This IELTS Reading post is the third of the series post deals with a total solution package for IELTS Cambridge 13 Reading test 1. In this post, I’ve discussed all the answers and solutions for Reading Passage 3 entitled Artificial Artists. This is a targeted post for candidates who have major difficulties in finding and understanding Reading Answers. This post can direct you the best to comprehend every Reading answer with no trouble and without much trouble. Finding IELTS Reading answers is a step-by-step process and I hope this post can help you in this case.

Reading Passage 3:

The headline of the passage: Artificial Artists

Questions 27-31:  (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 questions 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 technique might come 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.

TIP: 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: What is the writer suggesting about computer-produced works in the first paragraph?

Keywords for this answer: computer-produced works, first paragraph

In the first paragraph, the answer to this question can be guessed from line 1.

In line 1 the writer of the passage says, “The Painting Fool is one of a growing number of computer programs which, so their makers claim, possess creative talents.” Here, the phrase one of a growing number is a clear indication that the number of computer programs is on the rise. So, great progress has been made here.

So, the answer is: B (A great deal of progress has already been attained in this field.)

Question 28: According to Geraint Wiggins, why are many people worried by computer art?

Keywords for this answer: Geraint Wiggins, worried by computer art

The answer to this question can be found in line 5 of paragraph 2. Here the writer says, “…. It scares a lot of people. They are worried that it is taking something special away from what it means to be human.”

Many of you (IELTS candidates) may think that the answer would be D (It will lead to a deterioration in human ability). But the answer cannot be it because the answer is in future form (..will lead..), while the lines in the text are in present form. Answer A and B are ruled out because there is no comparison on any aesthetic power between computer or human art and the line does not say anywhere that computer art may overtake or supersede human art.

But answer C (It undermines a fundamental human ability) has a close relationship with the line. The line indicates to the fact that people are worried that machines like computer may have the powers which are found generally in humans. Thus, computer art can undermine or make human quality weaker.

So, the answer is: C (It undermines a fundamental human ability)

Question 29: What is a key difference between Aaron and the Painting Fool?

Keywords for this answer: key difference, Aaron, Painting Fool

The answer is in lines 2-5 of paragraph 4. Here, the author mentions some amazing and interesting features of the computer program named the Painting Fool – such as “only need minimal direction”, “can come up with its own concepts”, “runs its own web searches”, “trawls through social media sites”, “beginning to display a kind of imagination”, “creating pictures from scratch”. All these features or characteristics indicate that The Painting Fool is different from Aaron in its source of subject for painting.

So, the answer is: C (the source of its subject matter)

Question 30: What point does Simon Colton make in the fourth paragraph?

Keywords for this answer: fourth paragraph, Simon Colton

For this question, answer A is ruled out because there is no reference to anything childish and simplistic. There are also no points on whether people should apply the same concepts of creativity to all forms of art. So, answer B is also wrong. Take a close look at lines 7-8, where the author says, “….. Colton agrees that such reactions arise from people’s double standards towards software-produced and human-produced art.” Here, the phrase ‘double-standard’ matches with the phrase in answer D ‘different criteria’.

So, the answer is: D (People tend to judge computer art and human art according to different criteria)

Question 31: The writer refers to the paintings of a chair as an example of computer art which –

Keywords for this answer: paintings of a chair

In lines 12-14 of paragraph no. 4, we find the reference of the painting of a chair. “Some of the Painting Fool’s paintings of a chair came out in black and white, thanks to a technical glitch. This gives the work an eerie, ghostlike quality.” It means that though there was a glitch or problem in the program, it created an excellent black and white feature in the painting which was very attractive/striking/spooky (eerie, ghostlike quality).

So, the answer is: A (achieves a particularly striking effect)

Questions 32-37 (Completing sentence with given list of Ideas)

Here, candidates have to complete sentences with a list of ideas. It is just like completing sentences. Candidates need to check the keywords from the question parts and try to match those keywords with the information given in the passage.

Question 32: Simon Colton says it is important to consider long-term view when –

Keywords for this answer: Simon Colton, important, long-term view

The answer is in the first two lines of paragraph 5. Here, the writer says, “Researchers like Colton don’t believe it is right to measure machine creativity directly to that of humans who ‘have had millennia to develop our skills.’ These lines clearly indicate that we should not be so direct or so quick to compare machine creativity with human creativity because humans have had developed their skills in several millennia (thousand years) to become as creative as they are now, but machines have evolved only recently and more time is necessary to understand what machines can create.

So, the answer is: D (comparing the artistic achievements of humans and computers)

Question 33: David Cope’s EMI software surprised people by –

Keywords for this answer: David Cope’s EMI, surprised people

We find the mention of David Cope’s EMI software in lines 4-5 of paragraph 5. Then, in lines 7-8, we can find the answer. Here, the writer states, “Audiences were moved to experts into thinking they were hearing genuine Bach.” It means the audience was so moved by their experience of listening to machine-created music that they failed to distinguish (to find the difference) between machine-created music and human-created music.”

So, the answer is: A (generating work that was virtually indistinguishable from that of humans)

Question 34: Geraint Wiggins criticized Cope for not –

Keywords for this answer: Geraint Wiggins, criticized, Cope

We can see a criticism made by Geraint Wiggins about Cope’s EMI software in paragraph 5, lines 9-11. The author states, “Some, such as Wiggins, have blasted Cope’s work as pseudoscience, and condemned him for his deliberately vague explanation of how the software worked.” It means Wiggins does not like Cope’s work because it is pseudoscience (a kind of scientific work which is not what it claims to be) and Cope’s explanations about the work are vague (unclear/elusive).

So, the answer is: E (revealing the technical details of his program)

Question 35: Douglas Hofstadter claimed that EMI was –

Keywords for this answer: Douglas Hofstadter, claimed, EMI

The answer is in lines 11-12 of paragraph 5. The lines say, “…. Meanwhile, Douglas Hofstadter of Indiana University said EMI created replicas which still rely completely on the original artist’s creative impulses.”

So, the answer is: C (producing work entirely dependent on the imagination of its creator)

Question 36: Audiences who had listened to EMI’s music became angry after –

Keywords for this answer: Audiences, listened, EMI’s music, angry

The answer lies in lines 13-14 of paragraph 5. Here, the author states, “When audiences found out the truth, they were often outraged with Cope, and one music lover even tried to punch him.” This means when audiences found out that they actually listened to music that a machine created, they were outraged or became angry at the creator of the program.

So, the answer is: G (discovering that it was the product of a computer program)

Question 37: The participants in David Moffat’s study had to assess music without –

Keywords for this answer: participants, David Moffat’s study, assess music without

To find the answer to this question, we must find David Moffat first. In paragraph no. 6, we find the name in line no. 2. The next lines give us clues to the answer. Here, in lines 3-4, the writer says, “He asked both expert musicians and non-experts to assess six compositions. The participants weren’t told beforehand whether the tunes were composed by humans or computers”. This means the listeners were not given information about the original composer until they listened to the music.

So, the answer is: B (knowing whether it was the work of humans or software)

Questions 38-40: (YES, NO, NOT GIVEN)

[In this type of question, candidates are asked to find out whether:

The statement in the question matches with the account in the text- YES
The statement in the question contradicts the account in the text- NO
The statement in the question has no clear connection with the account in the text- 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 38: Moffat’s research may help explain people’s reactions to EMI.

Keywords for this answer: Moffat’s research, help, explain, reactions, EMI

We had to read the first half of paragraph 6 for question no. 37 before. Here, we learned that Moffat’s study was giving listeners six music compositions without telling them who the composers were. Now, the last half of the paragraph tells us how people might react to this. “People who thought the composer was a computer tended to dislike the piece more than those who believed it was human. This was true even among the experts, .. . .”

So, the result of the experiment helps to understand people’s reactions.

So, the answer is: YES

Question 39: The non-experts in Moffat’s study all responded in a predictable way.

Keywords for this answer: non-experts, Moffat’s study, all responded, predictable way

There is no reference as to whether there was any predictable way to respond by non-experts in Moffat’s study.

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN

Question 40: Justin Kruger’s findings cast doubt on Paul Bloom’s theory about people’s prejudice towards computer art.

Keywords for this answer: Justin Kruger’s findings, cast doubt, Paul Bloom’s theory

The last paragraph’s lines 1-5 give us the answer. Though we find here two views of Justin Kruger and Paul Bloom, these two views actually approve or support each other.

Paul Bloom’s theory says, “…. . . .. part of the pleasure we get from art stems….. .” This matches with Justin Kruger’s experiments, “… . . have shown that people’s enjoyment of  an artwork increases.”

There is another clue: In Paul Bloom’s suggestion, there is a mention of ‘the creative process’.

This also matches with Justin Kruger’s findings where we can see the mention of “more time and effort was needed to create it”.

Thus, the two findings do not cast any doubt. Rather, one supports the other.

So, the answer is: NO

Please leave a comment below if you like this post and have any queries/ questions about Reading test.

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 13 Reading Test 1 Passage 1

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 13 Reading Test 1 Passage 2

Important vocabulary with explanations for Cambridge 13 Test 1 Reading Passage 1, 2, 3