‘Urban farming’ – Reading Answer Explanation – CAM – 18
Here are explanations of the Questions of passage named ‘Urban farming’, which is from the Cambridge 18 book. The Questions that have been asked are ‘Blanks, ‘completion of table’ and ‘True/False/Not Given’. You will find the locations of the Reading Answers, Keywords(highlighted and underlined) and justifications.
READING PASSAGE 1: Urban Farming
| Question | Answer |
| 1 | LETTUCES |
| 2 | 1000KG |
| 3 | (FOOD) CONSUMPTION |
| 4 | PESTICIDES |
| 5 | JOURNEYS |
| 6 | PRODUCERS |
| 7 | FLAVOUR/FLAVOR |
| 8 | TRUE |
| 9 | NOT GIVEN |
| 10 | FALSE |
| 11 | TRUE |
| 12 | FALSE |
| 13 | NOT GIVEN |
Complete the sentences below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS ANDIOR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 1-3 on your answer sheet.
Urban farming in Paris
1. Vertical tubes are used to grow strawberries,……………. and herbs.
Location: 1st paragraph
Explanation: The main keyword ‘strawberries’ helps to locate an answer in the fourth line of the paragraph. ‘From identical vertical tubes nearby burst row upon row of lettuces, near those are aromatic herbs, such as basil, sage and peppermint….’ Here the writer clearly states the usage of vertical tubes for growing of strawberries, then it is used for lettuces and aromatics herbs. Thus, the answer is ‘lettuces.
Answer: lettuces
‘Urban farming’ – Reading Answer Explanation – CAM – 18
2. There will eventually be a daily harvest of as much as……… in weight of fruit and vegetables.
Location: 2nd paragraph
Explanation: The main keyword is ‘fruits and vegetables’ and it is there in the 4th line of the paragraph ‘When the remaining two thirds of the vast open area are in production, 20 staff will harvest up to 1,000 kg of perhaps 35 different varieties of fruit and vegetables every day…’ .Here ‘daily’ and ‘everyday’ means the same .Moreover , ‘1000kg’ refers to ‘weight’ . Therefore ,the answer is clear .
Answer: 1000kg
‘Urban farming’ – Reading Answer Explanation – CAM – 18
3. It may be possible that the farm’s produce will account for as much as 10% of the city’s………..overall.
Location: 2ndparagraph
Explanation: The main keyword is ‘ 10%’ and its reference is there in the last two lines of the paragraph .”We’re not ever, obviously, going to feed the whole city this way,” cautions Hardy ‘In the urban environment you’re working with very significant practical constraints, clearly, on what you can do and where But if enough unused space can be developed like this, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t eventually target maybe between 5% and 10% of consumption…’Here ‘urban environment’ mean ‘city environment’. In addition, the writer states that if the unused space would be developed then it may be possible to target 5% to 10% of consumption.
Answer: (food) Consumption
Questions 4-7
Complete the table below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 4-7 on your answer sheet.
4. The wide range of …………. Used
Location: 3rd paragraph
Explanation: The answer to this question is in the 5th line of this paragraph. ‘’First, I don’t much like the fact that most of the fruit and vegetables we eat have been treated with something like 17 different pesticides, or that the intensive farming techniques that produced them are such huge generators of greenhouse…’.The writer states that pesticides are used in intensive farming .Moreover , ‘ 17 different pesticides’ means similar to ‘wide range’.
Answer: Pesticides
‘Urban farming’ – Reading Answer Explanation – CAM – 18
5. Varieties of fruit and vegetableschosen that can survive long …………
Location: 3rd paragraph from last 4th line
Explanation: The main keyword ‘chosen’ has been written as ‘selected’. In fourth line, ‘because the varieties are selected for their capacity to withstand such substantial journeys…’ This line means varieties that are selected because of their capacity for substantial journeys.Moreover, the ‘substantial journeys’ and ‘long journeys’ means same .
Answer: Journeys
‘Urban farming’ – Reading Answer Explanation – CAM – 18
6. ……….. receive very little of overall income.
Location: 4th paragraph
Explanation: The location of the answer is again in the same line of the paragraph. ‘because the varieties are selected for their capacity to withstand such substantial journeys for that 80% of the price I pay goes top wholesalers and transport companies, not the producers…’ Here, this statement means 80% of the price has been received by top wholesalers and transport companies and not the producers. That clarifies that producers receive very little of overall income. Thus, the answer is ‘producers’.
Answer: Producers
‘Urban farming’ – Reading Answer Explanation – CAM – 18
7. Produce chosen because its …………….
Location: 5th paragraph
Explanation: The answer to this question is in the third line of the paragraph. ‘You can select crop varieties for their flavour, not their resistance to the transport and storage chain, and you can pick them when they’re really at their best, and not before…’ Here, ‘chosen’ and ‘select’ are synonyms. In addition, ‘crop varieties’ refers to ‘produce’. Thus, the author states that produce chosen because of its flavor.
Answer: Flavour/ Flavor
Questions 8-13
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?
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. Urban farming can take place above or below ground.
Location: 5th paragraph
Explanation: The location of the answer is in the initial lines of the paragraph. ‘ Urban farming is not, of course, a new phenomenon. Inner-city agriculture is booming from Shanghai to Detroit and Tokyo to Bangkok. Strawberries are being grown in disused shipping containers, mushrooms in underground carparks …’ Here, the writer means to say that strawberries are being grown in shipping containers that means above ground. On the other hand, mushrooms are grown in underground carparks that means below ground. Thus, this line clarifies that urban farming can take place above as well as below ground.
Answer: True
‘Urban farming’ – Reading Answer Explanation – CAM – 18
9. Some of the equipment used in aeroponic farming can be made by hand.
Location: 5th paragraph
Explanation: Though the main keywords ‘aeroponic farming’ and ‘equipment’ are there in the third line of the paragraph. ‘The equipment weighs little, can be installed on almost any flat surface and is cheap to buy: roughly €100 to €150 per square metre. It is cheap to run…’ But there is no reference regarding equipment can be made by hand. Thus, no information available.
Answer: Not Given
10. Urban farming relies more on electricity than some other types of farming.
Location: 5th paragraph
Explanation: The main keyword ‘electricity’ helps to locate an answer in the last line of the paragraph. ‘It is cheap to run, too, consuming a tiny fraction of the electricity used by some techniques…’ Here, the writer states that urban farming consumes a tiny fraction of electricity that means it does not relies more on electricity. Therefore, the question statement contradicts the passage statement.
Answer: False
‘Urban farming’ – Reading Answer Explanation – CAM – 18
11. Fruit and vegetables grown on an aeroponic urban farm are cheaper than traditionally grown organic produce.
Location: Last paragraph
Explanation: The answer to this question is in the beginning of the paragraph. ‘Produce grown this way typically sells at prices that, while generally higher than those of classic intensive agriculture, are lower than soil-based organic growers…’ Here, ‘prices…lower’ and ‘cheaper’ means the same. Moreover, ‘soil-based organic growers’ refers to ‘traditional organic growers’. Thus, the answer is True.
Answer: True
‘Urban farming’ – Reading Answer Explanation – CAM – 18
12. Most produce can be grown on an aeroponic urban farm at any time of the year.
Location: Last paragraph
Explanation: The writer says in the second line, ‘There are limits to what farmers can grow this way, of course, and much of the produce is suited to the summer months…’ Here, the writer clearly mentions that most produce cannot be grown at any time of period as there are some limitations. Also, much of the produce can be grown in the summer months. Thus, the question statement opposes the passage statement.
Answer: False
13. Beans take longer to grow on an urban farm than other vegetables.
Location: Last paragraph
Explanation: The main keyword ‘beans’ is there in the second last line of the paragraph. ‘And beans tend to take up a lot of space for not much return…’ Here, this statement means more space is required to grow beans. But there is no information about whether beans takes longer to grow on an urban farm than other vegetables. Thus, no information available.
Answer: Not Given
‘Urban farming’ – Reading Answer Explanation – CAM – 18
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