Question: This proved highly dangerous to pilgrims who approached the abbey across the sands (the causeway joining the island to the mainland was not built until 1874).
The roads leading to abbeys used by pilgrims are hard to access.

Answer: it is not possible to tell

Question: John, who had gone into the house, now reappeared.
The house was now empty.

Answer: it is not possible to tell

Question: At the same time, the City Council plan envisages dramatic cuts in the legal departments of many city agencies with a view to transferring the work to the Law Department.
City Council wants to make a lot of dramatic cuts to the legal departments of many city agencies.

Answer:
it is not possible to tell