IELTS Reading Table Completion Example 7

The Romantic Poets

A. The lives of the poets often overlapped and tragedy was typical in most of them. Byron was born in London in 1788. The family moved to Aberdeen soon after, where Byron was brought up until he inherited the family seat of Newstead Abbey in Nottinghamshire from his great uncle. He graduated from Cambridge University in 1808 and left England the following year to embark on a tour of the Mediterranean. He left for Switzerland in 1816 where he was introduced to Shelley. Shelley was born to a wealthy family in 1792. He was educated at Eton and then went on to Oxford. Shelley was not happy in England, where his colourful lifestyle and unorthodox beliefs made him unpopular with the establishment. In 1818 he left for Italy, where he was reunited with Byron. However, the friendship was tragically brought to an end in July 1822, when Shelley was drowned in a boating accident off the Italian coast.

B. By contrast, Wordsworth appears to have been of a pleasant and acceptable personality, even receiving the status of Poet Laureate in 1843. He was born in 1770 in Cockermouth, Cumbria. By the time he entered his early teens, both his parents had died. As he grew older, Wordsworth developed a passion for writing. In 1798 Wordsworth published a collection of poems with Coleridge, whom he had met, a few years earlier, when he settled in Somerset with his sister Dorothy. He married in 1802 and, as time passed, he deserted his former political views and became increasingly acceptable to popular society. Coleridge was born in Devon in 1772. He was a bright young scholar but never achieved the same prolific output of his fellow Romantic poets. In 1804 he left for a position in Malta for three years. On his return, he separated from his wife and went to live with the Wordsworths, where he produced a regular periodical. With failing health, he later moved to London. In 1816 he went to stay with a doctor and his family. He remained with them until his death in 1834.

1. (the) Mediterranean
2. Political views
3. Output
4. Failing health 

The second answer can be found in the sixth line of the second para; “He married in 1802 and, as time passed, he deserted his former political views and became increasingly acceptable to popular society.”

For the third question, the answer is in the eighth line of the second para; “He was a bright young scholar but never achieved the same prolific output of his fellow Romantic poets.”

The fourth and last answer is toward the end of the second para; “With failing health, he later moved to London.”