Table of Contents
BEST IELTS General Reading Test 204
IELTS GENERAL READING TEST 204 – PASSAGE – 3
IELTS GENERAL READING TEST – 204
READING PASSAGE – 3
Hurricane
They are essential features of the Earth’s atmosphere, as they transfer heat and energy between the equator and the cooler regions towards to poles.
Section A: A hurricane is a large rotating storm centered around an area of very low pressure with strong winds blowing at an average speed in excess of 74 miles per hour. The whole storm system may be up to 10 miles high and on average 500 miles wide. It moves forward like an immense spinning top, at speeds up to 20 mph.
IELTS General Reading Test
Section B: There are various trigger mechanisms required to transform frequent storms into rarer hurricanes. These trigger mechanisms depend on several conditions being ‘right’ at the same time. One of the most influential factors are sources of very warm, moist air, which derived from tropical oceans with surface temperatures greater than 26°C, and sufficient spin or twist from the rotating earth, which is related to latitude.
As the warm sea heats the air above it, a current of very warm moist air rises up quickly, creating a center of low pressure at the surface. Trade winds rush in towards this low pressure and the inward spiralling winds whirl upwards releasing heat and moisture before descending.
IELTS General Reading Test
The rotation of the Earth causes the rising column to twist, gradually taking on the form of a cylinder whirling around an eye of relatively still air, free from clouds. The rising air cools and produces towering cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds. Further aloft at 6 miles the cloud tops are carried outwards to give thick layer clouds due to the outward spiralling winds leaving the hurricane core.
Section C: Great amounts of energy are transferred when warm water is evaporated from tropical seas. This energy is stored within the water vapor contained in moist air. As this air ascends, 90% of the stored energy is released by condensation, giving rise to the towering cumulus clouds and rain.
IELTS General Reading Test
The release of heat energy warms the air locally causing a further decrease in pressure aloft. Consequently, air rises faster to fill this area of low pressure, and more warm moist air is drawn off the sea feeding further energy to the system. Thus a self-sustaining heat engine is created.
Only as little as 3% of the heat energy may be converted mechanical energy of the circulating winds. This relatively small amount of mechanical energy equates to a power supply of 360 billion kilowatt hours per day-or 6 months supply of electrical energy for the whole of the USA!
IELTS General Reading Test
Section D: Hurricanes form between 5 and 30 latitude and initially move westward (owing to easterly winds) and slightly towards the poles. Many hurricanes eventually drift far enough north or south to move into areas dominated by westerly winds (found in the middle latitudes). These winds tend to reverse the direction of the hurricane to an eastward path.
As the hurricane moves poleward it picks up speed and may reach between 20 and 30 mph. An average hurricane can travel about 300 to 400 miles a day, or about 3000 miles before it dies out. Hurricanes occur between July and October in the Atlantic, eastern Pacific and the western Pacific north of the equator. South of the equator, off Australia and in the Indian Ocean, they occur between November and March.
IELTS General Reading Test
The name hurricane should only be used for those tropical storms occurring in the Atlantic. In the Pacific they are known as typhoons, in the Indian Ocean as cyclones. They are given names beginning with “A”, “B” etc. In order of occurrence and the names are alternately male and female.
Section E: These phenomena can cause major destruction, especially when the hurricane’s path takes it over land. However a path over land also causes the destruction of the hurricane itself. As it moves over land its energy source is depleted and friction across the land surface distorts the air flow. This leads to the eye filling with cloud and the hurricane dies.
IELTS General Reading Test
Section F: Other than basic knowledge of general hurricane occurrence there are no atmospheric conditions that can be measured and combined to predict where a hurricane will develop. Therefore we can only forecast its path once formed. A network of instruments, men and equipment at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida search out potential hurricanes in their early stages and track them through their life cycle until they decay and die.
Satellites detect hurricanes in their early stages of development and can help to provide early warning of imminent hurricanes. Reinforced aircraft fitted with instruments fly through and over hurricanes, and weather radar can locate storms within 200 miles of the radar station.
IELTS General Reading Test
A hurricane warning is issued to coastal areas where winds of 74 mph or greater are definitely expected to occur, or dangerously high water or high waves are predicted. The general public are usually informed via television broadcasts and through a system of flying flags by day and lanterns by night.
More recently, the National Hurricane Center’s website has recently been developed to allow people to type in their zip code and get specific information about potential hazards in their area and where to evacuate to if necessary.
IELTS General Reading Test
Questions 28-31
Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the Section B for each answer.
A current of heated (28)…….. raised up from the warm ocean
A center of (29)…….. created at the surface
Trade winds rush inwards, discharge (30)…….. before descending
The (31)…….. helps the column to twist, taking on the form of a cylinder spinning around an eye of the still air.
The rising air cools and produces towering cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds.
Question 32-38
Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 3?
On your answer sheet please write
TRUE – if the statement is true
FALSE – if the statement is false
NOT GIVEN – if the information is not given in the passage.
32. Hurricanes often form around the equator.
33. Hurricanes are normally generated above the sea surface under relatively higher temperatures.
34. 3% of the mechanical energy generated from hurricanes could power the USA for half a year.
35. Hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones are all the same type of tropical storms.
36. Once the eye of the hurricane eye is filled with moist air, it will die.
37. We are still not capable of anticipating where a hurricane will develop.
38. A system of flying flags and lanterns is used to warn of hurricanes within 200 miles.
Questions 39-40
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
39. How fast does hurricane normally travel?
40. How broad is a typical hurricane system?
ANSWERS ARE BELOW
IELTS General Reading Test
ANSWERS
28. MOIST AIR
29. LOW PRESSURE
30. HEAT AND MOISTURE
31. ROTATION OF EARTH
32. TRUE
33. TRUE
34. FALSE
35. TRUE
36. FALSE
37. TRUE
38. NOT GIVEN
39. 20 MPH
40. 500 MILES WIDE