Cambridge IELTS 19 · Academic · Test 3 · Passage 1
Archaeologists discover evidence of prehistoric island settlers — IELTS Reading Answers
All 13 answers for Archaeologists discover evidence of prehistoric island settlers, Cambridge IELTS 19 Academic Reading Test 3 Passage 1, with the passage evidence and an explanation for each.
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Archaeologists discover evidence of prehistoric island settlers answer key at a glance
Questions 1–13. Tap an answer to see the evidence.
What this passage tests
This passage is tested with True / False / Not Given (Q1–7), Note Completion (Q8–13). Each section below gives the strategy for that question type, the answers, and the sentence that proves them.
Questions 1–7: True / False / Not Given
Strategy: Judge the whole statement against the text. FALSE contradicts the passage; NOT GIVEN means the passage never addresses that specific claim.
Archaeological research had taken place on the island of Obi before the arrival of Ceri Shipton and his colleagues.
“In early April 2019, Dr Ceri Shipton and his colleagues from Australian National University became the first archaeologists to explore Obi, one of many tropical islands in Indonesia’s Maluku Utara province.”
Shipton and his colleagues 'became the first archaeologists to explore Obi', so no archaeological research had taken place there before.
At the Kelo sites, the researchers found the first clam shell axes ever to be discovered in the region.
“The earliest axes at Kelo were made using clam shells. Axes made from clam shells from roughly the same time had also previously been found elsewhere in this region, including on the nearby island of Gebe to the northeast.”
Clam-shell axes 'had also previously been found elsewhere in this region, including on the nearby island of Gebe', so Kelo's were not the first.
The size of Obi today is less than it was 18,000 years ago.
“Sea levels were about 120 metres lower, meaning Obi was a much larger island”
Sea levels were 'about 120 metres lower, meaning Obi was a much larger island', so today's island is smaller than before.
A change in the climate around 11,700 years ago had a greater impact on Obi than on the surrounding islands.
“Roughly 11,700 years ago, as the most recent ice age ended, the climate became significantly warmer and wetter, no doubt making Obi’s jungle much thicker.”
The warmer, wetter climate is described, but the passage never compares Obi's experience with that of the surrounding islands.
The researchers believe there is a connection between warmer, wetter weather and a change in the material used to make axes.
“Roughly 11,700 years ago, as the most recent ice age ended, the climate became significantly warmer and wetter, no doubt making Obi’s jungle much thicker. According to the researchers, it is no coincidence that around this time the first axes crafted from stone rather than sea shells appear,”
Researchers link the warmer, wetter climate to 'the first axes crafted from stone rather than sea shells' appearing at the same time.
Shipton's team were surprised to find evidence of the Obi islanders’ hunting practices.
“Judging by the bones which the researchers unearthed in the Kelo caves, people living there mainly hunted the Rothschild’s cuscus, a possum-like creature that still lives on Obi today.”
The bones show people 'mainly hunted the Rothschild's cuscus', but the team's surprise at this discovery is never mentioned.
It is thought that the Kelo shelters were occupied continuously until about 1,000 years ago.
“Whatever the reason for the departure, there is no evidence for use of the Kelo shelters after this time, until about 1,000 years ago, when they were re-occupied by people who owned pottery as well as items made out of gold and silver.”
There was 'no evidence for use of the Kelo shelters' until about 1,000 years ago, when they were re-occupied, so occupation was not continuous.
Questions 8–13: Note Completion
Strategy: Predict the word class from the note, find the paraphrase of the note's keyword in the passage, then copy the answer exactly within the word limit.
“Just inland from the village of Kelo on Obi’s northern coast, Shipton and his colleagues found two caves containing prehistoric rock shelters that were suitable for excavation.”
The team found 'two caves containing prehistoric rock shelters', so the gap needs the plural 'caves'.
“According to the researchers, it is no coincidence that around this time the first axes crafted from stone rather than sea shells appear”
The new axes were 'crafted from stone rather than sea shells', so the gap is 'stone'.
“Judging by the bones which the researchers unearthed in the Kelo caves, people living there mainly hunted the Rothschild’s cuscus, a possum-like creature that still lives on Obi today.”
'Judging by the bones which the researchers unearthed', people mainly hunted cuscus, so the evidence is bones.
“It also revealed particular types of beads, similar to those previously found on islands in southern Wallacea.”
The excavation 'revealed particular types of beads', similar to those found in southern Wallacea, so the gap is 'beads'.
“Whatever the reason for the departure, there is no evidence for use of the Kelo shelters after this time, until about 1,000 years ago, when they were re-occupied by people who owned pottery as well as items made out of gold and silver.”
The re-occupants 'owned pottery as well as items made out of gold and silver', so 'pottery' fits the gap.
“It seems likely, in view of Obi’s location, that this final phase of occupation also saw the Kelo shelters used by people involved in the historic trade in spices between the Maluku islands and the rest of the world.”
The shelters were used by people involved in 'the historic trade in spices between the Maluku islands and the rest of the world'.
Learn the question types in this passage
Frequently asked questions
Where does the Archaeologists discover evidence of prehistoric island settlers passage come from?
It is Passage 1 of Cambridge IELTS 19 Academic Reading Test 3, and it covers Questions 1–13.
What question types appear in Archaeologists discover evidence of prehistoric island settlers?
The passage is tested with True / False / Not Given, Note Completion. Each type is explained on this page, alongside the answers.
Are these reading answers reliable?
Every answer is paired with the sentence that proves it, so you can check each one against the passage yourself. Use the page after a timed attempt, not instead of one.
Cambridge IELTS is published by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Band9Prep is not affiliated with Cambridge. This page is an independent study aid: it gives the answer key, the passage evidence and an explanation so you can review an attempt you have already made.