Keeping Cut Flowers Reading Answers
In the IELTS exam, reading skills play a vital role in scoring a high band. The IELTS Reading skills are checked through 40 questions that must be attempted by the candidates in 60 minutes. IELTS reading requires students to focus on a given passage based on which they need to respond to the corresponding questions. Students need to consider IELTS Reading practice papers as part of their preparation for this section. The solutions and explanations for the academic passage Keeping Cut Flowers IELTS Reading answers are discussed in this post. The types of questions asked in this passage are
- Fill the Gaps Questions
- Diagram Label Questions
- Short Answer Questions
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Section 1
Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions
Keeping Cut Flowers Reading Answers
- While everybody enjoys fresh cut flowers around their house, few people know how to keep them for as long as possible. This may be done by keeping in mind a few simple facts.
- An important thing to remember about cut flowers is that they are sensitive to temperature. For example, studies have shown that cut carnations retain their freshness eight times longer when kept at 12°C than when kept at 26°C. Keeping freshly harvested flowers at the right temperatures is probably the most important aspect of flower care.
- Flowers are not intended by nature to live very long. Their biological purpose is simply to attract birds or insects, such as bees, for pollination. After that, they quickly wither and die. The process by which flowers consume oxygen and emit carbon dioxide, called respiration, generates the energy the flower needs to give the flower its shape and colour. The making of seeds also depends on this energy. While all living things respire, flowers have a high level of respiration. A result of all this respiration is heating, and for flowers, the level of heat relative to the mass of the flower is very high. Respiration also brings about the eventual death of the flower, thus the greater the level of respiration, the sooner the flower dies.
- How, then, to control the rate at which flowers die? By controlling respiration. How is respiration controlled? By controlling temperature. We know that respiration produces heat, but the reverse is also true. Thus by maintaining low temperatures, respiration is minimised and the cut flower will age more slowly. (Tropical flowers are an exception to this rule; they prefer warmer temperatures.)
- Cooler temperatures also have the benefit of preserving the water content of the flower, which helps to slow down ageing as well. This brings us to another important aspect of cut flower care: humidity. The average air-conditioned room has a relative humidity of 65%, which contributes to greater water loss in the flower. Flowers are less likely to dry out if humidity levels are high, but this may be unrealistic unless you live in the tropics or subtropics.
- Yet another vital factor in keeping cut flowers is the quality of the water in which they are placed. Flowers find it difficult to 'drink' water that is dirty or otherwise contaminated. Even when the water looks and smells clean, it almost certainly contains bacteria and fungi that can endanger the flowers. To rid the water of these unwanted germs, household chlorine bleach can be used in small quantities. It is recommended that 15 drops of chlorine bleach (at 4% solution) be added to each litre of water. The water and solution should also be replaced each day.
- When going to buy cut flowers, look for ones that have not been kept (by the flower shop) in direct sunlight or strong wind. If the flowers are not freshly harvested, ask whether they have been stored in a refrigerated cool room.
Section 2
Solution and Explanation
Question 1:
The author of ‘Keeping Cut Flowers’ believes flower care is dependent on three main factors. One of them is temperature. What are the other two?
Answer: Humidity, water quality
Supporting Sentence: This brings us to another important aspect of cut flower care: humidity. Yet another vital factor in keeping cut flowers is the quality of the water in which they are placed.
Keywords: Flower care, dependent, three factors, temperature
Keyword Location: Para 5, Line 2 and Para 6, Line 1
Explanation: According to the author, the presence of humidity and quality of water are the two most essential factors to grow a healthy flower.
Read More IELTS Reading Related Samples
Question 2-4:
Complete the sentences below with words taken from the reading passage. Use NO MORE THAN ONE WORD or NUMBER for each blank. Write your answers in boxes 2-4 on your answer sheet.
- A difference of 14°C can extend the life of carnations by up to _____ times.
Answer: 8
Supporting Sentence: For example, studies have shown that cut carnations retain their freshness eight times longer when kept at 12°C than when kept at 26°C.
Keywords: Difference, 14°C, extend, life, carnations
Keyword Location: Para 2, Line 2
Explanation: The passage mentions that carnations retain their freshness eight times longer when kept at 12°C.
- _____ and _____ are two aspects of a flower's appearance that depend on respiration.
Answer: Shape, colour
Supporting Sentence: The process by which flowers consume oxygen and emit carbon dioxide, called respiration, generates the energy the flower needs to give the flower its shape and colour.
Keywords: aspects, flower, appearance, depend, respiration
Keyword Location: Para 3, Lines 3-4
Explanation: The passage mentions that the shape and colour of the flower are maintained by the energy that it produces through respiration.
- Respiration is also necessary for the flowers to produce ______
Answer: Seeds
Supporting Sentence: The making of seeds also depends on this energy.
Keywords: Respiration, necessary, flowers, produce
Keyword Location: Para 3, Line 5
Explanation: Not only does the shape and colour of a flower depend on the respiration process but also helps in the production of seeds.
Questions 5-8:
Complete the flowchart below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 5-8 on your answer sheet.
Question 5:
Answer: Maintaining low temperature
Supporting Sentence: Thus by maintaining low temperatures, respiration is minimised and the cut flower will age more slowly.
Keywords: Respiration, low temperatures, minimised
Keyword Location: Para 4, Line 3
Explanation: In the passage, it is mentioned that when the temperature is low, the respiration rate gets reduced which helps the flower to stay fresh for a longer time.
Question 6:
Answer: Water content
Supporting Sentence: Cooler temperatures also have the benefit of preserving the water content of the flower, which helps to slow down ageing as well.
Keywords: Cooler temperatures, benefit, preserving, water content
Keyword Location: Para 5, Line 1
Explanation: The passage mentions that the cooler temperature saves the water content of the flower as it doesn’t get evaporated easily. This helps in slowing down the ageing process.
Question 7:
Answer: Age slowly
Supporting Sentence: Thus by maintaining low temperatures, respiration is minimised and the cut flower will age more slowly.
Keywords: age, slowly
Keyword Location: Para 4, Line 3-4
Explanation: It is mentioned that the low temperature leads to a reduction in respiration that in turn leads to delay in the ageing process of the flowers.
Question 8:
Answer: Tropical
Supporting Sentence: Thus by maintaining low temperatures, respiration is minimised and the cut flower will age more slowly.
Keywords: Tropical, flowers, exception, rule, does not apply
Keyword Location: Para 4, Line 4
Explanation: It is mentioned that the low temperature leads to a reduction in respiration that in turn leads to delay in the ageing process of almost all the flowers except tropical flowers as they need the warmer temperatures to live long.
Questions 9 and 10:
Using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS, answer the following questions. Write your answer in boxes 9-10 on your answer sheet.
- What product does the author suggest using to help protect cut flowers?
Answer: Chlorine bleach
Supporting Sentence: It is recommended that 15 drops of chlorine bleach (at 4% solution) be added to each litre of water.
Keywords: protect, flowers, product
Keyword Location: Para 6, Line 5-6
Explanation: The author mentions that to protect cut flowers, 15 drops of chlorine bleach should be added per litre of water as it purifies the water of all the microorganisms that hinder the growth of flowers.
- The author identifies two natural elements that shopkeepers should keep from flowers. Name one of these.
Answer: Direct sunlight, strong wind
Supporting Sentence: When going to buy cut flowers, look for ones that have not been kept (by the flower shop) in direct sunlight or strong wind.
Keywords: natural elements, shopkeepers, keep from, flowers
Keyword Location: Para 7, Line 1-2
Explanation: The author mentions that the best cut flowers are those that are not kept in direct sunlight or strong wind as they would impact the life and growth of the flowers.
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