Antarctica: In from the Cold Reading Answers

Oct 18, 2023

Antarctica: In from the Cold Reading Answers is an IELTS reading topic that requires candidates to solve a given set of questions within 20 minutes. Antarctica: In from the Cold Reading Answers has been referenced from the IELTS Book 101 Ielts Reading Past Papers with Answers. This IELTS Reading topic; Antarctica: In from the Cold Reading Answers comprises 13 questions. The question types in this IELTS reading topic that candidates are required to solve are; choose the correct letter, and match the headings. To practice more such reading passage candidates can refer to the IELTS reading practice papers.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Antarctica: In from the Cold Reading Answers

A
A little over a century ago, men of the ilk of Scott, Shackleton and Mawson battled against Antarctica’s blizzards, cold and deprivation. In the name of the Empire and in an age of heroic deeds they created an image of Antarctica that was to last well into the 20th century—an image of remoteness, hardship, bleakness and isolation that was the province of only the most courageous of men. The image was one of a place removed from everyday reality, of a place with no apparent value to anyone.
B
As we enter the 21st century, our perception of Antarctica has changed. Although physically Antarctica is no closer and probably no warmer, and to spend time there still demands a dedication not seen in ordinary life, the continent and its surrounding ocean are increasingly seen as an integral part of Planet Earth, and a key component in the Earth System. Is this because the world seems a little smaller these days, shrunk by TV and tourism, or is it because Antarctica really does occupy a central spot on Earth’s mantle? Scientific research during the past half century has revealed—and continues to reveal-that Antarctica’s great mass and low temperature exert a major influence on climate and ocean circulation, factors which influence the lives of millions of people all over the globe.
C
Antarctica was not always cold. The slow break-up of the supercontinent Gondwana with the northward movements of Africa, South America, India and Australia eventually created enough space around Antarctica for the development of an Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), that flowed from west to east under the influence of the prevailing westerly winds. Antarctica cooled, its vegetation perished, glaciation began and the continent took on its present-day appearance. Today the ice that overlies the bedrock is up to 4km thick, and surface temperatures as low as-89.2deg C have been recorded. The icy blast that howls over the ice cap and out to sea-the so-called katabatic wind—can reach 300 km/hr, creating fearsome wind-chill effects.
D
Out of this extreme environment come some powerful forces that reverberate around the world. The Earth’s rotation, coupled to the generation of cells of low pressure off the Antarctic coast, would allow Astronauts a view of Antarctica that is as beautiful as it is awesome. Spinning away to the northeast, the cells grow and deepen, whipping up the Southern Ocean into the mountainous seas so respected by mariners. Recent work is showing that the temperature of the ocean may be a better predictor of rainfall in Australia than is the pressure difference between Darwin and Tahiti-the Southern Oscillation Index. By receiving more accurate predictions, graziers in northern Queensland are able to avoid overstocking in years when rainfall will be poor. Not only does this limit their losses but it prevents serious pasture degradation that may take decades to repair. CSIRO is developing this as a prototype forecasting system, but we can confidently predict that as we know more about the Antarctic and Southern Ocean we will be able to enhance and extend our predictive ability.
E
The ocean’s surface temperature results from the interplay between deep-water temperature, air temperature and ice. Each winter between 4 and 19 million square km of sea ice form, locking up huge quantities of heat close to the continent. Only now can we start to unravel the influence of sea ice on the weather that is experienced in southern Australia. But in another way the extent of sea ice extends its influence far beyond Antarctica. Antarctic krill-the small shrimplike crustaceans that are the staple diet for baleen whales, penguins, some seals, flighted sea birds and many fish-breed well in years when sea ice is extensive and poorly when it is not. Many species of baleen whales and flighted sea birds migrate between the hemispheres and when the krill are less abundant they do not thrive.
F
The circulatory system of the world’s oceans is like a huge conveyor belt, moving water and dissolved minerals and nutrients from one hemisphere to the other, and from the ocean’s abyssal depths to the surface. The ACC is the longest current in the world, and has the largest flow. Through it, the deep flows of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans are joined to form part of a single global thermohaline circulation. During winter, the howling katabatics sometimes scour the ice off patches of the sea’s surface leaving large ice-locked lagoons, or ‘polynyas’. Recent research has shown that as fresh sea ice forms, it is continuously stripped away by the wind and may be blown up to 90 km in a single day. Since only fresh water freezes into ice, the water that remains becomes increasingly salty and dense, sinking until it spills over the continental shelf. Cold water carries more oxygen than warm water, so when it rises well into the northern hemisphere, it deoxygenates and revitalizes the ocean. The state of the northern oceans, and their biological productivity, owe much to what happens in the Antarctic.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation
Questions 14-18
The reading Passage has seven paragraphs A-F
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter A-F, in boxes 14-18 on your answer sheet.

14 The example of research on weather prediction on agriculture

Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: recent work is showing that the temperature of the ocean may be a better predictor of rainfall in Australia than is the pressure difference between Darwin and Tahiti.
Keywords: Australia, temperature, agriculture, pressure difference
Keyword Location: Para D, lines 5-7
Explanation: As per paragraph D, “recent work is showing that the temperature of the ocean may be a better predictor of rainfall in Australia than is the pressure difference between Darwin and Tahiti.” Moreover, “CSIRO is developing this as a prototype forecasting system.” The term ‘recent work’ signifies that it’s research about weather prediction for agriculture developed by CSIRO. Hence, the correct answer is “D.”

15 Antarctic sea ice brings life back to the world oceans’ vitality.

Answer: F
Supporting Sentence: cold water carries more oxygen than warm water, so when it rises, well into the northern hemisphere, it reoxygeneates and revitalises the ocean.
Keywords: cold water, oxygen, ocean, northern hemisphere
Keyword Location: Para F, lines 10-12
Explanation: According to paragraph F, “cold water carries more oxygen than warm water, so when it rises, well into the northern hemisphere, it deoxygenates and revitalizes the ocean.” The term reoxygenated and revitalizes explain how Antarctic sea ice brings back the ocean’s vitality (energy). Hence, the correct answer is “F.”

16 A food chain that influences the animals living pattern based on Antarctic fresh sea ice

Answer: E
Supporting Sentence: Antarctic krill – the small shrimp-like crustaceans that are the staple diet for baleen whales, penguins, some seals, fighted sea birds, and many fish – breed well in years when sea ice is extensive and poorly when it is not.
Keywords: sea birds, baleen whales
Keyword Location: Para E, lines 5-8
Explanation: Paragraph E states that “Antarctic krill – the small shrimp-like crustaceans that are the staple diet for baleen whales, penguins, some seals, fighted sea birds, and many fish – breed well in years when sea ice is extensive and poorly when it is not.” From ‘staple diet,’ we can deduce that it’s discussing the food chain and how it influences animals’ living patterns. Hence, the correct answer is “E.”

17 The explanation of how atmosphere pressure above Antarctica can impose an effect on global climate change

Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: Today the ice that overlies the bedrock is up to 4km thick, and surface temperatures as low as – 89.2deg C have been recorded.
Keywords: bedrock, surface temperatures, ice
Keyword Location: Para C, lines 6-8
Explanation: Paragraph C provides the information that “today the ice that overlies the bedrock is up to 4km thick, and surface temperatures as low as – 89.2deg C have been recorded.” This line confirms that Antarctica records extreme temperatures i.e -89.2 deg C. Hence, the correct answer is “C.”

18 Antarctica was once thought to be a forgotten and insignificant continent

Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: The image was one of a place removed from everyday reality, of a place with no apparent value to anyone.
Keywords: Antarctica, image, insignificant
Keyword Location: Para A, lines 4-6
Explanation: Paragraph A discusses the reference of how Antarctica was once thought to be insignificant, where it mentions that “the image was one of a place removed from everyday reality, of a place with no apparent value to anyone.” Hence, the correct answer is “A.”

Question 19-21

Summary

Please match the natural phenomenon with correct determined factor
Choose the correct answer from the box;
Write the correct letter A-F, in boxes 19-21 on your answer sheet.

A Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC)
B katabatic winds
C rainfall
D temperature
E glaciers
F pressure

19 Globally, mass Antarctica’s size and …………………… influence climate change

Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: Antarctica’s great mass and low temperature exert a major influence on climate and ocean circulation.
Keywords: climate, ocean circulation, Antarctica
Keyword Location: Para B, lines 7-9
Explanation: Paragraph B states that “Antarctica’s great mass and low temperature exert a major influence on climate and ocean circulation.” From the term ‘temperature exerts a major influence on climate’, we can infer that temperature generally influences the climate. Hence, the correct answer is “D.”

20 …………………… contributory to western wind

Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: Northward movements of Africa, South America, India and Australia eventually created enough space around Antarctica for the development of an Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), that flowed from west to east under the influence of the prevailing westerly winds.
Keywords: South America, India, ACC
Keyword Location: Para C, lines 3-4
Explanation: Paragraph C puts forward this idea that “Northward movements of Africa, South America, India and Australia eventually created enough space around Antarctica for the development of an Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), that flowed from west to east under the influence of the prevailing westerly winds.” Therefore, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) circulated under contributory force from winds blowing from west to east. Hence, the correct answer is “A.”

21 Southern Oscillation Index based on air pressure can predict ………………….. in Australia

Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: recent work is showing that the temperature of the ocean may be a better predictor of rainfall in Australia.
Keywords: temperature, rainfall, Australia
Keyword Location: Para D, lines 5-8
Explanation: Paragraph D discusses that “recent work is showing that the temperature of the ocean may be a better predictor of rainfall in Australia.” It implies that temperature helps to predict ‘rainfall’ in Australia. Hence, the correct answer is “C.”

Questions 22-26

Choose the correct letter A, B, C or D.
Write your answer in box 22-26 on your answer sheet.

22 In paragraph B, the author intends to

A show Antarctica has been a central topic of global warming in Mass media
B illustrate its huge sea ice brings food to million lives to places in the world
C emphasize the significance of Antarctica to the global climate and current
D illustrate the geographical location of Antarctica as the central spot on Earth

Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: Antarctica’s great mass and low temperature exert a major influence on climate and ocean circulation, factors which influence the lives of millions of people all over the globe.
Keywords: globe, millions of people, low temperature, global climate, ocean circulation
Keyword Location: Para B, lines 7-9
Explanation: In Paragraph B the author talks about “Antarctica’s great mass and low temperature exert a major influence on climate and ocean circulation, factors which influence the lives of millions of people all over the globe.” This line confirms that the author discusses the significance of Antarctica to global climate, as it’s affecting millions of people around the globe. Hence, the correct answer is “C.”

23 Why should Australian farmers keep an eye on the Antarctic ocean temperature?

A Help farmers reduce their economic or ecological losses
B Retrieve grassland decreased in the overgrazing process
C Prevent animal from dying
D A cell provides fertilizer for the grassland

Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: not only does this limit their losses, but it prevents serious pasture degradation that may take decades to repair.
Keywords: despair, pasture degradation, losses, farmers
Keyword Location: Para D, lines 9-11
Explanation: Paragraph D mentions that “not only does this limit their losses, but it prevents serious pasture degradation that may take decades to repair.” The term ‘limit their losses’ confirms that it helps farmers reduce their losses. Hence, the correct answer is “A.”

24 The decrease in the number of whales and seabird is due to

A killers whales are more active around
B Sea birds are affected by high sea level salty
C less sea ice reduces the productivity of food source
D seals fail to reproduce babies

Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: Many species of baleen whales and flighted sea birds migrate between the hemispheres and when the krill are less abundant they do not thrive.
Keywords: Antarctic, continental shelf
Keyword Location: Para F, lines 5-7
Explanation: Paragraph F confirms that Antarctic water moves beyond, “the water that remains becomes increasingly salty and dense, sinking until it spills over the continental shelf.” Hence, the correct answer is “A.

25 What is the final effect of katabatic winds?

A Increase the moving speed of ocean current
B Increase salt level near the ocean surface
C Bring fresh ice into southern oceans
D Pile up the mountainous ice cap respected by mariners

Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: The howling katabatic sometimes scour the ice off patches of the sea’s surface leaving large ice-locked lagoons.
Keywords: baleen whales, birds, migrate
Keyword Location: Para E, lines 9-11
Explanation: The last lines of paragraph E mention that “many species of baleen whales and flighted sea birds migrate between the hemispheres and when the krill are less abundant they do not thrive.” Krill breed only when sea ice is extensive. Whales migrate, as food sources’ suffer (when there is less ice). Hence, the correct answer is “C.”

26 What factor drives Antarctic water to move beyond the continental shelf

A The increase of salt and density of the water
B The decrease of salt and density of the water
C The rising temperature due to global warming
D Melting of fresh ice into the ocean

Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: The water that remains becomes increasingly salty and dense, sinking until it spills over the continental shelf.
Keywords: sea’s surface, lagoons,katabatic
Keyword Location: Para F, lines 5-7
Explanation: According to paragraph F, “the howling katabatic sometimes scour the ice off patches of the sea’s surface leaving large ice-locked lagoons.” The term scours means to brighten up the surface. Therefore, we can deduce that katabatic winds are bringing fresh ice into oceans. Hence, the correct answer is “C.”

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