“The Nature of Genius” is Passage 2 of Cambridge IELTS 8 Academic Reading Test 3. This page gives the answers for Questions 14–26 with a short explanation of why each answer is right, so you can check your work and learn from every mistake. The question types are: Five Choices, True / False / Not Given.
Quick answers: Questions 14–26
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 14–18 | B, C, F, H, J (any order) |
| 19 | TRUE |
| 20 | TRUE |
| 21 | FALSE |
| 22 | TRUE |
| 23 | TRUE |
| 24 | NOT GIVEN |
| 25 | TRUE |
| 26 | NOT GIVEN |
Questions 14–18: Five Choices
| Q | Question | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14–18 | — | B, C, F, H, J (any order) | These letters can be given in any order. |
Questions 19–26: True / False / Not Given
| Q | Question | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | Nineteenth-century studies of the nature of genius failed to take into account the uniqueness of the person's upbringing. | TRUE | The passage agrees with this statement. |
| 20 | Nineteenth-century studies of genius lacked both objectivity and a proper scientific approach. | TRUE | The passage agrees with this statement. |
| 21 | A true genius has general powers capable of excellence in any area. | FALSE | The passage contradicts this statement. |
| 22 | The skills of ordinary individuals are in essence the same as the skills of prodigies. | TRUE | The passage agrees with this statement. |
| 23 | The ease with which truly great ideas are accepted and taken for granted fails to lessen their significance. | TRUE | The passage agrees with this statement. |
| 24 | Giftedness and genius deserve proper scientific research into their true nature so that all talent may be retained for the human race. | NOT GIVEN | The passage gives no clear information to confirm or reject this statement. |
| 25 | Geniuses often pay a high price to achieve greatness. | TRUE | The passage agrees with this statement. |
| 26 | To be a genius is worth the high personal cost. | NOT GIVEN | The passage gives no clear information to confirm or reject this statement. |
Tips for these question types
- Multiple choice: eliminate options that are only partly right, and watch for words like only, always and never.
- True / False / Not Given: TRUE means the passage says the same thing, FALSE means it says the opposite, and NOT GIVEN means it does not say. Never use your own knowledge.
- Review every mistake. Find the exact sentence in the passage that proves the answer so you can spot the same trap next time.
FAQ
How many questions does this passage have? The Nature of Genius covers Questions 14–26, which is 13 questions.
Where is this passage from? It is Reading Passage 2 in Cambridge IELTS 8, Academic Test 3.
How should I use these answers? Attempt the passage under timed conditions first, then check your answers here and read the reason for every mistake.
Cambridge IELTS 8 Reading Test 3: all passages
Part 1: Striking Back at Lightning with Lasers | Part 2: The Nature of Genius (you are here) | Part 3: How Does the Biological Clock Tick?
Part 1: Striking Back at Lightning with Lasers | Part 2: The Nature of Genius (you are here) | Part 3: How Does the Biological Clock Tick?
← Previous: Part 1Next: Part 3 answers →
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