Cambridge IELTS 4 · Academic · Test 3 · Passage 3
Obtaining Linguistic Data — IELTS Reading Answers
All 14 answers for Obtaining Linguistic Data, Cambridge IELTS 4 Academic Reading Test 3 Passage 3, with the passage evidence and an explanation for each.
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Obtaining Linguistic Data answer key at a glance
Questions 27–40. Tap an answer to see the evidence.
What this passage tests
This passage is tested with Matching Information (Q27–31), Table Completion (Q32–36), Summary Completion (Q37–40). Each section below gives the strategy for that question type, the answers, and the sentence that proves them.
Questions 27–31: 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.
the effect of recording on the way people talk
“People talk abnormally when they know they are being recorded, and sound quality can be poor. A variety of tape-recording procedures have thus been devised to minimise the 'observer's paradox' (how to observe the way people behave when they are not being observed)”
Paragraph D notes 'people talk abnormally when they know they are being recorded', the observer's paradox — the effect of recording.
the importance of taking notes on body language
“Where possible, therefore, the recording has to be supplemented by the observer's written comments on the non-verbal behaviour of the participants, and about the context in general. A facial expression, for example, can dramatically alter the meaning of what is said”
Paragraph E says recordings need supplementing with 'written comments on the non-verbal behaviour of the participants', such as facial expressions.
the fact that language is influenced by social situation
“Age, sex, social background and other aspects of identity are important, as these factors are known to influence the kind of language used. The topic of conversation and the characteristics of the social setting (e.g.”
Paragraph C lists age, sex, social background and 'the characteristics of the social setting' as factors influencing the language used.
how informants can be helped to be less self-conscious
“Alternatively, attempts can be made to make the speaker forget about the recording, such as keeping the tape recorder out of sight, or using radio microphones. A useful technique is to introduce a topic that quickly involves the speaker, and stimulates a natural language style (e.g.”
Paragraph D suggests keeping the recorder out of sight, using radio microphones, or introducing an engaging topic to make speakers forget the recording.
various methods that can be used to generate specific data
“Linguists also make great use of structured sessions, in which they systematically ask their informants for utterances that describe certain actions, objects or behaviour.”
Paragraph F describes structured sessions, translation techniques, interview worksheets, questionnaires and substitution frames — methods for eliciting specific data.
Questions 32–36: Table Completion
Strategy: Work row by row. The row label tells you where to look; the column heading tells you what kind of word you need.
“Often, when studying their mother tongue, linguists act as their own informants, judging the ambiguity, acceptability, or other properties of utterances against their own intuitions. The convenience of this approach makes it widely used, and it is considered the norm in the generative approach to linguistics.”
The table needs who the informant is in this case: 'linguists act as their own informants, judging ... utterances against their own intuitions'.
“The latter procedure is unavoidable when working on foreign languages, or child speech”
The table needs when this procedure is unavoidable: 'the latter procedure is unavoidable when working on foreign languages, or child speech'.
“People talk abnormally when they know they are being recorded, and sound quality can be poor”
The table needs what can be poor when people are recorded: 'sound quality can be poor', alongside abnormal speech.
“Where possible, therefore, the recording has to be supplemented by the observer's written comments on the non-verbal behaviour of the participants, and about the context in general. A facial expression, for example, can dramatically alter the meaning of what is said.”
The table needs what written comments should record: 'the observer's written comments on the non-verbal behaviour of the participants'.
“Video recordings avoid these problems to a large extent, but even they have limitations (the camera cannot be everywhere), and transcriptions always benefit from any additional commentary provided by an observer”
The table needs the limitation of video: 'the camera cannot be everywhere', so recordings still need commentary.
Questions 37–40: 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.
“A corpus enables the linguist to make unbiased statements about frequency of usage, and it provides accessible data for the use of different researchers”
The gap needs what a corpus lets linguists describe objectively: 'a corpus enables the linguist to make unbiased statements about frequency of usage'.
“Some corpora attempt to cover the language as a whole, taking extracts from many kinds of text; others are extremely selective, providing a collection of material that deals only with a particular linguistic feature”
The gap needs what selective corpora cover: some provide material 'that deals only with a particular linguistic feature'.
“The size of the corpus depends on practical factors, such as the time available to collect, process and store the data: it can take up to several hours to provide an accurate transcription of a few minutes of speech”
The gap needs what practical factors determine: 'the size of the corpus depends on practical factors, such as the time available'.
“An important principle is that all corpora, whatever their size, are inevitably limited in their coverage, and always need to be supplemented by data derived from the intuitions of native speakers of the language, through either introspection or experimentation”
Corpora 'always need to be supplemented by data derived from the intuitions of native speakers', so intuitions fill the gap.
Learn the question types in this passage
Frequently asked questions
Where does the Obtaining Linguistic Data passage come from?
It is Passage 3 of Cambridge IELTS 4 Academic Reading Test 3, and it covers Questions 27–40.
What question types appear in Obtaining Linguistic Data?
The passage is tested with Matching Information, Table Completion, Summary 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.