Cambridge IELTS 21 · Academic · Test 4 · Passage 3
The Globemakers — IELTS Reading Answers
All 14 answers for The Globemakers, Cambridge IELTS 21 Academic Reading Test 4 Passage 3, with evidence and explanations.
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The Globemakers answer key at a glance
Questions 27–40. Tap an answer to see the evidence.
What this passage tests
This is a review of Peter Bellerby's book about reviving handmade globe-making. Questions 27-32 complete a lettered summary of his decade-long struggle, 33-36 test claims about historical geography with Yes/No/Not Given, and 37-40 are multiple choice on the reviewer's judgement.
Questions 27–32: 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.
Options for Questions 27–32
- Aeducational use
- Brare materials
- Cinferior makes
- Dproduct exchange markets
- Enecessary skills
- Finternational
- Gchallenging task
- Hmemorable object
- Iinternet purchase
- Jnumerous problems
“What seemed simple enough to start with triggered an almost obsessive, decade-long journey, marked by a series of obstacles that would have deterred anyone less determined”
A simple idea triggered 'an almost obsessive, decade-long journey' full of obstacles.
“In the process, almost everything that could possibly go wrong did so”
'Almost everything that could possibly go wrong did so' during the process.
“The first surprise in The Globemakers, Bellerby's account of this impulsive enterprise, is that obtaining such a globe was not simply a matter of a quick online order and a repressed sigh at the shipping costs”
The surprise is that buying a globe was 'not simply a matter of a quick online order'.
“Bellerby came across shoddy commercial versions designed for school classrooms”
Bellerby found 'shoddy commercial versions designed for school classrooms'.
“Bellerby came across shoddy commercial versions designed for school classrooms”
The same sentence shows the available globes were low quality rather than accurate.
“Even his trips to Morocco and India, where surely the knowledge of artisan cartographers had been preserved, drew a blank”
Trips to Morocco and India 'drew a blank', so artisanal knowledge had not been preserved there.
Questions 33–36: Yes / No / Not Given
Strategy: These test the writer's opinions, not facts. Look for evaluative language, and treat 'may' or 'could' as weaker than the question's claim.
The assumption today that people in the past knew very little about geography is correct.
“After all, contrary to stubbornly held popular views of our ancestors' geographical ignorance, we have known that the world is spherical since at least the 6th century BCE”
NO: 'contrary to stubbornly held popular views', people have known the world is spherical since at least the 6th century BCE.
Plato was criticised for saying the world was shaped like a leather ball.
“The ancient Greek philosopher Plato in his work Phaedo likened it to a leather ball”
NOT GIVEN: Plato likened the world to a leather ball, but no criticism of him is mentioned.
The globe made by Crates of Mallus was an accurate representation of the known world.
“the accolade of producing the first recorded globe goes to the ancient Greek philosopher Crates of Mallus, who is said to have made one in around 150 BCE”
NOT GIVEN: Crates is credited with the first recorded globe, but its accuracy is not assessed.
Bellerby assumed he would have few problems locating a well-made globe.
“Surely, Bellerby reasoned, a good-quality globe wouldn't be difficult to find”
YES: Bellerby 'reasoned' that a good-quality globe 'wouldn't be difficult to find'.
Questions 37–40: One Choice
Strategy: Read the question stem and predict the answer before looking at the options. Wrong options often repeat passage words while the correct one paraphrases them.
When Bellerby had to attach the gores to the globe surface,
- Ahe decided it was best to work quickly.
- Bhe became aware of an unexpected issue.correct
- Che was worried about the quality of his materials.
- Dhe nearly gave up the whole project.
“Bellerby's frustration at the painstaking process of attaching the gores to the globe surface - after having found a glue with precisely the right adhesive qualities - is palpable.”
Attaching the gores was 'painstaking', and the paper stretched so the final one overlapped the first.
The reviewer mentions other globe makers of the past because
- ABellerby was particularly inspired by them.
- Btheir achievements are not widely known.
- CBellerby had something in common with each of them.correct
- Dtheir difficulties could have been avoided.
“Bellerby clearly found a kindred spirit in Martin Behaim Something of Bellerby's unflinching ambition is reflected in the even more heroic efforts of the Italian cartographer Vincenzo Coronelli”
The reviewer mentions Behaim and Coronelli to show that Bellerby's ambition reflects earlier globe makers.
What point is made about Bellerby in the seventh paragraph?
- AHe had long working relationships with numerous craftsmen.
- BHe understands the lack of interest in traditional crafts.
- CHe appreciates the importance of careful planning.
- DHe regrets the loss of many globe-making skills.correct
“Although a celebration of the revival of an ancient craft, Bellerby's book is also a lament for the fading away of centuries-old traditions”
The book is 'a lament for the fading away of centuries-old traditions'.
What does the reviewer say about Bellerby's book in the final paragraph?
- AIt does not tell you how to create a profitable business.correct
- BIt overlooks some important mapmakers.
- CIt fails to discuss the future of globe-making.
- DIt does not give enough details about individual customers.
“His book, beautifully illustrated with photographs of the various stages of his venture and a few illustrations of historic globes and maps, is hardly a blueprint for commercial success”
The book is 'beautifully illustrated' but 'hardly a blueprint for commercial success'.
Learn the question types in this passage
Traps in this passage
- Question 33 is NO: the passage says the opposite of the statement, that ancestors were not geographically ignorant.
- Questions 34 and 35 are NOT GIVEN because Plato and Crates are mentioned without the criticism or accuracy claims in the statements.
- The multiple-choice questions ask about the reviewer's attitude. Look for evaluative adjectives such as 'beautifully illustrated' and 'hardly a blueprint'.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the The Globemakers passage come from?
It is Passage 3 of Cambridge IELTS 21 Academic Reading Test 4, and it covers Questions 27–40.
What question types appear in The Globemakers?
The passage is tested with Summary Completion, Yes / No / Not Given, One Choice. 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.