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Moles Happy As Homes Go Underground Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test

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Updated on Jul 02, 2024, 11:57

The IELTS Reading section tests your ability to read and comprehend written English in various contexts. It consists of 40 questions designed to assess a range of reading skills, including reading for gist, reading for main ideas, reading for detail, skimming, understanding logical arguments, and recognising writers' opinions, attitudes, and purpose. 

 

You will encounter three reading passages from books, journals, magazines, and newspapers, each followed by a series of questions.
 

Key highlights of the Reading section:

 

  • You have 60 minutes to complete the section.
  • The texts range from descriptive and factual to discursive and analytical.
  • The questions include multiple-choice, identifying information, matching headings, and more.
  • The section evaluates your ability to understand and process different types of texts.
  • You will need to use various reading strategies, such as skimming and scanning, to answer the questions effectively.

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1. Moles Happy As Homes Go Underground Reading Passage

You should spend approximately 20 minutes answering Questions 1 - 14 based on the Reading Passage below. This approach can help manage time effectively during a reading comprehension activity or exam. 

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2. Moles Happy As Homes Go Underground Reading Question & Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about Moles Happy As Homes Go Underground

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1.

Moles Happy As Homes Go Underground Reading Passage

General Information

  • Read Instructions: Understand each question before answering.
  • Manage Time: Spend about 20 minutes per passage.
  • Skim and Scan: Quickly get the main idea and find specific information.
  • Highlight Key Info: Underline essential words or phrases.
  • Answer All Questions: Attempt every question; no penalty for wrong answers.
  • Stay Focused: Avoid distractions and keep your attention on the task.
  • Check Spelling: Ensure correct spelling and grammar.
  • Transfer Answers Clearly: Write answers neatly on the answer sheet.
  • Don’t Dwell: Move on if stuck and return later.
  • Review: If time allows, review your answers.

 

 

 

 

Moles Happy As Homes Go Underground Reading Passage


 

Paragraph A: Workmen tramping through a field uncovered a skinny steel chimney, which is how the public first learned about Dutchman Frank Siegmund and his family. A little skylight window could be seen through the thistles, and when the curious explorers down the hillside, they found a pine door with diamond-patterned leaded glass and a brass knocker leading to an underground structure. The Siegmunds had been able to remain hidden for six years just outside the Dutch city of Breda. They're the newest of a band of fiercely independent housewives who've gone underground in quest of peace and quiet.

 

Paragraph B: Most people have been compelled to abandon their unconventional dwellings and return to more mainstream ways of living because of stringent building rules. Yet, underground suburbs in the Dutch model are soon to be viewed as trendy and upmarket. Seven posh residences, each nestled within a high earth-covered noise barrier adjacent to Tilburg's major city road, have lately been put up for sale, at a price tag of $296,500. Customers were already waiting in line to purchase the unique partially submerged homes, which have a grassy mound for a back wall and a long glass gallery for a front wall.

 

Paragraph C: There are many potential spies, not just the Dutch. More and more people around Europe are going below to build their homes, workplaces, nightclubs, and malls. Evidence of this style of life can be seen in places with extreme weather conditions, such as Montreal, Canada, where residents can take refuge from the winter cold in an underground shopping and medical complex. Since 90% of Japan's population lives on only 20% of the country's land, architects in Tokyo are building an enormous underground city to be begun in the next decade, and underground retail malls are already commonplace in a country where 90% of the population lives in a 20% space.

 

Paragraph D: It is possible to protect a beautiful or "environmentally sensitive" landscape by constructing massive commercial buildings underneath. In fact, many of the land-hungry structures, such as movie theatres, grocery stores, theatres, warehouses, and libraries, might be built underground because they have no use for windows.

 

Paragraph E: When it comes to private residences, there are also significant benefits. There would be half as many roads if a housing development of 194 units, which would consume 14 hectares of land above ground, were built below ground on 2.7 hectares of land. The soundproofing and thermal insulation qualities of several meters of dirt are greatly improved. For similar dwellings in Britain, contact Peter Carpenter, secretary of the British Earth Sheltering Association. "We receive 40 to 50 inquiries per week," he notes. Many regard this as an investment in the future. Carpenter, who also lives underground, uses solar panels and natural insulation to keep warm without ever having to pay for it.

 

Paragraph F: The problem in Europe has been conservative local authorities and builders that wish to ensure speedy sales with traditional mass-built houses. South Limburg planners, meanwhile, greeted the development with unconcealed relief due to Holland's severe land shortage. Jo Hurkmans, an architect from Tilburg, came up with the concept of installing noise embankments along major thoroughfares. His separate houses, which have two stories and four bedrooms, and two bathrooms, are taking shape. He explains that rather than being underground, "they are in the earth." The glass facade, which extends from the second story down to the ground, will be the only source of illumination. The back is where you'll find the rooms that don't require as much window space. The living quarters are up front, where it's brighter, so no one will ever suspect anything amiss in the back.

 

Paragraph G: More than ten thousand underground homes have been constructed in the United States since the 1973 oil crisis sparked a movement towards more environmentally friendly housing options. Currently under construction in Nottinghamshire is the first underground development in the United Kingdom, a terrace of five residences. The Olivetti residential centre in Ivrea is Italy's most impressive example of an underground building. As a hotel/home complex for Olivetti staff, Roberto Olivetti commissioned its construction in 1969. It consists of 82 studio apartments and 12 maisonettes. It is set on a hillside, so the only visible part is the glass front. Patnzia Vallecchi, who has lived there since 1992, claims that life here is not drastically different from that in any other type of flat.

 

Paragraph H: The Japanese Shimizu Corporation has developed "space creation" devices that aim to stimulate people who must spend extended periods of time underground by combining factors such as light, music, breezes, and aromas, as not everyone is able to adapt effectively to such conditions. Subterranean workplaces in Japan are getting "virtual" windows and mirrors, and those at the University of Minnesota have periscopes to let in more light and let in more of the outside world below ground.

 

Paragraph I: And yet, hobbit life is perfect for Frank Siegmund and his loved ones. He first erected a hill to house a cold room for his bakery. They slept there through the heat wave. There was a sense of calm and connection to nature, he says. I started expanding the space gradually. Even though it may sound unusual, we actually gain power from the earth's vibrations due to our proximity to it. Our kids absolutely adore having the rabbits as neighbours, as not all kids can say that bunnies peek into their playroom windows.

2.

Moles Happy As Homes Go Underground Reading Question & Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about Moles Happy As Homes Go Underground

Questions and Answers 1-8
  • Reading Passage has nine paragraphs A-I.
  • Choose the most suitable heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.
  • Write the appropriate numbers i-xii in boxes 1-8 on your answer sheet.
Note: Paragraph A has been done for you as an example.
There are more headings than paragraphs so you will not use all of them.

 

 

List of Headings

 

i. Examples of Underground Housing Throughout the World

ii. Pre-construction sales of homes

iii. Construction blueprints for new houses

iv. An underground dwelling is unearthed

v. Creating a global network of subsurface infrastructure

vi. Making an artificial version of the great outdoors

vii. This architect gives a tour of his residences

viii. The health benefits of a subterranean lifestyle

ix. There is less need for resources like space and power

x. Not all structures need to have windows because they can function without sunlight

xi. Most people favor more traditional forms of dwelling

xii. The history of a residence built below ground


 

 Example             Answer

 

Paragraph A               xii

Paragraph B

Paragraph C

Paragraph D

Paragraph E

Paragraph F

Paragraph G

Paragraph H

Paragraph I


 

Moles Happy As Homes Go Underground Reading Answers with Explanations (1-8)


 

Type of Question: Matching Headings

 

These types of questions involve choosing the right heading based on the given paragraph. 

 

How to best answer: 
 

  • Read the headings carefully to understand the main idea of each section.
  • Skim the passage to grasp the overall structure and content.
  • Match each paragraph to the heading that best summarises its main point.
  • Pay attention to keywords and phrases that align with the headings.
  • Eliminate choices that do not accurately capture the essence of the paragraph.

 

 

1. ii

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph B, "Customers were already waiting in line to purchase the unique partially submerged homes, which have a grassy mound for a back wall and a long glass gallery for a front wall."

 

Explanation: This indicates pre-construction sales of underground homes, showing their popularity and demand.


 

2. v

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph C, "More and more people around Europe are going below to build their homes, workplaces, nightclubs, and malls."

 

Explanation: This illustrates the growing trend of creating a global network of subsurface infrastructure.


 

3. x

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph D, "In fact, many of the land-hungry structures, such as movie theatres, grocery stores, theatres, warehouses, and libraries, might be built underground because they have no use for windows."

 

Explanation: This explains why certain buildings do not need windows and can be constructed underground.


 

4. ix

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph E, "There would be half as many roads if a housing development of 194 units, which would consume 14 hectares of land above ground, were built below ground on 2.7 hectares of land."

 

Explanation: This highlights the efficient use of space and resources when building underground.


 

5. vii

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph F, "Jo Hurkmans, an architect from Tilburg, came up with the concept of installing noise embankments along major thoroughfares."

 

Explanation: This shows the architect giving a tour and explaining his innovative designs for underground homes.


 

6. i

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph G, "The Olivetti residential center in Ivrea is Italy's most impressive example of an underground building."

 

Explanation: This provides an example of underground housing, illustrating how it has been implemented in different parts of the world.


 

7. vi

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph H, "The Japanese Shimizu Corporation has developed 'space creation' devices that aim to stimulate people who must spend extended periods of time underground by combining factors such as light, music, breezes, and aromas."

 

Explanation: This describes efforts to simulate the outdoors underground, ensuring a comfortable living environment.


 

8. xii

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph I, "He first erected a hill to house a cold room for his bakery."

 

Explanation: This indicates the history of a residence built below ground, illustrating its origins and development over time.

Questions and Answers 9-11
  • Complete the sentences below with words taken from the reading passage.
  • Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
  • Write your answers in boxes 9-11 on your answer sheet.

 

 

9. The Hurkman family has homes constructed into __________________.

10. _____________________ were happy to hear about the Dutch innovation.

11. A lot of builders favour factory-made residences since they are _____________.

 

 

Moles Happy As Homes Go Underground Reading Answers with Explanations (9-11)
 

 

Type of Question: Sentence Completion
 

To answer Sentence Completion questions in IELTS reading, carefully read the given sentence or incomplete statement, identify the missing information or word, and then locate the relevant information in the passage that completes or fills in the blank accurately.

 

How to best answer: 
 

  • Ensure you understand how many words or numbers you are allowed to use in your answer.
  • Identify and underline keywords in the incomplete sentence and in the passage to find the relevant information quickly.
  • Read the surrounding sentences to grasp the context and ensure your answer makes sense fully.Your answers should be taken directly from the passage without altering the original wording.
  • Ensure the completed sentence is grammatically correct and logically consistent with the passage's meaning.


 

9. noise embankments

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph F, "Jo Hurkmans, an architect from Tilburg, came up with the concept of installing noise embankments along major thoroughfares."

 

Explanation: This describes the feature implemented by the Hurkman family in their homes, emphasising their innovative approach to addressing noise pollution.


 

10. South Limburg planners

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph F, "South Limburg planners, meanwhile, greeted the development with unconcealed relief due to Holland's severe land shortage."

 

Explanation: This indicates who welcomed the Dutch innovation, showcasing local support for unconventional housing solutions.


 

11. speedy sales

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph F, "The problem in Europe has been conservative local authorities and builders that wish to ensure speedy sales with traditional mass-built houses."

 

Explanation: This reveals a preference among builders for factory-made residences, highlighting the desire for quick turnover in the housing market.

Questions and Answers 12-14
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage?
In boxes 12-14 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 in the passage

 

 

12. The Ivrea facility was designed for Olivetti staff.

13. Japanese underground offices include periscopes to reflect light and views.

14. The first underground room of Frank Siegmund was utilized for sleeping during the heatwave.


 

Moles Happy As Homes Go Underground Reading Answers with Explanations (12-14)


 

Type of Question: True/False/Not Given 
 

These types of questions in IELTS reading involve identifying whether the sentence is  True, False, or Not Given using the given paragraph. 
 

How to best answer: 
 

  • Read the statements and paragraphs carefully to understand the context and meaning.
  • Identify keywords or key phrases in both the statements and paragraphs.
  • Look for direct matches between the statements and the content of the paragraphs.
  • Pay attention to synonyms or paraphrases that convey similar meanings.
  • Choose the paragraph that best aligns with the statement based on the information provided in the passage.


 

12. True

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph G, "As a hotel/home complex for Olivetti staff, Roberto Olivetti commissioned its construction in 1969."

 

Explanation: This statement aligns with the information provided in the paragraph, confirming that the Ivrea facility was indeed designed for Olivetti staff.


 

13. False

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph H, "Subterranean workplaces in Japan are getting 'virtual' windows and mirrors, and those at the University of Minnesota have periscopes to let in more light and let in more of the outside world below ground."

 

Explanation: The statement is false because it states that Japanese underground offices include periscopes to reflect light and views, which contradicts the information provided in the passage.

 

 

14. False

 

Reference:

 

From Paragraph I, "He first erected a hill to house a cold room for his bakery."

 

Explanation: This statement is false as it claims that Frank Siegmund's first underground room was utilised for sleeping during the heatwave, whereas the passage states that he first built it to house a cold room for his bakery.

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FAQs

Q. How many passages are there in the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. In the IELTS Reading test, candidates encounter three passages of increasing complexity and length. These passages are sourced from various authentic materials, such as newspapers, magazines, journals, and academic texts. The diversity in topics allows examiners to assess candidates' comprehension skills across different subject matters. Each passage is followed by a set of questions, testing various reading skills like skimming, scanning, and detailed comprehension.

Q. What types of questions are included in the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. The IELTS Reading test features a wide range of question types to evaluate candidates' reading abilities comprehensively. These include multiple choice, true/false/not given, sentence completion, matching headings, matching information, summary completion, and short-answer questions. Each question type assesses specific skills, such as understanding main ideas, identifying supporting details, and inferring meaning from context.

Q. How is the IELTS Reading test scored?

Ans. In the IELTS Reading test, candidates receive a score based on the number of correct answers they provide. There are 40 questions in total, each carrying one mark. Candidates are awarded one mark for each correct answer, with no penalty for incorrect responses. The total raw score is then converted into a band score ranging from 0 to 9, providing an overall assessment of the candidate's reading proficiency.