Talking Point Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test with Answers

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Updated on Apr 01, 2025, 10:08

In The IELTS Reading section, you will answer 40 questions based on three different passages. You need to complete this section in 60 minutes, testing your ability to understand the main ideas, details, and opinions. The texts come from books, journals, newspapers, or magazines, and the questions assess a range of reading skills.

 

The Talking Point Reading passage explores how conversation plays a vital role in human communication and social interaction. You will read about the science behind small talk, why people engage in casual conversations, and how it impacts relationships.

 

Let’s look at the Talking Point reading answer passage, questions, and answers with explanations.

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1. Talking Point Reading Answer Passage

You should spend approximately 20 minutes answering Questions 1 – 14 based on the Talking Point Reading Answer Passage below.

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2. Talking Point Reading Answers with Sample Questions

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about Talking Point.

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3. Check Out Top 35+ 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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Talking Point 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.

 

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Talking Point Reading Answer Passage

 

Paragraph A. Learning a second language fuels children’s intelligence and makes their job prospects brighter. But the fact is, in New Zealand, as in many other English-speaking countries, speakers of two or more languages are in the minority. Eighty-four per cent of New Zealanders are monolingual (speakers of only one language). This leaves a small number who claim to speak two or more languages - a small percentage of whom were born in New Zealand.

 

Paragraph B. No matter how proud people are of their cultural roots, to speak anything other than English is a marker of difference here. That’s why eight-year-old Tiffany Dvorak no longer wishes to speak her mother tongue, German, and eight-year-old Ani Powell is embarrassed when people comment on the fact that she is able to speak Maori *. As Joanne Powell, Ani’s mother, points out: ‘In Europe, it’s not unusual for kids to be bilingual. But, if you speak another language to your children in New Zealand, there are some people who think that you are not helping them to become a member of society.’

 

Paragraph C. But in fact, the general agreement among experts is that learning a second language is good for children. Experts believe that bilinguals - people who speak two languages - have a clear learning advantage over their monolingual schoolmates. This depends on how much of each language they can speak, not on which language is used, so it doesn’t matter whether they are learning Maori or German or Chinese or any other language.

 

Paragraph D. Cathie Elder, a professor of Language Teaching and Learning at Auckland University, says: ‘A lot of studies have shown that children who speak more than one language sometimes learn one language more slowly, but in the end, they do as well as their monolingual schoolmates, and often better, in other subjects. The view is that there is an improvement in general intelligence from the effort of learning another language.’

 

Paragraph E. Dr Brigitte Halford, a professor of linguistics at Freiburg University in Germany, agrees. ‘Bilinguals tend to use language better as a whole,’ she says. They also display greater creativity and problem-solving ability, and they learn further languages more easily.’

 

Paragraph F. So, with all of the benefits, why do we not show more enthusiasm for learning other languages? Parents and teachers involved in bilingual education say pressure from friends at school, general attitudes to other languages in English-speaking countries, and problems in the school system are to blame.

 

Paragraph G. In New Zealand, immigrants face the possibility of culture being lost along with the language their children no longer wish to speak. Tiffany’s mother, Susanne Dvorak, has experienced this. When she and husband Dieter left Germany six years ago to start up a new life in New Zealand, they thought it would be the perfect opportunity to raise their two-year-old as a bilingual. After all, bilingual Turkish families in Germany were normal, and Susanne had read all the books she could find on the subject.

 

Paragraph H. The idea was to have a home as a German language environment and for Tiffany to learn English at nursery school. But when Tiffany went to nursery school, she stopped talking completely. She was quiet for about two or three months. Then, when she took up talking again, it was only in English. Concerned for her language development, Dieter started speaking English to his daughter while Susanne continued in German.

 

Paragraph I. Today, when Susanne speaks to her daughter in German, she still answers in English. ‘Or sometimes she speaks half and half. I checked with her teacher, and she very seldom mixes up German and English at school. She speaks English like a New Zealander. It’s her German that’s behind,’ says Susanne.

 

Paragraph J. Professor Halford, also a mother of two bilingual children, says, ‘It’s normal for kids to refuse to speak their home language at the stage when they start to socialise with other kids in kindergarten or school’. But, she says, this depends a lot on the attitudes of the societies in question. In monolingual societies, like New Zealand, ‘kids want to be like all the others and sometimes use bilingualism as one of the battlefields for finding their own identity in contrast to that of their parents.’

 

Paragraph K. She supports Susanne’s approach of not pressuring her daughter. ‘Never force the child to use a specific language; just keep using it yourself. The child will accept that. There is often a time when children or teenagers will need to establish their own identity as different from their schoolmates, and they may use their other language to do so.’

 

Paragraph L. Cathie Elder thinks immigrant parents should only speak English to their children if they are able to use English well themselves. ‘What parents should do is provide rich language experiences for their children in whatever language they speak well. They may feel like outsiders and want to speak the local language, but it is more important for the child’s language development to provide a lot of language experience in any language.’

 

Paragraph M. There can be differences between children in attitudes to learning languages. Susanne Dvorak’s two-year-old son, Danyon, is already showing signs of speaking German and English equally well. While her ‘ideal’ scenario hasn’t happened with Tiffany, she is aware that her daughter has a certain bilingual ability, which, although mainly passive at this stage, may develop later on.

 

Paragraph N. Joanne Powell feels the same way about her daughter, Ani. ‘At the moment, she may not want to speak Maori, but that’s okay because she’ll pick it up again in her own time. It’s more important that she has the ability to understand who she is. By learning another language, she can open the door to another culture.’

 

Paragraph O. Donna Chan, 25, a marketing specialist for IBM, arrived here with her parents from Hong Kong when she was four. She also remembers refusing to speak Chinese when she started primary school. But now she appreciates she had the chance to be bilingual. ‘It’s quite beneficial speaking another language in my job. Last year, my company sent me to a trade fair in Hong Kong because I could speak Chinese. Being bilingual definitely opens doors,’ she says.
 

Let’s explore the questions and answers of the Talking Point reading answer passage.

2.

Talking Point Reading Answers with Sample Questions

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

Questions and Answers 1-4
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Talking Point Reading Answers Passage?
In boxes 1-4 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.  Most people who speak a second language in New Zealand were born in another country.

2.  Most New Zealanders believe it is good to teach children a second language.

3.  Chinese is the most common foreign language in New Zealand.

4.  Some languages develop your intelligence more than others.

 

Talking Point  Reading Answers with Explanations (1-4)

 

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. True

 

Reference: From paragraph A: “This leaves a small number who claim to speak two or more languages – a small percentage of whom were born in New Zealand.”

 

Explanation: This line indicates that only a small percentage of bilingual speakers were born in New Zealand, which clearly suggests that most bilingual speakers were born in another country, making the statement true.

 

2. Not Given

 

Reference: N/A

 

Explanation: This line shows people’s attitude towards speaking other languages but does not mention whether most New Zealanders believe teaching children a second language is good, which is why the statement is marked as not given.

 

3. Not Given

 

Reference: N/A

 

Explanation:  This line mentions Chinese as one of the languages people may learn but does not provide any information about whether Chinese is the most common foreign language in New Zealand, making the answer not given.

 

4. False

 

Reference: From paragraph C: “Experts believe that bilinguals – people who speak two languages – have a clear learning advantage over their monolingual schoolmates. This depends on how much of each language they can speak, not on which language is used, so it doesn’t matter whether they are learning Maori or German or Chinese or any other language.”

 

Explanation:  This line clearly states that the learning advantage depends on how much of each language is spoken, not on which language it is, meaning no language develops intelligence more than others. Therefore, the statement is false.

 

Also Read: IELTS Reading Band Score 2025

Questions and Answers 5-11
  • Look at the following statements (Questions 5-11) and the list of people below.
  • Match each statement with the correct person, A-E.
  • Write the correct letter, A-E, in boxes 5-11 on your answer sheet.
Note: You may use any letter more than once.

 

5. Children learning two languages may learn one language faster.

6. It has been unexpectedly difficult to raise a bilingual child in New ZelanZealandHer daughter sometimes speaks a mixture of two languages.

8. Children's attitudes to language depend on general social attitudes.

9. It is not important which language parents speak with their children.

10. Learning a second language provides opportunities to learn another culture.

11. Speaking a second language provides work opportunities.

 

List of People

A. Cathie Elder
B. Brigitte Halford
C. Susanne Dvorak
D. Joanne Powell
E. Donna Chan
 

Talking Point   Reading Answers With Explanations (5-11)
 

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.

 

5. A

 

Reference: From Paragraph D: “Cathie Elder, a professor of Language Teaching and Learning at Auckland University, says: ‘A lot of studies have shown that children who speak more than one language sometimes learn one language more slowly, but in the end, they do as well as their monolingual schoolmates, and often better, in other subjects.''

 

Explanation: This line shows that bilingual children may sometimes develop one language at a slower pace, which clearly supports the idea that one language may be learned faster than the other. Therefore, Cathie Elder is the correct answer.

 

6. C

 

Reference: From Paragraph G: “In New Zealand, immigrants face the possibility of culture being lost along with the language their children no longer wish to speak. —------------ After all, bilingual Turkish families in Germany were normal, and Susanne had read all the books she could find on the subject.''

 

Explanation: This line highlights that Susanne Dvorak expected it would be easy to raise her child bilingually but later found it challenging. This unexpected difficulty in raising a bilingual child in New Zealand makes her the correct answer.

 

7. C

 

Reference: From Paragraph I: “Today, when Susanne speaks to her daughter in German, she still answers in English. ‘Or sometimes she speaks half and half.''

 

Explanation: This line clearly indicates that Susanne’s daughter mixes both languages while speaking, which directly matches the idea of speaking a mixture of two languages. So, Susanne Dvorak is the correct answer here.

 

8. B

 

Reference: From paragraph J: “Professor Halford, also a mother of two bilingual children, says, ‘It’s normal for kids to refuse to speak their home language at the stage when they start to socialise with other kids in kindergarten or school’. But, she says, this depends a lot on the attitudes of the societies in question.”

 

Explanation:  This line explains that children’s willingness to speak a language is influenced by society’s attitude towards that language. Therefore, the connection between children’s attitudes and general social attitudes makes Brigitte Halford the correct answer.
 

9. A

 

Reference: From paragraph L: "What parents should do is provide rich language experiences for their children in whatever language they speak well."

 

Explanation: This line makes it clear that the specific language parents use with their children is not important; what matters is the richness of the language experience. Therefore, Cathie Elder is the correct answer.

 

10. D

 

Reference: From paragraph N:  "By learning another language, she can open the door to another culture."
 

Explanation:  This line clearly shows that learning another language helps children understand and access another culture. That’s why Joanne Powell is the correct answer.

 

11. E

 

Reference: From paragraph O:  “It’s quite beneficial speaking another language in my job. Last year, my company sent me to a trade fair in Hong Kong because I could speak Chinese. Being bilingual definitely opens doors,’ she says.” 

 

Explanation: This line clearly shows that knowing a second language provided Donna with job opportunities, like attending a trade fair in Hong Kong. Therefore, Donna Chan is the correct answer.

Questions and Answers 12-13
  • Choose TWO letters, A-F.
  • Write the correct letters in box 12-13 on your answer sheet.

 

12.  Which TWO people stopped speaking one language as a child?
      
A. Donna Chan

B. Susanne Dvorak

C. Tiffany Dvorak

D. Cathie Elder

E. Brigitte Halford

F. Joanne Powell
 

13.  Which TWO people think that their children's language may develop as they get older?

A. Donna Chan

B. Susanne Dvorak

C. Tiffany Dvorak

D. Cathie Elder

E. Brigitte Halford

F. Joanne Powell

 

Talking Point  Reading Answers With Explanations (12 - 13)


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.

 

12. A, C [in either order, both required for one mark]

 

Reference: From paragraphs H & O:  “But when Tiffany went to nursery school, she stopped talking completely. She was quiet for about two or three months.” and "She also remembers refusing to speak Chinese when she started primary school."

 

Explanation: These lines indicate that both Tiffany and Donna stopped using one language when they were children. Tiffany became completely silent when she started nursery school, while Donna refused to speak Chinese in primary school. So, both examples show children who stopped speaking a language at an early age.

 

13. B, F [in either order, both required for one mark]

 

Reference: From paragraphs M & N:  “While her ‘ideal’ scenario hasn’t happened with Tiffany, she is aware that her daughter has a certain bilingual ability which, although mainly passive at this stage, may develop later on.” and "At the moment she may not want to speak Maori, but that’s okay because she’ll pick it up again in her own time."

 

Explanation:  These lines suggest that both Susanne Dvorak and Joanne Powell believe their daughters’ language abilities may develop in the future. Although their children are not actively using the second language now, both parents feel that the skills might improve naturally as the children grow older.
3.

Check Out Top 35+ IELTS Reading Practice Test Questions with Answers

Below are some top 35+ free IELTS Reading Practice test online questions with detailed answers to enhance your IELTS preparation online. We have provided sample passages for each test type for your reference.
 

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FAQs

Q. What are common keywords in the Talking Point reading passage?

Ans. In the Talking Point reading passage, common keywords usually include names, dates, technical terms, and unique phrases related to communication or discussion. You should also look for synonyms, linking words, and signal words that help you locate specific information. These keywords make it easier to scan and find answers quickly.

Q. How to answer matching headings questions in the Talking Point reading passage?

Ans. To answer matching headings questions, first read all the headings carefully. Then, read the first few lines and the last line of each paragraph in the passage. Try to identify the main idea or focus of each paragraph and match it with the most suitable heading. Always eliminate similar-sounding headings that don't fully match the paragraph content.

Q. What is a challenging aspect of the Talking Point reading passage?

Ans. One challenging aspect of the Talking Point reading passage is identifying the writer’s opinion or main argument. Sometimes, the language is complex or full of examples, making it difficult to spot the central idea. Another challenge is handling tricky question types like True/False/Not Given or Matching Headings under time pressure.