Glaciers - IELTS Reading Sample with Explanation
IELTS Reading section contains three passages and forty questions. There are different types of questions found in each IELTS reading passage. It is crucial to read the passage carefully and take mental notes of important points in order to answer the questions quickly. This IELTS reading sample - Glaciers is an IELTS Academic topic. The passage contains the following question types from IELTS Reading Question Types:
- TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN
- Match the following
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IELTS Reading section tests the reading proficiency of the candidates through passage and follow-up questions. There are about 40 questions of different types. The section tests the understanding ability through different task types.
Section 1
Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions
Glaciers IELTS Reading Sample
- Besides the earth’s oceans, glacier ice is the largest source of water on earth. A glacier is a massive stream or sheet of ice that moves underneath itself under the influence of gravity. Some glaciers travel down mountains or valleys, while others spread across a large expanse of land. Heavily glaciated regions such as Greenland and Antarctica are called continental glaciers. These two ice sheets encompass more than 95 percent of the earth’s glacial ice. The Greenland ice sheet is almost 10,000 feet thick in some areas, and the weight of this glacier is so heavy that much of the region has been depressed below sea level. Smaller glaciers that occur at higher elevations are called alpine or valley glaciers. Another way of classifying glaciers is in terms of their internal temperature. In temperate glaciers, the ice within the glacier is near its melting point. Polar glaciers, in contrast, always maintain temperatures far below melting.
- The majority of the earth’s glaciers are located near the poles, though glaciers exist on all continents, including Africa and Oceania. The reason glaciers are generally formed in high alpine regions is that they require cold temperatures throughout the year. In these areas where there is little opportunity for summer ablation (loss of mass), snow changes to compacted fim and then crystallized ice. During periods in which melting and evaporation exceed the amount of snowfall, glaciers will retreat rather than progress. While glaciers rely heavily on snowfall, other climactic conditions including freezing rain, avalanches, and wind, contribute to their growth. One year of below average precipitation can stunt the growth of a glacier tremendously. With the rare exception of surging glaciers, a common glacier flows about 10 inches per day in the summer and 5 inches per day in the winter. The fastest glacial surge on record occurred in 1953, when the Kutiah Glacier in Pakistan grew more than 12 kilometers in three months.
- The weight and pressure of ice accumulation causes glacier movement. Glaciers move out from under themselves, via plastic deformation and basal slippage. First, the internal flow of ice crystals begins to spread outward and downward from the thickened snow pack also known as the zone of accumulation. Next, the ice along the ground surface begins to slip in the same direction. Seasonal thawing at the base of the glacier helps to facilitate this slippage. The middle of a glacier moves faster than the sides and bottom because there is no rock to cause friction. The upper part of a glacier rides on the ice below. As a glacier moves it carves out a U-shaped valley similar to a riverbed, but with much steeper walls and a flatter bottom.
- Besides the extraordinary rivers of ice, glacial erosion creates other unique physical features in the landscape such as horns, fjords, hanging valleys, and cirques. Most of these landforms do not become visible until after a glacier has receded. Many are created by moraines, which occur at the sides and front of a glacier. Moraines are formed when material is picked up along the way and deposited in a new location. When many alpine glaciers occur on the same mountain, these moraines can create a horn. The Matterhorn, in the Swiss Alps is one of the most famous horns. Fjords, which are very common in Norway, are coastal valleys that fill with ocean water during a glacial retreat. Hanging valleys occur when two or more glacial valleys intersect at varying elevations. It is common for waterfalls to connect the higher and lower hanging valleys, such as in Vosemite National Park. A cirque is a large bowlshaped valley that forms at the front of a glacier. Cirques often have a lip on their down slope that is deep enough to hold small lakes when the ice melts away.
- Glacier movement and shape shifting typically occur over hundreds of years. While presently about 10 percent of the earth’s land is covered with glaciers, it is believed that during the last Ice Age glaciers covered approximately 32 percent of the earth’s surface. In the past century, most glaciers have been retreating rather than flowing forward. It is unknown whether this glacial activity is due to human impact or natural causes, but by studying glacier movement, and comparing climate and agricultural profiles over hundreds of years, glaciologists can begin to understand environmental issues such as global warming.
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Section 2
Solution and Explanation
Questions 1-5
Reading Passage 1 has five paragraphs, A-E. Choose the most suitable heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.
Write the appropriate numbers (i-viii) on your Answer Sheet
| List of headings:
I. Glacial Continents |
- Paragraph A
Answer-vi- Types of Glaciers
Keywords-Some glaciers travel down mountains or valleys, while others spread across a large expanse of land, continental glaciers, Greenland ice sheet, alpine or valley glaciers, temperate glaciers, Polar glaciers.
Keywords location-Paragraph A, line-3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9.
Supporting Sentences-Some glaciers travel down mountains or valleys, while others spread across a large expanse of land. Heavily glaciated regions such as Greenland and Antarctica are called continental glaciers.
Explanation-Here in this question, we have to give a suitable heading to each paragraph from the list of options given in the question. So the first paragraph gives us a description of the various types of glaciers like the ones that travel down the mountains or valleys. Some that spread on a large area of land, the continental glaciers, the Greenland ice sheet, the alpine glaciers also known as valley glaciers, the temperate glaciers, and the polar glaciers. So the answer to paragraph A is VI as it tells us about the various types of glaciers.
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- Paragraph B
Answer- ii- Formation and Growth of Glaciers
Keywords- formed in high alpine regions, little opportunity for summer ablation, Freezing rain, avalanches, and wind, contribute to their growth, below-average precipitation, fastest glacial surge.
Keywords location-Paragraph B, line-2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
Supporting sentences- The reason glaciers are generally formed in high alpine regions is that they require cold temperatures throughout the year. In these areas where there is little opportunity for summer ablation (loss of mass), snow changes to compacted film and then crystallized ice. During periods in which melting and evaporation exceed the amount of snowfall, glaciers will retreat rather than progress.
Explanation- Here in this question we have to give a suitable heading to each paragraph from the list of options given in the question. In this paragraph, the initial 5 sentences tell us about the formation of glaciers. They are formed in areas of high alpine, regions with little opportunities for summers. As we continue reading the paragraph further, it explains to us how glaciers grow due to freezing rains, avalanches, wind, etc. with examples. So the answer to paragraph B is ii.
- Paragraph C
Answer- iii- Glacial Movement
Keywords- weight and pressure of ice accumulation, internal flow of ice crystals, Seasonal thawing, middle of a glacier moves faster, U-shaped valley.
Keywords location-Paragraph C, line-1, 2, 4, 5, 7.
Supporting sentences- The weight and pressure of ice accumulation causes glacier movement. First, the internal flow of ice crystals begins to spread outward and downward from the thickened snowpack also known as the zone of accumulation.
Explanation- Here in this question, we have to give a suitable heading to each paragraph from the list of options given in the question. The third paragraph gives us an explanation of the movement of glaciers. The first line itself states that glaciers move because of the weight and pressure of ice accumulation. As we continue reading the paragraph further, we come to know how the glaciers move, they first begin to spread outwards in the down direction. Seasonal thawing that is the melting of ice helps in easy slippage. Hence this paragraph is a complete explanation of the movement of glaciers, so the answer to paragraph C is iii.
- Paragraph D
Answer- vii- Glacial Effects on Landscape
Keywords- landscape such as horns, fjords, hanging valleys, and cirques.
Keywords location-Paragraph D, line-2, 4, 6, 10.
Supporting sentences- Besides the extraordinary rivers of ice, glacial erosion creates other unique physical features in the landscape such as horns, fjords, hanging valleys, and cirques. Moraines are formed when the material is picked up along the way and deposited in a new location. When many alpine glaciers occur on the same mountain, these moraines can create a horn.
Explanation- Here in this question we have to give a suitable heading to each paragraph from the list of options given in the question. This paragraph talks about the effects that glacier formation has on the landscapes. Glaciers not just create erosion or rivers of ice but also some unique features like horns, fjords, hanging valleys, and cirques. This paragraph exclusively tells us about the glacial effects. So it is more appropriate for the heading given.
- Paragraph E
Answer- v- Glaciers through the years
Keywords- movement and shape-shifting, glacial activity, global warming.
Keywords location-Paragraph E, Line- 1, 3, 4, 6.
Supporting sentences- Glacier movement and shape-shifting typically occur over hundreds of years. In the past century, most glaciers have been retreating rather than flowing forward.
Explanation- Here in this question we have to give a suitable heading to each paragraph from the list of options given in the question. This paragraph talks about glaciers in the past years. It tells how the glaciers have moved and shifted in their form and size. Glaciologists are not sure if the glacial activities are due to natural causes or human impact. But after examining the climate and agriculture they are sure that this must be due to global warming through the years.
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Questions 6-10
Do the following statements agree with the information in Passage 1? In boxes 6-10 on your Answer Sheet, write
TRUE if the statement is true according to the passage.
FALSE if the statement contradicts the passage.
NOT GIVEN if there is no information about this in the passage.
- Glaciers exist only near the north and south poles.
Answer-False
Answer location-Paragraph B, Line-1, 2.
Supporting sentence- The majority of the earth’s glaciers are located near the poles, though glaciers exist on all continents, including Africa and Oceania.
Explanation-It is clearly stated that glaciers are not just found near the poles but they exist on all the continents. Hence the answer is false.
- Glaciers are formed by a combination of snow and other weather conditions.
Answer-True
Answer location-Paragraph B. line- 6, 7.
Supporting sentence- While glaciers rely heavily on snowfall, other climatic conditions, including freezing rain, avalanches, and wind, contribute to their growth.
Explanation-It is clearly stated in the paragraph in the above mentioned lines that glaciers are formed due to snowfall and wind. Hence the statement is true.
- Glaciers normally move at a rate of about 5 to 10 inches a day.
Answer-True
Answer location-Paragraph B, line-8, and 9.
Supporting sentence- With the rare exception of surging glaciers, a common glacier flows about 10 inches per day in the summer and 5 inches per day in the winter.
Explanation-Generally glaciers flow at a speed of 10 inches a day in the summers and 5 inches a day in the winters. Hence the statement is true.
- All parts of the glacier move at the same speed.
Answer-False
Answer location-Paragraph C, line-2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
Supporting sentence- First, the internal flow of ice crystals begins to spread outward and downward from the thickened snowpack also known as the zone of accumulation. Next, the ice along the ground surface begins to slip in the same direction.
Explanation-Above is the explanation of how the glacier moves. It moves in parts first there is internal flow then the ice on the ground surface slips then the middle portion followed by the upper part. Hence the statement is false.
- During the last Ice Age, average temperatures were much lower than they are now.
Answer- Not given
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Questions 11-15
Match each definition below with the term it defines.
Write the letter of the term, A-H, on your Answer Sheet
There are more terms than definitions, so you will not use them all
| - | Terms |
| A | fjord |
| B | alpine glacier |
| C | horn |
| D | polar glacier |
| E | temperate glacier |
| F | hanging valley |
| G | cirque |
| H | surging glacier |
- A glacier formed on a mountain.
Answer-B-Alpine glacier.
Supporting sentence- Smaller glaciers that occur at higher elevations are called alpine or valley glaciers.
Answer location-Paragraph A, Line -7.
Explanation-High elevation refers to areas of high altitude like the mountains. They are called alpine glaciers.
- A glacier with temperatures well below freezing.
Answer-D-polar glacier
Supporting sentence- Polar glaciers, in contrast, always maintain temperatures far below melting.
Answer location- Paragraph A, Line -9, 10
Explanation-A polar glacier is one that has a temperature below the melting point.
- A glacier that moves very quickly.
Answer-H-Surging glacier
Supporting sentence- With the rare exception of surging glaciers, a common glacier flows about 10 inches per day in the summer and 5 inches per day in the winter.
Answer location- Paragraph C-Sentence-8, 9, 10.
Explanation-Surging glaciers move at a speed of 10 inches in the summers and 5 inches in the winters in a day.
- A glacial valley formed near the ocean.
Answer-A-Fjords
Supporting sentence- Fjords, which are very common in Norway, are coastal valleys that fill with ocean water during a glacial retreat.
Answer location- Paragraph D-Sentence-6, 7.
Explanation-Fjords are glacial valleys formed near the ocean water.
- A glacial valley that looks like a bowl.
Answer- G-Cirque
Supporting sentence- A cirque is a large bowl-shaped valley that forms at the front of a glacier. Cirques often have a lip on their downslope deep enough to hold small lakes when the ice melts away.
Answer location-. Paragraph D-Sentence-10, 11.
Explanation-A cirque is a bowl-shaped valley deep enough to hold small lakes after the ice melts away.
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