The Power of Play Reading Answers

Dec 13, 2022

The Power of Play Reading Answers presents a write up based on the preferences of children and their attraction towards toys. This IELTS reading passage comprise a total of 13 questions that assesses a candidates ability to read and comprehend a topic and answer questions. The time frame allocated to the candidates attempting The Power of Play Reading Answers in IELTS reading section is of 20 minutes. The Power of Play Reading Answers comprises question types; choose the correct option, true/false/not given, and no more than one word. In order to answer choose the correct option in this IELTS reading passage, candidates are required read the passage carefully and answer based on given cue. Moreover, to solve no more than one word, and true/false/not given, candidates are required to answer the questions based on the references provided in the reading passage. To practice more such topics candidates can refer to IELTS reading practice papers.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

The Power of Play Reading Answers

Virtually every child, the world over, plays. The drive to play is so intense that children will do so in any circumstances, for instance when they have no real toys, or when parents do not actively encourage the behavior. In the eyes of a young child, running, pretending, and building are fun. Researchers and educators know that these playful activities benefit the development of the whole child across social, cognitive, physical, and emotional domains. Indeed, play is such an instrumental component to healthy child development that the United Nation High Commission on Human Rights (1989) recognized play as a fundamental right of every child.

Yet, while experts continue to expound a powerful argument for the importance of play in children's lives, the actual time children sped playing continues to decrease. Today, children play eight hours less each week than their counterparts did two decades ago (Elkind 2008). Under pressure of rising academic standards, play is being replaced by test preparation in kindergartens and grade schools, and parents who aim to give their preschoolers a leg up are led to believe that flashcards and educational 'toys' are the path to success. Our society has created a false dichotomy between play and learning

Through play, children learn to regulate their behavior, lay the foundations for later learning in science and mathematics, figure out the complex negotiations of social relationships, build a repertoire of creative problem-solving skills, and so much more. There is also an important role for adults in guiding children through playful learning pportunities.

Full consensus on a formal definition of play continues to elude the researchers and theorists who study it. Definitions range from discrete descriptions of various types of play such as physical, construction, language, or symbolic play (Miler & Almon 2009), to lists of broad criteria, based on observations and attitudes, that are meant to capture the essence of all play behaviors (e.g. Rubin et al. 1983). A majority of the contemporary definitions of play focus on several key criteria. The founder of the National Institute for Play, Stuart Brown, has described play as 'anything that spontaneously is done for its own sake. More specifically, he says it 'appears purposeless, produces pleasure and joy, [and] leads one to the next stage of mastery' (as quoted in Tippett 2008). Similarly, Miller and Almon (2009) say that play includes 'activities that are freely chosen and directed by children and arise from intrinsic motivation' Often, play is defined along a continuum as more or less playful using the following set of behavioral and dispositional criteria (e.g. Rubin et al. 1983).

Play is pleasurable: Children must enjoy the activity or it is not play. It is intrinsically motivated: Children engage in play simply for the satisfaction the behavior itself brings. It has no extrinsically motivated function or goal. Play is process oriented: When children play, the means are more important than the ends. It is freely chosen, spontaneous and voluntary. If a child is pressured, they will likely not think of the activity as play. Play is actively engaged: Players must be physically and/or mentally involved in the activity. Play is non-literal. It involves make-believe. According to this view, children's playful behaviors can range in degree from 0% to 100% playful. Rubin and colleagues did not assign greater weight to any one dimension in determining playfulness; however, other researchers have suggested that process orientation and a lack of obvious functional purpose may be the most important aspects of play (e.g. Pellegrini 2009).

From the perspective of a continuum, play can thus blend with other motives and attitudes that are less playful, such as work. Unlike play, work is typically not viewed as enjoyable and it is extrinsically motivated (i.e. it is goal oriented). Researcher Joan Goodman (1994) suggested that hybrid forms of work and play are not a detriment to learning; rather, they can provide optimal contexts for learning. For example, a child may be engaged in a difficult, goal-directed activity set up by their teacher, but theyinay still be actively engaged and intrinsically motivated. At this mid-point between play and work, the child's motivation, coupled with guidance from an adult, can create robust opportunities for playful learning. Critically, recent research supports the idea that adults can facilitate children's learning while maintaining a playful approach in interactions known as 'guided play' (Fisher et al. 2011). The adult's role in play varies as a function of their educational goals and the child's developmental level (Hirsch-Pasek et al. 2009).

Guided play takes two forms. At a very basic level, adults can enrich the child's environment by providing objects or experiences that promote aspects of a curriculum. In the more direct form of guided play, parents or other adults can support children's play by joining in the fun as a co-player, raising thoughtful questions, commenting on children's discoveries, or encouraging further exploration or new facets to the child's activity. Although playful learning can be somewhat structured, it must also be child-centered (Nicolopolou et al. 2006). Play should stem from the child's own gesire. Both free and guided play are essential elements in a child-centered approach to playful learning. Intrinsically motivated free play provides the child with true autonomy, while guided play is an avenue through which parents and educators can provide more targeted learning experiences. In either case, play should be actively engaged, it should be predominantly child-directed, and it must be fun.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Questions 27-31
Given below are statements [Questions 27-31] and the list of researchers-
Match each statement with the correct research A-G.
Write the correct letter in boxes 27-31 on your answer sheet.

The instructions for finding the answers are that you have to see the name of the person and then make sure there is a statement or idea that has been provided by that person. Check your answers properly.

List of Researchers
A Elkind B Miller & Almon C Rubin et al. D Stuart Brown E Pellegrini F Joan Goodman G Girsch-Pasek et al.

Play can be divided into a number of separate categories

Answer: B
Supporting Answer: Definitions range from discrete descriptions of various types of play such as physical, construction, language, or symbolic play (Miller & Almon 2009) to lists of broad criteria, based on observations to dictate an attitudes that are meant to capture the essence of all play behaviors.
Keywords: discrete, symbolic, criteria, observations, essence.
Keyword Location: Paragraph 4
Explanation: According to Miller and Almon (2009), definitions range from lists of general criteria based on observations to dictate an attitudes that are meant to capture the essence of all play behaviours to discrete descriptions of various types of play, such as physical, construction, language, or symbolic play.

Adults’ intended goals affect how they play with children

Answer: G
Supporting Answer: Critically, recent research supports the idea that adults can facilitate children’s learning while maintaining a playful approach in interactions known as ‘guided play’. The adults’ role in play varies as a function of their educational goals and the child’s developmental level
Keywords: research, facilitate, approach, interactions, guided play
Keyword Location: Paragraph 8
Explanation: The idea that adults can enhance children's learning while retaining a playful attitude through interactions described as "directed play" is crucially supported by current research. Depending on their educational objectives and the developmental stage of the kid, the adults' role in the game changes.

Combining work with play may be the best way for children to learn

Answer: F
Supporting Answer: Researcher Joan Goodman suggested that hybrid forms of work and play are not a detriment to learning; rather they can provide optimal contexts for learning
Keyword: hybrid forms of work, not a detriment, optimal context
Keyword Location: Paragraph 7
Explanation: Thus, integrating work and play can enhance a child's capacity for learning and create the ideal environment for learning.

Certain elements of play are more significant than others

Answer: E
Supporting Answer: Rubin and colleagues did not assign greater weight to any one dimension in determining playfulness; however, other researchers have suggested that process orientation and a lack of obvious functional purpose may be the most important aspects of play (e.g. Pellegrini 2009).
Keywords: dimension, determining, process orientation, functional purpose
Keyword Location: Paragraph 6
Explanation: This sentence implies that Pellegrini had a different perspective from Rubin and his colleagues, who did not believe that one element was more important than the other.

Activities can be classified on a scale of playfulness.

Answer: C
Supporting Answer: Often, play is defined along a continuum as more or less playful using the following set of behavioral and dispositional criteria (e.g. Rubin et al. 1983).
Keyword: continuum, playful, behavioral, and dispositional
Keyword Location: Paragraph 5
Explanation: This implies that particular activities can frequently be categorised in study based on their fun.

Questions 32-36:

Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 3?
In boxes 32-36 on your answer sheet, write

YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the winter
NO, if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

Children need toys in order to play.

Answer: No
Supporting Answer: Virtually every child, the world over, plays. The drive to play is so intense that children will do so in any circumstances, for instance when they have no real toys, or when parents do not actively encourage the behavior. In the eyes of a young child, running, pretending, and building are fun.
Keyword: virtually, intense, circumstances, encourage
Keyword Location: Paragraph 1
Explanation: The saying claims that when a child lacks toys to play with, they start running, acting out, and creating alternatives. This suggests the sentence is untrue.

It is a mistake to treat play and learning as separate types of activities.

Answer: Yes
Supporting Answer: Today, children play eight hours less each week than their counterparts did two decades ago (Elkind 2008). Under the pressure of rising academic standards, play is being replaced by test preparation in kindergartens and grade schools, and parents who aim to give their preschoolers a leg up are led to believe that flashcards and educational ‘toys’ are the path to success. Our society has created a false dichotomy between play and learning.
Keywords: counterparts, decades, pressure, academic standards, flashcards, dichotomy
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2
Explanation: Today's children are under such much pressure to perform above averagely that their playtime has been supplanted by academic hours, and occasionally parents wish to get an advantage and start replacing toys with flashcards while calling this play. The border dividing the two has disappeared in society.

Play helps children to develop their artistic talents.

Answer: NOT GIVEN
Explanation: No relevant information associated with question was found in the reading passage.

Researchers have agreed on a definition of play.

Answer: No
Supporting Answer: Full consensus on a formal definition of play continues to elude the researchers and theorists who study it. Definitions range from discrete descriptions of various types of play such as physical, construction, language, or symbolic play (Miler & Almon 2009), to lists of broad criteria, based on observations and attitudes, that are meant to capture the essence of all play behaviors (e.g. Rubin et al. 1983).
Keywords: consensus, definition, essence, behaviors
Keyword Location: Paragraph 4
Explanation: Theorists and academics who study play have yet to reach complete agreement on a formal definition. According to the reading passage, definitions range from specific descriptions of different types of play, such as physical, constructive, language-based, or symbolic play, to lists of general criteria that are based on observations and attitudes and are intended to capture the essence of all play behaviours.

Work and play differ in terms of whether or not they have a target.

Answer: Yes
Supporting Answer: From the perspective of a continuum, play can thus blend with other motives and attitudes that are less playful, such as work. Unlike play, work is typically not viewed as enjoyable and it is extrinsically motivated
Keywords: perspective, motives, attitudes, enjoyable, extrinsically motivated
Keyword Location: Paragraph 7
Explanation: Play can also be combined with other motivational aspects and attitudes that are less frivolous, such as work, from the perspective of a continuum. Work is often not seen as fun and is extrinsically motivated, in contrast to pleasure.

Questions 37-40:

Complete the summary below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 37-40 on your answer sheet.

for instance by …………………….. the child to investigate different aspects of their game.

Answer: encouraging
Supporting Answer: In the more direct form of guided play, parents or other adults can support children’s play by joining in the fun as a co-player, raising thoughtful questions, commenting on children’s discoveries, or encouraging further exploration or new facets to the child’s activity.
Keyword: guided play, support, questions, encouraging
Keyword Location: Paragraph 9
Explanation: This means that parents can encourage a youngster to explore more by becoming involved and expressing interest in their discoveries.

but it should still be based on the child’s …………………………. to play.

Answer: desire
Supporting Answer: Although playful learning can be somewhat structured, it must also be child-centered (Nicolopolou et al. 2006). Play should stem from the child’s desire.
Keywords: playful learning, structures, child-centered
Keyword Location: Paragraph 9
Explanation: It preferrably means that a child should have an urge of their own to play and learn.

Play without the intervention of adults gives children real ………………………….;

Answer: autonomy
Supporting Answer: Intrinsically motivated free play provides the child with true autonomy,
Keyword: intrinsically, motivated autonomy
Keyword Location: Last Paragraph
Explanation: The child as mentioned in the reading passage must be given the autonomy to make their own decisions and desire.
the child should be given autonomy to make their own decisions and desire

with adults, play can be ………………………… at particular goals.

Answer: targeted
Supporting Answer: while guided play is an avenue through which parents and educators can provide more targeted learning experiences.
Keyword: guided play, avenue, targeted learning experiences
Keyword Location: Last Paragraph
Explanation: The reading passage suggests that this guided method can help parents to ensure that heir children walk the correct path.

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