The “Space” reading passage is a popular topic in IELTS Reading, reflecting global concerns regarding population growth and the scarcity of space on Earth. This article from the ECE language center will help you explore the arguments and solutions presented in the passage—from constructing underground facilities to expanding human life into space—while providing effective test-taking strategies to conquer difficult questions.
IELTS Reading Passage – Space
Space
Will we find new frontiers or is humanity reaching the end of the universe?
People need to find more creative ways to supply space as populations rise.
A. In his book “An Essay on the Principle of Population,” published in 1798, Thomas Malthus projected that by the mid-1800s, the unregulated rise of the human population would exceed the farmland necessary to feed humanity. A great deal has transpired since then. Since this purported turning point more than 150 years ago, humankind has continued to advance despite being considerably more constrained.
B. Unrestrained population growth is evident. Urbanization is a more visible worldwide phenomenon than ever before as more people migrate from rural areas to cities like Tokyo, Mexico City, and Mumbai in search of a better life. Megacities with more than 10 million inhabitants are cropping up on every continent. Now overpopulated, they are hungry for land. The expanding human population is fueling a voracious need for real estate, despite advances in agricultural technology. Personal, public, corporate, national, human, and flora/fauna space will be at a premium in the next century. They are desperate for one resource that is becoming increasingly valuable: land, and the human population is now at an all-time high. More land is needed for a variety of infrastructure facilities in addition to housing. While advances in agricultural technology mean humanity may be able to feed the people thronging to these huge metropolises, an unparalleled thirst for real estate is being fueled by the growth of the human race. Green pastures are turned into airports, and virgin forests are cleared for food and firewood. In poorer locations, newly exposed land becomes desert, completing the cycle of destruction.
C. The most popular way to utilize pricey space for living and working has been to build upwards; hence, the desire for ever-taller apartments and commercial buildings in big cities like New York, Shanghai, and Singapore. The British Library, which houses millions of books, was built entirely underground—not only for transportation networks but also for garbage storage, book depositories, and more in London. Global construction has become more innovative in recent years. Many countries, including the Netherlands and the UK, have restored marshes and floodplains. Like Venice, Italy, housing complexes and airports have been built offshore. In Japan, Kansai International Airport was built on a man-made island at great expense. In Dubai, a highly inventive and expensive palm tree-shaped housing complex is being developed near the shoreline. Global warming’s rising sea levels threaten these and other developments.
D. But when Earth is at capacity, where will humanity go? Numerous theories have been proposed regarding the expansion of the human population into space. Marshall Savage, for instance, predicted that by the year 3000, there will be five quintillion people living throughout the solar system, with the majority residing in the asteroid belt. Savage’s ardent admirer, Arthur C. Clarke, asserts that humanity will be present on the Moon, Mars, Europa, Ganymede, and Titan, and in orbits around Venus, Neptune, and Pluto by the year 2057. According to Freeman Dyson, the Kuiper belt could become the future home of humanity within a few generations.
E. Huge space stations with human habitation are now a possibility rather than simply a pipe dream. The planet is currently orbited by a permanent multinational space station. Recently, the first commercial tourist visited space, and additional trips are scheduled for the near future. Although this is just the beginning, space hotels are soon to be built. Where humanity may end up is unknown. Though I am sure I am not the only one who fantasizes about spending summer vacations on a floating hotel in the Andromeda nebula or on a distant planet watching the moons rise, the concepts of off-world settlement are not outlandish.
Questions 1 – 5
Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in the Reading Passage?
In boxes 1-5 on your answer sheet write:
YES if the statement reflects the claims of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
- The concept of the habitation of outer space by mankind is unimaginable.
- The destruction of land for food and firewood is linked to desertification.
- Arthur C. Clarke was the only person to predict that mankind will inhabit other parts of the solar system.
- Shortage of space has also led to underground building construction.
- The building of the airport in Japan costs much more than that of the housing complex in Dubai.
Questions 6 – 9
Reading passage 1 has five sections A – E. Choose the correct heading for sections B – E from the list of headings below.
List of Headings
i. How the problem of land scarcity has been overcome in the past
ii. Various predictions about future solutions to a lack of space
iii. The effects of population growth on land availability
iv. The importance of the new British Library
v. An expanding population
vi. A description of a mega-city
vii. A firm belief that human habitation of outer space will occur
viii. The importance of having an international space station
Example Answer
Section A: v
6. Section B
7. Section C
8. Section D
9. Section E
Click to practice more IELTS reading Matching Headings questions.
Questions 10 – 13
Complete the sentences below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
10. The movement of rural people to cities is a _______
11. The land is now very _______, as a result of the growing demand for space.
12. The feeding of the human race will perhaps be guaranteed by changes in _______
13. Besides the demands of accommodation, the land is needed for various _______
Overview of the Reading Passage
The “Space” reading passage presents an overview of the spatial challenges humanity faces due to uncontrolled population growth.
- Section A introduces Thomas Malthus’s 18th-century argument that population growth would exceed food production capacity, though reality has proven that humanity continues to advance.
- Section B describes the current consequences of population growth, such as urbanization, the emergence of “megacities,” and the increasing demand for land for housing and infrastructure.
- Section C offers creative solutions humans have adopted to cope with space scarcity, including building upwards, utilizing underground space (like the British Library), and land reclamation (like Japan’s Kansai Airport).
- Section D shifts to theories about the future, where humans will expand life into space, citing theorists like Marshall Savage and Arthur C. Clarke.
- Section E asserts that off-world settlement is no longer a pipe dream, with the existence of the International Space Station and commercial space tourism, opening up limitless possibilities for the future.
Useful Vocabulary & Structures in the Space Passage
Detailed Answers & Explanations
a. Question Type: YES/NO/NOT GIVEN
- Question 1:
The concept of the habitation of outer space by mankind is unimaginable.
Analysis: Section E states, “Huge space stations with human habitation are now a possibility rather than simply a pipe dream.” This contradicts the claim that it is “unimaginable.”
Answer: NO.
- Question 2:
The destruction of land for food and firewood is linked to desertification.
Analysis: Section B states, “Green pastures are turned into airports… In poorer locations, newly exposed land becomes desert, completing the cycle of destruction.” This matches the passage.
Answer: YES.
- Question 3:
Arthur C. Clarke was the only person to predict that mankind will inhabit other parts of the solar system.
Analysis: Section D mentions several people who made predictions about expanding the population into space, such as Marshall Savage and Freeman Dyson. Arthur C. Clarke was just one of them, not the only one.
Answer: NO.
- Question 4:
Shortage of space has also led to underground building construction.
Analysis: Section C states, “The British Library, which houses millions of books, was built entirely underground…” This is accurate.
Answer: YES.
- Question 5:
The building of the airport in Japan costs much more than that of the housing complex in Dubai.
Analysis: Section C describes the Kansai airport as being built “at great expense” and the Dubai complex as “very inventive and expensive.” The passage does not provide specific figures to compare the costs between the two projects.
Answer: NOT GIVEN.
b. Question Type: Matching Headings
- Question 6 (Section B):
Analysis: Section B focuses on population growth, the formation of megacities, and the increasing demand for land. The main idea is the effects of population growth on land availability.
Answer: iii. The effects of population growth on land availability.
- Question 7 (Section C):
Analysis: Section C lists solutions that have been applied in the past and present to address land scarcity, such as underground construction and land reclamation.
Answer: i. How the problem of land scarcity has been overcome in the past.
- Question 8 (Section D):
Analysis: Section D presents “theories” and “predictions” from various scientists regarding the future of humanity in space.
Answer: ii. Various predictions about future solutions to a lack of space.
- Question 9 (Section E):
Analysis: Section E moves from theory to reality, discussing space stations, space tourism, and asserting that off-world settlement is not a fantasy.
Answer: vii. A firm belief that human habitation of outer space will occur.
c. Question Type: Sentence Completion
- Question 10:
The movement of rural people to cities is a ________
Location: Section B states, “Urbanization is a more visible worldwide phenomenon…”
Answer: worldwide phenomenon.
- Question 11:
The land is now very _______, as a result of the growing demand for space.
Location: Based on the passage, land is becoming “valuable” (Section B: “…one resource that is becoming more valuable: land…”).
Answer: valuable.
- Question 12:
The feeding of the human race will perhaps be guaranteed by changes in _______
Location: Section B states, “advances in agricultural technology mean humanity may be able to feed the people…”
Answer: agricultural technology.
- Question 13:
Besides the demands of accommodation, the land is needed for various _______
Location: Section B states, “More land is needed for a variety of infrastructure facilities in addition to housing.”
Answer: infrastructure facilities.
The “Space” reading passage is not just an IELTS practice exercise but a reminder of human ingenuity and vision when facing major challenges. From utilizing space on Earth to expanding our horizons into the cosmos, this story demonstrates that creativity has no limits. By mastering the main ideas and applying test-taking skills, you will not only improve your score but also broaden your perspective on the future of humanity.
Khai giảng Khóa học Hè cực HOT.
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