Brief History Of Melbourne’s Water Supply System - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From Expert on Cambridge IELTS 10 Academic Listening Test 6 · Part 4 · Questions 31–40
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Questions
Questions 31–40 Table Completion
Complete the table below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Brief history of Melbourne's water supply system
| 1803 | Colonel David Collins first established a 31 at Sullivan's Bay, and the six wooden barrels sunk in the sand to tap 32 are the only source of water |
| 1835 | John Batman officially claimed the establishment of Melbourne. |
| 1840 | 33 were installed on the Northern Bank of the Yarra River. Water was sold by men with water carts and at that time, the price was 34 for 550 litres. |
| 1857 | Yan Yean Reservoir, Melbourne's first water 35, was completed and began to supply water to Melbourne, which by now had a population of 100,000. |
| 1891 | The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) were formed.
To provide water to Melbourne, the 36 in particular, the Watts River (near Healesville) was tapped. |
| 1910 | 123,227 connections to Melbourne's water supply system. |
| 1920s | Water quality and not enough 37 are the main complaints, which caused a dam construction program began. And Maroondad Reservoir was completed in 1927. |
| 1940 | Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works started planning for the building of a new dam to expand Melbourne's water supplies. |
| 1950s | The Upper Yarra Reservoir was completed.
Melbourne's total water storage to nearly 38 million litres. |
| 1960s | Many parts of the water supply system were replaced / renewed.
The building of Cardinia Reservoir commenced because of 39 in 1967/68. |
| 1971 | A reservoir was completed at Greenvale to meet growing 40 in the western suburbs. |
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q31 | camp | In 1803, the first attempt at settlement of the Port Phillip region was on the Mornington Peninsula when Colonel David Collins established a camp at Sullivan's Bay | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that in the year 1803, Colonel David Collins created a living place called a camp at Sullivan's Bay. Answer Explanation: The answer "camp" means a temporary place where people live or stay in tents or shelters. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "camp" because the speaker talks about the year 1803 and explains that Colonel David Collins set up or "established a camp at Sullivan's Bay". |
| Q32 | groundwater | The only source of water for almost 400 convicts, marines and free settlers was six wooden barrels sunk in the sand to tap groundwater | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that six wooden barrels were placed deep in the sand to get groundwater, which was their only water source. Answer Explanation: The answer means water found deep under the surface of the earth. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is confirmed by the speaker when describing the settlement in 1803. The speaker explains that people sank six wooden barrels into the sand to collect or 'tap' water beneath the ground, which is called 'groundwater'. |
| Q33 | water pumps | Water pumps were installed on the northern bank of the Yarra River | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states directly that machines used to pump water were placed on the north side of the Yarra River. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to machines that move water from one place to another. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "water pumps" because the speaker mentions that 5 years after Melbourne's official beginning in 1835 (which is 1840), these machines were set up on the northern bank of the Yarra River. The task asks what was installed there at that time. |
| Q34 | 30 cents | Men with water carts sold water, door to door, for three shillings a barrel, equal to about 30 cents for 550 litres | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that men used carts to deliver and sell water to homes, and the cost was around 30 cents for 550 litres. Answer Explanation: The answer means thirty cents (0.30 dollars), which was the cost of 550 litres of water. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "30 cents" because the speaker discusses the year 1840 (five years after Melbourne was officially established in 1835) and states the cost of water sold from water carts. Specifically, three shillings per barrel was "equal to about 30 cents for 550 litres". Therefore, 30 cents matches the required price for 550 litres. |
| Q35 | supply reservoir | And in 1857, Yan Yean Reservoir, Melbourne's first water supply reservoir, was completed and began to supply water to Melbourne, which by now had a population of 100,000 | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that in 1857, the Yan Yean Reservoir was built as the very first reservoir to provide water to the people of Melbourne. Answer Explanation: The answer "supply reservoir" refers to a large storage lake built to hold and deliver drinking water to people. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "supply reservoir" because the speaker directly notes that in the year 1857, Yan Yean Reservoir was finished and served as Melbourne's first "water supply reservoir". Since the sentence in the table already includes the word "water", adding "supply reservoir" correctly completes the title and description. |
| Q36 | eastern suburbs | To provide water to this rapidly growing city, especially the eastern suburbs, the Watts River (near Healesville) was tapped | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that water from the Watts River was taken to give water to the growing city, mainly focusing on its eastern neighborhoods. Answer Explanation: The answer means the residential areas located to the east of Melbourne's center. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is confirmed by the speaker's account of events in 1891. The speaker explains that to supply water to Melbourne, 'especially the eastern suburbs', the Watts River was tapped. The phrase 'in particular' in the prompt corresponds directly to 'especially' in the transcript. |
| Q37 | water pressure | And in 1920s, in response to growing complaints about water quality and lack of water pressure in Melbourne's eastern suburbs, a large-scale dam construction program began | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that during the 1920s, people were unhappy and complained about two things: the quality of the water and the lack of strong water flow (water pressure). Because of these issues, a large project to build dams was started. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to the force that pushes water through pipes to reach homes. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "water pressure" because the speaker discusses the problems that people complained about during the 1920s. In the table, the phrase "not enough" is a direct paraphrase of the speaker's phrase "lack of". The speaker specifically mentions "growing complaints about water quality and lack of water pressure", making "water pressure" the correct missing detail. |
| Q38 | 300 000 / 300,000 | The Upper Yarra Reservoir was completed, tripling Melbourne's total water storage to nearly 300,000 million litres | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that finishing the Upper Yarra Reservoir made Melbourne's total water storage reach almost 300,000 million litres. Answer Explanation: The answer is the number 300,000, which tells how many million litres of water Melbourne could store after the new reservoir was finished in the 1950s. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 300,000 because the speaker explains that in the 1950s, the Upper Yarra Reservoir was finished, increasing the city's overall water storage capacity to almost 300,000 million litres. The sentence in the notes already includes the words 'nearly' and 'million litres', so only the number 300,000 is needed to complete the blank. |
| Q39 | severe drought / severe drouth | And following the severe drought of 1967/68, the building of Cardinia Reservoir commenced | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that workers started building Cardinia Reservoir right after a very harsh, dry period without rain in 1967/68. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to a very serious period of dry weather with almost no rain. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is confirmed by the speaker's statement about the 1960s. The text explains that construction of Cardinia Reservoir started after, or because of, the "severe drought" that occurred in 1967/68. In the prompt, "because of" matches the idea of "following" this dry event. |
| Q40 | demand | To meet growing demand in the western suburbs, particularly during summer, a reservoir with a capacity of 27,000 million litres was completed at Greenvale in 1970 | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that a water reservoir was finished at Greenvale to supply enough water for the increasing needs of people living in the western suburbs. Answer Explanation: The answer "demand" means the need or desire of people to have and use more water. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "demand" because the speaker directly states that a new reservoir was built at Greenvale "[t]o meet growing demand in the western suburbs". This matches the sentence in the table: "A reservoir was completed at Greenvale to meet growing in the western suburbs." |
Transcript
As we all know, Australia is one of the driest continent in the world. So in the last few sessions, we've been looking at various aspect of the water resource of Australia, and this morning, we're focus on the history of Melbourne's water supply.
The area surrounding the Yarra River and Port Phillip Bay that is now Melbourne was originally inhabited by the Wurundjeri people, you may probably know. And these indigenous Australians had no need for complicated water supply systems. Instead, they relied on local rivers and creeks or dug shallow wells to tap supplies of underground water.
The first European settlers who arrived in Melbourne in 1803 also drew water from local creeks. However as their settlements grew, demand for a reliable water supply system began to grow.
In 1803, the first attempt at settlement of the Port Phillip region was on the Mornington Peninsula when Colonel David Collins established a camp at Sullivan's Bay. The only source of water for almost 400 convicts, marines and free settlers was six wooden barrels sunk in the sand to tap groundwater. Although settlement of the Port Phillip region had gradually grown after Collins arrived, it was not until 1835 that John Batman officially claimed the establishment of Melbourne.
5 years after its official beginning, Melbourne's population had already reached 7,000. Water pumps were installed on the northern bank of the Yarra River. Men with water carts sold water, door to door, for three shillings a barrel, equal to about 30 cents for 550 litres.
Due to the Victorian gold rush of the 1850s, Melbourne's population rapidly increased and Melbourne was transformed into a major city. At the same time many new industries and buildings were being developed. These factors all meant that systems needed to be created to supply water to Melbourne. And in 1857, Yan Yean Reservoir, Melbourne's first water supply reservoir, was completed and began to supply water to Melbourne, which by now had a population of 100,000.
In 1891, the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) was formed and became responsible for Melbourne's water supply. Melbourne had grown to a city of half a million people. To provide water to this rapidly growing city, especially the eastern suburbs, the Watts River (near Healesville) was tapped. It supplied water to Melbourne, via the Maroondah aqueduct.
Time takes us to the twentieth century. By 1910, there were 123,227 connections to Melbourne's water supply system. And in 1920s, in response to growing complaints about water quality and lack of water pressure in Melbourne's eastern suburbs, a large-scale dam construction program began. Maroondah Reservoir, about 55 kilometres northeast of Melbourne, was completed in 1927. The completion of Maroondah Reservoir, O'Shannassy Reservoir in 1928 and Silvan Reservoir in 1932 saw Melbourne's storages boosted from a capacity of 30,000 million litres to 104,500 million litres.
A very dry summer in 1937/38 resulted in water restrictions being imposed in Melbourne. The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works also started planning for the building of a new dam to expand Melbourne's water supplies in 1940.
After the Second World War, the population in Melbourne was increased sharply in the 1950s, which meant that new water supply requirement occurred. The Upper Yarra Reservoir was completed, tripling Melbourne's total water storage to nearly 300,000 million litres.
In the 1960s, Many parts of the water supply system in Melbourne were replaced. And following the severe drought of 1967/68, the building of Cardinia Reservoir commenced. Work also commenced on diverting part of the flow of the Thomson River in Gippsland into the Upper Yarra River 32 catchment.
To meet growing demand in the western suburbs, particularly during summer, a reservoir with a capacity of 27,000 million litres was completed at Greenvale in 1970. Now before I move on to 1980s, I'd like to say something about...