Tomato Ripening- IELTS Reading Answers

Reading Passage

The Academic passage ‘Tomato Ripening’ is a reading passage with various question types, each of which are asked in the IELTS Reading exam. Try to find the answers to get an idea of the difficulty level of the passages in the actual reading test. If you want more passages to solve, try taking one of our IELTS reading practice tests.

Tomato Ripening

Questions 1– 3:

1 Tomatoes should be picked when they are _____________.

2 Room temperature must be ______________ °C.

3 Optimal ripening temperature for fruit must be achieved ___________.

Questions 4– 7:

Tomatoes are harvested => Placed in the ripening room to regulate ripening and 4_________ Colouring process => Room air circulation limits temperature 5 ______________variation => Air conditioning controls temperature & humidity => Ideal temperature is reached => Ventilation system controls the amount of 6 _____________Ethylene & 7 _________________Carbon Dioxide => Ethylene gas supplied in pressurised form => Tomatoes are ripened & removed => Tomatoes are marketed.

Questions 8— 14:

Example: Ethylene gas systems improve the grower’s chance of selling the tomatoes.

Answer TRUE

8 Carbon dioxide is not beneficial to the ripening process.

9 The outside air temperature determines the amount of extra heating needed in the ripening room.

10 Increased temperature can speed up the maturing process.

11 For successful tomato ripening, humidity levels need to be carefully monitored.

12 The solenoid valve has to be checked at regular intervals.

13 A build-up of ethylene gas may result in an explosion.

14 Setting up ethylene gas ripening rooms is not always safe.

1 Answer: (mature) green

Question type: Table Completion

Answer location: Paragraph 3

Answer explanation: The introductory line of paragraph 3 states that all fruit must be mature green at harvest for controlled ripening to be successfully carried out. These lines indicate that all the fruits including tomatoes should be mature green at harvest for ripening to be carried out successfully. As a result, tomatoes should be picked when they’re mature green. Thus, the answer is (mature) green.

2 Answer: under/ below/ up to/ less than 24

Question type: Table Completion

Answer location: Paragraph 3, line 4

Answer explanation: The 4th line of the 3rd paragraph states that ripening time will depend on the ripening temperature range, however, ripening temperatures above 24°C. These lines suggest that the room temperature during the ripening time should be under/ below/ up to/ less than 24 C. Thus, the answer is under/ below/ up to/ less than 24.

3 Answer: within 24 hours

Question type: Table Completion

Answer location: Paragraph 3, last line

Answer explanation: The last line of the 3rd paragraph states that heating and cooling capacity should be such that the tomatoes can be brought to the recommended ripening temperature within 24 hours. These lines indicate that the optimal ripening temperature for the fruit must be achieved within 24 hours. Thus, the answer is within 24 hours.

4 Answer: color/ colouring (process)

Question type: Flowchart Completion

Answer location: Paragraph 1

Answer explanation: In the last line of the first paragraph, it is mentioned that this treatment initiates and controls the speed of the natural ripening and coloring process in the tomatoes. We can deduce from these lines that tomatoes are harvested, and placed in the ripening room to regulate ripening, which enhances the colors/coloring process.

5 Answer: variation

Question type: Flowchart Completion

Answer location: Paragraph 6, line 6

Answer explanation: The 6th line of paragraph 6 illustrates that the high air circulation rates are necessary to limit variations in temperature in different parts of the room to acceptable levels and to achieve an adequate rate of heating or cooling of the tomatoes. We can understand from these lines that the high air circulation rates are essential to limit variations in temperature in different parts of the room. Thus, the answer is variation.

6 Answer: carbon dioxide/ ethylene gas

Question type: Flowchart Completion

Answer location: Paragraph 6, line 9

Answer explanation: The 9th line of the 6th paragraph states that the ventilation system circulates the room air continuously, introducing a small proportion of fresh air and exhausting a similar amount of air at the same time. This prevents a build-up of ethylene gas in the room and also removes carbon dioxide produced by the fruit during respiration. We can deduce from these lines that the ventilation circulates the room air introducing a small amount of fresh air at the same time, which prevents building up the ethylene gas in the room and removing carbon dioxide produced by the fruit during respiration. Thus, the answer is carbon dioxide.

7 Answer: ethylene gas/ carbon dioxide

Question type: Flowchart Completion

Answer location: Paragraph 6, line 9

Answer explanation: The 9th line of the 6th paragraph illustrates that the ventilation system circulates the room air continuously, introducing a small proportion of fresh air and exhausting a similar amount of air at the same time. This prevents a build-up of ethylene gas in the room and also removes carbon dioxide produced by the fruit during respiration. These lines indicate that the ventilation system controls the amount of ethylene gas and carbon dioxide. Hence, the answer is ethylene gas.

8 Answer: False

Question type: True/False/ Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 6, line 9

Answer explanation: The 9th line of the 6th paragraph reveals that the ventilation system circulates the room air continuously, introducing a small proportion of fresh air and exhausting a similar amount of air at the same time. This prevents a build-up of ethylene gas in the room and also removes carbon dioxide produced by the fruit during respiration. We can understand from the lines that the ventilation system controls the amount of ethylene and carbon dioxide during respiration. Thus, it is clear that carbon dioxide is not beneficial to the ripening process. As a result, the statement contradicts the information, so, the answer is False.

9 Answer: False

Question type: True/False/ Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 6, line 4

Answer explanation: In the 4th line of the 6th paragraph, it is stated that at the recommended heating or cooling capacity of 0.6 to 1.2 kW per tonne of tomatoes, this gives an air temperature differential of 3.5 to 7°C across the heating or cooling system. We can deduce from these lines that the air temperature differentiates from 3.5 to 7 across the heating or cooling system when it’s at the suggested heating/ cooling capacity of 0.6 to 1.2 kW per tonne of tomato. Hence, the statement contradicts the information, so, the answer is False.

10 Answer: True

Question type: True/False/ Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 7, line 5

Answer explanation: The 5th line of paragraph 7 states that the time required for ripening can be reduced to some extent by increasing the temperature. Reverse cycle air-conditioners are successfully used for both heating and cooling in tomato-ripening rooms where humidity control does not appear to be of great importance. These lines indicate that increased temperature can speed up the maturation process. Thus, the statement agrees with the information, so, the answer is True.

11 Answer: False

Question type: True/False/ Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 7, last line

Answer explanation: The last line of paragraph 7 states that reverse cycle air-conditioners are successfully used for both heating and cooling in tomato-ripening rooms where humidity control does not appear to be of great importance. We can understand from these lines that the reverse cycle air conditioners are used for both heating and cooling in the tomato ripening rooms where humidity controls don’t appear to be of higher importance. Thus, the statement contradicts the information, so, the answer is False.

12 Answer: Not Given

Question type: True/False/ Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 9, line 6

Answer explanation: We find a reference for Solenoid in the 6th line of paragraph 9, which states that a normally closed solenoid valve in the ethylene gas supply line ensures that gas is not discharged into the room unless the fans and ventilation system in the ripening room is operating. However, there’s no reference to the fact that the solenoid valve has to be checked at regular intervals. Thus, the answer is Not Given.

13 Answer: True

Question type: True/False/ Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 8, line 11

Answer explanation: The 11th line of the 8th paragraph states, “Provided that the ethylene gas supply and control systems are correctly arranged, the ethylene gas concentration in the room will not exceed the low level which is sufficient for ripening but is far below the explosion hazard level.” We can understand from these lines that ethylene has supply and control systems are correctly arranged, the ethylene gas concentration in the room will not exceed the low level which is sufficient for ripening but is far below the explosion hazard level. Thus, it is evident that a build-up of ethylene gas may result in an explosion. Hence, the statement agrees with the information, so, the answer is True.