Designing and Shipping Reading Answers
IELTS Academic Reading Passage
- Almost two months after the European Union’s ban on the use of six environmentally unfriendly materials went into effect, designers have clear evidence that failure to meet the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive means lost sales. Palm Inc. recently announced that its Treo 650 smartphone is no longer being shipped to Europe since it doesn’t meet RoHS requirements. And several Apple Computer Inc. products will not be sold in Europe for the same reason.
- The EU directive, which took effect on 1st July, covers lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers. Electronics vendors worldwide are working to eliminate those substances from nearly all new products developed for the European market, while also adapting their manufacturing processes to a lead (Pb)-free environment.
- But that is only the beginning. Other countries, including China, Taiwan and South Korea, and certain U.S. states are creating their own “green” or RoHS-like legislation. That means RoHS compliance must become an integral part of a designer’s development process, with RoHS checks at each step: concept, development, prototype, first builds and volume production.
- Major companies will run the gamut from finding component databases of qualified green components to taking due care to prove compliance and developing processes that allow for the higher-temperature requirements of Pb-free manufacturing. And for designers, those are just the tip of the iceberg. A host of technical and reliability issues remain to be sorted out in Pb-free board processing and soldering.
- What it comes down to is what Ken Stanvick, senior vice president at Design Chain Associates, calls a lack of ‘tribal knowledge’ on design RoHS compliant systems. ‘We had great tribal knowledge when it came to dealing with leaded systems, but we haven’t built up that same amount of knowledge for Pb-free,’ he said. ‘Every problem will be blamed on Pb-free until it’s been worked out. We need to figure out tests that replicate more of the environment and different stresses that we’re going to see in this new system.’
- Manny Marcano, president and CEO of EMA Design Automation Inc. (Rochester, N.Y.), cited the impact of parts obsolescence, including the need to redesign older products and the resultant emphasis on component engineering at the expense of conceptual design. A key challenge is identifying RoHS design specifications as early as possible in the design process, he said.
- But even before they get to that point, designers must understand whether they are designing a fully compliant product or one that’s subject to some exemptions, said Robert Chinn, director for consultant firm PRTM (Mountain View, Calif.). ‘This affects their design parameters,’ he said. ‘Previously, they looked at components based on size, performance, electrical parameters, features and functionality. Now they have to add on a new constraint, revolving around environmental compliance: Is it RoHS 6-compliant or is it RoHS 5-compliant?’ (RoHS 6 components eliminate all six of the banned substances, while RoHS 5 models, because of exemptions, still contain lead.)
- If designers do not take RoHS seriously, any country that can prove a product does not comply can levy fines against the vendor. That can cost market share, Marcano said, since noncompliant companies become noncompetitive. And then, not being prepared can mean belatedly diverting resources to RoHS compliance, causing missed market opportunities.
- But many industry observers believe smaller and medium-size companies will continue to be complacent about the RoHS transition until some major company is cited for non-compliance. ‘When that happens, there will be an earthquake throughout the industry, and it will wake up every design engineer,’ said Steve Schultz, director of strategic planning and communications at Avnet Logistics and program manager for the distributor’s compliance efforts for RoHS in the Americas.
- ‘The product developer’s RoHS concerns center on the fear of lost revenue – from a product ban, a customer who demands a RoHS-compliant product that the company doesn’t have, or competition’, said Harvey Stone, managing director for consultancy GoodBye Chain Group (Colorado Springs, Colo.). ‘With price, quality and service being relatively equal, a savvy customer is going to choose a RoHS-compliant product,’ he said.
- Meanwhile, designers are looking over their shoulders at several other – and potentially stricter – environmental regulations in the pipeline. These include the EU’s Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals legislation, which could restrict the use of thousands of chemicals, and its Energy-using Products (EuP) directive, which will initially target energy-efficiency requirements.
Questions 1-4:
Look at the following people and the list of statements below.
Match each person with the correct statement.
Write the correct letter A-G in boxes 1-4 on your answer sheet.
List of Statements:
A. believes that the ED directive requires no action
B. claims that old products need to be redesigned
C. claims that customers will want a RoHS compliant product
D. states that many products will be RoHS exempt
E. is involved in planning and communications
F. predicts that design engineers will like RoHS
G. claims that more knowledge about Pb-free systems is needed
- Manny Marcano
- Harvey Stone
- Steve Shultz
- Ken Stanvick
Questions 5-11:
Complete the summary using the list of words A-P below.
Write the correct letter A-P in boxes 5 -11 on your answer sheet.
A. requirement
B. friendly
C. hostile
D. increase
E. big
F. basic
G. insignificant
H. numerous
I. variety
J. decline
K. solved
L. important
M. idea
N. small
O. recognized
P. need
The EU has banned the use of six materials that are 5._____ to the environment. This means that if designers do not meet the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive, sales will 6.______. Similar legislation is being put together around the world, which indicates that RoHS compliance needs to become a 7._____ part of a designer’s development process. RoHS checks, at every step from concept to mass production, are also a necessity. But 8.______ technical and reliability problems remain to 9.______. Previously, the performance, etc. of components were 10._______ but now a new 11._______ needs to be taken into account: environmental compliance.
Questions 12-14:
Do the following statements agree with the information in the Reading Passage?
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information.
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information.
NOT GIVEN if there is no information about the statement.
12. Countries can impose fines on the sellers of products that do not comply with RoHS.
13. Smaller companies are taking the changeover to RoHS seriously.
14. The energy-using directive will be introduced in the very near future.
Solution For: Designing and Shipping
Reading Answers
| 1 | B | 8 | H |
| 2 | C | 9 | K |
| 3 | E | 10 | L |
| 4 | G | 11 | A |
| 5 | G | 12 | TRUE |
| 6 | J | 13 | FALSE |
| 7 | F | 14 | NOT GIVEN |
Review and Practice
- Regularly practice with IELTS reading samples and time yourself to get used to the pressure of the exam.
- Review your mistakes to understand where you went wrong and how to avoid similar errors in the future.
Our Books
Master IELTS Speaking Part 1
IELTS Writing Task 1 Book
IELTS Writing Task 2 Book
Designing and Shipping Reading Answers Explanation
Comin Soon
Practice IELTS Other Modules
IELTS Listening
The IELTS Listening test assesses how well you can understand spoken English in various contexts. It lasts about 30 minutes and is divided into four sections with a total of 40 questions. The listening tasks become increasingly difficult as the test progresses.
IELTS Academic Reading
The IELTS Academic Reading section assesses your ability to understand and interpret a variety of texts in academic settings. It is designed to evaluate a range of reading skills, including skimming for gist, reading for main ideas, reading for detail, understanding inferences, and recognizing a writer's opinions and arguments.
IELTS Speaking
The IELTS Speaking test assesses your ability to communicate in English on everyday topics. It lasts 11-14 minutes and consists of three parts: introduction, cue card, and a discussion based on the cue card topic.
IELTS General Reading
IELTS General Reading tests your ability to understand and interpret various types of texts. Here are some key areas and types of content you can expect to encounter in the reading section, along with tips for effective preparation.
IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
In IELTS Academic Writing Task 1, you are presented with a visual representation of information, such as graphs, charts, tables, or diagrams, and you are required to summarize, compare, or explain the data in your own words.
IELTS General Writing Task 1
In IELTS General Writing Task 1, you are required to write a letter based on a given situation. The letter can be formal, semi-formal, or informal, depending on the prompt. Here’s a breakdown of the key components to include in your letter
IELTS Academic Writing Task 2
In IELTS Academic Writing Task 2, you are required to write an essay in response to a question or topic. Here’s a guide to help you understand the essential elements of this task
IELTS Exam Tips
To succeed in the IELTS exam, practice regularly, familiarize yourself with the test format, improve your vocabulary, develop time management skills, and take mock tests to build confidence.
Grammer for IELTS
Grammar is the foundation of effective communication in English. Understanding tense usage, subject-verb agreement, and sentence structure enhances clarity and coherence in writing and speaking.
Vocabulary for IELTS
Vocabulary plays a crucial role in the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exam, especially in the Speaking and Writing sections. Here’s an overview of why vocabulary is important and how it impacts your performance
RECENT IELTS SAMPLES QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Walking with dinosaurs
Peter L. Falkingham and his colleagues at Manchester University are developing techniques that...
Money as the Unit of Amount Reading Answers
The most difficult aspect of money to understand is its function as a unit of account. In...
WEATHERING IN THE DESERT
In the deserts, as elsewhere, rocks at the earth's surface are changed by weathering, which...
Nature on Display in American Zoos
The first zoo in the United States opened in Philadelphia in 1874, followed by the Cincinnati...
Can We Prevent the Poles From Melting
Such is our dependence on fossil fuels, and such is the volume of carbon dioxide we have...
Air conditioning the earth reading answers
The circulation of air in the atmosphere is activated by convection, the transference of heat...
Our IT Company Services
