The University of Oxford Reading Answers

Jul 19, 2024

The University of Oxford Reading Answers is an academic reading answers topic. The University of Oxford Reading Answers have a total of 12 IELTS questions in total. In the questions, you have to tell whether the statements are true or false. In the next section you have to fill in the blanks with correct words.

Candidates should read the IELTS Reading passage thoroughly to recognize synonyms, identify keywords, and answer the questions below. IELTS Reading practice papers, which feature topics such as The University of Oxford Reading Answers. Candidates can use IELTS reading practice questions and answers to enhance their performance in the reading section.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

The University of Oxford

The University of Oxford is a scholastic research university in Oxford, England. There is a mark of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world's second-oldest university in unceasing operation. It grew quickly in popularity from 1167 when Henry Il barred English students from joining the University of Paris. After disagreements between students and Oxford townsfolk in 1209, some academics fled north-east to Cambridge where they recognized what became the University of Cambridge. The two "ancient universities" are often jointly called "Oxbridge". The history and effect of the University of Oxford has made it one of the most admired universities in the world.

The university is made up of 39 constituent colleges, and a range of academic departments, which are organised into four divisions. All the colleges are self-governing institutions within the university, each governing its own membership and with its own internal structure and activities. It does not have a main campus, and its buildings and facilities are dispersed throughout the city centre. Undergraduate teaching at Oxford is organised around weekly tutorials at the colleges and halls, supported by classes, lectures, seminars, and laboratory work provided by university faculties and departments; some postgraduate teaching comprises tutorials organised by faculties and departments. It functions the world's oldest university museum, as well as the largest university press in the world and the largest academic library system nationwide

In the fiscal year ending 31 July 2019, the university had a total income of £2.45 billion, of which £624.8 million was from research grants and contracts. The university is ranked among the best higher learning institutions by most international and major national league tables Oxford has cultured a wide range of notable alumni, including 28 prime ministers of the United Kingdom and many heads of state and government around the world. As of November 2019, 72 Nobel Prize laureates, 3 Fields Medallists, and 6 Turing Award winners have studied, worked, or held visiting fellowships at the University of Oxford, while its alumni have won 160 Olympic medals. Oxford is the home of plentiful scholarships including the Rhodes scholarship, one of the oldest international graduate scholarship programmes.

The University of Oxford has no acknowledged foundation date. Teaching at Oxford existed in some form as early as 1096, but it is uncertain when a university came into being. It rose rapidly from 1167 when English students returned from the University of Paris. The historian Gerald of Wales lectured to such scholars in 1188 and the first recognized foreign scholar, Emo of Friesland, arrived in 1190. The head of the university had the title of chancellor from at least 1201, and the masters were recognised as a university or corporation in 1231. The university was approved for a royal charter in 1248 during the reign of King Henry IlI. After arguments between students and Oxford townsfolk in 1209, some academics fled to Cambridge, later forming the University of Cambridge.

The students allied together on the basis of geographical origins, into two 'nations', representing the North (northerners or Boreales, who included the English people from north of the River Trent and the Scots) and the South (southerners or Australes, who included English people from south of the Trent, the Irish and the Welsh). In later centuries, geographical origins sustained to affect many students' affiliations when membership of a college or hall became customary in Oxford. In addition, members of many religious orders, including Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites and Augustinians, settled in Oxford in the mid-13th century, gained influence and upheld houses or halls for students. At about the same time. private benefactors established colleges as self-contained scholarly communities. Among the earliest such creators were William of Durham who in 1249 endowed University College, and John Balliol, father of a future King of Scots; Balliol College bears his name. Another originator Walter de Merton, a Lord Chancellor of England and later Bishop of Rochester, planned a categorization of regulations for college life Merton College thereby turning out to be the model for such establishments at Oxford, as well as at the University of Cambridge. Thereafter, a growing number.of students lived in colleges rather than in halls and religious houses

In 1333-1334, an effort by some displeased Oxford scholars to start a new university at Stamford, Lincolnshire, was congested by the 2160versities of Oxford and Cambridge pleading with King Edward III. Afterward, until the 1820s, no new universities were allowable to be found in England, even in London: thus. Oxford and Cambridge had a duopoly. which was rare in large western European countries.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Questions 15-22

Do the following statements agree with the

information given in the Reading Passage?

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

University of Oxford is the second oldest university in the English-speaking world.

Answer: NO
Supporting statement:“........There is a mark of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world's second-oldest university in unceasing operation.........”
Keywords: oldest, English-speaking
Keyword Location: para 1, line 2
Explanation: The passage states that Oxford is the oldest university in the English-speaking world, contradicting the claim that it is the second oldest. Hence the given statement is false.

Oxford University gained popularity when Henry Il opposed English students from joining the University of Paris.

Answer: YES
Supporting statement:“........It grew quickly in popularity from 1167 when Henry II barred English students from joining the University of Paris..........”
Keywords: popularity, Henry
Keyword Location: para 1, line 3
Explanation: The passage confirms that Oxford gained popularity when Henry II prevented English students from attending the University of Paris. Hence the given statement is correct.

Oxbridge is the most popular university in the world right now.

Answer: NOT GIVEN
Explanation: The passage does not provide information on whether Oxbridge is currently the most popular university in the world.

The University of Oxford has 39 colleges in other parts of the World.

Answer: NOT GIVEN
Explanation: The passage does not provide information on whether Oxbridge is currently the most popular university in the world.

All the colleges under the university are controlled by a single body.

Answer: NO
Supporting statement:“.......All the colleges are self-governing institutions within the university, each governing its own membership and with its own internal structure and activities...........”
Keywords: governing, internal
Keyword Location: para 2, line 2
Explanation: The passage indicates that each college is self-governing, contradicting the claim that all colleges are controlled by a single body. Hence the given statement is false.

Oxford runs the largest university press in the world.

Answer: YES
Supporting statement:“.........It functions the world's oldest university museum, as well as the largest university press in the world and the largest academic library system nationwide........”
Keywords: largest, university
Keyword Location: para 2, line 5
Explanation: The statement accurately reflects the information in the passage, which specifically states that Oxford operates the largest university press in the world, confirming the statement as true.

28 Prime ministers from UK and around the world have studied at Oxford.

Answer: NO
Supporting statement:“.........Oxford has cultured a wide range of notable alumni, including 28 prime ministers of the United Kingdom and many heads of state and government around the world.........”
Keywords: prime, ministers
Keyword Location: para 3, line 3
Explanation: The passage states that 28 prime ministers of the United Kingdom, not from the UK and around the world, have studied at Oxford. Thus, the statement is incorrect because it misinterprets the specific reference to the number of UK prime ministers.

Oxford university alumni has won 160 Olympic gold medals.

Answer: NO
Supporting statement:“......While its alumni have won 160 Olympic medals...........”
Keywords: Olympic, medals
Keyword Location: para 3, line 5
Explanation: The passage indicates that Oxford alumni have won a total of 160 Olympic medals, without specifying that these are all gold medals. Therefore, the statement is incorrect because it inaccurately specifies the type of medals won.

Questions 23-27

Write no more than THREE WORDS OR NUMBERS for each answer

It is believed that teaching started at Oxford in ……………

Answer: 1096
Supporting statement:“........Teaching at Oxford existed in some form as early as 1096, but it is uncertain when a university came into being.........”
Keywords: teaching, 1096
Keyword Location: para 4, line 1
Explanation: The passage mentions that teaching at Oxford existed as early as 1096, indicating the believed start date of teaching at the university. Hence 1096 is correct answer.

Oxford started gaining popularity in ………..

Answer: 1167
Supporting statement:“........It rose rapidly from 1167 when English students returned from the University of Paris.........”
Keywords: popularity, 1167
Keyword Location: para 4, line 2
Explanation: The passage states that Oxford's popularity increased rapidly from 1167 when English students returned from the University of Paris. Hence 1167 is correct answer.

King Henry Ill declared the university a royal charter in ...

Answer: 1248
Supporting statement:“........The university was approved for a royal charter in 1248 during the reign of King Henry III.........”
Keywords: royal, charter
Keyword Location: para 4, line 5
Explanation: The passage specifies that the university received a royal charter in 1248 during King Henry III’s reign. Hence the correct answer will be 1248.

Members of many religious orders established at Cambridge in …………

Answer: MID 13TH CENTURY
Supporting statement:“.......Members of many religious orders, including Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites and Augustinians, settled in Oxford in the mid-13th century, gained influence and upheld houses or halls for students...........”
Keywords: orders, mid-13th century
Keyword Location: para 5, line 6
Explanation: The passage indicates that various religious orders settled in Oxford and established houses or halls for students in the mid-13th century. Hence the given answer is correct.

No new university in England could be founded till the ………

Answer: 1820s
Supporting statement:“.........Afterward, until the 1820s, no new universities were allowable to be found in England, even in London........”
Keywords: new, university
Keyword Location: para 6, line 3
Explanation: The passage mentions that no new universities were permitted in England until the 1820s, highlighting the period when new university foundations were restricted. Hence 1820s is the correct answer.

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