Theme and Emphasis: What Comes First - IELTS 7.0 W T2

Question 1

A paragraph is about urban residents. Which sentence keeps that group in theme position?

Accepted Answer

For urban residents, rising rents may reduce access to central employment.

Answer

Rising rents may reduce access to central employment for urban residents.

Answer

It is rising rents that may reduce urban residents' access to central employment.

Answer

Access to central employment may be reduced by rising rents for urban residents.

Question 2

The paragraph focus is the last decade. Which version places the time frame first?

Accepted Answer

Over the last decade, public attitudes towards remote work have become more favourable.

Answer

Public attitudes towards remote work have become more favourable over the last decade.

Answer

It is public attitudes towards remote work that have become more favourable.

Answer

Remote work has become the subject of more favourable public attitudes over the last decade.

Question 3

A paragraph compares rural and urban provision. Which sentence gives rural areas the opening emphasis?

Accepted Answer

In rural areas, specialist medical services are often harder to obtain.

Answer

Specialist medical services are often harder to obtain in rural areas.

Answer

It is specialist medical services that are often harder to obtain in rural areas.

Answer

Medical services are specialised and often harder to obtain in rural areas.

Question 4

The previous sentence discussed economic pressure. Which opening best links the next sentence to that focus?

Accepted Answer

Under such financial pressure, families may postpone non-essential spending.

Answer

Families may postpone non-essential spending under such financial pressure.

Answer

It is families who may postpone non-essential spending under such pressure.

Answer

Non-essential spending may be postponed by families under such financial pressure.

Question 5

A paragraph is tracing causes rather than results. Which sentence puts the cause in theme position?

Accepted Answer

Because of limited childcare, some parents reduce their working hours.

Answer

Some parents reduce their working hours because of limited childcare.

Answer

It is some parents who reduce their working hours because childcare is limited.

Answer

Working hours are reduced by some parents when childcare is limited.

Question 6

The paragraph's current focus is government policy. Which sentence maintains that focus at the start?

Accepted Answer

Through targeted subsidies, governments can make cleaner transport more affordable.

Answer

Governments can make cleaner transport more affordable through targeted subsidies.

Answer

Cleaner transport can be made more affordable by governments through targeted subsidies.

Answer

It is cleaner transport that governments can make more affordable through targeted subsidies.

Question 7

A paragraph contrasts immediate and long-term effects. Which sentence puts the long-term frame first?

Accepted Answer

In the long term, excessive screen use may affect children's concentration.

Answer

Excessive screen use may affect children's concentration in the long term.

Answer

It is children's concentration that excessive screen use may affect in the long term.

Answer

Children's concentration may be affected by excessive screen use in the long term.

Question 8

The paragraph is about low-income households. Which sentence uses the opening to keep that focus?

Accepted Answer

For low-income households, energy-efficient appliances may remain unaffordable.

Answer

Energy-efficient appliances may remain unaffordable for low-income households.

Answer

It is energy-efficient appliances that may remain unaffordable for low-income households.

Answer

Unaffordable energy-efficient appliances may affect low-income households.

Question 9

Use a cleft to contrast the real cause with the assumed one: The policy failed because of weak enforcement, not public opposition.

Accepted Answer

It was weak enforcement, not public opposition, that caused the policy to fail.

Answer

Weak enforcement caused the policy to fail, while public opposition did not.

Answer

The policy failed mainly through weak enforcement rather than through public opposition.

Answer

Public opposition was not the reason why the policy failed; weak enforcement was.

Question 10

Which version uses a cleft to correct the assumption that high tuition alone discourages applicants?

Accepted Answer

It is the lack of reliable advice, not tuition fees alone, that discourages many applicants.

Answer

The lack of reliable advice discourages many applicants more than tuition fees alone do.

Answer

Many applicants are discouraged by unreliable advice as well as by tuition fees.

Answer

Tuition fees alone do not discourage many applicants as strongly as unreliable advice.

Question 11

Emphasise the real explanation: The decline resulted from automation, not from workers' lack of commitment.

Accepted Answer

It was automation, not workers' lack of commitment, that led to the decline.

Answer

Automation led to the decline, whereas workers' lack of commitment did not.

Answer

The decline resulted from automation rather than from workers' lack of commitment.

Answer

Workers' lack of commitment was not responsible for the decline; automation was.

Question 12

A reader may assume advertising is the cause. Which option uses a cleft to stress price as the real cause?

Accepted Answer

It is the lower price, rather than the advertising, that attracts many consumers.

Answer

The lower price attracts many consumers more effectively than the advertising.

Answer

Many consumers are attracted by the lower price rather than by the advertising.

Answer

Advertising may matter, but the lower price appears to attract many consumers.

Question 13

Choose the cleft sentence that contrasts convenience with the assumed cause, personal laziness.

Accepted Answer

It is convenience, not personal laziness, that explains the popularity of ready meals.

Answer

Convenience explains the popularity of ready meals more than personal laziness does.

Answer

Ready meals are popular because of convenience, rather than because of personal laziness.

Answer

Personal laziness is not the best explanation for the popularity of ready meals; convenience is.

Question 14

Which option uses a cleft to reject the idea that technology itself lowers attainment?

Accepted Answer

It is how technology is used, not technology itself, that may lower attainment.

Answer

How technology is used may lower attainment, rather than technology itself.

Answer

Technology itself may not lower attainment; the way it is used may do so.

Answer

Attainment may be lowered by how technology is used, not by technology itself.

Question 15

Emphasise the cause, not the result: Congestion is caused by poor planning, not by population growth alone.

Accepted Answer

It is poor planning, not population growth alone, that causes congestion.

Answer

Poor planning causes congestion more directly than population growth alone does.

Answer

Congestion is caused by poor planning rather than by population growth alone.

Answer

Population growth alone does not cause congestion; poor planning does.

Question 16

Which sentence uses a cleft to stress that inequality, not ambition, drives the problem?

Accepted Answer

It is inequality, not a lack of ambition, that restricts many students' choices.

Answer

Inequality restricts many students' choices more than a lack of ambition does.

Answer

Many students' choices are restricted by inequality, not by a lack of ambition.

Answer

A lack of ambition is not what restricts many students' choices; inequality is.

Question 17

A paragraph is tracking the national curriculum. Which sentence keeps the curriculum as the subject?

Accepted Answer

The national curriculum is revised periodically to reflect changing social needs.

Answer

Education officials revise the national curriculum periodically to reflect changing social needs.

Answer

Changing social needs lead education officials to revise the national curriculum periodically.

Answer

Periodically, education officials revise the national curriculum to reflect changing social needs.

Question 18

The paragraph continues: Public transport can reduce emissions. Which sentence best keeps public transport as the theme?

Accepted Answer

It can be improved through more frequent services and better route planning.

Answer

City councils can improve it through more frequent services and better route planning.

Answer

More frequent services and better route planning can improve it.

Answer

Through better route planning, city councils can improve public transport.

Question 19

A paragraph follows the topic 'plastic waste'. Which sentence keeps that topic in subject position?

Accepted Answer

Plastic waste is often exported to countries with less capacity to process it safely.

Answer

Many firms export plastic waste to countries with less capacity to process it safely.

Answer

Countries with less capacity to process waste safely often receive plastic exports.

Answer

Exporting plastic waste to countries with limited processing capacity can be unsafe.

Question 20

The previous sentence discussed online privacy. Which sentence best maintains that subject?

Accepted Answer

Online privacy is increasingly protected by stricter data regulations.

Answer

Stricter data regulations increasingly protect online privacy.

Answer

Governments increasingly protect online privacy through stricter data regulations.

Answer

Increasingly, stricter data regulations are used to protect online privacy.

Question 21

A paragraph is about historical buildings. Which sentence keeps them as the main subject?

Accepted Answer

Historical buildings are sometimes converted into offices rather than demolished.

Answer

Developers sometimes convert historical buildings into offices rather than demolish them.

Answer

Offices are sometimes created when developers convert historical buildings.

Answer

Rather than demolish them, developers sometimes convert historical buildings into offices.

Question 22

The topic sentence names public trust. Which continuation holds that topic steady?

Accepted Answer

Public trust can be weakened when official information is released too slowly.

Answer

Slow official information releases can weaken public trust.

Answer

Officials can weaken public trust when they release information too slowly.

Answer

When information is released too slowly, officials may weaken public trust.

Question 23

A paragraph is tracking local shops. Which sentence keeps that topic in subject position?

Accepted Answer

Local shops are often displaced when commercial rents rise sharply.

Answer

Rising commercial rents often displace local shops.

Answer

Landlords often displace local shops by raising commercial rents sharply.

Answer

When commercial rents rise sharply, local shops may close or move.

Question 24

What does this marked order emphasise? 'Only when childcare is affordable can parents fully return to work.'

Accepted Answer

Parents can fully return to work only after childcare becomes affordable.

Answer

Childcare becomes affordable only after parents fully return to work.

Answer

Parents return to work mainly because they want more affordable childcare.

Answer

Affordable childcare is unnecessary if parents return to work fully.

Question 25

What is stressed in: 'Rarely do governments reverse a policy without public pressure'?

Accepted Answer

Such reversals are unusual unless public pressure is present.

Answer

Governments frequently reverse policies before public pressure begins.

Answer

Public pressure is rarely connected to government policy reversals.

Answer

Governments reverse policies only because they wish to avoid public pressure.

Question 26

What does the opening stress? 'Not only did the scheme reduce waste; it also created local jobs.'

Accepted Answer

The scheme had an additional benefit beyond reducing waste.

Answer

The scheme created local jobs but failed to reduce waste.

Answer

The scheme reduced waste only because it created local jobs.

Answer

The scheme's only important effect was the reduction of waste.

Question 27

What does this marked order mean? 'Under no circumstances should personal data be sold without consent.'

Accepted Answer

Selling personal data without consent should never be allowed.

Answer

Personal data may be sold without consent in some circumstances.

Answer

Consent should be sold only when personal data is involved.

Answer

Personal data should be sold if the circumstances are clearly explained.

Question 28

Read the emphasis: 'Only by improving teacher training can schools narrow this gap.' What is being highlighted?

Accepted Answer

Improving teacher training is presented as the necessary method.

Answer

Schools can narrow the gap without improving teacher training.

Answer

Teacher training improves only after schools have narrowed the gap.

Answer

The gap exists because schools have already improved teacher training.

Question 29

What is the effect of the order in: 'Seldom is economic growth evenly distributed across a society'?

Accepted Answer

The sentence stresses that evenly distributed growth is uncommon.

Answer

The sentence stresses that economic growth is always evenly distributed.

Answer

The sentence stresses that society prevents all economic growth.

Answer

The sentence stresses that distribution causes economic growth.

Question 30

What does the marked opening convey? 'Only after public consultation was the development approved.'

Accepted Answer

Approval happened no earlier than the completion of public consultation.

Answer

Public consultation began only after the development had been approved.

Answer

The development was approved without any public consultation.

Answer

Public consultation was approved because the development had already started.

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Theme and Emphasis: What Comes First - IELTS 7.0 W T2

Ways to Play

Device Games: Students play on their phones

Blast Go

Board Games: Teacher-led, projected to the class

Like what you see?

Zombie Escape

Avalanche

Maze Blast

Cave Climb

Blast Out

Mystery Auction

Tour Guide

Food Truck Rush

Tug of War

Bug Blast

Alien Blast

Glacier Rush

BlastRace

BlastQuiz

BlastBoard

Seek & Destroy

Mystery Blast

Checkers

Texas Hold 'Em

Da Bomb

Castle Siege

Hot Potato

Market Mayhem

King of the Hill

Bank Heist

Top Corner

Theme and Emphasis: What Comes First - IELTS 7.0 W T2

Ways to Play

Device Games: Students play on their phones

Blast Go

Board Games: Teacher-led, projected to the class

Like what you see?

More like this

Zombie Escape

Avalanche

Maze Blast

Cave Climb

Blast Out

Mystery Auction

Tour Guide

Food Truck Rush

Tug of War

Bug Blast

Alien Blast

Glacier Rush

BlastRace

BlastQuiz

BlastBoard

Seek & Destroy

Mystery Blast

Checkers

Texas Hold 'Em

Da Bomb

Castle Siege

Hot Potato

Market Mayhem

King of the Hill

Bank Heist

Top Corner