Stadium Past Present and Future – IELTS Reading Answers

Stadium Past Present and Future’ is an academic reading passage which you need to attempt in 20 minutes. As there are different types of questions, these reading passages are ideal for practice. By attempting different questions, you will learn how to approach each one of them while improving your reading comprehension skills.

Since IELTS Reading is considered the second easiest module of the exam after Listening, try to solve the passage first. The answers to the questions are provided at the end,  which you can use to review with yours. Practice attempting similar passages to ensure that your reading skills are up to the mark. By evaluating the answers, you can develop your skills to achieve a band score of 8+. 

Types of Questions in the IELTS Reading Passage ‘Stadium Past Present and Future’

In the passage, ‘Stadium Past Present and Future’, you will encounter various kinds of questions. It is necessary to get familiar with them so that you know what information to look for in the passage. Remember to first focus on doing a targeted study with each question type so that it becomes easier for you to find the answer.

The question types found in the ‘Stadium Past Present and Future’ passage are:

• IELTS Reading Matching Features (Q. 1-4)
• IELTS Reading Summary Completion (Q. 5-9)
• IELTS Reading Multiple Choice Questions (Q. 10-13)

IELTS Band 8+ Tricks to Attempt Questions in Stadium Past Present and Future

As you dive into the IELTS Academic Reading passage on ‘Stadium Past Present and Future’, it is crucial to use a few tricks so that you can complete answering questions within the given time frame. For this, you need to note the areas of improvement and understand how to attempt questions like these. The following are some of the band 8+ tricks to attempt questions in the academic reading passage.

• There is no negative marking in the reading module. So, you need to try answering all the questions without leaving any of them blank. 
• Read the instructions carefully each time you move to the next question type. Since all of them would have specific instructions, you need to read them before answering.
• Put the timer on since you will only get a fixed time to attempt the questions since Time Management for IELTS Reading is crucial. Remember not to spend more than a minute on each question type. If you are stuck on any questions, you can move on to the next one and come back to it later. 
• The information would be given in the same sequence as the question number. In this way, you can always note the areas where you will find the answer. However, matching features will not be in sequential format. 
• In summary completion-type of questions, you need to read the sentence carefully. This will give you an idea of the type of word or phrase that is missing. The keywords in the sentence can help you identify the correct word or phrase. Therefore, you need to learn ways on How to Ace IELTS Reading with 'Keyword Technique'.
• In Matching features, you need to read the information so that you get a general understanding of the content of the passage. Once you have matched all of the features, double-check your answers to make sure that they are correct.
• In the Multiple Choice question types, you need to find the best option by matching the meaning rather than just the keywords. Therefore, you need to develop your IELTS Vocabulary so that you understand the meaning easily.

Want to know the best way to achieve a band 9 in IELTS Reading? Check out the video below!

IELTS Reading Passage - Stadium Past Present and Future

Stadium Past Present and Future

A. Stadiums are among the oldest forms of urban architecture: vast stadiums where the public could watch sporting events were at the centre of western city life as far back as the ancient Greek and Roman Empires, well before the construction of the great mediaeval cathedrals and the grand 19th- and 20th-century railway stations which dominated urban skylines in later eras. Today, however, stadiums are regarded with growing scepticism. Construction costs can soar above £1 billion, and stadiums finished for major events such as the Olympic Games or the FIFA World Cup have notably fallen into disuse and disrepair. But this need not be the case. History shows that stadiums can drive urban development and adapt to the culture of every age. Even today, architects and planners are finding new ways to adapt the mono-functional sports arenas which became emblematic of modernisation during the 20th century.

B. The amphitheatre of Arles in southwest France, with a capacity of 25,000 spectators, is perhaps the best example of just how versatile stadiums can be. 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. 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. 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. It has endured the centuries and is currently considered one of the world’s prime sites for opera, thanks to its outstanding acoustics.

C. The area in the centre of the Italian town of Lucca, known as the Piazza dell’ Anfiteatro, is yet another impressive example of an amphitheatre becoming absorbed into the fabric of the city. 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. But rather than reverting to an arena, it became a market square, designed by Romanticist architect Lorenzo Nottolini. Today, the ruins of the amphitheatre remain embedded in the various shops and residences surrounding the public square.

D. There are many similarities between modern stadiums and the ancient amphitheatres intended for games. 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. Many such stadiums are situated in suburban areas, designed for sporting use only and surrounded by parking lots. These factors mean that they may not be as accessible to the general public, require more energy to run and contribute to urban heat.

E. But many of today’s most innovative architects see scope for the stadium to help improve the city. Among the current strategies, two seem to be having particular success: the stadium as an urban hub, and as a power plant. There’s a growing trend for stadiums to be equipped with public spaces and services that serve a function beyond sport, such as hotels, retail outlets, conference centres, restaurants and bars, children’s playgrounds and green space. Creating mixed-use developments such as this reinforces compactness and multi-functionality, making more efficient use of land and helping to regenerate urban spaces. This opens the space up to families and a wider cross-section of society, instead of catering only to sportspeople and supporters. 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.

F. 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 electricity supply network that uses digital communications technology to detect and react to local changes in usage, without significant energy losses. Stadiums are ideal for these purposes, because their canopies have a large surface area for fitting photovoltaic panels and rise high enough (more than 4) metres) to make use of micro wind turbines. Freiburg Mage Solar Stadium in Germany is the first of a new wave of stadiums as power plants, which also includes the Amsterdam Arena and the Kaohsiung Stadium. The latter, inaugurated in 2009, has 8,844 photovoltaic panels producing up to 1.14 GWh of electricity annually. 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 C02 emissions.

G. Sporting arenas have always been central to the life and culture of cities. In every era, the stadium has acquired new value and uses: from military fortress to residential village, public space to theatre and most recently a field for experimentation in advanced engineering. The stadium of today now brings together multiple functions, thus helping cities to create a sustainable future.

Questions 1-4

1 a mention of negative attitudes towards stadium building projects

2 figures demonstrating the environmental benefits of a certain stadium

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

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

Questions 5-9

Roman amphitheatres

The Roman stadiums of Europe have proved very versatile. The amphitheater of Arles, for example, was converted first into a 5……………………, then into a residential area, and finally into an arena where spectators could watch 6……………………. Meanwhile, the arena in Verona, one of the oldest Roman amphitheaters, is famous today as a venue where 7 …………………… is performed. The site of Lucca’s amphitheater has also been used for many purposes over the centuries, including the storage of 8……………………. It is now a market square with 9 …………………… and homes incorporated into the remains of the Roman amphitheater.

Questions 10-11

1. They are less imaginatively designed.

2. They are less spacious.

3. They are in less convenient locations.

4. They are less versatile.

5. They are made of less durable materials

10 …………….

11…………….

Questions 12-13

1. offering improved amenities for the enjoyment of sports events

2. bringing community life back into the city environment

3. facilitating research into solar and wind energy solutions

4. enabling local residents to reduce their consumption of electricity

5. providing a suitable site for the installation of renewable power generators

12…………….

13…………….

Answers with Location and Explanation for  IELTS Reading  Passage ‘Stadium Past Present and Future’

Were you able to complete answering all questions within 20 minutes? Did you note the difficulties you were facing while answering? Well, now it is time to compare your answers with the correct one while analyzing them. Don’t miss the answer key for Stadium Past Present and Future IELTS Reading passage, complete with detailed explanations, and prepare to score a high IELTS Band Score. Read further for the explanations and location of the ‘Stadium Past Present and Future’ IELTS reading answer.

Understanding how to attempt different questions plays a vital role in achieving a higher band score. By practising diligently, you will acquire the reading skills while improving your speed in finding the answers. As you work towards incorporating specific tricks, you will build confidence for the exam day and stay calm during the real test. So, continue the practice towards success.

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