Cambridge IELTS Academic 21 Reading Test 4 Answers with Explanation / IELTS Academic Reading: Cambridge 21 Test 4 Answer / Cambridge IELTS 21 Reading Test 4 Answers /কেমব্রিজ ২১ টেস্ট ৪-এর উত্তর

Cambridge 21 Test 4 Reading Answers & Explanations

Reading Passage 1: The Problems and Benefits Created by the Spread of the Water Hyacinth in Kenya

Q	Answer	Keywords	Location	Analytical Explanation
1	TRUE	water hyacinth, introduced, decorative plant, east Africa	Reading Passage 1, Paragraph 2, lines 1–2	The passage explains that Belgian colonists brought the plant to Rwanda because they liked its glossy leaves and purple flowers. Here: liked its appearance = decorative purpose; arrived with Belgian colonists = was introduced by them.
2	FALSE	fishermen, took plants, Lake Victoria	Reading Passage 1, Paragraph 2, lines 2–3	The plant escaped from Rwanda through the Kagera River and moved downstream to Lake Victoria. Escaping through the river contradicts the claim that it was taken by fishermen.
3	TRUE	difficult, boats, thick water hyacinth, Lake Victoria	Reading Passage 1, Paragraph 3, lines 1–3	The passage says boats struggle to navigate through the mass of plants. Here: struggle to navigate = find it difficult to move; mass of plants = thick water hyacinth.
4	NOT GIVEN	chemicals, fish numbers, water hyacinth	Closest related location: Reading Passage 1, Paragraph 2, lines 3–5	The passage mentions blocked fishing routes and disease-carrying mosquitoes, but gives no information regarding chemicals produced by the plant or their effect on fish numbers.
5	NOT GIVEN	charcoal, worse than wood, health	Closest related location: Reading Passage 1, Paragraph 4, lines 1–5	The passage says both wood and charcoal increase indoor air pollution, but it does not compare the two fuels or state that charcoal is more harmful to health than wood.
6	FALSE	impossible, remove, water hyacinth	Reading Passage 1, Paragraph 5, lines 1–2	The passage describes huge piles of water hyacinth that villagers had removed from the lake. The fact that huge piles were removed contradicts the idea that it was impossible to remove much.
7	TRUE	scientists, investigating, biogas, last century	Reading Passage 1, Paragraph 5, lines 4–6	Researchers began exploring the plant’s potential as a biofuel in the 1980s. Here: exploring its potential = investigating the possibility; 1980s = last century.
8	cow dung	water hyacinth, together with, digester	Reading Passage 1, Paragraph 7, lines 3–4	The digesters transform a mixture of water hyacinth and cow dung into biogas. Here: a mix of water hyacinth and cow dung = water hyacinth together with cow dung.
9	fermentation process	mixture, completed, 20 to 30 days	Reading Passage 1, Paragraph 8, lines 1–3	The mixture remains inside the digester for 20 to 30 days while it goes through a fermentation process. This means it is left until the fermentation process is complete.
10	pipes	gas, transport, homes	Reading Passage 1, Paragraph 8, lines 3–4	The clean-burning gas is passed through pipes to the place where it will be used. Here: passed through pipes = transported using pipes.
11	time	women, spend, collecting fuel	Reading Passage 1, Paragraph 9, lines 3–4	The women no longer need to devote a lot of time to gathering firewood. Here: devote a lot of time = spend so much time; gathering firewood = collecting fuel.
12	money	different tasks, bring in, enterprises	Reading Passage 1, Paragraph 9, lines 4–5	The passage says the women can earn more money through other enterprises. Here: different tasks = other enterprises; bring in = earn or make.
13	price	digesters, beyond reach, afford	Reading Passage 1, Paragraph 11, lines 1–4	The digesters cost approximately $750, and most communities cannot afford them. Here: cannot afford the machines = their price is beyond reach.

Reading Passage 2: How Could Multilingualism Benefit India’s Poorest Schoolchildren?

Q	Answer	Keywords	Location	Analytical Explanation
14	I — dense population	Delhi, population, people	Reading Passage 2, Paragraph 1, lines 1–3	The passage describes crowded streets and says more than 20 million people live in Delhi. Here: more than 20 million people equates to a dense population.
15	J — new immigrants	entire lives, recently moved, Delhi	Reading Passage 2, Paragraph 1, lines 3–5	The passage contrasts people born in Delhi with millions who have recently moved there. Here: recently made Delhi their home = new immigrants.
16	H — nearby district	surrounding neighbourhood, other side of India	Reading Passage 2, Paragraph 1, lines 3–5	The passage says some people moved from surrounding neighbourhoods, cities and states. Here: surrounding neighbourhood = nearby district.
17	B — employment opportunities	search, improved, better jobs	Reading Passage 2, Paragraph 1, lines 4–5	Many people move to Delhi hoping to find better jobs and a better life. Here: better jobs = improved employment opportunities.
18	E — primary objective	research, aim, discover why	Reading Passage 2, Paragraph 2, lines 1–4	The passage describes the overriding aim of the four-year research project. Here: overriding aim = primary objective.
19	F — similar advantages	multilingual children, benefits, Europe	Reading Passage 2, Paragraph 2, lines 3–7	The passage says Indian children do not experience the benefits of multilingualism observed in European schools. Here: benefits = advantages; the same benefits = similar advantages.
20	NO	ten-year-olds, literacy, numeracy, better	Reading Passage 2, Paragraph 3, lines 1–3	The passage says more than 50% cannot complete the reading task fluently, while just under 50% cannot complete the subtraction task. This means a slightly higher percentage struggles with literacy, so performance is worse, not better.
21	NOT GIVEN	Tsimpli, female students, take part	Closest related location: Reading Passage 2, Paragraph 3, lines 3–5	The passage notes that female students are more seriously affected by school dropout. However, it does not mention Tsimpli having problems convincing girls to participate in the study.
22	YES	poor performance, unfamiliar language, connection	Reading Passage 2, Paragraph 4, lines 1–3	The researchers are investigating whether low learning outcomes are caused by children being taught in a language different from the one used at home. Here: low learning outcomes = poor academic performance.
23	NO	decided against, teaching methods, learning outcomes	Reading Passage 2, Paragraph 5, lines 1–5	The researchers intend to examine teaching practices and the lack of pupil-centred teaching. The statement claims they decided against investigating these issues, which contradicts the passage.
24	C	primary schools, English instruction, poor children	Reading Passage 2, Paragraph 6, lines 1–6	The passage says English-medium instruction may hold back children from low socio-economic backgrounds. This means poor children may be disadvantaged further by being instructed in English (Option C).
25	D	that ship has sailed, English, withdrawn	Reading Passage 2, Paragraph 7, lines 1–7	Tsimpli notes that while English should not necessarily be the main teaching language, she is not suggesting its complete removal. "That ship has sailed" means it is too late to remove it completely (Option D).
26	D	surprised, researchers, slum children	Reading Passage 2, Paragraph 8, lines 1–4	The surprising (unanticipated) finding was that children from slum backgrounds did not perform worse than children from other poor urban backgrounds, and sometimes performed better (Option D).

Reading Passage 3: The Globemakers: The Curious Story of an Ancient Craft

Q	Answer	Keywords	Location	Analytical Explanation
27	G — challenging task	Bellerby, father, globe, unexpectedly	Reading Passage 3, Paragraph 1, lines 1–4	What appeared to be a simple plan to give his father a globe became a difficult journey lasting around a decade, making it an unexpectedly challenging task.
28	J — numerous problems	overcome, obstacles, problems	Reading Passage 3, Paragraph 1, lines 2–4	The journey was marked by a series of obstacles, equating to having to overcome numerous problems.
29	I — internet purchase	straightforward, online order, purchase	Reading Passage 3, Paragraph 2, lines 1–3	The passage says obtaining a suitable globe was not simply a matter of making a quick online order (a straightforward internet purchase).
30	C — inferior makes	available, shoddy commercial versions	Reading Passage 3, Paragraph 3, lines 1–2	Bellerby found poorly made commercial globes designed for classrooms. Here: shoddy commercial versions = inferior makes.
31	A — educational use	intended for, school classrooms	Reading Passage 3, Paragraph 3, lines 1–2	The commercial globes were designed for school classrooms, meaning they were intended for educational use.
32	E — necessary skills	travelled, Morocco, India, cartographers, knowledge	Reading Passage 3, Paragraph 3, lines 2–4	Bellerby travelled hoping to find people who had preserved the knowledge of artisan cartographers. Here: specialist knowledge = necessary skills.
33	NO	assumption, people in the past, geography	Reading Passage 3, Paragraph 2, lines 2–4	The passage says the popular belief in ancient geographical ignorance is contrary to the evidence (e.g., people knew the world was spherical since the sixth century BCE). The writer therefore rejects this assumption.
34	NOT GIVEN	Plato, criticised, leather ball	Closest related location: Reading Passage 3, Paragraph 2, lines 4–5	The passage mentions Plato compared the world to a leather ball, but there is no information on whether he was criticised for it.
35	NOT GIVEN	Crates of Mallus, globe, accurate	Closest related location: Reading Passage 3, Paragraph 2, lines 5–7	The passage notes Crates of Mallus made the first recorded globe around 150 BCE, but provides no information regarding its accuracy.
36	YES	Bellerby, few problems, well-made globe	Reading Passage 3, Paragraph 2, lines 7–8	Bellerby believed that a good-quality globe would not be difficult to find. Here: would not be difficult = expected few problems.
37	B	attach gores, globe surface, paper, problem	Reading Passage 3, Paragraph 5, lines 6–11	Near the end of the process, Bellerby discovered the paper had stretched, causing the final gore to overlap the first. This means he became aware of an unexpected issue (Option B).
38	C	reviewer, globemakers, past, Bellerby	Reading Passage 3, Paragraph 6, lines 1–11	The reviewer discusses Behaim and Coronelli to show that Bellerby shared qualities and experiences with them (e.g., unexpected difficulties, strong ambition). He had something in common with each of them (Option C).
39	D	Bellerby, traditional skills, craftsmen	Reading Passage 3, Paragraph 7, lines 1–7	The book is described as a lament for disappearing traditions. Bellerby's struggle to find skilled craftspeople shows he regrets the loss of many globe-making skills (Option D).
40	A	reviewer, book, final paragraph, commercial success	Reading Passage 3, Paragraph 8, lines 4–6	The reviewer says the book is not a blueprint for commercial success (meaning it does not tell you how to create a profitable business). Instead, it creates admiration for traditional craftsmanship (Option A).