Cambridge IELTS 7 · Academic · Test 2 · Passage 1
Why Pagodas Don’t Fall Down — IELTS Reading Answers
All 13 answers for Why Pagodas Don’t Fall Down, Cambridge IELTS 7 Academic Reading Test 2 Passage 1, with the passage evidence and an explanation for each.
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Why Pagodas Don’t Fall Down answer key at a glance
Questions 1–13. Tap an answer to see the evidence.
What this passage tests
This passage is tested with Yes / No / Not Given (Q1–4), Matching Features (Q5–10), One Choice (Q11–13). Each section below gives the strategy for that question type, the answers, and the sentence that proves them.
Questions 1–4: Yes / No / Not Given
Strategy: These test the writer's opinions, not facts. Look for evaluative language, and treat 'may' or 'could' as weaker than the question's claim.
Only two Japanese pagodas have collapsed in 1400 years.
“Records show that only two have collapsed during the past 1400 years”
'Only two have collapsed during the past 1400 years' matches the statement exactly, so the answer is YES.
The Hanshin earthquake of 1995 destroyed the pagoda at the Toji temple.
“Yet it left the magnificent five-storey pagoda at the Toji temple in nearby Kyoto unscathed, though it levelled a number of buildings in the neighbourhood”
The earthquake left the Toji pagoda 'unscathed', so it did not destroy it; the claim is contradicted. NO.
The other buildings near the Toji pagoda had been built in the last 30 years.
“Yet it left the magnificent five-storey pagoda at the Toji temple in nearby Kyoto unscathed, though it levelled a number of buildings in the neighbourhood”
The text says the quake 'levelled a number of buildings in the neighbourhood' but gives no construction dates, so the 30-year figure is unsupported.
The builders of pagodas knew how to absorb some of the power produced by severe weather conditions.
“Clearly, Japanese carpenters of the day knew a few tricks about allowing a building to sway and settle itself rather than fight nature's forces”
Carpenters knew tricks for letting a building 'sway and settle itself rather than fight nature's forces', which is absorbing the energy of storms. YES.
Questions 5–10: Matching Features
Strategy: Match the statement to the named person or thing. Names can repeat, so check each option against what that person actually says.
Options for Questions 5–10
- Aboth Chinese and Japanese pagodas
- Bonly Chinese pagodas
- Conly Japanese pagodas
easy interior access to top
“The Chinese built their pagodas in brick or stone, with inner staircases, and used them in later centuries mainly as watchtowers. When the pagoda reached Japan, however, its architecture was freely adapted to local conditions - they were built less high, typically five rather than nine storeys,”
The Chinese built pagodas 'with inner staircases', while the Japanese 'dispensed with' the staircase, so easy interior access is a Chinese feature (B).
tiles on eaves
“For the same reason, the builders of Japanese pagodas seem to have further increased their weight by choosing to cover these extended eaves not with the porcelain tiles of many Chinese pagodas but with much heavier earthenware tiles”
Both Chinese 'porcelain tiles' and Japanese 'earthenware tiles' are mentioned, so tiled eaves apply to both pagoda types — option A.
use as observation post
“The Chinese built their pagodas in brick or stone, with inner staircases, and used them in later centuries mainly as watchtowers. When the pagoda reached Japan, however, its architecture was freely adapted to local conditions - they were built less high, typically five rather than nine storeys,”
Chinese pagodas were 'used... mainly as watchtowers', an observation role; Japanese pagodas had 'no practical use', so B alone fits.
size of eaves up to half the width of the building
“Pagodas in China and Korea have nothing like the overhang that is found on pagodas in Japan The roof of a Japanese temple building can be made to overhang the sides of the structure by fifty per cent or more of the building's overall width”
Only Japanese roofs overhang 'by fifty per cent or more', while Chinese pagodas 'have nothing like' that overhang, so C.
original religious purpose
“The multi-storey pagoda came to Japan from China in the sixth century. As in China, they were first introduced with Buddhism and were attached to important temples”
'As in China, they were first introduced with Buddhism', showing both Chinese and Japanese pagodas began with a religious purpose — option A.
floors fitting loosely over each other
“More surprising is the fact that the individual storeys of a Japanese pagoda, unlike their counterparts elsewhere, are not actually connected to each other. They are simply stacked one on top of another like a pile of hats”
'Unlike their counterparts elsewhere', Japanese storeys are 'not actually connected' and simply stacked, so this feature is Japanese only (C).
Questions 11–13: 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.
In a Japanese pagoda, the shinbashira
- Abears the full weight of the building.
- Bbends under pressure like a tree.
- Cconnects the floors with the foundations.
- Dstops the floors moving too far.correct
“The shinbashira, running up through a hole in the centre of the building, constrained individual storeys from moving too far because, after moving a certain distance, they banged into it, transmitting energy away along the column”
'Constrained individual storeys from moving too far' is exactly option D: the shinbashira limits how far the floors shift.
Shuzo Ishida performs experiments in order to
- Aimprove skyscraper design.
- Bbe able to build new pagodas.
- Clearn about the dynamics of pagodas.correct
- Dunderstand ancient mathematics.
“Mr Ishida, known to his students as 'Professor Pagoda' because of his passion to understand the pagoda, has built a series of models and tested them on a 'shake-table' in his laboratory”
Ishida's models on a shake-table serve his 'passion to understand the pagoda', so his aim is learning pagoda dynamics — option C.
The storeys of a Japanese pagoda are
- Alinked only by wood.
- Bfastened only to the central pillar.
- Cfitted loosely on top of each other.correct
- Djoined by special weights.
“More surprising is the fact that the individual storeys of a Japanese pagoda, unlike their counterparts elsewhere, are not actually connected to each other. They are simply stacked one on top of another like a pile of hats”
'Stacked one on top of another like a pile of hats' while 'not actually connected' means loosely fitted, which is option C.
Learn the question types in this passage
Frequently asked questions
Where does the Why Pagodas Don’t Fall Down passage come from?
It is Passage 1 of Cambridge IELTS 7 Academic Reading Test 2, and it covers Questions 1–13.
What question types appear in Why Pagodas Don’t Fall Down?
The passage is tested with Yes / No / Not Given, Matching Features, 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.