Water Resources Reading Answers

Jul 22, 2025

Water Resources Reading Answers contain 13 questions and belong to the assessment system of the IELTS General Reading test. Water Resources Reading Answers must be answered within 20 minutes. In this IELTS reading section, question types include: Choose the appropriate letters, Do the following statements agree with the information given and Which paragraph contains the following information?. Also, Water Resources Reading Answers offers a comprehensive overview of how ancient civilizations and modern societies manage water resources, tackle water scarcity, and integrate sustainable solutions. To practice similar reading tests, candidates can refer to the IELTS Reading Practice Test section.

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Topic:

A.Ancient civilizations developed along rivers that supplied water for farming. As early as 5000 B.C., the Egyptians cultivated land made fertile by the floodwaters of the Nile River. By about 3000 B.C., they had built an elaborate canal system that carried water from the Nile to their fields. Large irrigation systems also had been constructed by then in China, India, and southwest Asia. Indians in Mexico and Peru used water from streams to grow corn as early as 800 B.C. When Spanish explorers arrived in the Americas during the A.D. 1500’s, they found great civilizations based on irrigated agriculture. Archaeologists have discovered evidence of early irrigation ditches in the South-western United States. These ditches date from before the 600’s. Scientists estimate that Indians of that period irrigated thousands of acres or hectares of land in what became central Arizona.

B.The 20th century has witnessed unprecedented rises in human population. From 2.8 billion in 1955 to 5.3 billion in 1990 and is expected to reach between 7.9 and 9.1 billion by 2025 (Engelman and LeRoy, 1993). Consequently, human demands for water, for domestic, industrial and agricultural purposes, are also increasing rapidly. The amount that people use varies, but tends to rise with living standards. In the United States, each individual typically uses over 250 liters per day, whilst in Senegal, the average use is 25 liters per day. In general, 100 liters per person per day is considered adequate for personal use. However, when agricultural and industrial uses are included, countries with less than 1,700m³ per person per year (or about 5,000 liters per day) are considered to experience water stress, those with less than 1,000m³, water scarcity. Because of a poor match between water resources and people, it is predicted that by 2010, twelve African countries, with a total population of approximately 300 million will suffer severe water stress. A further ten African countries will be similarly stressed by the year 2025 contributing a total of 400 million people, or two thirds of Africa’s population, while four (Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi and Malawi) will be facing an extreme water crisis.

C.With such a water crisis facing many countries, the task set us to manage water so that there is enough for people to drink, let alone enough for agricultural, environmental, and industrial uses. The situation is often presented as a conflict of competing demand, as though it was a matter of choice between water for people to drink or for the environment. Whilst people do need access to water directly to drink, providing water to the environment can also be of benefit to people. More attention needs to be given to the role of natural ecosystems in managing the hydrological cycle and the water resource. As an example, well managed wetlands may recharge groundwater, headwater grasslands and forests reduce runoff and promote water infiltration to the soil and aquifers and reduce erosion, such as sustaining flows during drought periods and reducing flood peaks. Protecting wetlands in particular, by ensuring that they have adequate supplies of water to maintain their ecological character, is also important to humanity. Many wetlands provide important fisheries, arable and pasture land, fuel wood and minerals, as well as water. Some wetlands also perform many important natural hydrological functions including flood reduction, water quality enhancement, and groundwater recharge. Thus for the millions of people worldwide who depend directly on the environment for their livelihoods, providing water for the environment and for people are one and the same.

D.When water resources are used at a rate greater than the resource will decline and the usage becomes unsustainable. In many areas of the world, for example where water is being extracted from the underlying aquifer more rapidly than it is being replenished. Around Quetta in Pakistan, where the demand is 48,000 meters per second (cumecs), whilst the recharge rate is 2.0 cumecs, the groundwater level is falling at a rate of two meters per year. Furthermore, the problem is likely to worsen as the population is growing at seven percent per year. In some areas of India and the western United States, the sustainable use is zero and thus the water is effectively being mined. Part of the problem could be addressed simply by deciding first how much water is needed and then trying to find a source. In contrast, the opposite process is likely to be less effective, by first assessing the available water resources and then deciding how best it can be used.

E.There is a need to develop a broad-based approach to water management, with greater emphasis on integrated regional planning and conservation of critical habitats. The environment is composed of both chemical and biological components, including water, oxygen, plants, animals, soils, minerals. Each is important in their own right, structure, such as rocks, or through interaction with the other components, maintains crucial process, such as the recycling of water. Superimposed on this natural environment is the effect of human beings. There is no place on earth that people have not had large scale impacts on the earth’s environment. Ever since agriculture began thousands of years ago, there have been concerted campaigns to integrate all the important physical, chemical and biological components and their interaction with social, economic and institutional factors. This requires integrated management of mountains, dry lands, forests, other terrestrial ecosystems, catchments, aquifers, rivers, lakes, wetlands and coastal waters. Institutions also need to change to reflect this new approach. Institutional reform will require both the development of staff and the participation of local communities, farmers, industry and women. Training is needed to satisfy the needs of different interest groups. Institutions at various levels are being developed, but to be effective, their staff needs well-informed, multi-disciplinary teams who have an appreciation of the wide range of issues involved. Training is an essential element, but training needs will vary with the type of institution. Professional technical advisers will be needed, for example, on water resource planning and water management, whilst local community representatives may be best trained with involvement in local activities, such as participatory rural appraisal or through visits to demonstration projects.

Questions 28-33

Reading Passage 3 has 6 paragraphs A-F. Which paragraph contains the following information?

28. Providing water to the environment means providing water to people.

Answer: C

Supporting statement: "Thus for the millions of people worldwide who depend directly on the environment for their livelihoods, providing water for the environment and for people are one and the same."

Keywords: providing water, environment, people, same

Keyword Location: Paragraph C, line 13

Explanation: The passage explains that many people rely on natural ecosystems such as wetlands for their livelihoods. Therefore, allocating water to sustain such ecosystems directly supports human needs, showing that environmental and human water needs are interconnected.

29. When the water recharge rate is zero, countries are forced to drill their wells.

Answer: D

Supporting statement: "...the sustainable use is zero and thus the water is effectively being mined."

Keywords: sustainable use, zero, water, mined

Keyword Location: Paragraph D, line 7

Explanation: When the recharge rate of an aquifer is zero, any extraction leads to depletion, meaning countries must "mine" water, or drill to unsustainable depths, to access it. This highlights a forced dependency on deep groundwater in regions with no recharge.

30. Ancient civilizations diverted water from streams into irrigation systems.

Answer: A

Supporting statement: "...they had built an elaborate canal system that carried water from the Nile to their fields."

Keywords: canal system, Nile, irrigation, ancient civilizations

Keyword Location: Paragraph A, line 3

Explanation: This sentence describes how early Egyptian civilizations diverted river water through canals to irrigate their fields, showcasing the use of early irrigation systems based on stream water.

31. The participation of local communities to inform scientists is crucial.

Answer: E

Supporting statement: "Institutional reform will require both the development of staff and the participation of local communities, farmers, industry and women."

Keywords: participation, local communities, reform, institutions

Keyword Location: Paragraph E, line 9

Explanation: The passage emphasizes that effective water resource management must include input from various stakeholders, including local communities. Their involvement is essential for understanding regional needs and ensuring sustainable practices.

32. The basic formula for water consumption is that assessment should precede usage.

Answer: D

Supporting statement: "Part of the problem could be addressed simply by deciding first how much water is needed and then trying to find a source."

Keywords: water needed, decide first, find source

Keyword Location: Paragraph D, line 9

Explanation: This line outlines the recommended approach: demand-based planning where water usage is based on assessed need. It contrasts this with the less effective method of adjusting needs to available supply.

33. The higher the living standards of people, the more the water people use.

Answer: B

Supporting statement: "The amount that people use varies, but tends to rise with living standards."

Keywords: use varies, rise, living standards

Keyword Location: Paragraph B, line 4

Explanation: This statement confirms a direct relationship between rising living standards and water consumption, suggesting wealthier populations consume more water due to greater access and lifestyle changes.

Questions 34-35

Choose the appropriate letters A - D

34. It has been found that the ancient civilizations were often on the basis of

A. irrigation ditches

B. fertile land

C. floodwaters of the Nile River

D. irrigated agriculture

Answer: D

Supporting statement: "…they found great civilizations based on irrigated agriculture."

Keywords: ancient civilizations, irrigated agriculture

Keyword Location: Paragraph A, line 6

Explanation: The passage confirms that many early civilizations developed due to their use of irrigation systems for farming, making “irrigated agriculture” the most accurate and comprehensive choice among the options.

35. Countries with less than ……………. per person per year are considered to experience water scarcity.

A. 1,700m

B. 1,000m

C. 4,600 liters

D. 700m

Answer: B

Supporting statement: "...countries with less than 1,000m³, water scarcity."

Keywords: water scarcity, less than 1,000m³

Keyword Location: Paragraph B, line 10

Explanation: The passage explicitly states that countries with annual water availability below 1,000m³ per person are considered to face water scarcity, making option B the correct answer.

Questions 36

Choose the appropriate letters A - D

36. How many African countries will suffer severe water stress by the year 2025?

A. 12

B. 10

C. 250

D. 22

Answer: D

Supporting statement: "...twelve African countries... by 2010... A further ten African countries... by the year 2025..."

Keywords: twelve African countries, ten African countries, 2025

Keyword Location: Paragraph B, lines 11–13

Explanation: By 2025, 12 (from 2010) + 10 (additional) = 22 African countries will suffer severe water stress. Therefore, option D is the correct total count mentioned for 2025.

Questions 37-40

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 37 write

TRUE if the statement is true

FALSE if the statement is false

NOT GIVEN if the information is not given in the passage.

37. Libya is well on its way to running out of water.

Answer: NOT GIVEN

Explanation: The passage does not mention Libya or discuss its specific water situation. Therefore, we cannot determine whether this statement is true or false based on the passage.

38. Environmental management is a broad approach to water management.

Answer: TRUE

Supporting statement: "There is a need to develop a broad-based approach to water management..."

Keywords: broad-based approach, water management, environment

Keyword Location: Paragraph E, line 1

Explanation: The paragraph clearly describes the need for a broad and integrated approach to environmental and water resource management, confirming the statement as true.

39. Industry and conservation organizations should decide environmental management options.

Answer: NOT GIVEN

Explanation: While the involvement of various stakeholders like communities and industry is mentioned, the passage does not state that industry and conservation organizations alone should decide management options.

40. Institutions at various levels need different training.

Answer: TRUE

Supporting statement: "Training is an essential element, but training needs will vary with the type of institution."

Keywords: training needs, vary, type of institution

Keyword Location: Paragraph E, line 12

Explanation: This statement confirms that training should be tailored to the specific requirements of different institutions, making the answer true.

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