# Numeration: answers and explanations

Cambridge IELTS 6, Test 2, Reading Passage 3

Source: Passage, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 6, Test 2, 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 | B | As they began to settle, grow plants and herd animals, the need for a sophisticated number system became paramount. |
| 28 | E | the number and words are often accompanied by gestures to help resolve any confusion |
| 29 | A | to qualify as a witness in a court of law a man had to be able to count to nine |
| 30 | C | the individual is ready to take the first step toward the development of a notational system for numbers and, from there, to arithmetic |
| 31 | G | It seems that the last is a later development while the first six groups show the relics of an older system. |
| 32 | TRUE | their considerations would have been more of the kind Is this enough? rather than How many? |
| 33 | FALSE | The indigenous peoples of Tasmania were only able to count one, two, many |
| 34 | TRUE | But in real situations the number and words are often accompanied by gestures to help resolve any confusion. |
| 35 | FALSE | The lack of ability of some cultures to deal with large numbers is not really surprising. |
| 36 | NOT GIVEN | had become interchangeable with the tachund or hund of the Anglo-Saxon language |
| 37 | TRUE | The average person in the seventh century in Europe was not as familiar with numbers as we are today. |
| 38 | FALSE | for long objects and trees, for canoes, for measures |
| 39 | TRUE | the first six groups show the relics of an older system |
| 40 | NOT GIVEN | it is possible to count by matching the items being counted against a group of pebbles, grains of corn, or the counter's fingers |

## Why these answers are right

**27. B.** The sentence begins with a developed system of numbering. Paragraph B says that once people began to settle, grow plants and herd animals, the need for a sophisticated number system became paramount, so ending B, necessary when farming began, fits.

**28. E.** The sentence starts with an extra hand signal. Paragraph C says number words in limited systems such as one, two, many are often accompanied by gestures, like showing fingers, so ending E, used when the range of number words was restricted, is correct.

**29. A.** The sentence concerns counting to a certain number in seventh-century Europe. Paragraph D says that to qualify as a witness in a court of law a man had to count to nine, and being a witness is a civic role, so ending A fits.

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

[Practice Numeration](https://testmigo.com/ielts/reading/numeration)