Tacoma Narrows Bridge Disaster Strikes Reading Answers

Dec 17, 2022

Tacoma Narrows Bridge Disaster Strikes Reading Answers is the topic including 13 number of questions, which should be attempted by the candidates within the given time span of 20 minutes. Tacoma Narrows Bridge Disaster Strikes Reading Answers is a topic discussing about Tacoma Narrows Bridge and how it faced a collision. “Books for practicing IELTS reading passages” is the book from which the given IELTS topic has been taken from. The topic is divided into three types of questions, which are, complete the following sentence, no more than two word, and choose the correct letters. In order to recognize the synonyms and identify the keywords and for answering the questions below, the candidates should thoroughly skim the IELTS reading passage to analyze the gist of the passage. The topics like Tacoma Narrows Bridge Disaster Strikes Reading Answers can be prepared by the candidates by practicing the IELTS reading practice papers.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Tacoma Narrows Bridge Disaster Strikes Reading Answers

When the Tacoma Narrows Bridge opened for traffic on 1 July 1940, it was celebrated as a major engineering achievement. Even before construction was completed, however, flaws in the design were apparent; workers sucked on lemon slices to avoid motion sickness as the structure swayed in the relatively mild winds. Engineers tried three different revisions during construction to address the vibration problem. Initially, tie-down cables were anchored to fifty-tonne bulkheads on the river banks. These were ineffective, as the cables soon detached. Then, a pair of inclined cable locks were introduced to connect die main cables to the bridge deck at mid-span. These stayed throughout the bridge’s lifespan but did nothing to reduce vibration. A further measure – the installation of hydraulic dampers between the towers and the floor system – was nullified because the dampers were compromised when the bridge was sandblasted before painting.

Shortly after opening, the bridge quickly acquired the fond nickname of “Galloping Gertie” because of the way it would roll in either side-to-side or lengthways movements – known in physics terms as the longitudinal and transverse modes of vibration respectively. These movements did not compromise the core integrity of the structure but did make the crossing of a somewhat white-knuckle affair. Many driven reported seeing cars ahead disappear from sight several times as they sank into troughs from transverse vibrations (imagine the ripple across a packed stadium during a Mexican wave). The experience of a longitudinal wave is closely analogous, but more accurately associated with the waves one would encounter in the ocean. On a suspension bridge though, these waves are a unique experience – some daredevils were happy to pay the 75c toll just for the thrill.
Four months later, however, a never-before-seen type of vibration began afflicting the bridge in what were still fairly gentle winds (about 40kmph). Rather than the simple “wave” motion that characterizes longitudinal and transverse vibration, the left side of the bridge would rise while the right side fell, but the centre line of the road would remain completely level. This was proved when two men walked along the centre of the bridge completely unaffected by the rocking motions around them. Visually, the bridge’s movements seemed to be more like a butterfly flapping its wings than a simple rolling motion. Engineers now understand this to be the torsional mode of vibration, and it is extremely hard to detect. In aeroplane design, for example, even minute shifts of die aircraft’s mass distribution and an alteration in one component can affect a component with which it has no logical connection. In its milder forms, this can cause a slight buzzing noise, similar to that which a wasp or a bumblebee makes, but when allowed to develop unchecked, it can eventually cause the total destruction of an aeroplane.
The torsional mode of vibration is dying consequence of a set of actions known as aerostatic flutter. This involves several different elements of a structure oscillating from the effect of wind, with each cycle of fluttering building more energy into the bridge’s movements and neutralizing any structural damping effects. Because the wind pumps in more energy than the structure can dissipate, and the oscillations feed off each other to become progressively stronger, the aerostatic flutter and torsional vibrations were all but assured to destroy the Tacoma Bridge on the morning of 7 November. At 11:00 a.m., the fluttering had increased to such amplitude that the suspender cables were placed under excessive strain. When these budded, the weight of the deck transferred to the adjacent cables which in turn were unable to support the weight. These cables buckled, leaving nothing to stop the central deck breaking off into the Tacoma River.
It was at around 10:15 a.m. on 7 November that torsional vibration began afflicting the bridge. This made driving treacherous, and newspaper editor Leonard Coatsworth’s car was jammed against the curb in the centre of the bridge as he attempted to cross. Coatsworth tried to rescue his daughter’s cocker spaniel from the back seat but was unsuccessful, and fearing for his life, crawled and staggered to safety on his own. At this point, an engineering professor named Beit Farquhatson proceeded onto the bridge in an attempt to save the frightened animal. Farqulunoii had been video-recording from the banks of the river and had just returned from purchasing more rolls of film. As an avowed dog lover, he felt obliged to attempt a rescue. Unfortunately, the professor too was bitten and retreated empty-handed, walking off just moments before the cables snapped and the giant concrete mass of the central deck caved inwards and disappeared into the river.

Section 2

Solution With Explanation

Questions 14-16:

Complete the notes below:
Choose no more than two words from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 14-16 on your answer sheet.

Engineers used various techniques while building the bridge to reduce wobble:

they attached 14…………………. to heavy blocks on the shoreline
they fastened the main cables to the middle of the 15…………………
16……………………. were placed between the tallest parts of the structure and the deck.

Question 14:

Answer: Tie-Down Cables
Supporting sentence: Initially, tie-down cables were anchored to fifty-tonne bulkheads on the river banks.
Keyword: heavy blocks, fifty-tonne bulkheads, tie-down cables
Key Location: Section A, 2nd line
Explanation: The second line of paragraph A implies that to begin with, fifty-ton bulkheads on the river banks served as anchor points for tie-down cables. These were useless because the cords quickly came apart.

Question 15:

Answer: Bridge Deck
Supporting sentence: Then, a pair of inclined cable locks were introduced to connect die main cables to the bridge deck at mid-span.
Keyword: mid-span, main cables, bridge deck
Key Location: Section A, 4th line
Explanation: Line 4 of paragraph A suggests that for the purpose of securing the main cables to the bridge deck at the midpoint of its span, two inclined cable locks were implemented.

Question 16:

Answer: Hydraulic Dampers
Supporting sentence: A further measure – the installation of hydraulic dampers between the towers and the floor system – was nullified because the dampers were compromised when the bridge was sandblasted before painting.
Keyword: tallest parts, towers, deck, floor system
Key Location: Section A, 5th line
Explanation: The fifth line of paragraph A states that the placement of hydraulic dampers between the towers and the floor system, another safety measure, was rendered ineffective since the dampers were damaged during the bridge's sandblasting and priming process.

Questions 17-19:

Complete the table below:

Choose only one word from the passage for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 17-19 on your answer sheet.

Mode of Vibration	Description
17. …………………..	moving repeatedly to the left and right
18. …………………..	Up and down motion; like a wave
Torsional	resembling motions of a 19.…………………..

Question 17:

Answer: Longitudinal
Supporting sentence: Shortly after opening, the bridge quickly acquired the fond nickname of “Galloping Gertie” because of the way it would roll in either side-to-side or lengthways movements – known in physics terms as the longitudinal and transverse modes of vibration respectively.
Keyword: left and right, side-to-side, modes of vibration, longitudinal
Key Location: Section B, 1st line.
Explanation: The beginning part of paragraph B suggests that the bridge immediately earned the affectionate moniker "Galloping Gertie" because to how it would roll either lengthwise or side to side, which are known in physics terms as the longitudinal and transverse modes of vibration, respectively.

Question 18:

Answer: Transverse
Supporting sentence: the bridge quickly acquired the fond nickname of “Galloping Gertie” because of the way it would roll in either side-to-side or lengthways movements – known in physics terms as the longitudinal and transverse modes of vibration respectively.
Keyword: wave, up and down, lengthways, transverse modes
Key Location: Section B, 1st line
Explanation: Line 1 of paragraph B implies that soon after it was first built, the bridge earned the affectionate moniker "Galloping Gertie" for the way it would roll, either lengthwise or side to side. These motions are referred to in physics as the longitudinal and transverse modes of vibration, respectively.

Question 19:

Answer: Butterfly
Supporting sentence: Visually, the bridge’s movements seemed to be more like a butterfly flapping its wings than a simple rolling motion. Engineers now understand this to be the torsional mode of vibration, and it is extremely hard to detect
Keyword: torsional,butterfly, motion
Key Location: Section C, 1st line.
Explanation: Line 1 of paragraph C implies that the bridge appeared to be moving more like a butterfly fluttering its wings than simply rolling. Engineers now recognise this as the torsional mode of vibration, which is incredibly difficult to detect.

Questions 20-24:

Complete the summary below:

Choose no more than two words from the passage for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 20-24 on your answer sheet.

20………………….. is a series of actions leading to torsional oscillation. Various components move back and forth from the force of the 21…………………. eventually, the structure absorbs more 22………………….. than it is able to disperse and the 23…………………… increase in intensity until the structure collapses under the 24………………..

Question 20:

Answer: Aerostatic Flutter
Supporting sentence: The torsional mode of vibration is a dying consequence of a set of actions known as aerostatic flutter.
Keyword: set of actions, torsional oscillation,
Key Location: Section D, 1st line
Explanation: First line of paragrpah D states that the aerostatic flutter is a combination of behaviours that leads to the dying torsional mode of vibration.

Question 21:

Answer: Wind
Supporting sentence: This involves several different elements of a structure oscillating from the effect of wind, with each cycle of fluttering building more energy into the bridge’s movements and neutralizing any structural damping effects.
Keyword: oscillating, the effect of wind
Key Location: Section D, 2nd line
Explanation: The second line of paragraph D suggests that a series of events known as aerostatic flutter has the effect of killing the torsional mode of vibration. This entails a variety of structural components oscillating as a result of the wind's force, with each cycle of fluttering adding to the energy of the bridge's movements and removing any structural dampening effects.

Question 22:

Answer: Energy
Supporting sentence: Because the wind pumps in more energy than the structure can dissipate, and the oscillations feed off each other to become progressively stronger.
Keyword: absorb energy, disperse, dissipate, wind
Key Location: Section D, 3rd line
Explanation: Line 3 of paragraph D explains that since the wind pours in more energy than the structure can expend, the oscillations feed off one another to get stronger and stronger.

Question 23:

Answer: Oscillations/Vibrations
Supporting sentence: At 11:00 a.m., the fluttering had increased to such amplitude that the suspender cables were placed under excessive strain.
Keyword: fluttering, amplitude, excessive strain.
Key Location: Section D, 1st line
Explanation: Line 1 of paragraph D suggests that when the flapping reached its peak at 11:00 a.m., the suspender cables were put under too much stress.

Question 24:

Answer: Strain
Supporting sentence: At 11:00 a.m., the fluttering had increased to such amplitude that the suspender cables were placed under excessive strain.
Keyword: fluttering, collapse, intensity, amplitude, excessive strain.
Key Location:Section D, 1st line
Explanation: Line 1 of paragraph D explains that the fluttering had grown so loud by 11:00 a.m. that the suspender cables were put through too much stress.

Question 25 & 26:

Choose TWO letters. A—E.

Write your answers in boxes 25 and 26 on your answer sheet.

Which TWO of the following were on the bridge at the time of the collapse?

filming equipment
a small dog
Leonard Coatsworth’s daughter
a vehicle
Professor Farquharson

Question 25:

Answer: B
Supporting sentence: Coatsworth tried to rescue his daughter’s cocker spaniel from the back seat but was unsuccessful, and fearing for his life, crawled and staggered to safety on his own.
Keyword: rescue, crawled and staggered, retreated empty-handed, cables snapped
Key Location: Section E, 2nd line
Explanation: Line 2 of paragraph E states that Coatsworth attempted to get his daughter's cocker spaniel out of the back seat but was unable. Out of desperation, he crawled and struggled to escape by himself. Therefore, option B is one of the right choice for this question.

Question 26:

Answer: D
Supporting sentence: This made driving treacherous, and newspaper editor Leonard Coatsworth’s car was jammed against the curb in the centre of the bridge as he attempted to cross.
Keyword: jammed, centre of the bridge, crawled back, own safety
Key Location: Section E, 2nd line
Explanation: The second portion of paragraph E implies that due to the hazardous driving conditions, newspaper editor Leonard Coatsworth was unable to cross the bridge since his car was parked in the middle of it and pressed up against the curb. Therefore, option D will be another correct choice as an answer for this question.

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