Welcome to this IELTS Practice Academic Reading Test on Sports and Exercise.
This test consists of a passage followed by 10 questions. You have 20 minutes to complete the test.
Read the passage carefully and answer the questions to the best of your ability
The Evolution of Sports and Exercise#
The realm of sports and exercise has evolved dramatically over the past century, shaping not only physical fitness but also societal norms and health paradigms. In the early 1900s, organized sports were primarily the domain of the elite, with limited participation from the general public. However, the mid-20th century saw a surge in recreational sports, coinciding with increased leisure time and awareness of health benefits.
By the 1970s, jogging emerged as a popular form of exercise, sparking a running boom that continues to this day. This period also witnessed the rise of fitness centers, making structured workouts accessible to a broader demographic. The 1980s introduced aerobics, combining rhythmic exercise with music, which particularly appealed to women and helped democratize fitness.
The turn of the millennium brought a shift towards functional fitness and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). These methods focus on movements that mimic daily activities and short, intense bursts of exercise, respectively. Simultaneously, technology has revolutionized how people engage with fitness, from wearable devices tracking personal metrics to smartphone apps offering guided workouts.
Recent years have seen a growing emphasis on holistic wellness, integrating mental health with physical fitness. Practices like yoga and mindfulness have gained prominence, acknowledging the mind-body connection in overall well-being. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of home workouts and virtual fitness classes, potentially reshaping the future landscape of exercise and sports participation.
Questions:#
Answer the following questions using NO MORE THAN ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER.
Short Answer Questions:
1. In what century did organized sports primarily belong to the elite?
2. What form of exercise became popular in the 1970s?
3. What type of training focuses on movements similar to daily activities?
Fill-in-the-Blank Questions:
4. The mid-20th century saw an increase in _______ sports.
5. Fitness centers made _______ workouts more accessible to people.
6. _______ combined rhythmic exercise with music in the 1980s.
7. High-intensity interval training is characterized by _______ bursts of exercise.
8. _______ devices have revolutionized how people track their fitness metrics.
9. Recent trends emphasize the integration of mental health with _ fitness.
10. The COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in _______ workouts.
Check your answers
Enter your answers and press Check. Spelling counts, but capitals and punctuation don’t.
Answer key with explanationsShowHide
- 120thalso: twentieth, 20th century, 20“In the early 1900s, organized sports were primarily the domain of the elite” (the 1900s are the 20th century).
- 2jogging“By the 1970s, jogging emerged as a popular form of exercise”.
- 3functionalalso: functional fitness“functional fitness … These methods focus on movements that mimic daily activities”.
- 4recreational“the mid-20th century saw a surge in recreational sports”.
- 5structured“the rise of fitness centers, making structured workouts accessible to a broader demographic”.
- 6aerobics“The 1980s introduced aerobics, combining rhythmic exercise with music”.
- 7intensealso: short“short, intense bursts of exercise”. Either word fits the one-word limit.
- 8wearable“wearable devices tracking personal metrics”.
- 9physical“integrating mental health with physical fitness”.
- 10home“the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of home workouts”.