Try It and See Reading Answers
In the Try It and See Reading Answers there are questions to answer. Candidates' reading abilities are assessed in the IELTS Reading section by presenting them with a passage and questions. Candidates must react to a variety of questions, each of which is unique. The IELTS Reading part tests students' comprehension skills using a range of problem types. In this portion - Try It and See Reading Answers - there are two sorts of questions for the passage
- No more than three words
- Choose the correct letter
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Section 1
Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions
Try It and See Reading Answers
In the social sciences, it is often supposed that there can be no such thing as a controlled experiment. Think again.
- In the scientific pecking order, social scientists are usually looked down on by their peers in the natural sciences. Natural scientists do experiments to test their theories or, if they cannot, they try to look for natural phenomena that can act in lieu of experiments. Social scientists, it is widely thought, do not subject their own hypotheses to any such rigorous treatment. Worse, they peddle their untested hypotheses to governments and try to get them turned into policies.
- Governments require sellers of new medicines to demonstrate their safety and effectiveness. The accepted gold standard of evidence is a randomised control trial, in which a new drug is compared with the best existing therapy (or with a placebo, if no treatment is available). Patients are assigned to one arm or the other of such a study at random, ensuring that the only difference between the two groups is the new treatment. The best studies also ensure that neither patient nor physician knows which patient is allocated to which therapy. Drug trials must also include enough patients to make it unlikely that chance alone may determine the result.
- But few education programmes or social initiatives are evaluated in carefully conducted studies prior to their introduction. A case in point is the 'whole-language' approach to reading, which swept much of the English-speaking world in the 1970s and 1980s. The whole-language theory holds that children learn to read best by absorbing contextual clues from texts, not by breaking individual words into their component parts and reassembling them (a method known as phonics). Unfortunately, the educational theorists who pushed the whole-language notion so successfully did not wait for evidence from controlled randomised trials before advancing their claims. Had they done so, they might have concluded, as did an analysis of 52 randomised studies carried out by the US National Reading Panel in 2000, that effective reading instruction requires phonics.
- To avoid the widespread adoption of misguided ideas, the sensible thing is to experiment first and make policy later. This is the idea behind a trial of restorative justice which is taking place in the English courts. The experiment will include criminals who plead guilty to robbery. Those who agree to participate will be assigned randomly either to sentencing as normal or to participation in a conference in which the offender comes face-to-face with his victim and discusses how he may make emotional and material restitution. The purpose of the trial is to assess whether such restorative justice limits re-offending. If it does, it might be adopted more widely.
- The idea of experimental evidence is not quite as new to the social sciences as sneering natural scientists might believe. In fact, randomised trials and systematic reviews of evidence were introduced into the social sciences long before they became common in medicine. An apparent example of random allocation is a study carried out in 1927 of how to persuade people to vote in elections. And randomised trials in social work were begun in the 1930s and 1940s. But enthusiasm later waned. This loss of interest can be attributed, at least in part, to the fact that early experiments produced little evidence of positive outcomes. Others suggest that much of the opposition to experimental evaluation stems from a common philosophical malaise among social scientists, who doubt the validity of the natural sciences and therefore reject the potential of knowledge derived from controlled experiments. A more pragmatic factor limiting the growth of evidence-based education and social services may be limitations on the funds available for research.
- Nevertheless, some 11,000 experimental studies are known in the social sciences {compared with over 250,000 in the medical literature). Randomised trials have been used to evaluate the effectiveness of driver-education programmes, job training schemes, classroom size, psychological counselling for post-traumatic stress disorder and increased investment in public housing. And where they are carried out, they seem to have a healthy dampening effect on otherwise rosy interpretations of the observations.
- The problem for policymakers is often not too few data, but what to make of multiple and conflicting studies. This is where a body called the Campbell Collaboration comes into its own. This independent non-profit organisation is designed to evaluate existing studies, in a process known as a systematic review. This means attempting to identify every relevant trial of a given question (including studies that have never been published), choosing the best ones using clearly defined criteria for quality, and combining the results in a statistically valid way. An equivalent body, the Cochrane Collaboration, has produced more than 1,004 such reviews in medical fields. The hope is that rigorous review standards will allow Campbell, like Cochrane, to become a trusted and authoritative source of information.
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Section 2
Solution with Explanation
Questions 27-32:
Reading Passage has seven paragraphs A-G.
Choose the correct heading for paragraphs B-G from the list of headings below.
Write the correct number i-x in boxes 27-32 on your answer sheet.
List of Headings:
- Why some early social science methods lost popularity?
- The cost implications of research
- Looking ahead to an unbiased assessment of research
- A range of social issues that have been usefully studied
- An example of a poor decision that was made too quickly
- What happens when the figures are wrong?
- One area of research that is rigorously carried out
- The changing nature of medical trials
- An investigative study that may lead to a new system
- Why some scientists' theories are considered second-r
- Paragraph B
Answer: vii
Supporting Sentence: Governments require sellers of new medicines to demonstrate their safety and effectiveness.
Keyword: Governments require sellers, new medicines, demonstrate, safety, effectiveness
Keyword Location: Para B, line 1
Explanation: This part of the study is carried out as these steps determine the safety of the drugs and the quantity in which a patient can bear it, etc. This step has to be carried out hence, the title is appropriate.
- Paragraph C
Answer: v
Supporting Sentence: Unfortunately, the educational theorists who pushed the whole-language notion so successfully did not wait for evidence from controlled randomised trials before advancing their claims.
Keyword: did not wait, evidence, controlled randomised trials
Keyword Location: Paragraph c, 7th line
Explanation: This experiment was a failure as the theorist did not wait for the results to show before claiming certain notions, had they waited, the result would’ve been the opposite of those claims.
- Paragraph D
Answer: ix
Supporting Sentence: This is the idea behind a trial of restorative justice which is taking place in the English courts.
Keyword: This, idea, trial, restorative justice, English courts
Keyword Location: Paragraph D, line 2-3
Explanation: If this study came to fruition it may be adopted more around the world. Hence, the answer is correct as it may lead to a new adaptable system.
- Paragraph E
Answer: i
Supporting Sentence: This loss of interest can be attributed, at least in part, to the fact that early experiments produced little evidence of positive outcomes.
Keyword: loss of interest, early experiments, little evidence, positive outcomes, opposition, evaluation, common philosophical malaise, social scientists
Keyword Location: Paragraph E, line 6-9
Explanation: Many of the randomised trials lost interest as the results weren’t garnering positive or noteworthy results. Hence, the answer is correct.
- Paragraph F
Answer: iv
Supporting Sentence: Randomised trials have been used to evaluate the effectiveness of driver-education programmes, job training schemes, classroom size, psychological counselling for post-traumatic stress disorder, and increased investment in public housing.
Keyword: effectiveness, driver-education, job-training, classroom size, counselling, post-traumatic stress disorder, increased investment, public housing
Keyword Location: Paragraph F, line 3-5
Explanation: Social issues like job training schemes, classroom size, psychological counselling for post-traumatic stress disorder, and increased investment in public housing have been studied and addressed by randomised trials and observations made. Hence, the answer is correct.
- Paragraph G
Answer: iii
Supporting Sentence: This means attempting to identify every relevant trial of a given question (including studies that have never been published), choosing the best ones using clearly defined criteria for quality, and combining the results in a statistically valid way.
Keyword: identify, trial, question, choosing, best ones, clearly defined criteria, combining, results, statistically valid
Keyword Location: Paragraph G, 4th line
Explanation: The hope is to have a trusted and authoritative source of information that is free from bias and has a fair and valid way of combining results. The paragraph talks about attempting to identify every relevant trial of a given question including studies that have never been published.
Questions 33-36:
Complete the summary below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 33-36 on your answer sheet.
Fighting Crime
Some criminals in England are agreeing to take part in a trial designed to help reduce their chances of 33....................... . The idea is that while one group of randomly selected criminals undergo the usual 34....................... the other group will discuss the possibility of making some repayment for the crime by meeting the 35........................ It is yet to be seen whether this system, known as 36....................... will work.
- Some criminals in England are agreeing to take part in a trial designed to help reduce their chances of.......................
Answer: re-offending
Supporting Sentence: The purpose of the trial is to assess whether such restorative justice limits re-offending. If it does, it might be adopted more widely.
Keyword: trial, assess, restorative justice limits re-offending Para D, last 2 lines
Keyword Location: Paragraph D
Explanation: this trial purpose includes the offender to be face to face with the victim to make emotional and material restitution. If the trial is successful it will be adopted more widely.
- The idea is that while one group of randomly selected criminals undergo the usual.......................
Answer: sentencing
Supporting Sentence: Those who agree to participate will be assigned randomly either to sentencing as normal or to participation in a conference in which the offender comes face-to-face with his victim and discusses how he may make emotional and material restitution.
Keyword: assigned, sentencing, participation, conference, offender, face-to-face, victim
Keyword Location: Paragraph D
Explanation: the idea of this experiment is to choose random criminals to go under the same sentencing and have a face-to-face conversation with the victim. Hence, sentencing is the correct answer
- The idea is that while one group of randomly selected criminals undergo the usual sentencing the other group will discuss the possibility of making some repayment for the crime by meeting the........................
Answer: victim
Supporting Sentence: the offender comes face-to-face with his victim and discusses how he may make emotional and material restitution.
Keyword: conference, offender, face-to-face, victim
Keyword Location: Paragraph D; lines 4-5
Explanation: The offender and the victim sit down in front of each other and the criminal makes emotional or material compensation to the affected party.
- It is yet to be seen whether this system, known as ....................... will work.
Answer: restorative justice
Supporting Sentence: The purpose of the trial is to assess whether such restorative justice limits re-offending. If it does, it might be adopted more widely.
Keyword: whether, restorative justice limits re-offending
Keyword Location: Paragraph D
Explanation: to avoid misguided ideas, the trial is first tested out in a controlled environment to determine if this model of restorative justice might work or not.
Questions 37-40:
Classify the following characteristics as relating to
- Social Science
- Medical Science
- Both Social Science and Medical Science
- Neither Social Science nor Medical Science
Write the correct letter A, B, C or D in boxes 37-40 on your answer sheet.
- a tendency for negative results in early trials
Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: This loss of interest can be attributed, at least in part, to the fact that early experiments produced little evidence of positive outcomes.
Keyword: early experiments, little evidence, positive outcomes
Keyword Location: Paragraph E, line 5
Explanation: social science theories tend to have more negative results than positives due to which the interest and enthusiasm waned. Hence, the answer is correct.
- the desire to submit results for independent assessment
Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: Natural scientists do experiments to test their theories or, if they cannot, they try to look for natural phenomena that can act in lieu of experiments.
Keyword: natural phenomena
Keyword Location: Paragraph A, 2nd line
Explanation: As per the passage, both natural scientists and social scientists have a tendency and desire to submit results and want an independent assessment without one affecting the other result.
- the prioritisation of research areas to meet government needs
Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: Governments require sellers of new medicines to demonstrate their safety and effectiveness.
Keyword: independent non-profit, evaluate existing studies
Keyword Location: Paragraph B, 1st line
Explanation: Few areas of the sciences are given more importance to meet the needs put forward by the government. Hence, they need to demonstrate safety, be it any science. Hence, the answer is correct.
- the widespread use of studies that investigate the quality of new products.
Answer: B
Supporting Sentence: The accepted gold standard of evidence is a randomised control trial, in which a new drug is compared with the best existing therapy (or with a placebo if no treatment is available).
Keyword: Governments require, new medicines, demonstrate, safety, effectiveness.
Keyword Location: Paragraph B, 2nd line
Explanation: using studies and existing therapy, new products are rolled out and tested so they can be both compared and see what fairs better or worse.
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