👩‍🏫 For Teachers:

Guide students through this 15-minute B1 IELTS Reading activity by giving them 6 minutes to skim the passage before tackling the questions. Afterwards, review the detailed answer explanations together to reinforce evidence-based reading skills.

🎓 For Learners:

Read the 4-paragraph article first to understand the main story of Philip Henry Gosse and the Fish House. Next, answer the 8 IELTS-style questions carefully and check the evidence quotes to see why your choices are correct.

🐟 IELTS Reading B1 • 15 Minutes

A

In 1853, the Zoological Society of London opened a special building called the Fish House at London Zoo. People had kept small fish at home before, but this was something completely new on a grand scale. Today, Guinness World Records lists the Fish House as the very first public aquarium in the world. Visitors were amazed because they could step inside and watch living sea creatures swimming right before their eyes.

B

According to the Horniman Museum, a naturalist named Philip Henry Gosse played a vital role in filling the Fish House tanks. He brought along various algae and animals that he had collected himself along the coast. Gosse also designed a special aquarium made wholly of glass. This allowed people to see clearly into every part of the tank, giving them an uninterrupted view of underwater life from all angles.

C

Keeping sea animals alive was not easy at first. Gosse learned by trial and error how to keep a tank of sea water in balance. He placed rocks inside the tank so that animals could hide when they needed shelter, and he added suitable seaweeds to maintain a healthy environment. He also used a clever system that moved the water around, ensuring that fresh air reached the whole tank.

D

In 1854, Gosse published a famous book called The Aquarium. The Horniman Museum notes that he had 39 books published in his lifetime, making him a prolific writer on nature. It also mentions that his glass tank gave him an easy-to-study "portion of the sea". Thanks to his work, keeping marine aquariums quickly became a popular hobby for many curious people.

naturalist algae trial and error in balance portion of the sea

____ TRUE ____ FALSE ____ NOT GIVEN

____ TRUE ____ FALSE ____ NOT GIVEN

____ a. It was much cheaper to construct than earlier metal tanks. ____ b. It enabled people to look into every section of the tank without obstruction. ____ c. It automatically cleaned the water using natural algae. ____ d. It allowed visitors to touch the sea creatures safely.

____ a. To prevent the glass walls from breaking under water pressure. ____ b. To generate extra oxygen for the moving water system. ____ c. To provide hidden places for sea animals to take shelter. ____ d. To stop seaweeds from growing too quickly in the water.

____ Paragraph A ____ Paragraph B ____ Paragraph C ____ Paragraph D

____ Paragraph A ____ Paragraph B ____ Paragraph C ____ Paragraph D