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Thomas Young Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test

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Updated on Jul 02, 2024, 11:57

In the IELTS Reading section, your ability to comprehend complex texts is thoroughly assessed. This segment spans 60 minutes and includes three passages, each followed by questions in formats like multiple choice, matching headings, and True/False/Not Given. Succeeding in this section hinges on your capacity to grasp key details, identify main ideas, and draw inferences from context.

 

To excel in the IELTS Reading section, effective strategies such as skimming for main ideas and scanning for specific details are crucial. Regular practice with sample questions and exposure to various question types will refine your skills and readiness for the exam day.

 

Prepare for an engaging exploration of "Thomas Young," an insightful journey into the life and contributions of Thomas Young. Delve into his diverse achievements across fields like optics, linguistics, and medicine, understanding the intellectual prowess that enabled him to make significant contributions in multiple disciplines. Engage with passages and questions that enrich your understanding of Young's legacy and the enduring impact of his innovative thinking.

 

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1. Thomas Young Passage

You should spend approximately 20 minutes answering Questions 1 - 13 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. Thomas Young Reading Questions and Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about Thomas Young Reading Questions and Answers

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1.

Thomas Young 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.

 

 

 

 

Thomas Young Passage

 



Paragraph A

Thomas Young (1773–1829) wrote 63 articles for the Encyclopedia Britannica, including 46 biographies (primarily of scientists and classicists) and in-depth pieces on "Bridge," "Chromatics," "Egypt," "Languages," and "Tides." Was someone a polymath, a genius, or a dilettante if they could write with authority on so many subjects? According to Andrew Robinson's ambitious new biography, Young is a strong candidate for the title "the last man who knew everything." Young faces opposition, though: The term, which Robinson adopts as his subtitle, also appears in two other recent biographies: Paula Findlen's 2004 biography of polymath Athanasius Kircher (1602-1680) and Leonard Warren's 1998 biography of palaeontologist Joseph Leidy (1823-1891). 

 

Paragraph B

Of course, Young produced more than just encyclopedia entries. At the age of 20, he delivered his first paper to the Royal Society of London, and a week after being 21, he was elected a Fellow. Young described how the human eye accommodates, or how the eye can focus correctly on objects at various distances, in the study. Young claimed that adjustments to the lens's shape were liable for this. Young also proposed the wave theory of light, and he felt that there must be three receptors in the eye that correspond to the three "primary colours" to which the retina may respond: red, green, and violet, in order to explain the ability to see in colour. All of these hypotheses were later shown to be true.

 

Paragraph C

Later in life, in his forties, Young played a key role in decoding the code that opened the mysterious script on the Rosetta Stone, a tablet that perhaps the Napoleonic army "discovered" in Egypt in 1799. The text on the stone is written in three different alphabets: Greek, an unknown alphabet, and Egyptian hieroglyphs. Young surmised that the obscure writing, now known as demotic, is intimately related to hieroglyphic. His initial research on this was included in his entry on Egypt in the Britannica. He first used the term Indo-European to refer to the family of languages that are spoken across the majority of Europe and northern India in another entry. These are the ground-breaking accomplishments of a man who was a child prodigy and who, in contrast to many other gifted kids, did not fade into obscurity as an adult.

 

Paragraph D

Young, who was born in 1773 and raised with his maternal grandparents in Somerset, England, finally moved out to pursue boarding school. He had been a bookworm since he was two years old, and on his own initiative, he became an expert in Latin, Greek, mathematics, and natural philosophy. Richard Brocklesby, a doctor and Fellow of the Royal Society, was his mother's uncle, and he gave him a lot of encouragement after he finished school. Young made the decision to pursue a career in medicine after Brocklesby. Following the medical tour, he studied in London before continuing on to more formal studies in Edinburgh, Gottingen, and Cambridge. Young opened a medical practice in London in 1808 after finishing his medical background at the University of Cambridge. Soon after, he was admitted to the Royal College of Physicians and sent to St. George's Hospital as a physician.

 

Paragraph E

But Young's talent as a doctor fell short of his skill as a student of languages or natural philosophy. At the Royal Institution, where he had held a professorship of natural philosophy before, he gave up to 60 lectures a year, beginning in 1801. These were released in 1807 in two volumes. Young was appointed secretary of the Royal Society in 1804 and remained in that position until his passing. On civic and national issues, such as the implementation of gas lighting in London and shipbuilding techniques, his thoughts were sought after. He served as the Nautical Almanac's superintendent and Board of Longitude secretary beginning in 1819. He served as the Palladian Insurance Company's doctor and calculations inspector from 1824 until 1829. He provided his extensive and varied entries to the Encyclopedia Britannica between 1816 and 1825, and over the course of his career, he wrote a great deal of books, essays, and papers.

 

Paragraph F

Young is the ideal, yet intimidating, subject for a biography. Few men made as much of an impact in so many technical domains. Robinson wants to explain Young's work and life to non-scientists. He succeeds in delivering the technical material in a clear manner (especially on optics and Egyptian hieroglyphs). Young's accomplishments will strike some readers of this book as impressive, like Robinson, while others will view him as a dilettante like some historians have. However, despite the wealth of information in this book, readers won't get to know Young personally. A lighthearted Young can be seen writing Latin and Greek words in his notes for medical courses and translating the lines that a young woman had scrawled on a summerhouse's walls into Greek elegiacs. Young was introduced to high society, went to the theatre, and managed to pick up dancing and flute playing. Additionally, he was a skilled rider. But in comparison to his dynamic profession and studies, his personal life seems tepid.

 

Paragraph G

According to Robinson, Young married Eliza Maxwell in 1804, and "their marriage was a happy one and she appreciated his work." The only things we really know about her are that she supported her husband through some contentious arguments about optics and that she fretted about money when his medical profession didn't take off right away. The complexity of Young's connections with his mother and father are little documented. Robinson does not attribute Young's remarkable thinking to them or anybody else. Despite the paucity of information regarding Young's relationships, this book is recommended for anyone curious about what it means to be a genius.

 

2.

Thomas Young Reading Questions and Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about Thomas Young Reading Questions and Answers

Questions and Answers 1-6
  • Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?
  • In boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet, write.

  • TRUE if the statement is true
  • FALSE if the statement is false
  • NOT GIVEN if the information is not given in the passage
  •  

    1. Each of Young’s articles appeared in Encyclopedia Britannica.

    2. Others have also raised a claim to "the last man who knew everything."

    3. Young's abilities as a physician far overshadowed his other abilities.

    4. Young, like many others, struggled academically as a young person.

    5. People with responsibility for local and international issues sought Young's advice.

    6. Young had suffered from a disease in his old age.

     

     

    Thomas Young Reading Answers with Explanations (1-6)

     

     

    Question Type:  True/False/Not Given

     

    In this task, you are presented with a statement, and your task is to determine if it agrees with the information in the passage (True), contradicts the information in the passage (False), or if there is insufficient information in the passage to decide (not given).

     

    How to best answer the question:

     

    • Read the statement carefully to ensure you understand exactly what it is saying. 
    • Pay attention to details such as dates, numbers, and specific information.
    • Scan the passage to find the section where the relevant information is likely to be located. 
    • Focus on finding evidence that either supports or contradicts the statement.
    • True: If the statement agrees with the information in the passage.
    • False: If the statement contradicts the information in the passage.
    • Not Given: If there is no information in the passage that confirms or contradicts the statement.


     

    1. False

     


    Reference: 

    Paragraph A

    According to Andrew Robinson's ambitious new biography, Young is a strong candidate for the title 'the last man who knew everything.

     

    Explanation

    Young did not write only encyclopedia entries; he also delivered papers and made significant contributions to fields like optics and language studies, as mentioned in this paragraph.


     

    2. True

     

    Reference: 

    Paragraph A

    According to Andrew Robinson's ambitious new biography, Young is a strong candidate for the title "the last man who knew everything.

     

    Explanation

    The passage states that Andrew Robinson considers Young a strong candidate for the title "the last man who knew everything," which indicates that others have also claimed this title, as mentioned in the biography.


     

    3. Not Given

     


    Reference: 

    Paragraph 

    NA 

     

    Explanation

    There is no specific comparison in the passage regarding whether Young's abilities as a physician overshadowed his other abilities.


     

    4. False

     


    Reference: 

    Paragraph D

    He had been a bookworm since he was two years old, and on his own initiative, he became an expert in Latin, Greek, mathematics, and natural philosophy. Richard Brocklesby, a doctor and Fellow of the Royal Society, was his mother's uncle, and he gave him a lot of encouragement after he finished school. 

     

    Explanation

    It is mentioned that Young was a child prodigy and excelled in various subjects from a young age, which contradicts the statement that he struggled academically.


     

    5. True

     


    Reference: 

    Paragraph E

    Young was appointed secretary of the Royal Society in 1804 and remained in that position until his passing. On civic and national issues, such as the implementation of gas lighting in London and shipbuilding techniques, his thoughts were sought after. He served as the Nautical Almanac's superintendent and Board of Longitude secretary beginning in 1819. 


     

    Explanation

    The passage states that Young's thoughts were sought after on civic and national issues, indicating that people did seek his advice on local and international issues.



     

    6. Not Given

     


    Reference: 

    Paragraph 

    NA

     

    Explanation

    The passage does not mention anything about Young suffering from a disease in his old age, so the answer is NOT GIVEN.

    Questions and Answers 7-10
  • Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.
  •  

     

    7. How many biographies for the Encyclopedia Britannica did Young pen?

    8. In his initial academic publication, Young focused on what area of scientific study?

    9. What name did Young coin to describe a group of languages?

    10. Who gave Young the motivation to begin his medical studies?


     

    Thomas Young Reading Answers with Explanations (7-10)

     

    Question Type:  Short Answer 

     

    In the IELTS Reading section, short answer questions require you to provide concise responses, typically consisting of a few words or a short phrase. 
     

    How to best answer the question:

     

    • Make sure your answers directly relate to the information provided in the passage and adhere to any specified word limits. 
    • Practice your scanning skills to quickly locate relevant information, and be prepared to recognise synonyms or paraphrased versions of the information. 
    • Ensure your answers are precise, correctly spelt, and grammatically accurate. 

     

     

    7. 46

     


    Reference: Paragraph A

    Thomas Young (1773–1829) wrote 63 articles for the Encyclopedia Britannica, including 46 biographies.


     

    Explanation

    The answer is located in the first paragraph where it mentions that Young wrote 63 articles for the Encyclopedia Britannica, including 46 biographies.


     

    8. Human eye accommodation

     


    Reference: Paragraph B
    At the age of 20, he delivered his first paper to the Royal Society of London, and a week after being 21, he was elected a Fellow. Young described how the human eye accommodates.


     

    Explanation

    Young's initial academic publication focused on how the human eye accommodates or focuses correctly on objects at various distances, as described in this paragraph.


     

    9. Indo-European

     


    Reference: Paragraph C
    He first used the term Indo-European to refer to the family of languages that are spoken across the majority of Europe and northern India in another entry.


     

    Explanation

    Young coined the term "Indo-European" to describe the family of languages spoken across Europe and northern India, which is detailed in this paragraph.

     

     

    10. Richard Brocklesby

     


    Reference: Paragraph D

    Richard Brocklesby, a doctor and Fellow of the Royal Society, was his mother's uncle, and he gave him a lot of encouragement after he finished school.


     

    Explanation

    Richard Brocklesby, who was Young's mother's uncle, provided Young with encouragement to begin his medical studies, as stated in this paragraph.

    Questions and Answers 11-13

     

    11. Which pathways did Young choose after school?

     

    1. Technology
    2. Medicine
    3. Visual arts
    4. None of the above

     

    12. In whose opinion was Young capable enough for the title "the last man who knew everything”?

     

    1. Rosetta
    2. Richard
    3. Robinson
    4. Maxwell

     

    13. Which of the following has Young NOT claimed in his academics?

     

    1. How human eye focus
    2. that modifications of the lens were to blame
    3. Theory of colours and eye receptors
    4. That reflex action can be controlled

     

     

    Thomas Young Reading Answers with Explanations (11-13)

     

    Question Type: Multiple Choice 

     

    Multiple Choice questions in the IELTS reading test present you with a question followed by a set of options from which you must choose the correct answer. Typically, there are three or four options to choose from. You must carefully read the question and each option before selecting the correct answer.

     

    How to best answer this question:

     

    • You must comprehend the passage to select the most accurate option.
    • Efficient skimming and scanning help locate relevant information quickly.
    • Some options may be designed to mislead you, so it's crucial to base your choice on evidence from the passage.
    • Multiple-choice questions can be time-consuming if you dwell on each option too long. Manage your time wisely to ensure you can attempt all questions.

     

     

    11. B- Medicine

     


    Reference: 

    Paragraph D 

    Young made the decision to pursue a career in medicine after Brocklesby.


    Explanation
    The passage states that Young decided to pursue a career in medicine, which answers the question about his chosen pathway after school.

     

     

    12. C- Robinson

     


    Reference: 

    Paragraph A 

    According to Andrew Robinson's ambitious new biography, Young is a strong candidate for the title 'the last man who knew everything.

     

    Explanation

    The passage indicates that it is Andrew Robinson who considers Young a strong candidate for the title "the last man who knew everything."


     

    13. D- That reflex action can be controlled

     


    Reference: 

    Paragraph B 

    Young described how the human eye accommodates, or how the eye can focus correctly on objects at various distances, in the study. Young claimed that adjustments to the lens's shape were liable for this. Young also proposed the wave theory of light, and he felt that there must be three receptors in the eye that correspond to the three 'primary colours' to which the retina may respond.

     

    Explanation

    The passage lists Young's claims about eye accommodation, lens shape adjustments, and the wave theory of light, but it does not mention that he claimed reflex action can be controlled.

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    FAQs

    Q. Can I write on the question paper during the test?

    Ans. Yes, you are allowed to write on the question paper during the IELTS Reading test. This can be a helpful strategy for keeping track of key information, identifying important details, and organising your thoughts as you read the passages. You can underline relevant points, circle keywords, or make brief notes to aid in answering the questions later.

    Q. How many marks are allocated for each question in the IELTS Reading test?

    Ans. In the IELTS Reading test, each question typically carries one mark. The total score is out of 40 marks, with no questions carrying more than one mark. This uniform marking scheme applies to all question types, including multiple-choice and matching headings.


     

    Q. Can I use a dictionary during the IELTS Reading test?

    Ans. No, you are not allowed to use a dictionary or any other reference materials during the IELTS Reading test. You must rely solely on your own understanding and knowledge to answer the questions.