Literacy in Freedonia’s Prisons Reading Answers

Dec 6, 2022

Literacy in Freedonia’s Prisons Reading Answers has 15 sets of questions which the candidates are required to attempt within 20 minutes. The topic includes four different types of questions, like, Identifying Information Questions, List Completion Questions, Summary Completion Questions, Multiple Choice Questions. The candidates should undertake the IELTS reading passage in order to opt for the given sections of Identifying Information Questions, List Completion Questions, Summary Completion Questions, Multiple Choice Questions. A crystal skimming of the IELTS Reading sample is mandatory for the candidates so that they can recognize the synonyms, identify the keywords and understand the gist of the passage given below.

Check: Get 10 Free IELTS Sample Papers
Check: Register for IELTS Coaching - Join for Free Trial Class Now

Reading Passage Questions

In 1993, the Government of Freedonia's National Prisons Directorate (ND) carried out a research project to investigate the extent of literacy in Freedonia's prison population.

The notion that prisoners are poor readers and writers seems to be questioned very little by the public despite the lack of hard evidence to support such a view. The media, in particular, continue to portray prisoners as illiterate and generally poorly educated. Freedonia's leading daily newspaper, The Freedonian, for example, frequently makes such statements as 'Freedonia's jails are full of people who can't read!' (4 May, 1992). But the media are not the only ones who are critical. Research into attitudes of prison officials shows that they, too, hold that prisoners are poor readers (McDonnell, 1989). Overseas studies have also been influential in strengthening this view. For example, a survey of Canadian prisoners by Kohl in 1987 revealed a literacy rate ranging from 15% to 55%, while an Australian study of the same year showed similar results.

To add to the general criticism, Freedonia's criminologists are beginning to suggest that crime is a product of illiteracy (Bass, 1988; Katz & Wallport, 1989). The NPD commissioned its study to compare prisoner literacy with that of the general public to see how Freedonian prisoners actually conform to these perceptions.

The study, carried out by the Literacy Institute of the Freedonian National University, took as samples 200 male prisoners from Yaxchilan Men's Correctional Institute and 150 female prisoners from Monambak Women's Prison. The prisoners were each made to work through a series of activities designed to assess performance in three separate literacy areas. The three areas included what the study termed 'X-literacy', which is the ability to correctly fill out forms or follow written directions; 'Y-literacy', the comprehension of reading passages; and 'Z-literacy', which calls for correct interpretation of text that is primarily number-based. This latter skill often includes some calculation. All activities were identical to those used in a national adult literacy survey carried out in 1990.

It was found that the prison population did, in fact, have a lower rate of X-literacy than the general population, but that the overall difference was slight. in an activity which had the prisoners complete mock job applications, for example, just 62% of female and 60% of male prisoners could correctly fill out the applications compared with 66% in the national adult sample (see figure 1). Similar differences were found between general and prison populations in completing insurance applications, although it should be mentioned that individual differences in this task were great.

5 There were activities in which prisoners did more noticeably worse, however. In one activity, the proportion of male prisoners who could correctly identify the main and secondary points of newspaper articles was 54%, compared with 64% of the general public. Interestingly, female prisoners, with 61%, were much closer to the national average for this activity. Prisoners, again more noticeably males, also did significantly worse in keeping a running total of a bank account, a quantitative task of relative complexity.

6 But, importantly, both male and female prisoners outperformed the national adult sample in other activities; in one, far fewer general adults than prisoners could correctly interpret train timetables, while in identifying directions on medical prescriptions, both male and female prisoners were marginally better than their counterparts on the other side of the prison fence.

The order of bars for each activity in the chart(left to right): Yaxchilan > Monambac > National

The results show that prisoners and the general adult population, seen from an overall perspective, are on an equivalent literacy level. Certainly, prisoners appear to display weaknesses in particular literacy areas, but if the results accurately reflect the prison population as a whole, it would be inaccurate and hence inappropriate to conclude that prisoners are the worse readers and writers. The study should not be taken to suggest that there are no literacy problems among prisoners, however, because while prisoners may be no worse off than the general adult public, the general adult public cannot be said to perform very well in any of the literacy tasks. Indeed, in commenting on the results of the NPD study, Wallport (1994) wrote, 'It seems our initial assessment of literacy among prisoners was not incorrect. Where we were mistaken was in how we viewed the skill levels of the general public.'

Solution and Explanation

Questions 11-13:
The writer mentions several influences on how prisoner literacy is generally viewed. One of these influences is 'Freedonia's criminologists'. Identify THREE other influences. Using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer, write the three influences separately in boxes 11-13 on your answer sheet.

Question 11:

Answer: Media
Supporting Sentence: The media, in particular, continue to portray prisoners as illiterate and generally poorly educated.
Keywords: Influences, prisoner, literacy, viewed
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, Lines 1-4
Explanation: Lines 1-4 of paragraph 2 explains that despite the absence of concrete data to back up this claim, the idea that inmates are bad readers and writers doesn't appear to be challenged very often by the general population. Particularly in the media, inmates are still frequently portrayed as being uneducated and undereducated.

Question 12:

Answer: Prison Officials
Supporting Sentence: Research into attitudes of prison officials shows that they too hold that prisoners are poor readers (McDonnell, 1989).
Keywords: Influences, prisoner, literacy, viewed
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, Lines 7-10
Explanation: Lines 7-10 of paragraph 2 states that the criticism is not limited to the media, though. According to research on prison officials' beliefs, they also believe that prisoners are not good readers (McDonnell, 1989).

Question 13:

Answer: Overseas studies
Supporting Sentence: Overseas studies have also been influential in strengthening this view.
Keywords: Influences, prisoner, literacy, viewed
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, Lines 10-11
Explanation: Lines 10-11 of paragraph 2 explains that one of the three factors determining the prisoners' literacy level has also been international studies.

Questions 14-18:

Below is a list of the materials used in assessing the three literacy areas in the NPD study. Complete the list. Choose ONE or TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 14-18 on your answer sheet.

MATERIALS USED IN:

X-literacy activities

14…..
15…..

Example Medical prescriptions

Y-literacy activities

16……

Z-literacy activities

17……
18.…..

Question 14:

Answer: Job application
Supporting Sentence: It was found that the prison population did, in fact, have a lower rate of X-literacy than the general population, but that the overall difference was slight. In an activity that had the prisoners complete mock job applications.
Keywords: Job, application, prison, population, lower rate, X-literacy, activities
Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, Line 1-4
Explanation: Lines 1-4 of paragraph 4 explaining that although the overall difference was small, it was discovered that the prison population did in fact have a lower rate of X-literacy than the general population. In a task, the inmates had to complete fictitious employment applications.

Question 15:

Answer: Insurance applications
Supporting Sentence: Similar differences were found between general and prison populations in completing insurance applications.
Keywords: X-literacy, activities, Prison, population, completing, insurance, applications
Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, Line 7
Explanation: Lines 7 of paragraph 4 explans that Comparable variations in how people complete insurance applications were discovered in the general population and in prison.

Question 16:

Answer: Newspaper articles
Supporting Sentence: In one activity, the proportion of male prisoners who could correctly identify the main and secondary points of newspaper articles was 54%, compared with 64% of the general public.
Keywords: Y-literacy, activities, prisons, identify, main, secondary points, newspaper, articles
Keyword Location: Paragraph 5, Lines 2-4
Explanation: Lines 2-4 of paragrpah 5 implies that in a particular exercise, only 54% of the male prisoners were able to correctly identify the main and supporting points of newspaper articles, compared to 64% of the general public.

Question 17:

Answer: Train Timetables
Supporting Sentence: In one, far fewer general adults than prisoners could correctly interpret train timetables
Keywords: Z-literacy, activities, prisoners, correctly, interpret, train, timetables
Keyword Location: Paragraph 5, Lines 2-3
Explanation: Lines 2-3 of paragraph 5 wnhances that at the time of participating in Z-literacy activities, prisoners outperformed general adults in understanding the train timetable.

Question 18:

Answer: Bank account
Supporting Sentence: Prisoners, again more noticeably males,significantly worse in keeping a running total of a bank account.
Keywords: Z-literacy, activities, prisoners, worse, bank, account
Keyword Location: Paragraph 5, Line 6
Explanation: Line 6 of paragraph 5 elaborates that in maintaining track of a bank account's balance, inmates again, more clearly men do considerably worse.

Questions 19-21:
Complete the partial summary below: Choose your answers A-F from the list below the summary and write them in boxes 19-21 on your answer sheet.
NB: There are more phrases than spaces so you will not use them all. You may use any of the phrases more than once.

In comparing the NPD study's findings with that of a similar study of the general adult population in 1990, it was shown that the general adult population was most proficient at correctly... E... (Example).

The largest percentage-point difference between female prisoners and male prisoners was found in 19...... Male prisoners scored higher than their female counterparts in 20...... and ranked between female prisoners and the general public in 21......

completing an employment application
completing an insurance application
following medical prescription directions
comprehending newspaper articles
balancing bank accounts
using train timetables

Question 19:

Answer: E- balancing bank accounts
Supporting Sentence: Refer to the diagram
Keywords: Balancing, bank, accounts, largest, percentage-point, difference, female prisoners, male prisoners
Keyword Location: Paragraph 6
Explanation: The figure in the passage illustrates the areas where bank balance calculations differ most. So, E is the right response.

Question 20:

Answer: F- using train timetables
Supporting Sentence: Refer to the diagram
Keywords: Using, train, timetables, male prisoners, scored, higher, female, counterparts
Keyword Location: Paragraph 6
Explanation: The passage's illustration uses train schedules to show how male prisoners receive higher prison ratings than their female counterparts. The right response is therefore F.

Question 21:

Answer: C- following medical prescription directions
Supporting Sentence: Refer to the diagram
Keywords: Ranked, female, prisoners, general, public, following, medical prescription, directions,
Keyword Location: Paragraph 6
Explanation: According to the diagram in the passage, female prisoners performed worse than the general public at following medical prescription instructions. The right response is therefore C.

Questions 22-23:

In analysing the results of the study, the Literacy Institute determined that, due to the sample sizes, differences in scores of 3 percentage points or lower could not be considered significant.

How many of the literacy activities in the NPD study showed a difference between male and female prisoners that was significant?

Answer: 2
Supporting Sentence: Refer to the diagram
Keywords: Literacy activities, NPD study, showed, difference, male, female, prisoners, significant
Keyword Location: Paragraph 6
Explanation: The passage's illustration shows that there was a clear disparity between male and female convicts when it came to "calculating bank balances" and "using newspaper articles." Therefore, the right response is 2..

How many of the literacy activities showed a difference between female prisoners in the NPD study and the general adult public in the national adult study that was NOT significant?

Answer: 1
Supporting Sentence: Refer to the diagram
Keywords: Literacy, activities, showed, difference, female, prisoners, NPD study, general, adult, public, national
Keyword Location: Paragraph 6
Explanation: As shown in the diagram, there were no appreciable differences in the literary activities between female prisoners in the NPD study and the general adult public in the national adult study. The right response is 1, as there is only one literacy activity.

Questions 24-25:

In setting up its study, the NPD wished to ...

see if prisoner illiteracy matched public perceptions.
show that prisoner literacy levels are not lower than those of the general adult public.
identify areas in which prisoners need literacy training.
show that popular perceptions of prisoner literacy are not correct.

Answer: A- see if prisoner illiteracy matched public perceptions
Supporting Sentence: NPD commissioned its study to compare prisoner literacy with that of the general public to see how Freedonian prisoners actually confirm these perceptions.
Keywords: Setting up, study, NPD, wished
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, Last two lines
Explanation: The concluding line of paragraph 2 implies that to discover how Freedonian prisoners truly confirm these beliefs, NPD commissioned a research to compare prisoner literacy with that of the broader public. Thus, option A is the correct answer.

The NPD study suggests that ...

It is inaccurate to say prisoners have a low literacy level.
prisoners compare favourably with the general adult population.
neither prisoner literacy nor general adult literacy is very satisfactory.
prisoners are worse readers and writers than general adults.

Answer: C- prisoners are worse readers and writers than general adults.
Supporting Sentence: The study should not be taken to suggest that there are no literacy problems-among prisoners, however, because while prisoners may be no worse off than the general adult public, the general adult public cannot be said to perform very well in any of the literacy.
Keywords: Setting up, study, NPD, wished
Keyword Location: Paragraph 7, Line 7
Explanation: Line 7 of paragraph 7 suggests that despite the fact that prisoners may not fare any worse than the general adult population, the general adult population cannot be said to perform particularly well in any of the literacy tests, so the study should not be interpreted as indicating that there are no literacy issues among prisoners.

Read more IELTS Reading Samples