History of Guitar Reading Answers

Dec 6, 2022

History of Guitar Reading Answers has a reading passage followed by 13 questions. Candidates need to answer them in 20 minutes. This IELTS reading passage comprises two question types. They are no more than two words and no more than three words. Candidates must read the IELTS reading passage, identify keywords, and recognize synonyms to answer the question. In more than two words, candidates are required to answer the questions within a word limit of two. In more than three words, candidates are required to answer the questions within a word limit of three. Candidates can get more IELTS Reading Tips online to excel in the examination. More similar topics are available online in IELTS Reading practice papers.

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Reading Passage Question

The word 'guitar' was brought into English as an adaptation of the Spanish word 'guitarra', which was, in turn, derived from the Greek 'kithara'. Tracing the roots of the word further back into linguistic history, it seems to have been a combination of the Indo-European stem 'guit-', meaning music, and the root ’-tar’, meaning chord or string. The root '-tar' is actually common to a number of languages, and can also be found in the word ’sitar', also a stringed musical instrument. Although the spelling and pronunciation differ between languages, these key elements have been present in most words for 'guitar' throughout history.
While the guitar may have gained most of its popularity as a musical instrument during the modern era, guitar-like instruments have been in existence in numerous cultures throughout the world for more than 5,000 years. The earliest instruments that the modern eye and ear would recognise as a 'normal' acoustic guitar date from about 500 years ago. Prior to this time, stringed instruments were in use throughout the world, but these early instruments are known primarily from visual depictions, not from the continued existence of music written for them. The majority of these depictions show simple stringed instruments, often lacking some of the parts that define a modern guitar. A number of these instruments have more in common with the lute than the guitar.
There is some uncertainty about the exact date of the earliest six-string guitar. The oldest one still in existence, which was made by Gaetano Vinaccia, is dated 1779. However, the authenticity of six-string guitars alleged to have been made prior to 1790 is often suspect, as many fakes have been discovered dating to this era. The early nineteenth century is generally accepted as the time period during which six-string guitars began taking on their modern shape and dimensions. Thus for nearly two hundred years, luthiers, or guitar makers, have been producing versions of the modern acoustic guitar.
The first electric guitar was not developed until the early twentieth century. George Beauchamp received the first patent for an electric guitar in 1936, and Beauchamp went on to co-found Rickenbacker, originally known as the Electro String Instrument Company. Although Rickenbacker began producing electric guitars in the late 1930s, this brand received most of its fame in the 1960s, when John Lennon used a Rickenbacker guitar for the Beatles' debut performance on the Ed Sullivan show in 1964. George Harrison later bought a Rickenbacker guitar of his own, and the company later gave him one of their earliest 12-string electric guitars. Paul McCartney also used a Rickenbacker bass guitar for recording. The Beatles continued to use Rickenbacker guitars throughout their career, and made the instruments highly popular among other musicians of the era.
The Fender Musical Instruments Company and the Gibson Guitar Corporation were two other early electric guitar pioneers, both developing models in the early 1950s. Fender began with the Telecaster in 1950 and 1951, and the Fender Stratocaster debuted in 1954. Gibson began selling the Gibson Les Paul, based partially on assistance from jazz musician and guitar innovator Les Paul, in 1952. The majority of present day solid-body electric guitars are still based largely on these three early electric guitar designs.
Throughout the history of the guitar, an enormous number of individuals have made their mark on the way in which the instrument was built, played and perceived. Though some of these individuals are particularly well known, like the Beatles or Les Paul, the majority of these people are virtually invisible to most modern guitar fans. By looking at the entire history of the guitar, rather than just recent developments, largely confined to electric guitars, it is possible to see more of the contributions of earlier generations.

Solution and Explanation
Questions 1-7:
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the Reading Passage for each answer.

Q1. Despite differences in _________ , ‘guit-‘ and ‘
Q2. Instruments that we would call acoustic guitars have been made and played for approximately ____________
Q3. No one knows the __________ when the first six-string guitar was made.
Q4. The ____________ of acoustic guitars have not changed much in 200 years.
Q5. A _____________ for an electric guitar was issued in the mid-1930s.
Q6. Les Paul, the well-known __________ guitarist, was involved in the development of the electric guitar.
Q7. Most ____________ of the guitar know little about its rich history.

Question 1:

Answer: spelling and pronunciation
Supporting Statement: Although the spelling and pronunciation differ between languages, these key elements have been present in most words for 'guitar' throughout history.
Keywords:’ guit-’, spelling and pronunciation, differ, languages
Keyword Location: Paragraph 1, Line 4
Explanation: The author in the 1^st paragraph clearly states that despite differences, the key elements have been present in most words for 'guitar' throughout history. The differences were in spelling and pronunciation. Hence, spelling and pronunciation is the correct answer.

Question 2:

Answer: five hundred years
Supporting Statement: The earliest instruments that the modern eye and ear would know as a 'normal' acoustic guitar date from about 500 years ago
Keywords: acoustic, guitar, 500 years ago
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, Line 2
Explanation: The passage clearly states that the earliest instrument was the acoustic guitar which was played about 500 years ago. Hence, this has been played for about five hundred years.

Question 3:

Answer: exact date
Supporting Statement: There is some uncertainty about the date of the earliest six-string guitar.
Keywords: uncertainty, exact, earliest, six-string guitar
Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, Line 1
Explanation: The author in the passage says that there is some uncertainty about the earliest six-string guitar. Uncertain means it is not exactly known by anyone. hence, as per the question, no one knows the exact date when it was made.

Question 4:

Answer: shape and dimensions
Supporting Statement: Thus for nearly 200 years, luthiers have been producing versions of the modern acoustic guitar.
Keywords: six string guitar, modern, shape and dimensions, 200 years
Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, line 3-4
Explanation: The author says in the passage that the shape has not changed much. The supporting sentence shows us that there have been different versions of the modern acoustic guitar. Versions mean that they have not changed much in shape and dimension, just a few changes. Hence, shape and dimension is the correct answer.

Question 5:

Answer: patent
Supporting Statement: George Beauchamp received the first patent for an electric guitar in 1936, and Beauchamp went on to co-found Rickenbacker, originally called Electro String Instrument Company.
Keywords: first patent, 1936, electric guitar
Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, line 2
Explanation: The author in Paragraph 4, Line 2 says that the first patent for an electric guitar was received in 1936. The year 1936 is within the mid-1930s. Hence, as per the question, the patent is the correct answer.

Question 6:

Answer: jazz
Supporting Statement: Gibson began selling the Gibson Les Paul, based partially on help from jazz musician and guitar innovator Les Paul, in 1952.
Keywords: Les Paul, jazz musician, based partially
Keyword Location Paragraph 5, Line 3
Explanation: The author clearly states that Les Paul was a jazz musician and guitarist. The company Gibson started selling Gibson Les Paul guitars with partial help from Les Paul. hence, since he was a jazz musician, jazz is the correct answer.

Question 7:

Answer: fans
Supporting Statement: Though some of these people are particularly well known, like the Beatles or Les Paul, most of these people are not known to most modern guitar fans.
Keywords: invisible, guitar fans, history of guitar
Keyword Location: Paragraph 6, Line 2-3
Explanation: Paragraph 6, Lines 2-3 says that most modern guitar fans do not know about the people related to the guitar and hence the rich history of the guitar. These people are fans of the music. hence, fans is the correct answer.

Questions 8-13:
Complete the summary.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

Instruments similar to the guitar have been played by musicians for over 8 ___________ years. What we know about many of these instruments comes from 9 ___________ rather than actual physical examples or music played on them. In some ways, these early stringed instruments were closer to 10 ____________ than the guitar as we know it today. We do have examples of six-string guitars that are 200 years old. However, the 11 ___________ of six -string guitars made by guitar makers (who are also known as 12 _________) before the final decade of the eighteenth century is often open to question.

Although the electric guitar was invented in the 1930s, it took several decades for electric guitars to develop, with the company Rickenbacker playing a major part in this development. Most 13 ___________ electric guitars in use today are similar in design to guitars produced by the Fender Musical Instruments Company and the Gibson Guitar Corporation in the 1950s.

Question 8:

Answer: five thousand
Supporting Statement: While the guitar may have become more popular as a musical instrument during the modern era, guitar-like instruments have been in existence in many cultures throughout the world for more than 5,000 years.
Keywords: guitar like instruments, existence, more than, 5000 years
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, Line 1
Explanation: Paragraph 2, line 1 clearly states that guitar-like instruments were played in many cultures all over the world for more than 5000 years. Guitar-like instruments means instruments similar to a guitar. We can correlate this with the question and hence, five thousand is the correct answer.

Question 9:

Answer: visual depictions
Supporting Statement: Prior to this, stringed instruments were in use all over the world, but these early instruments are known primarily from visual depictions, not from the continued existence of music written for them.
Keywords: stringed instruments, known, primarily, visual depictions
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, Line 3
Explanation: There is a clear mention that the early instruments were known from visual depictions. They were not known from the continued existence of music written for them. hence, visual depictions is the correct answer.

Question 10:

Answer: the lute
Supporting Statement: A number of these instruments have more in common with the lute than the guitar.
Keywords: depictions, basic stringed instruments, lacking parts, modern guitar, common with lute
Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, Line 4-5
Explanation: Paragraph 3, Lines 4-5 says that the basic stringed instruments lacked some of the parts that defined the modern guitar. Many of these instruments had more in common with a lute. Hence, lute is the correct answer.

Question 11:

Answer: authenticity
Supporting Statement: However, the authenticity of six-string guitars alleged to have been made before 1790 is often questioned, as many fakes have been discovered up until to this era.
Keywords: authenticity, six strings guitar, questioned, fake, modern shape, luthiers, acoustic
Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, Line 2-4
Explanation: The authenticity of six string guitars made by luthiers before 1790 was often questioned. The early 19th century is generally accepted as the time period during which six-string guitars began taking on their modern shape and dimensions. Thus for nearly 200 years, luthiers, have been producing versions of the modern acoustic guitar. This makes authenticity the correct answer.

Question 12:

Answer: luthiers
Supporting Statement:Thus for nearly 200 years, luthiers, have been producing versions of the modern acoustic guitar.
Keywords: authenticity, six strings guitar, questioned, fake, modern shape, luthiers, acoustic
Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, Line 2-4
Explanation: From the passage, we get to know that the authenticity of six strings guitars made by luthiers before 1790 was often questioned. This is because many fakes have been discovered up until this era. The early 19th century is generally accepted as the time period during which six-string guitars began taking on their modern shape and dimensions. Hence luthiers is the correct answer.

Question 13:

Answer: solid-body
Supporting Statement: The Fender Musical Instruments Company and the Gibson Guitar Corporation were two other early electric guitar experts, both developing models in the early 1950s. Fender began with the Telecaster in 1950 and 1951, and the Fender Stratocaster debuted in 1954. Gibson began selling the Gibson Les Paul, based partially on help from jazz musician and guitar innovator Les Paul, in 1952. Most of present day solid-body electric guitars are still based largely on these three early electric guitar designs.
Keywords: early , electric guitar, experts, present day, solid body, still, based largely, early guitar designs
Keyword Location: Paragraph 5
Explanation: It is understood that guitars were produced by the Fender Musical Instruments Company and the Gibson Guitar Corporation in the 1950s.