Paper Recycling Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test with Answers

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Updated on Mar 26, 2025, 12:18

The IELTS Reading section tests your ability to understand and analyse different types of texts. You will encounter 40 questions across three passages, assessing skills such as skimming, scanning, and identifying key ideas. The texts are taken from books, journals, and newspapers, covering a range of academic and general topics.
 

In the Paper Recycling reading answer passage, you'll explore the economic and environmental significance of recycling paper, the processes involved, and the challenges faced in making it a sustainable practice.


Let’s look at the Paper Recycling reading answer passage, questions, and answers with explanations.

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1. Paper Recycling Reading Answer Passage

You should spend approximately 20 minutes answering Questions 1 – 12 based on the Paper Recycling Reading Answer Passage below.

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2. Paper Recycling Reading Answers with Sample Questions

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about Paper Recycling.

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3. Check Out Top 35 IELTS Reading Practice Test Questions with Answers

Below are some top free IELTS Reading Practice test online questions with detailed answers to enhance your IELTS preparation online. 

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Paper Recycling Reading Answer Passage

General Information

  • Read Instructions: Understand each question before answering.
  • Manage Time: Spend about 20 minutes per passage.
  • Skim and Scan: Quickly get the main idea and find specific information.
  • Highlight Key Info: Underline essential words or phrases.
  • Answer All Questions: Attempt every question; no penalty for wrong answers.
  • Stay Focused: Avoid distractions and keep your attention on the task.
  • Check Spelling: Ensure correct spelling and grammar.
  • Transfer Answers Clearly: Write answers neatly on the answer sheet.
  • Don’t Dwell: Move on if stuck and return later.
  • Review: If time allows, review your answers.

 

 

 

Paper Recycling Reading Answer Passage


 

How managing low-quality wood (also known as low-use wood) for bioenergy can encourage sustainable forest management.

 

Paragraph A. Paper is different from other waste produce because it comes from a sustainable resource: trees. Unlike the minerals and oil used to make plastics and metals, trees are replaceable. Paper is also biodegradable, so it does not pose as much threat to the environment when it is discarded. While 45 out of every 100 tonnes of wood fibre used to make paper in Australia comes from waste paper, the rest comes directly from virgin fibre from forests and plantations. By world standards, this is a good performance since the worldwide average is 33 per cent waste paper. Governments have encouraged waste paper collection and sorting schemes, and at the same time, the paper industry has responded by developing new recycling technologies that have paved the way for even greater utilisation of used fibre. As a result, the industry’s use of recycled fibre is expected to increase at twice the rate of virgin fibre over the coming years.

 

Paragraph B.  Already, waste paper constitutes 70% of paper used for packaging and advances in the technology required to remove ink from the paper have allowed a higher recycled content in newsprint and writing paper. To achieve the benefits of recycling, the community must also contribute. We need to accept a change in the quality of paper products; for example, stationery may be less white and of a rougher texture. There also needs to be support from the community for waste paper collection programs. Not only do we need to make the paper available to collectors, but it also needs to be separated into different types and sorted from contaminants such as staples, paperclips, string and other miscellaneous items.

 

Paragraph C. There are technical limitations to the amount of paper which can be recycled, and some paper products cannot be collected for re-use. These include paper in the form of books and permanent records, photographic paper and paper which is badly contaminated. The four most common sources of paper for recycling are factories and retail stores, which gather large amounts of packaging material in which goods are delivered; also offices, which have unwanted business documents and computer output, paper converters and printers; and lastly, households, which discard newspapers and packaging material. The paper manufacturer pays a price for the paper and may also incur the collection cost.

 

Paragraph D.  Once collected, the paper has to be sorted by hand by people trained to recognise various types of paper. This is necessary because some types of paper can only be made from particular kinds of recycled fibre. The sorted paper then has to be repulped or mixed with water and broken down into its individual fibres. This mixture is called stock and may contain a wide variety of contaminating materials, particularly if it is made from mixed waste paper, which has had little sorting. Various machineries are used to remove other materials from the stock. After passing through the repulping process, the fibres from printed waste paper are grey in colour because the printing ink has soaked into the individual fibres. This recycled material can only be used in products where the grey colour does not matter, such as cardboard boxes, but if the grey colour is not acceptable, the fibres must be de-inked. This involves adding chemicals such as caustic soda or other alkalis, soaps and detergents, water-hardening agents such as calcium chloride, frothing agents and bleaching agents. Before the recycled fibres can be made into the paper, they must be refined or treated in such a way that they bond together.

 

Paragraph E.  Most paper products must contain some virgin fibre as well as recycled fibres, and unlike glass, paper cannot be recycled indefinitely. Most paper is down-cycled, which means that a product made from recycled paper is of an inferior quality to the original paper. Recycling paper is beneficial in that it saves some of the energy, labour and capital that go into producing virgin pulp. However, recycling requires the use of fossil fuel, a non-renewable energy source, to collect the waste paper from the community and to process it to produce new paper. And the recycling process still creates emissions which require treatment before they can be disposed of safely. Nevertheless, paper recycling is an important economic and environmental practice but one which must be carried out in a rational and viable manner for it to be useful to both industry and the community.

 

Let’s explore the questions and answers of the Paper Recycling Reading passage.

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Paper Recycling Reading Answers with Sample Questions

Have you read the passage? Now, take the test and find the Paper Recycling Reading answers! Try to answer these questions by yourself before you sneak a peek at the answers given below.

Questions and Answers 1-7
  • Complete the summary below of the first two paragraphs of the Paper Recycling Reading Answers Passage.
  • Choose ONE OR TWO WORDS from the Reading Passage for each answer.
  • Write your answers in boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet.

 

SUMMARY

 

In that firstly, it comes from a resource which is (1) _________ and secondly, it is less threatening to our environment when we throw it away because it is (2) _________. Although Australia’s record in the re-use of waste paper is good, it is still necessary to use a combination of recycled fibre and (3) _________ to make new paper. The paper industry has contributed positively, and people have also been encouraged by (4) ________ to collect their waste on a regular basis. One major difficulty is the removal of ink from used paper, but (5) ________ are being made in this area. However, we need to learn to accept paper which is generally of a lower (6) _________ than before and to sort our waste paper by removing (7) ________ before discarding it for collection.
 

Paper Recycling Reading Answers with Explanations (1-7)

 

Type of question: Summary completion

 

Under this task, you will be given a summary with incomplete sentences. However, you will not be given any list of words/phrases to choose the missing information. You must refer to the main passage to fill in the missing information. 

 

How to best answer: 

 

  • Read the summary to understand what information it’s missing.
  • Identify keywords and locate them in the main passage to find missing words. 
  • Review the context of the words you’ve chosen to match the summary.
  • Finalise your answers.
     
1. sustainable/replaceable

 

Reference: From paragraph A: "Paper is different from other waste produce because it comes from a sustainable resource: trees. Unlike the minerals and oil used to make plastics and metals, trees are replaceable."

 

Explanation: This sentence highlights that paper is made from a sustainable resource, unlike plastics and metals, which come from non-renewable materials. Since trees can be replaced, it supports the idea that paper recycling has an advantage over mineral-based materials, making “sustainable” or “replaceable” the correct answer.

 

2. biodegradable

 

Reference: From paragraph A: "Paper is also biodegradable, so it does not pose as much threat to the environment when it is discarded."

 

Explanation: This line explains that paper breaks down naturally over time, reducing its environmental impact compared to non-biodegradable materials. Since the question asks why paper is less harmful when thrown away, "biodegradable" is the correct answer.

 

3. virgin fibre

 

Reference: From paragraph A: "While 45 out of every 100 tonnes of wood fibre used to make paper in Australia comes from waste paper, the rest comes directly from virgin fibre from forests and plantations."

 

Explanation:  This sentence states that although Australia recycles a significant amount of waste paper, a portion still comes from virgin fibre. This confirms that new paper production still relies on fresh fibre, making “virgin fibre” the correct answer.
 

4. Governments/the government

 

Reference: From paragraph A: "Governments have encouraged waste paper collection and sorting schemes, and at the same time, the paper industry has responded by developing new recycling technologies that have paved the way for even greater utilisation of used fibre. As a result, the industry’s use of recycled fibres is expected to increase at twice the rate of virgin fibre over the coming years."

 

Explanation:  This line shows that the government has taken an active role in promoting waste paper collection by implementing schemes to support recycling efforts. Since the question asks who encourages people to collect waste, "governments" or "the government" is the correct answer.
 

5. advances

 

Reference: From Paragraph B: “Already, waste paper constitutes 70% of paper used for packaging and advances in the technology required to remove ink from the paper have allowed a higher recycled content in newsprint and writing paper.”

 

Explanation: This sentence explains that new technological developments have improved the removal of ink from used paper, enabling more recycled content in writing paper. Since the question refers to progress in ink removal, "advances" is the correct answer.

 

6. quality

 

Reference: From Paragraph B: "We need to accept a change in the quality of paper products; for example, stationery may be less white and of a rougher texture."

 

Explanation: This line suggests that recycled paper is different from newly produced paper in terms of whiteness and texture, which means its quality is lower. As the question refers to a decline in paper standards, "quality" is the correct answer.

 

7. contaminants

 

Reference: From Paragraph B: "Not only do we need to make the paper available to collectors, but it also needs to be separated into different types and sorted from contaminants such as staples, paperclips, string and other miscellaneous items."

 

Explanation: This sentence states that before waste paper is collected, it must be separated from unwanted materials like staples and paper clips. Since the question asks what should be removed before disposal, "contaminants" is the correct answer.

 

To build a strong word bank that can help you approach the Reading section with clarity and confidence, go through the list of IELTS Reading Vocabulary!

Questions and Answers 8-12
  • Look at paragraphs C, D, and E and, using the information in the passage, complete the flow chart below.
  • Write your answers in boxes 8-12 on your answer sheet.
  • Use ONE OR TWO WORDS for each answer.

 

Waste paper collected from factories, retail stores, (8) _________, paper converters and printers, households

↓

the paper is then (9) _________ 

↓

and (10) ________ by adding water

↓

chemicals are added in order to (11) ________

↓
the fibres are then (12) ________

 

Paper Recycling Reading Answers With Explanations (8-12)
 

Type of question: Flowchart Completion

 

In this task, you are required to fill in these gaps with specific information or steps described in the passage. The information might relate to a process, sequence of events, steps in a procedure, or stages in a development.
 

How to best answer: 

 

  • Pay close attention to the flowchart or diagram and the instructions provided.
  • Quickly scan the relevant section of the passage to gather information that fits the gaps in the flowchart.
  • Ensure that the information you choose accurately fits the context of the flowchart or diagram.
  • Look for keywords or synonyms in the passage that match the information needed for each gap.
  • Ensure your answers are grammatically correct and fit within any word limit specified.
  • Finalise your answers.

 

8. offices

 

Reference: From paragraph C: “The four most common sources of paper for recycling are factories and retail stores which gather large amounts of packaging material in which goods are delivered, also offices which have unwanted business documents and computer output, paper converters and printers and lastly households which discard newspapers and packaging material.”

 

Explanation:  This line lists the common sources of paper recycling, including factories, retail stores, offices, and households. Since the question asks for a source of waste paper, "offices" is the correct answer as they discard unwanted business documents and computer printouts.

 

9. sorted

 

Reference: From paragraph D: “Once collected, the paper has to be sorted by hand by people trained to recognise various types of paper.”

 

Explanation: This line explains that after collection, the paper must be sorted manually by trained individuals who can identify different types of paper. Since the question asks for what happens after the paper is collected, "sorted" is the correct answer.

 

10. repulped

 

Reference: From paragraph D:  “The sorted paper then has to be repulped or mixed with water and broken down into its individual fibres.”


Explanation:  This sentence clearly states that after sorting, the paper undergoes a process where it is mixed with water and broken down into fibres, which is known as repulping. Since the question asks for the next step after sorting, "repulped" is the correct answer.

 

11. de-ink/remove ink

 

Reference: From paragraph D:  “After passing through the repulping process, the fibres from printed waste paper are grey in colour because the printing ink has soaked into the individual fibres. This recycled material can only be used in products where the grey colour does not matter, such as cardboard boxes, but if the grey colour is not acceptable, the fibres must be de-inked. This involves adding chemicals such as caustic soda or other alkalis, soaps and detergents, water-hardening agents such as calcium chloride, frothing agents and bleaching agents.”

 

Explanation: This line explains that after repulping, the fibres retain ink, making them grey. To make the fibres reusable in certain products, chemicals are added to remove the ink. Since the question asks what happens after repulping, "de-ink" or "remove ink" is the correct answer.

 

12. refined

 

Reference: From paragraph D:  “Before the recycled fibres can be made into the paper, they must be refined or treated in such a way that they bond together.”

 

Explanation: This sentence states that before recycled fibres can be turned into paper, they must be refined so they can bond properly. Since the question asks for the next step after de-inking, "refined" is the correct answer.
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Below are some top 35 free IELTS Reading Practice test online questions with detailed answers to enhance your IELTS preparation online. We have provided sample passages for each test type for your reference.
 

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FAQs

Q. What are common keywords in the Paper Recycling reading passage?

Ans. Common keywords in the Paper Recycling passage include terms like "recycling process," "pulp," "waste paper," "environmental impact," "collection," "sorting," and "reuse." Synonyms and paraphrased versions of these words may also appear, so it's essential to recognise variations while scanning the text.

Q. How to answer matching headings questions in the Paper Recycling reading passage?

Ans. Read all the headings first to understand their general meaning. Then, scan each paragraph for its main idea rather than focusing on details. Look for topic sentences, synonyms, and keywords related to recycling processes, benefits, and challenges. Eliminate incorrect options carefully and match the most suitable heading.

Q. What is a challenging aspect of the Paper Recycling reading passage?

Ans. One challenging aspect is identifying paraphrased keywords, as IELTS passages often use synonyms rather than exact words from the questions. Additionally, distinguishing between closely related headings and understanding technical details about the recycling process can be tricky.

Q. Are Paper Recycling passages part of the IELTS Academic or General Reading?

Ans. The Paper Recycling passage is more likely to appear in the IELTS Academic Reading test, as it often includes scientific explanations, processes, and environmental discussions. However, similar topics related to recycling can also be found in the General Reading test.

Q. What types of texts can I expect in the Academic Reading test?

Ans. The Academic Reading test includes passages from books, journals, newspapers, and research articles. The texts cover a range of topics, including science, history, environment, and technology. They may contain complex vocabulary and arguments, requiring analytical reading skills.

Q. How can I improve my reading speed for the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. Practice skimming and scanning techniques to locate key information quickly. Read regularly from academic sources to familiarise yourself with different text structures. Time yourself while practising and focus on identifying keywords rather than reading every word in detail.

Q. Can I use a dictionary during the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. No, you cannot use a dictionary during the IELTS Reading test. You must rely on context clues, word formation, and synonyms to understand unfamiliar words. Regular reading practice can help improve your vocabulary.

Q. What strategies can help me answer True/False/Not Given questions?

Ans. Carefully read the statement and scan the passage for matching information. If the information fully supports the statement, choose "True." If it contradicts, select "False." If the passage does not provide enough information, choose "Not Given." Avoid making assumptions based on general knowledge.

Q. How can I handle unknown words in the reading passages?

Ans. Try to understand the meaning from the surrounding context and look for familiar root words or prefixes. Pay attention to synonyms and explanations in the text. Don't waste too much time on one word—focus on the overall meaning of the sentence.

Q. Is it necessary to answer the questions in order?

Ans. No, you can answer the questions in any order. If a question is too difficult, move on and return to it later. However, questions often follow the passage’s sequence, which can help in locating answers efficiently.

Q. What should I do if I run out of time?

Ans. If time is running out, focus on scanning for keywords and answering the easiest questions first. Make educated guesses rather than leaving answers blank. For multiple-choice or True/False/Not Given questions, eliminate incorrect options quickly to improve your chances of selecting the right answer.