The Iron Bridge – IELTS Reading Answers

The Academic passage, ‘The Iron Bridge Reading Answers’, is a reading passage that consists of 13 questions. 

The Reading Module can be the top-scoring category for IELTS aspirants, with diligent practice. To score well, you must understand how to approach and answer the different question types in the Reading Module.

Ideally, you should not spend more than 20 minutes on this passage, ‘The Iron Bridge.’ You must scan the material for important terms, comprehend the subject, and then respond in accordance with the instructions. Also, read the IELTS reading passage, pick out significant words, and recognize synonyms in order to provide a one-word response.

So, let’s see how easy this passage ‘The Iron Bridge’ is for you and if you’re able to make it in 20 minutes. If not, try more IELTS reading practice tests from IELTSMaterial.com.

The question types found in this passage are:

• Short Answer Question (Q. 1-4)
• True/False/Not Given (Q. 5-9)
• Matching Information (Q. 10-13)

Reading Passage

The Iron Bridge

A The Iron Bridge crosses the River Severn in Coalbrookdale, in the west of England. It was the first cast-iron bridge to be successfully erected, and the first large cast-iron structure of the industrial age in Europe, although the Chinese were expert iron casters many centuries earlier.

B Rivers used to be the equivalent of today’s motorways, in that they were extensively used for transportation. The River Severn, which starts its life in the Welsh mountains and eventually enters the sea between Cardiff and Bristol, is the longest navigable river in Britain. It was ideal for transportation purposes, and special boats were built to navigate the waters. By the middle of the eighteenth century, the Severn was one of the busiest rivers in Europe. Local goods, including coal, iron products, wool, grain, and cider, were sent by the river. Among the goods coming upstream were luxuries such as sugar, tea, coffee, and wine. In places, the riverbanks were lined with wharves, and the river was often crowded with boats loading or unloading.

C In 1638, Basil Brooke patented a steel-making process and built a furnace at Coalbrookdale. This later became the property of Abraham Darby (referred to as Abraham Darby I to distinguish him from his son and grandson of the same name). After serving an apprenticeship in Birmingham, Darby had started a business in Bristol, but he moved to Coalbrookdale in 1710 with the idea that coke derived from coal could provide a more economical alternative to charcoal as a fuel for ironmaking. This led to cheaper, more efficient ironmaking from the abundant supplies of coal, iron, and limestone in the area.

D His son, Abraham Darby II, pioneered the manufacture of cast iron and had the idea of building a bridge over the Severn, ferrying stores of all kinds across the river, particularly the large quantities of fuel for the furnaces at Coalbrookdale and other surrounding ironworks, involved considerable expense and delay. However, it was his son Abraham Darby III (born in 1750) who, in 1775, organized a meeting to plan the building of a bridge. This was designed by a local architect, Thomas Pritchard, who had the idea of constructing it of iron.

E Sections were cast during the winter of 1778-9 for a 7-meter-wide bridge with a span of 31 meters, 12 meters above the river. Construction took three months during the summer of 1779, and remarkably, nobody was injured during the construction process – a feat almost unheard of even in modern major civil engineering projects. Work on the approach roads continued for another two years, and the bridge was opened to traffic in 1781. Abraham Darby III funded the bridge by commissioning paintings and engravings, but he lost a lot on the project, which had cost nearly double the estimate, and he died leaving massive debts in 1789, aged only 39. The district did not flourish for much longer, and during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, factories closed down. Since 1934 the bridge has been open only to pedestrians. Universally recognized as the symbol of the Industrial Revolution, the Iron Bridge now stands at the heart of the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site.

F It has always been a mystery how the bridge was built. Despite its pioneering technology, no eyewitness accounts are known which describe the iron bridge being erected – and certainly, no plans have survived. However, recent discoveries, research, and experiments have shed new light on exactly how it was built, challenging the assumptions of recent decades. In 1997 a small watercolour sketch by Elias Martin came t o light in the Swedish capital, Stockholm. Although there is a wealth of early views of the bridge by numerous artists, this is the only one that actually shows it under construction.

G Up until recently, it had been assumed that the bridge had been built from both banks, with the inner supports tilted across the river. This would have allowed river traffic to continue unimpeded during construction. But the picture clearly shows sections of the bridge being raised from a barge in the river. It contradicted everything historians had assumed about the bridge, and it was even considered that the picture could have been a fake as no other had come to light. So in 2001, a half-scale model of the bridge was built, in order to see if it could have been constructed in the way depicted in the watercolor. Meanwhile, a detailed archaeological, historical, and photographic survey was done by the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, along with a 3D CAD (computer-aided design) model by English Heritage.

HThe results tell us a lot more about how the bridge was built. We now know that all the large castings were made individually as they are all slightly different. The bridge wasn’t welded or bolted together as metal bridges are these days. Instead, it was fitted together using a complex system of joints normally used for wood – but this was the traditional way in which iron structures were joined at the time. The construction of the model proved that the painting shows a very realistic method of constructing the bridge that could work and was in all probability the method used.

I Now only one mystery remains in the Iron Bridge story. The Swedish watercolor sketch had apparently been torn from a book that would have contained similar sketches. It had been drawn by a Swedish artist who lived in London for 12 years and traveled to Britain to draw what he saw. Nobody knows what has happened to the rest of the book, but perhaps the other sketches still exist somewhere. If they are ever found they could provide further valuable evidence of how the Iron Bridge was constructed.

Questions 1-4

1 When was the furnace bought by Darby originally constructed?

2 When were the roads leading to the bridge completed?

3 When was the bridge closed to traffic?

4 When was a model of the bridge built?

Questions 5-9

5 There is no written evidence of how the original bridge was constructed.

6 The painting by Elias Martin is the only one of the bridge when it was new.

7 The painting shows that the bridge was constructed from the two banks.

8 The original bridge and the model took equally long to construct.

9 Elias Martin is thought to have made other paintings of the bridge.

Questions 10 – 13

10 why a bridge was required across the River Severn

11 a method used to raise money for the bridge

12 why has Coalbrookdale become attractive to iron makers

13 how the sections of the bridge were connected to each other

Answers of The Iron Bridge Reading Answers with Location & Explanation

1 Answer: 1638

Answer Location: Para C, Line 1
Answer Explanation: In 1638, Basil Brooke patented a steel-making process and built a furnace at Coalbrookdale. This later became the property of Abraham Darby (referred to as Abraham Darby I to distinguish him from his son and grandson of the same name).

2 1781

Answer Location: Paragraph E, Line 2
Answer Explanation: Construction took three months during the summer of 1779, and remarkably, nobody was injured during the construction process – a feat almost unheard of even in modern major civil engineering projects. Work on the approach roads continued for another two years, and the bridge was opened to traffic in 1781.

3 1934

Answer Location: Paragraph E, Line 6
Answer Explanation: Since 1934 the bridge has been open only to pedestrians. Universally recognized as the symbol of the Industrial Revolution, the Iron Bridge now stands at the heart of the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site.

4 2001

Answer Location: Paragraph G, Line 5
Answer Explanation: So in 2001, a half-scale model of the bridge was built, in order to see if it could have been constructed in the way depicted in the watercolor. Meanwhile, a detailed archaeological, historical, and photographic survey was done by the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, along with a 3D CAD (computer-aided design) model by English Heritage.

Tips for Answering the Question Types in The Iron Bridge Reading Answers

Now let’s get started with the tips for each question type. It’ll help you understand how to approach the problem. 

Short Answer Type Questions

1. Read the instructions carefully: Start by reading the instructions for the short-answer questions. Ensure you understand the word limit and whether you need to use singular or plural forms.
2. Scan the passage: Quickly skim through the passage to identify the relevant paragraph or section containing the information needed to answer the question. Pay attention to keywords and synonyms.
3. Focus on question words: Look for question words like “who,” “what,” “when,” “where,” “why,” and “how.” These words will guide you in finding the specific information you need.
4. Paraphrase and summarize: Rewrite the information from the passage in your own words while staying within the word limit. Be concise and accurate. Avoid copying entire sentences.
5. Check your spelling and grammar: Mistakes in spelling and grammar can cost you points, so review your answers for errors before moving on to the next question.

True/False/Not Given

1. Read the instructions carefully: Understand the difference between “True,” “False,” and “Not Given.” “True” means the information is directly stated in the passage, “False” means it contradicts the information in the passage, and “Not Given” means the information isn’t mentioned in the passage.
2. Refer to the passage: For each statement, go back to the passage and carefully locate the relevant information. Pay close attention to the wording of the statement and compare it to the information in the passage.
3. Beware of paraphrasing: Sometimes, the statement is paraphrased in the passage, so be vigilant about synonyms and rephrase sentences.
4. Focus on keywords: Identify the keywords in the statement and look for those exact words or synonyms in the passage.
5. Watch out for distractors: The passage may contain information that seems related to the statement but isn’t directly addressing it. Don’t be tricked by these distractors; the answer should directly match the statement.

Matching Information

1. Read the instructions carefully: Before you start, make sure you understand what you need to match. Sometimes, you’ll be asked to match headings to paragraphs or statements to sections, so be clear on the task.
2. Skim the passage: Quickly read through the passage to get a general sense of the content and layout. This will help you identify where the information you need might be located.
3. Use keywords: Look for keywords or key phrases in the question and the passage. These words are often repeated or paraphrased in the text and can guide you to the correct answer.
4. Underline or highlight: As you find information that matches the question, underline or highlight it in the passage. This will make it easier to refer back to when answering the questions.
5. Check for synonyms: Be aware of synonyms and paraphrases. Sometimes, the exact words from the question may not appear in the passage, but similar words or phrases will. Keep an eye out for these.

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