Migrants and Refugees: Racial Discrimination and Xenophobia Reading Answers

Oct 14, 2025

Migrants and Refugees: Racial Discrimination and Xenophobia Reading Answers consists of 14 questions and is part of the IELTS General Reading test evaluation framework. Participants are required to complete the Migrants and Refugees: Racial Discrimination and Xenophobia Reading Answers within a 20-minute time limit. This segment of the IELTS reading assessment includes various types of questions, such as selecting the appropriate letters, finishing each statement with the correct conclusion, and determining if the following statements align with the information provided.

Migrants and Refugees: Racial Discrimination and Xenophobia Reading Answers provides a detailed overview of migration. The rise in migration has increased global ethnic and racial diversity, often resulting in difficulties in accommodating a range of cultures, religions, and languages. Although racism and xenophobia are different, they often intersect, leading to widespread discrimination, violence, and violations of human rights against migrants and refugees. For further practice with similar reading assessments, candidates can consult the IELTS Reading Practice Test section.

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Topic:

Migrants and Refugees: Racial Discrimination and Xenophobia

Today, one in every 50 human beings is a migrant worker, a refugee or asylum seeker, or an immigrant living in a foreign country. Current estimates by the United Nations and the International Organisation for Migration indicate that some 150 million people live temporarily or permanently outside their countries of origin (2.5% of the world population). Many of these, 80-97 million, are estimated to be migrant workers with members of their families Another 12 million are refugees outside their country of origin. These figures do not include the estimated 20 million Internally Displaced Persons forcibly displaced within their own country, nor the tens of millions more of internal migrants, mainly rural to urban, in countries around the world.

Increasing ethnic and racial diversity of societies is the inevitable consequence of migration. Increasing migration means that a growing number of states have become or are becoming more multi-ethnic, and are confronted with the challenge of accommodating peoples of different cultures, races, religions and languages. Addressing the reality of increased diversity means finding political, legal, social and economic mechanisms to ensure mutual respect and to mediate relations across differences. But xenophobia and racism have become manifest in some societies which have received substantial numbers of immigrants, as workers or as asylum-seekers. In those countries the migrants have become the targets in internal disputes about national identity. In the last few decades, the emergence of new nation states has often been accompanied by ethnic exclusion.

As governments grapple with the new realities of their multi-ethnic societies, there has been a marked increase in discrimination and violence directed against migrants, refugees and other non-nationals by extremist groups in many parts of the world. The lack of any systematic documentation or research over time makes it unclear whether there is a real increase in the level of abuse or in the level of exposure and reporting. Unfortunately, there is more than enough anecdotal evidence to show that violations of the human rights of migrants, refugees and other non-nationals are so generalised, widespread and commonplace that they are a defining feature of international migration today.

The extent of racial discrimination and xenophobia is often played down and sometimes denied by authorities.

Racial discrimination is defined in international law as being: any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.

Racism and xenophobia are distinct phenomena, although they often overlap. While racism generally implies distinction based on difference in physical characteristics, such as skin colour, hair type, facial features, etc, xenophobia denotes behaviour specifically based on the perception that 'the other' is foreign to or originates from outside the community or nation. By the standard dictionary definition, xenophobia is the intense dislike or fear of strangers or people from other countries. As a sociologist puts it, 'xenophobia is an attitudinal orientation of hostility against non-natives in a given population. The definition of xenophobia, and its differentiation from racism and racial discrimination, is a still-evolving concept. One of the regional Preparatory Meetings for a recent World Conference suggested that:- Racism is an ideological construct that assigns a certain race and/or ethnic group, to a position of power over others on the basis of physical and cultural attributes, as well as economic wealth involving hierarchical relations where the superior race exercises domination and control over others.- Xenophobia describes attitudes, prejudices and behaviour that reject, exclude and often vilify persons, based on the perception that they are outsiders or foreigners in the community, society or with respect to national identity.In many cases, it is difficult to distinguish between racism and xenophobia as motivations for behaviour, since differences in physical characteristics are often assumed to distinguish a person from the common identity. However, manifestations of xenophobia occur against people of identical physical characteristics, even of shared ancestry, when such people arrive, return or migrate to states or areas where occupants consider them outsiders.

QUESTIONS 27-30

COMPLETE EACH SENTENCE WITH THE CORRECT ENDING, A - F, BELOW.

27. An upward trend in violence perpetrated against non-national minority groups by radical nationals

Answer: has been observed in many different parts of the world

Supporting statement: “…there has been a marked increase in discrimination and violence directed against migrants, refugees and other non-nationals by extremist groups in many parts of the world.”

Keywords: increase, discrimination, violence, extremist groups

Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, lines 1–2

Explanation: The passage clearly mentions that discrimination and violence against migrants by extremist groups has increased in many regions globally, indicating an upward trend.

28. Racism differs from xenophobia in that victims of the former

Answer: are always culturally or physically distinct from the perpetrators of the acts of wrongdoing

Supporting statement: “While racism generally implies distinction based on difference in physical characteristics… xenophobia denotes behaviour specifically based on the perception that 'the other' is foreign.”

Keywords: distinction, physical characteristics, foreign

Keyword Location: Paragraph 6, lines 1–3

Explanation: Racism targets individuals based on visible differences, meaning victims are assumed to be distinct from perpetrators, unlike xenophobia.

29. Where racism occurs, the dominant group promotes a hierarchical system in which it

Answer: has a controlling hand in the affairs of one or more of the other sections of society

Supporting statement: “Racism is an ideological construct… where the superior race exercises domination and control over others.”

Keywords: superior race, domination, control

Keyword Location: Paragraph 6, lines 5–7

Explanation: Racism creates a hierarchy in which the dominant group has power over others and controls societal structures.

30. Persons not considered to be culturally or physically distinct from the majority

Answer: may still find themselves the victims of xenophobic behaviour

Supporting statement: “…manifestations of xenophobia occur against people of identical physical characteristics… where occupants consider them outsiders.”

Keywords: identical physical characteristics, outsiders, xenophobia

Keyword Location: Paragraph 6, lines 8–11

Explanation: Xenophobia can affect people who appear similar to the majority, showing that physical similarity does not prevent victimization.

are always culturally or physically distinct from the perpetrators of the acts of wrongdoing.
tend to share a likeness with the perpetrators of the crime
may still find themselves the victims of xenophobic behaviour.
has been observed in many different parts of the world.
will eventually reach a position of total submission.
has a controlling hand in the affairs of one or more of the other sections of society.

QUESTIONS 31-34

CHOOSE THE CORRECT LETTER A, B, C OR D

31. Which of the following migrants are there more of?

internally displaced persons
refugees
internal migrants
immigrant workers

Answer: internal migrants

Supporting statement: “…nor the tens of millions more of internal migrants, mainly rural to urban, in countries around the world.”

Keywords: internal migrants, rural to urban

Keyword Location: Paragraph 1, lines 3–4

Explanation: The passage explicitly states that internal migrants, mostly moving from rural to urban areas, are the largest group compared to refugees or migrant workers.

32. The author of the text believes that

racism is inevitable when people emigrate.
governments are finding it difficult to stop racism and xenophobia
the exploitation of minority groups deters others from migrating.
xenophobia does not exist within minority groups.

Answer: governments are finding it difficult to stop racism and xenophobia

Supporting statement: “The extent of racial discrimination and xenophobia is often played down and sometimes denied by authorities.”

Keywords: played down, denied, authorities

Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, lines 1–2

Explanation: Authorities often minimize or deny racial discrimination and xenophobia, indicating the difficulty in addressing these issues.

33. There is no real way of knowing how many migrants are discriminated against because

not all racial abuse cases are documented or looked into.
the number of migrants is increasing at an alarming rate.
migrants don't complain about being abused.
only serious cases are documented.

Answer: not all racial abuse cases are documented or looked into

Supporting statement: “The lack of any systematic documentation or research over time makes it unclear whether there is a real increase in the level of abuse or in the level of exposure and reporting.”

Keywords: lack, documentation, research

Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, lines 2–5

Explanation: Because many cases are not systematically recorded, the true extent of discrimination against migrants cannot be determined.

34 People in authority sometimes

exaggerate the seriousness of the problem.
create the problem.
deny there is a problem.
are eager to solve the problem.

Answer: deny there is a problem

Supporting statement: “The extent of racial discrimination and xenophobia is often played down and sometimes denied by authorities.”

Keywords: played down, denied, authorities

Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, lines 1–2

Explanation: Some authorities refuse to acknowledge the problem, showing denial rather than exaggeration or action.

QUESTIONS 35-40

DO THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS AGREE WITH THE INFORMATION GIVEN IN READING PASSAGE 3?

TRUE IF THE STATEMENT AGREES WITH THE INFORMATION

FALSE IF THE STATEMENT CONTRADICTS THE INFORMATION

NOT GIVEN IF THERE IS NO INFORMATION ON THIS

35. Most migrants flee their country of origin because of political or social disorder.

Answer: NOT GIVEN

Supporting statement: The passage mentions the numbers of migrants but does not explain the reasons most leave their country.

Keywords: —

Keyword Location: Paragraph 1

Explanation: There is no information provided on why most migrants flee their country.

36. Most internal migrants leave the countryside for the cities.

Answer: TRUE

Supporting statement: “…internal migrants, mainly rural to urban…”

Keywords: rural to urban

Keyword Location: Paragraph 1, line 4

Explanation: The passage states that internal migration is mostly from rural to urban areas.

37. Governments are often reluctant to acknowledge that racial discrimination and xenophobia exist.

Answer: TRUE

Supporting statement: “The extent of racial discrimination and xenophobia is often played down and sometimes denied by authorities.”

Keywords: played down, denied, authorities

Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, lines 1–2

Explanation: Governments often refuse to acknowledge racial discrimination and xenophobia, showing reluctance.

38. Migrants are exploited and abused because they create a sense of insecurity for extremist groups.

Answer: NOT GIVEN

Explanation: There is no direct information linking abuse to insecurity.

39. People who are racist or xenophobic are uneducated and hostile.

Answer: NOT GIVEN

Explanation: No evidence in the passage connects racism/xenophobia with education or general hostility.

40. People returning to their country of ancestry do not face xenophobia.

Answer: FALSE

Supporting statement: “…manifestations of xenophobia occur against people of identical physical characteristics, even of shared ancestry, when such people arrive, return or migrate to states…”

Keywords: identical physical characteristics, shared ancestry, xenophobia

Keyword Location: Paragraph 6, lines 8–11

Explanation: People returning to their country of ancestry can still face xenophobia, contradicting the statement.

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