Propaganda: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly, The Pursuit of Knowledge, The Leap into History – IELTS Reading Answers

Kasturika Samanta

7 min read

Updated On May 22, 2025

Take up the IELTS Reading Practice Test with topics like 'Propaganda: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly' and 'The Pursuit of Knowledge'. Improve your skills and boost your IELTS reading band score with detailed answer explanations.

Propaganda: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly, The Pursuit of Knowledge, The Leap into History IELTS Reading Answers

Question Types for the Reading Passages
Reading Passages with Questions - Propaganda: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly, The Pursuit Of Knowledge, The Leap into History
Reading Passage 1
Reading Passage 2
Reading Passage 3
Answers with Location and Explanation for Propaganda: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly, The Pursuit Of Knowledge, The Leap into History – IELTS Reading Answers

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With the IELTS test date fast approaching, you might be wondering how to make the most of your remaining time. This blog is your go-to resource for last-minute IELTS Reading preparation. We have compiled a selection of short passages - ‘Propaganda: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly’, ‘The Pursuit of Knowledge’, ‘The Leap into History’ - to help you maximize your score even if you only have a few days left. Whether it’s refining your skimming skills or learning how to avoid common traps, this quick guide is designed to deliver fast, focused results for the IELTS Reading module.

Question Types for the Reading Passages

The IELTS Academic Reading passages, Propaganda: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly, The Pursuit Of Knowledge, The Leap into History, consist of 40 questions in total, which showcase different IELTS Reading question types. Let’s have a look at the IELTS Reading question types with examples.

Propaganda: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

IELTS Reading Summary Completion (Q. 1-10)
IELTS Reading Multiple-Choice Questions (Q. 11-14)

The Pursuit Of Knowledge

IELTS Reading Sentence Completion (Q. 15-21)
IELTS Reading Short Answer Type Question (Q. 22-25)
IELTS Reading Yes/No/Not Given (Q. 26-28)

The Leap into History

IELTS Reading Matching Features (Q. 29-33)
IELTS Reading Yes/No/Not Given (Q. 34-37)
IELTS Reading Multiple-Choice Questions (Q. 38-40)

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Reading Passages with Questions - Propaganda: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly, The Pursuit Of Knowledge, The Leap into History

Reading Passage 1

You should ideally spend 20 minutes on Questions 1-14 based on Reading Passage 1 below.

Propaganda – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Propaganda Propaganda_1

Questions 1-10

Complete the text below, which is a summary of paragraphs. Choose a suitable word from the text for each blank.

Write your answers in Blank spaces 1-10 on your answer sheet.

You may use any word more than once.

Example: propaganda – the good, the bad and the____________.

Answer: ugly.

_____1______ that you are a poor_________2______ living in ancient Egypt, when a band of soldiers accompanied by a________3_____ of slaves carrying building materials appears on the scene. While you are inside your house, the slaves erect an __________4_____ and the whole company disappears. The_________5______ features figures like those soldiers who have just left engaged in victorious battles and, in a prominent position, the figure of the sphinx-like_____6________. After briefly considering an_________7_____ , you and the other inhabitants change your___________8______ In what is one of the earliest Instances of the power of______ 9______ , albeit a not very _______ 10____ one.

Questions 11-14

Choose the appropriate letters A-D and write them next to 11-14 on your answer sheet.

11 According to Philip Taylor, propaganda …

A is needed to propagate people’s beliefs

B was a tool of coercion before 1914

C has always been a neutral force

D was merely a process of persuading people to do things prior to 1914

12 According to Philip Taylor, propaganda …

A is not a neutral concept

B is value loaded up until 1914

C is ti neutral concept

D was a neutral concept up until 1914

13 Politicians in the West …

A will do anything to avoid using the word propaganda

B like using the word propaganda in the media

C do not dread the “p” word

D are consummate acrobats

14 The public …

A are happy to be deceived by advertisers

B are deceived by advertisers

C are not deceived by advertisers

D respect the advertisers

Reading Passage 2

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 15-28, which are based on reading passage 2 below.

The Pursuit of Knowledge

The pursuit of knowledge The pursuit of knowledge_1

Questions 15-21

Complete the sentences below. Use NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS from the passage to complete each blank space.

Write your answers in Blank spaces next to 15-21 on your answer sheet.

15 Samuel Johnson was an___________________ .
16 Renaissance man supposedly possessed all__________________.
17 The spread of knowledge changed with the all important___________________ .
18 According to the writer, today’s information man knows more than_______________ .
19 The standing of the modern educated man has been diminished by _________________.
20 The polymath of the Renaissance is described as_______________________ .
21 In today’s world, people are weighed down by the endless__________________.

Questions 22-25

Answer the questions below. Use NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS from the passage for each answer.

Write your answers next to 22-25 on your answer sheet.

22 How does the writer describe people’s inability in the modern world to use the knowledge that they obtain?
23 What is the desire to collect things described as?
24 According to the author, what has the world turned into?
25 What are the consequences in the workplace of moving large amounts of raw data around?

Questions 26-28

Do the statements below agree with the information in Reading Passage 1?

In Boxes 26-28, write:

YES, if the statement agrees with the information in the passage

NO, if the statement contradicts the information in the passage

NOT GIVEN, if there is no information about the statement in the passage

Example: The European Renaissance spanned the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries.

Answer: Yes.

26 As the world has a wealth of knowledge within easy reach, it is now richer,
27 Knowledge processing courses will soon be obligatory for all library workers.
28 The author believes that the pursuit of knowledge is worthwhile.

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Reading Passage 3

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 29-40, which are based on Reading Passage 3 below.

The Leap into History

Questions 29-33

Choose one phrase (A-E) from the list of places to label the map below. Write the appropriate letters (A-i) in Boxes 29-33 on your answer sheet.

List of places

A The Sperrin Mountains

B Dunluce Castle

C Inishowen

D The Glens of Antrim

E Limavady

Questions 34-37

Do the statements below agree with the Information in Reading Passage 3? In Boxes 34-37, write
YES, if the statement agrees with the information in the passage
NO, if the statement contradicts the information in the passage
NOT GIVEN, if there is no information about the statement in the passage

Example: Inishowen is in the north-west of Ireland. Answer: Yes.

34 After 1639 the castle of Dunluce was not completely uninhabited.

35 For the author, Dunluce castle evokes another period of history.

36 There were more than 1500 men on the Girona when it went down.

37 The writer believes that the Giant’s Causeway is worth going to visit.

Questions 38-40

Choose the appropriate letters A-D and write them next to 38-40 on your answer sheet.

38 The writer feels that the Giant’s Causeway is …

A an unsettling place

B relaxing place

C a boring place

D a place that helps one unwind

39 Where was this passage taken from?

A the news section of a newspaper

B A travel section in a newspaper

C a biography

D an academic journal on geography

40 Which of the following would be a good title for the passage?

A The Roe Valley Park

B The Giant’s Causeway

C Going Hast to West

D A leap into history

Answers with Location and Explanation for Propaganda: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly, The Pursuit Of Knowledge, The Leap into History – IELTS Reading Answers

Compare your answers to the answer key provided and formulate customized study plans using the feedback from this IELTS Reading practice test.

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Propaganda – The Good, The Bad And The Ugly Reading Answers (Passage 1)

1.	Imagine
2.	Citizen
3.	Crocodile
4.	Obelisk
5.	Obelisk
6.	Pharaoh
7.	Uprising
8.	Mind/minds
9.	Propaganda
10.	Subtle
11.	D
12.	D
13.	A
14.	B

The Pursuit Of Knowledge Reading Answers (Passage 2)

15.	English lexicographer
16.	(of) human knowledge
17.	Advert of printing
18.	Renaissance man
19.	Easy access to information/easily accessible information/easy information access
20.	All-knowing
21.	Stream of information
22.	The most singular failure
23.	A natural human instinct
24.	A vortex/ a veritable vortex/ a large information machine
25.	Disillusionment and stress
26.	No
27.	Not given
28.	No

The Leap into History Reading Answers (Passage 3)

29.	C
30.	E
31.	B
32.	D
33.	A
34.	Not Given
35.	Yes
36.	Yes
37	Yes
38.	A
39.	B
40.	D

To conclude, since you have gone through the answers for Propaganda: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly, The Pursuit Of Knowledge, The Leap into History - Reading Answers, they will help you to comprehend the reasoning behind each solution. So, to increase your confidence, accuracy, and your IELTS band score, keep practicing similar IELTS reading passages.

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