IELTS Academic Reading · TFNG Passage 2 · The Domestication of the Horse Teacher Key — Not for Students

Answer Key: True / False / Not Given · TFNG-2

Passage: The Domestication of the Horse  |  Questions 1–7  |  Question type follows text order

Quick Reference

Q Answer Paragraph Key phrase in passage
1 True A humans hunted them for meat
2 True B presence of bit wear on teeth, which suggests the use of a bridle
3 False C modern domestic horses are not descended from Botai horses
4 False D challenges the notion of a single origin point
5 False E this hypothesis remains contested
6 False F believed to have originated in Central Asia and gradually spread westward, reaching Europe
7 Not Given G Current population stated (~60 million); no comparison to historical peak is made

Detailed Explanations

Q1 Before horses were domesticated, humans used them primarily as a food source. True

Evidence in passage

A humans hunted them for meat, as evidenced by large accumulations of horse bones at prehistoric butchery sites. The word primarily in the statement aligns with "hunted … for meat" as the described purpose — the passage presents hunting as the dominant pre-domestication use.

Common wrong answers & why

  • NOT GIVEN — Some students may feel the passage doesn't use the word "primarily." Teach that if the only pre-domestication use mentioned is hunting for meat, that implies it was the primary use.
  • Good item for practising the inference that a sole-mentioned use = primary use.
Q2 Bit wear on horse teeth is one piece of evidence researchers use to identify domesticated horses in the archaeological record. True

Evidence in passage

B presence of bit wear on teeth, which suggests the use of a bridle — listed explicitly as one of the indicators researchers use. Very close paraphrase; this is a straightforward TRUE.

Common wrong answers & why

  • Rarely missed. If a student answers NOT GIVEN, they likely did not read paragraph B carefully — redirect them to scan for specific technical vocabulary.
Q3 Genetic research has confirmed that all modern domestic horses are descended from the horses kept by the Botai people. False

Evidence in passage

C modern domestic horses are not descended from Botai horses — a direct, unambiguous contradiction. The Botai lineage survives only in Przewalski's horse, not in domestic breeds.

Common wrong answers & why

  • TRUE — Students may read the passage quickly and remember only that Botai had horses, missing the crucial genetic finding. Teach them to read the whole paragraph, especially connectives like "however."
  • NOT GIVEN — The passage is explicit; this is not an omission. Point students to the exact sentence.
  • Good item for practising the skill of spotting contrast signal words (however).
Q4 All academics agree that horse domestication occurred at a single location on the Eurasian steppe. False

Evidence in passage

D The genetic evidence challenges the notion of a single origin point. Paragraph D explicitly states horses were domesticated more than once, independently. The statement's claim of universal agreement on a single location is directly contradicted.

Common wrong answers & why

  • NOT GIVEN — Students may focus on "all academics agree" and think agreement/disagreement isn't discussed. But the passage explicitly says the single-origin notion is challenged — that is disagreement, making this FALSE.
  • Useful for teaching universal quantifier traps: all, every, always, never are often FALSE in IELTS passages.
Q5 The connection between horse riding and the spread of Indo-European languages is accepted by all researchers in the field. False

Evidence in passage

E this hypothesis remains contested — directly contradicts "accepted by all researchers." Contested = not universally accepted.

Common wrong answers & why

  • NOT GIVEN — Students may miss "remains contested" at the end of the sentence. Reinforce reading to the end of each sentence before deciding.
  • Another universal quantifier trap (all researchers). Pairs well with Q4 for a mini-lesson on this pattern.
Q6 Stirrups were first developed in Europe and later introduced to Central Asia. False

Evidence in passage

F believed to have originated in Central Asia and gradually spread westward, reaching Europe — the direction of spread is the exact opposite of what the statement claims.

Common wrong answers & why

  • NOT GIVEN — Students occasionally feel uncertain about hedged language (believed to have). Explain that a hedged claim is still a claim — it's not the same as the topic being unmentioned.
  • Good reversal trap: students must notice the direction (Central Asia → Europe, not Europe → Central Asia).
Q7 The total number of horses alive today is higher than at any previous point in history. Not Given

Evidence in passage

G The passage gives a current figure (around 60 million) and describes it as a small fraction of historical numbers — implying historical numbers were larger, not smaller. However, it never states the current figure is the highest ever. The comparison to a historical peak is simply not made.

Common wrong answers & why

  • FALSE — This is the main trap. Students may read "a small fraction of historical numbers" and conclude the passage says the current number is lower, which would make the statement FALSE. However, "small fraction of historical numbers" compares to an unspecified historical level — it does not confirm or deny whether the current figure is the highest ever. The question of an all-time peak is simply not addressed.
  • This is a sophisticated NOT GIVEN: related information exists (current population, a vague comparison) but the specific claim in the statement (all-time high) is never made or denied.
  • Use this to teach: related information ≠ the answer. Ask: does the passage directly address THIS claim?

Teaching Notes — TFNG-2