Recent Topic: The Cost of Instability – Full test

Computer-based IELTS practice · free

  • •Passage 2: questions 14–26. Time allowed: 20 minutes.
  • •The passage is on the left and the questions are on the right. Each side scrolls separately.
  • •Select words in the passage to highlight them; click a highlight to remove it.
  • •There is no extra time to transfer answers. The test is submitted automatically when time runs out.
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Passage 2

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14–26, which are based on the reading passage below.

The Cost of Instability

Questions 14–17

Match each statement with the correct person, A–C. You may use any letter more than once.

List of experts

Aan economist at an American university
Ba researcher at a development bank
Ca public health specialist
14Very rapid growth can be a sign of future problems.
15Economic decline can affect the survival of babies.
16Many countries cannot maintain growth because they lack basic facilities.
17Sudden growth may be caused by short-term price increases.

Questions 18–22

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage? Choose TRUE if the statement agrees with the information, FALSE if the statement contradicts the information, NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

18Volatility has been widely discussed by the public.

19Growth rates in rich countries usually change less from year to year.

20Coffee prices are more unstable than oil prices.

21Chile has saved part of its income from exports.

22Saving money during a boom is easy for most governments.

Questions 23–26

Complete the summary below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.

In many developing countries, a year of strong growth can be followed by a that wipes out earlier progress. Countries that depend on a few exports may spend heavily during a , but they suffer when prices fall. Many lack the , such as roads and electricity, needed for steady growth. Some experts see too quickly as a warning sign.