This practice test is designed to help you prepare for the IELTS Academic Reading module.
The test features one complex passage on a psychology topic, followed by 9 varied question types that mirror the actual IELTS exam format.
Important Information:
- Time limit: 20 minutes
- Total questions: 9
- Question types: Mixed (multiple choice, True/False/Not Given, sentence completion, and more)
- Instructions: Read the passage carefully and answer all questions. Questions follow the order of information in the text.
This is the Academic version of the test, suitable for those preparing for university-level studies. Remember, in the actual IELTS exam, you’ll have 60 minutes to complete three passages with 40 questions total.
Good luck, and remember—practice makes perfect!
PASSAGE: The Science of Memory Consolidation
A For decades, scientists have been fascinated by the question of how temporary experiences become permanent memories. Memory consolidation—the process by which newly acquired information is transformed into stable, long-term storage—represents one of the most remarkable capabilities of the human brain. This neurological phenomenon occurs in stages, beginning with the initial encoding of sensory information and culminating in the structural changes within neural networks that allow memories to persist for years or even a lifetime. Understanding this process has profound implications not only for neuroscience but also for education, therapy, and the treatment of memory-related disorders.
B The journey of memory consolidation begins in the hippocampus, a seahorse-shaped structure deep within the brain’s temporal lobe. When we experience something new—whether it’s learning a friend’s phone number or witnessing a significant event—neurons in the hippocampus fire in specific patterns, creating what neuroscientists call an “engram” or memory trace. However, these initial neural connections are fragile and susceptible to interference. Research conducted by McGaugh and colleagues in the 1990s demonstrated that memories formed in the hippocampus remain vulnerable for several hours after encoding, during which time they can be disrupted by competing information or even certain medications. This vulnerability period is known as the consolidation window.
C Sleep plays an indispensable role in transforming these fragile memory traces into robust, long-lasting ones. During the deeper stages of sleep, particularly slow-wave sleep (SWS), the brain engages in a remarkable process of memory replay. Studies using electroencephalography (EEG) have revealed that neural patterns activated during learning are spontaneously reactivated during sleep, but at a much faster rate—approximately ten times the speed of the original experience. This accelerated replay allows the hippocampus to repeatedly transmit information to the neocortex, the brain’s outer layer responsible for long-term storage. Over time, through this nocturnal dialogue between brain regions, memories gradually become independent of the hippocampus and are permanently encoded in cortical networks.
D The consolidation process is not merely a passive transfer of information from one brain region to another; it involves active transformation and integration. When memories move from the hippocampus to the neocortex, they don’t remain identical to their original form. Instead, they become integrated with pre-existing knowledge structures, a phenomenon that explains why our recollections often contain reconstructive elements. Psychologist Frederic Bartlett first proposed this idea in 1932, suggesting that memory is not a faithful recording but rather a reconstructive process influenced by schemas—mental frameworks built from prior experiences. Modern neuroimaging studies have confirmed Bartlett’s insights, showing that consolidated memories are distributed across multiple cortical areas and interconnected with related semantic information.
E Emotional arousal significantly enhances the consolidation process, which explains why we tend to remember emotionally charged events more vividly than mundane ones. The amygdala, an almond-shaped structure adjacent to the hippocampus, becomes highly active during emotional experiences. It releases stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, which modulate hippocampal activity and strengthen the encoding of emotional memories. This evolutionary mechanism likely developed because remembering threats and rewards conferred survival advantages. However, this same mechanism can become problematic in conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), where traumatic memories become over-consolidated and resistant to extinction.
F Recent research has revealed that memory consolidation continues to occur even during waking hours through a process called “systems consolidation.” This slower form of consolidation takes place over weeks, months, or even years, gradually reorganizing memory representations in the cortex. Experiments with rodents have shown that each time a memory is recalled, it becomes temporarily destabilized and must be re-consolidated—a phenomenon known as reconsolidation. This discovery has revolutionary implications for psychotherapy, as it suggests that memories can be modified or even weakened during the reconsolidation window. Clinical trials are currently exploring whether targeted interventions during memory recall might help reduce the emotional intensity of traumatic memories in PTSD patients.
G The practical applications of consolidation research extend into educational settings. Studies have demonstrated that distributing learning sessions over time—a technique called “spaced repetition”—produces superior long-term retention compared to massed practice or “cramming.” This effect occurs because spaced repetition allows multiple rounds of consolidation to occur between study sessions. Similarly, research suggests that testing oneself shortly after learning enhances consolidation more effectively than simply rereading material, a phenomenon termed the “testing effect.” Understanding these principles can help students optimize their study strategies and educators design more effective curricula.
H Despite remarkable progress, many questions about memory consolidation remain unanswered. Scientists are still investigating how the brain determines which memories to consolidate and which to discard, as we certainly don’t retain every detail of our daily experiences. Some researchers propose that relevance, repetition, and emotional significance serve as sorting criteria, but the precise mechanisms remain elusive. Additionally, the role of different neurotransmitters and the influence of factors such as stress, age, and individual differences in consolidation efficiency continue to be active areas of investigation. As neuroimaging technology advances and molecular biology techniques become more sophisticated, researchers are optimistic that the remaining mysteries of memory consolidation will gradually be illuminated.
QUESTIONS
Questions 1-3: True/False/Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage? Write:
- TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
- FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
- NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
- Memories stored in the hippocampus can be easily altered during the first few hours following their formation.
- The neocortex replays memories at the same speed as they were originally experienced.
- Frederic Bartlett’s theory about memory reconstruction was initially rejected by the scientific community.
Questions 4-6: Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
- The hippocampus creates a __________ when neurons activate in particular sequences during new experiences.
- During sleep, the hippocampus communicates with the neocortex through a process described as a __________ between different brain areas.
- The __________ becomes particularly active when a person experiences emotional events, releasing hormones that affect memory formation.
Questions 7-8: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.
- According to the passage, reconsolidation is significant because it:
- A) proves that memories cannot be changed once formed
- B) shows that sleep is unnecessary for memory formation
- C) suggests memories can be altered when they are retrieved
- D) demonstrates that the hippocampus stores all permanent memories
- The passage indicates that spaced repetition is more effective than cramming because it:
- A) requires less total study time
- B) permits multiple consolidation cycles to take place
- C) eliminates the need for sleep between study sessions
- D) focuses only on emotionally significant information
Question 9: Summary Completion
Complete the summary using words from the box below.
Memory consolidation transforms short-term information into _______ storage through a complex process. The hippocampus initially creates fragile memory traces that require sleep to become strengthened. Research has shown that this process involves both the transfer of information to cortical regions and the modification of memories through integration with existing knowledge.
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