Left or Right-handed Bathwater IELTS Reading Answers

The questions are broken up into sets, each of which requires the execution of a distinct kind of task. So, you must scan the IELTS Academic Reading passage, Left or Right-handed Bathwater, for important terms, comprehend the subject, and then respond in accordance with the instructions. These question types are:

• IELTS Reading Multiple-Choice Questions (Q. 1-5) & (Q. 14)
• IELTS Reading Short Answer Type Question (Q. 6-9)
• IELTS Reading Matching Sentence Endings (Q. 10-13)

Ideally, IELTS test-takers should take around 20 minutes to solve a passage like ‘Left or Right-handed Bathwater Reading Answers’ in IELTS Academic Reading. Therefore, to master this skill, they need to take IELTS reading practice tests regularly. Let’s see how easy this passage is for you and if you’re able to make it in 20 minutes.

Reading Passage

Left or Right-handed Bathwater

A Left- or right-handed bathwater? This seems a silly question, but it was the subject of a serious scientific investigation sponsored by the Daily Mail in 1965. The investigation showed that the direction water swirls down the plug-hole vortex depends on which side of the Equator you are.

B As for homo sapiens, between 5 and 30% of the population are estimated to be left-handed, with more males than females, although in one test, 95% of fetuses were found to suck their right thumb in the womb. The general consensus of opinion is that left-handedness is determined by a dominant right cerebral hemisphere controlling the left side of the body, and vice versa. Hereditary factors have been ruled out. So too have earlier theories concerning the 262 need for soldiers to shield their hearts, and the desirability of learning to use Stone Age tools and implements with the hand they were designed for, as well as Plato’s idea that it all boiled down to which arm a baby was cradled with. However, the almost universal human preference for dextrality, or right-handedness, remains a mystery.

C Prejudice against the left-hand dates back to ancient times and is so entwined with religious beliefs and superstitions that it still exists today in everyday speech. Sinister, the Latin for the left hand, means ‘suggestive of evil’ in English, while the French gauche is awkward, or clumsy. Left itself derives from the Anglo Saxon left (weak and fragile). The nonjudgmental term southpaw, by contrast, originates from the Chicago baseball stadium where pitchers faced west, so the pitching arm of a lefthander is to the South.

D Other negative terms include pen pushers, while a left-handed compliment is actually an insult. Thomas Carlyle, who described right-handedness as the oldest institution in the world, introduced the political concept of ‘left’ in his work on the French Revolution – in the 1789 Paris Assembly the nobles sat on the right, opposite the radicals.

E Associations with luck also go back to early history. The ancient Greek and Roman augurs foretold the future of bird-flight. While the former faced North, with the propitious sunrise side to their right, the latter, before changing later, when sinister took on its ominous meaning, looked southward, so the left was for good omens.

F Superstitions world-wide reflect this bias. In Morocco, as in many countries, an itchy left palm means losing money, and a twitching left eyelid denotes the death of a relative or sorrow, whereas the right side has felicitous indications. We throw salt over our left shoulder to thwart the demons creeping up on us, but blessed with the right hand. One pours wine with this hand and passes it around the table clockwise, the direction of the sun.

G Our relatives, the primates, appear to be ambidextrous, or able to use both hands, although gorillas have heavier left arms seemingly due to greater utilization. Aristotle observed that crabs and lobsters had larger right claws. Rats are 80% dextral, yet polar bears are believed to be left-pawed. Flatfish provide interesting data: in northern seas, plaice and sole have their eyes and color on the right side, but tropical halibut are the other way round. If this is to do with light and sun rotation, it may explain why Indian Ocean sole is reversed, but not why northern halibut are just as sinistral as their southern cousins. In the plant kingdom, honeysuckle is a rare example of a left-handed climber that twines anticlockwise, or widdershins!

H Although we live in a more tolerant age, not so long ago in the UK youngsters were forced to use their right hand, ‘to learn the value of conformity’ (A. N. Palmer), often resulting in the stuttering speech defects common in ‘switched sinistrals’ like George VI. In the 1950s the American psychiatrist Abram Blau accused left-handed children of infantile perversity and a stubborn refusal to accept dextrality.

I Not all experts were so anti-sinistral, however. The 17th century Norfolk scholar Sir Thomas Browne wrote of the prejudices against left-handedness but accepted that a small proportion of people would always be so and saw no reason to prevent them. Apart from being considered difficult, anti-social troublemakers, left-handers have also been thought to be artistic, creative and gifted.

J Famous lefties include Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Benjamin Franklin, Bill Clinton, Joan of Arc, Lewis Carroll, Paul McCartney, Jimi Hendrix, Jean Genet, Beethoven and many others.

K Finally, in defense of all sinistral, if the left side of the body is really controlled by the right hemisphere of the brain, then left-handers are the only people in their right minds!

Check Out – IELTS Reading recent actual test

Questions 1- 5

1 The direction of water going down the plug-hole

A is not related to where you are.

B is independent of the side of the Equator you are on.

C is linked to the side of the Equator you are on.

D was first discovered by the Daily Mail in the 1950s.

2 In determining left-handedness, hereditary factors are generally considered

A as important.

B as having no impact.

C as being a major influence.

D as being the prime cause.

3 The reason why

A almost everyone is right-handed is unknown.

B some people are right-handed is ambiguous.

C Plato worked out the mystery of left-handedness is not known.

D many people are right-handed is now clear.

4 The word ‘southpaw’ is

A an Anglo-Saxon term.

B not a negative term.

C suggestive of evil.

D a negative term.

5 The left was connected with

A being unclean by the Greeks.

B goodness by the French.

C fortune and bird-flight by many cultures.

D good fortune in ancient Greece and Rome.

Questions 6- 9

6 Who was the originator of the political concept of left?

7 What did the ancient Romans use to predict the future?

8 What does an itchy palm in the left hand mean?

9 In which direction is wine passed around the table?

Questions 10- 13

10Gorillas, unlike other primates,

11 Fish color and eye position

12 Most plant climbers

13 In the past some experts

A appears to have been against left-handedness.

B are usually the same in both hemispheres.

C are apparently not always dependent on the hemisphere.

D seems to have difficulty using both hands.

E looked at left-handedness with indifference.

F tend to grow clockwise rather than anti-clockwise.

G seem to use their left-hand more.

Question 14

14 Which of the following is the most suitable title for Reading Passage?

A Left-handedness and primates

B A defense of right-handedness

C A defense of left-handedness

D Left-handedness and good luck

E Left-handedness and bad luck

Answers of Left Or Right Handed Bath Water Reading Answers With Location and Explanations

Go through the answers and detailed explanations of each question in the Left or Right Handed Bathwater passage and prepare to get a high IELTS band score in this module.

1 Answer: C

Question type: Multiple Choice Question

Answer location: Paragraph A, line 3

Answer explanation: In the first paragraph, it is given that “The investigation showed that the direction water swirls down the plug-hole vortex depends on which side of the Equator you are.”. This section points out that according to the 1965 scientific investigation sponsored by the Daily Mail, it was found that the direction of water going down the plug-hole depends on the side of the Equator a person is. Hence, the answer is C (is linked to the side of the Equator you are on.).

2 Answer: B

Question type: Multiple Choice Question

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 2-line 3

Answer explanation: In the specified paragraph, it is given that “The general consensus of opinion is that left-handedness is determined by a dominant right cerebral hemisphere controlling the left side of the body, and vice versa. Hereditary factors have been ruled out.”. It can be noted that according to common opinion, hereditary factors do not affect left-handedness in an individual (have been ruled out). Hence, the answer is B (as having no impact.).

3Answer: C

Question type: Multiple Choice Question

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 4-line 5

Answer explanation: In the mentioned lines, it is specified that “…Plato’s idea that it all boiled down to which arm a baby was cradled with. However, the almost universal human preference for dextrality, or right-handedness, remains a mystery.”. From this reference, It can be concluded that the reason why Plato had the idea about left-handedness is still a mystery (not known). Hence, the answer is C (Plato worked out the mystery of left-handedness is not known.).

4 Answer: B

Question type: Multiple Choice Question

Answer location: Paragraph C, line 4

Answer explanation: In the cited line, it is stated that “The nonjudgmental term southpaw…”. Based on this statement, it can be commented that the term ‘southpaw’ is not a negative or non-judgemental word. Hence, the answer is B (not a negative term.).

5 Answer: C

Question type: Multiple Choice Question

Answer location: Paragraph E, line 1-line2

Answer explanation: In the indicated lines, it is given that “Associations with luck also go back to early history. The ancient Greek and Roman augurs foretold the future of bird-flight.”. It can be concluded that in many cultures, like ancient Greece or Rome, the left was associated with luck (fortune) and bird-flight. Hence, the answer is C (fortune and bird-flight by many cultures.).

6 Answer: Thomas Carlyle

Question type: Short Answer Type Question

Answer location: Paragraph D, line 2

Answer explanation: In the fourth paragraph, it is noted that “Thomas Carlyle, who described right-handedness as the oldest institution in the world, introduced the political concept of ‘left’ in his work on the French Revolution – in the 1789 Paris Assembly the nobles sat on the right, opposite the radicals.”. This statement points out that Thomas Carlyle was the originator (introduced) of the political concept of left in 1789. Hence, the answer is ‘Thomas Carlyle’.

7 Answer: bird flight

Question type: Short Answer Type Question

Answer location: Paragraph E, line 2

Answer explanation: In the specified paragraph, it is said that “The ancient Greek and Roman augurs foretold the future of bird-flight.”. In other words, the Roman augurs (a sign of especially good or bad things in the future) used bird flight to foretell the future. Hence, the answer is ‘bird flight’.

8 Answer: losing money

Question type: Short Answer Type Question

Answer location: Paragraph F, line 2

Answer explanation: In the quoted line, it is noted that “In Morocco, as in many countries, an itchy left palm means losing money…”. It can be pointed out that in Morocco, there was a superstition that an itching left palm meant losing money. Hence, the answer is ‘losing money’.

9 Answer: clockwise

Question type: Short Answer Type Question

Answer location: Paragraph F, line 4

Answer explanation: In the cited line, it is stated that “One pours wine with this hand and passes it around the table clockwise, the direction of the sun.”. Here, it is clear that wine was passed in a clockwise direction which is considered to be the direction of the sun. Hence, the answer is ‘clockwise’.

10 Answer: G

Question type: Matching Sentence Ending

Answer location: Paragraph G, line 1

Answer explanation: In Paragraph 7, it is mentioned that “Our relatives, the primates, appear to be ambidextrous, or able to use both hands, although gorillas have heavier left arms seemingly due to greater utilization.”. It shows that unlike most primates who are ambidextrous (use both hands equally), gorillas use their left hand more than the right, which makes their left hands heavier. Hence, the answer is G (seem to use their left hand more.).

11 Answer: C

Question type: Matching Sentence Ending

Answer location: Paragraph G, line 4-line 5

Answer explanation: In the quoted lines, it is stated that “Flatfish provide interesting data: in northern seas, plaice and sole have their eyes and color on the right side, but tropical halibut are the other way round. If this is to do with light and sun rotation, it may explain why Indian Ocean sole is reversed, but not why northern halibut are just as sinistral as their southern cousins.”. From the given examples of different kinds of fishes, it is pointed out that the fish color or eye position is not dependent on the hemisphere they belong to. Hence, the answer is C (are apparently not always dependent on the hemisphere.).

12 Answer: F

Question type: Matching Sentence Ending

Answer location: Paragraph G, line 6

Answer explanation: In the mentioned portion, it is reported that “In the plant kingdom, honeysuckle is a rare example of a left-handed climber that twines anticlockwise, or widdershins!”. From the term ‘rare example’, it can be concluded that unlike honeysuckle, which grows in an anti-clockwise direction, most climbers tend to grow clockwise. Hence, the answer is F (tend to grow clockwise rather than anti-clockwise.).

13 Answer: E

Question type: Matching Sentence Ending

Answer location: Paragraph I, line 1-line 2

Answer explanation: In the specified lines, it is given, “Not all experts were so anti-sinistral, however. The 17th century Norfolk scholar Sir Thomas Browne wrote of the prejudices against left-handedness but accepted that a small proportion of people would always be so and saw no reason to prevent them.”. It can be deduced from this statement that in the past (17th century) there were experts, like Sir Thomas Browne, who did not hold any prejudices against left-handedness. Hence, the answer is E (looked at left-handedness with indifference.).

14 Answer: C

Question type: Matching Sentence Ending

Answer location: Whole Passage

Answer explanation: Throughout the passage, the writer presents various views on left-hand use. Moreover, instances of people who are left-hand users are provided, along with examples of cultures that consider the left to be lucky. Finally, the writer ends the passage with “then left-handers are the only people in their right minds”, which points to support of the left. Hence, the answer is C (A defense of left-handedness).

Tips to Solve the Question Types in Left or Right-handed Bathwater IELTS Reading Answers

Since now you know the answers to the Left or Right-handed Bathwater Reading Answers with explanation, let us check out some quick IELTS exam preparation tips to answer the three types of questions in the Reading Answers of Left or Right-handed Bathwater.

Multiple-Choice Question:

In IELTS exam, you will be given a reading passage followed by several questions based on the information in the paragraph in multiple-choice questions. Your task is to understand the question and compare it to the paragraph in order to select the best solution from the available possibilities.

• Before reading the passage, read the question and select the keywords. Check the keyword possibilities if the question statement is short on information.
• Then, using the keywords, read the passage to find the relevant information.
• To select the correct option, carefully read the relevant words and match them with each option.
• You will find several options with keywords that do not correspond to the information.
• Use the elimination method, as it will help you find the answer by cancelling out the wrong ones, even if you are confused.
• Find the best option by matching the meaning rather than just the keywords.

Short Answer Type Question:

Short Answer Type Question is a type of IELTS Reading question that requires you to scan through a passage and answer questions based on the information given following the word limit.

To answer short-answer type questions, you can use the following strategies:

• First, go through the instructions carefully. It will help you to find the word limit for the answers there, which you have to follow strictly.
• The next step will be to read the questions to know what keywords or information you have to look for in the passage.
• Words like ‘What’, (names), ‘Where’ (place), ‘When’ (time), etc., will enable you to understand the type of information you are looking for.
• Do not waste your time reading the whole passage. Use reading techniques like skimming and scanning to scan through the passage to find out the keywords or their synonyms. If headers are given, use them to locate the answer easily.
• Once you find the answer, note the correct spelling in your answer sheet.

Matching Sentence Endings:

Matching Sentence Ending questions presents you with two lists: one of unfinished sentences and another of probable sentence ends. You have to match based on the information supplied in the passage. Some tips for answering the questions and obtaining a high band in the IELTS examination are given below:

• The answers will be in the same order as the list of incomplete sentences.
• Use the elimination process or IELTS Reading keyword techniques to get the correct answer.
• Don’t read the complete text until you have studied the incomplete sentences and the endings.
• Only read the relevant sentences.
• You will have to match meanings and not the exact words. Thus, look for paraphrasing and words.
• You must ensure that the grammatical structure of two halves of the sentence is matching correctly.

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