In Praise Of Amateurs - IELTS Reading Sample with Explanation

IELTS Reading section contains three passages and forty questions. There are different types of questions found in each IELTS reading passage. This IELTS reading sample - In Praise Of Amateurs is an IELTS Academic topic.

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The passage contains the following question types from IELTS Reading Question Types:

• Choose the summary
• Match the following

There are similar topics found in IELTS reading practice papers from which candidates can prepare.

Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

In Praise Of Amateurs - IELTS Reading Sample

Despite the specialization of scientific research, amateurs still have an important role to play.

During the scientific revolution of the 17th century, scientists were largely men of private means who pursued their interest in natural philosophy for their own edification. Only in the past century or two has it become possible to make a living from investigating the workings of nature. Modern science was, in other words, built on the work of amateurs. Today, science is an increasingly specialized and compartmentalized subject, the domain of experts who know more and more about less and less. Perhaps surprisingly, however, amateurs – even those without private means – are still important.

A recent poll carried out at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science by astronomer Dr Richard Fienberg found that, in addition to his field of astronomy, amateurs are actively involved in such field as acoustics, horticulture, ornithology, meteorology, hydrology and palaeontology. Far from being crackpots, amateur scientists are often in close touch with professionals, some of whom rely heavily on their co-operation.

Admittedly, some fields are more open to amateurs than others. Anything that requires expensive equipment is clearly a no-go area. And some kinds of research can be dangerous; most amateur chemists, jokes Dr Fienberg, are either locked up or have blown themselves to bits. But amateurs can make valuable contributions in fields from rocketry to palaeontology and the rise of the Internet has made it easier than before to collect data and distribute results.

Exactly which field of study has benefited most from the contributions of amateurs is a matter of some dispute. Dr Fienberg makes a strong case for astronomy. There is, he points out, a long tradition of collaboration between amateur and professional sky watchers. Numerous comets, asteroids and even the planet Uranus were discovered by amateurs. Today, in addition to comet and asteroid spotting, amateurs continue to do valuable work observing the brightness of variable stars and detecting novae- ‘new’ stars in the Milky Way and supernovae in other galaxies. Amateur observers are helpful, says Dr Fienberg, because there are so many of them (they far outnumber professionals) and because they are distributed all over the world. This makes special kinds of observations possible:’ if several observers around the world accurately record the time when a star is eclipsed by an asteroid, for example, it is possible to derive useful information about the asteroid’s shape.

Another field in which amateurs have traditionally played an important role is palaeontology. Adrian Hunt, a palaeontologist at Mesa Technical College in New Mexico, insists that his is the field in which amateurs have made the biggest contribution. Despite the development of high-tech equipment, he says, the best sensors for finding fossils are human eyes – lots of them.

Finding volunteers to look for fossils is not difficult, he says, because of the near universal interest in anything to do with dinosaurs. As well as helping with this research, volunteers learn about science, a process he calls ‘recreational education’.

Rick Bonney of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York, contends that amateurs have contributed the most in his field. There are, he notes, thought to be as many as 60 million birdwatchers in America alone. Given their huge numbers and the wide geographical coverage they provide, Mr Bonney has enlisted thousands of amateurs in a number of research projects. Over the past few years their observations have uncovered previously unknown trends and cycles in bird migrations and revealed declines in the breeding populations of several species of migratory birds, prompting a habitat conservation programme.

Despite the successes and whatever the field of study, collaboration between amateurs and professionals is not without its difficulties. Not everyone, for example is happy with the term ‘amateur’. Mr Bonney has coined the term ‘citizen scientist’ because he felt that other words, such as ‘volunteer’ sounded disparaging. A more serious problem is the question of how professionals can best acknowledge the contributions made by amateurs. Dr Fienberg says that some amateur astronomers are happy to provide their observations but grumble about not being reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses. Others feel let down when their observations are used in scientific papers, but they are not listed as co-authors. Dr Hunt says some amateur palaeontologists are disappointed when told that they cannot take finds home with them.

These are legitimate concerns but none seems insurmountable. Provided amateurs and professionals agree the terms on which they will work together beforehand, there is no reason why co-operation between the two groups should not flourish. Last year Dr S. Carlson, founder of the Society for Amateur Scientists won an award worth $290,000 for his work in promoting such co-operation. He says that one of the main benefits of the prize is the endorsement it has given to the contributions of amateur scientists, which has done much to silence critics among those professionals who believe science should remain their exclusive preserve.

At the moment, says Dr Carlson, the society is involved in several schemes including an innovative rocket-design project and the setting up of a network of observers who will search for evidence of a link between low- frequency radiation and earthquakes. The amateurs, he says, provide enthusiasm and talent, while the professionals provide guidance ‘so that anything they do discover will be taken seriously’. Having laid the foundations of science, amateurs will have much to contribute to its ever – expanding edifice.

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Section 2

Solution With Explanation 

Questions 1-8: Complete the summary below.
Choose ONE or TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

Prior to the 19th century, professional 1 ______ did not exist and scientific research was largely carried out by amateurs. However, while 2 ______ today is mostly the domain of professionals, a recent US survey highlighted the fact that amateurs play an important role in at least seven 3 and indeed many professionals are reliant on their 4 ______. In areas such as astronomy, amateurs can be invaluable when making specific 5 on a global basis. Similarly in the area of paleontology, their involvement is invaluable and helpers are easy to recruit because of the popularity of 6 ______. Amateur birdwatchers also play an active role and their work has led to the establishment of a 7 ______ . Occasionally the term 'amateur' has been the source of disagreement and alternative names have been suggested but generally speaking, as long as the professional scientists 8 ______ the work of the non-professionals, the two groups can work productively together.

1:

Answer: scientists

Supporting sentence: During the scientific revolution of the 17th century, scientists were largely men of private means who pursued their interest in natural philosophy for their own edification

Keywords: scientific revolution, scientists

Keyword location: Paragraph 1; line 1

Explanation: Science has not always been a career as it is now. Before the past two decades, scientists were those who had different and studied science for their own enjoyment.

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2:

Answer: science

Supporting sentence: Today, science is an increasingly specialized and compartmentalized subject, the domain of experts who know more and more about less and less. Perhaps surprisingly, however, amateurs – even those without private means – are still important.

Keywords: development, science

Keyword location: Paragraph 1; line 4

Explanation: Although with the developments in science and the success that has been witnessed by professionals, the input of amateurs cannot be ignored, even when they are dependent on their private apparatus.

3:

Answer: fields

Supporting sentence: A recent poll carried out at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science by astronomer Dr. Richard Fienberg found that, in addition to his field of astronomy, amateurs are actively involved in such fields as acoustics, horticulture, ornithology, meteorology, hydrology, and palaeontology.

Keywords: field, American Association

Keyword location: Paragraph 2; line 1

Explanation: the said poll has revealed good data with respect to the contribution of amateurs to major scientific fields, which is also helpful for professionals.

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4:

Answer: co-operation

Supporting sentence: Far from being crackpots, amateur scientists are often in close touch with professionals, some of whom rely heavily on their cooperation.

Keywords: amateur, co-operation.

Keyword location: Paragraph 2; line 3

Explanation: although not all amateurs are very good at human interaction and behavior, they remain in contact with professionals, who need their help and contribution in many of their works.

5:

Answer: Observations

Supporting sentence: Dr. Fienberg, because there are so many of them (they far outnumber professionals) and because they are distributed all over the world. This makes special kinds of observations possible:’ if several observers around the world accurately record the time when a star is eclipsed by an asteroid, for example, it is possible to derive useful information about the asteroid’s shape.

Keywords: Dr. Fienberg, observations

Keyword location: Paragraph 4; line 6

Explanation: Because of the vastness of the universe, it is important for professionals to rely on the data provided by amateurs to them, as it allows them to gather data from a lot of places at once.

6:

Answer: Dinosaurs

Supporting sentence: Finding volunteers to look for fossils is not difficult, he says, because of the near-universal interest in anything to do with dinosaurs

Keywords: dinosaurs, volunteers

Keyword location: Paragraph 6; line 1

Explanation: although paleontology in itself is not a famous disciple, dinosaurs remain worldwide famous because of their history, and hence it is easy to find amateur volunteers for paleontology research.

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7:

Answer: conservation programme

Supporting sentence: Over the past few years, their observations have uncovered previously unknown trends and cycles in bird migrations and revealed declines in the breeding populations of several species of migratory birds, prompting a habitat conservation programme.

Keywords: conservation, programme

Keyword location: Paragraph 7; line 4

Explanation: As mentioned, amateurs have contributed a lot with their data in numerous fields, and with their data findings in birdwatching, they have helped prompt a conservation programme.

8:

Answer: acknowledge

Supporting sentence: A more serious problem is the question of how professionals can best acknowledge the contributions made by amateurs

Keywords: acknowledge, contributions

Keyword location: Paragraph 8; line 4

Explanation: Acknowledgment of amateurs is a big issue since most of them don’t get credit and their payments are also considerably low because of their status.

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Questions 9-13: A number of opinions have been provided by the four different scientists. Match each opinion (Questions 9-13) with the scientists A-D.

9. Amateur involvement can also be an instructive pastime.

Answer: Adrian Hunt

Supporting sentence: Finding volunteers to look for fossils is not difficult, he says, because of the near universal interest in anything to do with dinosaurs. As well as helping with this research, volunteers learn about science, a process he calls ‘recreational education’

Keywords: dinosaurs, volunteers

Keyword location: Paragraph 6; line 1

Explanation: Adrian hunt mentions that it is not easy to find volunteers for paleontology because of people’s interest in it, with many people being interested in learning about it.

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10. Amateur scientists are prone to accidents.

Answer: Dr. Fienberg

Supporting sentence: And some kinds of research can be dangerous; most amateur chemists, jokes Dr Fienberg, are either locked up or have blown themselves to bits.

Keywords: dangerous, Dr Fienberg

Keyword location: Paragraph 3; line 2

Explanation: not all fields are open to amateurs because of the dangers involved, as Fienberg mentions that many amateurs have hurt themselves in the process/.

11. Science does not belong to professional scientists alone.

Answer: Dr. Carlson

Supporting sentence: Last year Dr S. Carlson, founder of the Society for Amateur Scientists won an award worth $290,000 for his work in promoting such co-operation. He says that one of the main benefits of the prize is the endorsement it has given to the contributions of amateur scientists, which has done much to silence critics among those professionals who believe science should remain their exclusive preserve.

Keywords: Dr S. Carlson, Amateur

Keyword location: Paragraph 9; line 3

Explanation: Dr Carlson while winning a cash prize mentioned how it willhelp endorse amateurs and their contributions, who have been suppressed of credit.

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12. In certain areas of my work, people are a more valuable resource than technology.

Answer: Adrian Hunt

Supporting sentence: Adrian Hunt, a paleontologist at Mesa Technical College in New Mexico, insists that his is the field in which amateurs have made the biggest contribution. Despite the development of high-tech equipment, he says, the best sensors for finding fossils are human eyes – lots of them.

Keywords: Adrian Hunt, paleontologist

Keyword location: Paragraph 5; line 1

Explanation: Adrian hunt mentions a lot about how amateur volunteers are of use to his research in paleontology and consequently makes a remark that best sensors for fossils are human eyes.

13. It is important to give amateurs a name which reflects the value of their work.

Answer: Rick Bonney

Supporting sentence: Despite the successes and whatever the field of study, collaboration between amateurs and professionals is not without its difficulties. Not everyone, for example is happy with the term ‘amateur’. Mr Bonney has coined the term ‘citizen scientist’ because he felt that other words, such as ‘volunteer’ sounded disparaging.

Keywords: Bonney, volunteer

Keyword location: Paragraph 8; line 1

Explanation: a lot has been said about how amateurs have been disrespected as scientists and why it is necessary to acknowledge their efforts, an initiative for the same is taken by rick bonney