The Alexander Technique And Disability IELTS Reading Answers
7 min read
Updated On
-
Copy link
Explore complete IELTS Reading answers for The Alexander Technique and Disability. Find precise answer locations, clear explanations, and expert tips to master matching, multiple choice, and other question types, and boost your reading band score.
Table of Contents
Limited-Time Offer : Access a FREE 10-Day IELTS Study Plan!
The Alexander Technique And Disability is a real Reading test passage that appeared in the IELTS. With diligent practice, the Reading Module can be the top-scoring category for IELTS Aspirants. To score well, you must understand how to approach and answer the different question types in the Reading Module.
By solving and reviewing Sample Reading Questions from past IELTS papers, you can ensure that your Reading skills are up to the mark. Take the practice test The Alexander Technique And Disability below and try more IELTS reading practice tests from IELTSMaterial.com.
The Alexander Technique And Disability IELTS Reading Passage
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-15, which are based on the Reading Passage below.
A. The Alexander Technique is a method of psychophysical re-education developed by F. Matthias Alexander more than a century ago, initially as a result of trying to solve a vocal problem. It is a technique for the elimination of ingrained habits of 'misuse' that interfere with the healthy and harmonious functioning of ourselves as a whole, often the underlying cause of many conditions, such as back pain, neck and shoulder tension, fatigue, breathing disorders and other stress-related illnesses.
B. Our natural reflex mechanisms for balance and posture are largely dependent on the co-ordination of the head, neck and back. The Technique addresses the causes of 'misuse' and lack of poise that may be interfering with this relationship. When these mechanisms are allowed to work in harmony, 'good use' spontaneously returns, resulting in easier breathing, freer, lighter movement and a greater ability to control our reactions and our movements. In other words, the Technique enables us to 'use' ourselves better, and, in that sense, is concerned with helping anybody - the so called 'able bodied' as well as disabled people to overcome their disabilities. Hence, the Alexander teacher's approach when working with the disabled is, in essence, the same as with any pupil of the Technique.
C. For example, if we take a violinist with a 'misuse' problem of the upper limbs causing technical limitations to his or her playing, the Alexander teacher will work on improving the pupil's overall 'use' by encouraging the inhibition of the habitual muscular tension pattern that interferes with the co-ordination of the head/ neck/ back relationship in order to enable him/ her to play with more ease. Similarly, when working with a pupil who has lost mobility in the left arm from a stroke, the teacher will first of all address the head/ neck/ back relationship, and the inhibition of extraneous tension that prevents maximum use of the affected limb. In this way, it is possible to enable the stroke patient to retrain mobility of the paralysed part of the body.
D. The approach and what results can be expected vary greatly depending on the disability. For the stroke patient, especially if lessons are commenced early after the stroke, the Alexander Technique can play an important role in rehabilitation and mobility retraining. With a blind person, the work is likely to focus instead more directly on eliminating tension habits that have developed to compensate for the loss of sight, e.g. insecurity leading to stiff and overcautious walking, balancing difficulties and poor head poise.
E. Working with the disabled pupil, the Alexander teacher can offer help with everyday activities, things that the average person takes for granted, such as the ability to brush one's teeth, shave, tie one's shoelaces or cut a slice of bread. By looking at compensatory tension patterns, the teacher can, in many instances, help the disabled person find a new means whereby they can perform these everyday tasks.
F. In this respect, the lessons may extend to include the disabled person's carer, for example the person who regularly has to help someone in and out of a wheelchair. Using the Alexander Technique, the carer learns not only to lift and give support in the most efficient way to avoid damaging his/her own back, but, as the two learn together, they also become better skilled at working out strategies enabling the disabled person to become more independent.
G. There are, of course, several factors which have to be taken into consideration when working with disabled pupils. They may suffer intense pain and discomfort, loss of kinaesthetic awareness (sometimes with total loss of sensitivity in parts of the body), severe lack of co-ordination, loss of mobility, memory loss, blindness, deafness, and speech impairment. The effect this has on the person's emotional and psychological state also has to be taken into account. Some disabled pupils may need longer lessons, because of the time required to move them from the wheelchair, take off casts, slings and other movement aids, etc. Others may only be able to concentrate for short periods of time and, therefore, require shorter lessons more frequently. It often requires a certain amount of inventiveness on the part of the Alexander teacher, both as far as practical arrangements and the approach to teaching are concerned, a challenge that, in most cases, is greatly rewarded by the positive results.
Limited Seats are Available for our IELTS Webinars! Book yours now!
The Alexander Technique And Disability IELTS Reading Questions
A. The Reading Passage above has seven paragraphs (A-G). Choose the most suitable heading from the List of Headings below. Write the appropriate numbers (i-xii) in boxes 1-5. Paragraphs C and G have been done for you.
|
List of Headings
i. Co-ordination - important for all |
1. Paragraph A 2. Paragraph B 3. Paragraph C xi 4. Paragraph D 5. Paragraph E 6. Paragraph F 7. Paragraph G v |
The Alexander Technique And Disability IELTS Reading Answers
Let’s now review the answers to the questions from the passage in the reading section, The Alexander Technique And Disability IELTS Reading Answers, and assess your improvement for a high IELTS Reading band score.
| Question number | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | xii | Paragraph A puts forward the idea that ‘a technique for the elimination of ingrained habits of ‘misuse’ that interfere with the healthy and harmonious functioning of ourselves as a whole’ From the words ‘elimination of ingrained habits of misuse’ we can infer that this passage talks about techniques to change habits that are bad and difficult to change. Hence, the appropriate heading for this answer is “xii.” |
| 2 | x | In Paragraph B, the second last line suggests that this paragraph discusses “the technique that enables us to ‘use’ ourselves better, and in that sense, is concerned with helping anybody – that so called ‘able bodies’ as well as disabled people to overcome their disabilites.” The words ‘use ourselves better’ and ‘helping anybody – that so called ‘able bodies’’ indicate that this paragraph refers to better body ‘use’ for all. Hence, the appropriate heading for this answer is “x.” |
| 3 | iv | The first line of Paragraph D claims that “the approach and what results can be expected vary greatly depending on the disability.” Thus, these approaches or techniques differ in its results depending upon the disability of the individual. Hence, the appropriate heading for this answer is “iv.” |
| 4 | ii | The last line of Paragraph E conveys that “by looking at compensatory tension patterns, the teacher can, in many instances, help the disabled person find a new means whereby they can perform these everyday tasks.” From this information, we can deduce that this passage discusses the tension pattern and everyday tasks, which also means daily routine. Hence, the appropriate heading for this answer is “ii.” |
| 5 | viii | The initial line of Paragraph F states that “the lessons may extend to include the disabled person’s carer, for example, the person who regularly has to help someone in and out of a wheelchair.” From the phrase ‘ lessons may extend to include the disabled person’s career’, we can deduce that this technique is not only restricted to the disabled but it also extends to helping them through their carers or helpers. Hence, the appropriate heading for this answer is “viii.” |
Tips to Ace the Alexander Technique And Disability IELTS Reading Answers
Let us check out some quick IELTS Exam Preparation Tips for Band Score of 8+ to answer the types of questions in the Reading Answers.
Matching Paragraphs
- Skim the whole passage to get a quick idea of what each paragraph is about.
- Identify the main idea, not small details or examples.
- Search for synonyms and paraphrases instead of exact keyword matches.
- Check the first and last sentences of each paragraph for a summary of the main point.
- Eliminate similar headings and choose the one that reflects the entire paragraph, not just one part.
Want to boost your IELTS score? Enroll in our expert-led IELTS online classes today!
Practising passages like “The Alexander Technique And Disability IELTS Reading Answers” helps you strengthen key reading skills, manage time effectively, and tackle different question types with confidence. Regular practice with answers and explanations will improve your accuracy and boost your IELTS Reading score. Keep practising with more IELTS Reading Recent Actual Tests and answers on IELTSMaterial.com to improve your speed, accuracy, and overall performance.
Check More IELTS Reading Answers
Practice IELTS Reading based on question types
Start Preparing for IELTS: Get Your 10-Day Study Plan Today!
Recent Articles
Nehasri Ravishenbagam
Haniya Yashfeen
Haniya Yashfeen
Haniya Yashfeen
Post your Comments