Cambridge 19 Reading Test 3 - Answers With Explanation

1. Shipton and his colleagues "became the first archaeologists to explore Obi" — no earlier research existed — FALSE.

2. Clam shell axes "had also previously been found elsewhere in this region, including on the nearby island of Gebe" — not the first such find — FALSE.

3. "Sea levels were about 120 metres lower" 18,000 years ago, "meaning Obi was a much larger island" — smaller today — TRUE.

4. The passage describes the climate shift on Obi but never compares its impact to that on surrounding islands — NOT GIVEN.

5. "It is no coincidence that around this time the first axes crafted from stone rather than sea shells appear, likely in response to their heavy-duty use" in the denser rainforest — TRUE.

6. The passage reports the hunting evidence but never mentions the researchers' reaction to it — NOT GIVEN.

7. The shelters were abandoned "about 8,000 years ago" with "no evidence for use... until about 1,000 years ago" — a long gap, not continuous occupation — FALSE.

8. The team "found two caves containing prehistoric rock shelters that were suitable for excavation."

9. "The first axes crafted from stone rather than sea shells appear" around 11,700 years ago.

10. "Judging by the bones which the researchers unearthed in the Kelo caves" they identified what people hunted.

11. Excavations "revealed particular types of beads, similar to those previously found on islands in southern Wallacea."

12. The shelters were "re-occupied by people who owned pottery as well as items made out of gold and silver."

13. The final phase likely involved "the historic trade in spices between the Maluku islands and the rest of the world."

14. Paragraph G: "people in a developing country will only protect wetlands if they value and profit from them" — locals need to keep benefiting.

15. Paragraph A: "half of the world's wetlands have disappeared since 1990."

16. Paragraph H: "Awareness of the importance of wetlands is growing," says McCartney.

17. Paragraph B: wetlands "are of considerable religious, historical and archaeological value to many communities."

18. Drained peatlands "become net carbon emitters instead of active carbon stores."

19. "The clearance of peatlands for planting also increases the risk of forest fires."

20. "Huge peatland forests with extremely high biodiversity value being lost for a few decades of oil palm revenues."

21. Logging companies "dig ditches to enter the peat swamps by boat" and drain water through them.

22. "The remainder of the solid matter in the peat starts to move downwards, in a process known as subsidence."

23. McCartney: "it's essential that local people are involved in wetland planning and decision making and have clear rights to use wetlands."

24. Silvius: "Different governments have different attitudes" towards restoring wetlands.

25. Tickner: "I've worked on wetland issues for 20 years and have never met anybody who wanted to damage a wetland... the effects simply come from people trying to make a living."

26. Van Eijk: "It can be as simple as planting a few trees per hectare to create shade and substantially change a microclimate."

27. The writer describes a "scratchy line" nearly 10,000 kilometres apart and struggling to follow Waibel even in a shared language — challenges on both ends.

28. The lecturers' translator system works well because "lecturers speak clearly, don't have to compete with background chatter, and say much the same thing each year" — repeated content.

29. The Babel fish "came to represent one of those devices that technology enthusiasts dream of long before they become practically realisable" — like objects that later became commonplace, not a shock.

30. "We find that there's a barrier with sharing one of the earphones with a stranger," says Ochoa. "That can't have been totally unexpected" — the reluctance makes sense.

31. Waibel notes voice translation "has really taken off" in Japan, but the passage stresses "there is still a long way to go" — fast progress, imperfect results.

32. A translation system should work "like the translator's voice speaking over the foreign politician being interviewed on the TV" — because it happens in real time.

33. Systems "will also need to be socially aware by addressing people in the right way" and respect cultural etiquette.

34. Translators "might help to preserve local customs," though the passage also raises "apprehensions about the amount of private speech data" being sent to servers.

35. "Professors and other professionals will not outsource language awareness to software" and professionals are "less inclined to be patient" with the technology — not universally seen as very useful — NO.

36. "Whether it will help people conduct their family lives or relationships is open to question" — still uncertain — YES.

37. The technology "could overcome the language barriers that often arise between generations after migration" — a benefit, not a difficulty — NO.

38. The writer notes lip movements "won't match," but this is an observation about a limitation, not evidence of scientists actively working on it — NOT GIVEN.

39. English is compared to Latin as a shared language for scientists, but nothing is said about ease of translating either language — NOT GIVEN.

40. "The practical need for a common language will diminish, the social value of sharing one will persist" — the two needs are explicitly distinguished — YES.