The Grand Banks Reading Answers

Dec 19, 2022

The Grand Banks Reading Answers is a topic from the IELTS reading section. The IELTS Reading section contains three passages and forty questions. There are different types of questions found in each IELTS reading passage. Candidates need to read the passage carefully and take mental notes of important points in order to answer the questions quickly. The topic The Grand Banks Reading Answers is an IELTS Academic topic. The passage contains the following question types from IELTS Reading Question Types: Matching information, Choose the correct answer, True/False/Not Given. The topic “The Grand Banks Reading Answers” has been taken from the book: IELTS 5 Practice Tests, Academic Set 3. Students can get more topics in IELTS books available. They can also try IELTS reading practice papers which are accessible to the candidates.

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Section 1

Read the passage to answer the following questions

The Grand Banks Reading Answers

The Grand Banks is a large area of submerged highlands south-east of Newfoundland and east ofthe Laurentian Channel on the North American continental shelf. Covering 93,200 square kilometres, the Grand Banks are relatively shallow, ranging from 25 to 100 meters in depth. It is in this area that the cold Labrador Current mixes with the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. The mixing of these waters and the shape of the ocean bottom lifts nutrients to the surface and these conditions created one of the richest fishing grounds in the world. Extensive marine life flourishes in the Grand Banks, whose range extends beyond the Canadian 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and into international waters. This has made it an important part of both the Canadian and the high seas fisheries, with fishermen risking their lives in the extremely inhospitable environment consisting of rogue waves, fog, icebergs, sea ice, hurricanes, winter storms and earthquakes.
While the area’s ‘official’ discovery is credited to John Cabot in 1497, English and Portuguese Vessels are known to have first sought out these waters prior to that, based upon reports they received from earlier Viking voyages to Newfoundland. Several navigators, including Basque fishermen, are known to have fished these waters in the fifteenth century. Some texts from that era refer to a land called Bacalao, ‘the land of the codfish’, which is possibly Newfoundland. However, it was not until John Cabot noted the waters’ abundance of sea life that the existence of these fishing grounds became widely known in Europe. Soon, fishermen and merchants from France, Spain, Portugal and England developed seasonal inshore fisheries producing for European markets. Known as ‘dry’ fishery, cod were split, salted, and dried on shore over the summer before crews returned to Europe. The French pioneered ‘wet’ or ‘green’ fishery on the Grand Banks proper around 1550, heavily salting the cod on board and immediately returning home.
The Grand Banks were possibly the world’s most important international fishing area in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Technological advances in fishing, such as sonar and large factory ships, including the massive factory freezer trawlers introduced in the 1950’s, led to overfishing and a serious decline in the fish stocks. Based upon the many foreign policy agreements Newfoundland had entered into prior to its admittance into the Canadian Confederation, foreign fleets, some from as far away as Russia, came to the Grand Banks in force, catching unprecedented quantities of fish.
Between 1973 and 1982, the United Nations and its member states negotiated the ThirdConvention of the Law of the Sea, one component of which was the concept of nations being allowed to declare an EEZ. Many nations worldwide-declared 200-nautical mile EEZ, including Canada and the United States. On the whole, the EEZ was very well received by fishermen in eastern Canada, because it meant they could fish unhindered out to the limit without fear of competing with the foreign fleets. During the late 1970’s and early 1980s,

Canada’s domestic offshore fleet grew as fishermen and fish-processing companies rushed to take advantage. It was during this time that it was noticed that the foreign fleets were now pushed out to areas of the Grand Banks off Newfoundland outside the Canadian EEZ. By the late 1980’s, dwindling catches of Atlantic cod were being reported throughout Newfoundland and eastern Canada, and the

federal government and citizens of coastal regions in the area began to face the reality that the domestic and foreign overfishing had taken its toll.

The Canadian government was finally forced to take drastic action in 1992, when a total moratorium was declared indefinitely for the northern cod.

Over the last ten years, it has been noted that cod appear to be returning to the Grand Banks in small numbers. The reasons for this fragile recovery are still unknown. Perhaps, the damage done by trawlers is not permanent and the marine fauna and ecosystems can rebuild themselves if given a prolonged period of time without any commercial activity. Either way, the early stage recovery of the Grand Banks is encouraging news, but caution is needed, as, after nearly twenty years of severe limitations, cod stocks are still only at approximately ten percent of 1960’s levels. It is hoped that in another ten to twenty years, stocks may be close to a full recovery, although this would require political pressure to maintain strict limitations on commercial fishing. If cod do come back to the Grand Banks in meaningful numbers, it is to be hoped that the Canadians will not make the same mistakes again.
Further riches have now been found in the Grand Banks. Petroleum reserves have been discovered and a number of oil fields are under development in the region. The vast Hibernia oil field was discovered in 1979, and, following several years of aborted start-up attempts, the Hibernia megaproject began construction of the production platform and gravity base structures in the early 1990’s. Production commenced on November 17, 1997, with initial production rates in excess of 50,000 barrels of crude oil per day from a single well. Hibernia has proven to be the most prolific oil well in Canada. However, earthquake and iceberg activity in the Grand Banks pose a potential ecological disaster that could devastate the fishing grounds that are only now starting to recover.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Questions 14-20.

The reading passage has 6 paragraphs A-F. Which paragraph contains the following information? Write your answers in boxes 14-20 on your answer sheet.

Many countries could legally fish Newfoundland waters because of treaties Newfoundland had made before becoming part of Canada.

Answer: C
Supporting sentence: Based upon the many foreign policy agreements Newfoundland had entered into prior to its admittance into the Canadian Confederation, foreign fleets, some from as far away as Russia, came to the Grand Banks in force, catching unprecedented quantities of fish.
Keywords: agreements, Newfoundland, fish
Keyword Location: Section C, 4th, and 6th line
Explanation: The passage states that before Newfoundland had become a part of Canada, it signed agreements. This agreement allowed many countries to legally fish the Newfoundland waters based upon its foreign policies. This is in sync with the question. The information is available in Paragraph C.

The establishment of the EEZ did not stop overfishing in the Grand Banks.

Answer: D
Supporting sentence: During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Canada’s domestic offshore fleet grew as fishermen and fish-processing companies rushed to take advantage. It was during this time that it was noticed that the foreign fleets were now pushed out to areas of the Grand Banks off Newfoundland outside the Canadian EEZ.
Keywords: Grand Banks, EEZ
Keyword Location: Section D, 2nd paragraph, 3rd line
Explanation: The author states that Canada’s domestic offshore fleet grew. With this growth, many fishermen and fish-processing companies rushed to take advantage by pushing out to the areas of the Grand Banks outside the Canadian EEZ. This resulted in overfishing by EEZ in the Grand Banks. This information is present in Paragraph D, making it the correct option.

Natural disasters could cause oil to destroy what is left of the Grand Banks ecosystem.

Answer: F
Supporting sentence: However, earthquake and iceberg activity in the Grand Banks pose a potential ecological disaster that could devastate the fishing grounds that are only now starting to recover.
Keywords: Earthquake, ecological disaster
Keyword Location: Section F, 7th line
Explanation: The passage states that Natural disasters like earthquakes and iceberg activity pose a threat to potential ecological disaster. This could result in the devastation of the fishing grounds. These natural disasters could cause the oil to destroy what is left in the Grand Banks ecosystem. Hence, F is the correct answer.

The original amount of fish in the Grand Banks was due to different temperature waters mixing.

Answer: A
Supporting sentence: The mixing of these waters and the shape of the ocean bottom lifts nutrients to the surface and these conditions created one of the richest fishing grounds in the world.
Keywords: Mixing, richest fishing grounds
Keyword Location: Section A, 4th, and 6th line
Explanation: The passage directly states that the mixing of water at different temperatures gave birth to one of the richest fishing grounds. Before stating this the author mentions about the water from cold Labrador and the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. This means the mixing of temperatures was the cause. This makes A the correct answer.

East Canadian fishermen were generally happy with the establishment of the Canadian EEZ.

Answer: D
Supporting sentence: On the whole, the EEZ was very well received by fishermen in eastern Canada, because it meant they could fish unhindered out to the limit without fear of competing with the foreign fleets.
Keywords: Eastern Canada, EEZ
Keyword Location: Section D, 4th line
Explanation: The fishermen in eastern Canada could fish unhindered out to the limit without fear of competing with foreign fleets. Hence, they received EEZ very well. This information is present in Paragraph D, making D the correct answer.

Grand Banks' cod stocks are still 90 percent lower than what they were in the 1960s.

Answer: E
Supporting sentence: Either way, the early-stage recovery of the Grand Banks is encouraging news, but caution is needed, as, after nearly twenty years of severe limitations, cod stocks are still only at approximately ten percent of 1960’s levels.
Keywords: cod stocks, percent
Keyword location: Paragraph E, Line 6^th
Explanation: As per the author the cod stocks are still 90 percent lower than they were in the 1960s. This is due to severe limitations put on the Grand Banks. Though this is a piece of encouraging news for the Grand Banks, still caution is needed due to twenty years of severe limitations. The 6^th line of paragraph E proves the point. Hence, E is the correct answer.

The French were the first to prepare the cod aboard their ships before going back to France.

Answer: B
Supporting sentence: The French pioneered ‘wet’ or ‘green’ fishery on the Grand Banks proper around 1550, heavily salting the cod on board and immediately returning home.
Keywords: French, cod on board
Keyword Location: Section B, 9th, and 10th line
Explanation: The passage states that before returning home, the French had pioneered ‘wet’ or ‘green’ fishery on the Grand Banks. They became the first ones to prepare cod on board. Hence, B is the correct answer.

Questions 21-23.

Choose the correct letter A, B, C, or D.
Write the correct letter in boxes 21-23 on your answer sheet.

The first English fishermen to come to the Grand Banks to fish

A) were told about the fishery by Basque fishermen.
B) were sent word about the fishery from the first American colonists.
C) acted on information from previous Viking expeditions.
D) discovered the fishery themselves while exploring.

Answer: C
Supporting sentence: While the area’s official discovery is credited to John Cabot in 1497, English and Portuguese vessels are known to have first sought out these waters prior to that, based upon reports they received
from earlier Viking voyages to Newfoundland.
Keywords: First, Viking
Keyword Location: Section B, 2nd, and 3rd line
Explanation: The passage states that the official discovery was credited to John Cabot in 1497. However, it is known that the English and Portuguese first sought out the waters using the information from previous Viking expeditions. This matches with Option C. Hence, C is the correct answer.

John Cabot's reports of the Grand Banks

A) led to the establishment of the Canadian EEZ.
B) meant the fishery was well known in Europe.
C) led to fighting between rival fishing fleets.
D) were not immediately publicized, so that English fishermen could benefit.

Answer: B
Supporting sentence: However, it was not until John Cabot noted the waters’ abundance of sea life that the existence of these fishing grounds became widely known in Europe. Soon, fishermen and merchants from France, Spain, Portugal, and England developed seasonal inshore fisheries producing for European markets.
Keywords: John Cabot, Europe
Keyword Location: Section B, 5th, and 7th line
Explanation: John Cabot submitted the report of the existence of the fishing grounds that became widely known in Europe. The European market grew as the merchants from France, Spain, Portugal, and England developed seasonal inshore fisheries along with this. This means fishery was well known all over Europe.

The establishment of the Canadian EEZ

A) did not stop foreign fishermen from fishing the Grand Banks.
B) was not ratified by the United Nations.
C) temporarily stopped the overfishing of cod in the Grand Banks.
D) meant Canadian fishermen were excluded from fishing the Grand Banks.

Answer: A
Supporting sentence: It was during this time that it was noticed that the foreign fleets were now pushed out to areas of the Grand Banks off Newfoundland outside the Canadian EEZ.
Keywords: Foreign, Canadian EEZ
Keyword Location: Section D, 2nd Paragraph, 2nd, and 3rd line
Explanation: The passage states that Canada’s domestic offshore fleet grew. This happened because the fishermen and fish-processing companies rushed to take advantage. The establishment of the Canadian EEZ did not stop foreign fishermen from fishing the Grand Banks. hence, option A is the correct answer.

Questions 24-26

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text?
In boxes 24-26 on your answer sheet write:

TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

Even now, cod stocks have shown no signs of recovery in the Grand Banks.

Answer: False
Supporting sentence: Either way, the early-stage recovery of the Grand Banks is encouraging news, but caution is needed, as, after nearly twenty years of several limitations, cod stocks are still only at approximately ten
percent of 1960’s levels.
Keywords: recovery, cod stocks
Keyword Location: Section E, 4th, and 5th line
Explanation: As per the supporting sentence, It is very clear that the cod stocks have definitely shown signs of recovery. The recovery though is not much but is at approximately 10% of 1960’s levels. Hence, the statement is False.

Initial efforts to extract oil from the Grand Banks' Hibernia oil field were unsuccessful.

Answer: TRUE
Supporting sentence: The vast Hibernia oil field was discovered in 1979, and, following several years of aborted start-up attempts, the Hibernia megaproject began construction of the production platform and gravity base
structures in the early 1990s.
Keywords: Hibernia, attempts
Keyword Location: Section F, 2nd, and 3rd line
Explanation: Tha author states that initial efforts were made to extract oil from the Grand Banks’ Hibernia oil field. They were unsuccessful due to the gravity base structures in the area. Hence, the statement is True.

Oil exploration companies have to follow strict safety controls imposed by the Canadian government.

Answer: Not Given
Explanation: There is no information given regarding any ‘Strict safety controls’ to be followed by oil exploration companies imposed by the Canadian government.

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