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1、IELTS10Test1ReadingPassage1StepwellsAmillenniumago,stepwellswerefundamentaltolifeinthedriestpartsofIndia.RichardCoxtravelledtonorth-westernIndiatodocumentthesespectacularmonumentsfromabygoneera.Duringthesixthandseventhcenturies,theinhabitantsofthemodern-daystatesofGujaratandRajasthaninnorth-
2、westernIndiadevelopedamethodofgainingaccesstoclean,freshgroundwaterduringthedryseasonfordrinking,bathing,wateringanimalsandirrigation.However,thesignificanceofthisinvention-thestepwell-goesbeyonditsutilitarianapplication.Uniquetothisregion,stepwellsareoftenarchitecturallycomplexandvarywidely
3、insizeandshape.Duringtheirheyday,theywereplacesofgathering,ofleisureandrelaxationandofworshipforvillagersofallbutthelowestclasses.MoststepwellsarefounddottedroundthedesertareasofGujarat(wheretheyarecalledvav)andRajasthan(wheretheyarecalledbaori),whileafewalsosurviveinDelhi.Somewerelocatedino
4、rnearvillagesaspublicspacesforcommunity;otherswerepositionedbesideroadsasrestingplacesfortravellers.Astheirnamesuggests,stepwellscompriseaseriesofstonestepsdescendingfromgroundleveltothewatersource(normallyanundergroundaquifer)asitrecedesfollowingtherains.Whenthewaterlevelwashigh,theuserneed
5、edonlytodescendafewstepstoreachit;whenitwaslow,severallevelswouldhavetobenegotiated.Somewellsarevast,opencraterswithhundredsofstepspavingeachslopingside,oftenintiers.Othersaremoreelaborate,withlongsteppedpassagesleadingtothewaterviaseveralstoreys.Builtfromstoneandsupportedbypillars,theyalsoi
6、ncludedpavilionsthatshelteredvisitorsfromtherelentlessheat.Butperhapsthemostimpressivefeaturesaretheintricatedecorativesculpturesthatembellishmanystepwells,showingactivitiesfromfightinganddancingtoeverydayactssuchaswomancombingtheirhairorchurningbutter.Downthecenturies,thousandsofwellswereco
7、nstructedthroughoutnorth-westernIndia,butthemajorityhavenowfallenintodisuse;manyarederelictanddry,asgroundwaterhasbeendivertedforindustrialuseandthewellsnolongerreachthewatertable.Theirconditionhasn’tbeenhelpedbyrecentdryspells:southernRajasthansuf
