Book Review:
Read Book Review: and check the IELTS Reading answers. The English explorer and writer John Franklin (1786-1847) joined the Navy at the age of 14, and fought at the battle of Trafalgar. When peace came, he turned his attention to Arctic exploration, and in particular to solving the conundrum of the…
Passage preview
The English explorer and writer John Franklin (1786-1847) joined the Navy at the age of 14, and fought at the battle of Trafalgar. When peace came, he turned his attention to Arctic exploration, and in particular to solving the conundrum of the Northwest Passage, a mythical clear-water route through the ice which would, if it existed, link the Pacific Ocean on America's West Coast with the Atlantic on its East. The first expedition Franklin led to the Arctic was an arduous overland journey lasting from 1819 to 1822, in which he and his twenty-strong team covered 8880 kilometres on foot. Their expedition was a triumph of surveying they managed to chart hundreds of kilometres of previously unknown coastline - but food ran out on their journey back to civilisation, and the men were forced to eat their belts and their boots (which they boiled up to make leather soup).
Vocabulary from this passage
7 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- arduous adjective
Involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring.
His first expedition was an arduous journey covering thousands of kilometres on foot.
- conundrum noun
A confusing and difficult problem or question.
Franklin spent much of his career trying to solve the conundrum of the Northwest Passage.
- introspection noun
The examination or observation of one's own mental and emotional processes.
The explorer kept introspection to a minimum in his official memoirs and correspondence.
- malleable adjective
Easily influenced; able to be hammered or pressed into shape without breaking.
The explorer's bland personality made him a malleable subject for a historical novelist.
- pliant adjective
Easily bent; flexible or easily influenced.
The first crystals on the sea surface form a silkily pliant layer known as nilas.
- punctiliousness noun
Strict attention to minute details or forms, especially in conduct or manners.
The novel is full of quotations regarding time-efficiency, profitability, and extreme punctiliousness.
- self-possession noun
The state or feeling of being calm and in control of one's oneself.
Successful Polar explorers demonstrate unusual self-possession and endurance during times of suffering.
Answers with explanations
- 27. A
The answer is **A**. This paragraph summarizes Franklin's life and **occupation** (Navy, fighting in battles) during the **period before** his first major Arctic expedition which began in 1819. It provides the chronological background of his career.
- 28. C
The answer is **C**. The paragraph mentions that the **character trait** of 'slowness' is a fictional invention by Nadolny, explicitly stating there is '**no historical evidence**' for it in the real life of Franklin, thus having no basis in fact.
- 29. E
The answer is **E**. This paragraph connects the novel's **central theme** (slowness and patience) with the **environmental process** of ice formation and movement. It describes how the slow nature of ice requires a specific type of personality in explorers.
- 30. H
The answer is **H**. The text provides evidence of the novel's **widespread appeal** by citing its massive sales figures (over a million copies) and its translation into numerous **languages**, as well as its adoption by various European groups.
- 31. B
The answer is **B**. Paragraph B describes the **events following** the first expedition, where Franklin became a **travel writer** and speaker before eventually returning to the Arctic in 1845 for his final, fatal voyage.
- 32. G
The answer is **G** (personality). The passage notes that Franklin's own writings reveal very little about his inner thoughts or **personality**, as he focused on external duties and avoided '**introspection**' and 'self-analysis' in his memoirs.
- 33. K
The answer is **K** (sporting). The author uses the example of Franklin failing to catch a ball to illustrate how his slowness affected his **sporting** or physical activities as a child. This inability to react quickly is the primary example of his early struggles.
- 34. F
The answer is **F** (an outsider). Due to his slow reactions and the resulting **bullying** from other children, Franklin becomes **an outsider** who chooses not to follow the conventional 'way of doing things' practiced by his peers.
- 35. L
The answer is **L** (timelessness). Franklin is attracted to the Arctic because of the perceived **timelessness** of the region, described as a 'time without hours and days' where his slow pace would not be a disadvantage.
- 36. D
The answer is **D**. The writer describes the slow formation and movement of ice to show that success in the Arctic requires specific **personal qualities** like patience, **self-possession**, and the ability to endure suffering, rather than speed.
- 37. C
The answer is **C**. The text explains that because Franklin cannot speak fluently due to his slowness, he compensates by **memorising** large numbers of words and pre-prepared responses to use in conversation, which allows him to **communicate**.
- 38. D
The answer is **D**. Although initially mocked by fellow sailors for his slow thinking, the text states that Franklin's persistence eventually leads them to **appreciate** him and **earn their respect**, showing a positive shift in their attitude toward his character.
- 39. B
The answer is **B**. The writer describes the stylistic choice for the book's early chapters as a 'medley of **separate fragments**,' meaning they are composed of **short, disconnected pieces** of text rather than a continuous, traditional narrative.
- 40. A
The answer is **A**. The novel is popular because it resonates with people's **concern** or 'dislike' regarding the 'high-speed culture' of **modern life** (Postmodernity), appealing to those who feel pressured by the constant demand for speed.