This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Cambridge 15 Reading Test 2 Reading Passage 3 titled ‘Having a laugh’. This is a targeted post for IELTS candidates who have big problems finding out and understanding Reading Answers in the AC module. This post can guide you the best to understand every Reading answer without much trouble. Finding out IELTS Reading answers is a steady process, and this post will assist you in this respect.

IELTS Cambridge 15 Test 1: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 3: Questions 27-40

The headline of the passage: Having a laugh    

Questions 27-31: 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 found as the last question so you should not worry much about it. Finding all the answers to previous questions gives you a good idea about the title.]

Question no. 27: When referring to laughter in the first paragraph, the writer emphasises –

Keywords for the question: laughter, first paragraph, emphasises, 

In the first paragraph, take a close look at lines 3-5, “ . .. .. Like other human emotions and expressions, laughter and humour provide psychological scientists with rich resources for studying human psychology, ranging from the development of language to the neuroscience of social perception.”

Here, laughter and humour provide psychological scientists with rich resources = the value of laughter in scientific research,

So, the answer is: C (its value to scientific research.)

Question no. 28: What does the writer suggest about Charley Douglass?  

Keywords for the question: suggest about, Charley Douglass,

Paragraph no. 2 highlights what sound engineer Charley Douglass found while recording laughter. Take a look at lines 2-5, “ . .. . Back in 1950, US sound engineer Charley Douglass hated dealing with the unpredictable laughter of live audiences, so started recording his own ‘laugh tracks’. These were intended to help people at home feel like they were in a social situation, such as a crowded theatre. . .. .”

Here, These were intended to help = the sound engineer understood the importance, people at home feel like they were in a social situation = enjoying humour in a group setting,

So, the answer is: A (He understood the importance of enjoying humour in a group setting.)

Question no. 29: What makes the Santa Cruz study particularly significant?  

Keywords for the question: the Santa Cruz study, particularly significant,    

The answer can be found in the very last lines of paragraph no. 3 where the author presents the results or findings of the Santa Cruz Study. The author says in lines 3-7, “. .. . then played these recordings to listeners from 24 diverse societies,  . .. . .. . On average, the results were remarkably consistent: worldwide, people’s guesses were correct approximately 60% of the time.” 

Here, 24 diverse societies = wide range of cultures, results were remarkably consistent = similar results,

So, the answer is: B (the similar results produced by a wide range of cultures.)

Question no. 30: Which of the following happened in the San Diego study?   

Keywords for the question: happened, San Diego study,     

The answer is in paragraph no. 4. Read lines 8-9 where the writer explains what the participants did, “ . .. . Laughter was recorded as each student took a turn at being by the others, involving the use of mildly insulting nicknames. . . .”  

Here, each student took a turn at being by the others = participants exchanged roles,

So, the answer is: B (Participants exchanged roles.)

Question no. 31: In the fifth paragraph, what did the results of the San Diego study suggest?  

Keywords for the question: fifth paragraph, results, the San Diego study, suggest,

The writer explains the results of the San Diego study in paragraph no. 5, in lines 5-9, “ .. . . Thus, by strategically displaying more dominant laughter when the context allows, low-status individuals may achieve higher status in the eyes of others.’ However, high-status individuals were rated as high-status whether they produced their natural dominant laugh or tried to do a submissive one.”  

Here, high-status individuals were rated as high-status whether they produced their natural dominant laugh or tried to do a submissive one = High-status individuals can always be identified by their way of laughing,  

So, the answer is: D (High-status individuals can always be identified by their way of laughing.)

Questions 32-36: Completing summary with list of words

[In this type of question, candidates are asked to complete a summary with a list of words taken from the passage. Candidates must write the correct letter (not the words) 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.]

Title of the summary: The benefits of humour

Question no. 32: In one study at Australian National University, randomly chosen group of participants were shown one of three videos, each designed to generate a different kind of __________.

Keywords for the question: study at Australian National University, randomly chosen, group of participants, shown, one of three videos, each designed, generate, different kind of,

Let’s read the sixth paragraph to find this answer as this particular paragraph talks to the study at Australian National University. Here, in this paragraph, lines 6-8 say, “ . .. The students then were randomly assigned to watch a video clip eliciting either humour, contentment, or neutral feelings. Some watched a clip of the BBC comedy Mr. Bean, others a relaxing scene with dolphins swimming in the ocean, and others a factual video about the management profession.”  

Here, Some watched a clip of the BBC comedy Mr. Bean, others a relaxing scene with dolphins swimming in the ocean, and others a factual video about the management profession = participants were shown one of three videos, either humour, contentment, or neutral feelings = emotion,

So, the answer is: F (emotion)

Question no. 33: When aasll participants were then given a deliberately frustrating task to do, it was found that those who had watched the _________ video persisted with the task for longer and tried harder to accomplish the task than either of the other two groups.

Keywords for the question: all participants, deliberately frustrating task, found, those, watched, persisted with the task, longer, tried harder, accomplish, either of, the other two groups,

The answer can be traced in paragraph no. 7, “The students then completed a task requiring persistence in which they were asked to guess the potential performance of employees based on provided profiles, and were told that making 10 correct assessments in a row would lead to a win. However, the software was programmed such that it was nearly impossible to achieve 10 consecutive correct answers. Participants were allowed to quit the task at any point. Students who had watched the Mr. Bean video ended up spending significantly more time working on the task, making twice as many predictions as the other two groups.”

Here, a task requiring persistence = a deliberately frustrating task (as the task requires perseverance), Mr. Bean video = amusing video, ended up spending significantly more time working = persisted with the task for longer, making twice as many predictions as the other two groups = tried harder to accomplish the task than either of the other two groups,

So, the answer is: H (amusing)

Question no. 34: A second study in which participants were asked to perform a particularly ________ task produced similar results.

Keywords for the question: second study, participants, asked to perform, particularly, task, produced, similar results,  

In paragraph no. 8, the author mentions the second study. The author says here, “Cheng and Wang then replicated these results in a second study, during which they had participants complete long multiplication questions by hand. Again, participants who watched the humorous video spent significantly more time working on this tedious task and completed more questions correctly than did the students in either of the other groups.” 

Here, participants complete long multiplication questions by hand = participants were asked to perform a particularly boring task, tedious task boring task, participants who watched the humorous video . .. . .. completed more questions correctly = produced similar results,

So, the answer is: C (boring)

Questions no. 35 & 36: According to researchers David Cheng and Lu Wang, these findings suggest that humour not only reduces 35. ________ and helps build social connections but it may also have a 36. ________ effect on the body and mind. 

Keywords for the question: David Cheng, Lu Wang, humour, reduces, helps build, social connections, may also have, effect, body and mind,  

The answers to the questions can be found in the final paragraph where we can find the comments made by Cheng and Wang. Take a close look here at lines 1-2, “ ‘Although humour has been found to help relieve stress and facilitate social relationships,  .. . . ..”

Here, relieve = reduces, stress = anxiety, facilitate social relationships = helps build social connections,

Then, read the last lines, “ . . . We suggest that humour is not only enjoyable but more importantly, energizing.”

Here, energizing = may also have a stimulating effect on the body and mind,

So, the answers are:

35. D (anxiety)
36. E (stimulating)

Questions 37-40: YES, NO, NOT GIVEN

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

The statement in the question matches with the claim of the writer in the text- YES
The statement in the question contradicts with the claim of the writer in the text- NO
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 no. 37: Participants in the Santa Cruz study were more accurate at identifying the laughs of friends than those of strangers.

Keywords for the question: Participants in the Santa Cruz study, more accurate, identifying, laughs of friends, than, strangers,

We have found the discussion on the Santa Cruz study in paragraph no. 3. In this paragraph, take a look at lines 5-7, “. … Participants were asked whether they thought the people laughing were friends or strangers. On average, the results were remarkably consistent: worldwide, people’s guesses were correct approximately 60% of the time.”

Here, the lines don’t clarify where the participants were accurate (whether they identified more laughs of friends or of strangers). The results of the study just show that the participants were accurate by 60%.

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN

Question no. 38: The researchers in the San Diego study were correct in their predictions regarding the behaviour of the high-status individuals.

Keywords for the question: researchers, San Diego study, correct, predictions, behaviour, high-status individuals,

In lines 9-11 of paragraph no. 4, the writer talks about the predicted results of San Diego study, “ .. . Analysis revealed that, as expected, high-status individuals produced more dominant laughs and fewer submissive laughs relative to the low-status individuals. . .. .”

Here, as expected = as predicted,

This means the researchers were correct in their predictions about high-status individuals.

So, the answer is: YES

Question no. 39: The participants in the Australian National University study were given a fixed amount of time to complete the task focusing on employee profiles.

Keywords for the question: participants, Australian National University study, given, fixed amount of time, complete the task, focusing on, employee profiles, 

We find about the task focusing on employee profiles in the Australian National University study in paragraph no. 7. Take a look at lines 4-5 here, “ . .. Participants were allowed to quit the task at any point. . .. .”

This means that there was no fixed time to complete the task.  

So, the answer is: NO

Question no. 40: Cheng and Wang’s conclusions were in line with established notions regarding task performance.

Keywords for the question: Cheng and Wang’s conclusions, in line with established notions, task performance,     

In the final paragraph, the author mentions in lines 1-3, “ ‘Although, humour has been found to help relieve stress and facilitate social relationships, the traditional view of task performance implies that individuals should avoid things such as humour that may distract them from the accomplishment of the task goals.’ .. .”

Here, the traditional view = established notions,

This means Cheng and Wang’s conclusions (humour help relieve stress and build social relationships) were not in line with established notions regarding task performance (individuals should avoid things such as humour).

So, the answer is: NO

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 15 Test 2 Reading passage 1

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 15 Test 2 Reading passage 2