Egypt's pyramids began with one king and one architect: Imhotep stacked shrinking stone slabs into Djoser's Step Pyramid at Saqqara. Building it took much trial and error. The complex was the size of a city, with false doors and a trench to keep people out, and tunnels full of 40,000 stone vessels. Robbers still got in, but the pyramid became the model all later pyramids followed.
The headings (14-20) take one paragraph each, A to G. The notes (21-24) are all in D. The choose-TWO (25-26) needs B and F.
Matching headings (i-ix)
Questions 14-20
How to attack this block: Read each paragraph for its job. A: amid all the argument, one thing is certain about where Egyptian pyramids began. B: Imhotep's new idea for tombs. C: the builders' struggles. D: the outer complex. E: what lay inside and under the pyramid. F: little was left, yet the dig still amazed. G: the design everyone copied. Two headings are left over.
Question 14
Answer: ivParagraph A, last two sentences
Which heading fits Paragraph A, where one fact stands out from centuries of debate?
The evolution of the pyramid form has been written and argued about for centuries. However, there is no question that, as far as Egypt is concerned, it began with one monument
Question says → Passage says
less definite factshas been written and argued about for centuries
a single certaintythere is no question that
Why: A builds to one firm point: whatever the arguments about pyramids in general, in Egypt they started with the Step Pyramid. 'There is no question' is the certainty, and 'argued about for centuries' is the uncertainty around it. That's heading iv.
The trap: A also mentions that other cultures built pyramids and that Egypt's are famous, which can pull you towards a general 'introduction' reading. The heading has to cover the 'However' sentence, which is the paragraph's point.
Question 15
Answer: viiParagraph B, second and third sentences
Which heading fits Paragraph B, about Imhotep's new kind of tomb?
Prior to Djoser's reign, tombs were rectangular monuments made of dried clay brick… Imhotep, conceived of building a taller, more impressive tomb for his king by stacking stone slabs
Question says → Passage says
an ideaconceived of
changing the designPrior to Djoser's reign, tombs were rectangular… a taller, more impressive tomb
burial structurestombs
Why: B contrasts old tombs (low, rectangular, clay brick) with Imhotep's plan to stack shrinking stone slabs. 'Conceived of' is the 'idea', and moving from rectangles to a step shape is 'changing the design'. That's vii.
The trap: Heading iii, 'a king who saved his people', might tempt you because B is about Djoser's reign. Nothing in B says he saved anyone; the length of his rule is a side detail.
Question 16
Answer: iiParagraph C, the quotation
Which heading fits Paragraph C, about the struggle to build the pyramid?
Much experimentation was involved… The weight of the enormous mass was a challenge for the builders
Question says → Passage says
difficult taska challenge / Much experimentation was involved / It had several plans
those involvedthe builders
Why: C is about how hard construction was: many stages, several plans, lots of experimenting, and a mass so heavy the builders had to angle the stones inwards. 'A challenge for the builders' is almost the heading itself. That's ii.
The trap: Heading ix, 'answers to some unexpected questions', can seem to fit because the pyramid has been 'thoroughly examined and investigated'. The paragraph reports what was learned about the building process, not puzzles being solved.
Question 17
Answer: vParagraph D, second and third sentences
Which heading fits Paragraph D, about the complex around the pyramid?
The complex in which it was built was the size of a city in ancient Egypt and included a temple, courtyards, shrines, and living quarters for the priests.
Question says → Passage says
external buildingsa temple, courtyards, shrines, and living quarters
areascovered a region of 16 hectares / surrounded by a wall
Why: D walks round the outside: the size of the complex, its buildings, the wall, the false doors and the trench. That survey of what surrounds the pyramid is heading v.
The trap: Heading i is about what's inside the pyramid. D mentions the pyramid's height first, but everything after that is outside it. Also ignore the last sentence about Imhotep's name: it's a detail, not the topic.
Question 18
Answer: iParagraph E, first three sentences
Which heading fits Paragraph E, about the burial chamber, tunnels and vessels?
The burial chamber of the tomb… was dug beneath the base of the pyramid… One of the most mysterious discoveries found inside the pyramid was a large number of stone vessels.
Question says → Passage says
the areas… within the pyramidThe burial chamber / a vast maze of long tunnels / storerooms off the pyramid's underground passages
artefactsstone vessels
Why: E moves inside and under the pyramid: the burial chamber, the tunnels and rooms, and 40,000 stone vessels. Areas plus objects inside the pyramid is exactly heading i.
The trap: Heading ix is tempting because the vessels are 'mysterious'. But E says there is 'no agreement' on why they were there. It gives theories, not answers.
Question 19
Answer: viiiParagraph F, second and third sentences
Which heading fits Paragraph F, where robbers took almost everything?
all archaeologists found were a small number of his valuables overlooked by the thieves. There was enough left throughout the pyramid and its complex, however, to astonish and amaze the archaeologists
Question says → Passage says
the few remainsa small number of his valuables
an incredible experienceastonish and amaze the archaeologists
despitehowever
Why: F has two halves joined by 'however': the robbers left very little, but what was left still amazed the excavators. Heading viii keeps both halves: 'despite the few remains' plus 'incredible experience'.
The trap: If you only read the first sentence, it looks like a paragraph about failed security. The heading must fit the whole paragraph, and the last sentence turns it into amazement.
Question 20
Answer: viParagraph G, last sentence
Which heading fits Paragraph G, about the pyramid's influence?
The Step Pyramid was a revolutionary advance in architecture and became the archetype which all the other great pyramid builders of Egypt would follow.
Question says → Passage says
a pyramid designThe Step Pyramid
that others copiedthe archetype which all the other great pyramid builders of Egypt would follow
Why: An 'archetype' is the original model that others follow, so 'all the other great pyramid builders… would follow' means they copied it. That's heading vi.
The trap: Verner's quote calls it a 'milestone', which can look like heading iv's 'certainty'. But iv is already used for A, and G is about the pyramid as a model for others.
Note completion (ONE WORD ONLY)
Questions 21-24
How to attack this block: D lists the complex's features in the same order as the notes: its size compared to a settlement, who lived there, the ring around the wall, and what uninvited visitors would have had to know about the true entrance.
Question 21
Answer: cityParagraph D, second sentence
What was the complex as big as?
The complex in which it was built was the size of a city in ancient Egypt
Question says → Passage says
as big asthe size of
Egyptian… of the pastin ancient Egypt
Why: 'As big as' = 'the size of', and 'of the past' = 'ancient'. The gap is a singular noun after 'an Egyptian', and the passage gives 'city'.
The trap: 'Region' appears a sentence later ('a region of 16 hectares'), but that's the area it covered, not what it was compared with.
Question 22
Answer: priestsParagraph D, second sentence
Who lived in the accommodation outside the pyramid?
included a temple, courtyards, shrines, and living quarters for the priests
Question says → Passage says
accommodationliving quarters
occupied byfor the
many other buildingsa temple, courtyards, shrines
Why: 'Accommodation' paraphrases 'living quarters', and the people they were for are the priests. Write the plural: 'priests'.
The trap: Some people write 'king' because the pyramid is a tomb for Djoser. The king was buried inside; the living quarters were for priests.
Question 23
Answer: trenchParagraph D, fourth sentence
What long feature ran around the wall?
the entire wall was then ringed by a trench 750 meters long and 40 meters wide
Question says → Passage says
encircled the wallthe entire wall was then ringed by
a long750 meters long
Why: 'Encircled' = 'ringed by', and the thing doing the ringing is a trench. It's a singular noun after 'a long', which fits.
The trap: 'Wall' is already in the sentence, and 'doors' is the earlier feature. Neither encircles anything.
Question 24
Answer: locationParagraph D, fifth and sixth sentences
What did uninvited visitors need to know about the real entrance?
If someone wished to enter, he or she would have needed to know in advance how to find the location of the true opening in the wall.
Question says → Passage says
visitors who had not been invitedunwanted visitors
prevented from enteringdiscourage
the real entrancethe true opening
Why: The notes say 'knew the ___ of the real entrance', and the passage says 'the location of the true opening'. 'Real entrance' = 'true opening', so the noun before 'of' is location.
The trap: 'Opening' is tempting, but it's the passage's word for 'entrance', which the notes already contain. 'The opening of the entrance' makes no sense.
Multiple choice (choose TWO)
Questions 25-26
How to attack this block: B says Djoser 'is thought' to have ruled 19 years while others suggest longer, which is a disagreement. F says archaeologists found a small number of his valuables. Djoser actually honoured Imhotep by carving his name on the monument, so C is the opposite of the text.
Question 25-26
Answer: B and D (in either order)Paragraph B, last sentence; Paragraph F, second sentence
Which two points does the writer make about King Djoser?
Djoser is thought to have reigned for 19 years, but some historians and scholars attribute a much longer time for his rule… all archaeologists found were a small number of his valuables overlooked by the thieves
Question says → Passage says
disagreement concerning the length of his reignis thought to have reigned for 19 years, but some historians and scholars attribute a much longer time
a few of his possessionsa small number of his valuables
were still in his tomboverlooked by the thieves
Why: B: one view says 19 years, others say much longer, which is a disagreement about his reign. D: the thieves missed 'a small number of his valuables', so a few possessions were still there when archaeologists arrived.
The trap: C is the opposite of the text. Djoser was proud enough to break tradition and have Imhotep's name carved on the monument. A has no support: Imhotep proposed stone, and nobody had to persuade the king. E is never mentioned.
iv. A says theories about the pyramid form have been argued over for centuries, yet in Egypt it clearly began with this one monument: a single certainty.
C is a trap. Djoser was so proud that he broke with tradition and put Imhotep's name on the monument, which is the opposite of failing to appreciate him.
Words from this passage worth keeping
tribute(A)
something built or done to show respect for someone
conceived of(B)
thought of or came up with an idea
attribute(B)
say that something belongs to or comes from a particular thing
incline(C)
a slope or angle
discourage(D)
try to stop people from doing something
predecessors(E)
people who held a position before someone else
intricate(F)
having many small, complicated parts
archetype(G)
the original model that others copy
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The full Cambridge 16 Test 1 reading paper: all three passages, 60 minutes, marked the second you finish with a review of every answer. Already done it? Take it again and see if the same traps still get you.
Cambridge IELTS 16, Test 1, Reading Passage 2. The passage and questions belong to Cambridge University Press and are not reproduced here. We quote short extracts only as evidence for our own commentary, and the answers are published for self-marking. Get the book for the full text, or sit the test on Langujet.
