Robots At Work - IELTS General Reading Sample With Explanation

IELTS Reading section consists of three passages and forty questions in total. Candidates will get one hour to solve all the questions. This IELTS reading sample - Robots at Work is an IELTS General Training topic.

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Most IELTS general reading topics are based on general interest passages that candidates will encounter every day. IELTS reading practice papers contain a huge range of topics and questions. This passage contains two types of questions:

1. Matching Headings
2. Flow-chart Completion

Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Robots At Work IELTS General Reading Sample

1. The newspaper production process has come a long way from the old days when the paper was written, edited, typeset and ultimately printed in one building with the journalists working on the upper floors and the printing process going on the ground floor. These days the editor, sub-editors and journalists who put the paper together are likely to find themselves in a totally different building or maybe even in a different city. This is the situation which now prevails in Sydney. The daily paper is compiled at the editorial headquarters, known as a prepress centre, in the heart of the city, but printed far away in the suburbs at the printing centre. Here human beings are in the minority as much of the work is done by automated machines controlled by computers.
2. Once the finished newspaper has been created for the next morning’s edition, all the pages are transmitted electronically from the prepress centre to the printing centre. The system of transmission is an update on the sophisticated page facsimile system already in use in many other newspapers. An image setter at the printing centre delivers the pages as films. Each page takes less than a minute to produce, although for colour pages four versions, one each for block, cyan , magenta and yellow are sent. The pages are then processed into photographic negatives and the film is used to produce aluminium printing plates ready for the presses.
3. A procession of automated vehicles is busy at the new printing centre where the Sydney morning herald is printed each day. With lights flashing and warning horns honking, the robots ( to give them their correct name, the LGVs or the Laser Guided Vehicles) look for all the world like enthusiastic machines from a science fiction movie, as they follow their own random paths around the plant busily getting on with their jobs. Automation of this kind is now standard in all modern newspaper plants. The robots can detect unauthorised personnel and alert security staff immediately if they find an ‘intruder’; not surprisingly, tall tales are already being told about the machines starting to take on personalities of their own.
4. The robots’ principal job, however, is to shift the newsprint ( the printing paper) that arrives at the plant in huge reels and emerges at the other end sometime later as newspapers. Once the size of the day’s paper and the publishing order are determined at the head office, the information is purchased into the computer and the LGVs are programmed to go about their work. The LGVs collect the appropriate size paper reels and take them where they have to go. When the press needs another reel its computer alerts the LGV system. The Sydney LGVs move busily around the press room fulfilling their true key functions to collect reels of newsprint either from the reel stripping stations or from the racked supplies in the newsprint storage area. At the stripping station, the tough wrapping that helps to protect a reel of paper from rough handling is removed. Any damaged paper is peeled off and the reel is then weighed.
5. Then one of the four pastor-robots moves in. Specially designed for the job, it trims the paper neatly and prepares the reel for the press. If required the reel can be loaded directly onto the press; if not needed immediately, an LGV takes it to the storage area. When the press computer calls for a reel, an LGV takes it to the reel loading area of the presses. It lifts the reel into the loading position and places it in the correct spot with complete accuracy. As each reel is used up, the press drops the heavy cardboard core into a waste bin. When the bin is full, another LGV collects it and deposits the core into a shredder for recycling.
6. The LGVs move at walking speed. Should anyone step in front of one or get too close, sensors top the vehicle until the path is clear. The company has chosen a laser guide function system for the vehicle because, as the project development manager says “The beauty of it is that if you want to change the routes, you can work out a new route on your computer and lay it down for them to follow”. When an LGV’s batteries run low, it will take itself offline and go to the nearest battery maintenance point for replacement batteries. And all this is achieved with absolute minimum human input and a much reduced risk of injury to people working in the printing centres.
7. The question newspaper workers must now ask, however is, “how long will it be before the robots are writing the newspapers as well as running the printing centre, churning out the latest edition every morning?”

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Section 2

Solution and Explanation
Questions 28-33
Reading Passage has seven paragraphs.
Choose the correct heading for each para from the list of headings below.
Write the accurate number on your answer sheet.

List of Headings

1. Robots working together
2. Preparing LGVs for take-over
3. Looking ahead
4. The LGVs' main functions
5. Split location for newspaper production
6. Newspapers superseded by technology
7. Transferring the newspaper to the printing center
8. Controlling the robots
9. Beware of robots!

(Guide: Candidates need to answer the questions by selecting the correct options)

28. Section A

Answer: v

Supporting Sentence: These times the editor, assistants, and journalists who put the paper collected are probable to find themselves in a completely different building or maybe in a different city.

Keyword: Split Location, Different building, Different City

Keyword Location: First Paragraph, 2nd Line

Explanation: The newspaper production process has changed vastly in this modern era. In older times, the newspaper used to be written, edited, typed, and printed in one place itself whereas now the newspaper is written at one place and printed at another. The Heading ‘Split location for newspaper production is appropriate.

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29. Section B

Answer: vii

Supporting Sentence: When the finished newspaper has been generated for the afterward morning’s edition, entirely the pages are transmitted electronically from the prepress center to the printing center.

Keyword: Transmitted, Printing Centre

Keyword Location: Second Paragraph, 1st Line

Explanation: Every day when the task of creating the newspaper has been finished for the morning edition, it is then sent to the printing center to be printed. Every page takes less than a minute to be produced along with the pages being then transmitted into photographic negatives and then on aluminum plates to be pressed. The Heading ‘Getting the newspaper to the printing center’ is appropriate.

30. Section D

Answer: iv

Supporting Sentence: The robots can detect unauthorized personnel and alert security staff immediately if they find an “intruder”; not surprisingly, tall tales are already being told about the machines starting to take on personalities of their own.

Keyword: Jobs, laser-guided vehicles, robots, detect

Keyword Location: Fourth Paragraph, 2nd Line, and 3rd Line

Explanation: The robots being called LGV’s or Laser guided vehicles have lights flashing and horns honking. They usually follow their own random paths to perform their jobs or duties thoroughly. They detect illegal personnel and alert the security. The Heading ‘The LGVs' main functions’ is appropriate.

31. Section E

Answer: i

Supporting Sentence: The LGVs gather the suitable size paper reels and take them where they have to go. When the press wants another reel its computer alerts the LGV method. The Sydney LGVs move busily around the press room achieving their two key functions to collect reels of newsprint either from the reel stripping stations or from the racked materials in the newsprint storage area.

Keywords: LGV’s, robots

Keyword Location: Fifth Paragraph, 1st Line and 2nd Line

Explanation: Whenever the press needs any work to be done, the press alerts the LGVs or robots. The LGV’s together move busily around the press fulfilling their key functions. The Heading ‘Robots working together’ is appropriate.

32. Section F

Answer: viii

Supporting Sentence: The company has chosen a laser guide function system for the vehicles because, as the project development manager says “The beauty of it is that if you want to change the ways, you can work out a fresh route on your computer and lay it down for them to follow”.

Keywords: Functions, batteries, reduced risk of injury to people

Keyword Location: Sixth Paragraph, 1st Line and 2nd Line

Explanation: The robots move at walking speed and stop if anyone gets too close. Whenever the LGV’s batteries run low they automatically turn offline and replace batteries. It leads to minimum human input and gives reduced the risks of injury to people working. The Heading ‘Controlling the robots’ is appropriate.

33. Section G

Answer: iii

Supporting Sentence: The question newspaper workers must now ask is, however how long will it take before the robots are writing the newspapers as well as running the printing center or churning out the latest edition every morning?

Keyword: question, ask

Keyword Location: Seventh Paragraph, 1st line

Explanation: Now that the robots have been doing around so much, the only question to be asked or to be concerned about is how long it must take for them to run the printing center. The Heading ‘Looking Ahead’ is appropriate.

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Question 34-41
Complete the table below.
Choose ONE WORD from Reading Passage for every answer.
Write your answers on your answer sheet.

34. The final version of the text is ____________ to the print centre.

Answer: Transmitted

Supporting Sentence: Once the finished newspaper has been created for the next morning’s edition, all the pages are transmitted electronically from the prepress centre to the printing centre.

Keyword: transmitted

Keyword location: Para B

Explanation: The supporting sentence states that the moment the completed newspaper has been created for the upcoming morning’s edition, all the pages are ‘transmitted electronically’ from the ‘prepress center to the printing centre’. Therefore, the selected answer ‘transmitted’ is right.

35. The pages are converted into ____________.

Answer: Photographic

Supporting Sentence: The pages are then processed into photographic negatives and the film is used to produce aluminium printing plates ready for the presses.

Keyword: photographic negatives

Keyword location: Para B

Explanation: The question asked what are the pages converted into. The supporting sentence tells that the pages are converted into photographic negatives. The film is utilized to produce aluminum printing plates which are then ready for the presses. The answer selected is ‘photographic’ which is correct.

36. ___________ are made for use in the printing presses.

Answer: Printing plates

Supporting Sentence: The pages are then processed into photographic negatives and the film is used to produce aluminium printing plates ready for the presses.

Keyword: printing plates

Keyword location: Para B

Explanation: The question asks what is made for use in the printing presses. The supporting sentence provides information about how the pages are converted into photographic negatives, and the film is also utilized in producing aluminum printing plates which are finalized for the presses.

37. The LGVs are ___________ by computer.

Answer: Programmed

Supporting Sentence: Once the size of the day’s paper and the publishing order are determined at the head office, the information is purchased into the computer and the LGVs are programmed to go about their work.

Keyword: LGVs, programmed

Keyword location: Para D

Explanation: The question asks about LGVs and their relation to the computer. The answer is ‘programmed’ and that is justified by the supporting sentence. The supporting sentence states that the moment the information and the publishing order are finalized by the head office, the computers are made to function the information and the LGVs are programmed to go about their work.

38. The LGVs remove the __________ from the reel.

Answer: Damaged paper

Supporting Sentence: At the stripping station, the tough wrapping that helps to protect a reel of paper from rough handling is removed. Any damaged paper is peeled off and the reel is then weighed.

Keyword: protect, damaged paper

Keyword location: Para D

Explanation: The question asks what the LGVs remove from the reel. The answer is damaged paper. The supporting sentence states that while at the stripping station, the tough wrapping at the outer surface which is provided to protect the reel of paper from ‘rough handling’ is removed. If there is any damaged paper it is ‘peeled off’ and ‘the reel is then weighed’.

39. The reel is _________.

Answer: Weighed

Supporting Sentence: Any damaged paper is peeled off and the reel is then weighed.

Keyword: weighed

Keyword location: Para D

Explanation: The supporting sentence justifies the answer ‘weighed’. It is told that after any damaged paper is removed from the reel, it is ultimately weighed for further processing.

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40. The reel is cropped and prepared by the _____________.

Answer: Pastor Robots

Supporting Sentence: Then one of the four pastor-robots moves in. Specially designed for the job, it trims the paper neatly and prepares the reel for the press.

Keyword: pastor-robots

Keyword location: Para E

Explanation: It is the pastor robots who crops and prepares the reel. One of the four pastor robots functions to do the work they are assigned. Their work is to properly trim the paper, and then prepare the reel for the press.

41. The reel is taken to the ___________.

Answer: Storage Area

Supporting Sentence: The Sydney LGVs move busily around the press room fulfilling their true key functions to collect reels of newsprint either from the reel stripping stations or from the racked supplies in the newsprint storage area.

Keyword: storage area

Keyword location: Para D

Explanation: The work of the Sydney LGVs are to constantly move around the press room and collect the reels of newsprint ‘either from the reel stripping stations or from the racked supplies in the newsprint storage areas’.