Southwest Floods Bring a Rare Boost to Reservoirs, Including Lake Powell

Study the questions and tasks

Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.

Practice level

B2. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.

Question formats

Single choice

How to approach this practice

Read the passage for its main idea, then return to the relevant sentence or paragraph for each question. Base answers on the passage.

1. Question 1 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Which statement best summarizes the article?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Southwest storms improved water supplies, although major challenges remain.
   2. Lake Powell has returned to full capacity after a wet winter.
   3. Officials have ended all water restrictions across the Southwest.
   4. Flooding affected communities but did not change regional water supplies.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Southwest storms improved water supplies, although major challenges remain.

   It presents water gains alongside continuing flood damage and shortages.

   The rainfall does not end the region’s water challenges.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What can readers infer from the fact that 15 boat launches remained unusable?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. The reservoir’s recovery was still limited.
   2. The reservoir had reached its usual seasonal level.
   3. Most boat launches had closed before the storms began.
   4. Officials expected all launches to reopen immediately.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The reservoir’s recovery was still limited.

   The lake’s rise had not restored all practical access.

   Even so, the lake remained just over a quarter full, and 15 of its 17 boat launches were still unusable as of Friday.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   In the second paragraph, what does “the rainfall” refer to?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Heavy rain in late October and early November
   2. Snowmelt from the previous winter
   3. Water released from Lake Powell
   4. Rainfall expected in future months
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Heavy rain in late October and early November

   The phrase points back to the heavy rain described earlier.

   Martin Hoerling, a climate scientist and hydrologist at the University of Colorado, Boulder, said the rainfall provided an unexpected boost to regional supplies.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Why does the article mention Lake Powell’s boat launches?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. To illustrate the limits of the recent water gain
   2. To explain how floodwaters reached the lake
   3. To compare recreational facilities across states
   4. To show that boating caused the water shortage
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   To illustrate the limits of the recent water gain

   The detail shows that the reservoir remained far from fully recovered.

   Even so, the lake remained just over a quarter full, and 15 of its 17 boat launches were still unusable as of Friday.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   How is the fifth paragraph organized?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. It introduces a point and supports it with two examples.
   2. It lists causes of drought before presenting a solution.
   3. It compares expert opinions about reservoir management.
   4. It describes one event in chronological detail.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   It introduces a point and supports it with two examples.

   It gives two local examples of practical water benefits.

   Some local communities have already seen a practical benefit.

6. Question 6 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What relationship does the article describe between El Niño and regional water conditions?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. It has contributed to heavier rain and may continue affecting supplies.
   2. It has weakened snowfall and stopped all reservoir recovery.
   3. It has prevented flooding in communities across the West.
   4. It has caused officials to lift local water restrictions.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   It has contributed to heavier rain and may continue affecting supplies.

   El Niño is linked to heavier rain, which may add to supplies.

   El Niño has contributed to heavier rain and flooding, and experts expect its effects to continue for several months, potentially adding to water supplies across the West.

7. Question 7 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What limitation does the article place on the recent water gains?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. They cannot guarantee dependable long-term supplies.
   2. They will disappear as soon as the floods end.
   3. They affect only the region’s boat launches.
   4. They rely entirely on water from Colorado.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   They cannot guarantee dependable long-term supplies.

   Long-term supplies still depend on future precipitation.

   The recent gains may provide a useful buffer, while longer-term supplies will still depend on future rain and snowfall.

What to review next

Find the words that support each answer. For a mistake, compare the question with the evidence and identify the detail or inference you missed.

A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.

Before you practise: a worked example

Look for evidence in the text. Separate what the writer says from what you already know about the topic.

The library normally closes at six, but on Fridays it stays open until eight. When does it close on Friday?

The answer is eight. But introduces an exception to the normal closing time, so the first time mentioned is not the answer.

This teaching example is separate from the scored questions. After your test, compare any mistakes with the explanation and revisit the topic before trying again.