I’m Hiroshi Tanaka, an IELTS Reading expert with nine years of experience explaining Cambridge IELTS passages. My focus is on helping learners analyse academic topics clearly and develop high-band comprehension skills through real examples.
Cambridge 19 Reading Test 3 Passage 3 – Is the Era of Artificial Speech Translation Upon Us? discusses the progress of AI-powered voice translation and its social, technical and ethical implications. It examines the work of scientists like Professor Alex Waibel and entrepreneur Andrew Ochoa, highlighting how technology is transforming communication yet still faces barriers of noise, accuracy and cultural sensitivity.
Cambridge 19 Reading Test 3 Passage 3
🔹 Questions 27–30 | Multiple Choice
Practise this skill with 👉 Multiple Choice Questions
27) D – Aspects of the conversation are challenging for both speakers.
- Keywords: noise, distance, connection problems
- Location: Paragraph 1 (mid)
- Locator: “Noise … major challenge … struggling to follow him in English.”
- Explanation: Both professor and writer faced difficulty — one because of noise and the other because of distance and clarity. → D
28) A – the repeated content of lectures.
- Keywords: Karlsruhe Institute, translator assisted by consistency
- Location: Paragraph 2 (end)
- Locator: “lecturers … say much the same thing each year.”
- Explanation: Repetition and clear speech help the translator system. → A
29) C – artificial speech translation was not a surprising development.
- Keywords: Hitchhiker’s Guide, Babel fish, predictive fiction
- Location: Paragraph 3 (end)
- Locator: “devices … have started to appear, riding a wave of advances.”
- Explanation: What was once fiction is now reality → C
30) B – The reluctance to do this is understandable.
- Keywords: sharing earphones, barrier with strangers
- Location: Paragraph 5 (opening)
- Locator: “barrier with sharing one of the earphones with a stranger.”
- Explanation: Ochoa notes people hesitate for obvious reasons → B
🔹 Questions 31–34 | Sentence Completion (Choose A–F)
Study this type 👉 Matching Sentence Endings
31) C – but they are far from perfect.
- Keywords: Japan, voice translation growth
- Location: Paragraph 6 (opening–middle)
- Locator: “voice translation has really taken off … There is still a long way to go.”
- Explanation: Rapid progress but imperfect performance → C
32) E – because translation is immediate.
- Keywords: TV interviews, simultaneous translation
- Location: Paragraph 6 (mid)
- Locator: “simultaneous, like the translator’s voice speaking over … on the TV.”
- Explanation: TV voice-overs work well since translation is instant → E
33) F – and have an awareness of good manners.
- Keywords: addressing people properly, etiquette
- Location: Paragraph 7 (mid)
- Locator: “Systems … need to be socially aware … address people in the right way.”
- Explanation: Future systems must show politeness → F
34) B – as systems do not need to conform to standard practices.
- Keywords: local customs, preservation
- Location: Paragraph 7 (end)
- Locator: “might help to preserve local customs … slowing the spread of habits associated with international English.”
- Explanation: Technology may help retain local manners → B
🔹 Questions 35–40 | Yes / No / Not Given
Refine logic skills with 👉 Yes / No / Not Given
35) NO
- Keywords: useful throughout academic and professional worlds
- Location: Paragraph 4 (mid)
- Locator: “Professionals are less inclined to be patient in a conversation.”
- Explanation: Professionals find translation devices inefficient → NO
36) YES
- Keywords: value to family life unknown
- Location: Paragraph 8 (mid)
- Locator: “Whether it will help people conduct their family lives … is open to question.”
- Explanation: Benefits for families unclear → YES
37) NO
- Keywords: immigrant families more difficult
- Location: Paragraph 8 (end)
- Locator: “could overcome the language barriers that often arise between generations.”
- Explanation: Translation could help immigrant families → NO
38) NOT GIVEN
- Keywords: visual aspects being researched
- Location: No mention of visual research anywhere. → NOT GIVEN
39) NOT GIVEN
- Keywords: scientists find English easier to translate than Latin
- Location: Last paragraph mentions Latin vs English but not translation difficulty → NOT GIVEN
40) YES
- Keywords: difference between social and practical needs
- Location: Final lines
- Locator: “Though the practical need for a common language will diminish, the social value … will persist.”
- Explanation: Distinguishes social and practical roles of language → YES
Practice & Further Resources
Well done completing Cambridge 19 Reading Test 3 Passage 3 – Artificial Speech Translation!
Build your IELTS Reading logic with our:
Tips for Success
- For YES/NO questions, match the writer’s opinion, not facts.
- When locating answers, track chronological order — Cambridge passages rarely jump back.
- In MCQs, focus on differences between options.
- Underline verbs like believes, suggests, notes – they signal the writer’s stance.
New Vocabulary
Translation device – technology that converts spoken language in real time. (He tested a translation device on his business trip.)
Simultaneous – happening at the same time. (Simultaneous translation makes TV interviews easier to follow.)
Etiquette – rules of polite behaviour. (AI translators may need etiquette awareness.)
Lingua franca – a common language for communication between groups. (English is the lingua franca of science.)
Morphing – gradually changing form or appearance. (Voice-morphing software can imitate the speaker’s tone.)
Subtle – delicate or not obvious. (Language learning offers a subtle understanding machines can’t replicate.)
Expand your academic lexicon at 👉 IELTS Vocabulary in Context.
FAQ
Q1. What is the main idea of this passage?
AI translation is advancing rapidly but still cannot match human communication.
Q2. Why are scientists in Japan mentioned?
Japan has become a leader in voice translation development.
Q3. Will artificial translation replace language learning?
No – the writer says shared languages still build belonging and understanding.
Q4. What technical issues remain?
Background noise, delay, and cultural awareness remain key challenges.
External References
For official IELTS resources and exam guidance, visit the British Council, IDP IELTS, and IELTS.org — the organisations that jointly manage the IELTS test worldwide. To strengthen your skills through expert-led training, explore comprehensive IELTS Preparation Courses on Course Line, covering Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking.
Final Thoughts
The Cambridge 19 Reading Test 3 Passage 3 – Is the Era of Artificial Speech Translation Upon Us? illustrates how technology is reshaping communication while proving that language learning remains essential for true understanding. Use this passage to practise identifying author opinions and tracking logical progress for a Band 7 + Reading score.
Next → Cambridge 19 Reading Test 4 Passage 1 – The Impact of Climate Change on Butterflies in Britain.
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