IELTS Reading Practice: Farming in the City
IELTS · ReadingA passage on rooftop gardens and indoor farms, with True / False / Not Given questions.
1Read the text
Growing food inside cities is not a new idea, but it has attracted fresh attention as urban populations expand and people ask where their food comes from. Methods range from small gardens on rooftops to large indoor farms where plants grow in stacked trays under artificial light, often without soil.
Supporters point to several advantages. Food grown close to the people who eat it travels a shorter distance, which can reduce the energy spent on transport. Indoor systems can recycle water, so they may use far less of it than a traditional field. They can also operate all year, because the growing conditions inside the building do not depend on the weather.
The method has limits, however. Artificial lighting uses a great deal of electricity, and in many places this electricity comes from sources that produce carbon emissions. At present, indoor farms mostly grow leafy vegetables and herbs, which are light and sell for a good price. Staple crops such as wheat and rice need much more space and energy, and growing them in a building is not yet practical on a large scale.
The economics are also difficult. Several well-known indoor farming companies have closed after failing to cover their costs. Analysts say that the businesses most likely to succeed are those that grow high-value produce for nearby customers, rather than those that try to replace conventional farming.
2True, false or not given Tap an answer. You see why straight away.
1. Indoor farms can use less water than traditional fields.
2. The conditions inside an indoor farm depend on the weather outside.
3. Indoor farms at present mainly grow leafy vegetables and herbs.
4. Growing wheat in a building is already common on a large scale.
5. Rooftop gardens produce more food per square metre than indoor farms.
6. Most indoor farming companies are paid for by governments.
Done. Your first lesson is on its way.
Answer key — IELTS Reading Practice: Farming in the City
- TRUE — The passage says indoor systems can recycle water, "so they may use far less of it than a traditional field."
- FALSE — The passage says the growing conditions inside the building "do not depend on the weather."
- TRUE — The passage says indoor farms "mostly grow leafy vegetables and herbs."
- FALSE — The passage says growing wheat and rice in a building is "not yet practical on a large scale."
- NOT GIVEN — The passage mentions rooftop gardens but does not compare how much food they produce.
- NOT GIVEN — The passage does not say who pays for the companies.