Cambridge IELTS 15, Test 2, Reading Passage 2: Should We Try To Bring Extinct Species Back To Life, Solution with Answer Key
Cambridge IELTS 15, Test 2: Reading Passage 2 – Should We Try To Bring Extinct Species Back To Life with Answer Key. Here we will discuss detailed explanation of all the questions of the passage. Here is step by step Solution with Tips and Strategies. This post is for educational purpose only. If you find difficulties in reading passage to find the right answer in the exam, just read the post carefully. Tips and strategies will help you find the right answer.
Should We Try To Bring Extinct Species Back To Life
IELTS Cambridge 15, Test 2, Academic Reading Module, Reading Passage 2
QUESTIONS 14 -17: WHICH PARAGRAPH CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION?
Tips: How To Solve Information Matching or Locating Paragraph In IELTS Reading Module
14. Answer: F
Key words: disappearance, avoided
While most paragraphs are about bringing back extinct species, only paragraph F mentions how extinction could be avoided in the first place. It is stated that it is “far easier to save an existing species which is merely threatened with extinction”, and this could be achieved specifically by making “genetic modifications which could prevent mass extinctions in the future”. In this sentence, “prevent” could be understood as “avoid”. In mass extinctions, many/multiple species disappear/become extinct. Therefore, paragraph F contains the message that matches this statement, so F is the answer.
- avoid = prevent
→ Answer: F
15. Answer: A
Key words: explanation, reproducing, using DNA
By using the scanning and skimming technique, in paragraph A we could find the details of how DNA could be used to reproduce extinct animals. Specifically, it is stated that “the basic premise involves using cloning technology to turn the DNA of extinct animals into a fertilised embryo, which is carried by the nearest relative still in existence …”, meaning that this is an explanation of the mechanism of the technology. Therefore, A is the answer.
- reproduce = clone
→ Answer: A
16. Answer: D
Key words: habitat, suffered, following the extinction
The purposes of bringing back extinct species are mentioned in paragraph D, where one of the reasons is to repair damage to ecosystems. Specifically, it is stated that “Since the disappearance of this key species (passenger pigeons), ecosystems in the eastern US have suffered….”, in which “ecosystems” refers to “habitat”. Therefore, D is the answer.
habitat = ecosystems
→ Answer: D
17. Answer: A
Key words: exact point, particular species, extinct
As the “exact point” might refer to an exact time or date, we could use the skimming and scanning technique and find in paragraph A the particular date for the extinction of the passenger pigeon, which “came to an end on 1 September 1914, when the last living specimen died…” As “come to an end” is the same as “become extinct”, it is confirmed that A is the answer.
- become extinct = come to an end
→ Answer: A
QUESTIONS 18 – 22: COMPLETE THE SUMMARY BELOW.
Tips: Completing summaries with and without a wordlist in IELTS Reading Module
18. Answer: genetic traits
Key words: George Church, mammoths, tundra
In paragraph E, the team is focusing on reaching its goal by “pinpointing which genetic traits made it possible for mammoths to survive the icy climate of the tundra”.
- identify = pinpoint
- enable = make it possible
- live = survive
Therefore, the subject that Professor George Church and his team are trying to identify ís the “genetic traits”, which should be filled in gap 18.
→ Answer: genetic traits
19. Answer: heat loss
Key words: Church, Asian elephants, physical adaptations, minimise
In the same paragraph, it is stated that in order to expand the range of Asian elephants to the tundra, there would be multiple necessary physical adaptations that are “all for the purpose of reducing heat loss in the tundra”.
- minimise = reduce
Therefore, certain physical adaptations are aimed at minimising “heat loss”, which are the missing words in gap 19.
→ Answer: heat loss
20. Answer: ears
Key words: mammoth-like features
As mentioned earlier, multiple adaptations are necessary for the elephant to survive in the tundra, including “smaller ears, thicker hair, and extra insulation fat”, which are traits found in the woolly mammoth.
- reduced size = smaller
- more = extra
Therefore, the adaptations can be rewritten as “ears” of reduced size and more “insulation fat”. Thus, “ears” and “insulation fat” are respectively filled in gaps 20 and 21.
→ Answer: ears – (insulating) fat
21. Answer: (insulating) fat
Key words: mammoth-like features
As mentioned earlier, multiple adaptations are necessary for the elephant to survive in the tundra, including “smaller ears, thicker hair, and extra insulation fat”, which are traits found in the woolly mammoth.
- reduced size = smaller
- more = extra
Therefore, the adaptations can be rewritten as “ears” of reduced size and more “insulation fat”. Thus, “ears” and “insulation fat” are respectively filled in gaps 20 and 21.
→ Answer: ears – (insulating) fat
22. Answer: (carbon) emissions
Key words: repopulating, environment
In paragraph E, the repopulation of the tundra with large mammals (which refers to mammoths and Asian elephants) might encourage grass growth, which would “reduce temperatures, and mitigate emissions from melting permafrost”.
Thus, it means that repopulating the tundra could help decrease “emissions”, or specifically “carbon emissions” in the preceding sentence. Therefore, “(carbon) emissions” is the answer.
- decrease = mitigate
→ Answer: (carbon) emissions
QUESTIONS 23 – 26: LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS (QUESTIONS 23-26) AND THE LIST OF PEOPLE BELOW.
Tips: How To Solve Matching Statement With Correct Theory In IELTS Reading
23. Answer: B
Key words: reproducing an extinct species, improve, particular species
Among multiple benefits from reintroducing an extinct species, one of them, which is improving the health of a particular species living in a certain area (the island of Tasmania) is mentioned in paragraph B. Specifically, Michael Archer refers to the example of how the reintroduction of the thylacine would have helped the Tasmanian devils avoid the threats from the facial tumour syndrome, which dangerously affects their health. Therefore, B is the answer here,
→ Answer: B
24. Answer: C
Key words: concentrate, causes
By skimming and scanning, we can find the emphasis on finding the causes of an animal’s extinction in paragraph F. Particularly, Beth Shapiro prefers to “fully understand why various species went extinct in the first place”, where “understand why” could be understood as “concentrate on the causes”. Therefore, C is the answer.
→ Answer: C
25. Answer: A
Key words: beneficial impact, vegetation
By looking for keywords that relate to “vegetation”, we could find the idea of this statement in paragraph D. Since the extinction of a species – the passenger pigeon – the forests where they used to live have become “stagnant”. Ben Novak explains how the return of the passenger pigeons to their forest habitat, with their nesting habits, would help “re-establish that forest disturbance, thereby creating a habitat necessary for a great many other native species to thrive”. As the “forest disturbance” conveys the same meaning as “impact on the vegetation”, it is once again confirmed that this statement is the idea of Ben Novak. Therefore, A is the answer.
- brought back = return(ed)
→ Answer: A
26. Answer: C
Key words: efforts, preserving biodiversity, insufficient
“Preserving biodiversity” could be understood as preventing extinction in the first place, which is the idea of paragraph F, so we would look in this one. In this paragraph, Shapiro expresses how it is “far easier to try to save an existing species …”, and commented that “we know that what we are doing today is not enough” for this act of preserving biodiversity.
- current = today
- insufficient = not enough
Therefore, this is the statement of Beth Shapiro, so C is the answer.
→ Answer: C
Answer Key – Should We Try To Bring Extinct Species Back To Life
Should we try to bring extinct species back to life? Reading Answers
14. F
15. A
16. D
17. A
18. genetic traits
19. heat loss
20. ears
21. (insulating) fat
22. (carbon) emissions
23. B
24. C
25. A
26. C
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