Migrants And Refugees: Racial Discrimination And Xenophobia - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From Succeed in IELTS 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.
Migrants and Refugees: Racial Discrimination and Xenophobia
Today, one in every 50 human beings is a migrant worker, a refugee or asylum seeker, or an immigrant living in a foreign country. Current estimates by the United Nations and the International Organisation for Migration indicate that some 150 million people live temporarily or permanently outside their countries of origin (2.5% of the world population). Many of these, 80-97 million, are estimated to be migrant workers with members of their families. Another 12 million are refugees outside their country of origin. These figures do not include the estimated 20 million Internally Displaced Persons forcibly displaced within their own country, nor the tens of millions more of internal migrants, mainly rural to urban, in countries around the world.
Increasing ethnic and racial diversity of societies is the inevitable consequence of migration. Increasing migration means that a growing number of states have become or are becoming more multi-ethnic, and are confronted with the challenge of accommodating peoples of different cultures, races, religions and languages. Addressing the reality of increased diversity means finding political, legal, social and economic mechanisms to ensure mutual respect and to mediate relations across differences. But xenophobia and racism have become manifest in some societies which have received substantial numbers of immigrants, as workers or as asylum-seekers. In those countries the migrants have become the targets in internal disputes about national identity. In the last few decades, the emergence of new nation states has often been accompanied by ethnic exclusion.
As governments grapple with the new realities of their multi-ethnic societies, there has been a marked increase in discrimination and violence directed against migrants, refugees and other non-nationals by extremist groups in many parts of the world. The lack of any systematic documentation or research over time makes it unclear whether there is a real increase in the level of abuse or in the level of exposure and reporting. Unfortunately, there is more than enough anecdotal evidence to show that violations of the human rights of migrants, refugees and other non-nationals are so generalised, widespread and commonplace that they are a defining feature of international migration today.
The extent of racial discrimination and xenophobia is often played down and sometimes denied by authorities. Racial discrimination is defined in international law as being: any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.
Racism and xenophobia are distinct phenomena, although they often overlap. While racism generally implies distinction based on difference in physical characteristics, such as skin colour, hair type, facial features, etc, xenophobia denotes behaviour specifically based on the perception that 'the other' is foreign to or originates from outside the community or nation. By the standard dictionary definition, xenophobia is the intense dislike or fear of strangers or people from other countries. As a sociologist puts it, 'xenophobia is an attitudinal orientation of hostility against non-natives in a given population.'
The definition of xenophobia, and its differentiation from racism and racial discrimination, is a still-evolving concept. One of the regional Preparatory Meetings for a recent World Conference suggested that:
- Racism is an ideological construct that assigns a certain race and/or ethnic group to a position of power over others on the basis of physical and cultural attributes, as well as economic wealth, involving hierarchical relations where the superior race exercises domination and control over others.
- Xenophobia describes attitudes, prejudices and behaviour that reject, exclude and often vilify persons, based on the perception that they are outsiders or foreigners in the community, society or with respect to national identity.
In many cases, it is difficult to distinguish between racism and xenophobia as motivations for behaviour, since differences in physical characteristics are often assumed to distinguish a person from the common identity. However, manifestations of xenophobia occur against people of identical physical characteristics, even of shared ancestry, when such people arrive, return or migrate to states or areas where occupants consider them outsiders.
Questions
Questions 27–30 Matching Sentence Endings
Complete each sentence with the correct ending, A - F, below.
Write the correct letter, A - F.
A. are always culturally or physically distinct from the perpetrators of the acts of wrongdoing.
B. tend to share a likeness with the perpetrators of the crime.
C. may still find themselves the victims of xenophobic behaviour.
D. has been observed in many different parts of the world.
E. will eventually reach a position of total submission.
F. has a controlling hand in the affairs of one or more of the other sections of society.
Questions 31–34 One Choice
Choose the correct letter A, B, C or D.
Questions 35–40 True / False / Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 3?
write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q27 | D | there has been a marked increase in discrimination and violence directed against migrants, refugees and other non-nationals by extremist groups in many parts of the world | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that there is a noticeable rise in unfair treatment and violent attacks against immigrants and foreigners by extreme groups across many areas of the globe. Answer Explanation: The answer 'D' means that rising violence against foreign people by extreme local groups has been seen in numerous places across the globe. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is D because the text mentions that violence against migrants and other foreigners carried out by extremist groups has shown a clear rise in many places around the world. In the passage, 'marked increase' matches the question's phrase 'upward trend', 'violence directed against migrants, refugees and other non-nationals' matches 'violence perpetrated against non-national minority groups', 'extremist groups' matches 'radical nationals', and 'in many parts of the world' directly matches option D. |
| Q28 | F | Racism is an ideological construct that assigns a certain race and/or ethnic group to a position of power over others on the basis of physical and cultural attributes, as well as economic wealth, involving hierarchical relations where the superior race exercises domination and control over others | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that racism puts one group at the top of a ranked system, giving that top group the power to dominate and control everyone else. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the powerful group controls and rules over other groups in the society. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is F because the text defines racism as an idea that creates a hierarchy where one group is seen as superior and holds power over others. In this setup, the passage states that the superior group "exercises domination and control over others." The phrase "exercises domination and control over others" directly matches choice F, which says the group "has a controlling hand in the affairs of one or more of the other sections of society." |
| Q29 | C | However, manifestations of xenophobia occur against people of identical physical characteristics, even of shared ancestry, when such people arrive, return or migrate to states or areas where occupants consider them outsiders | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that people can face hatred toward foreigners even when they have the exact same physical appearance and family background as the local population, simply because the locals view them as outsiders. Answer Explanation: The answer "C" means that people can still suffer from hatred and unfair treatment against foreigners, even if they look like or share the same background as the local group. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because the last paragraph of the passage explains that xenophobia can target people who look the same as the locals and share the same ancestors. In the text, the phrase "identical physical characteristics, even of shared ancestry" matches the idea of not being "culturally or physically distinct." The text states that "manifestations of xenophobia occur against" these individuals, which directly means they "may still find themselves the victims of xenophobic behaviour." |
| Q30 | A | Racism is an ideological construct that assigns a certain race and/or ethnic group to a position of power over others on the basis of physical and cultural attributes, as well as economic wealth, involving hierarchical relations where the superior race exercises domination and control over others However, manifestations of xenophobia occur against people of identical physical characteristics, even of shared ancestry, when such people arrive, return or migrate to states or areas where occupants consider them outsiders |
Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that racism is based on differences in physical features and cultural background. On the other hand, xenophobia can happen to people who look exactly the same and have the same family background, as long as others see them as outsiders. Answer Explanation: The answer means that people who experience racism are always different in how they look or in their culture compared to the people mistreating them. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because the text explains the difference between racism and xenophobia. Under racism, unfair treatment is based on differences in "physical and cultural attributes". In contrast, xenophobia can happen even against people with "identical physical characteristics" or "shared ancestry" simply because they are viewed as outsiders. Therefore, unlike xenophobia, racism always involves victims who look physically different or have a different cultural background from the abusers. |
| Q31 | D | Many of these, 80-97 million, are estimated to be migrant workers with members of their families. Another 12 million are refugees outside their country of origin. These figures do not include the estimated 20 million Internally Displaced Persons forcibly displaced within their own country, nor the tens of millions more of internal migrants, mainly rural to urban, in countries around the world | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage clearly shows the numbers for each group: migrant workers (80 to 97 million) are far more numerous than refugees (12 million), internally displaced persons (20 million), or internal migrants (tens of millions). Answer Explanation: The answer "D" means that migrant or immigrant workers make up the largest group among the given choices. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is D because the first paragraph compares the population sizes of the different migrant groups. Migrant workers and their families number between 80 and 97 million. In comparison, refugees account for 12 million, internally displaced persons account for about 20 million, and internal migrants are described as "tens of millions." Therefore, immigrant workers have the highest number. |
| Q32 | B | As governments grapple with the new realities of their multi-ethnic societies, there has been a marked increase in discrimination and violence directed against migrants, refugees and other non-nationals by extremist groups in many parts of the world | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that while governments struggle to deal with having people of many different backgrounds in their countries, there has been a noticeable rise in bad treatment and violent acts against foreigners and migrants. Answer Explanation: The answer means that leaders and authorities of countries are struggling to handle and prevent unfair treatment, hatred, and hostility against foreigners. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because the text explains that governments are struggling or trying hard to deal with their diverse populations while hate and unfair treatment against foreigners continue to rise. In the passage, the phrase "grapple with" means to struggle to deal with a hard problem, and it mentions a "marked increase in discrimination and violence" against migrants and refugees. This demonstrates that governments are having a difficult time stopping these problems. |
| Q33 | A | The lack of any systematic documentation or research over time makes it unclear whether there is a real increase in the level of abuse or in the level of exposure and reporting | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that people have not regularly gathered records or done studies over time. Because of this missing information, it is not clear how much abuse actually happens. Answer Explanation: The answer means that we cannot know the exact number of people who face discrimination because bad treatment against migrants is not always recorded or investigated. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because paragraph 3 mentions that there is a "lack of any systematic documentation or research over time." This lack makes it hard to know the true amount of abuse. In other words, because cases are not continuously recorded ("documented") or studied ("looked into"), there is no clear way to determine exact numbers. |
| Q34 | C | The extent of racial discrimination and xenophobia is often played down and sometimes denied by authorities | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that officials and people in power often make racial hatred look smaller than it is, and sometimes they say it is not happening at all. Answer Explanation: The answer "deny there is a problem" means that leaders or officials sometimes say that the bad situation does not exist. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because the text states that leaders or officials often say racial discrimination and xenophobia are not as bad as they seem, and at times they completely say they do not happen at all. In the passage, "authorities" means "people in authority", and "denied" means to say that something is not true or does not exist ("deny there is a problem"). |
| Q35 | NOT GIVEN | Many of these, 80-97 million, are estimated to be migrant workers with members of their families. Another 12 million are refugees outside their country of origin | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage shows the estimated numbers of migrant workers and refugees living outside their home countries, but it does not state why most of them decided to leave. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the text does not tell us whether the main reason most migrants leave their home country is political or social problems. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is NOT GIVEN because the passage mentions how many people are migrant workers and refugees, but it never explains the exact reasons why the majority of all migrants leave their countries. Since there is no information confirming or denying whether political or social disorder is the primary cause, the statement cannot be marked TRUE or FALSE. |
| Q36 | TRUE | tens of millions more of internal migrants, mainly rural to urban, in countries around the world | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that there are tens of millions of people moving inside their own countries, and most of them move from the countryside (rural) to the city (urban). Answer Explanation: The answer "TRUE" means that the statement is correct according to the text. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the passage states that internal migrants are "mainly rural to urban." In this context, "mainly" means most, "rural" refers to the countryside, and "urban" refers to cities or towns. Therefore, most people who migrate within their own country move from the countryside to cities. |
| Q37 | TRUE | The extent of racial discrimination and xenophobia is often played down and sometimes denied by authorities | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage means that officials or governments frequently try to make racism and hatred toward foreigners seem smaller than they really are, and at times they completely reject that these problems exist. Answer Explanation: The answer "TRUE" means that the text confirms that governments frequently do not want to admit how much racial discrimination and hatred of foreigners happen. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because paragraph 4 clearly states that "authorities" (governments or leaders) often make racial discrimination and xenophobia seem less serious ("played down") or even say it is not happening ("denied"). These actions mean that governments are unwilling or hesitant ("reluctant to acknowledge") to accept the truth of these issues. |
| Q38 | NOT GIVEN | As governments grapple with the new realities of their multi-ethnic societies, there has been a marked increase in discrimination and violence directed against migrants, refugees and other non-nationals by extremist groups in many parts of the world | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that radical or extremist groups have become more violent and unfair toward migrants and foreign people around the world, but it does not explain whether feelings of insecurity cause this behavior. Answer Explanation: The answer "NOT GIVEN" means that the text does not tell us whether migrants are treated badly because they make extremist groups feel unsafe or insecure. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is NOT GIVEN because although the passage mentions that "extremist groups" carry out "discrimination and violence" against migrants and refugees, it never states the reason behind this. Specifically, it does not say that these actions happen because migrants make extremist groups feel insecure. |
| Q39 | NOT GIVEN | As a sociologist puts it, 'xenophobia is an attitudinal orientation of hostility against non-natives in a given population.' | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that xenophobia involves an attitude of hostility towards people who are not native to a country, but it never mentions whether those people are uneducated. Answer Explanation: The answer "NOT GIVEN" means that the text does not have enough information to confirm or deny whether people who show racism or xenophobia lack education. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is NOT GIVEN because the passage discusses "hostility" against foreigners, but it says nothing about the education level of people who are racist or xenophobic. Because the text never mentions whether these individuals are "uneducated," we cannot decide if the statement is true or false. |
| Q40 | FALSE | However, manifestations of xenophobia occur against people of identical physical characteristics, even of shared ancestry, when such people arrive, return or migrate to states or areas where occupants consider them outsiders | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that hatred or unfair treatment toward outsiders (xenophobia) can still happen to people who return to their family's ancestral homeland if the local people still see them as outsiders. Answer Explanation: The answer "FALSE" means that the statement is incorrect because the passage says the opposite. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the passage clearly states that xenophobia (fear or hatred of outsiders) can happen to people even if they have the same family roots or shared ancestry when they return to a place. The statement claims that these people do not face xenophobia, which directly contradicts the passage. Keywords to look for include "shared ancestry" and "return". |