South Pole Adventurer - IELTS Reading Answers

1 Answer: FALSE

Question type: True/False/Not Given Questions

Answer location: Paragraph A, line 4

Answer explanation: A line in the said paragraph provides the information that “a third man arrived; Japanese explorer Nobu Shirase. However, his part in one of the greatest adventure stories of the 20th century is hardly known outside his own country, even by fellow explorers.” From the term ‘hardly known outside his own country,’ we can deduce that he is not well-known to other explorers.

2 Answer: NOT GIVEN

Question type: True/False/Not Given Questions

Answer location: Paragraph A, last line

Answer explanation: If you observe, the said paragraph states that “Shirase and his team sailed into Antarctica’s Bay of Whales in the smallest ship.” However, none of the passages claim that other smaller ships have also made the journey after him.

3 Answer: TRUE

Question type: True/False/Not Given Questions

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 1

Answer explanation: Paragraph B puts forward the idea that “since boyhood Shirase dreamed of becoming a polar explorer. Like Amundsen, he initially set his sights on the North Pole.” Since ‘he initially set his sights on the North Pole,’ confirms that Shirase’s original ambition was to travel to the North Pole.

4 Answer: TRUE

Question type: True/False/Not Given Questions

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 5

Answer explanation: The answer is clearly mentioned in the said paragraph and line. In the passage, it is said that “Shirase put his plans before Japanese government officials, promising to raise the flag at the South Pole within three years. For many of them, the question wasn’t could he do it but why would it be worth doing” Since the Japanese officials raise the question of why it would be worth doing, it denotes that they thought Shirase’s intention to travel to the South Pole was pointless.

5 Answer: NOT GIVEN

Question type: True/False/Not Given Question

Answer location: N/A

Answer explanation: None of the passages confirm or deny that the British team announced their decision to carry out scientific research in Antarctica before Shirase.

6 Answer: FALSE

Question type: True/False/Not Given Question

Answer location: Paragraph C, line 1

Answer explanation: The opening lines of paragraph C mention that “the response from the government was cool, however, and Shirase struggled to raise funds.” As Shirase struggled to raise funds, it meant that it was not easy for him to raise the money he needed for this trip to the South Pole.

7 Answer: NOT GIVEN

Question type: True/False/Not Given Questions

Answer location: Paragraph C, line 4

Answer explanation: In the said paragraph, you can refer to information that “he eventually acquired a scientist, too, called Terutaro Takeda.” However, whether or not a prime minister of Japan persuaded a scientist to go with Shirase is not mentioned in any passage.

8 Answer: NOT GIVEN

Question type: True/False/Not Given Questions

Answer location: Paragraph C, line 9

Answer explanation: If you observe, there is a line which confirms that “bad weather delayed the expedition and they didn’t reach New Zealand until 8 February” However, it is not mentioned if the weather was unusually bad or it was usual weather in that area.

9 Answer: A

Question type: Multiple Choice Questions

Answer location: Paragraph C, line 10

Answer explanation: A line in the said paragraph infers that that “in New Zealand local reporters were astonished: the ship was half the size of Amudsen’s ship. True, it was reinforced with iron plate and extra wood, but the ship had only the feeblest engine to help force its way through ice.” The aforementioned line signifies that reporter were concerned about the quality of equipment since the ship’s condition was terrible.

10 Answer: B

Question type: Multiple Choice Questions

Answer location: Paragraph D, line 6

Answer explanation: If you observe, in the said paragraph, the information given about Kainan Maru is that “with a remarkable piece of seamanship, the captain steered the ship out of ice and turned north. They would have to wait out the winter in a warmer climate.” From the phrase ‘remarkable piece of seamanship’, we can deduce this paragraph discusses his skills and sailing and how he saved the boat and crew.

11 Answer: C

Question type: Multiple Choice Questions

Answer location: Paragraph E, last line; Paragraph F, line 4

Answer explanation: If you read thoroughly, this entire paragraph is dedicated to Shirase and his journey. A given line states that “with provision for 20 days, he and four men would see how far they could get.” Additionally, the fourth line of paragraph F conveys that “Shirase estimated there were enough provisions to continue for two more days.” From this information, we can deduce that Shirase, when they reached Antarctica, realised that they might not have enough food to get to the South Pole.

12 Answer: C

Question type: Multiple Choice Questions

Answer location: Paragraph F, line 2

Answer explanation: A line in the said paragraph provides the information that the author mentions that “for a week they struggled through one blizzard after another, holding up their tents during the worst of the weather.” Therefore, the author, in the sixth paragraph, describes the worst weather conditions the expedition faced.

13 Answer: A

Question type: Multiple Choice Questions

Answer location: Paragraph G, last line

Answer explanation: The answer is clearly mentioned in the said paragraph and line. In the passage, it is said that “they did it all without the advantages of the other teams and with no previous experience.” Thus, in the final paragraph, we can infer that the author states that the achievements of Shirase were incredible, considering the problems he dealt with.