In this IELTS Reading post, we are going to deal with the best solutions of IELTS Cambridge 13 Reading test 4 Passage 1. The title of the passage is Cutty Sark: the fastest sailing ship of all time. This is a post on demand from IELTS candidates who have extreme difficulties in locating and understanding Reading Answers. This post can be the best guide to you to understand every Reading answer easily and without trouble because all the answers have easy and clear explanations. Finding IELTS Reading answers is a step-by-step process and I hope this post can help you in this respect.

IELTS Cambridge 13 Test 4: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 1:

The headline of the passage: Cutty Sark: the fastest sailing ship of all time

Questions 1-8 (TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN):

In this type of question, candidates are asked to find out whether:

The statement in the question matches with the account in the text- TRUE
The statement in the question contradicts the account in the text- FALSE
The statement in the question has no clear connection with the account in the text- NOT GIVEN

[TIPS: For this type of question, you can divide each statement into three independent pieces and make your way through with the answer.]

Question 1: Clippers were originally intended to be used as passenger ships.   

Keywords for the question: originally intended, used as passenger ships  

To find the answer to this question, we need to locate the keyword ‘originally intended’ which is in paragraph no. 2, lines 1-2. Here, the author writes, “The fastest commercial sailing vessels of all time were the clippers, three-masted ships built to transport goods around the world, although some also took passengers.” Here, the lines say the original purpose of such ships was to carry goods, but some of them took passengers.

So, the answer is: FALSE

Question 2: Cutty Sark was given the name of a character in a poem.  

Keywords for the question: given, name, character in a poem

The answer to this question is in lines 1-3 of paragraph no. 3. The author writes about the naming of Cutty Sark, “… . .Cutty Sark’s unusual name comes from the poem Tam O’Shanter by the Scottish poet Robert Burns. Tam, a farmer, is chased by a witch called Nannie, who is wearing a ‘cutty sark’ – an old Scottish name for a short nightdress.” Here, the lines indicate that Cutty Sark was the name of a dress, not the name of a character in the poem.

So, the answer is: FALSE                 

Question 3: The contract between John Willis and Scott & Linton favoured Willis.   

Keywords for the question: contract, John Willis and Scott & Linton, favoured  

Paragraph no. 4 talks about the contract. The answer is in lines 2-3. The lines say, “To carry out construction, Willis chose a new shipbuilding firm, Scott & Linton, and ensured that the contract with them put him in a very strong position.” These lines suggest that Willis chose Scott & Linton and he made sure that he would be in a very good position. Here, in a very strong position = favoured Willis.

So, the answer is: TRUE                   

Question 4: John Willis wanted Cutty Sark to be the fastest tea clipper travelling between the UK and China.

Keywords for the question: wanted, to be the fastest tea clipper, between the UK and China

In paragraph no. 5, lines 1-2 talk about the travels of Cutty Sark as a tea clipper, “Willis’s company was active in the tea trade between China and Britain, where speed could bring ship owners both profits and prestige, Cutty Sark was designed to make the journey more quickly than any other ship….” The lines clearly indicate that the ship had a unique design to be quicker than any other ship doing trade between the UK and China.

So, the answer is: TRUE                   

Question 5: Despite storm damage, Cutty Sark beat Thermopylae back to London.

Keywords for the question: despite storm damage, beat, Thermopylae,

The last lines of paragraph no. 5 have the answer to this question. Here, in line 10, the author states, “Cutty Sark reached London a week after Thermopylae.” So, Cutty Sark failed to beat Thermopylae on the way back to London.

So, the answers are: FALSE

Question 6: The opening of the Suez Canal meant that steam ships could travel between Britain and China faster than clippers.  

Keywords for the question: opening, Suez Canal, steam ships, travel, faster than clippers

We can find the reference to the Suez canal opening in line no. 2 of paragraph no. 6, Then in lines 5-6, the writer explains, “…. …Steam ships reduced the journey time between Britain and China by approximately two months.” So, clippers did not have permission to use Suez Canal, so they used the old route, steam ships took advantage of passing through the Suez Canal and reduced the journey time by two months.

So, the answer is: TRUE

Question 7: Steamships sometimes used the ocean route to travel between London and China.  

Keywords for the question: sometimes used, ocean route, to travel, London and China.

In paragraph no. 7, there is no reference to steamships using ocean route between London and China.

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN

Question 8: Captain Woodget put Cutty Sark at risk of hitting an iceberg.   

Keywords for the question: Woodget, put, at risk, hitting, iceberg

The answer to this question is in lines 3-4 of paragraph no. 8. Here, the writer says, “And Woodget took her further south than any previous captain, bringing her dangerously close to icebergs off the southern tip of South America.”  So, Woodget took the risk to bring Cutty Sark dangerously close to iceberg.

So, the answer is: TRUE

Questions 9-13 (Completing sentences with ONE WORD ONLY):

In this type of question, candidates must write only one word to complete sentences on the given topic. For this type of question, first, skim the passage to find the keywords in the paragraph concerned with the answer, and then scan to find the exact word.

[TIPS: Here scanning technique will come in handy. Target the keywords of the questions to find the answers. Remember to focus on Proper nouns, random Capital letters, numbers, special characters of text etc.]

Question 9: After 1880, Cutty Sark carried __________ as its main cargo during its most successful time.  

Keywords for the question: after 1880, carried, main cargo, successful time

The answer lies in lines 4-6 of paragraph no.8 where the author says, “This marked a turnaround and the beginning of the most successful period in Cutty Sark’s working life, transporting wool from Australia to Britain.” So, the clipper Cutty Sark transported wool as the main cargo.

So, the answer is: wool

Question 10: As a captain and __________, Woodget was very skilled.  

Keywords for the question: captain and, Woodget, very skilled

The answer lies in line 1 of paragraph no. 8 where the author says, “…The ship’s next captain, Richard Woodget, was an excellent navigator…”.

So, the answer is: navigator

Question 11: Ferreira went to Falmouth to repair damage that a _______ had caused.

Keywords for the question: Ferreira, went, Falmouth, repair damage, had caused

We find the answer to this question in line no. 1 of paragraph no. 10. The author says, “… . . Badly damaged in a gale in 1922, she was put into Falmouth harbor in southwest England, for repairs.”

So, a gale damages the ship.

So, the answer is: gale

Question 12: Between 1923 and 1954, Cutty Sark was used for _________.

Keywords for the question: Between 1923 and 1954, used for

The answer is in line no. 1 of paragraph no. 11. Before that we can see the year 1922 in paragraph no. 10. Then, in this paragraph no. 11, line no. 1 says, “Dowman used Cutty Sark as a training ship, and she continued in this role after his death. When she was no longer required, in 1954, she was transferred to…..” So, Cutty Sark was used as a training ship in between 1923 and 1954.

So the answer is: training

Question 13: Cutty Sark has twice been damaged by __________ in the 21st Century.

Keywords for the question: twice, damaged, 21^st century

The answer is  in Paragraph 11 lines 3-4, “The ship suffered from fire in 2007, and again, less seriously, in 2014…”

So, there are two cases of fire that damaged the ship.

So the answer is: fire

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Click here for solutions to Cambridge 13 Reading Test 4 Passage 2

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 13 Reading Test 4 Passage 3