Growing up in New Zealand Reading Answers
The reading section of IELTS checks the proficiency of students in reading and understanding the passage. With the IELTS exam, candidates' abilities are assessed in reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. The IELTS reading section comprises 40 questions and each of 40 questions are of different types. The IELTS Academic reading section of the IELTS tests students’ effectiveness in reading skills such as reading for gist, reading for details, etc. Candidates can consider preparing using IELTS Reading Sample Papers for the IELTS test. Growing up in New Zealand Reading Answers can be useful for practice and preparation of the candidates in IELTS Reading section. It includes the following types of questions:
- True/False/Not Given
- Choose the correct letter
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Section 1
Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions
Growing up in New Zealand Reading Answers
A
It has long been known that the first one thousand days of life are the most critical in ensuring a person’s healthy future; precisely what happens during this period to any individual has been less well documented. To allocate resources appropriately, public health and education policies need to be based upon quantifiable data, so the New Zealand Ministry of Social Development began a longitudinal study of these early days, with the view to extending it for two decades. Born between March 2009 and May 20I0, the 6,846 babies recruited came from a densely populated area of New Zealand, and it is hoped they will be followed until they reach the age of 21.
B
By 2014, four reports, collectively known as Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ), had been published, showing New Zealand to be a complex, changing country, with the participants and their families’ being markedly different from those of previous generations.
Of the 6,846 babies, the majority were identified as European New Zealanders, but one quarter was Maori (indigenous New Zealanders), 20% were Pacific (originating in islands in the Pacific), and one in six were Asian. Almost 50% of the children had more than one ethnicity.
C
The first three reports of GUiNZ ae descriptive, portraying the cohort before birth, at nine months, and at two years of age. Already, the first report, Before we are born, has made history as it contains interviews with the children’s mothers and fathers. The fourth report, which is more analytical, explores the definition of vulnerability for children in their first one thousand days.
D
Before we are born, published in 2010, describes the hopes, dreams, and realities that prospective parents have. It shows that the average age of both parents having a child was 30, and around two-thirds of parents were in legally binding relationships. However, one-third of the children were born to either a mother or a father who did not grow up in New Zealand – a significant difference from previous longitudinal studies in which a vast majority of parents were New Zealanders born and bred. Around 60% of the births in the cohort were planned, and most families hoped to have two or three children. During pregnancy, some women changed their behaviour, with regard to smoking, alcohol, and exercise, but many did not. Such information will be useful for public health campaigns.
E
Now we are born is the second report. Fifty-two percent of its babies were male and 48% female, with nearly a quarter delivered by caesarean section. The World Health Organisation and New Zealand guidelines recommend babies be breastfed exclusively for six months, but the median age for this in the GUiNZ cohort was fur months since almost one-third of mothers had returned to full-time work. By nine months, the babies were all eating solid food. While 54% of them were living in accommodation their families owned, their parents had almost all experienced a drop in income, sometimes a steep one, mostly due to mothers’ not working.
Over 90% of the babies were immunised, and almost all were in very good health. Of the mothers, however, 11% had experienced post-natal depression – an alarming statistic, perhaps, but, once again, useful for mental health campaigns. Many of the babies were put in childcare while their mothers worked or studied, and the providers varied by ethnicity: children who were Maori or Pacific were more likely to be looked after by grandparents; European New Zealanders tended to be sent to daycare.
F
Now we are two, the third report, provides more insights into the children’s development – physically, emotionally, behaviourally, and cognitively. Major changes in home environments are documented, like the socio-economic situation, and childcare arrangements. Information was collected both from direct observations of the children and from parental interviews. Once again, a high proportion of New Zealand two-year-olds were in very good health. Two-thirds of the children knew their gender, and used their own name or expressed independence in some way. The most common first word was a variation on ‘Mum’, and the most common favourite first food was a banana. Bilingual or multi-lingual children were in a large minority of 40%. Digital exposure was high: one in seven two-year-olds had used a laptop or a children’s computer, and 80% watched TV or DVDs daily; by contrast, 66% had books read to them each day.
G
The fourth report evaluates twelve environmental risk factors that increase the likelihood of poor developmental outcomes for children and draws on experiences in Western Europe, where the specific factors were collated. This, however, was the first time for their use in a New Zealand context. The factors include: being born to an adolescent mother; having one or both parents on income-tested benefits; and, living in cramped conditions.
H
In addition to descriptive ones, future reports will focus on children who move in and out of vulnerability to see how these transitions affect their later life.
I
To date, GUiNZ has been highly successful with only a very small dropout rate for participants – even those living abroad, predominantly in Australia, have continued to provide information. The portrait GUiNZ paints of a country and its people are indeed revealing.
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Section 2
Solution and Explanation
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Passage?
In boxes 15-20 on your answer sheet, write:
| TRUE | if the statement agrees with the information |
| FALSE | if the statement contradicts the information. |
| NOT GIVEN | if there is no information on this. |
Question 15: Findings from studies like GUiNZ will inform public policy.
Answer: True
Supporting Sentence: based upon quantifiable data, so the New Zealand Ministry of Social Development began a longitudinal study of these early days, with the view to extending it for two decades. Born between March 2009 and May 20I0, the 6,846 babies recruited came from a densely populated area of New Zealand, and it is hoped they will be followed until they reach the age of 21.
Keyword: GUiNZ, policies
Keyword Location: Paragraph A, Lines 4 – 8
Explanation: Allocations of resources judiciously, public health and education policies are advised to conform with the quantifiable data, here, the New Zealand Ministry of Social Development initiated a longitudinal study of these early days, with the view to extending it for two decades
Question 16: Exactly 6,846 babies formed the GUiNZ cohort
Answer: TRUE
Supporting Sentence: Born between March 2009 and May 20I0, the 6,846 babies
Keyword: GUiNZ cohort, March 2009, May 2010
Keyword Location: Paragraph A, Lines 8-9
Explanation: GUiNZ study reports that, Infants who were Born between March 2009 and May 20I0, the 6,846 babies recruited came from a densely populated area of New Zealand, and it is estimated that they will be traced till they attain the age of 21 years.
Question 17: GUiNZ will probably end when the children reach ten.
Answer: FALSE
Supporting Sentence: They will be followed until they reach the age of 21
Keyword: Followed, 21
Keyword Location: Paragraph A, Last line
Explanation: GUiNZ study reports that, Infants who were born between March 2009 and May 20I0, the 6,846 babies recruited came from a densely populated area of New Zealand, and it is estimated that they will be traced till they attain the age of 21 years
Question 18: Eventually, there will be 21 reports in GUiNZ.
Answer: Not Given
Supporting Sentence: By 2014, four reports, collectively known as Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ), had been published
Keywords: four reports, Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ)
Keyword Location: Para B, line 1-2
Explanation: the fact that four reports have been published by 2014 has been provided within the passage but no information regarding how many reports would be published by the GUiNZ has not been given.
Question 19: So far, GUiNZ has shown New Zealanders today to be rather similar to those of 25 years ago.
Answer: FALSE
Supporting Sentence: By 2014, four reports, collectively known as Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ), had been published, dictating that New Zealand is a complex, dynamic country, with the participants and their families’ being markedly peculiar from those of preceding generations
Keyword: GUiNZ, differently, previous generations
Keyword Location: Paragraph B, First 5 lines
Explanation: he 2014 GUiNZ report identifies that the New Zealanders have marked differently in contrast to the previous generations
Question 20: Parents who took part in GUiNZ believe New Zealand is a good place to raise children.
Answer: NOT GIVEN
Supporting Sentence: Before we are born, published in 2010, describes the hopes, dreams, and realities that prospective parents have. It shows that the average age of both parents having a child was 30, and around two-thirds of parents were in legally binding relationships.
Keywords: hopes, dreams, prospective parents, binding relationships
Keyword Location: Para D, line 1-3
Explanation: reports include the parents' involvement in showing that having a child at the age of 30 and the parents having legally binding relationships as of 2010 reports whereby no statement in the passage is given regarding New Zealand being a good place to raise children to be believed by parents.
Questions 21-27:
Classify the following things that relate to:
| A | Report 1. |
| B | Report 2. |
| C | Report 3. |
| D | Report 4. |
Write the correct letter A, B, C, or D, in boxes 21-27 on your answer sheet.
Question 21: This is unique because it contains interviews with both parents.
Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: Contains interviews with the children’s mothers and fathers
Keyword: interviews, unique
Keyword Location: Paragraph C, Lines 3-4
Explanation: The previous three GUiNZ reports are descriptive in nature and focusing on cohort prior to the birth, the peculiar feature of First report is that it involves the interview with the mothers and fathers of the Children. Whereas the fourth report is analytical in nature.
Question 22: This looks at how children might be at risk.
Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: The fourth report succinctly presents the 12 environmental risk factors
Keyword: fourth report, Environmental risk,
Keyword Location: Paragraph G, First 2 lines
Explanation: The fourth report shows the concern about the poor developmental results and points it out as the major environmental problem. The report mentions twelve such environmental risks. The report is prepared from the experiences of Western Europe but is unique to New Zealand.
Question 23: This suggests having a child may lead to financial hardship.
Answer: B
Supporting Sentence: their parents had almost all experienced a drop in income, sometimes a steep one, mostly due to mothers’ not working
Keyword: drop, income, steep
Keyword Location: Paragraph E, Lines 9-10
Explanation: The second report, Now we are born, finds out that around 54% of the mothers living in family owned accommodation, and the mothers have lost their jobs. These reasons caused the decline of the families’ income and in fact unfortunate ones have witnessed a steep decline.
Question 24: Information for this came from direct observations of children.
Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: Now we are two, the third report, provides more insights into the children’s development – physically, emotionally, behaviourally, and cognitively.
Keyword: more insights, children’s development
Keyword Location: Paragraph F, Lines 5-6
Explanation: The third report, ‘Now we are two’, tried to study the intricacies of the children’s behavior be it emotional, physical and cognitive. The information for the study was collected from the observation and parental interviews.
Question 25: This shows many children use electronic devices.
Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: Digital exposure was high: one in seven two-year-olds had used a laptop or a children’s computer, and 80% watched TV or DVDs daily; by contrast, 66% had books read to them each day.
Keyword: Now we are two, Digital exposure, laptop, Children’s computer
Keyword Location: Paragraph F, Last 3 lines
Explanation: The third report emphasized on to study the behavior of the children (physical, emotional and cognitive) and through the observation and parental interviews finds out that, the digital exposure among them were high, 1 out of 7 children aged two years had access to laptops and 80% of them watch TV.
Question 26: This was modeled on criteria used in Western Europe.
Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: The fourth report evaluates twelve environmental risk factors that increase the likelihood of poor developmental outcomes for children and draws on experiences in Western Europe, where the specific factors were collated.
Keyword: Fourth report, experience, Western Europe
Keyword Location: Paragraph G, First 3 lines
Explanation: The fourth report takes inspiration from Western European countries and finds out that there are twelve major environmental risk factors, this is primarily due to the result of poor development, and this assessment was unique w.r.t. New Zealand.
Question 27: This suggests having a teenage mother could negatively affect a child.
Answer: B
Supporting Sentence: The factors include: being born to an adolescent mother; having one or both parents on income-tested benefits; and, living in cramped conditions.
Keyword: Fourth report, adolescent mother
Keyword Location: Paragraph G, Lines 5-6
Explanation: The evaluation of the fourth report states that there are twelve environmental risks which include factors like; being born to an adolescent mother; living in cramped conditions.
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