This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Cambridge Official Guide to IELTS Test 7 Reading Passage 1 which is titled ‘The Hidden Histories of Exploration Exhibition’. This is a targeted post for IELTS candidates who have big problems finding 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 7: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 1: Questions 1-13

The headline of the passage: The Hidden Histories of Exploration Exhibition

Questions 1-7: 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. This question type generally follows a sequence. So, scanning skill is effective here.]

Question no. 1: The Hidden Histories of Exploration exhibition aims to show the wide range of people involved in expeditions.

Keywords for the question: Hidden Histories of Exploration exhibition, aims to show, wide range of people involved, in expeditions,   

In paragraph A, in lines 7-9, the writer of the text says, “ . . .. . The Hidden Histories of Exploration exhibition at Britain’s Royal Geographical Society in London sets out to present an alternative view, in which exploration is a fundamentally collective experience of work, involving many different people. .. .. .”

Here, sets out to present = aims to show, involving many different people = wide range of people involved in expeditions,

So, the answer is: TRUE

Question no. 2: The common belief about how Park and Livingstone travelled is accurate.

Keywords for the question: common belief, how Park and Livingstone travelled, accurate,

Take a look at these lines 10-12 in paragraph A, “ . . …  Many of the most famous examples of explorers said to have been ‘lone travellers’- say, Mungo Park or David Livingstone in Africa – were anything but ‘alone’ on their travels. . . .. . . .”

Here, were anything but ‘alone’ on their travels = they were NOT alone; so the common belief was NOT accurate,

So, the answer is: FALSE

Question no. 3: The RGS has organised a number of exhibitions since it was founded.

Keywords for the question: RGS, organized, a number of exhibitions, since, founded,

In paragraph B, the writer talks about the foundation and works of the RGS. However, we DO NOT find any information regarding the number of exhibitions that the RGS has organised since it was founded.

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN   

Question no. 4: Some of the records in the RGS archives are more useful than others.

Keywords for the question: some of the records, RGS archives, more useful than others,

The writer mentions the RGS archives in paragraph B in line no. 10. However, we find NO comparison on whether some of the records in the archives are more or less useful.   

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN  

Question no. 5: Materials owned by the RGS can be used in ways that were not originally intended.

Keywords for the question: materials, owned by, RGS, can be used, ways, not originally intended,

In paragraph B, the writer says in the final lines, “ . . .. . For the researcher, this archive can yield many surprises; materials gathered for one purpose – say, maps relating to an international boundary dispute or photographs taken an a scientific expedition – may today be put to quite different uses.”

Here, materials gathered for one purpose . . .. . . may today be put to quite different uses = can be used in ways that were not originally intended,

So, the answer is: TRUE

Question no. 6: In their publications, European explorers often describe their dependence on their helpers.

Keywords for the question: publications, European explorers, often describe, dependence, helpers,

In the first few lines of paragraph C, the writer of the text says, “In their published narratives, European explorers rarely portrayed themselves as vulnerable or dependent on others, despite the fact that without this support they were quite literally lost. . . .. .. … . ”

Here, rarely portrayed themselves as vulnerable or dependent on others = European explorers DO NOT often describe their dependence on their helpers,

So, the answer is: FALSE

Question no. 7: Local helpers refused to accompany William Smyth during parts of his journey.

Keywords for the question: local helpers, refused to accompany William Smyth, during parts of his journey, 

Paragraph C gives answer to this question as the writer says in the final lines, “ . . .. .. . In an account of his journey across South America, published in 1836, William Smyth thus complained of frequent ‘desertion’ by his helpers: ‘without them it was impossible to get on’.”

Here, complained of frequent ‘desertion’ by his helpers = Local helpers refused to accompany William Smyth,

So, the answer is: TRUE

Questions 8-13: 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.]

Question no. 8: reference to the distances that some non-European helpers travelled

Keywords for the question: distances, some non-European helpers, travelled,  

We find the mention of the distances that some none-European helpers travelled in paragraph D, as the writer says in lines 2-7, “ . . .. . . the history of African exploration in the nineteenth century is dominated by the use of Zanzibar as a recruiting station for porters, soldiers, and guides who would then travel thousands of miles across the continent. In some accounts, the leading African members of expedition parties – the ‘officers’ or ‘foremen’ – are identified, and their portraits published alongside those of European explorers.”

Here, travel thousands of miles across the continent = the distances,

the leading African members of expedition parties = some non-European helpers tarvelled,

So, the answer is: D

Question no. 9: description of a wide range of different types of documents

Keywords for the question: wide range of, different types of documents,  

In lines 2-7 of paragraph B, the writer says, “ .. .. . . The storage of geographical information was one of the main rationales for the foundation of the KGS in 1830, and the society’s collections now contain more than two million individual items, including books, manuscripts, maps, photographs, art-works, artefacts, and film – a rich storehouse of material rejecting the widt1 geographical extent of British interest across the globe. . .. . .. . ”

Here, books, manuscripts, maps, photographs, art-works, artefacts, and film = created partly by teachers, creating = a wide range of different types of documents,

So, the answer is: B

Question no. 10: belief about the effect of an exhibition on people seeing it

Keywords for the question: belief, effect of an exhibition, on people seeing it,  

In paragraph G, take a look at the final lines, “ . . .. . . These touching portraits encourage us to see them as agents rather than simply colonial subjects or paid employees. Here is a living history, which looks beyond what we already know about exploration: a larger history in which we come to recognise the contribution of everyone involved.”   

Here, These touching portraits encourage us to see them as agents rather than simply colonial subjects or paid employees = the effect of an exhibition on people seeing it,

So, the answer is: G   

Question no. 11: examples of risks explorers might have been unaware of without local help

Keywords for the question: risks, explorers, might have been unaware of, without local help,      

In lines 6-8 of paragraph C, the author of the text mentions, “ . . . Such assistance was essential in identifying potential dangers – poisonous species, unpredictable rivers, uncharted territories – which could mean the difference between life and death.. . . . .. .”

Here, poisonous species, unpredictable rivers, uncharted territories = risks explorers might have been unaware of without local help, Such assistance = local help,

So, the answer is: C

Question no. 12: reference to various approaches to assessing data from local helpers

Keywords for the question: various approaches, assessing data, from local helpers,    

In paragraph E, the writer describes different approaches to assessing data from the local helpers, “The information provided by locals and intermediaries was of potential importance to geographical science. How was this evidence judged? The formal procedures of scientific evaluation provided one framework. Alongside these were more common sense’ notions of veracity and reliability, religiously-inspired judgments about the authenticity of testimony, and the routine procedures for cross-checking empirical observations developed in many professions..” 

Here, The information provided by locals and intermediaries = data from local helpers,

The formal procedures of scientific evaluation, veracity and reliability, religiously-inspired judgments about the authenticity of testimony, and the routine procedures for cross-checking = various approaches to assessing data,

So, the answer is: E    

Question no. 13: reference to people whose long-term occupation was to organize local assistance for European explorers

Keywords for the question: whose long-term occupation was, organize local assistance, European exploreres,

In paragraph F, lines 4-8 say, “ . . .. . .. . . Many of these people acquired far more experience of exploration than most Europeans could hope to attain. Some managed large groups of men and women, piloted the explorers’ river craft, or undertook mapping work. The tradition was continued with the Everest expeditions in the 1920s and 1930s, which regularly employed the Tibetan interpreter Karma Paul. . .. . . .. .”

Here, Everest expeditions in the 1920s and 1930s, which regularly employed the Tibetan interpreter Karma Paul = people whose long-term occupation was to organize local assistance for European explorers,

So, the answer is: F

© All the texts with inverted commas used in this post are taken from Cambridge Official Guide to IELTS Test 7

Click here for solutions to Cambridge Official Guide to IELTS Test 7 Reading Passage 2

Click here for solutions to Cambridge Official Guide to IELTS Test 7 Reading Passage 3