The Davies Sisters: Reading answers

The passage opens

Answers 1–13

1. 1

   mining Note completion

   The note says the wealth came from mining and transportation businesses; the passage gives the two industries as “shipping and mining.”

   “shipping and mining industries”

2. 2

   education Note completion

   The passage says their school’s focus was cultural, while the note paraphrases their education as designed to encourage an interest in activities such as art collecting.

   “Their London school focused on cultural rather than academic study”

3. 3

   notes Note completion

   “Extensive notes” matches the note’s “lengthy” records of what they saw in galleries.

   “making extensive notes on the collections there”

4. 4

   journals Note completion

   The note refers to the sisters’ journals as evidence of their preference for Old Master paintings.

5. 5

   Venice Note completion

   The passage says their first Impressionist purchases depicted scenes of Venice, matching the note about the places shown.

   “their first purchases of Impressionist art, made in October 1912, were scenes of Venice”

6. 6

   canteen Note completion

   The passage says the sisters volunteered at a canteen for troops; the note paraphrases troops as soldiers.

   “volunteer at a canteen for troops at Troyes”

7. 7

   friends Note completion

   The passage says they did not make friends with artists or gallery owners, matching the note’s gap about friends who were artists.

   “they didn't make friends with artists or gallery owners”

8. 8

   The Davies sisters' childhood influenced the way they decided to use their wealth.

   TRUE True / False / Not Given

   The passage directly links their upbringing to social responsibility and says they chose to use their inheritance for cultural and philanthropic purposes. This confirms that their childhood influenced how they used their wealth.

   “Their religious upbringing in rural Wales gave them a deep sense of social responsibility and they chose to use their inheritance for cultural and philanthropic* purposes.”

9. 9

   The Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot paintings in the Davies sisters' collection were purchased from a gallery in France.

   NOT GIVEN True / False / Not Given

   The passage says the sisters bought paintings by Corot, but it does not say where they bought them. It neither confirms nor contradicts that the paintings came from a gallery in France.

10. 10

    Hugh Blaker opposed the Davies sisters' decision to buy art by French Impressionists.

    FALSE True / False / Not Given

    The passage says Hugh Blaker, a champion of contemporary French art, had a hand in the decision to buy Impressionist works. This contradicts the claim that he opposed it.

    “We know that Hugh Blaker, as a champion of contemporary French art had a hand in the decision”

11. 11

    The exhibition of Cezanne paintings at the Bath gallery was very popular with the public.

    NOT GIVEN True / False / Not Given

    The passage says the Cezanne paintings went on display in a public gallery in Britain, but gives no information about how popular the exhibition was. It neither confirms nor contradicts the statement.

12. 12

    The impact of the First World War encouraged Gwendoline to reconsider her interest in collecting art.

    TRUE True / False / Not Given

    The passage connects the poverty and social upheaval caused by the war with Gwendoline feeling increasingly uncomfortable buying art. This supports the statement that the war’s impact led her to reconsider collecting.

    “By the early 1920s, Gwendoline felt increasingly uncomfortable buying art works when faced with the poverty and social upheaval created by the First World War.”

13. 13

    The Davies sisters bought French Impressionist art during a period when very few people were doing so.

    TRUE True / False / Not Given

    The passage says French Impressionist art was routinely ignored by individuals and institutions. This supports the statement that few people were collecting it at that time.

    “The sisters collected French Impressionist paintings at a time when such art was routinely ignored by individuals and institutions alike.”

More Reading answers