Robert Louis Stevenson - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From IELTS Recent Actual Test 5 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.
Robert Louis Stevenson
A Scottish novelist, poet, essayist, and travel writer, Robert Louis Stevenson was born at 8 Howard Place, Edinburgh, Scotland, on 13 November 1850. It has been more than 100 years since his death. Stevenson was a writer who caused conflicting opinions about his works. On one hand, he was often highly praised for his expert prose and style by many English-language critics. On the other hand, others criticised the religious themes in his works, often misunderstanding Stevenson's own religious beliefs. Since his death a century before, critics and biographers have disagreed on the legacy of Stevenson's writing. Two biographers, KF and CP, wrote a biography about Stevenson with a clear focus. They chose not to criticise aspects of Stevenson's personal life. Instead, they focused on his writing, and gave high praise to his writing style and skill.
The literary pendulum has swung these days. Different critics have different opinions towards Robert Louis Stevenson's works. Though today, Stevenson is one of the most translated authors in the world, his works have sustained a wide variety of negative criticism throughout his life. It was like a complete reversal of polarity—from highly positive to slightly less positive to clearly negative; after being highly praised as a great writer, he became an example of an author with corrupt ethics and lack of moral. Many literary critics passed his works off as children's stories or horror stories, and thought to have little social value in an educational setting. Stevenson's works were often excluded from literature curriculum because of its controversial nature. These debates remain, and many critics still assert that despite his skill, his literary works still lack moral value.
One of the main reasons why Stevenson's literary works attracted so much criticism was due to the genre of his writing. Stevenson mainly wrote adventure stories, which was part of a popular and entertaining writing fad at the time. Many of us believe adventure stories are exciting, offers engaging characters, action, and mystery but ultimately can't teach moral principles. The plot points are one-dimensional and rarely offer a deeper moral meaning, instead focusing on exciting and shocking plot twists and thrilling events. His works were even criticised by fellow authors. Though Stevenson's works have deeply influenced Oscar Wilde, Wilde often joked that Stevenson would have written better works if he wasn't born in Scotland. Other authors came to Stevenson's defence, including Galsworthy who claimed that Stevenson is a greater writer than Thomas Hardy.
Despite Wilde's criticism, Stevenson's Scottish identity was an integral part of his written works. Although Stevenson's works were not popular in Scotland when he was alive, many modern Scottish literary critics claim that Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson are the most influential writers in the history of Scotland. While many critics exalt Sir Walter Scott as a literary genius because of his technical ability, others argue that Stevenson deserves the same recognition for his natural ability to capture stories and characters in words. Many of Scott's works were taken more seriously as literature for their depth due to their tragic themes, but fans of Stevenson praise his unique style of story-telling and capture of human nature. Stevenson's works, unlike other British authors, captured the unique day to day life of average Scottish people. Many literary critics point to this as a flaw of his works. According to the critics, truly important literature should transcend local culture and stories. However, many critics praise the local taste of his literature. To this day, Stevenson's works provide valuable insight to life in Scotland during the 19th century.
Despite much debate of Stevenson's writing topics, his writing was not the only source of attention for critics. Stevenson's personal life often attracted a lot of attention from his fans and critics alike. Some even argue that his personal life eventually outshone his writing. Stevenson had been plagued with health problems his whole life, and often had to live in much warmer climates than the cold, dreary weather of Scotland in order to recover. So he took his family to a south pacific island Samoa, which was a controversial decision at that time. However, Stevenson did not regret the decision. The sea air and thrill of adventure complemented the themes of his writing, and for a time restored his health. From there, Stevenson gained a love of travelling, and for nearly three years he wandered the eastern and central Pacific. Much of his works reflected this love of travel and adventure that Stevenson experienced in the Pacific islands. It was as a result of this biographical attention that the feeling grew that interest in Stevenson's life had taken the place of interest in his works. Whether critics focus on his writing subjects, his religious beliefs, or his eccentric lifestyle of travel and adventure, people from the past and present have different opinions about Stevenson as an author. Today, he remains a controversial yet widely popular figure in Western literature.
Questions
Questions 27–31 Multiple Choice (One Answer)
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
Questions 32–35 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 with the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
Questions 36–40 Note Completion
Complete the notes using the list of words, A-I, below.
A natural ability B romance C colorful language
D critical acclaim E humor F technical control
G story telling H depth I human nature
Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson
A lot of people believe that Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson are the most influential writer in the history of Scotland, but Sir Walter Scott is more proficient in 36, while Stevenson has better 37. Scott's books illustrate 38 especially in terms of tragedy, but Stevenson's works bring readers better 39. What's more, Stevenson's understanding of 40 made his works have the most unique expression of Scottish people.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q27 | D | Instead, they focused on his writing, and gave high praise to his writing style and skill | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that KF and CP did not talk about Stevenson's personal life. Instead, they only looked at his books and how he wrote them, and they said his writing was very, very good. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Stevenson's biographers, KF and CP, showed that he was a very important writer. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is D because the passage states that biographers KF and CP chose to focus on Stevenson's writing and "gave high praise to his writing style and skill." This means they highly valued his work as an author, which is the same as elevating his role as a writer, making him seem important. |
| Q28 | D | These debates remain, and many critics still assert that despite his skill, his literary works still lack moral value | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that people still argue about Stevenson's books. Many critics keep saying that even though Stevenson was a good writer, his stories do not have important lessons about what is right and wrong. Answer Explanation: The answer means that a big problem with Robert Louis Stevenson's books, according to critics, is that they do not teach good lessons about right and wrong. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is D because the second paragraph talks about how people's opinions of Stevenson's books changed over time. It says that after being praised, his books were later seen as having 'corrupt ethics and lack of moral.' The paragraph finishes by saying that many critics still believe his works 'lack moral value.' This shows that a main criticism, or 'drawback,' of his writing is its perceived absence of good ethical teachings. |
| Q29 | B | Many of us believe adventure stories are exciting, offers engaging characters, action, and mystery but ultimately can't teach moral principles. The plot points are one-dimensional and rarely offer a deeper moral meaning, instead focusing on exciting and shocking plot twists and thrilling events | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that many people think adventure stories are fun with action and mystery, but they don't teach important lessons about what is right or wrong. These stories usually only have simple plots and don't offer much in the way of deep moral lessons; they just focus on exciting and surprising parts. Answer Explanation: The answer means that adventure stories, like the ones Robert Louis Stevenson wrote, are not good for teaching right from wrong. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because the passage explains why Stevenson's adventure stories were criticized. It says that many people thought these kinds of stories 'can't teach moral principles' and 'rarely offer a deeper moral meaning'. This means they do not show or teach good moral values. |
| Q30 | A | Stevenson's works, unlike other British authors, captured the unique day to day life of average Scottish people | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that, unlike books by other writers from Britain, Stevenson's stories truly captured the special everyday lives of ordinary people in Scotland. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Robert Louis Stevenson's stories show what life was like for people in Scotland. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is supported by the passage, which states that Stevenson's stories uniquely showed the daily lives of regular Scottish people. The author emphasizes that his works provided valuable information about life in Scotland during the 19th century. This idea is presented in contrast to other authors and even some critics who thought literature should 'transcend' local culture. |
| Q31 | C | Some even argue that his personal life eventually outshone his writing. | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage means that some people believed how Stevenson lived his life became more famous and important than the stories he wrote. Because so many people focused on his life story, people cared more about his life than about his books. Answer Explanation: The answer says that how Stevenson lived his life got more attention from people than the books he wrote. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because the passage explains that Stevenson's personal life, especially his health problems and his controversial decision to move to Samoa and travel a lot, drew a lot of interest. This interest grew so much that it started to be more important to people than his actual books. Keywords like 'attention from critics', 'personal life eventually outshone his writing', and 'interest in Stevenson's life had taken the place of interest in his works' all point to this conclusion. |
| Q32 | TRUE | Though Stevenson's works have deeply influenced Oscar Wilde, Wilde often joked that Stevenson would have written better works if he wasn't born in Scotland | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that Oscar Wilde was really moved by Stevenson's books and ideas. But Wilde also made jokes, saying that Stevenson's books would have been even better if he had been born somewhere other than Scotland. Answer Explanation: The answer, TRUE, means that the statement is correct. It means that Oscar Wilde looked up to Robert Louis Stevenson a lot, but he also thought Stevenson could have written even better books. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the passage tells us two important things about Oscar Wilde's view of Robert Louis Stevenson. First, it states that Stevenson's works 'deeply influenced' Wilde, which means Wilde admired or was significantly impacted by his writing. Second, the passage clearly says that 'Wilde often joked that Stevenson would have written better works if he wasn't born in Scotland.' This directly supports the idea that Wilde believed Stevenson could have created even greater or superior works. |
| Q33 | NOT GIVEN | Though Stevenson's works have deeply influenced Oscar Wilde, Wilde often joked that Stevenson would have written better works if he wasn't born in Scotland | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that Stevenson's books greatly affected Oscar Wilde. But it also says that Wilde sometimes made jokes about Stevenson, wishing he was from a different country so his books might be better. This part of the passage shows a connection between the two writers but does not talk about Stevenson encouraging Wilde to start writing. Answer Explanation: The answer 'NOT GIVEN' means that the passage does not have information to say if Robert Louis Stevenson made Oscar Wilde start writing or not. The passage does not tell us this specific detail. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'NOT GIVEN' because the passage talks about Oscar Wilde and Robert Louis Stevenson, but it never says that Stevenson encouraged Wilde to begin his writing career. The passage only mentions that Stevenson's works 'deeply influenced' Oscar Wilde and that Wilde sometimes 'criticised' Stevenson. There is no information about Stevenson giving Wilde encouragement to start writing. |
| Q34 | FALSE | Other authors came to Stevenson's defence, including Galsworthy who claimed that Stevenson is a greater writer than Thomas Hardy | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that some writers defended Stevenson, and one of them was Galsworthy. Galsworthy said that Stevenson was a better writer than another writer named Thomas Hardy. Answer Explanation: The answer 'FALSE' means that the statement is not true. Galsworthy did not think that Thomas Hardy was a better writer than Robert Louis Stevenson. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the passage clearly states the opposite of the given statement. The passage mentions that Galsworthy actually believed Stevenson was a better writer than Thomas Hardy, not the other way around. Look for keywords like 'Galsworthy' and 'greater writer' to understand his opinion. |
| Q35 | FALSE | Despite much debate of Stevenson's writing topics, his writing was not the only source of attention for critics. Stevenson's personal life often attracted a lot of attention from his fans and critics alike | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that even though people talked a lot about what Stevenson wrote in his books, his books were not the only thing critics thought about. His own life, or 'personal life,' also got a lot of interest from people who liked his work and people who judged it. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the statement is not true. Critics did not only look at what Robert Louis Stevenson wrote about. They also paid attention to other things. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the passage directly states that critics paid attention to more than just Stevenson's "writing topics." It clearly explains that "his writing was not the only source of attention for critics." The passage further mentions that "Stevenson's personal life often attracted a lot of attention from his fans and critics alike," showing critics focused on his life, not just his stories. It also refers to his "religious beliefs" and "eccentric lifestyle" as other things critics considered, proving they did not *only* focus on writing topics. |
| Q36 | F | While many critics exalt Sir Walter Scott as a literary genius because of his technical ability, others argue that Stevenson deserves the same recognition for his natural ability to capture stories and characters in words | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that many people think Sir Walter Scott is very smart in writing because he has 'technical ability'. This means he is very good at the skills and rules of writing. The passage then compares this to Stevenson, who is good at telling stories naturally. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'F', which means 'technical control'. This refers to how well someone handles the rules and skills of writing. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'F' (technical control) because the passage states that critics praise Sir Walter Scott for his 'technical ability'. The question asks what Scott is more proficient in, and 'technical control' is a good way to say 'technical ability', meaning Scott was very skilled in the craft of writing. |
| Q37 | A | While many critics exalt Sir Walter Scott as a literary genius because of his technical ability, others argue that Stevenson deserves the same recognition for his natural ability to capture stories and characters in words | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that many people think Sir Walter Scott is a very smart writer because he is good at the technical parts of writing. But other people say that Stevenson should be just as famous because he has a natural talent to write stories and create characters easily, without having to try too hard. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'natural ability'. This means a skill that someone is born with or learns very easily, without much effort. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer 'natural ability' is supported by the passage when comparing Robert Louis Stevenson with Sir Walter Scott. The text explains that while Scott is praised for his 'technical ability', Stevenson is recognized for his 'natural ability' to create stories and characters. This shows that Stevenson was good at writing in a very easy, born way. |
| Q38 | H | Many of Scott's works were taken more seriously as literature for their depth due to their tragic themes, but fans of Stevenson praise his unique style of story-telling and capture of human nature | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that many people thought Sir Walter Scott's books were more important because they had deep ideas, especially in their sad parts. But Stevenson's fans liked his special way of telling stories and showing how people act. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'H' which means the books of Sir Walter Scott show 'depth'. 'Depth' means the books have deep or important ideas, especially in sad stories. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'H' (depth) because the passage explains that Sir Walter Scott's books were considered more serious literature because they explored 'depth' through 'tragic themes'. This directly matches the question's focus on what Scott's books illustrate, especially regarding 'tragedy'. |
| Q39 | G | fans of Stevenson praise his unique style of story-telling and capture of human nature | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that people who enjoy Stevenson's books really like his special way of telling stories in them. They also appreciate how he understands and shows different kinds of people. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Robert Louis Stevenson's books are better because of his special way of telling stories. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is G because the passage indicates that a strong point of Stevenson's writing, which fans praise, is his 'story-telling'. The question asks what Stevenson's works bring readers that is 'better'. In the fourth paragraph, it states that 'fans of Stevenson praise his unique style of story-telling'. This directly matches the option 'G' (story telling), highlighting it as a positive and appealing aspect of his works. |
| Q40 | I | fans of Stevenson praise his unique style of story-telling and capture of human nature. Stevenson's works, unlike other British authors, captured the unique day to day life of average Scottish people | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that people who like Stevenson's work admire how well he tells stories and how he shows 'human nature' (how people act and feel). It also states that, unlike other writers from Britain, Stevenson's books showed the special, everyday lives of regular Scottish people. This means his understanding of people helped him write about Scottish life so well. Answer Explanation: The answer, 'human nature,' means that Robert Louis Stevenson understood people's feelings, thoughts, and how they behave. This helped him write stories that showed Scottish people in a very special and clear way. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'I' (human nature) because the passage explains that Stevenson's unique quality was his ability to 'capture of human nature'. It then directly connects this to his portrayal of Scottish life, stating that his works 'captured the unique day to day life of average Scottish people'. Therefore, his understanding of human nature allowed him to express Scottish people in a unique way in his writings. |