900 Years: The Restorations of Westminster Abbey IELTS Reading Sample with Explanation

The IELTS Reading section interprets and helps to understand the ability of the student over passage and then answering the related questions. The IELTS Reading test helps students in improving their skills which includes reading, understanding, accessing and analyzing. In this IELTS Reading Section, the candidates will have to answer different questions with specific instructions related to them. The following IELTS reading piece contains:

1. Choose one phrase
2. Choose the appropriate letter from A –D
3. Choose the most suitable heading for each paragraph

Check: Get 10 Free IELTS Sample Papers
Check: Register for IELTS Coaching - Join for Free Trial Class Now

Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

900 Years: The Restorations of Westminster Abbey IELTS Reading Sample 

Section 2

Solution with Explanation
Question 1 – 4:
Choose one phrase (i-x) from the list of phrases to complete each key point below.
Write the appropriate letters (i-x) in boxes 1 – 4 on your answer sheet.
The information in the completed sentences should be an accurate summary of the points made by the writer.

NB. There are more phrases (i-x) than sentences, so you will not need to use them all.
You may use each phrase only once.

1. The effigy of Queen Elizabeth I was …

Answer: x. For a long time considered a poor replica of the original.
Supporting Sentence: The history of effigy of Queen Elizabeth I. This figure was dismissed for years as a second rate eighteenth-century copy of the original.
Keyword: Queen Elizabeth I, effigy, copy, dismissed, second-rate
Keyword location: Paragraph E, line1 and 2.
Explanation: The effigy of Queen Elizabeth I was disregarded for years as a second-rate eighteenth-century copy of the original, according to paragraph E of the passage. This paragraph discusses the history of Queen Elizabeth I's effigy.

Read More IELTS Reading Related Samples

2. The Renaissance design for St. Peter’s was …

Answer: iv. At the time considered appropriate.
Supporting Sentence: A famous example was the replacement of Bramante of the early Christian basilica of St. Peter’s in Rome with his renaissance design, not regarded then as an act of vandalism, but as a restatement of the significance of the building for a new age.
Keyword: St. Peter’s, Rome, renaissance, design.
​Keyword location: paragraph C, line 2.
Explanation: The paragraph discusses Bramante's replacement of the early Christian basilica of St. Peter in Rome, and how it was viewed as a symbol of significance rather than vandalism.

3. A comprehensive assessment of the past was …

Answer: vii. As important as the work exhibits in Mason’s yard.
Supporting Sentence: The two pare gave meaning to each other, the historical context gave validity to the current works, showing how this process of organic renewal has been present at the Abbey from the start, while the display of work in progress, brought vividly to life the physical reality of the works exhibited.
Keyword: progress, Mason’s Yard, exhibition, restoration work, abbey
Keyword location: Paragraph F, lines 1 and 2.
Explanation: The relationship between the historical overview depicted in the exhibition and the repair work in progress in the adjacent Mason's yard is discussed in paragraph F. It talks about the validity of the current works and display of work in progress.

4. a narrow, modern meaning of restoration states that it is …

Answer: v. A method of repairing and reintroducing characteristics from earlier times.
Supporting Sentence: Restoration, according to the meaning we give it today, is a self-conscious process of repair and reinstatement of earlier features.
Or, Restoration can also be used in a wider sense to cover a process of renovation whereby the original fabric is replaced with a different design and in a different style, but respecting the meaning and ethos of the building.
Keyword: restoration, meaning, reinstatement, renovation
Keyword location: Paragraph B, line 1 and paragraph C, line 1.
Explanation: Both paragraphs B and C discuss the modern meaning of restoration. While paragraph B calls it a self-conscious process of repair and reinstatement; paragraph C calls it the process of renovation.

Question 5 – 7:
Choose the appropriate letter from A –D and write them in boxes 05 – 07 on your answer sheet.

5. At the end of the seventeenth century, the abbey was …

1. Thoroughly repaired
2. Conscientiously repaired
3. Designed by Sir Christopher Wren
4. Unusual for buildings of the time

Answer: B. Conscientiously repaired
Supporting Sentence: Restoration according to the meaning we give it today as a self-conscious process or repair and reinstatement of earlier features, only came to the abbey at the end of the seventeenth century, with the campaign of comprehensive repair devised and carried out by Christopher Wren and his successors.
Keyword: end, seventeenth century, abbey, restoration
Keyword location: Paragraph B, line 1.
Explanation: Paragraph B talks about the restoration or repair that took place in the seventeenth century at the abbey. Hence, the above selection is correct as it talks about continuous repairs done.

6. Which of the following has the abbey retained through centuries of changes?

1. Structure and contents
2. Original features
3. Identity
4. outline

Answer: c. Identity
Supporting Sentence: Both its structure and its contents have been changed and changed about, but the identity of the building has never been lost.
Keywords: structure, content, identity, building
Keyword location: Paragraph A, line 2.
Explanation: This line tells us that the structure and the content of the building have changed over time but its identity has been the same as before and has not been lost or changed. Hence, as identity has been retained, it is the correct selection.

7. The writer believes that it is better …

1. to remove the work of later generations to expose the original features of a building
2. not to remove the work of later generations to expose the original features of a building
3. to reveal the mythical original architecture of a building
4. to enhance the rich complexity of a building

Answer: B. not to remove the work of later generations to expose the original features of a building
Supporting Sentence: It is in this sense that the replacement of Edward the Confessor’s Romanesque abbey church (11th century) by Henry III (13th century) in the up to date Gothic style can be considered as a work of restoration, not as a new building.
Keywords: refashioning, fresh style, patching up old, gothic style, restoration
Keyword location: Paragraph D line 1 and 2.
Explanation: This paragraph talks about refashioning the building in the new style and not patching up the old to continue the vitality of the institution. The answer suggests not to remove the works of later generations.

Question 8 – 11:
The reading passage has 5 paragraphs (A – E). Choose the most suitable heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.
Write the appropriate numbers from (i – xi) in boxes 8 – 11 on your answer sheet.

NB. There are more headings than paragraphs, so you will not use all of them.

8. Paragraph A

Answer: iv. The importance of recording change
Supporting Sentence: The process of change deserves chronicling as a subject in its own right.
Keywords: change, process, chronicling
Keyword location: Paragraph A, line 3.
Explanation: Paragraph A talks about chronicling the changes and the process of changes, and not as an apologetic footnote but as an explanation of why certain things have been modified.

9. Paragraph B

Answer: v. An extensive and unusual scheme
Supporting Sentence: The programme of work covering the entire building both inside and out and setting out deliberately to respect the style of the original structure was exceptional for its date, not only in England but anywhere in Europe.
Keywords: Programme, original structure, covering the entire building.
Keyword location: Paragraph B, last line.
Explanation: This paragraph talks about the restoration and campaign of comprehensive repair devised by Christopher Wren and his successors.

10. Paragraph C

Answer: vi. Keeping the meaning
Supporting Sentence: Restoration can also be used in a wider sense to cover a process of renovation whereby the original fabric is replaced with a different design in a different style but respecting the meaning and ethos of the building.
Keywords: meaning, restoration, renovation
Keyword location: Paragraph C, line 1.
Explanation: This paragraph talks about the meaning of the restoration with help of an example of St. Peter’s at Rome.

11. Paragraph D

Answer: ii. A royal example
Supporting Sentence: It is in this sense that the replacement of Edward the Confessor’s Romanesque abbey church (11th century) by Henry III (13th century) in the up to date Gothic style can be considered as a work of restoration, not as a new building
Keywords: Edward the confessor’s Romanesque, Henry III
Keyword location: Paragraph D, line 2.
Explanation: This paragraph explains the importance of refashioning with the help of an example of Edward the confessor’s Romanesque and Henry III.