Cambridge IELTS 18 · Academic · Test 1 · Passage 3
Conquering Earth’s Space Junk Problem — IELTS Reading Answers
All 14 answers for Conquering Earth’s Space Junk Problem, Cambridge IELTS 18 Academic Reading Test 1 Passage 3, with the passage evidence and an explanation for each.
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Conquering Earth’s Space Junk Problem answer key at a glance
Questions 27–40. Tap an answer to see the evidence.
What this passage tests
This passage is tested with Matching Information (Q27–31), Summary Completion (Q32–35), Matching Features (Q36–40). Each section below gives the strategy for that question type, the answers, and the sentence that proves them.
Questions 27–31: Matching Information
Strategy: Scan for the idea, not the exact words. The answer is a paragraph letter, and one paragraph may be used more than once unless the instructions say otherwise.
a reference to the cooperation that takes place to try and minimise risk
“That means companies, governments and other players in space are collaborating in new ways to avoid a shared threat.”
Paragraph C reports that 'companies, governments and other players in space are collaborating in new ways to avoid a shared threat', cooperation to minimise risk.
an explanation of a person’s aims
“Jah describes himself as a space environmentalist: ‘I want to make space a place that is safe to operate, that is free and useful for generations to come.’”
Paragraph F quotes Jah's aim: to make space 'a place that is safe to operate, that is free and useful for generations to come'.
a description of a major collision that occurred in space
“Ten years ago, a US commercial Iridium satellite smashed into an inactive Russian communications satellite called Cosmos-2251, creating thousands of new pieces of space shrapnel that now threaten other satellites in low Earth orbit”
Paragraph A describes the Iridium satellite smashing into Cosmos-2251 and creating 'thousands of new pieces of space shrapnel'.
a comparison between tracking objects in space and the efficiency of a transportation system
“Air-traffic controllers know the location of the planes down to one metre in accuracy. The same can’t be said for space debris. Not all objects in orbit are known, and even those included in databases are not tracked consistently.”
Paragraph E contrasts air-traffic controllers knowing planes' positions 'down to one metre' with the inconsistent tracking of debris, the transport-system comparison.
a reference to efforts to classify space junk
“Others are developing taxonomies of space – working on measuring properties such as the shape and size of an object, so that satellite operators know how much to worry about what’s coming their way.”
Paragraph B mentions 'taxonomies of space' that measure properties such as an object's shape and size, which is classifying space junk.
Questions 32–35: Summary Completion
Strategy: Read the summary as a paragraph first to establish the logic, then locate the missing idea in the passage. With a lettered list, confirm the grammar fits.
“International groups such as the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee have developed guidelines on space sustainability.”
The gap needs the noun after 'guidelines on space'; the text gives 'guidelines on space sustainability', so 'sustainability'.
“Those include inactivating satellites at the end of their useful life by venting pressurised materials or leftover fuel”
The gap lists what must be vented to inactive a satellite; 'pressurised materials or leftover fuel' supplies the word 'fuel'.
“that might lead to explosions”
The gap needs the risk that venting prevents; the text says 'that might lead to explosions', so the plural 'explosions'.
“‘What happens to those that fail or go bankrupt?’”
The gap needs what failing companies do; the quoted question 'What happens to those that fail or go bankrupt?' gives 'bankrupt'.
Questions 36–40: Matching Features
Strategy: Match the statement to the named person or thing. Names can repeat, so check each option against what that person actually says.
Knowing the exact location of space junk would help prevent any possible danger.
“‘If you knew precisely where everything was, you would almost never have a problem,’ says Marlon Sorge”
Marlon Sorge says 'If you knew precisely where everything was, you would almost never have a problem', matching the value of exact location knowledge, so C.
Space should be available to everyone and should be preserved for the future.
“Jah describes himself as a space environmentalist: ‘I want to make space a place that is safe to operate, that is free and useful for generations to come.’”
Jah's wish that space be 'free and useful for generations to come' matches the idea of access for everyone and preservation for the future, so D.
A recommendation regarding satellites is widely ignored.
“But so far, only about half of all missions have abided by this 25-year goal, says Holger Krag”
Holger Krag notes that 'only about half of all missions have abided by this 25-year goal', so a recommendation is widely ignored, so B.
There is conflicting information about where some satellites are in space.
“When Jah enters that number, the database draws two purple lines: the US and Russian sources contain two completely different orbits for the same object. Jah says that it is almost impossible to tell which is correct, unless a third source of information made it possible to cross-correlate.”
Jah finds that US and Russian sources hold 'two completely different orbits for the same object', which is conflicting positional information, so D.
There is a risk we will not be able to undo the damage that occurs in space.
“‘If we go on like this, we will reach a point of no return,’ says Carolin Frueh”
Carolin Frueh warns that 'we will reach a point of no return', meaning the damage may become impossible to undo, so A.
Learn the question types in this passage
Frequently asked questions
Where does the Conquering Earth’s Space Junk Problem passage come from?
It is Passage 3 of Cambridge IELTS 18 Academic Reading Test 1, and it covers Questions 27–40.
What question types appear in Conquering Earth’s Space Junk Problem?
The passage is tested with Matching Information, Summary Completion, Matching Features. Each type is explained on this page, alongside the answers.
Are these reading answers reliable?
Every answer is paired with the sentence that proves it, so you can check each one against the passage yourself. Use the page after a timed attempt, not instead of one.
Cambridge IELTS is published by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Band9Prep is not affiliated with Cambridge. This page is an independent study aid: it gives the answer key, the passage evidence and an explanation so you can review an attempt you have already made.