Roller coaster: the great fairground attraction
Read Roller coaster: the great fairground attraction and check the IELTS Reading answers. Like a passenger train, a roller coaster consists of a series of connected cars that move on a track. But unlike a passenger train, it has no engine or power source of its own. For most of the ride, it is move…
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Like a passenger train, a roller coaster consists of a series of connected cars that move on a track. But unlike a passenger train, it has no engine or power source of its own. For most of the ride, it is moved only by the forces of inertia and gravity. The only exertion of energy occurs at the very beginning of the ride when the coaster train is pulled up the lift hill.
Vocabulary from this passage
10 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- ascent noun
A climb or walk to the summit of a mountain or hill; an upward journey
The pilot requested a rapid ascent to reach an altitude above the storm clouds.
- configurate verb
To arrange or set up in a particular way for a specific purpose or function
The technicians had to configurate the network to allow for secure remote access by employees.
- descendant noun
Something that has developed from an earlier version; an object or idea originating from a predecessor
Modern computer languages are the direct descendants of early binary coding systems developed decades ago.
- exertion noun
The use of physical or mental effort; the application of a force, influence, or quality
The climbers were exhausted from the physical exertion required to reach the mountain's peak.
- fluctuation noun
An irregular rising and falling in number or amount; a variation or change in level
Investors must be prepared for the constant fluctuation of stock prices in a volatile market.
- inertia noun
A tendency to do nothing or to remain unchanged; the resistance of any physical object to change
The organization's growth was hindered by administrative inertia and a reluctance to adopt new technology.
- kinetic energy noun
The energy that a body possesses by virtue of being in motion
As the car accelerates down the hill, its potential energy is transformed into kinetic energy.
- propel verb
To drive, push, or cause to move in a particular direction, typically forward
The innovative engine design was able to propel the spacecraft to unprecedented speeds.
- resounding success noun
A complete and highly impressive achievement; an outcome that is widely celebrated and acknowledged
The charity gala was a resounding success, raising over one million dollars for cancer research.
- revitalized verb
To imbue something with new life and vitality; to re-energize or restore to a better condition
The government's new urban planning initiative successfully revitalized the declining industrial district.
Answers with explanations
- 14. chain
The blank requires a **noun** for the part of the mechanism running under the track. The text describes the **lifting mechanism** as a **long length of chain**. The reasoning involves identifying the primary component that 'pulls' the cars up the hill. Grammatically, 'chain' fits as the object of the description for the lifting component. Answer: chain.
- 15. gear
The blank requires a **noun** for the component at the top and bottom of the hill. The text states the chain is wound around a **gear**. The reasoning process involves locating the circular components that facilitate the chain's loop. The term 'gear' fits the technical description of the mechanism's turning points. Answer: gear.
- 16. motor
The blank requires a **noun** for the source of power. The passage explicitly states that the gear is **turned by a motor**. This identifies the **power source** for the entire lifting system. The logic connects the action of 'turning' the gear to the specific mechanical device mentioned. Answer: motor.
- 17. ice
The summary describes the **surface** of 16th-century **Russian slides**. The text specifies these ancestors were **ice slides** and that the wooden structure was **covered in ice**. This provides the necessary material for the blank. Grammatically, 'ice' functions as the object of the preposition 'of' to describe the surface. Answer: ice.
- 18. waxed
The summary requires an **adjective** describing the **wooden surface** in France. The text explains that because the ice melted, the French built **waxed slides** instead. The keyword **waxed** describes the modification made to the surface material to suit the warmer climate. Answer: waxed.
- 19. wheels
The blank requires a **plural noun** for what was **attached** to the cars. The text states that to **help the sleds move**, the French **added wheels**. This addition eased the descent on the waxed surface. The bridge connects the need for 'easier movement' to the specific mechanical addition. Answer: wheels.
- 20. coal
The gap follows **transporting** and **down a mountainside in carts**, so look for the first US roller coaster. Paragraph H says it was built **originally** to provide an easy way to **send coal** to the railway 29 km down the mountain. The gap needs a noun for the material carried, and 'coal' is a single word, which fits the two-word limit. The tourists mentioned later came after the line was repurposed, so they are not the original cargo.
- 21. steam engines
The summary says the carts were **initially pulled by mules**, but **in time** power was produced by something else. Paragraph H states that the mules were **eventually replaced** with **steam engines** to make the system more efficient. Eventually matches in time, and replaced matches the change of power source. The answer is a noun phrase of two words, so it respects the limit. Tourists and tunnels appear in the next paragraph but are unrelated to power.
- 22. TRUE
The statement claims the **earliest modifications** were made in **France**. The text confirms that the French, faced with melting ice, **modified** the slides by using **wax** and adding **wheels**. These are the first recorded changes to the basic Russian ice slide design mentioned in the chronology. Therefore, the statement agrees with the text. Answer: TRUE.
- 23. FALSE
The statement claims roller coasters kept **increasing in popularity** through the **1920s and 1930s**. Paragraph J confirms that by the 1920s they were **in full swing**, but then says that **following the Great Depression**, a **decline** in production began in the early 1930s. Popularity therefore fell during the 1930s rather than continuing to grow. Because the text directly contradicts half of the claim, the answer is FALSE, not NOT GIVEN.
- 24. NOT GIVEN
The statement claims the 1970s technology was a response to **public demand**. While the text mentions a **boom** and the introduction of **steel coasters**, it does not specify the **reason** (such as public demand) for these innovations. Because the motivation behind the technological shift is not discussed, the information is not given. Answer: NOT GIVEN.
- 25. TRUE
The statement claims coasters were **less popular** in the 80s than in the 70s and 90s. The text confirms a **boom** in the 70s/early 80s, followed by a **decline in interest** for the rest of the 1980s, and then **another boom** in the 90s. This confirms the 1980s was a period of lower popularity compared to the adjacent decades. Answer: TRUE.
- 26. TRUE
The statement says the **design** became **more varied** in the 1990s. The text supports this by stating that **new launching techniques** opened a **world of options** for designers. This phrase implies increased variety and complexity in the types of rides being created during that era. The claim matches the text's description of innovation. Answer: TRUE.