Cambridge IELTS 4 · Academic · Test 1 · Passage 3
Visual Symbols And The Blind — IELTS Reading Answers
All 14 answers for Visual Symbols And The Blind, Cambridge IELTS 4 Academic Reading Test 1 Passage 3, with the passage evidence and an explanation for each.
← All Cambridge 4 Test 1 answers
Visual Symbols And The Blind answer key at a glance
Questions 27–40. Tap an answer to see the evidence.
What this passage tests
This passage is tested with One Choice (Q27–29), Diagram Labeling (Q30–32), Summary Completion (Q33–39), One Choice (Q40–40). Each section below gives the strategy for that question type, the answers, and the sentence that proves them.
Questions 27–29: 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.
In the first paragraph the writer makes the point that blind people
- Amay be interested in studying art.
- Bcan draw outlines of different objects and surfaces.
- Ccan recognise conventions such as perspective.correct
- Dcan draw accurately.
“From a number of recent studies, it has become clear that blind people can appreciate the use of outlines and perspectives to describe the arrangement of objects and other surfaces in space”
Studies show blind people 'can appreciate the use of outlines and perspectives', so they recognise conventions such as perspective — option C.
The writer was surprised because the blind woman
- Adrew a circle on her own initiative.
- Bdid not understand what a wheel looked like.
- Cincluded a symbol representing movement.correct
- Dwas the first person to use lines of motion.
“To show this motion, she traced a curve inside the circle (Fig. 1). I was taken aback. Lines of motion, such as the one she used, are a very recent invention in the history of illustration”
The blind woman 'traced a curve inside the circle' to show motion, amazing the writer because lines of motion are a recent invention — option C.
From the experiment described in Part 1, the writer found that the blind subjects
- Ahad good understanding of symbols representing movement.correct
- Bcould control the movement of wheels very accurately.
- Cworked together well as a group in solving problems.
- Dgot better results than the sighted undergraduates.
“Evidently, however, the blind not only figured out meanings for each line of motion, but as a group they generally came up with the same meaning at least as frequently as did sighted subjects”
The blind 'figured out meanings for each line of motion' and matched sighted subjects' agreement, so they understood movement symbols — option A.
Questions 30–32: Diagram Labeling
Strategy: Locate the labelled part on the diagram, then find the matching description in the passage. Answers are usually concrete nouns.
Options for Questions 30–32
- Asteady spinning
- Bjerky movement
- Crapid spinning
- Dwobbling movement
- Euse of brakes
“Subjects assumed that spokes extending beyond the wheel's perimeter signified that the wheel had its brakes on and that dashed spokes indicated the wheel was spinning quickly”
The diagram label needs the meaning of spokes extending beyond the rim: subjects thought this signified 'the wheel had its brakes on' — option E.
“Subjects assumed that spokes extending beyond the wheel's perimeter signified that the wheel had its brakes on and that dashed spokes indicated the wheel was spinning quickly”
The label needs the meaning of dashed spokes: subjects assumed they 'indicated the wheel was spinning quickly' — option C.
“Most guessed that the curved spokes indicated that the wheel was spinning steadily”
The label needs the meaning of curved spokes: most guessed they 'indicated that the wheel was spinning steadily' — option A.
Questions 33–39: 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 gave a list of twenty pairs of words to sighted subjects”
The method section needs the unit given to sighted subjects: 'we gave a list of twenty pairs of words'.
“With Chang Hong Liu, a doctoral student from China, I have begun exploring how well blind people understand the symbolism behind shapes such as hearts that do not directly represent their meaning Thus, we concluded that the blind interpret abstract shapes as sighted people do”
The gap needs what blind people were asked to interpret: the study explored 'the symbolism behind shapes such as hearts'.
“And only 51% linked deep to circle and shallow to square These percentages show the level of consensus among sighted subjects”
The gap needs whose consensus the percentages measure: 'these percentages show the level of consensus among sighted subjects'.
“And only 51% linked deep to circle and shallow to square. (See Fig. 2.) These percentages show the level of consensus among sighted subjects”
The same sentence attributes the 51% figure to 'sighted subjects' and again refers to 'consensus among sighted subjects'.
“And only 51% linked deep to circle and shallow to square”
The gap needs the word linked to circle: 'only 51% linked deep to circle and shallow to square', so circle pairs with deep.
“When we tested four totally blind volunteers using the same list, we found that their choices closely resembled those made by the sighted subjects”
The gap needs the group tested with the same list: 'we tested four totally blind volunteers using the same list'.
“When we tested four totally blind volunteers using the same list, we found that their choices closely resembled those made by the sighted subjects”
Their choices 'closely resembled those made by the sighted subjects', so the results were similar.
Questions 40–40: 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.
Which of the following statements best summarises the writer's general conclusion?
- AThe blind represent some aspects of reality differently from sighted people.
- BThe blind comprehend visual metaphors in similar ways to sighted people.correct
- CThe blind may create unusual and effective symbols to represent reality.
- DThe blind may be successful artists if given the right training.
“Evidently, however, the blind not only figured out meanings for each line of motion, but as a group they generally came up with the same meaning at least as frequently as did sighted subjects Thus, we concluded that the blind interpret abstract shapes as sighted people do”
The conclusion that 'the blind interpret abstract shapes as sighted people do' matches option B about comprehending visual metaphors similarly.
Learn the question types in this passage
Frequently asked questions
Where does the Visual Symbols And The Blind passage come from?
It is Passage 3 of Cambridge IELTS 4 Academic Reading Test 1, and it covers Questions 27–40.
What question types appear in Visual Symbols And The Blind?
The passage is tested with One Choice, Diagram Labeling, Summary Completion, 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.