Question 14 Explanation

Question: a mention of negative attitudes towards stadium building projects

Comparing the question with the passage, we have:

• negative attitudes towards stadium building projects = construction costs can soar above £1 billion = stadiums finished have notably fallen into disuse and disrepair.

Tips: for the matching information question type, we should do it last after we have finished the other question types, because at this point we have a grasp of the content of the reading.

==> Can find info faster

Step 1: Read the question & imagine paraphrase:

• negative towards stadium building projects–> think about negative attitudes about stadiums (costs, waste, environment…)

Step 2: Find what imagine: information in part A:

Today , stadiums are regarded with scepticism.

• structure A be regarded with B: A must face B

–> the following sentence will give those scepticisms

Construction costs can soar above £1 billion , and stadiums have fallen into disuse and disrepair.

–> 2 negative comments about stadiums: spend a lot of money and some stadiums are not used or repaired

Correct Answer: information is in paragraph A

Question 15 Explanation

Question: figures demonstrating the environmental benefits of a certain stadium

Comparing the question with the passage, we have:

• figures demonstrating the environmental benefits = reduces the annual output of carbon dioxide by 660 tons and supplies up to 80 percent of the surrounding area
• a certain stadium = the latter

Step 1: Read the question & imagine paraphrase:

• figures demonstrating the environmental benefits –> find out environmental metrics; Ex: reduce carbon dioxide by 2 tons…
• a certain stadium –> Find the name of a stadium

Step 2: Find what imagine: information in part F:

main idea:

The latter has 8.744 photovoltaic panels producing 1.14 GWh of electricity.

• Read the previous sentence, the latter is talking about Kaohsiung Stadium

–> This stadium has photovoltaic panels that can produce electricity

This reduces the annual output of carbon dioxide by 660 tons and supplies up to 80 percent of the surrounding area .

• This just Kaohsiung stadium has photovoltaic panels

–> Provide data on the environmental benefits of Kaohsiung Stadium’s photovoltaic panels.

Correct Answer: information is in paragraph F

Question 16 Explanation

Question: examples of the wide range of facilities available at some new stadiums

Comparing the question with the passage, we have:

• wide range of facilities = hotels, retail outlets, conference centres, restaurants and bars, children’s playgrounds and green space

Step 1: Read the question & imagine paraphrase:

• wide range of facilities –> names of stadium facilities; For example: restaurant, gift shop, snack stand….

Step 2: Find the imagine: information in part E:

The main idea:

There’s a trend for stadiums to be equipped with public spaces and services such as hotels, retail outlets, conference centres, restaurants and bars, children’s playgrounds and green space.

–> hotels, retail outlets, conference centers, restaurants and bars, children’s playgrounds and green space are examples of facilities in several stadiums.

Correct Answer: information is in section E

Question 17 Explanation

Question: reference to the disadvantages of the stadiums built during a certain era.

Comparing the question with the passage, we have:

• disadvantages = not be as accessible to the general public, require more energy to run and contribute to urban heat.

Step 1: Read the question & imagine paraphrase:

• the disadvantages of stadiums: environmentally unfriendly, not a lot of facilities…
• stadiums built in a certain era: find timestamps

Step 2: Find what imagine: information in part D:

The main idea:

Many such stadiums are situated in suburban areas , designed for sporting use only and surrounded by parking lots.

• Reading paragraph 1 of part D, we can see that such stadiums refer to stadiums at the beginning of the 20th century.

–> gives the characteristics of stadiums in the early 20th century.

These factors means that they are not as accessible, require more energy and contribute to urban heat.

• These factors talk about the 3 characteristics of stadiums of 20th century mentioned above

–> List the disadvantages of 20th century stadiums

Correct Answer: Information is in paragraph D

Question 18 Explanation

Question: The amphitheatre of Arles, for example, was converted first into a 18 ……………………, then into a residential area and finally into an arena where spectators could watch 19 …………………… .

Comparing with the information in the article, we have:

• was converted = became
• residentail area = village

Built in the 90 AD , It became a fortress after the fifth century and was transformed into a village.

–> This Stadium was built in 90 AD and converted into a fortress and then a village.

Correct Answer: fortress

Question 19 Explanation

Question: The amphitheatre of Arles, for example, was converted first into a 18 ……………………, then into a residential area and finally into an arena where spectators could watch 19 …………………… .

Comparing with the information in the article, we have:

• converted into = converted back into
• arena where spectators could watch = arena for the staging of

–> The last transition was to become arena for the staging of bullfights.

Correct Answer: bullfights

Question 20 Explanation

Question: Meanwhile, the arena in Verona, one of the oldest Roman amphitheatres, is famous today as a venue where 20 …………………… is performed

Comparing with the reading, we have:

• venue where 20 …………………… is performed = the world’s prime sites for opera

–> Arena of Verona is the ideal place for opera.

Correct Answer: Opera

Question 21 Explanation

Question: The site of Lucca’s amphitheatre has also been used for many purposes over the centuries, including the storage of 21 …………………… 

Compare with the reading we have

• has also been used for many purposes = variously used as
• storage = depot

–> Lucca’s site has buildings that used to be houses, salt depot and prision

–> the answer is houses, salt or prison

Only Salt can be stored

Correct Answer: Salt

Question 22 Explanation

Question: It is now a market square with 22 …………………… and homes incorporated into the remains of the Roman amphitheatre.

• homes = residences
• incorporated into = embedded into
• the remains of the Roman amphitheatre = the ruins of the amphitheatre

–> Lucca became a market square

–> Amphitheater ruins are part of shops and residences.

Correct Answer: Shop

Question 23 Explanation

Question: When comparing twentieth-century stadiums to ancient amphitheatres in Section D, which TWO negative features does the writer mention?

Answer: C. They are in less convenient locations.

Compared to the information in the article, we have:

• in less convenient locations = may not be as accessible to the general public
• Reading paragraph 1 of part D, we can see that such stadiums refer to stadiums at the beginning of the 20th century.
• These factors talk about the 3 characteristics of stadiums of 20th century mentioned above

–> The above characteristics make these stadiums: not as accessible, require more energy and contribute to urban heat.

Correct Answer: C

Question 24 Explanation

Question: When comparing twentieth-century stadiums to ancient amphitheatres in Section D, which TWO negative features does the writer mention?

Answer: They are less versatile.

Comparing with the information in the article, we have:

• less versatile = some of the flexibility was lost

But some of the flexibility was lost at the beginning of the 20th century.

–> Starting in the 20th century, that flexibility is no longer available

Correct Answer: D

Question 25 Explanation

Question: Which TWO advantages of modern stadium design does the writer mention?

Correct Answer: B bringing community life back into the city environment

• bringing community life back into the city environment = helping to regenerate urban spaces.

Tips: for this IELTS Reading question type, you should locate info and grasp the main idea in the article before reading the options to avoid confusion.

If you use skim/scan , you will definitely get confused because all the options contain keywords in the article.

Locate information: Thanks to modern stadium , we can find the answer in part E:

The main idea:

There’s a trend for stadiums to be equipped with public spaces and services such as hotels, retail outlets, conference centres, restaurants and bars, children’s playgrounds and green space.

–> Stadiums is being equipped with many public spaces and services

Creating developments such as this reinforces compactness and multi-functionality , making more efficient use of land and helping to regenerate urban spaces.

• structure to know: make use of s.th : make use of something

–> The new equipment in the above sentence regenerates urban spaces.

If you know the word regenerate , you can immediately give the answer as NO

If we don’t know what regenerate is, we can use the exclusion option, the answer will be related to the city -> can only be B

Question 26 Explanation

Question: Which TWO advantages of modern stadium design does the writer mention?

Answer: providing a suitable site for the installation of renewable power generators

• suitable = suitable
• the installation of renewable power generators = fitting photovoltaic panels

Locate information: At the beginning of part E, the passage asserts that the two purposes of the stadium’s use with certain success are as an urban hub and as a power plant . The rest of part E explained stadium as an urban hub , which means that the next part (F part ) will talk about stadium as a power plant.

The main idea:

Stadium are idea for these purposes , because their canopies have a large surface area for fitting photovoltaic panels and rise high enough to make use of micro wind turbines.

• Reading the previous sentence, we know that the purpose here is to turn the stadium into a power plant

–> This sentence gives the reason why the stadium is suitable as a power plant is because:

1. Its area is wide enough for photovoltaic panels
2. It can rise high enough to use micro wind turbines

At this point, we can rule out to find the answer: the answer will have to do with clean energy –> type A and B

• Answer C: no mention of research -> wrong
• Answer D: no mention of electricity use reduction –> wrong
• Select E

Correct Answer: E