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BEST IELTS General Reading Test 40
GENERAL READING TEST 40 – PASSAGE – 2
GENERAL READING TEST 40
READING PASSAAGE 2
You should spend about 20 minutes on Question 14-27, which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.
STATUES IN GARDEN
The making of a garden is never complete. A garden is never satisfied with is quest for excellence. This gives a garden dynamism. First, it is lawn then hedges, shrubs, climbers, annuals, perennials, concrete, water features, fountains, path and above all statues and artifacts. They add special dimension to a garden. Garden are decorated in many a way by making winding paths, features with pebbles and river stone as also by creating wall murals. The practice of decorating garden with adornments like statues is age old. The grand old gardens, especially the English garden, had marble statues, mostly of royal figures, angels, birds, feminine, figures etc.
Japanese gardens find Buddha’s image in meditation as an essential element. This is besides various shaped lanterns at strategic locations.
Most of the statue culture came to India from the Roman architecture and culture like pitcher fountains, women and pitchers, Venus etc. Presently, there is a wide range of ‘figures’ available in the market made up[ of materials ranging from cheapest plaster of Paris to the costliest marble and even fiber glass. The latter could also be fitted with lights to be visible at night.
Depending on one’s taste and demand of location, one could go in for human or animal figures. Statues of various gods also find with favour with many. For immediate display effect for some celebrations, exhibitions and other functions, the wire statues and figures (topiary) decorated with fresh flowers are used. One of the biggest advantages with the statues in the garden is that one could change place after every few days, giving the garden a new look.
The placement if the statues in a garden should be theme-based. The selection of site for right placement is also very important. It should not look like imposed in a garden. I was in a garden a pair of ‘panda’ made up of fiber glass ‘chewing’ on a fresh bamboo piece near a bamboo grove. It looked very real. Similarly, a statue of Lord Krishna with a hood of ‘Sheshnag’ bellowing flute near a water body gave excellent effect. Near the statue, was growing unevenly the small sedum on the ground giving water waves effect. A feminine figure near a water body or near the entrance could add interest to the garden.
The sight of a statue of Goddess Saraswati in many educational institutes makes the scene academic. It is not only the big gardens that a statue can be placed. In small or even in roof gardens, one good place a statue not very high in a group of potted plants half visible, as it becomes a curiosity factor for the visitor. Even small figures are available in the market for display in table to p or miniature gardens.
Questions 14-20
Do the following statement agree with the information in Reading Passage 2? In boxes 14-20 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 in the passages
14. Different feature can increase the beauty of a garden.
15. English garden had Buddha’s statue in position of meditation.
16. Indian Statue culture was influenced by Roman architecture.
17. Plaster of Paris and fiber glass are available everywhere to decorate the gardens.
18. One can decorate garden according to his own choice.
19. The selection of statue and site to make a garden should not be considered.
20. In a big garden statue must be placed.
Questions 21-27
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
Complete the sentence below from the given list of words:
To (21)…………………… a garden one can use different features. English garden and Japanese gardens have their own style but (22)……………………….. Garden culture is (23)………………………. by Roman’s art. Different (24)…………………….. are available in market, according to one’s (25)…………………. Garden may be big or small statues always provide (26)……………………… to these. One can use small figures to (27)……………………… in miniature gardens.
LIST OF WORDS
Taste
Features
thinking
Decorate
Maintain
influenced
House
Neutrality
Roman
Construct
Dominated
statue
Beauty
display
Indian
ANSWERS ARE BELOW
ANSWER KEY
14. TRUE
15. FALSE
16. TRUE
17. NOT GIVEN
18. TRUE
19. FALSE
20. NOT GIVEN
21. DECORATE
22. INDIAN
23. INFLUENCED
24. FEATURES
25. TASTE
26. BEAUTY
27. DISPLAY
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