Pacific Navigation and Voyaging
Read Pacific Navigation and Voyaging and check the IELTS Reading answers. The many tiny islands of the Pacific Ocean had no human population until ancestors of today’s islanders sailed from Southeast Asia in ocean-going canoes approximately 2,000 years ago. At the present time, the debate continues…
Passage preview
The many tiny islands of the Pacific Ocean had no human population until ancestors of today’s islanders sailed from Southeast Asia in ocean-going canoes approximately 2,000 years ago. At the present time, the debate continues about exactly how they migrated such vast distances across the ocean, without any of the modern technologies we take for granted.
Vocabulary from this passage
10 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- adaptability noun
The ability to change your way of doing things to suit new conditions.
In the passage:
Q39 says "being able to change their practices when necessary"; the passage says "it was this adaptability which was their greatest accomplishment".
Synonyms: being able to change, flexibility
Opposites: rigidity
- and deservedly so adverb phrase
Used to say that something is fair or earned, as the speaker thinks.
In the passage:
"Sharp's theory was widely challenged, and deservedly so": the writer approves of the criticism. This matters for Q30.
Synonyms: quite rightly, justifiably
Opposites: unfairly
- a renaissance in noun phrase
A new growth of interest or activity in something after a quiet period.
In the passage:
"A renaissance in the practice of traditional voyaging": young people are reviving old skills.
Synonyms: a revival of, a resurgence of
Opposites: a decline in
- categorically adverb
In a way that is clear, direct and leaves no doubt.
In the passage:
Q37 says the research "was not conclusive evidence"; the passage says experiments "cannot categorically confirm or negate a hypothesis".
Synonyms: definitively, absolutely
Opposites: tentatively
- contrary adjective
Opposite in direction; working against what you want or expect.
In the passage:
"When the wind was contrary": here it means blowing against the canoe, not a person who disagrees.
Synonyms: opposing, adverse
Opposites: favourable
- methodology noun
A system of methods used for doing a particular type of study or work.
In the passage:
Q38 says "variety of experimental techniques"; the passage says "the range of methodologies employed" (final paragraph).
Synonyms: method, technique
- precipitate verb
To make something happen suddenly or earlier than expected.
In the passage:
"It did spark renewed interest in the topic and precipitated valuable new research": the evidence for Q30.
Synonyms: trigger, bring about
Opposites: delay
- prevailing conditions noun phrase
The weather or situation that exists at a particular time.
In the passage:
"These navigators observed the conditions prevailing at sea at the time a voyage was made": the evidence for Q39.
Synonyms: current circumstances, existing conditions
- propel verb
To push or drive something forward with force.
In the passage:
Q35 says human energy was used "to assist sailing canoes"; the passage says paddles "could indeed have propelled" what were "primarily sailing vessels".
Synonyms: assist, drive forward
- resurrect verb
To bring back something old that had stopped being used.
In the passage:
"Young people are resurrecting the skills of their ancestors": the skills had nearly been lost.
Synonyms: revive, bring back
Opposites: abandon
Answers with explanations
- 27. YES
**Uninhabited** is the paraphrase of **had no human population**, and the writer says this was the case **until** ancestors of today's islanders **sailed from Southeast Asia**. The writer states it as fact, so YES.
- 28. NO
The deciding phrase is **the first person**. Sharp gave the first **considered assessment** in 1956, but **early twentieth-century writers** had already written about the migrants, with a romantic vision. So the statement contradicts the passage: NO.
- 29. YES
Match **luck** with **good fortune** and **skill** with **expertise**. Sharp said the navigators' expertise was limited and the settlement depended **more** on good fortune than on planning, so the statement is YES.
- 30. YES
**Despite being controversial** is **widely challenged**. **Positive results** is **valuable new research**, signalled by **If nothing else, however**. The writer links the two, so YES.
- 31. NOT GIVEN
The deciding word is **disagreed**. Doran used a **different approach** and instruments to measure canoe performance, but the writer never says he rejected Lewis's findings. To be YES or NO the text would need to compare their results.
- 32. A
Lewis's **own unique philosophy** was to find men who still navigate **traditionally** and go with them: he **accompanied** them on voyages, which is observing them at work. His yacht only took him to the islands, and he secretly used modern instruments.
- 33. C
**Knew which direction they were sailing in** is **known which course to steer**, learned from **fixed directions** given by the stars. The 1,000 nautical miles is the length of his voyage, not a limit. Drifting was Sharp's idea, which Lewis disproved.
- 34. B
**Modern instruments** is **the latest electronic instrumentation**, and **canoe characteristics** are the **canoe speeds** and sailing angle he recorded. He did this **on board**, not after the canoes landed, and in the most remote parts. Hiding instruments was Lewis.
- 35. D
Look for what Horvath **concluded**. **Human energy** is the muscle power needed to **paddle** or use long oars, which could have **propelled** vessels that were primarily sailing ones, so it assisted them. Nothing says the men became tired.
- 36. B
The writer's opinion shows in **unusual method** and **Clever adaptation**, which praise how original the techniques were. 'In the laboratory' and the distance between the islands are just facts, and he used linguists' work rather than helping them.
- 37. C
A **limitation** is something the research cannot do. The writer says experiments like these **cannot categorically confirm or negate a hypothesis**, so they are **not conclusive evidence** for a single theory. The variety of methods is a strength, not a limitation.
- 38. A
**The best thing** is **The strength**, and **variety of experimental techniques** is **range of methodologies employed**. The ending about changing practices describes the navigators, not the research.
- 39. D
**The most important achievement** is **greatest accomplishment**. The next sentence explains it: they **altered their techniques accordingly**, which is **being able to change their practices when necessary**. The 'variety' ending is about the researchers' methods.
- 40. E
**Intentionally crossed** matches a **systematic migration**, not canoes **drifting helplessly**. **The first time** is **before any other race on Earth**. The ending about young islanders is wrong: the paragraph says young people are reviving the skills.