Reading 2026-04 Test 1 — IELTS Reading Actual Test with Answers

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Reading Passage 1 - Artist Fingerprints

Works of art often bear the fingerprints of the artist who created them. Such crucial evidence usually goes unnoticed even by connoisseurs, art experts and conservators. If present, such evidence could be valuable in clarifying questions about authorship and dating. A The use of the term forensic usually contains elements like crime, legal procedure or academic rhetoric. Our objective, however, is not to see who committed a crime but rather who committed the work of art in question and to put forward evidences sound enough to stand up to professional scrutiny. The value of such evidence is extremely high as the probability for the existence of two identical finger impressions from different individuals is nil and no such occurence has ever been noticed in any part of the world at any time. The science of fingerprint identification is based on that accepted fact. B The unique character of ridges on our hands has been recognized for thousands of years. The study of ancient pottery for example reveals the utilization of fingerprint impressions in the clay as a maker's mark. In prehistoric times, we find examples of hand prints in cave painting. Only as recently as 1858 did Sir William Herschel establish its use for identification. In 1888, Sir Francis Galton undertook to refine and formulate Herschel's obervations. Identification by fingerprint was first adopted in England in 1905 and received general acceptance worldwide in 1908. C The combination of a number of characteristics in a given finger impression is specific to a particular print. The placing of implicit reliance on fingerprint evidence by our courts of law has always been on the assumption (now accepted as a fact) that no two fingers can have identical ridge characteristics. Galton's mathematical conclusions predicted the possbile existence of some 64 billion different fingerprint patterns. D Artists in the area of the visual arts use their hands for creation. Their tools, such as brushes, often isolate them from the surface they are working on. Inaccurate deposits of paint are often corrected by modeling with the fingertip. Some artists used the fingertip to soften the marks left by the brush by gently tapping or stroking the still wet surfaces. In some instances, the fingertip was used for literatally 'stamping' the fine network of ridges onto the painting. E The eventual authentication of a painting by J. M. W. Turner entitled Landscape with Rainbow in 1993 is a good illustration of the process. The painting was discovered in the early 1980s. Biros took the painting to the Tate Gallery, in London, to show it to the world's leading Turner experts and connoisseurs. The verdict was unanimous - the painting was a tattered imitation. However, fingerprint evidence was discovered on the painting during restoration, appropriately documented, and re-examined by a veteran expert from the RCMP. A match was found between a fingerprint on 'Landscape with Rainbow' and fingerprints photographed on another Turner painting, 'Chichester Canal.' When an independent fingerprint examination by John Manners of the West Yorkshire Police confirmed the conclusions that the fingerprints on both paintings were identical, the unbelievers changed their minds. In addition, it is well known that Turner always worked alone and had no assistants. This reduces the chances of accidental contribution substantially. The painting, originally bought for a few hundred dollars, finally sold for close to $200,000 at auction at Phillips in London in 1995. F In 1998, three envelopes containing old correspondence had been purchased in an antique shop. One of the envelopes postmarked April 2, 1915 was found to contain a drawing folded in half. The drawing depicts a woman's head. It is executed in red chalk with an inscription written in reverse with brown ink. The design is faded and worn. Some spots suggest foxing and subsequent discoloration. The paper is yellowed and contaminated. G The newly discovered design bears great similarity to that of the Head of St. Anne by Leonardo da Vinci, in the Windsor Collection since 1629. The medium is different, red chalk being used instead of black. The scale of the two images is different so offsetting (copying by contact transference) is not a satisfactory explanation for the new drawing. Differences also exist in the design itself, principally in the folds of the veil, in the presence of an additional strand of braid and in the angle of the head. The figure is softer, which may be due to fading, wear and contamination. In addition, the use of a damp brush is indicated in microscopic examination and is likely responsible in part for the softness of the image. When the paper was first examined, several fingerprints have been noticed on the verso. One of them was found clear and containing many ridges suitable for comparison, however, no analysis was done at the time due to the lack of reference material. Many of Leonardo's works are not easily accessible and fingerprint data either does not exist or is not published. H By chance, on March 30, 1999, several clear and useable fingerprints were found on an unusually good detail photo in a publication on Leonardo. The photograph of Leonardo's St. Jerome, in the Vatican Museum, revealed no less than 16 partial fingertip marks. The importance of this is that the fingerprints are left in the still wet paint and without doubt the use of the fingertip served to model paint. Since the authorship of the painting of St. Jerome is unquestioned by scholarship and has always been ascribed to Leonardo, the conclusion that these fingerprints are his would be hard to argue against. I The fingerprints on the St. Jerome illustration were scanned and enlarged so comparisons could be made with the fingerprint on the newly discovered drawing. One of them proved to match. The result of the analyses was presented on March 31, 1999 to fingerprint examiner Staff Sergeant Andre Turcotte for an independent assessment. He agreed with the findings and confirmed the conclusion. The fingerprint on the St Jerome panting in the Vatican and the newly discovered drawing were created by the same finger. J Remember, the authentication approach should rest on strict considerations and rigorous methodology. Only prints that are clearly from the original creative process are admitted for consideration. The reference samples should ideally come from unquestioned works of art with good provenance. Spurious contributors must be eliminated such as assistants who may have touched the painting while still wet. A match is never made unless corroborated by at least one fully trained and experienced fingerprint examiner.

Questions 1-4: Paragraph Matching

The Reading Passage has ten paragraphs A-J. Which paragraph contains the following information? Write the correct letter A-J, in boxes 1-4 on your answer sheet.

1
Mention of fingerprint identification in the legal process.
2
The author's advice on fingerprint authentication of arts.
3
The use of fingerprint in the ancient time
4
The medium comparison between two drawings.

Questions 5-9: Sentence Completion (Matching Endings)

Complete each sentence with the correct ending A-I below. Write the correct letters in boxes 5-9 on your answer sheet.

A. might use fingers to remove unwanted paint left by brushes. B. revealed the utilization of clay. C. was first used on Galton's mathematical assumption. D. was left to identify the person who made it. E. was restored at a high expense. F. was finally determined at an appropriate price. G. has been accepted as a reliable system available. H. was preserved at the Windsor Collection. I. could be authenticated by comparing with fingerprints from other sources.

5
The fingerprint in ancient pottery_____
6
The science of fingerprint identification_____
7
The authentication of a painting without a signature_____
8
Landscape with Rainbow_____
9
When painting, artist_____

Questions 10-13: Multiple Choice

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

10
The attribution of Landscape with Rainbow to Turner
- A. was in overwhelming consensus at the beginning.
- B. was first brought forward by the West Yorkshire Police.
- C. was rejected by the Biros.
- D. was not exactly located for years.
11
The drawing of a woman's head contained in the envelope
- A. was finished in 1915.
- B. was executed in brown ink.
- C. was in poor condition.
- D. was folded for protection.
12
The drawing of The Head of St Anne
- A. is the work of Leonardo Da Vinci.
- B. is softer due to fading and contamination.
- C. bears some fingerprints on the verso.
- D. is in the Vatican Museum.
13
The authentication approach mentioned in the passage
- A. accepts all fingerprints found on the artwork.
- B. requires fingerprints from the original creative process only.
- C. allows assistants' fingerprints as valid evidence.
- D. depends mainly on the artwork's provenance.

Reading Passage 2 - Desertification

A The world's great deserts were formed by natural processes interacting over long intervals of time. During most of these times, deserts have grown and shrunk independent of human activities. Paleo deserts, large sand seas now inactive because they are stabilized by vegetation, extend well beyond the present margins of core deserts, such as the Sahara. In some regions, deserts are separated sharply from surrounding, less arid areas by mountains and other contrasting landforms that reflect basic structural differences in the regional geology. In other areas, desert fringes form a gradual transition from a dry to a more humid environment, making it more difficult to define the desert border. B These transition zones have very fragile, delicately balanced ecosystems. Desert fringes often are a mosaic of microclimates. Small hollows support vegetation that picks up heat from the hot winds and protects the land from the prevailing winds. After rainfall the vegetated areas are distinctly cooler than the surroundings. In these marginal areas, human activity may stress the ecosystem beyond its tolerance limit, resulting in degradation of the land. By ponding the soil with their hooves, livestock compact the substrate, increase the proportion of fine material, and reduce the percolation rate of the soil, thus encouraging erosion by wind and water. Grazing and the collection of firewood reduces or eliminates plants that help to bind the soil. C This degradation of formerly productive land - desertification - is a complex process. It involves multiple causes, and it proceeds at varying rates in different climates. Desertification may intensify a general climatic trend toward greater aridity, or it may initiate a change in local climate. D Desertification does not occur in linear, easily mappable patterns. Deserts advance erratically, forming patches on their borders. Areas far from natural deserts can degrade quickly to barren soil, rock, or sand through poor land management. The presence of a nearly desert has no direct relationship to desertification. Unfortunately, an area undergoing desertification is brought to public attention only after the process is well underway. Often little or no data are available to indicate the previous state of the ecosystem or the rate of degradation. Scientists still question whether desertification, as a process of global change, is permanent or how and when it can be halted or reversed. E Desertification became well known in the 1930's when part of the Great Plains in the United States turned into the 'Dust Bowl' as a result of drought and poor practices in farming, although the term itself was not used until almost 1950. During the dust bowl period, millions of people were forced to abandon their farms and livelihoods. Greatly improves methods of agriculture and land and water management in the Great Plains have prevented that disaster from recurring, but desertification presently affects millions of people in almost every continent. Increased population and livestock pressure on marginal lands has accelerated desertification. In some areas, nomads moving to less arid areas disrupt the local ecosystem and increase the rate of erosion of the land. Nomads are trying to escape the desert, but because of their land-use practices, they are bringing the desert with them. F It is a misconception that drought cause desertification. Droughts are common in arid and semiarid lands. Well-managed lands can recover from drought when the rains return. Continued land abuse during droughts, however, increases land degradation. By 1973, the drought that began in 1968 in the Sahel of West Africa and the land-use practices there had caused the deaths of more than 100,000 people and 12 million cattle, as well as the disruption of social organizations from villages to the national level. G At the local level, individuals and governments can help to reclaim and protect their lands. In areas of sand dunes, covering the dunes with large boulders or petroleum will interrupt the wind regime near the face of the dunes and prevent the sand from moving. Sand fences are used throughout the Middle East and the United States, in the same way snow fences are used in the north. Placement of straw grids, each up to a square meter in area, will also decrease the surface wind velocity. Shrubs and trees planted within the grids are protected by the straw until they take root. In areas where some water is available for irrigation, shrubs planted on the lower one third of a dune's windward side will stabilize the dune. This vegetation decreases the wind velocity near the base of the dune and prevents much of the sand from moving. H Oases and farmlands in windy regions can be protected by planting tree fences or grass belts. Sand that manages to pass through the grass belts can be caught in strips of trees planted as wind breaks 50 to 100 meters apart adjacent to the belts. Small plots of trees may also be scattered inside oases to stabilize the area. On a much larger scale, a 'Green Wall' which will eventually stretch more than 5,700 kilometers in length, much longer than the famous Great Wall, is being planted in northeastern China to protect 'sandy lands' - deserts believed to have been created by human activity. I More efficient use of existing water resources and control of salinization are other effective tools for improving arid lands. New ways are being sought to use surface-water resources such as rain water harvesting or irrigating with seasonal runoff from adjacent highlands. Research on the reclamation of deserts also is focusing on discovering proper crop rotation to protect the fragile soil, on understanding how sand-fixing plants can be adapted to local environments, and on how grazing lands and water resources can be developed effectively without being overused.

Questions 14-19: Paragraph Matching

Reading Passage 2 contains 9 paragraphs A-I. Which paragraphs state the following information? Write the appropriate letters A-I in boxes 14-19 on your answer sheet.

14
Desertification poses a threat to people worldwide
15
It is difficult to describe the process of desertification
16
Desertification may alter local climates
17
People have misconceptions regarding desertification origins
18
It is hard to notice desertification in its early stages
19
Straw grids diminish the swiftness of the surface wind

Questions 20-23: Yes/No/Not Given

Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 2? In boxes 20-23 write YES if the statement agree with the views of the writer NO if the statement contradicts with the views of the writer NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this.

20
All desert borders are difficult to define....
21
Desertification is a reversible process....
22
Part of the Great Plains did not become a so-called 'Dust Bowl' until almost1950
23
Nomads cannot get away from the desert because of their current land-use methods

Questions 24-26: Summary Completion

Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each!

Tree fences or grass belts planted inside oases can catch sand in the wind and 24______these areas as well. The 'Green Wall' is an example. Water resource management and prevention of 25______are also effective in protecting lands. Scientists are trying to find 26_____to protect the vulnerable soil.

24
Tree fences or grass belts planted inside oases can catch sand in the wind and 24______these areas as well.
25
Water resource management and prevention of 25______are also effective in protecting lands.
26
Scientists are trying to find 26_____to protect the vulnerable soil.

Reading Passage 3 - The Voynich Manuscript

A The starkly modern Beinecke Library at Yale University is home to some of the most valuable books in the world: first folios of Shakespeare, Gutenberg Bibles and manuscripts from the early Middle Ages. Yet the library's most controversial possession is an unprepossessing vellum manuscript about the size of a hardback book, containing 240-odd pages of drawings and text of unknown age and authorship. Catalogued as MS408, the manuscript would attract little attention were it not for the fact that the drawings hint at esoteric knowledge, while the text seems to be some sort of code - one that no-one has been able to break. It's known to scholars as the Voynich manuscript, after the American book dealer Wilfrid Voynich, who bought the manuscript from a Jesuit college in Italy in 1912. B Over the years, the manuscript has attracted the attention of everyone from amateur dabblers to top codebreakers, all determined to succeed where countless others have failed. Academic research papers, books and websites are devoted to making sense of the contents of the manuscript, which are freely available to all. 'Most other mysteries involve secondhand reports,' says Dr Gordon Rugg of Keele University, a leading Voynich expert. But this is one that you can see for yourself. C It is certainly strange: page after page of drawings of weird plants, astrological symbolism and human figures, accompanied by a script that looks like some form of shorthand. What does it say and what are the drawings about? Voynich himself believed that the manuscript was the work of the 13th century English monk Roger Bacon, famed for his knowledge of alchemy, philosophy and science. In 1921 Voynich's view that Bacon was the writer appeared to win support from the work of William Newbold, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania, who claimed to have found the key to the cipher system used by Bacon. According to Newbold, the manuscript proved that Bacon had access to a microscope centuries before they were supposedly first invented. They claim that this mediaeval monk had observed living cells created a sensation. It soon became clear, however, that Newbold had fallen victim to wishful thinking. Other scholars showed that his 'decoding' methods produced a host of possible interpretations. D The Voynich manuscript has continued to defy the efforts of world-class experts. In 1944, a team was assembled to tackle the mystery, led by William Friedman, the renowned American codebreaker. They began with the most basic code breaking task: analysing the relative frequencies of the characters making up the text, looking for signs of an underlying structure. Yet Friedman's team soon found themselves in deep water. The precise size of the 'alphabet' of the Voynich manuscript was unclear: it's possible to make out more than 70 distinct symbols among the 170,000-character text. Furthermore, Friedman discovered that some words and phrases appeared more often than expected in a standard language, casting doubt on claims that the manuscript concealed a real language, as encryption typically reduces word frequencies. E Friedman concluded that the most plausible resolution of this paradox was that 'Voynichese' is some sort of specially created artificial language, whose words are devised from concepts, rather than linguistics. So, could the Voynich manuscript be the earliest known example of an artificial language? Friedman's hypothesis commands respect because of the lifetime of crypt analytical expertise he brought to bear,' says Rob Churchill, co-author of the Voynich Manuscript, that still leaves a host of questions unanswered, however, such as the identity of the author and the meaning of the bizarre drawings. 'It does little to advance our understanding of the manuscript as a whole,' says Churchill. Even though Friedman was working more than 60 years ago, he suspected that major insights would come reality that the device that had already transformed codebreaking: the computer. In this he was right - it is now the key tool for uncovering clues about the pleasure from manuscript's language. F The insights so far have been perplexing. For example, in 2001 another leading Voynich scholar, Dr Gabriel Landin of Birmingham University in the UK, published the results of his study of the manuscript using a pattern-detecting method called spectral analysis. This revealed evidence that the manuscript contains genuine words, rather than random nonsense, consistent with the existence of some underlying natural language. Yet the following year, Voynich expert Ren Zandbergen of the European Space Agency in Darmstadt, Germany showed that the entropy of the text (a measure of the rate of transfer of information) was consistent with Friedman's suspicions that an artificial language had been used. G Many are convinced that the Voynich manuscript isn't a hoax. For how could a medieval hoaxer create so many telltale signs of a message from random nonsense? Yet even this has been challenged in new research by Rugg. Using a system, first published by the Italian mathematician Girolamo Cardano in 1150 in which a specially constructed grille issued to pick out symbols from a table, Rugg found he could rapidly generate text with many of the basic traits of the Voynich manuscript. Publishing his results in 2004 Rugg stresses that he hadn't set out to prove the manuscript a hoax. 'I simply demonstrated that it's feasible to hoax something this complex in a few months, he says. Inevitably, others beg to differ. Some scholars, such as Zandbergen, still suspect the text has genuine meaning, though believe it may never be decipherable. Others, such as Churchill, have suggested that the sheer weirdness of the illustrations and text hint at an author who had lost touch with reality. H What is clear is that the book-sized manuscript kept under lock and key at Yale University has lost none of its fascination. 'Many derive great intellectual pleasure from solving puzzles,' says Rugg. The Voynich manuscript is as challenging a puzzle as anyone could ask for.

Questions 27-30: True/False/Not Given

TRUE if the statement agrees with the information given in the text. FALSE if the statement contradicts the information. NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

27
It is uncertain when the Voynich manuscript was written...............
28
Wilfrid Voynich donated the manuscript to the Beinecke Library...............
29
Interest in the Voynich manuscript extends beyond that of academics and professional codebreakers. ..............
30
The text of the Voynich manuscript contains just under 70 symbols...............

Questions 31-34: Matching (People)

Choose the correct person (A-H) for each statement. NB You may choose any correct person more than once.

List of People A Gordon Rugg B Roger Bacon C William Newbold D William Friedman E Rob Churchill F Gabriel Landini G Ren Zandbergen H Girolamo Cardano

31
The number of times that some words occur make it unlikely that the manuscript is based on an authentic language. ..............
32
Unlike some other similar objects of fascination, people can gain direct access to the Voynich manuscript. ..............
33
The person who wrote the manuscript may not have been entirely sane...............
34
It is likely that the author of the manuscript is the same person as suggested by Wilfrid Voynich. ..............

Questions 35-39: Summary Completion

Complete the summary. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS in each gap.

Voynich Researchers William Newbold believed that the author of the Voynich manuscript had been able to look at cells through a 35.................................... , Other researchers later demonstrated that there were flaws in his argument. William Friedman concluded that the manuscript was written in an artificial language that was based on 36.................................... . He couldn't find out the meaning of this language but he believed that the 37.................................... would continue to bring advances in code breaking. Dr Gabriel Landini used a system known as 38.................................... in his research, and claims to have demonstrated the presence of genuine words. Dr Gordon Rugg's system involved a grille, that made it possible to quickly select symbols that appeared in a 39.................................... . Rugg's conclusion was that the manuscript lacked genuine meaning.

35
William Newbold believed that the author of the Voynich manuscript had been able to look at cells through a 35....................................
36
William Friedman concluded that the manuscript was written in an artificial language that was based on 36....................................
37
He couldn't find out the meaning of this language but he believed that the 37.................................... would continue to bring advances in code breaking.
38
Dr Gabriel Landini used a system known as 38.................................... in his research, and claims to have demonstrated the presence of genuine words.
39
Dr Gordon Rugg's system involved a grille, that made it possible to quickly select symbols that appeared in a 39....................................

Questions 40: Multiple Choice

Choose the correct answer. Write the correct letter in box 40 on your answer sheet.

40
The writer`s main aim in this passage is to
- A. explain the meaning of the manuscript.
- B. determine the true identify of the manuscript`s author.
- C. describe the numerous attempts to decode the manuscript.
- D. identify which research into the manuscript has had the most media coverage.

解答キーを表示

1. C
C is correct because it says 'The placing of implicit reliance on fingerprint evidence by our courts of law has always been on the assumption... that no two fingers can have identical ridge characteristics,' showing fingerprint identification is used in legal processes.
2. J
J is correct because it advises that 'Only prints that are clearly from the original creative process are admitted for consideration' and that reference samples should come from unquestioned works, giving advice on authenticating art with fingerprints.
3. B
B is correct because it mentions 'The study of ancient pottery... reveals the utilization of fingerprint impressions in the clay as a maker's mark,' showing fingerprints were used in ancient times.
4. G
G is correct because it compares the two drawings: 'The medium is different, red chalk being used instead of black. The scale of the two images is different... Differences also exist in the design itself,' showing a comparison of mediums and other features.
5. D
D is correct because it says artists sometimes used their fingertips to 'stamp the fine network of ridges onto the painting,' which is similar to how fingerprints were left on ancient pottery.
6. G
G is correct because it discusses the science behind fingerprint identification, mentioning 'Galton's mathematical conclusions predicted the possible existence of some 64 billion different fingerprint patterns.'
7. I
I is correct because it describes how a fingerprint on a newly discovered drawing was matched with one on a known Leonardo painting, allowing authentication without a signature.
8. F
F is correct because it describes the discovery of a drawing in an envelope, which is the context for the 'Landscape with Rainbow' painting's authentication process.
9. A
A is correct because it says 'Our objective... is not to see who committed a crime but rather who committed the work of art,' and discusses how artists use their hands and fingertips in painting.
10. D
D is correct because the passage says the painting was 'discovered in the early 1980s' and 'the verdict was unanimous - the painting was a tattered imitation,' meaning its attribution was not settled for years. The tempting wrong option A fails because there was no consensus at the beginning; experts thought it was a fake.
11. C
C is correct because the passage says 'The design is faded and worn. Some spots suggest foxing and subsequent discoloration. The paper is yellowed and contaminated,' showing the drawing was in poor condition.
12. A
A is correct because it says 'The newly discovered design bears great similarity to that of the Head of St. Anne by Leonardo da Vinci,' confirming the Head of St Anne is by Leonardo.
13. B
B is correct because it says 'Only prints that are clearly from the original creative process are admitted for consideration,' meaning only those fingerprints are accepted.
14. E
E is correct because it says 'desertification presently affects millions of people in almost every continent,' showing it is a worldwide threat.
15. D
D is correct because it says 'Desertification does not occur in linear, easily mappable patterns... Often little or no data are available to indicate the previous state of the ecosystem or the rate of degradation,' showing the process is hard to describe.
16. C
C is correct because it says 'Desertification may intensify a general climatic trend toward greater aridity, or it may initiate a change in local climate,' showing it can alter local climates.
17. F
F is correct because it says 'It is a misconception that drought cause desertification,' showing people have wrong ideas about its origins.
18. D
D is correct because it says 'an area undergoing desertification is brought to public attention only after the process is well underway,' meaning it is hard to notice early on.
19. G
G is correct because it says 'Placement of straw grids... will also decrease the surface wind velocity,' showing straw grids slow down the wind.
20. NO
NO is correct because the passage says 'In some regions, deserts are separated sharply... In other areas, desert fringes form a gradual transition,' so not all borders are hard to define.
21. NOT GIVEN
NOT GIVEN is correct because the passage says scientists question if desertification is permanent or reversible, but does not say if it is reversible.
22. NO
NO is correct because the passage says the Dust Bowl happened in the 1930s, not almost 1950.
23. YES
YES is correct because it says 'Nomads are trying to escape the desert, but because of their land-use practices, they are bringing the desert with them,' meaning their methods prevent escape.
24. stabilize
stabilize is correct because it says 'Small plots of trees may also be scattered inside oases to stabilize the area.'
25. salinization
salinization is correct because it says 'control of salinization are other effective tools for improving arid lands.'
26. proper crop rotation
proper crop rotation is correct because it says 'discovering proper crop rotation to protect the fragile soil.'
27. NOT GIVEN
NOT GIVEN is correct because the passage does not say when the Voynich manuscript was written.
28. FALSE
FALSE is correct because it says Voynich bought the manuscript from a Jesuit college, not that he donated it to the library.
29. TRUE
TRUE is correct because it says 'the manuscript has attracted the attention of everyone from amateur dabblers to top codebreakers,' showing interest beyond academics.
30. FALSE
FALSE is correct because it says 'it's possible to make out more than 70 distinct symbols,' so the text contains more than 70 symbols.
31. D
D is correct because it says 'some words and phrases appeared more often than expected in a standard language, casting doubt on claims that the manuscript concealed a real language,' showing word frequency is a problem.
32. A
A is correct because it says 'this is one that you can see for yourself,' meaning people can directly access the manuscript.
33. E
E is correct because it says 'the sheer weirdness of the illustrations and text hint at an author who had lost touch with reality,' suggesting the author may not have been sane.
34. C
C is correct because it says Voynich believed Bacon was the author, but later evidence did not support this, so it is unlikely.
35. microscope
microscope is correct because it says 'the manuscript proved that Bacon had access to a microscope centuries before they were supposedly first invented.'
36. concepts
concepts is correct because it says 'Voynichese is some sort of specially created artificial language, whose words are devised from concepts, rather than linguistics.'
37. computer
computer is correct because it says Friedman suspected that major insights would come from 'the device that had already transformed codebreaking: the computer.'
38. spectral analysis
spectral analysis is correct because it says 'Dr Gabriel Landin... published the results of his study... using a pattern-detecting method called spectral analysis.'
39. table
table is correct because it says 'a specially constructed grille is used to pick out symbols from a table.'
40. C
C is correct because the passage describes many attempts to decode the manuscript, mentioning different researchers and their methods. The tempting wrong option A fails because the passage does not explain the meaning of the manuscript.