This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Cambridge Official Guide to IELTS Test 2 Reading Passage 3 which is titled ‘It’s your choice! – Or is it really?’. 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.

Cambridge Official Guide to IELTS Test 2: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 3: Questions 27-40

The headline of the passage: It’s your choice! – Or is it really?

Questions 27-30: 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. 27: Doctors make decisions according to the symptoms that a patient describes.

Keywords for the question: doctors, make decisions, symptoms, patient describes,  

In the first paragraph, we find the words ‘symptoms’ and ‘doctor’ in line no. 3. Let’s have a look there. The author of the text says in lines 1-3, “We are constantly required to process a wide range of information to make decisions. Sometimes, these decisions are trivial, such as what marmalade to buy. At other times, the stakes are higher, such as deciding which symptoms to report to the doctors. .. . .” 

Here, the lines suggest that sometimes patients require reporting some symptoms to the doctors. However, there is no information on whether the doctors make decisions based on the symptoms provided by the patients.

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN

Question no. 28: Our ability to deal with a lot of input material has improved over time. 

Keywords for the question: ability, deal with, lot of input material, improved, over time,  

The last half of paragraph no. 1 say, “ . .. .  However, the fact that we are accustomed to processing large amounts of information does not mean that we are better at it (Chabris & Simons, 2009). Our sensory and cognitive systems have systematic ways of failing of which we are often, perhaps blissfully, unaware.” 

Here, the fact that we are accustomed to processing large amounts of information = our ability to deal with a lot of input material, have systematic ways of failing = has decreased over time,

So, the answer is: NO  

Question no. 29: We tend to know when we have made an error of judgement.

Keywords for the question: we, tend to know, when, made, error of judgement, 

In the first half of paragraph no. 2, the author of the text says, “Imagine that you are taking a walk in your local city park when a tourist approaches you asking for directions. During the conversation, two men carrying a door pass between the two of you. If the person asking for directions had changed places with one of the people carrying the door, would you notice? Research suggests that you might not. . . . .”  

Here, the writer provides a scenario where we are the persons taking a walk in the local park and we do not notice the tourist who changes places with one of the people carrying the door.

Here, Research suggests that you might not = research has proved that we tend not to know when we have made an error of judgement,

Then, in the following lines, the writer provides results (46.6 %) of the field study conducted by Simons and Levi (1998) where 7 out of 15 participants made this error of judgement without noticing.

So, the answer is: NO

Question no. 30: A legal trial could be significantly affected by change blindness.

Keywords for the question: legal trial, be significantly affected, change blindness,  

In the third paragraph, we find the reference to a burglary video that was the subject of an experiment conducted by Davies and Hine (2007). Here, 80 participants were shown the video of the burglary where the identity of the initial burglar (thief) changed after the first half of the film.

Now, have a close look at these lines from paragraph no. 3, “ . .. . Out of the 80 participants, 49 (61%) did not notice the change of the burglar’s identity, suggesting that change blindness may have serious implications for criminal proceedings.”

Here, criminal proceedings = legal trial, serious implications = could be significantly affected,

So, the answer is: YES

Question no. 31: Scientists have concluded that we try to take in as much detail as possible from our surroundings. 

Keywords for the question: scientists, concluded, we, try to take in, as much detail, as possible, surroundings,  

The answer can be found in the opening lines of paragraph no. 5, “Drawing from change blindness research, scientists have come to the conclusion that we perceive the world in much less detail than previously thought (Johansson, Hall & Silkstrom, 2008).  Rather than monitoring all of the visual details that surround us, we seem to focus our attention only on those features that are currently meaningful or important, . . .. .”

Here, scientists have come to the conclusion = Scientists have concluded, we perceive the world in much less detail = we try to take in NOT as much detail as possible, the visual details that surround us = our surroundings,

So, the answer is: NO

Questions 32-36: Completing table: NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS

[In this type of question candidates need to fill in the gaps in a table with NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS. Skimming and scanning, both reading skills are essential for this question-type.]

Title of the table: Experiments in change blindness  

Questions no. 32, 33 & 34:

Researchers: Simons & Levi, 1998

Purpose of experiment: to illustrate change blindness caused by a 32. _________, such as an object

Situation for participants: giving 33. _______ to a stranger

Focus of participants’ attention: the movement of 34. _________

Percentage unaware of identity change: 46.6%

Keywords for the question: Simon & Levi, 1998, illustrate, change blindness, caused by, such as an object, giving, to a stranger, movement of, 46.6%,  

The reference to the experiment conducted by Simon & Levi, 1998, can be found in paragraph no. 2. Let’s have a look again, “Imagine that you are taking a walk in your local city park when a tourist approaches you asking for directions. During the conversation, two men carrying a door pass between the two of you. If the person asking for directions had changed places with one of the people carrying the door, would you notice? Research suggests that you might not. Harvard psychologists Simons and Levi (1998) conducted a field study using this exact set-up and found that the change in identity went unnoticed by 7 (46.6%) of the 15 participants. This phenomenon has been termed ‘change blindness’ and refers to the difficulty that observers have in noticing changes to visual scenes (e.g. the person swap), when the changes are accompanied by some other visual disturbance (e.g. the passing of the door).  

Here, the passing of the door = the reason why change blindness in this scenario occurs (purpose of the experiment),

So, the answer to question no. 32 is: visual disturbance

Also, a tourist approaches you asking for directions = Situation for participants: giving directions to a stranger,

So, the answer to question no. 33 is: directions

And, two men carrying a door & the people carrying the door = Focus of participants’ attention: the movement of a door/ the door,

So, the answer to question no. 34 is: a/the door

Questions no. 35 & 36:

Researchers: Davies & Hine, 2007

Purpose of experiment: to assess the impact of change blindness on 35. _______ by eyewitnesses

Situation for participants: watching a burglary  

Focus of participants’ attention: the collection of 34. _________

Percentage unaware of identity change: 61%

Keywords for the question: Davies & Hine, 2007, assess, impact of change blindness on, eyewitnesses, watching, burglary, collection of, 61%,  

Again, the experiment conducted by Davies and Hine (2007) can be found in paragraph no. 3. So, we have to look there to find the answer to questions no. 35 and 36. The writer says here, “Over the past decade, the change blindness phenomenon has been replicated many times. Especially noteworthy is an experiment by Davies and Hine (2007) who studied whether change blindness affects eyewitness identification. Specifically, participants were presented with a video enchantment of a burglary. In the video, a man entered a house, walking through the different rooms and putting valuables into a knapsack. However, the identity of the burglar changed after the first half of the film while the initial burglar was out of sight. Out of the 80 participants, 49 (61%) did not notice the change of the burglar’s identity, suggesting that change blindness may have serious implications for criminal proceedings.”

Here, whether change blindness affects eyewitness identification = Purpose of experiment: to assess the impact of change blindness on identification by eyewitnesses,

So, the answer to question no. 35 is: identification

And then, putting valuables into a knapsack = the collection of valuables, 

So, the answer to question no. 36 is: (the/some) valuables

Questions 37-40: Choosing TWO options from given list

[In this kind of question candidates have to choose two or three answers for each question from five or six options. The answers will not follow any sequential order as they are randomly spread in the text, so this question will be time-consuming. Skimming will come in handy and previous reading of the text can come into use. Therefore, other questions should be done first before answering this question.]

Questions no. 37 & 38: Which TWO statements are true for both the supermarket and voice experiments?

Keywords for the question: two statements, true, both, supermarket, voice experiments,     

The answers to these two questions can be found in paragraphs no. 6 and 7.

In paragraph no. 6, we find the reference to the supermarket experiment. 

Here, take a look at these lines,

“ . .. . . To examine choice blindness, Hall and colleagues (2010) invited supermarket customers to sample two different kinds of jams and teas. After participants has tasted or smelled both samples, they indicated which one they preferred. . . .. . . . . . On half of the trials, however, these were samples of the non-chosen jam or tea.. .”  

Here, participants has tasted or smelled = non-visual material, [matches with option A]

On half of the trials, however, these were samples of the non-chosen jam or tea = Some of the choices made by participants were altered, [matches with option C]

Then, in paragraph no. 7, we find the reference to the voice experiment. 

The writer says here, “Recently, the phenomenon has also been replicated for choices involving auditory stimuli (Sauerland, Sagana & Otagaar, 2012). Specifically, participants had to listen to three pairs of voices and decide for each pair which voice they found more sympathetic or more criminal. The voice was then presented again; however, the outcome was manipulated for the second voice pair and participants were presented with the non-chosen voice. Replicating the findings of by Hall and colleagues, only 29% of the participants detected this change.”

Here, participants had to listen to three pairs of voices = non-visual material, [matches with option A]

participants were presented with the non-chosen voice = Some of the choices made by participants were altered, [matches with option C]

So, the answers are (in any order):

A (The researchers focused on non-visual material.)

C (Some of the choices made by participants were altered.)

Questions no. 39 & 40: Which TWO statements are true for the psychology experiment conducted by Merckelbach, Jelicic, and Pieters?

Keywords for the question: two statements, true, psychology experiment, Merckelbach, Jelicic, and Pieters,      

The answers can be found in paragraph no. 8. Here, first take a look at lines 1-4, “Merckelbach, Jelicic, and Pieters (2011) investigated choice blindness for intensity ratings of one’s own psychological symptoms. Their participants had to rate the frequency with which they experienced 90 common symptoms (e.g. anxiety, lack of concentration, stress, headaches etc.) on a 5-point scale. .. . .. . .”

Here, 5-point scale = The participants gave each symptom a 1-5 rating,

intensity ratings = strength of the symptoms, rate the frequency = regularity of the symptoms,

So, the answers are (in any order):

B (The participants gave each symptom a 1-5 rating.)

E (The researchers focused on the strength and regularity of symptoms.)

Click here for solutions to Cambridge IELTS Official Test 2 Reading Passage 1

Click here for solutions to Cambridge IELTS Official Test 2 Reading Passage 2