An inquiry into the existence of the gifted child

An inquiry into the existence of the gifted child IELTS Reading answers and explanation
An inquiry into the existence of the gifted child IELTS Reading answers and explanation
An inquiry into the existence of the gifted child IELTS Reading answers and explanation

An inquiry into the existence of the gifted child IELTS Reading Passage

Welcome to our comprehensive analysis of IELTS Reading Passage 3, “An Inquiry into the Existence of the Gifted Child,” from Cambridge IELTS 19, Test 2. This intriguing passage challenges the traditional concept of giftedness and explores whether exceptional ability is truly innate or a result of external factors such as environment, support, and deliberate practice. Using the stories of renowned figures like Maryam Mirzakhani and Albert Einstein, the passage delves into the factors that contribute to high performance, from curiosity and persistence to supportive communities and targeted learning techniques.

In this blog post, we’ll provide a detailed breakdown of the passage, key strategies for answering questions, and insights into mastering the IELTS Reading section. Whether you’re preparing for your IELTS test or interested in the psychology of learning, this guide offers valuable knowledge to boost your performance. With IELTS Game, Let’s explore the secrets behind cultivating a ‘gifted’ mindset!

READING PASSAGE 3

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27–40, which are based on Reading Passage 3 below.

An inquiry into the existence of the gifted child

Let us start by looking at a modern ‘genius’, Maryam Mirzakhani, who died at the early age of 40. She was the only woman to win the Fields Medal – the mathematical equivalent of a Nobel prize. It would be easy to assume that someone as special as Mirzakhani must have been one of those ‘gifted’ children, those who have an extraordinary ability in a specific sphere of activity or knowledge. But look closer and a different story emerges. Mirzakhani was born in Tehran, Iran. She went to a highly selective girls’ school but maths wasn’t her interest – reading was. She loved novels and would read anything she could lay her hands on. As for maths, she did rather poorly at it for the first couple of years in her middle school, but became interested when her elder brother told her about what he’d learned. He shared a famous maths problem from a magazine that fascinated her – and she was hooked.

In adult life it is clear that she was curious, excited by what she did and also resolute in the face of setbacks. One of her comments sums it up. ‘Of course, the most rewarding part is the “Aha” moment, the excitement of discovery and enjoyment of understanding something new … But most of the time, doing mathematics for me is like being on a long hike with no trail and no end in sight.’ That trail took her to the heights of original research into mathematics.

Is her background unusual? Apparently not. Most Nobel prize winners were unexceptional in childhood. Einstein was slow to talk as a baby. He failed the general part of the entry test to Zurich Polytechnic – though they let him in because of high physics and maths scores. He struggled at work initially, but he kept plugging away and eventually rewrote the laws of Newtonian mechanics with his theory of relativity.

There has been a considerable amount of research on high performance over the last century that suggests it goes way beyond tested intelligence. On top of that, research is clear that brains are flexible, new neural pathways can be created, and IQ isn’t fixed. For example, just because you can read stories with hundreds of pages at the age of five doesn’t mean you will still be ahead of your contemporaries in your teens.

While the jury is out on giftedness being innate and other factors potentially making the difference,  what is certain is that the behaviours associated with high levels of performance are replicable and most can be taught – even traits such as curiosity.

According to my colleague Prof Deborah Eyre, with whom I’ve collaborated on the book Great Minds and How to Grow Them, the latest neuroscience and psychological research suggests most individuals can reach levels of performance associated in school with the gifted and talented. However, they must be taught the right attitudes and approaches to their learning and develop the attributes of high performers – curiosity, persistence and hard work, for example – an approach Eyre calls ‘high performance learning’. Critically, they need the right support in developing those approaches at home as well as at school.

Prof Anders Ericsson, an eminent education psychologist at Florida State University, US, is the co-author of PeakSecrets from the New Science of Expertise. After research going back to 1980 into diverse achievements, from music to memory to sport, he doesn’t think unique and innate talents are at the heart of performance. Deliberate practice, that stretches you every step of the way, and around 10,000 hours of it, is what produces the goods. It’s not a magic number – the highest performers move on to doing a whole lot more, of course. Ericsson’s memory research is particularly interesting because random students, trained in memory techniques for the study, went on to outperform others thought to have innately superior memories – those who you might call gifted.

But it is perhaps the work of Benjamin Bloom, another distinguished American educationist working in the 1980s, that gives the most pause for thought. Bloom’s team looked at a group of extraordinarily high achieving people in disciplines as varied as ballet, swimming, piano, tennis, maths, sculpture and neurology. He found a pattern of parents encouraging and supporting their children, often in areas they enjoyed themselves. Bloom’s outstanding people had worked very hard and consistently at something they had become hooked on when at a young age, and their parents all emerged as having strong work ethics themselves.

Eyre says we know how high performers learn. From that she has developed a high performing learning approach. She is working on this with a group of schools, both in Britain and abroad. Some spin-off research, which looked in detail at 24 of the 3,000 children being studied who were succeeding despite difficult circumstances, found something remarkable. Half were getting free school meals because of poverty, more than half were living with a single parent, and four in five were living in disadvantaged areas. Interviews uncovered strong evidence of an adult or adults in the child’s life who valued and supported education, either in the immediate or extended family or in the child’s wider community. Children talked about the need to work hard at school, to listen in class and keep trying.

Let us end with Einstein, the epitome of a genius. He clearly had curiosity, character and determination. He struggled against rejection in early life but was undeterred. Did he think he was a genius or even gifted? He once wrote: ‘It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer. Most people say it is the intellect which makes a great scientist. They are wrong: it is character.’

An inquiry into the existence of the gifted child IELTS Reading passage Questions

Questions 27–32

Complete the summary using the list of phrases, A–K, below.

Write the correct letter, A–K, in boxes 27–32 on your answer sheet.

Maryam Mirzakhani

Maryam Mirzakhani is regarded as 27………………… in the field of mathematics because she was the only female holder of the prestigious Fields Medal – a record that she retained at the time of her death. However, maths held little 28………………… for her as a child and in fact her performance was below average until she was 29………………… by a difficult puzzle that one of her siblings showed her.

Later, as a professional mathematician, she had an inquiring mind and proved herself to be 30………………… when things did not go smoothly. She said she got the greatest 31………………… from making ground-breaking discoveries and in fact she was responsible for some extremely 32………………… mathematical studies.

A   appeal
D   single
G   involved
  satisfaction
B   determined
E   achievement
H   unique
K   intent
C   intrigued
F   devoted
  innovative

Questions 33–37

Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 3?

In boxes 33–37 on your answer sheet, write

YES                  if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer

NO                   if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer

NOT GIVEN     if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

33   Many people who ended up winning prestigious intellectual prizes only reached an average standard when young.

34   Einstein’s failures as a young man were due to his lack of confidence.

35   It is difficult to reach agreement on whether some children are actually born gifted.

36   Einstein was upset by the public’s view of his life’s work.

37   Einstein put his success down to the speed at which he dealt with scientific questions.

Questions 38–40

Choose the correct letter, AB, C or D.

Write the correct letter in boxes 38–40 on your answer sheet.

38   What does Eyre believe is needed for children to equal ‘gifted’ standards?

A   strict discipline from the teaching staff

B   assistance from their peers in the classroom

C   the development of a spirit of inquiry towards their studies

D   the determination to surpass everyone else’s achievements

39   What is the result of Ericsson’s research?

A   Very gifted students do not need to work on improving memory skills.

B   Being born with a special gift is not the key factor in becoming expert.

C   Including time for physical exercise is crucial in raising performance.

D   10,000 hours of relevant and demanding work will create a genius.

40   In the penultimate paragraph, it is stated the key to some deprived children’s success is

A   a regular and nourishing diet at home.

B   the loving support of more than one parent.

C   a community which has well-funded facilities for learning.

D   the guidance of someone who recognises the benefits of learning.

Summary Notes for “An Inquiry into the Existence of the Gifted Child” (Cambridge IELTS 19, Test 2, Passage 3)

The passage “An Inquiry into the Existence of the Gifted Child” explores whether the concept of being ‘gifted’ is an innate trait or can be developed through various factors like environment, practice, and support. The discussion revolves around notable figures such as Maryam Mirzakhani and Albert Einstein to illustrate that many individuals who achieve exceptional success do not necessarily show extraordinary talent in their early years.

Key Points:

  1. Maryam Mirzakhani’s Journey:
    • Maryam Mirzakhani, a celebrated mathematician, was the first and only woman to win the Fields Medal. Contrary to what one might expect of a ‘genius,’ she did not excel in mathematics as a child. It wasn’t until her brother introduced her to a complex mathematical problem that she became fascinated with the subject, illustrating that interest and curiosity can play a pivotal role in developing expertise.
  2. Early Life of Albert Einstein:
    • The passage highlights that many Nobel prize winners and intellectual giants, including Albert Einstein, were not particularly distinguished in their early years. Einstein, for example, had speech delays as a child and faced significant academic challenges early on. This suggests that high achievement can result from perseverance and a love for learning rather than innate talent.
  3. Nature vs. Nurture Debate:
    • The passage delves into the debate over whether giftedness is an inherent trait or can be cultivated. Research shows that factors like brain plasticity and the ability to form new neural pathways mean intelligence isn’t fixed. It points out that many high-performance behaviors can be taught, such as curiosity, resilience, and hard work.
  4. High-Performance Learning:
    • Professor Deborah Eyre introduces the concept of “high performance learning,” suggesting that most individuals can reach levels typically associated with giftedness if they adopt the right attitudes, learning approaches, and receive appropriate support at school and home. This method focuses on cultivating attributes like persistence, curiosity, and a growth mindset.
  5. Research Findings by Prof. Anders Ericsson:
    • Ericsson’s research indicates that deliberate practice—focused, effortful, and stretching one’s abilities—is key to achieving expertise, rather than innate talent. His studies reveal that with around 10,000 hours of deliberate practice, most people can develop high-level skills, debunking the myth that only naturally gifted individuals can excel.
  6. Parental and Community Influence:
    • Benjamin Bloom’s research found that highly successful individuals often had parents who encouraged them in areas they were passionate about. Additionally, community support and encouragement to value education were crucial factors in helping children succeed, even in disadvantaged environments.
  7. Conclusion with Einstein’s Perspective:
    • The passage concludes by citing Einstein’s own view on success. He believed that persistence and character, rather than intellectual ability, were the true keys to scientific achievement.

Overall Conclusion:

The passage suggests that high performance and giftedness are less about innate abilities and more about environment, support, personal attitudes, and dedicated practice. It encourages a broader view of potential and talent development, emphasizing the role of deliberate practice and supportive learning environments.

These notes provide a comprehensive overview of the passage’s themes, key examples, and conclusions about the nature of giftedness and high performance.

An inquiry into the existence of the gifted child IELTS Reading answers and Explanations

Here’s a detailed table with the answers to the questions from the passage “An Inquiry into the Existence of the Gifted Child,” along with explanations and references to specific paragraphs:

QuestionAnswerExplanationParagraph Reference
27HMaryam Mirzakhani is described as unique in the field of mathematics, being the only female to have won the Fields Medal, making her achievements distinctive.Paragraph 1
28AAs a child, Maryam Mirzakhani found little appeal in mathematics, as stated in the passage: “maths held little interest for her as a child.”Paragraph 1
29CMaryam became intrigued by mathematics after encountering a challenging puzzle her brother showed her, which sparked her interest.Paragraph 1
30BThe passage describes Maryam as being determined, continuing to work through challenges in her mathematical journey, which aligns with this answer.Paragraph 2
31JMaryam derived the greatest satisfaction from making groundbreaking discoveries, as noted in her quote about the joy of discovery and understanding something new.Paragraph 2
32IMaryam was responsible for innovative mathematical studies, highlighting her contributions to groundbreaking work in her field.Paragraph 2
33YESThe passage states that many Nobel prize winners, including Einstein, were unexceptional in childhood, supporting the claim that many prize winners were average when young.Paragraph 3
34NOT GIVENThe passage does not provide any information about whether Einstein’s early failures were due to a lack of confidence.
35YESThe passage suggests there is ongoing debate about whether giftedness is innate or if other factors play a role, indicating disagreement on the matter.Paragraph 4
36NOT GIVENThere is no information in the passage about Einstein being upset by the public’s perception of his work, leaving this statement as “Not Given.”
37NOThe passage contradicts this statement by quoting Einstein, who attributed his success not to intellect but to his character and persistence in solving problems.Paragraph 9
38CEyre believes that for children to reach ‘gifted’ standards, they need to develop a spirit of inquiry towards their studies, which is part of high-performance learning.Paragraph 5
39BEricsson’s research concludes that innate talent is not the key factor in achieving expertise, rather deliberate practice is essential for high performance.Paragraph 6
40DThe passage mentions that the key to some deprived children’s success is the guidance of someone who values learning, either from family or community members.Paragraph 8

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