New Filter Promises Clean Water For Millions
Read New Filter Promises Clean Water For Millions and check the IELTS Reading answers. An ingenious invention is set to bring clean water to the third world, and while the science may be cutting edge, the materials are extremely down to earth. A handful of clay yesterday's coffee grounds and some c…
Passage preview
An ingenious invention is set to bring clean water to the third world, and while the science may be cutting edge, the materials are extremely down to earth. A handful of clay yesterday's coffee grounds and some cow manure are the ingredients that could bring clean, safe drinking water to much of the third world.
Vocabulary from this passage
10 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- capitalize on verb
To exploit, take full advantage of, or utilize a specific situation or property for one's own benefit.
Savvy entrepreneurs often capitalize on emerging market trends to expand their business ventures.
- compliant adjective
Meeting or conforming to established rules, technical standards, external regulations, or structural requirements.
The building design must be fully compliant with the latest environmental safety regulations.
- cutting edge adjective
The most advanced, pioneering, and innovative stage of development within a particular scientific or technological field.
The laboratory is equipped with cutting edge technology to sequence complex genetic codes.
- cylindrical adjective
Having the geometric shape of a cylinder, characterized by straight parallel sides and a circular cross-section.
The architectural design featured several massive cylindrical pillars supporting the main glass roof.
- filtration process noun
A mechanical or physical operation used to separate solid matter from fluids by passing them through a porous medium.
The water treatment plant upgraded its filtration process to remove microplastic particles effectively.
- ingenious adjective
Remarkably clever, creative, and original in design, execution, or problem-solving capability.
The engineer devised an ingenious system to harvest rainwater using simple household tools.
- patent verb
To obtain exclusive legal rights from a government authority to manufacture, use, or sell an invention or design.
The pharmaceutical firm rushed to patent their new formulation before competitors could replicate it.
- pathogen noun
Any microscopic organism, such as a bacterium or virus, that is capable of causing disease in a living host.
Proper sanitation is essential to prevent the spread of waterborne pathogens in developing regions.
- porosity noun
The measure or quality of possessing minute pores or spaces that allow fluids or air to pass through a material.
Geologists measure the porosity of soil to determine how effectively it retains water.
- porous adjective
Having minute spaces or holes through which liquid, air, or gas may pass or be absorbed.
Sponges and certain clay pots are highly porous materials that absorb liquids readily.
Answers with explanations
- 14. clay
The flow chart step describes components of the filter mixture. The text lists 'organic material' combined with 'dry, crushed clay'. The noun **clay** fits grammatically and accurately reflects the manufacturing ingredient required by the process description.
- 15. water
The guide outlines the final component needed to form the filter mixture. The text specifies that after combining dry clay and organic matter, one must **add enough water**. The noun **water** satisfies the syntax of the instruction and completes the list of mixture elements.
- 16. straw
This step involves preparing the fire for baking the pots. The text notes that you **surround the pots with straw** and place them inside a mound of manure, lighting the straw first. The singular noun **straw** fits the prompt as one of the constituent fire materials.
- 17. ["cow manure","manure"]
The flow chart specifies what materials form the fire alongside straw. The text explicitly mentions placing the pots in a mound of **cow manure** (or **manure**), which acts as the major fuel source. Either form is contextually and grammatically appropriate within the word limit.
- 18. ["950 degrees","950"]
The chart asks for the maximum temperature of the fire. The text indicates that the heat reaches 700 degrees and subsequently climbs **up to 950 degrees**. This specifies **950 degrees** (or **950**) as the ultimate heat boundary achieved by the cow manure fuel.
- 19. ["60 minutes","an hour","one hour"]
The final step requires the maximum length of time the filters must bake. The text guarantees that the filters are finished **in less than 60 minutes**, which maps to a peak period of **60 minutes** (or alternatively **an hour** / **one hour**), all within the word count limit.
- 20. TRUE
The statement claims the clay was initially unsuitable. Paragraph G establishes that World Vision found the local clay was **too fine**, describing this explicit characteristic as a **problem** that required a solution. Since the text directly indicates the clay was initially problematic for filter making, the answer is **TRUE**.
- 21. NOT GIVEN
The statement asserts that coffee grounds produce filters that are twice as efficient as others. While paragraph C mentions that coffee grounds have yielded the **best results to date**, it lacks any specific data or comparisons regarding exact mathematical efficiency (such as being 'twice as efficient'). Therefore, the answer is **NOT GIVEN**.
- 22. FALSE
The statement says that the fire takes half an hour to reach 950 degrees. However, the text points out that it takes half an hour to reach 700 degrees, and requires **another 20 to 30 minutes** to reach 950 degrees, making a total of 50 to 60 minutes. Because the text contradicts the statement, the answer is **FALSE**.
- 23. NOT GIVEN
The statement asserts that E-coli is the most difficult bacterium to filter out. The text acknowledges that tests were done on the **deadly E-coli bacterium** and showed high removal rates, but it nowhere compares E-coli's difficulty level to other pathogens. Because the passage provides no information on this relative difficulty, the answer is **NOT GIVEN**.
- 24. C
The question queries the original goal of the Manatuto community project. The text explains that the charity intended to **set up a small industry manufacturing water filters**. This objective corresponds perfectly to creating a **water filter factory** rather than establishing an experiment or a trust. Therefore, the concept of a factory is the best-supported idea.
- 25. B
The question deals with the structural prerequisites for filter effectiveness. The text explicitly directs that the walls of the pot must be **about as thick as an adult's index**. This highlights that the filter must maintain a **particular thickness**. The alternative choices are unsupported because the filters do not remove all pathogens and require organic material mixed with clay.
- 26. A
The text explains Tony Flynn's reasoning for not securing a patent. It notes that avoiding a patent ensures there are **no legal obstacles** preventing any community from using it. This matches the idea that he intends for the filter design to be **freely available**. The other options do not express his underlying motive for refusing to patent the idea.