WeThis IELTS Reading post focuses on all the solutions for IELTS Cambridge 14 Reading Test 2 Passage 1 which is entitled ‘Alexander Henderson (1831-1913)’. This is an aimed post for candidates who have major problems in finding Reading Answers. This post can easily guide you the best to comprehend every Reading answer. Finding IELTS Reading answers is a gradual process and I hope this post can help you in your IELTS Reading preparation.

IELTS Cambridge 14 Test 2: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 1:

The headline of the passage: Alexander Henderson (1831-1913)

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

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

Question 1: Henderson rarely visited the area around Press Estate when he was younger.

Keywords for the question: Henderson, rarely visited, around Press Estate, younger  

We find the keyword ‘Press Estate’ in paragraph no. 1. So, we should scan it carefully. In the last few lines of the paragraph, the writer says, “… .. .it owned Press Estate, 650 acres of……….. The family often stayed at Press Castle, the large … . . . .. . and Alexander spent much of his childhood in the area, .. . .”

The lines suggest that Alexander’s family was a merchant family and they owned a huge property in Scotland including the Press estate and he spent a good deal of time there. So, he often (opposite to the word ‘rarely’) visited the Press Estate.

So, the answer is: FALSE

Question 2: Henderson pursued a business career because it was what his family wanted.

Keywords for the question: pursued, business career, family wanted  

We find the answer in paragraph no. 2 of the passage. Take a look at lines 2-4, “. . . In 1849 he began a three-year apprenticeship to become an accountant. Although he never liked the prospect of a business career, he stayed with it to please his family.”

Here, he began a three-year apprenticeship to become an accountant = Henderson pursued a business career, he stayed with it to please his family = because it was what his family wanted

So, the answer is: TRUE

Question 3: Henderson and Notman were surprised by the results of their 1865 experiment.

Keywords for the question: Henderson, Notman, surprised, results, 1865 experiment      

We find the reference to the 1865 experiments ‘with magnesium flares as a source of artificial light’ in paragraph no. 3. However, there is no mention of their surprise or astonishment about the experiment.

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN       

Question 4: There are many similarities between Henderson’s early landscapes and those of Notman.

Keywords for the question: many similarities, early landscapes, Henderson, Notman

The answers can be found in lines 1-3 of paragraph no. 4. The writer says, “In spite of their friendship, their styles of photography were quite different. While Notman’s landscapes were noted for their bold realism, Henderson for the first 20 years of his career produced romantic images, showing the strong influence of the British landscape tradition.” The lines clearly show that the works of Henderson and Notman did not have many similarities.

So, the answer is: FALSE

Question 5: The studio that Henderson opened in 1866 was close to his home.

Keywords for the question: studio, opened, 1866, close, home

The mention of Henderson’s studio opening is found in the first lines of paragraph no. 5, “In 1866, he gave up his business to open a photographic studio, …” But the location of the studio is not mentioned here.

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN

Question 6: Henderson gave up portraiture so that he could focus on taking photographs of scenery.

Keywords for the question: gave up, portraiture, focus, taking photographs,

The answer is in lines 2-3 of paragraph no. 5, “From about 1870 he dropped portraiture to specialize in landscape photography and other views.”

Here, landscape photography and other views mean photography of scenery, dropped means gave up,

So, the answer is: TRUE

Question 7: When Henderson began work for the Intercolonial Railway, the Montreal to Halifax line had been finished.

Keywords for the question: Intercolonial Railway, Montreal to Halifax line, finished   

The answer can be found in paragraph no. 7 as we see the mention of ‘Intercolonial Railway’ in lines 6-7 of this paragraph. Let’s take a look at lines 5-8, “. .. .That same year, while in the lower St. Lawrence River region, he took some photographs of the construction of the Intercolonial Railway. This undertaking led in 1875 to a commission from the railway to record the principal structures along the almost-completed line connecting Montreal to Halifax.” The lines suggest that the Montreal to Halifax line was not yet completed at that time.

So, the answer is: FALSE

Question 8: Henderson’s last work as a photographer was with the Canadian Pacific Railway.

Keywords for the question: last work, photographer, Canadian Pacific Railway  

The answer is in paragraph no. 8. The writer says, “In 1892 Henderson accepted a full-time position with the CPR (Canadian Pacific Railway) as manager of a photographic department . .. . . .. . . . . . .. … . That summer he made his second trip west, photographing extensively along the railway line as far as Victoria. He continued in this post until 1897, when he retired completely from photography.”

So, the job with the CPR was his last work, where he did his work of photography extensively.

So, the answer is: TRUE

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

In this type of question, candidates are asked to write only one word/ no more than two words to complete notes 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.

Question 9:

Early Life:

• was born in Scotland in 1831 – father was a __________.

Keywords for this question: born, Scotland, 1831, father

The answer lies in paragraph no. 1, at the very beginning of the paragraph, “Alexander Henderson was born in Scotland in 1831 and was the son of a successful merchant.”

So, the answer is: merchant

Questions 10 and 11:

Start of a photographic career:

• people bought Henderson’s photos because photography took up considerable time and the 10. ____________ was heavy

Keywords for this question: bought, because, time, heavy,

• the photographs Henderson sold were 11. _____________ or souvenirs

Keywords for this question:  photographs, souvenirs,

We can find answers to questions 10 and 11 in paragraph no. 5. Look at lines 6-10 of the paragraph. “There was sufficient demand for these types of scenes and others he took depicting the lumber trade, steamboats, and waterfalls to enable him to make a living. There was little competing hobby or amateur photography before the late 1880s because of the time-consuming techniques involved and the weight of the equipment. People wanted to buy photographs as souvenirs of a trip or as gifts, …..”

Here, the lines suggest that people bought Henderson’s photographs because of the little competition involved in this sort of hobby due to the time it took and the weight (heavy) of the equipment.

So, the answer to question no. 11 is: equipment

Again, in the next line, People liked to buy Henderson’s photos as souvenirs or as gifts.

So, the answer to question no. 12 is: gifts

Questions 12 and 13: Travelling as a professional photographer:

Question 12: took many trips along eastern rivers in a __________.

Keywords for this question: many trips, eastern rivers, in,   

We find the mention of ‘eastern rivers’ in paragraph no. 7. In lines 1-4 the writer says, “In the 1870s and 1880s Henderson travelled widely throughout Quebec and Ontario. . .. . . .. .He was especially fond of the wilderness and often travelled by canoe on the Blanche, du Lievre, and other noted eastern rivers.”

The lines suggest that Henderson made many trips (travelled widely) in a canoe.

So, the answer is: canoe

Question 13: worked for CPR in 1885 and photographed the _________ and the railway at Rogers Pass.  

Keywords for this question: worked, CPR, 1885, photographed, railway, Rogers Pass   

The last lines of paragraph no. 7 give us the answer. “In 1885 he went west along the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) as far as Rogers Pass in British Columbia, where he took photographs of the mountains and the progress of construction.”

The lines propose that in 1885 Henderson worked for the CPR and took photographs of the mountains.

So, the answer is: mountains

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 14 Test 2 Reading Passage 2

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 14 Test 2 Reading Passage 3