This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Cambridge 3 Reading Test 3 Reading Passage 1 which is titled ‘THE DEPARTMENT OF ETHNOGRAPHY’. This is a targeted post for IELTS candidates who face major 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 3 Test 3: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 1: Questions 1-12

Title of the passage: THE DEPARTMENT OF ETHNOGRAPHY

Questions 1-6: TRUE, FALSE, NOT GIVEN

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

The statement in the question agrees with the information in the passage – TRUE
The statement in the question contradicts the information in the passage – FALSE
If there is no information on this – 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 no. 1: The twentieth-century collections come mainly from mainstream societies such as the US and Europe.

Keywords for the question: twentieth-century collections, mainly from, mainstream societies, the US and Europe,   

Let’s have a look at the first few lines of paragraph no. 1 where the author of text writes, “The Department of Ethnography was created as a separate deportment within the British Museum in 1946, offer 140 years of gradual development from the original Department of Antiquities. It is concerned with the people of Africa, the Americas, Asia, the Pacific and parts of Europe. . . …”

Here, the lines clearly suggest that the collections do not only come from the US and Europe, it also contains collections from Africa, Asia, the Pacific etc.

So, the answer is: FALSE

Question no. 2: The Department of Ethnography focuses mainly on modern societies.

Keywords for the question: Department of Ethnography, focuses, mainly, modern societies,   

Lines 8-13 of the first paragraph say, “ .. .. . While this includes complex kingdoms, as in Africa, and ancient empires, such as those of the Americas, the primary focus of attention in the twentieth century has been on small-scale societies. .. .. .”

Here, the primary focus of attention = focuses mainly, small-scale societies = NOT modern societies,

So, the answer is: FALSE

Question no. 3: The Department concentrates on collecting single unrelated objects of great value.

Keywords for the question: the Department, concentrates, collecting, single, unrelated objects, great value,    

In lines 13-20 of the first paragraph, the writer says, “ . . .. .. Through its collections, the Department’s specific interest is to document how objects are created and used, and to understand their importance and significance to those who produce them. Such objects can include both the extraordinary and the mundane, the beautiful and the banal.”

Here, the mundane = dull or boring (less value), the banal = ordinary (less value),

This means the Department concentrates on collecting objects of both great and less value.

So, the answer is: FALSE

Question no. 4: The textile collection of the Department of Ethnography is the largest in the world.

Keywords for the question: the textile collection, Department of Ethnography, largest in the world,

We do not find any information regarding the size of the textile collection made by the Department of Ethnography.

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN

Question no. 5: Traditional societies are highly inventive in terms of technology.

Keywords for the question: traditional societies, highly inventive, technology,  

The answer can be traced in paragraph no. 4, in lines 10-12, “ . . .. In fact, traditional practices draw on a continuing wealth of technological ingenuity. . . .. “

Here, traditional practices = traditional works in societies, wealth of technological ingenuity = highly inventive in terms of technology,

So, the answer is: TRUE

Question no. 6: Many small-scale societies have survived and adapted in spite of predictions to the contrary.

Keywords for the question: many small-scale societies, survived, adapted, in spite of, predictions, contrary,  

In paragraph no. 5, the first half part says, “With the Independence of much of Asia and Africa after 1945, it was assumed that economic progress would rapidly lead to the disappearance or assimilation of many small-scale societies. Therefore, it was felt that the Museum should acquire materials representing people whose art or material culture, ritual or political structures were on the point of irrevocable change. This attitude altered with the realisation that marginal communities can survive and adapt in spite of partial integration into a notoriously fickle world economy. .. … .”

Here, altered = presented a contrasting picture, marginal communities can survive and adapt = small-scale societies have survived and adapted,

So, the answer is: TRUE

Question 7-12: Classifying groups

[This type of question asks candidates to classify information from the given reading text. Candidates are given some groups from the text, and a list of options, which are listed as A, B, C etc. They must match the correct groups with the correct options.

N.B.: This question doesn’t follow any sequence. So, they should be answered after all other questions in the passage.]

Question no. 7: Bolivian textiles

Keywords for the question: Bolivian textiles,

Lines 6-10 of paragraph no. 3 say, “ . .. .. The material collected includes great technical series – for instance, of textiles from Bolivia, Guatemala, Indonesia and areas of West Africa – or of artefact types such as boats.

So, the answer is: TS (Technical series)

Question no. 8: Indian coracles

Keywords for the question: Indian coracles,

Lines 11- 13 of paragraph no. 3 mention, “ .. .. . or of artefact types such as boats. The latter include working examples of coracles from India, .. .. .”

So, the answer is: AT (Artefact types)

Question no. 9: airport art

Keywords for the question: airport art,

Lines 15-21 of paragraph no. 3 say, “ .. .. .  The field assemblages, such as those from the Sudan, Madagascar and Yemen, include a whole range of material culture representative of one people. This might cover the necessities of life of an African herdsman or on Arabian farmer, ritual objects, or even on occasion airport art. . …. … .”

So, the answer is: FA (Field Assemblages)

Question no. 10: Arctic kayaks

Keywords for the question: Arctic kayaks,

Lines 11- 15 of paragraph no. 3 mention, “ .. .. . or of artefact types such as boats. The latter include working examples of coracles from India, reed boars from Lake Titicaca in the Andes, kayaks from the Arctic, and dug-out canoes from several countries. .. .. .”

So, the answer is: AT (Artefact types)

Question no. 11: necessities of life of an Arabian farmer

Keywords for the question: necessities, life, an Arabian farmer,    

Lines 15-21 of paragraph no. 3 say, “ .. .. .  The field assemblages, such as those from the Sudan, Madagascar and Yemen, include a whole range of material culture representative of one people. This might cover the necessities of life of an African herdsman or an Arabian farmer, ritual objects, or even on occasion airport art. . …. … .”

So, the answer is: FA (Field Assemblages)

Question no. 12: tents from the Middle East

Keywords for the question: tents, the Middle East,

Lines 22-27 of paragraph no. 3 say, “ . .. . . Again, a series of acquisitions might represent a decade’s fieldwork documenting social experience as expressed in the varieties of clothing and jewellery styles, tents and camel trappings from various Middle Eastern countries, .. .. .”

So, the answer is: SE (Social Experience)

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

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 3 AC Test 3 Reading Passage 3