Cambridge IELTS 19 Reading Passage 2 Answers free
Looking for Cambridge IELTS 19 Reading Passage 2 Answers? You’re in the right place! This guide covers The Pirates of the Ancient Mediterranean (Questions 14-26) with detailed explanations in English and Hindi.
Cambridge IELTS 19 Reading Passage 2 Answers — Questions 14-26
Reading Passage 2: The Pirates of the Ancient Mediterranean
Answer Key with Detailed Explanations (English & Hindi)
By Altruist Language Hub | www.altruistlanguagehub.com
About This Passage
This passage explores the history of piracy in the ancient Mediterranean, from its earliest records in Egyptian times through Greek and Roman eras. It discusses how different civilizations dealt with pirates and how piracy impacted trade, politics, and society.
यह passage ancient Mediterranean में piracy के इतिहास के बारे में है — Egyptian times से लेकर Greek और Roman युग तक। इसमें बताया गया है कि अलग-अलग civilizations ने pirates से कैसे निपटा और piracy ने trade, politics और society को कैसे प्रभावित किया।
Questions 14-19: Matching Information to Paragraphs
Instructions: Reading Passage 2 has seven paragraphs, A-G. Which paragraph contains the following information?
Question 14
Information: a reference to a denial of involvement in piracy
Answer: D
English Explanation: Paragraph D discusses the Amarna Letters where the king of Alashiya (Cyprus) rejected Pharaoh Akhenaten’s claims of a connection with pirates called the Lukka. The king denied his subjects were involved in piracy. This is a clear denial of involvement.
Hindi Explanation: Paragraph D में Amarna Letters का ज़िक्र है जहाँ Alashiya (Cyprus) के राजा ने Pharaoh Akhenaten के आरोपों को नकार दिया कि उनका Lukka pirates से संबंध है। राजा ने piracy में involvement से इनकार किया। यह denial of involvement है।
Question 15
Information: details of how a campaign to eradicate piracy was carried out
Answer: G
English Explanation: Paragraph G describes Pompey’s campaign in detail: In 67 BCE, he was granted vast funds, divided the Mediterranean into 13 districts, assigned a fleet and commander to each, and systematically cleared pirates district by district until the entire Mediterranean was free of pirates.
Hindi Explanation: Paragraph G में Pompey की campaign का विस्तार से वर्णन है: 67 BCE में उन्हें funds मिले, Mediterranean को 13 districts में बाँटा, हर district में एक fleet और commander लगाया, और एक-एक करके सभी districts से pirates को साफ किया।
Question 16
Information: a mention of the circumstances in which states in the ancient world would make use of pirates
Answer: C
English Explanation: Paragraph C explains that governments would employ pirates during wartime — a pirate fleet would serve in the first wave of attack, preparing the way for the navy. Some regions provided safe harbours to pirates who, in return, boosted the local economy.
Hindi Explanation: Paragraph C में बताया गया है कि governments युद्ध के समय pirates को employ करती थीं — pirates पहले attack करते थे और navy के लिए रास्ता तैयार करते थे। कुछ regions pirates को safe harbours देते थे और बदले में local economy को फायदा होता था।
Question 17
Information: a reference to how people today commonly view pirates
Answer: A
English Explanation: Paragraph A begins by describing the modern popular image of pirates: “When one mentions pirates, an image springs to most people’s minds of a crew of misfits, daredevils and adventurers in command of a tall sailing ship in the Caribbean Sea.” This is the common/popular view today.
Hindi Explanation: Paragraph A में बताया गया है कि आज लोग pirates के बारे में क्या सोचते हैं: Caribbean Sea में एक tall sailing ship पर misfits और adventurers की image। यह modern popular view है।
Question 18
Information: an explanation of how some people were encouraged not to return to piracy
Answer: G
English Explanation: Paragraph G states that after Pompey defeated the pirates, “many more were offered land in fertile areas located far from the sea. Instead of a maritime menace, Rome got productive farmers.” Giving them land far from the sea encouraged them to become farmers instead of returning to piracy.
Hindi Explanation: Paragraph G में बताया गया है कि Pompey ने pirates को हराने के बाद उन्हें समुद्र से दूर उपजाऊ ज़मीन दी। इससे वे किसान बन गए और piracy में वापस नहीं गए। Land देना उन्हें piracy से दूर रखने का तरीका था।
Question 19
Information: a mention of the need for many sailing vessels to stay relatively close to land
Answer: B
English Explanation: Paragraph B explains that before ocean-going caravels were invented in the 15th century, ships could not easily cross long distances over open water. Most ships “were restricted to a few well-known navigable routes that followed the coastline.” This meant ships had to stay close to land.
Hindi Explanation: Paragraph B में बताया गया है कि 15वीं सदी में caravels के आविष्कार से पहले, जहाज़ open water में लंबी दूरी तय नहीं कर सकते थे। ज़्यादातर जहाज़ coastline के साथ-साथ चलते थे। इसका मतलब है कि जहाज़ों को land के पास रहना पड़ता था।
Questions 20-21: Multiple Choice (Choose TWO)
Question: Which TWO of the following statements does the writer make about inhabitants of the Mediterranean region in the ancient world?
Answers: B and D
B: They managed to escape capture by the authorities because they knew the area so well.
English Explanation: Paragraph B states: “knowledge of the local area helped the pirates to avoid retaliation once a state fleet arrived.” Pirates escaped because they knew the local geography well.
Hindi Explanation: Paragraph B में लिखा है कि local area की knowledge से pirates state fleet आने पर बच निकलते थे। वे इलाके को अच्छी तरह जानते थे इसलिए पकड़े नहीं जाते थे।
D: They depended more on the sea for their livelihood than on farming.
English Explanation: Paragraph B states: “the inhabitants of these areas relied heavily on marine resources, including fish and salt. Most had their own boats, possessed good seafaring skills.” They depended on the sea, not farming.
Hindi Explanation: Paragraph B में बताया गया है कि इन इलाकों के लोग marine resources (मछली, नमक) पर निर्भर थे। उनके पास नावें थीं और seafaring skills थे। वे farming से ज़्यादा समुद्र पर निर्भर थे।
Questions 22-23: Multiple Choice (Choose TWO)
Question: Which TWO of the following statements does the writer make about piracy and ancient Greece?
Answers: C and E
C: Important officials were known to occasionally take part in piracy.
English Explanation: Paragraph E states: “Even high-ranking members of the state were not beyond engaging in such activities. According to the Greek orator Demosthenes, in 355 BCE, Athenian ambassadors made a detour from their official travel to capture a ship sailing from Egypt.” High-ranking officials engaged in piracy.
Hindi Explanation: Paragraph E में बताया गया है कि high-ranking state officials भी piracy में शामिल होते थे। Greek orator Demosthenes के अनुसार, 355 BCE में Athenian ambassadors ने official travel के दौरान Egypt से आ रहे जहाज़ को लूट लिया।
E: A favourable view of piracy is evident in certain ancient Greek texts.
English Explanation: Paragraph E states: “in his works the Iliad and the Odyssey, the ancient Greek writer Homer not only condones, but praises the lifestyle and actions of pirates.” Also, “The ancient Greek historian Thucydides, for instance, glorified pirates’ daring attacks.” Greek texts showed piracy favourably.
Hindi Explanation: Paragraph E में बताया गया है कि Homer ने Iliad और Odyssey में pirates की lifestyle की प्रशंसा की। Thucydides ने भी pirates के daring attacks को glorify किया। Greek texts में piracy को positive तरीके से दिखाया गया।
Questions 24-26: Summary Completion
Instructions: Complete the summary below. Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Question 24
Summary: However, attacks on vessels transporting ________ to Rome resulted in calls for punishment.
Answer: GRAIN
English Explanation: Paragraph F states: “Pirate attacks on grain ships, which were essential to Roman citizens, led to angry voices in the Senate, demanding punishment of the culprits.” The ships were transporting grain.
Hindi Explanation: Paragraph F में बताया गया है कि grain ships पर pirates के attacks से Roman citizens परेशान थे। Senate में लोगों ने culprits को सज़ा देने की माँग की। Ships grain ले जा रहे थे। Answer: GRAIN
Question 25
Summary: …resulted in calls for ________ for the pirates responsible.
Answer: PUNISHMENT
English Explanation: Paragraph F states: “led to angry voices in the Senate, demanding punishment of the culprits.” People demanded punishment for the pirates.
Hindi Explanation: Paragraph F में लिखा है कि Senate में angry voices ने culprits की punishment माँगी। Answer: PUNISHMENT
Question 26
Summary: …with some pirates demanding a ________ for the return of the Roman officials they captured.
Answer: RANSOM
English Explanation: Paragraph F states: “By the 1st century BCE, emboldened pirates kidnapped prominent Roman dignitaries, asking for a large ransom to be paid.” Pirates demanded ransom for captured officials.
Hindi Explanation: Paragraph F में बताया गया है कि 1st century BCE तक pirates ने prominent Roman dignitaries को kidnap किया और उनके लिए बड़ी ransom माँगी। Answer: RANSOM
Cambridge IELTS 19 Test 1 Reading Answers — Quick Answer Key (Passage 2)
| Question | Answer | Question | Answer |
| 14 | D | 21 | D |
| 15 | G | 22 | C |
| 16 | C | 23 | E |
| 17 | A | 24 | GRAIN |
| 18 | G | 25 | PUNISHMENT |
| 19 | B | 26 | RANSOM |
| 20 | B |
Cambridge IELTS 19 Test 1 Reading Answers — Tips for Matching & Multiple Choice
For Matching Information to Paragraphs:
• Skim each paragraph for its MAIN IDEA first
• Look for paraphrased keywords — the question won’t use exact passage words
• One paragraph may be used more than once (check instructions!)
For Multiple Choice (Choose TWO):
• Eliminate obviously wrong options first
• Both correct answers must be supported by the passage
• Watch for distractors — partially true statements that don’t fully match
Disclaimer: This answer key is for Cambridge IELTS 19 Academic, Test 1, Reading Passage 2. You will need your own copy of the Cambridge IELTS 19 book to use this guide. Cambridge IELTS is a trademark of Cambridge University Press & Assessment.
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