CAMBRIDGE IELTS 1
PRACTICE TEST 1
READING
READING PASSAGE 3
You should spend about 20 minutes
on Questions 29-40 which are based on Reading Passage 3
below
ARCHITECTURE - Reaching for the Sky
Architecture
is the art and science of designing buildings and structures. A building
reflects the scientific and technological achievements of the age as well as
the ideas and aspirations of the designer and client. The appearance of
individual buildings, however, is often controversial.
The use of
an architectural style cannot be said to start or finish on a specific date.
Neither is it possible to say exactly what characterises a particular
movement. But the origins of what is now generally known as modern
architecture can be traced back to the social and technological changes of
the 18th and 19th centuries.
Instead of
using timber, stone and traditional building techniques, architects began to
explore ways of creating buildings by using the latest technology and
materials such as steel, glass and concrete strengthened steel bars, known as
reinforced concrete. Technological advances also helped bring about the
decline of rural industries and an increase in urban populations as people
moved to the towns to work in the new factories. Such rapid and uncontrolled
growth helped to turn parts of cities into slums.
By the 1920s
architects throughout Europe were reacting against the conditions created by
industrialisation. A new style of architecture emerged to reflect more
idealistic notions for the future. It was made possible by new materials and
construction techniques and was known as Modernism.
By the 1930s
many buildings emerging from this movement were designed in the International
Style. This was largely characterised by the bold use of new materials and
simple, geometric forms, often with white walls supported by stilt-like
pillars. These were stripped of unnecessary decoration that would detract
from their primary purpose — to be used or lived in.
Walter
Gropius, Charles Jeanneret (better known as Le Corbusier) and Ludwig Mies van
der Rohe were among the most influential of the many architects who
contributed to the development of Modernism in the first half of the century.
But the economic depression of the 1930s and the second world war (1939-45)
prevented their ideas from being widely realised until the economic
conditions improved and war-torn cities had to be rebuilt. By the 1950s, the
International Style had developed into a universal approach to building,
which standardised the appearance of new buildings in cities across the world.
Unfortunately,
this Modernist interest in geometric simplicity and function became exploited
for profit. The rediscovery of quick-and-easy-to-handle reinforced concrete
and an improved ability to prefabricate building sections meant that builders
could meet the budgets of commissioning authorities and handle a renewed
demand for development quickly and cheaply. But this led to many badly
designed buildings, which discredited the original aims of Modernism.
Influenced
by Le Corbusier’s ideas on town planning, every large British city built
multi-storey housing estates in the 1960s. Mass-produced, low-cost high-rises
seemed to offer a solution to the problem of housing a growing inner city
population. But far from meeting human needs, the new estates often proved to
be windswept deserts lacking essential social facilities and services. Many
of these buildings were poorly designed and constructed and have since been
demolished.
By the 1970s, a new respect for the place of buildings within the existing townscape arose. Preserving historic buildings or keeping only their facades (or fronts) grew common. Architects also began to make more use of building styles and materials that were traditional to the area. The architectural style usually referred to as High Tech was also emerging. It celebrated scientific and engineering achievements by openly parading the sophisticated techniques used in construction. Such buildings are commonly made of metal and glass; examples are Stansted airport and the Lloyd’s building in London.
Disillusionment
at the failure of many of the poor imitations of Modernist architecture led
to interest in various styles and ideas from the past and present. By the 1980s
the coexistence of different styles of architecture in the same building
became known as Post Modern. Other architects looked back to the classical
tradition. The trend in architecture now favours smaller scale building
design that reflects a growing public awareness of environmental issues such
as energy efficiency. Like the Modernists, people today recognise that a
well-designed environment improves the quality of life but is not necessarily
achieved by adopting one well defined style of architecture.
Twentieth
century architecture will mainly be remembered for its tall buildings. They
have been made possible by the development of light steel frames and safe
passenger lifts. They originated in the US over a century ago to help meet
the demand for more economical use of land. As construction techniques
improved, the skyscraper became a reality.
Ruth Coleman
|
Questions 29-35
Complete the table below using
information from Reading Passage 3. Write NO MORE THAN THREE
WORDS for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 29-35 on your
answer sheet.
PERIOD
|
STYLE OF
PERIOD |
BUILDING
MATERIALS |
CHARACTERISTICS
|
Before 18th
century
|
Example
traditional |
... (29) ...
|
|
1920s
|
introduction of
... (30) ... |
steel, glass
and
concrete |
exploration of
latest
technology |
1930s - 1950s
|
... (31) ...
|
|
geometric forms
|
1960s
|
decline of
Modernism |
pre-fabricated
sections |
... (32) ...
|
1970s
|
end of
Modernist
era |
traditional
materials
|
... (33) ...
of historic buildings |
1970s
|
beginning of
... (34) ... era |
metal and glass
|
sophisticated
techniques paraded
|
1980s
|
Post-Modernism
|
|
... (35) ...
|
Questions 36-40
Reading Passage 3 describes a
number of cause and effect relationships. Match each Cause (36-40) in
List A, with its Effect (A-H) in List B.
Write your answers (A-H) in
boxes 36 40 on your answer sheet.
NB There are more
effects in List B than you will need, so you will not use all of them. You may
use any effect more than once if you wish..
LIST A
|
CAUSES
|
LIST B
|
EFFECT
|
36
|
A rapid
movement of people from rural areas to cities is triggered by technological
advance.
|
A
|
The quality
of life is improved.
|
37
|
Buildings
become simple and functional.
|
B
|
Architecture
reflects the age.
|
38
|
An economic
depression and the second world war hit Europe.
|
C
|
A number of
these have been knocked down.
|
39
|
Multi-storey
housing estates are built according to contemporary ideas on town planning.
|
D
|
Light steel
frames and lifts are developed.
|
40
|
Less land
must be used for building.
|
E
|
Historical
buildings are preserved.
|
|
|
F
|
All
decoration is removed.
|
|
|
G
|
Parts of
cities become slums.
|
|
|
H
|
Modernist
ideas cannot be put into practice until the second half of the 20th
century.
|
ANSWER
KEY
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