Gifted Children and Learning Reading Answers

Dec 22, 2022

Gifted Children and Learning Reading Answers is an IELTS reading passage referenced from the book IELTS Cambridge 10. Gifted Children and Learning Reading Answers comprise a total of 13 questions. This IELTS reading passage has the following question types: matching the paragraph and match the appropriate heading. Gifted Children and Learning Reading Answers assesses candidate’s ability to understand, comprehend and answer questions based on that. To solve IELTS Reading section, candidates need to skim the passage for keywords, understand the concept and answer based on the given instructions. Candidates should use no more than three words for their answers. Candidates must read the IELTS reading passage, identify keywords, and recognize synonyms to answer the question. Candidates can solve more such IELTS reading samples from IELTS reading practice tests.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Gifted Children and Learning Reading Answers

Internationally, ‘giftedness’ is most frequently determined by a score on a general intelligence test, known as an IQ test, which is above a chosen cutoff point, usually at around the top 2-5%. Children’s educational environment contributes to the IQ score and the way intelligence is used. For example, a very close positive relationship was found when children’s IQ scores were compared with their home educational provision (Freeman, 2010). The higher the children’s IQ scores, especially over IQ 130, the better the quality of their educational backup, measured in terms of reported verbal interactions with parents, number of books and activities in their home etc. Because IQ tests are decidedly influenced by what the child has learned, they are to some extent measures of current achievement based on age-norms; that is, how well the children have learned to manipulate their knowledge and know-how within the terms of the test. The vocabulary aspect, for example, is dependent on having heard those words. But IQ tests can neither identify the processes of learning and thinking nor predict creativity.
Excellence does not emerge without appropriate help. To reach an exceptionally high standard in any area very able children need the means to learn, which includes material to work with and focused challenging tuition -and the encouragement to follow their dream. There appears to be a qualitative difference in the way the intellectually highly able think, compared with more average-ability or older pupils, for whom external regulation by the teacher often compensates for lack of internal regulation. To be at their most effective in their self-regulation, all children can be helped to identify their own ways of learning – metacognition – which will include strategies of planning, monitoring, evaluation, and choice of what to learn. Emotional awareness is also part of metacognition, so children should be helped to be aware of their feelings around the area to be learned, feelings of curiosity or confidence, for example.
High achievers have been found to use self-regulatory learning strategies more often and more effectively than lower achievers, and are better able to transfer these strategies to deal with unfamiliar tasks. This happens to such a high degree in some children that they appear to be demonstrating talent in particular areas. Overviewing research on the thinking process of highly able children, (Shore and Kanevsky, 1993) put the instructor’s problem succinctly: ‘If they [the gifted] merely think more quickly, then we need only teach more quickly. If they merely make fewer errors, then we can shorten the practice’. But of course, this is not entirely the case; adjustments have to be made in methods of learning and teaching, to take account of the many ways individuals think.
Yet in order to learn by themselves, the gifted do need some support from their teachers. Conversely, teachers who have a tendency to ‘overdirect’ can diminish their gifted pupils’ learning autonomy. Although ‘spoon-feeding’ can produce extremely high examination results, these are not always followed by equally impressive life successes. Too much dependence on the teachers risks loss of autonomy and motivation to discover. However, when teachers o pupils to reflect on their own learning and thinking activities, they increase their pupils’ self-regulation. For a young child, it may be just the simple question ‘What have you learned today?’ which helps them to recognise what they are doing. Given that a fundamental goal of education is to transfer the control of learning from teachers to pupils, improving pupils’ learning to learn techniques should be a major outcome of the school experience, especially for the highly competent. There are quite a number of new methods which can help, such as child- initiated learning, ability-peer tutoring, etc. Such practices have been found to be particularly useful for bright children from deprived areas.
But scientific progress is not all theoretical, knowledge is a so vital to outstanding performance: individuals who know a great deal about a specific domain will achieve at a higher level than those who do not (Elshout, 1995). Research with creative scientists by Simonton (1988) brought him to the conclusion that above a certain high level, characteristics such as independence seemed to contribute more to reaching the highest levels of expertise than intellectual skills, due to the great demands of effort and time needed for learning and practice. Creativity in all forms can be seen as expertise se mixed with a high level of motivation (Weisberg, 1993).
To sum up, learning is affected by emotions of both the individual and significant others. Positive emotions facilitate the creative aspects of earning and negative emotions inhibit it. Fear, for example, can limit the development of curiosity, which is a strong force in scientific advance, because it motivates problem-solving behaviour. In Boekaerts’ (1991) review of emotion the learning of very high IQ and highly achieving children, she found emotional forces in harness. They were not only curious, but often had a strong desire to control their environment, improve their learning efficiency and increase their own learning resources.

Section 2

Solution with Explanations

The following passage has six paragraphs, A-F.
Questions (1-4) ask you to identify the information, find the answer from the passage and write down the number of the paragraph (A, B, C, D, F) in your answer sheet.

Question 1: A reference to the influence of the domestic background on the gifted child.

Answer: A

Supporting Sentence: Any differences between them -one twin having younger looking skin, for example - must be due to environmental factors such as less time spent in the sun.

Keywords: Influence, domestic background, gifted child

Keyword Location: paragraph A

Explanation: The significance of "home educational supply" has been stressed by the author, who has also "recorded verbal exchanges with parents, quantity of books and activities." The fourth to sixth lines imply that there was a strong positive correlation between the children's IQ scores and home educational support (Freeman, 2010), demonstrating that a brilliant child's domestic environment has a significant impact on his or her development.

Question 2: Reference to what can be lost if learners are given too much guidance.

Answer: D

Supporting Sentence: Conversely, teachers who have a tendency to ‘over direct’ can diminish their gifted pupils’ learning autonomy.

Keywords: What can be lost, learners given, over-direct, too much guidance

Keyword Location: paragraph D

Explanation: Looking at the fourth, the author states in the second and third lines that teachers who tend to "over-direct" their brilliant students may compromise their ability to study independently. This remark implies that a brilliant kid's learning capacities or independence may be harmed when or if the youngster is "over-directed" when it comes to learning, or in other words, given too much direction by their instructors.

Question 3: A reference to the damaging effects of anxiety.

Answer: F

Supporting Sentence: Fear, for example, can limit the development of curiosity, which is a strong force in scientific advance, because it motivates problem-solving behaviour.

Keywords: Effects, anxiety

Keyword Location: paragraph F

Explanation: The third to fifth sentences of the passage by the author claim that fear can prevent people from developing curiosity, which is a major driver behind scientific progress since it encourages problem-solving behaviour. This demonstrates that worry, which has a disincentive effect on problem-solving abilities, is a barrier to the development of curiosity.

Question 4: Examples of classroom techniques that favour socially-disadvantaged children.

Answer: D

Supporting Sentence: There are quite a number of new methods which can help, such as child- initiated learning, ability-peer tutoring, etc. Such practices have been found to be particularly useful for bright children from deprived areas.

Keywords: Techniques, socially-disadvantaged children

Keyword Location: paragraph D

Explanation: The author lists a number of innovative techniques that can benefit and will be especially beneficial for brilliant children from underprivileged backgrounds, including child-initiated learning, ability-peer tutoring, etc. Children who are socially disadvantaged are deprived, whereas techniques refer to approaches.

Look at the following statements (Questions 5-9) and the list of people below.
Match each statement with the correct person or people, A-E.
Write the correct letter, A-E, in boxes 5-9 on your answer sheet.

Question 5: Less time can be spent on exercises with gifted pupils who produce accurate work.

Answer: B (Short and Kanevsky)

Supporting Sentence: If they [the gifted] merely think more quickly, then we need only teach more quickly. If they merely make fewer errors, then we can shorten the practice.

Keywords: Less time, exercises, gifted pupils, produce accurate work

Keyword Location: paragraph C

Explanation: The author makes reference to a study from 1993 by Shore and Kanevsky. According to lines 5-7, if talented people can just think more rapidly, then we can teach more fast as well. We may be able to cut the practise time short if they make a few blunders. What we can infer from this is that we should practise more quickly and make fewer mistakes in order to generate accurate work.

Question 6: Self-reliance is a valuable tool that helps gifted students reach their goals.

Answer: D (Simonton)

Supporting Sentence: Research with creative scientists by Simonton (1988) brought him to the conclusion that above a certain high level, characteristics such as independence seemed to contribute more to reach the highest levels of expertise.

Keywords: Self-reliance, valuable tool, reach, goals

Keyword Location: paragraph E

Explanation: According to research conducted by Simonton in 1988, above a certain high level, personality traits like independence appeared to be more important than intellectual skills in achieving the highest levels of expertise. This is because learning and practising new skills requires a lot of time and effort. In order to achieve their best degree or aims, the line suggests that self-reliance or so-called independence contributes much more.

Question 7: Gifted children know how to channel their feelings to assist their learning.

Answer: E (Boekaerts)

Supporting Sentence: In Boekaerts’ (1991) review of emotion the learning of very high IQ and highly achieving children, she found emotional forces in harness.

Keywords: Channel feelings, assist learning

Keyword Location: paragraph F

Explanation: When Boekaerts (1991) examined how emotion affected the learning of children with very high IQs and academic achievement, he discovered that emotional forces were being used effectively. Along with being naturally interested, these children also had a strong desire to manage their surroundings, advance their learning, and increase the resources available to them for learning. These sentences imply that these kids are aware of and in charge of the learning surroundings that help them learn.

Question 8: The very gifted child benefits from appropriate support from close relatives.

Answer: A (Freeman)

Supporting Sentence: a very close positive relationship was found when children’s IQ scores were compared with their home educational provision (Freeman, 2010).

Keywords: Benefits, support, close relatives

Keyword Location: paragraph A

Explanation: Lines 7-9 in the first paragraph contain research from Freeman (2010). According to this argument, if a child has an IQ of greater than 130, their educational support system is of higher quality. This can be determined by looking at things like how much verbal communication they report having with their parents, how many books they read, what kinds of activities they engage in at home, etc. In this perspective, parents are viewed as the near relatives who consistently assist brilliant youngsters in their academic or learning endeavours.

Question 9: Really successful students have learnt a considerable amount about their subject.

Answer: C (Elshout)

Supporting Sentence: individuals who know a great deal about a specific domain will achieve at a higher level than those who do not (Elshout, 1995).

Keywords: Learn, a considerable amount, subject

Keyword Location: paragraph E

Explanation: The first couple of paragraphs refer to Elshout's (1995) results, which claim that those who are extremely knowledgeable about a given field would do better than those who are not. In this expression, "know a great lot" means "learned a significant quantity," "a specific area" means "topic," and "achieve at a higher level" means "truly succeed."

Questions (10-13) ask the candidates to complete the sentences in no more than two words.

Question 10: One study found a strong connection between children’s IQ and the availability of ______________ and ____________ at home.

Answer : Books and activities

Supporting Sentence: the better the quality of their educational backup, measured in terms of reported verbal interactions with parents, number of books and activities in their home etc.

Keywords: Connection, Children’s IQ, home

Keyword Location: paragraph A

Explanation: According to the author, there is a close correlation between children's IQ scores and the educational resources they have access to at home. Their verbal interactions with parents, books, activities, and other reported indicators are used to assess the quality of their educational assistance.

Question 11: Children of average ability seem to need more direction from the teachers because they do not have__________.

Answer: Internal regulation

Supporting Sentence: There appears to be a qualitative difference in the way the intellectually highly able think, compared with more average-ability or older pupils, for whom external regulation by the teacher often compensates for lack of internal regulation.

Keywords: Average ability, more direction, do not have

Keyword Location: paragraph B

Explanation: the distinction in thinking styles between extremely intelligent students and students of ordinary ability or older students, for whom the teacher's external control makes up for their lack of internal control External regulation in this case means greater direction, and absence of means not having.

Question 12: Metacognition involves children understanding their own learning strategies, as well as developing__________.

Answer: Emotional awareness

Supporting Sentence: Emotional awareness is also part of metacognition, so children should be helped to be aware of their feelings around the area to be learned, feelings of curiosity or confidence, for example.

Keywords: Metacognition, children understanding, learning strategies, developing

Keyword Location: paragraph B

Explanation: The author discusses metacognition, which involves planning tactics, monitoring, evaluating, and having a choice over what to learn, along with emotional awareness, as several methods in which one might learn. The lines imply that metacognition encompasses emotional awareness.

Question 13: Teachers who rely on what is known as__________ often produce sets of impressive grades in class tests.

Answer: Spoon-feeding

Supporting Sentence: Although ‘spoon-feeding’ can produce extremely high examination results, these are not always followed by equally impressive life successes.

Keywords: Rely on, produce, impressive grades, tests

Keyword Location: paragraph D

Explanation: The author discusses how instructors guide talented kids. The third and fourth sentences of the text imply that spoon-feeding can result in extraordinarily high test scores. Impressive ratings on class assessments are referred to as high examination results.

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