Crossing The Humber Estuary - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From Cambridge IELTS 12 General Training Reading Test 2 · Part 3 · Questions 28–40
Reading Passage
Crossing the Humber estuary
A For thousands of years, the Humber — an estuary formed where two major rivers, the Trent and the Ouse, meet – has been an obstacle to communications along the east coast of England, between the counties of Yorkshire to the north and Lincolnshire to the south. Before the arrival of the railways in the 19th century, water transportation was the most efficient means of moving heavy or bulk freight, and the Humber, situated at the heart of the waterway system associated with the two major rivers, was one of the chief highways of England. its traffic brought prosperity to the settlements on its banks, particularly the city of Hull on its north bank, but the river itself tended to cut them off from some of their closest neighbours, as well as obstructing the progress of travellers moving north or south.
B To cater for these local and, as time progressed, wider needs, ferries were provided across many of the streams flowing into the Humber, and in 1315, a ferry was established across the Humber itself between Hull and Lincolnshire. By 1800, this ferry had become fully integrated into the overland transport system, but the changes associated with the industrial revolution were soon to threaten its position. Increased traffic encouraged speculators to establish rival ferries between Hull and Lincolnshire, notably a service between Hull and New Holland which opened in 1826. This crossing was considerably shorter than on the existing Hull to Barton service, which closed in 1851, unable to cope with the increased competition from the rival service.
The New Holland ferry service then grew into a major link between the north and south banks of the Humber, carrying passengers, and cattle and goods bound for Hull Market. In 1968, there was briefly a ferry service from Grimsby to Hull involving hovercrafts. This did not last long as the hovercrafts could not cope with the demands of the River Humber. The ferry service between Hull and New Holland ended with the opening of the Humber Bridge in 1981.
C The bridge was the outcome of over 100 years of campaigning by local interests for the construction of a bridge or tunnel across the estuary. The first major crossing proposal was a tunnel scheme in 1872. This scheme was promoted by Hull merchants and businesses dissatisfied with the service provided by the New Holland ferry crossing. Over the next 100 years, a variety of proposals were put forward in an effort to bridge the Humber. In 1928, a plan was drawn up by Hull City Council to build a multi-span bridge four miles west of Hull. However, the scheme was dropped after being hit by the financial woes of the Great Depression of the late 1920s and early 1930s.
D Government approval for the construction of a suspension bridge was finally granted in 1959, although it was not until 1973 that work finally began. The reasons why a suspension bridge was chosen were twofold. Firstly, the Humber has a shifting bed, and the navigable channel along which a craft can travel is always changing; a suspension bridge with no support piers in mid-stream would not obstruct the estuary. Secondly, because of the geology and topography of the area, the cost of constructing a tunnel would have been excessive.
E Work on the construction proceeded for eight years, during which time many thousands of tonnes of steel and concrete were used and upwards of one thousand workers and staff were employed at times of peak activity. The designers had been responsible for two other major suspension bridges in Britain but, with a total span of 2,220 m, or almost a mile and a half, the Humber was going to be the longest suspension bridge in the world. Nowadays designers have computers, but back then everything was done with slide rules and calculators. The towers were concrete rather than the usual steel, since concrete was cheaper and would blend in better with the setting. The bridge was designed to stand for 120 years.
F Malcolm Stockwell, the bridgemaster, recalls that when the bridge first opened, there wasn’t a great deal of interest in it. Then children started visiting, and he remembers their astonishment at seeing the control room and all the lights. People who lived in towns on opposite banks a mile apart started crossing the river — a journey that previously might as well have been to the moon. The bridge brought them together.
G The bridge opened up, both socially and economically, two previously remote and insular areas of England, and the improvement in communication enabled the area to realise its potential in commercial, industrial and tourist development. The bridge has saved many millions of vehicle miles and many valuable hours of drivers’ and passengers’ time – an important factor not only for the drivers and operators of commercial vehicles, but also for tourists and holidaymakers who would have had to travel around the estuary to reach destinations in the region. ln the words of Malcolm Stockwell, ‘Although it can’t beat the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco for setting, it far outstrips it for sheer elegance and as a piece of engineering.’
Questions
Questions 28–34 Matching Headings
The text on pages has seven sections, A-G.
Choose the correct heading for each section from the list of headings below.
Write the correct number i-x, in boxes on your answer sheet.
List of Headings
i Why the ferry crossing has always been difficult
ii Building the bridge
iii An advantage of the design for the bridge
iv The growing popularity of the bridge
v Opposition to building a bridge
vi Benefits and disadvantages the Humber has brought
vii Proposed alternatives to ferry services
viii How the bridge has contributed to the region’s growth
ix Rising demand for river transport
Questions 35–40 Summary Completion
Complete the summary below
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes on your answer sheet.
Crossing the Humber
The first ferry across the Humber started operating in 1315, and by 1800, this service had been 35 with other forms of transport. The mid-19th century saw greater 36 in the provision of services. in 1968, an attempt to establish a service across the river using 37 failed.
The Humber Bridge is a suspension bridge because the channel that ships travel along moves, and 38 supporting a bridge would obstruct it. A bridge rather than a 39 was chosen on the grounds of cost. This was also one reason why 40 was used for the towers.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q28 | vi | its traffic brought prosperity to the settlements on its banks, particularly the city of Hull on its north bank, but the river itself tended to cut them off from some of their closest neighbours, as well as obstructing the progress of travellers moving north or south | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage shows that the Humber helped local areas to grow through trade but also made travelling difficult for people living nearby. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Section A talks about the good and bad things that the Humber has caused. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'vi', which stands for 'Benefits and disadvantages the Humber has brought'. In Section A, it explains how the Humber has helped towns near it by providing a way to transport goods but also caused problems by making it hard for people to travel between the north and the south banks. The keyword here is 'obstacle' which means something that makes it difficult to do something. |
| Q29 | ix | To cater for these local and, as time progressed, wider needs, ferries were provided across many of the streams flowing into the Humber, and in 1315, a ferry was established across the Humber itself between Hull and Lincolnshire | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that to meet the needs of local people and later more people, ferries were created to help cross the rivers. In 1315, a ferry was built to cross the Humber river between Hull and Lincolnshire. Answer Explanation: The answer means that there was an increase in the need for boats to cross the river. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'ix' because section B talks about the establishment of the ferry service across the Humber due to increased local and wider needs. The ferry service was started to help people and goods move across the river as the demand for safe transport grew. Words like 'ferries were provided' and 'increased traffic encouraged' are important to remember. |
| Q30 | vii | The first major crossing proposal was a tunnel scheme in 1872. This scheme was promoted by Hull merchants and businesses dissatisfied with the service provided by the New Holland ferry crossing. Over the next 100 years, a variety of proposals were put forward in an effort to bridge the Humber | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage talks about the first big idea to cross the river, which was to build a tunnel back in 1872. This idea came from people unhappy with the ferry service. For many years, different plans for crossing the Humber were suggested. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Section C talks about different ideas that were suggested to cross the river instead of using ferries. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'vii' because Section C explains how people suggested building a bridge or tunnel across the Humber for a long time. It mentions proposals and dissatisfaction with the ferry service, which supports the idea of considering other options for crossing the river. |
| Q31 | iii | The reasons why a suspension bridge was chosen were twofold. Firstly, the Humber has a shifting bed, and the navigable channel along which a craft can travel is always changing; a suspension bridge with no support piers in mid-stream would not obstruct the estuary. Secondly, because of the geology and topography of the area, the cost of constructing a tunnel would have been excessive | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that they chose a suspension bridge because it would not block the river and a tunnel would be very expensive to build. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Section D talks about a good thing about the bridge's design. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is iii because Section D explains reasons for choosing a suspension bridge design. It says that this design does not block the river and was cheaper than building a tunnel. These points show a benefit of the bridge's design. |
| Q32 | ii | Work on the construction proceeded for eight years, during which time many thousands of tonnes of steel and concrete were used and upwards of one thousand workers and staff were employed at times of peak activity | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage tells us that the construction of the bridge took eight years. During this time, many materials like steel and concrete were used, and many workers helped with the building. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Section E is about how the bridge was built. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is ii because Section E talks about the construction of the bridge, how long it took, the materials used, and the workers involved. It explains the process of building the bridge, which fits the idea of 'building the bridge'. |
| Q33 | iv | Then children started visiting, and he remembers their astonishment at seeing the control room and all the lights. People who lived in towns on opposite banks a mile apart started crossing the river — a journey that previously might as well have been to the moon. The bridge brought them together | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that kids came to see the bridge and were surprised by what they found there. It also says that people from towns close to the river could now easily visit each other, which was hard before. This shows that the bridge made connections between people. Answer Explanation: The answer means that many people started to like and use the bridge after it was built. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is about the bridge becoming popular. In Section F, it explains that at first, not many people cared about the bridge, but then, children and families began to visit, showing that it became popular. It says that the bridge made it easier for people from different sides of the river to meet each other. |
| Q34 | viii | The bridge opened up, both socially and economically, two previously remote and insular areas of England, and the improvement in communication enabled the area to realise its potential in commercial, industrial and tourist development | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the bridge helped two areas that were closed off from each other. It improved how people and things moved between these areas, allowing for more business and tourism. Answer Explanation: The answer means that section G talks about how the bridge has helped the area grow. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'viii' because section G explains that the bridge improved communication and opened up the area for more business, industry, and tourism. This shows how the bridge helped the region grow and develop. |
| Q35 | Integrated | By 1800, this ferry had become fully integrated into the overland transport system | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that by 1800, the ferry was combined with other ways of moving things on land. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the ferry service became part of other ways to move things, like trains and cars. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'integrated' because the passage says that by 1800, the ferry service had become part of the overland transport system. This means that the ferry was combined with other types of transportation. |
| Q36 | Competition | Increased traffic encouraged speculators to establish rival ferries between Hull and Lincolnshire | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that more people were using the ferries, which made other companies start their own ferry services, creating competition. Answer Explanation: The answer 'Competition' means that there were other services providing ferry crossings, which made it harder for the existing ferry to operate well. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Competition' because the passage talks about how increased traffic led to many new ferry services trying to operate between Hull and Lincolnshire, which created competition. This competition caused the original ferry service to struggle and eventually close. |
| Q37 | Hovercraft / hovercrafts / Hovercrafts / hovercraft | In 1968, there was briefly a ferry service from Grimsby to Hull involving hovercrafts. This did not last long as the hovercrafts could not cope with the demands of the River Humber | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that in 1968, they tried to cross the river using hovercrafts, but this method was not successful because the hovercrafts could not handle the river's challenges. Answer Explanation: The answer means a type of boat that can travel over water and land by making air under it. These boats are called hovercrafts. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'hovercrafts' because the passage mentions that in 1968, there was a ferry service using hovercrafts to cross the Humber river, but it did not last long because the hovercrafts could not deal with the strong river's conditions. This shows that hovercrafts were a specific method used to try and cross the river. |
| Q38 | Piers | the reasons why a suspension bridge was chosen were twofold. Firstly, the Humber has a shifting bed, and the navigable channel along which a craft can travel is always changing; a suspension bridge with no support piers in mid-stream would not obstruct the estuary | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that a suspension bridge is good because it does not need tall parts, called piers, in the river. This way, the channel for boats can stay clear and not be blocked. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'piers'. It means the tall parts that hold up a bridge. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'piers' because in the passage, it explains that a suspension bridge was chosen to avoid having any support 'piers' in the middle of the Humber. It states that piers would block the river channel where ships travel, making it difficult for boats to pass. |
| Q39 | tunnel | the cost of constructing a tunnel would have been excessive | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that making a tunnel was very expensive, so they decided to build a bridge instead. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'tunnel'. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'tunnel' because the passage explains that a tunnel was not built because of high costs. Instead, a bridge was chosen to avoid blocking the changing channel that ships travel through. |
| Q40 | concrete | The towers were concrete rather than the usual steel, since concrete was cheaper and would blend in better with the setting | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the towers of the bridge were made of concrete instead of steel. This was because concrete costs less and looks nicer in the area. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'concrete'. This is a strong material that was used for making the towers of the bridge. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'concrete' because the passage explains that the towers of the Humber Bridge were made of concrete instead of steel. This choice was because concrete was cheaper and would blend in better with the setting. |