IELTS Secrets - EXPLANATION

READING 1: SENDING MONEY HOME

Q1: Paragraph A
Answer: x
Key word(s): “vast distances,” “borrowed money,” “little or no cash,” “send home,” “exceeded $400 billion,” “rate per person is $200.”
Cited Sentence: “Every year millions of migrants travel vast distances using borrowed money for their airfares and taking little or no cash with them... These remittances exceeded $400 billion last year.”
Explanation: Paragraph A introduces the overall context of remittances, including the frequency (millions of migrants) and the typical size (about $200 monthly per person), along with their cumulative value. This aligns with the concept of the frequency and size of remittances, as described in heading x.

Q2: Paragraph B
Answer: vi
Key word(s): “altruism,” “help others,” “exchange for earlier services,” “investment.”
Cited Sentence: “The decision to send money home is often inspired by altruism – an unselfish desire to help others.”
Explanation: Paragraph B explains various reasons migrants send money, including altruism, repayment for previous help, or as investment funds. These align with heading vi, which refers to the motivations behind remittances.

Q3: Paragraph C
Answer: i
Key word(s): “political or financial upheaval,” “do not suddenly dry up,” “increase,” “insurance role.”
Cited Sentence: “At the first sign of trouble, political or financial upheaval, these personal sources of support do not suddenly dry up…they increase in order to ease the hardship.”
Explanation: The paragraph emphasizes the stability of remittances during crises, describing them as countercyclical and reliable compared to other forms of financial aid. This corresponds to heading i.

Q4: Paragraph D
Answer: ix
Key word(s): “cash for food,” “education and healthcare,” “special events.”
Cited Sentence: “It provides cash for food, housing and necessities. It funds education and healthcare and contributes towards the upkeep of the elderly.”
Explanation: Paragraph D details how remittance recipients utilize the money for basic needs, education, emergencies, and events. This matches heading ix, which discusses the usage of remittances.

Q5: Paragraph E
Answer: vii
Key word(s): “hardly ever receive the full value,” “exorbitant transfer fees.”
Cited Sentence: “Unfortunately, recipients hardly ever receive the full value of the money sent back home because of exorbitant transfer fees.”
Explanation: The paragraph focuses on losses due to high transfer fees, mentioning fixed charges and exclusive affiliations. This aligns with heading vii, which refers to losses incurred during transmission.

Q6: Paragraph F
Answer: v
Key word(s): “reduce to no more than one per cent,” “ease regulations,” “restrictive alliances.”
Cited Sentence: “Governments could at least acknowledge that small remittances do not come from organised crime networks and ease regulations accordingly.”
Explanation: The paragraph outlines ways to reduce remittance costs, including easing regulations and promoting competition. These suggestions correspond to heading v, which refers to lowering transmission fees.

Q7: Paragraph H
Answer: iii
Key word(s): “sell bonds,” “used to build infrastructure,” “financial gain.”
Cited Sentence: “Migrants would make a financial gain and see their savings put to work in the development of their country of origin.”
Explanation: The paragraph discusses the concept of migrants investing in their home countries through bonds and donating to charities. This aligns with heading iii, which focuses on targeted investments and contributions.

Questions 8–13

Q8:
Answer: money laundering
Key word(s): “money laundering,” “fear,” “concern.”
Cited Sentence: “There are some countries where there is a low fixed charge…however, these cheaper fees are not applied internationally because of widespread concern over money laundering.”
Explanation: The concern over money laundering is mentioned as a reason why low transfer fees are not universally enforced.

Q9:
Answer: ease regulations
Key word(s): “ease regulations,” “small remittances.”
Cited Sentence: “Governments could at least acknowledge that small remittances do not come from organised crime networks and ease regulations accordingly.”
Explanation: The suggestion to ease regulations refers to simplifying rules around small remittances to reduce costs.

Q10:
Answer: red tape
Key word(s): “elaborate red tape.”
Cited Sentence: “A non-government humanitarian organisation…could set up a non-profit remittance platform…capable of navigating the elaborate red tape.”
Explanation: The phrase “red tape” signifies bureaucratic hurdles, which a non-government entity could handle.

Q11:
Answer: bank deposits
Key word(s): “bank deposits,” “tiny percentage of interest.”
Cited Sentence: “More often than not, that money is in the form of bank deposits earning a tiny percentage of interest, none at all or even a negative rate of interest.”
Explanation: This identifies bank deposits as a common way migrants save money with little to no return.

Q12:
Answer: infrastructure
Key word(s): “build infrastructure.”
Cited Sentence: “Invested money would be used to build infrastructure in that country.”
Explanation: Migrants’ investments in bonds could fund infrastructure development, as stated in the text.

Q13:
Answer: affluent migrants
Key word(s): “affluent migrants,” “donate to worthy causes.”
Cited Sentence: “Advancing the idea one step further, why not make this transmission hub the conduit for affluent migrants to donate to worthy causes in their homeland.”
Explanation: The cited text explicitly mentions affluent migrants donating to charitable causes.

READING 2: ANGELO MOSSO’S PIONEERING WORK IN THE STUDY OF HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY

Q14: Paragraph A
Answer: vii
Key word(s): “Scientists in the late nineteenth century were beginning to investigate,” “blood circulation,” “industrial revolution,” “poorer working classes.”
Cited Sentence: “Scientists in the late nineteenth century were beginning to investigate the functions of blood circulation, trying to tease out the reasons for variations in pulse and pressure, and to understand the delivery of energy to the functioning parts of our bodies.”
Explanation: Paragraph A introduces the broader context of physiological research during Mosso's time and connects his motivations to societal concerns, making this a suitable match for "Reasons behind early physiological research."

Q15: Paragraph B
Answer: v
Key word(s): “determined to construct an instrument,” “measure human muscular effort,” “record the effects of fatigue.”
Cited Sentence: “He therefore became determined to construct an instrument to measure human muscular effort and record the effects of fatigue with greater precision.”
Explanation: Paragraph B focuses on Mosso’s development of the ergograph, highlighting his intent to create a more precise tool for measuring human muscular fatigue. This aligns with "Reasons for the development of the ergograph."

Q16: Paragraph C
Answer: iv
Key word(s): “ergograph,” “work done by a finger,” “repetitively curled up and straightened.”
Cited Sentence: “His device was named an ergograph, meaning work recorder. … It allowed the measurement of the work done by a finger as it was repetitively curled up and straightened.”
Explanation: Paragraph C describes the ergograph in detail, explaining its purpose and function in measuring fatigue through finger movements, which corresponds to "Measuring fatigue through finger movements."

Q17: Paragraph D
Answer: ii
Key word(s): “pulsing of circulating blood,” “traumatic damage to the skull,” “allowed the strength of the heart’s pumping to be seen.”
Cited Sentence: “He was intrigued to observe the pulsing of circulating blood in patients who had suffered traumatic damage to the skull, or cranium.”
Explanation: This paragraph discusses how skull injuries provided Mosso with an opportunity to observe blood flow, acting as a "window into the brain," directly matching the heading.

Q18: Paragraph E
Answer: i
Key word(s): “instrument to measure brain activity,” “placed over another table, balanced on a fulcrum.”
Cited Sentence: “He designed a wooden table-top for the human subject to lie on, which was placed over another table, balanced on a fulcrum (rather like a seesaw).”
Explanation: Paragraph E describes the finely balanced device Mosso invented to study brain activity, making "A finely balanced measuring machine" the most appropriate heading.

Q19: Paragraph F
Answer: ix
Key word(s): “Mosso would ring a bell,” “proportionately to the difficulty,” “link between mental effort and increased volume of blood.”
Cited Sentence: “Mosso’s experiments indicated a direct link between mental effort and an increased volume of blood in the brain.”
Explanation: Paragraph F outlines the findings from Mosso’s experiments, supporting his theory about mental effort and brain activity, which aligns with "Mosso’s theory supported by experimental results."

Q20: The text suggests that Mosso undertook his original research because he wanted to
Answer: B
Key word(s): “determined to construct an instrument,” “measure human muscular effort and record the effects of fatigue with greater precision.”
Cited Sentence: “He therefore became determined to construct an instrument to measure human muscular effort and record the effects of fatigue with greater precision.”
Explanation: The text clearly states Mosso’s motivation to create a more accurate device for measuring fatigue, making "make a more accurate measuring device" the correct choice.

Q21: Diagram Label: The Ergograph
Answer: wooden base
Key word(s): “arm to a wooden base.”
Cited Sentence: “One held the hand in position, palm up, by strapping down the arm to a wooden base.”
Explanation: The text mentions the base as part of the setup to hold the arm steady, matching the diagram.

Q22: Diagram Label: The Ergograph
Answer: paper cylinder
Key word(s): “recording device,” “draw the movements of the finger vertically on a paper cylinder.”
Cited Sentence: “The other part was a recording device that drew the movements of the finger vertically on a paper cylinder.”
Explanation: The recording medium described fits the diagram label.

Q23: Diagram Label: The Ergograph
Answer: brass tube
Key word(s): “index and ring fingers,” “inserted into a brass tube.”
Cited Sentence: “The index and ring fingers of the hand were each inserted into a brass tube to hold them still.”
Explanation: The text specifies the brass tube’s function in immobilizing the fingers, aligning with the label.

Q24: Diagram Label: The Ergograph
Answer: (a / the) weight
Key word(s): “connected to a weight.”
Cited Sentence: “The middle finger was encircled with a leather ring tied to a wire which was connected to a weight.”
Explanation: The weight is an integral part of the ergograph mechanism as described in the passage.

Q25: Diagram Label: The Ergograph
Answer: (a / the) stylus
Key word(s): “recorded on the paper by a stylus.”
Cited Sentence: “The length and speed of these flexions recorded on the paper by a stylus.”
Explanation: The stylus is the component that directly records the data, matching the label.

Q26: What is the writer’s overall purpose in writing this article?
Answer: A
Key word(s): “early research,” “study of human physiology.”
Cited Sentence: “Angelo Mosso (1846–1910) was one such pioneer, an Italian physiologist who progressed to become a professor of both pharmacology and physiology.”
Explanation: The article discusses Mosso’s early experiments and contributions to physiology, making "describe Mosso’s early research into human physiology" the best answer.

READING 3: WHO WROTE SHAKESPEARE?

Q27–29: Which THREE of the following are given as reasons for the arguments that someone else wrote Shakespeare’s works?
Answer: B, F, G
Key word(s): "little information about Shakespeare’s life," "life appears to have been limited," "familiar with a high-class lifestyle."
Cited Sentence(s):

“The initial impetus for this debate came from the fact that nineteenth century critics, poets and readers were puzzled and displeased when they were presented with the few remaining scraps of evidence about the life of Shakespeare.”
“The son of a Stratford glove maker, whose only definite recorded dealings concerned buying property, some minor legal action over a debt, tax records, and the usual entries for birth, marriage and death, could not possibly have written poetry based on Classical models.”
“The author they admired and loved must have been...knowledgeable about the lifestyle of those who lived in royal courts, and he appeared to have travelled in Europe.”
Explanation:

(B) Shakespeare’s limited biographical evidence raises doubts about his authorship.
(F) The perception that his life lacked the necessary intellectual and experiential richness supports the skepticism.
(G) The familiarity with royal courts seen in the plays suggests the writer may have had a high-class background.

Q30: Shakespeare had 30 ……………….. for printing and putting on the plays.
Answer: exclusive rights
Key word(s): "rights," "printing and performance."
Cited Sentence: “A man called William Shakespeare did become a member of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men...and he enjoyed exclusive rights to the publication and performance of the dramatic works.”
Explanation: "Exclusive rights" matches the provided information indicating his authority over the plays' distribution.

Q31: ……………….. consulted Shakespeare before approving performance of the plays.
Answer: government officials
Key word(s): "consulted," "performance," "approving."
Cited Sentence: “Publication and even production of plays had to be approved by government officials, who are recorded as having met with Shakespeare to discuss authorship and licensing of some of the plays.”
Explanation: The cited sentence directly confirms that government officials consulted Shakespeare regarding the approval process.

Q32: He was in trouble because some people said he was an ……………...
Answer: an atheist
Key word(s): "trouble," "said," "atheist."
Cited Sentence: “He was accused of being an atheist: denying the existence of God would have been punishable by the death penalty.”
Explanation: The text explicitly mentions accusations of atheism as a significant issue Marlowe faced.

Q33: He may have faked his own death in a ……………...
Answer: street fight
Key word(s): "faked death," "street fight."
Cited Sentence: “He is recorded as having ‘died’ in a street fight before Shakespeare’s greatest works were written.”
Explanation: The quotation supports the possibility of Marlowe’s death being a ruse, linking it to the street fight.

Q34: He may have been a ……………...
Answer: playwright
Key word(s): "may have been," "playwright."
Cited Sentence: “He is also recorded as being a playwright, although no works bearing his name still exist.”
Explanation: The sentence provides direct evidence of De Vere’s recognition as a playwright, even though no works survive.

Q35: As a member of the upper class he could not write for ……………...
Answer: ordinary people
Key word(s): "upper class," "could not," "write for."
Cited Sentence: “In 16th century England it was not acceptable for an aristocrat to publish verse for ordinary people.”
Explanation: The aristocratic conventions of the time prohibited publishing work for the general populace, matching the answer.

Q36: The sonnets are useful for researchers because they are
Answer: C
Key word(s): "useful," "researchers," "personal."
Cited Sentence: “These individual poems of sixteen lines are sincerely felt reactions to emotionally charged situations such as love and death.”
Explanation: The focus on "sincerely felt reactions" indicates the sonnets' personal nature, making them valuable for research.

Q37: W.H. was probably a young man because
Answer: C
Key word(s): "W.H.," "young man."
Cited Sentence: “The largest group of these poems express love and admiration and, interestingly, they are written to a Mr. W.H.”
Explanation: The tone of love and admiration in the poems suggests the recipient was likely a young, admired individual.

Q38: W.H. could have been Marlowe’s friend because
Answer: D
Key word(s): "W.H.," "Marlowe," "friend," "support."
Cited Sentence: “The possible recipient of these sonnets is Will Hatfield, a minor noble who was wealthy and could afford to contribute to the arts.”
Explanation: A wealthy patron like W.H. could support Marlowe’s artistic pursuits.

Q39: W.H.’s name could have been Henry Wriothesley because
Answer: G
Key word(s): "W.H.," "Henry Wriothesley," "name order."
Cited Sentence: “The object of De Vere’s sonnets, it is suggested, is Henry Wriothesley...it is not uncommon to reverse the first and surnames on formal occasions.”
Explanation: Reversing names in formal settings could explain the initials W.H. representing Henry Wriothesley.

Q40: W.H. could have been De Vere’s friend because
Answer: A
Key word(s): "W.H.," "De Vere," "influence."
Cited Sentence: “He needed, not an artistic patron, but someone like Henry to put in a good word for him in the complex world of the royal court.”
Explanation: Henry’s ability to influence court politics aligns with the suggestion that W.H. was De Vere’s ally.