Joseph Paxton: Gardener and Architect Reading Answers

Jul 31, 2024

Joseph Paxton: Gardener and Architect Reading Answers is an academic reading answers topic. Joseph Paxton: Gardener and Architect Reading Answers have a total of 13 IELTS questions in total. In the questions, you have to choose the correct section for the given statement. In the next section, you have to fill in the blanks with the correct answer.

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Section 1

Read the Text Below and Answer Questions

Joseph Paxton: Gardener and Architect

Joseph Paxton was born in 1803 and grew up on a farm 70 km north of London, although his date of birth is sometimes mistakenly given as 1801. After a series of gardening jobs when in his teens, at the age of 20 he claimed to be two years older than he really was to obtain a post as gardener with the Horticultural Society, at Chiswick Gardens, a few miles from London. The gardens were leased from a wealthy aristocrat, the Duke of Devonshire, who had a house nearby. The duke saw and was impressed by Paxton's horticultural achievements, and in 1826 offered him the position of head gardener at his large country house, Chatsworth, in the English midlands.
On his first day in his new post, he met Sarah Bown, the niece of Chatsworth's housekeeper. Before long they wed, and had a long and happy marriage. At Chatsworth Paxton designed gardens, fountains, an arboretum a collection of trees - and even rebuilt a village. His Emperor Fountain involved removing 76,000 m' of earth from a hill above the gardens, in order to create a lake to feed the fountain.
At Chatsworth Paxton also constructed the Great Conservatory, a massive glass structure supported by a cast iron framework, at a time when glass houses were very new. Its purpose was to house plants imported from around the world. Because some came from temperate climates and others from tropical, the plants needed different temperatures. Paxton's solution was to install eight boilers, to gradually increase the temperature from one end of the conservatory to the other. His design for the roof maximised light and heat from the sun, and drained rainwater away through hollow cast iron columns. All the elements that made up the conservatory were prefabricated, and could be produced in large quantities and assembled into buildings of various designs. Completed in 1840, the conservatory was the largest glass building in the world - 69m long by 37m wide. It was lit by 12,000 lamps for a visit by Queen Victoria, when she was driven through the building in a carriage
Ten years later Paxton was responsible for the lily house at Chatsworth, built for a waterlily from the Amazon. He was struck by the strength of the waterlily's huge leaves-reaching 1.4m in diameter - which he demonstrated by standing his daughter on one as it floated on water. He based the design of the lily house on these leaves.
Paxton is best remembered for the Crystal Palace, the building he designed for the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London's Hyde Park. The committee responsible for the exhibition hall had examined 245 designs, all of them unsuitable, though one had been accepted as the least bad option, and was well into its planning stage. Paxton happened to be in London to attend a business meeting, and mentioned an idea he had for the hall. He hadn't intended to submit plans, but was encouraged to do so, though it had to be done within the next nine days. He met this deadline, but some members of the committee objected to dropping the current proposal. Paxton's response was to publish his ideas in the Illustrated London News, and the reaction was so favourable that the committee substituted his design for the one previously chosen.
The design was a development of the Great Conservatory and lily house at Chatsworth: a modular, prefabricated structure of glass and cast iron. It was 563m long, 124m wide and 33m high. Most importantly, unlike the other proposals it was cheap, easy to erect and remove, and could be constructed quickly; in fact, it took 2,000 men only eight months to build. The Great Exhibition was an enormous success, and Paxton was one of three men knighted for making that possible.
Paxton remained as head gardener at Chatsworth: the duke admired and supported him, and left him free to take on many other projects Besides the Crystal Palace, he designed several country houses and public parks, and was a director of the Midland Railway. His investment in the booming railway industry made him wealthy. In 1858 the duke died and Paxton retired from Chatsworth.
One of his most innovative designs, although never implemented, was the Great Victorian Way. Paxton presented his plan to a parliamentary committee in 1855. It was intended as a solution to the severe congestion in the streets of London. It was for a 16km loop around the centre of the city, constructed of iron and glass like the Crystal Palace, and linking London's railway termini. Paxton pointed out that by road it took longer to make an eight-kilometre journey across London than it took to travel by train the 120 kilometres from London to Brighton. Paxton's design contained a glass-roofed roadway, with houses or shops on each side. It also incorporated two levels of atmospheric railway tracks, one for fast trains and one for slow, powered by air pressure. The committee was interested in the plan, but in 1858 the need for a sewer network in London became overwhelming. With both projects requiring major investment, only one could be. afforded, and the sewers were the more urgent. From 1854 until his death, Paxton was a member of parliament, and continued working on various projects after retiring from Chatsworth He died in 1865 at the age of 61, and was buried on the Chatsworth estate. His wife lived until 1871.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Questions 28-35

The text on the previous pages has eight sections, A-H.

Choose the correct heading for each section from the list of headings.

Write the correct number, i-x.

LIST OF HEADINGS

Why Paxton's proposed structure couldn't be built
A major transformation of the landscape
Paxton travels abroad
Inspiration from nature
Support from his employer
Inaccurate information helps in getting a job
Making the most of an unplanned opportunity
Accommodating plants with different requirements
Buildings that inspired other architects
Why Paxton's design was the most suitable

28. Section A

Answer: VI
Supporting statement: “........After a series of gardening jobs when in his teens, at the age of 20 he claimed to be two years older than he really was to obtain a post as gardener with the Horticultural Society...........”
Keywords: information, job
Keyword Location: para A, lines 2-3
Explanation: The passage explains that Joseph Paxton claimed to be older than he actually was to secure a position as a gardener, demonstrating that inaccurate information helped him get the job.

29. Section B

Answer: II
Supporting statement: “.........At Chatsworth Paxton designed gardens, fountains, an arboretum - a collection of trees - and even rebuilt a village...........”
Keywords: transformation, landscape
Keyword Location: para B, lines 2-3
Explanation: Paxton made significant changes to the landscape at Chatsworth by designing gardens, fountains, an arboretum, and even rebuilding a village, which constitutes a major transformation of the landscape.

30. Section C

Answer: VIII
Supporting statement: “.........Because some [plants] came from temperate climates and others from tropical, the plants needed different temperatures. Paxton's solution was to install eight boilers, to gradually increase the temperature from one end of the conservatory to the other...........”
Keywords: plants, different
Keyword Location: para C, lines 3-4
Explanation: The passage describes how Paxton accommodated plants with different temperature requirements by installing boilers to create varying temperatures within the conservatory.

31. Section D

Answer: IV
Supporting statement: “.........He was struck by the strength of the waterlily's huge leaves... He based the design of the lily house on these leaves...........”
Keywords: inspiration, nature
Keyword Location: para D, lines 2-3
Explanation: Paxton drew inspiration from the natural structure of the waterlily's leaves to design the lily house, demonstrating how nature inspired his architectural design. Hence IV is correct answer.

32. Section E

Answer: VII
Supporting statement: “..........Paxton happened to be in London to attend a business meeting, and mentioned an idea he had for the hall... He met this deadline, but some members of the committee objected... Paxton's response was to publish his ideas.........”
Keywords: opportunity, making
Keyword Location: para E, lines 4-5, 8-9
Explanation: Paxton seized an unexpected opportunity to propose his design for the Crystal Palace while in London for a business meeting, and he made the most of it by submitting his plans and publishing his ideas to gain support.

33. Section F

Answer: X
Supporting statement: “.........Most importantly, unlike the other proposals it was cheap, easy to erect and remove, and could be constructed quickly...........”
Keywords: design, suitable
Keyword Location: para F, lines 4-5
Explanation: The passage explains why Paxton's design for the Crystal Palace was chosen over others: it was cost-effective, easy to build and dismantle, and could be constructed quickly, making it the most suitable option.

34. Section G

Answer: V
Supporting statement: “.........Paxton remained as head gardener at Chatsworth: the duke admired and supported him, and left him free to take on many other projects..........”
Keywords: support, employer
Keyword Location: para G, lines 1-2
Explanation: The Duke of Devonshire supported Paxton and allowed him to remain as head gardener at Chatsworth while also taking on other projects. It indicates strong support from his employer.

35. Section H

Answer: I
Supporting statement: “.........Paxton presented his plan... but in 1858 the need for a sewer network in London became overwhelming. With both projects requiring major investment, only one could be afforded, and the sewers were the more urgent...........”
Keywords: structure, couldn't
Keyword Location: para H, lines 5-8
Explanation: Paxton's innovative design for the Great Victorian Way couldn't be implemented because the urgent need for a sewer network in London took priority and required the available investment, preventing the construction of his proposed structure.

Questions 36-40

Choose ONE WORD ONLY for each.

The Great Conservatory at Chatsworth

The Great Conservatory was constructed of 36 ………. Held in a cast iron structure. It

Answer: GLASS
Supporting statement: “………. At Chatsworth Paxton also constructed the Great Conservatory, a massive glass structure supported by a cast iron framework ……….”
Keywords: conservatory, glass
Keyword Location: para C, lines 1-2
Explanation: The Great Conservatory at Chatsworth was constructed of glass held in a cast iron structure, as described in the text. Hence the correct answer is ‘glass’.

contained several 37....... so that one end could be made warmer than the

Answer: BOILERS
Supporting statement: “.........Paxton's solution was to install eight boilers, to gradually increase the temperature from one end of the conservatory to the other ……….”
Keywords: boilers, temperature
Keyword Location: para C, lines 3-4
Explanation: The conservatory contained several boilers to create varying temperatures, allowing one end to be warmer than the other. Hence the corect answer is ‘boilers’.

other. Rainwater was brought from the roof down to ground level inside cast iron 38 ……….

Answer: COLUMNS
Supporting statement: “………. Paxton's solution was ………. and drained rainwater away through hollow cast iron columns ……….”
Keywords: rainwater, columns
Keyword Location: para C, lines 4-5
Explanation: The text explains that rainwater was drained away through hollow cast iron columns, bringing it from the roof to the ground level. Hence columns is the correct word.

Every part of the building was 39 ………. and then put together on site to form

Answer: PREFABRICATED
Supporting statement: “.........All the elements that made up the conservatory were prefabricated, and could be produced in large quantities and assembled into buildings of various designs ……….”
Keywords: prefabricated, assembled
Keyword Location: para C, lines 5-6
Explanation: The passage states that every part of the Great Conservatory was prefabricated and then assembled on site to form the building. Hence prefabricated is the correct answer.

the conservatory. Queen Victoria visited and travelled through the conservatory by 40 ……….

Answer: CARRIAGE
Supporting statement: “.........It was lit by 12,000 lamps for a visit by Queen Victoria, when she was driven through the building in a carriage ……….”
Keywords: Victoria, carriage
Keyword Location: para C, lines 7-8
Explanation: The text mentions that Queen Victoria visited the conservatory and was driven through it in a carriage, highlighting the grandeur of the visit. Hence carriage is correct answer.

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