest that there was another section in the store called the stockroom, that was used to keep refrigerators to keep fresh products from being perishable. Thus, the answer is stockroom.

10 Answer: galleries

Question type: Sentence Completion

Answer location: Paragraph C

Answer explanation: Paragraph C states that removing unnecessary clerks, creating elaborate aisle displays, and rearranging the store to force customers to view all of the merchandise and over the shelving and cabinets units of the sales department were “galleries” where supervisors were allowed to keep an eye on the customers while not disturbing them. These lines indicate that at Piggly Wiggly store supervisors used galleries to keep an eye on the customers while not disturbing them. Thus, the answer is galleries.

11 Answer: C

Question type: Multiple Choice Question

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 4

Answer explanation: The 4th line of Paragraph B states that During his years working in the grocery stores, he found that it was very inconvenient and inefficient for people to buy things because more than a century ago, long before there were computers, shopping was done quite differently than it is today. We can deduce from these lines that when Saunders used to work at the grocery store, he felt that it was very inconvenient and inefficient for shoppers to buy things, he came up with an unheard-of solution that would revolutionize the entire grocery industry. Thus, the answer is C.

12 Answer: B

Question type: Multiple Choice Question

Answer location: Paragraph E

Answer explanation: The introductory lines of paragraph E states that Piggly Wiggly and the self-service concept took off. Saunders opened nine stores in the Memphis area within the first year of business. These lines reveal that the concept of self-service and Piggly Wiggly stores took off, with Saunders opening nine stores in the Memphis area in the first year of business. Therefore, the first store of Piggly Wiggly enjoyed the great business, updating itself in the first twelve months. Hence, the answer is B.

13 Answer: C

Question type: Multiple Choice Question

Answer location: Paragraph G

Answer explanation: Paragraph G states that Until the time of his death in October 1953, Saunders was developing plans for another automatic store system called the Foodelectric. But his name was well-remembered along with the name Piggly Wiggly. These lines indicate that after his death in October 1953, his name was well-remembered along with the store’s name Piggly Wiggly. Thus, his name was usually connected with his famous shop the Piggly Wiggly in the following several years. Hence, the answer is C.

Tips for Answering the Question Types in The Innovation of Grocery Stores Reading Answers

Now let’s get started with the IELTS Reading tips and techniques for each question type. It’ll help you understand how to approach the problem of each question type.

Matching Information

Follow the tips given below to retrieve the required information from the reading passages to get a better score in IELTS.

• Read the instructions carefully: Before you start, make sure you understand what you need to match. Sometimes, you’ll be asked to match headings to paragraphs or statements to sections, so be clear on the task.
• Skim the passage: Quickly read through the passage to get a general sense of the content and layout. This will help you identify where the information you need might be located.
• Use keywords: Look for keywords or key phrases in the question and the passage. These words are often repeated or paraphrased in the text and can guide you to the correct answer.
• Underline or highlight: As you find information that matches the question, underline or highlight it in the passage. This will make it easier to refer back to when answering the questions.
• Check for synonyms: Be aware of synonyms and paraphrases. Sometimes, the exact words from the question may not appear in the passage, but similar words or phrases will. Keep an eye out for these and upgrade your IELTS vocabulary.

Sentence Completion

Fill in the sentences with keywords hidden in the reading passages with the following tips as they will come in handy for your preparation.

• Read the sentence carefully: Begin by reading the sentence with the gap or blank. Try to understand the context and the type of word that should fit the gap (e.g., noun, verb, adjective).
• Look for clues: Scan the surrounding sentences for clues that can help you determine the missing word. Sometimes, the sentence structure or the words nearby can provide hints.
• Identify grammatical clues: Pay attention to the grammar of the sentence. If the sentence requires a verb, make sure you choose a verb form that fits the context. The same goes for nouns, adjectives, and other parts of speech. So, ensure to be updated on your IELTS grammar knowledge.
• Use your vocabulary: Draw on your vocabulary to come up with a suitable word for the gap. Ensure that the word you choose makes sense in the context of the sentence.
• Check for coherence: After you’ve filled in the gap, read the entire sentence to ensure that it flows naturally and makes sense. The completed sentence should be grammatically correct and logically coherent.

Multiple-Choice Questions

When we’re given a handful of options and each looks similar to each other, then it might get tricky for one to answer it correctly. Follow the outlined tips that will help you out for the same.

• Read the question first: Before you start reading the passage, quickly read the multiple-choice question. This will give you a specific focus as you read and help you identify relevant information more efficiently.
• Skim the passage: Begin by skimming the passage to get a general idea of the content. Pay attention to headings, subheadings, and any formatting features that might signal the location of the answer.
• Eliminate wrong answers: Use the process of elimination to eliminate answer choices that are clearly incorrect. This can often be done by using the IELTS Reading keyword techniques and matching keywords from the question to the passage.
• Pay attention to synonyms and paraphrasing: The answer choices may not use the exact same words as the passage but rather synonyms or paraphrases. Be on the lookout for these and be prepared to recognize them.
• Don’t spend too much time on one question: If you’re struggling with a multiple-choice question, move on and come back to it later. It’s important to manage your time effectively to answer all questions within the allotted time.

Kudos for solving The Innovation of Grocery Stores IELTS reading passage! Now, to do even better in your IELTS Reading section, solve IELTS Reading recent actual tests.

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