Cambridge IELTS 15, Test 4, Reading Passage 2: Silbo Gomero – The Whistle ‘Language’ of Canary Islands, Solution with Answer Key
Cambridge IELTS 15, Test 4: Reading Passage 2 – Silbo Gomero – The Whistle ‘Language’ of Canary Islands with Answer Key. Here we will discuss detailed explanation of all the questions of the passage. Here is step by step Solution with Tips and Strategies. This post is for educational purpose only. If you find difficulties in reading passage to find the right answer in the exam, just read the post carefully. Tips and strategies will help you find the right answer.
Silbo Gomero – The Whistle ‘Language’ of Canary Islands
IELTS Cambridge 15, Test 4, Academic Reading Module, Reading Passage 2
QUESTIONS 14-19: DO THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS AGREE WITH THE INFORMATION GIVEN IN READING PASSAGE 1?
** Tips: How To Solve Yes No Not Given Question in IELTS Reading Module
14. Answer: NOT GIVEN
Key words: La Gomera, mountainous, Canary Islands
It is stated in paragraph 1 that La Gomera is one of the Canary Islands and that it is mountainous. However, there is no information regarding whether La Gomera is the most mountainous or not. Thus, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
- Answer: NOT GIVEN.
15. Answer: FALSE
Key words: Silbo, appropriate, short, simple, messages
In paragraph 5, Carreiras contends that “’In daily life they use whistles to communicate short commands, but any Spanish sentence could be whistled”. In fact, “…silbadores are able to pass a surprising amount of information via their whistles”. So silbo, or whistles, can be used to communicate any messages, not just short ones. It’s just that short messages are more common in daily life. Thus, the statement ‘Silbo is only appropriate for short and simple messages’ is FALSE.
- Answer: FALSE.
16. Answer: TRUE
Key words: brain-activity, silbadores, non-whistlers, different, results
Paragraph 6 mentions the results of the brain-activity study. Regarding silbadores, the left temporal lobe and other key regions in the brain’s frontal lobe responded. However, in non-whistlers, “activation was observed in all areas of the brain”. In paragraph 7, this finding is explained further: “The non-Silbo speakers were not recognising Silbo as a language. They had nothing to grab onto, so multiple areas of their brains were activated”. Thus, these can be seen as ‘different results’.
- Answer: TRUE.
17. Answer: FALSE
Key words: Spanish, introduced, Silbo, 15th century
It is stated in paragraph 8 that “indigenous Canary Islanders […] already had a whistled language when Spain conquered the volcanic islands in the 15th century”. Thus, the Spanish could not have introduced Silbo to the islands as Silbo was present even before their arrival.
- Answer: FALSE.
18. Answer: FALSE
Key words: precise, data, whistle, languages, today
Still in paragraph 8, the author said that “There are thought to be as many as 70 whistled languages still in use, though only 12 have been described and studied scientifically”.
- in existence = in use
It can be inferred from this sentence that not all whistled languages (only 12/70) have been studied, so there cannot be precise data available regarding all whistled languages. The statement is FALSE.
- Answer: FALSE.
19. Answer: TRUE
Key words: children, Gomera, learn, Silbo
The last paragraph mentions the attempts of Canaries’ authorities to ensure the survival of Silbo. “Since 1999, Silbo Gomero has been taught in all of the island ‘s elementary schools”. Thus, it can be understood that the Silbo language is still being taught to children until now. The statement is therefore true.
- Answer: TRUE.
QUESTIONS 20-26: COMPLETE THE NOTES BELOW.
** Tips: Notes,Table, Form, Summary, Flow Chart, Diagram Completion in IELTS Reading
20. Answer: words
Key words: high, low, frequency, tones, sounds, Spanish
With regard to high and low-frequency tones, it is stated that: “Silbo is a substitute for Spanish, with individual words recoded into whistles which have high and low-frequency tones”. Thus, it is clear that the blank should be filled with ‘words’.
- Answer: words.
21. Answer: finger
Key words: pitch, whistle, controlled, silbador’s
In paragraph 4 again, the whistler can increase the whistle’s pitch by putting “a finger in his or her mouth”. In other words, this can be paraphrased into the passive voice as ‘the pitch of whistle can be increased using the silbador’s finger’. Thus, the answer is ‘finger’.
- Answer: finger.
22. Answer: direction
Key words: changed, cupped, hand
Still in paragraph 4: “[…] the other hand can be cupped to adjust the direction of the sound”.
- change = adjust
Thus, it is clear that the answer is ‘direction of the sound’. However, as only one word is allowed, the final answer is ‘direction’.
- Answer: direction.
23. Answer: commands
Key words: everyday, use, transmission, brief
“’In daily life they use whistles to communicate short commands, but any Spanish sentence could be whistled.”
- everyday = daily
- transmission = communicate (communication)
- short = brief
In other words, whistles are used in everyday life for the transmission of brief commands. The answer is ‘commands’.
- Answer: commands.
24. Answer: fires
Key words: relay, essential, information, quickly, e.g., inform
“Silbo has proved particularly useful when fires have occurred on the island and rapid communication across large areas has been vital”.
- quickly = rapid (rapidly)
- essential = vital
- relay information = communicate
- e.g. = such as, for example
This sentence means that silbo can be used to inform people about (communicate) essential (vital) information such as fires. Thus, the answer is ‘fires’.
- Answer: fires.
25. Answer: technology
Key words: future, threat, new
“But with modern communication technology now widely available, researchers say whistled languages like Silbo are threatened with extinction”.
- new = modern
- under threat = be threatened
It can be understood from this sentence that Silbo is threatened because of new, modern communication technology. But we can only fill the gap with one word, the correct answer must be ‘technology’.
- Answer: technology.
26. Answer: award
Key words: Canaries’ authorities, receive, UNESCO, preserve
“The local authorities are trying to get an award from the organisation to declare [Silbo Gomero] as something that should be preserved for humanity”. The ‘organisation’ here refers to UNESCO. Thus, the local authorities are hoping to receive a UNESCO award to preserve Silbo.
- receive = get
- Answer: award.
Answer Key – Silbo Gomero – The Whistle ‘Language’ of Canary Islands
Silbo Gomero – The Whistle ‘Language’ of Canary Islands Reading Answers
14. NOT GIVEN
15. FALSE
16. TRUE
17. FALSE
18. FALSE
19. TRUE
20. words
21. finger
22. direction
23. commands
24. fires
25. technology
26. award
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