A Silent Force – IELTS Reading Answers

The ‘A Silent Force’ is an IELTS Academic Reading passage is a good resource for anyone who is preparing for the IELTS Reading test. This passage will help you understand what kind of reading passages you will encounter and the questions that you will be asked to solve.

The question types in this IELTS Reading Passage include:

• Matching Headings
• Yes/No/Not given

Want to practice more Flow Chart Completion questions? Start with this.

A Silent Force

A Silent Force IELTS Reading Answers With Explanation

16 Answer: iii

Question type: Matching Headings

Answer location: Paragraph A, line 2

Answer explanation: A line in the passage mentions that reading has come a long way since Augustine’s day. There was a time when it was a menial job of scribes and priests, not the mark of civilization it became in Europe during the Renaissance when it was seen as one of the attributes of the civilized individual. From this paragraph, we can say that now reading is a mark of civilization.

17 Answer: viii

Question type: Matching Headings

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 1

Answer explanation: In the said paragraph, you can point out that modern nations are now seriously affected by their levels of literacy. For example, while the western world has seen a noticeable decline, other less developed countries have advanced and overtaken the West.  So, European countries are in danger of falling even further behind economically. This proves that with literacy comes economic advancement. As the European countries have declining literacy rates, their economy is also being affected.

18 Answer: xi

Question type: Matching Headings

Answer location: Paragraph C, line 2

Answer explanation: A line in the said paragraph infers that reading as a skill is the key to an educated workforce, which in turn is the bedrock of economic advancement, particularly in the present technological age. The skill of reading is now a fully-fledged economic force.

19 Answer: vi

Question type: Matching Headings

Answer location: Paragraph D, line 1

Answer explanation: If you read thoroughly, a line in the passage specifies that part of the problem with reading is that it is a skill which is not appreciated in most developed societies. This is an attitude that has condemned large swathes of the population in most Western nations to illiteracy. It might be surprising to learn that in the United Kingdom and indeed in some other European countries (developed countries), the literacy rate has fallen to below that of so-called less developed countries. So, the author is telling us that the attitude of the people in developed countries is the reason why the literacy rate is declining.

20 Answer: x

Question type: Matching Headings

Answer location: Paragraph E, line 2

Answer explanation: If you observe, in the said paragraph to the fact that it is not cool among a younger generation to be seen with anything else other than computer screens or a Walkman. The solitude of reading is not very appealing. Sometimes, peer pressure among young people is so powerful that it often kills any attempts to change attitudes to habits like reading. So, this paragraph discusses the negative attitude of the young generation towards reading.

21 Answer: xii

Question type: Matching Headings

Answer location: Paragraph F, line 1

Answer explanation: Paragraph F brings forth the author’s attitude towards the decline in reading habits when he asks that apart from the negative connotations of reading, is modern Western society standing Canute-like against an uncontrollable spiral of decline? Then the answer is provided with – ‘I think not’. So, this means that the author does not feel that the modern world is going to stand like Canute (an English king who ordered waves to stop) against decline.

22 Answer: vii

Question type: Matching Headings

Answer location: Paragraph G, line 1

Answer explanation: If you read thoroughly, there’s a line that claims, “how should people be encouraged to read more?” indicates that the author is trying to find ways to persuade people to read. It can easily be done by increasing basic reading skills at an early age and encouraging young people to borrow books from schools. Some schools have classroom libraries as well as school libraries. It is no good waiting until pupils are in their secondary school to encourage an interest in books which needs to be pushed at an early age.

23 Answer: YES

Question type: Yes/No/Not Given Questions

Answer location: Paragraph B, last line

Answer explanation: In the said paragraph, refer that, European countries can no longer rest on their laurels (satisfied with past achievements) which they have done for far too long. As a result, they are in danger of falling even further behind economically, that is, thay have allowed other countries to overtake them in certain areas.

24 Answer: YES

Question type: Yes/No/Not Given Questions

Answer location: Paragraph C, last line

Answer explanation: The answer is clearly mentioned in the said paragraph and line. In the passage, it is said that the skill of reading is now a fully-fledged economic force.

25 Answer: NOT GIVEN

Question type: Yes/No/Not Given Questions

Answer location: N/A

Answer explanation: It is given that it might be surprising that in the United Kingdom and in some other European countries, the literacy rate has fallen to below that of so-called less developed countries. Apart from this reference, there is no mention of whether the literacy rate in less developed nations is considerably higher than in all European countries.

26 Answer: YES

Question type: Yes/No/Not Given Questions

Answer location: Paragraph H, line 6

Answer explanation: Few lines in said paragraph discuss that the best idea to stop the negative attitudes to reading from forming in the first place is by taking children to local libraries. It will bring them into contact with an environment where they can become relaxed among books. So, it is advised to catch them young and they just might all become bookworms, that is, if the young children are encouraged to read when they are young the negative attitude to reading that grows in some subcultures will be eliminated.

27 Answer: NO

Question type: Yes/No/Not Given Questions

Answer location: Paragraph G, 2nd last line

Answer explanation: Paragraph G intimates that what people, whether they be adults or children, read is of little import. What is significant is the fact that they are reading. For example, someone who reads a comic today may have the courage to pick up a more substantial one later on. So, people should not be discouraged from reading comics and magazines as it might lead them to read more in the future.

Tips for Answering the Question Types in A Silent Force Reading Answers

Now let’s get started with the tips for each question type. It’ll help you understand how to approach the problem of each question type.

Matching Headings

In Matching Headings Question, a list of headings will be given and you are asked to match these headings with a paragraph in the passage. You should read the headings before you begin reading the text. To get the correct answer, you have to read the complete paragraph and not just stop with the first few lines of the paragraph. There will also be many other headings that are not related to any of the paragraphs given in the passage, in such cases, try to identify those types of headings too. Here are five tips to help you with this task:

• Understand the Main Idea: Skim through the headings and the text to get a general idea of what each section is about. Each heading represents the main idea of a paragraph or section, so understanding this will help you match them more effectively.
• Read the First and Last Sentences: Focus on the first and last sentences of each paragraph. They often contain the main idea or summary of the paragraph, which can help you identify the correct heading.
• Look for Keywords: Pay attention to keywords or phrases in the heading and find them or related synonyms in the paragraph. Matching these can guide you to the right heading.
• Ignore the Detail: Don’t get bogged down by details. The heading will usually summarize the overall idea of the paragraph, not the specifics. Focus on the broader theme or concept.
• Eliminate Wrong Options: If you’re unsure, eliminate headings that clearly don’t fit the section. This can narrow down your choices and increase your chances of selecting the correct heading.

Yes/No/Not Given Questions

Similar to the True/False/Not given questions, questions also have various statements. But here you are asked to agree or disagree with the statement based on the opinion of the author.

• Read Carefully: Determine if the statement matches the passage (“Yes”), contradicts it (“No”), or if there’s insufficient information (“Not Given”).
• Find Key Sections: Scan the passage for keywords related to the statement to locate relevant information.
• Match Information: Ensure the statement aligns exactly with the passage for “Yes” or directly contradicts it for “No.”
• Notice Qualifiers: Words like “always” or “never” can alter meaning and impact your answer.
• Avoid Assumptions: Choose “Not Given” if the passage doesn’t provide enough information to confirm or refute the statement.

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