Persistent Bullying- IELTS Reading Answer

Reading Passage

Persistent Bullying

Questions 27- 30

List of Headings

1. The role of video violence
2. The failure of government policy

iii. Reasons for the increased rate of bullying

1. Research into how common bullying is in British schools
2. The reaction from schools to inquiries about bullying
3. The effect of bullying on the children involved

vii. Developments that have led to a new approach by schools

27 Section A

28 Section B

29 Section C

30 Section D

Questions 31-34

31 A recent survey found that in British secondary schools

A there was more bullying than had previously been the case.

B there was less bullying than in primary schools.

C cases of persistent bullying were very common.

D indirect forms of bullying were particularly difficult to deal with.

32 Children who are bullied

A are twice as likely to commit suicide as the average person.

B find it more difficult to relate to adults.

C are less likely to be violent in later life.

D may have difficulty forming relationships in later life.

33 The writer thinks that the declaration ‘There is no bullying at this school’

A  is no longer true in many schools.

B was not in fact made by many schools.

C reflected the school’s lack of concern.

D reflected a lack of knowledge and resources.

34 What were the findings of research carried out in Norway?

A Bullying declined by 50% after an anti-bullying campaign.

B Twenty-one schools reduced bullying as a result of an anti-bullying campaign.

C Two years is the optimum length for an anti-bullying campaign.

D Bullying is a less serious problem in Norway than in the UK.

Questions 35-39

What steps should schools take to reduce bullying?

The most important step is for the school authorities to produce a 35………. which makes the school’s attitude towards bullying quite clear. It should include detailed 36…………. as to how the school and its staff will react if bullying occurs. In addition, action can be taken through the 37……….. . This is particularly useful in the early part of the process, as a way of raising awareness and encouraging discussion. On its own, however, it is insufficient to bring about a permanent solution. Effective work can also be done with individual pupils and small groups. For example, potential 38………. of bullying can be trained to be more self-confident.

Or again, in dealing with group bullying, a ‘no blame’ approach, which avoids confronting the offender too directly, is often effective. Playground supervision will be more effective if members of staff are trained to recognize the difference between bullying and mere 39…………

Questions 40

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

A Bullying: what parents can do

B Bullying: arc the media to blame?

C Bullying: the link with academic failure

D Bullying: from crisis management to prevention

Reading Answer 

27 Answer: iv

Question type: Matching Headings

Answer location: Paragraph A, line 3

Answer explanation: The 3rd line of paragraph A states that a survey conducted with Irene Whitney found that in British primary schools up to a quarter of pupils reported experience of bullying, which is about one in ten cases was persistent. These lines suggest how the research showed that bullying is prevalent in British schools. Hence, the answer is iv.

28 Answer: vi

Question type: Matching Headings

Answer location: Paragraph B

Answer explanation: Paragraph B illustrates the effect of bullying on the children involved. It is mentioned that bullying is clearly unpleasant and can make the child experiencing it feel unworthy and depressed. In extreme cases, it can even lead to suicide, though this is thankfully rare. Victimized pupils are more likely to experience difficulties with interpersonal relationships as adults, while children who persistently bully are more likely to grow up to be physically violent, and convicted of anti-social offenses. Hence, the answer is vi.

29 Answer: v

Question type: Matching Headings

Answer location: Paragraph C

Answer explanation: Paragraph C suggests that Until recently, not much was known about the topic, and little help was available to teachers to deal with bullying. Perhaps as a consequence, schools would often deny the problem. ‘There is no bullying at this school’ has been a common refrain, almost certainly all true. Fortunately, more schools are now saying: There is not much bullying here, but when it occurs we have a clear policy for dealing with it.’ These lines indicate the school’s reaction to inquiries about bullying. Hence, the answer is v.

30 Answer: vii

Question type: Matching Headings

Answer location: Paragraph D

Answer explanation: Paragraph D states that three factors are involved in this change. First is an awareness of the severity of the problem. Second, a number of resources to help tackle bullying have become available in Britain. For example, the Scottish Council for Research in Education produced a package of materials, Action Against Bullying, circulated to all schools in England and Wales as well as in Scotland in the summer of 1992, with a second pack, Supporting Schools Against Bullying, produced the following year. In Ireland, Guidelines on Countering Bullying Behaviour in Post-Primary Schools was published in 1993. Third, there is evidence that these materials work, and that schools can achieve something. These lines suggest developments that have led to new research by the schools. Hence, the answer is vii.

31 Answer: B

Question type: Multiple Choice Question

Answer location: Paragraph A, line 4

Answer explanation: We understand from the 3rd line of paragraph A that Irene Whitney conducted a survey according to which the British primary schools up to a quarter of pupils reported experience of bullying, which is about one in ten cases was persistent. There was less bullying in secondary schools, with about one in twenty-five suffering persistent bullying, but these cases may be particularly recalcitrant. These lines indicate that according to a recent survey in the British Secondary schools, there was less bullying than in primary schools. Hence, the answer is B.

32 Answer: D

Question type: Multiple Choice Question

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 3

Answer explanation: The 3rd line of paragraph B states that victimized pupils are more likely to experience difficulties with interpersonal relationships as adults, while children who persistently bully are more likely to grow up to be physically violent, and convicted of anti-social offenses. 

may have difficulty forming relationships in later life. It is evident from these lines that children who are bullied may have difficulty forming relationships in later life. Hence, the answer is D.

33 Answer: D

Question type: Multiple Choice Question

Answer location: Paragraph C, line 2

Answer explanation: In the 2nd line of paragraph C, it is mentioned that ‘there is no bullying at this school’ has been a common refrain, almost certainly all true. Fortunately, more schools are now saying: There is not much bullying here, but when it occurs we have a clear policy for dealing with it.’ According to the writer’s declaration, the statement: that there’s no bullying at this school is reflected as a lack of knowledge and resources. Hence, the answer is D.

34 Answer: A

Question type: Multiple Choice Question

Answer location: Paragraph D, last line

Answer explanation: The last line of paragraph D states that in Norway, after an intervention campaign was introduced nationally, an evaluation of forty-two schools suggested that, over a two-year period, bullying was halved. These lines reveal that after the introduction of an intervention campaign (anti-bullying campaign), bullying was reduced by 50%. Thus, the answer is A.

35 Answer: policy

Question type: Note Completion

Answer location: Paragraph E

Answer explanation: ParagraphE illustrates a piece of evidence suggesting that a key step is to develop a policy on bullying, saying clearly what is meant by bullying. These lines indicate that the most important step is for the school authorities to produce a policy that makes the school’s attitude towards bullying quite clear. Thus, the answer is policy.

36 Answer: (explicit) guidelines

Question type: Note Completion

Answer location: Paragraph E

Answer explanation: Paragraph E illustrates a piece of evidence suggesting that a key step is to develop a policy on bullying, saying clearly what is meant by bullying, and giving explicit guidelines on what will be done if it occurs, what record will be kept, who will be informed, what sanctions will be employed. These lines indicate that a primary step is to develop a policy on bullying, saying clearly what is meant by bullying or giving explicit guidelines on what shall be done if it occurs and what record will be kept. Thus, the answer is (explicit) guidelines.

37 Answer: (school) curriculum

Question type: Note Completion

Answer location: Paragraph E, line 4

Answer explanation: The 4th line of paragraph E states that there are ways of dealing with the topic through the curriculum, using video, drama, and literature. These are useful for raising awareness, and can best be tied into early phases of development while the school is starting to discuss the issue of bullying. We understand from these lines that there are several ways of dealing with the topic via the curriculum, using video, drama, and literature, which are all useful for creating awareness and can best be tied into the early phases of development while the school is beginning to discuss the bullying issues. Hence, the answer is (school) curriculum.

38 Answer: victims

Question type: Note Completion

Answer location: Paragraph G

Answer explanation: In the initial lines of paragraph G, it is stated that there are also ways of working with individual pupils, or in small groups. Assertiveness training for pupils who are liable to be victims is worthwhile, and certain approaches to group bullying such as ‘no blame’, can be useful in changing the behavior of bullying pupils without confronting them directly. These lines suggest that effective work can be done with individual pupils and small groups. For instance, potential victims of bullying can be trained to be self-confident. Hence, the answer is victims.

39 Answer: playful fighting

Question type: Note Completion

Answer location: Paragraph G, line 3

Answer explanation: In the 3rd line of paragraph G, it is stated that Work in the playground is important, too. One helpful step is to train lunchtime supervisors to distinguish bullying from playful fighting and help them break up conflicts. We can understand from these lines that working in the playground is important, as a result, playground supervision is necessary, and will be more effective when the members of staff are trained to recognize the difference between bullying and mere playful fighting. Thus, the answer is playful fighting.

40 Answer: D

Question type: Multiple Choice Question

Answer location: Paragraph A-F

Answer explanation: In the introductory lines of reading passage 3, it is mentioned that Persistent bullying is one of the worst experiences a child can face. So, Peter Smith, Professor of Psychology at the University of Sheffield questioned How can it be prevented?, so, he directed the Sheffield Anti-Bullying Intervention Project, which was funded by the Department for Education. Thus, the suitable title for reading passage 3 is D – Bullying: from crisis management to prevention. Hence, the answer is D.