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IELTS Practice Reading: Note/Summary Completion ID: #56760 Medium Tough Sensor
Instructions ›

Questions 1-5

Below is a table with information about the new gas sensor and the conventional gas sensor. Fill in the missing information.

Questions 6-11

Below is a summary of the passage. Fill in the spaces with a maximum of three words from the passage.

Questions 12-15

The following statements summarize some of the paragraphs of the passage. Write number of the paragraph summarized in the spaces provided. Example: 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5. 

Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

Tap any word for its meaning

Tough Sensor Can Take the Heat

1. A new gas sensor made from a nickel’s worth of materials can endure high temperatures, corrosion, vibrations, and exposure to water, according to its inventors at Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois. The tiny sensor detects a variety of gases.

2. Conventional silicon sensors do not work well at temperatures above 150. But Argonne’s new sensor, made of ceramics and metals, is not affected by high temperatures. “The materials in this sensor behave well through a wide range of temperatures,” says Michael Vogt, a control systems engineer at Argonne.

3. Vogt and his colleagues made the sensor by film-screening layers of ceramic and metal on a ceramic substrate, then firing the sensor in an industrial oven at more than 1,000'C. The Argonne researchers set out to build a sensor that would detect overheating computer components. Before an overheating component fails, and possibly ignites, epoxy in the circuit boards releases a gas. The Argonne sensor can detect this vapour and cut off power to the circuit.

4. The device senses gases by applying a steadily increasing voltage across its electrical leads and monitoring current spikes induced as gases react on the sensor's surface. Each gas reacts at a characteristic voltage, and the size of the current spike indicates the “signature" of several representative organic solvents.

5. The sensor could be used to monitor hydrocarbon emissions from cars; today’s typical sensors only measure oxygen. The sensor could also monitor gases in industrial chemical processes.

15 blanks 2 words max

Temperature at whhich they work wellComponents Uses
New Gas Sensora wide range of temperatures

 and 

monitor hydrogen emission from cars and gases in industrial, chemical process
Conventional Gas Sensor







A new sensor made of ceramics and metals can endure corrosion, vibrations, exposure to water, and  , while not affected by . As each  reacts at a , the device applies a steadily increasing voltage and monitors current spikes induced,  of which indicates the concentration of the gases. Conventional sensors, on the other hand, do not work well at temperatures above 150 and could be used only to .



How the device senses gases? 

A brief introduction to the new gas sensor. 

Other uses of the new gas sensor. 

How the device was designed? 

AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.

Question Focus: Components of the new gas sensor

Correct Answer: ceramic

Why this is correct: The table asks about what the new sensor is made of. The passage clearly says it is made of ceramics and metals, so the first component is ceramic.

Passage Reference: But Argonne's new sensor, made of ceramics and metals, is not affected by high temperatures. 'The materials in this sensor behave well through a wide range of temperatures

Common Mistake: Students sometimes write ceramics (plural), but the gap already shows singular grammar. This is a grammar fit trap.

Paraphrasing: Passage: 'made of ceramics and metals' = Table: 'Components'

Tips: When a list uses 'and', check how many items you need to fill.

Key Vocabulary:

  • ceramic = heat-resistant material

Question Focus: Components of the new gas sensor

Correct Answer: metals

Passage Reference: But Argonne's new sensor, made of ceramics and metals, is not affected by high temperatures. 'The materials in this sensor behave well through a wide range of temperatures

Why this is correct: The passage states the sensor is made of ceramics and metals. This gap completes that exact phrase.

Common Mistake: Some students write metal, but the passage uses metals. You must copy the exact word. This is a synonym and form trap.

Paraphrasing: Passage: 'ceramics and metals' = Table: 'Components'

Tips: Always copy the exact form from the passage, including plural -s.

Key Vocabulary:

  • metal = strong material

Question Focus: Temperature limit of conventional sensors

Correct Answer: above 150

Passage Reference: Conventional silicon sensors do not work well at temperatures above 150.

Why this is correct: The passage says conventional sensors do not work well at temperatures above 150. The table summarises this limit.

Common Mistake: Writing 150 degrees adds an extra word and changes the text. This is a word limit trap.

Paraphrasing: Passage: 'do not work well at temperatures above 150' = Table: 'Temperature at which they work well'

Tips: Numbers often need to be copied exactly, without adding units.

Key Vocabulary:

  • conventional = traditional

Question Focus: Material of conventional sensors

Correct Answer: silicon

Passage Reference: Conventional silicon sensors do not work well at temperatures above 150.

Why this is correct: The passage directly names silicon as the material used in conventional sensors.

Common Mistake: Some students write ceramic, confusing new and old sensors. This is a context shift trap.

Paraphrasing: Passage: 'Conventional silicon sensors' = Table: 'Components'

Tips: Be careful to separate information about new devices and conventional ones.

Key Vocabulary:

  • silicon = common electronic material

Question Focus: Use of conventional sensors

Correct Answer: measure oxygen

Passage Reference: today's typical sensors only measure oxygen.

Why this is correct: The passage explains that current sensors only measure oxygen, which limits their use.

Common Mistake: Writing monitor gases is too general and refers to the new sensor. This is a context shift trap.

Paraphrasing: Passage: 'only measure oxygen' = Table: 'Uses'

Tips: Look for words like 'only' that limit meaning.

Key Vocabulary:

  • measure = check

Question Focus: Function of the new sensor

Correct Answer: detect gases

Passage Reference: The tiny sensor detects a variety of gases.

Why this is correct: The summary says the sensor can endure many conditions while it can detect gases. This comes directly from the passage.

Common Mistake: Students may write sense gases, but that is not the exact wording. This is a synonym trap.

Paraphrasing: Passage: 'detects a variety of gases' = Summary: 'detect gases'

Tips: Do not change verb form unless grammar requires it.

Key Vocabulary:

  • detect = find

Question Focus: What does not affect the new sensor

Correct Answer: high temperatures

Passage Reference: is not affected by high temperatures.

Why this is correct: The passage clearly states the sensor is not affected by high temperatures, matching the summary.

Common Mistake: Writing heat is shorter but not exact. This is a synonym trap.

Paraphrasing: Passage: 'not affected by high temperatures' = Summary: 'while not affected by ___'

Tips: If the passage phrase fits the gap, use it exactly.

Key Vocabulary:

  • affected = influenced

Question Focus: What reacts on the sensor

Correct Answer: gas

Passage Reference: Each gas reacts at a characteristic voltage

Why this is correct: The sentence begins with Each gas reacts, so the singular noun gas fits the gap.

Common Mistake: Using gases breaks the grammar. This is a grammar fit trap.

Paraphrasing: Passage: 'Each gas reacts' = Summary: 'As each ___ reacts'

Tips: Grammar words like 'each' and 'every' control singular or plural.

Key Vocabulary:

  • react = change chemically

Question Focus: How gases are identified

Correct Answer: characteristic voltage

Passage Reference: Each gas reacts at a characteristic voltage

Why this is correct: The passage explains that every gas reacts at a characteristic voltage, which identifies it.

Common Mistake: Writing different voltage changes the meaning. This is a paraphrase trap.

Paraphrasing: Passage: 'reacts at a characteristic voltage' = Summary: 'reacts at a ___'

Tips: Scientific terms are often reused exactly in summaries.

Key Vocabulary:

  • characteristic = unique

Question Focus: What indicates gas concentration

Correct Answer: the size

Passage Reference: and the size of the current spike indicates

Why this is correct: The passage says the size of the current spike shows information about the gas, so the size fits.

Common Mistake: Students sometimes write current spike, which misses the indicator. This is a partial truth trap.

Paraphrasing: Passage: 'the size of the current spike indicates' = Summary: '___ of which indicates'

Tips: Look carefully at what does the indicating, not what is being measured.

Key Vocabulary:

  • spike = sudden increase

Question Focus: Limitation of conventional sensors

Correct Answer: measure oxygen

Passage Reference: today's typical sensors only measure oxygen.

Why this is correct: The passage contrasts new and old sensors, saying conventional ones only measure oxygen.

Common Mistake: Writing monitor gases reverses the meaning. This is a contradiction trap.

Paraphrasing: Passage: 'only measure oxygen' = Summary: 'used only to ___'

Tips: Contrast words like 'on the other hand' signal opposite information.

Key Vocabulary:

  • oxygen = a gas we breathe

General Tips:

  • Summary completion questions follow passage order. Use the previous answer to find the next.
  • Always copy the exact word or phrase from the passage. Do not replace it with a synonym.
  • Check grammar clues like 'each', 'a', or 'to' before the gap.
  • Watch the word limit carefully. Extra words make the answer wrong.

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