Fair Games Reading Answers

Fair Games Reading Answers: The IELTS reading module helps students improve their overall IELTS Reading score by practicing different types of passages. This IELTS Reading Test section includes various comprehensive texts where students need to find answers using direct references from the passage.

"Fair Games Reading Answers" is one such passage that focuses on the financial and logistical challenges of hosting the Olympic Games. Since IELTS Reading section passages are often repeated, practicing this topic can help students become familiar with the question patterns. This guide includes a total of 14 questions divided into three sections, covering Matching Sentence Endings, True/False/Not Given, and Multiple-Choice Questions. Carefully reading the passage and answering based on given information can help students maximize their IELTS reading scores.

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Fair Games Reading Answers Passage

Fair Games Reading Passage   

Paragraph A: For seventeen days every four years the world is briefly arrested by the captivating, dizzying spectacle of athleticism, ambition, pride and celebration on display at the Summer Olympic Games. After the last weary spectators and competitors have returned home, however, host cities are often left awash in high debts and costly infrastructure maintenance. The staggering expenses involved in a successful Olympic bid are often assumed to be easily mitigated by tourist revenues and an increase in local employment, but more often than not host cities are short-changed and their taxpayers for generations to come are left settling the debt.

Paragraph B: Olympic extravagances begin with the application process. Bidding alone will set most cities back about $20 million, and while officially bidding only takes two years (for cities that make the shortlist), most cities can expect to exhaust a decade working on their bid from the moment it is initiated to the announcement of voting results from International Olympic Committee members. Aside from the financial costs of the bid alone, the process ties up real estate in prized urban locations until the outcome is known. This can cost local economies millions of dollars of lost revenue from private developers who could have made use of the land, and can also mean that particular urban quarters lose their vitality due to the vacant lots. All of this can be for nothing if a bidding city does not appease the whims of IOC members – private connections and opinions on government conduct often hold sway (Chicago’s 2012 bid is thought to have been undercut by tensions over U.S. foreign policy).

Paragraph C: Bidding costs do not compare, however, to the exorbitant bills that come with hosting the Olympic Games themselves. As is typical with large-scale, one-off projects, budgeting for the Olympics is a notoriously formidable task. Los Angelinos have only recently finished paying off their budget-breaking 1984 Olympics; Montreal is still in debt for its 1976 Games (to add insult to injury, Canada is the only host country to have failed to win a single gold medal during its own Olympics). The tradition of runaway expenses has persisted in recent years. London Olympics managers have admitted that their 2012 costs may increase ten times over their initial projections, leaving taxpayers 20 billion pounds in the red.

Paragraph D: Hosting the Olympics is often understood to be an excellent way to update a city’s sporting infrastructure. The extensive demands of Olympic sports include aquatic complexes, equestrian circuits, shooting ranges, beach volleyball courts, and, of course, an 80,000-seat athletic stadium. Yet these demands are typically only necessary to accommodate a brief influx of athletes from around the world. Despite the enthusiasm many populations initially have for the development of world-class sporting complexes in their hometowns, these complexes typically fall into disuse after the Olympic fervour has waned. Even Australia, home to one of the world’s most sportive populations, has left its taxpayers footing a $32 million-a-year bill for the maintenance of vacant facilities.

Paragraph E: Another major concern is that when civic infrastructure developments are undertaken in preparation for hosting the Olympics, these benefits accrue to a single metropolitan centre (with the exception of some outlying areas that may get some revamped sports facilities). In countries with an expansive land mass, this means vast swathes of the population miss out entirely. Furthermore, since the International Olympic Committee favours prosperous “global” centres (the United Kingdom was told, after three failed bids from its provincial cities, that only London stood any real chance at winning), the improvement of public transport, roads, and communication links tends to concentrate in places already well-equipped with world-class infrastructures. Perpetually by-passing minor cities create a cycle of disenfranchisement: these cities never get an injection of capital, they fail to become first-rate candidates, and they are constantly passed over in favour of more secure choices.

Paragraph F: Finally, there is no guarantee that the Olympics will be a popular success. The “feel good” factor that most proponents of Olympic bids extol (and that was no doubt driving the 90 to 100 percent approval rates of Parisians and Londoners for their cities’ respective 2012 bids) can be an elusive phenomenon, and one that is tied to that nation’s standing on the medal tables. This ephemeral thrill cannot compare to the years of disruptive construction projects and security fears that go into preparing for an Olympic Games, nor the decades of debt repayment that follow (Greece’s preparation for Athens 2004 famously deterred tourists from visiting the country due to widespread unease about congestion and disruption).

Paragraph G: There are feasible alternatives to the bloat, extravagance, and wasteful spending that comes with a modern Olympic Games. One option is to designate a permanent host city that would be redesigned or built from scratch especially for the task. Another is to extend the duration of the Olympics so that it becomes a festival of several months. Local businesses would enjoy the extra spending, and congestion would ease substantially as competitors and spectators come and go according to their specific interests. Neither the “Olympic City” nor the extended length options really get to the heart of the issue, however. Stripping away ritual and decorum in favour of concentrating on athletic rivalry would be preferable.

Paragraph H: Failing that, the Olympics could simply be scrapped altogether. International competition could still be maintained through world championships in each discipline. Most of these events are already held on non-Olympic years anyway – the International Association of Athletics Federations, for example, has run a biennial World Athletics Championship since 1983 after members decided that using the Olympics for their championship was no longer sufficient. Events of this nature keep world-class competition alive without requiring Olympic-sized expenses.

Fair Games Reading Answers Sample Questions

Matching Sentence Endings (Questions 1–5)

Complete each sentence with the correct ending (A–F). There is one extra ending that you do not need to use.

1. Cities that bid to host the Olympics often face difficulties because...

2. The maintenance of Olympic venues is problematic since...

3. Minor cities in large countries are often excluded from hosting the Olympics as...

4. The feel-good factor of hosting the Olympics can be short-lived because...

5. A possible alternative to the current Olympic model is...

Endings:
A. they struggle to meet the extensive infrastructure demands.
B. they do not have the necessary financial resources to accommodate the Games.
C. it is influenced by a country’s success in winning medals.
D. designating a single permanent host city for future Games.
E. These facilities often become redundant once the Games end.
F. the International Olympic Committee favours already prosperous global cities.

True/False/Not Given (Questions 6–12)

Do the following statements agree with the information in the passage?

• Write TRUE if the statement agrees with the information.

• Write FALSE if the statement contradicts the information.

• Write NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

6. The cost of bidding for the Olympics can exceed $20 million for most cities.

7. All Olympic host countries have benefited financially from hosting the Games.

8. London was warned by the International Olympic Committee that its bid costs would likely increase.

9. The Montreal Olympics was the most expensive Games in Olympic history.

10. Some Olympic venues in Australia remain unused despite the country’s sporting culture.

11. The Olympic Games have always been hosted by different cities around the world.

12. The International Association of Athletics Federations organizes Olympic events.

Multiple-Choice Questions (Questions 13–14)

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.

13. According to the passage, why do some people oppose hosting the Olympic Games?
    A. The Games attract too many tourists, which disrupts local life.
    B. The long-term financial burden on taxpayers is too high.
    C. The Olympics encourage unfair competition among athletes.
    D. The bidding process is often rigged by private developers.

14. What is one proposed solution to the problems associated with the Olympic Games?
    A. Building a permanent Olympic host city.
    B. Allowing smaller cities to host the Games instead of major global cities.
    C. Reducing the number of Olympic events.
    D. Shifting Olympic competitions to different seasons of the year.

Fair Games Reading Answers with Explanations

1. Cities that bid to host the Olympics often face difficulties because...
   Answer: F (the International Olympic Committee favours already prosperous global cities.)
   Location: Paragraph E – “Furthermore, since the International Olympic Committee favours prosperous ‘global’ centres… provincial cities… are constantly passed over in favour of more secure choices.”
   Explanation: The passage states that the IOC prefers wealthy global cities, making it difficult for smaller cities to win the bid.

2. The maintenance of Olympic venues is problematic since...
   Answer: E (these facilities often become redundant once the Games end.)
   Location: Paragraph D – “Despite the enthusiasm many populations initially have… these complexes typically fall into disuse after the Olympic fervour has waned.”
   Explanation: The passage mentions that Olympic venues often become underutilized after the Games, making maintenance a financial burden.

3. Minor cities in large countries are often excluded from hosting the Olympics as...
   Answer: F (the International Olympic Committee favours already prosperous global cities.)
   Location: Paragraph E – “Perpetually bypassing minor cities creates a cycle of disenfranchisement: these cities never get an injection of capital… and they are constantly passed over in favour of more secure choices.”
   Explanation: The passage clearly states that smaller cities are continuously ignored in Olympic bids in favor of major urban centers.

4. The feel-good factor of hosting the Olympics can be short-lived because...
   Answer: C (it is influenced by a country’s success in winning medals.)
   Location: Paragraph F – “The ‘feel good’ factor… can be an elusive phenomenon, and one that is tied to that nation’s standing on the medal tables.”
   Explanation: The passage explains that national enthusiasm is often linked to medal performance, making it a temporary effect.

5. A possible alternative to the current Olympic model is...
   Answer: D (designating a single permanent host city for future Games.)
   Location: Paragraph G – “One option is to designate a permanent host city that would be redesigned or built from scratch especially for the task.”
   Explanation: The passage suggests that a permanent host city could eliminate unnecessary costs and inefficiencies.

6. The cost of bidding for the Olympics can exceed $20 million for most cities.
   Answer: TRUE
   Location: Paragraph B – “Bidding alone will set most cities back about $20 million.”
   Explanation: The passage explicitly states that bidding costs around $20 million, confirming the statement.

7. All Olympic host countries have benefited financially from hosting the Games.
   Answer: FALSE
   Location: Paragraph A – “More often than not, host cities are short-changed and their taxpayers for generations to come are left settling the debt.”
   Explanation: The passage states that most cities end up in debt rather than benefiting financially.

8. London was warned by the International Olympic Committee that its bid costs would likely increase.
   Answer: NOT GIVEN
   Location: No direct mention in the passage.
   Explanation: While the passage mentions London's cost overruns, it does not state that the IOC warned them in advance.

9. The Montreal Olympics was the most expensive Games in Olympic history.
   Answer: NOT GIVEN
   Location: Paragraph C – “Montreal is still in debt for its 1976 Games.”
   Explanation: The passage discusses Montreal’s long-lasting debt but does not claim it was the most expensive Olympics ever.

10. Some Olympic venues in Australia remain unused despite the country’s sporting culture.
    Answer: TRUE
    Location: Paragraph D – “Even Australia, home to one of the world’s most sportive populations, has left its taxpayers footing a $32 million-a-year bill for the maintenance of vacant facilities.”
    Explanation: The passage confirms that Australia has empty Olympic facilities that still require funding.

11. The Olympic Games have always been hosted by different cities around the world.
    Answer: TRUE
    Location: Paragraph H – “Failing that, the Olympics could simply be scrapped altogether… Most of these events are already held on non-Olympic years anyway.”
    Explanation: This suggests that the Olympics have always rotated between cities, validating the statement.

12. The International Association of Athletics Federations organizes Olympic events.
    Answer: FALSE
    Location: Paragraph H – “The International Association of Athletics Federations… decided that using the Olympics for their championship was no longer sufficient.”
    Explanation: The passage states that the IAAF has its own World Championships and does not rely on the Olympics for its events.

13. According to the passage, why do some people oppose hosting the Olympic Games?
    Answer: B (The long-term financial burden on taxpayers is too high.)
    Location: Paragraph A – “After the last weary spectators and competitors have returned home, however, host cities are often left awash in high debts.”
    Explanation: The passage highlights that Olympic costs place a heavy burden on taxpayers, which is a primary reason for opposition.

14. What is one proposed solution to the problems associated with the Olympic Games?
    Answer: A (Building a permanent Olympic host city.)
    Location: Paragraph G – “One option is to designate a permanent host city that would be redesigned or built from scratch especially for the task.”
    Explanation: The passage explicitly suggests a permanent Olympic host city as a possible alternative.

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