Page 13 - EMODUL_DESCRIPTIVE

Task 10 Read the following text and.

The Taj Mahal is an enormous mausoleum complex

commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan

to house the remains of his beloved wife. Constructed over

a 20-year period on the southern bank of the Yamuna River

in Agra, India, the famed complex is one of the most

outstanding examples of Mughal architecture, which

combined Indian, Persian and Islamic influences. At its

center is the Taj Mahal itself, built of shimmering white

marble that seems to change color depending on the

daylight. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in

1983, it remains one of the world’s most celebrated

structures and a stunning symbol of India’s rich history.

Named the Taj Mahal in honor of Mumtaz Mahal, the

mausoleum was constructed of white marble inlaid with
semi-precious stones (including jade, crystal, lapis lazuli,

amethyst and turquoise) forming intricate designs in a

technique known as pietra dura. Its central dome reaches a
height of 240 feet (73 meters) and is surrounded by four

smaller domes; four slender towers, or minarets, stood at
the corners. Inside the mausoleum, an octagonal marble

chamber adorned with carvings and semi-precious stones
housed the cenotaph, or false tomb, of Mumtaz Mahal. The

real sarcophagus containing her actual remains lay below,

at garden level.

A.Match the synonym of the adjectives below!
Adjectives Synonym

1. enormous a. dead body

2. mausoleum b. build
3. emperor c. gorgeous

4. remains d. huge
5. construct e. beloved

6. center f. sophisticated