Coronal Mass Ejections Reading Answers

Mar 30, 2024

Coronal Mass Ejections Reading Answers is an academic reading answers topic. Coronal Mass Ejections Reading Answers have a total of 13 IELTS questions in total. In the questions, you have to choose an appropriate option given there from the passage.

Candidates should read the IELTS Reading passage thoroughly to recognize synonyms, identify keywords, and answer the questions below. IELTS Reading practice papers, which feature topics such as Coronal Mass Ejections Reading Answers. Candidates can use IELTS reading practice questions and answers to enhance their performance in the reading section.

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Section 1

Read the Text Below and Answer Questions

Coronal Mass Ejections

Quebec, 13th March 1989: At 2.45 a.m. the province's entire power grid crashed. The blackout affected six million people in north-eastern Canada for up to nine hours, shutting schools and businesses, and closing down the Montreal Metro and Dorval Airport. Meanwhile, a red glow appeared in the night sky over most of the world, and as far south as Texas and Cuba people were able to see multi-coloured shifting lights in the sky.

At the same time, in space, some satellites spun out of control for several hours. The blackout in Quebec was caused when the safety systems in the electricity network sensed a power surge caused by electric energy flowing through the ground. In fact, most of North America was experiencing increased electrical activity and around 200 power grid problems were reported within minutes of each other.

All the events had one source: days earlier a massive wave of energy had erupted from the sun and crashed into earth's magnetic field. These events are called coronal mass ejections (CMEs). CMEs are similar to solar flares in so far as they both produce highenergy particles that are dangerous to living organisms.

They are both explosions on the surface of the sun that continue for minutes and even hours, and they can release enough energy to power the USA for a million years. They happen when areas of intense solar activity called sunspots appear and magnetic fields associated with sunspots connect, sending huge amounts of energy away from the sun.

The most dangerous emissions from these ejections are protons (subatomic particles with a positive electrical charge) and X-rays. The sun has an eleven-year cycle of activity in which the intensity of activity on its surface changes, the most intense period (called a solar maximum) being characterised by the appearance of sun spots and solar flares. Like solar flares, CMEs are more likely to be produced during the period of maximum solar activity. However, unlike solar flares, which produce high-energy particles near the surface of the sun, CMEs carry a large volume of material much further into interplanetary space.

Fortunately, the iron core spinning at the centre of the Earth generates a magnetic force field around the planet called the magnetosphere. This magnetic field reaches out thousands of miles into space and protects us from all but the most violent CMEs. When the solar material collides with the earth's magnetosphere, it triggers geomagnetic storms of the kind that affected Quebec so dramatically.

CMEs and flares are classified as B, C, Mor X according to how strong they are. Each letter of the scale is ten times more powerful than the previous one; so an X flare is ten times more powerful than an M and a hundred times more powerful than a C flare. Within each letter scale there is a finer gradation from 1 to 9.

In reality, C class flares are too weak to affect the Earth; M class flares can cause radio blackouts in areas near the poles and cause weak radiation storms that can be dangerous for astronauts. However, the X class flares can cause considerable damage at ground level. Although the flare that affected Quebec was strong,; the most powerful flare ever recorded was in 2003 - a flare so powerful that it overloaded satellite sensors.

It will typically take a CME three to five days to affect the Earth after leaving the sun. Observing the ejection of CMEs from the sun provides early warning of geomagnetic storms. The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, a European-built spacecraft that orbits the Earth, continuously observes the CMEs to determine if they are travelling in the direction of the Earth as damage to satellites and communications can be very serious. Communications satellites are generally the most exposed to damage from CMEs – these satellites are often in high orbits. When the solar material hits a satellite, it becomes charged with electricity and a component can become damaged by the current or by highenergy particles penetrating the satellite. As we have become more and more dependent upon high technology and other systems that can be affected by electrical currents and energy particles, the danger from flares and CMEs has intensified. But could a solar flare or CME be large enough to cause a global disaster? It is impossible to give an answer.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Questions 27-30

Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.

What did the CME of 13th March 1989 NOT do?

disrupt daily life for some Canadians
cause an unusual phenomenon in Texas
stop all flights across Canada
increase ground electricity in North America

Answer:C
Supporting statement:“..........Meanwhile, a red glow appeared in the night sky over most of the world, and as far south as Texas and Cuba people were able to see multi-coloured shifting lights in the sky. ..........”
Keywords: shifting , world
Keyword Location: para 1, line4
Explanation: The CME did not stop all flights across Canada.

What produces the magnetosphere?

high-energy particles
geomagnetic storms
metal at the centre of the Earth
sunspots

Answer: C
Supporting statement:“.........Fortunately, the iron core spinning at the centre of the Earth generates a magnetic force field around the planet called the magnetosphere...........”
Keywords: generates, magnetosphere
Keyword Location: para 6, line 2
Explanation: The magnetosphere is produced by the metal at the centre of the Earth.

What does the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory do?

It tells scientists when a CME is approaching the Earth.
It communicates with other satellites orbiting the Earth.
It tells scientists if a CME will cause a global disaster.
It circles the sun in a high orbit.

Answer: A
Supporting statement:“.........Observing the ejection of CMEs from the sun provides early warning of geomagnetic storms. The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, a European-built spacecraft that orbits ...........”
Keywords: geomagnetic, spacecraft
Keyword Location: para 9, line 2
Explanation: The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory tells scientists when a CME is approaching the Earth.

How can CMEs damage satellites?

by sending them out of high orbit
by bombarding them with high-energy particles
by stopping communication between them and the sun
by melting components inside them

Answer: B
Supporting statement:“.........It will typically take a CME three to five days to affect the Earth after leaving the sun. Observing the ejection of CMEs from the sun provides early warning of geomagnetic storms. The Solar and
Heliospheric Observatory, a European-built spacecraft that orbits...........”
Keywords: geomagnetic, orbits
Keyword Location: para 9, line 1
Explanation: CMEs carry material far into interplanetary space.

Questions 31-35

Which characterises the following?

solar flare
СМЕ
both

Write the correct letter, A, B or C, next to Questions 31-35.

It is produced during the solar maximum.

Answer: C
Supporting statement:“..........They are both explosions on the surface of the sun that continue for minutes and even hours, and they can release enough energy to power the USA for a million years. They..........”
Keywords: minutes, years
Keyword Location: para 4, line 1
Explanation: Both solar flares and CMEs produce high-energy particles.

It carries material far into interplanetary space.

Answer: B
Supporting statement:“..........However, unlike solar flares, which produce high-energy particles near the surface of the sun, CMEs carry a large volume of material much further into interplanetary space...........”
Keywords: surface, interplanetary
Keyword Location: para 5, line 4
Explanation: CMEs carry material far into interplanetary space.

It produces high-energy particles.

Answer: C
Supporting statement:“..........They are both explosions on the surface of the sun that continue for minutes and even hours, and they can release enough energy to power the USA for a million years. They..........”
Keywords: minutes, million
Keyword Location: para 4, line 1
Explanation: Both solar flares and CMEs produce high-energy particles.

It may affect the Earth.

Answer: C
Supporting statement:“......... However, the X class flares can cause considerable damage at ground level. Although the flare that affected Quebec was strong,; the most powerful ...........”
Keywords:damage, flare
Keyword Location: para 8, line 3
Explanation: Both solar flares and CMEs may affect the Earth.

It happens near the sun's surface.

Answer: A
Supporting statement:“........However, unlike solar flares, which produce high-energy particles near the surface of the sun, CMEs carry a large volume of material much further into interplanetary space.............”
Keywords: surface, interplanetary
Keyword Location: para 5, line 3
Explanation: Solar flares happen near the sun's surface.

Questions 36-40

Which flares are mentioned in the text as having the effects below?

C flares
M flares
X flares

Write the correct letter, A, B, or C, next to Questions 36-40.

There would be damage to electrical equipment on the Earth's surface.

Answer: C
Supporting statement:“..........Although the flare that affected Quebec was strong,; the most powerful flare ever recorded was in 2003 - a flare so powerful that it overloaded satellite sensors...........”
Keywords: satellite, sensors
Keyword Location: para 8, line 4
Explanation: The most powerful flares, mentioned in the context, would seriously damage satellite equipment.

You couldn't listen to the radio in certain places.

Answer: B
Supporting statement:“.......... In reality, C class flares are too weak to affect the Earth; M class flares can cause radio blackouts in areas near the poles and cause weak radiation storms that can be..........”
Keywords: radiation, storms
Keyword Location: para 8, line 1
Explanation: M class flares would cause radio blackouts in certain places.

You wouldn't notice the effect.

Answer: A
Supporting statement:“.......... In reality, C class flares are too weak to affect the Earth; M class flares can cause radio blackouts in areas near the poles and cause weak radiat...........”
Keywords: blackouts , flares
Keyword Location: para 8, line 1
Explanation: C class flares would not be noticeable in terms of effect.

You would be harmed if you were working in space.

Answer: B
Supporting statement:“.......... In reality, C class flares are too weak to affect the Earth; M class flares can cause radio blackouts in areas near the poles and cause weak radiat...........”
Keywords: blackouts , flares
Keyword Location: para 8, line 1
Explanation: M class flares would harm astronauts working in space.

It would seriously damage satellite equipment.

Answer: C
Supporting statement:“.......... the most powerful flare ever recorded was in 2003 - a flare so powerful that it overloaded satellite sensors...........”
Keywords: powerful, overloaded
Keyword Location: para 8, line 4
Explanation: The most powerful flares, mentioned in the passage , would seriously damage satellite equipment.

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