Aqua product: New Zealand’s Igea Biodiesel - IELTS Reading Sample with Explanation
The IELTS reading test has a few types of questions and is scheduled for an hour. The reading abilities of students are assessed in the IELTS Reading section via a passage followed by questions. The IELTS Reading part tests students' skills using a range of question types. In this passage Aqua product: New Zealand’s Igea Biodiesel, there are three types of questions:
- Write the appropriate letter A-G
- Use not more than two words from the reading passage for each answer
- Write no more than 3 words for each answer
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Section 1
Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions
Aqua product: New Zealand’s Igea Biodiesel IELTS Reading Sample
- The world’s first wild algae biodiesel produced in New Zealand by Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation, was successfully test driven in Wellington by the Minister for Energy and Climate Change Issues, David Parker. In front of a crowd of invited guests, media and members of the public, the Minister filled up a diesel-powered Land Rover with Aquaflow B5 blend bio-diesel and then drove the car around the forecourt of Parliament Buildings in Central Wellington. Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons was also on board. Marlborough- based Aquaflow announced in May 2006 that it had produced the world’s first bio-diesel derived from wild microalgae sourced from local sewage ponds.
- “We believe we are the first company in the world to test drive a car powered by wild algae-based biodiesel. This will come as a surprise to some international bio-diesel industry people who believe that this break-through is still years away” explains Aquaflow spokesperson Barrie Leay. “A bunch of inventive Kiwis, and an Aussie, have developed this fuel in just over a year”, he comments. “This is a huge opportunity for New Zealand and a great credit to the team of people who saw the potential in this technology from day one.”
- Bio-diesel based on algae could Vegetable oil E10 Diesel eventually become a sustainable, low cost, cleaner burning fuel alternative for New Zealand, powering family cars, trucks, buses and boats. It can also be used for other purposes such as heating or distributed electricity generation. There is now a global demand for billions of litres of biodiesel per year. Algae are also readily available and produced in huge volumes in nutrient rich waste streams such as at the settling ponds of Effluent Management Systems (EMS). It is a renewable indigenous resource ideally suited to the production of fuel and other useful by-products. The breakthrough comes after technology start-up Aquaflow agreed to undertake a pilot with Marlborough District Council late last year to extract algae from the settling ponds of its EMS based in Blenheim. By removing the main contaminant to use as a fuel feedstock, Aquaflow is also helping clean up the council’s water discharge – a process known as bio- remediation. Dairy farmers, and many food processors too, can benefit in similar ways by applying the harvesting technology to their nutrient- rich waste streams.
- Blended with conventional mineral diesel, bio-diesel can run vehicles without the need for vehicle modifications. Fuel derived from algae can also help meet the Government B5 (5% blended) target, with the prospect of this increasing over time as bio-fuel production increases. “Our next step is to increase capacity to produce one million litres of bio-diesel from the Marlborough sewage ponds over the next year” says Leay. Aquaflow will launch a prospectus pre-Christmas as the company has already attracted considerable interest from potential investors. The test drive bio-diesel was used successfully in a static engine test at Massey University’s Wellington campus on Monday, December 11.
- Today Algae are used by humans in many ways; for example, as fertilizers, soil conditioners and livestock feed. Aquatic and microscopic species are cultured in clear tanks or ponds and are either harvested or used to treat effluents pumped through the ponds. Algaculture on a large scale is an important type of aquaculture in some places. Naturally growing seaweeds are an important source of food, especially in Asia. They provide many vitamins including: A, B, B2, B6, niacin and c, and are rich in iodine, potassium, iron, magnesium and calcium. In addition commercially cultivated microalgae, including both Algae and Cyan-bacteria, are marketed as nutritional supplements, such as Spirulina Chlorella and the Vitamin-C supplement, Dunaliella, high in beta-carotene. Algae are national foods of many nations: China consumes more than 70 species, including choy, a cyano- bacterium considered a vegetable; Japan, over 20 species. The natural pigments produced by algae can be used as an alternative to chemical dyes and coloring agents.
- Algae are the simplest plant organisms that convert sunlight and carbon dioxide in the air around the US into stored energy through the well understood process of photosynthesis. Algae are rich in lipids and other combustible elements and Aquaflow is developing technology that will allow these elements to be extracted in a cost effective way. The proposed process is the subject of a provisional patent. Although algae are good at taking most of the nutrients out of sewage, too much algae can taint the water and make it smell. So, councils have to find a way of cleaning up the excess algae in their sewage outflows and then either dispose of it or find alternative uses for it. And that’s where Aquaflow comes in.
- Unlike some bio-fuels which require crops to be specially grown and thereby compete for land use with food production, and use other scarce resources of fuel, chemicals and fertilizers, the source for algae-based biodiesel already exists extensively and the process produces a sustainable net energy gain by capturing free solar energy from the sun.
Section 2
Solution and Explanation
Questions 15-19
Reading Passage contains seven paragraphs A-G.
Which paragraph states the following information?
Write the appropriate letter A-G, in boxes 15-19 on your answer sheet.
NB: You may use any letter more than once.
- It is unnecessary to modify vehicles driven by bio-diesel.
Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: Blended with conventional mineral diesel, biodiesel can run vehicles without the need for vehicle modifications.
Keywords: 'without the need'
Keyword Location: Paragraph D, line -first
Explanation: As it is clearly mentioned in Paragraph D that biodiesel can run vehicles without the need for its modifications as it is combined with conventional mineral diesel.
Read More IELTS Reading Related Samples
- Some algae are considered edible plants.
Answer: E
Supporting Sentence: Today Algae are used by humans in many ways; for example, as fertilizers,soil conditioners and livestock feed.
Keywords: 'used', 'in many ways'
Keyword Location: Paragraph E, line- first
Explanation: As it is cited in paragraph E, algae are used by humans in numerous ways, apart from fertilizers, algae are also used in soil conditioners and as livestock feed, where animals can eat them.
- Algae could be part of a sustainable and recycled source.
Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: Bio diesel based on algae could vegetable oil E10 Diesel eventually become a sustainable, low cost, cleaner burning fuel alternative for new zealand.
Keywords: 'sustainable', ',low cost', 'fuel alternative'.
Keyword Location: Paragraph C, Line - First
Explanation: As in paragraph C it is clearly mentioned that algaes have high nutrient values so they are used as a renewable resource suited for the production of fuel and its byproducts. In New Zealand it has become a sustainable, low cost fuel used in powering vehicles. Moreover algae are used to clean up the water discharge in a recycled way.
- Algae biodiesel is superior to other biofuels in a lot of ways.
Answer: G
Supporting Sentence: Unlike some biofuels which require crops to be specially grown and there by compete for land use with food production, and use other scarce resources of fuel, chemicals and fertilizers, the source for algae based biodiesel already exists extensively and the process produces a sustainable net energy gain by capturing free solar energy from the sun.
Keywords: 'exists extensively', 'sustainable net energy'.
Keyword Location: Paragraph G, Line : First
Explanation: some biofuel crops are specially grown to take part in food production while others resources are used as fuel, chemicals and fertilisers. But algae-based biodiesel, which already exists enormously, gains net energy directly from the sun and produces extensive sustainable energy.
- overgrown algae also can be a potential threat to the environment
Answer: F
Supporting Sentence: Although algae are good at taking most of the nutrients out of sewage, too much algae can taint the water and make it smell.
Keywords: 'taint the water', 'make it smell'.
Keyword Location: Paragraph F, Line : Four
Explanation: It is true that algae consist of various nutrient values and have various significant uses and impacts, but as mentioned in the given paragraph too much algae can be hazardous to the environment as it contaminates the water and makes it filthy.
Questions 20-24
Complete the following summary of the paragraphs of the Reading Passage.
Using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the Reading Passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 20-24 on your answer sheet.
Bio-diesel based on algae could become a substitute for 20………………………. in New Zealand. It could be used to 21…………………….. vehicles such as cars and boats. As a result, billions of litres of biodiesel are required worldwide each year. Algae can be obtained from 22…………………… with nutrient materials. With the technology breakthrough, algae are extracted and the 23…………………….. is removed from the settling ponds. Dairy farmers and many food processors can adopt such 24……………………….. technology.
20.
Answer: fuel
Supporting Sentence: Bio diesel based on algae could vegetable oil E10 Diesel eventually become a sustainable, low cost cleaner burning fuel alternative.
Keyword: 'fuel'
Keyword Location: Paragraph C, line- First
Explanation: it actually implies Algae based Biodiesel used as a burning fuel substitute in New Zealand.
21.
Answer: power
Supporting Sentence: Bio diesel based on algae could vegetable oil E10 Diesel eventually become a sustainable low cost cleaner burning fuel alternative for New Zealand, powering family cars, buses and boats.
Keyword: 'powering'
Keyword Location: paragraph C, line- First
Explanation: According to paragraph C, in New zealand algae based biodiesel is used as a fuel alternative for powering vehicles like cars, buses, and boats.
22.
Answer: waste streams.
Supporting Sentence: Algae are also readily available and produced in huge volumes in nutrient rich waste streams such as at the settling ponds of Effluent Management Systems (EMS).
Keyword: waste streams
Keyword Location: Paragraph C, line- 4
Explanation: As it is mentioned in paragraph C, algae are accessible in large volumes and obtained from waste streams which are a rich source of nutrient values.
23.
Answer: contaminants
Supporting Sentence: By removing the main contaminant to use as a fuel feedstock, Aquaflow is also cleaning up the council's water discharge- a process known as Bio remediation.
Keyword: contaminate
Keyword Location: paragraph C, line- 7
Explanation: According to the mentioned paragraph, after extracting algae and to use algae as a fuel feedstock it is necessary to remove the main contaminant in it and here Aquaflow plays a vital role.
24.
Answer: harvesting
Supporting Sentence: Dairy farmers and many food processors too, can benefit in similar ways by applying the harvesting technology to their nutrient rich waste streams.
Keyword: harvesting
Keyword Location: paragraph C , line- last
Explanation: Of mentioning Aquaflow and the process known as Bio remediation it is also noted in the Paragraph that Harvesting Technology can be beneficial to Dairy Farmers and the Food Processing industry as they apply it to their waste streams full of nutrient values.
Questions 25-27
Choose words from the passage to answer the questions 25-27.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer
- What environmental standard would biodiesel vehicles need to meet?
Answer: Government B5 target
Supporting Sentence: Fuel from algae can also help meet the Government B5 (5% blended) target.
Keyword: Government B5
Keyword Location: Paragraph D, line: 2
Explanation: As cited in paragraph D without the need of modifications, bio-diesel can run vehicles easily. Fuel obtained from algae can help to obey the Government B5 (5% blended) standard, with the anticipation of this increasing over time as the production expands.
- What is the immediate plan for the coming years for Aquaflow?
Answer: Production capacity
Supporting Sentence: Our next steps is to increase capacity to produce one million litres of biodiesel from the Marlborough sewage ponds over the next year.
Keyword: is to increase capacity to produce
Keyword Location: Paragraph D, line- 3
Explanation: According to paragraph D, the next plan of Aquaflow is to expand their production capacity and they work for it.
- Through what kind of process do algae obtain and store energy?
Answer: photosynthesis
Supporting Sentence: Algae are the simplest plant organism that convert sunlight and carbon dioxide in the air around US into stored energy through the well understood process of photosynthesis.
Keyword: Photosynthesis
Keyword Location: Paragraph F, line- 1
Explanation: It is clearly mentioned in paragraph F that algae belong to the plant kingdom and with the help of sunlight and carbon dioxide they produce energy and store it. The whole process is known as photosynthesis.
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