Source: ielts.org
Political units in the history of West Africa
Ife, perched at the edge of Nigeria’s forest, is thought to have come to prominence through its control of local products – including ivory, gold and pepper – in external trade. By AD 1300, its walled capital was at the peak of its wealth, with many shrines featuring elaborate pavements made of pieces of pottery, and a rich tradition of creating brass and terracotta sculptures, including ones of people richly adorned in ceremonial regalia. Many of these have survived. Subsistence for the large elite and artisan population appears to have been based upon small livestock and the cultivation of vegetables. Around AD 1500, the city of Ife declined, and the region’s center of power shifted to Benin without any appreciable break in cultural tradition.
Political units in the history of West Africa
1 = forest2 = gold
3 = pottery
4 = sculptures
5 = vegetables
1Ife, perched at the edge of Nigeria’s forest, is thought to have come to prominence through its control of local products – 2 including ivory, gold and pepper – in external trade. By AD 1300, its walled capital was at the peak of its wealth, with many shrines featuring elaborate 3 pavements made of pieces of pottery, and a rich tradition of 4 creating brass and terracotta sculptures, including ones of people richly adorned in ceremonial regalia. Many of these [‘these’ refers to ‘sculptures’] have survived. Subsistence for the large elite and artisan population appears to have been based upon small livestock and 5 the cultivation of vegetables. Around AD 1500, the city of Ife declined, and the region’s center of power shifted to Benin without any appreciable break in cultural tradition.
- In question 4 you need to look for something that ‘has survived’. If you read the passage you find ‘many of these have survived’. You need to find out what ‘these’ refers to. You can usually do this by looking for the main noun in the sentence before. This is a common question type in the IELTS reading exam- IELTS examiners like test to see if you can work out what words like ‘this’, ‘these’, ‘that’ refer to.