Cambridge IELTS Academic 20 Reading Test 4 Answers with Explanation / IELTS Academic Reading: Cambridge 20 Test 4 Answer / Cambridge IELTS 20 Reading Test 4 Answers with Explanation

Cambridge 20 IELTS Reading  Test -4

Reading Passage 1: Georgia O’Keeffe

Q	Answer	Keywords	Location	Analytical Explanation
1	teacher	studied art, worked as a, various places in the USA	Passage 1, Paragraph 2, lines 6–8	The text states she "studied the techniques of traditional painting" (studied art) and subsequently "became an art teacher and taught in elementary schools, high schools, and colleges in Virginia, Texas, and South Carolina" (various places).
2	charcoal	created drawings using, exhibited in New York City	Passage 1, Paragraph 3, lines 1–4	The passage explains that O’Keeffe began experimenting "with creating abstract compositions in charcoal" and that Stieglitz later "exhibited the drawings... at his gallery on Fifth Avenue, New York City."
3	skyscrapers	moved to New York, famous for, paintings of the city’s	Passage 1, Paragraph 5, lines 1–3	The text notes that by the mid-1920s in New York, O'Keeffe was "widely known [famous] for the architectural pictures that dramatically depict the soaring skyscrapers of New York."
4	flowers	innovative close-up paintings of	Passage 1, Paragraph 5, lines 4–5 & Paragraph 6	The text refers to her "magnified images [close-up] depicting flowers". The following paragraph elaborates that enlarging these details made them appear abstract and established her as an "innovative" modernist.
5	bones	went to New Mexico, initially inspired to paint, many	Passage 1, Paragraph 8, lines 1–3	Upon going to New Mexico, she found new inspiration: "at first [initially], it was the numerous [many] sun-bleached bones she came across... that sparked her imagination [inspired her]."
6	landscape	continued to paint various features, formed the dramatic, New Mexico for over forty years	Passage 1, Paragraph 8, lines 6–9	The text concludes that it was the region’s "spectacular [dramatic] landscape, with its unusual geological formations... that held the artist’s imagination for more than four decades [over forty years]."
7	rivers	travelled widely by plane, later years, clouds and, seen from above	Passage 1, Paragraph 10, lines 2–3	The passage states that flying in planes inspired her later work: "aerial views [seen from above] of rivers and expansive paintings of the sky viewed from just above clouds."
8	FALSE	style greatly influenced, changing fashions in art	Passage 1, Paragraph 1, lines 2–4	The text explicitly contradicts the prompt, stating: "Remarkably, she remained independent from shifting art trends [changing fashions] and her work stayed true to her own vision."
9	TRUE	finished high school, already made her mind up, career	Passage 1, Paragraph 2, lines 3–5	The text directly supports this: "By the time she graduated from high school in 1905 [finished high school], she had determined to make her way as an artist [made her mind up about her career]."
10	FALSE	Alfred Stieglitz first discovered, she sent some abstract drawings to his gallery	Passage 1, Paragraph 3, lines 3–5	The text states she "sent some of these drawings to a friend in New York, who showed them to... Alfred Stieglitz." She did not send them directly to his gallery.
11	TRUE	subject of Stieglitz’s photographic work, many years	Passage 1, Paragraph 4, lines 5–7	The text confirms this, noting their relationship was recorded in "Stieglitz’s celebrated black-and-white portraits of O’Keeffe [she was the subject], taken over the course of twenty years [many years]."
12	NOT GIVEN	paintings of the patio, Abiquiú, among the artist’s favourite works	Passage 1, Paragraph 9	The text mentions the patio with its black door was "particularly inspirational" and she painted it over thirty times, but it never explicitly states or measures whether these were her favourite works.
13	NOT GIVEN	greater quantity of work, 1950s to 1970s, than at any other time	Passage 1, Paragraph 10	While the text mentions she produced her "last two major series" during this time and increased the size of her canvases, it does not compare the total quantity of paintings to her earlier decades.

Reading Passage 2: Adapting to the effects of climate change

Q	Answer	Keywords	Location	Analytical Explanation
14	C	plant functions as a natural protection, coastlines	Passage 2, Paragraph C, lines 3–6	Paragraph C describes how "coastal mangroves: ecosystems of trees and shrubs [plants]... help defend coastal areas [protection for coastlines]" by trapping sediment and dampening waves.
15	A	prediction, how long to stop noticing effects	Passage 2, Paragraph A, lines 3–5	Paragraph A includes the specific prediction: "scientists forecasting that global warming would continue for around 40 years" even if we stopped all emissions tomorrow.
16	D	solution, cost-effective	Passage 2, Paragraph D, lines 8–10	Paragraph D explicitly notes the financial benefit of amphibious floating houses: "It’s much cheaper [cost-effective] than permanently elevating houses... about a third of what it would cost..."
17	F	technology used to locate areas most in need	Passage 2, Paragraph F, lines 5–7	Paragraph F mentions the specific technology: "Using a Geographic Information System data mapping tool, the programme identified streets with low tree canopy cover [located areas most in need]."
18	pumps	stormwater-management programme, Miami Beach, installation of efficient	Passage 2, Paragraph B, lines 6–8	The text states that in addition to raising roads for the programme, "the city has set up new pumps that can remove up to 75,000 litres of water per minute" (which proves their efficiency).
19	dams	construction of, first stage, ensure success of mangroves, Indonesia	Passage 2, Paragraph C, lines 9–11	The passage explains that Wetlands International started out (the first stage) by "building semi-permeable dams... to mimic the role of mangrove roots and create favourable conditions for mangroves to grow back."
20	float	rising floodwaters, Mekong Delta, building houses that can	Passage 2, Paragraph D, lines 1–3	The text notes that as floodwaters rose in the Mekong Delta, traditional homes were modified and "had been built to float."
21	crops	rising sea levels, Bangladesh, introduce various, suitable for areas of high salt content	Passage 2, Paragraph E, lines 6–8	Due to high salinity, ICCO Cooperation is helping 10,000 farmers "start cultivating naturally salt-tolerant crops" (which include carrots, potatoes, cabbage, etc.).
22	trees	project in LA, increased the number of, city’s streets	Passage 2, Paragraph F, lines 2–3	The passage mentions the Cool Streets LA programme (project) includes "the planting of trees" to help lower the average temperature.
23	B	essential to adopt strategies, involve and help residents	Passage 2, Paragraph C, lines 14–16	Susanna Tol (B) states: "it’s critical [essential] that we transition towards multifunctional approaches that... engage and benefit communities [involve and help residents]."
24	E	interventions which reduce heat, vital for our survival	Passage 2, Paragraph F, lines 4–5	Greg Spotts (E) emphasizes this urgency: "Urban cooling [reducing heat] is literally a matter of life and death [vital for our survival] for our future in LA."
25	A	more work will need to be done, future decades	Passage 2, Paragraph B, lines 11–12	Yanira Pineda (A) acknowledges the long-term reality: "We know that in 20, 30, 40 years [future decades], we’ll need to go back in there and adjust [more work] to the changing environment."
26	C	number of locations requiring action, grown in recent years	Passage 2, Paragraph D, lines 6–7	Elizabeth English (C) points out that "this technology is becoming necessary in places that didn’t previously need it," signifying that the locations requiring flood adaptations have grown.

Reading Passage 3: A new role for livestock guard dogs

Q	Answer	Keywords	Location	Analytical Explanation
27	D	example, one predator, protected by introduction of guard dogs	Passage 2, Paragraph D, lines 4–7	Paragraph D illustrates how the cheetah (one predator) is protected because introducing guard dogs reduces livestock losses, leading farmers to be "less likely to kill predators."
28	G	optimistic suggestion, positive developments	Passage 2, Paragraph G, lines 7–9	Paragraph G concludes with a highly optimistic outlook: "So if we can get this right, there may be a bright future [optimistic suggestion] for guard dogs in promoting harmonious coexistence..."
29	B	description, methods used by guard dogs, keep predators away	Passage 2, Paragraph B, lines 3–5	Paragraph B describes their operational methods: "The dogs will place themselves between the livestock and any threat, barking loudly. If necessary, they will chase away predators..."
30	C	claims by different academics, successful way of protecting	Passage 2, Paragraph C	Paragraph C lists successful statistical claims from biologist Silvia Ribeiro (90% success in Portugal) and researchers Linda van Bommel and Chris Johnson (65% stopped predation in Australia).
31	B	reference, how dogs gain their skills	Passage 2, Paragraph B, lines 2–3 & 6	Paragraph B details how the dogs acquire their skills: they are "raised from an early age with the animals" and "Their initial training is to make them understand that livestock is going to be their life."
32	D	use of guard dogs may save lives of both	Passage 2, Paragraph D, lines 8–11	Julie Young (D) highlights this dual benefit: "If ranchers don’t have a dead cow [saving livestock], they will not make a call to apply for a permit to kill a wolf [saving wild animals]."
33	E	claims of change in behaviour, may not be totally accurate	Passage 2, Paragraph E, lines 2–4	Bethany Smith (E) found 88% of farmers claimed they stopped killing predators, but warned that "such self-reported results must be taken with a pinch of salt" (may not be totally accurate).
34	B	negative results if use, not sufficiently widespread	Passage 2, Paragraph E, lines 7–9	Silvia Ribeiro (B) warns: "If we are not working with everybody [not sufficiently widespread], we are transferring the wolf pressure to the neighbour’s herd and he can use poison... [negative result]."
35	C	best way of protecting, as long as, appropriately handled	Passage 2, Paragraph C, lines 8–10	Linda van Bommel (C) claims: "If they are managed and used properly [appropriately handled], livestock guard dogs are the most efficient control method that we have [best way]..."
36	A	teaching a guard dog, needs a different focus, teaching a house guard dog	Passage 2, Paragraph B, lines 7–9	Dan Macon (A) notes a difference in training focus: "too much human affection makes it a great dog for guarding the front porch [house dog], rather than a great livestock guard dog."
37	jackals	Namibia, rise in deaths, other predators, particularly	Passage 2, Paragraph F, lines 5–7	The text points out the unintended consequence in Namibia: despite protecting cheetahs, "the number of jackals killed by dogs and people actually increased [rise in deaths]."
38	diseases	dogs could have, affect other species	Passage 2, Paragraph F, lines 8–9	The passage warns of epidemiological effects: guard dogs "have been found to spread diseases to wild animals, including endangered Ethiopian wolves."
39	food	reduce the amount of, available to wild animals	Passage 2, Paragraph F, line 10	The text notes that the guard dogs "may also compete with other carnivores for food," which directly reduces the amount of food available to the wild predators.
40	foxes	help birds protecting nests, threatened by predators such as	Passage 2, Paragraph G, lines 3–4	Guard dogs offer the unexpected benefit of protecting ground-nesting birds in fields, "where foxes would normally raid them" (acting as the specific predator threat).