Table of Contents
BEST IELTS Academic Reading Test 466
IELTS ACADEMIC READING TEST 466 – PASSAGE – 3
IELTS ACADEMIC READING TEST – 466
READING PASSAGE – 3
WATERCRAFT-SUBMARINE
A submarine is a watercraft competent of independent operation underwater. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability. The term most commonly refers to a large, crewed, autonomous vessel. It is also sometimes used historically or colloquially to refer to remotely operated vehicles and robots, as well as medium-sized or smaller vessels, such as the midget submarine and the wet sub.
Used as an adjective in phrases such as submarine cable, “submarine” means “under the sea”. The noun submarine evolved as a shortened form of submarine boat (and is often further shortened to sub). For reasons of naval tradition, submarines are usually referred to as “boats” rather than as “ships”, regardless of their size.
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Most large submarines consist of a cylindrical body with hemispherical (and/or conical) ends and a vertical structure, usually located amidships, which houses communications and sensing devices as well as periscopes. In modern submarines, this structure is the “sail” in American usage, and “fin” in European usage.
A “conning tower” was an attribute of earlier designs: a separate pressure hull above the main body of the boat that allowed the use of shorter periscopes. There is a propeller (or pump jet) at the rear, and assorted hydrodynamic control fins. Smaller, deep diving and specialty submarines may deviate significantly from this customary layout. Submarines change the amount of water and air in their ballast tanks to dwindle buoyancy for submerging or amplify it for surfacing.
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The first submersible of whose construction we have reliable information was built in 1620 by Cornelius Drebbel, a Dutchman in the service of James I of England. It was created to the standards of the design outlined by English mathematician William Bourne. It was propelled by means of oars. The precise nature of the submarine type is a matter of some controversy; some allege that it was merely a bell towed by a boat.
By the mid 18th century, over a dozen patents for submarines/submersible boats had been granted in England. In 1747, Nathaniel Symons patented and built the first known working example of the use of a ballast tank for submersion. His blueprint used leather bags that could fill with water to submerge the craft. A mechanism was used to twist the water out of the bags and cause the boat to resurface. In 1749 the Gentlemen’s Magazine reported that a similar design had initially been proposed by Giovanni Borelli in 1680. By this point of development, further improvement in design necessarily stagnated for over a century, until new industrial technologies for propulsion and stability could be applied.
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The first military submarine was the Turtle (1775), a hand-powered acorn-shaped device designed by the American David Bushnell to accommodate a single person. It was the first verified submarine proficient of independent underwater operation and movement, and the first to use screws for propulsion. In 1800, France built a human-powered submarine designed by American Robert Fulton, the Nautilus. The French eventually gave up on the experiment in 1804, as did the British when they later considered Fulton’s submarine design.
Submarines were not put into service for any widespread or routine use by navies until the early 1900s. The turn of the century marked a pivotal time in submarine development, and a number of important technologies materialized. A number of nations built and used submarines. Diesel electric propulsion became the dominant power system and equipment such as the periscope became standardized. Countries conducted many experiments on effective tactics and weapons for submarines, which led to their large impact in World War 1.
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The Irish inventor John Philip Holland built a model submarine in 1876 and a full scale one in 1878, followed by a number of unsuccessful ones. In 1896 he designed the Holland Type VI submarine. This vessel made use of internal combustion engine power on the surface and electric battery power for submerged operations. Launched on 17 May 1897 at Navy Lt. Lewis Nixon’s Crescent Shipyard in Elizabeth, New Jersey, the Holland VI was purchased by the United States Navy on 11 April 1900, becoming the United States Navy’s first commissioned submarine and renamed USS Holland.
Commissioned in June 1900, the French steam and electric Narval employed the now distinctive double- hull design, with a pressure hull inside the outer shell. The French submarines Aigrette in 1904 further improved the concept by using a diesel rather than a gasoline engine for surface power. Large numbers of these submarines were built, with seventy-six completed before 1914.
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The Royal Navy commissioned five Holland-class submarines from Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness, under license from the Holland Torpedo Boat Company during the years 1901 to 1903. Construction of the boats took longer than anticipated, with the first only ready for a diving trial at sea on 6 April 1902. These types of submarines were first used during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05.
Due to the blockade at Port Arthur, the Russians sent their submarines to Vladivostok, where by 1 January 1905 there were seven boats, enough to create the world’s first “operational submarine fleet.” The new-flanged submarine fleet sent out its first patrol on 14 February, usually enduring for about 24 hours. The first confrontation with Japanese warships occurred on 29 April 1905 when the Russian submarine Som was fired upon by Japanese torpedo boats, but then withdrew.
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Questions 28-33
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
A watercraft proficient of 28……………………. to function underwater is submarine. Despite the consequences of their size, submarines are frequently referred to as 29……………………. as an alternative of hips’. Mainly big submarines consist of a 30……………………. with pointed ends and a perpendicular structure. Cornelius Drebbel is believed to be the 31……………………. of first submersible. It was 32……………………. by means of oars. Nathaniel Symons copyright and 33……………………. the former acknowledged working example of the use of ballast tank for submersion.
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Questions 34-37
The list of statement is given below. Match them with the designers.
NB. You may use any name more than once.
Write the correct answers, in boxes 34-37 on your answer sheet.
34. Human mechanical submarine
35. Turtle an armed forces submarine
36. Holland type VI submarine
37. USS Holland
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LIST OF DESIGNERS
A. Nathaniel Symons
B. David Bushnell
C. Giovanni Borelli
D. Robert Fulton
E. John Philip
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Questions 38-40
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
38. …………………………….. submarine was enhanced with diesel rather than gasoline engine.
39. …………………………….. submarine fleet was world’s foremost fleet produced from seven boats.
40. …………………………….. submarine was ablazed upon by Japanese torpedo boats.
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ANSWERS
28. INDEPENDENT
29. BOATS
30. CYLINDRICAL BODY
31. PIONEER
32. PROPELLED
33. BUILT
34. D
35. C
36. E
37. E
38. AIGRETTE
39. OPERATIONAL
40. SOM
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