Table of Contents
Passage
A. By the time Laszlo Polgar’s first baby was born in 1969 he already had film views on child-rearing. An eccentric citizen of communist Hungary, he had written a book called “Bring up Genius r and one of his favourite sayings was “Geniuses are made, not bom77. An expert on the theory of chess, he proceeded to teach little Zsuzsa at home, spending lip to tm hours a day on the game. Two more daughters were similarly hot-housed. All three obliged then father by becoming world-class players. The youngest, Judit, is currently ranked 13th in the world, and is by far the best female chess player of all time. Would the experiment have succeeded with a different trio of children? If any child can he turned into a star, then a lot of time and money are being wasted worldwide on trying to pick winners.
B. America has long held “talent searches”, using test results and teacher recommendations to select children for advanced school courses, summer schools and other extra tuition. This provision is set to grow. In his state-of-the union address in 2006, President George Buah announced the “American Competitiveness Initiative”, which, among much else, would train 70,000 high-school teachers to lead advanced courses for selected pupils in mathematics and science. Just as the superpowers’ space race made Congress put money into science education, the thought of China and India turning out hundreds of thousands of engineers and scientists is scaring America into prodding its brightest to do their best.
C. The philosophy behind this talent search is that ability is innate; that it can be diagnosed with considerable accuracy, and that it is worth cultivating. In America, bright children are ranked as “moderately”, “highly”, “exceptionally” and “profoundly” gifted. The only chance to influence innate ability is thought to be in the womb or the first couple of years of life. Hence the fed for “teaching aids” such as videos and flashcards for newborns, and “whale sounds* on tape which a pregnant mother can strap to her belly.
D. In Britain, there Í 5 a broadly similar belief in die existence of innate talent, but also an egalitarian sentiment which makes people queasy about the idea of investing resources in grooming intelligence. Teachers are often opposed to separate provision for the best-performing children, saying any extra help should go to stragglers. In 2002, in a bid to help the able while leaving intact die ban on most selection by ability in state schools, the government get up the National Acadony for Gifted and Talented Youth. This outfit runs summer schools and masts-classes for children nominated by then schools. To date, though, only seven in ten secondary schools have nominated even a single child. Last year all schools were told they must supply the names of their top 10%.
E. Picking winners is also the order of the day in ex-communist states, a hangover from the times when talented individuals were plucked from their homes and ruthlessly trained far die glory of the notion. But in many other countries, opposition to the idea of singling out talent and grooming it runs deep. In Scandinavia, a belief in virtues like modesty and social solidarity makes people flinch from die idea of treating brainy children differently.
F. And in Japan there is a widespread belief that all children are born with the some innate abilities—and should therefore be treated alike. All are taught together, covering the same syllabus at the same Tate until they finish compulsory schooling. Those who team quickest are expected then to teach their classmates. In China, extra teaching is provided, but to a self-selected hunch. “Children’s palaces’’ in big cities offer a huge range of after-school classes. Anyone can sign up; all that is asked is excellent attendance.
G. Statistics give little clue as to which system is best. The performance of the most able is heavily affected by factors other than state provision. Most state education in Britain is nominally rum-selective, but middle-class parents try to live near die best schools. Ambitious Japanese parents have made private, outof-school tuition a thriving business. And Scandinavia’s egalitarianism might work less well in places with more diverse populations and less competent teachers. For what it’s worth, the data suggest that some countries—like Japan and Finland, see table—can eschew selection and still thrive. But that does not mean that any country can ditch selection and do as well.
H. Mr Polgar thought any child could be a prodigy given the right teaching, an early start and enough practice. At one point he planned to prove it by adopting three baby boys from a poor country and toying his methods on them. (His wife vetoed the scheme.) Some say the key to success is simply hard graft. Judit, the youngest of the Polgar sisters, was the most driven, and the most successful; Zsofia, the middle one, was regarded as the most talented, but she was the only one who did not achieve the status of grand master. “Everything came easiest to her,” said her older sister. “But she was lazy.”
Questions
Questions 28-33
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage?
In boxes 28-33 on your answer sheet, write
YES if the statement is true
NO if the statement is false
NOT GIVEN if the information is not given in the passage
28 America has a long history of selecting talented students into different categories.
29 Teachers and schools in Britain held welcome attitude towards government’s selection of gifted students.
30 Some parents agree to move near reputable schools in Britain.
31 Middle-class parents participate in theft children’s education.
32 Japan and Finland comply with selected student’s policy.
33 Avoiding-selection-policy only works in a specific environment.
Questions 34-35
Choose the correct letter, A, B, c or D.
Write your answers in boxes 34-35 on your answer sheet.
34 What’s Laszlo Polgar’s point of view towards geniuses of children?
A Chess is the best way to train geniuses
B Genius tend to happen on first child
C Geniuses can be educated later on
D Geniuses are born naturally
35 What is the purpose of citing Zsofia’s example in the last paragraph?
A Practice makes genius
B Girls are not good at chessing
C She was an adopted child
D Middle child is always the most talented
Questions 36-40
Use the information in the passage to match the countries (listed A-E) with correct connection below.
Write the appropriate letters A-E in boxes 36-40 on your answer sheet.
A Scandinavia
B Japan
C Britain
D China
E America
36 Less gifted children get help from other classmates
37 Attending extra teaching is open to anyone
38 People are reluctant to favor gifted children due to social characteristics
39 Both view of innate and egalitarian co-existed
40 Craze of audio and video teaching for pregnant women.
Answers
Below are the answers, key words, synonyms and full explanations for the IELTS Reading passage Bright Children (Passage 3, Questions 28–40).
Questions 28–33: Yes / No / Not Given
28. America has a long history of selecting talented students into different categories.
Answer: YES
Key words: America has long held “talent searches” … bright children are ranked as “moderately”, “highly”, “exceptionally” and “profoundly” gifted
Synonyms: long history of selecting into categories = has long held talent searches and ranks children into gifted categories = “America has long held ‘talent searches’ … bright children are ranked as ‘moderately’, ‘highly’, ‘exceptionally’ and ‘profoundly’ gifted”
Explanation: The USA has long run talent searches and sorts gifted children into named categories, matching the statement → YES.
29. Teachers and schools in Britain held a welcoming attitude towards the government’s selection of gifted students.
Answer: NO
Key words: Teachers are often opposed to separate provision for the best-performing children
Synonyms: welcoming attitude towards selection = opposed to separate provision for the best = “Teachers are often opposed to separate provision for the best-performing children, saying any extra help should go to stragglers”
Explanation: British teachers are described as often opposed, not welcoming — this contradicts the statement → NO.
30. Some parents agree to move near reputable schools in Britain.
Answer: YES
Key words: middle-class parents try to live near the best schools
Synonyms: move near reputable schools = try to live near the best schools = “Most state education in Britain is nominally non-selective, but middle-class parents try to live near the best schools”
Explanation: Middle-class British parents do try to live near the best schools → YES.
31. Middle-class parents participate in their children’s education.
Answer: NOT GIVEN
Key words: middle-class parents try to live near the best schools
Synonyms: participate in their children’s education = actively involved in their schooling (not stated) = “middle-class parents try to live near the best schools”
Explanation: The passage says parents live near good schools, but says nothing about them participating in their children’s education directly → NOT GIVEN.
32. Japan and Finland comply with a selected-student policy.
Answer: NO
Key words: some countries — like Japan and Finland … can eschew selection and still thrive
Synonyms: comply with a selected-student policy = the opposite; they eschew (avoid) selection = “the data suggest that some countries — like Japan and Finland … can eschew selection and still thrive”
Explanation: Japan and Finland avoid selection, so saying they follow a selection policy contradicts the passage → NO.
33. An avoiding-selection policy only works in a specific environment.
Answer: YES
Key words: that does not mean that any country can ditch selection and do as well
Synonyms: only works in a specific environment = not every country can ditch selection and do as well = “But that does not mean that any country can ditch selection and do as well”
Explanation: Avoiding selection succeeds only in certain conditions, not everywhere → YES.
Questions 34–35: Multiple Choice
34. What is Laszlo Polgar’s point of view towards children’s genius?
Answer: C (Geniuses can be educated later on)
Key words: “Geniuses are made, not born” … any child could be a prodigy given the right teaching, an early start and enough practice
Synonyms: geniuses can be educated = geniuses are made, not born; any child can be a prodigy with the right teaching = “‘Geniuses are made, not born’ … Mr Polgar thought any child could be a prodigy given the right teaching”
Explanation: Polgar believed genius is produced through teaching and practice, not inborn → C.
35. What is the purpose of citing Zsofia’s example in the last paragraph?
Answer: A (Practice makes genius)
Key words: Zsofia … was regarded as the most talented, but she was the only one who did not achieve the status of grandmaster … “But she was lazy”
Synonyms: practice makes genius = the most talented sister failed because she did not work hard = “Zsofia … was regarded as the most talented, but … did not achieve the status of grandmaster … ‘But she was lazy'”
Explanation: Zsofia was the most gifted yet least successful because she was lazy — showing effort, not raw talent, makes a genius → A.
Questions 36–40: Match the country (A–E) with the correct description
A Scandinavia · B Japan · C Britain · D China · E America
36. Less gifted children get help from other classmates.
Answer: B (Japan)
Key words: Those who learn quickest are expected then to teach their classmates
Synonyms: less gifted children get help from classmates = the quickest learners teach their classmates = “All are taught together … Those who learn quickest are expected then to teach their classmates” (Japan)
Explanation: In Japan the fastest learners help teach the rest → B.
37. Attending extra teaching is open to anyone.
Answer: D (China)
Key words: “Children’s palaces” in big cities offer a huge range of after-school classes. Anyone can sign up
Synonyms: extra teaching open to anyone = anyone can sign up for the after-school classes = “‘Children’s palaces’ … offer a huge range of after-school classes. Anyone can sign up” (China)
Explanation: China’s after-school “children’s palaces” are open to all who attend → D.
38. People are reluctant to favour gifted children due to social characteristics.
Answer: A (Scandinavia)
Key words: a belief in virtues like modesty and social solidarity makes people flinch from the idea of treating brainy children differently
Synonyms: reluctant to favour gifted children due to social characteristics = modesty and social solidarity make people flinch from treating brainy children differently = “In Scandinavia, a belief in virtues like modesty and social solidarity makes people flinch from … treating brainy children differently”
Explanation: Scandinavian social values discourage singling out gifted children → A.
39. Both the view of innate talent and egalitarian sentiment co-existed.
Answer: C (Britain)
Key words: a broadly similar belief in the existence of innate talent, but also an egalitarian sentiment
Synonyms: both innate and egalitarian views co-exist = belief in innate talent but also an egalitarian sentiment = “In Britain, there is a broadly similar belief in the existence of innate talent, but also an egalitarian sentiment”
Explanation: Britain holds both beliefs at once → C.
40. Craze for audio and video teaching aimed at pregnant women.
Answer: E (America)
Key words: “teaching aids” such as videos and flashcards for newborns, and “whale sounds” on tape which a pregnant mother can strap to her belly
Synonyms: audio and video teaching for pregnant women = videos/flashcards and “whale sounds” on tape strapped to a pregnant belly = “Hence the fad for ‘teaching aids’ such as videos and flashcards for newborns, and ‘whale sounds’ on tape which a pregnant mother can strap to her belly” (America)
Explanation: The American fad for prenatal videos and audio tapes matches this → E.
Answer Key (Quick Reference)
| Q | Answer | Q | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | YES | 35 | A |
| 29 | NO | 36 | B |
| 30 | YES | 37 | D |
| 31 | NOT GIVEN | 38 | A |
| 32 | NO | 39 | C |
| 33 | YES | 40 | E |
| 34 | C |
