Cambridge IELTS 17 · Academic · Test 4 · Passage 2
Does Education Fuel Economic Growth? — IELTS Reading Answers
All 11 answers for Does Education Fuel Economic Growth?, Cambridge IELTS 17 Academic Reading Test 4 Passage 2, with the passage evidence and an explanation for each.
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Does Education Fuel Economic Growth? answer key at a glance
Questions 14–25. Tap an answer to see the evidence.
What this passage tests
This passage is tested with Matching Information (Q14–18), Summary Completion (Q19–22), Two Choices (Q23–24), Two Choices (Q25–26). Each section below gives the strategy for that question type, the answers, and the sentence that proves them.
Questions 14–18: Matching Information
Strategy: Scan for the idea, not the exact words. The answer is a paragraph letter, and one paragraph may be used more than once unless the instructions say otherwise.
an explanation of the need for research to focus on individuals with a fairly consistent income
“according to Ogilvie, it is time ‘to ask the big questions’. One way to look at whether education causes economic growth is to ‘hold wealth constant’. This involves following the lives of different people with the same level of wealth over a period of time.”
Paragraph E proposes to 'hold wealth constant' by following 'different people with the same level of wealth over a period of time', studying those with consistent income.
examples of the sources the database has been compiled from
“Over the last decade, a huge database about the lives of southwest German villagers between 1600 and 1900 has been compiled by a team led by Professor Sheilagh Ogilvie at Cambridge University’s Faculty of Economics.”
Paragraph A explains that the database about southwest German villagers was 'compiled by a team led by Professor Sheilagh Ogilvie', the paragraph covering the records it was built from.
an account of one individual’s refusal to obey an order
“The database also reveals the case of Juliana Schweickherdt a 50-year-old spinster living in the small Black Forest community of Wildberg who was reprimanded in 1752 by the local weavers’ guild for weaving cloth and combing wool counter to the guild ordinance’”
Paragraph D recounts Juliana Schweickherdt, reprimanded in 1752 for 'weaving cloth and combing wool counter to the guild ordinance', one individual defying an order.
a reference to a region being particularly suited to research into the link between education and economic growth
“German-speaking central Europe is an excellent laboratory for testing theories of economic growth”
'German-speaking central Europe is an excellent laboratory for testing theories of economic growth' matches a region particularly suited to such research.
examples of the items included in a list of personal possessions
“In the handwritten inventories that Ogilvie is analysing are the belongings of women and men at marriage, remarriage and death. From badger skins to Bibles, sewing machines to scarlet bodices – the villagers’ entire worldly goods are included.”
Paragraph C lists possessions ranging 'from badger skins to Bibles, sewing machines to scarlet bodices', the items in the handwritten inventories.
Questions 19–22: Summary Completion
Strategy: Read the summary as a paragraph first to establish the logic, then locate the missing idea in the passage. With a lettered list, confirm the grammar fits.
“We can follow the same people – and their descendants – across 300 years of educational and economic change”
The gap needs who can be traced alongside the villagers; 'the same people - and their descendants' supplies 'descendants'.
“Stories like that of the 24-year-olds Ana Regina and Magdalena Riethmüllerin, who were chastised in 1707 for reading books in church instead of listening to the sermon.”
The gap needs what the women ignored in church; they read books 'instead of listening to the sermon'.
“When Juliana continued taking jobs reserved for male guild members, she was summoned before the guild court and told to pay a fine equivalent to one third of a servant’s annual wage.”
The gap needs what Juliana was told to pay; 'told to pay a fine equivalent to one third of a servant's annual wage' gives 'fine'.
“The dominance of guilds not only prevented people from using their skills, but also held back even the simplest industrial innovation.”
The gap needs what guilds held back; 'held back even the simplest industrial innovation' supplies 'innovation'.
Questions 23–24: Two Choices
Strategy: Both answers must be supported by the passage. Check each option independently; order does not usually matter.
“Between 1600 and 1900, England had only mediocre literacy rates by European standards, yet its economy grew fast and it was the first country to industrialise. During this period, Germany and Scandinavia had excellent literacy rates, but their economies grew slowly and they industrialised late.”
England grew fast with only 'mediocre literacy rates', showing education is not required for growth (B), while slow-growing Germany and Scandinavia had 'excellent literacy rates' (E).
Questions 25–26: Two Choices
Strategy: Both answers must be supported by the passage. Check each option independently; order does not usually matter.
“In villages throughout the region, guilds blocked labour migration resisted changes that might reduce their influence”
Guilds 'blocked labour migration' (B) and 'resisted changes that might reduce their influence' (D), the two obstructive behaviours named in the evidence.
Learn the question types in this passage
Frequently asked questions
Where does the Does Education Fuel Economic Growth? passage come from?
It is Passage 2 of Cambridge IELTS 17 Academic Reading Test 4, and it covers Questions 14–25.
What question types appear in Does Education Fuel Economic Growth??
The passage is tested with Matching Information, Summary Completion, Two Choices, Two Choices. 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.