The Lost City — IELTS Reading Answers

Paragraph A

“His goal was to locate the remains of a city called Vitcos, the last capital of the Inca civilisation”

Paragraph A states Bingham's goal was locating the remains of a city called Vitcos, the last Inca capital, so the expedition's purpose is heading iv.

Paragraph B

“a track had recently been blasted down the valley canyon to enable rubber to be brought up by mules from the jungle”

Paragraph B describes a track recently blasted down the valley to bring rubber up by mules, a sign of modern change in the valley, heading vi.

Paragraph C

“Bingham also seems to have been less than keen on the prospect of climbing the hill. In his book Lost City of the Incas, he relates that he made the ascent without having the least expectation that he would find anything at the top.”

Paragraph C stresses Bingham's reluctance to climb the hill and his lack of expectation of finding anything, which is heading viii.

Paragraph D

“First, as he climbs up the hill, he describes the ever-present possibility of deadly snakes, ‘capable of making considerable springs when in pursuit of their prey’”

Paragraph D catalogues dangers on the climb, including the ever-present possibility of deadly snakes, matching a heading about hazards, v.

Paragraph E

“Lost City of the Incas is a work of hindsight, not written until 1948, many years after his journey. His journal entries of the time reveal a much more gradual appreciation of his achievement.”

Paragraph E contrasts the hindsight of his 1948 book with the much more gradual appreciation in his journal entries, which is heading i.

Paragraph F

“When he came to write the National Geographic magazine article that broke the story to the world in April 1913, he knew he had to produce a big idea”

Paragraph F shows Bingham shaping a big idea for the National Geographic article that broke the story to the world, matching heading vii.

Paragraph G

“An idea which has gained wide acceptance over the past few years”

Paragraph G discusses an idea which has gained wide acceptance over the past few years, matching the heading about a widely accepted view, iii.

Bingham went to South America in search of an Inca city.

“His goal was to locate the remains of a city called Vitcos, the last capital of the Inca civilisation”

His stated goal was finding Vitcos, the last capital of the Inca civilisation, so he went to South America in search of an Inca city.

Bingham chose a particular route down the Urubamba valley because it was the most common route used by travellers.

“Almost all previous travelers had left the river at Ollantaytambo and taken a high pass across the mountains to rejoin the river lower down, thereby cutting a substantial corner, but also therefore never passing through the area around Machu Picchu”

Previous travellers left the river at Ollantaytambo and crossed by a high pass, while Bingham stayed in the valley, so his route was not the common one.

Bingham understood the significance of Machu Picchu as soon as he saw it.

“At this stage, Bingham didn’t realise the extent or the importance of the site, nor did he realise what use he could make of the discovery”

The passage says Bingham did not realise the extent or the importance of the site at that stage, so understanding came later, not instantly.

Bingham returned to Machu Picchu in order to find evidence to support his theory.

“Bingham made desperate attempts to prove this belief for nearly 40 years”

The text says he spent nearly forty years trying to prove his belief, but never says he went back to Machu Picchu for supporting evidence.

“a track had recently been blasted down the valley canyon to enable rubber to be brought up by mules from the jungle”

The gap names the product the newly blasted track carried; the passage says it enabled rubber to be brought up by mules.

“His companions showed no interest in accompanying him up the nearby hill to see some ruins that a local farmer, Melchor Arteaga, had told them about the night before”

The gap names the person who reported the ruins; the passage identifies a local farmer, Melchor Arteaga, who had told them about it.