Glaciers IELTS Academic Reading Test with Answers

The Glaciers reading passage comes with 15 questions which involve question types such as matching headings, true/false/not given, and matching features. Practice the reading test with this passage and questions and check the answers. The below table provides Glaciers reading answers.

1. vi	2. ii	3. iii	4. vii
5. v	6. FALSE	7. TRUE	8. TRUE
9. FALSE	10. NOT GIVEN	11. B	12. D
13. H	14. A	15. G

Glaciers

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You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13 which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.

Reading Passage 1

A. Besides the earth’s oceans, glacier ice is the largest source of water on earth. A glacier is a massive stream or sheet of ice that moves underneath itself under the influence of gravity. Some glaciers travel down mountains or valleys, while others spread across a large expanse of land. Heavily glaciated regions such as Greenland and Antarctica are called continental glaciers. These two ice sheets encompass more than 95 percent of the earth’s glacial ice. The Greenland ice sheet is almost 10,000 feet thick in some areas, and the weight of this glacier is so heavy that much of the region has been depressed below sea level. Smaller glaciers that occur at higher elevations are called alpine or valley glaciers. Another way of classifying glaciers is in terms of their internal temperature. In temperate glaciers, the ice within the glacier is near its melting point. Polar glaciers, in contrast, always maintain temperatures far below melting.

B. The majority of the earth’s glaciers are located near the poles, though glaciers exist on all continents, including Africa and Oceania. The reason glaciers are generally formed in high alpine regions is that they require cold temperatures throughout the year. In these areas where there is little opportunity for summer ablation (loss of mass), snow changes to compacted fim and then crystallized ice. During periods in which melting and evaporation exceed the amount of snowfall, glaciers will retreat rather than progress. While glaciers rely heavily on snowfall, other climactic conditions including freezing rain, avalanches, and wind, contribute to their growth. One year of below average precipitation can stunt the growth of a glacier tremendously. With the rare exception of surging glaciers, a common glacier flows about 10 inches per day in the summer and 5 inches per day in the winter. The fastest glacial surge on record occurred in 1953, when the Kutiah Glacier in Pakistan grew more than 12 kilometers in three months.

C. The weight and pressure of ice accumulation causes glacier movement. Glaciers move out from under themselves, via plastic deformation and basal slippage. First, the internal flow of ice crystals begins to spread outward and downward from the thickened snow pack also known as the zone of accumulation. Next, the ice along the ground surface begins to slip in the same direction. Seasonal thawing at the base of the glacier helps to facilitate this slippage. The middle of a glacier moves faster than the sides and bottom because there is no rock to cause friction. The upper part of a glacier rides on the ice below. As a glacier moves it carves out a U-shaped valley similar to a riverbed, but with much steeper walls and a flatter bottom.

D. Besides the extraordinary rivers of ice, glacial erosion creates other unique physical features in the landscape such as horns, fjords, hanging valleys, and cirques. Most of these landforms do not become visible until after a glacier has receded. Many are created by moraines, which occur at the sides and front of a glacier. Moraines are formed when material is picked up along the way and deposited in a new location. When many alpine glaciers occur on the same mountain, these moraines can create a horn. The Matterhorn, in the Swiss Alps is one of the most famous horns. Fjords, which are very common in Norway, are coastal valleys that fill with ocean water during a glacial retreat. Hanging valleys occur when two or more glacial valleys intersect at varying elevations. It is common for waterfalls to connect the higher and lower hanging valleys, such as in Vosemite National Park. A cirque is a large bowlshaped valley that forms at the front of a glacier. Cirques often have a lip on their down slope that is deep enough to hold small lakes when the ice melts away.

E. Glacier movement and shape shifting typically occur over hundreds of years. While presently about 10 percent of the earth’s land is covered with glaciers, it is believed that during the last Ice Age glaciers covered approximately 32 percent of the earth’s surface. In the past century, most glaciers have been retreating rather than flowing forward. It is unknown whether this glacial activity is due to human impact or natural causes, but by studying glacier movement, and comparing climate and agricultural profiles over hundreds of years, glaciologists can begin to understand environmental issues such as global warming.

Questions

Questions 1-5

Reading Passage 1 has five paragraphs, A-E. Choose the most suitable heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.

Write the appropriate numbers (i-viii) on your answer sheet.

There are more headings than paragraphs, so you will not use them all. 

List of headings

i    Glacial Continents
ii    Formation and Growth of Glaciers
iii    Glacial Movement
iv    Glaciers in the Last Ice Age
v    Glaciers Through the Years
vi    Types of Glaciers
vii    Glacial Effects on Landscape
viii    Glaciers in National Parks

1. Paragraph A 
2. Paragraph B 
3. Paragraph C 
4. Paragraph D 
5. Paragraph E

Questions 6-10

Do the following statements agree with the information in Passage 1? in boxes 6-10 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE if the statement is true according to the passage.
FALSE if the statement contradicts the passage.
NOT GIVEN if there is no information about this in the passage.

6. Glaciers exist only near the north and south poles.
7. Glaciers are formed by a combination of snow and other weather conditions.
8. Glaciers normally move at a rate of about 5 to 10 inches a day.
9. All parts of the glacier move at the same speed.
10. During the last Ice Age, average temperatures were much lower than they are now.

Questions 11-15

Match each definition below with the term it defines. 
Write the letters of the term, A-H, on your answer sheet.

There are more terms than definitions, so you will not use them all. 

	Terms
A	fjord
B	alpine glacier
C	horn
D	polar glacier
E	temperate glacier
F	hanging valley
G	cirque
H	surging glacier

11. a glacier formed on a mountain 
12. a glacier with temperatures well below freezing 
13. a glacier that moves very quickly 
14. a glacial valley formed near the ocean 
15. a glacial valley that looks like a bowl

Glaciers Reading Answers with Explanation

1. Answer-vi- Types of Glaciers

Explanation: In this question, we are required to select an appropriate heading for each paragraph from the possibilities provided. Therefore, the first paragraph describes numerous glaciers, such as those that move down mountains or valleys. Continental glaciers, the Greenland ice sheet, alpine glaciers, sometimes known as valley glaciers, temperate glaciers, and polar glaciers are examples of large-scale glaciers. Therefore, the answer to paragraph A is option six, as it describes the numerous forms of glaciers. 

2. Answer- ii- Formation and Growth of Glaciers

Explanation: Here, we must select an appropriate heading for each paragraph from the possibilities provided in the question. The first five phrases of this paragraph describe the creation of glaciers. They are generated in places of high altitude when summers are scarce. As we continue to read the text, it provides instances of how glaciers expand owing to freezing rain, avalanches, wind, etc. The solution to paragraph B is thus ii.

3. Answer- iii- Glacial Movement

Explanation: The third paragraph provides an explanation of glacier movement. According to the first statement, glaciers move due to the weight and pressure of ice buildup. As we continue to read the passage, we learn to understand how glaciers move. They extend outwards in a downward direction initially. Seasonal thawing, or the melting of ice, facilitates slipping. Therefore, this paragraph provides a comprehensive description of glacier movement, so the correct response to paragraph C is iii.

4. Answer- vii- Glacial Effects on Landscape

Explanation: This paragraph discusses the impacts of glacier development on the environment. In addition to causing erosion and ice rivers, glaciers can produce distinctive features such as horns, fjords, hanging valleys, and cirques. This final paragraph focuses solely on the consequences of glaciers. Therefore, it is more suitable for the given heading.

5. Answer- v- Glaciers through the years

Explanation: This paragraph discusses glaciers from previous years. It illustrates how glaciers have altered in size and shape throughout time. Glaciologists are uncertain as to whether glacial activity results from natural causes or human intervention. But after researching the climate and agriculture, they are certain that this is the result of decades of global warming.

6. Answer-False

Explanation: It is explicitly mentioned that glaciers are present on all continents, not simply around the poles. Therefore, the response is false.

7. Answer-True

Explanation: It is plainly established in the preceding sentences that precipitation and wind contribute to the formation of glaciers. Therefore, the claim is true.

8. Answer-True

Explanation: In general, glaciers move 10 inches per day during the summer and 5 inches per day during the winter. Therefore, the argument is true.

9. Answer-False

Explanation: This section describes the glacier's movement. It shifts in sections. First, there is an internal flow, then the ice on the surface of the ground slips, then the middle portion, and finally the top portion. Therefore, the statement is false.

10. Answer- Not given

11. Answer-B-Alpine glacier.

Explanation: The term "high elevation" refers to mountainous regions with high elevations. They're known as alpine glaciers.

12. Answer-D-polar glacier

Explanation: A polar glacier is one whose temperature is below the melting point.

13. Answer-H-Surging glacier

Explanation: Daily basis, advancing glaciers travel 10 inches in the summer and 5 inches in the winter.

14. Answer-A-Fjords

Explanation: Fjords are glacial valleys that originated near the ocean.

15.nAnswer- G-Cirque

Explanation: A cirque is a bowl-shaped valley sufficient to hold little lakes after the ice melts.

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