# The growth mindset: answers and explanations

Cambridge IELTS 18, Test 4, Reading Passage 2

Source: Passage, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 18, Test 4, 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 | Then, in the early 20th century, progressive thinkers revolted against the notion that inherent ability is destiny. |
| 15 | C | hear speeches on the mindset of great sporting heroes who simply believed their way to the top |
| 16 | D | the former took on only those tasks that would not risk their sense of worth |
| 17 | C | their research designs have enough degrees of freedom that they could take their data to support just about any theory at all |
| 18 | B | she argues that her work has been misunderstood and misapplied in a range of ways |
| 19 | A | was one of many 19th-century scientists who held that earlier view |
| 20 | E | interventions should be delivered in a subtle way to maximise their effectiveness |
| 21 | B | It's not just a vehicle for making children feel good. |
| 22 | D | Kids with the growth mindset aren't getting better grades, either before or after our intervention study. |
| 23 | YES | she deserves great credit for responding to it and adapting her work accordingly |
| 24 | NO | the actual effect of achievement on self-perception is stronger than the other way round |
| 25 | NOT GIVEN | Recent evidence would suggest that growth mindset interventions are not the elixir of student learning that its proponents claim it to be. |
| 26 | YES | that aspiration is not well served by direct interventions that try to instil it ... this could undo its intended effects |

## Why these answers are right

**14. B.** The first paragraph explains that 19th-century scientists such as Binet saw intelligence as innate, and then in the early 20th century progressive thinkers revolted against that idea. Giving the period when the view changed tells us when ideas began to shift, option B.

**15. C.** The second paragraph describes motivational posters, speeches about sporting heroes who believed their way to the top, and teaching students to see failure as a chance to improve. All of this encourages students to believe they can succeed, option C.

**16. D.** In Dweck's experiment, the children praised for intelligence later took on only tasks that would not risk their sense of worth, and their fixed mindset led to fear of failure. Avoiding risky tasks means being afraid to push beyond their perceived limits, so D is correct.

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

[Practice The growth mindset](https://testmigo.com/ielts/reading/the-growth-mindset)