‘Crop-growing Skyscrapers’- Reading Answers Explanation- CAM-11
Here are explanations of the Questions of passage named, ‘Crop-growing Skyscrapers’ which is from the Cambridge 11 book. The Questions that have been asked are ‘Blanks and True/False/Not Given’. You will find the locations of the Reading Answers, Keywords(highlighted and underlined) and justifications.
READING PASSAGE 1: Crop-growing skyscrapers
| Question | Answer |
| 1 | TOMATOES |
| 2 | URBAN CENTRES/CENTERS |
| 3 | ENERGY |
| 4 | FOSSIL FUEL |
| 5 | ARTIFICIAL |
| 6 | (STACKED) TRAYS |
| 7 | (URBAN) ROOFTOPS |
| 8 | NOT GIVEN |
| 9 | TRUE |
| 10 | FALSE |
| 11 | TRUE |
| 12 | FALSE |
| 13 | TRUE |
Questions 1-7
Complete the sentences below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet.
Indoor farming
- Some food plants, including are already grown indoors.
Location: 2nd paragraph
Explanation: The answer to this question is in the first line of the paragraph. ‘The concept of indoor farming is not new, since hothouse production of tomatoes and other produce has been in vogue for some time.’ Here, ‘hothouse production’ and ‘grown indoors’ means the same. This statement clarifies that it include tomatoes.
Answer: tomatoes
‘Crop-growing Skyscrapers’- Reading Answers Explanation- CAM-11
- Vertical farms would be located in meaning that there would be less need to take them long distances to customers.
Location: 2nd paragraph
Explanation: The main keyword ‘vertical farms’ is there in fourth line of the paragraph. ‘Situated in the heart of urban centres, they would drastically reduce the amount of transportation required to bring food to consumers…’Here, ‘situated=located, reduce the amount of transportation=less need to take…,customers=consumers. Hence, the answer is clear.
Answer: urban centres/centers
- Vertical farms could use methane from plants and animals to produce
Location: 4th paragraph
Explanation: The main keyword ‘methane’ helps to locate an answer in the fourth line of the paragraph. ‘Although the system would consume energy, it would return energy to the grid via methane generation…of plants.’ Here, this line makes an answer very clear as ‘consume’ and ‘use’ means the same.
Answer: energy
‘Crop-growing Skyscrapers’- Reading Answers Explanation- CAM-11
- The consumption of would be cut because agricultural vehicles would be unnecessary.
Location: 4th paragraph
Explanation: The answer to this question is in the last line of the paragraph. ‘It would also dramatically reduce fossil fuel use, by cutting out the need for tractors, ploughs and shipping.’ Here, ‘consumption’ and ‘use’ means the same. Moreover, ‘tractors’ give reference to ‘vehicles’.
Answer: fossil fuel
- The fact that vertical farms would need light is a
Location: 5th paragraph
Explanation: The main keyword ‘light’ is there in the beginning of the paragraph ‘A major drawback of vertical farming, however, is that the plants would require artificial light.’ Firstly, ‘drawback’ and ‘disadvantage’ are synonyms. Secondly, ‘require= need. Thus, the answer is ‘artificial’
Answer: artificial
‘Crop-growing Skyscrapers’- Reading Answers Explanation- CAM-11
- One form of vertical farming involves planting in which are not fixed.
Location: 6th paragraph
Explanation: The location of the answer is in the first line of the paragraph. ‘One variation on vertical farming that has been developed is to grow plants in stacked trays that move on rails.’ Here, ‘stacked trays move on rails’ clarify that this is not fixed. Thus, the answer is clear.
Answer: (stacked) trays
- The most probable development is that food will be grown on in towns and cities.
Location: Last paragraph
Explanation: The answer to this question is in the last line of the paragraph. ‘most experts currently believe it is far more likely that we will simply use the space available on urban rooftops.’ Here, ‘more liking’= ‘most probable’, urban= towns and cities. Hence, the answer is ‘(urban) rooftops’
Answer: (urban) rooftops
Questions 8-13
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage?
In boxes 8-13 on your answer sheet, 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
8 Methods for predicting the Earth’s population have recently changed.
Location: 1st paragraph (Second line)
Explanation: The writer states, ‘Applying the most conservative estimates to current demographic trends, the human population will increase by about three billion people by then.’ Here, the writer talks about the estimated human population in future. But there is no information about the recent changes for predicting the population. Thus, no information available.
Answer: Not Given
‘Crop-growing Skyscrapers’- Reading Answers Explanation- CAM-11
9 Human beings are responsible for some of the destruction to food-producing land.
Location: 3rd paragraph
Explanation: The answer to this question is in the second line of the paragraph. ‘we despoiled most of the land we worked, often turning verdant, natural eco-zones into semi-arid deserts.’ Here, ‘despoiled’ and ‘destruction’ means the same. Moreover, ‘we despoiled…’ makes it clear that ‘human beings are responsible for destruction’. Thus, the answer is True.
Answer: True
10 The crops produced in vertical farms will depend on the season.
Location: 2nd paragraph
Explanation: The location of the answer is in the fourth line of the paragraph. ‘The concept is of multi-storey buildings in which food crops are grown in environmentally controlled conditions.’ Here, the question statement contradicts the passage statement. Crops are grown in environmentally controlled conditions. This means these are not influenced by season. Thus, the answer is clear.
Answer: False
‘Crop-growing Skyscrapers’- Reading Answers Explanation- CAM-11
11.Some damage to food crops is caused by climate change
Location: 3rd paragraph
Explanation: The answer to this question is in the last line of the paragraph. ‘Massive floods, long droughts, hurricanes and severe monsoons take their toll each year, destroying millions of tons of valuable crops.’ Here, ‘floods, long drought, hurricanes…’ give reference to the climate change. Moreover, ‘destroying’ are ‘damage’ are synonyms.
Answer: True
12 Fertilisers will be needed for certain crops in vertical farms.
Location: 4th paragraph
Explanation: The main keyword ‘fertilisers’ helps to locate an answer in the fourth line of the paragraph. ‘All the food could be grown organically, eliminating the need for herbicides, pesticides and fertilisers.’ Here, the question statement contradicts the passage statement. ‘Food could be grown organically’ means there is no need of fertilisers. Thus, the answer is clear.
Answer: False
‘Crop-growing Skyscrapers’- Reading Answers Explanation- CAM-11
13. Vertical farming will make plants less likely to be affected by infectious diseases. Location: 4th paragraph
Explanation: The main keyword ‘infectious diseases’ helps to locate an answer in the last third line of the paragraph. ‘The system would greatly reduce the incidence of many infectious diseases that are acquired at the agricultural interface.’ Here, ‘reduce the incidence of infectious diseases’ and ‘less likely to be affected’ means the same. Hence, the answer is clear.
Answer: True
‘Crop-growing Skyscrapers’- Reading Answers Explanation- CAM-11
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