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Book Review Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test

Updated on Mar 08, 2024, 06:58

Welcome to this IELTS Academic Reading Practice Test for Book Review Reading Answers. In this test, you can practice your reading skills and test your comprehension abilities through a book review passage.

The test will include a set of three types of questions: multiple-choice, summary completion, and yes/no/not given. You will have 18-20 minutes to answer questions based on the passage and receive general instructions before beginning the test.

On this page

1. Book Review Reading Passage

You should spend approximately 20 minutes answering Questions 1 - 14 based on the Reading Passage below.

2. Book Review Reading Questions and Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about Book Review.

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Book Review Reading Passage

You will have 60 minutes to complete the entire reading test.
The test consists of three reading passages with a total of 40 questions.
The texts may be taken from books, magazines, journals, or newspapers.
You will receive an answer sheet and should write your answers on it.
The questions will be in different formats, such as multiple-choice, matching, sentence completion, and summary completion.
The reading passages will increase in difficulty as you progress through the test.
You cannot bring any electronic devices, including mobile phones, into the test room.

Book Review

The Happiness Industry: How the Government and Big Business Sold Us Well-Being By William Davies

Paragraph 1

Richard Layard, an economist and advocate of "positive psychology," has summarised the ideologies and faith of various people nowadays in his proclamation that "happiness is the ultimate goal because it is self-evidently good. If we are asked why happiness matters, we can give no further external reason. It is just evident that it matters." For Layard and others like him, the goal of government is to foster an environment of shared prosperity. The only issue is how to attain it, and here, positive psychology—a purported science that not only detects what makes individuals happy but also lets their happiness be quantified—may indicate the way. With the guidance of this study, governments, as per theorists, are currently more capable than ever before of ensuring harmony in society.

Paragraph 2

It is an incredibly primitive and simplistic style of thinking, yet it is rising in popularity due to this. The huge philosophical literature that has studied and challenged the meaning and worth of happiness is neglected by those who embrace this mindset, and they write as if no significant ideas had been studied on the subject prior to their realisation. The emergence of this method of thinking was due in large part to the work of philosopher Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832). For Bentham, it was apparent that happiness and the lack of misery constitute the human good. In the 4th century BC, the Greek philosopher Aristotle connected happiness with self-realisation, and scholars throughout the years attempted to combine the goal of happiness with other human virtues, although all of this was just metaphysics or fiction to Bentham. Modern proponents of positive psychology follow in his footsteps, condemning as obsolete and unnecessary almost the entire ethical reflection on human pleasure to date, despite knowing nothing about him or the school of moral theory he founded—as they are ignorant in the history of ideas due to education and philosophical conviction.

Paragraph 3

However, as William Davies points out in his new book, The Happiness Industry, assuming that happiness is the prime self-evident good restricts moral analysis. This rich, clear, and compelling book's ability to contextualise the modern cult of happiness inside a precisely defined historical context is one of its many merits. Davies was correct in his assessment of Bentham, recognising that he was significantly more than just a philosopher. According to Davies, Bentham engaged in activities that modern-day management consultants serving the public sector may partake in. In the 1790s, he addressed letters to the Bank of England with a model for a printing machine that could generate unforgeable banknotes and to the Home Office with a suggestion that the government's various departments be interlinked by a system of "conversation tubes." To preserve food like meat, fish, fruit, and vegetables, he designed a "frigidarium." His renowned plan for a jail known as a "Panopticon," in which inmates would be confined in solitary while always being monitored by the guards, came extremely close to being implemented. (Interestingly, Davies does not address the fact that Bentham envisioned his Panopticon to serve as a model for both a jail and a control mechanism that could be utilised in both schools and factories.)

Paragraph 4

Bentham also established the "science of happiness." If happiness is to be considered a science, then it must be quantified. Bentham presented two methods for measuring happiness. He proposed that pleasure might be measured by taking the average heart rate of a person and seeing happiness as a complex of pleasant emotions. As an alternative, the value of money might be used as the criterion for quantification. If the cost of two distinct products is the same, it can be stated that both give the customer the same amount of happiness. The latter attribute grabbed Bentham's eye more. According to Davies, Bentham "established the foundation for the combination of psychological study and capitalism, which would influence the activities of the twentieth century" by associating money so intimately with inner experience.

Paragraph 5

In the book The Happiness Industry, it is explained how the pursuit of a science of pleasure has merged with business. We learn a lot of interesting information on the redefining and treatment of economic concerns as psychological conditions. Additionally, Davies demonstrates how management studies and advertising have been influenced by the idea that inner joy and dissatisfaction can be assessed objectively. The inclination of philosophers like J. B. Watson, the pioneer of behaviourism*, was that managers and politicians could mould or influence people. Watson's theories on human nature were not backed by any facts. He had only conducted studies on white rats when he was appointed president of the American Psychological Association in 1915. He had "never really examined a fellow human being." The government in Britain has founded a "Behaviour Insights Team" to research how individuals might be motivated to live in ways that are thought to be socially desirable while incurring the lowest expenses to the public purse. However, Watson's reductive model has already been extensively adopted.

Paragraph 6

To keep people motivated in their work, modern industrial nations seem to require the potential for ever-increasing happiness. But regardless of its conceptual heritage, the theory that authorities ought to be in charge of fostering happiness is always hazardous to people's freedom.

* behaviourism: a field of psychology in which the focus is on observable behaviour

Book Review Reading Questions and Answers

Questions and answers 1-3.

Choose the correct letter A, B, C, or D.
Write the correct letter in the boxes 1-3 on your answer sheet

1. The critic mentions the Greek philosopher Aristotle to state that happiness ______.

is not something that should be fought for.
may not be just pleasure and the absence of pain.
is not just an abstract concept.
should not be the main goal of humans.

2. In Davies' opinion, the suggestion that was given by Bentham’s to link the prices to happiness was remarkable because _____.

It established a connection between work and psychology.
It involved consideration of the rights of consumers.
It was the first successful way of assessing happiness.
It was the first successful example of psychological research.

3. What is the reviewer’s opinion on the proponents of positive psychology?

They have a fresh new approach to ideas on human happiness.
They are wrong to reject the ideas of Bentham.
They are ignorant about the ideas they should be considering.
They are over-influenced by their study of Bentham’s theories.

Book Review Reading Answers with Explanations

Type of questions: Multiple Choice Questions (one answer)

This is the typical MCQ type. You just need to select one answer out of the 4 options.

Multiple Choice Questions (one answer)
You just need to select one answer out of the 4 options.

How to best answer the questions

Skim through the questions and identify the keywords
Use the elimination method and recognise options that include inaccurate or false information as per the given passage
Match each option with the passage and choose an answer most accurately supported by the information in the passage.
Cross-check your answers and finalise them

From paragraph 2: ‘In the 4th century BC, the Greek philosopher Aristotle connected happiness with self-realisation, and scholars throughout the years attempted to combine the goal of happiness with other human virtues, although all of this was just metaphysics or fiction to Bentham.’

Explanation:

According to the paragraph, Aristotle and Bentham had different views on happiness. Aristotle believed that happiness couldn't be reduced to just pleasure and the absence of misery, while Bentham thought that happiness was simply the absence of pain and the presence of pleasure. It's fascinating to see how different philosophers have defined happiness throughout history.

From paragraph 4: ‘If the cost of two distinct products is the same, it can be stated that both give the customer the same amount of happiness.’

Explanation

As per the reference, Davies describes Bentham's theory that happiness should be quantified and connected to business and psychology. Bentham believed that if two items had the same price, the happiness received from both would be equal. Bentham's ideas paved the way for modern-day management consultants, as he engaged in activities similar to theirs, such as designing a system of "conversation tubes" and a printing machine for unforgeable banknotes.

From paragraph 2: ‘It is an incredibly primitive and simplistic style of thinking, yet it is rising in popularity due to this.’

As explained by the paragraph, the idea of happiness had been very simple and surprisingly unpleasant, yet it was quite famous. Moreover, it is argued that these advocates are unaware of the real meaning and value of happiness explained by research before their acceptance.

Questions and Answers 4-8

Complete the summary using the list of words A-G below.
Write the correct letter, A-G , in the boxes 4-8 on your answer sheet.

Jeremy Bentham

Jeremy Bentham was active in other areas besides philosophy. In the 1970s he suggested a type of technology to improve 4…………. for different Government departments. He developed a new way of printing banknotes to increase 5…………. and also designed a method for the 6……….. of food. He also drew up plans for a prison which allowed the 7…………. of prisoners at all times and believed the same design could be used for other institutions as well. When researching happiness, he investigated possibilities for its 8………… and suggested some methods of doing this.

communication
preservation
implementation
measurement
observation
Summary Completion (selecting from a list of words or phrases)
Go through the summary, focusing on the missing information
Identify keywords that can help you find answers
Use a method of elimination while going through the list of words/phrases
Review and finalise your answers

From paragraph 3: ‘ In the 1790s, he addressed letters to the Bank of England with a model for a printing machine that could generate unforgeable banknotes and to the Home Office with a suggestion that the government's various departments be interlinked by a system of "conversation tubes."’

According to the passage it is stated that Bentham suggested a system of "conversation tubes" to interlink the government's various departments and enhance communication between them. This was one of his many innovative ideas that aimed to improve the efficiency of government operations.

From paragraph 3: ‘In the 1790s, he addressed letters to the Bank of England with a model for a printing machine that could generate unforgeable banknotes and to the Home Office with a suggestion that the government's various departments be interlinked by a system of "conversation tubes."’

As per the passage, Bentham proposed a design for a printing machine that could generate unforgeable banknotes for the Bank of England, which would increase security as the notes could not be duplicated.

From paragraph 3: ‘His renowned plan for a jail known as a "Panopticon," in which inmates would be confined in solitary while always being monitored by the guards, came extremely close to being implemented.’

Bentham's celebrated design for a prison, known as the 'Panopticon,' allowed for constant surveillance of prisoners. The design ensured that inmates were confined in cells that could be viewed from all sides by the jailer, making it an innovative and effective approach to prison management.

From paragraph 4: ‘Bentham also established the "science of happiness." If happiness is to be considered a science, then it must be quantified.’

Bentham is credited with establishing the "science of happiness," he believed that if happiness was considered a science, it must be quantifiable. This shows his vision and forward-thinking approach to happiness as a measurable concept.

Questions and Answers 9-14

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

9. Industrialisation is connected to the requirement of happiness.

10. Prior to 1915, Watson conducted study on people that supported his theories of behaviourism.

11. Government’s main objective should be to increase the population’s happiness.

12. The Happiness Industry’s strength is the discussion of the connection between psychology and commerce.

13. The theories by Watson had immense influence on the governments outside America.

14. Certain emotions are more challenging to measure than others.

Book Review Reading Answers with E xplanations

Identifying Information or True/False/Not Given

How to best answer the question

Read the given question statements carefully and note down the keywords
With the help of the keywords, locate them in the passage, which will help you decide whether the given statement is yes or no .
Your answer will not be given if the information is not in the passage .

From paragraph 6: ‘To keep people motivated in their work, modern industrial nations seem to require the potential for ever-increasing happiness.’

It is mentioned in the book review that modern industrial nations require the potential for ever-increasing happiness to keep people motivated in their work. The need for happiness is also linked to the corporate world as it is necessary to motivate the workers. Therefore, the answer is yes .

From paragraph 5: ‘He had only conducted studies on white rats when he was appointed president of the American Psychological Association in 1915.’

As per the given statement, Watson's theories on human nature lacked factual evidence. When he was appointed as the president of the American Psychological Association in 1915, he had only conducted studies on white rats. Therefore, the answer is no .

From paragraph 6: ‘But regardless of its conceptual heritage, the theory that authorities ought to be in charge of fostering happiness is always hazardous to people's freedom.’

The answer is no because the author of this text is advocating against the idea of the government being responsible for promoting happiness among its citizens. The author believes that this approach could potentially harm people's freedom and, therefore, should be avoided. The author seems to suggest that this idea is risky and should not be pursued.

From paragraph 5: ‘In the book The Happiness Industry, it is explained how the pursuit of a science of pleasure has merged with business.’

The author agrees with the idea presented in the book "The Happiness Industry" that the pursuit of science to increase pleasure and happiness has merged with business, and economic issues have been redefined as psychological problems and treated as such. Therefore, the answer is yes .

From paragraphs 1 to 6: ‘Richard Layard, an economist and advocate…….. happiness is always hazardous to people's freedom.’

The answer is not given because there is no information in the passage that theories of Watson had an influence outside of America. Instead, his ideas regarding behaviour change were applied by the American government. So, the concept of behaviour change remains an important consideration in many different fields today.

The passage does not provide specific information on the measurement of a variety of emotions or how they should be measured. Though there is little information regarding the measurement of emotions in paragraph 5, it does not go into detail on the methodology or tools used for this measurement. Hence, the answer is not given .

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Q. What are some common mistakes to avoid in the IELTS Reading test?

A. Common mistakes to avoid in the IELTS Reading test are spending too much time on a single question, not reading instructions carefully, focusing on details, not skimming the passage first, not using context clues, not checking answers, and trying to memorize the passage.

Q. How can I improve my reading speed for the IELTS Reading test?

A. To improve your reading speed for the IELTS Reading test, practice regularly, skim and scan, focus on main ideas, predict answers, increase vocabulary, read regularly, use a timer, take breaks, and avoid reading when tired.

Q. What are some effective reading strategies for the IELTS Reading test?

A. Effective reading strategies for the IELTS Reading test include skimming and scanning, previewing questions, highlighting keywords, reading actively, managing time, staying focused, using context clues, avoiding overthinking, and checking answers.

Q. Can I use a highlighter or take notes during the IELTS Reading test?

A. For the paper-based IELTS Reading test, you can use a pencil to take notes and underline important information in the passage. You are not allowed to use a highlighter, pen or any other type of writing instrument. For the computer-based IELTS Reading test, you can use the highlighter and note-taking feature on the computer to take notes and highlight important information.

Q. How can I manage my time effectively during the IELTS Reading test?

A. To manage your time effectively during the IELTS Reading test, pace yourself, preview the questions, skim and scan, manage difficult questions, avoid overthinking, and check your answers. Remember to take breaks during the test and avoid rushing through the questions. Practice these strategies before the test to get a hold of managing your time accordingly.

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

A. Good sources for IELTS Reading practice materials include official IELTS practice materials, Cambridge IELTS books, online courses, IELTS preparation books, and IELTS preparation websites. Practice regularly with materials that suit your level.

Q. What are the criteria for determining the IELTS Reading score?

A. The IELTS Reading test is scored on a scale of 0-9 based on four criteria: Task Achievement, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. Each criterion is given a band score from 0-9, and the scores are averaged to give an overall score. The overall score is then rounded up or down to the nearest 0.5.

Q. Are spelling mistakes penalised for the IELTS Reading test?

A. Spelling mistakes are penalised in the IELTS Reading test. If you spell a word incorrectly, you will lose marks for that question, even if your answer is otherwise correct. Therefore, it is important to double-check your spelling before moving on to the next question. If you are unsure of the spelling of a word, try to write it in a way that looks correct or use synonyms to avoid spelling errors.

Q. Is grammar necessary for the IELTS Reading test?

A. While the IELTS Reading test primarily assesses your reading comprehension skills, grammar is still an important aspect of the test. The test assesses your ability to understand and use grammar structures in context, as well as your ability to communicate effectively in writing. In addition, the Grammatical Range and Accuracy criterion is one of the four criteria used to determine your overall score in the IELTS Reading test.

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A. No, you cannot retake the IELTS Reading test alone. The IELTS test assesses all four language skills (listening, reading, writing, and speaking), and you must take all four tests together. If you want to retake the Reading test, you will need to retake the entire IELTS test. It is important to note that your scores are valid for two years from the date of your test, and you cannot choose to retake only one section of the test to improve your score.

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A. Good tips for IELTS Reading preparation include familiarising yourself with the test format, reading widely, practicing regularly, using a timer, building vocabulary, taking notes, reviewing grammar rules, focusing on main ideas, and double-checking your answers.

‘Book Review’- Reading Answer Explanation- CAM- 13

book review reading answers with location

Here are explanations of the Questions of passage named ‘Book Review’, which is from the Cambridge 13 book. The Questions that have been asked are ‘MCQs’, Blanks and Yes/No/Not Given. You will find the locations of the Reading Answers, Keywords( highlighted and underlined ) and justifications.

READING PASSAGE 3: Book Review

Questions 27-29

Choose the correct letter, A , B , C or D .

Write the correct letter in boxes 27-29 on your answer sheet.

27 What is the reviewer’s attitude to advocates of positive psychology?

A They are wrong to reject the ideas of Bentham.

B They are over-influenced by their study of Bentham’s theories.

C They have a fresh new approach to ideas on human happiness.

D They are ignorant about the ideas they should be considering.

Location: 2 nd paragraph

Explanation: Though the main keyword ‘positive psychology’ is there in the first line of the paragraph. But the reference of attitudes to advocates is there in the second paragraph. ‘and write as if nothing of any importance had been thought on the subject until it came to their attention.’ and write as if nothing of any importance had been thought on the subject until it came to their attention. Here, ‘nothing of any importance’ means they are ignorant.

28 The reviewer refers to the Greek philosopher Aristotle in order to suggest that happiness

A may not be just pleasure and the absence of pain.

B should not be the main goal of humans.

C is not something that should be fought for.

D is not just an abstract concept.

Explanation: The main keyword ‘Greek philosopher’’ helps to locate the answer in the 5 th line of the paragraph. ‘For Bentham it was obvious that the human good consists of pleasure and the absence of pain. The Greek philosopher Aristotle may have identified happiness with self-realisation…’Here, Aristotle believe that happiness may be identified by self-realisation. Thus, this makes an answer very clear.

29 According to Davies, Bentham’s suggestion for linking the price of goods to happiness was significant because

A it was the first successful way of assessing happiness.

B it established a connection between work and psychology.

C it was the first successful example of psychological research.

D it involved consideration of the rights of consumers.

Location: 5 th paragraph

Explanation: The main keyword ‘Davies, Bentham’s’ helps to locate the answer in the last line of the paragraph. ‘. By associating money so closely to inner experience, Davies writes, Bentham ‘set the stage for the entangling of psychological research and capitalism that would shape the business practices of the twentieth century’. Here, ‘money’ was associated with ‘work’. Thus, this established a connection between work and energy.

Questions 30-34

Complete the summary using the list of words A-G below.

Write the correct letter, A-G , in boxes 30-34 on your answer sheet.

Jeremy Bentham

Jeremy Bentham was active in other areas besides philosophy. In the 1790s he suggested a type of technology to improve 30 ……………………… for different Government departments.

Location: 3 rd paragraph

Explanation: The main keyword ‘1790s’ helps to locate the answer in the last line of the paragraph. ‘. In the 1790s, he wrote to the Home Office suggesting that the departments of government be linked together through a set of ‘conversation tubes…’Here, ‘linked together’ means communication was set through conversation tubes.

He developed a new way of printing banknotes to increase 31 …………………………

Explanation: The main keyword ‘banknotes’ helps to locate the answer in the middle line of the paragraph. ‘to the Bank of England with a design for a printing device that could produce unforgeable banknotes…’Thus, the answer is ‘security’

and also designed a method for the 32 …………………………. of food.

Explanation: The location of the answer is in the last third line of the paragraph. ‘He drew up plans for a ‘frigidarium’ to keep provisions such as meat, fish, fruit and vegetables fresh…’Here, this line indicates that this method was designed for preservation of food. Thus, the answer is G.

He also drew up plans for a prison which allowed the 33 …………………………. of prisoners at all times, and believed the same design could be used for other institutions as well.

Explanation: The answer to this question is in the second last line of the paragraph. ‘His celebrated design for a prison to be known as a ‘Panopticon’, in which prisoners would be kept in solitary confinement while being visible at all times to the guards…’Here, ‘while being visible’ means ‘observation’ Thus, the answer is E.

When researching happiness, he investigated possibilities for its 34 ……………………….., and suggested some methods of doing this.

Location: 4 th paragraph

Explanation: The location of the answer is in the second line of the paragraph. ‘. If happiness is to be regarded as a science, it has to be measured, and Bentham suggested two ways…’Thus, some methods were suggested for measurement.

A measurement B security C implementation D profits E observation F communication G preservation

Questions 35-40

Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 3?

In boxes 35-40 on your answer sheet, write

YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer

NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer

NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

35 One strength of The Happiness Industry is its discussion of the relationship between psychology and economics.

Explanation: The main keyword ‘The Happiness Industry’ helps to locate the answer in the second line of the paragraph. ‘We learn much that is interesting about how economic problems are being redefined and treated as psychological maladies’ .Thus, the question statement is same as the passage statement.

Answer: Yes

36 It is more difficult to measure some emotions than others.

Explanation: The location of the answer is in the third line of the paragraph. ‘In addition, Davies shows how the belief that inner of pleasure and displeasure can be objectively…’Here, pleasure and displeasure are emotions. But there is no information related to difficulty of measuring emotions. Thus, no information available.

Answer: Not Given

37 Watson’s ideas on behaviourism were supported by research on humans he carried out before 1915.

Explanation: The main keyword ‘1915’ helps to locate the answer in the seventh line of the paragraph. ‘in 1915, he ‘had never even studied a single human being’: his research had been confined to experiments on white rats…’Here, the writer says, his experiments were on rats not on humans. Hence, the answer is clear.

38 Watson’s ideas have been most influential on governments outside America.

Explanation: The main keyword ‘Watson ideas’ of the question is in the second last line of the paragraph. But there is no information about the impact of Watson ideas on government outside the USA. Thus, no information available.

39 The need for happiness is linked to industrialization.

Location: 6 th paragraph

Explanation: The location of the answer is in the first line of the paragraph. ‘Modern industrial societies appear to need the possibility of ever-increasing happiness to motivate them in their labours…’Thus, this statement is same as the passage statement.

40 A main aim of government should be to increase the happiness of the population.

Explanation: The answer to this question is in the last line of the paragraph. ‘the idea that governments should be responsible for promoting happiness is always a threat to human freedom…’Here, this was just an idea not an aim.Hence, the answer is No.

‘Saving the Soil’- Reading Answer Explanation – CAM- 13

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Book Review - IELTS Reading Answers

Book review - ielts reading passage, book review - question and answers.

The "Book Review" passage of the IELTS reading section includes a reading passage related to task 2 with three distinct question types, appropriate answers, and explanations. By utilising this practice exam, you can evaluate your performance, correct your mistakes, and devise a plan to complete the reading test in the allocated time. So, let’s begin with the blog!

The reading test has 60 minutes to finish. To complete the 1–14 questions in this section, allow yourself 20 minutes. Before answering the questions, thoroughly read the passage. Book Review IELTS reading answers are provided for you to compare with your responses and assess your performance.

Book Review

The Happiness Industry: How the Government and Big Business Sold Us Well-Being By William Davies

Richard Layard, an economist and advocate of "positive psychology," has summarised the ideologies and faith of various people nowadays in his proclamation that "happiness is the ultimate goal because it is self-evidently good. If we are asked why happiness matters, we can give no further external reason. It is just evident that it matters." For Layard and others like him, the goal of government is to foster an environment of shared prosperity. The only issue is how to attain it, and here positive psychology—a purported science that not only detects what makes individuals happy but also lets their happiness be quantified - may indicate the way. With the guidance of this study, governments, as per theorists, are currently more capable than ever before of ensuring harmony in society.

It is an incredibly primitive and simplistic style of thinking, yet it is rising in popularity due to this. The huge philosophical literature that has studied and challenged the meaning and worth of happiness is neglected by those who embrace this mind-set, and they write as if no significant ideas had been studied on the subject prior to their realisation. The emergence of this method of thinking was due in large part to the work of philosopher Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832). For Bentham, it was apparent that happiness and the lack of misery constitute the human good. In the 4th century BC, the Greek philosopher Aristotle connected happiness with self-realisation, and scholars throughout the years attempted to combine the goal of happiness with other human virtues, although all of this was just metaphysics or fiction to Bentham. Modern proponents of positive psychology follow in his footsteps, condemning as obsolete and unnecessary almost the entire ethical reflection on human pleasure to date, despite knowing nothing about him or the school of moral theory he founded—as they are ignorant in the history of ideas due to education and philosophical conviction.

Also read: What is the IELTS Vocabulary?

Bentham also established the "science of happiness." If happiness is to be considered a science, then it must be quantified. Bentham presented two methods for measuring happiness. He proposed that pleasure might be measured by taking the average heart rate of a person and seeing happiness as a complex of pleasant emotions. As an alternative, the value of money might be used as the criterion for quantification: if the cost of two distinct products is the same, it can be stated that both give the customer the same amount of happiness. The latter attribute grabbed Bentham's eye more. According to Davies, Bentham "established the foundation for the combination of psychological study and capitalism, which would influence the activities of the twentieth century," by associating money so intimately with inner experience.

* behaviourism: a field of psychology in which focus is on observable behaviour

Also checkout: 15 Best IELTS Preparation books in 2024

Questions 1-3

Choose the correct letter, A,B,C or D.

Write the correct letter in the boxes 1-3 on your answer sheet.

1. The critic mentions the Greek philosopher Aristotle, to state that happiness ______.

Is not something that should be fought for.

May not be just pleasure and the absence of pain.

Is not just an abstract concept.

Should not be the main goal of humans.

2. In Davies' opinion, the suggestion that was given by Bentham’s to link the prices to happiness was remarkable because _____.

It established a connection between work and psychology.

It involved consideration of the rights of consumers.

It was the first successful way of assessing happiness.

It was the first successful example of psychological research.

3. What is the reviewer’s opinion on the proponents of positive psychology?

They have a fresh new approach to ideas on human happiness.

They are wrong to reject the ideas of Bentham.

They are ignorant about the ideas they should be considering.

They are over-influenced by their study of Bentham’s theories.

Answer 1: B

Explanation 1: According to the 2nd paragraph, 6th line, For Bentham, it was apparent that happiness and the lack of misery constitute the human good. In the 4th century BC, the Greek philosopher Aristotle connected happiness……….. This was just metaphysics or fiction to Bentham. These lines discuss Bentham's belief that happiness is solely about pleasure and lacks pain. On the other hand, Aristotle held the opposite view, contending that happiness is more complex than mere contentment and absence of suffering. Thus, the correct option is B.

Answer 2: A

Explanation 2: In the 5th line of the 4th paragraph, the beliefs put forward by Jeremy Bentham are described by author Davies. There was also a link made between the costs and happiness. He clarifies Bentham's theory, according to which "the joy received from both of them would be equal if the price of two items is the same." He says that Bentham was the first to establish the link between psychology and business. Thus, the response is yes.

Answer 3: C

Explanation 3: In the 1st line of the 2nd paragraph, they have clarified that this specific concept of happiness was quite well-known despite being incredibly basic and impolite. It is further said that these proponents frequently exhibit obliviousness, which is the tendency to reject the research's explanation of the literal meaning and worth of happiness before they even acknowledge the concept.

Also read: Preface to how the other half thinks - IELTS Reading Answers

Questions 4-8

Complete the summary using the list of words A-G below.

Write the correct letter, A-G, in the boxes 4-8 on your answer sheet.

Jeremy Bentham

Jeremy Bentham was active in other areas besides philosophy. In the 1970s he suggested a type of technology to improve 4…………. for different Government departments. He developed a new way of printing banknotes to increase 5…………. and also designed a method for the 6……….. of food. He also drew up plans for a prison which allowed the 7…………. of prisoners at all times, and believed the same design could be used for other institutions as well. When researching happiness, he investigated possibilities for its 8………… and suggested some methods of doing this.

communication

preservation

implementation

measurement

observation

Answer 4: B

Explanation 4: In the 8th line of the 3rd paragraph, in the 1790s, he addressed letters to the Bank of England with a model for a printing machine that could generate unforgeable banknotes and to the Home Office with a suggestion that the government's various departments be interlinked by a system of "conversation tubes."

Answer 5: C

Explanation 5: According to the 8th line of the 3rd paragraph, he suggested the Bank of England develop a printing press that could create unforgeable banknotes. In other words, since the notes wouldn't be copied, the security will be enhanced. Security is the solution as a result.

Answer 6: D

Explanation 6: In the 12th line of the 3rd paragraph, “To preserve food like meat, fish, fruit, and vegetables, he designed a "frigidarium." This statement suggests that he had prepared strategies and techniques for preserving perishable foods. Thus, option D—preservation—is the correct response.

Answer 7: G

Explanation 7: According to the 13th line of the 3rd paragraph, This line describes how Bentham designed a prison called ‘Panopticon’, a celebrated design. He had built it so the jailer could see the inmates from every angle when confined in a cell. Thus, option G, observation, is the correct response.

Answer 8: F

Explanation 8: In the 1st line, 4th paragraph, “Bentham also established the "science of happiness." If happiness is to be considered a science, then it must be quantified.” the author claims to be the father of the science of happiness and holds the view that anything that might be deemed scientific could potentially be measured. Therefore, F is the correct option.

Also read: Is passing the IELTS reading test too tough?

Questions 9-14

Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in the Reading Passage?

In the boxes 9-14 on your answer sheet, write

YES if the statement agrees the claims of the writer

NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer

NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the write thinks about this

9. Industrialisation is connected to the requirement of happiness.

10. Prior to 1915, Watson conducted study on people that supported his theories of behaviourism.

11. Government’s main objective should be to increase the population’s happiness.

12. The Happiness Industry’s strength is the discussion of the connection between psychology and commerce.

13. The theories by Watson had immense influence on the governments outside America.

14. Certain emotions are more challenging to measure than others.

Answer 9: Yes

Explanation 9: According to the 1st line, 6th paragraph, “To keep people motivated in their work, modern industrial nations seem to require the potential for ever-increasing happiness.” It is said that happiness is necessary to inspire employees, and it is related to the business sector. The answer is true since the statement and the passage's line are consistent.

Answer 10: No

Explanation 10: According to the 5th paragraph, 8th line, “Watson's theories on human nature were not backed by any facts. He had only conducted studies on white rats when he was appointed president of the American Psychological Association in 1915.” All of the rats he experimented on were white. As a result, the assertion does not agree. So, the answer is no.

Answer 11: No

Explanation 11: According to the 2nd line of the 6th paragraph, “But regardless of its conceptual heritage, the theory that authorities ought to be in charge of fostering happiness is always hazardous to people's freedom.” The author believes that people's freedom is in jeopardy if the government decides to enhance individuals' happiness. He disagrees with the notion that it should be the goal of the state.

Answer 12: Yes

Explanation 12: In the 1st line of the 5th paragraph, “In the book The Happiness Industry, it is explained how the pursuit of a science of pleasure has merged with business. We learn a lot of interesting information on the redefining and treatment of economic concerns as psychological conditions.” The assertion is consistent with the scripture. Therefore, the answer is yes.

Answer 13: Not Given

Explanation 13: The passage's 5th paragraph explains how the governments adopted many of Watson's concepts in an effort to effect "behaviour change." It does not mention their influence or that only governments outside of America have accepted it, though.

Answer 14: Not Given

Explanation 14: In Paragraph 5th, the topic of measuring emotions is brought up, but no details are given about how or even where different emotions should be measured. As a result, no response is provided.

Also Check: What's the right study plan for IELTS preparation?

In conclusion, we would like to say that consistent practice with various reading passage types can improve your comprehension of the text's actual content and quicken your reading pace, which will improve your exam results.

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IELTS Academic Reading ‘A Book Review’ Answers

Updated On Oct 05, 2023

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IELTS Academic Reading ‘A Book Review’ Answers

Recent IELTS Reading Test with Answers - Free PDF

The Academic passage ‘A Book Review’ is a reading passage that appeared in an IELTS Test.

Since questions get repeated in the IELTS exam, these passages are ideal for practice. If you want more practice, try taking an IELTS reading practice test.

A Book Review

The answers with explanations are given below

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Reading Passage 1 You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13 which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.

Cutty Sark: the fastest sailing ship of all time

The nineteenth century was a period of great technological development in Britain, and for shipping the major changes were from wind to steam power, and from wood to iron and steel.

The fastest commercial sailing vessels of all time were clippers, three-masted ships built to transport goods around the world, although some also took passengers. From the 1840s until 1869, when the Suez Canal opened and steam propulsion was replacing sail, clippers dominated world trade. Although many were built, only one has survived more or less intact: Cutty Sark , now on display in Greenwich, southeast London.

Cutty Sark ’s unusual name comes from the poem Tam O’Shanter by the Scottish poet Robert Burns. Tam, a farmer, is chased by a witch called Nannie, who is wearing a ‘ cutty sark ’ – an old Scottish name for a short nightdress. The witch is depicted in Cutty Sark ’s figurehead – the carving of a woman typically at the front of old sailing ships. In legend, and in Burns’s poem, witches cannot cross water, so this was a rather strange choice of name for a ship.

Cutty Sark was built in Dumbarton, Scotland, in 1869, for a shipping company owned by John Willis. To carry out construction, Willis chose a new shipbuilding firm, Scott & Linton, and ensured that the contrast with them put him in a very strong position. In the end, the firm was forced out of business, and the ship was finished by a competitor.

Willis’s company was active in the tea trade between China and Britain, where speed could bring shipowners both profits and prestige, so Cutty Sark was designed to make the journey more quickly than any other ship. On her maiden voyage, in 1870, she set sail from London, carrying large amounts of goods to China. She returned laden with tea, making the journey back to London in four months. However, Cutty Sark never lived up to the high expectations of her owner, as a result of bad winds and various misfortunes. On one occasion, in 1872, the ship and a rival clipper, Thermopylae , left port in China on the same day. Crossing the Indian Ocean, Cutty Sark gained a lead of over 400 miles, but then her rudder was severely damaged in stormy seas, making her impossible to steer. The ship’s crew had the daunting task of repairing the rudder at sea, and only succeeded at the second attempt. Cutty Sark reached London a week after Thermopylae.

Steam ships posed a growing threat to clippers, as their speed and cargo capacity increased. In addition, the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, the same year that Cutty Sark was launched, had a serious impact. While steam ships could make use of the quick, direct route between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, the canal was of no use to sailing ships, which needed the much stronger winds of the oceans, and so had to sail a far greater distance. Steam ships reduced the journey time between Britain and China by approximately two months.

By 1878, tea traders weren’t interested in Cutty Sark , and instead, she took on the much less prestigious work of carrying any cargo between any two ports in the world. In 1880, violence aboard the ship led ultimately to the replacement of the captain with an incompetent drunkard who stole the crew’s wages. He was suspended from service, and a new captain appointed. This marked a turnaround and the beginning of the most successful period in Cutty Sark ’s working life, transporting wool from Australia to Britain. One such journey took just under 12 weeks, beating every other ship sailing that year by around a month.

The ship’s next captain, Richard Woodget, was an excellent navigator, who got the best out of both his ship and his crew. As a sailing ship, Cutty Sark depended on the strong trade winds of the southern hemisphere, and Woodget took her further south than any previous captain, bringing her dangerously close to icebergs off the southern tip of South America. His gamble paid off, though, and the ship was the fastest vessel in the wool trade for ten years.

As competition from steam ships increased in the 1890s, and Cutty Sark approached the end of her life expectancy, she became less profitable. She was sold to a Portuguese firm, which renamed her Ferreira. For the next 25 years, she again carried miscellaneous cargoes around the world.

Badly damaged in a gale in 1922, she was put into Falmouth harbor in southwest England, for repairs. Wilfred Dowman, a retired sea captain who owned a training vessel, recognised her and tried to buy her, but without success. She returned to Portugal and was sold to another Portuguese company. Dowman was determined, however, and offered a high price: this was accepted, and the ship returned to Falmouth the following year and had her original name restored.

Dowman used Cutty Sark as a training ship, and she continued in this role after his death. When she was no longer required, in 1954, she was transferred to dry dock at Greenwich to go on public display. The ship suffered from fire in 2007, and again, less seriously, in 2014, but now Cutty Sark attracts a quarter of a million visitors a year.

Questions 1-8

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?

In boxes 1-8 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 on this

1 Clippers were originally intended to be used as passenger ships.

2 Cutty Sark was given the name of a character in a poem.

3 The contract between John Willis and Scott & Linton favoured Willis.

4 John Willis wanted Cutty Sark to be the fastest tea clipper travelling between the UK and China.

5 Despite storm damage, Cutty Sark beat Thermopylae back to London.

6 The opening of the Suez Canal meant that steam ships could travel between Britain and China faster than clippers.

7 Steam ships sometimes used the ocean route to travel between London and China.

8 Captain Woodget put Cutty Sark at risk of hitting an iceberg.

Questions 9-13

Complete the sentences below.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 9-13 on your answer sheet.

9 After 1880, Cutty Sark carried ………………………… as its main cargo during its most successful time.

10 As a captain and …………………………., Woodget was very skilled.

11 Ferreira went to Falmouth to repair damage that a …………………………. had caused.

12 Between 1923 and 1954, Cutty Sark was used for …………………………..

13 Cutty Sark has twice been damaged by ………………………… in the 21st century.

READING PASSAGE 2

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26 which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.

SAVING THE SOIL

More than a third of the Earth’s top layer is at risk. Is there hope for our planet’s most precious resource?

More than a third of the world’s soil is endangered, according to a recent UN report. If we don’t slow the decline, all farmable soil could be gone in 60 years. Since soil grows 95% of our food, and sustains human life in other more surprising ways, that is a huge problem.

Peter Groffman, from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in New York, points out that soil scientists have been warning about the degradation of the world’s soil for decades. At the same time, our understanding of its importance to humans has grown. A single gram of healthy soil might contain 100 million bacteria, as well as other microorganisms such as viruses and fungi, living amid decomposing plants and various minerals.

That means soils do not just grow our food, but are the source of nearly all our existing antibiotics, and could be our best hope in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Soil is also an ally against climate change: as microorganisms within soil digest dead animals and plants, they lock in their carbon content, holding three times the amount of carbon as does the entire atmosphere. Soils also store water, preventing flood damage: in the UK, damage to buildings, roads and bridges from floods caused by soil degradation costs £233 million every year.

If the soil loses its ability to perform these functions, the human race could be in big trouble. The danger is not that the soil will disappear completely, but that the microorganisms that give it its special properties will be lost. And once this has happened, it may take the soil thousands of years to recover.

Agriculture is by far the biggest problem. In the wild, when plants grow they remove nutrients from the soil, but then when the plants die and decay these nutrients are returned directly to the soil. Humans tend not to return unused parts of harvested crops directly to the soil to enrich it, meaning that the soil gradually becomes less fertile. In the past we developed strategies to get around the problem, such as regularly varying the types of crops grown, or leaving fields uncultivated for a season.

But these practices became inconvenient as populations grew and agriculture had to be run on more commercial lines. A solution came in the early 20 th century with the Haber-Bosch process for manufacturing ammonium nitrate. Farmers have been putting this synthetic fertiliser on their fields ever since.

But over the past few decades, it has become clear this wasn’t such a bright idea. Chemical fertilisers can release polluting nitrous oxide into the atmosphere and excess is often washed away with the rain, releasing nitrogen into rivers. More recently, we have found that indiscriminate use of fertilisers hurts the soil itself, turning it acidic and salty, and degrading the soil they are supposed to nourish.

One of the people looking for a solution to his problem is Pius Floris, who started out running a tree-care business in the Netherlands, and now advises some of the world’s top soil scientists. He came to realise that the best way to ensure his trees flourished was to take care of the soil, and has developed a cocktail of beneficial bacteria, fungi and humus* to do this. Researchers at the University of Valladolid in Spain recently used this cocktail on soils destroyed by years of fertiliser overuse. When they applied Floris’s mix to the desert-like test plots, a good crop of plants emerged that were not just healthy at the surface, but had roots strong enough to pierce dirt as hard as rock. The few plants that grew in the control plots, fed with traditional fertilisers, were small and weak

However, measures like this are not enough to solve the global soil degradation problem. To assess our options on a global scale we first need an accurate picture of what types of soil are out there, and the problems they face. That’s not easy. For one thing, there is no agreed international system for classifying soil. In an attempt to unify the different approaches, the UN has created the Global Soil Map project. Researchers from nine countries are working together to create a map linked to a database that can be fed measurements from field surveys, drone surveys, satellite imagery, lad analyses and so on to provide real-time data on the state of the soil. Within the next four years, they aim to have mapped soils worldwide to a depth of 100 metres, with the results freely accessible to all.

But this is only a first step. We need ways of presenting the problem that bring it home to governments and the wider public, says Pamela Chasek at the International Institute for Sustainable Development, in Winnipeg, Canada. ‘Most scientists don’t speak language that policy-makers can understand, and vice versa.’ Chasek and her colleagues have proposed a goal of ‘zero net land degradation’. Like the idea of carbon neutrality, it is an easily understood target that can help shape expectations and encourage action.

For soils on the brink, that may be too late. Several researchers are agitating for the immediate creation of protected zones for endangered soils. One difficulty here is defining what these areas should conserve: areas where the greatest soil diversity is present? Or areas of unspoilt soils that could act as a future benchmark of quality?

Whatever we do, if we want our soils to survive, we need to take action now.

Questions 14-17

Complete the summary below. Write ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 14-17 on your answer sheet.

Why soil degradation could be a disaster for humans

Healthy soil contains a large variety of bacteria and other microorganisms, as well as plant remains and 14 ……………………….. It provides us with food and also with antibiotics, and its function in storing 15 …………………………. has a significant effect on the climate. In addition, it prevents damage to property and infrastructure because it holds 16 ……………………………

If these microorganisms are lost, soil may lose its special properties. The main factor contributing to soil degradation is the 17 ………………………….. carried out by humans.

Questions 18-21

Complete each sentence with the correct ending, A-F , below. Write the correct letter, A-F , in boxes 18-21 on your answer sheet.

18 Nutrients contained in the unused parts of harvested crops

19 Synthetic fertilisers produced with Haber-Bosch process

20 Addition of a mixture developed by Pius Floris to the soil

21 The idea of zero net soil degradation

A may improve the number and quality of plants growing there.

B may contain data from up to nine countries.

C may not be put back into the soil.

D may help governments to be more aware of soil-related issues.

E may cause damage to different aspects of the environment.

F may be better for use at a global level.

Questions 22-26

Reading Passage 2 has seven paragraphs, A-G .

Which section contains the following information?

Write the correct letter, A-G , in boxes 22-26 on your answer sheet.

NB You may use any letter more than once.

22 a reference to one person’s motivation for a soil-improvement project

23 an explanation of how soil stayed healthy before the development of farming

24 examples of different ways of collecting information on soil degradation

25 a suggestion for a way of keeping some types of soil safe in the near future

26 a reason why it is difficult to provide an overview of soil degradation

READING PASSAGE 3

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27-40 which are based on Reading Passage 3 below.

Book Review

The Happiness Industry: How the Government and Big Business Sold Us Well-Being

By William Davies

‘Happiness is the ultimate goal because it is self-evidently good. If we are asked why happiness matters we can give no further external reason. It just obviously does matter.’ This pronouncement by Richard Layard, an economist and advocate of ‘positive psychology’, summarizes the beliefs of many people today. For Layard and others like him, it is obvious that the purpose of government is to promote a state of collective well-being. The only question is how to achieve it, and here positive psychology – a supposed science that not only identifies what makes people happy but also allows their happiness to be measured – can show the way. Equipped with this science, they say, governments can secure happiness in society in a way they never could in the past.

It is an astonishingly crude and simple-minded way of thinking, and for that very reason increasingly popular. Those who think in this way are oblivious to the vast philosophical literature in which the meaning and value of happiness have been explored and questioned, and write as if nothing of any importance had been thought on the subject until it came to their attention. It was the philosopher Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) who was more than anyone else responsible for the development of this way of thinking. For Bentham it was obvious that the human good consists of pleasure and the absence of pain. The Greek philosopher Aristotle may have identified happiness with self-realisation in the 4th century BC, and thinkers throughout the ages may have struggled to reconcile the pursuit of happiness with other human values, but for Bentham all this was mere metaphysics or fiction. Without knowing anything much of him or the school of moral theory he established – since they are by education and intellectual conviction illiterate in the history of ideas – our advocates of positive psychology follow in his tracks in rejecting as outmoded and irrelevant pretty much the entirety of ethical reflection on human happiness to date.

But as William Davies notes in his recent book The Happiness Industry , the view that happiness is the only self-evident good is actually a way of limiting moral inquiry. One of the virtues of this rich, lucid and arresting book is that it places the current cult of happiness in a well-defined historical framework. Rightly, Davies his story with Bentham, noting that he was far more than a philosopher. Davies writes, ‘Bentham’s activities were those which we might now associate with a public sector management consultant’. In the 1790s, he wrote to the Home Office suggesting that the departments of government be linked together through a set of ‘conversation tubes’, and to the Bank of England with a design for a printing device that could produce unforgeable banknotes. He drew up plans for a ‘frigidarium’ to keep provisions such as meat, fish, fruit and vegetables fresh. His celebrated design for a prison to be known as a ‘Panopticon’, in which prisoners would be kept in solitary confinement while being visible at all times to the guards, was very nearly adopted. (Surprisingly, Davies does not discuss the fact that Bentham meant his Panopticon not just as a model prison but also as an instrument of control that could be applied to schools and factories.)

Bentham was also a pioneer of the ‘science of happiness’. If happiness is to be regarded as a science, it has to be measured, and Bentham suggested two ways in which this might be done. Viewing happiness as a complex of pleasurable sensations, he suggested that it might be quantified by measuring the human pulse rate. Alternatively, money could be used as the standard for quantification: if two different goods have the same price, it can be claimed that they produce the same quantity of pleasure in the consumer. Bentham was more attracted by the latter measure. By associating money so closely to inner experience, Davies writes, Bentham ‘set the stage for the entangling of psychological research and capitalism that would shape the business practices of the twentieth century’.

The Happiness Industry describes how the project of a science of happiness has become integral to capitalism. We learn much that is interesting about how economic problems are being redefined and treated as psychological maladies. In addition, Davies shows how the belief that inner of pleasure and displeasure can be objectively measured has informed management studies and advertising. The tendency of thinkers such as J B Watson, the founder of behaviorism*, was that human beings could be shaped, or manipulated, by policymakers and managers. Watson had no factual basis for his view of human action. When he became president of the American Psychological Association in 1915, he ‘had never even studied a single human being’: his research had been confined to experiments on white rats. Yet Watson’s reductive model is now widely applied, with ‘behavior change’ becoming the goal of governments: in Britain, a ‘Behaviour Insights Team’ has been established by the government to study how people can be encouraged, at minimum cost to the public purse, to live in what are considered to be socially desirable ways.

Modern industrial societies appear to need the possibility of ever-increasing happiness to motivate them in their labours. But whatever its intellectual pedigree, the idea that governments should be responsible for promoting happiness is always a threat to human freedom.

———————– * ‘behaviorism’: a branch of psychology which is concerned with observable behaviour

Questions 27-29

Choose the correct letter, A , B , C or D .

Write the correct letter in boxes 27-29 on your answer sheet.

27 What is the reviewer’s attitude to advocates of positive psychology?

A They are wrong to reject the ideas of Bentham. B They are over-influenced by their study of Bentham’s theories. C They have a fresh new approach to ideas on human happiness. D They are ignorant about the ideas they should be considering.

28 The reviewer refers to the Greek philosopher Aristotle in order to suggest that happiness

A may not be just pleasure and the absence of pain. B should not be the main goal of humans. C is not something that should be fought for. D is not just an abstract concept.

29 According to Davies, Bentham’s suggestion for linking the price of goods to happiness was significant because

A it was the first successful way of assessing happiness. B it established a connection between work and psychology. C it was the first successful example of psychological research. D it involved consideration of the rights of consumers.

Questions 30-34

Complete the summary using the list of words A-G below.

Write the correct letter, A-G , in boxes 30-34 on your answer sheet.

Jeremy Bentham

Jeremy Bentham was active in other areas besides philosophy. In the 1970s he suggested a type of technology to improve 30 ……………………… for different Government departments. He developed a new way of printing banknotes to increase 31 ………………………… and also designed a method for the 32 …………………………. of food. He also drew up plans for a prison which allowed the 33 …………………………. of prisoners at al times, and believed the same design could be used for other institutions as well. When researching happiness, he investigated possibilities for its 34 ……………………….., and suggested some methods of doing this.

A measurement B security C implementation D profits E observation F communication G preservation

Questions 35-40

Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 3?

In boxes 35-40 on your answer sheet, write

YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

35 One strength of The Happiness Industry is its discussion of the relationship between psychology and economics.

36 It is more difficult to measure some emotions than others.

37 Watson’s ideas on behaviorism were supported by research on humans he carried out before 1915.

38 Watson’s ideas have been most influential on governments outside America.

39 The need for happiness is linked to industrialization.

40 A main aim of government should be to increase the happiness of the population.

Cambridge IELTS 13 Academic Reading Test 4 Answers

1. FALSE 2. FALSE 3. TRUE 4. TRUE 5. FALSE 6. TRUE 7. NOT GIVEN 8. TRUE 9. wool 10. navigator 11. gale 12. training 13. fire 14. minerals 15. carbon 16. water 17. agriculture 18. C 19. E 20. A 21. D 22. E 23. C 24. F 25. G 26. F 27. D 28. A 29. B 30. F 31. B 32. G 33. E 34. A 35. YES 36. NOT GIVEN 37. NO 38. NOT GIVEN 39. YES 40. NO

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Crafting an Insightful Book Review: IELTS Reading Passage With Questions & Answers

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Updated on 09 February, 2024

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Upgrad abroad editorial team.

Introduction:

Book reviews are an essential component of literary criticism, offering readers a nuanced perspective on a text's content, style, and impact. For IELTS aspirants, understanding how to dissect a book review is crucial, as it tests one's ability to comprehend, analyze, and evaluate complex written material. The following passage is designed to simulate the IELTS reading test, providing insight into the structure and elements of a book review.

Answers with explanations:, ielts reading exam tips:, download e-books for ielts preparation.

When delving into 'The Labyrinth of Solitude' by Octavio Paz, one must prepare to navigate through the intricate corridors of Mexican identity. Paz's seminal work is not merely a book but a journey into the soul of a nation. The author weaves historical, psychological, and philosophical threads to create a tapestry that portrays Mexico's quest for identity.

The narrative begins with an exploration of the Mexican psyche, dissecting the influence of the Spanish conquest and the subsequent periods of political upheaval. Paz argues that these events have left an indelible mark on the collective Mexican consciousness, leading to a sense of solitude that permeates the nation's culture.

As the reader progresses through the chapters, they encounter a profound analysis of traditions such as the Day of the Dead. Paz uses these cultural phenomena to illustrate the dichotomy between Mexican intimacy with death and their celebration of life.

The eloquence of Paz's prose is matched by his deep understanding of Mexican history and culture. He does not shy away from critiquing the aspects that have hindered Mexico's development, such as the tendency towards authoritarianism and the challenges of modernization.

In concluding, 'The Labyrinth of Solitude' stands as a monumental work that challenges the reader to consider the complexities of Mexican culture. It is a book that invites introspection and provides a reflective mirror for Mexico and, by extension, the world.

Q1. What is the primary focus of 'The Labyrinth of Solitude' by Octavio Paz?

A. The history of the Spanish conquest

B. Mexican food and cuisine

C. The search for Mexican identity

D. Modernization of Mexican cities

Q2. Which cultural event does Paz analyze to discuss the Mexican approach to life and death?

A. The Day of the Dead

B. The Festival of Lights

C. Christmas

D. The Running of the Bulls

Q3. According to the passage, how does Paz view the events that have shaped Mexican culture?

A. As unimportant

B. As solely positive

C. As detrimental to progress

D. As leaving a deep impact

Q4. Fill in the blank: Octavio Paz uses ________ phenomena to highlight the contrasts in Mexican culture.

A. culinary

B. cultural

D. political

Q5. True or False: The author of the passage believes that Octavio Paz has a superficial understanding of Mexican history.

Q6. Which aspect of Mexican culture is critiqued by Paz in the book?

A. The vibrant street art

B. The authoritarian tendencies

C. The popular music industry

D. The fashion and textile design

Q7. The passage describes 'The Labyrinth of Solitude' as which of the following?

A. A journey

B. A short story

D. An essay

Q8. Fill in the blank: Paz's prose is described as being both eloquent and ________.

B. insightful

C. simplistic

D. humorous

Q9. True or False: The book review suggests that 'The Labyrinth of Solitude' is an easy read with a light-hearted tone.

Q10. What does the passage imply about the book's impact on readers?

A. It is forgettable

B. It encourages introspection

C. It is primarily entertaining

D. It is outdated

A1. C. The search for Mexican identity

Explanation: The passage emphasizes that Paz's work explores the depths of Mexican identity, influenced by historical and cultural events.

A2. A. The Day of the Dead

Explanation: The review specifically mentions the Day of the Dead as an example Paz uses to discuss life and death in Mexican culture.

A3. D. As leaving a deep impact

Explanation: Paz views the events like the Spanish conquest as leaving an indelible mark on the Mexican psyche, contributing to a national sense of solitude.

A4. B. cultural

Explanation: The passage refers to cultural phenomena, particularly the Day of the Dead, to illustrate the dichotomy in Mexican culture.

A5. B. False

Explanation: The passage commends Paz's deep understanding of Mexican history and culture, contrary to the idea of it being superficial.

A6. B. The authoritarian tendencies

Explanation: Paz critiques certain aspects of Mexican culture, including authoritarianism, which hinders the country's development.

A7. A. A journey

Explanation: The book is metaphorically described as a journey into the soul of Mexico, rather than a literal journey, which aligns more with a novel or a story.

A8. B. insightful

Explanation: Alongside being eloquent, the passage praises Paz's prose for its deep insights into Mexican history and culture.

A9. B. False

Explanation: The passage describes the work as monumental, challenging, and reflective, indicating a complex and serious tone rather than light-hearted.

A10. B. It encourages introspection

Explanation: The review concludes by saying the book invites introspection and acts as a reflective mirror, suggesting its profound impact on readers.

Tip 1: Focus on Keywords

When reading passages, identify and underline keywords or phrases that capture the main ideas or themes.

Tip 2: Understand the Question Types

Familiarize yourself with different types of questions (e.g., multiple-choice, true/false, fill-in-the-blanks) and practice them regularly.

Tip 3: Don't Overlook Context

Pay attention to the context surrounding fill-in-the-blank spaces or the statements for true/false questions, as it can influence the answer.

Tip 4: Practice Skimming and Scanning

Develop the ability to quickly skim for general understanding and scan for specific information.

Tip 5: Manage Your Time

Allocate time for each question and passage. Practice pacing yourself to ensure you have enough time to read and review your answers.

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New Book Releases: IELTS Reading With Answers

IELTS General Test – Passage 02: New Book Releases reading with answers explanation, location and pdf summary. This reading paragraph has been taken from our huge collection of Academic & General Training (GT) Reading practice tests PDF’s.

New Book Releases

A. This book describes the creativity of Aboriginal people living in the driest parts of Australia. Stunning reproductions of paintings, beautiful photography and informative text.

B. Pocket-sized maps and illustrations with detailed information on the nesting sites and migration patterns of Australia. This is a classic booklet suitable for both beginner and expert.

C. Packed full of information for the avid hiker, this book is a must. Photographs, maps and practical advice will guide your journeys on foot through the forests of the southern continent.

D. More than an atlas – this book contains maps, photographs and an abundance of information on the land and climate of countries from around the globe.

E. Australia’s premier mountain biking guidebook – taking you through a host of national parks and state forests.

F. Here’s the A-Z of Australian native animals – take an in-depth look at their lives and characteristics, through fantastic photographs and informative text.

G. Graphic artists have worked with researchers and scientists to illustrate how these prehistoric animals lived and died on the Australian continent.

H. A definitive handbook on outdoor safety – with a specific focus on equipment, nutrition, first aid, special clothing and bush skills.

I. Detailed guides to 15 scenic car tours that will take you onto fascinating wilderness tracks and along routes that you could otherwise have missed.

________________

1) IELTS 5 READING PASSAGE – MAIL ORDER BROCHURE ↗

2) IELTS 5 READING PASSAGE – WORK AND TRAVEL U.S.A ↗

3) IELTS 5 READING PASSAGE – THE WEEK’S BEST ↗

4) IELTS 5 READING PASSAGE – BINGHAM REGIONAL COLLEGE ↗

Questions 8-14

The list of New Book Releases on the following page has nine book descriptions A-I .

Choose the correct title for each book from the list of book titles below.

Write the correct number i-xi in boxes 8-14 on your answer sheet .

List of Book Titles

i. Field Guide to Native Birds of Australia ii. The Bush on Two Wheels: 100 Top Rides iii. Bush Foods of Australian Aborigines iv. A Pictorial History of the Dinosaur in Australia v. Bush walking in Australia vi. WorldGeographica vii. Driving Adventures for 4-wheel-drive Vehicles viii. Survival Techniques in the Wild ix. Encyclopaedia of Australian Wildlife x. Guide to the Art of the Australian Desert xi. Field Guide to Animals of the World

8. Book A 9. Book B 10. Book C

Example Book D Answer vi

11. Book E 12. Book F 13. Book G 14. Book H

Reading Answers

Check out New Book Releases reading answers below with explanations and locations given in the text.

8. x 9. i 10. v 11. ii 12. ix 13. iv 14. viii

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IELTS Academic Reading: Cambridge 13 Test 4, Reading passage 1; Cutty Sark: the fastest sailing ship of all time; with best solutions and easy explanations

In this IELTS Reading post, we are going to deal with the best solutions of IELTS Cambridge 13 Reading test 4 Passage 1. The title of the passage is Cutty Sark: the fastest sailing ship of all time. This is a post on demand from IELTS candidates who have extreme difficulties in locating and understanding Reading Answers. This post can be the best guide to you to understand every Reading answer easily and without trouble because all the answers have easy and clear explanations. Finding IELTS Reading answers is a step-by-step process and I hope this post can help you in this respect.

IELTS Cambridge 13 Test 4: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 1 :

The headline of the passage: Cutty Sark: the fastest sailing ship of all time

Questions 1-8 (TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN):

In this type of question, candidates are asked to find out whether:

The statement in the question matches with the account in the text- TRUE The statement in the question contradicts the account in the text- FALSE The statement in the question has no clear connection with the account in the text- NOT GIVEN

[TIPS: For this type of question, you can divide each statement into three independent pieces and make your way through with the answer.]

Question 1: Clippers were originally intended to be used as passenger ships.

Keywords for the question: originally intended, used as passenger ships

To find the answer to this question, we need to locate the keyword ‘originally intended’ which is in paragraph no. 2, lines 1-2. Here, the author writes, “The fastest commercial sailing vessels of all time were the clippers, three-masted ships built to transport goods around the world , although some also took passengers .” Here, the lines say the original purpose of such ships was to carry goods, but some of them took passengers.

So, the answer is: FALSE

Question 2: Cutty Sark was given the name of a character in a poem.

Keywords for the question: given, name, character in a poem

The answer to this question is in lines 1-3 of paragraph no. 3. The author writes about the naming of Cutty Sark, “… . .Cutty Sark’s unusual name comes from the poem Tam O’Shanter by the Scottish poet Robert Burns. Tam, a farmer, is chased by a witch called Nannie, who is wearing a ‘cutty sark’ – an old Scottish name for a short nightdress .” Here, the lines indicate that Cutty Sark was the name of a dress, not the name of a character in the poem.

So, the answer is: FALSE

Question 3: The contract between John Willis and Scott & Linton favoured Willis.

Keywords for the question: contract, John Willis and Scott & Linton, favoured

Paragraph no. 4 talks about the contract . The answer is in lines 2-3. The lines say, “To carry out construction, Willis chose a new shipbuilding firm, Scott & Linton , and ensured that the contract with them put him in a very strong position .” These lines suggest that Willis chose Scott & Linton and he made sure that he would be in a very good position. Here, in a very strong position = favoured Willis.

So, the answer is: TRUE

Question 4: John Willis wanted Cutty Sark to be the fastest tea clipper travelling between the UK and China.

Keywords for the question: wanted, to be the fastest tea clipper, between the UK and China

In paragraph no. 5, lines 1-2 talk about the travels of Cutty Sark as a tea clipper, “Willis’s company was active in the tea trade between China and Britain , where speed could bring ship owners both profits and prestige, Cutty Sark was designed to make the journey more quickly than any other ship ….” The lines clearly indicate that the ship had a unique design to be quicker than any other ship doing trade between the UK and China.

So, the answer is: TRUE

Question 5: Despite storm damage, Cutty Sark beat Thermopylae back to London.

Keywords for the question: despite storm damage, beat, Thermopylae,

The last lines of paragraph no. 5 have the answer to this question. Here, in line 10, the author states, “Cutty Sark reached London a week after Thermopylae .” So, Cutty Sark failed to beat Thermopylae on the way back to London.

So, the answers are: FALSE

Question 6: The opening of the Suez Canal meant that steam ships could travel between Britain and China faster than clippers.

Keywords for the question: opening, Suez Canal, steam ships, travel, faster than clippers

We can find the reference to the Suez canal opening in line no. 2 of paragraph no. 6, Then in lines 5-6, the writer explains, “…. …Steam ships reduced the journey time between Britain and China by approximately two months .” So, clippers did not have permission to use Suez Canal, so they used the old route, steam ships took advantage of passing through the Suez Canal and reduced the journey time by two months.

So, the answer is: TRUE

Question 7: Steamships sometimes used the ocean route to travel between London and China.

Keywords for the question: sometimes used, ocean route, to travel, London and China.

In paragraph no. 7, there is no reference to steamships using ocean route between London and China.

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN

Question 8: Captain Woodget put Cutty Sark at risk of hitting an iceberg.

Keywords for the question: Woodget, put, at risk, hitting, iceberg

The answer to this question is in lines 3-4 of paragraph no. 8. Here, the writer says, “And Woodget took her further south than any previous captain, bringing her dangerously close to icebergs off the southern tip of South America.” So, Woodget took the risk to bring Cutty Sark dangerously close to iceberg.

Questions 9-13 (Completing sentences with ONE WORD ONLY):

In this type of question, candidates must write only one word to complete sentences on the given topic. For this type of question, first, skim the passage to find the keywords in the paragraph concerned with the answer, and then scan to find the exact word.

[ TIPS: Here scanning technique will come in handy. Target the keywords of the questions to find the answers. Remember to focus on Proper nouns, random Capital letters, numbers, special characters of text etc.]

Question 9: After 1880, Cutty Sark carried __________ as its main cargo during its most successful time.

Keywords for the question: after 1880, carried, main cargo, successful time

The answer lies in lines 4-6 of paragraph no.8 where the author says, “This marked a turnaround and the beginning of the most successful period in Cutty Sark’s working life, transporting wool from Australia to Britain.” So, the clipper Cutty Sark transported wool as the main cargo.

So, the answer is: wool

Question 10: As a captain and __________, Woodget was very skilled.

Keywords for the question: captain and, Woodget, very skilled

The answer lies in line 1 of paragraph no. 8 where the author says, “…The ship’s next captain, Richard Woodget, was an excellent navigator …”.

So, the answer is: navigator

Question 11: Ferreira went to Falmouth to repair damage that a _______ had caused.

Keywords for the question: Ferreira, went, Falmouth, repair damage, had caused

We find the answer to this question in line no. 1 of paragraph no. 10. The author says, “… . . Badly damaged in a gale in 1922, she was put into Falmouth harbor in southwest England, for repairs.”

So, a gale damages the ship.

So, the answer is: gale

Question 12: Between 1923 and 1954, Cutty Sark was used for _________.

Keywords for the question: Between 1923 and 1954, used for

The answer is in line no. 1 of paragraph no. 11. Before that we can see the year 1922 in paragraph no. 10. Then, in this paragraph no. 11, line no. 1 says, “Dowman used Cutty Sark as a training ship, and she continued in this role after his death. When she was no longer required, in 1954, she was transferred to…..” So, Cutty Sark was used as a training ship in between 1923 and 1954.

So the answer is: training

Question 13: Cutty Sark has twice been damaged by __________ in the 21st Century.

Keywords for the question: twice, damaged, 21 st century

The answer is in Paragraph 11 lines 3-4, “ The ship suffered from fire in 2007, and again, less seriously, in 2014 …”

So, there are two cases of fire that damaged the ship.

So the answer is: fire

Please leave a comment if you like the post or have anything to say or ask.

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 13 Reading Test 4 Passage 2

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 13 Reading Test 4 Passage 3

17 thoughts on “ IELTS Academic Reading: Cambridge 13 Test 4, Reading passage 1; Cutty Sark: the fastest sailing ship of all time; with best solutions and easy explanations ”

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I am a so called IELTS teacher in Iran. I can confess I have been teaching at least for 20 yrs butt I would like to express my deep gratitude for iron that u help and annotate all the answers to me or us teachers.It is great help thanks a million .my number in Iran is 0098 912 0454832 my name is Mohammad safety hamzehpour

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I have a problem with question 3, it is true that Willis was convinced that this contract is good for him, but in the next sentence, we see that the company went out of business, so why we think this statement as True? :((

Best way to analyze reading paragraphs.

Nice explanation. Thanks a lot.

I completely disagree with the answer 3. Because the company turned out to be bankruptcy

Thank you so much, it is beautifully ,categorically and scientifically described and elaborated the answers.

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Academic IELTS Reading: Test 2 Passage 1; The Dead Sea Scrolls; with top solutions and best explanations

This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to an IELTS Reading Test 2 passage 1 that has a passage titled ‘The Dead Sea Scrolls’. This is a targeted post for Academic IELTS candidates who have major problems locating and understanding Reading Answers in the AC module. This post can guide you the best to understand […]

Academic IELTS Reading: Test 1 Reading passage 3; To catch a king; with best solutions and explanations

This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to an IELTS Reading Test 1 Reading Passage 3 titled ‘To catch a king’. This is a targeted post for IELTS candidates who have great problems finding out and understanding Reading Answers in the AC module. This post can guide you the best to understand every Reading answer […]

How to Write a Book Review: The Ultimate Guide

WHAT IS A BOOK REVIEW?

Traditionally, book reviews are evaluations of a recently published book in any genre. Usually, around the 500 to 700-word mark, they briefly describe a text’s main elements while appraising the work’s strengths and weaknesses. Published book reviews can appear in newspapers, magazines, and academic journals. They provide the reader with an overview of the book itself and indicate whether or not the reviewer would recommend the book to the reader.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A BOOK REVIEW?

There was a time when book reviews were a regular appearance in every quality newspaper and many periodicals. They were essential elements in whether or not a book would sell well. A review from a heavyweight critic could often be the deciding factor in whether a book became a bestseller or a damp squib. In the last few decades, however, the book review’s influence has waned considerably, with many potential book buyers preferring to consult customer reviews on Amazon, or sites like Goodreads, before buying. As a result, book review’s appearance in newspapers, journals, and digital media has become less frequent.

WHY BOTHER TEACHING STUDENTS TO WRITE BOOK REVIEWS AT ALL?

Even in the heyday of the book review’s influence, few students who learned the craft of writing a book review became literary critics! The real value of crafting a well-written book review for a student does not lie in their ability to impact book sales. Understanding how to produce a well-written book review helps students to:

● Engage critically with a text

● Critically evaluate a text

● Respond personally to a range of different writing genres

● Improve their own reading, writing, and thinking skills.

Not to Be Confused with a Book Report!

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A BOOK REVIEW AND A BOOK REPORT?

While the terms are often used interchangeably, there are clear differences in both the purpose and the format of the two genres. Generally speaking, book reports aim to give a more detailed outline of what occurs in a book. A book report on a work of fiction will tend to give a comprehensive account of the characters, major plot lines, and themes in the book. Book reports are usually written around the K-12 age range, while book reviews tend not to be undertaken by those at the younger end of this age range due to the need for the higher-level critical skills required in writing them. At their highest expression, book reviews are written at the college level and by professional critics.

Learn how to write a book review step by step with our complete guide for students and teachers by familiarizing yourself with the structure and features.

BOOK REVIEW STRUCTURE

ANALYZE Evaluate the book with a critical mind.

THOROUGHNESS The whole is greater than the sum of all its parts. Review the book as a WHOLE.

COMPARE Where appropriate compare to similar texts and genres.

THUMBS UP OR DOWN? You are going to have to inevitably recommend or reject this book to potential readers.

BE CONSISTENT Take a stance and stick with it throughout your review.

FEATURES OF A BOOK REVIEW

PAST TENSE You are writing about a book you have already read.

EMOTIVE LANGUAGE Whatever your stance or opinion be passionate about it. Your audience will thank you for it.

VOICE Both active and passive voice are used in recounts.

A COMPLETE UNIT ON REVIEW AND ANALYSIS OF TEXTS

how to write a book review | movie response unit | How to Write a Book Review: The Ultimate Guide | literacyideas.com

⭐ Make MOVIES A MEANINGFUL PART OF YOUR CURRICULUM with this engaging collection of tasks and tools your students will love. ⭐ All the hard work is done for you with NO PREPARATION REQUIRED.

This collection of 21 INDEPENDENT TASKS and GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS takes students beyond the hype, special effects and trailers to look at visual literacy from several perspectives offering DEEP LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES by watching a SERIES, DOCUMENTARY, FILM, and even VIDEO GAMES.

ELEMENTS OF A BOOK REVIEW

As with any of the writing genres we teach our students, a book review can be helpfully explained in terms of criteria. While there is much to the ‘art’ of writing, there is also, thankfully, a lot of the nuts and bolts that can be listed too. Have students consider the following elements before writing:

● Title: Often, the title of the book review will correspond to the title of the text itself, but there may also be some examination of the title’s relevance. How does it fit into the purpose of the work as a whole? Does it convey a message or reveal larger themes explored within the work?

● Author: Within the book review, there may be some discussion of who the author is and what they have written before, especially if it relates to the current work being reviewed. There may be some mention of the author’s style and what they are best known for. If the author has received any awards or prizes, this may also be mentioned within the body of the review.

● Genre: A book review will identify the genre that the book belongs to, whether fiction or nonfiction, poetry, romance, science-fiction, history etc. The genre will likely tie in, too with who the intended audience for the book is and what the overall purpose of the work is.

● Book Jacket / Cover: Often, a book’s cover will contain artwork that is worthy of comment. It may contain interesting details related to the text that contribute to, or detract from, the work as a whole.

● Structure: The book’s structure will often be heavily informed by its genre. Have students examine how the book is organized before writing their review. Does it contain a preface from a guest editor, for example? Is it written in sections or chapters? Does it have a table of contents, index, glossary etc.? While all these details may not make it into the review itself, looking at how the book is structured may reveal some interesting aspects.

● Publisher and Price: A book review will usually contain details of who publishes the book and its cost. A review will often provide details of where the book is available too.

how to write a book review | writing a book review | How to Write a Book Review: The Ultimate Guide | literacyideas.com

BOOK REVIEW KEY ELEMENTS

As students read and engage with the work they will review, they will develop a sense of the shape their review will take. This will begin with the summary. Encourage students to take notes during the reading of the work that will help them in writing the summary that will form an essential part of their review. Aspects of the book they may wish to take notes on in a work of fiction may include:

● Characters: Who are the main characters? What are their motivations? Are they convincingly drawn? Or are they empathetic characters?

● Themes: What are the main themes of the work? Are there recurring motifs in the work? Is the exploration of the themes deep or surface only?

● Style: What are the key aspects of the writer’s style? How does it fit into the wider literary world?

● Plot: What is the story’s main catalyst? What happens in the rising action? What are the story’s subplots?

A book review will generally begin with a short summary of the work itself. However, it is important not to give too much away, remind students – no spoilers, please! For nonfiction works, this may be a summary of the main arguments of the work, again, without giving too much detail away. In a work of fiction, a book review will often summarise up to the rising action of the piece without going beyond to reveal too much!

how to write a book review | 9 text response | How to Write a Book Review: The Ultimate Guide | literacyideas.com

The summary should also provide some orientation for the reader. Given the nature of the purpose of a review, it is important that students’ consider their intended audience in the writing of their review. Readers will most likely not have read the book in question and will require some orientation. This is often achieved through introductions to the main characters, themes, primary arguments etc. This will help the reader to gauge whether or not the book is of interest to them.

Once your student has summarized the work, it is time to ‘review’ in earnest. At this point, the student should begin to detail their own opinion of the book. To do this well they should:

i. Make It Personal

Often when teaching essay writing we will talk to our students about the importance of climbing up and down the ladder of abstraction. Just as it is helpful to explore large, more abstract concepts in an essay by bringing it down to Earth, in a book review, it is important that students can relate the characters, themes, ideas etc to their own lives.

Book reviews are meant to be subjective. They are opinion pieces, and opinions grow out of our experiences of life. Encourage students to link the work they are writing about to their own personal life within the body of the review. By making this personal connection to the work, students contextualize their opinions for the readers and help them to understand whether the book will be of interest to them or not in the process.

ii. Make It Universal

Just as it is important to climb down the ladder of abstraction to show how the work relates to individual life, it is important to climb upwards on the ladder too. Students should endeavor to show how the ideas explored in the book relate to the wider world. The may be in the form of the universality of the underlying themes in a work of fiction or, for example, the international implications for arguments expressed in a work of nonfiction.

iii. Support Opinions with Evidence

A book review is a subjective piece of writing by its very nature. However, just because it is subjective does not mean that opinions do not need to be justified. Make sure students understand how to back up their opinions with various forms of evidence, for example, quotations, statistics, and the use of primary and secondary sources.

EDIT AND REVISE YOUR BOOK REVIEW

how to write a book review | 9 1 proof read Book review | How to Write a Book Review: The Ultimate Guide | literacyideas.com

As with any writing genre, encourage students to polish things up with review and revision at the end. Encourage them to proofread and check for accurate spelling throughout, with particular attention to the author’s name, character names, publisher etc.

It is good practice too for students to double-check their use of evidence. Are statements supported? Are the statistics used correctly? Are the quotations from the text accurate? Mistakes such as these uncorrected can do great damage to the value of a book review as they can undermine the reader’s confidence in the writer’s judgement.

The discipline of writing book reviews offers students opportunities to develop their writing skills and exercise their critical faculties. Book reviews can be valuable standalone activities or serve as a part of a series of activities engaging with a central text. They can also serve as an effective springboard into later discussion work based on the ideas and issues explored in a particular book. Though the book review does not hold the sway it once did in the mind’s of the reading public, it still serves as an effective teaching tool in our classrooms today.

how to write a book review | LITERACY IDEAS FRONT PAGE 1 | How to Write a Book Review: The Ultimate Guide | literacyideas.com

Teaching Resources

Use our resources and tools to improve your student’s writing skills through proven teaching strategies.

BOOK REVIEW GRAPHIC ORGANIZER (TEMPLATE)

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101 DIGITAL & PRINT GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS FOR ALL CURRICULUM AREAS

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Introduce your students to 21st-century learning with this GROWING BUNDLE OF 101 EDITABLE & PRINTABLE GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS. ✌ NO PREP REQUIRED!!! ✌ Go paperless, and let your students express their knowledge and creativity through the power of technology and collaboration inside and outside the classroom with ease.

Whilst you don’t have to have a 1:1 or BYOD classroom to benefit from this bundle, it has been purpose-built to deliver through platforms such as ✔ GOOGLE CLASSROOM, ✔ OFFICE 365, ✔ or any CLOUD-BASED LEARNING PLATFORM.

Book and Movie review writing examples (Student Writing Samples)

Below are a collection of student writing samples of book reviews. Click on the image to enlarge and explore them in greater detail. Please take a moment to both read the movie or book review in detail but also the teacher and student guides which highlight some of the key elements of writing a text review

Please understand these student writing samples are not intended to be perfect examples for each age or grade level but a piece of writing for students and teachers to explore together to critically analyze to improve student writing skills and deepen their understanding of book review writing.

We would recommend reading the example either a year above and below, as well as the grade you are currently working with to gain a broader appreciation of this text type .

how to write a book review | book review year 3 | How to Write a Book Review: The Ultimate Guide | literacyideas.com

BOOK REVIEW VIDEO TUTORIALS

how to write a book review | 2 book review tutorial28129 | How to Write a Book Review: The Ultimate Guide | literacyideas.com

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17 Book Review Examples to Help You Write the Perfect Review

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Blog – Posted on Friday, Mar 29

17 book review examples to help you write the perfect review.

It’s an exciting time to be a book reviewer. Once confined to print newspapers and journals, reviews now dot many corridors of the Internet — forever helping others discover their next great read. That said, every book reviewer will face a familiar panic: how can you do justice to a great book in just a thousand words?

As you know, the best way to learn how to do something is by immersing yourself in it. Luckily, the Internet (i.e. Goodreads and other review sites , in particular) has made book reviews more accessible than ever — which means that there are a lot of book reviews examples out there for you to view!

In this post, we compiled 17 prototypical book review examples in multiple genres to help you figure out how to write the perfect review . If you want to jump straight to the examples, you can skip the next section. Otherwise, let’s first check out what makes up a good review.

Are you interested in becoming a book reviewer? We recommend you check out Reedsy Discovery , where you can earn money for writing reviews — and are guaranteed people will read your reviews! To register as a book reviewer, sign up here.

Pro-tip : But wait! How are you sure if you should become a book reviewer in the first place? If you're on the fence, or curious about your match with a book reviewing career, take our quick quiz:

Should you become a book reviewer?

Find out the answer. Takes 30 seconds!

What must a book review contain?

Like all works of art, no two book reviews will be identical. But fear not: there are a few guidelines for any aspiring book reviewer to follow. Most book reviews, for instance, are less than 1,500 words long, with the sweet spot hitting somewhere around the 1,000-word mark. (However, this may vary depending on the platform on which you’re writing, as we’ll see later.)

In addition, all reviews share some universal elements, as shown in our book review templates . These include:

A review will offer a concise plot summary of the book.
A book review will offer an evaluation of the work.
A book review will offer a recommendation for the audience.

If these are the basic ingredients that make up a book review, it’s the tone and style with which the book reviewer writes that brings the extra panache. This will differ from platform to platform, of course. A book review on Goodreads, for instance, will be much more informal and personal than a book review on Kirkus Reviews, as it is catering to a different audience. However, at the end of the day, the goal of all book reviews is to give the audience the tools to determine whether or not they’d like to read the book themselves.

Keeping that in mind, let’s proceed to some book review examples to put all of this in action.

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Book review examples for fiction books

Since story is king in the world of fiction, it probably won’t come as any surprise to learn that a book review for a novel will concentrate on how well the story was told .

That said, book reviews in all genres follow the same basic formula that we discussed earlier. In these examples, you’ll be able to see how book reviewers on different platforms expertly intertwine the plot summary and their personal opinions of the book to produce a clear, informative, and concise review.

Note: Some of the book review examples run very long. If a book review is truncated in this post, we’ve indicated by including a […] at the end, but you can always read the entire review if you click on the link provided.

Examples of literary fiction book reviews

Kirkus Reviews reviews Ralph Ellison’s The Invisible Man :

An extremely powerful story of a young Southern Negro, from his late high school days through three years of college to his life in Harlem.

His early training prepared him for a life of humility before white men, but through injustices- large and small, he came to realize that he was an "invisible man". People saw in him only a reflection of their preconceived ideas of what he was, denied his individuality, and ultimately did not see him at all. This theme, which has implications far beyond the obvious racial parallel, is skillfully handled. The incidents of the story are wholly absorbing. The boy's dismissal from college because of an innocent mistake, his shocked reaction to the anonymity of the North and to Harlem, his nightmare experiences on a one-day job in a paint factory and in the hospital, his lightning success as the Harlem leader of a communistic organization known as the Brotherhood, his involvement in black versus white and black versus black clashes and his disillusion and understanding of his invisibility- all climax naturally in scenes of violence and riot, followed by a retreat which is both literal and figurative. Parts of this experience may have been told before, but never with such freshness, intensity and power.

This is Ellison's first novel, but he has complete control of his story and his style. Watch it.

Lyndsey reviews George Orwell’s 1984 on Goodreads:

YOU. ARE. THE. DEAD. Oh my God. I got the chills so many times toward the end of this book. It completely blew my mind. It managed to surpass my high expectations AND be nothing at all like I expected. Or in Newspeak "Double Plus Good." Let me preface this with an apology. If I sound stunningly inarticulate at times in this review, I can't help it. My mind is completely fried.

This book is like the dystopian Lord of the Rings, with its richly developed culture and economics, not to mention a fully developed language called Newspeak, or rather more of the anti-language, whose purpose is to limit speech and understanding instead of to enhance and expand it. The world-building is so fully fleshed out and spine-tinglingly terrifying that it's almost as if George travelled to such a place, escaped from it, and then just wrote it all down.

I read Fahrenheit 451 over ten years ago in my early teens. At the time, I remember really wanting to read 1984, although I never managed to get my hands on it. I'm almost glad I didn't. Though I would not have admitted it at the time, it would have gone over my head. Or at the very least, I wouldn't have been able to appreciate it fully. […]

The New York Times reviews Lisa Halliday’s Asymmetry :

Three-quarters of the way through Lisa Halliday’s debut novel, “Asymmetry,” a British foreign correspondent named Alistair is spending Christmas on a compound outside of Baghdad. His fellow revelers include cameramen, defense contractors, United Nations employees and aid workers. Someone’s mother has FedExed a HoneyBaked ham from Maine; people are smoking by the swimming pool. It is 2003, just days after Saddam Hussein’s capture, and though the mood is optimistic, Alistair is worrying aloud about the ethics of his chosen profession, wondering if reporting on violence doesn’t indirectly abet violence and questioning why he’d rather be in a combat zone than reading a picture book to his son. But every time he returns to London, he begins to “spin out.” He can’t go home. “You observe what people do with their freedom — what they don’t do — and it’s impossible not to judge them for it,” he says.

The line, embedded unceremoniously in the middle of a page-long paragraph, doubles, like so many others in “Asymmetry,” as literary criticism. Halliday’s novel is so strange and startlingly smart that its mere existence seems like commentary on the state of fiction. One finishes “Asymmetry” for the first or second (or like this reader, third) time and is left wondering what other writers are not doing with their freedom — and, like Alistair, judging them for it.

Despite its title, “Asymmetry” comprises two seemingly unrelated sections of equal length, appended by a slim and quietly shocking coda. Halliday’s prose is clean and lean, almost reportorial in the style of W. G. Sebald, and like the murmurings of a shy person at a cocktail party, often comic only in single clauses. It’s a first novel that reads like the work of an author who has published many books over many years. […]

Emily W. Thompson reviews Michael Doane's The Crossing on Reedsy Discovery :

In Doane’s debut novel, a young man embarks on a journey of self-discovery with surprising results.

An unnamed protagonist (The Narrator) is dealing with heartbreak. His love, determined to see the world, sets out for Portland, Oregon. But he’s a small-town boy who hasn’t traveled much. So, the Narrator mourns her loss and hides from life, throwing himself into rehabbing an old motorcycle. Until one day, he takes a leap; he packs his bike and a few belongings and heads out to find the Girl.

Following in the footsteps of Jack Kerouac and William Least Heat-Moon, Doane offers a coming of age story about a man finding himself on the backroads of America. Doane’s a gifted writer with fluid prose and insightful observations, using The Narrator’s personal interactions to illuminate the diversity of the United States.

The Narrator initially sticks to the highways, trying to make it to the West Coast as quickly as possible. But a hitchhiker named Duke convinces him to get off the beaten path and enjoy the ride. “There’s not a place that’s like any other,” [39] Dukes contends, and The Narrator realizes he’s right. Suddenly, the trip is about the journey, not just the destination. The Narrator ditches his truck and traverses the deserts and mountains on his bike. He destroys his phone, cutting off ties with his past and living only in the moment.

As he crosses the country, The Narrator connects with several unique personalities whose experiences and views deeply impact his own. Duke, the complicated cowboy and drifter, who opens The Narrator’s eyes to a larger world. Zooey, the waitress in Colorado who opens his heart and reminds him that love can be found in this big world. And Rosie, The Narrator’s sweet landlady in Portland, who helps piece him back together both physically and emotionally.

This supporting cast of characters is excellent. Duke, in particular, is wonderfully nuanced and complicated. He’s a throwback to another time, a man without a cell phone who reads Sartre and sleeps under the stars. Yet he’s also a grifter with a “love ‘em and leave ‘em” attitude that harms those around him. It’s fascinating to watch The Narrator wrestle with Duke’s behavior, trying to determine which to model and which to discard.

Doane creates a relatable protagonist in The Narrator, whose personal growth doesn’t erase his faults. His willingness to hit the road with few resources is admirable, and he’s prescient enough to recognize the jealousy of those who cannot or will not take the leap. His encounters with new foods, places, and people broaden his horizons. Yet his immaturity and selfishness persist. He tells Rosie she’s been a good mother to him but chooses to ignore the continuing concern from his own parents as he effectively disappears from his old life.

Despite his flaws, it’s a pleasure to accompany The Narrator on his physical and emotional journey. The unexpected ending is a fitting denouement to an epic and memorable road trip.

The Book Smugglers review Anissa Gray’s The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls :

I am still dipping my toes into the literally fiction pool, finding what works for me and what doesn’t. Books like The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray are definitely my cup of tea.

Althea and Proctor Cochran had been pillars of their economically disadvantaged community for years – with their local restaurant/small market and their charity drives. Until they are found guilty of fraud for stealing and keeping most of the money they raised and sent to jail. Now disgraced, their entire family is suffering the consequences, specially their twin teenage daughters Baby Vi and Kim. To complicate matters even more: Kim was actually the one to call the police on her parents after yet another fight with her mother. […]

Examples of children’s and YA fiction book reviews

The Book Hookup reviews Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give :

♥ Quick Thoughts and Rating: 5 stars! I can’t imagine how challenging it would be to tackle the voice of a movement like Black Lives Matter, but I do know that Thomas did it with a finesse only a talented author like herself possibly could. With an unapologetically realistic delivery packed with emotion, The Hate U Give is a crucially important portrayal of the difficulties minorities face in our country every single day. I have no doubt that this book will be met with resistance by some (possibly many) and slapped with a “controversial” label, but if you’ve ever wondered what it was like to walk in a POC’s shoes, then I feel like this is an unflinchingly honest place to start.

In Angie Thomas’s debut novel, Starr Carter bursts on to the YA scene with both heart-wrecking and heartwarming sincerity. This author is definitely one to watch.

♥ Review: The hype around this book has been unquestionable and, admittedly, that made me both eager to get my hands on it and terrified to read it. I mean, what if I was to be the one person that didn’t love it as much as others? (That seems silly now because of how truly mesmerizing THUG was in the most heartbreakingly realistic way.) However, with the relevancy of its summary in regards to the unjust predicaments POC currently face in the US, I knew this one was a must-read, so I was ready to set my fears aside and dive in. That said, I had an altogether more personal, ulterior motive for wanting to read this book. […]

The New York Times reviews Melissa Albert’s The Hazel Wood :

Alice Crewe (a last name she’s chosen for herself) is a fairy tale legacy: the granddaughter of Althea Proserpine, author of a collection of dark-as-night fairy tales called “Tales From the Hinterland.” The book has a cult following, and though Alice has never met her grandmother, she’s learned a little about her through internet research. She hasn’t read the stories, because her mother, Ella Proserpine, forbids it.

Alice and Ella have moved from place to place in an attempt to avoid the “bad luck” that seems to follow them. Weird things have happened. As a child, Alice was kidnapped by a man who took her on a road trip to find her grandmother; he was stopped by the police before they did so. When at 17 she sees that man again, unchanged despite the years, Alice panics. Then Ella goes missing, and Alice turns to Ellery Finch, a schoolmate who’s an Althea Proserpine superfan, for help in tracking down her mother. Not only has Finch read every fairy tale in the collection, but handily, he remembers them, sharing them with Alice as they journey to the mysterious Hazel Wood, the estate of her now-dead grandmother, where they hope to find Ella.

“The Hazel Wood” starts out strange and gets stranger, in the best way possible. (The fairy stories Finch relays, which Albert includes as their own chapters, are as creepy and evocative as you’d hope.) Albert seamlessly combines contemporary realism with fantasy, blurring the edges in a way that highlights that place where stories and real life convene, where magic contains truth and the world as it appears is false, where just about anything can happen, particularly in the pages of a very good book. It’s a captivating debut. […]

James reviews Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight, Moon on Goodreads:

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown is one of the books that followers of my blog voted as a must-read for our Children's Book August 2018 Readathon. Come check it out and join the next few weeks!

This picture book was such a delight. I hadn't remembered reading it when I was a child, but it might have been read to me... either way, it was like a whole new experience! It's always so difficult to convince a child to fall asleep at night. I don't have kids, but I do have a 5-month-old puppy who whines for 5 minutes every night when he goes in his cage/crate (hopefully he'll be fully housebroken soon so he can roam around when he wants). I can only imagine! I babysat a lot as a teenager and I have tons of younger cousins, nieces, and nephews, so I've been through it before, too. This was a believable experience, and it really helps show kids how to relax and just let go when it's time to sleep.

The bunny's are adorable. The rhymes are exquisite. I found it pretty fun, but possibly a little dated given many of those things aren't normal routines anymore. But the lessons to take from it are still powerful. Loved it! I want to sample some more books by this fine author and her illustrators.

Publishers Weekly reviews Elizabeth Lilly’s Geraldine :

This funny, thoroughly accomplished debut opens with two words: “I’m moving.” They’re spoken by the title character while she swoons across her family’s ottoman, and because Geraldine is a giraffe, her full-on melancholy mode is quite a spectacle. But while Geraldine may be a drama queen (even her mother says so), it won’t take readers long to warm up to her. The move takes Geraldine from Giraffe City, where everyone is like her, to a new school, where everyone else is human. Suddenly, the former extrovert becomes “That Giraffe Girl,” and all she wants to do is hide, which is pretty much impossible. “Even my voice tries to hide,” she says, in the book’s most poignant moment. “It’s gotten quiet and whispery.” Then she meets Cassie, who, though human, is also an outlier (“I’m that girl who wears glasses and likes MATH and always organizes her food”), and things begin to look up.

Lilly’s watercolor-and-ink drawings are as vividly comic and emotionally astute as her writing; just when readers think there are no more ways for Geraldine to contort her long neck, this highly promising talent comes up with something new.

Examples of genre fiction book reviews

Karlyn P reviews Nora Roberts’ Dark Witch , a paranormal romance novel , on Goodreads:

4 stars. Great world-building, weak romance, but still worth the read.

I hesitate to describe this book as a 'romance' novel simply because the book spent little time actually exploring the romance between Iona and Boyle. Sure, there IS a romance in this novel. Sprinkled throughout the book are a few scenes where Iona and Boyle meet, chat, wink at each, flirt some more, sleep together, have a misunderstanding, make up, and then profess their undying love. Very formulaic stuff, and all woven around the more important parts of this book.

The meat of this book is far more focused on the story of the Dark witch and her magically-gifted descendants living in Ireland. Despite being weak on the romance, I really enjoyed it. I think the book is probably better for it, because the romance itself was pretty lackluster stuff.

I absolutely plan to stick with this series as I enjoyed the world building, loved the Ireland setting, and was intrigued by all of the secondary characters. However, If you read Nora Roberts strictly for the romance scenes, this one might disappoint. But if you enjoy a solid background story with some dark magic and prophesies, you might enjoy it as much as I did.

I listened to this one on audio, and felt the narration was excellent.

Emily May reviews R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy Wars , an epic fantasy novel , on Goodreads:

“But I warn you, little warrior. The price of power is pain.”

Holy hell, what did I just read??

➽ A fantasy military school

➽ A rich world based on modern Chinese history

➽ Shamans and gods

➽ Detailed characterization leading to unforgettable characters

➽ Adorable, opium-smoking mentors

That's a basic list, but this book is all of that and SO MUCH MORE. I know 100% that The Poppy War will be one of my best reads of 2018.

Isn't it just so great when you find one of those books that completely drags you in, makes you fall in love with the characters, and demands that you sit on the edge of your seat for every horrific, nail-biting moment of it? This is one of those books for me. And I must issue a serious content warning: this book explores some very dark themes. Proceed with caution (or not at all) if you are particularly sensitive to scenes of war, drug use and addiction, genocide, racism, sexism, ableism, self-harm, torture, and rape (off-page but extremely horrific).

Because, despite the fairly innocuous first 200 pages, the title speaks the truth: this is a book about war. All of its horrors and atrocities. It is not sugar-coated, and it is often graphic. The "poppy" aspect refers to opium, which is a big part of this book. It is a fantasy, but the book draws inspiration from the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Rape of Nanking.

Crime Fiction Lover reviews Jessica Barry’s Freefall , a crime novel:

In some crime novels, the wrongdoing hits you between the eyes from page one. With others it’s a more subtle process, and that’s OK too. So where does Freefall fit into the sliding scale?

In truth, it’s not clear. This is a novel with a thrilling concept at its core. A woman survives plane crash, then runs for her life. However, it is the subtleties at play that will draw you in like a spider beckoning to an unwitting fly.

Like the heroine in Sharon Bolton’s Dead Woman Walking, Allison is lucky to be alive. She was the only passenger in a private plane, belonging to her fiancé, Ben, who was piloting the expensive aircraft, when it came down in woodlands in the Colorado Rockies. Ally is also the only survivor, but rather than sitting back and waiting for rescue, she is soon pulling together items that may help her survive a little longer – first aid kit, energy bars, warm clothes, trainers – before fleeing the scene. If you’re hearing the faint sound of alarm bells ringing, get used to it. There’s much, much more to learn about Ally before this tale is over.

Kirkus Reviews reviews Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One , a science-fiction novel :

Video-game players embrace the quest of a lifetime in a virtual world; screenwriter Cline’s first novel is old wine in new bottles.

The real world, in 2045, is the usual dystopian horror story. So who can blame Wade, our narrator, if he spends most of his time in a virtual world? The 18-year-old, orphaned at 11, has no friends in his vertical trailer park in Oklahoma City, while the OASIS has captivating bells and whistles, and it’s free. Its creator, the legendary billionaire James Halliday, left a curious will. He had devised an elaborate online game, a hunt for a hidden Easter egg. The finder would inherit his estate. Old-fashioned riddles lead to three keys and three gates. Wade, or rather his avatar Parzival, is the first gunter (egg-hunter) to win the Copper Key, first of three.

Halliday was obsessed with the pop culture of the 1980s, primarily the arcade games, so the novel is as much retro as futurist. Parzival’s great strength is that he has absorbed all Halliday’s obsessions; he knows by heart three essential movies, crossing the line from geek to freak. His most formidable competitors are the Sixers, contract gunters working for the evil conglomerate IOI, whose goal is to acquire the OASIS. Cline’s narrative is straightforward but loaded with exposition. It takes a while to reach a scene that crackles with excitement: the meeting between Parzival (now world famous as the lead contender) and Sorrento, the head of IOI. The latter tries to recruit Parzival; when he fails, he issues and executes a death threat. Wade’s trailer is demolished, his relatives killed; luckily Wade was not at home. Too bad this is the dramatic high point. Parzival threads his way between more ’80s games and movies to gain the other keys; it’s clever but not exciting. Even a romance with another avatar and the ultimate “epic throwdown” fail to stir the blood.

Too much puzzle-solving, not enough suspense.

Book review examples for non-fiction books

Nonfiction books are generally written to inform readers about a certain topic. As such, the focus of a nonfiction book review will be on the clarity and effectiveness of this communication . In carrying this out, a book review may analyze the author’s source materials and assess the thesis in order to determine whether or not the book meets expectations.

Again, we’ve included abbreviated versions of long reviews here, so feel free to click on the link to read the entire piece!

The Washington Post reviews David Grann’s Killers of the Flower Moon :

The arc of David Grann’s career reminds one of a software whiz-kid or a latest-thing talk-show host — certainly not an investigative reporter, even if he is one of the best in the business. The newly released movie of his first book, “The Lost City of Z,” is generating all kinds of Oscar talk, and now comes the release of his second book, “Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI,” the film rights to which have already been sold for $5 million in what one industry journal called the “biggest and wildest book rights auction in memory.”

Grann deserves the attention. He’s canny about the stories he chases, he’s willing to go anywhere to chase them, and he’s a maestro in his ability to parcel out information at just the right clip: a hint here, a shading of meaning there, a smartly paced buildup of multiple possibilities followed by an inevitable reversal of readerly expectations or, in some cases, by a thrilling and dislocating pull of the entire narrative rug.

All of these strengths are on display in “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Around the turn of the 20th century, oil was discovered underneath Osage lands in the Oklahoma Territory, lands that were soon to become part of the state of Oklahoma. Through foresight and legal maneuvering, the Osage found a way to permanently attach that oil to themselves and shield it from the prying hands of white interlopers; this mechanism was known as “headrights,” which forbade the outright sale of oil rights and granted each full member of the tribe — and, supposedly, no one else — a share in the proceeds from any lease arrangement. For a while, the fail-safes did their job, and the Osage got rich — diamond-ring and chauffeured-car and imported-French-fashion rich — following which quite a large group of white men started to work like devils to separate the Osage from their money. And soon enough, and predictably enough, this work involved murder. Here in Jazz Age America’s most isolated of locales, dozens or even hundreds of Osage in possession of great fortunes — and of the potential for even greater fortunes in the future — were dispatched by poison, by gunshot and by dynamite. […]

Stacked Books reviews Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers :

I’ve heard a lot of great things about Malcolm Gladwell’s writing. Friends and co-workers tell me that his subjects are interesting and his writing style is easy to follow without talking down to the reader. I wasn’t disappointed with Outliers. In it, Gladwell tackles the subject of success – how people obtain it and what contributes to extraordinary success as opposed to everyday success.

The thesis – that our success depends much more on circumstances out of our control than any effort we put forth – isn’t exactly revolutionary. Most of us know it to be true. However, I don’t think I’m lying when I say that most of us also believe that we if we just try that much harder and develop our talent that much further, it will be enough to become wildly successful, despite bad or just mediocre beginnings. Not so, says Gladwell.

Most of the evidence Gladwell gives us is anecdotal, which is my favorite kind to read. I can’t really speak to how scientifically valid it is, but it sure makes for engrossing listening. For example, did you know that successful hockey players are almost all born in January, February, or March? Kids born during these months are older than the others kids when they start playing in the youth leagues, which means they’re already better at the game (because they’re bigger). Thus, they get more play time, which means their skill increases at a faster rate, and it compounds as time goes by. Within a few years, they’re much, much better than the kids born just a few months later in the year. Basically, these kids’ birthdates are a huge factor in their success as adults – and it’s nothing they can do anything about. If anyone could make hockey interesting to a Texan who only grudgingly admits the sport even exists, it’s Gladwell. […]

Quill and Quire reviews Rick Prashaw’s Soar, Adam, Soar :

Ten years ago, I read a book called Almost Perfect. The young-adult novel by Brian Katcher won some awards and was held up as a powerful, nuanced portrayal of a young trans person. But the reality did not live up to the book’s billing. Instead, it turned out to be a one-dimensional and highly fetishized portrait of a trans person’s life, one that was nevertheless repeatedly dubbed “realistic” and “affecting” by non-transgender readers possessing only a vague, mass-market understanding of trans experiences.

In the intervening decade, trans narratives have emerged further into the literary spotlight, but those authored by trans people ourselves – and by trans men in particular – have seemed to fall under the shadow of cisgender sensationalized imaginings. Two current Canadian releases – Soar, Adam, Soar and This One Looks Like a Boy – provide a pointed object lesson into why trans-authored work about transgender experiences remains critical.

To be fair, Soar, Adam, Soar isn’t just a story about a trans man. It’s also a story about epilepsy, the medical establishment, and coming of age as seen through a grieving father’s eyes. Adam, Prashaw’s trans son, died unexpectedly at age 22. Woven through the elder Prashaw’s narrative are excerpts from Adam’s social media posts, giving us glimpses into the young man’s interior life as he traverses his late teens and early 20s. […]

Book Geeks reviews Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love :

WRITING STYLE: 3.5/5

SUBJECT: 4/5

CANDIDNESS: 4.5/5

RELEVANCE: 3.5/5

ENTERTAINMENT QUOTIENT: 3.5/5

“Eat Pray Love” is so popular that it is almost impossible to not read it. Having felt ashamed many times on my not having read this book, I quietly ordered the book (before I saw the movie) from amazon.in and sat down to read it. I don’t remember what I expected it to be – maybe more like a chick lit thing but it turned out quite different. The book is a real story and is a short journal from the time when its writer went travelling to three different countries in pursuit of three different things – Italy (Pleasure), India (Spirituality), Bali (Balance) and this is what corresponds to the book’s name – EAT (in Italy), PRAY (in India) and LOVE (in Bali, Indonesia). These are also the three Is – ITALY, INDIA, INDONESIA.

Though she had everything a middle-aged American woman can aspire for – MONEY, CAREER, FRIENDS, HUSBAND; Elizabeth was not happy in her life, she wasn’t happy in her marriage. Having suffered a terrible divorce and terrible breakup soon after, Elizabeth was shattered. She didn’t know where to go and what to do – all she knew was that she wanted to run away. So she set out on a weird adventure – she will go to three countries in a year and see if she can find out what she was looking for in life. This book is about that life changing journey that she takes for one whole year. […]

Emily May reviews Michelle Obama’s Becoming on Goodreads:

Look, I'm not a happy crier. I might cry at songs about leaving and missing someone; I might cry at books where things don't work out; I might cry at movies where someone dies. I've just never really understood why people get all choked up over happy, inspirational things. But Michelle Obama's kindness and empathy changed that. This book had me in tears for all the right reasons.

This is not really a book about politics, though political experiences obviously do come into it. It's a shame that some will dismiss this book because of a difference in political opinion, when it is really about a woman's life. About growing up poor and black on the South Side of Chicago; about getting married and struggling to maintain that marriage; about motherhood; about being thrown into an amazing and terrifying position.

I hate words like "inspirational" because they've become so overdone and cheesy, but I just have to say it-- Michelle Obama is an inspiration. I had the privilege of seeing her speak at The Forum in Inglewood, and she is one of the warmest, funniest, smartest, down-to-earth people I have ever seen in this world.

And yes, I know we present what we want the world to see, but I truly do think it's genuine. I think she is someone who really cares about people - especially kids - and wants to give them better lives and opportunities.

She's obviously intelligent, but she also doesn't gussy up her words. She talks straight, with an openness and honesty rarely seen. She's been one of the most powerful women in the world, she's been a graduate of Princeton and Harvard Law School, she's had her own successful career, and yet she has remained throughout that same girl - Michelle Robinson - from a working class family in Chicago.

I don't think there's anyone who wouldn't benefit from reading this book.

Hopefully, this post has given you a better idea of how to write a book review. You might be wondering how to put all of this knowledge into action now! Many book reviewers start out by setting up a book blog. If you don’t have time to research the intricacies of HTML, check out Reedsy Discovery — where you can read indie books for free and review them without going through the hassle of creating a blog. To register as a book reviewer , go here .

And if you’d like to see even more book review examples, simply go to this directory of book review blogs and click on any one of them to see a wealth of good book reviews. Beyond that, it's up to you to pick up a book and pen — and start reviewing!

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Cambridge ielts reading

READING PASSAGE 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13 which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.

Cutty Sark: the fastest sailing ship of all time

The nineteenth century was a period of great technological development in Britain, and for shipping the major changes were from wind to steam power, and from wood to iron and steel.

Questions 1-8

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?

In boxes 1-8 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 on this

1 Clippers were originally intended to be used as passenger ships.

2 Cutty Sark was given the name of a character in a poem.

3 The contract between John Willis and Scott & Linton favoured Willis.

4 John Willis wanted Cutty Sark to be the fastest tea clipper travelling between the UK and China.

5 Despite storm damage, Cutty Sark beat Thermopylae back to London.

6 The opening of the Suez Canal meant that steam ships could travel between Britain and China faster than clippers.

7 Steam ships sometimes used the ocean route to travel between London and China.

8 Captain Woodget put Cutty Sark at risk of hitting an iceberg.

Questions 9-13

Complete the sentences below.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 9-13 on your answer sheet.

9 After 1880, Cutty Sark carried ………………………… as its main cargo during its most successful time.

10 As a captain and …………………………., Woodget was very skilled.

11 Ferreira went to Falmouth to repair damage that a …………………………. had caused.

12 Between 1923 and 1954, Cutty Sark was used for …………………………..

13 Cutty Sark has twice been damaged by ………………………… in the 21st century.

READING PASSAGE 2

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26 which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.

SAVING THE SOIL

More than a third of the Earth’s top layer is at risk. Is there hope for our planet’s most precious resource?

Whatever we do, if we want our soils to survive, we need to take action now.

Questions 14-17

Complete the summary below. Write ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 14-17 on your answer sheet.

Why soil degradation could be a disaster for humans

If these microorganisms are lost, soil may lose its special properties. The main factor contributing to soil degradation is the 17 ………………………….. carried out by humans.

Questions 18-21

Complete each sentence with the correct ending, A-F , below. Write the correct letter, A-F , in boxes 18-21 on your answer sheet.

18 Nutrients contained in the unused parts of harvested crops

19 Synthetic fertilisers produced with Haber-Bosch process

20 Addition of a mixture developed by Pius Floris to the soil

21 The idea of zero net soil degradation

A may improve the number and quality of plants growing there.

B may contain data from up to nine countries.

C may not be put back into the soil.

D may help governments to be more aware of soil-related issues.

E may cause damage to different aspects of the environment.

F may be better for use at a global level.

Questions 22-26

Reading Passage 2 has seven paragraphs, A-G .

Which section contains the following information?

Write the correct letter, A-G , in boxes 22-26 on your answer sheet.

NB You may use any letter more than once.

22 a reference to one person’s motivation for a soil-improvement project

23 an explanation of how soil stayed healthy before the development of farming

24 examples of different ways of collecting information on soil degradation

25 a suggestion for a way of keeping some types of soil safe in the near future

26 a reason why it is difficult to provide an overview of soil degradation

READING PASSAGE 3

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27-40 which are based on Reading Passage 3 below.

Book Review

The Happiness Industry: How the Government and Big Business Sold Us Well-Being

By William Davies

‘Happiness is the ultimate goal because it is self-evidently good. If we are asked why happiness matters we can give no further external reason. It just obviously does matter.’ This pronouncement by Richard Layard, an economist and advocate of ‘positive psychology’, summarises the beliefs of many people today. For Layard and others like him, it is obvious that the purpose of government is to promote a state of collective well-being. The only question is how to achieve it, and here positive psychology – a supposed science that not only identifies what makes people happy but also allows their happiness to be measured – can show the way. Equipped with this science, they say, governments can secure happiness in society in a way they never could in the past.

The Happiness Industry describes how the project of a science of happiness has become integral to capitalism. We learn much that is interesting about how economic problems are being redefined and treated as psychological maladies. In addition, Davies shows how the belief that inner of pleasure and displeasure can be objectively measured has informed management studies and advertising. The tendency of thinkers such as J B Watson, the founder of behaviourism*, was that human beings could be shaped, or manipulated, by policymakers and managers. Watson had no factual basis for his view of human action. When he became president of the American Psychological Association in 1915, he ‘had never even studied a single human being’: his research had been confined to experiments on white rats. Yet Watson’s reductive model is now widely applied, with ‘behaviour change’ becoming the goal of governments: in Britain, a ‘Behaviour Insights Team’ has been established by the government to study how people can be encouraged, at minimum cost to the public purse, to live in what are considered to be socially desirable ways.

———————– * ‘behaviourism’: a branch of psychology which is concerned with observable behaviour

Questions 27-29

Choose the correct letter, A , B , C or D .

Write the correct letter in boxes 27-29 on your answer sheet.

27 What is the reviewer’s attitude to advocates of positive psychology?

A They are wrong to reject the ideas of Bentham.

B They are over-influenced by their study of Bentham’s theories.

C They have a fresh new approach to ideas on human happiness.

D They are ignorant about the ideas they should be considering.

28 The reviewer refers to the Greek philosopher Aristotle in order to suggest that happiness

A may not be just pleasure and the absence of pain.

B should not be the main goal of humans.

C is not something that should be fought for.

D is not just an abstract concept.

29 According to Davies, Bentham’s suggestion for linking the price of goods to happiness was significant because

A it was the first successful way of assessing happiness.

B it established a connection between work and psychology.

C it was the first successful example of psychological research.

D it involved consideration of the rights of consumers.

Questions 30-34

Complete the summary using the list of words A-G below.

Write the correct letter, A-G , in boxes 30-34 on your answer sheet.

Jeremy Bentham

A measurement B security C implementation D profits E observation F communication G preservation

Questions 35-40

Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 3?

In boxes 35-40 on your answer sheet, write

YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer

NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer

NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

35 One strength of The Happiness Industry is its discussion of the relationship between psychology and economics.

36 It is more difficult to measure some emotions than others.

37 Watson’s ideas on behaviourism were supported by research on humans he carried out before 1915.

38 Watson’s ideas have been most influential on governments outside America.

39 The need for happiness is linked to industrialisation.

40 A main aim of government should be to increase the happiness of the population.

Cam 13 Reading Test 03

Cam 14 reading test 01, answer cam 13 reading test 04.

7. NOT GIVEN

10. navigator

12. training

14. minerals

17. agriculture

36. NOT GIVEN

38. NOT GIVEN

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GIẢI CHI TIẾT ĐỀ THI IELTS READING: Book Review
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Luyện thi Ielts
Đề thi Ielts reading

Book Review giải chi tiết, dịch hoàn thiện, giải thích rõ ràng, test 4 đề đọc cam 13

DỊCH HOÀN THIỆN ĐỀ THI IELTS READING VÀ GIẢI THÍCH ĐÁP ÁN:

Book Review

The Happiness Industry: How the Government and Big Business Sold Us Well-Being . By William Davies

The Happiness Industry: Chính phủ và các doanh nghiệp lớn đã bán hạnh phúc cho chúng ta như thế nào. Viết bởi William Davies

‘Happiness is the ultimate goal because it is self-evidently good. If we are asked why happiness matters we can give no further external reason. It just obviously does matter.’ This pronouncement by Richard Layard, an economist and advocate of ‘ positive psychology ’, summarises the beliefs of many people today. For Layard and others like him, it is obvious that the purpose of government is to promote a state of collective well-being. The only question is how to achieve it, and here positive psychology – a supposed science that not only identifies what makes people happy but also allows their happiness to be measured – can show the way. Equipped with this science, they say, governments can secure happiness in society in a way they never could in the past. ĐOẠN 1

" Hạnh phúc là một mục tiêu tối cao nhất bởi vì nó hiển nhiên là điều tốt đẹp. Nếu chúng ta được hỏi vì sao hạnh phúc lại quan trọng, chúng ta không đưa ra được thêm lý do ngoại tại ( bên ngoài) nào khác. Nó rõ ràng là quan trọng". Tuyên bố này của Richard Layard, một nhà kinh tế kiêm nhà ủng hộ " tâm lý học tích cực", tóm tắt niềm tin của nhiều người ngày nay. Đối với Layard và những người khác giống ông ta, rõ ràng mục đích của chính phủ là nhằm thúc đẩy trạng thái hạnh phúc tập thể. Câu hỏi duy nhất là làm thế nào để đạt được điều đó, và ở đây tâm lý học tích cực - một ngành khoa học được cho là không những xác định điều gì làm người ta hạnh phúc mà còn cho phép việc đo lường sự hạnh phúc - có thể chỉ ra cách có được hạnh phúc tập thể. Họ nói, nếu được trang bị bởi môn khoa học này thì các chính phủ có thể đảm bảo hạnh phúc trong xã hội theo cách mà họ chưa bao giờ làm được trong quá khứ.

self-evidently: unquestionable

It is an astonishingly crude and simple-minded way of thinking, and for that very reason increasingly popular. Those who think in this way are oblivious to the vast philosophical literature in which the meaning and value of happiness have been explored and questioned, and write as if nothing of any importance had been thought on the subject until it came to their attention. It was the philosopher Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) who was more than anyone else responsible for the development of this way of thinking. For Bentham it was obvious that the human good consists of pleasure and the absence of pain . The Greek philosopher Aristotle may have identified happiness with self-realisation in the 4th century BC, and thinkers throughout the ages may have struggled to reconcile the p ursuit of happiness with other human values, but for Bentham all this was mere metaphysics or fiction . Without knowing anything much of him or the school of moral theory he established – since they are by education and i ntellectual conviction illiterate in the history of ideas – our advocates of positive psychology follow in his tracks in rejecting as outmoded and irrelevant pretty much the entirety of ethical reflection on human happiness to date . ĐOẠN 2

Đó là một cách suy nghĩ nông cạn và thô thiển đến mức kinh ngạc và chính kiểu suy luận đó ngày càng phổ biến. Những người nghĩ theo cách này không hề biết đến tài liệu triết học rộng lớn - mà trong đó ý nghĩa và giá trị của hạnh phúc được tìm hiểu và đặt câu hỏi và viết như thể là không có điều gì về chủ để này được cho là quan trọng cho đến họ nhận ra có sự tồn tại của những tài liệu triết học đó. Chính triết gia Jeremy Bentham ( 1748-1832) người mà hơn ai hết chịu trách nhiệm cho việc phát triển cách suy nghĩ này. Đối với Bentham rõ ràng là sự tốt đẹp của con người bao gồm niềm vui và không có đau đớn. Vào thế kỷ thứ tư trước CN Triết gia Hy Lạp Aristotle có lẽ gắn liền hạnh phúc với sự tự nhận thức và những nhà tư tưởng qua nhiều thời có lẽ đấu tranh để dung hòa sự theo đuổi hạnh phúc với giá trị khác của con người, nhưng đối với Bentham tất cả những điều này chỉ là trừu tượng hoặc hư cấu. Không biết gì nhiều về ông ta và trường phái lý thuyết răn dạy mà ông ta tạo nên - vì họ là do không hiểu biết về giáo dục và niềm tin trí tuệ của các tư tưởng trong lịch sử - những người ủng hộ tâm lý tích cực đi theo đường lối của ông ta trong việc phản đối gần như hoàn toàn các phản ánh đạo đức về hạnh phúc của con người cho đến nay là lỗi thời và không thích hợp .

But as William Davies notes in his recent book The Happiness Industry , the view that happiness is the only self-evident good is actually a way of limiting moral inquiry . One of the virtues of this rich, lucid and arresting book is that it places the current cult of happiness in a well-defined historical framework . Rightly, Davies begins his story with Bentham, noting that he was far more than a philosopher. Davies writes, ‘Bentham’s activities were those which we might now associate with a public sector management consultan t’. In the 1790s, he wrote to the Home Office suggesting that the departments of government be linked together through a set of ‘conversation tubes’, and to the Bank of England with a design for a printing device that could produce unforgeable banknotes . He drew up plans for a ‘frigidarium’ to keep provisions such as meat, fish, fruit and vegetables fresh. His celebrate d design for a prison to be known as a ‘Panopticon’, in which prisoners would be kept in solitary confinement while being visible at all times to the guards, was very nearly adopted. (Surprisingly, Davies does not discuss the fact that Bentham meant his Panopticon not just as a model prison but also as an instrument of control that could be applied to schools and factories.) ĐOẠN 3

1. Mua bộ đề gần 400 bài ielts reading - Dịch và giải chi tiết Chỉ 199k bao gồm toàn bộ đề trong bộ Cambridge ( từ bộ 1 -18) và nhiều đề thi thực tế ( xem danh sách 400 đề ielts reading tại đây ). Xem bài mẫu tại đây, Bài mẫu 1 , bài mẫu 2 , bài mẫu 3 . Giải đề bao gồm phần dịch bài đọc, dịch phần câu hỏi, giải thích chi tiết, có thể tải về, in phần đề để luyện tập. Để mua bộ đề. Vui lòng điền thông tin theo form tại đây và thanh toán theo thông tin CK trong form.

2. Mua bộ đề Ielts listening từ Cam 10-18 - Dịch và giải chi tiết Chỉ 99k bao gồm phần dịch transcript, dịch câu hỏi, giải đề. Xem bài mẫu tại đây . Để mua bộ đề. Vui lòng điền thông tin theo form tại đây và thanh toán theo thông tin CK trong form.

3. Đặc biệt chỉ cần hoàn thành buổi học thử miễn phí khóa học Ielts Speaking online 1 kèm 1, 100 bạn đầu tiên sẽ được tặng bộ đề 400k bài Ielts reading và bộ đề Ielts Listening bộ Cam từ 10-18 gồm bài dịch và giải chi tiết, giải thích từ vựng khó ( thời hạn sử dụng trong vòng 2 tháng). Xem thông tin khóa học Ielts Speaking online 1 kèm 1 và đăng ký học thử tại đây.

Bentham was also a pionee r of the ‘science of happiness’. If happiness is to be regarded as a science, it has to be measured, and Bentham suggested two ways in which this might be done. Viewing happiness as a complex of pleasurable sensations , he suggested that it might be quantified by measuring the human pulse rate . Alternatively, money could be used as the standard for quantification : if two different goods have the same price, it can be claimed that they produce the same quantity of pleasure in the consumer. Bentham was more attracted by the latter measure. By associating money so closely to inner experience, Davies writes, Bentham ‘ set the stage for the entangling of psychological research and capitalism that would shape the business practices of the twentieth century’. ĐOẠN 4

The Happiness Industry describes how the project of a science of happiness has become integral to capitalism . We learn much that is interesting about how economic problems are being redefined and treated as psychological maladies . In addition, Davies shows how the belief that inner of pleasure and displeasure can be objectively measured has informed management studies and advertising. The tendency of thinkers such as J B Watson, the founder of behaviourism*, was that human beings could be shaped, or manipulated , by policymakers and managers. Watson had no factual basis for his view of human action. When he became president of the American Psychological Association in 1915, he ‘had never even studied a single human being’: his research had been confined to experiments on white rats. Yet Watson’s reductive model is now widely applied, with ‘behaviour change’ becoming the goal of governments: in Britain, a ‘Behaviour Insights Team’ has been established by the government to study how people can be encouraged, at minimum cost to the public purse , to live in what are considered to be socially desirable ways. ĐOẠN 5

Modern industrial societies appear to need the possibility of ever-increasing happiness to motivate them in their labours. But whatever its intellectual pedigre e, the idea that governments should be responsible for promoting happiness is always a threat to human freedom. ĐOẠN 6

———————– * ‘behaviourism’: a branch of psychology which is concerned with observable behaviour

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Questions 27-29

Choose the correct letter, A , B , C or D .

Write the correct letter in boxes 27-29 on your answer sheet.

27 What is the reviewer’s attitude to advocates of positive psychology?

A They are wrong to reject the ideas of Bentham.

B They are over-influenced by their study of Bentham’s theories.

C They have a fresh new approach to ideas on human happiness.

D They are ignorant about the ideas they should be considering.

28 The reviewer refers to the Greek philosopher Aristotle in order to suggest that happiness

A may not be just pleasure and the absence of pain.

B should not be the main goal of humans.

C is not something that should be fought for.

D is not just an abstract concept.

29 According to Davies, Bentham’s suggestion for linking the price of goods to happiness was significant because

A it was the first successful way of assessing happiness.

B it established a connection between work and psychology.

C it was the first successful example of psychological research.

D it involved consideration of the rights of consumers.

Questions 30-34

Complete the summary using the list of words A-G below.

Write the correct letter, A-G , in boxes 30-34 on your answer sheet.

Jeremy Bentham

Jeremy Bentham was active in other areas besides philosophy. In the 1970s he suggested a type of technology to improve 30 ……………………… for different Government departments. He developed a new way of printing banknotes to increase 31 ………………………… and also designed a method for the 32 …………………………. of food. He also drew up plans for a prison which allowed the 33 …………………………. of prisoners at all times, and believed the same design could be used for other institutions as well. When researching happiness, he investigated possibilities for its 34 ……………………….., and suggested some methods of doing this.

A measurement B security C implementation D profits E observation F communication G preservation

Questions 35-40

Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 3?

In boxes 35-40 on your answer sheet, write

YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer

NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer

NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

35 One strength of The Happiness Industry is its discussion of the relationship between psychology and economics.

36 It is more difficult to measure some emotions than others.

37 Watson’s ideas on behaviourism were supported by research on humans he carried out before 1915.

38 Watson’s ideas have been most influential on governments outside America.

39 The need for happiness is linked to industrialisation.

40 A main aim of government should be to increase the happiness of the population.

ĐÁP ÁN VÀ GIẢI CHI TIẾT ĐỀ THI IELTS READING:

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

27 What is the reviewer’s attitude to advocates of positive psychology?

Thái độ của người đánh giá đối với những người ủng hộ tâm lý tích cực

A They are wrong to reject the ideas of Bentham.

Họ sai khi phản đối ý tưởng của Bentham

B They are over-influenced by their study of Bentham’s theories.

Họ bị ảnh hưởng quá nhiều bởi nghiên cứu của họ về các lý thuyết của Bentham

C They have a fresh new approach to ideas on human happiness.

Họ có cách tiếp cận mới mẻ với các tư tưởng về hạnh phúc của con người

D They are ignorant about the ideas they should be considering.

Họ không biết gì về các tư tưởng mà họ đang xem xét

Giải thích: đoạn 2, những người ủng hộ tâm lý tích cực không tìm hiểu về Bentham và trường phái của ông ta mà mù quáng làm những việc thiếu hiểu biết. ( tức tư tưởng Bentham là tốt nhưng những người ủng hộ không hiểu nên làm sai)

Without knowing anything much of him or the school of moral theory he established – since they are by education and intellectual conviction illiterate in the history of ideas – our advocates of positive psychology follow in his tracks in rejecting as outmoded and irrelevant pretty much the entirety of ethical reflection on human happiness to date.

Write the correct letter, A-G, in boxes 30-34 on your answer sheet.

Jeremy Bentham was active in other areas besides philosophy. In the 1970s he suggested a type of technology to improve 30………F communication… …………… for different Government departments.

Jeremy Bentham tích cực trong các lĩnh vực khác bên cạnh tâm lý. Vào những năm 1970 ông ấy đề xuất một kỹ thuật cải thiện liên lạc thông tin cho các phòng ban khác nhau của chính phủ.

He developed a new way of printing banknotes to increase 31…………B security ……………… and also designed a method for the 32 ……………G preservation ……………. of food.

Ông ấy đã phát triển cách in tiền mới để tăng tính an toàn và cũng thiết kế ra một phương pháp dự trữ thức ăn.

Giải thích: đoạn 3

In the 1790s, he wrote to the Home Office suggesting that the departments of government be linked together through a set of ‘conversation tubes’= communication Q30 , and to the Bank of England with a design for a printing device that could produce unforgeable banknotes = security Q31 . He drew up plans for a ‘frigidarium’ to keep provisions = preservation Q32 such as meat, fish, fruit and vegetables fresh. His celebrated design for a prison to be known as a ‘Panopticon’,

YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer

NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer

NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

35T One strength of The Happiness Industry is its discussion of the relationship between psychology and economics.

Một điểm mạnh của The Happiness Industry là sự thảo luận về mối quan hệ giữa tâm lý và kinh tế

Giải thích: đoạn 5

36NG It is more difficult to measure some emotions than others.

Khó đo lường những loại cảm xúc này hơn loại cảm xúc kia.

ĐÁP ÁN:

36. NOT GIVEN

38. NOT GIVEN

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Can You Find the 15 Book Titles Hidden in This Text?

By J. D. Biersdorfer April 15, 2024

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An illustration with a pink background showing a preteen child on a skateboard, reading a book.

This month’s Title Search celebrates novels for middle-grade readers, including some 20th-century classics and newer books tackling a variety of modern issues preteens around the world currently confront. The titles of 15 such books are hidden below within an unrelated text passage; note that one answer swaps in the word “and” in place of the ampersand used in one title.

As you read along, tap or click the words when you think you’ve found a title. Correct answers stay highlighted. When you uncover each title, the answer section at the bottom of the screen grows to create a reading list with more information and links to the books.

A new literary quiz lands on the Books page each week and you can match wits with previous puzzles in the Book Review Quiz Bowl archive .

Charlotte’s web project was not going well, even though she’d read her assignment inside out and back again. “The great brain who designed this module can’t write directions,” she complained, grabbing a sweet and sour meatball and taking a swig of red Mountain Dew. “This thing is a grade wrecker.”

“Oh, hush up and keep grounded,” drawled her sister Coraline, sipping her freshly blended kale smoothie. “Like Vanessa said, it’s not the end of the world if you get an A- in one crazy summer class. You’re way above troublemaker status in this overachieving family.”

“At least it’s not killing my thirst for knowledge,” said Charlotte, as she opened another soda.

Explore More in Books

Want to know about the best books to read and the latest news start here..

Salman Rushdie’s new memoir, “Knife,” addresses the attack that maimed him in 2022, and pays tribute to his wife who saw him through .

Recent books by Allen Bratton, Daniel Lefferts and Garrard Conley depict gay Christian characters not usually seen in queer literature.

What can fiction tell us about the apocalypse? The writer Ayana Mathis finds unexpected hope in novels of crisis by Ling Ma, Jenny Offill and Jesmyn Ward .

At 28, the poet Tayi Tibble has been hailed as the funny, fresh and immensely skilled voice of a generation in Māori writing .

Amid a surge in book bans, the most challenged books in the United States in 2023 continued to focus on the experiences of L.G.B.T.Q. people or explore themes of race.

Each week, top authors and critics join the Book Review’s podcast to talk about the latest news in the literary world. Listen here .

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Cambridge 13 Reading Test 4 Passage 3
This post can simply guide you the best to figure out every Reading answer without trouble. Finding IELTS Reading answers is a step-by-step routine and I hope this post can assist you in this topic. Cambridge 13 Reading Test 4 Passage 3: The headline of the passage: Book Review. Questions 27-29: (Multiple Choice Questions)
Book Review: IELTS Reading Answers
IELTS Academic Test - Passage 12: Book Review reading with answers explanation, location and pdf. This IELTS reading paragraph has been taken from our huge collection of Academic & General Training (GT) Reading practice test PDFs. CONTENTS + Book Review. The Happiness Industry: How the Government and Big Business Sold Us Well-Being ...
Book Review Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice
1. Book Review Reading Passage. You should spend approximately 20 minutes answering Questions 1 - 14 based on the Reading Passage below. 2. Book Review Reading Questions and Answers. Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about Book Review. Get proven strategies to ace your IELTS Speaking test. 1.
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March 20, 2023. 'Book Review'- Reading Answer Explanation- CAM- 13. Here are explanations of the Questions of passage named 'Book Review', which is from the Cambridge 13 book. The Questions that have been asked are 'MCQs', Blanks and Yes/No/Not Given. You will find the locations of the Reading Answers, Keywords ( highlighted and ...
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Book review reading answers have the review on the book The Happiness Industry. The writer's opinion on the book content has been given, along with the author's thought process. ... (Note: The text in italics is from the reading passage and shows the location from where the answer is taken or inferred. The text in the regular font explains ...
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Overview. The "Book Review" passage of the IELTS reading section includes a reading passage related to task 2 with three distinct question types, appropriate answers, and explanations. By utilising this practice exam, you can evaluate your performance, correct your mistakes, and devise a plan to complete the reading test in the allocated time.
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Answers of Book Review on Musicophilia Reading Answers With Explanation Read further for the explanation part of the reading answer. 1 Answer: B. Question type: Multiple Choice Question Answer location: Paragraph A, line 2-line 3 Answer explanation: In the given location, it is given that "So I had high expectations of Musicophilia, the latest offering from neurologist and prolific author ...
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Updated On Oct 05, 2023. Recent IELTS Reading Test with Answers - Free PDF. Download. The Academic passage 'A Book Review' is a reading passage that appeared in an IELTS Test. Since questions get repeated in the IELTS exam, these passages are ideal for practice. If you want more practice, try taking an IELTS reading practice test.
Cambridge IELTS 13 Academic Reading Test 4 with Answers
READING PASSAGE 3. You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27-40 which are based on Reading Passage 3 below. Book Review. The Happiness Industry: How the Government and Big Business Sold Us Well-Being. By William Davies 'Happiness is the ultimate goal because it is self-evidently good.
Crafting an Insightful Book Review: IELTS Reading Passage With
Tip 1: Focus on Keywords. When reading passages, identify and underline keywords or phrases that capture the main ideas or themes. Tip 2: Understand the Question Types. Familiarize yourself with different types of questions (e.g., multiple-choice, true/false, fill-in-the-blanks) and practice them regularly.
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READING PASSAGE 3. You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27-40 which are based on Reading Passage 3 below.. Book review on Musicophilia. Norman M. Weinberger reviews the latest work of Oliver Sacks on music. A. Music and the brain are both endlessly fascinating subjects, and as a neuroscientist specialising in auditory learning and memory, I find them especially intriguing.
Book review on Musicophilia
8 It is difficult to understand why music therapy is undervalued. Answer: NOT GIVEN. 9 Sacks held little skepticism when borrowing other theories and findings in describing reasons and notion for phenomena he depicts in the book. Answer: YES. 10 Sacks is in a rush to use new testing methods to do treatment for patients.
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Book Review on Musicophilia Reading Answers comprises14 questions that have to be answered in 20 minutes. Book Review on Musicophilia Reading Answers comprises question types, namely- choosing the correct letter, true/false/not given and complete the sentence. ... Keyword Location: Paragraph H, lines 3 to 5
Answers and Explanations for Cam 13 Reading Test 1
Key words: interview, former, sports. The answer is in paragraph 3, when the author speaks of features relating to famous people and places: "One of the most popular was an interview with the former New Zealand All Blacks rugby captain Tana Umaga". - sports = rugby. So, the answer is captain.
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The list of New Book Releases on the following page has nine book descriptions A-I. Choose the correct title for each book from the list of book titles below. Write the correct number i-xi in boxes 8-14 on your answer sheet. List of Book Titles. i. Field Guide to Native Birds of Australia ii. The Bush on Two Wheels: 100 Top Rides iii.
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IELTS Reading Practice 106: Book Review. 1415. By IELTS Practice Online. The Happiness Industry: How the Government and Big Business Sold Us Well-Being. By William Davies. 'Happiness is the ultimate goal because it is self-evidently good. If we are asked why happiness matters we can give no further external reason. It just obviously does ...
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READING PASSAGE 3. You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27-40 which are based on Reading Passage 3 below. Book Review. The Happiness Industry: How the Government and Big Business Sold Us Well-Being. By William Davies 'Happiness is the ultimate goal because it is self-evidently good.
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39 The need for happiness is linked to industrialisation. 40 A main aim of government should be to increase the happiness of the population. ĐÁP ÁN VÀ GIẢI CHI TIẾT ĐỀ THI IELTS READING: Book Review. Questions 27-29. Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D. Write the correct letter in boxes 27-29 on your answer sheet.
Can You Find the 15 Book Titles Hidden in This Text?
The titles of 15 such books are hidden below within an unrelated text passage; note that one answer swaps in the word "and" in place of the ampersand used in one title. As you read along, tap ...

Book Review Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test

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Questions and Answers 4-8

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Book Review Reading Answers with E xplanations

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Q. What are some common mistakes to avoid in the IELTS Reading test?

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