This Sample belongs to the Academic Reading Section of the IELTS. The Academic Reading Section tests the ability of candidates to read and comprehend textual passages that they are likely to encounter during their graduate and/or postgraduate level studies. These texts are more complex compared to the ones in the General Reading Section but do not require any specialised knowledge to attempt them. All the information required to attempt the answers is given within the passages.

The passage in this Sample is an excerpt from a detailed research study. It has a lot of curated information and has been written in simple formal English. Other features of the passage include:

• The sentence structure is medium to long and a lot of information has been put in the paragraphs.

• The parts of the passage have individual titles that help in understanding the content.

• The tone is formal and the piece is an appropriate example of Academic English.

• The passage tests candidates' basic strength of the English language, which includes vocabulary, grammar, reading skills, information processing skills, etc.

The key points in the passage are:

1. The agricultural industry in Bangladesh has seen its upward growth trajectory reach a level which significantly contributes to the country’s economy.

2. However, in recent times the curve has flattened sharply and this is having some serious consequences.

3. The biggest impact of a degrowth in the sector is upon the huge rural economy of the country, and people in rural areas are sliding into poverty and unemployment.

4. The adverse effects can also be felt in the non-farm businesses since there is a direct interdependency between the two.

5. Matters have been made worse by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

6. The World Bank suggests immediate measures to address the contraction in the sector so that it becomes a pillar of growth and sustenance for the country.

7. These measures include both government reforms as well as private sector participation.

8. The report suggests immediate intervention in the most critical areas to arrest the slump. These include availability of seeds and fertilizers, improvements in irrigation facilities, knowledge development regarding good agricultural practices, etc.

9. In the medium to long term strategy, the report suggests that focus should be to build infrastructure, invite private players to explore profitability areas, modernise the trade, and make financing available to farmers easily so that they can maintain their business.

Q1. According to the figures, what was the increase in the real GDP per capita between the year 2000 to 2018 in Bangladesh?

C) USD678

Q2. What was the contribution of the agricultural sector in poverty reduction between 2005 to 2010?

B) 69%

Q3. Complete the following sentence:

In a threatening contrast to a slowdown in the agricultural sector, there has been steady growth in ______________________leading to a growth in demand for _________________.

A) urbanization and income / nutrition rich foods

Q4. Complete the following sentence:

A recent slowdown in the growth of the agricultural sector has resulted in__________________

D) All of the above

Q5. The Bangladesh government had initiated several reforms to revive and boost the agricultural sector and improve rural economy. Some of those are: ____________________

D) All of the above

Q6. How is the private sector participating in reviving the agricultural output?

C) By investing in better supply chain management and food processing

Q7. Evaluate the following statement as “True” or “False” on the basis of the information given in the passage:

Among the constraints hampering the development of the agrifood sector, land fragmentation is one of the productivity constraints while difficulty in accessing finance is a cross-sectoral constraint.

A) True

Q8. Which of the following is not a constraint imposed by the COVID-19 crisis upon the Bangladeshi agrifood sector:

(i) Restrictions on travel

(ii) Market closures

(iii) Disruptions in trading activities

(iv) Illness among cattle

C) (iv)

Q9. Identify a word from the passage which means “to form a cluster” or “to create a group.”

B) aggregate

Q10. The World Bank suggests reforms and improvements in various aspects of the country’s agricultural sector to revive it and make it a pillar of poverty reduction. Complete the following list as per the major recommendations. Do not copy directly from the passage:

a) Improved and accessible fertilizers

b) Better quality seeds

c)

d)

e)

f)

c) Easier access to finance

d) Better supply chain and logistics support

e) Private sector participation for better trade

f) Education on good agricultural practices

Q11. Creating regional trade hubs and facilitating railways based cargo system are a part of:

C) Infrastructure Development

Q12. What is meant by “public-private partnership” or “PPP” as mentioned in the passage? Choose the appropriate option.

A) A collaboration between a private company and a government supported entity

Q13. What is a paradoxical challenge posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to the agrifood sector in Bangladesh? Write briefly within 75 words.

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted agricultural production. Trade has suffered due to curbs such as lockdowns, travel restrictions, etc., and production is down because of infection and deaths among farmers. On the other hand, the demand for quality food has increased as people look for better nourishment to improve their immunity. This is a paradoxical situation where we have high demand on the consumer side while there is lower yield on the producer side.

Q14. Write a brief note on how the private sector can be involved to intervene and improve the agribusiness scenario in Bangladesh. (Not more than 75 words)

The private sector can be involved in modernising the infrastructure and logistics chain linked to agricultural production and trade. The food preservation and processing are also potent areas for intervention by the private players. So, more cold storages, packaging units, appropriate warehouses, etc. can be developed with their participation. They can also be involved in spreading the financing network and helping create a market for better equipment and machinery to improve yield.