Snow Makers Reading Answers

Oct 19, 2022

Snow Makers Reading Answers have 13 questions that have to be answered in 20 minutes. Snow Makers Reading Answers comprises three types of questions, namely- choose the correct heading, use no more than three words and label the diagram using no more than two words. For matching questions, candidates must read the passage and understand the statement provided. For label the diagram, candidates need to skim the passage for keywords, understand the concept and choose the appropriate answer. Choosing the correct letter requires candidates to identify the relevance of the statements from within the passage. Candidates must read the IELTS reading passage, identify keywords, and recognize synonyms to answer the question.

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Reading Passage Question

Skiing is big business nowadays. But what can ski resort owners do if the snow doesn't come?

In the early to mid twentieth century, with the growing popularity of skiing, ski slopes became extremely profitable businesses. But ski resort owners were completely dependent on the weather: if it didn't snow, or didn’t snow enough, they had to close everything down. Fortunately, a device called the snow gun can now provide snow whenever it is needed. These days such machines are standard equipment in the vast majority of ski resorts around the world, making it possible for many resorts to stay open for months or more a year.
Snow formed by natural weather systems comes from water vapour in the atmosphere. The water vapour condenses into droplets, forming clouds. If the temperature is sufficiently low, the water droplets freeze into tiny ice crystals. More water particles then condense onto the crystal and join with it to form a snowflake. As the snow flake grows heavier, it falls towards the Earth.
The snow gun works very differently from a natural weather system, but it accomplishes exactly the same thing. The device basically works by combining water and air. Two different hoses are attached to the gun. one leading from a water pumping station which pumps water up from a lake or reservoir, and the other leading from an air compressor. When the compressed air passes through the hose into the gun. it atomises the water - that is, it disrupts the stream so that the water splits up into tiny droplets. The droplets are then blown out of the gun and if the outside temperature is below 0°C, ice crystals will form, and will then make snowflakes in the same way as natural snow.
Snow-makers often talk about dry snow and wet snow. Dry snow has a relatively low amount of water, so it is very light and powdery. This type of snow is excellent for skiing because skis glide over it easily without getting stuck in wet slush. One of the advantages of using a snow-maker is that this powdery snow can be produced to give the ski slopes a level surface. However, on slopes which receive heavy use, resort owners also use denser, wet snow underneath the dry snow. Many resorts build up the snow depth this way once or twice a year, and then regularly coat the trails with a layer of dry snow throughout the winter.
The wetness of snow is dependent on the temperature and humidity outside, as well as the size of the water droplets launched by the gun. Snow-makers have to adjust the proportions of water and air in their snow guns to get the perfect snow consistency for the outdoor weather conditions. Many ski slopes now do this with a central computer system that is connected to weather-reading stations all over the slope.
But man-made snow makes heavy demands on the environment. It takes about 275,000 litres of water to create a blanket of snow covering a 60x60 metre area. Most resorts pump water from one or more reservoirs located in low-lying areas. The run-off water from the slopes feeds back into these reservoirs, so the resort can actually use the same water over and over again. However, considerable amounts of energy are needed to run the large air-compressing pumps, and the diesel engines which run them also cause air pollution.
Because of the expense of making snow, ski resorts have to balance the cost of running the machines with the benefits of extending the ski season, making sure they only make snow when it is really needed and when it will bring the maximum amount of profit in return for the investment. But man-made snow has a number of other uses as well. A layer of snow keeps a lot of the Earth’s heat from escaping into the atmosphere, so farmers often use man-made snow to provide insulation for winter crops. Snow-making machines have played a big part in many movie productions. Movie producers often take several months to shoot scenes that cover just a few days. If the movie takes place in a snowy setting, the set decorators have to get the right amount of snow for each day of shooting either by adding man-made snow or melting natural snow. And another important application of man-made snow is its use in the tests that aircraft must undergo in order to ensure that they can function safely in extreme conditions.

Solution with Explanation

Questions 1-5:
Reading Passage 1 has seven paragraphs A-G.
Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.
Write the correct number (i-x) in boxes 1-5 on your answer sheet.

List of headings

Considering ecological costs
Modifications to the design of the snow gun
The need for different varieties of snow
Local concern over environmental issues
A problem and a solution
Applications beyond the ski slopes
Converting wet snow to dry snow
New method for calculating modifications
Artificial process, natural product
Snow formation in nature

Paragraph C

Answer: ix. Artificial process, natural product
Supporting Sentence: The snow gun works very differently from a natural weather system, but it accomplishes exactly the same thing.
Keyword: snow gun, natural
Keyword Location: Paragraph C, 1st line
Explanation: As per the paragraph, a snow gun is used. It works differently from a natural weather system, but it accomplishes exactly the same thing. Hence, Artificial process, natural product is the correct answer.

Paragraph D

Answer: iii. The need for different varieties of snow
Supporting Sentence: Snow-makers often talk about dry snow and wet snow.
Keyword: dry snow, wet snow
Keyword Location: Paragraph D, 1st line
Explanation: The paragraph talks about the various uses of different types of snow. One of the advantages of using a snow-maker is that this powdery snow can be produced to give the ski slopes a level surface. However, on slopes which receive heavy use, resort owners also use denser, wet snow underneath the dry snow.

Paragraph E

Answer: viii. New method for calculating modifications
Supporting Sentence: Many ski slopes now do this with a central computer system that is connected to weather-reading stations all over the slope
Keyword: system, reading
Keyword Location: Paragraph E, last line
Explanation: As per the paragraph, there are different methods to calculate the modifications or changes in snow. Many ski slopes now do this with a central computer system that is connected to weather-reading stations all over the slope. This is also a process for measurement.

Paragraph F

Answer: i. Considering ecological costs
Supporting Sentence: However, considerable amounts of energy are needed to run the large air-compressing pumps, and the diesel engines which run them also cause air pollution.
Keyword: energy, engines, air pollution.
Keyword Location: Paragraph F, last line
Explanation: The passage talks about ecological cost. It says that diesel engines cause air pollution. Hence, Considering ecological costs is the correct answer.

Paragraph G

Answer: vi. Applications beyond the ski slopes
Supporting Sentence: But man-made snow has a number of other uses as well.
Keyword: other, uses
Keyword Location: Paragraph G, 2nd line
Explanation: The passage talks about other uses of snow which goes beyond the ski slopes. Hence, Applications beyond the ski slopes is the correct answer.

Questions 6-8:
Label the diagram below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 6-8 on your answer sheet.

Question 6:

Answer: Compressed
Supporting Sentence: When the compressed air passes through the hose into the gun. it atomises the water - that is, it disrupts the stream so that the water splits up into tiny droplets.
Keyword: compressed, air
Keyword Location: Paragraph C, 4th line
Explanation: The passage says that when compressed air passes through the hose,it atomises water. In the image, the air passes through the hose. Hence, compressed is the right answer.

Question 7:

Answer: (tiny) droplets
Supporting Sentence: When the compressed air passes through the hose into the gun. it atomises the water - that is, it disrupts the stream so that the water splits up into tiny droplets.
Keyword: droplets, water, atomized
Keyword Location: Paragraph C, 4th line
Explanation: The passage says that when compressed air passes through the hose,it atomises water into tiny droplets. In the image, the droplets are shown.

Question 8:

Answer: ice crystals
Supporting Sentence: The droplets are then blown out of the gun and if the outside temperature is below 0°C, ice crystals will form, and will then make snowflakes in the same way as natural snow..
Keyword: snow, out, gun, 0°C
Keyword Location: Paragraph C, last line
Explanation: The passage says that when compressed air passes through the hose,it atomises water into tiny droplets. When these come out of the gun, when the temperature is 0 degrees, it forms ice crystals.

Questions 9-13:
Complete the sentences below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 9-13 on your answer sheet.

Dry snow is used to give slopes a level surface, while wet snow is used to increase the _______ on busy slopes.

Answer: depth
Supporting Sentence: Many resorts build up the snow depth this way once or twice a year, and then regularly coat the trails with a layer of dry snow throughout the winter.
Keyword: depth, resorts, dry snow
Keyword Location: Paragraph D, last line
Explanation: As per the passage, on slopes which receive heavy use, resort owners also use denser, wet snow underneath the dry snow. This way the depth is built.

To calculate the required snow consistency, the __________ of the atmosphere must first be measured.

Answer: temperature and humidity
Supporting Sentence: The wetness of snow is dependent on the temperature and humidity outside, as well as the size of the water droplets launched by the gun.
Keyword: temperature, humidity, wetness
Keyword Location: Paragraph E, 1st line
Explanation: The paragraph tells that to calculate the required snow consistency, the temperature and humidity of the atmosphere must first be measured.

The machinery used in the process of making the snow consumes a lot of _________ which is damaging to the environment.

Answer: energy
Supporting Sentence: However, considerable amounts of energy are needed to run the large air-compressing pumps, and the diesel engines which run them also cause air pollution
Keyword: energy, pumps
Keyword Location: Paragraph F, last line
Explanation: considerable amounts of energy are needed to run the large air-compressing pumps that produces snow. Hence, the correct answer is energy.

Artificial snow is used in agriculture as a type of __________ for plants in cold conditions.

Answer: insulation
Supporting Sentence: A layer of snow keeps a lot of the Earth’s heat from escaping into the atmosphere, so farmers often use man-made snow to provide insulation for winter crops.
Keyword: insulation, farmers
Keyword Location: Paragraph G, 3rd line
Explanation: As per the passage, a layer of snow keeps a lot of the Earth’s heat from escaping into the atmosphere. This is the reason farmers often use man-made snow to provide insulation for winter crops.

Artificial snow may also be used in carrying out safety checks on _________

Answer: aircraft
Supporting Sentence: And another important application of man-made snow is its use in the tests that aircraft must undergo in order to ensure that they can function safely in extreme conditions
Keyword: aircraft. artificial
Keyword Location: Paragraph G, last line.
Explanation: As per the passage, another important application of man-made snow is its use in the tests that aircraft must undergo. It is used to ensure that they can function safely in extreme conditions

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