Table of Contents
BEST IELTS Reading General Test 179
IELTS GENERAL READING TEST 179 – PASSAGE – 2
IELTS GENERAL READING TEST – 179
READING PASSAGE – 2
Read the text below and answer Questions 14 -18.
HISTORY IN VARIOUS CENTURIES
A. Constantinople was a centre of local, regional and interregional trade, a fact which to a great degree was due to the city’s geographic location and close relationship with the sea. However, in order the scope of commercial activities centred on the Byzantine capital to become more comprehensible, a quick investigation of terminology beforehand is essential. Having adapted Luuk de Ligt’s criteria for the categorization of trade fairs in the Roman world based on duration, geographic scope, volume of goods exchanged and dominant type of exchanges.
IELTS Reading General Test
B. The 6th century marked the completion of an evolution that had been set into motion with the foundation of Constantinople — to the detriment of Rome — since the new capital had by then become the empire’s main commercial hub. The total amount of wheat, oil and wine required for provisioning Constantinople had to be imported from other areas.
For wheat, in particular, the Byzantine capital depended on the annual production of Egypt, which was the main source of supply for Constantinople, through the institution of the civic annona. An important precondition for the smooth social life of a city which around the year 600 is estimated to have numbered 300,000-500,000 inhabitants. Imported grain, oil and wine were supplemented by other foodstuffs, such as fish and meat, which could be procured from the city’s specialized markets.
C. Generally speaking, regional and interregional maritime trade benefited from the existence of infrastructures. In Constantinople, in the 4th and 5th centuries, the construction of the harbour of Julian on the Sea of Marmara and, later on, that of Theodosius, along with the granaries, led to the increase in the capacity of the two natural ports of the Golden Horn.
IELTS Reading General Test
Thus the capital boasted a total of almost 4 km of landing docks, which could serve the simultaneous mooring of 500 medium-sized ships. The importance attained by Constantinople during that period as a commercial entrepot is also implied by Justinian I’s (527-565) foundation of two new customs houses (dekateuteria), attached to the customs house of Constantinople, in Abydos and the Hieron, at the entrance of the Hellespont and the Bosporus respectively, to collect taxes from ships sailing from and to the Mediterranean.
D. The loss of Egypt during 7th century caused great difficulties to the capital’s grain supply. Little is known as to how this problem was dealt with: the areas that provided the capital with wheat were the hinterland of Thessalonica, the west coast of the Black Sea, the Thracian hinterland, Bithynia, and perhaps also Ephesos. Nevertheless, although there is some evidence that grain ships were coming into the capital, there is no information on how this grain reached Constantinople nor on the individuals that transported it there, although it is considered unlikely that the provisioning in grain in this period should have been left entirely to free trade.
Given the limited scope of commercial exchanges at this time, it is thought that at least local trade (particularly in foodstuffs) existed, which must have been important in the wider area of Constantinople. Perhaps regional trade also existed between Constantinople and Bithynia, and probably the Bulgarian coast as well. Apart from grain and the trade of foodstuffs in general, silk fabrics along with slaves constituted an important item of exchange.
IELTS Reading General Test
Questions 14 18
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter A- D.
NB: You may use one letter more than once.
14. The reason the place has become centre of trade
15. Construction of harbour has changed the face of trade
16. The estimated population of Constantinople was around half million
17. Silk was considered as a major item for trade
18. There is no information that how the grains were carried to such long places
IELTS Reading General Test
Read the text below and answer Questions 19-25.
A FURNITURE SHOP IN THE UK
The arrival of the holiday season is the perfect excuse to refresh your home decor in time for those Christmas visits. If your sofa looks or feels a bit worse for wear and tear or you need a new table lamp, there are plenty of sales on that provide an excellent opportunity to dress up your home however much you like. Debenhams is offering savings of up to half price on all of its furniture categories, and we’ve highlighted some fantastic finds to make things easier.
Find the best offers with our guide.
Furniture
The current furniture sales offer the perfect excuse to invest in your interior with a selection of small and large pieces. The biggest retailers are going all out with impressive discounts across its entire furniture range. Here are some of our top picks.
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Debenhams
Save up to 55 per cent on a range of furniture at Debenhams. The retailer has slashed prices on an impressive 684 living room products as well as other home categories. A variety of designer options are on offer as well, like the Ellsworth bedside cabinet from J by Jasper Conran reduced from £270 to justE135.
Wayfair
The home furnishing and decor website is offering impressive discounts across a range of furniture for all tastes. Shoppers can save more than 50 per cent on the retailer’s bedroom, living room and kitchen items.
Very
Offering everything from sofas and armchairs, to beds, accessories and everything you need to kit out your living and dining room, Very is offering major savings in its home and furniture sale. Expect sofas from £229, beds from £79 and kitchenware from as low as £6.99.
IELTS Reading General Test
Swoon
Whether you prefer bright or soft lighting, Swoon’s selection of light products has something for every home decor. Save up to 70 per cent on selected items.
Heals
Get your home glowing in time for Christmas and make your space that extra bit cosy with the Heals sale where you will find a range of pendant lights, table lamps and floor lamps with up to 50 per cent off.
Questions 19 – 23
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text for each answer.
19. For how many living room products retailer has slashed prices?
20. Where can you get the Light products for home decor and what is the lowest price for kitchenware?
21. Which decor website providing the halfof100% discount to the shoppers?
22. What is the excellent time to invest in your interior products?
23. How much discount you are getting on table lamps and pendant lamps and from where you can get the home glowing items?
IELTS Reading General Test
Questions 24 & 25
Choose the correct letter A, B, C, or D
24. The designer furniture options reduced from
A. £277 to £125.
B. £271 to £136.
C. £270 to £135.
D. £269 to £131.
25. Debenhams is offering savings of
A. Up to 60 percent of its cost.
B Up to 50 percent of its cost.
C. 50 percent of its cost.
D. Or 50 to 60 percent of its cost.
IELTS Reading General Test
ANSWERS ARE BELOW
IELTS Reading General Test
ANSWERS
14. A
15. C
16. B
17. D
18. D
19. 684
IELTS Reading General Test
20. VERY, 6.99
21. WAYFAIR
22. HOLIDAY SEASON
23. 50%, HEALS
24. C
25. B
IELTS Reading General Test