# The great exhibition - 科目：雅思阅读真题（Part 1） - 考频：中频 - 最近考试：2026.4.18 - 题目数：13 - 来源页：https://www.yaquan.site/paper/5d4ea763-c198-4c6a-8452-ae7da86bc104（在线机考练习与音频请访问该页面） - 数据更新：2026-10-29 ## 题目原文 A Philosopher Karl Marx and naturalist Charles Darwin may once have rubbed shoulders as they gazed upon the world's largest diamond. Just metres away, authors Charlotte Bronte and George Eliot may have passed one another as they used the world's first pay toilets. Where could these encounters have taken place? Only at the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations (usually just called the Great Exhibition), one of the most impressive spectacles ever staged. It was held in London's Hyde Park between May and October 1851, and everyone from renowned scientists to humble shopkeepers walked excitedly through its doors. B The Great Exhibition was designed to showcase treasures and inventions from around the globe, but more importantly to demonstrate that Britain was the world leader in industry. This was essential propaganda at the height of the British empire, and Prince Albert - husband of Queen Victoria - was instrumental in organising the event. He proved a remarkably successful coordinator. Over six million people, a third of Britain's population at the time, came to view the 100,000 objects on display, generating the equivalent of £20 million or more in today's money. With this revenue, Albert paid for the Great Exhibition's legacy: the Victoria and Albert Museum, Natural History Museum and Science Museum, which remain among London's most popular attractions today. He also established a scholarship fund for industrial research that continues to make awards in the twenty-first century. C Initially, it had been predicted that the Exhibition would make a loss. Though season tickets cost as much as three guineas (more than £300 today), day passes were the most popular and sold for just one shilling (roughly five pounds today). People snapped up these bargain tickets in huge numbers. Factory owners all over Britain sent their employees to learn from the show, while local vicars organised trips for their parishioners and for schoolchildren. Rail companies offered discounted tickets so that access was not denied to those in far-off counties. Such was the pull of the Exhibition,it was reported that one woman walked over 300 miles from Cornwall, on the south-west coast of England, just to see it. D The principal draw of the Great Exhibition is generally assumed to have been its novelty. It is often described as the first world 'expo' (from the French word exposition, meaning exhibition), and it is true that the public had rarely experienced anything quite like it. But it is not entirely accurate to say that the Great Exhibition was the first of its type, as France had been organising its own industrial expos since 1798.These took place largely under the international radar until 1844, when the tenth French expo prompted a number of imitations from Madrid to St Petersburg. However, it hosted under 4,000 exhibitors compared to the Great Exhibition's 15,000. So ultimately, it may not have been the novelty of the latter that inspired such awe, but the scale and quality of the exhibits. E As well as the Koh-i-Noor (then the world's largest diamond)and Daria-i-Noor (an exceptionally rare pink diamond) from India, visitors to the Great Exhibition saw inventions that now seem commonplace but were ground-breaking in Victorian times. There were printing presses and adding machines, surgical instruments and velocipedes (precursors to the modern bicycle). France brought exquisite silks and tapestries; Canada exhibited a fire engine and a range of luxurious furs; Russia showed porcelain vases that stood twice the height of the average visitor. There was even a folding piano, designed so that sailors could entertain themselves at sea, although this particular innovation was never to find a place in the mass market! F Arguably, the greatest 'invention' on display at the Great Exhibition was the building that housed it. Designed by Joseph Paxton specifically for the event, it resembled a giant greenhouse and became affectionately known as the Crystal Palace. At more than half a kilometre long, and using modern materials such as sheet glass and cast iron, the building was not only striking but demonstrated Britain's engineering prowess. After the Exhibition it was moved from Hyde Park to Sydenham, south London, where it breathed new life into a previously sleepy suburb. New train stations and pleasure gardens were constructed in the vicinity of the building, which in its new home was chiefly used as a convention centre but also served as a naval training base during World War I. Sadly, the Palace was destroyed by accidental fire in 1936, but its name lives on in the park which used to surround it - and in the Premier League football team, Crystal Palace. G Today the Great Exhibition is remembered as one of Victorian Britain's greatest achievements, a manifestation of the country's industrial might. But it is also of immense importance for students and collectors of nineteenth century design, since works of so many types, and from so many nations, were gathered together there. The Exhibition's catalogue, which runs to over 700 pages and contains sumptuous illustrations characteristic of the era, has now been digitised for public access; meanwhile original souvenirs, such as tickets and programmes, change hands for hundreds of proud. Thanks to contemporary technology an event like the Exhibition is never likely to be repeated, so perhaps it is no surprise that it has assumed such legendary status. ## 题目与答案 ### 1. 1 What point does the writer emphasis in the first paragraph? 1 What point does the writer emphasis in the first paragraph? - Well-known people promoted the Great Exhibition to the public. - Every country was invited to display objects at the Great Exhibition. - The Great Exhibition attracted visitors from many different spheres. - Artists and scientists had a rare chance to interact at the Great Exhibition. **答案**：The Great Exhibition attracted visitors from many different spheres. 原文定位：everyone from renowned scientists to humble shopkeepers walked excitedly through its doors 同义替换：「attracted visitors」↔「walked excitedly through its doors」；「many different spheres」↔「from renowned scientists to humble shopkeepers」 ### 10. a reference to an especially determined visitor a reference to an especially determined visitor - A - B - C - D - E - F **答案**：C 原文定位：Such was the pull of the Exhibition, it was reported that one woman walked over 300 miles from Cornwall, on the south-west coast of England, just to see it ### 11. the reason why the Great Exhibition was held the reason why the Great Exhibition was held - A - B - C - D - E - F **答案**：B 原文定位：The Great Exhibition was designed to showcase treasures and inventions from around the globe, but more importantly to demonstrate that Britain was the world leader in industry 同义替换：「the reason why」↔「was designed to」 ### 12. a common misunderstanding about the Great Exhibition a common misunderstanding about the Great Exhibition - A - B - C - D - E - F **答案**：D 原文定位：It is often described as the first world 'expo';But it is not entirely accurate to say that the Great Exhibition was the first of its type, as France had been organising its own industrial expos since 1798 ### 13. a description of an invention that did not become a success a description of an invention that did not become a success - A - B - C - D - E - F **答案**：E 原文定位：There was even a folding piano;although this particular innovation was never to find a place in the mass market 同义替换：「invention that did not become a success」↔「never to find a place in the mass market」 ### 2. 2 Why does the writer mention the Victoria and Albert Museum in London? 2 Why does the writer mention the Victoria and Albert Museum in London? - It first opened its doors in the same year as the Great Exhibition. - Initially Prince Albert had hoped to hold the Great Exhibition there. - Today it owns many of the objects displayed at the Great Exhibition. - Profits from the Great Exhibition were used to fund its construction. **答案**：Profits from the Great Exhibition were used to fund its construction. 原文定位：With this revenue, Albert paid for the Great Exhibition's legacy: the Victoria and Albert Museum, Natural History Museum and Science Museum 同义替换：「fund」↔「paid for」；「profits」↔「revenue」 ### 3. 3 What view of the Great Exhibition does the writer express in paragraph D? 3 What view of the Great Exhibition does the writer express in paragraph D? - Its large size was one of the main reasons for its popularity. - Its exhibits were not as high quality as those at the French expos. - It did not offer the wide variety of entertainment that it claimed to. - It was able to attract visitors from Europe thanks to clever advertising. **答案**：Its large size was one of the main reasons for its popularity. 原文定位：So ultimately, it may not have been the novelty of the latter that inspired such awe, but the scale and quality of the exhibits 同义替换：「large size」↔「scale」；「popularity」↔「awe」 ### 4. 4 What does the writer suggest happened to Sydenham when the Crystal Palace was relocated there? 4 What does the writer suggest happened to Sydenham when the Crystal Palace was relocated there? - It became a more popular destination than Hyde Park. - It became a recognised centre of engineering excellence. - It became a livelier neighbourhood than it had been before. - It became one of the busiest London transport interchanges. **答案**：It became a livelier neighbourhood than it had been before. 原文定位：After the Exhibition it was moved from Hyde Park to Sydenham, south London, where it breathed new life into a previously sleepy suburb 同义替换：「relocated」↔「moved」；「livelier neighbourhood」↔「breathed new life into a previously sleepy suburb」 ### 5. 5 The majority of tickets sold for the Great Exhibition were priced at _____ . 5 The majority of tickets sold for the Great Exhibition were priced at _____ . **答案**：one shilling 原文定位：day passes were the most popular and sold for just one shilling 同义替换：「majority」↔「most popular」；「priced at」↔「sold for」 ### 6. 6 Visitors looking for a new personal vehicle may have been interested in the _____ . 6 Visitors looking for a new personal vehicle may have been interested in the _____ . **答案**：velocipedes 原文定位：surgical instruments and velocipedes;precursors to the modern bicycle; 同义替换：「personal vehicle」↔「modern bicycle」 ### 7. 7 The Great Exhibition's home got its nickname because it looked like a _____ . 7 The Great Exhibition's home got its nickname because it looked like a _____ . **答案**：giant greenhouse 原文定位：It resembled a giant greenhouse and became affectionately known as the Crystal Palace 同义替换：「got its nickname」↔「became affectionately known as」；「looked like」↔「resembled」；「home」↔「the building that housed it」 ### 8. examples of items displayed by international exhibitors examples of items displayed by international exhibitors - A - B - C - D - E - F **答案**：E 原文定位：France brought exquisite silks and tapestries; Canada exhibited a fire engine and a range of luxurious furs; Russia showed porcelain vases 同义替换：「displayed」↔「showed」 ### 9. a description of the venue where the Great Exhibition was held a description of the venue where the Great Exhibition was held - A - B - C - D - E - F **答案**：F 原文定位：Designed by Joseph Paxton specifically for the event;it resembled a giant greenhouse and became affectionately known as the Crystal Palace;At more than half a kilometre long;and using modern materials such as sheet glass and cast iron 同义替换：「venue」↔「Palace」 --- 以上内容由鸭圈雅思真题库（www.yaquan.site）提供，收录近期雅思考试真题回忆，支持在线机考模式免费练习。