Preserving Britain’s Cultural Heritage: To Restore A Legendary Theatrical Dress Reading Answers

Nov 2, 2022

Preserving Britain’s Cultural Heritage: To Restore A Legendary Theatrical Dress Reading Answers has 14 questions to answer in 20 minutes. Preserving Britain’s Cultural Heritage: To Restore A Legendary Theatrical Dress Reading Answers comprises question types, namely- choosing the correct option, and yes/no/not given. For yes/no/not given/given, candidates must read the passage and understand the statement provided. In choosing the correct option, candidates are required to answer based on a given cue. They are required to choose from multiple options. Candidates must read the IELTS reading passage, identify keywords, and recognize synonyms to answer the question.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Preserving Britain’s Cultural Heritage: To Restore A Legendary Theatrical Dress Reading Answers

On December 28th, 1888, the curtain rose on a daring new stage revival of Shakespeare’s Macbeth at the Lyceum Theatre in London. Topping the bill, playing Lady Macbeth, a main character in the play, was Ellen Terry. She was the greatest and most adored English actress of the age. But she didn't achieve this devotion through her acting ability alone, She knew the power of presentation and carefully cultivated her image. That first night was no exception. When she walked on stage for the famous banqueting scene, her appearance drew a collective gasp from the audience.
She was dressed in the most extraordinary clothes ever to have graced a British stage: a long, emerald and sea-green gown with tapering sleeves, surmounted by a velvet cloak, which glistened and sparkled eerily in the limelight. Yet this was no mere stage trickery. The effect had been achieved using hundreds of wings from beetles. The gown - later named the ‘Beetlewing dress’ became one of the most iconic and celebrated costumes of the age.
Terry was every bit as remarkable as her costumes. At 31, she became a leading lady at the Lyceum Theatre and for two decades, she set about bringing culture to the masses.
The productions she worked on were extravagant and daring. Shakespeare’s plays were staged alongside blood-and-thunder melodramas and their texts were ruthlessly cut. Some people were critical, but they missed the point. The innovations sold tickets and brought new audiences to see masterpieces that they would never otherwise have seen.
However, it was a painter who immortalised her. John Singer Sargent had been so struck by Terry's appearance at that first performance that he asked her to model for him, and his famous portrait of 1889, now at the Tate Gallery in London, showed her with a glint in her eye, holding a crown over her flame-red hair. But while the painting remains almost as fresh as the day it was painted, the years have not been so kind to the dress. Its delicate structure, combined with the cumulative effects of time, has meant it is now in an extremely fragile condition. Thus, two years ago, a fundraising project was launched by Britain's National Trust1 to pay for its conservation.
It turned to textile conservator Zenzie Tinker to do the job. Zenzie loves historical dress because of the link with the past. ’Working on costumes like the Beetlewing dress gives you a real sense of the people who wore them; you can see the sweat stains and wear marks. But it’s quite unusual to know who actually wore a garment. That’s the thing that makes the Beetlewing project so special.’
Before any of Zenzie’s conservation work can begin, she and her team will conduct a thorough investigation to help determine what changes have been made to the dress and when. This will involve close examination of the dress for signs of damage and wear, and will be aided by comparing it with John Singer Sargent's painting and contemporary photographs. Then Zenzie and the National Trust will decide how far back to take the reconstruction, as some members feel that even the most recent changes are now part of the history of the dress.
The first stages in the actual restoration will involve delicate surface cleaning, using a small vacuum suction device. Once the level of reconstruction has been determined, the original crocheted2 overdress will be stitched onto a dyed net support before repairs begin. It’s going to be extraordinarily difficult, because the original doth is quite stretchy, so we’ve deliberately chosen net because that has a certain amount of flexibility in it too,' says Zenzie. When the dress is displayed, none of our work will be noticeable, but we’ll retain all the evidence on the reverse so that future experts will be able to see exactly what we've done - and I'll produce a detailed report.’
Zenzie has estimated that the project, costing about £30,000, will require more than 700 hours’ work. ‘It will be a huge undertaking and I don’t think the Trust has ever spent quite as much on a costume before,’ she says. ‘But this dress is unique. It's very unusual to see this level of workmanship on a theatrical costume, and it must have looked spectacular on stage.’ If Terry was alive today, there’s no doubt she would be delighted. Unlike many other actresses, she valued her costumes because she kept and reused them time and time again. 'I'd like to think she’d see our contribution as part of the ongoing history of the dress,’ says Zenzie.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation
Questions 1-6:
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

Q1. What do you learn about Ellen Terry in the first paragraph?

Lady Macbeth was her first leading role.
The Lyceum was her favourite theatre.
She tried hard to look good on stage.
She wanted to look young for her audience.

Answer: C- She tried hard to look good on stage.
Supporting sentence: She was the greatest and most adored English actress of the age. But she didn't achieve this devotion through her acting ability alone; she knew the power of presentation and carefully cultivated her image.
Keyword: Ellen Terry
Keyword Location: Paragraph- 1, lines 3-5
Explanation: In paragraph 1, line 1-6 , “The curtain went up on a bold new theatrical version of Shakespeare's Macbeth at London's Lyceum Theatre. Ellen Terry topped the bill as Lady Macbeth, a prominent character in the play. She was the best and most beloved English actress of her generation. She didn't attain this commitment only via her acting abilities; she understood the importance of presentation and actively managed her image. That first night was no different. When she went onto the stage for the iconic banqueting scene, the crowd let out a collective scream.”

Q2: What is the writer’s purpose in paragraph 2?

to describe different responses to the Beetlewing dress
to explain why the Beetlewing dress had such a big impact
to consider the suitability of the Beetlewing dress for the play
to compare the look of the Beetiewing dress on and off the stage

Answer: B- to explain why the Beetlewing dress had such a big impact
Supporting sentence: The effect had been achieved using hundreds of wings from beetles.
Keyword: Dress, extraordinary clothes.
Keyword Location: Paragraph-2, line- Hundreds of beetle wings were used to create the look.
Explanation: In paragraph 2 line 1-3, “The most remarkable costumes ever seen on a British stage: a long, emerald and sea-green gown with tapering sleeves, topped by a velvet cloak that glistened and flashed ominously under the spotlight. This, however, was no simple stage artifice. Hundreds of beetle wings were used to create the look.”

Q3. According to the writer, the main effect of the Lyceum productions was to

expose more people to Shakespeare’s plays.
reduce the interest in other types of production.
raise the cost of going to the theatre.
encourage writers to produce more plays.

Answer: A- expose more people to Shakespeare’s plays.
Supporting sentence: she became a leading lady at the Lyceum Theatre and for two decades, she set about bringing culture to the masses.
Keyword: Lyceum productions
Keyword Location: Paragraph- 4, line- 1, Terry was just as amazing as her clothes. She became a leading actress at the Lyceum Theatre at the age of 31, and for the next two decades she worked to bring culture to the public.
Explanation: Paragraph 3, line 1 “She rose to prominence as a leading actress at the Lyceum Theatre, where she worked for two decades to bring culture to the public.”

Q4. In the fourth paragraph, what comparison does the writer make between Sargent’s portrait and the Beetle wing dress?

The dress has attracted more attention than the painting.
The dress is worth more money than the painting.
The painting took longer to produce.
The painting looks newer.

Answer: D- The painting looks newer.
Supporting sentence: “It turned to textile conservator Zenzie Tinker to do the job. Zenzie loves historical dress because of the link with the past. ’Working on costumes like the Beetlewing dress gives you a real sense of the people who wore them; you can see the sweat stains and wear marks. But it’s quite unusual to know who actually wore a garment. That’s the thing that makes the Beetlewing project so special.”
Keyword: Sargent’s portrait, Beetlewing dress
Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, line 2
Explanation: However, knowing who really worn clothing is uncommon. That is what distinguishes the Beetlewing project.'

Q5: Zenzie says the Beetlewing project is particularly special because

the dress is very old.
people know who wore the dress.
the dress was designed by someone famous.
there is evidence that the dress has been used

Answer: B- people know who wore the dress.
Supporting sentence: However, knowing who really worn a clothing is uncommon. That is what distinguishes the Beetlewing project.'
Keyword: Beetlewing project, worn
Keyword Location: paragraph 7, lines 3,
Explanation: paragraph 7, line 3-4 “Zenzie Tinker, a textile conservator, was hired to complete the task. Zenzie like historical clothing because it connects her to the past. That is what distinguishes the Beetlewing project.”

Q6. Which of the following is the most suitable title for the passage?

A lesson from the past
A challenging task
An unusual fashion show
An unexpected discovery

Answer: B- A challenging task
Supporting sentence: Paragraph 10, lines 2-3, “it will be a huge undertaking and I don’t think the Trust has ever spent quite as much on a costume before,’ she says. ‘But this dress is unique. It's very unusual to see this level of workmanship on a theatrical costume, and it must have looked spectacular on stage.”
Keyword: costume, spectacular on stage
Keyword Location: Paragraph 10, line 3
Explanation: paragraph 10, line 3 “This dress is one-of-a-kind. This level of craftsmanship on a theatrical garment is really unique, and it must have looked fantastic on stage.' Terry would be overjoyed if she were still alive today.”

Questions 7-10:
Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in the reading passage?
Write

YES if the statement agrees with the views of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the views of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

Q7. The National Trust conducted useful research to assist Zenzie's plans for the dress.

Answer: Not given
Explanation: No relevant explanation has been provided in the reading passage.

Q8. There will be some discussion over the changes that Zenzie’s team should make to the dress.

Answer: Yes
Supporting sentence: Para 10, line 6, “I'd like to think she’d see our contribution as part of the ongoing history of the dress,’ says Zenzie.”
Keyword: discussion, Zenzie’s team
Keyword Location: paragraph 10, line 3-6
Explanation: Paragraph 10, line 5-6 “Unlike many other actors, she appreciated her clothes since she maintained and utilised them often. 'I'd like to believe she'd regard our contribution as part of the dress's continuous history,' adds Zenzie.”

Q9. Zenzie’s estimate for the timing of the project is realistic.

Answer: Not Given
Explanation: No relevant explanation has been provided in the reading passage

Q10. Ellen Terry’s attitude towards her dresses was typical of her time.

Answer: No
Supporting sentence: “When the dress is displayed, none of our work will be noticeable, but we’ll retain all the evidence on the reverse so that future experts will be able to see exactly what we've done - and I'll produce a detailed report.”
Keyword: Ellen Terry’s attitude, dresses
Keyword Location: Paragraph 9, lines 5-6
Explanation: “It'll be quite tough because the original doth is pretty flexible, so we've purposely picked net because it has some elasticity as well,' explains Zenzie. When the garment is worn, none of our work will be visible, but we'll save all of the evidence on the back. Thus, future specialists can see exactly what we've done - and I'll write a full report.”

Questions 11-14:
Complete each sentence with the correct ending, A-F, below.

to show how the team did the repairs on the dress.
to reduce the time taken to repair the dress.
to remove the dirt from the top layer of the dress.
to demonstrate the quality of the team’s work on the dress.
to match a quality of the original fabric used in the dress.
to help show where the dress needs repair work.

Q11. Pictures will be used

Answer: to help show where the dress needs repair work.
Supporting sentence: When she walked on stage for the famous banqueting scene, her appearance drew a collective gasp from the audience.
Keyword: pictures
Keyword Location: paragraph 2, line 5-6
Explanation: When she went onto the stage for the iconic banqueting scene, the crowd let out a collective scream.

Q12: A special machine will be used

Answer: to remove the dirt from the top layer of the dress.
Supporting sentence: she and her team will conduct a thorough investigation to help determine what changes have been made to the dress and when. This will involve close examination of the dress for signs of damage and wear.
Keyword: special machine
Keyword Location: Paragraph 8, line 1-2
Explanation: She and her team will undertake a thorough investigation to discover what alterations were made to the garment and when they were made. This will include closely inspecting the clothing for evidence of damage and wear.

Q13. A net material has been selected

Answer: to match a quality of the original fabric used in the dress.
Supporting sentence: Then and the National Trust will decide how far back to take the reconstruction, as some members feel that even the most recent changes are now part of the history of the dress.
Keyword: net material, dress
Keyword Location: Paragraph 8, lines 3-4
Explanation: The National Trust will then determine how far back to go with the reconstruction. Since some members believe that even the most recent adjustments are now part of the dress's history.

Q14. Work will be visible on one side

Answer: to show how the team did the repairs on the dress.
Supporting sentence: She knew the power of presentation and carefully cultivated her image
Keyword: Work
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, line 5
Explanation: She understood the importance of presentation and meticulously nurtured her image.

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