Four Temperaments IELTS Reading Answers with Explanation

“Four Temperaments” is Part 1 of IELTS Reading Test 11. This page gives the answers for Questions 1-13, with a short explanation wherever the reasoning is clear, so you can check your work and learn from every mistake. The task types are: Matching Headings, True / False / Not Given.

Quick answers: Questions 1-13

Question	Answer
1	vi
2	v
3	viii
4	iii
5	i
6	ix
7	TRUE
8	FALSE
9	TRUE
10	FALSE
11	NOT GIVEN
12	FALSE
13	TRUE

Questions 1–6: Matching Headings

Reading Passage 1 has six sections, A–F. Choose the correct heading for each section from the list of headings below. Write the correct number, i–ix.

Q	Statement	Answer	Explanation
1	Heading for Section A	vi	Section A traces these ideas back to ancient and medieval thinkers.
2	Heading for Section B	v	Section B describes a sociable, cheerful, upbeat personality.
3	Heading for Section C	viii	Section C describes choleric people as domineering and lacking warmth toward others.
4	Heading for Section D	iii	Section D focuses on melancholics' deep thinking and talent.
5	Heading for Section E	i	Section E presents phlegmatics as caring but cautious, preferring stability.
6	Heading for Section F	ix	Section F explains that temperament is inborn and lasts a lifetime.

Questions 7–13: True / False / Not Given

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1? Write TRUE if the statement agrees with the information; FALSE if the statement contradicts the information; NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

Q	Statement	Answer	Explanation
7	Temperaments are traced reliably to philosophy, notably Hippocrates.	TRUE	—
8	All 20th-century psychologists saw traits as arising from situations.	FALSE	The passage says most psychologists held this view, and that a few did not.
9	Sanguine people are creative and enthusiastically promote new ideas at work.	TRUE	—
10	Anyone with a strong will must be a great charismatic leader.	FALSE	The passage links strong will to cholerics and says only "many" famous leaders were cholerics, not that all strong-willed people are leaders.
11	Most melancholics become poets or artists because they are creative.	NOT GIVEN	The passage says melancholics can be creative in poetry and art, but gives no proportion.
12	Phlegmatic people are usually indifferent to everything.	FALSE	The passage says this indifference happens sometimes, not usually.
13	Temperament is an inborn characteristic that stays stable throughout one's life.	TRUE	The passage says temperament is inborn and persists across the lifespan.

Tips for these question types

• Read the question first. Underline keywords, then scan the passage for the same idea in different words.
• Check the instructions. Note the word limit and whether letters or words are needed before you write.
• Review every mistake. Find the sentence that proves the answer so you can spot the same trap next time.

FAQ

How many questions does Part 1 have? Part 1 of this test covers Questions 1-13, which is 13 questions.

Why do some answers have no explanation? We add an explanation only where the reasoning is clear. Always confirm doubtful answers against the passage.

IELTS Reading Test 11: all passages
Part 1: Four Temperaments (you are here)  |  Part 2: Carbolic Smoke Ball: Fake or Cure?  |  Part 3: Donation of Human Tissues

Next: Part 2 answers →

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