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The Architecture of Ice: Life Inside Ice Hotels Reading Answers

Bhaskar Das

Aug 29, 2025

The Architecture of Ice: Life Inside Ice Hotels Reading Answers contain 13 questions and belong to the assessment system of the IELTS General Reading test. The Architecture of Ice: Life Inside Ice Hotels Reading Answers must be answered within 20 minutes. In this IELTS reading section, question types include: Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in the passage? And write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage.

The Architecture of Ice: Life Inside Ice Hotels Reading Answers offers a comprehensive overview of Ice hotels, seasonal marvels of art and engineering made from snow and ice, which offer unique, low-impact tourist experiences despite climate-related and structural challenges. To practice similar reading tests, and candidates can refer to the IELTS Reading Practice Test section.

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Topic:

Each winter, as temperatures drop in the Northern Hemisphere, something extraordinary happens across parts of Scandinavia, Canada, and Japan: ice hotels begin to rise from frozen landscapes. These architectural wonders, constructed entirely of ice and compacted snow, offer visitors a short-term escape into a world of artistic elegance and sub-zero adventure. Though temporary in nature, ice hotels have become popular tourist destinations, blending creativity, sustainability, and engineering skill.

The very first ice hotel was built in 1989 in the Swedish village of Jukkasjärvi. Initially starting as an ice art exhibit, it evolved into a functioning hotel when a group of visitors asked to sleep inside the frozen structure. Today, this hotel is rebuilt every November, using ice harvested from the nearby Torne River and snow produced by special machines. It typically operates until April, when rising temperatures cause it to melt naturally back into the earth.

The design and construction of an ice hotel require precise planning. Architects and sculptors collaborate closely to shape the structure. Large blocks of river ice are used for walls, furniture, and even drinking glasses in the bar. Snow is mixed with water and compressed to create “snice,” a durable building material that acts as insulation and support. Each room is uniquely designed, often featuring intricate carvings, ice chandeliers, and themed sculptures created by artists from around the world.

Staying in an ice hotel is not like staying in a conventional building. The indoor temperature typically remains between -5°C and -8°C, regardless of how cold it is outside. Guests sleep on beds made of ice, covered with reindeer skins and thermal sleeping bags. Although the idea may seem uncomfortable, many visitors describe it as peaceful and surreal. To ensure safety and convenience, most ice hotels include adjacent heated facilities for showers, toilets, and luggage storage.

From an environmental standpoint, ice hotels are praised for their low impact. Since they melt back into the natural environment each spring, they leave behind almost no physical trace. Additionally, construction avoids the use of permanent materials like concrete or steel, reducing carbon emissions. However, electricity is still needed to power lighting, and some hotels use portable generators or connect to local grids, raising questions about their overall sustainability.

While they offer a unique experience, ice hotels are not without limitations. Their operations are highly seasonal and vulnerable to changes in climate. Warmer winters, caused by global climate change, have shortened operational periods of some ice hotels or made construction more difficult. Some have adapted by building partially refrigerated structures or integrating ice elements into conventional buildings.

Despite these challenges, demand continues to grow. Tourists are drawn not only to the novelty of sleeping in a room made of ice but also to the opportunity to witness ephemeral art. Many ice hotels now offer additional attractions such as ice chapels for weddings, dining events, or Northern Lights tours. For many, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime adventure: to spend the night surrounded by ice, art, and nature in perfect harmony.

Questions 1-7

Do the following statements agree with the information in the passage?

Write TRUE, FALSE, or NOT GIVEN.

1. Ice hotels operate all year round in some countries.

Answer: FALSE

Supporting statement: “It typically operates until April, when rising temperatures cause it to melt naturally…”

Keywords: operates until April, melt

Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, Line 4

Explanation: The passage clearly states that ice hotels are temporary and melt by spring, implying they do not operate all year. Thus, this statement contradicts the text.

2. The first ice hotel was originally intended to be a hotel.

Answer: FALSE

Supporting statement: “Initially starting as an ice art exhibit, it evolved into a functioning hotel…”

Keywords: ice art exhibit, evolved into hotel

Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, Line 2

Explanation: The ice hotel was first created as an art exhibit, not a hotel. It only became one after visitors requested to sleep in it. So the original intent was not to create a hotel.

3. "Snice" is used because it insulates better than plain snow.

Answer: TRUE

Supporting statement: “Snow is mixed with water and compressed to create ‘snice,’ a durable building material that acts as insulation…”

Keywords: snice, insulation

Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, Line 4

Explanation: The text clearly states that snice is used for insulation, supporting the idea that it's better than plain snow for that purpose.

4. Guests are required to bring their own sleeping bags.

Answer: FALSE

Supporting statement: “Guests sleep on beds made of ice, covered with reindeer skins and thermal sleeping bags.”

Keywords: thermal sleeping bags

Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, Line 3

Explanation: The passage does not say guests must bring their own sleeping bags; it implies they are provided, making the statement false.

5. Ice hotels leave almost no permanent environmental damage.

Answer: TRUE

Supporting statement: “…they melt back into the natural environment each spring, they leave behind almost no physical trace.”

Keywords: melt back, no physical trace

Keyword Location: Paragraph 5, Line 2

Explanation: The ice hotels’ temporary nature ensures minimal environmental footprint, affirming the statement as true.

6. Some ice hotels include sections that are not made of ice.

Answer: TRUE

Supporting statement: “…most ice hotels include adjacent heated facilities for showers, toilets, and luggage storage.”

Keywords: adjacent heated facilities

Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, Line 4

Explanation: Heated facilities for amenities outside the ice structures confirm that some sections are not made of ice.

7. Ice hotels have become less popular due to cold temperatures.

Answer: FALSE

Supporting statement: “Despite these challenges, demand continues to grow.”

Keywords: demand, continues to grow

Keyword Location: Paragraph 6, Line 1

Explanation: Cold temperatures are not cited as a reason for decreased popularity. In fact, the passage states that interest is increasing, so the statement is false.

Questions 8-13

Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage.

8. The original ice hotel was located in the Swedish village of ………………………

Answer: Jukkasjärvi

Supporting statement: “The very first ice hotel was built in 1989 in the Swedish village of Jukkasjärvi.”

Keywords: first ice hotel, Swedish village

Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, Line 1

Explanation: The passage directly states that the original ice hotel was built in Jukkasjärvi, making it the correct answer.

9. Artists from around the world design rooms with sculptures and ………………….

Answer: themed sculptures

Supporting statement: “Each room is uniquely designed, often featuring intricate carvings, ice chandeliers, and themed sculptures created by artists…”

Keywords: rooms, designed, themed sculptures

Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, Line 5

Explanation: The passage mentions that artists design rooms with themed sculptures, which qualifies as part of the decoration alongside carvings.

10. Inside the hotel, the temperature usually stays between …………………. and -8°C.

Answer: -5°C

Supporting statement: “The indoor temperature typically remains between -5°C and -8°C, regardless of how cold it is outside.”

Keywords: indoor temperature, between

Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, Line 1

Explanation: The lower bound of the temperature range inside the hotel is -5°C, which is acceptable as the answer since the question asks for no more than two words.

11. For safety, guests can use nearby heated areas for washing and ………………….

Answer: toilets

Supporting statement: “To ensure safety and convenience, most ice hotels include adjacent heated facilities for showers, toilets, and luggage storage.”

Keywords: heated facilities, toilets

Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, Line 4

Explanation: Heated areas include toilets, which are part of the support structures for guests staying in the cold environment.

12. Some ice hotels now offer special attractions like weddings in ………………….

Answer: ice chapels

Supporting statement: “Many ice hotels now offer additional attractions such as ice chapels for weddings…”

Keywords: weddings, ice chapels

Keyword Location: Paragraph 6, Line 3

Explanation: The passage clearly identifies ice chapels as venues for weddings within the ice hotel experience.

13. Climate change has made it harder to maintain a long ……………….. for ice hotels.

Answer: operational period

Supporting statement: “Warmer winters… have shortened operational periods of some ice hotels…”

Keywords: climate change, shortened, operational period

Keyword Location: Paragraph 5, Line 4

Explanation: Due to climate change, maintaining a long operational period has become difficult, as noted in the text.

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*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.

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