# How stress affects our judgement: answers and explanations

Cambridge IELTS 20, Test 1, Reading Passage 3

Source: Passage, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 20, Test 1, Reading Passage 3. © Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Used for educational practice. Explanations and evidence notes are written by Testmigo.

## Answer key

| Q | Answer | Proof |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 27 | C | we are all sometimes required to weigh up information under stressful conditions |
| 28 | A | These ups and downs presented the perfect setting for an experiment |
| 29 | D | This is how we arrived at these results. ... We then gave them either good news |
| 30 | C | a physiological change is triggered that causes us to take in warnings ... specifically in response to unexpected warning signs |
| 31 | B | This is what happened when the firefighters were relaxed |
| 32 | G | they became hyper-vigilant to bad news ... and altered their beliefs in response |
| 33 | F | stress didn't change how they responded to good news |
| 34 | E | students who were told they had to give a surprise public speech |
| 35 | D | but only as long as it conveyed bad news ... they suddenly became better at processing unrelated, yet alarming, information |
| 36 | YES | we are more likely to post uplifting messages ourselves ... we will in turn create more negative posts |
| 37 | NOT GIVEN | Repeatedly checking your phone, according to a survey conducted by the American Psychological Association, is related to stress. |
| 38 | NO | which individuals become very aware of ... temporarily enhances the likelihood that people will take in negative reports |
| 39 | YES | As a result, trips are cancelled, even if the disaster took place across the globe |
| 40 | YES | positive emotions, such as hope, are contagious too, and are powerful in inducing people to act to find solutions |

## Why these answers are right

**27. C.** The opening paragraph says that we are all sometimes required to weigh up information under stressful conditions, whether the decision is medical, financial or professional. A difficulty that applies to all of us is a challenge faced by everyone, so C is correct.

**28. A.** The second paragraph contrasts relaxed days with hectic, life-threatening ones and says these ups and downs made the perfect setting for an experiment. Regular shifts in stress that suit a study are exactly what option A describes.

**29. D.** The fourth paragraph opens with This is how we arrived at these results and then sets out each step: asking for estimates of 40 adverse events, giving good or bad news, and collecting new estimates. A step-by-step account of procedure is a description of methodology, so D is right.

The why and the trap for questions 30 onwards are free with an account on the [answers page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/reading/how-stress-affects-our-judgement/answers).

[Practice How stress affects our judgement](https://testmigo.com/ielts/reading/how-stress-affects-our-judgement)