The Iconic Symbol of France Reading Answers

Sep 29, 2025

The Iconic Symbol of France Reading Answers is an academic reading answers topic. The Iconic Symbol of France Reading Answers has a total of 13 IELTS questions in total, such as Match each statement with the correct person, A, B, C, or D. Write the correct letter. NB You may use any letter more than once. Choose ONE WORD ONLY for each answer. And choose the correct letter.

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Topic:

The Iconic Symbol of France

The Eiffel Tower or La Tour Eiffel as it is known in French, is the symbol of France today. Just three or four strokes of a pen that outline its shape can immediately conjure an image of the spirit of the French nation. It has dominated the skyline of Paris for more than 130 years, and its shape not only represents Paris and, as a result, France, but is often recognized as a symbol of Europe itself. It is, in fact, the world's most visited monument that charges an entrance fee. When people from anywhere in the world are asked what monument represents France to them, they invariably answer that it is the Eiffel Tower.

The French themselves promote the symbol in logos and signs that represent their country. The tower has become a type of emoji as shorthand for France. When it was built in 1889, it was to celebrate the centenary of the French Revolution and the rise of the French Republic and democracy, and the French were keen to promote the country's achievements. Since then and to shake off brutal memories of the revolution. Europe was experiencing an era of peace, the length of which had never been witnessed. France was in the full swing of the industrial revolution, and there was a general national feeling of moving forward and looking towards the future.

The 300-metre tower was built to act as an entrance gate to the 1889 Universal Exhibition in Paris as a symbol of industrial strength and power. The tower bears the name of Gustave Eiffel, who won the original competition for the building, but it was actually designed by his two chief engineers, Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier. One of its innovative construction features was that it was completely composed of prefabricated pieces that could be carried by only two people. Even the lifts in the tower were at the forefront of technology at the time, hydraulically carrying people up the angled Sides of the pylons to the second level, not vertically from the centre as it is in most buildings. It a safe building Site as well, as Eiffel insisted on working practices that saw only one person dying during construction, something unusual in its day. It was the tallest building in the world at the time (and remains the tallest structure in Paris to this day) and there were some who feared that it was impossible to build a structure of that height or that it would not survive strong winds. At the time it was designed, it was planned to be taken down within twenty years but was saved from this in 1909 when an antenna was added to the top of the tower to conduct wireless signals. By the end of the First World War in 1918, it had already become a symbol of Paris. The tower was nearly destroyed in 1944 when Adolf Hitler ordered its demolition. The order was, fortunately, never carried out.

It must have been an amazing sight as it was erected over a two-year period from 1887. Now we are accustomed to seeing tall buildings and towers on City skylines, but this was unprecedented. The people of Paris watched in wonder to see this wrought iron symbol of modernity rising to a height never before witnessed. Photographers captured the stages of its construction, which were published in newspapers around the world. Paris at the time was less built up than it is today, so the rising tower dominated the skyline even more than it does now. It had its critics. A group of 300 artists and intellectuals denounced it during its construction as ugly and ridiculous and a blight on the skyline of Paris. It was referred to as the metal asparagus, as it slowly grew into the sky over the two-year period.

Eiffel responded by comparing his construction to the pyramids of Egypt, saying it would be the tallest building ever erected by man. In hindsight, he was not exaggerating the importance of the structure. Another of the tower's critics, Guy de Maupassant, would later famously boast that he ate lunch in a restaurant at the tower daily as it was the only point in Paris where he was saved from having to 100k at it. It was immediately popular after it opened; however and thousands of people flocked to climb it and experience its panoramic views of Paris.

In 2002, it was announced that 200 million people had visited the tower since its construction, and seven million people per year, three-quarters of them from other countries, have been visiting it ever since. Since 1985, it has been lit up at night, usually in gold, though it is now often illuminated in various colours and designs, including the colours of the French flag, which has further enhanced its iconic status.

Questions 28-32

Match each statement with the correct person, A, B, C, or D. Write the correct letter.

NB You may use any letter more than once.

28. He disliked the tower.

Answer: D

Supporting statement: Another of the tower's critics, Guy de Maupassant, would later famously boast that he ate lunch in a restaurant at the tower daily as it was the only point in Paris where he was saved from having to look at it.

Keywords: Guy de Maupassant, critics, saved

Keyword Location: Para 5, Lines 3-4

Explanation: The text explicitly states that Guy de Maupassant was a critic of the tower and ate lunch there daily to avoid seeing it, which clearly indicates his dislike for the structure.

29. He designed the tower.

Answer: B

Supporting statement: it was actually designed by his two chief engineers, Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier.

Keywords: designed by, chief engineers, Maurice Koechlin

Keyword Location: Para 3, Lines 3-4

Explanation: The passage states that while Gustave Eiffel won the competition, the tower was designed by his chief engineers, Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier.

30. He won the competition to build the tower.

Answer: A

Supporting statement: The tower bears the name of Gustave Eiffel, who won the original competition for the building...

Keywords: Gustave Eiffel, won the original competition

Keyword Location: Para 3, Lines 2-3

Explanation: The text directly says that Gustave Eiffel won the competition to build the tower, though his engineers designed it.

31. He was an enthusiast of safe building practices.

Answer: A

Supporting statement: It a safe building Site as well, as Eiffel insisted on working practices that saw only one person dying during construction, something unusual in its day.

Keywords: Eiffel, insisted on working practices, safe building Site

Keyword Location: Para 3, Lines 8-9

Explanation: The passage attributes the safe construction site to Eiffel, who insisted on work practices that resulted in only one fatality, which was an unusually low number for the time.

32. He often visited the tower.

Answer: D

Supporting statement: Another of the tower's critics, Guy de Maupassant, would later famously boast that he ate lunch in a restaurant at the tower daily...

Keywords: Guy de Maupassant, ate lunch, restaurant tower daily

Keyword Location: Para 5, Lines 3-4

Explanation: The text reveals that Guy de Maupassant, despite his dislike for the tower, frequently visited it to eat lunch, as it was the only place he didn't have to see it.

LIST OF PEOPLE

A. Gustave Eiffel

B. Maurice Koechlin

C. Adolph Hitler

D. Guy de Maupassant

Questions 33-36

Choose ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.

THE SYMBOLIC TOWER

- The Eiffel Tower is a symbol of Paris, of France

and possibly even of 33……………..

Answer: EUROPE

Supporting statement: It has dominated the skyline of Paris for more than 130 years, and its shape not only represents Paris and, as a result, France, but is often recognized as a symbol of Europe itself.

Keywords: symbol of Europe itself

Keyword Location: Para 1, Lines 4-5

Explanation: The passage directly states that the Eiffel Tower is often recognized as a symbol of Europe itself.

- Surveys show that people always say that the 34………………. that symbolises France to them is the Eiffel Tower.

Answer: MONUMENT

Supporting statement: When people from anywhere in the world are asked what monument represents France to them, they invariably answer that it is the Eiffel Tower.

Keywords: monument, represents France

Keyword Location: Para 1, Line 6

Explanation: The text explicitly mentions that when people are asked to name the monument that represents France, they choose the Eiffel Tower.

- The simplified image of the tower is seen so often in logos, it has taken on the form of an 35………………

Answer: EMOJI

Supporting statement: The tower has become a type of emoji as shorthand for France.

Keywords: emoji, shorthand for France

Keyword Location: Para 2, Line 2

Explanation: The passage makes a direct comparison, stating that the tower has become a "type of emoji" for France.

- It was built during the Industrial Revolution, a hundred years after the French Revolution, in the longest period of 36................... the country had ever seen.

Answer: PEACE

Supporting statement: Europe was experiencing an era of peace, the length of which had never been witnessed.

Keywords: era of peace, never been witnessed

Keyword Location: Para 2, Lines 5-6

Explanation: The text describes the period of the tower's construction as an era of peace, the length of which had never been witnessed, indicating the longest period of peace the country had seen.

Questions 37-40

Choose the correct letter.

37. The lifts in the Eiffel Tower we innovative because they

A. could be managed by two people.

B. were hydraulically mechanised.

C. were highest in the world.

D. went up the slanted side of the pylons.

Answer: D

Supporting statement: Even the lifts in the tower were at the forefront of technology at the time, hydraulically carrying people up the angled Sides of the pylons to the second level, not vertically from the centre as it is in most buildings.

Keywords: lifts, hydraulically carrying people, angled sides of the pylons

Keyword Location: Para 3, Lines 6-7

Explanation: The passage highlights the innovative nature of the lifts by stating that they went up the angled Sides of the pylons, which was different from the vertical lifts found in most other buildings.

38. When was the tower planned to be dismantled?

A. 1889

B. 1909

c. 1918

D. 1944

Answer: B

Supporting statement: At the time it was designed, it was planned to be taken down within twenty years but was saved from this in 1909 when an antenna was added to the top of the tower to conduct wireless signals.

Keywords: planned to be taken down, within twenty years, saved from this in 1909

Keyword Location: Para 3, Lines 12-14

Explanation: The text states that the tower was planned to be taken down after twenty years. Since it was built in 1889, twenty years later would be 1909, which is when it was saved by the addition of the antenna.

39. What did a group of artists and intellectuals say about the tower?

A. They said they were amazed by it.

B. They were enthusiastic about it.

C. They said it was awful.

D. They compared it to the pyramids of Egypt.

Answer: C

Supporting statement: A group of 300 artists and intellectuals denounced it during its construction as ugly and ridiculous and a blight on the skyline of Paris.

Keywords: denounced it, ugly and ridiculous, blight on the skyline

Keyword Location: Para 4, Lines 7-8

Explanation: The passage uses strong negative language, such as denounced it as ugly and ridiculous, to describe the feelings of the artists and intellectuals, which conveys that they thought it was awful.

40. What feature was added to the tower in 1985?

A. Lights

B. A flag

C. A gold top

D. Coloured paint

Answer: A

Supporting statement: Since 1985, it has been lit up at night, usually in gold, though it is now often illuminated in various colours and designs...

Keywords: 1985, lit up at night

Keyword Location: Para 6, Line 3

Explanation: The text explicitly states that “Since 1985, it has been lit up at night,” which directly answers the question.

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