Lake Vostok Reading Answers

Dec 20, 2022

Lake Vostok Reading Answers is the topic discussing about the lake Vostok in Russia. The given IELTS topic has been taken from the book called “Cambridge IELTS 10 Student's Book with Answers”. There are 13 questions total in the the topic called Lake Vostok Reading Answers, which should be answered within the time span of 20 minutes by the candidates. The topic includes three types of questions, mainly, match the heading, choose the correct letter, and Yes/No/Not Given. The candidates should read thoroughly the IELTS reading passage in order to recognize the synonyms and identify the keywords and for answering the questions below. Similar kinds of topics like Lake Vostok Reading Answers are included in the IELTS reading practice papers, which the candidates can take into their consideration for performing a good score in this section.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Question

Lake Vostok Reading Answers

Beneath the white blanket of Antarctica lies half a continent of virtually uncharted territory - an area so completely hidden that scientists have little clue what riches await discovery. Recently, Russian and British glaciologists identified an immense lake - one of Earth’s largest and deepest - buried beneath 4,000 meters of ice immediately below Russia’s Vostok Station.

As details have emerged, a growing number of scientists are showing interest, with dozens of investigators keen to explore the feature, known as Lake Vostok. A thick layer of sediment at the bottom of the lake could hold novel dues to the planet’s climate going back lens of millions of years. By looking at the ratio of different oxygen isotopes, scientists should be able to trace how Earth’s temperature changed over the millennia. NASA has expressed interest in Lake Vostok because of its similarity to Europa. This moon of Jupiter appears to have a water ocean covered by a thick ice sheet, measuring perhaps tens of kilometers in depth. If hydrothermal vents exist beneath the ice, chemical reactions on Europa could have created the molecular building blocks for life, if not life itself. Vostok would be an ideal testing ground for technology that would eventually fly to Europa or places even more distant, say many scientists. Though cheap compared with a Europan mission, any expedition to Vostok would represent a significant investment.

Vostok Station holds the uncomfortable distinction of having recorded the coldest temperature on Earth. Thermometers there measured in July 1983, and the average temperature hovers around -55°C. It’s the thick ice, strangely, that enables a lake to survive in such a frozen environment. The 4 kilometers of ice acts effectively as an insulating blanket protecting the bedrock underneath the ice from the cold temperatures above. Geothermal heat coming from the planet’s interior keeps the lake from freezing and warms the lowest layers of ice. The tremendous weight of the ice sheet also plays a role in maintaining the lake. Beneath 4 kilometers of glacier, the pressure is intense enough to melt ice at a temperature of -4°C. These factors have helped lakes develop across much of the thickly blanketed East Antarctica. More than 70 hidden lakes have been detected in the small portion of the continent to date. Lake Vostok is the largest of these, stretching 280km from south to north and some 60km from east to west. At Vostok station, which sits at the southern end of the lake, the water depth appears to be 500m according to seismic experiments carried out by Russian researchers.

The first clues to Lake Vostok’s existence came in the 1970s, when British, U.S., and Danish researchers collected radar observations by flying over this region. The radar penetrates the ice and bounces off whatever sits below. When researchers found a surface as flat as a mirror, they surmised that a lake must exist underneath the ice. An airborne survey of the lake is being undertaken, the first step toward eventually drilling into the water. Along with the potential rewards come a host of challenges. Researchers must find a way to penetrate the icy covering without introducing any microorganisms or pollutants into the sealed-off water.

What about life in the depths? If tiny microbes do populate the lake, they may be some of the hungriest organisms ever discovered. Lake Vostok has the potential to be one of the most energy-limited, or oligotrophic, environments on the planet. For the lake’s residents, the only nutrients would come from below. Russian investigators have speculated that the lake floor may have hot springs spewing out hydrothermal fluids stocked with reduced metals and other sorts of chemical nutrients. Scant geological evidence available for this region, however, indicates that the crust is old and dead. Without a stream of nutrients seeping up from the deep Earth, the only potential source of energy lies above the lake. The ice sheet above the water is creeping from west to east at a rate of roughly four meters per year. The lowermost layers of ice melt when they come in contact with the lake, liberating trapped gases and bits of crushed-up rock. If the glacier recently passed over rock before reaching the lake, it could be supplying organic compounds useful to microorganisms. It also could be seeding the lake with a continuous source of new residents. Bacteria, yeasts, fungi, algae and even pollen grains have been found in the Vostok ice core samples taken down to depths of 2,750m - three quarters of the way to the bottom. At least some of these organisms are alive and capable of growing, according to recent reports. The results of this analysis may indirectly indicate whether anything survives in the lightless body of water.

Section 2

Solution with Explanation
Questions 1-4:
The passage has 5 sections A-E.
Choose the most suitable heading for sections B-E from the list of headings below.
Write the appropriate numbers (i-viii).
There are more headings than sections so you will not use all of them.

List of Headings
i. Cost of exploration
ii. Location and description of the lake
iii. Potential for living organisms in the lake
iv. Challenges of exploration
v. Discovery of the lake
vi. Possible sources of nutrients to support life
vii. Types of organisms in the lake
viii. Scientific interest in Lake Vostok

Section B

Answer: viii -Scientific interest in Lake Vostok
Supporting Sentence: As details have emerged, a growing number of scientists are showing interest, with dozens of investigators keen to explore the feature, known as Lake Vostok.
Keywords: scientists, Lake Vostok
Keyword Location: Para B, Lines 1-2
Explanation: Lines 1-2 of paragraph B states that numerous researchers are eager to investigate the feature known as Lake Vostok, and as more information becomes available, more scientists are becoming interested.

Section C

Answer: ii-Location and description of the lake
Supporting Sentence: Lake Vostok is the largest of these, stretching 280km from south to north and some 60km from east to west.
Keywords: lakes, East Africa
Keyword Location: Para C, Lines 9-10
Explanation: The ninth and tenth line of paragraph C suggests that the largest of these, Lake Vostok, is around 60 kilometres in length from east to west and 280 kilometres from south to north.

Section D

Answer: iv-Challenges of exploration
Supporting Sentence: Researchers must find a way to penetrate the icy covering without introducing any microorganisms or pollutants into the sealed-off water.
Keywords: challenges, researchers, icy covering, microorganisms, pollutants
Keyword Location: Para D, Lines 6-8
Explanation: Lines 6-8 of paragraph D explains that numerous obstacles exist in addition to the possible benefits. Researchers need to find a means to break through the frozen layer without contaminating the water or introducing any bacteria.

Section E

Answer: iii-Potential for living organisms in the lake
Supporting Sentence: Lake Vostok has the potential to be one of the most energy-limited, or oligotrophic, environments on the planet.
Keywords: Lake Vostok, potential, oligotrophic, environments
Keyword Location: Para E, Lines 2-3
Explanation: As per lines 2-3 of paragraph E, one of the most energy-constrained, or oligotrophic, ecosystems on Earth could exist in Lake Vostok.

Questions 5-6:
Choose the correct letter A-D.

Which is NOT given as a reason for interest in exploring Lake Vostok?

to test technology for space exploration
to develop anti-pollution devices
to investigate the history of Earth’s climate
to look for living organisms

Answer: B-to develop anti-pollution devices
Supporting Sentence: Researchers must find a way to penetrate the icy covering without introducing any microorganisms or pollutants into the sealed-off water.
Keywords: researchers, penetrate, icy covering, microorganisms, pollutants
Keyword Location: Para D, Lines 6-8
Explanation: Lines 6-8 of paragaph D suggests that the frozen layer must be broken through without introducing any germs or pollutants into the water that is being shut off.

Lake Vostok does not freeze because ...

a thick ice cover provides insulation.
it is waned by heat from the earth’s surface.
low pressure prevents freezing.
an underwater volcano erupted recently.

Answer: A-a thick ice cover provides insulation
Supporting Sentence: The 4 kilometres of ice acts effectively as an insulating blanket protecting the bedrock underneath the ice from the cold temperatures above.
Keywords: insulating blanket, ice, cold temperatures
Keyword Location: Para C, Lines 4-6
Explanation: Lines 4-6 of paragraph C states that the 4 kilometres of ice effectively serves as an insulating blanket, shielding the bedrock beneath it from the chilly temperatures above.

Questions 7-13:
Do the following statements reflect the claims of the author?

Write:

YES if the statement agrees with the views of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the views of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

Only one lake has been found beneath Antarctica.

Answer: NO
Supporting Sentence: These factors have helped lakes develop across much of the thickly blanketed East Antarctica.
Keywords: East Antarctica, 70 hidden lakes
Keyword Location: Para C, Lines 9-11
Explanation: Lines 9-11 of paragraph C implies that a large portion of the East Antarctic continent, which is heavily covered in snow, has lakes as a result of these reasons. In the limited area of the continent that has been explored thus far, more than 70 hidden lakes have been found. Therefore, the statement is incorrect.

Lake Vostok was detected by radar.

Answer: YES
Supporting Sentence: The first clues to Lake Vostok’s existence came in the 1970s when British, U.S., and Danish researchers collected radar observations by flying over this region.
Keywords: Lake Vostok, British, US, Danish, radar
Keyword Location: Para D, Lines 1-2
Explanation: The first two lines of paragraph D implies that when British, American, and Danish researchers acquired radar observations while flying over this area in the 1970s, they began to discover the presence of Lake Vostok. Hence, it is a correct sentence.

Exploration of Lake Vostok is coordinated by Russia.

Answer: NOT GIVEN

Explanation: No pertinent information in order to support the validation of the statement has been given in the passage.

Nutrients to support life have been found in the Antarctic ice.

Answer: YES
Supporting Sentence: For the lake’s residents, the only nutrients would come from below.
Keywords: lake’s residents, nutrients, Russian investigators, springs, hydrothermal fluids, reduced metals, chemical nutrients
Keyword Location: Para E, Lines 3-6
Explanation: Lines 3-6 of paragraph E implies that nutrients would only be available from below for lake dwellers. Russian investigators have hypothesised that there may be hot springs on the lake floor that are capable of erupting hydrothermal fluids that are rich in reduced metals and other types of chemical nutrients. So, it is a right response.

The ice above the lake is moving to the east.

Answer: YES
Supporting Sentence: The ice sheet above the water is creeping from west to east at a rate of roughly four meters per year.
Keywords: Ice sheet, creeping
Keyword Location: Para E, Lines 9-10
Explanation: The ninth and tenth line of paragraph E explains that about four metres per year are being added to the ice sheet above the water as it moves from west to east. Thus, the statement is correct.

Scientists have drilled through the ice into the water of Lake Vostok.

Answer: NO
Supporting Sentence: Researchers must find a way to penetrate the icy covering without introducing any microorganisms or pollutants into the sealed-off water.
Keywords: airborne survey, drilling, challenges, icy covering
Keyword Location: Para D, Lines 4-8
Explanation: Lines 4-8 of paragraph D explains that as the initial stage toward ultimately drilling into the water, a reconnaissance of the lake from the air is being conducted. Numerous difficulties are present in addition to the possible benefits. Researchers need to find a means to break through the frozen layer without contaminating the water or introducing any bacteria. Hence, the statement is incorrect.

The water in the lake is approximately 500 in deep at the southern end.

Answer: YES
Supporting Sentence: At Vostok station, which sits at the southern end of the lake, the water depth appears to be 500m according to seismic experiments carried out by Russian researchers.
Keywords: southern end, Vostok station, 500m, seismic experiments, Russian researchers
Keyword Location: Para C, Lines 12-14
Explanation: The twelfth to fourteenth lines of paragraph C states that Russian scientists' seismic investigations indicate that the water depth at Vostok station, which is located at the lake's southernmost point, is 500 metres. So, the response is right.