PAPER RECYCLING - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From Cambridge IELTS 01 General Training Reading Test 1 · Part 3 · Questions 30–41
Reading Passage
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 30-41 which are based on the Reading Passage below.
PAPER RECYCLING
A Paper is different from other waste produce because it comes from a sustainable resource: trees. Unlike the minerals and oil used to make plastics and metals, trees are replaceable. Paper is also biodegradable, so it does not pose as much threat to the environment when it is discarded. While 45 out of every 100 tonnes of wood fibre used to make paper in Australia comes from waste paper, the rest comes directly from virgin fibre from forests and plantations. By world standards this is a good performance since the world-wide average is 33 per cent waste paper. Governments have encouraged waste paper collection and sorting schemes and at the same time, the paper industry has responded by developing new recycling technologies that have paved the way for even greater utilisation of used fibre. As a result, industry’s use of recycled fibres is expected to increase at twice the rate of virgin fibre over the coming years.
B Already, waste paper constitutes 70% of paper used for packaging and advances in the technology required to remove ink from the paper have allowed a higher recycled content in newsprint and writing paper. To achieve the benefits of recycling, the community must also contribute. We need to accept a change in the quality of paper products; for example stationery may be less white and of a rougher texture. There also needs to be support from the community for waste paper collection programs. Not only do we need to make the paper available to collectors but it also needs to be separated into different types and sorted from contaminants such as staples, paperclips, string and other miscellaneous items.
C There are technical limitations to the amount of paper which can be recycled and some paper products cannot be collected for re-use. These include paper in the form of books and permanent records, photographic paper and paper which is badly contaminated. The four most common sources of paper for recycling are factories and retail stores which gather large amounts of packaging material in which goods are delivered, also offices which have unwanted business documents and computer output, paper converters and printers and lastly households which discard newspapers and packaging material. The paper manufacturer pays a price for the paper and may also incur the collection cost.
D Once collected, the paper has to be sorted by hand by people trained to recognise various types of paper. This is necessary because some types of paper can only be made from particular kinds of recycled fibre. The sorted paper then has to be repulped or mixed with water and broken down into its individual fibres. This mixture is called stock and may contain a wide variety of contaminating materials, particularly if it is made from mixed waste paper which has had little sorting. Various machinery is used to remove other materials from the stock. After passing through the repulping process, the fibres from printed waste paper are grey in colour because the printing ink has soaked into the individual fibres. This recycled material can only be used in products where the grey colour does not matter, such as cardboard boxes but if the grey colour is not acceptable, the fibres must be de-inked. This involves adding chemicals such as caustic soda or other alkalis, soaps and detergents, water-hardening agents such as calcium chloride, frothing agents and bleaching agents. Before the recycled fibres can be made into paper they must be refined or treated in such a way that they bond together.
E Most paper products must contain some virgin fibre as well as recycled fibres and unlike glass, paper cannot be recycled indefinitely. Most paper is down-cycled which means that a product made from recycled paper is of an inferior quality to the original paper. Recycling paper is beneficial in that it saves some of the energy, labour and capital that goes into producing virgin pulp. However, recycling requires the use of fossil fuel, a non-renewable energy source, to collect the waste paper from the community and to process it to produce new paper. And the recycling process still creates emissions which require treatment before they can be disposed of safely. Nevertheless, paper recycling is an important economical and environmental practice but one which must be carried out in a rational and viable manner for it to be useful to both industry and the community.
Questions
Questions 30–36 Summary Completion
Complete the summary below of the first two paragraphs of the Reading Passage. Choose ONE OR TWO WORDS from the Reading Passage for each answer.
in that firstly it comes from a resource which is 30 and secondly it is less threatening to our environment when we throw it away because it is 31 Although Australia’s record in the re-use of waste paper is good, it is still necessary to use a combination of recycled fibre and 32 to make new paper. The paper industry has contributed positively and people have also been encouraged by 33 to collect their waste on a regular basis. One major difficulty is the removal of ink from used paper but 34 are being made in this area. However, we need to learn to accept paper which is generally of a lower 35 than before and to sort our waste paper by removing 36 before discarding it for collection.
Questions 37–41 Flow Chart Completion
Look at paragraphs C, D, and E and, using the information in the passage, complete the flow chart below. Use ONE OR TWO WORDS for each answer.
Waste paper collected from:
Factories
Retail stores
37
Paper converters and printers
Households
↓
The paper is then 38
↓
and 39 by adding water
↓
Chemicals are added so that the fibres can be 40
↓
The fibres are then 41
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q30 | sustainable / replaceable / sustainable,replaceable / sustainable replaceable | it comes from a sustainable resource: trees. Unlike the minerals and oil used to make plastics and metals, trees are replaceable | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that paper is special because it is made from trees, which are a resource we can keep using by growing more of them. Answer Explanation: The answer identifies that paper is made from trees, which is a material that we can grow more of so it does not run out. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in Paragraph A, which discusses why paper is different from other waste. The text states that paper comes from a 'sustainable resource' (trees) and specifically notes that trees are 'replaceable,' unlike minerals or oil. This means the resource can be maintained over time. |
| Q31 | biodegradable | Paper is also biodegradable, so it does not pose as much threat to the environment when it is discarded | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that paper can rot and break down naturally. Because of this, it is not very dangerous for nature when we throw it away. Answer Explanation: The answer "biodegradable" describes a material that can be naturally broken down by bacteria or other living organisms, which means it does not stay in the environment as trash forever. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in Paragraph A. The text mentions two reasons why paper is special. The first reason is that it comes from trees. The second reason, which answers the question, is that it is "biodegradable." The passage explains that because paper is biodegradable, it is not a big "threat to the environment" when people throw it away. In the summary, the phrase "less threatening to our environment" matches the passage's "does not pose as much threat to the environment," and "throw it away" matches the word "discarded." |
| Q32 | virgin fibre / pulp | While 45 out of every 100 tonnes of wood fibre used to make paper in Australia comes from waste paper, the rest comes directly from virgin fibre from forests and plantations | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that some paper is made from old, used paper, but the other part is made from fresh wood fibers taken directly from trees. Answer Explanation: The answer means new wood material that has never been used to make paper before. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in Paragraph A, which explains that even though Australia has a good record of using waste paper, they still need to use other materials. The text says that about 45% of the material comes from waste paper, while the 'rest' (the other part of the combination) comes from 'virgin fibre' from forests and plantations. This shows that paper is made by mixing old, used paper with new wood material. |
| Q33 | governments / the government | Governments have encouraged waste paper collection and sorting schemes and at the same time, the paper industry has responded by developing new recycling technologies that have paved the way for even greater utilisation of used fibre | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that the people who run the country have supported ways to pick up and organize old paper, and the companies that make paper have helped by making better tools to reuse that paper. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to the groups of people who are in charge of leading a country or region. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is extracted from the first paragraph, which explains how recycled paper use has grown. The summary asks who has encouraged people to collect their waste paper. In Section A, the text states that "Governments" have promoted these collection and sorting programs. The passage also mentions the paper industry's response, which aligns with the first part of the sentence in the summary. |
| Q34 | advances | advances in the technology required to remove ink from the paper have allowed a higher recycled content in newsprint and writing paper | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that better scientific methods (advances) for cleaning ink off paper have made it possible to make new paper with more recycled material. Answer Explanation: The answer "advances" refers to progress, improvements, or new developments in a specific field of study or technology. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in paragraph B. The text discusses the challenge of removing ink from old paper so it can be reused for things like newspapers. It mentions that "advances in the technology" for ink removal have happened, which allows more recycled paper to be used. In the summary, the word "advances" fits because it describes the improvements being made in the "area" of ink removal technology. Note the plural verb "are," which matches the plural noun "advances." |
| Q35 | quality | We need to accept a change in the quality of paper products; for example stationery may be less white and of a rougher texture | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that for recycling to work, people must be willing to use paper that might not be as smooth or as white as original paper. Answer Explanation: The answer 'quality' refers to how good or fine the paper is in terms of its appearance and feel. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in paragraph B, which discusses the community's role in recycling. The text states that people need to 'accept a change in the quality of paper products' and gives examples like paper being 'less white' or having a 'rougher texture.' This matches the summary sentence which says we need to accept paper of a 'lower quality' than what we used before. |
| Q36 | contaminants | Not only do we need to make the paper available to collectors but it also needs to be separated into different types and sorted from contaminants such as staples, paperclips, string and other miscellaneous items | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that when we give paper to people who collect it, we must keep it separate from other things like staples or string. These extra, unwanted items are called contaminants. Answer Explanation: The answer means items that do not belong with the paper and make it dirty or hard to recycle, like staples, paperclips, or string. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "contaminants" because paragraph B explains that people need to help by sorting paper before it is collected. To do this properly, they must take out items that are not paper, such as staples or paperclips. The text specifically uses the word "contaminants" to describe these unwanted items that need to be removed. |
| Q37 | offices | The four most common sources of paper for recycling are factories and retail stores which gather large amounts of packaging material in which goods are delivered, also offices which have unwanted business documents and computer output, paper converters and printers and lastly households which discard newspapers and packaging material | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that most of the paper used for recycling comes from four main places: factories and shops, offices where people work, printing companies, and homes. Answer Explanation: The answer 'offices' identifies one of the primary locations where used paper is gathered to be recycled. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'offices' because paragraph C lists the main sources of waste paper used for recycling. The text mentions factories, retail stores, offices (which provide business documents), paper converters, printers, and households. The flow chart in the task specifically asks for the missing source from this list. |
| Q38 | sorted | Once collected, the paper has to be sorted by hand by people trained to recognise various types of paper | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that after the paper is gathered, it is organized by hand by workers who are experts at noticing the differences between the various kinds of paper. Answer Explanation: The answer 'sorted' means to organize things into groups based on their type. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'sorted' because Paragraph D lists the steps for recycling after the paper is gathered from various places. The text states that immediately after the collection stage, the paper must be organized into groups by hand. This is done so that the correct types of paper are used for specific recycled products. |
| Q39 | repulped / mixed | The sorted paper then has to be repulped or mixed with water and broken down into its individual fibres | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that once people have put the paper into groups, it needs to be turned into a wet mixture (pulp) by adding water until it breaks apart into tiny pieces. Answer Explanation: The answer means transforming the collected paper into a soft, wet mush by mixing it with water. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer comes from Paragraph D, which describes what happens to paper once it has been collected and sorted. The passage states that the paper must be turned back into a soft material so it can be made into new paper. This specific part of the process is called being "repulped," and the text explains that this is done by mixing the paper with water to break it into small pieces called fibres. |
| Q40 | de-inked | if the grey colour is not acceptable, the fibres must be de-inked. This involves adding chemicals such as caustic soda or other alkalis, soaps and detergents, water-hardening agents such as calcium chloride, frothing agents and bleaching agents | — |
| Q41 | refined / treated | Before the recycled fibres can be made into paper they must be refined or treated in such a way that they bond together | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that before the old paper pieces can be turned into new sheets of paper, they must go through a process called refining to help the parts stay together. Answer Explanation: The answer "refined" refers to a final step in the recycling process where paper fibers are processed or improved so they can stick together to form new paper. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in the final sentence of Paragraph D. The flow chart describes the stages of recycling paper. After the fibers have been sorted, mixed with water (repulped), and cleaned of ink (de-inked), the text mentions a final treatment. It states that the recycled fibers needs to be "refined" so they can "bond" (stick) together properly to become new paper again. |