BÀI TEST IELTS 10 READING PASSAGE - STEPWELLS

STEPWELLS

A millennium ago, stepwells were fundamental to life in the driest parts of India. Although many have been neglected, recent restoration has returned them to their former glory. Richard Cox travelled to north-western India to document these spectacular monuments from a bygone era.

During the sixth and seventh centuries, the inhabitants of the modern-day states of Gujarat and Rajasthan in North-western India developed a method of gaining access to clean, fresh groundwater during the dry season for drinking, bathing, watering animals and irrigation. However, the significance of this invention – the stepwell – goes beyond its utilitarian application.

Unique to the region, stepwells are often architecturally complex and vary widely in size and shape. During their heyday, they were places of gathering, of leisure, of relaxation and of worship for villagers of all but the lowest castes. Most stepwells are found dotted around the desert areas of Gujarat (where they are called vav) and Rajasthan (where they are known as baori), while a few also survive in Delhi. Some were located in or near villages as public spaces for the community; others were positioned beside roads as resting places for travellers.

As their name suggests, stepwells comprise a series of stone steps descending from ground level to the water source (normally an underground aquifer) as it recedes following the rains. When the water level was high, the user needed only to descend a few steps to reach it; when it was low, several levels would have to be negotiated.

Some wells are vast, open craters with hundreds of steps paving each sloping side, often in tiers. Others are more elaborate, with long stepped passages leading to the water via several storeys built from stone and supported by pillars, they also included pavilions that sheltered visitors from the relentless heat. But perhaps the most impressive features are the intricate decorative sculptures that embellish many stepwells, showing activities from fighting and dancing to everyday acts such as women combing their hair and churning butter.

Down the centuries, thousands of wells were constructed throughout northwestern India, but the majority have now fallen into disuse; many are derelict and dry, as groundwater has been diverted for industrial use and the wells no longer reach the water table. Their condition hasn’t been helped by recent dry spells: southern Rajasthan suffered an eight-year drought between 1996 and 2004.

However, some important sites in Gujarat have recently undergone major restoration, and the state government announced in June last year that it plans to restore the stepwells throughout the state.

In Patan, the state’s ancient capital, the stepwell of Rani Ki Vav (Queen’s Stepwell) is perhaps the finest current example. It was built by Queen Udayamati during the late 11th century, but became silted up following a flood during the 13th century. But the Archaeological Survey of India began restoring it in the 1960s, and today it’s in pristine condition. At 65 metres long, 20 metres wide and 27 metres deep, Rani Ki Vav features 500 distinct sculptures carved into niches throughout the monument, depicting gods such as Vishnu and Parvati in various incarnations. Incredibly, in January 2001, this ancient structure survived a devastating earthquake that measured 7.6 on the Richter scale.

Another example is the Surya Kund in Modhera, northern Gujarat, next to the Sun Temple, built by King Bhima I in 1026 to honour the sun god Surya. It’s actually a tank (kund means reservoir or pond) rather than a well, but displays the hallmarks of stepwell architecture, including four sides of steps that descend to the bottom in a stunning geometrical formation. The terraces house 108 small, intricately carved shrines between the sets of steps.

Rajasthan also has a wealth of wells. The ancient city of Bundi, 200 kilometres south of Jaipur, is renowned for its architecture, including its stepwells. One of the larger examples is Raniji Ki Baori, which was built by the queen of the region, Nathavatji, in 1699. At 46 metres deep, 20 metres wide and 40 metres long, the intricately carved monument is one of 21 baoris commissioned in the Bundi area by Nathavatji.

In the old ruined town of Abhaneri, about 95 kilometres east of Jaipur, is Chand Baori, one of India’s oldest and deepest wells; aesthetically, it’s perhaps one of the most dramatic. Built in around 850 AD next to the temple of Harshat Mata, the baori comprises hundreds of zigzagging steps that run along three of its sides, steeply descending 11 storeys, resulting in a striking geometric pattern when seen from afar. On the fourth side, covered verandas supported by ornate pillars overlook the steps.

Still in public use is Neemrana Ki Baori, located just off the Jaipur–Dehli highway. Constructed in around 1700, it’s nine storeys deep, with the last two levels underwater. At ground level, there are 86 colonnaded openings from where the visitor descends 170 steps to the deepest water source.

Today, following years of neglect, many of these monuments to medieval engineering have been saved by the Archaeological Survey of India, which has recognised the importance of preserving them as part of the country’s rich history. Tourists flock to wells in far-flung corners of northwestern India to gaze in wonder at these architectural marvels from 1,000 years ago, which serve as a reminder of both the ingenuity and artistry of ancient civilisations and of the value of water to human existence.
 

Questions 1–5
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 191?
In boxes 1–5 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. Examples of ancient stepwells can be found all over the world.
2.   Stepwells had a range of functions, in addition to those related to water collection.
3.  The few existing stepwells in Delhi are more attractive than those found elsewhere.
4.   It took workers many years to build the stone steps characteristic of stepwells.
5.  The number of steps above the water level in a stepwell altered during the course of a year.

Questions 6–8
Answer the questions below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 6–8 on your answer sheet.

6.   Which part of some stepwells provided shade for people?
7.   What type of serious climatic event, which took place in southern Rajasthan, is mentioned in the article? 7  
8.   Who are frequent visitors to stepwells nowadays?

Question 9-13
Complete the table below
Choose ONE WORD AND /OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 9-13 on your answer sheet.

LỜI GIẢI CHI TIẾT

1. FALSE
Question: Examples of an ancient stepwells can be found all over the world.
Keywords: ancient stepwells, all over the world
At the beginning of paragraph 2, the author says “Unique to this region, stepwells are…”, then he continues “Most stepwells are found dotted round the desert areas of Gujarat and Rajasthan, while a few also survive in Delhi”. This means that stepwells are typical of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Delhi, they can only be found at such places, not all over the world.

2. TRUE
Question: Stepwells had a range of functions, in addition to those related to water collection.
Keywords: a range of functions
In paragraph 2, the author indicates that “During their heyday, they (stepwells) were places of gathering of leisure and relaxation and of worship for villagers of all but the lowest classes.” Then, he continues “Some were located in or near villages as public spaces for the community; others were positioned beside roads as resting places for travelers.” So, besides the function of collecting water which is mentioned in paragraph 1, stepwells had many other functions.

3. NOT GIVEN
Question: The few existing stepwells in Delhi are more attractive than those found elsewhere.
Keywords: stepwells in Delhi, more attractive.
In paragraph 2, the author lists some places where stepwells can be found, and he mentions that ‘a few also survive in Delhi’. However, he does not compare the attractiveness of stepwells in Delhi and in other places.

4. NOT GIVEN
Question: It took workers many years to build the stone steps characteristic of stepwells.
Keywords: many years, stone steps
Only paragraphs 3 and 4 refer to stone steps, so we should focus on them. However, paragraph indicates whether it took workers many years to build stone steps or not.

5. TRUE
Question: The number of steps above the water level in a stepwell altered during the course of a year.
Keywords: steps, water level, altered
In paragraph 3, the author writes “When the water level was high, the user needed only to descend a few steps to reach it; when it was low, several levels would have to be negotiated.” This means that the water level changed during the year, which means that the number of steps above the water level changed, too.

6. pavilions
Question: Which part of some stepwells provided shade for people?
Keyword: shade
The author describes stepwells in paragraph 4, so we should focus on this paragraph first. He says “Built from stone and supported by pillars, they (stepwells) also included pavilions that sheltered visitors from the relentless heat.”
–  shade=shelter from the heat

7. drought
Question: What type of serious climatic event, which took place in southern Rajasthan, is mentioned in the article?
Keywords: climatic event, southern Rajasthan
“Southern Rajasthan” is mentioned for the first time in paragraph 5, so we will focus on this paragraph first. At the end of paragraph 5, the author indicates that “southern Rajasthan suffered an eight-year drought between 1996 and 2004”

8. tourists
Question: Who are frequent visitors to stepwells nowadays?
Keywords: frequent visitors, nowadays
We should find out the paragraph that contains the information about stepwells today. In the last paragraph, the author argues that “Tourists flock to wells in far-flung corners of north-western India to gaze in wonder at these architectural marvels from hundreds of years ago…” This means that nowadays, a huge number of tourists visit India to gaze at these wells.

9. earthquake
Question: Excellent condition, despite the…………….. of 2001.
Keywords: 2001, excellent.
At the end of paragraph 7, “Incredibly, in January 2001, this ancient structure survived an earthquake that measured 7.6 on the Richter scale”. This means that despite the earthquake in 2001, the stepwell of Rani Ki Vav was still in excellent condition.
9-13. We will focus on paragraphs 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, each of which describes a well-known well. Locate the paragraphs which give the different place names and pay attention to dates and numbers in the text, too.

10. 4 sides
Question: Steps on the……………. produce a geometrical pattern.
In paragraph 8, “It actually resembles a tank rather than a well, but displays the hallmarks of stepwell architecture, including four sides of steps (that descend to the bottom) in a stunning geometrical formation.” This means that the stepwell of Surya Kund looks more like a tank. Besides, it is the steps on the four sides that create a geometrical formation (pattern)
–  look like=resemble
(As only ONE word AND/OR A number is accepted, so “four sides” is the wrong answer)

11. tank
Question: Looks more like a……………. than a well.
Keywords: steps, geometrical pattern/ more like/
In paragraph 8, “It actually resembles a tank rather than a well, but displays the hallmarks of stepwell architecture, including four sides of steps (that descend to the bottom) in a stunning geometrical formation.” This means that the stepwell of Surya Kund looks more like a tank. Besides, it is the steps on the four sides that create a geometrical formation (pattern)
–  look like=resemble

12. verandas
Question: Has…………… which provide a view of the steps.
At the end of paragraph 10, “On the fourth side, verandas (which are supported by ornate pillars) overlook the steps”
–  provide a view of = overlook

13. underwater
Question: Has two…………… levels
Keywords: Two, levels
In paragraph 11, the author argues that “Constructed in around 1700, it is nine storeys deep, with the last two being underwater.”
–  levels=storeys


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