This IELTS Reading post highlights all the solutions for IELTS Cambridge 7 Test 4 Reading Passage 1, which is entitled ‘Pulling strings to build pyramids’. This is a targeted post for IELTS candidates who have great problems in finding answers for the Academic Reading module. This post can guide you the best to understand each Reading answer with ease. Tracing IELTS Reading answers is a gradual process and I sincerely hope this post can guide you in your IELTS Reading preparation.

IELTS Cambridge 7 Test 4: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 1:

The headline of the passage: Pulling strings to build pyramids

Questions 1-7: TRUE, FALSE, NOT GIVEN

[In this type of question, candidates are asked to find out whether:

The statement in the question matches with the account in the text- TRUE
The statement in the question contradicts the account in the text- FALSE
The statement in the question has no clear connection with the account in the text- NOT GIVEN

[For this type of question, you can divide each statement into three independent pieces and make your way through with the answer.]

Question 1: It is generally believed that large numbers of people were needed to build the pyramids.

Keywords for the question: generally believed, large numbers of people, needed, build the pyramids,   

At the beginning of paragraph no. 1 the writer says, “The pyramids of Egypt were built more than three thousand years ago, and no one knows how. The conventional picture is that tens of thousands of slaves dragged stones on sledges.”

Here, the conventional picture = generally believed, tens of thousands of slaves = large numbers of people,

So, the answer is: TRUE

Question 2: Clemmons found a strange hieroglyph on the wall of an Egyptian monument.

Keywords for the question: Clemmons, found, strange hieroglyph, wall, Egyptian monument,  

In paragraph no. 1, lines 7-9, the writer mentions, “While perusing a book on the monuments of Egypt, she noticed a hieroglyph that showed a row of men standing in odd postures.” 

Here, odd postures = strange postures, noticed = found,

So, the hieroglyph was found in a book, not in a wall.

So, the answer is: FALSE

Question 3:  Gharib had previously done experiments on bird flight.

Keywords for the question: Gharib, previously, experiments, bird flight,    

The reference to Morteza Gharib is found in paragraph no. 2. However, there is no mention of whether he previously did experiments on bird flight or not.

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN       

Question 4:  Gharib and Graff tested their theory before applying it.

Keywords for the question: Gharib and Graff, tested, theory, before, applying,

Paragraph no. 3 presents details about how Gharib and Graff prepared for some experiments to test their theory and paragraph no. 4 shows the results of those experiments. Here, in paragraph no. 3, take a look at lines 2-4, “Their initial calculations and scale-model wind-tunnel experiments convinced them they wouldn’t need a strong wind to lift the 33.5-tonne column.”

This means they did experiments on their theory before applying it.

So, the answer is: TRUE

Question 5:  The success of the actual experiment was due to the high speed of the wind.

Keywords for the question: success, actual experiment, due to, high speed, wind,      

The answer can be found in lines 1-2 of paragraph no. 5. The writer says here, “The wind was blowing at a gentle 16 to 20 kilometres an hour, little more than half what they thought would be needed.”

Here, little more than half what they thought would be needed means the wind had a speed of a little more than half of what they thought would be needed.

So, it was the low speed of wind, not the high speed of wind what gave the experiment a success.

So, the answer is: FALSE

Question 6: They found that, as the kite flew higher, the wind force got stronger.

Keywords for the question: kite, flew, higher, wind force, got stronger,        

The result of the experiment with kites can be found in paragraph no. 5. There is no information about what happened when the kite flew higher or lower.

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN

Question 7: The team decided that it was possible to use kites to raise very heavy stones.

Keywords for the question: team, decided, was possible, use kites, to raise, very heavy stones,        

Take a look at this line from paragraph no. 5, “ . .. . So Clemmons was right: the pyramid, builders could have used kites to lift massive stones into place.”

So, the researchers decided that it was possible to use kites to raise very heavy stones.

So, the answer is: TRUE

Questions 7-13: (Summary completion)

(In this kind of questions candidates are given a summary for one, two or three paragraphs with some fill in the blanks questions. Candidates need to find out the related paragraphs by correctly studying the keywords form the questions. Then, they should follow the similar steps of finding answers to fill in the gaps and write the correct answer.)

The title of the summary: Additional evidence for theory of kite-lifting

All the answers are found in paragraph no. 7 as the title of the summary says ‘Additional evidence’ and paragraph no. 7 starts with the sentence, “Others feel there is more of a case for the theory.”

Here, more of a case = additional evidence,  

Questions 8, 9 & 10: The Egyptians had 8. _________ which could lift large pieces of 9. _________ and they knew how to use the energy of the wind from their skill as 10. __________. 

Keywords for the question: Egyptians, had, could lift, large pieces of, knew, how to use, energy of the wind, their skill as,  

In paragraph no. 7, in lines 1-4, the author says, “ . .. .. Harnessing the wind would not have been a problem for accomplished sailors like the Egyptians. And they are known to have used wooden pulleys, which could have been made strong enough to bear the weight of massive blocks of stone.”

Here, massive blocks of = large pieces of,   

So, wooden pulleys were used to lift large pieces of stone.

Also, from their skill as indicates to the skill of the Egyptians as sailors.

So, the answers are:

8. (wooden) pulleys
9. stone
10. (accomplished) sailors

Questions 11 & 12: The discovery on one pyramid of an object which resembled a 11. ___________ suggests they may have experimented with 12. _________.  

Keywords for the question: discovery, one pyramid, an object, resembled, suggests, may have, experimented with,  

In lines 5-8 of the same paragraph, the author writes, “ . . .. A wooden artefact found on the step pyramid at Saqqara looks uncannily like a modern glider. Although it dates from several hundred years after the building of the pyramids, its sophistication suggests that the Egyptians might have been developing ideas of flight for a long time.”

Here, looks uncannily like = resembled, might have been developing ideas = may have experimented,

So, the answers are:

11. (modern) glider
12. flight

Questions 13: In addition, over two thousand years ago kites were used in China as weapons, as well as for sending 13. _________.

Keywords for the question: over two thousand years ago, kites, used, China, weapons, as well as, sending,   

In the last lines of this paragraph, the writer says, “ .. .. . And other ancient civilisations certainly knew about kites; as early as 1250 BC, the Chinese were using them to deliver messages and dump flaming debris on their foes.”  

Here, as early as 1250 BC = over two thousand years ago, kites were used … . as weapons = dump flaming debris on their foes, deliver = sending,

So, the answer is: messages

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 7 Test 4 Reading passage 2

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 7 Test 4 Reading Passage 3