Giải đề Cambridge IELTS 18 - Test 3 - Reading Passage 2 - The steam car

Giải đề Cambridge IELTS 18 – Test 3 – Reading Passage 2 – The steam car

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the-steam-carA. BÀI ĐỌC THE STEAM CAR

 

The steam car

The successes and failures of the Doble brothers and their steam cars


A. When primitive automobiles first began to appear in the 1800s, their engines were based on steam power. Steam had already enjoyed a long and successful career in the railways, so it was only natural that the technology evolved into a miniaturized version which was separate from the trains. But these early cars inherited steam’s weaknesses along with its strengths. The boilers had to be lit by hand, and they required about twenty minutes to build up pressure before they could be driven. Furthermore, their water reservoirs only lasted for about thirty miles before needing replenishment. Despite such shortcomings, these newly designed self-propelled carriages offered quick transportation, and by the early 1900s it was not uncommon to see such machines shuttling wealthy citizens around town.

B. But the glory days of steam cars were few. A new technology called the Internal Combustion Engine soon appeared, which offered the ability to drive down the road just moments after starting up. At first, these noisy gasoline cars were unpopular because they were more complicated to operate and they had difficult hand-crank starters, which were known to break arms when the engines backfired. But in 1912 General Motors introduced the electric starter, and over the following few years steam power was gradually phased out.

C. Even as the market was declining, four brothers made one last effort to rekindle the technology. Between 1906 and 1909, while still attending high school, Abner Doble and his three brothers built their first steam car in their parents’ basement. It comprised parts taken from a wrecked early steam car but reconfigured to drive an engine of their own design. Though it did not run well, the Doble brothers went on to build a second and third prototype in the following years. Though the Doble boys’ third prototype, nicknamed the Model B, still lacked the convenience of an internal combustion engine, it drew the attention of automobile trade magazines due to its numerous improvements over previous steam cars. The Model B proved to be superior to gasoline automobiles in many ways. Its high-pressure steam drove the engine pistons in virtual silence, in contrast to clattering gas engines which emitted the aroma of burned hydrocarbons. Perhaps most impressively, the Model B was amazingly swift. It could accelerate from zero to sixty miles per hour in just fifteen seconds, a feat described as ‘remarkable acceleration’ by Automobile magazine in 1914.

D. The following year Abner Doble drove the Model B from Massachusetts to Detroit in order to seek investment in his automobile design, which he used to open the General Engineering Company. He and his brothers immediately began working on the Model C, which was intended to expand upon the innovations of the Model B. The brothers added features such as a key-based ignition in the cabin, eliminating the need for the operator to manually ignite the boiler. With these enhancements, the Dobles’ new car company promised a steam vehicle which would provide all of the convenience of a gasoline car, but with much greater speed, much simpler driving controls, and a virtually silent powerplant. By the following April, the General Engineering Company had received 5,390 deposits for Doble Detroits, which were scheduled for delivery in early 1918.

E. Later that year Abner Doble delivered unhappy news to those eagerly awaiting the delivery of their modem new cars. Those buyers who received the handful of completed cars complained that the vehicles were sluggish and erratic, sometimes going in reverse when they should go forward. The new engine design, though innovative, was still plagued with serious glitches.

F. The brothers made one final attempt to produce a viable steam automobile. In early 1924, the Doble brothers shipped a Model E to New York City to be road-tested by the Automobile Club of America. After sitting overnight in freezing temperatures, the car was pushed out into the road and left to sit for over an hour in the frosty morning air. At the turn of the key, the boiler lit and reached its operating pressure inside of forty seconds. As they drove the test vehicle further, they found that its evenly distributed weight lent it surprisingly good handling, even though it was so heavy. As the new Doble steamer was further developed and tested, its maximum speed was pushed to over a hundred miles per hour, and it achieved about fifteen miles per gallon of kerosene with negligible emissions.

G. Sadly, the Dobles’ brilliant steam car never was a financial success. Priced at around $18,000 in 1924, it was popular only among the very wealthy. Plus, it is said that no two Model Es were quite the same, because Abner Doble tinkered endlessly with the design. By the time the company folded in 1931, fewer than fifty of the amazing Model E steam cars had been produced. For his whole career, until his death in 1961, Abner Doble remained adamant that steam-powered automobiles were at least equal to gasoline cars, if not superior. Given the evidence, he may have been right. Many of the Model E Dobles which have survived are still in good working condition, some having been driven over half a million miles with only normal maintenance. Astonishingly, an unmodified Doble Model E runs clean enough to pass the emissions laws in California today, and they are pretty strict. It is true that the technology poses some difficult problems, but you cannot help but wonder how efficient a steam car might be with the benefit of modem materials and computers. Under the current pressure to improve automotive performance and reduce emissions, it is not unthinkable that the steam car may rise again.

B. BÀI TẬP

Questions 14-20

Reading Passage 2 has seven paragraphs, A-G.

Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.

Write the correct number, i-viii, in boxes 14-20 on your answer sheet.

List of Headings

i     A period in cold conditions before the technology is assessed 

ii    Marketing issues lead to failure 

iii   Good and bad aspects of steam technology are passed on

iv   A possible solution to the issues of today

v    Further improvements lead to commercial orders

vi   Positive publicity at last for this quiet, clean, fast vehicle

vii  A disappointing outcome for customers

viii A better option than the steam car arises

14. Paragraph A
15. Paragraph B
16. Paragraph C
17. Paragraph D
18. Paragraph E
19. Paragraph F
20. Paragraph G

Questions 21-23 Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D. Write the correct letter in boxes 21-23 on your answer sheet.

  1. 21. What point does the writer make about the steam car in Paragraph B?

22. When building their first steam car, the Doble brothers

23. In order to produce the Model C, the Doble brothers

Questions 24-26 Complete the summary below. Choose ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 24-26 on your answer sheet.

The Model E

The Model E was road-tested in 1924 by the Automobile Club of America. They found it easy to drive, despite its weight, and it impressed the spectators. A later version of the Model E raised its 24. , while keeping its emissions extremely low. The steam car was too expensive for many people and its design was constantly being altered. Under 25. cars were produced before the company went out of business. However, even today, there are Model Es on the road in the US. They are straightforward to maintain, and they satisfy California’s 26. emissions laws. Perhaps today’s technology and materials would help us revive the steam car.

Điểm số của bạn là % - đúng / câu

C. GIẢI THÍCH ĐÁP ÁN

PASSAGE 2: THE STEAM CAR

Questions 14-20: dạng Matching Headings

Cách làm: 

  • B1: Đọc list các tiêu đề và gạch chân organizing words & content words
  • B2: Skim từng đoạn văn và nắm được ý chính cả đoạn
  • B3: Chọn ra tiêu đề phù hợp với đoạn văn
  • B4: Kiểm tra lại những tiêu đề thừa, các distractors trong list đề bài cho

14  Heading iii

Good and bad aspects of steam technology are passed on


Đoạn A có nhắc đến những chiếc xe đã thừa hưởng những điểm yếu (bad aspects) và cả điểm mạnh (good aspects) của công nghệ hơi nước: 

  • Điểm yếu: Các nồi hơi phải được thắp sáng bằng tay và chúng cần 20 phút để tạo áp suất trước khi vận hành. Hơn nữa, hòm chứa nước chỉ dùng được trong 30 dặm và sau đó cần bổ sung. 
  • Điểm mạnh: những chiếc xe có khả năng vận chuyển nhanh chóng (quick transportation).

Đoạn A:

But these early cars inherited steam’s weaknesses along with its strengths. The boilers had to be lit by hand, and they required about twenty minutes to build up pressure before they could be driven. Furthermore, their water reservoirs only lasted for about thirty miles before needing replenishment. Despite such shortcomings, these newly designed self-propelled carriages offered quick transportation, […]

15 Heading viii

A better option than the steam car arises


Đoạn B có nhắc đến một lựa chọn tốt hơn xe chạy bằng hơi nước, đó là xe chạy bằng điện (electric starter), và trong vài năm sau đó, năng lượng hơi nước dần dần bị loại bỏ.

Đoạn B:

A new technology called the Internal Combustion Engine soon appeared, which offered the ability to drive down the road just moments after starting up. […]. But in 1912 General Motors introduced the electric starter, and over the following few years steam power was gradually phased out.

16 Heading vi

Positive publicity at last for this quiet, clean, fast vehicle


Đoạn C có nói đến một phương tiện (Model B) nhận được phản hồi tích cực từ cộng đồng (positive publicity) nhờ các đặc điểm:

  • Quiet (yên tĩnh) = virtual silence, in contrast to clattering gas engines (trái ngược với tiếng lạch cạch của động cơ xăng).
  • Clean (sạch sẽ) = high-pressure steam (dùng hơi nước áp suất cao), in contrast to gas engines which emitted the aroma of burned hydrocarbons (không tỏa ra mùi như động cơ xăng).
  • Fast (nhanh) = amazingly swift, accelerate from zero to sixty miles per hour in just fifteen seconds (tăng tốc từ 0 đến 60 dặm một giờ chỉ trong 15 giây).

Đoạn C:

[…] it drew the attention of automobile trade magazines due to its numerous improvements over previous steam cars. The Model B proved to be superior to gasoline automobiles in many ways. Its high-pressure steam drove the engine pistons in virtual silence, in contrast to clattering gas engines which emitted the aroma of burned hydrocarbons. Perhaps most impressively, the Model B was amazingly swift. It could accelerate from zero to sixty miles per hour in just fifteen seconds, […]

17 Heading v

Further improvements lead to commercial orders


Nội dung của đoạn D là những sự cải tiến cho xe của anh em Dobles đã mang lại các đơn đặt hàng thương mại (commercial order). Cụ thể, công ty nhận được 5.390 khoản đặt cọc cho Doble Detroits.

Đoạn D:

With these enhancements, the Dobles’ new car company promised a steam vehicle which would provide all of the convenience of a gasoline car, but with much greater speed, much simpler driving controls, and a virtually silent powerplant. By the following April, the General Engineering Company had received 5,390 deposits for Doble Detroits, which were scheduled for delivery in early 1918.

18 Heading vii

A disappointing outcome for customers


Đoạn E nói đến một kết quả đáng thất vọng cho khách hàng. Cụ thể, những khách hàng mua xe phàn nàn phàn nàn xe chạy ì ạch (sluggish), thất thường (erratic), có lúc đi lùi lúc trong khi đáng lẽ phải đi tiến. Thiết kế động cơ mới, mặc dù rất sáng tạo, nhưng vẫn có nhiều trục trặc nghiêm trọng (serious glitches).

Đoạn E:

Later that year Abner Doble delivered unhappy news to those eagerly awaiting the delivery of their modern new cars. Those buyers who received the handful of completed cars complained that the vehicles were sluggish and erratic, sometimes going in reverse when they should go forward. The new engine design, though innovative, was still plagued with serious glitches.

19 Heading i

A period in cold conditions before the technology is assessed


Đoạn F có nhắc đến thông tin chiếc xe được đưa vào thử nghiệm trong điều kiện nhiệt độ thấp (freezing temperatures) và được đẩy ra đường trong hơn một giờ trong không khí se lạnh buổi sáng. Sau đó họ mới bắt đầu đánh giá công nghệ vận hành của chiếc xe.

Đoạn F:

After sitting overnight in freezing temperatures, the car was pushed out into the road and left to sit for over an hour in the frosty morning air. At the turn of the key, the boiler lit and reached its operating pressure inside of forty seconds. As they drove the test vehicle further, they found that its evenly distributed weight lent it surprisingly good handling, even though it was so heavy. 

20 Heading iv

A possible solution to the issues of today


Đoạn G có nhắc đến việc ô tô chạy bằng hơi nước có thể hoạt động hiệu quả nhờ vật liệu và máy tính hiện đại. Và ô tô chạy bằng hơi nước sẽ là một giải pháp cho các vấn đề hiện tại về cải thiện hiệu suất ô tô và giảm lượng khí thải (improve automotive performance and reduce emissions).

Đoạn G:

[…], but you cannot help but wonder how efficient a steam car might be with the benefit of modern materials and computers. Under the current pressure to improve automotive performance and reduce emissions, it is not unthinkable that the steam car may rise again.

 

Questions 21-23: dạng MCQ 

Cách làm: 

  • B1: Đọc câu hỏi và gạch chân từ khóa
  • B2: Scan từ khóa trong đoạn văn
  • B3: Tìm ra hiện tượng paraphrase
  • B4: Chọn đáp án đúng, double check bằng cách chứng minh các đáp án còn lại sai

21 What point does the writer make about the steam car in Paragraph B?

A lts success was short-lived.


Tất cả thông tin đều có ở cả câu hỏi và bài

đọc. Thành công của những chiếc xe hơi nước thì ngắn ngủi.


=> đáp án đúng là A

Đoạn B:

But the glory days of steam cars were few

B Not enough cars were made.


Đoạn B không nhắc việc không sản xuất đủ số xe hơi nước.


=> đáp án BNOT GIVEN 

But the glory days of steam cars were few. […], and over the following few years steam power was gradually phased out.

C Car companies found them hard to sell.


Trong đoạn B không có nhắc tới thông tin các công ty thấy xe hơi nước khó bán. Trong bài chỉ nói rằng ban đầu những chiếc xe chạy bằng xăng (khác với câu hỏi – xe chạy bằng nước) này khó vận hành.


=> đáp án CNOT GIVEN 

Đoạn B:

At first, these noisy gasoline cars were unpopular because they were more complicated to operate and they had difficult hand-crank starters

D People found them hard to drive


Đoạn B có nói đến việc xe vận hành phức tạp hơn và khó khởi động bằng tay quay, nhưng đó là đặc điểm của xe xăng (gasoline cars) khác với xe chạy bằng hơi nước (steam car) trong câu hỏi.


=> đáp án DFALSE     

Đoạn B:

At first, these noisy gasoline cars were unpopular because they were more complicated to operate and they had difficult hand-crank starters

22 When building their first steam car, the Doble brothers

C needed several attempts to achieve a competitive model.


Trong bài đọc có nhắc đến nỗ lực của anh em Dobles khi tiếp tục sản xuất chiếc xe thứ hai và thứ ba. Kết quả là họ đã đạt được một mô hình mang tính cạnh tranh (Model B tỏ ra vượt trội so với ô tô chạy xăng về nhiều mặt.)


=> đáp án đúng là C

Đoạn C:

[…] Though it did not run well, the Doble brothers went on to build a second and third prototype in the following years. […] The Model B proved to be superior to gasoline automobiles in many ways.

A constructed all the parts themselves.


Đoạn C có nói rằng chiếc xe đầu tiên anh em Dobles chế tạo bao gồm các bộ phận được lấy từ một chiếc ô tô hơi nước đời đầu bị hỏng nhưng được cấu hình lại để chạy một động cơ do chính họ thiết kế, chứ không phải họ tự lắp ráp tất cả các bộ phận. 


=> đáp án A là  FALSE

Đoạn C:

Abner Doble and his three brothers built their first steam car in their parents’ basement. It comprised parts taken from a wrecked early steam car but reconfigured to drive an engine of their own design. 

B made written notes at each stage of the construction.


Trong bài đọc không có thông tin về việc anh em Dobles ghi lại các bước thiết kế chiếc xe.


=> đáp án BNOT GIVEN

Đoạn C:

Abner Doble and his three brothers built their first steam car in their parents’ basement. It comprised parts taken from a wrecked early steam car but reconfigured to drive an engine of their own design. 

D sought the advice of experienced people in the car industry.


Bài đọc không nhắc đến việc anh em Dobles có tìm kiếm lời khuyên từ những người có kinh nghiệm trong ngành công nghiệp xe hơi hay không.


=> đáp án DNOT GIVEN

Đoạn C:

Abner Doble and his three brothers built their first steam car in their parents’ basement. It comprised parts taken from a wrecked early steam car but reconfigured to drive an engine of their own design. […]

23 In order to produce the Model C, the Doble brothers

B raised financial capital.


Trong bài đọc có nói rõ Abner Doble lái chiếc Model B từ Massachusetts đến Detroit để tìm kiếm đầu tư vào thiết kế ô tô của mình. Thông tin này khớp với thông tin trong đáp án B (huy động vốn tài chính). 


=> đáp án đúng là B

Đoạn D:

The following year Abner Doble drove the Model B from Massachusetts to Detroit in order to seek investment in his automobile design, which he used to open the General Engineering Company.

A moved production to a different city.


Trong bài chỉ nói Abner Doble lái chiếc Model B từ Massachusetts đến Detroit để xin vốn đầu tư cho thiết kế xe, không có nhắc đến việc họ cần chuyển nơi sản xuất đến Detroit để sản xuất Model C.


=> đáp án ANOT GIVEN

Đoạn D:

The following year Abner Doble drove the Model B from Massachusetts to Detroit in order to seek investment in his automobile design, which he used to open the General Engineering Company. He and his brothers immediately began working on the Model C […]

C employed an additional worker.


Bài đọc không nhắc đến anh em Dobles có thuê thêm nhân công hay không, mà chỉ nói rằng họ bắt tay luôn vào việc thiết kế chiếc xe này.


=> đáp án CNOT GIVEN

Đoạn D:

He and his brothers immediately began working on the Model C, […]

D abandoned their earlier designs.


Theo thông tin bài đọc, anh em Dobles không bỏ thiết kế cũ mà họ mở rộng dựa trên những cải tiến của Model B bằng cách thêm một số tính năng.


=> đáp án DFALSE

Đoạn D:

He and his brothers immediately began working on the Model C, which was intended to expand upon the innovations of the Model B. The brothers added features such as a key-based ignition in the cabin, eliminating the need for the operator to manually ignite the boiler.

 

Questions 24-26: dạng Summary Completion without a wordlist

Cách làm: 

  • B1: Khoanh tròn giới hạn từ được điền và xác định từ loại (danh, động, tính, trạng) và loại thông tin (con người, con số) cho mỗi chỗ trống
  • B2: Xác định các đoạn văn chứa thông tin cần tóm tắt (tìm paraphrase điểm bắt đầu và điểm kết thúc)
  • B3: Scan đoạn văn và tìm ra nét nghĩa tương đồng
  • B4: Điền đáp án vào chỗ trống, chú ý giới hạn từ cho phép

24 A later version of  the Model E raised its _____ while keeping its emissions extremely low.


Chỗ trống cần điền là một danh từ (do đứng sau tính từ sở hữu its).

Trong đoạn F, khi tàu hơi nước Doble mới được phát triển và thử nghiệm thêm, tốc độ (speed) tối đa của nó đã được đẩy lên hơn một trăm dặm một giờ.


=> đáp án đúng là speed

Đoạn F:

As the new Doble steamer was further developed and tested, its maximum speed was pushed to over a hundred miles per hour, and it achieved about fifteen miles per gallon of kerosene with negligible emissions.

25 Under _____ cars were produced before the company went out of business.


Chỗ trống cần điền là một danh từ chỉ số (Do đứng sau giới từ under và trước danh từ cars – cho biết có bao nhiêu chiếc xe được sản xuất).

Theo đoạn G, vào thời điểm công ty giải thể vào năm 1931, gần 50 (fifty) chiếc ô tô hơi nước Model E đã được sản xuất.


=> đáp án đúng là fifty / 50

Đoạn G:

By the time the company folded in 1931, fewer than fifty of the amazing Model E steam cars had been produced

26 They are straightforward to maintain, and they satisfy California‘s _____ emissions laws.


Chỗ trống cần điền là một tính từ (đứng trước để bổ nghĩa cho cụm danh từ emissions laws phía sau).

Theo đoạn G, một chiếc Doble Model E đáp ứng đủ tiêu chí sạch sẽ của luật khí thải ở California ngày nay, và luật này khá nghiêm ngặt (strict).


=> đáp án đúng là strict

Đoạn G:

Astonishingly, an unmodified Doble Model E runs clean enough to pass the emissions laws in California today, and they are pretty strict.

Bên trên là bài đọc The steam car – Cambridge IELTS 18 – Test 2 (Reading passage 2). Hy vọng là các bạn sẽ thấy bài đọc này có ích. Chúc các bạn học tốt!