Table of Contents
BEST IELTS General Reading Test 235
IELTS GENERAL READING TEST – PASSAGE – 3
IELTS GENERAL READING TEST
PASSAGE – 3
The Great Wall of China
A. The Great Wall of China, one of the greatest wonders of the world, was listed as a World Heritage by UNESCO in 1987. Just like a gigantic dragon, it winds up and down across deserts, grasslands, mountains, and plateaus, stretching approximately 21,196 kilometres from east to west of China. With a history of about 2,700 years, some of the Great Wall sections are now in ruins or have disappeared. However, the Great Wall of China is still one of the most appealing attractions all around the world owing to its architectural grandeur and historical significance.
B. Apart from defence, other resolutions of the Great Wall have encompassed border controls, permitting the imposition of duties on goods transported along the Silk Road, regulation or inspiration of trade and the control of immigration and migration. Still, the guarding features of the Great Wall were enhanced by the formation of watch towers.
IELTS General Reading Test
C. The frontier walls constructed by different dynasties have multiple courses. Collectively, they stretch from Liaodong in the east to Lop Lake in the west, from the present-day Sino- Russian border in the north to Taohe River in the south; along an arc that coarsely outlines the edge of Mongolian steppe. A complete archaeological review, using advanced technologies, has concluded that the walls constructed by the Ming rule measure 8,850 km (5,500 mi). This is made up of 6,259 km (3,889 mi) sections of actual wall, 359 km (223 mi) of trenches and 2,232 km (1,387 mi) of natural defensive barriers such as hills and rivers. Another archaeological survey found that the whole wall with all its branches measures out to be 21,196 km (13,171 mi). Currently, the defensive system of the Great Wall is generally known as one of the most striking architectural achievements in history.
D. The Chinese were already acquainted with the techniques of wall-building by the time of the Spring and Autumn period among the 8th and 5th centuries BC. During this time and the succeeding Warring States period, the states of Qin, Wei, Zhao, Qi, Han, Yan, and Zhongshan all built widespread fortifications to guard their own borders. Built to endure the attack of small arms such as swords and spears, these walls were completed mostly by stamping earth and gravel between board frames. King Zheng of Qin occupied the last of his opponents and unified China as the First Emperor of the Qin dynasty in 221 BC.
IELTS General Reading Test
E. Intending to execute centralized rule and avert the recovery of feudal lords, he ordered the demolition of the sections of the walls that alienated his empire amongst the former states. To place the empire against the Xiongnu people from the north, however, he ordered the building of new walls to join the lasting fortifications along the empire’s northern frontier. “Build and move on” was a central controlling principle in constructing the wall, implying that the Chinese were not initiating a permanently secure border. Conveying the large quantity of materials essential for construction was tough, so builders always tried to use local resources. Stones from the mountains were used over mountain ranges, while hit earth was used for construction in the plains. There are no persisting historical records signifying the precise length and course of the Qin walls.
F. Most of the earliest walls have worn away over the centuries, and very rare sections endure today. It has been projected by some authors that hundreds of thousands, if not up to a million, workers expired building the Qin wall. Later, the Han, the Northern Dynasties, and the Sui all mended, reconstructed, or expanded sections of the Great Wall at great cost to protect themselves against northern attackers.
IELTS General Reading Test
G. While portions north of Beijing and near visitor centres have been preserved and even extensively renovated, in many other locations the Wall is in disrepair. The wall sometimes provided a source of stones to build houses and roads. Sections of the Wall are also prone to graffiti and vandalism, while inscribed bricks were pilfered and sold on the shops for up to 50 renminbi. Parts have been destroyed to make way for construction or mining. A 2012 report by the National Cultural Heritage Administration states that 22% of the Ming Great Wall has disappeared, while 1,961 km (1,219 mi) of wall have extinct.
QUESTION 27-33
Which paragraph contains the following information?
NB you may use any letter more than once.
27. Entire length of the wall including walls, ditches, streams, and knolls.
28. Walls were made by stones in order to shield against arms.
29. The purpose of the great wall other than fortification.
30. One of the phenomenal marvels in the world and its entire span.
31. The human cost of constructing the Quin Wall.
32. Annihilation of part of wall on the command of a monarch.
33. Conservancy of walls for sightseeing.
IELTS General Reading Test
QUESTION 34-40
Complete the fill ups below.
Write no more than TWO WORDS and/or numbers for each answer.
34. The defence of the Great Wall were boosted by the establishment of ………….
35. Total span of wall erected by the Ming dynasty is ………….. kms.
36. Great Wall have unified border controls, sanctioning the obligation of duties on goods moved along the …………….. .
37. Builders were keen to use ……………. because carrying huge quantity of materials for construction was difficult.
38. There are no enduring past data suggesting the ……… and progression of the Qin walls.
39. A huge number of labours died throughout the erection of the ………… wall.
40. The decorated blocks were stolen and were ………….. in markets.
IELTS General Reading Test
ANSWERS ARE BELOW
IELTS General Reading Test
ANSWERS
27. C
28. D
29. B
30. A
31. F
32. E
33. G
34. WATCH TOWERS
35. 8850
36. SILK ROAD
37. LOXAL RESOURCES
38. PRECISE LENGTH
39. EXPIRED
40. SOLD
IELTS General Reading Test