📘 Passage Title: The Science Behind Tsunamis
Tsunamis, often mislabelled as tidal waves, are large oceanic waves usually caused by seismic activity beneath the ocean floor. When an underwater earthquake displaces a significant volume of water, it sends out waves that travel across the ocean at speeds exceeding 800 km/h. Unlike regular waves caused by wind, tsunamis carry immense energy through the entire water column, making them particularly destructive when they reach coastal areas.
The formation of a tsunami typically begins with tectonic plate movements along subduction zones, where one plate dives beneath another. This process stores geological stress that is eventually released as an earthquake. If the sea floor shifts vertically, it lifts the water above it, initiating a series of waves. These waves may go unnoticed in deep oceans due to their long wavelengths and small wave heights but grow dramatically in height as they approach shallow waters.
Historical evidence of tsunamis is abundant. The Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, triggered by a 9.1 magnitude earthquake near Sumatra, claimed over 230,000 lives across 14 countries. Ancient coastal communities in Japan and Chile also kept records of such disasters centuries ago, passing down tsunami survival stories through oral traditions, which modern scientists now recognize as crucial early-warning systems.
Modern warning systems use seismic sensors and deep-sea pressure recorders to detect sudden sea-level changes. However, despite technological advances, predicting the exact arrival and scale of a tsunami remains a challenge. Geography also plays a role; V-shaped bays can amplify waves, while coral reefs may reduce their impact. Some scientists even explore the role of submarine landslides and volcanic eruptions in triggering tsunamis, though these are less frequent causes.
Tsunamis have social and environmental consequences. Entire villages may be swept away, with survivors facing trauma and displacement. Saltwater intrusion renders farmland infertile for years, and marine ecosystems suffer long-term damage. While reconstruction efforts can take decades, some regions now use the disaster as a pivot toward eco-resilient rebuilding—constructing elevated housing, early-warning towers, and mangrove barriers.
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📝 Question 1–5: Matching Information
Match the information with the correct paragraph (A–E). Write the correct letter in boxes 1–5.
1. A tsunami that led to large-scale international fatalities
2. A comparison between tsunami waves and wind-generated waves
3. Use of old cultural knowledge to understand modern tsunamis
4. Explanation of the geological process that starts a tsunami
5. How location can affect the tsunami’s strength
📝 Question 6–9: Complete the Sentences
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage.
6. Tsunami waves in deep water are difficult to detect because of their ______.
7. The most common cause of tsunamis is ______.
8. Submarine landslides and volcanoes are ______ causes of tsunamis.
9. Farmland becomes unsuitable after a tsunami due to ______.
📝 Question 10–13: True / False / Not Given
10. All tsunamis are caused by earthquakes.
11. Coral reefs can help reduce the power of tsunamis.
12. Japan has the highest number of recorded tsunamis.
13. Rebuilding after a tsunami is now often done with sustainability in mind.
Here’s Passage 2: Crop Growth in Cities, styled to the sophistication and realism of an official IELTS Academic Reading section. It features 13 questions across varied question types, with full Band‑9 explanations tailored for advanced learners:
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🌱 Reading Passage 2: Urban Crop Cultivation – The Rise of Vertical and Community Farming
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A
As urban populations swell, traditional agriculture struggles to keep pace. A surge of interest in vertical farming—growing crops indoors on building façades, rooftops, or repurposed warehouses—is redefining metropolitan food systems. This model promises high yields in limited space, efficient resource usage, and fresh local produce—ushering in a new era of city-based agriculture.
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B
Vertical farms often use hydroponic or aeroponic systems combined with LED lighting and climate control. Compared to open-field farming, these systems can reduce water consumption by up to 95 %, lower pesticide usage, and produce yields equivalent to multiple acres of rural farmland per city parcel. However, they carry high capital costs and heavy energy demands, especially in lighting and temperature regulation.
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C
Complementing rooftop and vertical farms, community gardens are emerging as biodiversity hotspots in dense cities. A study in California found urban gardens supporting abundant native plant and insect species—even more than traditional monocrop fields. These green spaces contribute to cooling cities, enhancing mental health, composting food waste, and strengthening local ecosystems.
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D
Despite their benefits, building-integrated agriculture faces limits. High operational complexity requires technical expertise, including nutrient management, environmental control, and system maintenance. Additionally, only certain crops—typically leafy greens and herbs—are economically viable indoors. Growing larger or vining crops is still rare and often impractical.
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E
Economically, vertical farming is promising but niche. Though reduced transport and resource use offer advantages, high initial investment and energy costs remain barriers. Some farms operate profitably using artificial intelligence, automation, and circular systems. Yet critics warn that widespread adoption hinges on addressing cost-efficiency and scaling only specific crop types.
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📝 Questions 14–26 (13 questions total)
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🔹 Questions 14–17: Matching Headings
Match each paragraph (A–E) with the appropriate heading: Available headings (i–v):
i. Urban gardens as biodiversity havens
ii. Environmental and resource efficiency of vertical farming
iii. Technical and crop limitations of urban agriculture
iv. Economic challenges and technological solutions
v. Emergence and purpose of urban agriculture
14. Paragraph A → ____
15. Paragraph B → ____
16. Paragraph C → ____
17. Paragraph D → ____
18. Paragraph E → ____
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🔹 Questions 19–22: True/False/Not Given
Decide whether the following agree with the passage:
19. Vertical farms can use 95 % less water compared to outdoor farms.
20. All crops are suitable for indoor urban farming.
21. Urban gardens can support more insect species than monoculture farms.
22. Vertical farms rely primarily on fossil-fueled machinery.
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🔹 Questions 23–26: Sentence Completion
Complete with NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage:
23. Vertical farming greatly decreases water use—up to ____.
24. Community gardens can generate ________________ in urban areas.
25. Hydroponics and LED systems reduce __________ usage.
26. Only ________ and herbs are usually cost-effective indoors.
🎵 Passage 3: Music – The Universal Language of Humanity
Paragraph A
Music resonates across cultures as a universal mode of expression. Anthropologists note that every known society—ancient or modern—has a tradition of music, ranging from rhythmic drumming to melodic singing. Evolutionary psychologists argue that music developed alongside language; it not only expresses emotion but also fosters social cohesion, ritual, and identity.
Paragraph B
Studies in neuroscience indicate that music and language share overlapping brain regions, particularly Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area. However, music also engages additional neural pathways related to emotion and memory, notably in the limbic system. This explains why a familiar melody can evoke strong emotions or memories more effectively than textual information.
Paragraph C
Despite these universality theories, meanings attached to musical elements can vary vastly. For instance, in Western music, a major key is often perceived as “happy,” whereas in some Eastern traditions it may convey solemnity or introspection. Cultural context and conditioning thus play a critical role in how musical signals are interpreted.
Paragraph D
Music can also bridge cultural divides. In recent decades, fusion genres—such as Afrobeat, Latin pop, and Indo‑jazz—blend musical traditions and have gained international popularity. These hybrid forms illustrate how music can communicate beyond the limits of spoken language and create a shared emotional experience among diverse audiences.
Paragraph E
Yet musical efficacy depends on personal and cultural familiarity. A melody that evokes nostalgia for one listener may feel alien to another. Ethnomusicologists suggest that early musical exposure—through family, ritual, or schooling—shapes our emotional associations. As a result, music can both unite and distinguish cultural groups simultaneously.
Paragraph F
In summary, music functions as a potent form of universal communication, engaging brain areas tied to emotion and memory, and fostering social bonds across cultures. Still, its interpretation is shaped by cultural literacy, personal history, and shared experience—making it simultaneously universal and deeply contextual.
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📝 Questions 27–39
🔹 Questions 27–30: Matching Views
Match the opinions below with the correct person or group (A–E). Some may be used more than once.
A. Anthropologists / evolutionary psychologists
B. Neuroscientists
C. Cultural critics
D. Fusion musicians
E. Ethnomusicologists
27. Music built social identity and collective ritual.
28. Brain regions processing music overlap with those processing language.
29. A single melody can generate different emotions depending on culture.
30. Early exposure shapes how listeners interpret emotional tones in music.
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🔹 Questions 31–33: Yes / No / Not Given
Do the following statements reflect the claims of the writer?
31. Music is universally interpreted the same way across cultures.
32. Fusion genres illustrate music’s power to cross language barriers.
33. The limbic system plays no role in musical processing.
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🔹 Questions 34–39: Sentence Endings
Complete the sentences by choosing from options A–F.
34. Fusion music demonstrates how music can…
35. Neuroscience shows that music engages brain regions …
36. Cultural critics argue that musical meaning…
37. Ethnomusicologists emphasize the importance of…
38. Music triggers emotional association through…
39. The author concludes that music is both universal and…
Endings
A. cross cultural boundaries without words.
B. beyond those dedicated strictly to language.
C. differs depending on one’s cultural background.
D. childhood exposure and social ritual patterns.
E. sensory memory and emotional processing.
F. contextual at the same time.
Answers:
1. C – “The Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004…”
2. A – “Unlike regular waves caused by wind…”
3. C – “...passing down tsunami survival stories…”
4. B – “...tectonic plate movements along subduction zones…”
5. D – “V-shaped bays can amplify waves…”
6. long wavelengths – Paragraph B
7. underwater earthquakes – Paragraph A
8. less frequent – Paragraph D
9. saltwater intrusion – Paragraph E
10. False – Paragraph D says “volcanic eruptions… though these are less frequent causes”
11. True – Paragraph D mentions coral reefs “may reduce their impact”
12. Not Given – Japan is mentioned but no comparative data
13. True – Paragraph E talks about “eco-resilient rebuilding”
14 A v Para A introduces the rise and purpose of urban agriculture.
15 B ii Para B highlights resource efficiency (water, yield).
16 C i Para C focuses on biodiversity in community gardens.
17 D iii Para D outlines technical and crop limitations.
18 E iv Para E discusses economic challenges and tech solutions.
19 TRUE Para B states vertical farms “reduce water consumption by up to 95 %.”
20 FALSE Para D says only leafy greens and herbs are viable.
21 TRUE Para C indicates urban gardens support more biodiversity than monocrop fields.
22 NOT GIVEN Machinery mention absent; transport and resource efficiency discussed.
23. 95% — Para B mentions up to 95 % reduction.
24. biodiversity hotspots — Para C describes community gardens as biodiversity hotspots.
25. pesticide — Para B: they “lower pesticide usage.”
26. leafy greens — Para D: only leafy greens and herbs viable indoors.
27 → A (Para A: music fosters identity and ritual)
28 → B (Para B: overlapping brain regions)
29 → C (Para C: same key conveys different meanings across cultures)
30 → E (Para E: early exposure shapes interpretation)
31–33: Yes/No/Not Given
31 → NO (Para C: interpretations vary culturally)
32 → YES (Para D: fusion genres bridge cultural divides)
33 → FALSE (Para B: limbic system is engaged in music)
34–39: Sentence Endings
34 → A (Para D: fusion music crosses cultural barriers)
35 → B (Para B: music engages language-related and emotional brain areas)
36 → C (Para C: meaning differs by cultural context)
37 → D (Para E: exposure through family, ritual shapes associations)
38 → E (Para B: melodies evoke memory/emotion via limbic activation)
39 → F (Para F: music is universal yet contextual)
