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Matching Features IELTS Reading Questions

This matching features IELTS reading questions lesson provides you with tips and practice for answering the types of question. 

IELTS Matching Features questions require you to match a set of statements, descriptions, or pieces of information to a list of options, such as names, places, dates, or theories.

These questions assess your ability to recognise relationships and connections within the text.

Unlike most other IELTS Reading question types, Matching Features questions do not follow the order of the passage, meaning that answers can be scattered throughout the text rather than appearing sequentially. This can make them particularly challenging, as you need to scan and locate relevant details efficiently.

The options in the list may be people, companies, theories, or any categorised information, and some options may be used more than once or not at all. The key to answering matching features IELTS reading questions successfully is identifying synonyms, paraphrases, and contextual meanings within the passage.

Tips & Strategies

Read the Instructions Carefully

Before starting, carefully read the instructions to understand the requirements of the question. Some Matching Features questions allow options to be used more than once, while others do not. Additionally, not all options may be needed, so it's important to be aware of these details to avoid unnecessary mistakes.

Scan the List of Features First

Rather than immediately diving into the passage, take a moment to examine the list of features. These could be names, theories, places, or other categories. Identifying keywords within these features will make it easier to locate relevant information later. By understanding what you are looking for in advance, you can save time and avoid confusion.

Locate Keywords and Synonyms

In IELTS Reading, information is rarely presented in the exact wording of the question. Instead, synonyms and paraphrases are commonly used. As you search for answers, keep in mind that words in the question may appear differently in the text. Identifying key terms and their possible variations will help you recognize the correct answers more efficiently.

Skim the Passage Before Searching for Answers

Before attempting to match features, it helps to quickly skim through the passage to get a general sense of its structure and content. This will allow you to understand where different types of information are located, making it easier to find specific details when needed. Pay attention to headings, subheadings, and paragraph topics, as they often provide clues about where certain features may be mentioned.

Use the Process of Elimination

Not every option will be correct, and some may even be used more than once. If you identify an option that clearly does not match, eliminate it to narrow down your choices. This approach can be particularly useful when you are unsure about an answer, as it helps to reduce uncertainty and focus on the most likely possibilities.

Check for Distractors

IELTS tests often include misleading information or partial matches to challenge test-takers. Some sentences may mention a person or concept without fully supporting the given statement. Always ensure that the match you choose is a complete and accurate reflection of the question, rather than selecting an answer based on a vague or partial connection.

Manage Your Time Wisely

Since matching features IELTS reading questions do not follow the order of the passage, searching for answers can take longer than other question types. To stay on track, avoid reading the entire passage word for word. Instead, use scanning techniques to locate keywords and relevant sections quickly. If a question seems too difficult, move on and return to it later if time allows.

Double-Check Your Answers

Once you have completed the question, take a moment to review your answers. Ensure that the feature you have matched makes logical sense in the context of the passage. If an option has been used more than once, verify that it applies correctly in both cases. A quick review can help catch any mistakes before you move on to the next set of questions.

By using these strategies, you can improve your efficiency and accuracy in answering matching features IELTS reading questions.

Practice Matching Features IELTS Reading Questions

How long could the Santorini 'seismic crisis' last?

"We've put all our mattresses in the living room," says Georgia Nomikou.

The Santorini resident fears the impact of ongoing earthquakes on the Greek island, popular with tourists for its picture-postcard views. But the idyll has been disrupted this past week by thousands of earthquakes. Santorini, and other Greek islands in the region, are in the middle of an "unprecedented" seismic swarm or crisis - the name for an abrupt increase in earthquakes in a particular area.

About three-quarters of the island's 15,000 population have evacuated while authorities declared a state of emergency after a 5.2 magnitude quake, the largest yet, rocked the island on Wednesday. Further, albeit smaller quakes, were felt again on Thursday. The "clusters" of quakes have puzzled scientists who say such a pattern is unusual because they have not been linked to a major shock. So what's going on?

What is happening in Santorini? Experts agree the island is experiencing what Greece's prime minister has called an "extremely and intricate geological phenomenon". "It is really unprecedented, we have never seen something like this before in [modern times] in Greece," says Dr Athanassios Ganas, research director of the National Observatory of Athens. 

Santorini lies on the Hellenic Volcanic Arc - a chain of islands created by volcanoes. But it has not seen a major eruption in recent times, in fact not since the 1950s, so the reason for the current crisis is unclear. Experts say they're seeing many earthquakes within a relatively small area, which don't fit the pattern of a mainshock-aftershock sequence, says Dr Ganas. He said this began with the awakening of a volcano on Santorini last summer. Then in January there was a "surge" of seismic activity with smaller earthquakes being recorded.

That activity has escalated in the past week.  Thousands of earthquakes have been recorded since Sunday, with Wednesday's the most significant yet. "We are in the middle of a seismic crisis," Dr Gasnas said. Dr Margarita Segou from the British Geological Survey described the quakes as happening every day "in pulses". She says this "swarm-like behaviour" means that when a more significant earthquake strikes, for example a magnitude four, the "seismicity is increased for one to two hours, and then the system relaxes again".

But how much longer will this seismic activity last? In short, it is impossible to tell. There are hopes that Wednesday's quake, which struck at night, will be the biggest one to hit the island. But seismologists have told the BBC it is difficult to be sure. Authorities have warned the activity could go on for weeks. Experts also do not know whether this chain of quakes are foreshocks leading up to a large earthquake or their own event.

Professor Joanna Faure Walker, an earthquake geology expert at UCL's Institute of Disaster Risk Reduction, said some large earthquakes do experience foreshocks - elevated levels of small to moderate seismic events - before the main shock. But what is happening now are not volcanic earthquakes, say Dr Ganas. Volcanic earthquakes have a characteristic signature of low frequency wave forms and these have not been exhibited here. 

Dr Segou told the BBC she and colleagues had analysed previous earthquakes in the region with machine learning - a data analysis method able to make predictions - to learn how earthquakes in the region in 2002 and 2004 came to an end. The magnitude of those earthquakes were not as intense as the ones felt now she said. But the "signatures" of how they started and ended could help build a picture of what patterns to look out for. 

Meanwhile, additional police units and military forces have been deployed to the island to help it cope with any major earthquake. Ms Nomikou, who is president of Santorini's town council, said her family were staying put but had each packed a small bag, "ready to go if anything happens".

But some islanders say they are not fazed by the tremors. "I'm not afraid at all," says one Santorini resident, who decided to stay put on the volcanic island despite thousands of her neighbours fleeing amid the ongoing earthquakes. Chantal Metakides insists that she would not be joining her compatriots. "For 500 years, this house has lived through earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and it's still standing," she told AFP news agency, adding, "there's no reason why this should change".

Source - The BBC Website

Questions 1-5

Choose the correct person (A – F) for each statement. There are more people than statements, so you will not use all of them. You may also choose any person more than once.

Statement made by:

A
B
C
B
E
F

Dr Ganas
Georgia Nomikou
Joanna Walker
Dr Segou
Chantal Metakides
Greece's prime minister

  1. Each earthquake manifests in bursts of temporarily intensifying seismic activity before subsiding.  
  2. They are unparalleled in relation to what has been seen previously in Greece. 
  3. Past earthquakes are milder than those occurring now. 
  4. Will not be fleeing the earthquakes. 
  5. They are an intense and complicated event. 

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