Research Facilities IELTS Reading Answers

Aug 17, 2023

Research Facilities IELTS Reading Answers is a topic of the IELTS academic reading topic which includes 13 questions. The specified IELTS topic generates 3 types of questions: true/ false/ not given, choose the fill in the blanks and choose the correct option from the given options. Candidates should read the IELTS Reading passage thoroughly in order to recognize synonyms, identify keywords, and answer the questions below. Candidates can further enhance their reading skills by going through IELTS reading practice papers available on the website. Candidates can use IELTS reading topics like Research Facilities IELTS Reading Answers to enhance their performance in the reading section.

Check: Get 10 Free IELTS Sample Papers
Check: Register for IELTS Coaching - Join for FreeTrial Class Now

Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Research Facilities IELTS Reading Answers

For a nation with a history of making sophisticated clocks, it is not surprising that Switzerland is the best place for precision and high-tech research. The country is so proud of two Federal Institutes of Technology, like the CERN particle physics laboratory and a core of IBM research facilities. Also, there are two big pharmaceutical companies called Roche and Novartis. Also, who can forget Switzerland's world-famous chocolate industry?

British citizens are able to work in Switzerland visa-free and the country offers salaries of up to £72,000 per year for highly-skilled experienced researchers with the option of skiing in the lunch break. It is easy to know why Switzerland appeals to so many. In what fields are these great opportunities available?

Computing Clout

IBM is one of the global companies that has established a research hub in Switzerland. The Ruschlikon lab located in the south of Zurich draws researchers from around the world, with 80% of them coming from abroad.

This lab is a leader in digital storage technology and semiconductor and optical electronics for online networks. Projects to build a top-class nanotechnology research center in the place are going on and will be completed by 2014.

Irne Holenweger Koeb, a manager in IBM human resources, says that the lab is looking for a wide range of disciplines including physics, chemistry and mathematics. Also, it is a thriving bioscience group working on the application of nanotechnology to life sciences and other areas. Most of the positions only accept applicants with a Ph.D. but the lab also hires approximately 100 applicants with Bachelors and Masters degrees each year.

Paul Hurley, a researcher in IBM's systems software group, enjoys the flexible atmosphere of his work. There is a relaxed atmosphere in the office at IBM and meetings often take place over lunch or a coffee break.

As a lot of employees are not Swiss nationals, the company offers a lot of support and also has a policy of paying relocation expenses. Koeb says that it is important to gradually ease employees into their new workplace.

German lessons which are paid for by IBM are offered to new employees working in Zurich. The standard of German is different to German spoken in Zurich. Whilst Hurley has attended the classes, he says a little bit more practice is needed to notice the "Swiss-isms."

Raising the Chocolate Bar

Switzerland is known for chocolate. Jose Rubio of Lindt's human resources department says "Our company has 44 nationalities and 18 languages."

Scientists are able to find jobs within quality management, research and development and in the factory working conditions. The work of R&D is to help improve new recipes and products as well as designing and building new machines for making them. You are able to hone your skills in a well-managed company and have the pleasant task of testing the products to make sure they meet the company's high standards.

Rubio says that a foreign staff must speak at least one of the official Swiss languages. Most of the positions need a good level of German, as it is vital when working with Swiss coworkers in the production lines.

The ETH in German-speaking Zurich has a sister institution, which is the Federal Institute of Technology in French-speaking Lausanne (EPFL). With over 250 research groups and 10,000 students and faculties, it is focused on interdisciplinary scientific research. The institute's technology transfer programmes ensure that practical tools and methods make it out of the lab and into the industry.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation
Questions 28-30
Choose the appropriate letters A-D.

Question 28: Ruschlikon lab located in Zurich attracts

A.almost 80 percent of research staff from overseas.
B.80 per cent of research staff domestically.
C.at least 80 percent of engineers from abroad.
D.80 percent of staff with a PhD from overseas.

Answer: A
Supporting statement: “...The Ruschlikon lab located in the south of Zurich draws researchers from around the world, with 80% of them coming from abroad…”
Keywords: Ruschlikon, lab, south, Zurich, researchers, 80%, abroad
Keyword Location: para 3, line 2
Explanation: According to the writer, the Ruschlikon lab located in the south of Zurich draws researchers from around the world, with 80% of them coming from abroad.

Question 29: The lab has a plan to complete in 2014

A.founding a top-class Ruschlikon lab.
B.making a world-famous chocolate industry.
C.founding the best nanotechnology research center.
D.researching digital storage marketing.

Answer: C
Supporting statement: “...Projects to build a top-class nanotechnology research center in the place are going on and will be completed by 2014…”
Keywords: Projects, nanotechnology, research, center, 2014
Keyword Location: para 4, line 2
Explanation: According to the writer, this lab is a leader in digital storage technology and semiconductor and optical electronics for online networks. Projects to build a top-class nanotechnology research center in the place are going on and will be completed by 2014.

Question 30: According to information in the text, the main purpose of the writer is

A.to survey various high-tech research in Switzerland.
B.to introduce attractive research centers in Switzerland.
C.to recruit a variety of human resources in Switzerland.
D.to understand the world-famous chocolate in Switzerland.

Answer: B
Supporting statement: “...The country is so proud of two Federal Institutes of Technology, like the CERN particle physics laboratory and a core of IBM research facilities…”
Keywords: country, federal, institutes, technology, CERN, physics, psrtickef ft
Keyword Location: para 1, line 2
Explanation: According to the writer, Switzerland is the best place for precision and high-tech research. The country is so proud of two Federal Institutes of Technology, like the CERN particle physics laboratory and a core of IBM research facilities.

Questions 31-35

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from Reading Passage 3 for each answer.

Raising the chocolate bar

Switzerland is familiar with (31)............, attracted scientists in quality management, research and development. Those working in R&D aid to improve new versions of recipes, products and design and build (32)............ Foreign staff should fluently speak one of (33)............ official tongues the least. Especially, a number of workplaces ed to have an advanced level of (34)............. With over 250 research groups and 10,000 students and faculties, it emphasizes (35)....... Scientific research.

Question 31:

Answer: chocolate
Supporting statement: “...Switzerland is known for chocolate…”
Keywords: Switzerland, chocolate
Keyword Location:para 9, line 1
Explanation: According to the writer, Switzerland is known for chocolate. Jose Rubio of Lindt's human resources department says "Our company has 44 nationalities and 18 languages."

Question 32:

Answer: machines
Supporting statement: “...The work of R&D is to help improve new recipes and products as well as designing and building new machines for making them…”
Keyword Location: para 10, line 2
Explanation: According to the writer, the work of R&D is to help improve new recipes and products as well as designing and building new machines for making them.

Question 33:

Answer: swiss
Supporting statement:“...foreign staff must speak at least one of the official Swiss languages…”
Keywords: foreign, staff, speak, official, Swiss, languages
Keyword Location: para 11, line 1
Explanation: According to the writer, foreign staff must speak at least one of the official Swiss languages.

Question 34:

Answer: german
Supporting statement: “...good level of German, as it is vital when working with Swiss coworkers…”
Keywords: Keywords: positions, German, Swiss, production lines
Keyword Location: para 11, line 2
Explanation: According to the writer, most of the positions need a good level of German, as it is vital when working with Swiss coworkers in the production lines.

Question 35:

Answer: interdisciplinary
Supporting statement: “...With over 250 research groups and 10,000 students and faculties, it is focused on interdisciplinary scientific research…”
Keywords: 250, research, groups, 10,000, students, faculties, interdisciplinary, scientific, research
Keyword Location: para 12, line 2
Explanation: According to the writer, with over 250 research groups and 10,000 students and faculties, it is focused on interdisciplinary scientific research. The institute's technology transfer programmes ensure that practical tools and methods make it out of the lab and into the industry

Questions 36-40

Do the following statements reflect the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 3?
TRUE - if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE - if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN - if there is no information on this

Question 36: Switzerland has a reputation for the history of making precise clockwork.

Answer: true

Question 37: Coffee in Switzerland is world-famous.

Answer: not given
Explanation: No relevant information has been provided in the passage in order to support the said statement. Therefore, we can clearly conclude the statement as an invalid one.

Question 38: Four-fifths of the staff at the Ruschlikon in Zurich are from overseas.

Answer: true
Supporting statement:“...south of Zurich draws researchers from around the world, with 80% of them coming from abroad…”
Keywords: south, Zurich, researchers, 80%, abroad
Keyword Location: para 3, line 2
Explanation: According to the writer, the Ruschlikon lab located in the south of Zurich draws researchers from around the world, with 80% of them coming from abroad.

Question 39: The Ruschlikon lab is a trailblazer in only the field of semiconductors in digital storage technology.

Answer: false
Supporting statement: “...This lab is a leader in digital storage technology and semiconductor and optical electronics for online networks…”
Keywords: lab, leader, digital, storage, technology, semiconductor, optical, electronics, online, networks
Keyword Location: para 4, line 1
Explanation: According to the writer, this lab is a leader in digital storage technology and semiconductor and optical electronics for online networks. Projects to build a top-class nanotechnology research center in the place are going on and will be completed by 2014.