Numeration Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test

This passage explores the origins and development of numeration, how early humans moved from a very limited number sense to a structured counting system. It covers tribal communities in Tasmania and South Africa, the evolution of number words in early European languages, including Anglo-Saxon, and the role of physical objects like pebble stones and corn grains in early counting. The Cambridge source for this passage is not specified (practice passage).

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1–13, which are based on the passage below.

The passage contains three question types: Sentence Completion (Questions 1–7), Short Answer (Questions 8–10), and True/False/Not Given (Questions 11–13).

Paragraph A

One of the best intellectual achievements of a baby is learning how to talk to a person, and the next is learning how to count numbers and play with them. From childhood, we get so attached to numbers and the numeration system. It is considered a feat of pure imaginative thinking to look at the problems encountered by humans who did not invent this luxury. After a thorough observation of our self-made numeration system, it is clear that it takes us to the conviction that, instead of being a luxury that is inbuilt in a person, it is one of the best and incomparable achievements of the human tribe.

Paragraph B

It is incorrect to learn the series of things that made us develop the idea of number, number system, etc. Let's assume that our ancestors developed a system of numeration that, if not advanced, was good enough to perform tasks they had during that time. Our earliest tribal men and women had very limited usage of actual numbers. Is this sufficient? Instead of how many? For instance, when they indulged in hunting and food gathering. On the other hand, when early tribal communities initially started to present on the nature of invariable things surrounding by them, they found out that they required a concept of numbers and a number system just to think in an orderly manner. As they started to stop shifting from one place to another, plant trees, and feed animals, the requirement for an advanced number system became inevitable. It will become an unknown fact how and when this numeration skill came to life, however it is clear that certain numeration was developed correctly when we as humans settled for even semi-permanent lives.

Paragraph C

There are many proofs and evidence of initial stages of arithmetic and numeration found in some parts of the world. Even now, many tribal people from Tasmania and other parts of Africa were only able to count numbers like one, two, many; in some parts of South Africa, they counted one, two, two and one, two twos, two twos and one, etc. Now, the number and words are mostly accompanied by physical gestures to avoid unnecessary confusion. For instance, while counting the numbers like one, two, many types of system, the word many would seem to be, Follow my hands and follow the number of fingers I am showing you. This fundamental step is used only in the variety of numbers which it can express, but this will normally diminish while facing the easier components of mere existence.

Paragraph D

The deprivation of skills of some ethnicity to face large numbers is not astonishing. When we look back to the earlier version of European languages, it is found that the words, expressions and numbers are very poor in standards. In the ancient Gothic word, the word for teon, tachund tachund, was represented as the number 100 as tachund tachund. Similarly, in the seventh century, the word toen was interchangeable with the tachund or hund of the Anglo-Saxon language, and so 100 was denoted as hund teontig, or ten times ten. A typical individual from the seventh century in Europe did not know anything about numbers as we use them in this modern era. In the previous days, when a person needed to be produced as a witness in a court of law, they must be able to count numbers from one to nine.

Paragraph E

In this case, the most basic action to develop a sense of number is definitely not how to count but rather to understand that the concept of number is an abstract idea. It is not a simple attachment to a group of specific subjects. The earliest human race must have been able to predict and understand that four birds are different from two birds. But, it is not that basic to count the number 4, as it is associated with four birds, to the number 4, as it is associated with four rocks. Connecting to a number as one of the qualities of a specific object causes great difficulty to the imagination and development of a true number system. If the number 4 is able to register in the mind in terms of a specific word, then the person can easily take the next step to develop a notational system for numbers. Once that is done, they can shift to arithmetic concepts.

Paragraph F

There are many traces identified in the early stages of the development of numeration. It can be witnessed in many currently speaking languages. In British Columbia, the Tsimshian language has approximately seven different forms of words, especially for numbers, based on the class of the item counted. For example, to count flat objects, materials and animals, to count round objects, time, to count the number of people, to count the long objects like trees, to count canoes, to measure something, and to count any particular item which is not being numerated. It is found that the last was a new development from the humans' side, where the first six groups reveal the order system used. When we look at the Japanese language, we can find this diversity of names for each number.

Paragraph G

Interconnected with the number sense development is nothing but the development of the skill to count. Here, the process of counting is not directly associated with the information of a number concept, mainly because it is fine to do counting by comparing the items that are counted against a set of pebble stones, corn grains, or fingers. These support systems might be inevitable to the ancient society, who might have considered this process impossible. This does not require any mechanical support as well. These support systems, though they are different, are in use by literate people as it seems to be convenient. It is very clear that whatever is counted obviously refers to something other than the object that is counted. Previously, it was seen as grains, pebbles, etc. Now it is a memorised series of words that are assigned to each number counted.

Sentence Completion (Questions 1–7)

Complete the sentences below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

Similarly, in the seventh century, the word 1. ______ was interchangeable with the tachund or 2. ______ of the Anglo-Saxon language, and so 100 was denoted as hund teontig, or ten times ten. A typical individual from the 3. ______ in Europe did not know anything about numbers as we use them in this modern era. In the previous days, when a person needed to be produced as a witness in a court of law, they must be able to count numbers from 4. ______.

In this case the most basic action to develop a sense of number is definitely not how to count but rather to 6. ______ that the concept of number is an 5. ______. It is not a simple attachment to a group of specific subjects.

The process of counting is not directly associated with the information of a number concept mainly because it is fine to do counting by comparing the items that are counted against a set of 7. ______.

Short Answer (Questions 8–10)

Answer the questions below using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage.

8. Name two regions mentioned in the passage where tribal people could only count up to a few numbers.

9. Which paragraph discusses the limited number vocabulary of early tribal communities and their use of numeration only for basic tasks?

• A. Numbers, words, and expressions
• B. Extraordinary achievement
• C. minimum use of actual numbers

10. According to the passage, what do physical gestures accompany while counting in certain tribal communities?

True/False/Not Given (Questions 11–13)

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage? Write:

• TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
• FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
• NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this in the passage

11. In the seventh century, a European witness in a court of law had to count from one to nine.

12. The word "toen" in the seventh century could be used in place of "tachund" or "hund" in the Anglo-Saxon language.

13. The Tsimshian language of British Columbia eventually replaced all other indigenous number systems in the region.