This IELTS Reading post focuses on all the solutions for IELTS Cambridge 9 Test 4 Reading Passage 3 which is entitled ‘The Development of Museums’. This is a targeted post for candidates who have lots of problems in finding answers for the Reading module. This post can guide you on the best to comprehend each Reading answer without facing much difficulty. Tracing IELTS Reading answers is a slow process and I sincerely hope this post can assist you in your IELTS Reading preparation.

IELTS Cambridge 9 Test 4: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 3:

The headline of the passage: The Development of Museums

Questions 27-30   (List of headings):

[In this question type, IELTS candidates are provided with a list of headings, usually identified with lower-case Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, etc,). A heading will refer to the main idea of the paragraph or section of the text. Candidates must find out the equivalent heading to the correct paragraphs or sections, which are marked with alphabets A, B, C, and so forth. Candidates need to write the appropriate Roman numerals in the boxes on their answer sheets. There will always be two or three more headings than there are paragraphs or sections. So, some of the headings will not be used. It is also likely that some paragraphs or sections may not be included in the task. Generally, the first paragraph is an example paragraph that will be done for the candidates for their understanding of the task.

TIPS: Skimming is the best reading technique. You need not understand every word here. Just try to gather the gist of the sentences. That’s all. Read quickly and don’t stop until you finish each sentence. ]

Question 27: Paragraph B

In paragraph B, the author first says in line no. 1, “Recently, attitudes towards history and the way it should be presented have altered.”  After that, he presents some fine examples of changes to museums in Britain (UK) and (America) US.

And then, he explains the fact that, though many of the historical theme parks and museums are successful in “ . .. . the re-enactment of historical events is increasingly popular, ….”, these developments have been criticized as an intolerable vulgarisation. However, the last lines say, “. . . but the success of many historical theme parks and similar locations suggest that the majority of public does not share this opinion.”

This means people have mixed views on the recent changes to museums.

So, the answer is: ii (Mixed views on current changes to museums)

 

Question 28: Paragraph C

In this paragraph, the author mentions in the first few lines, “In a related development, the sharp distinction between museum and heritage sites, on the one hand, and theme parks on the other, is gradually evaporating. They already borrow ideas and concepts from one another.”

These lines suggest that the major differences between historical parks (heritage sites) and museums are decreasing slowly, (the differences are becoming fewer.)

After that, he gives some evidence to support his idea.

Here, differences means distinction,

So, the answer is: vi (Fewer differences between public attractions)

Question 29: Paragraph D

This paragraph details the writer’s statement that museums and heritages are facing great competition and for that matter experts on museums and histories are under huge amounts of pressure. The reason is explained in these lines, “Museum and heritage experts do not have to invent stories and recreate historical environments to attract their visitors… .. . . However, exhibits must be both based on artifacts and facts as we know them and attractively presented. Those who are professionally engaged in the art of interpreting history must steer a narrow course between the demands of ‘evidence’ and ‘attractiveness’, especially given the increasing need in the heritage industry for income-generating activities.”

These lines clearly suggest that there is a huge commercial pressure on those people who operate museums.

Here, people in charge means those who are professionally engaged in the art of interpreting history,

So, the answer is: i (Commercial pressures on people in charge)

Question 30: Paragraph E

The answer to this question lies in the following statements found in paragraph E.

“. . . .. . in order to make everything in heritage more real, historical accuracy must be increasingly altered”. (lines 1-2).

“……… . : if they did not provide the interpretation, visitors would do it for themselves, based on their own ideas, misconceptions and prejudices. And no matter how exciting the result, it would contain a lot more bias than the presentations provided by experts”. (lines 8-10)

These lines suggest that interpretation of the facts related to the exhibits in the museums must be avoided so that visitors do not get biased.

So, the answer is: iii (Interpreting the facts to meet visitor expectations)

Questions 31-36: (Multiple Choice Questions)

[‘Multiple choice questions’ is a common type of question set in the IELTS Reading test. It is also found in the Listening test.  Most of the time, they come with four options but sometimes there are three options. Candidates need to work hard for this type of question because this may confuse them easily in passage 2 or passage 3. There will be long answers for each question, so they may kill valuable time. So, quick reading or skimming techniques might come in handy here.  Remember that answers in 3 options out of 4 will be very close. So, vocabulary power will help a lot to choose the best answer.

TIPS: Skimming is the best reading technique. You need not understand every word here. Just try to gather the gist of the sentences. That’s all. Read quickly and don’t stop until you finish each sentence.]

Question 31: Compared with today’s museums, those of the past –

Keywords for this question: museums, past,

In the first paragraph, the writer points out in these lines, “Museums used to look – and some still do – much like storage rooms of objects  packed together in  showcases:  good  for scholars who wanted to  study the subtle differences in design, but not for the ordinary visitor, to whom it all looked alike.”

The lines suggest that back in the past museums were not mainly intended for the general people.

Here, the general people means the ordinary visitor

So, the answer is: B (were not primarily intended for the public)

Question 32: According to the writer, current trends in the heritage industry –

Keywords for this question: current trends, heritage industry,

In paragraph B, the author says, “On so-called heritage sites the re-enactment of historical events is increasingly popular, and computers will soon provide virtual reality experiences, which will present visitors with a vivid image of the period of their choice, in which they can themselves act as if part of the historical environment.”

Here, they can themselves act means personal involvement

The lines suggest that present trends in the heritage industry emphasize personal involvement.

So, the answer is: A (emphasize personal involvement)

Question 33: The writer says that museums, heritage sites and theme parks –

Keywords for this question: museums, heritage sites, theme parks,

In paragraph C, the writer mentions, “In a related development, the sharp distinction between museum and heritage sites on the one hand, and theme parks on the other, is gradually evaporating.”

This means that museums, heritage sites and theme parks are becoming harder to differentiate than before.

So, the answer is: D (are less easy to distinguish than before)

Question 34: The writer says that in preparing exhibits for museums, experts –

Keywords for this question: preparing exhibits, experts,

In paragraph D, the author describes, “Museum and heritage experts do not have to invent stories and recreate historical environments to attract their visitors: their assets are already in place. However, exhibits must be both based on artefacts and facts as we know them. Those who are professionally engaged in the art of interpreting history must steer a narrow course between the demands of ‘evidence’ and ‘attractiveness’.. …”

The lines suggest that experts must balance conflicting priorities in preparing exhibits for museums.

Here, balance = steer a narrow course between, conflicting priorities = evidence and attractiveness,

So, the answer is: D (have to balance conflicting priorities)

Question 35: In paragraph E, the writer suggests that some museum exhibits –

Keywords for this question: Paragraph E, museum exhibits,

The answer can be found in paragraph E, the writer says, “Such presentations tell us more about contemporary perceptions of the world than about our ancestors.”

This means that museum exhibits expose more about current beliefs than about the past.

Here, reveal means tell, present beliefs means contemporary perceptions, the past means our ancestors

So, the answer is: C (reveal more about present beliefs than about the past)

Question 36: The passage ends by noting that our view of history is biased because –

Keywords for this question: view of history, biased,

In the final paragraph of the passage, the writer says, “. . . . human bias is inevitable, but another source of bias in the representation of history has to do with the transitory nature of the materials themselves. The simple fact is that not everything from history survives the historical process. Castles, palaces and cathedrals have a longer lifespan than the dwellings of ordinary people.”

This means that we have a biased view that only long-lasting objects remain from the past.

So, the answer is: B (only very durable objects remain from the past)

Questions 37-40: (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 37: Consumers prefer theme parks which avoid serious issues.

Keywords for this question: prefer theme parks, avoid serious issues,

In paragraph D, the author says, “Theme parks are undergoing other changes, too, as they try to present more serious social and cultural issues, and move away from fantasy.  This development is in response to market forces… .. .”

The lines clearly show that museums are moving towards depicting serious issues.

So, the answer is: FALSE

Question 38: More people visit museums than theme parks.

Keywords for this question: more people visit, museums, theme parks,

In this passage, we do not find any comparison between museum visits and theme park visits.

In paragraph D, we find comments about competition in presenting more serious issues. The writer says, “… .. . . they are operating in a very competitive environment, where visitors make choices on how and where to spend their free time”.

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN

Question 39: The boundaries of Leyden have changed little since the seventeenth century.

Keywords for this question: boundaries, Leyden, changed little,

In the last paragraph, the writer mentions, “In a town like Leyden in Holland, which in the seventeenth century was occupied by approximately the same number of inhabitants as today, people lived within the walled town, an area more than five times smaller than modern Leyden.”

Here, more than five times smaller contradicts the question where it says ‘have changed little. . . .”

So, the answer is: FALSE

Question 40: Museums can give a false impression of how life used to be.

Keywords for this question: museums, give false impression,

In the last paragraph, the writer says, “. .. … the evidence in museums indicates that life was so much better in the past. This notion is induced by the bias in its representation in museums and heritage centres.”

This means that museums can give biased information about past lifestyles.

So, the answer is: TRUE

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 9 Test 4 Reading Passage 1

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 9 Test 4 Reading Passage 2