IELTS Reading Sample (Academic) #19

Reading Tip

  • Skim the whole passage before you start working on any of the tasks.
  • Read the instructions. If the answers come from the passage, check the maximum number of words for each space. Read the heading (if there is one) and the summary. Consider what information is likely to fit each space. Think about both the meaning and the grammar.
  • Read the first gapped sentence. Find the relevant part of the passage - the heading will help you - and look for something that means the same. Find the words (in the passage or box) that fit the question. Copy them exactly. Continue with the next space.

Questions 1-7

Reading Passage 1 has six paragraphs, A-F.

Which paragraphs contains the following information?

Write the correct letter A-F in boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet.

NB You may use any letter more than once.

1an insect that proves the superiority of natural intelligence over Artificial Intelligence 

2robots being able to benefit from their mistakes 

3many researchers not being put off believing that Artificial Intelligence will eventually be developed 

4an innovative approach that is having limited success 

5the possibility of creating Artificial Intelligence being doubted by some academics 

6no generally accepted agreement of what our brains do 

7robots not being able to extend their intelligence in the same way as humans 

Reading Tip

  • If Matching names is the first task for a text, read the text through very quickly before you follow this plan so that you have a general idea of the text’s structure and argument.
  • Look at the list of names. Find them in the text and underline them.
  • Sometimes the names are in more than one place.
  • For each name, read all the things that person says.
  • For each name, choose the statement which matches one of the things they say. Each name can be matched with only one statement.
  • There are two statements which don’t match any of the names.

Questions 8-10

Look at the following people (Questions 8-10) and the list of statements below.

Match each person with the correct statement, A-E.

Write the correct letter, A-E.

8Colin McGinn 

9Marvin Minsky 

10Hans Moravec 

A Artificial Intelligence may require something equivalent to feelings in order to succeed.
B Different kinds of people use different parts of the brain.
C Tests involving fiction have defeated Artificial Intelligence so far.
D People have intellectual capacities which do not exist in computers.
E People have no reason to be frightened of robots.

Questions 11-13

Complete the summary below.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 11-13 on your answer sheet.

When will we have a thinking machine?

Despite some advances, the early robots had certain weaknesses. They were given the information they needed on a 11 . This was known as the ‘top-down’ approach and enabled them to do certain tasks but they were unable to recognise 12 . Nor did they have any intuition or ability to make decisions based on experience. Rodney Brooks tried a different approach. Robots similar to those invented by Brooks are to be found on 13 where they are collecting information.

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