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William Gilbert And Magnetism Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test

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Updated on Jul 02, 2024, 11:57

The IELTS Reading section evaluates your reading skills, including your ability to understand main ideas, recognise the writer's opinions, and identify specific information. This part of the test consists of 40 questions you must answer within 60 minutes. 

 

You will encounter various question types, such as multiple choice, matching information, and sentence completion, each crafted to assess different aspects of your reading comprehension.

 

Key highlights of the Reading section:

 

  • Experience various question types, from multiple choice to matching information.
  • Engage with passages reflecting everyday contexts relevant to academic or professional life.
  • Complete 40 questions within 60 minutes, testing your ability to read efficiently under pressure.
  • Demonstrate understanding of main ideas, opinions, and specific details within the text.
  • Develop essential reading skills essential for academic and professional pursuits.

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1. William Gilbert And Magnetism 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. William Gilbert And Magnetism Reading Question & Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about William Gilbert And Magnetism

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1.

William Gilbert And Magnetism 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.

 

 

 

 

 William Gilbert And Magnetism Reading Passage


 

 

Paragraph A: The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries saw 2 great pioneers of modern science: Gilbert and Galileo. Their eminent findings made a big impact. Gilbert was the accredited father of the science of electricity and magnetism, the first modern scientist, a physician at the court of Elizabeth and an Englishman of learning. Before him, the things known about electricity and magnetism was what the ancients knew, and nothing more than that. Lodestone had magnetic properties and when amber and jet were rubbed, it would attract bits of paper or other substances of small specific gravity. However, he wasn't given the recognition he deserves.

 

Paragraph B: Gilbert was born before Galileo. He was born on 24 May 1544 in an esteemed family in UK’s Colchester county. After going to grammar school, he went to study medicine at St. John’s College, Cambridge. He graduated in 1573 and then travelled to the continent and later settled down in London.

 

Paragraph C: He was a very eminent and successful doctor and was elected as the president of the Royal Science Society. He was appointed to serve the Queen (Elizabeth I) as her personal physician, and was later knighted by the Queen. He served her faithfully until her death. But soon after the Queen's death he died on 10th December, 1603. It was only a few months after his appointment as a personal physician to King James.

 

Paragraph D: Although Gilbert was interested in chemistry first he later changed his work because of a large portion of the mysticism of alchemy involved (such as the transmutation of metal). Slowly he became interested in physics after the great minds of the ancient, particularly about the knowledge the ancient Greeks had about lodestones, strange minerals with the power to attract iron. Meanwhile, in 1588 when the Spanish Armada was defeated, Britain had  become a major seafaring nation, paving the way to the British settlement of America. British ships relied on the magnetic compass, yet no one knew why it worked. Was there a magnetic mountain at the pole, as described in Odyssey’ which ships would never approach or as Columbus said, did the pole star attract it? William Gilbert conducted ingenious experiments from 1580 to understand magnetism for almost 20 years. 

 

Paragraph E: Gilbert’s discoveries were so important to modern physics. He investigated the nature of electricity and magnetism. He was the one who coined the word “electric”. Ultimately the beliefs of magnetism were also twisted with superstitions like rubbing garlic on lodestone can remove its magnetism. Even Sailors believed the smell of garlic would even interfere with the action of the compass, which is why the steerers were forbidden to eat it near a ship’s compass. Gilbert also found that metals can be magnetised by rubbing materials such as plastic, fur, etc. on them. He named the magnets “north and south pole”. Depending on its polarity magnets can attract or repel. In addition, however, a magnet always attracts an ordinary iron. Though he started to study the relationship between electricity and magnetism, he did not finish it. His research of static electricity using jet and amber only showed that objects with electrical charges can work like magnets that attract small pieces of paper and stuff. du Fay, a French guy discovered that there are actually two electrical charges, negative and positive.

 

Paragraph F: He also questioned the traditional astronomical beliefs. He didn’t express in his quintessential beliefs whether the earth is at the centre of the universe or in orbit around the sun though he was a Copernican. He believed that stars have their own earth-like planets orbiting around them and are not equidistant from the earth. Compasses always point north because the earth is like a giant magnet. The earth’s polarity and the axis they spin on is aligned. He built an entire magnetic philosophy on this analogy. He even equated the polarity of the earth to that of magnets. He explained that magnetism was the soul of the earth and a perfectly spherical lodestone, when aligned with the earth’s poles, would keep moving by itself in 24 hours. He further believed that suns and other stars wobble just like the earth does around a crystal core, and theorised that the moon might also be a magnet that orbits due to its attraction towards earth. Maybe this was the first proposal saying that a force might cause a heavenly orbit.

 

Paragraph G: In his revolutionary research methods he used experiments instead of reasoning and pure logic like the ancient Greek philosophers did. It was new in the scientific investigation. Scientific experiments were not in fashion till then. Because of this scientific attitude and his contribution to the field of magnetism, the unit of magnetomotive force, also known as magnetic potential, was named Gilbert in his honour. He carefully approached it, observed and experimented it rather than the authoritative or deductive philosophy of others that had laid the very foundation for modern science.

2.

William Gilbert And Magnetism Reading Question & Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about William Gilbert And Magnetism

Questions and Answers 1-5
  • Complete the table below.
  • Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the reading passage for each answer.

 

 

Year

Event

1 ________ Gilbert was born
2 ________ Queen Elizabeth died
3 ________ Spanish Armada was defeated
4 ________ Gilbert graduated from St. John’s College
1580William Gilbert conducted 5________. ingenious experiments 

 

 

William Gilbert And Magnetism Reading Answers with Explanations (1-5)


 

Type of Question: Table Completion

 

In the IELTS reading section, when answering questions, ensure that key information is extracted directly from the passage by selecting no more than three words, maintaining accuracy and conciseness in your responses.
 

How to best answer: 
 

  • Read the question carefully to understand what information is being asked for.
  • Scan the relevant part of the passage to identify keywords or phrases that match the question.
  • Choose no more than three words from the passage that directly answer the question.
  • Ensure the selected words fit grammatically and contextually into the sentence or passage provided.
  • Double-check your answer to confirm that it accurately reflects the passage's information and fulfils the question's requirements.

 

 

1. 1544

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph B, "He was born on 24 May 1544 in an esteemed family in UK’s Colchester county." 
 

Explanation: This is the year Gilbert was born, as stated in the paragraph describing his early life.


 

2. 1603

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph C, "But soon after the Queen's death he died on 10th December, 1603." 
 

Explanation: This is the year Queen Elizabeth died, mentioned in the paragraph detailing Gilbert's service to her.


 

3. 1588

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph D, "Meanwhile, in 1588 when the Spanish Armada was defeated, Britain had become a major seafaring nation, paving the way to the British settlement of America." 
 

Explanation: This is the year of the defeat of the Spanish Armada, indicated in the paragraph discussing Gilbert's research during that time.


 

4. 1573

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph B, "He graduated in 1573 and then travelled to the continent and later settled down in London." 

 

Explanation: This is the year Gilbert graduated from St. John’s College, as mentioned in the paragraph detailing his education.


 

5. Ingenious experiments

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph D, "William Gilbert conducted ingenious experiments from 1580 to understand magnetism for almost 20 years." 
 

Explanation: Gilbert conducted innovative experiments to understand magnetism, as stated in the paragraph describing his research methods.

Questions and Answers 6-10
  • This reading passage has eight paragraphs, A–G.
  • Which paragraph contains the following information?
  • Write the correct letter, A-G, as your answer to each question.

 

 

6. Gilbert was the accredited father of the science of electricity and magnetism.

7. He used experiments instead of reasoning and pure logic.

8. Gilbert coined the word “electric”. 

9. He believed that stars have their own Earth-like planets.

10. Gilbert was interested in chemistry first.


 

William Gilbert And Magnetism Reading Answers with Explanations (6-10)
 

 

Type of Question: Locating Information

 

To answer a Locating Information question in IELTS reading, carefully read the question, scan the passage for relevant keywords or phrases, and select the information that directly corresponds to the question.
 

How to best answer: 
 

  • Read the question carefully to understand what specific information is being asked for.
  • Scan the passage quickly to locate the relevant section or paragraph.
  • Focus on keywords or phrases that match the question in the passage.
  • Ensure the information you select directly answers the question without any ambiguity.
  • Double-check your answer against the question to ensure accuracy before moving on.


 

6. Paragraph A

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph A, "Gilbert was the accredited father of the science of electricity and magnetism, the first modern scientist, a physician at the court of Elizabeth and an Englishman of learning." 

 

Explanation: The statement highlights Gilbert's contributions to science and his role as a pioneering figure, detailed in Paragraph A.


 

7. Paragraph G

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph G, "In his revolutionary research methods, he used experiments instead of reasoning and pure logic like the ancient Greek philosophers did." 
 

Explanation: This emphasises Gilbert's approach to scientific inquiry, contrasting it with the methods of ancient Greek philosophers, as described in Paragraph G.


 

8. Paragraph E

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph E, "He was the one who coined the word electric”.
 

Explanation: Gilbert's role in coining the term "electric" is mentioned in Paragraph E, aligning with the answer provided.


 

9. Paragraph F

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph F, "He believed that stars have their own earth-like planets orbiting around them and are not equidistant from the earth." 
 

Explanation: This statement reflects Gilbert's astronomical beliefs, as outlined in Paragraph F, regarding the nature of stars and their associated planets.


 

10. Paragraph D

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph D, "Although Gilbert was interested in chemistry first, he later changed his work because of a large portion of the mysticism of alchemy involved..." 

 

Explanation: This statement addresses Gilbert's shift in focus from chemistry to physics, influenced by his disillusionment with alchemy, as described in Paragraph D.

Questions and Answers 11-14
  • Complete the summary below.
  • Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

 

 

The eminent findings of Gilbert made a big impact. He was born on 24 May 1544 in an esteemed family in UK’s 11) _____ county.  He investigated the nature of electricity and 12) ____. Because of his scientific attitude and contribution to the field of magnetism, the unit of magnetomotive force, also known as 13) ________, was named Gilbert in his honour. He died on 10th December, 1603 after a few months of his appointment as a personal physician to 14) ______. 

 

 

William Gilbert And Magnetism Reading Answers with Explanations (11-14)


 

Type of Question: Summary Completion
 

Carefully read the summary and identify keywords, then scan the passage to locate the relevant information, ensuring the words you choose to complete the summary accurately reflect the content and context of the passage.

 

How to best answer: 
 

  • Read the summary completion question carefully to understand the context and what information is required.
  • Scan the passage to locate relevant sections or paragraphs that contain the missing information.
  • Identify keywords or phrases in the summary that match information in the passage.
  • Choose the answer that best fits the missing information based on the context and keywords provided.
  • Ensure the selected answer is grammatically correct and maintains coherence with the surrounding text.


 

11. Colchester

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph B, "He was born on 24 May 1544 in an esteemed family in UK’s Colchester county." 
 

Explanation: This answer is found in Paragraph B and provides the birthplace of Gilbert, as stated in the passage.


 

12. Magnetism

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph E, "He investigated the nature of electricity and magnetism." 
 

Explanation: This answer is located in Paragraph E and refers to Gilbert's study and exploration of the nature of electricity and magnetism.


 

13. magnetomotive force

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph G, "Because of this scientific attitude and his contribution to the field of magnetism, the unit of magnetomotive force, also known as magnetic potential, was named Gilbert in his honour." 
 

Explanation: This answer is situated in Paragraph G and explains the naming of the unit of magnetomotive force in honour of Gilbert's contributions to magnetism.


 

14. King James

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph C, "he died on 10th December, 1603. It was only a few months after his appointment as a personal physician to King James." 

 

Explanation: This answer is found in Paragraph C and mentions Gilbert's role as a personal physician to King James, indicating the timing of his death shortly after his appointment.

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FAQs

Q. What are some good sources for practice materials for the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. Some good sources for practice materials for the IELTS Reading test include official IELTS practice materials, Cambridge IELTS books, online platforms like British Council and IELTS Liz, and reputable IELTS preparation websites offering sample tests and exercises.

Q. How can I improve my comprehension skills for the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. To improve comprehension skills for the IELTS Reading test, practice regularly with a variety of texts, focusing on understanding main ideas, supporting details, and the writer's purpose. Use active reading techniques such as skimming, scanning, and summarizing to enhance comprehension.

Q. What are some good resources for improving my reading skills in general?

Ans. Good resources for improving reading skills in general include reputable online platforms like Khan Academy, Coursera, and edX, which offer free courses on reading comprehension strategies. Additionally, reading diverse materials such as newspapers, magazines, novels, and academic articles can help expand vocabulary, enhance understanding of different writing styles, and improve overall reading proficiency.