This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Cambridge 4 Reading Test 1 Reading Passage 3 titled ‘Visual Symbols and the Blind’. This is an aimed post for IELTS candidates who have great problems finding out and understanding Reading Answers in the AC module. This post can guide you the best to understand every Reading answer quite easily. Finding out IELTS Reading answers is a gradual process, and this post will assist you in this respect.

IELTS Cambridge 4 Test 1: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 3: Questions 27-40

The headline of the passage: Visual Symbols and the Blind

Questions 27-32: Multiple choice questions

[This type of question asks you to choose a suitable answer from the options using the knowledge you gained from the passage. Generally, this question is set found as the last question set in most passages so you should not worry much about it. Finding all the answers to previous questions gives you a good idea about these questions.]

Question no. 27: In the first paragraph the writer makes the point that blind people

Keywords for the question: first paragraph, blind people,

The answer can be found in the first paragraph, in lines 1-3, “From a number of recent studies, it has become clear that blind people can appreciate the use of outlines and perspectives to describe the arrangement of objects and other surfaces in space. .. …”

Here, appreciate = recognise, use of outlines and perspectives = conventions such as perspective,

So, the answer is: C (can recognise conventions such as perspective.)

Question no. 28: The writer was surprised because the blind woman

Keywords for the question: writer, surprised, because, blind woman,  

In the first paragraph, the author of the text says in lines 4-7, “ . .. . . This fact was drawn to my attention dramatically when a blind woman in one of my investigations decided on her own initiative to draw a wheel as it was spinning. To show this motion, she traced a curve inside the circle (Fig. 1). I was taken aback. .. . .”  

Here, as it was spinning .. .. traced a curve inside the circle = included a symbol representing movement, I was taken aback = The writer was surprised,

So, the answer is: C (included a symbol representing movement.)

Question no. 29: From the experiment described in Part 1, the writer found that the blind subjects

Keywords for the question: experiment, Part 1, writer found, blind subjects,  

In part 1, take a look at these lines from paragraph no. 5, “ . . .. the task I gave them involved some problem solving. Evidently, however, the blind not only figured out meanings for each line of motion, but as a group they generally came up with the same meaning at least as frequently as did sighted subjects.” 

Here, as a group = the blind subjects, generally came up with the same meaning at least as frequently as did sighted subjects = had good understanding of symbols representing movement,

So, the answer is: A (had good understanding of symbols representing movement.)

Questions 30-32: Labeling a diagram

[In this type of question, candidates are asked to label a diagram with NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage. Keywords are important to find answers correctly. Generally, this type of question maintains a sequence. However, we should not be surprised if the sequence is not maintained. Find the keywords in the passage and you are most likely to find the answers.]

Question no. 30:

Lines 4-5 in paragraph no. 4 (Part 1) says, “ .. . Subjects assumed that spokes extending beyond the wheel’s perimeter signified that the wheel had its brakes on.. . .. .”

Here, spokes = lines,

So, the answer is: E (use of brakes)

Question no. 31:

Line no. 6 in paragraph no. 4 (Part 1) says, “ . .. . dashed spokes indicated the wheel was spinning quickly.”

Here, spokes = lines,

So, the answer is: C (rapid spinning)

Question no. 32:

In paragraph no. 4 of Part 1, take a look at line no. 2, “. .. . . Most guessed that the curved spokes indicated that the wheel was spinning steadily; .. ..”

Here, spokes = lines,

So, the answer is: A (steady spinning)

Questions 33-39: Completing summary with list of words:

[In this type of question, candidates are asked to complete a summary with list of words taken from the passage. Candidates must write the correct letters (not the words) which are given in the box under the questions as the answers. Keywords and synonyms are important to find answers correctly. Generally, this type of question maintains a sequence. Find the keywords in the passage and you are most likely to find the answers.]

Question no. 33 & 34: In the experiment described in Part 2, a set of word 33. _________ was used to investigate whether blind and sighted people perceived the symbolism in abstract 34. _________ in the same way.

Keywords for the question: experiment, Part 2, a set of word, used, to investigate, blind and sighted people, perceived, symbolism, abstract, same way,

The answers can be found in paragraph no. 1 and 2 of Part 2, “ . .. . . I have begun exploring how well blind people understand the symbolism behind shapes such as hearts that do not directly represent their meaning.

We gave a list of twenty pairs of words to sighted subjects and asked them to pick from each pair the term that best related to a circle and the term that best related to a square. . . .”

Here, how well blind people understand the symbolism = leaning on one side (selection of areas of research), twenty pairs of words = a set of word pairs,

Hearts, a circle, a square = shapes,

So, the answers are:

33. pairs
34. shapes

Question no. 35: Subjects were asked which word fitted best with a circle and which with a square. From the ________ volunteers, everyone thought a circle fitted ‘soft’ while a square fitted ‘hard’.

Keywords for the question: subjects, asked, which word fitted best, circle, square, volunteers, everyone thought, circle fitted ‘soft’, square fitted ‘hard’,  

The writer says in paragraph no. 2 and in the beginning of paragraph no. 3 (Part 2) “We gave a list of twenty pairs of words to sighted subjects and asked them to pick from each pair the term that best related to a circle and the term that best related to a square. For example, we asked: What goes with soft? A circle or a square? Which shape goes with hard?

All our subjects deemed the circle soft and the square hard. .. . .”

Here, sighted subjects = sighted volunteers, All our subjects deemed the circle soft and the square hard = everyone thought a circle fitted ‘soft’ while a square fitted ‘hard’,

So, the answer is: sighted

Question no. 36 & 37: However, only 51% of the 36. ________ volunteers assigned a circle to 37. _________.

Keywords for the question: however, only 51% of, volunteers, assigned a circle to,     

The answers can be found in lines 5-6 of paragraph no. 3 (Part 2),  “All our subjects . . . . And only 51% linked deep to circle and shallow to square. .. . .”  

Here, All our subjects = sighted volunteers, linked = assigned,  

So, the answers are:

36. sighted
37. deep

Question no. 38 & 39: When the test was later repeated with 38. ________ volunteers, it was found that they made 39. ________ choices.

Keywords for the question: when, the test, later repeated, with, volunteers, found, they made, choices,

The answers can be found in paragraph no. 3 (Part 2) in lines 7-10. The writer says here, “. . .. When we tested four totally blind volunteers using the same list, we found that their choices closely resembled those made by the sighted subjects. . .. .. ”

Here, When we tested. .. . using the same list = When the test was repeated,  their choices closely resembled those made by the sighted subjects = they made similar choices,

So, the answers are:

38. blind
39. similar

Question no. 40: Multiple choice questions

[This type of question asks you to choose a suitable answer from the options using the knowledge you gained from the passage. Generally, this question is set found as the last question set in most passages so you should not worry much about it. Finding all the answers to previous questions gives you a good idea about these questions.]

Question no. 40: Which of the following statements best summarises the writer’s general conclusion?

Keywords for the question: best, summarises, writer’s, general conclusion,

In the final lines of paragraph no. 3 (Part 2), the author of the text says, “ . . .. Thus, we concluded that the blind interpret abstract shapes as sighted people do.”  

Here, interpret = comprehend, abstract shapes = visual metaphors, as sighted people do = in similar ways to sighted people,

So, the answer is: B (The blind comprehend visual metaphors in similar ways to sighted people.)

Click here for solutions to Cambridge IELTS 4 Academic Reading Test 1 Reading passage 1

Click here for solutions to Cambridge IELTS 4 Academic Reading Test 1 Reading passage 2