Cambridge ielts 1-15 series reading answers explained

23. Answer: commands
Key words: everyday, use, transmission, brief
“‟In daily life they use whistles to communicate short commands, but any Spanish sentence could be 
whistled.” 

everyday = daily 

transmission = communicate (communication) 

short = brief 
In other words, whistles are used in everyday life for the transmission of brief commands. The answer 
is „commands‟. 
24. Answer: fires
Key words: relay, essential, information, quickly, e.g., inform
“Silbo has proved particularly useful when fires have occurred on the island and rapid communication 
across large areas has been vital”. 

quickly = rapid (rapidly) 

essential = vital 

relay information = communicate 

e.g. = such as, for example 
This sentence means that silbo can be used to inform people about (communicate) essential (vital) 
information such as fires. Thus, the answer is „fires‟. 
25. Answer: technology
Key words: future, threat, new
“But with modern communication technology now widely available, researchers say whistled 
languages like Silbo are threatened with extinction”. 

new = modern 

under threat = be threatened 

---

518 
It can be understood from this sentence that Silbo is threatened because of new, 
modern communication technology. But we can only fill the gap with one word, the correct answer 
must be „technology‟. 
 
 
26. Answer: award
Key words: Canaries‘ authorities, receive, UNESCO, preserve
“The local authorities are trying to get an award from the organisation to declare [Silbo Gomero] as 
something that should be preserved for humanity”. The „organisation‟ here refers to UNESCO. Thus, 
the local authorities are hoping to receive a UNESCO award to preserve Silbo. 

receive = get 
