An IELTS Reading Global Multiple Choice Question tests your understanding of the overall meaning or the main theme of a passage.
They usually ask about the main idea or the summary or the appropriate title for the passage, where you have to make the best choice from four options.
You can differentiate a global multiple choice question from other types of multiple choice questions. A global multiple choice question appears as single separate question – there is only one such question in a passage, whereas other multiple choice questions come in groups.
Additionally, a global multiple choice question is always the last question in any given passage. So, in Reading Passage 1, it will appear in question number 13; in Reading Passage 2, it will appear in question number 26; and in Reading Passage 3, it will appear in question number 40.
Despite of the fact that you need to read the entire text to accurately answer a global multiple choice question, you can use a shortcut.
In academic texts, the last paragraph or the conclusion paragraph is almost always a summary of the main points made in the text. So, an IELTS Reading Global Multiple Choice Question can be solved by reading the last paragraph only, although it may be confusing without context.
As global multiple choice questions always appear at the end, you will have read the passage for other questions beforehand. This should provide you with ample context to comprehend the last paragraph.
IELTS Reading Global Multiple Choice Question practice
| Eco-friendly toilet fails to impress |
|---|
| An eco-friendly toilet built in front of the Central Zoo in Jawalakhel (Kathmandu), which converts human waste into fertilizer, has remained unutilized for the past few months due to reluctance of visitors to use the facility. On Tuesday afternoon, the one and only eco-friendly toilet in the country was found locked. Swedish environmental solutions company EcoLoo AB had donated the eco-friendly toilet to the Solid Waste Management Technical Support Centre of the Home Ministry for its trial in Nepal. After being handed to the Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City (LSMC), it was installed in front of the Central Zoo three months ago. “As the LSMC Office cannot operate the toilet on its own, the responsibility was handed over to a private organization,” LSMC’s Environmental Engineer Pradeep Amatya said. He, however, said he was unaware of the fact that the toilet was unused and out of order. Nepal Pollution Control and Environment Management Center is the private contractor that has been hired to operate the eco-friendly loo. The Center’s President Devi Prasad Acharya said that the reluctance of the public to use the waterless eco-friendly toilet led to its current situation. “There is toilet paper in the eco-friendly latrine to clean oneself, but no water. As many Nepalis do not use toilet paper, they are reluctant to use the facility,” Acharya said. “When operational, people used the toilet for urination only.” The eco-friendly toilet uses bacteria to decompose human excreta in a mostly-automated and odor-free method, with fertilizer as the end product. However, the process is hindered if the waste becomes highly liquefied. Therefore, using water in the toilet or only using it for urination beats the purpose. |
| This text has been adapted from a news article by Gaurav Thapa published in The Kathmandu Post on 19 February 2015. An archive of the original article can be found at https://kathmandupost.com/valley/2015/02/19/eco-friendly-toilet-fails-to-impress |
Choose the correct letter A, B, C or D.
Write the correct letter in box on your answer sheet.
According to the text, what was the main issue with the eco-friendly toilet?
A Private contractor defaulted on the agreement.
B The city decided to lock it away.
C The public was disinclined to use it.
D It did not work as expected during the trial phase.
Click to reveal answer »
C
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IELTS Reading: Locating information
Fine details and instructions with simplicity, pinpointing the important areas ! Have been following the instructions through out my IELTS classes for the students I teach.
In fact, this has been the basis of my teachings to the students. I have taught over hundreds of students the these study materials. Really thankful to you Mr. Gaurab Thapa sir, keep up the good work !
Thank you very much for your kind words.
good and helpful for me and its really great
Happy to help.
wow sir it is very useful and helpful for students like us
Thank you for your wonderful comment Ankit.