First-Time Homebuyers Are Scarce, but More Are Paying Cash

Study the questions and tasks

Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.

Practice level

B1. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.

Question formats

Single choice

How to approach this practice

Read the passage for its main idea, then return to the relevant sentence or paragraph for each question. Base answers on the passage.

1. Question 1 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Which statement best summarizes the article?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. First-time buyers are rare, and some use family wealth to pay cash.
   2. Most first-time buyers use money from selling stocks to buy homes.
   3. The report says younger buyers are now more likely to use mortgages.
   4. First-time buyers are paying less because home prices have fallen.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   First-time buyers are rare, and some use family wealth to pay cash.

   The report describes low first-time buyer numbers and greater use of cash.

   But the figures show that many first-time buyers remain unable to enter the housing market, while some depend on family wealth to make a purchase.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “They” refer to in the sentence about inherited wealth?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Buyers who paid cash
   2. Buyers who used retirement accounts
   3. People who received help from friends
   4. Older generations
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Buyers who paid cash

   The sentence first names the buyers being discussed.

   They were more likely than buyers who financed their homes to use an inheritance or money from selling inherited property.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What can be inferred from the age figures for cash buyers?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Cash buyers in the report tended to be older than mortgage users.
   2. Most cash buyers were first-time buyers under 38.
   3. Mortgage users usually received an inheritance.
   4. The report counted only buyers over age 54.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Cash buyers in the report tended to be older than mortgage users.

   The median age was higher for cash buyers than mortgage users.

   For those who paid cash, it was 54.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Why does the article explain the terms “down payment” and “mortgage”?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. To clarify terms needed to understand home purchase costs
   2. To show that all buyers need two different loans
   3. To explain why retirement accounts are risky
   4. To compare the prices of different homes
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   To clarify terms needed to understand home purchase costs

   The definitions help readers understand how home purchases are paid for.

   A down payment is the money a buyer pays upfront; a mortgage is a loan used to pay the rest of a home's price.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   How is the article organized after it introduces the report’s main finding?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. It presents ages, sources of money, and possible wider effects.
   2. It lists home prices, then compares cities and neighborhoods.
   3. It explains mortgage rules before describing the report’s results.
   4. It tells a buyer’s story and then gives advice about investing.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   It presents ages, sources of money, and possible wider effects.

   It moves from buyer ages to funding sources and wider effects.

   The report says first-time buyers are older than before.

What to review next

Find the words that support each answer. For a mistake, compare the question with the evidence and identify the detail or inference you missed.

A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.

Before you practise: a worked example

Look for evidence in the text. Separate what the writer says from what you already know about the topic.

The library normally closes at six, but on Fridays it stays open until eight. When does it close on Friday?

The answer is eight. But introduces an exception to the normal closing time, so the first time mentioned is not the answer.

This teaching example is separate from the scored questions. After your test, compare any mistakes with the explanation and revisit the topic before trying again.