Let’s help with Viola Desmond IELTS Reading questions and answers. If you will agree with me, sitting for the IELTS test can be both exciting and daunting.
Among the myriad of passages that test takers might encounter, one common one is about Viola Desmond, a pivotal figure in Canadian history.
If you have been struggling with how to read the passage and answer the questions that follow correctly, then this post will help. Here, we will shed light on Viola Desmond IELTS Reading questions to better prepare you for the test.
What’s the Purpose of the Viola Desmond IELTS Reading Test?
The Viola Desmond IELTS Reading section is designed to test your comprehension skills by looking into the life and legacy of Viola Desmond, an important figure in Canadian history.
Students sitting for the IELTS test will usually face questions here in order to assess their ability to understand main ideas, details, and inferential meanings within a historical context. The reading simple provides a practical and engaging way to evaluate student’s reading proficiency.
Viola Desmond IELTS Reading Passage
1 Viola Desmond, an African Canadian from Nova Scotia, was a woman ahead of her time. During an era when societal norms relegated black women to domestic work and black men to menial labor, Viola harbored ambitions of entrepreneurship. By the age of 32 in 1946, she had realized her dream, owning a beauty salon, establishing a school for black women in the beauty industry, and creating her own beauty product line.
2 One day, while delivering her products across Nova Scotia, Viola’s car broke down in New Glasgow. To pass the time during the repair, she chose to watch a movie at the Roseland Theatre, a notable brick structure with a vibrant night-time sign. After purchasing her ticket, she opted for a seat on the main floor due to her poor eyesight, which required her to be near the screen.
3 However, her movie experience was abruptly interrupted when an employee informed her that her ticket was only valid for the balcony seating. Upon attempting to purchase a main floor ticket, she faced outright discrimination as the clerk refused her service based on her race. Despite offering the additional fee for a main floor seat, her attempt was rebuffed, yet she returned to her chosen seat, standing firm against the unjust policy.
4 The situation escalated when the theatre manager threatened to involve the police unless she moved to the balcony. Viola stood her ground, challenging the manager to proceed with his threat. The police eventually arrived, and despite Viola’s passive resistance, they forcibly removed her from the theatre.
5 That night, Viola found herself in jail, reflecting on the events that unfolded. Without legal representation or knowledge of court procedures, she represented herself in court the following day and was subsequently found guilty in the unfamiliar legal setting.
6 While her husband encouraged her to leave the incident in the past, Viola, driven by a quest for justice, appealed her case, though without success. Nevertheless, her determination ignited a collective movement in Nova Scotia, championing civil rights and eventually leading to the abolition of discriminatory laws in 1954, a significant milestone toward racial equality.
7 Today, while legal equality is established in Canada, the persistence of racial prejudice reminds us of Viola Desmond’s courage. Her story is a call to action, urging us to remain vigilant against racism and to strive for a society where history’s injustices are not repeated.
Viola Desmond IELTS Reading Questions and Answers
Which event happened last?
- Viola’s husband asked her to forget about her arrest.
- Viola went back to court.
- Viola was found guilty a second time.
- Many people started fighting for equal rights in Nova Scotia.
The correct answer here is C. Viola was found guilty a second time. This event occurred after she decided to challenge the initial court decision by taking her case back to court, despite her husband’s plea to move on.
Choose the best completion for this sentence. Viola Desmond _____
- Was born in Canada.
- Was born in Nova Scotia, but emigrated to Africa.
- Was born in Africa, but immigrated to Canada.
- Worked as a servant in Nova Scotia.
The answer is A. Was born in Canada. Specifically, Viola Desmond was an African Canadian woman from Nova Scotia, indicating her Canadian birthplace and highlighting her significant role in the region’s history.
Choose the best completion for this sentence. Viola spoke on her own behalf in court because ___
- She didn’t have enough money to pay a lawyer to defend her.
- She didn’t know that she could call a lawyer to defend her.
- No lawyer would take her case.
- Her husband said she didn’t need a lawyer.
The answer to this Viola Desmond IELTS Reading question is B. In the court proceedings following her arrest, Viola Desmond represented herself because she was unaware of her right to seek legal counsel. This made her defend herself without professional legal representation.
Choose the best completion for this sentence. Viola was taken to prison because _____
- She fought with the police when they tried to remove her from the theatre.
- She refused to leave an area where black people were allowed to sit.
- She refused to pay extra money for a seat on the main floor of the theatre.
- She refused to leave an area where only white people were allowed to sit.
Answer is D. She refused to leave an area where only white people were allowed to sit.
Which event happened first?
- Viola became 32 years old.
- Viola was arrested by the police.
- Viola started selling her own beauty products.
- Nova Scotia made new laws treating black and white people equally.
The answer is A. Viola became 32 years old. This event happened first in the passage. It is a part of her early personal background before the subsequent events related to her activism and the legal changes in Nova Scotia.
Which event happened last?
- The judge said Viola was guilty.
- Viola spoke for herself in court.
- Viola went to prison.
- Viola went to court.
The last event in the sequence after her court appearance and self-representation was her imprisonment, which followed the court’s judgment.
Which statement is true?
- Viola Desmond was a student at a beauty school for black women.
- Viola Desmond was born in 1946.
- Viola Desmond’s car needed repairs when she was making a delivery in Glasgow, Scotland.
- Viola Desmond’s car needed repairs when she was making a delivery in Nova Scotia.
The only correct option there is D. Viola Desmond’s car needed repairs when she was making a delivery in Nova Scotia. This statement is true and directly relates to the circumstances that led to her presence at the theatre in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia.
Which event happened first?
- Someone tapped Viola on the shoulder.
- The theatre manager talked to Viola.
- Viola paid extra money for a theatre ticket.
- Viola understood that black people were allowed to sit in the balcony.
Answer is option A. Someone tapped Viola on the shoulder. This event occurred first during her theatre visit.
Which statement is not true?
- While her car was being repaired, Viola went to the Roseland Theatre to see a movie.
- The Roseland Theatre was a brick building.
- The Roseland Theatre had a large lighted sign at night.
- New Glasgow is near Nova Scotia.
Option D is not true about the passage. This statement is not correct because New Glasgow is not near but within Nova Scotia. It is one of the towns in the province.
Choose the best completion for this sentence. Viola wanted to sit on the main floor of the theatre because ______
- Tickets for the balcony were too expensive,
- She wanted to sit with other black women.
- Tickets for the balcony were all sold out.
- She couldn’t see properly from the balcony.
The answer is that she couldn’t see properly from the balcony. Viola wanted to sit on the main floor because her poor eyesight required her to be closer to the screen to see clearly, not due to ticket availability or a desire to sit with others.
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