# Building the Skyline: The Birth and Growth of Manhattan's Skyscrapers: answers and explanations

Cambridge IELTS 17, Test 3, Reading Passage 3

Source: Passage, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 17, Test 3, Reading Passage 3. © Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Used for educational practice. Explanations and evidence notes are written by Testmigo.

## Answer key

| Q | Answer | Proof |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 27 | D | The book combines geology, history, economics, and a lot of data |
| 28 | B | it is not obvious why slum clearance would be limiting, while more expensive foundations would not |
| 29 | C | it is probably more technical than would be preferred by a general audience |
| 30 | D | may serve as a distraction to readers primarily interested in New York |
| 31 | C | The data work that went into these estimations is particularly impressive. |
| 32 | NO | giving a fascinating account of how the New York landscape in 1609 might have looked from the sky |
| 33 | YES | set the stage for the economic analysis that comes later in the book |
| 34 | NOT GIVEN | analyzes their locations in terms of the amenities available in the area |
| 35 | NO | between the industries located on the waterfront and the wealthy neighborhoods bordering Central Park |
| 36 | H | is the reason for skyscrapers not being built between the two urban centers |
| 37 | D | these costs were neither prohibitively high |
| 38 | I | nor were they large compared to the overall cost of building a skyscraper |
| 39 | B | which enable workers to dig down for considerable distances |
| 40 | F | but also the dangers involved |

## Why these answers are right

**27. D.** In the first paragraph Shester says the book "combines geology, history, economics, and a lot of data" to explain where business clusters formed and how early decisions shaped the skyline. Drawing on many fields to explain the city's growth is covering a range of factors, option D.

**28. B.** Shester wishes Barr had expanded on his claim about tenements, then notes that it is "not obvious why slum clearance would be limiting, while more expensive foundations would not". Pointing out an apparent inconsistency is indicating a potential problem with his analysis, option B.

**29. C.** Shester says chapter six, which uses regression analysis, is "probably more technical than would be preferred by a general audience". Being too technical for general readers means it is too specialized for most readers, so the answer is C.

The why and the trap for questions 30 onwards are free with an account on the [answers page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/reading/building-the-skyline-the-birth-and-growth-of-manhattans-skyscrapers/answers).

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