# Athletes and stress: answers and explanations

Cambridge IELTS 19, Test 2, Reading Passage 2

Source: Passage, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 19, Test 2, Reading Passage 2. © Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Used for educational practice. Explanations and evidence notes are written by Testmigo.

## Answer key

| Q | Answer | Proof |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 14 | D | both affect the production of adrenaline and cortisol |
| 15 | F | But there are many ways athletes can ensure they respond positively under pressure. |
| 16 | A | which she later attributed to "the accumulation of the excitement and the buzz" |
| 17 | C | Research shows that the challenge states lead to good performance, while threat states lead to poorer performance. |
| 18 | F | Psychologists can also help athletes change how they see their physiological responses |
| 19 | injury | and any potential dangers such as injury. |
| 20 | serves | cortisol has been associated with more unsuccessful serves and greater anxiety. |
| 21 | excitement | such as helping them see a higher heart rate as excitement |
| 22 | Visualisation | Developing psychological skills, such as visualisation, can also help decrease physiological responses to threat. |
| 23 | B, D | she began having difficulty regulating her breathing and heart rate during a match |
| 24 | B, D | a much larger audience, higher expectations and facing a more skilful opponent |
| 25 | A, E | The intensity with which a person experiences anxiety depends on the demands and resources they have. |
| 26 | A, E | repeated episodes of anxiety coupled with negative responses can increase risk of heart disease and depression |

## Why these answers are right

**14. D.** Paragraph D names adrenaline and cortisol, the 'stress hormones', and explains how each changes blood flow and leads to better or worse sporting performance. Two hormones are two chemical compounds, so the reference is in paragraph D.

**15. F.** Paragraph F lists ways athletes can respond positively under pressure: careful use of language, reframing a high heart rate, visualization and recreating competitive pressure in training. These are strategies for reducing the effects of stress, so the answer is F.

**16. A.** Paragraph A reports that Emma Raducanu had trouble with her breathing and heart rate, 'which she later attributed to' the excitement and the buzz. Attributing your symptoms to a cause is accounting for your own experience, so the answer is A.

The why and the trap for questions 17 onwards are free with an account on the [answers page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/reading/athletes-and-stress/answers).

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