Table of Contents
BEST IELTS General Reading Test 545
IELTS GENERAL READING TEST 545 – PASSAGE – 3
IELTS GENERAL READING TEST – 545
READING PASSAGE – 3
Caves: Natural Wonders
A. When most people think of caves, things like darkness, isolation and bats usually come to mind. But according to cave explorer or ‘caver’ Duncan Roberts, “There is much more to these unique and often vulnerable parts of our natural and archaeological heritage”. Speleologists, those who study caves, define them as naturally occurring underground hollows or passages, where sunlight may or may not reach, with at least one opening to the surface of the earth.
B. The flow of lava in a volcanic eruption is one of the most common ways that caves are formed. Lava caves are formed out of pure volcanic activities. When a volcano erupts, molten lava flows downwards until it cools and becomes solid. If the outer surface of the lava-flow cools down before the inner surface, the lava still flowing beneath the surface leaves behind a solid outer shell or cave. Another way caves are formed is through limestone being dissolved by flowing water. The major ingredients, limestone and silica, along with clay, silt and sand, are filtered out to form a solid base for the bottom part of the cave.
IELTS General Reading Test
During this process, different marine plants then form the outer shell over the base of the cave. In time, these marine plants become solid, and as water flows, the solid structure created by the plants remains and forms the permanent outer shell of a cave. A third way caves are often formed is through the alignment of rocks. Large chunks of rock in different mountains are not always set in perfect alignment with other surrounding rocks. As a result, it is common to find some empty spaces between multiple rocks. Rock caves, as they are called, are among the most common caves in the world with almost all mountains or hills having some type of rock cave.
C. In addition to scientific research, caves are also a means of enjoyment for many adventurous people. Caving, which is also known as spelunking in some countries, is the recreational sport of exploring caves. Depending upon the cave surface, caving is a challenging sport where participants move through a cave by crawling or climbing. The elevation in some caves is so high that ropes are required to ensure the safety of cavers.
IELTS General Reading Test
Some caves open over seas or rivers making them excellent locations for another popular activity – cave diving. Another form of caving is known as virgin caving where participants locate unexplored caves. Although exploring virgin caves can sometimes be risky, many cavers consider it to be the ultimate adventure.
D. As a part of the ongoing research on global warming, environmental scientists are increasingly exploring glacier caves. These caves are found in the cold places of the earth where there are year-round snowfalls. Glacier caves are usually formed in large, slow-moving rivers of ice made up of compacted layers of snow. Waterflow that runs through or under the layers of snow usually begins the formation of a glacier cave. Heat transfer from the water causes significant melting to create an air-filled cavity.
IELTS General Reading Test
Different marine creatures and plants settle on the surface of the cavity. Over time, the surface attracts sand and solid minerals. As a result, the surface becomes hard enough to resist the force of the flowing water outside it. In a similar way, another air-filled cavity is formed close by and gradually becomes solid. Later, the two cavities merge to form a cave. It is unusual to find glacier caves that are formed by more than two cavities.
E. While there are many thousands of caves throughout the world, a relative few are well known. Containing over 550 kilometres of narrow passageway, perhaps the most famous cave is Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, USA. Big enough to accommodate 10 football fields, Carlsbad Cavern in Texas, USA, is another of the world’s largest and most famous caves. Europe also has a number of famous caves. The Lascaux Cave in France is famous because it contains ancient paintings.
IELTS General Reading Test
Copies of these paintings – mostly horses, bulls and deer – are now stored in the Cincinnati Natural History Museum. In Australia the Naracoorte Cave is famous for its huge sink holes, which make the ceiling of the cave with its different shapes and colours look like a man-made interior design. Waitomo Cave in New Zealand is famous due to the condensed gas inside it which glows in the dark making the roof look like a night sky full of stars.
F. There are quite a number of research organisations around the world who actively promote the discovery of new caves and the exploration of cave formation. Established in 1950, the Cave Research Foundation, a non-profit group based in the USA, is dedicated to the exploration, research, and conservation of caves and was the first of its kind. In Europe most cave research organisations are affiliated with universities such as the Universities of London, Paris and Dublin. The universities fund and monitor all research activities and maintain extensive libraries with printed and audio-visual materials of the caves. Sometimes groups generate funds by conducting tours of unique caves.
IELTS General Reading Test
Questions 28-32
The article has six paragraphs A-F. For which paragraph is each of the headings (Questions 28-32) most suitable? Write your answer A-F.
28. Prominent caves
29. Enjoying caves
30. Defining caves
31. Common caves
32. Publicising caves
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Questions 33-36
Look at the list of caves A-G in the table below. Match the correct cave with a description (33-36) below. Write your answer A-G.
LIST OF CAVES
A. Mammoth Cave
B. Lava Cave
C. Lascaux Cave
D. Rock Cave
E. Waitomo Cave
F. Glacier Cave
G. Naracoorte Cave
IELTS General Reading Test
33. Commonly found in naturally raised areas of land.
34. Parts of the interior have been reproduced.
35. Intense heat is required.
36. The ceiling radiates light.
IELTS General Reading Test
Questions 37-40
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text for each answer.
Glacier cave formation
– Water flowing beneath snow layers creates 37……………. .
– Sea animal life as well as 38……………. remain permanently on the cavity surface.
– Sand and solid minerals make 39……………. hard enough to resist the flowing water.
– The process is repeated until 40……………. combine to produce a glacier cave.
ANSWERS
28. E
29. C
30. A
31. B
32. F
33. D
34. C
35. B
36. E
37. AN AIR-FILLED CAVITY
38. PLANTS
39. THE SURFACE
40. THE TWO CAVITIES