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The Development Of Travel Under The Ocean Reading Answers
Author
16-09-2025
The development of travel under the ocean Reading Answers
Here, The development of travel under the ocean reading practice test includes a total of 13 questions, and it contains 2 different question types with proper answers with their location and explanation.
Given question types are, Short Answer Questions, and Labelling Diagram Questions.
Table of contents:
- Solution for The development of travel under the ocean
- The development of travel under the ocean IELTS reading practice Test
- Passage
- Questions
- Answers with Explanations
Solution for The Development of Travel Under The Ocean
You can check the given answers to identify your solutions to recognize your errors directly. The development of travel under the ocean reading answers given below with their correct responses.
Answer Table
| 1. (Primitive) Diving bell | 5. Gasoline (engine) | 9. Radio antenna | 13. Outer hull |
| 2. Fasten explosive devices | 6. Less explosive/ volatile | 10. rudder | |
| 3. Compressed air(system) | 7. Sailplanes | 11. Propeller | |
| 4. 1864 | 8. Periscope | 12. Stem planes |
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Passage
The reading passage of The development of travel under the ocean is provided here. Read the whole passage and respond to the questions carefully, and check your responses with our The development of travel under the ocean reading answers with location.
The development of travel under the ocean
For millennia, humans have been intrigued by what lies beneath the sea and although submarine travel was attempted from time to time, it did not become commonplace until the middle of last century. Several clever and innovative people had experimented with designs for submersible boats before then, but there was much loss of life and little success.
There had long been use of a primitive diving bell for exploratory purposes, but it was as a war machine that the submarine came into its own. The first development in the history of American submarines was a small submersible with a hand-cranked screw-like oar and a crew of one. It was built before the American Revolutionary War (1775—1783) but was adapted for use against the British during this war. Although its pilot twice failed to fasten explosive devices to British ships before losing control of his vessel, he escaped harm.
In 1800, an American inventor, Robert Fulton, designed an underwater machine that he called the Nautilus. This version brought in features that can still be found in some modern submarines, notably adjustable diving planes for better underwater manoeuvring, dual systems of propulsion, and a compressed air system that allowed it to stay down for about four hours without surfacing.
Development of submersible vessels lagged a long way behind the continued progress in the design of surface ships until the American Civil War (1861-1865) when both sides tried out various designs. One of those, called the Hunley — named after its 8nancier rather than its inventor, sank twice during training missions with 11 crew members losing their lives including Hunley himself. Notwithstanding these failures, it was commissioned again in 1864 to attack a ship in Charleston Harbor. A torpedo was used to strike and scuttle the ship – a 8rst in naval history, but the submarine never reappeared, and once again the whole crew perished. Its potential had been recognised, but there still remained the challenge of operating safely under the water.
The US Navy could appreciate the strategic benefits of having submarines in its ;eet and held a competition to encourage design and construction of these underwater craft. The inventor, John Holland, won the competition and it was his sixth prototype, the Holland, that the navy bought and added to its ;eet in 1900. This submarine was quite different from previous designs. It was propelled by a gasoline engine that turned a propeller while the vessel was on the surface. When it submerged, the engine ran a generator to charge batteries to operate an electric motor. The improved propulsion methods were, unfortunately, highly dangerous. Not only is gasoline ;ammable and unstable, using it in the restricted environment of a submarine posed quite a hazard for the crewmen. There was another problem, too: the batteries were not only heavy, cumbersome and inefficient, but they were also extremely volatile.
During the same period as Holland’s efforts were being trialled, a German scientist by the name of Rudolf Diesel created an engine which used a fuel less explosive than gasoline and which would consequently be stored safely. Another advantage was that there was no necessity for an electric spark to ignite the fuel. These safety improvements combined with better fuel economy allowed Diesel engines to power a submarine for longer on the surface; however, batteries were still needed to supply energy for underwater operation.
Although diesel-powered submarines were successful and used by the US Navy for almost 50 years, the search for a single power source carried on. It wasn’t long before the concept of nuclear power was realised in Germany and taken up by an American physicist, Ross Gunn, who could envisage its potential in submersibles. A research team was put together to adapt the concept of nuclear power for use in submarines. In effect, modern nuclear submarines have on board a small nuclear power plant which produces a great amount of energy. This is used to heat water and create steam which drives a huge turbine which turns the propeller.
There have been many adaptations and technological improvements made to submarines over the years, but the shape is basically the same. Obviously, it is a totally enclosed craft, cigar shaped with narrowed ends. The outer hull is the largest part of the boat and forms the body. The inner hull is designed to resist the considerable water pressure and insulates the crew from the cold. This is where the crew works, eats and sleeps. It also contains the engine room and the apparatus that makes clean air and clean water. Between the hulls are the ballast tanks for controlling buoyancy. There is a tall 8n-shaped sail that comes up out of the hull. Inside the sail is the conning tower and extending from this, to the fore, there is a periscope (through which the captain can see the sea and sky when the submarine is near the surface of the water). Sonar is used for navigation deep below the surface. The other projection from the conning tower is the radio antenna.
Underwater, there are two controls for steering the submarine. The rudder (like a tail 8n) controls side-to-side movement, and diving planes influence rise and descent. There are two sets of diving planes: the forward sailplanes and the stem planes, which are located at the back with the rudder and propeller.
Advancing technology will undoubtedly result in different shapes and modes of operation, and it is quite possible that, in the future, submarines will be manned by robots or computer technology that communicates information to land bases via satellite.
Questions
Questions 1-6
Answer the questions below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet.
- What kind of underwater device was used to investigate the ocean before submersible boats were invented?
- What was the crewman of the first American-built submarine trying to do before his mission failed?
- What gave the Nautilus the ability to remain submerged for a long time?
- When was a submarine first used successfully to sink an enemy boat?
- What new type of propulsion did the Holland use on top of the water?
- For what reason was Diesel’s fuel considered safer than Holland’s?
Questions 7-13
Label the diagram below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 7-13 on your answer sheet.

7. _____________
8. _____________
9. _____________
10. _____________
11. _____________
12. _____________
13. _____________
Answers For The development of travel under the ocean With Explanations
The development of travel under the ocean reading answers with explanations provided here. Refer to this to identify your responses and to recognize your mistakes as the answers are given with the proper explanation.
(Note: The text in the italics mentions the location and referring lines written in the reading passage.)
1. Answer: (Primitive) Diving bell
Explanation: In the 2nd paragraph, the writers mentioned that, ‘There had long been use of a primitive diving bell for exploratory purposes, but it was as a war machine that the submarine came into its own.’
2. Answer: Fasten explosive devices
Explanation: In the 2nd paragraph, the writers mentioned that, ‘Although its pilot twice failed to fasten explosive devices to British ships before losing control of his vessel, he escaped harm.’
3. Answer: Compressed air(system)
Explanation: In the 3rd paragraph, the writers mentioned that, ‘This version brought in features that can still be found in some modern submarines, notably adjustable diving planes for better underwater manoeuvring, dual systems of propulsion, and a compressed air system that allowed it to stay down for about four hours without surfacing.’
4. Answer: 1864
Explanation: In the 4th paragraph, the writers mentioned that, ‘Notwithstanding these failures, it was commissioned again in 1864 to attack a ship in Charleston Harbor.’
5. Answer: Gasoline (engine)
Explanation: In the 5th paragraph, the writers mentioned that, ‘The inventor, John Holland, won the competition and it was his sixth prototype, the Holland, that the navy bought and added to its ;eet in 1900. This submarine was quite different from previous designs. It was propelled by a gasoline engine that turned a propeller while the vessel was on the surface.’
6. Answer: Less explosive/ volatile
Explanation: In the 6th paragraph, the writers mentioned that, ‘During the same period as Holland’s efforts were being trialled, a German scientist by the name of Rudolf Diesel created an engine which used a fuel less explosive than gasoline and which would consequently be stored safely.’
7. Answer: Sailplanes
Explanation: In the 9th paragraph, the writers mentioned that, ‘There are two sets of diving planes: the forward sailplanes and the stem planes, which are located at the back with the rudder and propeller.’
8. Answer: periscope
Explanation: In the 8th paragraph, the writers mentioned that, ‘Inside the sail is the conning tower and extending from this, to the fore, there is a periscope (through which the captain can see the sea and sky when the submarine is near the surface of the water).’
9. Answer: Radio antenna
Explanation: In the 8th paragraph, the writers mentioned that, ‘Sonar is used for navigation deep below the surface. The other projection from the conning tower is the radio antenna.’
10. Answer: rudder
Explanation: In the 9th paragraph, the writers mentioned that, ‘The rudder (like a tail 8n) controls side-to-side movement, and diving planes influence rise and descent.’
11. Answer: propeller
Explanation: In the 9th paragraph, the writers mentioned that, ‘There are two sets of diving planes: the forward sailplanes and the stem planes, which are located at the back with the rudder and propeller.’
12. Answer: Stem planes
Explanation: In the 9th paragraph, the writers mentioned that, ‘There are two sets of diving planes: the forward sailplanes and the stem planes, which are located at the back with the rudder and propeller.’
13. Answer: Outer hull
Explanation: In the 8th paragraph, the writers mentioned that, ‘The outer hull is the largest part of the boat and forms the body.’
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About Author Manimegalai Samidurai
Manimegalai is a multifaceted professional, excelling as an author, writer, and study-abroad expert. Her vast knowledge of English proficiency exams, including IELTS, GRE, SAT, and PTE, and exceptional content writing skills make her a go-to resource for students seeking guidance and support in their foreign education journey. She is a trusted authority in writing content related to these test-prep exams, making her an invaluable resource for those seeking guidance. With her well-researched and informative blogs, articles, and study materials, Manimegalai has helped countless students achieve their desired band scores and get admissions to top-notch colleges & universities in countries like Canada, USA, UK, Australia, Ireland, etc.
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