Air Conditioning Reading Answers: The IELTS Reading passage "Air Conditioning" explores the history and impact of one of the most important modern inventions. From its beginnings in industrial printing to its widespread use in homes and offices, air conditioning has played a key role in improving comfort and productivity. In this article, you will find Air Conditioning Reading Answers to help you practise for the IELTS Reading exam, including detailed locations, references, and explanations for each answer.
Free IELTS Reading Practice Tests
The passage below, "Air Conditioning Reading Answers," is a very common Reading passage in the IELTS exam. Read the passage to answer questions 1—14, which are given below.
The history of an invention that makes life more pleasant
Willis Carrier designed the first air-conditioning unit in 1902, just a year after graduating from Cornell University with a Master’s in Engineering.
At a Brooklyn printing plant, fluctuations in heat and moisture were causing the size of the printing paper to keep changing slightly, making it hard to align different colours. Carrier’s invention made it possible to control temperature and humidity levels and so align the colours. The invention also allowed industries such as film, processed food, textiles and pharmaceuticals to improve the quality of their products.
In 1914, the first air-conditioning device was installed in a private house. However, its size, similar to that of an early computer, meant it took up too much space to come into widespread use, and later models, such as the Weathermaker, which Carrier brought out in the 1920s, cost too much for most people. Cooling for human comfort, rather than industrial need, really took off when three air conditioners were installed in the J.L. Hudson Department Store in Detroit, Michigan. People crowded into the shop to experience the new invention. The fashion spread from department stores to cinemas, whose income rose steeply as a result of the comfort they provided.
To start with, money-conscious employers regarded air conditioning as a luxury. They considered that if they were paying people to work, they should not be paying for them to be comfortable as well. So in the 1940s and ’50s, the industry started putting out a different message about its product: according to their research, installing air conditioning increased productivity amongst employees. They found that typists increased their output by 24% when transferred from a regular office to a cooled one. Another study into office working conditions, which was carried out in the late ’50s, showed that the majority of companies cited air conditioning as the single most important contributor to efficiency in offices.
However, air conditioning has its critics. Jed Brown, an environmentalist, complains that air conditioning is a factor in global warming. Unfortunately, he adds, because air conditioning leads to higher temperatures, people have to use it even more. However, he admits that it provides a healthier environment for many people in the heat of summer.
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Questions 1–5
Complete the sentences below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.
Willis Carrier created the first air-conditioning unit shortly after completing his __________ degree.
The initial motivation behind the invention was to solve printing issues related to __________.
Air conditioning helped various industries improve the __________ of their output.
The earliest home air conditioner was not widely adopted because of its large __________.
The introduction of air conditioning in __________ stores helped increase public interest.
Questions 6–8
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.
What helped popularise air conditioning among the general public?
A. Government advertising
B. Reductions in electricity costs
C. Installation in cinemas and department stores
D. Free home trials of units
Why were employers initially reluctant to install air conditioning in offices?
A. They doubted its effectiveness
B. They feared employee distraction
C. They considered it an unnecessary expense
D. They did not have access to the technology
According to research in the 1940s–50s, air conditioning was believed to:
A. Reduce company electricity bills
B. Improve worker productivity
C. Lower absenteeism
D. Enhance office aesthetics
Questions 9–11
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage?
Write
TRUE – if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE – if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN – if there is no information on this
The Weathermaker air-conditioning model was more affordable than earlier versions.
The presence of air conditioning in cinemas directly led to higher ticket sales.
Jed Brown argues that air conditioning should be banned due to its environmental impact.
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Questions 1–5
Complete the sentences below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.
1. Master’s
Location: Paragraph 1, Sentence 1
Reference: "...just a year after graduating from Cornell University with a Master’s in Engineering."
Explanation: The question asks for Carrier’s degree before his invention. The passage clearly states he graduated with a Master’s.
2. heat and moisture
Location: Paragraph 1, Sentence 2
Reference: "At a Brooklyn printing plant, fluctuations in heat and moisture were causing the size of the printing paper to keep changing slightly..."
Explanation: These fluctuations were the reason behind creating the air-conditioning unit.
3. quality
Location: Paragraph 1, Sentence 3
Reference: "...allowed industries such as film, processed food, textiles and pharmaceuticals to improve the quality of their products."
Explanation: The passage explains that the invention helped improve product quality in various industries.
4. size
Location: Paragraph 2, Sentence 2
Reference: "However, its size, similar to that of an early computer, meant it took up too much space..."
Explanation: The large size of the early device made it impractical for widespread residential use.
5. department
Location: Paragraph 2, Sentence 4
Reference: "...three air conditioners were installed in the J.L. Hudson Department Store in Detroit, Michigan."
Explanation: The department store was one of the first public places to adopt air conditioning for comfort.
Questions 6–8
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.
6. C
Location: Paragraph 2, Sentences 4–5
Reference: "Cooling for human comfort... took off when three air conditioners were installed in the J.L. Hudson Department Store... The fashion spread from department stores to cinemas..."
Explanation: Department stores and cinemas popularised air conditioning among the general public.
7. C
Location: Paragraph 3, Sentence 1
Reference: "To start with, money-conscious employers regarded air conditioning as a luxury."
Explanation: Employers viewed it as an unnecessary cost, not a priority for workplace investment.
8. B
Location: Paragraph 3, Sentences 2–3
Reference: "...research, installing air conditioning increased productivity amongst employees... typists increased their output by 24%..."
Explanation: Productivity improvement was the main argument used to justify installing air conditioning in offices.
Questions 9–11
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage?
Write TRUE, FALSE, or NOT GIVEN
9. FALSE
Location: Paragraph 2, Sentence 3
Reference: "...later models, such as the Weathermaker... cost too much for most people."
Explanation: The Weathermaker was not more affordable. It remained expensive, contradicting the statement.
10. TRUE
Location: Paragraph 2, Sentence 5
Reference: "...cinemas, whose income rose steeply as a result of the comfort they provided."
Explanation: The passage confirms that cinema attendance increased due to air conditioning, supporting the statement.
11. FALSE
Location: Paragraph 4, Sentences 1–2
Reference: "...Jed Brown, an environmentalist, complains that air conditioning is a factor in global warming... he admits that it provides a healthier environment..."
Explanation: He criticises air conditioning's environmental effects but does not say it should be banned. The statement is exaggerated.
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