Electric Dreams IELTS Reading Answers
IELTS Reading is an important section within the IELTS exam which analyzes students’ skills in reading in terms of grammar, style and usage. Students willing to appear for the IELTS exam need to ensure that they have enough preparation for excelling in the test. IELTS Reading tests the efficiency of students in reading skills thereby requiring students to ensure that they have enhanced proficiency in their language. Students need to ensure that they are able to prepare for the reading section effectively through the IELTS reading practice papers. Moreover, IELTS Academic Reading has several topics based on which students may find a different set of questions. Electric Dreams IELTS Reading Answers is a topic which has the following types of questions that students may find useful:
- Choose an option
- Multiple Choice Question
- Complete the sentence
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Section 1
Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions
Electric Dreams IELTS Reading Answers
- The days of the internal-combustion are numbered, and the fuel cell represents the future of automotive transport, says PETER BREWER. A. Some of the world’s greatest inventions have been discovered by accident. One such accident led to the discovery of the fuel cell and another led to its commercialisation. And in around 30 years, when most of the energy analysts have predicted the oil wells will run dry, motorists will be thankful for both these strange twists of fate. Why? Simply because without the fuel cell to replace the combustion engine, private motoring as we all know it would be restricted to only those who could afford the high price.
- The exact date of the discovery of the fuel cell is not known, but historians agree it most likely occurred around 1938 in the laboratories of British physicist Sir William Grove, who one day disconnected a simple electrolytic cell (in which hydrogen and oxygen are produced when water contacts an electric current running through a platinum wire) and reversed the flow of current. As the author records in his book Powering the Future, Grove realized that just as he could use electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen it should be possible to generate electricity by combining these two gasses.
- The principle behind the fuel cell is simple. Hydrogen and oxygen, two of the most common elements in the world, are a very explosive combination. But separate them with a sophisticated platinum coated barrier and an electrochemical reaction takes place, where positively charged hydrogen ions react with oxygen and leave the hydrogen electrons behind. It is this reaction, the excess electrons on one side of the barrier and the deficit of electrons on the other that creates electrical energy.
- The early development of the fuel cell was fraught with problems and high cost. But by 1954 US giant General Electric had produced a prototype that proved sufficiently effective to interest NASA. The Gemini space programme proved the viability of the fuel cell to provide electrical power. The spacecraft used six stacks of cells with three cells in each stack. The electrical power output from each stack was quite modest – just one kilowatt and as a byproduct, produced half a liter of water for each kilowatt hour of operation. But the Gemini Cells were very unstable and required constant monitoring.
- At this time if anyone had suggested to Canadian Scientist Geoffrey Ballard that he would become a world leader in fuel cell technology, he would have laughed. Ballard’s scientific background was actually geophysics, but during the oil-crisis of 1973, the US government asked the Canadian to explore alternative forms of energy. Ballard threw himself into the project enthusiastically but soon became disillusioned by the politics of the programme. Energy systems take a long time to develop, Ballard said. The short-term vision of politicians, who voted to fund such projects in the desire for quick results to bolster their re-election chances, were frustrating for the scientists. However, since the US government lacked the vision for the job, he decided to tackle it himself.
- The big breakthrough on Ballard’s fuel cell came by accident in the search for cheaper materials. Up until late 1986, Ballard’s team had worked with only one type of fuel cell membrane manufactured by DuPont, but Dow Chemical had also developed a similar membrane, which had not been released for sale. Ballard’s team tracked down an experimental sample of the Dow material, put it into a fuel cell and set up a standard test. Within a few minutes the fuel cell was generating so much electricity on the test bench that it had melted through the power-output cable.
- Ballard immediately knew he had a saleable product. The problem was: Should he aim his fuel cell at small markets like military field generators, wheelchairs and golf carts, or try to sell it as a full blown alternative to the combustion engine? “It was so needed and the world was ready for it,” Ballard said. “Los Angeles is dying; Vancouver is going to be eaten alive by its own pollution very shortly. It seemed like a time to go for broke.” Ballard Power Systems first built a small bus to demonstrate the technology, and then an even bigger bus.
- As a result a number of multinational motor manufacturers, such as General Motors, Mitsubishi and Daimler-Benz all tested Ballard’s cells. Finally, Daimler formed an alliance with Ballard that has yielded some impressive prototypes, including a fully drivable fuel cell powered A-class Mercedes-Benz compact car, known as Necar 4. Daimler Chrysler, as the merged Daimler-Benz and Chrysler Corporation is now known, says the fuel cell represents the future of automotive transport. “The significance of this technological advancement ( the fuel cell) is comparable to the impact the microchip had on computer technology when it replaced the transistor,” said Dr Ferdinand Panik, the head of Daimler Chlysler’s fuel cell development team.
Section 2
Question 27-34
There are 8 paragraphs numbered A-H in Reading Passage. From the list below numbered i- x, choose a suitable heading for the paragraphs. There are more headings than paragraphs, so you will not use all the headings.
- Paragraph A
- Paragraph B
- Paragraph C
- Paragraph D
- Paragraph E
- Paragraph F
- Paragraph G
- Paragraph H
- A conflict of interests
- Science is sometimes a question of luck
- Using the fuel cell in different ways
- How does it work?
- Deciding how to exploit the new product
- Using the fuel cell to be the first in the space race
- A key stage in the development of fuel cell
- A first step on the road to a new source of energy
- Applying the new technology on a global scale
- The first fuel cell is tested
Question 27: Paragraph A
Answer: ii. (Science is sometimes a question of luck)
Supporting Sentence: Some of the world’s greatest inventions have been discovered by accident.
Keyword: greatest inventions, discovery
Keyword Location: Lines 3-4 in paragraph A
Explanation: As explained by Peter Brewer. A. Some of the world’s greatest inventions have been unintentional and such accidents led to the discoveries of great things such as fuel cells and their commercialisation.
Question 28: Paragraph B
Answer: viii. A first step on the road to a new source of energy
Supporting Sentence: As the author records in his book ‘Powering the Future’, Grove realized that just as he could use electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen it should be possible to generate electricity by combining these two gasses.
Keyword: ‘Powering the Future’, electricity, generate electricity
Keyword Location: Lines 5-7 in Paragraph B
Explanation: Sir William Grove discovered a new source of energy without being aware of it, without being intentional he simply disconnected a cell, leading to his realization. Thus this title is appropriate.
Read More IELTS Reading Related Samples
Question 29: Paragraph C
Answer: iv. (How does it work?)
Supporting Sentence: But separate them with a sophisticated platinum-coated barrier and an electrochemical reaction takes place, where positively charged hydrogen ions react with oxygen and leave the hydrogen electrons behind.
Keyword: platinum coated barrier, reaction, positively charged
Keyword Location: Lines 3-5 paragraph C
Explanation: This paragraph explains how the system works to generate electrical energy. Hence, the title is appropriate.
Question 30: Paragraph D
Answer: x. The first fuel cell is tested
Supporting Sentence: The Gemini space programme proved the viability of the fuel cell to provide electrical power.
Keyword: space programme, electrical power
Keyword Location: Line 3 of the Paragraph D
Explanation: This paragraph talks about the moment when the first fuel cell was tested by the Gemini space programme.
Question 31: Paragraph E
Answer: I. A conflict of interests
Supporting Sentence: The short-term vision of politicians, who voted to fund such projects in the desire for quick results to bolster their re-election chances, was frustrating for the scientists.
Keyword: short-term vision, desire, quick results
Keyword Location: Lines 6-8, paragraph E
Explanation: Several different parties made the situation a conflict to be dealt with, the different views of the scientists and the politicians made the situation frustrating
Question 32: Paragraph F
Answer: vii. A key stage in the development of fuel cell
Supporting Sentence: Dow Chemical had also developed a similar membrane, which had not been released for sale. Ballard’s team tracked down an experimental sample of the Dow material, put it into a fuel cell, and set up a standard test.
Keyword: Dow Chemical, for sale, tracked down
Keyword Location: Lines 3-5, paragraph F
Explanation: This paragraph talks about a significant development that leads to far greater and more satisfying results in comparison to their previous attempts.
Question 33: Paragraph G
Answer: v. Deciding how to exploit the new product
Supporting Sentence: Should he aim his fuel cell at small markets like military field generators, wheelchairs, and golf carts, or try to sell it as a full-blown alternative to the combustion engine?
Keyword: small markets, field generators, full blown
Keyword Location: Lines 1-3 in Paragraph G
Explanation: This is the stage in which Ballard had realized the worth of his project, and started thinking of what would bring him the most profits.
Question 34: Paragraph H
Answer: ix. Applying the new technology on a global scale
Supporting Sentence: Finally, Daimler formed an alliance with Ballard that has yielded some impressive prototypes, including a fully drivable fuel cell-powered, A-class Mercedes-Benz compact car, known as Necar 4. Daimler Chrysler, as the merged Daimler-Benz and Chrysler Corporation is now known, says the fuel cell represents the future of automotive transport.
Keyword: prototypes, automotive transport
Keyword Location: Lines 1-6, paragraph H
Explanation: Several multinational companies decided they wanted to form an alliance with Ballard about his inventions. This meant his project would be used on a global scale.
Questions 35-37:
Choose the most appropriate letter A B C or D
Question 35: The fuel cell generates electricity because
- hydrogen and oxygen can be used to create controlled explosions
- of the reaction which occurs when hydrogen and oxygen are separated
- hydrogen and oxygen are both gasses
- hydrogen and oxygen both contain electrons
Answer: B
Supporting Sentence: But separate them with a sophisticated platinum-coated barrier and an electrochemical reaction takes place, where positively charged hydrogen ions react with oxygen and leave the hydrogen electrons behind.
Keyword: sophisticated, platinum coated barrier
Keyword Location: Paragraph C
Explanation: The process in which the hydrogen and oxygen molecules are separated, is the reason electricity is generated.
Question 36: The Gemini space programme demonstrated that
- The fuel cell was too difficult to use in space programmes
- The fuel cell can only work with pure oxygen
- Generating a substantial amount of electricity requires many fuel cells
- The fuel cell could be used successfully
Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: The electrical power output from each stack was quite modest – just one kilowatt and as a by-product, produced half a liter of water for each kilowatt-hour of operation.
Keyword: electrical power, quite modest
Keyword Location: Paragraph D
Explanation: The Gemini space programme had proved that the fuel cells worked successfully in generating electricity.
Question 37: The US government asked Ballard to carry out fuel cell research because
- He was an expert in his field
- supplies of oil were running out
- They wanted to find new sources of energy
- He offered to work completely independently.
Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: during the oil crisis of 1973, the US government asked the Canadians to explore alternative forms of energy.
Keyword: oil crisis, forms of energy
Keyword Location: Paragraph E
Explanation: The US Govt. was looking for an alternate source of energy because of the 1973 oil crisis.
Questions 38-40:
Complete the sentences below by taking words from the passage. Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS
Question 38: The key step in the development of fuel cell occurred completely ——————–
Answer: By Accident
Supporting Sentence: Some of the world’s greatest inventions have been discovered by accident. One such accident led to the discovery of the fuel cell
Keyword: inventions, discovery, fuel cell
Keyword Location: Paragraph A
Explanation: The discovery of the fuel cell was not intentional and had been accidental.
Question 39: Ballard decided that the fuel cell could be used to reduce ——————– in large cities.
Answer: Pollution
Supporting Sentence: “It was so needed and the world was ready for it,” Ballard said. “Los Angeles is dying; Vancouver is going to be eaten alive by its own pollution very shortly. It seemed like a time to go for broke.”
Keyword: Ballard, Vancouver, pollution,
Keyword Location: Paragraph G
Explanation: Ballard knew that an alternative was needed to reduce pollution in the city, so he decided this would be an adequate time to introduce his invention.
Question 40: In an attempt to produce a more ecological car, Ballard ————- with a major automobile corporation.
Answer: Formed an Alliance
Supporting Sentence: Finally, Daimler formed an alliance with Ballard that has yielded some impressive prototypes, including a fully drivable fuel cell-powered A-class Mercedes-Benz compact car, known as Necar 4.
Keyword: alliance, impressive prototypes
Keyword Location: Paragraph H
Explanation: Ballard along with Daimler decided to come up with a fully drivable fuel car, which would be significantly less harmful.
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