IELTS Reading section tests the candidate’s understanding of passages and different question types. There are 40 questions in total in the IELTS reading section. This IELTS Reading sample - Can We Believe Our Own Eyes is an Academic topic, and consists of three question types:
There are numerous topics found in IELTS reading practice papers for practice.
Can We Believe Our Own Eyes - IELTS Reading Sample
Questions 1-3
Answer the questions below. Each answer must contain NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage.
(Guide: Candidates need to write a maximum of three words to fill the blanks)
Question 1.
Answer: Physiological
Supporting Sentence: Para B - Physiological illusions occur as a result of excessive stimulation of the eyes and brain which leads to a temporary state of confusion and mixed messages.
Para C - Cognitive illusions, on the other hand, are said to arise not as a result of neuron activity as with the aforementioned category, but due to assumptions we may consciously make based on our knowledge and experience of the world.
Keyword: psychological illusions, cognitive
Keyword Location: Paragraph B and C
Explanation: The selected answer is right as evident from the supporting sentences. In para B it has been stated that psychological illusions are results of tremendous stimulation of the eyes and brain. That leads to a temporary state of perplexed attitude and mixed messages. In para C it has been stated that cognitive illusions are results of assumptions human beings make focused on the inbuilt knowledge and experience of the world.
Also check:
Question 2.
Answer: Knowledge and experience
Supporting Sentence: Cognitive illusions, on the other hand, are said to arise not as a result of neuron activity as with the aforementioned category, but due to assumptions we may consciously make based on our knowledge and experience of the world.
Keyword: knowledge, experience, cognitive illusion
Keyword Location: Paragraph C, first lines
Explanation: It has been stated that cognitive illusion is a result of not neuron activity. It is installed as a result of the constant assumption that we, human beings, make on a daily basis based on our knowledge and experience of the world.
Question: 3
Answer: Direct realism
Supporting Sentence: It has also been used in epistemology – the study of knowledge – as evidence to disprove the theory upheld by ‘direct realism’ that the way the human mind perceives the world is the way the world actually is
Keyword: direct realism, epistemology, study of knowledge
Keyword Location: Paragraph E
Explanation: The Necker Cube has made contributions in the research of the human brain and stated that it is composed of a neural network of two interchangeable and distinct parts. This fact is also used in the study of epistemology to disprove the theory stated by direct realism that human minds understand the world as they think.
Questions 4-8
Classify the following as applicable to the content in Reading Passage 2:
(Guide: Candidates need to match the headings A to D with the correct statements from 4 to 8)
Question: 4.
Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: Distorting illusions affect an individual’s ability to judge size, length, or curvature; the Muller-Lyer illusion which consists of three lines with arrow-like endings is a prime example.
Keyword: distorting illusion
Keyword Location: Paragraph F
Explanation: Distorting illusion affects a person’s individual ability to judge length, size, and more. It has been explained with the help of an example where three arrows are given with arrow-like endings. But many people provide different views of the length of the arrow, despite the fact that all of them have the same length.
Question: 5
Answer: B
Supporting Sentence: Paradox illusions encourage the mind to believe that we are seeing something we know to be impossible.
Keyword: paradox illusion
Keyword Location: Paragraph G
Explanation: The answer selection is correct as can be seen from the selected supporting evidence. Paradox illusion encourages our minds to believe that what we are seeing is impossible. There are many “naturally occurring optical illusions” present over the world which human beings think to be impossible.
Question: 6.
Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: Different individuals may instantly perceive the object or picture in a different way than another and, in fact, the same individual is often able to see and interpret the image or object in more than one form.
Keyword: different individuals, object
Keyword Location: Paragraph D
Explanation: The selected answer is correct because of the supporting evidence. It can be seen that there are different individuals who understand an object or a picture in a distinct way than another one. This is called ambiguous illusions where a single object or picture is perceived in different ways by humans.
Question: 7
Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: ‘A fictional illusion is, in reality, a hallucination which arises as a result of drug use’
Keyword: fictional illusion
Keyword Location: Paragraph C
Explanation: fictional illusion is a part of cognitive illusions. It happens when a person sees hallucination that arises as a result of drug usage. Fictional illusion also takes place as a result of a brain condition called schizophrenia. Therefore, the selected answer is right.
Question :8
Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: ‘It has also been used in epistemology – the study of knowledge – as evidence to disprove the theory upheld by ‘direct realism’
Keyword: epistemology, direct realism
Keyword Location: Paragraph E
Explanation: The selected answer is right as has been explained by the selected supporting evidence. The Necker Cube has made contributions in the research about the human visual system. It provided evidence that the human brain consists of two neural networks of two interchangeable states. This proof has also been used in the study of epistemology to disprove the theory of direct realism.
Questions 9-13
Select the appropriate letter A, B, C, or D.
Question 9. Fictional illusions
Answer: B
Supporting Sentence: Inclusion of ‘fictional’ illusions into the cognitive group is somewhat misleading; however, as this type of illusion is unique in that it is only seen by an individual in a given situation and exists in no tangible form.
Keyword: fictional illusion
Keyword Location: Paragraph C
Explanation: The answer to this question is correctly selected. Fictional illusions, among the other three parts in Cognitive illusion, are the only subjective one. fictional illusions are only observed by a person in a given situation and have intangible form.
Question: 10. Which faces of the Necker Cube are regarded as the front of the box by the general inclination to view objects, according to ambiguous illusion theory?
Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: ‘when most people look at the Necker Cube they will interpret the lower left face as being the front of the box, the base of the front face being parallel to the floor՛
Keyword: ambiguous theory, necker cube
Keyword Location: Paragraph D
Explanation: From the diagram it can be seen that most of the people perceive the lower left face of the box to be the front. Therefore, the supporting sentence is correctly selected.
Question: 11. Which diagram represents the Muller-Lyer illusion?
Answer: B
Supporting Sentence: ‘In this illusion, the middle arrow has both arrows ends pointing out, while the line above it has arrow ends pointing in and the third and final line possesses one inward-pointing and one outward pointing arrow end.’
Keyword: Muller-Lyer, illusion
Keyword Location: Paragraph F
Explanation: The selected answer B is correct. The middle arrow comprises arrows pointing out from both its ends. There is another arrow pointing out, and the third and final one has one one arrow pointing in, and the other out.
Question: 12. The Penrose Stairs are an example of a model that
Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: The Penrose Stairs and the Penrose Triangle, developed by Lionel Penrose are examples of models created to illustrate this phenomenon.
Keyword: Penrose
Keyword Location: Paragraph F
Explanation: The selected answer is correct as evident from the supporting sentence. The Penrose stairs and Penrose triangles developed by Lionel Penrose are examples of paradox illusions. It encourages the mind to believe that what we are seeing is something which is supposed to be impossible.
Question: 13. Occurrences on ‘gravity’ or ‘magnetic’ hills happens due to
Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: ‘In addition, surrounding points of reference we would generally expect to be perpendicular, such as trees, are in fact on a slope. The interpretation of what observers believe they are experiencing is therefore confused’
Keyword: reference, interpretation
Keyword Location: Paragraph H
Explanation: The selected supporting evidence clearly proves that the selected answer is correct.
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