Cambridge IELTS 9 · General Training · Test 1 · Section 3
Out of the Ashes — IELTS Reading Answers
All 13 answers for Out of the Ashes, Cambridge IELTS 9 General Training Reading Test 1 Section 3, with the passage evidence and an explanation for each.
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Out of the Ashes answer key at a glance
Questions 28–40. Tap an answer to see the evidence.
What this section tests
This section is tested with Matching Information (Q28–33), Short Answers (Q34–37), One Choice (Q38–40). Each section below gives the strategy for that question type, the answers, and the sentence that proves them.
Questions 28–33: Matching Information
Strategy: Scan for the idea, not the exact words. The answer is a paragraph letter, and one paragraph may be used more than once unless the instructions say otherwise.
the procedure for sorting through the remains of the fire
“Helped by volunteers, the National Trust's archaeologists and conservators swung into action, first of all marking the site out into a grid and then salvaging everything down to the last door handle.”
Paragraph C: the site was marked 'out into a grid', each fragment's position recorded, and debris 'sifted and categorised'.
how Uppark looked after the fire
“The following morning, Uppark stood open to the sky. A sludge of wet charcoal covered the ground floor and basement, and in every room charred and fallen timbers lay amongst the smoke. It was a scene of utter devastation”
Paragraph B describes how 'Uppark stood open to the sky', with wet charcoal across the ground floor and 'utter devastation'.
improvements made to the rebuilt Uppark
“In addition, it made economic sense for the National Trust to invest time and money in upgrading water and heating systems, installing modern environmental controls, and updating fire and security equipment”
Paragraph G lists 'upgrading water and heating systems', modern environmental controls and updated fire and security equipment.
the selection of people to carry out the repair work
“The search for craftsmen and women capable of doing the intricate restoration work was nation-wide. Once the quality and skill of the individual or company had been ascertained, they had to pass an economic test, as every job was competitively tendered”
Paragraph F: a 'nation-wide' search for craftsmen, who then had to pass 'an economic test' through competitive tendering.
why the National Trust chose to rebuild Uppark
“It was undertaken for three main reasons. After the fire it had become apparent just how much remained of the structure with its splendidly decorated interiors; to have pulled the house down, as one commentator suggested, would have been vandalism.”
Paragraph E gives three reasons, including that demolition 'would have been vandalism' and that insurance covered the repairs.
how people reacted to the rebuilt Uppark
“The family and the room stewards were visibly moved when returning to their old haunts, perhaps the best testament that the spirit of Uppark had not died”
Paragraph H: family and room stewards were 'visibly moved' on returning, suggesting 'the spirit of Uppark had not died'.
Questions 34–37: Short Answers
Strategy: Use the question word to predict the answer type, locate the relevant sentence, and copy no more words than the limit allows.
On what date in 1989 should the original repairs to the roof have been completed?
“For a year builders had been replacing the lead on the roof, and by a stroke of irony, were due to finish the next day, on August 31st”
A date: builders were 'due to finish the next day, on August 31st', the intended completion date.
By what method were things rescued immediately from the burning house?
“due to the courage and swift action of the previous owners, the Meade-Featherstonhaugh family, and the staff, stewards and visitors to the house, who formed human chains to pass the precious pieces of porcelain, furniture and paintings out on to the lawn”
The method was a 'human chain': staff, stewards and visitors 'formed human chains to pass' valuables out to the lawn.
After the fire, what did the conservators require large quantities of immediately?
“As the fire continued to rage, the National Trust's conservators were being mobilised, and that evening local stationers were especially opened to provide the bulk supplies of blotting paper so desperately needed in the salvage operation”
A material: stationers opened for 'bulk supplies of blotting paper so desperately needed in the salvage operation'.
Into what did the conservators put material recovered from the fire?
“The position of each fragment was recorded, and all the debris was stored in countless dustbins before being sifted and categorised”
A container: 'all the debris was stored in countless dustbins before being sifted and categorised'.
Questions 38–40: One Choice
Strategy: Read the question stem and predict the answer before looking at the options. Wrong options often repeat passage words while the correct one paraphrases them.
The fire destroyed
- Aall the contents of the ground floor.
- Bmost of the contents of the basement.
- Cthe roof of the house.correct
- Dall the contents of the first floor.
“The following morning, Uppark stood open to the sky”
Option C: 'Uppark stood open to the sky' means the roof was gone; charcoal on the ground floor is mentioned, but not total loss below.
One of the reasons the National Trust decided to rebuild Uppark was that
- Athe Meade-Featherstonhaugh family wanted them to.
- Bthe building as it stood was unsound.
- Cthey wouldn't have to pay for the repairs.correct
- Dnothing on this scale had been tried before.
“Also the property was covered by insurance, so the repairs would not call upon the National Trust's own funds”
Option C: insurance meant repairs 'would not call upon the National Trust's own funds', so the Trust paid nothing.
Some of the craftsmen and women employed in the restoration of Uppark have benefited because
- Athey were very well paid for doing intricate work.
- Btheir businesses have become more competitive.
- Cthey were able to work with Grinling Gibbons.
- Dthey acquired skills they didn't have previously.correct
“many of them, for example plasterers, have relearnt the skills of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries which can now be of use to other country house owners when the need arises”
Option D: plasterers 'relearnt the skills of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries', gaining expertise they lacked before.
Learn the question types in this section
Frequently asked questions
Where does the Out of the Ashes passage come from?
It is Section 3 of Cambridge IELTS 9 General Training Reading Test 1, and it covers Questions 28–40.
What question types appear in Out of the Ashes?
The section is tested with Matching Information, Short Answers, One Choice. Each type is explained on this page, alongside the answers.
Are these reading answers reliable?
Every answer is paired with the sentence that proves it, so you can check each one against the passage yourself. Use the page after a timed attempt, not instead of one.
Cambridge IELTS is published by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Band9Prep is not affiliated with Cambridge. This page is an independent study aid: it gives the answer key, the passage evidence and an explanation so you can review an attempt you have already made.