The Great Library of Alexandria and the Loss of Ancient Knowledge: Reading Answers & Explanations
IELTS Reading practice test · 13 questionsAcademiceasy
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About this passage
The passage opens: “Few institutions of the ancient world are as famous, or as shrouded in legend, as the Great Library of Alexandria. Founded in the Egyptian city of Alexandria more than two thousand years ago, under the rule of the Greek kings known as the Ptolemies, it was conceived on a scale that had never been attempted before.”
- Passage length: about 705 words
- Questions: 13
- Question types: True / False / Not Given, Summary Completion, Short Answer
“The Great Library of Alexandria and the Loss of Ancient Knowledge” is an original IELTS-style practice passage written by IELTS-Bank. It is not taken from an official IELTS or Cambridge test, so these answers only apply to our version.
Answer key at a glance
The Great Library of Alexandria and the Loss of Ancient Knowledge answers with explanations
Questions 1–5: True / False / Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage? Write TRUE, FALSE or NOT GIVEN.
- 1
The library was established under the rule of the Ptolemies.
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Answer: TRUE
Why: The passage states that the Great Library of Alexandria was founded in Alexandria over two thousand years ago during the rule of the Greek kings known as the Ptolemies.
Where to find it · Paragraph 1 “Founded in the Egyptian city of Alexandria more than two thousand years ago, under the rule of the Greek kings known as the Ptolemies, it was conceived on a scale that had never been attempted before.”
- 2
Ships entering the harbour were searched for books to be copied.
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Answer: TRUE
Why: The passage states that ships entering the harbour were searched for books, which were then taken away to be copied, supporting the idea that this practice was indeed carried out.
Where to find it · Paragraph 3 “To build up this hoard, the Ptolemies are reported to have ordered that every ship entering the busy harbour be searched for books.”
- 3
The library was destroyed in a single catastrophic fire.
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Answer: FALSE
Why: The passage explains that the library's destruction was gradual due to war, neglect, and decay, rather than a single catastrophic fire.
Where to find it · Paragraph 4 “Popular imagination pictures the library perishing in a single, dramatic fire, its priceless scrolls consumed in one catastrophic night.”
- 4
The library employed more scholars than any other institution of its time.
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Answer: NOT GIVEN
Why: The statement claims the library employed more scholars than any other institution, but the passage never confirms or denies this, only mentioning that many scholars worked there and were supported by the rulers.
Closest related text · Paragraph 2 “Scholars travelled from distant lands to consult its shelves and to work alongside the finest minds of the age, and the fame of the institution spread far beyond the borders of Egypt.”
- 5
Officials kept the original scrolls and gave copies back to their owners.
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Answer: TRUE
Why: The passage states that officials kept the original scrolls found on ships for the library and returned only the copies to the owners, showing their determination to accumulate knowledge.
Where to find it · Paragraph 3 “Any scrolls found on board were taken away to be copied; but according to the stories, the officials kept the valuable originals for the library and returned only the copies to their owners, a practice that reveals just how single-minded the pursuit of knowledge had become.”
Questions 6–9: Summary Completion
Complete the summary below.
Complete the summary using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer. The library's aim was to gather all the (6) ______ of the world in a single place. To enlarge its collection, every ship entering the (7) ______ was searched for books, and the originals were often kept while (8) ______ were handed back to their owners. The library was not lost in one dramatic (9) ______ , but declined slowly over many centuries.
- 6
The library's aim was to gather all the ______ of the world in a single place.(max 2 words)
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Answer: knowledge
Why: The answer is found in the second paragraph, where the passage states that the library's purpose was to collect all the world's knowledge under one roof.
Where to find it · Paragraph 1 “Its purpose was breathtakingly ambitious: to gather together, under a single roof, all the knowledge of the entire world.”
- 7
To enlarge its collection, every ship entering the ______ was searched for books, and the originals were often kept while ______ were handed back to their owners.(max 2 words)
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Answer: harbour (also accepted: harbor)
Why: The answer "harbour" is found in the passage where it describes how every ship entering the busy port was searched for books to expand the library's collection.
Where to find it · Paragraph 3 “To build up this hoard, the Ptolemies are reported to have ordered that every ship entering the busy harbour be searched for books.”
- 8
To enlarge its collection, every ship entering the ______ was searched for books, and the originals were often kept while ______ were handed back to their owners.(max 2 words)
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Answer: copies
Why: The answer "copies" is found in the passage where it describes how officials kept the original scrolls for the library and returned only the duplicated versions to the ship owners.
Where to find it · Paragraph 3 “Any scrolls found on board were taken away to be copied; but according to the stories, the officials kept the valuable originals for the library and returned only the copies to their owners, a practice that reveals just how single-minded the pursuit of knowledge had become.”
- 9
The library was not lost in one dramatic ______ , but declined slowly over many centuries.(max 2 words)
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Answer: fire
Why: The answer is found in the sentence stating that popular imagination envisions the library being destroyed in a single, dramatic fire, which contrasts with the gradual decline that actually occurred.
Where to find it · Paragraph 4 “Popular imagination pictures the library perishing in a single, dramatic fire, its priceless scrolls consumed in one catastrophic night.”
Questions 10–13: Short Answer
Answer the questions below using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Answer the questions below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
- 10
In which Egyptian city was the Great Library located?(max 3 words)
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Answer: Alexandria
Why: The answer is found in the first sentence of the passage, which states that the Great Library was located in the Egyptian city of Alexandria.
Where to find it · Paragraph 1 “Founded in the Egyptian city of Alexandria more than two thousand years ago, under the rule of the Greek kings known as the Ptolemies, it was conceived on a scale that had never been attempted before.”
- 11
Which family of Greek kings founded and funded the library?(max 3 words)
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Answer: the Ptolemies (also accepted: Ptolemies)
Why: The answer is found in the second sentence, which states that the library was established in Alexandria under the rule of the Greek kings known as the Ptolemies.
Where to find it · Paragraph 1 “Founded in the Egyptian city of Alexandria more than two thousand years ago, under the rule of the Greek kings known as the Ptolemies, it was conceived on a scale that had never been attempted before.”
- 12
What material were the ancient books, or scrolls, made from?(max 3 words)
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Answer: papyrus
Why: The answer is found in the passage where it mentions that the books of the ancient world were in the form of scrolls made from papyrus.
Where to find it · Paragraph 3 “The books of the ancient world took the form of scrolls, made from papyrus, and the library is said to have contained hundreds of thousands of them.”
- 13
What was the name of the larger research institution of which the library formed part?(max 3 words)
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Answer: the Mouseion (also accepted: Mouseion)
Why: The answer is found in the passage where it states that the library was part of a larger research institution called the Mouseion, which is the origin of the modern word 'museum'.
Where to find it · Paragraph 2 “It formed part of a larger research institution called the Mouseion, a word from which our modern 'museum' is descended, where scholars were housed, fed and paid to devote themselves to study.”
Estimated band score for this test
Your raw score out of 13 scaled to the 40-question IELTS Reading (Academic) conversion table. This is the same estimate the practice page shows after you submit. A single passage is a small sample, so treat it as a guide.
| Correct answers | Estimated band |
|---|---|
| 13 / 13 | 9.0 |
| 12 / 13 | 8.5 |
| 11 / 13 | 7.5 |
| 10 / 13 | 7.0 |
| 9 / 13 | 6.5 |
| 8 / 13 | 6.0 |
| 7 / 13 | 5.5 |
| 5–6 / 13 | 5.0 |
| 4 / 13 | 4.0 |
| 3 / 13 | 3.5 |
| 2 / 13 | 3.0 |
| 1 / 13 | 2.0 |
| 0 / 13 | 0.0 |
Full-test score? Use the IELTS band calculator.
Tips for the question types in this test
True / False / Not Given
- Read the statement first and underline the key idea, especially any qualifiers like "all", "only", "never", "always", "more than" or dates and numbers.
- Because the questions follow the order of the passage, scan for the paragraph that deals with the same topic rather than re-reading everything.
Common trap: Confusing "False" with "Not Given": choose False only when the passage actively contradicts the statement; if the passage is silent, it is Not Given.
Full True / False / Not Given strategySummary Completion
- Read the full summary first and identify which passage section it covers.
- Predict the grammar and meaning required in every blank.
Common trap: Choosing an option only because it repeats a passage word.
Full Summary Completion strategyShort Answer
- Read the instructions and note the exact word limit; going over it means zero marks even if the meaning is right.
- Turn each question into a set of keywords and predict what kind of answer it needs (a person, a date, a place, a noun).
Common trap: Exceeding the word limit (writing four words when only three are allowed).
Full Short Answer strategyPractise “The Great Library of Alexandria and the Loss of Ancient Knowledge” under exam conditions
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