Learning from the Romans
Read Learning from the Romans and check the IELTS Reading answers. In a quest to make concrete more durable and sustainable, an international team of geologists and engineers has found inspiration in the concrete used by the ancient Romans. The chemical secrets of Roman concrete have been uncovered…
Passage preview
In a quest to make concrete more durable and sustainable, an international team of geologists and engineers has found inspiration in the concrete used by the ancient Romans. The chemical secrets of Roman concrete have been uncovered in samples taken from a concrete Roman breakwater. A breakwater is a barrier that is built out into the sea to protect coasts and harbors from the force of waves. This particular breakwater has spent the last 2,000 years submerged in seawater. The international team of researchers that collected the samples was led by Paulo Monteiro, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. Analysis of samples from the ancient underwater site in Pozzuoli Bay near Naples in Italy, and pinpointed why the best Roman concrete was superior to most modern concrete.
Vocabulary from this passage
9 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- breakwater noun
A heavy structure built into the sea to protect a harbor from the force of waves
Chemical secrets were uncovered in samples taken from an ancient Roman breakwater submerged for two millennia.
- carbon footprint noun
The total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities
The manufacturing process for Portland cement significantly increases the carbon footprint of the modern construction industry.
- counterpart noun
A person or thing that corresponds to or has the same function as another in a different place or situation
Producing Roman concrete left a much smaller carbon footprint than its modern industrial counterpart.
- devise verb
To plan or invent a complex procedure, system, or mechanism by careful thought
The Romans devised an efficient method of making concrete specifically for durable coastal and harbor structures.
- durable construction materials noun
Building substances designed to withstand wear, pressure, or damage over a very long period
Roman concrete is considered one of the most durable construction materials ever engineered by human civilization.
- incentive noun
A thing that motivates or encourages someone to do something or work harder
Cutting greenhouse gas emissions provides a powerful incentive for finding better ways to manufacture construction materials.
- incorporate verb
To take in or include something as part of a whole or a larger structure
The lime reacted with seawater and incorporated water molecules into its structure to bind the mixture.
- pinpoint verb
To identify or locate something with great precision and accuracy
Researchers conducted detailed chemical analysis to pinpoint why Roman concrete was superior to modern alternatives.
- unforgiving adjective
Harsh or hostile; providing no opportunity for error or weakness in a specific environment
Engineers were interested in how Roman structures endured the unforgiving saltwater environment for two thousand years.
Answers with explanations
- 14. D
Paragraph D discusses Marie Jackson's theory on why Romans reduced their use of concrete in seawater. She notes that as the Roman Empire and shipping declined, the actual need for that kind of concrete declined.
- 15. B
Paragraph B outlines the chemical ingredients of modern Portland cement (calcium, silicates, hydrates) and contrasts this with the ingredients found in ancient Roman cement (aluminum, less silicon).
- 16. F
Paragraph F notes that fly ash is a limited resource ('not enough fly ash in this world'). Because of this shortage, researchers argue we need to find substitutes, such as local volcanic ash.
- 17. A
Paragraph A introduces the specific structure (a Roman breakwater submerged in Pozzuoli Bay) from which the researchers extracted their samples to study the chemical properties of ancient concrete.
- 18. E
Paragraph E explicitly compares the environmental impacts of the two concretes, indicating that modern Portland cement causes high carbon dioxide emissions, while Roman concrete production left a smaller carbon footprint.
- 19. G
Paragraph G compares the durability of modern structures, designed to last 100-120 years, with the Roman installations that have endured for 2,000 years, highlighting the superiority of Roman concrete.
- 20. C
Paragraph C describes the physical steps taken by the Romans to mix volcanic ash and lime, put them in wooden molds, and immerse them in seawater to trigger the cementing reaction.
- 21-22: AC
The text confirms two facts about fly ash. First, it is 'already used' in some modern concrete to replace Portland cement (Option C). Second, its use results in 'fewer greenhouse gas emissions' compared to Portland cement, making it better for the environment (Option A). Other options are false or contradict the text.
- 23. limestone
The summary needs the material combined with clays at 1,450 degrees. The passage specifically mentions heating 'a mix of **limestone** and clays'. Thus, limestone fits perfectly grammatically and contextually.
- 24. third
The summary mentions the heat reduction for Roman concrete. The text explicitly states the required temperature was a **third** lower. A 'third' accurately represents the degree to which the heat level was reduced.
- 25. fuel
The summary talks about what had to be burned to generate the heat. The passage mentions that carbon dioxide is released 'from burning **fuel**'. Thus, less heat requires less fuel.
- 26. industry
The sentence requires the source emitting carbon dioxide. Monteiro explains that cement accounts for seven percent of the CO2 that **industry** puts into the air. 'Industry' correctly fits the contextual requirement of the summary.