Building Houses out of Earth - IELTS Reading Answers

In many single passages like ‘Building Houses out of Earth IELTS Reading Answers’, you can concentrate intently on mastering the one or two question types that are concentrated. They help you understand how each question type behaves in a particular setting and master them before you move on to complete practice tests.

 So, solve a practice passage, ‘Building Houses out of Earth IELTS Reading Answers’ from IELTS Reading Recent Actual Tests, followed by two different types of questions, answer explanations, and detailed tips focused exclusively on this task.

Passage for Building Houses out of Earth IELTS Reading Answers

Now go through the passage for ‘Building Houses out of Earth’ IELTS Reading Answers given below, and be prepared to solve similar IELTS Reading topics for General and Academic for the reading section.

Building Houses out of Earth

A On every continent, one can find houses or other buildings made of the clay–bearing soils dug up from the ground. In some places, earth building technologies have been around for a very long time. In the southwestern United States, for example, American Indian tribes such as the Pueblo people have been building earth houses and other earth structures for thousands of years. And in China’s Xinjiang Province, archaeologists have found entire earth villages dating back over 2500 years. While building houses out of earth is certainly not new, it has never been very common because of the preference for other materials.

B In some parts of the world, however, there has been renewed growth in the popularity of earth building. Two such places are Australia and New Zealand, where the practice did not exist until the relatively recent arrival of European settlers. It is estimated that there are now over 2100 houses made of earth in Australia, and 35% of them were built within the past decade. An equal proportion of the 550 earthen structures in New Zealand were built in the last five years. This trend appears to reflect growing earth construction in North America and Eastern Europe.

C Why the renewed interest in earth building? The building material itself is probably the reason. Earth is available virtually anywhere, literally under our feet. And unlike many other building materials that typically require treatment with chemical preservatives, the earth is non-toxic. This cannot be said for commercially sold timber and brick products.

D Another well-known characteristic of earth houses is their passive solar capacity – their ability to retain warmth in the winter and keep cool in the summer without the need for dedicated solar panels, plumbing or fossil fuel energy sources. This comes entirely from the effective way in which earthen walls act to store heat.

E Some people claim that earth buildings are cheaper to build than conventional brick or wooden houses, the two most common types in Australia and New Zealand. This appears to be true, according to data from the New Zealand Construction Quarterly. Assuming walls make up 15% of the cost of building a house, then the use of earthen walls would bring a total saving of 10% over timber frame construction and 38% over brick.

F But perhaps most attractive of all is the unique atmosphere provided by earth houses, with their natural colors, their acoustic properties and thick, solid walls. Not all the earth building is done the same way. The technologies used vary from region to region, depending on the types of earth available and local building traditions. They are also undergoing constant study and improvement, with a view to bettering resistance to earthquakes and weather.

G In New Zealand, stabilisers such as cement, sand, straw, even cow dung, have been found to make a stronger and longer-lasting material when added to earth. The downside of using particularly effective stabilisers like cement is that they can be expensive and their manufacture may create much pollution. Thus, their use should be kept to a minimum.

H Those who choose to build with earth should also be careful about using paints or other coatings on the surface of the earth’s walls. Some coatings have the effect of preventing the walls from ‘breathing’. When this happens, any water that gets absorbed into the walls may not have a way of escaping and get trapped. This may lead to cracks or other signs of the early deterioration of the earthen material.

Questions for Building Houses out of Earth Reading Answers

The passage ‘Building Houses out of Earth Reading Answers’ consists of 11 questions that showcase two different IELTS Reading question types. They are:

• IELTS Reading Multiple Choice Question (Q. 1) & (Q. 4-7)
• IELTS Reading Short Answer Type Question (Q. 2-3) & (Q. 8-11)

Question 1

1 In ‘Building houses out of earth’, the writer’s main aim is to ….…

A provide an overview of earth building.

B promotes the building of earth houses.

C reviews the history of earth building.

D examines the variety of earth buildings.

Questions 2 and 3

2 Name places where earth building practices have existed for a long time.

Southwestern United States and …….…(2)……….

3 Name places where earth building is becoming more popular.

Australia, North America and ……..(3)………

Questions 4-7

A cost of construction

B resistance to earthquakes

C stability of earth

D heat storage capacity

E availability of materials

F construction technology

G appearance and character

Questions 8-11

8 What percentage of earth buildings in New Zealand were constructed in the past 5 years?

9 Name ONE building material that contains chemical preservatives.

10 Name the feature of earth houses that enables them to keep temperatures low in summer.

11 Name ONE substance that can lengthen the life of earth as a building material.

Answers and Explanations of Building Houses out of Earth IELTS Reading Passage

Check out the detailed explanations for the Building Houses out of Earth reading passage questions given above, and get an idea of how to solve different IELTS Reading question types with examples and improve your reading skills.

1 Answer: A

Question type: Multiple Choice Answer

Answer location: The whole passage

Answer explanation: In different paragraphs of the passage, the writer explains various features of the earth buildings, like material, places where they are popular, characteristics, etc. As it provides an overall glimpse of earth building, the answer is A.

2 Answer: China’s Xinjiang Province

Question type: Short Answer Type

Answer location: Paragraph A, line 3 – line 4

Answer explanation: In Paragraph A, it is said that “In the southwestern United States, for example, American Indian tribes such as the Pueblo people have been building earth houses and other earth structures for thousands of years. And in China’s Xinjiang Province, archaeologists have found entire earth villages dating back over 2500 years.” This points to the fact that apart from the southwestern United States, earth buildings are found in China’s Xinjiang Province for over 2500 years. Hence, the answer is ‘China’s Xinjiang Province’.

3 Answer: Eastern Europe

Question type: Short Answer Type

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 4 – line 5

Answer explanation: In the lines of Paragraph B, it is said that “An equal proportion of the 550 earthen structures in New Zealand were built in the last five years. This trend appears to reflect growing earth construction in North America and Eastern Europe.” This proves the fact that earth building is becoming more popular in Australia, North America and Eastern Europe. Hence, the answer is ‘Eastern Europe’.

4 Answer: A

Question type: Multiple Choice Answer

Answer location: Paragraph E, line 3

Answer explanation: In the mentioned line, it is stated “Assuming walls make up 15% of the cost of building a house, then the use of earthen walls would bring a total saving of 10% over timber frame construction and 38% over brick.”. It can be concluded that buildings made with earth reduce the cost of construction compared to when built with timber or brick. Hence, the answer is A (cost of construction).

5 Answer: D

Question type: Multiple Choice Answer

Answer location: Paragraph D, line 2

Answer explanation: In Paragraph D, it is said that “This comes entirely from the effective way in which earthen walls act to store heat.”. This points out that earthen buildings have the capacity to store heat, which helps to retain warmth in the winter and keep cool in the summer without the need for dedicated solar panels. Hence, the answer is D (heat storage capacity).

6 Answer: E

Question type: Multiple Choice Answer

Answer location: Paragraph C, line 2 – line 3

Answer explanation: The following lines –The building material itself is probably the reason. Earth is available virtually anywhere, literally under our feet.– proves the fact that people prefer earthen buildings as the building material is readily available in abundance. Hence, the answer is E (availability of materials).

7 Answer: G

Question type: Multiple Choice Answer

Answer location: Paragraph F, line 1

Answer explanation: The specified line states that “But perhaps most attractive of all is the unique atmosphere provided by earth houses, with their natural colors, their acoustic properties and thick, solid walls.”. From this reference, it can be said that one of the reasons why people prefer earth buildings is its appearance with its natural colors and the character it adds with their acoustic properties and thick, solid walls. Hence, the answer is G (appearance and character).

8 Answer: 35

Question type: Short Answer Type

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 3 – line 4

Answer explanation: The indicated lines of Paragraph B mention that “… in Australia, and 35% of them were built within the past decade. An equal proportion of the 550 earthen structures in New Zealand were built in the last five years.”. This statement indicates that the proportion of earthen houses built in New Zealand and Australia is equal and so the percentage of houses built in the last five years is 35. Hence, the answer is ‘35’.

9 Answer: brick/ commercially sold timber

Question type: Short Answer Type

Answer location: Paragraph C, line 4 – line 5

Answer explanation: The given lines of Paragraph C say that “And unlike many other building materials that typically require treatment with chemical preservatives, the earth is non-toxic. This cannot be said for commercially sold timber and brick products.”. It is clear that commercially sold timber and bricks have chemical preservatives. Hence, the answer is either ‘brick’ or ‘commercially sold timber’.

10 Answer: passive solar capacity

Question type: Short Answer Type

Answer location: Paragraph D, line 1

Answer explanation: The given line of Paragraph D says that “Another well-known characteristic of earth houses is their passive solar capacity – their ability to retain warmth in the winter and keep cool in the summer without the need for dedicated solar panels, plumbing or fossil fuel energy sources.”. It is clear that the feature of earth houses that enables them to keep temperatures low in summer and warm in winter is ‘passive solar capacity’. Hence, the answer is ‘passive solar capacity’.

11 Answer: cow dung/straw/sand/cement

Question type: Short Answer Type

Answer location: Paragraph G, line 1

Answer explanation: The given line in Paragraph G says that “In New Zealand, stabilisers such as cement, sand, straw, even cow dung, have been found to make a stronger and longer-lasting material when added to earth.” In light of the fact that cement, sand, straw, and cow dung can lengthen the life of earth as a building material, the answer is ‘cow dung/straw/ sand/ cement’ (any one of them).

How to Solve the Question Types in the Building Houses out of Earth Reading Passage?

Now, let’s check out some IELTS exam preparation tips for band score of 8+ for each question type in the Building Houses out of Earth IELTS Reading Answers. This will help you learn how to approach each question type effectively.

Multiple Choice Questions

• Identify what the question is really asking: Focus on the task requirement, such as ‘the writer’s main aim’ (Question 1) or ‘reasons why some people prefer earth houses’ (Questions 4–7). This helps you decide whether to look for a general idea (main aim) or specific supporting points (reasons).
• Read all options carefully before scanning the passage: Look at options like ‘provide an overview’ or ‘review the history’ or ‘promote and note the differences. Understanding these distinctions helps you avoid choosing an option that is too narrow or too opinion-based.
• For main aim questions, think about the whole passage: When the question asks about ‘the writer’s main aim’, do not focus on one paragraph. Instead, consider whether the passage discusses multiple aspects like materials, locations, and benefits, which supports the overview rather than a single focus.
• Locate keywords for detail-based MCQs: For questions like ‘heat storage capacity’ (D) or ‘availability of materials’ (E), scan for keywords such as ‘store heat’ or ‘available anywhere’. Matching these paraphrased ideas helps you quickly identify the correct option.
• Match meaning, not exact words: The passage may say ‘earth walls act to store heat’, while the option says ‘heat storage capacity’. Always focus on meaning equivalence, not identical wording.
• Eliminate incorrect options systematically: Remove options that are not mentioned or only partially correct, such as choices referring to earthquake resistance or construction technology if the passage does not discuss them. This increases your chances of selecting the correct answer even if you are unsure.
• For “choose multiple answers,” verify each option independently: In Questions 4–7, check each option (A–G) against the passage rather than trying to guess four answers together. Each correct answer must be clearly supported by a specific line or idea in the text.

Short Answer Type Questions

• Identify keywords and question type: Look for key phrases such as ‘places where earth building practices have existed’ or ‘percentage…in the past 5 years’. This helps you determine whether you need a location, number, or specific term.
• Scan for proper nouns, numbers, or unique phrases: For location-based questions like ‘Southwestern United States and …’, scan for other place names such as China’s Xinjiang Province. Proper nouns are easy to spot and usually appear exactly in the passage.
• Follow the order of the passage: IELTS Reading answers usually appear in the same sequence as the questions. So after finding Question 2 in Paragraph A, move forward in the passage for Question 3 and beyond.
• Use the surrounding context to confirm the answer: For example, “becoming more popular” (Question 3) should match a sentence describing growth or increasing trend, leading to Eastern Europe. Always confirm that the context matches the question meaning.
• Pay attention to instructions (word limit): If the question says “NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS”, your answer must not exceed that limit. For example, ‘passive solar capacity’ fits exactly within the allowed word count.
• Look for paraphrased clues: The question may say ‘keep temperatures low in summer’, while the passage states ‘keep cool in the summer’. Recognising such paraphrasing helps you locate the correct answer faster.
• Check grammar and completeness: Ensure your answer fits grammatically into the question, such as ‘35’ for a percentage or ‘brick’ for a material. A correct answer must be both accurate and grammatically appropriate.

To summarize, we examined the Building Houses out of Earth Reading Answers, highlighting key locations and terms, so you can tackle those difficult questions with assurance. Remember, the three question types for this passage demand accuracy, not quick scanning. It is advantageous to take multiple IELTS Reading practice tests and focus on improving your problem areas for the exam. 

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