The Dollar-A-Year Man, Children’s Literature, & The Birth of Our Modern Minds - IELTS Reading Answers
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Attempt the complete IELTS Reading passages on ‘The Dollar-A-Year Man, Children’s Literature, & The Birth of Our Modern Minds’. Get familiar with different question types, tips to attempt, answers, explanations, and more to improve your reading accuracy.
Table of Contents
- Types of Questions in ‘The Dollar-A-Year Man, Children’s Literature, & The Birth of Our Modern Minds’
- Tips to Attempt Questions in ‘The Dollar-A-Year Man, Children’s Literature, & The Birth of Our Modern Minds’
- IELTS Reading Passage 1 on ‘The Dollar-A-Year Man’
- IELTS Reading Passage 2 on ‘Children’s Literature’
- IELTS Reading Passage 3 on ‘The Birth of Our Modern Minds’
- Answer with Explanation for ‘The Dollar-A-Year Man, Children’s Literature, & The Birth of Our Modern Minds’
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The IELTS Reading passages, ‘The Dollar-A-Year Man, Children’s Literature, & The Birth of Our Modern Minds’, makes this a complete Reading practice test. You will have 60 minutes to complete the whole test, which consists of 40 questions in total. These IELTS Reading passages give you an opportunity to manage time while using effective reading techniques. Remember to simulate exam conditions to track your progress and build confidence for the exam day. By attempting such passages, you get to improve skills such as skimming, scanning, key idea detection, context comprehension, and opinion interpretation skills.
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Types of Questions in ‘The Dollar-A-Year Man, Children’s Literature, & The Birth of Our Modern Minds’
Getting familiar with the specific question types in each section would help you decide the reading strategies such as skimming, scanning, and detailed reading. This would save time while achieving better comprehension as you try to answer. Since this is a complete test, you can focus on noting your progress for each question type. Here are the question types in this reading test.
Reading Passage 1 (The Dollar-a-Year Man)
- IELTS Reading Summary Completion [Q.1 - Q.5]
- IELTS Reading Matching Information [Q.6 - Q.10]
- IELTS Reading Multiple Choice Questions [Q.11 - Q13]
Reading Passage 2 (Children’s literature)
- IELTS Reading Matching Headings [Q.14 - Q.20]
- IELTS Reading Yes, No, Not Given [Q.21 - Q.26]
Reading Passage 3 (The birth of our modern minds)
- IELTS Reading Short Answer Questions[Q.27 - Q.32]
- IELTS Reading Matching Information [Q.33 - Q.40]
Tips to Attempt Questions in ‘The Dollar-A-Year Man, Children’s Literature, & The Birth of Our Modern Minds’
Since you get to answer different questions for the IELTS Academic Reading passages, it is important to get familiar with the specific strategies for each of them. Such an approach can help you elevate your preparation while focusing on improving the question type where you find difficulty answering. Below are some of the tips related to the questions in the passages on ‘The Dollar-A-Year Man, Children’s Literature, & The Birth of Our Modern Minds’.
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Summary Completion
In this type of question, you will be provided with a summary of information from a text, and there will be a few gaps. You will either get a list of words to be filled in the gaps or you could be asked to find answers from the reading passage. You will have to insert a few words from the text into the gaps. All of the information in the summary will also be available in the reading text. However, they will be using paraphrasing and synonyms. Thus, you cannot expect to find the exact words.
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Matching Information Questions
In this type of question, a list which contains information taken from the paragraphs. You are asked to find out the paragraph from which the information is taken. Sometimes the question may be tricky because the information given might not be in exact words as given in the paragraph instead it will be paraphrased so you need to read the paragraph to understand the meaning/idea behind it to answer these questions.
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Multiple Choice Questions
IELTS reading multiple choice questions have about 3-4 options from which we have to choose our answer. This might be in the form of a question & answer type or a choose a correct ending to a sentence type. These answers appear in chronological order according to the passage.
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Matching Headings
In this type of question, a list of headings will be given and you are asked to match these headings with a paragraph in the passage. You should read the headings before you begin reading the text. To get the correct answer, you have to read the complete paragraph and not just stop with the first few lines of the paragraph. There will also be many other headings that are not related to any of the paragraphs given in the passage, in such cases, try to identify those types of headings too.
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Yes/No/Not Given Questions
Similar to the True/False/Not given questions, Yes/No/Not given questions also have various statements. But here you are asked to agree or disagree with the statement based on the opinion of the author.
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Short Answer Questions
In this type of question, you’ll have to take words from the given text to write the short answers. It is important to pay close attention to the instructions that are given in the question because in some instructions there will be a word limit mentioned and you may lose marks if you don’t follow it.
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IELTS Reading Passage 1 on ‘The Dollar-A-Year Man’
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13, which are based on the Reading Passage below. Find the passage on The Dollar-A-Year Man here.
Questions 1-5
Complete the summary below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in blank spaces next to 1-5 on our answer sheet.
John Lomax’s Project
Lomax began the research for this project by looking at 1 ………………………………………………… that were not available in book form, as well as at certain books. While he was doing this research, he met someone who ran a department at the 2 …………………………. in Washington. As a result of this contact, he was provided with the very latest kind of 3 ………………………………. . for his project. Lomax believed that the places he should concentrate on were 4 ………………………………. in the South of the US. While he and his son were on their trip, they added 5 ……………………………….. as places where they could find what they were looking for.
Questions 6-10
Reading Passage 1 has seven sections labelled A-Q.
Which section contains the following information?
Write the correct letter A-Q in boxes 6—10 on your answer sheet.
NB You may use any letter more than once.
6 a reference to the speed with which Lomax responded to a demand
7 a reason why Lomax doubted the effectiveness of a certain approach
8 reasons why Lomax was considered suitable for a particular official post
9 a reference to a change of plan on Lomax’s part
10 a reference to one of Lomax’s theories being confirmed
Questions 11-13
Choose THREE letters A-F.
Write your answers in boxes 11-13 on your answer sheet.
Which THREE of the following difficulties for Lomax are mentioned by the writer of the text?
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11 …………………………….
12 …………………………….
13 …………………………….
IELTS Reading Passage 2 on ‘Children’s Literature’
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26, which are based on the Reading Passage below. Find the passage on Children’s Literature here.
Questions 14-20
Reading Passage 2 has seven paragraphs A—Q.
Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.
Write the correct numbers i-x m boxes 14-20 on your answer sheet.
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List of Headings
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14 Paragraph A …………………………….
15 Paragraph B …………………………….
16 Paragraph C …………………………….
17 Paragraph D …………………………….
18 Paragraph E …………………………….
19 Paragraph F …………………………….
20 Paragraph G
Questions 21-26
Do the following statements agree with the news of the writer in Reading Passage 2?
In boxes 21-26 on your answer sheet write
YES, if the statement agrees with the news of the writer
NO, if the statement contradicts the views of the writer
NOT GIVEN, if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
21 Adults often fail to recognise the subversive elements in books their children read.
22 In publishing, the definition of certain genres has become inconsistent.
23 Characters in The Secret Garden are a good example of the norm in children’s literature.
24 Despite the language used in A High Wind in Jamaica, it should be considered a children’s hook.
25 The character of Tiny Tim contrasts with that of the child in Little Lord Fauntleroy.
26 A more realistic view of money should be given in children’s hooks.
IELTS Reading Passage 3 on ‘The Birth of Our Modern Minds’
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27-40, which are based on the Reading Passage below. Find the passage on The Birth of Our Modern Minds here.
Questions 27-32
Answer the questions below using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 27-32 on your answer sheet.
27 According to the current view, what does NOT indicate the first appearance of the modern human.
28 What type of evidence does Lord Renfrew question in general?
29 What, apart from art, were the developments in the creation of 40,000 years ago?
30 What kind of cave art in Britain is referred to?
31 What TWO things does Lord Renfrew believe to have been established 10,000 years ago?
32 What TWO things did the notion of personal possessions lead to?
Questions 33-40
Write the correct letter A—D in boxes 33—40 on your answer sheet.
Classify the following statements as referring to the period.
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33 The brain was completely formed physically but was not capable of all the functions of the modern mind.
34 There was a major change in the attitude of humans to each other.
35 A huge amount of art in different forms began to appear.
36 Development of the human mind occurred at the same time as a migration.
37 Art from the period casts doubt on the conventional view of the development of the human mind.
38 Tire modern mind developed in a different location from the one normally assumed.
39 The only significant change in the development of man is shown in the art produced.
40 Further research into the period is essential for accurate conclusions to be drawn on human development.
Answer with Explanation for ‘The Dollar-A-Year Man, Children’s Literature, & The Birth of Our Modern Minds’
How was it? Now that you have answered all the questions for the three passages, you can dive into the correct answers and note your IELTS Band Score. Through active analysis, you will learn to identify paraphrased content and use logical reasoning to choose the correct answers. Such comparative study will improve your reading precision and speed.
The Dollar-A-Year Man (Passage 1)
| Answer | Question Type | Answer Location | Answer Explanation |
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1. song collection |
Summary Completion |
Paragraph D, line 2 |
In the given paragraph, it is mentioned that “he travelled to libraries at Harvard, the Library of Congress, Brown University and elsewhere in order to explore unpublished song collections and to canvas the folk songbooks published over the past ten years.” The song collections were ‘unpublished’ ( not in book form) ; the ‘folk songbooks’ mentioned here were published ( book form). |
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2. library of Congress |
Summary Completion |
Paragraph D, line 3 |
In the said paragraph, you can refer to, “during his stay in Washington, D.C., Lomax became friendly with Carl Engel, Music Division chief of the Library of Congress.” Engel worked at the Library of Congress. Lomax became friendly with him. |
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3. portable recording machine |
Summary Completion |
Paragraph D, line 4 |
A line in the said paragraph infers that “through funds provided by the Council of Learned Societies and the Library of Congress, Lomax ordered a state-of-the-art portable recording machine.” The recording equipment is said to be ‘state-of-the-art’ (the latest kind). |
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4. rural areas |
Summary Completion |
Paragraph E, line 3 |
If you read thoroughly, there’s a line in the said paragraph that describes “this fact, along with his early appreciation of African American folk culture, led Lomax to decide that black folk music from rural areas should be the primary focus. This bold determination resulted in the first major trip in the United States to capture black folk music in the field. In order to fulfil their quest, the two men concentrated on sections of the South with a high percentage of blacks.” He decided that ‘black folk music’ in these ‘rural areas’ would be his ‘primary focus’ (what he would mainly concentrate on). These areas were in the south of the US. |
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5. prisons and penitentiaries |
Summary Completion |
Paragraph E, last line |
According to a line, “but as they went along, prisons and penitentiaries also emerged as a focal point for research.” Initially they decided to go to ‘labouring camps, particularly lumber camps.’ But ‘as they went along’ (while they were on the trip), prisons and penitentiaries also ’emerged’ (appeared or became known to them) as a ‘focal point for research’ (something they should also concentrate on). Therefore, they added these places to the places in which they did their research. |
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6. D |
Matching Information Questions |
Paragraph D, 2nd last line |
Few lines in the said paragraph convey that “Lomax simply had to agree to deposit the completed records at the Library of Congress. He did so without hesitation.” Here it confirms that he responded quickly. |
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7. F |
Matching Information Questions |
Paragraph F, |
If you read thoroughly, there’s a line that claims “The whole idea of using a phonograph to preserve authentic folk music was still fairly new. Most of John Lomax’s peers were involved in collecting- songs the classic way: taking both words and melody down by hand, asking the singer to perform the song over and over until the collector had ‘caught’ it on paper. John Lomax sensed at once the limitations of this kind of method, especially when getting songs from African-American singers, whose quarter tones, blue notes, and complex timing often frustrated white musicians trying to transcribe them with European notation systems.” Though every section contains a reference to Lomax collecting songs or doing the research before his trip; this passage particularly mentions the normal methods at the time and Lomax’s belief that these were not appropriate for the kind of music he was collecting. |
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8. D |
Matching Information Questions |
Paragraph D, line 4 |
If you observe clearly, a line suggests that “Engel felt that Lomax had the necessary background and energy to someday direct the Archive of Folk Song.” The reasons why Engel thought that Lomax was suitable for it were his ‘background’ and his ‘energy’. This particular sentence provides the information that Lomax was considered suitable for the job because of his background. |
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9. B |
Matching Information Questions |
Paragraph B, line 1 |
In the said paragraph, you can point out that “Lomax wanted to embark on a nationwide collecting project, resulting in as many as four volumes, and ‘complete the rehabilitation of the American folk-song. Eventually, this was modified to where he envisioned a single book tentatively called American Ballads and Folk Songs, designed to survey the whole field.” He originally planned to produce ‘four volumes’ (books) but then ‘modified’ (changed) his plan and decided to produce ‘a single book’ (one book). Lomax’s plans are mentioned in every section. However, only this paragraph contains a reference to him changing a plan. |
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10. E |
Matching Information Questions |
Paragraph E, line 2 |
According to a line in the paragraph, “Lomax’s library research had reinforced his belief that a dearth of black folk song material existed in printed collections.” His theory was that there was ‘a dearth of’ (a serious lack of) black folk music in printed collections. This theory was ‘reinforced’ (confirmed, made stronger) when he did his library research. Thus, section E contains the only reference to him proving that one of his theories was correct. |
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11. D (D/E/F: in any order) |
Multiple Choice Questions |
Paragraph G, line 4 |
Paragraph G puts forward the information that “as have hundreds of folk song collectors after him, John Lomax had to persuade his singers to perform, to explain to them why their songs were important, and to convince the various authorities – the wardens, the trusties, the bureaucrats – that this was serious, worthwhile work.” Lomax had to ‘persuade his singers to perform’ and ‘explain to them why their songs were important.’ This indicates that at first they were reluctant to (they didn’t want to) take part in his project. |
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12. E (D/E/F: in any order) |
Multiple Choice Questions |
Paragraph G, line 5 |
A line in the said paragraph infers that “he faced the moral problem of how to safeguard the records and the rights of the singers – a problem he solved in this instance by donating the discs to the Library of Congress.” He felt that he had to ‘safeguard’ (protect) the records and the rights of the singers’ to make sure that they weren’t exploited (that other people didn’t take unfair advantage of them to make money). |
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13. F (D/E/F: in any order) |
Multiple Choice Questions |
Paragraph G, line 6 |
If you read thoroughly, a line in the passage specifies that “he had to overcome the technical problems involved in recording outside a studio; one always hoped for quiet, with no doors slamming or alarms going off, but it was always a risk. His new state-of-the-art recording machine sported a new microphone designed by NBC, but there were no wind baffles to help reduce the noise when recording outside. Lomax learned how to balance sound, where to place microphones, how to work echoes and walls, and soon was a skilled recordist.” The factors were the noise from various things, but his equipment was not able to reduce the noise while recording because it had no ‘wind baffles’. He, therefore, had to ‘overcome’ these technical problems. |
Children’s literature Reading Answers (Passage 2)
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| Question No. | Answer | Question Type | Answer Location | Answer Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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14 |
vi |
Matching Headings |
Paragraph A, line 2 |
Discusses standard reasons for children’s literature importance including literary value and archetypes. |
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15 |
x |
Matching Headings |
Paragraph B, line 2 |
Highlights children’s literature as subversive and challenging adult conventions. |
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16 |
iii |
Matching Headings |
Paragraph C, line 2 |
Explains appeal through imagination, unconventional thinking, and rebellion. |
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17 |
viii |
Matching Headings |
Paragraph D, line 2 |
Defines children’s books and compares them with adult fiction. |
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18 |
i |
Matching Headings |
Paragraph E, line 2 |
States that children are portrayed as essentially good or capable of becoming good. |
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19 |
iv |
Matching Headings |
Paragraph F, line 1 |
Contrasts adults and children, showing adults as incapable of growth. |
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20 |
ix |
Matching Headings |
Paragraph G |
Explains treatment of sex, money, and death in children’s literature. |
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21 |
NOT GIVEN |
Yes/No/Not Given |
Paragraphs B and C |
No mention of whether adults realise children read subversive books. |
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22 |
NO |
Yes/No/Not Given |
Paragraph D, last line |
Editors and critics can clearly classify books into categories. |
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23 |
YES |
Yes/No/Not Given |
Paragraph E |
Transformation of characters supports the idea of children becoming good. |
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24 |
NO |
Yes/No/Not Given |
Paragraph E, last line |
Book excluded due to character traits, not language complexity. |
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25 |
YES |
Yes/No/Not Given |
Paragraph F, last line |
Tiny Tim’s passivity shows difference from typical children’s literature. |
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26 |
NOT GIVEN |
Yes/No/Not Given |
Paragraph G |
Money portrayed unrealistically, but no opinion given on whether this is good or bad. |
The Birth of Our Modern Minds (Passage 3)
| Question No | Answer | Question Type | Answer Location | Answer Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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27 |
stone-age technology |
Short Answer Questions |
Paragraph A, line 3 |
Development of modern humans marked by creative explosion, not Stone Age technology. |
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28 |
genetic(s) |
Short Answer Questions |
Paragraph B, line 3 |
Lord Renfrew finds genetic evidence unsatisfactory without cultural development. |
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29 |
tools |
Short Answer Questions |
Paragraph C, last line |
Besides cave art, major changes occurred in tools. |
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30 |
engravings |
Short Answer Questions |
Paragraph D, line 1 |
Oldest British cave art consists of engravings at Creswell Crags. |
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31 |
permanent villages; agriculture |
Short Answer Questions |
Paragraph D, last line |
Major mental developments occurred with settled villages and agriculture. |
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32 |
mathematics; written language |
Short Answer Questions |
Paragraph F, line 1 |
Property concepts led to mathematics and written language. |
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33 |
C |
Matching Information |
Paragraph B, line 3 |
Brain developed early but culture was lacking. |
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34 |
A |
Matching Information |
Paragraph D, line 6 |
Real revolution began with settled living and cooperation. |
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35 |
B |
Matching Information |
Paragraph A, line 3 |
Creative explosion introduced various art forms. |
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36 |
B |
Matching Information |
Paragraph A, line 3 |
Creative explosion coincided with migration to Europe. |
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37 |
D |
Matching Information |
Paragraph D, line 3 |
Early art in Africa challenges conventional views. |
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38 |
A |
Matching Information |
Paragraph B, line 2 |
Modern mind developed in Middle East, not Europe. |
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39 |
B |
Matching Information |
Paragraph C, line 3 |
Major noticeable change was in art, not physical form. |
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40 |
A |
Matching Information |
Paragraph F, line 5 |
Understanding 10,000 years ago is key to origins. |
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To prepare well, you need to develop a continuous improvement mindset which will help you to note down the areas of improvement. By reviewing your answers, you get to measure your development of reading skills and improve your reading comprehension abilities. So, move on to the next passage and analyse your band scores in real time since the test simulates the actual exam conditions.
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