The IELTS Reading section is a crucial component of the test, assessing your ability to comprehend complex texts and answer various question types. Today, we’ll focus on a topic that has gained significant attention in recent years: the importance of gender equality in education. This subject has appeared in past IELTS exams and, given its ongoing relevance, is likely to resurface in future tests. Let’s dive into a practice passage and questions to help you prepare for this potential topic.
Reading Passage
The Crucial Role of Gender Equality in Education
Gender equality in education is a fundamental human right and a key factor in sustainable development. Despite significant progress in recent decades, disparities between males and females in access to education, quality of learning, and career opportunities persist in many parts of the world. Addressing these inequalities is not only a matter of social justice but also an economic imperative.
Historically, girls have faced greater barriers to education than boys. These obstacles include cultural norms that prioritize boys’ education, early marriage and pregnancy, safety concerns, and lack of adequate sanitation facilities in schools. However, research consistently shows that educating girls yields substantial benefits for individuals, families, and societies as a whole.
When girls receive quality education, they are more likely to delay marriage and childbearing, have healthier children, and earn higher incomes. This, in turn, contributes to breaking the cycle of poverty and improving overall economic growth. Moreover, educated women are more likely to participate in political processes and advocate for policies that benefit their communities.
It’s important to note that gender equality in education is not just about access but also about the quality of education received. Gender biases in curriculum, teaching methods, and career guidance can reinforce stereotypes and limit opportunities for both girls and boys. For instance, girls may be discouraged from pursuing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects, while boys might face social pressure to avoid careers in education or healthcare.
Achieving gender equality in education requires a multifaceted approach. This includes policy reforms, community engagement, teacher training, and infrastructure improvements. Many countries have implemented initiatives such as cash transfers to families, building separate sanitation facilities for girls, and revising textbooks to eliminate gender stereotypes.
International organizations play a crucial role in promoting gender equality in education. UNESCO, for example, leads the Education 2030 agenda, which aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” Similarly, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals include achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls as a key objective.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated existing gender inequalities in education. School closures have disproportionately affected girls, with many facing increased risks of early marriage, gender-based violence, and dropping out of school permanently. This setback underscores the need for targeted interventions to support girls’ education during and after crises.
In conclusion, gender equality in education is not just a goal in itself but a prerequisite for building more inclusive, resilient, and prosperous societies. By ensuring that all individuals, regardless of gender, have equal opportunities to learn, grow, and contribute to their communities, we can create a more equitable and sustainable world for future generations.
Questions
True/False/Not Given
- Gender equality in education is considered both a human right and an economic necessity.
- Girls face more barriers to education than boys in all countries.
- Educated women are more likely to have healthier children.
- Gender biases in education only affect girls’ opportunities.
- UNESCO is the only international organization working on gender equality in education.
- The COVID-19 pandemic has had an equal impact on boys’ and girls’ education.
Multiple Choice
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According to the passage, which of the following is NOT mentioned as a barrier to girls’ education?
A) Cultural norms
B) Early marriage
C) Lack of female teachers
D) Safety concerns -
The passage suggests that educating girls can lead to:
A) Higher government spending
B) Increased economic growth
C) Lower life expectancy
D) Reduced political participation
Matching Headings
Match the following headings to the correct paragraphs in the passage. There are more headings than paragraphs, so you will not use all of them.
- Paragraph 2
- Paragraph 4
- Paragraph 6
Headings:
A) Historical barriers to girls’ education
B) The role of international organizations
C) Benefits of educating girls
D) Quality vs. access in education
E) Strategies for achieving gender equality
F) The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
Short Answer Questions
Answer the following questions using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
- What type of subjects are girls often discouraged from pursuing?
- What kind of transfers to families are mentioned as an initiative to promote gender equality in education?
- Which global agenda does UNESCO lead to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education?
Answer Key and Explanations
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True – The passage states it’s “not only a matter of social justice but also an economic imperative.”
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False – The passage mentions “many parts of the world,” not all countries.
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True – The passage directly states this as one of the benefits of educating girls.
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False – The passage mentions that biases can “limit opportunities for both girls and boys.”
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Not Given – While UNESCO is mentioned, the passage doesn’t state it’s the only organization working on this issue.
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False – The passage states that school closures have “disproportionately affected girls.”
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C – Lack of female teachers is not mentioned in the list of barriers.
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B – The passage states that educating girls contributes to “improving overall economic growth.”
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A – This paragraph discusses historical barriers to girls’ education.
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D – This paragraph focuses on the quality of education and biases in curriculum and teaching methods.
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B – This paragraph discusses the role of international organizations like UNESCO.
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STEM
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Cash transfers
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Education 2030
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overlooking subtle differences in wording between the passage and the questions.
- Making assumptions based on general knowledge rather than the information provided in the text.
- Confusing “Not Given” with “False” in True/False/Not Given questions.
- Failing to adhere to the word limit in short answer questions.
Vocabulary
- Disparities (noun) /dɪˈspærəti/: Differences or inequalities.
- Imperative (noun) /ɪmˈperətɪv/: An essential or urgent thing.
- Multifaceted (adjective) /ˌmʌltɪˈfæsɪtɪd/: Having many different aspects or features.
- Exacerbated (verb) /ɪɡˈzæsərbeɪtɪd/: Made worse or more severe.
- Resilient (adjective) /rɪˈzɪliənt/: Able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions.
Grammar Focus
Complex sentences with multiple clauses are common in IELTS Reading passages. For example:
“When girls receive quality education, they are more likely to delay marriage and childbearing, have healthier children, and earn higher incomes.”
This sentence structure: “When [condition], [result 1], [result 2], and [result 3]” is useful for expressing cause and effect relationships concisely.
Tips for IELTS Reading Success
- Practice time management. Allocate your time wisely across all three passages.
- Read the questions before the passage to know what information to look for.
- Develop your skimming and scanning skills to quickly locate relevant information.
- Pay attention to transition words and topic sentences to understand the passage structure.
- Expand your vocabulary, focusing on academic and topic-specific words.
- Practice with a variety of question types to become familiar with different formats.
- Always base your answers on the information given in the passage, not your personal knowledge.
Remember, consistent practice with diverse texts and question types is key to improving your IELTS Reading score. Good luck with your preparation!
If you found this practice helpful, you might also be interested in our articles on the challenges of gender roles in society and the role of education in economic development and social mobility.