BEST IELTS General Reading Test 460

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IELTS GENERAL READING TEST 460 – PASSAGE – 3

IELTS GENERAL READING TEST – 460

READING PASSAGE – 3

THE GREAT BLUE HOLE

A. The Great Blue Hole is a giant marine sinkhole off the coast of Belize. It lies near the centre of lighthouse reef about 70 kms from the mainland and Belize city. The hole is circular in shape, 318 m (1,043 ft) across and 124 m (407 ft) deep. It was formed during several episodes of quaternary glaciation when sea levels were much lower.

Analysis of stalactites found in the Great Blue Hole shows that formation took place 153,000 to 15,000 years ago. As the ocean began to rise again, the cave was flooded. The Great Blue Hole is a part of the larger Belize barrier reef reserve system, a World heritage site of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

B. Investigations by various expeditions confirmed the hole’s origin as typical karst limestone formations, formed before rises in sea level in at least four stages. Stalactites were retrieved from submerged caves, confirming their previous formation above sea level. Some of these stalactites were also off-vertical by 5° in a consistent orientation, indicating that there had also been some past geological shift and tilting of the underlying plateau, followed by a long period in the current plane.

IELTS General Reading Test

The tilt indicates that this was a movement of the land, rather than a rise in sea level alone. Initial measured depth of Great Blue Hole was 125 m (410 ft) which is the most often cited depth up to this day. An expedition by the Cambrian Foundation in 1997 measured the hole’s depth as 124 m (407 ft) at its deepest point. This difference in measurement can be explained by ongoing sedimentation or by imprecision in measurements.

C. The ancient processes contributing to Belize atoll development may have begun as many as 70 million years ago and the atolls did not develop around subsiding volcanoes. Instead, they originated atop giant fault blocks; limestone covered ridges that settled in steps, providing a series of offshore platforms for coral growth. After the last ice age, with the slow rise of sea level, coral growth continued upward, creating the precipitous outer walls and the shallow inside lagoon that typifies these distinct formations. Many drop-offs surrounding the Belize atolls are thousands of feet deep, while depths in the shallow lagoons average 10 to 30 feet.

IELTS General Reading Test

D. The sense of isolation and remoteness that accompanies a visit to the atolls, belies a rich history. Although only archaeological traces remain, it appears the ancient Maya inhabited at least a few of the atoll islands for more than 1,000 years. The recorded history of the atolls begins in the early 16th century with the arrival of the Europeans. From 1528 to 1532 Spanish explorers researched and charted the coastline and offshore reefs of Belize and the Yucatan.

E. Today, it is a popular spot among recreational scuba divers who are lured by the opportunity to dive in sometimes crystal-clear water and meet several species of fish, including midnight parrotfish, Caribbean reef shark, and other juvenile fish species. Other species of sharks, such as the bull shark and hammerheads, have been reported there, but are not regularly sighted. Usually, day trips to the Great Blue Hole are full- day trips from the coastal tourist communities in Belize. Dive excursions to the Great Blue Hole are full-day trips, that usually consist of one dive in the Blue Hole and two additional dives in nearby reefs.

IELTS General Reading Test

F. Despite the beauty it offers, the Great Blue Hole of Belize also often witnesses accidents including the death of divers. According to reports, several divers have so far lost their lives in the darkness of the Blue Hole for various reasons. Even though there are no currents in the Blue Hole, accounts suggest the death occurs due to nitrogen narcosis as they go deeper. When divers cross 135ft or more, according to reports, they start feeling numbing sensation or euphoria, eventually causing death.

Questions 28-33

The text has five paragraphs

Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.

Write the correct number, i-v, in boxes 28-33 on your answer sheet

List of Headings

i. Favourable tourist spot with water sport facilities

ii, A word of caution for divers

iii. Environmental significance of the reserve

iv. History unfolds various expeditions by explorers

v. Resources, composition and structure are discussed

vi. Inhabitation and impact of coral on structure

IELTS General Reading Test

28. Paragraph A

29. Paragraph B

30. Paragraph C

31. Paragraph D

32. Paragraph E

33. Paragraph F

IELTS General Reading Test

Questions 34-40

Choose NOT MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text for each answer.

Investigations confirmed that the origin of the hole is of 34……………. formation. 35……………. retrieved from submerged caves 36…………….. the formation above sea level.

37…………….. and shifting of plateau was also observed. Hole’s 38……………. was measured by a Cambrian foundation in 1997 and the 39…………….. in measurement can be explained by impression or 40……………..

IELTS General Reading Test

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