Madison Square Garden a world-famous sporting venue

Read the following passage and choose the best answer to each question.

Madison Square Garden, a world-famous sporting venue in New York City, has actually been a series of buildings in varied locations rather than a single building in one spot. In 1873, P.T. Barnum built Barnum’s Monster Classical and Geological Hippodrome at the corner of Madison Avenue and 26th Street, across from Madison Square Park. Two years later, the bandleader Patrick Gilmore bought the property, added statues and fountains, and renamed it Gilmore’s Gardens. When Cornelius Vanderbilt bought the property in 1879, it was renamed Madison Square Garden.

A second very lavish Madison Square Garden was built at the same location in 1890, with a ballroom, a restaurant, a theater, a rooftop garden, and a main arena with seating for 15,000. However, this elaborate Madison Square Garden lasted until 1924 when it was torn down to make way for a forty-storey skyscraper.

When the second Madison Square Garden had been replaced in its location across from Madison Square Park, the boxing promoter Tex Rickard raised six million dollars to build a new Madison Square Garden. This new Madison Square Garden was constructed in a different location, on 8th Avenue and 50th Street and quite some distance from Madison Square Park and Madison Avenue. Rickard’s Madison Square Garden served primarily as an arena for boxing prize fights and circus events until it outgrew its usefulness by the late 1950s.

A new location was found for a fourth for Madison Square Garden, a top Pennsylvania Railroad Station, and plans were announced for its construction in 1960. This current edifice, which includes a huge sports arena, a bowling center, a 5,000-seat amphitheater, and a twenty-nine-storey office building, does retain the traditional name Madison Square Garden. However, the name is actually quite a misnomer. The building is not located near Madison Square, nor does it have the flowery gardens that contributed to the original name.

Question 1. The main point of this passage is that Madison Square Garden ________.

A. has had a varied history in various locations 

B. was P.T. Barnum’s major accomplishment

C. is home to many different sporting events 

D. was named after and adjacent park

Question 2. Which paragraph discusses the third location of Madison Square Garden?

A. The third paragraph. 

B. The second paragraph. 

C. The first paragraph. 

D. The last paragraph.

Question 3. According to the passage, Patrick Gilmore did all of the following EXCEPT that he ________.

A. purchased the property at the corner of Madison Avenue and 26th Street

B. made improvements to the property that he bought

C. named the property that he bought Madison Square Garden

D. sold the property to Cornelius Vanderbilt

Question 4. The word “lavish” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ________.

A. simple 

B. modern 

C. elaborate 

D. outlandish

Question 5. How long did the second Madison Square garden last?

A. 11 years 

B. 34 years 

C. 45 years 

D. 60 years

Question 6. Which of the following would most likely have taken place at Rickard’s Madison Square Garden?

A. A balloon dance 

B. A theater production 

C. A basketball game 

D. a tiger show

Question 7. An “edifice” in paragraph 3 is most likely________.

A. an address 

B. an association 

C. a competition 

D. a building

Question 8. Monster Classical and Geological Hippodrome was renamed Gilmore’s Gardens in ________.

A. 1890 

B. 1879 

C. 1875 

D. 1874

Question 9. What can be inferred about the current Madison Square Garden?

A. It is on Madison Avenue. 

B. It is across from Madison Square Park.

C. It has incredible gardens. 

D. It is above a transportation center.

Question 10. Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE according to the passage?

A. Madison Square Garden has been rebuilt for the fourth time.

B. Lots of flowers have been planted inside Madison Square Garden.

C. The Madison Square Garden building is far from Madison Square.

D. Madison Square Garden still has its original name.

Đáp án

Question 1. A

Các mốc lịch sử được nhắc đến:

- 1879: Gilmore’s Gardens was renamed Madison Square Garden

- 1890: A second Madison Square Garden was built

- 1950: The third Madison Square Garden was built in a different location.

- 1960: The forth Madison Square Garden was planned for its construction in another location.

-> Chọn A. Ý chính của bài đọc chính là giới thiệu về hoàn cảnh lịch sử của các Madison Square Garden tại các địa điểm khác nhau. 

Question 2. C

Trong câu đầu tiên đoạn 3, tác giả có đề cập: “Khi vườn hoa quảng trường Madison thứ hai tại vị trí đối diện công viên quảng trường Madison bị thay thế, nhà tài trợ boxing Tex Rickard đã quyên góp 6 triệu đô la để xây một vườn hoa quảng trường Madison mới.”

-> Đây chính là Madison Square Garden thứ ba.

Question 3. C

Các đáp án A, B, D đều được đề cập ở đoạn 1, chỉ có duy nhất đáp án C sai.

Patrick Gilmore đã đặt tên tài sản mà ông ta đã mua lại là Gilmore’s Gardens, chứ không phải Madison Square Garden. 

Question 4. C

lavish = phung phí, xa xỉ

- simple (adj): đơn giản

- modern (adj) : hiện đại

- elaborate  (adj): kỹ lưỡng, kỹ càng

- outlandish (adj): kỳ dị, lạ lùng 

Question 5. B

Vườn hoa quảng trường Madison thứ hai được xây dựng vào năm 1890, và bị dỡ bỏ vào năm 1924.

-> Kéo dài 34 năm

Question 6. D

Ở câu cuối đoạn ba, tác giả có đề cập : “Rickard’s Madison Square Garden được sử dụng như là nơi đấm bốc và rạp xiếc…”

Question 7. D

edifice = dinh thự, cấu trúc lớn

-> Chọn D. a building

- address (n): địa chỉ

- association (n): liên hiệp

- competition (n): cuộc thi

- buiding (n): tòa nhà

Question 8. C

Trong suốt đoạn đầu tiên, tác giả có đề cập: “Vào năm 1873, P.T. Barnum xây dựng Barnum’s Monster Classical và Geological Hippodrome tại ….. Patrick Gilmore mua về khu đất, thêm các bức tượng và suối ước, và đổi tên thành Gilmore’s Gardens vào năm 1875.”

-> Chọn C 

Question 9. D

Các đáp án A, B, C đều sai (theo như câu cuối đoạn cuối).

-> Chọn D. It is above a transportation center. 

Question 10. B

Câu B không đúng vì trong đoạn văn không đề cập đến việc trồng nhiều loại hoa bên trong Madison Square Garden. Thay vào đó, nó chỉ nói rằng tòa nhà không có "các khu vườn hoa" nhưng không đề cập đến việc trồng hoa trong tòa nhà. Câu A, C và D đều được đề cập trong đoạn văn.