Ancient Rome: archaeologists are trying to understand more about the early history of the city
Read Ancient Rome: archaeologists are trying to understand more about the early history of the city and check the IELTS Reading answers. From ancient times to the present, historians have asked the question: 'How and why did an ordinary little town in central Italy grow so much bigger than any othe…
Passage preview
From ancient times to the present, historians have asked the question: 'How and why did an ordinary little town in central Italy grow so much bigger than any other in the ancient Mediterranean and come to control such a huge empire?' During the first century BCE, Roman writers themselves began systematically to study the earlier centuries of their city and their empire. Yet these historians had little more direct evidence of the earliest phases of Rome's history than modern writers have, and in some ways perhaps not as much, as there were no surviving documents or archives. Their 'histories' about the foundation of ancient Rome tell us a good deal about how the Romans saw their city, their values, and their failings. However, they tell us very little indeed about what they claim to inform us about: that is, what earliest Rome was actually like. One fact is obvious. Rome was already a very old city by 63 BCE, the birth date of its first emperor. But how exactly are we to access reliable information about the origins of Rome?
Vocabulary from this passage
10 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- chronological scheme noun
A systematic arrangement of events or items in the order in which they occurred
The museum organized the exhibits into a chronological scheme to track the city's evolution.
- contentious adjective
Causing or likely to cause an argument; controversial; involving heated legal or academic debate
The decision to build a new factory in the national park remains a contentious issue.
- contested adjective
Disputed or argued against; engaging in competition to attain a position or power
The results of the experiment were hotly contested by several leading experts in the field.
- inadvertently adverb
Without intention; accidentally; happening without a deliberate plan or prior thought
The sensitive data was inadvertently released to the public due to a technical error.
- intensively adverb
In a way that involves a high degree of effort or activity over time
The agricultural land was farmed intensively to meet the growing food demands of the city.
- obliterate verb
To destroy utterly; to wipe out or remove all traces of something's existence
The ancient ruins were unfortunately obliterated during the construction of the modern highway system.
- radiocarbon dating noun
A scientific method used to determine the age of organic materials by measuring carbon content
Archaeologists used radiocarbon dating to verify that the timber used in the hut was ancient.
- systematically adverb
Done according to a fixed plan or system; methodical in procedure or thought
Researchers systematically reviewed over two hundred papers to ensure a comprehensive literature analysis.
- tangible adjective
Perceivable by touch; clear and definite; real rather than imaginary or purely theoretical
The project resulted in tangible improvements to the local infrastructure and community services.
- unearth verb
To drive out or bring to light; to discover by searching or digging
Archaeologists recently unearthed a series of ancient artifacts dating back to the Bronze Age.
Answers with explanations
- 27. NO
The statement claims historians showed **little curiosity** about the rise of the empire. The opening sentence says that **from ancient times to the present**, historians have asked how and why a little town grew so much bigger than any other and came to control such a **huge empire**. Continuous questioning over centuries is the opposite of little curiosity, so the writer's claim contradicts the statement and the answer is NO.
- 28. YES
The statement says first-century BCE accounts of Rome's origins **may be less reliable** than **21st-century accounts**. The writer says the Roman historians had **little more direct evidence** than **modern writers** have, and **in some ways perhaps not as much**, because no documents or archives survived. The writer adds that their histories **tell us very little indeed** about what **earliest Rome was actually like**. This hedged view agrees with the cautious **may** in the statement, so the writer's claim agrees with it. Answer: YES.
- 29. NOT GIVEN
The passage mentions that Roman historians' accounts reveal "how the Romans saw their city, their values, and their **failings**." While they documented their perspective, the text does not offer an opinion on whether this view of the **ancient capital** was overly or "**unrealistically positive**." Therefore, we cannot determine the writer's view on this specific claim, making it **NOT GIVEN**.
- 30. NO
The passage explicitly criticizes the **accounts by early Roman historians**, stating that "they tell us **very little indeed**" about "what earliest Rome was actually like." This directly contradicts the statement that they provide a "**full description of life**" during the **founding** era, meaning the correct answer is **NO**.
- 31. YES
The writer states definitively that "One **fact is obvious**" — that Rome was "already a very **old city by 63 BCE**." By describing it as an obvious fact and an already old city at that time, the writer confirms it is **certain** that Rome existed **long before** that date, making the statement **YES**.
- 32. NOT GIVEN
The statement says some people **oppose excavations** because they **damage monuments**. The paragraph on excavation conditions discusses difficulty and disputes, saying interpretation of finds is **contested** and **controversial**, and that later building such as Renaissance cellars cut through earlier remains. But it never mentions any **opposition** to digging or concern about harming monuments. Controversy about interpretation is a different matter, so the writer's view on this is not given and the answer is NOT GIVEN.
- 33. A
The writer introduces the findings at **Fidenae** as a way to "fill in some of the gaps" regarding the "**lifestyle**" supported by early structures. The excavation revealed hearths, foodstuff, and domestic animals, providing "vivid glimpses of human and other life here." This shows how the remains shed light on the ancient **way of life**.
- 34. D
The question asks what the **marble temples** and Renaissance houses had in common. Scan the paragraph on excavation conditions, where both are named. The temples' **foundations obliterated** much of what lay beneath, and the **cellars** of the houses cut through even more ancient remains. Both construction projects therefore **destroyed evidence** of earlier buildings. Nothing suggests they were the most enduring buildings, evidence of wealth, or built on previously unoccupied sites.
- 35. B
In the fifth paragraph, the writer emphasizes that dating is "contentious" and exact dates are not certain. Instead of precise dates, decades of work have only managed to produce a "**rough chronological scheme**." This perfectly matches the option which states that only an **approximate sequence of eras** can be established.
- 36. D
The final paragraph contrasts the dates provided by different methods. It notes that a building was dated to the eighth century BCE using "**traditional archaeological** criteria," but this date is pushed back to the ninth century BCE by "**radiocarbon analysis**." This serves to highlight that the findings of the two methods **differ**.
- 37. F
The passage states that one method of uncovering reliable information is by looking for "**clues in the Latin language**" because these clues "might point back to features of **earliest Rome**." This directly connects to the idea that the language is **expected to shed some light** on what the city was **originally like**.
- 38. C
The text reveals that directly "Beneath the **Forum** itself" archaeologists found the remains of an "**early cemetery**." Because the Forum sits on top of these remains, it means the Forum was **constructed on the site** of an **earlier burial ground** (cemetery).
- 39. A
The building at **Fidenae** is described in the second paragraph as a rectangular structure **made of wood and rammed earth**, with the dash adding that this is **a construction method still utilised up to the present day**. This matches the ending about being composed of **organic materials** still in use in the **21st century**. Wood and earth are organic, and the present-day use of the method confirms the match. The other endings concern burial grounds, legends, dating and excavations.
- 40. D
The writer explains how archaeologists build a "**chronological scheme**" (a timeline of relative dates) by comparing findings. One of the diagnostic tools mentioned for this process is the presence of "**Greek ceramics**" (pottery), which have better-understood dating. Therefore, this pottery is **used to determine the relative dates** of other discoveries.