# Oxytocin: answers and explanations

Cambridge IELTS 13, Test 2, Reading Passage 2

Source: Passage, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 13, Test 2, Reading Passage 2. © Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Used for educational practice. Explanations and evidence notes are written by Testmigo.

## Answer key

| Q | Answer | Proof |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 14 | B | people become more charitable, better at reading emotions on others' faces and at communicating constructively in arguments. |
| 15 | F | these basic processes could manifest in different ways depending on individual differences and context. |
| 16 | B | For eight years, it was quite a lonesome field |
| 17 | E | Where once researchers took no notice of such findings |
| 18 | A | invested more money than those who received a placebo instead. |
| 19 | B | felt more envy when others won. |
| 20 | C | it improves people's ability to read emotions, but only if they are not very socially adept to begin with. |
| 21 | animals | It was through various studies focusing on animals that scientists first became aware |
| 22 | childbirth | It is also released by women in childbirth |
| 23 | placebo | than those who received a placebo instead. |
| 24 | game | found that when volunteers played a competitive game |
| 25 | strangers | became less cooperative when dealing with complete strangers. |
| 26 | names | Dutch men became quicker to associate positive words with Dutch names than with foreign ones |

## Why these answers are right

**14. B.** You need research showing good effects of oxytocin on people. Paragraph B reports Heinrichs' investment study and follow-up work in which people became more charitable, better at reading faces and more constructive in arguments, so the answer is B.

**15. F.** This item asks for reasons the hormone's effects are complicated. Paragraph F explains that oxytocin is an ancient molecule used for many functions, affects primitive brain areas, and interacts with higher-order thinking, individual differences and context, so F gives the reasons.

**16. B.** Look for a time when few scientists studied oxytocin. In paragraph B, Heinrichs recalls that for eight years after his 2005 study it was quite a lonesome field, and only now is everyone interested. A lonesome field means little attention, so B.

The why and the trap for questions 17 onwards are free with an account on the [answers page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/reading/oxytocin/answers).

[Practice Oxytocin](https://testmigo.com/ielts/reading/oxytocin)