Making Every Drop Count - IELTS Reading Sample with Explanation
The IELTS reading section examines a candidate’s comprehending skills within the stipulated amount of time. The reading section comprises passages followed with different kinds of questions to holistically judge a student’s grasping abilities while reading. This particular IELTS Reading Practice Test has a passage on- “Every Drop Count” which consists of the following types of questions:
- Match with the Given List.
- Yes/No/Not Given
The IELTS Reading Practice Tests contain a variety of sample passages with different kinds of questions which will equip a student with all the possible dimensions of this section. These practice tests should be taken with utmost seriousness to perform brilliantly on D-Day.
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Section 1
Read the passage below to answer the following questions
Making Every Drop Count IELTS Reading Sample
A - A description of ancient water supplies
The history of human civilisation is entwined with the history of the ways we have learned to manipulate water resources. As towns gradually expanded, water was brought from increasingly remote sources, leading to sophisticated engineering efforts such as dams and aqueducts. At the height of the Roman Empire, nine major systems, with an innovative layout of pipes and well-built sewers, supplied the occupants of Rome with as much water per person as is provided in many parts of the industrial world today.
B - How a global challenge was met
During the industrial revolution and population explosion of the 19th and 20th centuries, the demand for water rose dramatically. Unprecedented construction of tens of thousands of monumental engineering projects designed to control floods, protect clean water supplies, and provide water for irrigation and hydropower brought great benefits to hundreds of millions of people. Food production has kept pace with soaring populations mainly because of the expansion of artificial irrigation systems that make possible the growth of 40 % of the world’s food. Nearly one fifth of all the electricity generated worldwide is produced by turbines spun by the power of falling water.
C - The relevance to health
Yet there is a dark side to this picture: despite our progress, half of the world’s population still suffers, with water services inferior to those available to the ancient Greeks and Romans. As the United Nations report on access to water reiterated in November 2001, more than one billion people lack access to clean drinking water; some two and a half billion do not have adequate sanitation services. Preventable water-related diseases kill an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 children every day, and the latest evidence suggests that we are falling behind in efforts to solve these problems.
D - Environmental effects
The consequences of our water policies extend beyond jeopardising human health. Tens of millions of people have been forced to move from their homes - often with little warning or compensation - to make way for the reservoirs behind dams. More than 20 % of all freshwater fish species are now threatened or endangered because dams and water withdrawals have destroyed the free-flowing river ecosystems where they thrive. Certain irrigation practices degrade soil quality and reduce agricultural productivity. Groundwater aquifers* are being pumped down faster than they are naturally replenished in parts of India, China, the USA and elsewhere. And disputes over shared water resources have led to violence and continue to raise local, national and even international tensions.
*underground stores of water
E - Scientists’ call for a revision of policy
At the outset of the new millennium, however, the way resource planners think about water is beginning to change. The focus is slowly shifting back to the provision of basic human and environmental needs as top priority - ensuring ‘some for all,’ instead of ‘more for some’. Some water experts are now demanding that existing infrastructure be used in smarter ways rather than building new facilities, which is increasingly considered the option of last, not first, resort. This shift in philosophy has not been universally accepted, and it comes with strong opposition from some established water organisations. Nevertheless, it may be the only way to address successfully the pressing problems of providing everyone with clean water to drink, adequate water to grow food and a life free from preventable water-related illness.
F - A surprising downward trend in demand for water
Fortunately - and unexpectedly - the demand for water is not rising as rapidly as some predicted. As a result, the pressure to build new water infrastructures has diminished over the past two decades. Although population, industrial output and economic productivity have continued to soar in developed nations, the rate at which people withdraw water from aquifers, rivers and lakes has slowed. And in a few parts of the world, demand has actually fallen.
G - An explanation for reduced water use
What explains this remarkable turn of events? Two factors: people have figured out how to use water more efficiently, and communities are rethinking their priorities for water use. Throughout the first three-quarters of the 20th century, the quantity of freshwater consumed per person doubled on average; in the USA, water withdrawals increased tenfold while the population quadrupled. But since 1980, the amount of water consumed per person has actually decreased, thanks to a range of new technologies that help to conserve water in homes and industry. In 1965, for instance, Japan used approximately 13 million gallons* of water to produce $1 million of commercial output; by 1989 this had dropped to 3.5 million gallons (even accounting for inflation) - almost a quadrupling of water productivity. In the USA, water withdrawals have fallen by more than 20 % from their peak in 1980.
H - The need to raise standards
On the other hand, dams, aqueducts and other kinds of infrastructure will still have to be built, particularly in developing countries where basic human needs have not been met. But such projects must be built to higher specifications and with more accountability to local people and their environment than in the past. And even in regions where new projects seem warranted, we must find ways to meet demands with fewer resources, respecting ecological criteria and to a smaller budget.
* 1 gallon: 4.546 litres
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Section 2
Solution with Explanations
Questions 1-7:
Reading Passage has seven paragraphs, A-H.
Choose the correct heading for paragraphs A and C-H from the list of headings below.
Write the correct number, i-xi, in boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet.
| List of Headings |
| i. Scientists’ call for a revision of policy ii. An explanation for reduced water use iii. How a global challenge was met iv. Irrigation systems fall into disuse v. Environmental effects vi. The financial cost of recent technological improvements vii. The relevance to health viii. Addressing the concern over increasing populations ix. A surprising downward trend in demand for water x. The need to raise standards xi. A description of ancient water supplies |
- Paragraph A
Answer: xi
Supporting sentence: At the height of the Roman Empire, nine major systems, with an innovative layout of pipes and well-built sewers, supplied the occupants of Rome with as much water per person as is provided in many parts of the industrial world today.
Keywords: ancient, water supplies, pipes, sewers, the Roman empire
Key Location: Paragraph A, 3rd line
Explanation: This is the correct heading because the paragraph A talks about the ancient water supplies in the context of water resources.
- Paragraph C
Answer: vii
Supporting sentence: Preventable water-related diseases kill an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 children every day, and the latest evidence suggests that we are falling behind in efforts to solve these problems.
Keywords: diseases, health, problems
Key Location: Paragraph C, last line
Explanation: This is the correct haeding as paragraph C deals with how without the access of clean water, several water bourne diseases have come up, thus explaining how drinking clean water is relevant to health.
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- Paragraph D
Answer: v
Supporting sentence: More than 20 % of all freshwater fish species are now threatened or endangered because dams and water withdrawals have destroyed the free-flowing river ecosystems where they thrive
Keywords: environmental effects, endangered, destoryed
Key Location: Paragraph D, 3rd line
Explanation: Paragraph D discusses yet another dark side of manipulating water resources and how it leads to adverse enviornmental effects by threatening marine life.
- Paragraph E
Answer: i
Supporting sentence: Some water experts are now demanding that existing infrastructure be used in smarter ways rather than building new facilities, which is increasingly considered the option of last, not first, resort.
Keywords: policy, provisions, water experts, smarter ways
Key Location: Paragraph E, 3rd line
Explanation: This is the correct heading because paragraph E deals with how to tackle the impending dark side of manipulating water resources. Therefore it talks about new policies where everyone get some water by finding smarter ways of building and using watr resources.
- Paragraph F
Answer: ix
Supporting sentence: Fortunately - and unexpectedly - the demand for water is not rising as rapidly as some predicted.
Keywords: downward trend, not rising
Key Location: Paragraph F, 1st line
Explanation: This is the correct heading because paragraph F talks about how the demand of water has increased proportionately in comparison to the increase in population.
- Paragraph G
Answer: ii
Supporting sentence: What explains this remarkable turn of events? Two factors: people have figured out how to use water more efficiently, and communities are rethinking their priorities for water use.
Keywords: explanation, reduced use, factors
Key Location: Paragraph G, 1st line
Explanation: This is the correct heading because paragraph G deals with finding explanation to the above observation of reduced demand in water inspite of the growing population.
- Paragraph H
Answer: x
Supporting sentence: But such projects must be built to higher specifications and with more accountability to local people and their environment than in the past.
Keywords: standards, higher specifications, more accountability
Key Location: Paragraph H, 2nd line
Explanation: This is the correct heading because paragraph H delas with how in the current times one should responsible built water projects taking into consideration enviornmental factors and population displacement.
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Questions 8-13
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage?
In boxes 8-13 on your answer sheet, 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
- Water use per person is higher in the industrial world than it was in Ancient Rome.
Answer: No
Supporting sentence: At the height of the Roman Empire, nine major systems, with an innovative layout of pipes and well-built sewers, supplied the occupants of Rome with as much water per person as is provided in many parts of the industrial world today.
Keywords: water per person, higher, industrial area, Rome
Key Location: Paragraph A, 3rd line
Explanation: This is the correct answer because it is clearly given that water per person is in the current industrial world is similar to what it was during the Roman empire. Hence the statements contradicts the information given in the passage.
- Feeding increasing populations is possible due primarily to improved irrigation systems.
Answer: Yes
Supporting sentence: Food production has kept pace with soaring populations mainly because of the expansion of artificial irrigation systems that make possible the growth of 40 % of the world’s food.
Keywords: increasing populations, feeding, irrigation systems
Key Location: Paragraph B, 3rd line
Explanation: This is the correct answer as it is true that the food production was always at par with the growing population due to the development of advanced irrigation system.
- Modern water systems imitate those of the ancient Greeks and Romans.
Answer: Not Given
Supporting sentence: At the height of the Roman Empire, nine major systems, with an innovative layout of pipes and well-built sewers, supplied the occupants of Rome with as much water per person as is provided in many parts of the industrial world today.
Keywords: modern, water systems, Romans.
Key Location: Paragraph A, 3rd line
Explanation: This is the correct answer because no such information is given and the only similarity between the ancient Romans and the Modern times is the water per person.
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- Industrial growth is increasing the overall demand for water.
Answer: No
Supporting sentence: Although population, industrial output and economic productivity have continued to soar in developed nations, the rate at which people withdraw water from aquifers, rivers and lakes has slowed.
Keywords: growth, increasing, demand, water
Key Location: Paragraph F, 3rd line
Explanation: This is the correct answer because the passage essentially talks about how smarter methods have lead to a decrease in the demand of water. Therefore the sentence contradicts this information.
- Modern technologies have led to a reduction in domestic water consumption.
Answer: Yes
Supporting sentence: But since 1980, the amount of water consumed per person has actually decreased, thanks to a range of new technologies that help to conserve water in homes and industry.
Keywords: modern technology, reduction, water consumption
Key Location: Paragraph G, 3rd line
Explanation: This is the correct answer because it is explicitly given in the passage how the water consumption per person has reduced to the the better technology. Thus the statement is true.
- In the future, governments should maintain ownership of water infrastructures.
Answer: Not Given
Supporting sentence: And even in regions where new projects seem warranted, we must find ways to meet demands with fewer resources, respecting ecological criteria and to a smaller budget.
Keywords: future, governments, ownership,water infrastructures
Key Location: Last line
Explanation: This is the correct answer because no such information about government ownership of water infrastructure is given. The only information given is about how new projects should be implemented.
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