South Pole Adventurer Reading Answers

Dec 7, 2022

South Pole Adventurer Reading Answers contains eight passages and 13 different types of questions. Candidates will be shown various question types with clear instructions in this IELTS Section. Reading Answers comprises three types of questions: Matching heading, sentence completion, and Choose the correct option. For the Matching heading, candidates need to thoroughly go through each passage. For sentence completion, candidates need to skim the passage for keywords and understand the concept. To choose the correct option, candidates must read the IELTS Reading passage and understand the statement provided.

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

Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

South Pole Adventurer Reading Answers

In the race to the South Pole, there was a Japanese team attempting to be first, led by heroic explorer Nobu Shirase

For a few weeks in January 1912, Antarctica was full of explorers. Norwegian Roald Amundsen had reached the South Pole on 14 December and was speeding back to the coast. On 17 January, Robert Scott and the men of the British Antarctic expedition had arrived at the pole to find they had been beaten to it. Just then, a third man arrived; Japanese explorer Nobu Shirase. However, his part in one of the greatest adventure stories of the 20th century is hardly known outside his own country, even by fellow explorers. Yet as Scott was nearing the pole and with the rest of the world still unaware of Amundsen’s triumph, Shirase and his team sailed into Antarctica’s Bay of Whales in the smallest ship ever to try its luck in these dangerous waters. Since boyhood Shirase had dreamed of becoming a polar explorer. Like Amundsen, he initially set his sights on the North Pole. But after the American Robert Peary claimed to have reached it in 1909, both men hastily altered their plans. Instead they would aim for the last big prize: the South Pole. In January 1910, Shirase put his plans before Japanese government officials, promising to raise the flag at the South Pole within three years. For many of them, the question wasn’t could he do it but why would it be worth doing? 15 years earlier the International Geographical Congress had said that as the last unknown continent the Antarctic offered the chance to add to knowledge in almost every branch of science. So, like the British, Shirase presented his expedition as a search for knowledge: he would bring back fossils, make meteorological measurements and explore unknown parts of the continent.

The British team announced their decision to carry out scientific research in Antarctica before Shirase.

The response from the government was cool, however, and Shirase struggled to raise funds. Fortunately, a few months later, Japan’s former prime minister Shigenobu kuma came to Shirase’s rescue. With kuma’s backing, Shirase got together just enough money to buy and equip a small ship. He eventually acquired a scientist, too, called Terutaro Takeda. At the end of November 1910, his ship the Kainan Maru finally left Tokyo with 27 men and 28 Siberian dogs on board. Before leaving, Shirase confidently outlined his plans to the media. He would sail to New Zealand, then reach Antarctica in February, during the southern summer, and then proceed to the pole the following spring. This was not to be, however. Bad weather delayed the expedition and they didn’t reach New Zealand until 8 February; Amundsen and Scott had already been in Antarctica for a month, preparing for winter.

In New Zealand local reporters were astonished: the ship was half the size of Amundsen’s ship. True, it was reinforced with iron plate and extra wood, but the ship had only the feeblest engine to help force its way through ice. Few doubted Shirase’s courage, but most reckoned the expedition to be ill – prepared as the Japanese had only lightweight sledges for transport across the ice, made of bamboo and wood.

But Shirase’s biggest challenge was time. Antarctica is only accessible by sea for a few weeks in summer and expeditions usually aimed to arrive in January or February. ‘Even with their determination and daring, our Japanese friends are running it rather fine,’ wrote local reporters.

Nevertheless, on 11 February the Kainan Maru left New Zealand and sailed straight into the worst weather the captain had ever seen. Then, on 6 March, they approached the coastline of Antarctica’s Ross Sea, looking for a place to land. The ice began to close in, threatening to trap them for the winter, an experience no one was likely to survive. With a remarkable piece of seamanship, the captain steered the ship out of the ice and turned north. They would have to wait out the winter in a warmer climate.

A year later than planned, Shirase and six men finally reached Antarctica. Catching up with Scott or Amundsen was out of the question and he had said he would stick to science this time. Yet Shirase still felt the pull of the pole and eventually decided he would head southward to experience the thrills and hardships of polar exploration he had always dreamed of. With provisions for 20 days, he and four men would see how far they could get.

Shirase set off on 20 January 1912 with Takeda and two dog handlers, leaving two men at the edge of the ice shelf to make meteorological measurements. For a week they struggled through one blizzard after another, holing up in their tents during the worst of the weather. The temperature fell to -25°C, and frostbite claimed some of the dogs. On 26 January, Shirase estimated there were enough provisions to continue for two more days. Two days later, he announced it was time to turn back. Takeda calculated they had reached 80°5 south and had travelled 250 kilometres. The men hoisted the Japanese flag.

On 3 February, all the men were heading home. The ship reached Tokyo in June 1912 – and Shirase was greeted like a hero despite the fact that he never reached the pole. Nor did he contribute much to science – but then nor did Amundsen, whose only interest was in being first to the pole. Yet Shirase’s expedition was heroic. They travelled beyond 80° south, one of only four teams to have gone so far south at the time. Furthermore, they did it all without the advantages of the other teams and with no previous experience.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation
Questions 1-8

Ques 1

Q.1 Shirase's trip to the South Pole is well known to other explorers.

Answer: FALSE
Supporting statement: "However, his part in one of the greatest adventure stories of the 20th century is hardly known outside his own country, even by fellow explorers."
Keywords: own country, fellow explorers
Keyword Location: Paragraph 1, 5th sentence
Explanation:Shirase, a Japanese explorer, joined Norwegian Roald and British explorer Robert Scott as the third people to reach the South Pole. Many people don't know what Nobu Shirase did. Even his fellow explorers scarcely know his adventure tales outside of his own country because they are not particularly well-known. As a result, the aforementioned claim is False.

Q.2 Since Shirase arrived in Antarctica, smaller ships have also made the journey.

Answer: NOT GIVEN
Explanation: NOT GIVEN

Q.3 Shirase's original ambition was to travel to the North Pole.

Answer: TRUE
Supporting statement: "Like Amundsen, he initially set his sights on the North Pole."
Keywords: Amundsen, North Pole
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, 2nd sentence
Explanation: Shirase had always envisioned himself as a polar explorer. When American Robert Peary declared to have reached the North Pole in 1909, he shifted his plans from investigating the North Pole like Amundsen had originally intended. Thus, the aforementioned claim is True.

Q.4 Some Japanese officials thought Shirase's intention to travel to the South Pole was pointless.

Answer: TRUE
Supporting statement: "For many of them, the question wasn't could he do it but why would it be worth doing?"
Keywords: worth doing
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, 5th sentence
Explanation: The Japanese government authorities asked Shirase why he felt the need to investigate the South Pole after hearing about his plans. They weren't sure if his proposal would be worthwhile to carry out or if it would be able to produce the desired results. As a result, the above statement is True.

Q.5 The British team announced their decision to carry out scientific research in Antarctica before Shirase.

Answer: TRUE
Supporting statement: "So like the British, Shirase presented his expedition as a search for knowledge"
Keywords: British, Shirase
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, last sentence
Explanation: Shirase cited the British crew as an example of how to convey his ideas to the government by describing their journey as a quest for knowledge. Shirase didn't make the scientific research announcement until the British team did.

Q.6 Shirase found it easy to raise the money he needed for his trip to the South Pole.

Answer: FALSE
Supporting statement: "The response from the government was cool, however, and Shirase struggled to raise funds."
Keywords: government was cool
Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, 1st sentence
Explanation:Shirase struggled to find funding for his South Pole mission. The government first opposed him, but they later appreciated and embraced the concept. Shigenobu Kuma, Japan's former prime minister, later offered Shirase assistance, and Shirase was able to raise enough cash to purchase and outfit a small ship. Consequently, the aforementioned claim is False.

Q.7 A previous prime minister of Japan persuaded a scientist to go with Shirase.

Answer: TRUE
Supporting statement: "He eventually acquired a scientist, too, called Terutaro Takeda."
Keywords: scientist
Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, 3rd sentence
Explanation: Shigenobu Kuma, a former Japanese prime minister, promised to assist Shirase. In addition to providing financial assistance, he delegated Terutaro Takeda, a physicist, to assist Shirase with his voyage. As a result, the assertion is True.

Q.8 The weather that slowed down Shirase's progress to New Zealand was unusually bad for the season.

Answer: TRUE
Supporting statement: "Bad weather delayed the expedition and they didn't reach New Zealand until 8 February."
Keywords: Bad weather, expedition
Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, 9th sentence
Explanation: It is obvious that Shirase gave the media a detailed description of his ambitions. This indicates that he had already made plans in light of the favorable weather. In February, he intended to travel to Antarctica, but he could not even set off for New Zealand until February 8. According to this, the weather that hindered Shirase's travel to New Zealand was notably terrible for the time of year.

Questions 9-13
Choose the correct letter- A,B,C and D

Q.9 When reporters in New Zealand met Shirase, they were

Ques 2

Answer: concerned about the quality of his equipment.
Supporting statement: "In New Zealand, local reporters were astonished: the ship was half the size of Amundsen's ship."
Keywords: Local Reporter
Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, 7th sentence
Explanation: The fourth paragraph expresses the opinions of the New Zealand-based correspondents. When they realized how big the ship was, they were astounded and questioned Shirase's bravery. Some thought the mission was sick, while others thought it would fail. We get to examine the phrases that support this idea. As a result, the equipment's quality was all the reporters in New Zealand could think about.

Q.10 What are we told about the captain of the Kainan Maru in the fifth paragraph?

Ques 3

Answer: His skill at sailing saved the boat and crew.
Supporting statement: "With a remarkable piece of seamanship, the captain steered the ship out of the ice and turned north."
Keywords: remarkable piece, seamanship
Keyword Location: Paragraph 5, 6th sentence
Explanation:The weather deteriorated as soon as the ship departed New Zealand, making sailing difficult. The ice closed in as they got closer to the Ross Sea coast of Antarctica. The captain demonstrated true seamanship in this circumstance by rescuing the crew and boat.

Q.11 After Shirase finally reached Antarctica he realised that

Ques 4

Answer: he still wanted to compete in the race against the other teams.
Supporting statement: "Yet Shirase still felt the pull of the pole and eventually decided he would head southward to experience the thrills and hardships of polar exploration he had always dreamed of."
Keywords: thrills and hardships
Keyword Location: Paragraph 6, 3rd line
Explanation: Shirase resisted the urge to give up. He didn't want to give up after getting to Antarctica. He made the decision to travel south to experience the challenges and thrills of polar exploration while intending to stick to research. He therefore desired to take part in the race with the other teams.

Q.12 What is the writer doing in the seventh paragraph?

Ques 5

Answer: rejecting the idea that Shirase was poorly prepared.
Supporting statement: "Shirase estimated there were enough provisions to continue for two more days."
Keywords: enough provisions, more days
Keyword Location: Paragraph 7, 4th sentence
Explanation: The seventh paragraph describes how Shirase managed to finish his journey despite having few supplies. He describes how Shirase completed his task successfully over the course of the previous two days while using the predicted resources. It is clear from this that the author disagrees with the notion that Shirase was underprepared.

Q.13 What is the writer's main point in the final paragraph?

Ques 6

Answer: Considering the problem Shirase had to deal with, his achievement was incredible.
Supporting statement: "Yet Shirase's expedition was heroic"
Keywords: expedition, heroic
Keyword Location: The last paragraph, 3rd sentence
Explanation: Shirase was welcomed like a hero when he arrived in Tokyo. Even with all the obstacles, he was still able to travel south of 80 degrees. He lacked prior experience and other advantages that other teams had, but he still made the decision to stand out unlike any other explorer. Shirase accomplished a remarkable feat as a result.

Suggested IELTS Reading Samples