The Human Brain Reading Answers

Jul 3, 2025

The Human Brain Reading Answers is an IELTS Reading Answer that contains 14 questions and needs to be completed within 20 minutes. This reading answer also helps you to prepare for your IELTS exam. The Human Brain Reading Answers consists of questions like: Choose the correct letter, Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in Reading Passage 3? Write yes, no or not given and complete each sentence with the correct ending, A-F.

Participants should go through the IELTS Reading passage to recognise synonyms, identify keywords, and answer the questions. It's critical to comprehend the guidelines for every question type and create effective ways to manage time if you wish to receive excellent band scores. Candidates can use IELTS reading practice questions and answers to enhance their performance in the reading section.

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Topic

THE HUMAN BRAIN

An introduction to a book about recent findings

The human brain has been slow to give up its secrets. Until relatively recently the machinations that give rise to our thoughts, memories, feelings and perceptions were impossible to examine directly - their nature could only be inferred by observing their effects. Now, however, new imaging techniques make the internal world of the mind visible, much as X-rays reveal our bones. Functional brain scanning machines are now opening up the territory of the mind just as the first ocean-going ships once opened up the globe.

The challenge of mapping this world - locating the precise brain activity that creates specific experiences and behavioural responses - is currently engaging some of the finest scientists in the world. This book brings news of their discoveries in a way that will make them comprehensible even to those with no knowledge of, or specific interest in, science.

Everyone should be enthralled by this venture because it is giving us greater understanding about one of the oldest and most fundamental of mysteries - the relationship between brain and mind. It is also providing fascinating insights into ourselves and shedding light on unusual

and bizarre behaviour. The biological basis of mental illness, for example, is now demonstrable: no one can reasonably watch the frenzied, localised activity in the brain of a person driven by some obsession, or see the dull glow of a depressed brain, and still doubt that these are physical conditions rather than some sickness of the soul. Similarly, it is now possible to locate and observe the mechanics of rage, violence and misperception, and even to detect the physical signs of complex qualities of mind like kindness, humour, heartlessness, gregariousness, altruism, mother-love and self-awareness.

The knowledge that brain mapping is delivering is not only enlightening, it is of immense practical and social importance because it paves the way for us to recreate ourselves mentally in a way that has previously been described only in science fiction. Rather as knowledge

of the human genome is enabling us to begin manipulating the fundamental physical processes that give rise to our bodies, so brain mapping is providing the navigational tool required to control brain activity in a precise and radical way.

Unlike genetic engineering, gaining this control does not depend on the development of tricky new technology - all it will take is a little refinement of existing methods and techniques like drugs, surgery, electrical and magnetic manipulation and psychological intervention. These are limited only in that, at present, they are (literally) hit-and-miss. When our brain maps are complete, however, it will be possible to target psychoactive treatments so finely that an individual's state of mind (and thus behaviour) will be almost entirely open to being changed. It may even be possible to alter individual perception to the extent that we could, if we chose, live in a state of virtual reality, almost entirely unaffected by the external environment.

This is an old ambition, of course, reflected in our perpetual attempts to alter our consciousness through sensation-seeking and trances. What is new is that brain mapping may soon make it possible without any of the usual drawbacks. The personal, social and political implications of this are awesome, and one of the most serious ethical questions we face in this century is deciding how this powerful new tool should be deployed.

Those who are actually engaged in brain mapping loathe this sort of talk. For people at the leading edge of scientific research, where findings are often hyped in the scramble for funding, they are oddly reticent about the potential uses of their work. One reason for this is that modern behavioural neuroscience is a new discipline and its practitioners have come into it from many different fields: physics, radiology, neurology, molecular biology, psychology and psychiatry - even mathematics and philosophy. They have yet to develop a group mentality or a commonly agreed purpose beyond their immediate task of charting brain function. Many neuroscientists are also terrified of what might happen if their work is ever subjected to the tabloid treatment that has been meted out to their opposite numbers in genetics. The Human Genome Project has led to endless apocalyptic headlines, and as a result, the geneticists are now closely scrutinised and controlled. Brain researchers can do without that sort of attention.

The result of this reticence is that while we all debate and fret about the moral and practical implications of genetic engineering, brain mapping tends to be regarded as the geeks' corner of psychology - interesting, no doubt, for those who like that sort of thing, but of no practical importance. When news leaks out it tends to be in isolated blips: one tiny piece of brain tissue is found to be the source of fear: the connection between the two hemispheres appears to be denser in women than in men; damage is found in the frontal lobes of a disproportionate number of murderers on Death Row. Each of these stories generates a brief flurry of speculation, but their full significance is rarely elucidated.

Questions 27-31

Choose the correct letter.

27. The writer refers to X-rays to make the point that

A. the study of the brain has been helped by developments in X-rays.

B. previously invisible brain activity can now be seen.

C. the study of bones is more advanced than the study of the brain.

D. it is now as easy to study the brain as it is to study bones.

Answer: B

Supporting statement: Functional brain scanning machines are now opening up the territory of the mind just as the first ocean-going ships once opened up the globe.

Keywords: machines, territory

Keyword Location: Para 1, Line 5

Explanation: The writer of the passage refers to X-rays to point out that previously invisible brain activities can now be scanned with the help of the machines.

28. What does the writer say about research into the brain in the second paragraph?

A. It is creating interest among many people who are not scientists.

B. Its findings have been under-reported among scientists.

C. It is changing generally held ideas about how the brain functions.

D. Its purpose is to link feelings and behaviour to what is happening in the brain.

Answer: D

Supporting statement: The challenge of mapping this world - locating the precise brain activity that creates specific experiences and behavioural responses

Keywords: experiences, behavioural

Keyword Location: Para 2, Line 2

Explanation: The author discusses the brain mapping problem in the second paragraph, which involves identifying the precise brain activity that causes particular emotions and behavioural reactions.

29. In the third paragraph, the writer refers to 'the dull glow of a depressed brain' as evidence that mental illness

A. has physical causes.

B. is becoming more common.

C. brings about certain effects in the body.

D. can cause rage and violence.

Answer: A

Supporting statement: or see the dull glow of a depressed brain, and still doubt that these are physical conditions rather than some sickness of the soul.

Keywords: depressed, physical

Keyword Location: Para 3, Lines 6-7

Explanation: The author still questions if these are physical ailments rather than some sort of soul sickness, citing "the dull glow of a depressed brain" as proof of mental illness in the third paragraph.

30. The writer mentions science fiction in order to suggest that

A. research into the brain is stimulating the writing of science fiction.

B. it influences people's attitude towards brain mapping.

C. it has inspired scientists to carry out research into the brain.

D. some activities that were purely fictional will soon be real.

Answer: D

Supporting statement: paves the way for us to recreate ourselves mentally in a way that has previously been described only in science fiction.

Keywords: mentally, fiction

Keyword Location: Para 4, Lines 2-3

Explanation: The author references science fiction to imply that the information provided by brain mapping is not only revealing but also of great practical and societal importance since it opens the door for us to mentally recreate ourselves in ways that have only been previously shown in science fiction.

31. In the fourth paragraph, the writer claims that

A. certain objectives are still only achievable in science fiction.

B. genome research has influenced research into the brain.

C. it is becoming possible to make the brain do as we wish.

D. research is challenging certain ideas about the brain.

Answer: C

Supporting statement: so brain mapping is providing the navigational tool required to control brain activity in a precise and radical way.

Keywords: mapping, control

Keyword Location: Para 4, Lines 5-6

Explanation: In the fourth paragraph, the author asserts that brain mapping is offering the navigational aid needed to precisely and greatly regulate brain function.

Questions 32-37

Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in Reading Passage 3? Write

YES - if the statement agrees with the views of the writer

NO - If the statement contradicts the views of the writer

NOT GIVEN - if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks

32. The book is targeted at readers with a scientific background.

Answer: NO

Supporting statement: This book brings news of their discoveries in a way that will make them comprehensible even to those with no knowledge of, or specific interest in, science.

Keywords: knowledge, science

Keyword Location: Para 2, Line 4

Explanation: According to the text, the book is not targeted at readers with a scientific background, but even to those who have no knowledge of, or specific interest in, science.

33. Gaining control over the brain will require complicated new technology.

Answer: NO

Supporting statement: Unlike genetic engineering, gaining this control does not depend on the development of tricky new technology

Keywords: genetic, technology

Keyword Location: Para 5, Lines 1-2

Explanation: According to the text, gaining control over the brain will not require the development of tricky new technology.

34. Maps of the brain will make it possible to alter specific aspects of people's behaviour.

Answer: YES

Supporting statement: almost entirely open to being changed. It may even be possible to alter individual perception to the extent that we could,

Keywords: alter, perception

Keyword Location: Para 5, Lines 6-7

Explanation: The brain's maps may have the capacity to change how we perceive things to the point where we could

35. It is desirable to reduce the impact on our lives of what is outside us.

Answer: NOT GIVEN

Explanation: No information is given in the text about the above-asked statement.

36. Discussion about ethical issues is being influenced by governments.

Answer: NOT GIVEN

Explanation: No information is given in the text about the above-asked statement.

37. The findings of scientific research are sometimes exaggerated in order to attract investment.

Answer: YES

Supporting statement: scientific research, where findings are often hyped in the scramble for funding,

Keywords: scientific research, funding

Keyword Location: Para 7, Line 2

Explanation: According to the text, scientific research results are occasionally exaggerated to draw in funding.

Questions 38-40

Complete each sentence with the correct ending, A-F.

38. Behavioural neuroscientists do not want to discuss

Answer: E

Supporting statement: they are oddly reticent about the potential uses of their work.

Keywords: reticent, potential

Keyword Location: Para 7, Line 3

Explanation: It is not the intention of behavioural neuroscientists to address the appropriate use of their study findings.

39. A number of behavioural neuroscientists wish to avoid

Answer: B

Supporting statement: Many neuroscientists are also terrified of what might happen if their work is ever subjected to the tabloid treatment that has been meted out to their opposite numbers in genetics.

Keywords: neuroscientists, tabloid

Keyword Location: Para 7, Lines 7-8

Explanation: Several behavioural neuroscientists want to steer clear of possible effects if their research is ever given the same publicity that has been given to their genetics counterparts.

40. The findings of behavioural neuroscience are usually treated as

Answer: A

Supporting statement: interesting, no doubt, for those who like that sort of thing, but of no practical importance.

Keywords: doubt, importance

Keyword Location: Para 8, Lines 3-4

Explanation: The results of behavioural neuroscience are typically seen as having little impact on society.

A. something of limited interest.

B. the kind of media coverage that geneticists receive.

C. an expectation that discoveries about the brain will be ignored.

D. potential applications that have proved disappointing.

E. the way that the results of their research should be used.

F. any way of attracting researchers from other fields.