IELTS Practice Tests Plus Volume 1
- Published on: 13 Dec 2017
- Tests taken: 584,155
Answer Keys:
Part 1: Question 1 - 13
- 1 scientists
- 2 science
- 3 (scientific) fields
- 4 co-operation/collaboration
- 5 observations
- 6 dinosaurs
- 7 conservation programme
- 8 acknowledge
- 9 B
- 10 A
- 11 D
- 12 B
- 13 C
Part 2: Question 14 - 26
- 14 C
- 15 A
- 16 B
- 17 D
- 18 YES
- 19 NO
- 20 NOT GIVEN
- 21 YES
- 22 YES
- 23 NO
- 24 manuscript
- 25 (the) (tabloid) newspapers
- 26 shopping lists
Part 3: Question 27 - 40
- 27 x
- 28 viii
- 29 v
- 30 iii
- 31 vii
- 32 ii
- 33 i
- 34 columns
- 35 vertical walls
- 36 hollow boxes
- 37 D
- 38 C
- 39 G
- 40 F
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nguyễn Gia Bảo |
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| Syed Ishaq |
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| Zorigt Purevdorj |
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| 4 | Karima Zhunusova |
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| 5 | Vo Tu |
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| 6 | kenisha gajera |
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| 7 | Lam Bui |
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| 8 | KUNJAL MADDIBOINA |
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| 9 | Harjeet Gill |
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| 10 | Yên Hoàng |
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Review & Explanations:
Questions 1-8
Complete the summary below. Choose ONE or TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 1-8 on your answer sheet.
Summary
Prior to the 19th century, professional 1 did not exist and scientific research was largely carried out by amateurs. However, while 2 today is mostly the domain of professionals, a recent US survey highlighted the fact that amateurs play an important role in at least seven 3 and indeed many professionals are reliant on their 4 . In areas such as astronomy, amateurs can be invaluable when making specific 5 on a global basis. Similarly in the area of palaeontology their involvement is invaluable and helpers are easy to recruit because of the popularity of 6 . Amateur birdwatchers also play an active role and their work has led to the establishment of a 7 . Occasionally the term 'amateur' has been the source of disagreement and alternative names have been suggested but generally speaking, as long as the professional scientists 8 the work of the non-professionals, the two groups can work productively together.
- 1 Answer: scientists
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
1. professional _____ did not exist
scientists were largely men of private means…
+ The first sentence in the paragraph mentions that during the 17th century, scientists were largely men of private means which means they were not professionals people who do work related to science. So, the correct answer is scientists.
- 2 Answer: science
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
2. However, while______ today is mostly the domain of professionals.
Today, science is an increasingly specialized and compartmentalized subject, the domain of experts who know more and more about less and less.
+ The paragraph mentions that science today is very specialized and is a domain of the experts. This matches the question which says that the field is a domain of professionals. Hence, science is the correct answer.
- 3 Answer: (scientific) fields
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
3. amateurs play an important role in at least seven ______
In addition to his field of astronomy, amateurs are actively involved in such field as acoustics, horticulture, ornithology, meteorology, hydrology and paleontology. If you count the number of fields in this sentence with astronomy, this totals to seven which is the keyword here.
+ Since we are concerned about the number of fields that amateurs can play role in, seven is the correct answer as the total number of fields mentioned is seven.
- 4 Answer: co-operation/collaboration
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
4. many professionals are reliant on their ______
professionals, some of whom rely heavily on their co-operation
+The last sentence on the second paragraph mentions that the professionals rely heavily on their co-operation. To rely heavily means to be reliant on something, hence, the correct answer is co-operation.
- 5 Answer: observations
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
5. In areas such as astronomy, amateurs can be invaluable when making specific ______ on a global basis
Amateur observers are helpful, says Dr Fienberg, because there are so many of them (they far outnumber professionals) and because they are distributed all over the world. This makes special kinds of observations possible…
+ The paragraph mentions that the amateur observers are helpful because they are distributed all over the world and it makes special observations possible. On a ‘global basis’ means to be distributed all over the world and specific means to be special. Hence, the correct answer is observations.
- 6 Answer: dinosaurs
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
6. Similarly in the area of paleontology their involvement is invaluable and helpers are easy to recruit because of the popularity of ______
Finding volunteers to look for fossils is not difficult, he says, because of the near universal interest in anything to do with dinosaurs
+ The sixth paragraph mentions that finding volunteers for work related to fossils is easy because of the universal interest in dinosaurs. Universal interest means popularity and the paragraph says this popularity is related to dinosaurs.
+ The correct answer is dinosaurs.
- 7 Answer: conservation programme
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
7. Amateur bird watchers also play an active role and their work has led to the establishment of a
Their observations have uncovered previously unknown trends and cycles in bird migrations and revealed declines in the breeding populations of several species of migratory birds, prompting a habitat conservation programme.
+ The article mentions that the various observations from amateurs has prompted a habitat conservation programme. Here, prompt means to lead, hence the correct answer in this context is habitat conservation programme.
- 8 Answer: acknowledge
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
8. Occasionally the term 'amateur' has been the source of disagreement and alternative names have been suggested but generally speaking, as long as the professional scientists _____ the work of the non-professionals, the two groups can work productively together.
A more serious problem is the question of how professionals can best acknowledge the contributions made by amateurs.
+ The question talks about how the term ‘amateur’ has been the source of disagreement and that it works fine if the professionals do something to recognize the works of non-professionals. Non-professionals means amateurs and to recognize means to acknowledge the works of amateurs.
+ Hence, the answer is acknowledge
Questions 9-13
Reading Passage 1 contains a number of opinions provided by four different scientists. Match each opinion (Questions 9-13) with the scientists A-D.
NB You may use any of the scientists A-D more than once.
| Name of scientists | |
| A | Dr Fienberg |
| B | Adrian Hunt |
| C | Rick Bonney |
| D | Dr Carlson |
9 Amateur involvement can also be an instructive pastime.
10 Amateur scientists are prone to accidents.
11 Science does not belong to professional scientists alone.
12 In certain areas of my work, people are a more valuable resource than technology.
13 It is important to give amateurs a name which reflects the value of their work.
|
Tip
e.g. Question 10: accidents.
If so, repeat the above procedure. (At least one name must be used twice in this set as there are five questions and only four names.) |
- 9 Answer: B
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
9. Amateur involvement can also be an instructive pastime.
Adrian Hunt: As well as helping with this research, volunteers learn about science, a process he calls ‘recreational education’
+ In the paragraph about Adrian Hunt, it is mentioned that volunteers can get recreational education by helping in research which is also the synonym for instructive pastime. Hence, the correct answer is : B (Adrian Hunt)
- 10 Answer: A
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
10. Amateur scientists are prone to accidents.
And some kinds of research can be dangerous; most amateur chemists, jokes Dr Fienberg, are either locked up or have blown themselves to bits.
+ In the paragraph about Dr. Fienberg, he mentions that most amateurs chemists have either blown themselves to bits or are either locked up which means they are prone to accidents.
+ So, the answer is “A”. (Dr Fienberg)
- 11 Answer: D
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
11. Science does not belong to professional scientists alone.
… professionals who … believe science should remain their exclusive preserve .
+ It is mentioned in the article Dr. S Carlson thinks that professionals believe science should remain their exclusive preserve which is to say that he thinks science does not belong to the scientists alone.
+ Therefore, the answer should be D. (Dr. Carlson)
- 12 Answer: B
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
12. In certain areas of my work, people are a more valuable resource than technology.
Adrian Hunt: Despite the development of high-tech equipment, he says, the best sensors for finding fossils are human eyes – lots of them.
+ In the fifth paragraph, it is mentioned that Adrian Hunt thinks that human eyes are better than any technology to find fossils which is to say that people are more valuable than technology in certain areas.
+ Therefore, the answer is B. (Adrian Hunt)
- 13 Answer: C
Keywords in Questions
Similar words in Passage
13. It is important to give amateurs a name which reflects the value of their work.
Mr Bonney has coined the term ‘citizen scientist’ because he felt that other words, such as ‘volunteer’ sounded disparaging.
+ In the paragraph about Mr Bonney, it is mentioned that he coined the term ‘citizen scientist’ which means he gave a new name for ‘amateurs’ because he felt the name ‘amateur’ is disparaging (not good for the importance of the work they do).
+ Therefore, the answer is C. (Rick Bonney)
Reading Passage 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13. which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.
In Praise of Amateurs
Despite the specialization of scientific research, amateurs still have an important role to play.
During the scientific revolution of the 17th century, scientists were largely men of private means who pursued their interest in natural philosophy for their own edification. Only in the past century or two has it become possible to make a living from investigating the workings of nature . Modern science was, in other words, built on the work of amateurs. Today, science is an increasingly specialized and compartmentalized subject, the domain of experts who know more and more about less and less. Perhaps surprisingly, however, amateurs – even those without private means – are still important.
A recent poll carried out at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science by astronomer Dr Richard Fienberg found that, in addition to his field of astronomy, amateurs are actively involved in such fields as acoustics , horticulture, ornithology, meteorology, hydrology and palaeontology. Far from being crackpots, amateur scientists are often in close touch with professionals, some of whom rely heavily on their co-operation.
Admittedly, some fields are more open to amateurs than others. Anything that requires expensive equipment is clearly a no-go area. And some kinds of research can be dangerous; most amateur chemists, jokes Dr Fienberg, are either locked up or have blown themselves to bits. But amateurs can make valuable contributions in fields from rocketry to palaeontology and the rise of the Internet has made it easier than before to collect data and distribute results.
Exactly which field of study has benefited most from the contributions of amateurs is a matter of some dispute. Dr Fienberg makes a strong case for astronomy. There is, he points out, a long tradition of collaboration between amateur and professional sky watchers . Numerous comets, asteroids and even the planet Uranus were discovered by amateurs. Today, in addition to comet and asteroid spotting, amateurs continue to do valuable work observing the brightness of variable stars and detecting novae- ‘new’ stars in the Milky Way and supernovae in other galaxies. Amateur observers are helpful, says Dr Fienberg, because there are so many of them (they far outnumber professionals) and because they are distributed all over the world. This makes special kinds of observations possible:’ if several observers around the world accurately record the time when a star is eclipsed by an asteroid, for example, it is possible to derive useful information about the asteroid’s shape.
Another field in which amateurs have traditionally played an important role is palaeontology. Adrian Hunt, a palaeontologist at Mesa Technical College in New Mexico, insists that his is the field in which amateurs have made the biggest contribution. Despite the development of high-tech equipment, he says, the best sensors for finding fossils are human eyes – lots of them.
Finding volunteers to look for fossils is not difficult, he says, because of the near universal interest in anything to do with dinosaurs. As well as helping with this research, volunteers learn about science, a process he calls ‘recreational education’
Rick Bonney of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York, contends that amateurs have contributed the most in his field. There are, he notes, thought to be as many as 60 million birdwatchers in America alone. Given their huge numbers and the wide geographical coverage they provide, Mr Bonney has enlisted thousands of amateurs in a number of research projects. Over the past few years their observations have uncovered previously unknown trends and cycles in bird migrations and revealed declines in the breeding populations of several species of migratory birds, prompting a habitat conservation programme.
Despite the successes and whatever the field of study, collaboration between amateurs and professionals is not without its difficulties. Not everyone, for example is happy with the term ‘amateur’. Mr Bonney has coined the term ‘citizen scientist’ because he felt that other words, such as ‘volunteer’ sounded disparaging. A more serious problem is the question of how professionals can best acknowledge the contributions made by amateurs . Dr Fienberg says that some amateur astronomers are happy to provide their observations but grumble about not being reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses. Others feel let down when their observations are used in scientific papers, but they are not listed as co-authors. Dr Hunt says some amateur palaeontologists are disappointed when told that they cannot take finds home with them.
These are legitimate concerns but none seems insurmountable. Provided amateurs and professionals agree the terms on which they will work together beforehand, there is no reason why co-operation between the two groups should not flourish. Last year Dr S. Carlson, founder of the Society for Amateur Scientists won an award worth $290,000 for his work in promoting such co-operation. He says that one of the main benefits of the prize is the endorsement it has given to the contributions of amateur scientists, which has done much to silence critics among those professionals who believe science should remain their exclusive preserve.
At the moment, says Dr Carlson, the society is involved in several schemes including an innovative rocket-design project and the setting up of a network of observers who will search for evidence of a link between low- frequency radiation and earthquakes. The amateurs, he says, provide enthusiasm and talent, while the professionals provide guidance ‘so that anything they do discover will be taken seriously’. Having laid the foundations of science, amateurs will have much to contribute to its ever – expanding edifice.
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