IELTS Reading Passage (Disinformation) Summary Completion Using Words from a List
You will often be required to complete a summary completion task in the IELTS Reading test.
This kind of task required you to understand details within the text and to identify the main idea. The summary completion assessment will usually cover one part of the text rather than the whole text.
There are two types of summary completion:
1. Where you select words from a list of answers.
2. Where you select words directly from the text.
We will practise summary completion using words from a list in today’s free materials.
When you are required to select words from a list, these words can be synonyms (words of similar meaning) or antonyms (words that have opposite meaning) of the words that appear in the text, or they can be taken directly from the text.
Read the IELTS reading passage extract that follows and try to complete the summary to test your skills.
Remember this is only an extract. In the real test you will need to locate the relevant section from the whole passage that contains the information you need to complete the summary!
Disinformation in the Digital Era
In an age dominated by digital communication, the transmission of information has never been simpler. However, alongside this convenience arises the proliferation of disinformation, presenting a significant challenge to society. Disinformation, often characterised by deliberately misleading or false content, has become a pervasive issue, impacting various facets of our lives.
One of the primary contributors to the dissemination of disinformation is the rapid expansion of social media platforms. These platforms, designed to connect people and facilitate the exchange of ideas, have transformed into breeding grounds for false information. With the ability for anyone to create and disseminate content, disinformation can swiftly gain traction, reaching millions of users within moments.
Furthermore, the absence of regulation and oversight on social media platforms exacerbates the problem. Unlike traditional media outlets, which are subject to editorial standards and fact-checking processes, social media platforms often operate without such constraints. This freedom, whilst promoting free speech, also enables malicious actors to exploit the system, disseminating false information for various motives, including political manipulation and financial gain.
Questions 1 – 4
Complete the summary using the list of words, A-G, below. Write the correct letter, A-G, in boxes 1-4 on your answer sheet.
The Emergence of Disinformation in Social Media
Online communication channels facilitate the 1……………………. of information in ways that was previously not possible. While this is hugely beneficial, the downside of spread of disinformation seems 2………………… . Social media, in particular, is alive with disinformation which can spread 3……………………. Although there are many upsides to connections made through social media, lack of control leaves us vulnerable to 4……………………. by bad actors.
A. avoidable
B. unescapable
C. suppression
D. inefficiently
E. diffusion
F. expeditiously
G. exploitation
Answers
Online communication channels facilitate the 1. diffusion (E) of information in ways that was previously not possible. While this is hugely beneficial, the downside of spread of disinformation seems 2. unescapable (B). Social media, in particular, is alive with disinformation which can spread 3. expeditiously (F). Although there are many upsides to connections made through social media, lack of control leaves us vulnerable to 4. exploitation (G) by bad actors.
How did you do?
Tips
To help you with summary completion questions in the IELTS test here are some tips!
1. Read the question before reading the text. A summary completion question will be quite short, so you will be able to read it quickly.
2. Pay attention to the heading of the summary completion question. This will be helpful when you are facing a full IELTS reading passage as it will help direct you to which part of the text you need to be focussing on.
3. Underline or circle key information words in the summary – for example, online communication channels, information, disinformation, social media, spread, lack of control, vulnerable.
4. Think of what word groups the missing words might belong to. For example, the first gap indicates that the word will be a noun (the… something). The second gap seems to be an adjective – a word that will describe the downside of disinformation spread.
5. Think about linking words, adverbs or conjunctions that might indicate a reason, a contrast or comparison – for example, while, although etc.
6. Look at the list of words – there are 7 words, and only 4 gaps to fill. In this example there are some adjectives, nouns and adverbs. You should be able to dismiss some of those words for each answer because they are not the correct kind of word. That narrows your choices to select the correct the answer.
7. Next use your skimming and scanning skills as you work through the text. Focus on some of the key information words you underlined in the summary to find the part of the passage you need to spend time on. Think about synonyms and antonyms for the words you read and see if they or others are in the provided list.