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Cambridge IELTS 21 Reading Test 2

Take Book 21 Reading Test 2 online, free, with the 60-minute timer and instant marking. Then see where real students lost their marks, passage by passage, and the traps that caught them.

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  • Questions40
  • Passages3
  • DifficultyMedium, with a tricky Passage 3
  • Average score27 / 40 · Band 6.5

Cambridge 21 Reading Test 2 at a glance

Passage 2, about an ancient African kingdom, is the friendliest in the test, and Passage 1 is fair apart from its True / False / Not Given set. Passage 3, an opinion piece on artificial intelligence, is where the marks go: it asks what the writer is doing and what the writer thinks, not just what the text says.

PassageTopicQuestion typeQuestionsAvg. correct
1Do animals dream?Table completionONE WORD ONLYTrue / False / Not GivenStatements of fact1–138.9of 13
2An ancient southern African kingdomWhich paragraph contains the informationParagraphs A–GChoose TWOOptions A–ESummary completionONE WORD ONLY14–269.7of 13
3The limits of artificial intelligenceMultiple choiceA–DSummary completion from a listOptions A–IYes / No / Not GivenThe writer's claimsMultiple choice: the best subtitleA–D27–408.3of 14

How students did on this test

These figures come from complete attempts on IELTSNexa up to 2026-10-31, not from the book. The average was 27 out of 40, which is Band 6.5. Passage 2 scores best, Passage 1 is close behind, and Passage 3 is clearly lower.

  • 27/40Average score
  • 6.5Average band
  • Passage 3Hardest passage
Passage 18.9
Passage 29.7
Passage 38.3
Average correct answers per passage

Source: IELTSNexa student attempts, up to 2026-10-31

Passage by passage: what it is about and where marks go

For each passage: what it is about, the question types, and how many students got each question right. Tap a bar for the details. The passages, questions and answers are only inside the test.

Passage 1

Do animals dream?

Questions 1–13 · Average 8.9 of 13

A popular-science article about sleep and dreaming across the animal kingdom. It explains the two kinds of sleep, then looks at evidence from mammals, birds, sea mammals and octopuses, and ends with what we can and cannot know about another creature's dreams.

% of students who got each question right
Table completion 76% This test · 71% All Cambridge tests
True / False / Not Given 63% This test · 67% All Cambridge tests

Question 10True / False / Not Given · Statements of fact

38% got it right

The hardest question in Passage 1. 29 points below the average for True/False/Not Given questions.

Why people miss it →
  • This test
  • Under 50% correct
  • Average for this question type across all Cambridge tests on IELTSNexa
Watch for

The table is quick if you match each row to its animal first. The True / False / Not Given set is where this passage takes marks, in both directions. When the passage says something indirectly, such as a researcher arguing that something is needed, many students call it NOT GIVEN. When a statement adds a plausible detail the passage never mentions, many call it TRUE.

Practise Passage 1 only →
Passage 2

An ancient southern African kingdom

Questions 14–26 · Average 9.7 of 13

A history and archaeology article in seven paragraphs about a kingdom that flourished below the Limpopo River between the 11th and 13th centuries. It covers how the kingdom was formed, where its people lived and were buried, its trade links, the objects found there, and why it declined.

% of students who got each question right
Which paragraph contains the information 75% This test · 59% All Cambridge tests
Choose TWO 57% This test · 65% All Cambridge tests
Summary completion 81% This test · 71% All Cambridge tests

Question 21Choose TWO · Options A–E

51% got it right

The hardest question in Passage 2. 14 points below the average for choose-two questions.

  • This test
  • Under 50% correct
  • Average for this question type across all Cambridge tests on IELTSNexa
Watch for

Two paragraphs both describe where people lived and where they were buried, so for each question ask which group of people the sentence is about. In the Choose TWO question, the most popular wrong option takes something the passage says might be true and turns it into a firm claim; check how sure the writer is. The summary follows one paragraph closely and scores well.

Practise Passage 2 only →
Passage 3

The limits of artificial intelligence

Questions 27–40 · Average 8.3 of 14

An opinion article arguing against the belief that artificial intelligence can solve every problem. The writer describes the current excitement, explains why governments struggle to use AI, cites two experts who urge realism, and gives examples from medicine and the law where AI systems were dropped.

% of students who got each question right
Multiple choice 50% This test · 50% All Cambridge tests
Summary completion from a list 65% This test · 55% All Cambridge tests
Yes / No / Not Given 60% This test · 54% All Cambridge tests
Multiple choice: the best subtitle 51% This test · 50% All Cambridge tests

Question 27Multiple choice · A–D

36% got it right

The hardest question in Passage 3. 14 points below the average for multiple-choice questions.

Why people miss it →
  • This test
  • Under 50% correct
  • Average for this question type across all Cambridge tests on IELTSNexa
Watch for

Most questions here are about the writer's purpose and opinion. The writer often reports what other people believe before disagreeing, so separate the views being described from the writer's own. In the Yes / No / Not Given set, watch absolute words such as always and never, and compare them with how often the writer says something actually happens.

Practise Passage 3 only →

The 3 questions most students miss, and the traps behind them

Ranked by how few students got them right. Each note explains how the question catches people without giving away the answer, so you can still use it as practice.

1Question 27Passage 336% got it right

This question asks what the opening paragraph does, not what it mentions. The paragraph lists exciting things AI might do and how far it seems to reach, so more than a quarter of students chose an option about the future and another quarter one about AI's influence. But those claims belong to the headlines, not to the writer. Look at the words the writer uses to describe them.

The trap

Someone else's claim, not the writer's

Writers often open by reporting what others say or believe, then take a different position. A question about what the writer is doing tests whether you can tell the reported view from the writer's own. Words like hysteria, claim or headline show distance from the view being described.

On IELTSNexa Learn: Level 38, “লেখকের মত, না অন্যের?” (trap #32) (in Bangla) →
2Question 10Passage 138% got it right

More than one student in two called this statement NOT GIVEN. The passage never uses the statement's wording, so it is easy to decide the idea is missing. But near the end of the octopus section, the researcher says what else is required before anyone can be sure. Ask what that sentence means in plain words, not whether it repeats the statement.

The trap

The same idea in other words

True / False / Not Given statements are almost always paraphrased. A recommendation can be written as a need, a warning or a requirement. Before choosing NOT GIVEN, find the part of the passage about that person or topic and ask whether it says the same thing in different words.

On IELTSNexa Learn: Level 2, “সব শব্দ পড়তে হয় না” (trap #2) (in Bangla) →
3Question 38Passage 344% got it right

Nearly one student in two agreed with this statement, because the paragraph talks a lot about security and researchers' warnings. But warnings describe what experts want, not what happens. Read the sentence that starts with a contrast word, and compare what it says about current practice with the statement's word for how often.

The trap

Polite disagreement is still NO

Writers rarely say a flat no. They contradict a statement with softer words, such as often overlooked, rarely or not yet. If the statement says always or every, and the writer describes something that happens only sometimes, the writer disagrees.

On IELTSNexa Learn: Level 37, “লেখক রাজি, না রাজি নন?” (trap #31) (in Bangla) →

Learn to beat these traps

IELTSNexa Learn teaches 61 exam traps in short lessons with audio, one trap in each lesson. Start free, no account needed for the first lessons.

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Explanation cards

Understand the reasoning behind every question

A score tells you what you got wrong. IELTSNexa shows you why. After you submit, each question opens an explanation card that points to the exact sentence in the passage, explains why the answer is right, and shows the reasoning that made the wrong answer feel right.

  • The exact sentence in the passage
  • Why the right answer is right
  • Why the trap answer was tempting
Start Cambridge 21 Test 2

Explanation cards come with an IELTSNexa pass. The test, your score and the answer key are free.

Useful vocabulary from this test

Words and phrases you will meet in the passages, with our own explanations and example sentences.

WordMeaning and example
alternateverbto happen one after the other, again and againIn spring, sunny days alternate with heavy rain.
vulnerableadjectiveeasily harmed or affectedYoung children are more vulnerable to the cold.
integrateverbto combine something into a larger wholeThe new students were quickly integrated into the class.
plateaunouna large, flat area of high landThe village sits on a plateau above the river.
surplusnounan amount that is more than you needThe farm sold its surplus rice at the market.
lucrativeadjectiveproducing a lot of moneyTutoring became a lucrative side business for her.
monopoliseverbto take complete control of something so others cannot share itOne company tried to monopolise the city's taxi market.
intrinsicadjectivebelonging to the basic nature of somethingLearning has an intrinsic value, not just a practical one.
sensationalistadjectivepresenting news in a way meant to shock or exciteThe article was sensationalist and ignored the facts.
jeopardiseverbto put something at riskMissing the deadline could jeopardise the whole project.
burgeoningadjectivegrowing quicklyDhaka has a burgeoning start-up scene.
susceptible toadjective phraselikely to be affected or harmed by somethingOld computers are more susceptible to viruses.

From raw score to band

Each correct answer is one mark out of 40. This is the conversion IELTSNexa uses to score this test. You can also try the band score calculator.

Correct answersBand
39–409.0
37–388.5
35–368.0
33–347.5
30–327.0
27–296.5Average on this test
23–266.0
19–225.5
15–185.0
13–144.5
10–124.0

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Frequently asked questions

Is Cambridge 21 Reading Test 2 hard?
It is a medium test with a tricky Passage 3. Across the full attempts on IELTSNexa, students averaged about 27 out of 40. Two of the three questions fewest people get right are in Passage 3, an opinion article about artificial intelligence.
Can I take Cambridge 21 Reading Test 2 online?
Yes. IELTSNexa runs the full test free in a computer-delivered layout, with the passage beside the questions, the 60-minute timer and automatic scoring. You need a free account so your score and answers are saved.
Where can I find the answers for Cambridge 21 Reading Test 2?
We do not publish the answer key on this page, so it cannot spoil the test. After you submit on IELTSNexa you see your score and the answer key straight away. Detailed explanation cards, which show why each answer is right and where it is in the passage, come with an IELTSNexa pass.
How long does Cambridge 21 Reading Test 2 take?
60 minutes for 40 questions across three passages, with no extra time to transfer answers. You can also practise one passage at a time, with 20 minutes each.
What band is 27 out of 40 in IELTS Academic Reading?
27 correct answers is Band 6.5 on the Academic Reading conversion table. Band 7.0 needs 30 correct, and Band 8.0 needs 35.
Is Cambridge 21 Reading Test 2 for Academic or General Training?
It is an Academic Reading test. General Training Reading uses different texts, so if you are taking General Training, use this test for skill practice but not to predict your band.

More Reading practice

Last updated 2026-10-31. IELTSNexa is not affiliated with Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Cambridge IELTS 21 is their publication; this page is our own independent analysis.