Information and Communication Technologies Reading Answers

Jan 27, 2025

Information and communication technologies Reading Answers is an academic reading answers topic. Information and communication technologies Reading Answers has a total of 13 IELTS questions in total. In the question set you have to choose the correct answer in no more than three words. In the next given question set you have to answer whether the given options apply to the statement in the questions. In the last question set you have to choose the answer from the given options

The IELTS Reading section is an essential part of the test that evaluates a candidate's comprehension and analysis of various passage types. You will work through a number of IELTS reading practice problems in this section that resemble actual test situations. These questions are designed to help you improve your ability to recognize essential concepts, extract particular facts, and make inferences. Practicing these IELTS reading problems can help you get comfortable with the structure and increase your confidence for the exam, regardless of whether you are studying for the Academic or General Training module.

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Section 1 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES

When addressing the issue of global access to information technology, some people claim that the world's poor are more concerned about having enough to eat than about using e-mail or surfing the World Wide Web. Mike Chege disagrees.

A. In what concrete ways can information and communication technologies (ICTs) benefit the two -thirds or humanity who are more concerned about their next meal than about email or eBay?

B. First, there are the economic advantages of these technologies. Besides providing businesses with the opportunity to access real-time market information and complete business transactions electronically. ICTs can reduce costs and provide a channel to market goods and services. One small company from Tanzania replaced $20 faxes with 10 cent emails and saw its telecommunications bill go from over $500

per month to $45 per month. In the business-to- consumer segment you will find examples like EthioGift.com which sells gifts. Including sheep and goats, over the Internet.

And in India, which is fast becoming a global center for telemarketing, customer support and other call center services, ICTs are transforming the economy. With the legalization of Internet telephony, India has captured an even bigger chunk of the global outsourcing market, with calls from the US accounting for 80 percent of call center business. Schools are even training young men and women to speak in an American accent in order to handle the calls.

C. Health services also benefit from ICTs. Using the Internet, doctors in poor countries can keep up to speed with the latest developments in their field as well as seek help from their peers. This technology can also facilitate the control of diseases. Throughout Africa, for instance, individual cases of meningitis are tracked over the Internet so that epidemics can be stopped early. In addition, ICTs can assist in allowing healthcare professionals to extend their reach through telemedicine into the remotest and most underserved areas.

D. ICTs can make it easier to reach a broad segment of the population in education too. The African Virtual University is a distance learning project which is partly financed by the World Bank, and which serves the countries of sub-Saharan Africa. The Virtual University uses satellites to broadcast televised courses to students who communicate with teachers by e-mail and telephone,

E. Finally, we come to what has been dubbed ‘e-government', E-government initiatives focus on making government transparent and accountable by providing citizens with direct access to information. Critics might argue that when you're being stalked by war, hunger and disease, this may be a priority. But the e-government is about more than just the ability to pay your taxes online or apply for a driving license over the Internet. It is about giving citizens access to information which allows them to make informed decisions on subjects that affect their lives.

F. But how can those people who need ICT capabilities most be best helped to bridge the Digital Divide? Throwing computers and modems at people (as someone colorfully puts it) will not in itself help much. Other important issues that need to be addressed include improving computer and keyboarding skills and increasing people's confidence in their ability to use the new technology,

G. A good example of how this can be done is the Information Village Project, a computer intranet linking ten villages near Pondicherry, India. The project started with a $120,000 grant from the International Development Research Centre. Canada, provides locally relevant information on product prices. healthcare, weather and fishing conditions. A team of volunteers from each village gathers up the information and feeds it into the computer in the local language (Tamil). It is then available to all users or the intranet. There is also a multimedia component to make the information accessible to illiterate users. Most of the operators and volunteers providing the primary information are women, and their

role in the project raises their status in the community. Since most of the villages experience erratic power supply, the project can run on solar power as well as mains electricity.

H. Another Indian creation, the Simputer (short for Simple. Inexpensive, Multilingual computer) was conceived by a team of computer scientists at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore. It is a small, hand-held. battery-powered computer about 12 em by 7 cm that has a touch-sensitive screen. You use a stylus to tap on icons and to input information. Because each display page Shows only a few possible commends, illiterate users should be able to learn by trial and error the purpose of the icons and buttons on each page. The Simputer also has software that can turn text into speech. This works for various Indian languages and allows the Simputer to read the text aloud on its tiny built-in speakers. It also has a Slot for 'smart' cards, a feature that its makers see as crucial. Because the device lacks a hard drive, smart cards act as the device's portable storage units, In this way, many people can use one Simputer without having to share their private information with one another, The Simputer costs $200 — a sizable chunk of the yearly per capita income for many of its users, But one Simputer can enable an entire village to access the Internet. perform transactions, keep track of agricultural prices and educate its children.

I. So bridging the Digital Divide is not something that happens after addressing the ‘core' development challenges; it is a key component of addressing those challenges in the 21st century. Failure to address the Digital Divide Will only exacerbate the existing social and economic inequalities between countries and communities_

Questions 27-31

use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.

27. In order to allow global use of ICTs, people need to have the skill and…………… to use this technology.

Answer: CONFIDENCE

Supporting statement:increasing people's confidence in their ability to use the new technology,

Keywords: confidence, ability

Keyword Location: Para F, Line 4

Explanation:According to the passage it is clear that in order for people to make the most of ICTs, they need to have better computer skills and more confidence. These problems should be addressed rather than only giving people computers.

28. In Africa, use of the Internet enables ……………of diseases such as meningitis to be controlled.

Answer: CONTROL

Supporting statement:Throughout Africa, for instance, individual cases of meningitis are tracked over the Internet so that epidemics can be stopped early.

Keywords: africa, epidemics

Keyword Location: Para C, Lines 3-4

Explanation: According to the passage it is clear that meningitis cases in Africa are being tracked over the Internet in order to prevent their spread and control them early on.

29. An international organization has subsidized a …………….scheme in Africa which depends on ICTS.

Answer: DISTANCE LEARNING

Supporting statement:The African Virtual University is a distance learning project which is partly financed by the World Bank

Keywords: virtual, distance

Keyword Location: Para D, Line 2

Explanation: According to the given passage an international corporation called the World Bank has partially funded the African Virtual University, a distance learning program in Africa. Through the use of satellites, the program broadcasts classes and makes it easier for students to communicate with teachers via phone and email (ICTs).

30. E-government provides people with a source of……………. so they can make their own choices in life.

Answer: (GOVERNMENT) INFORMATION

Supporting statement: It is about giving citizens access to information which allows them to make informed decisions on subjects that affect their lives.

Keywords: citizens, information

Keyword Location: Para E, Line 5

Explanation: According to the passage it is evident that the e-government initiative has made government information accessible to citizens, enabling them to make rational choices on matters that impact their lives.

31. The example of the Tanzanian company's telecommunications bill demonstrates how information and communication technology can cut……………

Answer: COSTS

Supporting statement:Tanzania replaced $20 faxes with 10 cent emails and saw its telecommunications bill go from over $500 per month to $45 per month.

Keywords: Tanzania,month

Keyword Location: Para B, Lines 4-5

Explanation:The given passage it can be figured out that a Tanzanian business decreased its monthly telecommunications expenditure from $500 to $45 by switching from faxes to emails (information and communication technology). This demonstrates how information and communication technology can reduce the cost of things.

Questions 32-37

Classify the following features according to whether they apply to

A the Information Village Project only

B. the Simputer only

C. both the Information Village Project and the Simputor

D. neither the Information Village Project nor the Simputer

32. use of the technology is not limited to individuals

Answer: C

Supporting statement: A good example of how this can be done is the Information Village Project, a computer intranet linking ten villages near Pondicherry, India.

In this way, many people can use one Simputer without having to share their private information with one another

Keywords: intranet, information

Keyword Location: Para G&H, Line 1& 9

Explanation:A village or more is using the Simputer and the Information Village Project, according to the above statements therefore it can be said that its use isn't restricted to people.

33. information can be kept secure and private by individual users

Answer: B

Supporting statement:In this way, many people can use one Simputer without having to share their private information with one another

Keywords: Simputer, information

Keyword Location: Para , Line

Explanation:According to the passage the users of the Simputer can keep their information private and secure, in contrast to the Information Village Project, where all intranet users have access to it

34. must have a mains electricity supply

Answer: D

Supporting statement:Since most of the villages experience erratic power supply, the project can run on solar power as well as mains electricity…

It is a small, hand-held battery-powered computer about 12 cm by 7 cm that has a touch-sensitive screen

Keywords: battery, power

Keyword Location: Para , Line

Explanation:The Information Village Project and the Simputer are not entirely reliant on a primary power source, as mentioned in the passage. The latter is a battery-powered computer, but the former is also solar-powered.

35. initially supported by an overseas agency

Answer: A

Supporting statement: The project started with a $120,000 grant from the International Development Research Centre. Canada

Keywords: $120,000, canada

Keyword Location: Para , Line

Explanation:According to the passage the International Development Research Centre in Canada, an international organization, provided funding for the Information Village Project to begin operations.

36. can only be used by people who can read and write

Answer: D

Supporting statement: There is also a multimedia component to make the information accessible to illiterate users.

illiterate users should be able to learn by trial and error the purpose of the icons and buttons on each page.

Keywords: illiterate, users

Keyword Location: Para , Line

Explanation: The passage states that both the Information Village Project and the Simputer can be used by people who cannot read or write.

37. knowledge of English not required

Answer: C

Supporting statement:There is also a multimedia component to make the information accessible to illiterate users.

illiterate users should be able to learn by trial and error the purpose of the icons and buttons on each page.

Keywords: multimedia, purpose

Keyword Location: Para , Line

Explanation: The passage states that illiterate people can also use the Information Village Project and the Simputer to access information. In the Information Village Project people with no knowledge of English can use the information provided on the intranet by the volunteers.

Questions 38-40

Choose the best answer, A, B, C or D.

38.What reason is given for the increasing importance of call centers to the Indian economy?

A. the availability of workers with the right accent

B. a change in the legal system

C. local familiarity with outsourcing techniques

D. the country's geographical position

Answer: B

Supporting statement:call center services, ICTs are transforming the economy. With the legalization of Internet telephony

Keywords: center, economy

Keyword Location: Para , Line

Explanation: With the legalization of internet telephony the importance and demand for call centers are increasing in the Indian economy.

39. The writer says that in both health and education

A. more training is needed in the use of ICTs.

B. International organizations need to provide more support With ICTS.

C. Ordinary people are gaining more skill in the use of ICTs,

D. ICTs can help to provide services to more people than before,

Answer: D

Supporting statement: ICTs can assist in allowing healthcare professionals to extend their reach through telemedicine into the remotest and most underserved areas.

ICTs can make it easier to reach a broad segment of the population in education too.

Keywords:

Keyword Location: Para , Line

Explanation:According to the passage ICT provides people living in remote areas to get professional healthcare through telemedicine and a large segment of people can also get general education of knowledge.

40. Overall the writer's main argument in this passage is that

A. ICT access is a basic need for a fairer world.

B. the digital divide is the cause of our present inequalities

C. the developed world should do more to provide ICT training

D. the digital divide may never be successfully bridged.

Answer: A

Supporting statement:(ICTs) benefit the two -thirds or humanity who are more concerned about their next meal than about email or eBay?

Keywords: humanity,concerned

Keyword Location: Para , Line

Explanation: The whole point of the passage is how ICTs can benefit the weaker section of the society in many ways as it is a basic need to make a fairer world

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