Procrastination IELTS Reading Answers with Explanation

“Procrastination” is Passage 2 of Cambridge IELTS 20 Academic Reading Test 2. This page gives the answers for Questions 14–26 with a short explanation of why each answer is right, so you can check your work and learn from every mistake. The question types are: Matching Information, Summary Completion, Multiple Choice (Choose TWO).

Quick answers: Questions 14–26

Question	Answer
14	B
15	F
16	B
17	laziness
18	anxious
19	threats
20	exams
21	perfectionists
22	guilt
23	A
24	C
25	A
26	E

Questions 14–16: Matching Information

Q	Question	Answer	Why
14	Mention of false assumptions about why people procrastinate	B	This information is found in paragraph B.
15	Reference to the realisation that others also procrastinate	F	This information is found in paragraph F.
16	Neurological evidence of a link between procrastination and emotion	B	This information is found in paragraph B.

Questions 17–22: Summary Completion

Q	Question	Answer	Why
17	Many people think procrastination results from this	laziness	Use exactly this wording from the passage, within the word limit.
18	Tasks that damage self-esteem or make us feel this way are put off	anxious	Use exactly this wording from the passage, within the word limit.
19	Brain regions that identify these differ in chronic procrastinators	threats	Use exactly this wording from the passage, within the word limit.
20	Preparing for these is a typical example of a difficult task	exams	Use exactly this wording from the passage, within the word limit.
21	Procrastinators tend to be these or people with low self-esteem	perfectionists	Use exactly this wording from the passage, within the word limit.
22	Procrastination is often followed by this feeling, worsening mood	guilt	Use exactly this wording from the passage, within the word limit.

Questions 23–24: Multiple Choice (Choose TWO)

Q	Question	Answer	Why
23	Two comparisons between employees who often procrastinate and those who do not (choose two)	A	Option A is the one the passage supports.
24	Two comparisons between employees who often procrastinate and those who do not (choose two)	C	Option C is the one the passage supports.

Questions 25–26: Multiple Choice (Choose TWO)

Q	Question	Answer	Why
25	Two recommendations for escaping the cycle of procrastination (choose two)	A	Option A is the one the passage supports.
26	Two recommendations for escaping the cycle of procrastination (choose two)	E	Option E is the one the passage supports.

Tips for these question types

• Matching information: find the paragraph that contains the idea, not the same words. The same letter can be used more than once.
• Completion tasks: check the word limit and the grammar of the gap before you write the answer exactly as it appears in the passage.
• Multiple choice: eliminate options that are only partly right, and watch for words like only, always and never.
• Review every mistake. Find the exact sentence in the passage that proves the answer so you can spot the same trap next time.

FAQ

How many questions does this passage have? Procrastination covers Questions 14–26, which is 13 questions.

Where is this passage from? It is Reading Passage 2 in Cambridge IELTS 20, Academic Test 2.

How should I use these answers? Attempt the passage under timed conditions first, then check your answers here and read the reason for every mistake.

Cambridge IELTS 20 Reading Test 2: all passages
Part 1: Manatees  |  Part 2: Procrastination (you are here)  |  Part 3: Invasion of the Robot Umpires

← Previous: Part 1Next: Part 3 answers →

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