The Water Crisis
- Details
- Last Updated: Friday, 21 March 2025 09:08
- Written by IELTS Mentor
- Hits: 118
Answer Explanation - The Water Crisis
Go to the Reading Passage: The Water Crisis
Questions 28-34:
Question 28. Paragraph A.
Answer: ix.
Explanation: The answer lies in the first two sentences of paragraph A. The author says here, “Per capita water usage has been on an upward trend for many years. As countries industrialise and their citizens become more prosperous, their individual water usage increases rapidly”. This means that paragraph A explains how development (industrialisation and prosperous citizens) is contributing to the demand for water.
So, the answer is: ix (The demands of development).
Question 29. Paragraph B.
Answer: vi.
Explanation: [Note: We need to skim this paragraph to find the answer to this question.]
At the beginning of paragraph B, the author says, “Agriculture consumes about 70% of the world’s fresh water, so improvements in irrigation can make the greatest impact”. This part of the text suggests that the agricultural sector utilizes the lion's share of fresh water resources.
Then, in the 4th sentence, the author says, “After agriculture, industry is the second biggest user of water and, in terms of value added per litre used, is sixty times more productive than agriculture”. Here, the industrial sector is mentioned as the second largest consumer of water.
Therefore, this paragraph outlines sectors that use a huge amount of water (the thirsty sectors).
So, the answer is: vi (The thirsty sectors).
Question 30. Paragraph C.
Answer: iv.
Explanation: Paragraph C discusses how different affluent nations have cut down on their water consumption. Take a close look at the sentence, “In rich countries, water consumption has gradually been slowed down by price increases and the use of modern technology and recycling”. The writer then gives examples from the USA, Japan and Germany.
Here, price increases, use of modern technology and recycling = Successful measures taken by some.
This means that the increase in price, the adoption of modern technology and the implementation of water recycling practices are the successful measures taken by some wealthier countries which have been gradually decreasing water consumption.
So, the answer is: iv (Successful measures taken by some).
Question 31. Paragraph D.
Answer: ii.
Explanation: The focus of paragraph D is on the need to impose economic pricing (costs) strategies to address the water crisis. Take a close look at sentences 1 to 5 as the author of the text writes here, “Many experts believe that the best way to counter this trend is to impose water charges based on the real cost of supplies. This would provide a powerful incentive for consumers to introduce water-saving processes and recycling. Few governments charge realistic prices for water, especially to farmers. Even in rich California, farmers get water for less than a tenth of the cost of supply. In many developing countries there is virtually no charge for irrigation water, while energy prices are heavily subsidised too (which means that farmers can afford to run water pumps day and night)”.
So, the answer is: ii (Economic pricing).
Question 32. Paragraph E.
Answer: vii.
Explanation: Paragraph E discusses how to cut down on waste of water. We have to skim the paragraph to trace the answer. At the beginning of paragraph E, the author says, “One way to cut back on water consumption is simply to prevent leaks”. This part of the text suggests that cut back on water consumption is a way of reducing the waste of water.
Then, in the last few sentences, the author says, “The modern approach, however, is to see used water as a resource which can be put to good use – either in irrigation or, after careful treatment, as recycled domestic water.......”
This part of the text suggests that the modern approach (recycling of used water) is another way of reducing waste of water.
So, the answer is: vii (Ways of reducing waste).
Question 33. Paragraph F.
Answer: viii.
Explanation: Paragraph F talks about how natural resources are dependent on one another and how disruptions in one of them can lead to issues for others. Take a close look at the last two sentences of paragraph F, “Grass and other vegetation acts as a sponge which absorbs rainfall both in the plants and in the ground. Removal of the vegetation means that rainfall runs off the top of the land, accelerating erosion instead of being gradually fed into the soil to renew groundwater”.
This means that the ecosystem is an interdependent network of natural resources and removing one of them can have a negative impact on all the others.
So, the answer is: viii (Interdependence of natural resources).
Question 34. Paragraph G.
Answer: iii.
Explanation: In the concluding/last paragraph, the author describes what will happen in the future due to global warming. In a sense, it gives us predictions of what the future holds for the planet. The writer says, “Global warming is bound to affect rainfall patterns … as sea levels rise, countries in low-lying coastal areas will be hit by seawater penetration of groundwater. Other countries will experience changes in rainfall which could have a major impact on agricultural yield… rainfall zones will shift northwards, adding to the water deficit in Africa, the Middle East and the Mediterranean – a grim prospect indeed”.
These sentences try to give us a vivid description of the consequences of global warming in the future.
So, the answer is: iii (What the future holds).
Questions 35-40:
Complete the summary below.
Question 35: Individual water usage is rising dramatically as people living in industrialised countries become increasingly ………………..
Answer: prosperous.
Keywords: water usage, rising dramatically, industrialised countries.
Explanation: In sentences 1 and 2 in paragraph A, the author says, “Per capita water usage has been on an upward trend for many years. As countries industrialise and their citizens become more prosperous, their individual water usage increases rapidly”.
Here, increases rapidly = rising dramatically, and citizens = people living in industrialised countries.
So, the answer is: prosperous.
Question 36: As well as increased consumption per capita, the growing demand for fresh water is due to a bigger global ……………….. than in the past.
Answer: population.
Keywords: increased consumption, growing demand, fresh water, global, than past.
Explanation: The answer is found in paragraph A. In the third and fourth sentences, the author says, “Annual per capita water withdrawals in the USA, for example, are about 1,700 cubic metres, four times the level in China and fifty times the level in Ethiopia. In the 21st century, the world’s limited supply of renewable fresh water is having to meet demands of both larger total population and increased per capita consumption”.
Here, annual per capita water withdrawals in the USA, for example, are about 1,700 cubic metres, four times the level in China and fifty times the level in Ethiopia = increased consumption per capita, & larger = bigger.
So, the answer is: population.
Question 37: here are examples of industries in some rich countries that have reduced their consumption rates through price increases, the application of ……………….. and recycling.
Answer: modern technology / technology.
Keywords: examples, industries, some rich countries, reduced, consumption rates, price increases, application of, recycling.
Explanation: In the very first sentence of paragraph C, the author says, “In rich countries, water consumption has gradually been slowed down by price increases and the use of modern technology and recycling”.
Here, water consumption has gradually been slowed down = reduced their consumption rates, and use of = application of.
So, the answer is: modern technology / technology.
Question 38: Other ways of protecting supplies are to reduce water loss resulting from ……………….. in the supply systems and to find ways of utilising used water.
Answer: leaks.
Keyword: protecting supplies, reduce water loss, resulting from, supply systems.
Explanation: The answer to this question can be found in paragraph E where the author discusses some remedies to minimize waste of water. Take a look at the first sentence, “One way to cut back on water consumption is simply to prevent leaks”.
Here, cut back on water consumption = reduce water loss, and prevent = protecting.
Then, in the last few sentences, the author says, “The modern approach, however, is to see used water as a resource which can be put to good use – either in irrigation or, after careful treatment, as recycled domestic water.......”
Here, used water as a resource which can be put to good use = ways of utilising used water.
So, the answer is: leaks.
Question 39: Longer term measures, such as improved environmental 39 ……………….. would protect the ecosystem and ensure the replenishment of ground water for future generations.
Answer: management.
Keywords: longer term measures, protect, ecosystem, ensure, replenishment, ground water, future generations.
Explanation: The answer to this question is found in paragraph F. The author says in the beginning, “Another way of conserving water resources involves better management of the environment generally”.
So, the answer is: management.
Question 40. Without such measures, future supplies are uncertain, especially when global warming is expected to interfere with rainfall patterns and to worsen the 40 ……………….. already suffered by many countries today.
Answer: water deficit.
Keywords: measure, future supplies, uncertain, global warming, expected to interfere, rainfall patterns, worsen, already suffered.
Explanation: We need to skim paragraph G to find the answer to this question. Take a look at the first sentence, “Global warming is bound to affect rainfall patterns, though there is considerable disagreement about its precise effects”.
This part of the text suggests that global warming is expected to have an impact on rainfall patterns.
Then, in 3rd and 4th sentences, the author says, “Other countries will experience changes in rainfall which could have a major impact on agricultural yield – either for better or for worse. In broad terms, it is thought that rainfall zones will shift northwards, adding to the water deficit in Africa, the Middle East and the Mediterranean – a grim prospect indeed”.
Here, affect = interfere, & adding to = worsen, and Africa, the Middle East and the Mediterranean = suffered by many countries today.
So, the answer is: water deficit.
This is the end of the "Answers Explanation" section for the reading passage "The Water Crisis".
If you have any questions regarding this answer explanation, please leave a comment comment.
Report