Table of Contents
BEST IELTS General Reading Test 237
IELTS GENERAL READING TEST – PASSAGE – 2
IELTS GENERAL READING TEST
READING PASSAGE – 2
Biometrics
Biometrics are body measurements and calculations related to human characteristics. Biometric authentication is used in computer science as a form of identification and access control. It is also used to identify individuals from a group of even millions of people for different purposes. Biometric identifiers are the distinctive, measurable characteristics used to label and describe individuals. Biometric identifiers are often categorized as physiological characteristics, which are related to the shape of the body. Examples include, but are not limited to fingerprint, palm veins, face recognition, DNA, palm print, hand geometry, iris recognition, retina, and odour/scent. Behavioural characteristics are related to the pattern of behaviour of a person, including but not limited to typing rhythm, gait, keystroke, signature, behavioural profiling, and voice. Some researchers have coined the term ‘behaviometrics’ to describe the latter class of biometrics. More traditional means of access control include token-based identification systems, such as a driver’s license or passport, and knowledge-based identification systems, such as a password or personal identification number. Since biometric identifiers are unique to individuals, they are more reliable in verifying identity than token and knowledge-based methods; however, the collection of biometric identifiers raises privacy concerns about the ultimate use of this information.
Multimodal biometric systems use multiple sensors or biometrics to overcome the limitations of unimodal biometric systems. For instance, in unimodal systems, iris recognition systems can be compromised by aging irises and electronic fingerprint recognition can be worsened by worn-out or cut fingerprints. While unimodal biometric systems are limited by the integrity of their identifier, it is unlikely that several unimodal systems will suffer from identical limitations. Multimodal biometric systems can obtain sets of information from the same marker (i.e., multiple images ofan iris, or scans of the same finger) or information from different biometrics (requiring fingerprint scans and, using voice recognition, a spoken passcode). Multimodal biometric systems can fuse these unimodal systems sequentially, simultaneously, a combination thereof, or in series, which refer to sequential, parallel, hierarchical, and serial integration modes, respectively
IELTS General Reading Test
Fusion of the biometrics information can occur at different stages of a recognition system. In case of feature level fusion, the data itself or the features extracted from multiple biometrics are fused. Matching- score level fusion consolidates the scores generated by multiple classifiers pertaining to different modalities. Finally, in case of decision level fusion the final results of multiple classifiers are combined via techniques such as majority voting. Feature level fusion is believed to be more effective than the other levels of fusion because the feature set contains richer information about the input biometric data than the matching score or the output decision of a classifier. Therefore, fusion at the feature level is expected to provide better recognition results. Spoof attacks consist in submitting fake biometric traits to biometric systems and are a major threat that can curtail their security. Multi-modal biometric systems are commonly believed to be intrinsically more robust to spoof attacks, but recent studies have shown that they can be evaded by spoofing even a single biometric trait.
IELTS General Reading Test
QUESTION 14-21
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage?
TRUE If the statement agrees with the information.
FALSE If the statement contradicts the information.
NOT GIVEN If there is no information on this.
IELTS General Reading Test
14. Biometrics can identify millions of people in a short time.
15. Driver’s license can be acknowledged through knowledge-based identification system.
16. Token based identification systems are more authentic than biometric identifiers when it comes to validating individuality.
17. There are questions being asked regarding the confidentiality apprehensions of biometric.
18. Changes in body parts cannot affect the efficacy of unimodal recognition systems.
19. Multimodal systems take more time to recognize identity than unimodal systems.
20. Data mined from several biometrics are merged in feature fusion level.
21. Multi-modal biometric systems can be dodged by spoofing a certain biometric mannerism.
IELTS General Reading Test
READ THE TEXT BELOW AND QUESTION 22-26
Cantilever
A cantilever is a rigid structural element that extends horizontally and is supported at only one end. Typically, it extends from a flat vertical surface such as a wall, to which it must be firmly attached. Like other structural elements, a cantilever can be formed as a beam, plate, truss, or slab. When subjected to a structural load at its far, unsupported end, the cantilever carries the load to the support where it applies a shear stress and a bending moment. Cantilever construction allows overhanging structures without additional support. Cantilevers are widely found in construction, notably in cantilever bridges and balconies. In cantilever bridges, the cantilevers are usually built as pairs, with each cantilever used to support one end of a central section. The Forth Bridge in Scotland is an example of a cantilever truss bridge. A cantilever in a traditionally timber framed building is called a jetty or fore bay. In the southern United States, a historic barn type is the cantilever barn of log construction.
IELTS General Reading Test
Temporary cantilevers are often used in construction. The partially constructed structure creates a cantilever, but the completed structure does not act as a cantilever. This is very helpful when temporary supports, or falsework, cannot be used to support the structure while it is being built. Therefore, some truss arch bridges are built from each side as cantilevers until the spans reach each other and are then jacked apart to stress them in compression before finally joining. Nearly all cable-stayed bridges are built using cantilevers as this is one of their chief advantages. Many box girder bridges are built segmentally, or in short pieces. This type of construction lends itself well to balanced cantilever construction where the bridge is built in both directions from a single support. These structures rely heavily on torque and rotational equilibrium for their stability.
In an architectural application, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater used cantilevers to project large balconies. The East Stand at Elland Road Stadium in Leeds was, when completed, the largest cantilever stands in the world holding 17,000 spectators. The roof built over the stands at Old Trafford uses a cantilever so that no supports will block views of the field. The old Miami Stadium had a similar roof over the spectator area. The largest cantilevered roof in Europe is located at St James’ Park in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, the home stadium of Newcastle United F.C. Less obvious examples of cantilevers are free-standing (vertical) radio towers without guywires, and chimneys, which resist being blown over by the wind through cantilever action at their base.
IELTS General Reading Test
The cantilever is commonly used in the wings of fixed-wing aircraft. Early aircraft had light structures which were braced with wires and struts. However, these introduced aerodynamic drag which limited performance. While it is heavier, the cantilever avoids this issue and allows the plane to fly faster. Hugo Junkers pioneered the cantilever wing in 1915. Only a dozen years after the Wright Brothers’ initial flights, Junkers endeavoured to eliminate virtually all major external bracing members in order to decrease airframe drag in flight. The result of this endeavour was the Junkers J 1 pioneering all-metal monoplane of late 1915, designed from the start with all-metal cantilever wing panels. About a year after the initial success of the Junkers J 1, Reinhold Platz of Fokker also achieved success with a cantilever-winged sesquiplane built instead with wooden materials, the Fokker V.1. In the cantilever wing one or more strong beams, called spars, run along the span of the wing. The end fixed rigidly to the central fuselage is known as the root and the far end as the tip. In flight, the wings generate vertical lift, and the spars carry this load through to the fuselage. To resist horizontal shear stresses from either drag or engine thrust, the wing must also form a stiff cantilever in the horizontal plane. A single-spar design will usually be fitted with a second smaller drag-spar nearer the trailing edge, braced to the main spar via additional internal members or a stressed skin. The wing must also resist twisting forces, achieved by cross-bracing or otherwise stiffening the main structure.
IELTS General Reading Test
QUESTION 22-26
Complete the fill ups below.
Write no more than THREE WORDS or NUMBERS for each answer
22. Cantilever permits ……………… erections exclusive of supplementary support.
23. Impermanent cantilevers are obliging when provisional supports cannot be used to sustain the ………………………. during construction.
24. A ………………… is used to support the roof at Old Trafford so that the spectator’s sight is not blocked.
25. The aerodynamic drag in the aircrafts was curtailed by the use of cantilever which also facilitated the plane to
26. The end firmly fastened to the ………………………. is called as root and the one at the distant end is known as
IELTS General Reading Test
ANSWERS ARE BELOW
IELTS General Reading Test
ANSWER
14. NOT GIVEN
15. FALSE
16. FALSE
17. TRUE
18. FALSE
19. NOT GIVEN
20 TRUE
21. TRUE
22. OVERHANGING
23. STRUCTURE
24. CANTILEVER
25. FLY FASTER
26. CENETRAL FUSELAGE, TIP
IELTS General Reading Test