New filter promises clean water for millions
Read New filter promises clean water for millions and check the IELTS Reading answers. A handful of clay, yesterday’s coffee grounds and some cow manure are the ingredients that could bring clean, safe drinking water to many developing countries. The simple new technology, developed by Australian N…
Passage preview
A handful of clay, yesterday’s coffee grounds and some cow manure are the ingredients that could bring clean, safe drinking water to many developing countries. The simple new technology, developed by Australian National University (ANU) materials scientist and potter Tony Flynn, allows water filters to be made from commonly available materials and fired (or baked) using cow manure as the source of heat, without the need for a kiln (an oven for baking or drying pottery). The filters have been tested and shown to remove common pathogens (disease-producing organisms) including E. coli.
Vocabulary from this passage
10 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- after all adverb phrase
Used to add a reason that shows why the previous statement is true.
In the passage:
"rather than viewing the porous nature of the material as a problem — after all, not many people want a pot that won’t hold water": the writer justifies calling porosity a problem.
Synonyms: it must be remembered that
- be born out of verb phrase
To come into existence as a result of a particular situation or need.
In the passage:
"The invention was born out of a project involving the Manatuto community": the origin of the idea, a useful way to introduce causes in Writing Task 2.
Synonyms: arise from, result from
- capitalize on verb phrase
To use a situation or quality to gain an advantage from it.
In the passage:
"his filters capitalize on this property": the porous clay, normally a fault, becomes the filter's strength.
Synonyms: take advantage of, make the most of
Opposites: waste
- exploit verb
To use something fully so that you gain a benefit or profit from it.
In the passage:
"no plans to exploit his idea financially by registering ownership through a patent" (Q26): here exploit means profit from, not treat unfairly.
Synonyms: make use of, profit from
Opposites: neglect
- fine adjective
Made of very small grains or particles; not coarse.
In the passage:
Q20 says the clay was "initially unsuitable"; the passage says research "found the local clay to be too fine". Not fine = good.
Synonyms: unsuitable, powdery
Opposites: coarse
- industrial site noun phrase
A place where goods are made or processed; a factory area.
In the passage:
Q24 says "water filter factory"; the passage says the charity wanted "a small industrial site manufacturing water filters".
Synonyms: factory, manufacturing plant
- readily adverb
Easily and quickly, without difficulty or hesitation.
In the passage:
"organic material that burns readily and quickly": burns easily; also common as 'readily available' and 'readily admit' in Writing.
Synonyms: easily, quickly
Opposites: reluctantly
- to date adverb phrase
Until now; up to the present time.
In the passage:
"used coffee grounds have given the best results to date": a comparison only up to now, which is why Q21 (twice as efficient) is not given.
Synonyms: so far, up to now
- up to adverb phrase
Reaching a stated limit, but not more than it; as much as.
In the passage:
Q18 asks for a "maximum temperature"; the passage says the fire "will be up to 950 degrees", which also decides Q22.
Synonyms: maximum, as much as
Opposites: at least
- well within adverb phrase
Comfortably inside a limit, with a clear margin to spare.
In the passage:
"remove 96.4 to 99.8 per cent of the pathogen — well within safe levels": the result is safely inside the limit, not just at it.
Synonyms: comfortably inside, safely below
Opposites: well outside
Answers with explanations
- 14. clay
The chart's **make the mixture** points to the recipe sentence that starts **Take a handful of**. The organic material is already named in the box, so the other ingredient mixed in is **clay**. Answer: clay.
- 15. water
Stay in the same recipe sentence: after the clay and organic material the text says **add water** to make the mixture. Gap 15 is the third ingredient, so write **water**. Answer: water.
- 16. straw
**Shape into pots** matches 'form a cylindrical pot'; the next step is the fire. The pots are surrounded with **straw**, which is lit, so the fire is made from straw and the manure. Answer: straw.
- 17. ["cow manure","manure"]
The second fuel in the same sentence is the **mound of cow manure** that the pots are put in and that keeps **burning**. Write **cow manure** (or manure). Answer: cow manure.
- 18. ["950 degrees","950"]
Look for the temperatures of the manure fire. **Maximum** in the chart matches **up to**: the fire reaches 700 degrees first, then goes up to **950 degrees**. The trap is 700, which is only the first stage. Answer: 950 degrees.
- 19. 60 minutes
**Bake the filters** is the firing, and **maximum period** matches the top of the range **45 to 60 minutes**. The chart asks for the maximum, so take the larger figure, **60 minutes**, not 45. Answer: 60 minutes.
- 20. TRUE
Find the **Manatuto** project. **Initially** matches **initial research**, and **unsuitable** matches the clay being **too fine**, a problem that had to be solved. The statement says the same thing, so it is TRUE. Answer: TRUE.
- 21. NOT GIVEN
The text only says coffee grounds have given the **best results** so far. Nothing compares the filters by how efficient they are, and no figure like **twice** appears. For TRUE the text would need a comparison of that size; for FALSE it would need to deny it. Answer: NOT GIVEN.
- 22. FALSE
The deciding figures are **half an hour** and **950 degrees**. In half an hour the fire reaches only **700 degrees**; 950 degrees comes **after another 20 to 30 minutes**. The statement clashes with the text. Answer: FALSE.
- 23. NOT GIVEN
The key word is **most difficult**. The text says E. coli is **deadly** and gives the percentage the filters remove, but it never compares it with other bacteria or says which is hardest to remove. Answer: NOT GIVEN.
- 24. C
**Aimed to set up** matches **wanted to help set up**, and a **small industrial site manufacturing water filters** is a water filter factory. The charity ran the project rather than being set up by it, the filter tests came later, and the kiln was the problem, not the goal. Answer: C.
- 25. B
Look for **effective**: the text says the walls must be **the same thickness as an adult finger** for the process to work, so a particular thickness is the answer. The filters remove 96.4 to 99.8 per cent, not all pathogens; speed is not a condition (a litre takes two hours); and the clay is mixed with organic material, not pure. Answer: B.
- 26. A
**Does not intend to patent** matches **no plans to … registering ownership through a patent**. His reason is that without a patent there is nothing to stop any community adopting it, and **everyone has a right to clean water**: he wants it freely available. The simple design and the charity are mentioned but not given as his reason, and nothing says he could not make a profit. Answer: A.