Educational And Professional Opportunities For Women In New Technologies - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From Achieve IELTS Practice Tests Academic Reading Test 3 · Part 3 · Questions 27–40
Reading Passage
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27 – 40, which are based on Reading Passage 3 below.
Educational and Professional Opportunities for Women in New Technologies
The principle that you don’t have to be a mechanic to drive a car can also be applied to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Gone are the days when a computer user needed knowledge of a programming language. On one hand, this is good news for women. It is because women can now use computers without needing computer science qualifications that gives ICTs the potential to enhance women’s education. But, our lack of ICT skills is not praiseworthy. Feminist writers for many years have argued that if more women were engineers and scientists, we might live in a very different world. (Rothschild 1982)
In a review of five countries, Millar and Jagger examined women’s employment in ICT occupations. They found a pattern of a low proportion of female entrants, a significant ‘leaking’ (Alper 1993) of those who enter to other areas of employment, and a ghetto of women in lower paid jobs. How did a new area of economic activity become gendered so quickly? An obvious answer could be that men have seen it as a desirable area and women have not.
It is often said that new industries are both ‘gender blind’ (i.e. if you are good at your work you’ll succeed whatever your gender) and that they value ‘feminine’ communication and ‘people’ skills. But recent research does not bear this out. A study of a new high-tech ICT company (Woodfield 2000) employing highly qualified graduates showed that men were given management responsibility despite an acknowledgement by the company that they had poor management skills. And there was an unwillingness to give responsibilities to women who had these skills. It seems that jobs acquire gender quite quickly in some sectors.
In the 1980s and 1990s, interesting studies were done into the ways in which men and women think about the world. They argued for the validation of diverse ways of thinking, rather than a hierarchy with a particular kind of male intellectual tradition at the apex. Turkle (1984; 1996) has done similar work on the ways people interact with computers. She sees computers as tools used as an extension of our identities, with significant variations in the ways that men and women use them to explore and perform their gendered identities. This subtle way of understanding our relationship with this technology, however, must go in parallel with a materialist view, which is that an underlying motivation for most ICT-based initiatives in work, education, leisure, citizenship is economic force.
We must also differentiate between the opportunities for employment offered by ICTs, and the tools they provide for education. We must beware of the inappropriate application of ICTs to a problem that would be better addressed in another way. Research into the effectiveness of ICTs as measured by student performance in Maths, suggests that for young children there is a negative relationship between classroom computer use and Maths performance. One researcher, Angrist, from MIT found when examining ICTs in the classroom that the set-up costs were obvious and the benefits much less so (Economist 2002). It could be more effective to have more teacher involvement and lower class sizes.
In 1963 Clark Kerr, the President of the University of California, coined the term ‘multiversity’, to suggest that universities were no longer based on a body of universal knowledge or a heterogeneous body of students. Higher education, professional education and life skills education are now being delivered by a variety of different universities, colleges and commercial companies. The distinctions between these are breaking down. Just when women are getting equal access to higher education and professional education, what constitutes higher level education and valid scholarly activity has been called into question through the creation of virtual universities. On the other hand, women are often claimed to have the most to gain from these new flexible and distributed kinds of education.
Although online education provides new opportunities for women it is also the source of new pressures. The term ‘Second Shift’ was invented to identify the work-life balance of employed women. Women in paid employment did not substitute this for their domestic work; they struggled to carry out both obligations. Kramarae sees education in the new century as the ‘Third Shift’: ‘As lifelong learning and knowledge become ever more important, women and men find they juggle not only the demands of work and family, but also the demands of... further education throughout their lives.’ (2001)
ICTs – the Internet in particular – are seen as providing global access to key educational resources. However, access to information is a useless resource if you don’t have the skills to evaluate and use it. Shade (2002) distinguishes between the feminisation of the Internet, where women are targeted as consumers rather than citizens or learners; and feminist uses of the Internet where women develop content that creates opportunities for women.
Digital media may also produce inflexibility for women engaged in learning. A survey of open and distance learning students (Kirkup and Prümmer 1997; Kirkup 2001) demonstrated differences in the preferred learning styles of women and men. Women were uncomfortable with isolation and stated a desire for connection with others. Engagement in creating and maintaining networks and relationships is often cited as a reason why computer-mediated communication will be a ‘female’ technology. Unfortunately, however, empirical work challenges this. Li (2002), in a study of university students in the UK and China, found that male students used e-mail more frequently, spent more time online, and engaged in more varied activities than women students. There is now a wealth of research on the gender differences of male and female online activity, all of which demonstrate the online environment creating a gendered world operating in similar ways to the material world.
Questions
Questions 27–34 Matching Features
Look at the following people and the list of reported findings below.
Match each person with the correct finding, A – K.
Write the correct letter A – K in boxes 27 – 34 on your answer sheet.
A. Men and women perceive their environment differently.
B. The advantages of ICTs in schools are difficult to specify.
C. Men see ICT as an exciting new area of employment.
D. Female students find working on their own unappealing.
E. A greater female representation in scientific and technical posts would have enormous benefits.
F. Women can be seen as both passive and active users of ICTs.
G. Female students can benefit most from ICTs and distance learning.
H. In Higher Education, men use a wider range of ICT skills than women.
I. A considerable number of women give up ICT posts to work in different fields.
J. The way the two genders regard computers reflects the differences in the way they develop their sense of self.
K. Certain new employment sectors are soon colonized by workers of one sex.
Questions 35–40 Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 35 – 40 on your answer sheet.
- The term '35' refers to a company that is equally happy to promote workers of either sex.
- It is clear that ICT developments in most fields are driven by 36.
- The range of institutions providing high level instruction today is known as a 37.
- Women who are working find it hard to get their 38 right.
- The way workers of both sexes now face having to fit children, work and continued learning into their lives is called the 39.
- Women are thought to be suited to computer work as it involves developing 40.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q27 | E | Feminist writers for many years have argued that if more women were engineers and scientists, we might live in a very different world. (Rothschild 1982) | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that thinkers such as Rothschild believe having more women in science and engineering careers could greatly change the world we live in. Answer Explanation: The answer "E" means that having more women working in science and engineering jobs would create huge positive changes for the world. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is E because the first paragraph mentions that feminist writers (citing Rothschild 1982) have long believed that if more women worked as "engineers and scientists" (scientific and technical posts), society might exist in a "very different world" (have enormous benefits). |
| Q28 | I | They found a pattern of a low proportion of female entrants, a significant ‘leaking’ (Alper 1993) of those who enter to other areas of employment, and a ghetto of women in lower paid jobs | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that among women who start working in ICT, a large number eventually leave those positions to work in different careers. Answer Explanation: The answer "I" means that many women leave their jobs in the technology sector (ICT) to do other types of work. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is I because the passage cites Alper (1993) when describing a "significant 'leaking' ... of those who enter to other areas of employment." Here, "significant" corresponds to "a considerable number," and "leaking ... to other areas of employment" matches the idea of giving up ICT jobs to work in different fields. |
| Q29 | K | A study of a new high-tech ICT company (Woodfield 2000) employing highly qualified graduates showed that men were given management responsibility despite an acknowledgement by the company that they had poor management skills. And there was an unwillingness to give responsibilities to women who had these skills. It seems that jobs acquire gender quite quickly in some sectors | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that Woodfield's research looked at a new technology company where men were chosen for management jobs instead of qualified women. This showed that roles in some new industries quickly become linked to one specific gender. Answer Explanation: The answer means that in some new types of jobs, one gender quickly takes over most of the roles or positions. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is K because the passage describes Woodfield's study of a new high-tech ICT company where men were favored for management roles over women with better skills, leading to the conclusion that jobs quickly become dominated by one gender. In the text, phrases like "jobs acquire gender quite quickly in some sectors" directly correspond to "Certain new employment sectors are soon colonized by workers of one sex". |
| Q30 | J | She sees computers as tools used as an extension of our identities, with significant variations in the ways that men and women use them to explore and perform their gendered identities | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that Turkle believes computers help people express who they are, and that men and women use computers in clearly different ways to show and understand their gender identity. Answer Explanation: The answer 'J' means that men and women view and use computers in ways that show how they build and express who they are. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is J because the passage discusses Turkle's work on how people interact with computers. In paragraph 4, it mentions that Turkle views computers as an 'extension of our identities' and notes 'significant variations in the ways that men and women use them to explore and perform their gendered identities.' Here, 'identities' corresponds to 'sense of self', and the variations in how both sexes use computers correspond to 'The way the two genders regard computers reflects the differences'. |
| Q31 | B | One researcher, Angrist, from MIT found when examining ICTs in the classroom that the set-up costs were obvious and the benefits much less so (Economist 2002) | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that when Angrist looked at computer technology in classrooms, the costs to start using it were very clear, but the actual benefits were not obvious. Answer Explanation: The answer B means that it is hard to clearly see or prove the good results of using computers and technology in schools. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because the passage discusses researcher Angrist's study on ICTs in the classroom. Angrist discovered that while the initial costs of setting up technology were clear, the advantages or positive results were far less clear. In this context, 'benefits much less so' corresponds directly to the idea that the advantages are 'difficult to specify'. |
| Q32 | F | Shade (2002) distinguishes between the feminisation of the Internet, where women are targeted as consumers rather than citizens or learners; and feminist uses of the Internet where women develop content that creates opportunities for women | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that Shade divides Internet usage by women into two types: one where women are merely treated as buyers/consumers (passive), and another where women actively create digital content to help and empower other women (active). Answer Explanation: The answer F states that women can use ICTs (such as the Internet) in two different ways: passively (just receiving or buying things) and actively (creating content and making opportunities). Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is F because the text explains Shade's distinction between two ways women relate to the Internet: being targeted simply as 'consumers' (a passive role) versus developing content that builds opportunities for women (an active role). Therefore, Shade shows that women can be both passive and active users. |
| Q33 | D | A survey of open and distance learning students (Kirkup and Prümmer 1997; Kirkup 2001) demonstrated differences in the preferred learning styles of women and men. Women were uncomfortable with isolation and stated a desire for connection with others | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that studies by Kirkup showed men and women prefer different ways of learning. Specifically, women felt uncomfortable when studying completely alone (isolation) and wanted to connect with other people. Answer Explanation: The answer "D" means that female learners do not like studying alone or being isolated from others. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is D because the passage describes the findings of Kirkup's research on distance learning students. The study showed that female students "were uncomfortable with isolation and stated a desire for connection with others." In other words, female students find working by themselves unappealing (not enjoyable or comfortable), which directly matches option D. |
| Q34 | H | Li (2002), in a study of university students in the UK and China, found that male students used e-mail more frequently, spent more time online, and engaged in more varied activities than women students | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that research by Li showed male college students used e-mail more often, stayed online longer, and did more diverse kinds of online activities than female students. Answer Explanation: The answer 'H' means that male university students do a greater variety of computer and internet activities than female students. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is H because the passage mentions researcher Li (2002) when discussing a study of students at universities (Higher Education). In this study, male students spent more time online and took part in a wider variety of digital tasks ('engaged in more varied activities') compared to female students. |
| Q35 | gender blind | It is often said that new industries are both ‘gender blind’ (i.e. if you are good at your work you’ll succeed whatever your gender) and that they value ‘feminine’ communication and ‘people’ skills | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that some industries are believed to be 'gender blind,' which means that any worker who does good work will be successful no matter if they are male or female. Answer Explanation: The answer "gender blind" means treating all people equally without caring whether they are a man or a woman. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "gender blind" because the passage explicitly defines this phrase as succeeding at your work regardless of your gender (sex). In the sentence completion task, "a company that is equally happy to promote workers of either sex" directly matches the text's explanation of being 'gender blind' (meaning you will succeed if you are good at your job, whatever your gender). |
| Q36 | economic force | an underlying motivation for most ICT-based initiatives in work, education, leisure, citizenship is economic force | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage means that the basic driving reason behind most computer and technology projects in different areas of life is money and financial factors. Answer Explanation: The answer "economic force" means financial or monetary power and money-related reasons. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "economic force" because paragraph 4 explains what drives or motivates most technology-related projects across various fields. The text states that the "underlying motivation for most ICT-based initiatives in work, education, leisure, citizenship is economic force." In this context, "underlying motivation" matches "driven by", and "initiatives in work, education, leisure, citizenship" matches "developments in most fields". |
| Q37 | multiversity | In 1963 Clark Kerr, the President of the University of California, coined the term ‘multiversity’, to suggest that universities were no longer based on a body of universal knowledge or a heterogeneous body of students | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that Clark Kerr invented the term "multiversity" to show that modern higher education institutions no longer share just one single, uniform structure or student body. Answer Explanation: The answer "multiversity" is a word used to describe the diverse group of colleges, universities, and other institutions that offer higher education today. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is confirmed in paragraph 6. The text explains that Clark Kerr created the word "multiversity" because advanced teaching and learning (higher education) are provided by a wide variety of different universities, colleges, and organizations rather than a single traditional model. |
| Q38 | work-life balance | The term ‘Second Shift’ was invented to identify the work-life balance of employed women. Women in paid employment did not substitute this for their domestic work; they struggled to carry out both obligations | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that working women have a hard time balancing their jobs with their household chores, which is referred to as their "work-life balance". Answer Explanation: The answer "work-life balance" means managing and dividing one's time and energy appropriately between a job and personal or family responsibilities. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "work-life balance" because paragraph 7 mentions that the phrase 'Second Shift' was created to describe the "work-life balance" of working women. The passage explains that women in paid jobs struggled to manage both their paid employment and their home duties. |
| Q39 | Third Shift | Kramarae sees education in the new century as the ‘Third Shift’: ‘As lifelong learning and knowledge become ever more important, women and men find they juggle not only the demands of work and family, but also the demands of further education throughout their lives.’ (2001) |
Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that learning across one's life is becoming very important, causing men and women to balance the needs of work, family, and extra education simultaneously, a situation called the "Third Shift". Answer Explanation: The answer "Third Shift" is a name given to the extra pressure that both men and women experience when trying to manage their jobs, their family responsibilities, and ongoing education all at the same time. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is confirmed by paragraph 7. The text explains that Kramarae describes education in the modern era as the "Third Shift" because both "women and men" (workers of both sexes) must now manage ("juggle") work, family ("demands of work and family"), and continuous study ("demands of... further education throughout their lives"). Therefore, "Third Shift" completes the sentence accurately. |
| Q40 | networks and relationships / relationships and networks | Engagement in creating and maintaining networks and relationships is often cited as a reason why computer-mediated communication will be a ‘female’ technology | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that computer-based communication is often considered a good fit for women because it involves making and keeping up networks and personal relationships. Answer Explanation: The answer means connecting with groups of people and building personal connections with others. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is supported by the final paragraph, which discusses why computer-mediated communication is thought to be suitable for women. The text states that being involved in creating and maintaining 'networks and relationships' is frequently given as the reason why this computer technology fits women. |