Tidal Power - IELTS Reading Sample With Explanation
IELTS reading section assesses the examinee's reading skills over a set of passages and 40 questions of different kinds. The IELTS Reading test helps students in improving their skills which includes reading, accessing and analyzing. In this IELTS Reading Section, there are few questions divided into sets, each demanding the performance of a different type of task.
The following IELTS reading sample -Tidal Power has two question types:
- Selecting the right paragraph
- Choosing the proper word(s) from the material
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Section 1
Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions
Tidal Power IELTS Reading Sample
Section 2
Solution and Explanation
Questions 1-4
Reading Passage has six paragraphs, A-F.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter, A-F, in boxes 1-4 on your answer sheet.
NB You may use any letter more than once.
- the location of the first test site
Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: The first station is expected to be installed off Lynmouth in Devon shortly to test the technology in a venture jointly funded by the Department of Trade and Industry and the European Union.
Keyword: test
Keyword Location: Section C, 3rd line
Explanation: in the C paragraph, it is mentioned that the location for the first site testing had been finalized at Lynmouth in Devon. This technology for which the first location site was expected to be established as a joint venture of the Department of Trade and Industry and the European Union. Hence, C is the correct answer.
Read More IELTS Reading Related Samples
- a way of bringing the power produced on one site back into Britain
Answer: E
Supporting Sentence: the single undersea turbine farm would produce far more power than needed for the Channel Islands and most would be fed into the French Grid and be re-imported into Britain via the cable under the Channel.
Keyword: undersea turbine
Keyword Location: Section E, 2nd line
Explanation: In section E, It is clearly mentioned that the way through which the power produced in the Channel Islands could be brought back or re-imported to Britain is through the Cable network. Hence the correct answer is E.
- a reference to a previous attempt by Britain to find an alternative source of energy
Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: Unlike wind power, which Britain originally developed and then abandoned for 20 years allowing the Dutch to make it a major industry, undersea turbines could become a big export earner to island nations such as Japan and New Zealand.
Keyword: wind power
Keyword Location: Section A, 6th line
Explanation: In section A, it is clearly mentioned that Britain had made a previous attempt by generating a source of energy with the help of wind power. However, they abandoned wind power as a source of energy and gave way to allowing the Dutch to make wind energy their major industry. Hence the correct answer is A.
- mention of the possibility of applying technology from another industry
Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: The technology for dealing with the hostile saline environment under the sea has been developed in the North Sea oil industry and much is already known about turbine blade design, because of wind power and ship propellers.
Keyword: technology
Keyword Location: Section C, 6th line
Explanation: In section C, it is clearly mentioned that to deal with the saline water of the sea while generating energy, technologies have been used from the North Sea oil industry. Since many details have been known about the turbine blade designs with the help of wind power and ship propellers, this technology from the North Sea oil industry helped. Hence, C is the correct answer.
Questions 5-9
Choose FIVE letters, A-J.
Write the correct letters in boxes 5-9 on your answer sheet.
Which FIVE of the following claims about tidal power are made by the writer?
- It is a more reliable source of energy than wind power.
- It would replace all other forms of energy in Britain.
- Its introduction has come as a result of public pressure.
- It would cut down on air pollution.
- It could contribute to the closure of many existing power stations in Britain.
- It could be a means of increasing national income.
- It could face a lot of resistance from other fuel industries.
- It could be sold more cheaply than any other type of fuel.
- It could compensate for the shortage of inland sites for energy production.
- It is best produced in the vicinity of coastlines with particular features.
5.
Answer: A, D, E, F, J IN ANY ORDER
Supporting Sentence: Operating on the same principle as wind turbines, the power in sea turbines comes from tidal currents which turn blades similar to ships’ propellers, but, unlike wind, the tides are predictable and the power input is constant
Keyword: principle
Keyword Location: Section A, 1st line
Explanation: In Section A, it is clearly mentioned that using sea turbines as the source of producing energy is a better way than wind energy because the tides can be predicted and the power input is always constant but it is not the case in the wind. Hence the correct answer is A, D, E, F, J.
6.
Answer: A, D, E, F, J IN ANY ORDER
Supporting Sentence: The technology raises the prospect of Britain becoming self-sufficient in renewable energy and drastically reducing its carbon dioxide emissions.
Keywords: renewable energy, carbon dioxide emissions
Keyword Location: Section A, 4th line
Explanation: In section A, it Is mentioned that the tidal waves have made it possible for Britain to become self-reliant in the field of power generation with the help of renewable energy and it has also reduced the chances of the emission of carbon dioxide. Hence the correct answer is A, D, E, F, J.
7.
Answer: A, D, E, F, J IN ANY ORDER
Supporting Sentence: If tide, wind, and wave power are all developed, Britain would be able to close gas, coal, and nuclear power plants and export renewable power to other parts of Europe.
Keyword: renewable power
Keyword Location: Section A, 6th line
Explanation: In section A, it is mentioned that if Britain would have been able to develop all three renewable sources of energy like the tide, wave, and wind power, they could easily shut down nuclear, gas, and coal power plants. Also, they could export the power generated from renewable energy to other parts of Europe. Hence the correct answer is A, D, E, F, J.
8.
Answer: A, D, E, F, J IN ANY ORDER
Supporting Sentence: If tide, wind, and wave power are all developed, Britain would be able to close gas, coal, and nuclear power plants and export renewable power to other parts of Europe.
Keyword: renewable power
Keyword Location: Section A, 6th line
Explanation: In section A, it is mentioned that if Britain would have been able to develop all three renewable sources of energy like the tide, wave, and wind power, they could easily shut down nuclear, gas, and coal power plants. Also, they could export the power generated from renewable energy to other parts of Europe. Hence the correct answer is A, D, E, F, J.
9.
Answer: A, D, E, F, J IN ANY ORDER
Supporting Sentence: The best sites are between islands or around heavily indented coasts where there are strong tidal currents.
Keyword: best sites
Keyword Location: Section C, 13th line
Explanation: In section C, it is clearly mentioned that, to generate energy from tidal power, the best location to find the strong tidal currents are around heavily indented coastlines or between two islands where tides are generated to their maximum capacity. Hence, the correct answer is A, D, E, F, J.
Questions 10-13
Label the diagram below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 10-13 on your answer sheet.
10.
Answer: maintenance
Supporting Sentence: the towers will stick out of the water and be lit, warn shipping, and also be designed to be lifted out of the water for maintenance and to clean seaweed from the blades.
Keyword: tower
Keyword Location: Section D, 6th line
Explanation: the tower used while generating energy from tidal currents generally stick out of the water for many purposes like, it is usually lit to warn other ships from nearing and the purpose of designing is in the way that they must be lifted out of water for the maintenance and cleaning seaweeds from the blades. Hence the correct answer is maintenance.
11.
Answer: slow (turning)
Supporting Sentence: Fish and other creatures are thought unlikely to be at risk from the relatively slow-turning blades.
Keyword: risk
Keyword Location: Section D, 4th line
Explanation: one of the fears that arise while generating energy from the tidal currents is that the fish and other sea creatures may get harmed due to the rotating blades. But these creatures and fish are less likely to be at risk due to the slow speed of rotation of the wheels. Hence the correct answer is slowly turning.
12.
Answer: low pressure
Supporting Sentence: One technical difficulty is cavitation, where low pressure behind a turning blade causes air bubbles.
Keyword: cavitation
Keyword Location: Section F, 1st line
Explanation: generating energy with the help of tidal currents has manifold advantages since it is a renewable source of energy but there is technical difficulty in it and that is cavitation. Due to this cavitation, the low pressure generated behind the turning blade creates an air bubble. Hence the current answer is low pressure.
13.
Answer: cavitation
Supporting Sentence: One technical difficulty is cavitation, where low pressure behind a turning blade causes air bubbles.
Keyword: cavitation
Keyword Location: Section F, 1st line
Explanation: generating energy with the help of tidal currents has manifold advantages since it is a renewable source of energy but there is technical difficulty in it and that is cavitation. Due to this cavitation, the low pressure generated behind the turning blade creates an air bubble. Hence the current answer is cavitation.
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