Prehistoric Cave Paintings Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test with Answers

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Updated on Apr 09, 2025, 12:32

In the IELTS Reading section, you will answer 40 questions based on three academic or general passages. You’ll have 60 minutes to read the texts, understand the details, and complete various question types such as multiple choice, matching features, and True/False/Not Given. This section tests how well you can grasp key ideas, locate specific information, and identify the writer’s opinions.
 

Prehistoric Cave Paintings Reading passage explores the origins, meanings, and techniques of prehistoric cave paintings found in different parts of the world. You’ll learn how early humans used art to communicate, document their lives, and express their beliefs.


Let’s look at the Prehistoric Cave Paintings reading answer passage, questions, and answers with explanations.

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1. Prehistoric Cave Paintings Reading Answer Passage

You should spend approximately 20 minutes answering Questions 1 – 14 based on the Prehistoric Cave Paintings Reading Answer Passage below.

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2. Prehistoric Cave Paintings Reading Answers with Sample Questions

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about Prehistoric Cave Paintings.

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3. Check Out Top 50+ IELTS Reading Practice Test Questions with Answers

Below are some top free IELTS Reading Practice test online questions with detailed answers to enhance your IELTS preparation online. 

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1.

Prehistoric Cave Paintings Reading Answer Passage

General Information

  • Read Instructions: Understand each question before answering.
  • Manage Time: Spend about 20 minutes per passage.
  • Skim and Scan: Quickly get the main idea and find specific information.
  • Highlight Key Info: Underline essential words or phrases.
  • Answer All Questions: Attempt every question; no penalty for wrong answers.
  • Stay Focused: Avoid distractions and keep your attention on the task.
  • Check Spelling: Ensure correct spelling and grammar.
  • Transfer Answers Clearly: Write answers neatly on the answer sheet.
  • Don’t Dwell: Move on if stuck and return later.
  • Review: If time allows, review your answers.

 

 

Prehistoric Cave Paintings Reading Answer Passage

 

Paragraph A. It may have taken Michelangelo 4 long years to paint his mural on the roof of the Basilica of San Francesco, but his earliest forerunners spent much longer finishing their own masterwork. Analysts have detected that prehistoric cave paintings took up to 20,000 years to finish. Rather than being generated in one assembly, as palaeontologists formerly thought, many of the works detected over Europe were manufactured by hundreds of peer groups, who added to, reinvigorated and painted over the original bit of art. 

 

Paragraph B. Till now it has been very tough to spot when prehistoric cave paintings and carvings were generated, but a developed methodology is allowing analysts to date cave art correctly for the first time and show how the works were bespoke over 1000s of years. Specialists now hope the methodology will give a valuable intuition into how early human culture grew and swapped as the first modern humans moved over Europe around 40,000 years ago. 

 

Paragraph C. Dr Alistair Pike, a palaeontologist at Bristol University who is best in analysis, said: the art gives us a close window into the minds of the individuals who assembled it, but what we don’t know is precisely which individuals they were as we don’t know precisely when the art was made. If we can date the art, then we can date the art then we can relate that to the fossil we find in the ground and start to connect the figurative thoughts of these individuals to where, when and how they were living’.

 

Paragraph D. Hundreds of caves have been found over Europe with complicated prehistoric paintings and carvings on their walls. It is thought the designs, which frequently portray scenes of animals, were made up to 40,000 years ago- sometime after humans began moving from southern Europe into northern Europe during the last glacial age. 

 

Paragraph E. Conventional dating methodology has depended on carbon dating the charcoal and other dye used in the paintings, but this can be inexact as it only gives the date the charcoal was made, not when the  work was bespoken.’  When you go into these caves today there is still charcoal untruthful on the ground, so the artisan at the time could have been using old charcoal rather than making it fresh themselves,’ describes Dr Pike. 

 

Paragraph F. ‘If this was the case, then the date for the painting would be very incorrect. Taking illustrations for carbon dating also means demolishing a piece of these valuable paintings because you need to remove a piece of the dye. For carvings, it is in effect not possible to date them as there is no biotic pigment containing carbon at ail.’

 

Paragraph G. The analysts have used their methodology to date a series of popular cave dweller paintings in Altamira cave, northern Spain. Called the  ‘Sistine Chapel of the Palaeolithic’, the complicated works were thought to date from around 14,000 years ago. 

 

Paragraph H. But in an analysis issued by the Natural Environment Research Council’s new website Planet Earth, Dr Pike found some of the paintings were between 25,000 and 35,000 years old. The youngest paintings in the cave were 11,000 years old. Dr Pike said:’ We have found that most of these caves were not painted in one go, but the painting bridged up to 20,000 years. This goes opposed to what the palaeontologists who dug out the caves found. It is probably the case that people did not live in the caves they painted. It looks like the cave they lived in was elsewhere, and there was something special about the painted caves.’ 

 

Paragraph I. Dr Pike and his crew were able to date the paintings using a methodology called uranium series dating, which was at first grown by geologists to date rock formations such as stalactites and stalagmites in caves. As water seeps through a cave, it contains very low levels of liquefy-contaminated uranium along with the mineral calcium carbonate. Over time, small amounts of calcium carbonate are placed to form a hard layer over the paintings, and this layer also traps the uranium. Because of its radioactive properties, the uranium slowly decomposes to become another element called thorium. By contrast, the ratio of uranium to thorium in the thin layers on top of the cave art, the analysts were able to calculate the age of the paintings. 

 

Paragraph J. The analysts have also used their methodology to etching found in rocks around Creswell crags in Derbyshire, which was Britain’s only samples of glacial age cave art. They showed the etching was made at least 12,000 years ago. Professor Pablo Arias, an expert on Palaeolithic cave art at the University of Cantabria, Spain, said: ‘Until about 10 years ago, it was only feasible to date cave art by using the style of the figures, but this new methodology grew by Bristol University allows that date to be correctly compared. We want to study how the people of the time behaved and how they felt, and cave dweller art gives us a way of looking at the kind of symbols that were main to them. So we need to know when the people who were making the art actually lived.’

 

Let’s explore the questions and answers of the Prehistoric Cave Paintings reading answer passage.

2.

Prehistoric Cave Paintings Reading Answers with Sample Questions

Have you read the passage? Now, take the test and find Prehistoric Cave Paintings Reading answers! Try to answer these questions by yourself before you sneak a peek at the answers given below.

Questions and Answers 1-5
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Prehistoric Cave Paintings Reading Answers Passage?
In boxes 1-5 on your answer sheet, write
  • TRUE if the statement agrees with the information.
  • FALSE if the statement contradicts the information.
  • NOT GIVEN if there is no information about this.

 

1. Cave paintings inspired Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

 

2. It now seems that cave paintings were painted in one go and then left untouched.

 

3. Dr Pike focuses on dating artefacts found on the ground in the caves.

 

4. There are a number of disadvantages to using carbon dating to date paintings and carvings.

 

5. The Altamira cave contains more cave paintings than any other cave in Europe.
 

Prehistoric Cave Paintings Reading Answers with Explanations (1-5)


 

Type of question: Yes/No/Not Given(True/False/Not Given)

 

In this question type, you are required to determine whether the statements provided agree with, contradict, or are not mentioned in the reading passage. 

 

How to best answer: 
 

  • Understand what information is being presented and what is being asked.
  • Find relevant information in the reading passage that relates to the statement.
  • Determine if the statement agrees with, contradicts, or is not mentioned in the passage.
  • If the information is not explicitly provided in the passage, select 'Not Given' rather than making assumptions.
  • Base your answers solely on the information presented in the passage, avoiding personal opinions or outside knowledge.

 

1. Not Given

 

Reference: N/A

 

Explanation: The passage talks about Michelangelo’s mural and prehistoric cave art but does not mention any connection or inspiration between the two. Since there is no reference to Michelangelo being inspired by cave paintings, the answer is correctly marked as “Not Given”.

 

2. False

 

Reference: From Paragraph A: “Rather than being generated in one assembly, as palaeontologists formerly thought, many of the works detected over Europe were manufactured above hundreds of peer groups, who added to, reinvigorated and painted over the original bit of art.”

 

Explanation: This line makes it clear that the paintings were not done in one go but were added to and refreshed over thousands of years by different groups. Therefore, the idea that they were painted once and then left untouched is incorrect.

 

3. False

 

Reference: From Paragraph C: “If we can date the art then we can relate that to the fossil we find in the ground.”

 

Explanation: This statement shows that Dr Pike is primarily concerned with dating the art on the walls, not the artefacts or fossils on the ground. Fossils are used only to help contextualise the art, not as the main focus of his research.

 

4. True

 

Reference: From Paragraph F:”‘If this was the case, then the date for the painting would be very incorrect. Taking illustrations for carbon dating also means demolishing a piece of these valuable paintings because you need to remove a piece of the dye. For carvings, it is in effect not possible to date them as there is no biotic pigment containing carbon at all.”

 

Explanation: The line highlights two major issues with carbon dating — it may produce inaccurate results and requires physically damaging the artwork. These disadvantages support the answer as “True”.

 

5. Not Given

 

Reference: N/A

 

Explanation: Although the Altamira cave is discussed in detail, there is no comparison with other caves in terms of the number of paintings. Since no such comparison is made, the answer is correctly marked as “Not Given”.

 

To practice more reading answers, click on the IELTS Reading Practice Test 2025!

Questions and Answers 6-8
  • Choose the correct letter: A, B, C or D.

 

6.   Dr Pike believes that

A.  Most caves remained undiscovered for thousands of years.

B.  archaeologists should not have excavated the caves at all.

C.  the caves were uninhabited but were treated as important.

D.  the paintings were painted by the people living in the caves.
 

7.   Uranium series dating

A.  was previously used for other purposes.

B.  is a technique which was invented by Dr Pike.

C.  relies on the presence of stalactites in the caves.

D.  only works with caves which are underwater.
 

8.   Professor Pablo Arias

A.  is sceptical about the benefits of the new dating technique.

B.  is enthusiastic about what the new technique will achieve.

C.  used the technique to successfully date Creswell Crags.

D.  believes it is necessary only to study the symbols in the art.
 

Prehistoric Cave Paintings Reading Answers With Explanations (6-8)
 

Type of question: Multiple choice questions

 

In this question type, you are asked to answer the question followed by several options, typically lettered A, B, C, or D. The task is to select the correct answer from the given choices based on the information provided in the reading passage.

 

How to best answer: 
 

  • Read the question carefully and understand what it asks.
  • Pay attention to the keywords in the question.
  • Skim the passage quickly to locate relevant information.
  • Eliminate the clearly incorrect options.
  • Select the answer that best fits the information in the passage.

 

6. C - the caves were uninhabited but were treated as important

 

Reference: From Paragraph H: "It is probably the case that people did not live in the caves they painted. It looks like the cave they lived in was elsewhere, and there was something special about the painted caves."

 

Explanation: This line indicates that the caves with paintings were not used as living spaces, but rather held some unique or ceremonial value. Dr Pike clearly distinguishes between the caves people lived in and those they painted. This makes “option C” the correct answer.

 

7. A - was previously used for other purposes

 

Reference: Paragraph I: “Dr Pike and his crew were able to date the paintings using a methodology called uranium series dating, which was at first grown by geologists to date rock formations such as stalactites and stalagmites in caves.”

 

Explanation: The sentence shows that uranium series dating was not originally meant for dating cave art but for dating natural rock formations. This proves that the technique had earlier geological uses, making “option A” the most accurate choice.

 

8. B - is enthusiastic about what the new technique will achieve

 

Reference: From Paragraph J: “Professor Pablo Arias, an expert on Palaeolithic cave art at the University of Cantabria, Spain, said: ‘Until about 10 years ago, it was only feasible to date cave art by using the style of the figures, but this new methodology grew by Bristol University allows that date to be correctly compared.”

 

Explanation: This line shows that Professor Arias supports the new dating method as it helps in better understanding early human life and culture. His interest in how people behaved and what they felt highlights his enthusiasm, making “option B” the right answer.

 

To build a strong word bank that can help you approach the Reading section with clarity and confidence, go through the List of IELTS Reading Vocabulary 2025!

Questions and Answers 9-14
  • What is said about each of these things found in the caves?
  • Choose your answers from the box and write the letters A-H next to Questions 9-14.

 

A. When this is removed, it damages the painting. 

B. This can damage the stalactites and stalagmites in the caves.

C. Over time, this turns into a different element.

D. We could determine when it was made but not when it was used.

E. This is produced as a result of radioactive decay.

F. Scientists used to think that this was a mineral.

G. This contains no carbon-based elements at all.

H. This can act as a firm coating over something.

 

9.  charcoal

10. pigment

11. carving

12. uranium

13. calcium carbonate

14. thorium
 

Prehistoric Cave Paintings Reading Answers With Explanations (9-14)
 

Type of question: Matching Features

 

In this task, you are required to match a list of opinions or deeds with the correct individuals from a provided list. This type of question tests your ability to identify relationships and connections between people and their contributions or viewpoints, as mentioned in the text.

 

How to best answer: 

 

  • Carefully read the instructions to know what criteria or basis you're using for matching.
  • Identify the key features or attributes of each item on the list.
  • Use the elimination process to narrow down the options for the remaining matches.
  • Review all matches to ensure they are coherent and aligned with the given criteria.
  • Look for patterns or relationships between items to improve the efficiency of making correct matches.
  • Finalise your answers.

 

9. D - We could determine when it was made but not when it was used

 

Reference: From Paragraph E: “Conventional dating methodology has depended on carbon dating the charcoal and other dye used in the paintings, but this can be inexact as it only gives the date the charcoal was made, not when the  work was bespoken.”

 

Explanation: This line indicates that carbon dating only reveals when the charcoal itself was created, not when it was actually used in the cave paintings. Therefore, we cannot determine the exact time the artwork was made, making “D” the correct answer.

 

10. A - When this is removed, it damages the painting

 

Reference: From Paragraph F: “Taking illustrations for carbon dating also means demolishing a piece of these valuable paintings because you need to remove a piece of the dye.”

 

Explanation: This sentence clearly explains that removing pigment for dating purposes involves damaging the artwork. Since it requires scraping off part of the dye, it harms the original painting, making “A” the right choice.

 

11. G - This contains no carbon-based elements at all

 

Reference: From Paragraph F: “For carvings, it is, in effect, not possible to date them as there is no biotic pigment containing carbon at all.”

 

Explanation: The line highlights that carvings lack any organic pigment, which means they contain no carbon elements that are required for carbon dating. As a result, they cannot be dated this way, supporting “G” as the correct answer.

 

12. C - Over time, this turns into a different element

 

Reference: From Paragraph I: "Because of its radioactive properties, the uranium slowly decomposes to become another element called thorium."

 

Explanation: This sentence shows that uranium undergoes radioactive decay over time, eventually changing into thorium. This transformation process makes “C” the appropriate answer.

 

13. H - This can act as a firm coating over something

 

Reference: From Paragraph I: "Over time, small amounts of calcium carbonate are placed to form a hard layer over the paintings."

 

Explanation: The line describes how calcium carbonate gradually builds up to create a solid coating on the paintings. This firm layer plays a role in preserving the artwork and helps in dating it, which makes “H” the right answer.

 

14. E - This is produced as a result of radioactive decay

 

Reference: From Paragraph I: "Because of its radioactive properties, the uranium slowly decomposes to become another element called thorium."

 

Explanation: This line confirms that thorium is the product of uranium’s radioactive decay. It is not formed directly but appears as uranium breaks down, which clearly makes “E” the correct answer.
3.

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FAQs

Q. What are common keywords in Prehistoric Cave Paintings reading passage?

Ans. In this passage, you'll often see keywords like “caves,” “prehistoric,” “ancient,” “paintings,” and “symbols.” Other common terms include names of specific caves like “Lascaux” or “Chauvet,” references to “early humans,” and words like “rituals” or “communication.” These help locate relevant information quickly.

Q. How to answer matching headings questions in the Prehistoric Cave Paintings reading passage?

Ans. To answer matching headings questions, read each paragraph carefully and identify the main idea. Don’t get distracted by specific details or examples. Focus on what the paragraph is mainly about and choose the heading that best summarises the overall message.

Q. What is a challenging aspect of the Prehistoric Cave Paintings reading passage?

Ans. One difficult aspect is understanding different theories or interpretations presented by archaeologists and researchers. The passage may use complex vocabulary and contain abstract ideas, which can make it harder to follow and match information correctly.

Q. Are Prehistoric Cave Paintings passages part of the IELTS Academic or General Reading?

Ans. These passages are typically found in the IELTS Academic Reading section. They are based on factual, research-based content and written in a formal style, which aligns with the academic test format designed for students applying to higher education.

Q. What is the IELTS Reading test format?

Ans. The IELTS Reading test is 60 minutes long and includes 3 sections with a total of 40 questions. Academic Reading contains passages from journals, books, or magazines, while General Training has more everyday texts. Question types include multiple choice, matching, and True/False/Not Given.

Q. Can I start with any section of the Reading test?

Ans. Yes, you can start with any section in the Reading test. You are not required to follow the order of the questions, so it’s a good strategy to begin with the section or passage you find the easiest to build confidence and save time.

Q. Are spelling mistakes penalised in the Reading test?

Ans. Yes, spelling mistakes are penalised in the IELTS Reading test. If you misspell a word, even if it’s close to the correct answer, it will be marked as incorrect. So, always double-check your spelling, especially for names and technical terms.

Q. Do I need to include articles ('a', 'an', 'the') in my answers?

Ans. Yes, you must include articles like “a,” “an,” or “the” when they are required in the answer. If you leave them out, your response may be considered grammatically incorrect, and you could lose a mark for that question.

Q. Can I write my answers in pen or pencil?

Ans. If you're taking the paper-based IELTS, you must write your answers using a pencil. Pen is not accepted for the Reading and Listening sections, and using it may result in your answers not being marked properly by the scanner.

Q. What happens if I leave a question unanswered?

Ans. If you leave a question blank, you get no marks for it. There’s no negative marking in IELTS, so it’s always better to guess if you’re unsure. You might get it right and earn an extra point.

Q. How should I practice to improve my Reading score?

Ans. To improve your Reading score, practise with actual IELTS materials under timed conditions. Focus on developing skills like skimming, scanning, and understanding question types. Review your mistakes regularly to avoid repeating them, and aim for both speed and accuracy.