IELTS Reading Passages – Key Vocabulary: Land Management, Ocean Liners & Emerging Tourism

A collection of vocabulary flashcards covering major concepts, places, technologies and travel trends discussed across three IELTS-style reading passages.

Overpopulation

A situation in which the number of people exceeds the carrying capacity of the land or resources available.

Climate Change

Long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns, often attributed to human activities.

Mass Migration

Large-scale movement of people from one geographical area to another.

Land Management

The process of managing the use and development of land resources in both urban and rural settings.

Terra firma

Latin phrase meaning ‘solid ground’; used to refer to Earth’s land surface.

Malé

The overcrowded capital city of the Maldives, noted for extreme population density and vertical expansion.

Urbanisation

The increasing concentration of populations into cities, often leading to vertical building growth.

Garbage Island

A man-made island next to Malé created from the city’s accumulated refuse.

Ice-free Land

The 51.7 million square miles of Earth not covered by permanent ice, theoretically habitable.

Agricultural Land

Land used for farming; currently about 35-40 % of Earth’s total land area.

Deforestation

The clearing of forests, often for cropland or pasture, responsible for about 80 % of global forest loss today.

Greenhouse Gases

Heat-trapping gases (e.g., CO₂, methane) absorbed by forests acting as natural ‘sinks’.

Cropland Reserve

The remaining 1.7 million square miles considered suitable for future crop cultivation.

Livestock Feed

Crops grown specifically to feed animals; occupies roughly 75 % of the world’s agricultural land.

Food Waste

Edible food discarded or lost; estimated at about 40 % of total global production.

RMS Lusitania

Cunard ocean liner launched in 1907; broke the transatlantic speed record twice.

Transatlantic Voyage

A sea crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, traditionally between Europe and North America.

Screw Propeller

Rotating blades on a central axis, replacing paddlewheels to improve ship speed and efficiency.

Steam Turbine Engine

A propulsion system first used on Lusitania and Mauretania, offering greater speed over reciprocating engines.

Cunard Line

British shipping company famed for safety and later innovation, still operating RMS Queen Mary 2.

Inman Line

Pioneering British passenger line that embraced new technology such as iron hulls and propellers.

White Star Line

British-founded company known for luxury ‘floating hotels’ like RMS Olympic and RMS Titanic.

RMS Titanic

White Star’s famed liner that sank in 1912, prompting major maritime safety reforms.

J. P. Morgan

American financier who acquired White Star, turning liner rivalry into a matter of national pride.

Marconi Wireless

Early shipboard radio system enabling at-sea communication; first installed on Cunard’s Lucania and Campania.

Reciprocating Engine

Traditional ship engine with pistons; slower than steam turbines but used on Titanic and Olympic.

Double Hull

Two-layered ship hull for added safety; featured on White Star’s Olympic-class vessels.

Watertight Bulkhead

Internal partition preventing water spread within a ship; improved after the Titanic disaster.

RMS Queen Mary 2

Cunard liner launched in 2004; currently the only ship offering regular scheduled transatlantic crossings.

Food (Cuisine) Tourism

Travel motivated primarily by the desire to experience local food and beverages.

Experimental Tourism

A form of travel guided by chance or playful concepts rather than traditional sights.

Monopoly-travel

Experimental tourism in which dice rolls based on the Monopoly board determine a city itinerary.

Counter-travel

Tourism style where visitors photograph landmarks while facing away from them.

Erotravel

Experimental pursuit where a couple travels separately to the same city and attempts to find each other.

Agritourism

Travel to working farms or ranches for activities like fruit picking, wine tasting, or craft shopping.

HandMade in America

North Carolina organisation promoting agritourism to boost rural economies and craft traditions.

Set-jetting

Travel to film locations featured in popular movies or TV shows.

Film Tourism

Another term for set-jetting; leverages movie exposure to attract visitors to filming sites.