Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
CREATING ARTIFICIAL REEFS
In the coastal waters of the US, a nation’s leftovers have been discarded. Derelict ships, concrete blocks, scrapped cars, army tanks, tyres filled with concrete and redundant planes litter the sea floor. However, this is not waste disposal, but part of a coordinated, state-run programme. To recently arrived fish, plants and other sea organisms, these artificial reefs are an ideal home, offering food and shelter.
Sea-dumping incites widespread condemnation. Little surprise when oceans are seen as 'convenient' dumping grounds for the rubbish we have created but would rather forget. However, scientific evidence suggests that if we dump the right things, sea life can actually be enhanced. And more recently, purpose-built structures of steel or concrete have been employed - some the size of small apartment blocks -principally to increase fish harvests.
The choice of design and materials for an artificial reef depends on where it is going to be placed. In areas of strong currents, for example, a solid concrete structure will be more appropriate than ballasted tyres. It also depends on what species are to be attracted. It is pointless creating high-rise structures for fish that prefer flat or low-relief habitat. But the most important consideration is the purpose of the reef.
In the US, where there is a national reef plan using cleaned up rigs and tanks, artificial reefs have mainly been used to attract fish for recreational fishing or sport-driving. But there are many other ways in which they can be used to manage the marine habitat. For as well as protecting existing habitat, providing purpose-built accommodation for commercial species (such as lobsters and octupi) and acting as sea defences, they can be an effective way of improving fish harvests.
Japan, for example, has created vast areas of artificial habitat - rather than isolated reefs - to increase its fish stocks. In fact, the cultural and historical importance of seafood in Japan is reflected by the fact that it is a world leader in reef technology; what’s more, those who construct and deploy reefs have sole rights to the harvest.
In Europe, artificial reefs have been mainly employed to protect habitat. Particularly so in the Mediterranean where reefs have been sunk as physical obstacles to stop illegal trawling, which is destroying sea grass beds and the marine life that depends on them. If you want to protect areas of the seabed, you need something that will stop trawlers dead in their tracks,' says Dr Antony Jensen of the Southampton Oceanography Centre.
Italy boasts considerable artificial reef activity. It deployed its first scientifically planned reef using concrete cubes assembled in pyramid forms in 1974 to enhance fisheries and stop trawling. And Spain has built nearly 50 reefs in its waters, mainly to discourage trawling and enhance the productivity of fisheries. Meanwhile, Britain established its first quarried rock artificial reef in 1984 off the Scottish coast, to assess its potential for attracting commercial species.
But while the scientific study of these structures is a little fewer a quarter of a century old, artificial reefs made out of readily available materials such as bamboo and coconuts have been used by fishermen for centuries. And the benefits have been enormous. By placing reefs dose to home, fishermen can save time and fuel. But unless they are carefully managed, these areas can become overfished. In the Philippines, for example, where artificial reef programmes have been instigated in response to declining fish populations, catches are often allowed to exceed the maximum potential new production of the artificial reef because there is no proper management control.
There is no doubt that artificial reefs have lots to offer. And while purpose-built structures are effective, the real challenge now is to develop environmentally safe ways of using recycled waste to increase marine diversity. This will require more scientific research. For example, the lactates from one of the most commonly used reef materials, tyres, could potentially be harmful to the creatures and plants that they are supposed to attract. Yet few extensive studies have been undertaken into the long term effects of disposing of tyres at sea. And at the moment there is little consensus about what is environmentally acceptable to dump at sea, especially when it comes to oil and gas rigs. Clearly, the challenge is to develop environmentally acceptable ways of disposing of our rubbish while enhancing marine Safe too. What we must never be allowed to do is have an excuse for dumping anything we like at sea.
Area/country | Type of Reef | Purpose |
| US | made using old and | to attract fish for leisure activities |
| Japan | forms large area of artificial habitat | to improve |
| Europe | lies deep down to form | to act as a sea defence |
| Italy | consists of pyramid shapes made of | to prevent trawling |
| Britain | made of rock | to encourage fish species |
In , people who build reefs are legally entitled to all the fish they attract.
Trawling inhibits the development of marine life because it damages the .
In the past, both and were used to make reefs.
To ensure that reefs are not over-fished, good is required.
According to the writer, the next step in the creation of artificial reefs is to examine their dangers to life.
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Question Focus: Finding the exact materials used for US reefs
Correct Answer: rigs
Why this is correct: The table says US reefs are made using old items. The passage clearly states they use cleaned up rigs and tanks, so rigs fits perfectly.
Passage Reference: In the US, where there is a national reef plan using cleaned up rigs and tanks
Common Mistake: Students sometimes write ships because ships are mentioned earlier, but that part is general background, not the US plan. This is a wrong section trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'cleaned up rigs' = Table: 'made using old ___'
Tips: Always check the country name in the passage so you use the correct section.
Key Vocabulary:
- rigs = oil platforms
Question Focus: Completing a list taken directly from the passage
Correct Answer: tanks
Passage Reference: In the US, where there is a national reef plan using cleaned up rigs and tanks
Why this is correct: The passage lists two items together. After rigs, the second material is tanks.
Common Mistake: Some students repeat rigs twice or add army tanks from earlier. That earlier list is general, not the US plan. This is a wrong section trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'rigs and tanks' = Table: 'old ___ and ___'
Tips: When two gaps are linked by "and", they usually come from the same sentence.
Key Vocabulary:
- tanks = military vehicles
Question Focus: Understanding purpose through paraphrase
Correct Answer: fish stocks
Passage Reference: Japan, for example, has created vast areas of artificial habitat - rather than isolated reefs - to increase its fish stocks.
Why this is correct: The table says Japan does this to improve something. The passage says increase its fish stocks, which matches exactly.
Common Mistake: Students may write fish harvests, but that phrase is used earlier for other countries. This is a context shift trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'increase its fish stocks' = Table: 'improve ___'
Tips: Look for infinitive phrases like "to increase" when the summary uses "to improve".
Key Vocabulary:
- stocks = supply or amount
Question Focus: Cause and function of European reefs
Correct Answer: physical obstacles
Passage Reference: Particularly so in the Mediterranean where reefs have been sunk as physical obstacles to stop illegal trawling
Why this is correct: The table says the reef lies deep down to form something. The passage explains they are sunk as physical obstacles.
Common Mistake: Writing sea defences copies the purpose column, not the type. This is a context shift trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'as physical obstacles' = Table: 'to form ___'
Tips: Do not copy words from the same row. Always check the passage.
Key Vocabulary:
- obstacles = things that block
Question Focus: Identifying material from a description
Correct Answer: concrete
Passage Reference: It deployed its first scientifically planned reef using concrete cubes assembled in pyramid forms
Why this is correct: The Italy row mentions pyramid shapes. The passage clearly says these pyramids are made of concrete.
Common Mistake: Some students write cubes, but the question asks what they are made of. This is a partial truth trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'concrete cubes' = Table: 'pyramid shapes made of ___'
Tips: Pay attention to "made of". It always asks for material.
Key Vocabulary:
- concrete = building material
Question Focus: Recognising adjective-noun combinations
Correct Answer: commercial
Passage Reference: Meanwhile, Britain established its first quarried rock artificial reef in 1984 off the Scottish coast, to assess its potential for attracting commercial species.
Why this is correct: The table says Britain wanted to encourage a type of fish species. The passage specifies commercial species.
Common Mistake: Students sometimes write fish, but that repeats the word already in the table. This is a grammar fit trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'commercial species' = Table: '___ fish species'
Tips: Check whether the gap needs an adjective or a noun.
Key Vocabulary:
- commercial = for business
Question Focus: Identifying location linked to legal rights
Correct Answer: Japan
Passage Reference: what's more, those who construct and deploy reefs have sole rights to the harvest.
Why this is correct: This sentence appears in the paragraph about Japan. It says reef builders have sole rights to the harvest, so the country is Japan.
Common Mistake: Some students guess the US, but no legal rights are mentioned there. This is a wrong section trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'those who construct and deploy reefs have sole rights' = Sentence: 'people who build reefs are legally entitled'
Tips: When a sentence starts with "In ___", scan for country names.
Key Vocabulary:
- sole = only
Question Focus: Understanding damage caused by trawling
Correct Answer: sea beds
Passage Reference: illegal trawling, which is destroying sea grass beds and the marine life that depends on them.
Why this is correct: The passage explains that trawling destroys sea grass beds, which harms marine life. sea beds and the other options match this idea.
Common Mistake: Writing marine life reverses the cause and effect. This is a causation trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'destroying sea grass beds' = Sentence: 'damages the ___'
Tips: IELTS may accept several exact phrases if they appear or clearly match the passage.
Key Vocabulary:
- trawling = fishing with nets
Question Focus: Materials used in the past
Correct Answer: bamboo
Passage Reference: , artificial reefs made out of readily available materials such as bamboo and coconu
Why this is correct: The passage directly lists bamboo as a past reef material.
Common Mistake: Students may write wood, which is a synonym but not in the passage. This is a synonym trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'bamboo' = Sentence: 'were used to make reefs'
Tips: Always copy the exact word from the passage.
Key Vocabulary:
- bamboo = tall hollow plant
Question Focus: Completing a fixed pair
Correct Answer: coconuts
Passage Reference: , artificial reefs made out of readily available materials such as bamboo and coconu
Why this is correct: The second traditional material mentioned with bamboo is coconuts.
Common Mistake: Leaving this blank or repeating bamboo is common. This is a careless reading trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'bamboo and coconuts' = Sentence: 'both ___ and ___'
Tips: When you see "both X and Y", look for a clear pair in the passage.
Key Vocabulary:
- coconut = large tropical nut
Question Focus: Identifying abstract requirement
Correct Answer: management
Passage Reference: f because there is no proper management control.
Why this is correct: The passage says overfishing happens because there is no proper management control. Therefore good management is required.
Common Mistake: Writing control alone loses the idea of planning. This is a partial truth trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'no proper management control' = Sentence: 'good ___ is required'
Tips: Shorter answers are safer if they keep the full meaning.
Key Vocabulary:
- management = organisation and control
Question Focus: Future research focus
Correct Answer: marine
Passage Reference: of using recycled waste to increase marine diversity.
Why this is correct: The writer says the challenge is to protect and increase marine diversity, so the dangers are to marine life.
Common Mistake: Writing sea changes the wording and is not in the passage. This is a synonym trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'marine diversity' = Sentence: '___ life'
Tips: Check if the gap needs an adjective before a noun.
Key Vocabulary:
- marine = relating to the sea
General Tips:
- Summary and note completion questions follow passage order. Use the previous answer to find the next one faster.
- Never use your own synonyms. Always copy the exact word or phrase from the passage.
- Check grammar clues like "made of", "to improve", or adjectives before nouns.
- Keep checking the word limit. One extra word makes the answer wrong.
- Spend about 90 seconds per question to manage your time well.
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