This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Reading Test 1 Reading Passage 2 titled ‘Stadiums: past, present and future’. This is an aimed post for IELTS candidates who have major issues finding out and understanding Reading Answers in the AC module. This post can guide you the best to understand every Reading answer quite easily. Finding out IELTS Reading answers is a gradual process, and this post will assist you in this respect.

Academic Reading Module: Test 1

Reading Passage 2: Questions 14-26

The headline of the passage: Stadiums: past, present and future

Questions 14-17: Identifying information

[This question asks you to find information from the passage and write the number of the paragraph (A, B, C or D … .. ) in the answer sheet. Now, if the question is given in the very first part of the question set, I’d request you not to answer it. It’s mainly because this question will not follow any sequence, and so it will surely kill your time. Rather, you should answer all the other questions first. And just like the List of Headings, only read the first two lines or final two lines of the expected paragraph initially. If you find the answers, you need not read the middle part. If you don’t find answers yet, you can skim the middle part of the paragraph. Keywords will be a useful matter here.]

Question no. 14: a mention of negative attitudes towards stadium building projects

Keywords for the question: negative attitudes, stadium building projects,

The answer to this question is in the second paragraph of section A. Here, the writer of the text says, “Today, however, stadiums are regarded with growing scepticism. Construction costs can soar above £1 billion, and stadiums finished for major events such as the Olympic Games or the FIFA World Cup have notably fallen into disuse and disrepair.”   

Here, regarded with growing scepticism = negative attitudes,

Construction costs can soar above £1 billion & notably fallen into disuse and disrepair = negatives attitudes,

So, the answer is: A

Question no. 15: figures demonstrating the environmental benefits of a certain stadium

Keywords for the question: figures, environmental benefits, a certain stadium,

In section F, the writer describes the environmental benefits of a particular stadium in the second paragraph. Let’s read the second paragraph, “Freiburg Mage Solar Stadium in Germany is the first of a new wave of stadiums as power plants, which also includes the Amsterdam Arena and the Kaohsiung Stadium. The latter, inaugurated in 2009, has 8,844 photovoltaic panels producing up to 1.14 GWh of electricity annually. This reduces the annual output of carbon dioxide by 660 tons and supplies up to 80 percent of the surrounding area when the stadium is not in use. This is proof that a stadium can serve its city, and have a decidedly positive impact in terms of reduction of CO2 emissions.” 

Here, proof that a stadium can serve its city, and have a decidedly positive impact in terms of reduction of CO2 emissions = the environmental benefits of a certain stadium,

reduces the annual output of carbon dioxide by 660 tons and supplies up to 80 percent of the surrounding area = figures,

So, the answer is: F

Question no. 16: examples of the wide range of facilities available at some new stadiums

Keywords for the question: wide range of facilities, at some new stadiums,

In section E, the author of the passage says in the second paragraph, “There’s a growing trend for stadiums to be equipped with public spaces and services that serve a function beyond sport, such as hotels, retail outlets, conference centres, restaurants and bars, children’s playgrounds, and green space. . .. … ..”

Here, hotels, retail outlets, conference centres, restaurants and bars, children’s playgrounds, and green space = wide range of facilities available at some new stadiums,

So, the answer is: E

Question no. 17: reference to the disadvantages of the stadiums built during a certain era

Keywords for the question: disadvantages, stadiums built, during a certain era,

The first paragraph of section D says, “ . .. . .. .. .. But some of the flexibility was lost at the beginning of the 20th century, as stadiums were developed using new products such as steel and reinforced concrete, and made use of bright lights for night-time matches.”

Here, the 20th century = a certain era, some of the flexibility was lost = the disadvantages,

So, the answer is: D

Questions 18-22: Summary completion

[In this kind of question, candidates are given a summary for one, two or three paragraphs with some fill-in-the-blank questions. Candidates need to find out the related paragraphs by correctly studying the keywords from the questions. Then, they should follow the steps of finding answers to fill in the gaps with ONE WORD ONLY.]

Title of the summary: Roman amphitheatres

Question no. 18: The Roman stadiums of Europe have proved very versatile. The amphitheatre of Aries, for example, was converted first into a ____________.

Keywords for the question: Roman stadiums, Europe, proved, versatile, the amphitheatre of Aries, was converted first into,

The first few lines of Paragraph no. 1 in Section B give us the answer to this question as the author writes here, “The amphitheatre of Aries in southwest France, with a capacity of 25,000 spectators, is perhaps the best example of just how versatile stadiums can be. Built by the Romans in 90 AD, it became a fortress with four towers after the fifth century, . . .. .. . . .”

Here, just how versatile stadiums can be = proved very versatile, became = converted into,  

So, the answer is: fortress  

Question no. 19:  . .. .. . .. .  then into a residential area and finally into an arena where spectators could watch ____________.

Keywords for the question: then, into, residential area, finally into, arena, where, spectators could watch,  

Again, in section B paragraph no. 1, in lines 4-6, the writer says, “ . . .. . and was then transformed into a village containing more than 200 houses. With the growing interest in conservation during the 19th century, it was converted back into an arena for the staging of bullfights, thereby returning the structure to its original use as a venue for public spectacles..”

Here, transformed into a village containing more than 200 houses = transformed into a residential area,

So, the answer is: bullfights  

Question no. 20: Meanwhile, the arena in Verona, one of the oldest Roman amphitheatres, is famous today as a venue where ___________ is performed.

Keywords for the question: Meanwhile, arena in Verona, one of the oldest Roman amphitheatres, famous today, as a venue, is performed,  

In Section B, in the second paragraph, the writer says, “Another example is the imposing arena of Verona in northern Italy, with space for 30,000 spectators, which was built 60 years before the Arles amphitheatre and 40 years before Rome’s famous Colosseum. It has endured the centuries and is currently considered one of the world’s prime sites for opera, thanks to its outstanding acoustics.”

Here, It has endured the centuries = one of the oldest Roman amphitheatres, one of the world’s prime sites = famous today as a venue,

So, the answer is: opera  

Question no. 21: The site of Lucca’s amphitheatre has also been used for many purposes over the centuries, including the storage of ___________.

Keywords for the question: The site of Lucca’s amphitheatre also been used for many purposes the storage of,

In Section C, lines 1-5 say, “The area in the centre of the Italian town of Lucca, known as the Piazza dell’ Anfiteatro, is yet another impressive example of an amphitheatre becoming absorbed into the fabric of the city. The site evolved in a similar way to Arles and was progressively filled with buildings from the Middle Ages until the 19th century, variously used as houses, a salt depot and a prison… . .. .. ..”

Here, variously used = been used for many purposes, depot = storage,

So, the answer is: salt

Question no. 22: It is now a market square with ___________ and homes incorporated into the remains of the Roman amphitheatre.

Keywords for the question: now a market square, with, homes, incorporated into, remains of the Roman amphitheatre,

Lines 5-7 of Section C say, “ . . .. But rather than reverting to an arena, it became a market square, designed by Romanticist architect Lorenzo Nottolini. Today, the ruins of the amphitheatre remain embedded in the various shops and residences surrounding the public square.”

Here, residences = homes,

So, the answer is: shops

Questions 23-26: Choosing TWO letters/ options from given list

[In this kind of question candidates must choose two or three answers for each question from five or six options. The answers will not follow any sequential order as they are randomly spread in the text, so this question will be time-consuming. Skimming will come in handy and previous reading of the text can come in use. Therefore, other questions should be answered first before answering this question.]

Questions no. 23 & 24: When comparing twentieth-century stadiums to ancient amphitheatres in Section D, which TWO negative features does the writer mention?

Keywords for the question: comparing, twentieth-century stadiums, to ancient amphitheatres, Section D, TWO negative features,    

Let’s have a look at Section D.

Section D has two paragraphs. In the second paragraph, the writer says, “Many such stadiums are situated in suburban areas, designed for sporting use only and surrounded by parking lots. These factors mean that they may not be as accessible to the general public, require more energy to run and contribute to urban heat.”

Here, designed for sporting use only = less versatile,

may not be as accessible to the general public = in less convenient locations,

So, the answers are:

C (They are in less convenient locations.)

D (They are less versatile.)

Questions no. 25 & 26: Which TWO advantages of modern stadium design does the writer mention?

Keywords for the question: TWO advantages of modern stadium design,

In Section E, the first paragraph has the answer for these two questions. The writer says here, “But many of today’s most innovative architects see scope for the stadium to help improve the city. Among the current strategies, two seem to be having particular success: the stadium as an urban hub, and as a power plant.”

Here, as an urban hub = bringing community life back into the city environment,

as a power plant = providing a suitable site for the installation of renewable power generators,

Then, in the following paragraphs and section, the writer explains these two points with examples.

So, the answers are:

B (bringing community life back into the city environment)

E (providing a suitable site for the installation of renewable power generators)

Click here for solutions to Academic Test 1 Passage 1: The development of the London underground railway

Click here for solutions to Academic Test 1 Passage 3: To catch a king