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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 – Full Question
Your company gave you an opportunity to attend a Computer Technology Exhibition, where you saw a product that you think would be useful for your workplace.
Write a letter to your manager. In your letter:
describe the product you saw at the exhibition
explain why you think it would be useful for your company
suggest arranging a meeting with the manager to discuss it further
Sample Answer (Band 7.5–8)
Dear Sir or Madam,
I hope you are well. I am writing to inform you about a product that I came across while attending the Computer Technology Exhibition last week, which I believe could be highly beneficial for our company.
The product is an advanced cloud-based project management software designed to streamline workflow and improve team collaboration. It allows real-time task tracking, automated reporting, and secure data storage. What impressed me the most was its user-friendly interface and its ability to integrate seamlessly with existing systems.
In my opinion, this software could significantly enhance productivity within our organisation by reducing manual workload and improving communication between departments. It would also help management monitor project progress more efficiently and ensure deadlines are met consistently.
I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss this product with you in more detail. Therefore, I kindly request that we arrange a meeting at your convenience to explore its potential implementation and cost-effectiveness.
Thank you for considering my suggestion. I look forward to your response.
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Some people say parents should not allow children to do activities which could be dangerous. Do you agree or disagree?
Sample Answer
Some people argue that parents should strictly prohibit children from engaging in activities that may pose a threat to their safety. Although this viewpoint stems from genuine concern, I strongly disagree with the idea of imposing absolute restrictions, as exposure to calculated risks is a crucial part of a child’s development.
Admittedly, parents have a moral obligation to safeguard their children from serious harm. Activities involving inadequate supervision or poor safety measures can result in long-term physical injuries or psychological trauma. From this perspective, enforcing safety guidelines and discouraging reckless behaviour are both reasonable and necessary. Without parental intervention, children may underestimate potential hazards and put themselves in vulnerable situations.
However, completely shielding children from risk can be detrimental in the long run. Participating in activities such as outdoor sports, cycling, or adventure-based learning allows children to build resilience, develop risk-assessment skills, and gain self-confidence. When risks are managed under adult supervision, children learn how to make informed decisions and cope with challenges independently. Excessive parental control, on the other hand, often leads to dependency and limits a child’s ability to navigate real-world situations.
In conclusion, while parents should take practical steps to minimise danger, banning all potentially risky activities is neither realistic nor beneficial. A balanced approach that combines safety awareness with controlled freedom is far more effective in fostering well-rounded and capable individuals.
High-Level Vocabulary
Strictly prohibit – formally forbid
Calculated risks – risks that are carefully considered
Moral obligation – a strong sense of duty
Psychological trauma – lasting emotional damage
Reckless behaviour – actions taken without thinking about consequences
Detrimental – harmful or damaging
Resilience – ability to recover from difficulties
Risk-assessment skills – ability to judge danger accurately
Informed decisions – choices made with proper understanding
Well-rounded individuals – people with balanced skills and qualities
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 – Full Question
You recently bought a mobile phone from a local store. After using it for a short period of time, you started experiencing a problem with the phone.
Write a letter to the manager of the store. In your letter:
explain what problem you are facing with the phone
describe how this problem is affecting you
say what you would like the manager to do about it
Sample Answer (Band 7–8)
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to inform you about a problem I am experiencing with a mobile phone that I purchased from your store approximately ten days ago.
Although the phone appeared to function normally at first, it has recently begun to overheat and shut down unexpectedly, even during minimal usage such as making calls or checking emails. Moreover, the battery drains rapidly, which makes it difficult for me to rely on the device throughout the day. As I depend on my phone for both personal and professional communication, this issue has caused considerable inconvenience.
I would appreciate it if you could investigate this matter at the earliest opportunity and arrange either a replacement or a full refund, as the phone is still under warranty. Alternatively, I am open to having the device repaired, provided the problem can be permanently resolved.
I have enclosed a copy of the purchase receipt for your reference. I look forward to your prompt response and a satisfactory solution.
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Question
In many countries, the legal driving age is 18 years old. Some people believe it is the right age to learn how to drive a car, whereas others argue that the minimum age should be 25. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
SAMPLE ANSWER
The minimum legal driving age has long been a subject of debate in many countries. While some people argue that allowing individuals to drive at 18 promotes independence and mobility, others believe that driving privileges should be delayed until the age of 25 due to maturity and safety concerns. This essay will examine both perspectives before presenting my own view.
Supporters of setting the driving age at 18 contend that individuals at this age are legally adults and capable of handling responsibilities. Many young people need to commute for higher education, employment, or family obligations, and driving offers them independence and convenience. Furthermore, learning to drive early allows individuals to gain experience gradually, which can improve driving skills over time. With proper training, strict licensing tests, and enforcement of traffic laws, young drivers can become competent and responsible road users.
On the other hand, opponents argue that drivers under 25 are statistically more prone to risky behaviour, such as speeding or distracted driving. Neuroscientific research suggests that the brain areas responsible for decision-making and impulse control are not fully developed until the mid-twenties. As a result, younger drivers may underestimate risks, leading to higher accident rates. From this perspective, raising the driving age could significantly enhance road safety and reduce fatalities.
In my opinion, although younger drivers may lack full emotional maturity, setting the legal driving age at 18 is reasonable and practical. Instead of increasing the age limit to 25, governments should focus on stricter driving regulations, graduated licensing systems, and better road safety education. These measures can address safety concerns while still allowing young adults the freedom and mobility they require.
10 High-Level Vocabulary
Legal threshold – the minimum age permitted by law
Mobility – ability to move or travel freely
Accountable – responsible for one’s actions
Impulse control – ability to resist risky behaviour
Neuroscientific – related to brain science
Risk-prone – likely to take dangerous actions
Fatalities – deaths caused by accidents
Competent – having sufficient skills or ability
Enforcement – implementation of laws
Graduated licensing – step-by-step driving permission system
10 High-Level Collocations
Legal driving age – The legal driving age varies across countries.
Road safety – Road safety should be a top priority for governments.
Risky behaviour – Young drivers are often linked to risky behaviour.
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Question
In many countries, the proportion of older people is steadily increasing. Do the positive aspects of this trend outweigh the negative effects on society?
Introduction
In recent decades, many nations have witnessed a significant rise in the proportion of elderly citizens due to improved healthcare and longer life expectancy. While this demographic shift presents certain challenges for governments and economies, I believe that the advantages of an ageing population outweigh its drawbacks, particularly in terms of experience, social stability, and knowledge transfer.
Body Paragraph 1 – Positive Effects
One major benefit of an ageing population is the wealth of experience and expertise older people contribute to society. Senior citizens often possess deep professional knowledge and life skills, which can be passed on to younger generations through mentoring and advisory roles. Moreover, many elderly individuals continue to participate in the workforce or engage in voluntary services, thereby reducing skill shortages and strengthening social cohesion. Their presence also promotes cultural continuity and reinforces traditional values, which play a vital role in maintaining societal stability.
Body Paragraph 2 – Negative Effects (and why they are manageable)
Admittedly, an increasing elderly population can place pressure on public resources, particularly healthcare systems and pension schemes. Governments may face higher expenditure on medical care and social security, which could strain national budgets. However, these challenges can be mitigated through effective policy planning, such as raising the retirement age, promoting healthy lifestyles, and encouraging private pension contributions. When managed properly, the economic burden becomes manageable rather than overwhelming.
Conclusion
In conclusion, although population ageing poses certain financial and administrative challenges, its benefits are more significant in the long run. Older people contribute wisdom, experience, and social balance, which are invaluable assets to any society. Therefore, I strongly believe that the positive effects of this trend outweigh its negative consequences.
10 High-Level Vocabulary (with meaning)
Demographic shift – a change in population structure
Life expectancy – the average length of life
Senior citizens – elderly people
Expertise – advanced knowledge or skill
Social cohesion – unity within society
Cultural continuity – preservation of traditions
Public resources – government-funded services
Pension schemes – retirement income systems
Expenditure – spending of money
Mitigated – reduced in severity
10 High-Level Collocations (with examples)
Ageing population – An ageing population is becoming a global concern.
Healthcare systems – Healthcare systems must adapt to demographic changes.
Economic burden – An ageing society may create an economic burden.
Public expenditure – Public expenditure on pensions is increasing.
Life expectancy – Life expectancy has risen significantly.
Policy planning – Effective policy planning is essential.
Workforce participation – Older adults can increase workforce participation.
Social stability – Elderly citizens contribute to social stability.
Financial strain – Governments face financial strain due to pensions.
Long-term benefits – The long-term benefits outweigh short-term challenges.
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IELTS Reading Passage: Leaf-cutting ants and fungus
Read the given passage and questions (1-13). After
completing, check your answers from the given
Leaf-cutting ants and fungus
A.Although
the ants and their agriculture have been extensively studied over the years,
more recent research has revealed intriguing new information about the fungus
they grow, how they domesticated it, and how they maintain it free of
pathogens. For instance, it turns out that the fungus farms that the ants were
supposed to keep clean of pathogens are susceptible to destructive mold only
found in ant nests. The ants long ago made a discovery to control the mold that
would be a credit to any pharmaceutical laboratory.
B.The
mutual dependence of two species, exemplified by leaf-cutting ants and their
fungus farms, is a wonder of nature. It is also the most well-known example of
symbiosis. The accomplishment of the ants is noteworthy - biologist Edward O.
Wilson has referred to it as "one of the major breakthroughs in animal
evolution" - because it enables them to consume the otherwise poisoned
harvest of tropical forests, whose leaves are laden with terpenoids, alkaloids,
and other chemicals designed to sicken browsers.
C.Because
all gardening ants are members of the same tribe and are therefore descended
from the first fungus farmer, fungus farming appears to have only occurred once
throughout evolution. The attine ant tribe consists of more than 200 species,
categorized into 12 groups or genera. The groups that are known as the lower
attines, whose nests are smaller and their methods more rudimentary, feed their
gardens with detritus like dead leaves, insects, and feces. The leaf-cutters
use fresh vegetation. A group of four biologists, including Ulrich G. Mueller,
Ted R. Schultz, Ignacio H. Chapela, and Stephen A. Rehner from the US
Department of Agriculture, examined the DNA of ant funguses in 1994. They
discovered that the widely held belief that fungi are all descended from a
single strain is only partially accurate.
D.The
fungus that caused leaf-cutting was in fact descended from a single strain and
had at least 23 million years of clonal or simple budding reproduction.
However, the four biologists found that the lower attine ants used various
strains of the fungus, including in one instance a completely different
species. Mr. Currie thought that Cameron R. Currie, a Ph.D. candidate at the
University of Toronto, resembled the monocultures of different human crops,
which are very productive for a while before succumbing to some terrible
pathogen, like the Irish potato blight. Monocultures are easy prey for
parasites because they lack the genetic diversity to adapt to changing
environmental threats. Mr. Currie believed that the ant-fungus system must
contain a parasite. The theory, however, received no support from a century of
ant research. Books explain how leaf-cutter ants meticulously rid their gardens
of any unwelcome creatures. "You know the ants keep their gardens free of
parasites, don't you?" people kept saying to me. Mr. Currie spoke of his
efforts to track down a covert intruder.
E.Attine
ant gardens are far from infection-free, Mr. Currie found after three years of
searching through them. He and two colleagues, Dr. Mueller, and David Mairoch,
isolated a number of alien organisms that were published in the Proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences last month, particularly a family of parasitic
molds known as Escovopsis. Escovopsis is a pathogen that is extremely virulent
and can completely destroy a fungus garden in a matter of days. It grows like a
white cloud, obscuring the garden beneath it. The entirety of the garden is
engulfed in a day or two. “Other ants avoid it, and the ants connected to the
garden simply starve to death”, according to Dr. Rehner. “Except for those who
have saved their larvae, they just seem to give up.”
F.Evidently,
Escovopsis and other parasites are typically managed by ants. Escovopsis will
however quickly emerge if there is any loss of control or if the ants are
eliminated. Even though brand-new leaf-cutter gardens begin free of Escovopsis,
within two years, about 60% of them contract the disease. Escovopsis's function
has been discovered, which raises our understanding of the evolution of attine
ants to a new level. Dr. Schultz noted that evolutionary biologists have become
more conscious of parasites' function as evolutionary catalysts over the past
ten years. The lower attine species may now have a good explanation for why
they frequently domesticate new fungi in their mushroom gardens in order to
stay one step ahead of the tenacious Escovopsis.
G.Curiously,
Mr. Currie discovered that while the lower attines had more Escovopsis
infections, the leaf-cutters generally had fewer alien molds in their gardens.
They appear to be paying a higher risk of developing Escovopsis as a result of
cultivating a pure variety of fungus. However, the leaf-cutters may not have
much of a choice because they raise a unique type of fungus that, in contrast
to those raised by the lower attines, produces nutritious swollen tips for the
ants to consume.
H.The
question of how the attine ants, particularly the leaf-cutters, control this
potentially harmful invader is raised by the discovery of a third partner in
the ant-fungus symbiosis. Amazingly, Mr. Currie has once more offered the
solution. The cuticle, or outer layer of the insect's body, is a whitish growth
that has been observed on ants for a century, according to Dr. Mueller.
"Some people might compare this to cuticular wax. But Cameron was the
first person in a century to examine these things in detail. He could tell it
wasn't inert wax. It has life. Since it is the source of half the antibiotics
used in medicine, Mr. Currie discovered a specialized patch on the ants'
cuticle that harbors a specific type of bacterium, one that is well-known to
the pharmaceutical industry. Mr. Cameron and associates isolated a species of
Streptomyces bacterium from each of the 22 attine ant species they studied, and
they published their findings in Nature in April. For the most part,
Streptomyces has little impact on common laboratory fungi. However, it is an
effective spore suppressor and growth inhibitor of Escovopsis. The bacterium,
Streptomyces, may have been a part of their symbiosis for almost as long as the
Escovopsis mold because both the leaf-cutters and the lower attines use it. If
this is the case, an ant probably discovered antibiotics millions of years
before humans did. The ants are currently achieving two feats that are
unattainable by human technology. The leaf-cutters successfully cultivate a
monoculture year after year, and they use an antibiotic ostensibly so wisely
and prudently that, unlike people, they do not cause the target pathogen to
develop antibiotic resistance.
Questions 1-6
Use the information in the passage to match the options
(listed A-C) with activities or features of ants below.
Write the appropriate letters A-C in boxes 1-6 on
your answer sheet.
NB
you may use any letter more than once
A . Leaf-cutting ants
B . Lower attines
C . Both
Normally maintain control of a very dangerous
parasite - _____
To feed the fungus, use dead vegetables - _____
Create tiny nests and coexist with various alien
fungi - _____
employ unique tactics to combat Escovopsis -
_____
Feed the fungus by using toxic leaves - _____
one fungus that doesn't coexist with other foreigners
- _____
Questions 7-11
The reading Passage has eight paragraphs A-H.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter A-H, in boxes 7-11 on
your answer sheet.
7. Ants made two developments before humans did - _____
8. the benefit of developing a novel strain of fungus -
_____
9. Comparison of two different nests' characteristics -
_____
10. The negative effect of escvopsis - _____
11. The drawback of cultivating just one type of fungus -
_____
Questions 12-13
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.
Write your answers in boxes 12-13 on your answer sheet.
12. How does Currie's viewpoint strike the author?
Th e article makes no specific mentions
His viewpoint was shown to be incorrect
Later, his point of view was supported
An earlier study provides sufficient support
13. What did researchers discover when they looked at ant
skin under a microscope?
a substance that benefits people
a substance that inhibits the development of fungus
White cloud mold has embedded itself in their skin
that their skin is covered in wax
BJ PASSWORD: IELTSFORFREE
In the table below, check out the Leaf-cutting ants and fungus Reading Answers.
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SAMPLE ANSWER
It is often argued that the crime rate today is lower than in the past because of advanced technology that helps prevent and solve criminal activities. While modern technology has undoubtedly made law enforcement more effective, I partly agree with this view, as technology alone cannot fully explain changes in crime rates.
On the one hand, technological advancements have significantly improved crime prevention and detection. Tools such as CCTV cameras, GPS tracking, biometric identification, and digital databases enable the police to monitor public spaces, identify suspects quickly, and collect reliable evidence. For example, surveillance systems in cities have helped deter street crimes and assisted authorities in solving cases more efficiently. In this sense, technology has played a crucial role in reducing certain types of crime.
On the other hand, it would be unrealistic to claim that technology is the sole reason for a decline in crime. Criminals have also become more technologically sophisticated, leading to a rise in cybercrime, online fraud, and identity theft. Moreover, social factors such as education, employment opportunities, effective policing strategies, and stricter laws also influence crime rates. In some regions, crime remains high despite the availability of advanced technology, suggesting that technological tools are only effective when combined with strong institutions and social awareness.
In conclusion, although advanced technology has greatly improved the ability to prevent and solve crimes, it is not the only factor responsible for changes in crime rates. I believe that technology is a powerful support tool, but long-term crime reduction depends on a combination of technological, social, and legal measures.
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Describe a shop that recently opened in your city/country
A shop that recently opened in my city and quickly became popular is a modern organic grocery and lifestyle store called FreshRoots Market. It opened about six months ago and has already attracted a lot of attention from local residents.
The typical customers are mainly young professionals, families, and health-conscious individuals. Many people who care about fitness, sustainable living, and healthy eating prefer this shop because it sells organic fruits, vegetables, plant-based products, and eco-friendly household items. I’ve also noticed that students and older people visit the shop, especially those who want fresh, high-quality food.
Yes, I have bought a few things from this shop. I usually purchase fresh vegetables, whole-grain products, and organic snacks. Although the prices are slightly higher than regular supermarkets, the quality of the products is noticeably better. I also appreciate that the staff are friendly and knowledgeable—they often help customers choose products and explain their benefits.
Overall, I think this shop is a great addition to the city. It not only offers healthy options but also promotes sustainable shopping habits. I’m sure it will continue to grow in popularity as more people become aware of healthy lifestyles.
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SAMPLE ANSWER
Climate change has become one of the most pressing global challenges, leading some people to argue that adapting to its effects is more realistic than trying to prevent it. While adaptation is undeniably necessary, I strongly disagree with the idea that prevention should be neglected, as both approaches must be pursued simultaneously.
Those who support adapting to climate change argue that many environmental changes are already irreversible. Rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and prolonged droughts are affecting millions of people worldwide. As a result, governments must invest in climate-resilient infrastructure, disaster preparedness, and sustainable urban planning to protect vulnerable communities. Learning to live with climate change can reduce human and economic losses and help societies cope more effectively with unavoidable environmental shifts.
However, focusing solely on adaptation without prevention would be a short-sighted strategy. Without reducing greenhouse gas emissions, climate change will continue to intensify, making adaptation increasingly costly and ineffective. Preventive measures such as transitioning to renewable energy, enforcing environmental regulations, and promoting sustainable consumption are essential to limit long-term damage. Ignoring prevention would place an unfair burden on future generations and accelerate ecological degradation.
In conclusion, although adapting to climate change is necessary, it should not replace efforts to prevent it. I firmly believe that a combined approach—reducing emissions while strengthening adaptation strategies—is the most responsible and sustainable solution to this global issue.
10 HIGH-LEVEL VOCABULARY
Adaptation – adjustment to new environmental conditions
Irreversible – impossible to undo
Resilient – able to recover quickly from difficulties
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Reading Passage
You should spend about 20 minutes on questions 1-14,
which are based on the Reading Passage below.
An Ideal City
Leonardo da
Vinci’s ideal city was centuries ahead of its time
A The word ‘genius’ is universally associated
with the name of Leonardo da Vinci. A true Renaissance man, he embodied
scientific spirit, artistic talent, and humanist sensibilities. Five hundred
years have passed since Leonardo died in his home at Chateau du Clos Luce,
outside Tours, France. Yet far from fading into insignificance, his thinking
has carried down the centuries and still surprises today.
B The Renaissance marked the transition from the
15th century to modernity and took place after the spread of the plague in the
14th century, which caused a global crisis resulting in some 200 million deaths
across Europe and Asia. Today, the world is on the cusp of a climate crisis,
which is predicted to cause widespread displacement, extinctions, and death, if
left unaddressed. Then, as now, radical solutions were called for to
revolutionize the way people lived and safeguard humanity against catastrophe.
C Around 1486 – after a pestilence that killed
half the population in Milan, Italy – Leonardo turned his thoughts to urban
planning problems. Following a typical Renaissance trend, he began to work on
an ‘ideal city’ project, which – due to its excessive costs – would remain
unfulfilled. Yet given that unsustainable urban models are a key cause of
global climate change today, it’s only natural to wonder how Leonardo might
have changed the shape of modern cities.
D Although the Renaissance is renowned as an era
of incredible progress in art and architecture, it is rarely noted that the
15th century also marked the birth of urbanism as a true academic discipline.
The rigor and method behind the conscious conception of a city had been largely
missing in Western thought until the moment when prominent Renaissance men
pushed forward large-scale urban projects in Italy, such as the reconfiguration
of the town of Pienza and the expansion of the city of Ferrara. These works
surely inspired Leonardo’s decision to rethink the design of medieval cities,
with their winding and overcrowded streets and with houses piled against one
another.
E It is not easy to identify a coordinated
vision of Leonardo’s ideal city because of his disordered way of working with
notes and sketches. But from the largest collection of Leonardo’s papers ever
assembled, a series of innovative thoughts can be reconstructed regarding the
foundation of a new city along the Ticino River, which runs from Switzerland
into Italy and is 248 kilometers long. He designed the city for the easy
transport of goods and clean urban spaces, and he wanted a comfortable and
spacious city, with well-ordered streets and architecture. He recommended
‘high, strong walls’, with ‘towers and battlements of all necessary and
pleasant beauty’.
F His plans for a modem and ‘rational’ city were
consistent with Renaissance ideals. But, in keeping with his personality,
Leonardo included several innovations in his urban design. Leonardo wanted the
city to be built on several levels, linked with vertical outdoor staircases.
This design can be seen in some of today’s high-rise buildings but was
unconventional at the time. Indeed, this idea of taking full advantage of the
interior spaces wasn’t implemented until the 1920s and 1930s, with the birth of
the Modernist movement.
G While in the upper layers of the city, people
could walk undisturbed between elegant palaces and streets, the lower layer was
the place for services, trade, transport and industry. But the true originality
of Leonardo’s vision was its fusion of architecture and engineering. Leonardo
designed extensive hydraulic plants to create artificial canals throughout the
city. The canals, regulated by clocks and basins, were supposed to make it
easier for boats to navigate inland. Leonardo also thought that the width of
the streets ought to match the average height of the adjacent houses: a rule
still followed in many contemporary cities across Italy, to allow access to the
sun and reduce the risk of damage from earthquakes.
H Although some of these features existed in
Roman cities before Leonardo’s drawings there had never been a multi-level,
compact modem city that was thoroughly technically conceived. Indeed, it wasn’t
until the 19th century that some of his ideas were applied. For example, the
subdivision of the city by function- with services and infrastructures located
in the lower levels and wide and well-ventilated boulevards and walkways above
for residents – is an idea that can be found in Georges-Eugene Haussmann’s renovation
of Paris under Emperor Napoleon III between 1853 and 1870.
I Today, Leonardo’s ideas are not simply valid,
they actually suggest a way forward for urban planning. Many scholars think
that the compact city, built upwards instead of outwards, integrated with
nature (especially water systems), with efficient transport infrastructure,
could help modern cities become more efficient and sustainable. This is yet
another reason why Leonardo was aligned so closely with modern urban planning
and centuries ahead of his time.
Questions 1-7
Do the following statements agree with the information
given in Reading Passage?
In boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet, write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
1. People first referred to Leonardo da Vinci as a
genius 500 years ago.
2. The current climate crisis is predicted to cause
more deaths than the plague.
3. Some of the challenges we face today can be
compared to those of earlier times.
4. Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘ideal city’ was constructed
in the 15th century.
5. Poor town planning is a major contributor to
climate change.
6. In Renaissance times, local people fought against
the changes to Pienza and Ferrara.
7. Leonardo da Vinci kept a neat, organized record of
his designs.
Questions 8-14
Complete the summary below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 8-14 on your answer sheet.
Leonardo da Vinci’s ideal city
A collection of Leonardo da Vinci’s paperwork reveals his
design of a new city beside the Ticino River. This was to provide better 8……………….
for trade and a less polluted environment. Although Leonardo da Vinci’s city
shared many of the ideals of his time, some of his innovations were considered
unconventional in their design. They included features that can be seen in some
tower blocks today, such as 9………………. on the exterior of a building.
Leonardo da Vinci wasn’t only an architect. His expertise
in 10………………. was evident in his plans for artificial canals within
his ideal city. He also believed that the height of houses should relate to the
width of streets in case earthquakes occurred. The design of many cities in
Italy today follows this 11……………….
While some cities from 12………………. times have
aspects that can also be found in Leonardo’s designs, his ideas weren’t put
into practice until long after his death. 13………………. is one example
of a city that was redesigned in the 19th century in the way that Leonardo had
envisaged. His ideas are also relevant to today’s world, where building 14……………….
no longer seems to be the best approach.
1. Answer: NOT GIVEN
Question Type: True/False/Not Given
Answer Location: NA
Answer Explanation: The word ‘genius’ is
universally associated with the name of Leonardo da Vinci. The date is nowhere
mentioned in Para A.
2. Answer: NOT GIVEN
Question Type: True/False/Not Given
Answer Location: NA
Answer Explanation: Today, the world is on the
cusp of a climate crisis, which is predicted to cause widespread displacement,
extinctions, and death, if left unaddressed. It isn’t mentioned that the
climate crisis will cause more deaths than the plague.
3. Answer: True
Question Type: True/False/Not Given
Answer Location: Para B, Line 3
Answer Explanation: Radical solutions were
called for to revolutionize the way people lived and safeguard humanity against
catastrophe.
4. Answer: False
Question Type: True/False/Not Given
Answer Location: Para H, Line 2
Answer Explanation: Indeed, it wasn’t until the
19th century that some of his ideas were applied.
5. Answer: True
Question Type: True/False/Not Given
Answer Location: Para C, Line 3
Answer Explanation: Yet given that unsustainable
urban models are a key cause of global climate change today, it’s only natural
to wonder how Leonardo might have changed the shape of modern cities.
6. Answer: Not Given
Question Type: True/False/Not Given
Answer Location: NA
Answer Explanation: Such as the reconfiguration
of the town of Pienza and the expansion of the city of Ferrara. These works
surely inspired Leonardo’s decision to rethink the design of medieval cities,
with their winding and overcrowded streets and with houses piled against one
another. It is mentioned nowhere in Para D that locals fought for the towns.
7. Answer: False
Question Type: True/False/Not Given
Answer Location: Para E, Line 2
Answer Explanation: But from the largest
collection of Leonardo’s papers ever assembled, a series of innovative thoughts
can be reconstructed regarding the foundation of a new city along the Ticino
River, which runs from Switzerland into Italy and is 248 kilometers long. That
only tells he didn’t keep a track record of his works.
8. Answer: Transport
Question Type: Summary Completion
Answer Location: Para E, Line 3
Answer Explanation: He designed the city for the
easy transport of goods and clean urban spaces, and he wanted a comfortable and
spacious city, with well-ordered streets and architecture.
9. Answer: Staircases
Question Type: Summary Completion
Answer Location: Para F, Line 3
Answer Explanation: Leonardo wanted the city to
be built on several levels, linked with vertical outdoor staircases.
10. Answer: Engineering
Question Type: Summary Completion
Answer Location: Para G, Line 2
Answer Explanation: But the true originality of
Leonardo’s vision was its fusion of architecture and engineering.
11. Answer: Rule
Question Type: Summary Completion
Answer Location: Para G, Line 5
Answer Explanation: Leonardo also thought that
the width of the streets ought to match the average height of the adjacent
houses: a rule still followed in many contemporary cities across Italy, to
allow access to the sun and reduce the risk of damage from earthquakes.
12. Answer: Roman
Question Type: Summary Completion
Answer Location: Para H, Line 1
Answer Explanation: Although some of these
features existed in Roman cities before Leonardo’s drawings there had never
been a multi-level, compact modem city that was thoroughly technically
conceived.
13. Answer: Paris
Question Type: Summary Completion
Answer Location: Para H, Line 3
Answer Explanation: For example, the subdivision
of the city by function- with services and infrastructures located in the lower
levels and wide and well-ventilated boulevards and walkways above for residents
– is an idea that can be found in Georges-Eugene Haussmann’s renovation of
Paris under Emperor Napoleon III between 1853 and 1870.
14. Answer: Outwards
Question Type: Summary Completion
Answer Location: Para I, Line 1
Answer Explanation: Today, Leonardo’s ideas are
not simply valid, they actually suggest a way forward for urban planning. Many
scholars think that the compact city is built upwards instead of outwards.
