27. C
The opening says blind people can appreciate outlines and perspective. Option C reflects this ability to recognise pictorial conventions.
Visual Symbols and the Blind Reading Answers and Explanations
Check Questions 27–40 from Cambridge IELTS 4 Reading Test 1, with answers, paragraph references and explanations.
Answer table
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 27 | C |
| 28 | C |
| 29 | A |
| 30 | E |
| 31 | C |
| 32 | A |
| 33 | pairs |
| 34 | shapes |
| 35 | sighted |
| 36 | sighted |
| 37 | deep |
| 38 | blind |
| 39 | similar |
| 40 | B |
Explanations
Paragraph references count the main text paragraphs of this passage, excluding subtitles and the Part 1/Part 2 labels.
28. C
The unexpected detail was the woman’s use of a motion symbol inside the wheel, rather than simply drawing a circle.
29. A
The blind subjects worked out meanings for the motion lines and usually agreed with the sighted group. This supports understanding movement symbols.
30. E
Spokes extending beyond the perimeter were interpreted as braking. E is use of brakes.
31. C
Dashed spokes were interpreted as quick spinning. C is rapid spinning.
32. A
Curved spokes were interpreted as steady rotation. A is steady spinning.
33. pairs
The task used twenty pairs of words; each pair had to be matched with a circle and a square.
34. shapes
The second investigation concerns symbolism behind shapes, rather than pictures that literally show their meaning.
35. sighted
The initial group consisted of sighted subjects, all of whom linked circle with soft and square with hard.
36. sighted
The 51% finding belongs to the same sighted group, before the later blind-volunteer comparison.
37. deep
The less consistent pairing linked deep with circle and shallow with square.
38. blind
The later comparison used four totally blind volunteers.
39. similar
The blind participants’ choices closely resembled the sighted participants’ choices. The word-box answer is similar.
40. B
The concluding comparison is about shared interpretation of abstract shapes. B captures that overall conclusion.