Cambridge IELTS 9, Test 4, Reading Passage 3 – The Development of Museums, Solution With Answer Key

Cambridge IELTS 9 Test 4 Reading Passage 3 The Development of Museums Solution with Answer Key. Here we will discuss step by step detailed explanation of all the questions of the passage 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.

Cambridge IELTS 9 Test 4 Reading Passage The Development of Museums – Explanation

 

Solution of IELTS Cambridge 9 Test 4  Academic Reading Module, Reading Passage 3

 

PASSAGE 3: The Development of Museums (View Full Passage Here)

Questions 27-30 (List of headings)
** Tips (link details): How To Solve List of Heading in IELTS Reading Passage

Question 27: Paragraph B
Now, in paragraph B, in line no. 1, “Recently, attitudes towards history and the way it should be presented have altered.” After that, he presents some fine examples of changes to museums in Britain (UK) and (America) US.
And then, he explains the fact that, though many of the historical theme parks and museums are successful in “ . .. . the re-enactment of historical events is increasingly popular, ….”, these developments have been criticized as an intolerable vulgarisation. However, the last lines say, “. . . but the success of many historical theme parks and similar locations suggest that the majority of public does not share this
opinion.”
This means people have mixed views on the recent changes to museums.
Answer: ii (Mixed views on current changes to museums)

Question 28: Paragraph C
Now, in this paragraph, in the first few lines, “In a related development, the sharp distinction between museum and heritage sites, on the one hand, and theme parks on the other, is gradually evaporating. They already borrow ideas and concepts from one another.”
These lines suggest that the major differences between historical parks (heritage sites) and museums are decreasing slowly, (the differences are becoming fewer.)
After that, he gives some evidence to support his idea.
Here, differences means distinction,
Answer: vi (Fewer differences between public attractions)

Question 29: Paragraph D
Now, this paragraph details the writer’s statement that museums and heritages are facing great competition and for that matter experts on museums and histories are under huge amounts of pressure. The reason is explained in these lines, “Museum and heritage experts do not have to invent stories and recreate historical environments to attract their visitors… .. . . However, exhibits must be both based on artifacts and facts as we know them, and attractively presented. Those who are professionally engaged in the art of interpreting history must steer a narrow course between the demands of ‘evidence’ and ‘attractiveness’, especially given the increasing need in the heritage industry for income-generating activities.”
These lines clearly suggest that there is a huge commercial pressure on those people who operate museums.
Here, people in charge means those who are professionally engaged in the art of interpreting history,
Answer: i (Commercial pressures on people in charge)

Question 30: Paragraph E
Now, in paragraph E, “. . . .. . in order to make everything in heritage more real, historical accuracy must be increasingly altered”.
(lines 1-2). “……… . : if they did not provide the interpretation, visitors would do it for themselves, based on their own ideas, misconceptions and prejudices. And no matter how exciting the result, it would contain a lot more bias than the presentations provided by experts”. (lines 8-10)

These lines suggest that interpretation of the facts related to the exhibits in the museums must be avoided so that visitors do not get biased.
Answer: iii (Interpreting the facts to meet visitor expectations)

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Questions 31-36: (Multiple Choice Questions)
** Tips (link details): How To Solve Multiple Choice Questions in IELTS Reading Module?

Question 31: Compared with today’s museums, those of the past –
Keywords: museums, past,
Now, in the first paragraph “Museums used to look – and some still do – much like storage rooms of objects packed together in showcases: good for scholars who wanted to study the subtle differences in design, but not for the ordinary visitor, to whom it all looked alike.”
The lines suggest that back in the past museums were not mainly intended for the general people.
Here, the general people means the ordinary visitor;
Answer: B (were not primarily intended for the public)

Question 32: According to the writer, current trends in the heritage industry –
Keywords: current trends, heritage industry,
Now, in paragraph B, “On so-called heritage sites the re-enactment of historical events is increasingly popular, and computers will soon provide virtual reality experiences, which will present visitors with a vivid image of the period of their choice, in which they can themselves act as if part of the historical environment.”
Here, they can themselves act means personal involvement;
The lines suggest that present trends in the heritage industry emphasize personal involvement.
Answer: A (emphasize personal involvement)

Question 33: The writer says that museums, heritage sites and theme parks –
Keywords: museums, heritage sites, theme parks,
Now, in paragraph C, “In a related development, the sharp distinction between museum and heritage sites on the one hand, and theme parks on the other, is gradually evaporating.”
This means that museums, heritage sites and theme parks are becoming harder to differentiate than before.
Answer: D (are less easy to distinguish than before)

 

Question 34: The writer says that in preparing exhibits for museums, experts –
Keywords: preparing exhibits, experts,
Now, in paragraph D, “Museum and heritage experts do not have to invent stories and recreate historical environments to attract their visitors: their assets are already in place. However, exhibits must be both based on artefacts and facts as we know them. Those who are professionally engaged in the art of interpreting history must steer a narrow course between the demands of ‘evidence’ and
‘attractiveness’.. …”
The lines suggest that experts must balance conflicting priorities in preparing exhibits for museums.
Here, balance = steer a narrow course between, conflicting priorities = evidence and attractiveness,
Answer: D (have to balance conflicting priorities)

 

Question 35: In paragraph E, the writer suggests that some museum exhibits –
Keywords: Paragraph E, museum exhibits,
Now, in paragraph E, “Such presentations tell us more about contemporary perceptions of the world than about our ancestors.”
This means that museum exhibits expose more about current beliefs than about the past.
Here, reveal means tell, present beliefs means contemporary perceptions, the past means our ancestors;
Answer: C (reveal more about present beliefs than about the past)

Question 36: The passage ends by noting that our view of history is biased because –
Keywords: view of history, biased,
Now, in the last paragraph, “. . . . human bias is inevitable, but another source of bias in the representation of history has to do with the transitory nature of the materials themselves. The simple fact is that not everything from history survives the historical process. Castles, palaces and cathedrals have a longer lifespan than the dwellings of ordinary people.”
This means that we have a biased view that only long-lasting objects remain from the past.
Answer: B (only very durable objects remain from the past)

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Questions 37-40: (TRUE, FALSE, NOT GIVEN)

** Tips (link details): How To Solve True, False, Not Given in IELTS Reading Module?

Question 37: Consumers prefer theme parks which avoid serious issues.
Keywords: prefer theme parks, avoid serious issues,
Now, in paragraph D, “Theme parks are undergoing other changes, too, as they try to present more serious social and cultural issues, and move away from fantasy. This development is in response to market forces… .. .”
The lines clearly show that museums are moving towards depicting serious issues.
Answer FALSE

Question 38: More people visit museums than theme parks.
Keywords: more people visit, museums, theme parks,
Now, in this passage, we do not find any comparison on museum visits and theme park visits.
In paragraph D, we find comment about competition in presenting more serious issues. The writer says, “… .. . . they are operating in a very competitive environment, where visitors make choices on how and where to spend their free time”.
Answer: NOT GIVEN

Question 39: The boundaries of Leyden have changed little since the seventeenth century.
Keywords: boundaries, Leyden, changed little,
Now, in the last paragraph,  “In a town like Leyden in Holland, which in the seventeenth century was occupied by approximately the same number of inhabitants as today, people lived within the walled town, an area more than five times smaller than modern Leyden.”
Here, more than five times smaller contradicts with the question where it says ‘have changed little. . . .”
Answer: FALSE

Question 40: Museums can give a false impression of how life used to be.
Keywords: museums, give false impression,
Now, in the last paragraph, “. .. … the evidence in museums indicates that life was so much better in the past. This notion is induced by the bias in its representation in museums and heritage centres.”
This means that museums can give a biased information about past lifestyles.
Answer: TRUE

 

View Full Passage Here

 

 

Cambridge IELTS 9 Test 4 Reading Passage 3 Answer Keys

 

The Development of Museums Reading Passage Answers Keys

Passage 3

 

 

 

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