Read this article in 4 levels: Basic A1 (英検3級), Intermediate B1(英検2級), Advanced C1(英検1級), original version. Multiple choice content questions for each level. Free English reading practice. The more you read in English, the more your English will improve. Why is Lake Titicaca so high up?
A1 Beginner 英検3級
B1 Intermediate 英検2級
C1 Advanced 英検1級
Original article
Basic A1 (英検3級) Version:
Article: Why is Lake Titicaca so high up? The lake is in a hollow in the mountains and gets water from melting glaciers.
Lake Titicaca is in the Andes mountains, on the border of Bolivia and Peru. It is 3,812 meters above sea level, making it the highest lake that big ships can sail on. The lake is very large, with a surface area of 8,327 square kilometers.
Lakes are not usually found on mountains because water flows downhill, but Lake Titicaca is surrounded by taller mountains. These mountains send rainwater and melting glacier water into the lake. Five rivers flow into the lake, but only one river flows out. This helps keep the water level high. Recently, the water level has been going down because of less rain and melting glaciers.
The lake was formed 60 million years ago in a bowl made by moving tectonic plates. The Andes mountains were pushed up, and then the land sank, making a basin where water could collect.
Lake Titicaca is too high for ships to sail to, so big ships are built nearby and put together on the lake.
The lake is also important because it has manmade islands made by the Uru people. The Uru use reeds from the lake to build their islands and houses. When the islands get old and sink, the Uru build new ones.
Questions:
- Where is Lake Titicaca located?
a) In Europe
b) In the Andes mountains, between Bolivia and Peru
c) In the ocean
d) On flat land - How high above sea level is Lake Titicaca?
a) 1,000 meters
b) 2,000 meters
c) 3,812 meters
d) 5,000 meters - Why does Lake Titicaca have water?
a) From the ocean
b) From rain and melting glaciers
c) From underground springs
d) From animals - How many rivers flow into Lake Titicaca?
a) One
b) Three
c) Five
d) Seven - What is a pull-apart basin?
a) A mountain
b) A type of lake
c) A bowl made when tectonic plates pull apart
d) A type of rock - How do big ships get to Lake Titicaca?
a) They are flown there
b) They are built on the lake
c) They sail up the river
d) They are towed by other ships - What is special about the islands on Lake Titicaca?
a) They are made of wood
b) They are natural islands
c) They are manmade from reeds by the Uru people
d) They are made of stone - How long do the reed islands last?
a) 5 years
b) 10 years
c) 25 years
d) 50 years - What do the Uru people do when an island sinks?
a) They move away
b) They rebuild the island
c) They swim
d) They build boats - Why is Lake Titicaca important to the Uru people?
a) They grow food there
b) They live on manmade islands in the lake
c) They fish there
d) They have parties there
Answers:
- b) In the Andes mountains, between Bolivia and Peru
- c) 3,812 meters
- b) From rain and melting glaciers
- c) Five
- c) A bowl made when tectonic plates pull apart
- b) They are built on the lake
- c) They are manmade from reeds by the Uru people
- c) 25 years
- b) They rebuild the island
- b) They live on manmade islands in the lake
Intermediate B1 (英検2級) Version:
Article: Why is Lake Titicaca so high up? It was formed in a hollow in the mountain and is replenished by melting glaciers.
Lake Titicaca is located in the Andes mountains, on the border of Bolivia and Peru. Its surface is 3,812 m above sea level, making it the highest navigable lake in the world, where large ships can sail. It covers an area of 8,327 km², making it the 18th largest lake globally.
Lakes are rare at high altitudes because water tends to flow downhill. However, Lake Titicaca is fed by rainfall and meltwater from surrounding mountains. The lake is filled by five rivers, while only one river flows out. Recently, the lake’s water levels have dropped due to changing weather patterns and shrinking glaciers, intensified by climate change and droughts.
The lake formed about 60 million years ago in a pull-apart basin created by tectonic plate movements. As the Andes were pushed up, the land sank in areas, creating basins that filled with water.
Lake Titicaca is too high for ships to reach by sailing up rivers, so large vessels are assembled on-site. The lake also features manmade islands built by the Uru people from reeds found around the lake. These floating islands need to be rebuilt every 25 years when they become waterlogged.
Questions:
- Where is Lake Titicaca located?
a) Near the Amazon River
b) In the Andes mountains between Bolivia and Peru
c) In Argentina
d) In the Sahara Desert - What makes Lake Titicaca unique?
a) It is the highest lake in the world
b) It is the highest navigable lake in the world
c) It is the largest lake in the world
d) It has no rivers - How is Lake Titicaca mainly replenished?
a) Underground springs
b) Ocean tides
c) Rainfall and glacier meltwater
d) Artificial pumps - What percentage of Lake Titicaca’s water is lost through its single outflowing river?
a) 5%
b) 25%
c) 50%
d) 75% - What is a pull-apart basin?
a) A type of lake
b) A geological formation created when tectonic plates pull apart
c) A deep valley
d) A type of underwater cave - How are large ships brought to Lake Titicaca?
a) They sail up a river
b) They are flown in by helicopter
c) They are built in pieces and assembled on the lake
d) They are pulled by other ships - Who built the manmade islands on Lake Titicaca?
a) The Inca people
b) The Uru people
c) Spanish explorers
d) The local government - What are the islands on Lake Titicaca made from?
a) Wood
b) Stone
c) Metal
d) Reeds - How long do the reed islands last before they need to be rebuilt?
a) 5 years
b) 10 years
c) 25 years
d) 50 years - What do the Uru people do when their islands become waterlogged?
a) They abandon them
b) They repair them with cement
c) They build new islands
d) They move to land
Answers:
- b) In the Andes mountains between Bolivia and Peru
- b) It is the highest navigable lake in the world
- c) Rainfall and glacier meltwater
- a) 5%
- b) A geological formation created when tectonic plates pull apart
- c) They are built in pieces and assembled on the lake
- b) The Uru people
- d) Reeds
- c) 25 years
- c) They build new islands
Advanced C1 (英検1級) Version:
Article: Why is Lake Titicaca so high up? It was formed in a hollow in the mountain and is replenished by melting glaciers.
Lake Titicaca is located in the Andes mountains, on the border of Bolivia and Peru, with a surface elevation of 3,812 meters above sea level. Often mistaken as the highest lake in the world, it is actually the highest navigable lake, allowing large ships to operate. It spans 8,327 square kilometers, making it the 18th largest lake globally. In comparison, Ojos del Salado holds the title of the highest lake at 6,879 meters above sea level but is much smaller.
Lakes at such altitudes are uncommon due to the rapid drainage of water downhill. However, Lake Titicaca sits within a high-altitude basin surrounded by taller mountains, feeding it with rainwater and melting glaciers. It is primarily replenished by five rivers, and only one river flows out, accounting for about 5% of its water loss. Recently, the lake’s level has receded by around 80 meters, driven by climate change, diminishing glaciers, and ongoing droughts.
The lake formed approximately 60 million years ago in a pull-apart basin, a type of geological formation where tectonic plates move apart, creating a depression. The uplift of the Andes and subsequent horizontal shifts in tectonic plates contributed to the creation of the basin that became Lake Titicaca.
Due to its high altitude, all large ships operating on Lake Titicaca were assembled on-site after being transported in pieces. The lake also features unique manmade islands constructed by the Uru people, who use reeds to build and maintain these floating habitats, replacing them approximately every 25 years when they begin to sink.
Questions:
- What makes Lake Titicaca the highest navigable lake in the world?
a) Its large surface area
b) Its location between Bolivia and Peru
c) Its ability to support large ships
d) Its depth - Why are lakes at high altitudes rare?
a) High altitudes have no water sources
b) Water usually drains downhill faster than it can be replenished
c) Mountains block water from reaching them
d) They are too windy - How is Lake Titicaca primarily replenished?
a) Underground springs
b) Rainfall and melting glaciers from surrounding mountains
c) Ocean tides
d) Artificial canals - What type of geological formation is Lake Titicaca situated in?
a) A volcanic crater
b) A pull-apart basin created by tectonic plate movement
c) A manmade reservoir
d) A glacial valley - How does water primarily leave Lake Titicaca?
a) Through evaporation
b) Via the river that flows out, accounting for about 5%
c) Underground tunnels
d) Manmade dams - Why must large ships on Lake Titicaca be assembled on-site?
a) The lake is too shallow for other ships
b) The river flowing out is too steep to navigate
c) There are no construction materials nearby
d) The ships are too heavy to transport - Who constructed the floating islands on Lake Titicaca?
a) The Spanish settlers
b) The Uru people
c) Incan royalty
d) Local businesses - What materials are used to build the floating islands on Lake Titicaca?
a) Wood and metal
b) Reeds from the lake
c) Plastic and foam
d) Sand and rocks - How often do the reed islands need to be replaced or rebuilt?
a) Every 5 years
b) Every 25 years
c) Every 50 years
d) Every 100 years - What is the impact of climate change on Lake Titicaca?
a) It makes the lake grow larger
b) It causes the lake to freeze
c) It has caused a decline in water levels due to reduced rainfall and melting glaciers
d) It has no effect on the lake
Answers:
- c) Its ability to support large ships
- b) Water usually drains downhill faster than it can be replenished
- b) Rainfall and melting glaciers from surrounding mountains
- b) A pull-apart basin created by tectonic plate movement
- b) Via the river that flows out, accounting for about 5%
- b) The river flowing out is too steep to navigate
- b) The Uru people
- b) Reeds from the lake
- b) Every 25 years
- c) It has caused a decline in water levels due to reduced rainfall and melting glaciers
Original Version:
Why is Lake Titicaca so high up? It was formed in a hollow in the mountain and is replenished by melting glaciers.
Lake Titicaca is located in the Andes mountains, on the border of Bolivia and Peru. Its surface is 3,812 m above sea level. It if often thought to be the highest lake in the world, but it is actually only the highest navigable lake in the world. That means big ships can sail along it, which is made possible by its size. The lake has a surface area of 8,327 km2, which makes it the 18th largest lake in the world. Ojos del Salado is actually the highest lake in the world and it is 6,879 m above sea level, although it only has a surface area of about 10 km2. Ojos del Salado has formed inside a dormant volcano.
It is fairly rare to find a lake on top of a mountain because the water usually drains downhill faster than it can be replenished. On the top of a mountain, the only real source of water would be from rainfall. However, Lake Titicaca is not on the top of a mountain, it is high up in a mountain range and there are many other taller mountains that surround it. Rain runoff from these mountains and meltwater from glaciers is what fills Lake Titicaca. The lake is fed by five different rivers and only one river runs out of it. The river that flows out removes about 5% of the lake’s volume, which is replaced by incoming water. Unfortunately, recently, the amount of water in Lake Titicaca is declining and the shoreline has receded by about 80 m. This is due to changing rainfall patterns and the receding glaciers in the Andes, both of which are worsened by climate change and the current El Nino. There is an ongoing drought in the area as well. Some of the water is lost by outflow, but the majority is lost to evaporation. There are very strong winds that high up in the mountains and very strong sunlight, both of which speed up the evaporation of the lake. If it is not being replenished as quickly as it evaporates, it will shrink. Hopefully, the water level will rebound when the drought, but the fact that there is less rain and the glaciers are disappearing is not a problem that will fix itself.
So, why is Lake Titicaca so high up? The lake formed about 60 million years ago and it formed in a bowl made by the movements of tectonic plates. First, the Andes mountains were pushed up and the high plain that Lake Titicaca is on was formed. Then, the space the lake fills was hollowed out. The bowl that Lake Titicaca formed in is known as a pull-apart basin. A pull-apart basin is basically explained in its name. When two tectonic plates pull apart, or shift horizontally, the land between them has no support and sinks, creating a basin. The Dead Sea has formed in a pull-apart basin. It doesn’t always follow that a lake will form, but if there is enough incoming water into the basin, it is likely. The Andes mountains were pushed up, and then the plates moved, creating the pull-apart basin at high altitude.
Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake because large ships can function on it, but the only way to get those ships to the lake is to build them on site. There is no way the ships can be sailed to the lake because the one river that goes out of it is too steep. All of the large vessels that sail on the lake were built elsewhere, transported to the lake in pieces, and then assembled. There are also still several steamships that work on the lake. All of these were built in the UK and shipped in pieces to the lake.
Another interesting thing about Lake Titicaca is that it has several manmade islands across it. It was a very important site for the Incas and there are several shrines and Inca ruins there as well. The manmade islands were constructed by the Uru people, and they are still there today. The Uru people are found nowhere other than on these islands and they see themselves as the owners of the lake. The islands are made from the thick bulrushes that grow on the shore of the lake. They dry the bulrushes out, and use them to build the islands. They start with a layer of bulrushes tied together in pallets as a foundation and then they add more and more layers of reeds on top until they have an island. They constantly add bulrushes on top to strengthen the island and they construct houses as well. The islands last for about 25 years before they become too waterlogged and sink. When that happens, the Uru people just make a new island.
Questions:
- Where is Lake Titicaca located?
a) Near the Sahara Desert
b) In the Andes mountains, on the border of Bolivia and Peru
c) In the Amazon basin
d) Near the Arctic Circle - What makes Lake Titicaca the highest navigable lake?
a) It is the largest lake
b) Its ability to support large ships due to its size and altitude
c) It is the deepest lake
d) It has the most rivers flowing into it - How does Lake Titicaca maintain its water levels?
a) It has many underground springs
b) It is fed by five rivers and melting glaciers from surrounding mountains
c) It receives water from the ocean
d) It is artificially filled - What is a pull-apart basin?
a) A type of volcanic crater
b) A geological formation caused by tectonic plates pulling apart, creating a depression
c) A manmade lake
d) A deep valley formed by rivers - Why are the water levels of Lake Titicaca declining?
a) Increased river outflow
b) Drought, receding glaciers, and changing rainfall patterns due to climate change
c) It is being drained for farming
d) The river outflow has increased significantly - How are ships on Lake Titicaca constructed?
a) They are flown in from other lakes
b) They are built in pieces elsewhere and assembled on the lake
c) They are towed up the river
d) They are made from local wood - Who built the manmade islands on Lake Titicaca?
a) The Inca
b) The Uru people
c) Modern engineers
d) Spanish colonizers - What materials are the manmade islands on Lake Titicaca made from?
a) Stone and wood
b) Reeds from the lake
c) Metal and concrete
d) Plastic and foam - How often do the reed islands need to be replaced?
a) Every 5 years
b) Every 10 years
c) Every 25 years
d) Every 50 years - What happens when a reed island becomes waterlogged and sinks?
a) It is abandoned
b) The Uru people build a new island
c) It is repaired
d) It is sold to tourists
Answers:
- b) In the Andes mountains, on the border of Bolivia and Peru
- b) Its ability to support large ships due to its size and altitude
- b) It is fed by five rivers and melting glaciers from surrounding mountains
- b) A geological formation caused by tectonic plates pulling apart, creating a depression
- b) Drought, receding glaciers, and changing rainfall patterns due to climate change
- b) They are built in pieces elsewhere and assembled on the lake
- b) The Uru people
- b) Reeds from the lake
- c) Every 25 years
- b) The Uru people build a new island
