IELTS Reading: Tác động của biến đổi khí hậu đến thiên tai – Đề thi mẫu có đáp án chi tiết

Mở bài

Biến đổi khí hậu và thiên tai là một trong những chủ đề được khai thác thường xuyên nhất trong bài thi IELTS Reading, xuất hiện đều đặn trong các kỳ thi từ năm 2015 đến nay. Với tư cách là một giảng viên IELTS có hơn 20 năm kinh nghiệm, tôi nhận thấy nhiều học viên Việt Nam gặp khó khăn với chủ đề này do từ vựng chuyên ngành và độ phức tạp của các khái niệm khoa học.

Bài viết này cung cấp một đề thi IELTS Reading hoàn chỉnh gồm 3 passages với độ khó tăng dần, từ Easy (Band 5.0-6.5) đến Hard (Band 7.0-9.0). Bạn sẽ làm quen với đầy đủ 40 câu hỏi theo đúng format thi thật, bao gồm các dạng phổ biến như True/False/Not Given, Multiple Choice, Matching Headings, và Summary Completion.

Mỗi passage đều được thiết kế dựa trên cấu trúc của đề thi Cambridge IELTS thực tế, kèm theo đáp án chi tiết và giải thích cụ thể về vị trí thông tin, cách paraphrase, và chiến lược làm bài. Phần từ vựng được trình bày theo bảng với phiên âm, nghĩa tiếng Việt và collocations giúp bạn ghi nhớ hiệu quả. Đề thi này phù hợp cho học viên từ band 5.0 trở lên, đặc biệt là những ai đang hướng đến band điểm 6.5-7.5.

1. Hướng dẫn làm bài IELTS Reading

Tổng Quan Về IELTS Reading Test

IELTS Reading Test kéo dài 60 phút cho 3 passages với tổng cộng 40 câu hỏi. Điểm đặc biệt là không có thời gian chuyển đáp án riêng, vì vậy bạn cần quản lý thời gian thật chặt chẽ.

Phân bổ thời gian khuyến nghị:

• Passage 1 (Easy): 15-17 phút – Đây là passage dễ nhất, tận dụng để ghi điểm tối đa
• Passage 2 (Medium): 18-20 phút – Độ khó trung bình, cần đọc kỹ hơn
• Passage 3 (Hard): 23-25 phút – Passage khó nhất, dành thời gian nhiều nhất

Mỗi câu trả lời đúng được 1 điểm, không trừ điểm với câu sai. Điều này có nghĩa bạn nên trả lời tất cả các câu, kể cả khi không chắc chắn.

Các Dạng Câu Hỏi Trong Đề Này

Đề thi mẫu này bao gồm 7 dạng câu hỏi phổ biến nhất:

1. Multiple Choice – Chọn đáp án đúng từ các lựa chọn A, B, C, D
2. True/False/Not Given – Xác định thông tin đúng, sai hay không được đề cập
3. Matching Headings – Ghép tiêu đề với đoạn văn phù hợp
4. Summary Completion – Điền từ vào chỗ trống trong đoạn tóm tắt
5. Matching Features – Ghép đặc điểm với danh mục cho sẵn
6. Sentence Completion – Hoàn thành câu với số từ giới hạn
7. Short-answer Questions – Trả lời câu hỏi ngắn với từ trong bài

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2. IELTS Reading Practice Test

PASSAGE 1 – The Rising Frequency of Natural Disasters

Độ khó: Easy (Band 5.0-6.5)

Thời gian đề xuất: 15-17 phút

Over the past few decades, the world has witnessed a dramatic increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters. Scientists have been collecting data that shows a clear connection between climate change and these catastrophic events. From devastating floods in Asia to prolonged droughts in Africa, the evidence is mounting that our planet’s changing climate is making natural disasters more common and more severe.

Hurricanes and typhoons have become increasingly powerful. The warming of ocean waters provides more energy for these massive storm systems, allowing them to intensify rapidly and maintain their strength for longer periods. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 are prime examples of how warmer sea temperatures can create unprecedented destruction. These storms brought not only powerful winds but also catastrophic flooding that displaced millions of people and caused billions of dollars in damage.

Flooding has emerged as one of the most frequent climate-related disasters worldwide. As global temperatures rise, the atmosphere can hold more moisture, leading to heavier rainfall during storm events. Cities that were designed to handle historical rainfall patterns are now experiencing unprecedented flooding. In 2021, Germany experienced devastating floods that killed over 200 people, while China’s Henan province saw record-breaking rainfall that submerged entire neighbourhoods. These events demonstrate how inadequate infrastructure cannot cope with the new reality of extreme precipitation.

The relationship between climate change and wildfires is equally concerning. Higher temperatures create drier conditions that turn forests and grasslands into tinderboxes. Australia’s 2019-2020 bushfire season, often called the “Black Summer,” burned an estimated 18 million hectares and killed over a billion animals. Similarly, California has experienced its worst wildfire seasons on record in recent years. The wildfire season itself has extended significantly, with fires now occurring earlier in the year and lasting longer into autumn.

Droughts are becoming more severe and lasting longer in many regions. The Mediterranean region, parts of the southwestern United States, and sub-Saharan Africa are experiencing water scarcity that threatens agriculture and human survival. When droughts are eventually broken by rain, the hardened soil cannot absorb water effectively, leading to dangerous flash floods. This creates a vicious cycle where communities face both too little water and too much water at different times of the year.

Scientists use sophisticated computer models to predict future disaster patterns. These models consistently show that without significant action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, natural disasters will continue to become more frequent and severe. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned that we can expect more heat waves, more intense precipitation events, and more destructive storms in the coming decades. The economic cost of these disasters is staggering, with insurance companies reporting record payouts for disaster-related claims.

The human cost of these disasters extends beyond immediate casualties. Displacement is becoming a major issue, with millions of people forced to leave their homes each year due to climate-related disasters. The World Bank estimates that by 2050, over 140 million people could be displaced within their own countries due to climate impacts. This climate migration creates pressure on urban areas and can lead to social tensions and economic challenges.

Early warning systems have improved significantly, helping to reduce deaths from natural disasters. Countries invest in meteorological technology to track storms and predict flooding, allowing authorities to evacuate people before disasters strike. However, these systems are expensive and not equally available worldwide. Many developing nations lack the infrastructure and resources to implement effective warning systems, making their populations more vulnerable to disaster impacts.

Adaptation strategies are crucial for reducing disaster risk. These include building flood defences, creating firebreaks in forests, developing drought-resistant crops, and designing cities that can absorb heavy rainfall through green infrastructure. The Netherlands has long been a leader in flood management, with its complex system of dikes and storm surge barriers. Other countries are learning from such examples and implementing their own protective measures.

Despite these efforts, scientists emphasize that adaptation alone is not sufficient. Mitigation – reducing greenhouse gas emissions to slow climate change – must remain the primary goal. The longer the world delays taking decisive action on climate change, the more severe and frequent natural disasters will become. Every fraction of a degree of warming translates into increased disaster risk, making urgent action essential for protecting both current and future generations from catastrophic events.

Questions 1-13

Questions 1-5: True/False/Not Given

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage? Write:

TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

1. Scientists have found evidence linking climate change to increased natural disasters.
2. Hurricane Katrina caused more damage than Typhoon Haiyan.
3. Germany’s 2021 floods resulted in over 200 deaths.
4. Australia’s Black Summer fires destroyed exactly 18 million hectares.
5. Early warning systems are equally available in all countries.

Questions 6-9: Multiple Choice

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.

6. According to the passage, warmer ocean waters affect hurricanes by:

   • A) Making them move faster
   • B) Providing more energy for intensification
   • C) Changing their direction
   • D) Reducing their lifespan

7. The passage suggests that current urban infrastructure is:

   • A) Designed for future climate conditions
   • B) Adequate for handling extreme weather
   • C) Based on historical rainfall patterns
   • D) Better in developing countries

8. The “vicious cycle” mentioned in paragraph 5 refers to:

   • A) Continuous drought conditions
   • B) Alternating periods of drought and flooding
   • C) Increasing temperatures
   • D) Soil erosion

9. According to the World Bank estimate, by 2050:

   • A) 140 million people will move to other countries
   • B) Over 140 million people could be displaced within their own countries
   • C) Exactly 140 million people will be affected by floods
   • D) 140 million people will lose their homes permanently

Questions 10-13: Sentence Completion

Complete the sentences below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

10. The atmosphere’s ability to hold more __ leads to heavier rainfall during storms.
11. Higher temperatures create conditions that turn vegetation into __.
12. The economic impact of disasters is shown by insurance companies’ record __.
13. Scientists emphasize that __ of greenhouse gases is the primary goal, not just adaptation.

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PASSAGE 2 – Climate Change and the Amplification of Extreme Weather Events

Độ khó: Medium (Band 6.0-7.5)

Thời gian đề xuất: 18-20 phút

The intricate relationship between climate change and natural disasters represents one of the most pressing challenges facing humanity in the 21st century. While natural disasters have always been part of Earth’s geological and meteorological processes, recent decades have witnessed a marked escalation in both their frequency and magnitude. Understanding the underlying mechanisms through which anthropogenic climate change amplifies these events is crucial for developing effective mitigation and adaptation strategies.

A. The Thermodynamic Enhancement of Precipitation Events

The fundamental physics of atmospheric moisture provides clear evidence of how warming temperatures intensify precipitation-related disasters. For every degree Celsius increase in temperature, the atmosphere’s water-holding capacity increases by approximately seven percent, following the Clausius-Clapeyron relation. This thermodynamic principle means that when precipitation occurs, there is simply more water available to fall as rain. However, the implications extend beyond mere quantity. Convective systems – the powerful storm cells responsible for the most intense rainfall – become supercharged in warmer conditions, leading to what meteorologists term “rainfall extremes” that can overwhelm even well-designed drainage systems.

Research published in leading climate journals demonstrates that extreme precipitation events – typically defined as the heaviest one percent of rainfall days – have increased in frequency across most global regions since the 1950s. The observational evidence is particularly strong in North America, Europe, and parts of Asia, where long-term weather records provide robust data. These intensified rainfall events directly contribute to riverine flooding, urban inundation, and landslides, particularly in regions where land-use changes have reduced natural water absorption capacity.

B. Ocean-Atmosphere Interactions and Tropical Cyclones

Tropical cyclones – known as hurricanes in the Atlantic and typhoons in the Pacific – derive their energy from warm ocean waters through a process called evaporative heat transfer. As climate change raises sea surface temperatures, these oceanic heat reservoirs provide more fuel for storm development. However, the relationship is complex and not merely linear. Recent research indicates that while the total number of tropical cyclones may not increase dramatically, the proportion of storms reaching the highest intensity categories (4 and 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale) is likely to rise significantly.

Storm surge – the abnormal rise in sea level during cyclones – poses an increasingly severe threat as sea levels rise globally. The combination of higher baseline sea levels and more intense storms creates a multiplicative effect on coastal flooding risk. Cities such as Miami, Mumbai, and Manila face existential threats from this dual challenge. Furthermore, the phenomenon of rapid intensification – where storms strengthen dramatically over short periods – has become more common, reducing the time available for emergency preparations and evacuations. Hurricane Michael in 2018 exemplified this trend, strengthening from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane in just 72 hours.

C. The Wildfire-Climate Nexus

The connection between climate change and wildfire activity operates through multiple interrelated pathways. Rising temperatures increase evapotranspiration – the process by which water is transferred from land and vegetation to the atmosphere – leading to drier soils and vegetation. This creates conditions conducive to both fire ignition and spread. Simultaneously, many regions are experiencing altered precipitation patterns, with longer dry seasons providing extended fire-conducive conditions.

The concept of “fire weather” – the meteorological conditions that promote wildfire spread – has become increasingly prevalent. This includes not only low humidity and high temperatures but also strong winds that can propel fires across vast distances. The 2019-2020 Australian bushfire season demonstrated how extreme fire weather can overwhelm traditional suppression capabilities. Similarly, the Arctic tundra – traditionally too wet to support significant fires – has experienced unprecedented burning in recent years, releasing vast quantities of carbon stores that were previously locked in permafrost.

D. Compound and Cascading Disasters

An emerging area of concern is the occurrence of “compound events” – situations where multiple hazards occur simultaneously or in sequence, creating synergistic impacts that exceed the sum of individual events. For instance, drought can create conditions for severe wildfires, which in turn denude landscapes, making them vulnerable to catastrophic erosion and flooding when rain eventually arrives. The 2017-2018 California experience illustrates this perfectly: severe drought and record-breaking wildfires were followed by mudslides that killed dozens when heavy rains fell on burned slopes.

Cascading disasters represent another dimension of risk amplification. A single initiating event can trigger a chain reaction of failures across multiple systems. The 2011 Thailand floods demonstrated this phenomenon, where monsoon flooding disrupted global supply chains by inundating industrial estates, causing billions in economic losses far beyond the directly affected region. As infrastructure systems become more interconnected, the potential for such cascading failures increases, particularly when climate extremes stress multiple systems simultaneously.

E. Attribution Science and Future Projections

The field of climate attribution science has advanced considerably, enabling researchers to quantify the extent to which climate change has altered the probability or intensity of specific disasters. Using sophisticated ensemble modelling techniques, scientists can now state with confidence that certain events would have been virtually impossible without anthropogenic warming. For example, the 2021 Pacific Northwest heat wave, which killed hundreds and triggered devastating wildfires, was made at least 150 times more likely by climate change according to rapid attribution studies.

Probabilistic projections for future disaster risk paint a sobering picture. Under high-emission scenarios (Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5), models suggest that events currently considered “once-in-a-century” disasters could occur every 10-20 years by 2100. Even under more optimistic scenarios with significant emissions reductions, substantial increases in disaster frequency are locked in due to warming already committed from past emissions. This creates an urgent imperative for both aggressive mitigation to limit long-term warming and comprehensive adaptation to manage unavoidable impacts.

The challenge of communicating these complex, probabilistic risks to policymakers and the public remains significant. Disasters are often perceived as random events rather than risks that are systematically increasing. Bridging this perception gap is essential for mobilizing the political will and resources necessary for meaningful action on climate change and disaster risk reduction. As the scientific evidence becomes increasingly unequivocal, the window for preventing the most catastrophic outcomes continues to narrow, demanding immediate and sustained global cooperation.

Questions 14-26

Questions 14-19: Yes/No/Not Given

Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in the passage? Write:

YES if the statement agrees with the views of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the views of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

14. The total number of tropical cyclones will increase significantly due to climate change.
15. The combination of sea level rise and storm intensity creates greater coastal flooding risk.
16. Traditional fire suppression methods have become less effective against extreme wildfires.
17. Compound events create impacts greater than individual disasters combined.
18. The 2021 Pacific Northwest heat wave would have been impossible without climate change.
19. Current emission reduction efforts are sufficient to prevent disaster increase.

Questions 20-23: Matching Headings

The passage has five sections, A-E. Choose the correct heading for each section from the list of headings below.

List of Headings:
i. The challenge of communicating disaster risks
ii. How warming increases rainfall intensity
iii. The role of ocean warming in storm development
iv. Multiple hazards occurring together
v. Links between climate and fire conditions
vi. Economic impacts of natural disasters
vii. Quantifying climate’s role in specific events
viii. Historical patterns of extreme weather

20. Section A ___
21. Section B ___
22. Section D ___
23. Section E ___

Questions 24-26: Summary Completion

Complete the summary below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.

Climate change intensifies precipitation through the Clausius-Clapeyron relation, which explains how the atmosphere’s (24) __ increases with temperature. This leads to more intense convective systems and rainfall extremes. Meanwhile, tropical cyclones become more dangerous through (25) __, where storms strengthen dramatically in short periods. The challenge extends to compound events and (26) __, where one disaster triggers failures across multiple interconnected systems.

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PASSAGE 3 – Geophysical Responses to Climate Forcing: Reconceptualising Natural Disaster Paradigms

Độ khó: Hard (Band 7.0-9.0)

Thời gian đề xuất: 23-25 phút

The conventional demarcation between climate-related and geophysical disasters – the former encompassing meteorological and hydrological phenomena, the latter comprising seismic and volcanic events – is increasingly recognised as overly reductionist in the context of anthropogenic climate change. Emerging evidence suggests that the cryospheric, hydrological, and lithospheric systems exhibit considerably more teleconnected sensitivity to climatic perturbations than previously understood. This paradigmatic shift necessitates a holistic reappraisal of disaster risk assessment methodologies and challenges the fundamental categorisation of “natural” hazards in an era of pervasive human influence on Earth systems.

Isostatic Adjustment and Seismicity

The phenomenon of glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) represents perhaps the most direct mechanism through which climate change influences geophysical hazards. As massive ice sheets – particularly in Greenland and Antarctica – undergo accelerated ablation in response to warming, the removal of this lithostatic loading triggers crustal rebound at rates unprecedented in human history. GPS measurements in areas such as Iceland and Alaska document uplift rates exceeding 30 millimetres annually, substantially higher than background tectonic rates. This rapid deformation modulates stress regimes within the crust, potentially influencing the timing and magnitude of seismic events.

Research employing finite element modelling of stress transfer suggests that ice mass loss can advance the timing of earthquakes that were already approaching failure thresholds. While this does not create seismicity ex nihilo, it represents a form of temporal clustering where events that might have been separated by decades could be compressed into shorter intervals. The implications are particularly salient in regions like southern Alaska, where the combination of significant ice loss and proximity to major subduction zones creates conditions for potential seismogenic triggering. Historical evidence from Scandinavia, where post-glacial faulting occurred thousands of years after the last ice age, provides analogues for understanding contemporary processes, albeit at accelerated rates.

The mechanism extends beyond direct crustal loading to include hydrological influences on fault stability. Seasonal water storage variations in major river systems and reservoirs are known to induce measurable seismicity – a phenomenon termed “reservoir-induced seismicity.” As climate change alters hydrological cycles, producing more extreme fluctuations between flood and drought conditions, the pore pressure regimes within fault zones experience greater variability. This hydraulic forcing can reduce effective stress on faults, bringing them closer to failure. The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China, while primarily tectonic in origin, generated scientific discourse about potential contributions from the nearby Zipingpu Reservoir, illustrating how anthropogenic water impoundment intersects with natural seismic hazards.

Volcanic Systems and Climate Interactions

The relationship between climate and volcanism operates bidirectionally, with volcanic eruptions influencing climate through stratospheric aerosol injection and, conversely, climatic conditions potentially modulating volcanic activity. The latter direction has received increasing attention as ice caps overlying volcanic systems undergo rapid retreat. Iceland presents a particularly relevant case study, where ice-covered volcanoes such as Katla and Öræfajökull demonstrate increased eruptive frequency during periods of glacial retreat in the paleoclimatic record.

The deglaciation-volcanism hypothesis posits several mechanisms for this correlation. First, ice unloading reduces confining pressure on magma chambers, facilitating volatile exsolution and potentially triggering eruptions from magma bodies that were previously stable. Numerical models suggest that the removal of a one-kilometre-thick ice sheet could reduce pressure by approximately 10 megapascals – sufficient to affect magma buoyancy and ascent dynamics. Second, meltwater infiltration into volcanic edifices may interact with hydrothermal systems, generating phreatomagmatic explosions or altering the eruptive style towards more explosive scenarios through increased water-magma interaction.

Statistical analyses of global volcanic databases indicate temporal correlations between deglaciation periods and elevated volcanism, though establishing causality remains challenging given the complexity of volcanic systems. Contemporary observations are limited by the relatively short timeframe of significant modern ice loss, but monitoring efforts in Iceland and the Pacific Northwest (where Mount Rainier and other Cascade volcanoes are ice-covered) represent natural laboratories for testing these hypotheses. The societal implications are profound, as these volcanoes often sit near major population centres, and eruptions could be substantially more hazardous if occurring through ice, generating catastrophic jökulhlaups (glacial outburst floods) and far-reaching lahars.

Submarine Landslides and Methane Hydrate Destabilisation

Ocean warming extends hazard implications beyond surface phenomena to the submarine realm, where vast continental margins are susceptible to submarine landslides – also termed submarine mass movements. These events can displace enormous water volumes, generating tsunamis that strike coastlines with minimal warning. The Storegga Slide, which occurred off Norway approximately 8,200 years ago, displaced an estimated 3,500 cubic kilometres of sediment and generated a tsunami that reached Scotland, demonstrating the catastrophic potential of such events.

Climate change influences submarine slope stability through multiple pathways. Warming bottom waters can destabilise gas hydrates – ice-like structures containing methane that exist in metastable equilibrium under specific pressure-temperature conditions. As ocean temperatures increase, the stability field for hydrates contracts, potentially releasing gas and reducing sediment cohesion along continental slopes. While the timescales for significant hydrate destabilisation likely span centuries to millennia, even incremental changes could trigger slope failures in margins already approaching critical equilibrium.

Additionally, altered terrestrial sediment fluxes resulting from changed precipitation patterns and intensified erosion modify depositional rates on submarine slopes. Rapid sediment accumulation can create oversteepened slopes prone to failure, while the episodic nature of modern sediment delivery – with extreme flood events separated by drought periods – may create weak stratigraphic horizons that facilitate sliding. The turbiditic sequences observed in marine sediment cores provide paleoclimatic records of past landslide events, revealing correlations with periods of rapid climate change, though translating this understanding to predictive frameworks for contemporary risk remains an active research frontier.

The potential release of methane from destabilising hydrates represents not only a geohazard but also a climate feedback mechanism of considerable concern. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, and while most released from seafloor sources would likely oxidise before reaching the atmosphere, even a fraction escaping could amplify warming in a positive feedback loop. This exemplifies how climate-disaster relationships involve complex, non-linear dynamics rather than simple cause-effect chains, with disasters potentially exacerbating the very climate changes that contributed to their occurrence.

Epistemological Challenges and Risk Governance

The recognition that climate change influences ostensibly “natural” geophysical processes poses significant challenges for disaster risk reduction frameworks, which typically employ historical frequency-magnitude relationships to assess future risk. These stationary assumptions – the premise that future probabilities mirror past patterns – become increasingly untenable in a rapidly changing climate system. The concept of non-stationarity now permeates climate science, yet its integration into geohazard assessment remains incomplete, partly due to the long recurrence intervals of major geophysical events that limit observational validation.

Probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA), the standard methodology for earthquake risk assessment, relies on catalogues spanning decades to centuries to estimate future shaking probabilities. Incorporating climate-influenced seismicity modulation into these frameworks requires grappling with epistemic uncertainties regarding mechanisms and magnitudes of effect that vastly exceed traditional aleatory uncertainties about event occurrence. Similar challenges confront volcanic hazard assessment, where unrest parameters used for eruption forecasting were calibrated under historical climate conditions that may no longer be representative.

The governance implications extend to questions of responsibility and adaptation investment prioritisation. If human-induced climate change is modulating geophysical hazards, does this alter the liability frameworks traditionally applied to “acts of God”? How should insurance mechanisms and disaster risk financing adapt to reflect these interconnections? The precautionary principle suggests that even uncertain but plausible mechanism pathways warrant consideration in planning decisions for critical infrastructure with long design lifetimes, such as nuclear facilities, dams, and coastal developments.

Moreover, the temporal asynchrony between climate forcing and geophysical response complicates risk communication. The effects of contemporary emissions may not manifest fully in geohazard patterns for decades or centuries, creating intergenerational equity dimensions where current decisions impose risks on future populations. This temporal decoupling challenges democratic accountability mechanisms and requires institutional frameworks capable of long-term stewardship beyond typical political and economic planning horizons. As scientific understanding of climate-geohazard linkages continues evolving, the imperative for adaptive governance structures that can incorporate emerging evidence into risk management becomes increasingly apparent, demanding unprecedented coordination between climate science, geophysics, and policy communities.

Questions 27-40

Questions 27-31: Multiple Choice

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.

27. According to the passage, glacial isostatic adjustment influences seismicity by:

• A) Creating entirely new earthquake zones
• B) Altering the timing of earthquakes already approaching failure
• C) Reducing earthquake magnitudes
• D) Eliminating seismic activity in polar regions

28. The relationship between ice removal and volcanic activity is explained by:

• A) Increased magma production
• B) Reduced confining pressure on magma chambers
• C) Higher atmospheric temperatures
• D) Greater tectonic plate movement

29. The Storegga Slide example is used to demonstrate:

• A) The frequency of submarine landslides
• B) The catastrophic potential of submarine mass movements
• C) The role of hydrates in climate change
• D) Ancient tsunami warning systems

30. Gas hydrates become unstable when:

• A) Ocean pressure increases
• B) Sediment accumulation accelerates
• C) Bottom water temperatures rise
• D) Continental margins expand

31. The concept of “non-stationarity” in the context of disaster risk means:

• A) Disasters occur randomly
• B) Historical patterns no longer predict future probabilities
• C) Risk assessment is impossible
• D) All disasters are human-caused

Questions 32-36: Matching Features

Match each research finding (32-36) with the correct region or location (A-H) mentioned in the passage.

Research Findings:
32. Uplift rates exceeding 30 millimetres annually
33. Ice-covered volcanoes showing increased eruptive frequency during glacial retreat
34. A submarine landslide that generated tsunamis reaching Scotland
35. Scientific discourse about reservoir contributions to earthquakes
36. Natural laboratories for testing deglaciation-volcanism hypotheses

Regions/Locations:
A. Scandinavia
B. Iceland
C. Southern Alaska
D. Greenland
E. China
F. Norway
G. Pacific Northwest
H. Antarctica

Questions 37-40: Short-answer Questions

Answer the questions below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.

37. What type of modelling is used to study stress transfer from ice mass loss?

38. What term describes earthquakes induced by water storage in dams and reservoirs?

39. What geological features transport volcanic debris and can be caused by eruptions through ice?

40. What governance principle suggests uncertain but plausible risks should be considered in planning?

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3. Answer Keys – Đáp Án

PASSAGE 1: Questions 1-13

1. TRUE
2. NOT GIVEN
3. TRUE
4. FALSE
5. FALSE
6. B
7. C
8. B
9. B
10. moisture
11. tinderboxes
12. payouts
13. mitigation

PASSAGE 2: Questions 14-26

14. NO
15. YES
16. YES
17. YES
18. NO
19. NO
20. ii
21. iii
22. iv
23. vii
24. water-holding capacity
25. rapid intensification
26. cascading disasters

PASSAGE 3: Questions 27-40

27. B
28. B
29. B
30. C
31. B
32. C (Southern Alaska)
33. B (Iceland)
34. F (Norway)
35. E (China)
36. B and G (Iceland and Pacific Northwest)
37. finite element modelling
38. reservoir-induced seismicity
39. lahars
40. precautionary principle

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4. Giải Thích Đáp Án Chi Tiết

Passage 1 – Giải Thích

Câu 1: TRUE

• Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
• Từ khóa: scientists, evidence, climate change, natural disasters
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 1, dòng 2-3
• Giải thích: Câu “Scientists have been collecting data that shows a clear connection between climate change and these catastrophic events” khớp chính xác với thông tin câu hỏi. “Clear connection” = “evidence linking”.

Câu 2: NOT GIVEN

• Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
• Từ khóa: Hurricane Katrina, more damage, Typhoon Haiyan
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2
• Giải thích: Cả hai cơn bão đều được nhắc đến là ví dụ về sự phá hủy, nhưng không có so sánh trực tiếp về mức độ thiệt hại giữa chúng.

Câu 3: TRUE

• Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
• Từ khóa: Germany, 2021 floods, 200 deaths
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3, dòng 5-6
• Giải thích: “Germany experienced devastating floods that killed over 200 people” khớp với câu hỏi.

Câu 6: B

• Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
• Từ khóa: warmer ocean waters, hurricanes
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 2-3
• Giải thích: “The warming of ocean waters provides more energy for these massive storm systems” trực tiếp chỉ ra đáp án B. Các đáp án khác không được đề cập.

Câu 10: moisture

• Dạng câu hỏi: Sentence Completion
• Từ khóa: atmosphere, hold, rainfall
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3, dòng 2
• Giải thích: “As global temperatures rise, the atmosphere can hold more moisture, leading to heavier rainfall” cung cấp từ cần điền.

Passage 2 – Giải Thích

Câu 14: NO

• Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
• Từ khóa: total number, tropical cyclones, increase significantly
• Vị trí trong bài: Section B, đoạn 1, dòng 4-5
• Giải thích: Bài viết nói “the total number of tropical cyclones may not increase dramatically” – trái ngược với câu hỏi nói “will increase significantly”.

Câu 15: YES

• Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
• Từ khóa: sea level rise, storm intensity, coastal flooding risk
• Vị trí trong bài: Section B, đoạn 2, dòng 1-2
• Giải thích: “The combination of higher baseline sea levels and more intense storms creates a multiplicative effect on coastal flooding risk” khớp hoàn toàn với ý kiến tác giả.

Câu 20: ii (Section A)

• Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Headings
• Từ khóa: thermodynamic, precipitation, warming, rainfall intensity
• Vị trí trong bài: Section A
• Giải thích: Toàn bộ Section A tập trung vào “Thermodynamic Enhancement of Precipitation Events” và giải thích cách nhiệt độ tăng làm tăng cường độ mưa qua nguyên lý Clausius-Clapeyron.

Câu 24: water-holding capacity

• Dạng câu hỏi: Summary Completion
• Từ khóa: Clausius-Clapeyron, atmosphere, temperature
• Vị trí trong bài: Section A, đoạn 1, dòng 2-3
• Giải thích: “The atmosphere’s water-holding capacity increases” là cụm từ chính xác từ bài.

Passage 3 – Giải Thích

Câu 27: B

• Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
• Từ khóa: glacial isostatic adjustment, seismicity
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 5-7
• Giải thích: “Research…suggests that ice mass loss can advance the timing of earthquakes that were already approaching failure thresholds.” Đây không phải tạo động đất mới (A), mà là thay đổi thời điểm xảy ra.

Câu 28: B

• Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
• Từ khóa: ice removal, volcanic activity
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 5, dòng 2-4
• Giải thích: “Ice unloading reduces confining pressure on magma chambers, facilitating volatile exsolution and potentially triggering eruptions” trực tiếp hỗ trợ đáp án B.

Câu 32: C (Southern Alaska)

• Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Features
• Từ khóa: uplift rates, 30 millimetres annually
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 4
• Giải thích: “GPS measurements in areas such as Iceland and Alaska document uplift rates exceeding 30 millimetres annually” – cả Iceland và Alaska đều được nhắc đến.

Câu 37: finite element modelling

• Dạng câu hỏi: Short-answer Questions
• Từ khóa: modelling, stress transfer, ice mass loss
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 5
• Giải thích: “Research employing finite element modelling of stress transfer suggests…” cung cấp đáp án chính xác.

Câu 40: precautionary principle

• Dạng câu hỏi: Short-answer Questions
• Từ khóa: governance principle, uncertain risks, planning
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn cuối section Risk Governance, dòng 3
• Giải thích: “The precautionary principle suggests that even uncertain but plausible mechanism pathways warrant consideration in planning decisions” là câu trả lời trực tiếp.

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5. Từ Vựng Quan Trọng Theo Passage

Passage 1 – Essential Vocabulary

Từ vựng	Loại từ	Phiên âm	Nghĩa tiếng Việt	Ví dụ từ bài	Collocation
dramatic increase	n. phrase	/drəˈmætɪk ˈɪnkriːs/	sự gia tăng mạnh mẽ	a dramatic increase in the frequency	dramatic rise/growth/surge
devastating	adj	/ˈdevəsteɪtɪŋ/	tàn phá, huỷ diệt	devastating floods in Asia	devastating impact/effect/consequences
intensify rapidly	v. phrase	/ɪnˈtensɪfaɪ ˈræpɪdli/	tăng cường nhanh chóng	allowing them to intensify rapidly	rapidly intensifying storm
catastrophic flooding	n. phrase	/ˌkætəˈstrɒfɪk ˈflʌdɪŋ/	lũ lụt thảm khốc	brought catastrophic flooding	catastrophic damage/failure
unprecedented	adj	/ʌnˈpresɪdentɪd/	chưa từng có	unprecedented flooding	unprecedented scale/level
inadequate infrastructure	n. phrase	/ɪnˈædɪkwət ˈɪnfrəstrʌktʃə/	cơ sở hạ tầng không đầy đủ	inadequate infrastructure cannot cope	inadequate resources/facilities
tinderboxes	n	/ˈtɪndəbɒksɪz/	điều dễ cháy (nghĩa bóng)	turn forests into tinderboxes	potential tinderbox
water scarcity	n. phrase	/ˈwɔːtə ˈskeəsəti/	khan hiếm nước	experiencing water scarcity	acute/severe water scarcity
vicious cycle	n. phrase	/ˈvɪʃəs ˈsaɪkl/	vòng luẩn quẩn	creates a vicious cycle	break the vicious cycle
greenhouse gas emissions	n. phrase	/ˈɡriːnhaʊs ɡæs ɪˈmɪʃnz/	khí thải nhà kính	reduce greenhouse gas emissions	cut/reduce emissions
displacement	n	/dɪsˈpleɪsmənt/	sự di dời, di cư	displacement is becoming a major issue	forced displacement
staggering	adj	/ˈstæɡərɪŋ/	đáng kinh ngạc, khổng lồ	the economic cost is staggering	staggering amount/number

Passage 2 – Essential Vocabulary

Từ vựng	Loại từ	Phiên âm	Nghĩa tiếng Việt	Ví dụ từ bài	Collocation
intricate relationship	n. phrase	/ˈɪntrɪkət rɪˈleɪʃnʃɪp/	mối quan hệ phức tạp	the intricate relationship between	intricate pattern/network
marked escalation	n. phrase	/mɑːkt ˌeskəˈleɪʃn/	sự leo thang rõ rệt	witnessed a marked escalation	marked increase/rise
underlying mechanisms	n. phrase	/ˌʌndəˈlaɪɪŋ ˈmekənɪzmz/	cơ chế cơ bản	understanding the underlying mechanisms	underlying causes/factors
water-holding capacity	n. phrase	/ˈwɔːtə ˈhəʊldɪŋ kəˈpæsəti/	khả năng giữ nước	atmosphere’s water-holding capacity	storage capacity
convective systems	n. phrase	/kənˈvektɪv ˈsɪstəmz/	hệ thống đối lưu	powerful storm cells/convective systems	convective activity
observational evidence	n. phrase	/ˌɒbzəˈveɪʃənl ˈevɪdəns/	bằng chứng quan sát	the observational evidence is strong	empirical/observational data
evaporative heat transfer	n. phrase	/ɪˈvæpərətɪv hiːt ˈtrænsfɜː/	truyền nhiệt bay hơi	process called evaporative heat transfer	heat transfer mechanism
multiplicative effect	n. phrase	/ˌmʌltɪplɪˈkeɪtɪv ɪˈfekt/	hiệu ứng nhân lên	creates a multiplicative effect	cumulative/multiplicative impact
rapid intensification	n. phrase	/ˈræpɪd ɪnˌtensɪfɪˈkeɪʃn/	tăng cường nhanh	phenomenon of rapid intensification	rapid development/growth
interrelated pathways	n. phrase	/ˌɪntərɪˈleɪtɪd ˈpɑːθweɪz/	con đường liên quan lẫn nhau	through multiple interrelated pathways	interconnected pathways
evapotranspiration	n	/ɪˌvæpəʊtrænspɪˈreɪʃn/	sự bay hơi và thoát hơi nước	increase evapotranspiration	evapotranspiration rate
compound events	n. phrase	/ˈkɒmpaʊnd ɪˈvents/	sự kiện kép	occurrence of compound events	compound disasters/hazards
synergistic impacts	n. phrase	/ˌsɪnəˈdʒɪstɪk ˈɪmpækts/	tác động cộng hưởng	creating synergistic impacts	synergistic effect
cascading disasters	n. phrase	/kæsˈkeɪdɪŋ dɪˈzɑːstəz/	thảm họa liên hoàn	cascading disasters represent	cascading failures/effects
attribution science	n. phrase	/ˌætrɪˈbjuːʃn ˈsaɪəns/	khoa học phân định nguyên nhân	field of climate attribution science	attribution studies

Passage 3 – Essential Vocabulary

Từ vựng	Loại từ	Phiên âm	Nghĩa tiếng Việt	Ví dụ từ bài	Collocation
overly reductionist	adj. phrase	/ˈəʊvəli rɪˈdʌkʃənɪst/	quá đơn giản hóa	recognised as overly reductionist	reductionist approach/view
teleconnected sensitivity	n. phrase	/ˌtelɪkəˈnektɪd ˌsensɪˈtɪvəti/	độ nhạy cảm liên kết từ xa	teleconnected sensitivity to climatic	teleconnected patterns
holistic reappraisal	n. phrase	/həˈlɪstɪk ˌriːəˈpreɪzl/	đánh giá lại toàn diện	necessitates a holistic reappraisal	holistic approach/perspective
glacial isostatic adjustment	n. phrase	/ˈɡleɪʃl ˌaɪsəˈstætɪk əˈdʒʌstmənt/	điều chỉnh đẳng tĩnh băng hà	phenomenon of glacial isostatic adjustment	isostatic rebound
ablation	n	/əˈbleɪʃn/	sự tiêu tan (băng)	undergo accelerated ablation	glacier ablation
lithostatic loading	n. phrase	/ˌlɪθəʊˈstætɪk ˈləʊdɪŋ/	tải trọng đá quyển	removal of this lithostatic loading	lithostatic pressure
crustal rebound	n. phrase	/ˈkrʌstl ˈriːbaʊnd/	sự phục hồi vỏ trái đất	triggers crustal rebound	post-glacial rebound
stress regimes	n. phrase	/stres ˈreʒiːmz/	chế độ ứng suất	modulates stress regimes	stress field/state
seismogenic triggering	n. phrase	/ˌsaɪzməˈdʒenɪk ˈtrɪɡərɪŋ/	kích hoạt địa chấn	conditions for seismogenic triggering	seismogenic zone
pore pressure regimes	n. phrase	/pɔː ˈpreʃə ˈreʒiːmz/	chế độ áp suất lỗ rỗng	pore pressure regimes experience variability	pore pressure distribution
stratospheric aerosol injection	n. phrase	/ˌstrætəˈsferɪk ˈeərəsɒl ɪnˈdʒekʃn/	phun khí dung tầng bình lưu	through stratospheric aerosol injection	aerosol loading
volatile exsolution	n. phrase	/ˈvɒlətaɪl ˌeksəˈluːʃn/	sự thoát khí dễ bay hơi	facilitating volatile exsolution	volatile release
phreatomagmatic explosions	n. phrase	/ˌfriːətəʊmæɡˈmætɪk ɪkˈspləʊʒnz/	vụ nổ nhiệt thuỷ magma	generating phreatomagmatic explosions	explosive eruption
jökulhlaups	n	/ˈjɜːkʊlhlaʊps/	lũ vỡ băng (tiếng Iceland)	generating catastrophic jökulhlaups	glacial outburst floods
continental margins	n. phrase	/ˌkɒntɪˈnentl ˈmɑːdʒɪnz/	rìa lục địa	vast continental margins are susceptible	passive/active margin
gas hydrates	n. phrase	/ɡæs ˈhaɪdreɪts/	hydrat khí	destabilise gas hydrates	methane hydrate
metastable equilibrium	n. phrase	/ˌmetəˈsteɪbl ˌiːkwɪˈlɪbriəm/	trạng thái cân bằng giả ổn	exist in metastable equilibrium	stable/unstable equilibrium
non-stationarity	n	/nɒn ˌsteɪʃəˈnærəti/	tính không dừng	concept of non-stationarity	non-stationary process
epistemic uncertainties	n. phrase	/ˌepɪˈstiːmɪk ʌnˈsɜːtntiz/	bất định nhận thức	grappling with epistemic uncertainties	epistemic knowledge
precautionary principle	n. phrase	/prɪˈkɔːʃənri ˈprɪnsəpl/	nguyên tắc phòng ngừa	the precautionary principle suggests	precautionary measures/approach
intergenerational equity	n. phrase	/ˌɪntədʒenəˈreɪʃənl ˈekwəti/	công bằng liên thế hệ	creates intergenerational equity dimensions	intergenerational justice

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Kết bài

Chủ đề “Effects Of Climate Change On Natural Disasters” không chỉ là một trong những chủ đề quan trọng nhất trong IELTS Reading mà còn phản ánh những thách thức thực tế mà nhân loại đang đối mặt. Qua bài thi mẫu này, bạn đã được tiếp cận với đầy đủ ba cấp độ khó: Passage 1 cung cấp nền tảng về các loại thiên tai phổ biến, Passage 2 đi sâu vào cơ chế khoa học của sự khuếch đại thiên tai, và Passage 3 khám phá các kết nối phức tạp giữa khí hậu và các quá trình địa chất.

Đề thi này bao gồm 40 câu hỏi với 7 dạng khác nhau, phản ánh đúng cấu trúc và độ khó của bài thi IELTS thực tế. Đáp án chi tiết kèm giải thích về vị trí thông tin và kỹ thuật paraphrase sẽ giúp bạn hiểu rõ cách tiếp cận từng dạng câu hỏi. Đặc biệt, phần từ vựng chuyên ngành về khí hậu và thiên tai với hơn 50 từ quan trọng sẽ là nguồn tài liệu quý giá cho việc mở rộng vốn từ học thuật của bạn.

Hãy luyện tập đề thi này trong điều kiện giống thi thật – 60 phút không gián đoạn – để đánh giá chính xác trình độ hiện tại. Sau đó, dành thời gian phân tích kỹ những câu trả lời sai để rút ra bài học và cải thiện chiến lược làm bài. Kết hợp với việc đọc các bài báo khoa học về what are the social implications of climate-induced displacement? và what are the challenges of managing climate change-induced migration?, bạn sẽ xây dựng được kiến thức nền vững chắc cho chủ đề này.

Để tìm hiểu thêm về các khía cạnh liên quan đến biến đổi khí hậu, bạn có thể tham khảo thêm về impact of climate change on global tourism hotspots, the impact of climate change on the global economy, và the impact of climate change on fisheries để mở rộng vốn từ vựng và kiến thức background. Chúc bạn ôn thi hiệu quả và đạt band điểm mục tiêu!