As your IELTS coach, I understand how tough the Reading section can be, especially when you’re trying to find accurate answers under time pressure. That’s why I have compiled this detailed guide to help you conquer Cambridge IELTS 14 Reading Test 1, Passage 1, titled “The Importance of Children’s Play reading answers“
Here I will guide you through every question step by step and help you understand them with a clear explanation and strategy, enabling you to find the right answer easily. I want this process of solving Reading passages to be simple and less tiring for you.
Remember, the ability to find IELTS Reading answers is one that grows with the proper approach and consistent practice. I’m sure this will help you understand the passage even better and boost your confidence while handling similar passages in the exam. Alright, let’s get going and make it simpler together!
The Importance of Children’s Play
The Importance of Children’s Play Reading Answers
Reading Passage 1:
The headline of the passage: The Importance of Children’s Play Reading Answers
Questions 1-8: (Completing notes with ONE WORD only):
[In this type of question, candidates are asked to write only ONE WORD to complete notes on the given topic. For this type of question, first, skim the passage to find the keywords in the paragraph concerned with the answer, and then scan to find the exact word/words.]
Questions 1 and 2 are under the title: Uses of children’s play
Question 1: building a ‘magical kingdom’ may help develop ___________.
Keywords for the question: magical kingdom, help develop
We find the keyword ‘magical kingdom’ in paragraph no. 1. So, we should scan it carefully. In the last lines of the paragraph, the writer says, “Although she isn’t aware of it, this fantasy is helping her take her first steps towards her capacity for creativity and.”
Here, help her to take her first steps toward her potential = help develop
So, the answer is: creativity
Question 2: Board games involve __________ and turn-taking
Keywords to the question: board games, turn-taking
We come across the keyword, ‘board game’ in paragraph no. 2, line no. 3. So we must look into it carefully. The line states, “Later on when they tire of this and settle down with a board game, she’s learning about the need to follow rules and take turns with a partner.
Here, taking turns with a partner = turn-taking
So, the answer is: rules
Questions 3-6 have the title: Recent changes affecting children’s play
Question 3: populations of ________ have grown
Keywords for the question: recent changes, populations, grown
The question asks us to find out recent changes regarding populations. We find the answer in paragraph no. 5, lines 1-2. “But we live in changing times, and Whitebread is mindful of a worldwide decline in play, pointing out that over half the people in the world now live in cities.”
Here, live in changing times = recent changes, over half the people = populations grown
So, the answer is: cities
Opportunities for free play are limited because of:
Questions 4 and 5: fear of _________
Keywords for the question: opportunities, limited, fear of
The answers are found in lines 2-5 of paragraph no. 5. The author remarks, “The opportunities for free play, … are becoming increasingly scarce.” he claims. Outdoor play is constrained by beliefs about risk connected to traffic, as well as the desire of parents to better protect their children from victimization.
Here, ever scarcer = rare, perceptions of danger = fear, parents’ rising desire to protect their offspring = fear
Thus, the options are (any one in either order):
- traffic
- crime
Question 6: increased _________ in school
Keywords for the question: increased, school
The answer is in lines 5-6 of paragraph 5. The writer says here, “… and by the emphasis on ‘earlier is better’ which is leading to greater competition in academic learning and schools.”
Here, leading to greater = increased
So, the answer is: competition
International policies on children’s play:
Question 7: It is difficult to find __________ to support new policies.
Keywords for the question: hard to come across, supporting new policies
The answer is in paragraph no. 6. Here, the author writes, “International bodies like the United Nations and the European Union have begun to develop policies.” Then in the last line, “. But what they often lack is the evidence to base policies on.”
Here, what they often lack = it is hard to come across
So, the answer is: evidence
Question 8: Research needs to study the impact of play on the rest of the child’s __________.
Keywords for the question: research, need, study, rest of the child’s
This answer lies in lines 2-3 of paragraph no. 8. In paragraph no. 7 the writer is talking about a need for research to find out the impact. And then in paragraph no. 8, they give the reaction of Dr. Jenny Gibson, “Dr. Jenny Gibson agrees, pointing out., there is very little data on the impact it has on the child’s later life.”
Here, the child’s later life = rest of the child’s life
So, the answer is: life
Questions 9-13: TRUE, FALSE, NOT GIVEN
In this type of question, candidates need to find out whether:
The statement in the question matches with the account in the text – TRUE
The statement in the question contradicts the account in the text – FALSE
And the statement in the question has no obvious connection with the account in the text – NOT GIVEN
[For this kind of question, you may break up each statement into three independent pieces and just work your way through with the answer.]
Question 9: Children with good self-control are likely to perform well in school later on.
Keywords to this question: good self-control, likely, do well, school, later
The answer lies in paragraph no. 11. “In a study done by Baker with toddlers and young pre-schoolers, she was able to find out that more controlled children solved problems faster whenever they were to explore the unknown set-up that involves scientific reasoning. Such types of evidence lead us towards the idea that providing children with this chance to play will render them better problem-solvers in the long run”.
So, the lines clearly indicate that self-controlled children do well in the long run (later on).
So, the answer is: TRUE
Question 10: The way a child plays may provide information about possible medical problems.
Keywords for this question: the way a child plays, may provide info, possible medical problems
The answer lies in paragraph no. 13, where Dr. Gibson says, “. Playful behavior is also an important indicator of healthy social and emotional development. give us important clues about their well-being and. useful in the diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders like autism.”
Here, the lines clearly reveal that the way a child’s plays can be used to detect medical conditions (autism).
So, the answer is: TRUE
Question 11: Playing with dolls was found to benefit girls’ writing more than boys’ writing.
Words for this question: playing with dolls, benefit, girls’ writing
We have a mention of playing with dolls in paragraph 14, line 4. There is no comparison between girls’ writing and boys’ writing.
So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN
Question 12: They had a hard time brainstorming when they first did the story in Lego.
Keywords for this question: children, problems, thinking up ideas, first created, Lego
This answer is found in lines 3-5 of paragraph no. 15. “.Children wrote longer and better-structured stories when they first played with dolls representing characters in the story. In the latest study, children first created their story with Lego, with similar results.”
The lines express that children told longer, and much better constructed stories in this case while playing with the dolls and Legos. They didn’t meet with any kind of obstacles there. In the last words of this paragraph, the writer says this result once again, “With the Lego building. The whole year of the project.”
So the correct answer is: FALSE
Question 13: Children’s play has been considered by modern man to be less important than previous generations.
These keywords for this question: now, children play, relatively less important, is in the past
The first line of the last paragraph gives us the answer. “Somehow the importance of play has been lost in recent decades. It’s regarded as something trivial, or even as something negative that contrasts with ‘work.'”
The lines indicate that today, in recent years children’s play has been unimportant (lost,. A trifling thing).
So, the answer is: TRUE
Final Thoughts on The Importance of Children’s Play Reading Answers
As Your Local IELTS Coach, I have ensured that “The Importance of Children’s Play Reading Answers” breaks down step by step how to make things easy for you, whether you are working on new or older passages. By practicing these strategies, you’ll not only be ready for the IELTS reading test but also improve your overall English reading skills. Keep practicing, and good luck!
