Ahead of its time
Read Ahead of its time and check the IELTS Reading answers. One October afternoon, a young New Zealander, Sam Tobin, called his dogs and went for a walk down to the nearby Ruamahanga River. Having been very high for days, the river had at last fallen, and Tobin was eager to see what changes the flo…
Passage preview
One October afternoon, a young New Zealander, Sam Tobin, called his dogs and went for a walk down to the nearby Ruamahanga River. Having been very high for days, the river had at last fallen, and Tobin was eager to see what changes the floods had brought. The family farm borders the river and a four-metre-high flood bank testifies to its natural tendency to flood.
Vocabulary from this passage
10 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- assertion noun
A confident and forceful statement of fact or belief, often requiring further proof
The discovery of the skull challenged long-held assertions about the earliest settlement of the region.
- bewildering complexity noun
A state of being extremely confusing or difficult to understand due to intricate details
The single line of the report cut through the bewildering complexity of the scientific analysis.
- cranium noun
The skull, especially the part enclosing the brain; the skeleton of the head
Examination revealed that the lower left portion of the cranium was missing from the find.
- fleeting adjective
Lasting for a very short time; brief or transient in duration or nature
The historical record mentions only a fleeting visit by Dutch explorers during the seventeenth century.
- forensic adjective
Relating to the application of scientific methods and techniques to the investigation of crime
A forensic pathologist was called to examine the remains and determine the cause of death.
- hamper verb
To hinder or impede the movement or progress of something; to obstruct effectively
The investigation was hampered by the damaged and incomplete condition of the archaeological specimens.
- implausible adjective
Not seeming reasonable or probable; failing to convince or lack of credibility
While the theory seemed implausible, the concrete evidence demanded a complete re-evaluation of history.
- radiocarbon dating noun
A scientific method for determining the age of an object containing organic material
Experts proposed using radiocarbon dating to establish whether the death occurred in recent history.
- re-evaluation noun
The process of judging or calculating the quality, importance, or value of something again
The unexpected discovery necessitated a drastic re-evaluation of the country's recorded historical timeline.
- testify verb
To serve as evidence or proof that something exists or is the case
The massive flood banks testify to the river's historical tendency to overflow its boundaries.
Answers with explanations
- 1. TRUE
The statement claims that the river **often floods**. The text supports this by mentioning a 'four-metre-high flood bank' which **testifies** to the river's **natural tendency to flood**. If a river has a natural tendency to flood, it happens frequently or regularly. This alignment confirms the statement. Answer: TRUE.
- 2. TRUE
The question asks if Tobin **mistook** the object for something else. The text states he **initially took** the object to be a **whitish rock**. The verb phrase 'initially took to be' is a direct synonym for 'mistook' or 'initially identified as'. He later realized it was a bone, confirming the initial error. Answer: TRUE.
- 2-3: speech
2: The question asks if Tobin **mistook** the object for something else. The text states he **initially took** the object to be a **whitish rock**. The verb phrase 'initially took to be' is a direct synonym for 'mistook' or 'initially identified as'. He later realized it was a bone, confirming the initial error. Answer: TRUE.
3: The statement suggests Tobin **could not decide** what part of the body the bone was from. However, the text explicitly states that once he picked it up, he **saw it was a skull**. This shows he was indeed able to identify the specific part of the body (the head/skull). This directly contradicts the claim. Answer: FALSE.
- 3. FALSE
The statement suggests Tobin **could not decide** what part of the body the bone was from. However, the text explicitly states that once he picked it up, he **saw it was a skull**. This shows he was indeed able to identify the specific part of the body (the head/skull). This directly contradicts the claim. Answer: FALSE.
- 3-4: YES
3: The statement suggests Tobin **could not decide** what part of the body the bone was from. However, the text explicitly states that once he picked it up, he **saw it was a skull**. This shows he was indeed able to identify the specific part of the body (the head/skull). This directly contradicts the claim. Answer: FALSE.
4: While the passage mentions that Tobin told his **mother** about the find, it contains no information regarding her emotional reaction or whether she was **surprised** by the subsequent **debate among specialists**. The text focuses on the investigation that followed, not her feelings. Answer: NOT GIVEN.
- 4. NOT GIVEN
While the passage mentions that Tobin told his **mother** about the find, it contains no information regarding her emotional reaction or whether she was **surprised** by the subsequent **debate among specialists**. The text focuses on the investigation that followed, not her feelings. Answer: NOT GIVEN.
- 5. police
The blank requires a noun for the group involved in the initial investigation. The text states the **police** were **immediately called** following the discovery. The context of searching for the 'identity' and 'circumstances' matches the phrase 'trying to explain the presence of the skull.' Grammatically, the plural noun 'police' fits perfectly after 'The'. Answer: POLICE.
- 6. european
The blank requires an adjective describing the skull's origin according to Dr Koelmeyer. The text explicitly states that Dr Koelmeyer believed the **skull appeared to be European in origin**. This directly provides the identifying characteristic requested. The word 'European' functions as an adjective modifying 'skull' in the summary. Answer: EUROPEAN.
- 7. radiocarbon
The blank requires a method used to find the age. The text mentions that **Dr Watt** proposed the **use of radiocarbon dating** to ensure it wasn't a recent death. The noun 'radiocarbon' (or 'radiocarbon dating') serves as the specific tool recommended to 'establish the skull's age.' Answer: RADIOCARBON.
- 8. sample
The blank requires a noun describing what was sent to the laboratory. The text explains they **provided** the GNS with a **sample of bone**. Syntactically, the summary sentence 'A bone [blank] was sent' matches the text's 'sample of bone'. The word 'sample' is the specific item provided for testing. Answer: SAMPLE.
- 9. 296
The blank requires a specific number for the age. The passage provides the test results as 'conventional radiocarbon age approximately **296** years'. This matches the summary's requirement for a number to quantify the age of the skull. The word 'about' in the question matches 'approximately' in the text. Answer: 296.
- 10. race
The summary lists factors that made the skull surprising: its age, gender, and one other characteristic. The text refers to the 'fascinating question' regarding how a skull of 'this **race**, let alone this **gender**' reached the islands. Since age and gender are already mentioned, 'race' is the missing factor. Answer: RACE.
- 11. archaeologists
The blank requires a noun for the people who found evidence elsewhere. The text mentions a **team of archaeologists** working in the **Solomon Islands** found remains of vessels (evidence). This group discovered the evidence 'elsewhere' (not in NZ). The plural noun 'archaeologists' fits the grammatical structure. Answer: ARCHAEOLOGISTS.
- 12. australia
The blank requires the location where Hagerty and Edgar were imprisoned. The text states they reached New Zealand in 1806 'having escaped from prison in **Australia**'. This directly identifies the geographical source of these individuals before their arrival. The proper noun 'Australia' is the required location. Answer: AUSTRALIA.
- 13. shipwreck
The blank requires a noun explaining the event that brought the skull to NZ. The writer offers the 'most likely explanation' as a **shipwreck** involving a trading ship. The phrase 'as a result of a shipwreck' matches the logic that the skull 'reached NZ... after a [blank]'. Answer: SHIPWRECK.