# Green Wave Washes Over Mainstream Shopping: answers and explanations

Cambridge IELTS 2, Test 4, Reading Passage 1

Source: Passage, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 2, Test 4, Reading Passage 1. © Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Used for educational practice. Explanations and evidence notes are written by Testmigo.

## Answer key

| Q | Answer | Proof |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | YES | green consumers continue to flourish as a significant group amongst shoppers |
| 2 | NO | despite recession and financial pressures, more people than ever want to buy environmentally friendly products |
| 3 | YES | are prepared to pay more for them has climbed from 53 per cent in 1990 to around 60 per cent in 1994 |
| 4 | NOT GIVEN | A report from Mintel, the market research organisation |
| 5 | NO | Mintel's survey, based on nearly 1,000 consumers ... the number of green spenders among older people and manual workers has risen substantially |
| 6 | NOT GIVEN | Mintel's 1994 survey found that 13 per cent of consumers are 'very dark green' |
| 7 | B | politicians who claim environmentalism is yesterday's issue may be seriously misjudging the public mood ... it has spread across a much wider range of consumer groups, ages and occupations |
| 8 | B | A report from Mintel, the market research organisation ... The consumer research manager for Mintel, Angela Hughes |
| 9 | C | Another 26 per cent are 'armchair greens'; they said they care about environmental issues but their concern does not affect their spending habits. |
| 10 | C | Companies will have to be more honest and open in response to this mood. |
| 11 | F | consumers will be encouraged to think more about the entire history of the products and services they buy |
| 12 | B | the number of 'armchair ethicals' has risen from 28 to 35 per cent |
| 13 | K | involving issues such as fair trade with the Third World and the social record of businesses |

## Why these answers are right

**1. YES.** The statement says the research is about shopping, not politics. The writer reports that green consumers flourish as a significant group amongst shoppers, and the Mintel data throughout concern buying habits; politicians are mentioned only as people who misread this mood, so YES.

**2. NO.** The statement claims greater wealth made shoppers buy green. The writer says the opposite: despite recession and financial pressures, more people than ever want environmentally friendly products, so green buying grew in hard times rather than because people were better off, which makes the answer NO.

**3. YES.** This asks whether most shoppers will pay extra for green goods. Mintel found the share who look for green products and are prepared to pay more rose from 53 per cent to around 60 per cent, which is a majority, so the statement agrees with the passage: YES.

The why and the trap for questions 4 onwards are free with an account on the [answers page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/reading/green-wave-washes-over-mainstream-shopping/answers).

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