Cambridge IELTS 16 · Academic · Test 4 · Passage 1
Roman Tunnels — IELTS Reading Answers
All 13 answers for Roman Tunnels, Cambridge IELTS 16 Academic Reading Test 4 Passage 1, with the passage evidence and an explanation for each.
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Roman Tunnels answer key at a glance
Questions 1–13. Tap an answer to see the evidence.
What this passage tests
This passage is tested with Diagram Labeling (Q1–6), True / False / Not Given (Q7–10), Short Answers (Q11–13). Each section below gives the strategy for that question type, the answers, and the sentence that proves them.
Questions 1–6: Diagram Labeling
Strategy: Locate the labelled part on the diagram, then find the matching description in the passage. Answers are usually concrete nouns.
“they introduced the qanat method of tunnel construction, which consisted of placing posts over a hill in a straight line, to ensure that the tunnel kept to its route, and then digging vertical shafts down into the ground at regular intervals.”
The qanat method began by 'placing posts over a hill in a straight line' to keep the tunnel on route, so 'posts'.
“Once the tunnel was completed, it allowed water to flow from the top of a hillside down towards a canal, which supplied water for human use.”
The gap needs where the water flowed at the tunnel's end; 'flow from the top of a hillside down towards a canal' gives 'canal'.
“The excavated soil was taken up to the surface using the shafts, which also provided ventilation during the work.”
The gap needs the shafts' second function; 'which also provided ventilation during the work' supplies 'ventilation'.
“The shafts were equipped with handholds and footholds to help those climbing in and out of them and were covered with a wooden or stone lid.”
The gap needs the shaft's cover; 'covered with a wooden or stone lid' gives 'lid'.
“To ensure that the shafts were vertical, Romans hung a plumb line from a rod placed across the top of each shaft and made sure that the weight at the end of it hung in the center of the shaft.”
The gap needs what hung at the end of the plumb line; 'the weight at the end of it hung in the center' supplies 'weight'.
“The shafts were equipped with handholds and footholds to help those climbing in and out of them and were covered with a wooden or stone lid.”
The gap needs the activity handholds and footholds helped; 'to help those climbing in and out of them' gives 'climbing'.
Questions 7–10: True / False / Not Given
Strategy: Judge the whole statement against the text. FALSE contradicts the passage; NOT GIVEN means the passage never addresses that specific claim.
The counter-excavation method completely replaced the qanat method in the 6th century BCE.
“It was used to cut through high mountains when the qanat method was not a practical alternative.”
The counter-excavation method was used 'when the qanat method was not a practical alternative', so it supplemented rather than completely replaced it, FALSE.
Only experienced builders were employed to construct a tunnel using the counter-excavation method.
“This method required greater planning and advanced knowledge of surveying, mathematics and geometry as both ends of a tunnel had to meet correctly at the center of the mountain.”
The method 'required greater planning and advanced knowledge', but the passage never says only experienced builders were employed, so NOT GIVEN.
The information about a problem that occurred during the construction of the Saldae aqueduct system was found in an ancient book.
“An inscription written on the side of a 428-meter tunnel”
The Saldae problem is recorded in 'an inscription written on the side of a 428-meter tunnel', not in an ancient book, so FALSE.
The mistake made by the builders of the Saldae aqueduct system was that the two parts of the tunnel failed to meet.
“the two teams of builders missed each other in the mountain and how the later construction of a lateral link between both corridors corrected the initial error”
The inscription tells how 'the two teams of builders missed each other in the mountain', confirming the two parts failed to meet, TRUE.
Questions 11–13: 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.
What type of mineral were the Dolaucothi mines in Wales built to extract?
“Traces of such tunnels used to mine gold can still be found at the Dolaucothi mines in Wales.”
Dolaucothi's purpose is stated directly: 'Traces of such tunnels used to mine gold can still be found at the Dolaucothi mines in Wales'.
In addition to the patron, whose name might be carved onto a tunnel?
“Most tunnels had inscriptions showing the names of patrons who ordered construction and sometimes the name of the architect.”
Besides patrons, inscriptions sometimes showed 'the name of the architect', so 'architect' answers whose name was carved.
What part of Seleuceia Pieria was the Çevlik tunnel built to protect?
“the 1.4-kilometer Çevlik tunnel in Turkey, built to divert the floodwater threatening the harbor of the ancient city of Seleuceia Pieria”
The Cevlik tunnel was 'built to divert the floodwater threatening the harbor of the ancient city of Seleuceia Pieria', so 'harbour'.
Learn the question types in this passage
Frequently asked questions
Where does the Roman Tunnels passage come from?
It is Passage 1 of Cambridge IELTS 16 Academic Reading Test 4, and it covers Questions 1–13.
What question types appear in Roman Tunnels?
The passage is tested with Diagram Labeling, True / False / Not Given, Short Answers. 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.