Cùng IELTSITY tham khảo đáp án đề bài Cambridge IELTS 18 – Test 3 – Passage 1 – Materials To Take Us Beyond Concrete nhé!
ANSWER TABLE |
|
| 1. G | 8. speed |
| 2. D | 9. C |
| 3. C | 10. A |
| 4. F | 11. B |
| 5. architects | 12. D |
| 6. moisture | 13. A |
| 7. layers | |
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13, which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.
Materials to take us beyond concrete
Concrete is everywhere, but it’s bad for the planet, generating large amounts of carbon dioxide – alternatives are being developed
A. Concrete is the second most used substance in the global economy, after water – and one of the world’s biggest single sources of greenhouse gas emissions. The chemical process by which cement, the key ingredient of concrete, is created results in large quantities of carbon dioxide. The UN estimates that there will be 9.8 billion people living on the planet by mid-century. They will need somewhere to live. If concrete is the only answer to the construction of new cities, then carbon emissions will soar, aggravating global warming. And so scientists have started innovating with other materials, in a scramble for alternatives to a universal commodity that has underpinned our modem life for many years.
B. The problem with replacing concrete is that it is so very good at what it does. Chris Cheeseman(Q10), an engineering professor at Imperial College London, says the key thing to consider is the extent to which concrete is used around the world, and is likely to continue to be used. ‘Concrete is not a high-carbon product. Cement is high carbon, but concrete is not. But it is the scale on which it is used that makes it high carbon. The sheer scale of manufacture is so huge, that is the issue(Q13).’
C. Not only are the ingredients of concrete relatively cheap and found in abundance in most places around the globe(Q3), the stuff itself has marvelous properties: Portland cement, the vital component of concrete, is mouldable and pourable, but quickly sets hard. Cheeseman also notes another advantage: concrete and steel have similar thermal expansion properties, so steel can be used to reinforce concrete, making it far stronger and more flexible as a building material than it could be on its own. According to Cheeseman, all these factors together make concrete hard to beat. ‘Concrete is amazing stuff. Making anything with similar properties is going to be very difficult.’
D. A possible alternative to concrete is wood. Making buildings from wood may seem like a rather medieval idea, but climate change is driving architects (Q5) to tum to treated timber as a possible resource. Recent years have seen the emergence of tall buildings constructed almost entirely from timber. Vancouver, Vienna and Brumunddal in Norway are all home to constructed tall, wooden buildings. (Q2)
E. Using wood to construct buildings, however, is not straightforward. Wood expands as it absorbs moisture (Q6) from the air and is susceptible to pests, not to mention fire. But treating wood and combining it with other materials can improve its properties. Cross-laminated timber is engineered wood. An adhesive is used to stick layers (Q7) of solid-sawn timber together, crosswise, to form building blocks. This material is light but has the strength of concrete and steel. Construction experts say that wooden buildings can be constructed at a greater speed (Q8) than ones of concrete and steel and the process, it seems, is quieter.
F. Stora Enso is Europe’s biggest supplier of cross-laminated timber, and its vice-president Markus Mannstrom reports that the company is seeing increasing demand globally for building in wood, with climate change concerns the key driver(Q11). Finland, with its large forests, where Stora Enso is based, has been leading the way, but the company is seeing a rise in demand for its timber products across the world, including in Asia. Of course, using timber in a building also locks away the carbon that it absorbed as it grew. But even treated wood has its limitations and only when a wider range of construction projects has been proven in practice will it be possible to see wood as a real alternative to concrete in constructing tall buildings. (Q4)
G. Fly ash and slag from iron ore are possible alternatives to cement in a concrete mix. Fly ash, a byproduct of coal-:-burning power plants can be incorporated into concrete mixes to make up as much as 15 to 30% of the cement, without harming the strength or durability of the resulting mix. Iron-ore slag, a byproduct of the iron-ore smelting process, can be used in a similar way (Q1) Their incorporation into concrete mixes has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
H. But Anna Surgenor, of the UK’s Green Building Council, notes that although these waste products can save carbon in the concrete mix, their use is not always straightforward. ‘It’s possible to replace the cement content in concrete with waste products to lower the overall carbon impact. But there are several calculations that need to be considered across. the entire life cycle of the building – these include factoring in where these materials are being shipped from. If they are transported over long distances, using fossil fuels, the use of alternative materials might not make sense from an overall carbon reduction perspective. (Q9)
I. While these technologies are all promising ideas, they are either unproven or based on materials that are not abundant. In their overview of innovation in the concrete industry, Felix Preston and Johanna Lehne of the UK’s Royal Institute of International Affairs reached the conclusion that ‘Some novel cements have been discussed for more than a decade within the research community, without breaking through. At present, these alternatives are rarely as cost-effective as conventional cement, and they face raw-material shortages and resistance from customers. (Q12)
Questions 1-4
Reading Passage 1 has eight sections, A-H. Which section contains the following information?
Write the correct letter, A-H, in boxes 1-4 on your answer sheet.
- an explanation of the industrial processes that create potential raw materials for concrete
- a reference to the various locations where high-rise wooden buildings can be found
- an indication of how widely available the raw materials of concrete are
- the belief that more high-rise wooden buildings are needed before wood can be regarded as a viable construction material
Questions 5-8
Complete the summary below. Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 5-8 on your answer sheet.
Making buildings with wood
Wood is a traditional building material, but current environmental concerns are encouraging 5___________ to use wood in modern construction projects.
Using wood, however, has its challenges. For example, as 6___________ in the atmosphere enters wood, it increases in size. In addition, wood is prone to pests and the risk of fire is greater. However, wood can be turned into a better construction material if it is treated and combined with other materials. In one process,
7 ___________of solid wood are glued together to create building blocks. These blocks are lighter than concrete and steel but equal them in strength. Experts say that wooden buildings are an improvement on those made of concrete and steel in terms of the 8 ___________ with which they can be constructed and how much
noise is generated by the process.
Questions 9-13
Look at the following statements (Questions 9-13) and the list of people below. Match each statement with the correct person, A, B, C, or D.
Write the correct letter, A, B, C, or D, in boxes 9-13 on your answer sheet.
NB You may use any letter more than once.
- The environmental advantage of cement alternatives may not be as great as initially assumed.
- It would be hard to create a construction alternative to concrete that offers so many comparable benefits.
- Worries about the environment have led to increased interest in wood as a construction material.
- Expense has been a factor in the negative response to the development of new cements.
- The environmental damage caused by concrete is due to it being produced in large quantities.
List of People
- Chris Cheeseman
- Markus Mannstrom
- Anna Surgenor
- Felix Preston and Johanna Lehne
EXPLANATIONS
Q1
Từ khóa câu hỏi: An explanation of the industrial processes that create potential raw materials for concrete
Từ đồng nghĩa trong bài: Iron-ore slag, a byproduct of the iron-ore smelting process, can be used in a similar way
Giải thích: Quy trình công nghiệp ở đây là dùng iron-ore slag(xỉ quặng sắt) cũng có thể được dùng làm nguyên liệu thô để hợp thành bê tông.
Đáp án là G
Q2
Từ khóa câu hỏi: A reference to the various locations where high-rise wooden buildings can be found
Từ đồng nghĩa trong bài: Vancouver, Vienna and Brumunddal in Norway are all home to constructed tall, wooden buildings. (Q2)
Giải thích: Đề cập về một loạt các địa danh có nhiều nhà gỗ cao chính là Vancouver, Vienna…
Đáp án là D
Q3
Từ khóa câu hỏi: An indication of how widely available the raw materials of concrete are
Từ đồng nghĩa trong bài: Not only are the ingredients of concrete relatively cheap and found in abundance in most places around the globe (Q3)
Giải thích: Bàn về việc các nguyên liệu của bê tông thì có thể được tìm thấy ở khắp nơi (& rẻ)
Đáp án là C
Q4
Từ khóa câu hỏi: the belief that more high-rise wooden buildings are needed before wood can be regarded as a viable construction material
Từ đồng nghĩa trong bài: But even treated wood has its limitations and only when a wider range of construction projects has been proven in practice will it be possible to see wood as a real alternative to concrete in constructing tall buildings. (Q4)
Giải thích: Niềm tin ở đây là: ‘Trước khi coi gỗ là nguyên liệu thiết yếu, chúng ta cần chứng minh qua việc xây dựng hàng loạt các công trình bằng gỗ khác nhau, rồi xem chúng có hoạt đông không đã.’
-> Đáp án là F
Q5
Từ khóa câu hỏi: Wood is a traditional building material, but current environmental concerns are encouraging 5___________ to use wood in modern construction projects.
Từ đồng nghĩa trong bài: A possible alternative to concrete is wood. Making buildings from wood may seem like a rather medieval idea, but climate change is driving architects (Q5) to tum to treated timber as a possible resource.
Giải thích: Việc xây công trình bằng gỗ nghe có vẻ truyền thống/cổ xưa, nhưng việc khí hậu thay đổi(do lượng công trình xây lên bằng bê tông quá nhiều) đã khiến các kiến trúc sư cân nhắc về việc xây dựng lại bằng gỗ.
-> Đáp án là architects
Q6
Từ khóa câu hỏi: For example, as 6___________ in the atmosphere enters wood, it increases in size.
Từ đồng nghĩa trong bài: Wood expands as it absorbs moisture (Q6) from the air
Giải thích: Khi gỗ bị nhiễm ẩm, nó thường nở ra.
-> Đáp án là moisture
Q7
Từ khóa câu hỏi: In one process, 7 ___________of solid wood are glued together to create building blocks.
Từ đồng nghĩa trong bài: An adhesive is used to stick layers (Q7) of solid-sawn timber together, crosswise, to form building blocks.
Giải thích: Các lớp gỗ cứng được keo với nhau để tạo thành các khối gỗ.
Note: Đây là quy trình làm gỗ ván ép, được coi là đối thủ nặng ký của bê tông /cốt thép khi bàn về xây dựng công trình.
-> Đáp án là layers
Q8
Từ khóa câu hỏi: Experts say that wooden buildings are an improvement on those made of concrete and steel in terms of the 8 ___________ with which they can be constructed and how much noise is generated by the process.
Từ đồng nghĩa trong bài: Construction experts say that wooden buildings can be constructed at a greater speed (Q8) than ones of concrete and steel and the process, it seems, is quieter.
Giải thích: Toà nhà làm bằng gỗ thì xây nhanh hơn làm bằng bê tông cốt thép, và giai đoạn thi công cũng ít tiếng ồn hơn.
-> Đáp án là speed
Q9
Từ khóa câu hỏi: The environmental advantage of cement alternatives may not be as great as initially assumed.
Từ đồng nghĩa trong bài: If they are transported over long distances, using fossil fuels, the use of alternative materials might not make sense from an overall carbon reduction perspective. (Q9)
Giải thích: Anna Surgenor nói: “Lợi thế của những loại nguyên liệu thay thế xi măng(gỗ) chưa chắc đã tốt như phỏng đoán. Vì chúng ta còn cần cân nhắc về quãng đuờng vận chuyển nguyên liệu đó tới công trình( xe vận chuyển dùng xăng -> vẫn hại môi trường)
-> Đáp án là C
Q10
Từ khóa câu hỏi: It would be hard to create a construction alternative to concrete that offers so many comparable benefits.
Từ đồng nghĩa trong bài: The problem with replacing concrete is that it is so very good at what it does.
Chris Cheeseman(Q10), an engineering professor at Imperial College London, says the key thing to consider is the extent to which concrete is used around the world, and is likely to continue to be used.
Giải thích: Bê tông đang làm quá tốt phần công việc của 1 nguyên liệu xây dựng. Nó sẽ rất khó bị thay thế kể cả trong tương lai
-> Đáp án là A
Q11
Từ khóa câu hỏi: Worries about the environment have led to increased interest in wood as a construction material.
Từ đồng nghĩa trong bài: with climate change concerns the key driver(Q11)
Giải thích: Việc quay lại sử dụng gỗ như là nguyên liệu chính khi xây dựng 1 phần là do những nỗi lo về thay đổi khí hậu.
-> Đáp án là B
Q12
Từ khóa câu hỏi: Expense has been a factor in the negative response to the development of new cements.
Từ đồng nghĩa trong bài: At present, these alternatives are rarely as cost-effective as conventional cement, and they face raw-material shortages and resistance from customers.'(Q12)
Giải thích: Tiền chính là vấn để cản trở sự phát triển gần đây của các loại xi măng tân tiếng hơn.
-> Đáp án là D
Q13
Từ khóa câu hỏi: The environmental damage caused by concrete is due to it being produced in large quantities.
Từ đồng nghĩa trong bài: But it is the scale on which it is used that makes it high carbon. The sheer scale of manufacture is so huge, that is the issue(Q13).’
Giải thích: Vấn đề là bê tông bị sử dụng 1 cách quá rộng rãi ở khắp tất cả mọi nơi trên thế giới, nên chính quy mô đó đã ảnh hưởng trực tiếp đến khi hậu.
-> Đáp án là A
Hy vọng rằng bài viết này sẽ giúp bạn hiểu và làm được bài MATERIALS TO TAKE US BEYOND CONCRETE (CAMBRIDGE 18 – TEST 3 – PASSAGE 1). Chúc các bạn học tốt!
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