Cambridge IELTS 4 · Academic · Test 4 · Passage 2
The Nature and Aims of Archaeology — IELTS Reading Answers
All 12 answers for The Nature and Aims of Archaeology, Cambridge IELTS 4 Academic Reading Test 4 Passage 2, with the passage evidence and an explanation for each.
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The Nature and Aims of Archaeology answer key at a glance
Questions 14–27. Tap an answer to see the evidence.
What this passage tests
This passage is tested with Yes / No / Not Given (Q14–19), Two Choices (Q20–21), Two Choices (Q22–23), Summary Completion (Q24–27). Each section below gives the strategy for that question type, the answers, and the sentence that proves them.
Questions 14–19: 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.
Archaeology involves creativity as well as careful investigative work.
“Archaeology is partly the discovery of the treasures of the past, partly the careful work of the scientific analyst, partly the exercise of the creative imagination”
Archaeology is 'partly the exercise of the creative imagination' as well as 'the careful work of the scientific analyst', so both are involved.
Archaeologists must be able to translate texts from ancient languages.
“To archaeology, which studies all cultures and periods, whether with or without writing, the distinction between history and pre-history is a convenient dividing line that recognises the importance of the written word, but in no way lessens the importance of the useful information contained in oral histories”
The passage notes archaeology studies cultures 'with or without writing', but never says archaeologists must translate ancient texts.
Movies give a realistic picture of the work of archaeologists.
“However far from reality such portrayals are, they capture the essential truth that archaeology is an exciting quest – the quest for knowledge about ourselves and our past”
The text calls film portrayals 'far from reality', so movies do not give a realistic picture of archaeologists' work.
Anthropologists define culture in more than one way.
“Anthropology, at its broadest, is the study of humanity – our physical characteristics as animals and our unique non-biological characteristics that we call culture.”
Anthropologists use 'culture' broadly and 'also ... in a more restricted sense', so they define it in more than one way.
Archaeology is a more demanding field of study than anthropology.
“Anthropology is thus a broad discipline – so broad that it is generally broken down into three smaller disciplines: physical anthropology, cultural anthropology and archaeology”
Archaeology is listed as one of anthropology's three sub-disciplines, but their relative difficulty is never compared.
The history of Europe has been documented since 3000 BC.
“Conventional historical sources begin only with the introduction of written records around 3000 BC in western Asia, and much later in most other parts of the world”
Written records begin 'around 3000 BC in western Asia, and much later in most other parts of the world', so Europe's history was not documented from 3000 BC.
Questions 20–21: Two Choices
Strategy: Both answers must be supported by the passage. Check each option independently; order does not usually matter.
“Anthropology is thus a broad discipline – so broad that it is generally broken down into three smaller disciplines: physical anthropology, cultural anthropology and archaeology Physical anthropology, or biological anthropology as it is also called,”
D and E fit: anthropology breaks into physical, cultural and archaeology; physical anthropology studies human biological characteristics and how they evolved.
Questions 22–23: Two Choices
Strategy: Both answers must be supported by the passage. Check each option independently; order does not usually matter.
“Why are some dwellings round and others square learning how such societies use material culture – how they make their tools and weapons”
C and D fit: archaeologists ask why dwellings differ in shape and study how societies use material culture to make tools and weapons.
Questions 24–27: 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.
“the distinction between history and pre-history is a convenient dividing line that recognises the importance of the written word, but in no way lessens the importance of the useful information contained in oral histories”
The gap needs the non-written source: the distinction 'in no way lessens the importance of ... information contained in oral histories'.
“Since the aim of archaeology is the understanding of humankind, it is a humanistic study, and since it deals with the human past, it is a historical discipline”
Because archaeology's aim is 'the understanding of humankind', it is 'a humanistic study', filling the first gap.
“Since the aim of archaeology is the understanding of humankind, it is a humanistic study, and since it deals with the human past, it is a historical discipline”
Because it deals with the human past, archaeology is 'a historical discipline', filling the second gap.
“In this respect, the practice of the archaeologist is rather like that of the scientist, who collects data, conducts experiments, formulates a hypothesis, tests the hypothesis against more data, and then, in conclusion, devises a model that seems best to summarise the pattern observed in the data”
The gap needs the comparison: 'the practice of the archaeologist is rather like that of the scientist', who collects data and tests hypotheses.
Learn the question types in this passage
Frequently asked questions
Where does the The Nature and Aims of Archaeology passage come from?
It is Passage 2 of Cambridge IELTS 4 Academic Reading Test 4, and it covers Questions 14–27.
What question types appear in The Nature and Aims of Archaeology?
The passage is tested with Yes / No / Not Given, Two Choices, Two Choices, 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.