The Triune Brain Reading Answers

The Triune Brain is a IELTS Academic Reading passage that consists of 14 questions.

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. The question types found in this IELTS Reading passage are:

The question types found in this passage are:

• IELTS Matching Information (Q. 14 – 22)
• IELTS Reading Sentence Completion (Q. 23 – 26)

If your target is a band score of 9 in IELTS Reading, check out the video below for some exclusive tips!

The Triune Brain

Answers

Have a look at the Triune Brain answer key with detailed explanation and answer location. It will help you tally your answers as well as give you an idea of which question type to focus to achieve a good IELTS Reading band score.

14 Answer: C

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph 4, Line 3

Answer explanation: We find reference for the given statement in the third line of paragraph 4, which illustrates an example, that anticipating a better grade on the following morning’s exam, a student can ignore the limbic urge to socialise and go to sleep early instead, and this sacrifice continues for three years to get into a first-class degree and a scholarship to graduate school; over a lifetime. This sacrifice can mean groundbreaking contributions to human knowledge and development. As a result, the ability to sacrifice our drive for immediate satisfaction in order to benefit later is a product of the neocortex. We understand from the last line that the neocortex is in charge of the mechanism that allows us to give up short-term happiness such as social interaction for long-term gains. Thus, the answer is C.

15 Answer: A

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph 1, First 2 lines

Answer explanation: We understand from the introductory line in the first paragraph that the first of our three brains to evolve is what scientists call the reptilian cortex, which sustains the elementary activities of animal survival such as respiration, adequate rest, and a beating heart. These lines indicate that the reptilian cortex maintains the bodily functions necessary for our survival. Hence, the answer is A.

16 Answer: B

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph 2, line 10

Answer explanation: The second line of paragraph 5, illustrates that listening to the anguished squeal of a dolphin separated from its pod or witnessing the sight of elephants mourning their dead, and this sense has been by Scientists called as the “limbic cortex, “ which is unique to mammals. The limbic cortex impels creatures to nurture their offspring by delivering feelings of tenderness and warmth to the parent when children are nearby. These same sensations also cause mammals to develop various types of social relations and kinship networks. Further, when we are with others of “our kind”, for example, at soccer practice, church, school or a nightclub – we experience positive sensations of togetherness, solidarity and comfort. However, if we spend too long away from these networks, then loneliness sets in and encourages us to seek companionship. The author has given the example of anguished squeal of dolphins and elephants, describing that network loneliness is the pain of losing one another is caused by the limbic cortex. Hence, the answer is B.

17 Answer: B

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph 2, line 6 – 7

Answer explanation: We find reference in the 6th line of the 2nd paragraph, which illustrates that the limbic cortex impels creatures to nurture their offspring by warmth and tender. These same sensations also cause mammals to develop various types of social relations and kinship networks. When we are with others of “our kind” – be it at soccer practice, church, school or a nightclub – we experience positive sensations of togetherness, solidarity and comfort. If we spend too long away from these networks, then loneliness sets in and encourages us to seek companionship. These lines indicate that the limbic cortex enables the mammals and animals to seek companionship and form communities and social groups. So, the answer is B.

18 Answer: C

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph 4, first 2 lines

Answer explanation: We understand from the introductory line of 4th paragraph that the neocortex is responsible for the process by which humans decide on and commit to particular courses of action. These lines illustrate that it’s because of neocortex we make decisions and carry out our actions. So, the answer is C.

19 Answer: A

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph 1, line 11

Answer explanation: We comprehend from the eleventh line of the first paragraph that the reptilian brain offers up the most primary impulses such as aggression, mating, and territorial defence, when it comes to interaction with others. For instance, there is no great difference, in this sense, between a crocodile defending its spot along the river and a turf war between two urban gangs. It is evident that the reptilian brain offers the impulse of aggression, mating, and territorial defence. Here, Territorial defence refers to guarding land areas. Hence, the answer is A.

Tips for Answering the Question Types in the Triune Brain Reading Passage

Let us check out some quick tips to answer the types of questions in the ‘Triune Brain’ Reading passage.

Matching Information

The matching information questions in the IELTS reading test are very common which requires the test-taker to match the information that is contained in different paragraphs according to the question statements. The test-taker must possess strong paraphrasing skills to attempt this type of question. The type of information asked in the statements usually varies such as definitions, facts, opinions, descriptions, reasons, explanations, etc.

• Read Instructions Carefully: Understand exactly what type of information you need to match (e.g., examples, reasons).
• Identify Keywords: Highlight key terms in the statements and look for these or synonyms in the passage.
• Skim and Scan the Passage: Skim to get an overview and scan for specific keywords related to the statements.
• Understand the Context: Read around the keywords to ensure you match the correct paragraph or section.
• Eliminate Incorrect Options: Use the process of elimination to discard paragraphs that clearly do not match the information.

Sentence Completion

The sentence completion questions are one of the most common types of questions in the IELTS reading test where the test-taker is required to fill the blank spaces with appropriate words. The test-taker must be aware of the paraphrasing and synonyms to tackle this question type. The test-taker must note that they should not use more than the number of words mentioned in the instruction to fill the blank spaces.

• Read Instructions Carefully: Pay attention to the word limit for each answer.
• Identify Keywords: Highlight key terms in the sentences to find related information in the passage.
• Skim the Passage: Get an overview of the text to understand the main ideas and context.
• Look for Synonyms: Be prepared to find synonyms or paraphrases in the passage that fit the sentences.
• Check Your Answers: Ensure that your completed sentences make sense and fit grammatically.

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