# The Nature and Aims of Archaeology: answers and explanations

Cambridge IELTS 4, Test 4, Reading Passage 2

Source: Passage, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 4, 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 | YES | partly the careful work of the scientific analyst, partly the exercise of the creative imagination. |
| 15 | NOT GIVEN | history in the narrow sense, meaning the study of the past using written evidence. |
| 16 | NO | However far from reality such portrayals are, they capture the essential truth |
| 17 | YES | Anthropologists also use the term 'culture' in a more restricted sense |
| 18 | NOT GIVEN | three smaller disciplines: physical anthropology, cultural anthropology and archaeology. |
| 19 | NO | written records around 3000 BC in western Asia, and much later in most other parts of the world. |
| 20 | D, E | so broad that it is generally broken down into three smaller disciplines |
| 21 | D, E | concerns the study of human biological or physical characteristics and how they evolved. |
| 22 | C, D | Why are some dwellings round and others square? |
| 23 | C, D | learning how such societies use material culture - how they make their tools and weapons |
| 24 | oral histories | but in no way lessens the importance of the useful information contained in oral histories. |
| 25 | humanistic study | Since the aim of archaeology is the understanding of humankind, it is a humanistic study |
| 26 | historical discipline | since it deals with the human past, it is a historical discipline. |
| 27 | scientist | the practice of the archaeologist is rather like that of the scientist |

## Why these answers are right

**14. YES.** The statement pairs creativity with careful investigation. The opening sentence describes archaeology as partly the careful work of the scientific analyst and partly the exercise of the creative imagination, which is exactly that combination, so the writer agrees and the answer is YES.

**15. NOT GIVEN.** This claims archaeologists need to translate ancient texts. The writer discusses written records and history based on written evidence, but never says what language skills an archaeologist requires, and stresses that archaeology mostly studies material remains. There is no view on translation, so it is NOT GIVEN.

**16. NO.** The statement says films show archaeology realistically. Paragraph B mentions Murder in Mesopotamia and Indiana Jones, then says these portrayals are far from reality, even if they capture the excitement of the quest. Since the writer calls them unrealistic, the answer is NO.

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

[Practice The Nature and Aims of Archaeology](https://testmigo.com/ielts/reading/the-nature-and-aims-of-archaeology)