READING 1
Topic: Environment
PREPARATION TASKS
Vocabulary practice 1: The key to paraphrasing is understanding synonyms and words
or phrases with a similar meaning. Match these words and expressions.
1. desirable facilities-e a. guests
2. outside spaces-f b. Mumbai
3. inside-g c. expensive
4. extravagant-c d. rare wood and fine rugs
5. city-b e. health spa and libraries
6. visitors-a f. gardens
7. equipped to make visitors feel welcome-hg. interior
8. expensive materials h. designed to entertain guests-
READING SKILL FOCUS
Task type: Short answer
Strategies: Skimming/Scanning
● Skimming and scanning are important reading techniques which are very
useful in IELTS. As time is limited in the exam, skimming and scanning help
you to find the answers you need quickly.
● You skim a text quickly to understand the general idea.
● You scan a text quickly in order to find specific information.
Practice 1: Now scan the text for the information to answer these questions.
1. Who owns the property?
2. How many floors does it have?
3. What are the floors made out of?
4. What are the common symbols used throughout the house?
5. How many cars does the garage have space for?
6. How many people are required to work in the home?
1
A. Mukesh Ambani is one of the richest men in the world, and the first man to
own a private residence costing more than one billion dollars to build. The
home is on Altamount Road in Mumbai, one of the most expensive addresses
in the world. Named after the mythical island Antilia, the property has 27
floors.
B. The interior of the home is very glamorous and each floor is made from
different materials to give an individual look. Marble floors, rare wood and
fine rugs are just some of the design features used to create this extravagant
home. The lotus flower and the sun are common symbols used throughout.
Many of the rooms have floor-to-ceiling glass windows, offering spectacular
views of Mumbai and the Arabian Sea.
C. The skyscraper has a multi-storey garage with space for 168 cars.
Alternatively, there are also three helipads on the roof of the building. The
lobby has numerous reception areas and nine lifts. There are also several
floors for dining, vast libraries and a health spa, including a gym, several
swimming pools and yoga facilities. There is even an 'ice-room' which
creates man-made snow, a Hindu prayer room and several floors of gardens.
D. The Ambani residence is clearly designed to entertain guests. It has a theatre
which seats 50, several guest bedrooms and a grand ballroom filled with
chandeliers.
E. The living quarters are on the top floors, because the family wanted as much
sunlight as possible. The 400,000 ft2 residence requires 600 staff, but all
three Ambani children are required to clean their own rooms when they are at
home.
F. Several experts have criticised the architecture of this very expensive home,
comparing it to an 'unstable pile of books'. Mrs Ambani, however, describes
her home as 'an elevated house on top of a garden' and 'a modern home with
an Indian heart'.
*helipad - a place where a single helicopter can take off and land
Strategies: Paraphrasing
'Paraphrasing' is another important technique to understand and use in the exam.
Paraphrasing is when you repeat something using different words, often in a simpler
and shorter form that makes the original meaning clearer.
Practice 2: These statements paraphrase each of the paragraphs in the text. Match
each statement, 1-6, with the correct paragraph, A-F.
1. The house has many desirable facilities and outside spaces. Guests can
either drive or fly to the home. ⃞
2
2. The family live on the top floor because they want exposure to sunlight. ⃞
3. Mrs Am bani and the architecture experts have different opinions about
the house. ⃞
4. Antilia is situated in Mumbai and owned by Mukesh Ambani. ⃞
5. The appearance inside the house is very extravagant and expensive
materials have been used. The house also has magnificent views of the city.
⃞
6. The home is fully equipped to make visitors feel welcome. ⃞
Strategies-Short answers
● The answer for short-answer questions come in the same order as they appear
in the text.
● Remember to check that your sentences are grammatically correct when you
have chosen an answer.
Practice 3: Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from
the passage for each answer.
1. How many lifts does the home have?
2. What can you find in the ice-room?
3. What do the Ambani children have to do when at home?
Practice 4: Complete the sentences. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS
AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.
1. The name Antilia comes from a ____________________.
2. There are many facilities to accommodate a large number of
____________________.
3. Opinions on the ____________________ of the house vary.
READING EXAM PRACTICE
Hearst Castle
3
A. William Randolph Hearst was a successful American newspaper publisher who
received over 1,000 km2 of land when his mother died in 1919. Initially, he had
planned to build just a small bungalow, so he hired Julia Morgan, the first female
architect in California. Together, however, they designed a magnificent castle
which cost 10 million dollars and took 28 years to build. The property, named La
Cuesta Encantada (The Enchanted Mountain), has 56 bedrooms, 61 bathrooms, 19
sitting rooms and about 52,000 m2 of garden.
B. Hearst loved travelling to Europe when he was a child and we can see this in the
overall design of the house. He even included cathedral ceiling and Roman
columns in his home. Hearst was also a keen art collector and, during his lifetime,
spent $3.5 million on his collection, which is displayed in the rooms at Hearst
Castle. Today, his collection is worth much more, with one piece alone valued at
$10 million.
C. One of the highlights of the estate is the Neptune Pool. It took 15 years to build
and includes the front of an ancient Roman temple. It is on top of a hill and has
wonderful views of the mountains, ocean and main house. The pool was rebuilt
three times until he was satisfied.
D. Although the inside of the house is very European, the outside is very Californian,
with palm trees and water. Hearst loved trees and 70,000 were planted on the
property during his lifetime. The castle was also home to the world’s largest
private zoo, holding animals from every continent. Although the zoo is now
closed, zebras can still be seen on the hillside.
E. As well as the Casa Grande (the main house), there are also three guest houses on
the property: Casa Del Monte, Casa Del Sol and Cada Del Mar. Hearst entertained
a great number of Hollywood stars and political leaders at the castle and many
used his private airfield. Guests had to attend formal dinners every evening, but
were free to do what they liked during the day. They were invited to stay as long
as they wanted, but the longer they stayed, the further away they sat from Hearst at
the dinner table.
F. When Hearst died in 1951, his family learnt how expensive maintenance would
be, and the mansion was donated to the State of California. Since then, it has been
open for public tours and the site attracts millions of tourists every year. However,
the Hearst family is still allowed to use it when they wish. The castle was never
completed and remains unfinished.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage
for each answer.
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1. What job did William Hearst do?
2. Who helped Hearst design the Castle?
3. How much did Hearst spend on art during his lifetime?
4. How many times was the Neptune pool rebuilt before Hearst was happy with it?
5. What were visitors to the Castle required to do every evening?
6. Who owns the mansion now?
Complete the sentences. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A
NUMBER from the passage for each answer.
7. As a child, Hearst enjoyed his holidays to ____________________.
8. Hearst inherited the land from his ____________________.
9. Builders spent ____________________ creating the magnificent Neptune Pool.
10. Hearst took animals from ____________________ for his private zoo.
11. Although the zoo is now closed, ____________________ still walk about the
hillside.
12. The family donated the property because of ____________________.
