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The Creation Myth Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test

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Updated on Aug 12, 2024, 03:38

The topic "The Creation Myth” is a common passage in the IELTS reading test. The passage explores the idea that creativity isn't just an inborn talent but a potential that everyone has, which is often limited by our daily habits and societal rules. It explains that while our routines and restrictions can suppress creativity, they also need to be understood so that we can eventually break free from them. True creativity involves moving beyond these limits. 

 

This passage highlights the need to remove mental barriers and use structured thinking to boost creativity, helping ideas grow and connect in new ways.

 

This practice test will assess your reading skills by focusing on key concepts, making it an important resource for excelling in the IELTS Reading section.


 

Let’s look at the “The Creation Myth” reading passage, along with questions, answers, and explanations.

 
 

In the IELTS Reading section, you’ll have 60 minutes to tackle 3 passages, each getting a bit harder. You’ll face different question types, such as multiple-choice, matching information, and figuring out the writer’s views. 


 

Managing your time well is crucial so that you can read the passages thoroughly and answer the questions accurately.

 

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1. The Creation Myth Reading Passage

You should spend approximately 20 minutes answering Questions 1 - 14 based on the Reading Passage below. This approach can help manage time effectively during a reading comprehension activity or exam

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2. The Creation Myth Reading Questions and Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about The Creation Myth Reading Questions & Answers

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1.

The Creation Myth Reading 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.

 

Looking to register for IELTS? Check out the upcoming dates!

 

 

The Creation Myth Reading Passage 

 

Paragraph A


 

That creative people's abilities are God- or nature-given is a widespread myth. Many of us carry the seeds of genius resting within us, but we have yet to discover its full potential. However, how far do we have to go to discover the road to originality? Far beyond the imagination of so many of the things we do on a daily basis—opening the door, shaving, getting dressed, walking to work—we do it out of habit because we have to. If this weren't the case, we would likely go crazy without it. Though it varies from person to person, the strength of our habits is such that they can overwhelm our conscious efforts at creativity. For instance, we might set out on foot to take a different route to the office, only to find ourselves back on our regular route. It would be too late to reconsider our decision at that point. Perhaps some other time. The same is true in every aspect of our existence. For instance, when we set out to solve an issue, we could take different approaches, but we usually end up retracing the same steps.


 

Paragraph B


 

So, many people's acts and behaviours are fixed in immovable blocks, their thoughts clogged with the cholesterol of habitual actions, stopping them from operating freely and, as a result, limiting creativity. The obsessive need to impose order on the world is just one example of how mankind's battle for survival has backfired and become a form of tyranny. You can see it in the way people treat time, social norms, and the multitude of laws and restrictions that have been imposed on the human mind.


 

Paragraph C


 

School is where people learn how to keep their creative abilities in check. School, college, and then work all teach us how to control our lives by putting more and more limits on us, which is getting worse as technology gets better. So, should we be surprised that creativity seems to be so rare? It is stuck in the prison we built for it. Yet, even in this hostile environment, the groundwork for creativity is being laid. This is because getting started on the creative path means using rules and regulations. These restrictions are needed so that they can be broken once they are learned.


 

Paragraph D


 

True creativity is typically depicted as the product of a mind that is uncontrolled and unbound. But, a more accurate representation would be of a mind that is free to roam when it so chooses and that understands laws and regulations as mere parameters that may be established and torn down at leisure. Maybe it would help to see how the human mind may be conditioned to be creative. The brains of others have an arch, and like stiff muscles, this arch must be released in order to realise its full potential. As a sort of stimulation, the participants in the activity can be restricted from using specific solutions or lines of reasoning in order to complete the task. This forces them into uncharted areas, where they may make surprising discoveries. Convincing others that creativity is possible is challenging because of the widespread belief that it is impossible due to the widespread myth and mythology surrounding the creative process. Subconscious fear is also at play here; after all, breaking out from one's established mental routines is comparable to crazy. When you crack open Pandora's box, though, a new world appears.


 

Paragraph E


 

Removing obstacles is a significant factor in facilitating thought regulation, as opposed to the mind's default of allowing ideas to bump into each other at random. Parameters help the mind focus by providing a structure for ideas. Thoughts from various parts of the brain can combine to generate a new concept through the process of "lateral thinking," which is equivalent to the formation of a molecule from a collection of individual atoms. In other words, once the concept has been conceived, it must be contained lest it evaporate into thin air. The mind has to concentrate on it for a while before it can recall or use it again. The constraints can then serve as avenues for the growth and maturation of the ideas. After an idea has been developed to its logical conclusion in one's mind, it is time to loosen the reins and let it freely mingle with other concepts. 


 

2.

The Creation Myth Reading Questions and Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about The Creation Myth

Questions and Answers 1-5
  • The Reading Passage below has 5 paragraphs. Which paragraph focuses on the Information below?

  • Write the correct letters (A-E) in Boxes 1-5 on your answer sheet.
  • For each answer, write only ONE letter.

 

  1. How mental constraints inspire uniqueness.
  2. It is important to study the rules so that one can break them.
  3. What limits our ability to think outside the box: our habits.
  4. Methods for cultivating imaginative thought.
  5. How can the need for structure become a mental prison.



 

The Creation Myth Reading Answers with Explanations  (1-5)


 

Type of question: Matching information

 

In this question type, you will be asked to match specific pieces of information, often dates, names, or events, from the reading passage with corresponding options provided in the question.

 

How to best answer: 


 

  • Read each statement carefully to understand the specific information being asked for.
  • Scan the passage for relevant dates or events in the reading passage that corresponds to each statement.
  • Eliminate incorrect options that do not match the information found in the passage.
  • Match the remaining options based on the information provided in the passage.
  • Verify your answers to ensure they match the information in the passage before finalising them.


 

1. E

 

Reference

From paragraph E:  "Parameters help the mind focus by providing a structure for ideas."

 

 

Explanation: This line explains that parameters or constraints actually aid in focusing the mind, which facilitates the generation of new ideas. It shows how mental constraints inspire uniqueness by structuring thoughts, thereby fostering creativity. This makes paragraph E the correct answer.

 

 

2. C

 

From paragraph C: "School is where people learn how to keep their creative abilities in check. School, college, and then work —---- These restrictions are needed so that they can be broken once they are learned." 

 

 

Explanation: The paragraph highlights that understanding and following rules is essential for eventually breaking them. This underscores the importance of initially studying rules to overcome them later, aligning with the need to learn the rules before one can effectively challenge them. This makes paragraph C the correct answer.

 

 

3. A

 

Reference

 

From paragraph A: "Though it varies from person to person, the strength of our habits is such that they can overwhelm our conscious efforts at creativity." 

 

 

Explanation: This line demonstrates how both unnecessary and essential habits can dominate our mental processes, restricting our ability to think creatively. It effectively illustrates the impact of habitual actions on limiting our creative thinking, making paragraph A the correct answer.

 

 

4. D

 

Reference

 

From paragraph D: "But, a more accurate representation would be of a mind that is free to roam when it so chooses and that understands laws and regulations as mere parameters that may be established and torn down at leisure." 

 

 

Explanation: This paragraph focuses on the concept of true creativity involving a mind that can freely navigate and manipulate constraints. It emphasises methods for cultivating imaginative thought by understanding and working within and around these parameters, making paragraph D the correct answer.

 

5. B

 

Reference

From paragraph B:  "You can see it in the way people treat time, social norms, and the multitude of laws and restrictions that have been imposed on the human mind." 

 

 

Explanation: This line points out how an excessive need for structure and order becomes a mental prison, restricting creativity. It highlights how the imposition of rigid rules and norms limits our ability to think creatively and operate freely. This makes paragraph B the correct answer.


 

Also read: IELTS General Reading Test



 

Questions and Answers 6-10
  • Select the appropriate letters A-D
  • On your answer sheet, write them in Boxes 6-10.

 

 

6. The writer believes creative people

 

  1. Born with their talents.
  2. Naturally  talented
  3. Not gifted.
  4. Geniuses

 

7. The author says that creativity is…

 

  1. a present from God or the world
  2. a natural reaction
  3. hard for a lot of people to get
  4. a well-trodden path

 

8. The author says that…

 

  1. the fight to live is becoming a tyranny
  2. cholesterol is clogging up the human brain 
  3. the human race is now limited by its talents
  4. The need for humans to stay alive kills creativity

 

9. The advancement of technology…

 

  1. stops creativity 
  2. makes creativity better
  3. makes creative thinking better
  4. is a dictatorship

 

10. The author says that  creativity

 

  1. is a common trait
  2. is becoming more common
  3. is getting harder to find.
  4. is difficult to come across.


 

The Creation Myth Reading Answers with Explanations  (6-10)


 

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.


 

6. C

 

Reference

From paragraph A: "That creative people's abilities are God- or nature-given is a widespread myth."

 

 

Explanation: This line indicates that the belief in creativity as a gift from God or nature is a widespread myth. It highlights that creative abilities are not naturally endowed but rather something that can be developed, making “Not gifted” the correct answer.


 

7. C

 

Reference

From paragraph A:  "Though it varies from person to person, the strength of our habits is such that they can overwhelm our conscious efforts at creativity."

 

 

Explanation: The paragraph describes how habitual actions can overwhelm our conscious efforts at creativity. This suggests that achieving creativity is challenging for many people, thus making "hard for a lot of people to get" the correct answer.


 

8. D

 

Reference

 

From paragraph B:  "So, many people's acts and behaviours are fixed in immovable blocks, their thoughts clogged with the cholesterol of habitual actions, stopping them from operating freely and, as a result, limiting creativity."

 

Explanation: The line explains that many people's habitual actions and need for order limit their creativity. This presents the idea that the necessity for order and survival imposes restrictions that ultimately stifle creativity, so "The need for humans to stay alive kills creativity" is the correct answer.


 

9. A

 

Reference: 

 

From paragraph C: “School, college, and then work all teach us how to control our lives by putting more and more limits on us, which is getting worse as technology gets better.“

 

Explanation: The line argues that the increasing restrictions imposed by institutions and the advancement of technology contribute to the rarity of creativity. This implies that technology stops creativity, making “stops creativity” the correct answer.


 

10. D

 

Reference

From paragraph C:  "So, should we be surprised that creativity seems to be so rare?"

 

 

Explanation: This line suggests that creativity seems rare and constrained due to increasing restrictions. Therefore, the statement "creativity is getting harder to find" aligns with the information provided, making "is difficult to come across" the correct answer.


Learn about IELTS Reading Vocabulary here! 

 

Questions and Answers 11-14
Do the following statements match what you learned in the reading passage?
Write answers for the question 11-14

  • YES if the statement agrees with the information
  • NO if the statement contradicts the information
  • NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

 

11. Parameters are factors like rules and regulations.

12. The need for free speech and a totally free society is linked to having a truly creative mind.

13. People think it's impossible to be creative, which is a problem.

14. The act of making something is related to going crazy.

 


 

The Creation Myth Reading Answers with Explanations (11-14)

 

 

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.


 

11. Yes

 

Reference

From paragraph D:  "But, a more accurate representation would be of a mind that is free to roam when it so chooses and that understands laws and regulations as mere parameters that may be established and torn down at leisure."

 

 

Explanation: This line indicates that laws and regulations are understood as parameters within the context of creativity, confirming that parameters do indeed refer to rules and regulations. Thus, the statement is correct.


 

12. Not Given

 

Reference

From paragraph:  N/A

 

Explanation: The passage does not provide information about the relationship between free speech, a free society, and a truly creative mind. Therefore, the statement cannot be verified based on the given text.


 

13. Yes

 

Reference

From paragraph D: “Convincing others that creativity is possible is challenging because of the widespread belief that it is impossible due to the widespread myth and mythology surrounding the creative process.”


 

Explanation:  This line highlights that the widespread belief in the impossibility of creativity poses a challenge, which directly supports the statement that it is a problem. Thus, the statement is accurate.


 

14. Yes

 

Reference

From paragraph D: “Subconscious fear is also at play here; after all, breaking out from one's established mental routines is comparable to crazy. ”


 

Explanation: This line equates breaking away from established mental routines, a key aspect of the creative process, with being considered crazy. Therefore, the statement that making something is related to going crazy is correct.


 

Also Read:


 

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FAQs

Q. What strategies can help me answer True/False/Not Given questions?

Ans. To tackle True/False/Not Given questions, carefully read the statements and compare them with the information in the passage. Look for specific details and ensure that the information matches exactly for True or False. If the information is not directly mentioned or implied in the passage, then it is Not Given. Pay attention to qualifiers and nuances in the passage.

Q. How can I handle unknown words in the reading passages?

Ans. When faced with unknown words, use context clues from the surrounding text to infer their meaning. Look at how the word is used in the sentence and examine any related words or phrases. Sometimes, understanding the overall theme or purpose of the passage can help you deduce the meaning of unfamiliar words.

Q. Is it necessary to answer the questions in order?

Ans. No, it is not necessary to answer the questions in the order they appear. You can choose to answer the questions in any sequence that suits you. However, it is often helpful to answer questions related to a specific passage consecutively to maintain focus and improve efficiency.