Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to choose the word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 26 to 30. Stepwells Unique to this region, stepwells are often architecturally complex and vary widely in size and shape. During their heyday, they were places of gathering, of leisure and relaxation and of worship for villagers of all but the lowest classes. Some were located in or near villages as public spaces for the community; (26) ...

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to choose the word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 26 to 30. Stepwells Unique to this region, stepwells are often architecturally complex and vary widely in size and shape. During their heyday, they were places of gathering, of leisure and relaxation and of worship for villagers of all but the lowest classes. Some were located in or near villages as public spaces for the community; (26) _______ were positioned beside roads as resting places for travellers. Down the centuries, thousands of wells were constructed throughout northwestern India, but the majority have now fallen into (27) _______ ; many are derelict and dry, as groundwater has been diverted for industrial use and the wells no longer reach the water table. (28) _______ , some important sites in Gujarat have recently undergone major restoration. Today, following years of neglect, many stepwells have been saved by the Archaeological Survey of India, (29) _______ has recognised the importance of preserving them as part of the country's rich history. Tourists flock to wells in far-flung corners of northwestern India to gaze in wonder at these architectural marvels from hundreds of years ago, which serve as a(n) (30) _______ of both the ingenuity and artistry of ancient civilisations and of the value of water to human existence. (Adapted from Cambridge English Academic IELTS 10 by Cambridge University Press)

Some were located in or near villages as public spaces for the community; (26) _______ were positioned beside roads as resting places for travellers.