IELTS Academic Reading: Cambridge 2 Test 1 Reading passage 1; AIRPORTS ON WATER; with best solutions and best explanations

June 4, 2021May 5, 2023

This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Cambridge 2 Reading Test 1 Reading Passage 1 titled ‘AIRPORTS ON WATER’. This is a targeted post for IELTS candidates who have big problems finding out and understanding Reading Answers in the AC module. This post can guide you the best to understand every Reading answer without much trouble. Finding out IELTS Reading answers is a steady process, and this post will assist you in this respect.

IELTS Cambridge 2 Test 1: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 1: Questions 1-13

Title of the passage: AIRPORTS ON WATER

Questions 1-5: Classifying groups

[This type of question asks candidates to classify information from the given reading text. Candidates are given some groups from the text, and a list of options, which are listed as A, B, C etc. They must match the correct groups with the correct options.

N.B.: This question doesn’t follow any sequence. So, they should be answered after all other questions in the passage.]

Question no. 1: having an area of over 1000 hectares

Keywords for the question: area, over 1000 hectares,

Only Chek Lap Kok airport has an area of over 1000 hectares and the information can be found in paragraph no. 1. Take a look at lines 9-11, “An island six kilometres long and with a total area of 1248 hectares is being created there.”

Here, a total area of 1248 hectares = an area of over 1000 hectares,

Then, the first lines of the second paragraph indicates to Chek Lap Kok airport, “The new island of Chek Lap Kok, the site of Hong Kong’s new airport, is 83% complete. .. ..”

So, the answer is: A (Chek Lap Kok airport only)

Question no. 2: built in a river delta

Keywords for the question: built, river delta,

Again, Chek Lap Kok airport is being built in a river delta and it is mentioned in lines 4-8 and the final lines of the first paragraph.

In lines 4-8 the author of the passage writes, “ . .. . The changes in China’s Pearl River delta, however, are more dramatic than these natural fluctuations. … .. .”

Then, the final lines of the same paragraph say, “ . . .. This is a bit of the delta that they want to endure.”

Then, the first lines of the second paragraph indicates to Chek Lap Kok airport, “The new island of Chek Lap Kok, the site of Hong Kong’s new airport, is 83% complete. .. ..”

So, the answer is: A (Chek Lap Kok airport only)

Question no. 3: built in the open sea

Keywords for the question: built, open sea,

In the third paragraph, the first few lines talk about an airport which was built in the open sea. “ . .. .. another new Asian island is sinking back into the sea. This is a 520-hectare island built in Osaka Bay, Japan, that serves as the platform for the new Kansai airport. … … .”

Here, sinking back into the sea = built in the open sea and now sinking back,

So, the answer is: B (Kansai airport only)

Question no. 4: built by reclaiming land

Keywords for the question: built, reclaiming land,

In the first and last lines of paragraph no. 4, the writer talks about reclaiming land to build the airports. First, take a look at the first lines, “The usual way to reclaim land is to pile sand rock on to the seabed. .. .. .”

Then, in the final lines, the writer says, “ . . . . You can engineer around these problems, or you can engineer them out. Kansai took the first approach; Chek Lap Kok is taking the second.”

So, the answer is: C (Both airports)

Question no. 5: built using conventional methods of reclamation

Keywords for the question: built, conventional method of reclamation,

Again, the answer can be found in paragraph no. 4. In the first and last lines of paragraph no. 4, the writer talks about reclaiming land to build the airports. First, take a look at the first lines, “The usual way to reclaim land is to pile sand rock on to the seabed. .. .. .”

Then, in the final lines, the writer says, “ . . . . You can engineer around these problems, or you can engineer them out. Kansai took the first approach; Chek Lap Kok is taking the second.”

Here, You can engineer around these problems = using conventional method of reclamation,

So, the answer is: B (Kansai airport only)

Questions 6-9: Labeling a diagram with words from a given list

[In this type of question, candidates are asked to label a diagram with WORDS FROM A GIVEN LIST from the passage. Keywords are important to find answers correctly. Generally, this type of question maintains a sequence. However, we should not be surprised if the sequence is not maintained. Find the keywords in the passage and you are most likely to find the answers.]

Here, Diagram A depicts how the cross-section of the original area of the Chek Lap Kok Island looked like before the construction of the airport. Diagram B depicts how the cross section of the same area looked like after the airport construction.

From the diagram we can understand that the platform area (indicated by questions no. 6 and 7) were the places which became the runways and taxiways and terminal building sites. In paragraph no. 9, the writer says in lines 14-16, “ . .. . Most of the rock will become the foundation for the airport’s runaways and its taxiways. . .. .”

So, the answer to question no. 6 is:

runways and taxiways

Then, in lines 22-25, “ . .. . . Most of the terminal buildings will be placed above the site of the existing island. .. .. .”

So, the answer to question no. 7 is:

terminal building site

Now, question no. 8 indicates to the foundation that connects the Lam Chau and Chek Lap Kok islands. We find about it in lines 17-21 of paragraph no. 9, “ . … . The sand dredged from the waters will also be used to provide a two-metre capping layer over the granite platform. .. ..”

So, the answer to question no. 8 is:

sand

Again, at the end of paragraph no. 8, the writer says, “ . .. . At the same time, sand was dredged from the waters and piled on top of the layer of stiff clay that the massive dredging had laid bare.”

So, the answer to question no. 9 is:

stiff clay

Questions 10-13: Completing summary with list of words

[In this type of question, candidates are asked to complete a summary with list of words taken from the passage. Candidates must write the correct WORDS which are given in the box under the questions as the answers. Keywords and synonyms are important to find answers correctly. Generally, this type of question maintains a sequence. Find the keywords in the passage and you are most likely to find the answers.]

Questions no. 10 & 11: The island will be partially protected from storms by 10. ______ and also by 11. _______.

Keywords for the question: island, will be, partially protected, storms, by,

The answer can be found in the final paragraph. Here, take a look at lines 2-9, “ .. .. . To protect it, the new coastline is being bolstered with a formidable twelve kilometres of sea defences. The brunt of a typhoon will be deflected by the neighbouring island of Lantau; the sea walls should guard against the rest.

Here, typhoon = storm, sea defences = protection from sea forces,

So, the answers are (in either order):

Lantau Island

sea walls

Questions no. 12 & 13: Further settlement caused by 12. ______ will be prevented by the use of 13. _______.

Keywords for the question: further settlement, caused by, will be prevented, by, use of,

In lines 10-17 of the final paragraph, the author of the text says, “ . . .. Gentler but more persistent bad weather – the downpours of the summer monsoon – is also being taken into account. A mat-like material called geotextile is being laid across the island to separate the rock and sand layers. . .. ..”

Here, downpours = rainfall, to separate the rock and sand layers = to prevent further settlement,

So, the answers are: