The Game of Tennis IELTS Reading Answers
The IELTS Reading section is for assessing the students’ effectiveness in reading skills. The IELTS exam is based on analyzing students' proficiency in reading, writing, speaking and listening of the language. The IELTS Reading section is for analyzing how well students read the given passage and answer the questions from the passage. The IELTS academic reading requires students to focus on their reading skills through a given passage based on which they need to aptly answer the questions. In order to excel in this section students need to actively prepare with the help of IELTS Reading Sample Papers. One of the topics The Game of Tennis IELTS Reading Answers can be useful for candidates’ development of reading skills. The question types included in this passage are:
- Choose a suitable heading
- Complete the summary
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Section 1
Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions
The Game of Tennis IELTS Reading Answers
A
Real Tennis as it is called in Britain, Royal Tennis as it is called in Australia, Court Tennis as it is called in the States, Jeu de Paume as it is called in France, or Tennis as it is properly known, is the oldest of all the racket games, and unlike most of the others, such as squash or lawn tennis, it is a product of evolution rather than pure invention.
B
The game started to form into something recognizable in the 11th century. It started as handball, played by monks around the cloisters of monasteries of Italy and France, much as school children do today in corners of their school playground. Gradually as monks traveled to other monasteries, more enjoyable rules were adopted, the more bizarre rules abandoned and people started to add features to their courtyards that improved the pastime, and demolish or modify others that detracted from it. The monks enjoyed the game so much that the Pope banned the playing of it, and by the 14th century the game had spread from cloister to castle and became a game of the nobility. There are other theories about the origins of the game. A tennis historian, Roger Morgan, has theorized that the game owes its origins to playing in medieval streets which is a nice idea but as the streets were also used as sewers, it couldn’t have been much fun.
C
The 16th and 17th centuries were the heyday of tennis. It was played by the nobility of France and Britain and there were reportedly 1800 courts in Paris alone at this time though a lot of these would have been quite ramshackle structures. In Britain the game flourished with royalty being famous players. King Henry VII was enthusiastic though not skilled but his son Henry VIII (more famous for his wives!) was an adept. Kings Charles I and II of England were both keen players and the game actually indirectly led to the death of King James I. One French king also died as the result of being hit by a tennis ball. Modern real tennis is virtually indistinguishable from the game played in those days.
D
Originally the game was played with the bare hand, later with a glove, then someone had the bright idea of attaching cord or tendons to the fingers. It was a short step from there to attaching these cords to a frame and adding a handle to make a racket. The ball, although similar in appearance to a lawn tennis ball, is made with a core of cork, covered with cloth, tightly bound in string and covered in felt. The balls are all hand stitched and last about 2 weeks. This method has been used throughout history, although other substances such as hair or wool were used for the center, and the balls were a good deal lighter.
E
The influence of real tennis can most clearly be seen in the Basque games known by the catchall name of pelota. There are various forms of pelota with different types of court, ball and racket, and there are forms which still use the hand or even a basket type racket. Similarities can be seen in the court layout and rules. Probably most racket sports owe something to real tennis to some extent. Squash though derives from a game known as rackets which was developed in the debtor prisons of 17th and 18th century Britain.
F
As we have seen above, tennis of one kind or another has been played in France as far back as the 12th century. It was not until the late 19th century though that lawn tennis became popular. Major Walter Wingfield, in search of a more vigorous game than croquet for the leisure classes, devised an activity that was a hybrid of badminton and real tennis. He called it Sphairistike, Greek for ball games. In 1877 the All England Club held a tournament later to be known as Wimbledon. Eventually the game was modified from the prescriptions laid out by Major Wingfield. For instance Wingfield’s rules called for the game to be played on a court the shape of an hourglass. Soon it was played on a rectangular court. There have also been changes in the quality and type of clothing and equipment used. Early last century shorts were a radical idea. During the last few decades racket materials have radically changed with graphite and other compounds being used. Wooden rackets are now an anachronism, to the lament of the purists.
G
Nowadays there is a real tennis circuit as there is for lawn tennis. The top professionals are as fit and skilled as their lawn tennis counterparts if not as famous and well paid. Every court in the world has its own professional or professionals and these players travel round the world playing the top competitions as well as looking after their home courts. In fact real tennis is now probably played at a higher standard than at any other time in its history.
H
In the mid 19th century there was a renaissance in tennis and a flurry of court construction and the first courts were built in the US and Australia. Unfortunately the coming of the First World War cut short tennis’ re-emergence. Over the last 25 years tennis has again begun to grow. The modern costs of building the courts inhibits the growth a bit but new courts have been springing up in the US, France, Australia and the UK with talk of court construction going on in Holland, Russia and South Africa. The future again looks bright for real tennis.
Section 2
Solution and Explanation
Questions 28 - 34:
The reading passage on The Game of Tennis has 8 paragraphs (A-H).
From the list of headings below choose the most suitable headings for paragraphs B - H
Write the appropriate number (i - xii) in boxes 28 - 34 on your answer sheet. NB There are more headings than paragraphs, so you will not use them all.
- The Golden Age of Tennis
- Modern Lawn Tennis
- Court Construction Techniques
- The Different Names of Tennis
- The Real Tennis Revival
- Tournament Tennis
- Tennis During the War
- Early Development
- Other Descendants of Tennis
- Tennis and the Pope
- Tennis Equipment
- Tennis and Prisons
- Paragraph B
- Paragraph C
- Paragraph D
- Paragraph E
- Paragraph F
- Paragraph G
- Paragraph H
Question 28:
Answer: viii
Supporting Statement: “The game started to form into something recognizable in the 11th century”
Keywords: early development
Keyword Location: section B, line 1
Explanation: The first section talks about the early development of the tennis game. It is said to have been recognized in the 11th century when a monk played with a handball around the cloisters of moms tired of Italy and France.
Question 29:
Answer: i
Supporting Statement: “The 16th and 17th centuries were the heydays of tennis”
Keywords: heydey
Keyword Location: Section C, line 1
Explanation: This section talks of the golden age of tennis, which was between the 16th and 17th centuries. During this time, the game flourished with royalty throughout Britain.
Read More IELTS Reading Related Articles
Question 30:
Answer: xi
Supporting Statement: “The ball, although similar in appearance to a lawn tennis ball, is made with a core of cork, covered with cloth, tightly bound in string, and covered in felt.”
Keywords: ball
Keyword Location: section D, line 1
Explanation: This section describes the equipment of tennis. The equipment includes the ball, gloves, rackets, etc.
Question 31:
Answer: ix
Supporting Statement: “Supporting Statement- “The influence of real tennis can most clearly be seen in the Basque games known by the catchall name of pelota
Keywords: influence of real tennis
Keyword Location: section E, line 1
Explanation: This section explains how tennis has influenced the other games. One such game is Basque games, where it is clearly visible that tennis has left a prominent influence on it.
Question 32:
Answer: vi
Supporting Statement: “In 1877 the All England Club held a tournament later to be known as Wimbledon. ”
Keywords: tournament
Keyword Location: section F, line 3
Explanation: The sections illustrated the tennis tournaments that have been played between major competitors.
Question 33:
Answer: v
Supporting Statement: “Nowadays there is a real tennis circuit as there is for lawn tennis.”
Keywords: real tennis circuit
Keyword Location: section G, line 1
Explanation: Section G describes the real revival of the tennis game. That is, it describes how the tennis game returned to the main flow of sports.
Question 34:
Answer: vii
Supporting Statement: “Unfortunately the coming of the First World War cut short tennis’ re-emergence.”
Keywords: First World War
Keyword Location: Section H, line 2
Explanation: This section explains the condition of the game Tennis during the period of World War I which was cut short due to the war conditions
Questions 35 - 40:
Below you will find a summary of The Game of Tennis. Complete the summary using words from the box below the summary and write them in boxes 35 - 40 on your answer sheet.
NB. There are more words than spaces, so you will not use them all.
Example:
An ancient game, tennis has had (eg)_____names in different countries.
Answer: various
An ancient game, tennis has had (eg)_________ names in different countries. The game started in Italy and France and the rules 35_________ developed into the game played today. The most 36_________ fantastic period of play was about four to five hundred years ago with hundreds of courts in use, albeit some rather 37_________ Dilapidated Royalty were enthusiastic players including several kings. Equipment is much the same today as hundreds of years ago and although some materials have changed, balls and other equipment are still made by hand. Tennis has 38_________ influence the development of other games including Basque pelota and the more recognizable lawn tennis. The “new” tennis has become much more well-known and has revolutionized equipment. Today the “old” form of tennis is enjoying a 39_________ . Resurgence with a professional tournament circuit and competitions played around the world and new courts are appearing despite high 40_________ construction costs.
| playing | popular | fantastic | construction | played |
| insurance | developed | various | desirable | hindered |
| resurgence | interest | dilapidated | influenced | rested |
Question 35:
Answer: developed
Supporting Statement: “It started as handball, played by monks around the cloisters of monasteries of Italy and France, much as school children do today in corners of their school playground. ”
Keywords: added features, demolish or modify
Keyword Location: Section B, line 4
Explanation: Tennis was initially developed in Italy and France. The rules of the game have further developed and are followed today.
Question 36:
Answer: fantastic
Supporting Statement: “The 16th and 17th centuries were the heydays of tennis.”
Keywords: heydey
Keyword Location: section C, line 1
Explanation: between the 16th and the 17th century, tennis used to have a heyday, as it was played in almost all the courts and also in courts with dilapidated structures.
Question 37:
Answer: dilapidated
Supporting Statement: “t was played by the nobility of France and Britain and there were reportedly 1800 courts in Paris alone at this time though a lot of these would have been quite ramshackle structures.”
Keywords: ramshackle structure
Keyword Location: section C, line 1
Explanation: Tennis was played in the courts from around four to five hundred years ago, from now. It was also famous for courts with dilapidated structures.
Question 38:
Answer: influenced
Supporting Statement: “ The influence of real tennis can most clearly be seen in the Basque games known by the catchall name of pelota”
Keywords: influence
Keyword Location: section E, line 1
Explanation: Tennis has largely influenced other games which include Basque pelota and lawn tennis.
Question 39:
Answer: resurgence
Supporting Statement: “ Nowadays there is a real tennis circuit as there is for lawn tennis.’
Keywords: real tennis circuit
Keyword Location: section G, line 1
Explanation: The antique form of tennis is now getting a new look, with a professional tournament with competitive players that is played all around the world.
Question 40:
Answer: construction
Supporting Statement: “Every court in the world has its own professional or professionals and these players travel around the world playing the top competitions as well as looking after their home courts. In fact, real tennis is now probably played at a higher standard than at any other time in its history.”
Keywords: a higher standard
Keyword Location: section G, last line
Explanation: Tennis is now being played despite the high construction cost. The cost was not so high in the early days.
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