This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Cambridge Official Guide to IELTS Test 6 Reading Passage 3 which is titled ‘The Swiffer’. This is a targeted post for IELTS candidates who face major challenges finding and understanding Reading answers in the Academic module. This post can guide you to 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 6: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 3: Questions 27-40

The headline of the passage: The Swiffer

Questions 27-30: 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. This question type generally follows a sequence. So, scanning skill is effective here.]

Question no. 27: What are we told about the product called a ‘Swiffer’?

Keywords for the question: the product, a ‘Swiffer’,     

In the first paragraph, take a look at lines , “ … . . .  …  . they one day noticed a woman do with a paper towel what people do all the time: wipe something up and throw it away. An idea popped into lead designer Harry West’s head the solution to their problem was a floor mop with a disposable cleaning surface. . . .. .. .”

Here, noticed a woman do with a paper towel what people do all the time: wipe something up and throw it away = The Swiffer’s design was inspired by a common housework habit,

So, the answer is: D (Its design was inspired by a common housework habit.)

Question no. 28: When Jonah Lehrer began writing his book,

Keywords for the question: When, Jonah Lehrer, began writing his book,  

If you look at paragraph no. 2, the writer describes how he changed his plans to write his book, “ . .. . .. .. ‘When you talk to creative people, they’ll tell you about the ‘eureka’ moment, but when you press them they also talk about the hard work that comes afterwards, so I realised I needed to write about that, too. And then I realised I couldn’t just look at creativity from the perspective of the brain,. . .. . . .. . ..” 

Here, I realised I couldn’t just look at creativity from the perspective of the brain = the writer of the book ended up revising his plans for the content,

So, the answer is: B (he ended up revising his plans for the content.)

Question no. 29: Lehrer refers to the singer Bob Dylan in order to –

Keywords for the question: the singer, Bob Dylan, in order to,  

The answer to this question can be found in paragraph no. 3, in lines 4-7, where the writer mentions a particular approach of the legendary singer Bob Dylan. Let’s read there, “ .. . .. . . burnt-out American singer Bob Dylan decided to walk away from his musical career in 1965 and escape to a cabin in the woods, only to be overcome by a desire to write. Apparently ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ suddenly flowed from his pen. ‘It’s like a ghost is writing a song,’ .. . . . .. .”

Here, decided to walk away from his musical career . . .. . . only to be overcome by a desire to write = particular approach to regain lost creativity,

So, the answer is: A (propose particular approaches to regaining lost creativity.)  

Question no. 30: What did neuroscientists discover from the word puzzle experiment?

Keywords for the question: neuroscientists, discover from, word puzzle experiment,

In paragraph no. 4, the results of the word puzzle experiment is shown in lines 7-10, “ . . .. . . . . Using brain-imaging equipment, researchers discovered that when people get the answer in an apparent flash of insight, a small fold of tissue called the anterior superior temporal gyrus suddenly lights up just beforehand. This stays silent when the word puzzle is solved through careful analysis. Lehrer says that this area of the brain lights up only after we’ve hit the wall on a problem. . .. . . .. .”

Here, a small fold of tissue called the anterior superior temporal gyrus suddenly lights up just beforehand = One part of the brain only becomes active when a connection is made suddenly,

So, the answer is: C (One part of the brain only becomes active when a connection is made suddenly.)   

Questions 31-34: Completing/ Matching sentences with correct endings

[For this type of question, candidates need to match the beginning and ending of sentences. Candidates need to look for keywords in the sentence beginnings and find the relative paragraphs and then sentences in the passage. Skimming and scanning, both reading skills are essential for this question type.]

Question no. 31: Scientists know a moment of insight is coming –

Keywords for the question: Scientists know, moment of insight, coming,  

In lines 1-3 of paragraph no. 5, the writer mentions the greater activity in the right side of the brain, “Studies have demonstrated it’s possible to predict a moment of insight up to eight seconds before it arrives. The predictive signal is a steady rhythm of alpha waves emanating from the brain’s right hemisphere, which are closely associated with relaxing activities. . .. . .”

Here, it’s possible to predict a moment of insight = Scientists know a moment of insight is coming, alpha waves emanating from the brain’s right hemisphere, which are closely associated with relaxing activities = there is greater activity in the right side of the brain,

So, the answer is: B (because there is greater activity in the right side of the brain.)   

Question no. 32: Mental connections are much harder to make –

Keywords for the question: Mental connections, much harder to make,   

In paragraph no. 5, the writer of the text says in lines 6-9, “ . . … .. . ‘In contrast, when we are diligently focused, our attention tends to be towards the details of the problems we are trying to solve.’ In other words, then we are less likely to make those vital associations. .. . . .. . .”

Here, our attention tends to be towards the details of the problems we are trying to solve = if people are concentrating on the specifics of a problem,

then we are less likely to make those vital associations = Mental connections are much harder to make,  

So, the answer is: C (if people are concentrating on the specifics of a problem.)

Question no. 33: Some companies require their employees to stop working –

Keywords for the question: Some companies, require, employees, stop working,    

The answer to this question is found in paragraph no. 5. Here, the writer says in lines 10-14, “ . . .. . . . heading out for a walk or lying down are important phases of the creative process, and smart companies know this. Some now have a policy of encouraging staff to take time out during the day and spend time on things that at first glance are unproductive (like playing a PC game), but day-dreaming; has been shown to be positively correlated with problem-solving. .. .. .”

Here, have a policy of encouraging staff to take time out = Some companies require their employees to stop working,

has been shown to be positively correlated with problem-solving = they can increase the possibility of finding answers,

So, the answer is: D (so they can increase the possibility of finding answers.)

Question no. 34: A team will function more successfully –

Keywords for the question: team, will function, more successfully,    

Have a look at the final lines of paragraph no. 5. Here, the writer says, “ . . .. . . . However, to be more imaginative, says Lehrer, it’s also crucial to collaborate with people from a wide range of backgrounds because if colleagues are too socially intimate, creativity is stifled.”

Here, crucial to collaborate with people from a wide range of backgrounds = when people are not too familiar with one another,

if colleagues are too socially intimate, creativity is stifled = when people know each other very well in a company, the team does not function well,

So, the answer is: A (when people are not too familiar with one another.)

Questions 35-39: Completing notes

[In this type of question, candidates are asked to complete different notes with ONE WORD ONLY from the passage. Keywords are important to find answers correctly. Generally, this type of question maintains a sequence. However, we should not be surprised if the sequence is not maintained. Find the keywords in the passage and you are most likely to find the answers.]

Question no. 35: How other people influence our creativity –

Steve Jobs:

• made changes to the ___________ to encourage interaction at Pixar.

Keywords for the question: How, other people, influence, creativity, Steve Jobs, made changes to, to encourage, interaction, Pixar,

The final paragraph gives us the answer to this question. Here, the writer talks about the influence of other people in creativity. Take a look at lines 1-4, “Creativity, it seems, thrives on serendipity. American entrepreneur Steve Jobs believed so. Lehrer describes how at Pixar Animation, Jobs designed the entire workplace to maximise the chance of strangers bumping into each other, striking up conversations, and learning from one another. .. .. .. .”

Here, designed the entire workplace = made changes to the workplace,

to maximise the chance of strangers bumping into each other, striking up conversations = encouraging interaction at Pixar,

So, the answer is: workplace

Question no. 36:

Lehrer:

• company owners must have a wide range of ___________ to do well.

Keywords for the question: Lehrer, company owners, must have, wide range of, to do well,       

Let’s look at lines 4-6 of the final paragraph. The writer says here, “ . . . .. . . He also points to a study of 766 business graduates who had gone on to own their own companies. Those with the greatest diversity of acquaintances enjoyed far more success. . .. . . .”

Here, He = Lehrer, the greatest diversity of = a wide range of, enjoyed far more success = do well,

So, the answer is: acquaintances  

Question no. 37:

• It’s important to start ___________ with new people.

Keywords for the question: important, to start, with new people,   

The answer can be found in lines 6-8 of the final paragraph, where the writer says, “ . . .. . . . Lehrer says he has taken all this on board, and despite his inherent shyness, when he’s sitting next to strangers on a plane or at a conference, forces himself to initiate conversations. . .. .. .. .. .”

Here, strangers = new people, forces himself = important, initiate = start,

So, the answer is: conversations

Question no. 38:

• the ____________ has not replaced the need for physical contact.

Keywords for the question: has not replaced, need for, physical contact,

The answer can be found in lines 8-11 of the final paragraph, as the writer continues to explain, “ . . . .. As for predictions that the rise of the Internet would make the need for shared working space obsolete, Lehrer says research shows the opposite has occurred; when people meet face-to-face, the level of creativity increases. . . . .. .”

Here, when people meet face-to-face = physical contact,

the opposite has occurred = has not replaced the need for physical contact,  

So, the answer is: internet    

Question no. 39:

Geoffrey West:

• living in ____________ encourages creativity.

Keywords for the question: Geoffrey West, living in, encourages creativity,   

Lines 12-15 of the final paragraph say, “ . . … .. . According to theoretical physicist Geoffrey West, when corporate institutions get bigger, they often become less receptive to change. Cities, however, allow our ingenuity to grow by pulling huge numbers of different people together, who then exchange ideas. .. . .. . .”

Here, allow our ingenuity to grow = encourages creativity,

So, the answer is: cities  

Question no. 40: Multiple choice questions (Identifying the main purpose/aim/title of the passage)

[This type of question asks you to choose a suitable answer from the options that shows the main aim/purpose/title 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 for previous questions gives you a good idea about the title.]

Question no. 40: Which of the following is the most suitable title for Reading Passage 3?

Keywords for the question: most suitable title,

Solving all the answers in this passage, we get a clear idea about the purpose of this passage which is to guide us to understand what drives our moments of inspiration.   

So, the answer is: A (Understanding what drives our moments of inspiration)

© All the texts with inverted commas used in this post are taken from Cambridge Official Guide to IELTS Test 6

Click here for solutions to Cambridge Official Guide to IELTS AC Test 6 Passage 1

Click here for solutions to Cambridge Official Guide to IELTS AC Test 6 Passage 2