Cambridge IELTS Academic 4 Reading Test 2 Answers with Explanation / IELTS Academic Reading: Cambridge 4 Test 2 Answer / Cambridge IELTS 4 Reading Test 2 Answers with Explanation

READING PASSAGE 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13, which are based on Reading Passage 1.

Lost of Words

Question	Answer	Keywords	Location	Text
1	isolation	approximately 6,800 languages, great variety of languages, largely, as a result, geographical	Paragraph 2, Paragraph 3	"Isolation breeds linguistic diversity: as a result, the world is peppered with languages spoken by only a few people."
2	(economic) globalization / globalisation / socio-economic pressures	today’s world, government initiatives, contributing, huge decrease, numbers of languages	Paragraph 5	"Salikoko Mufwene, who chairs the Linguistics department at the University of Chicago, argues that the deadliest weapon is not government policy but economic globalisation."
3	cultural identity	one factor, may help, ensure, endangered languages, do not die out completely, people’s increasing appreciation of	Paragraph 7	"But a growing interest in cultural identity may prevent the direst predictions from coming true."
4	traditional skill	encouraged, programmes of language classes, children, ‘apprentice’ schemes, endangered language, used, as, medium of instruction, teach people	Paragraph 7	"Volunteer ‘apprentices’ pair up with one of the last living speakers of a Native American tongue to learn a traditional skill such as basket weaving, with instruction exclusively in the endangered language."

Question	Answer	Keywords	Location	Text
5	E (Doug Whalen)	endangered languages, cannot be saved, unless, people learn, speak, more than one language	Paragraph 7, Lines 1-3	"‘The key to fostering diversity is for people to learn their ancestral tongue, as well as the dominant language,’ says Doug Whalen, founder, and president of the Endangered Language Fund in New Haven, Connecticut."
6	B (Salikoko Mufwene)	saving languages, from extinction, not, satisfactory goal	Paragraph 7, Lines 5-7	"But Mufwene says that preventing a language dying out is not the same as giving it new life by using it every day. ‘Preserving a language is more like preserving fruits in a jar,’ he says."
7	D (Mark Pagel)	the way we think, may be determined, by our language	Paragraph 6, Lines 7-9	"Pagel says, and this could affect our thoughts and perceptions. ‘The patterns and connections we make among various concepts may be structured by the linguistic habits of our community.’"
8	C (Nicholas Ostler)	young people, often reject, established way of life, their community	Paragraph 4, Lines 3-5	"People lose faith in their culture,’ he says. ‘When the next generation reaches their teens, they might not want to be induced into the old traditions.’"
9	B (Salikoko Mufwene)	a change of language, may mean, loss of traditional culture	Paragraph 6, Lines 4-6	"If a person shifts from Navajo to English, they lose something,’ Mufwene says."
10	NO	Navajo language, will die out, because, currently has, too few speakers	Paragraph 1, Line 6; Paragraph 3, Lines 1-2	"Not surprisingly, linguists doubt that any native speakers of Navajo will remain in a hundred years’ time." / "Navajo is considered endangered despite having 150,000 speakers."
11	YES	A large number of native speakers, fails to guarantee, survival of a language	Paragraph 3, Lines 1-3	"What makes a language endangered is not just the number of speakers, but how old they are."
12	NOT GIVEN	national governments, could do more, protect endangered languages	Paragraph 5, Lines 1-2	"The change is not always voluntary. Quite often, governments try to kill off a minority language by banning its use in public or discouraging its use in schools, all to promote national unity."
13	YES	loss of linguistic diversity, inevitable	Paragraph 7, Line 1	"So despite linguists’ best efforts, many languages will disappear over the next century."

 

READING PASSAGE 2

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 15–26, which are based on Reading Passage 2 .

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE IN AUSTRALIA

Question No.	Answer	Keywords	Location	Explanation
14	C (They have been reluctant to accept alternative therapists.)	traditionally, how, Australian doctors, differed, Western countries	Paragraph 1, first lines: "Australia has been unusual in the Western world in having a very conservative attitude to natural or alternative therapies."	The conservative attitude to alternative therapies shows reluctance to accept them.
15	B (consulted alternative therapists more often than doctors.)	1990, Americans	Paragraph 1, lines 8-9: "Americans made more visits to alternative therapist than to orthodox doctors in 1990."	The statement indicates that Americans preferred alternative therapists to doctors in 1990.
16	YES	Australians, turning to, alternative therapies, increasing numbers, over past 20 years	Paragraph 2, lines 1-2: "Popularity of alternative therapies...climb steadily during the past 20 years."	The statement matches the claim in the text about the increasing popularity of alternative therapies in Australia.
17	NO	between 1983 and 1990, numbers of patients, visiting alternative therapists, rose, further 8% of population	Paragraph 2, lines 2-5: "By 1990, this figure had risen to 2.6% of the population."	The actual rise was 0.7%, not 8%, contradicting the question.
18	YES	1990 survey, related to 550,000 consultations, alternative therapists	Paragraph 2, lines 5-7: "The 550,000 consultations with alternative therapists reported in the 1990 survey..."	The survey number matches the question.
19	YES	in the past, Australians, had, higher opinion of doctors, than today	Paragraph 2, final lines: "The high standing of professionals, including doctors, has been eroded..."	This implies Australians had a higher opinion of doctors in the past.
20	YES	some Australian doctors, retraining in, alternative therapies	Paragraph 3, first lines: "Increasing numbers of Australian doctors...taking courses themselves..."	This matches the claim that Australian doctors are retraining in alternative therapies.
21	NOT GIVEN	alternative therapists, earn, higher salaries, than doctors	Paragraph 3, line 4: "Part of the incentive was financial..."	The passage does not compare earnings between therapists and doctors.
22	NO	1993 Sydney survey, involved, 289 patients, visited, alternative therapists, acupuncture treatment	Paragraph 4, first lines: "These practices offered a wide range of alternative therapies..."	The survey involved a variety of therapies, not just acupuncture.
23	YES	all the patients, 1993 Sydney survey, had, long-term medical complaints	Paragraph 4, lines 3-4: "Those surveyed had experience chronic illnesses..."	This matches the claim about long-term medical complaints in the survey.
24	emotional / emotional problems	medical complaints, patients, visiting therapists, musculo-skeletal, digestive	Paragraph 5, lines 1-4: "18% of patients visiting alternative therapists...suffer from emotional problems."	The survey data about emotional problems is confirmed.
25	headache / headaches	medical complaints, patients, visiting therapists, respiratory, candida, general health maintenance	Paragraph 5, lines 4-7: "Headache sufferers represent 6% of patients..."	This matches the survey data about headache sufferers.
26	general ill health	medical complaints, patients, visiting therapists, respiratory, candida, general health maintenance	Paragraph 5, lines 4-7: "Those complaining of general ill health represent 5% of patients."	This matches the survey data about patients seeking treatment for general ill health.

READING PASSAGE 3

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27–40, which are based on Reading Passage 3 .

PLAY IS A SERIOUS BUSINESS

Question No.	Answer	Keywords	Location	Explanation
27	H	the way, play causes, unusual connections, brain, beneficial	Paragraph H (Lines 6-10)	The author mentions that play allows link-ups between brain areas that might not normally communicate, enhancing creativity.
28	F	insights, recording, how much time, young animals spend, playing	Paragraph F (First lines)	Byers discusses the timing of the playful stage in young animals, providing insights into the significance of play.
29	A	description, physical hazards, can accompany, play	Paragraph A (Lines 4-7)	The author describes how play can cost animals their lives and consume energy, mentioning the physical hazards involved.
30	H	description, mental activities, exercised, developed, during play	Paragraph H (Lines 1-2)	Bekoff talks about how more of the brain is involved in play, activating higher cognitive processes, which shows the mental activities exercised during play.
31	I	possible effects, reduction, play opportunities, will have, on humans	Paragraph F (Final lines)	The author discusses how schooling becoming more exam-oriented may reduce play opportunities, with uncertain effects.
32	B	classes of animals, for which, play, important	Paragraph B (Lines 3-4)	The author mentions that playfulness is common among mammals and some larger-brained birds, describing the classes of animals for which play is important.
33-35	A, C, F	an activity assisting organ growth, a rehearsal for later adult activities, an activity intended to build up strength for adulthood	Paragraph B (Lines 2-8)	The author presents multiple views on play, including its role in building big brains, rehearsing adult activities, and building strength for adulthood.
36	B	Robert Barton	Paragraph E (Lines 5-8)	Barton discusses how large brains require more play to help with development, particularly in relation to environmental data during development.
37	G	Marc Bekoff	Paragraph G (End)	Bekoff compares play to a behavioral kaleidoscope, where animals engage in various activities, demonstrating a wide range of activities combined during play.
38	E	John Byers	Paragraph C (Lines 2-5)	Byers explains that play tends to peak halfway through the suckling stage and then decline, showing that play is not just fitness training for the future.
39	D	Sergio Pellis	Paragraph E (First lines)	Pellis's research links brain size to playfulness among mammals, suggesting that mammals with smaller brains tend to play less.
40	H	Stephen Siviy	Paragraph H (Lines 6-8)	Siviy studies how play affects brain chemicals, particularly those involved in nerve cell stimulation, linking a specific substance in the brain to play.