The Search For Life In Outer Space IELTS Reading Answers

Jan 17, 2023

The Search For Life In Outer Space IELTS Reading Answers contains sample answers about outer space and possibility of life. The Search For Life In Outer Space IELTS Reading Answers has 12 different questions. IELTS The Search For Life In Outer Space IELTS Reading Answers contains three types of questions: write no more than one word, true/false, not given and choose the correct letter. Candidates are required to read the IELTS Reading passage and answer the questions in no more than one word. Candidates are required to state whether the given statement is true, false or not given in the passage. Candidates are supposed to choose the correct letter from the options given to answer the given questions. Candidates can gain proficiency on diverse topics by undertaking IELTS Reading practice papers.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

The Search For Life In Outer Space IELTS Reading Answers

Ever since the human mind has been able to think outside the box and the extent of outer space has gradually become known, the question of whether we are alone or not has fascinated us. The possibility of a different type of life, in imaginable or unimaginable forms, has shaped scientific research and the development of different cultures and traditions around the world.
When Galileo Galilei, an Italian astronomer, first detected Mars with a primitive telescope in 1609, mankind was, for the first time, confronted with the idea that planet Earth was probably not the centre of the universe. Other planets, even greater than Earth, possibly dominated the space around us. Astronomer Schiaparelli's observations two hundred and seventy years later resulted in a superficial map of Mars' surface being constructed, containing linear features.
These, Schiaparelli said, hinted at waterways, possibly created by an intelligent race. Even though these observations were later discarded and described as an optical illusion, the hope of another form of life on Mars was not completely given up until the 1960's, when NASA's Mariner spacecraft landed on Mars and finally provided photographs and scientific evidence that gave proof of the uninhabitable nature of Earth's red neighbour. However, when the idea of life in outer space is discussed, Mars is often still brought up as one of the first subjects, and this is possibly due to its early discovery in mankind's search of the universe around us.
A study released recently reports that ancient Mars harboured a form of nitrogen that could potentially have been used by microbes, if any existed, to build key molecules, such as amino acids. Drilled samples from a sedimentary mudstone had previously allowed Mars- rover team members to conclude that, billions of years ago, the area was part of a potentially life-supporting lake-and-stream system. The discovery of fixed nitrogen contributes to this habitability picture. This, however, is not the kind of life that people often think about. The discovery of an intelligent life would be more sensational than a tiny microbe.
Today, different projects and organisations have tried to shed light on the controversial issue of intelligent life in outer space. The SETI organisation, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence and the largest organisation of its kind, has not seen any success in the past fifty years. Even though this does not eliminate the possibility of other forms of life, it does imply that if they do exist, they do so far from our reach, and these distances complicate any advances in the field. Radio messages and light impulses are seen as methods to communicate with other races, and SETI as well as other organisations and research facilities operate and have operated with these signals. It is likely that lasers will be developed to exploit their even greater range within a few years.
In the past, several attempts to communicate and give evidence of our existence have been made, though without notable success. The "Wow Signal" is regarded as being an exception. It was a signal picked up by a telescope at an American university in 1977 and appeared to have all the right characteristics to have originated from an intelligent species. The fact that no signal was ever received from the same area of the sky again led to the event being regarded as a coincidence or a misinterpretation. However, attempts to communicate and make ourselves known through signals sent to space are now handled with caution. The opinion that this may bring danger to mankind's existence is not as abstract as it has been presented in many science fiction movies, and scientists as well as astronomers are reluctant to pursue active signalling. It should also be considered that several conditions would need to be present in order for success to occur. Firstly, the extra-terrestrial species would need to have similar technological facilities to ours. Secondly, they would want to make themselves become known, which may not be the case. Thirdly, and most importantly though, they would need to exist at the same time as us, which, considering the large time spans of the universe, is quite unlikely.
Due to technological restrictions, the search for extra-terrestrial life has, for the time being, been limited to our own and some parts of nearby solar systems. Evidence of water vapour and ozone in the atmosphere of another planet are good conditions for most forms of life to exist and are therefore key elements that scientists try to research and identify in order to describe a planet as inhabitable. Even though some people argue that the conditions humans need to survive should not necessarily be the same for other forms of life, it is logical to conclude that these conditions are likely to be needed by another race, as the universe uses a similar chemistry.
However, due to the fact that the development from single cells to multiple cells is very unlikely and the emergence of intelligence is even more unlikely, many renowned scientists are now less optimistic and are convinced that, at present, we are the only intelligent species in this galaxy.
The new and unknown has always fascinated us, and this is why scientists, astronomers and organisations like the SETI refuse to give up the search. The chances of success are difficult to estimate and probably low, but if no attempts are made, the chance of a discovery is zero.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Questions 28 - 35

Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 28 - 35 on your answer sheet.

The History and Role of Mars in the Search for Life
- In 1609, Galileo Galilei's early use of a (28).......... led to his discovery of Mars.
- It became questionable whether Earth is the centre of the universe.
- The creation of a map of Mars' surface with what Schiaparelli's thoughts were (29)..... brought up the idea of a civilisation on Mars.
- NASA's Mariner spacecraft finally proved that Mars was (30)...

Mars is still a common subject when discussing alien life.

Recent Discoveries on Mars

- A certain type of nitrogen used to make amino acids and microbes has been found in mudstone (31).......... drilled by the Mars-rover.
- The discovery has led to conclusions of ancient lakes and streams on

Mars.

- Not the sensational type of extra-terrestrial being usually imagined.

Research Organisations and Signalling

- The search for intelligent life in outer space is still regarded as (32).......…
- The possibility of other forms of life is not impossible, but great (33)........…... , make communication difficult.
- Radio messages and light impulses have been used in the past.
- In the near future, (34).......... will probably be used, as they will have a better (35).....

Question:28

Answer: Telescope
Supporting Sentence: When Galileo Galilei, an Italian astronomer, first detected Mars with a primitive telescope in 1609
Keyword : mars, detected, Galileo Galilei
Keyword Location: paragraph 2, line 1
Explanation: Galileo Galilei, an Italian astronomer, is credited with discovering Mars for the first time in 1609 using a crude telescope. The concept that the planet Earth probably wasn't the centre of the cosmos was first introduced to humanity. This is stated in the first few lines of paragraph 2.

Question:29

Answer: Waterways
Supporting Sentence: These, Schiaparelli said, hinted at waterways, possibly created by an intelligent race.
Keyword : Schiaparelli, intelligent race, created
Keyword Location: paragraph 3, line 1
Explanation: It is said that astronomer Schiaparelli's observations led to the creation of a superficial map of Mars' surface. It had linear characteristics. These, according to Schiaparelli, suggested that waterways may have been made by an intelligent race.

Question:30

Answer: Uninhabitable
Supporting Sentence: photographs and scientific evidence that gave proof of the uninhabitable nature of Earth's red neighbour
Keyword : photographs, evidence, proof
Keyword Location: paragraph 3, line 5
Explanation: It is said that in the 1960s, a NASA spacecraft named Mariner touched down on Mars. It offered images and other scientific evidence that proved the red neighbour of Earth's is uninhabitable.

Question:31

Answer: samples
Supporting Sentence: drilled samples from a sedimentary mudstone had previously allowed Mars- rover team
Keyword : sedimentary, mudstone, mars rover team
Keyword Location: paragraph 4, line 3
Explanation: The result was previously reached by the Mars rover crew, it is said, using drill samples from a sedimentary mudstone. The area was found to have formerly been a part of a lake and stream system that may have supported life billions of years ago.

Question:32

Answer: Controversial
Supporting Sentence: have tried to shed light on the controversial issue of intelligent life in outer space
Keyword : shed light, controversial, intelligent life, outer space
Keyword Location: paragraph 5, line 1
Explanation: The controversial topic of intelligent life in space has reportedly been the focus of numerous projects and organisations. This is stated in paragraph 5, line 1.

Question:33

Answer: Distances
Supporting Sentence: it does imply that if they do exist, they do so far from our reach, and these distances complicate any advances in the field
Keyword : imply, distances, reach, complicate
Keyword Location: paragraph 5, line 5
Explanation: It is claimed that although if this does not rule out the possibility of the existence of other living forms, it does imply that if they do, they are present. These distances make any field advancements more difficult because they occur so far from our vantage point.

Question:34

Answer: Lasers
Supporting Sentence: It is likely that lasers will be developed to exploit their even greater range within a few years.
Keyword : exploit, greater, range
Keyword Location: paragraph 5, last line
Explanation: The final sentence of paragraph five suggests that lasers will be developed soon to utilise their even greater range.

Question:35

Answer: Range
Supporting Sentence: It is likely that lasers will be developed to exploit their even greater range within a few years.
Keyword : exploit, greater, range
Keyword Location: paragraph 5, last line
Explanation: The final sentence of paragraph five suggests that lasers will be developed soon to utilise their even greater range.

Questions 36 - 38

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text?

In boxes 36 - 38 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

The "Wow Signal" was rejected as alien contact, as it was believed to be the result of deliberate manipulation by a research member.

Answer: False
Supporting Sentence: It was a signal picked up by a telescope at an American university in 1977
Keyword : signal, picked, telescope
Keyword Location: paragraph 6, line 2-3
Explanation: The "Wow Signal" is said to be considered as an exception. In 1977, a telescope at an American university detected the signal. It seemed to possess all the necessary traits to have come from an intelligent species.

Scientists are confident to continue signalling, as the danger of this process for Earth and its inhabitants is regarded to be non-existent.

Answer: False
Supporting Sentence: scientists as well as astronomers are reluctant to pursue active signalling
Keyword : reluctant, pursue, active, signalling
Keyword Location: paragraph 6, line 10
Explanation: The use of signals sent into space for communication and self-identification is said to be handled cautiously at the moment. The idea that this would endanger humanity's existence is not as nebulous as it has been made out to be. The pursuit of active signalling is resisted by both scientists and astronomers.

Active signalling on a continuous basis is necessary in order to obtain possible answers from races of outer space.

Answer: Not Given
Explanation: Relevant information regarding the statement is not given in the passage.

Questions 39 and 40

Choose the correct letter A, B, C or D.

The key condition to finding intelligent life in the universe is

that it would have to use similar technology to us.
that it would want to be found.
that it would have to be in a galaxy near enough to travel to.
it would have to live in the same time period as us.

Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: they would need to exist at the same time as us
Keyword : exist, same time, us
Keyword Location: paragraph 6, 2nd last line
Explanation: The most crucial requirement, though, is that they would have to coexist with humans at the same time. This is incredibly unlikely, though, given the vast lengths of time in the cosmos.

Scientists are now less optimistic that extraterrestrial intelligent life exists, because

the universe uses a complex chemistry for its basic functions.
intelligence is hardly measurable.
the conversion from single cells to multiple cells is not probable.
if it were there, we'd have found it already.

Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: due to the fact that the development from single cells to multiple cells is very unlikely
Keyword : development, single cells, multiple cells
Keyword Location: paragraph 8, line 1
Explanation: This is said to be the case since the creation of several cells from a single cell is extremely improbable. Even more improbable is the development of intelligence. Since we are currently the sole intelligent species in this galaxy, many eminent scientists have lost hope in this theory.