Antarctic architecture: Halley VI
Read Antarctic architecture: Halley VI and check the IELTS Reading answers. One morning in 2004, Hugh Broughton was listening to the radio when two voices caused him to pay attention. One of them he recognised through his work as an architect. It was the President of the Royal Institute of British…
Passage preview
One morning in 2004, Hugh Broughton was listening to the radio when two voices caused him to pay attention. One of them he recognised through his work as an architect. It was the President of the Royal Institute of British Architects, George Ferguson. The other was less familiar: the director of the British Antarctic Survey, Chris Rapley. The two were announcing a competition to design a new research station in Antarctica. It was a job, they explained, that presented an unusual set of challenges. The site of the new structure was on floating ice 50 kilometres from the Antarctic mainland. Previous stations built in the vicinity had recorded temperatures as low as 50 degrees Celsius and winds of up to 160 kilometres an hour. Only one had escaped the fate of being completely engulfed by snow and abandoned. But it too was now in jeopardy. Ferguson and Rapley listed a number of criteria that they'd be looking for: a background in building in remote locations, knowledge of extreme climates, and an understanding of complex logistics. Broughton ticked zero of those boxes, but that didn't prevent him from entering the competition - and winning it.
Vocabulary from this passage
8 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- engulf verb
To completely surround, cover, or submerge something so that it is obscured or destroyed
Thick toxic smoke threatened to engulf residential neighborhoods following the chemical plant explosion.
- foolproof adjective
Designed, planned, or constructed so thoroughly that it cannot fail, malfunction, or be mishandled
Cybersecurity experts emphasize that no biometric encryption protocol is entirely foolproof against skilled criminal hackers.
- in jeopardy phrase
In a dangerous situation where damage, failure, loss, or total destruction is highly probable
Endangered marine species are increasingly in jeopardy due to persistent ocean acidification and overfishing.
- mitigate verb
To lessen the severity, harshness, or adverse effects of an undesirable situation or condition
Constructing artificial wetlands helps mitigate severe flood hazards in low-lying coastal cities.
- psychological wellbeing noun
A healthy mental condition marked by cognitive balance, emotional stability, and overall satisfaction with life
Providing remote employees with flexible scheduling noticeably improves their psychological wellbeing and reduces workplace burnout.
- sensory deprivation noun
A condition where an individual experiences an extreme reduction or total lack of external physical stimulation
Prolonged sensory deprivation during deep-sea submarine operations can produce acute disorientation among naval crew members.
- succumb verb
To yield to an overpowering force, illness, or psychological pressure after attempting resistance
Many small independent retailers will succumb to financial insolvency if commercial rental rates continue rising.
- temper verb
To moderate, soften, or make something less severe or extreme by adding balance
Central bankers must temper their optimistic growth projections with realistic assessments of international trade barriers.
Answers with explanations
- 14. E
The question asks for historical details regarding life during early Antarctic expeditions. The fifth paragraph opens by recalling what life was like for pioneering explorers at the start of the twentieth century. The author details that stations were **dirty, stuffy places** where **tempers flared** and occupants lived in **very close contact**, even succumbing to cabin fever. These vivid details describe the harsh domestic reality and psychological strain experienced by early crews. While the opening section discusses early station structures, it does not depict personal living conditions, making the fifth section the only matching choice.
- 15. C
The prompt seeks instances of external specialists advising on the interior environment. In the third section, the text outlines steps taken to make the station habitable. It explicitly mentions that Broughton enlisted the expertise of a **colour expert** to establish a balanced palette and collaborated with a specialized **team to develop special lighting** simulating solar patterns to combat sensory deprivation. These advisors represent the external specialists consulted to enhance indoor ambience. While the sixth section mentions consultations with NASA, those involve Broughton advising others rather than specialists assisting him, making the third section correct.
- 16. D
The prompt requires an incident where mechanical or electrical breakdown caused a crisis. In the fourth section, the narrative turns to technical vulnerability, recounting how in 2014 a sudden **power outage** left the facility exposed to freezing conditions for 19 hours, causing boiling water to freeze instantly in the air. The phrase **power outage** identifies the specific technical breakdown, while the acute freeze represents the resulting emergency. The second section also mentions operational hurdles like transport weight limits, but describes planned design constraints rather than an unexpected, dangerous equipment malfunction.
- 17. A
The question looks for an observation about the architect's credentials prior to undertaking the project. In the opening section, the text recounts the competition criteria set by Ferguson and Rapley, including experience in remote construction, extreme climates, and complex logistics. The author pointedly notes that **Broughton ticked zero of those boxes** before entering. The colloquial expression **ticked zero of those boxes** directly comments on his total absence of prior specialized experience. While the second section mentions his learning process, the opening paragraph is the only section directly remarking on his initial lack of qualifications.
- 18. C
The prompt requires mentions of leisure pursuits undertaken inside the station. Scanning the third section for social life reveals the central module's role as a communal hub. The text specifies that crew members gather there to **watch movies**, share meals, and **play pool**, and notes that Welsh's team constructed a **mini golf course**. These pastimes directly illustrate how residents spend their recreational time during the harsh Antarctic winter. The fifth section mentions explorers playing out social tensions, but only the third section enumerates specific indoor hobbies and entertainment on Halley VI itself.
- 19. pods
The gap follows the preposition "of" and requires a **plural noun** identifying the interconnected modules of the station. Scanning the second section for structural descriptions leads to the opening description of Halley VI. The text states that the facility is "made of eight conjoined **pods**". The participle **conjoined** functions as a direct synonym for **linked together**. Extracting the single plural noun **pods** completes the summary accurately, maintains correct subject-verb agreement, and complies strictly with the instruction to write no more than one word.
- 20. bulldozers
The gap follows the participle "using" and requires a **plural noun** naming the heavy vehicles used for relocation. In the second section, the sentence describes the skis beneath the hydraulic legs, stating they allow "the entire station to be moved by **bulldozers**". In the summary, the passive phrase **can be transported** paraphrases the passage's **to be moved**. Inserting the exact term **bulldozers** fits the syntax of the gap, accurately specifies the machinery, and respects the one-word constraint.
- 21. summer
The gap follows the preposition "in" and requires a **noun denoting a season or timeframe**. Continuing through the second section, the text explains the climatic constraints that governed assembly. Broughton realized that "only the 12 weeks of **summer** were suitable for construction work". The text's phrase **suitable for construction work** matches the summary's **building work could only take place**. Copying the singular noun **summer** provides the exact seasonal window required, satisfies grammatical constraints, and conforms to the one-word limit.
- 22. ship
The gap follows the preposition "by" and requires a **singular noun** denoting a mode of transport. In the second section, the sentence details the logistics of modular assembly, noting that components had to be "prefabricated in South Africa, transported by **ship** and then built". The summary's phrase **made off-site** corresponds to **prefabricated in South Africa**, while **brought in by** directly parallels **transported by**. Extracting the single word **ship** completes the sentence with grammatical precision and adheres to the one-word instruction.
- 23. C
The statement links cramped historical accommodations to a named individual. In the fifth section, the discussion centers on early twentieth-century huts. New Zealand architect Pip Cheshire is quoted observing that there were **a lot of people living in very close contact with each other**, which caused psychological strain and cabin fever. The phrase **in very close contact** directly matches the concept of being **crowded**. Because Cheshire is the person who articulates this historical observation, the option representing Pip Cheshire is the only correct attribution.
- 24. D
The statement attributes a remark regarding Antarctica's utter uniqueness to a specific expert. In the final section, writer and architect Sam Jacob discusses the continent's extreme environment. He observes that Antarctica is **the place on Earth that is the least like Earth**, comparing its isolation to another planet. The superlative expression **least like Earth** directly expresses the idea of being **different from everywhere else in the world**. Therefore, the view belongs squarely to the option representing Sam Jacob, ruling out the competition organizers and station leaders.
- 25. A
The statement relates to an initial prerequisite demanded by the project's organizers. In the opening section, the competition launch is detailed. The text states that George Ferguson and Chris Rapley announced the contest and established strict criteria, including a **background in building in remote locations** and prior knowledge of harsh climates. Having such a specialized background means the candidate must have **done similar work before**. Because Ferguson and Rapley established these explicit prerequisites, the statement matches the option representing George Ferguson and Chris Rapley.
- 26. D
The statement connects the station's architectural design to future off-world construction. In the final section, Sam Jacob reflects on the broader implications of Halley VI. He explains that the facility can be imagined on another planet and **could also give an idea of how we might actually colonise other places**. The phrase **give an idea** corresponds to **provide a sense**, while **colonise other places** refers to construction in **difficult locations elsewhere**. This futuristic vision is explicitly voiced by the option representing Sam Jacob.