Procrastination – IELTS Reading Answers with explanation I Cambridge 20 Test 2

    Procrastination – IELTS Reading  Answers & explanation 

In this post, you'll find the complete solution and explanation for Test 2 Reading passage 2   Procrastination from IELTS Book 20. Each answer is explained in the easiest possible way, along with the answer location and hard vocabulary from the passage. This is perfect for students who want to understand not just the correct answers, but why they are correct, helping you improve your IELTS Reading skills with every practice test.

Question 14-16   Which paragraph contains the following information?

14. mention of false assumptions about why people procrastinate. Answer: B

Keywords: false assumptions = contrary to popular belief, 

Answer location: Paragraph B, Lines ( Contrary to popular belief, procrastination is not due to laziness or poor time management. Scientific studies suggest procrastination is, in fact, caused by poor mood management.)

15. reference to the realisation that others also procrastinate. Answer: F

Keywords: others, remind ourselves, realisation

Answer location: Paragraph F Lines ( We should remind ourselves that we're not the first person to procrastinate, nor the last. Doing this can take the edge off the negative feelings we have about ourselves when we procrastinate.)

16. neurological evidence of a link between procrastination and emotion. Answer: B

Keywords: neurological evidence, link between

Answer location: Paragraph B, Lines (Research involving brain imaging has found that areas of the brain linked to detection of threats and emotion regulation are actually different in people who chronically procrastinate compared to those who don't procrastinate frequently.)

Question 17-22   Complete the summary below.

17. Answer: laziness

Keywords: procrastination, result of, popular belief

Answer location: Paragraph B, Lines ( Contrary to popular belief, procrastination is not due to laziness or poor time management. Scientific studies suggest procrastination is, in fact, caused by poor mood management.)

18. Answer: anxious

Keywords: put off, self-worth, could damage=threatens

Answer location: Paragraph B, Lines (This makes sense if we consider that people are more likely to put off starting or completing tasks that they are really not keen to do. 

If just thinking about the task threatens our sense of self-worth or makes us anxious, we will be more likely to put it off.)

19. Answer: threats

Keywords: research, chronic procrastinators, regulating emotions 

Answer location: Paragraph B, Lines  (Research involving brain imaging has found that areas of the brain linked to detection of threats and emotion regulation are actually different 

in people who chronically procrastinate compared to those who don't procrastinate frequently.)

20. Answer: exams

Keywords: Emotionally loaded, difficult tasks

Answer location: Paragraph C, Lines (Tasks that are emotionally loaded or difficult, such as preparing for exams, are prime candidates for procrastination. )

21. Answer: perfectionists

Keywords:  low self-esteem, another group

Answer location: Paragraph C, Lines (People with low self-esteem are more likely to procrastinate. Another group of people who tend to procrastinate are perfectionists.)

22. Answer: guilt

Keywords: short-term/temporary measure, managing emotions, worsen /increase, mood

Answer location: Paragraph C, lines (The 'mood repair' we experience is temporary. Afterwards, people tend to be left with a sense of guilt that not only increases their negative mood, but also reinforces their tendency to procrastinate.)

Question 23-26   Choose TWO letters, A-E.

23 and 24. Which TWO comparisons between employees who often procrastinate and those who do not are mentioned in the text? Answer: A/C in any order

Keywords: comparison, salary lower, don't keep, job, long

Answer Location: Paragraph D, Lines ( In fact, in one US survey of over 22,000 employees,

 Participants who said they regularly procrastinated had less annual income and less employment stability.)

24 and 26. Which TWO recommendations for getting out of a cycle of procrastination does the writer give? Answer: A/E in any order

Keywords: recommendation, getting out of,

Answer location: Paragraph F, Lines ( There are a number of evidence-based strategies that can help us fend off distractions that can occupy our minds when we should be focusing on the thing we should be getting on with. For example, reminding ourselves about why the task is important and valuable can increase positive feelings towards it. Forgiving ourselves and feeling compassion when we procrastinate can help break the procrastination cycle. 

We should admit that we feel bad, but not be overly critical of ourselves. We should remind ourselves that we're not the first person to procrastinate, nor the last.)

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                                  Hard Vocabulary from the Passage: Procrastination

Word / Phrase	Meaning (Simple)	Example Sentence
Procrastination	Delaying or postponing something important	Procrastination often lowers academic performance.
Chronic	Continuing for a long time, difficult to cure	Chronic procrastination affects millions of students.
Task aversion	Disliking or avoiding a task	People procrastinate due to task aversion.
Impulsivity	Acting without thinking	Impulsivity makes people choose short-term fun over long-term goals.
Self-regulation	Ability to control thoughts, emotions, and actions	Successful learners have strong self-regulation skills.
Dread	Great fear or worry about something unpleasant	Many students feel dread before exams.
Temptation	Something that attracts you even if it is bad	Social media is a strong temptation for procrastinators.
Immediate gratification	Wanting pleasure right away instead of waiting	Online games give immediate gratification but waste time.
Distraction	Something that takes your attention away from what you should do	Smartphones are a major distraction during study.
Irrational	Not reasonable or logical	Procrastinators often make irrational decisions.
Underlying	Hidden but real cause or reason	The underlying cause of procrastination is often fear of failure.
Consequence	Result or effect of an action	The consequence of procrastination is poor performance.
Self-discipline	Ability to control behavior and stick to goals	Self-discipline is the opposite of procrastination.
Avoidance	The act of staying away from something	Avoidance of difficult tasks leads to delay.
Coping mechanism	A way of dealing with stress or problems	Procrastination is sometimes used as a coping mechanism.
Counterproductive	Producing the opposite result from what you want	Procrastination is counterproductive to success.
Short-term relief	Feeling better for a little while	Procrastination gives short-term relief but long-term stress.
Long-term outcome	Result that appears in the future	The long-term outcome of procrastination is regret.
Perfectionism	Wanting everything to be perfect before starting	Perfectionism can lead to procrastination.
Self-awareness	Understanding your own behavior and feelings	Self-awareness helps reduce procrastination.

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