Hi guys, this is Fiona.
From IELTS with Fiona, and in today's lesson we're going to do a reading, passage 2, all about stadiums.
Now, if you listened to my last podcast, that was about the London Underground and there are some similarities with this one in terms of the structure.
So, I think it's quite an interesting one to do. and it is from book 17.
It's test one, section two.
Now, if you've bought any of my reading courses, then you might notice that I've been adding a lot of guided readings.
So, I take you through the passages, and I look at them in a bit more detail.
So Whenever we look at reading skills, there are macro skills.
You know the ones about skimming and scanning and predicting the gap, things like that.
But then there are micro skills.
And these are much more based on language, things about language that you need to know in order to get the answer correct.
And also vocabulary, of course.
So that's what I do in my guided readings.
And this today is June the 1st.
So this month I'm focusing on reading.
And if you go to my website, you'll find a special offer on both my courses.
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Anyway, it's up to you.
So let's get back to the.
Oh, sorry.
I meant to say also that if you bought my course from Keith.
So Keith Speaking Success, you'll find the guided readings there as well.
So let's get back to the reading about stadiums and the title is Past, Present and Future.
So that tells us something about the structure of what to expect.
It's kind of chronological, but it also starts with the problem like the London Underground reading did.
So it says stadiums are really old, you know, oldest form of architecture.
Today, however, so there it introduces the problem, stadiums are regarded with growing scepticism.
So you might not know the word scepticism, but you could guess that it's something negative just from the.
However,
And if you keep reading, it says construction costs can soar s-o-a-r meaning increase rapidly get out of control good verb for academic writing task one and stadiums finished for major events such as the olympic games have notably fallen into disuse and repair such good vocabulary because that topic about international sporting event comes up a lot in task two.
The question is often, is it worth it?
What benefits does it bring?
And the argument that it's a waste of money can be supported by examples of stadiums that have fallen into disuse and repair.
Then it suggests a solution.
History shows stadiums can drive urban development. and adapt to the culture of every age.
So this introduces the idea that architects are finding new ways to adapt the monofunctional sports arenas.
That's paragraph A.
So I'm giving you a brief summary of the paragraphs because that will be important for when we analyse the questions.
So it introduced this idea that they're the oldest forms, form of urban architecture, and in paragraph b it kind of goes back to that.
It goes back to the start to give an example of an ancient amphitheater which is in arles, in southwest france, And it's an example of how versatile it could be.
It says it was a fortress transformed into a village and then it was converted back into an arena for bullfights.
And that was like its original purpose.
Another example in northern Italy is Verona and talks about that it was one of the world's prime sites for opera, thanks to its acoustics.
Then paragraph C.
It talks about the Italian town of Lucca.
Another impressive example of an amphitheatre being absorbed into the fabric of the city.
It evolved in a similar way to Arles and was used for houses, a salt depot and a prison.
Then it became a market square.
So it just keeps giving examples like you should do in task two.
And today, this amphitheatre has lots of shops and residences.
Now, D, it introduces a comparison between modern stadiums and ancient ones.
So it's the kind of switch over to the modern period.
But it says the flexibility was lost.
So here's the problem again in the 20th century.
Stadiums were made using steel and concrete and bright lights.
And they're very often in the suburbs.
Remember, we had that last week when we were guessing gaps for the underground, London Underground.
So many stadiums are in suburban areas, which means they're not accessible to the general public and they require more energy to run.
And they contribute to urban heat.
So we got halfway and it introduced, it came back to this problem of modern amphitheatres.
And here's a solution again, paragraph E Many of today's most innovative architects want to Use the stadium to improve the city.
And they give two examples.
The stadium as an urban hub and as a power plant.
And then it talks about stadiums could be equipped with public spaces and services restaurants bars, green space.
And it could be a way to regenerate urban spaces, attract families.
And it gives the example of Wembley and Old Trafford in the UK.
So that was the urban regeneration.
The next paragraph is the idea of it being a power plant, and this phenomenon says, has risen from the idea that energy problems can be overcome by integrating interconnected buildings by means of a smart grid.
Anyway, it goes on like that.
Stadiums are ideal because they have this large surface area on the canopies, on the ceilings, the roofs.
And it gives an example of Freiburg.
In Germany is one like this, and it gives lots of details about how many 8000 photovoltaic panels, how much electricity they produce, how much carbon dioxide reduces 660 tonnes, and so on.
And then there's a conclusion, paragraph G says, saying sporting arenas have always been central to the life and culture of cities in every era, from military fortress to residential village, public space to theatre, and it can help cities create a sustainable future.
That conclusion is important because There are a few tricks coming up in the first set of questions which are matching information.
So remember, this is not matching headings, it's matching information.
There are seven paragraphs and four statements to match.
So remember, you can use any letter more than once.
Question 14.
It's looking for a mention, just a mention, not the whole paragraph.
Remember a mention of negative attitudes towards stadium building projects?
Well, remember we had two paragraphs with negative things, but only one of them was a negative attitude towards Attitude.
Is the way you feel about it or the way it's treated?
So this was introduced in paragraph A. Stadiums are regarded with growing scepticism.
And this is where it talked about the construction costs and the buildings that have fallen into disuse and repair.
So 14 is the first paragraph A.
Fifteen is looking for figures.
So remember, figures means numbers.
So you go to the paragraph where there's lots of numbers demonstrating the environmental benefits of a certain stadium.
So these words are important.
Environmental benefits of a certain stadium means one in particular, a mentioned one, not in general.
And those figures remember.
We talked about the one in Freiburg in Germany, where it talked about how many panels it had, how many electricity gigawatts it generates, reducing carbon dioxide by 660 tonnes, supplies 80 of the surrounding area.
So there's lots of figures there, basically.
And you don't need to know what they mean, even.
They're just figures.
And the environmental benefits you know anyway from your background vocabulary reduction of CO2 emissions, and that's all in paragraph F.
In 16 this time we're looking for examples.
Now, there's lots of examples in the whole reading, but this is examples of the wide range of facilities that available at some new stadiums.
So remember there was that paragraph talking about hotels, retail outlets, conference centres, and the one where it mentioned Old Trafford and Wembley as an example.
So that was in paragraph E.
Finally, 17, reference to the disadvantages of stadiums built during a certain era.
So you've got that word certain again, which means a very specific era.
And this could really help you because we know that there has been some negatives.
So the disadvantages, but during a built during a certain era.
So go back to that mid-negative paragraph, paragraph D, where it talks about the flexibility was lost at the beginning of the 20th century.
That is the era and it's very specific.
So paragraph D is the answer.
So the next set of questions is gap-filled.
And the heading is Roman Amphitheatres.
So you skip down to the section where you can see the title or the mention of Romans, the capital R there.
And you'll see that first started in paragraph B, where you've got another capital letter for Arl in France.
And what are we looking for?
So it says the amphitheatre of Arles, for example, was converted first into a something.
So it was used for many things, but what was it converted into first?
And it says built by the Romans in 90 AD, it became there's your synonym for it was converted, became a fortress with four towers.
And later, OK, a village and later something else.
But the first thing was a fortress, F-O-R-T-R-E-S-S.
And you're only allowed one word, which I think nowadays is true of all IELTS gap fills.
So the four towers you obviously don't need.
Then it was converted into a residential area and finally into an arena where spectators could watch something.
So find that word arena in the text.
And it says it was converted back into an arena for the staging of bullfights.
Now, that could be difficult because you've got four words, the staging of bullfights.
So here's your micro skill.
You have to decide what goes in that space.
What do the people watch?
Well, they don't watch the staging of bullfights.
They watch games.
Bull fights.
Bull fights.
One word.
And that is it.
That's the answer.
Make sure you copy it correctly.
It's a plural, so you need an S. And of course, they love the I-G-H-T.
Tricky spelling for fight.
So just copy it exactly as you see it.
Next, it moves on.
The next capital letter goes to Verona, capital V.
Verona, northern Italy, is famous today as a venue where something is performed.
So that tells us it's uncountable, which is interesting.
And in the text it says another example is Sorry, I've got the two bits of paper.
So it says.
Another example is the imposing arena of Verona, in northern Italy, which was built 60 years before Arles, 40 years before Rome's Colosseum.
It is currently nowadays considered one of the world's prime sites for opera.
O-P-E-R-A, no S, and that's why it's singular.
So, twenty where opera is performed.
Finally, the last capital letter in the summary is LUCA, capital L, and it says it's been used for many purposes, including the storage of something.
So, storage of something.
Now, you know I talk about gap fills.
They always have some kind of substance, uncountable.
In the London Underground, it was the soil.
Remember the last gap when they covered the tunnel with soil?
Here, it's the storage of something.
And it says it was used as houses and as a salt.
Depot.
D-E-P-O-T.
Depot is a storage.
If you don't know depot, it doesn't matter, because you've got very clearly.
Look for the uncountable substance, and it's salt.
S-A-L-T.
It is now a market.
This is the last gap fill.
It is now a market square with.
Something and homes.
Something and homes incorporated into the remains of the Roman amphitheatre.
So, what does it say?
It became a market square.
Today, the ruins of the amphitheatre remain embedded in the various shops and residences.
So, synonym for homes is residences and shops. is the answer and plural again.
So, let's move on now to the choosing from a list question types.
There are two sets and you choose two letters.
So the first set when comparing 20th century stadiums to ancient amphitheatres, in section D.
So it tells you, just go to section D.
Which two negative features does the writer mention?
So if you want to and some people do advise this you go to paragraph D first and you look at negative features and then you try to match them with the statement.
So remember paragraph D said the flexibility was lost.
They're made of concrete, bright lights situated suburban areas not accessible, require more energy to run and contribute to urban heat.
So, is it A, they are less imaginatively designed?
Probably not.
Is it B, they are less spacious?
Probably not.
C they are in less convenient conditions locations yes, it says they may not be as accessible to the general public.
Definitely less convenient locations.
D they are less versatile.
So you would need to know that word versatile, wouldn't you?
Because um, that's the answer.
Less versatile meaning less flexible.
I think there's a trick in the last one.
It says they are made of less durable materials.
So it does say that they are made of steel and concrete, but it doesn't mention that these materials are less durable.
It just says they're new.
That's all.
So you can see the trick that you might fall into the trap.
But the answers are obvious.
Always in some way testing your vocabulary, because you've got convenient meaning accessible.
And, you know, I've got that list on my website of I-B-L-E words that you can review.
And versatile is a synonym for flexible and flexible.
I've put as my keyword many times because it's flexibility and the spelling of that you know, and so on.
So those are those two answers.
And then question 25 to 26 is looking for positives.
It says, which two advantages of modern stadium design does the writer mention?
Two advantages of modern stadium design.
So it doesn't specifically direct you to a paragraph, but I think by now you could probably guess these, so I'm going to read them.
It's A, offering improved amenities for the enjoyment of sports events.
So possibly a trick there b bringing community life back into the city environment.
Yeah, i mean that that was it, wasn't it?
That's what they introduced right at the start and they referred to it again um throughout, or in that paragraph d, that middle paragraph, and um it's also in paragraph e, where it says helping to regenerate urban spaces opens the space up to families and a wider cross-section of society, and the stadium becoming an urban hub.
So it's definitely B, community life, back to the city.
C, facilitating research into solar and wind energy solutions.
Well, again, here's the trick.
They did mention...
Environmental considerations, but they didn't mention research.
D says enabling local residents to reduce their consumption of electricity.
Again, they kind of referred to that because they said supplies up to 80% of the surrounding area.
But it didn't say that meant that residents could reduce their consumption.
So it's a trick.
And the answer is this.
Next one E providing a suitable site for the installation of renewable energy power generators.
For the installation of renewable power generators.
And we saw that clearly in the example of Freiburg Stadium in Germany and the whole talk of it being used as a power plant.
And in paragraph F again, talks about that again.
Stadiums are ideal for these purposes, because their canopies have large surface area for photovoltaic panels.
And rise high enough, more than 40 metres, to make use of micro wind turbines as well.
So two kinds of power generators, the sun panels and the wind turbines.
OK, so that is it.
I think it's a really good one for vocabulary.
We've mentioned quite a lot already, but I've highlighted a few things here as well.
Things like converted and demolished often come up in describing changes to a town or to a floor plan in the writing task one, and this whole idea of innovative architecture regeneration, urban hub, reduction of CO2 emissions and the last word, thus helping cities to create a sustainable future.
So it's a really nice one to read and I would go and Google it and find it and do it yourself now and see if it makes a bit more sense, having listened to some of the explanations.
OK.
Thanks again for listening.
Let me know if you have any special requests, if there are any readings or listenings that you'd like me to go through for you.
And I will put them at the top of the list.
OK, bye for now.
Bye bye.
