Running Dry Reading Answers
IELTS Academic Reading Passage
A. Maps from the State Water Commission in Mexico show 96 overexploited aquifers1. Seawater has polluted another 17 through excessive pumping, while toxic seepage is rapidly spreading, Mexican children develop digestive diseases due to poor water storage Mexico City, built on huge lagoons eight centuries ago, may its 22 million inhabitants do not have enough water, cycling in many cities around the world, less half of the city’s waste is treated, the rest sinks into underground lakes or rivers in the gulf. of Mexico, turning rivers into sewers. This represents an extremely difficult outlook for Mexico’s future. Mexico’s National Water Commission lists around 35 cities that will have to be drastically reduced if more water is not found. It suggests it will happen next week, but it’s a ghost haunting Mexico’s future.
B. Most of the water that Mexico depends on is the same as that urgently needed in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. One prediction is that Corpus Christi, Texas (residents: 277,454 residents) will run out of water around 2018. Now the problem is getting more and more serious. Cantu Suarez, Deputy Director of Mexico’s National Water Agency, said: “In Oaxaca, south of Mexico City, women line up at dawn to fill plastic containers with a passing water wheel. In the north, old aquifers are pumped. The speed is five times the speed limit.”
C. Mexico is just one example of the world’s extreme water shortage; parts of the country are dying, salt-poisoned fields and villages’ wells are drying up; and lawsuits are coming. When he reached the fertile farmland of Baja California, his own water crisis turned into a muddy trickle. Under a complex water agreement with the United States, Mexico can draw water from the Rio Grande, but it must be returned. The repayment is sufficient to flood Delaware’s debt, but since Mexico is already short of water, it is unrealistic to think this might happen.
D. Most people think that Canada has thousands of lakes and rivers, which are inexhaustible sources of water. Compared with Africa and other arid regions, most of Canada’s waters are clear. The cities of Victoria on the west coast and Halifax on the east are still discharging billions of litres of untreated sewage into the ocean. Some experts believe that they contain toxic chemicals, heavy metals, pesticides and sewage. Too many rivers and streams in Canada are seriously polluted by industrial activities.
E. Humans can live for about a month without food, but they can only live for a few days without drinking water. Since 70% of the human body is made up of water, the weight loss of some rapid diets due to water loss is very high. Only about 2.5% of the world’s total water is freshwater, two-thirds of which are enclosed by glaciers and ice sheets. No one knows how much water is in the ground or permafrost2. All life on earth is supported by one percent of the world’s water. (About 1.3 gallons) is the world’s water, and there is not enough fresh water available for a teaspoon.
F. Generally speaking, most areas on the earth have enough water to meet human needs; however, a big problem is the rapid population growth in places with insufficient water resources and the abuse of available resources. The world’s population accounts for 5.6% of the available fresh water. China has 22% of the world’s population, but available fresh water only accounts for 5.7% of the world. We cannot simply send fresh water to the places where it is most needed, such as the Sahara Desert in Ethiopia. , Somalia or India.
G. In January 2000, the Newfoundland government identified potentially dangerous levels of THM (trihalomethane) in the water sources of more than a dozen communities. In order to solve this problem, scientists have proposed a basic solution-water sterilization. This method can also cause problems. Drinking water for a long time can cause bladder cancer and colon cancer, but health experts believe that the benefits far outweigh these risks. Therefore, the bottled water business is booming. In just ten years, sales in the United States alone rose from $2.6 billion to $7.7 billion. This is equivalent to an increase of 10% in the past 10 years. But is it safe? The testing standards for bottled water in Canada are lower than municipal water supplies. There is no guarantee that bottled water is better than tap water.
H. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were 1.65 billion people; one hundred years later, there will be more than 6 billion, and the United Nations estimates that it will reach 9 billion by 2050. However, the annual supply of renewable fresh water will remain the same, so the amount of water available for each person is decreasing and The population continues to grow, increasing the possibility of water shortages. Ensuring future water safety is an important challenge that future managers must face.
Question 1-4:
There are eight paragraphs A-H in this reading passage.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter A-H in boxes 1-4 on your answer sheet.
1. Where most of the world’s fresh water is produced?
2. How Mexican women get water?
3. The impact of garbage in Mexican rivers.
4. Mexico’s financial commitment to its water resources.
Question 5-8:
Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in the reading passage?
YES, If the statement reflects the claims of the writer
NO, If the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN, If it is possible to say what the writer thinks about this
5. Unhealthy water can cause illness in Mexican children.
6. Mexicans moved to other cities due to lack of water.
7. Without American water, Mexico’s food crops will die.
8. Canada’s drinking water is polluted by industry.
Question 9-13:
Complete the summary of photographs F-H below:
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Write your answer in boxes 9-13 on your answer sheet.
The main problem facing cities with insufficient water supply is the increase in water supply 9) ____________. Canada accounts for 10) ___________ of the world’s fresh water supply. 11) _______ The process has solved the problem of water pollution in some cities. Some health experts believe that urban water is the cause of 12) _____________ pollution. Not everyone is satisfied with urban drinking water, which increases the demand for 13) _____________.
Solution For: Running Dry
Reading Answers
| 1. E | 5. YES | 9. POPULATION | 13. BOTTLED WATER |
| 2. B | 6. NO | 10. 5.6% | |
| 3. A | 7. NOT GIVEN | 11. STERILISATION | |
| 4. C | 8. YES | 12. CANCER |
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
Running Dry 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...












