Katherine Mansfield

Read Katherine Mansfield and check the IELTS Reading answers. Katherine Mansfield Beauchamp Murry was born in 1888, into a prominent family in Wellington, New Zealand. She became one of New Zealand’s best-known writers, using the pen name of Katherine Mansfield. The daughter of a banker, and born i…

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Katherine Mansfield Beauchamp Murry was born in 1888, into a prominent family in Wellington, New Zealand. She became one of New Zealand’s best-known writers, using the pen name of Katherine Mansfield. The daughter of a banker, and born into a middle-class family, she was also a first cousin of Countess Elizabeth von Arnim, a distinguished novelist in her time. Mansfield had two older sisters and a younger brother. Her father, Harold Beauchamp, went on to become the chairman of the Bank of New Zealand. In 1893 the Mansfield family moved to Karori, a suburb of Wellington, where Mansfield would spend the happiest years of her childhood; she later used her memories of this time as an inspiration for her *Prelude* story.

Answers with explanations

  1. 1. FALSE

    The text states that her **original name** was Katherine Mansfield Beauchamp Murry, and she used **Katherine Mansfield** as a **pen name**. This contradicts the claim that the name on her books was **exactly the same** as her original name, making the statement FALSE.

  2. 2. NOT GIVEN

    The passage confirms that Mansfield wrote stories for the **High School Reporter**, but it does not contain any information about whether she won a **prize** for them. Therefore, the statement is NOT GIVEN.

  3. 2-3: A

    2: The passage confirms that Mansfield wrote stories for the **High School Reporter**, but it does not contain any information about whether she won a **prize** for them. Therefore, the statement is NOT GIVEN.

    3: The text explains that the **Maori people** were portrayed in a **sympathetic light** (which means a **favourable way**) in her story **How Pearl Button Was Kidnapped**. Because the text directly confirms the statement, the answer is TRUE.

  4. 3. TRUE

    The text explains that the **Maori people** were portrayed in a **sympathetic light** (which means a **favourable way**) in her story **How Pearl Button Was Kidnapped**. Because the text directly confirms the statement, the answer is TRUE.

  5. 3-4: YES

    3: The text explains that the **Maori people** were portrayed in a **sympathetic light** (which means a **favourable way**) in her story **How Pearl Button Was Kidnapped**. Because the text directly confirms the statement, the answer is TRUE.

    4: The passage states that while at **Queen’s College**, Mansfield planned to take up playing the **cello** professionally, not that she planned to be a **professional writer**. This contradicts the question's claim, making it FALSE.

  6. 4. FALSE

    The passage states that while at **Queen’s College**, Mansfield planned to take up playing the **cello** professionally, not that she planned to be a **professional writer**. This contradicts the question's claim, making it FALSE.

  7. 5. FALSE

    The passage indicates that Mansfield was **appreciated amongst fellow students**, which directly contradicts the claim that she was **unpopular**. Therefore, the statement is FALSE.

  8. 6. TRUE

    The text states that Mansfield did **not become involved in much political activity** during her time in **London**, which means she showed **little interest in politics**. Because this aligns perfectly with the statement, the answer is TRUE.

  9. 7. 1906

    The notes require the year she **moved from England back to New Zealand**. The text explicitly provides the year **1906** for her return home to New Zealand. A number is required.

  10. 8. Australia

    The question asks for the location of the publication where she had her **first paid writing work**. The text states this work was published in **Australia**.

  11. 9. family

    The note mentions that the **New Zealand way of life** and something else made her feel **dissatisfied**. The text uses the synonym **discontented** and links it to the New Zealand lifestyle and her **family**. The noun 'family' grammatically completes the note.

  12. 10. bankruptcy

    The note requires something that **prevented** Mansfield and Murry from **staying longer in Paris**. The text states their time there was **cut short** by Murry’s **bankruptcy**.

  13. 11. writers

    The note states she **spent time with distinguished** individuals. The text says she developed **close contact** (spent time) with well-known (distinguished) **writers**. The plural noun 'writers' fits the gap perfectly.

  14. 12. reputation

    The sentence requires a noun that was **consolidated** (solidified) when **Bliss and Other Stories was published**. The passage explicitly states that this publication served to solidify her **reputation**.

  15. 13. husband

    The question asks who **published more of her works after her death** between 1923 and 1924. The text confirms that it was her **husband** who took on this task.

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