READING 1
Topic: Environment
Task type: Short answer
Strategies: Skimming/Scanning
● Skimming and scanning are important reading techniques which are very useful in IELTS. As time
is limited in the exam, skimming and scanning help you to find the answers you need quickly.
● You skim a text quickly to understand the general idea.
● You scan a text quickly in order to find specific information.
Practice 1: Now scan the text for the information to answer these questions.
1. Who owns the property?
2. How many floors does it have?
3. What are the floors made out of?
4. What are the common symbols used throughout the house?
5. How many cars does the garage have space for?
6. How many people are required to work in the home?
A. Mukesh Ambani is one of the richest men in the world, and the first man to own a private residence
costing more than one billion dollars to build. The home is on Altamount Road in Mumbai, one of
the most expensive addresses in the world. Named after the mythical island Antilia, the property
has 27 floors.
B. The interior of the home is very glamorous and each floor is made from different materials to give
an individual look. Marble floors, rare wood and fine rugs are just some of the design features
used to create this extravagant home. The lotus flower and the sun are common symbols used
throughout. Many of the rooms have floor-to-ceiling glass windows, offering spectacular views of
Mumbai and the Arabian Sea.
C. The skyscraper has a multi-storey garage with space for 168 cars. Alternatively, there are also
three helipads on the roof of the building. The lobby has numerous reception areas and nine lifts.
There are also several floors for dining, vast libraries and a health spa, including a gym, several
swimming pools and yoga facilities. There is even an 'ice-room' which creates man-made snow,
a Hindu prayer room and several floors of gardens.
D. The Ambani residence is clearly designed to entertain guests. It has a theatre which seats 50,
several guest bedrooms and a grand ballroom filled with chandeliers.
E. The living quarters are on the top floors, because the family wanted as much sunlight as possible.
The 400,000 ft2 residence requires 600 staff, but all three Ambani children are required to clean
their own rooms when they are at home.
F. Several experts have criticised the architecture of this very expensive home, comparing it to an
'unstable pile of books'. Mrs Ambani, however, describes her home as 'an elevated house on top
of a garden' and 'a modern home with an Indian heart'.
*helipad - a place where a single helicopter can take off and land
1
Strategies-Short answers
● The answer for short-answer questions come in the same order as they appear in the text.
● Remember to check that your sentences are grammatically correct when you have chosen an
answer.
Practice 2: Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each
answer.
1. How many lifts does the home have?
2. What can you find in the ice-room?
3. What do the Ambani children have to do when at home?
Practice 3: Complete the sentences. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER
from the passage for each answer.
1. The name Antilia comes from a ____________________.
2. There are many facilities to accommodate a large number of ____________________.
3. Opinions on the ____________________ of the house vary.
