Practice Tests
IELTS Reading (AC) Task 1 #178

A. The Anthropocene is a proposed geological epoch dating from the commencement of significant human impact on Earth''s geology and ecosystems. The term combines the Greek root "anthropos," meaning "human," with "cene," the standard suffix for a geological epoch. It asserts that humanity has become a dominant force in shaping the planet, with our activities leaving a distinct and lasting mark on the geological record, comparable to the forces of nature that have defined previous epochs.

B. The evidence for the Anthropocene is drawn from a wide range of Earth systems. Human activities have dramatically altered the landscape through agriculture, deforestation, and urbanisation. We have dammed rivers, altering sediment flows to the oceans. The burning of fossil fuels has significantly changed the composition of the atmosphere, leading to climate change and ocean acidification. The use of plastics and concrete has created entirely new types of rock and sediment that will be preserved for millennia.

C. Furthermore, human impact on the biosphere has been profound. We have triggered a mass extinction event, with species disappearing at a rate far above the natural background rate. The global-scale transport and introduction of species to new continents has homogenised the planet''s ecosystems in an unprecedented way. The fallout from nuclear weapons testing in the mid-20th century has left a clear radioactive signature in sediments and ice cores around the world, which is one of the leading candidates for the official starting marker, or "golden spike," of the new epoch.

D. While the term is now widely used in scientific and public discourse, the Anthropocene has not yet been formally adopted by the official geological time-keeping bodies. There is still ongoing debate among scientists about its precise starting date and its status as a formal epoch. Regardless of its official classification, the concept of the Anthropocene serves as a powerful reminder of the immense scale of human influence on the planet and the profound responsibility we hold for its future.