Left or Right Handed Bath Water IELTS Reading Answers

Feb 9, 2023

Left or Right Handed Bath Water IELTS Reading Answers is an academic reading topic discussing in detail study about the both left and right handed people. The given IELTS topic has originated from the book named “IELTS - The Complete Guide to General Reading”. The topic named Left or Right Handed Bath Water IELTS Reading Answers has a total of 14 wide range of questions included. The topic consists of four different sorts of questions, like, choose the correct answer, no more than two words, complete the following sentences, and choose the correct letter. The candidates should thoroughly read the IELTS reading passage to recognize the synonyms and identify the keywords and answer the questions below. IELTS reading practice papers can be taken into consideration by the candidates in order to score a good score in the reading section in which similar topics like Left or Right Handed Bath Water IELTS Reading Answers has been included.

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Section 1

Read the passage to answer the following questions

Left or Right Handed Bath Water IELTS Reading Answers

Left- or right-handed bathwater? This seems a silly question, but it was the subject of a serious scientific investigation sponsored by the Daily Mail in 1965. The investigation showed that the direction water swirls down the plug-hole vortex depends on which side of the Equator you are.

As for homo sapiens, between 5 and 30% of the population are estimated to be left-handed, with more males than females,’ although .in one test, 95% of fetuses were found to suck their right thumb in the womb. The general consensus of opinion is that left-handedness is determined by a dominant right cerebral hemisphere controlling the left side of the body, and vice versa. Hereditary factors have been ruled out. So too have earlier theories concerning the 262 need for soldiers to shield their hearts, and the desirability of learning to use Stone Age tools and implements with the hand they were designed for, as well as Plato’s idea that it all boiled down to which arm a baby was cradled with. However, the almost universal human preference for dextrality, or right-handedness, remains a mystery.

Prejudice against the left-hand dates back to ancient times and is so entwined with religious beliefs and superstitions that it still exists today, in everyday speech. Sinister, the Latin for the left hand, means ‘suggestive of evil’ in English, while the French gauche is awkward, or clumsy. Left itself derives from Anglo Saxon left (weak and fragile). The nonjudgmental term southpaw, by contrast, originates from the Chicago baseball stadium where pitchers faced west, so the pitching arm of a lefthander is to the South.

Other negative terms include pen pushers, while a left-handed compliment is actually an insult. Thomas Carlyle, who described right-handedness as the oldest institution in the world, introduced the political concept of ‘left’ in his work on the French Revolution – in the 1789 Paris Assembly the nobles sat on the right, opposite the radicals.

Associations with luck also go back to early history. The ancient Greek and Roman augurs foretold the future of bird-flight. While the former faced North, with the propitious sunrise side to their right, the latter, before changing later, when sinister took on its’ ominous meaning, looked southward, so the left was for good omens.

Superstitions world-wide reflect this bias. In Morocco, as in many countries, an itchy left palm means losing money, and a twitching left eyelid denotes the death of a relative or sorrow, whereas the right side has felicitous indications. We throw salt over our left shoulder to thwart the demons creeping up on us, but blessed with the right hand. One pours wine with this hand and passes it around the table clockwise, the direction of the sun.

Our relatives, the primates, appear to be ambidextrous, or able to use both hands, although gorillas have heavier left arms seemingly due to greater utilization. Aristotle observed that crabs and lobsters had larger right claws. Rats are 80% dextral, yet polar bears are believed to be left-pawed. Flatfish provide interesting data: in northern seas, plaice and sole have their eyes and color on the right side, but tropical halibut are the other way round. If this is to do with light and sun rotation, it may explain why Indian Ocean sole is reversed, but not why northern halibut are’ just as sinistral as their southern cousins. In the plant kingdom, honeysuckle is a rare example of a left-handed climber that twines anticlockwise, or widdershins!

Although we live in a more tolerant age, not so long ago in the UK youngsters were forced to use their right hand, ‘to learn the value of conformity’ (A. N. Palmer), often resulting in the stuttering speech defects common in ‘switched sinistrals’ like George VI. In the 1950s the American psychiatrist Abram Blau accused left-handed children of infantile perversity and a stubborn refusal to accept dextrality.

Not all experts were so anti- sinistral, however. The 17th century Norfolk scholar Sir Thomas Browne wrote of the prejudices against left-handedness but accepted that a small proportion of people would always be so and saw no reason to prevent them. Apart from being considered difficult, anti-social troublemakers, left-handers have also been thought to be artistic, creative and gifted.

Famous lefties include Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Benjamin Franklin, Bill Clinton, Joan of Arc, Lewis Carroll, Paul McCartney, Jimi Hendrix, Jean Genet, Beethoven and many others.

Finally, in defense of all sinistral, if the left side of the body is really controlled by the right hemisphere of the brain, then left-handers are the only people in their right minds!

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Questions 1-5

Choose the correct letter A, B, C or D.

Question 1. The direction of water going down the plug-hole

is not related to where you are.
is independent of the side of the Equator you are on.
is linked to the side of the Equator you are on.
was first discovered by the Daily Mail in the 1950s.

Answer: C
Supporting sentence: the direction water swirls down the plug-hole vortex depends on which side of the Equator you are.
Keyword : direction, water, depends, Equator
Keyword location: paragraph 1, lines 3-4
Explanation: Lines 3-4 of paragraph 1 states that it may seem foolish to debate whether to use left- or right-handed bathwater. The Daily Mail sponsored a rigorous scientific study on the topic in 1965. According to the experiment, the side of the equator you are on determines which way the water swirls down the plug-hole vortex.

Question 2. In determining left-handedness, hereditary factors are generally considered

as important.
as having no impact.
as being a major influence.
as being the prime cause.

Answer: B
Supporting sentence: hereditary factors have been ruled out.
Keyword : left-handedness, hereditary, factors, ruled out
Keyword location: paragraph 2, lines 3-5
Explanation: Lines 3-5 of paragraph 2 implies that the widespread view is that left-handedness is determined by a dominant right cerebral hemisphere. It is happened by directing the left side of the body, and vice versa. Hereditary influences have been disregarded.

Question 3. The reason why

almost everyone is right-handed is unknown.
some people are right-handed is ambiguous.
Plato worked out the mystery of left-handedness is not known.
many people are right-handed is now clear.

Answer: C
Supporting sentence: Plato’s idea that it all boiled down to which arm a baby was cradled with.
Keyword : Plato’s, idea, boiled down, mystery
Keyword location: paragraph 2, lines 7-9
Explanation: Lines 7-9 of paragraph 2 states about Plato’s theory. Plato's theory that everything came down to whatever arm an infant was cuddled with. But it's still unclear why people tend to be right-handed or dextral, which is practically universal.

Question 4. The word ‘southpaw’ is

an Anglo-Saxon term.
not a negative term.
suggestive of evil.
a negative term.

Answer: D
Supporting sentence: The nonjudgmental term southpaw, by contrast, originates from the Chicago baseball stadium where pitchers faced west
Keyword : nonjudgmental, term, contrast, pitchers
Keyword location: paragraph 3, lines 4-5
Explanation: Lines 4-5 of paragraph 3 implies that Anglo Saxon left is where the word left originates, weak and fragile. Contrarily, the neutral term southpaw comes from the Chicago baseball stadium where pitchers faced west. This indicates that a lefthander's pitching arm is to the south.

Question 5. The left was connected with

being unclean by the Greeks.
goodness by the French.
fortune and bird-flight by many cultures.
good fortune in ancient Greece and Rome.

Answer: C
Supporting sentence: The ancient Greek and Roman augurs foretold the future of bird-flight.
Keyword : ancient, Greek, Roman, bird-flight
Keyword location: paragraph 5, lines 1-2
Explanation: The first two lines of paragraph 5 explains that bird flying was foreseen by the ancient Greek and Roman oracles. The latter, before changing later, when sinister took on its foreboding sense, facing southward, so the left was for favorable omens. The earlier faced North, with the advantageous sunrise side to their right.

Questions 6-9

Answer the questions below.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

Question 6. Who was the originator of the political concept of left?

Answer: THOMAS CARLYLE
Supporting sentence: Thomas Carlyle, who described right-handedness as the oldest institution in the world, introduced the political concept of ‘left’ in his work
Keyword : Thomas Carlyle, institution, left, work
Keyword location: paragraph 4, lines 2-3
Explanation: Lines 2-3 of paragraph 4 explains about Thomas Carlyle. In his study on the French Revolution, Thomas Carlyle defined right-handedness as the oldest institution. He described right handedness to be the oldest in the world, developed the political idea of left. In the 1789 Paris Assembly, the nobles sat on the right, opposite the radicals.

Question 7. What did the ancient Romans use to predict the future?

Answer: BIRD FLIGHT
Supporting sentence: The ancient Greek and Roman augurs foretold the future of bird-flight.
Keyword : ancient, Greek, Roman, bird-flight
Keyword location: paragraph 5, lines 2-3
Explanation: Lines 2-3 of paragraph 5 implies that the ancient Greek and Roman augurs predicted the development of bird flight. The latter, before changing later, when sinister took on its foreboding sense, facing southward, so the left was for favourable omens. The earlier faced North, with the advantageous sunrise side to their right.

Question 8. What does an itchy palm in the left hand mean?

Answer: LOSING MONEY
Supporting sentence: In Morocco, as in many countries, an itchy left palm means losing money
Keyword : Superstitions, Morocco, countries, losing money
Keyword location: paragraph 6, lines 1-2
Explanation: The first two lines of paragraph 6 says that the bias is reflected in superstitions around the world. In Morocco, as in many other nations, a scratchy left palm indicates financial loss, and a twitching left eyelid signifies a loved one's passing or sadness. Although, the right side has fortunate indicators.

Question 9. In which direction is wine passed around the table?

Answer: CLOCKWISE
Supporting sentence: One pours wine with this hand and passes it around the table clockwise, the direction of the sun.
Keyword : wine, clockwise, direction, sun
Keyword location: paragraph 6, lines 4-5
Explanation: Lines 4-5 of paragraph 6 states that the right hand is blessed while the salt is flung in the left shoulder to fend off the devils closing in. With this hand, one pours wine, which is then passed clockwise and sunward around the table.

Questions 10-13

Complete each sentence with the correct ending A-G.

appear to have been against left-handedness.
are usually the same in both hemispheres.
are apparently not always dependent on the hemisphere.
seems to have difficulty using both hands.
looked at left-handedness with indifference.
tend to grow clockwise rather than anti-clockwise.
seem to use their left-hand more.

Question 10. Gorillas, unlike other primates,

Answer: D
Supporting sentence: although gorillas have heavier left arms seemingly due to greater utilization.
Keyword : although, gorillas, seemingly, greater utilization
Keyword location: paragraph 7, lines 1-2
Explanation: The first two lines of paragraph 7 says that gorillas have thicker left arms. This is perhaps as a result of more frequent use, our ape relatives appear to be ambidextrous, or able to utilise both hands. Crabs and lobsters have longer right claws, according to Aristotle.

Question 11. Fish color and eye position

Answer: C
Supporting sentence: Flatfish provide interesting data: in northern seas, plaice and sole have their eyes and color on the right side
Keyword : Flatfish, data, eyes and color, right side
Keyword location: paragraph 7, lines 4-5
Explanation: The fourth to fifth lines of paragraph 7 explains that flatfish provide intriguing data. The reversal of the Indian Ocean's sole may be explained if this has to do with the rotation of the sun and light.

Question 12. Most plant climbers

Answer: G
Supporting sentence: honeysuckle is a rare example of a left-handed climber that twines anticlockwise, or widdershins
Keyword : honeysuckle, example, climber, widdershins
Keyword location: paragraph 7, lines 7-8
Explanation: Lines 7-8 of paragraph 6 implies that the ocean sole is reversed. However, that doesn't explain why northern halibut are as sinistral as their southern brethren. Honeysuckle is a rare instance of a left-handed climber that twines anticlockwise, or widdershins, in the plant kingdom.

Question 13. In the past some experts

Answer: E
Supporting sentence: Not all experts were so anti-sinistral, however.
Keyword : experts, anti, sinistral
Keyword location: paragraph 9, line 1
Explanation: The first line of paragraph 9 portrays that not all experts were so anti-sinistral. Sir Thomas Browne, a Norfolk scholar who lived in the 17th century, wrote about prejudices against left-handedness. Although, he acknowledged that a small percentage of people would always be left-handed and saw no reason to stop them.

Question 14

Choose the correct letter A, B, C, D or E.

Which of the following is the most suitable title for Reading Passage?

Left-handedness and primates
A defense of right-handedness
A defense of left-handedness
Left-handedness and good luck
Left-handedness and bad luck

Question 14:

Answer: C
Supporting sentence: Finally, in defense of all sinistral, if the left side of the body is really controlled by the right hemisphere of the brain
Keyword : defense, sinistral, left side, controlled,
Keyword location: paragraph 11, lines 1-2
Explanation: Paragraph 11 states that in justification of all sinister, left-handers are the only ones who are rational. It is controlled by the right hemisphere. Thus, option C is the best suited title for the given extract.