Cambridge IELTS 9 · Academic · Test 3 · Passage 2
Tidal Power — IELTS Reading Answers
All 9 answers for Tidal Power, Cambridge IELTS 9 Academic Reading Test 3 Passage 2, with the passage evidence and an explanation for each.
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Tidal Power answer key at a glance
Questions 14–26. Tap an answer to see the evidence.
What this passage tests
This passage is tested with Matching Information (Q14–17), Five Choices (Q18–22), Diagram Labeling (Q23–26). Each section below gives the strategy for that question type, the answers, and the sentence that proves them.
Questions 14–17: 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.
the location of the first test site
“The first station is expected to be installed off Lynmouth in Devon shortly to test the technology in a venture jointly funded by the department of Trade and Industry and the European Union”
Paragraph C places the first station 'off Lynmouth in Devon', where the technology will be tested.
a way of bringing the power produced on one site back into Britain
“The single undersea turbine farm would produce far more power than needed for the Channel Islands and most would be fed into the French Grid and be re-imported into Britain via the cable under the Channel”
Paragraph E says power would be 'fed into the French Grid and be re-imported into Britain via the cable under the Channel'.
a reference to a previous attempt by Britain to find an alternative source of energy
“Unlike wind power, which Britain originally developed and then abandoned for 20 years allowing the Dutch to make it a major industry, undersea turbines could become a big export earner to island nations such as Japan and New Zealand”
Paragraph A recalls wind power 'which Britain originally developed and then abandoned for 20 years', an earlier alternative-energy attempt.
mention of the possibility of applying technology from another industry
“The technology for dealing with the hostile saline environment under the sea has been developed in the North Sea oil industry and much is already known about turbine blade design, because of wind power and ship propellers”
Paragraph C notes technology for the 'hostile saline environment' came from 'the North Sea oil industry', plus wind power and ship propellers.
Questions 18–22: Five Choices
Strategy: More than one option is correct. Check each option independently and select exactly five.
“unlike wind, the tides are predictable and the power input is constant drastically reducing its carbon dioxide emissions Britain would be able to close gas, coal and nuclear power plants undersea turbines could become a big export earner The best sites are between islands or around heavily indented coasts where there...”
A, D, E, F and J restate the stated advantages: predictable tides giving constant power, sharply lower carbon dioxide emissions, closure of gas, coal and nuclear plants, and export earnings.
Questions 23–26: Diagram Labeling
Strategy: Locate the labelled part on the diagram, then find the matching description in the passage. Answers are usually concrete nouns.
“The towers will stick out of the water and be lit, to warn shipping, and also be designed to be lifted out of the water for maintenance and to clean seaweed from the blades”
The towers can be lifted out 'for maintenance and to clean seaweed', the purpose the diagram labels.
“Fish and other creatures are thought unlikely to be at risk from the relatively slow-turning blades”
Fish are unlikely to be harmed by 'the relatively slow-turning blades', the feature the diagram labels.
“One technical difficulty is cavitation, where low pressure behind a turning blade causes air bubbles”
Cavitation begins with 'low pressure behind a turning blade', so the diagram's label is 'low pressure'.
“One technical difficulty is cavitation, where low pressure behind a turning blade causes air bubbles. These can cause vibration and damage the blades of the turbines”
The phenomenon causing vibration and blade damage is named 'cavitation', the label the diagram needs.
Learn the question types in this passage
Frequently asked questions
Where does the Tidal Power passage come from?
It is Passage 2 of Cambridge IELTS 9 Academic Reading Test 3, and it covers Questions 14–26.
What question types appear in Tidal Power?
The passage is tested with Matching Information, Five Choices, Diagram Labeling. 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.