The IELTS Reading section includes different types of passages and questions that test your ability to understand information, locate specific details, and recognise paraphrased ideas. The Swiffer Reading Answers is one such IELTS Reading passage.
The passage explores how creativity and sudden inspiration develop, using the story of the Swiffer as an example. It discusses the role of frustration, insight, hard work, brain activity, collaboration, social interaction, and environments such as workplaces and cities. It also refers to figures such as Bob Dylan, Steve Jobs, and Geoffrey West.
This IELTS Reading passage tests skills such as scanning for key information, understanding paraphrases, matching related ideas, and identifying the main theme. Reading the questions carefully and locating the relevant information in the passage can help you answer more accurately.
The Swiffer Reading Passage
The Swiffer Reading Passage focuses on the connection between creativity and the different factors that can lead to new ideas. Before attempting the questions, read the passage carefully and pay attention to examples, names, scientific terms, and changes in the writer’s discussion.
The Swiffer
A. For a fascinating tale about creativity, look at a cleaning product called the Swiffer and how it came about, urges writer Jonah Lehrer. In the story of the Swiffer, he argues, we have the key elements in producing breakthrough ideas: frustration, moments of insight, and sheer hard work. The story starts with a multinational company that had invented products for keeping homes spotless, and couldn’t come up with better ways to clean floors, so it hired designers to watch how people cleaned. Frustrated after hundreds of hours of observation, they one day noticed a woman do, with a paper towel, what people do all the time: wipe something up and throw it away. An idea popped into lead designer Harry West’s head: the solution to their problem was a floor mop with a disposable cleaning surface. Mountains of prototypes and years of teamwork later, they unveiled the Swiffer, which quickly became a commercial success.
B. Lehrer, the author of Imagine, a new book that seeks to explain how creativity works, says this study of the imagination started from a desire to understand what happens in the brain at the moment of sudden insight. ‘But the book definitely spiraled out of control,’ Lehrer says. ‘When you talk to creative people, they’ll tell you about the ‘eureka’* moment, but when you press them they also talk about the hard work that comes afterwards, so I realised I needed to write about that, too. And then I realised I couldn’t just look at creativity from the perspective of the brain, because it’s also about the culture and context, about the group and the team and the way we collaborate.’
C. When it comes to the mysterious process by which inspiration comes into your head as if from nowhere, Lehrer says modern neuroscience has produced a ‘first draft’ explanation of what is happening in the brain. He writes of how burnt-out American singer Bob Dylan decided to walk away from his musical career in 1965 and escape to a cabin in the woods, only to be overcome by a desire to write. Apparently, ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ suddenly flowed from his pen. ‘It’s like a ghost is writing a song,’ Dylan has reportedly said. ‘It gives you the song, and it goes away.’ But it’s no ghost, according to Lehrer.
D. Instead, the right hemisphere of the brain is assembling connections between past influences and making something entirely new. Neuroscientists have roughly charted this process by mapping the brains of people doing word puzzles solved by making sense of remotely connected information. For instance, subjects are given three words – such as ‘age’, ‘mile’ and ‘sand’ – and asked to come up with a single word that can precede or follow each of them to form a compound word. (It happens to be ‘stone’.) Using brain-imaging equipment, researchers discovered that when people get the answer in an apparent flash of insight, a small fold of tissue called the anterior superior temporal gyrus suddenly lights up just beforehand. This stays silent when the word puzzle is solved through careful analysis. Lehrer says that this area of the brain lights up only after we’ve hit the wall on a problem. Then the brain starts hunting through the ‘filing cabinets of the right hemisphere’ to make the connections that produce the right answer.
E. Studies have demonstrated it’s possible to predict a moment of insight up to eight seconds before it arrives. The predictive signal is a steady rhythm of alpha waves emanating from the brain’s right hemisphere, which are closely associated with relaxing activities. ‘When our minds are at ease-when those alpha waves are rippling through the brain – we’re more likely to direct the spotlight of attention towards that stream of remote associations emanating from the right hemisphere,’ Lehrer writes. ‘In contrast, when we are diligently focused, our attention tends to be towards the details of the problems we are trying to solve.’ In other words, then we are less likely to make those vital associations. So, heading out for a walk or lying down are important phases of the creative process, and smart companies know this. Some now have a policy of encouraging staff to take time out during the day and spend time on things that at first glance are unproductive (like playing a PC game), but daydreaming has been shown to be positively correlated with problem-solving. However, to be more imaginative, says Lehrer, it’s also crucial to collaborate with people from a wide range of backgrounds because if colleagues are too socially intimate, creativity is stifled.
F. Creativity, it seems, thrives on serendipity. American entrepreneur Steve Jobs believed so. Lehrer describes how at Pixar Animation, Jobs designed the entire workplace to maximise the chance of strangers bumping into each other, striking up conversations and learning from one another. He also points to a study of 766 business graduates who had gone on to own their own companies. Those with the greatest diversity of acquaintances enjoyed far more success. Lehrer says he has taken all this on board, and despite his inherent shyness, when he’s sitting next to strangers on a plane or at a conference, he forces himself to initiate conversations. As for predictions that the rise of the Internet would make the need for shared working space obsolete, Lehrer says research shows the opposite has occurred; when people meet face-to-face, the level of creativity increases. This is why the kind of place we live in is so important to innovation. According to theoretical physicist Geoffrey West, when corporate institutions get bigger, they often become less receptive to change. Cities, however, allow our ingenuity to grow by pulling huge numbers of different people together, who then exchange ideas. Working from the comfort of our homes may be convenient, therefore, but it seems we need the company of others to achieve our finest ‘eureka’ moments.
The Swiffer Reading Answers: Questions and Explanations
The Swiffer Reading passage includes different IELTS Reading question types designed to test a range of reading skills. Questions 27–30 are multiple choice, Questions 31–34 require matching sentence endings, Questions 35–39 are note completion, and Question 40 asks you to choose the most suitable title. Read each question carefully and use the relevant information from the passage to find the correct answer.
The Swiffer Reading Answers: Questions 27–30
These questions are multiple-choice questions. Read the options carefully and identify the specific idea discussed in the relevant paragraph before selecting an answer.
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.
Question 27
The Swiffer was invented after researchers
A. found that people wanted a cheaper way to clean floors. B. studied how companies developed cleaning products. C. tested several different types of cleaning equipment. D. observed how people dealt with everyday cleaning problems.
Answer: D - Paragraph 1
Explanation: The first paragraph explains that designers watched people cleaning for hundreds of hours. Their breakthrough came when they observed a woman using a paper towel to wipe something and then throw it away. This observation led to the idea of a mop with a disposable cleaning surface.
Question 28
What does Jonah Lehrer say about his book Imagine?
A. It focuses mainly on the neuroscience of creativity. B. It developed into a much broader study than he had originally planned. C. It was inspired by the work of other creative people. D. It explains why some people are more creative than others.
Answer: B - Paragraph 2
Explanation: Lehrer says that his study began with an interest in what happens in the brain during a moment of sudden insight. However, the book “spiraled out of control” because he realised creativity also involved hard work, culture, context, teams, and collaboration.
Question 29
Why does Lehrer mention Bob Dylan?
A. To give an example of a sudden moment of creative inspiration. B. To explain how musicians develop their ideas. C. To show how difficult it is to understand creative people. D. To compare different approaches to writing music.
Answer: A - Paragraph 3
Explanation: Bob Dylan is used as an example of someone who experienced a sudden desire to write and produced “Like a Rolling Stone” seemingly out of nowhere. Lehrer uses this example to introduce the idea of sudden creative insight.
Question 30
What happens in the brain when a person experiences a sudden insight?
A. Both sides of the brain become active at exactly the same time. B. The brain stops processing information about the problem. C. A particular area of the brain becomes active shortly before the insight. D. The brain focuses more closely on the details of the problem.
Answer: C - Paragraph 4
Explanation: The passage describes a word-puzzle experiment in which researchers observed brain activity. When participants reached an answer through a sudden flash of insight, the anterior superior temporal gyrus became active shortly beforehand.
The Swiffer Reading Answers: Questions 31–34
These questions ask you to match each sentence beginning with the correct ending from A–F. The relevant information is mainly found in Paragraphs 3 and 5, so focus on the ideas about insight, concentration, breaks, and social interaction.
Complete each sentence with the correct ending, A–F, below.
Question 31
Scientists know a moment of insight is coming
Answer: B - Paragraph 5
Ending: B, because there is greater activity in the right side of the brain.
Explanation: The passage says that a moment of insight can be predicted up to eight seconds before it occurs. The predictive signal is a rhythm of alpha waves coming from the brain’s right hemisphere.
Question 32
Mental connections are much harder to make
Answer: C - Paragraph 5
Ending: C. If people are concentrating on the specifics of a problem.
Explanation: The passage contrasts a relaxed state with a highly focused state. When people concentrate closely on the details of a problem, they are less likely to make the remote associations needed for insight.
Question 33
Some companies require their employees to stop working
Answer: D - Paragraph 5
Ending: D, so they can increase the possibility of finding answers.
Explanation: The passage explains that some companies encourage employees to take time away from work and spend time on activities that may initially appear unproductive. These breaks can support creativity and problem-solving.
Question 34
A team will function more successfully
Answer: A - Paragraph 5
Ending: A. when people are not too familiar with one another.
Explanation: Lehrer argues that creativity benefits from people with different backgrounds. When colleagues become too socially intimate, creativity can be reduced. This is why interaction among people who are not overly familiar with one another can encourage new ideas.
The Swiffer Reading Answers: Questions 35–39
These are note-completion questions. The answers are all located in Paragraph 6. Look for the exact words or ideas connected with Steve Jobs, business owners, social interaction, the Internet, and Geoffrey West.
Questions 35–39. Complete the notes below.
Choose NO MORE THAN ONE WORD from the passage for each answer.
Creativity and Collaboration
Steve Jobs:
made changes to the ______ to encourage interaction at Pixar.
Jonah Lehrer:
company owners must have a wide range of ______ to do well.
it’s important to start ______ with new people.
the ______ has not replaced the need for physical contact.
Geoffrey West:
living in ______ encourages creativity.
Question 35
Answer: WORKPLACE - Paragraph 6
Explanation: The passage says that Steve Jobs designed the entire Pixar workplace to increase the chance of people meeting and interacting with one another.
Question 36
Answer: ACQUAINTANCES - Paragraph 6
Explanation: Lehrer refers to a study of business graduates and says that those with a greater diversity of acquaintances experienced much more success.
Question 37
Answer: CONVERSATIONS - Paragraph 6
Explanation: Lehrer says that he makes himself start conversations with strangers when he is travelling or attending conferences. The passage uses this as an example of how social interaction can support creativity.
Question 38
Answer: INTERNET - Paragraph 6
Explanation: The passage discusses predictions that the Internet would remove the need for shared working spaces. However, research mentioned by Lehrer suggests that face-to-face interaction continues to increase creativity.
Question 39
Answer: CITIES - Paragraph 6
Explanation: Geoffrey West is mentioned in connection with cities. According to the passage, cities bring large numbers of different people together, allowing them to exchange ideas and encouraging ingenuity.
The Swiffer Reading Answers: Question 40
This final question tests your understanding of the whole passage. Rather than focusing on one example, look at the central idea that connects the Swiffer, neuroscience, collaboration, workplaces, and cities.
Question 40
Which of the following is the most suitable title for the reading passage?
A. Understanding what drives our moments of inspiration B. Challenging traditional theories of human creativity C. Creative solutions for enhancing professional relationships D. How the future is shaped by innovative ideas and inspired people
Answer: A - Overall passage
Explanation: The entire passage focuses on how moments of inspiration and creativity happen. It explores the brain processes behind insight as well as the role of relaxation, hard work, collaboration, social interaction, and the environment. Therefore, “Understanding what drives our moments of inspiration” is the most suitable title.
The passage contains different question types, so you should change your approach depending on the question. Knowing what to look for can help you save time and avoid choosing an answer simply because it contains a familiar word.
Multiple Choice Questions
For Questions 27–30:
Read the question and all four options carefully.
Identify the main idea being tested.
Look for synonyms and paraphrases in the passage.
Do not select an option only because you see the same word in the text.
Eliminate options that contradict the passage.
The first four questions generally follow the order of information in the passage, which makes scanning easier.
Matching Sentence Endings
Questions 31–34 can be more challenging because there are more endings than questions.
Read all the endings first and underline the important ideas. Then find the relevant section in the passage. Finally, read the complete sentence with your chosen ending to make sure the meaning is logical.
Note Completion
Questions 35–39 require ONE WORD ONLY.
First, read the notes and predict what kind of word might fit each blank. Then locate the relevant information in the passage. Always check the grammar and spelling of your answer before moving on.
For example, Question 35 requires WORKPLACE, not "the workplace", because only one word is allowed.
Choosing the Best Title
For Question 40, look at the entire passage rather than focusing on one paragraph.
The Swiffer is only the starting example. The larger focus is creativity and what causes moments of inspiration. Therefore, the correct title needs to represent the central idea of the whole passage.
Important Vocabulary from The Swiffer Passage
Understanding a few key terms can make reading answers the swiffer easier to follow.
Word/Phrase
Meaning
Eureka moment
A sudden moment when someone understands or discovers something
Prototype
An early model of a product used for testing
Hemisphere
One of the two halves of the brain
Alpha waves
Brain waves associated with a relaxed but awake state
Remote associations
Connections between ideas that may seem unrelated
Spiralled out of control
Became much larger or more complicated than originally planned
Atrium
A large open area inside a building
Ingenuity
The ability to create clever or original solutions
Common Mistakes in The Swiffer Reading Answers
The IELTS reading passage and the Swiffer answers can be difficult because several options contain ideas or words that appear in the text. Avoid these common mistakes while practising.
Choosing an answer because of an exact word match: IELTS often uses paraphrasing. An option may contain a word from the passage but still be incorrect. Always check whether the complete meaning matches.
Focusing only on the Swiffer: The passage begins with the Swiffer, but it is mainly used to introduce a wider discussion about creativity, insight, and innovation.
Ignoring the question instructions: Questions 35–39 specifically require ONE WORD ONLY. Adding an extra word can make an otherwise correct answer incorrect.
Spending too much time on one question: If you cannot find an answer after checking the relevant section, move to the next question and return later. This helps you manage the limited Reading time.
Choosing a narrow title: The correct title should represent the central message of the whole passage. Do not select an option that describes only workplace relationships, cities, or the Swiffer itself.
Tips to Improve Your Score in The Swiffer Reading Answers
The Swiffer IELTS Reading answers can become easier with regular practice and a clear strategy. Use these tips when working through similar IELTS Reading passages:
Read the questions before searching for answers.
Underline names, dates, technical terms, and important concepts.
Look for synonyms instead of exact keyword matches.
Pay attention to the order of information.
Read the sentence before and after the keyword.
Follow word-limit instructions carefully.
Eliminate clearly incorrect options in multiple-choice questions.
For title questions, consider the complete passage.
Review every wrong answer after completing the test.
Keep track of your time while practising.
Conclusion
The Swiffer IELTS Reading Answers is a useful IELTS practice text for improving skills such as identifying main ideas, understanding paraphrases, matching information, and completing notes. Although the passage begins with the Swiffer, its main focus is the process of creativity and the factors that help people develop new ideas.
To perform well in the Swiffer IELTS reading answers, focus on understanding the writer's meaning rather than searching for exact words. Practising different question types and reviewing your mistakes can help improve both accuracy and reading speed.
1. What is The Swiffer IELTS Reading passage about?
The passage explores how creativity develops through insight, relaxation, hard work, and collaboration. It uses the Swiffer’s development as an example and also discusses neuroscience, Bob Dylan, Steve Jobs, workplace interaction, and cities as environments that encourage new ideas.
2. Is The Swiffer an Academic or General Training passage?
The Swiffer is an Academic IELTS Reading passage and appears as Reading Passage 3 in Academic Test 6 of the Cambridge Official Guide to IELTS. Students preparing for the Academic Reading test can use the Swiffer IELTS Reading answers for practice.
3. How many questions are included in The Swiffer Reading passage?
The passage contains 14 questions, numbered 27 to 40. It includes multiple-choice, matching sentence endings, note completion, and a title-selection question. Reviewing the IELTS reading passage and the Swiffer answers can help students understand how these different question types are structured.
4. What question types are included in The Swiffer IELTS Reading test?
The question set includes multiple-choice questions, matching sentence endings, note completion, and a question asking for the most suitable title. Understanding these formats is useful when checking the reading answers for The Swiffer after completing the passage under timed conditions.
5. Why is The Swiffer passage useful for IELTS Reading practice?
The passage covers several connected ideas and uses different question formats, making it useful for practising scanning, paraphrase recognition, and identifying the writer’s main argument. The Swiffer IELTS reading answers can also help identify mistakes after a practice attempt.
6. What makes The Swiffer Reading passage challenging?
Some parts of the passage discuss neuroscience and creative thinking, which may include unfamiliar terminology. The text also moves between individual creativity, teamwork, and cities. Understanding the surrounding context is therefore more useful than trying to translate every difficult word.
7. What vocabulary can students learn from The Swiffer passage?
The passage contains useful vocabulary related to creativity, neuroscience, collaboration, and innovation. Words such as “insight”, “serendipity”, “ingenuity,”, and “receptive” can be added to your vocabulary list, preferably with their meanings and example sentences.
8. How should students review the Swiffer IELTS Reading answers?
After completing the passage, compare each response with the Swiffer IELTS Reading answer key and return to the relevant paragraph. Check why your answer was correct or incorrect, especially where paraphrasing or similar-looking options caused confusion.
9. Can the Swiffer help improve IELTS Reading time management?
Yes. Since the passage contains several question types, it provides useful practice for switching between different answering techniques. Try completing it within the recommended time and note which questions take the longest before reviewing your reading answers with the Swiffer.
10. Should students understand every word before answering?
No. IELTS Reading does not require complete understanding of every word. Instead, focus on the question, locate the relevant section, and use context to understand the required information. This approach can make working through the Swiffer IELTS Reading answers more efficient.
11. How can students use The Swiffer for further IELTS preparation?
Use the passage as a diagnostic exercise rather than simply checking your score. Review incorrect answers, identify the reason for each mistake, and practise the same question type again. This makes the Swiffer IELTS Reading Answer Key more useful for long-term improvement.
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