Overcoming The Language Barrier — IELTS Reading Answers

“Publicity comes only when a failure to communicate has major consequences, such as strikes, lost orders, legal problems, or fatal accidents - even, at times, war”

The gap follows has and needs a plural noun phrase; the text says publicity comes only when failure to communicate has major consequences such as strikes or fatal accidents.

“In the English-speaking scientific world, for example, surveys of books and documents consulted in libraries and other information agencies have shown that very little foreign-language material is ever consulted”

The gap needs what revealed that little foreign-language material was consulted; surveys of books and documents in libraries showed exactly this.

“many had their sales literature only in English”

The gap needs a noun for English-only business material; the text says many firms had their sales literature only in English.

“This is especially a problem when English is not an official language of public administration, as in most parts of the Far East, Russia, Eastern Europe, the Arab world, Latin America and French-speaking Africa”

The gap needs a region where English is not an official language of public administration; the text lists the Far East, Russia, Eastern Europe and others among them.

According to the passage, 'They don't talk the same language' (paragraph 1), can refer to problems in

1. Aunderstanding metaphor.
2. Blearning foreign languages.
3. Cunderstanding dialect or style.correct
4. Ddealing with technological change.

“'Common language' here usually means a foreign language, but the same point applies in principle to any encounter with unfamiliar dialects or styles within a single language. 'They don't talk the same language' has a major metaphorical meaning alongside its literal one”

The writer says the same point applies to any encounter with unfamiliar dialects or styles within one language, which is option C.

The case of the poisonous mushrooms (paragraph 2) suggests that American doctors

1. Ashould pay more attention to radio reports.
2. Bonly read medical articles if they are in English.correct
3. Care sometimes unwilling to try foreign treatments.
4. Ddo not always communicate effectively with their patients.

“Why had the American doctors not heard of it seven years later? Presumably because the report of the treatment had been published only in journals written in European languages other than English”

The mushroom treatment report existed only in European journals not written in English, explaining why American doctors missed it and supporting option B.

According to the writer, the linguistic insularity of British businesses

1. Alater spread to other countries.
2. Bhad a negative effect on their business.
3. Cis not as bad now as it used to be in the pastcorrect
4. Dmade non-English-speaking companies turn to other markets.

“The criticism and publicity given to this problem since the 1960s seems to have greatly improved the situation”

The writer says criticism and publicity given to this problem since the 1960s has greatly improved the situation, so linguistic insularity is less bad now.

“Industrial training schemes have promoted an increase in linguistic and cultural awareness”

The question asks what promoted greater language awareness; the text names industrial training schemes as promoting linguistic and cultural awareness.

“Many firms now have their own translation services; to take just one example in Britain, Rowntree Mackintosh now publish their documents in six languages (English, French, German, Dutch, Italian and Xhosa)”

The question asks what many firms now have for their documents; the text says many firms now have their own translation services.

“Some firms run part-time language courses in the languages of the countries with which they are most involved”

The question asks what some firms run for employees; the text says some firms run part-time language courses in the languages of relevant countries.

“some produce their own technical glossaries, to ensure consistency when material is being translated”

The question asks what some firms produce for consistency in translation; the text says they produce their own technical glossaries.

According to the writer, English-speaking people need to be aware that

1. Asome foreigners have never met an English-speaking person.
2. Bmany foreigners have no desire to learn English.
3. Cforeign language may pose a greater problem in the future.
4. DEnglish-speaking foreigners may have difficulty understanding English.correct

“Even in cases where foreign customers can speak English quite well, it is often forgotten that they may not be able to understand it to the required level - bearing in mind the regional and social variation which permeates speech and which can cause major problems of listening comprehension”

Even foreign customers who speak English well may not understand it at the required level, given regional and social variation, so English speakers must not assume comprehension.

A suitable title for this passage would be

1. AOvercoming the language barriercorrect
2. BHow to survive an English-speaking world
3. CGlobal understanding - the key to personal progress
4. DThe need for a common language

“The discovery that language can be a barrier to communication is quickly made by all who travel, study, govern or sell The criticism and publicity given to this problem since the 1960s seems to have greatly improved the situation”

The passage's theme is language as a barrier to communication and how publicity since the 1960s improved matters, so the title Overcoming the language barrier fits.