IELTS® Academic Reading Practice 6

The answer is B. In the passage, Dr. Brinkman is said to have suggested at the Australian National University in Canberra that human speech evolved alongside a preference for the right hand. The passage says: 'Dr. Brinkman has suggested that human speech evolved alongside a preference for the right hand. From her research, Brinkman believes that one side of the brain became specialized for fine motor skills, which are necessary for speech and as the brain continued to evolve for speech, the right-hand preference emerged.' This indicates a link between speech development and hand preference, which is Dr. Brinkman's opinion (B). This information is from the fourth paragraph.

Associated Text:
Dr. Brinkman has suggested that human speech evolved alongside a preference for the right hand. From her research, Brinkman believes that one side of the brain became specialized for fine motor skills, which are necessary for speech and as the brain continued to evolve for speech, the right-hand preference emerged.

The answer is B. In the fifth paragraph, the passage states: 'Dr. Brinkman's research has expanded her research into primates as well. In her studies of macaque monkeys, she found that the year-old babies appeared to learn either hand preference from their mothers... Brinkman believes that she has discovered a trend in monkeys’ brains which suggests the same asymmetry seen in human brains.' This indicates that Brinkman sees similarities between monkey and human brains, specifically regarding asymmetry, aligning with opinion 2 and Dr. Brinkman (B).

Associated Text:
Dr. Brinkman's research has expanded her research into primates as well... Brinkman believes that she has discovered a trend in monkeys’ brains which suggests the same asymmetry seen in human brains.

The answer is E. In the first paragraph, Professor Turner from Deakin University is quoted as saying, 'Humans think in categories: black and white, up and down, left and right. It is a system of signs that enables us to categorize phenomena that are essentially ambiguous,' when describing lateral asymmetry. This clearly shows that Turner believes humans departmentalize their thinking, corresponding to opinion 3 and Professor Turner (E).

Associated Text:
He says “Humans think in categories: black and white, up and down, left and right. It is a system of signs that enables us to categorize phenomena that are essentially ambiguous,” when describing lateral asymmetry.

The answer is D. In the final paragraph, Charles Moore is mentioned as stating, 'even the word “right” upholds unfounded beliefs on the use of one hand being considered preferable to the other. Moore claims that our language subliminally reinforces this notion that the right side is good, while the left is potentially dangerous. In fact, the Latin word “sinister” actually means “left.”' This shows Moore's view that society unconsciously favors the right and mistrusts the left, which is opinion 4 (D).

Associated Text:
Moore claims that our language subliminally reinforces this notion that the right side is good, while the left is potentially dangerous. In fact, the Latin word “sinister” actually means “left.”

The answer is C. In the sixth paragraph, it is stated, 'Moreover, a female brain develops slightly more quickly than a male brain.' This comes shortly after the introduction of American researchers Geschwind and Galaburda, so it is their opinion that during pregnancy a male child's brain develops more slowly than a female's. Thus, the correct matching is C.

Associated Text:
a female brain develops slightly more quickly than a male brain

The answer is A. In the third paragraph, the text describes the findings of Dr. Paul Broca: 'Dr. Paul Broca, found that patients in the 1860’s who had lost the ability to speak due to a stroke (a blood clot in the brain) would also become paralyzed on the right side of their body. From this, Broca realized that because the left hemisphere of the brain controls the right half of the body and vice versa, the brain damage must have been in the brain’s left hemisphere.' This matches the observation in opinion 6 and refers to Dr. Broca (A).

Associated Text:
Dr. Paul Broca, found that patients in the 1860’s who had lost the ability to speak due to a stroke (a blood clot in the brain) would also become paralyzed on the right side of their body. From this, Broca realized that because the left hemisphere of the brain controls the right half of the body and vice versa, the brain damage must have been in the brain’s left hemisphere.

The answer is C. In the sixth paragraph, about Geschwind and Galaburda, it says: 'American researchers, Geschwind and Galaburda’s research on human embryos led to the discovery that a left-right asymmetry is evident before birth... they were aware of the way that the sides of the brain mature at different rates; the right hemisphere develops first, then the left.' This suggests the two sides of the brain develop different functions before birth, matching opinion 7 with Geschwind and Galaburda (C).

Associated Text:
American researchers, Geschwind and Galaburda’s research on human embryos led to the discovery that a left-right asymmetry is evident before birth.