Table of Contents
BEST IELTS Academic Reading Test 527
IELTS ACADEMIC READING TEST 527 – PASSAGE – 3
IELTS ACADEMIC READING TEST – 527
READING PASSAGE – 3
Trees of life or the life of trees
Since the beginning of time, man has cut down trees to use wood, one of the most useful and common materials on the planet. It is still used for a wide range of purposes such as building houses, making furniture and producing paper. Because we know that trees are so valuable, however, we are much more careful about cutting them. In this way, future generations will continue to benefit from them. Despite our best efforts, however, certain forests are still the target of massive, illegal, activity.
According to experts, man started making tools over half a million years ago. At first, they used animal bones, stones and wooden branches. These tools were used for cutting, hunting and farming as well as making clothes, cooking and eating. Wood was a good material to use to make shelters because it is flexible and strong, and the shelters were both waterproof and well insulated. They also lasted a long time and one wooden house in Britain dates from around 3,000 years ago.
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As man discovered metals such as bronze and copper, it became possible to make stronger tools. Larger quantities of wood could then be dealt with. The axe was used for cutting the trees down and the metal saw for dividing the trunks to the size required. This was essentially the beginning of the timber industry. In 2560 BCE, the Egyptians used nearly all the wood they could find to help build the largest constructions in the world, the pyramids. They were made of huge stones, and wood was used to move them around and upwards as the building work progressed.
In the Iron Age, the thousand or so years until the Romans invaded many parts of Europe, bricks began to be used for building. Timber was still vital as the bricks were made in moulds made of wood. As the Romans began to become dominant in the world, they used timber for both military and engineering purposes. Wooden catapults could throw massive objects at the enemy and help destroy walls. At the same time, they were developing the wooden crane used for lifting large objects to very high heights. Cranes helped them build some of the most impressive buildings in the world.
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Throughout history, wood has been a part of the construction of important buildings. In China, the famous Nauchan Temple is made of wood and dates from 782 AD and there are similar buildings throughout south-east Asia. In the Middle Ages, being a carpenter was a respected job. Many buildings such as palaces and cathedrals used wood to help build stunning roofs and domes. Wood could burn easily, however, so the combination of stonework and wood soon became the safest way to build.
As countries started to explore and trade with other countries, they often travelled by sea. The wooden ship became a key form of transport for both commercial and military purposes. Countries like Spain, Portugal and Britain used masses of wood from both domestic and foreign forests to build their ships. It is also said that millions of the native trees of Brazil were cut to make a red dye used for military uniforms. Many of these trees have disappeared for ever.
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By the 19th century, forests were cut down all over the world. Wood was used to drive steam engines, construct buildings and build fences and railways. Forests were also cleared to provide land for farming. In the United States, over 30% of the forests were removed in just fifty years. Fortunately, people began to realise this could not continue without careful planning for regrowth. Today, of course, wood is more carefully protected and is seen by most environmentalists as a sustainable material which must be looked after.
Wood continues to be both helpful and destructive and as global warming increases, there are more and more examples of wildfires burning out of control, destroying all the buildings in their paths. Recent events in California, Australia and Greece prove that this is a global phenomenon and man needs to remain cautious about the dangers of trees in times and areas where there is little rain and strong winds.
Trees are absolutely vital for the future of mankind. They produce oxygen and provide huge amounts of sustainable building materials. In return we need to be vigilant in ensuring that trees, which can live to up to 5,000 years, remain intact for future generations.
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Questions 28 – 31
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
28. According to the text, one of the first uses of wood was
A. for making clothes.
B. as a tool.
C. to make bronze and copper tools.
D. for making paper.
29. During the Iron Age,
A. Romans dominated the world.
B. wood was used for military purposes.
C. the Pyramids were built using stone and wood.
D. wood was used to make bricks.
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30. In the Middle Ages, buildings were made from stone and wood because
A. it was safer than building with wood alone.
B. carpenters were very skilled at that time.
C. it allowed builders to construct more important buildings.
D. they were popular construction materials across south-east Asia.
31. According to the text, wood from forests in other countries was used for
A. shipbuilding.
B. farming.
C. making food products.
D. building catapults.
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Questions 32 – 36
Do the following statements agree with the information in the Reading passage 3? 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
32. Early buildings made from wood were warm and waterproof.
33. The wooden catapult was the Romans’ greatest weapon.
34. Wooden roofs were usually quite plain in design.
35. Approximately a third of US forests were lost in just half a century.
36. The threat to forests caused by weather-related problems is happening in many parts of the world.
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Questions 37 – 40
Look at the following uses of wood and the different nationalities or countries below. Match each event with the correct nationality or country, A–F.
A. Egyptians
B. Romans
C. Chinese
D. British
E. Brazil
F. Americans
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37. Making colouring for uniforms
38. Building ships to transport goods
39. Making equipment to lift heavy objects
40. Moving stone for large construction projects
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ANSWERS
28. B
29. D
30. A
31. A
32. TRUE
33. NOT GIVEN
34. FALSE
35. TRUE
36. TRUE
37. E
38. D
39. B
40. A
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