Stadiums: Past, Present And Future — IELTS Reading Answers

a mention of negative attitudes towards stadium building projects

“Today, however, stadiums are regarded with growing scepticism.”

Paragraph A notes that 'stadiums are regarded with growing scepticism', negative attitudes towards stadium building projects.

figures demonstrating the environmental benefits of a certain stadium

“This reduces the annual output of carbon dioxide by 660 tons and supplies up to 80 percent of the surrounding area when the stadium is not in use. This is proof that a stadium can serve its city, and have a decidedly positive impact in terms of reduction of CO2 emissions.”

Paragraph F gives figures: the design 'reduces the annual output of carbon dioxide by 660 tons' and supplies 'up to 80 percent' of the surrounding area.

examples of the wide range of facilities available at some new stadiums

“There have been many examples of this in the UK: the mixed-use facilities at Wembley and Old Trafford have become a blueprint for many other stadiums in the world.”

Paragraph E cites 'the mixed-use facilities at Wembley and Old Trafford' as a blueprint, an example of a wide range of facilities.

reference to the disadvantages of the stadiums built during a certain era

“But some of the flexibility was lost at the beginning of the 20th century, as stadiums were developed using new products such as steel and reinforced concrete, and made use of bright lights for night-time matches.”

Paragraph D says 'some of the flexibility was lost' as steel, reinforced concrete and floodlights were introduced, the disadvantages of that era.

“Built by the Romans in 90 AD, it became a fortress with four towers after the fifth century, and was then transformed into a village containing more than 200 houses.”

The gap needs what the Roman arena became after the fifth century; 'it became a fortress with four towers' gives 'fortress'.

“With the growing interest in conservation during the 19th century, it was converted back into an arena for the staging of bullfights, thereby returning the structure to its original use as a venue for public spectacles.”

The gap needs the spectacle it was converted back for; 'an arena for the staging of bullfights' supplies 'bullfights'.

“Another example is the imposing arena of Verona in northern Italy, with space for 30,000 spectators, which was built 60 years before the Arles amphitheatre and 40 years before Rome’s famous Colosseum.”

The gap needs what Verona's arena is now famous for; 'one of the world's prime sites for opera, thanks to its outstanding acoustics'.

“The site evolved in a similar way to Arles and was progressively filled with buildings from the Middle Ages until the 19th century, variously used as houses, a salt depot and a prison”

The gap needs one of the arena's former uses; 'variously used as houses, a salt depot and a prison' gives 'salt'.

“Today, the ruins of the amphitheatre remain embedded in the various shops and residences surrounding the public square.”

The gap needs what the ruins are now embedded in; 'embedded in the various shops and residences' supplies 'shops'.

“These factors mean that they may not be as accessible to the general public, require more energy to run and contribute to urban heat. But some of the flexibility was lost at the beginning of the 20th century, as stadiums were developed using new products such as steel and reinforced concrete,”

New stadiums 'may not be as accessible to the general public' (C) and 'require more energy to run' (D), the two drawbacks listed.

“This opens the space up to families and a wider cross-section of society, instead of catering only to sportspeople and supporters. The phenomenon of stadiums as power stations has arisen from the idea that energy problems can be overcome by integrating interconnected buildings by means of a smart grid which is an...”

The changes 'open the space up to families and a wider cross-section of society' (B) and create 'stadiums as power stations' through a smart grid (E).