How To Handle The Sun, New Directions – Map Making, How Children Learn – IELTS Reading Answers

The IELTS Reading passage, How To Handle The Sun, along with the other two Academic passages – New Directions – Map Making and How Children Learn, make this a complete Reading practice test.

You will have 60 minutes to complete the whole test, which consists of 40 questions in total.

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Here are the question types in this reading test

Reading Passage 1 (How To Handle The Sun)

• Matching features
• True or False / Not Given
• Summary completion

Reading Passage 2 (New Directions – Map Making)

• Matching headings
• Matching information
• Multiple Choice Questions

Reading Passage 3 ( How Children Learn)

• Short answer questions
• True or False / Not Given
• Sentence completion

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Reading Passage 1

How to Handle the Sun

Questions 1-4

1 Richard Kovacs

2 August Rollier

3 W. Coblenz

4 Leonard Dodds

A believes that the benefits of the sun are not scientifically provable

B claims to have discovered the vitamin released in the skin by the sun

C suggests that the sun is an excellent healer

D invented the first sunscreen

E suggests that the sun assists with common illnesses

F thinks that initially, the sun is of benefit to the body

G is unsure about the benefits of the sun

H thinks the location is very important in maximizing the benefit from the sun

Questions 5-9

5 Most doctors agree when it comes to the health benefits of the sun.

6 Beaches are best for a suntan because the air has far less pollution.

7 Women applied fat to their skin for protection from the sun.

8 Extended exposure of the eyes to the sun can lead to blindness.

9 The human eye cannot heal itself when it is damaged by the sun.

Questions 10-14

Handling the Sun

Many doctors agree that skin cancer can be caused by excessive exposure to the sun. As far as the human body is concerned, it is primarily the face and hands that are 10 _____________. When human skin is exposed to the sun, the body has a defense: an

11________________ of the skin’s natural oils and acids. For some time, women have been more effective than men in

12________________ for their skin. Eyes are a significant part of the body that are negatively affected by the sun. The damage often goes undetected because it happens quite 13_____________ . On the other hand, hair becomes quite dry and brittle when exposed to the sun for an extended period. A lanolin-based conditioner is recommended by hair care professionals to 14 _____________ this problem. Perhaps a simple hat may be the best solution for hair.

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Reading Passage 2

New Directions – Map Making

List of Headings

i. transferring air photos to paper maps

ii. computers make map production easy

iii. maps for seeing into the future

iv. the role of weather in map-making photography

v. interest grows in map-making

vi. map-making responsible for space programs

vii. the new process enables calculation of distance

viii. the future of cartography rests with helicopters

ix. the impact of satellites on map-making

x. defining map making

Example

Section A x

15 Section B

16 Section C

17 Section D

18 Section E

19 Section F

Question 20-23

Write the correct letter A, B, C or D in boxes 20-23 on your answer sheet. Classify the following as first occurring

20 The first images of the earth are taken in space.

21 Parts of the earth are mapped through the use of radio waves.

22 A satellite is launched in search of forests, lakes, and rivers.

23 Work began on what would be the most advanced map-making system in the future.

Questions 24-26

Write the correct letter A, B, C or D in boxes 20-23 on your answer sheet.The list below gives possible factors that contributed to improvements in cartography.

Which THREE of these factors are mentioned in the text?

Write the appropriate letters A-F in boxes 24-26 on your answer sheet.

A magnetometers

B Sputnik I

C World War II

D stereo plotters

E aeroplanes and helicopters

F stereoscopes

24

25

26

Reading Passage 3

How Children Learn

27 What did early research into child capabilities focus on?

28 Who thought infants needed to communicate verbally in order to show advanced comprehension?

29 In what period of their growth do infants develop an awareness of time?

30 What TWO things is the infant mind compared to?

Question 31-35

31 In many ways, children learn the same way adults learn.

32 20th-century psychologists thought infants were unintelligent because they were usually asleep.

33 The focus of early research methods in child development has been similar to those conducted more recently.

34 Piaget showed that each new stage of learning builds upon the previous one.

35 Vygotsky’s research has had a positive impact on many primary school teachers.

Questions 36-40

36 When it comes to learning new concepts, recent research has shown that children are both competent and__________________ .

37 Not only are young children capable of assembling information they are also able to __________________ .

38 One of the ways scientists measured infant preference was through __________________

39 An indicator of cognitive development is that knowledge must be__________________

40 Vygotsky believed that the key to learning lay in the individual’s__________________

Answers

How To Handle The Sun Reading Answers (Passage 1)

1 Answer: E

Question Type: Matching features

Answer location: Paragraph D, line 3

Answer explanation: Another specialist, Dr. Richard Kovacs writes, “Sun treatment is often helpful to persons suffering from general debility – repeated colds, respiratory diseases, influenza and the like.” Common illnesses are fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches etc. And since Richard Kovacs suggests that sun treatment is helpful for repeated colds, respiratory diseases, and influenza, we can deduce that according to him sun assists with common illnesses.

2 Answer: H

Question Type: Matching features

Answer location: Paragraph D, line 1

Answer explanation: The opening line of paragraph D suggests that “the sun has long been called nature’s greatest health giver and healer and has played a chief role at health resorts ever since August Rollick, the Swiss father of heliotherapy, opened his first high-Alps sanatorium in 1903.” Here, we can infer that August Rollick is the father of heliotherapy (the therapeutic use of sunlight) and opened his sanatorium in the high Alps, which implies August Rollick believes that location plays an important role in maximizing the therapeutic uses of sunlight.

3 Answer: C

Question Type: Matching features

Answer location: Paragraph D, line 2

Answer explanation: If you read thoroughly, a line claims that “Dr. W. W. Coblenz suggests that the sun cure is a major factor in the treatment of at least 23 skin diseases, ranging from acne and eczema to ulcers and wounds.” Since Coblenz suggests that the sun helps in the treatment of at least 23 skin diseases, we can deduce that according to him sun is an excellent healer.

4 Answer: F

Question Type: Matching features

Answer location: Paragraph D, last line

Answer explanation: The answer is clearly mentioned in the said paragraph and line. You must note the paraphrasing here. In the passage, it is said that “after a long winter, the return to the sun writes Dr. Leonard Dodds, the British sunlight scholar, is a general stimulus to the body, more potent if applied after a period when it has been lacking which gradually loses its effect if exposure is over prolonged, even when not excessive.” Hence, we can conclude that Dr. Leonard Dodds thinks that initially, the sun is of benefit to the body because sunlight has various potential benefits for the body as it is a general stimulus ( meaning. thing that evokes a specific functional reaction in tissues).

5 Answer: FALSE

Question Type: True/False or Not Given Question

Answer location: Paragraph A, line 1

Answer explanation: Paragraph A puts forward the information that “the medical world appears to be divided on the effects of the sun upon the human body. From statements like, “There is no known relationship between a tan and health” to “perhaps sun-tanned skin absorbs the ultraviolet rays and converts them into helpful energy”, there are some things which are still the topic of research.” Ss doctors appeared to be divided on the beneficial effects of sun on the human body, we can deduce that at least half of the doctors do not agree when it comes to the health benefits of the sun.

6 Answer: TRUE

Question Type: True/False or Not Given Question

Answer location: Paragraph C, last line

Answer explanation: In the said paragraph, you can refer to,“locale plays a big part in the effectiveness of the suntan. Perhaps the seashore is best of all, with its air estimated to have at least a fifth of a percent more oxygen than inland ether – free of city and inland dust, tars, pollen, and allergens.” Seashores are areas of sandy, stony, or rocky land bordering and level with the sea and the air is generally dust and pollen-free. Hence, beaches are best for a suntan because the air has far less pollution.

7 Answer: TRUE

Question Type: True/False or Not Given Question

Answer location: Paragraph E, 2nd last line

Answer explanation: The entire sentence has been paraphrased here. In the passage, it states that “since the ladies of ancient Egypt first began to apply the fat of the so-called sacred temple cats to their faces, women have been tireless in waging this battle against damage to the skin from the sun. Both sexes now contribute annually to a multi-million dollar global sunscreen business.” It is true that women in ancient Egypt use to apply fat to their skin for protection from the sun.

8 Answer: NOT GIVEN

Question Type: True/False or Not Given Question

Answer location: N/A

Answer explanation: None of the passages confirms or denies that extended exposure of the eyes to the sun will lead to blindness.

9 Answer: FALSE

Question Type: True/False or Not Given Question

Answer location: Paragraph F, line 2

Answer explanation: If you read thoroughly, there’s a line in the said paragraph that describes “many years ago, optometrists undertook studies in America to examine the influence of the sun upon the eyes by studying Atlantic City lifeguards and found that even a few hours in the bright sun without sunglasses could cause a significant loss of vision – a loss that might take several weeks from which to recover.” The author suggests that extended exposure to the sun without sunglasses can cause loss of vision for a few weeks but it cannot damage the eyes permanently.

10 Answer: affected

Question Type: Summary Completion

Answer location: Paragraph E, line 2

Answer explanation: A line in the paragraph denotes “those with the greatest chance of doing permanent damage to their skin are the year-round outdoor workers – 90% of which occurs on the heavily exposed hands and face.” Since it is mentioned that 90% of the damage occurs to hands and face, it implies that primarily the face and hands are affected due to excessive exposure to the sun.

11 Answer: blend

Question Type: Summary Completion

Answer location: Paragraph E, line 3

Answer explanation: Few lines in the said paragraph convey that “the first line of defense against permanent sun damage is the skin’s own natural fatty matter and sweat, which combine to form an oily acid surface shield against the ultraviolet rays.” The term blend has been paraphrased to “combine to form”, which confirms that after getting exposed to the sun for long hours, the human body generates sweat and forms an oily acid (skin’s natural oils and acids) blend to shield against (defense) the ultraviolet rays.

12 Answer: caring

Question Type: Summary Completion

Answer location: Paragraph E, line 5

Answer explanation: A line in the passage mentions that “over the years, women have shown far greater wisdom in the care of their skin than men.” Hence, women have shown more wisdom than men in caring for their skin.

13 Answer: slowly

Question Type: Summary Completion

Answer location: Paragraph F, 2nd last line

Answer explanation: In the said paragraph, you can point out that “so gradual was the change that the lifeguards were unaware that their sight had been affected. The solution to this problem was to introduce sunglasses as a standard part of the lifeguard uniform.” According to the author, the damage caused by the sun often goes undetected because it happens slowly.

14 Answer: overcome

Question Type: Summary Completion

Answer location: Paragraph G, line 3

Answer explanation: If you read thoroughly, a line in the passage specifies that “haircare professionals recommend a nutritional cream treatment with a substance containing lanolin to bring your hair back its natural softness, these usually come in the form of leave-in conditioners, and should be applied frequently, just as you would a sunscreen for the skin.” Haircare professionals recommend nutritional cream treatment to overcome the hair problem.

New Directions – Map Making Reading Answers (Passage 2)

15 Answer: vii

Question Type: Matching Headings

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 3

Answer explanation: Paragraph B puts forward the information that “the need to accurately measure distances using air photos gave birth to the process of photogrammetry.” This passage discusses the new process which enables the calculation of distance known as photogrammetry.

16 Answer: v

Question Type: Matching Headings

Answer location: Paragraph C, line 3

Answer explanation: A line in the said paragraph infers that “after World War II had ended, this new technology led to an increased interest in cartography. Mappers began to use newly invented devices such as tellurometers, air profile recorders, magnetometers, and scintillation counters.” This line provides the information that after the 2nd world war people’s interest in cartography (the science or practice of drawing maps) started growing.

17 Answer: ix

Question Type: Matching Headings

Answer location: Paragraph D, line 1

Answer explanation: If you read thoroughly, a line in the passage specifies that “in 1957, the Soviet satellite Sputnik 1 joined the moon in orbit around the earth. Although it only operated for 21 days, it began the ‘space race’ and shortly after a number of American and other Russian rockets were put into orbit progressing cartography into an even more sophisticated realm.” so, satellites were able to put map-making on an even more sophisticated realm (more knowledgable domain). Hence, the most appropriate title for this paragraph would be the impact of satellites on map-making.

18 Answer: ii

Question Type: Matching Headings

Answer location: Paragraph E, line 1

Answer explanation: According to paragraph E, “in addition to all the advances in aerial satellite technology, some very advanced computer hardware has been designed to aide cartographers in map production.” Aide means to help/assist. Hence, we can infer that some computer hardware has been designed to make (assist) map production easy.

19 Answer: iii

Question Type: Matching Headings

Answer location: Paragraph F, line 5

Answer explanation: If you read thoroughly, the author in the given paragraph mentions that “most recently, attention has shifted to short-lived phenomena such as tornados, air pollution, and floods, and a visualization of the results of conceptual modelling of environmental phenomena such as groundwater contamination.” From the term visualisation we can infer that nowadays maps are more significantly used for seeing into the future, to predict short-lived phenomena such as tornados, air pollution, floods, etc.

20 Answer: A

Question Type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph D, line 3

Answer explanation: Paragraph D puts forward the information that “only a few years later in 1959, the first space photograph of the earth was received.” This information confirms that the first images of the earth are taken in space in 1959, which was between 1955 and 1960.

21 Answer: C

Question Type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph D, line 4

Answer explanation: In the reference paragraph, the author mentions that “Pages 1, launched by the United States in 1966, was the first satellite with an instrument package onboard specifically designed for surveying the earth. Two years later, the American Satnav system was launched utilizing six carefully positioned Transit satellites which fed back information for mapping based upon the Doppler effect. ” Here, the Doppler effect or Doppler shift is the change in frequency of a wave in relation to an observer who is moving relative to the wave source. Hence, “the Doppler effect” has been paraphrased to “radio waves”. Thus, the 1st satellite was mapped in 1968 to collect data from the earth’s surface through the use of radio waves, which means it was between 1965 and 1970.

22 Answer: D

Question Type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph D, line 6

Answer explanation: If you read thoroughly, a line in the said paragraph discusses that “the Landsat 1 satellite launched in 1972 was the first satellite to collect data specifically on the earth’s surface and natural resources.” Here, a satellite was launched in 1972, it was the first satellite to collect data on the earth’s surface and natural resources, one most advanced map-making systems in the future, which was built after the 1970s.

23 Answer: B

Question Type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph G, line 2

Answer explanation: The answer is clearly mentioned in the said paragraph and line. You must note the paraphrasing here. In the passage, it is said that “storing trillions of bits of information and working with a Geographic Information System (GIS), the system uses geographic position as a common thread. Although it became popular in the 1990s, GISs were developed in the early 1960s.” If the GIS technology was developed in the early 1960s, which implies it was developed between 1960 and 1965.

24 Answer: A

Question Type: Multiple Choice Questions

Answer location: Paragraph C, last line

Answer explanation: A line in the given paragraph suggests that “mappers began to use newly invented devices such as tellurometers, air profile recorders, magnetometers, and scintillation counters. From these precision instruments came maps packed with information.” This line provides information about magnetometers. Hence, we can conclude that the passage discusses magnetometers.

25 Answer: C

Question Type: Multiple Choice Questions

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 1

Answer explanation: The opening line of paragraph B suggests that “one of the biggest influences upon map creation or cartography was World War 2.” Here, this passage discusses mapping and how the biggest influence on map-making was World War 2.

26 Answer: D

Question Type: Multiple Choice Questions

Answer location: Paragraph C, line 2

Answer explanation: A line in the said paragraph states that “shortly thereafter, the photogrammetric stereo plotter improved upon the technology used by the stereoscope allowing cartographers to precisely measure the elevation of features in air photos and then transfer them to paper.” A stereo plotter is an instrument that measures elevation of features in aerial photographs. Hence, we can deduce that stereo plotters played a vital role for cartographers.

stereo plotters

How Children Learn Reading Answers (Passage 3)

27 Answer: what children lacked

Question Type: Short Answer Questions

Answer location: Paragraph C, line 4

Answer explanation: If you read thoroughly, a line in the said paragraph discusses that “their research stood in great contrast to the older emphases which focused almost entirely on what children lacked. ” Hence, the early research focused on what children lacked in their capabilities.

28 Answer: 20th-century’ psychologists

Question Type: Short Answer Questions

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 1

Answer explanation: In the said paragraph, you can find out that “for much of the 20^th century, most psychologists accepted the traditional thesis that a newborn’s mind is a tabula rasa or blank slate upon which the record of experience is gradually impressed. It was further thought that verbal communication was a prerequisite for abstract thought and so, in its absence, a baby could not have comprehension.” This line confirms that 20^th century, most psychologists believed that verbal communication was a prerequisite so that babies could have advanced comprehension.

29 Answer: the first 2 years

Question Type: Short Answer Questions

Answer location: Paragraph D, 2nd last line

Answer explanation: The answer is clearly mentioned in the said paragraph and line. In the passage, it is said that “he showed that their initial representations of such things as space and time as well as awareness of objects and self are constructed only gradually during the first 2 years.” Hence, it suggests infants showed and develop an awareness of space, time, and other objects in the first 2 years.

30 Answer: ‘blank slate’ (tabula rasa)/ computer

Question Type: Short Answer Questions

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 1

Answer explanation: In the said paragraph, refers that “for much of the 20^th century, most psychologists accepted the traditional thesis that a newborn’s mind is a tabula rasa or blank slate upon which the record of experience is gradually impressed.” Also, “an understanding of infant thinking mental processes or cognition and how young children from 2 to 5 years old add information to their knowledge ‘database’ helps child psychologists to better equip students for their transition into formal school settings.” The keywords are two things, the human mind, compared – scan for these and/or their synonyms. You can observe the comparison where it is said “a newborn’s mind is a tabula rasa or blank slate…”.

31 Answer: TRUE

Question Type: True/False and Not Given Questions

Answer location: Paragraph A, line 1

Answer explanation: Paragraph A puts forward the information that “the way in which children learn is an ever-growing area of study. It is obvious that children differ from adults in many ways, but what is interesting is that there are quite a number of commonalities across learners of all ages.” Since there are quite a number of commonalities across all age groups, it implies that children learn the same way adults learn in many ways.

32 Answer: TRUE

Question Type: True/False and Not Given Questions

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 3

Answer explanation: If you read thoroughly, there’s a line that claims,“since babies are born with a limited range of behaviours and spend most of their early months asleep, they certainly appear passive and unknowing.” This line confirms that 20th-century psychologists thought infants were passive (unintelligent) because they were usually asleep.

33 Answer: FALSE

Question Type: True/False and Not Given Questions

Answer location: Paragraph C, 2nd last line

Answer explanation: In the said paragraph, refer that, “their research stood in great contrast to the older emphases which focused almost entirely on what children lacked. The mind of young children came to life through this research, it became clear that very young children are both competent and active when it comes to their conceptual development.” Since it is mentioned that the research of most recent researchers contradicted older ones, we can deduce that their research developments were different.

34 Answer: FALSE

Question Type: True/False and Not Given Questions

Answer location: Paragraph D, line 3

Answer explanation: In the reference paragraph, the author mentions that “from close observations of infants and careful questioning of children, he concluded that the development of the mind proceeds through certain stages, each involving radically different thinking processes” Since each child’s mind is radically different from others, thus, each new stage of learning is not built on previous one.

35 Answer: TRUE

Question Type: True/False and Not Given Questions

Answer location: Paragraph H, last line

Answer explanation: The last line of paragraph H confirms that “this line of work has drawn attention to the roles of parents, and teachers in challenging and extending children’s efforts to understand. It has also contributed to an understanding of the relationship between formal and informal teaching as well as learning situations and cognition.” Therefore, it is true that Vygotsky’s research has contributed towards building relationships between formal and informal teaching and had a positive impact.

36 Answer: active

Question Type: Sentence Completion

Answer location: Paragraph C, last line

Answer explanation: Paragraph C puts forward the information that “the mind of young children came to life through this research, it became clear that very young children are both competent and active when it comes to their conceptual development.” Conceptual development is derived from learning new things/concepts, and researchers have claimed that young children are both competent and active when it comes to this type of learning.

37 Answer: organize it OR organize information

Question Type: Sentence Completion

Answer location: Paragraph G, line 1

Answer explanation: The entire sentence has been paraphrased here. In the passage, it states that “although theories put forward during this time differed in many ways, they shared an emphasis on considering children as active learners, those who actually assemble and organize information.” Hence, we can conclude that according to researchers young children are active learners and demonstrate the capability to assemble and organize information.

38 Answer: sucking OR habituation OR visual expectation

Question Type: Sentence Completion

Answer location: Paragraph F, 2nd last line

Answer explanation: In the said paragraph, you can refer to, “new ways were developed for measuring what infants prefer to look at and detecting changes in events to which they are sensitive. Three such methods that were used were sucking, habituation, and visual expectation.” Hence, scientists measure the development of infant preference through methods such as sucking, habituation, and visual expectation.

39 Answer: organized

Question Type: Sentence Completion

Answer location: Paragraph G, line 2

Answer explanation: A line in the said paragraph infers that “therefore, primarily cognitive development involves the acquisition of organized knowledge such as an early understanding of basic physics, some biological concepts, and early number sense.” Here, the author confirms that primarily cognitive development requires knowledge to be organized.

40 Answer: social environment

Question Type: Sentence Completion

Answer location: Paragraph H, line 2

Answer explanation: A line in the paragraph denotes “according to Vygotsky, all cognitive skills and patterns of thinking are not primarily determined by the skills people are born with; they are the products of the activities practiced in the social environment in which the individual grows up.” Hence, Vygotsky believed that all cognitive skills and patterns of thinking are learned from the activities that are performed in the social environment.

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