Establishing Your Birthrights Reading Answers

Establishing Your Birthrights Reading Answers is an academic reading answers topic. Establishing Your Birthrights Reading Answers has a total of 13 IELTS questions in total. In the questions set you have to choose a correct heading for the paragraphs. In the next set you have to match the statement with the correct option. In the last set of questions you have to answer the question in one word.

The IELTS Reading section is a crucial component of the IELTS exam, designed to assess a candidate's ability to comprehend and analyze different types of passages. In this passage,Establishing Your Birthrights you will engage with a series of IELTS reading practice questions that simulate real test scenarios. These questions are aimed at improving your skills in identifying key ideas, extracting specific information, and making inferences. Whether you are preparing for the Academic or General Training module, practicing these IELTS reading questions will help you become familiar with the format and boost your confidence for the actual test.

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Section 1

ESTABLISHING YOUR BIRTHRIGHTS

Position in the family can play a huge role in shaping character, finds Clover Stroud.

A. Last week I was given a potent reminder of how powerful birth order might be in determining a child's character. My son, Jimmy Joe, nine, and my daughter, Dolly, six, were re-enacting a TV talent show. Jimmy Joe elected himself judge and Dolly was a contestant. Authoritative and unyielding, he wielded a clipboard, delivering harsh criticisms that would make a real talent show judge flinch. Initially Dolly loved the attention, but she soon grew tired of his dominance, instigating a pillow fight, then a fist fight. It ended, inevitably, in tears. A visiting friend, with an Older, more successful sister, declared it ‘classic first child behaviour of dominance and

supposed authority'. Dolly's objection to her brother's self-appointed role as leader was justified, he announced, while Jimmy Joe's superiority was characteristic of the forceful personality of firstborns. Birth order, he said, wasn't something they could just shrug off.

B. Debate about the significance of birth order goes right to the heart of the nature versus nurture argument and is, consequently, surrounded by huge controversy. This controversy has raged since the 19th century, when Austrian psychiatrist Alfred Adler argued that birth order can define the way someone deals with life. He identified firstborns as driven and often suffering from a sense of having been 'dethroned' by a second child. Younger children, he stated, were hampered by having been more pampered than older siblings. It's a view reiterated by Professor Frank Sulloway's influential work, Born to Rebel. Sulloway, a leading proponent of the birth order idea, argued it has a definitive effect on the 'Big Five' personality traits of openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness and neuroticism.

C. According to the birth-order theory, first children are usually well-organised high achievers. However, they can have an overdeveloped sense of entitlement and be unyielding. Second children are sometimes very competitive through rivalry with the older sibling. They're also good mediators and negotiators. keen to keep everyone happy. Middle children, tagged the ‘easy' ones, have good diplomacy skills. They suffer from a tendency to feel insignificant beside other siblings and often complain of feeling invisible to their parents. Youngest children are often the most likely to rebel, feeling the need to 'prove' themselves. They're often extroverts and are sometimes accused of being selfish. Twins inevitably find it harder to see themselves as individuals, unless their parents have worked hard to identify them as such. It's not unusual for one twin to have a slightly dominant role over the other and take the lead role.

D. But slapping generalised labels on a child is dangerous; they change all the time, often taking turns at being the ‘naughty one' or the 'diligent one'. However, as one of five children, I know how hard it is to transcend the tags you earn according to when you were born. It is unsurprising then that my eldest sister is the successful entrepreneur, and that, despite covering all the big bases of adult life like marriage. kids and property, my siblings will probably always regard me as their spoilt younger sister.

E. 'As the Oldest of three, I've found it hard not to think of my own three children as having the same personality types that the three of us had when I was growing up,' says Lisa Cannan, a teacher. 'I identify with my eldest son, who constantly takes the lead in terms of organisation and responsibility. My daughter, the middle child, is more cerebral than her brothers. She's been easier than them. She avoids confrontation, so has an easy relationship with both boys. My youngest is gorgeous but naughty. I know I'm partly to blame for this, as I forgive him things the elder two wouldn't get away with.'

F. As a parent. It's easy to feel guilty about saddling a child with labels according to birth order. but as child psychologist Stephen Bayliss points out, these characteristics might be better attributed to parenting styles, rather than a child's character. He says that if a parent is worried about having encouraged, for example, an overdeveloped sense of dominance in an older sibling or spoiled a younger child, then it's more useful to look at ways this can be addressed than over-analysing why it happened. Bayliss is optimistic that as adults we can overcome any negative connotations around birth order. 'Look at the way you react to certain situations with your siblings. If you're unhappy about being treated as a certain type of personality, try to work out if it's a role that you've willingly accepted. If you're unhappy with the role, being dynamic about focusing on your own reactions, rather than blaming theirs, will help you overcome it.

Change isn't easy but nobody need be the victim of their biography.'

Questions 14-19

Choose the correct heading for each paragraph

from the list of headings below.

Write the correct number, i—ix.

i. Children's views on birth order

ii. Solutions are more important than causes

iii. Characteristics common to all children regardless of birth order

iv. Doubts about birth-order theory but personal experience supporting it

v. A theory that is still supported

vi. Birth-order characteristics continuing as children get older

vii. A typical example of birth-order behaviour in practice

viii. Exceptions to the rule of birth order

ix. A detailed description of each child in families in general.

14.Paragraph A

Answer: VII

Supporting statement:A visiting friend, with an older, more successful sister, declared it ‘classic first child behaviour of dominance and supposed authority'.

Keywords: classic, dominance

Keyword Location: Para A, Lines 6-7

Explanation: According to the passage, two children Dolly and Jimmy Joe to siblings while playing started to fight. Dolly acted as a contestant, and Jimmy Joe chose himself to be the judge. While judging his younger sister he gave harsh comments to dolly. He was authoritative and uncompromising. Dolly liked it at first, but soon she got tired of his behaviour and started a pillow fight, which turned into a fistfight which made them cry. All this was seen by a friend who was visiting the family who described it as "classic first child behavior of dominance and supposed authority" Because they themself had experienced it in their life since they had a more hardworking and successful sister.

15.Paragraph B

Answer: V

Supporting statement:It's a view reiterated by Professor Frank Sulloway's influential work, Born to Rebel. Sulloway, a leading proponent of the birth order idea,

Keywords: reiterated, proponent

Keyword Location: Para B, Lines 6-7

Explanation:According to the passage, Firstborns are motivated and frequently feel that they were "dethroned" by a second child, according to him. "Being more favored than older siblings hurt younger children," he said. Professor Frank Sulloway's fundamental study, Born to Rebel, supports this viewpoint. The 'Big Five' personality traits—conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, neuroticism, and openness—are all definitely impacted by birth order, according to Sulloway, a prominent proponent of the theory.

16.Paragraph C

Answer: IX

Supporting statement:According to the birth-order theory, first children are usually well-organised high achievers.

Keywords: theory, well-organised

Keyword Location: Para C, Line 1

Explanation: In the above passage it is given that the first born are usually well-organised

They might have a sense of entitlement and don't give up easily . The second child is usually considered competitive and a great negotiator unlike middle children who are tagged easy but they also can become competitive as they always feel that they are not cared for and loved by their parents as compared to their elder or younger siblings. On the other hand the younger child is also spoiled by the parents this sometimes makes them being accused of being self centered and gives them the title of the ‘Rebel child’.Twins find it difficult to view themselves as individuals, until their parents make an effort enough to identify them as individuals. One twin taking the lead and having a little dominant role over the other is not unusual.

17.Paragraph D

Answer: IV

Supporting statement:However, as one of five children, I know how hard it is to transcend the tags you earn according to when you were born.

Keywords: five, transcend

Keyword Location: Para D, Lines 2-3

Explanation: In the given passage it is clear that labeling a child in the early stages shapes their future in a wrong way. A child often called naughty or diligent in their childhood may not remain the same in their adulthood this is because human nature is ever changing. At one point they may feel hatred or spiteful to people giving them these tags. One such example is given in the para about one person who has four siblings who feels they will never be able to overcome the tag they were given as a child of being the spoiled younger child no matter how successful they become in their life.

18.Paragraph E

Answer:VI

Supporting statement:'As the Oldest of three, I've found it hard not to think of my own three children as having the same personality types that the three of us had when I was growing up,

Keywords: children, growing

Keyword Location: Para E, Lines 1-2

Explanation: In the given passage the account of a teacher named Lisa Cannan explains that as the eldest of three siblings she finds it difficult not to think of her own three kids as having the same personality types that the three of her siblings and she had while growing up. She relates to her oldest kid since he is always the most organized and responsible. Her daughter being the middle child is smarter than her brothers. Compared to them, she is easy going and gets along well with both guys because she stays out of trouble. Her youngest is beautiful yet mischievous. Since she forgives him for things the other two wouldn't get away with, she realizes that she is to blame for this.

19.Paragraph F

Answer: II

Supporting statement: If you're unhappy about being treated as a certain type of personality, try to work out if it's a role that you've willingly accepted. If you're unhappy with the role, being dynamic about focusing on your own reactions, rather than blaming theirs,

Keywords: treated, personality

Keyword Location: Para F, Line 8

Explanation: According to the passage child psychologist Stephen Bayliss says that as a parent giving labels on a child because of their birth order might make one feel guilty. According to him, it is more beneficial to consider solutions rather than dwelling too much on the reasons behind an incident if a parent is concerned that they may have spoiled a younger kid or fostered an overdeveloped feeling of dominance in an older sibling.

Questions 20-23

Look at the following statements and the list of

people below. Match each statement with the

correct person, A—D. Write the correct letter, A—D.

NB You may use any letter more than once.

20. Experience as a child can affect behaviour as a parent.

Answer: C

Supporting statement:I've found it hard not to think of my own three children as having the same personality types that the three of us had when I was growing up,'

Keywords: three, growing

Keyword Location: Para E, Lines 1-2

Explanation: The passage talks about parents expecting the same from their children as they were expected from their parents. It clarifies that sometimes a parent's experience as a child shapes their own child's future either in a positive or negative way.

21. Birth order may not be the main reason why children have the personalities they

Answer: D

Supporting statement:as child psychologist Stephen Bayliss points out, these characteristics might be better attributed to parenting styles, rather than a child's character.

Keywords: child, parenting

Keyword Location: Para F Lines 2-3

Explanation: According to the child psychologist Stephen Bayliss a child’s behaviour or characteristics might be in a certain way either negative or positive due to their parent’s parenting style. He believes that a good parenting style can overcome any problems faced by parents during the child upbringing this can be done by making changes in the parents way of behaving with the child and also by not labeling the child in any manner

22. There is a link between birth and a group of important characteristics.

Answer: B

Supporting statement:It's a view reiterated by Professor Frank Sulloway's influential work, Born to Rebel. Sulloway, a leading proponent of the birth order idea, argued it has a definitive effect on the 'Big Five' personality traits of openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness and neuroticism.

Keywords:order, personality

Keyword Location: Para B, Line 8

Explanation: In the passage according to Professor Frank Sulloway's Born to Rebel, he claimed that birth order had powerful effects on the Big Five personality traits. He argued that firstborns are more conscientious and socially dominant, less agreeable, and less open to new ideas than are laterborns, who were "born to rebel"

23. It is possible for people to stop feeling bad about how family members behave with them.

Answer: D

Supporting statement:Bayliss is optimistic that as adults we can overcome any negative connotations around birth order.

Keywords: adults,negative

Keyword Location: Para F, Lines 6-7

Explanation: According to the statement of Stephen Bayliss given in the passage, it is possible to overcome any negative connotations around birth order as an adult. Firstly Consider how you respond to specific circumstances with your siblings. If being viewed as a particular personality type makes you sad, attempt to determine if you voluntarily accepted that role. You may overcome your dissatisfaction with the position by being active and paying attention to your own emotions rather than criticizing theirs. Although change is difficult, no one should have to suffer because of their past.

A. Alfred Adler

B. Professor Frank Sulloway

C. Lisa Cannan

D. Stephen Bayliss

Questions 24-26

Choose ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.

24. First-born children have expectations that are too high with regard to…………..

Answer: ENTITLEMENT

Supporting statement:they can have an overdeveloped sense of entitlement and be unyielding.

Keywords: sense, entitlement

Keyword Location: Para C, Line 2

Explanation: The passage indicates that the first born always has exceptional personality traits; they develop a sense of entitlement and can sometime become more authoritative in time.

25. Middle children are often considered………… by their parents.