Cutthroat Race for High School Popularity Reading Answers

Jul 7, 2025

Cutthroat Race for High School Popularity Reading Answers is an academic reading answers topic. Cutthroat Race for High School Popularity Reading Answers has a total of 13 IELTS questions in total. In the question set, you have to choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings (I-X). In the next set, you have to write the correct answer in no more than three words. In the last question, candidates have to choose the correct Letter, A, B, C or D.

The IELTS Reading section is an essential part of the test that evaluates a candidate's comprehension and analysis of various passage types. You will work through a number of IELTS reading practice problems in this section that resemble actual test situations. These questions are designed to help you improve your ability to recognise essential concepts, extract particular facts, and make inferences. Practising these IELTS reading problems can help you get comfortable with the structure and increase your confidence for the exam, regardless of whether you are studying for the Academic or General Training module.

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Section 1 CUTTHROAT RACE FOR HIGH SCHOOL POPULARITY

{A} Recent years have seen a barrage of dystopian Young Adult novels grow in popularity almost overnight-from The Hunger Games to The Maze Runner, Divergent, and The Knife of Never Letting Go. These novels, set in post-apocalyptic, totalitarian or otherwise ruthless

and dehumanising worlds, have gained such momentum that the trend has seeped into the film and TV industry as well, with multimillion-dollar movie adaptations and popular TV series gracing the big and small screen. But what is it about dystopian stories that makes them so appealing to readers and audiences alike?

{B} Dystopias are certainly nothing new. The word "dystopia" itself, meaning "bad place" (from the Greek dys and topos), has been around since at least the 19th century, and Huxley's Brave New World (1932) and Orwell's 1984 (1949), commonly regarded as the first dystopian novels that fit firmly into the genre, were published more than 75 years ago. Even the first Young Adult dystopian novel is older than 20 — Lois Lawry's The Giver, which came out in 1993. While these are individual examples from previous decades, however, one would be hard-pressed to find a Young Adult shelf in any bookstore nowadays that isn't stocked with dozens of dystopian titles.

{C} According to film critic Dana Stevens, it is the similarities that can be drawn between dystopian settings and the daily lives of teenagers that make Young Adult dystopian stories so captivating: the high school experience involves the same social structure as the Hunger Games arena, for example, or the faction-divided world of Divergent. Teenagers might not literally have to fight each other to the death or go through horrendous trials to join a virtue based faction for the rest of their lives, but there's something in each story that connects to their own backgrounds. The "cutthroat race for high school popularity" might feel like an "annual televised fight", and the pressure to choose a clique at school bears a strong resemblance to Tris's faction dilemma in Divergent.

{D} Justin Scholes's and Jon Ostenson's 2013 study reports similar findings, identifying themes such as "inhumanity and isolation", the struggle to establish an identity and the development of platonic and romantic relationships as alluring agents. Deconstructing a score of popular Young Adult dystopian novels released between 2007-2011, Scholes and Ostenson argue that the topics explored by dystopian literature are appealing to teenagers because they are "an appropriate fit with the intellectual changes that occur during adolescence"; as teenagers gradually grow into adults, they develop an interest in social issues and current affairs. Dystopian novels, according to author and book critic Dave Astor, feel honest in that regard as they do not patronise their readers, nor do they attempt to sugar-coat reality.

{E} All of this still does not explain why this upsurge in Young Adult dystopian literature is happening now, though. Bestselling author Naomi Klein, offers a different explanation: the dystopian trend, she says, is a "worrying sign" of times to come. What all these dystopian stories have in common is that they all assume that "environmental catastrophe" is not only imminent, but also completely inevitable. Moral principles burgeon through these works of fiction, particularly for young people, as they are the ones who will bear the brunt of climate change. Young Adult author Todd Mitchell makes a similar point, suggesting that the bleak futures portrayed in modern Young Adult literature are a response to "social anxiety" brought forth by pollution and overconsumption.

{F} The threat of natural disasters is not the only reason Young Adult dystopian novels are so popular today, however. As author Claudia Gray notes, what has also changed in recent years is humanity's approach to personal identity and young people's roles in society. Adolescents, she says, are increasingly dragooned into rigid moulds through "increased standardised testing, increased homework levels, etc." Young Adult dystopian novels come into play because they present protagonists who refuse to be defined by someone else, role models who battle against the status quo.

{G} So, how long is this Young Adult dystopian trend going to last? If The Guardian is to be believed, it's already been replaced by a new wave of "gritty" realism as seen in the likes of The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green. Profits have certainly dwindled for dystopian film franchises such as Divergent. This hasn't stopped film companies from scheduling new releases, however, and TV series such as The 100 are still on air. Perhaps the market for dystopian novels has stagnated, only time will tell. One thing is for certain, however: the changes the trend has effected on Young Adult literature are here to stay.

Questions 1-7

Reading Passage 1 has seven paragraphs, labelled A-G. Choose the correct heading for paragraphs A-G from the list of headings below.

List of Headings:

(I) Teens are increasingly urged to conform

(II) The dystopian model scrutinised

(III) Dystopian novels now focus on climate change

(IV) The original dystopias

(V) Dystopian literature's accomplishments will outlive it

(VI) A score of dystopian novels has taken over Young Adult shelves

(VII) The roots of dystopia can be found in teenage experience

(VIII) Dystopia is already dead

(IX) Dystopias promote ethical thinking

(1) Paragraph A

Answer: VI

Supporting statement: Recent years have seen a barrage of dystopian Young Adult novels grow in popularity almost overnight-from The Hunger Games to The Maze Runner, Divergent, and The Knife of Never Letting Go.

Keywords: barrage, popularity

Keyword Location: Para A, Line 1

Explanation: Paragraph A mentions the growing popularity of dystopian Young Adult novels

(2) Paragraph B

Answer: IV

Supporting statement: The word "dystopia" itself, meaning "bad place" (from the Greek dys and topos), has been around since at least the 19th century,

Keywords: dystopia, 19th century

Keyword Location: Para B, Lines 1-2

Explanation: Paragraph B states that the word dystopia is not something new, but it has been in use since the 19th century.

(3) Paragraph C

Answer: VII

Supporting statement: the high school experience involves the same social structure as the Hunger Games arena,

Keywords: social, school

Keyword Location: Para C, Line 3

Explanation: The origins of dystopia can be traced back to youth; for instance, high school shares an organisational structure with the Hunger Games arena, according to passage C.

(4) Paragraph D

Answer: II

Supporting statement: Justin Scholes's and Jon Ostenson's 2013 study reports similar findings, identifying themes such as "inhumanity and isolation",

Keywords: study, themes

Keyword Location: Para D, Lines 1-2

Explanation: Paragraph D, mention the dystopian model scrutinised by The dystopian model scrutinised as they reported similar findings, identifying themes such as inhumanity and isolation.

(5) Paragraph E

Answer: IX

Supporting statement: Moral principles burgeon through these works of fiction, particularly for young people, as they are the ones who will bear the brunt of climate change.

Keywords: principles, young people

Keyword Location: Para E, Lines 5-6

Explanation: According to para E, dystopias encourage moral thought since moral values emerge in these fictional works, especially for young people who would be most affected by climate change.

(6) Paragraph F

Answer: I

Supporting statement: Adolescents, she says, are increasingly dragooned into rigid moulds through "increased standardised testing, increased homework levels, etc."

Keywords: Adolescents, increased

Keyword Location: Para F, Lines 3-4

Explanation: Conforming means acting in a way that is acceptable to the society in which you live and adhering to specific conventions. The paragraph talks about how young people are supposed to meet these expectations, but they don't.

(7) Paragraph G

Answer: V

Supporting statement: One thing is for certain, however: the changes the trend has effected on Young Adult literature are here to stay.

Keywords: trend, literature

Keyword Location: Para G, Lines 6-7

Explanation: The final sentence of paragraph G encapsulates the idea: the impact of Young Adult dystopian novels will continue after the genre's present popularity.

Questions 8-12

Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.

(8) According to the writer, what was the first dystopian novel?

Answer: BRAVE NEW WORLD

Supporting statement: and Huxley's Brave New World (1932) and Orwell's 1984 (1949), commonly regarded as the first dystopian novels

Keywords: Brave New World, 1932

Keyword Location: Para B, Lines 2-3

Explanation: According to the writer, Huxley's Brave New World (1932) was the first dystopian novel.

(9) According to the writer, which author initiated the Young Adult dystopian genre?

Answer: LOIS LAWRY

Supporting statement: Even the first Young Adult dystopian novel is older than 20 — Lois Lawry's The Giver, which came out in 1993.

Keywords: first, 1993

Keyword Location: Para B, Lines 4-5

Explanation: According to the writer, Lois Lawry was the author who initiated the Young Adult dystopian genre.

(10) How does Dave Astor describe dystopian novels?

Answer: HONEST

Supporting statement: Dystopian novels, according to author and book critic Dave Astor, feel honest in that regard as they do not patronise their readers, nor do they attempt to sugar-coat reality.

Keywords: Dave Astor, patronise

Keyword Location: Para D, Line 8

Explanation: According to writer and book critic Dave Astor, dystopian novels feel honest in that sense since they don't try to sugarcoat reality or patronise their readers.

(11) According to Naomi Klein, which element is present in all dystopian novels?

Answer: ENVIRONMENTAL CATASTROPHE

Supporting statement: What all these dystopian stories have in common is that they all assume that "environmental catastrophe"

Keywords: common, environmental catastrophe

Keyword Location: Para E, Line 4

Explanation: According to Naomi Klein, environmental catastrophe is something that all the dystopian novels have in common.

(12) According to Claudia Grey, things like increased standardised testing and homework levels are a threat to what?

Answer: PERSONAL IDENTITY

Supporting statement: what has also changed in recent years is humanity's approach to personal identity and young people's roles in society.

Keywords: humanity's, personal identity

Keyword Location: Para F, Lines 2-3

Explanation: Claudia Grey claims that factors such as higher levels of homework and standardised testing pose a danger to personal identity.

Question 13

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

Which is the best title for Reading Passage 1?

(A) A history of Young Adult dystopian literature

(B) The wane of the dystopian phenomenon

(D) The draw of Young Adult dystopian fiction

Answer: D

Supporting statement: But what is it about dystopian stories that makes them so appealing to readers and audiences alike?

Keywords: dystopian, appealing

Keyword Location: Para A, Lines 6-7

Explanation: The paragraph highlights numerous aspects of the popularity and success of Young Adult dystopian fiction and why it is popular among readers and audiences. Other titles highlight the text's supporting details.

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