How Green is Your Planet Valley? Reading Answers

Jul 4, 2025

How Green is Your Planet Valley? Reading Answers is an academic reading answers topic. How Green is Your Planet Valley? Reading Answers has a total of 14 IELTS questions in total. In the first question set given, candidates have to choose the correct letter. In the next question set given, you have to state whether the statement is true, false or not given with the information given in the text. In the last question set given, candidates have to complete each sentence with the correct ending, A-G

The IELTS Reading section is an essential part of the test that evaluates a candidate's comprehension and analysis of various passage types. You will work through a number of IELTS reading practice problems in this section that resemble actual test situations. These questions are designed to help you improve your ability to recognise essential concepts, extract particular facts, and make inferences. Practising these IELTS reading problems can help you get comfortable with the structure and increase your confidence for the exam, regardless of whether you are studying for the Academic or General Training module.

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Section 1 HOW GREEN IS YOUR PLANIT VALLEY?

The first thing to say about the people running new European company Living PlanlT is that they are ambitious. Not only are they planning to build a smart green city from scratch at a site in northern Portugal, but they also hope to establish their PlanlT Valley development as both a

genuine European alternative to the USA's Silicon Valley, and a working model that will inspire the next generation of low carbon cities. These will combine real environmental sustainability with a quality of IT-enhanced urban living almost unrecognisable from the crowded, polluted

and disorganised reality that is City life for most people. Many are sceptical about the company's plans for a brand-new smart City packed with cutting-edge green technology which can house 225,000 people while producing 'negligible' greenhouse gas emissions. To them, the technical challenges, combined with the $10 billion that the company needs to raise to see the project through from beginning to end, make Living PlanlT's plans sound more like an admirable experiment rather than a viable construction project.

Their scepticism is not helped by the company's use of marketing language that, in order to understand it, requires a degree in Public Relations. For example, the company's claim that its 'design and manufacturing platforms enable the convergence of computing, network and sensing technologies with the fabric of buildings and places, demonstrated at urban scale in the development and operations of PlanlT Valley' does not really explain what it does.

However, when you listen to Chief Executive Steve Lewis outline his plans for the company, it becomes possible to believe that they might just deliver on their absurdly ambitious promises. His rationale for the company is admirably simple. He argues that the construction industry remains the last sector of the economy to resist the IT revolution that has enhanced efficiencies across every other industry, from car manufacturing to food production. Their line 39 existing techniques are inadequate, he says, for today's technology-rich and environmentally-aware requirements. Here, therefore, is an opportunity to entirely update the building process. Taking lessons from other manufacturing industries, including aerospace, automotive and shipbuilding. project leaders identified a number of elements that feature in modern manufacturing processes and which could be applied to modern buildings from the very start of the construction process.

Living PlanlT plans to integrate IT into the fabric of the city. It is installing many thousands of sensors that allow an urban operating system to deliver intelligent buildings that are constantly optimised to enhance comfort, productivity and environmental sustainability. Meanwhile, the

latest renewable energy technologies and green building techniques will allow the City to operate with a virtually non-existent carbon footprint of course, such techniques are not new, but they are rarely put into practice. In fact, the IT industry has been complaining for a long time that the construction sector has failed to make adequate (if any) use of IT in its buildings.

So, what makes PlanlT Valley different? For a start, the company has considerable power and influence, both in terms of the team it has assembled and the financial backing it has already been promised. Lewis and many on the senior management team have served as senior executives with other major IT companies. This means that they not only have the right experience, but also the essential ‘anything is possible' mentality that is a feature of such companies. In addition, Lewis claims that the company has already invested $300 million in putting together its team of engineers and developing its technology portfolio. As a result, the project is establishing a degree of credibility that far exceeds that of other similar projects.

More importantly, however, almost all of the technology the company is planning to deploy in PlanlT Valley either already exists or is viable from a technical point of view. Intelligent buildings that know to turn the air-conditioning on before you even realise you are hot may sound like

something out of a science-fiction novel, but we are increasingly living in a science-fiction age. You do not need to invent anything new to develop a zero-carbon smart city, you just have to put all the right technologies together in the right place.

If Living PlanlT achieve this integration, it will hopefully be able to prove the final part of Lewis' claim. Namely, that cost concerns surrounding green developments are ill-founded. A more automated approach to construction coupled with long-term efficiency gains delivered by intelligent infrastructure more than cancel out the extra money required to build the development in the first place. And if it can win the economic argument, future opportunities are enormous. As Lewis points out, projected world population growth means that the world has to deliver between 9,500 and 10,000 new cities over the next forty years to house everyone. There is no chance of avoiding dangerous levels of climate change unless this expansion is delivered in an environmentally sustainable manner. That would provide quite a business opportunity for the company that can deliver the solution.

The PlanlT Valley project presents many problems in terms of project management and coordination, and there is a huge amount of work to be done before the first residents are able to move in. Whatever the outcome, it is hard not to admire a project that will put so many theories about smart cities to the test all in one go. First, it is challenging accepted assumptions on how cities should be designed and constructed. Secondly, it will show what can be done if connectivity and intelligence are built into the design from the beginning. Thirdly, it will be a pilot project for a whole range of new services and, equally important, new types of collaboration.

Questions 27–31: Choose the correct letter.

27. What do we learn about the people running the company Living PlanlT in the first paragraph?

A. They are going to build the world's first green smart city.

B. They want to build a replica of Silicon Valley in Europe.

C. They want their new city to be the first of other similar cities.

D. They think that the quality of life in most other cities is unacceptable.

Answer: C

Supporting statement: PlanlT Valley development as both a genuine European alternative to the USA's Silicon Valley,

Keywords: genuine, alternative

Keyword Location: Para 1, Line 4

Explanation: We learn about the people running the company Living PlanlT in the first paragraph that they want to build a new city to be the first of other similar cities, such as the USA's Silicon Valley

28. Why are a lot of people sceptical about PlanlT Valley?

A. They do not think that the plans are practical or possible.

B. They do not understand how the technology works.

C. They have misunderstood the reasons why Living PlanlT is building a new city.

D. They have not read the marketing information clearly enough.

Answer: A

Supporting statement: Many are sceptical about the company's plans

Keywords: sceptical, company's plans

Keyword Location: Para 1, Lines 7-8

Explanation: Many people have doubts about the company's plans since they don't believe they are practical or attainable, because the company plans to create housing for 225,000 people while producing no greenhouse gas emissions, and the money required to do so seems unattainable.

29. Who or what does "Their" in "Their existing techniques" refer to in line?

A. Living PlanlT

B. The construction industry

C. Car manufacturers

D. Food producers

Answer: B

Supporting statement: He argues that the construction industry remains the last sector of the economy to resist the IT revolution that has enhanced efficiencies

Keywords: construction industry, economy

Keyword Location: Para 3, Lines 3-4

Explanation: The "Their" in "Their existing techniques" in the passage refers to the construction industry.

30. The senior management team at Living PlanlT

A. have more power and influence than teams working on other, similar projects.

B. have raised enough money to build PlanlT Valley.

C. work elsewhere when they are not working on the PlanlT Valley project.

D. possess the right attitude required to undertake such a major project.

Answer: D

Supporting statement: but also the essential ‘anything is possible' mentality that is a feature of such companies

Keywords: mentality, feature

Keyword Location: Para 5, Line 5

Explanation: In addition to having the necessary experience, Living PlanlT's senior management team possesses the crucial "anything is possible" mentality that characterises such companies, which is the correct attitude needed to take on such a major project.

31. Why, according to the author, is the Plan IT Valley project so admirable?

A. It shows how good working practices can have a successful outcome.

B. It presents such a challenge to its creators.

C. It is putting several theories into practice simultaneously.

D. It demonstrates why collaboration between builders and IT experts is so important.

Answer: C

Supporting statement: make Living PlanlT's plans sound more like an admirable experiment rather than a viable construction project.

Keywords: admirable, project

Keyword Location: Para 1, Lines 11-12

Explanation: According to the text, the Plan IT Valley project is admirable because it is putting several theories into practice simultaneously

Questions 32-36

Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in the Reading passage? Write

YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer

NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer

NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

32. Living PlanlT's marketing information is unclear and confusing for many people.

Answer: YES

Supporting statement: Their scepticism is not helped by the company's use of marketing language that, in order to understand it, requires a degree in Public Relations.

Keywords: scepticism, Public Relations

Keyword Location: Para 2, Lines 1-2

Explanation: The text claims that the Plan IT Valley initiative is confusing to people as they do not understand the language used in the plan, and to understand it, a degree in Public Relations is required.

33. Steve Lewis presents a convincing argument that suggests PlanlT Valley might succeed.

Answer: YES

Supporting statement: However, when you listen to Chief Executive Steve Lewis outline his plans for the company, it becomes possible to believe that they might just deliver on their absurdly ambitious promises.

Keywords: Steve Lewis, ambitious

Keyword Location: Para 3, Lines 1-2

Explanation: According to the text, Chief Executive Steve Lewis outlines the plans of the company in such a way that makes the plan more convincing.

34. Some of the buildings in PlanlT Valley have features that can be found in aircraft, cars or ships.

Answer: NOT GIVEN

Explanation: No information is given about some of the buildings in PlanlT Valley that have features that can be found in aircraft, cars or ships.

35. Living PlanlT's idea of building a smart, environmentally-friendly city is original and unique.

Answer: NO

Supporting statement: the company is planning to deploy in PlanlT Valley either already exists or is viable from a technical point of view.

Keywords: PlanlT Valley, viable

Keyword Location: Para 6, Line 2

Explanation: According to the text, the Living PlanlT's idea of building a smart, environmentally-friendly city is not original but is already being used in some areas.

36. Some of the technology in PlanlT Valley was probably inspired by science fiction stories.

Answer: NOT GIVEN

Explanation: No information about the text, some of the technology in PlanlT Valley is inspired by science fiction stories.

Questions 37-40 Complete each sentence with the correct ending, A-G.

37. The IT industry believes that, when it comes to putting up new buildings, IT is currently

Answer: B

Supporting statement: In fact, the IT industry has been complaining for a long time that the construction sector has failed to make adequate (if any) use of IT in its buildings.

Keywords: IT industry, adequate

Keyword Location: Para 4, Lines 6-7

Explanation: For a considerable amount of time, the IT industry has been complaining that the construction industry has not used IT in its buildings to its full potential.

38. Creating new technology for PlanlT Valley is

Answer: A

Supporting statement: More importantly, however, almost all of the technology the company is planning to deploy in PlanlT Valley either already exists or is viable from a technical point of view.

Keywords: technology, exists

Keyword Location: Para 6, Lines 1-2

Explanation: According to the text, the technology required for the PlanlT Valley already exists, so there is no need for new technology.

39. Steve Lewis believes that the economic arguments against green developments are

Answer: D

Supporting statement: And if it can win the economic argument, future opportunities are enormous.

Keywords: economic, opportunities

Keyword Location: Para 7, Line 5

Explanation: According to Steve Lewis, the economic arguments against green developments are false, and if they are successful, there will be an endless number of chances in the future.

40. Some organisational aspects of the PlanlT Valley project are

Answer: E

Supporting statement: The PlanlT Valley project presents many problems in terms of project management and coordination,

Keywords: problems, management

Keyword Location: Para 8, Lines 1-2

Explanation: According to the text, there are some problems in the PlanlT Valley project in terms of its management and coordination, making the project's organisational aspects inefficient.

A. technically possible

B. underused

C. difficult to avoid

D. not valid

E. inefficient

F. too ambitious

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