In my last post, I shared the solutions with explanations for Cambridge IELTS 7 Test 1 Reading Passage 1. Today, we are going to look at the solutions with explanations for Test 1 Reading Passage 2 of Cambridge 7. You are getting all the solutions with detailed explanations. You can find the solutions very useful when you are confusing yourself with the answers.

Solutions with explanations to Reading Test 1 Section 2: Cambridge 7

Questions 14-20: List of headings/headlines (You have to match the headings with the paragraphs A-H. Paragraph B is done as an example. ANSWER: iii  how a global challenge was met.)

Answers with explanations:

14. Paragraph A xi A description of ancient water supplies

(By reading the first sentence “ The history of human civilisation is entwined with the history of the ways we have learned to manipulate water resources”  and skimming the last sentences we find words like ” water was brought…”,  “the Roman Empire”, “supplied occupants of Rome”. Thus, it becomes clear to us that the ancient Roman empire used water supplies)

15.   Paragraph C  vii the relevance to health

(Paragraph C narrates the dangers to physical condition as the result of a shortage of pure water. The author says in line 4: “…more than one billion people lack access to clean drinking water; some two and a half billion do not have adequate sanitation services.  Preventable water-related diseases kill an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 children every day. So, it is apparent that the lines are related to health issues)

16. Paragraph D v Environmental effects

(Line 4 of Paragraph D says “…more than 20% of all freshwater fish species are now threatened or endangered because dams and water withdrawals have destroyed the free-flowing river ecosystems where they thrive. Certain irrigation practices degrade soil quality and reduce agricultural productivity.”

This clearly denotes the environmental consequences.)

17. Paragraph E i Scientists’ call for a revision of policy

(In the very first sentence, the author says: “At the outset of the new millennium, however, the way resource planners think about water is beginning to change“.

In the subsequent sentences, we find phrase and clauses like “The focus is slowly shifting back….”, “some water experts are now demanding that…”, “This shift in philosophy…” etc. All these indicate that the experts or scientists are demanding a change in the policy.)

18. Paragraph F ix A surprising downward trend in demand for water

(The writer says in the very first sentence: ” Fortunately- and unexpectedly- the demand for water is not rising as rapidly as some predicted“.  So we can gather that the text is perhaps going to talk about a downward trend in water demand. Afterwards, we spot words like “slowed“, “demand has actually fallen.” So, the answer is going to be something which indicates a downward trend)

19. Paragraph G ii An explanation for reduced water use

(The writer talks about two factors:  “People now use water more efficiently” and “…communities are now re-thinking their priorities for water use”.

Also, in the middle of the paragraph, the writer says, “But since 1980, the amount of water consumed per person has actually decreased, thanks to a range of new technologies that help to conserve water in homes and industries.” This explains the reduction of water use.)

20. Paragraph H x The need to raise standards

(In the very first sentence, the writer states: “On the other hand, aqueducts and other kinds of infrastructure will still have to be built, particularly in developing countries where basic human needs have not been met.  But such projects must be built to higher specifications and with more accountability to local people and their environment than in the past”. The bold words indicate a proposal from the writer to develop a standard in the policy.)

Questions 21-26: YES, NO, NOT GIVEN (You have to write whether the statements Yes, No or there is no information in the passage about it.)

21. Water use per person is higher in the industrial world than it was in Ancient Rome. NO

(In last sentence of Paragraph A, the author states: “At the height of the Roman Empire,…, supplied the occupants of Rome with as much water per person as is provided in many parts of the industrial world today.”

Look at the use of as much as in the sentence. It means the water use was equal.

Thus, we get the idea clearly that people in ancient Rome used an equal amount of water as people in the industrial world. It was not higher. )

22. Feeding increasing populations is possible due primarily to improved irrigation systems. YES

(In paragraph B, the writer states: ” Food production has kept pace with soaring (increasing) populations mainly because of (due primarily to) the expansion of artificial irrigation systems (improved irrigation systems) that make possible the growth of 40% of the world’s food.”

This indicates that food production can still cope with the supply of the increasing population because irrigation methods help in more food production. It matches the question.)

23. Modern water systems imitate those of the ancient Greeks and Romans. NOT GIVEN

(Modern, imitate, ancient Greeks and Romans are the keywords for this question

From these keywords, it can be deduced that an account of water systems could only be found in paragraph C.   However, we find lines like “…half of the world’s population still suffers, with water services inferior to those available to the ancient Greeks and Romans”.  Here, whether these current water systems copy those of ancient Greece and Rome is not said. So, the answer is not given.)

24. Industrial growth is increasing the overall demand for water. NO

(In Paragraph F, the writer argues by saying: “Although population, industrial output, and economic productivity have continued to soar in developed nations, the rate at which people withdraw water from aquifers, rivers, and lakes has slowed.” Slowed means decreased which is antonymous to the word increasing in the question.)

25. Modern technologies have led to a reduction in domestic water consumption. YES

(In Paragraph G, the author states: “But since 1980, the amount of water consumed per person has actually decreased, thanks to a range of new technologies that help to conserve water in homes and industry.” The line is a clear match. )

26. In the future, governments should maintain ownership of water infrastructures. NOT GIVEN

(Information relating to government and water infrastructures can only be traced in paragraphs H and E.

In paragraph E, the writer only says: “Some water experts are now demanding that existing infrastructure be used in smarter ways rather than building new facilities.” There is no discussion about ownership whatsoever.

In paragraph H:  “…dams, aqueducts and other kinds of infrastructure will still have to be built….”.  But again there is a clear indication of ownership here. Therefore, the sentences lack information on whether governments should maintain ownership of water infrastructures or not. )

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