The Lost City Reading Answers : IELTS Reading Test
International English Language Testing System ( IELTS )
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"The Lost City Reading Answer" passage stands out for its captivating blend of historical exploration and archaeological mystery. It delves into the discovery of Machu Picchu by Hiram Bingham, chronicling his journey and his interpretation of this iconic site. Preparing for the "The Lost City Reading Answer" section in IELTS is crucial for enhancing your reading comprehension skills. This practice allows test-takers to identify main ideas, interpret detailed information, and master the IELTS reading section format.
Familiarity with "The Lost City Reading Answer" questions, including inference-based and factual queries, significantly improves accuracy and boosts confidence. Additionally, practicing this passage helps candidates manage their time effectively, a vital skill for answering within the exam's time constraints. By focusing on "The Lost City Reading Answer", test-takers can improve their performance and excel in the IELTS reading section.
IELTS Prep Tips for The Lost City Reading Passage
| Tip Category | Details |
|---|---|
| 1. Skim the Passage First | - Quickly skim the passage to get an overview of its content and structure. - Identify the main topics covered, such as the location, history, and significance of the Lost City. |
| 2. Focus on Keywords | - Highlight key terms such as names, dates, and places (e.g., the Lost City, explorers, ancient civilization). - Use these keywords to locate answers within the text quickly. |
| 3. Understand Synonyms and Paraphrasing | - Be prepared to recognize paraphrased ideas. - Example: "Explorer" might be written as "adventurer" or "discoverer"; "abandoned" could appear as "left behind." |
| 4. Matching Headings to Paragraphs | - Identify the main idea of each paragraph to match it with the appropriate heading. - Look for topic sentences and any overarching themes. |
| 5. True/False/Not Given Questions | - Compare the question with the passage to check for:
|
| 6. Pay Attention to Chronology | - The text might follow a chronological order (e.g., the timeline of exploration). Use this to locate answers for time-related questions. |
| 7. Vocabulary Building | - Familiarize yourself with terms related to archaeology, ancient history, and geography. - Example: "ruins," "excavation," "relics," and "civilization." |
| 8. Don't Spend Too Much Time on One Question | - If a question is too difficult, skip it and come back later. - Aim to spend around 20 minutes on the passage. |
| 9. Write in UPPERCASE | - Write all answers in UPPERCASE to avoid punctuation or capitalization errors. |
| 10. Review Before Submission | - Double-check for spelling mistakes, especially in proper nouns like the names of places or explorers. |
| 11. Practice Similar Topics | - Practice reading passages related to ancient civilizations, archaeology, and exploration to build familiarity with the content and terminology. |
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The Lost City Reading Answers - Reading Passage
The below The Lost City Reading Passage, is adapted from Cambridge 12, Test 6. Spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26, which are based on this reading passage.
- When the US explorer and academic Hiram Bingham arrived in South America in 1911, he was ready for what was to be the greatest achievement of his life: the exploration of the remote hinterland to the west of Cusco, the old capital of the Inca empire in the Andes mountains of Peru. His goal was to locate the remains of a city called Vitcos, the last capital of the Inca civilisation.
- Cusco lies on a high plateau at an elevation of more than 3,000 metres, and Bingham’s plan was to descend from this plateau along the valley of the Urubamba river, which takes a circuitous route down to the Amazon and passes through an area of dramatic canyons and mountain ranges.
- When Bingham and his team set off down the Urubamba in late July,they had an advantage over travellers who had preceded them: a track had recently been blasted down the valley canyon to enable rubber to be brought up by mules from the jungle. Almost all previous travellers had left the river at Ollantaytambo and taken a high pass across the mountains to rejoin the river lower down, thereby cutting a substantial corner, but also therefore never passing through the area around Machu Picchu.
- On 24 July they were a few days into their descent of the valley. The day began slowly, with Bingham trying to arrange sufficient mules for the next stage of the trek. His companions showed no interest in accompanying him up the nearby hill to see some ruins that a local farmer, Melchor Arteaga, had told them about the night before. The morning was dull and damp, and also seems to have been less than keen on the prospect of climbing the hill. In his book Lost City of the Incas, he relates that he made the ascent without having the least expectation that he would find anything at the top.
- Bingham writes about the approach in vivid style in his book. First, as he climbs up the hill, he describes the ever-present possibility of deadly snakes, ‘capable of making considerable springs when in pursuit of their prey’; not that he sees any. Then there’s a sense of mounting discovery as he comes across great sweeps of terraces, then a mausoleum, followed by monumental staircases and, finally, the grand ceremonial buildings of Machu Picchu. 'It seemed like an unbelievable dream the sight held me spellbound ’, he wrote.
- We should remember, however, that Lost City of the Incas is a work of hindsight, not written until 1948, many years after his journey. His journal entries of the time reveal a much more gradual appreciation of his achievement. He spent the afternoon at the ruins noting down the dimensions of some of the buildings, then descended and rejoined his companions, to whom he seems to have said little about his discovery. At this stage, didn’t realise the extent or the importance of the site, nor did he realise what use he could make of the discovery.
- However, soon after returning it occurred to him that he could make a name for himself from this discovery. When he came to write the National Geographic magazine article that broke the story to the world in April 1913, he knew he had to produce a big idea. He wondered whether it could have been the birthplace of the very first Inca, Manco the Great, and whether it could also have been what chroniclers described as ‘the last city of the Incas’. This term refers to Vilcabamba the settlement where the Incas had fled from Spanish invaders in the 1530s. Bingham made desperate attempts to prove this belief for nearly 40 years. Sadly, his vision of the site as both the beginning and end of the Inca civilisation, while a magnificent one, is inaccurate. We now know, that Vilcabamba actually lies 65 kilometres away in the depths of the jungle.
- One question that has perplexed visitors, historians and archaeologists alike ever since Bingham, is why the site seems to have been abandoned before the Spanish Conquest. There are no references to it by any of the Spanish chroniclers - and if they had known of its existence so close to Cusco they would certainly have come in search of gold.
- An idea which has gained wide acceptance over the past few years is that was a , a country estate built by an Inca emperor to escape the cold winters of Cusco, where the elite could enjoy monumental architecture and spectacular views. Furthermore, the particular architecture of Machu Picchu suggests that it was constructed at the time of the greatest of all the Incas, the emperor Pachacuti (1438-71). By custom, Pachacuti’s descendants built other similar estates for their own use, and so Machu Picchu would have been abandoned after his death, some 50 years before the Spanish Conquest.
The Lost City Reading Answers - Question 14-19
The Reading Passage has sections, A-G.
Which section contains the following information?
Write the correct letter, A-G in boxes 14-19 on your answer.
14. Bingham's Solo Ascent to Discover Ruins.
Answer: C
Answer Location: Paragraph C, Lines 2
Explanation: This line - "His companions showed no interest in accompanying him up the nearby hill to see some ruins that a local farmer, Melchor Arteaga, had told them about the night before." - describes how Bingham's companions were not interested in exploring the ruins, leading to his solo ascent.
15. The Unveiling of Machu Picchu's Structures.
Answer: D
Answer Location: Paragraph D, Lines 1
Explanation: Bingham vividly describes the discovery of various structures at Machu Picchu, detailing the terraces, mausoleums, staircases, and ceremonial buildings. "First, as he climbs up the hill, he describes the ever-present possibility of deadly snakes... then a mausoleum, followed by monumental staircases and, finally, the grand ceremonial buildings of Machu Picchu."
16. The aim of Hiram’s Quest for Inca Ruins.
Answer: A
Answer Location: Paragraph A, Lines 3
Explanation: This line, "His goal was to locate the remains of a city called Vitcos, the last capital of the Inca civilisation," clearly states Bingham's objective in exploring the region: to find Vitcos.
17. Lack of enthusiasm of Bingham for his journey.
Answer: C
Answer Location: Paragraph C, Lines 3
Explanation: "The morning was dull and damp, and also seems to have been less than keen on the prospect of climbing the hill." Bingham's lack of enthusiasm and low expectations are mentioned here, reflecting his disinterest.
18. Theories on Machu Picchu's desertion and Purpose.
Answer: G
Answer Location: Paragraph G, Lines 5-7
Explanation: “An idea which has gained wide acceptance over the past few years is that Machu Picchu was a country estate built by an Inca emperor to escape the cold winters of Cusco..." This paragraph discusses theories regarding why Machu Picchu may have been built and subsequently abandoned, suggesting it was a country estate.
19. Gradual Realization of Machu Picchu's Significance.
Answer: E
Answer Location: Paragraph E, Lines 4
Explanation: Bingham's realization of the site's significance was gradual, as he initially did not fully understand its importance. "At this stage, didn’t realise the extent or the importance of the site, nor did he realise what use he could make of the discovery."
The Lost City Reading Answers - Question 20-25
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage?
In boxes 20-25 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
20. The track that took Bingham down the Urubamba valley had been created for the transportation.
Answer: TRUE
Answer Location: Paragraph B, line 2
Explanation: "A track had recently been blasted down the valley canyon to enable rubber to be brought up by mules from the jungle." This line confirms the track's purpose as transportation, specifically rubber.
21. Bingham found out about the ruins of Machu Picchu from a local guide in the Urubamba valley.
Answer: FALSE
Answer Location: Paragraph C, Line 3
Explanation: The ruins were brought to Bingham's attention by a local farmer, not a guide, thus contradicting the statement. "a local farmer, Melchor Arteaga, had told them about the night before."
22. Bingham realised in the moment of discovery that he could build his reputation.
Answer: FALSE
Answer Location: Paragraph E, Line 4
Explanation: "At this stage, he didn’t realise the extent or the importance of the site, nor did he realise what use he could make of the discovery." From this line, it could be inferred that Bingham did not immediately recognize the significance of the site or the potential for building his reputation.
23. Bingham and his team tried to convince people of the belief that he held.
Answer: NOT GIVEN
Answer Location: Paragraph F, Line 5
Explanation: Though it is mentioned that Bingham tried to convince people there is no information in the text about his team trying to persuade others about his theories regarding Machu Picchu.
24. The Spanish chroniclers frequently mentioned Machu Picchu in their accounts, indicating it was well-known.
Answer: FALSE
Answer Location: Paragraph G, Lines 2
Explanation: "There are no references to it by any of the Spanish chroniclers - and if they had known of its existence so close to Cusco they would certainly have come in search of gold." The lack of references to Machu Picchu by Spanish chroniclers indicates that it was not well-known during their time.
25. It was a common belief that the Inca elite could escape the cold winters by retreating to Machu Picchu.
Answer: TRUE
Answer Location: Paragraph G, Lines 4
Explanation: "An idea which has gained wide acceptance over the past few years is that it was a country estate built by an Inca emperor to escape the cold winters of Cusco, where the elite could enjoy monumental architecture and spectacular views." This line from the passage explicitly states the belief that Machu Picchu was possibly constructed as a country estate for the Inca elite to escape the harsh winters of Cusco.
The Lost City Reading Answers - Question 26
Choose the correct letter (A, B, C or D) from the given options.
- Which statement best summarises the overall analysis presented in the text?
A) Hiram Bingham's discovery of Machu Picchu was an immediate success with no historical errors.
B) Bingham initially underestimated Machu Picchu's significance but later sought to promote it as a key Inca site.
C) The location of Machu Picchu was already well-known before Bingham's exploration.
D) Machu Picchu was not significant to the Inca empire and was ignored by both historians and explorers.
Answer for Question 26
Answer: B
Answer Location: Paragraph E, Line 4 and Paragraph F, Line 1
Explanation: "At this stage, didn’t realise the extent or the importance of the site, nor did he realise what use he could make of the discovery." "When he came to write the National Geographic magazine article that broke the story to the world in April 1913, he knew he had to produce a big idea." These lines indicate that Bingham initially didn't fully grasp the importance of Machu Picchu. Later, however, he realized its significance and sought to promote it as a key site in Inca history through publications and further exploration. This reflects the progression of his understanding and his efforts to establish Machu Picchu's historical importance.
Why A, C, and D are Incorrect:
A) Hiram Bingham's discovery of Machu Picchu was an immediate success with no historical errors.
Incorrect: The passage clearly states that Bingham initially did not recognize the site's significance (Paragraph E) and that his later assertions about it (Paragraph F) contained inaccuracies, such as mistaking Machu Picchu for Vilcabamba (Paragraph F). This shows that his success was not immediate and was clouded by some misunderstandings.
C) The location of Machu Picchu was already well-known before Bingham's exploration.
Incorrect: The passage contradicts this by stating that Bingham learned about the site from a local farmer, and there were no references to it by Spanish chroniclers, indicating it was not widely known (Paragraph G). The text emphasizes Bingham's role in bringing Machu Picchu to wider attention.
D) Machu Picchu was not significant to the Inca empire and was ignored by both historians and explorers.
Incorrect: The passage suggests that Machu Picchu might have been a significant site, possibly a country estate for Inca royalty (Paragraph G). While it was not well-documented in Spanish records, Bingham and later scholars considered it historically significant, contrary to the statement in option D.
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