Essential strategies and practice techniques for this IELTS Reading question type. Learn how to manage time and improve accuracy.
Originally published November 2022. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
A. Every year millions of migrants travel vast distances using borrowed money for their airfares and taking little or no cash with them. They seek a decent job to support themselves with money left over that they can send home to their families in developing countries. These remittances exceeded $400 billion last year. It is true that the actual rate per person is only about $200 per month but it all adds up to about triple the amount officially spent on development aid.
B. In some of the poorer, unstable or conflict-torn countries, these sums of money are a lifeline – the only salvation for those left behind. The decision to send money home is often inspired by altruism – an unselfish desire to help others. Then again, the cash might simply be an exchange for earlier services rendered by the recipients or it could be intended for investment by the recipients. Often it will be repayment of a loan used to finance the migrant’s travel and resettlement.
C At the first sign of trouble, political or financial upheaval, these personal sources of support do not suddenly dry up like official investment monies. Actually, they increase in order to ease the hardship and suffering of the migrants’ families and, unlike development aid, which is channelled through government or other official agencies, remittances go straight to those in need. Thus, they serve an insurance role, responding in a countercyclical way to political and economic crises.
D. This flow of migrant money has a huge economic and social impact on the receiving countries. It provides cash for food, housing and necessities. It funds education and healthcare and contributes towards the upkeep of the elderly. Extra money is sent for special events such as weddings, funerals or urgent medical procedures and other emergencies. Occasionally it becomes the capital for starting up a small enterprise.
E. Unfortunately, recipients hardly ever receive the full value of the money sent back home because of exorbitant transfer fees. Many money transfer companies and banks operate on a fixed fee, which is unduly harsh for those sending small sums at a time. Others charge a percentage, which varies from around 8% to 20% or more dependent on the recipient country. There are some countries where there is a low fixed charge per transaction; however, these cheaper fees are not applied internationally because of widespread concern over money laundering. Whether this is a genuine fear or just an excuse is hard to say. If the recipients live in a small village somewhere, usually the only option is to obtain their money through the local post office. Regrettably, many governments allow post offices to have an exclusive affiliation with one particular money transfer operator so there is no alternative but to pay the extortionate charge.
F. The sums of money being discussed here might seem negligible on an individual basis but they are substantial in totality. If the transfer cost could be reduced to no more than one per cent, that would release another $30 billion dollars annually – approximately the total aid budget of the USA, the largest donor worldwide – directly into the hands of the world’s poorest. If this is not practicable, governments could at least acknowledge that small remittances do not come from organised crime networks, and ease regulations accordingly. They should put an end to restrictive alliances between post offices and money transfer operators or at least open up the system to competition. Alternatively, a non-government humanitarian organisation, which would have the expertise to navigate the elaborate red tape, could set up a non-profit remittance platform for migrants to send money home for little or no cost.
G. Whilst contemplating the best system for transmission of migrant earnings to the home country, one should consider the fact that migrants often manage to save reasonable amounts of money in their adopted country. More often than not, that money is in the form of bank deposits earning a tiny percentage of interest, none at all or even a negative rate of interest.
H. If a developing country or a large charitable society could sell bonds with a guaranteed return of three or four per cent on the premise that the invested money would be used to build infrastructure in that country, there would be a twofold benefit. Migrants would make a financial gain and see their savings put to work in the development of their country of origin. The ideal point of sale for these bonds would be the channel used for money transfers so that, when migrants show up to make their monthly remittance, they could buy bonds as well. Advancing the idea one step further, why not make this transmission hub the conduit for affluent migrants to donate to worthy causes in their homeland so they may share their prosperity with their compatriots on a larger scale?
Questions 1-7
Reading Passage 1 has seven paragraphs, A–G.
Choose the correct heading for paragraphs B–H from the list of headings below.
Write the correct number, i–x, in boxes 1–7 on your answer sheet.
List of Headings
i Stability of remittances in difficult times
ii Effect of cutback in transaction fees
iii Targeted investments and contributions
iv Remittances for business investment
v How to lower transmission fees
vi Motivations behind remittances
vii Losses incurred during transmission
viii Remittances worth more than official aid
ix How recipients utilise remittances
x Frequency and size of remittances
xi Poor returns on migrant savings
Example:
Paragraph G xi
1.Paragraph A
2 Paragraph B
3 Paragraph C
4 Paragraph D
5 Paragraph E
6 Paragraph F
7 Paragraph H
Questions 8–13
Complete the summary below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 8–13 on your answer sheet.
Countries are unwilling to enforce lower transaction fees as they are worried about 8__________ and villagers lose out when post offices have a special relationship with one particular money transfer agency.
Each remittance might be small but the total cost of remittance fees is huge. Governments should 9__________ on small amounts and end the current post office system or make it more competitive. Another idea would be for a large non-profit association, capable of handling complicated 10__________ to take charge of migrant remittances.
Migrants who send money home are able to save money, too, but it receives little or no interest from 11__________. If a country or organisation sold bonds that earned a reasonable rate of interest for the investor, that money could fund the development of homeland 12__________ .The bonds could be sold at the remittance centre, which could also take donations from 13__________ to fund charitable projects in their home country.
Essential strategies and practice techniques for this IELTS Reading question type. Learn how to manage time and improve accuracy.
Originally published November 2022. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
A. Linkages between the Agri-Food Sector and Tourism offer significant opportunities for the development of both sectors within the region. These linkages could lead to ensuring the sustainability of the region’s tourism product thus ensuring it preservation. Agriculture and tourism — two of Wisconsin’s most industries — are teaming up in southwestern Wisconsin has found that tourists, rural communities, and some farmers could benefit from stronger efforts to promote and market agricultural tourism there. In 1990, agricultural tourism project members surveyed 290 visitors to the annual Monroe Cheese Festival and 164 visitors to the Picnic on the Farm, a one-time event held in Platteville in conjunction with the Chicago Bears summer training camp. More than one-half of those surveyed responded favorably to a proposed tour, saying they would be interested in participating in some type of agricultural tour in southwestern Wisconsin. Survey respondents reported that they would prefer to visit cheese factories, sausage processing plants, dairy farms, and historical farm sites, as well as enjoy an old-fashioned picnic dinner. The study also found strong interest in visiting specialty farms (strawberries, cranberries, poultry, etc.). More than 75 percent of the Cheese Day visitors planned ahead for the trip, with 37 percent planning at least two months in advance.
B. More than 40 percent of the visitors came to Monroe for two- or three-day visits. Many stopped at other communities on their way to Cheese Days. Visitors at both events indicated that they were there to enjoy themselves and were willing to spend money on food and arts and crafts. They also wanted the opportunity to experience the “country” while there. The study found that planning around existing events should take into account what brought visitors to the area and provide additional attractions that will appeal to them. For example, visitors to Cheese Days said they were on a holiday and appeared to be more open to various tour proposals. Picnic visitors came specifically to see the Chicago Bears practice. They showed less interest in a proposed agricultural tour than Cheese Day visitors, but more interest in a picnic dinner.
C. The study identified three primary audiences for agricultural tourism: 1) elderly people who take bus tours to see the country; 2) families interested in tours that could be enjoyed by both parents and children; and 3) persons already involved in agriculture, including international visitors. Agricultural tourism can serve to educate urban tourists about the problems and challenges facing farmers, says Andy Lewis, Grant county community development agent. While agriculture is vital to Wisconsin, more and more urban folk are becoming isolated from the industry. In fact, Lewis notes, farmers are just as interested in the educational aspects of agricultural tours as they are in any financial returns.
D. “Farmers feel that urban consumers are out of touch with farming,” Lewis says. “If tourists can be educated on issues that concern farmers, those visits could lead to policies more favorable to agriculture.” Animal rights and the environment are examples of two issues that concern both urban consumers and farmers. Farm tours could help consumers get the farmer’s perspective on these issues, Lewis notes. Several Wisconsin farms already offer some type of learning experience for tourists. However, most agricultural tourism enterprises currently market their businesses independently, leading to a lack of a concerted effort to promote agricultural tourism as an industry.
E. Lewis is conducting the study with Jean Murphy, assistant community development agent. Other participants include UW-Platteville Agricultural Economist Bob Acton, the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, UW-Extension Recreation Resources Center, the Wisconsin Rural Development Center, and Hidden Valleys, a Southwestern Wisconsin regional tourism organization. This past fall, Murphy organized several workshops with some Green and Grant County farmers, local business leaders, and motor coach tour operators to discuss how best to organize and put on farm tours. Committees were formed to look at the following: tour site evaluations, inventory of the area’s resources, tour marketing, and familiarization of tours. The fourth committee is organizing tours for people such as tour bus guides and local reporters to help better educate them about agricultural tourism. Green County farmers already have experience hosting visitors during the annual Monroe Cheese Days. Green county Tourism Director Larry Lindgren says these farmers are set to go ahead with more formal agricultural tours next year. The tours will combine a farm visit with a visit to a local cheese factory and a picnic lunch.
F. Another farm interested in hosting an organized tour is Sinsinawa, a 200-acre Grant County farm devoted to sustainable agriculture and run by the Dominican Sisters. Education plays a major role at the farm, which has an orchard, dairy and beef cows, and hogs. Farm tours could be combined with other activities in the area such as trips to the Mississippi River and/or visits to historical towns orlandmarks, Lewis says. The project will help expose farmers to the tourism industry and farm vacations as a way to possibly supplement incomes, he adds. While farm families probably wouldn’t make a lot of money through farm tours, they would be compensated for their time, says Lewis. Farmers could earn additional income through the sale of farm products, crafts, and recreational activities.
Questions 1-4
The reading Passage has six paragraphs A-F. Which paragraph contains the following information? Write the correct letter A- F, inboxes 1-4 on your answer sheet.
___________ About half of all the tourists would spend several days in Monroe
___________Most visitors responded positively to a survey project on a farm tour.
___________Cooperation across organizations in research for agriculture tours has been carried out.
___________Agriculture tour assists tourists to understand more issues concerning animals and environment.
Questions 5-9
Which of following statements belongs to the visitor categories in the box Please choose A, B or C for each question. Write the correct letter A, B or C, in boxes 5-9 on your answer sheet. NB: You may use any letter more than once.
A. Cheese Festival visitors B. Picnic visitors C. Both of them
5___________ have focused destination
6___________ majority prepare well before going beforehand.
7___________are comparably less keen on picnic meal
8___________ show interest in activities such as visiting factory tour and fruit
9___________are willing to accept a variety of tour recommendations.
Questions 10-14
Summary
Complete the following summary of the paragraphs of Reading Passage 1, using no more than two words from the Reading Passage 1 for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 10-14 on your answer sheet.
Through farm tour, visitors can better understand significant issues such as 10.___________and environment. In autumn, Murphy organised 11.___________ and brought other participants together to develop the local tour market. Larry Lindgren said the farmers already had experience of farm tours with factory visiting and a 12. ___________. In Sinsinawa, a large area of the farmland contains an orchard, cow etc which is managed and operated by 13.___________; Lewis said the project will probably bring an extra 14.___________for local farmers.
Answer: Agriculture and Tourism IELTS Reading Question
Essential strategies and practice techniques for this IELTS Reading question type. Learn how to manage time and improve accuracy.
Originally published November 2022. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
A. Our mother may have told you the secret to getting what you ask for was to say please. The reality is rather more surprising. Adam Dudding talks to a psychologist who has made a life’s work from the science of persuasion. Some scientists peer at things through high-powered microscopes. Others goad rats through mazes or mix bubbling fluids in glass beakers. Robert Cialdini, for his part, does curious things with towels and believes that by doing so he is discovering important insights into how society works.
B. Cialdini’s towel experiments (more of them later), are part of his research into how we persuade others to say yes. He wants to know why some people have a knack for bending the will of others, be it a telephone cold-caller talking to you about timeshares, or a parent whose children are compliant even without threats of extreme violence. While he’s anxious not to be seen as the man who’s written the bible for snake-oil salesmen, for decades the Arizona State University social psychology professor has been creating systems for the principles and methods of persuasion and writing bestsellers about them. Some people seem to be born with the skills; Cialdini’s claim is that by applying a little science, even those of us who aren’t should be able to get our own way more often. “All my life I’ve been an easy mark for the blandishment of salespeople and fundraisers and I’d always wondered why they could get me to buy things I didn’t want and give to causes I hadn’t heard of,” says Cialdini on the phone from London, where his is plugging his latest book.
C. He found that laboratory experiments on the psychology of persuasion were telling only part of the story, so he began to research influence in the real world, enrolling in sales-training programmes: “I learnt how to sell automobiles from a lot, how to sell insurance from an office, how to sell encyclopedias door to door.” He concluded there were six general “principles of influence” and has since put them to the test under slightly more scientific conditions. Most recently, that has meant messing about with towels. Many hotels leave a little card in each bathroom asking guests to reuse towels and thus conserve water and electricity and reduce pollution. Cialdini and his colleagues wanted to test the relative effectiveness of different words on those cards. Would guests be motivated to co-operate simply because it would help save the planet, or were other factors more compelling? To test this, the researchers changed the card’s message from an environmental one to the simple (and truthful) statement that the majority of guests at the hotel had reused their towel at least once. Guests given this message were 26% more likely to reuse their towels than those given the old message. In Cialdini’s book “Yes! 50 Secrets from the Science of Persuasion”, co-written with another social scientist and a business consultant, he explains that guests were responding to the persuasive force of “social proof”, the idea that our decisions are strongly influenced by what we believe other people like us are doing.
D. So much for towels. Cialdini has also learnt a lot from confectionery. Yes! Cites the work of New Jersey behavioural scientist David Strohmetz, who wanted to see how restaurant patrons would respond to ridiculously small favour from their food server, in the form of after-dinner chocolate for each diner. The secret, it seems, is in how you give the chocolate. When the chocolates arrived in a heap with the bill, tips went up a miserly 3% compared to when no chocolate was given. But when the chocolates were dropped individually in front of each diner, tips went up 14%. The scientific breakthrough, though, came when the waitress gave each diner one chocolate, headed away from the table then doubled back to give them one more each as if such generosity had only just occurred to her. Tips went up 23%. This is “reciprocity” in action: we want to return favours done to us, often without bothering to calculate the relative value of what is being received and given.
E. Geeling Ng, operations manager at Auckland’s Soul Bar, says she’s never heard of Kiwi waiting staff using such a cynical trick, not least because New Zealand’s tipping culture is so different from that of the US: “If you did that in New Zealand, as diners were leaving they’d say ‘can we have some more?” ‘ But she certainly understands the general principle of reciprocity. The way to a diner’s heart is “to give them something they’re not expecting in the way of service. It might be something as small as leaving a mint on their plate, or it might be remembering that the last time they were in they wanted their water with no ice and no lemon. “In America, it would translate into an instant tip. In New Zealand, it translates into a huge smile and thanks to you.” And no doubt, return visits.
THE FIVE PRINCIPLES OF PERSUASION
F. Reciprocity: People want to give back to those who have given to them. The trick here is to get in first. That’s why charities put a crummy pen inside a mailout, and why smiling women in supermarkets hand out dollops of free food. Scarcity: People want more of things they can have less of. Advertisers ruthlessly exploit scarcity (“limit four per customer”, “sale must end soon”), and Cialdini suggests parents do too: “Kids want things that are less available, so say ‘this is an unusual opportunity; you can only have this for a certain time’.”
G. Authority: We trust people who know what they’re talking about. So inform people honestly of your credentials before you set out to influence them. “You’d be surprised how many people fail to do that,” says Cialdini. “They feel it’s impolite to talk about their expertise.” In one study, therapists whose patients wouldn’t do their exercises were advised to display their qualification certificates prominently. They did and experienced an immediate leap in patient compliance.
H. Commitment/consistency: We want to act in a way that is consistent with the commitments we have already made. Exploit this to get a higher sign-up rate when soliciting charitable donations. First, ask workmates if they think they will sponsor you on your egg-and-spoon marathon. Later, return the sponsorship form to those who said yes and remind them of their earlier commitment.
I. Linking: We say yes more often to people we like. Obvious enough, but the reasons for “linking” can be weird. In one study, people were sent survey forms and asked to return them to a named researcher. When the researcher gave a fake name resembling that of the subject (eg, Cynthia Johnson is sent a survey by “Cindy Johansen”), surveys were twice as likely to be completed. We favour people who resemble us, even if the resemblance is as minor as the sound of their name.
J. Social proof: We decide what to do by looking around to see what others just like us are doing. Useful for parents, says Cialdini. “Find groups of children who are behaving in a way that you would like your child to, because the child looks to the side, rather than at you.” More perniciously, social proof is the force underpinning the competitive materialism of “keeping up with the Joneses”
Questions 28-31
Choose the correct letter A, B, C or D.
28. The main purpose of Cialdini’s research on writing is to
A. explain the reason why the researcher should investigate in person
B. explore the secret that why some people become the famous salesperson
C. help people to sell products
D. prove maybe there is a science in the psychology of persuasion
29. Which of the statement is CORRECT according to Cialdini’s research methodology
A. he checked data in a lot of the latest books
B. he conducted this experiment in the laboratory
C. he interviewed and contract with many salespeople
D. he made a lot of phone calls collecting what he wants to know
30. Which of the following is CORRECT according to the towel experiment in the passage?
A. Different hotel guests act in a different response
B. Most guests act by the idea of environmental preservation
C. more customers tend to cooperate as the message requires than simply act environmentally
D. people tend to follow the hotel’s original message more
31. Which of the following is CORRECT according to the candy shop experiment in the passage?
A. Presenting way affects diner’s tips
B. Regular customer gives tips more than irregulars
C. People give tips only when offered chocolate
D. Chocolate with bill got higher tips
Questions 32-35
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 3? In boxes 32-35 on your answer sheet, write TRUE if the statement is true FALSE if the statement is false NOT GIVEN if the information is not given in the passage
32. Robert Cialdini experienced “principles of influence” himself in real life.
33. Principle of persuasion has different types in different countries.
34. In New Zealand, people tend to give tips to attendants after being served chocolate.
35. Elder generation of New Zealand is easily attracted by the extra service of restaurants by the principle of reciprocity.
Questions 36-40
Use the information in the passage to match the category (listed A-E) with the correct description below. Write the appropriate letters A-E in boxes 36-40 on the answer sheet. NB You may use any letter more than once.
A. Reciprocity of scarcity
B. Authority
C. previous commitment
D. Linking
E. Social Proof
36. Some experts may reveal qualifications in front of clients.
37. Parents tend to say something that other kids are doing the same.
38. Advertisers ruthlessly exploit the limitation of chances.
Comprehensive guide covering essential IELTS preparation strategies and techniques to help you achieve your target band score.
Originally published October 2020. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
The site consists of an exceptional urban setting encompassing the key natural elements that have shaped and inspired the development of the city: from the highest points of the Tijuca National Park’s mountains down to the sea. They also include the Botanical Gardens, established in 1808, Corcovado Mountain with its celebrated statue of Christ, and the hills around Guanabara Bay, including the extensive designed landscapes along Copacabana Bay which have contributed to the outdoor living culture of this spectacular city. Rio de Janeiro is also recognized for the artistic inspiration it has provided to musicians, landscapers and urbanists.
The city of Rio de Janeiro, shaped by interaction with mountains and sea, lies in the narrow strip of alluvial plain between Guanabara Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Its exceptionally dramatic landscape is punctuated by a series of forested mountains that tower over the city, rising to the uppermost peak of the Tijuca massif at 1,021 m high, and cascading down to the coast where the steep cone shapes of Sugar Loaf (Pão de Açúcar), Urca, Cara de Cão and Corcovado frame the wide sweeps of Guanabara Bay that shelters Rio de Janeiro from the Atlantic Ocean.
Cradled between these mountains and Guanabara Bay, the urban landscape of the city has been shaped by significant historical events, influenced by a diversity of cultures, is perceived to be of great beauty, and is celebrated in the arts, through painting and poetry in particular.
The property encompasses all the key natural, structural elements that have constrained and inspired the development of the city. These stretch from the highest points of the mountains of the Tijuca National Park with its restored Atlantic forest, down to the sea, and include the Botanical Gardens established in 1808, Corcovado mountain, with its statue of Christ, and the chain of dramatic steep green hills, Sugar Loaf, Pico, Leme and Glória, around Guanabara Bay, as well as the extensive designed landscapes on reclaimed land along Copacabana Bay which, together with Flamengo and other parks, have contributed to the outdoor living culture of the city.
The boundary includes all the best view points to appreciate the way nature has been shaped to become a significant cultural part of the city as well as the Guanabara Bay system of historic fortifications that gave Rio de Janeiro the character of a fortified city.
The city’s densest buildings sit on the narrow strips of alluvial land between the mountains and the sea laid out in irregular clusters of tall white blocks which contrast vividly with the green vegetation of the mountains and the blue of the sea. None of these buildings are included in the property, but a significant number are included in the buffer zone.
The property encompass all the key natural, structural elements that have constrained and inspired the development of the city of Rio, stretching from the highest points of the Tijuca mountains down to the sea, and including the chain of dramatic steep green hills around the Guanabara Bay, as well as the extensive designed landscapes on reclaimed land around the Bay, that have contributed to the outdoor living culture of the city.
None of these elements is under threat, although the interface between these natural elements and the built-up city is vulnerable to urban pressures, the higher peaks are marred by a profusion of antennae and the Rodrigo da Freitas Lagoon (in the buffer zone) and the sea are subject to a degree of water pollution.
The mountains and open green areas of the Tijuca National Park, together with Corcovado and the hills around the Guanabara Bay still retain a similar combination of forest and open observation points as at the time of colonisation and allow access to vistas of the city from many high vantage points that demonstrate very clearly the extraordinary fusion between culture and nature in the way the city has developed.
The Botanical Gardens have retained their original neoclassical design with its special alignments and the fortresses keep alive the memory of the Portuguese settlements, engraved and described by the travellers that navigated the marine routes that focused on Rio de Janeiro.
The landscape designs of Burle Marx around almost the entire coast of Guanabara Bay, comprising Flamengo Park and the redesign of Copacabana beach conserve entirely the landscape morphology of their original designs and still confer high social benefits to the city. However, in some instances elements of the designed landscape are vulnerable to incremental change – such as the paving and planting along Copacabana and Flamengo Park, where missing trees and mosaics need replacing, and in the Botanical Garden where the Imperial Palms along the main avenue are dead and need replacing.
Christ the RedeemerAntonym Trivia Across and Down Worksheet
Find the Antonym of the highlighted word from the word box. Complete the crossword puzzle. Antonyms are the words or phrases that represent the opposite meaning.
Christ the RedeemerAntonym trivia Worksheet
Find the antonym of the highlighted word from the word box. Complete the crossword puzzle. Antonyms are the words or phrases that represent the opposite meaning.
Christ the RedeemerSynonym Antonym Worksheet
Write a synonym and an antonym for each word. Use the words in the word box to fill the blanks. Antonyms are the words or phrases that represent the opposite meaning. Synonyms are words or phrases that represent a similar meaning.
Christ the RedeemerSynonym Passage Worksheet
Replace the words in the passage with appropriate synonyms. Synonyms are words or phrases that represent a similar meaning.
Christ the RedeemerSynonym Trivia Across and Down Worksheet
Find the Synonym of the highlighted word from the word box. Complete the crossword puzzle. Antonyms are the words or phrases that represent the opposite meaning.
Christ the RedeemerSynonym trivia Worksheet
Complete the puzzle with the words that are synonyms to the hints.Synonyms are the words or phrases that represent a similar meaning.
Download the IELTS Practice Worksheet with Answer. Christ the Redeemer IELTS WorkSheet
Comprehensive guide covering essential IELTS preparation strategies and techniques to help you achieve your target band score.
Originally published October 2020. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
Founded, according to legend, by Romulus and Remus in 753 BC, Rome was first the centre of the Roman Republic, then of the Roman Empire, and it became the capital of the Christian world in the 4th century. The World Heritage site, extended in 1990 to the walls of Urban VIII, includes some of the major monuments of antiquity such as the Forums, the Mausoleum of Augustus, the Mausoleum of Hadrian, the Pantheon, Trajan’s Column and the Column of Marcus Aurelius, as well as the religious and public buildings of papal Rome.
The World Heritage property encompasses the whole historic centre of Rome within the city walls at their widest extent in the 17th century, as well as the Basilica of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls. The property, complex and stratified, includes outstanding archaeological areas integrated in the urban fabric, which result in a highly distinguished ensemble. Founded on the banks of the Tiber river in 753 B.C., according to legend, by Romulus and Remus, Rome was first the centre of the Roman Republic, then of the Roman Empire, and in the fourth century, became the capital of the Christian world. Ancient Rome was followed, from the 4th century on, by Christian Rome. The Christian city was built on top of the ancient city, reusing spaces, buildings and materials. From the 15th century on, the Popes promoted a profound renewal of the city and its image, reflecting the spirit of the Renaissance classicism and, later, of the Baroque. From its foundation, Rome has continually been linked with the history of humanity. As the capital of an empire which dominated the Mediterranean world for many centuries, Rome became thereafter the spiritual capital of the Christian world.
The World Heritage property Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura, contains all the essential elements needed to express its Outstanding Universal Value. The property encompasses the whole historic centre of Rome, first inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1980 and extended in 1990 to the walls of Urban VIII, to the Holy See’s extraterritorial properties, and to the Basilica of Saint Paul’s Outside the Walls, thereby ensuring the complete representation of the values previously recognized. The property, marked by a complex stratification, includes some of the most important artistic achievements in the history of humanity, such as the archaeological areas, the Christian Basilicas, and the masterpieces of Renaissance and Baroque art. The property is exposed to a number of threats, including development and environmental pressures, decay of historic buildings, natural disasters, visitor and tourism pressure, and changes in the social and economic framework of the city centre. There are also risks of vandalism and terrorism. All these are being addressed by the site managers.
The historic city, which has constantly changed throughout the centuries, today has a multifaceted and distinctive image. From the 19th century on, a careful and thorough policy has been implemented to protect its monumental and archaeological heritage, inspiring an intense activity of restoration, based on principles and laws born of scholarly discussions which were first tested here (restoration of the Colosseum, the Arch of Titus, etc.). Conservation work in Rome has gradually passed from individual monuments to the entire historic fabric of the city, leading to provisions for the protection of urban areas, which made it possible to maintain the integrity of an immense historic district. In Rome there is the Istituto Centrale del Restauro (now Istituto Superiore per la Conservazione e il Restauro), a prestigious international study centre which played a key role in drafting the Venice Restoration Charter and which helped to define conservation methodologies and tools. The city, centre of civilization from earliest times, today remains an extremely lively hub for meetings and exchange; it has a rich cultural, social and economic life, as well as being a leading destination for pilgrims and tourists. Rome, in all its activity, considers it a priority to preserve its outstanding cultural heritage and to ensure the effective protection of its authenticity.
Colosseum Antonym Trivia Across and Down Worksheet
Find the Antonym of the highlighted word from the word box. Complete the crossword puzzle. Antonyms are the words or phrases that represent the opposite meaning.
Colosseum Antonym trivia Worksheet
Find the antonym of the highlighted word from the word box. Complete the crossword puzzle. Antonyms are the words or phrases that represent the opposite meaning.
Colosseum Synonym Antonym Worksheet
Write a synonym and an antonym for each word. Use the words in the word box to fill the blanks. Antonyms are the words or phrases that represent the opposite meaning. Synonyms are words or phrases that represent a similar meaning.
Colosseum Synonym Passage Worksheet
Replace the words in the passage with appropriate synonyms. Synonyms are words or phrases that represent a similar meaning.
Colosseum Synonym Trivia Across and Down Worksheet
Find the Synonym of the highlighted word from the word box. Complete the crossword puzzle.Antonyms are the words or phrases that represent the opposite meaning.
Colosseum Synonym trivia Worksheet
Complete the puzzle with the words that are synonyms to the hints.Synonyms are the words or phrases that represent a similar meaning.
Download the IELTS Practice Worksheet with Answer. Colosseum IELTS WorkSheet
Comprehensive guide covering essential IELTS preparation strategies and techniques to help you achieve your target band score.
Originally published October 2020. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
This sacred site was one of the greatest Mayan centres of the Yucatán peninsula. Throughout its nearly 1,000-year history, different peoples have left their mark on the city. The Maya and Toltec vision of the world and the universe is revealed in their stone monuments and artistic works. The fusion of Mayan construction techniques with new elements from central Mexico make Chichen-Itza one of the most important examples of the Mayan-Toltec civilization in Yucatán. Several buildings have survived, such as the Warriors’ Temple, El Castillo, and the circular observatory known as El Caracol.The town of Chichen-Itza was established during the Classic period close to two natural cavities (cenotes or chenes), which gave the town its name “At the edge of the well of the Itzaes”. The cenotes facilitated tapping the underground waters of the area. The dates for this settlement vary according to subsequent local accounts: one manuscript gives 415-35 A.D., while others mention 455 A.D. The town that grew up around the sector known as Chichen Viejo already boasted important monuments of great interest: the Nunnery, the Church, Akab Dzib, Chichan Chob, the Temple of the Panels, and the Temple of the Deer. They were constructed between the 6th and the 10th centuries in the characteristic Maya style then popular both in the northern and southern areas of the Puuc hills. The second settlement of Chichen-Itza, and the most important for historians, corresponded to the migration of Toltec warriors from the Mexican plateau towards the south during the 10th century. According to the most common version, the King of Tula, Ce Acatl Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl, or Kukulkan as the Maya translated the name, reportedly took the city between 967 A.D. and 987 A.D. Following the conquest of Yucatán, a new style blending the Maya and Toltec traditions developed, symbolizing the phenomenon of acculturation. Chichen-Itza is a clear illustration of this fusion. Specific examples are, in the group of buildings to the south, the Caracol, a circular stellar observatory whose spiral staircase accounts for its name, and, to the north, El Castillo (also known as the Temple of Kukulkan). Surrounding El Castillo are terraces where the major monumental complexes were built: on the north-west are the Great Ball Court, Tzompantli or the Skull Wall, the temple known as the Jaguar Temple, and the House of Eagles; on the north-east are the Temple of the Warriors, the Group of the Thousand Columns, the Market and the Great Ball Court; on the south-west is the Tomb of the High Priest. After the 13th century, no major monuments seem to have been constructed at Chichen-Itza and the city rapidly declined after around 1440 A.D. The ruins were not excavated until 1841 A.D. Passage Source: World Heritage Site UNESCO
Chichen-Itza Antonym Trivia Across and Down Worksheet
Find the Antonym of the highlighted word from the word box. Complete the crossword puzzle. Antonyms are the words or phrases that represent the opposite meaning.
Chichen-Itza Antonym trivia Worksheet
Find the antonym of the highlighted word from the word box. Complete the crossword puzzle. Antonyms are the words or phrases that represent the opposite meaning.
Chichen-Itza Synonym Antonym Worksheet
Write a synonym and an antonym for each word. Use the words in the word box to fill the blanks. Antonyms are the words or phrases that represent the opposite meaning. Synonyms are words or phrases that represent a similar meaning.
Chichen-Itza Synonym Passage Worksheet
Replace the words in the passage with appropriate synonyms. Synonyms are words or phrases that represent a similar meaning.
Chichen-Itza Synonym Trivia Across and Down Worksheet
Find the Synonym of the highlighted word from the word box. Complete the crossword puzzle.Antonyms are the words or phrases that represent the opposite meaning.
Chichen-Itza Synonym trivia Worksheet
Complete the puzzle with the words that are synonyms to the hints.Synonyms are the words or phrases that represent a similar meaning.
Download the IELTS Practice Worksheet with Answer. Chichen-Itza IELTS WorkSheet