The history of the Celtic language
Read The history of the Celtic language and check the IELTS Reading answers. In November 1897, in a field near the village of Coligny in eastern France, a local inhabitant unearthed two strange objects. One was an imposing statue of Mars, the Roman god of war. The other was an ancient bronze tablet…
Passage preview
In November 1897, in a field near the village of Coligny in eastern France, a local inhabitant unearthed two strange objects. One was an imposing statue of Mars, the Roman god of war. The other was an ancient bronze tablet, 1.5 metres wide and 1 metre high. It bore numerals in Roman but the words were in Gaulish, a version of the Celtic language spoken by the inhabitants of France before the Roman conquest in the first century BC. The tablet turned out to be one of the most important sources of words from this extinct language.
Vocabulary from this passage
10 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- ancestral adjective
Relating to, belonging to, or inherited from predecessors or earlier generations within a family, group, or linguistic tree
Many people feel a strong emotional connection to their ancestral homelands despite living abroad for generations.
- counterpart noun
A person or thing that corresponds to or has the same function as another in a different place or situation
The Prime Minister met with his foreign counterpart to discuss new international trade agreements and security.
- displace verb
To take the place of something else, or to force something out of its usual or original position
New automation technology will likely displace older manufacturing methods within the next decade of production.
- divergence noun
The process of becoming different or moving in different directions from a common point or shared origin
The divergence of the two species occurred millions of years ago due to extreme geographic isolation.
- evolutionary relationships noun
The connections between groups of organisms based on their shared descent from a common ancestor over historical time
Biologists use genetic data to map the evolutionary relationships between different families of animals and plants.
- extinct adjective
No longer in existence; having no living members or being no longer used as a means of communication
Linguists are working hard to document tribal languages that are currently at risk of becoming extinct.
- imposing adjective
Grand and impressive in appearance, often creating a sense of admiration or suggesting a powerful and significant presence
The university library is an imposing building that dominates the center of the modern city campus.
- reconstruct verb
To build or form something again by using evidence or remaining parts to restore its original state or history
Historians often use ancient manuscripts to reconstruct the complex social structures of civilizations that no longer exist.
- unearth verb
To find something in the ground by digging, or to discover something hidden after careful searching or investigation
Researchers recently unearthed ancient artifacts that provide new insights into the daily lives of the early settlers.
- vindicate verb
To show or prove to be right, reasonable, or justified, especially after having been criticized or doubted by others
New evidence has emerged that seems to vindicate the scientist’s controversial theory about the formation of planets.
Answers with explanations
- 14. E
Paragraph E discusses how specialists have **long debated** (**difference of opinion**) over which country was the **homeland** (**where... originated**) of the Indo-Europeans. This perfectly matches the required information.
- 15. A
Paragraph A introduces **Mars, the Roman god of war**. A god of war from ancient religion directly matches the concept of a **mythological figure**. Thus, the information is found in Paragraph A.
- 16. G
Paragraph G reveals that **Dr April McMahon** (**one person**) had **less confidence in** (**doubt about**) Dr Forster's dating method (**method of analysing scientific data**). Therefore, Paragraph G contains this information.
- 17. B
Paragraph B explains how a specific Celtic language (**Breton**) was **carried to Brittany** (**spread**) by **emigrants** (**movement of people**). This is a direct explanation of language spread via human movement.
- 18. C
Paragraph C explains that historical linguists (**language experts**) have **little faith** (**distrust**) in language trees. The provided reason is **because languages change so fast**. Thus, Paragraph C is the correct match.
- 19. A
Dr Forster and Dr Toth point out that historical linguists **restrict their research** to just **one single language** (**too narrow a focus**). This makes Option A the correct researcher pairing for this statement.
- 20. D
Dr April McMahon (Option D) states that language changes depend on the **size of the speaker's group** (**number of people**). She connects this demographic size to the **modifications** the language undergoes.
- 21. A
The text identifies **They** as Dr Peter Forster and Dr Alfred Toth. They theorized that Celtic became a distinct language **much earlier than supposed** (**longer than experts previously thought**). Therefore, Option A is the correct answer.
- 22. C
Dr Colin Renfrew advocates the theory that the Indo-European language family was spread by **agriculture** (**farming practices**). This aligns perfectly with the statement, making Option C the answer.
- 23. Gaulish
The sentence asks for the specific form of Celtic written on the bronze tablet. The text explicitly states the words were in **Gaulish**, which is described as a version of the Celtic language. Thus, 'Gaulish' is the correct completion.
- 24. Latin
After conquering the Celts, the Romans' language became dominant. The passage specifies this language as **Latin**, noting that it and its successors displaced Celtic. The exact word needed is 'Latin'.
- 25. divergence
The sentence requires the noun describing what happened between versions of Gaelic around 3200 BC. The text explicitly identifies this event as the **divergence**. 'divergence' fits grammatically and factually.
- 26. irregular
The completion requires an adjective describing developments (changes) in languages due to social reasons/factors. The text states language changes in an **irregular** way. 'irregular' fits both meaning and grammar.