The Listener Must Be Kept Listening IELTS Reading Answers

Aug 30, 2023

The listener must be kept listening IELTS Reading Answers is a general reading subject that explores The listener must be kept listening. The listener must be kept listening IELTS reading answers, have a total of thirteen questions. The specified topic generates a single type of question: True/False/Not Given. Candidates should read the IELTS Reading passage thoroughly in order to recognize synonyms, identify keywords, and answer the questions below. IELTS reading practice papers, which feature topics such as The listener must be kept listening IELTS Reading Answers. Candidates can use IELTS reading answers to enhance their performance in the reading section.

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

Section 1

The Listener Must Be Kept Listening IELTS Reading Answers

It was told, we suppose, to people crouched around a fire: a tale of adventure, most likely-relating some close encounter with death; a remarkable hunt, an escape from mortal danger; a vision, or something else out of the ordinary. Whatever its thread, the weaving of this story was done with prime purpose. The listeners must be kept listening. They must not fall asleep. So, as the story went on, its audience should be sustained by one question above all. What happens next?
The first fireside stories in human history can never be known. They were kept in the heads of those who told them. of This method of storage is not necessarily inefficient. From documented oral traditions in Australia, the Balkans and other parts of the world we know that specialized storytellers and poets can recite from memory literally thousands of lines, in verse or prose, verbatim-word for word. But while memory is rightly considered an art in itself, it is clear that a primary purpose of making symbols is to have a system of reminders or mnemonic cues - signs that assist us to recall certain information in the mind's eye.
In some Polynesian communities, a notched memory stick may help to guide a storyteller through successive stages of recitation. But in other parts of the world, the activity of storytelling historically resulted in the development or even the invention of writing systems. One theory about the arrival of literacy in ancient Greece, for example, argues that the epic tales about the Trojan War and the wanderings of Odysseus - traditionally attributed to Homer - were just so enchanting to hear that they had to be preserved. So the Greeks, c.750-700BC, borrowed an alphabet from their neighbors in the eastern Mediterranean, the Phoenicians.
The custom of recording stories on parchment and other materials can be traced in many manifestations around the world, from the priestly papyrus archives of ancient Egypt to the birch-bark scrolls on which the North American Ojibway Indians set down their creation-myth. It is a well-tried and universal practice: so much so that to this day storytime is probably most often associated with words on paper. The formal practice of narrating a story aloud would seem-so we assume-to have given way to newspapers, novels and comic strips. This, however, is not the case. Statistically, it is doubtful that the majority of humans currently rely upon the written word to get access to stories. So what is the alternative source?
Each year, over 7 billion people will go to watch the latest offering from Hollywood, Bollywood and beyond. The supreme storyteller of today is cinema. The movies, as distinct from still photography, seem to be an essential modem phenomenon. This is an illusion, for there are, as we shall see, certain ways in which the medium of film is indebted to very old precedents of arranging 'sequences' of images. But any account of visual storytelling must be with the recognition that all storytelling beats with a deeply atavistic pulse: that is, a 'good story' relies upon formal patterns of plot and characterisation that have been embedded in the practice of storytelling over many generations.
Thousands of scripts arrive every week at the offices of the major film studios. But aspiring screenwriters really need to look no further for essential advice then the fourth-century BC Greek Philosopher Aristotle. He left some incomplete lecture notes on the art of telling stories in various literary and dramatic modes, a slim volume known as The Poetics. Though he can never have envisaged the popcorn-fuelled actuality of a multiplex cinema, Aristotle is almost prescient about the key elements required to get the crowds flocking to such a cultural hub. He analyzed the process with cool rationalism. When a story enchants us, we lose the sense of where we are; we are drawn into the story so thoroughly that we forget it is a story being told. This is, in Aristotle's phrase, 'the suspension of disbelief.
We know the feeling. If ever we have stayed in our seats, stunned with grief, as the credits roll by, or for days after seeing that vivid evocation of horror have been nervous about taking a shower at home, then we have suspended disbelief. We have been caught, or captivated, in the storyteller's web. Did it all really happen? We really thought so-for a while. Aristotle must have witnessed often enough this suspension of disbelief. He taught at Athens, the city where theater developed as a primary form of civic ritual and recreation. Two theatrical types of storytelling, tragedy and comedy, caused Athenian audiences to lose themselves in sadness and laughter respectively. Tragedy, for Aristotle, was particularly potent in its capacity to enlist and then purge the emotions of those watching the story unfold on the stage, so he tried to identify those factors in the storyteller's art that brought about such engagement. He had, as an obvious sample for analysis, not only the fifth-century BC masterpieces of Classical Greek tragedy written by Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides. Beyond them stood Homer, whose stories even then had canonical status: The Iliad and The Odyssey were already considered literary landmarks-stories by which all other stories should be measured. So what was the secret of Homer's narrative art?
It was not hard to find. Homer created credible heroes. His heroes belonged to the past, they were mighty and magnificent, yet they were not, in the end, fantasy figures. He made his heroes sulk, bicker, cheat and cry. They were, in short, characters - protagonists of a story that an audience would care about, would want to follow, would want to know what happens next. As Aristotle saw, the hero who shows a human side-some flaw or weakness to which mortals are prone-is intrinsically dramaticed by logging.

Section 2

Questions 14-18
The Reading Passage has eight paragraphs A-H Which paragraph contains the following information?

A misunderstanding of a modern way for telling stories

Answer: E
Supporting statement: “...that is, a 'good story' relies upon formal patterns of plot and characterisation that have been embedded in the practice of storytelling over many generations....”
Keywords: patterns, embedded
Keyword location: para E, line 7-8
Explanation:The passage E acknowledges that while movies may seem like a contemporary phenomenon, they are actually indebted to old precedents of arranging sequences of images. The passage suggests that cinema, as a medium, is not entirely new but rather builds upon the deep-rooted traditions of storytelling that have been passed down through generations

The typical forms mentioned for telling stories

Answer: G
Supporting statement: “...Two theatrical types of storytelling, tragedy and comedy, caused Athenian audiences to lose themselves in sadness and laughter respectively.....”
Keywords: storytelling, tragedy, comedy
Keyword location: para G, line 8-9
Explanation:The passage mentions two typical forms of storytelling: tragedy and comedy. Tragedy and comedy were prominent theatrical types of storytelling in ancient Athens, where theater developed as a primary form of civic ritual and entertainment.

The fundamental aim of storytelling

Answer: A
Supporting statement: “... The listeners must be kept listening. They must not fall asleep. So, as the story went on, its audience should be sustained by one question above all. What happens next?.....”
Keywords: listener, audience
Keyword location: para A, line 4-5
Explanation:The passage mentions that the fundamental aim of storytelling is to keep the audience engaged and captivated. In the early days, stories were likely told to people gathered around a fire, and the storyteller's prime purpose was to ensure that the listeners remained attentive and did not fall asleep.

A description of reciting stories without any assistance

Answer: B
Supporting statement: “....we know that specialized storytellers and poets can recite from memory literally thousands of lines, in verse or prose, verbatim-word for word. ....”
Keywords: specialized, prose
Keyword location: para B, line 4-5
Explanation:The passage mentions that in the early days of storytelling, the first fireside stories in human history were not recorded in any written form but were instead stored in the memories of the storytellers.

How to make story characters attractive

Answer: H
Supporting statement: “...It was not hard to find. Homer created credible heroes. His heroes belonged to the past, they were mighty and magnificent, yet they were not, in the end, fantasy figures...”
Keywords: credible, magnificent
Keyword location: para H, line 1-2
Explanation:The passage mentions that one way to make story characters attractive is by giving them human qualities and flaws that the audience can relate to. In the case of Homer's heroes, they were not portrayed as perfect or flawless beings. Instead, they were depicted as having emotions, engaging in conflicts, and exhibiting both positive and negative traits.

Questions 19-22
Classify the following information as referring to

adopted the writing system from another country
used organic materials to record stories
used tools to help to tell stories

Egyptians

Answer: B
Supporting statement: “...from the priestly papyrus archives of ancient Egypt to the birch-bark scrolls on which the North American Ojibway Indians set down their creation-myth ...”
Keywords: priestly, scrolls
Keyword location: para D, line 2-3
Explanation:It states that the custom of recording stories on parchment and other materials can be traced in various manifestations around the world, including the priestly papyrus archives of ancient Egypt

Ojibway

Answer:B
Supporting statement: “... papyrus archives of ancient Egypt to the birch-bark scrolls on which the North American Ojibway Indians set down their creation-myth. It is a well-tried and universal practice...”
Keywords: Ojibway, myth
Keyword location: para D, line 2-3
Explanation:The passage indeed mentions the use of organic materials by the Ojibway Indians to record their creation myth. It specifically refers to birch-bark scrolls on which the North American Ojibway Indians set down their creation myth.

Polynesians

Answer:C
Supporting statement: “...In some Polynesian communities, a notched memory stick may help to guide a storyteller through successive stages of recitation...”
Keywords: notched, storyteller
Keyword location: para C , line 1-2
Explanation:The passage does mention that in some Polynesian communities, a notched memory stick is used to guide a storyteller through successive stages of recitation. This tool assists the storyteller in remembering and delivering the story accurately.

Greek

Answer: A
Supporting statement: “...So the Greeks, c.750-700BC, borrowed an alphabet from their neighbors in the eastern Mediterranean, the Phoenicians....”
Keywords: neighbors, eastern
Keyword location: para C, line 7-8
Explanation: The passage mentions that the Greeks, around 750-700 BC, borrowed an alphabet from their neighbors, the Phoenicians, in the eastern Mediterranean. This borrowing of the writing system is attributed to the captivating nature of the epic tales, such as the stories of the Trojan War and the wanderings of Odysseus, which were traditionally attributed to Homer.

Questions 23-26
Complete the sentences below with ONE WORD ONLY from the passage.

Aristotle wrote a book on the art of storytelling called

Answer: THE POETICS
Supporting statement: “...Greek Philosopher Aristotle. He left some incomplete lecture notes on the art of telling stories in various literary and dramatic modes, a slim volume known as The Poetics...”
Keywords: incomplete, dramatic
Keyword location: para F, line 3-4
Explanation: The passage mentions that the Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote a book called "The Poetics" in the fourth century BC. "The Poetics" is a collection of incomplete lecture notes where Aristotle discusses the art of storytelling in various literary and dramatic forms.

Aristotle believed the most powerful type of story to move listeners is

Answer: TRAGEDY
Supporting statement: “...Tragedy, for Aristotle, was particularly potent in its capacity to enlist and then purge the emotions of those watching the story unfold on the stage...”
Keywords: potent, purge
Keyword location: para G, line 9-12
Explanation: According to Aristotle, tragedy was particularly potent in its ability to engage and purge the emotions of the viewers.

Aristotle viewed Homers works as

Answer: LANDMARKS
Supporting statement: “... Beyond them stood Homer, whose stories even then had canonical status: The Iliad and The Odyssey were already considered literary landmarks-stories by which all other stories should be measured....”
Keywords: canonical, literacy
Keyword location: para G, line 14-16
Explanation: The passage mentions that Aristotle considered the works of Homer, specifically "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey," as literary landmarks. These epic poems held a canonical status even during Aristotle's time, and they were regarded as stories against which all other stories should be measured.

Aristotle believed attractive heroes should have some

Answer: FLAW / WEAKNESS
Supporting statement: “...As Aristotle saw, the hero who shows a human side-some flaw or weakness to which mortals are prone-is intrinsically dramaticized by logging.....”
Keywords: weakness, mortals
Keyword location: para H, line 6-7
Explanation: Aristotle recognized the significance of portraying characters with human weaknesses, as it added depth and drama to their stories.

Read more IELTS reading samples