IELTS Reading: tricky paragraph headings exercise

Here's a 'paragraph headings' question that many students find tricky. It is taken from Cambridge IELTS book 1.

Paragraph:
For the first time, dictionary publishers are incorporating real, spoken English into their data. It gives lexicographers (people who write dictionaries) access to a more vibrant, up-to-date vernacular language which has never really been studied before. In one project, 150 volunteers each agreed to discreetly tie a Walkman recorder to their waist and leave it running for anything up to two weeks. Every conversation they had was recorded. When the data was collected, the length of tapes was 35 times the depth of the Atlantic Ocean. Teams of audio typists transcribed the tapes to produce a computerised database of ten million words.

Which paragraph heading would you chose, and why?

1. New method of research
2. The first study of spoken language

Feel free to discuss this question in the "comments" area below this lesson. I'll give you my answer and explanation tomorrow.

Comments

[Hiep]

My answer is 1.

[Jenny]

My answer is 2

[Katherina]

1

(The paragraph is explaining about new method of language research, we do not have any information about the first study of language)

[Nzr]

I will choose the second heading, although the paragraph starts with ' For the first time' which might mislead us to first heading ,the rest of the paragraph is talking about spoken language project.

[Mohammad Vicky]

My answer is 1. The paragraph explains about the new method of language. We can see from sentence no.2 (up-to-date vernacular language which has never really been studied before). The next sentence is the details.

[Chaiane]

Number 2.
It did not mention anything about new method of research. However it mentioned that it is the fist time spoken English is in dictionary data using one project. This project, using this method, can not be new (did not say anything about it, again)

[vicky jindal]

ANSWER-1 In first two lines they describe about adding dictionary word and after that they describe how they have done the research

[Tinh]

1

[Sherin Prince]

Answer is 1
Paragraph talks about research,because it describes project,sampling, method,data collection and results.

[heba]

2

[Shiraz]

In my opinion, 1 describes too wide subject for the paragraph, but 2 is specified for spoken english

[Adil]

At first glance it seems 1 is the right answer but after careful consideration u will see that 2 is the answer noticefor the first time spoken english incorprated in dictionaries give new access to vibrate up to date venracular language never been studied befor so I think its number 2

[Nazi]

my answer is 2
there is nothing about new method of research in paragraph and it is about spoken language project.

[joanne]

2

My answer was 1 at the first time, but I didn't feel satisfied with the heading. So i took a look again, I would choose 2 for answer for it mainly talked about the spoken English put into the research.

[Tae]

The answer is 2.

In one project, 150 volunteers each agreed to discreetly tie a Walkman recorder to their waist and leave it running for anything up to two weeks.
This sentence is talking about the project of method. However the project is studying about spoken language. Therefore the answer is 2.

[Doena]

1

[Doena]

2

[Lana]

1

[Candice Liu]

Definitely 1

[Reno]

I choose the first one, because the "first" in the second choice seems wrong. The paragraph only says it is the first time for dictionary publishers to incorporate spoken English. It doesn't say anything about the first study of spoken language in general. And surely, this is not the first study because linguists must have done this before. Finally, this paragraph is about lexicographers making use of spoken language as a new method.

[avik paul]

My answer is 2. "For the first time","which has never really been studied before" confirm the 2nd answer.

[teru]

1

[sanba06c]

I choose "1. New method of research" because that's what the passages aims at: New method here is "For the first time, dictionary publishers are incorporating real, spoken English into their data". It is easily mistaken when "for the first time" appears at the beginning, but actually what it refers to is about new method.

[Cyril]

A new method of research. This is so because the passage emphasis was on the process of data collection i.e.150 volunteers using walkman of which findings were eventually incorporated into the dictionary.

[Bjergsen]

My answer would be 1, since the topic sentence of this paragraph is the first one. It said that the method of incorporating spoken English to the dictionary database by the dictionary publisher was adopted for the first time, so the main topic of this paragraph is talking about a new method related to study of language. However, I recommend Simon to put the last paragraph and next one with this together so that the followers can understand deeply about the main idea of this paragraph according to the context.

[Smitha]

My answer is1.This paragraph describes the methodology of introduction
of a language.

[Raghu]

My answer is 1, because first time they are putting spoken English into data form, and this method helped the lexicographers

[Patrick]

my answer is 2.
Reasons: just need to notice 'new' and 'first'.

[Jane]

The answer is 2.:For the first time, dictionary publishers are incorporating real, spoken English into their data. "Which has never been studied before"

[Sal]

The answer is 1
Because nothing about the first study of the language

[Aftab Ashraf]

2

[Tamina]

Hi simon! I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart, got the required score from the first time. I followed your guidelines regarding speaking and writing and I believe they are the best. Thanks again

[Anupama]

I think it's 1.

[David]

the answer is 1.
people who write dictionaries) access to a more vibrant, up-to-date vernacular language which has never really been studied before

[phung nhung]

it is two

[donson]

1

I choose the answer because the paragraph is about a new method of spoken language research, which is not the first study of spoken language. It can be seen in the first sentence.

[jene]

1

[Pham Hue]

I choose option 1.

[arnoldzhen]

My answer is 2

[Dorothy]

New method of research.

[rahmayelvi]

I choose second answer, The paragraph explain how lexicographer work Yo get 10 millionaire vicabs Anda other vocabs

[Cam]

"The first study of spoken language" is the paragraph heading. There are two facts in the paragraph help me point out the heading. First, in the first sentence have phrase "for the first time". Second,the last sentence presents "to produce a computerised database of ten million words."

[faeze]

1

[Hai]

My answer is 2

[L]

1

[Dagny Ho]

2 is my final answer because

1. Study means research in this case
2. I found no information what the new research method is to support of choosing number 1.

[Manjit Dhaliwal]

Ans.2 (The First study of spoken language)

[Emma]

I will chose 2 as the paragraph heading. in my opinion, although the paragraph listed the research methods of the spoken language, the article really wants to tell the reader that the spoken language is studied from now on. It is a new language project. while the heading 1 is a very wide concept.

[noslav7]

It seems to me, it was the first study of language. The method itself (of conducting the research) was not new.
My answer is 2.

[Evelina Califano]

2 as well. so where is the right answer Simon? :D

[Rio]

A keyword in the first heading:
Method

Similar words in the passage:
incorporating real, spoken English into their data.

In my opinion, the first study is often associated with history. Having said that, there are no information about the discovery of spoken language in the passage. Instead, gathering data through spoken language is clearly stated.

[Tracy]

1

[Bikram]

1 . New method of research

It gives lexicographers (people who write dictionaries) access to a more vibrant, up-to-date vernacular language which has never really been studied before.

2. The first study of spoken language = First time, spoken English into their data.

It is not same thing.

[Sandy S]

1 "New method of research" is my answer.

Based on the first sentence "For the first time, dictionary publishers are incorporating real, spoken English into their data."

-> This sentence explains that dictionary publishers have tried to incoporate spoken English into their data for the first time meaning they have never done that before, hence why I believe it's a new method of research

- The first study of spoken language: in my opinion it means this is the first time spoken language has been discovered.

[Simon]

CORRECT ANSWER FROM SIMON:

Number 1: "New method of research"

This is a tricky question as both headings are similar and seem to be correct. However, the paragraph DOESN'T talk about the first study of spoken language. It talks about the first time spoken English has been used when collecting data for dictionaries.

In other words, it's a new way of writing dictionaries, not the first study of spoken language.

Well done if you got this right!

[NIKI]

New method of research

[Vu]

Answer 1. Because the report showed the numbers of record. Which have studied on learner, who learn language as a listen method wasnt corparated dictionary publisher.

[Jon]

Darn. I knew it was the number 1!
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[kevin]

My answer is 1.

[Eman]

my answer is 2

[Sonia]

I think answer 2 is more specific

[Van]

I choose 1. B/c of this sentence."It gives lexicographers (people who write dictionaries) access to a more vibrant, up-to-date vernacular language which has never really been studied before." That means, in the past dictonery pulishets used to use other metheds to studied spoken english. So the answer can not the first study. It is the new method for studying spoken english.

[xin]

1

[Joe]

I will choose 2
because Title 1 mentioned a new method of research which is not wronge but not specific to the subject too

[J]

Definitely 2.
I think it didn't seem any mention about 'New method of research,' only thing can see 'In one project.'
Why do you think the answer is a New method of research?

[Huyen]

I choose 1 because of these keywords below:
the first time, dictionary, spoken english into data, 150 volunteers - recorder, produce a computerised, 10 million words.
-> New method to research by recorder in computer

[Minh Tiến]

the answer í 2

[Van Nguyen]

2

[Zaynab Gholam]

I think the answer would be 2 as it was the first time to use a recorder, although both of them look as appropriate answers

[Hiuong]

i think it's 2 because there are no word mentions this is mew method

[Mannnoo]

How can we know the correct answer ?!

[Simon]

CORRECT ANSWER FROM SIMON:

Number 1: "New method of research"

This is a tricky question as both headings are similar and seem to be correct. However, the paragraph DOESN'T talk about the first study of spoken language. It talks about the first time spoken English has been used when collecting data for dictionaries.

In other words, it's a new way of writing dictionaries, not the first study of spoken language.

[raiza]

hi simon,
i am appearing for academic ielts this june 17. i jus got to know your blog. must say you are doing a great job.
would you please guide me if i have to follow strictly the academic session for clearing my exam or even general would be enough? quite often am confused if your session focussing on general or academic.
awaiting your assistance

[RUPESHKUMAR]

My answer is 1

[Lopez]

My answer is 2

[shilpa]

sir i choose 1

sir i could not find where you wrote correct answer.

[Khaled Said]

I chose 1

[QuanBale]

My answer is number 1.

[Derek]

I choose 1.

In one project, 150 volunteers each agreed to discreetly tie a Walkman recorder to their waist and leave it running for anything up to two weeks. Every conversation they had was recorded.

[Meggie]

2. the first study of spoken language
Key:
up to date vernacular which has never been studied before

[Tinatin]

1

[Rc]

1

[Fref]

1becasuse up to date vanacular is being studied for the first time

[zanakooo]

my answer : 1
(For the first time, dictionary publishers are incorporating real, spoken English into their data. ) but i'm not sure due first sentence.

[prabhjot dhingra]

my answer is 2 is it correct sir ???