Cambridge ielts 5 Reading

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CAMBRIDGE IELTS 5 READING – 
TEST 1 – ANSWERS 
Questions 1-3 
Key: D E G 
Explanation: 
A . It avoided all “scholarly” words 
Keywords : avoided, scholarly words 
In paragraph 2, „scholarly words‟ are mentioned in relation to Cawdray‟s dictionary 
of 1604. 
In paragraph 6, we are told that Johnson „had to draw on the best of all previous 
dictionaries. These obviously included Cawdray’s dictionary, which “tended to 
concentrate on scholarly words”, so it is unlikely that Johnson‟s dictionary would not 
contain any scholarly words. 
=> ANSWER: FALSE
1. It was the only English dictionary in general use for 200 years 
Keywords: only, in general use, 200 years 
At the end of paragraph 6, the writer says that “After its publication, the Dictionary 
was not seriously rivalled for over a century”. This means that Johnson‟s dictionary 

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was the only one that most people used for over 100 years [not 200 years]. We do 
not know if it was the only dictionary that most people used for 200 years. 
=> ANSWER: NOT GIVEN
1. It was famous because because of the large number of people involved 
Keywords: famous, large number , people involved 
In the last sentence of paragraph 5, the writer says: “He was also helped by six 
assistants, two of whom died whilst the Dictionary was still in preparation”. Six is not 
“a large number” The reasons why the Dictionary was famous are referred to in 
paragraph 8: it was “the cornerstone of Standard English”. 
=> ANSWER: FALSE
1. It focused mainly on language from contemporary texts 
Key words : mainly, language, contemporary texts 
In paragraph 6 , the writer states: “The work was immense…, Johnson wrote the 
definition of over 40,000 words, and illustrated their many meanings with some 
14,000 quotations drawn from English writing on every subject, from the 
Elizabethans to his own time.‟ contemporary = belonging to the same period of time/ 
current = to his own time 
=> ANSWER: TRUE
1. There was a time limit for its completion 
Keywords: time limit, completion 
In paragraph 6, the writer says that Johnson was ” Working to a deadline…..” 

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– time limit=deadline 
=> ANSWER: TRUE
1. It ignored work done by previous dictionaries writers 
Keywords: ignored, work, previous writers 
In paragraph 6, the writer explains : “he had to draw on the best of all previous 
dictionaries, and to make his work one of heroic synthesis”, and ” He adopted his 
definitions on the principle of English common law – according to precedent” 
Precedent: something that may serve as an example or justification for subsequent 
situations.