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IELTS® Academic Reading Practice 38

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This reading practice simulates one part of the IELTS General Reading test. You should spend about twenty minutes on it. Read the passage and answer questions 14-26.

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During the sixth and seventh centuries, the inhabitants of the modern-day states of Gujarat and Rajasthan in North-western India developed a method of gaining access to clean, fresh groundwater during the dry season for drinking, bathing, watering animals and irrigation. However, the significance of...
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Questions 14-19
Complete the table below.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

Write your answers in 14-19 on your answer sheet.
Stepwells Date Features Other notes
Rani Ki Vav Late 11th century Shows Indian deities in a number of different In immaculate condition after renovation.
Surya Kund 1026 The monument features examples of intricately carved shrines. Steps on the   produce a geometric pattern
Raniji Ki Baori 1699 intricately carved monument built in Bundi which is distinguished by its outstanding
Chand Baori 850 AD Has a large number of stairs down three sides of the well. Has   which provide a view of the steps.
Neemrana Ki Baori 1700 Has two   levels. Nine stories deep

The answer is incarnations. In the paragraph describing Rani Ki Vav, it states that the monument features 500 distinct sculptures 'depicting gods such as Vishnu and Parvati in various incarnations.' This shows that the sculptures demonstrate Indian deities in different incarnations, fulfilling the feature required in the table under 'Features' for Rani Ki Vav.

Associated Text:
Rani Ki Vav features 500 distinct sculptures carved into niches throughout the monument, depicting gods such as Vishnu and Parvati in various incarnations.

The answer is 4 sides (or four sides). In the paragraph about Surya Kund, it is explained: 'The monument features examples of intricately carved shrines.' It then states, 'The terraces house 108 small, intricately carved shrines between the sets of steps.' Just before this, the passage provides, 'including four sides of steps that descend to the bottom in a stunning geometrical formation.' Therefore, the answer for the note where steps 'produce a geometric pattern' is 'four sides.'

Associated Text:
It’s actually a tank (kund means reservoir or pond) rather than a well, but displays the hallmarks of stepwell architecture, including four sides of steps that descend to the bottom in a stunning geometrical formation.

The answer is architecture. In the section about Raniji Ki Baori, the passage states that the ancient city of Bundi is 'renowned for its architecture, including its stepwells.' This makes it clear that Bundi is distinguished by its outstanding architecture, which is therefore the correct answer for this table entry.

Associated Text:
The ancient city of Bundi, 200 kilometers south of Jaipur, is renowned for its architecture, including its stepwells.

The answer is zigzagging. In the paragraph about Chand Baori, it says the baori comprises 'hundreds of zigzagging steps that run along three of its sides.' This demonstrates that the stairs descend in a zigzagging fashion down three sides of the well, which directly matches the description needed in the table.

Associated Text:
the baori comprises hundreds of zigzagging steps that run along three of its sides

The answer is verandas (or several verandas). The passage states regarding Chand Baori: 'On the fourth side, several verandas supported by ornate pillars overlook the steps.' Therefore, the answer for what provides a view of the steps is 'verandas.'

Associated Text:
On the fourth side, several verandas supported by ornate pillars overlook the steps.

The answer is underwater. The paragraph about Neemrana Ki Baori says: 'Constructed in around 1700, it’s nine stories deep, with the last two levels underwater.' This means the two levels of the stepwell are underwater, which is exactly what the table asks for.

Associated Text:
Constructed in around 1700, it’s nine stories deep, with the last two levels underwater.

Questions 20-24
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage? In boxes 20-24 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE   if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE   if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN   if there is no information on this.

20. Stepwells had a range of capacities besides those identified with water gathering.

21. The few existing stepwells in Delhi are more intricate than those discovered elsewhere.

22. It took specialists numerous years to fabricate the stone advances normal for stepwells.

23. The number of ventures over the water level in a stepwell adjusted throughout a year.

24. A serious climatic event took place in northern Rajasthan.

The answer is TRUE. The passage’s first and second paragraphs state that the significance of stepwells ‘goes beyond its utilitarian application’ and that ‘during their heyday, they were places of gathering, of leisure, of relaxation and of worship for villagers of all but the lowest castes.’ This clearly shows that stepwells had several functions apart from water collection.

Associated Text:
However, the significance of this invention – the stepwell – goes beyond its utilitarian application. During their heyday, they were places of gathering, of leisure, of relaxation and of worship for villagers of all but the lowest castes.

The answer is NOT GIVEN. There is no information in the passage that directly compares the complexity of the existing stepwells in Delhi with those found elsewhere. The mention of a 'few also survive in Delhi' is not followed by any comparative statement about their intricacy.

Associated Text:
Most stepwells are found dotted around the desert areas of Gujarat (where they are called vav) and Rajasthan (where they are known as baori), while a few also survive in Delhi.

The answer is NOT GIVEN. The passage does discuss the construction of stone steps in stepwells, but does not provide any detail or any specific information about how many years it took for specialists to build the stone advances or steps.

Associated Text:
As their name suggests, stepwells comprise a series of stone steps descending from ground level to the water source (normally an underground aquifer) as it recedes following the rains.

The answer is TRUE. The passage directly says: 'When the water level was high, the user needed only to descend a few steps to reach it; when it was low, several levels would have to be negotiated.' This shows that the number of steps over the water level in a stepwell adjusted throughout a year, depending on the water level.

Associated Text:
When the water level was high, the user needed only to descend a few steps to reach it; when it was low, several levels would have to be negotiated.

The answer is NOT GIVEN. While the passage mentions that southern Rajasthan suffered an eight-year drought between 1996 and 2004, it does not mention a specific serious climatic event in northern Rajasthan. Therefore, the necessary information for this statement is not included in the text.

Associated Text:
their condition hasn’t been helped by recent dry spells: southern Rajasthan suffered an eight-year drought between 1996 and 2004.

Questions 25-26
Complete the short answers below.

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.

Write your answers in 25-26 on your answer sheet.

25. Which part of some stepwells provided shade for people?

26. Which stepwell is used by public today?

The answer is pavilions. The passage talking about elaborate stepwells states: 'they also included pavilions that sheltered visitors from the relentless heat.' This clearly shows that some stepwells had pavilions for shade.

Associated Text:
they also included pavilions that sheltered visitors from the relentless heat.

The answer is Neemrana Ki Baori. It is directly stated in the passage: 'Still in public use is Neemrana Ki Baori, located just off the Jaipur–Dehli highway.' This means this stepwell is still in use by the public today.

Associated Text:
Still in public use is Neemrana Ki Baori, located just off the Jaipur–Dehli highway.

Answer Sheet
1
N/A
2
N/A
3
N/A
4
N/A
5
N/A
6
N/A
7
N/A
8
N/A
9
N/A
10
N/A
11
N/A
12
N/A
13
N/A
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
N/A
28
N/A
29
N/A
30
N/A
31
N/A
32
N/A
33
N/A
34
N/A
35
N/A
36
N/A
37
N/A
38
N/A
39
N/A
40
N/A
Score Summary
0 / 1
Multiple Choice
Matching Sentence Endings
Note Completion
Table Completion
Flow Chart Completion
Summary Completion
Multiple Selection
Short Answer
Matching Headings
Matching Features
Matching Information
Identifying Information
Identifying Viewer Claims
Sentence Completion
Diagram Labelling
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Keywords In The Practice
Related Words
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IELTS reading LessonsCompleted: 0 / 73
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Tips to improve your reading speed
To get a high score on the IELTS reading section, you need to have a fast reading speed. To have a fast reading speed, you need to improve your vocabulary and practice dissecting sentences. One strategy to dissect a sentence is to look for the subject and verb of the sentence. Finding the subject and verb will help you better understand the main idea of said sentence. Keep in mind, a common feature of a IELTS reading passage is to join strings of ideas to form long compound sentences. This produces large chunks that students have a hard time absorbing. Do not get overwhelmed by its length, just look for the subject and verb, the rest of the ideas will flow.

Keep in mind, having a slow reading speed makes skimming or scanning a reading passage more difficult. The process of quickly skimming through a reading passage for specific keywords or main ideas is a requirement for you to employ successful reading strategies to improve your IELTS reading score. In other words, skimming and scanning are critical skills to ensure you complete all questions in the allotted time frame.
IELTS Reading Strategies
Once you can read and comprehend a passage with a rate of, at least, 220 words per minute, you'll be ready to start implementing our strategies. All too often, students spend too much time reading the passages and not enough time answering the questions. Here is a step by step guide for tackling the reading section.

  1. Step 1: Read questions first

    One of the most common mistakes that candidates make when approaching the reading exam is reading every single word of the passages. Although you can practice for the exam by reading for pleasure, "reading blindly" (reading without any sense of what the questions will ask) will not do you any favors in the exam. Instead, it will hurt your chances for effectively managing your time and getting the best score.

    The main reason to read the questions first is because the type of question may determine what you read in the passage or how you read it. For example, some question types will call for the "skimming" technique, while others may call for the "scanning" technique.

    It is important to answer a set of questions that are of the same question type. You'll need to determine which question type you want to tackle first. A good strategy would be to start with the easier question type and move on to more difficult question types later. The Easiest question types are the ones where you spend less time reading. For example, the Matching Heading question type is an easier one because you only need to find the heading that best describes the main idea of a paragraph. An example of a difficult question type would be Identifying Information. For this question type, you'll need to read each paragraph to find out if each statement is TRUE, FALSE, or NOT GIVEN according to the passage.

    Here is a table that lists the difficulty levels for each question type. Use this table as a reference when choosing which question type you want to tackle first.

    Difficulty level Question Type
    Easy Sentence Completion
    Short answer
    Medium Matching Features
    Multiple choice
    Matching Headings
    Summary, Table, Flow-Chart Completion
    Difficult Matching Sentence Endings
    Matching Information
    Identifying Information (TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN)
    Identifying Viewer's claims (YES/NO/NOT GIVEN)

  2. Step 2: Read for an objective

    After you've read the questions for the passage, you will be able to read for an objective. What does this mean? For example, if you come across a question that includes the year "1896", you can make a note of when this year comes up in the text, using it to answer the question later on. There are two reading techniques that will help you stay on track with reading for an objective. The first one, skimming, is best defined as reading fast in order to get the "gist", or general idea, or a passage. With this technique, you are not stopping for any unfamiliar words or looking for specific details. The second technique, scanning, is best defined as reading for specific information. With this technique, you are not reading for the overall gist, but rather, specific information. Notice how each of these techniques has a specific objective in mind. This will help you find information more quickly.

  3. Step 3: Take notes

    As you're reading for an objective, you should also be making notes on the margins of the passage, placing stars next to key information, or underlining things that you believe will help you answer the various questions. This will make it easier for you to check back when you are asked certain things in the questions. Choose whichever note-taking system is right for you - just make sure you do it!

  4. Step 4: Answer wisely

    After you've read the questions, read the passage, and have taken any appropriate notes, you you should have located the part of the text where you where you need to read carefully. Then just read carefully and think critically to determine the correct answer.

IELTS Reading Question Types

The IELTS reading test contains many different question types:

Matching HeadingsIELTS Reading Lesson: Matching Headings
Matching InformationIELTS Reading Lesson: Matching Information
Matching FeaturesIELTS Reading Lesson: Matching Features
Summary CompletionIELTS Reading Lesson: Summary Completion
Identifying InformationIELTS Reading Lesson: Identifying Information
Identifying Writer's claimsIELTS Reading Lesson: Identifying Writer's claims
Multiple ChoiceIELTS Reading Lesson: Multiple Choice
Short AnswerIELTS Reading Lesson: Short Answer
Match Sentence EndingIELTS Reading Lesson: Match Sentence Ending
Sentence CompletionIELTS Reading Lesson: Sentence Completion
Table CompletionIELTS Reading Lesson: Table Completion
 
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