The writer mentions a number of facts relating to alternative power sources.
Which TWO of the following facts are mentioned?
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q1,2 The writer mentions a number of facts relating to alternative power sources. Which TWO of the following facts are mentioned? A. International co-operation has yet to result in the large scale implementation and effective use of alternative power sources. B. One alternative energy source in particular will have a great impact in the years to come. C. A side-effect of one of these forms of energy is the production of chemical waste. D. Expense is the main factor that is an obstacle to developing one of these forms of energy E. Approximately one in five US homes will be using one of these forms of energy within twenty years. F. One attraction of these forms of energy in general is the relatively low production costs. | Since 1840, cars with the refrigerating system had been utilised to deliver and distribute milk and butter C Biomass is renewable energy that is produced from organic matter. Biomass fuels include wood, forest and mill residues, animal waste, grains, agricultural crops, and aquatic plants. These materials are used as fuel to heat water for steam or processed into liquids and gases, which can be burned to do the same thing. With more use of biomass at lower production costs and better technology, the United States could generate as much as four-and-a-half times more biopower by 2020. It is estimated that biomass will have the largest increase among renewable energy sources, rising by 80 percent and reaching 65.7 billion KW in 2020. H Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that produce electricity through a chemical reaction. Fuel cells are rechargeable, contain no moving parts, are clean, and produce no noise. Scientists are exploring ways that they could be used as a power source for nearly exhaust-free automobiles and how they can be used as electricity-generating plants. The high cost of manufacturing fuel cells has prevented the mass use of this valuable energy source. |
Note: - The answer for Qs 1 can be found in paragraph C, H. - First of all, you should look at option B in the Qs with the key phrase ‘in the years to come’. It means something will happen in the future. Look at paragraph C, we’ve got the number ‘2020’ which refers to the future. Moreover, ‘great impact’ in the Qs can be found in the red highlight sentences in paragraph C. - Secondly, you should look at the grey highlight phrase in option D ‘expense’, which has been paraphrased to ‘the high cost of…’ in paragraph H. The word ‘obstacle’ in option D has the same meaning with the phrase ‘has prevented’; the word ‘developing’ in option D can have a different expression by using the phrase ‘ the mass use of…’ - Considering every detail in the question and some sentences in paragraph C and H, we can conclude the answer for question 1,2 => Hence, the answer is B, D |
Choose the correct letter A, B, C or D.
Geothermal energy is produced by
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q3: Geothermal energy is produced by A. heating the air below the surface of the ground. B. employing the force of falling water. C. extracting water or steam from beneath the earth’s surface. D. using the earth’s natural electricity. | D Geothermal energy uses heat from within the earth. Wells are drilled into geothermal reservoirs to bring the hot water or steam to the surface. The steam then drives a turbine-generator to generate electricity in geothermal plants. In some places this heat is used directly to heat homes and greenhouses, or to provide process heat for businesses or industries. Reykjavik, Iceland, is heated by geothermal energy. Most geothermal resources are concentrated in the western part of the United States. Geothermal heat pumps use shallow ground energy to heat and cool homes, and this technique can be employed almost anywhere. With technological improvements much more power could lie generated from hydrothermal resources. Scientists have been experimenting by pumping water into the hot dry rock that is 3-6 miles below the earth’s surface for use in geothermal power plants |
Note: - To answer this kind of question, first of all, you should find out the key words from the question. Then, quickly use these keywords to scan through the whole paragraph. - The most important key word in this Qs is ‘Geothermal energy’. Quickly scanning through the passage, you can easily find out that the answer for this Qs must be in paragraph D - The answer can be found in the first sentence of paragraph D. - Comparing the other highlighted keywords (extract from, water or steam, earth’s surface) from the question to the same key phrases in the first sentence of paragraph D, we can conclude that the answer is C |
Which form of alternative energy does not involve the use of turbines?
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q4: Which form of alternative energy does not involve the use of turbines? A. wind energy B. geothermal energy C. tidal energy D. fuel cell energy | H Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that produce electricity through a chemical reaction. Fuel cells are rechargeable, contain no moving parts, are clean, and produce no noise. Scientists are exploring ways that they could be used as a power source for nearly exhaust-free automobiles and how they can be used as electricity-generating plants. The high cost of manufacturing fuel cells has prevented the mass use of this valuable energy source. |
Note - You should do this question carefully. The Qs requires you to find out which form of alternative energy that DOES NOT involve the use of turbines - The most essential key word in Qs 4 is ‘turbines’. Quickly skim and scan through the whole passage, you can figure out that only in paragraph A, B, C, F, H, the author DOESN’T MENTION anything relating to ‘turbines’ - In the next step, you should pay attention to the content of paragraph A, B, C, F, H as discussed above: + Paragraph B: what is alternative sources and listing different types of alternative sources + Paragraph C: Information about Biomass (there is no relating information in the given choices of the Qs) + Paragraph D: Information about Solar energy (there is no relating information in the given choices of the Qs) + Paragraph H: Information about Fuel cells energy => option D - Considering everything, the answer is D |
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?
In spaces 5-8 below, 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 |
5 Wind power is the most efficient form of alternative energy.
6 Wave energy can be derived from a number of sources.
7 Alternative energy sources serve several purposes.
8 Fossil fuels are needed in at least one of these alternative energy sources.
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q5: Wind power is the most efficient form of alternative energy. | G Wind energy can be used to produce electricity. As wind passes through the blades of a windmill, the blades spin. The shaft that is attached to the blades turns and powers a pump or turns a generator to produce electricity. Electricity is then stored in batteries. The speed of the wind and the size of the blades determine how much energy can be produced. Wind energy is more efficient in windier parts of the country. Most wind power is produced from wind farms — large groups of turbines located in consistently windy locations. Wind, used as a fuel, is free and non-polluting and produces no emissions or chemical wastes. Wind-powered electricity is gaining in popularity |
Note: - To answer this kind of question, first of all, you should find out the key words from the question. Then, quickly use these keywords to scan through the whole paragraph. - The most important key word in this Qs is ‘Wind power’. Quickly scanning through the passage, you can easily find out that the answer for this Qs must be in paragraph G - Keep on reading. Then, move your eyes to the last line of this paragraph to find out about the efficiency of using wind energy. + It can be used as fuel + It’s free + It’s non-polluting + It produces no emissions or chemical wastes + It’s gaining popularity - Considering everything, the answer is NOT GIVEN. |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q6: Wave energy can be derived from a number of sources. . | I Ocean sources; Oceans, which cover more than 70% of the earth, contain both thermal energy from the sun’s heat and mechanical energy from the tides and waves. Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) converts solar radiation to electric power. OTEC power plants use the difference in temperature between warm surface waters heated by the sun and colder waters found at ocean depths to generate electricity. The power of tides can also be harnessed to produce electricity. Tidal energy works by harnessing the power of changing tides but it needs large tidal differences. The tidal process utilises the natural motion of the tides to fill reservoirs, which are then slowly discharged through electricity-producing turbines. Wave energy conversion extracts energy from surface waves, from pressure fluctuations below the water surface, or from the full wave. Wave energy also uses the interaction of winds with the ocean surface. This technology is still in the exploratory phase in the United States |
Note: - The most important key word in this question is ‘wave energy’. Scan through the passage, the needed paragraph in this Qs is paragraph I. - Also, you should pay attention to the green highlighted keywords from the paragraph that match the key words in the Qs - By reading some last lines of this paragraph, you can realize that ‘wave energy’ comes from different sources such as surface waves, pressure fluctuations… - Considering every detail in the question and in the passage, we can conclude that Q5 is confirmed in the passage. - For that reason, the answer is TRUE |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q7: Alternative energy sources serve several purposes | A There are many reasons why we are looking towards alternative energy sources. With many countries signing the Kyoto Treaty, efforts to reduce pollutants and greenhouse gases are a primary focus in today’s culture. Alternative, or renewable, energy sources show significant promise in helping to reduce the amount of toxins that are byproducts of energy use. Not only do they protect against harmful by-products, but using alternative energy helps to preserve many of the natural resources that we currently use as sources of energy. To understand how alternative energy use can help preserve the delicate ecological balance of the planet, and help us conserve the non-renewable energy sources like fossil fuels, it is important to know what types of alternative energy are out there. |
Note - The answer for this Qs can be found in paragraph A - In paragraph A, the author lists several purposes of alternative energy sources. - The content of Q6 is confirmed in the 2nd and the 3rd sentence of paragraph A. For that reason, the answer is TRUE |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q8: Fossil fuels are needed in at least one of these alternative energy sources | C Biomass is renewable energy that is produced from organic matter. Biomass fuels include wood, forest and mill residues, animal waste, grains, agricultural crops, and aquatic plants. These materials are used as fuel to heat water for steam or processed into liquids and gases, which can be burned to do the same thing. With more use of biomass at lower production costs and better technology, the United States could generate as much as four-and-a-half times more biopower by 2020. It is estimated that biomass will have the largest increase among renewable energy sources, rising by 80 percent and reaching 65.7 billion KW in 2020. G Wind energy can be used to produce electricity. As wind passes through the blades of a windmill, the blades spin. The shaft that is attached to the blades turns and powers a pump or turns a generator to produce electricity. Electricity is then stored in batteries. The speed of the wind and the size of the blades determine how much energy can be produced. Wind energy is more efficient in windier parts of the country. Most wind power is produced from wind farms — large groups of turbines located in consistently windy locations. Wind, used as a fuel, is free and non-polluting and produces no emissions or chemical wastes. Wind-powered electricity is gaining in popularity |
Note - Pay attention to the key phrase ‘at least’ in the Qs. It means that fossil fuels are needed in at least 1 alternative source (fossil fuels can be used in more than one alternative source) - Other key word that you need to keep your mind on is ‘fossil fuel’ or ‘fuel’. Quickly scan through the passage, you can find out the answer for this Qs is in paragraph C and G. In Biomass (paragraph C) and in Wind (paragraph G) can be used as fuels - The content of Q8 is similar to what the author said in the passage. For that reason, the answer is FALSE |
Complete the sentences.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
By using alternative energy sources, we can cut the 9 that are produced by current power sources.
In addition to fossil fuels and atom splitting, we presently use 10 as part of our power source.
Renewable energy called biomass is produced from 11
The renewable energy that comes from within the earth is called 12 .
One of the reasons that fuel cells are not widely used is the 13 of manufacturing.
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q9. By using alternative energy sources, we can cut the 9______ that are produced by current power sources. | A There are many reasons why we are looking towards alternative energy sources. With many countries signing the Kyoto Treaty, efforts to reduce pollutants and greenhouse gases are a primary focus in today’s culture. Alternative, or renewable, energy sources show significant promise in helping to reduce the amount of toxins that are byproducts of energy use. Not only do they protect against harmful by-products, but using alternative energy helps to preserve many of the natural resources that we currently use as sources of energy. To understand how alternative energy use can help preserve the delicate ecological balance of the planet, and help us conserve the non-renewable energy sources like fossil fuels, it is important to know what types of alternative energy are out there. |
Note - Moving your eyes through the whole passage to find out the phrase ‘Alternative energy source’ and you can easily define your answer for this Qs is right in paragraph A. - Moreover, the word ‘cut’ in the Qs has the same meaning as ‘reduce’ in paragraph A - Keep reading some sentences around the highlighted keywords and you will find out the answer. - After all, amount of toxins is the answer. |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q10. In addition to fossil fuels and atom splitting, we presently use 10______ as part of our power source. | B Alternative energy sources are resources that are constantly replaced and are usually less polluting. They are not the result of the burning of fossil fuels or splitting of atoms. The use of renewable energy is contributing to our energy supply. Some alternative energy sources are: biomass energy, geothermal energy, hydroelectric power, solar power, wind power, fuel cells, ocean thermal energy conversion, tidal energy, and wave energy. |
Note - The answer for this question can be found in the first 2 sentences of paragraph B - After reading these sentences, you can realize that ‘renewable energy’ is ‘contributing to our source energy supply’ or in other words, ‘renewable energy’ is ‘part of our power source’ -. For that reason, the answer is renewable energy |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q11. Renewable energy called biomass is produced from 11______ | C Biomass is renewable energy that is produced from organic matter. Biomass fuels include wood, forest and mill residues, animal waste, grains, agricultural crops, and aquatic plants. These materials are used as fuel to heat water for steam or processed into liquids and gases, which can be burned to do the same thing. With more use of biomass at lower production costs and better technology, the United States could generate as much as four-and-a-half times more biopower by 2020. It is estimated that biomass will have the largest increase among renewable energy sources, rising by 80 percent and reaching 65.7 billion KW in 2020. |
Note - By finding out the most essential key word in Qs 11 ‘biomass’, you can quickly find out the answer for this Qs. The answer appears in the first sentence of paragraph C - According to paragraph C, biomass is produced from ‘organic matter’ - For that reason, the answer is organic matter |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q12. The renewable energy that comes from within the earth is called 12 ______ | D Geothermal energy uses heat from within the earth. Wells are drilled into geothermal reservoirs to bring the hot water or steam to the surface. The steam then drives a turbine-generator to generate electricity in geothermal plants. In some places this heat is used directly to heat homes and greenhouses, or to provide process heat for businesses or industries. Reykjavik, Iceland, is heated by geothermal energy. Most geothermal resources are concentrated in the western part of the United States. Geothermal heat pumps use shallow ground energy to heat and cool homes, and this technique can be employed almost anywhere. With technological improvements much more power could lie generated from hydrothermal resources. Scientists have been experimenting by pumping water into the hot dry rock that is 3-6 miles below the earth’s surface for use in geothermal power plants |
Note - To answer this question, you should pay attention to the most important key word ‘the earth’ - By finding out this keyword, you can easily locate the needed information to answer this Question. - The answer for this question can be found in the first line of paragraph D - Considering everything, the answer is geothermal energy |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q13. One of the reasons that fuel cells are not widely used is the 13 ______ of manufacturing. | H Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that produce electricity through a chemical reaction. Fuel cells are rechargeable, contain no moving parts, are clean, and produce no noise. Scientists are exploring ways that they could be used as a power source for nearly exhaust-free automobiles and how they can be used as electricity-generating plants. The high cost of manufacturing fuel cells has prevented the mass use of this valuable energy source. |
Note - After skimming and scanning for many Questions above, you should write the main idea of each paragraph in the margin by your own language. By doing this, you’ve got the main idea of each paragraph. Thanks to this, the answer for the question can easily be found. - The main idea of paragraph H is fuel cells and the limit of using fuel cells. Its high cost prevents it from being widely used ‘- Therefore, the answer is (high) cost |
Complete each sentence with the correct ending A - K from the box below.
Write the correct letter A - K in spaces 14-20 below.
14 Colour blindness can be caused by a birth defect, or
15 Surprisingly, some people who are colour blind
16 People with hereditary colour blindness
17 Because of our genetic make-up, colour blindness
18 Red-green genetic photoreceptor disorders mean that people
19 People with monochromacy
20 The inability to see certain lights
A | can see better at night than during the day |
B | cannot be treated by surgery |
C | can affect men much more easily than women |
D | can affect their sensitivity to bright lights |
E | can see no colour at all, other than shades of black, grey and white |
F | can see things that people with normal vision cannot |
G | can have very dangerous consequences for colour-blind people. |
H | can be acquired or inherited |
I | can mean having to wear contact lenses. |
J | cannot distinguish certain colours if they stand alone |
K | can match all colours of the spectrum |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage | |
Q14: Colour blindness can be caused by a birth defect, or ____ | 2. There are many types of colour blindness. When there are deficiencies in the cones, either at birth or acquired in other ways, the cones are not able to distinguish the particular wavelengths and thus, that colour range is seen differently. Those with defective colour vision have a deficiency or absence in one or more of the pigments. People with a deficiency in one of the pigments (the most common type of colour vision problem) are called anomalous trichromats. When one of the cone pigments is absent and colour is reduced to two dimensions, dichromacy occurs. These individuals normally know they have a colour vision problem and it can affect their lives on a daily basis. They see no perceptible difference between red, orange, yellow, and green. All these colours that seem so different to the normal viewer appear to them to be the same colour. Missing the cones responsible for green and red hues can also affect the sensitivity to brightness. | |
Note: - Quickly skimming the whole passage, the author mentions something about ‘birth defect’ in paragraph 2. - In the first sentence of this paragraph, the author gives the information that color blindness cause be caused early at birth (also means people ‘inherited’ from their parents) or ‘acquired’ - So we can conclude that the answer is H. can be acquired or inherited |
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Q15: Surprisingly, some people who are colour blind ____ | 6 Colour vision problems can have a significant impact on a person's life, learning abilities and career choices. On an everyday basis, there are some annoyances and frustrations: not being able to differentiate between green or ripe tomatoes when preparing food, for example, or buying clothes that to the 'normal' eye seem positively garish. However, people with colour vision problems usually learn to compensate for their inability to see colours. Although there is little or no treatment for colour blindness, most colour deficient persons compensate well for their defect and may even discover instances in which they can discern details and images that would escape normal-sighted persons. At one time the US Army found that colour-blind persons can spot camouflage colours in cases where those with normal colour vision are typically fooled. | |
Note: - In paragraph 5, it is stated that color vision problems can have a significant impact on a person’s life, but people with colour vision problems usually learn to compensate for their inability to see colours. This means that people with color blindness can have different ability. For example, they can spot camouflage colours in cases where those with normal colour vision are typically fooled. - Therefore, we can conclude that the answer is F. can see things that people with normal vision cannot * discern (v) = notice or understand something by thinking about it carefully * camouflage (n) a way of hiding sth, especially in soldiers and military equipment, by using paints, leaves to make it look like the things around it * spot (v): notice sb or sth, especially when they are difficult to see or recognize |
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Q16: People with hereditary colour blindness____ | 3 Most cases of colour blindness, about 99%, are inherited, resulting from partial or complete loss of function in one or more of the different cone systems and affect both eyes without worsening over time. The most common are red-green hereditary (genetic) photoreceptor disorders collectively referred to as "red-green colorblindness". It affects 8% of all males of European origin and 0.4% of all females. The gene for this is carried in the X chromosome. Since males have an X-Y pairing and females have X-X, colour blindness can occur much more easily in males and is typically passed to them by their mothers. In other words, females may be carriers of colour blindness, but males are more commonly affected. People with this disorder cannot identify red or green by itself but can if among a coloured group. Other forms of colour blindness are much more rare. They include problems in discriminating blues from yellows. Both colours are seen as white or grey. This disorder occurs with equal frequency in men and women and usually accompanies certain other physical disorders, such as liver disease or diabetes. | |
Note: - To answer this question, you should pay attention to ‘ting ting’ words (‘ting ting’ words are proper nouns, statistics, and synonyms). - In this question, ‘ting ting’ word is hereditary (scientific name). By finding this ‘ting ting’ word, you can easily locate the needed information to answer this Question. - The answer for this question can be found in the second sentence of paragraph 3 - Considering everything, the answer is B. cannot be treated by surgery |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage | |
Q17: Because of our genetic make-up, colour blindness ____ | 3 Most cases of colour blindness, about 99%, are inherited, resulting from partial or complete loss of function in one or more of the different cone systems and affect both eyes without worsening over time. The most common are red-green hereditary (genetic) photoreceptor disorders collectively referred to as "red-green colorblindness". It affects 8% of all males of European origin and 0.4% of all females. The gene for this is carried in the X chromosome. Since males have an X-Y pairing and females have X-X, colour blindness can occur much more easily in males and is typically passed to them by their mothers. In other words, females may be carriers of colour blindness, but males are more commonly affected. People with this disorder cannot identify red or green by itself but can if among a coloured group. Other forms of colour blindness are much more rare. They include problems in discriminating blues from yellows. Both colours are seen as white or grey. This disorder occurs with equal frequency in men and women and usually accompanies certain other physical disorders, such as liver disease or diabetes. | |
Note: - Luckily, you have answered Q17 by reading paragraph 3. In paragraph 3, you know that ‘hereditary’ also means ‘genetic’ - Applying the same technique you have used in Q17, by searching for the key word ‘genetic’, the answer can be found in paragraph 3 - Considering every given option, we can conclude that the answer is C. can affect men much more easily than women |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage | |
Q18: Red-green genetic photoreceptor disorders mean that people____ | 3 Most cases of colour blindness, about 99%, are inherited, resulting from partial or complete loss of function in one or more of the different cone systems and affect both eyes without worsening over time. The most common are red-green hereditary (genetic) photoreceptor disorders collectively referred to as "red-green colorblindness". It affects 8% of all males of European origin and 0.4% of all females. The gene for this is carried in the X chromosome. Since males have an X-Y pairing and females have X-X, colour blindness can occur much more easily in males and is typically passed to them by their mothers. In other words, females may be carriers of colour blindness, but males are more commonly affected. People with this disorder cannot identify red or green by itself but can if among a coloured group. Other forms of colour blindness are much more rare. They include problems in discriminating blues from yellows. Both colours are seen as white or grey. This disorder occurs with equal frequency in men and women and usually accompanies certain other physical disorders, such as liver disease or diabetes. | |
Note: - This question also asks the reader about red-green genetic. So, the answer can easily be found in paragraph 3 (You may realize that you can locate the answer for this Qs easily thanks to having done Qs 16, 17) - Reading carefully paragraph 3 again and pay attention to the highlighted keywords as well as all the given information in this paragraph, we can conclude that the answer for Qs 18 is J. cannot distinguish certain colours if they stand alone (the sentence containing the answer for this Qs is highlighted yellow) |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage | |
Q19: People with monochromacy____ | 4 The rarest form of all is total colour blindness, monochromacy, where one can only see grey or shades of black, grey and white as in a black-and-white film or photograph. Monochromacy occurs when two or all three of the cone pigments are missing and colour and lightness vision is reduced to one dimension. Another term for total colour blindness is achromatopsia, the inability to see colour. | |
Note: - Answers can be in the same order they appear in the text: the answer for Q18 is in paragraph 3; therefore, the answer for Q19 should be in the following paragraph - We find that the given information in Q19 can be found in paragraph 4. You can easily locate the needed information to find out the answer by searching for the word ‘monochromacy’ - The yellow highlighted key phrases can lead to your final conclusion to this question - So the answer is E. can see no colour at all, other than shades of black, grey and white |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage | |
Q20: The inability to see certain lights____ | 5 Inherited colour vision problems cannot be treated or corrected. Some acquired colour vision problems can be treated with surgery, such as the removal of a cataract, depending on the cause. Certain types of tinted filters and contact lenses may also help an individual to distinguish different colours better. Additionally, computer software has been developed to assist those with visual colour difficulties and those with mild colour deficiencies to learn to associate colours with certain objects and are usually able to identify colour in the same way as everyone else. One frequent problem encountered is with traffic lights, and worst of all, warning lights: colour-blind people always know the position of the colours on the traffic light - in most situations; red on top, yellow in the centre, green on the bottom. But warning lights present an entirely different problem. In this situation there is only one light; no top or bottom, no right or left, just one light that is either red or yellow. | |
Note: - Answers can be in the same order they appear in the text: the answer for Q19 is in paragraph 4; therefore, the answer for Q20 should be in the following paragraph - The given information in Q20 can be found in paragraph 4. You can easily locate the needed information for the answer by searching for the word ‘light’ - The yellow highlighted key phrases can lead to your final conclusion to this question - So the answer is G. can have very dangerous consequences for colour-blind people. |
Choose the correct letter A, B, C or D.
What causes colour blindness?
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage | |
Q21: What causes colour blindness? A the absence of rod cells B the malfunction of rod cells C the malfunction of cone cells D the retina’s inability to detect light | 1 Colour blindness results from an absence or malfunction of certain colour-sensitive cells in the retina. The retina is a neuro-membrane lining the inside back of the eye, behind the lens. The retina contains both rod cells (active in low light or night vision but which cannot distinguish colour) and cone cells (active in normal daylight, sensitive to colour). one cells, also called photoreceptors, are concentrated mostly in the central part of the retina, in an area called the macula. Cone cells provide clear, sharp colour vision. The cones contain light-sensitive pigments that are sensitive to the range of wavelengths. There are three different types of cones with one sensitive to short wavelengths, or the colour blue, one sensitive to medium wavelengths, or the colour green, and the other sensitive to higher wavelengths, or the colour red. All of these cells send information about colour to the brain via the optic nerve which connects to the1 retina at a point very close to the macula. Normal persons, referred to as trichromats, are able to match all colours of the spectrum by using a combination of these three fundamental colour sensitivities. Hence, the huge variety of colours we perceive stems from the cone cells' response to different compositions of wavelengths of light. | |
Note: - Firstly, pay attention to the highlighted key phrase in the Qs. We need to find out WHAT CAUSES color blindness - The answer can be found in paragraph A. Paragraph A’s main idea is about the origin of color blindness - Hence, we must read paragraph A carefully and pay attention to the highlighted key phrases that may be changed in the paragraph * malfunction(n) = a fault in the way a machine or a part of sb’s body works - Comparing what the author mentions in paragraph A and the given choice from the Qs, the answer is C. the malfunction of cone cells |
Which group of people are the least common?
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage | |
Q22:
Which group of people are the least common? A people who cannot detect blues from yellows B anomalous trichromats C people with dichromacy D people with achromatopsia | 4 The rarest form of all is total colour blindness, monochromacy, where one can only see grey or shades of black, grey and white as in a black-and-white film or photograph. Monochromacy occurs when two or all three of the cone pigments are missing and colour and lightness vision is reduced to one dimension. Another term for total colour blindness is achromatopsia, the inability to see colour. | |
Note: - There are 2 plans for you to do this Qs + Plan A: You use skimming and scanning technique to find out proper nouns for names of eyes diseases such as ‘trichromats, dichromacy, achromatopsia,…’ Quickly read the paragraph containing the given information about ‘trichromats, dichromacy, achromatopsia’ and then come into the conclusion about which group of people are the least common. Finally, you can sort out your answer for this Qs + Plan B: You search the whole passage to find out the synonym for the key phrase ‘least common’, which also means ‘rarest’. Then, look for the word ‘rarest’, you can find the answer for this Qs in paragraph 4 - So the answer is D. people with achromatopsia * least common = rarest |
What would colour-blind people consider an everyday nuisance?
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Q23: What would colour-blind people consider an everyday nuisance? Not being able to identify the colour of warning lights B not being able to tell an apple from a tomato C not being able to cook D not being able to buy matching clothes | 6 Colour vision problems can have a significant impact on a person's life, learning abilities and career choices. On an everyday basis, there are some annoyances and frustrations: not being able to differentiate between green or ripe tomatoes when preparing food, for example, or buying clothes that to the 'normal' eye seem positively garish. However, people with colour vision problems usually learn to compensate for their inability to see colours. Although there is little or no treatment for colour blindness, most colour deficient persons compensate well for their defect and may even discover instances in which they can discern details and images that would escape normal-sighted persons. At one time the US Army found that colour-blind persons can spot camouflage colours in cases where those with normal colour vision are typically fooled. | |
Note - Here, we should highly focus on the adverb of frequency ‘everyday’. Skimming and scanning the whole -passage to find out the paragraph that mentions this word. It’s paragraph 6 - Next, we need to analyze each given option from the Qs + Option A: can be found in paragraph 5, however, what the author states in paragraph 5 is just about frequent problem, not EVERYDAY problem + Option B: can be found in line 5 of paragraph 6: discriminate ripe tomatoes and green ones when preparing food; there is no information relating to ‘apple’ which is given in the answer for this Qs + Option C: no information - Considering every detail in the question and in the passage, we can conclude that Q23 is confirmed in paragraph 6 with the yellow highlighted key phrase. - For that reason, the answer is D |
Complete the diagram below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
24
25
26
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage | |
Q24: Complete the diagram below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer. | 1 Colour blindness results from an absence or malfunction of certain colour-sensitive cells in the retina. The retina is a neuro-membrane lining the inside back of the eye, behind the lens (24). The retina contains both rod cells (active in low light or night vision but which cannot distinguish colour) and cone cells (active in normal daylight, sensitive to colour). Cone cells, also called photoreceptors, are concentrated mostly in the central part of the retina, in an area called the macula (26). Cone cells provide clear, sharp colour vision. The cones contain light-sensitive pigments that are sensitive to the range of wavelengths. There are three different types of cones with one sensitive to short wavelengths, or the colour blue, one sensitive to medium wavelengths, or the colour green, and the other sensitive to higher wavelengths, or the colour red. All of these cells send information about colour to the brain via the optic nerve which connects to the retina at a point very close to the macula (25). Normal persons, referred to as trichromats, are able to match all colours of the spectrum by using a combination of these three fundamental colour sensitivities. Hence, the huge variety of colours we perceive stems from the cone cells' response to different compositions of wavelengths of light | |
Note: - First of all, you should move your eyes from the top to the bottom of the passage and write general idea of each paragraph in the margin of the test - After that, you can realize that paragraph 1 gives you some brief information about color blindness’s origin and it also tells you about the structure of the human eye - So, what you need to do now is reading this paragraph carefully and fulfill the blank. Don’t forget that your answers should match the requirement of the Qs: NO MORE THAN 2 WORDS - The answer for Qs 24 can be found in the 2nd sentence of paragraph 1 - For that reason, the answer is optic nerve |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage | |
Q25: | (Paragraph 1)….All of these cells send information about colour to the brain via the optic nerve which connects to the retina at a point very close to the macula (25)… | |
Note - The information about Qs 25 can be found only in paragraph 1. So, what you need to do is to scan the information from the Qs that match the information from paragraph 1 - There is a reminder that the answers do not come in the same order that the paragraph are in - The answer for Qs 25 can be found in the 3 last sentences of the first paragraph - Considering everything, the answer for Qs 25 is retina |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage | |
Q26: | (Paragraph 1)… Cone cells, also called photoreceptors, are concentrated mostly in the central part of the retina, in an area called the macula (26)… | |
Note - The information about Qs 26 can be found only in paragraph 1. So, what you need to do is to scan the information from the Qs that match the information from paragraph 1 - There is a reminder that the answers do not come in the same order that the paragraph are in - The answer for Qs 26 can be found in the 3rd sentence of the first paragraph - So the answer for Qs 26 is macula * retina (n): the area at the back of your eye that receives light and sends an image of what you see to your brain (in Vietnamese: ‘võng mạc’) * optic (a): connected with the eye or the sense of sight -> the optic nerve (n) = from the eye to the brain (in Vietnamese: ‘thần kinh thị giác’) * macula (n): an oval yellowish area surrounding the fovea near the center of the retina in the eye, which is the region of keenest vision (in Vietnamese: ‘điểm vàng’): Điểm vàng là một bộ phận nằm tại vùng trung tâm võng mạc ở phần sau nhãn cầu, là nơi tập trung nhiều tế bào thần kinh, đóng vai trò rất quan trọng trong việc thu nhận hình ảnh, đảm nhận tới 90% thị lực * iris (n): the round colored part that surrounds the pupils of your eye (in Vietnamese: tròng đen) * lens (n): the transparent part of the eye, behind the pupil, that focuses light so that you can see clearly (in Vietnamese: ‘thấu kính’) * cornea (n) the transparent layer which covers and protects the outer part of the eye (in Vietnamese: ‘giác mạc’) |
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 3?
In spaces 27-32 below, 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 |
27 Vegetarians drink less water than meat eaters.
28 A typical Indian diet requires less grain than a typical USA diet.
29 Growing grain uses more water than raising beef.
30 People that move from the country to the city may increase their water consumption considerably.
31 Future conflicts will be fought as much over food as they will over oil.
32 Egypt and Japan also import 7 million tons of oil annually.
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage | |
Q28: A typical Indian diet requires less grain than a typical USA diet.
| F In addition to population growth, urbanisation and industrialisation also expand the demand for water. As developing country villagers, traditionally reliant on the village well, move to urban high-rise apartment buildings with indoor plumbing, their residential water use can easily triple. Industrialisation takes even more water than urbanisation. Rising affluence in itself generates additional demand for water. As people move up the food chain, consuming more beef, pork, poultry, eggs, and dairy products, they use more grain. A US diet rich in livestock products requires 800 kilograms of grain per person a year, whereas diets in India, dominated by a starchy food staple such as rice, typically need only 200 kilograms. Using four times as much grain per person means using four times as much water. | |
Note: - Quickly skimming the whole passage to find out which paragraph contains the proper nouns ‘India’, ‘USA’, ‘grain’. - After doing this step, you can find out the needed paragraph. The answer for Qs 28 can be found in paragraph F - The exact answer for this Qs can be found in the 2 last sentences of paragraph F - Now, read paragraph F carefully and pay attention to the highlighted key words and key phrases ‘US’, ‘India’,… A US diet (rich in livestock = meat) requires 800 kg of grain; however, an Indian diet requires only 200 kg of grain => A typical Indian diet requires less grain than a typical USA diet. - For that reason, the answer is TRUE |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage | |
Q29: Growing grain uses more water than raising beef. | ||
Note: - Quickly skimming the whole passage, trying to find out key words such as ‘grain’, ‘beef’. You need to find out the paragraph that contains both of these words. - The word ‘beef’ can only be found in paragraph in paragraph F, but there is no comparison here - Therefore, there is no needed information that is suitable for the Qs - For that reason, the answer is NOT GIVEN |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage | |
Q30: People that move from the country to the city may increase their water consumption considerably. | F In addition to population growth, urbanisation and industrialisation also expand the demand for water. As developing country villagers, traditionally reliant on the village well, move to urban high-rise apartment buildings with indoor plumbing, their residential water use can easily triple. Industrialisation takes even more water than urbanisation. Rising affluence in itself generates additional demand for water. As people move up the food chain, consuming more beef, pork, poultry, eggs, and dairy products, they use more grain. A US diet rich in livestock products requires 800 kilograms of grain per person a year, whereas diets in India, dominated by a starchy food staple such as rice, typically need only 200 kilograms. Using four times as much grain per person means using four times as much water. | |
Note: - Finding out the keywords ‘country’,’city’ and its synonyms such as ‘urbanisation’ - Paragraph F, G both have the word ‘country’, but the content of paragraph G is not relevant to the given information from the Qs - So, paragraph should be your choice. Read carefully the sentences that includes key words or key words’ paraphrases - For that reason, we can conclude that the answer is TRUE |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage | |
Q31: Future conflicts will be fought as much over food as they will over oil. | K It is now often said that future wars in the region will more likely be fought over water than oil. Perhaps, but given the difficulty in winning a water war, the competition for water seems more likely to take place in world grain markets. The countries that will "win" in this competition will be those that are financially strongest, not those that are militarily strongest. The world water deficit grows larger with each year, making it potentially more difficult to manage. If we decided abruptly to stabilise water tables everywhere by simply pumping less water, the world grain harvest would fall by some 160 million tons, or 8 percent, and grain prices would go off the chart. If the deficit continues to widen, the eventual adjustment will be even greater. | |
Note: - Quickly skimming the whole passage, trying to find out the most important key word ‘future’. Only in paragraph K can the word ‘future’ be found. - In the first sentence of paragraph K, you can see that the word ‘future wars’ is another way to describe ‘future conflicts’ - Read the first sentence of paragraph K carefully so that you can find the answer for Qs 31 - After all, you can conclude that the answer is FALSE |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage | |
Q32: Egypt and Japan also import 7 million tons of oil annually.
| I Last year, Iran imported 7 million tons of wheat, eclipsing Japan to become the world's leading wheat importer. This year, Egypt is also projected to move ahead of Japan. Iran and Egypt have nearly 70 million people each. Both populations are increasing by more than a million a year and both are pressing the limits of their water supplies. | |
Note: - The inquiry of the question has a specific number ‘7 million’. So, the fastest way for you to do this Qs is moving your eyes quickly from the top to the bottom of the passage to find out which paragraph has the figure ‘7’ - There is only one paragraph that includes the number ‘7 million’ (paragraph I). Key words such as ‘Japan, Egypt’ also appears in this paragraph. However, the content of this paragraph is not relevant to the inquiry of the question - For that reason, the answer is NOT GIVEN |
Reading Passage 3 has 13 paragraphs A - M.
Which paragraph contains information about the following threats to water supplies?
Write the correct letter A - M in spaces 33-36 below.
33 The volume of water that is needed for irrigation in grain production.
34 Over-pumping our underground water supplies.
35 Population growth will be responsible for a new type of water-related poverty.
36 Industrialisation demands greater water supplies.
A | Paragraph A |
B | Paragraph B |
C | Paragraph C |
D | Paragraph D |
E | Paragraph E |
F | Paragraph F |
G | Paragraph G |
H | Paragraph H |
I | Paragraph I |
J | Paragraph J |
K | Paragraph K |
L | Paragraph L |
M | Paragraph M |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage | |
Q33: The volume of water that is needed for irrigation in grain production. | C Even with today's 6 billion people, the world has a huge water deficit. Using data on over-pumping for China, India, Saudi Arabia, North Africa, and the United States, Sandra Postel, author of Pillar of Sand: Can the Irrigation Miracle Last? reports the annual depletion of aquifer to be at 160 billion cubic meters or 160 billion tons. Using the rule of thumb that it takes 1,000 tons of water to produce 1 ton of grain, this 160-billion-ton water deficit is equal to 160 million tons of grain or one-half the US grain harvest. ----- ( E Over-pumping is a new phenomenon, one largely confined to the last half century. Only since the development of powerful diesel- and electrically-driven pumps have we had the capacity to pull water out of aquifer faster than it is replaced by precipitation. Some 70 percent of the water consumed worldwide, including both that diverted from rivers and that pumped from underground, is used for irrigation, while some 20 percent is used by industry, and 10 percent for residential purposes. In the increasingly intense competition for water among sectors, agriculture almost always loses. The 1,000 tons of water used in India to produce 1 ton of wheat worth perhaps $200 can also be used to expand industrial output by easily $10,000, or 50 times as much. This ratio helps explain why, in the American West, the sale of irrigation water rights by farmers to cities is an almost daily occurrence. H As the demand for water in the region's cities and industries increases, it is typically satisfied by diverting water from irrigation. The loss in food production capacity is then offset by importing grain from abroad. Since 1 ton of grain represents 1,000 tons of water, this becomes the most efficient way to import water. ) | |
Note: - Searching for the key word ‘irrigation’. This word appears in paragraph C, E, H - According to the given information from Qs 33, we can make up WH question such as HOW, WHO, WHEN, WHERE, WHAT) + The monitoring question you can make is: How much volume of water that is needed for irrigation in grain production? - Then, we analyze the content of paragraph C, E, H to find out which paragraph is suitable for the information from the QS + Paragraph C: It states that ‘it takes 1,000 tons of water to produce 1 ton of grain’ => This is the answer for the monitoring Qs. So, the paragraph you need to choose is paragraph C - Besides, paragraph E, H also mention ‘irrigation’ but with different purposes + Paragraph E: ‘over-pumping and the sale of irrigation water rights by farmers to the city’ => There is no information about the volume of water that is needed for irrigation in grain production + Paragraph F: ‘to satisfy the need for water in regional city and industries, people divert water from irrigation as a result’ => There is no information about the volume of water that is needed for irrigation in grain production - Considering everything, the answer is C. Paragraph C |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage | |
Q34 Over-pumping our underground water supplies. | E Over-pumping is a new phenomenon, one largely confined to the last half century. Only since the development of powerful diesel- and electrically-driven pumps have we had the capacity to pull water out of aquifer faster than it is replaced by precipitation. Some 70 percent of the water consumed worldwide, including both that diverted from rivers and that pumped from underground, is used for irrigation, while some 20 percent is used by industry, and 10 percent for residential purposes. In the increasingly intense competition for water among sectors, agriculture almost always loses. The 1,000 tons of water used in India to produce 1 ton of wheat worth perhaps $200 can also be used to expand industrial output by easily $10,000, or 50 times as much. This ratio helps explain why, in the American West, the sale of irrigation water rights by farmers to cities is an almost daily occurrence. | |
Note: - What you need to do in this Qs is just paying attention to the keyword ‘over-pumping’. Of all paragraphs in the passage, only paragraph E has this keyword. - Comparing the information from paragraph E to the given information from the Qs - Then, you come to the conclusion that the answer is E. Paragraph E |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage | |
Q35: Population growth will be responsible for a new type of water-related poverty. | B By 2050, India is projected to have added 519 million people and China 211 million. Pakistan is projected to have added nearly 200 million, going from 151 million at present to 348 million. Egypt, Iran, and Mexico are slated to increase their populations by more than half by 2050. In these and other water-short countries, population growth is sentencing millions of people to hydro-logical poverty, a local form of poverty that is difficult to escape. L Unless governments in water-short countries act quickly to stabilise their populations and to raise water productivity, their water shortages may soon become food shortages. The risk is that the growing number of water-short countries, including population giants China and India, with rising grain-import needs will overwhelm the exportable supply in food surplus countries, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia. This in turn could destabilise world grain markets. Another risk of delay in dealing with the deficit is that some low-income, water-short countries will not be able to afford to import needed grain, trapping millions of their people in hydrological poverty; thirsty and hungry, unable to escape. | |
Note - You should base on the corresponding key words from the question and then compare them with the key words in the passage - There are 2 paragraphs containing the key words: paragraph B, : + Paragraph B: It mentions ‘population growth is sentencing…to…. hydro-logical poverty’ => Popularity growth is the reason leading to hydro-logical poverty: a local form of poverty that is difficult to escape It also gives the definition of hydro-logical poverty: => ‘Hydro-logical poverty’ is ‘a new type of water-related poverty’ + Paragraph L It states that ‘water-short countries need to quickly stabilize their populations, or else, water shortages may become food shortages’ It also mentions about ‘hydro-logical poverty’, however, in the smaller scale, it is the result of the delay of water-short countries in solving population matters, which leads to the fact that the people of these countries are stuck in hydro-logical poverty. - Considering everything, the answer is B. Paragraph B |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage | |
Q36: Industrialisation demands greater water supplies. | F In addition to population growth, urbanisation and industrialisation also expand the demand for water. As developing country villagers, traditionally reliant on the village well, move to urban high-rise apartment buildings with indoor plumbing, their residential water use can easily triple. Industrialisation takes even more water than urbanisation. Rising affluence in itself generates additional demand for water. As people move up the food chain, consuming more beef, pork, poultry, eggs, and dairy products, they use more grain. A US diet rich in livestock products requires 800 kilograms of grain per person a year, whereas diets in India, dominated by a starchy food staple such as rice, typically need only 200 kilograms. Using four times as much grain per person means using four times as much water. | |
Note: - Finding out the key word ‘industrialisation’. This word only appears in paragraph F - So, what you need to do now is reading paragraph F carefully, then, trying to find out the sentence containing the information of the Qs’ inquiry in order to get the correct answer - Obviously, thanks to the first sentence of paragraph F, we can make a conclusion that the answer is F. Paragraph F |
Choose the correct letter A, B, C or D.
Our water supply is running low because
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage | |
Q37: Our water supply is running low because A. grain is now exported globally. B. the world’s population is increasing rapidly. C. more people are moving to cities. D. people waste water foolishly. | A At a time when drought in the United States, Ethiopia, and Afghanistan is in the news, it is easy to forget that far more serious water shortages are emerging as the demand for water in many countries simply outruns the supply. Water tables are now falling on every continent; literally scores of countries are facing water shortages as the tables fall and wells go dry. We live in a water-challenged world, one that is becoming more so each year as 80 million additional people stake their claims to the Earth’s water resources. Unfortunately, nearly all the projected 3 billion people to be added over the next half century will be born in countries that are already experiencing water shortages. Even now, many in these countries lack enough water to drink, to satisfy cleanliness needs, and to produce food. | |
Note - To answer Q37, it would be better to used skimming to find out the content words (water supply, running low) and theirs synonyms (water, supply; failing). Passage A contains these content words - Paragraph A also mentions about the number of people will be born in countries, which matches the content of option B in the Qs - All things considered, we can conclude that the answer is B. the world’s population is increasing rapidly. |
People who have a high-meat diet cause more water to be used because
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage | |
Q38: People who have a high-meat diet cause more water to be used because A it takes more grain to feed livestock than it does a human. B the industrial processes to produce meat require a lot of water. C livestock drink a lot of water. D packaging of meat products goes through an intensive washing process. | F In addition to population growth, urbanisation and industrialisation also expand the demand for water. As developing country villagers, traditionally reliant on the village well, move to urban high-rise apartment buildings with indoor plumbing, their residential water use can easily triple. Industrialisation takes even more water than urbanisation. Rising affluence in itself generates additional demand for water. As people move up the food chain, consuming more beef, pork, poultry, eggs, and dairy products, they use more grain. A US diet rich in livestock products requires 800 kilograms of grain per person a year, whereas diets in India, dominated by a starchy food staple such as rice, typically need only 200 kilograms. Using four times as much grain per person means using four times as much water. | |
Note: - The key words to use in scanning are ‘high-meat’, ‘diet’, ‘more water’, which appear in paragraph F. - - These words have the same meaning with the key phrases from paragraph F ‘beef, pork, poultry’ - Read paragraph F carefully to find out the corresponding information in the paragraph that matches the options in the Qs - Considering all the given information, we can conclude that the answer is A. it takes more grain to feed livestock than it does a human. |
What would reduce the use of water without adversely affecting the food supply?
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage | |
Q39: What would reduce the use of water without adversely affecting the food supply? A growing fewer crops B increasing water subsidies C diverting water from irrigation D falling population levels | M Although there are still some opportunities for developing new water resources, restoring the balance between water use and developing a sustainable supply will depend primarily on demand-side initiatives, such as stabilising population and raising water productivity. Governments can no longer separate population policy from the supply of water. And just as the world turned to raising land productivity a half century ago when the frontiers of agricultural settlement disappeared, so it must now turn to raising water productivity. The first step toward this goal is to eliminate the water subsidies that foster inefficiency. The second step is to raise the price of water to reflect its cost. Shifting to more water-efficient technologies, more water-efficient crops, and more water-efficient forms of animal protein offers a huge potential for raising water productivity. These shifts will move faster if the price of water more closely reflects its real value. A At a time when drought in the United States, Ethiopia, and Afghanistan is in the news, it is easy to forget that far more serious water shortages are emerging as the demand for water in many countries simply outruns the supply. Water tables are now falling on every continent; literally scores of countries are facing water shortages as the tables fall and wells go dry. We live in a water-challenged world, one that is becoming more so each year as 80 million additional people stake their claims to the Earth’s water resources. Unfortunately, nearly all the projected 3 billion people to be added over the next half century will be born in countries that are already experiencing water shortages. Even now, many in these countries lack enough water to drink, to satisfy cleanliness needs, and to produce food. L Unless governments in water-short countries act quickly to stabilise their populations and to raise water productivity, their water shortages may soon become food shortages. The risk is that the growing number of water-short countries, including population giants China and India, with rising grain-import needs will overwhelm the exportable supply in food surplus countries, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia. This in turn could destabilise world grain markets. Another risk of delay in dealing with the deficit is that some low-income, water-short countries will not be able to afford to import needed grain, trapping millions of their people in hydrological poverty; thirsty and hungry, unable to escape. | |
Note: - There are 3 paragraphs show us about the impact of overpopulation on water supply: paragraph M, A, L - By following the pink highlighted key phrases in each paragraph, you can make a conclusion that the suitable answer for this Qs is option D - The answer can be found most obvious in some sentences that are pink highlighted in paragraph L - Considering all the given information, we can conclude that the answer is D. falling population levels |
If there is a water war, who will win?
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage | |
Q40: If there is a water war, who will win? A the driest countries B the richest countries C the countries that are more forceful D the countries that have the biggest population | K It is now often said that future wars in the region will more likely be fought over water than oil. Perhaps, but given the difficulty in winning a water war, the competition for water seems more likely to take place in world grain markets. The countries that will "win" in this competition will be those that are financially strongest, not those that are militarily strongest. The world water deficit grows larger with each year, making it potentially more difficult to manage. If we decided abruptly to stabilise water tables everywhere by simply pumping less water, the world grain harvest would fall by some 160 million tons, or 8 percent, and grain prices would go off the chart. If the deficit continues to widen, the eventual adjustment will be even greater. | |
Note: - First of all, you need to find out the key word ‘war’ in order to identify what paragraph needs to be read carefully - The paragraph you need to read carefully is paragraph K - The ‘win’ countries are whom has ‘financially strongest’, which is also similar to ‘richest countries’ - Considering all the given information, we can conclude that the answer is B. the richest countries |
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1 -13, which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.
A
There are many reasons why we are looking towards alternative energy sources. With many countries signing the Kyoto Treaty, efforts to reduce pollutants and greenhouse gases are a primary focus in today’s culture. Alternative, or renewable, energy sources show significant promise in helping to reduce the amount of toxins that are byproducts of energy use. Not only do they protect against harmful by-products, but using alternative energy helps to preserve many of the natural resources that we currently use as sources of energy. To understand how alternative energy use can help preserve the delicate ecological balance of the planet, and help us conserve the non-renewable energy sources like fossil fuels, it is important to know what types of alternative energy are out there.
B
Alternative energy sources are resources that are constantly replaced and are usually less polluting. They are not the result of the burning of fossil fuels or splitting of atoms. The use of renewable energy is contributing to our energy supply. Some alternative energy sources are: biomass energy, geothermal energy, hydroelectric power, solar power, wind power, fuel cells, ocean thermal energy conversion, tidal energy, and wave energy.
C
Biomass is renewable energy that is produced from organic matter. Biomass fuels include wood, forest and mill residues, animal waste, grains, agricultural crops, and aquatic plants. These materials are used as fuel to heat water for steam or processed into liquids and gases, which can be burned to do the same thing. With more use of biomass at lower production costs and better technology, the United States could generate as much as four-and-a-half times more biopower by 2020. It is estimated that biomass will have the largest increase among renewable energy sources, rising by 80 percent and reaching 65.7 billion KW in 2020.
D
Geothermal energy uses heat from within the earth. Wells are drilled into geothermal reservoirs to bring the hot water or steam to the surface. The steam then drives a turbine-generator to generate electricity in geothermal plants. In some places this heat is used directly to heat homes and greenhouses, or to provide process heat for businesses or industries. Reykjavik, Iceland, is heated by geothermal energy. Most geothermal resources are concentrated in the western part of the United States. Geothermal heat pumps use shallow ground energy to heat and cool homes, and this technique can be employed almost anywhere. With technological improvements much more power could lie generated from hydrothermal resources. Scientists have been experimenting by pumping water into the hot dry rock that is 3-6 miles below the earth’s surface for use in geothermal power plants.
E
Hydroelectric (hydropower) energy employs the force of falling water to drive turbine-generators to produce electricity. Hydropower produces more electricity than any other alternative energy source. It has been estimated that hydroelectric power will decline from 389 billion KW in the US in 1999 to 298 billion KW in 2020. This decline is expected because most of the best sites for hydropower have already been developed and because of concerns about the adverse impact that large-scale hydroelectric facilities may have on the environment.
F
Solar energy is generated without a turbine or electromagnet. Special panels of photovoltaic cells capture light from the sun and convert it directly into electricity. The electricity is stored in a battery. Solar energy can also be used to directly heat water for domestic use (solar thermal technology). The domestic photovoltaic (PV) industry could provide up to 15% of new US peak electricity capacity that is expected to be required in 2020.
G
Wind energy can be used to produce electricity. As wind passes through the blades of a windmill, the blades spin. The shaft that is attached to the blades turns and powers a pump or turns a generator to produce electricity. Electricity is then stored in batteries. The speed of the wind and the size of the blades determine how much energy can be produced. Wind energy is more efficient in windier parts of the country. Most wind power is produced from wind farms — large groups of turbines located in consistently windy locations. Wind, used as a fuel, is free and non-polluting and produces no emissions or chemical wastes. Wind-powered electricity is gaining in popularity.
H
Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that produce electricity through a chemical reaction. Fuel cells are rechargeable, contain no moving parts, are clean, and produce no noise. Scientists are exploring ways that they could be used as a power source for nearly exhaust-free automobiles and how they can be used as electricity-generating plants. The high cost of manufacturing fuel cells has prevented the mass use of this valuable energy source.
I
Ocean sources; Oceans, which cover more than 70% of the earth, contain both thermal energy from the sun’s heat and mechanical energy from the tides and waves. Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) converts solar radiation to electric power. OTEC power plants use the difference in temperature between warm surface waters heated by the sun and colder waters found at ocean depths to generate electricity. The power of tides can also be harnessed to produce electricity. Tidal energy works by harnessing the power of changing tides but it needs large tidal differences. The tidal process utilises the natural motion of the tides to fill reservoirs, which are then slowly discharged through electricity-producing turbines. Wave energy conversion extracts energy from surface waves, from pressure fluctuations below the water surface, or from the full wave. Wave energy also uses the interaction of winds with the ocean surface. This technology is still in the exploratory phase in the United States.
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14 - 26, which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.
Colour blindness results from an absence or malfunction of certain colour-sensitive cells in the retina. The retina is a neuro-membrane lining the inside back of the eye, behind the lens. The retina contains both rod cells (active in low light or night vision but which cannot distinguish colour) and cone cells (active in normal daylight, sensitive to colour). Cone cells, also called photoreceptors, are concentrated mostly in the central part of the retina, in an area called the macula. Cone cells provide clear, sharp colour vision. The cones contain light-sensitive pigments that are sensitive to the range of wavelengths. There are three different types of cones with one sensitive to short wavelengths, or the colour blue, one sensitive to medium wavelengths, or the colour green, and the other sensitive to higher wavelengths, or the colour red. All of these cells send information about colour to the brain via the optic nerve which connects to the1 retina at a point very close to the macula. Normal persons, referred to as trichromats, are able to match all colours of the spectrum by using a combination of these three fundamental colour sensitivities. Hence, the huge variety of colours we perceive stems from the cone cells' response to different compositions of wavelengths of light.
There are many types of colour blindness. When there are deficiencies in the cones, either at birth or acquired in other ways, the cones are not able to distinguish the particular wavelengths and thus, that colour range is seen differently. Those with defective colour vision have a deficiency or absence in one or more of the pigments. People with a deficiency in one of the pigments (the most common type of colour vision problem) are called anomalous trichromats. When one of the cone pigments is absent and colour is reduced to two dimensions, dichromacy occurs. These individuals normally know they have a colour vision problem and it can affect their lives on a daily basis. They see no perceptible difference between red, orange, yellow, and green. All these colours that seem so different to the normal viewer appear to them to be the same colour. Missing the cones responsible for green and red hues can also affect the sensitivity to brightness.
Most cases of colour blindness, about 99%, are inherited, resulting from partial or complete loss of function in one or more of the different cone systems and affect both eyes without worsening over time. The most common are red-green hereditary (genetic) photoreceptor disorders collectively referred to as "red-green colour blindness". It affects 8% of all males of European origin and 0.4% of all females. The gene for this is carried in the X chromosome. Since males have an X-Y pairing and females have X-X, colour blindness can occur much more easily in males and is typically passed to them by their mothers. In other words, females may be carriers of colour blindness, but males are more commonly affected. People with this disorder cannot identify red or green by itself but can if among a coloured group. Other forms of colour blindness are much more rare. They include problems in discriminating blues from yellows. Both colours are seen as white or grey. This disorder occurs with equal frequency in men and women and usually accompanies certain other physical disorders, such as liver disease or diabetes.
The rarest form of all is total colour blindness, monochromacy, where one can only see grey or shades of black, grey and white as in a black-and-white film or photograph. Monochromacy occurs when two or all three of the cone pigments are missing and colour and lightness vision is reduced to one dimension. Another term for total colour blindness is achromatopsia, the inability to see colour.
Inherited colour vision problems cannot be treated or corrected. Some acquired colour vision problems can be treated with surgery, such as the removal of a cataract, depending on the cause. Certain types of tinted filters and contact lenses may also help an individual to distinguish different colours better. Additionally, computer software has been developed to assist those with visual colour difficulties and those with mild colour deficiencies to learn to associate colours with certain objects and are usually able to identify colour in the same way as everyone else. One frequent problem encountered is with traffic lights, and worst of all, warning lights: colour-blind people always know the position of the colours on the traffic light - in most situations; red on top, yellow in the centre, green on the bottom. But warning lights present an entirely different problem. In this situation there is only one light; no top or bottom, no right or left, just one light that is either red or yellow.
Colour vision problems can have a significant impact on a person's life, learning abilities and career choices. On an everyday basis, there are some annoyances and frustrations: not being able to differentiate between green or ripe tomatoes when preparing food, for example, or buying clothes that to the 'normal' eye seem positively garish. However, people with colour vision problems usually learn to compensate for their inability to see colours. Although there is little or no treatment for colour blindness, most colour deficient persons compensate well for their defect and may even discover instances in which they can discern details and images that would escape normal-sighted persons. At one time the US Army found that colour-blind persons can spot camouflage colours in cases where those with normal colour vision are typically fooled.
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27 - 40, which are based on Reading Passage 3 below.
At a time when drought in the United States, Ethiopia, and Afghanistan is in the news, it is easy to forget that far more serious water shortages are emerging as the demand for water in many countries simply outruns the supply. Water tables are now falling on every continent; literally scores of countries are facing water shortages as the tables fall and wells go dry. We live in a water-challenged world, one that is becoming more so each year as 80 million additional people stake their claims to the Earth’s water resources. Unfortunately, nearly all the projected 3 billion people to be added over the next half century will be born in countries that are already experiencing water shortages. Even now, many in these countries lack enough water to drink, to satisfy cleanliness needs, and to produce food.
By 2050, India is projected to have added 519 million people and China 211 million. Pakistan is projected to have added nearly 200 million, going from 151 million at present to 348 million. Egypt, Iran, and Mexico are slated to increase their populations by more than half by 2050. In these and other water-short countries, population growth is sentencing millions of people to hydro-logical poverty, a local form of poverty that is difficult to escape.
Even with today's 6 billion people, the world has a huge water deficit. Using data on over-pumping for China, India, Saudi Arabia, North Africa, and the United States, Sandra Postel, author of Pillar of Sand: Can the Irrigation Miracle Last? reports the annual depletion of aquifer to be at 160 billion cubic meters or 160 billion tons. Using the rule of thumb that it takes 1,000 tons of water to produce 1 ton of grain, this 160-billion-ton water deficit is equal to 160 million tons of grain or one-half the US grain harvest.
Average world grain consumption is just over 300 kilograms per person per annum - one third of a ton per person per year - and grain reserves directly or indirectly feed 480 million people globally. Stated otherwise, 480 million of the world's 6 billion people are being fed with grain produced with the unsustainable use of water.
Over-pumping is a new phenomenon, one largely confined to the last half century. Only since the development of powerful diesel- and electrically-driven pumps have we had the capacity to pull water out of aquifer faster than it is replaced by precipitation. Some 70 percent of the water consumed worldwide, including both that diverted from rivers and that pumped from underground, is used for irrigation, while some 20 percent is used by industry, and 10 percent for residential purposes. In the increasingly intense competition for water among sectors, agriculture almost always loses. The 1,000 tons of water used in India to produce 1 ton of wheat worth perhaps $200 can also be used to expand industrial output by easily $10,000, or 50 times as much. This ratio helps explain why, in the American West, the sale of irrigation water rights by farmers to cities is an almost daily occurrence.
In addition to population growth, urbanisation and industrialisation also expand the demand for water. As developing country villagers, traditionally reliant on the village well, move to urban high-rise apartment buildings with indoor plumbing, their residential water use can easily triple. Industrialisation takes even more water than urbanisation. Rising affluence in itself generates additional demand for water. As people move up the food chain, consuming more beef, pork, poultry, eggs, and dairy products, they use more grain. A US diet rich in livestock products requires 800 kilograms of grain per person a year, whereas diets in India, dominated by a starchy food staple such as rice, typically need only 200 kilograms. Using four times as much grain per person means using four times as much water.
Once a localised phenomenon, water scarcity is now crossing national borders via the international grain trade. The world's fastest growing grain import market is North Africa and the Middle East; an area that includes Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, and Iran. Virtually every country in this region is simultaneously experiencing water shortages and rapid population growth.
As the demand for water in the region's cities and industries increases, it is typically satisfied by diverting water from irrigation. The loss in food production capacity is then offset by importing grain from abroad. Since 1 ton of grain represents 1,000 tons of water, this becomes the most efficient way to import water.
Last year, Iran imported 7 million tons of wheat, eclipsing Japan to become the world's leading wheat importer. This year, Egypt is also projected to move ahead of Japan. Iran and Egypt have nearly 70 million people each. Both populations are increasing by more than a million a year and both are pressing the limits of their water supplies.
The water required to produce the grain and other foodstuffs imported into North Africa and the Middle East last year was roughly equal to the annual flow of the Nile River. Stated otherwise, the fast-growing water deficit of this region is equal to another Nile flowing into the region in the form of imported grain.
It is now often said that future wars in the region will more likely be fought over water than oil. Perhaps, but given the difficulty in winning a water war, the competition for water seems more likely to take place in world grain markets. The countries that will "win" in this competition will be those that are financially strongest, not those that are militarily strongest. The world water deficit grows larger with each year, making it potentially more difficult to manage. If we decided abruptly to stabilise water tables everywhere by simply pumping less water, the world grain harvest would fall by some 160 million tons, or 8 percent, and grain prices would go off the chart. If the deficit continues to widen, the eventual adjustment will be even greater.
Unless governments in water-short countries act quickly to stabilise their populations and to raise water productivity, their water shortages may soon become food shortages. The risk is that the growing number of water-short countries, including population giants China and India, with rising grain-import needs will overwhelm the exportable supply in food surplus countries, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia. This in turn could destabilise world grain markets. Another risk of delay in dealing with the deficit is that some low-income, water-short countries will not be able to afford to import needed grain, trapping millions of their people in hydrological poverty; thirsty and hungry, unable to escape.
Although there are still some opportunities for developing new water resources, restoring the balance between water use and developing a sustainable supply will depend primarily on demand-side initiatives, such as stabilising population and raising water productivity. Governments can no longer separate population policy from the supply of water. And just as the world turned to raising land productivity a half century ago when the frontiers of agricultural settlement disappeared, so it must now turn to raising water productivity. The first step toward this goal is to eliminate the water subsidies that foster inefficiency. The second step is to raise the price of water to reflect its cost. Shifting to more water-efficient technologies, more water-efficient crops, and more water-efficient forms of animal protein offers a huge potential for raising water productivity. These shifts will move faster if the price of water more closely reflects its real value.
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