IELTS® Academic Reading Practice 35

The answer is FALSE. The passage makes it clear that Franklin's lost expedition was undertaken to search for the Northwest Passage, not to find Lady Jane Franklin. In the first paragraph, it states: "Sir John Franklin and his crew set sail from England in 1845 in search of the Northwest Passage..." Additionally, Lady Jane Franklin was worried after three years without communication from the expedition, and she persuaded the government to begin investigating. Therefore, the expedition was not a search party for Lady Jane Franklin, but rather an exploration mission led by Sir John Franklin.

Associated Text:
Sir John Franklin and his crew set sail from England in 1845 in search of the Northwest Passage, a sea route that was rumored to connect the continents of Europe and Asia. Franklin's wife, Lady Jane Franklin, had become worried after three years without any communication from the expedition. She then persuaded the government to begin investigating.

The answer is NOT GIVEN. The passage does reference John Rae's investigation and his report to the Admiralty regarding the fate of Franklin’s crew, including a mention that in a desperate attempt to survive, some may have even taken up cannibalism. However, there is no information provided that specifically states John Rae suspected a food shortage aboard the ship. Since there is no direct mention or suggestion of his suspicions regarding food shortage, the answer is NOT GIVEN.

Associated Text:
That same year, searcher John Rae reported to the Admiralty that according to Inuit information and some discovered items, it seemed that Franklin and the crew had perished. In a desperate last attempt to survive, some may have even taken up cannibalism.

The answer is TRUE. The passage explains that after Lady Franklin commissioned her own search in 1851, the leaders of the search parties, specifically McClure and Collinson, eventually returned to England. This is clearly stated in the second paragraph: "Collinson eventually found his way back to England, while McClure was found and returned back in 1854." Therefore, the statement agrees with the information given in the passage.

Associated Text:
Collinson eventually found his way back to England, while McClure was found and returned back in 1854.

The answer is TRUE. The passage discusses high lead exposure in Britain during the 19th century. In the fourth paragraph, it notes: "no evidence of lead poisoning was found, despite the relatively high exposure to lead that was unavoidable on ships of the era and within the British population." This clearly shows that it was common for people living in Britain during that time to be exposed to lead.

Associated Text:
no evidence of lead poisoning was found, despite the relatively high exposure to lead that was unavoidable on ships of the era and within the British population.

The answer is FALSE. The passage does not state that most of the crew were trained to hunt wild animals. Instead, it clarifies that an abnormally high number of deaths in Franklin's officers was probably due to hunting and other risky activities they undertook, suggesting hunting was mostly done by the officers and not the majority of the crew. This information can be found in the fourth paragraph: "the abnormally high number of deaths of Franklin's officers was probably a result of non-medical circumstances, such as accidents and injuries that happened when officers accepted the risky responsibility of hunting animals to provide food."

Associated Text:
the abnormally high number of deaths of Franklin's officers was probably a result of non-medical circumstances, such as accidents and injuries that happened when officers accepted the risky responsibility of hunting animals to provide food or walking over difficult terrain in a severe climate, continuing their attempts at finding the route of a Northwest Passage.

The answer is FALSE. According to the passage, the research from the University of Glasgow did not suggest that some of the leaders of the crew on the Franklin expedition died from lead poisoning. Instead, the research concluded that they probably died from accidents and injuries resulting from risky activities such as hunting or traversing difficult terrain. The passage in the fourth paragraph states: "So, unless Franklin’s ships had a particular lead source, there is no substantial proof that lead poisoning had a role... the abnormally high number of deaths of Franklin's officers was probably a result of non-medical circumstances, such as accidents and injuries..."

Associated Text:
So, unless Franklin’s ships had a particular lead source, there is no substantial proof that lead poisoning had a role in the failed expedition. Across nine search crews, illness patterns led researchers to conclude that Franklin's men would have suffered the same respiratory and gastrointestinal disorders, injuries, and exposure and that some fatalities might have resulted from respiratory, cardiovascular, and tubercular conditions. Moreover, the team suggested that the abnormally high number of deaths of Franklin's officers was probably a result of non-medical circumstances, such as accidents and injuries that happened when officers accepted the risky responsibility of hunting animals to provide food or walking over difficult terrain in a severe climate, continuing their attempts at finding the route of a Northwest Passage.

The answer is TRUE. The passage suggests that investigations and research into the recent discovery of the wreck of HMS Terror may help solve the mystery of Franklin's lost expedition. Specifically, the fifth paragraph says: "It seems possible that the 2016 discovery by the Arctic Research Foundation made recently in the wreck of HMS Terror, along with a discovery two years before in 2014 of HMS Erebus by Parks Canada could finally allow access to some first-hand evidence of medical issues and other factors at play in the failed expedition." This implies research into the wreck could provide important new information.

Associated Text:
It seems possible that the 2016 discovery by the Arctic Research Foundation made recently in the wreck of HMS Terror, along with a discovery two years before in 2014 of HMS Erebus by Parks Canada could finally allow access to some first-hand evidence of medical issues and other factors at play in the failed expedition.