Understanding symbols
Read Understanding symbols and check the IELTS Reading answers. About 20 years ago I had one of those wonderful moments when research takes an unexpected but fruitful turn. I had been studying toddler memory and was beginning a new experiment with two-and-a-half- and three-year-olds. For the projec…
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About 20 years ago I had one of those wonderful moments when research takes an unexpected but fruitful turn. I had been studying toddler memory and was beginning a new experiment with two-and-a-half- and three-year-olds. For the project, I had built a model of a room that was in my laboratory. The real space contained basic furniture such as a couch and table. The miniature version was as similar as possible to its larger counterpart: the furniture was the same shape and material and was arranged in the same position. For the study, a child watched as we hid a miniature toy (a plastic dog we called 'Little Snoopy') in the model. We then encouraged the child to find 'Big Snoopy', a large version of the toy, 'hiding in the same place in his big room.'
Vocabulary from this passage
10 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- abysmally adverb
In an extremely bad or severe manner; to a very low standard
Despite the high expectations, the team failed abysmally in the final round of the competition.
- anecdote noun
A short, interesting story about a real incident or person, often used as evidence
While the scientist shared an entertaining anecdote, his theory lacked empirical support.
- conceptual adjective
Relating to or based on mental concepts and abstract ideas
The architect presented a conceptual design that focused on sustainability rather than specific structural details.
- counterproductive adjective
Having the opposite of the desired effect; hindering the achievement of a goal
Strict regulations proved counterproductive, as they discouraged the very innovation the government sought to promote.
- duality noun
An instance of opposition or contrast between two concepts or two aspects of something
The duality of the symbol allowed it to represent both peace and strength simultaneously.
- fruitful adjective
Producing good or helpful results; productive or beneficial
The collaboration proved fruitful, resulting in several groundbreaking discoveries for the research institute.
- inference noun
A conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning rather than explicit statements
The researchers drew a logical inference from the data, even though the results were initially ambiguous.
- manipulate verb
To handle or control something in a skillful manner, often physically
The surgeon must carefully manipulate the robotic arms to ensure precision during the operation.
- perplexing adjective
Completely baffling or very puzzling; difficult to understand
The sudden disappearance of the evidence was perplexing to the investigators assigned to the case.
- resemblance noun
The state of being similar to something else in appearance or character
There is a striking resemblance between the new prototype and the original model developed decades ago.
Answers with explanations
- 27. D
The question asks what the children had to do in the first experiment. The text states they were encouraged to **find** a large toy 'hiding in the same place in his **big room**'. This directly matches the correct option, which states they had to locate a toy in a life-sized room.
- 28. B
The question asks about the **result** of the first experiment. Paragraph B says three-year-olds watched the small toy hidden behind the **miniature couch**, then found the large toy behind the **real couch**. That shows they could **mentally relate** the two rooms. The younger children **failed abysmally**, so the option saying both groups succeeded is wrong. The memory option is also wrong, because the two-and-a-half-year-olds remembered where the tiny toy was hidden. The answer is the option about three-year-olds relating the rooms.
- 29. A
The question asks what the writer says about children and pictures in the fourth paragraph. The writer explains that symbolic objects have **duality**: they are **real in themselves** and also **representations**. Stories of babies trying to pick up a depicted toy suggest infants **do not appreciate this duality**. This matches the option saying infants cannot understand that pictures serve a **double purpose**. The option claiming children understand pictures better than adults is contradicted by the sentence that no symbols seem simpler to adults but infants find them perplexing. The answer is the option about duality.
- 30. D
The question asks about the toddlers' reactions in the third experiment. The author explicitly notes that the children showed **little or no reaction to their failed attempts** to use the miniature toys. The correct option correctly paraphrases this by stating they behaved the same whether successful or not.
- 31. C
The author discusses using blocks (symbols) for math. The text explicitly warns that if children don't understand the symbolic relation, using objects like blocks could be **counterproductive**. The correct option captures this danger by stating that using blocks can make it harder for children to learn new concepts.
- 32. C
The conclusion of the experiment with 3-D versus 2-D books is summarized by the phrase **'Less may be more'**. The author reasons that children could concentrate better with plain, simpler books. This directly supports the correct option that simpler books may be better learning tools.
- 33. E
The sentence begins by discussing the test with 9-month-olds. The passage states the goal was **testing infants' understanding of pictures** to see if they were perplexed by their dual nature. This matches the ending that states the test attempted to find out whether young children are puzzled by pictures.
- 34. F
The sentence requires the outcome of the third experiment. The passage explicitly reveals that children attempted to **perform the same actions with the miniature items** (like getting into a tiny car) as they did with large ones. This matches the ending about expecting tiny objects to function like life-sized ones.
- 35. D
The sentence stem is about the aim of the **maths experiment**. The writer introduces it by noting that teachers use **blocks or other objects** to represent quantity, but this could be **counterproductive** if children do not grasp what an object stands for. The experiment compared blocks with pencil and paper to test whether such **symbolic objects** work well for teaching. This matches the ending about the **effectiveness** of symbolic objects as teaching tools. Endings about the alphabet or school age relate to other experiments or are not mentioned. The answer is D.
- 36. YES
The statement claims the first experiment revealed unexpected information. The author explicitly describes the research taking an **unexpected but fruitful turn**. Since 'unexpected' is a direct synonym for the claim, the statement firmly agrees with the writer's account. Answer: YES.
- 37. NO
The statement claims infants react the same to drawings and photographs. The passage explicitly states a contrast: while they try to touch realistic photographs, they **rarely explore** black and white drawings. Because the reactions are distinctly different, the statement contradicts the text. Answer: NO.
- 38. YES
The statement says toddlers are used to failing in their tasks. The author states that toddlers showed no reaction to failure because their daily lives are **full of unsuccessful attempts**. This explicitly confirms that constant failure is a normal, expected part of their routine. Answer: YES.
- 39. NO
The statement claims the confusion has **little significance** for educational practice. The writer states the opposite: 'this confusion has **implications for educational practice**', then warns that using objects to represent quantity **could be counterproductive**. The writer's view clearly contradicts the claim, and the later blocks experiment, where learning took three times as long, supports this concern. Because the claim conflicts with the writer's opinion, the answer is NO, not NOT GIVEN, which would require the writer to be silent on the issue.
- 40. NOT GIVEN
The statement asserts that children 'enjoy reading' 3-D books more. The passage notes that children were distracted by 3-D books and learned fewer letters from them, but it never measures or mentions their level of **enjoyment**. Because the emotional preference is not discussed, the claim cannot be verified. Answer: NOT GIVEN.