This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Cambridge 5 Reading Test 3 Reading Passage 3 entitled ‘The Return of Artificial Intelligence’. This is an aimed 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 5 Test 3: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 3: Questions 27-40

The headline of the passage: The Return of Artificial Intelligence

Questions 27-31: Identifying information:

[This question asks you to find information from the passage and write the number of the paragraph (A, B, C or D … .. ) in the answer sheet. Now, if the question is given in the very first part of the question set, I’d request you not to answer them. It’s mainly because this question will not follow any sequence, and so it will surely kill your time. Rather, you should answer all the other questions first. And just like List of Headings, only read the first two lines or last two lines of the expected paragraph initially. If you find the answers, you need not read the middle part. If you don’t find answers yet, you can skim the middle part of the paragraph. Keywords will be a useful matter here. Please, do not read the questions first.]

Question no. 27: how AI might have a military impact

Keywords for the question: AI, military impact,     

The answer lies in the middle of paragraph E, in lines 3-4, “ . .. HNC claim that their system, based on a cluster of 30 processors, could be used to spot camouflaged vehicles on a battlefield . . ..”

Here, spot camouflaged vehicles on a battlefield = might have a military impact,  

So, the answer is: E

Question no. 28: the fact that AI brings together a range of separate research areas

Keywords for the question: AI, brings together, a range of, separate, research areas,

Lines 3-5 in paragraph B gives us the answer to this question, “ . .. . The expression provided an attractive but informative name for a research programme that encompassed such previously disparate fields as operations research, cybernetics, logic and computer science.  …”

Here,

encompassed = linked/included,

operations research, cybernetics, logic and computer science = a range of separate research areas,

So, the answer is: B

Question no. 29: the reason why AI has become a common topic of conversation again

Keywords for the question: reason, why, AI, become, common topic of conversation, again,  

In paragraph a, take a look at the first few lines, “After years in the wilderness, the term ‘artificial intelligence’ (AI) seems poised to make a comeback. AI was big in the 1980s but vanished in the 1990s. It re-entered public consciousness with the release of AI, a movie about a robot boy. This has ignited public debate about AI, . .. .”

Here, make a comeback = has become . .. . . again, re-entered public consciousness = has become a common topic of conversation again,

So, the answer is: A

Question no. 30: how AI could help deal with difficulties related to the amount of information available electronically

Keywords for the question: how, AI, could help, deal with, difficulties, amount of information, available, electronically,

Paragraph F talks about new companies who may deal with humongous amount of information using AI in the coming future, “Another factor that may boost the prospects for AI in the near future is that investors are now looking for firms using clever technology, rather than just a clever business model, to differentiate themselves. In particular, the problem of information overload, exacerbated by the growth of e-mail and the explosion in the number of web pages, means there are plenty of opportunities for new technologies to help filter and categorise information – classic AI problems. . .. .”

Here, the problem of information overload = difficulties related to the amount of information available electronically,

So, the answer is: F

Question no. 31: where the expression AI was first used

Keywords for the question: where, expression AI, first used,  

Take a close look at the first lines of paragraph B, “The field was launched, and the term ‘artificial intelligence’ coined at a conference in 1956 by a group of researchers that included Marvin Minsky, John McCarthy, Herbert Simon and Alan Newell, all of whom went on to become leading figures in the field.. . .”

Here, the term ‘artificial intelligence’ coined = expression AI was first used,

So, the answer is: B

Questions 32-37: 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 with 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. 32: The researchers who launched the field of AI had worked together on other projects in the past.

Keywords for the question: researchers, launched, field of AI, worked together, other projects, in the past,

In paragraph B, the first lines talk about the researchers who launched the field of AI, “The field was launched, and the term ‘artificial intelligence’ coined at a conference in 1956 by a group of researchers that included Marvin Minsky, John McCarthy, Herbert Simon and Alan Newell, all of whom went on to become leading figures in the field. . .. .”

However, whether they worked together in any other projects in the past was not mentioned.

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN

Question no. 33: In 1985, AI was at its lowest point.

Keywords for the question: 1985, AI, lowest point,   

In paragraph C, the first line says, “ . .. . Most researchers agree that AI peaked around 1985. ..”

Here, peaked around 1985 = was at its highest point,  

So, the answer is: FALSE

Question no. 34: Research into agent technology was more costly than research into neural networks.

Keywords for the question: research, agent technology, more costly, research, neural networks,      

We find the mention of agent technology and neural networks in the last lines of paragraph C, “ . .. By the late 1980s, the term AI was being avoided by many researchers, who opted instead to align themselves with specific sub-disciplines such as neural networks, agent technology, case-based reasoning, and so on.”

However, no comparison has been made here between neural networks and agent technology.

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN

Question no. 35: Applications of AI have already had a degree of success.

Keywords for the question: applications of AI, already had, a degree of success,  

In paragraph D, the first indicates the answer, “Ironically, in some ways AI was a victim of its own success. .. ..”

The sentence suggests that AI has been successful in some cases and its own success led to some problems.

Here, in some ways = a degree of, 

So, the answer is: TRUE

Question no. 36: The problems waiting to be solved by AI have not changed since 1967.

Keywords for the question: the problems, waiting to be solved, AI, not changed, since 1967,     

For this question, we have to look at both paragraphs C and D.

First, in paragraph C, the author of the passage says in lines 3-5, “ .. .. Marvin Minsky said in  1967 that within a generation the problem of creating ‘artificial intelligence’ would be  substantially solved. . .. .”  

Then, in line no. 6, the author says, “ . .. It proved to be a false dawn. .. .” This means AI could not solve the problem and as a result, “ . .. . By the late 1980, the term AI was being avoided by many researchers, who opted instead to align themselves with specific sub-disciplines such as neural networks, agent technology, case-based reasoning, and so on.”

After that, in paragraph D, the author says in lines 6-8, “ . .. Meanwhile, the technologies that made it onto the market, such as speech recognition, language translation and decision-support software, were no longer regarded as AI. Yet all three once fell well within the umbrella of AI research.”

So, the problems (that AI was meant to solve) were no longer considered as AI problems.

Therefore, the problems waiting to be solved by AI have changed since 1967.

So, the answer is: FALSE

Question no. 37: The film 2001: A Space Odyssey reflected contemporary ideas about the potential of AI computers.

Keywords for the question: film 2001: A Space Odyssey, reflected, contemporary ideas, potential of AI computers,    

To find the answer to this question, let’s go to paragraph G, where the author mentions the name of the movie, “The 1969 film, 2001: A space Odyssey, featured an intelligent computer called  HAL 9000. As well as understanding and speaking English, HAL could play chess and even learned to lipread. HAL thus encapsulated the optimism of the 1960s that intelligent computers would be widespread by 2001. . .. ”

Here, encapsulated the optimism of the 1960s = reflected contemporary ideas,

So, the answer is: TRUE

Questions 38-40: 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 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. 38: According to researchers, in the late 1980s there was a feeling that –

Keywords for the question: according to researchers, late 1980s, a feeling,      

The answer can be found in paragraph C in lines 7-11. The author says here, “. . .. ‘There was undue optimism in the early 1980s.’ says David Leake, a researcher at Indiana University. ‘Then when people realised there were hard problems, there was retrenchment. By the late 1980s, the term AI was being avoided by many researchers, who opted instead to align themselves with specific sub-disciplines such as neural networks, agent technology, case-based reasoning, and so on.’”

Here, undue = overstressed/ too much (so the expectation was too much), people realised there were hard problems, there was retrenchment = original expectations of AI may not have been justified, (and so, the funding for AI research became poor),

So, the answer is: B (original expectations of AI may not have been justified)

Question no. 39: In Dr Leake’s opinion, the reputation of AI suffered as a result of –

Keywords for the question: Dr. Leake’s opinion, reputation, suffered, as a result of,      

Again, take a look at lines 8-11 in paragraph C, where we find the opinion of Dr. Leake, “‘Then when people realised there were hard problems, there was retrenchment. By the late 1980s, the term AI was being avoided by many researchers, who opted instead to align themselves with specific sub-disciplines such as neural networks, agent technology, case-based reasoning, and so on.’”

Here, people realised there were hard problems, = people’s perception about AI changed, retrenchment / AI was being avoided= the reputation of AI suffered,

So, the answer is: A (changing perceptions)

Question no. 40: The prospects for AI may benefit from–

Keywords for the question: prospects for AI, may, benefit from,       

The answer can be found in paragraph F, in lines 1-3, “Another factor that may boost prospects for AI in the near future is that investors are looking for firms using clever technology, rather than just a clever business model, to differentiate themselves. … .”

Here, may boost prospects for AI = The prospects for AI may benefit from,

investors are looking for firms using clever technology, rather than just a clever business model, to differentiate themselves = new investment priorities,

So, the answer is: D (new investment priorities)

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 5 AC Test 3 Reading Passage 1

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 5 AC Test 3 Reading Passage 2